《The Achievement Junkie》


 Chapter 1 The Last Achievemen

    <h4>Chapter 1 The Last Achievemen</h4>


    "Hurry up! Crypt Lord Duorda will emerge any minute! If you need to heal or swap equipment, now''s the time," the squadronmander yelled to the hundred-man army.


    Every yer quickly checked their statuses and acted ordingly. Almost everyone clustered around the clerics and medics, waiting for their turns to be fully healed. In the meantime, they all checked their storages and began to switch armors and weapons, trying their best to counter the imminent threat specializing in death magic.


    The squadronmander looked over his hundred-man army with pride before turning towards the ten assigned party leaders to rymands. "Remember that we must be vignt, be ready for anything."


    "Oh,e on. Lighten up," joked the third party leader, boasting bulky armor and a war hammer bigger than his head.


    "Quiet, pay close attention to everything," themander was already scanning the army yet again. "You all know of the real threat we face. Didn''t you check the achievement board this morning?"


    Some party leaders were startled as they remembered, others just looked around and waited for someone to exin. The seventh party leader spoke up, "That fiend only has a single achievement left."


    "What!?" the ignorant third party leader yelled as he finally caught on. "You can''t be serious? But that''s imposs¡ª"


    "It''s true," the squadronmander confirmed. "Any guess as to what hisst one might be?"


    The bulky party leader shrunk back as he guessed, "None for all, all for none?" When themander nodded, the tank party leader ran back to the others yelling, "Hurry up! Don''t waste any time!"


    Suddenly, dark mist shrouded everything and everyone, circling the tomb and marking the boss''s arrival. Unlucky for everyone there, the randomized timer favored the dungeon boss and caught everyone off guard.


    "Get in formation, what are you doing!?" themander was furious at the terrible timing but could only move the ns forward without a second thought. "Tanks surround him! Archers and mages form an outer ring! Clerics and medics hide behind the archers and buff our soldiers! Stay in mid-range, anything long range can be countered by the ck mists!"


    Everyone followed orders and listened to their respective party leaders as they took control and assaulted the risen crypt lord. The grind to dwindle the boss'' health went fairly smoothly as the boss reached critical health, where he''d be buffed and his attack''s became randomized.


    "Careful everyone! Get closer and avoid the mist! It''s toxic and will drain your HP!" themander reminded everyone of Crypt Lord Duorda''s crit abilities. "Every attack he makes will drain your life and heal him, so watch it!"


    The tanks were running low on stamina and skill points, doing their best to keep the boss from moving. Clerics and medics worked overtime to replenish everyone''s skill points and health, not focusing on anyone in particr but maintaining the general health of the squadron just above the red.


    "Hey! What are you doing?" a medic party leader yelled at a medic that broke formation and ran towards the tank. Many people hesitated at the sight, resulting in a timing issue of the once steady stream of attacks. What caught everyone off guard was what the run-away medic was wearing.


    The squadronmander''s eyes red in fury. He immediately turned his bow away from the boss and toward the mad medic. "Archers and mages shoot him! That''s a full set of Leeroy Jenkins'' Battle te, the legendary ''kamikaze armor!''"


    All eyes were on the rogue medic and all sixty-five archers and mages aimed. Despite the tension, the tanks felt with the boss and the fear in the eyes of the squadron, the rouge medic wore a smile as he reached the inner circle and easily squeezed past the upied tanks. He dove at the crypt lord and yelled, "I''ve done it!"


    Before anyone could finish him off, the ''kamikaze armor'' was activated. Bright white light shed across each of the hundred yers'' screens, blinding everyone from the battlefield. Three seconds passed before it faded, and everyone was left staring at the deste catbs. Nobody was left, not even the crypt lord. All that remained were the boss drops, left freely for whoever passed by the boss floor next. Thest achievement, "None For All, All For None," had been achieved.


    "YEEEEEEEEEEESSSSSSSS!!!!!" only a single gamer out of the hundred was excited beyond belief. "Finally!!! I did it!" Unlike the others, his screen didn''t return to show him the empty battlefield. It cleared up to the now full achievement board. In bright gold, his gamer tag, Jack_J, stood at the top in spectacr fashion.


    Seeing it in such a glorious fashion, he remembered how much more he preferred that character over his real-world identity, Jackson Jones the twenty-two-year-old high school janitor. With thousands of hours clocked in "A Hero''s Tale," he genuinely wished to leave reality behind for his fantasies.


    After a few minutes in awe of the achievement, he tried to click back to the home screen but wasn''t able to. Instead, a highly decorated message from the game''s creators covered the screen. Jackson read it carefully, anticipating some insane gift to be given.


    "It is our honor to congratte you Jack_J the Achievement Junkie for your aplishments. Your countless hours of heroics have culminated in such grandeur that it is impossible to fully describe in words.


    "As promised, we offer you this unique quest that will allow you to further dive into fantasy and escape your dismal reality. May you always adventure with heroics in mind."


    At the bottom of the message was a button to open his new quest. Without hesitation, Jackson led his mouse towards it and clicked it eagerly. To his shock, he was being electrocuted by his mouse andputer. His muscles spasmed and his eyes flinched in pain. He could move away from the keyboard and could only watch as his screen faded to white and lit his entire room, blinding him from the old bowls of instant ramen and soda cans scattered across the worn-out studio apartment.


    It wasn''t clear when Jackson came to, he slowly opened his eyes and rubbed his face awake. Slowly he looked around himself to realize he was no longer in his apartment, or alone. He wasid out on a cold stone floor in the midst of what looked like a summoning circle from "A Hero''s Tale." Outside the circle stood a small crowd of people with amazement in their eyes.


    "What the..?" mumbled Jackson as he slowly stood up.

 Chapter 2 Me, A Hero?

    <h4>Chapter 2 Me, A Hero?</h4>


    "What the..?" Jackson scratched his head and looked to the people crowding around him. "What¡¯s going on?"


    "A HERO!" the man in front yelled in excitement. "It¡¯s a hero, the summoning was sessful!"


    While the crowd was in awe of Jackson¡¯s presence, he thought to himself about the situation. Thest thing that he could remember was finally getting thest achievement and epting the new quest. Thinking back to the quest description, if him being transported to a new world was the quest, then the description of escaping reality was very fitting.


    "Hero, you muste with me," the same man spoke again and motioned towards Jackson. "My name is Arnole, I¡¯m in charge of his highness¡¯ personal magic guard. I¡¯ll exin on the way."


    Arnole turned and quickly led the hesitant Jackson through the stunned crowd. Jackson asked, "What¡¯s going on? Where am I?"


    "Calm yourself, hero, all will be exined. You are currently in the capital of the Reinolt Kingdom and we are on the way towards his majesty, Leodoro Reinolt," Arnole replied.


    "And why are you calling me a hero?" Jackson asked.


    "Because that¡¯s what you are, a hero to the Reinolt Kingdom and the world. During drastic times in history, the various countries spare no expense to summon heroes to their cause. It¡¯s rarely sessful and not many countries have been able to pull it off. But seeing that you¡¯re here speaking with me, we obviously seeded," said Arnole with a proud smile.


    "And what makes you think I¡¯ll help you?" questioned Jackson, stopping Arnole in his tracks. "I don¡¯t have a clue as to what¡¯s going on in the world or how bad things are. For all I know, this country isn¡¯t worth saving. Why should I join your cause?"


    "What do you mean?" Arnole was at a loss for words. No summoned hero had ever said such a thing. In all recorded history, each hero took up their calling with pride and without hesitation. He felt like it was his rotten luck to get such a reluctant hero.


    "Like I said, why should I join your cause? What good does it do me to give my life for a kingdom that I know nothing about and shares no rtions with me?" Jackson rephrased his question.


    Arnole felt some relief and replied, "Of course, you will be handsomely rewarded for your actions hero. The king¡¯s throne room is further ahead, please hear what he has to offer before making any rash decisions."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll hear him out," Jackson stepped forward, rushing Arnole towards the throne room. He chuckled to himself, confident that he¡¯d be able to squeeze every benefit possible from the king and this new country he found himself in.


    Before long, they stood before a massive door with guards at both sides. The guards made no motions towards the two approaching them and only opened the door with smiles, d to see a hero following their captain.


    Arnole and Jackson walked right in, not even looking at the guards. They both had their eyes glued on the man sitting atop the golden throne in the center of the room. Wanting to warn the king of the hero¡¯s concerns, Arnole tried to approach the throne but was cut off Jackson¡¯s self-introduction.


    "Greetings your highness. My name is Jack and it seems that you¡¯ve summoned me, mind telling me why?" Jackson decided to ditch his old name and identitypletely. He was in a new world and was given a new identity from the get-go, so why not rece his old, boring reality with the one he had always dreamt of as Jack_J, the Achievement Junkie.


    "Oh, greetings young hero," the king was caught off guard and gave a simple greeting. Arnole came to his side and quickly exined the exchange he had with Jack, leaving the king startled yet more at ease.


    "Sir Jack, let me fill you in further on the state of our world. Chaos is spreading across thend, regardless of the country. The despicable Chaos Syndicate is the cause of this. They are a powerful organization that has existed in the shadows for centuries and only grows stronger with time," exined the king.


    "With global chaos as their goal, they hope to topple the other world powers and reign supreme. We don¡¯t know who leads them or how they control the chaos, but their threat has grown incredibly over the past few years."


    "So, you want me to fight this chaos?" Jack guessed. "And what¡¯s in it for me? Like I told Arnole, I have no reason to fight for a kingdom that I don¡¯t know or have any connections with. And if you¡¯re hoping to touch on my sense of justice, you¡¯d have better luck summoning a new hero."


    Both the king and Arnole were stunned at how tantly Jack spoke. The king replied, "Of course, you¡¯ll be rewarded for your bravery and your willingness to help us in our time of need. What is it you¡¯d like, hero?"


    Jack began his list of requirements, "I will need all information on the country and world that you have; maps, trade routes, and a list of allies and enemies would be a good start."


    "Easy enough," King Leodoro nodded.


    "Second, I¡¯ll need funds to begin my adventures. I can¡¯t be going into battle naked, not again at least," Jackughed as he remembered one of the more ridiculous achievements that he had to aplish before.


    King Leodoro was hesitant to reply, "Very well."


    "Third, I need yourplete trust. My methods can be... unorthodox at times, and I don¡¯t need you or anyone else interrupting them."


    "Sir Jack, I can assure you that you will have my full support and the help of my Royal Court, the strongest force in the entire Reinolt Kingdom," said King Leodoro, who was trying to imagine how unorthodox Jack¡¯s methods may be.


    "And fourth, I refuse to swear loyalty towards you as my king," stated Jack.


    The room went silent. All guards were shocked at the new hero¡¯s statement, Arnole included. The king regained hisposure and rebutted, "Hero, I have gone to great lengths to summon you and bring you here. If there is anything that you disapprove of, please make it known so that¡ª"


    "I never asked toe here," Jack interrupted. "Yes, I¡¯m grateful for the opportunity toe here and explore a new world, but I have no reason to call you my king. Sure, you¡¯ve summoned me and you reign here. I will acknowledge you like a king and show you your deserved respect, but what have you done for me other than dragging me into your problems? You¡¯ll give me these things that I¡¯ve asked for, but that¡¯s only logical because it¡¯s to your greater benefit for me to solve your problems for you. Am I wrong?"


    It was then that the king and those present got an idea of just how hard it was to deal with Jack, the Achievement Junkie.

 Chapter 3 What Kind of Hero Are You?

    <h4>Chapter 3 What Kind of Hero Are You?</h4>


    "Hero, please take a moment to understand the situation more fully," the king tried to soothe Jack¡¯s unruliness.


    "You know I¡¯m right. Besides saying that your Royal Court is the strongest force in the kingdom means that there are other forces. Surely you aren¡¯t trying to tie me down before I can truly understand the situation more fully, right?" Jack stated.


    Internally the king was furious at the gall of the newbie hero in front of him. He was certain that no other king before had to deal with someone so difficult, at least not immediately after summoning. "You mistake my intentions hero. Of course, you¡¯ll be able to align yourself with whoever you feel fit, I just don¡¯t want any misunderstandings or bad intentions to exist between us. Like you said, it¡¯s best for all of us to allow you these things you¡¯ve asked of me."


    After speaking, King Leodoro snapped his fingers. A line of servants entered the room from the smaller side entrances, holding various gifts for the hero. Jack was pleased to have won the dispute and epted them gratefully. "Thank you, King Leodoro. I¡¯m confident that this will help me to fulfill my duties as a hero."


    "Now, before we bestow these gifts upon you Sir Jack, please inform us as to what your specialty is," asked the king.


    Jack was taken aback by that, not fully understanding the meaning. Seeing Jack¡¯s confusion, the king continued, "You may not know this, but you summoned heroes are different than us mortals. We must rely on our efforts to grow stronger, but it¡¯s recorded that all heroes arrive with a certain special set of skills or abilities. For example, a hero¡¯s natural physical strength will be enormous or their affinity for magic will be beyond our mortalprehension."


    "How can I find this out for myself?" asked Jack.


    "Records say that heroese with something called a ¡¯hero menu¡¯ and can ess it with a simple thought. I have no clue what that means, but give it a try," answered King Leodoro, somewhat baffled himself.


    Like the king said, Jack easily opened up his hero menu. He noticed that it was the same menu from "A Hero¡¯s Tale," the only difference was the missing buttons to save and log out. Jack immediately opened the status screen and saw his current stats, which didn¡¯t seem like anything amazing to him. What caught his attention was his ss, a lv. 1 Hero. Never in all his time ying "A Hero¡¯s Tale" did he ever hear about a ss like that.


    "What does it say hero?" the king could tell that somehow the legends were true, and Jack had essed his hero menu.


    "ording to this, my stats aren¡¯t broken at all. Give me a minute," said Jack, who confused the king with the use of the word "broken."


    Exploring the menu led Jack to something interesting, he already had a sub-ss. Selecting his ss in the status menu led him to his new ss tree. In the game, there were two different ss trees that you selected when creating a character, that of a mage or a warrior. From there you could eventually choose a sub-ss to specialize in a certain weapon or type of magic. Each ss would offer different skills, either passive skills that self-urring or active skills that had to be used manually.


    However, under his new ss as a hero, there was only one sub-ss and it was already selected for him. It wasbeled as "Achievement Junkie" and had a massive skill list. The downside, all of them were listed as "???" and had yet to be revealed. Jack also saw an additional button inside the "Achievement Junkie" sub-ss that he had never seen before. It was a personal achievement board. Like the skill list, all the possible achievements werebeled as "???" and left Jack wanting to know more.


    "Hero?" King Leodoro spoke up, annoyed at Jack¡¯s feigning ignorance.


    Jack remembered where he was and exited the menu to speak. "It seems that my ss and sub-ss have already been chosen for me. Have you heard of the ¡¯Hero¡¯ ss King Leodoro?"


    "I haven¡¯t. The legends always talked about how each hero was a unique swordsman, sorcerer, necromancer, and the list goes on. But I¡¯ve never heard of one with such a ss. Are you sure that you don¡¯t have any special strengths or abilities?"


    "Who knows?" replied Jack, his leisurely attitude annoyed the king even more. "I¡¯ll figure it out soon enough. For now, I¡¯ll need those things I asked for."


    "Hero, can I really trust you?" King Leodoro asked seriously.


    "What do you mean?"


    "Just that. ording to legend, the summoned heroes have always epted their responsibilities withoutplication and always have some specialized skill to offer in return for everything we give them. But you have no such skill or ability, what kind of hero are you?" the king spoke his mind, everyone present was thinking the same thing.


    "So, you¡¯re saying that unless I can provide some specialty, I won¡¯t receive your help?" Jack cut to the chase.


    "Check again, I¡¯m sure that you must have something special to offer us," King Leodoro would¡¯ve loved to reject helping Jack, but it was exactly like what Jack said. By helping Jack start his journey, he would be helping his kingdom grow stronger and better protect his kingdom¡¯s people, including himself.


    "Screw it," Jack said as he turned and began to walk towards the main exit.


    "Hero!" King Leodoro yelled, his patience with Jack wouldn¡¯t hold up any longer.


    Jack could tell that the king would soon lose his patience and possibly use him, so he decided to be the one to walk away. He didn¡¯t want King Leodoro to have the chance to cast him out like a faulty hero, so why not leave on his own terms? Without looking back, Jack said, "I¡¯ll figure it out myself. You can keep your gifts, I¡¯m sure others would jump at the chance to have a hero among them."


    The furious King Leodoro yelled and barked orders at Jack, but Jack paid him no attention and left the throne room. He convinced a guard to show him out and made sure to leave a sour taste in King Leodoro¡¯s mouth. Jack thought to himself, "That¡¯s what you get for not epting my terms. If you can¡¯t ept them all exactly how I ask, then you¡¯re not worth my time. I can still help that jerk¡¯s kingdom with their problems, but he¡¯ll never be my king."


    After exiting the pce, he followed the path into the city. He was surprised by the immensity of the city¡¯s center and had to give some credit to the arrogant king. Looking around he noticed a few shops that he knew he¡¯d be visiting a lot; they were the weapon, medicine, magic, and general shops. But he didn¡¯t n to stop there first, why would he without any money?


    On one of the street corners, there was a town guard in steel te. Jack asked him about the best organizations to join as a new adventurer and where he could find them. To his surprise, the guard gave a long list of names.


    ording to the guard, adventurers could join one of the many noble factions hosted by noble families and receive a lot of mary gains. If an adventurer wanted more connections with powers outside of the Reinolt Kingdom, then they should join the Adventurers Association which was an international power with branches inside of the various kingdoms.


    There were also many guilds specializing in certain things, like a swordsmen guild or an enchanters guild. Another international power was the Religious Council, the head of one of the world¡¯s most powerful churches. And finally, the guard proudly suggested joining the Royal Court.


    Not giving it a second thought, Jack excused himself from the guard¡¯s pitch for the Royal Court and made his way towards the Adventurers Association. Confident in his intuition, Jack determined that the Adventurers Association was by far the most lenient with their members, even if they might not offer any new member a lot, to begin with. But maybe being a hero would change that.

 Chapter 4 The Adventurers Association

    <h4>Chapter 4 The Adventurers Association</h4>


    There stood Jack, in front of arge building not too far from the city center. It wasn¡¯t too imposing or heavily decorated, unlike Jack¡¯s original thoughts. Looking almost rundown and worn from long time use, it was simply arge building with a sign saying, "Adventurers Association." Jack hoped that the inside would be in far better shape and entered.


    There weren¡¯t too many people in the open room. On one side was a bar that wasn¡¯t even half full despite being near sundown and the other was a reception area to wee guests. A head popped up from behind the reception counter and greeted Jack, "Wee to the Adventurers Association. How can I help you?"


    "My name is Jack, I¡¯m interested in joining the association," said Jack with a slight smile to the cute, brte behind the counter.


    "Really!?" she shouted in excitement, standing up to see Jack properly.


    "Yeah, is that surprising?" Jack asked.


    "We rarely get visitors, let alone adventurers wanting to join. My name is Maura. I¡¯ll take you upstairs, but first I¡¯ll need some basic information. What¡¯s your full name?" said Maura enthusiastically.


    "Jack J. That¡¯s it," said Jack, implying to not ask further.


    "Okay..." said Maura, weirded out by theck of ast name. "I¡¯ll need your level and ss before I can take you upstairs for an interview."


    "Umm, I can tell you, but can you please keep it a secret?" asked Jack nicely.


    "Sure, but I¡¯ll have to at least tell the branch chief, he¡¯s the one in charge of the association within the whole kingdom," stated Maura, intrigued to hear more.


    "That¡¯s fine," Jack agreed. "I¡¯m a lv. 1 hero."


    "What? Lv. 1?" Maura was disappointed to hear such a low level. "Wait, you said, ¡¯hero¡¯ is your ss?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m a lv. 1 hero. Can I go see the boss now, or do you need to know if I¡¯m a virgin too?" asked Jack with a wry smile.


    "No, no, that¡¯s enough," ufortable, Maura went up the stairs and left Jack alone at the reception desk.


    "Hey, brat!" a voice yelled across the room from the almost empty bar.


    "Huh?" responded Jack, appearing to be annoyed.


    "You said you¡¯re a hero. That true?" arge, bald man covered in scars and past wounds turned around, obviously buzzed.


    "Yeah, what of it?" asked Jack as he walked across the room.


    "That¡¯s great news!" yelled the man, throwing his arms to the sky. "A hero in the Adventurers Association, could anything be better?"


    Jack sat down beside him and noticed that there was no one serving the bar, the few people there were serving themselves. He asked, "Why is that so great? There must be plenty of strong adventurers in your ranks."


    "Nah, we don¡¯t got nothing!" the drunken manughed loudly. "But with you here, we can change everything! What¡¯s your name boy?"


    Having second thoughts about the Adventurers Association, Jack tried to calm the man down. "Rx old man, I¡¯m just checking it out. I¡¯m not joining anything just yet."


    "Say that again," said the man, suddenly acting more serious.


    "It¡¯s no big deal, I¡¯m just curious about the association. That¡¯s why I came to see¡ª"


    "You¡¯ve already applied, and I¡¯ve already epted you. You¡¯re already a member and wish to quit without a reasonable exnation? You¡¯ll have to prove your able to with your strength," stated the man. He pounded his fist on the bar, splitting it in half and leaving only splinters where his fist made contact.


    Confused and concerned for his safety, Jack looked at the others who used to be peacefully drinking at the bar. They were unaffected by therge man¡¯s attitude, almost like they expected it.


    "There you are!" Maura shouted as she came back down the stairs. "I forgot you were at the bar. We have a new appli¡ª"


    "I know, I¡¯ve already epted Mr. Hero and he¡¯s already wanting to quit," the man interrupted her.


    "Wait, your¡ª"


    "I¡¯m Zariff, chief of this here branch," the drunken man interrupted Jack all the same. "I¡¯ve already epted your application and you¡¯ve already be a member of the Adventurers Association, are you sure you want to quit now?"


    "You can¡¯t just force me to join! What would everyone think about your precious Adventurers Association after they hear about this?" Jack threatened.


    "I don¡¯t care if I have to curse out the king himself, let only you. All I know is that I have an unruly association member and he needs to learn his ce," Zariff red at Jack with ice-cold eyes.


    "But¡ª"


    "No buts! Come with me brat, let¡¯s get you geared up," Zariff motioned to the stairs, not caring about Jack¡¯s personal feelings or whatever rumors may spread about him.


    "Please Jack, just follow him," Maura plead with puppy dog eyes, one of Jack¡¯s few weaknesses.


    Jack took a second to exhale and relieve the little tension he could. He said, "Fine, but you owe me one."


    "Really? Thank you, Jack!" said Maura happily.


    "Wait up you old fart!" Jack yelled, running to catch up to Zariff who was halfway up the stairs.


    "Try and keep up brat! If you don¡¯t hurry, I won¡¯t give you anything," replied Zariff. He led Jack to a back room on the second floor and pushed Jack instead before closing the door behind himself.


    "What was that for?" asked Jack.


    "This is our armory, your only lv. 1 so don¡¯t get too greedy," stated Zariff, still ignorant of Jack¡¯s attitude. Quickly, Zariff handed some clothes to Jack and a pair of boots.


    Jack had appeared in this world wearing the simplest of peasant clothing, so anything was better than what he was wearing. It saddened Jack that he had walked away from the king¡¯s offering of luxurious, top-of-line gear, but he just kept his sour face and changed clothes.


    He didn¡¯t dislike the outfit. It was a dark leather cloak over a thick, wool-like shirt. The pants were also thick, resembling medieval jeans. Though they were a little big for him, the boots fit well and werefortable to walk in while giving plenty of support.


    "Good, now for weapons," said Zariff. He walked to the opposite of the room where weapons, armors, and shields were scattered all over. "What¡¯s your subss, brat?"


    "Mine¡¯s different, and stop calling me that," answered Jack.


    "Anyone who talks back without the strength to back it up is a brat. So, what¡¯s your sub-ss brat?" barked Zariff.


    Jack temporarily epted Zariff¡¯s logic and said, "Just like my ss, my subss is unique."


    "Wait, what do you mean?" asked Zariff, sobering slightly as he tried to realize the peculiarity that was Jack.


    "Like I said to Maura, I¡¯m a lv. 1 hero. My subss is achievement junkie."


    "Huh? What kind of garbage is that?"ughed Zariff. "What are you really, Mr. Hero?"


    "I already told you. I¡¯m a lv. 1 hero, subss achievement junkie. I know just as much about it as you, I was only summoned a few hours ago."


    "Summoned?" Zariff¡¯s eyes went wide. "You¡¯re a summoned hero?"


    "Yeah, what¡¯s the big deal?"


    "HAHAHA!!" Zariff couldn¡¯t contain hisughter and fell to the floor. Jack tried to pull him up but was stopped by Zariff, who said, "That idiot of a king, Leodoro Reinolt pissed you off didn¡¯t he?"


    "Of course! Who in their right mind wouldn¡¯t be?" said Jack.


    "This¡¯s great!" Zariff keptughing as he stood up and pulled out arge chest from beneath a pile of armor. "If you¡¯re not specialized in anything, just take your pick. All of these are great for starting."


    Jack caught sight of the chest¡¯s content and was happy to see all kinds of weapons. During his long walks between the castle and the association, he messed with his hero menu settings. He made sure to activate his status bar, letting him always see his health and status.


    Also, he activated notifications. This let the menu automatically show him info on any items or enemies he came into contact with. It would even give him updates on any missions or achievements, but he didn¡¯t know that yet.


    Thanks to the hero menu, he knew which weapons to consider and that all of those weapons were just as good as the ones offered him by the king.


    "Got anything in mind?" asked Zariff.


    "I¡¯ll take this," said Jack, happy to find something familiar to him.


    "Oh, a hero choosing a bow. That¡¯s new."


    "Really?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, I¡¯ve never heard of a summoned hero with a bow. They were always powerful mages or spectacr warriors. I would know, I was trained by a summoned hero who wielded a war axe. The bow is typically a coward¡¯s weapon," exined Zariff.


    "So, what¡¯s wrong with that?" asked Jack, catching Zariff off guard. "If I can guarantee victory and survival withouting face-to-face with anyone, why argue over the tactics? In the end, the winner will be remembered, and the loser will be forgotten."


    "Hmm, you¡¯re pretty interesting for a brat, Mr. Hero," Zariff chuckled. "Anyways, we¡¯re d to have you. Just don¡¯t get any thoughts about my daughter, got it?"


    "What do you m..." Jack swallowed his words as he caught on to the situation. "I would never try anything with Maura, I promise."


    "Looks like you do have a good head on those shoulders after all. So, I can disregard you being a pervy virgin, right?" joked Zariff.


    "Hey, hey," Jack tried to defend himself.


    "Good luck brat, you¡¯ll need it if you¡¯re after Maura," said Zariff as he left the room.

 Chapter 5 The Achievement System

    <h4>Chapter 5 The Achievement System</h4>


    "Hey, what¡¯s next!?" Jack yelled at the exiting Zariff.


    "What do you mean? That¡¯s it. Now you go fight monsters and make me money," said Zariff nonchntly.


    "Huh?" Jack immediately became depressed.


    "Papa, you forgot the level analysis!" Maura¡¯s voice rang out from the first floor.


    "Oh yeah, I almost forgot," Zariff grabbed Jack¡¯s arm and dragged him across the hall into another room. He proceeded to throw Jack onto a makeshift bed with no delicacy whatsoever, saying, "Rx and don¡¯t move a muscle."


    "But I¡ª"


    "Can it! I said don¡¯t move!" Zariff yanked the bandana off his neck and stuffed it into Jack¡¯s mouth. Before Jack could do anything else, Zariff ced his hand on a raised podium with a translucent gem in the center. It lit up, along with the bed Jack wasying on. Obedient and wanting to avoid any other unexpected tactics from Zariff, Jack stayed still for half a minute until the light around the bed faded.


    "What are you waiting for,e check this out," said Zariff, pointing at the podium.


    Jack spit out the tattered bandana and walked up, careful to be on the opposite side of Zariff. He put his hand on the podium and his eyes lit up the same color as the gem. Like he was in a vision, Jack saw his body floating in an abyss. With only a thought, he could zoom in closer and see what he was wearing, the stats of each piece of clothing, and his stats. Unlike his status screen, every statistic was far more precise; it even included a list of his magic affinity, telling him what types were the best and worst for him to focus on.


    "What do you think brat? You¡¯re not much to look at; no wonder the king just let you leave without swearing to the Royal Court," joked Zariff.


    "So what? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve got some OP abilities once I unlock some of my achievements," said Jack. "Just wait and see, I¡¯ll have that king furious that he didn¡¯t give me what I asked for. And once it¡¯s too much to bear and he finally begs for forgiveness, I¡¯ll rub it in his face and reject his offer for a second time."


    "You got a bad case of revenge don¡¯t ya," Zariff smiled. "As long as you can bring in enough money for your keep, I¡¯ll let you strip naked and streak through the castle if you want."


    "You know what? You¡¯re not half bad for an old fart."


    "And you¡¯re not too bad yourself for a cheeky brat. Just don¡¯t forget to store your analysis before exiting," said Zariff.


    "How do I do that?" asked Jack.


    "With one of these," Zariff pulled out a gem simr to the one embedded in the podium, only much smaller. "These are stat gems. They¡¯re called something else, but that name¡¯s too stale and long so we call them stat gems. You can make them into anything, but they¡¯re typically made into an item or put it in your armor. Then you can always look back at yourst analysis, it helps during those long EXP grinds."


    Jack took the stat gem and ced it on the podium. Instantly, the light from the center gem passed to the stat gem and slowly died down. Then Jack tried using it and found it just as easy to use as the podium.


    "Great, now all that¡¯s left is to stamp your application with the Adventurers Association¡¯s seal," Zariff ruthlessly grabbed a fat stamp from off the desk in the corner and mmed it down on Jack¡¯s application that wasying there atop the same desk.


    Suddenly, a notification popped up for Jack. He selected it and a couple weing messages opened up, saying:


    [Application to Adventurers Association epted]


    [Achievement System activated]


    Jack immediately opened his ss tree and saw that a few of the branches and skills had be visible. Checking the achievement board, the results were the same. Ecstatic, he began to cackle in front of Zariff.


    "What¡¯s up brat?" asked Zariff.


    "Finally! I guess I had to officially join some organization first, but some of my skills and achievements are visible now," answered Jack.


    "What in Halmut¡¯s beard does that mean?"


    "Not sure, but it¡¯s part of my weird hero sses abilities. I can finally figure out what I need to do next. But only after I joined something?" asked Jack, somewhat startled at Zeriff¡¯s phrase based on the god of the heavens within "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    Zariff shrugged his shoulders and began to leave. "Here you¡¯re only considered an adventurer after joining some kind of power. Not sure what happens to you now, but don¡¯t break anything. And if you¡¯re looking for your room, go talk to Maura."


    "My room? I have a room?"


    "All members get a room. It¡¯s not free, it¡¯ll be paid for by the bounties and missions you fulfill, got it? So, go and make me money!" Zariff disappeared down the hallway, surely on his way back to the now-broken bar.


    Jack sat down on the bed, opening the ss tree in the meantime. First, he checked out his new avable skills. Only five became visible: bow, physical resistance, evasion, intuition, and persuasion. He thought this was peculiar and selected bow first. It opened up to a description and its level.


    [Bow ¨C lv. 0]


    [Basic proficiency with shooting arrows from a bow. Further training needed to improve or specialize. 0/5 skill points]


    Reading that, Jack got an idea. Clicking the next one for damage resistance supported his im.


    [Physical Resistance ¨C lv. 0]


    [Basic ability to resist physical encounters or damage. Further training needed to improve or specialize. 0/5 skill points]


    Jack began to think to himself, "So none of these skills can do anything yet, but they offer a way to improve or specialize in anything. Is that it?"


    He looked through the remaining three skills and it confirmed his hunch. The only thing he wanted to know was why did he only reveal these skills. After some thought, he tried something. Leaving the bow behind, Jack walked back into the armory and picked up one of the swords lying around. Just then, a notification popped up and Jack smiled.


    "So that¡¯s how it is. Bying in contact with something relevant to a certain skill, the respective skill will be revealed and be trainable." Without second thought Jack began to grab and put down every item he could get his hands on. Not a single weapon or piece of armor was able to avoid his clutches.


    Once he had opened up another ten or so skills, he checked his skills list again. Seeing them all at lv. 0 confirmed that he had to train a skill and wasn¡¯t given any freebies.


    Moving on to the achievement list, some were within his expectations and some caught himpletely off guard.


    [Join an organization:pleted]


    [Join a superpower organization:pleted]


    [Get revenge on King Leodoro: in progress]


    [Seduce Maura: in progress]


    [Complete first mission: iplete]


    [Get Zariff¡¯s recognition: iplete]


    "What the..." Jack¡¯s mind was working overtime to figure out the meaning of such weird achievements. He chose the first one to see it¡¯s description.


    [Join an organization:pleted]


    [Be an active member of an organization. Reward: 3 skill points. Would you like to im the reward?]


    Smiling at the easy achievement, Jack imed his reward without a second thought and did the same with the next achievement.


    [Join a superpower organization:pleted]


    [Be an active member of an organization with international recognition and influence. Reward: 10 skill points. Would you like to im the reward?]


    Going back to the achievement list, there was an update.


    [Join an organization: imed]


    [Join a superpower organization: imed]


    [Get revenge on King Leodoro: in progress]


    [Seduce Maura: in progress]


    [Complete first mission: iplete]


    [Get Zariff¡¯s recognition: iplete]


    Eager to learn what the system was wanting him to do about King Leodoro, Jack perused the next achievement.


    [Get revenge on King Leodoro: in progress]


    [Fulfill your hunger for revenge towards King Leodoro through means of humiliation, torture, or death. Reward: varies upon manner and severity ofpletion.]


    "That¡¯s darker than I expected," thought Jack. "But why would such an achievement exist? There¡¯s even one about Maura, and I¡¯ve only talked with her a few minutes at most. Sure, I thought about sliding into her DMs but..." He paused his train of thought and opened the next achievement.


    [Seduce Maura: in progress]


    [Get Maura to admit she has romantic feelings for you, regardless of the severity. Reward: varies on the depth of feelings conveyed in her confession.]


    "Seriously? Did this happen because I thought about asking her out?" pondered Jack. "But some of these are way too specific to be generic achievements like the first two. The only exnation is that the system is adaptable and self-generating. If that¡¯s true, doesn¡¯t that mean that there are technically endless achievements?" After thinking about a possibly endless list of achievements, Jack felt a fire in his belly ignite. The perfect challenge for Jack, the Achievement Junkie.


    Jack checked the remaining achievement to see the reward it offered but was disappointed to see that is was very vague and offered another varied reward. Not forgetting about the 13 skill points he just received and anxious to use them, Jack returned to the skill list and thought carefully about what skills he wanted to upgrade. Not even a minute passed before he upgraded his bow and noticed the updated description.


    [Bow lv. 1]


    [Proficiency in shooting arrows with a bow within 20 meters. Further training to specialize. 0/10 skill points]


    Happy with the results, Jack also upgraded his evasion.


    [Evasion lv. 1]


    [Proficiency in evasion, mainly in closebat and somewhat against mid-range and long-range weapons. Further training to specialize. 0/10 skill points]


    Dumping thest 3 skill points in persuasion, Jack hoped that he might increase his chances with Maura. Using up thest of his skill points and armed with a better understanding of his achievement system, Jack smiled and walked downstairs to ask Maura about his room.

 Chapter 6 The Roommate

    <h4>Chapter 6 The Roommate</h4>


    "Hey, can you take me to my room?" Jack leaned in over the reception desk.


    "Sure, just give me a sec," said Maura, who was sorting through a stack of thick, worn-out papers. Upon closer inspection, Jack noticed that they were bounties and mug shots. Maura saw his wandering eyes and said, "This is the newest batch of bounties. We¡¯re always updating them so there¡¯s no confusion."


    "There must be a lot of money in bounties with such a fat stack. Why so many?" asked Jack.


    "Since Reinolt City is in the center of the kingdom, we have bounties for the entire country. Plus, Papa likes to always have them on hand. You might¡¯ve guessed it but he¡¯s the kingdom¡¯s leading bounty hunter."


    "Seriously?" Jack peeked over at the bar to see Zariff getting even drunker. "He¡¯s big enough for it, but don¡¯t you need to be smart enough too?"


    "Hey, Papa is way smarter than he looks; smarter than you at least," said Maura.


    "Don¡¯t lump me in with that old fart." Jack looked back to Maura, turning away from Zariff like he was disgusted to be near him.


    "Oh yeah? What was that about you quitting again?" teased Maura.


    "No, don¡¯t¡ª"


    "You quittin¡¯ again you cheeky brat!?" In his drunken stupor, Zariff gave Jack a re that was cold enough to freeze hell over.


    "No, no, you misheard. I¡¯m just taking my leave so Maura can show me my room. Come on Maura," said Jack while yanking the giggling Maura away from her desk. She led him to a hallway behind the reception area that took them towards the dorms. "That was close, you almost got me killed."


    "Ha, ha! I¡¯m just teasing, get used to it," said Maura. "Your room is right here, the third on the left. Here¡¯s your key. I would say you can unpack, but you didn¡¯t even bring a change of clothes."


    "Just give me some time, I¡¯ll be fine after some missions and bounties," said Jack.


    "Don¡¯t expect too much, you¡¯re only lv. 1. The lowest bounties begin at lv. 10, and those don¡¯t pay all that much," said Maura, bursting Jack¡¯s bubble. "My dad only goes for bounties over lv. 20, and that¡¯s cause he¡¯s lv. 36."


    "Is that high?" asked Jack.


    Stunned at Jack¡¯s ignorance, Maura looked at him like he was a dumb caveman in the middle of a modern city. "Not high? Why do you think he¡¯s the best bounty hunter? Papa is the third strongest in the whole kingdom!"


    "What? At lv. 36? Who are the other two?"


    "One¡¯s the captain of the Royal Court¡¯s magic guard, his name is Arnole. He¡¯s lv. 39," answered Maura, proud to show off her knowledge. "Those two have been rivals for longer than I¡¯ve been alive. Just don¡¯t mention anything about Arnole around my dad; you haven¡¯t seen him angry until then."


    Jack took a mental note and vowed to never make Zariff angry, at least not until he was strong enough to fight back. "Wait, if the Royal Court only has the second strongest, who¡¯s the first?"


    "Not sure," said Maura.


    "Huh?"


    "I don¡¯t know his name. Only the king, Arnole, and Papa know his name and level. He¡¯s supposed to be independent of any power or faction, which might be a problem for others but he¡¯s over lv. 50."


    As a former maxed-out lv. 85 in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," Jack¡¯s view on levels was very biased. "Only lv. 50? That¡¯s it?"


    "That¡¯s plenty! He¡¯s like a national treasure! Having him is like having another army, he even stopped thest war by himself."


    With that in mind, Jack began to better understand the world. If theing chaos the king mentioned was anything like the chaos in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," then the world won¡¯tst for much longer. Jack steeled himself to level up as quickly as possible and form a strong party.


    "Hey, what are you thinking about now? Are you stupid or something?" asked Maura.


    "Of course, I¡¯m not stupid, I¡¯m just new here and don¡¯t know anything yet. But if the strongest is only lv. 50, we¡¯re going to be in trouble," said Jack, who ignored Maura¡¯s confusion. "What level are you Maura?"


    "Lv. 14, why?"


    "I have an idea. I need to level up as soon as possible, and I¡¯m sure your old man wants the association to make more money, so why don¡¯t you help me out," said Jack.


    "How can I do that?" asked Maura.


    "Easy, you ept an easy bounty around lv. 10 and I join your party to farm exp."


    "No way!" yelled Maura. "That¡¯s so dishonest! How can you be an adventurer and just weasel yourself into EXP? I worked hard to level up and you can too!"


    "Come on Maura. You owe me one, remember?" pled Jack.


    "Yeah, but that was for your own good. If you hadn¡¯t epted, who knows what Papa would¡¯ve done to you?" said Maura. "Besides, Papa would never let me go bounty hunting."


    "Then how did you level up?"


    "Through missions and dungeons, how else? Yourck of EXP is your problem, you fix it. I¡¯ll be heading back to my desk, so good luck." Oblivious to Jack¡¯s advances, Maura left without giving him a second nce.


    Jack stewed over his problem, sure that he could find a way to breeze through the lower levels and save him some time. As the achievement junkie, he refused to do things like everyone else and waste his precious time.


    "I¡¯ll carry you kid."


    A voice emerged from behind the open door to Jack¡¯s room. Jack peeked inside to see a pair of bunk beds and a thin,nky manying across one of the tattered mattresses. The man said, "I like the way you think. Only a fool would waste his time with conventional methods when there¡¯s a more logical and possibly unorthodox solution avable.


    Saddened, Jack said, "You mean I don¡¯t get a room to myself? Curse that cheap, old fart."


    "Yeah Zariff¡¯s cheap, but he¡¯s the best man for his job. You, on the other hand, you¡¯re too low level to be saying anything. As I said, I¡¯ll carry you kid, but on my terms."


    "Fine, but at least tell me your name."


    "Oh yeah, the name¡¯s Rydel. I¡¯m a lv. 29 hunter, so I think we¡¯ll get along just fine," said Rydel, pointing at the bow on Jack¡¯s back. "Some would hate having two hunters in a party, but I think it¡¯s ideal. Don¡¯t you agree?"


    "Well duh. With two hunters, you have the greatest chances at a sessful sneak attack or an ambush of arrows. You can eliminate the threat of injury and death," answered Jack.


    Rydel smiled, "Good. These are my terms: you must do anything I say, I choose the location, and we split all drops 90-10."


    "Sounds good to me, but are you sure you only want 10%? I think I can manage 20% if you want," said Jack, leaning casually against the door frame.


    Suddenly a knife flew out of the bed and lodged itself in the frame, close enough to Jack¡¯s face for him to see his breath fog up its shiny de. Rydel mentioned, "I don¡¯t negotiate, take it or leave it, kid."


    "You drive a hard bargain, but 90% it is." Jack stepped forward to shake his new partner¡¯s hand. "When do we get started?"


    "Tomorrow, I¡¯m taking today off," answered Rydel, rolling to his side away from the open door.


    "What, but I needed to level up yesterday. I don¡¯t have much time."


    "Typically, I get a drink to clear my mind before heading out, but for some reason, the bar is in pieces until tomorrow morning. If you want, I can take my stress out on the idiot who caused it instead," threatened Rydel while turning his head back to peer into Jack¡¯s conscience.


    "Oh well, I guess grinding will have to wait. I¡¯ll be back tonight," said Jack as he turned tail and left.

 Chapter 7 Jezelles Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 7 Jezelle¡°s Challenge</h4>


    Jack entered the lobby and saw Zariff fallen over the broken bar, grabbing at every bottle he can get his hands on. He chuckled at the bumbling giant of a man and nced at the man¡¯s daughter hiding behind the reception desk. Maura was busy filling out reports and stamping documents for official use and distribution of the association.


    While wondering how to kill time, his stomach growled at him like a grumpy child that didn¡¯t get his way. He walked over to Maura and asked, "What¡¯s a guy gotta do around here to get some food?"


    "Normally, I¡¯d tell you to ask the cook but she¡¯s out handling some personal business. She should be back in a few days though," said Maura.


    "And until then?"


    "Fend for yourself, what else?"ughed Maura. "There¡¯s always the restaurant across the street. Papa¡¯s friends with the owner, she¡¯s really nice. She even gives association members a discount."


    "But how do I do that if I don¡¯t have any money?" asked Jack.


    "Well..." Maura paused and didn¡¯t let herself finish. She thought to herself, leaving Jack somewhat anxious before she continued. "Just forget it."


    "Huh?" Jack could tell that Maura was hiding something. "What is it? There¡¯s a way for me to eat free, isn¡¯t there?"


    "It¡¯s not impossible for some people, but it¡¯s definitely not possible for you."


    "Oh, why¡¯s that? Is there some kind of challenge?" questioned Jack.


    "It¡¯s not that simple. Besides, you can¡¯t possibly beat Jezelle¡¯s challenge," stated Maura firmly. She turned away from Jack, refusing to say more.


    "Come on Maura, just tell me. I¡¯m a big boy, I can decide that for myself." Jack repositioned himself in front of Maura and leaned over the desk. "What¡¯s so scary about Jezelle¡¯s challenge. She must be the owner, right?" Maura¡¯s shoulder continued to grow colder but another loud, booming voice answered from the bar. "Hey, did you fes hear that? Mr. Hero is gonna take on Jezelle¡¯s challenge! Atta¡¯ boy!"


    "Papa, don¡¯t encourage him!" Maura spoke up. "You know he can¡¯t do something as crazy as that. Even you struggle with it."


    "Nonsense! Let the brat try and man up. If he can beat Jezelle¡¯s challenge, I¡¯ll let him have whatever he wants." Zariff¡¯sughter sounded out across the entire building, catching everyone¡¯s attention. Soon bodies filled the reception and bar areas. He jumped to his feet and made his way to the door saying, "Come on, let¡¯s all watch the brat fail!"


    Jack watched as the once-quiet lobby now filled with liveliness. Unsure of what to think he said, "Well, it¡¯s toote to try and back out now isn¡¯t it? I¡¯ll see you there."


    Not listening to Maura¡¯s counterargument, Jack exited through the front door with the rest of the crowd. He scanned the building across the street, surprised at what he saw. In big, bold letters, there was a sign that read, "Jezelle¡¯s" in worn-out pink. The rest of the building was made of wood and used a simple dark stain to contrast the eye-catching sign. To Jack, it looked like a big saloon out of an old western movie, minus the swinging door at the entrance.


    Following the herd of adventures entering the restaurant, it took Jack a few minutes to make it inside. Once there he didn¡¯t have a chance to look around before he was yelled at. "There¡¯s the brat! He gonna take you on Jezelle. I hope you wipe the floor with him."


    Brushing aside Zariff¡¯smentary with a smug face, Jack noticed the blonde beauty beside the drunken giant. Her curves were perfect, putting hoursses to shame. She was slightly taller than the average woman, showing off her long legs through the slit in her ruby red dress. Jack was stuck staring at her before she spoke, "Are you checking out thepetition? What do you think?"


    Taken aback by her statement, Jack gathered his thoughts and replied, "Wow, you¡¯re something else aren¡¯t you?"


    Hearing Jack¡¯s nonchnt response and seeing that his confident eyes continued to stay on her, she smirked, "You seem pretty interesting yourself. I don¡¯t get many like you here. Most people aren¡¯t confident enough to keep staring after I call them out. The name¡¯s Jezelle, and you¡¯re Jack, right?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s me. When I heard about a challenge that even Zariff struggles with, I never would have expected that someone as beautiful would be the culprit."


    "There¡¯s a lot you don¡¯t know about me." She batted her eyshes at him as she slowly approached. "So, Jack, are you ready to take me on?"


    "Well, I¡¯m sure if I should consider getting rough and tough with someone like you," said Jack. Jezelle was confused by his reluctance until she heard his next line. "With someone like you, who knows if I can hold myself back."


    Jezelle giggled and walked faster. "Oh really? And what makes you think we need to get rough and tough? You¡¯re not trying to beat me in bed, you¡¯re trying to beat me at the keg."


    Startled at Jezelle¡¯s boldness, Jack noticed that Zariff had disappeared earlier only to reappear with two massive kegs behind him. Jackughed, "That¡¯s what this is all about? And you guys were worried for me because of this?"


    "You¡¯re pretty cocky for a lv. 1 adventurer, or should I say, hero?"


    "Huh? How do you know about that?" asked Jack.


    She was now a couple of feet from him and whispered, "Trade secret. Now, are we gonna do this or what?"


    "You¡¯re on!" Not letting his mind wander about Jezelle¡¯s striking figure any longer, Jack made his way to therge table in the center with the two kegs atop it. Two mugs were sitting next to the kegs, both almost as big as Jack¡¯s head. Before he could grab one, Jezelle was sitting down with a mug already filled and ready. In seconds he matched her. "First to puke loses?"


    She shook her head and said, "First to finish wins. Puke and you¡¯re disqualified. Got it?"


    Jack nodded and they both turned to Zariff. With a great passion, the drunk yelled, "Down the hatches!"


    The two of them immediately lifted the mugs upside down and guzzled down the first ss. Jezelle was slightly faster but Jack wasn¡¯t left behind by any means. They both went strong for a few more sses before Jack took a few deep breathes started to slow a little. "What¡¯s the matter? Do you need me to teach you how to hold your liquor?"


    Jack held strong against the distraction of her alluring gaze. After downing the next cup he chuckled, "So what exactly happens if I win?"


    "Oh? They never told you?" she giggled and paused for only a moment to exin. "Anyone who beats me can have whatever they want from my restaurant, free of charge."


    "And if I lose?"


    "When you lose, you¡¯ll have to pay for both of our kegs," Jezelle smiled devilishly, it was cold yet enchanting.


    "What if I don¡¯t have any money?" asked Jack.


    "Then you and I will have to find some other form of payment."


    "In that case," Jack put his mug down have finished, "it appears I¡¯m full to the brim. I guess I¡¯ll have to pay you back with the only thing I have, my body."


    Many faces in the crowd were stunned hearing Jack¡¯s nonsense. Zariff couldn¡¯t contain hisughter and fell to the floor holding his gut. Maura, who had only recently entered the restaurant and was amidst the crowd, became somewhat annoyed and angry at Jack for admitting such words. Even Rydel had crept into the crowd and showed a big smile on his face.


    Jezelle on the other had a perplexed expression on her face. Seeing it, no one would¡¯ve imagined her current thoughts. She became very curious of her challenger.


    Throughout the years many have challenged her, and the winners can be counted on a single hand. It was rare for her to meet another man that could keep up with her this far and even stay sober enough to say such a thing genuinely. Not to mention the fact that he¡¯s only lv. 1, someone considered a weakling that could be beaten up by anyone in the whole city. Yet despite his lv. 1 status, he was confident enough to challenge her and even goad her on throughout the challenge.


    "You are interesting Jack," Jezelle showed a genuine smile before she picked up the pace and downed another 2 cups easily. Jack was startled by this and again becamepetitive. He tried to pick up the pace but was only slowed down as he finally became sluggish. She spoke up, "Finally had enough?"


    Jack shook his head and forced himself to finish the contents of his mug. With hands extended to refill it, Jack began to feel a churning sensatione up his throat. He did his best to hold himself back but theughing Zariff intervened and mmed his hand on Jack¡¯s back.


    Immediately, Jack regurgitated the hard liquor from his stomach, projecting it towards the two cups being refilled and the prettydy across from him.

 Chapter 8 Gathering Information

    <h4>Chapter 8 Gathering Information</h4>


    As Jack¡¯s vomit flew through the air, everyone¡¯s eyes widened, except for Jezelle¡¯s. She was too focused on filling up her mug to notice what wasing her way. By the time she realized Jack had thrown up, it was already all over her arms and hair.


    "I¡¯m so sorry Jezelle!" yelled Jack as he got up to try and help her.


    She put her hand up to stop him and took a few deep breaths. Jack¡¯s nervousness grew further as he saw her slowly look up and meet his gaze with indifferent eyes.


    To him, he wasn¡¯t afraid of people getting mad, he was afraid of those who could hide their anger and scheme against him. This was why he hated forming parties and only did so when necessary for quests in "A Hero¡¯s Tale." Jezelle blinked and sighed, "You only made it halfway? You disappoint me."


    Those calm words jabbed into Jack¡¯s chest, catching himpletely off guard. He was expecting something far worse and he began waiting for the moment she blew her top. Jack pointed at Zariff behind him and said, "I¡¯m sorry, I couldn¡¯t help myself after this old fart forced it out of me."


    Jezelle peeked at theughing man behind Jack and shook her head. Seeing the situation with an open mind and keeping a level head allowed her to understand what happened.


    It was obvious to her that Jack was going to lose soon anyway, and she could easily end it like usual and charge him for everything. But she found Jack to be interesting and desired to get on his good side in hopes to better understand him. Seeing that an easy scapegoat was banging his hand on Jack¡¯s back, she took advantage of the unexpected development.


    "So that¡¯s what happened. Well, you did barf, so you lose. But since it was due to interference, I¡¯m afraid that big lug will have to pay up instead," stated Jezelle. Everyone was startled to see her so calm, cool, and collected while wearing Jack¡¯s vomit. Maura, Rydel, and the other adventurers burst intoughter as Zariff got a rude awakening from his drunken stupor.


    "Huh!? Jezelle, what are you talking about? You know he was going to¡ª" Zariff tried to defend himself but was cut short.


    "Everyone! Bring your mugs and fill them up! This round is on Chief Zariff," Jezelle shouted at the top of her lungs, making sure that everyone in the pub had reason to cheer and giving Zariff all the credit.


    Zariff understood Jezelle¡¯s character and knew that it was toote for him toin. If he tried anything else, he would only find himself in a deeper hole. Embracing the moment, he resumed hisughter, "For every person that can best me in strength, I¡¯ll offer another round! Lose and you owe me a drink!"


    The restaurant was filled with cheers of happy customers and grunts from everyone trying to arm wrestle Zariff. By the end of the night, Zariff had gotten over half of the people present to owe him a drink and pay off part of his debt without a single loss.


    In a corner of the restaurant, Jack sat down and let his body slowly recuperate. After almost half an hour of hearing everyone¡¯s cheers, he was feeling better. Just then, a few tes of food made their way to his table and were ced in front of him. He knew that he hadn¡¯t ordered a thing and could only look up to see Jezelle cing it down in front of him before sitting across from him. "I already told you I can¡¯t pay."


    "I know. It¡¯s on the house," said Jezelle with a flirtatious smile. "Consider it a gift for giving me a chance to stick it to that old lug over there."


    "I thought you two were friends?" asked Jack. "Let me guess, he beat you, didn¡¯t he?"


    "Are you always so straightforward with women?" she chuckled. "Yeah, after losing a couple of times, he finally got the best of me one day. All of his drinks and food are free, so he¡¯s alwaysing over and eating me out of house and home. But if he¡¯s treating others, he still has to pay me. If anything, it¡¯s nice to even the score a little."


    "Sounds like that old fart for sure," said Jack. "So, I¡¯m just a means of vengeance, is that right?"


    "A little, but I find you interesting. You¡¯re different than everyone else I¡¯ve met. I¡¯ve never heard of someone with a hero ss and a different set of subsses."


    "How do you know about that?" questioned Jack, giving off a sense of caution. "You¡¯re an oracle, right? And you¡¯re at least lv. 25 but not quite lv. 30 if my guess is correct"


    Hearing Jack¡¯s response, Jezelle was surprised and didn¡¯t hide her curiosity any longer. "You¡¯re right, I¡¯m a lv. 27 oracle. You know your stuff for a lv. 1. Why is that?"


    "Let¡¯s just say that I¡¯m not from around here."


    She sighed and a softugh escaped her mouth, "So the king was trying to summon a hero after all. But why are you here and as a member of the Adventurers Association?"


    "That idiot king and I don¡¯t really get along. I¡¯m very particr about how I do things. When he wouldn¡¯t trust me and tried to force me to do what I hate most, I walked out of the castle without giving him a second thought," exined Jack.


    "Sounds like Leodoro alright," said Jezelle. "He can be a jerk at times, but he¡¯s not too bad as long as you¡¯re not on his bad side."


    "Looks like it¡¯s toote for me then," Jack smiled and shook his head to try and clear his mind. "Besides, I¡¯m a free spirit. An adventurer¡¯s life is more fitting for me."


    "Hmm, a summoned hero bing an adventurer. What an interesting development," said Jezelle. "Either way, you¡¯re always wee here at the pub. Don¡¯t tell anyone, but I¡¯ll give you 50% off since I like you."


    Shocked by Jezelle¡¯smentary and her generosity, Jack said, "Then you can expect to see me whenever I can find the time, thank you." Jezelle prepared to stand up and leave but Jack stopped her and continued, "So tell me, what the situation here? And I don¡¯t mean just this kingdom, I mean the world in general."


    She smiled and answered, "Chaos continues to grow no matter what we do. I don¡¯t know too much about what¡¯s happening outside the borders, but I know that we aren¡¯t the worst off on the continent."


    Jack squinted his eyes at her remark and pondered something for a moment before saying, "How big is this continent exactly?"


    "There are thirty-two countries that make up the continent. The Reinolt Kingdom is by far one of the strongest and most powerful of the bunch, that¡¯s why the king could afford to summon you here," said Jezelle.


    "What do you mean ¡¯afford?¡¯"


    "Exactly what it sounds like. To summon a hero, it takes a tremendous amount of mana from powerful mages, many rare treasures, and some perishable treasures that you can¡¯t get back, even if you fail. With the sess rates being lower than 20%, who knows how many times they had to perform the ritual," she exined it simply.


    Jack began tough heartily and spoke up, "That what he gets! He deserves at least that much."


    "Seems like it¡¯s mutual hate after all. Anyways, all thirty-two countries make up the only continent in our world known as Kartonia. There are some inds and ces far off the coast, but they¡¯re insignificantpared to the continent," said Jezelle.


    Jack was surprised to hear that there were so many countries. In "A Hero¡¯s Tale" there were only a handful ofrge countries that made up the continent, and none of them were named the Reinolt Kingdom. He asked, "What do you know about the chaos? Or should I say the Chaos Syndicate?"


    "Not much to be honest. All I know is that the Chaos Syndicate uses chaos as a source of their power, just like Skaryn the god of the underworld in ancient times. I have no clue how they do it, especially since Skaryn has been sealed away for who knows how long," stated Jezelle.


    "Sealed away? Who was strong enough to seal Skaryn? Isn¡¯t he the second strongest of all the gods?" questioned Jack as the gears in his mind began to turn.


    "Who other than the strongest of all the gods? As the god of the heavens, Halmut fought with Skaryn centuries ago. Their battlested over a month without any clear winner, but in the end, Halmut found a way to seal him away into another dimension of vast nothingness. ording to legend, chaos was nearly nonexistent after that."


    Jezelle continued, "But during these past few decades, chaos has been growing nonstop and no one knows why. All we know is that the Chaos Syndicate, as the only organization that grows stronger with chaos, is most likely the source."


    "Wow..." said Jack, mulling it over. "Seems like this Chaos Syndicate will be more troublesome than I thought."

 Chapter 9 Past and Presen

    <h4>Chapter 9 Past and Presen</h4>


    "Seems like this Chaos Syndicate will be more troublesome than I thought."


    Jack had finally started to better understand his situation and clear his mind to brainstorm when another mug mmed down on the table. He looked to his left and saw Rydel taking a seat.


    "I like you kid, but don¡¯t get all heroic on me and take on the Chaos Syndicate just yet. Until your stronger than me, don¡¯t even think about it," said Rydel.


    "Oh, if it isn¡¯t Rydel. What good fortune we have to gain yourpany," said Jezelle, poking fun at the tall, skinny man. "I¡¯ll bite, why has the reclusive Rydele out of hiding to speak with nobodies like us?"


    "Can it Jezelle, don¡¯t y innocent with me. I¡¯ll get out of your hair in a second, so save the flirting for after I leave," said Rydel. "Kid, you may be low leveled for now, but with my methods, you¡¯ll be leveling up in no time. Plus, I¡¯m curious about what you can do with such a weird ss and subss, Mr. Achievement Junkie. What¡¯s that supposed to mean, anyway?"


    Jack¡¯s eyebrow twitched after hearing Rydel. Not only was he seen through by this oracle, but he felt naked before Rydel¡¯s all-knowing gaze. "I know you¡¯re not an oracle, so how do you know all that?"


    "First off, anyone with high enough authority in the association can ess its stat gem and find the data it¡¯s stored of all the branch members. Second, with you being so low leveled it¡¯s so easy to see through you; like I¡¯m looking at a child trying to hide candy behind his back," stated Rydel emotionlessly. "Even if you were high-leveled, my eyes can see through just about anything so get used to it."


    "Eagle eye?" asked Jack, who wasn¡¯t surprised to see Rydel gently nod his head in confirmation. Jack sighed and shrugged, "Figures, so how much authority do you need to have to ess the association¡¯s stat gem?"


    "You can ess the info on anyone up to five levels higher than you. Of course, you¡¯re only allowed to use the stat gem unsupervised if you¡¯re lv. 20 or higher. Otherwise, it¡¯s impossible for you to fully ess it due to the item¡¯s level requirement," answered Rydel.


    "That little one you have is the lowest quality stat gem and can only store one person¡¯s information. The stat gem in that podium is a medium tier stat gem. It¡¯s higher quality and muchrger so it can store up to one hundred people¡¯s stats and can power a stat analysis if it¡¯s hooked up to the right equipment."


    "Enough about your stats. Wanna try me again Rydel?" Jezelle spoke up. "I already drank half a keg today; you can consider it a handicap. Think of it as me going easy on you, what do you say?" She was interested in hearing that Rydel had the eagle eye ability, but the rest of the conversation was too boring for her to listen in.


    "No thanks. I¡¯ve already underestimated you once, so that won¡¯t happen again," Rydel quickly sidestepped the offer.


    "Oh, why not? Last time you almost drank 70% of the keg, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d fare even better now," taunted Jezelle.


    Thinking back to his challenge, Jack was a little shocked to hear how well Rydel could handle his liquor. During his challenge earlier, after the third mug, he received a notification about a new skill for [Alcohol Resistance]. It was only lv. 0 after he unlocked it, but it still helped him almost reach the challenge¡¯s halfway point.


    "I already know your type, Jezelle. I won¡¯t fall for a trick like that again. Kid make sure you¡¯re ready by noon tomorrow," said Rydel as he got up and left without looking back.


    "Now, where were we?" asked Jezelle gently, as if Rydel had never interrupted them.


    Jack subtly shook his head at the femme fatale with a smirk. Seeing her decisively drive away Rydel, he wasn¡¯t sure what to think of her. He continued their previous conversation, "I¡¯ll figure out a way to deal with the Chaos Syndicate soon enough. What are the immediate threats that we face here?"


    Jezelle smiled after Jack resumed the conversation without batting an eye. "We mainly face the threat of wild beasts and some monster settlements spread out across the country. For now, it¡¯s not too bad but if we were to face all these threats at once no one knows what would happen."


    "What about other countries? Does the Reinolt Kingdom have any enemies or allies?" asked Jack.


    "You may have seen the bad side of the king, but he typically does very well when handling the rtionships with other countries. There is only one country that would willingly fight us, but that¡¯s not the king¡¯s fault," said Jezelle.


    "Oh? Why¡¯s that?"


    She continued, "The Reinolt Kingdom and the Zuran Empire have had a blood feud for as long as the Reinolt Kingdom has existed. Our nation is quite young, only seventy-four years old, yet we have one of the strongest foundations in all of Kartonia. Wanna guess why?"


    "You were once a part of the Zuran Empire?" guessed Jack.


    "Bingo," said Jezelle, somewhat surprised that he immediately figured it out. "The Zuran Empire was once the strongest country in Kartonia, but a civil war broke out and a few powerful factions broke free and formed their own countries. The Reinolt family was the first noble faction to seed and they helped two other noble factions do the same. I¡¯m sure you can imagine how furious the Zuran Empire was at the time. For now, they can only stand guard and maybe raid some border camps, but if they ever find a way to destroy the Reinolt family, they¡¯ll do so in a heartbeat."


    Jack finally started to understand why the world he found himself in was so different than that of "A Hero¡¯s Tale." The world there was also called Kartonia, but it was made up of eleven countries across the continent, one of which was the Zuran Empire.


    Based on Jezelle¡¯s exnation, Jack guessed that the Kartonia he was familiar with from the game must have been the distant past. He was even more convinced of this due to her mentioning of Halmut sealing Skaryn centuries ago. During the timeline of the game, both gods held active roles in the world and the whole point of the game was to eventually defeat Skaryn and end all chaos.


    "So that¡¯s how it is," Jack mumbled to himself before continuing the conversation. "What about the Polt Federation, are they still around?"


    Jezelle showed a confused expression. "Of course it is! They may be small, but no one in the past millennium has ever threatened them directly." She didn¡¯t understand why Jack phrased the question like an old-timer asking if something from his childhood was still popr.


    Jack sighed in relief, "Good, that makes things a little easier." In the game, the Polt Federation was a small republic that sat at the center of the continent that shared borders with almost every major country in Kartonia.


    Being a free nation that attracted many merchants and businessmen, it was easy for it to be thergest center of trade and travel across the continent. The true power of the Polt Federation was rumored to rival the Zuran Empire, but no one knew for sure because it¡¯s full strength was always hidden and never disyed.


    "You¡¯re very interesting Jack. How do you know about the Polt Federation?" questioned Jezelle.


    "It was just a hunch," he dodged the question and asked his own. "Do you have a map of Kartonia? I¡¯d like to see it for myself."


    Before Jack finished speaking, Jezelle had already activated the storage crystal in her ring and pulled out a map. She threw it to Jack and said, "Have it, I¡¯ve got plenty."


    Jack thanked her and unfurled the map across the table. At first nce, he spotted seven of the old countries he was familiar with, including the Zuran Empire and the Polt Federation. He was shocked to see so many things that had changed across the continent he was formerly familiar with. It startled him to notice theplete disappearance of some of ancient Kartonia¡¯s strongest nations. The hardest blow was noticing that the country he was most familiar with had be the smallest in the entire continent.


    Jezelle was perplexed by Jack¡¯s sudden change in emotion upon seeing the map. She squinted her eyes at Jack as his gaze seemed to lock onto a single part of the map before he froze in his chair. Nonchntly, she changed seats and slid to his side so she could try and figure out what he was so choked up about. Following his line of sight, she noticed the tiny country and was about to say something but was interrupted.


    "What happened to Trodar?"

 Chapter 10 Trodars Troubles

    <h4>Chapter 10 Trodar¡°s Troubles</h4>


    "What happened to Trodar?"


    The degree of seriousness in Jack¡¯s voice sent chills down Jezelle¡¯s spine. There was a twenty-six level gap between them, but at that moment she felt that Jack could be far more frightening than anyone she had ever met before.


    She stammered, "Um... I¡¯m not too sure... I know they¡¯ve been at war for the past century and they went from being thergest nation in the continent to the smallest. We think it¡¯s only a matter of time before it disappears like some of the other ancient countries."


    Jack was taking long deep breaths, trying his best to stay calm. He waited a few seconds before responding. "Who is at war with them?"


    "Almost everyone." Jezelle¡¯s words stabbed into Jack¡¯s heart. "Over the past century or more, they¡¯ve faced threats from every border and some other nations would send support to neighboring countries to spite Trodar."


    "Why?"


    Jack¡¯s one-word reply brought Jezelle a sense of caution. She knew he couldn¡¯t do anything to her now, but she had the premonition to pick her words carefully as she continued, "Many were jealous of Trodar¡¯s power and influence. In the past, Trodar was strong enough to even support the Zuran Empire during some critical times as a powerful ally. But when Trodar became the biggest target in Kartonia, the Zuran Empire offered no help to their former ally."


    Suddenly the mug in front Jack and Jezelle exploded. Jezelle noticed Jack¡¯s clenched fist that had mmed into the table. It showed tense, white knuckles and a trace of blood from where his fingernails began to cut his skin. She froze but was stunned to hear him say, "Continue."


    "Five countries broke off from Trodar with the help of Trodar¡¯s neighbors. Those rising factions offered some of Trodar¡¯s best pieces ofnd in exchange for their support. The current Trodar has shrunken from a powerful political giant into a cower turtle that slowly grows smaller as more threatse after them," she summed the war¡¯s history and sighed that it was over until she heard another one-word reply.


    "Which?"


    "Which what?" she asked.


    "Which countries sent reinforcements?" Jack rified. Jezelle swallowed all the saliva in her throat, leaving her mouth temporarily dry. She hesitated and Jack suddenly yelled loud enough for everyone to hear, "Which countries!?"


    The pub went quiet. Everyone eagerly turned and saw the two stars from the earlier challenge giving off a deathly serious vibe. Even Zariff put down his mug and sobered up a little after hearing Jack¡¯s shouting.


    "Only three did, two were neighbors of Trodar who had formed an alliance and sent reinforcements to each other during different parts of the war. The only other one was..." Jezelle¡¯s throat chocked on her final words, not letting them escape her mouth.


    "Let me guess, the Reinolt Empire?" said Jack casually yet coldly. Jezelle only nodded slowly in response, not wanting to say anything else. Seeing that she didn¡¯t want to talk anymore, Jack grabbed the map and rose to his feet to walk out. The beautiful women remained there, untouched and seemingly forgotten by the exiting figure. She had no clue what was so strange about Jack or what his rtion to Trodar was, but she didn¡¯t have any energy left to speak the rest of the night.


    While on his way out, Jack passed by Zariff and quickly stated, "Chief, meet me in the main hall." He never slowed down or looked at the giant man; just kept walking towards the exit.


    Everyone was baffled. The atmosphere of the entire ce had made aplete turn, from cheers andughter to grimaces and seriousness. Zariff nced at the stiff Jezelle before he finished his drink and followed after the newest member of his branch.


    He made his way through the association building and entered thergest room on the second floor, the main conference hall. Jack was seated at the head where Zariff usually sat. Without hesitation, Zariff grabbed a chair, ced himself at the head of the table beside Jack and said, "What¡¯s up?"


    "How strong do I need to be to safely travel?" asked Jack.


    "Most travelers are around lv. 20, but that¡¯s why I rmend traveling after lv. 25 just in case," said Zariff calmly. He could understand the vibe of seriousness from Jack and answered frankly, "Where you going?"


    "Trodar, as soon as I can."


    "Oh, in that case, don¡¯t leave until your lv. 30. The borders there are regted by the surrounding nations. Typically, only traders and merchants can enter, and that¡¯s if they¡¯re willing to pay the extreme entrance fees. Trodar¡¯s economy has taken a massive hit due to this and is waning on the verge of copse. If you¡¯re under lv. 30 and try to sneak in, you¡¯ll be caught for sure."


    Jack nodded, remembering how Rydel said something simr. "Why was the Reinolt Kingdom involved in all this?"


    "Because the Reinolt family has a deep grudge against Trodar," answered Zariff. "The Reinolt family came from Trodar but settled in the Zuran Empire as part of the alliance agreement between the two countries a few centuries ago. The citizens here don¡¯t know that, but I grew up in the Polt Federation hearing about politics from across Kartonia. ording to rumors, there was a falling out between Trodar and the Reinolt family soon after the alliance formed and ended in the Reinolt family being epted as the strongest noble faction of the Zuran Empire."


    Surprised, Jack shook his head and said, "That exins everything." Zariff was about to ask why when Jack began his long exnation.


    "I won¡¯t exin exactly how this happened, but while in my previous world I was able to interact with ancient Kartonia. In the past, I had heard of the rising Reinolt family in the streets of Trodar but never would have put the two together. That alone exins the king¡¯s haughty attitude. I have a long history with Trodar and the southeast regions of ancient Kartonia. That¡¯s why I must get stronger faster than humanly possible and travel to Trodar. If I can¡¯t do that much, based on what you and Jezelle say, the nation is likely to fall very soon."


    Zariff looked deeply into Jack¡¯s eyes, trying his best to find fault or doubt. Seeing Jack¡¯s clear conscience, he nodded and said, "Great, then we¡¯ll do everything we can to help you."


    "You believe me? You aren¡¯t gonna ask how?" questioned Jack.


    "Nope, I can see it in your eyes. Just like how a beast can vaguely sense people¡¯s character, I can recognize that this means more to you than I can imagine," answered Zariff. "Besides, this will help that skinny fe get out and make me money. You¡¯d better learn all you can from him. He may not be one of the highest level guys we have, but he¡¯s the most useful and dependable member of the entire branch."


    Jack was taken aback by Zariff¡¯s high praise and internally vowed to do whatever Rydel said to gain EXP. He was certain that whatever Rydel had nned, it couldn¡¯t be any crazier than what he had done himself in the past.


    "Is there anything else you want to ask me? Sure I¡¯m an old fart, but this old fart has seen most of the continent with his own eyes," said Zariff.


    "Who¡¯s currently in charge of Trodar?" asked Jack.


    Zariff smiled and answered, "The only country in all Kartonia to keep their original structure of authority for over a millennium is Trodar. I¡¯d imagine you¡¯ve heard of the Trodan Council, right?"


    "Of course I have," said Jack. Thinking back, he remembered helping set up the Trodan Council alongside his former guild members and upying one of its seats personally. Jack calmed down slightly after hearing that the council was still in charge.


    "The political structure of Trodar is amazing, one of the best in the world. Though they have shrunken a lot over the past century the people there remain loyal to the council and the nation; they fully support them in all decisions and military action. If it weren¡¯t for such deep loyalty, Trodar would have long fallen alongside some of the other ancient nations," praised Zariff.


    "Trodar is one of the few nations that can run on trust; their sense of justice was the greatest of all Kartonia. That¡¯s why the Adventurers Association was originally founded within Trodar. Nowadays, the association still tries to help Trodar and stall the decline but due to the adventurers having free will, it¡¯s almost impossible to amass an army willing to challenge so many different nations."


    Jack chuckled, "Really? Sounds likedy fate likes me, seeing that she brought me here. Thanks for all the help chief. I¡¯ll grow stronger thanks to your efforts." He turned and started to walk away when something was thrown harshly against his back and knocked him over. "Hey, what was that for!?"


    "Just checkin¡¯ if you were the same weak brat I met earlier." Zariffughed as stepped over Jack, probably on his way back to the Jezelle¡¯s pub.


    Jack nced up at the giant when he noticed the fallen item that had knocked him over. It was a coin purse. It wasn¡¯t very big, but it was full of gold and silver, nheless. With a smirk, Jack snatched the purse and made a mental note to take better care of that old fart in the future.

 Chapter 11 Strange Old Man

    <h4>Chapter 11 Strange Old Man</h4>


    With his newly acquired funds, Jack got up and exited the now empty association building. He used the system to scan the bag and found that it contained twenty-four silver coins and eleven gold coins.


    Upon closer inspection, he noticed that they barely deserved to be called coins. They were loosely cut and had no image on either side. Regardless, Jack made his way to the town square in the city¡¯s center in search of a ce to spend the little wealth he had.


    After around five minutes of walking, he could see numerous small tents and stands scattered across what looked like arge medieval rock garden. Jack hurriedly entered the sea of people perusing the many wares presented.


    He soon discovered that all simr products and services were bunched together. Apparel and essories were to the north, trinkets and magical items were to the east, beasts and any beast rted items were to the west, and weapons were to the south.


    Thanks to Zariff, his weapon was already very good for a lv. 1 and Jack knew he wouldn¡¯t be lv. 1 for long, so he didn¡¯t bother with the many weapon stands. The east was where his attention went.


    Jack took ap around the many shops while fiddling with the stat gem in his hand. While on his secondp, a hoarse voice called out to him, "Boy, need me to embed that gem into something?"


    Looking back Jack saw an older man with tattered facial hair at a small stand. Thanks to his years of experience ying the game, Jack did well to spot most of the fake items and scams during his firstp.


    The old man didn¡¯t have too many items avable, but they were all decent quality. He started to walk over when a young merchant in extravagant clothes from the neighboring canopy yelled, "Don¡¯t listen to that old coot! Something that simple, I can do free of charge with any purchase. Come, I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t be disappointed."


    Jack was about to smile when he got a good look at what the young merchant offered. Most of the items were mediocre and some were fakes in front of Jack¡¯s well-trained eyes and the achievement system¡¯s detailed scans. But he perused anyways, acting interested in the few decent items avable. "How much for this pendant?" asked Jack.


    Before the young merchant could answer, the old man chimed in, "If that¡¯s the kind of stuff you¡¯re looking for, then you shouldn¡¯t browse my wares."


    This caught Jack¡¯s attention and got him to respond before the young merchant could offer a rebuttal. "Oh? And why¡¯s that? From what I see, your selection is very small. Everything you have is very adequate, but nothing too over the top that¡¯s worth my time."


    "Then why note over and get a closer look, that way you can inspect my more valuable wares without other¡¯spetition," said the old man with a grin full of dark, unruly teeth.


    Hearing that Jack knew the old man was an adept salesman, but that also meant he might have some items not typically found on the market. Immediately, Jack put down the pendant in his hand and marched to the old man.


    "Sir, please! I¡¯ve got much more in the back, I¡¯ll cut you a deal," begged the young merchant, obviously inexperienced and not confidant enough to stand his ground against the old man¡¯s offer. It was theck of confidence that caused Jack to leave the young man¡¯s beautiful canopy for the run-down wooden stall with a worn-out curtain hiding the stock in the back.


    "What do you got for me?" asked Jack.


    "The name¡¯s Zarris, and yours?" the old man introduced himself.


    "The name¡¯s Jack. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already seen through my level with your appraisal abilities, so why target me?" stated Jack.


    Zarris chuckled, "You may be lv. 1, but of the thousands of people I¡¯ve worked with you¡¯re the first to have a strange ss. Hero, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "Looks like you¡¯re better than I thought," said Jack. "Then you should also have some wares that are, shall we ¡¯unusual?¡¯"


    "You¡¯vee to the right ce." Zarris disregarded everything he had on disy and entered the back, leaving the curtain open behind him.


    Jack took the hint and entered as well before closing the curtain. It was obvious to Zarris that Jack was a new adventurer, but his gut told him that Jack was far more unique. He had made it this far by following his gut feelings, for that reason he decided to befriend Jack.


    Not many would notice, but Zarris could tell that Jack was carefully perusing and actively avoiding the typically attractive sales prices on disy. Such a customer was unique and worth extra effort.


    "So Zarris, what¡¯s so special back here?" asked Jack with a slight smile.


    "As you can see, I don¡¯t boast thergest selection; in fact, I have one of the smallest collections in all town square. But I make up for it all with quality and rarity," Zarris¡¯ crooked grin became warmer. "Forget that stat gem, I¡¯ll take care of that easily. Tell me what you¡¯re really after."


    Jack tossed the stat gem to Zarris and sighed. He told the truth in hopes that Zarris would offer some special benefits. "Fine. I¡¯m a newly summoned hero who got in an argument with the king and joined the Adventurers Association instead. Currently, I¡¯m desperate to level up faster than humanly possible, got anything that can help?"


    Zarris¡¯ weary eyes showed a glimmer of light after hearing Jack¡¯s brief request. "In that case, it will be hard to find such a thing even if you search the entire town square. Lucky for you, my small collection can usually offer something fitting of strange requests. Check this out." Zarris opened one of the leather chests on the floor and threw a small, emerald green pearl.


    Jack snatched it out of the air eagerly. He knew exactly what this was before even the system could notify him. Some of the earlier achievements in the game had level caps, forcing Jack to reset his level and grind it back to the top. If it weren¡¯t for these emerald-like spheres, Jack would¡¯ve wasted a lot of time aimlessly farming EXP back then. "A weathered jade?"


    "You¡¯re not like any lv. 1 I¡¯ve ever met," Zarris¡¯ intuition on befriending Jack was confirmed correct the moment Jack named the item. Most experienced adventurers might have only heard about such an item, let alone instantly recognize it. "Consider that a gift from me to you, hero."


    "Call me Jack. Normally I¡¯m against gifts, but I¡¯m desperate for immediate leveling. In return, how about I be an official patron?" offered Jack.


    Zarris¡¯ wild grin expanded into roaringughter. His gamble won him the lottery. It wouldn¡¯t bring him too much immediate return since Jack was only lv. 1 but having a summoned hero as a patron was well worth the weathered jade for advertisement alone. Not to mention the items that he could buy off Jack in the future. He calmed hisughter and said, "Wonderful! Then I shall also offer you a patron¡¯s discount. What else do you need, now that we¡¯ve settled that?"


    After a moment of thought, Jack opened up to Zarris. "Let me tell you about my unique circumstances. I¡¯m different than offer heroes. Not only do I have a separate ss, but I also have my own subss as well. To exin it simply, I can gain almost any skill, but I must meet random and unusual demands to be able to slowly master them. I¡¯m not a fan of general wares, I like what used to known as adaptive items. Do you know anything about those?"


    "Adaptive items..." Zarris was a little startled by Jack¡¯s mention of such unique items that were umon centuries ago. In modern times, such things were only found in legends and possibly in ancient ruins yet to be discovered. "Sadly, in modern times such things rarely exist. Might I ask how a lv. 1 like yourself even knows about them?"


    "Let¡¯s just say that before I was summoned to this era, I was already familiar with ancient Kartonia. If you ever find anything from that era, I¡¯ll be the first to buy it, got it?" said Jack with a wry smile.


    "Of course! With your knowledge, you may know of some things that an old man like me may not understand. You¡¯ll be the first person I¡¯ll contact whenever I get anything of true value. Can we link contact crystals?" Zarris was ecstatic. He had hit a gold mine in his newfound partnership.


    "Contact crystals?"


    "You don¡¯t know of them?" said Zarris, slightly stunned as he pulled out what looked like two hexagonal diamonds as big as his palm. "These are contact crystals. They let usmunicate with anyone we¡¯ve linked within a certain distance. These are low tier like everyone else¡¯s. Those in the middle tier are only affordable torge guilds or factions. But these are plenty strong, as long as you don¡¯t go beyond the surrounding towns or viges, we¡¯ll be able to contact each other. Here, take one."


    "Thank you," said Jack. He didn¡¯t question the usual cost because he was certain that it was above his current budget. These kind offerings from Zarris struck a chord in Jack¡¯s heart, cementing the importance of their rtionship. "Is there anything else you¡¯d rmend I get before I leave town?"


    Zarris kept smiling and answered, "I think there¡¯s one more thing only you would be interested in."

 Chapter 12 Ancient Soul Piercings

    <h4>Chapter 12 Ancient Soul Piercings</h4>


    "I think there¡¯s one more thing only you would be interested in." Zarris uncovered his sleeve and activated the hidden, ornate storage band on his right arm. An item appeared in his hands. It was deceptively small and seemed insignificant, but Jack¡¯s gaming veteran eyes were green with envy and greed. Seeing this reaction, Zarris chuckled and lobbed it to Jack, "Here, tell me what you know."


    "You don¡¯t know what this is?" Jack didn¡¯t hide his true emotions; he already knew that Zarris wouldn¡¯t scam him and that his rtionship with a merchant like Zarris was crucial for his growth.


    "Not a clue. I¡¯ve asked dozens of merchants and craftsmen but all they can tell me is that it¡¯s probably linked to ancient times. They all offered a great deal for it, but I refuse to sell anything without knowing its purpose," said the old man in deceptively tattered clothing.


    Jack tried to calm his nerves before he exined the item. "It¡¯s not an adaptive item, but it isn¡¯t any less valuable. This type of item can be soul bound, in other words, it can only be used by a single person who must bind and link it with their soul. Without the know-how to perform the activation ritual, it¡¯spletely useless."


    Zarris¡¯ was somewhat saddened when Jack said it wasn¡¯t an adaptive item, but a smile too big for his face immediately formed after he heard it was an item that could be soul bound. Items like those were nearly impossible to acquire, let alone forge and equip. He said, "I found it while visiting a ruin over a decade ago. After holding on to it for so long and rejecting so many offers, I can finally be at ease. Now go on, tell me what it does."


    Jack took a minute to read the system¡¯s item description to ensure he fully understood the item¡¯s capabilities. He then gave a summary to the patiently waiting Zarris. "This is a type of soul-piercing; the item¡¯s been named "Privacy Screen".


    By piercing it anywhere on your body and performing the right ritual to link it to your soul, you will be able to conceal any information or general presence on demand. If you were to link it and then stand in front of someone, they¡¯ll still see you. It just conceals your aura and prevents anyone from easily seeing through your level, ss, and other general info."


    "Hmm..." Zarris didn¡¯t know what to say. It was something incredibly rare and specially crafted during ancient times, but it had a very specific use and wouldn¡¯t be generally attractive to a lot of buyers.


    "Let me make you a deal," said Jack, effectively grabbing Zarris¡¯ attention. "Let me have this. It¡¯s possible to find other buyers but they won¡¯t know how to activate it and link it to their soul. Besides, this is perfect for a newbie like me that doesn¡¯t want everyone to know that I¡¯m a summoned hero. What¡¯s it gonna take to walk away with this?"


    Squinting his eyes and stroking his unkempt beard, Zarris pondered the offered carefully. It didn¡¯t take long for him to say, "Very well, you take it. As payment, you¡¯ll let me watch you activate it so I can learn this for myself. That kind of knowledge nowadays is priceless."


    Jackughed lightly, "Good, cause I was going to need your help to do so anyway. I¡¯m too low leveled to perform the ritual, so I¡¯ll have to teach you either way. You¡¯re over lv. 20, right?"


    "Of course! I¡¯m actually lv. 31 despite the old looks," dered Zarris proudly.


    Jack wasn¡¯t too surprised. Considering the fact that the old man had survived in ancient ruins which were probably filled with booby traps, Zarris would need at least this level of strength and an insane amount of luck. "Perfect, then let me exin the process."


    Jack instructed Zarris to draw arge hexagram on the floor and surround it with a ring of characters used during ancient Kartonia that Jack easily understood thanks to "A Hero¡¯s Tale." They made sure to use some magical beast blood that Zarris had on hand as the medium; this would increase the possibility of sess to almost 100%.


    Jack sat down in the center and Zarris stood at the side and followed Jack¡¯smand to direct some of his mana into the hexagram, causing it to dimly glow.


    "Now you must recite these words exactly. Repeat after me, ¡¯Ice!¡¯" said Jack, as he pierced his left ear with the earring, and he began to dimly glow like the hexagram.


    "Ice!" Zarris grew excited and spoke loudly.


    "Bank!" continued Jack.


    "Bank!" Zarris followed along.


    "Mice!"


    "Mice!"


    "Elf!"


    "Elf!"


    "Now repeat!" said Jack.


    Zarris instantly memorized the few words and continued reciting, "Ice... Bank... Mice... Elf..."


    "Louder!" Jack and the hexagram showed an even brighter glow.


    The old Zarris showed more enthusiasm at the sight of this. "Ice! Bank! Mice! Elf!"


    "Faster!"


    "Ice, Bank, Mice, Elf!" Zarris subconsciously released even more mana into the hexagram as he shouted.


    "Once more!"


    "ICE BANK MICE ELF!" yelled Zarris at the top of his lungs, loud enough for all neighboring shops to hear.


    "HA HA HA!!" Suddenly the light shed brightly and disappeared, leaving a dull, used up hexagram and a hysterical young hero rolling on the floor inughter. Zarris was confused until he heard Jack say, "Wow Zarris, I didn¡¯t know you were into that. Do you spank yourself daily or weekly?"


    Zarris¡¯ face began to glow an even brighter red then the formerly lit hexagram and yelled, "You! You made me say such drivel! I ought to¡ª"


    "The link was sessful." That quick line got Zarris to shut up but couldn¡¯t help the old man hide his moment of shame. "The ritual doesn¡¯t need you to recite anything. Just dump enough mana into the pentagram and make sure to pierce it after it has begun to glow. I¡¯m grateful for your help; I don¡¯t have anywhere near enough mana to pull this off on my own."


    With a few long, deep breaths, Zarris temporarily curbed his frustration. "So that¡¯s it huh? It¡¯s simple enough, I just wish I understood those symbols. Either way, I can now replicate it when needed. It¡¯s a good thing I have a few more soul piercings to sell now."


    "You have more?" Jack stoppedughing and immediately felt like he got shortchanged. But he quickly dispersed such thoughts and had to give credit to Zarris for his sales tactics. "Can I see them? I might be interested in cutting another deal and can at least let you know what each piercing can do specifically."


    Without hesitation, Zarris threw three more rings to Jack and wore a smile on his face after getting the upper hand in the end. Jack inspected each ring carefully. He noticed that all four piercings were crafted by the same person and he was blown away by something.


    The craftsman carried a title, not like a grandmaster but a title given through achievements from "A Hero¡¯s Tale." Such a discovery led Jack to believe that the characters everyone yed as in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" actually lived in ancient Kartonia and affected it personally. Before his mind ran away with that theory, Jack grounded himself and threw two of the piercings back to Zarris.


    "What did you find?" asked Zarris, seeing Jack make a startled face.


    "The piercing in your left hand is called ¡¯Life Tree¡¯s Leaf¡¯ and it will passively increase total mana capacity and regeneration by 5%. Your right hand is holding ¡¯Life Tree¡¯s Seed¡¯ and is part of the same set as ¡¯Life Tree¡¯s Leaf.¡¯ It will passively increase total health capacity and regeneration by 5%," answered Jack.


    "And the one in your hand?" asked Zarris with a lifted eyebrow.


    "I¡¯d rather not say, and I will make whatever deal I need to in order to leave here with it," said Jack.


    Zarris was surprised that Jack was so determined to leave with the other when he knew how great the other two were. He was ecstatic to have found a set of soul piercings, but he wondered what could be better than those?


    "I can tell you this, I¡¯m the only one who can use this one to its fullest potential. For other adventurers, this little thing in my hand is uselesspared to that set," stated Jack.


    It was a difficult decision for Zarris, especially now that he knew how to activate them. He mulled it over in his head and tried to imagine what would have equivalent value to an ancient soul-piercing. After a few moments, Zarris nodded and said, "Very well, thest one is yours. But now you owe me a favor. No matter the request you must not refuse when the timees. Got it?"


    Jack was a little apprehensive, but he agreed. "For a friend, anything."


    They both smiled, each excited for their new treasures. After they quickly performed another activation ritual and made a promise to meet up next month, Jack left the stand. He quickly left town square and hurried home. When Rydel was nowhere to be found in their room, Jack sighed and stroked the stud piercing that now sat above the "Privacy Screen." Excitement filled his body as he thought of the piercing¡¯s name, "Hidden Agenda."

 Chapter 13 Special Rewards and New System Functions

    <h4>Chapter 13 Special Rewards and New System Functions</h4>


    Jack hurriedly opened his hero menu and went into his achievement list. There were six new achievements and one newlypleted achievement. To Jack¡¯s surprise, he selected and read the newlypleted achievement.


    [Get Zariff¡¯s recognition:pleted]


    [Gain Zariff¡¯s respect and recognition as an adventurer or hero. Reward: varies on what he recognizes you as. Would you like to im the reward?]


    He instantly imed it and received another notification, catching himpletely off guard.


    [Get Zariff¡¯s recognition: imed]


    [Zariff respects and recognizes you as a brother in arms, not as an adventurer or hero. Special reward: 30 skill points, ess to "Hero¡¯s Inventory," ess to "Hero¡¯s Map," and new achievement avable.]


    It took Jack a moment to gather his thoughts and calm his heart after reading this. From his perspective, just getting thirty skill points was well above his expectations, not to mention the other stuff. Before he could imagine how to spend thirty skill points, he exited the achievement and received two notifications about "Hero¡¯s Inventory" and "Hero¡¯s Map." Curiously he selected "Hero¡¯s Inventory" first.


    To his astonishment the system began to act on its own, bringing Jack back to the main menu. Jack saw that the buttonbeled "Inventory" changed colors from gray to green, or from inessible to essible.


    The inventory was directly opened and showed a list of everything Jack had on his person. There was even a section devoted to what he had equipped, letting him see each item¡¯s description and making it easy to quickly switch equipment when needed. Just below the equipment section, there were sets of numbers disyed that read: 0 B, 24 S, 11 G, 0 P. This was all the money that Jack had with him, making it even easier for Jack to recognize this as the same inventory screen from "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    Jack finally let his mind start thinking and exploring different theories. He tried to mess around with the new inventory function but was again startled by his findings.


    Like in the game, he could select an item on the screen and be able to ess it immediately, as if it had teleported from his pockets or bag into his hands. The same could be said for putting things away, but there was no actual storage like in the game. When he put something away, it would only reappear whenever it hade from.


    He tried taking an item from his bag and cing it on the floor around you. That was when the system had lost connection with the item and it no longer became essible through the inventory.


    With his discovery, Jack had mixed feelings. He liked having immediate ess to his stuff but was depressed that he had no ability to store something. The only solution would be to get a special bag that could hold a vast quantity of items using magic, but he would either have to reach lv. 30 himself to make one or buy one for who knows how much gold.


    Hoping it would make him feel better, Jack opened his notifications and selected the one about "Hero¡¯s Map." Again, the system took him back to the main menu and unlocked the "Map" button before opening it. Jack was expecting to see an updated version of the beautifully detailed map he loved to explore so much. What he saw was a decent outline of the continent with thirty-two countriesbeled crudely. It was the same map that Jezelle had given him.


    "What the..." thought Jack. It wasn¡¯t too hard for him to figure out the issue. He tried to zoom in on the Reinolt Kingdom, but nothing changed; the same went for Trodar. The map would only carry information from other maps that Jack must acquire. It was easy for the system to umte and filter all the information into itsprehensive map, but it could only be as urate as the information it was given.


    Both new system functions would be very helpful, but Jack was sad it wasn¡¯t as broken as in all the video games he loved. Clinging to their usefulness, he disregarded them not meeting his high expectations and moved on to see the new achievement he unlocked. At first nce, the air in Jack¡¯s throat felt solid and impossible to breathe in.


    [Save Zariff¡¯s life: in progress]


    [Find a means to save Zariff¡¯s life. Reward: varies on how quickly and efficiently you canplete the task.]


    Jack was frozen stiff for a few minutes as he tried to mentally digest what he had just read. Multiple times, he would close and open the achievement. At first, it was to verify it was a legitimate achievement and not his imagination; he kept doing it to see if it would update and offer any more information on how Zariff would die. With no results to his madness, Jack slowlyid his back on the worn-out mattress under him.


    With everything happening so strangely, it took Jack some time to reach a conclusion. The Achievement System was not a godlike system that was equivalent to video game programs, but it was far more adaptive. Not only did it analyze and evaluate Jack¡¯s circumstances, but it could also determine the needs, wants, and fates of those he interacted with. It gave no deep information, but the system understood that Zariff¡¯s life was being threatened in some way or form. How? That was Jack¡¯s job to figure out.


    "What¡¯s gotten to you kid?" A voice from the doorway broke the silence. Thenky and long-haired hunter continued, "You¡¯ve been awfully quiet, but your face keeps changing. Something wrong?"


    Jack hesitated to ask, but he steeled himself and said, "Is there something wrong with the chief? He¡¯s not dying, is he?"


    "Why do you ask?" Rydel¡¯s tone became more serious.


    Startled to see Rydel¡¯s sudden change, Jack asked, "Wait, seriously!? He¡¯s dying?"


    Rydel shook his head and spat into the hallway out of disgust. "That¡¯s something you don¡¯t need to know, kid. It¡¯s not like you can do anything about it."


    "At least tell how! If not, as your roommate I¡¯ll be even more obnoxious than Jezelle," said Jack, hoping he was able to guess a weak point of Rydel¡¯s. It was a direct hit and caused Rydel¡¯s face to twitch upon the thought. "Tell me, why is the chief¡¯s life in danger?"


    "Fine but keep it to yourself. Not even Maura knows this," answered Rydel. "Thest major bounty that the chief hunted down was a hard job to chase after one of the top five bounties in the country. The chief didn¡¯t want to go after the man, but the king came begging and offered three times the usual amount. Tempted by such arge amount of coin, the chief took the job."


    "How long ago was this?" asked Jack.


    "He epted the job six months ago and it took him three months to track him down and finally capture the man. The chief came back in one piece and turned in the corpse for the massive reward. With the money, the entire branch celebrated on the chief¡¯s tab," said Rydel.


    "That¡¯s ording to everyone else, right?"


    "You guessed it. The chief looked and still lookspletely fine. Medics and clerics have all run diagnostics on him, but nothing ever came back negative. But the chief is certain that something is wrong, so much that he reached out to me and asked for my help to gather intel that might help. I haven¡¯t found anything so far, so my big question is how you figured out the chief¡¯s problem," stated Rydel as he flipped the conversation around.


    "You already know about my weird subss. It¡¯s thanks to one of my abilities that I learned about the risk to that old fart¡¯s life. But that¡¯s all the info I got; it didn¡¯t specify or give me any leads. I only knew that you and he were close, and I wondered if you might know." Jack shrugged his shoulders and quickly answered. "I wonder, why was he so certain he had a problem if all the medics and clerics gave him a clean bill of health?"


    "Cause the man he hunted down was known as ¡¯Yellow Jacket.¡¯ He was a lv. 34 shaman who was on the verge of bing a necromancer. The manmitted mass murders and genocides across the country as a catalyst to get him closer to necromancy. His two specialties were curses and poisons. By using the two jointly, killing an entire vige in a night was very more than possible. More than a week before he would release his poison through the air, water, or other means, Yellow Jacket would stealthilyy curse marks across the town. These curses were nearly undetectable and would prevent you from being healed by any person or item under lv. 30. Once that was active, poisoning towns were a cinch," exined Rydel.


    Jack¡¯s expression grew ugly and tense, but Rydel kept going. "In order to reach Yellow Jacket, the chief did something only he would be ignorant enough to do."

 Chapter 14 Zariffs Problems

    <h4>Chapter 14 Zariff¡°s Problems</h4>


    Jack looked down and rubbed his eyebrows after realizing that¡¯s exactly how Zariff would act in the face of death. He thought to himself briefly, "That idiot! You don¡¯t have to charge right at someone to get a job done, especially not against someone like this."


    Rydel was thinking the same before he continued, "Yellow Jacket hid in a mountain cave, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already guessed the rest."


    "That old fart was impatient and charged in despite the traps and curses surrounding the entrance. He made it to Yellow Jacket and used his barbaric strength to overpower him at the cost of being cursed and poisoned without a doubt," sighed Jack.


    "Afterwards there were teams of medics and clerics hired by the king to tend to him immediately. They had nned for him to be impatient and waited for him to drag Yellow Jacket¡¯s body from the cave. Once he came back outside, they all took turns removing poisons and curses of all kinds. ording to them, they removed every threat, but the chief says otherwise. Wanna know why he¡¯s been drunk all day?"


    "To numb the pain," guessed Jack. "If Yellow Jacket was so well known for poisons and curses, then it¡¯s likely that he has some unknown and untraceable toxins and curses. That¡¯s my guess anyway. How does the chief feel exactly?"


    "Not a clue."


    "What?" said Jack. "What do you mean?"


    Rydel rephrased, "I don¡¯t have a clue how the chief feels. He won¡¯t tell me that part. I was just told to search for the existence of untraceable toxins and curses. If you want to know that, good luck with him." He strolled into the room andid across the bottom bunk across from Jack and instantly began snoring.


    Jack didn¡¯t bother him, knowing that if he did a knife might end up in his face. He got up and left the room to avoid disturbing Rydel any further. Exiting the association building, Jack saw the moon in the sky and the deserted streets. The markets were mostly closed, leaving only the high rolling shops and the shadier vendors.


    During his trip to town square earlier in the day, he overheard some people talking about a park well off the beaten path and inquired about it. One turn led to another until Jack was on the outskirts of Reinolt City and climbing arge hill. When he made it to the top, his eyes widened and took in the view of the city below. Jack was in awe of the beautiful night lights scattered across the city.


    "Ha, even a brat can find this ce. It¡¯s not so secret anymore I guess," a rough voice growled at Jack from atop a huge tree.


    Jack didn¡¯t shift his gaze, he only said, "Rumor has it that a ghost of a giant would hide here in the trees and cry where no one could see or hear him. If I knew it would just be an old fart like you, I would¡¯ve brought Maura to chew you out."


    "What is it brat? Did you already blow through your coin?" asked Zariff, unfazed by Jack¡¯s sarcasm.


    "Nah, I haven¡¯t spent even one," said Jack as he pulled out the small bag from a pocket within his cloak and threw it down. "Here."


    "What for?" asked Zariff who had yet to show himself.


    "I¡¯m buying information. Now tell me, is that much worth knowing what¡¯s wrong with you?"


    Zariff¡¯srge frame fell from the tree andnded in front of the unflinching Jack. He said, "Rydel told you? I can¡¯t trust¡ª"


    "I asked Rydel for more information after figuring it out myself. Wanna guess how I figured it out?" intercepted Jack. Zariff swallowed some saliva and didn¡¯t respond, so Jack continued, "All I know is that whatever you have is life-threatening, that I can guarantee."


    Hearing such harsh words, Zariff¡¯s face paled a little. "You¡¯re certain? How?"


    "With the subss achievement junkie, there are certain things I do to increase my skills. One thing I¡¯ve learned is that I need to save your life, but I can¡¯t do that when I don¡¯t know what¡¯s threatening you," said Jack.


    "If you don¡¯t want to admit it, then just say so. I¡¯ve only just met you and I don¡¯t know you all that well. My guess is you already knew you¡¯d die and you¡¯re just trying to find someone suitable to fill your job. If that¡¯s the case, who better than a summoned hero, right?"


    "So, you¡¯ve already made assumptions," replied Zariff. "If you mention this to anyone, especially Maura, you¡¯re dead brat."


    "If that¡¯s what it takes," said Jack with a slight smile.


    Zariff chuckled, "There are two things; a toxin, and a curse. One is life-threating and the other is even worse."


    Jack tried to imagine what could be worse than death but only shuddered. Then Zariff continued, "It¡¯s the poison that¡¯s threatening my life. My veins are slowly rejecting my blood, some already shriveled up. The pain is too much to function without some help." Zariff brandished arge bottle in his hand.


    With his extensive experience and knowledge of "A Hero¡¯s Tale," Jack began to search his mind for anything simr to what Zariff mentioned. A couple of things came to mind, but Jack quickly settled on what it most likely was. "Tell me, were you injected with the poison or did you breathe it in?"


    "Injected. That madman coated his booby traps and weapons with it."


    "Okay, then it¡¯s definitely the walking death toxin," said Jack. It was a heavy blow to both Jack and Zariff. "By the look on your face, I can tell you¡¯ve heard of it. I¡¯m very familiar with it and might be able to make an antidote."


    "Impossible! There¡¯s no antidote for the walking death toxin! It an ancient poison that could destroy entire kingdoms if left unchecked. It¡¯s called walking death because every step you take exhausts your veins and arteries, speeding up your death. And a snarky brat like yourself thinks he can pull something off like an antidote? You¡¯re insane!" barked Zariff, fuming with anger.


    Jack paid him no mind and simply waited for the angry giant to let off some steam. Soon enough, Zariff¡¯s breathing returned to normal and he calmly bowed his head. "I¡¯m sorry."


    "No worries, my skin¡¯s too thick for an old fart like you to hurt it. And yes, I can make an antidote. I promise." Jack hid the fact that in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," he was the first person in the game to use walking death toxin. He had unlocked ess to a special dungeon through the course of achievement hunting and was the first to win the toxin. As time passed more adventurers eventually got the toxin and its fame spread across Kartonia.


    "Well, even if you can make an antidote, you¡¯ll need the ingredients. For something as potent as the walking death toxin, who knows what you¡¯ll need to find," rebutted Zariff


    As much as Jack wanted to disagree, he couldn¡¯t. In modern Kartonia not only were many ancient items missing, but ancient nts and beasts were missing too. And thanks to the development of so many countries since those times, all of Jack¡¯s previous knowledge on where to find certain items was rendered mostly useless.


    Luckily, the antidote didn¡¯t carry an enormous list of ingredients, needing only one peak tier ingredient and three high tier ingredients alongside some easily harvested items.


    "Either way, leave the poison to me. What about the curse? You said it was worse than death?" asked Jack.


    "The curse isn¡¯t an immediate or urgent threat, but in my eyes, it¡¯s far more frightening. I can¡¯t level up or gain any EXP because it¡¯s being drained away faster than I can gain it. In two months, I¡¯ll drop to lv. 35, then it can only speed up until I hit zero," said Zariff with depression apparent in his eyes.


    Shivers ran down Jack¡¯s spine after hearing that. He didn¡¯t need to think or ponder to find out the problem, but he mentally agreed thatparing death to the result of this curse was likeparing a pooping pigeon with a ferocious pterodactyl. "We¡¯ll do everything we can to stop both the toxin and the curse, no matter what."


    "Wait, you know, don¡¯t you?" Zariff saw the fear well up in Jack¡¯s eyes after his exnation of the curse. It was one thing to feel sorry for someone else, it was another to feel afraid with only a mention of circumstances. And Zariff could tell it was genuine fear that Jack was feeling. "Tell me, I don¡¯t care what it is but if you won¡¯t say, forgive me beforehand for getting rough."


    Jack chocked on his words as he barely whispered, "...Skaryn¡¯s vengeance..."


    "Say it again,"manded Zariff.


    "...Skaryn¡¯s vengeance..." Jack repeated in the same hushed tone, clearly against Zariff¡¯s wishes.


    Zariff roared, "LOUDER!"


    Jack yelled, "SKARYN¡¯S VENGEANCE!"


    The booming echo seemed to hush itself as if it had said something that should never be mentioned. Jack tried to calm himself as Zariff too began to tremble after hearing the name of the curse.

 Chapter 15 Convincing Rydel

    <h4>Chapter 15 Convincing Rydel</h4>


    "SKARYN¡¯S VENGEANCE!"


    Both Jack and Zariff were spiritually shaken after discovering what type of curse it was. Zariff had only heard of that terrifying curse in legend and that it was irreversible. Jack had seen it before in-game and witnessed not only the curse¡¯s strength but the aftereffect, and that¡¯s what scared him the most.


    "Was there anything unusual about Yellow Jacket or the cave? Like any strange symbols, item, something?" Jack began to scramble for more information. He understood the real purpose behind the curse known as Skaryn¡¯s vengeance. That kind of curse wouldn¡¯t just appear in the hands of someone, the curse had a very specific purpose that Jack wanted to stop at all costs.


    "Umm..." Zariff tried to gather his thoughts and emotions. "There were symbols of countless curses drawn in the entrance of the cave, not even Halmut himself would know which one caused this."


    Jack remembered a special event from "A Hero¡¯s Tale." It seemed toe out of nowhere and didn¡¯t follow the usual course of events. Most people wouldn¡¯t notice that, but to someone who was achievement hunting 24/7, it was easy to see. That event went on longer than any event should, and it didn¡¯t follow the logic of the game¡¯s purpose either.


    The purpose of "A Hero¡¯s Tale" was to band together and face the forces of Skaryn and try to abolish all forces of chaos, or join the forces of chaos and eventually take over the world.


    But that event had you face any kind of beast, monster, or character within the game in random assortments and levels, and they would attack you regardless of whether your alignment was good, evil, or neutral.


    The only simrity was that every enemy from the event carried the same curse, which was named after that event, "Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance."


    "Is there a chance that Yellow Jacket ced the curse on you while you fought?" asked Jack.


    "That¡¯s impossible. I know the toxin came from when we fought, but I¡¯m pretty sure the curse was from the traps. If he could cast such a curse easily in battle, he wouldn¡¯t be dead right now," answered Zariff.


    Jack stewed in thought. It made sense for such a powerful curse to take a lot of energy and time, but he couldn¡¯t help but think back to the game and how the yers got around that. "Did Yellow Jacket use any items while you were in the cave?"


    "I thought the same thing, but I never saw him do anything like that. He was busy meditating in the center of arge pentagram until I finally broke through the traps. But before I could enter the pentagram and attack him, he jumped at me fought head-on," said Zariff.


    "What? I thought he was a shaman, why would he fight you head-on?"


    Zariff shook his head in disbelief saying, "That¡¯s the weirdest thing, but it wasn¡¯t as easy as I thought it would be. He may have only been a shaman, but he was as strong as a swordsman. I would¡¯ve loved to investigate the cave, but I had to exit immediately after finishing that trash of a human and get healed." They were silent for a time, disregarding the world as they tried to narrow their thoughts into a conclusion.


    "Let¡¯s head back. I¡¯m not sure how to remove the curse yet, but there has to be something that can help. I¡¯ll write a list of ingredients for the walking death antidote and give you a copy tomorrow. Oh, and why didn¡¯t you mention this to Rydel? I get that you don¡¯t want to worry anyone, but if it¡¯s this bad why not just tell him?" stated Jack.


    "Well... I couldn¡¯t understand the curse at all, so I figured it was pointless to tell him until he noticed my level drop and I couldn¡¯t avoid it. As for the poison... it¡¯s too embarrassing..." Zariff¡¯s weird exnation left Jack with doubts until Zariff mentioned onest thing. "I realized the poison could cripple me after it already had. It¡¯s hard to admit this but... my manliness might be crippled forever."


    Jack stiffened and gave out a muffled groan involuntarily. Shaking himself from such a horrible thought, he picked up the small bag of coins on the ground, turned his back towards the old Giant, and said, "I¡¯ll take my leave, don¡¯t stay out toote and catch a cold you old fart."


    Seeing Jack walk away, Zariff didn¡¯t say or do anything. Instead, he waited for Jack to disappear into the distance and walked back apanied by only his thoughts.


    That night, neither of them could sleep well. The cold and dark night was swept away with the rise of the morning sun.


    While Jack was too preupied to sleep or notice the sunrise, Rydel sat up casually and saw the mentally exhausted Jack. He took a guess and asked, "So, what¡¯s the real problem?"


    Jack leaned his head to the side and answered bluntly with sunken eyes, "Two things, walking death toxin and Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance."


    The cool and collected Rydel quickly became shaken and anxious. "What!? And he couldn¡¯t tell me that much? That idiot! If he waited too long, it would be toote to do anything."


    "He had good reason to not say anything," said Jack. He was certain Rydel would¡¯ve held Zariff¡¯s circumstances over his head. "Also, he didn¡¯t know untilst night when I diagnosed him."


    Rydel¡¯s anxiousness was reced with confusion and he asked, "You diagnosed him? How could a newbie like you do that?"


    "That¡¯s cause before I was summoned here I was already familiar with ancient Kartonia. Don¡¯t ask how, but I honestly might be the most knowledgeable person in the entire kingdom when ites to ancient Kartonia," answered Jack. "Need me to prove it?"


    "Yeah, I do," said Rydel without hesitation.


    "Fine," Jack sat up on his bottom bunk and looked Rydel in the eyes. "Ask me anything you want about ancient Kartonia."


    Squinting his eyes, Rydel thought for a moment before he asked, "Legends say that back then summoned heroes roamed the continent in droves, but once Skaryn was sealed away they disappeared. Why is that?"


    Jack was startled and didn¡¯t know what to say. Hearing this only caused him to create more theories so he simply said, "I can¡¯t answer that question, ask me another."


    "Why? You said any question would¡ª"


    "I can¡¯t answer that question because I think I was one of those summoned heroes that disappeared. Only, things were very different back then and it would take too long to exin right now," rephrased Jack, stopping Rydel from prodding further.


    Rydel coughed and stammered, "Fine... we¡¯ll talk about thatter. If you were an ancient hero, you probably have a title, what was it? Tell me that, I can search for the title and prove you¡¯re right."


    "Umm... I¡¯m not sure," said Jack as he shrugged his shoulders. "Among us heroes, we used different titles than what the ancient people gave us, so we didn¡¯t pay attention to the titles we were given. Actually, you already know the title the other heroes gave me; it¡¯s the name of my subss."


    "Really?" Rydel didn¡¯t know how to take that. It would exin the weird ss and subss but that was the second question that Jack couldn¡¯t answer so he wasn¡¯t 100% convinced.


    The hunter then asked, "Answer this, and if you can¡¯t answer this third question then it¡¯s impossible to believe you. Most everyone has forgotten the ancient gods, other than Halmut and Skaryn. Only someone who¡¯s had time to study and explore the world will know their names."


    "That¡¯s it, you want me to name the ancient gods? That¡¯s easy. There¡¯s Halmut, Skaryn, Lyrun, Perchet, Choron, Tyres, Sterfen, Moranti, Naparn, and the list goes on. Do I need to name all twenty-seven?" said Jack without wasting a breath.


    "Twenty-seven?" Rydel¡¯s face twisted in confusion.


    "What? Don¡¯t tell me there are more than that, cause I know for a fact there aren¡¯t," stated Jack.


    "There are were that many?" Rydel¡¯s voiced silently rang out and surprised Jack.


    "There are less? Wow, you guys really have forgotten about the gods," joked Jack.


    "It¡¯s not like we forgot, we lost a lot of records during the war of the gods," said Rydel, getting Jack to shut up and listen. "Halmut sealing Skaryn was only the climax of that war. All the other gods fought for their two leaders until many of them disappeared. But the ancient text only mentioned twenty gods, why do you say twenty-seven?"


    "Cause not all twenty-seven fought in the war, duh. Seven neutral gods always stayed out of trouble. They didn¡¯t want to tip the bnce of power and did as they wanted without interfering," Jack exined like it wasmon knowledge.


    "It was even typical for a hero back then to swear loyalty to a god of their choice and receive their blessing to level up quicker. The neutral gods weren¡¯t too popr because their benefits rarely involved getting stronger for the war¡¯s sake. That could exin why they were eventually forgotten amidst something like a war of the gods."


    "Wait, those old stories were true?" suddenly Rydel stood up in excitement. "It¡¯s possible to swear loyalty to a god and get stronger?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s what everyone did back then. Wait, that doesn¡¯t happen nowadays?" asked Jack.


    "Never, at least I haven¡¯t heard of it," said Rydel. "What god did you swear loyalty to?"


    Jack chuckled, "You wouldn¡¯t know him, I¡¯m certain he¡¯s been long forgotten. We can continue this conversationter now that you believe me, besides don¡¯t we need to get going?"

 Chapter 16 Preparing to Leave

    <h4>Chapter 16 Preparing to Leave</h4>


    Rydel looked out the window and noticed the sun climbing through the sky. He sighed, "Fine, but we will talk about thister. What do you suggest we do about the toxin and curse, kid?" Though it wasn¡¯t 100% confirmed that Jack was an ancient hero, Rydel followed his gut and epted it as fact. But regardless of that, the current Jack was just some low leveled kid and that wouldn¡¯t change overnight.


    "I¡¯ve already written up a list of ingredients for the walking death antidote but I¡¯m not yet sure what to do about that curse," stated Jack with a solemn face as he handed a small sheet of paper from his within his cloak to Rydel.


    Thenky man scanned over the list and chuckled in disbelief. "Good luck finding these, it¡¯s going to be near impossible."


    "I¡¯ve already be a patron for a merchant in the town square, so I think that will help. But I¡¯m too unfamiliar with the modern Kartonia, most of my former knowledge was rendered useless with the passing of time," said Jack.


    "Well, we¡¯ve got some time before we head out. I¡¯ll grab a drink and meet you in town squareter, so go talk to your merchant and get yourself some basic supplies. I¡¯m sure you already know what you need, right?" asked Rydel sarcastically.


    "Yeah, yeah." Jack nodded as he got up and exited the room.


    Rydel stared at the empty doorway and took in a deep breath. He couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to himself. "An Ancient hero, huh? Looks like we got lucky this time."


    Jack was already outside and raring to go. First, he stopped at Jezelle¡¯s to grab some breakfast on the go but wasn¡¯t able to find her. With food in hand and one less silver in his purse, he ate his way towards the town square. Once he got there, he saw Zarris opening up and greeted him. "Morning Zarris. You open?"


    "For you, of course," Zarris was a little surprised to see Jack again so soon but weed him all the same.


    "I¡¯ve got a list of things I need, mind taking a look?" Jack didn¡¯t wait for a response before handing him the list of antidote ingredients.


    Zarris nced at the list and went wide-eyed. "These things, what on earth are you doing to need so many high-level items?"


    "It¡¯s not for me, I need to help a friend. Do you have a way to get any of these?" asked Jack.


    "Well, I don¡¯t personally have any of these, but I might be able to get my hands on some refined cleansing powder. As for the other three main ingredients, I don¡¯t think I can help you. Death rattlers aren¡¯t verymon and are extremely tricky to deal with. I don¡¯t know anywhere in the city where you can get some of its poison or blood. And the life tree¡¯s dew, you can forget about thatpletely. A life tree only gets spotted once a century," exined Zarris dejectedly.


    "Then forget the dew and please ask around about the death rattler blood and poison. Maybe some of the night merchants have some on hand?" said Jack, quickly adjusting to the circumstances.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll ask around, but I won¡¯t make any moves to get these things until you can get me something worthwhile. These items you ask for aren¡¯t cheap, you know," stated Zarris.


    "Then I must thank you," said Jack as he bowed his head. "Also, I need some kind of spacial storage. Do you have anything for eight gold?"


    Zarris smirked as he led Jack into the back. "I have some that might interest you. Take a look at these three."


    An open chest showed many items and treasures, with the three Zarris mentioned near the top. Jack pulled out all three and set them on the table. There was a ring, an armband, and a ne. Using the system to quickly scan the three, Jack grabbed the one he wanted off the table and held it up in front of Zarris. "I¡¯ll give you five gold."


    "Why the ne?" Zarris asked. In his opinion, the ne was the lesser of the three items and he would typically sell it for half of what Jack offered. Knowing Jack¡¯s character, it was clear that the ne was special.


    "Eight gold. It¡¯s rumored that the ne in your hand is ancient, just look at how worn and dull the coloring is," argues Zarris.


    "Five gold going once," said Jack.


    This tactic caught Zarris off guard. Rather than argue and haggle for a price, Jack tantly offered a price a little higher than the norm and stood firm. It was obvious them both that only someone like Jack would offer more than three gold.


    "Five going twice," Jack continued counting.


    "Sold for five gold," said Zarris as he shook his head.


    "Wise choice. And rest assured, I¡¯ll make sure to bring you plenty of goodies from my missions," said Jack as he put the faded, pale-purple ne around his neck.


    "You aren¡¯t going to get too excited and leave without getting supplies again, are you? I¡¯ll add three potions and three elixirs for another three silver," said Zarris, raising his hand like it wasn¡¯t difficult at all. Another chest was opened and six ss bottles were pulled out, three blue elixirs and three red potions.


    Jack grabbed and stored them all easily before he turned and bowed again to Zarris. "Thanks, friend. Please let me know as soon as you get news on anything from that list."


    "Will do. I¡¯ll see you soon enough, I¡¯m sure," said Zarris who waved him off in a friendly manner and showed him out.


    Since he still had about an hour before noon, Jack found a seat within the ancient rock garden in the center of the town square. Instinctively, he opened his menu and made his way to the achievement list.


    With all the drama over Zariff, Jack had never found time to explore the new achievements and skill points. The five unread achievements from the night before had now be seven unread achievements.


    [Win Jezelle¡¯s challenge: in progress]


    [Reach lv. 10: in progress]


    [Reach lv. 20: in progress]


    [Reach lv. 30: in progress]


    [Remove Zariff¡¯s curse: in progress]


    [Travel to Trodar: iplete]


    [Find the tomb: iplete]


    The first four new achievements and the sixth new achievement were the result of his talk with Jezelle and only offered skill points. After speaking with Zariff the night before, the fifth new achievement had appeared and offered a varied reward based on how long it took him to remove the curse.


    At the bottom of the list was an achievement activated by his newest soul-piercing, "Hidden Agenda."


    This "Hidden Agenda" had the passive ability to unlock hidden achievements upon interacting with something rted to the achievement. Jack was very familiar with items like this and they helped him tremendously when he was ying the game. Now that he had to live and survive based on the achievements he discovered andpleted; this item became invaluable to him.


    [Find the tomb: iplete]


    [Find the tomb of PleasantLilly98 near the outskirts of Reinolt City. Reward: 10 skill points, ess to her saved data.]


    Jack smiled as he read the achievement¡¯s description. This achievement was activated when he had grabbed the ne for the first time. The previous owner of the ne wasbeled as PreciousLilly98, the same person mentioned in the new achievement. What Jack liked, even more, was the reward of this fallen hero¡¯s saved data. He was extremely curious about what he could do with that.


    There were no other clues besides it being near the outskirts of the city, but that was way too general. Jack guessed that she was a new yer since her ne was so low leveled and imagined that her tomb wouldn¡¯t be too dangerous. The biggest problem was finding it.


    Reinolt City was massive; tob over its outskirts would take weeks for the current Jack, and he wouldn¡¯t want that. For the time being, he didn¡¯t investigate the catb and made a mental note to get around to it.


    He closed his achievement list and opened up his skill tree, which continued to offer new branches and skills with every new interaction he had. Seeing the unused thirty skill points brought a grin to his face.


    Jack took his time to upgrade and divvy up the points. Two points upgraded persuasion to lv. 1, ten points upgraded bow to lv. 2, and ten points upgraded evasion to lv. 2. With eight points left, he eventually upgraded perception and deposited thest three points in stealth.


    Seeing the sun high in the sky, Jack knew that Rydel woulde find him pretty soon. In the meantime, Jack took his time reading and memorizing the map of the modern Kartonia. He paid extra close attention to the nations surrounding Trodar and those he¡¯d have to cross to travel there. With a mountain range and a massiveke in the way, he knew that the journey wouldn¡¯t be easy.


    Jack thought back to his many missions and aplishments in Trodar with his former guild. This inspired him to press forward the best he can and to do whatever it takes to level up.

 Chapter 17 Trouble Exiting the City

    <h4>Chapter 17 Trouble Exiting the City</h4>


    "Are you ready kid?" asked Rydel. He found Jack sitting in the center of the rock garden with his eyes closed. It looked like he was either in deep meditation or sleeping while sitting up. Rydel bet on thetter.


    "Sure thing," said Jack as he slowly opened his eyes to see Rydel standing above him. "So, what are we gonna do, captain?" Jack carried a sarcastic tone when he said the word captain, which caused Rydel to twitch ever so slightly. With that in mind, Jack smirked and took note to keep calling him that in the future.


    Rydel didn¡¯t stop him from saying it because it wasmon for a party or squad leader to be known as the captain. Although the loner Rydel preferred not to be called that, he figured that if he gave it more attention, it would have the opposite effect with the nosey Jack. After clicking his tongue against his teeth Rydel answered, "I¡¯ll exin on the way, we¡¯ve got to head out if we want to reach our destination in time."


    The two left town square and headed west until they came up to the western gate. There were two enormous wooden doors, eachrge enough to let a couple of elephants through. Raised above it was a metal gate that was only dropped in case of emergencies.


    Jack tried to converse with Rydel multiple times but never received a response. Only after reaching the western gate did Rydel say anything. He didn¡¯t stop like the others exiting the city. Instead, he shouted, "We¡¯re with the Adventurers Association, open up!"


    Some of the guards didn¡¯t know how to act and just fidgeted around them. One guard was wearing full battle te and stood on a raised tform to the right of therge gate. That man looked up and barked out orders, "Give ¡¯em a light search before opening the gate."


    Rydel¡¯s eyes narrowed when he saw the captain of the guard. "Fronks, just let us through. It¡¯s our right as association members to pass without a search. What are you trying to do?"


    "Just following the new procedures. The Royal Court ordered that all who exit and enter require a search of their person and spacial storages. With the chaos running so rampant, it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry," Fronks answered easily as if he had rehearsed it many times before.


    "What trash! The association is an international power,parable to the entire Reinolt Kingdom. What right do you have to search us?" shouted Rydel, making sure everyone within hearing distance could hear him.


    "Calm down Rydel, it¡¯s just a simple search." Fronks put up his hands, acting innocent in front of the newly watching civilians. "Everyone has to go through with it. Are you saying you¡¯re better than everyone here?"


    "Not better, just more privileged. I¡¯ve worked my whole life to achieve what I have, to reach lv. 29, and to be a member of the association. Just because the local branch is smaller than average doesn¡¯t mean that you can bully us," imed Rydel, stepping forward towards the gate and ignoring the guards approaching him.


    "Are you resisting a simple search? Come on, what¡¯s there to hide?" said Fronks, oblivious to Rydel¡¯s straightforward answer. "If you resist a search, I¡¯ll have to call the other captain and insist that you and your friend chat with us privately."


    Rydel knew that Jack wouldn¡¯t be able to resist the other guards with his lv. 1 status. Everyone in the city knew that to be a captain of the guard, you had to reach at least lv. 25. Facing one wasn¡¯t a problem, but two would make a simple getaway impossible. He clicked his tongue and nced back at Jack. What he saw caused his jaw to drop.


    Jack had already nocked an arrow on his bow and conveniently pointed it toward the arrogant captain of the guard. He was easily overlooked as a lv. 1 and had no one paying him much attention, so doing that much was easy. After everyone followed Rydel¡¯s nce and saw Jack, he spoke loudly, "I don¡¯t think you can stop us, if I¡¯m being honest. Besides, if we make a big enoughmotion, chief Zariff mighte and join the party."


    All the guards froze when they heard Jack mention Zariff. It was true that the kingdom wasn¡¯t too friendly with the association and the rtionship was worsening over time, but everyone was clear on Zariff¡¯s standing within the kingdom. As the number three in the kingdom, everyone would both respect and fear him.


    "Don¡¯t listen to him! He¡¯s just a lv. 1 brat with a big mouth," yelled Fronks, knowing that his men were frightened by the words of the mouse-like threat in front of him. "If the brat has the balls, he¡¯d take his shot. I doubt he could even reach this far, let alone¡ª"


    Fronks was interrupted by the twang of a bowstring and the whizzing sound of an arrow flying through the air. He was startled, not by the arrow but by the courage this lv. 1 adventurer showed.


    The captains of the guard had heard all about Jack from Arnole and were given clear orders to make trouble for him if he tried to leave the city. Though he didn¡¯t know that Jack was a summoned hero that defected to the Adventurers Association, he knew that he had turned down the Royal Court and joined the association instead.


    This was a p to the Royal Court¡¯s face and would affect its prestige if news got out. Just as the arrow reached him, it blew past his head and left Fronks untouched. "Ha! You can¡¯t even hit a stationary target, what kind of hunter are you?"


    "Who said I missed?" said Jack with a wry smile.


    While thinking to himself, Fronts looked behind him and was shocked to see that the arrow had pierced and damaged the upper hinge of the massive right-side door of the gate. Everyone heard the wood creak as it began to bend and bow due to its weight. It wasn¡¯t enough to cause any problems, but for a lv. 1 to cause that much damage to the massive gate was unbelievable.


    From the outside, the doors were too thick to easily breakthrough, but thanks to hinges on the inside Jack was able to exploit its weak point.


    Rydel began tough hysterically and immediately drew his bow with two arrows nocked. "Not bad kid, but you need to hit it a lot harder if you want to bring the door down."


    Before Fronks could yell in retaliation and get anyone to stop Rydel, the two arrows were released and drilled into the two remaining hinges of the right-side door. Unlike Jack¡¯s arrow that merely weakened and damaged it using the door¡¯s own weight, Rydel¡¯s arrows shattered the hinges into dozens of pieces.


    Losing the support of the two lower hinges, the door peeled off the top hinge and fell to the ground, toppling over as it pushed against Fronks¡¯ raised tform and all the guards scattered.


    The duo of adventurers took advantage of the situation and dashed through the opening. All the guards were either scrambling to get on their feet or were busy trying to support the raised tform to keep it from falling over. Captain Fronks was furious and immediately sent orders to distribute warrants for both Rydel and Jack.


    Both hunters quickly fled into the outlying forest,ughing the whole way. Rydel stopped after reaching about a kilometer out and said, "Kid I like your style. I was worried that you¡¯d be a handicap in a situation like that, but who would¡¯ve imagined a lv. 1 doing something that crazy. How¡¯d you do that by the way? You shouldn¡¯t be anywhere near strong enough to do the damage you did."


    "I may be lv. 1, but I¡¯m a lv. 1 hero. The logic of the other sses doesn¡¯t apply to me,"ughed Jack. "I¡¯ve got my ways to get stronger, besides EXP. But once I level up, I¡¯ll be able to do a lot more damage." Jack knew his strength was disproportionate to his level, but that was only for the skills he had upgraded. Any lv. 0 skill wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning, no matter what level he would reach in the future.


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind kid, but you need to stay smart too. Remember, you just pissed off a captain of the guard and helped me destroy the city gate. I¡¯m not too worried cause I¡¯m lv. 29 and can hold off most people till Zariff and the association take care of the warrants. You, on the other hand, are a lv. 1 kid that anyone could easily target. What are you going to do?" asked Rydel, truly curious why Jack did something so crazy.


    "I wasn¡¯t going to let them scan my spacial storage, are you out of your mind. I might be lv.1 but don¡¯t forget that I was also an ancient hero," answered Jack as he activated his spacial ne and took out the weather jade.


    Rydel was taken aback that Jack could produce not only a spacial ne but such a valuable item like a weathered jade. It wasn¡¯t too useful for anyone above lv. 20, but it was a treasure for anyone else valued at around a dozen gold.


    With a weathered jade, Jack¡¯s level would soar even further with Rydel carrying him. If the guards had searched their spacial storages, they would¡¯ve taken such a treasure from a weak lv. 1 like Jack. Thenky hunter chuckled, "You really are an ancient hero, aren¡¯t you? I don¡¯t know how you got your hands on something like that, but you¡¯re way too crafty to be some wannabe."


    Jack smiled at thepliment and keptughing. He was a little worried about him temporarily having a warrant, but it only made him more determined to not return until after reaching lv. 10.

 Chapter 18 Camping for the Nigh

    <h4>Chapter 18 Camping for the Nigh</h4>


    The hunter duo continued down the path westward till nightfall. Rydel led them off the path and into the surrounding forest. He activated his spacial bracer and retrieved a tent. "We¡¯ll camp here for the night. At this pace, we¡¯ll reach our destination tomorrow night."


    Jack was winded from trying to keep up with the lv. 29 Rydel; they had to take breaks multiple times while Jack caught his breath. With the flick of his wrist, a palm-sized crystal appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. "Yo captain, we should connect crystals before I forget. Just in case, you know."


    Along the way Rydel was trying to figure Jack out and how this lv. 1 was able to get his hands on such treasures. When he caught glimpse of the contact crystal, he mentally winced at how spoiled this newbie adventurer was.


    He said nothing as he took out his crystal, touched it to Jack¡¯s, and activated it to link the two. As long as the crystal was in contact him, Jack would now be able to mentally contact Rydel. Of course, Rydel would have to take out his crystal out to respond but he didn¡¯t like the thought of Jack pestering him constantly.


    "Go and gather some firewood. I¡¯ll set up my tent and prepare the fire pit," said Rydel, giving Jack a somewhat cold shoulder.


    The young hero didn¡¯t mind the cold treatment at all as he began to search for stray wood under the moonlight. Though Reinolt City had its own port and dock to the north, the rest of it was surrounded by forests. It was very dense near the city walls, but plenty of moonlight was able to shine down in the outer regions, like where Jack and Rydel were setting up camp. Fallen branches and stray wood were scarce but after enough time Jack had enough tost the night.


    He returned to see Rydel inside his tent, rxing on a cot he must¡¯ve brought. The fire pit was half a meter deep and surrounded by a ring of rocks. Jack brought the firewood out of his storage and ced them to side.


    With a few branches ced in the pit like a teepee, Jack asked, "Got a light, captain?" As soon as he finished speaking, a ming arrow flew out of the tent and into the fire pit. Everything went up in mes instantly and nearly singed off Jack¡¯s eyebrows before he could back away.


    "There, now I¡¯ve shown you how to start a fire. From now on, you do the rest. I can¡¯t wait for dinner, so make sure it¡¯s really good." Rydel¡¯s casual voice caused Jack to shudder.


    Jack didn¡¯t say anything and only sighed dejectedly. Without refusal, he got up and drew his bow. Trying his best to perceive his surroundings and find a trace of life nearby, Jack stilled himself for a few moments. Soon enough he left the camp and crept into the woods.


    After a few minutes of traversing the woods, he was grateful that he leveled up his perception. If he hadn¡¯t, he may not have eaten dinner, or worse he would have to deal with a cranky Rydel. Jack was following the small tracks of what he assumed was a brown fox.


    He hunted all kinds of animals during his gamer days, so he felt familiar enough to recognize the simple tracks. When he noticed therge dark brown fox hiding in the hollow of a tree, he was stunned. It was farrger than Jack had anticipated and would be very difficult for him to deal with if he couldn¡¯t finish it off with a single arrow.


    Luckily, this was exactly why he preferred being a hunter and increased his bow skill to lv. 2. His body instinctively moved to nock an arrow and aim for its target. Before the fox had a clue, an arrow had lodged itself in the fox¡¯s head and quietly silenced it.


    "Wow, that was easy," thought Jack as he walked up and removed his arrow from his prey. He threw the fox over his shoulders and was about to turn around when he noticed something hiding under therge fox. It was small, fluffy, and had small pointy ears. Its fur coat was a deep brownish-red that appeared regal. Feeling the body over top it disappearing its tiny head looked up and opened its dark eyes.


    Jack flinched when he saw the adorable baby fox. Regret pierced his heart as he imagined leaving this beautiful and adorable fox stranded without anyone to protect it. He killed countless animals and beasts as Jack_J in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," but seeing this undeniably cute infant fox caused him to hesitate greatly.


    The baby fox blinked and tilted its head when it saw its mother atop Jack¡¯s back. It felt its mother¡¯s pulse stop just before the mother¡¯s body was lifted away. Its instincts screamed that Jack was dangerous.


    There was no hesitation when it whined and took off into the forest as fast as it¡¯s little legs could carry it. Seeing this Jack knew that the little fox had no chance to survive with his mother dead. Unwillingly, he ced the mother¡¯s carcass back into the hollow and took off after the baby fox.


    It wasn¡¯t long until Jack heard a loud hiss in the distance, followed by whines of the baby fox.


    He dashed towards the source of the whines and he saw a ring of thick, fallen tree trunks. Crouching behind a trunk and peeking over the top, Jack swallowed some saliva.


    On the other side was the baby fox, who had entered the home of a huge forest python. It may be slow but once someone was in striking distance, it was very hard to escape its jaws. Jack tried his best to stay calm as he thought about the situation.


    He was fine and he hadn¡¯t been discovered yet thanks to the distraction of the baby fox. But if Jack wanted to save the baby fox, he would put himself at risk. His bow skill was only lv. 2 and wasparable to the basic bow strength of a lv. 6 or lv. 7 hunter.


    Against an old, metal hinge he might cause some damage, but against a python that far surpassed Jack it might not do anything at all; he might be lucky if he could pierce its scales. Mulling it over, he pulled out his bow and quietly nocked an arrow with his shaky hands. After some deep breaths, he managed to still his nerves enough to take a shot.


    Jack was closest to the baby fox, with the python¡¯s head slightly to the right almost five meters away. Its coiled body was slowly reaching to cover the only opening in the ring, cutting off the chance of its prey escaping.


    He took another deep breath and held it in as he peeked over the log to aim. After three seconds, Jack stood and instantly raised his bow to shoot.


    The python noticed him immediately and began to turn its head to Jack as he released his arrow. It was aimed for the forehead, themon weak spot among snakes, but the snake did its best to dodge. Normally, dodging the arrow wasn¡¯t too much of a problem but the close quarters didn¡¯t let the snakepletely evade the arrow. Instead of the forehead, the arrow pierced its eye.


    Jack didn¡¯t waste a moment, jumping over the tree trunk the instant the arrow was released. He didn¡¯t look back at the snake after he grabbed the frightened fox and climbed back over.


    The snake was in pain andshed out with its nearby tail. It crashed against the tree trunk, leaving a deep impression from the force of impact. It continued to writhe in pain and struck Jack¡¯s side when he was on top of the tree trunk.


    Turning his back towards the tail and keeping the baby fox in his arms against his chest, Jack took the full blow and was sent tumbling across the forest floor.


    The python began to move towards him, but Jack was relentless and immediately stood up to run away. There wasn¡¯t much chase as the snake understood there was no chance to keep up with the fleeing hero. Upset and injured, the snake returned to its home within the circle of tree trunks.


    Jack was panting and groaning heavily as he carried the baby fox away. Some ribs were broken, and he was heavily bruised on the entire right side of his torso.


    Taking a tumble across the ground brought him many small cuts and bruises across his whole body. He did his best to reach the mother fox¡¯s body at top speed but was saddened to see the corpse missing without a single track left behind.


    With depression setting in, he looked down at the cowering baby fox. It looked torn and confused from being saved by Jack. Without any intention, it started to bond with him even though its instincts originally said Jack was an enemy. Jack pet its head, brushed the blood from the sides of his mouth, and slowly trudged back to camp.

 Chapter 19 Whats the Plan?

    <h4>Chapter 19 What¡°s the n?</h4>


    Depression set in as Jack approached the campsite, but he was stunned by what he saw. Rydel was sitting on a chair he carried in his storage with meat already butchered and hanging over the fire pit. Thenky hunter said, "You took too long, so I got impatient. Help yourself."


    Jack sat on the ground and leaned back against a nearby tree. His arms fell weakly to his side as the baby fox was revealed on hisp. It cooed and whined quietly as it leaned against Jack¡¯s chest. Suddenly wincing pain shot through Jack¡¯s body as the fox snuggled up with him. He grabbed the fox gently and ced it next to him on his left side, trying his best to keep it away from his injuries.


    "That¡¯s quite a nice pet you got there," said Rydel. "A fur pelt like that would bring in about a dozen gold to the right buyer."


    Shaking his head, Jack mustered enough strength to speak. "Nah, not this one. I¡¯m too invested to do something like that."


    "Yeah, I saw," Rydel chuckled and threw Jack a roasted meat leg. "You did good kid. That¡¯s not what I would¡¯ve done, but I can¡¯t me you. You keep that one, and I¡¯ll keep this one."


    After catching his dinner Jack squinted and noticed a fur pelt hanging to dry inside Rydel¡¯s tent.


    Before Jack could say anything or the baby fox noticed its mother¡¯s fur pelt, Rydel smirked and pulled down the tarp that covered the entrance to the tent.


    Not wanting to waste energy overthinking orining, Jack bit into the meat leg. It was a little tough andcked any seasoning, but Jack¡¯s weak constitution greatly appreciated the pick me up.


    The baby fox saw the meat and licked its lips as it pounced at the meat leg in Jack¡¯s hand. It missed the meat however and bit Jack¡¯s right hand instead. While Rydel wasughing and enjoying his meal, Jack pulled off the baby fox with great surprise.


    That bite of the baby fox easily broke his skin and could¡¯ve even torn through the muscles on his hand. Jack may have only been lv. 1, but he was certain that a practically newborn fox shouldn¡¯t be able to cause that much damage.


    Another piece of meat was flung at Jack, but he was leaning in to look at his hand and was hit in the face by the flying meat. As it fell to the ground, the baby fox¡¯s eyes gleamed and it attacked the rib meat in front of it.


    "That¡¯s some fox." Rydel was spooked by the insane bite the baby fox had taken from Jack¡¯s hand. "Do you know what kind of fox that is kid?"


    "Isn¡¯t it just an infant brown fox?" guessed Jack, now unsure of himself.


    Rydel slowly turned his head from side to side and said, "Nah, a brown fox can¡¯t do damage like that until they¡¯re fully grown, but I¡¯m not 100% sure either. I guess we¡¯ll figure it out eventually."


    Jack nodded and pulled out a potion. He didn¡¯t want to waste them, but such an injury could impede his EXP grindingter. Reluctantly, Jack poured the potion over his wounded hand and watched it visibly heal itself. Then he wrapped it carefully, knowing that although it was technically healed, it was still tender and could easily reopen. "Yo captain, are there any towns or viges nearby to stock up on supplies?"


    "There¡¯s one just on the other side of our destination, why? Didn¡¯t you already gather what you needed?" asked Rydel.


    "Yeah, but I don¡¯t want to head back until I¡¯m at least lv. 10. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll need to restock eventually, and by them I¡¯ll have stuff to sell or trade for what I need," answered Jack as he petted the baby fox with his left hand.


    "What are you gonna name him?" asked Rydel, ignoring Jack¡¯s answer.


    "It¡¯s a he?" said Jack, picking up the baby fox to double-check. "I don¡¯t know, what do you think I should call him?"


    "Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care. That¡¯s for you to figure out, and you to take care of. Remember, you saved him, so you have to pay for him," said Rydel.


    "Sure, I¡¯ll take care of all the food he needs, and he can sleep in one of the extra beds," said Jack, trying to rx and ignore the incredible pain he felt.


    "No, I mean you¡¯ll have to pay to register him. Every pet or beastpanion in the Reinolt Kingdom must be registered at a local branch of the Royal Court," rified Rydel. "They¡¯ll run a magical diagnosis to determine its breed and bloodline purity, and then you¡¯ll have to pay ordingly. The more exotic or rare the breed, the more expensive. By the looks of that fur coat, he might cost you a pretty penny."


    "Seriously?" Jack shrank a little after hearing that. He didn¡¯t think it would be so much of a hassle to adopt a pet.


    "Hey, I think it¡¯s more than worth it," interjected Rydel. "Yeah, it¡¯s annoying to pay so much money, but you can also buy a beast master seal and make him your beastpanion. We both know that thing is going to grow a lot, just look at the size of the mother. Plus, since he¡¯s so young and he already likes you, you might be able to get a mutual beast seal."


    "What the big deal? It¡¯s just getting a beastpanion. I do want him as my beastpanion but isn¡¯t there a cheaper way to do it?" asked Jack.


    "There are a few ways, but that requires a lot of travel and time so it¡¯s not worth it. And if you can get a mutual seal, that¡¯s by far the best option. A beast can only carry a single seal in its life and the different levels of seals can affect your beastpanion¡¯s growth. Getting a mutual seal with a rare beast, like that fox might be, would make anyone green with envy."


    Jack squinted his eyes and watched the baby fox chewing on the bones after quickly devouring the meat. He asked, "Then what¡¯s so special about this mutual seal? If it¡¯s so great, then why haven¡¯t I heard of it before?"


    "I don¡¯t know what you ancient heroes did before, but we¡¯ve been using these seals for the past few centuries," exined Rydel. "And the mutual seal is by far the best seal you can get. It means that you and your beastpanion will level up at the same speed. If you level up, he¡¯ll automatically level up to match you. And if he levels up before you, the seal will activate and bump you up too. If I could get that fox to like me, then I¡¯d definitely take it off your hands. But let¡¯s consider it as part of your 10%."


    "Wait, for real!? Can we do that in the town? If so, we¡¯ve gotta do it before we start grinding," said Jack enthusiastically.


    "Calm down kid, we¡¯ve got to stop there anyway. We need to get you healed up, right?" asked Rydel as he flicked a small leftover bone at Jack¡¯s side.


    Jack grunted, "Yeah, sorry about that. At least we both got something out of it; that pelt should be worth something too, right."


    "I guess you¡¯re right," Rydel chuckled. "Besides, I need you in full form for my n to work."


    "On that note, what is the n exactly," asked Jack. "I don¡¯t even know where we¡¯re going."


    "I guess you¡¯ll find out eventually," sighed Rydel as he threw the leftover leg bone to the baby fox. "After we stop in Baltwood to get you and that fox pup all settled, we¡¯ll head to the nearby azure mines."


    Thinking back to the azure mines and what challenges they contained, Jack smiled. "Oh, is see. I knew I¡¯d like working with you. I¡¯m the bait, right?"


    "You got it." Rydel was d that Jack was happy to follow through with a n that would make most new adventurers run for the hills.


    "Sounds good to me, but I¡¯m not heading back till I¡¯m lv. 10, got it? Otherwise, you can kiss your bait goodbye," said Jack.


    "You drive a hard bargain. I guess this will take a bit longer than I expected, but my 90% share is worth it, I guess." Rydel got up and stored his chair. Without another word, he entered his tent and tied it shut.


    Taking a hint, Jackughed and looked back at the baby fox. It was gnawing on the femur that Rydel had thrown earlier and had already eaten through the rib bones. Jack struggled to believe it was so easy for the baby fox to devour even the bones, that was until he noticed char marks all over the femur.


    Seeing that the fox¡¯s stomach wasn¡¯t going to be full anytime soon, Jack forced himself up and threw the remaining meat to the even more excited fox. He thought for a moment andughed to himself. "I¡¯ll call you Bowser."

 Chapter 20 Baltwood

    <h4>Chapter 20 Baltwood</h4>


    "I¡¯ll call you Bowser," said Jack as the little fox was drooling over its mountain of meat.


    When the baby fox heard Jack talking to it, the fox turned and looked back at Jack like it was deciding whether it liked its new name or not. Jack thought for a second that it might¡¯ve understood him and tested his theory. He grabbed thest roasted meat leg from the mountain and said, "Hey Bowser, do you like your new name?"


    Instantly, the fox started nodding as it licked its lips and prepared to jump. Jackughed, "Good boy bowser!" He threw the leg up in the air and watched Bowser pounce on the airborne meat with a big smile.


    With Bowser happy and nothing left for him to do, Jack let weariness take over and heid on the softest piece of ground he could reach within a few steps. After a few seconds of heavy breathing and turning to his left side, Jack fell asleep with ease.


    Baby Bowser managed to eat every morsel of meat before it gave a quiet yawn. He curled up in Jack¡¯s arms and slept by his side.


    By sunrise, Rydel had already gotten up and taken down his tent. He gave Jack a light kick to startle him awake as he dismantled the fire pit. Jack yawned and saw little Bowser under his arms. With a smile, Jack carefully stood up and stretched his aching body.


    Rydel immediately pushed to leave, making Jack a little sad that he had to miss breakfast. Rather thanpromise, Rydel just joked that it was Jack¡¯s fault for not buying any dry rations or basic food supplies.


    All Jack could do was frown; out of habit, he had only bought potions and elixirs as he would back in the game. In "A Hero¡¯s Tale," after reaching a certain level your constitution was strong enough to not need food or sleep for a day or two. With a max level character, why would he waste money on needless food or a tent in an online game? Clearly, he still had to break a few habits because he wasn¡¯t just ying a game anymore.


    Bowser woke up soon after Jack and climbed up onto Jack¡¯s shoulder, being just big enough to sit there. He licked Jack¡¯s ear a little before heid his head down and observed the world from a new perspective.


    Jack followed after Rydel begrudgingly. They took much longer to travel now that Jack was injured and unable to move at full speed. In the end, they had to take an extra day to reach Baltwood by the following night.


    The vige wasn¡¯t big, but it wasn¡¯t small either. Thanks to being one of the viges closest to Reinolt City, many travelers and traders would stop there along their journeys. It was already dusk when Rydel led Jack into Baltwood. The lights of the marketce and the inns were still lit, giving off a weing vibe.


    After walking through the streets, Rydel opened a door to a ced called the Boar¡¯s Inn and said, "Hey Trom, give me a room with two beds for the night."


    Immediately a body flew down the stairs and weed the two. "Rydel, it¡¯s a pleasure seeing you again. You finally started a party I see, it¡¯s about time."


    "Screw a party, this kids my bait," joked Rydel. "Anyways, I¡¯ll need a room for two and add two basic dinners to the price. We¡¯ll take a seat for now, so just bring me the key when the room¡¯s ready."


    "You got it," Trom nodded and rushed to the reception desk to talk with thedy sitting there.


    "Come on kid, dinner¡¯s on me tonight. Starting tomorrow, you¡¯ll fend for yourself got it?" said Rydel.


    "Understood Captain," Jack smiled. "I should have enough to get me by for a few days after paying for the beast seal. Should I get anything special for the mines?"


    "Nah, you don¡¯t have to worry about that part. I¡¯ll take care of everything once we¡¯re in there," stated Rydel. "The highest leveled goblin in there should be around lv. 15, but the rest should be closer to lv. 10 so I can easily handle it. You¡¯ll just be the bait to bring out the droves of goblins for my arrow volleys to ughter. You¡¯ll only get your 10% of the drops, but the EXP of being in my party should be more than worth it on its own."


    "No worries, I¡¯m after the EXP. Any leftover drops are just icing on the cakepared to that. Bowser should be fine if he tags along with me, right?" said Jack.


    "Sure thing kid, I wouldn¡¯t want to waste good bait. Crazy people like you are hard toe by," Rydel joked as a female server approached the table.


    "Two specials for the friends of the owner, and don¡¯t worry cause it¡¯s on the house," she said, cing the two tes on the table along with an old, rusted key. "Can I get you anything else?"


    "Two brundies please and get some raw meat on the bone for the fox, whatever¡¯s about to spoil is fine." Rydel didn¡¯t look at the server as he answered, he was too busy grabbing a fork to stuff his face.


    Jack followed along and ate while the server girl quickly retreated to the kitchen. It didn¡¯t take long for her toe back with the drinks and a big leg of pork that was near festering, but Bowser didn¡¯t seem to care at all.


    They enjoyed their meal and only asked for more brundy as the night went on. The dinner special was a pork stew with potatoes and carrots and a side of freshly baked bread. It was much tastier than anything they had cooked without seasonings, so it hit the spot for the two of them.


    Soon though all eyes in the restaurant were on them, not only because of their insane amount of drinking but for Bowser¡¯s appetite. They were amazed by the amount of food and drink the two purchased.


    The server¡¯s originally questioned giving them two free specials because that¡¯s where they typically made the most money and got the biggest tips, but after seeing all the brundy and raw meat they purchased they were d the owner made such a move.


    "Hey kid, that fox pup¡¯s appetite is crazy. How can it each so much?" asked Rydel, now much more yful after having a few brundies.


    "I don¡¯t know how but he always eats an ungodly amount. Maybe it¡¯s cause he¡¯s a rare breed or something. Just look and see for yourself, there are char marks all over that bone he¡¯s chewing on," answered Jack, who was also letting himself loose in order to forget the lingering pain he still felt.


    Everyone around was baffled by Bowser¡¯s ability to chew through bone like butter. When they noticed the char marks, some got a little jealous and were curious about what kind of fox it was.


    A few were mad that some newbie with basic gear had found such a rare beast and were extremely envious. Finally, one man stood up and walked over to the hunter duo. The man said, "Hey brat, how much for that fox? That thing¡¯s too good for you, surely you can see that, right?"


    "He¡¯s not for sale," Jack appeared to instantly sober up and stare into that man¡¯s soul.


    "Anything¡¯s for sale at the right price," said the man. "I¡¯ll give you sixteen gold for it, and that¡¯s generous."


    "I said he¡¯s not for sale. Why not take that sixteen gold and go get your ear¡¯s fixed," refuted Jack.


    The restaurant quickly filled withughter at Jack¡¯s joke and the drunken man became furious. "Why you little¡ª"


    But before the man could lunge at Jack, there was already a knife pressed against his throat. Rydel chuckled, "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    Most people there couldn¡¯t determine Rydel¡¯s level. Most thought he was wearing something to conceal it; they would think that a new adventurer would rarely be apanied by someone so high leveled. Some guessed that he was too high level for them to tell despitemon belief, and the rare few within five levels of Rydel could see his strength clearly and had already decided to not covet that rare fox.


    That man swallowed some saliva and stepped back. "You¡¯re lucky tonight punk, but once I tell the boss about that fox of yours, no one will be able to save you."


    "Then should I just kill you now or save that forter?" Rydel¡¯s question caused that man to freeze on the spot. "Unless your boss is in the high thirties, I don¡¯t rmend you pick on association members?"


    The entire restaurant went silent. Though the Adventurers Association didn¡¯t have the strongest foundation within the Reinolt Kingdom, they still had multiple offices within the Reinolt branch and were an international power. Picking an unreasonable fight with them was almost like revolting against the Royal Court.


    Before anyone could question the duo¡¯s legitimacy, Jack stood up and took off his cloak and pointed to the association insignia on the back of his shirt. Everyone immediately felt sorry for the bumbling bandit that tried to act tough.

 Chapter 21 Royal Courts Grudge

    <h4>Chapter 21 Royal Court¡°s Grudge</h4>


    "Fine, I¡¯m sorry okay. It won¡¯t happen again," mumbled the bandit as he took a step back.


    Rydel said nothing and acted instead. Within a single breath, he cleanly slit the bandit¡¯s neck and wrapped a handkerchief around it to avoid blood spilling all over the restaurant floor. He yelled, "Yo Trom, you can take this trash¡¯s bounty down from the wall. It should be for ¡¯r, Bandit Captain.¡¯"


    Trom quickly appeared and hurriedly removed a poster from the wall as he bowed his head and smiled at Rydel, waiting for the hunter¡¯s next move.


    "I don¡¯t usually deal with this level of trash but he brought this on himself." Rydel red at the other bandits sitting at the now silent table. After seeing their captain killed like amb before the ughter, they were scared stiff and unable to move. "Let¡¯s go, kid, I¡¯ve had enough for tonight."


    "You got it Captain!" shouted Jack before he chugged thest of his brundy. Jack picked up Bowser, who was carrying thest of a charred pig¡¯s foot and followed Rydel to the stairs.


    "This should cover a few nights, right?" Rydel passed the bandit corpse to Trom with a smirk.


    "Of course," said Trom as he turned and dragged the corpse out the back door. The incident wasn¡¯t expected but Trom knew how to take advantage of a situation and give kindness for kindness. Normally he would charge one gold coin for a room with two beds and a few silver for food. This bandit captain was worth ten gold, easily making him more money.


    The hunter duo escaped the many shocked gazes in the restaurant and found their room upstairs. Those people downstairs began to gossip and form the stories that would spread like wildfire the next day, all about a mysterious newbie with a rare fox and his mercilesspanion.


    "Don¡¯t worry about the people downstairs. There will be lots of rumors and stories tomorrow, but they¡¯ll disappear in a few days," said Rydel. "Just make sure to sleep well cause we¡¯ve got a long day tomorrow. First, we¡¯ll find a local medic and then we¡¯ll head to the local association branch. There¡¯s some stuff there I need to take care of."


    "There¡¯s a local association branch here? Howe we don¡¯t just stay there?" asked Jack.


    "Cause it¡¯s only an office. There¡¯s a single bed and it¡¯s for the man who runs it 24/7."


    "Really? Why is it so small? I thought the Adventurers Association was an international power?" questioned Jack.


    "It is, but that doesn¡¯t mean much here. The Adventurers Association headquarters is in the Polt Federation, so the surrounding nations all respect and give the association authority in their respective regions," sighed Rydel. "The Reinolt Kingdom is one of the few nations who keep a neutral rtionship with the association. They don¡¯t stop the association or impede it, but they do their best to keep it from growing too powerful within its borders. Can you guess why?"


    Jack scratched his head for a second before he guessed, "With a strange entity like the association, some nations probably fear the association stealing their internal strength, right?"


    "Exactly," chuckled Rydel. "The Polt Federation already has its hidden military strength that no one wants to face, but the federation offered a pact with the Adventurers Association. As the most neutral nation across the continent, the neutral Adventurers Association joined hands with them and the two entities were deemed untouchable from that point on. King Leodoro already hates outside threats but having such an influential power inside his borders made things worse."


    "I can imagine," said Jack. "What did he do about it? Knowing his personality, he probably lowered the eptance standard of the Royal Court and offered insane benefits to attract would-be association members."


    "That¡¯s exactly what he did, but he also personally invited many high-level adventurers with bribes to join his side. And considering the amount of wealth he offered, almost everyone left the association. That¡¯s why the association building is so empty nowadays," rified Rydel.


    "What a rotten king. No wonder that idiot boasted so much about his Royal Court." Jack recalled the king¡¯s offer to join the Royal Court and the incredible pride the king disyed. "How many lv. 30¡¯s does the Royal Court have nowpared to the association?"


    "Before the recent pact between the association and the federation, we had more than twice as many. But after the king¡¯s unbelievable bribes, they¡¯ve now got six, one more than us. Other than Arnole and Zariff, they¡¯re all under lv. 35," answered Rydel with a displeased grunt.


    "At least we¡¯re beating them in one category." Jack¡¯s words caught Rydel off guard and got thenky hunter to look back him. "We¡¯ve got more summoned heroes."


    Rydel burst intoughter and pped his leg. It didn¡¯tst long, but Rydel was feeling a little better after imagining all of the wealth and resources the king must¡¯ve lost thanks to Jack.


    "Did the Royal Court make you an offer too, captain?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, and it was a good one too. It had me consider leaving the association," answered Rydel.


    "Then why did you stay?"


    "Cause of the chief." Suddenly, the indifferent Rydel became solemn and a hint of pride shed in his eyes. "When everyone was made an offer, you can guarantee that Zariff was given the biggest of them all. But the moment Arnole and the Royal Court showed up at the association building, he stood guard in front of the door and forced them to admit all benefits they had to offer him publicly."


    "After they gave in to his demands and announced them, shocking every civilian and adventurer to their core with jealousy, he t out refused. Chief didn¡¯t even let them into the association building and forced them to find the other adventurers in private to make their offers."


    A genuine smile crept onto Jack¡¯s face as the story went on. He was going to speak but Rydel continued, "The members who stayed behind and turned down the Royal Court were furious at everyone who left."


    "But the chief didn¡¯t let anyonesh out against any defected adventurers, saying that if they¡¯re hot-blooded and itching for a fight to let off some steam, then they can just look for him. He hasn¡¯t publicly admitted it, but a huge grudge has grown between him and the king because of this."


    "Sounds just like the old fart I know," joked Jack. "Well, I guess I¡¯ve got to hurry up and level up. To be honest, I¡¯ll be leaving the moment I¡¯m lv. 30 and can travel safely, but I¡¯ll stand by that old fart if he needs some help."


    He wouldn¡¯t admit it to Rydel, but his opinion of Zariff only went up every time someone talked about him. There was no doubt in Jack¡¯s mind that Zariff was worth more than just befriending, maybe even being a sworn brother. That¡¯s something he would think about, even if it was awkward considering his achievement to seduce Maura.


    "I figured you¡¯d leave when given the chance. Got any ce in mind?" asked Rydel.


    "Trodar."


    "Oh..." Rydel flinched back when he got the immediate answer. "There¡¯s a lot of trouble around Trodar, why go there?"


    "Cause that¡¯s where I spent most of my time as an ancient hero," answered Jack.


    He didn¡¯t mention his former guild or him helping set up the Trodan Council that ruled the nation. Those memories were precious and personal, plus he had no clue what might happen if people found out that he was such a major character in ancient Kartonia.


    Someday he would be stronger and not fear any bacsh, but if that was leaked and some enemy found out, they may not hold back and would do everything in their power to silence Jack before he became powerful.


    "Trodar, huh?" Rydel stroked his chin in thought for a moment. "I guess I¡¯ll have to join you."


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Jack.


    "Cause that¡¯s my home. I was born in the streets of Gilga," said Rydel, gently staring back at Jack. "You were an ancient hero of Trodar?"


    Jack swallowed some saliva and chuckled nervously. "Yeah, I was. Just keep that between us for now, okay? Few people know that I interacted with ancient Kartonia beforeing here, but you¡¯re the only one who knows that I was an ancient hero. I didn¡¯t even realize that until you exined a few things to me."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I can keep a secret, but you¡¯ll have to answer all of my questions," persuaded Rydel with an eager grin.


    "I guess I can do that much. I¡¯ll try my best to answer," said Jack.


    Rydel tensed up slightly and leaned in closer to Jack, giving them a sense of closeness while they were seated on the two beds across from each other. With a mix of excitement and anxiousness, Rydel asked his first question, "What happened to the Leisure Guild?"

 Chapter 22 Leisure Guild

    <h4>Chapter 22 Leisure Guild</h4>


    "What happened to the Leisure Guild?"


    Jack froze when he heard Rydel mention his former guild by name. Earlier Jack had realized that the many characters yed by gamers were living, breathing heroes in ancient Kartonia, but personally hearing his guild¡¯s name confirmed it without a doubt.


    "What happened to the Leisure Guild?" Rydel repeated himself. He wasn¡¯t antsy, but he could tell that Jack was distracted and wanted to make sure he got an answer.


    "We disbanded." Jack finally gave his hushed answer.


    Rydel was astonished by that statement. Not only because Jack said it disbanded, but Jack said "we" specifically. "You were part of the Leisure Guild?"


    "I was a cofounder." At the time, Jack needed to start a guild and get it to control a nation as one of the strange achievements. It was too difficult for most yers, but Jack_J the Achievement Junkie was up for the challenge.


    "You were... a cofounder..." stammered Rydel. "But that means you... you helped start the Trodan Council."


    "Yeah, I upied the second seat. But like I said, we eventually disbanded and went our separate ways."


    "But why?" asked Rydel.


    "It wasn¡¯t in our control." It was tooplicated to exin how his online friend and cofounder in the first seat quit "A Hero¡¯s Tale" along with most of the other main members of the guild. One thing led to another and it wasn¡¯t able to sustain itself.


    "But if you disbanded, howe the Leisure Guild is still around?" questioned Rydel.


    "What did you say?"


    "The Leisure Guild is still around. It¡¯s nowhere near as powerful as it was during ancient times, but it¡¯s easily the oldest guild in Trodar, maybe even the entire continent," rified Jack. "It¡¯s one of the weaker major powers in Gilga and doesn¡¯t have too much influence anymore, but many people still admire and respect it for all the good it had done for Trodar in the past."


    Jack didn¡¯t know how he should feel about that, let alone respond. When the Trodan Council was formed, it was originally filled by only members of the Leisure Guild. In modern Trodar, Jack guessed that it would be lucky to upy two seats out of the eleven.


    "Are you sure you don¡¯t remember any of your former titles? I¡¯m sure I¡¯d figure out who you were," said Rydel, nodding his head like a dog expecting a treat from his owner.


    "Honestly I don¡¯t." Jack lied; thanks to some of the titles being part of achievements, how could he forget them all. But he didn¡¯t want too much attention, he felt that it would only get in the way of his leveling.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll get you to admit it sooner orter," imed Rydel, guessing at Jack¡¯s motives. "Anyways, records say that the Leisure Guild was once the strongest guild in all Kartonia, is that true?"


    "In a way, it was. It¡¯s hard to say who was the absolute strongest, but our guild had achieved far more than anyone else¡¯s," answered Jack. He was referring to the Leisure Guild being first on the achievement board, where they were the undisputed king until they disbanded.


    Pride and respect swelled through Rydel when he heard Jack confirm the fact. "What about the ancient guild wars? Was the Leisure Guild really the most powerful?"


    Laughter rang out from Jack as he put two and two together, realizing Rydel was talking about the guild wars PvP event from the past. "We weren¡¯t the most powerful, but we were definitely one of the top three."


    "That¡¯s still awesome!" Rydel was like an excited child that was easily enthused.


    "What can you tell me about Trodar? It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve been there personally," said Jack, trying to get some information of his own.


    Rydel shrunk when he heard Jack and lost his pent-up excitement. He took his time to breathe and think, throwing Jack for a loop. After making Jack wait for almost a minute, Rydel said, "I¡¯m not sure. I was born there but I fled the country when I was a few years old."


    "What happened?"


    "You want to go to Trodar to help the war effort, right? Well, my parents tried to escape the country before the travel ban was put in ce. We made it past the border, but my mother and I only survived because my father led some soldiers in a different direction," answered Rydel with a softer tone.


    "My mother was distraught and wouldn¡¯t stop traveling north until there was nowhere left to go. That¡¯s what led to us stopping at a port like Reinolt City and to meter bing an adventurer. I joined the association and turned down the bribe partially because the members of the Adventurers Association are some of the few people allowed to enter Trodar without too much hassle. There¡¯s still a massive entry and exit fee, but moneyes and goes."


    "So, you don¡¯t remember much from Trodar? You learned all that other stuff from your mom, didn¡¯t you?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, either that or from paid informants." Nodding his head, Rydel¡¯s weighted gaze met Jack¡¯s. "If you¡¯re going back to settle the troubles in Trodar, you can count me in. I¡¯m no hero, but not many can outsmart me."


    Jack sighed and groaned. "Are you sure? I¡¯m never orthodox and will do whatever I want on a whim, despite the consequences."


    Remembering what happened when they tried to leave Reinolt City, Rydel chuckled, "If that¡¯s all I have to worry about, you can forget about persuading me otherwise."


    "Fine, you can join me after I reach lv. 30. Now you know why I have no time to waste."


    "No worries, we¡¯ll get you leveled up in no time. With that fox¡¯s help, you¡¯ll get there soon enough," said Rydel, returning to his usual mood. "Let¡¯s get some sleep, we¡¯ve got a long day tomorrow."


    Jack didn¡¯t respond; heid down and pulled the sheets over him and the sleeping fox that fell asleep beside him. Rydel did his best to calm his emotions but it took him some time for him to fall asleep.


    Morning sunlight crept through the corners of the single window, giving them both an early wee call. They got on their feet and made their way downstairs. Like clockwork, Trom was there waiting for them.


    He assured them that he would take care of all their needs and gave directions to the nearest medic and the local association building. Jack asked about the local Royal Court office too, but Trom insisted that they couldn¡¯t miss it if they found the association building.


    Once they exited the Boar¡¯s Inn, the streets were already full and packed with budding gossip about the two of them.


    Jackughed when he heard whisperings that Rydel was really a demon summoned to protect its master onmand. His favorite rumor was that he had received a blessing from Kori the fox god and Bowser was a gift from above.


    Though they wereughing the whole way, no one bothered them in the least thanks to the brutal rumors they all heard about Rydel.


    A simple building came into view. It was home that had been converted into a business with a sign reading "medical services found here." They knocked on the door and were soon weed by a middle-aged man in in clothes. He showed them in and immediately tended to Jack¡¯s needs since he was the first customer to show up.


    It cost Jack seven silver for the basic-level healing, new bandages, and an ointment that would quicken his recovery. He found the price to be more than reasonable but, like everyone, Jack hated parting with his money when he was nearly broke.


    With a quick bow and a thank you, they returned to the dirt road. Since Baltwood wasn¡¯t toorge, it didn¡¯t take long for them to find the association building. That¡¯s when Jack understood Trom¡¯s advice to find the Royal Court office.


    To the side of the in and worn-out association building was the most extravagant building in town. It¡¯s bright purple and yellow colors stood out like a sore thumb, just like the Royal Court crest which was hanging above the building¡¯s entrance.


    Sidestepping the Royal Court office, Rydel led Jack into the association office and yelled, "Vaul, where are you?"


    A muscle-bound man with an unbuttoned coat rose up from behind the front desk. "That you, Rydel? Man, it¡¯s been too long. You need to visit more often otherwise, things here get too boring."


    "We can talk about thatter Vaul. First, where¡¯s everything that needs to be delivered to the main office?" Rydel got straight to the point.


    "Here, take it already," said Vaul, who casually lifted arge, leather chest onto his desk.


    Rydel ced his hand on it and stored the chest into his spacial bracer. "What¡¯s the news from around here? Anything we need to know about?"


    "Yeah there are a couple of things, but let¡¯s talk in private," said Vaul as his finger pointed to Jack.


    "He¡¯s a new member so don¡¯t worry about him. Just say what you need to say," barked Rydel. He was clearly trying to hurry Vaul along and keep the man from going off on tangents like he always did.


    Vaul took a good look at Jack and was startled that he couldn¡¯t see through his level or anything. Based on his wardrobe Jack could bebeled as a newbie, but Vaul had never met a newbie with that level of privacy. This made him curious as a grin stretched across his face.

 Chapter 23 The Crown Prince

    <h4>Chapter 23 The Crown Prince</h4>


    "If you say so," said Vaul, waving his hand like it no longer mattered. "There have been some issues with the mely. Nothing too serious has happened but some people have gone missing."


    Rydel squinted as he pondered the issue. "How convenient, we were nning to grind there since I¡¯ve got this kid as bait. Anything strange about the disappearances?"


    Vaul shook his head saying, "Not sure, but you might be able to ask around. Three parties have gone missing, which is normal but not all at once. Only two survivors made it out alive in the past week while the rest of the party never made it back."


    "Who are the survivors and where can we find them?" asked Jack.


    Jack¡¯s sudden question caught Vaul off guard, but Rydel lifted his hand and said, "Don¡¯t be fooled by the kid¡¯s appearance Vaul. Trust me, he might have more experience than the two of usbined."


    That shook Vaul to his core; no one ever got such high praise from Rydel. "Okay... You¡¯ll have to check the taverns and inns for a pair of clerics, one male, and one female. They go by Drad and Slivia."


    "Thanks, anything else we should check out while we¡¯re here?" asked Rydel.


    "Sort of, it¡¯s not too important though. You should know that the valiant crown prince has arrived and is staying next door," said Vaul, rolling his eyes and poking fun at the royal family. "He¡¯s here to level up and unlock his next subss with help from the mine."


    "Hmm, thatplicates things," sighed Jack. "What level is the crown prince currently?"


    "He just reached lv. 9 yesterday, the celebration kept me up allst night," groaned Vaul in displeasure. "My guess is he¡¯ll take a break for a few days before heading back in to reach lv. 10 and choose a new subss."


    "Looks like you¡¯ve gotpetition, kid. Who do you think will win, you or the crowned brat?" joked Rydel.


    "Is there anything to question?" Jack didn¡¯t bother topare himself with a spoiled royal; he didn¡¯t even bother asking about the prince¡¯s name.


    Rydelughed and put his arm around Jack. "Good, that¡¯s the way it should be. Let¡¯s go get Bowser registered and prepare to enter the dungeon in three days. That¡¯s how long the medic gave you right?"


    Jack nodded and stated, "I¡¯ll be ready by then, and with everything I¡¯ve got going for me I¡¯ll level up way faster than that fancy pants prince. Besides, we all know the fastest way to level in a mine is with good bait, and you¡¯ve got the best bait right here."


    They all chuckled at Jack¡¯s straightforward confidence. Vaul smiled and asked, "Kid, what level are you exactly? I can¡¯t tell for some reason."


    "What do you mean?" asked Rydel.


    "It¡¯s because of this," Jack flicked the "Privacy Screen" pierced on his left ear. "Rydel probably didn¡¯t notice a difference because of his eagle eye ability."


    Both of the men were shocked that the little piercing had such an effect. Vaul grew more curious and asked, "What kind of treasure is that? And what does the other one do?"


    "These are both soul-piercing from ancient Kartonia and the other one is only useful to me, you wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you."


    "What? Soul piercings!?" they yelled in unison.


    "Yup, and I know where you can find two more, they¡¯re a set even,"mented Jack.


    "Seriously? Why didn¡¯t you tell me this sooner?" Rydel was mad with envy.


    "Because they¡¯d be nice to have, but that particr set is more useful for someone tanky like Zariff," answered Jack.


    Rydel was bummed and a little confused by the term "tanky." He sighed and let it go, trusting Jack¡¯s judgment.


    Vaul didn¡¯t know what to feel or say. A low leveled adventurer he had just met spoke about something so epic and rare like soul piercings like there were only essories.


    "Anyways, let¡¯s go register Bowser at the royal office. Who knows, maybe we¡¯ll see the crown prince while we¡¯re there," said Jack, who turned to take initiative to leave.


    Rydel sighed and waved Vaul off before following behind Jack. Left alone without much exnation, Vaul was drowning in confusion as he tried to figure who and what Jack was.


    The hunter duo arrived at the royal office and immediately opened the door to enter. They briefly nced at the wall filled with bounties and posters. Both of them took in a breath of fresh air when their warrants weren¡¯t anywhere to be found. d that they beat the royal delivery boy here, they quickly wrote Jack¡¯s name on the waiting list and took a seat.


    After almost thirty minutes of hushed conversation, Jack¡¯s name was called out and the duo walked to the reception desk. The old woman sitting on the other side asked, "How can I help you today?"


    "I need to register my fox," said Jack, pointing to the curled up infant fox on his shoulder.


    "Hmm," the olddy thought for a moment as she stared at Bowser. "I¡¯m not sure what breed this fox is, so I¡¯m sure it will be pricey. Lucky for you it¡¯s young and low leveled. Follow me."


    She stood up and led Jack and Rydel down the hallway. The interior was just as shy and eye-catching as the exterior; it was almost overwhelming. "Oh, what a treat. That¡¯s the crown prince himself."


    Jack and Rydel heard thedy¡¯sment and followed her gaze. Through an open door, they saw a young man who looked to be in his twenties and he was covered from head to toe in vibrant clothing.


    Thedy bowed as she passed the doorway, but the hunter duo had looked away before the crown prince noticed them, not caring to treat the royal family like anything special.


    The crown prince frowned with he saw the little attention he got from those two and shouted, "Maid, stop." The olddy followed orders and stopped, forcing Jack and Rydel to do the same. "Who are these two lowlymoners, are they even worthy to be back here?"


    Frowning deeply, thedy exined, "These men are here to register a beastpanion. I can¡¯t tell what breed the boy¡¯s fox is, so I must use the bloodline test."


    "Oh?" The prince showed some interest after hearing about a rare beast. "If it¡¯s so rare that an experienced maid like yourself can¡¯t recognize it, then it must be good. Boy, I want your fox."


    The corners of Jack¡¯s mouth tilted downward. He was mad for many reasons, including the fact that the prince never made an offer and only dered that he wanted Bowser as if he wouldn¡¯t need to pay a thing and Jack should just give Bowser up. To keep himself from getting into too much trouble he remained silent and shook his head.


    "You refuse my order as the crown prince? That¡¯s a major offense towards the crown," said the prince, trying to scare Jack into submission.


    Jack took a deep breath and tilted his head to the prince. "I¡¯ve already offended your old man, you¡¯re just a mousepared to him." The prince flinched when he heard that, not knowing what to say next. Seeing the prince¡¯s hesitation, Jack continued, "My time is precious, so don¡¯t make me waste it. Please madam, we¡¯re in a hurry."


    The olddy was struggling to decide her next move. She knew that Jack was with the association thanks to the waiting list, but she feared to upset the crown prince. This was the worst nightmare she never expected to have.


    "I want that fox!"manded the prince. Suddenly, the guards around him stood at attention and brandished their swords.


    "You¡¯ll need more than a few guards at lv. 20." Rydel was twirling a knife in his hand.


    All the guards stiffened when they heard hisment. None of them were strong enough to read Rydel¡¯s level and they were all confused by how they couldn¡¯t read Jack¡¯s level either.


    "Guards, I said I want that fox!" the prince continued to yell.


    "Are you trying to make an enemy of the association?" Jack¡¯s question caused them all to hesitate. "If so, you¡¯re doing a really good job. If not, I¡¯d rmend taking a few steps back so I can forget this ever happened. The kingdom doesn¡¯t need to know about the prince trying to steal from the association, or does it?"


    The prince¡¯s face was red, unsure of what to do so he wouldn¡¯t lose too much face.


    Normally, byw, any citizen of the kingdom would have to obey the prince¡¯s everymand. However, association members had a certain level of political immunity thanks to the international power they have as a backer. Treating an association member like this was already not within the bounds of thew, not to mention the clear physical threats he had made towards them.


    But if he simply gave up on the fox, it would be like cowering to the association and his father would be livid after hearing that.


    Cooling himself down, the prince said, "Name your price."

 Chapter 24 The Princes Tantrum

    <h4>Chapter 24 The Prince¡°s Tantrum</h4>


    "Name your price."


    Jack looked away from the prince, acting like he never heard the question.


    The old woman was worried, but she hid her emotions the best she could and hoped that Jack would cooperate. Rydel smiled and shook his head when he realized how stubborn and immature the crown prince was.


    Still redder than a tomato, be it from anger, embarrassment, or both, the crown prince repeated himself. "Name your price adventurer."


    "You can¡¯t afford it."


    The calm, hushed reply caused the prince to choke up and freeze awkwardly. The guard in charge of protecting the prince spoke up, "Please adventurer, the prince has always liked to collect rare beasts of all kinds. Truly you can ask any price and the Royal Court shouldn¡¯t have a problem acquiescing."


    Jack chuckled; his patience was growing thin and he only wanted to hurry the bloodline test. "I¡¯m being honest, you can¡¯t afford my fox. Though I¡¯m unsure of the breed myself, I¡¯ve seen what it can do so I know that it¡¯s extraordinary. The only thing that might tempt me would be the throne your king sits on, but maybe the Royal Court can ask on my behalf."


    That guard wanted to cough blood after hearing Jack¡¯s response.


    For him to ask for the throne, it was clear that Jack was never going to give up the fox and that Jack had a deep enmity for the royal family. This was obvious to anyone who realized the meaning of Jack¡¯s phrase, "your king," which meant Jack didn¡¯t consider King Leodoro as his king.


    "You ungrateful¡ª" the prince was about to return Jack¡¯s insult but was interrupted.


    "Please madam, hurry and take us to the bloodline test. I¡¯m disgusted by thepany here and no longer wish to smell their undeserved arrogance." Jack¡¯s words were polite and respectable, yet they cut to the core like daggers. The woman sighed and turned to lead the two adventurers away.


    "Wait, I didn¡¯t give you permission to help them. By royal decree, this Royal Court office will be temporarily shut down as web its records and perform a screening," said the prince with a wicked smile on his face.


    Everyone looked at the crown prince in shock, not expecting the prince to be so brazen or hot-blooded.


    Once a year there was a screening of each office to verify all records and weed out any potential spies in the ranks of the Royal Court.


    Usually, such screenings are scheduled and announced beforehand to the public so the public can n trips and errands around the weeklong screening, even in "A Hero¡¯s Tale." Once a screening was announced, there was always a boom of customers that would do their errands a week early.


    Also, the office workers were paid onmission, only getting paid a portion from every transaction they made. They would also have to n their spending around the scheduled screening so they could afford to live, but a surprise screening was a possible financial suicide.


    Hearing this, the old woman¡¯s fury was directed at the prince. She understood that he had power and would typically get what he wanted, but it was clear that the prince couldn¡¯t exploit association members so easily and it was futile.


    In a childish fit, the prince had acted against everyone¡¯s interests and gained everyone¡¯s enmity. Even the guards were mad now that they had to perform a screening and level up the prince, knowing they wouldn¡¯t be paid any extra.


    "Are you really so childish and immature? It¡¯s not their fault that you can¡¯t have my fox, yet you¡¯re causing them more problems than anyone else," said Jack, motioning towards the maid and the guards. "If you¡¯re the crown prince, then surely the Reinolt Kingdom won¡¯tst even half a century more."


    "You!" This time the prince acted personally, lunging towards Jack before his guards could stop him.


    He was wide-eyed and anxious to strike Jack down but was sent flying backward before he remembered Rydel standing beside Jack.


    "Wow, I guess the Royal Court no longer gives any face to the Adventurer Association. I¡¯ll make sure to fill in Zariff once we get back to Reinolt City,"mented Rydel.


    "Please adventurers, don¡¯t take offense. His highness¡ª"


    "Your king has already offended me before I joined the association, so don¡¯t go on telling me that this was an ident. We all know how spoiled and corrupt the royal family is, I¡¯m just not afraid to admit it," answered Jack. "If he had stopped persisting after one of the many times we stated our case, then I¡¯d be willing to chalk the experience up to the prince being young and na?ve. But if he seeks my blood just for not giving up my fox, his arrogance knows no bounds. Even the ancients gods wouldn¡¯t act so arrogantly."


    "Come on kid, it looks like they¡¯ll be busy here for a while. Let¡¯s give the prince and his servants room to y," said Rydel, turning and leading Jack back to the lobby.


    "Come back here you cowards! You¡¯ll pay for striking the crown prince; you¡¯ll be dead the moment you step into Reinolt City!" Fuming, the prince ndered the two silent adventurers leaving the office. All guards and workers were silent, not wanting to receive the punishment for talking back to the royal family.


    In the lobby, everyone was able to hear the many yells from the crown prince. They all lowered their opinions of the royal family, especially when they heard that the prince acted against association members.


    It was obvious to most people that the prince wanted this exiting adventurer¡¯s beast and threw a tantrum when he didn¡¯t get it.


    From that day onwards, new rumors of the pampered royal family would spread like wildfire.


    Also, everyone¡¯s opinion of the Adventurers Association went up when they saw the adventurers leaving calmly like it wasn¡¯t worth their time to argue. The woman who worked as the receptionist at the royal court would even share how the association members respected and defended her when the prince announced the screening.


    This small event would be a silent wave ofmotion that wouldter lead to the neighboring towns to favor the association over the Royal Court.


    "Now what? Is there another way to register Bowser?" asked Jack once they were outside.


    "Hmm, it¡¯s not like there aren¡¯t other options but I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s best. Let¡¯s ask Vaul, he¡¯d be more familiar with this region than me," answered Rydel.


    The hunter duo entering the neighboring association office and saw Vaul sitting in deep thought. Vaul looked back at them and yelled, "Who are you? What are you?"


    "Whoa, calm down." Jack put up his hands and leaned back like he was innocent of the usation. "I¡¯m just a summoned hero that the king pissed off, so I joined the association instead. Before I came here I had interacted with ancient Kartonia but right now I¡¯m just a lv. 1 trying to register my beastpanion, got any tips on how I can do that?"


    Vaul took a moment to respond, thinking over Jack¡¯s words. "Okay, I believe you since that¡¯s the only way Rydel would look up to you so highly. As for registering your fox, what happened at the royal office?"


    Rydel was about to exin when Jack briefly summed it up. "The crown prince was too immature and announced a surprise screening after I refused to give up Bowser. Know of any other ways to register it?"


    "Well,"ughed Vaul, "in most nations, you can even register a beast with the association, it¡¯s just that the Reinolt Kingdom has aw saying that any beast in their country must be registered by them and they only ept international beast registrations for temporary residents."


    "So, how does that help me here?" asked Jack.


    "There are other ces you can register your beast within the country, but they¡¯re going to cost you. The Royal Court has paced massive taxes on practices like the bloodline test and the materials used for it. Any third-party service to register a beast will cost more than triple what the Royal Court offers." Vaul exined it simply and shrugged.


    "That much?" Jack was startled by the insane price, realizing how the Royal Court easily gained influence. "Where can I find a ce to do this?"


    "There¡¯s one here in town. Baltwood is technically under the Royal Court¡¯s protection as a town neighboring the capital, but the Balt Guild has been the real strength and protection of the town since they founded it," said Vaul.


    "Balt Guild, huh? I knew they were from here, but I didn¡¯t know Baltwood was named after them, I thought it was the other way around," stated Rydel.


    "The Balt Guildhall is like a second town hall and they offer all the same services as the royal office, only at a much higher price. Knowing Rydel you guys are probably staying at the Boar¡¯s Inn, the guildhall isn¡¯t too far from there." Vaul smiled, knowing that he had guessed correctly from the smirk on Rydel¡¯s face.


    "Thanks, Vaul, we¡¯lle by again when we need more information," said Jack, bowing his head to the man behind the desk.


    "Then make it fast, I get lonely here," joked Vaul. Both Jack and Rydel nodded and left quietly, leaving Vaul to return to his boredom.

 Chapter 25 An Ancient Bloodline

    <h4>Chapter 25 An Ancient Bloodline</h4>


    Jack and Rydel traversed the streets and the rumors ofst night¡¯s incident were still prevalent and kept anyone from troubling them. But for some reason, everyone was silent wherever they passed, and the gazes of the crowd didn¡¯t show fear. Jack had a weird feeling, but he had no clue what had gotten into the people to change their attitudes so quickly.


    "Remember, let¡¯s hurry and get the registration over with so we can look for those clerics, Drad and Slivia," reminded Rydel, causing Jack to refocus and pick up the pace. "I think I know the Balt Guildhall. If it¡¯s by the Boar¡¯s Inn like Vaul said, then there¡¯s only one building it could be."


    Jack nodded and agreed. "You¡¯re talking about that big building that seemed out of ce, right?"


    "That¡¯s the one. We passed it after we entered the vige, so I¡¯m pretty sure that¡¯s the ce. My question is, how are you going to pay for this kid?" asked Rydel.


    "Umm, that¡¯s a good question," said Jack, scratching the back of his head in nervousness. "It couldn¡¯t be over six gold, right?"


    "Who knows now, thanks to that idiot prince. I think you could¡¯ve been fine if it were the Royal Court¡¯s price but based on what Vaul said I can¡¯t say for certain."


    Jack pondered for a moment before he asked, "Hey captain, you wouldn¡¯t be able to spot me some coin just in case, would you? It¡¯s only if I don¡¯t have enough and there¡¯s no other choice."


    "Nope, you can forget it," answered Rydel. "I¡¯ve lent money far too often for you to ask."


    "Come on captain, it¡¯s for the better good. With Bowser in the party, we¡¯ll gain more EXP and an even better bait. If anything, you¡¯d just be investing now to get a better return while we¡¯re in the mine," persuaded Jack.


    "Nice try, but no." Rydel sped up and left Jack behind him, who was trying his best to keep up.


    It was already past midday and the streets were filled with merchants and customers alike. The duo from the association hurried and disregarded every booth; normally Jack would be very interested, but he knew that he had no money to spare now that he had to register Bowser at the Balt Guildhall.


    Eventually, they passed the Boar¡¯s Inn and noticed therge building further up the street. It looked like a big barn had been turned into a fortress, giving off a sense of practicality, very much unlike the Royal Court office.


    "After you kid," said Rydel. He was an experienced adventurer, but Rydel understood that Jack was far more cunning with his words. Jack was always finding ways to get the best deals while at the same time form steady rtionships.


    Jack stepped forward and pushed therge door open. The interior was the same dark green color as the outside, and it maintained that practical sense throughout the entire hall. There weren¡¯t too many people, but a few hade thanks to the surprise screening of the royal office.


    "I thought you¡¯de!" a voice yelled from the other side of the room.


    The hunter duo was startled to see a somewhat familiar face. It was a man that had signed the royal office waiting list just after them. They only recognized him thanks to the dark green scarf around the man¡¯s neck, which was conveniently the same color as the wall.


    "The name¡¯s Jard Balt," the man quickly walked over to introduce himself. "You two are the adventurers who stood up to the crown prince, correct?"


    "Yeah..." stated Jack quietly, recognizing Jard¡¯sst name and his clear connection to the Balt Guild.


    "Great!" Jard yelled, surprising everyone in the guildhall. "For you guys, we¡¯ll handle whatever you need free of charge."


    "Free? Are you sure? We need a bloodline test for that little guy," stammered Rydel.


    Jard peeked at thezy Bowser on Jack¡¯s shoulder and grunted, "Hmm, if that¡¯s what you need, then I¡¯m not sure if we can shoulder the cost. Your antics caused the surprise screening, which caused a boom in business for us since our greatestpetitor suddenly shut its doors. Anything else we can handle, but we can only offer a 50% discount on a bloodline test. Is that ok?"


    "Of course!" answered Jack. "Can you take us back right now? We¡¯ve got some other matters to handle and can¡¯t take too much time."


    "Great, just follow me," said Jard with an appreciative smile as he led the two away from the lobby.


    "Hey Jard, what were you nning on doing at the royal office?" asked Jack.


    "Good question boy. I was there to submit this month¡¯s transaction reports and pay the needed taxes. The screening worried me before the royal office informed me that as long as Ie back on the first day they reopen, then there would be no need to worry." Jard spoke honestly and didn¡¯t hide anything from his guests.


    "That makes sense I guess," said Jack.


    "You¡¯re obviously someone higher up in the guild, so you must know something involving the disappearing adventurers, right?" Rydel jumped to his conclusion.


    "So, you¡¯ve already heard. The association lives up to its name," praised Jard. "Of the three parties to go missing, the second was made up of Balt guildmembers. Their strength barely qualified to enter the mine, but we didn¡¯t worry too much. What shocked us was that not a single message was sent via the party¡¯s contact crystals. The only way to interpret this was if they were instantly killed or easily captured and stripped of their items."


    "How big was the party?" asked Jack.


    "It was made up of six lv. 8¡¯s, two lv. 11¡¯s, and one lv. 14. Together, we assumed that they should be able to take care of any trouble with such a line-up and get a lot of our younger members some much needed EXP," exined Jard with depression in his eyes. "My son was among the lv. 8 youths, but we¡¯ve yet to find them anywhere, no matter how hard we search."


    "We¡¯ll be heading to the mine as well, so if we find anything or get a chance to help them, then we will," said Jack, trying his best tofort Jard.


    "Really?" Jard wasn¡¯t too surprised. "Do you mind linking crystals? I would like to hear about any findings immediately."


    Jack had already retrieved his contact crystal and touched it to Jard¡¯s. "That¡¯s the least we can do, especially after offering such a great discount."


    "Just so you know boy, if you guys can bring back our men, we¡¯ll pay you a hefty reward for each guild member returned safely."


    "We¡¯ll try our best." Jack bowed his head in thanks. "If there¡¯s anything else you might need help with, just send me a message."


    "Thank you," Jard bowed his head graciously as he approached a door near the end of the long hallway. "Hurry in here. With such a rare fox, it¡¯s best no one else knows about us being in here."


    d to see Jard¡¯s desire for secrecy, the two hurried into the room before Jard shut the door and locked it. "Very good, now for the bloodline test. We¡¯ll need a drop of the fox¡¯s blood, so I¡¯ll let you handle that part."


    With ease, Jack took out a tiny knife that Zariff had let him keep due to the knife¡¯s uselessness in battle. Jack pet Bowser and asked the fox to hold out his paw.


    Bowser seemed to better understand humans with each passing day, so Bowser nodded and stuck out his paw facing upwards. The knife poked the paw lightly, just enough to pierce the skin and reveal a drop of bright red blood that was almost resplendent.


    Jard noticed the blood and his heart shook. The radiance and pureness of the color proved that the fox¡¯s blood was the strongest Jard had ever seen personally.


    Without wasting time, Jard activated the machine sitting on a table in the center of the room. Its design was simple, being made of bronze with eight small, clear crystals jutting out the sides and one t gem in the center. "ce the drop on the center gem."


    Both Jack and Bowser nodded in sync as Jack stepped up to the machine.


    Bowser ced his paw on the center gem and the entire machine began to glow. One by one the side crystals lit up brilliantly until all eight were no longer translucent and were filled with a pure red light.


    The three of them all watched this entrancing disy of color for a few seconds until the light slowly dimmed and vanished. Jack sighed and asked, "So what¡¯s the bloodline?"


    Still, in a trance, Jard struggled to speak. "This... umm... I¡¯m not sure." He went to the side and pulled a big book off a shelf. Dust scattered as Jard opened it and began to flip through its pages.


    "Kid, do you understand what just happened?" Rydel was still in shock like Jard. It was as if he was even more shocked that Jack had no clue just how impactful the event was. His hunch was correct when he saw Jack shake his head in response. Taking a second to choose his words, Rydel said, "Kid, I think that fox has a pure ancient bloodline."

 Chapter 26 Hell-flame Fox

    <h4>Chapter 26 Hell-me Fox</h4>


    Jack¡¯s train of thought came to a screeching halt. "Bowser has a pure ancient bloodline?"


    "Yeah, kid. Now I wish you hadn¡¯t shot the other one," said Rydel, shaking his head in disbelief.


    Bowser¡¯s eyes dulled a little when Rydel made thatment, so Jack petted him and tried tofort him. "I¡¯m sorry buddy, you know I didn¡¯t mean to kill your mom."


    "Hey kid, didn¡¯t that pup eat every single bone that night?" asked Rydel.


    "Yeah, what of it? He¡¯s got a crazy appetite but that¡¯s normal for him."


    "That¡¯s not what I¡¯m getting at. You and I both know where that meat came from and it may have affected that pup¡¯s bloodline, right?" said Rydel.


    Immediately, Jack understood Rydel¡¯s logic and nodded. It wasmon practice in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" to feed your beastpanion the bones and meat of its own kind. By doing that, they were able to increase the strength of their bloodline. He looked again at the confused Bowser, who was trying to follow the conversation the best he could.


    "Hey Bowser, do you know where that first meal came from?" Jack¡¯s question got the fox to shake its little head. Hesitant, Jack continued, "The meat and bones were your mother¡¯s. Rydel had taken your mom¡¯s body and prepared it for dinner while I followed after you to that giant snake¡¯s nest."


    Jack waited for Bowser to snarl and bite him in anger but was shocked to see Bowser¡¯s eyes start to water.


    While many knew that it was a way to make your beastpanion stronger, most people wouldn¡¯t think that it was a natural urrence in the beast world. Little did they know that rather than have a funeral, feasting upon the flesh of the fallen was how most ancient breeds believed the fallen spirit could go on to protect those who had consumed its body. For Bowser, his instincts told him that his mother would forever be with him to strengthen him.


    Bowser leaped back onto Jack¡¯s shoulder and began to lick him uncontrobly, catching both Jack and Rydel off guard.


    "That¡¯s great!" Jard had looked up from the old book when he heard Jack¡¯s conversation with Bowser. "ording to this book, most ancient breeds wouldn¡¯t perform burials. Instead, they had funeral feasts where they consumed the corpse to preserve the bloodline and strengthen others."


    "Seriously!?" The duo yelled at the same time.


    Jard nodded and dove his head back into the old, dusty book in search of something.


    Jack couldn¡¯t help but be d that what he thought might be gruesome and cruel was customary to ancient beasts. Not knowing about the spiritual purpose behind the funeral feasts, Jard and them wouldn¡¯t have been able to guess that Jack and Bowser would grow even closer now.


    Bowser knew that Jack had eaten his mother¡¯s body, so he assumed that his mother was also protecting Jack. Even Rydel would be treated more warmly by the fox from then on because of this.


    "It should be around here," said Jard as his hands slowed and no longer flipped through the pages so rapidly. Jard took a few seconds on each page as he narrowed his search. The two adventurers waited anxiously; it was clear to them that he had to search the old tome to figure out Bowser¡¯s bloodline.


    A few minutes went by and Jard¡¯s eyes went wide as they froze on a particr page. After a few seconds, he swallowed the saliva in his throat and quietly stated, "I think I found it."


    Jack hurried to Jard¡¯s side and stared at the page. Just like Jard, his eyes became glued to the page as he read the name of Bowser¡¯s bloodline. "Hell-me Fox."


    "WHAT!?" Rydel yelled at the top of his lungs when he heard Jack¡¯s mumbling.


    Jard put his hands up and began to exin, "This fox is hands down the most valuable beast I¡¯ve ever seen with my own eyes. Anything that can light up three crystals has a decent bloodline and the best modern bloodlines can light up four or maybe five. Some beasts have descendant bloodlines that have branched off of their ancestors. Those beasts can light up six crystals and are typically sought after to be used by the major powers like the Royal Court. If a beast can light up seven, then they are considered to have an ancient bloodline. But lighting up eight... only the true kings of the beast world with the purest of bloodlines can do that. Something like a Hell-me Fox..."


    "But that little pup can¡¯t be a genuine Hell-me Fox? Legends say that Hell-me Foxes would growrger than this guildhall." Rydel argued.


    The hunter said anything he could think of as a reason to not believe such a powerful, ancient beast was so cute as a pup. He had mentally prepared himself for Bowser to light five crystals and possibly six, but eight was too hard to believe.


    "Then, let¡¯s read the description," continued Jard. "Hell-me Fox. Known to be born with an undying me within their bodies that grows together with the fox.


    "No one has gotten close enough to see their true appearance and lived, but fully matured Hell-me Foxes can create me bodies bigger than most buildings, giving them extremely destructive power.


    "They are one of the most intelligent beasts without question, easily able to understand humans and eventually speak with them. They¡¯ve only been spotted three times in recorded history. Some mysterious events in history are credited to the Hell-me Foxes, but no survivors were ever ounted for to confirm the truth."


    There wasn¡¯t much information given, but Jack and Rydel couldn¡¯t deny that it was nearly identical to Bowser. Listening carefully, Bowser nodded his head as if to confirm that he was indeed a Hell-me Fox. Seeing this, the three of them could no longer question if it were true.


    Jack chuckled to himself and buried his face in his hands.


    There was once a rare solo event where a Hell-me Fox was offered as a reward to anyone who couldplete it. The hard part was that it was a one-day, surprise event with little to no exnation. No one even knew what a Hell-me Fox was, let alone be able to prepare so quickly for a high-level event.


    In the end, no one was able to finish the quest because the final boss was a Hell-me Fox that no one could defeat, not even Jack could, though he got close.


    Bowser dropped to Jack¡¯sp and looked up to him. When Jack finally lifted his face from his sweaty palms, he noticed the sincerity in Bowser¡¯s eyes. His heart melted not only for Bowser¡¯s cuteness but also for the fox¡¯s determination to be with Jack.


    "Boy, I¡¯ve got to tell you something." Jard¡¯s voice brought them all back to reality. "It¡¯s a good thing that the prince stopped you at the royal office. If the Royal Court had learned there was an ancient beast within their borders, especially if it were a baby Hell-me Fox, they would do anything to get their hands on it. If they could raise it as a weapon, not a single nation would willingly war with them."


    Hearing that, Bowser grunted in displeasure and puffed out his chest.


    Everyone got augh from the proud fox and the atmosphere began to lighten.


    Jard continued, "Let me help you kid. ording to the book, no one has ever seen a Hell-me Fox outside of its me body, so no one can tell what it looks like. I¡¯m going to report it as a new descendent level bloodline based on the ancient Inferno Fox. That way it¡¯s more believable yet far enough from the truth to avoid most problems. The Royal Court will still try to get their hands on it, but thanks to your membership in the Adventurers Association, I¡¯m sure the association will be willing to step up and protect something so valuable that¡¯s already in theirp."


    "He¡¯s right," said Rydel. "After we finish getting you to lv. 10, we¡¯ll head back to Reinolt City and contact HQ. They won¡¯t let Bowser get taken, you can bet your life on it."


    Jack nodded and brushed through Bowser¡¯s lush fur coat with his hand. "If you¡¯re so powerful, then howe your mother died from a simple arrow?"


    Bowser¡¯s expression became grim and filled with contempt. Jack could tell that a lot had happened to Bowser before Jack was lucky enough to meet him. Sadly, at the moment he had no way to fullymunicate with the fox pup. Jack set a new goal in his mind, to find a way tomunicate with Bowser. Whether it was by finding an item, sufficient leveling for Bowser, or anything else, it didn¡¯t matter to Jack.


    "What do we do about the beast seal? I think me and Bowser can have a mutual seal even," asked Jack.


    "Forget about paying for the test. That test never happened, okay?" imed Jard. "I¡¯ll draw up the mutual seal for the both of you and that¡¯ll be the only charge."


    Smiling, Jack replied, "Thanks Jard, I¡¯m d to have such a generous friend."


    "It¡¯s the least I can do for a new friend," said Jard. He was more than willing to wave the expensive test fee to get in the good graces of someone like Jack, whose potential would shake the world. If it were announced that not only did Jack have a Hell-me Fox as a beastpanion, but he had the one-in-a-million mutual seal as well, every major power would do anything to either gain Jack¡¯s favor or end Jack¡¯s life.

 Chapter 27 The Mutual Seal

    <h4>Chapter 27 The Mutual Seal</h4>


    On the side of the bloodline machine were a few different brushes sitting inside a jar of ink. Each had a different sized tip and would be used for various seals. Jard grabbed one of the thinner ones and brushed the excess ink it had on the edge of the jar to keep it from dripping. "Come here you two, and don¡¯t move no matter what. The mutual seal is one of the most difficult to draw and even when linking your seals, you must remain still. If not, you will fail and there will be a bacsh."


    Jack stood and carried Bowser with him as he walked back to the middle table. After putting down Bowser, they both turned and looked at Jard.


    "Good, now stick out your right palm Jack and please have Bowser bow his head." Jard¡¯smands were obeyed and the two of them waited for the next instructions. "I will now begin drawing your seals, so be patient as they must be perfect. I¡¯ve never performed a mutual seal outside of practice, so please be extra patient with me."


    Rydel sat down at the side of the room as he was mesmerized by Jard¡¯s strokes. They appeared to be long and never-ending, but they were kept within the palm of Jack¡¯s hand. After a few minutes and a couple of corrections made by Jard, he faced Bowser with a nervous smile on his face. Understanding Jard¡¯s intentions, Bowser bowed his head and calmly waited for Jard to finish.


    Amazed by how cooperative Bowser was, Jard chuckled as he began to draw the exact same seal on Bowser¡¯s small forehead. This took almost twice as long for Jard to fix his errors and get it perfect, but as time passed Jard eventually lifted his hand.


    "Now there¡¯s only linking the mutual seals. Jack, press your palm firmly on your fox¡¯s head and endure the piercing pain. The seals will activate upon contact and will slowing sink back into your flesh, creating a permanent bond between you two," exined Jard slowly.


    Nodding his head, Jack turned back to Bowser and showed a bright smile. Bowser did the same and held his head up high. With a deep breath, Jack lifted his hand and followed Jard¡¯s instructions, carefullyying the seal on his palm over the seal on Bowser¡¯s head.


    Suddenly, pain shot through Jack¡¯s hand and into Bower¡¯s skull. They both winced as the held strong under the pain. Jack was sweating profusely, using his left arm to brace and support his weakening right arm. The pain felt like it was piercing through his palm and carving out the muscles in Jack¡¯s hand. It was the same story for Bowser, only the pain felt like it was carving grooves into his skull.


    Both Jard and Rydel swallowed saliva as they saw how painful a mutual seal was.


    Everyone always talked about how they coveted a mutual seal, but too few people understood how painful and taxing a mutual seal was.


    Most seals had a parent and child seal, binding the child seal to the parent seal. The parent seals weren¡¯t too painful and would slowly fade into your skin, but the child seals were typically excruciating.


    Those seals were used on beasts and ves alike, but none of them were as piercing or longsting like a mutual seal. The mutual seal had more capabilities that would create an irreversible, mutual bond between the two participating, this was why it took longer and was far more painful.


    After five minutes passed the seal had disappeared from Jack¡¯s palm and surfaced on the back of his hand.


    The pain began to fade as the newly set seal began to disappear within Jack¡¯s skin. It didn¡¯t take too much longer for the seal to disappearpletely and for Jard to speak up. "It¡¯s finished, you can rx now."


    Jack copsed to the floor and he sat with his legs crossed. His breathing was scattered, and all his clothes were damp from his sweat.


    Bowserid down on the table and appeared to be napping with his eyes shut.


    ncing at his hand Jack asked, "That¡¯s it? What exactly does a mutual seal do?"


    "A mutual seal is incredibly rare, and we don¡¯t know 100% of its capabilities. What we do know is that now you¡¯ll be leveling up together from now on, as if you two share EXP. Also, you can now sense each other¡¯s presence and to help find each other no matter the distance. The further away you are, the fainter the feeling but it will be there. Rumors say that as you grow together, eventually you two will be able tomunicate telepathically but that might just be rumors." Jard exined it simply and calmly while Jack was gathering his breath.


    "Hopefully those rumors are true," said Jack, picturing the conversations he and Bowser would have. "Is there anything else rumors say about mutual seals?"


    "Well..." Jard answered hesitantly. "There¡¯s only one more thates to mind, but I think this is just a rumor. A few believe that a mutual seal can allow the two carrying it to have ess to each other¡¯s bloodlines and abilities. If the rumor were true, you¡¯d be able to gain a piece of the Hell-me Fox bloodline for yourself over time. And if you cast any magic to protect or empower yourself, you might eventually be able to affect that fox too."


    There was no response from Jack, he was too busy imagining how amazing the mutual seal could potentially be. In his heart, he hoped with all his might that these rumors would be proven true with time.


    Jack bowed his head and said, "Thank you Jard, you¡¯ve done so much for me and I have so little to offer in exchange."


    "Just cough up three gold. That will cover the cost of the high-tier bestial ink we used to make the seal. And make sure to contact me after you two find my son and the others," replied Jard.


    Jack threw the coins as he stood back up. His legs were still a little shaky, but he was able to steady himself and let Bowser climb back onto his shoulder. "Then, for now, let¡¯s part as friends. We¡¯ll be back once we¡¯re done in the mine."


    "Thanks," said Rydel, trying not to be forgotten and left out of this new circle of mutual benefits.


    "I thank you two and hope the rtionship between us can grow. And if there¡¯s ever a need, the Balt Guild will support the Adventurers Association no matter the foe, even if it were the crown." Jard¡¯s words revealed some of his true intentions and that he might know more from behind the scenes that were unknown to Jack or Rydel.


    With a bow of the head, they thanked each other and exited the room. The quiet guildhall was a nice change of scenery, reminding them that they were back in the world and not only in thepany of close friends.


    The hunter duo exited, leaving Jard in the lobby as he pondered what mighte of this new friendship he had sought to create. A young man came up from behind and asked, "Guild Master, where have you been? There are important matters we need to discuss."


    "I was busy and couldn¡¯t help it. What¡¯s the matter?" said Jard.


    "Another party has gone missing within the mine. There were no survivors, just like before."


    "So, what¡¯s so important about that?" asked Jard.


    "That party had two lv. 20¡¯s while the rest were all above lv. 10," said the man solemnly.


    "What?" Jard was startled. He looked back at the closed front door and said, "For now, don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯ve got my ways of taking care of the situation."


    "Sir, what do you mean?" asked the young man.


    "Don¡¯t worry about it. Just send a message to the elders that the guildhall must be ready to receive more business thanks to the surprise screening. Is there anything else?"


    "Onest thing," stated the young man as he handed out a small stack of wanted posters. "These are the new wanted posters like you asked sir."


    "Good, we¡¯ve needed extra funds as business continues to decline." Jard started looking through the posters when he stopped and stared at two particr posters. Heughed, "Looks like my hunch was right."


    "Sir?" The young man was curious why the guild master wouldugh after seeing a wanted poster.


    "Make sure that no one tries to detain these two. Anyone who even attempts will lose a week¡¯s allowance and receive thirtyshes," said Jard with a beaming smile.


    "But sir, those two have the highest bounties of the lot. We¡¯re in desperate need of¡ª"


    "I¡¯m saying this for the sake of the guild. Anyone who goes after those two will be biting off more than they can chew," exined Jard. "There¡¯s also no personal information listed. I know Jack is low leveled, but his potential is beyond incredible and can¡¯t be underestimated. And Rydel is lv. 29, even I¡¯d have trouble facing him. The best part is that the Royal Court also forgot to mention that they¡¯re members of the association; do you want to deal with people like that?"


    The young man stiffened when he heard Jard¡¯s exnation. Jard continued, "They may be friends of mine and wouldn¡¯t wish to kill any guild members, but I have a feeling most people trying to hunt them down wouldn¡¯t survive long enough to reveal any sort of identity. Now go, inform the elders and announce what I¡¯ve told you."


    Frantically, the young man turned and left in a hurry, happy that he wouldn¡¯t be tricked by the scent of money to pursue his death.

 Chapter 28 Changes in the Mine

    <h4>Chapter 28 Changes in the Mine</h4>


    "Hey Trom, I¡¯ve got a question for you," Rydel yelled as he and Jack entered the Boar¡¯s Inn. Trom quickly appeared from the back kitchen and waited for Rydel¡¯s question. "There are two clerics who came back from the mine recently. They lost their party and go by Drad and Slivia. Do you know where we can find them."


    "You came to the right ce," answered Trom as he pointed at a table in the back. "They showed up a couple of days ago half dead. They passed out on our doorstep, so we gave them a free room and dragged them to bed. Since then, they haven¡¯t left the inn, onlying down for quick meals now and again when they get bored of their room. When we asked them what happened, they said nothing and paid extra to keep their stay here a secret."


    "Then why are you telling us?" asked Jack.


    "Because the staff and I eventually figured out their identities from the rumors. We know that you guys are heading to the mines and as members of the association, you¡¯re the most trustworthy people in town to handle this," said Trom.


    "What about the crown prince? Can¡¯t his guards handle it just as easily?" asked Jack.


    Trom smirked, "I hate the Royal Court, all they do is raise taxes and let the Balt Guild handle our protection. The association members that stay here always pay well and handle some trash that asionally walks in, likest night. I hear everything before everyone, so know that you¡¯ve got yourselves one of the best sources in town."


    "In that case, we¡¯ll cover their meal. Bring our usual order up to our room and bring four rounds of brundy to the table," said Rydel as he ced three gold on the reception desk and started walking towards the back of the restaurant. He was already familiar with Trom, so he understood how Trom liked to do things.


    "It¡¯ll be right out." Trom shed a smile and winked at the two adventurers before he disappeared like always.


    Rydel, followed by Jack, casually took a seat across the table from the two clerics. "What do you rmend here?"


    "Not much, it¡¯s good food at a reasonable price. You won¡¯t be disappointed," the male cleric said as he gave a smug grin and started to stand.


    "Why the rush, you haven¡¯t finished eating?" asked Jack sitting down next to Rydel.


    "I lost my appetite," said the male cleric, determined to leave.


    "It¡¯s a shame you two have been cooped up in this ce for so long. Why not enjoy a drink and rx?"mented Rydel as a serving girl arrived at the table and passed out four mugs of brundy.


    The male cleric flinched and sat back down. "What do you know?"


    "Drad and Slivia, right?" asked Jack. "Have you been able to fully recover after returning from the mine?"


    Both clerics let out a depressing sigh. "I told that man to not tell a soul. When this is all over, I¡¯m gonna¡ª"


    "We¡¯re with the association." Jack¡¯s interruption caught their attention and they began to listen. "We¡¯ll be heading to the mine in two days, so we¡¯ve heard a lot about the missing party incidents. Do you guys know what¡¯s going on down there?"


    Drad was hesitant to respond and grew tense, but Slivia ced her hand over his tofort him. She asked, "What good is there to tell you? Just stay away from there, or else you¡¯ll end up like our party."


    "I doubt that," Rydel joked. "Most people my level don¡¯t pay attention to the mine, but I¡¯m not here for the EXP. Besides, if there¡¯s something that I can¡¯t handle down there, we can always call Zariff."


    When they heard Zariff¡¯s name mentioned, the two clerics began to rx. Drad said, "Fine, but not here."


    "Way ahead of you,"ughed Rydel, who chugged theplete mug in one go.


    The other three finished their drinks at their own pace. Jack spoke after he stood up. "We can meet in our room, our dinner¡¯s already waiting for us there."


    The clerics were surprised to hear that these association members were one step ahead of them.


    They followed Jack and Rydel up the stairs and entered their room.


    Jack and Rydel grabbed their food off the end table and sat on one bed, letting Drad and Slivia sit across from them on the other.


    The clerics were anxious and unsure if they should say anything, Slivia¡¯s expression change when she saw Bowser start ying with a boar¡¯s leg. Seeing her like this Drad chuckled, "So, what do you want to know?"


    "Everything." Jack took the lead to ask. "Has something changed inside the mine?"


    Drad sighed, "Not much has changed inside the mine. There are a lot more goblin settlements then we had anticipated, and we were ambushed after reaching the third level of the mine. We fought for a while but after it became too much, we tried to escape and used our contact crystals to call for help. But before we noticed, the exit had been clogged by high-level goblins and the crystals weren¡¯t working."


    "We only made it out because our captain gave up his life using a forbidden technique and forced a small hole in the goblins¡¯ ranks. Then we climbed back out through some of the old mineshafts instead of the main path."


    "That exins how you got out," said Rydel. "That also exins why you passed out on the doorstep. You¡¯ve been poisoned, right?"


    The clerics¡¯ eyes went wide when Rydel figured it out. "How can you tell?"


    "Simple, because I¡¯ve climbed through the old mineshafts before. I know that particr azure mine very well, it¡¯s how I make a good chunk of my coin." Rydel retrieved two small ss bottles with a purple liquid inside and tossed them to Drad and Slivia. "That¡¯s an antidote strong enough to remove your poison. Give it a couple of days and you¡¯ll be back to normal."


    "These... We can¡¯t just take these. An antidote like this cost a few silver each," Sliviained as Drad downed his bottle¡¯s contents immediately.


    "Then pay in information. You already know we¡¯re not gonna harm you, so just keep telling us your story and don¡¯t leave anything out," said Rydel.


    Drad flinched before Slivia answered, "The biggest change was that there¡¯s not a single goblin settlement left on the first two levels. They¡¯ve all been abandoned or relocated."


    "But Slivia, they said¡ª"


    "It¡¯s better this way," said Slivia, not giving Drad an opportunity to say anything. "For most of our time on the third level, we didn¡¯t find anything. But weter found a goblin city, probably made up of all the goblins from the earlier floors. After we saw the city on the horizon, we were ambushed and us two were lucky to escape after captain used his ultimate technique."


    "Was your party killed?" asked Jack.


    "Our leader died letting us two through, but I¡¯m not sure what happened to the others," answered Slivia. "I don¡¯t know why the contact crystals weren¡¯t working but I know there are a lot more high-leveled goblins now. The ones that surrounded us were all lv. 15 or higher, there was even a lv. 20."


    "Seriously?" Rydel was surprised. He was very familiar with that azure mine and he was sure that the highest level he¡¯d encountered was lv. 17 and most were lv. 10 or lower. "Are you sure? How many were there?"


    "At least ten over lv. 15, at least that¡¯s how many surrounded us," Drad spoke up, finally willing to speak openly. "But I think there are a lot more, and there are probably some over lv. 20 too."


    "Wow, looks like I¡¯ll be doing a lot more leveling then I¡¯d expected." A couple of notifications from the system went off but Jack ignored them for now. That¡¯s when he noticed that he had old notifications waiting for him.


    A little excited to explore the new notificationster, Jack quickly returned to the conversation. "Other than that city, were there any other active settlements?"


    "There were a couple, but now I understand that they were outposts and not settlements. That¡¯s probably how they knew we had approached the city," said Drad.


    "Then don¡¯t worry too much. Rydel here can handle any high-level goblins with ease, and I cane up with something that¡¯ll even the ying field." Jack¡¯s entric smile caused the clerics to feel nervous.


    "What are you going to do?" asked Drad.


    Jackughed, "Since the goblins want to group up so much, that just makes our ns a lot easier, right captain?"


    "You know it kid," said Rydel. "You two shouldn¡¯t worry too much, the association will step in and take care of this. Is there anything else we should know?"


    Drad shook his head as Slivia began to watch Bowser finish chomping on a charred pig femur. Jack said, "Good, then you¡¯re free to go. Thanks to your info, I¡¯m even more excited to get inside that mine."


    The clerics started to think Jack had gone crazy, but seeing Rydel¡¯s smile, they could only assume that the hunter duo had a n. They said goodbye to the hunter duo and Slivia waved goodbye to Bowser.


    As the two closed the door behind them, Jack roared withughter. "Yo Captain, it looks like we¡¯ll both be leveling up this time. Just imagine the loot!" Both Jack and Rydel celebrated their future sess with brundy and food till dawn.

 Chapter 29 Advancement and Search for the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 29 Advancement and Search for the Truth</h4>


    By the time Jack and Rydel came to after their night of celebrating, it was nearly noon the next day. Both were doing fine, not feeling too hungover. Rydel was the first to say anything. "Let¡¯s call Zariff and fill him in on all this. First, let¡¯s mention that fox of yours and then we¡¯ll get his opinion on the whole mine situation."


    Jack nodded groggily and said, "Sure, sounds like a n captain."


    Just as Rydel pulled out his contact crystal, his stomach gurgled and growled at him. Without saying a word Rydel got up and bolted for the door. Not having any intention of stopping him, Jack understood that Rydel would feel better after clearing out his system.


    He took advantage of this time to change his bandages and apply the new ointment. After that Jack opened up his notifications. His eyes blinked a few times as if they didn¡¯t believe what they saw. There were multiple new achievements and some of them were evenpleted.


    [Register Bowser as a beastpanion:pleted]


    [Lower public opinion of Royal Court:pleted]


    [Raise public opinion of Adventurers Association:pleted]


    [Beat Leodoro II to lv. 10: in progress]


    [Unlockpanion telepathy: in progress]


    [Unlockpanion bloodline: in progress]


    [Unlockpanion mirroring: in progress]


    [Discover the goblin benefactor: in progress]


    [Find Byron Balt: iplete]


    [Find any survivors: iplete]


    [Find the goblin city: iplete]


    [Destroy the goblin city: iplete]


    Jack was blown away when he saw how long his list of new achievements was and grew excited to see three had already beenpleted. He instantly imed them, not hesitating at all.


    [Register Bowser as a beastpanion: imed]


    [Officially register Bowser as a beastpanion with a mutual seal. Special reward: 20 skill points.]


    [Lower public opinion of Royal Court: imed]


    [Lower public opinion of the Royal Court by means of rumors and gossip. Reward: 5 skill points]


    [Raise public opinion of Adventurers Association: imed]


    [Raise public opinion of Adventurers Association by means of rumors and gossip. Reward: 5 skill points]


    Now thirty skill points richer, Jack smiled as he read over the other achievements. Some were expected, like those about Leodoro II, who Jack assumed was the crown prince and those about finding the survivors and the goblin city.


    The others stuck out to Jack for different reasons. Curious, he checked the other two iplete achievements.


    [Find Byron Balt: iplete]


    [Find Byron Balt, the son of the Balt Guild Leader. Reward: varies on the state you find him in and whether or not you can bring him out alive.]


    [Destroy the goblin city: iplete]


    [Destroy the newly formed goblin city. Reward: EXP offered varies on the degree of destruction caused.]


    Reading those deepened Jack¡¯s smile. He now recognized his new friend Jard Balt as the Balt Guild Leader, ensuring that he now had a powerful local ally. And with an achievement willing to award him EXP directly, how could Jack not get excited.


    Those two achievements were mentally marked as some of the most important to the current Jack; he would make sure his n wouldplete them to the best of his abilities.


    Jack moved on to look over the three new achievements involving his beastpanion. He was extremely interested after he noticed they involved the rumors Jard had mentioned about the mutual seal.


    [Unlockpanion telepathy: in progress]


    [Advancepanion telepathy to lv. 1. Reward: 5 skill points.]


    [Unlockpanion bloodline: in progress]


    [Advancepanion bloodline to lv. 1. Reward: 5 skill points.]


    [Unlockpanion mirroring: in progress]


    [Advancepanion mirroring to lv. 1. Reward: 5 skill points.]


    Jack was nowughing hysterically, even though he didn¡¯t realize it. He couldn¡¯t contain his joy when he understood that his achievement system had given him a way to directly ess the abilities he wanted the most.


    But before he jumped into his skill list, he was startled by hisst achievement in progress.


    [Discover the goblin benefactor: in progress]


    [Find out more about the goblin¡¯s recent rise in power and who was the one who caused it. Reward: 100 EXP, 10 skill points.]


    Unsure of how he got such an achievement, Jack began to ponder what might¡¯ve caused it to appear. All he could think of was the earlier conversation with Drad and Slivia. Jack questioned whether they had hidden anything important, almost certain that they had.


    He didn¡¯t think for too long as he put the idea to the side and immediately opened up his skill list, checking out the first of his three new favorite skills.


    [Companion telepathy: lv. 0]


    [Communicate with your beastpanion telepathically. Advance to lv. 1 to unlock. 0/10 skill points]


    That smile instantly flipped when Jack noticed the price to advance the skill to the next level. Thanks to the other skills he advanced, Jack noticed that every level up would cost double the previous.


    An example was how to level up his bow skill to lv. 1 it had cost his five skill points, but to advance it to lv. 2 and lv. 3 it would cost him ten and twenty skill points respectively. But to level up hispanion telepathy to lv. 1, it would cost him the same price as any other lv. 2 skill.


    From one perspective, this might cause some people to wait and level it upter. However, Jack understood that if it cost him twice as much to level up a skill, that skill must be worth twice as much as any regr skill.


    He checked the other twopanion skills and discovered that they followed the same trend. Somewhat reluctantly, Jack spent all of his newly earned thirty skill points on the three skills.


    [Companion telepathy: lv. 1]


    [Understand yourpanion¡¯s feelings and share basicmunications. 0/20 skill points]


    [Companion bloodline: lv. 1]


    [Inherit the initial level of yourpanion¡¯s bloodline abilities. 0/20 skill points]


    [Companion mirroring: lv. 1]


    [Any skill, spell, or item that affects you can also affect yourpanion to a minor extent. 0/20 skill points]


    Jack also jumped back to his achievement list and imed the fifteen skill points from unlocking hispanion abilities before he distributed them among his skill tree. In the end, he upgraded his stealth to lv. 2 and advanced his health regeneration to lv. 1, the skill he had picked up thanks to the ointments he had been applying for the past few days.


    Before he closed out of his hero menu, Jack checked his stats. Shocked, Jack saw that he was already lv. 3 and was halfway to lv. 4. Confused about the sudden advancement, he looked at the tossing and turning Bowser.


    Jack quickly opened up Bowser¡¯s stats, now avable to him after forming the mutual seal. There he found his answer; Bowser was already halfway to lv. 3. Witnessing this firsthand, Jack started toprehend the advantage of having a mutual seal.


    If they were sharing EXP, wouldn¡¯t they both level up at a pace that no one else could match? This would help Jack with his leveling problems.


    After seeing that, Jack determined in his mind that the next achievement hepleted must be to discover the goblin benefactor. Not only would it give him more skill points, but it offered an instant 100 EXP.


    Advancing in levels was simr to advancing skills, every level would need twice as much EXP as the previous level. Lv. 1 required 25 EXP, making lv. 2 and lv. 3 cost 50 EXP and 100 EXP each.


    Jack and Bowser would need 200 EXP to reach lv. 4, but they were already halfway there with 100 EXP. Discovering the mysterious benefactor would instantly raise both Jack and Bowser to lv. 4, why wouldn¡¯t he want that before entering the unusually dangerous azure mine?


    Waiting for Rydel to return, Jack did his best to n out what skills he would upgrade next and what order he would chase his achievements.


    Eventually, Rydel returned and whipped out his contact crystal, but Jack stopped him from contacting Zariff and said, "Wait, there¡¯s more to this story then we thought. The goblins have a secret benefactor and those two clerics should know something about it."


    "How do you know that?" asked Rydel, a little apprehensive to believe such a statement.


    "The same way I found out about the threat to Zariff¡¯s life. You know I was right then, and you know I¡¯m right this time too," stated Jack. "We need to talk with those two again, after that we¡¯ll better understand the situation, making sure that we can respond to the situation the best we can."


    "Hmm, I guess it¡¯s worth a shot. Let¡¯s hurry up and find them," said Rydel.


    Both of them hurried to ready themselves and locked their bedroom door after exiting. The sleepy Bowser was still yawning as heid on Jack¡¯s shoulder.


    Trom was standing by the stairway as if he had been waiting for them. Trom said, "If you¡¯re looking for those two, they just checked out this morning."


    Startled, Jack asked, "Got any idea where they went?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but I think some of the staff overheard a few things," answered Trom, as Jack tossed the man a gold coin. "Their morning server heard them discussing something about leaving town and fleeing into the forest. I¡¯m guessing they¡¯ll try to hide out for a while. They headed for the nearby mountains, just east of the azure mine."


    "Thanks, Trom," said Jack as the two hunters bowed and took their leave. Trom smiled as he stashed histest earnings.


    "Kid, it seems like you were right. Though they didn¡¯t share the full truth, they wouldn¡¯t go so far as to hide away in the mountains because of us. There¡¯s got to be something big behind all this," guessed Rydel.


    Jack nodded and sighed, "They shouldn¡¯t have hidden anything; if they needed protection, who better than the association."


    "There¡¯s only one organization here that could scare them that much," said Rydel. "I think you can already guess it."


    Not too surprised, Jack arrived at the same conclusion.

 Chapter 30 Saving Slivia

    <h4>Chapter 30 Saving Slivia</h4>


    "Got any ideas on how to find them?" asked Jack


    "Of course, how do you think I gained my eagle eye ability," said Rydel. "But first, let¡¯s buy some horses. Considering the fact that they went into hiding the moment we discovered them, they must be afraid that someone will be after them. If that¡¯s true, we need to find them first."


    d that he won¡¯t need to travel on foot, Jack agreed. When they had left Reinolt City before, they didn¡¯t have time to purchase any horses before fleeing through the gate. Having a horse would speed things up.


    "Let¡¯s resupply and get everything ready to enter the dungeon. We may not have enough time toe back here." Rydel nned for the worst, he always preferred being overly prepared in ce of underperforming thanks tock of supplies or intel.


    "Let¡¯s head to the stables near the vige entrance, there will be plenty of shops along the way offering what we need," said Jack


    Finding the basic goods they needed wasn¡¯t hard at all. They found plenty of rations, bought more potions and elixirs, some torches, and more. Thanks to the many neighboring shops, they were able to use every shops¡¯ nearbypetition as a threat to haggle prices, getting everything Jack needed for a total of one gold.


    At the stables, they each bought a horse for one gold coin as well, leaving Jack with only a dozen silver to his name. He didn¡¯t mind at all though, because he knew had gotten everything he needed for a steal and he¡¯d walk out of the mine with plenty of trading goods.


    They quickly saddled up and left the vige to the west, heading towards the mountains and the mine in between Baltwood and Reinolt City. The drowsy Bowser slept in one of Jack¡¯s saddlebags while Jack followed Rydel¡¯s every move. It didn¡¯t take long to reach the foot of the mountain as theybed its base.


    Rydel caught sight of some distant tracks off of the beaten path and led the way. Jack was right behind him as they climbed the mountain and soon approached a nearby cave. It was almost sunset, but Rydel could still clearly see the tracks that led them there.


    "Let¡¯s dismount here, we don¡¯t want them hearing the horses," said Rydel, hopping down with the reigns in hand. He and Jack both pulled their horses to the side and found a few boulders to tie down the horses. After the horsesid down in wait for their riders to eventually untie their reigns, Bowser leaped onto Jack before he and Rydel crept into the cave.


    It was a good thing the Jack had increased his stealth, that way he wasn¡¯t so easily detected by the higher leveled clerics in the distance. They approached Drad and Slivia who were sitting around a small fire; they listened to their conversation.


    "Why didn¡¯t you tell them Drad?" asked Slivia.


    "You and I both know what could happen if other¡¯s found out about this," answered Drad, showing an ugly frown in the fire¡¯s dim light. "You should be thanking me, you were about to say it, weren¡¯t you?"


    "Well, yeah. They¡¯re with the association, why would they fear the Royal Court? If anything, they were our only shot at getting protection." Slivia raised her voice as her temper started to dwindle.


    "The association is powerful, but that¡¯s mainly outside of the borders. Inside, they can¡¯tpete with the Royal Court, no one can," said Drad in disbelief. "It¡¯s best for us to just hide andy low for a while. If we can wait it out long enough, I¡¯m sure everything will be fine."


    "How do you know? I¡¯d rather take the little protection I can get from the association then hideaway with a jerk like you."


    Drad started to raise his voice. "Oh, so I¡¯m a jerk for saving your life and trying to protect you? Really? We¡¯d probably be dead by now if I didn¡¯t wake us up early and get us both out of that inn. Why would you trust those two over me when we¡¯ve been partying for over a year now?"


    "Don¡¯t act so innocent Drad. I¡¯ve known about your perverted tendencies for a while now," stated Slivia, no longer afraid to speak her mind in the heat of the moment. "I¡¯ve heard some of the stories from the captain, and he already warned me about you."


    "Oh? So, you already know about that?" A switch in Drad¡¯s brain flipped when Slivia said that, and he revealed a perverse smile. "Are you sure you¡¯ve heard correctly? The captain would always mix up stories and exaggerated things. I¡¯m just a lover, not a fighter. When I¡¯m able to love women without restraints, I¡¯m able to forget the horrors of being an adventurer and all the death I¡¯ve witnessed."


    "You¡¯re sick, you know that?" Slivia folded her arms and leaned back in disgust.


    "No, I¡¯m not, you just haven¡¯t realized how invigorating it can be to let go and forget about the trauma. How about I show you?" Drad didn¡¯t hold back any longer. Sure that his life was being threatened, he no longer let himself be held any inhibitions.


    "Get away from me," yelled Slivia as she got up and made a dash for the cave¡¯s entrance.


    "Hey, get back here! Don¡¯t you know you¡¯ll die out there? It¡¯s toote for those association members to protect you!" barked Drad as he jumped to his feet and reached out to grab Slivia.


    "I¡¯m not so sure about that."


    The statementing from the darkness caught both Drad and Slivia off guard. Drad¡¯s hesitation gave Rydel a moment to appear and grab hold of Drad¡¯s arm. Rydel squeezed harshly and pulled Drad in close as he pinned the cleric to the ground with the arm behind his back.


    Writhing in pain, Drad yelled, "Why are you here!? That¡¯s impossible!"


    "Can it pervert." Jack kicked the immobile Drad in the face, causing only enough damage to bruise Drad¡¯s cheek. He turned to Slivia and asked, "Are you okay?"


    Shook with all kinds of emotions, Slivia fell into Jack¡¯s chest and let her tears flow. "Thank you! Thank you! I¡¯ll tell you everything."


    "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe now," said Jack as he patted her head with one hand and embraced her with the other. "Just calm down for now; we¡¯ll discuss the restter."


    She didn¡¯t respond and just let loose even more waterworks into Jack¡¯s shirt and cloak. Jack sighed, "Is there any reason we need that trash over there alive? If not, I¡¯d rather we take care of him."


    Drad sobered up from his fit of rage and pled, "There¡¯s no need to kill me, I know more than her and can even help you guys. We can team up and explore the mine for clues."


    "The kid told you to can it." Rydel was tired of Drad¡¯s bbering and flicked a small knife into the back of the cowering cleric¡¯s throat. Drad immediately stopped wriggling as his final breath left his lungs. "That¡¯s better."


    Slivia didn¡¯t know how she felt seeing Drad die. He had tried toe after her and was always hitting on her during the year they partied together.


    Though he had spent over a year partying and working together with Drad, all that time spent together was overturned in a single instant. She felt relief when she saw Drad grow still and silent.


    Soon she stopped shaking and slowly let her breathing return to normal. Then, she remembered that she was being held tenderly against Jack¡¯s chest. Peeking up in embarrassment, Slivia inched away from Jack and said, "Thank you."


    "Don¡¯t mention. Are you feeling better now?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, I feel a lot safer with you guys here and that perv out of the picture," answered Slivia.


    "Now, what¡¯s this about the Royal Court?" Rydel chimed while he looted the fresh corpse at his feet.


    Slivia hesitated to answer but she slowly opened her mouth and said, "In the mine, when we were surrounded by the goblins we noticed something. The high-level goblins were all wielding weapons, and they weren¡¯t like the usual ones they can find among some dead adventurers."


    "What kind of weapons are we talking about?" asked Jack.


    "Lots of different kinds. The only simrity they had was the crest embellished on them all."


    "The royal crest, right?" Jack guessed, letting Slivia nod in response. "So, based on what you¡¯ve seen, the royal court supplied the goblins with weapons and maybe more. Was there any more evidence that you found?"


    She shook her head and said, "No, we were too busy trying to escape to look for anything else. We only noticed the weapons when we tried to break free. I don¡¯t have any proof, so you¡¯ll have to believe me."


    "No worries, we believe you. If anything, your story confirms our hunch," Jack joked, trying to lighten the mood. "You¡¯re with us now so don¡¯t worry about your safety anymore, okay?"


    Slivia nodded, happy to hear that and d to be a little closer to Jack. Jack looked to be around her age and was almost a head taller than her, slightly taller than the average man. She had a feeling that he was different and that he was bound to be great. Her heart fluttered a little, partly from being saved and partly due to that feeling.


    "That¡¯s pretty big talk for a lv. 3. I¡¯m d to have such a powerful hero to protect us,"ughed Rydel.


    "Hey, that¡¯s why you¡¯re here, I¡¯m just the bait hungry for EXP," rified Jack, not caring to admit the truth.


    Slivia was stunned to hear that Jack was only lv. 3, but even more so to hear him shamelessly admit to it. Her heart softened a little as if she wondered why Jack was so different from all the other adventurers she had met.

 Chapter 31 Slivias Story

    <h4>Chapter 31 Slivia¡°s Story</h4>


    "How about we get out of here and set up camp elsewhere?" said Jack as he stomped out the small fire.


    "Sure, I¡¯ll follow you." Slivia nodded frantically, still feeling a little awkward from before.


    Rydelughed as he exited the cave and let the other two follow behind. They reached the horses as the sunset and quickly removed their tracks while preparing to leave.


    Slivia hesitated to climb on but Jack helped her mount his horse before he jumped on behind her. Her cheeks glowed bright red, but she said nothing, epting his help to steer the horse as they made their way down the mountain.


    Once the sky became ck, they were already halfway to the azure mine.


    Rydel had brought out his tent yet again and was setting it up as Jack made the fire pit. Slivia was distracted with Bowser as she petted him and yed with his tail.


    It wasn¡¯t long before Rydel called out, "Kid, go get us some food. Thedy deserves something nice to eat after all this."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll go find us something," said Jack. He finished the rock ring around the fire pit and said, "Yo Bowser, it¡¯s your turn."


    Like clockwork, Bowser¡¯s ears pricked up and Bowser dashed into the firepit, amazing Slivia as Bowser lit the logs by gnawing on them. He was done in a few seconds and hopped out of the fire and onto Jack¡¯s shoulder.


    "What kind of fox is he?" Slivia had never seen such a rare breed before. She had only seen tier three or tier four breeds and the asional tier five breeds during royal celebrations. A beast like Bowser with incredibly soft fur and extreme fire affinity was beyond herprehension.


    "He has a descendant bloodline from the Inferno Fox. I was lucky enough to save this guy from a huge forest python and we¡¯ve been together since." Jack spoke as Bowser licked the side of his face yfully.


    "Seriously? A tier six breed?" Slivia was blown away, now even more certain that Jack was different.


    "That¡¯s enough, for now, you love birds. Hurry and go get some food kid. As for you miss, I¡¯ll help you set up your tent," said Rydel, making sure that things got done.


    She nodded and retrieved her tent.


    It was small and tattered; she obviously bought it used due to the high price of tents.


    Rydel only nced at it before waving his hand and saying, "Not that old thing, this one." Another tent identical to his appeared, just waiting to be assembled.


    "Wait, you mean you¡¯ve had two this whole time?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, so what? You¡¯re plenty warm at night thanks to that fox, right?" said Rydel. "Now hurry up, I¡¯m sure thedy¡¯s hungry."


    Jack groaned and walked out into the nearby woods with Bowser on his shoulder.


    Slivia giggled and started to piece together the tent with Rydel¡¯s help. After about thirty minutes passed, Jack returned with what looked like a deer but with only one antlering from the center of its forehead, like a breed-confused deer that thought it was a unicorn.


    They all helped prepare it and roast it over the fire, while half the deer was set aside for Bowser and his unbelievable appetite.


    "Not bad kid; did your level go up again?"mented Rydel.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m lv. 4 now." While out hunting Jack imed the benefactor achievement to instantly reach lv. 4 and advance his perception to lv. 2 with the reward.


    "Really? I couldn¡¯t tell. How¡¯d you do that?" asked Slivia. She was a lv. 12 cleric and was curious how all of these strange things seem to happen around Jack.


    "Umm... Let¡¯s just say I¡¯m a little different," answered Jack sheepishly.


    "But how did you even get epted into the association? I thought you had to at least be lv. 15 to be considered or lv. 10 with connections," she continued to question.


    "Well..."


    "The kid¡¯s a summoned hero, so the chief made an exception," Rydel exined before he chomped down on his dinner.


    "What!?" Slivia was baffled; she expected Jack to have a powerful background but being a summoned hero waspletely different. "I thought all summoned heroes worked alongside the king, like in the legends?"


    "Not this one. That idiot king got on my nerves, so I turned him down and joined the association instead," said Jack, speaking openly now that the cat was out of the bag.


    Slivia¡¯s eyes widened as her mind was struggling to believe all this. Seeing her struggle, Jack continued, "I¡¯m different than other heroes, I have a special ss and subss even. So that¡¯s why I can level up a little differently."


    "So, you¡¯re like a special hero among summoned heroes?"


    "Yup, you guessed it." Rydel blurted it out before Jack had a chance to respond. "That kid¡¯s something else, maybe if you get close enough to him, he¡¯ll share some of his secrets or show you some of his cool stuff."


    "Captain, what¡¯s up with you?" shouted Jack.


    "What? The nicedy wants the truth and you¡¯re not giving it to her. She told us the whole truth, so why not tell her yours?" persuaded Rydel.


    Jack¡¯s eyebrows smushed together as Jack tried his best to stay calm. Finally, he said, "Consider yourself lucky to learn all this but don¡¯t go bbing about it. This was all supposed to be a secret."


    "Don¡¯t worry, your secret¡¯s safe with me." Slivia was grateful for Rydel¡¯s interference, it let her share Jack¡¯s biggest secret. Now, she had a way to stay close to him and maybe travel with him.


    Rydel chuckled as he retrieved some wine and a crudely made mug to pour himself a drink.


    He understood exactly what Slivia was thinking and thought he might give her a little push. He thought that the two would work well together and it was better than having Jack chase Maura.


    If Jack pursued Maura, the problem wouldn¡¯t be Zariff but her mom. And her mom was one of the few people Rydel genuinely feared when angered.


    Tossing that worry to the back of his head, he entered his tent and let the two youths keep talking peacefully.


    "What level are you Slivia?" asked Jack.


    "I¡¯m lv. 12, but as soon as I¡¯m lv. 15 I n to join the association," said Slivia.


    "Why would you want to join the association? It¡¯s not because of me, right? You don¡¯t have to do something like that to thank me." Jack returned to his shameless self in no time, giving Slivia a good taste of his true self.


    "No, no. I¡¯ve always wanted to join since I was little," exined Slivia as she lifted her hands awkwardly after Jack¡¯sment. "There was an association member who used to always help my family whenever we needed. My parents are farmers, so they never had enough money to pay him what he deserved, but he always took the job as long as there were free food and board. One day, when he was out handling business, the farm was raided by bandits..."


    She paused and tried her best to keep water from spilling over her eyelids.


    As she struggled to contain the waterworks, Jack passed her a handkerchief and let her rx.


    Happy to receive it, Slivia took the handkerchief and wiped the water from her cheeks before she continued, "My parents and older brother were killed as they protected me from the bandits. I ran away as fast as I could but they caught up easily. They captured me and chained me up. I was only fourteen when they..."


    "Hey." Jack saw her mentally shift and called out to her before she got lost in the memories. "You¡¯re here now, you¡¯re fine. Okay?"


    Slivia continued to use the handkerchief and took a deep breath. "After a few days, I was thinking of taking my own life. Anything was better than what they made me do. But before I could, that same adventurer broke into their hideout and took care of all the bandits. Afterward, he found me nude, chained up in their cer. He broke the chains with one swing of his massive sword, threw a nket over me, and hugged me with tears in his eyes. He apologized for everything and wouldn¡¯t stop ming himself.


    "After a while, we both left the hideout and stayed at an inn at the nearby town. He stayed with me for three weeks, trying to help me the best he could but he had to leave on another mission. We talked with the innkeeper and we cut a deal so I could live there and work at the inn. Then, that adventurer disappeared, and I never saw him again."


    Jack was speechless, unable to think of a response. Slivia finished wiping her tears and lightlyughed. "Don¡¯t be so sad. Look at me now, I¡¯m almost ready to join the association. Once I do, I want to search for that man and thank him properly. Now you know my whole truth."


    "You..." Jack hesitated to speak. "You¡¯re a lot stronger than me."


    Slivia was taken aback by Jack¡¯s response. She had already respected and possibly fallen for Jack, but that reply shattered the barriers she had ced over her heart long ago.


    Jack was shaking his head. He had been teased and picked on his entire life, never able to make any real friends.


    That¡¯s when he found "A Hero¡¯s Tale" during its beta phase and used it as an escape from his pitiful reality. Rather than try and fix the problems he had in real life, he would divert all his time and energy into being the greatest, most recognized hero there was in "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    Thinking back, Jack knew he had a pitiful life.


    That¡¯s why he fully embraced this new world without hesitation when he arrived and never nned to go back. But after hearing Slivia¡¯s confidence after going through what she did, he had never felt so weak in his life.

 Chapter 32 Talking with Bowser

    <h4>Chapter 32 Talking with Bowser</h4>


    "You¡¯re strong too. You¡¯re way braver than I am," said Slivia in a hushed tone.


    "Nah, it¡¯s not the same. You only know me from this world, you never met me before I was summoned. I was a weak scaredy-cat that would hide from all my troubles, never confronting them. Here I¡¯m a hero, but there I¡¯m nothing." Jack let out a deep breath and loosened up a little. "So, Slivia, what are your ns now?"


    "Umm... I was kind of hoping I could stay with you guys for a while," answered Slivia nervously.


    "Actually, I was going to ask you to stay. Considering the changes in the azure mine, we could use your help. You¡¯ve seen all the recent changes and it always helps to have a cleric around," said Jack.


    "You guys are going in there?" She finally remembered why she and Jack met in the first ce.


    "Well yeah, Rydel is probably talking with the Zariff right now. It¡¯ll probably be an official mission. Plus, with what we n to do, I can guarantee that you¡¯ll reach at least lv. 15 by the time we¡¯re done," persuaded Jack.


    "Really? You can guarantee that? What exactly are we going to do?" asked Slivia.


    "We¡¯ll discuss that tomorrow, for now, I just want to enjoy the meat," chuckled Jack.


    Slivia smiled and blushed. "Okay, but you have to share." She tore off a piece of Jack¡¯s rib meat and giggled. Jack froze for a second as he stared at her smiling face. The air became a little heated and a little awkward between the two of them.


    Suddenly, Bowser snatched away the rest of Jack¡¯s rib meat and started to chow down. While Jack and Slivia were sharing stories, Bowser had finished his half of the deer and set his sights on the more delicious cooked meat that was left unattended.


    As Bowser broke the silence, the twoughed loudly and the mood returned to normal.


    For the rest of the night, they chatted about Slivia¡¯s different adventures whileughing or apuding each other.


    Slivia took this opportunity to hide Jack¡¯s handkerchief in her storage ring while he wasn¡¯t looking. But sooner orter their fun had to end when Slivia went to sleep in her tent and Jack was left alone with the now tired Bowser.


    He sighed and pondered about Slivia¡¯s stories. Both he and she were inexperienced in love and had no clue how to address it.


    Time continued to pass until Jack remembered something.


    Looking down at the nearly sleeping Bowser, Jack focused his gaze. Nothing happened at first, but suddenly he felt happy-go-lucky. The feeling stuck with him as long as he kept focusing, but he¡¯d easily lose it if he looked away.


    Next, he tried to think of the phrase, ¡¯Who¡¯s a good boy?¡¯ Jack focused on the phrase while staring at Bowser and was surprised to see Bowser open his eyes in startlement. Bowser¡¯s ears twitched as he stared back at Jack and scrunched his face. At first, Jack didn¡¯t understand what was going on until he heard an infant voice in his head yelling, ¡¯ME!¡¯


    Amazed at the reaction, Jack thought up a reply, ¡¯You¡¯re a good boy!¡¯


    Bowser acted like a bobblehead as he jumped up and down in Jack¡¯sp, responding, ¡¯Me! Me good boy!¡¯


    Jackughed frantically as he shot up to his feet in excitement with Bowser in his hands. ¡¯Bowser, you can hear me, right? If you can hear me, wag your tail up and down.¡¯ When he saw Bowser¡¯s tail go crazy, Jack¡¯s smile stretched from ear to ear. ¡¯Good boy! I can finally talk to you.¡¯


    ¡¯Me talk too,¡¯ replied Bowser. ¡¯Me happy!¡¯


    ¡¯Bowser, how old are you?¡¯ asked Jack. He had long thought up a list of questions that he wanted to ask Bowser when given the chance; this was just the first of many.


    ¡¯Bowser born three month." The fox pup¡¯s reply was broken, showing that Bowser understood the humannguage well enough to roughly understand Jack, but he struggled to build sentences.


    Jackughed and rubbed Bowser¡¯s little head. ¡¯Good Boy!¡¯ He wanted to ask Bowser about what happened before they met, but then he heard how young and innocent Bowser was. Due to that, he decided to wait until Bowser was older or until Bowser brought it up.


    ¡¯Jack good too!¡¯ Bowser enjoyed chatting with Jack, feeling much closer to him. For the past few days, no one could talk with him, let alone understand him. Now that he and Jack were mentally linked, he would always talk with Jack to try and learn to speak better or just because he could.


    ¡¯Are you scared of going in the mine? There will be lots of goblins,¡¯ thought Jack, curious to see how brave the little fox could be.


    ¡¯Me no scared!¡¯ With his chest puffed out, the fox pup tried his best to appear intimidating but despite his efforts, Bowzer was even more adorable when he did this.


    ¡¯Good boy! You¡¯ll be safe, I promise.¡¯ Jack yawned and scratched his head. ¡¯For now, let¡¯s get some sleep. We¡¯ve got a big day tomorrow.¡¯ Bowser nodded and curled up on Jack¡¯s chest. Most people might feel cold out under the stars, but Jack was warm and cozy thanks to the heat Bowser naturally put out.


    The morning sun woke Jack up nice and early, making sure to blind him the moment he opened his eyes.


    Squinting to recover his sight, Jack slid Bowser carefully to the side and stretched his body. He soon noticed that Rydel was still in his tent snoring but Slivia was nowhere to be found.


    At first, he panicked a little, but Jack found her boots and bag still in her tent. Not sure what to think, he searched the surrounding area to make sure she was alright.


    To the south he found nothing, and the west was the same. When he searched to the north, he heard running water in the distance. Like all hot-blooded young men, Jack¡¯s mind immediately started to wander in thoughts of finding Slivia under a waterfall. Keeping his thoughts at bay, Jack coughed and refocused himself before continuing northbound.


    The sound of crashing water grew louder the further he went, and Jack slowed with every step as if he were afraid to find her. Jack noticed that up ahead of him was a clearing of trees, letting in more of the natural sunlight.


    He proceeded to hide behind a tree and calm himself down. It was easy for him to figure out that the water was in the clearing and he dreaded the thought of getting caught peeking by Slivia. After slowing his breathing and steadying his rapidly beating heart, Jack crept closer and closer to the clearing.


    Once he reached thest line of trees, he hid again and mentally prepared for what he might find on the other side of the tree. A few seconds passed and Jack finally built up the courage to look around the tree trunk. His head poked to the side, revealing the entire scene before his eyes.


    In the clearing, the ground had sunken down, as it were an unnatural crater. At the bottom was a crystal-clear pool thanks to a fountain of water spewing from one of the crater¡¯s ridges. Some small fish could be seen swimming in the depths it was so clear.


    The only thing Jack couldn¡¯t see was a bathing Slivia because she was nowhere to be found.


    Inwardly Jack sighed, unsure of whether he wanted to find her or not. Instead of worrying, he enjoyed the view, admiring the water¡¯s rity.


    "It¡¯s amazing isn¡¯t it."


    Slivia¡¯s voice appeared from behind the turned around Jack, causing Jack to jump in fright. There she was in a loose-fitting shirt and a in skirt. Her damp, long hair was wild as it fell and hung to dry naturally. Jack¡¯s heartbeat kicked into high gear, not letting him recuperate or respond quickly.


    "Are you okay?" asked Slivia.


    "Mhm." Jack nodded and took a deep breath. "Yeah, I¡¯m fine. I just saw that you were gone and was making sure you were okay."


    Showing some blush, Slivia smiled when she heard that he was looking out for her. "I¡¯m doing great; in fact, I found the perfect ce to take a bath. Isn¡¯t it just perfect?"


    "It definitely is," said Jack who also started to blush. He never had much of a thing for prim and proper girls. His type was more of a hands-on girl that could work hard alongside him but was still undeniably feminine. Seeing Slivia dressed like this was a huge turn-on for Jack.


    "What¡¯s the matter?" Slivia was confused and didn¡¯t understand why Jack was acting so weird.


    "Everything¡¯s fine, but I should go check on Bowser and make sure he doesn¡¯t get into anything." Jack bolted away, not giving himself a chance to hear what she had to say next.


    Slivia was left alone and without a clue. She said to herself, "What¡¯s wrong? He¡¯s lucky I found him and wasn¡¯t busy taking a..." Immediately she realized the awkwardness and turned as red as an apple. Taking her time, Slivia strolled back to camp while she tried to calm her shaky heart.

 Chapter 33 The Game Plan

    <h4>Chapter 33 The Game n</h4>


    "Morning kid, what¡¯s wrong?" asked Rydel as Jack ran back into camp at top speed.


    Jack was breathing heavily and held up a finger, wanting a second or two to catch his breath. "Nothing, just a little caught off guard by something I found."


    "Oh, did you catch Slivia bathing?" asked Rydel nonchntly.


    "N-no, I was just concerned that something happened, so I went looking for her," stammered Jack. His usual smooth self was gone, leaving a young, hesitant version of him in its ce.


    Rydelughed, "So what if you saw her? Man up and admit it, for all you know she may be okay with it."


    Jack shook his head and turned his focus to relighting the fire. After that, he dismissed himself to catch some breakfast so they could get an early start to the day.


    Amused by Jack¡¯s nervousness, Rydel stopped pestering him for the time being and started taking down his tent.


    Slivia returned soon and was d that Jack wasn¡¯t at the campsite, wanting to avoid any more awkwardness. By the time she and Rydel packed up the two tents, Jack was back with another unihorn deer.


    Bowser was up and ready for his first meal of the day, devouring his half before anyone else could even get their meat cooking over the fire. The young fox blinked as he felt Jack¡¯s suppressed nerves thanks to their mutual bond. ¡¯Jack, what wrong?¡¯


    Startled by the young voice Jack answered ¡¯Nothing, just had a weird morning. I¡¯ll be back to normal after breakfast.¡¯


    Not giving it too much thought, Bowser finished his portion as the rest pulled their meat off the me and started to eat. Bowser, being smart and mischievous, trotted over to Slivia and epted her loving pets.


    She scratched his belly and behind his ears, eventually, she even shared her food with him.


    Jack understood Bowser¡¯s intentions and couldn¡¯t help butugh, settling some of his nerves.


    He ate his food as he pondered a few things. First, he wasn¡¯t too surprised when a new achievement appeared about seducing Slivia, but he had yet to decide how he wanted to treat it. Second, Jack focused on piecing together some sort of n for the azure mine. With all the smaller goblin settlements abandoned, they were going to have to change their tactics.


    Originally, Jack and Rydel both had a mutual understanding that Jack would be the bait to lure out the goblins from each settlement, giving Rydel plenty of targets for his volleys of arrows.


    Thanks to Rydel¡¯s superior level, this bait and hunt strategy was perfect for grinding EXP, so long as the bait hadplete trust in the hunter.


    That wasn¡¯t a problem for Jack; if anything he was pumped about being the bait. No matter how unorthodox, if it could elerate his leveling, he didn¡¯t care about the tactics.


    Now that there was only a single city deep within the mine, the only small targets were likely just outposts, but attacking those would be the same as knocking on the front door of the goblin city and announcing their arrival.


    They had toe up with a new n that could wipe out the city; Jack was determined to do at least that and cash in extra EXP from his achievement.


    Plus, if the system made it such a priority, then it would be best if he could aplish it. If not, he struggled to even guess what might happen in the future.


    "Got any bright ideas kid?" Rydel¡¯s voice broke the silence. "We¡¯ll reach the mine¡¯s entrance this afternoon and enter it tomorrow morning after you¡¯re fully healed, so I hope you¡¯re ready."


    "Don¡¯t worry captain, I¡¯ve got a few new ideas," replied Jack.


    "What are you guys going to do?" asked Slivia, curious what she had unknowingly signed up for.


    Jack blinked a couple of times after turning to Slivia, still a bit shaken from their morning encounter. "We¡¯ll need to sneak past all the outposts first. With Rydel¡¯s eagle eye that shouldn¡¯t be too difficult, but that leaves us with the biggest problem. That goblin city shouldn¡¯t be too big yet, right?"


    "I¡¯d guess it was three times bigger than Baltwood, but nowhere near the size of the capital," answered Slivia.


    "Okay, then I think I know what would be best." Jack nodded sternly and became more serious. "What did that old fart say about all this?"


    "This is now an official mission from the association. The chief said he was too busy toe personally on such short notice, but he pulled a few strings and convinced a good friend of mine to help us out. He¡¯ll be at the mine by sunrise tomorrow, so make sure we have a big meal waiting for him. A few of his students might tag along too, but his strongest student is only lv. 21 so don¡¯t force them into anything too crazy." Rydel was slightly more energetic when he mentioned his friend.


    "What level and ss is he?"


    "His name¡¯s Maynard and he¡¯s a lv. 33 samurai, specializing in dual-wielding and absolute ughter. He¡¯s terrible at stealth and he struggles thinking on his feet, but with simple instructions against an army of low leveled enemies he¡¯s the best in the branch, second only to the chief," said Rydel, making sure to praise his friend while letting Jack understand how he would be best used.


    "That¡¯s perfect!" Jack smiled, feeling more confident with his wild n. "They¡¯ll be the main force and the diversion. How confident are you with infiltrating the city and ousting the goblin king?"


    "What makes you think there¡¯s a goblin king?" asked Rydel.


    "If the Royal Court is supporting the goblins from behind the scenes, then they must¡¯ve confronted one of the strongest goblins and given him the ability to kill his rivals and be the goblin king. That¡¯s the only way that so many major changes could¡¯ve happened so quickly." Jack¡¯s guess was based on the different goblin events that were always appearing in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," all of which ended with facing the tribe¡¯s goblin king. But now that they weren¡¯t ying a game and could make ns outside a game¡¯s protocol, why not take the king out immediately?


    "Hmm, okay I¡¯ll do it. But know that I¡¯m not 100% confident. If there¡¯s a goblin king involved, then he¡¯s probably not much weaker than me and that¡¯s if there¡¯s not someone from the Royal Court there to interfere." Rydel shrugged and spoke honestly.


    "That¡¯s fine, you¡¯re still the best option for that part of the n. As for Slivia, you¡¯ll join the main force as the cleric and rake in plenty of EXP. How¡¯s that sound?" Jack looked back at her, gently meeting her gaze.


    "I can do that." Slivia nodded and clenched her fists with determination.


    "Great! With the goblin armies facing a meat grinder and the goblin king being assassinated, it will only be a matter of time till they fall into chaos and let us walk all over them," reasoned Jack.


    "What about you kid? What are you going to do?" Rydel understood that as long as they were all registered in one party, everyone will get a small cut of EXP from every monster in. That would give Jack a chance to level up at a ridiculous pace which would make any adventurer green with envy. He hoped that Jack would do something and not just chill by the wayside.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that," Jack chuckled. "Once the goblin city is on the brink of copse, I¡¯ll be there to kick them while they¡¯re down and keep them from getting back up."


    Curious to see what Jack nned, Rydel smiled. "Sounds good to me, just don¡¯t bite off more than you can chew. You¡¯ll be alone and won¡¯t have anyone to save your sorry self."


    "Trust me, if you think your friend will generate the most EXP, just wait till I make my move," said Jack confidently.


    "Well, if that¡¯s it then we¡¯ll wait for Mardayn and his crew to finalize everything," replied Rydel with a smirk, holding onto a small belief that Jack could put off something so crazy since Jack was once an ancient hero.


    "Wait, what are you going to do Jack? You¡¯re only lv. 4, it¡¯s impossible to do something that crazy," stated Slivia with concern in her eyes.


    "Just trust me I can, if I wanted to destroy the goblin city alone, I could find a way to do it. With everyone else¡¯s help, the least I can do is that much," joked Jack.


    He thought about jokingly asking if she was worried about him, but the thought alone made him hesitate due to his fear of rejection and he kept it to himself.


    Jack quickly gathered his thoughts and continued, "Just look at it this way, I¡¯m desperate to level up as fast as I can. The fastest ways to do this legitimately always carry the biggest risk, but the payout is more than worth it. After this mission, you¡¯ll be more than able to join the Adventurer Association and I¡¯ll be able to fast track my way to the top of the branch."


    Slivia wanted to disagree and keep Jack from doing something so dangerous, but she could feel his persistence. She frowned slightly and said, "Fine, but promise me you won¡¯t die. If you die, I¡¯ll never forgive you."


    Jackughed, "Of course I won¡¯t die. What do you think this is, some game with infinite lives?"

 Chapter 34 Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 34 Ambush</h4>


    Everyone ate their fill and finished tearing down camp, making sure to eliminate all traces of their stay. They mounted their rested horses and rushed to the azure mine. It was easy to travel the short distance on horseback, so they arrived a little earlier than nned.


    "It¡¯s only midday. Since we¡¯ve got time, let¡¯s set up camp in the forest outside of the mine¡¯s entrance," said Rydel, leading the way.


    "Are you going to scout the mine?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, I¡¯ll scan the entrance and the nearest mineshafts," replied Rydel. "You two should be fine without me for a little while. If something happens, just contact me and I¡¯lle back running."


    Nodding their heads, Jack and Slivia agreed with Rydel¡¯s n, dismounted their horses, and tied them down in the nearby forest. There was no clearing, but they preferred it that way. By camping in a denser patch of the forest they could almost eliminate the chance of being discovered while Rydel was away.


    As soon as Rydel¡¯s tent was up, he disappeared without a trace. Jack swallowed some saliva and nervousness now that he was alone with Slivia. Bowser was stretching near the fire pit when he felt Jack¡¯s sudden change and asked, ¡¯Jack, what wrong?¡¯


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong buddy," said Jack, trying to y it cool.


    ¡¯But you feel different.¡¯ Bowser struggled tomunicate clearly but his instincts were sharp enough to tell him that something was off.


    Realizing that Bowser could sense his emotions, Jack shrunk a little. He didn¡¯t want to mention that awkward moment to anyone.


    On the outside he was always confident and cool, trying his best to act like his favorite superhero, shameless and adaptable. But his inexperience with female rtionships created more pressure than he anticipated.


    When it was a game, it always worked out and it was easy to put on an act. But Jack was starting to understand that he wasn¡¯t Jack_J; he was Jack, a weird and awkward hybrid of Jack_J and Jackson Jones. This is something that he wouldn¡¯t want to admit and he would try his best to convince himself otherwise.


    "Umm, what do you mean?"


    Jack looked to Slivia and asked, "What are you talking about?"


    "You just said, ¡¯Nothing¡¯s wrong buddy.¡¯ Why?" Slivia exined her confusion, wondering why he suddenly spoke and even called her buddy. Strangely enough, her heart ached a little when she heard him call her his buddy.


    "No, no! I was talking with Bowser," said Jack, putting up his hands after realizing his blunder. "Sorry about the confusion. I didn¡¯t mean to call you buddy."


    "Oh, why not? Am I not your buddy?" Slivia didn¡¯t know why she said that, but she turned terrified the moment the words left her mouth.


    Frozen where he stood, Jack¡¯s nerves reappeared with a vengeance. He stammered, "That¡¯s, umm, not what I meant, but I wouldn¡¯t use that word, exactly..."


    "Then... What word would you use?" Slivia¡¯s confidence was boosted a little by his reply, and since she had somehow asked already, she decided tomit to the conversation.


    "Umm..." Jack¡¯s face paled slightly as he instantly regretted his open-ended answer. He tried this best toe up with a solution but drew nks no matter what he tried. Suddenly, he thought of something. "Bowser, stop that!"


    Slivia followed Jack¡¯s pointed finger and saw Bowser using the rocks from the firepit like a backscratcher. Bowser was confused because he always did this, so he asked, ¡¯What Bowser do wrong?¡¯


    ¡¯Nothing, just go with it and I¡¯ll give you an entire unihorn deer for yourself,¡¯ offered Jack.


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯ the simple-minded fox¡¯s eyes lit up.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Slivia asked, being even more confused than Bowser.


    "He¡¯s about to pee by the fire, but he knows better," said Jack, picking up Bowser and carrying him to the outskirts of the camp.


    ¡¯But Bowser no pee. Bowser know better,¡¯ argued the little fox.


    ¡¯I know Bowser, but just go with it. Tonight, you¡¯ll have your own unihorn,¡¯ persuaded Jack, making sure to keep up the charade in front of Slivia.


    "Okay boy, now you can go," announced Jack aloud, now outside of camp and away from the previous conversation.


    ¡¯But Bowser no need pee.¡¯


    ¡¯Just pretend for now. You did nothing wrong and I¡¯m d to have you. You¡¯ve earned your unihorn,¡¯ replied Jack.


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯ Bowser licked his lips in excitement.


    Back near the firepit, Slivia was perplexed mentally and emotionally. She couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Jack was avoiding the question, but Slivia knew she wouldn¡¯t have the courage to ask again. However, she was happy that Jack didn¡¯t want to be her buddy.


    Things gradually returned to normal when Jack came back with Bowser on his shoulder and told Slivia that he was going to find food for lunch and dinner. She volunteered to stay and watch the fire, waiting for Rydel toe back when he was finished.


    While hunting, Bowser took the initiative to help Jack sniff out any nearby prey, eager to get his unihorn for lunch. They found some wild rabbits and Jack liked the idea of mixing things up, so he decided to chase them back to their rabbit hole beneath a huge tree. There was a total of seven rabbits; two parents, and five children.


    Happy with his find, Jack scoped out his surroundings and nned his attack. Both sides of the tree had an exit, making things a little more difficult. Lucky for Jack, he had hunted these all the time in the game.


    He stood on one side of the tree without an exit, making sure he could shoot towards both exits from a distance. As he nocked an arrow, Jack pointed it downward and let Bowser bite the end, causing the end to burst into mes. Immediately he blocked off one exit with the ming arrow and nocked the next one. Again, Bowser lit it on fire before Jackunched the arrow at the other entrance.


    That time, one of the rabbits tried to run away and was pinned by the arrow to the ground, blocking the other rabbits from retreating. Jack sighed in relief as he got closer andunched some more arrows into the rabbit hole and quickly offed his prey. d he didn¡¯t burn the one rabbit too badly, Jack put the rabbits in his storage.


    Jack knew that was enough for Rydel, Slivia, and himself, but he continued his hunt for a unihorn. Eventually, they found a small herd of them. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jack imed four unihorn and stored them all before he trekked back to camp.


    When Jack neared the camp and Slivia came into view, he smiled. Just then, Jack noticed something out of the corner of his eye and jumped back, narrowly avoiding the swing of a katana. Breathing heavily, Jack gathered his bearings and assessed the situation.


    "What are you doing here?" asked the long-haired man on the other side of the de. He was maybe in his thirties and wore a ck kimono over an undershirt.


    "Why are you asking me, we set up camp first. Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you why you¡¯re threatening me?" reasoned Jack.


    "Answer the question. I¡¯m not sure how you dodged my perfect surprise attack, but I¡¯m certain I won¡¯t miss again," eximed the man.


    Jack hesitated because he knew the man was right; he had only managed to dodge that strike because the man underestimated Jack¡¯s perception, but a head-on fight with the man would be impossible for Jack to survive.


    He looked behind the man and noticed that someone else had sneaked up on Slivia, who now had a knife to her throat.


    "As you can see, you and she are no match for us. Now, what are you doing here near the mine?" the man asked again, clearly losing his patience.


    "We¡¯re here on business for the Adventurers Association; so, unless you want to die when our captain returns, I¡¯d rmend leaving us alone." Jack cut to the chase and made sure that his new enemies understood exactly what they were getting into.


    "You¡¯re with the association?" The man tilted his head in surprise. "Prove it."


    Jack immediately removed his cloak and showed off the association¡¯s insignia made up of two capital "a¡¯s" imprinted on an open scroll. Seeing this, the man sheathed his katana and let out a breath as he rxed.


    "Sorry for all the trouble. We¡¯re scouting for our master and weren¡¯t able to discover anything involving the association on that woman. When you arrived, we thought it would be best to act first and askter to avoid any possible problems in the future. Please, forgive us," asked the man as he lightly kowtowed to Jack.


    Slivia was immediately released and the other man in a dark green kimono kowtowed as well.


    "It¡¯s fine; no harm, no foul," said Jack, hurrying to Slivia¡¯s side. "If you¡¯re with the association, then your master should be Maynard, right?"


    "Yes, it is, and your captain must be Rydel. It¡¯s an honor to fight alongside you, hero," answered the man in green.


    "You know who I am?"

 Chapter 35 Maynards Discipline

    <h4>Chapter 35 Maynard¡°s Discipline</h4>


    "You know who I am?" Jack was startled.


    "Every association member in the capital knows who you are hero," exined the man in green. "After you and Rydel destroyed the city gate, they put warrants out for your arrest. The chief is working hard to get them removed and exined your identity to the entire city in protest."


    The man in ck chimed in, saying, "People stormed the royal offices and demanded that a summoned hero shouldn¡¯t be given a bounty or go through a forced search. I had my hunches when I first saw you, but I figured that if you were the real deal, you would be able to dodge my strike. It seems I guessed correctly"


    "And if I hadn¡¯t dodged it?" asked Jack with a frown. Originally, he was alright with the near-death experience, but Jack wouldn¡¯t forgive so easily now that he knew Brunar had recognized him yet acted anyway.


    "Well..." The man in ck coughed and redirected the conversation. "I¡¯m just d that we have a summoned hero on our side. Things are looking up for the branch thanks to you; we had a flood of applications pour in after the announcement."


    Knowing that the man wouldn¡¯t apologize, Jack shrugged and disregarded the incident. "So, where¡¯s your master? He should be here soon, right? I need to hurry up and make lunch, so please excuse me."


    The samurai adjusted his kimono and epted Jack¡¯s harsh tone, understanding that Jack hadn¡¯t forgiven him for nearly killing him. "My name is Brunar and he¡¯s Troni, please forgive our reckless introduction."


    Surprised to see Brunar bow and ask forgiveness, he lightened his opinion of the man but kept a cold front. It was easy to make friends with Jack, but it was even easier to make enemies. Once he had a negative impression of someone, it would take some time for him to willingly make up.


    "I hope you guys like rabbit," said Jack, not bothering to look back at them. He and Slivia began to skin and prep the rabbits undisturbed by the samurai, who sat down cross-legged and watched them carefully.


    "Do you need any help?" asked Troni.


    "Nah, we got this covered," responded Jack. His opinion of Troni was a little better than Brunar because of the two, Brunar was obviously the leader and most likely Maynard¡¯s top disciple.


    "We can skin them, with our precision we¡ª"


    "I said, ¡¯we got this covered.¡¯" Jack didn¡¯t let Brunar finish and gave him the evil eye.


    Brunar wasn¡¯t afraid of Jack, but for some reason, he felt that Jack¡¯s gaze was too heavy for a newbie adventurer.


    Sure, he was a summoned hero, but he heard from his master that Jack was still a lv. 1. If Jack was so low leveled, it didn¡¯t make any sense.


    Because Brunar had a reputation for acting on his own, following orders exactly as they were given, he would asionally get scolded by his master or Zariff. But why did Jack¡¯s gaze feel as heavy as theirs, if not heavier; that¡¯s what Brunar wanted to know.


    Jack didn¡¯t pay him any more attention, finishing the cleaning and prepping of the meat. They skewered it on homemade wooden pikes and stuck the wooden pikes into the ground around the fire, letting them leave the rabbits to cook on their own.


    "I have a question for you," said Brunar, noticing that Jack was finally finished.


    "Too bad, because I may not have an answer," said Jack as he closed his eyes, appearing to meditate as he began to explore the achievement system in boredom.


    "You..." Brunar¡¯s hushed word barely left his lips as he restrained himself fromshing out at Jack.


    "Brunar, can you me him?" asked Troni. "If your de hade any closer, he would¡¯ve died on the spot without hope of survival. That¡¯s not exactly something to take lightly."


    "So? At least be respectful to your seniors. I¡¯ve already apologized, so I have no reason to be ignored," argued Brunar, not giving an inch.


    Troni shook his head. He understood both perspectives and could sense that both had their pride to uphold.


    Jack was a summoned hero and wouldter be the hope of the country. Brunar was a rising star in the branch and was admired by many. However, after Jack¡¯s identity was publicly announced, Brunar¡¯s fame began to shrink and fade.


    The worst part in Brunar¡¯s eyes was Jack¡¯s level; he had been eclipsed by a lv. 1 and that was uneptable to him.


    "Are you okay?" Jack¡¯s quiet voice reached Slivia¡¯s ears. "I don¡¯t see any marks or scars, but I want to be sure."


    "I¡¯m fine. Troni didn¡¯t even grab me very tightly; I would¡¯ve pulled away from him if I hadn¡¯t seen his level far above mine," answer Slivia, trying to help repair the damage done to their party¡¯s rtionship.


    "I¡¯m d at least one of them has a brain." Those words were only loud enough to barely escape Jack¡¯s mouth, keeping them between only Jack and Slivia.


    Bowser jumped off Jack¡¯s shoulder with a frown on his face. He nuzzled into Slivia¡¯sp as if looking for femalefort. She immediately gave in and started to show Bowser love, petting and scratching him all over. Jack chuckled when he understood Bowser¡¯s shameless, childish nature.


    Over an hour passed by and the sun was descending in the sky. Everyone had already eaten and were left waiting for theirst two party members to show up.


    Eventually, two figures appeared in the distance walking and talking with one another. Jack recognized Rydel and started to scan over the man beside the captain.


    His kimono was white with red diamond ents all over. There were two katanas at his hip which the system identified as high tier weapons, surprising Jack. He was shorter than Jack but his battle scars and toned body demanded praise.


    Jack stood up and ran to wee the two of them. "Nice to meet you. You¡¯re Maynard, right?"


    "Yup and ya must be Jack. I¡¯m d to meet ya," said Maynard, extending his hand to shake Jack¡¯s. "I¡¯ve heard a lot about some ¡¯cheeky brat¡¯ from Zariff; that¡¯s ya right?"


    "Of course, who else could get such praise from that old fart while so low leveled," joked Jack. Thanks to Maynard¡¯s easy-going response and personality, Jack immediately felt much better about getting more party members. "Make sure to teach your disciples properly; if I wasn¡¯t lucky, that idiot over there would¡¯ve killed me."


    Both Rydel and Maynard grew serious, recing the light atmosphere. Maynard turned to face Brunar and asked, "Really Brunar?"


    "Don¡¯t listen to him! I was just testing him to see if he was a hero worth his reputation," imed Brunar, defending himself brazenly.


    "Then good for you, you¡¯ve proven you can overpower a newbie like me. Congrats." Jack¡¯s dry tone ground into Brunar¡¯s ears.


    Furious, Brunar dered, "Don¡¯t just talk, why not prove yourself in¡ª"


    "That¡¯s enough."


    Suddenly Brunar felt a small de being held up against his throat, close enough to cut skin if he swallowed saliva. Rydel had appeared from behind Brunar and said, "Whatever you do to him, I do to you. Got it?"


    "Yessir!" Brunar trembled as he tried to feel the gap between his strength and Rydel¡¯s.


    "Be happy Maynard¡¯s a good friend because I¡¯ve killed for less," said Rydel, putting away the knife and walking to Jack¡¯s side. "Everything okay? What happened?"


    "Heunched a sneak attack on me as I came back to camp even though he recognized me as an ally," answered Jack. "If I hadn¡¯t noticed the attack soon enough, I would¡¯ve lost my head."


    "Is that true?" Maynard¡¯s solemn voice sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spines as he looked to Troni and saw him lightly nod.


    Brunar looked to his master and said, "As a summoned hero of legend, I was certain that Jack would have the ability to evade. And if he didn¡¯t, that just meant he was a fake after all."


    It wasn¡¯t too rare for someone to try and rise in poprity saying they were a foreign hero, so Brunar debated with that logic.


    "Idiot!"


    Maynard exploded into fury and drew a single sword. Swinging it sideways, he struck Brunar¡¯s head, only it wasn¡¯t with the de but the t side.


    As Brunar was thrown into a tree, Maynard sheathed his sword and approached his disciple. "You and I have both seen the association¡¯s records, so how would a fake have the hero ss, huh?"


    Keeping silent, Brunar avoided answering and looking up to his master, rubbing the side of his face. Maynard continued, "He¡¯s a hero no matter how you look at it and you¡¯ve got to ept that. In the future, he¡¯ll surpass you and me both so he can be a peak existence in the continent. Get over yourself!"


    "I refuse to let some newbie beat me! I won¡¯t let him pass me!" barked Brunar in ignorance.


    Wanting to humble his disciple, Maynard sword pped him one more time across the other cheek. "I hope you can reevaluate yourself. You¡¯re too arrogant and will never reach your potential how you are now."


    Brunar opened his mouth but no words came out. Inwardly, he promised to never let Jack surpass him so that he would be the only star in the branch. He was too full of himself thanks to everyone¡¯s praise and Maynard¡¯s typically loose guidance.

 Chapter 36 The Night Before the Storm

    <h4>Chapter 36 The Night Before the Storm</h4>


    Disappointed in his disciple¡¯s recklessness, Maynard turned to Jack and deeply bowed. "Forgive this man for his disciple¡¯sck of discipline. If I were more strict or hands-on with him, he wouldn¡¯t have turned out like this."


    "There¡¯s no need for you to lower yourself," said Jack. "You are close friends with the captain, and I can tell that you¡¯re a genuine person, so don¡¯t worry yourself too much. This idiot¡¯s actions were his own, in the end, he is the one who should apologize and make up."


    Maynard knew what Jack said was true, sighing in disappointment. "Please don¡¯t let this affect our teamwork during this uing mission."


    "You worry too much," joked Jack. "Let¡¯s all calm down with an early dinner. That way we can get plenty of rest to storm the mine tomorrow."


    No one disagreed as Jack retrieved three unihorns, one for his original party, another for the three samurai, and thest for Bowser as per their promise. Within half an hour, the unihorns were cleaned and being roasted over the fire to everyone¡¯s personal preference.


    "So, what do ya got in mind?" asked Maynard, looking to Rydel.


    "I think you¡¯ll like what we have nned." Jack was the one who answered, stealing everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Master was talking with your captain, you should sit and listen while theyy it out for you," stated Brunar begrudgingly.


    "Actually, Jack¡¯s the one who thought up the n." Rydel chimed in. "I¡¯de up with something simr, but I think his n is more fitting."


    "Like I was saying," said Jack, ignoring Brunar¡¯s interruption, "the n is simple. We will all form a party, letting us see any unexpected changes in anyone¡¯s status. Phase one consists of you three as the main force with Slivia¡¯s support as a cleric. You¡¯ll storm the main city gate, drawing out the bulk of the goblin forces. It¡¯ll be hectic, but I think you¡¯ll all manage with Slivia there to restore HP and MP while it drags on. Any questions so far?"


    Maynard showed a toothy grin when he heard his role. "Sounds perfect to me!"


    Troni nodded in agreement with his master and Brunar didn¡¯t do anything to disagree, knowing that this was their specialty. Brunar turned to Slivia, "Don¡¯t hold us back. You¡¯re not an official member so don¡¯t expect too much help if you can¡¯t keep up."


    "I¡¯ll take care of her," said Troni suddenly. "You and master take the lead to ughter the main forces, I¡¯ll remain in the back and keep them away from Slivia. I have to admit, with a cleric¡¯s help, even if they¡¯re low-leveled, our stamina will be much greater." He looked to Slivia, bowing his head graciously.


    She didn¡¯t know what to say, bowing back in response. Troni¡¯s sincere words seemed to touch her inexperienced heart.


    "Good, then we¡¯ll leave phase two to the captain. While you¡¯re distracting the goblins, he¡¯ll sneak into the city and eliminate the goblin king," continued Jack.


    "Goblin king? How do you know there¡¯s a goblin king?" questioned Brunar, trying to find fault wherever he could with the n. He wanted it to go smoothly, but he didn¡¯t like a lv. 1 calling the shots.


    "Because how else could the goblins have banded together so quickly? If you want to go and research it personally, be my guest. Either way, Captain will infiltrate the city and eliminate the goblin king as phase two." Jack didn¡¯t waste too much breath on Brunar, making sure to return to the topic quickly.


    Rydel nodded and gave his two cents. "Remember, I can¡¯t guarantee that I can kill him. He¡¯s probably around my level and if they have someone from the Royal Court supporting them, I may even have to flee."


    "Understood, no matter what happens we¡¯ll trust your judgment. Make sure to contact me the moment there¡¯s a change of ns," said Jack as Rydel nodded in response.


    "You said there were three phases," said Maynard. "Does that mean you¡¯re in charge of phase three?"


    "Correct." Jack smiled, admitting to it. "I¡¯ll be in charge of kicking them while they¡¯re down. We don¡¯t want them to regroup after losing their king, right?"


    Everyone nodded, not arguing with Jack¡¯s logic, but Brunar couldn¡¯t believe that Jack had a way to do this alone. "Why are you the one in charge of phase three? Actually, why are you the one making the ns? You¡¯re a lv. 1 newbie that can only hide behind his captain¡¯s protection, you¡¯ll just die on your own."


    No one disagreed with Brunar either, understanding and agreeing with his logic.


    Slivia started to worry even more for Jack. Maynard and Troni stared unhesitatingly at Jack, knowing that he would surely respond.


    Rydel didn¡¯t bother to listen to Brunar, despite his logic making sense to most people. Rydel also understood that Jack wasn¡¯t measurable by normal logic; not only was he a summoned hero, but he was once an ancient hero at the top of the powerful Leisure Guild. Until proven incapable, Rydel would believe in Jack and his ns fully.


    "You¡¯re not wrong, but you¡¯re not right either." Jack¡¯s response got everyone to tilt their heads in thought. "Don¡¯t worry about me. Besides, if I die from my foolishness, then wouldn¡¯t you be happy?"


    Brunar was silent, not admitting anything. Jack continued, "All you need to know is that Bowser and I will also infiltrate the city soon after the captain begins phase two. Just keep grinding away at the main forces until you get my signal, that¡¯s when you¡¯ll go all out and use your strongest skills to begin ughtering the remaining goblins. The goblins¡¯ morale will be on the decline after losing their king and from phase 3, so they will be easy targets by then."


    "Good, I approve." Maynard gave a thumbs up. "Then we¡¯ll leave phase three to you and that fox."


    Unlike his disciples, Maynard had chatted with Rydel after finding each other in the entrance of the mine.


    Rydel made sure to inform Maynard about Jack and Bowser, knowing that everyone would see the truth about Jack¡¯s mutual seal after his next-level analysis. Of course, Jack¡¯s information would be ssified to anyone below lv. 30 in the association due to the importance of Jack forming a mutual seal with a purebred ancient bloodline.


    The moment he formed that seal, Jack¡¯s importance to the association doubled. The world would go crazy if they knew the truth about Jack; a summoned hero who was once a legendary, ancient hero and now he had a mutual seal with a Hell-me Fox.


    "But Master, there¡¯s no way we can depend on¡ª"


    "I¡¯ve already given my approval; you can¡¯t change my mind. Focus on your role and let others focus on theirs, that¡¯s why we make different phased ns. If you worried about the entire n, you¡¯d never be able to aplish your task." Maynard always spoke bluntly, even more so after his top disciple had acted out so rashly against arguably the most valuable member of the entire Adventurers Association.


    Not daring to speak out again, Brunar shut his mouth and nodded. He epted his role and hoped deep down that his words woulde true, letting Jack embarrass himself in front of everyone.


    "Good, now let¡¯s eat!" yelled Jack, chomping down on a unihorn leg. Everyone followed suit, letting themselves enjoy the night before a dangerous mission.


    "Getting cold feet?" Jack whispered to Slivia, noticing her nerves and apprehension.


    "Well, I¡¯m just nervous like everyone else," replied Slivia.


    "Just let go, don¡¯t worry too much." Jack chuckled at how stiff Slivia had be. "Like this, you¡¯d be a burden on the mission and wouldn¡¯t have much hope of joining the association. Just focus on your role and nothing else, if you can do that much then you¡¯ll be immediately epted into the association."


    "Really?" Slivia perked up after thinking about it that way.


    "Of course. If anything, this was a godsent opportunity to bypass the screening and join the association directly. Consider this a test of your abilities, do well and you¡¯ll have two high leveled adventurers witness your qualifications to join." Jack tried his best to let her focus on the bright side.


    "I guess you¡¯re right." Slivia looked down instinctively, hesitant to meet Jack¡¯s gaze while filled with excitement to join the association.


    "What are you two bbering about, hurry and join us for a drink!" Maynard handed them two mugs filled with wine. "To aplete victory!"


    "To victory!" yelled everyone as they nked mugs and tried their best to chug their wine. Maynard and Rydel were the first to finish but Jack was only a second behind, putting a smile on Maynard¡¯s face.


    "After all this goes down, I¡¯d love to sit down and chat with ya, Jack." Maynard took the opportunity to get closer to this mysterious hero.


    "No problem, I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll be meeting all the high leveled adventurers after this mission anyway so why not get a head start?"ughed Jack.


    After everyone finished their meal the night came to an early end as Jack had mentioned, they all made sure to rest up before the long day toe.

 Chapter 37 Accepting an Inheritor

    <h4>Chapter 37 epting an Inheritor</h4>


    Before the sun gave everyone a wake-up call, Jack was already wide awake. Heading south to a nearby creek, Jack took his time pondering the mission ahead of him. He quietly stripped and entered the water, sitting down to more fully immerse himself in the gentle stream.


    d he could finally clean himself, he rxed and let the running water wash away his worries. In front of everyone, he had to maintain his focus and put on a brave front but in reality, he was terrified of what might happen. It was his first mission in this new world and his first mission to not let him respawn, the fact that he was low leveled only made things worse.


    Jack thought to himself, ¡¯I must be crazy for taking on phase three alone.¡¯ If he had his way, he wouldn¡¯t be alone during phase three. But since Zariff wasn¡¯t able to make it and only Maynard and his disciples were able to help, Jack had to adjust the n and ensure it could even make it as far as phase three.


    Trying to avoid getting depressed, Jack cheered himself up. ¡¯After this mission, I shouldn¡¯t be much lower than Brunar. Then, things will be much better, I can go back to regr grinding as we had nned.¡¯


    "Rx won¡¯t ya?"


    That casual voice startled Jack, causing him to blink rapidly in search of its origin. He soon discovered Maynard emerge from the water not even five meters away.


    Maynard continued, "Be honest with yourself; if you¡¯re afraid, then be afraid. If you¡¯re scared, then be scared. Bravery isn¡¯t measured by one¡¯s words, but by their actions in the face of fear. If there was no fear, there would be no bravery."


    "You¡¯re a lot wiser than I¡¯d have guessed," chuckled Jack, rxing after hearing Maynard¡¯s advice.


    "I¡¯m not the smartest or the most intuitive, but I¡¯m smart enough, to be honest with myself. If you can learn that much, you¡¯ll surpass Brunar easily. It¡¯s sad but I haven¡¯t paid close enough attention to himtely. Again, I apologize for letting him act out as he did." Maynard cupped his hands and bowed his head to Jack.


    Jack did the same and replied, "It¡¯s to be expected, who would want to be outshined by someone as low-leveled as me. Anyways, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got some questions for me, right?"


    "Indeed." Maynard smiled at Jack¡¯s frankness. "You¡¯re far too experienced to be a newbie, yet too inexperienced to be a veteran. Why¡¯s that?"


    "I¡¯m sure Rydel has already talked about the truth behind my mutual seal with Bowser, right?" asked Jack, getting a nod in response. "Then I¡¯ll put it simply. I was once an ancient hero from Trodar, at the time I helped lead the Leisure Guild. It¡¯s too strange for me to exin how, but I¡¯ve now been summoned to modern Kartonia with a fresh start and a new ss. Is that enough exnation?"


    "Yup, that¡¯s plenty," stated Maynard, smiling due to Jack¡¯s sincere honesty. "I¡¯ve met a couple summoned heroes before and even though they were far more powerful than myself, their gaze never made me feel that Icked experience like yours does. If what you say is true, it¡¯s no wonder that I feel so small in front of you despite your level. Your spirit is far more experienced than your body."


    "My spirit?" asked Jack.


    "That¡¯s right, spirit arts were even rare during ancient times. I practice a couple of spirit arts so that I can better face opponents stronger than myself. It focuses on the way of the samurai, but it would be an honor to share it with someone so reputable as yourself." Maynard retrieved a scroll from his storage, it wasn¡¯t too worn but it wasn¡¯t brand new. "Here, take it as a gift. Perhaps I can treat you as a brother?"


    "From a brother, it¡¯s impossible to not ept." Jack took it happily, easily epting the honest Maynard¡¯s offer and storing the scroll. "The captain¡¯s judge of character really is amazing."


    Maynardughed loudly, "You¡¯ve probably gotten an earful from him, right? If you¡¯re originally from Trodar, then I¡¯m sure he¡¯s hounded you about the past." He saw Jack chuckle and scratch his head, admitting to the truth without saying a word. Maynard continued, "In the future, I¡¯ll have more questions but for now I have only one, will you answer it?"


    "Of course."


    Standing up, Maynard started to exit the creek. "Is it true that in ancient times, there were hundreds of heroes above lv. 50?"


    Upon hearing the question, Jack burst intoughter without any control.


    Maynard was startled and waited patiently for Jack to answer.


    After a few seconds, Jack calmed himself and said, "You¡¯re wrong." The samurai frowned, disappointed to hear such a thing. However, Jack kept speaking, "There were thousands."


    "Thousands?" Maynard¡¯s heart stood still for a moment as he took in Jack¡¯s words.


    "There were even hundreds over lv. 80 to be honest. Only people at that level were able to stand at the peak of the continent," Jack continued speaking, not giving Maynard a chance to settle his mind and heart.


    "Above lv. 80?" Maynard had heard rumors of that the strongest heroes of ancient Kartonia were too strong to measure, but lv. 80 was too far for Maynard to imagine. "Wait, if you led the strongest ancient guild, doesn¡¯t that mean..."


    "Yup, I was lv. 85 in the past. I would¡¯ve gone further, but it was impossible." Jack admitted it, happy to see the absolute shock on Maynard¡¯s face.


    This was way more than what Maynard was hoping to learn. He only wanted to verify that it was possible for so many to reach that level, trying to inspire himself to continue. But hearing that so many reached not only lv. 50 but lv. 80, Maynard didn¡¯t know if he was inspired by the past adventurers¡¯ achievements or depressed by the modern adventurersck thereof.


    "Don¡¯t get down on yourself," said Jack, seeing depression settle on Maynard¡¯s face. "Heroes have an easier time leveling up and the chaos back then was far stronger since Skaryn wasn¡¯t sealed away. With stronger foes, it¡¯s only natural for the ancient heroes to get so strong."


    Maynard¡¯s lips twitched upwards in a small smile. "Thank you for broadening my horizons, I will seek your help in the future. Forgive me for asking a second question but please ept me as your student and follower."


    Before Jack could respond, Maynard fell to his knees and bowed before him.


    Jack asked, "What do you mean? You¡¯re lv. 33 and I¡¯m lv. 4, do you realize how ridiculous that would be?"


    "You know I don¡¯t care about what others think. I¡¯ve always acted how I wanted when I¡¯ve wanted. I want to be your student and I want it to be from this day forward despite your current level. You and I both know that you¡¯ll surpass me easily enough," persuaded Maynard, not giving up.


    Jack sighed, "And I¡¯m sure that you¡¯ve realized how I am, I care even less about what others think. I¡¯ll do anything if I feel it¡¯s the best option, no matter how crazy or unorthodox. I¡¯ve even run into battle stark naked."


    "If streaking into battle is all it takes to join you, then you shouldn¡¯t worry yourself," said Maynard, who had also done so, only not by his choice.


    "You won¡¯t give this up, will you?"


    A brilliant grin showed on Maynard¡¯s face. "If I can be a student to someone as reputable as you, then I don¡¯t care what I must do or who I must make enemies of. Being under you is the greatest guarantee to grow my strength, I¡¯m sure you know what I¡¯m talking about."


    Indeed, Jack understood what Maynard was talking about, but he was startled that Maynard was willing to go so far.


    What Maynard wanted wasn¡¯t to be a disciple or a follower, he wanted to form a pact with Jack. There weren¡¯t many people who knew about the ancient pacts and fewer who had learned one. Maynard didn¡¯t know any pacts, but he was certain that Jack knew a few and he had a basic understanding of what they did.


    A pact was simr to a beast seal; it was a seal that wasn¡¯t quite as beneficial, but it wasn¡¯t as restrictive either. Both of them would share a portion of their EXP gained in battle and some stronger pacts would even link people telepathically.


    To the current Jack, this wasn¡¯t too tempting, but to anyone who didn¡¯t have a mutual seal and the ancient adventurers, this was a very enticing offer.


    In the past, Jack had formed a pact with a single man, and they traveled together until Jack appeared in the modern world of Kartonia.


    "Let me exin this now, I¡¯m not able toe back to life like ancient heroes, so neither can you." Jack wasn¡¯t sure if there were rumors about that, but he guessed so.


    To a normal adventurer that would be the most enticing benefit; they could grind anywhere alongside their heropanion and wouldn¡¯t need to fear for their lives, giving theirplete focus to the battle.


    The only downside was that normal adventurers could only form a single pact, so if Jack decided to dissolve the pact at some point for any reason, Maynard wouldn¡¯t be able to form a second pact with anyone else.


    "Even so, I insist we form a pact. I¡¯m sure Rydel has already done so if he knows all of this," replied Maynard.


    "He knows I was once a peak existence on the continent, but he had never asked about my level," said Jack.


    "Knowing him, he¡¯s probably just waiting for a better time to ask. He¡¯s not as desperate as I am to grow stronger, not yet at least," guessed Maynard.


    After passing lv. 30 he had hit a wall, taking far too long to level up and feeling depressed for hisck of progress. His forming a pact to someone with Jack¡¯s potential was like giving a lion wings; giving him the chance to fly behind his current limits and explore new horizons.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll form one. You¡¯ll be the second person to receive my inheritor pact."

 Chapter 38 Another Inheritor?

    <h4>Chapter 38 Another Inheritor?</h4>


    "Fine, I¡¯ll form one. You¡¯ll be the second person to receive my inheritor pact."


    That sentence struck a chord in Maynard¡¯s heart, marking this as one of his happiest moments. Jack continued, "My inheritor pact is a little different, it¡¯s a pact that I created."


    "Seriously!?" Maynard was astounded by that fact.


    Jack chuckled, it wasn¡¯t too difficult for him to do in-game and he mainly did it for the achievement. "The inheritor pact is simr to a mutual seal, but not quite as powerful. After it¡¯s formed, we¡¯ll be linked telepathically and will share a portion of EXP earned from that point on."


    "That¡¯s excellent!" shouted Maynard, overjoyed that Jack knew such a powerful pact.


    "That¡¯s not all, there¡¯s onest thing. You¡¯ll receive 5% of my earned EXP but I¡¯ll receive 50% of yours. Is that too much to ask?"


    Maynard thought for a moment and said, "Why not? I¡¯ve finally gotten this lucky, why would I tun ya down now?"


    Jack gently smiled and said, "Good, I¡¯m d to hear that. In exchange for 50% of your EXP earned, you¡¯ll have ess to all of my skills as well and can even develop them as your own beyond that point. This is what makes it the ¡¯inheritor¡¯ pact."


    With wide eyes and a ck jaw, Maynard froze in excitement. Such a pact was unheard of. Yeah, it cost him EXP, but he wouldn¡¯t level up any slower than before and he would now gain ess to who knows how many new skills without even trying. For normal adventurers, learning skills typically meant searching for them in scrolls, magic items, and old dungeons. This benefit was amazing, Maynard would have been willing to pay 75% of EXP or more for it if he needed.


    "Let¡¯s hurry up and do this, who knows if the captain will sneak up on us and try to join in." Jack liked gaining more EXP, but he was hesitant to do this so early on. The only reason he epted Maynard was his honest character, the type that couldn¡¯t lie no matter how he tried; and Jack really was desperate for EXP. "Let¡¯s get out of this pool first."


    Jack also exited, they both dried off the best they could, and they put their clothes back on. Jack motioned for Maynard to kneel before him. "I¡¯ll draw the pact on your forehead in my blood. Once I¡¯m done, you¡¯ll prick your finger and press it to the center of the pact to activate it, okay?"


    "Perfect!"


    Jack quickly used his tiny knife to make a small slit in his index finger, letting him use it as a rough pen. He drew three circles intertwined in the center of Maynard¡¯s forehead, followed by a different ancient symbol within each circle. Drying his finger with his ck cloak, he said, "It¡¯s done. Now it¡¯s your turn."


    Without a second thought, Maynard bit his thumb and pressed it firmly into the center of his forehead, where he felt the three circles intertwining. The pact glowed bright red and slowly sunk into Maynard¡¯s head as he let out a few pained groans. Once it was over, a voice rang out in Maynard¡¯s mind. ¡¯Can you hear me?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes! It worked!¡¯


    ¡¯Good, this should makemunication during the mission much easier,¡¯ said Jack. ¡¯For now, don¡¯t worry about your new skills. Given the difficulty, it¡¯s best to not test your new skills during the mission. I¡¯ll fill you in on what skills you have afterward, okay?"


    ¡¯Works for me!¡¯ Maynardughed. No matter what happened in the mine, nothing would be able to worsen his mood. He was even more excited about the mission, wanting to hurry and clear it so he could learn new skills.


    ¡¯Good, now let¡¯s hurry back before anyone starts looking for us.¡¯ Jack took initiative to leave and was quickly followed back to camp. Everyone else was either waking up or trying to resist mother nature¡¯s sunny wake-up call.


    "Did you enjoy your morning bath? Did it help to have Maynard scrub your back?" joked Rydel.


    Jack was going to answer but Maynard¡¯s roaringughter eclipsed everything, waking those still sleeping. "I already beat ya to it, Rydel! I¡¯m just surprised you haven¡¯t made a pact yet and let me act first."


    "Pact?" Rydel asked seriously. "You formed a pact?"


    A little dispirited by Maynard¡¯s rambunctiousness, Jack sighed, "Yes, we did. It looks like he¡¯ll be partying with me for a while."


    "Well, if you¡¯ll make a pact with that old devil, then surely you¡¯ll ept your captain, right?" This was the first time Rydel had ever addressed himself as the party captain, trying to weasel his way into the same benefits that Maynard now enjoyed.


    "It¡¯s not like I won¡¯t, it¡¯s just¡ª"


    "Great, let¡¯s hurry and get it over with while everyone else is getting up," said Rydel, dashing out of sight.


    Maynardughed and Jack sighed as they both followed behind thenky hunter. Jack was hesitant to ept a second inheritor so quickly, but there weren¡¯t any real issues in doing so. They quickly exined and formed another inheritor pact.


    Afterward, Jack spoke mentally, ¡¯I haven¡¯t mentioned any skills to Maynard because we differ in ss and trying new skills might be awkward during the mission, but it¡¯s different for you. You two should know that my skills work differently than most. With my subss, I can unlock any regr action as a passive skill and level them up as I grow. This is how I was able to damage the city gate as a lv. 1 because my bow skill was lv. 2. Typically, the skill share ability will give you half the skill I have, so anything I have at lv. 2 will be avable to you as a lv. 1 skill. Currently, my only skills at lv. 2 are bow, evasion, and stealth.¡¯


    Both Rydel and Maynard were blown away by all the passive abilities they received without doing anything. Yeah, they would sacrifice 50% of their EXP, but their new abilities could be seen as priceless and would let them be far more effective during any mission.


    ¡¯You weren¡¯t kidding when you said you were different, kid. So many abilities and you¡¯re only lv. 4, anyone would pay a fortune to just a couple of these skills you¡¯ve gained,¡¯ said Rydel telepathically, following Jack¡¯s lead to keep anyone else from hearing their secrets.


    ¡¯That¡¯s because my skills don¡¯t level up with EXP, I have to unlock them through sets of achievements. Think of achievements as personal ¡¯mini-missions¡¯ that my subss generates and finds in the world around me.¡¯ Jack did his best to exin how it was for those who had no experience gaming.


    ¡¯That¡¯s how ya knew about chief, huh? Makes sense,¡¯ said Maynard. ¡¯Just curious, is there a way you could get your sword skill to lv. 2?¡¯


    ¡¯I think I can get it to lv. 2 by the time we reach the goblin city, but I don¡¯t have a sword.¡¯ Jackined about not having a sword even though he didn¡¯t need one to level it up. He guessed that Maynard would have plenty to spare and would willingly give up a sword so low leveled if asked.


    ¡¯If that¡¯s what you need, take this.¡¯ Maynard retrieved a lv. 20 katana with a fiery red handle. ¡¯It¡¯s too weak for me anyway.¡¯


    Jack was baffled at Maynard¡¯s generosity. He replied, ¡¯I¡¯ll take this, but what about my other levels? I¡¯m lv. 4 and you can only use weapons at your same level.¡¯


    ¡¯Easy.¡¯ Maynard didn¡¯t bat an eye as three more swords appeared in his hands. ¡¯These are lv. 5, lv. 10, and lv. 15. With these, you¡¯ll be able to train well in the way of the sword and make me stronger by default.¡¯


    With some humility, Jack took all four swords and stored them away, d to have Maynard¡¯s help.


    Not wanting to be outdone, Rydel activated his storage and took out four different bows. ¡¯Here, these will help you too. That way you won¡¯t give up the bow to focus on the sword.¡¯


    Giddy and wide-eyed, Jack received the bows graciously and bowed to them both. ¡¯Thank you. With these, I¡¯ll be able to level up both skills for sure.¡¯


    ¡¯Also, if ya ever need our help to fulfill any of those ¡¯mini-missions,¡¯ just say the word.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re already helping me with my most important one. I n to raze that goblin city for that reason,¡¯ exined Jack.


    ¡¯Well, with better stealth and strength I might be able to assassinate that goblin king after all.¡¯


    ¡¯If anything happens inside, immediately inform the others. With me as the intermediate, all three of us canmunicate telepathically within five hundred kilometers so don¡¯t worry yourselves too much,¡¯ said Jack.


    The surprises never ended with Jack as Rydel and Maynard kept feeling their hearts shaking from endless excitement. After years of struggle and hardship, why wouldn¡¯t they be overwhelmed with joy from gaining so many immediate, passive abilities without any significant bacsh?


    ¡¯Let¡¯s hurry back, isn¡¯t it time we all formed a party and entered the mine?¡¯ Instinctively, Jack led the two others back to camp like he was the true leader of the party despite his level.


    Brunar rushed out of bed when he saw them all leave. He tried to follow and listen to their conversation but by the time he was close enough to hear their whispers, they stopped talking entirely, just looking back and forth at each other and making faces. Seeing Jack so close to his master fueled Brunar¡¯s contempt for Jack.


    "What¡¯s going on?" Silvia yawned as she exited the tent Rydel had lent her. She was surprised to see Jack, Rydel, and Maynard so close and chatting like old friends.


    "Is everyone ready for the mine?" yelled Rydel, catching everyone¡¯s immediate attention. "Hurry up and take down camp. You can eat rations as we enter, we don¡¯t have enough time to waste."


    Jack neared Bowser who shook his head. ¡¯Morning Jack. How you?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m doing well, but boy do I have a lot to tell you.¡¯ Jack began to exin his weird morning as heid Bowser on his shoulder and fed him some jerky rations.


    "Don¡¯t hold us back, newbie." Brunar¡¯s voice interrupted Jack and Bowser¡¯s conversation, putting a weird expression on Jack¡¯s face.


    "Yeah, yeah. Just do your job and everything will work out fine," said Jack, quickly ending the exchange and turning back to Bowser.

 Chapter 39 Entering the Mine

    <h4>Chapter 39 Entering the Mine</h4>


    Brunar didn¡¯t like how Jack kept deflecting his taunts as if they were useless. They were, but Brunar just thought Jack was too afraid to do or say anything.


    Jack sat down by a tree as everyone else took down their tents and put out the fire. He opened his notifications and went to the achievement screen, happy to see thetest addition.


    [Form a pact with a follower:pleted]


    [Form a pact with a follower. Reward: varies based on who the follower is, and the pact used. Would you like to im the reward?]


    Jack imed it before he had finished reading it, anxious to see what he got.


    [Form a pact with a follower:pleted]


    [Formed an inheritor pact with Maynard the Ronin. Special reward: 35 skill points]


    d to get some free skill points, Jack spent them immediately. First, he advanced his sword skill from lv. 0 to lv. 2 for fifteen skill points. Next, he spent ten skill points to push health regeneration to lv. 2. This way, both Rydel and Maynard would have their health regeneration, bow, and sword skills at lv. 1. Plus, Jack would need a close-range weapon while in the streets of the goblin city since just in case and a sword would work perfectly.


    Before he closed his skill tree, Jack spent thest ten skill points to increase his hearing and intimidation skills to lv. 1. With him being so low leveled, those skills would help him better avoid danger and keep any low leveled enemies from immediately attacking. Jack hoped that they woulde in handy, especially if his increased hearing could help him discover more achievements.


    ¡¯Why Jack happy?¡¯ asked Bowser.


    ¡¯I just unlocked more skills, of course, I¡¯m happy,¡¯ughed Jack. ¡¯Not sure if it¡¯s enough for phase three, but we won¡¯t know until then.¡¯


    ¡¯Why phase three special?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll exin itter buddy. Till we reach the goblin city, don¡¯t worry about it,¡¯ answered Jack, handing Bowser more jerky rations.


    ¡¯Okay,¡¯ said Bowser, happily epting his dried breakfast.


    Jack thought for a moment, trying to anticipate what kind of small achievements might appear within the cave. If any of the missing adventurers were still alive, they were most likely being held captive somewhere in the goblin city, unknowingly waiting for phase three of Jack¡¯s n. Determined to find something, Jack made his mind to explore a few abandoned goblin settlements and possibly an outpost if needed.


    Suddenly, Maynard interrupted Jack. ¡¯Hey, did ya already advance?¡¯ Looking across the camp, Jack saw Maynard with a bright smile as he wielded one of his katana. Not many would notice the difference in Maynard¡¯s energy as he wielded the sword, but Jack easily recognized it as the passive activation of the sword skill.


    Activating a passive skill would unlock a new level of focus and natural reflex towards the respective skill, almost like it were more instinctive. Jack smiled when he noticed Rydel equipping his bow and doing the same as Maynard. Neither of them attacked or did anything more than wield their weapons, but that was all they needed to feel their new level of strength.


    ¡¯Yeah, I got lucky and was able to upgrade it now.¡¯ Jack smiled when he saw the joy of adventuring reignite in their once bored gazes.


    ¡¯If you need anything else to advance them again, we can help kid,¡¯ said Rydel with a childish joy in his voice.


    ¡¯Yeah, no kidding! Just say the word!¡¯ Maynard added his two cents, fully supporting Rydel¡¯s statement.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sure there will be a few things that could help, like exploring abandoned goblin settlements,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Also, you should know that I also upgraded my health regeneration skill, so you have that now too.¡¯


    Without a word, Maynard sliced at his finger, showing extreme precision in only breaking the skin like a paper cut. He was amazed to see the cut slowly repair itself at a speed barely visible to the naked eye. ¡¯You¡¯re pretty amazing, ya know that!¡¯


    Rydel heard Maynard¡¯sment and felt a rush of enthusiasm wash over him. He had just be stronger with multiple skills and the best way to test them was to find a fight as soon as possible.


    ¡¯Be careful though, the regeneration you have is only lv. 1 and isn¡¯t invincible. It¡¯s only to help with minor injuries and help maintain your stamina. I¡¯m hoping Rydel won¡¯t even need it this time around,¡¯ mentioned Jack.


    The two nodded, understanding that they can¡¯t be reckless. They let their heartbeats settle down and nodded to each other.


    Maynard yelled, "Hurry up! We can¡¯t wait for ya any longer. If ya don¡¯t want to be left behind, store your tents and get over here."


    Brunar was the first to take down his tent, followed by Troni. Slivia was slower and was eventually helped by Troni without invitation, causing her to silently blush. Jack was busy chatting with his new followers to notice, otherwise, he may have felt some jealousy begin to well up in his chest.


    "Good, now let¡¯s go. Leave the horses here, that¡¯s all we can do." Rydel took charge and led the way.


    "But what if someone ims them while we¡¯re away? Surely, we can take them with us, they¡¯ll speed up the journey significantly." Brunar argued, not wanting to leave behind the purebred horse he had recently purchased after breaking through lv. 20.


    "Leave it, they¡¯ll only get in the way in the caves." Rydel didn¡¯t look back but his stern answer showed his unwavering opinion.


    "Master, surely we can¡ª"


    "Ya heard him. Leave it Brunar, otherwise, they¡¯ll be easy for goblins to track and target," interjected Maynard emotionlessly.


    "That¡¯s what happens when you spend so much on a mount without having proper storage." Jack¡¯sment was only a whisper, just barely reaching Brunar¡¯s ear.


    "Don¡¯t talk to me like that, you¡ª"


    "Our party captain said to leave it!" Maynard turned and gave Brunar the death stare, forcing his cooperation and silence.


    Despising the obvious protection that his master gave Jack, Brunar silently stewed in his emotions as he tied down his horse again and followed the party toward the cave.


    Everyone moved forward behind the two pirs of the party, Rydel, and Maynard. Maynard offered the greatest physical strength and the power to face anything head-on, opposite to Rydel who specialized in quick wits, secrecy, and assassinating threats without detection. What felt a little unusual was how close behind the two Jack stood, giving off a sense of closeness to both Rydel and Maynard.


    Once they reached the cave¡¯s entrance, Rydel faced the party. "Alright, from this point onwards we¡¯ll form a single party with me as party captain. Are there any objections?"


    With only silence following, Jack saw his status bar change and add everyone¡¯s¡¯ status. Happy to know how to form official parties, Jack took a mental note.


    "Good. From here on, I will lead the way while Maynard will watch our rear. This way we can¡¯t be surprised and easily ambushed." Everyone quickly nodded and followed Rydel into the caverns with little hesitation.


    The inside walls of the mine were dirt brown, like the usual mine, only having faint streaks of blue passing through the rock walls. These lines were once azure deposits that had been mined long ago and had run dry. With every few hundred meters they traveled, the blue lines would grow thicker, soon showing some remaining azure.


    "Jackpot!" Brunar got excited when the walls were now ripe with faint blue azure crystals.


    "Calm down, this is the lowest quality azure and can¡¯t bepared to mid-tier or high-tier azure that we¡¯ll find deeper in," said Rydel, calming the situation temporarily but nting a seed of excitement forter.


    The party moved forward without any obstructions, confirming that not a single goblin remained on the first floor. Because Rydel was extremely familiar with the mine, he decided to take his time and explore the entire first floor. Someined and argued that it was a waste of time, but Maynard supported Rydel¡¯s decision, so no one questioned it further. Little did the others know that Jack had asked Rydel and Maynard to do so in hopes of learning more and finding as many clues as possible for achievements.


    In the far reaches of the first floor, they found some low leveled rat monsters, offering the party their first pieces of EXP. It wasn¡¯t much for most of the party, but it was enough for Jack to almost reach lv. 5. Not only did he and Bowser share EXP, but he also received a portion from Rydel and Maynard with every monster.


    The biggest factor, however, was the weathered jade that Jack activated under his cloak as they entered the dungeon. Weathered jades were pretty much useless for anyone above lv. 20 and too expensive for most under lv. 10, but for anyone as low-leveled as Jack who could get one, the benefits were practically cheating. For every piece of experience gained within three days, Jack would receive an additional ten EXP. So, every time Jack gained EXP from himself, Maynard, or Rydel it would activate, meaning that a single monster would give him three bursts of EXP.


    What Jack had forgotten was hispanion mirroring skill. Yes, he and Bowser shared EXP, letting them both level up twice as fastpared to others, but thepanion mirroring skill allowed Bowser to gain five EXP extra with every monster.


    When Jack saw his insane leveling potential, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He knew that every level was twice as hard as the previous and the beginning levels were the easiest to advance through, but he couldn¡¯t help but imagine the incredible amount of EXP he would get from razing the goblin city.

 Chapter 40 Abandoned Goblin Settlements

    <h4>Chapter 40 Abandoned Goblin Settlements</h4>


    Jack did his best to contain his excitement and not draw attention. He smiled briefly and moved forward with the party. Under Rydel¡¯s guidance, they went deeper into the dark caverns. Troni, Slivia, and Jack all held up torches, bathing the cave wall in warm light.


    Rydel was especially sharp, making full use of his eagle eye ability. "We¡¯re nearing the first goblin settlement. Be careful, just in case some goblins were left behind."


    Everyone followed closely, peeking around every corner they passed. Just like Rydel had said, it didn¡¯t take long for them to see the settlement in the distance.


    It was abandoned. There was a short, spiked fence surrounding the settlement, yet parts had been trampled and destroyed. The goblins homes were made of hardened mud and had dark red highlights across the surface; Jack knew from the lore that cave goblins made their concrete-like mud from a mixture of monster blood and ground stone from the cave walls.


    "Search for anything unusual and bring what you find here, be it items, weapons, remains, or anything," Rydelmanded, getting everyone to split up and search the small settlement, norger than one hundred meters in diameter.


    Everyonebed through the short, square-shaped huts and found ashes covering the floors as if everything inside had been burned and destroyed. In the entire settlement, they only found burnt knife des and small bones amidst the ashes.


    Jack sighed, disappointed in their findings. The goblins were more careful than they had anticipated, eliminating everything that might have helped prospective invaders and leaving nothing behind.


    ¡¯Cheer up, we¡¯ll find something for ya soon enough.¡¯ Maynard tried to raise Jack¡¯s spirits.


    Rydel quietly nodded. ¡¯There are three more settlements on this level, let¡¯s hurry up and investigate them.¡¯


    When Rydel ordered the party towards the next settlement, Brunarined about them wasting too much time and effort. Even Slivia was against the thought, wanting to find her old party as soon as possible. Jack and Troni both spoke up and defended Rydel¡¯s orders, swaying Slivia and forcing Brunar to participate in the settlement searches.


    It took the entire day to explore the first level and rummage through the remains of each settlement. Like the first, the fence was trampled and everything inside the mud huts was burned to ash. Also, like the first, there was nothing of value in any of the settlements.


    "We¡¯ll camp in this settlement for the night. Clear out a hut and feel free to have a fire for the night, cause once we enter the second level, we won¡¯t even light a torch." Rydel¡¯s emotionless statement let the party rx until they heard the final piece of information.


    "What do you mean?" asked Brunar.


    "Exactly that, there will be no fires on the second or third levels," repeated Rydel, looking down on Brunar for talking back.


    Maynard exined, "Cave goblins are very strange creatures, they¡¯re about half our size yet are equal to us in strength. They¡¯re eyesight in impable, sensing heat and not light. On the first floor, it doesn¡¯t matter too much because the first level doesn¡¯t have any real threats. But every level deeper contains stronger and more threatening monsters, many of which sense heat light the cave goblins."


    Brunar was silent as he started to piece everything together. "But if we¡¯re way stronger than them, we shouldn¡¯t have to¡ª"


    "You must¡¯ve leveled up from basic rescue and escort quests. You can¡¯t even understand this much?" Jack chimed in, putting a frown of Brunar¡¯s face. "Not every monster is going to walk up to us and wait for us to kill it. Many are secretive, sometimes waiting to poison you while you sleep. Maynard and Rydel have sharp enough senses to avoid this, but what about the rest of us? We¡¯d be on death¡¯s door by the time either of them killed the monster responsible. And that¡¯s just one possibility."


    Not knowing how to respond, Brunar coughed, "Then what do you suggest we use to light the way?"


    A small gem was thrown to each member of the party and Maynard answered, "That¡¯s a kari crystal, it¡¯ll light up when you equip it to ya. They can be worn as nes, bracelets, anything."


    Jack was speechless; kari crystals were only found in lv. 30 mines and were very expensive. Maynard having so many showed Jack two things. First, Maynard had spent a lot of time grinding after reaching level thirty and wasn¡¯t like the average adventurer that slows down after lv. 30. Second, it showed that Maynard wasn¡¯t an avid trader or interested in money like Rydel; otherwise, he would have sold the surplus and made a killing. Smiling, Jack was pleased to better understand his new follower¡¯s personality.


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, then I¡¯m off to bed. Night everyone," said Jack, ducking his head to enter the nearest mud hut.


    Not bothering with the rest, Rydel did the same. Slivia shrugged and examined the kari crystal, sifting through many ideas of simple essories she could craft from it. Troni nodded, following the party captain¡¯s lead and secluding himself for the night.


    Brunar hesitated before he called out to his master, stopping Maynard from escaping a conversation. "Master, please let me speak with you about some things."


    "Very well, just make it fast," said Maynard, suppressing a yawn.


    "Has something happened between you and that new hero?" Brunar tried his best to speak respectfully about Jack in front of Maynard, knowing that his master might discipline him if he didn¡¯t.


    Maynard¡¯s face twitched, not expecting such a question. He pondered for a moment before answering, "Brunar, it¡¯s about time for you to begin journeying on your own. There¡¯s not much else I can teach you and you¡¯ll catch up to me soon enough, so I see no other reason for you to keep following me."


    Baffled by Maynard¡¯s statement Brunar asked, "What does that have to do with this?"


    "I¡¯ll be honest with ya. After this mission, I¡¯ll start journeying with Jack. I¡¯m not sure how long this willst, but I¡¯m certain it will be for a significant period," stated Maynard.


    "Huh!?" Brunar shouted in response, catching Slivia¡¯s attention because she had yet to hide away in a hut.


    "Like I said, I¡¯ll be journeying with him for a while." Maynard shrugged casually, not wanting to exin anything further.


    "But, but..." Brunar had no way of understanding how great the benefits of following Jack were and no one was willing to tell him due to his distrust in Jack. The young samurai quietly muttered something while containing his rage, "What did he offer you? He must have some treasure you¡¯re after... If so, then why not just take it from him? He¡¯s too low leveled to stop you."


    Maynard frowned deeply. Not only was he mad that his disciple wouldn¡¯t respect Jack, but his proposal of extortion was also ugly in Maynard¡¯s eyes. "Brunar..."


    Setting his spite aside, Brunar started to clear his head when a hand struck his face. It wasn¡¯t strong enough to fling him through the air, but it left a pure red handprint on Brunar¡¯s right cheek and made sure that Slivia could hear it. Maynard continued, "A samurai must never act such a way, at least no samurai I call my disciple."


    Hearing Maynard¡¯s words felt like being struck by lightning to Brunar. When his master had be more lenient with him after reaching lv. 20, Brunar had begun to have more freedom to act alone. While in this position and having some minor fame within the association, he had found many ways of extorting others, some instances being minor and others being major offenses to his master¡¯s humble teachings. This was the first time he had let any information about that slip in front of his master.


    "Master, I apologize for such unrighteous thoughts. Please, forgive my unruliness," begged Brunar while kowtowing. He understood how straightforward his master was and his quickness in delivering judgment. Trying to retain his position as the number one disciple, he fell back into the act of ying nice.


    Squinting heavily, Maynard¡¯s expression was a little ugly. "Watch your words and actions. You know better than others, so act better than others."


    "Yessir!"


    "I¡¯ve already told you my answer, now get some sleep." Maynard didn¡¯t look back to his bowing disciple as he entered a hut. No matter how he tried, he couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Brunar had been ying him the whole time. However, he quickly destroyed that thought, sure of that he was wrong based on all the time and experiences the two had shared as master and disciple.


    Jack was in his hut with a small fire to the side near a wall. He had pushed most of the ash outside, leaving him a small space just big enough toy down. Above the me was some unihorn rib meat on a tall skewer, which was leaning against the wall for leverage. Bowser was gnawing on the small bones from the monster remains in the ashes, enjoying the new taste he discovered.


    Sighing, Jack stared at his achievement screen and its most recent update.


    [Find the tomb: in progress]


    [Find the tomb of G0blin_Sl4yer within the second level of the azure mine. Reward: 18 skill points, ess to his saved data.]

 Chapter 41 A Hidden Tomb?

    <h4>Chapter 41 A Hidden Tomb?</h4>


    [Find the tomb: in progress]


    [Find the tomb of G0blin_Sl4yer within the second level of the azure mine. Reward: 18 skill points, ess to his saved data.]


    Jack was taken aback as he twirled a certain dagger in his hands which Bowser had found. It was lv. 15 and was far more ornate than the typical low leveled dagger. If it were to be assessed by a weaponsmith, it would fall under the rare category due to its material and ability.


    It was crafted using goblin bone and a rare goblin core, an item that only appears once for every thousand goblins and it gave the weapon an additional 15% crit chance against goblins.


    In "A Hero¡¯s Tale" this would barely qualify as a rare weapon and wasn¡¯t too difficult to get. There were five levels of weapons:mon, umon, rare, legendary, and mythic. From his conversations with Zarris, Jack learned that there are now only four levels of items: low-tier, mid-tier, high-tier, and peak-tier. Though the levels only received new names, mythic level items had be nonexistent and entirely removed from the grading system over time.


    Undecided what to do with it, Jack stored the knife and sighed to himself. Thinking it over, Jack imagined that the second floor would berger than the first like most mines in-game. If that were true, finding the hidden tomb would be difficult to do within his remaining two days with the weathered jade active.


    But if he could find this cave, it might be worth more than the experience he gained from the weathered jade. Jack had yet to find an ancient hero¡¯s tomb and he had no clue what he could gain from entering one. What he wanted was the saved data because it waspletely unknown and impossible to guess why it was so valuable until he had earned it.


    ¡¯What wrong?¡¯ asked Bowser.


    ¡¯Thanks to this, I know that there¡¯s a hidden tomb on the second level, but I have no way to find it without dying the n.¡¯ Jack wracked his brain for a solution.


    ¡¯Why no find tomb first?¡¯ asked Bowser, ignorant as ever.


    Jack didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry at Bowser. ¡¯Why would it be so easy? The next level will be almost twice as big as this ce, finding the way to the third level will be easy but not finding a hidden tomb. If it were so easy to find, why hasn¡¯t anyone else found it?¡¯


    Bowser scratched behind his ears and answered, ¡¯Why so hard? Just follow scent.¡¯


    Suddenly Jack¡¯s eyes shot wide open as he stared at the confused Bowser. ¡¯Bowser, you mean you can still track this thing¡¯s scent?¡¯


    Nodding his head and walking closer to take a whiff, Bowser replied, ¡¯Yeah, that problem?¡¯


    Laughter rang out across the abandoned huts, surprising the entire party. While Slivia, Troni, and Brunar peeked out of their huts, Rydel and Maynard heard a voice in their heads. ¡¯There¡¯s been a change of ns. Instead of hurrying to the third floor and scoping out the third level the night before, we need to find something on the second level.¡¯


    ¡¯What are you talking about, kid?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    ¡¯Meet me outside the trampled fence,¡¯ said Jack as he exited his hut. Curious what was so important, Rydel and Maynard did the same.


    ¡¯So, did ya find something after all?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯Yup,¡¯ said Jack, pulling out the dagger. ¡¯This is a weapon crafted by an ancient hero and that hero¡¯s tomb is on the second level.¡¯


    Struggling to believe Jack, the two adventurers blinked and examined the dagger carefully. Rydel stated, ¡¯This is a high-tier weapon, but how do you know it belonged to an ancient hero? Let me guess, it was an achievement?¡¯


    When Jack smiled, Maynard did the same and said, ¡¯Very well, tomorrow we find this hidden tomb. Any idea where it is?¡¯


    ¡¯Nope.¡¯ Shaking his head with a fat smile, Rydel and Maynard were perplexed. Jack continued, ¡¯I don¡¯t have a clue, but Bowser does. He¡¯s the one who found the dagger in the first ce. I guess he must¡¯ve sniffed it out.¡¯


    ¡¯I guess ancient beasts really can sniff out treasure,¡¯ joked Rydel.


    ¡¯Maybe, all I know is that tomorrow we follow Bowser¡¯s orders. I¡¯ll ry them to the both of you, so make sure to follow and keep suspicion down. If the other¡¯s found out about there being a hidden tomb, who knows what they might do,¡¯ argued Jack.


    Maynard¡¯s face twitched. Naturally, he wanted to fill in his disciples, but he understood that Brunar wasn¡¯t on good terms with Jack. In the back of his head, he still had that feeling of distrust towards Brunar, despite suppressing and ignoring that feeling.


    Rydel spoke up, ¡¯Why can¡¯t we tell them? They¡¯re Maynard¡¯s disciples and I think they have a right to know about it, at least if Maynard thinks so.¡¯


    Turning to Maynard, Jack shrugged his shoulders. He didn¡¯t like Brunar, but he was Maynard¡¯s top disciple and had worked hard to prove himself. If Maynard felt that they could trust them, Jack understood that Maynard¡¯s opinion was most likely more correct.


    Hesitant to decide, Maynard finally took a deep breath and said, ¡¯I think we can trust them. What about that girl?¡¯


    ¡¯I think she¡¯s fine. She understands that she¡¯s the least influential person here and is too timid to act out on her own,¡¯ exined Rydel. ¡¯In that case, call everyone over and exin it to them.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll leave that up to Maynard since they are his disciples,¡¯ said Jack.


    Not wanting to be reminded, Maynard yelled out, "Hey, everyonee here!"


    The two young samurai scratched their heads as they neared the fence while Slivia trotted over with a big smile on her face. Unsure about her burst of energy, Jack asked, "What¡¯s gotten into you?"


    "Nothing just finished prepping for tomorrow." She spoke with her hands, revealing a newly fashioned wristband with a crystal at its center.


    Jack blinked a few times, ncing over the new essory without any change of emotion, seeing it asmon or normal. He said nothing and only chuckled at her happy-go-lucky attitude.


    "Nice wristband." Troni¡¯s quietpliment crept into their conversation.


    Slivia was surprised to hear theplimente from someone else, but she giggled all the same. "Thanks, I just made it."


    "Now that everyone¡¯s here, let me talk to ya." Maynard began to speak, demanding everyone¡¯s attention. "There¡¯s been a change in ns. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll focus on searching for something hidden on the second level." Still, Maynard was apprehensive to admit the news to everyone, in particr, his top disciple.


    "What¡¯s that? It had better be good," stated Brunar, wanting an exnation.


    Maynard cleared his throat with a cough before he resumed. "Thanks to Jack and his beastpanion, we¡¯ve discovered that an ancient hero¡¯s tomb is hidden somewhere on the second level."


    "Seriously!?" Brunar yelled out of reflex. Troni was speechless and Slivia covered her mouth in shock. Determined to learn more, Brunar asked, "How¡¯d you discover that? And what¡¯s in the tomb?"


    "As far as discovering the tomb¡¯s existence, I have my ways as a summoned hero," answered Jack. "I¡¯m not certain what¡¯s inside, but it¡¯s bound to be good if it¡¯s an ancient tomb."


    Drifting into daydreams, Brunar was excited to get his hands on something from the ancient tomb. He plotted with himself, wanting to make sure he left with the best item so Jack would never be able to pass him. Assuming that the ancient hero¡¯s level was extremely high, everyone grew excited fast. Only Jack had some understanding that this G0blin_Sl4yer was most likely under lv. 20. If not, why would they perish in low leveled mine?


    "Then it¡¯s agreed, tomorrow we follow Jack in search of the tomb. Any objections?" Without a single objection, Rydel continued. "Good, now go get some sleep while us three discuss things a little longer."


    Reluctant to be outshined again, Brunar tried to say something before Maynard and Rydel turned their backs to him, facing Jack directly. Taking the hint, Brunar sucked it up and dashed back into his hut.


    ¡¯Are you sure about him?¡¯ Jack¡¯s question was directed to Maynard with Rydel awaiting a reply.


    ¡¯This is fine, there won¡¯t be any issues,¡¯ answered Maynard. ¡¯Anyways, we¡¯ve got a long way to go tomorrow, we¡¯ll have to book it double time. We¡¯ll need all the time we can get tomorrow, it¡¯s not like after we find this thing all we have to do is knock.¡¯


    Jackughed, ¡¯Of course it won¡¯t be that easy. To be honest, I have no clue how we can enter it.¡¯


    Rydel sighed, "Well, that¡¯s a problem we¡¯ll have to face when we get that far. For now, get some sleep, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯You got it, captain.¡¯ Jack yfully saluted and walked back to the sleeping Bowser in his temporary lodging.


    Rydel nced at Maynard as he made his way to his hut. "I hope you don¡¯t regret this. By the look on your face, you might."


    Not staying any longer, Maynard ran into his hut and they all drifted to sleep as time passed by.

 Chapter 42 Threat in the Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 42 Threat in the Darkness</h4>


    While in the mine it was nearly impossible for them to discern the time of day, but their bodies were all ustomed to waking up early as adventurers. As if an internal rm clock had gone off, they got up one-by-one within an hour of each other.


    "Everyone ready?" asked Rydel. "I hope you¡¯ve all found a way to equip your kari crystal."


    Slivia showed off her wristband with re, making sure everyone took a good look. The two young samurai also wore wristbands, only much simpler and less attention-grabbing. Jack was the most rxed of them all, he had attached it to a loop and strung it around a cheap chain.


    Chuckling, Maynard stroked the hilt of his sword, letting everyone notice the kari crystal embedded at the base. "Good, you¡¯re ready to head out. Remember, stay in between Rydel and me if ya want to avoid any danger."


    "Right. I¡¯ll take us to the next floor, but after that, it¡¯s up to the little guy," stated Rydel.


    "Actually, can we take a different entrance to the next floor?" asked Jack. "Bowser says it¡¯s to the west of here."


    "Hmm... We can make that work. That¡¯s not a bad idea, it¡¯s safer and faster to travel up here while we can. Everyone, let¡¯s head out!"


    The party left the abandoned settlement, retracing their steps back towards another settlement. They traveled easily and had nothing there to obstruct them. It was nice, but Jack couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that there was going to be a drastic change after entering the second level.


    ¡¯Hey, be extra sharp after entering the next level,¡¯ Jack warned Rydel and Maynard. ¡¯If all the goblins relocated to the third and most dangerous level, what happened to all the monsters that used to live there?¡¯


    This question caused Rydel to hesitate. Maynard, on the other hand, took it in stride saying, ¡¯Bring it on! Don¡¯t worry yourself, I¡¯ll protect ya if needed.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, I just wanted to warn you. Nothing¡¯s guaranteed, but it¡¯s very possible to find extra trouble starting on the second level.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks kid, but don¡¯t worry too much. You¡¯re with us, so nothing will happen.¡¯ Rydel finally spoke, trying to lighten the mood like Maynard.


    Soon enough they passed the other settlement and the entrance to the second level came into sight. It was like a nted pit, easy to fall into yet difficult to climb out of. They all stood around the edge, staring down at the ck tunnel.


    "Activate your crystals now; it¡¯ll save you some trouble when you drop down." Rydel didn¡¯t say anything else before hopping into the pit and activating the kari crystal on his wrist.


    "Hurry up, I can¡¯t go till ya go first," said Maynard, pushing Brunar into the pit. Troni took initiative to jump in before giving his master the chance to push him too.


    Jack mentally prepared to jump but his hand was grabbed and pulled to the side. He looked up to see Slivia holding his hand tightly.


    "Umm... Can we maybe... jump together?" Slivia fumbled her question.


    Peering into the darkness, Jack realized something. "You¡¯re afraid of heights, aren¡¯t you?" She blinked and scrunched her mouth together as she quietly admitted to it. Jack sighed, "Well, I don¡¯t see why not. Hold on tight, okay?"


    Slivia didn¡¯t have a chance to respond before Jack grabbed her arm and jumped down with her in front. Lucky for Jack, this natural chute was just like the ones in-game. Getting down was as easy as riding a slide, so long as Jack could see the ground and avoid the rough patches. It was a little bumpy, but Slivia felt much better riding toboggan style with Jack than she had the first time she did with her previous party.


    After a few minutes, the passage began to narrow and the decline gradually lessened. They quickly reached the bottom and Jack helped Slivia up to her feet. She blushed and said, "Thanks, Jack."


    "No problem, if you need help on the next one, let me know." Jack¡¯s smile hid his pounding heart. In all his life, that was the closest he had ever been to someone of the opposite sex, excluding his mother. Keeping the conversation short and sweet, he brushed off the dirt from his cloak.


    With a slight smile, Slivia wiped the dirt from her cloak and walked out towards Rydel ahead. Jack was about to join her when he heard a voice. ¡¯Not bad! Ya did well.¡¯


    Turning around, Jack saw Maynard sliding down in his straw sandals like he was jet skiing. ¡¯A warning, if you like that girl then you¡¯d better keep an eye on Troni. Seems like he¡¯s up to his old tricks.¡¯


    Jack didn¡¯t have time to respond when Rydel yelled in his mind. ¡¯Hey kid, where to?¡¯


    ncing at a nodding Bowser, Jack passed on the directions. ¡¯Head to the right and follow the passage until Bowser says otherwise.¡¯


    "Alright everyone, let¡¯s not waste any more time." Hurrying everyone along, Rydel pushed forward at a decent pace, forcing everyone to enter the second level behind him.


    There was no natural light anywhere, making Jack d for the kari crystals they had on hand. Everyone followed in Rydel¡¯s footsteps exactly, not daring to create their own path. They could all sense how serious Rydel, Maynard, and Jack had be, making them more cautious by default.


    ¡¯Closer to wall!¡¯ Bowser¡¯s voice screamed in Jack¡¯s head, almost making him jump back in fright.


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯Against the wall, now!¡¯ Jack ryed Bowser¡¯smand to both Rydel and Maynard, who followed it immediately. The others did the same and slunk next to the wall.


    ¡¯Forward. We close,¡¯ said Bowser with a sigh of relief.


    Not fully aware of what just happened, Jack followed directions exactly without question. Their speed slowed greatly as they clung to the wall for almost an hour. Jack was used to following strange and unorthodox directions from his achievement hunting, but the other young adventurers were starting to get a little unruly. Troni and Slivia were annoyed but they kept at it without a word.


    The first person to verbally mention a word after entering the second level was Brunar. "Are we almost there? Can¡¯t we hurry up and get off this wall by now?"


    ¡¯Stay with wall. Bad if no.¡¯ Bowser¡¯s simple statement got the hair on Jack¡¯s neck to stand. He wanted to know what would make a hell-me fox so hesitant to approach. Trusting Bowser¡¯s instincts, inched closer to the wall and ryed Bowser¡¯smand.


    "Quiet," Rydel answered in a hushed tone. "No speaking, only following."


    "But surely it¡¯s fine by now," groaned Brunar like an impatient child.


    This time Maynard answered Brunar, staying quiet but keeping his message brief and clear. "Silence and follow."


    Brunar obeyed his master and returned to his ce on the wall. The trek along the wall took ce for another hour or so, testing everyone¡¯s patience. Just as everyone was wanting to step away from the cold wall, Bowser¡¯s voice sounded in Jack¡¯s head. ¡¯Up ahead. But careful, there monsters.¡¯


    Finally showing a smile after who knows how long, Jack shared a smile with Rydel as he mentally announced Bowser¡¯smand.


    "Everyone, we¡¯re almost there. Only whisper when needed and watch out for any monsters." Rydel passed the news on to the rest of the party.


    "Finally..." sighed Brunar, pulling himself off the wall and stretching his waist. The sound of his back popping echoed all over the cavern walls. "It¡¯s been too long."


    Rydel motioned to hush Brunar but he was interrupted when light appeared not too far ahead of them. As soon as Rydel caught glimpse of the suspended orb of light, he sighed in annoyance. "Nobody move, just stay quiet."


    Frozen at the sight of such a monster, Jack frowned as he warned mentally, ¡¯Careful, looks like a light-tailed lizard.¡¯


    ¡¯A what?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯A light-tailed lizard; they¡¯re troublesome predators that shine the light at the end of their long tails to lure prey in close. The worst part about facing one is the long tail, they can keep it suspended and almost motionless while they sneak closer to their prey and catch them unguarded.¡¯


    ¡¯He¡¯s right Maynard. I can¡¯t believe those things found their way up to the second level.¡¯ Rydel was very hesitant to act all of a sudden.


    ¡¯What¡¯s the average level?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯Between lv. 10 and lv. 25, but they always travel in packs of three or four.¡¯ There was no excitement in Jack¡¯s voice, only a serious tone. ¡¯The worst part is their neurotoxin; it can paralyze anyone with the tiniest cut.¡¯


    ¡¯Wow, it¡¯s like they came straight out of someone¡¯s nightmares.¡¯ Maynard answered in surprise.


    The other three were motionless, unsure of what they should do. Rydel monitored the lizard carefully, waiting to sense even the slightest movements. He had his mindset on eliminating the threat the moment it revealed itself.


    Staring at the light-tail hanging in the darkness, Jack heard Bowser¡¯s voice. ¡¯Up ahead, past lizards.¡¯


    Understanding what Bowser said, Jack retrieved his bow and prepared for battle.

 Chapter 43 Light-tailed Lizard Hoard

    <h4>Chapter 43 Light-tailed Lizard Hoard</h4>


    Seeing Jack retrieve his bow, Maynard understood what he needed to do. He drew a single sword and brandished a menacing grin. ¡¯Where¡¯s the main body? Ya know?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not 100% sure just yet, but there¡¯s probably a few of them,¡¯ answered Rydel, trying not to speak verbally and incite the lizards to action. He understood that light-tailed lizards sensed heat and were extremely sensitive to sound vibrations. ¡¯If we could light this ce up, that would be best.¡¯


    Jack understood Rydel¡¯s hint and looked to Bowser. ¡¯We can get lights up, but you¡¯ll have to protect me and Bowser in the meantime.¡¯ When Rydel and Maynard agreed, Jack began to act.


    He let Bowser bite down on a bundle of three arrows, lighting them all. The moment the lit arrows left Bowser¡¯s mouth, an unearthly screech sounded out, piercing the ears of the party. Jack called out verbally, "Don¡¯t move! Here theye."


    On cue, a long and slender body covered in dull ck scales appeared from out of the darkness, diving towards Jack. Unfazed, Jack nocked an arrow and fired it. He didn¡¯t aim for the monster because if he had, it would only be a waste of an arrow due to his low level. His aim was elsewhere, about ten meters in front of Rydel.


    While Jack was busy firing an arrow, the beast that targeted him was swiftly beheaded by a katana. Maynard¡¯s smile remained as he saw Jack shooting the second arrow without hesitation, this time ten meters past the rear of the party.


    With the additional light, Rydel aimed as well. As Jackunched the third arrow to make a perimeter, Rydel shot an arrow into the darkness. His eagle eye became sharper with increased visibility and gave him a couple of new targets. More screeches sounded out as everyone heard the ¡¯THUD¡¯ of an arrow piercing flesh. Jack spoke up for the whole party to hear, "Everyone against the wall; let Rydel and Maynard focus on what¡¯s in front of us."


    At the same time, he pulled out another three arrows and let Bowser do his thing. They had already been discovered and were probably surrounded the moment Brunar announced their presence with his popping back. With that in mind, Jack worked on increasing their field of view.


    "I¡¯ll help too!" Brunar stepped up, confident in his strength. No-one stopped him because he really would be a big help to the two pirs the party depended on.


    Jack nodded and aimed in between the front and middle arrows making the perimeter, shooting the arrow out an additional ten meters. What everyone saw was startling.


    There were two more of those slender ck lizards revealed by the light of the fire. The next arrow Jack shot in between the middle and the rear had the same result, exposing another two lizards. It was the final arrow, which was fired up the middle another ten meters, that caused the party¡¯s hearts to skip a beat.


    Thanks to thest three arrows, they noticed a total of six ck lizards intertwined in the darkness. Maynard yelled a question, "Aren¡¯t they supposed to be in packs of two or four?"


    "They always hunt in packs of two to four but considering the recent changes in the local ecosystem and all the goblins iming the third level, it¡¯s hard to predict how some species have adapted. These Light-tailed Lizards aren¡¯t supposed to be up here, they¡¯ve only been spotted in the third level until now." Rydel quickly deduced some sort of exnation. "What I fear is if the entire pack migrated together and we happened to wander into their new territory."


    ¡¯Lots of lizards, hard fight.¡¯ Bowser confirmed Rydel¡¯s suspicion immediately, bringing a sorrowful smile to Jack¡¯s lips.


    "Bowser senses a lot more of these things. I¡¯d guess you hit the nail on the head captain," stated Jack, causing everyone to swallow some saliva. "Let¡¯s treat this as a warmup for the goblin city raid. If we can¡¯t beat this, how could we ever raze a city?"


    Jack tried his best to lift everyone¡¯s morale, with a statement that was both true and untrue. The lizards weren¡¯t as formidable as the goblin hordes in goblin city. If not, then why were they driven out and the goblins remained. The major difference between them was that they could premeditate the goblin city raid while they had to think and act on the fly amidst the lizard nest.


    Lighting another three arrows, Jack continued to expand their perimeter, now filling in the gaps of his scattered arrows and revealing almost a dozen lizards. Troni stood beside Brunar, ready to attack when needed. Slivia did her best to steady her shaking hands and retrieved her wooden staff.


    Somewhat excited, Maynard¡¯s grin expanded. With a thought, he asked Rydel, ¡¯Hey, ya want to test the new skills? Bet I can kill more than ya."


    Rydel showed a small smile. ¡¯Right now, we¡¯re one and one. Don¡¯t get too far behind.¡¯


    ¡¯If they¡¯re in the perimeter, leave them to me. Anything outside the perimeter I¡¯ll leave to ya, okay?¡¯


    receiving a nod from Rydel, Maynard gave amand to his disciples. "You two, stay here and protect Jack while he expands the perimeter, and don¡¯t let anything get Slivia either."


    Not waiting for a reply, Maynard sprang into action. Happy to finally test his new strength, the ronin made full use of the lizards as test dummies. Very satisfied with how easily he could slice through the sturdy lizard scales, Maynard estimated that his attacks could be judged as twice as sharp. His physical strength hadn¡¯t changed, but his veteran reflexes were heightened and his sword felt sharper for some reason.


    Rydel wasn¡¯t doing any worse, firing arrows at anything that swayed its tail or twitched within the darkness near the perimeter. As a hunter, Rydel was the second strongest in the branch, barely losing out to a lv. 31. At that moment, Rydel felt like he wouldn¡¯t lose to anyone in apetition of archery, including that man. His arrows would whiz through the air with impable uracy as if the bow itself was helping Rydel aim.


    While those two began to ughter the dozens of swarming the party, Jack was racking up EXP like crazy! His level climbed drastically as the first dozen lizards were easily finished off, reaching lv. 7 in a few minutes.


    Typically, when a monster was killed, at least half the EXP would go to the killer and the rest was divvied up ording to damage dealt among the party. With both Rydel and Maynard going on killing sprees to test their new strengths, Jack was pooling half of their EXP and receiving a potion for the leftover EXP as well, not to mention the weathered jade¡¯s active ability.


    No one else in the party could sense Jack¡¯s sudden rise in power; if they had, they would¡¯ve been blown away. Of course, Jack knew this would happen eventually with the city raid, but to happen earlier was a blessing in disguise.


    Jack switched to the lv. 5 bow that Rydel had gifted him, preparing to expand the perimeter even further. Slivia was the first to notice the new bow in Jack¡¯s hands, unsure of what was urring. She couldn¡¯t tell the bow¡¯s level thanks to "Privacy Screen"; however, she knew it was higher-leveled than the previous one Jack used. But she also knew that would be impossible if Jack hadn¡¯t leveled up to at least lv. 5.


    As Jack¡¯s shots were able to reach further into the darkness, Brunar and Troni noticed the new bow as well. They were just as confused as Slivia, but they didn¡¯t question anything, just standing by in case anything snuck past their master and Rydel.


    Suddenly, a loud screech reverberated off the walls. Only Rydel could see a dark blur rushing towards them in the darkness. He shouted at the top of his lungs, "Maynard, this one¡¯s yours!"


    Before anyone could guess the meaning of Rydel¡¯s words, a massive ckhead entered the light of the perimeter. It was twice the size and length as the other lizards, easily discernable as the pack leader.


    Excitement shone on Maynard¡¯s face as he finished off a lizard and dashed towards the iing pack leader. Sensing the pack leader as a lv. 30, he drew his second sword and shouted, "Finally, something to really test my mettle."


    Rydel changed tactics, focusing on the lizards that bolted into the perimeter as Maynard became upied. With that, he focused less on intsa-kills and more on grave injuries. There was still a chance to kill them in one shot, but that way he could increase his firing rate and any that got past his volley of arrows would be easier for the two young samurai to finish off.


    Filled with both excitement and nerves, Brunar and Troni finally had something to do. They split up and began to dispatch the injured lizards that made it within fifteen meters of the party, minus Maynard.


    Jack shouted, "Don¡¯t let them bite or cut you! Their neurotoxin will paralyze you!" Grateful for the advice, the samurai made sure to finish off each lizard as quickly as possible.


    At the current pace, they would be able tost for a while but not too long. Jack¡¯s leveling had started to settle after lv. 8 due to Rydel¡¯s change in tactic and Maynard being upied. He knew Maynard would best the pack leader, but he wasn¡¯t sure how long it would take.

 Chapter 44 Bowsers Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 44 Bowser¡°s Transformation</h4>


    Slivia was now busy replenishing Troni and Brunar¡¯s MP, as they had to rely on their learned skills and techniques to quickly finish off the injured lizards. With Rydel taking the defensive and Maynard busy with the pack leader, something had to happen to tip the scales of battle.


    Jack¡¯s mind was running on all cylinders trying toe up with a solution to their current predicament. With all his focus on searching for a solution, he almost overlooked Bowser¡¯sments.


    ¡¯Me help!¡¯ Bowser yelled proudly.


    Torn and not wanting to endanger the fox pup, Jack was reluctant. ¡¯Bowser, I¡¯m not sure you should do that. The lowest level lizards are at least lv. 13 and most are closer to lv. 20. I¡¯m sorry but I don¡¯t think you should.¡¯


    Ignoring Jack, Bowser leaped off Jack¡¯s shoulder and dashed into the perimeter of fire. Jack yelled, ¡¯Bowser! Come back!¡¯


    Everyone was surprised by the dashing fox as he passed the two samurai and neared the oing horde of lizards. But before they could yell or chase after it, the fox howled and its entire body was bathed in mes. Bowser tripled in size, looking like a zing fire wolf with a foxtail.


    Jack instantly felt Bowser¡¯s power double, bing lv. 16. Without any warning, the ming fox bit off a lizard¡¯s head and pounced towards its next target without prejudice.


    All the lizards stilled momentarily, hesitating to near Bowser and the powerful bloodline that they sensed. The pack leader and Maynard both noticed the change in the battlefield, perplexed at the sudden outburst from the fox pup. Furious, the pack leader screeched andmanded the scared lizards to charge forward.


    Fearing their leader more than Bowser, they continued the charge. With the addition of Bowser to the battle, the advantage fell to Jack¡¯s party as the lizards were again being killed faster than they could enter the circle.


    Sighing in relief, Jack calmed his mind and returned to his search for a faster solution. Bowser¡¯s interference was a huge help but Jack didn¡¯t want to rely on it. He would bet that Bowser¡¯s explosion of strength wouldn¡¯tst for long, and he wanted to be ready for that moment.


    The good thing was now Jack was gaining bursts of EXP again and nearing lv. 9. If he could reach lv. 10, then his arrows would finally start to affect the lower leveled lizards and he could bet on his lv. 2 bow skill to bridge the level gap.


    After a couple of minutes and the ughter of another dozen lizards, Jack reached lv. 9 and was waiting for the moment he broke through to lv. 10. Sadly, Jack¡¯s bet on Bowser¡¯s temporary power boost was right and Bowser¡¯s doubled power began to decline. The surrounding lizards noticed his ferocity diminishing and they swarmed the fox.


    Using thest of his boosted strength, Bowser escaped the lizards and dashed back to the party like lightning. Returning to his normal self, he jumped onto Jack¡¯s shoulders. ¡¯Tired...¡¯


    ¡¯Good job Bowser, you did your part.¡¯ Jack cheered him up as he let Bowser close his eyes and rest.


    Looking back to the battlefield, Jack drew his bow and fired at the oing lizards. They were back on the defensive now, and Jack wanted to know how much damage he could do as a lv. 9.


    The arrows were able to pierce the tough scales, but only the low leveled lizards were slowed from injuries. Any lizard over lv. 15 was only annoyed by Jack¡¯s arrows but they could power through the minor injuries without much trouble.


    Shaking his head, Jack cursed the fact that he hadn¡¯t reached lv. 10. If he could reach that level, he¡¯d probably gain enough skill points to upgrade bow to lv. 3 and be able to help the party. But without that, he was practically a burden that would need protecting.


    Seeing the battlefield in perfect bnce, neither side having an advantage, Maynard decided to go all out. At the current rate, he would eventually finish off the pack leader with about half his MP left. But being impatient, Maynard began to activate his high-level skills with disregard for MP cost.


    The pack leader felt the raise in Maynard¡¯s attacks and went on the defensive, wanting to drag this out long enough for his horde of lizards to eradicate the party. Not giving the pack leader much hope, Maynard¡¯s two katana began to emit a blood-red glow, sending shivers down the pack leader¡¯s spine.


    "Bloody cross!" Maynard activated his trump card skill, spending a third of his max MP in the process, leaving him with only a fraction of MP remaining.


    Lucky for him, the pack leader didn¡¯t dodge but blocked instead. Unlucky for the pack leader, the bloody cross attack forced its way through the tail blocking the strike and struck the leader¡¯s head. It was toote for the pack leader to escape as his head was cut into four by the crossed swings of Maynard¡¯s des.


    Not wasting time, Maynard dashed further into the perimeter before the leader¡¯s carcass could fall to the floor. The lizards were caught off guard and were sliced into smithereens by the time they noticed their leader¡¯s head was missing.


    The waves of lizards ceased and retreated after their leader was finished off. Jack¡¯s party didn¡¯t give chase, Just trying to catch their breath.


    Troni¡¯s left arm was paralyzed and Brunar¡¯s right leg waspletely numb. Rydel wasn¡¯t out of arrows, but he only had about one-third of his MP left, and that would be important in case they ran into more trouble. He had mana potions, but drinking too many in session would carry some bacsh.


    Happy yet unsatisfied, Jack grinned. Thanks to Maynard finishing off the pack leader, his level was at the peak of lv. 9 but it hadn¡¯t yet reached lv. 10. So close to his achievement, he wished that Maynard of Rydel had killed just one more lizard.


    ¡¯That makes thirty-one for me,¡¯ Rydel boasted.


    ¡¯No fair! Ya didn¡¯t have to deal with that pack leader,¡¯ argued Maynard, not admitting his kill count of twenty-three lizards.


    ¡¯I couldn¡¯t help it, that thing was stronger than me and only you could handle it,¡¯ joked Rydel.


    It wasmon knowledge that beasts of the same level were naturally stronger than adventurers. Unless they had a way to jump levels or powerful battle techniques, adventurers would struggle a lot to fight an equally leveled beast.


    Maynard finishing the lizard without a scratch on him was a testament to his strength. If it were a normal beast, Maynard wouldn¡¯t avoid minor cuts or bruises. However, he fought so carefully with the lizard¡¯s neurotoxin in mind. If he had been poisoned, the pack leader would have gained the advantage instantly. Hence, Maynard had to take his time with such a tricky monster.


    Jack pet Bowser¡¯s head and asked, ¡¯How close are we?¡¯


    With a few sniffs, Bowser remembered the trail. ¡¯Ahead, we very close.¡¯


    Keeping that in mind, Jack examined the others in his party. Slivia was busy healing Brunar and Troni while Maynard was busy drinking a high leveled mana potion to recover his MP.


    Seeing him finish the bottle, Jack¡¯s motivation to level up increased. Once he reached lv. 10, he would be able to start learning basic battle skills and techniques. They wouldn¡¯t do much for him in the long run, but anything was better than what he had currently.


    "What¡¯s up with your fox?" Brunar asked, breaking the silence.


    Rydel was the one who answered. "It¡¯s a descendant level fox, falling from the inferno fox bloodline."


    "Tell the truth," blurted Brunar. "Sure, a descendant level beast is crazy powerful, but that little pup was able to fight and kill fully grown Light-tailed Lizards. Besides, the Inferno Fox was never recorded to have an ability that let it grow and explode into mes."


    Understanding what Brunar was getting at, Jack hesitantly admitted the truth. "I can tell you the truth, but this information stays here and doesn¡¯t leave this mine."


    "Fine," said Brunar, catching the hint that this was an association secret.


    "Bowser is a Hell-me Fox."


    That sentence struck fear into the hearts of three young adventurers. Hell-me Foxes only existed in legends, and each legend ended in theplete annihtion of a city or region. Slivia was especially conflicted, imaging the cute fur-ball she had often yed with as an earth-shaking monster made of mes that wrought destruction.


    "That¡¯s the truth, but you all know Bowser. That was the first time I¡¯d ever seen something like that happen." Jack was startled by Bowser¡¯s earlier transformation like them, and they all knew it from Jack¡¯s shouting. "He¡¯s not some apocalypse waiting to happen, he¡¯s just the childish Bowser we all know."


    "But how can you guarantee that?" Brunar questioned. "Can you promise that he would never outgrow you and forcibly break the beast seal?"


    "I can actually, and Rydel is my witness to that." Jack¡¯s casual answer caught everyone off guard. "If you trust me, then trust Bowser too. We¡¯re a package deal."


    Not wanting to reject the promise of both Jack and Rydel, Brunar epted their ideology for the time being. Troni and Slivia also agreed, only distancing themselves a little from the fox pup.


    "Now that the discussion¡¯s over and you¡¯re feeling better, let¡¯s hurry up and loot the bodies. We¡¯re racing against a clock, so we can¡¯t waste any time." Rydel turned and began to retrieve each of his many arrows among the strewn bodies he had killed. The others followed suit as they groaned from their soreness and began to loot the lizard bodies they had killed.

 Chapter 45 Finding the Tomb

    <h4>Chapter 45 Finding the Tomb</h4>


    As the lizard bodies were looted, everyone was careful to preserve everything possible. The meat would be great for future meals, the bones could be sold as ingredients for crafts, and the skin was great for making quality cloaks.


    What intrigued Jack the most was the neurotoxin, even asking everyone if he could have their portions of neurotoxin. Brunar turned him down and Troni did as well. Slivia wasn¡¯t given many corpses as her share to begin with, so she also said no.


    Funny enough, the two with the highest kill count both willingly gave him all the neurotoxin they harvested. Including the small share of bodies he was allotted and with Rydel¡¯s gift of vials, Jack was able to fill fifty-seven vials with neurotoxin; one for each corpse. This was a lot if he wanted to sell them because they were worth about eight silvers each, but it might not be enough for Jack¡¯s ns.


    Storing the other materials gathered from his three corpses, Jack mulled over a few ideas to use the neurotoxin. After a couple of minutes, a wicked grin speared on his face and he finished his thoughts.


    Looking at Bowser, Jack asked, ¡¯Are you okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Me okay, just tired,¡¯ replied Bowser. After activating his bloodline ability for the first time, Bowser was exhausted. He would need to rest until the next morning, incapable of getting up on his own until then.


    Jack let Bowser rest, not wanting to disturb him further. He called to Rydel and Maynard, ¡¯Let¡¯s get going, we need to hurry up and find that tomb. Bowser needs to rest so we won¡¯t have his help avoiding danger till maybe tomorrow.¡¯


    They nodded and called everyone together. Within minutes, they were following Rydel like before. Now that the lizards were gone, there was nothing in the surrounding area to threaten them. Taking advantage of this, the party rushed further until the cavern narrowed and the reached a dead end.


    "Is this it?" asked Brunar, doubting that there was a tomb in the first ce.


    "It¡¯s here somewhere. We just need to find a way to enter it," said Jack.


    "Got any ideas on how to make that happen?" Rydel asked the question everyone wanted the answer to. It was pointless to journey here if they weren¡¯t able to do that much.


    "Hmm..." Jack began to feel the walls and examine them closely as his achievement junkie senses were tingling. Pulling out the dagger, he dragged the tip along the wall.


    When they saw the dagger, the three young adventurers were filled with jealousy. The dagger was found here and it was a high tier weapon, yet the weakest person got it.


    Not caring what they thought, Jack started banging the ornate dagger against the hard rock walls. Everyone was startled and some wanted to stop Jack from ruining such a valuable item. However, Jack continued to do so regardless of their reactions. After a minute of banging and nging the knife against every part of the rock wall, Jack was stumped.


    "What, that¡¯s it? No tomb?" mocked Brunar.


    "Just wait." There were no holes or hidden slots on the wall. Nothing was activated when he brought out the dagger. Now, he could only resort to more unorthodox methods.


    Without hesitation, Jack slit the palm of his hand with the dagger. Everyone was baffled as Jack let the blood ooze over every inch of the de.


    "Jack!" Slivia yelled in shock as she ran to his side.


    "Trust me, this works all the time," said Jack, meeting Slivia¡¯s gaze.


    Taking his word for it, everyone all remained silent. Rydel and Maynard were very interested in what was happening, wondering if this was some trick from ancient times. They all gave Jack their full attention, not daring to look away for different reasons.


    With a now paler face, Jack smiled when he had lost enough blood to rub over the entirety of the dagger. He retrieved a bandage and covered up his hand immediately, not daring to lose a drop more than he would need.


    "Imand thee, show me thine owner." It was a simple recitation that every yer in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" knew. It was a way to find the owner of fallen items, in the case that they might return the gear.


    In the end, this was moremon for the opposite reason, as a means to avoid the previous owners. That way they could visit a town and get a master of the item¡¯s respective field to unbind it from the previous owner and bind it to themselves, like having a master cksmith unbind a weapon from the old owner and bind it to themselves instead.


    The dagger lit up, surprising everyone further. Jack was also surprised; he had no clue what would happen after the recitation. The previous owner was dead, and he didn¡¯t expect a small window to appear on his screen for ten seconds like in-game.


    Glowing red, the dagger trembled in Jack¡¯s hand and absorbed all the blood on its surface into the de within seconds. After absorbing the blood, the red glow intensified and nearly blinded everyone for a second. The light then died down and faded away as if had never existed in the first ce.


    Staring at the dagger, Jack wasn¡¯t sure what to do next. He checked his surroundings, but nothing had changed.


    The others present were all in a weird state of mind. Jack could¡¯ve done anything, no matter how strange, and they wouldn¡¯t bat an eye. It was like their expectations were overloaded and they no longer had room to process or question anything else.


    They all stood there for a couple of minutes more, but nothing happened. Eventually, Brunar spoke up, "So, is that it? Is there anything else?"


    This time he wasn¡¯t mocking Jack, Brunar was genuinely curious if Jack had anything else to try. Jack was far more mysterious than he had originally judged, and Jack demonstrated a lot of weird knowledge that wasn¡¯t normal for newbies to know about. Brunar had begun to reevaluate Jack, slowly but surely.


    "No, I got nothing," answered Jack with a sunken smile. Out of habit, he threw the dagger away, like he had always done in-game when an item failed to bring him something. But when Jack threw it at the wall, it started to glow again. It was dim and almost nonexistent, but they could see it in the dark cavern.


    Jack¡¯s lips twitched up as he picked up the knife and pointed it at the wall. When facing the dead-end nothing changed but facing the de to the left side wall made the de glow brighter. Inching closer, Jack determined the entrance to the hidden tomb with unwavering precision.


    He approached a spot about four meters from the dead end and pressed the dagger against it. That spot on the wall began to glow and vanish in front of everyone¡¯s eyes.


    As the wall vanished, an entrance carved from stone appeared behind it. With a narrow entrance, it would only fit one person. The stone it was made from waspletely different from the mine walls, striking a resemnce to carved marble. In big print at the top of the entryway, there was a sign proving Jack¡¯s sess.


    "G0blin_Sl4yer"


    Not waiting for the others, Jack ran into the tomb energetically. No one med him, only following him in one-by-one.


    The tomb wasn¡¯t too spacious, but it was big enough for the six of them to walk aroundfortably. Unlike most of the party had hoped, there wasn¡¯t a mountain of riches waiting for them inside. Instead, there was a sepulcher in the center of the room and a few chests to the side of it.


    What shocked everyone was how fast Jack was able to loot the chests, storing all their contents before the others had finished entering the tomb.


    Jack had an idea it would be something like this because this was amon hero¡¯s tomb from the game, a ce where yers always visited and plundered on a regr basis. There was no mountain of wealth only because the entombed yer didn¡¯t have one. Maybe he had been killed and looted or he was just too low leveled to amass that much.


    No matter the case, Jack was fixated on how the ancient hero was entombed here after he had died. This led him to wonder how a practically immortal character in a fantasy game could die in the end. It¡¯s true that G0blin_Sl4yer was low leveled, but that wouldn¡¯t keep him from respawning at thest cathedral or church he had visited. There were too many plot holes in the story that was unraveling before his eyes.


    "Hey! You can¡¯t just take it all!" Brunar yelled.


    Jack¡¯s wandering thoughts returned as he looked to Brunar and tossed him a coin. "Fine."


    "Hey! I said you can¡¯t just¡ª"


    "Brunar!" Maynard interrupted his disciple, but he did so in awe, not anger.


    Pausing due to his master¡¯s interjection, Brunar looked at the coin in his hand and his jaw dropped. "tinum!"

 Chapter 46 G0blin_Sl4yer

    <h4>Chapter 46 G0blin_Sl4yer</h4>


    "tinum!"


    Brunar¡¯s exmation startled the entire party. They all marveled at the lustrous coin in Brunar¡¯s hands, struggling to recognize any difference with a silver coin.


    "It¡¯s heavier than silver and has apletely different stamp than all the coins I¡¯ve seen," Brunar exined, refusing to let the others inspect it themselves.


    Before anyone couldin, a coin was thrown to each of them. Jack stated, "It¡¯s definitely tinum."


    Jack¡¯s confirmation shook everyone¡¯s hearts as they examined their coins. It was hard to believe, but those were indeed the nearly nonexistent tinum coins of legend. Ecstatic to have such a valuable treasure of the past, everyone expressed their joy in different ways, be it through shouting in excitement, jumping for joy, or just staring deeply at the coin.


    Thinking to himself, Jack instantly deduced that G0blin_Sl4yer was a cash yer. In "A Hero¡¯s Tale" there were always cash options for things like tinum, rare weapons, special quests, and more. This would exin having tinum and the ornate dagger that was mostly rare for its looks rather than its level. Jack couldn¡¯t me him though because he too had spent a decent amount on the game; there were plenty of achievements that required some kind of cash item or quest.


    Thinking back, one tinum was worth ten gold in "A Hero¡¯s Tale." But that was back then, if tinum was nearly nonexistent now then it must be worth even more. Jack was d that he got to the chests first, securing the different items and the five tinum coins remaining after his gift to the party members.


    "What else is there?" Brunar soon came to his senses and wondered what else might be in the chests. If there was tinum, then surely there must be some good items.


    "Not much. There were some potions and elixirs, a storage bracer, some broken armor. I think he was looted before he died." Jack didn¡¯t understand how that yer¡¯s character got in a tomb, but Jack guessed that he was killed and looted before the body somehow ended up in the tomb. Why else would there be nothing else in a low leveled cash yer¡¯s inventory?


    "That¡¯s it?" Troni asked, wanting evidence just like Brunar.


    Without batting an eye Jack retrieved the set of broken armor and the knife. "Here, I only want the storage bracer."


    The party was amazed that Jack gave up the armor, especially since it was aplete set of lv. 15 high tier armor, despite being damaged. Maynard stepped out and said, "No, ya should keep this Jack. We can¡¯t use it, so it¡¯s pointless for us to take it when you¡¯ll be able to wear it soon enough."


    "Then give it to Troni. It may have some cracks here and there, but it¡¯s still better than what he¡¯s got equipped now. Besides, he¡¯ll be a big part of phase one and could use the defensive boost," persuaded Jack, not wanting to bother with the armor.


    "If you say so," said Troni with a quick bow and a smile. "Give me a minute or two to equip it."


    Troni walked over to the dark corners of the room and started changing his armor in silence. Everyone took a second to inspect their new favorite coins, debating whether they should spend them or keep them.


    Jack took this time to open his system notifications, jumping straight to the achievement list.


    [Find the tomb:pleted]


    [Find the tomb of G0blin_Sl4yer within the second level of the azure mine. Reward: 18 skill points, ess to his saved data. Would you like to im the reward?]


    In a heartbeat, it was imed and Jack was given the eighteen skill points. He thought it was unusual for him to get eighteen skill points and not fifteen or twenty, but he wasn¡¯t given a chance to spend them just yet.


    The system took him back to the main menu and a new option appeared, [Save Log.] It was selected by the system and opened up G0blin_Sl4yer¡¯s activity log.


    Astounded that this information was still avable, Jack eagerly opened it. It only showed hisst forty-eight hours of gamey, but that was enough information there for Jack to learn plenty.


    Most of the activity was what Jack expected like purchase history, location updates, and yer chats. From this Jack learned that G0blin_yer was a lv. 18 rogue that had recently joined a goblin ying guild. It was obvious that he was trying to chase fifteen minutes of fame from his name and actions.


    What caught Jack¡¯s eye was thest update, the one about his death. There were two things that Jack thought was suspicious: the fact that G0blin_Sl4yer wasn¡¯t resurrected after the fact and that G0blin_Sl4yer was killed by trolls. Jack had never heard of trolls being inside an azure mine before but facing powerful trolls ranging from lv. 20 to lv. 30 would exin the broken armor and how G0blin_yer died inside a low leveled mine.


    Putting the troll irregrity aside, Jack checked the date and time of G0blin_Sl4yer¡¯s death. It wasbeled as July 22, 2021, at 1:46 AM. That was more than two years after Jack hadpleted the achievement list and left his original world.


    From everything, he was able to learn a few things. The skill points he earned from finding the tomb was equal to G0lin_Sl4yer¡¯s level, meaning that PleasantLilly98 was probably lv. 10 based on the ten skill point reward for finding her tomb. Jack learned that something must have happened to the ancient heroes after he had finished the achievement list, otherwise he would have a clue as to what happened. Also, he guessed that the game had started to change a lot after he was summoned, trolls in a low-level mine was a good example.


    "Ok, I¡¯m ready." Troni walked back, seemingly more confident as he wore the ornate armor and equipped the dagger as a sidearm. It was chipped and battered in some ces, but the silver armor with dark red trim was far more appealing to the eye than Troni¡¯s generic green kimono.


    "Whoa," said Brunar, a little jealous that the armor wasn¡¯t lv. 20 so he could get it instead.


    "You look great!" Slivia gave her approval with two thumbs up.


    "Thanks," said Troni. He smiled back to Slivia and sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "I¡¯m d you like it." Slivia blushed slightly, unsure what else to say.


    Maynard and Rydel read the situation, both sighing and shaking their heads. They looked to the distracted Jack and Rydel pped the hero¡¯s back. "Come on kid, we¡¯ve waited long enough."


    "Just a second," Jack grunted as he ignored the hand hitting his back. In a hurry, Jack returned to his skill tree and looked it over. He was torn about what to upgrade; he wanted to upgrade things like hearing, intimidation, or perception because they might help him a lot.


    However, Jack was also itching to upgrade hispanion bloodline skill after seeing Bowser dominate the Light-tailed Lizards. If he could somehow double his level like Bowser, that would be amazing! Jack hadn¡¯t tested the bloodline skill and he was mad at himself for not doing it before entering the mine. He had no clue that the bloodline was so powerful, both creating a massive me body and doubling Bowser¡¯s strength in an instant.


    There were drawbacks for using this technique for long periods and it was very taxing on the young Bowser. It would be a while for Bowser to fully embrace his bloodline¡¯s potential, not to mention Jack who was just Bowser¡¯spanion with a low leveled bloodline skill.


    In the end, he didn¡¯t upgrade anything, hoping to get some skill points and upgrade his bloodline skill to lv. 2 as soon as possible. After making a mental note to practice the bloodline skill that night after setting up camp, Jack turned his attention back to the party.


    "Sorry for the wait, I¡¯m ready now," said Jack, who was a little confused by the slight blush on Slivia¡¯s cheeks.


    "Alright, let¡¯s head out!" Rydel took the lead. Now that they had found the tomb, he would resume the lead and take them to the third level as fast as possible.


    Everyone followed closely behind, not wanting to get separated from the group. Some looked back at the tomb, still stunned that they were able to find such a thing. But when they look back at the tomb¡¯s entrance, it was no longer there. The cave walls had returned to normal as if their discovery had happened only in their imagination.


    Under the glow of the kari crystals, they shuffled through the tunnels of the second level. As they stuck close to the walls and neared the central parts of the second level, clusters of azure embedded in the cave walls became amon sight.


    The young adventurers were tempted by the azure crystals¡¯ allure, but they were always silently stopped by Rydel, who wanted to avoid all loud noises and anything that would attract attention to the party.


    Not being allowed to speak, they were forced to epted Rydel¡¯s interference and hoped to find some good deposits in the next level.


    Jack was busy going over phase three in his mind, always adjusting it in hope to perfect it. The more urate the n, the better his chances of sess. And if he could just advance to lv. 10 before reaching the city, the extra skill points and the skills he would gain would greatly increase those chances.

 Chapter 47 Creating Their Own Path

    <h4>Chapter 47 Creating Their Own Path</h4>


    The party followed their captain closely, silently repeating his every step. Along the way they passed several monsters; most didn¡¯t notice the quiet adventurers, but a couple of monsters had to be avoidedpletely due to the party¡¯s risk of being found. They didn¡¯t fear those few monsters, but if they were surrounded by countless creatures things would change drastically.


    Rydel was smart to avoid everything possible while keeping his aim for the nearest passage to the third level. Other than Jack, the entire party was shocked to find so many different beasts in the second level.


    Slivia, in particr, found it hard to believe. She and her former party had ventured into the mine less than a week ago, yet the mine seemed so different. Her party had traveled with torches and had to fight many monsters to finally reach the third level. Seeing even stronger monsters now, she was d to travel with the experienced Rydel and not her rookie party who wouldn¡¯t have survived the Light-tail Lizard hoard from before.


    "We¡¯re almost there, there are a few passages to the third level nearby. The one up ahead should be big enough for the party to pass through together." Rydel¡¯s whisper just barely reached their ears.


    After another two hundred meters, Rydel suddenly stopped. Everyone was startled but kept calm, waiting for his nextmand. After a light breath, Rydel said, "We need to find another way down. There¡¯s a goblin outpost at the passage."


    Jack sighed and shook his head, amazed at how fast the goblins were able to change so much. The entire ecosystem of the mine had be dominated by them; they were even monitoring the passages between the second and third levels.


    "There¡¯s no other way?" asked Maynard.


    Rydel shook his head reluctantly. "I don¡¯t doubt our ability to finish them off, but it¡¯s best if we¡¯re not discovered."


    Everyone agreed and backtracked until finding a new direction to go. Rydel kept his wits about him, always ready to act if needed. Luckily, there were no problems that arose.


    Earlier they were surprised to see that the monsters kept themselves far from the passages to the third level, but now they understood the reason. Why would the monsters want to be near the passages when there were many goblins there, who would turn any monster into a nice meal?


    ¡¯How much farther?¡¯ asked Jack via telepathy. He knew that more than half of the weathered jade¡¯s effective time had passed, meaning that they should hurry and find that city.


    ¡¯It should be just ahead, but don¡¯t rush in. There haven¡¯t been monsters here either, so I¡¯d guess that this passage is upied as well,¡¯ guessed Rydel.


    ¡¯Sounds about right.¡¯ Maynard agreed with Rydel. ¡¯Got any other ideas? I¡¯m sure ya can think of something like you always do.¡¯


    ¡¯If we take too long to look for another exit, Jack¡¯s weathered jade will run out before we can attack the city,¡¯ mentioned Rydel.


    Maynard blinked and looked ahead to see Jack turn his head and nod. He yelled in his head, ¡¯Then we¡¯ve got to hurry! Sure, he¡¯ll gain plenty of EXP regardless, but what¡¯s the point of wasting a treasure like that? Why didn¡¯t ya mention that sooner!?¡¯


    ¡¯Because it wasn¡¯t relevant, and things were going smoothly. But now things have changed,¡¯ thought Rydel. ¡¯There¡¯s another way to the third floor nearby, but it¡¯s a small vein of azure and it¡¯ll a tight fit.¡¯


    The three of them pondered the situation a moment longer before Jack broke the silence. ¡¯Let¡¯s follow that vein. If we can avoid alerting the goblins, then the n will go a lot smoother.¡¯


    Nodding in agreement, Rydel and Maynard stopped in their tracks. Rydel was the first to speak to the party. "Change of ns, there should be more goblins at that passage too."


    "What do you mean? How can you know that before we see for ourselves?" asked Brunar.


    Maynard answered in Rydel¡¯s ce, "Have you seen any monsters? They all avoided thest passage because of the goblin outpost, which leads to the question: Where are the monsters now?"


    Everyone froze as they realized the truth in Maynard¡¯s exnation. Rydel mentioned, "There¡¯s another way down near here, but it¡¯s much smaller and we¡¯ll barely fit going one at a time. We¡¯ll have to pass through a vein of azure to sneak by them."


    "Why not just find another passage?" asked Troni.


    "We need to get to the third level as soon as possible. The longer we¡¯re in this ce, the more time and preparation we¡¯re giving to our enemies. Just ask Slivia, was the mine this dangerous thest time they entered it?" Rydel had guessed that things were different, knowing that Slivia¡¯s former party wasn¡¯t anywhere near as strong as their current party.


    "He¡¯s right," said Slivia timidly. "I was in here just a few days ago, but the second level wasn¡¯t anything like this. If my old party came into the mine how it is now, I¡¯m afraid I wouldn¡¯t have survived till the third floor, let alone to be here now."


    Touched by the hint of fear in Slivia¡¯s voice, the two young samurai became more epting of the change in ns. They both looked at Jack, surprised to see his indifferent expression. Troni asked, "What do you think about all this?"


    "I think we need to reach the next level as soon as possible. I don¡¯t want to inch through an azure vein as much as the next guy, but if that¡¯s what it takes, then I¡¯ll do it dly." Jack didn¡¯t mince words, directly supporting and epting the proposed n.


    Troni had a weird feeling about Jack at that moment. He felt that Jack was different like he had already known and epted the n before it was proposed. Keeping this thought to himself, Troni set his mind to keep a closer eye on Jack.


    "Good, then let¡¯s hurry. We don¡¯t have any time to waste." Rydel immediately led them toward some narrow passages, avoiding anywhere they could be easily spotted or discovered.


    Soon enough, the party reached a dead end. Everyone was perplexed, wondering why Rydel would lead them to a dead end.


    "Oh, so that¡¯s how it goes. No wonder captain doesn¡¯t think the goblins will find us reaching the next level," said Jack, catching the party off guard.


    "Huh? How can we reach the next floor from here?" questioned Brunar, who was stumped by their arrival here.


    A smile appeared on Rydel¡¯s face. "You want to tell them, or should I?"


    Jack shrugged and answered, "This vein is untouched. My guess is that the captain found it and was nning to mine it himself, but he left it till he was stronger and could harvest it more easily. Since no one has opened it before, no one would expect anyone toe through a nonexistent passage, right?"


    "Exactly," confirmed Rydel. "But we need to hurry, it¡¯ll take much longer to travel through the veinpared to the usual passage."


    "I¡¯ll go first. All of ya just follow me while I keep breaking open the vein as we go," said Maynard, happy to volunteer his strength.


    "Thanks," said Rydel. "I¡¯ll take the rear then."


    "Right." Maynard stepped forward, unsheathing both of his katana. The others stepped back, giving him enough distance to swing them freely.


    Before anyone could take another breath, the katana were swung three times. First in a crossed X-style swing, second in a vertical fashion to connect the tips of the big "X" in the rock, and third to connect the tips of the "X" horizontally. It looked like a human-sized square with an "X" in the center from corner to corner.


    Wondering what was happening, the young adventurers watched as both katanas began to glow bright red. Silently activating his "Blood thrust" skill, Maynard jabbed his katanas, twice each, striking each side within the square. Like magic, the rock crumbled and practically disintegrated upon impact. All that remained was a ten-meter-deep, square hole in the stone wall.


    In awe of Maynard¡¯s strength, the young adventurers took a deep breath. Beyond the hole Maynard created, the now revealed azure vein showed a slight crack in between the bright blue azure clusters covering the walls.


    "This vein should take us near the third level. At that point, we¡¯ll have Maynard carve out a path just like this one, till then he¡¯s in charge. Any objections?" exined Rydel.


    Everyone smiled and followed their temporary captain into the tight azure vein. The party originally didn¡¯t like the idea of traveling through a tight space like that, but they were too distracted by the beautiful and almost resplendent azure crystal. The azure was so pure that it even gave off a dim light from each crystal¡¯s base.


    It would be a lie to say they didn¡¯t want to stop and harvest this azure, even Jack. During their entire journey, that was by far the purest azure they had found. Jack remembered the old mines he used to grind in and the beautiful azure crystals that would grow more resplendent with every floor he cleared until they were as bright as day.


    Excited to see the natural beauty of the next level, Jack was anxious to hurry and get past that tight vein. That vein was only the tip of the icebergpared to what the third level would offer.

 Chapter 48 The Third Level

    <h4>Chapter 48 The Third Level</h4>


    The tight space within the azure vein was quickly filled by Jack and the party as they scurried through with as much speed possible. It wasn¡¯t the fastest way to enter the third level, but it was the easiest and offered the stealthiest passage in the entire mine.


    The order of the line was Maynard, Brunar, Jack, Slivia, Troni, and Rydel. asionally parts of the vein were obstructed or filled with earth, forcing Maynard to act and clear the way. Though it was nice to have some short breaks in therger openings, it would waste too much MP for Maynard to do that too often, let alone carve out the entire vein.


    Whenever Maynard would cut through the vein, there were always a few azure clusters that escaped the destruction of Maynard¡¯s attacks but were still forced off the walls. Jack and the other young adventurers would scramble to pick them up and store them away before continuing.


    Sometimes if they weren¡¯t paying too much attention, they would get snagged on the crystals. The neighboring adventurers would help unhook any cloaks, hair, or clothes from the crystals, letting everyone move forward freely.


    "Jack."


    Hearing the whisper from behind him, Jack responded, "What is it Slivia?"


    "Umm..." Slivia hesitated before she spoke her mind. "If the second level was so dangerous, won¡¯t the third level be even more..."


    "Yeah, it¡¯ll be more dangerous." Jack finished her sentence for her. "But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be fine. All we have to do is sneak past the outposts. After that, we¡¯ll have the advantage and surprise attack the goblin city. Then, we can fight on our terms."


    "But what if we can¡¯t sneak past the outposts? My other party never made it to the city walls before we were surrounded," said Slivia with a dull look in her eyes.


    Jack peeked behind him to notice the disbelief in her eyes. "Hey, we¡¯re from the Adventurers Association. They chose for us to act, meaning the association trusts the strength of this party and thinks we¡¯ll be able to handle it. Do you trust the association¡¯s judgment?"


    "Yeah..." answered Slivia. She blinked a few times as she looked up to see Jack staring back at her.


    "Then don¡¯t worry so much. Besides, didn¡¯t you already level up and reach lv. 13 too?" said Jack, trying to lift her spirits further.


    "You knew?" Slivia felt a little better when she remembered that, but she was startled that Jack was able to tell. Since people could only recognize another person¡¯s level if it at least five levels above their own, Slivia felt some of her former thoughts had been confirmed. "You¡¯ve leveled up that much?"


    Jack smiled and said, "I¡¯m almost lv. 10 now, and we¡¯ll see how far I can get by the time this is all over. You should almost be lv. 14 now, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be at least lv. 15 by the end. Then you can finally join the association."


    Slivia finally smiled and replied, "Thanks, Jack." Suddenly, Slivia held up a hand towards Jack, "Jack, you¡ª"


    "You don¡¯t need to thank me." Jack cut her off, trying to y it cool as his head collided with a protruding azure crystal. He had been walking forward while constantly looking back to Slivia, so Jack had overlooked the crystal that hit the back of his head.


    As he tried to recover his cool, Sliviaughed heartily along with the rest of the party. "Thanks, Jack, I feel much better now."


    "d I could help," said Jack, quickly turning forward to hide his embarrassed face.


    "We should be nearing the third level soon. Be ready for when we finally breakthrough." Rydel warned everyone.


    "Yeah, make sure ya don¡¯t get in the way. Who knows what¡¯s going on down there?" Maynard added.


    Everyone refocused and set their sights ahead, keeping their chuckles to themselves. Maynard had to cut through the passage twice before anyone else spoke.


    "I¡¯m stuck," said Slivia. That part of the vein was extra tight and was difficult for everyone to squeeze through. Slivia was wedged in by her well-endowed chest, plus her cloak was snagged at waist height. "Help, please."


    Jack looked back with some red on his cheeks. Seeing her chest pressed against the wall didn¡¯t leave much to the imagination as her clothes were tightly wrapped around her. "I don¡¯t think I can be of much help."


    Behind her, Troni got a good look at her. His eyes lingered around her waist, admiring the view. He said, "One second, I think I see the problem."


    "Okay, but hurry," said Slivia, obviously embarrassed to be in such a situation. Then, she felt something poke her from behind. She wasn¡¯t able to turn her head, so she yelled, "Hey, what are you doing?"


    "Your cloak got snagged by a crystal, I¡¯m just getting it off." Troni¡¯s voice was calm and emotionless, but a smile shone on his face as he took his time with the cloak.


    After a few more pokes, Slivia felt her waist be free and she wriggled out of the tight space. She nced at the now expressionless Troni and grunted, "Let¡¯s go."


    Not daring to anger her further, Jack pressed forward and caught up to Maynard with Slivia in tow. Troni chuckled as he stepped forward, caught off guard by the quiet voice from behind him.


    "You¡¯re more scheming than I thought."


    Rushing to the rest of the party, Troni left Rydel behind without an answer. Rydel shook his head and let out a long sigh. He then moved ahead, not returning to the subject.


    After another half an hour of travel, Maynard and Rydel were sure they should¡¯ve hit the third level already. "Pay attention everyone; we may have to change our trajectory."


    "What?" asked Brunar.


    "If the vein doesn¡¯t reach the third level and branches off in a different direction, then we¡¯ll have to carve a path to connect to the third level. It¡¯s best if we don¡¯t waste Maynard¡¯s MP, but we may not have another choice," answered Rydel.


    Maynard nodded and said, ¡¯If we don¡¯t connect within another ten minutes, then I¡¯ll start carving out a new path. Rydel, start trying to figure out what direction I¡¯ll need to go.¡¯


    ¡¯You got it.¡¯ As Rydel answered, Maynard and the party pushed forward with determination, hoping they would be lucky and reach the third level with ease.


    Against their wishes, ten minutes passed by easy enough. Under the direction of Rydel, who held a hand against the wall and activated one of his skills, Maynard struck upward and to the left. A new path quickly opened up and Maynard swiped his swords a few times to carve out some footholds.


    "Follow me, but don¡¯t ya dare get too close," Maynard joked as he jumped into the opening.


    Maynard continued to extend the opening while the rest of the party climbed along the footholds he provided and paid close attention to the powerful strikes of the samurai. Jack spoke mentally, ¡¯Any guesses as to what part of the third level we¡¯ll be in?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure, to be honest,¡¯ replied Rydel. ¡¯Hopefully near the outer regions of the third level; the closer to the city, the more likely we are to be discovered.¡¯


    ¡¯Let¡¯s hurry up and see for ourselves,¡¯ said Maynard as he made a final push. The earth was cleared, leaving only an opening in its ce.


    The party hurried out of the tunnel and into the third level, but they were shocked by what they discovered.


    There were no azure crystals in sight, only darkness. Maynard and Rydel didn¡¯t know what to think while Brunar and Troni were following along with their master¡¯s surprise. Still, in the residual glow from their manmade tunnel, Jack turned to Slivia and asked, "Was it like this when your other party came through?"


    She shook her head and slowly stammered, "No-not at all. There were always dark regions, but-but we never saw this."


    "Everyone, hurry," said Rydel as he ran into the darkness with his kari crystal lit.


    The others followed him like they had on the previous levels but were distracted by unexpected circumstances. Brunar spoke up, "What do we¡ª"


    "Quiet." Rydel interrupted him.


    "But¡ª"


    "I said¡ª" Rydel tried to shush the young samurai but out of the darkness an arrow flew into Brunar¡¯s right shoulder. Taking charge, Rydelmanded, "Everyone, we¡¯ve been discovered! Prepare to fight!"


    "But how? No one knew about that vein?" asked Slivia, startled and afraid.


    "It was the light from the tunnel." It was Jack that exined the sudden ambush. "The goblins can sense heat, but they¡¯re notpletely blind either. Normally, such low light wouldn¡¯t be easy for them to see or follow, but when that¡¯s the only source of light it¡¯s like setting off a beacon that we¡¯ve arrived."


    "Yup," Rydel agreed as he nocked two arrows with his bow drawn and ready to fire.


    "Well, these are probably just from an outpost or two. With some light, we should be able to handle them. Brunar and Troni, keep those two safe. Ya know the drill." Maynard had both swords drawn. Knowing that his MP wasn¡¯t even half its max, he wouldn¡¯t be able to go all out without knowing the strength and numbers of their enemies.


    Jack sighed and looked at Bowser on his shoulder. The fox pup was still resting, undisturbed by their running and shouting. Jack put Bowser in one of his cloak¡¯srge inside pockets and prepared for battle while everyone got into formation.

 Chapter 49 Bloodline Skill

    <h4>Chapter 49 Bloodline Skill</h4>


    Not wanting to lose initiative, Rydel took out a torch and lit it. He then threw it into the ground and stuck the bottom point into the earth in front of him.


    With a swish of his arms, his bow and arrows swung through the me andunched the two arrows into the distance. One struck the earth and lit up its surroundings while the second struck the chest of some living thing within the darkness, the light revealing a goblin now on fire. The other goblins froze, taking that shot as a warning.


    "Get ready, we were surrounded the moment they saw the light from the tunnel," shouted Rydel. He took in his surroundings whileunching lit arrows at a frightening pace. There were no walls near them, just a rocky, open floor. The ceiling was about five meters high in this part of the cave, preventing Rydel from causing any sort of shower of arrows.


    "Right!" everyone drew their weapons and stood in wait for the goblins to rush, but they didn¡¯te like the party had anticipated.


    The goblins only stood there to maintain their encirclement, not acting or stepping into the perimeter that Rydel had created.


    A couple of minutes passed while Rydelpleted the perimeter, not leaving any part unlit. Jack swallowed some saliva and spoke his thoughts for the party to hear, "We need to leave. They¡¯re stalling for more goblins to show up. How else could they fight with Rydel and Maynard without overwhelming numbers?"


    "Impossible, how could they contact the other goblins so quickly?" asked Brunar.


    Everyone tensed up, paying close attention to Jack¡¯s answer. "I don¡¯t know, but would you rather wait here and find out? If we don¡¯t break the formation and escape now, we may end up like the other parties."


    "Right!" Rydel shouted as he released two more arrows, this time at full strength. The arrows barreled through the air and pierced through not one, not two, but three goblins as they lodged themselves in the third goblins¡¯ carcasses.


    In a fraction of a second, Maynard vanished from where he stood and reappeared amidst the goblins outside of the perimeter. Before the goblins could retaliate to the charge, four goblins were beheaded and dropped to the floor.


    With no other choice, the goblins charged the perimeter. Like the party had guessed, the goblin ambush was made up of two outposts that swarmed after seeing the light from the tunnel. Had the party attacked sooner they wouldn¡¯t have much trouble but given the extra time, most of the straggling goblins caught up to join the fight.


    Facing the remaining thirty-two goblins, Maynard and Rydel acted the quickest but each was soon met with a lv. 30 goblin captain, one from each outpost. Most goblins were lv. 15 but there were a few at lv. 20 as well.


    With both Rydel and Maynard upied, many goblins charged in without worry. Brunar and Troni readied themselves and began to face the goblin waves. They focused on repelling and injuring rather than killing, knowing that they had two people to protect.


    "Hey, you might want to get out that fox of yours," shouted Brunar, busy pushing back goblins.


    "He¡¯s still resting from thest time. Give me a minute, okay?" answered Jack.


    Brunar was going to reply, but he saw that Jack had already closed his eyes and gone into some kind of trance. Angered by this, Brunar took his rage out on the goblin swarm alongside Troni.


    Slivia was terrified of the scene, shing back to her memories of herst party and the death of her former captain.


    Maynard yelled amidst his fight, "These weapons really are from the Royal Court!" The goblin captain¡¯s smug face swiftly contorted and became ugly as he felt Maynard¡¯s rage be palpable. "This is uneptable!"


    Like red lightning, Maynard didn¡¯t hesitate to use his trump card, unleashing "Bloody cross" to quickly finish off the unsuspecting goblin captain.


    As the goblin captain fell dead to the ground, Maynard appeared behind the second goblin captain. But as the other captain turned to face Maynard, Rydel activated a skill and ayer of green light surrounded his arrow. "First lesson ofbat: pay attention."


    That green arrow shot directly into the goblin captain¡¯s chest, piercing its heart. It slumped over on the ground and drew itsst breath.


    "Let¡¯s get this over with," said Rydel, nodding with Maynard. They split up and began mowing down the goblins that were still trying to keep the encirclement.


    During all this, Jack was busy with his achievement system. Thanks to Maynard and Rydel¡¯s initial attacks, Jack reached lv. 10 andpleted his first leveling achievement. He gained twenty skill points and quickly spent them all to upgrade hispanion bloodline skill to lv. 2. By the time he had gone through his notifications, achievements, and skill tree, both captains had been killed and Jack rocketed to lv. 11.


    d to try something new, Jack drew his bow but kept his eyes closed. He focused on his connection to Bowser as if he were establishing a wordless conversation with the fox. Jack¡¯s thoughts of Bowser¡¯s bloodline transformation triggered an increase in his heartbeat.


    Jack¡¯s body started to glow like he was a hot piece of metal, and his body expanded slightly, gaining half a meter in height. His level grew temporarily from lv. 11 to lv. 13, boosting his strength even further together with his new me body.


    Everyone froze with their gazes on Jack, including the goblins who could feel the bloodline pressure better than the human party.


    The lv. 5 wooden bow that was in Jack¡¯s hands was burnt to a crisp and fell apart in ashes, along with his clothes. As if in a rage, Jack pulled out the lv. 10 sword and charged. However, Jack¡¯s movements weren¡¯t the smoothest and he bumped into the three party members at his side, leaving them with burns on contact.


    The small fire giant lunged at the goblin hoards, burning holes through the lv. 15 goblins with a single punch and pushing back any lv. 20¡¯s he could reach.


    Taking advantage of the situation, Brunar yelled, "Slivia, hurry up and heal my burns so I can join in!"


    Surprised to see that Brunar wasn¡¯t angry, but excited with Jack¡¯s transformation, Slivia activated her basic healing spell to cure their burns.


    "Right, I can¡¯t let some newbie show me up!" Brunar jumped into the fray, running amuck alongside the seemingly wild Jack.


    One goblin slipped past everyone and stabbed a knife towards Slivia. She cried for help and was happy to see Troni quickly y the goblin, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe with me."


    With mixed emotions, Slivia nodded and epted his protection, sure that she would die otherwise.


    Rydel and Maynard saw Jack¡¯s rampage, and both smiled. Not wanting to be outdone, they picked up the pace and finished off any remaining goblins in the darkness.


    It didn¡¯t take much longer to defeat the goblin ambush and rx with a deep breath. They all gathered in the center of their fire perimeter while Jack returned to his normal self while breathing heavily.


    "Jack, that was amazing!" Slivia ran up to hug him.


    Jack smiled and extended his arms, but he fell over before he could wrap them around Slivia.


    Baffled by the sudden exhaustion, Slivia then noticed Jack¡¯s nudity as her face became redder than a ripe tomato.


    Rydel spoke to Slivia in Jack¡¯s defense, "The kid¡¯s probably pooped after trying that for the first time. I have no clue how he did it, but it has something to do with that fox of his so don¡¯t worry too much. Just let him rest."


    "Okay, thank you, captain," answered Slivia, retrieving a spare ck cloak to cover the nude Jack.


    ¡¯Yo Rydel, what level is the kid?¡¯ asked Maynard telepathically.


    ¡¯The kid¡¯s already lv. 12, probably nearing lv. 13,¡¯ answered Rydel with a jealous tone. ¡¯This kid¡¯s a monster; he¡¯ll be a peak figure in the continent.¡¯


    ¡¯I guess ya and I will have to protect him till then, huh?¡¯ughed Maynard.


    "Let¡¯s hurry up and leave this ce. If we aren¡¯t careful, we¡¯ll get ambushed again." Rydel threw Jack over his tall shoulders and retrieved a thick cord from his storage. "Everyone, tie this around your waist. We can¡¯t use the kari crystals down here or the goblins will catch us again. This way, at least we can¡¯t lose anyone."


    "But what about the corpses, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve got some valuable stuff,"mented Brunar, reluctant to leave behind such a harvest of loot.


    Maynard stored a few of the goblin weapons on the ground before he grabbed the opposite end as Rydel, being the first to tie himself in. "Hurry up, unless you want to meet their reinforcements on your own."


    Hearing Maynard¡¯s deadpan tone, the young adventurers felt their spines tingle from the thought. They obediently followed their leaders¡¯ examples and tied themselves about a meter apart from each other.


    "Good, now keep silent and follow without question,"manded Rydel, who turned around and began trudging into the darkness. Being pulled along, the others followed closely behind while Maynard focused on erasing any tracks.


    By the time more goblins arrived, the party was long gone and untraceable.

 Chapter 50 Discussion in Darkness

    <h4>Chapter 50 Discussion in Darkness</h4>


    In the pitch-ckness of the third level, Rydel and the party were currently sitting and resting. They were still tied together, apart from the unconscious Jack on Rydel¡¯s back.


    "We¡¯ll rest here, this should be far enough," said Rydel,ing to a stop. He sat down andid Jack on the cave floor.


    "But what if they find us?" asked Brunar. If anyone could see Brunar¡¯s face at that moment, they would notice the first real hint of fear in his eyes as his right shoulder was being healed by Slivia.


    "If they find us now, then chalk it up to bad luck. Just sit and rest. We need Jack awake to move further with the n. Besides, there are some things we need to discuss," answered Rydel.


    Maynard was the next to sit and speak, "The goblins are far stronger than we had anticipated. Those two goblin captains were both at lv. 30 and I have no clue why. Imagine how strong the goblin king might be."


    Everyone started to better understand how far off their expectations were from reality. The goblins would be more troublesome, plus they failed to sneak into the third level and were easily discovered. Now the goblins know that there¡¯s a threat to them and would be able to prepare or track them if necessary. Their original ns might still be possible, but the odds of sess had plummeted.


    "I knew this was too good to be true," whispered Slivia, letting the darkness hide the tear rolling down her cheek.


    "Hey, don¡¯t ya dare give up hope," said Maynard.


    "Why not? Myst party was wiped or captured before we could evene up with a n, and our n won¡¯t work after what just happened," Slivia exined her depressed reasoning.


    "I had no clue the third level would have changed so drastically," mentioned Rydel. "I¡¯ve traversed these three levels many times in my life, but the third level was always lit by the abundant azure. To find the entire level in darkness means that all the azure has been mined and transported in a short amount of time. It wasn¡¯t like this during yourst journey here, right Slivia?"


    "No..." she shook her head and let her voice fade out quietly.


    "Hmm. If that¡¯s so, then the goblins must¡¯ve done this on purpose," said Rydel.


    "But if the goblins were the cause of this, why would they need the azure? They¡¯ve rarely harvested it before, so why now?" asked Brunar.


    "It might have something to do with the Royal Court." Maynard¡¯sment grabbed everyone¡¯s attention. Currently, Maynard had retrieved one of the short swords he had collected from a goblin corpse. Running his fingers along the t side of the de and the hilt, Maynard found the Royal Crest pressed and imprinted at the base of the de.


    Frowning deeply, Maynard expressed his thoughts, "To think the Royal Court is really behind all of this. I¡¯m guessing they cut the goblins a deal to retrieve all the azure here. And I¡¯m sure they¡¯re the ones behind the sudden rise in the goblin¡¯s strength, only I don¡¯t know how they could do this. If they were able to raise the goblins¡¯ strength so much, why not do so for themselves first?"


    That thought was slowly digested by everyone, each taking their guess to the reasons behind the Royal Court¡¯s objective.


    Rydel broke the silence, "I have no clue, but there has to be some higher purpose if the Royal Court is really behind this. Also, remember that this information is ssified and can¡¯t be shared with anyone besides your superiors within the association. Is that clear?"


    Everyone nodded, epting the terms. Deep down, they hoped that they were wrong because no one wanted to make enemies of a superpower like the Royal Court.


    "So, what now?" asked Brunar, who was slowly returning to his usual outspoken self.


    "For now, we wait. Once Jack wakes up, we¡¯ll discuss things further and determine what we do next," answered Rydel.


    "You mean we¡¯re still going to attack the goblin city?" Troni¡¯s question and doubt pierced everyone¡¯s ears. "If that was only a couple squadrons from the outposts, how strong is the goblin city? How strong is the supposed goblin king? How does our small party have a chance to take the goblins head-on?"


    "Do you not believe in your master¡¯s strength?"


    Troni turned toward where he guessed Maynard was sitting and answered, "No, it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯re the strongest one of the entire group. It¡¯s just that you alone can¡¯t guarantee our safety when we¡¯ll be facing so many high leveled goblins. Am I wrong?"


    Maynard shrugged his shoulders, epting his disciple¡¯s logic but not admitting if it were true or not.


    "I say we get out of here and get reinforcements to sweep through this ce," continued Troni.


    "Impossible," said Rydel. "Sure, they know we¡¯re here and vastly outnumber us. But if they¡¯ve made so many changes since Sliviast entered this ce, can you guess what the goblins may be like by the time we return with reinforcements? Their growth is unfathomable and unpredictable. The best time to strike is still now. You know exactly what the azure is used for, so why would we give time to the goblins who have so much of it?"


    Swallowing some saliva, Troni and the other two young adventurers remembered the effects of azure. If the goblins were given time, doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯d have time to start blowing through the azure and strengthen themselves even more?


    "That¡¯s why we must seed now, got it?" No one dared to rebut their captain. "Good, now we wait for our hero to wake up."


    In the silence, the young adventurers pondered over Rydel¡¯s and Maynard¡¯s favoritism towards Jack. They understood that he was a summoned hero, but why does that give him reason enough to have their two leaders await his opinion andmand?


    "Before he gets up, I demand you tell us more about your rtionship with this guy?" Brunar was the first of the three to tantly ask what they were all wondering.


    Rydel sighed, "He may be low leveled, but he¡¯s different. Jack knows a lot more about Kartonia then you would ever guess. To be honest, he might know more about Kartonia then Maynard and mebined."


    "Ya don¡¯t need to be jealous of him, he¡¯s got his own trials and hardships waiting for him," added Maynard.


    Troni asked, "And what¡¯s up with his leveling? I don¡¯t know his current level, but I saw him cycling through different weapons and even using a lv. 10 dius. Wasn¡¯t he reported as a lv. 1 ording to stat gem at the association? Shouldn¡¯t such growth be impossible?"


    The two veterans could sense the jealousy in Troni¡¯s voice. Rydel was quickly able to better understand why Brunar was selected as the first disciple and why Troni was the second.


    Strength wasn¡¯t the most important thing to Maynard, he¡¯d rather have an average disciple that was willing to work harder than anyone else and take challenges head on over some pampered, talented youth.


    This was the biggest difference between the ronin¡¯s two top disciples. Brunar was outspoken and had no filter to his thoughts, but his personality and work ethic were both extremely consistent. Maynard liked this consistency and admired Brunar¡¯s chase for strength despiteing from the slums of the capital.


    Rydel didn¡¯t know it, but Troni hailed from a noble family. Though it wasn¡¯t the strongest noble family by any means, Troni still had his arrogance. Troni learned to hide his pride around his master, however, there were times that it would be more evident upon provocation. He was always keeping his thoughts to himself and quietly obeying his master¡¯s orders, while asionally enjoying the privileges of the nobles during his leisure time.


    Both students worked hard, but Maynard understood them both too well to let Troni be his top disciple. Knowing what the top disciple might earn in the future, Troni would always try to scheme his way there under Brunar¡¯s nose.


    Wearing his emotions on his sleeve, Brunar was easy for Troni to manipte, given time. And now they were like best friends, constantly traveling together. Troni could ept Brunar¡¯s insane work ethic but seeing a supposed lv. 1 adventurer almost immediately reach lv. 10 was way too much for him to keep his cool.


    "Yeah, what¡¯s up with that? That kid¡¯s crazy!" Brunarmented with a big grin. Before, he was hesitant of epting Jack¡¯s im to fame as a lv. 1 newbie but seeing Jack reach lv. 10 so easily proved that Jack was worth the fame.


    In the back of Brunar¡¯s mind, he was giddy to see Jack¡¯s sudden rise in power. Through hard work, Brunar had surpassed peers and fellow disciples alike. Seeing Jack¡¯s insane leveling lit a fire in his belly that had long been dormant, the feeling of a challenge. After a long time, Brunar was happy to find someone that could reignite thepetitive fire within him.


    Maynard sighed, "If ya want to know that much, you¡¯ll have to ask Jack personally."


    The three young adventurers came up with their theories behind Jack¡¯s rise in achievements while Rydel and Maynard eagerly took out a couple of elixirs. After forcing the two mana-restoring elixirs down Jack¡¯s throat, they saw Jack¡¯s face twitch.

 Chapter 51 Change of Plans

    <h4>Chapter 51 Change of ns</h4>


    Jack groaned as his consciousness returned. His MP had dropped to zero thanks to his bloodline skill, exhausting himself so quickly that he weakly fell unconscious. Now that his MP had maxed out thanks to the two elixirs, Jack opened his eyes to the unfamiliar darkness.


    "You okay kid?" asked Rydel, responding to Jack¡¯s sudden groans.


    "Yeah..." answered Jack. "I just used too much mana too quickly, that¡¯s all. That was my first time trying that skill, so I had no clue that it would use so much MP."


    "How do you feel?" Brunar¡¯s unexpected concern startled Jack. "That skill was like your fox¡¯s, just not as strong. How¡¯d you do that?"


    "Umm..." Jack was hesitant to reply. "It¡¯s because of the mutual seal, so I¡¯m just lucky I guess."


    "Well it was amazing, know that I¡¯m jealous," chuckled Brunar. "You¡¯ll make a great rival after all, but don¡¯t expect me to make it easy for you to pass me. I¡¯ll do whatever it takes to stay stronger."


    Not sure how to take the suddenpliment, Jack asked the group, "We¡¯re in the clear now, right?"


    "Yeah, they shouldn¡¯t be able to find us anytime soon," answered Rydel.


    "Good, then you were probably waiting on me to discuss the n, right?"


    "Ya guessed it," said Maynard. "So, what do ya think? Now that we¡¯ve been found out and the goblins are aware of our threat, what should we do?"


    Jack let out a deep breath before he shared his thoughts. "Stick to the n, that¡¯s the best solution. We¡¯ll have to alter our expectations and some minor things, but our aim is still the destruction of the goblin city."


    "But how can we possibly face the entire goblin city? Just those two captains were lv. 30¡¯s. If there is a goblin king, what level would he be? How could we possibly beat so many goblins?" Troni let loose a flurry of questions, somewhat panicked.


    "That¡¯s simple," smirked Jack. "We just need water."


    "Water?" Troni and the others were dumbfounded.


    Suddenly, Rydelughed, "So that¡¯s how it is, I knew I¡¯d like the way you do things kid."


    While everyone was distracted by Rydel¡¯s randomment, Jack exined further, "The key to our victory will be water, or better said the goblin¡¯s water supply."


    "You mean to poison them?" asked Maynard.


    "That¡¯s exactly what I n to do," said Jack. "Why else would I have wanted so much neurotoxin earlier? It won¡¯t be enough to fully paralyze a full city of goblins, but if we can sessfully poison their limited water supply, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be slowed or partially stunned. There¡¯s no way they¡¯d be able to fight at full strength, making it even easier for us to deliver quick killing blows."


    Only Troni continued frowning amidst the small crowd of smiles, but no one could see it. Hearty chuckles andughs broke the silence that followed Jack¡¯s boration, changing the party¡¯s attitude gradually.


    "Well, that¡¯s not too bad an idea," said Brunar. "I¡¯ll pass you all my neurotoxin too, the more the merrier right?"


    Slivia remained silent, but she was relieved. She had mentally ced Jack on a pedestal as a summoned hero, so she was d that he was able toe up with a solution during dire straights and keep good on the mental image she had created.


    "So, will that be a new phase in the n?" asked Rydel.


    "We¡¯ll call it, phase zero. It¡¯ll have to happen before the actual raid begins, so I think it¡¯s fitting." Jack reached into his cloak pocket and felt the soft fur of the sleeping Bowser. To his surprise, the ears perked up and reacted to Jack¡¯sbing fingers. "It seems like Bowser¡¯s feeling a bit better. As long as we don¡¯t start the raid in the next few hours, he should be ready in time for the n."


    "I¡¯m d to hear that, he was a huge help earlier. If it weren¡¯t for him, those lizards would¡¯ve done more than just poison my leg," praised Brunar.


    "Still, it¡¯d be safer to retreat temporarily and return with the branch chief and more reinforcements. Why should we risk our lives now with only slim chances of sess?" asked Troni, still bargaining to flee.


    "You don¡¯t get it, do you?" Jack stared at the source of Troni¡¯s voice. "The more time we give these goblins, the stronger they¡¯ll get. Of course, I wish that old fart could join us, but we¡¯ll just have to make do without him. Any real adventurer understands that there¡¯s a risk in every mission and embraces those odds with everything they¡¯ve got."


    Troni remained silent, unsure of how to reply. Jack didn¡¯t allot Troni much time to respond before he continued, "I¡¯ll admit it, this mission has plenty of dangers and unknowns. But that¡¯s why I decided to be an adventurer in the first ce, to achieve things that everyone else thought impossible. Also, if the Royal Court is really behind this, then wouldn¡¯t they ensure that the association is too upied to give a full out assault?"


    Gasps escaped the party¡¯s mouths; they hadn¡¯t considered that idea. The Royal Court was openly on bad terms with the Adventurers Association, so why wouldn¡¯t they find some excuse to keep the association busy.


    "The Royal Court has a hand in this. I¡¯ve gathered a number of the goblin¡¯s weapons and all of them carry the royal crest," confirmed Maynard. "I¡¯m not sure if this was done by official orders or in the shadows, but either way the Royal Court will want this to stay silent. I¡¯m certain they wouldn¡¯t let us charge in and blow the cap off the incident."


    "Then it¡¯s best for us to continue our n and handle the issue without drawing much attention. If a battalion of adventurers left the capital, the entire city would be on edge without a proper exnation," reasoned Rydel. "We¡¯re the best option toplete this mission while maintaining the most secrecy possible. Anyone want to object?"


    No one replied, each for their reasons. Jack spoke up, "Good, then let¡¯s hurry and find this goblin city. Slivia, where did you find itst time?"


    She flinched but answered nheless, "It¡¯s in the center, but I don¡¯t know where we are now."


    "Leave that part to me," said Rydel. "I¡¯ve got a rough idea of where we are, but I can¡¯t guarantee that we¡¯ll be able to sneak past each outpost on the way."


    "We need to attack any outpost we find," said Jack. "We won¡¯t be able to tell whether the outposts notice us and notify others to try and surround us. It¡¯s best if we just strike first and wipe out each outpost we meet. With you two working together, a lv. 30 goblin captain shouldn¡¯t be too much trouble and you can pick him off before the rest of the goblins have a chance to act."


    "Great! Then I¡¯ll distract the other goblins while Master ys the goblin captain," said Brunar, anxious to grow stronger after seeing Jack¡¯s meteoric rise in strength.


    "Then it¡¯s settled, we¡¯ll move forward from here." Jack ended the discussion and slowly stood up, still a little weak after having gained consciousness. As he got to his feet, Jack felt a chill pass over his body as the cloak opened while in motion.


    "Oh yeah, and you should know that your special move destroys your clothes. We¡¯ll have to figure something out for thatter. For now, hurry and change," Rydelmented as he stood up.


    Embarrassed, Jack turned away from the party and put clothes on under the cloak. He then turned and asked, "Who should I return this to?"


    Slivia answered, "You can keep it. I¡¯m sure it¡¯lle in handy."


    With red in his cheeks, Jack nodded and readied himself to leave like the others.


    Rydel made sure Jack was tied in like the rest and they set off. They followed Rydel blindly, trusting the hunter¡¯s experience. With his eagle eye ability, Rydel was still able to distinguish some shapes in the darkness within a couple of dozen meters. This was very helpful to the party as it let them quickly find a nearby outpost.


    "It seems to be almost empty. Maybe it was one of the outposts that ambushed us earlier," deduced Rydel. "Scratch that, it¡¯s not empty but all the goblins there are gathered awkwardly to one side."


    "They¡¯re probably from a different outpost and are investigating the deaths of their allies," whispered Jack. "Do you have a clear visual on the captain?"


    "Yeah, he¡¯s atop the watchtower. If we don¡¯t act fast, he¡¯ll be sure to notice us."


    "Good, here¡¯s what we¡¯ll do." Jack then exined a brief battle n to the party and everyone nodded in agreement.


    Atop the tower, the goblin captain was peering into the distance, trying to sense any signs of life. Suddenly, a few bright lights appeared a couple of dozen meters from the outpost. The goblin captain grunted andmanded his troops to charge the invaders, certain that they must be the culprits of theirrades¡¯ deaths.


    It watched as the goblin troops charged the four lights in the distance and were met with resistance. Not happy with the goblin¡¯s chances of victory, the goblin captain activated a storage ne and retrieved a contact crystal.


    Just when it was about to send a message to nearby outposts, a light appeared to the side of the goblin captain. Startled by the appearance of what seemed to be a samurai, the goblin captain drew its sword to block the surprise attack.


    The goblin captain pushed back the enemy de and prepared to inform the other outposts, but an arrow stuck itself through the goblin captain¡¯s throat. Unable to speak ormunicate, the goblin captain felt fear.


    A second strike from the samurai swung towards the captain, who struggled to defend. Like before, the second swing of the katana was followed by a second arrow. It lodged itself in the goblin captain¡¯s arm and rendered it unable to wield its heavy longsword. With an easy opening, Maynard¡¯s de glowed red as it was thrust forward into the captain¡¯s chest and heart.


    Before any other goblin within the outpost had a chance to aid their captain, they watched as their captain fell to the sword. Those goblins quickly met the same fate as a rain of arrows imed their unguarded lives.


    Maynard rushed to the rest of the party, who was holding off the other goblin defenders. The battle wasn¡¯t very dramatic, but it proved that the best defense was an even stronger offense.

 Chapter 52 Whats in the Pit?

    <h4>Chapter 52 What¡°s in the Pit?</h4>


    The party gathered back at the outpost since it was cleared by Rydel and Maynard. Rydel climbed down the watchtower to meet everyone below.


    "Well, we know how they¡¯remunicating," said Rydel, showing the contact crystal to everyone. "It¡¯s a good thing we caught them off guard and took the offensive."


    Going through the goblin captain¡¯s storage ne, all they found were weapons and dried meat rations. They found some more weapons inside the outpost, but nothing else. It supported the idea that the goblins received some outside help to obtain better materials and hadn¡¯t advanced due to their intellectual advancement.


    "Is there anything else?" asked Jack.


    "Nope, none of the other goblins had anything besides a weapon," answered Brunar, flinging a dagger into a pile of weapons.


    "Alright, let¡¯s head out. If there¡¯s nothing here, then the other outposts are probably the same way. All that matters right now is getting to the goblin city." Rydel took the lead and they tied themselves up to leave.


    They used the same ambush tactic on another two outposts without any issues, other thanck of rest. Everyone pushed forward with a few yawns along the way, just waiting for the chance to see the city and take a much-needed break.


    The third floor was dark and barren; not a single azure crystal was left to light the way. Not even a single creature could be found anywhere, so there weren¡¯t any threats besides the goblin outposts.


    Having rxed as they got in a rhythm, the party was getting tired and were distracted by any thought that crossed their minds. Even Rydel was starting to ck and wasn¡¯t quite as sharp as he could¡¯ve been.


    It had been over an hour since they passed the third outpost, but nothing was in sight. It was somehow appearing to get darker. Intrigued by this, Rydel heightened his focus again while the others simply followed along.


    Out of know where Brunar ran into Rydel¡¯s unmoving back. Jack collided with Brunar¡¯s, Slivia with Jack¡¯s, and so on until the party was at aplete halt.


    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?¡¯ asked Jack telepathically, not daring to speak aloud.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t move, I¡¯m trying to investigate the path. Something¡¯s off,¡¯ answered Rydel.


    ¡¯Like what?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯I... I¡¯m not sure. It¡¯s just like before but for some reason, everything in front of me is an even deeper shade of ck. It feels like the world ends right here and stepping any further we would fall off the world¡¯s edge. In all my travels in this mine, I¡¯ve never felt quite like this,¡¯ Rydel struggled to describe how he felt.


    Jack took a moment to think before he replied in his mind, ¡¯Can we walk around that ckness?¡¯


    ¡¯I think so,¡¯ answered Rydel with a shrug.


    ¡¯Then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do.¡¯


    Rydel nodded silently as he whispered, "Everyone, be extremely careful to follow the exact direction I¡¯m pulling you."


    The party leader took a few steps and pulled the rope carefully with his arm, making sure to lead the group around that strange darkness. Brunar was extra careful, sensing the seriousness of the situation. He would mirror Rydel, pulling the rope along carefully.


    Each step was quiet yet strangely heavy on their hearts like they were silently traversing a cliff. The tension felt unnecessary, yet mandatory by the nature of that darkness.


    The party did its best to continue despite a few yawns and the exhaustion that was setting in. Slivia was a good example of this as her footing was clumsy or overlooked at times.


    The next person to show their tiredness was Troni, whose feet would fumble on asion. Since the ground wasn¡¯t always even in that region of the mine and the darkness wouldn¡¯t let him see his own hand in front of him, Troni was the first person to trip and fall to his knees.


    Troni quickly caught himself and tried to get back up, but the sudden tautness of the rope caught Slivia off guard. Maynard remained still, but Slivia¡¯s footing was lost and she fell backward.


    The next in line was Jack, who heard Slivia groan as she was pulled down. He turned to look back instinctively as he was pulled down face first. When Jacknded, he was surprised tond softly. His head found a pillow-like cushion to break his fall and the ground beneath him felt extremely smooth to the touch. Enjoying the awkward circumstance, he let out a sigh of relief.


    "Ow!"


    Slivia¡¯s sudden cry caused Jack to widen his eyes and activate the kari stone out of reflex. Jack was dumbfounded to find himself on top of Slivia with his head resting on her ample bosom and blush on her nervous face.


    "Sorry!" Out of fear, Jack tried to push himself back off but collided with the falling Brunar instead. They pushed each other to either side of Slivia, Jack to her right and Brunar to her left.


    It wasn¡¯t too big a deal until Jack looked down and couldn¡¯t find the ground, despite having his kari crystal lit.


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯ Rydel mentally shouted as he grabbed Jack by the back of his cloak and pulled him back, returning the blushing hero atop Slivia.


    Originally, Jack thought Rydel would be furious about him using the kari crystal, but everyone was d Jack had in that instance. The party looked to their right; the same direction Jack had fallen.


    There was no ground, only a sheer cliff shrouded in darkness that appeared to easily overwhelm the light of the kari crystal. They could only look about two meters before the remaining light was engrossed inplete darkness; the same deep darkness that Rydel had seen.


    "This..." The party was speechless at the abysmal scenery in front of them, especially Jack who immediately put out the kari crystal¡¯s light.


    Other members of the party activated their kari crystals out of curiosity, but Jack tried to stop them and yelled, "Get back and no lights!"


    Amidst Jack¡¯s yells, the rolling darkness expanded and flowed towards the party. Jack jumped away but didn¡¯t get very far with everyone being tied together. By the time the others followed his example, the darkness had surrounded them.


    The light from the kari crystals was dimmed and overpowered, not letting anyone look beyond their hand¡¯s reach. Suddenly, Jack was being pulled off the cliff. He tried to fight it and tried to find the source but was scared stiff to see the rope around his waist pulling him into the abyss.


    Without any other choice, the party was pulled into the abyss one-by-one. They felt like they were falling but at an extremely slow speed, as if the darkness was so thick that it was tangible enough to slow their descent through the air. Everyone was still connected by the rope, but they couldn¡¯t see each other.


    Everyone was screaming, yelling, or shouting, everyone except than Jack that is. Jack was stiff and hyper-focused on the situation like his gaze was sharp enough to cut through the rolling darkness. Soon, something came into view and everyone stopped screaming.


    ck tendrilsshed out from the darkness, embracing each unsuspecting party member as quick as lightning. They were firm yet felt ghastly to the touch. As they wrapped themselves around the party members¡¯ limbs and torsos, a ghostly chilled filled their lungs, making it even harder to breathe and concentrate on the situation.


    Jack managed to avoid them with the help of the dius that he had pulled out of storage, anticipating the sudden seizure of dark tendrils. Rydel and Maynard were able to avoid most of the tendrils and managed to free themselves quickly with their strength.


    ¡¯Are you free?¡¯ asked Jack telepathically.


    ¡¯Yes,¡¯ answered Rydel.


    ¡¯Ya know it,¡¯ said Maynard.


    ¡¯Good, we¡¯ll have to take this thing on together,¡¯ said Jack. ¡¯It¡¯s a Nightmare Lily, are you familiar with them?¡¯


    ¡¯Nightmare Lily!¡¯ Both Rydel and Maynard were shocked by the announcement.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll take that as a no,¡¯ continued Jack. ¡¯It emits pheromones that can darken night itself, letting it hide in holes, pits, caves, and other shaded ces. If you can close your eyes and focus hard enough, you¡¯ll notice that you¡¯re actually on the ground and no longer in the air.¡¯


    Hearing that, the veteran adventurers didn¡¯t know what to think. Taking some deep, focusing breaths, they closed their eyes and physically felt around them. Like Jack had said, they somehow felt the ground beneath their feet. Amazed that they were upright after having thought they spun around in the air, they both opened their eyes to see more tendrils creeping up on them.


    ¡¯The Nightmare Lily is known for disorienting its prey before its tendrils drag it towards the mouth within the main bulb. If we¡¯re not fast, we¡¯ll lose someone,¡¯ Jack¡¯s voice wavered as he announced this. ¡¯I¡¯m too weak to fight it, but you can follow the tendrils back to the bulb and attack its brain, just above where the tendrils are connected to the main body. Make it fast!¡¯


    Not wasting another second, Maynard and Rydel dashed into action. They quickly followed the tendrils back to the main bulb and found Slivia and the two young samurai being pulled towards a gaping maw within a mass of giant, dark-purple flower petals.


    Just as Slivia¡¯s feet neared the opening and she could feel an acidic breath against her leg, the veterans shed through the base of the bulb-like Jack had described. A shrill whine was let loose as the tendrils were loosed and the frantic bodies of the trapped adventurers fell to the floor. The darkness slowly began to clear, letting everyone¡¯s kari crystals shed light across the visibly wilting body of a fully-grown Nightmare Lily.

 Chapter 53 Nightmare Lilies

    <h4>Chapter 53 Nightmare Lilies</h4>


    Brunar and Troni were still disoriented from the residual pheromones in the air. They had no clue what was happening.


    Slivia, however, was brought to her senses upon feeling the acidic breath of the Nightmare Lily on her leg. She genuinely thought she was about to lose her life in a horrid twist of fate.


    All three of the entangled adventurers weren¡¯t able to see Rydel and Maynard charge against the fiendish nt, they only realized that they were suddenly freed. As the extrayer of darkness dissipated, the two veteran adventurers came into view.


    The two young samurai were more startled by the sudden feeling of the supposedly nonexistent ground than by being freed. Slivia was in tears as her heart went through a rollercoaster of emotions in a matter of seconds. Rydel and Maynard sighed in relief when they saw that everyone was unharmed.


    It was then that they noticed how everyone still had a rope around their waists. What was shocking was how none of them noticed the rope tearing and being forcibly disconnected amidst being entangled.


    Jack was approaching the others but was still in the now dissipating pheromones. He wasn¡¯t in a rush to reach them because Rydel gave him an update on the situation and instead took his time to near the faint light of the others¡¯ kari crystals.


    The expression on Jack¡¯s face was ugly and hard to interpret. In the face of other threats, he was confident in the abilities of Rydel and Maynard to handle the situation.


    But now his heart wouldn¡¯t let him forget how real the threats were. If he hadn¡¯t immediately informed Rydel and Maynard, it was clear to Jack that at least Slivia would have lost her life.


    Up to that point, Jack had some internal struggles with instinctively treating this new world and environment like a game. He understood that he couldn¡¯t respawn, but he hadn¡¯t yet felt the disparity of walking the tightrope of death.


    With Slivia less than a moment away from death, the severity of the situation forced Jack to ept this new world as his new reality. This wasn¡¯t a game, despite having the same leveling system or being the same continent. He and everyone could die with just one misstep, and they would never get a second chance.


    While Jack was in mental turmoil, Rydel and Maynard filled in the others about the creature that had attacked them.


    Hearing this, Slivia tried to thank her two saviors. Her gratitude was turned elsewhere as her heroes denied her thanks and exined how Jack¡¯s instant response was what saved them.


    Looking all around her, Slivia failed to find Jack and her heart ached a little. "Jack!"


    The cry of his name awoke Jack from his harsh realization. Not wanting them to worry, Jack activated his kari crystal and shuffled to the others.


    "Jack!" Slivia¡¯s shout was followed by her jumping and falling into Jack¡¯s arms, tears still flowing down her cheeks from being on death¡¯s door. "Th-thank you! Thank you!"


    "I..." This was too much for Jack to process while he was already focused on feeling helpless to the world around him. Jack wasn¡¯t able to say anything else.


    "I was-was about to be eaten. If you hadn¡¯t..." Slivia quivered in Jack¡¯s arms, unable to calm herself.


    Jack remained speechless and motionless with his arms supporting the clinging cleric. His eyes softened as he finally felt the genuine tears and anguish in Slivia¡¯s eyes. Instinctively, he embraced Slivia tighter and weed her tears with his shoulder.


    She remained there for a good minute before Brunar had reoriented himself and saw the scene in front of him. "Wow, you¡¯re luckier than I thought,"ughed Brunar.


    Slivia didn¡¯t hear the remark, but everyone else lightly smiled or chuckled.


    Not liking the situation he found after returning to his senses, Troni stated, "Now¡¯s not the time to rx. We need to be ready for anything."


    Slivia sniffled, "I just..."


    "He¡¯s right."


    When Jack responded the entire party grew more tense, especially Troni who only wanted to spoil the atmosphere between Jack and Slivia.


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Rydel, solemnly staring at Jack.


    Jack patted Slivia¡¯s head as he raised it from his chest and exined, "More times than not where there¡¯s one flower, there¡¯s always more nearby. The same goes for Nightmare Lilies."


    Everyone held their breath and Slivia gripped Jack¡¯s arms tightly. Jack continued, "Usually, there are at least three Nightmare Lilies gathered together, but five or seven together aren¡¯t umon either. We need to hurry and get out."


    More rolling darkness began to near them, as if a Nightmare Lily was listening in and realized its prey was about to flee.


    "We need to hurry!" Jack shouted, regretting his inaction after the first Nightmare Lily was killed. He cursed his overwhelming emotions, recognizing that he again acted toote to save his party from more threats.


    The party turned the other way but was met with more rolling darkness, letting them know that they weren¡¯t trying to escape just a single Nightmare Lily.


    "Captain, do you still remember where the wall is?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah." Rydel quickly pointed a finger while they were still able to see each other.


    "Good." Jack¡¯s breathing was heavier than usual, revealing his umon nervousness.


    The young hero retrieved his bow did his best to steady his hands. Jack was startled when a lit torch fell to the ground in front of him. ncing to where the torch came from, Jack saw Maynard wearing a smirk.


    Seeing Maynard¡¯s confidence helped Jack to calm his shaky hands. An arrow appeared, passed through the lit torch, and was nocked while Jack slowed his breathing. As the rolling darkness set in eclipsed the light of the kari crystals, the arrow was released and stuck itself in the nearby ground. Jack repeated this while the others circled him with Rydel and Maynard on opposite sides.


    Soon there was a very faint trail of warm light being formed as Rydel, Maynard, and the other samurai began to defend against any emerging ck tendrils. With prior knowledge to the strange pheromones, they were all on high alert and ready to act at a moment¡¯s notice.


    "Let¡¯s head toward the wall," said Jack after releasing his fourth arrow.


    He guessed that the wall wasn¡¯t too far from them and kept himself from wasting another arrow. With stealth in mind and hisck of funds, Jack hadn¡¯t bought too many arrows while in town. Thanks to all the unexpected events, Jack had almost exhausted his supply. And since they hadn¡¯t even seen the goblin city, Jack did his best to save the dozen or so arrows left at his disposal.


    Just then the darkness started to thicken, and more tendrils snaked through the air. Now facing three fronts, the party was eager to escape.


    "Everyone go! I¡¯ll draw their attention and go for the kill," stated Maynard as his katana began to emit their red glow.


    "But Master¡ª" Brunar hesitated.


    "Very well," replied Jack, grabbing Slivia by the hand and bolting toward the lit path he had created.


    Rydel nodded and dashed in front of Jack, revealing numerous small throwing knives in his dexterous fingers. As a few stray tendrils tried to nk them and close in on their route of escape, they were quickly pinned to the ground by knives.


    Troni didn¡¯t waste time and followed suit, with the reluctant Brunar in tow.


    Maynard had already disappeared and reappeared to the side of the lily nearest the fleeing party. With a couple "Blood thrusts," Maynard offed the Nightmare Lily in a sh.


    Nightmare Lilies weren¡¯t physically tough but were very hard to deal with due to the effectiveness of their surprise attacks and swarming tactics.


    Offing one or two was very possible for the aware Maynard, though it meant he would have to use more MP for both his attacks and his "Sudden death" skill. That was the skill that allowed him to quickly appear beside a foe within five meters while striking. It was called "Sudden death" because although it was difficult to deal with, it was also Maynard¡¯s biggest opening if an enemy were able to counter.


    With one lily finished off and its pheromones dispersing, the faint trail of fire came into Maynard¡¯s view. Maynard dashed toward it at full speed, shing apart any tendril that dared approach the trail.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the party to reach the wall; the overly anxious Troni had almost run into it face first if Rydel hadn¡¯t slowed him down.


    "Brunar, throw the others up. We¡¯ll keep you in the clear,"manded Rydel as he brandished more knives.


    Without hesitation, Brunar braced his back against the wall and cupped his hands to form a step of sorts. "Hurry, I¡¯ll throw you all up."


    Jack meant to let Slivia go first, but Troni cut in and said, "I¡¯ll be the first. Who knows what¡¯s waiting for us up there?"


    Not wanting to waste time arguing, Jack let Troni¡¯s excuse pass him by as Troni was thrown up and disappeared into the darkness above them. No sounds followed, making everyone reluctant to try with someone else.


    "Did you make it?" yelled Brunar.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m up," Troni yelled back in response with ache apparent in his voice.


    "Okay, Slivia next," said Jack, pushing her forward in a gentle yet hurried manor. She was hesitant to release Jack¡¯s hand, but she followed along. In but a moment she was tossed into the darkness above with a soft cry.


    "You next." Brunar nodded to Jack with a friendly smile.

 Chapter 54 Lying in Wai

    <h4>Chapter 54 Lying in Wai</h4>


    "You¡¯re next."


    "Thanks." Returning the nod, Jack didn¡¯t waver and stepped into Brunar¡¯s hands. As Jack pushed off with all his strength, Brunar added to his momentum drastically with a hard throw of his hands.


    Now airborne, Jack¡¯s jaw seized while he prepared for impact with the cave floor. Like he anticipated, the light of his kari crystal grew stronger as a rock ledge came into view along with the light from Slivia and Troni.


    Jack gripped the ledge the best he could and used his arms to direct his upward momentum over it. He seeded in passing over it to safety, resulting in a hard tumble across the ground.


    With a sigh of relief, Jack rolled over from his back and sat himself up. The sight of Troni crowding over the fallen Slivia wasn¡¯t his favorite but he weed it, nheless.


    As Jack rose to his feet, Slivia brushed off all the dirt she could while she stood herself up with Troni¡¯s hand as a stabilizer. Jack looked back at the edge of the massive pit, expecting someone else to fly overhead.


    ¡¯Catch!¡¯


    A sudden shout appeared in Jack¡¯s mind as a bundle of rope was expertly tossed over the ledge. Quickly catching on, Jack rushed to the rope and grabbed hold of the end reaching into the darkness below.


    Then, a flying Brunar passed the side of Jack. The astounding height Brunar reached proved that it was most likely Maynard whounched his disciple without care for a softnding.


    Grasping the rope tightly, Jack waited for Maynard and Rydel to make their appearances.


    At this moment of suspense turning to relief, an arrow shot out of the darkness and pierced into Jack¡¯s bicep. His grip wavered as Jack struggled to clench it with his full strength and groaned in pain.


    Rydel, who was climbing the rope faster than a monkey chasing a bundle of bananas, felt the change of tension in the rope. When he heard Jack groaning in pain, he sped up and shouted, "Jack, are you okay?"


    Jack didn¡¯t reply, keeping his focus on his grip while looking back at the others who had escaped the Nightmare Lilies. Slivia was struck in the thigh while Troni was lucky to have his armor block the shot at his waist. Brunar¡¯s tumbling had allowed him to evade the shot aimed towards him, but he insteadnded on it and the fletching sticking out from the ground roughly tore the back of his kimono.


    Just as Rydel got his hands on the ledge, Jack and Slivia felt a tug from the arrows embedded in their flesh. Without warning, ropes attached to the end of those arrows were made taut. Both Jack and Slivia felt themselves being yanked back, away from the rest of the party.


    Brunar was busy getting up, still in a daze from his roughnding and confused as to what hended on.


    Troni saw Slivia being pulled away and quickly drew his sword. He lunged forward in an attempt to cut her free, but three more arrows appeared, two aimed at him and another at Slivia.


    Pausing to deflect the arrows, Troni watched the third arrow pierce Slivia¡¯s upper torso, just under the left vicle.


    Now being pulled with twice the speed, Slivia cried in pain as she was dragged away. When she was almost ten meters away from her party, a goblin appeared in the light of her kari crystal and yanked the lit wristband from her arm. Slivia and the goblin were quickly swallowed up in darkness and Slivia¡¯s cries became muffled until they appeared nonexistent.


    At the same time, Jack yelled, "Hey!" as he was pulled away from the pit¡¯s edge in a separate direction.


    Lucky for Rydel, he had grabbed the ledge and let go of the rope the moment he felt the unexpected yet forceful pull from Jack.


    Refusing to let go, Jack yelled back to Rydel, "Grab the rope!"


    Peeking over the edge while hearing Slivia¡¯s cries and Jack¡¯s shouts, Rydel noticed the dire situation. He hurriedly pulled himself up to one knee and grabbed hold of the rope.


    Rydel¡¯s death grip on the rope caused it to instantly grow taut, leaving Jack in the middle. "Aaagghh!" Jack yelled as his body felt like it was being pulled in half from his arms. He could end the agony by letting go, but that was the one thing Jack refused to do at that moment.


    Caught in the middle, Jack steadied both feet under him and leaned toward Rydel the best he could.


    Not wasting the little help Jack offered him, Rydel braced his arms and pulled back with all his might.


    "AAAAAGGGHHH!!"


    Jack¡¯s lungs almost gave out from the force of his pained shouts. But Jack was happy to be tugged because he could feel the arrow¡¯s grip on his muscles weaken.


    Another arrow quickly shot out and tried to pierce one of Jack¡¯s legs, trying to remove his footing. With great strain and aid from his evasion and perceptions skills, Jack tried to evade it. He managed to keep it from gripping his flesh, but it grazed his calf and forced Jack to crash against the floor.


    With the tug-of-war at a standstill, Rydel briefly let go with one hand. At that moment, he pulled out another small knife and aimed the other rope attached to Jack¡¯s arm. The shot was difficult, but Rydel¡¯s "True aim" skill allowed him to nick the rope.


    Seeing the weakened rope slowly unraveling, Jack groaned as he forced himself back to his feet and leaned back towards Rydel.


    Unable to hold on any longer the rope snapped, and Jack copsed to the ground.


    A third arrow was shot at Jack but Rydel reflexively drew his bow and nocked two arrows before heunched at full speed. One arrowed collided with the enemy¡¯s while the other flew into the darkness, aimed at the hidden archer. Rydel had seen two arrowse from the same direction, confirming the enemy¡¯s position and allowing him to strike back.


    Rydel¡¯s arrow pierced its target and the party heard a shrill cry. Rushing to help Jack, Rydel kept himself ready to strike back but no other attack arrived.


    Assuming that the target fled, Rydel looked to the other side. When he saw Brunar painfully getting up and Troni being pushed back by arrows, the now distant Slivia had her kari crystal wristband ripped from her.


    As Slivia vanished in the darkness, Rydel was at war between his emotions and his duties as a party captain.


    "Hey! Why¡¯d ya take the rope?" Maynard shouted from the bottom of the pit.


    Reluctant to do or say anything, Rydel remained frozen for a moment of thought.


    "Oh, there it is!" Maynard yelled as he saw the rope a couple of meters off the ground. The ronin jumped and grabbed hold of the rope while repelling a few ck tendrils.


    Jack, who was still firmly gripping the rope from the insane surge of adrenaline he just experienced, felt his body jerk back towards the pit. Unable to hold himself back, he was dragged across the rough cave floor towards the dark abyss.


    "What the..." Maynard was startled when he started to fall back towards the ground with the unanchored rope in hand.


    Forced to recognize the strange development by Jack¡¯s sudden movement, Rydel again grabbed the rope. With him as the new anchor, Jack came to a stop and Maynard flew up the rope to barely avoid entanglement with another Nightmare Lily.


    Maynard heaved a sigh of relief as he grabbed the ledge, happy he was through with wasting the little MP he had left. However, his emotions quickly fluctuated when he noticed the disarrayed party.


    "What happened?" asked Maynard, focusing on the copsed Jack with an arrow sticking out of his arm.


    Rydel wearily looked at Maynard, revealing his disparity with a nce. "We lost Slivia."


    The ronin¡¯s eyes exploded wide open as he searched for the cleric. Seeing only his disciples in awkward stances, Maynard¡¯s posture shrunk for the first time during the mission. Maynard asked in a hushed tone, "Goblins?"


    "Yeah," answered Rydel, pointing at the rope forcibly attached to Jack by the arrow.


    "This changes things,"mented Maynard.


    Jack was so caught up in his turmoil that he had failed to notice Slivia¡¯s struggle and disappearance. Hearing them mention Slivia¡¯s capture, Jack¡¯s tired head flopped to the other side.


    When he saw Troni standing awkwardly amidst some fallen arrows and Brunar with a depressed look on his face, Jack was forced to wake up and smell the roses.


    A terrible ache appeared in his chest, yearning for Slivia toe back. He remembered the terror he saw in her eyes just moments earlier and her reluctance to release Jack¡¯s hand. The pained tears in her eyes were a fresh memory that solidified itself in Jack¡¯s heart.


    In the back of his head, Jack wished that Troni was the one they had taken. Troni had refused to let Slivia go first and was only lucky to have the armor that Jack had given up.


    The pain in Jack¡¯s heart had taken root and the only solution would be to get Slivia back, alive.

 Chapter 55 The Spy

    <h4>Chapter 55 The Spy</h4>


    "Jack... Jack... KID!"


    Rydel¡¯s calls eventually got Jack to look up, who was surprised by what he saw.


    "Does this not hurt?" asked Maynard, who had been fiddling with the arrow in Jack¡¯s arm while Jack was in a daze.


    "Ow!" yelled Jack, now aware of Maynard¡¯s antics.


    "Good," said Rydel. The party captain retrieved some bandages and a bottle of what looked like medieval vodka. "Now that we know you¡¯re still with us, don¡¯t move."


    Without waiting for Jack¡¯s reply, Maynard retrieved a small wakizashi and used it with scalpel-like precision to remove the arrow cleanly from Jack¡¯s bicep. Rydel then poured the alcohol over the wound, letting Jack grind his teeth in pain. After that Rydel bandaged it up nice and tight.


    "You¡¯re wee." Maynard smiled and gave Jack¡¯s bicep a friendly pat.


    Wincing in pain Jack looked at the two makeshift medics and tried to remain calm. "What now captain? Are we going after Slivia?"


    Rydel went silent again; indecision riddled his face.


    "Let¡¯s hurry to that goblin city," interjected Maynard. "I¡¯m sure that¡¯s the root of all this, and more than likely that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find that cleric girl."


    Jack replied, "But if we don¡¯t hurry¡ª"


    "Do you know where they went kid?" Rydel subtly asked.


    "Umm... no, I don¡¯t." The enthusiasm in Jack¡¯s voice lessened as he confessed.


    "Me neither, so that¡¯s out of the question. I agree with Maynard, I think it¡¯s best to hurry to the goblin city. If there are any survivors, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find them along with Slivia. Remember, there wasn¡¯t anywhere to keep prisoners in the outposts," stated Rydel, sounding more certain of his decision the longer he talked about it.


    A hand reached out to help Jack up to his feet. Jack epted Brunar¡¯s help. "Thanks."


    "I¡¯m sorry for my inability to help her. Don¡¯t worry too much, we¡¯ll get her back." Brunar¡¯s encouraging words were apanied by a genuine sincerity in his eyes.


    "Yeah, we will," said Jack. He had gone from having a near party death to a clean getaway and then lost the same party member in the end.


    Jack always had a front up as an adventurer, as Jack_J the achievement junkie, the most aplished ancient hero. But here among his party, he was the weakest member with the least amount of practical experience.


    He was also the only to never experience losing a party member or anyone close to him for that matter. Back when it was just a game, Jack had never lost any immediate family and never even attended a funeral. This was the first time anyone near him had faced a serious threat to their lives, let alone the girl that he was interested in and in such a cruel manner.


    "Hey, cheer up. Ya know we¡¯ll get her back, so why hold yourself back with worry?" reminded Maynard as he wiped his katanas clean and prepared to set out.


    Jack inhaled deeply and held it for a few seconds before releasing air along with some of his tension.


    "Are we ready?" Rydel asked the party.


    No one said anything as they stood up and nodded lightly. Trusting their captain¡¯s judgment and sense of direction better than their own, everyone tied themselves together and left silently.


    Travelling in the quiet ckness the party encountered two more outposts and ambushed them both. Their actions showed a new level of ferocity, especially Jack¡¯s as he released his pent-up anger through his arrows and the asional sword swing.


    They found nothing new within the outposts, so the party moved on. Nothing would stop them from reaching the capital as quickly as possible.


    Soon something started to move within Jack¡¯s cloak pocket. A tired fox pup poked its head out and patiently examined its surroundings. Aware that someone was missing, Bowser asked, ¡¯Where Sliv?¡¯


    Hearing Bower¡¯s thoughts, Jack nced down and was surprised he hadn¡¯t noticed the now awake fox. ¡¯The goblins took her away.¡¯


    Sensing the depression in Jack¡¯s heart, Bowser climbed back up on to Jack¡¯s shoulder and licked Jack¡¯s cheek. ¡¯Sliv gone or dead?¡¯


    ¡¯Gone, but we need to hurry. The sooner we get to the goblin city the better.¡¯


    Bowser sniffed the air around him and caught the scent of blood. Following the smell, Bower noticed the bandages on Jack¡¯s arm. ¡¯Jack hurt?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll be fine, I¡¯ve got health regeneration at lv. 2 now. Give it some time and it¡¯ll be as good as new.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay,¡¯ Bowser nodded reluctantly. ¡¯Goblins do this? What happen while Bowser sleep?¡¯


    With nothing else to do, Jack ryed all the events thus far, from finding the hero tomb till escaping the Nightmare Lilies and Slivia being captured.


    After hearing it all, Bowser wore a small frown on his small face. ¡¯Dumb goblins. I kill them.¡¯


    Amused by Bowser¡¯s childish taunt, Jack chuckled to himself. Feeling a little more light-hearted and rxed, Jack noticed something about Bowser. He wasn¡¯tpletely sure, but he wondered if Bowser had grown because he felt heavier andrger than before while staying perched on Jack¡¯s shoulders.


    ¡¯Did you grow in your sleep?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm?¡¯ Bowser blinked and looked himself over. ¡¯Not sleep, from E-X-P¡¯ The fox pup struggled to pronounce EXP.


    ¡¯What?¡¯


    ¡¯Bowser grow with E-X-P. All foxes do,¡¯ exined Bowser.


    Jack started to think back to the game. Most creatures that were able to be pets would onlye at their set age and that would never change. He had never heard of a beast that would age with EXP in ce of time.


    Taking Bowser¡¯s word for it, Jack shelved that concept within his brain so he could revisit at ater time.


    Out of nowhere, Bowser¡¯s ears pricked up and he started sniffing the air. ¡¯Goblin.¡¯


    ¡¯What?¡¯


    ¡¯Goblin follows us.¡¯


    Dumbfounded by Bowser¡¯s announcement, Jack takes a moment to think it over. If there was a goblin following them that was untraceable, who knew how long they had been followed? That would also exin the sudden ambush the moment they left the dark pit filled with Nightmare Lilies.


    ¡¯Are you sure?¡¯


    ¡¯Yup.¡¯


    ¡¯Where?¡¯


    Bowser turned to face the hidden threat. ¡¯Behind on right.¡¯


    Thinking about how he should go about this, Jack called out to Rydel and Maynard, ¡¯Hey, we¡¯ve got a follower.¡¯


    ¡¯What? That¡¯s impossible, how do you know?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    ¡¯Bowser just told me. It¡¯s behind us on the right side,¡¯ exined Jack.


    Peeking back, Rydel focused in on that area but couldn¡¯t find anything. Wanting to have faith in Jack, he activated his "True aim" skill and went wide-eyed upon discovering something. It didn¡¯t appear to have apletely decipherable form, but there was something there.


    Suddenly, Rydel stopped the party and remainedpletely still. The hunter took a quick breath as he immediately retrieved his bow with two arrows nocked and ready. Before anyone could do or say anything, both arrows were hurled through the air towards an invisible target.


    Brunar and Troni thought Rydel had gone crazy, but they were proved wrong when they heard pained grows following the twang of Rydel¡¯s bowstring.


    With the audible clues giving away the hidden enemy¡¯s location, Maynard acted next with his "Sudden death." He appeared beside the difficult to track enemy, but how could Maynard miss a screaming target that was too busy to dodge or counter his surprise attack?


    The party heard a shing sound in the air and the trickle of blood hit the floor. When Maynard activated his kari crystal, they got a good look at the now visible spy.


    It was a cave goblin with ck, ashy skin and beady red eyes. It was half the size of a human but was stout and musclebound with a dirty, leather loincloth around its waist. There didn¡¯t seem to be anything special about it other than a bracer on its forearm. It was lv. 25, but there was no way for it to survive the carefully aimed attacks of Rydel and Maynard.


    Rydel¡¯s arrows pierced its heart and throat while Maynard severed its spinal cord from behind. The goblin was toox after sessfully following and ambushing the party, so it considered being discovered an impossibility.


    "So this is a cave goblin? They look a lot stranger than forest goblins," said Brunar.


    "That¡¯s one ugly pestro," said Troni.


    Jackughed as Troni cursed using the name of Pestro, a demon god known to win fights from him natural stench and looks alone. Wanting a closer look at the strange bracer, Jack removed it to inspect the bracer with the system and received two notifications. Opening the first one, Jack read:


    [Resplendent bracer: lv. 10, rare, blessed]


    [A bracer crafted from high-quality steel that has received Sterfen¡¯s blessing. Grants the user the ability to be invisible. It can only be seen through by certain skills and abilities that target the user specifically. Invisibility is rendered useless if the user is inbat or has a weapon equipped.]


    Jack¡¯s eyes turned green with greed as he immediately equipped it in front of the entire party.


    "Hey, what is that?" asked Brunar. He wanted to double-check if it was a good fit for his fighting style, though Brunar¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t too harsh like it was in the hidden tomb.


    Saying nothing, Jack simply winked and vanished from everyone¡¯s sight to their surprise.

 Chapter 56 Slivia in Captivity

    <h4>Chapter 56 Slivia in Captivity</h4>


    When Jack vanished before everyone¡¯s eyes, they were baffled. ording to their eyes and mind, Jack had disappeared in every sense of the word.


    Only Rydel was able to find him but that was using the "True aim" skill like Rydel had done to locate the hidden goblin.


    Jack reappeared in the same spot with a beaming smile on his face. "Since Troni got the armor, I¡¯ll take this one. It¡¯s only lv. 10 so I don¡¯t think you¡¯d want it."


    "What!? Of course, I¡¯d still want it!" replied Brunar.


    "Even if the invisibility deactivates with a weapon equipped?"


    The others realized why killing the goblin was so easy, and why it only carried the bracer and a contact crystal. They all sighed, giving up on trying to get it from Jack.


    "What about me? Wouldn¡¯t it be of use to me for phase two?" asked Rydel with a grin.


    "True, but you¡¯re not the only one sneaking into the city. Who do you think will be searching for the survivors and Slivia?" Jack mirrored Rydel¡¯s smile.


    Rydelughed and responded mentally, ¡¯You¡¯ve got a point, but let me try it out sometime.¡¯


    ¡¯Sure thing captain!¡¯


    "You guys know what this means?" Rydel¡¯s question grabbed everyone¡¯s attention. "This thing probably started following us after we entered the third level, keeping an eye on our every move. But think of it this way, they¡¯ve known exactly where we are but haven¡¯t done anything more to us. Why is that?"


    "Umm..." Brunar put his mind at work, trying his best to solve the question. "Because they¡¯re afraid of you and Master?"


    "I¡¯m not so sure about that, but wouldn¡¯t they have better chances of killing or capturing you two if it were in city limits?" Jack answered.


    "I was thinking the same thing," agreed Rydel. "They¡¯d rather charge and surround us near the city where they have who knows how many goblins."


    "Also, don¡¯t forget how high leveled the goblins have been. Just the outpost captains were all at least lv. 30 so far. Imagine what the city guards will be like or the goblin king," said Maynard.


    They swallowed some saliva as they pictured how strong the city might be. Rydel added, "Of course, I don¡¯t imagine them being too much stronger than the outpost captains. If they were that strong, the Royal Court would be too afraid to work with them. But still, things are very different from any of our expectations. Who would guess that goblins were smart enough to lie in wait for a perfect ambush on you guys while we were preupied?"


    "It¡¯s too weird, there has to be a reason for this," interjected Jack. "Like you said if the goblins grew too strong, then why would the Royal Court support them?"


    "There¡¯s only one way to find out," said Maynard as he put his hand on Troni¡¯s shoulder. "You aren¡¯t to me for any of this, you tried your best. The only thing we can do now is move forward and teach those goblins to never defy a samurai."


    Troni smirked lightly and bowed his head in respect. "Thank you, Master, I will follow your guidance."


    "Since that¡¯s over, I say we run to the goblin city. They already know we¡¯re on our way, so why not surprise them with an early visit," chuckled Rydel. "But first, you three drink this."


    Three small bottles appeared in Rydel¡¯s hand and they were quickly dispersed to Jack, Brunar, and Troni. Rydel exined, "This is a prototype energy potion that a friend of mine has been working on. It¡¯s supposed to give you enough energy to equal a decent night¡¯s sleep. Try it and let me know what you think."


    Brunar and Troni were hesitant, but Jack had finished his before Rydel was done talking and threw him the empty bottle.


    The smell was very familiar to Jack, reminding him of the countless energy drinks he had consumed throughout his gaming career. It was more primitive and was chunky at times, but Jack was starting to get desperate to stay awake.


    Not wanting to be outdone, Brunar put the bottle to his lips and slowly chugged the thick, grainy potion. Troni was repulsed by the look and smell of it, but he gave in to peer pressure and did his best to hold it down.


    Soon the three of them felt more revitalized and alert. Jack was certain that he¡¯d probably crash after three hours if he couldn¡¯t rest by then, but he thought that was plenty of time to reach the nearing city at top speed.


    "Well, let¡¯s head out then." Rydel activated his kari crystal and dashed ahead.


    The others didn¡¯t take long to do the same, running to catch up and stay close to the party¡¯s two pirs of strength. Since the goblins were onto them this whole time, why not use the kari crystals to speed things up?


    *****


    About twenty kilometers away from the rushing party of adventurers, there was a resplendent city filled with an azure glow. It was twice the size of Baltwood and was pack to the brim with cave goblins.


    The streets and buildings were basic and primitive, likerger versions of the abandoned huts on the second level. However, the abundant azure made up for the dull appearance. There was a roughly made stone wall that circled the entirety of the city. It only had a single gate to enter or exit but that was plenty for a city that never had visitors or trade caravans passing through.


    On the opposite end of the main gate, a crude castle had been constructed from a concrete mixture using the cave¡¯s natural stone as the main ingredient. Three towers extended out of the castle, appearing to wave and teeter harshly from uneven construction, making the castle appear like a triangle drawn by a kindergartener from the sky. The castle¡¯s brilliance was the greatest in the whole city,pelling every goblin who passed it to gaze in awe.


    Inside the main hall of that crude castle, a goblin messenger walked in and spoke in its native tongue, "Your highness, we have brought you thetest captive so you might pass judgment on her."


    "Very well, let her in." A calm, feminine voice sounded from behind a canopied throne.


    Two guards walked to a pair of wooden doors three times their height and pulled them open slowly. As light from the main hall entered the musky passageway, a few goblins in leather armor entered. One goblin carried a chain that pulled their captive along, beckoning her to follow obediently.


    Hesitant to obey but doing so nheless, Slivia stepped into the main hall lit under the purest azure she had ever seen. The chain was connected to an iron cor around her neck and then to a set of iron mps around her wrists. Her cloak had been removed and tattered by her captors, leaving her with only a fitted dress that was shown off in the magnificent lighting, despite the dirt and tears it now carried.


    "Hmm, this one is very beautiful. Tell me, what is your name?" That same female voice asked Slivia from across the room in Common, thenguage used across the continent by humans and the more intelligent humanoids.


    "W-why do you need my name?"


    "Why not? A queen should know the name of her guests," replied the goblin queen. "You¡¯re a cleric, no? We don¡¯t have many healers here; your skills would be much appreciated here."


    "I..." Slivia clenched her jaw, keeping herself from responding.


    "Hmm? Speak, I know you wish to answer me."


    "I... would never work for you..." Slivia mumbled a faint whisper, not understandable to any living thing.


    "Speak, while I¡¯m still patient." The queen¡¯s tone turned darker, one degree away from threatening.


    "I¡¯ll never work for you!" blurted out Slivia, refusing to even entertain the thought of working with those responsible for the ughter of her former captain and possibly her party.


    Bursting intoughter, the queen¡¯s voice filled every inch of the main hall. "You¡¯re sassy, I like sassy. Why not work for me? I can provide all kinds of benefits, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve noticed the abundance of my pce."


    Not wanting to say more, Slivia turned her head away while shutting both her eyes and her mouth.


    "Oh, you¡¯re like the others huh? Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll join them soon enough after you¡¯ve had a change of heart," stated the queen with a sinister snicker.


    "The-the others? They¡¯re alive!?" questioned Slivia, not able to contain her emotions under extreme stress.


    "You¡¯ll see them soon enough after you submit to me. Till then..." The queenmanded the goblin holding Slivia¡¯s chains in her tongue, "Show our beautiful guest to her quarters, and make sure she appreciates it."


    Without a word the goblin nodded and turned to exit the main hall with Slivia close behind.


    "Wait, what about the others!?" Slivia continued her shouts and pleas.


    "You¡¯ll see soon enough, beautiful," answered the queen, still hiding behind the canopy within the shadow of therge thrown.


    Before Slivia could say more, the doors were shut in her face. She pled with the goblin pulling her away, but there was no response like he had no way to understand her. In a few minutes, she and that goblin disappeared into the darker parts of the castle, making their way towards the dungeon.

 Chapter 57 Reaching the Goblin City

    <h4>Chapter 57 Reaching the Goblin City</h4>


    Jack and the others dashed through the third level of the mine under the light of their kari crystals and the guidance of Bowser. Since he was awake and aware of anything that neared them, the party was able to counter several goblin ambushes along the way.


    Over two hours had passed when they defeated thest outpost. By then everyone had consumed at least two or three more elixirs to replenish their mana and the younger adventurers had finished one or two regr potions as well.


    Jack was left with only one potion and two elixirs, making him wish he hadn¡¯t been cheap when buying supplies back in town. Also, the party was very hesitant to take any more because consuming too many in too short a time would have negative effects on the consumer, stunting their natural health and mana regeneration abilities for a time.


    The party¡¯s impatience finally came to an end when they saw a spec of bright, blue light in the distance. Excited for the first time in a long while, they all quickened their pace and bolted toward the brilliant destination in front of them. Soon they deactivated their kari crystals, not needing their dim light in the face of the pure azure embedded across the goblin city.


    "Is that..." Brunar was caught up in wonder. It had an unnatural beauty about it, seeing such harshly built edifices that mimicked cave walls and glorious azure clusters spread across the entire scene.


    "Yeah, that¡¯s got to be the city," answered Jack.


    "Hmm, let¡¯s circle the city and search for somewhere we can camp without being seen," said Rydel.


    "You got it, Captain!" Jack¡¯s unusual enthusiasm showed as he darted away.


    "Hey, wait! Everyone let¡¯s go,"manded Rydel as he and the rest followed Jack closely.


    Eventually, they found a deep ditch about half a kilometer southeast of the main entrance. Based on the walls of the ditch it was most likely an emptied azure vein, but it offered the perfect hiding ce for the party.


    "We don¡¯t have much time until we three need to rest. I¡¯m guessing you two will be fine watching over us while we nap?"mented Jack.


    Rydel and Maynard chuckled like it were too easy, not even worth answering verbally. Anyone over lv. 25 had enough strength and energy to stay awake for forty-eight hours straight if needed.


    "Then let¡¯s quickly go over the n while we¡¯re all still awake," said Jack. "There are some things that we¡¯ll need to change obviously, with the city being bigger and more than likely containing more goblins than anticipated. While we rest, I would like to ask the captain if he could gather information on the city and leave Maynard here to guard us."


    "I¡¯d do that whether you¡¯d like it or not," joked Rydel. "Anything, in particr, you want me to look for?"


    Jack revealed a somewhat twisted smile as dozens of ss vials filled with a transparent liquid containing hints of purple appeared on the floor between Jack and Rydel.


    Catching the hint, Rydel stored the vials. "Sounds easy enough. But if I¡¯m the one doing that, I¡¯d like some insurance, if you know what I mean."


    "Take it for a spin,"ughed Jack as he removed his resplendent bracer and held it out to Rydel.


    "Don¡¯t mind if I do." Rydel eagerly took it and instantly equipped it. The party captain disappeared for a couple of seconds and easily reappeared behind the others. "Wow, I could get used to this."


    "That¡¯s just a basic one, you should see the high-level blessings. They let you stay invisible while inbat and the highest level blessing even removes the sound of your movements,"mented Jack.


    Troni and Brunar were dumbfounded by Jack¡¯s ims, not knowing whether Jack was being serious or not. Rydel and Maynard, however, had a glimmer in their eyes when they heard that.


    "But you can only get that blessing as a devoted follower of a god; the higher your devotion, the higher the blessing given," Jack exined it more in-depth, letting them understand that these blessings weren¡¯t free or easy to get by any means.


    "Blessings of the gods?" Brunar trembled when he thought of the tales and legends of ancient Kartonia before the war of the gods changed everything.


    "Seriously? That¡¯s just legend," reasoned Troni, not wanting to get his hopes up and not believing in blessings of the gods without personally experiencing them as proof.


    Jack shrugged his shoulders and returned to the topic at hand. "Either way, there¡¯s a couple of other things we need information on. If you hear or find anything about any survivors from the missing parties, let us know. And if you can learn about the strength of the guards or their weaponry, that would be best."


    "Consider it done." As Rydel nodded in eptance of his assignment, he disappearedpletely.


    "You know an awful lot for a newbie,"mented Brunar. "Why¡¯s that?"


    Jack sighed and waited a moment before he answered. "I won¡¯t say at this time. You don¡¯t trust me?"


    "If Master trusts you, then I¡¯ll trust you. I was irritated at you earlier cause you were just a lv. 1 newbie. But you level up faster than anyone I¡¯ve ever met, so I now acknowledge you my greatest rival," said Brunar confidently.


    "Is that so?" Jackughed as he sat down on the ground with his back against the wall. "You¡¯re weird, you know that?"


    "So what? You¡¯re weirder," Brunar replied with a grin.


    "I can¡¯t argue with that logic. Just cause you trust me doesn¡¯t mean I have to tell you everything though. I only told you about Bowser because the association will protect him in case of any major issues and your master said you were trustworthy. Any more info about me needs to be earned."


    Brunar showed a pensive face as he nodded. "Okay, so I just need to prove myself to my rival. That makes sense."


    "And who said I was your rival? I¡¯m a summoned hero and you¡¯re¡ª"


    "You¡¯re the only one our age that qualifies to be my rival. I¡¯m twenty-four and haven¡¯t yet met a single person under twenty-five worth my time. Not till I met you, my first real rival," stated Brunar. His simple, picturesque way of thinking got Jack to chuckle yet again. "I¡¯ve made you my rival, now don¡¯t disappoint me."


    "Just don¡¯t me me when I leave you in the dust. If I told you everything about me, you¡¯d need to change your pants," joked Jack.


    Now even more curious, Brunar sat down opposite Jack and looked him square in the face, "I don¡¯t know too much about you, but don¡¯t take me lightly. Never take me lightly."


    Seeing the arrogance return to Brunar¡¯s eyes, Jack couldn¡¯t help but have some respect for the young samurai. Jack now understood what kind of person Brunar was. Honest to a fault with no filter on his thoughts or words. As a fellow arrogant man, Jack could appreciate Brunar¡¯s genuine confidence.


    "Try not to get left behind. If you can¡¯t keep up, then I¡¯ll never acknowledge you as my rival," said Jack.


    Brunar showed a toothy grin and extended his hand across the narrow passage. "Good, as it should be!"


    Shaking his head with an epting smile, Jack took Brunar¡¯s hand firmly in his grip. "Then I¡¯ll be expecting a lot from you."


    While those two were chatting and bantering back and forth, Troni was at the side studying Jack and Bowser carefully.


    "What¡¯s wrong with ya?"


    Startled to hear Maynard creep up from behind him, Troni answered, "Nothing, just trying to get a good feel for him."


    "He¡¯s unorthodox and weird, but he¡¯s honest when you need him to be," Maynard stated his personal opinion of Jack. "Jack will be famous throughout the continent one day, so I would do your best to not get on his bad side. If ya manage to piss him off, not even I would interfere."


    Astounded by his master¡¯s words Troni flinched before responding. "Is that fox a Hell-me Fox?"


    Maynard¡¯s gentle expression turned solemn and he peered into Troni¡¯s eyes. "That fox¡¯s identity is ssified information among the association. If news were to leak out, the culprit will be dealt with by association headquarters directly."


    When Troni¡¯s eyes showed tension and mixed emotions, Maynard added, "Don¡¯t even think about mentioning this to your family."


    Troni stiffened when he heard that and immediately replied, "No, of course, I wouldn¡¯t do that."


    "I¡¯m not using ya, I¡¯m reminding ya. Let me remind ya of this also if you break my trust or the association¡¯s, I¡¯ll personally seek ya out like I said back when ya begged to be my student." Maynard¡¯s voice was like a whisper from a death reaper.


    "Of course I remember," stated Troni as he took a seat and closed his eyes pretending to rest.


    Maynard shook his head and found a ce to sit and meditate, hoping his warning didn¡¯t fall on deft ears.


    Brunar and Jack chatted for over ten minutes about random things with the asional threat as a rival mixed in. Eventually, Jack stopped the conversation with the excuse that they needed to rest. He wasn¡¯t lying, but he had something to check before he went to sleep.


    After two hours of straight travel, Jack finally had time to check his remaining notification.


    [Find a temple of Sterfen, the god of secrecy: iplete]

 Chapter 58 Whats Phase Three?

    <h4>Chapter 58 What¡°s Phase Three?</h4>


    [Find a temple of Sterfen, the god of secrecy: iplete]


    [Find and enter a temple of Sterfen, the god of secrecy. Reward: varies on the party¡¯s interactions with the temple.]


    Jack was intrigued to find an interesting, new achievement. Multiple things were running through his mind at the speed of light.


    To find a blessed item and verify the existence of an ancient god¡¯s temple was equivalent to discovering a new ind off the coast. This news would attract global attention.


    There were still some temples of Halmut among the many capital cities across Kartonia. However, they were controlled and regted by the Religious Council and Jack had found their new customs to be pitiful. Any blessing offered to items or adventurers was only a fraction of the basic blessings he knew in-game, and they were only given to devote followers.


    What excited Jack was the particr god they needed to find. Sterfen, the god of secrecy, was previously one of the seven neutral gods that had disappeared from modern history. It wasn¡¯t the same god he had pledged to as a gamer, but Jack was sure that a certain hunter he knew would benefit greatly from pledging to such an entity. And that would also greatly benefit Jack by default.


    Another interesting part of the achievement was the reward. That was the first time Jack¡¯s party as a whole would be able to affect an achievement directly. It implied that anyone in the party would be able to interact or not interact with the temple. And if normal adventurers like Rydel and Maynard could gain blessings directly from a god, like ancient heroes and others discovered the truth, wouldn¡¯t Jack¡¯s party be the envy of the continent?


    "Hey, Jack..."


    A whisper sounded in Jack¡¯s ear, causing him to open his eyes and face Brunar with an annoyed expression. "Can I help you?"


    "Is it true what you said, about the blessings of the gods?" asked Brunar is a gentle, serious tone.


    "Do I have reason to lie?"


    "I don¡¯t think you¡¯re lying, but are you certain that you¡¯re right?" Brunar questioned further.


    "Hmm..." Jack slowly blinked and leaned in closely. "There¡¯s a lot of things I¡¯m certain of and there¡¯s a lot of things that you would never believe, especially if I described them in detail."


    Brunar was taken aback by Jack¡¯s answer, finding that hard to believe, but Jack continued, "I can tell you that pledging to a god directly can be more beneficial than you can imagine. Also, there are more gods than you realize, and that bracer is proof."


    "What do you mean?"


    "That resplendent bracer has Sterfen¡¯s blessing. It¡¯s only at the basic level, but you can already see how powerful such an item is. It¡¯s because of that bracer that Slivia was captured so easily and it will also be key for our sess in taking the goblin city," exined Jack.


    "Who¡¯s Sterfen?" asked Brunar, too caught up on the unfamiliar name to digest everything else.


    "Sterfen was the god of secrecy and was one of the seven powerful neutral gods in ancient Kartonia."


    "Neutral gods? I¡¯ve never heard of those?" Brunar¡¯s confusion slowly set in with each question.


    "That¡¯s cause they didn¡¯t participate in the war of the gods and were lost to history, ording to my knowledge," answered Jack. "You can believe what you want, but I know for a fact that Sterfen was the god who blessed that bracer. And no, I¡¯m not willing to let a priest verify the blessing."


    Brunar was about to ask that when his idea was shot down before conception, removing the only way to prove Jack¡¯s reasoning in Brunar¡¯s eyes. "Then... how do I know what you¡¯re saying is true?"


    Jack chuckled, "You¡¯ll have to take my word for it."


    Taking his time to think before responding, Brunar scratched his head and looked intently at the cave floor between him and Jack. "So, if I were to believe in everything you¡¯ve said, what would that mean for me exactly?"


    "What are you getting at?"


    "Master already told me that after this mission he won¡¯t be partying with me anymore, then he said he¡¯d be partying with you for who knows how long. You told him more than you¡¯re telling me right now, right?" asked Brunar.


    "Yeah, so what?" Jack answered openly, not caring to offend.


    "So, why not tell me the same stuff?" pled Brunar. "I¡¯m his number one disciple and you said he vouched for me, so why not trust me?"


    "I do trust you, enough to tell you this much. At first, I didn¡¯t trust you farther than I could throw you," reasoned Jack. "You had your chance to get on my good side back then, but you failed horribly, we both know that. Now, you¡¯ll have to earn that trust."


    Brunar was going to interject but he couldn¡¯t disagree about their first interaction. He understood that he had acted wrongly out of pride and jealousy, but Brunar felt that he deserved to be prideful and wouldn¡¯t step down so easily.


    "I¡¯ve told you everything I¡¯m willing to say for now. If you want more, then have faith in what I say and the ns I make. Any doubt you show me will prove I was right to not trust you." Jack shrugged and stared off into the distance, showing that he wasn¡¯t too interested in Brunar personally.


    No further conversation was made as they both looked separate ways. Brunar pondered Jack¡¯s words and the events that Jack had caused or triggered within the mine. Finding a rare item was one thing but finding the tomb of an ancient hero was unheard of. Or Jack¡¯s knowledge about the strange Nightmare Lilies, that were rarely found in modern Kartonia. And then there was the Hell-me Fox with a mutual seal on top of all that.


    The young samurai was nearing a mental crossroads that would affect his life forever. Choosing to keep his former outlook on the world or following the absurd and unprecedented thoughts of a newly summoned hero.


    Jack was unaffected by the previous conversation, returning to think about the new achievement. It was clear to Jack that this achievement would take him a long while to aplish.


    There were no clues about a location so he would have to search and investigate this himself. Lucky for him, he had ess to the greatest database of knowledge on ancient Kartonia the world over, his own brain.


    Combing over his past experiences, Jack remembered the location of a couple of temples. The problem with that was the distance; they¡¯d have to travel across three countries to maybe find an ancient temple¡¯s ruins.


    Time quickly passed as Troni was the first one to pass out, followed quickly by Brunar. Jack was teetering near the edge of consciousness when Maynard asked him a question, "What are ya doing for phase three?"


    Rubbing some exhaustion from his eyes, Jack answered, "Just the usual infiltration of the pce and extraction of the survivors. You know how that goes."


    "Before, ya mentioned something about me seeing your signal and going all out. What should I be looking for?" asked Maynard.


    "Oh, that?" Jack smiled as he remembered. "I¡¯ve made a few tweaks from my original ns for phase three, but I¡¯m excited to see my distraction go into y."


    "Distraction?"


    "The appearance of a Hell-me Fox is seen as an unstoppable natural disaster, right?"


    Maynard joined Jack in smiling and asked, "Hmm... But what about Bowser? How long can he hold that form?"


    "That¡¯s the thing. What¡¯s scarier; a Hell-me Fox that approaches the city to wreak havoc or a Hell-me Fox that appears and disappears throughout the city at random?"


    "That might be the most frightening distraction I¡¯ve ever heard of." Maynard knew that Bowser was low leveled but there was something about the fox that would still send shivers down Maynard¡¯s spine.


    Simr to Jack, Maynard wasn¡¯t able to sense Bowser¡¯s level. Maynard didn¡¯t know how that was possible, but he understood one thing. The thought of a Hell-me Fox, a creature that haunts legends, appearing out of nowhere with an undecipherable level would strike terror in the hearts of any adventurer.


    And little did Maynard know that Jack had nned it even further. The reason Jack needed that resplendent bracer was for both Bowser and himself.


    Jack¡¯spanion sharing skill would allow him to hide Bowser in his normal form as the fox dashed and relocated elsewhere. Hiding Bowser¡¯s me body was impossible because it was considered an attack or an enraged state, but a small, speedy fox would easily slip pastmon goblins with invisibility.


    Since phase one would attract the guards and most of the attention, Jack was betting that the goblins remaining in the city were generally the weakest. And once there was amotion in the pce from phase two, who would be left to stop a rampaging Hell-me Fox in the middle of the city?

 Chapter 59 Discussing the Gods

    <h4>Chapter 59 Discussing the Gods</h4>


    ¡¯What are you two talking about?¡¯


    Maynard was startled when he heard Rydel¡¯s voice but was unable to determine where it came from. Jackughed and didn¡¯t even bother searching, knowing he hadn¡¯t a chance of finding the stealthy hunter.


    Rydel appeared within the emptied vein a meter away from the seated Jack. "What¡¯s this about phase three?"


    "While you and the rest distract the goblin¡¯s main forces and those within the goblin pce, I¡¯ll be busy rescuing any survivors," answered Jack.


    "And you¡¯ll let that fox pup wreak havoc in the meantime?" asked Rydel.


    "Something like that, but it¡¯s just to distract and lower morale. If a huge ming fox can distract the front lines and split their attention momentarily, then our reliable samurais will be able to ughter them easily."


    "There are a few things I wanted to talk to ya about," said Maynard. "First, ya should¡¯ve realized that there will be some goblins above lv. 30, how are we going to deal with them?"


    "Why don¡¯t you ask Rydel. Depending on how things went ¡¯delivering¡¯ that neurotoxin, we¡¯ll have to adjust the ns." Jack redirected the conversation and attention to Rydel, who was now sitting down like the other two.


    "About that," Rydel began to exin. "I had to make a decision. Instead of spreading the neurotoxin throughout the city, I made sure to contaminate every drop of water that the city guards could ess." Like Jack, Rydel assumed that the majority of the goblin popce was around lv. 10, which he confirmed before acting.


    Jack¡¯s face twitched as he pondered Rydel¡¯s decision and epted it as the best option. "Then you and the others should be fine at the front gates. By the time anyone from the pce tries to stop you, the pce will be on high alert thanks to the captain."


    Maynard lightly nodded and said, "I¡¯m d to hear that, but what about Rydel in the pce? Won¡¯t ya be at a higher risk with them at full strength?"


    Rydel didn¡¯t turn his head but his eyes nced to the side and met Maynard¡¯s gaze. "Don¡¯t worry about me. I was going to ask if I could use this new bracer to help make things much smoother. But I¡¯m guessing that¡¯ll be met with some opposition."


    "Sorry captain but both me and Bowser need that bracer for our n to work," reasoned Jack. "Right now, we¡¯re just shy of lv. 15 and would struggle to do anything. Bowser can just ¡¯me On!¡¯ and he¡¯ll be fine, but what about me? That bracer will let me slip into the pce while the pce guards are busy tracking you and will also help Bowser disappear from the goblins in his normal form."


    "So, the rumors are true? Your items can affect the fox too?" deduced Rydel. "I understand and am willing to part with the bracer, but I do like it despite its low level."


    ¡¯What if I told you that I could get you something even better?¡¯ asked Jack telepathically, leading Rydel¡¯s conversation like he would dangle a carrot in front of a horse.


    ¡¯What¡¯s better than invisibility?¡¯ Rydel knew Jack was once an ancient hero but that wouldn¡¯t change his opinion on the skill of invisibility. The hunter had always sought that ability, trying his best to erase his presence by improving simr skills.


    He finally had a way to gopletely invisible and there were no side effects. Rydel struggled to believe what could be more tempting than that.


    ¡¯That¡¯s just a basic blessing that any follower of Sterfen could easily request. You might be able to get an intermediate blessing, letting you attack while invisible,¡¯ persuaded Jack.


    ¡¯Go on,¡¯ said Rydel, anxious to hear more.


    ¡¯If you¡¯re hit, then the invisibility will dissipate, but then you¡¯ll be like many hunters in ancient times.¡¯


    ¡¯How do you n to do that?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    Jack chuckled, ¡¯Simple, we visit a temple of Sterfen, the god of secrecy.¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?¡¯ Rydel was amazed at how casual Jack had mentioned such a solution. ¡¯It can¡¯t be that simple, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Why not? All we have to do is locate and visit one of Sterfen¡¯s temples. After that, it¡¯ll be a piece of cake. Besides, you¡¯re not satisfied with this level of invisibility, are you?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯Well...¡¯ Rydel wasn¡¯t able to refute Jack because deep down he felt exactly as Jack described. He wouldn¡¯t be satisfied as a master of stealth until bing invisible was as easy as breathing.


    ¡¯Then how will we find one of these temples?¡¯ Rydel mustered up the words to ask.


    ¡¯The nearest temple of Sterfen that I can remember is in the...¡¯ Jack paused as he stroked his chin in thought. Unaware that Jack was checking his system map, Maynard and Rydel waited patiently for Jack to continue. ¡¯It¡¯ll be in the newly formed Aazoon Kingdom.¡¯


    ¡¯In Aazoon?¡¯ Rydel flinched when he heard that.


    ¡¯Oh my,¡¯ said Maynard, having some insight to Rydel¡¯s past.


    Seeing the shock that shed by Rydel¡¯s face, Jack guessed the reason, ¡¯That¡¯s where you first fled, wasn¡¯t it? Where your dad died?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s the ce,¡¯ said Rydel. His voice wasn¡¯t shaky, just a little slower than usual.


    ¡¯That¡¯s where we¡¯ll find the nearest temple I know of. Of course, there¡¯s the chance that it¡¯s been destroyed and ruined over the years, but it¡¯s worth investigating,¡¯ continued Jack.


    Matching the flow of the conversation, Rydel returned to his usual self. ¡¯Then we¡¯ll head there on the way to Trodar, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Exactly,¡¯ Jack answered with a nod.


    ¡¯Umm, what about me?¡¯ asked Maynard, not willing to be left out. ¡¯I¡¯m not interested in this god of secrecy, but there¡¯s got to be some other god we can find for me, right?¡¯


    ¡¯I was about to mention that,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Any requests or preferences?¡¯


    Maynard smiled and exined his desires, ¡¯There¡¯s a sword god, right?¡¯


    ¡¯There is, but,¡¯ Jack had already nned this response in anticipation, ¡¯I¡¯m less confident in finding that temple in a functioning condition then I am about the other.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? Why?¡¯ questioned Maynard


    ¡¯Because of the war?¡¯ guessed Rydel.


    ¡¯That¡¯s exactly why,¡¯ agreed Jack. ¡¯The twenty gods that fought in the war are publicly known yet no one has pledged to them nowadays. Why¡¯s that?¡¯


    Maynard¡¯s shoulders drooped, already realizing the answer. Jack continued, ¡¯We can search for it if you want; there used to be a shrine for Tyres, the sword god in the Zuran Empire. However, looking over a map you¡¯d see that it¡¯s now in the Reinolt Kingdom. It¡¯s not a temple, but it would be a good lead to see if a temple still exists.¡¯


    ¡¯Why would it be a lead?¡¯ Rydel spoke up, curious about how Jack would find a temple through a shrine.


    ¡¯There are plenty of ways to find things that are linked, especially ces that share a strong connection, like a god,¡¯ said Jack. ¡¯I¡¯d do the same with Sterfen¡¯s temple, but the nearest shrine I can remember is equally distant as the temple itself.¡¯


    ¡¯And what if ya can¡¯t find the sword god¡¯s shrine?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯Then we¡¯ll have to find you a better god,¡¯ said Jack nonchntly. ¡¯Don¡¯t worry too much, I¡¯ve got a backup in mind.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? What god is it?¡¯


    ¡¯Actually, I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you this for some time. Who are the seven neutral gods? Are there any better than this Sterfen for me?¡¯ questioned Rydel, striking while the topic was hot.


    ¡¯We¡¯re getting off track, how about we return to discussing the n?¡¯ suggested Jack.


    Rydel and Maynard didn¡¯t say anything, keeping their focus on Jack without wavering in the slightest. Their hungry stares proved to Jack that he had said too much to leave the topic open for the time being. Jack said, ¡¯Fine, I¡¯ll tell you about the seven neutral gods, but we need to finish discussing the n immediately afterward. I still need to get my beauty sleep.¡¯


    The two veterans nodded and let Jack exin, ¡¯Like the other twenty gods under Halmut and Skaryn, these seven gods were ranked among themselves by terms of power and influence. It¡¯s not quite as urate due to their differing natures, but that¡¯s where I¡¯ll begin.


    ¡¯The lowest-ranked of the seven is Rikko, the god of sleight of hand, or the god of trickery as we called him. He was known to deceive everyone in some way, typically through his appearance or offering blessings for... unique missions and circumstances.¡¯ Jack remembered some of the strange requests yers would get, like stealing a king¡¯s pillow or a queen¡¯s panties.


    ¡¯Next is the goddess of love, Dragas. She had the most followers of all the neutral gods but didn¡¯t offer too many benefits in my opinion.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? Howe so many followed her?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    Jack thought to himself about the typical NEET that would y "A Hero¡¯s Tale." It was easy for him and every other gamer to figure out why so many shut-in yers with little to no social life would be attracted to a scantily dressed goddess of love.


    Sidestepping Rydel¡¯s question, Jack continued, ¡¯The god I was thinking would benefit you the most Maynard is the next on the rankings. He¡¯s Jin, the god of discipline. Jin was known to reward his followers for demonstrating consistent discipline in their lives, no matter what it was for. Considering your passion for the sword and your upright character, I think you¡¯d be a perfect fit.


    Maynard¡¯s face tightened as he heavily considered the offer.

 Chapter 60 The Most Mysterious and Unpopular God

    <h4>Chapter 60 The Most Mysterious and Unpopr God</h4>


    ¡¯It sounds good, but I think I¡¯d like to search for the sword shrine first before I decide.¡¯


    ¡¯Very well, then I¡¯ll continue.¡¯ Jack nodded and took his focus off the ronin. ¡¯Next is the god I think that old fart would love. Guuro, the god of economics, otherwise known as the god of gold. He was known for rewarding followers with great wealth and would offer blessings for the right price. I even heard that you could barter him if you had demonstrated enough devotion.¡¯


    Both Rydel and Maynardughed heartily as the captain responded, ¡¯Yup, that¡¯s right up the chief¡¯s alley. We¡¯ll have to fill him in on thister.¡¯


    ¡¯After Guuroes Sterfen, who you already know as the god of secrecy. I think he¡¯s perfect for you Captain. Sterfen emphasizes secrecy in act and word, but to receive a blessing you¡¯ll have to offer him a secret. The greater it is, the greater the blessing,¡¯ exined Jack.


    ¡¯Okay, that I can do,¡¯ mentioned Rydel with a smirk.


    ¡¯Following the list, we get the second most powerful, Eedaj, the god of the mind. He was known for his abilities to read minds and manipte memories. His blessings were based on quests of that nature. He¡¯s one of the most mysterious gods because no one has ever seen him or met him personally.¡¯ Jack finished and took a break to stretch his arms and back.


    ¡¯And?¡¯ prodded Maynard.


    With a sigh, Jack continued, ¡¯The final and most mysterious of the neutral gods has an interesting role. Hands down he¡¯s the most powerful of them all, but he can¡¯t interact with any other god personally.¡¯


    ¡¯What? Why¡¯s that?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    ¡¯He¡¯s Daruun, the god of fate. ording to legend, he¡¯s seen all of the future and all of the past. No matter when or where Daruun is aware of everything that is, has been, or ever will be. But in exchange for essing fate itself, he lost the ability to alter it in any way or form. Kind of weird if you ask me; what¡¯s the point of seeing all of time and fate if you can¡¯t do anything about it?¡¯


    The three began to share some opinions and questions about the gods Jack had rmended for them. Jack wasn¡¯t able to exin much else, limited by hisck of knowledge about these mysterious gods.


    Then, Rydel had a thought. ¡¯Hey, Jack, what did that god of fate offer as a blessing as the highest-ranking neutral god?¡¯


    Jack hesitated to answer that question. Daruun was very different from the other gods. He had no temples or shrines and he was impossible to find if you looked for him. However, every yer had met him before because the game utilized Daruun as the guide during the initial tutorial of the game.


    That was the only time anyone was ever able tomunicate with Daruun. The final time was afterpleting the first few missions and events when Daruun would offer the chance to pledge and follow him. Every yer only had that one chance to ept the offer, it would nevere again.


    The benefits and blessings Daruun offered were very unappealing to most yers and seen as insignificant. Many young and ignorant yers might¡¯ve followed him in hopes to find a better godter, but they quickly found out that Daruun was the only god that made it impossible to revoke your pledge. Most of the followers of Daruun are empty ounts that were dropped to find better, more attractive blessings with new ounts.


    Perhaps, Jack_J was the only one that pledged to Daruun in a heartbeat. When Jack saw that Daruun¡¯s blessings helped him to discover hidden achievements and learn additional information about every achievement on the list, pledging to the god of fate became a requirement of Jack¡¯s.


    Jack was also intrigued by one of the passive blessings Daruun would eventually offer a highly ranked follower. In all of "A Hero¡¯s Tale" Jack was the only one to discover this passive blessing that came to any follower at lv. 50 or higher, and it was a major factor in hispletion of the achievement list. During any event, main story mission, or dungeon, Jack would asionally receive a ten-second ¡¯vision¡¯ of something that would ur and alter the respective event or ce. With that prior knowledge, Jack was able to act ordingly and aplish many things in some very unorthodox ways.


    ¡¯Umm... that¡¯s really hard to describe,¡¯ admitted Jack. ¡¯Daruun was the least popr god of all because his blessings were weird and didn¡¯t apply to the majority of heroes. Honestly, his blessings wouldn¡¯t apply to you guys at all.¡¯


    Perplexed and curious, Maynard asked, ¡¯Why¡¯s that? What¡¯s so unappealing? He¡¯s one of the most powerful gods, so he should have some great benefits.¡¯


    Paying attention to Jack¡¯s pained face, Rydel guessed, ¡¯Jack, were you one of Daruun¡¯s followers?¡¯


    Unable to deny the im, Jack slowly answered, ¡¯Yes, I was. But it really would be too difficult to exin his blessings to you, not to mention that it might be impossible to pledge to him nowadays.¡¯


    ¡¯Why¡¯s that?¡¯ asked Rydel. The captain understood that Jack had good judgment for things like this, but the contradiction of Jack¡¯s words and Jack¡¯s past actions made him hungry to know more.


    ¡¯Daruun has no temples or shrines. Upon arriving here for the first time, every ancient hero was introduced to ancient Kartonia by the same Daruun. Eventually, he would offer them a chance to pledge to him. Pretty much everyone would turn him down or wouldter give up adventuring due to his strange and nearly impossible quests. That would be thest time anyone would see Daruun, so it was impossible to pledge a second time,¡¯ exined Jack.


    The two veterans were speechless, trying their best toprehend this Daruun¡¯s strange actions.


    Jack saw them struggle to ept Daruun¡¯s mysteriousness and added, ¡¯Like I said, it might be impossible to pledge to him since he never made himself known this time I arrived. And with that option gone, I have no clue which god to follow. At least, we can find you some gods to pass you blessings.¡¯


    ¡¯Wait, you want to pledge to Daruun again? I thought he was undesirable to any follower?¡¯ inquired Rydel.


    Jack sighed, ¡¯If given the chance, I¡¯d like to pledge to him again. His weird blessings would help me with my various achievements, or mini-missions. That¡¯s why he wouldn¡¯t be of any help to you two.¡¯


    Finally epting that Daruun was strange and unfit for them to follow, Rydel finished asking questions while Maynard began to ask about Tyres, the sword god.


    Jack briefly described the sword god and the simple blessings he offered to increase the strength of a warrior¡¯s swordsmanship, simr to Jack¡¯s passive sword skill. After exhausting Maynard¡¯s curiosity, Jack verbally returned their conversation to the original topic at hand. "So, it¡¯s decided that I¡¯ll have the resplendent bracer, right?"


    "Sure kid," answered Rydel as he tossed the piece of equipment back to Jack.


    "This is for the best," said Jack. "Besides, if you did your job too well, I wouldn¡¯t have a distraction to let me enter the pce undetected."


    "I guess your right about that," shrugged Rydel. "Anyways, there are a couple of anomalies that I found, and I¡¯d like to briefly discuss them before you slept."


    "Then hurry and spit it out," yawned Jack.


    "Thanks to that bracer, I was able to enter the outer regions of the pce and I noticed a few things. First off, they¡¯ve got a decent amount of guards there. I only found two lv. 30 guards from my search, but I should be able to sneak past them with a couple of passages I found," stated Rydel.


    "That¡¯s good but why do you need my opinion?" asked Jack, trying to hurry through the conversation.


    "There¡¯s something strange about the pce¡¯s construction. The cave goblins are roughly half our height, right? But every single door I saw was at least three times the goblin¡¯s height, even the back doors. I can understand the main gates but even the back doors?"


    "That is weird," added Maynard. "We know that the pce is fairly new, so ya would think there¡¯s a reason for that."


    "Hmm..." Jack thought to himself, wracking his brain for some kind of answer to no effect. "Are there maybe some stables or pens forrge beasts and captured monsters? Maybe it¡¯s to allow them inside?"


    "I thought the same thing, so I began to search further. There was a building near the back of the ce that was most likely filled with different monsters and beasts, but why would they let those beasts in the pce? They¡¯d cause more damage than they would prevent," reasoned Rydel.


    "What¡¯s the purpose of havingrge doors?" Maynard asked somewhat stupidly.


    "What do you mean?" asked Rydel.


    "Exactly that. What¡¯s the purpose of havingrge doors?" repeated Maynard.


    Stunned by the simple question, Jack took a moment to answer with the same level of simplicity. "To let inrge people or things."


    Maynard nodded with certainty in himself and replied, "Then there must be something big that goes in and out of the pce."

 Chapter 61 Final Preparations

    <h4>Chapter 61 Final Preparations</h4>


    Not seeing any faults in Maynard¡¯s logic, Jack and Rydel chuckled at the ronin¡¯s childlike confidence. Jack asked, "Okay, so we agree that somethingrge might being in and out of the pce, but what? What would be so big this far into the mine?"


    "How should I know? Ya two are the smart ones, so ya should figure that much out yourselves," joked Maynard.


    Rydelughed, "If you¡¯re so confident in your answer, you must have some kind of idea, right?"


    "Yeah, but why should I tell ya two so easily."


    "Don¡¯t pay him any more attention Captain. Most likely, he¡¯s just guessing with the doors¡¯ size as the main determinant. Let me guess, you think it¡¯s ogres?" stated Jack.


    Maynard answered, "And if it was? Why couldn¡¯t it be ogres? They¡¯re not too umon in these mountains and it¡¯s normal for them to seek shelter underground."


    "But ogres and goblins are like water and oil, they never blend well," said Rydel.


    "Then what else could it be? Trolls? Trolls never dwell in caves and aren¡¯t indigenous in this region," reasoned Maynard.


    Jack flinched when he heard the other two bantering and zoned out for a second. He was thinking back to the hidden tomb he had discovered almost twenty-four hours ago. Disregarding the discussion between the two veterans, Jack spoke up, "We need to n for trolls to interfere."


    Startled by Jack¡¯s decision to defend what both veterans agreed was the biggest reach Maynard had mentioned, Rydel responded, "Are you sure? Trolls?"


    "Really?" asked Maynard, as he if regretted mentioning something as terrible as trolls.


    ¡¯No, it was a good thing to mention,¡¯ said Jack in the depths of everyone¡¯s minds.


    Following along, Maynard asked mentally, ¡¯Why trolls? Aren¡¯t ogres more likely?¡¯


    ¡¯No, it has to be trolls,¡¯ repeated Jack. ¡¯When we found that ancient hero¡¯s tomb, I was able to see the fallen hero¡¯sst moments. Take a wild guess what killed him?¡¯


    ¡¯Trolls?¡¯ Rydel was curious yet cautious when Jack mentioned the ancient hero. ¡¯Trolls? Really? This deep into the mine?¡¯


    ¡¯I have no clue why they were down here or how they got there, but that¡¯s what killed that ancient hero. It could be something else too though, I mean how long ago was that hero killed?¡¯ mentioned Jack. ¡¯For all we know, those trolls are long gone or dead by now.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm,¡¯ Pondering the new information, Maynard¡¯s eyes were closed as he focused all his brainpower on the subject. ¡¯As long as nothing killed those trolls, they could still be alive ya know? Trolls have an incredible lifespan, unlike their ogre counterparts.¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t think there would be too many due to the trolls having fertility issues and their generalck of females, but they would alter our odds of sess,¡¯ said Rydel.


    Jack asked, ¡¯Then, in the case that there are trolls, what should we do?¡¯


    ¡¯First off, rescuing the survivors bes the greatest priority,¡¯ interjected Maynard.


    ¡¯Why is that?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t you know how Trolls solved the... Oh, that¡¯s more recent,¡¯ said Rydel, with a sh unwillingness to say more. ¡¯Trollsck females and the few females they have struggle with fertility. This naturally limits howrge a group of trolls can be. However, they found a slight loophole to this in the past few centuries.¡¯


    Catching onto the vibe of the conversation, Jack interrupted, ¡¯Don¡¯t tell me, that trolls would...¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s exactly what they do. They¡¯re known to always try and capture any female alive instead of killing them. And then... well, you get the picture.¡¯ Rydel finished Jack¡¯s thoughts for him.


    Jack clenched his fists tightly, thinking about how Slivia was the first one to be targeted out of the party. He set his mind to save Slivia no matter the cost because he wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive himself otherwise.


    ¡¯When do we start phase one?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯I wish we could right now, but if I don¡¯t get at least a couple hours of sleep I¡¯ll be more of a burden than an asset,¡¯ said Jack, cursing his own weakness.


    ¡¯Then sleep for three hours. At that time, we¡¯ll initiate phase one and prepare tounch phases two and three,¡¯ stated Rydel. ¡¯Will you be okay, kid? I know this means a lot to you, but you understand that emotions can easily get in the way of a mission¡¯s sess.¡¯


    Jack said nothing more. The young hero nodded his head and closed his eyes while leaning his head back against the wall behind him, giving himself up to exhaustion.


    Maynard and Rydel stepped away from the slumbering adventurers. This gave them enough distance to chat quietly without disturbing the sleepers.


    "Things just got a lot harder, didn¡¯t they?" asked Maynard.


    "You could say that again," confirmed Rydel. "I wonder if there are trolls thate in and out of the goblin pce, and if so, are they currently in or out?"


    "Let¡¯s hope thetter. If not, I have no clue what will happen."


    "I worry for that kid the most," said Rydel.


    "Really? Why¡¯s that?" asked Maynard.


    "If the trolls are in the goblin pce, where do you think they would be?"


    Maynard went wide-eyed. "I didn¡¯t think about that."


    "Yeah, hopefully, the kid will be fine. If he encounters those things, I¡¯m not sure any of us could save him in time."


    "Ya got any ideas on how to face those things?"


    "Not exactly. I wish you were right about the ogres, that wouldn¡¯t change too much. Then we wouldn¡¯t have to deal with a trolls extremely thick skin or their minor affinity with magic," mentioned Rydel.


    "No kidding," sighed Maynard. "Ya think we bit off more than we can chew?"


    A soft chuckle reverberated in the narrow passageway. "Of course, that¡¯s what we do best. If we don¡¯t take on these kinds of missions, then who else would be unlucky enough to get them?"


    As three adventurers slept, Maynard and Rydel continued chatting, eventually discussing and sharing opinions or strategies for each other¡¯s phases of the n.


    Of the sleepers, Brunar was the first to wake. The moment he opened his eyes, Brunar was back on his feet and chomping down on some dry meat rations for breakfast. Next came Jack, who awoke minutes after Brunar and had a simr morning routine.


    Troni was fast asleep and showed no signs of waking, so Brunar took matters into his own hands. Shaking his fellow disciple awake Brunar mumbled, "Hey, get up before Master finds out. You know what he¡¯ll do."


    With more enthusiasm than expected, Troni rubbed the tiredness from his eyes as he yawned. In a couple of minutes, Troni was up and looking around the unchanged scenery of the cave.


    "We¡¯ve got ourselves a big day ahead of us today, so don¡¯t hold back and stick to the n." The party heard their captain¡¯s announcement and turned to face him. Rydel continued, "You two will do exactly as your master says, no matter what it is. Do you understand?"


    "Yessir," both young samurai nodded and bowed to Rydel in unison.


    "Very good. I¡¯ll be taking a head start since I¡¯m needed at the pce. Maynard and I have already discussed the exact details while you were asleep so don¡¯t worry yourself too much. If you stick to the n, then you¡¯ll make it out alive," said Rydel.


    "Yessir."


    Jack was d that Rydel hadn¡¯t mentioned the possible troll threat. It wasn¡¯t something he wanted them to worry about or distract them. Thinking about it himself, Jack steadied his breathing and forced himself to remain calm.


    Seeing Jack taking things seriously, Rydel smiled and said, "I imagine you need to leave too, right? You¡¯ll need to infiltrate beforehand and get ready so you can enter the pce at a moment¡¯s notice when the perfect opportunity presents itself."


    "Will do captain," saluted Jack.


    "How interesting, thest to leave camp are those in charge of the first phase,"ughed Maynard.


    "Also, keep in mind that the neurotoxins we were able to distribute among the guards should be well in effect right now. Typically, the neurotoxin¡¯s effects of total paralysisst for more than a day, so this diluted dosage should have them slowed and twitching for the next few hours. Take advantage of this opportunity," emphasized Rydel.


    "Always," answered Maynard with a nod. "Then we¡¯ll see each other on the other side of those walls after we ughter our way through the guards. And don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got plenty of potions and elixirs for us three thanks to ya sharing with us."


    "Anything to aplish the mission," replied Rydel with a smirk.


    "And to ya Jack..." Maynard turned to say onest thing to Jack, but he was unable to find Jack anywhere. "He¡¯s more anxious than I thought."


    "Can you me the kid?" mentioned Rydel. "Anyways, I¡¯m off. Keep me in touch if you know what shows up."


    Brunar and Troni were confused by Rydel¡¯s not so subtle secrecy. However, when they asked their master about it, Maynard only faced Rydel and replied, "Same goes for ya, and happy hunting."


    "Happy hunting," Rydel returned Maynard¡¯s expression, which was amon phrase among association members as if saying, "good luck."

 Chapter 62 Beginning Phase One

    <h4>Chapter 62 Beginning Phase One</h4>


    After wishing the samurais "happy hunting," Rydel took off at top speed and became illusory.


    "Now what Master?" asked Brunar.


    "I think ya both know what¡¯s next," answered Maynard. "Don¡¯t get yourself killed and pay attention to your surroundings. The guards are poisoned right now but don¡¯t let that get to your heads. This time we don¡¯t know how many goblins we¡¯ll face but we¡¯ll be trying to hold them off till we get Jack¡¯s signal. That¡¯s when we go all out, got that?"


    "Yes Master," the young samurais replied together.


    "Good, now both of ya draw your swords and follow me." Maynard jumped out of the empty vein with a massive leap, not caring to use any stealth at all.


    Brunar did the same as his master, jumping out of the vein with some heavy yells and grunts uponnding. Unlike his fellow disciple and his mentor, Troni leaped out quietly,nding behind the others to keep from bing the main target.


    The moment that all three had revealed themselves, a couple of goblin sentries caught glimpse of them. Those goblins were unsure of what these three figures were and why they dared approach the goblin city. They contacted their captains but were surprised by the news they received.


    Among the goblin guards, there were rumors about a few outposts being destroyed. Not many believed them due to the rumors being less than a day old, but it spread like wildfire, nheless.


    When the goblin sentries received a response describing the losses of many outposts, the sentries were startled. Then the sentries were enraged after hearing that the three samurai were behind it all, along with a few other intruders.


    Not wasting any time, the sentries let out deep, gargled howls. The howls were easily heard by Maynard¡¯s group, but they didn¡¯t so much as flinch. Following the gargled howls, the sounds of dozens of gargled whines and cries pierced the air.


    The samurais looked ahead without hesitation. They didn¡¯t approach with great speed, wanting the goblins toe and meet them on the battlefield.


    On high alert, the goblin guards readied themselves and prepared for battle. The wall had a unique design; It was like someone had taken an inted inner tube and cut it clean in half. There were two gates, the outer gate, and the inner gate, and within the confines of the wall were goblins scrambling to get in formation.


    When Maynard¡¯s party was about a quarter kilometer¡¯s distance from the city entrance, the outer gate swung open. Thanks to Rydel¡¯s investigating, Maynard had a decent idea of how many goblins there were living within the wall, but he was still amazed at the first wave of goblins that charged towards them.


    "Are ya ready?" asked Maynard.


    "Always!" yelled Brunar, throwing any thoughts of shrinking back to the wind while Troni gave a simple nod.


    "Good, then show these pestros who¡¯s boss!" Maynard showed a delighted smile to the approaching goblin hoard. "If ya encounter anyone above lv. 25, make it known! And if ya need to take a potion, just do it, no need for my permission."


    The goblins had ugly expressions on their faces, and not because of their natural ugliness as cave goblins. Their expressions were a mix of difort, unease, and savagery. Within the past hour, they had all realized they were poisoned, but it was toote to make excuses and chicken out of orders.


    Taking notice of the goblins¡¯ strange movement patterns, Maynard¡¯s des began to glow red. "This is a thank you to Rydel, for weakening our enemies before things had even started!"


    With a wickedly fast cross sh, a "Bloody cross" went airborne and connected with the goblin wave before it could break up and try to dodge the samurai¡¯s attack.


    "Aaaagghh!" the goblins hissed as over a dozen were made into mincemeat by the first attack of the battle.


    Seeing Maynard¡¯s overwhelming strength, the goblin captains leading the charge focused on Maynard, intent on stopping him from performing more destructive AoE (Area of Effect) attacks.


    Happy to pull the attention of the more powerful foes, Maynard smiled wide and shouted, "Come! You¡¯re fallen brethren failed to prove themselves worthy of my de, and you¡¯ll join them soon enough!"


    Maynard ran further ahead, creating some distance between him and his students. That way the higher leveled goblin guards wouldn¡¯t get much of an opportunity to attack Brunar or Troni without leaving an opening to strike.


    The first collision happened when the three goblin captains banded together to face Maynard. Normally, two would charge him while the other would target the two weaker samurai but being poisoned and witnessing Maynard¡¯s strength proved to them that they couldn¡¯t afford to y around with the mature samurai.


    Brunar¡¯s single de also began to glow red in anticipation of the many goblins before him. With Maynard showing off and attracting the big fish, why wouldn¡¯t he want to prove his strength and carve into the wave of goblins?


    Troni stood at the ready, still near Brunar in case he met someone too strong for him to handle.


    Thanks to their master keeping the strongest goblins upied and having no one to protect or split their attention, the young samurais faced the goblins with no fear and katanas at the ready. The bulk of the goblin guards were around lv. 15 and the asional goblin guard was at least lv. 20.


    Themon goblin guards would bubble around Maynard and the captains, doing their best to avoid any coteral damage. In a matter of moments, they finally reached the two young samurai.


    With the goblins fighting partial paralysis, they left many opening that trained swordsmen would easily take advantage of. A sh would onlyst one or two blows before a goblin would fall unless a goblin above lv. 20 met Troni, in which case it wouldst an additional two hits for Troni to redirect it towards Brunar for the killing blow. They avoided using any skills when possible, making sure to keep their stamina in check.


    Maynard wasn¡¯t having it so easy, unlike his disciples. The three goblin captains were clearly affected by the poison, but them being higher leveled and stronger also meant that they could more easily fight the partial paralysis. They didn¡¯t leave Maynard too many openings and forced him to truly fight.


    "Ya pestros! That the best ya got?" taunted Maynard, getting wilder and wilder as the 3 v. 1 continued.


    The originally confident goblin captains were beginning to feel the pressure. They had assumed that they could at least hold Maynard back, if not slowly overwhelm him. But amidst their fight, Maynard would do something crazy like charge another "Bloody cross." When the captains would guard and prepare to receive it, Maynard wouldunch another airborne cross into the wave of goblins surrounding his students instead.


    One goblin captain shouted inmon, "Coward!"


    Maynardughed as he drank an elixir like it was a shot of his favorite brundy. "Hurry and call the other two captains. If ya don¡¯t call them soon, ya won¡¯t have the ability to cry for help."


    Startled that Maynard knew about the two remaining captains still within the walls, another captain replied in brokenmon, "We no need them! We kill you now!"


    All three captains readied an offensive stance as they surrounded Maynard, each one wielding a shortsword, which looked like a greatsword in their goblin sized hands. Letting out a screeching battle cry, the three shortswords glowed muddy green and swung sideways toward Maynard in unison.


    Licking his smiling lips, Maynard chuckled as his katana glowed red in response. Maynard vanished from the center of the goblin captains, avoiding the three attackspletely.


    Caught off guard, the captains were dazed by the change in the initiative, till one captain heard a whisper from behind him.


    "Sudden death." Maynard shed twice from behind the unlucky goblin captain, once across the upper thigh and once across the back of the neck.


    The goblin captain had no time to respond or mutter a word as both his neck and left leg were cut cleanly through. After the des exited the wound, the goblin captain¡¯s left leg toppled to the ground. Losing support so suddenly, the rest of the captain¡¯s body tumbled to the left, but his head fell to the right,pletely severed from the captain¡¯s torso.


    "Ya going to call them or not?" taunted Maynard, who lunged at the remaining two captains without pause.


    The remaining captains had fear in their eyes as they each retrieved a contact crystal and attempted to summon the remaining captains. As they did so, Maynard became more ferocious, not wanting to waste a single moment of weakness.


    Busy warding off the strikes from Maynard, the goblin captains were unable to concentrate and contact the other two captains.


    "Ya think I¡¯m going to just let ya call them? Ya missed your chance the first time I asked,"ughed Maynard, who was reveling in the thrill of battle.

 Chapter 63 Infiltration

    <h4>Chapter 63 Infiltration</h4>


    On the other side of the battlefield, Brunar and Troni were holding up well. They were starting to feel more pressured but the sudden "Bloody cross" from Maynard lessoned that.


    The goblins had started to pay more attention to Maynard¡¯s battle after the surprise attack. All the goblins were frightened when they saw one of the captains in three pieces by the wayside. Their morale was starting to be affected and they focused more on preserving their lives them immediately killing their opponents, ying into the adventurers¡¯ ns.


    "Brunar!"


    Brunar slew a goblin before he turned around while delivering a crossbody sh to a now visible target.


    The partially paralyzed lv. 20 goblin was caught off guard by the sh attack across its back and had no way to defend in time. Digging a few centimeters into the goblin¡¯s flesh, Brunar quickly offed the goblin before he returned to face his side of the goblin encirclement.


    "Thanks," said Troni while he cut off a goblin¡¯s arm and kicked its torso back into the crowd.


    "Master¡¯s showing off again," mentioned Brunar.


    "Yeah, so what? He always gets excited at times like this," replied Troni.


    Brunar blew hot air from his nostrils as his de began to glow. "I won¡¯t let him steal all the limelight!"


    Troni sighed and let Brunar do as he pleased. This was amon urrence among the samurai party, so this casual conversation did nothing to impede the onught of goblins.


    "Aaagghh!"


    A sudden whine caught the goblins¡¯ attention again as the goblin encirclement looked back at the captains that they respected and revered. What they saw was a big blow to their self-esteem.


    One of the goblin captains had tried to hold back Rydel while the other did his best to contact the two remaining captains. But no opportunity was given. Instead, the captain with a contact crystal still in his hand screamed in pain as that same hand was sliced off at the wrist thanks to Maynard¡¯s "Sudden death."


    "I told ya, it¡¯s toote!" berated Maynard. "Ya got to try harder than that!"


    *****


    In the outskirts of the pce, a figure would appear and disappear sporadically among the shadows. Thenky figure always stayed hidden, never revealing himself.


    Keeping an eye on the pce¡¯s outer walls, Rydel noticed the increase inmotion. He soon heard a voice in his mind.


    ¡¯We¡¯re doing well out here. One down, four to go.¡¯


    ¡¯Keep it up, you old demon,¡¯ replied Rydel with a smile.


    The hunter watched the pce guards as they became more uneasy. Soon enough, the pce doors swung open and a fresh batch of a few dozen guards ran towards the front gate.


    Pushing the front gate shut, the two guards in the immediate vicinity didn¡¯t notice the throwing knife that wedged itself on the ground exactly where the doors would meet.


    Unable to closes the doors enough to lock it, the guards began to inspect the doors. But before they could find the knife blocking the door, there was a knife that slit each of the two guards¡¯ throats. Their silent death went undiscovered as Rydel leaned them against the wall and tilted their leather helmets down to cover their eyes as if they were sleeping on the job.


    Thanks to his nightly adventure before, he had already mapped out the best route towards the inner pce.


    Rydel snatched his knife off the floor and crept into the outer walls of the pce. Thinking on his feet, he dashed across the corridor and into a small room. Once he was alone in the room, Rydel ced his hand on the floor and activated his "Predator sense" skill.


    With "Predator sense" he would be able to feel the movements, smells, or sounds of anything in his immediate vicinity. Also, he could feel movements and vibrations further by focusing on a particr source, like how he was feeling all the vibrations in the stone floor.


    Sensing a few targets, Rydel readied himself and took action. One guard walked past the door but was unsuspectedly pulled inside and silenced immediately.


    Rydel resumed to dart through the hall with throwing knives at the ready. A couple more guards around the corner had knives lodged in their throats before they even noticed Rydel appear.


    Wanting to create somewhat of amotion in the outer pce, Rydel left those guards there for others to find and worry. Three more guards were silenced before he found the entrance to the inner pce. Not wasting a second, Rydel put his hand back on the floor and reactivated "Predator sense."


    Unlucky for him, he felt two guards slowly walking down the corridor on the other side.


    He nned to create a few problems within the outer pce before he hid away inside the inner pce. While investigating the inner pce with his "Predator sense," he was going to map out his next n of attack from there.


    However, if he were discovered entering the inner pce, then he¡¯d be in trouble. The guards of the inner pce were stronger and had better armor. There weren¡¯t as many, but they were more troublesome. If his original n could work, some inner guards would need to go investigate in the outer pce, thinning the ranks and making it easier for Rydel to reach the throne room.


    Thinking on his toes, Rydel hurried into a nearby closet of sorts. It was like a mix of a mini armory and a clothes rack.


    He waited inside for a couple of minutes, giving any guards a chance to pass by. Rydel reluctantly used "Predator sense" again, leaving him with onest use for the day.


    This time he was luckier. There were no guards present on the other side of the door to the inner pce, but a guard was rushing to the aid of his fallenrade. Not giving that goblin guard a chance to act, Rydel bolted out of the closet and jabbed a knife into the back of the goblin guard¡¯s neck.


    As the guard drew hisst breath, he tried to reach out towards Rydel, who quickly opened the doorway to the inner pce and slid in while closing it behind him.


    d to have that over with Rydel dashed into the nearest empty room which he located with the previous "Predator sense." Rydel let out a deep breath as he collected his bearings and prepared for the pce to go into a frenzy.


    Rydel was d that the pce wascking guards thanks to phase one going well. He sent out a message.


    ¡¯Just entered the inner pce and the outer pce is about to get hectic.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, captain, I¡¯ll start phase three shortly.¡¯


    Jack was near the outskirts of the pce but kept Bowser and himself hid in an alley. The resplendent bracer was active, making sure to cover them both.


    When Jack had vanished that morning, Bowser wasn¡¯t on his shoulder, but in his coat pocket. He discovered that lv. 1panion mirroring wasn¡¯t going to let Bowser be invisible, only illusory in appearance.


    However, he fixed that soon after finding this alley to rx and wait for his turn to act. While waiting, Jack was checking the system notifications and his own stats. After quickly iming the achievement [Find the goblin city] he was rewarded with fifteen skill points. Jack also noticed he now had an achievement specifically to save Slivia, which reminded him how serious this mission would be.


    With thirty-three skill points to spend, Jack upgraded hispanion mirroring to lv. 2 for twenty skill points. Ten skill points then went toward upgrading perception to lv. 2, leaving Jack with three skill points to spare.


    Withpanion mirroring up to lv. 2, they tested Bowser¡¯s invisibility. The fox was able to fully disappear that time, but the light didn¡¯t bend around him as smoothly as it did with Jack. But they didn¡¯t care about that because Bowser would only be using this to dash from one part of the city to the next. At high speeds, it was just as effective as Jack¡¯s stagnant invisibility.


    Also, Jack and Bowser were happy to reach lv. 15 while they waited for phase three to begin. The weathered jade would be wearing off within the next two hours, so this couldn¡¯t have been any tighter. Jack was still tired due to having little sleep, but he felt it was worth the EXP.


    Now at lv. 15, he was confident in Bowser¡¯s ability to handle the distraction on his own. In his fire form, if he doubled in level like the first time, Bowser would be at lv. 30. And if Jack activated hispanion bloodline skill and it went the same asst time, he¡¯d reach lv. 18. It wasn¡¯t as nice as Bowser, but three levels meant a lot for the current Jack.


    ¡¯You know what to do boy, so go and let loose,¡¯ said Jack while rubbing what he assumed was Bowser¡¯s back.


    ¡¯Yup, yup,¡¯ said Bowser with excitement.

 Chapter 64 Assessing the Situation

    <h4>Chapter 64 Assessing the Situation</h4>


    Rushed footsteps could be heard throughout the walls of the inner pce and it was impossible to escape the worried murmurs of the guards and servants. Eventually, there was a hurried knock on a massive set of wooden doors.


    "Enter and exin yourself," a feminine voice called out from the other side.


    Quickly, the doors were pulled open from the inside and a goblin guard in studded leather armor entered the main hall. "Your highness, problems continue to escte beyond our control."


    "What do you mean, ¡¯beyond our control?¡¯ Just send more troops to face the invaders," barked the queen.


    "Another problem has arisen, my queen," replied the guard, shrinking back like he was begging for mercy. "We¡¯ve found many dead guards within the inner pce."


    "What!?"


    "Please, have mercy with this servant and his inability to serve you properly." The guard dropped to his knees and bowed his head as he pled. "We are beginning to investigate the dead bodies immediately but we¡¯ve yet to find who it was that killed them."


    The queen¡¯s breathing was growing heavy, whether it was from worry or rage it was unclear. "Tell me, how did they die?"


    Hearing the queen calm down, the guard let out a deep sigh. "They were all in by a knife, either a slit across the throat or through the back of the neck."


    "Hmm, it was probably that hunter. I was wondering where the rest had gone," deduced the queen. "So that hunter wants to y... It¡¯s been a while since I¡¯ve had a worthy ymate."


    "Please my queen, just remain in here for the remainder of the investigation. We¡¯re shorthanded due to the battle with the samurais, but we¡¯ll soon scour the pce and find him. That we can guarantee."


    "Oh, you can guarantee?" The queen started to chuckle lightly when she heard the guard¡¯s promise. "If you can guarantee his capture so easily, then why aren¡¯t you bringing him to me right now?"


    "Your highness, we were so focused on preparing reinforcements against the samurai that we were careless and¡ª"


    "You¡¯ve already promised it, so I expect to see you drag that hunter through these doors within the day. If you can¡¯t fulfill your promise, then you¡¯ll face the consequences," said queen, who was devilishly smiling behind the canopy.


    "I¡ª"


    "Thank you for your bravery; I can¡¯t wait to see how that hunter begs for mercy after you drag him to me."


    The guard coughed and swallowed some saliva before he finally muttered, "Y-yes my queen." Shaky and nervous, that goblin guard turned and started to exit.


    Suddenly, more footsteps were heard from the other side of therge wooden doors. Before the guards by the doors could react, the doors were swung open by what looked to be two goblin captains who immediately spoke up, "Pardon the intrusion your highness, but this is¡ª"


    "Never enter my throne room uninvited!" The luby, feminine voice somehow became hoarse and gravelly.


    "Please your highness, this matter is very¡ª"


    "On your knees!"manded the queen. "You are goblin captains but that is worth nothing before me. Rules are rules; on your knees!"


    One captain quickly dropped to his knees and bowed his head, fully willing to submit at the drop of a hat. The other captain stepped forward to try and calm the enraged queen, "Please, we must hurry¡ª"


    "Hmph!" grunted the queen, interrupting the captain. "I said kneel, you worthless servant! At least one of you has a brain. You, you may speak." The queen didn¡¯t point but everyone understood that she wanted the one standing to shut up and listen to the other obedient captain.


    "Yes, your highness," said the second captain, still keeping his head to the floor in respect for the queen. "Another problem has presented itself within the city."


    "I already know about the deaths in the outer pce," said the queen.


    "Yes, but there is a third issue that has presented itself, and it¡¯s by far the worst of them all," rified the captain.


    "The worst of them all? How so?" the queen had a trace of unease in her voice.


    "A Hell-me Fox has been spotted within the city."


    That sentence brought a heavy silence to the room. The goblin captain waited a few seconds before he continued, "Currently, therge firefox is rampaging through the city. We have no way of deciphering its strength or its origin."


    "Just like the legends..." whimpered the guard from before. He was shaken by the sudden entrance of the captains and even more so by the news they carried. "No one has ever survived hell¡¯s mes..."


    "My queen, we ask permission to leave the pce and confront this beast," the first captain spoke up, taking advantage of the silence.


    The queen remained silent, pondering the situation heavily. She faced three very serious threats that seemed to escte every time. Cursing her bad luck, she was reluctant to say anything.


    "My queen, may we confront this beast?" repeated the first captain.


    "Call for him," muttered the queen with reluctance.


    "Him!?" Both captains were surprised to hear the queen asking for aid so quickly.


    "Yes, call for him. We¡¯ve underestimated these adventurers and we must do everything to defeat them. But facing Hell¡¯s mes at the same time, our only chance at victory is to ept their aid. Contact him and hurry to the fox. Now hurry and begone. I have something I must do,"manded the queen, returning to her voice of a feminine dominatrix.


    "Yes, your highness!"


    The guard and the captains hurried off to their new duties, not so much as looking back into the main hall.


    Behind the canopy, the queen anxiously twiddled her fingers on the throne¡¯s arm. She barked, "Guards, bring me the contact crystal."


    Without a word, the guards by the door hurried to the side of the room. There they each grabbed a side of this podium-like structure. It was simr to the stat analysis podium within the association building, but the gemstone was smoother, and the podium was intricately carved around therge, sapphire-like gem. It took a minute for them to carry it up to the throne, but it wasn¡¯t too difficult for the guards.


    "Thank you, now return to your posts. And face the wall; you are not allowed to see my beauty unveiled,"manded the queen.


    The guards hurried back to their posts and did as the queen demanded, turning to face the cold wall.


    Satisfied with their obedience, the queen stood up from her throne and walked towards the veil surrounding her. She parted it and revealed herself to the light in the room.


    The queen was a shade lighter than the other goblins, and her shin was much smoother and softer than the rest. She had the same beady red eyes, but her face was slender and easy to fit in someone¡¯s hand. Adorned with a ck leather skirt, a loose crop top from the same leather, and a beautiful ne of gold and jewels, the queen¡¯s slim, tight body was the envy of every goblin woman; many goblin women also found her attractive and were unable to admit otherwise.


    With a regretful sigh, the queen ced her hands on the podium and spoke aloud in Common. "My city is in danger and we request assistance."


    There was no response at first, but after a couple of minutes a pained, masculine voice sounded in her head. "What¡¯s the problem? It must be bad if you¡¯re contacting me."


    "We¡¯re being invaded, but too much is happening at once and we may not hold out till the end," replied the queen.


    "Why so negative? It sounds like you¡¯ve already epted defeat."


    The queen paused involuntarily as she forced herself to admit the situation more fully. "A party of adventurers is causing us problems. They¡¯ve split up to attack the main gate and infiltrate my pce at the same time."


    "Why not just call those ugly guests of yours? They should offer plenty of help to handle a single party," said the man.


    "Most of them are gone to bring back more of their brethren, we¡¯ve only got two with us right now," answered the queen.


    "So, what else is there? For you to call the busy me, you better be facing a natural disaster or hell¡¯s mes," stated the man, letting her hear his annoyance in his voice.


    "That¡¯s exactly what¡¯s happening."


    "What?" responded the man, caught off guard by her immediate answer.


    "At this critical moment, a Hell-me Fox has appeared within the walls of the city," exined the queen. "We¡¯re already stretched thin to face these adventurers but facing hell¡¯s mes might lead to our end. I beg for your assistance."


    No answer came for some time as the queen waited patiently, staring intently at the crystal embedded in the podium. Finally, the man answered, "Sorry, but I can¡¯t help you."


    "What!?"


    "I told you before that you grew too aggressive too fast and it would lead to your downfall, did I not?" said the man.


    Struggling to keep herself from shouting back in anger, the queen was unable to reject the man¡¯s statement. Not hearing a rejection, the man continued, "You got too aggressive before we were in a situation to better help you. Of course, this is simply due to how dire a situation you¡¯re in. Are you sure it¡¯s a Hell-me Fox? They haven¡¯t been spotted for so long."


    "They say it¡¯s a fox made of fire running rampant through my city, what else could that be?"


    "How big is it, exactly?" asked the man.


    "No clue, they just said it was a crazy firefox with an unknown level," answered the man, hoping her politeness could soften the man¡¯s heart and change his decision.


    "Oh," sighed the man. "Either way, you¡¯re without our help for this one. If you can survive this, then we¡¯ll be ready to move forward in about a month. If you don¡¯t, well, then this is goodbye."


    As the message cut out, the queen barked back at the man but could tell that the man¡¯s contact crystal was no longer responding.


    In her fury, she finally looked away from the crystal and noticed the guards¡¯ peeking eyes whip around to return to the wall. "Was I not clear that you were unworthy of beholding my beauty?"


    "Y-your highness, please have¡ª"


    Making use of the guards as an outlet for her sudden rise in anger, the queen lifted a hand as a ball of red mes began to dance in her palms. With a flick of her wrist, the mes split and sted into the bodies of the goblin guards, staining the wall with soot and ash.

 Chapter 65 Jacks Signal

    <h4>Chapter 65 Jack¡°s Signal</h4>


    Maynard had effectively drawn out the other two goblin captains and was in the middle of a 4 v. 1. He had consumed a few potions and elixirs already, so he was beginning to feel the side effects of consuming too many too soon. His muscles and skin that were constantly being healed grew sorer from each potion. Forcing himself through the pain and difort, Maynard continued his stand.


    The goblin captains were at a loss when facing the obstinate samurai. They were giving it their all but were still unable to kill him. In the meantime, a couple of captains were near the point of fatigue from injuries and keeping up with the crazy ronin that seemed to be addicted to potions and elixirs.


    "Master, how much longer?" Brunar shouted amidst the iing goblin reinforcements.


    The two young samurai were lucky to not need too many skills for the lower leveled guards, but anyone would grow tired after constantly hacking through muscle and bone with no end. Their countless hours of training and practice allowed them to hold strong in the face of over two dozen goblins. However, they were exhausted and would soon be desperate in front of the iing reinforcements without using skills.


    "Just wait! I¡¯m sure¡ª" yelled Maynard.


    Suddenly, a fiery sh swept over part of the city, strong enough to be seen over the wall. The warm, red light washed over the battlefield for three seconds, warming the hearts of the samurais and sending chills down the goblins¡¯ spines.


    At first, all they saw was a pir of me, but terror clutched at the goblins¡¯ heartstrings when a fox pounced into the air. The fox was made of living mes and was three times the size of any goblin. Even its eyes were made up of ck hell mes.


    Everyone present felt a primal sense of fear take them over. The goblins froze, their instincts telling them to run.


    Brunar and Troni had already seen Bowser transform, but they weren¡¯t ready to see such growth in the strength and size of the transformation. It took Brunar a second to shake his nerves and smile at the appearance of this powerful ally.


    Troni was like the goblins, showing genuine fear. He wasn¡¯t afraid of Bowser as Jack¡¯s beastpanion, but he struggled to ept having such a fearsome beast as an ally and not an enemy like in legend.


    Maynard felt a tinge of fear, but it wasn¡¯t enough to keep him from using this distraction to his benefit. Whilst the captains flinched at the sight of a Hell-me Fox, Maynard used "Sudden death" in session with "Blood thrust."


    Before the weakly guarded captain could retaliate, the blood-red glow of Maynard¡¯s des passed through its gut. The captain stiffened and fell hard on the ground as Maynard removed his katana.


    Suddenly, Maynard disappeared once again. Returning to their senses, another captain managed to block one katana while the other prated cleanly through its waist, from right to left. Avoiding death, the captain shrunk back away from its killer.


    Not waiting for Maynard to attack again, the remaining two captains charged Maynard while the other did its best to tighten the leather armor around its torso in hopes to slow the blood flow.


    "That all ya got?"ughed Maynard. "No more holding back!"


    Brunar had already sliced a goblin guard¡¯s throat by the time Maynard shouted histest order. Yelling as he finally began to activate his skills, Brunar yelled with each swing of his katana. "It¡¯s. About. Time!"


    Troni refocused himself and did the same as Brunar,unching skill after skill into the now frightened reinforcements.


    *****


    "Man, how many rooms are there in the inner pce?" Rydel spoke to himself within the confines of a small dark room. He had exhausted his daily uses of "Predator sense" and was forced to hide and search the old-fashioned way. "What¡¯s that?"


    Rydel heard low thumps from the other side of the door. The thumps grew louder each time, until they sounded like they were deep, heavy footprints that shook the door as they passed by. It soon grew quieter as the footsteps passed in the direction Rydel hade from.


    ¡¯Hey Maynard, they were inside...¡¯ thought Rydel, doing his best to remain calm and steady his heartbeat.


    ¡¯That¡¯s what I was afraid of,¡¯ replied Maynard.


    ¡¯What are you talking about?¡¯ asked Jack.


    Rydel exined, ¡¯The trolls, they were inside the pce. One just walked past where I was hiding and it probably about to exit the pce.¡¯


    ¡¯How many are there?¡¯ asked Jack, wanting to n ordingly.


    ¡¯I have no clue kid, but I¡¯m guessing there¡¯s more than one,¡¯ answered Rydel.


    ¡¯Be careful, try not to get tangled with one before you aplish your part of the mission captain,¡¯ stated Jack.


    ¡¯You don¡¯t have to tell me twice,¡¯ said Rydel.


    ¡¯Hey Maynard, get ready to face a troll or two. You should be faring better against the goblins now, so hurry and finish them so you three and face the trolls.¡¯ Jackid out an impromptu n.


    ¡¯Ya got it,¡¯ replied Maynard, epting the idea immediately.


    ¡¯Good luck,¡¯ said Jack.


    ¡¯Happy hunting,¡¯ both Rydel and Maynard responded in unison.


    Rydel took a few deep breaths and put his ear to the stone wall. He wasn¡¯t able to use "Predator sense" anymore but his perception and hearing were good enough to hear if any towering footsteps were approaching him.


    Not finding anything near him, he bolted into the hallway and dashed further into the inner pce.


    *****


    Jack was well hidden in the shadows of the outskirts of the outer pce, waiting for a good moment to enter. Unlike Rydel who heavily outweighed the average guard, Jack was under-leveled and was forced to use only stealth.


    He was starting to grow impatient until Rydel warned them about the trolls. As soon as Jack heard that, he knew when he would have a chance to enter.


    A few minutes passed before Jack saw the big doors burst open. The pce entrance was swung open explosively, actually damaging the hinges of the door and rendering them unable to fully close without repair.


    Jack didn¡¯t act immediately, he was busy examining therge, monstrous frame that had kicked open the door. The creature had purple-blue skin and was tall, yet stout. It wore a thick loincloth and had little fat to hide its rippling muscles. With a short face and a fat nose, the trolls sniffed the air.


    Holding his breath and remaining still, Jack waited for the troll to step away from the door. It had a gib smile on its face when it saw the me pir in the distance of the city. Eager to find out what was happening, the troll entered the city in search of the Hell-me Fox it had heard o much about.


    ¡¯Bowser, time to switch locations. You¡¯ve got a troll heading your way. Don¡¯t fight him, just keep him busy and distracted.¡¯ Jack¡¯s telepathic tone showed some worry along with trust in Bowser¡¯s abilities.


    Just then, the pir of fire disappeared and startled everyone unaware of Jack¡¯s n. ¡¯Okay, Bowser distract troll.¡¯


    ¡¯Good boy. Let me know if you need help.¡¯


    ¡¯Yup, yup.¡¯


    Jack neared the opened door and found two goblin guards smashed into the wall by the wooden doors. Aware that they were dead in the first ce, Jack hurried inside and hid in the first room he could find. ¡¯Captain, I¡¯m in. Any tips?¡¯


    ¡¯Get to the inner pce. If you head left of the entrance, you¡¯ll reach anotherrge door leading to the inner pce after passing seven rooms,¡¯ answered Rydel.


    ¡¯I went right, the left was swarming with guards,¡¯ rified Jack.


    ¡¯Well, that¡¯s not too bad kid. I went left and left a trail so right is probably less crowded now. But you¡¯ll still need to get to this side of the inner pce. I just passed a dark stairwell that further down, almost like a dungeon. If I had to guess, that¡¯s where they¡¯re keeping any prisoners,¡¯ exined Rydel.


    ¡¯Looks like I better hurry. Thanks, Captain.¡¯


    ¡¯Stay alive kid and let me know if anything happens.¡¯


    Before Jack exited what looked to be a bedroom shared by a few guards, Jack retrieved a single vial filled with a clear liquid. He retrieved his sword and a small knife, dripping the Light-tailed Lizard neurotoxin across the de. Jack then stored them and the empty vial, letting him resume his invisibility.


    Cautiously sneaking out of the room, Jack made his way into the hall. He crept past a few guards as he stayed near the wall. There wasn¡¯t much difficulty to reach the massive door towards the inner pce but opening it and sneaking inside was different than just making it that far.


    Noticing that there also seven doors before reaching the door to the right, Jack guessed that the pce design was mostly symmetrical. Jack wouldn¡¯t bet that a second entrance to the dungeon was on this side of the pce, but it gave him an idea as to how far he was from the dungeon entrance Rydel had mentioned.

 Chapter 66 The Desperate Queen

    <h4>Chapter 66 The Desperate Queen</h4>


    Jack was thinking of how he could distract the two guards in charge of the entrance while keeping himself hidden. It was a difficult task and was taking him a moment to think.


    Suddenly, there was a knock on therge door from the other side. While the two guards grabbed the door handles and slowly opened the passage, Jack crept closely toward the right of the swinging door. Jack saw a pair of goblin captains exiting the inner pce with an entourage of a dozen guards each.


    They were speaking in goblin to their messaging crystals, making it impossible for Jack to understand. Either way, Jack stepped carefully through the gap between the captains and the guard holding the door open.


    One of the captains turned around and faced Jack while he slid past. The captain took a few sniffs from its long, protruding nose as it stepped forward.


    Not daring to speed up and make noise, Jack kept his pace and stepped further away from the goblin captain. Jack held his breath as he saw the captain extend its hand and grab hold of the guard holding the door open.


    Unaware that the captain was telling the guard to take advantage of the outer pce¡¯s bathhouse to bathe more regrly, Jack steadied his nerves and made a left towards the dungeon stairs that Rydel had mentioned.


    *****


    "What do you mean, you won¡¯t help personally!?" shouted the goblin queen in Common, still hidden within the canopy of her throne.


    Across from the canopied throne stood a towering figure with purple-blue skin. This troll was fatter than the one Jack saw exit the ce, but its strength was obvious. Besides its loincloth, it wore a ne made from the bones of various creatures. Looking carefully, one would notice that a couple of human bones were among those of wild beasts.


    "I¡¯ve already sent orders to both of the men I have avable. You think I¡¯m crazy enough to face hell¡¯s mes personally? I¡¯ll grab a few trophies before leaving this ce and returning to my brethren. There, at least we won¡¯t worry about a Hell-me Fox," stated the troll, dering his fear of the many tales of Hell-me foxes.


    "We had an agreement! I built this ce so that you and your brethren could live here without worry and this is how you repay me?" argued the queen.


    "You may be powerfulpared to your subjects, but you¡¯re barely my equal queenie," said the troll. "I¡¯m ditching this hazard zone and I don¡¯t think you¡¯re capable of stopping me. Be grateful I offered the other two trolls as distractions so I could escape."


    "And what about my people?" yelled the queen in anger.


    "I don¡¯t know about your people, but I¡¯m sure I could take care of you," said the troll with a twisted grin.


    "Begone already, if you¡¯re betraying me now then just get out while you still can," yelled the queen in disgust.


    "Fine, but you know us trolls can offer more protection than these pitiful goblin masses," persuaded the troll.


    "Get out!"


    Not daring to say more to the now livid goblin queen, the trollughed as he turned and smashed his way through the closed doors of the main hall.


    Busy worrying about other things, the queen ignored the trolls barbaric exit and took out a message crystal. "Split up, one of you go to the samurais and the other to the fox. If it¡¯s not asrge as the legends say, maybe we¡¯re lucky and it¡¯s just a young one. If so, capture it and bring it to me."


    "Yes, my queen. We will do as youmanded," two goblin captains responded at once.


    Hoping that this crisis would be survivable the queen sat down on her throne. She leaned deeply into the back support, trying to sink away from the troubles her goblin city was facing. Then her head twitched and looked into the corner of the room, where it was the most shaded and the walls were ckened from the queen¡¯s outburst of anger towards her guards.


    "You¡¯vee far for a human," said the queen, keeping her luby voice.


    Stepping out of the dark corners, Rydel replied, "And you¡¯re pretty sharp for a goblin."


    "What is it you want? That girl? The other humans?" asked the queen.


    "For the most part, yeah that¡¯s what we want. But we¡¯d prefer that this goblin city not be here. If we only took back the survivors, what happens when you and your people just keep capturing others?"


    "That would be happening any longer," answered the queen.


    "Oh? And why¡¯s that?" asked Rydel.


    "Because capturing you humans wasn¡¯t for the benefit of my people. I assume you heard my conversation with that oversized oaf, correct?" Rydel nodded and the queen continued, "We only began taking captives to get on the good side of the trolls, but you already know that we no longer have an agreement."


    "And the Royal Court?"


    The queen showed an intriguing smile. "What about them? Surely you wouldn¡¯t dare act against them, would you?"


    "And what if I might?"


    "Who are you with?" asked the queen, intrigued by Rydel¡¯s confidence.


    "We¡¯re all with the association; those samurai, that girl, myself, and the other kid you tried to capture. You¡¯ve already gotten us extremely mad from what you¡¯ve done to us so far, and that doesn¡¯t even include what you¡¯ve done previously."


    "Well, I¡¯m willing to overlook your invasion of my city and my pce if you¡¯re really with the association. We can part as acquaintances even." The queen kept her calm even though she had identally made enemies with the Adventurers Association. "Take the prisoners and leave, my city has a different crisis that we must face."


    "Actually, that crisis isn¡¯t any different." Rydel¡¯s words caused the queen to shut up and listen carefully. "First off, I already know your big friend is on the way to im a few trophies before he leaves. We can¡¯t have him taking any of those prisoners, especially that girl. If he takes that girl, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯d be invoking the wrath of the association."


    "Why so? She¡¯s only lv. 13 and can¡¯t be worth the sacrifices to face the trolls and me," argued the queen, hoping that Rydel wasn¡¯t speaking the truth.


    "To you, she¡¯s not worth it. But to ourtest member, she¡¯s more than worth it."


    "Latest member? Who is he?" asked the queen. She was hoping that thistest member had a recognizable name that would carry enough influence for her to stop the greedy troll.


    "You¡¯ve never heard of him, but you will soon enough. We got lucky and recruited a summoned hero, and he¡¯s unlike anything you¡¯ve ever heard of, that I can guarantee," stated Rydel as he confidently stepped up towards the raised throne.


    Hesitant to ept Rydel¡¯s words, the queen asked, "And what else are you saying? You said the crisis we face isn¡¯t any different from your threat, why?"


    Rydelughed as he approached the throne. "Because that Hell-me Fox attacking your city is that same hero¡¯s beastpanion."


    Terror instantly invaded the queen¡¯s muscles, locking them up as she realized the weight of Rydel¡¯s statement. Facing the Adventurers Association directly was already like dering suicide for her city and facing a Hell-me Fox wasn¡¯t any different. If the Adventurers Association got their hands on a summoned hero, the association¡¯s strength would only grow as the hero grew.


    The most frightening thing was if that same hero somehow got his hands on a Hell-me Fox as a beastpanion. If that statement were true, that hero would eventually be the most feared existence on the continent; only the Chaos Syndicate itself could fight for the title of being the most feared.


    "Is what you say true?" There was a trace of fear in her voice as the queen asked the adventurer just outside of her canopy.


    "Yes, in fact, he¡¯s the same boy you tried to capture along with the girl." Rydel chuckled as he ripped the canopy open, exposing the queen to the light of the many azure crystals within the main hall.


    She swallowed some saliva as she realized she had already made enemies of such a potential threat. "Surely he¡¯s too weak to do anything right now. What¡¯s stopping us from killing that boy now?"


    "That would be me, those samurai, and that same Hell-me Fox destroying your city. And if you somehow managed to kill him despite our efforts, the association would act out revenge for destroying their member with the greatest potential. If you go that far, there¡¯s nowhere on this continent you could hide."


    "Then what should I do next, what say you?" asked the queen.


    "That depends, what oue do you wish for your city to have?" rified Rydel.


    She thought for a moment, choosing her words carefully. "I want my goblin city to remain intact and I want a guarantee that the association will bring us no further harm or investigation."


    "Those are some high demands," replied Rydel. "That¡¯s going to be hard to guarantee without your cooperation."

 Chapter 67 Finding the Dungeon

    <h4>Chapter 67 Finding the Dungeon</h4>


    Shuttling through the inner pce, Jack hurried through the corridors.


    The guards should¡¯ve been on high alert, but the announcement of a Hell-me Fox appearing within the city was to scare most witless. Too distracted by the thoughts of imminent death and destruction, the guards in the inner pce weren¡¯t too difficult for Jack to pass. As long as Jack was patient enough, he could sneak past without detection.


    Eventually, Jack found himself standing in front of a dismal, low-lit staircase. The stone floor became more uneven with every step as if those who built it didn¡¯t care enough to keep a standard of quality. Jack descended in hopes to find Slivia and other survivors in the dreary lower floor.


    A foul odor further embedded itself in Jack¡¯s nostrils with every step. It immediately induced a fit of dry heaving, forcing Jack to hold back his gag reflex. The scent of rotting meat and flesh was prevalent throughout the lower floor.


    Doing his best to ignore the smell, Jack looked around the dimly lit dungeon. The only light came from small azure clusters in the middle of the ceiling and spread out every seven meters or so, and to Jack¡¯s surprise, he didn¡¯t find a single guard.


    There was enough light for Jack to see the crudely made cells carved into the stone floor beneath the goblin queen¡¯s castle. The rooms were blocked off by heavy, wooden ts that crossed each other horizontally like they were crossbeams used as prison bars.


    Those cells surround Jack, forcing him to carefully look into each one to not possibly overlook Slivia.


    Jack found that most cells in this part of the dungeon were empty, except for a couple rotting corpses that had been there for at least a few weeks. Not finding what he wanted, Jack pressed forward against the wishes of his nose.


    The further into the dungeon he went, the more he longed to turn tail and leave. That hideous stench grew stronger with every step forward, almost overwhelming Jack¡¯s senses.


    Seemingly out of nowhere, a new scent intermingled with that of rotten flesh. It was alchemical and its source was fresher than the rotting flesh, strong enough to singe nose hairs if smelt to vigorously.


    Curious about what the source may be and why such a scent was in a dungeon and not aboratory, Jack pressed forward carefully.


    It didn¡¯t take him long to pass another half dozen cells with no sess. His hopes were dwindling slightly, but Jack stayed levelheaded for the most part. As long as he knew Slivia was still possibly okay, Jack wouldn¡¯t stop to me himself.


    Suddenly, Jack heard coughing from a distant cell. Eager to find a living being, Jack ran ahead and quickly removed his invisibility.


    The coughing spasm didn¡¯t stop, it got much worse the moment Jack appeared in front of the prison cell. Startled by Jack¡¯s sudden appearance the figure inside the cell did its best to stop coughing.


    Realizing that he probably did more harm than good by suddenly appearing without warning, he spoke quietly, "What is your name?"


    There was no response at first, so Jack assumed that the figure might be too weak to do or say anything. "Here, eat this. It¡¯ll help." Jack held out a portion of jerky rations through the gaps of the wooden cell bars.


    Without hesitation, the miserable figure pounced forward and dove to grab hold of the food presented to it. Like a wild beast, it tore the jerky apart piece by piece with its mouth.


    Jack quickly noticed that it was a human female in her twenties contained within the cell, but something was off. She was stripped naked and only wore an iron cor around her neck that was attached to the wall by a heavy chain. Her body was covered in bruises, particrly around her joints as if someone had grabbed hold of her with too much force.


    "What¡¯s your name?" Jack asked again.


    There was no response from the girl, only a piercing gaze asking for more food. When she finished the scraps of dried meat Jack had already held out a second piece, which she snatched from him eagerly.


    However, this again brought no response. For a third time, Jack held out a strip of dried meat. The girl lunged for the meat, but Jack pulled it back through the bars in protest. She wasn¡¯t mad or startled by not getting her food. Instead, she looked at Jack differently.


    Before Jack could understand what that look meant, the girl sensually crawled toward the bars of the cell. She turned her rear toward the wooden ts and pushed herself up against them like this was a normal urrence for her.


    Jack was dumbfounded by what was urring in front of him. He had never personally seen a naked woman in his life, let alone have one act so daring in front of him. But the sight of this girl appalled him and filled him with disgust.


    In her eyes, Jack saw no life or intelligence. It was like he was staring into the eyes of a farm animal waiting to be fed.


    "You won¡¯t get anywhere with her."


    A weak voice came from the next cell over, pulling Jack¡¯s attention away from the girl¡¯s lifeless eyes. With a few steps, Jack walked over to the next cell and looked carefully inside.


    In the back, a figure was propped up against the wall. It moved slightly and coughed to clear its throat before it said, "Who are you?"


    "I¡¯m Jack, with the association. Who are you?"


    Jack heard the rattling of multiple chains, at least double the amount used to restrain the previous girl. The figure forced itself to its feet, struggling with every step it took forward. As its face came into the light, a clear image of an unshaven face came into view.


    "My name¡¯s Byron Balt..." He paused, taking a moment to catch his already weak breath. "If you can get me out, then I¡¯ll get you anything you ask."


    Jack¡¯s ugly face returned to a pleasant smile, "Good, you¡¯re still alive."


    "What?" Byron was taken aback by Jack¡¯s weirdment.


    "I don¡¯t know you, but I know your father. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll get you out of here," said Jack, d to see a grin appear on Byron¡¯s face. "How do I get you out of there?"


    "You¡¯ll need the keys, but that¡¯s the hardest part," answered Byron. "I¡¯ve only seen one key and it¡¯s currently with the jailer."


    "Okay, where can I find the jailer than?"


    "You don¡¯t understand." Byron¡¯s grin disappeared as if it had never existed. "It¡¯s hard to believe, but the jailer is a troll."


    "Okay, but where is he?" repeated Jack, unfazed by Byron¡¯s revtion.


    "Umm," caught off guard by Jack¡¯s casual tone regarding a troll, Byron took a moment to reply. "He left not too long ago. Not sure why by some goblins came to tell him something and they left together with a second troll following behind."


    "How many trolls are there?"


    "Down here I¡¯ve seen a few but only two have been around for the past couple days," answered Byron.


    "Are they the ones who caused that?" Jack pointed a finger to the incarcerated girl.


    Byron took a deep breath before he answered in a pained voice, "Yes, yes they are. And that¡¯s not the worst-case either." His eyes nced at a few of the surrounding cells, indicating where Jack could find simr or worse cases.


    Clenching his fists to the point where he nearly drew blood from with his fingernails, Jack took a few breaths to subside his anger. He looked Byron square in the eyes and said, "Have you seen a female cleric brought down here recently?"


    Byron blinked and responded, "Yeah, she¡¯s a little further up. She¡¯s fairly new here so I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve¡ª"


    Jack ran towards further into the dungeon without finishing his conversation with Byron. He didn¡¯t want to waste a single second until he knew Slivia was okay.


    A few audible grunts and the asional question would reach Jack¡¯s ears, but he wouldn¡¯t respond because none of them were Slivia. Carefully yet quickly examining the content of each cell he passed, Jack blew past eight cells before he stopped in his tracks.


    There on the floorid a girl whose blonde acted like a beacon. She was stripped like every other prisoner, but she only had a few small bruises and scrapes, most likely from their party¡¯s journey and not from torture or anything else.


    "Slivia," Jack spoke loudly, trying his best not to shout.


    "Hmm..." She tossed and turned as she curled up to try to cover herself up. Slivia nced up, her facial expression changing from a look of disgust to a look of surprise and relief. "Jack!"


    Her lively shout caused Jack to loosen up a bit, finally feeling a little better now that his heart was at ease.

 Chapter 68 A Troll Enters the Battlefield

    <h4>Chapter 68 A Troll Enters the Battlefield</h4>


    The battlefield outside the city walls grew intense; ughter was amon urrence. Not holding anything back, the samurai let loose barrages of skills to carve their ways through the surrounding goblins.


    Exhaustion was setting in for the young samurai as they began to use potions and elixirs without worry. As their muscle and regenerated tissues ached with every movement, the samurais were nearing their limit. Luckily, that end was in sight, when they could finally rx and finish their part of the n.


    "Careful ya two, we may have more trouble on the way."


    Maynard¡¯s voice felt like a sharp twist to the young samurais¡¯ ears. Troni, who was the weakest and most exhausted of the two, asked, "What do you mean? What about the others distracting them?"


    "There¡¯s more to this city then ya realize; you¡¯ll see that soon." Maynard didn¡¯t say too much because he was upied with the final two goblin captains. He held the advantage, but they changed tactics and focused solely on defending as if they were stalling for something else¡¯s arrival.


    The ronin would charge with various skills but the two captains always kept themselves close together to best counter Maynard¡¯s "Sudden death." Not only did this prolong the battle, but it also forced Maynard to waste even more skills and MP.


    Reluctant to waste more energy, Maynard tried his best to finish the fight without needing to consume yet another elixir. His body appeared perfectly fine on the outside but the opposite was true within his body. The constant potions brought his muscles, joints, and regenerated tissues excruciating pain whenever he swung one of his katana. Though his MP would rapidly refill with each elixir, his own body¡¯s capacity to contain MP was weakened and he could now only hold two-thirds of his prior maximum MP.


    "Oh! Humans, how tasty!"


    A bellowing voice reverberated across the battlefield from the distance. Everyone inbat noticed a giant, fat figure emerged from the wall¡¯s gate. Its purple-blue skin brought fear and disgust to the eyes of the samurai. While it carried a club that looked like a tree trunk, at the troll¡¯s side were more goblin reinforcements.


    "Master, what¡¯s that!?" questioned Brunar whilst cleaving a guard in two.


    Troni was stiff and almost stumbled at the sight of such frightening reinforcements.


    "Fear not! I¡¯ll take on that fat fellow and the other captain." Maynard immediately encouraged his disciples, making sure to keep them from facing anything too threatening.


    The two captains currently engaged with Maynardughed and yelled back at their opponent, taunting him in goblin.


    Ignoring theirughs, Maynard allowed both of his katana to blow a deep red. Before the two captains could react, the ronin took advantage of theirpse in judgment to joke around on the battlefield. He disappeared and reappeared behind them both but keeping his attention on the one who taunted him first.


    One captain put up his guard while the other attacked Maynard while he was undefended. They expected to trade a major blow for a major blow, wanting to guarantee victory with the help of reinforcements.


    To their surprise, the second katana turned and faced the second goblin who had initiated an attack. Not caring to defend, Maynard activated his second trump card, "Blood bath."


    In a seemingly impossible manner, Maynard¡¯s katana each struck their target in a fraction of a second and swung back around for another strike, keeping them from guarding fully against him. The ronin swung each sword three times total; stunning with the first strike, injuring with the second, and killing with the third.


    The goblin corpses fell to the ground in halves as Maynard caught his breath.


    Maynard¡¯s disciples were amazed by their master¡¯s resolve and determination to fight until the end. They were inspired by him and epted the responsibility to face reinforcements minus the troll and the new captain.


    Amazed by his own attack, Maynard forced himself to smile as he pulled out another potion and two elixirs. He had taken the second goblin captain¡¯s attack without fazing, but it was a great blow to his shoulder and would impede his second katana¡¯s usage without healing.


    Maynard was certain that he would¡¯ve failed to kill both goblin captains without the help of Jack¡¯s passive sword ability. Each movement with his swords was a hair faster and carried a fraction more weight. Also, it made it easier for his body to naturally ept them as part of him and force his way through enemies¡¯ defenses. A good example of that was how Maynard epted the strike from the goblin captain but was able to keep his attacks on target regardless.


    "You look like fun. I always y with my food before I eat," the trollughed in Common from a distance, walking towards the ronin.


    The fresh goblin captain was about to rush in to aid hispanions but slowed himself after better realizing what they were up against. Witnessing Maynard¡¯s attack and determination struck fear in the captain; no one was more dangerous than a powerful man willing to do anything to win.


    Across the battlefield, there was a pause while the reinforcements neared. The few remaining goblins around Troni and Brunar backed off, backing away towards their newly arrivingrades.


    "Get ready, this is thest wave," announced Maynard before he chugged the potion and elixirs all at once.


    Brunar did the same, fighting the urge to copse in fatigue. Troni only drank the potion as he didn¡¯t think he could take any more internal torture beyond that.


    The goblin captain ordered against his desires, having all avable goblins surround the two young samurai while he partnered with the troll to face the savage ronin.


    Obeying orders, the goblin guards finally ran forward as the final wave of goblins. The captain rushed Maynard before the troll was able to reach him, wanting to test how much strength the spent samurai had left in the tank.


    Lifting both katana above his head to block the captain¡¯s strike, Maynard demonstrated monstrous will power. Only his focus on the mission and his genuine desire to conquer any challenge obstructing him kept him up and defending.


    With a little over half his usual MP avable after exhausting it all with his "Blood bath" skill and forcibly recovering MP again, Maynard finally was forced on the defensive.


    The goblin captain wanting to be proud of itself but couldn¡¯t bring itself to be proud of overpowering Maynard after remembering how Maynard had killed five other captains in session. Such a track record was terrifying, keeping thest captain from letting his guard down and showing an all-out offense.


    Soon the troll reached them and swung its club with abandon. Its attack wouldn¡¯t always differentiate between friend or foe, simply following Maynard wherever he went.


    Angered by the troll¡¯s arrogance, the goblin kept its harsh words to itself. Though the goblin was at lv. 31 and was a higher level than the lv. 28 troll, the troll still outssed him in terms of strength.


    Maynard typically wouldn¡¯t need to struggle facing such opponents but killing the previous captains while sending AoE attacks to the goblin swarm had taken a great toll on him. His body was on the brink of physically copse and his mind was pushed beyond exhaustion. Right now, the best he could do would be to stall in hopes of somehow receiving aid to finish the fight.


    ¡¯Hey, I could use some help.¡¯ Maynard struggled to send a mental message while defending himself and evading the powerful swings of the troll¡¯s club.


    ¡¯Give me some time,¡¯ replied Rydel, sounding too busy to address Maynard¡¯s plea.


    Maynard wasn¡¯t expecting a response from Jack so he just grinned and bore the pressure of the situation. epting the blows from his two newest opponents, Maynard forced augh to taunt them.


    The troll grunted, enjoying the thrill of a challenge. Before it was only allowed to y with a couple of the captives and all of them were far weaker than the blood-covered samurai.


    Unsure how it would all end, the goblin captain kept himself levelheaded and focused on surviving. If he could survive this samurai¡¯s katana, he might be recognized as the strongest captain. With that in mind, the captain struck strategically and avoided the troll at all cost.


    Troni and Brunar were worse for wear and wouldn¡¯tst for much longer. They continued to face the goblins without hesitation, dwindling the goblins numbers with each swing.


    "Your strong, I admit that. Try this!" yelled the troll.


    Out of nowhere, the troll¡¯s club began to glow blue as it drove towards Maynard¡¯s head.¡¯¡¯


    Understanding the potential threat of that attack, Maynard didn¡¯t dare to take it head-on and jumped back to avoid it instead. Sadly, the goblin captain was there waiting for him with a shortsword in mid-swing.


    Doing his best to deflect the shortsword, Maynard managed to dodge the club that created a small crater in the hard cave floor. He did, however, receive a small cut on his shoulder, exactly where thete captain had left a serious injury.


    Since it was freshly healed and sore, the sh of the shortsword was very effective and weakened Maynard¡¯s left arm wielding.


    Anxious to get this over with, Maynard grit his teeth and keep himself focused on the long battle before him.

 Chapter 69 Troll in the Dungeon

    <h4>Chapter 69 Troll in the Dungeon</h4>


    In the middle of the city, Bowser had already destroyed many homes and decimated dozens of goblins. He had relocated twice already to prolong the confrontment of any who dared try to stop him.


    At first, Bowser understood that he might struggle to face any captains if they banded together against him. After his onught and Maynard¡¯s killing, however, Jack and Bowser had reached lv. 17 and were nearing lv. 18. With Bowser¡¯s level doubled in his me form, he was confident in a fight with any guards.


    Bowser continued his destruction of the city undisturbed until he felt a dagger pierce his me body from behind. Looking back, he found a goblin captain dashing towards him and a troll with rippling muscles charging at full speed.


    Thanks to his level boost Bowser could recognize these two as a lv. 32 captain and a lv. 33 troll warrior.


    Immediately Bowser sent a message to Jack, ¡¯Me... attacked... What... now?¡¯


    The message wasn¡¯t the clearest, but it was still understandable thanks to Bowser¡¯s simple words. A reply that was equally unclear returned, ¡¯Fight... if... confident...¡¯


    Thinking to himself Bowser felt that the fight would be possible. The only thing making Bowser question his ability to fight would be his endurance; how much longer he could maintain his me body transformation.


    Self-righteous shouts in goblin sounded out as the goblin captain was the first to arrive Bowser to attack.


    Bowser easily dodged the first swings of the small goblin, but he wasn¡¯t able to avoid the full speed tackle of the troll only slightly smaller than himself.


    The fox was pushed harshly into the surrounding buildings, showing that the troll didn¡¯t care for the lives of the goblin citizens. Only victory was on the troll¡¯s mind; the pride of defeating a legendary existence like a Hell-me Fox. Grunting war cries, the troll lifted its club over its head to deliver a heavy blow to the fox underneath him.


    Not giving the troll a chance to act so freely, Bowser¡¯s tail reached around whipped the troll across the face, forcing it to tumble off the top of Bowser. Quickly returning to his feet, the fox dashed toward the goblin captain at full speed.


    Feeling the troll¡¯s strength, Bowser knew that he had underestimated it. He had no clue that trolls, in general, were strong for their level. Then again, a Hell-me Fox was naturally near the top of the list when it came toparing strength to those of the same level.


    Bowser was swiftly at the side of the goblin captain and shing toward it with his ws.


    The captain acted unexpectedly and swung its shortsword to meet Bowser¡¯s attack head-on.


    w met de as the two pushed each other back. Bowser proved stronger, being pushed back only one steppared to five steps back from the captain.


    The troll lunged forward, using the goblin captain¡¯s actions as a distraction. Forcing Bowser back four steps and bruising his paw, the troll continued its charge with its club swinging. Suddenly, the thick club was thrown directly at the startled Bowser, as if it were a follow-up attack in abo for an arcade fighting game.


    Stunned by the flying tree trunk threatening Bowser while he tried to regain his footing, another sh was felt across Bowser¡¯s legs. Bowser realized that the goblin captain and troll had a shocking level of teamwork for a makeshift party.


    Bowser didn¡¯t want to run because transforming back to normal and then back into a firefox might waste too much energy now that he was inbat.


    The eyes of the firefox, which appeared to be made from ck mes, began to show streaks of bright red me. Bowser opened his mouth towards the charging duo as he jumped back.


    The two enemiesunched attacks, throwing their club and another dagger, but Bowser¡¯s attack swallowed them up. With a dark red sh, a heatwave passed over the town with Bowser as the source. From Bowser¡¯s open mouth, a monstrous wave of hungry red mes erupted forth. Easily swallowing and destroying the weapons, the red mes quickly reached the goblin-troll duo.


    Epassed by unbearable heat, both the troll and the goblin felt their skin immediately evaporate. Muscles and connective tissue were the next things to disappear as their bodies were burnt awayyer byyer in a single moment. All that remained were charred skeletons that copsed to the ground.


    Every living thing within twenty meters of Bowser disappeared, leaving behind only bones to prove their past existence. The st of red mes continued for about fifty meters, leaving nothing behind of the buildings or goblins, aside from the skeletons of the high leveled goblin captain and the troll.


    As the me subsided, Bowser had already shrunken back to his normal self. He had used up all the energy he had within that attack, still not being strong enough to fully make use of his bloodline¡¯s strength. The fox hobbled forward and hid within therge skeleton of the former troll, closing his eyes to rest and recover.


    *****


    In the depths of the pce dungeon, Jack was feeling relieved to find Slivia alive and well.


    "Are you okay? Did they do anything to you?" asked Jack through the thick wooden ts that made up the cell¡¯s bars.


    Slivia was up against the wood, anxiously grabbing one of Jack¡¯s hands. "It¡¯s you... You¡¯re really here."


    "Of course it¡¯s me, silly." Jack chuckled lightly when he saw the genuine surprise in Slivia¡¯s eyes. "Are you okay?"


    "Yeah..." she said weakly, revealing her mental exhaustion.


    "Here, you can have this back." Jack took off his cloak and pushed it through the bars.


    Slivia took it eagerly and was about to thank Jack when she remembered that she was standingpletely naked in front of him. She quickly pulled back and turned to the side as she swung the cloak over her. Feeling better but still embarrassed, Slivia neared Jack again with a bright red face. "Thanks, Jack."


    The lighting wasn¡¯t the best, but Jack could still see the blush on Slivia¡¯s face. Though he hadn¡¯t focused on her nudity ormented on it, like any man he naturally noticed his full self before focusing on the surprise and joy in her face.


    "How long have you been in here?" asked Jack, hoping to brush past the awkwardness.


    "Only a half a day; I¡¯m lucky you showed up while you did. If you showed up tomorrow..." her voice cut off, not saying another word. Slivia¡¯s eyes paused on a cell across from her.


    Jack noticed her lingering eyes and asked, "Who¡¯s in there?"


    "She..." Slivia stammered, "She was in myst party, but now... she¡¯s not the same."


    Thinking back to the first girl he found in a cell, Jack imagined what Slivia was thinking. Putting his hand over hers between the bars, Jack said, "I¡¯m just d you¡¯re okay."


    Hesitant respond, Slivia felt his warm touch soften her worries. "Thanks, Jack."


    "Now we¡¯ve got to get you out of here. The jailer¡¯s a troll, right? He probably left to go help handle everything else, so don¡¯t worry."


    Just then Jack heard Maynard¡¯s call for help. Unable to do anything or offer any aid himself, Jack let Rydel reply instead. But soon after that, he received a message from Bowser. It was choppy like they were almost out of range, but Jack quickly let Bowser do as he feels based on his confidence in a fight.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Jack?" asked Slivia, curious about Jack¡¯s weird silence and his serious facial expression.


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong; the n¡¯s going as we expected. There are some bumps thanks to the trolls, but we¡¯ll take care of it," said Jack. He wanted to encourage her and not let her worry about anything.


    All of a sudden, heavy footsteps could be heard from a distance. Jack looked towards the stairs he just came from and Slivia¡¯s face shrunk as she said, "Jack, get out of here. That¡¯s him¡ª"


    "Shhh," Jack reached through the bars and ced a finger to her lips. "Don¡¯t say anything."


    Before she could respond, Jack had vanished from her sight, startling her greatly.


    Jack repositioned himself against the cell across from Slivia, slowly walking towards the stairs to get a good view of the giant entering the dungeon.


    Like Jack expected, a purple-blue skinned troll dressed like a troll captain from "A Hero¡¯s Tale" descended the stairs. The troll wore a smug face, looking at the various cells in front of him. With a perverse smile, the troll stomped across the dungeon towards Slivia¡¯s cell.


    Jack was d he was invisible because he wouldn¡¯t want Slivia to see him so worried. Jack was already at lv. 17 but he knew that amon troll captain in-game ranged from lv. 30 to lv. 40. He had zero confidence in facing that perverted giant head-on. Yet Jack had a feeling that, based on how everyone else was doing, he wasn¡¯t going to get much help.

 Chapter 70 A Raging Troll

    <h4>Chapter 70 A Raging Troll</h4>


    Trying his best to keep calm, Jack carefully followed the troll from behind.


    As the troll neared Slivia¡¯s cell, she backed away to the dark corners of the cell. Slivia tried to hide Jack¡¯s ck cloak in the darkness behind her. She didn¡¯t need to act scared; Slivia was already plenty frightened.


    The troll saw the fear in her eyes and chuckled in Common. "I guess your friends are busy storming the city, did you know that?"


    Slivia looked down, not answering anything with sound or change of expression. She was avoiding eye contact at all costs.


    "Why so quiet? Is that any way to treat your benefactor? We were nice and gave you a day to think about your options. Have you decided yet?" asked the troll, still not getting any kind of response from Slivia. "I¡¯ve been kind enough; I think I deserve a response. Do I need toe in and ask nicely?"


    "What are they doing?" Slivia kept averting her eyes, but she immediately answered after the troll¡¯s friendly threat.


    "Those samurai have charged the city gate. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ve killed dozens of gobbies by now, but they¡¯ll find it hard to face that idiot Torbun. At least Torbun is finally up and doing something instead ofzing around all day. From what I¡¯ve heard, the strongest samurai was barely able to stand after facing so many enemies." The Troll showed a delighted expression as he verbally painted a picture of the battlefield.


    "How do you know?" Slivia asked with a shaky voice.


    "I heard from the queen herself and heard the captain¡¯s report," chuckled the troll. "There¡¯s also someone that infiltrated the castle and killed a few guards. The gobbies upstairs are all running like chickens with their heads cut off, scrambling to find their mysterious killer. That¡¯s probably just your stealthy captain trying to assassinate the queen; am I right?"


    Slivia didn¡¯t respond immediately, taking a moment to digest the situation outside the dungeon. She verified that a lot of killing had happened by checking her level and noticing her advancement to lv. 14. After a few seconds, she blinked and asked, "Then why aren¡¯t you out there helping them? Aren¡¯t you the strongest?"


    Laughing heartily at Slivia¡¯s terror drivenpliment, the troll continued, "That¡¯s very true, but something much worse has presented itself. Right now, out of nowhere, a Hell-me Fox has appeared inside the city walls. It may be a child fox ording to reports about its size, but I¡¯m not taking any chances. I¡¯ll be leaving shortly, and I don¡¯t n toe back."


    Hearing that, Slivia felt noticeably better. The troll was confused to see that Slivia was calmer after his mention of the Hell-me Fox. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here to protect you so the fox can¡¯t get you."


    The muscles in Slivia¡¯s body turned to ice when she heard the troll¡¯sment. "What-what do mean? You said you¡¯re leaving."


    "We are leaving,"ughed the troll. "I¡¯ll be taking you and another lucky pet with me. I¡¯ve worked too hard to leave here empty-handed and you¡¯re in much better hands with me that those devilish hell mes."


    Shivers of fear crept into Slivia¡¯s motionless body. "But-but I have twenty-four hours to decide. What would the queen say?"


    "The queen?"ughed the troll. "What can the queen do to me? She¡¯s only lv. 34, besides, she¡¯ll be busy facing her assassin to stop us from fleeing. Come on, we need to hurry out of here." The troll motioned for Slivia to step forward with his hand.


    She remained frozen ce, unable to even turn her head. When no response came, the troll sighed, "Hurry up and get over here; there¡¯s not much time left."


    Slivia stayed in her ce, remembering everything she witnessed this same troll did to her former party member just hours earlier. Unwilling to ept such a fate, she instinctively shrunk back further into the dark corner, as if trying to escape into the darkness.


    "Come on now, it¡¯s not that bad. I¡¯ll take care of you and protect you like a good master would, my pet. I can¡¯t have you dying on me. You¡¯re not like the other¡¯s here, you¡¯re more valuable than that," stated the troll who was leaning into the wooden bars of Slivia¡¯s cell.


    The troll¡¯sments only urged her to further into the dark corner of the cell. Seeing the ineffectiveness of his words, the troll sighed again, "Do I need toe in and get you, or are you going to be obedient to your master? You know full well how we train disobedient pets."


    It was then that true terror struck Slivia¡¯s heart. The very fiber of her being was trembling at the thought of the trolls¡¯ special training methods.


    Suddenly, a third weak, yet confident voice called out from down the hall, "Oh, so the might troll captain is scared?"


    The troll¡¯s yful attitude instantly burned away into embers of rage. "What did you say!?"


    "You heard me," replied the weak voice,ing from a cell eight doors down. "You act so high and mighty, but you turn tail and run the moment a real threat appears. Some captain you are."


    Storming towards Byron¡¯s cell, the troll shouted, "Your words mean nothing here! Look at you, on the verge of death, just waiting for your life to pass away with time."


    "That¡¯s why you¡¯re a coward,"ughed Byron. His actions were crazed as if the misery he faced had finally pushed his brain beyond the tipping point. "I remember your words, don¡¯t you? You said you wouldn¡¯t leave this ce till after you¡¯ve seen me dead. Well, here I am, still alive!"


    The troll¡¯s rage stifled momentarily as it remembered its previous threats. It chuckled, "Is that what this is about?"


    "OF course!"ughed Byron. "You¡¯re a coward! Afraid to kill me because the queen wants me for a ransom, and you¡¯re too afraid to stick around and see your ns through to the end."


    "Who¡¯s afraid of the queen?" stated the troll. Popping noises echoed through the dungeon as the troll tightly clenched its fist. The fist emitted a blue glow as it smashed through the heavy wooden bars of Byron¡¯s cell.


    Debris flew in every which way and some flew towards Byron, who closed his eyes and forcibly epted the impact of the broken pieces of flying lumber.


    "Say it again to my face if you¡¯re a true man," grunted the troll, who was now on his knees and beginning to crawl into Byron¡¯s cell.


    Byron¡¯s voice boomed as he replied without hesitation, "Chraat is the most cowardly troll captain in all of Kartonia!"


    Enraged by Byron¡¯s tant taunt, Chraat cocked his fist back to squish the pesky human prisoner as easily as he had busted through the cell door.


    Suddenly, the troll captain felt a sh against his calf. Forcing himself back out of the cell, Chraat noticed an unfamiliar figure store a sword and vanish instantly.


    Chraat grunted loudly as he got back on his feet and began to sniff around the dungeon. In normal conditions, the troll captain¡¯s sense of smell would be able to roughly guide him towards an invisible enemy. Thanks to the overwhelming stench of rotten flesh, however, Chraat¡¯s superior sense of smell was rendered useless.


    "Coward! Show yourself and fight like a man!" yelled the troll captain.


    Jack was ecstatic to have sessfullynded that blow on the powerful troll captain. That entire time he was a nervous wreck. Not only had his emotions almost gotten the better of him while Chraat was exining the situation on the battlefield, Jack almost struck out when the troll threatened to forcibly take Slivia away.


    If Byron hadn¡¯t intervened and created a perfect opportunity to sneak attack, Jack might¡¯ve attacked recklessly. Jack felt a little more confident now that he had cleanly hit the troll with his poisoned de.


    "Jack, be careful!" Slivia shouted at the top of her lungs, now at the front of her cell peering through the bars with a cloak around her.


    "You! You knew he was here!" yelled Chraat. He took a few steps toward Slivia, threatening her to not interfere.


    Amid his threat, Chraat felt his right leg, the same leg that was cut, start to grow numb and limp. He dropped to one knee and groaned as he tried to forcibly use his leg.


    Not wanting to waste a single opportunity to increase his chances of victory, Jack snuck through the gap between Chraat and the opening in Byron¡¯s cell. It was difficult for him to quickly maneuver in that tight space, but Jack managed to barely stay on his feet. He quickly shuffled behind the debris Chraat created and sped towards Byron.


    Once he was at Byron¡¯s side, Jack took out three potions and three elixirs, cing them behind Byron.


    Byron felt the ss bottles suddenly appear against his back. He reached back and immediately recognized the familiar shapes of round potion bottles and hourss-like elixir bottles.


    Without saying a word, Byron understood the invisible Jack¡¯s n. Byron continued his charade andughed loudly at the kneeling troll, "If only I had my sword, then I could teach a weakling like you a lesson!"


    "Shut up!" barked Chraat, who was unwilling to move aimlessly with an invisible threat loose, especially after realizing he had been poisoned.


    Jack caught the hint and for a moment reappeared near Byron behind a pile of debris leaning against the wall. He then disappeared, leaving only a katana with a red hilt where he once was.


    Smiling wide, Byron fell over in aughing fit, appearing insane in every sense.

 Chapter 71 Head-on Collision

    <h4>Chapter 71 Head-on Collision</h4>


    Ignoring the hysterical prisoner, Chraat focused on finding his invisible opponent. "Show yourself! You¡¯ll regret your useless hiding!"


    Jack crept back out of Byron¡¯s cell, evaluating the situation and formting his next move. Seeing that the neurotoxin has started to take effect, he wasn¡¯t in a rush.


    Chraat, on the other hand, felt the opposite. He could tell that whatever toxin was now in his bloodstream was quite potent. His high level helped him prolong the effects, but Chraat could feel that it was only a matter of time until the toxin affected more than just a leg.


    Forcing himself to act, Chraat struggled to his feet. "Fine, hide all you want. Let¡¯s see what you do when I have my way with her."


    Slivia¡¯s fingers dug into the wooden ts when she saw the troll limping towards her, sniffing in every direction while he did so. She understood that she was the bait to draw Jack out of hiding.


    A mix of emotions washed over Jack. There was rage from Chraat¡¯s threat on Slivia,ck of confidence from rushing an overpowering enemy, depression from the thought of what might happen to Slivia, and more that clouded Jack¡¯s mind further.


    "Just wait till I¡¯m out of here! I¡¯ll teach you to not threaten a Balt!" Byron threatened after finishing the first potion.


    Unfazed by Byron¡¯s meaningless threats, Chraat continued towards Slivia with full focus on his surroundings. Any change in his immediate surroundings would noticeable to him, cutting off the chances of another easy sneak attack.


    Slivia hurried to the back of her cell as the troll captain neared the cell door.


    Chraat could open the door and reach in, but why waste time crawling when he could easily smash the bars and reach in to grab her? Before, he only crawled to get a good look at Byron, like he was staring at a toy before ying with it for the first time.


    With a possible threat at every step, however, Chraat was cautious and careful despite his arrogance. He proved that when he simple grabbed at Slivia¡¯s cell door and yanked it off its hinges instead of giving another show of strength.


    Jack had no more time to think. Lunging forward at the same moment Chraat yanked the door off its hinges, Jack swung his sword at the troll¡¯s other calf. It cut skin but not as deeply as the previous attack. Also, the neurotoxin was practically gone from the first attack.


    Arge hand swung around and reached for the now-visible Jack. Instead of dodging, Jack managed to shove the vial that previously held the neurotoxin into the troll¡¯s cut calf, shattering it inside the troll¡¯s flesh.


    "I¡¯ve got you!" yelled the troll in fury as he felt something splinter inside his calf. Ignoring the pain and the poison, Chraat pulled Jack in close to his face. "So, you¡¯re actually a weakling afraid to fight me? How disappointing, but I¡¯ll give you credit for making it this far undetected. With your potential, you would¡¯ve been a powerful foe in the future. "


    "Why wait so long? Why not be a threat now?" taunted Jack, giving his best effort to not show fear and stall for time. He tried to wriggle himself free, but both of his arms were held within the clutches of Chraat¡¯s hand.


    "You¡¯re a strange one, boy. Your name¡¯s Jack wasn¡¯t it?"mented Chraat as he nced at the trembling Slivia. "Maybe I should torture you in front of her, breaking you bone by bone until you¡¯re nothing but a pile of flesh?"


    "No..." mumbled Slivia from inside her cell.


    "Or maybe I should eat you instead? I¡¯d treat myself to your arms first, followed by your legs."


    "No!" Slivia yelled as she tensed up from the thought of seeing Jack in such a state.


    "Oh? Then what do you propose I do with him?" Chraat smiled devilishly at Slivia, waiting for a reply.


    Slivia mustered up all her courage and said, "Let him go!"


    "Why would I do that? There¡¯s nothing in it for me? You¡¯ll have to try harder to convince me," said Chraat, implying that Slivia needed to try something else to persuade him.


    "Let him go," replied Slivia as she dropped the coat to the floor, revealing herself willingly. "Let him go and I¡¯ll... I¡¯ll do whatever you want."


    "Now that¡¯s more like it!"ughed Chraat.


    Hating himself for letting Slivia act this way for his sake, Jack retrieved a small knife from his storage. Jack quickly jabbed it into the troll¡¯s wrist and attempted to twist it in Chraat¡¯s meaty flesh.


    Chraat looked back to Jack and chuckled, "That tickles. Don¡¯t you know when you¡¯re beaten? Your former party member has even offered herself to me in your ce, you should just be grateful and ept this."


    Just then, Chraat felt something familiar. His wrist grew limp and numb as Jack fell from his grasp and disappeared as he fell to the floor.


    "You cowardly rat!" Chraat went into a rage as he threw both of his arms about in a hissy fit.


    Jack had already rolled away and was doing his best to keep his breath silent. He went over the few options left in his head.


    There was the option of activating hispanion bloodline skill, but it would probably only prolong his defeat and he would instantly pass out afterward. He could try and contact the others, but they were busy based on the messages he had heard.


    Deciding that it was best to stall for time, Jack hurried to the end of the hall, near the stairway. He didn¡¯t bother stepping lightly, so the troll captain was easily able to hear footsteps retreating.


    Jack then appeared with a sword in hand and yelled, "Here I am! Come and get me!"


    Chraat smiled and replied, "Nah, you¡¯ll just go invisible by the time I reach you. I¡¯d rather enjoy this offering in front of me." The troll began to reach into the open cell with a perverse smile.


    Not waiting for another second, Jack switched his sword for a bow andunched an arrow into the troll¡¯s palm. "I¡¯ll say it again. I¡¯m over here, soe and get me. Or was Byron right about Chraat being the most cowardly troll?¡¯


    Angered by the arrow sticking out of his hand and the further ndering of his name, Chraat grabbed one of the heavy cross beams like a club. "Since you wish to forfeit your life despite her offer, I¡¯ll be happy to oblige!"


    Chraat rushed forward, being extremely agile for his size and forcibly working his muscles through the neurotoxin. Hisrge body moved like a wall wanting to fall upon Jack and smash his flesh into paste.


    Jackunched as many arrows as he possibly could, trying his best to slow and wound the unstoppable troll. When the arrows were mostly blocked by Chraat wielding the wooden beam, Jack stored his bow before his body began to glow red.


    A heatwave swept over the dungeon, waking up every prisoner that was still alive and startling Byron and Chraat. In an instant, Jack¡¯s form physically changed from flesh and bone into a living me the same size as the charging troll. A rapier appeared in Jack¡¯s hand, with a hilt designed to look intricately like a feather.


    Instinct took over as the Jack met Chraat full force, stabbing forward with his red-hot rapier.


    Chraat stutter-stepped as he parried with his club. He heard the wood sizzle on contact as if Jack¡¯s sword was a ded branding iron. With some caution, Chraat recovered the initiative to attack with brute force.


    Slivia was astounded by Jack¡¯s strength since thest time she asked he was only lv. 9. She understood that Chraat was weakened by what she assumed was the neurotoxin and had a basic weapon, however, Slivia still had to recognize that Jack had surpassed her.


    Wanting to do something to help, she stepped out of the open cell and began to cast mana restoring spells on Jack.


    If Jack waspletely aware of his surroundings, he would thank her. Yet, he only recognized the threat in front of him and wildly attacked the handicapped troll captain.


    Startled at the obvious growth in Jack¡¯s strength and his sudden production of a me body, Chraat was furious that he had underestimated Jack.


    He was confident in his strength and never really treated Jack like a threat after feeling how weak Jack struggled in hisrge hands. But the Jack in front of him now was like the fire elementals in legends that would attack anything in the vicinity.


    Wanting to take Jack seriously, Chraat¡¯s ne activated as he cocked back and retrieved a sword with a deep green de from his storage space. "Just die already!"


    As Chraat tried to swing the de forward to ughter his fiery opponent, he felt something holding it back. The troll nced back in shock.


    Blocking the green de was a katana with a blood-red hilt. Holding that katana firmly in ce was Byron. He quickly deflected the attack and slit Chraat¡¯s unguarded wrist, the same that was previously stabbed by Jack.


    With the tendons severed, the wrist went limp and released the sword, which Byron excitedly grabbed.


    "I¡¯ll be taking this back!"

 Chapter 72 A Wild Jack

    <h4>Chapter 72 A Wild Jack</h4>


    Chraat stared at Byron, dumbfounded by his sudden interference. Also, He could feel that Byron¡¯s strength had returned to him. "What are you doing!? How did you escape?"


    "You¡¯ll have to thank my new friend,"ughed Byron while he pointed and the still rampaging fiery fiend.


    "But-but that¡¯s impossible!" yelled Chraat as he forcibly pushed Jack back. The troll captain was on edge, no longer confident he could win.


    If he were at full strength, he wouldn¡¯t be too worried, but Jack¡¯s tactics and attacks were too strange for him to anticipate and he underestimated him. Now that he knew Jack was stalling the whole fight, Chraat cursed himself for his own arrogance.


    "Brat, I¡¯ve toyed with you long enough!" Chraat charged toward Jack as he dropped his improvised club and retrieved his true club mid-swing.


    Jack in his wild state tried to meet the troll blow for blow, despite the level gap. His temporary lv. 21 strength proved resilient but matching Chraat¡¯s blows with a true lv. 30 weapon wasn¡¯t something Jack could shrug off.


    The red-hot lv. 20 rapier bent upon impact, unable to match the force of the lv. 30 club. In his crazed state of mind, Jack had forgotten it was a featherweight rapier he was wielding and not a heavy de that could take hits.


    Flung back into the staircase, Jack was momentarily airborne, yet his gaze remained fixed on the troll.


    The troll captain attempted to charge Jack again but was quickly cut off by Byron wielding the green saber. "Where are you going? I haven¡¯t shown you what I learned from all those lessons you taught me down here. Now, I can finally share some of my insights, so try and keep up with me."


    Chraat flinched when Byron parried his club¡¯s full power swing. This proved to Chraat that the poison was taking effect and fighting like this would only speed it up. He knew that this fight needed to end quickly.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Scared speechless? I may only be lv. 31, but you¡¯re nowhere near your peak lv. 36 condition. I wonder who will walk away from this?" taunted Byron.


    Before Chraat could respond, Byron disappeared. His heightened senses quickly caught wind of an attacking from his right, the same side which could no longer wield a weapon. "Coward! Only fighting me when I¡¯m weakened. You don¡¯t deserve to be called a warrior."


    Byron paid Chraat¡¯sments no mind as his saber swung towards the troll¡¯s arm with incredible speed.


    This saber was very unique and was an heirloom of the Balt family. It was always gifted to the heir of the n after they reached lv. 30, as a testament to their strength and potential.


    The reason it was valuable was partially from the material it was made from. No one in the n knew what material it was, they only knew it was most likely from ancient times.


    It was specially crafted and designed as well, carrying a weighted tip at the curved end. This made it a little awkward to wield, but if it was mastered then the wielder would be able to easily decapitate a man or sever limbs.


    This was why Chraat imed it for himself and why Byron was ecstatic to get it back thanks to Jack¡¯s distraction and aid.


    Unable to grab anything to defend himself, Chraat clenched his face muscles in anticipation of the impact and readied his counterattack.


    Just when Chraat was ready to receive the blow, a sh of heat washed over him, setting off a mental rm.


    The troll had no way to dodge the iing me body as one of his arms was braced for impact and the other was mid-swing towards Byron.


    Jack tackled Chraat, pushing him into the dungeon floor with a crash.


    Byron was more aware of the situation then Chraat, so he held back from striking in hopes to instead attack the downed troll. Instead, as Byron turned to swing at Chraat stretched across the floor, his side was smashed by a fiery arm that pushed him onto the floor as well.


    In Jack¡¯s current state of mind, he wasn¡¯t paying attention to the fight between Byron and Chraat, not differentiating between friend and foe. All Jack saw was someone who harmed him previously and someone that appeared to be getting in his way.


    Both the troll captain and the Balt Guild heir were puzzled by Jack¡¯s actions. It was one thing to intervene and try to face Chraat, it was another to act indiscriminately.


    "Jack, what are you doing!?" yelled Byron.


    The me body faced Byron and pounced towards him. Eager to kill his prey and im victory, the Hell-me Fox instincts had taken over.


    Byron got to his feet and vanished with no time to spare, narrowly dodging the me body¡¯s tackle.


    Still without clothes or armor, Byron was fighting while stark nude so the skin at his side was singed and burned by the intense hell-like mes that made up Jack¡¯s body.


    Chraat wasn¡¯t faring any better. Thanks to Jack¡¯s tackle the troll captain had lost a lot of skin and was covered in burns across his left arm and torso.


    While Chraat struggled to push himself up with his numb muscles and handicapped right hand, Byron appeared in front of the troll. His green saber was already in mid-swing, aiming for the left elbow as Chraat was propped up on his one good arm.


    Fear filled Chraat as he realized what was happening. Forced to retaliate, Chraat propped himself up with his crippled right arm and lifted his club to block.


    The block was sessful, but the mix of Chraat¡¯s heavy bodyweight and the weight of Byron¡¯s attack was too much. A splintering sound echoed through the dungeon, followed by Chraat¡¯s pained groans and shouts.


    Byron attacked again, this time disappearing and reappearing on Chraat¡¯s right side.


    When he noticed the bones protruding from Chraat¡¯s crippled wrist, Byron smiled. Byron¡¯s saber aimed at Chraat¡¯s right shoulder as the troll was toppling over his weakened arm.


    Just as the de approached the troll, Byron felt a familiar sh of heat.


    Not wanting to harm Jack, Byron vanished again. After happening twice Byron was certain that Jack had no clue who was a friend and who was a foe.


    Chraat, who was wincing in pain and was still struggling to get up, failed to notice the raging Jack until Byron disappeared.


    As Jack dove and missed Byron, he made a direct hit against Chraat¡¯s right side. With that Chraat¡¯s entire upper body was covered in burns.


    The worst part was that the searing mes that Jack was producing made contact with Chraat¡¯s exposed bone and flesh. Pain shot through the troll¡¯s right arm like it was struck by lightning. "AAAAGGGHHH!"


    Jack grabbed hold of Chraat, forcing them both into a death roll. The insane heat of the me body was roasting Chraat alive while Jack¡¯s mouth was ripping at Chraat¡¯s shoulders and chest.


    Byron remainedpletely still in hopes to keep Jack from attacking him further. Plus, he wouldn¡¯t dare to attack the two while they were in a ming death roll. The difficulty of only hitting the troll was beyond what he feltfortable trying.


    "You... You!" Chraat was losing his sanity to the unimaginable pain he felt. He released his club and grabbed Jack by the throat. "Die! Just die!"


    Jack¡¯s instincts kicked in once again, recognizing that the troll was easily superior in terms of strength. So, in retaliation to hand around his neck, Jack released the troll¡¯s shoulder andtched onto Chraat¡¯s neck instead.


    An extremely furious grunt escaped Chraat¡¯s mouth. He wanted to physically rip Jack from his flesh, sacrificing his right shoulder in exchange for Jack¡¯s life.


    However, Jack¡¯s hold on the troll¡¯s neck made it impossible for Chraat to do so without suffering a possible mortal injury.


    Switching strategies, Chraat let go of Jack¡¯s neck and clenched his fist. He punched the fox with everything he had, desperate to get this ming demon off him.


    Jack¡¯s strength wasn¡¯t enough to threaten Chraat¡¯s life, and the troll understood that. But he also understood that Jack¡¯s me body alone was causing him crippling damage that couldn¡¯t be recovered without serious medical attention and a ridiculous amount of time to recover. Especially because every wound Jack created was instantly cauterized and scarred Chraat¡¯s body.


    If it weren¡¯t for the difference in raw strength, Chraat learned that he would have lost his life to the low-level Jack.


    The troll¡¯s punchnded on Jack¡¯s throat forcing him to release his Jaw.


    Immediately taking advantage of this, Chraat grabbed Jack¡¯s neck again and threw the fiery threat as far away as he possibly could.


    Jack mmed into a nearby empty cell, crashing through the wooden bars and setting them on fire.


    A painful whine came from the rubble. Byron and Chraat stared intently at the ming pile of debris, waiting for Jack to spring out full force.


    They were both d to see the ming Jack crawl out weakly, give another pained whine, and pass out.

 Chapter 73 The Battle Ends

    <h4>Chapter 73 The Battle Ends</h4>


    A sigh of relief left Chraat¡¯s twitching lips. The level of threat Jack showed was unprecedented and it truly scared the troll captain.


    Not only was Jack a physical threat and his body could be a weapon itself, but his nning was impable. He was able to aid Byron in recovering while stealthily stalling for time against a foe that was far stronger than himself.


    Chraat couldn¡¯t help but shake his head at his terrible luck to meet such a foe without prior knowledge.


    "Are you done saying yourst prayers?"


    The voice of his executioner brought Chraat back to reality. He was stillying on the floor, chest up and almost unrecognizable due to the bodily damage Jack¡¯s unimaginably hot mes caused.


    "At least tell me this, who and what is he?" pled Chraat.


    The troll admitted defeat, certain that there was no hope for his victory. Thanks to his tussle with Jack, he was too weak and physically handicapped to act further. Even his one good limb was no longer usable. He had grabbed Jack¡¯s neck tightly not once but twice, causing his left hand to receive the worst burns of all.


    "I¡¯ll be honest," said Byron as he lifted his saber. "I have no clue myself."


    With a sh of green light, the de easily cut through Chraat¡¯s chewed-up neck, silencing him forever.


    Byron fell to the ground, sitting upon the dungeon floor. The cold stone felt surreal in contrast to the warmth that lingered in his body, mainly from the heat the Jack put off.


    Slivia ran out towards Jack who was sprawled across the stone floor, naked and unconscious.


    "He¡¯s probably fine. I¡¯d guess it¡¯s MP exhaustion from that insane stunt he pulled," said Byron.


    "You¡¯re probably right," responded Slivia with a shy, blushed expression. She didn¡¯t dare look at Byron, too embarrassed to see him without any cover.


    Byronughed, "Your one lucky girl, to have a man like that."


    Slivia¡¯s face instantly turned bright red. "He¡¯s-he¡¯s not my man. He¡¯s a friend, from my new party."


    "Oh? That¡¯s it?" asked Byron. "Don¡¯t tell me you have no feelings for him, not after what he just went through."


    She was silent, only be a deeper shade of red as more blood rushed to her cheeks.


    "Well, am I wrong?"


    "N-no..." Slivia quietly muttered as she examined Jack¡¯s body carefully.


    Looking at him, she was baffled. There were no visible signs of bruises or damages on his skin. As a cleric, she prided herself in diagnosing herpanion¡¯s injuries, but she could find any issues.


    To double-check, she began casting a basic healing spell regardless. When she did, her eye went wide in shock.


    "What? What is it?" Byron noticed her shocked expression and got the feeling that something was off.


    "This... I¡¯ve never felt something like this before," exined Slivia. "Looking at him, I would give him a clean bill of health. But while using magic, I can get a small feel for how they are feeling internally."


    "Really?"


    "Mhm, I can feel the magic channel across their bodies and begin the healing process. From what I can feel I know he¡¯s hurt internally, but his body is only channeling a portion of the magic. That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever heard of something like this," stated Slivia, who was still staring at Jack¡¯s uncovered body.


    "That¡¯s..." Byron didn¡¯t know what to say. Like Slivia, he had never heard of such a rare urrence. He assumed it might have something to do with Jack¡¯s ability to transform but he had no way to verify that.


    *****


    Out on the battlefield, the samurai were still fighting for their lives.


    Brunar and Troni were nearplete exhaustion. They had held off well, but the reinforcements were drugged and were able to fight with their full strength. This pushed them further than they were able, leaving them only able to defend and prolong the inevitable.


    Both of them had many serious cuts and injuries, tempting them to try another potion. However, they both knew that they most likely wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain consciousness after the pain from another potion.


    Maynard still on the defense against the captain and the fat troll. asionally he¡¯d get a strike in and deal some damage, but not enough to turn the tide of the battle or make up for the injuries he was umting.


    Numerous times he had tried to contact Rydel or Jack, wanting an update on the situation and back up.


    Sadly, no response ever came from either of the two. Maynard instead felt like the connection they had had for the past few days was severed.


    There was this sinking feeling that he was alone with his disciples, waiting for the ughter. When he thought about that, Maynard couldn¡¯t help but sigh in disbelief that this could be their end.


    "Keep it up! Stall for as long as ya can!" Maynard tried to encourage his disciples. "Hold out for a while longer, things will turn around soon enough."


    "Yes, Master!" yelled Brunar, more determined than ever. His true colors were magnified under the pressure, proving that he¡¯s a man that wees any challenge no matter the difficulty.


    "Yes," said Troni, panting and out of breath. Unlike his counterpart, Troni had very little hope left. His movements were getting sluggish and extremely predictable. Troni would be the first to go if help didn¡¯t arrive soon


    Thanks to the goblin and troll tag team, Maynard was unable to help his disciples and he hated that feeling


    Currently, Maynard was in the middle of his two opponents and at the mercy of their attacks. That¡¯s when he noticed a shift in the goblin¡¯s gaze that confused the ronin.


    The goblin captain suddenly lunged forward at Maynard, going in for closebat.


    Stunned by the goblin¡¯s change in ns, Maynard was forced to take another defensive stance and wait for the troll to follow with an attack.


    But the goblin¡¯s attack never came. The goblin continued to lunge forward, effectively passing Maynard and charging the troll.


    Laughing, the troll was d to offer an indiscriminate follow-up attack. It would be even happier if it could hit two birds with one stone.


    However, as it swung its heavy club forward and targeted Maynard, it noticed that the goblin didn¡¯t stop and attack. Seeing the goblin duck under its club and drive a de into its chest, the troll shouted in pain and rage.


    "What you doing!?"


    Smiling the goblin hurriedly removed its shortsword and shed across the troll¡¯s chest, from the shoulder down.


    Maynard followed along and le both of his katana glow blood red before diving into the troll headfirst and releasing a bloody cross.


    Blood oozed out from the trolls cuts and the corner of its mouth. It was confused and didn¡¯t quite understand what was happening.


    Before the troll could counter, it had already received a deadly blow from Maynard and was then quickly finished off while yelling in misery.


    As the goblin captain removed its shortsword, Maynard raised his des through force of will, ready toy it all on the line.


    When the goblin saw this, it chuckled. Retrieving a contact crystal, the captain began to speak in goblin.


    Maynard was awkwardly standing there in a guarded stance in front of the casual goblin.


    Taking a moment to reassess the situation, the ronin peeked at the other side of the battlefield. He was dazed to see that the remaining goblins not only stopped fighting, but the gathered into a group and no longer gave off any sense of threat.


    "Umm, Master, what¡¯s going on?" asked Brunar.


    "I... I have no clue."


    "But they¡¯re not fighting us anymore; what did the other do exactly?" Troni let himself copse on the floor, speaking his thoughts softly.


    Maynard tried using telepathy again but to no avail. Instead, he felt a tap on his shoulder.


    He turned around to see the goblin captain extending its contact crystal, motioning for Maynard to take it.


    Hesitant to follow along, it took Maynard a few seconds to willingly take the crystal in his hand. As soon as he touched it, he became really confused.


    "Hey, are you still alive?"


    The familiar voice rang out in Maynard¡¯s mind. "Ya sly hunter, what did ya do this time?"


    "I¡¯ve been busy talking matters over with the queen. She was surprisingly reasonable," answered Rydel. "Oh, and you¡¯re wee for the help."


    "Why didn¡¯t ya answer any of my calls?"


    "I didn¡¯t get any, but you didn¡¯t answer mine either so we¡¯re even," replied Rydel.


    Baffled by the weird situation and the strange circumstances, Maynard remembered something very important to the n. "Hey, what happened to the kid?"


    "I¡¯m not sure. Last time I talked with him he was headed for the..."


    "Hey, what happened? I lost ya for a second there," stated Maynard.


    "Call me on your own crystal, I¡¯ve got to hurry to the dungeon!" yelled Rydel.


    "The dungeon? What¡¯s down there?" asked Maynard.


    "The boss troll, that¡¯s who!"


    When the connection cut off, Maynard instantly dashed into the city gate.

 Chapter 74 What Happened to Jack?

    <h4>Chapter 74 What Happened to Jack?</h4>


    Rydel hurriedly tossed the queen her contact crystal and pulled out his own. While rushing out of the main hall Rydel yelled, "You better hope he¡¯s okay. If not, then I don¡¯t know what I can promise you."


    Concerned for herself and her city, the goblin queen followed Rydel through the hallways.


    Crossing paths with any guards brought no problems as the queen sent outmands from her contact crystal. The guards were very confused when they saw the queen working together with a human, but no one dared question her as they were distracted by her beauty.


    It wasn¡¯t long before they reached the dungeon stairs and ran down the steps. They were amazed and astonished at what they found.


    Peacefully lying across the floor was the headless corpse of Chraat, as if he had willingly given up his life. Currently, the body was being looted by a naked man holding a unique green saber who was extremely rxed.


    A couple of meters away they saw a blonde woman kneeling on the cold stone floor with nothing but an old ck cloak to cover herself. On herpy the head a young adult man whose only covering was the end of the girls cloak that she wrapped over him.


    When Rydel saw the troll corpse he let out a sigh of relief from reflex, but he quickly sucked it back in when he saw the concerned look on Slivia¡¯s face.


    "What happened?" asked Rydel. He was quickly walking toward the cleric girl he hadn¡¯t seen since she was kidnapped. There was a gentleness in his voice, trying to keep her calm while she brought up some possibly emotional events.


    "Jack¡¯s an idiot..." answered Slivia, twirling his hair in her fingers.


    Confused by the young girl¡¯s statement, Rydel waited for a moment until Slivia finally continued speaking. "He acted like facing the troll was no big deal, like he would do it easily, yet here he is. He¡¯s stupid sometimes... but I¡¯m d he came."


    Slivia finally looked up as she exined, "Jack appeared in the dungeon and gave me back my cloak before he hid from the troll. When the troll mentioned fleeing the city and taking me with him, that man spoke up and started insulting the troll, calling him a coward and distracting the jailer." Her voice trailed off after that, showing that she wasn¡¯t in the mood to say more.


    Rydel looked over at the man patting down the troll corpse. "Are you Byron Balt?"


    "Yup, and you¡¯re with him, right?" replied Byron, pointing to the unconscious Jack. "I¡¯ve got to thank you for making it this far. Every other party was captured or killed, so I¡¯m sure my father will reward you handsomely for this."


    "We¡¯ll speak to Jardter. For now, just tell us what happened."


    Byron nced at the goblin queen beside Rydel and chuckled before he spoke. "That kid showed up in search of survivors, so we chatted briefly. As soon as I mentioned where to find that beautiful blonde, he took off without listening to another word."


    "Once ugly here showed up, the kid went into hiding somehow. I knew he was looking for an opening of some kind, so I gave him one. I called the troll a coward until he destroyed my cell in a rage and gave the kid a chance to attack." Byron only mentioned the highlights to keep from feeling longwinded.


    "The kid was using poisoned des to slow the troll and stall. In the meantime, I was drinking the potions and elixirs the kid gave me. After I was back in action, I took back my sword from this pestro and decapitated him."


    "That¡¯s it?" asked Rydel. "How in Halmut¡¯s beard did the kid stall for you?"


    "That¡¯s..." Byron shook his head in astonishment. "That kid wasn¡¯t nearly as strong as I thought, but he had quite the trump card."


    Rydel also shook his head, but in disappointment that Jack had to go through the toughest opponent of them all. "Well, that exins why he¡¯s naked. Here, you can have this."


    A bundle of clothes was thrown to Byron, who caught it easily. "Thank you, hunter."


    The queen in her silence was filled with shock by how Chraat had been killed. She examined her surroundings carefully and was d that the boy she heard so much about was still alive. Out of curiosity, she asked, "This is the boy you mentioned, right? Do you know what level he is?"


    "Before he entered the city, he was only lv. 14. Now, he¡¯s already lv. 18."


    When Rydel mentioned Jack¡¯s exact levels, all three people present were blown away. Each of the three had a certain understanding of Jack, but each of their understandings was shattered when they realized the gap in strength between Jack and the troll captain.


    "lv. 18..." Slivia silently repeated Jack¡¯s current level to herself, like a mantra for motivation.


    "But... how could a lv. 18 face him!?" shouted the goblin queen. "Chraat, who died thanks to that boy, was lv. 36."


    That information reaching Rydel¡¯s ears was like a bombshell going off in his brain. Rydel blinked and looked back at the unconscious hero, filled with admiration. "You¡¯re right Slivia, he¡¯s an idiot."


    If Jack had mentioned that he was facing a troll captain, then Rydel would¡¯ve brought the queen with him to fight the thing together. Jack was too valuable to die, and Jack understood that he could¡¯ve convinced Rydel to join the fight.


    The fact that Jack somehow got this to work was a miracle. Rydel wanted nothing more than for Jack to wake up so he could knock some sense into him.


    "What exactly is that kid?" asked Byron. "He¡¯s too intelligent for that new of an adventurer. And if he leveled up that fast, that could only mean he leveled up even faster previously, right?"


    "Right," admitted Rydel. "Believe it or not, he¡¯s a summoned hero that joined the association instead of the Royal Court due to certain circumstances. As for that ability you witnessed, that¡¯s Jack¡¯s ultimate trump card. It stems from his beastpanion, a Hell-me Fox."


    "A Hell-me Fox!? As a beastpanion!?" Byron was shocked to his very core.


    "The fox was just rampaging through the city if you find it hard to believe, just ask the queen."


    The queen spoke up, taking initiative to speak and not be spoken to. "Yes, that beast stormed through my city, but what does that have anything to do with this boy?"


    Rydel nced at the queen and sighed, "I guess I can tell you since you already know about Bowser. But if any of this leaks out before the association makes a public announcement, you¡¯ll be the first one we target. Is that clear?"


    "Crystal," answered the queen.


    "Right, where was I?" Rydel continued. "Jack has a mutual seal with the fox, letting him borrow some of its power."


    "That exins him turning into a me elemental the size of the troll," reasoned Byron, who was trying to piece everything together and keep himself calm. "Still, that kid¡¯s insane."


    "Yeah, you¡¯re not wrong about that," Rydel confirmed Byron¡¯s statement with a nod before he turned back to Slivia. He noticed that there was still a lot of worry in her eyes and asked, "Is there something wrong?"


    Slivia refocused herself and answered, "I can¡¯t heal him..."


    "What do you mean you can¡¯t heal him?"


    "I can¡¯t." Slivia wiped her eyes to keep from water spilling out in a stream of tears. "My healing magic can still enter his body and he looks fine, but I can feel a lot of internal damage inside him. Whenever I try to do anything about that, there¡¯s no effect. I can replenish his mana and health, but those internal injuries are still there."


    "Let me have a look," said the queen as she kneeled across from Slivia.


    Slivia didn¡¯t know what to think. She had just been captured by this woman and man of her acquaintances were killed or captured by her and her guards. Not to mention everything she let the trolls do to the captives.


    "I won¡¯t harm him, don¡¯t worry." The queen gave Slivia a look of gentleness and concern. "As for the trolls, I was powerless to object them, or my people would have faced a dire threat. And your people have killed far more of us goblins than I can count. I think we¡¯re even now."


    Nodding at the queen, Slivia pulled her protective hands back and watched the queen carefully.


    The queen raised both hands above her chest. Soon, her hands began to emit a soft red glow. She then held her hands just above Jack¡¯s motionless body and passed them over his entire body.


    As she reached his head, a look of bewilderment appeared on her face. The queen slowly pulled her hands back and said, "I¡¯m sorry, there¡¯s nothing I can do about him."

 Chapter 75 Finally Getting to Res

    <h4>Chapter 75 Finally Getting to Res</h4>


    "Can you at least tell us what¡¯s wrong?" asked Rydel, shocked to hear that even a lv. 34 mage was unable to do anything.


    The queen shook her head. "As the girl said, these internal injuries aren¡¯t epting any form of magical aid. They don¡¯t feel permanent, but perhaps the injuries can only heal naturally?"


    Rydel looked back to Byron, a strand of hope remained in his eye. "What exactly happened between the kid and the troll? Do you know what sort of injuries he took?"


    "Well, it wasn¡¯t much till the end," exined Byron. "This pestro didn¡¯t take him seriously until the kid went all out. By then, I joined the fray but the kid wasn¡¯t able to tell between friend or foe, so I wasn¡¯t able to do much. In the end, he was hit by that club andunched into the wall, leaving him unconscious."


    ncing at the club on the ground, Rydel hoped it carried some magical property that caused this weird phenomenon. To everyone¡¯s disappointment, it was only a powerful lv. 35 club made from a strange concoction of bone and iron.


    The hunter shot a quick question to Byron, "Mind if I take this? It would be for our branch chief."


    "Well, I was the one who killed him so it¡¯s technically mine. I could part with it for a price, but..." Byron nced at the unmoving Jack with a wave of his hand. "I¡¯ll pass it on to that kid. Consider it a gift for my rescue."


    "Thanks." Rydel quickly stored it as footsteps were heard from the dungeon steps.


    Rushing into the room was a blood-covered and wound ridden samurai in a red and white kimono. He turned his head in every which way to assess his surroundings before he said, "What¡¯s going on? Why did ya stop responding after ya entered the dungeon? Ya could¡¯ve at least said that thing was dead."


    Scratching his head, Rydel admitted, "Sorry, I got caught up in the situation. Something¡¯s up with Jack."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "The kid has internal injuries from facing a lv. 36 head-on and no magic can help," stated Rydel. "He seems stable, but there¡¯s no exnation for the inability to heal."


    "Hmm, that¡¯s strange." Maynard instantly rxed, revealing his shaky footing and extreme exhaustion.


    "How about you all rest here for the night?" interjected the queen. "I¡¯m sure you could all use a good night¡¯s rest after everything."


    "What, you aren¡¯t going to try anything in our sleep?"ughed Byron, startled by the queen¡¯s generosity.


    "We¡¯ll take you up on that offer," answered Rydel. The party captain turned to the still naked Byron, who held the bundle of clothes at his side. "The queen and I had a long talk and have figured out a few things. We¡¯ll talk about thatter, but for now, we rest."


    Not wanting to return to his cell, Byron shrugged and went with the flow.


    Jack was carried by Rydel as the group exited the dungeon and was led to a few guest rooms in the inner pce after Slivia and Byron had their belongings returned to them. Slivia received her own while Rydel paired up with Maynard in the neighboring room. Byron was just across the hallway and he was neighbors with the unconscious Jack. Brunar and Troni, who arrived at the pce shortly after Maynard, were also given a room on the other side of Slivia¡¯s.


    Nothing else was shared between the group as most of them let exhaustion take over.


    Soon, only two people were awake and chatting over wine in Byron¡¯s room. The room¡¯s temporary owner joked, "You can¡¯t be serious about all this. Isn¡¯t something like that a little too much, even if it¡¯s against the scum of the Royal Court?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but if it¡¯s like how the queen said, then we¡¯ve got no choice. We need to prepare for the worst," replied Rydel, quickly finishing his cup. "I should get some sleep. I may not be physically exhausted, but a mental rest sounds perfect right now."


    "Well, I¡¯m not stopping you. I look forward to hearing the rest of your ns," said Byron as he waved goodnight to the hunter.


    Rydel was about to open the door when he suddenly stopped and put his ear to it.


    "What¡¯s up?" asked Byron, tilting his head as he drank more wine.


    "Shhh," Rydel put his finger to his lips and motioned for Byron to stay silent, listening carefully to a conversation on the other side the door.


    "Really, I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to check up on me," a familiar feminine voice softly stated.


    "Nonsense," replied a tired, male voice. "After everything you went through, you can¡¯t possibly tell me that you¡¯re fine. Do you trust these goblins enough to drop your guard?"


    "I¡¯m fine Troni, you don¡¯t need to baby me. Besides, nothing is going to happen with the captain and your master here, not to mention the Balt Guild heir. I don¡¯t need your protection," reasoned the female voice.


    "Fine bute straight to me if you need anything or something happens. You will, right Slivia?" Troni¡¯s appeared to be worried but carried some forcefulness as well.


    "Okay, okay, I¡¯lle to you if that happens. Goodnight, Troni," Slivia quickly replied and shut her bedroom door.


    Rydel removed his ear and shook his head. He nced at Byron and mentioned, "If you catch that samurai kid trying something with her, let me know."


    "You got it," responded Byron with a lifted mug, ready for him to chug.


    Silently opening and shutting the door, Rydel noticed Troni still standing in front of Slivia¡¯s door. Before the young samurai noticed Rydel¡¯s presence, Rydel had his arm over Troni¡¯s shoulders. "I don¡¯t think the situation is fitting for you to go in search of a booty call."


    Shocked by the hunter¡¯s sudden appearance and more so by his words, Troni ducked under Rydel¡¯s arm and back away towards his room. "I was just making sure she was alright. After everything that happened, surely something¡¯s wrong with her."


    "That¡¯s not your ce to judge," stated Rydel. "Get to bed already or you¡¯ll be too tired tomorrow when we leave early morning."


    "Leave tomorrow? I thought we were staying here to rest awhile?" asked Troni.


    "There are some things we need to take care of. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow morning and head for Baltwood," answered Rydel.


    "But why? We have free stay here and we¡¯re all too tired¡ª"


    "Goodnight." Rydel stared at Troni as if waiting for Troni to enter his room first. After the young samurai took the hint and retired to his room, Rydel finally let himself rest well after three days of no sleep.


    Morning came easily, surprising most of the party as they tried to oversleep. Rydel, Maynard, and Byron were wide awake and ready to move out, but the other¡¯s didn¡¯t even roll over in bed.


    It was impossible to tell if it were morning my normal means for humans. The cave goblins and most other creatures in the mine had an internal clock of sorts that had been developed by countless years of evolution. Rydel and the party relied on a ne that Rydel carried.


    Rydel wasn¡¯t the only one with such a ne, Maynard and Byron also possessed their own. The nes carried something known as a moon shard. It was a crystal shard that was known to glow whenever the moon was out; its dimness determined how high in the sky the moon was.


    With those handy, the three veterans were easily able to tell that morning was upon them and they took initiative to wake up the rest of them.


    Maynard attended to his disciples; Troni, in particr, was known for asionally sleeping in. Byron checked on Jack¡¯s condition while Rydel woke up Slivia.


    When Rydel entered her room, he was surprised by what she wore to bed. She had everything returned to her, yet she still slept in the cloak that Jack gave back to her, wrapping it around her like a nket. Such a sight brought a slight smile to his face before he walked to the side of her bed.


    "Hey, it¡¯s time to get up sleepy head. I can tell you¡¯re awake."


    Slivia¡¯s head moved and turned aside to meet Rydel¡¯s gaze. "How¡¯s he doing?"


    "Byron is checking him right now. You can go see for yourself if you hurry. We need to get going so don¡¯t take too long," said Rydel as he walked out of the room.


    The moment Rydel exited, Slivia rolled out of bed and stood up. Her stance was awkward, and her shoulders were hunched forward shyly. The usually confident and outgoing Slivia wasn¡¯t in the room, instead, it was a nervous and overly anxious girl in her twenties.


    A couple of minutes passed before Slivia gave herself a pep talk and brought herself to Jack¡¯s room. Inside were Rydel and Byron, leaning over one side of the bed. Slivia approached the other and asked, "Anything new?"

 Chapter 76 Return to Baltwood

    <h4>Chapter 76 Return to Baltwood</h4>


    "He¡¯s doing a little better and the internal injuries have shrunken slightly, so he is stable. But, as for when he¡¯ll wake up, I have no clue," exined Byron.


    As a spell de, Byron boasted more than enough magical prowess to assess Jack¡¯s condition. His magical abilities would help him ovee pure warriors¡¯ superior strength, while his above-average physical prowess made him a threat to most mages. Spell des were rare, but they were always recognized as powerful and were one of the most feared sub sses in the continent.


    "Oh, well that¡¯s good," said Slivia with half a sad smile.


    "Don¡¯t worry, the association will take care of him and make sure he¡¯s back in top form as soon as possible." Rydel did his best tofort Slivia¡¯s anxiousness. "That reminds me, you were wanting to join the association, right?"


    Slivia was caught off guard by Rydel¡¯s question. "Um, yes I was. But that¡¯s not too important right¡ª"


    "Why is it unimportant?" asked Rydel. "You may have been in captivity, but you were still in the party. After yesterday, you¡¯ve already reached lv. 15 and can finally join. Don¡¯t you want to find that adventurer?"


    "Of course I do," answered Slivia. "But I need to get stronger before I can go travel and search for him."


    "Good, make sure to remember that. Jack¡¯s got his reasons to keep getting stronger too, so you can be sure this won¡¯t be enough to stop him," said Rydel.


    The girl nodded to Rydel, feeling a little better and d to hear that he supported her joining. With someone like Rydel supporting her, why wouldn¡¯t the association ept her?


    A soft knock came from the door and Rydel called out, "Come in."


    The door opened and the goblin queen entered the room. "Sorry to disturb you, but I¡¯m ready to leave now."


    "What?" Slivia spoke out of reflex. "What does she mean leave, and why is sheing?"


    "We need to hurry back to Baltwood to discuss some things with the Balt Guild before returning to Reinolt City. The queen will be joining our discussion, so naturally, she¡¯ll travel with us," exined Rydel. "Plus, with her, we¡¯ll get past all the goblins easily and might reach the cave¡¯s exit in just two days."


    "But what are we discussing that needs her there?"


    "You¡¯ll find out soon enough like the rest of us," Byron chuckled. "I¡¯ve heard bits and pieces but only he knows what¡¯s going on. So, until the meeting, we¡¯ve just got to follow along and wait in suspense."


    Not liking to be left out, Slivia epted the situation with a straight face. She looked at Jack and asked, "What about him?"


    "We¡¯ll have to carry him; how else can we get him out of here?" answered Rydel.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring a couple of captains along to carry him in a portable bed," added the queen, disying that same gentleness as she did when examining Jack previously.


    Content to hear that Jack would be carried softly and not roughly over someone¡¯s shoulder, Slivia nodded and kept quiet.


    "We should get going. The sooner we get to Reinolt City, the better," said Rydel.


    Without a word, the queen nodded, and two goblin captains entered the room with a padded stretcher. They carefully transferred Jack to his new bed before lifting him between the two of them, both facing forward and holding him at waist height.


    Rydel led the group out of the room in time to see Maynard in the hall and Brunar pulling a tired Troni through the door.


    When Maynard noticed the two goblin captains carrying Jack, heughed, "Hey, I still need to thank ya."


    The goblin captain carrying the front half of the stretcher smiled and spoke in Common, "Sorry about the confusion before. I wasn¡¯t too keen on facing you in the first ce and I hated that bumbling troll. As soon as the queen gave the order to cease attacking and kill that oaf, I couldn¡¯t help myself from stealing your kill."


    "Wait," Maynard was baffled by the goblin¡¯s fluency in Common, which was above even the queen¡¯s. "If you speak so well, then why didn¡¯t you say anything earlier?"


    "I don¡¯t like themon guards to know much about me. I¡¯ve been at the queen¡¯s side since she was a child; I was even lucky enough to be her teacher. Only a few select captains know this."


    "But why be so secretive?" asked Maynard, reflecting the same thoughts as the others listening in on the conversation.


    "Because I¡¯m not from this cave and neither is the queen," answered the captain. "If the others knew that, then they may not be too open to a foreigner leading them. That¡¯s why we don¡¯t n to mention this until some time has passed and the people are already loyal to their new queen."


    "Makes sense, but what should I call you?" Maynard shrugged.


    "That¡¯s unimportant, but if you wish to call me by my name, it¡¯s Sd."


    Rydel pushed past Maynard and added, "Hurry up, we¡¯re leaving now."


    Maynard bowed to Sd as he and the other samurai quickly joined the end of the line behind Slivia.


    The goblin queen retrieved and adorned a pure ck cloak to cover herself, not wishing for the other goblins to know of her departure. She had already announced that she would be in her quarters attending to business for the next couple weeks and was not to be disturbed.


    With Sd¡¯s guidance, the newly formed party hastily exited the pce and the city with little to no detection thanks to secret routes. In no time, they were on their way to the second floor.


    Though the second floor was packed full of monsters and beasts, none dared to attack with the two goblin captains and the queen present. Thanks to Rydel finally reaching lv. 30 thanks to the bloodbath caused by the samurai, the party currently had five people at lv. 30 or higher. No monster dared try anything, making the second floor¡¯s travel pass by quickly.


    The goblin¡¯s knowledge of the mine proved far more extensive than Rydel¡¯s, exposing new passages at every turn and bringing the party to the cave¡¯s exit by the end of the first day.


    They quickly checked if their horses had survived, but they weren¡¯t so lucky. Thanks to having no horses, they were forced to go the rest on foot, taking them a total of almost three full days to reach Baltwood.


    Most of the party was worried about how others would react to the goblins and the queen, but before they had realized it, the queen and goblins appeared to be human.


    Rydel got a chuckle from the sight, easily seeing through the queen¡¯s illusion, but sure that no one in Baltwood would likely notice a thing.


    Once they reached the outskirts of Baltwood, Byron took the lead and pushed the party directly toward the Balt Guild Hall. His presence immediately rmed most civilians, who knew he had vanished within the mine and let them quickly pass any nightly security the Balt Guild had in ce.


    As Byron was about to enter the front door, it swung open mightily, knocking Byron onto his back. Out rushed Jard Balt, lifting his son off the ground and embracing him.


    "You¡¯ve returned!" shouted Jard. "You¡¯ve really returned!"


    "Thank them, not me old man." Byron pointed to the familiar adventurers behind him.


    "Yes, of course! For my friends, let me throw you a feast!" Jard was yelling joyously,plimenting everyone and firmly shaking their hands one by one.


    "Put a hold on the feast. The man you really need to thank is him," exined Rydel, motioning to the bedridden Jack. "He¡¯s the one who saved your son and fought a lv. 36 troll in the process. If anyone deserves praise, it¡¯s him."


    Jard was taken aback by Rydel¡¯s statement. He wasn¡¯t able to read Jack¡¯s level before, but Jard was entirely certain that Jack shouldn¡¯t have been able to go toe-to-toe with a lv. 36.


    "There¡¯s also something we need to discuss as quickly as possible. We¡¯re in a hurry to get him back to the city, but we must talk to you and your son first," added Rydel.


    "Of course, I¡¯ll prepare my private conference room. Let my doctor take a look at him; I¡¯m sure we can¡ª"


    "Thank you." Rydel bowed his head, grateful for Jard¡¯s genuine concern.


    Two men from the Balt Guild soon rushed out and grabbed Jack¡¯s stretcher. As he was carried to a room near the entrance, the party entered deep into the guildhall and followed Jard to his private conference room.


    "Now, what is it you need to discuss?" Jard cut right to the chase.


    "First, let me introduce someone," stated Rydel. "She is the one behind the incidents in the mine, the goblin queen."


    Jard stared in wonder as the queen lowered her hood and dropped the illusion spell around her and the goblin captains. "This... What¡¯s the meaning of this?"


    "I assure you, Guild Master, that I mean no harm to you or your people. I¡¯ve been in a difficult situation myself and was forced to act ordingly," said the queen.


    "What do you mean?"


    Rydel was the one to answer. "That¡¯s what we¡¯ll be discussing. How the Royal Court has been acting in the shadows."

 Chapter 77 Convincing the Balt Guild

    <h4>Chapter 77 Convincing the Balt Guild</h4>


    "Acting in the shadows?" Jard¡¯s eyes narrowed as he realized how deep this simple discussion would be. "Haven¡¯t they always acted in the shadows?"


    "This is true, but never like this. You already know enough about the ck market district, but this is far worse than what we imagined," stated Rydel. "Let us sit as we exin everything."


    "Right." Jard motioned for everyone to take a seat around the table in the center of the room. Once everyone was seated, the goblin queen was the first to stand and present her case.


    "Allow me to exin the situation of my people. Within the past year, I have managed to unite the goblins under me and build a great city in the third level of the mine. I understand that you and the other humans typicallye to the mine during certain times of the year, correct?"


    Jard nodded and said, "Yes, we only allow mining for four months in the year, leaving the mine with ten months to recuperate and regrow any harvested crystals."


    "That¡¯s why you were unaware of the changes we created until recently," exined the queen. "First, let me tell you that there isn¡¯t much left for you to mine this season, so I ask that you stop permitting entrance until the next harvest."


    "Why isn¡¯t there anything left for us?"


    "Because, to speed up our city¡¯s development we used the azure crystals throughout our architecture, giving off natural light and increasing the city¡¯s durability," said the queen.


    "But making an entire city filled with azure, that would mean you and your people would grow stronger over time. Wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯d be a threat to the Reinolt Kingdom as time passed?" asked Jard.


    "If you don¡¯t trust me, then it would appear so," admitted the queen. "However, it was the Royal Court that helped us grow so quickly."


    Jard didn¡¯t respond but his face was enough to show his surprise as he waited for the queen to continue uninterrupted.


    The queen continued, "The Royal Court came to us and offered materials and weapons to strengthen us. I¡¯m not certain who the man was, he concealed himself and his level well. But I can assure you that he was a higher level than I."


    "But why would they help you?" Jard couldn¡¯t resist the question.


    "The Royal Court wasn¡¯t always very clear about their reasons to help," answered the queen. "Sometimes they wouldn¡¯t exin themselves, while others they only wanted to gain a powerful ally."


    "But, if the Royal Court was behind this, why were you capturing adventurers? I know that it wasmon for us to not get along, but you mentioned being forced to do so?" questioned Jard.


    "That¡¯s where it getsplicated," sighed the queen. She shook her head as she spoke, "A couple of months ago, right before you human¡¯s began to enter the mine, we received amand from the Royal Court. Before, they agreed not to give us orders or to interfere in our city, but they threatened to cut off support and possibly storm the city if we didn¡¯t cooperate."


    "I gave in and permitted to follow along with their request." The queen¡¯s shoulders shrank as she continued, "We were asked to house trolls within the city."


    "Trolls!?" Jard was startled by such an unexpected revtion.


    "Yes, trolls. At first, there were five of them and we were forced to let them stay in the pce. However, they nned to bring more and migrate a whole tribe to our goblin city."


    "An entire tribe..." struggling to believe the concept, Jard nced at the serious Rydel. Seeing the hunter¡¯s nod was enough to fill him with unease.


    "I¡¯m sure you already know what it is that trolls are after, so I won¡¯t get into too much detail. But I am sorry to say that us capturing you humans was a means to appease the trolls, which we had no way to reject"


    "But if the Royal Court had you house trolls, doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯ve been working with the trolls as well?" Jard reasoned.


    "You¡¯re exactly right," agreed the queen. "Had I known that epting their help and bing reliant on their steady supplies would turn against me so quickly, I wouldn¡¯t have epted their support."


    "Does that exin the issues in the mines, Jard?" asked Rydel.


    "Yes, that¡¯s enough to understand the situation."


    As if on cue, there was a knock at the door, followed by a voice, "Sir, is there something wrong? You¡¯re meeting with the council is¡ª"


    "Enough of that, I¡¯m busy learning about the truth of the azure mine. Immediately shut it down for exploration. We¡¯ve been tasked by the king himself to govern the mine, so make sure to not let a soul in, even if it were the king. Is that clear?" shouted Jard.


    "Y-yes, sir!" rushed footsteps were heard as the loyal servant took off to fulfill orders.


    "Sorry about that. There shouldn¡¯t be any more issues involving the mine, right?" asked Jard, looking to the queen.


    "None," replied the queen, keeping her gentle seriousness.


    "Now that you understand her story, we can discuss the real matter at hand," said Rydel. "You¡¯ve already cut offmunications with the Royal Court, correct?"


    "Yes," answered the queen. "I¡¯ve already destroyed the mid-tier contact crystal they gave us, and they know we were under attack by you and a Hell-me Fox."


    "Alright, that¡¯s where things start to get tricky. Since they know that much, I think it¡¯s best if you and your peopley low for some time."


    "I agree, but we¡¯ll need his support in keeping more humans out." The queen motioned toward Jard.


    "That I can handle. I¡¯ll assign a couple of guards to watch the entrance while we prepare to seal the mine ahead of schedule," mentioned Jard.


    "Good, I¡¯m d you two are getting along," joked Rydel


    The queen and Jard shared a nce, not knowing what to say to the other. By instinct and nature, they shouldn¡¯t be friendly, but they both understood the threat and support they could offer each other.


    "Now, if you cany low until I send for your aid, that would be best. So if any human¡¯s sneak into the cave, what will you do?" asked Rydel.


    The queen sighed and crossed her arms. "I won¡¯t kill or capture them, but I¡¯ll keep my goblins on guard at all passages to the third level regardless."


    "That¡¯s fine, I don¡¯t think most would make it that far anyway considering the chaos on the second level," reasoned Rydel. "But if they show the association symbol, make sure you let them pass."


    "Yes, yes, I¡¯ll make sure to inform the guards." The queen retrieved a handkerchief with the association crest and waved it around as proof of her intentions.


    "Good, now inform Jard about the other part of the deal you made with the Royal Court."


    "Oh yes," replied the queen, reigniting a fire in her eyes. "I was forced to send my weakest goblin patrols to the first floor as fodder for the no-good prince to kill as he pleased."


    "Don¡¯t forget that rage, we¡¯ll need that in the future," said Rydel. "Now, back to you Jard."


    "What do you need from me? You already know you have my support. I will admit though, I didn¡¯t expect you to ask something so serious so soon," chuckled Jard.


    "I¡¯m just trying to stay one step ahead. At the end of this discussion, I¡¯ll contact the chief and we¡¯ll fill him in and get his approval before making a move," exined Rydel. "But before that, I need to know why you would support us over your king."


    "That¡¯s easy, the Adventurers Association is well known across the continent for its fairness and justice. Also, you¡¯ve proven yourselves far more supportive; the fact that my son is here and alive is thanks to you." Jard¡¯s tone was soft yet firm, showing his genuine feelings about the association.


    "Then would you object if we took over the kingdom personally?" asked Rydel.


    "That¡¯s a different situation entirely. I¡¯d prefer to avoid that happening at all costs. If the Royal Court was overthrown, I believe it¡¯d be best if the new ruler came from within the country."


    "Well said," smiled Rydel. "I agree so let¡¯s keep it that way."


    Jard was relieved when Rydel admitted the association¡¯s true stance, d that Rydel was reasonable and understanding.


    "We won¡¯t take over any countries, but we¡¯ll help keep them in line," exined Rydel. "The Royal Court has been acting out against the association within Reinolt City for some time now. It was never enough to take action, but with the Royal Court colluding with trolls and goblins, no offense," Rydel held his hand up innocently to the queen, "the association may not have a choice to sit on the sidelines."


    "What do you propose?" asked Jard.


    "We can¡¯t do anything yet, but in time we may act. ording to association rules, we can¡¯t interfere in any nation¡¯s politics without solid proof and multiple cases," answered Rydel. "Give me some time to do some digging, then I¡¯ll know more about that specifically

 Chapter 78 A Confused Bowser

    <h4>Chapter 78 A Confused Bowser</h4>


    "For now, the kid and I will have to clear our names before the king," said Rydel.


    "Oh yeah, I heard all about that," chuckled Jard. "Don¡¯t worry, here in Baltwood you¡¯re fine. I¡¯ve already had all the wanted posters silently removed."


    "Thank you, but we don¡¯t have enough time to stay here. With the kid in his condition, we need to hurry back and let the kid rest."


    "Oh yeah," Jard remembered Jack¡¯s unconsciousness after being too distracted by the news presented to him. "Did he really fight a lv. 36? And he¡¯ still alive?"


    "Sort of." It was Byron who answered, drawing in his father¡¯s attention. "I¡¯ll tell you the exact detailster, but you should know that he¡¯s the reason I was freed instead of killed. Also, he¡¯s the reason I recovered this."


    Byron retrieved his green saber, which appeared to glisten in the dimly lit room.


    When Jard saw it, he smiled wide, "I¡¯m d you still have it. Losing such an heirloom and asset of the guild would have made things difficult for the council."


    The father and son duo drifted into tangent conversations, losing focus of the meeting they were a part of.


    Rydel coughed loudly and continued, "There are still a couple of things I need to rify."


    Everyone refocused and paid attention as Rydel spoke, "We¡¯re indeed nning for the worst, in case the Royal Court is truly seeking injustice for its people. However, there are a few things that the association needs to confirm before we act, so don¡¯t expect any immediate action on our part. It¡¯ll take time."


    "And in the meantime?" Brunar was the one who spoke, curious about everything and wanting to be a part of this and not just a viewer on the sidelines.


    "The queen would like to stay the night, discussing how to handle the remaining prisoners with Jard and the guild. As for us, we need to verify how much the Royal Court knows about our invasion of the goblin city," answered Rydel.


    "Why¡¯s that?"


    "Don¡¯t ya remember what Jack let loose?" Maynard chimed in, trying to get his disciple to think about the situation more thoroughly.


    "Oh yeah." Brunar was shocked that he could forget about a rampaging Hell-me Fox. "Wait, what happened to that little guy? Don¡¯t tell me we forgot about him?"


    "No, we haven¡¯t forgotten him," sighed Rydel.


    "He¡¯s here with us," replied the queen. A decorative ring with a ruby red gemstone glowed around her finger as a figure appeared in her cupped hands.


    As the figure materialized and solidified, it shook itself free and jumped onto the table, looking in every which way. The fox appeared desperate to like it was missing its other half.


    "Bowser, rx," called out Rydel, who was the most familiar with Bowser after Jack. "Everything is okay, and Jack is fine."


    Bowser blinked but didn¡¯t fully calm down. No one else could tell, but Bowser was attempting to call Jack with no avail. Without hearing Jack¡¯s reply, it would be hard to calm him.


    "Calm down, boy. Jack is with a doctor right now, if you wait then we¡¯ll take you to him."


    Rydel¡¯s words seemed to do the trick as Bowser¡¯s movements slowed. He continued to try and call Jack, but he was feeling a bit better, albeit confused as to where he was ad how he got here.


    "You¡¯re with us back in Baltwood, I¡¯m sure you remember Baltwood." Bowser walked across the table as Rydel exined the situation, "After the battle, both you and Jack were left unconscious. Jack still hasn¡¯t woken up but is fine, we checked with magic."


    Still wary of the sudden change of scenery, Bowser stared at who assumed was the goblin queen.


    "Don¡¯t be mad at her for containing you temporarily," continued Rydel. "She only did it to keep you from acting out in rage in case you were mad about Jack being unconscious."


    He didn¡¯t add any mention of the internal injuries because that might trigger the young fox. This was discussed by him and the queen as the best option to keep the goblin city from having to face another round of hell¡¯s mes.


    Bowser narrowed his eyes and looked back and forth between Rydel and the queen, trying his best to determine the truth.


    "We all know that you¡¯re still young Bowser, so how could we guarantee that you wouldn¡¯t just wreak havoc the moment you were mad about what happened to Jack?" reasoned Rydel.


    The silent fox stopped examining the room and remained still in the center of the table. It waited there as if it were agreeing with Rydel, so long as he could be taken to Jack immediately.


    "Bowser and this should be known for everyone in this room, we need to do everything we can to keep you a secret," said the slightly nervous hunter. Thest thing he wanted to do was try to contain an angered Hell-me Fox that he wasn¡¯t allowed to hurt.


    "Your breed is known by others as a sign of destruction. So, if anyone found out you were with Jack, a lot of people would begin threatening Jack. You wouldn¡¯t want that, right?"


    Slowly shaking his head, the fox showed his understanding.


    "Then please, no matter what happens, don¡¯t use your powers until we publicly announce it, okay?" persuaded Rydel. "Till then, just stay with Jack and don¡¯t do anything. You attacking the goblin city might already force us to hurry the announcement and prepare protection for you and Jack until you¡¯re strong enough yourselves."


    Bowser frowned, not liking the thought of concealing his bloodline. He understood Common well enough to understand most of Rydel¡¯s words thanks to his chats with Jack, but that doesn¡¯t mean he wouldn¡¯t dislike the idea Rydel presented.


    "Please Bowser," suddenly a female voice called out.


    Bowser and everyone looked to the side of the table to see Slivia staring intently at Bowser. "Please do as he says. That way Jack will be okay; that¡¯s what you want right?"


    The fox¡¯s alert expression lightened and became more docile after hearing Slivia¡¯s plea.


    Everyone let loose a quiet sigh of relief. If Bowser wouldn¡¯t agree to that or exploded in youthful anger, things would¡¯ve been a whole lot worse for them. Not to mention how hard it would be to keep a rampaging Bowser from the eyes of anyone else.


    "Good," Rydel retrieved a fewrge portions of dry rations and threw them to the center of the table.


    epting the offering, Bowser moved in a sh and began to devour the meat before everyone¡¯s eyes. Those who had never seen him eat before were startled by his speed and appetite, quickly chomping through the rations like they were toddler swallowing small candies whole.


    "Is there anything else?" asked Rydel, looking around the room. When no one replied, Rydel took out his contact crystal. "Then I¡¯ll contact the branch chief while our host prepares the feast. I¡¯ll contact you each individually if there¡¯s anything else."


    Everyone present either stood up or leaned further back into their chairs, clearly done speaking about such weighted topics.


    Before Rydel exited to call Zariff, he linked his contact crystal to Jard¡¯s and bowed his head respectfully to the queen. He quickly left the room behind Jard.


    The atmosphere lightened up as conversations sprung up. Brunar chatted with Maynard about their stand against the goblins, looking for advice. Sd talked with the queen and Byron, trying to establish a positive rtionship between the two powers.


    Troni attempted to converse with Slivia, going on about how he was d she was okay after everything. He was genuinely grateful that she was okay, but he had slight jealousy towards Jack, who got to see her more fully during the mission.


    She nodded and said a few things, but she was too distracted by the lonely fox whoid on the table.


    Mid-conversation, she said, "Excuse me," and walked away.


    Troni attempted to follow but as Slivia neared Bowser, the fox stared at him with a mysterious gaze. Not fond of how the fox red at him and still hesitant to ept a Hell-me Fox into the party, Troni walked towards his master to hear the insights Maynard shared with Brunar.


    Slivia noticed the worry and distrust in Bowser¡¯s eyes. As friendly as she could muster, Slivia said, "It¡¯s going to be okay. Want to sit on myp?"


    Bowser was momentarily stunned by Slivia¡¯s offer, at a fork between his current emotions. He enjoyed ying with Slivia, but he didn¡¯t feel it was appropriate with Jack not there.


    "I¡¯ll pet and rub behind your ears," offered Slivia, using her trump card.


    Unable to resist such an offer, Bowser reluctantly trotted to the table¡¯s edge.


    As Slivia sat down, Bowser hopped gently into herp and walked in twoplete circles beforeying across her thighs.


    She eagerly petted his fur, rxing and she did so. This was beneficial to both her and Bowser, letting them better rx while Jack remained with the doctor.

 Chapter 79 The Much Deserved Feas

    <h4>Chapter 79 The Much Deserved Feas</h4>


    Near the entrance of the Balt Guildhall, a door swung open as Rydel entered the room. Inside were multiple beds, with adorning chairs and tables for visitors.


    Rydel looked around and found Jack in the back corner, apanied by a doctor. "How is he doc? Anything you could do?"


    The doctor sighed heavily, "Nothing... I couldn¡¯t do anything."


    "Don¡¯t worry yourself. This kid is very different from anyone else, so much so that the reason he¡¯s like this is confidential," exined Rydel, trying to alleviate the doctor¡¯s concerns from his inability to treat a patient. "You¡¯re not the first person who couldn¡¯t help the situation. But, do you have any idea on what¡¯s going on with him?"


    "I¡¯ve never seen anything quite like this," admitted the doctor. "Anything magical is unable to help him, and traditional medical supplies are only slightly better. Honestly, I¡¯m amazed he¡¯s still alive."


    "Really? It¡¯s that bad?"


    "From my analysis, I¡¯ve found multiple internal injuries on his lungs, ribcage, and more. He¡¯s somehow healing himself slowly, but that will take maybe a week or more for him to wake up," exined the doctor.


    "A week or more, huh?" repeated Rydel, focusing on the recovery time. "Thanks, Doc, I¡¯m d we could at least learn that much."


    "Just doing my job," replied the doctor, who shook his head and left the room.


    Being left alone in the room beside the unconscious Jack, Rydel whipped out his contact crystal. "Hey Chief, you there?"


    "Yeah, any good news?" asked Zariff.


    "His body is slowly healing himself and he might wake up after a week or so."


    "That¡¯s good. At least HQ will be happy to know he¡¯ll pull through soon," stated Zariff. "What about the mission? You gave me a brief exnation, but what else you got? There¡¯s got to be more to this."


    "As for the trolls situation, they most likely won¡¯t return the cave. With their leader not answering his contact crystal, they¡¯ll probably avoiding back," exined Rydel. "The goblins and the Balt Guild agreed to work together and are currently discussing the finer details of their alliance."


    "Good, they¡¯ll be a great support if we need it. Now, I need you and the others back here ASAP. The royal court has been hounding me about finally having you and him in court to determine everything."


    "How¡¯s thating along?"


    "Good, it¡¯s just too much paperwork for my liking," groaned Zariff. "Hurry up and get back here. You know I hate legalities and public speaking."


    Rydelughed, "Yeah, I¡¯m surprised you¡¯vested this long without me. If the guild can reimburse me, I¡¯ll purchase some horses and a cart to carry Jack. With Jack taken care of, we should be able to reach the capital by tomorrow night if we push ourselves."


    "Fine, I¡¯ll make an exception," replied Zariff. "Just hurry up and get here. HQ will be trying to contact Jack soon; the least we can do is have him here before then."


    "Okay Chief, I¡¯ll buy the horses first thing in the morning."


    "You also mentioned a club, is that right?" added Zariff.


    "Yeah, but technically it¡¯s the kids, so you¡¯ll have to convince him about¡ª"


    "Perfect, I can¡¯t wait to try it out!" Zariff¡¯s boomingughter echoed in Rydel¡¯s head. "With that, I may be able to hold my own against Arnole."


    "Don¡¯t get your hopes up just yet captain. What about your condition?"


    Silence hung in the air until Zarif sighed, "It¡¯s okay, not much worse than before."


    "Do you think Jack can find an antidote?"


    "No clue, but who can offer anything better? If they could, I would¡¯ve found them by now," answered Zariff.


    "Just one more thing for Jack to do I guess," said Rydel. "Oh, I almost forgot to mention, you need to talk to Jack about pacts."


    "Pacts? What about them?"


    "Both me and that old devil have already formed a pact with the kid. It gives him a lot of our EXP but it¡¯s worth it, trust me."


    "What!?" yelled Zariff. "You¡¯re gone for a week and you two have already done something so crazy? And without me?"


    "Calm down Chief, you¡¯ll get in on it too. The kid¡¯s pact is different from the one you know," exined Rydel. "There¡¯s no limit to the number of pacts he can make?"


    "No limit?"


    "Yeah, but I¡¯m sure there are some drawbacks for having too many. If not, why wouldn¡¯t the kid make a pact with everyone?" stated Rydel.


    "I guess that¡¯s true," agreed Zariff. "I¡¯ll chat with the brat after he wakes up. For now, just hurry over."


    "And make sure you prepare another room," added Rydel.


    "Oh yeah, for that cleric girl you mentioned, right? That¡¯s easy, she¡¯ll bunk with Maura. They should be around the same age."


    Rydel chuckled at how cheap Zariff acted, pairing his daughter with a roommate despite the abundance of empty rooms within the association building. "Sure, that¡¯ll work. For now, I¡¯m off to eat. It¡¯s been too long since I had a good meal."


    Not wanting to hear Zariff¡¯sints about not getting to join the feast, Rydel cut the call and took onest look at the sleeping Jack. "Hurry and wake up kid. You¡¯re too important toy around doing nothing."


    The hunter got up and left without a second nce at Jack¡¯s hospital bed. He quickly left and went back down the hall.


    After asking a passing servant in the hallway for directions, he finally arrived at the dining hall. The door was massive, giving a sense of grandeur and great importance. As Rydel pushed the doors open, he noticed a lot of familiar faces stuffing their mouths.


    "No fair, you couldn¡¯t wait for me?" Rydelined in a joking tone.


    "Grab a seat already," answered Maynard. "If ya don¡¯t hurry, there won¡¯t be anything left for ya."


    "Don¡¯t mind if I do." Rydel rushed to the table and quickly filled a te with many of the local delicacies presented on the table.


    The main attractions were huge smoked boars. Their internal organs were removed before they were cooked from the inside out, using the ribcages as a stand to hold the meatpletely around the me. It¡¯s aroma filled the room, activating any nearby saliva nds with a single whiff.


    There were also many sides of different fruits, vegetables, or soups. Some different poultries of the region alsoid on the table, either grilled whole or with sweet and sour sauce thered all over them.


    "Slow down, or there won¡¯t be any boar for the rest of us," shouted Rydel as Brunar tore away another boar¡¯s leg.


    "Hmm?" Brunar did his best to reply, but his overstuffed mouth wouldn¡¯t permit anything audible to escape his mouth.


    "That¡¯s just how he always eats, especially if it¡¯s a feast," Troni mentioned as he satfortably and enjoyed his food. He looked to Slivia beside him and held out arge chunk of the pungent boar¡¯s meat. "Here, you can have this."


    Slivia nced at Troni and smiled politely with a raised hand. "I¡¯m okay. I¡¯ve never had arge appetite, so don¡¯t worry about me."


    "Come on, enjoy yourself a little," replied Troni as he set the meat on her te. "At least share a drink with me. You can do that much, right?"


    "I¡¯m not much of a drinker, sorry."


    "Nonsense," answered Troni. He had already passed her a full ss by the time she reached out to stop him. "Here, just one ss. I¡¯m sure that¡¯s fine with you, right?"


    "Really, I¡¯m okay¡ª"


    "I insist," said Troni with a genuine smile and a raised ss.


    Slivia sighed and lifted the ss. "Fine, but just one."


    They both held out their sses, saluting them to each other. Troni eximed, "To your future in the association!"


    Other¡¯s around the table hadn¡¯t heard much of their conversation, but they all joined in the salute and yelled, "To your future in the association!"


    With that, everyone hurried to chug their wine. Slivia did so sluggishly, not wanting to finish the cup and be forced to refill it.


    Across the table, Maynard and Byron were chatting away about their different insights on the sword. They were much less focused on the feast than the others, distracted by each other¡¯s findings and understandings. It wasn¡¯t every day where two sword maniacs found each other by circumstance, so they made the most of it.


    Thete hour soon took its toll on the party, bringing tiredness upon them. Brunar struggled to leave the table willingly, but he soon passed out in a fooda atop his bed. Maynard, Byron, and Rydel didn¡¯t bother sleeping, not needing it due to their high levels.


    Slivia was pestered by Troni all night, and it only got worse as he got more drunk. When she was about to leave, Troni asked her to help him to his room.


    At first, she wanted to reject him, but his drunkenness showed when he toppled over himself the moment he left the table.


    With a sigh, she agreed to help him back to his room. She let him put one arm over her shoulder and supported his every step. They quickly reached his room and she pushed the door open.


    When she tried to set him down, he was already sleeping and tried to pull her into his embrace. Seeing this from a mile away, thanks to his drunken behavior, Slivia ducked the arm reaching for her and pushed him off her and onto the bed.


    She was long gone by the time Troni opened his eyes shook his head.

 Chapter 80 Leaving Baltwood

    <h4>Chapter 80 Leaving Baltwood</h4>


    As the sun rose, so did the party from their beds. Slivia, in particr, was anxious to hurry back and finally join the association.


    The two young samurai took turns waking up and preparing for the day. By the time they had exited, Maynard was waiting for them in the hall.


    "Are ya two finally ready?" asked the ronin.


    "Of course, Master," answered the disciples.


    "Good. We need to go find Rydel in the market. He¡¯s busy finding us some transportation."


    "Where¡¯s Slivia?" asked Troni.


    "Where do ya think she is?" replied Maynard, pointing to the door to the infirmary down the hall. "Where else would she be?"


    "Cheer up man, you can¡¯t win them all," said Brunar, trying to encourage Troni.


    "Just, let¡¯s get going." Troni didn¡¯t like to dwell on the topic of his romantic pursuits and changed the subject quickly. "You said we need to hurry, right? Well, let¡¯s go already."


    "Ya sure are one to talk, considering we were waiting on ya," Maynard joked as he turned and began walking towards the exit of the guildhall.


    "Maybe I can find another powerful stallion!" eximed Bruner. He ran past the other two and bolted out of the guildhall, excited to find Rydel and ask his help to choose a strong steed.


    Troni sighed, surprised by how childish and strait forward Brunar was at times.


    "Ya know why he¡¯s my favorite disciple, right?" Maynard¡¯s question caught Troni off guard, bringing him to shake his head. "It¡¯s because he acts like that; he hides nothing from himself or from others. Everyone that meets him knows exactly who he is after a single day."


    "Yeah, if he¡¯s not busy inting his ego or fawning over his growing fanbase," mentioned Troni as the two samurai exited the Balt Guildhall and began to walk the streets of Baltwood.


    "True, but he¡¯ll outgrow that soon enough. He¡¯s just not used to people paying him any attention," stated Maynard. "But that¡¯s not true for ya. No matter the situation, you¡¯re always calm, cool, and collected. That¡¯s helpful at times, but no one can say they know the real ya."


    Troni didn¡¯t reply. Instead, he kept his usual straight face.


    "You were raised by your family to be like this, but that doesn¡¯t mean ya always need to be so calcting. That¡¯s why, despite your efforts, Brunar was and is my favorite disciple," exined Maynard. "If ya ever want to embrace the way of the samurai, you¡¯ll have to let go of things holding ya back and live your life as ya wish. Don¡¯t hide anything, because there shouldn¡¯t be a need to hide your true self."


    "I get it, Master. You want me to be more honest with you and everyone else? I can be honest, but I don¡¯t need to exin myself to everyone or act like a fool, like him. What I do is reflected on my family; that¡¯s not something either of you can understand," said Troni.


    "True, ya have a point. Just don¡¯t make the wrong choices based on your family¡¯s opinions and ns. They aren¡¯t ya, so ya shouldn¡¯t have to do what they say."


    "I think I see the stables up ahead," said Troni. He ran ahead, heading straight for Rydel and Brunar, who were inspecting arge stallion.


    Maynard sighed, unhappy that he again failed to get through to his disciple.


    The ronin walked up to the others and gave his two cents about the horse they were inspecting.


    After they all agreed, Brunar purchased the steed and Rydel purchased horses for himself, Maynard, and Troni. The hunter also bought a covered wagon and two horses to pull it.


    Normally Rydel would never drop so much coin for the sake of luxury, but this was a special asion with the bedridden Jack in mind. That, and they needed to hurry back to the capital before the Royal Court put more pressure on Zariff for not being able to produce the two adventurers in question.


    After procuring their needed transportation and some basic supplies, they rode back to the guildhall.


    As they neared it, they noticed Slivia exiting the building. She was followed by the goblin queen and captains, who were back under the illusion of the queen. The captains were carrying the unconscious Jack on a soft stretcher.


    "Bring him here, it¡¯ll be much easier," said Rydel as he hopped off his horse.


    The two goblin captains did as he said and carried Jack to the back of the wagon. As they loaded him up, Rydel asked the queen, "How was the discussion with Jard?"


    "It went well enough. With a generous offering of azure clusters, we were able to settle everything. They¡¯lle and retrieve the other survivors in a few days, after they prepare to receive them and help them recuperate," answered the queen.


    "What are your ns now?" asked Rydel.


    "What do you mean? Of course, I¡¯m heading to Reinolt City with your party," stated the queen with a deadpan stare.


    "Wait, what?"


    "You heard me. We¡¯re going with you," repeated the queen.


    "We?"


    "Yes, my captains will be joining me as security. I know you won¡¯t do anything, but what about the Royal Court? I can¡¯t guarantee anything," exined the queen. "Besides, you¡¯ll be happy to have me in case the association decides to reveal the truth behind the Royal Court, right?"


    "Well... You¡¯re not wrong, but I was nning to just call you if that happened," said Maynard.


    "We won¡¯t stay for long, so don¡¯t worry. I just want to see the magnificence of the capital for myself; call it inspiration for what my city will be in the future," stated the queen. "I¡¯ll ride in the wagon, so it¡¯ll be like I¡¯m not even there."


    "And what about them?" asked Rydel, motioning toward her goblin captains.


    "I¡¯ll buy a couple of horses. As part of the trade, we received some coin in case we ever needed to purchase anything from you humans." The queen flipped the palm of her hand up as a small bag appeared. It jingled as she threw toward Sd. "Go get a couple of horses, we¡¯re making a detour to Reinolt City."


    Without question, Sd and the other captain left toward the stables.


    Rydel was left up the creek without a paddle, having no way to stop the queen rationally. Sure he could threaten her with the association¡¯s name, but they had already promised not to harm them so long as they work together. Going back on that now, he would be no better than the Royal Court.


    "Fine, you¡¯ll stay in the carriage, but you¡¯ll be in charge of watching over Jack," said Rydel, trying to find something for her to do.


    "What?" Sliviamented after overhearing most of the conversation. The other had too, but she was the first to say something.


    "Don¡¯t worry Slivia, she¡¯ll take good care of him. You¡¯ll drive the wagon, so you can keep an eye on her," exined Rydel. "The guards will ride on the side of the carriage, just in case something happens along the way. Who knows, maybe they¡¯ll be useful in the case of an ambush? No one knows what the Royal Court might do, considering thetest developments."


    Everyone remained quiet and let that thought sink in. If the Royal Court knew about their invasion of the goblin city, would they try and stop them from returning to the capital?


    "That¡¯s enough waiting; is everyone ready to go?" shouted Rydel, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention.


    With only nods for responses, Rydel looked back to the queen. "Very well, please go find your seat. We¡¯ll pass the stables on the way out; your captains can join us then."


    The queen said nothing as she lifted herself into the wagon and concealed herself within it.


    Slivia hurried to the wagon, not waiting for the order. She hopped on and grabbed hold of the reigns. ncing into the tent, she was startled to see the queen eyeing Jack.


    The most shocking thing was the queen¡¯s gentle gaze, full of tenderness. By the look of it, the queen was genuinely worried about Jack. Slivia had no clue why, but she couldn¡¯t deny the queen¡¯s candid desire to care for him.


    As the party turned around and neared the town¡¯s entrance, the goblin captains, still under the queen¡¯s illusions despite the distance, hurried to the wagon¡¯s sides. They had already heard the queen¡¯s orders through their contact crystals, so they immediately took their posts as the carriage guards.


    Their exit was silent and uneventful, as most people were still at home or just barely leaving for the morning errands.


    The party was soon on the road, rushing to reach Reinolt City by nightfall. They were all anxious for their own reasons. Some just wanted to rest peacefully in their beds, some looked forward to a new chapter in their life after joining the organization, and some were excited to get their first glimpse at the magnitude of a nation¡¯s capital.

 Chapter 81 Trouble on the Road

    <h4>Chapter 81 Trouble on the Road</h4>


    The makeshift party traveled quickly through the forest path. With a clear destination in mind, Rydel led them in silence.


    Each rider had their eyes glued to the road. The sound of heavy hooves drowned out the sounds of nature. Four hours had already passed, and their mindless chitchat was long over.


    Maynard and Rydel didn¡¯t say a word to each other. Not only were they unable tomunicate mentally thanks to Jack¡¯s unconsciousness, one led to pack while the other held the rear in case of any attacks on the party.


    Brunar chatted aimlessly with Troni for the first hour, but Troni soon became a recluse and stewed in his own thoughts. Thinking nothing of it, Brunar let his imagination wander through thoughts of future glory and praise from his growing fanbase.


    The illusory guards remained at the wagon¡¯s side. They held their post perfectly, keeping the exact pace needed. No emotions were shown, just seriousness or boredom.


    Slivia tried to pay attention to the queen and Jack, but it was impossible to look away from the road for too long. With their high speed, she had to constantly guide and maneuver the small team of horses. She handled them very well, showing the expertise she gained as a young farm girl, but she could only afford rare nces into the shaded canopy of the wagon.


    Inside the wagon¡¯s canopy, the queen¡¯s attention stayed on the unconscious hero. After some time, she decided to reposition herself on the floor of the wagon. It was more ufortable, but it allowed her to reach Jack, whose padded stretcher was strapped to the center of the wagon floor.


    The queen gently extended her hand to the side of Jack¡¯s face.


    Suddenly, a small head poked out of Jack¡¯s cloak and stared at the queen¡¯s approaching hand.


    With a sigh, the queen pulled back and continued to keep her thoughts silent. She exchanged nces with the fox and could feel the tension behind the fox¡¯s stare.


    Satisfied with the queen¡¯s actions, Bowser hid back into Jack¡¯s cloak. He kept himself hidden and as close to Jack as he could, refusing to leave Jack¡¯s side from the moment Slivia had taken him to the infirmary.


    Slivia asionally found herself able to look back and would feel her heart swell and heat up. She didn¡¯t want to admit it, but she was jealous of a goblin.


    The worried cleric would¡¯ve loved to stop the wagon and sit next to her unconscious hero, but she wouldn¡¯t dare disobey orders. And talking back wasn¡¯t going to change anything, so she didn¡¯t bother.


    At the front, Rydel kept his eyes peeled on the horizon. He effortlessly led them through the forest and was aware of within thirty meters of the party. Typically, only small creatures and the asional wild beast would appear. The hunter wouldn¡¯t pay them much attention, not daring to waste time on something pointless.


    As rumbling stomachs broke the silence, almost all at once, everyone in Rydel¡¯s party retrieved some rations. Other than the goblins, they all did their best to enjoy their humble meal on the go.


    "Be ready for anything!"


    Suddenly, Rydel¡¯s call rang out for the party to hear. Each person nced at both sides and tried to decipher what the party captain was talking about.


    "Here theye," added Maynard, confusing the others further.


    Both guards at the side of the carriage nodded as if they were already well aware of the situation.


    While the younger party members pondered the meaning of all this, Rydel slowed his pace and gradually came to a halt.


    In the distance, about ten meters in front of the party was a small band of hooded figures. They were all on horseback and casually approached the halted party, splitting up and surrounding the party like it was an everyday urrence.


    "To what do we owe the pleasure, Bart?" asked Rydel, staring at the man in the lead.


    The manughed and removed his hood. He had a head of pitch-ck hair and a square chin that framed his face. No matter how you looked at him, he¡¯d appear menacing and dubious with his piercing gaze.


    "Rydel, since you already recognize us, just give it up," replied Bart. "With your senses, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already recognized all of us."


    "Indeed, but what does that have to do with you stopping us for a little chat?"


    "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve figured that much out. We¡¯re here by order of the Royal Court to escort you and that brat back to the city. As for the others, they can go on their way so long as they don¡¯t interfere," exined Bart.


    "So, you¡¯re threatening us?" asked Rydel.


    "I prefer the term persuading. Of course, don¡¯t think you can stop us with just you and that silly samurai. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve finally reached lv. 30, but you two aren¡¯t enough to stop the four of us."


    "We¡¯re not looking for trouble, Bart. So, why don¡¯t ya just go back to the city? We¡¯ll be there soon enough for the hearing," said Maynard, keeping one hand at the ready.


    "Shut up! I¡¯m talking with your captain here. You may be strong, but you take orders from this cowardly hunter. What makes you think you can threaten us?" asked Bart with a dastardly smile.


    "As you said, we¡¯re only trying to persuade you," answered Rydel. "Trust me, you don¡¯t want to try anything. Right now, we¡¯re in a hurry."


    "Right, right, you¡¯re trying to hurry back to heal the brat. Don¡¯t worry, we can make sure the best medics and clerics of the Royal Court will tend to him after the trial," added Bart.


    "He¡¯s fine, but we¡¯d prefer to have him resting in his own bed and not in the middle of nowhere. Bart, I¡¯m only going to ask once, will you let us pass or not?"


    "Wow, you¡¯re pretty anxious for a coward, Rydel. It seems that advancing has gotten to your head," stated Bart. "If I remember right, you¡¯re proud of your eagle eye. Tell me, what are each of our levels, oh great party leader?"


    Rydel pointed to the hooded figures one-by-one and said, "Harton and Jayms are both lv. 30, Gradan is lv. 32, and you¡¯re finally lv. 34."


    "Since your pride hasn¡¯t blinded you, why do you insist to disagree? Just give up now and turn yourselves in," said Bart.


    Rydel was aware of Bart¡¯s indecision to act first. He could tell that Bart was too cautious to risk his life if it was unneeded.


    Bart paid close attention to the silent hunter and nced at the two guards by the wagon. He continued, "Bringing the Balt Guild into this, I don¡¯t know what to say. I¡¯m sure they wouldn¡¯t want to threaten the Royal Court or rebel against our orders."


    Happy that the goblin queen had adorned their illusory bodies in emerald green sashes, Rydel yed along. "We¡¯re not trying to fight or rebel; we¡¯re only trying to hurry back to the capital. I said I¡¯d only ask once, but for your sake, I¡¯ll ask once more. Are you sure you want to do this?"


    "You two! If the Balt Guild stays out of this, we can reward your loyalty with worthypensation," shouted Bart.


    Both guards were blinked and chuckled to themselves. They nodded without a word, agreeing to Bart¡¯s terms.


    "Good, at least someone here has a brain." With a silent sigh of relief, Bart threw pouches of gold coins to the ground in front of both guards.


    As soon as Bart saw the guards smile, hemanded, "Search that wagon! If the brat is there, take him away by any means necessary."


    "Ya can¡¯t do that so easily," said Maynard as he unsheathed both katana.


    "It¡¯s always the hard way with you two," sighed Bart. He quickly dismounted and charged toward Maynard, sure that he was the only one that could hold off the crazy samurai.


    Rydel let him pass without daring to stop him. Though he never got along with Bart back when they were both association members, he could at least acknowledge Bart¡¯s strength. Instead, Rydel took out his bow and aimed Harton, who was also at the front but at the side opposite Bart.


    Harton drew his sword and swung at the flying arrow. Attempting to sliced the arrow in two, he was toote to realize that Rydel¡¯s arrow was traveling far faster than expected. He had no clue that Rydel¡¯s archery was affected by Jack¡¯s passive archery skill, all he knew was that it was too fast to block.


    Dropping his shoulder and epting a small cut from the fletching of the arrow, Harton let out a deep breath as he realized that Rydel was indeed a threat to him.


    Bart noticed Rydel¡¯s exchange with Harton, but he paid more attention to the swinging samurai sword that neared his head.


    Startled to see Maynard ignore the advance of both hooded figures at the rear, Bart didn¡¯t know what to think. He was baffled further when he noticed the wagon¡¯s guards move and intercept them instead.

 Chapter 82 Surprising the Ambush

    <h4>Chapter 82 Surprising the Ambush</h4>


    Bart drew his longsword, meeting Maynard¡¯s swinging katana head-on. He yelled, "I thought we had a deal! Does the Balt Guild think it can stand against the Royal Court!"


    Both guards ignored Bart¡¯s shouts and drew their swords in defense of the wagon.


    The most shocking thing was that both guards stood strong in the face of the hooded men. Bart and his men were shocked by the discovery of the guards¡¯ strength, which rivaled their own, unlike anything they¡¯d expected from casually dressed guards from the Balt Guild.


    "I believe you¡¯re mistaken,"ughed Sd. In the blink of an eye, both guards¡¯ human forms faded away into nothingness. In their ce was a pair of goblin guards with wild grins, with their levels finally revealed.


    "But... Goblins!?" shouted Bart. He stepped back from Maynard to reassess the situation. "What¡¯s going on here?"


    "You were warned, so you can only me yourself," stated Rydel, still taking shots at his moving target.


    "Whatever, they¡¯re only goblins. Just hurry and kill them. Obviously, no one wants to surrender so we¡¯ll have to do things the hard way," ordered Bart.


    The longsword began to shimmer as a heavy swing left a streak of blue light in the air. It was aimed at Maynard¡¯s head, forcing the samurai to go on the defensive.


    Maynard¡¯s katana glowed red in retaliation to the iing longsword. His crossed des met Bart¡¯s, pushing him back a step to contain the force of the attack. He quickly tilted one katana and let the longsword slide by the side of his face, narrowly dodging a heavy blow.


    As the heavy de dropped, the ronin jabbed his second katana toward Bart¡¯s chest without mercy. The serious look in his eyes showed Maynard¡¯s resolve.


    Not being outdone so easily, Bart sidestepped and allowed his sword¡¯s momentum to carry him past Maynard¡¯s jab.


    Without a second thought, both swordsmen repositioned themselves and prepared for a difficult duel.


    Rydel was still holding off Harton, but Harton was much closer and would be in striking distance soon.


    The man was no longer hooded thanks to the volley of arrows he was under. Harton showed numerous cuts and had an arrow lodged just below his left shoulder. He wasn¡¯t doing too well, but he was confident that Rydel wouldn¡¯t be able to best him in closebat.


    Thinking the same thing as his opponent, Rydel did his best to use ranged attacks while he still had a chance. As Harton neared Rydel, he sped up and nocked three arrows at a time.


    This caused Harton to frown in disbelief. Harton was very familiar with Rydel and his archery abilities. Based on Rydel¡¯s performance in past missions and archery contests, Harton assumed that Rydel¡¯s limit was two arrows. Only the best archer in the branch was able to shoot three, and that wasn¡¯t even during battle.


    But right before his eyes, Harton watched as he became the target for three simultaneous arrows. Barely able to keep up, Harton almost abandoned defense as he charged Rydel at full speed with sword drawn.


    In the back, both guards had their hands full. Sd was faring well, standing almost equal with his hooded opponent.


    The other guard, Blod, was struggling to keep up with his match. He was doing alright, but everyone watching understood that Blod was at a disadvantage to the muscle-bound man beneath the hood.


    Seeing this, Brunar took a deep breath and readied his sword to attack.


    "No! Don¡¯t try it; ya can¡¯t fight him yet," yelled Maynard as he exchanged blows with Bart again and again.


    Clenching his fist, Brunar gritted his teeth and gripped the hilt of his sword tightly. epting his master¡¯s wish, Brunar contained his growing rage within an intense re. The young samurai couldn¡¯t help but imagine what Jack would do. He pictured Jack bursting into mes and standing up against the men despite hisck of strength.


    Troni remained neutral; not acting out in any way or form. By remaining still and calm he knew that no one would try anything against him, thanks to Bart¡¯s earlier promise and his background as the heir to the Salendar Family.


    Slivia was frozen in ce, clutching the reigns tightly. She knew that the guard wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for much longer, and it would only take a moment for the muscr man to tear through the wagon¡¯s canopy and grab Jack as a hostage.


    "Don¡¯t worry. It¡¯ll be fine."


    A gentle voice brought Slivia back to her senses. She nced back into the wagon and saw the queening to her feet, now in her true form.


    "Ha, you¡¯re not worth my time!" shouted Gradan, as he pulled the hood off his bald head. The man resembled Zariff but appeared to be a single size smaller. Scars adorned the little amount of skin he showed, from the top of his head to the bottom of his chin.


    Blod grunted and did his best to defended against the studded brass knuckles that pounded into his side. After a few body-blows, the goblin was on the edge of defeat.


    "Just die already!" Gradan reached to grab hold of Blod in an attempt to drive his knee into the goblin¡¯s chest.


    But unexpectedly, Blod¡¯s body flew back a couple of meters, out of reach of Gradan¡¯s bloodthirsty muscles.


    "You think you can treat my guards like this and survive?"


    Each of the assants did a doubletake and stared at a figure that jumped out of the wagon. To their surprise, it was a small, feminine figure with smooth grey skin and pointed ears.


    "Who in Halmut¡¯s beard are you?" questioned Gradan, realizing that the new challenger was the one who kept him from finishing off his prey.


    "You¡¯ll pay for mistreating a captain of my guard," said the goblin queen with a frosty tone. "You will all leave your lives behind as repayment."


    "If you wanna interfere, then I¡¯ll¡ª"


    Before Gradan could finish his sentence, he felt the soles of his feet heating up at an unbearable pace. Anxious to relieve the swelling heat, Gradan looked down at the ground and felt fear weigh down his breathing.


    The dirt path beneath him was rapidly melting, bing molten rock at a visible pace. It offered no secure footing for Gradan to jump away and began to bubble up around him. A scream left his mouth as a plume ofva engulfed him.


    Everyone paused what they were doing and looked at the goblin queen with newfound terror. Bart¡¯s party knew that they had lost the moment theva pit appeared. Rydel and the others were suddenly overwhelmed with a sense of relief that they had worked things out peacefully with the queen.


    Unlike most of the goblin captains which were rushed to lv. 30 and higher with a lot of help from azure crystals, the queen demonstrated power that rivaled extremely talented human mages. She was worthy of being the goblin queen, and she didn¡¯t waste an opportunity to prove it in front of everyone.


    The plume ofva died down and left nothing behind of Gradan, not even a spatial storage item.


    With a nce, the queen scared Jayms, Sd¡¯s opponent to his knees. She squinted and watched the full-grown man pant and cry as he scrambled back to his feet.


    Jayms tried to run but a ball of mes flew from the queen¡¯s palm and devoured him in seconds, leaving no trace of a corpse.


    Bart was doing his best to stay calm. He refused to lower his guard against the battle-hardened Maynard, however, he had no choice but to pay close attention to the angered goblin woman.


    "Remember Bart, we tried to persuade you otherwise, but you chose this yourself," yelled Rydel. The hunter was stillunching arrows at an incredible speed, not giving Harton a chance to breathe.


    Harton had taken a second arrow to the same shoulder while he was distracted by the goblin queen and was desperate to escape. The problem was, of all the opponents he could have, the only ranged threat was his opponent, and there was no way he could escape Rydel¡¯s arrows unscathed.


    "Next, it¡¯s your turn." The queen turned around and noticed Harton entering a state of fight or flight. The light around her hand became warped from the immense heat as it was coated in mes.


    Harton yelled as he sessfully evaded the arrows, only to find himself in line with the speeding fireball.


    While Harton¡¯s body was burnt till nothing was left, Bart recognized his dire situation. Not daring to waste time, he hurriedly took out a contact crystal. "Hurry, we¡¯ve¡ª"


    Bart tried to contact those back at the Royal Court about his mission¡¯s failure but was quickly silenced by an arrow from the back of his neck.


    Blood spilled into his throat as Bart tried to reject his death. His fingers fumbled the longsword as he grabbed at the tip of the arrow, but he only felt something cold cut through his wrists. Bart attempted to look down and see what had happened, only to have his head tumble off his shoulders and fall into his hands, lying on the ground.

 Chapter 83 The King and Arnole

    <h4>Chapter 83 The King and Arnole</h4>


    "Hurry, we¡¯ve¡ª"


    A message sounded out through the air but was cut off as quickly as it had begun. There were three people in the spacious room, listening carefully to a massive contact crystal broadcasting its message aloud.


    One figure was leaned against the wall while another remained seated, both keeping silent. The third was pacing around the room and showed difort on his face as he spoke out loud, "Now what? How were they able to win so quickly?"


    "Calm down," said the man leaning against the wall. "So what? They¡¯ve made it back and now we just need to go with the flow and act like it was against our orders. No big deal."


    "No big deal?" interjected the man sitting on the throne. "Me losing four mean at lv. 30 is no big deal? Maybe those men are weakpared to you, but losing them greatly affects the strength of my faction and my influence. What are you going to do about that?"


    "Forget about them, my king. I can always find more talent if needed."


    "And you; you¡¯re the reason those men were sent out for them. What do you have to say for yourself?" King Leodoro stared at the young man pacing about the room.


    "It¡¯s their fault, not mine! They insulted me as the crown prince and you as their king. Of course, we can¡¯t show mercy to people like them," said the young man as his steps came to a halt.


    "So what? You were the first to act out of line, even going against custom to threaten association members," replied the king.


    "How do you know about that? Was it one of the guards?" questioned the crown prince.


    "It doesn¡¯t matter where the information came from; what matters is how you¡¯re punished for your little tantrum. You know that I explicitly ordered to not act against the association or its members. We¡¯re already on thin ice as is and I¡¯d rather salvage the situation than resort to an unsolvable feud," exined the king.


    "You¡¯re too soft to be king, old man. You and I both know that we¡¯ve been too lenient with them."


    "What did you say!?" Suddenly, the room was filled with a dense pressure that pressed heavily onto the crown prince.


    "Father! What are you¡ª"


    "Shut up!" King Leodoro increased the pressure, stifling his son. "If your elder brother hadn¡¯t perished in battle, you would never have be the crown prince. He was far more worthy than you. No matter the situation, he¡¯d keep a level head and a clear view of the best n of action. All you know is how to demand other¡¯s property and credit."


    "Now, now, let¡¯s calm down," said the man who was no longer against the wall. Now he stood in front of the crown prince, easing the pressure the prince felt. "Don¡¯t take your frustrations out on him. He¡¯s just a boy who¡¯s still got a lot o learn."


    "Silence Arnole! Ever since I allowed you full control of my Royal Court, rtionships between us and the other factions have only worsened. Don¡¯t think me a fool who can¡¯t see the truth through your lies. Even him, my own son, has more respect for you as a teacher than he does for me as a father. Why do you think that is?" asked Leodoro.


    "Don¡¯t me me for your lousy parenting, my king. Besides, you know the strength of the Royal Cout has grown substantially because of my efforts and ns. Shouldn¡¯t you be d?" replied Arnole, maintaining his calm smile.


    Leodoro shook his head and answered, "I¡¯d rather increase the strength and stability of my kingdom then amass my personal army."


    "You should be thanking me. Because of me, your only living son who had worthless potential has reached lv. 10 within a single month because of my teachings and actions. Without me, you wouldn¡¯t have a suitable heir, would you?"


    "And who said I could trust him as my heir?" asked the king, catching both Arnole and the crown prince off guard. "You may have fooled me before, as well as that


    Arnole¡¯s gaze sharpened, attempting to pierce the king¡¯s resolve. After a few moments, Arnole patted the prince¡¯s shoulders and said, "You can leave. Wait for me while I chat with your father."


    The prince looked confused, trying to understand what his father implied. He obeyed his teacher¡¯s orders and left the room, closing the doors behind him.


    King Leodoro spoke before Arnole had a chance to say anything. Bluntly, he asked, "How long have you been a part of the syndicate?"


    Arnole finally revealed a look of shock, no longer needing to put on a fa?ade since the king had figured out the truth.


    Seeing that Arnole remained silent, Leodoro knew he guessed correctly and continued, "What are you nning for me and my kingdom? I¡¯m sure you had a hand in the murder of my eldest son correct?"


    Arnole chuckled to himself and answered, "You are wiser than most, King Leodoro. I will admit that having your youngest as the crown prince is more suitable for my ns."


    King Leodoro¡¯s breathing was calm, but his violent gaze bore down on the nonchnt character in front of him. "I repeat, what are you nning for me and my kingdom? It¡¯s obvious you¡¯ve been using your influence in the court to worsen my rtionship with the association? Is that so I have nowhere to turn when you and your people make me an offerter?"


    "You know more about our recruitment process than I thought,"ughed Arnole, saying only enough to admit the truth without giving a clear exnation.


    "You may have weaseled your way into my Royal Court, but don¡¯t think I¡¯m some pushover you can manipte like that arrogant brat."


    "Why do you speak of him like that? He¡¯s your only heir now; you should treat him with more respect," stated Arnole.


    Leodoro replied, "You¡¯ve already twisted his way of thinking and reinforced it by supporting his tantrums and strange thirst for power. For all I know, he had just as much to do with my son¡¯s death as you did."


    "I can see you¡¯ve done a lot of research. It¡¯s a shame I¡¯m only just now learning that you were so well informed."


    "The true shame is that I only began to question your motives after I had already lost him," stated King Leodoro. "If I had realized your treachery sooner, I¡¯d have never let you hold so much power in my court."


    "Well, it¡¯s toote now," said Arnole, shrugging his shoulders. "How about aligning with us? You already know the truth and you know that you can¡¯t touch me without facing serious repercussions. I can only imagine how much research and time you wasted trying to learn more about us, right?"


    The king said nothing, acknowledging that Arnole¡¯s point. At first, he didn¡¯t want to believe that one of his son¡¯s had betrayed the other, or that Arnole had something to do with it.


    Only after hiring some adventurers from an ally country to research the situation as a third party did he find the first clue to the treachery within the Royal Court. He spent a lot of money to uncover truth after truth until he could only guess that Arnole had the help of someone powerful in the shadows.


    "Don¡¯t worry, you don¡¯t need to give me your answer right away. There¡¯s no rush. Since you already know the truth, that just means I no longer have to find a way to work around you. If anything, this just speeds things up for me," exined Arnole. "So long as you don¡¯t get in my way or mention any of this to anyone, I won¡¯t have to act rashly. And now that you know, you can help me with a few things."


    "Know this Arnole," interjected the king, "I won¡¯t help you or your ns willingly. I have no intention to ept the support of the Chaos Syndicate, nor do I wish for you to be in charge of my Royal Court. But I know well enough that it¡¯s toote to remove you from that position quietly without consequence."


    "So, you still think you have a chance to out me? Without revealing my involvement with the syndicate?" asked Arnole. "Is that why you didn¡¯t want that hero to join the Royal Court? You didn¡¯t want me to influence him?"


    "I have my reasons for how I¡¯ve acted and I have no obligation to exin those reasons to you," answered Leodoro.


    "You¡¯re a lot craftier than I gave you credit. I guess we can only act against each other in silence from now on. I can¡¯t eliminate you quite yet for my reasons, and you¡¯re too afraid to eliminate me due to my backing." A devilish grin appeared on Arnole¡¯s face before he turned and began his exit. "I haven¡¯t been this excited since your son caught wind of my identity and forced my hand. I wish you the best of luck, so please make this interesting."


    Arnole left without another word, leaving the throne room inplete silence and the king pressing his fingers into his forehead, trying to suppress his iing headache.

 Chapter 84 Reunion in Reinolt City

    <h4>Chapter 84 Reunion in Reinolt City</h4>


    As Bart¡¯s head rolled to the ground, Maynard had already wiped his katana clean and sheathed them. "Ya brought this on yourself, ya pestro."


    Rydel walked up to the headless corpse, quickly locating a storage ring. He removed it and scanned through its contents.


    "Find anything good?" asked Maynard, unfazed by the death of his four formerrades.


    "Plenty of coin and wine, but not much else," answered Rydel.


    "Any leftover swords or weapons for the kid? Ya saw what was left of the rapier in the dungeon, right?"


    The hunter shook his head when he remembered the bent and charred de they found near the troll¡¯s corpse. "Yeah, I like that idea. How about we just hand over the ring when he wakes up?"


    "Really? But what about all the coin?"


    "The kid¡¯s already a patron with some trader; how else do you think he got such great stuff as a newbie?" exined Rydel. "Besides, based on how fast he levels up, he¡¯ll be passing us too pretty soon."


    "Enough chatting. Let¡¯s get going." The queen¡¯s cold orders rang through everyone¡¯s ears as she returned to the wagon. She kept her cool and showed no emotion after her absolute victory.


    "Fine, but next time at least leave behind a corpse. Who knows what was in those rings?" stated Rydel.


    "They angered me, so I acted," reasoned the queen. "They were too weak to be of any value, so I doubt they had anything worthwhile. Besides, they threatened my guard¡¯s life. If I showed mercy in the face of my enemies, what kind of queen would I be?"


    Not wanting to argue with the queen he had previously underestimated, Rydel swallowed his pride and answered, "Yeah, yeah, just try your best next. Everyone, prepare to leave in two minutes!"


    Troni and Brunar chatted with Maynard about their master¡¯s killing strike. Brunar was especially fascinated and entertained by Maynard¡¯s perfectly clean technique.


    Slivia wasn¡¯t too bothered by the ambush, rather she was conflicted about how she should act toward the queen. The queen had just obliterated three adventurers in a row and kept her humble, gentle look after returning to Jack¡¯s side. She had no clue how to address her or if she was some kind of rival for Jack¡¯s heart, which appeared likely based on the soft, determined look in the queen¡¯s eyes.


    Without wasting another second, the party moved on after the short break Rydel used to loot Bart of everything he had.


    Like they had nned, the party quickly approached Reinolt City in the distance. Once it came into view, Rydel retrieved his contact crystal and messaged Zariff to meet them outside the gates.


    In a sh, a mountain of a man exited the city gates and stood in its path. Any nearby guards or travelers scattered and avoided the intimidating man.


    "Chief!"


    Brunar was the first to shout in excitement. He had recently grown close to Zariff ever since the chief was avable to drink with Brunar every night for the past few months. Pushing his new stallion to its limits, Brunar took off ahead of everyone to reunite with Zariff.


    "You brat, you only leveled up that much?"ughed Zariff, poking fun at Brunar¡¯s growing ego.


    "Hey, I may not be Jack, but I¡¯m still his rival!" yelled Brunar as he dismounted and gave Zariff a big bear hug.


    The muscr man let out a small, pained sigh as he was embraced, but he quickly returned the favor to the young samurai. Zariff¡¯s monstrous strength caused Brunar¡¯s face to go from a red to a faint purple before he let go. "What¡¯s this about Jack? He¡¯s okay, right?"


    "He¡¯s unconscious, but the medic said he¡¯ll be good within a week," answered Brunar. "Still, he¡¯s too crazy chief. You¡¯ll never guess what level he is now?"


    "Oh? Did he already pass you?" joked Zariff.


    "No, but he wouldn¡¯t lose to me either," stated Brunar openly. "I can¡¯t tell myself, but Rydel said that Jack already lv. 18."


    "Lv. 18? Already?" Zariff was amazed and smiled uncontrobly when he heard that.


    For the past three months, Zariff had been living in excruciating pain, day and night. Whenever he tried to sleep, it was impossible to overlook the pain unless he got ckout drunk every night. Jack was the first beacon of hope he had to return to normal and remove his curse. The sooner Jack leveled up, the better the chances of him being able to change Zariff¡¯s situation.


    Looking out to the covered wagon, Zariff¡¯s warm smile was on disy for everyone to see. The gate guards were shocked to see the battle-hardened Zariff show such a warm expression. Those in the approaching party picked up the pace and hurried to meet the happy branch chief.


    "Chief, we¡¯re finally back," sighed Rydel as he dropped from his horse.


    "It¡¯s about time!" shouted Zariff, flipping back to his overwhelming personality. "I¡¯ve been swamped with paperwork and court filings because you took your sweet time to get here."


    "Calm down, chief," chuckled Rydel. "Don¡¯t me me, just me the kid. He was unconscious and forced us to stay the night at the Balt Guildhall for testing. Now that we¡¯re back, there¡¯s someone you should meet."


    Before Rydel had a chance to introduce the goblin queen, Zariff caught sight of her beautiful, illusory figure exiting the wagon. "Whoa... Who¡¯s the dame?"


    "That¡¯s¡ª"


    "Pleasure to meet you, Chief Zariff. My guards and I havee to meet you and witness the grandeur of the capital," stated the queen with a humble bow of her head.


    "Oh, I heard about you. Rydel said you¡¯re pretty sexy for someone so different. Is that true?" asked Zariff.


    "Oh, I had no clue," replied the queen, passing a strange nce at Rydel, who had his face buried in his hands.


    "The name¡¯s Zariff, so no need to use any titles. What¡¯s your name?" asked Zariff.


    "I¡¯m the goblin queen. I can only reveal my name to a lover," mentioned the queen in a hushed tone, unable to reach the gate guards.


    As those around her heard that statement, a couple of guys grew red in the face as they imagined it, Troni slightly more than the others.


    "Fine, queenie, we¡¯ll y by your rules. We¡¯ll hurry and get everyone back to the branch office. We¡¯ve got some extra rooms you can stay in while you¡¯re here." Zariff looked back at the wagon and walked closer. He noticed Slivia sitting there at the front, unmoving and stiff while she stared back at him. "Is Jack back there? How¡¯s he doing?"


    A few moments passed by with no answer, so Zariff tried again. "Is Jack alright?"


    "Z... Z..." Mumbles escaped Slivia¡¯s mouth, surprising everyone.


    "Huh? What¡¯s wrong?" asked Zariff, focusing more on the girl than Jack for a moment. "You¡¯re the new cleric that wanted to join the Adventurers Association, right? We¡¯ll get you registered by the end of the night, so don¡¯t worry about it, okay?"


    "Z.. Z..."


    "What is it? Spit it out already," said Zariff, wanting to hurry and get everyone within city limits.


    "Z... Zar?"


    Zariff blinked, being taken aback from the simple word Slivia had uttered. While everyone else was baffled by her strangements and behavior, Zariff squinted and took a closer look at Slivia. Upon further inspection, he said, "There¡¯s... There¡¯s no way you¡¯re... Sliv?"


    The entire party paid close attention to the strange conversation between the muscle head Zariff and the angelic Slivia. What caught thempletely off guard was how Slivia leaped off the wagon and tackled Zariff with her armstching around him.


    "Zar... I can¡¯t believe it..." Tears began to form in Slivia¡¯s eyes as she hugged Zariff tightly.


    "You can¡¯t believe it? I can¡¯t believe it..." replied Zariff, returning her hug with his tender embrace. "Are you really Sliv? That same little farm girl?"


    She didn¡¯t answer, struggling to keep it together.


    "Umm... Can someone exin what¡¯s going on please?"


    Rydel¡¯sment awoke both Zariff and Slivia from their trance. "What¡¯s going on? How do you two know each other?"


    The two of them let go of each other and faced the party. Zariff was the first to speak, saying, "This was a little girl that I guarded back in my early adventuring days. Her entire family lived on a simple farm, but her mom was the best cook I¡¯ve ever met."


    "Then what happened? Why are you so shocked to see her?" asked Rydel.


    "That¡¯s because..." Zariff couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it.


    "He saved my life," answered Slivia, inducing a steeper silence to envelop the party. "When the rest of my family was killed, Zar stormed into the bandit hideout and freed me. If it wasn¡¯t for him, I don¡¯t think I¡¯d be alive today?"


    "Don¡¯t say that," said Zariff, trying to not tear up.


    "It¡¯s true. If you hade a dayter, there¡¯s a chance that I might¡¯ve given up on my life..."


    Ovee with the tense emotions which held everyone¡¯s attention, Zariff let a tear escape. Not daring to overlook her now, Zariff hugged her again, saying, "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re safe now."

 Chapter 85 Waking Up

    <h4>Chapter 85 Waking Up</h4>


    Slivia didn¡¯t hold herself back, flooding Zariff¡¯s chest with tears. "I know... I know."


    "Let¡¯s get you and the others settled in. Don¡¯t worry, with everyone¡¯s rmendation, you¡¯ve already been epted into the guild," said Zariff. "You¡¯ll stay with my daughter, Maura. She¡¯ll help you with anything you need."


    The watery-eyed cleric said nothing, only nodding and walking beside Zariff with his arm around her.


    Taking the reigns of the wagon, the goblin queen took over Slivia¡¯s position as the party finally entered the city gates under the clear night sky.


    As they passed through the street many people noticed some of the more famous heroes, like Chief Zariff or Brunar, the young hero on the rise. Each passerby scanned over the party and was surprised that Jack was nowhere to be found.


    Jack had already be famous in the city, thanks to Zariff spreading the news of a summoned hero defecting from the Royal Court to the Adventurers Association. Considering the publicity that happened when the Royal Court convinced association members to join them, this was huge news within the city.


    Curious to see if the rumors were true, citizens from all around crowded the streets as Rydel¡¯s party passed but they were all disappointed to not find the young hero. However, due to the wagon¡¯s guards wearing clothes simr to the Balt Guild and the beautiful women driving it, many people shouted and asked about the wagon.


    Not daring to answer the crowd¡¯s questions at the risk of revealing the unconscious Jack, the party was mostly silent as they passed through the unusually packed streets under the night sky. They would wave asionally or point out someone they knew personally, but other than Brunar, no one wanted to attract any attention.


    Under Brunar¡¯s limelight, Troni quietly left on his own. He had already told his master that he would need to hurry home for some urgent business.


    Maynard was never a fan of the Salendar family or their business, but he respected Troni and allowed his student to do as he saw fit. All he could do was sigh as the young samurai vanished into the crowd.


    The party eventually reached the association buildingte into the night. They took the wagon through an alley at the side of the branch headquarters, which led to an open area with stables and ces to park wagons or handcarts.


    Now hidden behind the association building, they unloaded Jack and took him to a cozy bed in the infirmary.


    Commotion came and went within the branch office as the adventurers saw the unconscious hero being carried in. Most of them showed worry on their faces, but Zariff and Rydel put them at ease, telling them he¡¯d be fine after a few days of rest.


    Zariff offered to prepare the mission reward despite thete hour but Rydel refused, knowing that Zariff would¡¯ve convinced them to pay for a round of brundies in celebration.


    The party quickly disbanded and either copsed in their cots or, like Brunar and Maynard, went out with the chief for a drink.


    Within the quiet, dimly lit infirmaryid Jack, motionless and almost lifeless. On his chestid Bowzer, patiently waiting for Jack to wake up.


    Hours passed as dusk became dawn and dawn became early morning.


    While most people in the capital were still enjoying their beauty sleep, Bowzer flinched and looked back to Jack¡¯s face. He was happy to see Jack¡¯s lip and nose quivering.


    A soft groan left Jack¡¯s mouth as he turned his head to the side. One arm slowly lifted itself andnded on Bowzer¡¯s back, putting a smile on Bowzer¡¯s face. A few more seconds passed before Jack turned his head again and blinked his eyes before cracking them open for the first time in days.


    ¡¯Jack! Jack okay!¡¯ Bowzer¡¯s mind yelled as loud as it could.


    ¡¯Huh?¡¯ Jack opened his eyes a little wider and replied, ¡¯Of course I am. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack sleep too long. You fought troll, worry us,¡¯ said Bowzer, nuzzling up to Jack¡¯s face. ¡¯Jack really okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, I¡¯m fine.¡¯ Jack moved his arms to push himself up, but he failed to do so. He could move his arms but whenever he moved his torso, an abrupt pain shot through his upper chest and neck that caused him to shout in pain.


    ¡¯Jack no move. Wait in bed,¡¯ said Bowzer. ¡¯Jack need rest.¡¯


    ¡¯What? What do you mean?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack hurt bad from Troll. Need time to heal,¡¯ exined Bowzer. ¡¯Jack remember fight with Troll?¡¯


    The hero thought back to the fight and was shocked that he didn¡¯t remember hardly anything. Jack could only remember what happened up until he activated his bloodline skill. From then on, he could only remember bits and pieces of him being angry and rampaging. After trying his hardest, he remembered being punched in the throat and thrown before his memory cut off.


    ¡¯I fought the troll but I think he knocked me unconscious,¡¯ said Jack, trying to piece it all together.


    ¡¯Yup, Jack fought and Byron killed.¡¯ The fox bobbed its head up and down. ¡¯Byron said troll hurt Jack, and Jack sleep long time.¡¯


    ¡¯But why does my neck and chest hurt so much? Wouldn¡¯t they heal me or take me to a medic?¡¯ reasoned Jack. ¡¯Why does it hurt worse than anything I¡¯ve ever felt before?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack hurt during fire right?¡¯ asked Bowzer.


    ¡¯Umm... You mean while I was on fire?¡¯ rified Jack, getting a nod from Bowzer. ¡¯Yeah, how else could I fight a troll captain?¡¯


    ¡¯That why.¡¯


    Those two words from Bowzer echoed in Jack¡¯s head, baffling him. ¡¯What do you mean, ¡¯That why?¡¯¡¯


    ¡¯That why Jack hurt bad,¡¯ rephrased Bowzer. ¡¯During fire, bodies no defend well. Very strong, but no defend well.¡¯


    ¡¯You mean that whenever I fight on fire, every hit I take will hurt even more?¡¯ asked Jack with wide eyes.


    ¡¯Yup. Remember, Bowzer sleep after fight too.¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, but you slept for a day and you were fine as soon as you woke up. How long have I been out?¡¯


    ¡¯Five days.¡¯


    ¡¯Five days!?¡¯ Jack was startled and didn¡¯t know what to think. ¡¯Then why am I still hurt? You rested for one and you were fine?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack no fox, that why,¡¯ exined Bowzer. ¡¯Jack no fox, so fire weak. Bowzer can feel inside Jack. Too weak.¡¯


    Jackughed uncontrobly, not sure how to take it all in. ¡¯So, because my fox bloodline is too weak, I¡¯m extra hurt? If it were stronger like yours, I¡¯d do okay, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yup.¡¯


    With a sigh, Jack tried to shake his head but groaned as pain shot through him again. ¡¯Looks like I shouldn¡¯t use that bloodline skill so soon after all. I¡¯ll have to wait till it¡¯s stronger. But howe they couldn¡¯t heal me? They tried to heal me, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yup, but no heal if hurt on fire. Same for all foxes,¡¯ answered Bowzer. ¡¯All foxes weak after fire, extra weak if hurt on fire.¡¯


    Suddenly, a thought came into Jack¡¯s mind. Jack looked up to the fox on his chest and stared into Bowzer¡¯s eyes. ¡¯When I first met you, was your mom weak from fire?¡¯


    Bowzer¡¯s eyes widen as the fox looked away and froze for a moment. A couple of seconds passed before he looked back at Jack. ¡¯Y¡ª¡¯


    "Jack!"


    A shout from the other side of the infirmary door interrupted their conversation. The door swung open, almost tearing it off the hinges. In rushed Slivia, followed by Zariff, Rydel, and Maura in the back.


    "Jack, you¡¯re awake! Are you okay? Say something," shouted Slivia as she sat at Jack¡¯s bedside.


    "Calm down Slivia, I¡¯m okay. No need to wake up the whole building. By the way, where am I exactly?" asked Jack with augh, lightening the mood and hiding the irritation he felt from them interrupting an important conversation with Bowzer.


    Slivia sighed in relief, "Thank Halmut. You scared me to death when you fought that troll. What were you thinking?"


    "Well, I had to do something, otherwise who knows what he would¡¯ve done to you?" replied Jack. "As long as you and the others are fine, then it was worth it."


    "Idiot..." mumbled Slivia, struggling to hold back the water building up in her eyes.


    "Still, that was pretty stupid, even for you, don¡¯t you think?" asked Rydel, who was still in his pajamas.


    "True, but what else could I do to stop a troll captain? Ask nicely?" answered Jack.


    Zariff, still buzzed,ughed loudly, "Not bad brat, not bad at all. Maybe one day, you won¡¯t be a brat anymore. How are you feeling after your long beauty sleep?"


    "Umm... about that..." sighed Jack. "ording to Bowzer, whenever I activate that bloodline skill, I¡¯m extra vulnerable to attacks and I can only heal naturally."


    "That exins why the medics and the others couldn¡¯t do anything," said Rydel. "How are you now? Can you get out of bed?"


    "I can move, but my chest and neck try to tell me otherwise with shooting pain every time I try," answered Jack. "From the looks of it, I¡¯ll have to wait a couple more days and see how I¡¯m doing. Got any medicine that might speed things up?"


    "They¡¯re not as good as potions, but these are good enough to help a brat with a boo-boo," chuckled Zariff, tossing him a watertight pouch with a think liquid inside.


    "Are you really okay, Jack?"


    Jack was surprised to hear Maura ask so sincerely as she poked her head out from behind her dad. "Yeah, I¡¯ll be fine with some more rest. Thanks for asking."


    "Good," said Maura, returning to her usual rough-around-the-edgesposure. "Come on Dad, it¡¯s bedtime."


    "Okay, okay. Bye brat, I¡¯ll check in on your boo-boo tomorrow." Zariff waved as Maura pushed him out of the room, with Rydel following behind her.


    Slivia and Jack watched as everyone left, unsure of how to treat the current situation.

 Chapter 86 Special Even

    <h4>Chapter 86 Special Even</h4>


    Jack and Slivia exchanged nces, trying to read each other¡¯s moods. Slivia soon broke the silence, saying, "Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re doing okay, Jack."


    "Thanks, me too. I¡¯m sorry for worrying you so much," apologized Jack. "I didn¡¯t mean to, I just... I didn¡¯t want him to take you. I couldn¡¯t let that happen."


    Some red filled Slivia¡¯s cheeks when she heard that. "You know, I was never able to thank you for everything."


    "That¡¯s fine. Don¡¯t worry about¡ª"


    Interrupting Jack¡¯s apology, Slivia leaned in close and lightly kissed his cheek. Before Jack could bring himself to say anything, she quickly stood up. "It¡¯s early and I should probably get some more rest. Thank you, Jack."


    And just like that, Slivia darted out of the room without looking back.


    Jack was left in the room, his mouth gaping in shock. Unsure of what to think, Jack looked back to Bowzer. Sadly, Jack found the fox sleepingfortably and totally oblivious to what had just urred.


    He took a few minutes to try and process Slivia¡¯s kiss and shyness. Soon, Jack was almost certain that Slivia had feelings for him. Being smart enough to realize this yet too inexperienced to be confident in a rtionship was Jack¡¯s current weakness.


    Leaving that subject alone, for now, Jack realized that he had a lot of unread notifications in his system menu. Jack opened up the notifications and quickly reached his achievement list, baffled by what he found.


    [Reach Lv. 10:pleted]


    [Complete First Mission:pleted]


    [Beat Leodoro II to lv. 10:plete]


    [Discover the goblin benefactor:pleted]


    [Find Byron Balt:pleted]


    [Find any survivors:pleted]


    [Destroy the goblin city:pleted]


    [Survive the infestation: in progress]


    Jack was ecstatic to see the long list of newlypleted rewards and was anxious to im them all, but something stopped him from doing so immediately. Instead, Jack selected the newest quest achievement in the hope to learn more.


    [Survive the infestation: in progress]


    [Survive the iing infestation and help protect Reinolt City in the process. Reward: varies depending on the final result of the infestation. Event reward: 50 skill points.]


    After reading the vague achievement description, he froze. Since there was a general event reward like in-game events, Jack was certain that something big was about to happen. That was when he realized that the event achievement was already in progress, meaning that the supposed infestation had already begun.


    However, thinking about it this way made no sense to him. If the infestation had already begun and triggered thattest achievement, then why hasn¡¯t there been any special news being passed around town or in the association? Zariff wouldn¡¯t have been so casual had he received news of anything to that scale and Rydel and Maynard would¡¯ve been informed, most likely.


    Jack¡¯s brain began to hurt as he yed out the scenario in his mind, unable to leave his bed and investigate himself.


    Time passed slowly for him as the sun finally began to climb the sky and peak through the infirmary window. It¡¯s rays woke up the now stress-free Bowzer.


    The fox stretched atop Jack¡¯s chest and yawned peacefully. Only after seeing the pained expression on Jack¡¯s face did he ask, ¡¯What wrong, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, you¡¯re finally awake.¡¯ Jack¡¯s stiff eyes blinked and repositioned from their trance, getting a full view of Bowzer. ¡¯Wait, did you get bigger sincest time?¡¯


    ¡¯Mhm, Bowzer bigger and stronger now,¡¯ replied the fox.


    ¡¯But how?¡¯


    ¡¯No remember? Foxes grow with EXP, not time,¡¯ answered Bowzer.


    ¡¯But this fast?!¡¯ Jack was floored when he realized that Bowzer had almost doubled in size, no longer the tiny pup who sat on his shoulders. ¡¯How big are you supposed to get?¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer a boy, so bigger than mom.¡¯


    Thinking back to therge, noble mother fox that he had shot some time ago, Jack began to imagine how big a fully grown Bowzer might be.


    ¡¯What wrong, Jack?¡¯ asked Bowzer, getting back on topic.


    Shaking his head to regain his mental rity, Jack replied, ¡¯Bowzer, can you sense any monsters or beasts nearby?¡¯


    ¡¯No, why?¡¯


    ¡¯Just cause.¡¯ Jack let his brain try toe up with some quick solutions but to no avail. ¡¯If you ever sense another monster or beast, tell me right away, okay?¡¯


    Bowzer nodded and hopped off Jack with a spring in his step.


    ¡¯Where are you going now?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯Bowzer go with Sliv to town.¡¯ The fox smiled wide, not attempting to hide any of his excitement.


    ¡¯But what about me? I thought you were d I was okay and wanted to stay by my side?¡¯ Jack¡¯s eyes showed a hint of desperation, not wanting to be left alone in bed all day.


    ¡¯But Bowzer want to see city. Jack okay now, just rest.¡¯ Not waiting for a reply, Bowzer snuck away after utching the lock with his tail and pushing the door open.


    Jack almost cried, terrified by the immense boredom he knew he¡¯d endure throughout the next few days.


    *****


    On the other side of town, just beyond the reaches of the king¡¯s castle was a vast estate filled with stables and fields of all kinds, containing a copious variety of beasts.


    At the center of the estate stood a mansion built with exotic, dark green marble and golden ornaments all around. It¡¯s two towers at both ends of the mansion both had a full view of the entire estate, letting them keep an eye on everything.


    Inside a small, dark room of that building sat a man in a dark green kimono with a samurai sword across hisp and his hands in a meditative pose. His eyes were closed as he sat with his legs crossed in front of a dim firece.


    "Troni!"


    A shout broke his concentration and forced him to turn towards the opening door in reply. "What is it, Father?"


    "What is it? You know exactly why I¡¯m here," yelled the burly man as he mmed the door behind him. "What kind of fox does that hero have and why haven¡¯t you told me anything about it?"


    Startled by his father¡¯s statement, Troni answered, "How do you know about that?"


    "You should¡¯ve already guessed that the king isn¡¯t the only one with a man inside the association."


    "What? I thought I was the only¡ª"


    "Just shut up, enough about that. Hurry up and tell me more about that fox. It must be rare; ording to our rat, the information is ssified even within the association," stated the Salendar family head. "He hasn¡¯t a clue about the fox, but you traveled with them. Knowing you, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve taken the time to learn all about the hero and his fox."


    Recognizing the determined look in his father¡¯s eyes, Troni shrugged and sighed, "What do you want to know? I can¡¯t say everything, but I might be able to answer a few questions."


    "What breed is it? I heard that it¡¯s exotic and not from around here," asked the dad, happy to see his son¡¯s willingness.


    "I can¡¯t say, it¡¯s an association secret," answered Troni.


    "Oh,e on, I¡¯m your old man. What harm will it do to fill me in about something so trivial? I¡¯m sure I¡¯ve seen it¡¯s kind before and will probably forget all about it soon enough."


    Under his breath, Troni mumbled, "If only you knew."


    "What did you say!?" Excitement shed across the burly man¡¯s face. "If only I knew? You mean it¡¯s special enough to attract even the likes of me, Tridon Salendar, the kingdom¡¯s greatest hunter and breeder?"


    Regretting hisst statement, Troni looked back to the firece. "I¡¯m in the middle of meditation right now, so hurry up and ask your questions. You know I won¡¯t answer anything I don¡¯t wish to answer."


    "How strong is its bloodline?" Tridon stepped closer to his son, examining every inch of him and waiting to see any minute movements he made.


    Troni did his best to remain still, but he couldn¡¯t keep himself from swallowing some saliva. He understood the type of man his father was and thest thing he would want his father to have is a Hell-me Fox.


    "Wow, it must be very special for you to be this determined," joked Tridon, understanding that the fox should be very high up on the bloodline test. "And for myst question, how old is it?"


    "That I can say," replied Troni. "The fox should be a few months old, I think."


    "You think? You should know full well how old a fox is by its appearance, I taught you that myself," stated Tridon, poking at his son¡¯s pride.


    "Hey, it¡¯s not my fault. I was certain that is was only a few months old when I met Jack, but it¡¯s appeared to have grown a lot in the past few days so I¡¯m not fully certain."


    "Interesting." Tridon stroked his untamed bird as he smiled. "So it¡¯s rare enough to grow based on experience and not time. That changes things."


    Afraid that he had said to much, Troni yelled, "Now hurry up and go. I¡¯m about to reach lv. 20 and my master says I need to train my mind more before he teaches me the next level of swordsmanship."


    "Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t be bothering you any longer. I¡¯ve already gotten more than I was bargaining for,"ughed Tridon, ecstatic to have a new target at the top of his list of potential prey.

 Chapter 87 Visiting Hours

    <h4>Chapter 87 Visiting Hours</h4>


    After Bowzer left, Jack was left alone to dwell in his thoughts. He sighed and resumed to check his achievement list.


    [Reach Lv. 10:pleted]


    [Reach lv. 10. Reward: 10 skill points.]


    [Complete First Mission:pleted]


    [Complete first mission on time. Reward: 10 skill points.]


    [Beat Leodoro II to lv. 10:plete]


    [Reach lv. 10 before Leodoro II. Reward: 10 skill points.]


    [Find Byron Balt:pleted]


    [Find, heal, and rescue Byron Balt from the goblin dungeon. Reward: 20 skill points.]


    [Find any survivors:pleted]


    [Some survivors found, and the Balt Guild was passed the responsibility to relocate them from the goblin dungeon. Reward: 5 skill points.]


    [Find Slivia:pleted]


    [Find and rescue Slivia from the goblin dungeon. Reward: 10 skill points.]


    [Destroy the goblin city:pleted]


    [The goblin city received major damage from fires and battles. Reward: 10 skill points.]


    Excited to have so many achievements be cleared at once, Jack eagerly imed all of his hard-earned skill points. With seventy-five skill points at his disposal, he immediately went to his skill tree.


    Jack stared at his many skills, most still at lv. 0. He had plenty of skill points, but he also had to keep in mind that each level doubled in cost. The thought of him spending forty skill points on just his bloodline skill was hard to ept.


    Thinking carefully, Jack chose to spend fifteen skill points on to upgrade his physical resistance to lv. 2, in hope that he¡¯d have better defense the next time he used the bloodline skill.


    Left with sixty-three skill points to spend and plenty of hesitation, Jack decided to save them forter. He had enough to level up three skills to lv. 3 or at least onepanion skill to lv. 3, but he had no clue what he would need most against this iing infestation that no one knew about. Keeping those skill points as a resourceter to be used was the best n he could think of at the moment.


    Suddenly, a knock came from the door and it swung open. Jack was startled to see Maura carrying a tray of steaming-hot food towards him. "Is that for me?"


    "What do you think?" answered Maura with her typical sass, cing the tray on Jack¡¯s bedside table. "I¡¯ll set it down here."


    "That won¡¯t do," replied Jack. "I can¡¯t even raise my arms without feeling incredible pain."


    "Then what do you suppose I do, feed you myself?" Maura said it as a joke, but when she looked back to Jack, he was giving her his best puppy dog eyes. With a grunt, she pulled out a chair and sat down beside him. "I¡¯m only doing this because Sliv is gone, you got that?"


    "Thanks, Maura." Jack smiled gently at the stubborn girl. He couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that she was colder than her usual sassy self. "Is something wron¡ª"


    Before jack could finish his question, Maura had already stuffed the first spoonful of what tasted like cinnamon-vored oatmeal. "Don¡¯t speak, it¡¯ll take longer for you to eat."


    Unable reply, Jack hurried to scarf down the oats but was quickly met with a second spoonful before he could say a word. One look at Maura told him that something was off, that something was different between them, but he couldn¡¯t figure out why. He wanted to ask, but he wasn¡¯t given a chance with Maura¡¯s generous mouth-shovels of oatmeal being forced down his throat.


    After a few minutes, the oats were finished and Jack took in a few breaths to regain hisposure. d to have that over with, he said, "Now that I¡¯m done eating, Is something¡ª"


    Again, another vessel was shoved against his lips, this time it was a small bottle of wine.


    Maura stated, "Dad said that wine will help numb the pain, so he made sure to share some from his personal stash. If you don¡¯t drink it all, he¡¯ll be mad."


    Agreeing with her, Jack tried to nod while guzzling the wine down, gulp after gulp. In no time, Jack finished the bottle and sighed loudly. "Wow, that was some good wine. Thank that old fart for me."


    With a nod, Maura picked up the tray and hurried to the door in silence.


    "Wait, aren¡¯t you going to keep mepany? Or at least chat for a couple of minutes?" shouted Jack.


    "My dad will be here shortly to pass you the earnings from your mission and fill you in about your court trial. Until then, get some rest." Maura shut the door behind her, not addressing Jack¡¯s questions in the slightest and leaving him alone.


    She rushed down the hall with her head down and identally bumped into someone. "Excuse me, I need to¡ª"


    "What do you need, sweetie?"


    Hearing her father¡¯s familiar voice startled her and she looked up to reply, "Nothing, sorry Dad. I¡¯ll take these back to the kitchen."


    "What¡¯s gotten into you? You¡¯ve been acting weird ever since the others got back. Are you getting along well with Sliv?" asked Zariff, showing an unusual amount of care on his face.


    "Of course, she¡¯s like an older sister I¡¯ve never had."


    Maura was an only child and had always wanted another sibling, especially a sister. In all her life, she had never had any close friends, since they moved around based on Zariff¡¯s assignments from the association and he was extremely protective over his only daughter.


    "Good, that¡¯s how it should be. She doesn¡¯t have any other family, so I want to give her a ce to call home. I tried to find her at the same inn I left her at a few years ago, but she was gone and no one could tell me where she went," exined Zariff. "Now that she¡¯s appeared again, the least we can do is wee her as family."


    "What does Mom think?" asked Maura.


    "You know your mother, she¡¯s more than happy to have another girl in the family,"ughed Zariff. "It was a miracle that she was able to have you, considering her condition. She had always wanted a big family, but she wasn¡¯t blessed with that ability. Adding one more to the family might not make it big, but she¡¯s more excited than anyone to have another daughter she can call her own."


    "Right, I should hurry and get back to work." Maura smiled and tried to step past Zariff, but he held out an arm to block her.


    "Is something wrong, sweetie?"


    "No, nothing¡¯s wrong," replied Maura, looking away.


    A slight smile crept up on Zariff¡¯s face. "Are you sure? You can always talk to me and mom if you¡¯re having boy troubles."


    "What do you know!?" shouted Maura, ducking under her father¡¯s massive arms to escape.


    Zariff chuckled and walked towards the same door Maura just exited. He knocked lightly, imitating his daughter¡¯s typical knock, and opened the door slowly.


    "You came back. Is something wrong¡ª" Jack¡¯s voice cut off the moment he saw Zariff¡¯s head poke out from behind the door.


    Recognizing something, Zariff shook his head and walked into the room. "How you doing, brat? Can you move yet?"


    "Not yet, it¡¯s only been a few hours," replied Jack.


    "I guess we¡¯ll have to postpone the trial then," stated Zariff. "The Royal Court has been hounding me to bring you and thatzy hunter to trial. Things appear to be better for our case, but you still need to show your face before the trial can close."


    "Well, give me a few days and we¡¯ll see how I am then." Jack could feel his body healing itself. It was incredibly slow, but he could feel it after he spent the early morning hours trying to sense his injuries while he waited for everyone to wake up.


    "That¡¯s good; I¡¯ll do that then," replied Zariff. "Now, on to the important business. I¡¯ve got your reward money and a couple of other things."


    "How much did I make?"


    "Well, considering you¡¯re still new and this was your first mission, themission is lower, and I¡¯ll have to take a portion out for your medical supplies. In the end, you¡¯ve earned about thirty gold," answered Zariff.


    "Thirty gold!? I fought a troll captain and I only earned thirty gold?" questioned Jack.


    "Did you kill the troll captain?"


    Jack froze and didn¡¯t dare to answer the question, not wanting to bite Zariff¡¯s bait.


    Zariff chuckled and continued, "Be lucky that you¡¯re the owner of that fox, otherwise, you might not be getting half this much. Earnings for missions are set in stone when the mission is formed and funded, in this case, it was based on the association creating it and not a third party. The reward is then divided based on contributions within the mission. Out of the entire party, you technically contributed the least, only second to Sliv."


    "But I¡ª"


    "That¡¯s how it works, so take it or leave it," stated Zariff, stern as ever.


    "But I don¡¯t need any medical supplies, it won¡¯t even affect me if I did use it. Why am I paying for that?" asked Jack.


    "Well, you should¡¯ve told us that before we wasted various potions and paid for a medic to check you out," replied Zariff.


    "I was unconscious!"


    "That doesn¡¯t change the fact that we used it," argued Zariff.


    Knowing that he was bound to lose the argument, Jack epted his defeat and grunted, "Fine, just put it in my hand."


    Once Zariff ced the bag of coins on top of Jack¡¯s hand it vanished. Jack quickly and begrudgingly stored it away.

 Chapter 88 Unexpected Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 88 Unexpected Visitor</h4>


    "I¡¯ve also got this for you." Zariff retrieved something from his storage and held it up for Jack to see.


    "That¡¯s refined cleansing powder! Where did you get that?" yelled Jack, amazed to see Zariff with one of the key ingredients to the cure for walking death toxin.


    "Old man Zarris got it for me, said you were already working with him, is that true?"


    "Yeah, he¡¯s the one who helped me get a few things and prepare for the mission. He mentioned that he might be able to find some refined cleansing powder, but I haven¡¯t given him anything in return. Why do you have it?"


    "He and I go way back. I came to him with the list you gave me and found out that you were already looking for it. We talked and he confirmed that a bottle of cleansing powder was in the city. I didn¡¯t want to miss my chance, so I traded a few things and we got it within the day. Also, he said you helped him with these." Zariff tilted his head to the side, showing off two studs in his ear.


    Still baffled by the circumstances, Jack struggled to recognize the two other soul piercings that he had appraised for Zarris now in the branch chief¡¯s ears. "Those... You got the soul piercings?"


    "Yup, and theye in handy," exined Zariff. "By replenishing my mana faster, I can resist the curse a little more each day. Plus, who wouldn¡¯t want to have something like a soul piercing? I even got the chance to brag in front of that stiff Arnole for once."


    "Well... I¡¯m d you like them," said Jack, still shaking the surprise from his voice. "Do you have any leads on the Death Rattler poison or blood?"


    "Nope, I haven¡¯t found a clue yet." Zariff shook his head with a soft smile. "At least we¡¯ve got this now. With this, there¡¯s hope for a cure. I¡¯ll hold onto it for now, till you¡¯ve got the rest of the ingredient. Also, make sure to stop by the old man¡¯s shop, he¡¯s got some new stuff you might like."


    "Yeah, if only an old fart wasn¡¯t too cheap to give me only thirty gold," joked Jack.


    "Well, brat, someone had to front the cost for the painfully expensive refined cleansing powder, so don¡¯tin."


    "How much is ¡¯painfully expensive¡¯ for a cheapskate like you?"


    "Try five hundred gold; does that sound painful enough for you?" replied Zariff.


    Jack almost coughed up a lung the moment he heard the amount. In "A Hero¡¯s Tale," refined cleansing powder was cheap, between fifty and one hundred gold. It was amon alchemical ingredient and could be made by any alchemist over lv. 40. Considering the circumstances of modern Kartonia, it made sense but was a hard pill to swallow.


    "So, unless you¡¯ve got anotherint, be happy with what you¡¯ve got," barked Zariff.


    "Okay, I get it. I won¡¯tin about my pay any more," said Jack. "But I do have a question for you. Has anything strange happened recently? Or have there been any sighting of a monster in the city?"


    "Nope, nothing out of the ordinary. Why?"


    "Because my subss tells me that some kind of infestation is already in progress, and it¡¯s threatening the entire city."


    Jack¡¯s answer caused Zariff to stiffen up and the air in his lungs to freeze momentarily. "Are you sure about that?"


    "Yup, I¡¯m sure."


    "Then I need to get going." Zariff rushed to his feet and turned to leave.


    "What are you going to do?" asked Jack.


    "If someone that bad is happening under our noses, then there¡¯s only one man in the city that might be able to help figure this out," stated Zariff. "His name¡¯s Tridon Salendar, the head of the Salendar Family."


    "Salendar..." Jack was taken aback by the mention of the ancient noble family. It was well known in the Zuran Empire as the greatest family of hunters and breeders; some of the strongest hunters in the entire continent were traced back to them. "The Salendar Family is here in the capital?"


    Zariff chuckled as he exited the room, "You already know the family¡¯s inheritor. He¡¯s quiet most of the time, but Troni is definitely that man¡¯s son, whether he likes it or not."


    The door mmed shut as Jack was hit with another bombshell of information, leaving him with more time and silence to think.


    *****


    Time passed at a snail¡¯s pace for the bedridden hero. The only person to visit him was Maura at lunch and dinner, who force-fed him in silence and left without answering any of his questions.


    As the sun was setting beyond the infirmary¡¯s windowpanes, a subtle knock came from the door. Jack didn¡¯t recognize it and shouted, "Come in."


    A woman walked in, wrapped up and covered from head to toe. Before Jack could say anything, the woman became illusory and vanished, leaving behind the appearance of a light gray-skinned, curvy goblin that oozed undeniable femininity.


    Startled by the goblin queen¡¯s sudden appearance, Jack swallowed some saliva. He tried to put together some words, but his lip fumbled them, making them inaudible.


    "I¡¯m the goblin queen, the same queen over the city that you and your party attacked," stated the queen.


    Jack froze as he focused on his heavy breathing, doing his best to calm himself.


    "I came with your party to the capital in the hope to have my horizons broadened, and they have been. But there¡¯s one other reason why I¡¯m here, and that¡¯s you."


    "What do you want with me?" asked Jack.


    "There are a few things. First, I apologize for endangering the female who traveled with you, as well as the many other humans who were captured by us goblins or the trolls. I¡¯m sorry." She bowed her head and waited for Jack to do the same in eptance.


    "Second, and most importantly, there are some things I must speak with you that are of the utmost secrecy."


    "You have my word that I won¡¯t tell a soul," said Jack, frantically nodding.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but your word isn¡¯t good enough for this matter." The queen walked up to him and ced her hand on his chest. "If you were able to move, then I wouldn¡¯t be able to do this. But since you can¡¯t, then this is the only way I can guarantee your secrecy."


    Arcane energy leaked from her palm and spread across his bare chest that was only hidden by the sheets. It leaked into his skin and left a small brand of exotic characters, the same size as her palm. There was no pain and the brand soon faded away.


    "Now, we can talk. I¡¯ve already told your chief to not let anyone near the door till I¡¯m done here, and I¡¯ve cast a barrier of silence within the room so there¡¯s no need to worry about anyone eavesdropping."


    "What¡¯s so important to do all that?" asked Jack, just going with the flow since he was unable to retaliate in any way.


    "Before I ask you what I must, let me exin a few things..."


    "You¡¯re a shadow goblin, one of the rarest breeds of goblins across the continent," Jack called out what wasmon knowledge to him and unheard of for the whole of modern Kartonia.


    "You... you can tell with just a look?" The queen was baffled by how quickly Jack had discerned her origin. "Then you already know that I¡¯m not from that cave originally. I¡¯m thest of my tribe and was lucky to find a protector in Sd, one of my current goblin captains. With his help, I escaped my tribe¡¯s destruction while I was young. He taught me the ways of the world and helped me n my take over of the mines that he called home. After many years of training and preparations, we returned and began to develop the goblin city."


    "That exins how you arrived there, but how was your tribe destroyed? Aren¡¯t shadow goblins the most powerful goblins? Surely, there were a few goblins over lv. 50 or lv. 60, right?" questioned Jack, remembering the many times he had fought shadow goblins over lv. 70.


    "Only the tribe chief was lv. 60, but he was centuries old and dying at the time. The next strongest was lv. 53... but he wasn¡¯t enough to stop the annihtion of our tribe." The queen shook her head, averting her eyes. "After my father perished, my grandfather used his dying breath to clear a path for the others to escape. I was lucky to have Sd their to guide me and help me. The others... they never made it."


    "So, you¡¯re the tribe chief¡¯s granddaughter? That exins your powerful affinity for magic. But what was it that annihted your tribe? And what does any of that have to do with me?"


    "I¡¯ve already given up on the thought of revenge, so it¡¯s irrelevant who destroyed my tribe. My only goal now is to continue my bloodline and eventually recreate my tribe. For that, I¡¯ll need your help."

 Chapter 89 Dalieas Offer

    <h4>Chapter 89 Daliea¡°s Offer</h4>


    "Umm..." Jack hesitated to say anything as the goblin queen stepped closer. "But I-I don¡¯t even know your name. We can¡¯t just¡ª"


    "Daliea."


    The queen¡¯s interjection caught him off guard. "What?"


    "My name is Daliea Shrintal, former heir of thest tribe of shadow goblins. It is my sworn duty to carry on and recreate my tribe. In order to aplish this, who better than a hero to help my offspring grow strong." She gingerly reached out and ran her fingers down the side of his arm.


    "Whoa, whoa, hold on! Who said I was okay with this!?" yelled Jack. "There will be no such thing happening between us."


    "And why not? Do you not find me attractive?" asked Daliea.


    "You¡¯re..." Jack couldn¡¯t bring himself to finish his sentence, as he felt her soft touch and noticed the caring look in her eyes.


    "You will be treated as my king, whether you stay with me or not. What matters is that I can do my duty to my fallen people. Surely, you don¡¯t want my race to die off, do you?"


    "I never said that. Of course, I don¡¯t want it to die off, especially if you¡¯re a shadow goblin. Your race is one of the most mysterious of them all," replied Jack. "It was the most secretive and is one of the few races with life spans thatst for centuries."


    "Then help me, and I¡¯ll offer you everything I have," pled the queen, blinking and tilting her head seductively.


    "Sorry, but I don¡¯t think you have anything that I would willingly trade for my virginity," stated Jack.


    "You¡¯re still a virgin?" asked the queen, with amazement in her eyes.


    "N-no... I just..." Jack tried to take back his words but failed miserably.


    "In that case, I¡¯ll trade my virginity for yours. That is a fair trade, yes?" offered the queen.


    "Nope! I wouldn¡¯t try that on the first date, let alone before it! You don¡¯t have my consent," said Jack. "As I said, there¡¯s nothing you have that I think is worth my participation in such acts."


    "What about this?"


    "Nope, I said nothing¡ª" Jack paused when he noticed the small stack of scrolls that were ced on his bedside table. "What are those?"


    "Maps, spell scrolls, valuable information, etc. You¡¯re a smart man, so I must offer something smart men find most important, information." Daliea picked a scroll off the top and unraveled it in front of Jack. "This is a map containing the general geography of the entire continent and it contains the locations of each major city and each major trade route. Is this not worth me pleasing you?"


    Choked up by his hunger for knowledge on the current world, Jack struggled to form his reply, "Nnnnnoooo... I still can¡¯t agree to this."


    A brief sh of anger passed through the queen¡¯s eyes as she returned the map to the table as she retrieved an item from her storage ne and ced it with the scrolls. "How about now?"


    Jack¡¯s breathing grew heavy the moment he recognized the item. "Where did you get that?"


    "Near my tribe, we always found these foul beasts. During the long summers, there were so many of them that we held hunting contests and festivals to see who could capture thergest one. Why? You seem very interested in this." Daliea raised an eyebrow as if she knew exactly what she was doing.


    When Jack saw the look in Daliea¡¯s eye, he knew that he had bitten her bait. He wasn¡¯t sure how the goblin queen knew he was looking for information about Death Rattlers, but her productions of a Death Rattler stinger was too much of a coincidence.


    "You wouldn¡¯t happen to have a sample of Death Rattler poison and blood, do you?" Before he could even finish his sentence, two vials filled with differing liquids appeared on the table.


    "Done. Now, I think I¡¯ve offered more than enough considering I¡¯ll be the one pleasing you, don¡¯t you think?"


    Jack groaned, "You¡¯re not wrong... but I still can¡¯t go through with something like that with you."


    "Why not? It¡¯s because I¡¯m a goblin, isn¡¯t it? Go ahead and say it. I know most humans are repulsed by those of other races." The queen stared at him, expecting his answer.


    "That¡¯s not it," stated Jack, shaking his head. "As I said, I wouldn¡¯t even go that far with anyone after the first date."


    "First... date? What¡¯s a date?" asked the queen, struggling to figure out Jack¡¯s strange sense of priority.


    With a chuckle, Jack answered, "A date is when two people spend time together and try to get to know each other better. Sometimes it¡¯s simply going for a walk, other times it¡¯s some kind of activity."


    "Do all humans go on these ¡¯dates?¡¯"


    "Usually," persuaded Jack. "Most of the time there are multiple dates before people go that far with each other."


    "How many dates does it take?" asked Daliea with a serious determination written all over her face. "Tell me Jack, how many dates must we have before you can give me your seed?"


    Not wanting to answer, Jack tried to stall. "I¡¯m not sure, it¡¯s different with every rtionship."


    "Then how many dates must you have before you¡¯re willing? I must know!" yelled Daliea. "If you don¡¯t answer me, then I might as well take you here and now while you¡¯re unable to fight back."


    "I could still activate my bloodline skill and¡ª"


    "That would be useless against a lv. 34 shadow goblin sorcerer at your low level, wouldn¡¯t it?" interjected Daliea.


    Sinking in defeat, Jack had no choice but to answer. "Three... I would need at least three dates before I could give myself to someone."


    "Easy enough," said Daliea. She turned and began to step towards the door.


    "What¡¯s the matter with you? Where are you going now?" asked Jack.


    "I¡¯ll be extending my stay in the capital. That way, we can go on our three dates before I return to my city," answered Daliea.


    Jack opened his mouth to respond but his tongue instead, not daring to deny it out of fear that she might steal his virginity on the spot. He then remembered the stack of items and scrolls on the table and shouted, "What about all this? Are you forgetting something?"


    "Consider that a reminder of our first date," replied Daliea. She didn¡¯t give Jack a chance to refute her statement and closed the door behind her as she promptly exited.


    Jack sighed and wept with dry eyes. "First... date?" The queen¡¯sst words hit him like the rush of a cold waterfall, shocking him to his senses and leaving him with a sense of exhaustion.


    The only thing Jack wanted at that moment was some shuteye. He closed his eyes and tried his best to calm his pounding heart. After a few minutes passed, Jack was still and ready to sink into a deep sleep.


    "Hey, brat!"


    A sudden shout erupted as the door swung wide open. "The queen said something about you and her dating?"


    "No, it¡¯s not what you think you old¡ª"


    "Didn¡¯t think you had it in you, kiddo. Not many can swing that way, but I don¡¯t me yeah considering she¡¯s a rare beauty,"ughed Zariff, who was buzzed and looking for some entertainment. He then noticed the pile of good on Jack¡¯s nightstand, almost spitting out the brundy remaining in his mouth. "What did you do? How did you convince her to give you all this?"


    "I guess... we had our first date?" Jack didn¡¯t want to reason with a drunk, especially if that drunk was Zariff, who was known for his drunken mood swings.


    "For everything she left you, I think the least you could do is help her out. Besides, you¡¯re the only one who can," stated Zariff while he pocketed the vials of blood and poison, as well as the stinger.


    "Wait, you knew about that? And you let her!?" yelled Jack.


    "Of course I knew. Who else was going to help a virgin brat like you get some action? I¡¯m just trying to help," chuckled Zariff before he chugged his bottle empty. "If anything, you should be thanking me."


    "Nothing happened! Nothing!" eximed Jack. "Apparently she¡¯ll be staying longer so we can go some dates. It was the only thing I could think of to keep her from forcing the situation."


    "Why not just man up and do as she says? What, do you not find her attractive at all?"


    "That¡¯s not the point! I would never try something like that on the first date," reasoned Jack, trying his best to sound gentlemanly.


    "Wow... you really are a virgin,"ughed Zariff. "Almost any other man here would¡¯ve done anything to be in your shoes, and you gave her ame excuse like that?"


    "What¡¯s wrong with that? You wouldn¡¯t want Maura going around and doing the that with¡ª"


    "What about Maura!?" yelled Zariff, nearly causing Jack to soil his sheets. "You trying to get my daughter too? And Sliv, what about her? You¡¯re just trying to get it on with anyone, aren¡¯t you?"


    "No! Of course not! I would never try to¡ª"


    "Just shut up! And not a word about my sweet daughter got it!" Zariff looked at Jack like a dead man as he spun around and waddled out of the room, leaving Jack trying to catch his breath.

 Chapter 90 Finally Out of Bed

    <h4>Chapter 90 Finally Out of Bed</h4>


    Three more days slowly passed for Jack as his only visitors were Maura for meals, Daliea trying to have their second date, and Bowzer returning each night after spending the day with Slivia. Anxious to finally get out and move around, Jack jumped out of bed the moment his body allowed him.


    A tumult of emotions and thoughts fought inside of Jack.


    Maura seemed closed off and never bothered to chat with him. The sassy, fun-loving Maura that he had met weeks ago was long gone. In her ce was a straight-faced brte that appeared at each meal like clockwork and forced too much food down his throat to let him speak in her presence. And the few things Jack was able to mention or ask were entirely ignored as if she hadn¡¯t heard him.


    Daliea was far more persistent than Jack had imagined. It took over an hour for him to exin that her visiting him in bed wasn¡¯t a date, but he never could change her mind that their first "date" was invalid. She woulde each night to see if he could stand and go for a quick walk, always leaving in disappointment.


    Jack wasn¡¯t sure how he should handle her situation. She always said it was her duty, but she was far warmer than Maura and genuinely expressed care for him. He wanted to keep stalling and eventually reject her when he had a chance, however, there was a small part of him that felt that he shouldn¡¯t turn her away.


    One thing that didn¡¯t help at all was how Slivia never came to visit him since the night he woke up. Jack waspletely lost about how she felt for him. Previously he had guessed that she liked him and thought the kiss on the cheek was proof. Now, he hadn¡¯t seen her in days and she never bothered to check in on him, leaving him tobat Daliea¡¯s pursuits and Maura¡¯s strange change in personality.


    ¡¯Jack better?¡¯ asked Bowzer, who was woken up as he rolled off Jack¡¯s chest.


    ¡¯Yup, I¡¯m feeling a lot better!¡¯ shouted Jack. He raised his arms in excitement and got a whiff of his pits, causing him to cough and almost gag. ¡¯Wow... I need a bath... Come on Bowzer, let¡¯s go take a bath.¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer want sleep, bath with Sliv yesterday.¡¯ The fox curled up under the sheets and vanished without another word.


    Jack felt a little jealous of Bowzer, who bragged unintentionally. He then remembered the time he had almost found Slivia bathing in the woods. The picture was etched into his memory. Her loose, slightly damp shirt hugged her, and her wet golden hair hung low to dry naturally. It was a view that he¡¯d love to see again.


    Not wanting to dwell in his daydreams for too long, Jack walked towards the bathes inside the association building. It may appear rundown, but the bathes were well-maintained and always in perfect order.


    He rinsed himself in no time and sunk himself into the calming hot water. Jack could feel the energy hecked during his long time in bed seeping back into him with each passing minute.


    "Uhhhh..." Jack sighed and let himself drift in the blissful waters.


    "Ya finally feeling better?"


    "Oh... Yeah..." Jack answered Maynard casually, already aware of his presence. "It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had a nice, rxing bath."


    "I hear ya. It¡¯s one of the best ways to clear your head after an arduous mission." Maynard turned around and shouted, "Brunar, hurry up before I¡¯m boiled over."


    "Yes, Master!" replied Brunar, barreling out of the changing room and into the warm pool. "Hey Jack, how are you feeling?"


    "I¡¯m feeling great; much better now that I can move again. And there¡¯s no better way to re-energize and clear your head than a hot bath," stated Jack. "What have you been up totely? Anything exciting?"


    "I¡¯ve just been running a few errands for Master and chief Zariff. Now and again someone will stop me in the streets if they recognize me, but I love hearing their thanks and expressing my gratitude for their support. Things won¡¯t get busy till tomorrow."


    "Ya ready for your trial with the king?" asked Maynard, paying close attention to Jack¡¯s reply.


    "I guess, it¡¯s not like I have any choice. If I had my way, then that king wouldn¡¯t be a king in the first ce," berated Jack.


    "Aren¡¯t ya exaggerating a little? From what I¡¯ve seen, King Leodoro has been far more sessful than his father and deserves some praise," reasoned Maynard.


    "Why¡¯s that? Would a great king just summon a stranger, dere him as a hero, and then demand he sign away his life in servitude of a kingdom that the stranger doesn¡¯t know or understand?" said Jack.


    "True, that logic seems a bit forced. However, should a stranger ask for total trust, support, and wealth from a king before proving himself? I think there are issues on both sides of the argument," sighed Maynard, closing his eyes and returning to concentration to meditating.


    Jack rolled his eyes, unsure of how he should answer such a statement.


    "Why did you join the association instead of the Royal Court anyway?" asked Brunar. "I¡¯ve heard too many rumors to guess what¡¯s true and what¡¯s not."


    "Rumors?"


    "Yeah, every marketce is busy talking about you and why you¡¯re against the king."


    "But I never announced that I was against the king. How can that be?" Jack felt a little uneasy, especially after Maynard¡¯s verbal jab.


    "That doesn¡¯t matter because you¡¯re wanted by the Royal Court, enough so for them to pursue you legally and publicly. Just that is enough to paint you as enemies. Not everyone thinks you¡¯re a bad guy since you¡¯re a confirmed hero, but most people are unsure what tobel you." Brunar shrugged and dropped the conversation to fully sink into the rxing pool.


    Unable to satisfy his desire to know more about the rumors, Jack decided to step out early and get changed. Before Brunar and Maynard were out of the bath, Jack was already rushing to the central za to learn more firsthand.


    The sun had recently entered the sky, so most people had yet to leave their homes. In the meantime, Jack found himself walking towards Zarris¡¯ booth.


    Outside his tent and in the little booth of his wares, stood Zarris, eyeing Jack since he came into view. "Long time no see, Jack."


    "Same goes for you, Zarris. Thanks for getting that cleansing powder for us."


    "It¡¯s the least I could do for a long-time patron like Zariff, or a summoned hero like yourself." Zarris waved his hands as if the favor was easy for him. "As for the other ingredients, I haven¡¯t found out anything about Death Rattler parts anywhere."


    "Zariff didn¡¯t tell you? We got lucky and found someone with some extra Death Rattler blood and poison, so don¡¯t worry yourself over that stuff," stated Jack.


    "Seriously?" Zarris wasn¡¯t shocked, instead, he seemed a little hurt that Zariff hadn¡¯t mentioned this the day before or brought any Death Rattler part to trade.


    "Either way, the only other main ingredient we¡¯re missing is the Life Tree dew. I know you¡¯re going to tell me that you no clue where to find any, but I need to ask again. Do you know where we can find some Life Tree dew, or a life tree to extract the dew?" asked Jack.


    Zarrisughed, enjoying Jack¡¯s blunt statement. "Again, I haven¡¯t a clue where to even look for something like that. The only ce I could think of would be a massive auction, the ones big enough to attract the leaders of neighboring countries."


    "Oh?" Jack¡¯s interest was piqued, and he leaned over the booth to better listen to Zarris. "Where and when can I find one of these auctions?"


    "Hold your horses, Jack. First off, you have no funds to try and hop in on an auction of that scale. Second, the Reinolt Kingdom doesn¡¯t attract enough attention to warrant any major auctionpanies to create a branch here. The closest one would be inside the Zuran Empire, but the second isn¡¯t much farther and is probably your best bet."


    "Let me guess, the Polt Federation?"


    "Yup, you guessed it, as usual,"ughed Zarris. "Like I said though, to enter there¡¯s always a high-end buy-in, not to mention the final price of something like Life Tree dew. You¡¯d have to plea with your forgotten gods to pull something off so crazy."


    A smile immediately shed across Jack¡¯s face. "Not bad idea Zarris, I¡¯ll have to try that sometime."


    "Really!? You know how to do that!?"


    "Yes and no... but probably not. It¡¯s worth a shot," chuckled Jack. "Here, I need to trade these in. Mind taking them off my hands?"


    Three ck, leathery carcasses appeared on the tiny counter space Zarris had for his small booth. "Not bad, Light-tailed Lizards, right? Considering the condition and the size, I can offer five gold for each if I¡¯m being generous, but I¡¯ll only be generous is you remember me after you finally get ahold of your ancient gods. Understood?"


    "Of course, that¡¯s very generous of a friend like you."


    They quickly made the exchange and Jack rushed off towards the market¡¯s center, which was growing louder with passersby with passing minute. He wore a smile on his face and held onto the idea Zarris had jokingly given him.

 Chapter 91 Unplanned Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 91 Unnned Meeting</h4>


    The central za was filling with more and more people as the morning sun climbed the sky. It didn¡¯t take long for Jack to hear some of the many things people were saying about him.


    "Didn¡¯t you know? The hero denounced the king, refusing to acknowledge him."


    "The hero is so strong, he fought his way out of the castle by himself to test the strength of the king¡¯s court."


    "What a joke? He was too weak to be considered a hero and the king refused to ept him, that¡¯s what I heard."


    Each story waspletely different from the next, some angering Jack and others bringing a smile to his face. He made sure to wear the hood of his new cloak, which Zariff had given him from the scraps of the armory. It wasn¡¯t anything special and Jack was sure to rece soon, but who would expect to see a proud summoned hero in a tattered cloak?


    After getting his fill of the rumors Jack walked back to the association building. When it came into view in the distance, Jack noticed a small carriage parked outside and two hooded men guarding the entrance. As Jack neared them, the men did nothing to stop from entering.


    Jack walked past the usual crowd at the bar and asked Maura behind the reception desk, "What¡¯s going on now?"


    "We have a special guest and I¡¯ve been told to send you to the conference room the moment you return." Maura was still cold to Jack like before. She only spared him a nce as she pointed to the stairs. "Get moving, they¡¯re waiting for you."


    "Thanks..." Jack frowned when she gave him that look, unhappy with their current rtionship.


    He slowly ascended the stairs and reached the empty second floor. While he couldn¡¯t find anyone there, he soon heard some voices from behind the conference room door.


    "Is that why you came here?"


    "I told you, I¡¯m waiting for him to exin anything more."


    Recognizing his cue, Jack knocked before opening the door. "Did someone call for a hero?"


    "Hurry up and sit down, brat. We¡¯ve waited long enough," yelled Zariff. "He¡¯s here now, so speak. Why in Halmut¡¯s beard would youe here unannounced?"


    Jack stepped to the nearest seat while he scanned the room. There were seven people scattered across the massive table.


    He was happy to see Rydel and Maynard among them, and of course, Zarif was at the table¡¯s head. Assuming that the others were the remaining adventurers over lv. 30, Jack made sure to quickly memorize their faces.


    The final face he saw at the end opposite Zariff caught Jackpletely off guard, causing the hero to freeze behind the seat between Rydel and Maynard.


    "I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally here, Jack."


    "And to what do I owe the pleasure, Leodoro?"


    The king smiled; not a dark, scheming smile but a genuine grin with a soft chuckle. "I came by to announce a few things to the upper echelons of the local branch of the Adventurers Association and I insisted that you join us so I don¡¯t need to exin things twice."


    "That¡¯s kind of you," joked Jack.


    "Well, I thought it would save me some time since I also wanted to ask an audience after the meeting," said King Leodoro. "There are a couple of things I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to ask about me and the Royal Court. Am I right?"


    "Very well, I¡¯ll ept your request. Now get on with the meeting." Jack motioned for him to speed things up and not waste his time.


    "Can I have the floor, branch chief?"


    "Just take it already, we¡¯re tired of waiting," barked Zariff, leaning back further into his chair.


    "Very well." King Leodoro stood up, showing his great size that could rival Zariff. "Thank you for letting in unannounced and for keeping my presence here a secret. Honestly, this building may be the only one safe from the court¡¯s spies. The first thing I would like to say is that I¡¯m sorry for what happened to the party that recently returned from the mine and the trouble the Royal Court caused them."


    Jack, Rydel, and Maynard were silent, nodding in eptance and waiting for further exnation.


    "In recent years, my influence over the court has begun to dwindle and Arnole has taken a leading role. I shan¡¯t say too much about him, but I can say that he is far more calcting and twisted than I ever imagined. Had I known before, I never would¡¯ve allowed him to even join the Royal Court."


    "It¡¯s that bad?" asked Zariff.


    "Yes, it is," sighed the king. "I sure you¡¯re all confused by such a statement about the upstanding captain of the Royal Guard, but it¡¯s true. Had I known his true nature, Rykard would still be with us today."


    A thick sheet of silence fell over everyone, stifling anyone¡¯s thoughts to interject. Only Jack didn¡¯t understand the full meaning of that statement, but he could guess enough by the tense atmosphere.


    "So... why is it you¡¯vee here?" asked Zariff. "This appears to be a problem within the Royal Court, and we have no authority to act against them. And if Arnole holds more influence than you, thatw won¡¯t be changing anytime soon."


    "True, I¡¯ve begun to lose control of a monster I¡¯ve created, but I have no way to contain it either. I¡¯m not asking for your interference. However, I¡¯m making it clear to you all that the current Royal Court is divided. How it stands now, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if that man is grooming that idiot son of mine into his puppet as we speak. Only time can tell what his true aims are."


    "And what does that have to do with us?" Zariff stared at Leodoro, not as rivals but as acquaintances.


    "I assume you¡¯ll be expecting somepany from your headquarters within the next few months, right?" asked Leodoro.


    "Correct... but how do you know that?" replied Zariff, taken aback by the king¡¯s statement.


    "Because the news you¡¯re trying to keep under wraps will be used by Arnole as a means to frame a certain hero we both happen to know," exined King Leodoro. "I have no clue how he figured out the identity of that little fox, but I don¡¯t doubt the validity of his sources. Of course, he never told me this, but he¡¯s not the only one with moles in enemy ranks."


    "Seriously!? You mean¡ª"


    "Silence, brat! Know your ce!" yelled Zariff, effectively shutting Jack up. The Branch Chief stroked his beard in thought for a few moments before he continued, "So you n to reveal the fox as a Hell-me Fox, inciting distrust in Jack as a hero? Not a bad tactic."


    "Most likely that¡¯s the core of Arnole¡¯s n," agreed Leodoro.


    "If I may speak, I have a question for the king." Rydel raised his head, patiently waiting for the floor.


    "Speak," stated Zariff.


    Rydel rose to his feet and looked toward King Leodoro. "While we were in the mine, we encountered many unexpected events. The goblins had regrouped to the third level and created a city of their own."


    "What?" King Leodoro didn¡¯t mask the surprise on his face. "Are you serious?"


    "Yes, and that¡¯s only the beginning," exined Rydel. "The goblins had someone backing that and supplying weapons. ording to the goblin queen, this backer also formed a pact with a tribe of trolls and stationed some in the goblin pce. We had to fight not only various lv. 30 goblins, but also trolls and a troll captain who had captured and tortured numerous adventurers. Would you like to guess who discovered as the backer?"


    The king wanted to guess the Chaos Syndicate, but he kept silent, not daring to mention the syndicate casually to avoid revealing too much by ident and cing a target on his back.


    Maynard swung his arm and threw a few weapons across the table which he had retrieved from his storage.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes bulged as they recognized the crest on the hilts of each weapon, easily distinguishing them as themon weapons given to soldiers of the Royal Court. King Leodoro stiffened, not speaking or breathing.


    "Based on the picture you¡¯ve painted for us, there are a few possible oues, two of which being the most likely. The first, you¡¯re lying and trying to paint a false narrative in the hope to lower the association¡¯s influence yet again among the people after you convince us to act against you publicly in the near future. Or second, you¡¯ve lost more control of the Royal Court than you¡¯re willing to admit, and you came here begging for help from people you¡¯ve tantly opposed in the past. So, which is it?"


    Everyone paid close attention to the king, each adventurer using their own ways to decipher his bodynguage and reply.


    King Leodoro lowered his head and sighed heavily, "This Rydel... He¡¯s far more intuitive than any of my men gave him credit." He nced around the table and paused when he met the hunter¡¯s eyes. "It¡¯s the second. I admit that those are indeed our weapons and that the Royal Court had recently made a few visits to the mine, despite my knowledge of the court doing something so hard to believe. Also, I admit that my role in the Royal Court is being eclipsed by Arnole, as the second most powerful man in the kingdom."


    "Do you have any exnation for this, or will you not reveal any evidence for us to believe you?" asked Rydel.


    "I have no exnation to give you; not because Ick one, but because I simply can¡¯t. You can only trust my word. If you can¡¯t trust me, then I don¡¯t see any more reason to continue this meeting," stated the king.

 Chapter 92 Private Conversation with the King

    <h4>Chapter 92 Private Conversation with the King</h4>


    The room was quiet. Each adventurer took turns reading each other¡¯s reactions and figuring out the consensus of the room. Rydel sat down, not having anything else to say. Jack and Maynard keep their eyes focused on the king, trying to look past his trained bodynguage.


    After a couple of minutes passed, Zariff nced at everyone and stopped on Rydel, who in turn looked to Jack. When Jack shook his head, Rydel did the same.


    Zariff understood their stance and spoke up, "If you can¡¯t produce some kind of evidence, then we can¡¯t n to act with you. I want the best for the kingdom and would love to stick it to that pompous mage more than you know, but I can¡¯t do that without one hundred percent confidence that what you¡¯re saying is the truth. I¡¯m sure you understand that, Leo."


    "I do, and I don¡¯t me you. I would do the same in your shoes." King Leodoroughed and shook his head. "In that case, would you all mind leaving me alone with Jack so we can chat a little?"


    "I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t chat with everyone else here," intercepted Jack. "If you can say it to me, you can say it to everyone else."


    "Please?" the king stared at Zariff as if asking a favor of an old friend.


    "You heard him, give the two some time alone." Without another word, the branch chief stood up and immediately exited the room. Most did the same while a few stragglers, like Rydel and Maynard, took a little longer to step out.


    Once the room was clear, King Leodoro walked over to the other side of the table and sat beside Jack, turning himself to face him directly. "Now, I can finally speak to you in private."


    "What do you want? I don¡¯t want to waste my time," Jack coldly stated.


    "I¡¯m sorry if I¡¯ve caused you any harsh feelings and I hope that we can resolve those in due time. For now, I wanted to discuss a few things with you and ask your opinion on some things."


    "My opinion?"


    "Yes, I¡¯d appreciate it if you entertained a few of my thoughts," said the king. "First off, how on earth did you find a Hell-me Fox within my kingdom? Please tell me that there isn¡¯t some horde of them hidden away near here."


    Jack showed a slight smile, amused by King Leodoro¡¯s way to phrase the question, unsure if he was genuinely concerned for his people or concerned for his royal position. "I was lucky and, to my knowledge he¡¯s the only one here."


    "That¡¯s good to hear," sighed the king, appearing more at ease. "Then, on to the real matters at hand. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious about who I really am, the arrogant man you met before or the simple king you met at the meeting moments ago, right?"


    "You know how to get straight to the point, don¡¯t you?"


    "I don¡¯t like to waste my time or yours. I¡¯m a king, whether you ept me as your own ruler or not, and you¡¯re a hero, whether I ept you as an affiliate of this kingdom or not. At the very least I think we can respect that much, right Jack."


    "Correct, Leo," replied Jack, returning the casual tone.


    "Great. You may not have sworn loyalty to me, but I want to keep a friendly rtionship. I don¡¯t think either of us would benefit from having another enemy," stated King Leodoro. "I want to know where you morally stand as a hero. Are you wanting to protect others, or are you only after strength and advancement like many heroes before you?"


    "That depends on who the others are that need protecting. If they already have their own means of protection that¡¯s working just fine, then why should I interfere."


    "But what if their means of protection turned against them, then what would you do?" asked the king.


    Jack hesitated. He pondered the possible meaning behind the king¡¯s question and was shocked by the thought of the Royal Court turning against the people.


    "Obviously, the Royal Court won¡¯t turn on my people, not while I¡¯m in charge," added Leodoro.


    "But if you weren¡¯t in charge? We could all sense some fear behind your earlier statements, so who could say you¡¯d remain in power?" reasoned Jack.


    "That¡¯s why I ask, what would you do?"


    "Me..." Jack took another second to put his thoughts together. "I¡¯d do what I feel is best. If I feel that it¡¯s unjust, then I might act, but I wouldn¡¯t hold back against the aggressor."


    King Leodoro smiled. "On to the next question. What¡¯s your take on the chaos of the world? You may have not traveled much yet, but I¡¯m sure others have filled you in considering your position in the association. Also, it would appear that some of the veterans of the branch heavily consider your opinion, especially for a new adventurer."


    Jack chuckled, "Of course a king would be great at reading social cues. I understand enough to know that things are getting worse with time. What else can I say?"


    "Since that meathead Zariff and the knowledgeable Rydel trust you, I¡¯d like to do the same. You don¡¯t need to trust me, but please let me hear your full opinion on this."


    "Why are you so adamant to know more about me now? You had your chance before anyone else did? Are you regretting your decision?" sneered Jack, teasing the king.


    "I can¡¯t say I regret my decision, but not for the reasons you would think. To be honest, as much as I¡¯d like to have the influence of a summoned hero in my court, I have no way of guaranteeing that you wouldn¡¯t be influenced by that man instead of me. I prefer to have you here."


    Startled by the king¡¯s honesty, Jack replied, "Not was I was expecting to hear, but I can¡¯tin because I agree with thatst part."


    "Then tell me, why do they trust you so much as a new adventurer?" pled the king.


    "I can¡¯t say that much," stated Jack. "Like you said, I don¡¯t need to trust you right now."


    "Fair. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve already got your secrets, considering the fact that you¡¯ve already formed a mutual seal with a Hell-me Fox and you¡¯re trying to hide your level, which has rocketed to lv. 18 in a couple of weeks," mentioned King Leodoro with a cheeky smile.


    "And I¡¯m sure you love to know other people¡¯s secrets, considering your ring of omniscience that lets you read into the finer details of other people¡¯s items, levels, and more with only a nce, regardless if they conceal it," replied Jack.


    King Leodoro leaned back, amazed that such a novice adventurer could instantly recognize one of his most well-kept secrets. He quickly realized that Jack shouldn¡¯t be treated as a novice as he had done previously.


    "Well, I should be getting back soon. If I¡¯m gone too long, I¡¯m sure Arnole will realize something is up. Lastly, I want you to know that tomorrow I have no intention of capturing you or framing you for anything. I hope you can do something to keep the Royal Court from winning this case," said the king.


    "You want the Royal Court to lose that badly?"


    "Yes, I do. Why else would Ie here and mention how they n to frame you using your fox. I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle up with something to turn the tables." King Leodoro pushed off the table to stand up. "Do you have anything you¡¯d like to ask me while I¡¯m here? I can¡¯t guarantee that you¡¯ll see this side of me very often."


    "Rykard was the former crown prince, wasn¡¯t he?" asked Jack. "How did he die?"


    A frown appeared on Leodoro¡¯s visage. "ording to the record, he and his small army were in while on an official mission of the Royal Court. Off the record, I have evidence of poisoned rations and unauthorized changes in their positioning. There¡¯s no hard evidence of anything else, but Arnole and his troops were stationed near those unauthorized coordinates and their alibi isn¡¯t as solid as they believed it to be." The king¡¯s voice trailed off, not wanting to exin anything else.


    Surprised to get so much detail, Jack spoke up, "I¡¯m sorry for your losses. I didn¡¯t know the guy, but I¡¯m certain he was far better a man than that idiot crown prince I met in Baltwood."


    "He sure was," said the king. "I can count the number of people who know the truth on one hand, including you. As I said, you don¡¯t need to trust me, but please let me trust you until you can. Thank you for your time and your thoughts. Good luck for tomorrow."


    King Leodoro walked out without looking back, satisfied with the oue of his surprise visit to the association building.


    Jack continued to sit there as a couple of familiar faces walked back in and sat around him.


    Zariff was the first to speak, "So, what do we do now that they know about Bowzer?"


    "We tell the people the truth," answered Rydel. "If we announce it first and paint it as a positive in the public eye then Jack¡¯s influence will increase instead of decrease like the Royal Court wants. And if the people side with the association, who controls a Hell-me Fox, then the association can¡¯t possibly challenge it too harshly."


    "What do you think, brat?"


    Jack kept staring at the wall, distracted by his thoughts. The two others waited for him to sigh and reply, "If there¡¯s no other way, but let¡¯s keep things interesting." He finally smiled, ready to pitch his n.

 Chapter 93 Trial in the Royal Cour

    <h4>Chapter 93 Trial in the Royal Cour</h4>


    All was quiet in the association building; most people had just begun to wake up to the rising sun. A knock came to a certain door.


    "Come in you old fart!"


    Zariff chuckled as he pushed the door open and saw both Rydel and Jack already up, ready to leave at a moment¡¯s notice. "I take it you¡¯re ready?"


    "Of course," said Rydel. "Let¡¯s get this over with."


    They clumped together as they made their way through the halls and past the reception desk. As they did, a voice cried out from behind the desk, "Good luck with the trial. Don¡¯t try anything stupid, Jack."


    Jack smiled wide when he heard Maura¡¯sment and turned to face her. Sadly, by the time he looked back she was already nose-deep in her first pile of paperwork. He sighed and followed the big man out the front door in silence.


    There was no foot traffic so it didn¡¯t take long for them to reach the pce. They made sure to arrive early so they could go through the proper protocol and get checked.


    Most people would have to remove all possible weapons, but as members of the Adventurers Association, they only had to inform the guards of what types of weapons they were carrying. So long as it didn¡¯t resemble anything like a bomb, which caused massive AOE damage, they were allowed in.


    They passed security without any trouble and found themselves waiting in a building on the outskirts of the pce. That building was the Royal Courthouse, used for trials of all kinds. Soon, it would be their turn to stand before the assigned judge and plea their case.


    "Are you ready, brat? A lot of this is riding on you and that fox of yours, so don¡¯t blow it," stated Zariff.


    "Don¡¯t worry, we got this in the bag." Jack smiled, showing some unnatural excitement. "If Leo was right about him not being able to control the Royal Court, then I¡¯m sure the king won¡¯t be able to head the meeting. It¡¯ll probably be Arnole in charge of the hearing."


    "Whatever, just stick to the n and we¡¯ll find a way to make it work. Since we¡¯re association members, they can¡¯t treat us easily, so there¡¯s a good chance we can win this one," reminded Rydel. "I¡¯ll handle most of the talking, you just did your thing."


    "Yeah, yeah, we¡¯ll wait for the right moment; won¡¯t we Bowzer?"


    Bowzer¡¯s head bobbed up and down with a big smile. They could all see the excitement oozing out of the fox pup. ¡¯Bowzer ready!¡¯


    ¡¯Not yet, okay? You¡¯ve got to wait till I tell you,¡¯ reminded Jack.


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ Bowzer did his best to contain his obvious excitement.


    "Jack and Rydel of the Adventurers Associatione forward!" a guard shouted into the waiting hall. "Jack and Rydel, to the courtroom?"


    All three adventurers stood tall and took their time to enter the courtroom. The same guard who called them earlier was about to yell for them again, but he quickly noticed their high levels and the massive man in the middle of the three.


    "Thank you ... for your patience," stammered the guard as they passed him to enter the room.


    They paid the guard no attention and entered without hesitation. As they walked up the center aisle the crowd had their eyes glued to them, especially the Jack who was making his first public appearance as a summoned hero.


    The judge¡¯s seat was still vacant. There were guards everywhere, each armed and ready to intervene at the drop of a hat.


    At the side of the intiff sat Fronks and another captain of the guard. They nce at the arriving adventurers and scoffed quietly.


    To Jack¡¯s surprise, he saw no jury; there wasn¡¯t even a ce a jury could sit. He instantly realized that the entire case would be up to whoever was selected as the judge, making things more difficult andplicated.


    Jack leaned in to ask, "What level are these guards?"


    "Most are at least lv. 20 but there are three above lv. 30 spread out between each exit of the room, not including the captain sitting next to Fronks," whispered Zariff. "It would seem they have more lv. 30¡¯s then they let on."


    The crowd was filled with whispers and muffledments about theing trial. Of course, each person allowed to witness the trial had a considerable backing and a fair amount of power within the city. Well, known nobles filled the seats, paying extra to guarantee they could witness such a groundbreaking trial. Whoever won this would gain a huge boost in public influence, and the loser would lose considerable face.


    It wasn¡¯t long before a Guard Captain stepped forward and asked for the crowd to be silent. As it quieted down, the back door behind the guard opened and in walked Arnole. The mage smiled and said, "I¡¯vee to personally witness this trial and maintain fairness to whichever party is the most just. I hope you all are okay with this." He sat down before had time to reply.


    "Sure, so long as we can finally end this trial instead of prolonging it like before," stated Zariff. "As you can see, I¡¯ve produced both Rydel and Jack like you¡¯ve asked. Now, nothing is preventing us from ending this today."


    "I agree," said Arnole. "Today, this will finallye to an end."


    Fronks stood up and called out, "We would like to call our first witness to the stand."


    A man near the front of the audience stood up and made his way to the stand with no emotion on his face. He sat down quietly and met Fronks eye-to-eye. There was an unspoken signal sent between them, marking that he was fully prepared to speak what needed to be said.


    Approaching the witness stand, Fronks smirked and asked, "What are your name, upation, and social level?"


    "My name is Loranzo Curtall. I¡¯m the chief manager of the Curtall Trade Caravan and a member of the Curtall Noble Family."


    "Why is it that you¡¯ve been called here today?"


    "To bear my personal witness of the events which happened over a week ago involving those two men and yourself."


    "Good, and you hereby swear on the name of Halmut to recount the truth and nothing but the truth?"


    "Yes, of course, captain." Loranzo nodded, waiting patiently for the first question.


    "How did such an event start?" asked Fronks.


    "Me and the others in my caravan saw them speaking with your guards," said Loranzo. "I was busy handling a few issues of my own so I didn¡¯t hear the conversation, but I did hear the twang of a bow and saw that young man Jackunch an arrow aimed at you on your tform. Since he¡¯s so low-leveled he missed of course, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that he shot at a captain of the guard."


    "And what did Rydel do during this?"


    "He watched Jack take the shot and smiled. Then he also took two shots in your direction, but these were obviously aimed at the hinges of the gate¡¯s door, which shattered instantly. With that as a diversion, the two of them hurried away out of the city while the guards were left dealing with the damage caused."


    Fronks smirked, "And those damages were?"


    "First of all, the heavy gate door was destroyed. It fell and splintered against anything and everything in its way as it toppled over. The same door knocked over the guards¡¯ tform, crushed a couple of wagons, one of which was my own, and caused each trade caravan a day of travel just to wait for the heavy door to be removed. Luckily, there were no major injuries caused in all this, much due to the guards quickly acting on the situation."


    Hearing the list of damages, both Rydel and Jack wince slightly. At the moment, they knew shooting the door down would cause a lot of trouble, but it would always feel worse when you hear the exact damages and not an estimated guess.


    "Is there anything else that should be brought before the court ording to your knowledge?" asked Fronks.


    "No, nothing besides the terrible damages that they caused for no good reason." Loranzo rolled his eyes at the two adventurers across the courtroom. "Now, if I may, I must get back to work."


    "Of course, thank you for cooperation." Fronks motioned for Loranzo leave.


    As Loranzo stood, about to exit the booth, a voice called out, "Don¡¯t we also get to speak with the witness?"


    Fronks and Loranzo hesitated and looked back to the defendants¡¯ table and saw Rydel stand up. Arnole spoke up, "Of course you may. Please, wait a little longer, Loranzo."


    The caravan chief returned to his seat, trying to imagine what sort of questions Rydel may ask him after he stated his case. Unknown to him, Rydel and the others had guessed a simr testimony would be given and had their strategy of defense.

 Chapter 94 The Verdic

    <h4>Chapter 94 The Verdic</h4>


    Rydel strode towards the witness stand, crossing Fronks as he returned to the intiffs¡¯ table. The hunter smiled as genuinely as possible and looked Loranzo in eye. "You said it caused damages to your own cart as well? What kind of damages?"


    "When the guards¡¯ tform fell, it crashed into the side of our wagon, crushing a wheel and an axle. We had to bring another wagon to rece it for our journey while we repaired it," answered Loranzo, not daring to stray from the truth.


    "And you never heard anything of our conversation with the other guards?"


    "No, not over the ruckus of my party."


    "Oh, that¡¯s a shame," replied Rydel, ncing at Fronks. "It was a very informative conversation, but I guess I get to thatter. How did the damages cost you to fix the wagon?"


    "Almost thirty gold in total; we have custom wagons that built to travel between neighboring countries while maintaining the level of luxury my noble house prefers."


    "I can understand that; sounds like a fair price to me." Rydel didn¡¯t have to ask if the price was exaggerated, because he had already assumed all prices mentioned against them would be. "Since you were also a dayte on your journey, how much did you assume that the extra day of travel costed you in the end?"


    Loranzo rxed a little since there appeared to be no trap inteid in Rydel¡¯s questions. "We arrivedte for our deal and were charged an extra fifty gold by the other party for forcing them to pay an extra night¡¯s stay. It was another family from the Zuran Empire and we always meet in the middle, on the border to save us both the hassle of entering the other¡¯s country. I¡¯m sure you understand how difficult that can be."


    "Sounds like a smart n of trade to me." Rydel nodded and stroked his chin. "And you mentioned another party had their wagon damaged as well? I imagine they are also in the room, so could you please point them out to me?"


    Without hesitation, Loranzo lifted a finger toward the crowd, at the next witness the Fronks had prepared. "Anything else? I believe you¡¯ve everything I can think of."


    "No, nothing else but in total, the damages caused to you were worth a total of eighty-five gold, right?"


    "Right."


    "Very well, I have no more questions. Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule." Rydel gave a slight bow before he walked back to his seat.


    Unsure of what Rydel was hoping to aplish with his unusatory questions, Loranzo stood and left the stand, quickly making his way through the courtroom and out the door.


    "Fronks," Arnole addressed the intiffs¡¯ table, "please bring up your next witness."


    Like clockwork, Fronks called for the same man that Loranzo had pointed out and asked the same questions to condemn Rydel and Jack, receiving the same answers from a second source. And again, Rydel stepped up to ask the same questions, figuring out the cost of everything and not refuting any me.


    Next, Fronks asked for no further witnesses and waited to react to Rydel¡¯s witnesses.


    The first witness called from the defendants was Fronks, who smiled and waltzed up to the stand, eager to answer the questions prepared for him.


    "Fronks, why did insist on searching us regardless of the fact that we were members of the Adventurers Association?" asked Rydel.


    "Because, just that morning the Royal Court had passed aw stating that everyone must go through search, no matter their origin. In a neighboring country, a capital was invaded by a well-known trader and traveler with a great reputation who was possessed," answered Fronks. "That man was the vessel for a demon to pollute the entire city¡¯s water source and summon a small band of monsters within city walls. Since then, we¡¯ve decided to double down on security."


    "And howe the Adventurers Association wasn¡¯t informed of this before you acted against us? Or why wasn¡¯t it brought up the moment you tried to stop us?" Rydel red at the stone-faced Fronks.


    "Because we had to inform everyone in the city, which can¡¯t be done all at once. By the end of the night, we were able to reach the association building, just ask your chief over there." Fronks shrugged, acting like it was just protocol, not daring to reveal the fact that the samew was passed after the incident and quickly dispersed before nightfall. He waited anxiously to refute Rydel¡¯s im against thew¡¯s legitimacy.


    Rydel shook his head and sighed, "Well, how much have the damages costed the Royal Court?"


    Confused by theck of pushback he was getting, Fronks replied, "About two hundred gold for another door to bemissioned, and another hundred gold for the tform to be remade. Including some minor issues, it came to about three hundred and fifty gold."


    "That sounds about right to me," mentioned Rydel acting like he was doing some mental math. "So, it totaled three hundred and fifty gold for the Royal Court to cover the damages caused?"


    "Yes."


    "Good, then I have no more questions. Feel free to have a seat, unless you feel like questioning yourself in front of everyone," joked Rydel as he stepped back, leaving Fronks plenty of room to exit the stand.


    Fronks scratched his head and slowly returned to his seat, curious about Rydel¡¯s n to ovee this.


    "I¡¯d like to call Jack to the stand, please."


    As Jack neared the stand after Rydel¡¯smand, everyone in the courtroom glued their attention to him yet again, especially anxious to see how this would end with Rydel not refuting any me.


    "Jack, recount the experience for all us." Rydel leaned casually up against the witness stand, already sure of Jack¡¯s story.


    "We were trying to hurry and leave the city but the captain here stopped us, saying we needed to be searched," stated Jack. "When we asked for a reason, he said it was a new procedure and never mentioned a neww being passed. We were in a hurry and he seemed to be wasting our time and forcing his will upon me, so I acted. I drew my bow and shot an arrow, not at him but at the hinge of the door, which I did hit. Then you did the same, shattering the hinges easily and bringing the door toppling down."


    "Were there many wagons or caravans around?" asked Rydel.


    "Of course, when isn¡¯t there wagons and caravans near the city exits?" answered Jack, acting like he was stating the obvious.


    "And did you witness any of the damages caused personally?"


    "Like I said, we were in a hurry, so I didn¡¯t waste time looking back on my actions. All I knew was that the door toppled over and was leaning towards the guards¡¯ tform. We were long gone before we could see anything else."


    "So, you admit to instigating these damages?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m guilty of that."


    "And I was also guilty of causing the same damages?"


    "Yes, you¡¯re also guilty of that."


    "Good," replied Rydel, brandishing arge smile for everyone to see.


    The crowd, the intiffs, and even Arnole were all shocked by Jack¡¯s admittance of guilt. As the two adventurers epted all me without a single sentence of rebuttal, the courtroom was silent.


    "If I may," Zariff stood up and called for everyone¡¯s attention. "The association epts full me this and offers to pay for all damages and any possible expenses caused by the incident."


    Suddenly, a massive leather bag appeared in Zariff¡¯s outstretched hand. He unfurled his fingers around it and let it crash to the table. As it hit the table with the thud, gold spilled out and ttered over the table and floor.


    "These six hundred gold coins should be able to cover everything, right?" Zariff stared at Arnole, waiting for his reply.


    "This is... unorthodox. So, the Adventurers Association is dering themselves guilty and wishes to cover all costs?" reiterated Arnole. "I can ept the payment and lighten the punishment, but there must be something to stop you from causing you to just act out without reason."


    "But we did have a reason."


    Jack¡¯s sudden statement demanded immediate attention from Arnole and everyone else. Arnole questioned, "Then what reason did you have for this. What was more important than destroying the property of the Royal Court and others, and fleeing before facing the repercussions?"


    "Because I had to catch a Hell-me Fox."


    Silence nketed over the room, not even breathing was audible. Such a statement brought rise to everyone¡¯s worst fears, beginning from the tales of their childhood. It was a fear so terrible, that the only way to most urately depict it and stay sane, was in fairy tales.


    "I¡¯ll say it again, I had to catch a Hell-me Fox. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d rather us catch it than fight it off directly, right?" Jack began to speak again, not waiting for Arnole.


    "True, but you must have evidence of such a¡ª"


    An abrupt heatwave passed through the room the moment Bowzer leaped off Jack¡¯s shoulder and expanded torger than a troll for everyone to see. His me body mesmerized the crowd, filling them with anxiety, fear, and awe all at once.

 Chapter 95 Guilty without Punishmen

    <h4>Chapter 95 Guilty without Punishmen</h4>


    As if in a trance, everyone paid close attention to the ming fox before them. Many froze in fear, terrified that a Hell-me Fox had existed and lived so close to them, let alone inside the city. Some were stricken awe, unable to look away from the beautiful living mes at the center of the courtroom.


    Fronks¡¯ jaw dropped the moment Bowzer expanded his young fox form in a hulking me. Even the battle-hardened captain of the guard was on the verge of soiling his armor in fear.


    Arnole stood up and stared at the beast. He didn¡¯t appear to be surprised but concerned. As to what he was concerned for, no one could tell.


    "That¡¯s enough Bowzer!" Jack extended his hand and held up the back of his palm as hemanded. A sudden light appeared there, in the form of a seal.


    At the same time, the seal on Bowzer¡¯s head shone brightly for all to see. Bowzer quickly shrank down to his usual size and leaped back onto the witness stand. He kept his chest puffed up, proud of his newly asserted dominance of the crowd.


    "As you can see, he¡¯s my beastpanion and will do as I say," Jack continued his spiel. "Now, you don¡¯t need to worry about facing such a threat, instead you¡¯ll have him and myself by your side at times of crisis."


    "That may be true, but it appears that this fox is still a youth. Why would you be in such a hurry to stop a fox pup when we can already handle that much?" reasoned Arnole.


    "What about a fully-grown Hell-me Fox?" asked Jack with a wry smile. "If I can prove that we faced a fully-grown Hell-me Fox, would that be enough to clear the charges?"


    Arnole hesitated and slowed himself to not blurt out his unfiltered thoughts, so it took a second for him to reply. "If that¡¯s true, then I would be grateful for your services to protect the city. Clearly, a fully-grown Hell-me Fox would cause far more damage to the city then what you¡¯ve done, but can you prove such a thing?"


    The mage was confident that Jack and Rydel would never have the ability to face a fully-grown Hell-me Fox, whose every appearance in history is marked by cmity. If they had faced one not too far from city walls and went unseen, that would be too ridiculous to imagine.


    Jack smiled and nodded to Rydel, who retrieved a pelt from his storage without batting an eye. The young hero looked back to Arnole and asked, "Is this enough proof?"


    All eyes were on therge fur pelt in Rydel¡¯s hands. At a nce, it seemed like any other fox, but upon inspection, there were many simrities between the pelt and Bowzer¡¯s youthful fur coat.


    Doing his best to recognize the fur coat, Arnole stared at it intently. At times he thought it was from a simple brown fox, but there were some discerning differences, like a few streaks of bright red on the underbelly. They were faint, but they looked to be in the shape of mes. Hepared it with Bowzer¡¯s proudly puffed-up chest and saw subtle hints of the same subtle design growing into Bowzer¡¯s fur.


    "If you were curious, that one was Bowzer¡¯s mother," Jack continued. "I won¡¯t go into details about our battle, but I¡¯m sure your imagination can fill in the rest."


    "How were you able to do this? How could you defeat something so fearsome without us knowing or noticing anything?" asked Arnole.


    "Hunters aren¡¯t known for killing in public, they¡¯re known for killing in private and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Why else would they send Rydel and let me follow along to learn?" answered Jack, following the script that he and the others made the night before. "Are you satisfied with this evidence or not? I think the people are d to not have cmity strike or have their homes leveled in a wave of me."


    Sighing heavily, Arnole stated, "It would appear that you¡¯re not lying, but how can we guarantee that you didn¡¯t paint that on the coat? We would need to¡ª"


    "That¡¯s why we asked for help." As Jack finished his sentence, the courtroom doors flung open.


    In walked arge man, head and shoulders above the average man and rivaled only by Zariff in terms of heavy muscles. A wide smile was on his bearded face as he strolled in and made himself at home. "Finally! If this is what you say it is, I¡¯ll have to buy it off you no matter the price!"


    "Calm down, Tridon. For now, we need you to examine andpare the pup with this pelt." Rydel cut to the chase, not daring to open up a can of worms and discuss valuable exchanges publicly. "We all need to know, is it genuine?"


    Tridon chuckled and snatched the pelt from Rydel, examining its every detail. Hebed his fingers through the fine fur and took in a deep whiff of its scent. After two minutes, he lowered the pelt and walked up to the podium, eyes wide in excitement.


    Bowzer stepped back out of reflex, but he let the man get close like he promised Jack during theirte-night nning session. To make things easier, Bowzer jumped onto Tridon¡¯s arm and walked onto the man¡¯s shoulder.


    Seeing that Bowzer was so willing, Tridon¡¯s excite grew. Taking advantage of the situation, Tridon thoroughly analyzes the young fox and beganparing it with the fox pelt in his other hand.


    Five minutes passed slowly as the courtroom watched the muscr man seemingly ying with the young fox that had burst into mes moments ago. Almost everyone there was too afraid to get near Bowzer, let alone pet and y with him.


    "So, what¡¯s the verdict?" Jack¡¯s question broke the silence.


    "These two are definitely the same breed, possibly rtives like you said," answered Tridon. "I¡¯d love to examine them further and try to learn more about the mysteries of the Hell-me Foxes, but I¡¯ll have to request that you visit my home in the future."


    "Maybe, depends on how much free time I have in the near future." Jack didn¡¯t want the man to lose face since he did them ast-minute favor, but he had no intention of letting anyone experiment with Bowzer, following Zariff¡¯s warnings about Tridon specifically.


    "I look forward to it," beamed Tridon. The massive man nodded to Arnole, Zariff, and Rydel before he turned around and walked back toward the crowd. He didn¡¯t leave and he couldn¡¯t find a seat so instead, he stood there in the aisle, anxiously waiting for the end of the trial and a chance to chat with Jack personally.


    Arnole kept his neutral face, not showing appreciation or unappreciation. "Since Tridon¡¯s well known as the kingdom¡¯s best hunter and breeder, his opinion about the pelt will be heavily considered."


    "And the money? Will the wealthy Royal Court really take our money when we prevented immeasurable amounts of damage to the city?" reasoned Jack, milking the situation for everything he could.


    "Fine, that will also be under consideration," added Arnole. "Originally, we had wanted to end this today, but I think it¡¯ll take me a little while longer to decide the ultimate punishment for your rash, yet heroic actions. Give me one day to deduce the final sentence and announce it to the public."


    "Thank you," Rydel and Jack replied in unison.


    "Wait for my announcement tomorrow; until then you¡¯re free to go!" Arnole mmed a gavel on the judge¡¯s podium before quickly exiting without another word.


    Many of the noble bystanders were at a crossroads of emotion. Some were too terrified by Bowzer to approach or near Jack, while others were desirous to risk befriending Jack in the hope of gaining some future benefit.


    Zariff anticipated their thoughts easily and was already prepared to deal with them. He retrieved a sk, chugged it empty, and yelled, "Make way! We don¡¯t have time for your squabbling! If you want to meet the brat, then you¡¯ll have to send a request to the branch office. If you don¡¯t follow the usual procedure, don¡¯t me us for unusual treatment."


    The moment he finished speaking, the aisle down the middle of the crowd cleared up, giving them easy ess to the door. Only Tridon remained, still standing tall in front of the door.


    "What do you want? You already got to examine the beast," asked Zariff.


    "You know what I want, I¡¯ll do anything to get it," answered Tridon. "First off, I need that pelt. And second, I want some of the little one¡¯s blood."


    "No and no," chimed Jack. "We¡¯vepleted our deal, so that¡¯ll be that."


    "But I NEED those things, boy. As Tridon Salendar, master hunter and breeder I have the greatest collection of specimens this side of the world! With only a single drop of that pup¡¯s blood, it might be the greatest in all the continent." Tridon didn¡¯t move, more stubborn than an ox.

 Chapter 96 Its a Date?

    <h4>Chapter 96 It¡°s a Date?</h4>


    Zariff reached out and ced a hand on Tridon¡¯s shoulder and whispered into his ear, "Sorry friend, but we can¡¯t do that. The association will be paying Rydel a handsome sum for that pelt, and that pup is under the association¡¯s watch and Jack¡¯s. Unless either of them agrees wholeheartedly, you¡¯ll never get any blood or a chance to inspect him. You¡¯re lucky that you even got to handle him."


    When he finished exining things, Zariff moved the thinking Tridon to the side and led the others through the door. They made it out but halfway down the hall, a shout from the courtroom door reached them.


    "Don¡¯t think this means I won¡¯t get my hands on those things! You know me Zariff; once my mind is set on something, nothing in the world can stop me from getting it, not even you!"


    Letting out a sigh, Zariff and the others pushed forward unfazed. In the back of his head, Zariff was unsure how far Tridon would be willing to go. Considering their great friendship and the association¡¯s direct involvement, Zariff doubted that Tridon would try anything too far-fetched, but he had a sliver of doubt and worry as well.


    It was almost noon by the time they returned to the shelter of the association building, dodging crowds, people, and further questioning. As they walked in, they were greeted by a familiar, "Well, how¡¯d it go?"


    "Like expected we handled it wlessly," Jack responded and turned to see Maura, but was surprised to find Slivia instead, buried in paperwork. "Wait, where¡¯s Maura?"


    "Are you looking for me?" The familiar voice from earlier drifted over from the bar. "What? You¡¯re not happy to see Sliv on the first day of her new job?"


    "No! It¡¯s not that..." stammered Jack, trying to backpedal the conversation. He leaned on the reception desk and spoke softly, "You... you¡¯re the new receptionist? What about adventuring and finding the man who saved you?"


    Feeling Jack¡¯s sudden closeness, Slivia lifted her head from the papers and realized she was being talked to. "Um, sorry... what were you saying? I¡¯m trying to hurry and finish thest of this paperwork before my shift ends."


    "Your shift?"


    "Yeah, I have the morning shift and Maura taking the afternoon. That¡¯s what we decided." Slivia nced at Maura and smiled, happy to have a sisterly figure back in her life.


    "Oh, I didn¡¯t know that." Jack stood back up as nonchntly as his nervousness let him. "So you¡¯re almost off then, right?"


    "Yeah, why do you ask?" Slivia looked up to Jack, keeping her genuine smile.


    "Well, I¡¯ve was nning to look for something important and I thought it would help to have someone else help me," stated Jack.


    "Oh... well, I guess I could¡ª"


    "Ya need help finding something?" Another familiar voice called out from the bar. "I¡¯m sure me and Rydel can help ya find it real quick."


    "Actually, I think I¡¯m fine with only one person helping me," responded Jack, trying to cut the idea short.


    "Oh, then Rydel would be perfect with his eagle eye and everything."


    "I think Slivia¡¯s help will be more than enough," stated Jack, string down the samurai and mental saying, ¡¯Shut up! I¡¯m trying to ask her out!¡¯


    Both Rydel and Maynard exploded intoughter, catching the rest off guard. Rydel waltzed over to the seat between Maynard and Maura. He waved and said, "Well, I hope you two enjoy your date!"


    "I didn¡¯t say that¡ª"


    "I¡¯lle," Slivia replied instantly the moment she realized what Jack was trying to do. "I¡¯ll be ready in thirty minutes, so why don¡¯t you get something to eat. You missed breakfast, right?"


    Jack clutched his empty stomach and chuckled, "Okay, I¡¯ll grab a bite to eat in the meantime."


    "Great, then it¡¯s a date!" Slivia giggled and got back to work, hiding the fact that she enjoyed seeing Jack¡¯s blushing face.


    Following Rydel¡¯s example, Jack imed thest open seat on the other side of Maura. He leaned in against the bar, catching a whiff of thecquer from recent repairs. To his surprise, there was a woman in the kitchen area, secluded behind the bar.


    He stared at the women for a moment before a heavy handnded on Jack¡¯s shoulder. "Get something for the brat. This one¡¯s on the house!" The entire room went quiet as all eyes stared at their branch chief as if he had gone mad. "What? The brat saved me six hundred gold, that¡¯s worth a cheap lunch."


    As Zariff¡¯sughs filled the room, everyone rxed and got a good chuckle.


    "Coming right up!" yelled the woman. Suddenly, her speed increased three times over. She flew across the kitchen, gliding past wood-lit stoves, countertops, and cutting boards. Within minutes, she exited the kitchen with a te in hand. "Here you go, a lunch fit for a hero."


    Jack got a good look at the woman¡¯s face. She seemed familiar, but he knew that he¡¯d never met her before. The woman was beautiful, with an air of maturity to her that proved she had aged well, like a fine wine.


    When he saw the te, his mouth began to water for the first time since he was summoned. There was a perfectly cooked, medium-rare steak with an array of roasted potatoes and onions on the side, with a mushroom gravy to top it all off. The aroma was intoxicating, causing his mind to drift in anticipation of the first bite.


    "Hey! I said, ¡¯cheap lunch,¡¯ not the best in the house!" yelled Zariff, stubborn as always.


    "You know he deserves it, and this won¡¯t dent your six hundred gold," reasoned the woman, staring down Zariff as she ced the food in front of Jack. "But since you¡¯ve managed to hold onto some coin from a nned expense, you and I will have to chat about some possible ways to use the funds."


    Zariff immediately shrunk back, shaking his head rapidly. "On second thought, the brat deserves a good meal. I better hurry up and store this gold before I forget about it." Without hesitation Zariff dashed upstairs, fleeing the scene.


    Jack was too busy enjoying his meal to pay attention to the conversation between Zariff and the woman, but he was shocked to see Zariff take off without even defending himself.


    Before he could process the situation, the woman turned back to him and smiled. She slid him a cup and asked, "So, you¡¯re the hero everyone¡¯s been talking about?"


    epting the cup, Jack took a sip and was delighted to taste the exotic alcohol. He returned her nce and replied, "Yup, that¡¯s me. I¡¯m still new around here, but I¡¯m d to be a part of the association."


    "And what do you think of the branch chief? Has he been giving you a hard time?" The woman put her hands on the bar and leaned in, showing off her curvy figure. "He has a habit of messing around with new members, especially if he likes them."


    "Nah, he¡¯s hard on the outside but he¡¯s as soft as a teddy bear. The old fart has his moments and I always make sure to avoid those, but he¡¯s a great guy when you need him." Jack shrugged and took another bite.


    "And what about his daughter, Maura? I¡¯m sure you know each other well, based on her earlierments," asked the women, tilting her head ever so slightly to appear all the more seductive.


    "Hmph!" Jack coughed and pounded his chest, trying to keep down the food he had just swallowed. "I... I know her. She¡¯s a good friend I guess," he muttered and grabbed the cup to upy his mouth, not wanting to say anything else.


    "Oh? Only a friend? You don¡¯t see her as anything else¡ª"


    "Mom! That¡¯s enough!" yelled Maura, pounding her fist on the bar hard enough to rattle the cups and tes.


    Suddenly, Jack spat out his drink and coughed harshly to clear his throat in surprise. "M-Mom!?"


    The woman giggled, "Sweetie, you know I¡¯m asking for your own good. Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll learn something that you¡ª"


    "I said enough!" shouted Maura, anxious to stay out of her mother¡¯s schemes.


    "You¡¯re... her mother? So that means... you¡¯re with that old fart?" asked Jack, hesitant to ask further.


    "My husband may act like an idiot at times, but he has his redeeming qualities as well. As for my daughter, you still haven¡¯t answered my question. You never imagined anything beyond friendship?"


    "I... um..." Jack was at a loss for words as the entire room was focused on him thanks to Maura¡¯s loud interjections. He even looked back to see Slivia¡¯s gaze tracking his every action and reaction. At this moment, he just wanted to disappear.


    "You know what, you two should get going before the streets get too crowded by the noon rush. Take off now and I¡¯ll finish up the rest. Okay?" Maura interrupted again, forcibly pushing Jack off his chair towards the reception desk. "Enjoy your date!"


    Jack didn¡¯t waste a second to grab his opportunity to leave. He took Slivia by the hand, pulled her out from behind the desk, and rushed through the doorway.


    The awkward, tense atmosphere passed over quickly and everyone resumed their previous activities. Maura sat at the bar, hurriedly finishing her te to leave.


    The woman sighed, "Why do you do this? If you want to get to know him, you¡¯ll have to try better than that."


    "Who said I want to know him better?" stated Maura, cing her fork on the now empty te. "Thanks for the food, but I¡¯m needed at the front desk."


    While Maura gotfortable behind her desk, Maynard called out, "Marisha, what are ya up to this time?"


    "Nothing you need to worry about." Marisha took Maura¡¯s empty te and Jack still full te back to the kitchen, lightly shaking head as she returned to her kitchen duties.

 Chapter 97 Talking Over Some Drinks

    <h4>Chapter 97 Talking Over Some Drinks</h4>


    The moment Jack exited the association building with Slivia in tow, he felt a tug on his arm. He stopped and looked back to see her smiling from ear-to-ear.


    "So, what do you have nned?" asked Slivia.


    "Well, like I said, I¡¯ve got to look for something and it would help to have another set of eyes on hand," replied Jack, still showing some pink in his cheeks.


    "Can we get some food first? I haven¡¯t had lunch yet, and you left without finishing your food, right?"


    Jack chuckled and scratched his head. "Yeah, I guess that¡¯s fine. How about there?" He pointed across the street to Jezelle¡¯s.


    With a quick nod, Slivia grabbed Jack¡¯s arm and let him lead the way. He took a deep breath as they crossed the dirt road, calming his surprise from Slivia suddenly getting so close to him. The moment they entered, the scent of booze and roasted meat passed over them, enticing them both and leading them to some open seats at the bar.


    In a sh, Jezelle herself appeared from the back and approached the couple. "Well, well, it seems like you¡¯re doing well for yourself nowadays. What can I get you to drink?"


    Jack was about to respond when Slivia answered in his stead. "Two brundies and two house specials. Only the best for our first date."


    Jezelle smiled when she realized how confident Slivia was in iming Jack as her own. "Of course, only the best for the lovely couple," replied Jezelle before she vanished without another word, catching Jack off guard.


    Slivia looked back to Jack and asked, "I¡¯m sure a great hero like you can afford a simple special for your date, right? Anyways, I¡¯m d you finally asked me out. I almost gave up hope."


    Not having enough time to think about Jezelle¡¯s slight coldness to him, Jack responded, "Yeah, don¡¯t worry about the meal, I can take care of it."


    "Good, if not then I¡¯d have been disappointed,"ughed Slivia.


    When he saw her light-hearted smile, Jack was taken aback and paused all trains of thought. He was amazed at how close he had suddenly be with Slivia, and shocked at how their rtionship was like this despite their recentck of interactions.


    "Hello, Jack?"


    Slivia¡¯s remark woke Jack from his daydreams of her smile andughter. "Oh, sorry I spaced out for a moment there."


    "So, what¡¯s the answer?" asked Slivia.


    "Answer? To what?"


    "Jack, you¡¯re going to make me ask you again? Don¡¯t you know how embarrassing it is for a girl to ask you how you feel about here and ignore her?"


    "No, no, that¡¯s not what I was doing!" answered Jack.


    "Then why are you making me ask again?" repeated Slivia.


    "I wasn¡¯t ignoring you, I swear!" reaffirmed Jack. "Why would I ignore the girl I like? That would be the stupidest thing." As soon as the words left Jack¡¯s mouth, his eyes went wide and he was jaw went ck. He realized that he had said too much.


    While he was stammering and unable to saying anything more, Slivia started giggling. "Wow, you¡¯re more honest than I thought."


    "Well, I try, I guess," said Jack with a red face. "I¡¯m not always the, uhh... best at sharing my feelings."


    "Really?" asked Slivia. She gave him a once over, stunned to see apletely new side of Jack. "I didn¡¯t expect you to be so different."


    "What do you mean? Do you not like me?" questioned Jack with a rushed tone.


    "No, I like you too," answered Slivia with a blushing grin, "but you¡¯re not like how you were in the mine. Then, you were confident in everything and were brave enough to invade the goblin castle on your own. Seeing you so shy now, I¡¯m amazed that you¡¯re the same person."


    "I-I..." stammered Jack, unable to think of a reply.


    "Sorry about the wait." Suddenly, Jezelle reappeared with two mugs and two tes in hand. "I¡¯m sure you two will enjoy it, though maybe not as much as yourpany." With a wink to Slivia, Jezelle vanished as quickly as she appeared.


    "Finally." Slivia took a big whiff of the roast beef¡¯s aroma before nodding to Jack and waiting for him to start eating.


    With a nervous chuckle, he nodded and grabbed the fork on the side of the te. Both of them took their time with the meal, enjoying the mashed potatoes and savoring the roast beef.


    Slivia was the first to finish her meal but Jack was already on his second brundy and avoiding any conversation. She noticed this and waited patiently for him to finish his te. Soon after he was done with the meal, he attempted to grab his mug but was surprised to grab Slivia¡¯s hand instead.


    "I¡¯m still thirsty but don¡¯t want a full mug. Can I have a sip?" asked Slivia, tilting her head to show her natural charm.


    "Of-of course, go right ahead." He let her take the mug and finish the little that was left in it.


    She wiped her mouth and quietly ced the cup back down with a sigh. "Why don¡¯t you want to talk to me now? I thought you wanted to take me out?"


    Jack held his breath as he looked back at her puppy dog eyes. He swallowed some saliva in his throat before he replied, "I... I¡¯m not very experienced with girls if you haven¡¯t noticed."


    "Oh, believe me, I¡¯ve noticed," giggled Slivia. "That¡¯s fine. I¡¯m just surprised, you¡¯re like apletely different person than the Jack I know."


    "Sorry to disappoint you," sighed Jack as he lowered his head.


    "I¡¯m not."


    That quick reply was a jolt to Jack¡¯s senses, causing him to sit up and stare at the girl beside him dumbfoundedly.


    "I¡¯m not disappointed at all. If anything, I¡¯m happy. I can tell you¡¯re not trying to hide anything from me, which is a lot more than everyone else that asks me out," exined Slivia. "Oh, I forgot to ask, how old are you?"


    "I... I¡¯m twenty-two," replied Jack, still dazed from Slivia¡¯s simple reply. "And you?"


    "Hmph." Suddenly a light jab hit Jack in the side of his arm.


    "Ow, what was that for?"


    "Don¡¯t you know to never ask a woman her age?" Slivia showed a slight frown and crossed her arms. Jack was about to speak up but she added in a whisper for only Jack¡¯s ears, "Twenty-three. I¡¯m twenty-three."


    He rubbed his arm with a smile. "And you don¡¯t mind that I¡¯m younger? I heard that some girls are against that or that--"


    "I don¡¯t mind," Slivia cut him off. "As long as it¡¯s you, I¡¯m okay with that."


    Jack froze again, unsure how he should reply. A moment of silence was shared before he cleared his throat and said, "Well, we should get going if we want to find the ce I¡¯m looking for." He rushed to his feet, left the money on the bar, and turned towards the door.


    She sighed, disappointed that he hadn¡¯t said anything to acknowledge her feelings. Suddenly, a warm hand reach out and wrapped around her fingers as she turned to follow him,


    "Shall we go?" Jack looked at her with a smile, still unable to control his blushing face.


    Slivia nodded and giggled to herself as they left the tavern.


    Just then a voice rang out in Jack¡¯s mind. ¡¯Me want see Sliv too! Can mee out now?¡¯


    Jackughed and patted his side through his cloak. ¡¯Sure, you cane out now. Besides, I¡¯ll need your help to track something.¡¯


    Rustling sounds were heard as Bowzer poked his head out the cloak and leaped to the ground.


    "There you are!" Slivia rushed to pick up the kid fox and brush her fingers through his fur. "I still find it hard to believe that you¡¯re a Hell-me Fox. How did you two meet, anyway?"


    "I¡¯ll exin that on the way, but first I need his help." Jack quickly removed his storage ne and held it in front of Bowzer. "Can you pick up the scent?"


    With a quick sniff, Bowzer nodded and rushed through the streets under the midday sun with Jack and Slivia following close behind as they discussed Jack¡¯s first meeting with Bowzer. The young fox took them through some alleys to rush past the crowded streets and they soon neared the west gate.


    Considering Jack¡¯s fast rise to fame, the city guards let him pass without a single word and went about their own business.


    "Jack, where are you taking me? What are you nning?" asked Slivia with innocence in her eyes.


    "It¡¯s not like that, we¡¯re tracking another fallen hero. Remember the tomb we found in the mine? This time, it¡¯s the original owner of this ne. Without Bowzer leading the way, who knows how long it would take to find it," exined Jack. "Also, since the owner was a girl, I wonder if she left behind anything that might interest you."


    Slivia smiled softly and asked, "How do you know she was a girl?"


    "Ummm... It¡¯s a hero thing, someday I¡¯ll exin to you and the others."


    ¡¯Jack, over there,¡¯ said Bowzer as he left the main road and led them into the thickest parts of the surrounding forest.

 Chapter 98 Looting the Tomb

    <h4>Chapter 98 Looting the Tomb</h4>


    As the small party left the main road, the sounds of some distant animals were heard. Slivia frowned slightly. "Jack, are you sure about this?"


    "Of course, don¡¯t worry about it. Nothing¡¯s strong enough to threaten us around here," replied Jack. "Now, both me and Bowzer are lv. 18 and can protect you from anything."


    "Okay," agreed Slivia. She held Jack¡¯s hand a little tighter as they went further into the forest.


    On the way, they passed a few animals and even fought a few grey wolves, if you could call Bowzer one-shotting the wolves and trying to eat them alive. It took some bribing, but Jack was able to convince Bowzer to leave the corpses until they finished with the hidden tomb since they were nearly there.


    It was alreadyte afternoon with the sun beginning to set when Bowzer slowed and came to halt. ¡¯Here.¡¯


    Jack let go of Slivia¡¯s hand and approached the center of the small clearing. There were somerge rocks and a few fallen trees, but it appearedpletely normal.


    He removed his storage the ne and, like before, sliced the palm of his hand to coat the ne in blood. After he deemed it to be enough, Jack wrapped his hand in bandages to stop the blood loss.


    Slivia already expected this, but nheless, she hated to see that part of the ritual.


    "Imand thee, show me thine owner!" recited Jack, holding the ne in front of him.


    The blood began to glow as it seeped into the ne. Soon, the ne itself glowed instead, marking that they were near the tomb¡¯s entrance.


    Jack pointed in every direction and eventually walked toward arge rock that was lodged in the ground. As the ne grew brighter, Jack¡¯s smile got wider. He circled the boulder and eventually pressed the ne against one of its sides.


    Though Slivia had seen such a sight before, she was still in awe as she saw the face of the boulder deteriorate at a visible speed and leave an opening and a narrow staircase going into the depths of the rock.


    Bowzer hopped back onto Jack¡¯s shoulder as they entered with Slivia right behind them. After twenty or so steps, the saw a marble entryway with the name "PleasantLilly98" above it. Without hesitation, Jack entered.


    "Hey Jack, why are these hero names so strange?" asked Slivia.


    "Well..." Jack tried toe up with some sort of exnation but drew a nk. How do you exin aputer game to people from a time where the best mode of transportation is still horseback? "I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll exin it at some point in the future."


    "Then why not now?" Slivia was surprised, not because Jack refused to answer but because he acted like he genuinely knew the answer. "I thought I was special to you..."


    Jack sighed as he looked back at Slivia, who drooped her head and pouted with puppy dog eyes. He couldn¡¯t help but realize how much of a tease she really was. "It¡¯s tough to exin, and there¡¯s too much context for you to understand at the moment. In the future, there wille a time when I exin everything."


    "Including why you know so much weird stuff?"


    "Yes, including why I know so much," answered Jack. "But for now, let¡¯s check out the tomb and see if there¡¯s anything of value."


    She nodded with a smile, quickly walking past Jack to the chests, not giving him the chance to pocket everything before she got a good look at the treasures.


    With a light chuckle, Jack realized he had been yed. He walked beside her and looked into the chest she had opened.


    "Look, Jack, more tinum!" Slivia in awe at the chest filled to the brim with gold and tinum. "What do you say we split it 50/50?"


    Looking at her beaming smile he could only agree with a nod, nonchntly passing his hand over the chest to retrieve half the coin. She did the same and held tightly to her own storage ne, extremely proud of her findings.


    Jack couldn¡¯t help but sigh. "Since you¡¯re so excited, go ahead and open the next ones too. If there¡¯s anything you suitable for you then you can have it."


    Without a second thought, Slivia threw the open the lid of the next chest. However, the sheen in her eyes dulled and she looked very confused.


    Curious what she found, Jack nced inside and couldn¡¯t help butugh.


    "What? What¡¯s so funny? What¡¯s this supposed to be?" Slivia was very serious, forgetting her past excitementpletely.


    As Jack looked back at the chest, he let the system examine the armor inside. From a rarity standpoint, there was both a high-tier set and a peak-tier set. The high tier seemed to be that of a valkyrie and was a lv. 10 set.


    The peak-tier set¡¯s base level was 15, so it was obviously the stronger of the two, not even counting that it was peak-tier and equivalent to very rare cash items. Like the other set, it too was themed, but it¡¯s theme was probably the reason Slivia was so confused. It only had three pieces: a scanty, fine linen bottom with a soft tail at the back, a tight, bra-like top made of the same soft fabric, and a headband with plush cat ears.


    As much as Jack knew that Slivia might refuse to wear it, Jack was determined to convince her to at least try it on.


    "Slivia, you¡¯re really lucky, you know that?"


    "Really? Why¡¯s that?" asked Slivia.


    "That top set is high-tier lv. 10 valkyrie armor, much better than anything you have. It¡¯s also quite valuable and could be sold for a hefty sum," exined Jack. "What you should keep is the other set of armor."


    "What other set of armor? All I see is underwear and a furry headband," said Slivia, still confused yet happy for the valkyrie armor.


    "That is the other set," said Jack inly. "During ancient times, some things were crafted by the gods and blessed to be different. That feline armor set is one of those is far better than the other, it also happens to be peak-tier and lv. 15, perfect you."


    Though it was definitely a more powerful than the valkyrie armor, by no means was it made by the gods. Looking at the vor text, Jack knew that it was from the premium "femme feline" item set and only existed due to the desires of gamers and popr demand, despite its amazing stat boosts of course. But that wouldn¡¯t stop Jack from trying his best to see Slivia try on this outstanding armor.


    Slivia slowly turned her head to look him in the eye. "You¡¯re telling me that in ancient Kartonia, underwear was stronger than armor?"


    "In some cases, far stronger," Jack agreed with a serious nod, not daring to reveal his true intentions.


    "As much as I want to believe you, I would rather get this appraised before jumping to crazy conclusions," stated Slivia. She squinted at Jack, not buying the act for a second.


    "Fine, go ahead and store it. We¡¯ll swing by a reputable merchant on the way home," replied Jack, happy that she at least agreed to take it. "Hurry up and open thest two chests.


    She smirked at Jack and stored the two sets of armor before opening the next chest.


    Inside was exactly what Jack was expecting, a valkyrie sword and kitten mittens. Though the sword wouldn¡¯t work for Slivia, the kitten mittens were an essory and not a weapon. That way Slivia could get the stat boost while still being able to use a staff or wand for spells.


    Seeing him stare at the mittens, she let out a small grunt to catch his attention. In response, he looked back at her and said, "What? Itpletes the set of armor."


    Not wanting to believe, she swiped over them and put them in storage. Slivia then pushed him out of the way and opened thest chest.


    Inside there wasn¡¯t much. There was a map, a magic book, a scroll, and a stone talisman. While Slivia grabbed the book, scroll, and map, Jack snatched the talisman without any hesitation. Realizing that Jack found the item to be the most valuable, she asked, "What¡¯s the big deal?"


    "A tutorial stone," whispered Jack, as if talking to himself for a moment.


    "A what?"


    "It¡¯s something that all heroes of ancient Kartonia began their journeys with. Back then, everyone thought it was practically worthless, but now..." Jack stared intently at the stone talisman, examining the glyphs etched on its surface.


    "Then why is it so special now? Even more than this?" She held up the magic book, obviously treasuring the ancient magic that could be found on its pages.


    Jack only nodded without another word. He soon closed his eyes and recited, "Show me thy way, oh great diviner."


    Suddenly, the etching on the talisman burst with blinding white light. It took a few moments to dissipate, letting Jack blink and reinspect his surroundings.


    He looked at Slivia, but she appeared to be frozen in time, unmoving and not even breathing. Next, Jack looked at Bowzer on his shoulder and found the fox to be experiencing the same phenomenon. Curious what would happen, Jack ducked down and stepped backward, finding Bowzer to float in the air, unaffected by Jack no longer supporting him.


    "Enjoying yourself?"


    A serene, deep voice asked from behind Jack, yet Jack wasn¡¯t surprised or startled but was grinning from ear-to-ear.

 Chapter 99 Asking the Right Question

    <h4>Chapter 99 Asking the Right Question</h4>


    "Enjoying yourself?"


    Those two words were soft yet firm as if a whisper was able to cross endless distances. Jack took a deep breath and slowly turned around, hoping that his theory proved correct.


    The moment he looked behind him, Jack¡¯s excited smile changed into a look of confusion. He scratched his head and squinted his eyes. "Aren¡¯t you supposed toe out and let me review the tutorial by now?"


    "Indeed."


    Again the voice came from behind Jack, this time a hand alsonded on his shoulder to slowly turn him around.


    Finally, Jack came face-to-face with the person he was looking for. Aftering to Kartonia and experiencing the Achievement System, Jack was certain that this man had something to do with everything. He had more questions then he could count, and no one in all of Kartonia would be able to answer him, other than perhaps this man.


    "So, you are real," said Jack, trying to keep control of his excitement.


    The man was wearing a simple, silver robe that had an illusory glow all about him. His long hair was also silver and just as radiant. There was no sign of old age on the man¡¯s face, appearing to be in his thirties and still in his prime.


    "Of course, just as real as you, Jack," responded the man. "Or should I call you Jackson? Or maybe Jack_J? You haven¡¯t yet decided who you really are, have you?"


    That question caused each gear of thought in Jack¡¯s brain toe to a grinding halt. He sighed and silently acknowledged the inner struggle he had been facing.


    Jack didn¡¯t think much of it, but there was no use in denying that he was constantly confused about how he should behave or act. Many times, he would find himself trying to be the great Jack_J, afraid of nothing and willing to do anything to achieve his goals. Though it contradicted his previous take on life, which was to go with the flow, Jack always found it exhrating.


    "Whether you admit it or not, at some point in your life you¡¯ll have to decide who you are," continued the man. "Remember, this is no longer a game, it¡¯s your life. If you ever forget that..."


    His words trailed off as the man gazed deeper into Jack¡¯s eyes. He then asked, "Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re excited to review the tutorial, right? Shall we get started?"


    Jack snickered and smiled wryly. "Daruun, you know better than anyone that I have no need for the tutorial."


    "So... What is it you want?" asked Daruun, smiling in return.


    "I need answers and you¡¯re the only one who could possibly answer them."


    "Hmm... Considering your circumstances and the fact that you¡¯ve summoned me despite yourck of need for a tutorial, normally I wouldn¡¯t bother," answered the man. "However, for you, I can make an exception. I¡¯ll answer any three of your questions to the fullest extent. How does that sound, fair enough?"


    "Only three questions?" Jack expressed his disappointment. "You know I¡¯ve got way more than three questions!"


    "Of course I do, I know everything," chuckled Daruun. "But do you think I¡¯d let you squeeze out so much value from such a cheap trinket like a tutorial stone?"


    Understanding the meaning behind Daruun¡¯s words, Jack shrugged and replied, "Hey, it was worth a try. I guess hounding the god of fate in person is much more difficult than in-game."


    "I¡¯m d you understand. So, what is your first question?"


    Not daring to waste any questions, Jack tried his best to get any free information possible. "How about this, since I¡¯m new to Kartonia and still don¡¯t understand the basics of this new "modern" age, how about we chat first. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve beenckingpany, considering the current state of the gods."


    Daruun shed a smile and nodded. Instantly, an elegant ss table appeared between them, along with two seats. On the table was a pitcher with steam leaving the nozzle and to cups.


    "What, am I not good enoughpany to share a bottle of wine?" asked Jack as he sat down.


    "Trying to get me drunk during our first meeting?" Daruun immediately called out Jack¡¯s true intentions and casually took a seat. For the god of fate, the only man known in legend to have seen and known past, present, and future, it was simple to predict Jack¡¯s true train of thoughts. "You may be a special case, but you¡¯ve yet to prove yourself as a close friend."


    "Then I hope I get such a chance in the future," replied Jack as he poured himself a ss of tea. "So, what¡¯s up with everything nowadays?"


    "First off, know that I will not answer any questions that directly benefit you without you iming one of your questions first. Is that understood?"


    Jack nodded and said, "So, for example, say I wanted to know how your followers and temples were faring during such a decline. I¡¯m guessing that--"


    "That I would remain silent and enjoy my tea," Daruun finished Jack¡¯s sentence, making it clear to him that getting free information wouldn¡¯t be so easy.


    "Fine, fine. At least maybe you could give me some kind of information, being your most devote follower and all," reasoned Jack.


    "Since when were you a follower of mine?"ughed Daruun. "Previously you were, but currently you have no such pacts and have never visited any of my temples to make an offering."


    "Oh, so you do still have some temples after the war of the gods," said Jack with a snicker.


    "Maybe, maybe not," Daruun answered without hesitation.


    "Well, can you at least fill me in on some basic history? At least enough fill in the gap from when I was ying the game until now?"


    "I guess I can offer that much," sighed Daruun. The pitcher then floated in the air and filled Daruun¡¯s cup. After Daruun took a sip, he continued, "Your character "Jack_J" existed during the era that is now known as Ancient Kartonia. Many other heroes existed during this time as well; I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of that. Sometime after you epted the quest to escape your previous world and life, the contention between the gods grew to a point irreconcble. War broke out between heaven and hell, or more specifically between Halmut and Skaryn. Would you like to guess as to why?"


    Jack scratched his head for a moment and responded, "I would assume it was to amass more followers and influence. During the game, territories were constantly wagered during times of battle and war, so I¡¯m guessing this happened for the same reason."


    "That¡¯s definitely part of it." Daruun showed a soft smile after hearing Jack¡¯s guess. "The basic information I can offer you without wasting your questions is this. Gods are constantly in search of amassing followers and influence over mortals. The more followers and influence one has, the more powerful they be."


    "That doesn¡¯t make any sense."


    Surprised by Jack¡¯s interjection, Daruun asked, "What makes you say that?"


    "Because if that was the only reason, why are you always on the sidelines of the war? You, the most powerful of the neutral gods, never offer the typical rewards that attract the masses. If anything, you¡¯re the least followed god of them all. So, why else would they war to such extents?"


    Daruun took another sip of tea and a deep breath. His face and actions were calm, but his eyes showed surprise. He knew well that Jack would be able to figure out that much, but having a mortal exin that much right in front of him still surprised him nheless.


    "Are you trying to ask me why I did things in such an unorthodox way? I¡¯m sorry, but such a thing would require one of your precious questions."


    Jack finished his cup of tea and leaned back in his chair. "Well, what happened next? Who won? I¡¯m sure the neutral gods stayed out of it, like always."


    "Correct, we neutral gods dared not align with either side. In fact, we destroyed our own temples and shrines as the war reached its climax."


    "So, in other words, you relocated secretly before either side had a chance to keep tabs on you, right?" guessed Jack while he poured himself another cup of tea.


    There was no answer, instead, Daruun also took a sip before continuing his exnation of the war¡¯s climax, "Eventually, both sides met in a final battle and nearly wiped each other out. Most gods on either side were either killed or heavily injured. ording to history, although Halmut was gravely injured and forced into over one thousand years of rest, Skaryn was in, and thus bringing an end to the rampant chaos in Kartonia. After one hundred years, chaos slowly started to emerge again with rare beast attacks. Now that over five hundred years have passed, chaos is already back to how it was before the war of the gods, despite theck of Skaryn¡¯s presence."


    "And ording to you, what happened?"


    Chuckling heartily, Daruun replied, "Is that your first question?"


    "No."


    "Good, that would have been the wrong question to ask."


    Jack squinted his eyes in deep thought. Almost five minutes passed in silence but neither of them felt anxious and were patient with each other. Finally, Jack asked, "What is the Achievement System?"


    Suddenly Daruun stood up and showed a bright smile. "That was the right question."

 Chapter 100 The Achievement System Explained

    <h4>Chapter 100 The Achievement System Exined</h4>


    "That was the right question."


    When Jack heard Daruun¡¯s words he sighed in relief. Immediately he stood as well, d to finally understand a few things.


    "Like you may have guessed, before I exin the Achievement System I¡¯ll have to fill you on other things in order for you to fully understand. If you need me to exin anything more in-depth pertaining to your request, let me know. Now, let¡¯s have a change of scenery to make things easier to exin."


    Just then Daruun snapped and the world around them was overpowered by bright white light, forcing Jack to close his eyes. A secondter Jack sensed that the light was no longer there and he opened his eyes to a brand new scene.


    Jack was floating in the air alongside Daruun as if he were standing on the wind itself. Below them was a city filled to the brim with people going about their day.


    "I¡¯m sure you can recognize this ce," stated Daruun.


    "Gilga..." Jack easily recognized the busy marketce within Trodar¡¯s capital.


    "Right you are. More specifically, this is Gilga soon after you epted the special quest and before the godly war broke out."


    Dumbfounded, Jack¡¯s jaw went ck as he stared at the calm, casual Daruun. He was couldn¡¯t help but be surprised when he heard that he had traveled back in time.


    "Yes and no," said Daruun, catching Jack off guard. "Yes we traveled back in time to Ancient Kartonia, but we also haven¡¯t. We have no way to influence or interact with the scene before us, no matter what we try. Go ahead, I know you wanted to try and speak with someone."


    Not wasting time, Jack yelled at the top of his lungs, "Hey! It¡¯s me, Jack_J from the Trodan Council!"


    As if Jack¡¯s words were nonexistent, the rest of the world kept going without ever any intrusion from Jack¡¯s statement or presence.


    "See, there¡¯s no way for either of us," stated Daruun. Jack was about to ask something but Daruun was already answering his question before it left his mouth. "My ability as a diviner allows me to see and hear anything and everything, past, present, and future. However, I¡¯m only able to interact with the world when someone in the world initiates the interaction."


    "Basically you need us to contact you before you can do anything?"


    "Yes and no. Before I can interact with anyone or anything I do need that person to contact me first, but I can¡¯t directly alter or influence anything personally, no matter the era. I can only give guidance," exined Daruun.


    Jack nodded silently. He had read in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" that Daruun the Great Diviner was omniscient and knew all things. ording to legend, in order to gain such an ability to know and understand fate, Daruun had to revoke all authority to instigate contact with the world to avoid tampering with history.


    At first, Jack just thought it was some nice vor text. Never would he have guessed that it was 100% true.


    "The reason I brought you here was to get you in the right mindset," continued Daruun. "During this time heroes came by the thousands and roamed all of Kartonia, like you did. They all chose to align themselves with one of the many gods. The final event of the game "A Hero¡¯s Tale" was the godly war that we¡¯ve already mentioned. After that event, all characters in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" lost the ability to respawn and eventually not a single hero was left."


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Jack.


    "That answer will be for a different question," said Daruun. "Each hero that passed after the godly war entombed, but not many people kept ying after they lost the ability to respawn. I¡¯m sure you can understand why that was."


    Nodding, Jack agreed with Daruun. If you weren¡¯t able to respawn, then how could you go out and be fully confident against boss monsters and other yers? You¡¯d have to lose countless hours of game time with a single death. No one would want that to happen.


    Suddenly, Jack had a thought and asked, "What about my old character, Jack_J? Is there a tomb for him?"


    Again, that¡¯s an answer to a different question. I¡¯m bound by thews of fate to not reveal information unless granted correctly, such as answering any of your authorized questions. I can then reveal any information that might be linked to such a question, but nothing that is too unrted," exined Daruun.


    "Anyway, now that you understand that, I will exin what it means to be a summoned hero in what you know as Modern Kartonia. Summoned heroes are brought through time from Ancient Kartonia, retaining all previous strength and items on their person at the time."


    "What!?" yelled Jack. "I got ripped off! I lost everything and started back at lv. 1! That¡¯s not fair at all."


    "Let me finish," interrupted Daruun. "Typically, the hero who was summoned would be based on the items and resources used to summon them. So, if a kingdom wishes to summon a hero of a higher caliber, that kingdom would need to use resources to match. For that reason, most summoned heroes range from lv. 20 - lv. 39. You were summoned by the lowest quality summoning, which has a higher sess rate but most people look over it entirely because no one who needs a hero would want one under lv. 10."


    "But why would King Leodoro do that then? Would that be pointless?" asked Jack.


    "Not entirely, given time to level up. A summoned hero has more potential than the average adventurer, so there¡¯s a higher chance for a hero to reach higher levels. And know that he had his reasons for doing so and acting the way he did," answered Daruun. "Also, just so you know, all summoned heroes are derived from the characters that gave up the game and never logged back in. Unlike you, no yer has traversed to our world, only the character¡¯s physical body and in-game memories continue. So, yes, they know about Ancient Kartonia as well, but no, they know nothing about every being used as a character in what you call aputer game."


    "So... I¡¯m the only "yer" that was ever summoned?"


    "Correct."


    "Does that have anything to do with the Achievement System?"


    "Of course," answered Daruun. "The Achievement System was created for the use of a single person. That person would need to prove themselves in every way possible as worthy to use such a gift and change all of Kartonia."


    "Is that why I was only able to get it afterpleting that ridiculous achievement list?" asked Jack. "Don¡¯t you think such crazy achievements were a little too much?"


    "No, I don¡¯t. That¡¯s why I chose them personally," stated Daruun.


    Jack froze for a second as his brain took a moment to process the weight of Daruun¡¯s simple statement. "Wait... You chose those?"


    "Yes."


    "Then, you¡¯re also the one who transported me here?"


    "Yes."


    "And you¡¯re also the creator of the Achievement System?"


    "Yes," said Daruun with a sly smile. "As I said before, I have no ability to interact with the timeline. I never said I wasn¡¯t able to help someone else do it for me."


    "HUH!?" Jack stiffened up and groaned, shocked by Daruun¡¯s casual admittance of the truth. Suddenly, he felt an overwhelming weight of responsibility begin to weigh down on him.


    "You are the only person with the hero ss because you yourself are not from here and earned a divine boon to enter this world. You could even go so far as to say you are the only true hero in all Kartonia," exined Daruun. "Each of the three major gods during the time of the war had their means of seeking a champion, someone who could turn the tide in their favor. Though I may have been on the sidelines, I still sought out a champion, who is you."


    "But why? I thought you would be against the war?" asked Jack.


    "I am." Again, Daruun raised his hand and snapped without warning Jack.


    Once Jack blinked and let the bright lights pass he was again in the air with Daruun, except the scene below was the exact opposite. It was the same ce, yet it was in ruins with corpses scattered everywhere and rubble from all sorts of destroyed buildings.


    "This is why I¡¯m against it," said Daruun, letting the scene speak for himself.


    "This... I can¡¯t believe this happened."


    "Believe it. It happened," stated Daruun. His face was emotionless and his voice was colder. "Though it was especially gruesome in Gilga and Trodar, this happened in almost every capital city in Kartonia. Some were invaded by Skaryn¡¯s troops, others by Halmut¡¯s."


    Jack stared at the world below, trying his best to calm his boiling blood. "Who invaded Trodar?"


    "Which time?" answered Daruun, stunning Jack yet again. "Trodar was a neutral country. Most nations at the time had more support for Halmut or Skaryn, but Trodar was the only one that leaned towards we neutral gods, thanks to your Leisure Guild¡¯s influence."


    Jack was speechless, unable to fully ept the reality in front of his eyes.

 Chapter 101 Pledging to Daruun

    <h4>Chapter 101 Pledging to Daruun</h4>


    Jack took a couple of minutes to calm his mind. The river of blood in the streets caused his heart to pound as if the sight was begging for someone to seek justice for thosemon citizens who were innocently ughtered.


    Soon he asked Daruun, "Then why would both invade? I thought Skaryn was the one forcing chaos on the world?"


    "Technically, he was. But that doesn¡¯t mean that Halmut was a saint just because Skaryn wasn¡¯t," stated Daruun, catching Jack off guard yet again. "Halmut always imed to be the most powerful god and was determined to keep it that way. At the time, Trodar was arguably the most powerful nation, all the more reason for Halmut and Skaryn to covet it."


    Daruun looked back at the wide-eyed Jack. He let out a long sigh as Jack never bothered responding or looking away from the remnants of the massacre. "Don¡¯t be foolish. Remember, you only knew these people as NPC¡¯s, nothing more. Are they worth risking your life for revenge against the most powerful factions of Kartonia? Even after five centuries have already passed..."


    With a grunt, Jack finally looked back to Daruun. "So, I¡¯m just supposed to forget all of this? Wasn¡¯t Halmut the Righteous God, the yer of Evil, and the Bringer of Justice? Who will bring justice to him? Huh!?"


    "At least, not yet," interrupted Daruun.


    Jack¡¯s facial expression froze, keeping his cold eyes focused on the god before him. "What do you mean, yet? Was this all a part of your n, too?"


    "Not exactly. I will admit, I knew all along that this would happen, and I knew this would rile you up enough to agree with any n I present to you. But, do you think I wanted it to happen? Do you think I wouldn¡¯t have stopped it if I was able?" Daruun met Jack¡¯s gaze with an uncharacteristically cold re, sending chills down the hero¡¯s spine. "You know nothing of the ughter that was caused or the terror that those two have wrought. Given time you will learn more about, for now..." He didn¡¯t finish his sentence and snapped instead.


    As the lights shed, both Jack and Daruun blinked, letting their cold feelings start to subside with the change of scenery.


    Jack looked around him, surprised. They were no longer standing on air but they were walking together inside a vast temple, a demolished temple.


    "You know this Temple of Gilga was once one of thergest across the continent, the only one to ever contain shrines for more than one god. Here, each of the other six neutral gods kept a shrine. This is what it has been reduced to," said Daruun emotionlessly, as if it was meant to be.


    "And you¡¯re not mad about this?" asked Jack.


    "No, at least when inparison to everything else that has happened. Their time of judgement wille. For now, focus on what we both need you to aplish. The Achievement System was created as a means to empower you, my chosen one, to bring bnce to Kartonia. As you grow, being unaffected by the influence and benefits offered by those two power-hungry mongrels will allow you two understand the world clearly."


    Jack squinted and scratched his head. "So... in other words I¡¯m just another piece to your n."


    "Incorrect," answered Daruun while lightly shaking his head. "You are the n. Without you, everything will crumble and the world will again enter a state of catastrophic war, even worse than before."


    "How soon?"


    "Can¡¯t say, not to you at least. Such information is unnecessary for you. Now you know that the Achievement System was created specifically for you, abling you to grow at a rate unexinable to the rest of the world and to face threats that no mere mortal should," exined Daruun. "I¡¯m here to help you throughout your journey. If not, why else would I give you so much information in regards to your question? I¡¯m doing my best to give you the most information despite being restricted by thews of fate. So, please, believe me."


    It took a moment for Jack to consider Daruun¡¯s words. Having noticed that the other two main gods did so much for power, he couldn¡¯t rule out the possibility of Daruun trying to use him.


    "If I wanted to use you for my own benefit, why would I create such an achievement list as a requirement?" asked Daruun, who already knew what Jack was thinking. "Also, let me finish my exnation before you consider what you¡¯ll do next."


    Jack nodded subtly, agreeing to listen.


    The corners of Daruun¡¯s mouth turned upward. The god of fate knew that Jack would ultimately agree to work with him, especially considering their past in-game rtionship and theck of better options.


    "As you can see, this temple was demolished long ago, and as I said, it was done under mymand. The other neutral gods followed in my example with their properties, allowing us to keep others from stealing our resources and to create new shrines or temples in secret. Your Achievement System is only in its first phase. After finding my hidden temple your system will evolve to its second phase; that¡¯s what you should seek out."


    "Wait, you have a temple?" questioned Jack, startled to hear such a thing.


    "Yes, didn¡¯t I just say that? So far not a single soul has ever found it or entered it. You will be the first when the timees. Is there anything you wish for me to repeat or revisit?" asked Daruun.


    "Hmm..." sighed Jack. "No, I think that¡¯s all for this question. Now, on to my second question."


    "Already?" chuckled Daruun.


    "Yes. Where are all the temples and shrines of Modern Kartonia, both hidden and not hidden?"


    A white, toothy grin appeared on Daruun¡¯s face. "I knew I chose the right person. Normally that kind of information would be restricted to even the other neutral gods. None of them know the locations of each other¡¯s temples or shrines. I¡¯m d you¡¯re bold enough to use one of your questions for that. I¡¯ll mark the locations in your map function, but you¡¯ll have to figure out how to enter yourself."


    Without hesitation, Jack opened the menu and instantly opened his map. There he found a tab that if selected would show the locations of any temples, including those that were currently erected, those that were hidden, and those that are now in ruins.


    Jack eagerly selected it and watched multiple red dots appear across the continent and a list of the gods and their shrines on the side. He was happy with his findings, until he noticed that only twenty-six gods were listed.


    "Why isn¡¯t your temple shown?" asked Jack.


    "It is, just not on the map you¡¯ve currently uploaded into the system," answered Daruun, hinting with a smile. "If you want to gain entry and ess to any of those hidden temples then you¡¯ll have to rely on your intuition and your inventory to do so. Also, considering your friends, I¡¯d rmend they pledge to one of the neutral gods sooner, rather thanter. And make sure not to enter the temples of the other gods who are still living. Who knows what might happen if they notice your presence."


    "Thank you, Daruun." Jack bowed and smiled. He was happy that Daruun was giving a few helpful hints together with his answers. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m saving myst question for any special circumstances that mighte up."


    Suddenly, Daruun¡¯s light smile stilled and became emotionless again. "I know. I¡¯ll be waiting for our next chat."


    "You¡¯re forgetting something."


    Daruun kept staring at Jack and nodded again. "Very well. Jack, are you wanting to pledge to me and gain the benefits as a patron of the god of fate?"


    "Yes!" yelled Jack, answering the moment Daruun stopped speaking.


    "Good, I¡¯m d." Daruun raised his arm and it emitted a bright light, overwhelming Jack¡¯s vision like before. As Jack was absorbed into the light, a gentle voice reached his ears. "Just be you, Jack. You¡¯re the Achievement Junkie and you can save the world because of that."


    After the light faded, Jack found himself back in the newly discovered tomb, with Bowzer on his shoulder and Slivia walking towards him with curiosity in her eyes.


    When she received no answer from her previous question, Slivia again asked, "Why¡¯s that so special, and more so than an ancient spellbook? This is worth a fortune!"


    "Nevermind, you¡¯re right," replied Jack with a subtle shake of his head. He decided that it¡¯s best no one knew about his conversation with Daruun.


    First off, who wouldn¡¯t be intrigued to hear about a mortal conversing with a god that most of history had forgotten. If such news was leaked or discovered, he wasn¡¯t sure he could keep it safe, even with the Adventurers Association behind him. If anything, the association may take from him. Though Bowzer could be seen as extremely valuable, he had already formed his one and only bestial bond with Jack. The tutorial stone had no link with him and could technically be used by anyone, why wouldn¡¯t the association be willing to confiscate it?


    Second, Jack determined that the humble tutorial stone was possibly the greatest treasure he could get his hands on within the entire continent. Being the only patron to Daruun in all Kartonia, he was confident that he could receive more benefits from it than anyone else. And who wouldn¡¯t want the god of fate on standby to ask any question their heart desired?

 Chapter 102 Peak-Tier Equipment for Slivia

    <h4>Chapter 102 Peak-Tier Equipment for Slivia</h4>


    Slivia looked at Jack¡¯s pensive expression for a moment before she nodded and said, "Okay, then now what? How do we divide the goods?"


    Jack took the map and opened it up for them both to get a better look. To Slivia¡¯s surprise, the map was of the entire continent yet she didn¡¯t recognize it at all since it was from Ancient Kartonia, like all starter maps for new yers of "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    "Is this... Ancient Kartonia?" guessed Slivia.


    "You guessed it," said Jack with a smile and put the map away. "Let me have this, it mighte in handyter. What kind of scroll and book are those?"


    "The scroll is a one time spell I think. I don¡¯t recognize it, but what else could it be," answered Slivia. "The spellbook will teach any mage the peak-level spell me Burst! At the right merchant, we can get a fortune!"


    "Nope." Jack closed the book and pushed it into Slivia¡¯s chest. "That spellbook is for you."


    "NO!" yelled Slivia. She stored the scroll and pushed the book back to Jack. "With your me body, this spell would be perfect for you! I¡¯ve already taken two sets of armor and the spell scroll, so you can¡¯t tell me no."


    Looking into her determined gaze, Jack opened his mouth to respond but couldn¡¯t form the words. In the end, he surrendered and stored the book away. "Fine, but let me see the spell scroll. Maybe I can recognize it."


    With a satisfied smile, she took it out and held it open for him to see. After a few seconds passed she asked, "So, what do you think?"


    Jack¡¯s eyes went wide as he recognized the spell. Though it was only lv. 15, it was quite rare. He was guessing that it might be the only low-level teleportation scroll he could find without having a summoned hero make one for him.


    "You need to keep this and not show it to anyone, do you understand?" stated Jack, looking deeply into her eyes.


    "I guess, but what is it?"


    "Do you promise?" reiterated Jack. "Do you promise to not show or tell anyone and save this for emergencies?"


    "I... I promise," sighed Slivia, touched by Jack¡¯s concern for her.


    "Good," said Jack. "This is a low-level teleportation scroll that can allow you to teleport yourself anywhere within a kilometer. Nowadays these don¡¯t exist, right? So save it for when you need it most."


    Slivia¡¯s heart fluttered when she realized how much Jack cared for her. Her face softened as she nodded and put the scroll away. "I don¡¯t want to waste such a treasure, so you better protect me and keep me from using it."


    A soft chuckle sneaked out of Jack¡¯s lips. "I¡¯ll do my best. But just in case, don¡¯t hesitate to use the scroll when you need to."


    Without waiting for a reply, Jack left the tomb and returned to the forest outside. Slivia took a moment to calm her heart and followed behind him.


    Soon they were back inside the city and heading to the town square. As they entered the market, Jack grabbed Slivia hand and pulled her past numerous tents.


    She looked at his with a smile, happy to see the blush on his face. "You have a merchant in mind?"


    "Of course! Both me and Zariff know him; he¡¯s definitely the best you can find in the city." Jack ignored the many merchants trying to catch his attention with shouts and signs. It didn¡¯t take long for them to find a humble stand with an old man sitting calmly. "Let¡¯s head to the back. You¡¯ll want to see this."


    "After you," replied Zarris. The elderly merchant quickly opened the curtain and held for the couple to enter before doing the same. "Before we get to business, would you care to introduce to this lovelydy of yours? My name is Zarris."


    "Oh, she¡¯s not my--"


    "Hi, I¡¯m Slivia, Jack¡¯s girlfriend," Slivia quickly introduced herself before Jack could answer shyly by reflex.


    "Oh, that¡¯s wonderful! Then you¡¯ll share his discount whenever you want to browse my wares," said Zarris with a sly smile. " Now, what¡¯s so special that you rushed here before sunset?"


    Jack looked to Slivia and said, "Go ahead and show him the armor, the valkyrie set first."


    "Okay." Slivia walked to a nearby table and in a sh, a few matching pieces of armor appeared on it. "What do you think?"


    "Hmm..." Zarris took his time to inspect it, letting his expert poker face show his professionalism. Minutes passed and he finally looked back at the couple. "Do you already know what this is, Jack?"


    "Of course, it¡¯s a limited edition valkyrie set that was created during Ancient Kartonia. I knew you would be interested so I made sure she showed you first. What do you think it¡¯s worth?" asked Jack.


    "Are you wanting to sell it or trade? If I remember correctly, you were still searching for some rare materials, right? I could hold onto it in exchange for other products or for future trade as well," reasoned Zarris.


    "So, what value do you give a full set of high-tier armor? Shouldn¡¯t it almost be equal to a peak-tier item?" countered Jack, making sure to admit that understood the armor¡¯s rarity.


    "If it were a higher level, of course, but it¡¯s only lv. 10. Only some incredibly wealthy nobles will want something like this, so there¡¯s no real demand at the moment. But I would definitely make it worth your while in trade value."


    "Got anything you¡¯d rmend for her?" asked Jack, nudging Slivia forward.


    "If I was able to find anything about Death Rattlers nearby, then that would¡¯ve been best. However, I have some great armors that, although not high-level, are unique and stylish while still offering great boosts to your abilities."


    "She doesn¡¯t need armor; she has her own peak-tier set. What else do you have?" replied Jack.


    "Peak-tier armor set!?" yelled Zarris. He immediately cast a spell to keep any nearby ears from possibly hearing their conversation. "She has a peak-tier set!? Can you please show me?"


    "She can show you, but it¡¯s not for sale. Do you even have anything good enough to trade for it?"


    Slivia returned to the table and slightly frowned. Reluctantly, she waved her hand and retrieved her "feline femme" armor, cing it on the table.


    The moment it hit the table, Zarris appeared above it and snatched the cat ears with sparkling eyes. "This really is... Where did you find this?"


    Shocked, Slivia looked back at Jack with half a smile, unsure of what to think. She was ecstatic to have something so valuable, but it wasn¡¯t anything like she would expect peak-tier armor to be.


    "Now you¡¯ve seen it and I¡¯ve proven that I can bring you valuable items as a patron, so I look forward to us taking care of each other," answered Jack. "What do you have that can help her as a cleric, maybe a high-tier weapon, or even a peak-tier if you have one?"


    "You know that this would only cover most of a peak-tier lv. 15 weapon. If it were a lv. 15 set then maybe, but you still--"


    Suddenly, approached the table and a small pile of white coins appeared on the beside the valkyrie armor. "That should cover the rest, right? I think you¡¯re one of few people in the city with peak-tier items, right?"


    Jack showed off the tinum with a wry smile, hoping he guessed correctly about the mysterious merchant that also works with Zariff, one of the three most powerful people in the country.


    Nothing happened for a few moments as the two men stared each other down, each holding fast to their assumptions of the other. Finally, Zarris smiled and said, "I guess you¡¯ve proven to be a good enough business partner and just as mysterious myself."


    Just then a metal staff materialized in his hands. It was silver with gold ents and a cloudy white sphere embedded into the top.


    "This is a peak-tier silver staff designed to boost a cleric¡¯s healing abilities and their own health capacity at the same time. I think this would be a fair trade, right?"


    "What do you think?" Jack grabbed Slivia¡¯s hand and helped her grab the silver staff from Zarris.


    Slivia was in shock. She, who had always struggled to afford adventuring gear that wasn¡¯t preowned, hade to gain peak-tier armor and a peak-tier weapon within the span of a single day. This was too much for her to process all at once.


    "Go on, see how it feels."


    She nodded and grasped the staff tightly. Sending some of her energy into the staff, she felt a rush of pure, holy energy wash over herself. It took some time, but she eventually looked at the other two people present and said, "This is amazing..."


    "Then it¡¯s yours." Jack quickly shook Zarris¡¯s hand and continued. "Got any high-tier swords and bows for lv. 20 and lv. 25?"


    "I don¡¯t want peak-tier?" asked Zarris as two bows appeared in one hand and two swords in the other.


    "Nah, I won¡¯t be at that level long enough to be worth that much."


    "Fair enough,"ughed Zarris. "For these, two-hundred tinum is enough."


    Without a word, another pile of tinum appeared on the table and Jack stored the new weapons. "If you hear anything about the Life Tree Dew or Death Rattlers let me know."


    "Of course. Till next time," replied Zarris with a quick bow.


    Jack looked to Slivia and saw that she was still stunned to see so many things of insane value at once. "Hurry and store your armor, it¡¯s gettingte."


    Slivia snapped out of it and stored her armor. With Jack¡¯s hand in hers, they left the marketce and strolled back to the association building.

 Chapter 103 Sudden Storm

    <h4>Chapter 103 Sudden Storm</h4>


    The night winded down calmly. It seemed like any other day for most, besides the news of Jack owning a Hell-me Fox. There was a mix of emotions about it, some were filled with fear while others were filled with respect. With the support and assurance of the Adventurers Association, the general public epted the news and was eager to see what might happen in the future.


    The busiest ce of the night was the docks. Reinolt City was a well-known port city and its pier was farrger than most. Each dock had two levels, a lower at sea level and a higher level for easy entrance to the massive ships that arrived daily.


    Filled with thetest arrivals, Reinolt Pier was bustling. Dozens of deckhands were unloading and loading cargo. Sounds of crashing waves began to grow, surprising a few experienced sailors.


    "What¡¯s going on?" asked a young sailor, looking to his captain.


    "Change of ns, we¡¯re staying in Reinolt for the night. Go and get us a few rooms," replied the captain. His steely gaze pierced into the distance, trying to understand theing rise of the tides.


    Without a word, the new shipmate hurried away into the city. He wasn¡¯t alone, many others were doing the same.


    High up on one of the upper docks stood two men. One wore a full set of armor, showing his status as a city guard captain. Next to him was a weathered old man in an open blouse. The young captain looked to the old man and asked, "Got any idea what¡¯s going on? Is it just a sudden storm?"


    "I can¡¯t be sure. It seems too sudden to be natural but we didn¡¯t find anything strange before we docked," answered the man.


    The captain was surprised for a moment before he calmed his gaze. "What should we do?"


    "Brace the ships. Keep the troops on standby. Stay away from the lower docks."


    Taking the advice seriously, the captain turned to leave but heard onest thing from the old man. "Give the orders now, don¡¯t waste any time."


    Shocked by the man¡¯s stern tone, the captain walked to the edge of the upper docks and yelled, "Men! Brace all ships, double time! Hurry and leave the lower docks before high tide! We¡¯re on standby until further notice!"


    Both the old sailor and the captain left for the nearby dock house. Everyone, soldiers and sailors alike, was astonished to hear the guard captain¡¯s orders.


    Like lightning, everyone rushed with ropes to tie down the ships and leave the lower levels. As the water was rising and began to pass the lower docks thest few people managed to finish their chores and return to safety.


    They all looked out to the sea with a sigh of relief. Storm clouds were rolling in the sky and the waves were bing rougher as they crashed into the newly-braced ships.


    Back in the dock house, the old sailor continued to look at the rough weather. He felt uneasy. The old man wasn¡¯t too powerful, not even lv. 30, but his vast sailing experience let him feel that the storm wasn¡¯t anything normal.


    "How many men do you have stationed currently?" asked the old man.


    "Around fifty, but most of them are only privates stationed here for manualbor. Why?" The captain was again surprised to hear concern from the old man.


    "How many are higher than lv. 15?"


    "Maybe a dozen. Why?" replied the captain, still trying to get the old man to exin his worries.


    "Ask for back up," stated the old man.


    "Father, you know I can¡¯t do that without an exnation."


    "Trevor, just do what I said and tell them it¡¯s at my request. Send the message immediately."


    "But why? They need an exnation or I¡¯ll just look like a fool."


    The man nced at his son and shook his head. "You may be the youngest captain, but they won¡¯t me you if you¡¯re doing it for me. Now go, give themand."


    "Fine," said Trevor, who felt defeated. Whether he was able to get reinforcements or not, his reputation might take a hit. No one would want to send troops just to help prepare some ships and he was already viewed as someone who only reached his position due to his father¡¯s reputation.


    Soon word spread and the troops stationed at the dock were dumbfounded. They could see that the lower docks were already underwater and were surprised by the sudden storm, but asking for more troops when they were on standby made no sense to them.


    Themand was followed and a few messengers were sent. After a half-hour, each of the three messengers returned with an additional ten men, all of which were very reluctant to be sent to the docks.


    "Remain on standby and await further orders!"


    They all heard their captain¡¯s orders and felt dejected. None of them could understand their leader¡¯s logic and kept staring at the stormy sea.


    The young captain returned to the dock house and looked to his father. "We now have eighty men total and eighteen are above lv. 15."


    "That¡¯s all?" The old man sounded disappointed. "Ask again, this time make sure to get more above lv. 15."


    "Seriously?! I¡¯ll be aughing stock with such a ridiculousmand! We have plenty to handle the storm, especially now."


    "The storm¡¯s not what I¡¯m worried about," stated the old man.


    "What do you mean? What else is there? I don¡¯t see anything and there haven¡¯t been any unusual reports. The storm has been going on for almost an hour, it¡¯s just a sudden storm. What more could it be?"


    The man stroked his peppered beard and sighed, "I¡¯m not sure."


    Suddenly, everyone heard the creaking of wood. They all looked to one side of the docks, the side given to the Reinolt Navy.


    As the storm grew more violent, the creaking grew louder and more violent. Then, there was a snap. All eyes were on the most distant navy ship, which had broken in half and began to sink into the man-made bay.


    Trevor was stunned, unsure of what happened. He was about to step outside to the dock house balcony and give an order, but a rough, calloused hand grabbed his shoulder as his father said, "Wait. We don¡¯t know what we¡¯re up against."


    Slightly calmed by his father¡¯s words, Trevor nodded and looked back out to the docks.


    The same scene repeated itself with the next ship. Soon, almost half a dozen ships had been sunken.


    "Call for back up."


    "Men, Send word for reinforcements immediately!" Trevor yelled, no longer hesitating to follow his father¡¯s advice.


    Without question, five messengers took horses and left for the barracks, the three city gates, and the castle.


    The rest of the city guards tried to remain calm. Most had never seen battle and only became a soldier to earn a wage for manualbor while maintaining some kind of status above the norm. Those men were trembling, unsure of everything happening before their eyes.


    Most of the veterans grabbed the hilt of their swords. They understood that whatever was happening to the ships wasn¡¯t natural, and the navy ships seemed to be targeted. Waiting for the order to charge the upper docks, the veterans were determined to lead the charge and im as much glory possible. Such was the mantra of the Royal Court; glory for all is the glory of Reinolt.


    "Father, what should we do? Shall we charge?" asked Trevor, who was growing more impatient.


    "Wait. What¡¯s the point of sending your troops if you don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up against? You may be sending them to their deaths unknowingly."


    "But the ships, they¡¯re my responsibility and I--"


    "Forget the ships. Lives are what matter, not wood and rope. So long as you¡¯re men stay alive, it¡¯s a victory," reasoned the old man.


    Unable to retort his father Trevor watched on, eager to find the cause of his ships¡¯ destruction.


    Less than five minutes had passed since the first ship was destroyed, but over a dozen other navy ships had already joined it at the bottom of the bay. Reinforcements wouldn¡¯t arrive for at least another ten minutes and no one had any idea what the cause of all this was.


    Just then, thest of the twenty navy ships stationed at the pier was destroyed. The water level had already reached the upper docks and that side of the upper docks began to shake, startling everyone.


    As the water seemed to stall after reaching the upper docks, everyone could see figures swimming in the water around the shaking docks.


    Those figures didn¡¯t look human, yet they didn¡¯t look like fish either. They all thought their eyes were lying to them because those figures were the same shape as a tiger or lion. Seeing over a dozen of those underwater silhouettes sent shivers down the soldiers¡¯ spines, who couldn¡¯t even imagine what those things might be.

 Chapter 104 Emergency at the Docks

    <h4>Chapter 104 Emergency at the Docks</h4>


    The eighty soldiers stared at the shadows hiding below the water¡¯s surface.


    "Men, ready yourselves!"


    Their captain¡¯smand awoke many of them from their nightmarish imaginations. All veterans stepped forward, ready to lead the charge uponmand. Most of the inexperienced soldiers followed suit, grateful to have people to follow.


    "Father, what are those?" asked Trevor. There was a hint of fear in his voice, fear of the unknown.


    "I have no clue," replied the man. He kept staring at the watery silhouettes but couldn¡¯t ascertain anything about them. Maybe if they were above water he might have an idea.


    It didn¡¯t take long for them to see that side of the upper docks begin to splinter and be pulled under the water.


    "Father, what about the dock?" Trevor stared at his father, hoping for some kind of miracle answer.


    "Let it go. It¡¯s easier to rece a wooden dock than to rece human lives."


    "But..." Trevor couldn¡¯t think of how to reply. He didn¡¯t want to waste the lives of his men, but he would be held responsible for the pier¡¯s destruction, which would have major repercussions.


    "I know what you¡¯re thinking. Stop. Even if they removed you from your position, it would be better than you living with the regret of sending your men to useless deaths," stated the old man with a hesitant gaze, as if he were speaking from experience.


    Remembering his father¡¯s military career, Trevor nodded and continued to watch the destruction of Reinolt Pier.


    No order was given and not a single soldier moved. Fifteen minutes went by and reinforcements arrived. Another fifty men arrived with two other guard captains in the lead. "Where¡¯s the captain?" yelled one of the arriving captains.


    "Captain Fronks, Captain Prat!" Trevor¡¯s shouts grabbed their attention as he approached the troops as well. "We have no clue what the enemy is, but we know they¡¯ve targeted the navy from underwater. As the water reached the upper docks, all our stationed ships were destroyed and now the rest of the pier is in danger."


    "And what have you done to prevent this?" asked Fronks coldly.


    "Sir, there¡¯s no way for my men to fight as the enemy has yet to reveal itself and has the ability to sink the docks they would be standing on," answered Trevor.


    "Still, you must at least send a small scouting party. Maybe then we can at least learn what we¡¯re up against," retorted Fronks, who was no longer looking at the young captain. "Men, I¡¯m in charge now! You ten, go and scout the upper dock! Yell the moment you get a visual on the enemy!"


    Those ten veterans swallowed some saliva and looked at each other. They all knew that is was practically a suicide assignment. All the guards stared at Captain Fronks with despise in their eyes. No one dared say anything, but they all immediately understood that they didn¡¯t matter in his eyes.


    "Hurry up!" yelled Fronks impatiently.


    "Yes, sir!"


    The ten men drew their swords and walked out onto the upper docks carefully. The entire upper level was now swaying, affected by the underwater beasts¡¯ assault on the docks.


    "Faster, get moving!"


    Fronks orders caused the small group to grunt in displeasure, but they followed orders. They ran to the dock¡¯s edge, nearing the bestial silhouettes and the sinking end of the dock.


    Before they could reach the splintered end of the dock, more snapping and creaking was heard. The ten men came to an abrupt halt as they felt the dock beneath them quake uneasily like it was about to be torn apart.


    "Don¡¯t stop! Push forward!"


    Fronks order reached them, but they didn¡¯t dare move. They could feel that one more step might be the end of their lives.


    "That¡¯s an order! Now get--"


    Before Fronks could finish hismand, a thundering snap was heard. All the gathered soldiers trembled at the sight in front of them, even the captains.


    The dock was ripped open from below and a hole appeared beneath one of the men in the scouting party. However, that man wasn¡¯t even able to fall into the water. He had already been trapped by razor-sharp teeth and dragged under the water.


    It happened too quickly for anyone to get a good look at the beast, but they all knew it wasn¡¯t anything they had ever seen before.


    The old sailor on the balcony of the dock house was watching everything carefully. Like the others, he couldn¡¯t recognize the beast and watch in horror.


    "Fall back!" It wasn¡¯t Captain Fronks, but Trevor that gave themand to retreat.


    "No! Stand your ground!" shouted Fronks, determined to use those men as a sacrifice to learn about their foes.


    The men on the dock disregarded Fronks¡¯ order and made a mad dash back to safety, but it was toote. They were already over fifty meters away from the dock¡¯s entrance and were surrounded by water.


    Another snap was heard together with a scream as another man was dragged beneath the docks. The same thing happened to all ten of them. None had survived.


    Fronks frowned and looked back to the soldiers on standby. He fixed his gaze on a batch of inexperienced dockhands and pointed at them. "You, go onto the docks!"


    "What!?"


    They all yelled andined. Unlike most soldiers, they weren¡¯t used to the cruelty of battle and war or the coldness of amanding officer.


    "Hurry up onto the docks, or you¡¯ll be killed for treason against the Royal Court for disobeying an order!"


    Those fifty men from reinforcements surrounded the remaining seventy who were originally stationed at the pier. They showed their determination to follow their captain¡¯s orders.


    Saddened by the reality they found themselves in, those ten young soldiers eventually walked onto the docks, albeit quite slowly. At a snail¡¯s pace, they neared the ce where the past group was dragged under.


    Again, more snapping and screaming was heard as the first victims of the new group were dragged under. Those that remained alive scrambled without any organization. Some tried to run back to safety. Others epted their deaths and drew their swords, trying to maybe y one of the mysterious beasts and survive.


    More snapping urred and there was only one man left. Somehow he had managed to dodge the initial attack and dove to the side. He felt relieved but soon fell back into despair as the same beast rose out of the hole and began walking on the dock.


    Everyone was shocked and confused by the scene. They noticed that the beast was the shape and size of a lion, but had no fur or a feline head. It was covered in deep blue scales that let it blend in with the water. All four of its paws were webbed and there was a dark purple fin that ran from the top of its head to the tip of its tail. With a long serpentine neck and head, it appeared to be from the darkest nightmares of the most experienced sailors.


    The beast snarled and bit into the lone man¡¯s leg before diving back under, dragging the soldier to a watery grave.


    Every soldier was frozen where they stood. Such a beast had never been seen before and was far more fearsome than anything they had predicted.


    "Men, send word to the Adventurers Association immediately! Inform them of that over a dozen of these things are threatening the pier and we request immediate support from every able body they have!" yelled Fronks, with a tinge of fear.


    "What about the pce? Should we request the magic guard?" asked Trevor.


    "The association should be able to handle things, no need to bother the magic guard," replied Fronks, shaking his head.


    Trevor was shocked to hear such an exnation. "What do you mean? The magic guard are our sworn protectors and seniors. The association only has adventurers for hire. Of the two, clearly, the magic guard should have priority."


    "Are you saying that I don¡¯tprehend the situation enough to give the correct orders. The magic guard will be informed in time, but the association should be able to handle the situation without too many casualties." Fronks remained firm, denying any change in orders.


    Both Trevor and Captain Prat were floored by Fronks¡¯ statement. It was clear to them that he only wanted to weaken the association given the opportunity.


    Captain Prat frowned and yelled, "Men, send word the magic guard and inform them of the situation! Request backup immediately! Now, go!"


    Without dy, a messenger on horseback left before Fronks had the chance to stop him.


    Fronks looked at the other two captains and grunted unhappily. "Men, prepare to stay your ground! Before reinforcements arrive, we must hold the line! Frontlines, step forward and take on the enemy!"


    Trevor¡¯s face paled. All of his men were surrounded and pushed to the front lines, forced to be sacrificialmbs to stall for time. He had no clue how he could avoid the deaths of his men.

 Chapter 105 Rushing to the Docks

    <h4>Chapter 105 Rushing to the Docks</h4>


    Jack and Slivia had long since returned to the association building. Jack was very shy to hold Slivia¡¯s hand within the association building, but she held on extra tight to make sure he couldn¡¯t escape. This caused somemotion and rumors to develop the moment they entered the reception area.


    Each of the association members sat down to a nice meal in their small restaurant, happy to have their cook back. By the time the storm had epassed the entire town, most people were either sleeping or drinking the night away. Jack was one of the former, enjoying a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Unexpectedly, a hard knock came from the locked entrance, and everyone could here someone tried to force their way in. Then, they heard a shout from behind the door. "Come quickly! The pier is under attack! Open the door!"


    Maynard instantly appeared in front of the door and unlocked thetch, letting in a man who was soaked from head to toe.


    Everyone who had been drinking stood up and approached the armored guard as he said, "Hurry! Gather all able hands and head to the pier immediately! At least a dozen unknown monsters are destroying the docks! They¡¯ve already destroyed all navy ships and are pushing to enter the city!"


    "Boys, you heard him! Wake up thezy bodies and be back here. We¡¯re leaving in less than five minutes and anyone who¡¯ste pays a fine!" Zariff¡¯s booming voice sounded throughout the building, waking up some of the light sleepers. He looked to the drenched guard and asked seriously, "What¡¯s going on exactly? What are we up against?"


    While those two were discussing the situation, Maynard and Rydel hurried to Jack¡¯s room. They threw it open and were surprised to see Jack up and ready to go with Bowzer on his shoulder. "What took you guys so long? Let¡¯s go to the old fart and figure out more."


    Maynardughed, "I¡¯m to see ya so excited."


    "Let¡¯s not waste time. The chief should be waiting for us especially," added Rydel as he turned and led the way.


    They passed Slivia in the hallway and she asked, "What¡¯s going on Jack?"


    "I¡¯m not too sure. A guard came saying that the port was under attack. He should be exining it all now," said Jack. He grabbed her hand and hurried to the entrance. When Zariff came into view Jack asked, "Hey old fart, what¡¯s going on? What are we facing and why haven¡¯t we left yet?"


    Zariff looked back at them and smiled. "Now that you¡¯re here, brat, we can go. Everyone else, just head for the pier! We don¡¯t have any time to waste!" His loud voice echoed in the halls and alerted the other association members before the first group hurried to the back alley and left on horseback.


    Jack was surprised to see Daliea and her guards joining them on horseback. Other than those three, there were seven others in the early group: the messenger guard, Zariff, Rydel, Maynard, Brunar, Jack, and Slivia. Maura was forced to stay home with her mother, which annoyed her but she had no way to say no to her father.


    Zariff nced at the guard and asked, "Now you can tell them all what¡¯s happening. Other than the other lv. 30¡¯s who left on missions after the trial, these are the most trusted members of our branch."


    "Very well," the guard kept the lead while yelling so that everyone could hear him. "A sudden storm rolled in, and we¡¯re almost certain it had something to do with those mysterious beasts. They¡¯re the size of a lion with serpent heads and fins. All our navy ships stationed in the pier were destroyed and the upper docks were under attack when I left."


    "Who¡¯s in charge right now?" asked Rydel.


    "Captain Fronks is inmand but Captain Prat and Captain Darmut are also there to help the situation."


    "Fronks..." Rydel grunted, making sure he was loud enough for all to hear the disgust in his voice.


    "The revered captain has managed to hold off the beasts and is in the act of doing so currently. Show some respect!" shouted the guard.


    "Hey, that¡¯s enough!" yelled Zariff, startling the guard. "We don¡¯t need your lip! If there¡¯s nothing else we need to know then shut up. Other than the cleric in the back you¡¯re the weakest one here, so you don¡¯t have authority to speak down to them."


    "Hmph!" With a grunt, the guard turned back towards the road in front of him. He did, however, take a quick nce at Jack. Seeing the young Jack with a hidden level, he decided he wanted to take out some frustration on the young adventurer. "Hey you, make sure to listen to orders. Otherwise, I can¡¯t guarantee your safety."


    "Hmm... You talking to me?" asked Jack with a wry smile.


    "Of course, who else!" replied the guard.


    When the others saw the guard taunting Jack they all startedughing, which surprised the guard. The guard then asked, "What¡¯s so funny?"


    "Nothing," said Jack. "It¡¯s just that you still won¡¯t shut your yap! Keep quiet or I¡¯ll make you."


    "Don¡¯t talk back to me!" yelled the guard more infuriated than before.


    "Just a heads up," added Zariff, "I wouldn¡¯t rmend getting on Jack¡¯s bad side. You won¡¯t be able to handle him, let alone his Hell-me Fox."


    "Hell-me Fox!?" The guard¡¯s face stiffened as he looked back to Jack and saw a young fox¡¯s head poke out from under Jack¡¯s cloak. "He¡¯s the..."


    "Yup, he¡¯s the summoned hero who fought a troll captain head-to-head. He¡¯s not bad unless you get on his bad side," joked Rydel.


    The guard remained silent, no longer looking for trouble.


    After five minutes of riding, they finally reached the dock house. The party was shocked to see most of the upper dock in pieces and countless ships in ruin. Hurrying to join the fight, they rushed to the encirclement of guards, where they could hear the sounds of battle and cries of pain.


    As they neared, the guards opened up and let them in without issue. To the party¡¯s surprise, they saw over a dozenrge, blue-scaled beasts be swarmed by dozens of guards.


    When Jack saw the beasts personally, all his guesses were confirmed. Originally, he had guessed them to be a certain beast, but he had put that guess aside because they were a rare beast during Ancient Kartonia, let alone Modern Kartonia.


    "Cetus..." Jack¡¯s statement brought fear to others in his party. Jack then shouted, "Anyone under lv. 20, get back and form a perimeter! Everyone else tag team the beasts, their too quick to take on alone for anyone under lv. 30!"


    Suddenly, all the guards tense up. Almost all of them were under lv. 20, especially those young soldiers who were forced to be sacrifices by Captain Fronks.


    "Hold your positions!" a yell retorted Jack, surprising the young hero.


    "Forget your orders! Cetuses are known to disy a false level and kill their prey before you realize it!"


    As Jack responded to Captain Fronks rebuttal, he had already drawn his bow andunched an attack to the nearest cetus.


    The others in the party also took action. Zariff charged into a group of soldiers who were trying to retreat and held off three cetuses by himself. Maynard and Brunar charged ahead and tag teamed against some cetuses. Rydel was circling around the inside of the perimeter, shooting anything they tried to stop the escaping soldiers. Slivia began to go through the injured soldiers, helping them all stabilize and prevent any grave injuries. Daliea stayed back with her guards, not wanting to reveal her strength unless needed.


    Unable to recognize their true levels, Jack had to settle with using his lv. 2 bow skill to the fullest as a means to slow and corral cetuses. It was difficult and only one was killed so far thanks to Zariff, but it wasn¡¯t easy. Thirteen were left, and Jack was guessing that all of them were at least lv. 30!


    "Don¡¯t hold back! Somehow they¡¯re all at least lv. 30! Be fast but be careful!"


    Jack¡¯s warning was like an rm to the soldiers as they all took a few steps back and let the adventurers take the lead.


    "Men, focus on the perimeter! Don¡¯t get in the adventurers¡¯ way!" yelled Fronks, causing any soldiers willing to battle to leave and enter the perimeter.


    "What are you doing!" yelled Trevor. "Let¡¯s get in there and help them!"


    "We¡¯ll only get in their way. They¡¯re the Adventurers Association, and they have a Hell-me Fox on their side now. They should be able to handle it fine," said Fronks, speaking quietly yet firmly so only the captains could hear him.


    Trevor was torn at what he should do. He understood that they should help and he was happy to see the adventurers saving thest of his men, but he feared that he would get on the bad side of his seniors and they would prevent him from helping like before. He thought to himself, ¡¯What should I do?¡¯

 Chapter 106 Facing the Mysterious Cetuses

    <h4>Chapter 106 Facing the Mysterious Cetuses</h4>


    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯


    Trevor¡¯s thoughts were clouded and he felt uneasy. Not wanting to put his men back into harm¡¯s way, he struggled to give the order to help without the other captains¡¯ support.


    Jack and the others were busy facing the thirteen cetuses without any military help. He didn¡¯t expect much from Fronks but it still infuriated him nheless.


    ¡¯Bowzer, get ready to join in. Wait for a good opening to kill in one strike,¡¯ said Jack telepathically. Bowzer nodded and Jack shouted for everyone to hear, "Captains! Your men may get in our way, but you¡¯re all plenty strong. Get in here and help so we can end this, or is the Royal Court filled with cowards who only know how to ask for help?"


    Many soldiers frowned when they heard Jack¡¯s statement, but he paid them no mind. He was busyunching as many arrows as possible. He was too weak to kill them, but he could slow them and support others.


    A few seconds passed without a word from the captains and a bellowing war cry sounded out. Zariff roared at the top of his lungs, "ROOOOOAAAARR!!!"


    The nearby beasts were startled momentarily but quickly came to their senses. However, Zariff took advantage of their hesitation. A roughly chiseled war axe appeared in his hands before he swung and brutally tore the nearest cetus¡¯ neck in half.


    "Just a dozen left! Careful for stragglers!" yelled Zariff as two other cetuses surrounded him, making four in total.


    Brunar and Maynard were busy holding off four as well and Rydel had attracted two himself. The remaining two barreled toward Jack, seeming to be even faster with each sheet of rain falling over them.


    Jack looked back at Daliea and shook his head, not wanting her to step in until absolutely necessary. It would be best that she did nothing so she wouldn¡¯t attract attention. It¡¯s not everyday that a powerful unknown mage appeared in Reinolt. If people began to investigate her, it could lead to a lot of trouble.


    ¡¯Get ready, here theye. I¡¯ll distract the first one and you go for the kill.¡¯ Jack and Bowzer readied themselves for closebat. Their blood had already started burning, just waiting for the right moment to ignite their me bodies.


    Jack released onest arrow, targeting the second cetus after him to try and create a better window to attack the first. Then he stowed the bow and began to shuffle backward, keeping his eyes on the approaching cetus.


    As the cetus lunged forward and brandished its shark-like teeth at Jack it sensed that something was off.


    Suddenly, Jack¡¯s body burst into mes and grew to the size of a troll and his level jumped from lv. 18 to lv. 22. A falchion appeared in his hand and immediately began to grow read as steam formed all around him.


    Everyone watching was astonished, not knowing what to think. Even the cetus flinched back and narrowly avoided Jack¡¯s swinging de, only receiving a small cut.


    Unlucky for the cetus, it then felt its windpipe shatter. It tried to growl but copsed in Bowzer¡¯s now ming jaws. Bowzer had hidden himself in the mes on Jack¡¯s arm and instantly went for the kill after igniting his own enormous me body.


    "Hell-me Fox..." The crowd watching the fight was aghast. Their jaws were all ck as they trembled at the sight of the massive ming fox.


    The other cetus roared, filled with rage for its lostpanion. As if hearing a call for help, one cetus facing Zariff and another facing the samurais darted towards the ming duo. They all felt far more threatened by that living me which could burn despite most level differences.


    "Get back here!" Zariff tried to rush the escaping cetus but the other three covered it, letting it slip out.


    "Watch out!" After warning Jack, Maynard ran toward the one evading him. When the other three tried to cut him off, Maynard vanished from where he stood.


    Another roar sounded as Maynard¡¯s blood-red des shed into the unsuspecting cetus that attempted to charge Jack. Thatpse of attention to its enemy caused its death.


    Seeing three of those terrifying beats die in rapid session was overwhelming to the soldiers watching the onught. They had all seen dozens of men die to those things and were unable to y a single one. Witnessing five adventurers kill four without casualties was a blow to their pride as Royal Court soldiers. And seeing the Hell-me Fox in action only added to the shock, especially since Jack appeared to have the same ability.


    Trevor was astounded. "Adventurers are this strong..." He couldn¡¯t help but praise them in his heart.


    Captain Prat was also experiencing some shock. He knew about Zariff and Maynard thanks to there bloody reputation, but Rydel was only ever known as azy hunter amongst the captains. Almost out of nowhere he now appeared as a lv. 30 adventurer who could hold his own against two of those beasts, despite only stalling them.


    Fronks frowned deeply when he saw what was happening. Unlike the others, he was hoping the adventurers would experience some casualties at least.


    Unable to spare time with the crowd, Jack was busy running from the iing cetus. Bowzer managed to face one of the two after Jack, but it was ready to face the fox and wouldn¡¯t let Bowzer get any free attacks.


    As the Cetus was gaining on Jack, he was trying toe up with some kind of n. He could feel that his mes weren¡¯t as strong thanks to the rain so he wasn¡¯t fully confident he could seriously injure it with fire alone. Plus, using his fire would mean getting in range of the cetus¡¯ mouth and he wasn¡¯t willing to trade blows after what happened with the troll.


    Only secondster the cetus caught up and forced Jack to turn around. As the cetus dove at Jack with his jaws and ws, Jack sidestepped away from the cetus¡¯ head. He parried the cetus¡¯ ws with brute force with help from his scalding hot de.


    At the same time, another sword appeared in Jack¡¯s other hand. It was only lv. 15 and was amon sword but he stabbed it into the cetus¡¯ side.


    A scaping sound was heard as the scales shed with the shortsword. Some blood was seen but the wound wasn¡¯t deep. Jack was barely able to scratch it and he was already feeling exhausted.


    The cetus snarled and quickly repositioned itself before attacking again, unfazed from Jack¡¯s maneuver.


    On the sidelines, Trevor drew his sword and prepared to join the fray. He had finally made his decision, despite the obvious intentions of the other captains.


    "Hold!" Fronks stopped Trevor and grabbed his arm. "Let the adventurers handle, that¡¯s what they get paid for."


    Trevor was about to snap and yell back to Fronks but a pained cry interrupted him. He looked back and saw blood dripping from the jaws of a cetus and Jack holding his bloody right shoulder.


    "Out of my way!" yelled Trevor fuming mad.


    "Hold! That¡¯s an order from a superior officer!" retorted Fronks inly.


    Jack was cursing the Royal Court in his heart. He was now having a staredown with a cetus that he was sure was at least ten levels higher than himself. His heavy breathing brought a cruel smile to the cetus, who seemed to be ying with Jack.


    Like Jack suspected, his mes weren¡¯t able to cause much damage to the cetus despite the creature biting his me body. He wasn¡¯t sure whether it was due to the level gap, the rain, his low-leveled bloodline skill, or a mixture of each. All he knew was that he had no confidence facing the cetus alone.


    Slivia was watching on the side with terror in her eyes. She shouted, "Jack, run!"


    Not daring to look away from the beast before, Jack avoided giving it any openings to strike. HE wanted to stall as long as possible.


    Aware of Jack¡¯s n, Cetus neared Jack and lunged to him, again targeting his right side.


    Jack did his best to avoid damage but a w still shed his abdomen. He grunted in pain and saw the Cetus¡¯ manyyers of teeth reach for his neck.


    Not wanting to ept his death he stabbed with his sword but to no avail. His death seemed imminent.


    "No!" Zariff shouted and forced his way toward Jack but was constantly slowed by the cetuses. The beast appeared to change their strategy, stalling the strongest fighters while they picked off the weaker ones.


    Maynard tried to activate his sudden death skill but was shed before he could vanish, forcing him to stay with his current opponents. Rydel was under the same pressure, unable to aid Jack in any way.


    Jack could feel the cetus¡¯ warm breath. He shivered in pain and anticipation. His short-lived life as an adventurer was shing before his eyes.

 Chapter 107 Conflict of Interests

    <h4>Chapter 107 Conflict of Interests</h4>


    As Jack did his best to brace for the life-ending attack, he was frightened by the beast¡¯s roar.


    "Roooaar..."


    Suddenly, the cetus in front of Jack cried and fell to the side like a ragdoll.


    Breathing heavily, Jack tried to calm his pounding heart. He looked at the now lifeless cetus. It had been stuck to the stone ground. In its neck was a harpoon that had embedded itself in the stone, showing off the strong force that was used to throw it.


    Jack followed the path of the harpoon and saw a stout old man in a simple sailor¡¯s coat. The man was now on the edge of the battlefield and was walking casually toward the fighting.


    The old man grunted loudly with plenty of audible disdain, "Hmm... I can¡¯t believe what rubbish the court¡¯s soldiers have be. If this is what they amount to, I¡¯m d I¡¯m no longer apart of such a disgraceful group of cowards."


    When the soldiers watching the on the sidelines noticed the old man and heard his words they were taken aback. Most didn¡¯t recognize him and didn¡¯t know what to think. The few that recognized his face lowered their heads and didn¡¯t dare lookup.


    Fronks was furious. Hearing such tant disrespect was too painful for him to swallow. Captain Prat opened his mouth but said nothing in the end.


    Trevor, the old man¡¯s son, shivered. He could hear the disappointment in his father¡¯s voice and the old man looked directly at him as he emphasized the word "cowards." It was clear that his father was livid at the performance of the soldiers and utterly disappointed in his son.


    "Zariff, I¡¯ll team up with the boy! Just kill, nothing more!" As the old man shouted to Zariff he ran to Jack and asked, "Are you okay, boy? Can you keep up?"


    Jack nodded with a grunt and followed the man¡¯s lead. They hurried to help Rydel.


    Though Rydel was able to stall the beasts, he wasn¡¯t exactly a master of closebat and wasn¡¯t able to deal a killing blow to either of the beasts. In fact, he had already received some minor injuries himself and was only able to defend.


    The two cetuses tag-teaming the hunter whined and one of them ran to take on the iing duo of Jack and the old man.


    There was no hesitation as the man retrieved a cuss and fought the cetus head-on. "Boy, help your friend. Don¡¯t worry about me. Kill that one and then we¡¯ll be able to support the others together."


    Leading with his red-hot de, Jack nked the cetus facing Rydel. It went on the defensive and avoiding the falchion, but was unable to avoid the knife that hurried past its neck.


    "ROOAAARR!!"


    It roared and tried to join itspanions but was stalled again by Jack. As Jack kept the defensive, it didn¡¯t take long for Rydel to find a small window to finish shing the beast¡¯s throat, letting it fall to the ground.


    Without losing a beat, a bow appeared in Rydel¡¯s hands and began tounch an endless volley of arrows to those against Zariff, Maynard, and Brunar. Jack rushed back and bullied the cetus between him and the old man until it fell to the man¡¯s cuss.


    "Good work, boy! Now rest, we¡¯ll take it from here," said the old man with a smile. He looked back to the others and was happy to see Bowzer finish off his opponent and run to Jack¡¯s side, as well as the cleric girl who arrived with the adventurers.


    Jack watched the old man dash toward Maynard with an excited grin. He dropped his me body and some of the adrenaline in his system disappeared as more pain set in, causing him to groan.


    "Jack, are you okay?! Let me help!" Slivia got to him as fast as she could and was already casting her best healing spells.


    "I¡¯ll be okay, thanks Slivia." Jack smiled and chuckled. It felt good to see her so concerned about him.


    Bowzer deactivated his me body and jumped onto Jack¡¯s shoulders. ¡¯Jack hurt again.¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s nowhere near as bad asst time. But I am lucky that the old man joined in. If not...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack rest, need rest now,¡¯ said Bowzer as he brushed his fur against Jack¡¯s neck.


    Those three watched the others quickly pick off the remaining cetuses one-by-one and finish off the three surrounding Zariff together. They could finally let out a sigh of relief.


    "Men, gather the corpses and bring them to the pce!"


    Fronks¡¯ order sounded out for all to hear and many soldiers stepped forward, ready to follow hismand.


    "Hold up!" That yell reverberated throughout the area, making all soldiers hesitate and look up to the association chief. "We bagged all these without any of your men lifting a finger. They¡¯re our trophies, don¡¯t touch ¡¯em!"


    The men were unsure of what to do. They all meant to follow orders but Zariff was known to be a merciless man who wasn¡¯t afraid to act out if offended, and considering the strength they just witness, no one dared offend him.


    "Men, I gave an order!"


    "Shut up already!" This time it was Jack that retorted Fronks. "Our kills, our trophies. There wasn¡¯t a scratch on them by the time we showed up. Maybe if you captains weren¡¯t to chicken to join the fray we could share them, but your too shameless to admit that, aren¡¯t you?"


    Fronks red at Jack. "You..."


    Rydel chimed in, "In the contract the between the Adventurers Association and the Royal Court, it clearly states that any and all materials that were the cause of the Adventurers Association¡¯s assistance in assigned work will belong fully to the Adventurer Association. What do you have to say to that?"


    "You weren¡¯t hired as this was never officially assigned to you by a captain ormanding officer. So of course, those corpses belong--"


    "I gave the order!"


    An unexpected shout surprised everyone, especially Fronks and the old man. All eyes were on Trevor, who continued, "I send word for reinforcements. When I received so few men, I sent word to the association, isn¡¯t that right men?"


    "Yes, sir!"


    In unison, all of his remaining men instantly agreed with their captain, happy to see him finally stand against the other cruel captains.


    "You! What are you talking about?! You never--"


    "You¡¯ve already heard the witnesses, Captain Fronks. I gave the order and made an official offer to the association. They shall receive full payment for each beast killed based on their levels and will keep all corpses and materials that resulted from their work. The contract will be upheld," exined Trevor, more stern than anyone had ever seen him before.


    The old man smiled, happy to see his son finally show some backbone without his interference.


    Zariff and the others were surprised but the didn¡¯t show it, going along with Trevor¡¯s story to make sure they get what they deserve.


    "Rydel, Maynard, store the bodies. Let¡¯s hurry back and get out of this rain," ordered Zariff. He looked to the old man and gave a quick bow. "Thanks, old friend. Without you, the casualties would¡¯ve been great."


    "It¡¯s the least I could do for an old pal. To show your gratitude how about to treat me tonight?" The old man understood that it was well past midnight, but he had a lot he wanted to talk about after witnessing the Royal Court¡¯s bias against the Adventurers Association first hand.


    "Of course, my treat!"


    It took only a minute for Rydel and Maynard to gather the corpses. Everyone quickly hopped back on their horses and were joined by the old man, who had his own horse.


    In the distance, the other adventurers came into view as they were running toward the pier at full speed. When they all saw their chief preparing to leave they came to a halt, confused at it all.


    "Everything¡¯s finished here. Anyone who made the effort toe will receive a cut of the payment, with favoritism towards those that fought," stated Zariff as his group on horseback trotted past the confused adventurers.


    That group shrugged and began walking back, not caring about the rain since they were already drenched.


    While the adventurers were on the way back, the three captains were in the dock house in a heated argument.


    "What order did you give! Nonsense! Do you know what you¡¯ve done!" shouted Fronks.


    "I¡¯ve honored the Royal Court¡¯s contract with the Adventurers Association and maintained the court¡¯s honor," retorted Trevor, not backing down.


    "¡¯What a load of crap! I¡¯ll see you in martial court! After this, your title of captain will be as good as gone!"


    "Impossible! It would be your word against mine," stated Trevor.


    Fronks shook his head and smiled coldly. "No, it¡¯s OUR word against yours. Both Captain Prat and I won¡¯t stand for your foolish acts as captain. You¡¯re a dishonor to our title!"


    Before Trevor could respond, Fronks turned and stated, "Prat, let¡¯s go! We¡¯ve got a lot of paperwork to file and a traitor to report."


    With that the two captains left with their men, leaving behind the twenty or so survivors of Trevor¡¯s men. Inside the dock house, Trevor was fuming mad, again unsure of what to do next.

 Chapter 108 No Time to Relax

    <h4>Chapter 108 No Time to Rx</h4>


    Back at the association building, the small bar was lively as the misses offered everyone a round of drinks, despite the displeasure of her husband.


    At one end of the bar sat Zariff, Maynard, Rydel, and the old man. It seemed like they were all mooching off the chief personal wine supply and enjoying themselves.


    "Again, thanks Tomas. Without you, we may have lost that brat today. Here¡¯s to you!" Zariff raised his mug, leading the entire bar in toasting to the old sailor.


    "Zariff, forget about it. Old pals are meant for these things. I didn¡¯t think an old man like me would be needed, but I guess the Royal Court¡¯s grudge against you is worse than I thought," said Tomas. "With the dock destroyed and my son practically guaranteed a court-martial, I won¡¯t be able to stay at the dock house anymore."


    "Hows about you stay here? You and your boy are more than wee," offered Zariff. "We could always use some experienced hands like yours. And I heard your son¡¯s not half bad. He¡¯s already lv. 26, right?"


    Tomas nodded and sighed, "Aye, that¡¯s right. Also, I¡¯ll take you up on your offer. Might as well go all the way; where do I sign up?"


    "Seriously?" asked all three of Tomas¡¯ drinking buddies.


    "Aye. I don¡¯t want to affiliate with the court anymore. For years I¡¯ve seen them change their ways. Why else would I turn down a cushymander¡¯s position and rot away in ships and the dock house?" reasoned Tomas with a smile filled with regret.


    "That¡¯s great! With you, any naval missions and assignments will be a cinch!" Zariff shot to his feet, still sober enough to keep from wasting time with rambles and tangent conversations. "Let¡¯s get you signed up, and then we¡¯ll have another round on me, for everyone!"


    "Yeah!" everyone yelled, happy to see the chief in such a good mood and get another powerful lv. 34 adventurer.


    Back in the infirmary was a small group of people around a bed.


    "Really, Slivia, I¡¯ll be fine. I just need some rest," said Jack as heid on the bed.


    "Magic really won¡¯t help? I could at least try."


    "You¡¯ve been trying for the past half-hour, you know it won¡¯t work, sadly," sighed Jack. "In a day or two, I¡¯ll be back to perfect health. Besides, I leveled up again! Now, I¡¯m lv. 20. Who would¡¯ve thought that all of those cetuses were at least lv. 32. I made away like a bandit with EXP!"


    "That¡¯s enough! Even if you gain EXP, it doesn¡¯t mean anything if you die." Slivia¡¯s tone was harsh, yetforting. She had been extremely worried about Jack and it made it worse that her new, peak-tier staff had no ability to heal Jack. "Promise me, you won¡¯t die."


    "Slivia, I..." Jack stared into her eyes and couldn¡¯t find it in him to disappoint her. He wanted to tell her that growthes from risk, but he couldn¡¯t form the words in his mouth. Eventually, he nodded. "Slivia, I promise I won¡¯t die."


    "No matter what?"


    "Yes, no matter what," answered Jack, staring into Slivia¡¯s beautiful blue eyes.


    At Slivia¡¯s side was Maura. She busied herself by preparing Jack¡¯s things, as well as some food and water on the side table. It was easy for her to overhear the couple.


    Deep down she was envious of Slivia. It seemed easy for her to express her feelings and Maura longed to feel sofortable with someone, like Slivia was with Jack.


    Maura had considered Jack as a possible love interest in the future. She didn¡¯t have many people to choose from and Jack had always seemed different, confident yet quirky. No other boy she had met was able to get her father¡¯s approval like Jack was, so that yed a major part as well. However, just as she started to entertain the thought of her trying to pursue Jack, Slivia appeared and whisked Jack away in no time t.


    The young, twenty-year-old girl was very happy to have a sister-like figure in her life thanks to Slivia, but she was also jealous of Slivia¡¯s rtionship with Jack for multiple reasons. But Maura would never admit that to Slivia; she was too kind-hearted.


    "Here, that should do it. I¡¯ll you two love birds alone." Not giving Slivia or Jack a chance to stop her, Maura hurried out the door.


    Not sure what he should do or say next, Jack stammered, "Slivia, I... Thank you, for everything."


    "What do you mean? You don¡¯t have to thank me, this is the least I could do. If I didn¡¯t do this, I couldn¡¯t call myself your girlfriend," replied Slivia, not hiding her blushing face.


    "Sliv..." Jack was touched and at a loss for words.


    "Jack..." Slivia caressed Jack¡¯s face gently with her hand and leaned in slowly. Soon both of their lips met and they shared a moment that seemed to freeze in time.


    That soft kiss ended with both of their faces bright red. Slivia looked back to Jack and said, "I¡¯ll let you rest. I¡¯lle to check on you tomorrow, okay?"


    "Okay. Good night."


    "Night."


    After Slivia¡¯s exit, Bowzer popped his head up from under the covers. ¡¯Jack, you sleep now?¡¯


    ¡¯Not yet, I need to check a few things. Give me a few minutes.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s day had been a rollercoaster of emotions. He had gone to court, went on his first date with Slivia and they officially became a couple, he had the chance to speak face-to-face with Daruun and learn a lot of surprising information and had nearly lost his life to a surprise battle with cetuses. In all that, he never had an opportunity to sit down and go through histest update of the Achievement System.


    Rushing past the main menu and entering the achievement list, Jack¡¯s eyes went wide and his heart began to pound.


    The achievement list had grown exponentially! It was like it had been in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," filled with different achievements of all kinds. Some seemed ridiculous to aplish in real life and others seemed story-driven like they were feeding the main plot. All of his old achievements were still there and there was now a set of tabs for his achievement list to help him filter them.


    One tab was for everything, another was titled "Generated," and there was also an "Event" tab. There were even tabs for "In Progress,""Completed," and "imed." Also, there was a plus button that would let him create his own tabs and filters.


    Jack thought to himself, ¡¯This must be thanks to my pledge with Daruun. It seems like the system before was only generating its own achievements. Now that I know Daruun created the Achievement System, I can understand why all these general achievements exist.¡¯


    Jack skimmed through his updated system, curious to see what else his pledge to Daruun may have changed or caused. Soon he found himself in the "Events" tab and was surprised to find two achievements listed and not one. There was still the [Infestation] achievement but there was now also an achievementbeled [Internal Conflict] below it. He opened it, curious to see what it entailed.


    [Internal Conflict: In Progress]


    [Discover the cause of the internal conflict within Reinolt City. Reward: varies on means ofpletion. Event reward: 40 skill points.]


    Intrigued to learn more about it, Jack exited the [Internal Conflict] achievement and sighed. However, something else caught his attention. He nced back over the [Infestation] achievement and swallowed some saliva.


    [Infestation: In Progress]


    ording to his system, the infestation wasn¡¯t over. This was startling for him as he began to run all kinds of scenarios in his head.


    Now that he knew what kind of beast he was dealing with, it made his guessing easier. But, it left him with more uneasiness since he knew how powerful cetuses could be.


    If the infestation was anything like the in-game events, infestations always happened in waves until you eventually clear the minions and face a high-level boss. Though he wanted to be wrong, Jack was assuming that the same logic applied in his current situation.


    The scariest thing was that they had only cleared the first wave and faced fourteen cetuses over lv. 30. He didn¡¯t want to imagine what the next wave would be like, or the boss wave.


    Back in the bar, everyone was celebrating their newest member¡¯s entry into the association. While everyone was toasting and drinking their fill, a knock was heard at the door.


    "What is it now? Did theye for those bloody corpses?!" yelled Zariff. The chief took his time standing up while he finished his mug of high-quality brundy. When the knocking resumed Zariff yelled, "I¡¯ming! By Halmut¡¯s beard, shut up and wait!"


    The drunken Zariff waltzed over to the door with the grace of a toddler still learning how to walk. Only he knew how many mugs he had finished so far. Finally, he undid thetch and opened the door a crack. "What is it? Oh... I didn¡¯t expect to see you."


    "May Ie in?"


    "Ha, I guess. I¡¯m in a good mood so I¡¯ll be nice." Zariff opened the door and let the man in, who stood almost the same height as the branch chief and appeared just as brawny beneath his soaked ck cloak.

 Chapter 109 Sharing the Truth

    <h4>Chapter 109 Sharing the Truth</h4>


    The man entered casually and another figure followed in from behind. That second man was shorter and leaner. He had a katana at his side and removed his hood as he looked toward the bar.


    "Brunar, master, what happened?"


    "Troni,e! Join us! We¡¯re celebrating!" Brunar cheered and lifted his mug happily.


    "Celebrating?" Troni didn¡¯t know how to react.


    "We just got a stong new member," exined Maynard. "With another swordsman joining, ya will have another man to learn from. Come and meet your new senior!¡¯


    Troni looked at the man in the center of the cheers. He was old but his muscr figure was no longer hidden under his sailor coat and his groomed, grey beard gave him an aura of an experienced killer. At his hip was a brilliant cuss. It was clearly high-leveled and well crafted, saying a lot about the man who wielded it.


    "Troni greets the new senior," said Troni as he walked over and bowed.


    "Lift your head boy. Swordsmen only bow to their master and the heavens, no need to do so with an old man like me," joked Tomas. "I¡¯m happy to feel like a part of something again, so of course I¡¯ll help a junior with his sword, especially if your one of Maynard¡¯s boys."


    While they were weing Troni into their drinking party, Zariff went upstairs with the other man. They quickly arrived at the conference room and hung the man¡¯s wet coat before they took a seat.


    "So, Tridon, what brings you here sote?" asked Zariff.


    "You already know me Zariff. I want one of those corpses; I¡¯ll even pay for it!" Tridon smiled widely. The moment he caught word that mysterious beasts destroyed the docks he was anxious to check the corpses personally. When he heard the rumor that they may be cetus corpses, Tridon wasn¡¯t able to keep himself from waiting any longer.


    "A guess we can part with a corpse or two," reasoned Zariff. "However, we want you to perform as an autopsy on one, and it has to happen here in the association building. Got it?"


    Tridon rose to his feet as fast as lightning and showed a toothy grin. "Can I start now? I already brought everything I need."


    Zariffughed, "Sure, but first there¡¯s someone you¡¯ll want to talk to."


    "Oh? Who¡¯s that?"


    "The brat with the fox, who else? He¡¯s the one who instantly identified the cetuses and his information was crucial to avoiding casualties. I¡¯m sure talking with him will help your autopsy¡¯s chance of sess," stated Zariff.


    "Really?! Where is he? I must speak with him!" Tridon was having a field day! Not only was he able to meet a Hell-me Fox, but now he could inspect a legendary cetus¡¯ corpse. Hearing that Jack was possibly more knowledgable about mythic creatures that himself was a cherry on top of the proverbial cake.


    "Calm down, man. He¡¯s in the infirmary thanks to a cetus bite, but knowing him he might still be awake."


    "Lead the way!"


    The two men left the room and made their way downstairs. Zariff nced back at the drinking party with envy. Tridon didn¡¯t even look at the others, he was too anxious to speak with Jack as soon as possible and didn¡¯t care about the rest of the world.


    Soon they reached the infirmary and Zariff knocked lightly on the door. He waited a second until he heard a voice from inside. "Come in."


    Without any more reservations, the chief opened the door and introduced the two men, "I thought you¡¯d be up. Tridon¡¯s hear to talk about the cetuses. I¡¯m sure you can understand why."


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you again Jack, and for such a great asion!" Tridon grabbed a chair and sat himself down by the bed. "So, you know cetuses?"


    "Let the brat breath, Tridon." Zariff followed Tridon¡¯s example as he patiently sat next to therge man. "Jack, can we talk? You can trust him. He¡¯s a freak about anything involving beasts, but he¡¯s a good man. Why else would I call him a friend?"


    Jack sighed, understanding Zariff¡¯s intentions. "You know I don¡¯t like too much attention for things like that."


    "I¡¯d disagree!" Tridon spoke up. "You may say that and you may understand that revealing more secrets will only bring you doom, but you¡¯re acting like a hypocrite. Your actions are against your logic, isn¡¯t it? What is it you really want?"


    Not sure what to say, Jack opened his mouth but said nothing. He wasn¡¯t able to deny Tridon¡¯s words. During his all the time he had spent alone in the infirmary, he had plenty of time to refect on his past actions and decisions. And with Daruun¡¯s mention of Jack¡¯s multiple personas, the young hero was unsure of what to think of himself.


    At times he felt like he was on autopilot as Jack_J, his in-game persona that did whatever he felt like and saught attention in every way possible. On rare asions, he defaulted to his cowardly, old self, Jackson the janitor. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder who he really was or who he wanted to be.


    "So, Jack, what will it be? Do you trust me?" added Tridon. He also understood the meaning behind Zariff¡¯s words. If he understood correctly, Jack had a lot more secrets and knowledge than he would¡¯ve guessed.


    Jack sighed. He stared at Zariff and nced at Tridon. He coughed to clear his throat and said, "I¡¯ll talk. What do you want to know?"


    Tridon chuckled, "What do you know about the cetuses? How did you recognize them? No one¡¯s reported a cetus sighting for over one hundred years."


    "How could I not recognize such a famous beast? They¡¯re legendary cetuses that live hidden lives in the open ocean and only show themselves when they¡¯re certain they can kill their prey. They travel in pods, but those pods are usually only half a dozen strong. Seeing so many together too strange to be a coincidence," exined Jack.


    When Jack finished his exnation Tridon was astounded and grinning from ear-to-ear. It was obvious to him that this wasn¡¯t Jack¡¯s first time facing cetuses, proving Jack¡¯s mysteriousness. "So, you¡¯re saying that there might be more toe?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s what I think," Jack agreed. "I think this was organized and nned as a scouting party. It¡¯s only the first wave, I¡¯m sure of that."


    Jack met Zariff¡¯s gaze and nodded before continuing, "Also, you should understand something. If cetuses travel in anything bigger than a pod, that means they¡¯ve formed a pride. Do you understand what that means, Tridon?"


    The master hunter-breeder began breathing heavily. "You mean... There¡¯s a pride lord?"


    "That¡¯s my guess, yes."


    "Then what are we standing around for!" Tridon shot to his feet. His eyes no longer showed excitement, only fear.


    "What are you two talking about? And what¡¯s a pride lord?" asked Zariff. He was lost the moment Jack mentioned them forming anything bigger than a pod. The chief had never heard of the term "pride" before.


    "Wait, you wouldn¡¯t happen to know how strong a pride lord is, do you?" asked Tridon, ignoring Zariff. He recalled hearing that the cetuses hid their levels but someone managed to guess their correct strength to help sway the battle.


    "At least lv. 40..."


    Jack¡¯s answer brought silence to the room. Tridon and Zariff were both trembling. They had never faced such a strong foe before. Beasts that strong were known to only appear in certain areas of the continent nowadays.


    "At least..." Tridon mumbled as he tried to imagine the possible threat.


    Even Bowzer, who stayed quiet under the covers, was shaking. He had the advantage against the cetuses they faced but his face wasn¡¯t able to affect them very much, almostpletely eliminating his greatest strength. Facing a cetus higher leveled than his me body sounded like suicide to him.


    "Yeah... At least that strong, maybe even lv. 50," added Jack, causing the others to breathe heavy.


    "Lv. 50..."


    Both Zariff and Tridon couldn¡¯t even imagine what a fight against such a beast might entail.


    "Are you sure? That strong?" Zariff was in disbelief. He didn¡¯t want Jack¡¯s words to be true, though he couldn¡¯t deny that only Jack was confident enough to value a beast¡¯s strenth so highly.


    Jack began tough. Picturing a lv. 50 beast was never too terrifying for him before. It was always on aputer screen and he had almost always been far stronger than something like that. Now... it was apletely different story. He didn¡¯t know what to think are what he might do.


    "I¡¯m certain that more wille, and I¡¯m almost certain that there¡¯s a pride lord involved considering how many cetuses we¡¯ve already encountered," exined Jack. "All things considered, what do you two propose we do now? I can¡¯t prove anything and you both know that the Royal Court won¡¯t support us. If we deny helping them, we¡¯d put the city at risk and the association¡¯s reputation would be destroyed in the Reinolt Kingdom."


    The two men looked at each other. Neither of them could think of a n of action off the top of their heads. They were both still trying to imagine fighting a lv. 50 beast.

 Chapter 110 Coming Up with a Plan

    <h4>Chapter 110 Coming Up with a n</h4>


    Jack, Zariff, and Tridon¡¯s conversation came to a close with that. The two men left Jack to sleep and get his rest. Tridon decided to sleep at the association building and wait for the next day to perform the autopsy.


    As the night finally winded down and everyone eventually got their rest, the entire association building became busy and active in as the sun rose. Not many people got much sleep, but news was spreading throughout the building.


    No one was allowed to leave the building for the time being as if they were trying to contain the rumor that was spreading within the association. Everyone was surprised to hear that Tridon was involved and was now performing an autopsy on one of the cetus corpses with some of the association¡¯s higherups.


    ording to the rumor, the branch chief had made a call to the Adventurers Association headquarters. He had requested that more men be sent to the Reinolt branch and asked for all branch members to immediately return from their current missions on emergency orders. The most shocking part that most adventurers didn¡¯t believe was that Zariff had requested men stronger than himself. Such people were higher ranked than him, so he had the ability to force such people to act, yet he made the request anyway. If that were true, no one could imagine the reason behind it.


    In a back room on the second floor, a small group of people was gathered around arge table. Zariff, Rydel, Maynard, and Jack watched Tridon careful open up the cetus¡¯ dead body.


    Jack had his right arm in a sling and bandages across his shoulder, but he was far more stable and could move without pain. "Tridon, make sure to not ruin anything. Each corpse is very valuable and can be made into some strong items."


    "Trust me. I may not know too much about cetuses, but I¡¯m confident in my examination skills," said Tridon as he cleaned detached the cetus head while not damaging the beast¡¯s vertebrae. "I¡¯ll take extra care with such a fine specimen. If you¡¯re impatient, just wait outside. I¡¯ll have the entire body dissected by nightfall."


    With that, Jack nodded and left the room. The other three followed him to the conference room. He saw Rydel go to a gem embedded in the wall and activate some kind of magic formation. "Silence spell, not bad."


    "Now we can really talk." Zariff took the lead seat. "Jack, what can we expect to happen and what do you suggest we do?"


    Jack took a moment to scratch his head and ponder Zariff¡¯s question. "You want me to be honest? I¡¯m not confident in facing what¡¯sing without someone higher than lv. 50."


    "But what can we do? Ya think we can just leave and let the city be destroyed?" asked Maynard.


    "Well..." Jack was having conflicting thoughts. Jack_J the Achievement Junkie never took on a challenge he wasn¡¯t at least 75% confident in seeding. In such a situation he would just forget about the event ande back to it when he was stronger. Jackson would leave the city without question, he wouldn¡¯t even wait for proof that it would happen.


    Deep down he agreed with everyone around him, but he felt inexperienced and nervous when faced with the current situation.


    "Any idea who¡¯sing from the association? Anyone over lv. 45?" asked Jack looking for any strand of hope he could.


    "I don¡¯t think so..." Zariff shook his head with a grim expression. "I think another branch chief will being and he¡¯s lv. 39. I couldn¡¯t convince them to send anyone else with ourck of proof."


    "I feared that..." sighed Jack. "How many people in the city are over lv. 35?"


    "Including the noble families we should have at least be four," answered Rydel.


    "That¡¯s not including the number one in Reinolt, no one knows where he to find him or how strong he is," exined Zariff. "I¡¯ve never met him, only the king has and he hasn¡¯t even seen his face."


    "Well... This will definitely make things more difficult." Jack scratched his head with his good arm, showing his nerves. "Do we really have to face this thing? There¡¯s no way we could evacuate and relocate, at least temporarily?"


    "There¡¯s no way." Rydel shook his head. "The Royal Court would never agree to that; it would be their disgrace. And considering their enmity with us, I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll be much help to us, maybe in word but not in action when we¡¯re under pressure."


    "I have a thought, hear me out," said Jack as he scrunched his face, not expecting the others to agree with what he was about to propose.


    The others gave Jack their full attention and waited to hear the first pitched solution from the young hero.


    "I think we should ally with the goblins."


    No one expected Jack to suggest such a thing, but no one spoke out against it while they considered the thought further.


    "If we can get their support, we¡¯ll have more lv. 30¡¯s to help handle the strong cetuses. And with Daliea¡¯s powerful magic--"


    "Daliea?"


    Zariff chimed in, showing the other¡¯s confusion.


    "Daliea, the goblin queen, is a powerful mage and can be a huge support in arge scale fight against the cetuses. What do you think? She said she was willing to ally with the association, right?" exined Jack.


    "Actually, that¡¯s not too bad an idea," added Rydel. "I think you might be on to something with that. What do you think, chief?"


    "I¡¯m willing to work with them. They¡¯ve proven their strength and appear to be loyal to their promise. Time to test them," said Zariff. "Jack, go and talk with the queen after this. Do whatever they say to get them to agree, so long as it doesn¡¯t harm the association. Got it?"


    "Yeah, I can handle that." Jack finally showed a hint of a smile, d to at least gain the support of a goblin army to challenge to cetus infestation. It was a strong ray of hope that helped calm his troubled mind.


    "What else do you think, Jack? Any ideas on how to handle a cetus pride lord?"


    Zariff¡¯s question brought another tinge of fear to Jack¡¯s calm heart. "Hmm..." As Jack groaned he was fiddling with the tutorial stone under the table. He wasn¡¯t ready to use it yet but holding it at least helped calm him down.


    "Maybe... we should search for unnatural strength?" mentioned Jack.


    "What do ya mean?" asked Maynard.


    "You¡¯ve never used such a thing so it makes sense you don¡¯t know, but there are some items that can temporarily boost someone¡¯s level. Of course, it has its downsides but I can¡¯t think of any other options at the moment, other than overpowering the pride lord with everyone over lv. 35 at once."


    "Such a strategy is very risky, but if we can get the goblin¡¯s support then it might actually work," said Rydel. "How are we going to get some unnatural aids? And what are the drawbacks you hinted at?"


    "The drawbacks depend on the item you use. The only possible aid we cane up with might be a boost potion?"


    "A what?" asked the others.


    "A boost potion. It was something heroes made in Ancient Kartonia and is the easiest strength aid to get our hands on, so long as we can scrounge the ingredients in town," exined Jack. "However, it will drastically lower all EXP you gain while it¡¯s active in your system and you¡¯ll be left weakened after it wears off. The effectsts for an hour and will boost you by five levels, but you¡¯ll be left five levels weaker than normal for twenty-four hours afterward."


    "So, you¡¯re saying it will greatly strength us and possibly help us manage to win the battle, but the entire association will be left in a weakened state, something you don¡¯t want to risk considering our rtionship with the Royal Court?" Rydel hit Jack¡¯s sore spot, easily figuring out Jack¡¯s uneasiness. "What do you think, chief?"


    "I think we should prepare for the worst. Let¡¯s gather the material for those boost potions, but save those for emergency use only. Also, no one outside of this room can know about this," stated Zariff.


    The branch chief was very serious at the moment, recognizing just how bad of a situation they were in. Whether it was the cetuses or the Royal Court, both represented a threat but one felt like it could happen at any moment.


    "I¡¯ll get you a list of the ingredients, old fart. Make sure only Zarris sees this, okay?"


    "You got it, brat."


    After righting down the need ingredients on a slip of paper, Jack bowed his head and left the room.


    He came to stand in front of a dorm door, hesitating to enter. Before he could bring himself to knock, the door swung open and Jack could see Daliea¡¯s illusory human figure in front of him.


    "Hurry up. Enter."

 Chapter 111 Allies at any Cos

    <h4>Chapter 111 Allies at any Cos</h4>


    "Hurry up. Enter."


    Daliea grabbed Jack¡¯s arm and dragged him into her room. She quickly locked the door and dropped the illusion, revealing her true self. "What brings you here? Are you ready to give me your child?"


    "HMMPH!" A spastic cough erupted from Jack, who wasn¡¯t expecting such a wee.


    "Are you alright? Do you need something to drink?" asked Daliea.


    "No, I¡¯m fine. You just... you caught me off guard, that¡¯s all." Jack straightened his and grew more serious-looking. "I¡¯m here to ask for your help."


    "My help? Or the help of my people?"


    "Well, both actually. We know that more cetuses will being and possibly a cetus pride lord as well. With such a threat, we want to ask for your support. It will prove that you¡¯re willing to be peaceable with Reinolt and can work together with them," exined Jack.


    "So, that¡¯s all?" asked Daliea, still maintaining her emotionless stare. "And if I refuse?"


    "Why would you refuse?"


    "Because you still haven¡¯t agreed to help me, even when I¡¯m offering you everything I own," rebutted the goblin queen. "You only dy and push off my advances. Don¡¯t think I¡¯m stupid, I understand your intentions."


    "But--"


    "But what? Am I not beautiful enough? Am I disgusting to you?" Some emotion was finally seen in her eyes, disappointment. She¡¯s was mocking herself. "Without you, I can¡¯t fulfill my promise to my people... my promise to my parents."


    Jack tensed up. He was at a loss for words and didn¡¯t dare trap himself with empty promises.


    "You¡¯re speechless? So I was right..."


    "Queen--"


    "Daliea! My name is Daliea." The shine in her eyes began to dull as she noticed Jack¡¯s continued resistance to her advances. "Why not? I don¡¯t understand..."


    "Daliea... It¡¯s not you, it¡¯s me," said Jack.


    "Really? And why¡¯s that?" retorted Daliea with a note of anger in her voice.


    "I¡¯m already in a rtionship, with Slivia."


    "The prison girl?" Daliea blinked, looking less disappointed. "Really? That¡¯s the only reason why?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s why," rified Jack as he took a deep breath. "You¡¯re actually very beautiful, especially for a goblin."


    Daliea¡¯s grey cheeks flushed red, showing that she wasn¡¯t expecting Jack to speak so sweetly to her. "You... you really mean that?"


    "Of course, you¡¯re very beautiful. I¡¯m just lucky to already be with Slivia," repeated Jack. He had to admit that even though Daliea was a goblin, she really was very attractive, and her tenderness toward him only added to the allure.


    "So, will you help us?"


    "Fine... We¡¯ll help you and your association," answered Daliea. "But I¡¯m not giving up on you. I¡¯m determined to get your help. You¡¯re the only one good enough for my children."


    Jack buried his face in his palm, hiding the slight blush on his cheeks as he turned to the door. "Well, I¡¯ve got to go. With everything going on, I¡¯m needed elsewhere."


    "Onest question!"


    ncing back at her Jack asked, "What?"


    "Why not have more than one woman?"


    That question was like an atomic bomb in his mind. Unable to answer or get a word out, Jack coughed and fled the room.


    As he exited, Daliea had a slight smile. "I do have a chance."


    *****


    Time passed slowly for everyone in the association building as everyone was waiting for the autopsy results to find possible weaknesses. The rumor was that more cetuses maye; that was the only way to exin the chief¡¯s efforts.


    Jack informed Zariff about Daliea¡¯s cooperation and they decided to send Rydel with Daliea to gather goblin reinforcements. After that, he went back to the infirmary toy down and rest.


    As evening came there was a light knock at the door. Jack smiled, expecting Slivia toe back with Bowzer. "Come in!"


    "Excuse me."


    That solemn voice shocked Jack because he immediately recognized it, but it wasn¡¯t anyone who should¡¯ve been inside the association building.


    "Are you surprised to see me, Jack? Am I not wee?"


    "Leo... I¡¯m very surprised to see you," answered Jack. "What brings you here, and why did they let you in?"


    The king smiled and took a seat. "Zariff is an old friend, believe it or not."


    "Seems like I¡¯m meeting a lot of his old friendstely."


    "Are you talking about old Tomas? He¡¯s a great asset and I¡¯m d he decided to side with you," said Leodoro. "As far as my reasons to be here, it was to learn the truth of what happenedst night. Mind filling me in?"


    "You¡¯re telling me that no one has told you anything?" asked Jack sarcastically.


    "Well, I already know that you all ughtered over a dozen cetuses and got in a dispute with the court about who would keep the corpses. I¡¯ve also learned that Tridon is now involved and I haven¡¯t seen him so motivated in a long time."


    "Then why are you here with me when you¡¯ve already learned everything?"


    Leodoro smiled and replied, "I¡¯ve learned what happened the other night, but I¡¯ve yet to learn about what we should be doing to prevent whates next."


    Jack squinted for a moment but quickly returned to normal.


    Catching Jack¡¯s small change in expression was enough to confirm his guess. "What do you think will happen next? Also, don¡¯t tell me that nothing ising when the entire building is rushing to prepare for something. I came to you because I think you¡¯re the key to all of this."


    Jackughed, "Really? You think I¡¯m the one pulling the strings? I haven¡¯t been in this world for very long and you think I¡¯ve got enough influence to affect the entire association."


    "Yes."


    The simple answer kept Jack from immediately replying. Jack thought for a moment and said, "What makes you think that I¡¯m so important? If I am, you should¡¯ve tried better to keep me earlier."


    "I already told you, Jack, I had my reasons for not bringing you into the Royal Court. If those issues didn¡¯t exist, I would¡¯ve fought to keep you. But you should at least admit that you¡¯re way too stubborn at times, though that doesn¡¯t mean muching from me."


    "And why should I believe you?" asked Jack.


    King Leodoro shook his head. "I can¡¯t say, you already know that."


    "Then have a nice day," said Jack as he motioned for the door.


    The king didn¡¯t move. He sat there in silence for a minute before he sighed and raised his hand. Golden energy spread throughout the room and disappeared within moments.


    Recognizing the Silence spell, Jack was confused.


    "What I¡¯m about to say is for your ears only, not even the branch chief may know of this," stated the king. His re was ice-cold, startling Jack. "Understood?"


    Jack took a deep breath and nodded, letting the king keep speaking.


    "Have you ever lived your life day-to-day knowing that each moment could be yourst?"


    "Umm..." Jack had no response. He could only imagine such a thing as horrible.


    "That¡¯s how I¡¯ve been living for the past few months. Every since I investigated the death of my eldest son, I¡¯ve uncovered far more than I ever should have. I know that my days are numbered if nothing changes and, ording to my contacts, that number is far lower than I¡¯d expected. I¡¯m convinced that Arnole will make his move within the month and try to silence me forever. That way he¡¯d have my son as a puppet who¡¯s far easier to control," exined Leodoro.


    "And what does that have to do with me?" asked Jack.


    "Let me finish," King Leodoro added politely. "I¡¯ming to you as a desperate man trying to save his life and his people. If you don¡¯t help me, I¡¯m afraid for everyone living in the Reinolt Kingdom."


    Jack flinched, blown away by how serious the king was with him. "That bad? The entire kingdom?"


    "Yeah, that bad..."


    "And you still won¡¯t tell me who¡¯s behind Arnole?" asked Jack. "I know you¡¯re not afraid of him, but his backer, right?"


    A nod from the king confirmed Jack¡¯s suspicions, but the young hero continued to wait for the king to speak. Seeing Jack¡¯s insistence, King Leodoro sighed, "How much do you know about the Chaos Syndicate?"


    Jack froze. He wasn¡¯t expecting such a powerful, secretive organization to appear within the king¡¯s court. The most shocking thing was that the king had already lost his own influence over the kingdom; what a scary thought.


    "You mean... he¡¯s with the syndicate?" Another silent nod came from the king before Jack continued, "No wonder you¡¯re desperate, and no wonder you won¡¯t tell anyone... And you pushed me away from the Royal Court in order to keep me away from Arnole and the syndicate, right?"


    "Right."


    "That would exin a lot..." Jack¡¯s mind was working overtime. He connected the dots between the original crown prince losing his life, Zariff¡¯s fight with Yellow Jacket, and the Royal Court¡¯s support of the goblins and trolls. Everything started to make sense. "How certain are you that he¡¯s a member of the syndicate?"


    "100% because he admitted it to me himself," stated Leodoro.


    "That¡¯s some confidence... How long do you think you have, Leo?"


    "I¡¯ve got a week left at most."


    "A week!" Jackughed, unable to process such an answer easily. He couldn¡¯t help but connect the dots again, assuming that the syndicate had something to do with the cetus infestation. "If you¡¯ve got a week, then reinforcements will never make it in time..."

 Chapter 112 Already

    <h4>Chapter 112 Already</h4>


    "If you¡¯ve got a week, then reinforcements will never make it in time..."


    Unknown to the king, Jack sent a telepathic message to Rydel. ¡¯Hurry! The next wave coulde at any minute!¡¯


    ¡¯What!? Are you serious?¡¯ asked Rydel, who was bbergasted by the sudden message.


    ¡¯Yes, so hurry as fast as possible! Ask the queen if she can send a message to them instead so they cane ASAP!¡¯


    ¡¯But, what about their appearance? Anyone would be terrified to see so many goblinse at once,¡¯ reasoned Rydel. ¡¯Unless... You want me to talk with Byron and ask them to secure the area.¡¯


    ¡¯Not just that, I want to ask for the Balt Family¡¯s support too. We need as many high-leveled warriors they can muster, immediately!¡¯ added Jack.


    ¡¯Really? Did something else happen? Should I be worried?¡¯


    ¡¯This cetus situation may involve the Royal Court more than I thought, and we need to prepare for the worst. I¡¯ve got to go. If you need anything important, let me know.¡¯ With that, Jack shook his head in disbelief and ended the conversation. He looked back at the king and noticed an intrigued look on the king¡¯s face.


    "What were you doing for thest minute? You weren¡¯t responding to me, almost like you forgot I was here," asked Leodoro.


    "Nothing, but I still have a couple of things to ask you," stated Jack. "I think I¡¯ve reached the same conclusion as you, that the syndicate used you as a means to stir up trouble with the Adventurers Association, right?"


    The king said nothing, he only smiled. Jack continued, "Do you know of any extra powerful people that recently entered the Royal Court, particrly people that you don¡¯t know?"


    "A few people have entered higherup positions, but I have no clue of their credentials or their past," answered King Leodoro. "Even I can¡¯t read their levels though, so I¡¯m certain that they¡¯re strong."


    "I was afraid of that... What will you be doing in the meantime?"


    Leodoroughed, "I¡¯ll be here with you, of course."


    "Huh?"


    "I¡¯ve already gotten your chief¡¯s permission to stay here, so long as I participate when my strength is needed. I¡¯ve even brought a few of my most trusted men. Only one of them is over lv. 30, but the other four are as strong as guard captains," exined Leodoro. "I only brought a few to avoid spies. I¡¯ve already screened them on multiple asions and they¡¯ve all formed blood vows with me, guaranteeing theirmitment."


    "Wow, you¡¯re more capable then I thought,"mented Jack.


    "What do you mean? I¡¯m the king after all. If I weren¡¯t capable I never would¡¯ve kept the crown."


    "Coming from the man who¡¯s about to lose his kingdom and his life from the man he trusted most."


    King Leodoro coughed, trying to ovee Jack¡¯s deep-cutting jeer with ignorance. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Jack?"


    "You¡¯re lv. 35, right? I hope you¡¯ll be ready at a moment¡¯s notice. Also, what ss are you?" asked Jack.


    "I¡¯m a sorcerer, like Arnole, but I specialize in lightning type spells," said the king with a wide grin.


    "Oh." Jack smiled in return. "That¡¯ll definitelye in handy with the cetuses. I¡¯m d to have your help, Leo."


    The two of them bowed their heads with some newfound respect. Leodoro left and Jack assumed the king was on his way to the conference room to speak with Zariff.


    Now that he was awake and Bowzer still hadn¡¯t returned with Slivia, Jack turned more of his attention to his skill list.


    The list wasn¡¯t all that different from before, but a new skill caught his eye. ¡¯Dual-wielding...¡¯ Jack thought about the new skill. ¡¯This makes things interesting.¡¯


    He was also surprised to see some new skill points added to his past total. Thanks to him reaching lv. 20, Slivia¡¯s confession to him, and finding the hidden tomb, his fifty-three skill points became one hundred and three skill points. With everything about to happen, Jack understood that he needed to use those points as soon as possible.


    After a few minutes of deliberation, Jack no longer hesitated to spend his skill points. It was difficult for him to decide what to do, either spend them on lots of skills or increase a couple of skills even higher.


    In the end, three skills were boosted. Knives/daggers became lv. 2, Dual-wielding became lv. 2, and Physical Resistance became lv. 4. Now, both Jack and his inheritors could benefit from all three of them, and he felt mort confident to use his me body with a sturdier body.


    Having spent ny skill points in one go, he closed his menu and took a deep breath. Jack felt exhausted. With so much happening at once, Jack was overwhelmed with responsibility and worry.


    In the back of his head, Jack still felt a chill go down his spine, unable to forget the warm breath of the cetus that had almost ended his life. He had been hurt before and hadid his life on the line, but to be less than a second away from instant death was a feeling he couldn¡¯t shake.


    "Hello, can Ie in?" A gentle knock came from the door and Maura¡¯s calm voice caught Jack¡¯s attention.


    "Is it dinner time already?" joked Jack.


    Maura walked in with a slight smile. "I¡¯m d you¡¯re hungry. You¡¯ll need your strength to heal properly."


    "How have you been?"


    Jack¡¯s question caused Maura to hesitate when she ced the te on the side table. "I¡¯m alright, thanks for asking."


    "What¡¯s wrong? You¡¯ve been acting strangetely," added Jack.


    Maura bowed her head and started to leave. "Really, I¡¯m fine. There¡¯s no need to worry about me, just get better, okay?"


    Sensing some of Maura¡¯s old warmth again, Jack smiled. "Thanks, with your constant deliveries I¡¯ll be good in no time."


    "Excuse me." Maura quickly fled the room, not wanting Jack to see the touch of red in her cheeks.


    With the fragrant aroma of beef stew, Jack took a big whiff and smiled. In a few minutes, the bowl was cleaned and there was no evidence of bread ever being on the te.


    ¡¯Now what?¡¯ thought Jack.


    *****


    Back at the pier, three dozen men were stationed and busy rebuilding the docks. The dock house was empty and had no signs of life. Each of the soldiers had long faces as they talked while working.


    "Did that really happen to the captain?"


    "Of course, why would we lie! You missed the fight but you already know that the adventurers did everything, not the court."


    "Yeah, and when the captain upheld the contract with the association, the other captains had him court-martialed."


    "Mhm. I heard the captain became a normal soldier, like us. He¡¯s probably stationed out of the capital now."


    "No, I heard he quit and resigned before his sentence. He¡¯s probably still in the city."


    "Quit your yapping and keep working!" yelled the newly appointed captain. "That fool isn¡¯t here anymore so quit wasting your breath with him. Hurry and finish the docks, or you won¡¯t be sleeping till morning."


    "Yes, sir!"


    "Sir, yes, sir!"


    The response wasn¡¯t in perfect sync, showing the soldier¡¯s reluctance to serve a new captain so suddenly for no good reason.


    "Hmph!" The captain grunted and walked toward the dock house, his new home. He pulled out a key and inserted it into the front door. With a simple turn, it unlocked and he entered, grinning from ear-to-ear.


    "Finally! I¡¯m finally a captain!"ughed the man, not caring if his new underlings heard him. "Now, I can finally do what I want in the city. Money, luxury, women... they¡¯ll all be mine!"


    As the soldiers groaned in displeasure at their appalling new captain, they finished a portion of the dock. They moved to the edge and started lining up new support beams with the lower docks.


    "CRACK!"


    A sudden thunderp startled the men. They looked out into the distance and their faces paled. Those men who survivedst night¡¯s attack ran back at full speed.


    "What¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s happening?" asked one of the newly assigned deckhands.


    "Get back! As quick as you can, get back!"


    Those shouts echoed through the pier and every stationed soldier abandoned their orders and retreated.


    "What going on out there!" A shout came from the dock house balcony, but it didn¡¯t stop the men from running. "Get back here! Those are orders"


    "Crack! Crack! CRAACCKK!!"


    More thunderps rang through the air as a tempest swept past the pier. In seconds, dark thunderclouds rolled over the pier and waves came crashing into the newly constructed docks. Before long, they were submerged as the water kept rising.


    "What¡¯s going on?! You, exin what¡¯s happening!" ordered the captain, pointing at one of the older deckhands.


    "It¡¯s... It¡¯s happening again!" yelled the man, his entire body trembling.


    "What¡¯s happening again? Exin!"


    "Like yesterday, but worse. It¡¯s happening again!" Not daring to stay there a second longer, the man ran into the city, abandoning his post.


    More men ran away, not wanting to get caught up in the same ughter as the night before. Then, there were more of them but they still couldn¡¯t do a thing to such strong beasts. And, on top of that, the other captains had used deckhands as sacrifices and cannon fodder. None of them wanted anything to do with the Royal Court at that moment, scrambling to try and keep their lives.


    A single deckhand dashed toward the dock house, surprising the new captain. "You, since you¡¯re obedient, help me gather them up."


    There¡¯s was no response from the man, but he drew his sword and shed through the corral, releasing the horses stationed at the pier.


    "What are you doing?! What is the meaning of this?!"


    The captain¡¯s shouts fell of deaf deaf ears as the man mounted a horse and bolted into the city.


    After five minutes of rushed riding and exhausting his horse, the man hopped off the horse. He stood in front of a well-known building, despite the structure¡¯s in looks. His fist pounded on the door and he yelled, "It¡¯s happening! It¡¯s already happening!"

 Chapter 113 Tragedy for the Royal Cour

    <h4>Chapter 113 Tragedy for the Royal Cour</h4>


    "It¡¯s already happening!"


    That phrase surprised everyone on the streets. No one had a clue what the man was talking about, yet he was so serious and acted like the news was urgent.


    The front door to the Adventurers Association swung open. In a sh, the man was already inside and narrowly missed the first few drops of rain that rolled over the city at frightening speeds.


    "Everyone, get ready!" Zariff yelled from the reception area, making sure that every single person in the building could hear him. The hulking man ran upstairs and entered the conference room. "Anything new?"


    Around therge table sat a few lv. 30 adventurers who hadn¡¯t gone far from the capital, as well as Jack, Maynard, and King Leodoro. A town map wasying across the table for everyone to see; there were a few portions highlighted and drawn on, showing some kind of half-baked n or strategy.


    "No, he hasn¡¯t finished the autopsy quite yet. It¡¯s taking him longer than he thought," answered Jack.


    "So... n B?" asked Zariff.


    Jack shook his head. "No, n C. I¡¯m not sure if the king should fight just yet. We can all guess that he¡¯d be targeted. We have two objectives during this crisis: one is to save as many citizens as possible and two is to make sure the king survives by the end of it all."


    "I¡¯m surprised to see ya wanting to help the king so badly. Did something happen between ya?" Maynard spoke up, saying what most others were thinking.


    There was no way Jack could mention the Chaos Syndicate just yet. ording to what he¡¯d heard from the king, Rydel, Maynard, Zariff, and everyone else, the Chaos Syndicate was a shadow organization that never acted publicly and never left a trace.


    Once, a syndicate scheme was found and announced publicly in another country. The syndicate members managed to escape somehow and that nation¡¯s capital was engulfed in mes and burned to the ground within three days.


    Since then, the public hasn¡¯t heard anything about the Chaos Syndicate, just the leaders who somehow get targeted or wrapped up in the syndicate¡¯s schemes.


    Though Jack didn¡¯t want to directly face the Chaos Syndicate or force it to act rashly, he loved the thought of ruining the syndicate¡¯s ns.


    "Nothing, just trust me." Jack met Zariff¡¯s gaze, showing his unwavering confidence.


    The branch chief shrugged. "So be it. Just know that there will a lot of citizen casualties."


    Jack opened his mouth but no words came out. He looked conflicted and unsure of himself after all.


    "I¡¯ll bear that weight and responsibility, so long as I¡¯m living of course," added the king. "It¡¯s all my fault anyway since I¡¯m the one who let that monster of a man in my Royal Court."


    The room was silent for a moment. Everyone stared at the young hero. Though they were all more experienced than him, Zariff has made this an official association assignment and chose Jack as the man in charge, with the king personally taking the role of co-leader as the man who ordered the assignment. So, whether they liked it or not, every other adventurer had to obey Jack¡¯s orders.


    "Leo, are you sure you want to do this?" Zariff asked the king, searching for any kind of hesitation.


    "Yes, it has to be like this. I ept the me for letting Arnole taint my Royal Court, but his reputation will suffer just as much, if not more than mine. As the strongest member of the Royal Court, he¡¯s our champion. If the champion doesn¡¯t act to save the people, then why would the people dere him the champion?" reasoned Leodoro.


    "Then, until this blows over, we¡¯ll have to tolerate each other a little longer," added Jack with a smile.


    From the outside in, it didn¡¯t look like the Adventurers Association was doing anything.


    However, the north side of Reinolt City had begun to experience terror as it had never seen before. The pier was razed soon after the messenger had arrived at the association branch office.


    Dozens of soldiers were rushing to the pier, but they were toote. They arrived to see a destroyed dock house and some tattered waterfront homes. The storm was still getting worse. The rain felt like small, icy pellets against the skin and thunder strikes covered the sky.


    Over two dozen cetuses were running rampant through the north end of the city. Some were smaller than those of the first wave, which surprised the soldiers. There were ten that were the same as those from the first wave but there was one cetus that wasrger and its scales were a deeper blue. No one had any clue how strong it was. It didn¡¯t attack much, but it stood in the center like a general watching over his army.


    "Men! Send word to the Adventurers Association immediately requesting full support!"


    At the back of over two hundred soldiers, Captain Fronksfortably yelled his orders. A horseman quickly left toward the association building, but no request was made for the magic guard.


    Like before, Captain Fronks used the weakest men as cannon fodder to stall for time, not daring to get his own hands dirty or ask any of the other two captains at his side. One was Captain Prat and the other was the newly appointed captain from the dock house. He had run away under the cover of his men, showing them his cowardice.


    "Captain Fronks, do you think they¡¯lle this time?" asked Captain Prat.


    "Of course, they have a reputation to uphold. And that chief of theirs may act tough, but he¡¯s too soft-hearted to not aid those civilians in trouble." Fronks spoke inly, confident that the association would arrive soon.


    Unbeknownst to him, King Leodoro had snuck out of the castle with a few men and he was one of the men call the shots for their current operation. Had Fronks known that the cold king was helping the association, he would never havee to the pier personally.


    Another fifteen minutes passed, and two-thirds of the army had almost perished. The cetuses had turned their attention to the soldiers, leaving the houses alone for the time being.


    "Where¡¯s that bloody messenger! The association should be here by now!" yelled Fronks. He noticed that cetuses were trying to circle the remaining troops to keep any from fleeing. "Captains! Break the encirclement! Men, make an opening facing the city center!"


    Silence. There was no response from any soldiers and no response from either of the other captains.


    "That¡¯s an order! Make way!"


    Suddenly, the sound of hooves was heard in the distance. All the troops looked that way in search of hope. They know their captain had sent for the association, so they had some hope left after all.


    As everyone was feeling the better and the morale was rising, the sight of a lone messenger riding his horse caused the mood to lower again.


    The rider didn¡¯t dare get too close to the circle of cetuses. Instead, he yelled to fulfill his duties as a messenger. "Captain Fronks! Until you bring an official work order contract, Branch Chief Zariff and the Adventurers Association will not act in tandem with the Royal Court!"


    "HUH?!"


    Everyone¡¯s heartbeat skyrocketed as those words reach their ears. Captain Fronks was fuming mad, his face was redder than the ripest of tomatoes. Captain Prat¡¯s lowered his head in disappointment and the newly appointed captain was terrified.


    Fronks shouted at the top of his lungs, "What do you mean! How insolent! What were that coward¡¯s exact words?"


    Under his coat, the messenger held tightly to a small bag of gold. That gold was given to him aspensation for delivering a message to Fronks verbatim. The messenger took a deep breath and replied, ¡¯In the chief¡¯s words, "If the powerful Royal Court is so much stronger than the Adventurers Association, then why do you need us? Till I see a contract, that pestro can manure for all I care!¡¯"


    Every troop had given up at that point. Most of them couldn¡¯tst a single strike against any of the cetuses, and now their only hope of survival was ruined by their captain¡¯s rtionship with the association.


    They all knew what happenedst time the cetuses arrived and Captain Datmut¡¯s court-martial wasn¡¯t kept secret either. It was obvious that Captain Fronks disliked and mistreated the Adventurers Association, and he wasn¡¯t the onlymanding officer to do so before. It was said that Arnole, the court chief officer, had done the same in times past.


    Now, thanks to what they thought was only an unhealthy rivalry, those soldiers were enraged. They were disappointed in the association, but they were even angrier at the Royal Court for causing such tensions in the first ce.


    Fronks meant to yell back more orders, but the messenger hurried away before Fronks or any cetuses had much time to act. By the look of it, the messenger was headed for the king¡¯s castle.


    Captain Prat sighed, "This... This is a tragedy for the Royal Court."

 Chapter 114 Magic Corps Forced to Ac

    <h4>Chapter 114 Magic Corps Forced to Ac</h4>


    Screams filled the north side of the city. After over two hundred soldiers lost their lives to the cetuses, the beasts ravaged the nearby homes.


    People began to flee south, spreading the word and searching for guards to protect them. The entire city was on alert within half an hour of the cetuses¡¯ second appearance.


    In the pce, a drenched soldier was following some of the castle guards further into the castle. They soon entered a room and closed the doors behind them. The messenger was surprised by what he saw.


    Everyone in that room was wearing a purple robe or a cape, signifying their entrance in the Royal Court¡¯s Magic Corps, their smallest and most powerful branch of the military.


    "Speak."


    Looking at the center of the room, the messenger instantly recognized Arnole. "Chief Officer Arnole, I¡¯vee to deliver some tragic news. Captains Fronks, Prat, and Tailor have perished along with three hundred men, including those that were already stationed at the docks."


    Anole¡¯s emotionless face didn¡¯t change. It was clear to the messenger didn¡¯t care about the captains¡¯ lives.


    "And what of the Adventurers Association? They didn¡¯t join the fight?" asked Arnole.


    "No, sir. They said that without an official work order contract they wouldn¡¯t be participating in anything involving the Royal Court for the time being. At the moment, they¡¯re busy with other assignments."


    "Fine. Return to the association building and bring them this." Anole passed a paper along until it reached the messenger.


    At first, the messenger was skeptical and unwilling to do so, but after seeing that a work order contract was already written up he had no right to refuse the order.


    "Now hurry. The longer you take, the more lives are lost," stated Arnole.


    "Yes, sir!"


    The messenger ran off back to a fresh horse and left at top speed.


    "Arnole, you really think it¡¯ll be that easy?" asked a purple hooded man.


    "Of course not, but this will stir things up for sure."


    "Remember, not everything is so easy to predict," stated the man. "The fact that you called me here to help you is already suspicious. Are you not able to fulfill your assignment on your own?"


    "You know I can, this just speeds up the whole process while helping to eliminate a thorn in my side. I¡¯m sure you can understand that. I¡¯m very grateful for your help and will make sure to pay you handsomely for the aid you provide, so don¡¯t worry too much," exined Arnole.


    "I hope you¡¯re right." With the conversation over, the man calmly left the room.


    Anole looked around at the others. "Everyone, there¡¯s a change of ns. Get ready for battle, you¡¯ll soon be the heroes who saved Reinolt City."


    "Aye, aye, sir!"


    The dozen or so men called back in unison before they all made their exit. They left to change from robes to armor, but they didn¡¯t appear to be in a hurry.


    At the association building, a knock was heard at the door. No response came so the messenger knocked again. After the third knock, the door was opened by the brawny branch chief.


    "What now?"


    Without dy, the messenger held up the official work order. "Here, I have brought by the official work order contract, signed by the chief officer himself, requesting the association¡¯s aid during Reinolt City¡¯s time of need."


    "Sorry, no can do." Zariff¡¯s response floored the messenger, but the messenger quickly saw Zariff hold up a different paper that was eerily simr to the one the messenger was holding. "We¡¯re already under contract with the Royal Court, on a mission sanctioned by King Leodoro himself. Due to the secrecy and urgency of this assignment, we¡¯re unable to ept further assignments for the time being."


    "B-But--"


    The door was promptly closed in the messenger¡¯s shocked face. He was unsure of what to do next. Taking a moment to think, the messenger got back on his horse and hurried to the castle.


    "Already under contract?" Arnole was surprised, but only for a moment. "This changes things slightly. You can go now, join the rest of the castle guards on their way to the north end of the city."


    The messenger swallowed some saliva. "Y-yes, sir."


    When the messenger was gone, Anole frowned. Magic Corps members were trickling back into the room, taking their sweet time to ready themselves.


    "Hurry up! We¡¯ve got to get moving!" ordered Arnole, surprising the corps members. They rushed themselves and returned to hear further orders. "It would seem that the king doesn¡¯t wish for the association to join the protect the city, so it¡¯s in our hands now."


    Many corps members were shocked by that statement. The chief officer was speaking against both the king and the Adventurers Association?


    "The castle guards are ready to leave and we¡¯ll lead them into battle. Mount your horses, and save the city!"


    "Aye, aye, sir!"


    The men left immediately. Only Arnole and the purple hooded man was left behind. The hooded manughed, "Interesting... Again, they act outside of your predictions."


    Arnole scoffed, "It was within my predictions, I just had prepared that far in advance. It would seem that the king is forcing my hand. We¡¯ll have to act sooner than I thought."


    "Acting sooner is fine, what worries me is how you¡¯ve been duped again. First, you let that king keep you from getting your hand on that summoned hero. It may not have seemed like much, but now that kid¡¯s got a Hell-me Fox with the association backing him. Also, the kid could be considered as your enemy."


    Silent, Arnole listened to the man as he continued thinking out loud. "Second, you let him figure out your with the syndicate before you hadplete control of the Royal Court. And now, when you decide to rush your ns to eliminate him, he¡¯s forced you to change your ns even more and make an enemy of the association so soon. How do you n to exin this to the others?"


    "Shut up! With you here, we¡¯re guaranteed to seed, it would be impossible for them to defeat us!" retorted Arnole.


    "And what about ¡¯him?¡¯"


    Hesitant to reply, Arnole stated, "To be honest, I don¡¯t think we should worry about "him." Thest time the king ever spoke to "him" was long before I was assigned to Reinolt. ording to the king, he never even saw the man¡¯s face. What¡¯s to say that he¡¯s even in the country?"


    "So, in other words, you have no clue who he is or where to find him?"


    "Nonsense! We¡¯ve nned it all and he¡¯s as real as a fairytale in the Reinolt Kingdom. There have been many battles and wars since then, and he¡¯s never shown his face since. Why would I waste time nning and chasing something that doesn¡¯t exist anymore?" reasoned Arnole.


    "Whatever, it¡¯s your n and your fault if you fail. Don¡¯te crying to me for protection if it all goes south, got it?" The man¡¯s chilling gaze pierced Arnole¡¯s confidence.


    "Just be on standby. You¡¯re the secret weapon, so be patient." Arnole, no longer wanting to continue the conversation, left and found his own horse. Soon, he left the kingdom, ready to receive more heroic des.


    The cetuses had destroyed nearly 10% of the city by the time the castle guards and Magic Corps arrived on the scene. The castle guards were on the frontlines, corraling the beasts. From behind them, the strong sorcerers of the Magic Corps split up to pick off the cetuses one-by-one.


    When they neared the stronger cetuses, the stronger members of the corps were forced to act. Most corps members were as strong as captains, but four of them were over lv. 30 and those men teamed up to pick off the stronger,rger cetuses.


    At first, thergest cetus did nothing. It only watched the fights and analyzed the Magic Corps members. After most of the cetuses had been killed, thergest cetus finally moved.


    Almost like it was on cue, Arnole was riding in on his horse and caught a glimpse of therge, deep-blue cetus.


    "Men, don¡¯t let a single cetus escape! Anyone who deals a killing blow to a cetus will be rewarded heavily. Oh, and leave that one to me," ordered Arnole, boosting the morale of his men.


    He hopped off his horse and approached therge cetus. Recognizing a strong opponent, the cetus growled and began stepping toward Anole, sizing up its prey.


    Seeing the cetus¡¯ seriousness, Arnole activated his first spell. The wind blew around him and Arole felt lighter than air. His movements were swift and sharp, appearing to cut the air itself.


    Without a word, the two attacked each other. The cetus¡¯ brutal nature was apparent, always trying to tear Arnole¡¯s body apart. However, Arnole was too quick and held the advantage throughout the fight, slowing chipping away the cetus¡¯ health with his wind des.


    When the beast let out itsst breath, the soldiers cheered. The weather started calming, slowly reverting back to normal. In moments, all civilians in the vicinity had run over to cheer for Arnole¡¯s victory and the victory of the Royal Court. They were the heroes and the entire city was in an uproar to have such a strong champion.

 Chapter 115 Publicly Denouncing the King

    <h4>Chapter 115 Publicly Denouncing the King</h4>


    My the time the sun rose the next day, the people of Reinolt City heard all about their heroes and sang praises about the Magic Corps.


    What surprised many was the rumor going around about the Adventurers Association. It was being said that the association refused to face the cetuses and allowed them to go rampant in the city. When the Royal Court asked for their assistance, the Adventurers Association denied their request.


    Eventually, the Magic Corps were forced to act and save the city. Had it not been for them, the city would still be in peril. Or, had it not been for the Adventurers Association¡¯s unwillingness to act, many lives would¡¯ve been saved.


    At midday, there was a gathering taking ce in the town square. Hundreds of citizens were there, waiting to hear an announcement from the Royal Court regarding the cetus situation.


    They didn¡¯t have to wait too long to see rows of soldiers on horseback guiding a luxurious carriage, the same used by the king himself.


    "Look, the king himself will make a statement!"


    "It¡¯s been a while since the king addressed us. It must be incredibly important."


    "Shhh! Quiet down, I don¡¯t want to wait any longer.


    As the carriage came to a halt at the side of town square¡¯s center tform, all eyes were on the man exiting it. He was young and had an air of supreme arrogance. A small crown was around his head. Behind him was another man, tall and slim with a majestic purple robe.


    "The crown prince? And the chief officer?"


    "Wait, where¡¯s the king, that¡¯s his carriage?"


    While most everyone starting chatting anew, the crown prince and Arnole walked to center stage and stood before everyone. After a minute or so, the crowd finally quieted down and let them speak.


    Arnole was the first to step forward and speak. "Citizens of Reinolt, we¡¯ve gathered you all to inform you that Reinolt City is in a desperate state. If only the matters at hand weren¡¯t so disastrous, it would¡¯ve been a pleasure to speak to you all."


    The crowd murmured, shocked to hear that they were in dire straits. This grabbed their attention even more, preparing them for some terrible news.


    "You all know about the two incidents that have happened recently involving the cetus attacks. Sadly, we believe that it¡¯s not yet over. There could be yet another attack any day now," exined Arnole. "Our only hope for survival is to all work together and gather the strongest of Reinolt City to fight the iing cetus invasions. However, one of the strongest organizations in the city was refused to cooperate, even when presented an official work order contract."


    Holding the contract up high for all to see, the crowd quickly realized that Arnole was talking about the Adventurers Association. But everyone was baffled by the sorcerer¡¯s statement. The association refused to help when offered a contract?


    "That¡¯s not all," continued Arnole. "I¡¯m certain you¡¯re all wondering why we arrived in the king¡¯s personal carriage, right? The truth of the matter is that the association is working in tandem with the king himself. Yesterday, when the second cetus attack was reported, the king ran off with a handful of bodyguards and holed himself up within the local branch of the Adventurers Association. They had refused to help you, the people of Reinolt City, due to the king¡¯s selfish order to protect himself. How does that make you feel?"


    That question incited anger in the hearts of many people. Some were confused and struggled to believe such a story.


    "Is that the way a king should act? Is that how the proud Adventurers Association acts when people need their help? Can we trust such people with our lives?"


    With every question Arnole added, the more fury the people felt in their hearts.


    "Are you the people going to stand for this? I don¡¯t think you should," reasoned Arnole, swaying the public opinion in his favor. "Here, we have the abandoned crown prince. When his father fled, the crown prince came to me, begging for the Magic Corps to step in and handle the situation. We struggled to believe that the reputable Adventurers Association would stoop so low, but the damage done to the city speaks for itself. Had the association acted when it was asked, countless lives would¡¯ve been saved."


    "Prince Leo, do you have something to say?" asked Arnole as he stepped back and gave the floor to his pupil.


    The prince put on a frowning face, wracked with disappointment. "It¡¯s sad but true. My father, King Leodoro, has fled from the castle and sought refuge from the storm in the Adventurers Association building. He also prevented the adventurers from saving you, and they agreed to his outrageous orders without question. You were all put at risk due to my father¡¯s appalling behavior. For that, I¡¯m deeply sorry and I hope you can forgive the Royal Court for my father¡¯s faults."


    Hearing the prince¡¯s concerned, gentle tone softened the hearts of the people. They began to pity the prince, who was left behind by the cowardly king.


    "From this point on, the Royal Court will increase the number of guards and soldiers we have on hand. We won¡¯t dare to be ill-prepared when disaster strikes next. All those wanting to join us are wee, given they can meet the minimum requirements and are willing to help better Reinolt."


    "Also, I would like you all to know that for some time now I have been receiving instruction from our dedicate chief officer, Arnole himself. In the future, it¡¯s our hope that I can surpass my master and better protect the Reinolt Kingdom."


    "Thirdly, we shall be heading to the Adventurers Association after this. We will discuss the king¡¯s morals and how my father should bear the responsibility of the tragedy that happened yesterday," stated the crown prince. "We sincerely hope that the Adventurers Association will cooperate with us and join us in our efforts to protect you. If not, however, we will be forced to discuss the dissolution of their Reinolt branch."


    Gasps of shock spread throughout the crowd. The dissolution of the local branch of the Adventurers Association was a major event not only for the city but for the entire country. With the Adventurers Association no longer involved in the nation, the Reinolt Kingdom would need to drastically increase its military power to make up for its lost strength. It would even affect how the people of Reinolt hired out for different jobs because they would no longer be able to rely on the association.


    "But don¡¯t worry, that¡¯s only the worst-case scenario," reasoned the crown prince. "We would hope that if such a thing were to happen, that we could convince many of the local members to join our military ranks. All rations, wages, and benefits of joining the Royal Court will be increased drastically! It¡¯s our only way of guaranteeing your total safety."


    Finishing his speech, Prince Leo stepped back with a bow to the crowd. Most everyone wanted to spread the news to those not attending the announcements, but Arnole stepped up once again.


    "People of Reinolt, I have a suggestion I want to present to you all!"


    Arnole gave everyone a moment to calm and better listen before he continued, "I¡¯ve been working alongside the king for many years now, and it has been an absolute pleasure. However, as time passed, the king became more self-centered and less warm to his subjects. When was thest time he addressed you as a public? When was thest time he stepped forward to protect his people? Unlike the past, King Leodoro has grown greedy and seeks everything for himself, no longer keeping the people in his heart. I¡¯ve witnessed this change for years and it¡¯s broken my heart many times. I suggest we do what¡¯s best for you, and that would be to pass the crown to Prince Leo."


    Silence washed over the crowd. They were all too shocked toprehend the significance of Arnole¡¯s statement.


    "With his noble heart and my teachings in sorcery, Prince Leo will lead us into a golden era! You won¡¯t fear for your lives if a beast tide attacks the city. You won¡¯t worry over the border wars with the Zuran Empire. You won¡¯t face troubled times alone. He is the key to Reinolt¡¯s future, and I believe that we should soon push to have him take the throne, regardless of what the selfish king says. What say you?" asked Arnole.


    Again, the crowd was silent. The felt moved, but such a drastic change felt overwhelming.


    "Yeah! No more fearing for our lives!"


    A random yell sounded out. It wasn¡¯t long, but it was the spark needed to ignite the crowd¡¯s passion.


    "We deserve more protection! Too many lives were lost already. Something has to change!"


    "No running away! We serve the king to be protected, not to be sacrificed!"


    As the crowd was growing more and more restless, Arnole and Prince Leo entered their carriage and started for the Adventurers Association.

 Chapter 116 Arnoles Demands

    <h4>Chapter 116 Arnole¡°s Demands</h4>


    In the carriage, Prince Leo showed an evil smile. "That was too easy! People will believe anything, they¡¯re so gullible!"


    "A few paid voices is all it takes to incite a mob," added Arnole, keeping a now emotionless face. "You¡¯ll stay in the carriage for now. Don¡¯te out no matter what, understood?"


    "But master--"


    "Understood!"


    "Yes, master," sighed the crown prince, afraid to anger Arnole.


    "Soon we¡¯ll be at the association building. This will be the trickier part. If you join the discussion, there¡¯s no telling what trouble you¡¯ll cause after some simple taunting," said Arnole. "I¡¯ll handle it all from here. You¡¯ve just got to maintain your image, got it?"


    "I will, master. I won¡¯t let you down," answered Prince Leo.


    The carriage stopped, putting a smile on Arnole¡¯s face. "Now, it¡¯s time..."


    The sorcerer stepped out and approached the association building¡¯s entrance. Finding it locked, he knocked gently first and then loudly after there was no reply.


    "This is Arnole, the chief officer of the Royal Court! I¡¯vee in search of an audience with King Leodoro!"


    A series of locks was unbolted and the front door opened, revealing arge, muscr man with a bald head and a ck beard. "What do you want, Arnole?"


    "Branch Chief Zariff, I¡¯m seeking an audience with King Leodoro and yourself. May Ie in?"


    Zariff eyed the carriage and the guards around it. "You cane alone. Follow me."


    Arnole was allowed entry before the door was shut and locked again. The two high-leveled men took the stairs to the conference room. No one was in there at the moment and all signs of their ns were no longer in the room. "Wait here, I¡¯ll be back with Leo."


    After a few minutes passed, Zariff walked back into the room. Behind him was King Leodoro and one other person, Jack.


    "I don¡¯t believe Jack¡¯s presence is needed. He can be dismissed," stated Arnole.


    "If you want to talk to me, then you¡¯ll have to permit him joining the conversation," replied King Leodoro, making his stance clear.


    "So be it," Arnole chuckled as the others took their seats. "How¡¯re you liking your stay, your majesty?"


    "Cut the crap Arnole, we already know about the announcements you¡¯ve made," stated the king. "Why are you here? We don¡¯t want to waste your valuable time."


    "I came to escort the king back to his castle, do I need any other reason?"


    "I¡¯ve no duties at the moment waiting for me at the castle, therefore I¡¯ll stay here a while longer," replied the king.


    "Actually, you¡¯re needed urgently. After everything that¡¯s happened, you¡¯re needed to help prepare your son, the crown prince, for the thrown. Also, I¡¯m sure the people want to hear your reasoning for abandoning them during their hour of need yesterday."


    "The Magic Corps was just as capable to act quickly, but you didn¡¯t do so. I don¡¯t see why the Adventurers Association has to bear the full me," interjected Jack. "In my eyes, you¡¯re just a hypocrite with a higher level that thinks he can walk all over anyone with a lower level than you. Am I wrong?"


    Arnole¡¯s smile widened until he began tough. Soon hisughter was uncontroble and sporadic. It took a minute for him to calm down and reply. "Fine, since you want to talk that way."


    The sorcerer raised his arm and cast silence over the room, keeping out nosey ears and erasing any means of recording their conversation.


    "I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s informed you of how he¡¯s lost control of his precious Royal Court. Having said that, you probably know that we also helped those goblins and trolls. That doesn¡¯t matter and is too hard to convince the public, especially after what happened yesterday," exined Arnole. "I want the Reinolt branch of the Adventurers Association to dissolve and I need the king to return to the castle to soon pass on the crown to his son. Is that clear enough for you to understand?"


    "Hmph!" Zariff grunted, showing an ugly face.


    "Loud and clear," said Jack. "In other words, you want us to sumb to your demands without any resistance and hand the city over to your puppet dictator?"


    Arnole chuckled, "That¡¯s one way to put it, I guess. So, how about it?"


    "No!" All three answered together.


    "Think about it. Zariff will benefit from not being cooped up with paperwork and can get back to doing what he truly enjoys, the thrill of battle and adventure. King Leodoro will have a chance to retire from the throne if he agrees willingly, then he can enjoy the rest of his life however he pleases," reasoned Arnole. "And you, Jack, your future is boundless. If you joined us then you¡¯d be the hero of a nation. I could help you grow at speeds you wouldn¡¯t believe, and I can guarantee that you¡¯d soon be the most powerful man in the region. What¡¯s so bad about the offer?"


    "The most powerful in the region, you say?" Jack scratched his head, appearing to think about it heavily. "If you can guarantee that, then howe you¡¯re still stuck below lv. 40? That kind of power is too good to be true and probably has too many drawbacks. If not, you¡¯d have already done it, am I right?"


    "How very astute..." said Arnole. "Still, I think it¡¯s more than the association has offered you. Besides, don¡¯t you want the best benefits? That¡¯s why you turned down that fool¡¯s first offer."


    Jack nodded. "You¡¯re right, I chase benefits while I¡¯m busy trying to grind and level up. Such is the way of the world. However, I¡¯ve already received benefits that you or anyone else could ever offer me."


    "I can guarantee that whatever the association offers, I can double, triple, or quadruple. With me, you¡¯ll be a shining star in all of Kartonia."


    With a shake of the head, Jack repeated his answer. "Thanks, but no thanks. I sincerely doubt that you canpete with what I¡¯ve already got. Unless you¡¯re willing to exin how you can provide such an outrageous guarantee?"


    Arnole sighed, "You¡¯re really turning me down? You¡¯re turning down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."


    "Yup."


    "Are you sure?"


    "Is there anything else you¡¯d like to say, or shall the chief escort you back to the carriage?" asked Jack, no longer interested in the conversation.


    "Tell you what, I¡¯ll give you all three days. We¡¯lle back and talk things over once again," stated Arnole as he stood up from his seat. "And don¡¯t go anywhere far. So long as you stay in the city, we¡¯ll be able to talk peaceably in three days¡¯ time. See you then!"


    Having left the option open, Arnole left the room and the carriage quickly departed for the castle.


    A few minutes passed and more people entered the conference room. Tridon and all adventurers over lv. 30, minus Rydel who left with the goblin queen, joined the three who had finished speaking with Arnole.


    "So, what do ya think we should do, chief?" asked Maynard.


    "Hmm... That¡¯s a good question." Zariff stroked his beard. A moment of silence filled the room.


    "Open the door, I¡¯ve got your lunch!" A feminine voice came from the opposite of the door.


    Maynard let Marisha in, who was carrying tworge tters of meat and mashed potatoes, as well as a stack of tes. "I hope you didn¡¯t start without me. Now that you can eat your fill, we can get down to business."


    "Marisha, you don¡¯t have to--"


    "I¡¯m lv. 31, so I¡¯m more than qualified to join your discussion. Besides, maybe a woman¡¯s opinion can help you in this case," said Marisha, sitting herself down beside her husband.


    "Fine... Leo, give them an update!" groaned Zariff as his wife twisted sharply on his love handles.


    "Very well. I¡¯ll make it simple," stated the king. "Arnole and the Royal Court want the Reinolt branch of the Adventurers Association to be dissolved. He also probably hopes to rope in as many of you high-leveled adventurers as possible. He wants me to return to the castle immediately in order to quickly pass the throne to my idiot of a son. Also, he wishes for Jack to join him and offers promises that Halmut himself may not be able to fulfill."


    As the king paused, Tridon leaned forward over the table. "And?"


    "Obviously, we rejected everything. However, Arnole was determined for us to agree and has given us three days to think about it before he returns. Till then, we can¡¯t leave the city without causing trouble with the Royal Court."


    "So, in other words, he doesn¡¯t think we have a backbone? And ya didn¡¯t just throw the man out?" added Maynard while chopping down on some meat.


    Jack sighed and stood up. "Just stick to the n. So far, they haven¡¯t done anything we haven¡¯t nned for, so no need to change anything. I¡¯ll contact Rydel and make sure he handles his part of the n. We need to be ready in three days when theye back because we all know that Arnole won¡¯t be alone next time."

 Chapter 117 Wandering in Though

    <h4>Chapter 117 Wandering in Though</h4>


    News spread like wildfire. The entire city soon knew that King Leodoro refused to return to the castle and the Adventurers Association wasn¡¯t helpful by any means. In three days¡¯ time, the city would get front row seats to a possible confrontation between the two strongest factions in Reinolt.


    Those in the association didn¡¯t act too worried. For them, the worst-case scenario was if they were forced to leave the city. They were only waiting for orders and never bothered to worry about the politics of Reinolt.


    Jack was busier than most adventurers at the moment. His arm was no longer in a sling and his shoulder would be fully healed before the three days were up.


    He decided to go for a walk. Many easily recognized him thanks to the young fox that apanied him, but no one bothered him thanks to the tense situation within the capital.


    His aimless wandering soon brought him to the center marketce. The hero continued to meander past dozens of stalls, not giving them any attention besides an asional nce.


    Out of habit, Jack found himself outside of Zarris¡¯ stand. There, he finally stopped. The stand was empty and the tent set up behind it was gone. All that was left as a small sign with some words scribbled on it.


    "Gone for business."


    Chuckling to himself, Jack stared at the empty stand. "Just when I was looking for some special items..."


    Zariff had already acquired the ingredients to make seven boost potions with Zarris¡¯ help. Zarris even took the liberty of crafting them himself in order to keep it a secret.


    Jack was more astonished by Zarris every time they met up. The man always had the best items and even had peak-tier items and weapons. He always acted like a humble, old merchant that sold decent quality items for a decent price to the public. Few knew Zarris like Jack and Zariff now did.


    With everything happening, Jack wanted Zarris¡¯ incite on the situation and possibly ask for his help. Jack had guessed that he was quite powerful, at least over lv. 35. If he wasn¡¯t at least that strong, it would¡¯ve been impossible for Zarris to have found those soul-piercings.


    A long sigh left Jack¡¯s mouth. How unlucky, one of his only other powerful allies had taken a surprising leave.


    The young hero started wandering again. Soon, he came to the north end of the city. A good portion of the north side was left in rubble and most people avoided the area. Some didn¡¯t want to remember the recent tragedy or the frightening beasts that caused it. Also, a lot of families that called that ce home were no longer living.


    An ache filled Jack¡¯s heart. It was difficult for him to shake the feeling that he was the cause of it all. He understood that the Magic Corps cared even less, hence their dy actions happening only after the Adventurers Association had denied helping, twice! But that still didn¡¯t help.


    "I¡¯m sorry..." mumbled Jack, trying to clear his conscience. "This... This isn¡¯t how a city should be run..."


    Spacing out, Jack spent over half an hour pacing the streets of the north end. Losing track of time was easy during his trance of sorrow.


    ¡¯Jack! Look!¡¯


    Bowzer¡¯s cry shook Jack from the trance momentarily. His eyes looked forward. This ce was easy for him to recognize.


    Jack had reached the now nonexistent Reinolt Pier. Bloodstains were still dried and stuck within the crevices of the stone road. Marks of battle covered the area and reminded him of the hundreds of men who lost their lives, many of which had been sacrificed by Captain Fronks before Captain Fronks met his end by the cetuses.


    What stood out, even more, was a lone figure. The man was very young, barely older than Jack. He was rummaging through the rubble of the dock house at the moment, treating each piece of rubble like a precious treasure as he cleared his path.


    "Isn¡¯t that..." Jack recognized the man.


    Both of them stayed there for a time, neither speaking aloud to the other. Soon, the other man left the dock house and approached Jack, bowing before the young adventurer.


    "Thank you! You saved my men before and I was unable to thank or repay you."


    "No need to thank me, I was just doing the right thing," replied Jack. "Thanks for standing up for us that night and honoring the contract. It wasn¡¯t much, but it at least proved that not all Royal Court captains are pestros. What¡¯s your name?"


    "Trevor. And your Jack, right?"


    Jack pointed at Bowzer. "Yeah, kind of obvious, huh."


    "If there¡¯s anything I can do to help, please, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me," said Trevor. "I¡¯m a lv. 26 swordsman, trained by my old man," said Trevor as he patted his hand against the cuss at his side.


    "A cuss... Like the one Tomas uses,"mented Jack.


    Trevor stared at Jack urgently at the mention of Tomas¡¯ name. "Huh? You know my father? Do you know where I can find him?"


    "Sure I do, he joined the association not long ago," exined Jack. "You didn¡¯t know that? Where have you been the past couple of days?"


    "Solitary confinement. I was court-martialed for acting against the wishes of a superior officer. After the trial and spending twenty-four hours in a cell, I was let loose. I only came out to find everything in an even worse state... To think that the Royal Court would turn against the Adventurers Association." Trevor began thinking out loud. "I refuse to believe that the Adventurers Association is at fault, especially considering the corruption within the Royal Court."


    "Well, we could always use another strong set of hands. What do you say, want to join us like your old man?" asked Jack.


    Trevor thought for a moment, heavily considering the weight of such a decision during the tense situation between the Royal Court and the Adventurers Association. "Let¡¯s do it. Take me to the association building."


    "Alright, let¡¯s go." Leading the way, Jack pet Bowzer¡¯s soft fur and looked back to Trevor, who kept his distance. "Are you afraid of him too? He won¡¯t bite you, not unless I tell him to."


    The joke lightened Trevor¡¯s mood. Trevor stepped closer and looked more closely at Bowzer. "Can I... pet him?"


    "Sure."


    Bowzer nimbly leaped off of Jack andnded in Trevor¡¯s arms, startling him. The friendly fox¡¯s soft fur almost instantly melted Trevor¡¯s coldness. As Bowzer rubbed his tail across Trevor¡¯s neck, the former captain finally showed a small smile.


    "If only you had more powerful beasts, like your Hell-me Fox. Then, no one would bother you or the association,"mented Trevor.


    "Yeah, wouldn¡¯t that be great," agreed Jack. Suddenly, a thought shed through Jack¡¯s head and hit him hard like a bolt of lightning. "If only we had more powerful beasts... Trevor, you¡¯re a genius!"


    "Uhh... What are you talking about?"


    "Beasts! We need more powerful beasts! That the answer!" Jack grabbed Trevor¡¯s shoulders, shouting in excitement. "If we had more powerful beasts then it would help tremendously!"


    As if Jack had gone insane, he sprinted back to the association building, forcing Trevor to do the same in order to keep up. When they entered the building, Jack yelled, "Tridon! Where are you!"


    "Huh! What¡¯s the matter, boy?" A yell came from the bar. "What¡¯s gotten into you?"


    "Tridon, take me to your stables! And where¡¯s Maynard and Zariff, they need toe too?"


    "Fine, but let me finish my food first," said Tridon.


    "No time!" Jack yanked on his arm, dragging Tridon away from the bar.


    "Hey! Boy, stop your yapping!"


    "Did you want to learn more about Bowzer or not? I can also answer any questions you have about ancient beasts," stated Jack, who wasn¡¯t even looking at Tridon. He was too focused on finding Maynard and Zariff.


    "Finally!" Tridon stood tall as newfound energy coursed through him. "Those two are in the conference room. Hurry and grab them, boy, then we¡¯ll leave."


    "Right! You go and prepare the covered wagon, we¡¯ll need it!"


    "What do you mean, boy?" asked the confused Tridon, but Jack was half-way across the room.


    Then Jack saw Trevor again and remembered something. "Maura, he¡¯s joining us. He¡¯s Ol¡¯ Tomas¡¯ son. Please, give him a hand while I take your father elsewhere. Come on Bowzer!"


    The fox hopped onto the reception desk and passed the startled Maura before reaching Jack on the other side. The two of them ran up the stairs as Trevor started the application process with Maura.


    Jack bolted into the conference room. "Maynard! Old fart! Come, we¡¯re going to Salendar Manor now!"


    Both Maynard and Zariff wanted to ask Jack some questions, but he was gone faster than he arrived. The two adventurers shrugged and followed Jack, assuming it was urgent from the way Jack was acting.


    Before they knew it, the four men were traveling with the covered wagon and on their way to the Salendar Manor as Jack finally exined his crazy idea.

 Chapter 118 Three Days Come to an End

    <h4>Chapter 118 Three Days Come to an End</h4>


    The tense atmosphere in Reinolt City only grew as time passed. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion for the citizens. They were too anxious to see an imminent confrontation between the Royal Court and the Adventurers Association.


    Eventually, the three days¡¯ time passed and little to nothing had happened around the association building. The only thing known to the public was the departure of a covered wagon from the association building, but it didn¡¯t leave the city. Instead, it went deeper into the city center and entered the Salendar Manor. After spending a day there the covered wagon returned to the association building.


    Everyone wondered what happened and what the wagon was hiding. When the Royal Court spies tried to inspect the wagon with magic, they were unable to learn anything. Clearly, the wagon was protected and no one was allowed to know what it contained.


    As the sun passed noon on the third day, a crowd had surrounded the association building. It was waiting for the main event to begin.


    However, the crowd had to wait even longer for anything to happen. It was near sunset and nothing had happened. People were losing patience. Some started to think that the Royal Court feared the association after all, and no one could me them.


    Then, the ground started to rumble. The sounds of horses trotting and armor nging grew louder by the second. Arge force of armored men was marching toward the crowd, which opened up and allowed them through.


    "They¡¯re here!"


    "Look, they brought the remaining troops!"


    "And there are all the new recruits!"


    During thest few days, though the association was silent, the Royal Court was actively recruiting new blood for their forces, more than making up for their recent losses thanks to some bold promises made to the public.


    "Behind them are the captains!"


    "Are those the Magic Corps? How noble!"


    The crowd was in awe of the military presence before them. They felt so proud! It was rare to see a military parade, let alone such a show of strength. Everyone understood that the Royal Court was showing off, hoping to stifle the association¡¯s local branch with show alone.


    Another ten minutes passed while the many rows of soldiers organized themselves around the association building. Arnole and the crown prince were riding on their stallions, trotting up the association¡¯s front door.


    "Your majesty! Zariff! It¡¯s time to decide!" yelled Arnole. "Come, this doesn¡¯t have to be a terrible thing. I can¡¯t see why we should be enemies. Let¡¯s work together to build up Reinolt as it should be."


    No response came.


    "I¡¯ll give you till the count of ten toe out. One! Two! Three!"


    Everyone¡¯s breath was getting heavier with each number from Arnole¡¯s mouth.


    "Four!"


    "Five!"


    "Six!"


    "Huh?" The front door slowly opened, startling the crowd and many soldiers. They expected to see King Leodoro or possibly Zariff, the Association Branch Chief. The young man in front of them surprised everyone. "What¡¯s all the ruckus about? You want something?"


    "Jack." Arnole showed a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile. "So, are you ready to join us? We¡¯re ecstatic to have such a promising new member. Though you¡¯re under-leveled, we¡¯ve prepared a captain¡¯s position for you."


    Shock spread through the crowd. A captain¡¯s position? Was the Royal Court really able to snatch the Adventurers Association¡¯s rising star?


    "What are you talking about? I was eating dinner when I hear a dog barking outside, so I came to shoo him away. Here, take a steak for your trouble," stated Jack. Arge, raw steak appeared in his hands as Jack threw toward Arnole. "Go on, get going."


    "HUH?!"


    All the people watching were dumbstruck. He called the chief officer a barking dog, he even threw him some meat? What¡¯s going on?


    Arnoleughed at the sudden development. "Come on, Jack. You know we only want to help you. What¡¯s so bad about the Royal Court that you stand against us?"


    "Nothing really, just you," quipped Jack without hesitation. "I hate that you hide behind the scenes and put on a face for everyone to see, yet you never reveal how cruel you really are. How would the public act if they knew the real Arnole, if that¡¯s your real name?"


    Almost everyone was confused by Jack¡¯s words. Only a handful of people seemed to be unaffected. The crown prince just scoffed, finding Jack amusing. The man in a purple hood snickered with an evil smile as if he wanted Jack to keep talking.


    Arnole was straight-faced, like always, but underneath he was cautious, very cautious. Jack¡¯sst sentence meant far more than anyone would¡¯ve guessed. The chief officer started to wonder if Jack knew about his background, the Choas Syndicate. If he did, things were going to be messier than he wanted.


    "Jack, what are you talking about? I¡¯m a public servant and the champion of the Royal Court. I only exist to serve the people and protect them," reasoned Arnole, trying to keep the public on his side.


    "Really? Then let me just say one thing." A wry smile appeared on Jack¡¯s face. "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower¡¯s birth!"


    Out of nowhere, dark clouds formed over the association building, but there was no lightning. They grew darker and darker, looking more fearsome than thunderclouds.


    Jack continued chanting, oblivious to the changes taking ce around him. "As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let--"


    "SILENCE!" Arnole¡¯s face stiffened and was fuming red. A powerful wind de flew from his hands, pressuring Jack and trying to silence him for good.


    "ng!"


    The wind de was torn apart by a blood-red katana. A samurai in a white and red kimono appeared beside Jack. At the same time, the clouds dispersed as quickly as they appeared.


    "What¡¯s wrong? I wasn¡¯t done with what I had to say?" asked Jack as if he had done nothing wrong.


    "DEMON!" shouted Arnole, sending fear into the crowd. "You¡¯re no hero! You¡¯re a demon who was summoned from the underworld, not a hero summoned from the heavens! You¡¯ve fooled us for long enough, but no more. Men, destroy the demon!"


    Though they were confused, the soldiers stepped forward. Seeing the sudden dark clouds appear during Jack¡¯s chant was enough to convince them since the words came from their chief officer.


    "Fools!" Sudden cracks of thunder sounded out and another figure appeared beside Jack with tiny bolts of lightning passing over his body.


    "It¡¯s the king!" The crowd was more surprised with every line spoken. Arnole¡¯s sudden attack was startling enough, but seeing the king appear in such a domineering fashion was even more shocking.


    King Leodoro rarely appeared in the public eye and the few times he did was for ceremonial reasons. The people of Reinolt had nearly forgotten that their king was also a powerful sorcerer with terrifying lightning powers.


    "Arnole, why are you attacking him without reason? He¡¯s the summoned hero of Reinolt and he¡¯s soon to be a beacon to the world. He¡¯s the pride of the kingdom, so, why are you trying to kill him so suddenly?" asked the king.


    His words began swaying the fickle hearts of the people. They already knew that Jack had a Hell-me Fox and had caught it in order to protect the capital. He had never been a threat to anyone before. Also, why did it seem like Arnole, the powerful chief officer of the Royal Court, was afraid of the young hero?


    "He¡¯s a demon; you heard his demonic chant and saw the terrifying storm clouds. If you let him keep living, then it¡¯s only a matter of time till he proves it," reasoned Arnole.


    "So, let me get this straight," said Jack, scratching his head. "You want to convict me of a crime worth death, assuming that I¡¯llmit the said crime in the near future? That¡¯s like saying I¡¯m strong so at some point in my life I¡¯ll bully someone, whether they deserve it or not. So, since you¡¯re the most powerful person in the kingdom, shouldn¡¯t we kill you because someday you¡¯ll threaten the crown and be a traitor?"


    Arnole was silent, he didn¡¯t dare reply or continue that conversation.


    "Oh, so now that you can¡¯t think of a better reason you keep quiet? Just shut up and let me finish what I need to say,"ughed Jack. "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon--"


    Another three des of wind wereunched at Jack, but none of them reached him thanks to Maynard and Leodoro.


    "What? Why are you attacking me, spit it out!"


    "Shut up, demon!" yelled Arnole. "Men, work together and kill him! ughter anyone who dares protect him without mercy!"


    "Why so flustered Arny?"


    Just when the soldiers were about to take another step, a booming voice spread through the crowd and the ground trembled. A third figure had somehownded heavily in front of Jack. His muscr physique was well-known across Reinolt and he was the only man known to dare call the chief officer, "Arny."


    "It¡¯s him! He finally showed up, it¡¯s Zariff!"


    "The strongest warrior and the strongest sorcerer... What will happen?" The crowd couldn¡¯t help but wonder.

 Chapter 119 Life on the Line

    <h4>Chapter 119 Life on the Line</h4>


    "Why so flustered, Arny?" joked Zariff. "Let him do what he needs to do."


    "I won¡¯t let him summon more demonic energy!" yelled Arnole. "Men, attack now! Magic Corps, step forward!"


    "Everyone, stand your ground! We haven¡¯t done anything and we are no threat. Why are you forcing things, Arnole? Do you think the people are stupid and can¡¯t understand how desperate you¡¯re acting?" stated King Leodoro.


    Arnole didn¡¯t say anything else. He jumped into action as the wind to go crazy around him. des of wind fell continuously to Jack.


    Not waiting, Zariff and King Leodoro both stepped forward. As a tag team, they proved more than capable to hold off the enraged Arnole.


    As the first wave of soldiers dashed for Jack, Maynard remained in front of the hero. He shouted to the iing enemies, "Step forward and ya will die. My sword is for killing, not mercy."


    Some people hesitated and halted their advance. Most, however, disregarded those words as an empty threat. They thought too much about their advantage in numbers.


    "Bloody Massacre." A soft whisper left Maynard¡¯s mouth, but all the surrounding soldiers still heard it clearly. Just then, a red light streaked through soldiers¡¯ charge, quicker than lightning. Before they could grasp what happened, each of the soldiers that kept attacking fell to the ground. First, their chests fell and then their legs, due to the red light cutting them all in half.


    "A warned ya. I don¡¯t enjoy killing, but if ya force my de, that¡¯s all it knows."


    Chills ran down each of the regr soldiers¡¯ backs as they broke out in a cold sweat. Such confident words were bone-chilling. None of the regr soldiers dared to approach Maynard.


    "Fools! Magic Corps, handle the lv. 30¡¯s and kill the demon where he stands!" ordered Arnole. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to kill Jack where he stood. Jack had warned him that he knew the truth, and when Arnole pushed further, Jack proved capable of ruining everything he had done. Arnole wondered how Jack could ever know that incantation!


    The soldiers stepped back for a moment as the Magic Corps bombarded Maynard with all kinds of sorcery.


    But as the Magic Corps entered the battle, more adventurers charged in as well. Some people in the crowd recognized some faces, two, in particr, stood out in the new group.


    "Wait, that¡¯s the old Captain Darmut! The Champion of the sea!"


    "If that¡¯s the old champion, then that has to be his son, Trevor Darmut, the youngest captain in the city!"


    "But why are they with the association and not the Royal Court?"


    "Didn¡¯t you know? The young captain stood up for the association and was court-martialed. I guess he and his father prefer the association to the current Royal Court."


    The crowd¡¯s banter meant nothing to those on the battlefield. For the time being, the fight appeared to be even. Neither side held the advantage and the adventurers focused on defense as if they were stalling.


    "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower¡¯s birth!"


    Some familiar words started to ring in people¡¯s ears and the frightening ck clouds reappeared. Arnole showed signs of panic. The hooded man¡¯s smile just grew wider with each word.


    Jack was now sitting cross-legged in front of the association building. He paid no attention to the battlefield and focused solely on the ritual he was performing, showingplete trust in his allies.


    "As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let my blood guide thy signs as they crossover!"


    "sh!" To the shock of the crowd, they saw Jack cut himself, starting from his palm to the bottom of his forearm. Blood was falling down his right arm in a frenzy.


    Just when everyone thought Jack had gone insane, Jack started drawing a circle with his blood.


    "STOP HIM!!" Arnole pushed himself as hard as he could, but the tag-team of Zariff rock-hard bodily defenses and Leodoro¡¯s electrifying offense was not easy to ovee.


    Finally, a handful of soldiers rushed to Jack. When the adventurers pushed to block one, the man vanished and reappeared behind the adventurer. He had an opening to kill the adventurer, but he didn¡¯t take and kept running to Jack.


    The same thing happened with three other soldiers, startling the adventurers. No one was able to stop them. It seemed like it was only a matter of time until they would reach Jack.


    Maynard activated his Sudden Death skill and reappeared elsewhere, sessfully blocking two of the four assants. Sadly, no one else was able to stop the remaining two.


    Unaffected by the battle, Jack had finished drawing his blood circle and was writing some strange, archaic symbols within it.


    The first of the two men to reach Jack lunged with full force. Just when he was a meter away, a glowing cuss pierced forward, nearly killing the man in a single strike. Pushed back and unable to reach Jack, the soldier started facing Tomas head-on.


    The final man was attacked by Trevor, but he decided to receive the attack in order to reach Jack as soon as possible. Had it been Tomas or Maynard, he wouldn¡¯t dare take the blow, but he was lucky that only Trevor attacked him. That was hisst thought before he fell dead.


    "Thud!"


    Of the four soldiers that broke through the adventurers¡¯ defenses, the only one who was killed, let alone injured, was the one facing the lv. 26 swordsman.


    The other three were shaken. While defending themselves, they sneaked a nce at there fallenrade. When they saw only a superficial sword wound they were confused, at least until they noticed the arrow lodged in his head.


    Arnole was stunned. How could they fail, they were so close?! Looking for the source of the arrow, soldiers weren¡¯t able to find a culprit. Only after they looked beyond the soldiers¡¯ encirclement and into the crowd did they see a man holding a bow, and another arrow was nocked and ready.


    "Rydel!" Arnole and the captains instantly recognized the hunter in the crowd.


    "Go!"


    Suddenly, nine other figures rushed out of the crowd. Four brandished knives and des as they carved their way into the soldier¡¯s encirclement. Three pulled out swords as they hacked any soldier who dared stop them. One brandished a pair of brass knuckles as he pummeled his way toward the adventurers.


    Thest one stood just outside of the crowd, like Rydel. They wore a hood over their head, but it wasn¡¯t able to cover the glow in their eyes. Both arms rose as fire formed around their palms before it sted into the soldiers.


    "Aaaahhh!!"


    Cries of pain and agony filled the air. Suddenly, just when the soldiers had appeared to turn the tide of battle, the adventurers¡¯ hidden forces started a ughter.


    Jack continued to draw with his blood. His face was pale and he was visibly trembling from blood loss, but his determination was immovable.


    Soon the final symbol was drawn and Jack let out a huge sigh. Pure, healing energy epassed Jack. That was when everyone noticed the cleric through the window of the association building.


    "Skaryn, reveal thy intent and let the world behold thy servant¡¯s work!"


    "Crack! CRACK!"


    Thunderps finally appeared in the air as the blood circle began to glow for all to see. It took a moment for the crowd to look away from the blood glow but their attention was quickly grabbed by the lightning in the sky.


    "What... What is that?!"


    Everyone froze where they stood, including most of the soldiers. They were in a trance as pitch-ck lightning started to crawl and coil in the dark clouds. The air was tinted ck as the ck static energy filled the area.


    "STOP HIIIM!!!" belted Arnole. He was fed up and veins were bulging on his neck. No matter what he did, he couldn¡¯t break free from his opponents.


    Seeing that Jack was finally about to seed, Arnole desperatelyunched himself toward Jack.


    Leodoro and Zariff saw his fiendish expression and immediately tried to stop him. Zariff swung his crude war axe at full strength, but he was amazed to see Arnole take the attack without a single block.


    The king alsounched an overwhelming attack, trying to fry Arnole alive. Like Zariff, Leodoro was astonished to see Arnole let the lightning strike his body directly as the crazed sorcerer found an opening to attack Jack.


    "DIE!"


    A gigantic de of wind was created and thrown at Jack. No one was able to stop that attack, not even Zariff or Leodoro.


    "Thy deeds shan¡¯t remain hidden..." Jack tried to quickly finish the incantation and activate the ritual, but the sharp wind was already crashing against his body.


    "And they hands..."


    Pained groans were leaving Jack¡¯s mouth as he forced the words out of his copsing lungs.


    Some adventurers hurried to Jack, trying to take the attack in his ce. But how could they be as fast as one of Arnole¡¯s most powerful killing spells? They couldn¡¯t even keep up with their eyes.


    Jack shut his eyes, making sure to finish the chant with his dying breath. Before he knew it, the tip of the wind de had entered his chest as he yelled the final words.


    "Shan¡¯t go berserk!"

 Chapter 120 Exposed

    <h4>Chapter 120 Exposed</h4>


    "Shan¡¯t go berserk!"


    The final words of the incantation rang through the air as loud as thunderps. Everyone covered their ears and stopped fighting.


    "Shan¡¯t go berserk... Shan¡¯t go berserk... CRACK!!!"


    As the echo continued it was quickly reced by lightning and thunder. The extremely chaotic lightning sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spines. They were are enthralled by the lightning¡¯s explosiveness and unruliness.


    Without warning, a strand of ck lightning descended on to the battlefield. Before anyone had a chance to escape the lightning¡¯s wrath, another five bolts of ck lightning rained down one-by-one.


    Normal lightning would be terrifying of any of the soldiers wearing armor or the packed battlefield, wounding or killing many people with each bolt. The ck lightning felt far more terrifying! Yet, the stray ck lightning caused them no damage whatsoever. In fact, it surprised the soldiers and the adventurers alike to see six people targeted by those strands of lightning.


    "What¡¯s happening?!"


    The crowd was in awe. They all assumed that Jack was trying to summon a powerful being or cast a strong lightning spell that none of them had heard of. Seeing everything unfold so strangely, the crowd could only watch and wait to understand what was really going on.


    Once the first person was struck and the lightning kept pouring down on the same people, everyone knew that something was off. That person wasn¡¯t yelling in pain or agony, he just looked enraged and humiliated.


    It was shockingly one of the four soldiers that had broken through the adventurers¡¯ defenses. Then, everyone noticed that all four of those strong, unknown soldiers were bathing in the ck lightning, and all of them were furious.


    The fifth target¡¯s identity was obviously Arnole, but the crowd was stunned seeing the man they always adored bathing in ck lightning, looking particrly angry at everyone around him.


    Target number six was the man in a purple hood, who had only remained on the sidelines of the battle thus far. However, there was no anger or madness on his face, only a toothy grin.


    "How dare you?!" yelled Arnole, trying his best to grab people¡¯s attention from the situation, but it was toote.


    As the ck lightning danced over its targets¡¯ bodies, their appearances started changing. When the crowd noticed that Arnole, the proud chief officer of the Royal Court, now showed his true pale white skin and sunken eyes, they trembled.


    "How evil..."


    "Is that... Is that really the chief officer?"


    "No way... Wha-what¡¯s going on?!"


    Citizens and soldiers alike were shaking in fear at the sight before them. All of those six people had their true appearances revealed and it was clear to everyone that they all were evil by some means. A single look into their eyes could reveal their true natures; cruel, unforgiving, merciless, evil.


    "So that¡¯s the real Arny..." Zariff was watching Arnole closely. He was warned by Jack that this would happen, so it¡¯s not too shocking, but Arnole¡¯s natural evilness was shocking enough on its own.


    "Finally, they will know that truth." King Leodoro¡¯s shoulders felt a thousand times lighter. He no longer had to keep quiet about his biggest, most threatening secret. Now the world would know the truth, and he could feel at ease for the moment.


    "The man you see before you is the real Arnole!" shouted the king. His words engraved themselves into people¡¯s minds with the aid of Arnole¡¯s shocking transformation. "He and the secret men he¡¯s nted have always been working for someone else, someone so frightening that even I, your king, was unable to do anything alone without fearing for my life. Now you all know that your former chief officer was actually a member of the Chaos Syndicate, sent here to bring ruin and destruction to you all!"


    "Chaos Syndicate..."


    That name rang in everyone¡¯s ears over and over again. Everyone watching was breathing heavy. Such a reveal was unbelievable and too much to take in. Had it not been for the lightning and the men¡¯s evil transformation, then no one would ever believe the king. But now they had no choice.


    "SHUT UP!"


    Arnole¡¯s shout was grating on the ear. It was cold and the bloodlust in his voice was obvious to everyone.


    "You weaklings! I¡¯m amazed that you were able to do this much, but that just proved how stupid you are, Leo! You knew and you still dared reveal everything, publicly even! Now, you¡¯ve shared your demise with the entire city, great job!"


    "HA! HA! HA!"


    Hideousughter rang out, stupifying everyone, including Arnole. The ex-chief officer looked back at the hood man. "What¡¯s so funny?"


    "You are," answered the man, slowly calming hisugh. "After everything you¡¯ve done and you¡¯ve prepared, you still only amounted to this much. I thought you would at least kill the brat hero before this point, but even a kid has outsmarted you and destroyed your ns."


    Arnole¡¯s cruel smile faded and fear crept onto his face.


    The hooded man continued. "You begged for my help and now, you won¡¯t even be able to repay me like you had promised."


    "I¡¯ll definitely repay you, we only need to destroy them first. After that, then I can--"


    "Then you can what? Beg for another high up job? I¡¯ve got clear orders on what to do with you when you were to fail," chuckled the man. "You are right about destroying the city, but who said you were needed to make that happen?"


    "No..." Arnole activated the wind around him, effectively boosting his speed to the max. He flew, rushing away to escape the man¡¯s power.


    "How can you run from what¡¯s inside you?"


    "No... No... NO!!"


    Just when Arnole was about to leave everyone¡¯s vision and escape, his body became ck and exploded into a puff of smoke and ash.


    All eyes were on that ck cloud, freezing some people¡¯s bones by the sight alone. Arnole, the strongest in Reinolt... died... that easily? If he was so easy for that man to kill, then what would he do to the rest of them and the city?"


    The hooded manughed, "I¡¯ve been waiting too long to see that man perish, and it felt so much better since I was the one who caused it."


    Those other four men hurried back to the hooded man¡¯s side, unfazed by Arnole¡¯s death. They kept their cold faces, which appeared even more even than Arnole¡¯s.


    "Stall as many adventurers as you can, in particr, that brat hero, the chief, and the king," stated the hooded man. "I¡¯ll handle the rest."


    A ck staff appeared in the man¡¯s hands. It looked like a wilting branch from a strong tree. It then glowed ck-bluish color.


    Suddenly, storm clouds dashed across the skies and hovered over the city. Sheets of rain came pouring down together with lightning throughout the entire city.


    "ROOOOOAAAAARRR!!!"


    A deafening roar spread through the city and caused everyone¡¯s brains to rattle inside their heads.


    "The pride lord..." All of the adventurers had only one thing in mind after they heard that roar.


    "Men! The hour of judgment may have arrived," yelled Zariff. "How about we show them how wrong they are and show the heavens that we can¡¯t be killed so easily!"


    "YEAH!!"


    A resounding battle cry came from the adventurers. Some soldiers also joined in, naturally wanting to stay true to their position and defend the city at all costs, even their lives.


    King Leodoro also addressed his men, "Soldiers! None of this is your fault, and none of you will feel the repercussions of the decisions of your superiors. However, now is the time to fight! Everyone over lv. 20, rush to the north and stall the iing cetuses!"


    "Cetuses?" The crowd had no clue what was happening or how the cetus attacks were a part of all this.


    "Anyone over lv. 25 will be in charge of the stronger cetuses. Men, let¡¯s move out!" A bolt of lightning rained down on King Leodoro, but instead of damaging him he let the energy dance around him and stimte his strength. In a sh, he dashed into the sky, heading straight for the pier.


    The few men he brought and the soldiers followed his example and left at full speed to stop toward the north end.


    "They must want to die quickly," joked the hooded man. "Let them go and face the beasts. In time they¡¯ll be overrun and we can kill them after finishing here. Attack!"


    "Careful! All four of them are either lv. 34 or lv. 36, and the boss¡¯s true power is lv. 42!" Rydel¡¯s shout warned them all, letting the weaker adventurers step back to avoid unnecessary casualties.


    Understanding the meaning behind Rydel¡¯s words, Zariff, Maynard, and Tomas all retrieved a sparkling blue potion from their storages and drank them like a shot of their favorite brundy.


    "AAAAGGGHH!"


    All three of them yelled as their veins bulged and their strength rocketed, immediately letting them gain five levels worth of strength.


    The hooded man¡¯s smile disappeared. He then realized that they had even prepared for him and possibly the cetuses as well. Immediately, the man knew he had again underestimated the association and the knowledge they had.


    The other four members of the Chaos Syndicate lunged into the crowd of adventurers. It was obvious to everyone that they wanted to quickly kill the men their leader had mentioned, starting with the weakest, Jack.


    "Jack, hurry and get out of here!" Zariff looked back at Jack, but he froze the moment heid eyes on him.


    Jack appeared to be oblivious to everything that had just happened. He knelt on the ground, ignorant of the bloody gash in his chest. The young hero was too distracted to feel the pain.


    Laying in his arms was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and a hole through her torso, making Jack¡¯s injury look like a scratch.

 Chapter 121 Jacks Weak Hear

    <h4>Chapter 121 Jack¡°s Weak Hear</h4>


    "Shan¡¯t go berserk!"


    When Jack had finished his chant, his body remained tense. As the lightning and thunderps grabbed everyone¡¯s attention, Jack finally rxed, bu the was confused.


    Somehow, the wind de he was anticipating would destroy his body, had only stopped after breaking his skin. Unsure what had caused everything and happy to know that someone had found a way to save his life, Jack smiled and opened his eyes.


    That smile instantly vanished, as if it had never existed.


    "No... How... B-but why?" A few weak words escaped Jack¡¯s sorrowful face.


    "Jack, you¡¯re okay," said Slivia with a smile.


    She stood in front of Jack with the massive wind de impaled through her chest and gut. As the wind de quickly disappeared after dealing its damage, Slivia copsed into Jack¡¯s arms.


    "B-but--"


    "Jack, I¡¯m d you¡¯re okay," Slivia smiled warmly. Tears were present in her eyes and a faded teleportation scroll was in her hands.


    "Sliv, why did you--"


    Slivia didn¡¯t let him speak, not wanting to waste the little breath she had left. "You¡¯re okay Jack... That¡¯s all that matters. Keep fighting. Do it for me, okay?"


    When thosest words left her mouth, her hands went limp. Her smiling face didn¡¯t match her now lifeless eyes. Though she had taken far more damage than any lv. 15 adventurer could endure, she passed with a smile on her face, happy to at least have Jack¡¯s face be thest thing she saw.


    "No... No..." Jack was in disbelief. She was wearing her femme feline armor, but he wasn¡¯t even aware of it.


    He hugged Slivia¡¯s body tightly, trying to feel her warmth again. Blood covered him, falling from both his wound and Slivia¡¯s, but he didn¡¯t even notice. Jack was too busy trying to find some sign of life in her body, despite knowing the truth.


    By no means was Jack in a mental state to defend himself, let alone fight.


    By then, Zariff and the others finally noticed Jack¡¯s misery. Maynard wanted to run to Jack¡¯s side but Zariff shouted his orders, "Men, hurry up and kill those pestros! Tomas and Tridon, rush to the docks to help Leo! Rydel, protect Jack and all costs! Maynard, you¡¯re with me!"


    Without a word, everyone sprang into action. Tomas bolted towards the pier as if he was gliding across the water on the ground. Tridon wasn¡¯t any slower, taking on the image of a beast and running through the streets on all fours.


    Maynard took a deep breath and joined hands with Zariff to face the hooded man, now that he was lv. 38 and Zariff was lv. 41.


    Rydelunched one volley of arrows after another, dashing toward Jack around the perimeter. He had some trouble since one of the four mystery men rushed him, but other adventurers helped contain him.


    While Rydel was being held up, another syndicate member forced his way to Jack. All of the syndicate members had strange shadowy abilities, making it hard to hit and contain them.


    As that syndicate member squeezed past the adventurers with the help of hisrades, an evil smile appeared on his face. "Die!"


    Just then, a fireball appeared and hurled itself to the shadowy man.


    Knowing that he couldn¡¯t take such a spell head-on, the man turned into a shadow. The fireball destroyed the shadow, but the man reappeared five meters further back. He looked at the hooded woman and asked, "Who are you?"


    She had appeared not even a meter away from Jack and instantlyunched a peak-tier spell. The man wasn¡¯t stupid and knew that the woman possessed special skills. Based on that alone, she shouldn¡¯t be from the Reinolt Kingdom.


    All the syndicate members were surprised to find out that the adventurers somehow got outside help so quickly, especially someone with such skills. With their informationwork, they should¡¯ve known who she was, yet they were clueless.


    The woman looked up with her cold eyes. Her bloodlust sent shivers down the syndicate member¡¯s spine, it was even stronger than his.


    "Die!" mes danced around her until they became a vortex of fire at her control. It was thenunched towards the shadowy man.


    Though the man was lv. 36, he feared that ming cyclone. He could feel it¡¯s terrible energy and understood that he might lose his life to such a high-level spell. He couldn¡¯t even ascertain if it was peak-tier or possibly higher.


    Not wasting time with his thoughts, the man dashed back towards his fellow syndicate members in fear. Though the cyclone was more powerful than him and could threaten his life, the shadowy man¡¯s speed was too much for the cyclone to catch him easily.


    The hooded man was busy facing both Zariff and Maynard. Though it was two against one, neither side had the advantage. Daliea¡¯s high-level spell caught everyone¡¯s attention and shocked the hooded man.


    ording to his knowledge, no powerful mage should¡¯ve been on the adventurers¡¯ side. Not enough time had passed for the high-level adventurers to arrive and King Leodoro should¡¯ve been the only one.


    However, the man¡¯s information was clearly wrong. Not only was Daliea a powerful mage, but she had peak-tier spells to boot, not to mention her powerful, mysterious shadow goblin bloodline.


    But he wouldn¡¯t know that. Not even Arnole had recognized the goblin queen as a shadow goblin, and he saw her personally. ording to their knowledge, shadow goblins went extinct a long time ago. For one to show up in Reinolt on the edge of the continent was impossible for them to anticipate.


    *****


    On the north end of the city, the soldiers were doing battle with the cetuses. Lucky for the king, Jack had guessed that most cetuses were around lv. 25 and not lv. 30 like the first batch. Jack assumed that the lv. 30¡¯s from before were some of the strongest of the cetuses, and he had guessed correctly.


    Almost all of the cetuses attacking the city were between lv. 20 and lv. 25, and only a few were over lv. 30. After the first two waves, most of the pride¡¯s strong cetuses were killed, including the pride lord¡¯s mate, which Arnole was forced to kill to maintain his reputation.


    Though most of the soldiers were able to participate in the fight this time, there was also one monstrouslyrge cetus that had emerged from the stormy sea soon after the cetus army.


    King Leodoro, Tomas, Tridon, and one of the king¡¯s most trusted lv. 30¡¯s were facing the behemoth cetus together. They had all drunken boost potions but were still only able to fight the creature equally. It was a shocking sight for all to see.


    "Tridon, what do you think we should do?" asked King Leodoro as lightningunched from his fingertips onto the giant beast. He was clearly the most effective against the creature. Without his lightning, the beast would¡¯ve killed them all rather quickly.


    "It¡¯s underbelly is the weakest part of its flesh. Open a hole under its right armpit and st him with everything you¡¯ve got. That¡¯s the easiest way to try and attack the beast¡¯s heart directly!" Tridon yelled for them all to hear.


    With a nod, the four men took action. The high up soldier and King Leodoro took turns feinting attacks and creating openings while the Tomas and Tridon attacked brutally, trying to carve out the cetus¡¯ flesh.


    Realizing what its opponents were up to, the pride lord became more defensive.


    It was a beast under the control of the hooded man. The man was a beast tamer and he had somehow tamed the cetus pride lord, even though the man was six levels weaker than the cetus. It may not have liked having a master, but having the master see what was happening through the cetus¡¯ eyes also allowed the master to give telepathic aid to the cetus, helping it adapt far quicker than it usually would.


    The battle continued to drag out. Neither side was able to ovee the other, but it was clear to everyone that the cetuses would win if it were a war of attrition.


    Almost out of nowhere, an electrifying w flew into the cetus¡¯ underbelly as it let out a pained roar.


    The high-leveled soldier and Tomas were spooked. Suddenly, a lv. 33 Thundercat had appeared and joined the fight, attacking the cetus without hesitation or fear.


    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s here to help us," stated King Leodoro. He wasn¡¯t surprised in the least.


    Tridon smiled. "Finally, they¡¯re getting serious!"


    *****


    A bellowing roar filled the air around the association building.


    Facing one of the syndicate members single-handedly was a tall, stout gori. With every roar, the earth would shake beneath the syndicate member¡¯s feet. Each punch from the beast felt like a mountain crashing down on him.


    "An Earthen Ape? How¡¯d that get here?" The hooded man nced at the creature that was suppressing his men. He wasn¡¯t happy, in fact, he was furious. Destroying Reinolt City should¡¯ve been easy, yet so manyplications had changed everything.


    The hooded man thought to himself as he questioned how so many things could¡¯ve gone wrong. It felt like his enemy had guessed his every move and fully understood his strength, as well as the cetuses¡¯ strength before the battle had even begun.


    ¡¯How could they have known so much?¡¯ thought the hooded man.


    Then, he remembered Jack¡¯s incantation. Such an incantation was an ancient spell used to reveal Skaryn¡¯s spies during Ancient Kartonia. How could a young hero know such a ritual and perform it perfectly? He wondered if he should kidnap Jack instead of killing him.

 Chapter 122 Turning the Tide of Battle

    <h4>Chapter 122 Turning the Tide of Battle</h4>


    The city was in darkness, only lit up by the scattered lightning strikes. Two gruesome battles were taking ce. Though the cetuses were powerful and numerous, so were the soldiers and those who had drunken the boost potions, keeping things at a stalemate.


    Back at the association building, the sudden appearance of an Earthen Ape pushed to the tide of battle in favor of the adventurers. Thanks to it facing the strongest syndicate member single-handedly and Daliea doing the same with the second strongest, the remaining two were being overwhelmed. Even with their shadowy abilities, it was impossible to avoid that many people¡¯s strikes forever.


    The hooded man stared at Rydel and Zariff. "It¡¯s that brat hero¡¯s fault, isn¡¯t it?" When he got no response, he chuckled. "Very well, I guess I¡¯ll have to take him with me."


    A forceful gust of wind washed over the area. Arge figure descended from the clouds and went straight for Jack.


    "A wyvern?!"


    The strong adventurers instantly recognized the beast. Daliea showed worry in her eyes as she left her opponent to the surrounding adventurers and confronted the wyvern.


    Uninterested in a fight with Daliea, the wyvern gave an ear-splitting cry and spit a fireball at the woman.


    Bringing out her full power, she hurled the me cyclone at the wyvern. The cyclone destroyed the fireball and became weaker, but it was strong enough to redirect the wyvern toward Daliea.


    The two started to sh, proving that the wyvern was more fearsome than the syndicate members and that Daliea had been hiding her true strength.


    However, not long after the battle between the two began, Daliea¡¯s figure started to be illusory. Soon, everyone got a good look at her true self.


    "A goblin?" grunted the hooded man, startled to see who she really was.


    "Goblins!"


    The crowd panicked when a few people in the crowd and on the battlefield also turned into goblins.


    Rydel was fast to act and yelled, "The goblins are allies to the king! They¡¯ve agreed to fight and protect the city!"


    Many people still ran further away in fear, but no one attacked them. The adventurers were surprised but they all smiled. Seeing that the higher-ups had so many tricks up their sleeves made them happy. They were even more confident of their victory now.


    "Die, filthy beast!" With Daliea dispelling the illusion, she fully focused on facing the wyvern. Their battle was neck and neck, neither was stronger than the other.


    The hooded man groaned loudly in disgust. Not only was he unable to capture Jack, but his personal beast was being suppressed by a goblin.


    He was only able to control the cetus pride lord with the help of a powerful item given to him by the syndicate. That wyvern, however, was a beast he had caught and raised for years. The wyvern was his pride and joy, yet while facing the people of Reinolt, of all ces, he and his beast were being suppressed.


    "Enough!" Wild energy surrounded the hooded man, making him appear draconic. His eyes became bestial, his teeth became fangs, and his hands became ws. A tail emerged from his robes and swung back and forth. "I¡¯ve had enough!"


    The man lunged at Maynard and Zariff, eager to finish things as quick as possible.


    "Come!" Zariff also stepped forward, meeting the man¡¯s w with his fist, not his axe.


    As the man smiled, he made contact with the fist and groaned. Shock spread across his face. "What the--"


    A de covered in lightning dashed through the air in a fraction of a second, trying to im the man¡¯s life.


    "NO!" The hooded man used the punch¡¯s strength to propel himself backward and swipe his other w at the electrifying de attack, canceling it out and leaving both hands feeling numb.


    He red intensely at his two opponents. In the darkness of the night and storm shy, the man failed to recognize the aura around Zariff as bestial, though it was the same color as it always had been.


    Seeing static electricity wash over Rydel, however, was a clear sign to him that his opponents had also been holding their punches against him. But he was unable to understand how they could both produce bestial energy.


    The hooded man was a beast tamer, so it made sense for him to use such energies. He had drunken wyvern blood on many asions and used secret methods to enhance his body to better sync with his wyvern. But Zariff and Maynard were clearly in the brawler and samurai sub-sses. It should be impossible for them to use bestial energies!


    "How..." asked the man.


    "Ya will die soon, so no use telling ya," answered Maynard as he lunged forward with his lightning covered katanas.


    The man dodged one attack and repelled the other with his tail, knocking Maynard away to create some distance. Then, he rushed Zariff with a full-power w attack. His hand was light a glowing wyvern¡¯s talon.


    Just as the two were about to sh, a feeling of death came over the hooded man. He immediately pulled back and fled at top speed.


    It was a quick dodge, but the man wasn¡¯t able to fully evade Maynard¡¯s lightning enhanced Bloody Cross attack.


    Now that Maynard was able to use lightning, his speed had increased dramatically and his attacks explosive power did the same. Combining that with his Sudden Death and Bloody Cross skills was absolutely terrifying.


    A small cross had appeared on the hooded man¡¯s chest. It was only superficial and barely cut through his robes, but it chilled the man¡¯s bones. He had almost lost his life and to a weak lv. 33 no less!


    At the moment, Maynard was stronger but the man knew that they had used unnatural means to do so. That only added to the shame he was feeling after struggling toplete what he thought would be a simple mission. He even had a cetus army, his wyvern, and some shadow assassins, yet he continued to fail atpleting his assignment.


    "Why don¡¯t you all just die!" The hooded man¡¯s bestial aura exploded, growing leaps and bounds over Zariff¡¯s and Maynard¡¯s.


    The battle grew chaotic as the hooded man used everything he had against the two. Their boosted strength helped, but they were facing a special talent from the Chaos Syndicate. How could the fight be easy?


    Their fight continued as all three of them began to tire each other out, pushing toward a final confrontation.


    The other adventurers were at a stalemate, including Daliea and the wyvern, who¡¯s battle was especially brutal. Both had been seriously injured and one wrong move could mean the end of everything.


    "I see. This exins everything."


    A voice echoed through the air. It wasn¡¯t loud, yet it reached across the entire city. Everyone instantly realized something. A stongbatant had arrived, and no one knew what side he was on.


    "Sir, help us and you¡¯ll receive benefits beyond belief!" yelled the hooded man. He didn¡¯t dare to take the situation lightly.


    "Oh? And why would I want to ally with the syndicate? I don¡¯t want to hide my face and take orders from pompous fools," answered the voice.


    The syndicate members frowned. They were instantly recognized and humiliated by the omnipresent voice.


    Everyone else was smiling from ear-to-ear. Had a heroe to help? Who was strong enough to belittle the Chaos Syndicate like that.


    Near the pier, a man started tough. With each passing second, hisughter would grow louder and louder until he could no longer control himself.


    "My king, what¡¯s wrong?" asked Tomas.


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong, nothing at all. It¡¯s theplete opposite actually," stated Leodoro with a smile. "We¡¯ve won."


    Above the pier, a strange wind began to blow.


    "Rooooaarr..."


    A cry of pain and agony escaped the cetus pride lord¡¯s mouth. Before it¡¯s cry was over, the cetus¡¯ head fell to the ground. It¡¯s strong, muscr body stood still like a statue, but only for a moment till it copsed, lifeless.


    "What..." All the soldiers were in awe.


    Then, lightning crackled and spread across a lot of the remaining cetuses. The king had already started attacking the other cetuses as if he expected the pride lord to be dead the moment the voice sounded out.


    At the association building, the hooded man¡¯s face sunk. He looked miserable. His link with the pride lord was shattered, proving that the mighty beast was in.


    "Who are you? You dare threaten the Chaos Syndicate?!" The hooded man felt like going crazy, trying to scare the man even if it seemed hopeless. It was all he could do to try and save himself.


    The voice startedughing. "Why would I listen to someone who tries to use the syndicate¡¯s reputation, despite only being a deputy?"


    The hooded man started breathing heavily. Without any difficulty, the voice could instantly guess his position in the Chaos Syndicate. That could only mean that whoever owned that voice knew quite a bit about the syndicate and more than likely had fought members higher ranked than the hooded man.


    "I¡¯ve had enough of you¡¯re people wasting my time." When the voice finished speaking, a strange wind blew over the battlefield, just like what happened at the pier.


    "Aaahhh..."


    "AAHH!"


    Multiple cries of pain rang out. Each of the syndicate members was beheaded by that strange wind. Before he knew it, that hooded man¡¯s head also fell to the ground and rolled to Zariff¡¯s feet.


    Zariff bowed deeply and shouted, "Thank you! I hope one day we can meet face-to-face so we can thank you properly!"


    There was no response. In seconds, the clouds and the storm dispersed to reveal a beautiful night sky.

 Chapter 123 Triumph in Tragedy and Tragedy in Triumph

    <h4>Chapter 123 Triumph in Tragedy and Tragedy in Triumph</h4>


    With the threat taken care of and the mysterious voice no longer there, the world returned to normal. The people within the crowd and the city finally had a sense of calmnesse over them.


    King Leodoro had given the order to stand down to all soldiers, letting himself and the other three men with boosted stats work together to contain the remaining cetuses. Rather than kill them, Tridon and King Leodoro had a different idea.


    While King Leodoro corraled them with strands of lightning, Tomas and the strong soldier forced any straggling cetuses into the lightning cage. Tridon went about knocking them all unconscious.


    They wanted to take advantage of the situation and grow the forces of Reinolt. Also, Jack and the adventurers were only able to convince Tridon to give up a couple of his beasts by promising him all surviving cetuses. King Leodoro didn¡¯t disagree, in fact, he wanted to help and offered Tridon a new title as the Reinolt Kingdom¡¯s Beast Master.


    After rendering them all unconscious, Tridon hurried to brand them all with a strange beast seal. It was one the would allow more than one person to be its master, so long as they also had the same seal and was only temporary. The few cetuses over lv. 30 received the same type of seal, yet it was different. That way he could be more careful with whoever controlled the four remaining lv. 32 and lv. 33 cetuses.


    With seventeen cetuses over lv. 20, eight cetuses over lv. 25, and four cetuses over lv. 30, Tridon was over the moon.


    The soldiers were dismissed after gathering all the corpses, with the beast and human corpses going to their separate piles. It was a grueling battle, but they were d that the casualties this time were less than any of the other two cetus attacks.


    King Leodoro noticed the pride in Tridon¡¯s eyes and asked, "So, now what?"


    "Why should I be so focused on the future right now? Can¡¯t I enjoy my present achievement?"ughed Tridon.


    "You know what I mean. With such a strong force in the Salendar family¡¯s hands, many people will think you won¡¯t respect the Royal Court."


    "If it¡¯s the same Royal Court we just crushed, then why would I respect it?" joked Tridon.


    Leodoro smiled. "Well, Beast Master Tridon, I want to ask you a favor."


    "No, I¡¯m not joining your court."


    "I don¡¯t want you to. Actually, I want you to form your own power, not as a noble family but as its own entity. What if you had your own beast taming academy?"


    Tridon looked away from his newly acquired beasts and saw the king¡¯s genuine smile. He chuckled, "You know, once I make something like that, I¡¯ll be just as powerful as Zariff and rival your little court with my beasts alone. If I can attract strong people too, I may overtake your court."


    "Honestly, I¡¯d like that. So long as we¡¯re allies, I¡¯d be happy to have such a power within the city. But help out when you can, alright? We have no clue if the syndicate will return, so we¡¯ll need you and your cetus army if that happens." King Leodoro sighed, d to see things start changing for the better in Reinolt.


    "If you support the Salendar Beast Academy, then why not?"


    Both men chuckled and embraced each other¡¯s arms like brothers of war. No more words were spoken, only looks of respect were shared as they waited for the cetuses to wake up to their new master.


    *****


    Those at the association building gathered the corpses of the few soldiers and adventurers that were killed, as well as the syndicate members. Nobody dared loot a single corpse. They respected those that fell amongst the soldiers and adventurers while they knew their chief would be in charge of inspecting the syndicate corpses.


    Though they won the battle with very minimal losses in terms of numbers, neither Zariff, Maynard, nor Rydel was happy with the end result.


    They looted the syndicate members and didn¡¯t find anything too precious or unusual beside gold and a powerful weapon or two. The hooded leader was the only one with an item they didn¡¯t recognize.


    Not wasting time, they stowed everything away and would wait for a better moment to mention the item to Jack.


    The three men slowly walked toward the forlorn Jack. He was speechless. Staring at the lifeless Slivia in his arms, Jack was motionless and looked to be near lifeless himself. At his side was Daliea, who seemed touched by Jack¡¯s sadness. She had finally gotten to see evidence that Jack had already given his heart to someone.


    Zariff was in a unique position. He cared for both Jack and Slivia for different reasons. Slivia was someone he had helped protect and save in the past, representing a turning point in his life. Jack was someone who could save his own life and was an instant friend after joining the association. Both were important to him and he would never want to choose between the two in a life or death situation.


    "Jack..." After a few minutes of silence, Zariff finally spoke but never received a response. "Jack, bring her inside. Let¡¯s go upstairs."


    Jack said nothing and showed no signs that he heard Zariff, but after a few seconds, the weak Jack managed to cradle Slivia¡¯s body in his arms. He turned around and approached the association building.


    The others opened the door for him and made sure Jack only had to walk. They wanted to offer to carry her since he was already weak with his own injury, but they knew he would never let them.


    It took some time, but they finally got Jack upstairs. They watched himy her across the conference table. Jack stood over her. He was still in shock from her sudden self-sacrifice.


    Rydel left the room and quickly came back with Bowzer. The young fox hurried onto the table and immediately started cuddling up to Slivia¡¯s corpse.


    No one was able to understand Bowzer¡¯s cries. While the others had no mental link to him, Jack wasn¡¯t paying Bowzer¡¯s cries any attention.


    After it grewte into the night, more people entered the room. King Leodoro, Tridon, and Tomas had returned with the news of their battle with smiles on their faces, but they all frowned after reading the mood of the room.


    Marisha was the next to enter, hugging andforting her husband who rarely had such watery eyes.


    Thest to join the mourning was Maura. She had been locked and stowed away in a backroom by her mother. By no means was she allowed toe out, just like Jack had done with Bowzer.


    The syndicate was too much of a threat. Jack feared that Bowzer may be captured if a beast tamer was somehow involved and Marisha feared that her headstrong daughter would cause more trouble then help if she was let out.


    When Maura learned of their victory, she was overjoyed. But very quickly that joy was reced with sorrow. Her only sister-like figure had been killed, sacrificing herself for Jack. No one understood how she did it, but Maura didn¡¯t care. She hurried through the halls without hesitation, searching for the others.


    Entering the somber room was a heavy blow to her heart. Her eyes firstid on Slivia. She couldn¡¯t understand why Slivia was smiling during her final moments.


    Then, Maura turned to look at Jack. A small part of her wanted to be at his side and just hug him, but she didn¡¯t. She didn¡¯t know if he would let her and she was too scared to try and be rejected in front of so many people.


    The coldness of Jack¡¯s eyes brought Maura even more tears. That happy-go-lucky Jack she had first met was nowhere to be found. There was only coldness. It was clear to her and everyone that he had no desire to talk with anyone.


    When Marisha left to bring food for everyone, most ate it and some at least finished a portion. However, Jack never even acknowledged the te¡¯s existence.


    As night turned to day, everyone beside Jack eventually left for their own beds in need of a good night¡¯s sleep.


    Alone with Slivia¡¯s now cold body, Jack finally sat down in front of her. He struggled to remain conscious, but his weak self wasn¡¯t able tost before the sun came up.


    When Maura came back to the room with Jack and Bowzer¡¯s breakfast, her heart ached. She saw his head resting on her shoulder and tear stains in his eyes. Bowzer was nuzzled up in her arm, trying to find the warmth that was no longer there.


    She stared at them for quite a while, not realizing how much time had passed. When she finally set the food down, a voice startled her.


    "Maura..."


    Maura stood up straight and noticed Jack turn his head. His eyes were no longer cold, but broken and passionless.


    "Maura... Why couldn¡¯t it be me instead?"

 Chapter 124 Looking for an Impossible Answer

    <h4>Chapter 124 Looking for an Impossible Answer</h4>


    "Maura... Why couldn¡¯t it be me instead?"


    As Jack¡¯s empty words reached her, Maura¡¯s eyes started to water. What should she say? What could she say? She had no clue.


    "J-Jack..."


    Jack¡¯s eyes finally met hers instead of staring off into space. She was the first person he acknowledged since Slivia¡¯s death.


    Maura took another moment to swallow some of her fear and sighed deeply. "Jack, I don¡¯t know. I¡¯m too weak to try and help you guys, let alone save her..."


    "Too weak... I¡¯m too weak..." Jack spoke to himself while his gaze stayed on Maura.


    "Maybe it was fate, Jack. Everyone has their time and we can¡¯t control that," continued Maura, trying her best to find some kind of reason to make them both feel better. "She cared about you and knew that you could do a lot more than any of us in the future. If she did this, I¡¯m sure she knew what she was doing."


    "What did you say?" Jack¡¯s tone changed. It wasn¡¯t sorrowful but slightly hopeful.


    Maura was caught off guard, but she felt a little better since something she did had finally gotten through to Jack. "Maybe, this was her time. If she hadn¡¯t done this, all the good you¡¯ll do in the future would never happen. She must¡¯ve really cared about you..."


    "No, before that. What did you say?" Jack interjected, sounding anxious.


    "Uh... That this might have been her fate. No one can predict what will happen in the future when someone will die. If that was so--"


    "DARUUN!!"


    Jack¡¯s sudden angry shout sent caused Maura to shiver. She had no clue who or what Daruun was. Seeing Jack so angry about it after she talked about fate baffled her. "J-Jack, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "He knew! That pestro knew all along!" Jack kept shouting. He hurried to his feet, no longer paying Maura any attention and not noticing that he had woken up Bowzer. "He knew and he never told me or even bothered to warn me, his only patron. Some god he is!"


    While Jack was rambling, Maura only became more confused. God?! Who was Jack talking about? And what was he talking about when he mentioned being a patron?


    "I¡¯ll have to see what he has to say." Jack was still wearing his bloodied clothes and still had never bothered healing his wound, yet he appeared to have his strength back as his anger grew. A stone talisman appeared in his hand and Maura didn¡¯t have a chance to ask about it before Jack yelled, "Show me thy way, oh great diviner!"


    The world froze in ce; Not a soul was moving. Maura was motionless as her hand had reached out, seemingly to try andfort the suddenly enraged Jack. Bowzer was floating in the air. The fox had leaped toward Jack but hadn¡¯t managed to reach Jack¡¯s shoulders before Jack activated the tutorial stone.


    "Come out! You already know why I¡¯m here!" Jack was screaming all around the room, waiting for Daruun to show himself.


    "Let¡¯s not talk here."


    An emotionless voice appeared out of thin air before a sh of light filled Jack¡¯s vision and he was transported elsewhere.


    Now, Jack stood among clouds with a rising sun in the distance. Surprisingly, there was also a setting sun in the opposite direction, as well as a sun high above him like it were midday.


    "Wh-where did you take me? Show yourself!" shouted Jack, only fazed momentarily by the change of his surroundings.


    "Jack." The voice came from behind the hero. "Are you here to ask your final question?"


    Jack looked back to see an emotionless Daruun with only a slight frown on the god¡¯s visage. "You knew this would happen, right? You knew that she would die to save me, that I wasn¡¯t strong enough and she would die because of it? You knew she would die because of me?!"


    "You already know that I would¡¯ve read such a future, so there¡¯s no need to ask a useless question," replied Daruun.


    "Shut up! You knew that all of this would happen. You knew that I, your only patron, would have my life saved by her and that she would die in my ce. Yet, you didn¡¯t bother to warn me at all, even though I¡¯m important to your n?!"


    "That¡¯s the very reason why I couldn¡¯t," answered Daruun. "If I had warned you that she would use her teleportation scroll to rece you in the face of death, would you have dared to perform that ritual and reveal the truth to the masses?"


    "Yeah, I¡¯d only change--"


    "Change what? What change would you have made? Let Bowzer join the fight? And what about the beast tamer, wouldn¡¯t he have possible captured Bowzer? Even though Bowzer is a Hell-me Fox, don¡¯t underestimate the Chaos Syndicate," exined Daruun. "Maybe you wouldn¡¯t have given her the teleportation scroll, leading to your death and the inevitable death to millions across Kartonia. Does that sound any better."


    "B-but..." Jack stammered, struggling to answer despite seeking a release for his unruly anger.


    "If you perished, that would also mean that Zariff and Maynard would no longer have ess to their beasts¡¯ skills since the achievement system would be null and void. Had that happened, do you think they would¡¯vested long against the beast tamer in his wyvern mutation ability?" continued Daruun.


    "There are too many factors to count when looking at fate. You don¡¯t have the slightest understanding. Death is a part of life, you¡¯ll have to ept that as one of the chosen champions. If not, how will you ever take on the world when you and your loved ones are threatened by your foes?"


    Jack kept silent. Anger was still bubbling inside of him, but now he was angry at himself. He had nothing to say to refute Daruun¡¯s words, even though he wanted it more than anything at that moment.


    "Jack, like I said before, who are you? Who do you want to be? This is the question you need to answer," stated Daruun. "If you can answer this question, not only with words but actions, then you¡¯ll truly be the champion you and I know you can be."


    As the world was frozen in time, Jack spent a long while in silence. He tried to control his emotions while thinking about Daruun¡¯s words. Jack wasn¡¯t sure how long he waited to finally speak up. "Daruun..."


    "Yes, Jack?"


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m sorry."


    "No need to apologize. I¡¯m only acting ording to thews of fate. I refuse to act against thosews, no matter the circumstance," said Daruun. "If you¡¯re mad at me, that¡¯s up to you. I only hope that you will do everything in your power to be the champion the world needs."


    More silence passed between the two of them.


    "Daruun, why did you choose me?"


    "I¡¯ve already answered that question so there¡¯s no need to repeat myself."


    "No, really, why did you choose me? I¡¯m too weak to do anything and I¡¯m too scared in the face of danger to try and change the world. I couldn¡¯t even save the woman I loved..."


    "You loved her?" asked Daruun, startling Jack.


    "Of course I did!"


    "Why? What did you love about her?"


    "She was always so nice to me! Whenever I needed someone to talk to, she would listen. When I was hurt, I was always the first person she would heal," answered Jack. "She--"


    "Sounds like a good friend, not a lover," stated Daruun, not letting Jack continue his exnation.


    "How do you know?!" Jack yelled at Daruun, ring at him angrily.


    "Really? You¡¯re asking me, the god of fate, how I would know?"


    "You..." Again, Jack struggled to find a suitable answer for the all-knowing deity in front of him.


    "What has she done for you that others haven¡¯t? Did she do anything for you that she wouldn¡¯t do for someone else?" reasoned Daruun.


    It took a moment for Jack to blurt out an answer. "She died for me! You can¡¯t deny that!"


    "True, I can¡¯t. But you also can¡¯t deny the fact that you had already saved her life twice, and risked your own life against a troll captain to do so. Don¡¯t you think she would feel indebted to you for that? Especially emotionally?"


    "S-she..."


    Jack choked on his own words. No anger was left in his body, only sorrow and pity. He couldn¡¯t bring himself to deny Daruun¡¯s reasoning, but he struggled to ept it as well.


    "Jack, there¡¯s nothing wrong with your rtionship with her. Also, I¡¯m not saying that you two may have genuinely fallen in love given time, but you must realize the truth behind it all. To her, you were a knight in shining armor that was the best prospect for a rtionship that she had ever met. She had gone through a lot and wouldn¡¯t dare miss an opportunity to get closer to you. Given what you had done for her, that only strengthened her reasons to do so."


    Daruun¡¯s dry, emotionless exnation was the hardest pill to swallow. It was harsh and brutal for the young Jack, who had never been in a rtionship with a girl other than Slivia, which was extremely short-lived.


    Jack took his time to digest the information and eventually speak up. "So, you¡¯re saying that we were in love yet?"


    "That¡¯s one way to put it, yes."


    "Then there was a good chance that we would¡¯ve fallen in love for real, given time?" asked Jack.


    Daruun nodded. "Of course, the mortal heart is easily swayed. With time, almost anyone can start to fall in love."


    "Then I know what myst question is. How can I bring her back to life?"

 Chapter 125 A Tough Decision

    <h4>Chapter 125 A Tough Decision</h4>


    "How can I bring her back?"


    Daruun sighed, "Are you sure that¡¯s your final question? You wouldn¡¯t want to ask about Bowzer¡¯s origins as a Hell-me Fox or how you can strengthen your fox bloodline?"


    When Jack remained unfazed, Daruun continued, "Maybe you¡¯d want to know the current state of Trodar and how you can best help it return to glory? Or you¡¯d like to know about the other two champions that Skaryn and Halmut had chosen?"


    Jack was motionless. He fixed his gaze on Daruun, who was dodging the question.


    "Are you sure this is your final question? Afterward, your tutorial stone will shatter and return to regr pebbles without any inscription or ability to contact me," reasoned Daruun.


    "How can I bring her back?" Jack repeated his question, not wavering in the least.


    "How stubborn..." sighed Daruun. "There are a total of five ways to bring her back to life. The first and mostmon way is one you already know of, by resurrection spell. You also know that after twenty-four hours pass, no resurrection spell will work, no matter the caster. Of course, there are other ways to bring her back through spells, but she would be some form of undead and unable to live a normal life. Neither you or Slivia would want that, right?"


    Convinced by Daruun, Jack nodded and let the god continue his exnation. "Given that no mage powerful enough with high enough level holy magic is within reach of you in that twenty-four timeframe, you¡¯ll have to use another way."


    "The four other means of resurrection are through the use of items. Some would need to be crafted and others would need to be collected. Each of the four items has a time limit that they can work within. The first is within twenty-four hours of death, second within three days of death, third within seven days of death, and fourth within thirty days of death."


    Daruun took a deep breath and a meaningful look at the anxious Jack before he continuing, "The first is impossible given its location, and the same goes for the second option. Only the third and fourth options have any chance of you seeding."


    "What are those two options?" asked Jack, happy to hear that there was a chance to bring her back.


    "Both are magic items that would need to be found and brought back to her corpse. Each has its own way of use, be it by simple application or by ritual," stated Daruun. "In order to revive her within one week, you would have to find a spring of life. Allowing its water down her throat would rejuvenate her life energy, so long as a week hasn¡¯t passed from her death. By then, it¡¯s toote even for the life spring water."


    Jack pondered the life spring water and asked, "Given that you said there was a chance to save her this way, there must be a life spring not too far away, right?"


    "Correct, but that doesn¡¯t mean it would be easy to acquire," answered Daruun. "As for the possible way to resurrect her, you would need to find a naturally blessed item."


    "A naturally blessed item? What¡¯s that?"


    "An item that has been blessed by nature itself. They are extremely rare ande to exist once every thousand years," exined Daruun. "However, no one has been able to find one in the past two millennia. That doesn¡¯t mean that there¡¯s two of them avable now, it just means that one¡¯s blessing has grown stronger. For that reason, it can restore a body back to life after an entire month has passed and not just a week or two."


    "So, I¡¯d either have to retrieve a naturally blessed item or find a nearby life spring? Which is more likely to seed?" asked Jack.


    Daruun answered inly, "That¡¯s hard to say. In a week¡¯s time, the Adventurers Association should be arriving to take you to the Polt Federation, right?"


    Suddenly, Jack remembered the ns he had already set in motion. He had talked with the others before and after the first cetus attack and they all agreed that a visit to the Polt Federation would be a great help to them.


    Also, there was a hidden shrine in the Polt Federation that may prove useful if he can convince someone to pledge to it.


    "You mean I couldn¡¯t leave for the Polt Federation if I chose to find the naturally blessed item?"


    "You could try, but I can guarantee that your chances of sess would be zero."


    Jack grunted, "So if I try to find the life spring, my chances are best?"


    "Given that you travel to the Polt Federation, yes, your chances of sess with the life spring are higher. If you refuse to travel and force the Adventurers Association to change its ns that are well underway, then you¡¯ll have higher chances with the naturally blessed item," exined Daruun, putting a frown on Jack¡¯s face.


    "You mean..." Jack groaned, unhappy that his hopes for Slivia¡¯s resurrection weren¡¯t in his favor.


    This was only the second time Jack had spoken with Daruun, but he was already beginning to understand how Daruun acted. The god of fate never showed favor for one option or the other, but he would always force Jack to make a definite decision, which would render the unchosen option obsolete.


    And now that it could affect his rtionship with the Adventurers Association, the decision was much harder.


    Effectively, Daruun was forcing Jack to choose between which rtionship was more important to him. If he chose the association, there was still a chance that Slivia could be brought back to life. If Jack chose Slivia, it could begin toplicate his rtionship with the Adventurers Association, but offer the best chance to save her.


    "Take your time. I¡¯ve got all the time in the world," stated Daruun, not impatient at all.


    Again, it was another test for Jack¡¯s heart.


    Thinking about the week-long option, Jack scratched his head. Clearly, Jack would need to rush his trip to find a life spring and return to Reinolt City. Jack had no way that he could guarantee making it back in time or that they wouldn¡¯t meetplications that would stall them.


    Storing Slivia¡¯s body in his storage wasn¡¯t an option, because her body would decay with time. He didn¡¯t need Daruun to exin that her body would need some sort of magical preservation while he went after these items.


    He pondered the month-long option next. Zariff had made some calls to the association headquarters and made some outrageous requests on Jack¡¯s behalf. If Jack decided to up and leave before the adventurers from headquarters came on his behalf, that could potentially ruin his standing in the association.


    Currently, the reason he was confident enough to publically reveal Bowzer¡¯s breed was because he had the association backing him. If he got on the association¡¯s bad side and was unable to follow up on the promises he had begged for, why would they support him in the future? Why wouldn¡¯t they find some special means to remove Bowzer¡¯s seal while Bowzer was still young and weak? That way they could better control it without Jack as a variable. Even if they didn¡¯t take Bowzer away but no longer supported him in the shadows, how could he guarantee his safety against the Chaos Syndicate?


    After much mental deliberation, Jack came to a decision. "Daruun, where can I find the nearest life spring?"


    Jack came to the conclusion that if he had gotten on the association¡¯s bad side, it would only take a small window of opportunity for the Chaos Syndicate to plot an assassination. Without the association backing, wouldn¡¯t he and Slivia just be waiting to die again?


    Daruun nodded and waved his hand. "I¡¯ve ced its location on your map. You must be careful though; it won¡¯t be an easy trip to get in and out of the Zuran Empire within a week."


    It felt like a ton of bricks had crashed onto Jack¡¯s head, already forming a headache. "The Zuran Empire? How can I get there, find the life spring, and get back to Reinolt City in a week?!"


    "As I said, it will be a difficult journey," continued Daruun, unfazed by Jack¡¯s response. "Also, don¡¯t hesitate and fall back to the other option. If you don¡¯t have the will to follow through with your decisions, you¡¯ll never amount to anything other than average."


    Not daring to rebut Daruun, Jack swallowed his doubt and nodded. "Any tips for me while I¡¯m on my journey?"


    "Stay true to yourself, no matter what happens. If you let the distractions of the world influence you, you¡¯ll be my greatest disappointment."


    Daruun¡¯s words fell heavily onto Jack¡¯s heart.


    "If you can stay true to yourself, no matter what happens to you or those around you, then you won¡¯t live with any regrets. Do that, and you¡¯ll surely be the champion this world needs."


    With a small nod, Jack sighed. "Thanks, Daruun."


    "Don¡¯t mention it. I look forward to the next time, it¡¯ll be best after you find my temple."


    As Daruun spoke thosest words, lights red and Jack was brought back to the association building¡¯s conference room.

 Chapter 126 Leaving Immediately

    <h4>Chapter 126 Leaving Immediately</h4>


    Bowzernded on his shoulder and Maura touched his forearm, which was still extended with the tutorial stone in hand.


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?" asked Maura. To her, Jack had just angrily cursed a god she didn¡¯t know existed and exploded in anger.


    ¡¯Jack, what wrong?¡¯ Bowzer was just as concerned, brushing his fur against Jack to try and calm the hero.


    Suddenly, Jack¡¯s angry face changed to a hopeful smile. Before either Maura or Bowzer could react to the sudden change of mood, the tutorial stone shattered and crumbled to the floor. Only dust was left of the once miraculous item.


    Startling Maura, Jack put his hands on shoulders and said, "Thanks, Maura. You¡¯ve been a big help. Come on Bowzer!"


    "W-wait! Jack, where are you going?" Maura didn¡¯t know what to think. She couldn¡¯t understand his mood swings. How could she know that Jack had spent more than a day in silence thinking over what Daruun had said? Something like that was impossible and far beyond her imagination.


    "I¡¯ve got to hurry and talk to your dad and the others. We¡¯ve got to leave immediately!" Jack¡¯s voice came from the bottom of the stairs. He was hurrying to find everyone else.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the entire association building to hear about Jack¡¯s sudden change of mood. When Jack found the three men he was searching for in his room, he smiled. "Good, so you¡¯re all ready!"


    "Huh?" Rydel blinked, surprised to see Jack smiling. "What¡¯s gotten into you?"


    "I¡¯ll exin it all on the way. Right now, all three of you should get ready to leave. We have to hurry if we want to get back within a week." Not looking at them, Jack walked to his bed and stored his pillow and nket forter use.


    When the others remained where they were, Jack looked back at them. "Come on, hurry and get ready. Or are you already good to go?"


    "Jack, what¡¯s going on?" asked Zariff. Therge man blocked Jack from walking out of the room without giving a clear answer. "Thest time we saw you, you wouldn¡¯t say a word and were too sad to acknowledge our existence. Now, you¡¯re all smiles and wanting to leave somewhere?"


    "Yup." Jack nodded without hesitation. "Now pack up, we need to leave ASAP!"


    "But--"


    "Oh! We also need Slivia¡¯s body to be preserved so it hasn¡¯t started decaying when we get back." Jack looked up to Zariff. "Can you make sure that happens before we go?"


    The three men gave Jack a weird look. They each started having a few ideas since Jack had asked for Slivia to be preserved.


    Maynard sighed, "Jack, ya know she¡¯s gone, right?"


    "Yeah."


    "And ya know that she can¡¯te back, right?"


    "Yeah," Jack answered, letting them feel a bit better, at least until he finished his sentence. "The only chance of getting her back is finding the nearby life spring, so we need to hurry."


    "Life spring?!" All of them were dumbstruck. Jack was mentioning a life spring like it was amon tourist attraction.


    "Jack, it¡¯s not that simple," said Rydel. "We don¡¯t even know where to find those, how do you n to do that before we leave for the federation? Just let her go, Jack, you¡¯ll have to at some point."


    "But I already know where it is."


    Again they were stunned into silence. They couldn¡¯t think of a way to reply. He had always surprised them before, so why not now?


    "Ya really think we can find a life spring and get back before ya have to go?"


    "Well yeah, otherwise I would¡¯ve been forced to search for a naturally blessed item," stated Jack, confusing the others even more.


    "A naturally blessed item? What¡¯s that?" asked Zariff.


    "That¡¯s unimportant now, so hurry and make sure her body is preserved before we leave. We don¡¯t have any time to waste!" Finishing with his quick orders, Jack skirted past Zariff and through the door. "I¡¯m off to see Zarris. Meet me at Salendar Manor so we can choose a beast for Rydel."


    "But Jack, where are we going?"


    Zariff¡¯s question went unanswered and he sighed, "Are you two sure we haven¡¯t made a mistake following this brat?"


    Rydel looked at Zariff andughed while patting his shoulder. "You know, I think you¡¯ll be amazed by what will happen. If it¡¯s only a quick trip, you can still make it in your condition, right?"


    "Yeah..." Zariff groaned.


    "Look on the bright side, chief. Now ya have got a beastpanion and can even use beast skills. Ya will be scary strong after we heal ya." Maynard left the room and called back to them. "Ya need to hurry and arrange her preservation. We¡¯ll be waiting at Tridon¡¯s ce. Can¡¯t waste time so we better get ya a beast real quick."


    "You don¡¯t have to tell me twice!" Rydel ran out the door, happy to no longer be the only one without a beast. Plus, after seeing the others use their beasts special skills, he wouldn¡¯t let Jack and them do anything till he had his own beast anyway.


    "Uhhh..." Zariff was left alone. He was hesitant but he quickly called the Royal Court to send a mage who could preserve Slivia¡¯s body for the next week. After that, he ran to the Salendar Manor at full speed.


    Jack wasted no time reaching Zarris¡¯ little shop. He was ecstatic to see that he¡¯d returned so quickly. "Yo, Zarris! Got anything good? I¡¯m leaving for the Zuran Empire and I¡¯ll be back in a week. After that, I¡¯ll be off to the Polt Federation and I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back."


    "Sounds like you¡¯ll be pretty busy for a while. Come in the back." Zarris smiled as he held up the p to his tent, letting Jack step in before he cast silence. "By the way, thanks for filling me in about Reinolt¡¯s troubles the other day. I would¡¯ve never made it in time without you."


    "Huh, what did you say?" In his excitement to hurry and leave for the life spring, Jack had already started opening a few crates and exploring Zarris¡¯ new wares.


    "Nothing, anyway, I think you¡¯d like what¡¯s in that chest over there," stated Zarris while pointing at a in-looking crate in the back.


    "If you say so." Jack ran to the crate and threw the lid open. "Where did you get this?"


    "I¡¯ve had it for a while and have been struggling to find a buyer. Consider it a gift for saving the city, how about it?"


    "Zarris... You really mean that?"


    The old merchant chuckled, "Sure do, why else would I say that? Now hurry and get going, by the way, you¡¯re acting you¡¯re probably trying to hurry."


    "Thanks, Zarris! I¡¯lle see you before I leave for the Polt Federation!" Jack left the tent in a whirlwind, yelling back to Zarris as he disappeared.


    Zarris smiled and shook his head. He wasn¡¯t sure why, but he had a hunch that Jack may be the most powerful person he¡¯d ever met. However, to Zarris that felt strange since he was close friends with people over lv. 60.


    *****


    When Jack reached the Salendar Manor, there was someone waiting for him outside. The servant guided him into the manor and led Jack to the stable area where most beasts were kept.


    There was a small group of people gathered in the back of the stable area, standing in front of arge steel door. As they bickered back and forth, they noticed Jack and the servant approaching them.


    A surprising face popped out of the group and weed the young hero. "Jack, I¡¯m d I made it time to chat with you. I heard you¡¯re leaving somewhere. I¡¯m just d you¡¯re feeling better after everything."


    "No need to worry about me Leo, you have a kingdom to run and a son to discipline," said Jack.


    "Actually, I don¡¯t have to worry about the idiot anymore." The king smiled back at Jack. "During the chaos of yesterday¡¯s battle, that fool was killed by a few angry guards. After Arnole was believed to be part of the Chaos Syndicate, no one trusted him and was killed with no one there to protect him."


    "Oh, well--"


    "Forget about him. That idiot of a son tried to have me killed and had been plotting against me for some time now. He got what he deserved, so I should be thanking you." King Leodoro bowed to Jack, startling Tridon and the adventurers. "I want to give you this on behalf of the Reinolt Kingdom."


    Jack epted the storage ring and inspected it. A glimmer appeared in Jack¡¯s eyes as he bowed in return to the king. "Thank you, King Leodoro!"


    "Just call me Leo, Jack," corrected the king. He nodded to the others and added, "I¡¯d better get going. Good luck convincing him to part with his precious roc."


    The king left the others to keep bickering, trying to convince Tridon to let them see his most prized beast. An adolescent roc!

 Chapter 127 Roc Beast Companion

    <h4>Chapter 127 Roc Beast Companion</h4>


    "Wait, you have a roc?!" Jack yelled, shocked to hear that Tridon had captured such a beast.


    "Of course!" Tridon proudly stuck out his chest. "I¡¯ve got the great collection of beasts this side of the continent! With a mythical beast, how could I dare make such a im?"


    "Yeah, but your roc isn¡¯t as mythical as a pure ancient bloodline, like a Hell-me Fox," Rydel chimed in, determined to get that roc as his beastpanion. "It only has a descendent bloodline, so why make such a fuss about it?"


    "It may only have a descendent bloodline, but it is still a king of the skies! Don¡¯t dare look down on the roc¡¯s abilities," argued Tridon.


    "Fine, then prove it. Show us the mighty ruler of the skies."


    Tridon groaned and clenched his fists, but Jack also spoke up. "Tridon, you know I¡¯ll probably find even more beasts during my journies, and considering how many cetuses we gave you, why not agree? Having a roc would speed things up and make it much easier for us to travel. Please, I¡¯ll make sure to bring you another descendent bloodline beast to rece it."


    "Make it an ancient bloodline beast," quipped Tridon, eager to at least get something worth his loss of a roc.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s at least got an ancient bloodline, but I can¡¯t promise a pure bloodline."


    Tridon sighed and nodded as a pulled a key out of his pocket. He proceeded to open the steel door and rolled it aside. "Come in, but don¡¯t touch anything other than the roc, got it?"


    Once they all agreed to Tridon¡¯s condition, the beastmaster led them into the most secured area of therge manor. Some of the cages were empty, but those that were contained beasts that would shock any adventurers.


    "A Stone Bear... He has a Red-hot Tortoise..." Besides the many cetuses now upying most of the stalls, the other two beasts were just as terrifying. Jack gained more respect for Trident after seeing those powerful beasts in his control.


    "Yeah, but you¡¯re all after that one." Tridon pointed to thergest cage at the end of the spacious room. It had a huge open area, like a giant birdcage with room for therge roc to fly around. "Good luck taming her. Without the chief¡¯s help, it¡¯ll be a fun show."


    Rydel groaned when he noticed the roc. It was a magnificent beast, with regal, dark brown feathers. Though it was still an adolescent, the roc¡¯s wingspan was almost five meters wide. It couldfortably carry to average-sized men on its back while it flew. The most disappointing part was that it still had a higher level than Rydel, despite not being fully grown.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll help." Jack¡¯s statement calmed Rydel slightly. ncing at the cage¡¯s lock, Jack asked, "Can you let me and Rydel in? We need to hurry up and get going."


    Tridonughed, sure that they would struggle to calm the lv. 36 roc enough to let him perform the beast seal ceremony. "Fine, I¡¯ll get the pen ready. Don¡¯t waste too much time!"


    As the smallest entrance to the cage slowly creaked open, both Jack and Rydel entered without a second thought. Rydel pulled out his bow and ready an arrow, but Jack lowered the hunter¡¯s arms, not letting him take aim. He looked at Jack strangely until he saw Bowzer hop-off Jack¡¯s shoulder and saunter toward the roc.


    The proud roc noticed the small fox and thought nothing of the weak lv. 20 fox. As a future king of the sky, why would it respect such a young, stupid fox? Strength was everything in the world of beasts!


    Irritated to see a weakling near it so casually, the roc opened its wings and dove toward the young Bowzer. It was fully ready to tear the fox to pieces.


    Suddenly, to the roc¡¯s dismay, a horrible heatwave passed over the roc as Bowzer¡¯s me body grew bigger than the roc and his level outshined the mythical bird. With a single snarl, the roc was oppressed by Bowzer¡¯s level and superior bloodline.


    While Rydel was all smiles, Tridon looked smug. He at least wanted to enjoy watching Rydel struggle to tame the beast. He never would¡¯ve thought that Bowzer¡¯s bloodline was powerful enough to force the bird into submission without a fight. Bowzer had done the same with the Earthen Ape and the Thundercat, but they only had strong bloodlines, unlike the roc¡¯s descendent bloodline.


    Tridon kept to his word and drew up the seal. Lucky for Zariff, Maynard, and Rydel, Bowzer¡¯s bloodline was so intimidating to other beasts that they had all agreed to a mutual seal. Normally, they would still face difficulties at the beginning of their new beast-master rtionships, but Jack¡¯spanion skills made things far easier than normal.


    "Finally, we can leave!" yelled Jack.


    "First, tell us where we¡¯re headed," said Rydel.


    Jack looked at them all and saw that they were eager to learn about the trip, even Tridon. "Fine, but I won¡¯t repeat myself due to time. We¡¯re off to the Zuran Empire, but not the capital. There¡¯s a life spring hidden beyond the border."


    "The Zuran Empire?!" Everyone yelled back at Jack with dazed looks on their faces.


    "What¡¯s wrong? I know it¡¯s possible," reasoned Jack.


    Rydel shook his head. "It¡¯s not that it¡¯s impossible, it¡¯s that we can¡¯t hope to get there and back so quickly with so many of us. And you can forget about the chief joining in, he¡¯s well known in the Zuran Empire thanks to the many skirmishes and battles on the border."


    "Really, it¡¯s that bad?"


    "Yeah, it is," added Zariff with a depressed sigh. "Unlike Reinolt, the Zuran Empire has no local association branch. Some of the more powerful nations don¡¯t need any outside help so they¡¯d rather not allow outside forces to grow inside their borders."


    "Hmm... Thatplicates things." Jack scratched his head, determined to find a fast solution. "So, what if it was only Maynard, Rydel, and I?"


    "That won¡¯t work wither. Other than Zariff, who do you think caused the most carnage during thest major battles among association members?"


    Jack frowned and looked to see a proud smile on Maynard¡¯s face. "So, you¡¯re saying that only me and Rydel have any chance of entering and exiting the Zuran Empire within our week-long timeframe?"


    Zariff nodded and exined, "Jack, you¡¯re lucky we got our hands on Tridon¡¯s roc--"


    "You mean my roc!" Rydel didn¡¯t hesitate to remind everyone that he was the roc¡¯s new owner and partner.


    "Right," sighed Zariff. "Either way, you¡¯re lucky Jack. It¡¯s almost like fate is always on your side."


    "Well, I hope it is." Jack looked toward the heavens as hemented.


    "What part of the Zuran Empire are ya heading for? Ya think the both of ya can handle it?" asked Maynard.


    Jack pulled out the rough map he had received a long time ago from Jezelle. He scanned it until he nodded and pointed at a specific point on the map. "There, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find the life spring."


    "Hmm, that¡¯s just outside of Ponlinne so you¡¯ll have to be careful," exined Zariff, making sure Jack realized that he may need to stay hidden near the town. "There shouldn¡¯t be anyone much stronger than Rydel in that town, it¡¯s about the size of Baltwood. Keep a sharp eye and focus on staying out of trouble. The less attention you draw the better. Just keep the roc away from the city."


    "Thanks, Mom. Do you want a hug goodbye too?"ughed Tridon, recing Zariff¡¯s worry with anger.


    "Thanks, I¡¯ll remember that," said Jack.


    "Also, ya have to be extra careful, Jack. No one there will know Rydel, but ya are famous so the word might have spread already," added Maynard.


    Jack smiled wide. "Don¡¯t worry about that, Zarris already helped me with that."


    "Zarris? How¡¯d he so that?" asked Zariff, always curious to learn more about the mysterious merchant.


    "Check this out." Before Jack could finish speaking, he covered his face with his hand and his appearance suddenly changed. The young, proud demeanor he always had be a slouched, stern posture of a middle-aged man. "What do you think?"


    "How..." They were all baffled by Jack¡¯s disguise. Thanks to Jack already owning the Privacy Screen soul-piercing, Jack¡¯s middle age appearance was unquestionable. He seemed like a mysterious traveler the wasn¡¯t worth looking into.


    As Jack lowered his hand, his appearance returned to normal and a mask was in his hand. "It¡¯s an ancient item called a Joker¡¯s Mask. Back then these were cheap, so it makes sense that they¡¯re not impossible to find. With this, I should be fine so long as Bowzer stays inside my cloak."


    "Well, it seems like you¡¯ll be able to stay hidden. Be careful, alright. Even if you find the life spring and bring back some water for Slivia, what¡¯s the use if you die on the way?"


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind," joked Jack. "So, Rydel, are you ready?"


    "Now that I¡¯ve got Ayden, I¡¯m ready." Rydel smiled while he gently stroked the roc¡¯s feathers.


    "Ayden? You¡¯ve already named her?" Tridon shook his head, sad to see that the great bird would never really be his.


    "Of course, hop on Jack! And open the gate!"


    Rydel¡¯s shout reached them just in time. The moment Jacknded on the adolescent Roc¡¯s back, its wings pped as it took off through the air. Tridon barely managed to open the cage in time, watching the bird vanish in seconds as it passed the steel door and flew into the clouds.


    "Ya think they¡¯ll make it in time?" asked Maynard, ncing at the branch chief.


    Zariff shrugged his shoulders. "Without that roc, it would¡¯ve been impossible. Now I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s a fifty-fifty chance."


    "You know who¡¯s stationed in Ponlinne, don¡¯t you Zariff?" Tridon¡¯sment caught the adventurers¡¯ attention. The beastmaster smiled and continued, "If they can weasel their way into the life spring under Commander Pire¡¯s nose, I¡¯llugh to death."


    "Commander Pire..."


    Both Maynard and Zariff sighed as they thought about the war veteran they had once faced. It really wasn¡¯t going to be an easy trip after all.

 Chapter 128 The Zuran Border

    <h4>Chapter 128 The Zuran Border</h4>


    High in the sky, a massive bird soared above the clouds. Had anyone seen it, people would¡¯ve stopped and stared, wondering if it were a good or a bad omen. However, that bird was uninterested in anything other than flying freely. What bird wouldn¡¯t after being left in a cage since it had hatched?


    ¡¯Jack, We¡¯ve already passed Baltwood and we¡¯ll be near the Zuran border by nightfall. We¡¯ll probably have to stop them to let Ayden rest for the night,¡¯ said Rydel telepathically. They were grateful for their telepathic link, otherwisemunicating while flying at such high speeds would be impossible.


    Jack nodded and agreed, ¡¯That¡¯s fine, just set up camp a couple of kilometers outside of the city. We don¡¯t want wandering eyes. Plus, I want a map of the Zuran Empire.¡¯


    After another hour of traveling, Rydel had the roc descend into a thick part of the forest. Rydel began setting up his tent and Jack walked to town with his mask in ce.


    As a middle-aged man, Jack was able to avoid prying eyes and was mostly left alone. Other than the asional street vendor trying to sell something, no one spared him a second nce. Only after finding a general goods shop did Jack stop.


    He quickly entered and began looking around, appearing inconspicuous. When the clerk was finished talking with a customer, Jack approached him and asked, "Sir, do you have a map of the Zuran Empire by chance?"


    "Hmm... Let me double-check," answered the clerk. The shop owner was an old man with a round belly. He was cheerful and pleasant to talk to, making him good at his job. After a few minutes of checking his backroom, the clerk returned with a piece of parchment in his hand. "Here you go, son. That¡¯ll be three gold coins."


    "Thank you kindly." Jack quickly ced three gold coins on the counter and reached for the rolled-up map.


    Just as he was about to grab it, another hand quickly snatched it from the clerk¡¯s grasp.


    Jack frowned. "Hey, I bought the map fair and square. Hand it over!"


    "I also need a map, so I¡¯ll take this one and you can wait for the clerk to fetch another," stated the young man who now held the map.


    "Then buy another one, that¡¯s mine and I¡¯ve already paid for it," replied Jack, stepping toward the young man.


    "Young man, that¡¯s thest map I have and this kind sir has already purchased it. I¡¯m afraid that it¡¯s already his," said the merchant, not daring to be unfair.


    "Fine, since it¡¯s yourst one I¡¯ll offer you five gold instead." Another five gold coins appeared on the counter as if Jack¡¯s previous payment was null and void.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s already his. I wouldn¡¯t dare sell something that¡¯s not mine." The clerk remained respectful and pushed the five gold toward the young man, refusing to budge.


    "Well, if you won¡¯t take it, then give it to him. I¡¯m now buying off of him, and he¡¯s gained a whole two gold profit. That must be a lot for someone like you," stated the young man, not caring how arrogant he was.


    Jack¡¯s face was ugly, he wasn¡¯t happy to be taunted and belittled for such a measly map. However, Jack knew that he needed a new map for the Zuran Empire. Without one, their trip would only be more difficult and less likely to seed.


    "I don¡¯t need gold, I need that map. It¡¯s mine, so give it here!" Jack raised his voice and held out his hand in wait for what was rightfully his.


    The young man grunted, "You don¡¯t know a good deal when you see one. Here, take ten gold. That¡¯s more than enough!" After dropping a small coin purse on the floor, the young man started walking toward the door.


    Though he tried to leave, the young man was stopped again by Jack, who blocked his way. "You still haven¡¯t given me what¡¯s mine, boy. Do you want to cause a scene?"


    "You, stop me? You don¡¯t know who you¡¯re dealing with!" In his anger, the young man retrieved a rapier from his storage ring. "Out of my way peasant, or you¡¯ll taste the swordsmanship of the Treall family."


    When the young man announced his background, the other shoppers and the clerk stepped back. Had they known that the young man was a member of the Treall family, he would have been gifted the map instead of having to argue over it with an unknown traveler.


    "Young master, I¡¯m so sorry we didn¡¯t recognize you. Please, take the map as a gift. Don¡¯t cause any harm to my clients. Kind sir, I¡¯m sure you can understand," pled the shopkeeper, hoping the middle-age man understood how imposing the young man¡¯s background was.


    Jack showed a wry smile. "You¡¯re only lv. 14 and you dare throw around your weight in front of me? Hand me the map before I have to knock you down a peg and teach you a lesson."


    "Huh?!" everyone was aghast. They didn¡¯t know what to think. Surely the middle-age man was stronger based on what he said, but how could the man stand against the Treall family as a whole?


    "You!" No longer having any patience, the young man lunged forward with his rapier. Aiming for Jack¡¯s chest with his fastest strike, it seemed like the middle-age man wouldn¡¯t be able to avoid injury, even if he won the map in the end.


    "Hmph!" As the de neared him, Jack easily sidestepped and used the young man¡¯s momentum tounch the young man over Jack¡¯s shoulder and into the wooden floor.


    "Crack!"


    Dust and debris filled the air as the young man was lodged into the broken floor, groaning in pain.


    "He... What did he do?" Most people were too low-leveled to clearly see what Jack had done, but the shop keeper did.


    "I¡¯ll only take what¡¯s mine." Jack crouched down and took the map from the young man¡¯s hand and promptly exited the shop.


    "Young master, what happened?"


    A few shouts rang out through the air as Jack passed through the door. There were two men in light armor, one of which was stepping toward the door.


    Jack moved aside and didn¡¯t bother with the guard, but he only made it a few steps before he was called out.


    "That¡¯s him! He attacked me by surprise and stole the map I just purchased!"


    Jack turned around to see the young man pointing at him from behind the guard who had just entered.


    "Sir, you¡¯ll being with us," stated the guard who hadn¡¯t entered the shop as he ced himself in front of Jack.


    Squinting in anger, Jack looked at the guard and said, "Sir, there¡¯s a misunderstanding. I purchased this map and he wrongfully took it from me and wouldn¡¯t return it. He then pulled out a rapier and threatened to attack me. Should I have just let him kill me when he was clearly in the wrong?"


    "Still, you¡¯ll being with us. You¡¯ve hurt the young master and that¡¯s a crime of its own." By then, the other guard was behind Jack, effectively nking him in case of an emergency.


    A long sigh left Jack¡¯s mouth. He nced at the shopkeeper and the other customers, but none of them spoke up for him. Jack started to realize that the Treall family may not be a regr noble family, but a stuck-up n who thought they could terrorize anyone weaker than them.


    "Is that so?"


    "Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" asked the guard with his hand on his sword.


    Jack shrugged his shoulders and smiled. He could easily read that both of the guards were lv. 20 and lv. 21, which was above average within the town.


    "No I don¡¯t have a problem, but it appears you have a problem with me. For that reason, I may have to teach you a lesson. Streng is king, not nobility!"


    "Have it your way!" Both guards drew their swords and lunged at JAck between them.


    With a shake of his head, two swords appeared in Jack¡¯s hands as he parried both strikes. "Is that all you¡¯ve got? This may be a short lesson."


    The guards grunted and continued swinging their swords, trying to work in sync with each other. On the side, the young man had a cold smile as he watched Jack get double-teamed. "Just kill him! I¡¯d like to know what else he has since the old man has such nice swords!"


    "I guess you¡¯ll have to learn the hard way. Remember, there will always be someone stronger than you, especially when you least expect it." Jack waved off the guards¡¯ attacks and forced them back, creating some distance as he started muttering some archaic words.


    Before the guards knew it, the temperature had risen and one of Jack¡¯s swords had disappeared. Instead, that entire arm had caught fire, and it was growing!


    "me Burst!"

 Chapter 129 All Headed for Ponlinne

    <h4>Chapter 129 All Headed for Ponlinne</h4>


    "me Burst!"


    Jack yelled and sent a ball of fire toward the guards. It wasn¡¯t like amon fireball, though, it felt like it would explode and disintegrate whatever it came in contact with.


    Both guards jumped back, almost stumbling over each other. The cold face on the young man¡¯s face paled, realizing that he had angered someone very powerful.


    Not only did Jack show skills while dual-wielding swords, easily countering the guards, Jack also disyed a fire spell that none of them had seen before. With skills in both swords and magic, the middle-aged man was a terrifying person that most wouldn¡¯t dare antagonize. And since his level was hidden, that only made things worse.


    As the guards waited for their death by fire, the fierce firey orb plummeted to the ground and exploded in front of them. The force generated from the impact knocked them both over, as well as the young man and many people in the crowd.


    mes ravaged that spot for a couple of seconds before they finally dispersed. There in the ground was a two-meter wide charred crater from the explosion, proving to everyone how strong that attack was.


    Everyone finally looked away from the now absent mes, looking for the man who caused them. But he was nowhere to be found.


    While everyone was trembling at the sight of Jack¡¯s spell, Jack fled the scene and removed his mask. After a minute or two, Jack returned to the same shop to finish his shopping with his hood up to hind his young face. Heughed when he noticed that people were still gathering around the charred crater he left behind.


    It wasn¡¯t much that Jack needed, just some food and rations for the trip. As Jack exited the shop, there was a new crowd around the charred crater and all of them were wearing the same light armor.


    The Treall Family? What are they up to now? Jack couldn¡¯t help but wonder about them.


    "Father, you know I¡¯m not lying! Look, he¡¯s the one who caused this and stole my map!" That young man was there too, arguing with an aging soldier.


    "Glen, shut up! That man¡¯s already vanished and there¡¯s no trace of him, so stop barking at me," stated the man. "You¡¯re the heir to the Treall Family, you should act more responsibly."


    "But Father, we need that map and it¡¯s thest one in town!"


    "A map is simple to acquire after we cross the border. For now, get home and get ready. Tomorrow, we leave for Ponlinne." The man had the air of a nobleman, staying true to his title as head of the Treall Family. He turned and led the many guards deeper into town toward the Treall Manor.


    "They¡¯re crossing the border? I wonder why?"


    "Didn¡¯t you hear, an ancient catb was found near Ponlinne!"


    Jack overheard a conversation between a couple of locals on the street. He acted like the rest, in awe of the Treall Family as they left, that way he could continue listening to the interesting conversation.


    "Well, yeah, but that¡¯s always been there, hasn¡¯t it?"


    "True, but now the owners of the catbs are opening it to a few select groups. Apparently, there might still be treasures hidden inside and the owners want help retrieving them."


    "But why the Treall Family?"


    "They may be from Reinolt, but they¡¯re still closer than most others. Besides, haven¡¯t you heard the rumors?"


    "Really?! The Treall Family might join the Zuran Empire?"


    "SHHH! Don¡¯t shout, or the Treall Family might hear you! It¡¯s not official, but if they do then it¡¯s more then likely that the town joins the Zuran Empire to expand its borders."


    "Wow..."


    Everything the two locals said beyond that was unimportant, and Jack saw it fit to hurry back to Rydel with the surprising news.


    It was already dark when Jack reached camp and found Rydel. "Hey, you¡¯ll never guess what happened?"


    "What? Did you change your mind?" joked Rydel. He was amused to see Jack so hyped up about something in the middle of nowhere.


    "No! Of course not!" Jack scoffed and continued, "Do you know the Treall Family?"


    Rydel squinted his eyes in thought before he asked, "Why, did they cause you trouble?"


    From Rydel¡¯s reaction, Jack already knew that the Treall Family was known for causing trouble. Shaking his head, Jack replied, "A little, but that¡¯s not important. Their young master tried to steal my map and tried to kill me for it after I bought it. Apparently, the Treall Family needs it because they¡¯re about to travel to Ponlinne, possibly to help explore a famous catb."


    "Oh..." sighed Rydel. He didn¡¯t bother asking how Jack had gotten out of trouble, it didn¡¯t matter as long as he was fine now. However, the hunter felt uneasy after learning more about the situation. "Jack, this trip may be harder than we think."


    "And why¡¯s that?"


    "Because if the Treall Family was invited, then other powerful families and groups will be there too, and those will be from the Zuran Empire. If I¡¯m not mistaken..." Rydel stepped to Jack and snatched the map. He unfurled it and pointed to a small city. "Isn¡¯t this where you said the life spring was?"


    Jack nodded, but waited for Rydel to continue. "This is Ponlinne, the same city that the Treall Family is headed to. And if involves the Pon Family Catbs just outside the city, it seems like this is the worst time to try and sneak in."


    With a long face, Jack stared at the map. He wanted yell to the heavens. Thinking to himself, Jack wondered, ¡¯Did Daruun do this on purpose? I thought fate was supposed to be on my side as his champion?¡¯


    "Jack, are you sure you want to do this? So many powerful people together will make the journey dangerous. I can¡¯t guarantee your safety in such a situation." Both of them were very capable, but Rydel didn¡¯t dare to underestimate the strength of noble families, at least not their leaders.


    Nodding without hesitation, Jack looked toward the border. "First, we need to get to Ponlinne. Who knows? Maybe, if we¡¯re lucky, the life spring isn¡¯t in those catbs. After learning more about Ponlinne and its surrounding areas, then we can reevaluate our n."


    Rydel smiled and held out his hand. "Did you get all the meat I asked for? Ayden needs all the strength she can get for tomorrow¡¯s flight. If we hurry, we¡¯ll cross the border before noon and can reach Ponlinne by sunset."


    "Here¡¯s everything and more! I got extras, just in case," said Jack, as arge sack appeared in his hands.


    "Good! Ayden, eat up girl!" Rydel took the sack and ced it in front of his new rocpanion. It was opened wide, making it very easy for the hungry roc to eat her fill.


    Not patient in the least, the roc dove its head into the bag. Bits and pieces of meat were scattered as the huge bird gobbled up more and more meat.


    "Wow, what an appetite,"mented Jack.


    "Who are you to talk?" Rydelughed and pointed at Bowzer, who was near the roc and eating everything it dropped. The sly fox would even steal arge hunk every now and then,pletely unafraid of the roc.


    Jackughed, "Yeah, I guess you¡¯re right." That light tone quickly faded as Jack looked back toward the border yet again.


    "Kid, I hope you realize that we might not seed at this, especially if noble families are involved."


    "Yeah... I know..."


    "Come on, cheer up! You know this is what she wanted, right" Rydel sat beside the gloomy Jack and nudged the young hero with his elbow. "Right?"


    "Right..." Jack¡¯s frown disappeared but a smile didn¡¯t take its ce. No emotion was shown by Jack as he put his brain to work. He understood that this trip got a lot moreplicated now that some noble families weren¡¯t involved. And he wasn¡¯t stupid enough to reject the idea of the life spring being inside the same ancient catb that the noble families were after. If anything, it made sense and proved that something so valuable as a life spring really might be there.


    After a quick rub on Jack¡¯s back, Rydel stood up and went to his tent. "Don¡¯t stay up toote! We¡¯re leaving before sunrise."


    Laying across the grass and looking up to the starry sky, Jack sighed and thought out loud in a low voice, "This is harder than I thought. No wonder Daruun said the other option would be easier... Well, I can either me fate or I can fight it..."


    Eventually, Jack was unable to fight his tiredness and he dozed off with the warm Bowzer sleeping on his chest.


    Both adventurers woke up at the crack of dawn and were gone before the sun passed the treetops. Soon, they were beyond the Reinolt Kingdom and flying over the Zuran Empire, an empire that, though it had shrunken, had survived since Ancient Kartonia.

 Chapter 130 Inheritor Skills

    <h4>Chapter 130 Inheritor Skills</h4>


    ¡¯Jack, we¡¯re almost there. We¡¯ll bending in that over there to keep Ayden hidden.¡¯ Rydel¡¯s mental message reached Jack and they both nodded as the roc started to descend.


    It was around six in the evening when theynded. After about an hour of walking, they would enter Ponlinne, a small city near the border between the Zuran Empire and the Reinolt Kingdom.


    "What about your bird?"


    "She¡¯ll stay here in the valley but I can call her any moment to pick us up if something happens." Rydel brushed her feathers onest time before Ayden let loose a loud caw and took off for a cave at the end of the valley. "Well, time to go."


    Both adventurers started their walk toward Ponlinne.


    With his mask back on, Jack asked, "So, is there anything I should know about Ponlinne? Anything or anyone to watch out for?"


    Itching his five o¡¯clock shadow, Rydel sighed, "It¡¯s about time I mention Commander Pire. He was a general who fought against Zariff personally during thest big skirmish on the border. He¡¯s a lv. 37 swordsman, but he¡¯s known for his powerful swordsmanship. The chief only survived because of his freakish defenses."


    "And why do I need to know about him for this trip?"


    "Because he¡¯s the one in charge of Ponlinne," answered Rydel. "He doesn¡¯te from a strong family, but he¡¯s one of the fourmanders of the Zuran Empire¡¯s forces. If there weren¡¯t two other nations that had branched off from them, the Zuran Empire would have taken Reinolt a long time ago."


    "That¡¯s the strength of a kingdom from Ancient Kartonia. They probably have some people above lv. 40." Jack scratched his head, trying to think about how the Reinolt Kingdom could eventually defeat such an enemy.


    "You¡¯re not wrong. The strongest members of the Zuran Empire are the twelve lieutenantmanders, fourmanders, three generals, and the king and queen. All of the lieutenantmanders are lv. 35 and themanders are the strongest soldiers under lv. 40," exined Rydel. "It¡¯s rumored that the generals are over lv. 40 and that the king and queen are at least lv. 45."


    Jack was shocked by the power difference and had to ask, "How in Halmut¡¯s beard has the Reinolt Kingdom survived so far?!"


    "Do you remember that mysterious voice that ended our battle with the syndicate members?"


    Jack scratched his head and chuckled, "Umm... not exactly."


    With a loud sigh, Rydel continued, "In Reinolt, the king somehow got protection from someone over lv. 50. I have no clue how, but I know it¡¯s true. That guy one-shotted the giant, lv. 48 cetus and was the sole reason why the Reinolt Kingdom isn¡¯t attacked by anyone above lv. 40. If the Zuran Empire did that, they would be forcing the man to act. They tried it one, but that mysterious voice annihted an entire army and a general in minutes. Make sense?"


    "Seems like it pretty aplicated. So, the Zuran Empire is stronger but the Reinolt Kingdom has the most powerful expert? Sounds like a screwed up dynamic, considering the mysterious voice may just leave one day," reasoned Jack.


    "Well, you¡¯re not wrong. That¡¯s why Reinolt needs to grow quickly, but Arnole did his job well at dividing the Reinolt Kingdom¡¯s powerful groups," said Rydel. "Now that they¡¯re all working together, they might stand a chance in the future, if they can keep holding off the Zuran armies that is."


    "Okay." Jack nodded and refocused himself. He didn¡¯t want to get too distracted since he came to Ponlinne with a goal in mind.


    Jack took advantage of their walking time by going through his achievements and skills list. After everything that had happened with the cetuses and Arnole publically turning against Reinolt, Jack¡¯s two event achievements werepleted and imed. A new event took their ce, [Revive Slivia: in progress.]


    Now, Jack had gained one hundred and seventy-five skill points frompleting his two events with great results! Thanks to the capture of so many cetuses and the low casualty rate from fighting people and beasts higher level than them, he was highly rewarded by the system. This proved that events always gave more rewards than anything else. With a total of one hundred and eighty-eight skill points to spend, Jack examined his skill list carefully.


    To his surprise, there was a new category button inside his skills list. It wasbeled [Inheritor Skills] and caught Jack¡¯s interest. He immediately selected it, assuming it must be part of the system upgrade from his pledge to Daruun.


    ¡¯Are these what I think they are?¡¯ A smile appeared on Jack¡¯s face. He had always found it weird that he couldn¡¯t learn any direct skills or techniques within his Achievement System, only general skills to enhance. ¡¯With these, my problems are solved.¡¯


    There Jack found a list of each of inheritor¡¯s different skills. Maynard, Rydel, and Zariff all had their own tab and their own skill list.


    He found Maynard¡¯s Bloody Cross, Rydel¡¯s Eagle Eye, and Zariff¡¯s Aura Armor skills and many more. Jack was over the moon. Looking closely, they all had different costs. By the looks of it, the more powerful skills had the highest costs while the weaker ones were cheaper.


    Without thinking about it, Jack instantly selected Maynard¡¯s Sudden Death skill.


    [Sudden Death]


    [A speed based skill that allows the user to travel instantaneously within short distances. The higher the user¡¯s speed, the further the distance avable for travel. Cost: 100 skill points.]


    ¡¯One hundred skill points?! For one skill?!¡¯ Jack was astounded. He guessed that some of his general skills would eventually cost him that much, but one hundred skill points was still a lot!


    He continued browsing, seeing that most of the good skills were all fifty skill points, like Maynard¡¯s Blood Thrust or Rydel¡¯s Multi-shot. Three skills had higher costs: Rydel¡¯s Eagle Eye for seventy-five skill points, Zariff¡¯s Prating Fist for seventy-five skill points, and Maynard¡¯s Sudden Death for one hundred skill points.


    Jack agreed that those three were the most terrifying of the lot.


    Eagle Eye was a rare ability that would allow Jack to more easily see through people and track things. Even though he¡¯s still only lv. 20, he would be able to read anyone¡¯s level, regardless of how much higher it is than his own. Even if they tried to hide it, Jack would still be able to see it most of the time.


    Prating Fist was exactly what it sounded like. It was a special attack that could prate anyone¡¯s defenses. Instead of harming someone outwardly, Prating Fist would transfer its force toward the target¡¯s internal organs. Ignoring people¡¯s defenses was a frightening thing. This attack would force opponents to dodge instead of block, giving the user more control of the fight.


    Sudden Death was easily the most powerful skill avable to Jack. It could straight up let him teleport within small distances, making his evasion skills sky-rocket and allowing him to reappear anywhere around his opponent for surprise attacks if done correctly. Maynard had killed many people stronger than him, and it was all thanks to this rare skill that he had found and mastered.


    ¡¯It costs a lot, but it will definitely save my life in the future.¡¯ Jack took a deep breath and purchased the Sudden Death skill. Immediately, it appeared as a lv. 10 skill which shocked Jack.


    ¡¯Lv. 10?! Is that supposed to be the highest level they can go? Why is it already so strong?¡¯ Jack tried to figure out what was happening.


    Suddenly, Jack disappeared and reappeared on the other side of Rydel.


    "Huh?" Rydel easily recognized that skill but was startled to see Jack use it. "Where did you..."


    "I can only go this far, but why?" Jack ignored Rydel and was talking to himself.


    Another quick nce at the skill list reminded Jack of the Sudden Death skill¡¯s description. He found a speed skill in his skill list and it wasbeled lv. 0. Seeing that, he quickly upgraded it to lv. 2 for fifteen skill points.


    "Let¡¯s try this again." Like before, Jack disappeared and reappeared in a blur. This time, however, Jack was able to reappear as far as twenty feet away. "Hmm, maybe it can only go ten feet per level of speed?"


    Thinking that way made Jack shiver. There were many times where he saw Maynard use the same skill, and the samurai had traveled over seventy feet away easily without batting an eye.


    "How fast is Maynard to be able to go so far? He must be crazy fast?" Jack was still thinking out loud.


    "He is. Other than swordsmanship, speed is all that crazy samurai practices," Rydelughed, catching Jack off guard. "So, you can use that samurai¡¯s insane Sudden Death skill. Can you use any of mine too?"


    Jack scratched his head and smiled shyly. "Well, it¡¯s possible but I chose to learn this one first. I¡¯ll be able to learn other skills too with time."


    "With each of our skills at your fingertips, you won¡¯t have to worry about too much. Then again, I feel the same way since my archery is stronger thanks to you." Rydel shrugged his shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe you¡¯ll learn all of our skills. With Maynard¡¯s scary swords, the chief¡¯s overwhelming fists, and my sharpshooting, you¡¯d be unstoppable in the future."


    "Yeah, that¡¯s the goal." Jack clenched his fist, determined to grow as fast as possible.


    Slivia had died because he was too weak, so Jack needed to level up faster than humanly possible. Lucky for him, his Achievement System had many ways to make him stronger.


    Though now he had more achievements to choose from, some were on the more ridiculous side. There were a few that he wouldn¡¯t want to try in Reinolt, but he was now in the Zuran Empire so why not give them a try. Besides, if he could aplish a small one, he¡¯d get at least five skill points. Then he¡¯d have enough to buy either Eagle Eye or Prating Fist.


    That¡¯s what Jack was really after. If he couldn¡¯t level up immediately, then some powerful skills could at least help bridge any level gaps.

 Chapter 131 Truth About Ponlinne

    <h4>Chapter 131 Truth About Ponlinne</h4>


    As the sun was setting behind the mountains by the now distant valley, Jack and Rydel entered the city.


    The two adventurers had made an agreement to always talk telepathically whenever they needed tomunicate. It made things easier and safer, avoiding any possible wandering ears.


    ¡¯Jack, let¡¯s find an inn for the next couple of nights. Then, let¡¯s gather information about what¡¯s happening with the catbs. If the other noble families n to arrive at the same time as the Treall family, they¡¯ll probably be here sometime tomorrow morning.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, lead the way.¡¯ Jack gave a silent nod and followed the hunter through the crowded streets of the small city.


    Soon they found a decent inn. It wasn¡¯t the most luxurious but it also wasn¡¯t the cheapest. They felt it was well worth their money and decided to scope out the tavern on the first floor for information.


    After ordering two specials and a round of brundy, both of them listened carefully to their surroundings.


    "Did you hear about the catbs? I can¡¯t believe how many nobles areing."


    "Including the Pon Family that owns the catbs, the Lyre and Maronn Families areing too!" Two drinking buddies were going back and forth, trying to one-up the other with gossip.


    "Don¡¯t forget the Treall Family! They came by special invitation from Reinolt. Rumor says they n to desert Reinolt for the Zuran Empire."


    "Maybe, but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll do better than the other families in the catbs. Everyone says there are zombies and other monsters down there. To find treasures, they¡¯ll have to beat those first."


    True, true. Hey, you think we¡¯ll get a chance to enter?"


    "Sure, they¡¯re letting others go too, so long as they¡¯re lv. 20 or higher. But if you go without a background, they¡¯ll make you share all the treasures you find."


    Jack and Rydel nced at each other, both smiling wide. They quickly understood that they would be able to join the families in the mine, though they¡¯ll be at a disadvantage with only the two on them.


    ¡¯Sounds like we can get in. Think the zombies will be any trouble?¡¯ Rydel mentally asked Jack.


    Jack shook his head as he sipped his brundy. ¡¯Nah, if they¡¯re letting lv. 20¡¯s in then the zombies can¡¯t be much stronger than that. Maybe they¡¯ll even set a level cap on those who enter? That way there are fewer chances of the Pon Family losing their treasures to powerful experts they can¡¯t force to cough up items.¡¯


    "Makes sense. Anything else we need to know? ording to them, the catbs will be opened to the public tomorrow evening, so we¡¯ve got till then to collect info."


    Jack chuckled and nced at the two men who were now aimlessly chatting. They were drunk and were already struggling against intoxication. Two seats from them sat another pair of drinking buddies and they were equally drunk.


    Seeing that this would be too easy, Jack disappeared from his seat and reappeared between the two pairs of people.


    "Shut your yap!" Jack yelled as he threw a punch to the drunkest man of the four.


    The drunk was floored and fell from his seat. He scampered to his feet, looking at the two men across from him with fuming anger.


    Already back in his seat, Jack chuckled and watched the show with Rydel who remained quiet.


    "You! An ugly pestro like you tells me to shut up!" The man stepped forward and punched the man he believed to have shouted at him. It surprised that other man, but he handled the punch decently and stayed on his feet.


    "What did you say?!"


    "You heard me, you pestro!"


    "That¡¯s it!"


    Without warning, all four men starting throwing punches and throwing themselves at each other. Bottles were smashed and mugs were shattered. Everywhere they went, the bar was flipped upside down.


    "Break it up! And get out!" Before long, the bar manager arrived and separated them all. As they were swiftly kicked out of the tavern, the atmosphere quickly returned to normal.


    ¡¯What was that all about?¡¯ asked Rydel, curious why Jack had started a bar fight.


    Jack was looking at his most recent achievement with a smile on his face. ¡¯Nothing special, just doing what I need to get stronger."


    Rydel was eyeing Jack. He wasn¡¯t quite sure how to respond. Getting stronger? All he did was cause a bar fight, and he didn¡¯t even fight himself. How can that make him stronger?


    With seventy-eight points, Jack purchased Prating Fist. With only three skill points left and a smile on his face, Jack downed his brundy and scarfed down his meal. ¡¯Let¡¯s walk around town. There¡¯s something I want to check.¡¯


    Notining, the two paid their tabs and left the bar. As it gotter, the streets were bing less crowded.


    Heading to the town¡¯s center, Jack wore a pensive face. He couldn¡¯t help but feel like he should know something about the Ponlinne, but he was certain that the town had never existed in Ancient Kartonia.


    ¡¯Rydel, is there anything special about Ponlinne?"


    ¡¯Not that I know of, other then what I¡¯ve already told you.¡¯ Rydel shrugged and looked ahead. ¡¯What¡¯s got you acting strange? Was there something about Ponlinne during ancient times?¡¯


    ¡¯No, but that¡¯s the weird thing,¡¯ sighed Jack. ¡¯I can¡¯t shake the feeling that I¡¯m supposed to know something about it. The name is familiar but I don¡¯t remember a single town by that name.¡¯


    They continued walking and were now in a park. It marked the center of town and was amon ce to visit for some peace and quiet. No merchants were allowed to sell anything inside the park, showing how important it was to the town.


    In the very center of the park, the two adventurers approached arge, golden statue. At its base was a que, which read:


    "Ponlinne, a great hero of the Zuran Empire."


    "After the Holy War, when most heroes started to vanish without a trace, Ponlinne remained to guard this growing town. No matter the monster and no matter the number of foes, Ponlinne fought them all and won. In memory of the great hero, Ponlinne, we name our city in honor of your legacy."


    ¡¯Ponlinne! It¡¯s actually Ponlinne!¡¯ Jack was shouting inside his head, barely able to contain himself.


    Startled to hear Jack¡¯s mental screams for joy, Rydel asked, ¡¯Well yeah, but what¡¯s so special about a dude with a weird name like Ponlinne?¡¯


    ¡¯You don¡¯t get it, Ponlinne was famous for a short time during Ancient Kartonia. Though he wasn¡¯t the strongest, he rose up the ranks and created a guild of clerics and healers of all kinds. It was the first of its kind! Never before had there been such a guild, but it quickly gained support from everyone as their healing skills were needed by everyone,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯Ponlinne, that same Ponlinne stayed after the Holy Wars¡¯


    Wanting to rify a hunch, Jack opened his achievement list again. As he expected, another new achievement had appeared.


    [Find the tomb of Ponlinne: in progress]


    ¡¯Rydel, I think I know where to find the life spring.¡¯


    The hunterughed, ¡¯Let me guess, in the catbs?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes and no,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯Inside the catbs, if I¡¯m not mistaken, there¡¯s a hidden tomb, or more specifically, Ponlinne¡¯s tomb.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, so we get to raid another tomb. What¡¯s new?¡¯


    ¡¯You don¡¯t get it.¡¯ Jack shook his head andughed hysterically. ¡¯Ponlinne wasn¡¯t like the weak hero we foundst time. Ponlinne was maxed out.¡¯


    A look of shock and awe appeared on Rydel¡¯s face all of a sudden. ¡¯You mean..."


    ¡¯Mhm, Ponlinne was lv. 85.¡¯


    This was the first time that Jack would be able to find a lv. 85 hero¡¯s tomb. Not only was he excited to get the eighty-five skill points for opening it, but he was ecstatic to get his hands on Poninne¡¯s treasures, weapons, and items. He would be loaded! No wonder a life spring was hidden there yet no one had found it!


    ¡¯The Pon family should know something about this, but they¡¯re not as sure as I am. They must want to find Ponlinne¡¯s old treasures too. And after failing so many times, they invited others to join the search, making their jobs easier,¡¯ stated Jack.


    ¡¯Can you find it, Jack? Didn¡¯t you need to have an item the person owned to find the tombst time?¡¯


    With a nod, Jack turned and left, letting Rydel catch up. ¡¯Yup, that¡¯s exactly what I need.¡¯


    ¡¯Then why are you smiling like it¡¯s too easy?¡¯


    ¡¯Because it is that easy,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯Did you notice anything special about that statue?¡¯


    Rydel squinted and looked back at the golden figure. It was almost twice the size of the average man, yet the staff seemed to be a little small inparison. Other than that, everything looked normal.


    ¡¯The staff maybe, but what¡¯s the big deal?¡¯ Even with his Eagle Eye, Rydel was unable to notice anything peculiar about the statue.


    Shaking his head, Jack chuckled, ¡¯Don¡¯t trust your eyes for everything. Sometimes your gut feeling is more important, like now. That staff should be Ponlinne¡¯s old weapon. It must beyered in gold, but I can recognize a custom, yer-made staff when I see one.¡¯


    ¡¯That was his weapon?! A weapon used by a lv. 85...¡¯ Rydel was lost in thought. Anyone over lv. 50 were all legends to him. Lv. 85 wasparable to a deity in his eyes, so if that staff were really that high of a weapon, then it was a priceless treasure across the continent.


    ¡¯Wait, you don¡¯t n to--¡¯


    ¡¯Oh I don¡¯t n to just steal it, I n to make it disappear without anyone knowing the wiser,¡¯ Jackughed. His blood was pumping and the adrenaline was already filling his veins. ¡¯I¡¯ll wait for nightfall. Until then, let¡¯s head back to the inn.¡¯


    Like he said, Jack waited patiently at the inn with Rydel all night. After midnight came and the streets were dead, Jack waved goodbye to Rydel before he vanished.


    Rydel could onlyugh to himself, waiting like a happy child for his mom toe home from the candy store.


    In the dead of night, no one noticed a shady figure stroll through the park. There was a fraction of a second where he had be illusory, but he returned to normal just as fast. Soon, that person walked into an alley behind an inn. There, he disappeared into thin air.


    Inside the inn, Jack reappeared with a giant smile on his face.


    The next morning, an incident was reported to the town guard, something about the beloved statue missing its staff. Yet, no matter how they searched, no one was able to find a single trace of the missing staff.

 Chapter 132 Nobles Arrive in Ponlinne

    <h4>Chapter 132 Nobles Arrive in Ponlinne</h4>


    The city was in an uproar thanks to the statue incident. Almost everyone from the city had rushed to the park to verify the truth. When they saw the statue missing a hand that had been broken off, they didn¡¯t know what to think.


    ording to those who were inspecting the statue, the cause was undetermined. Apparently, the statue¡¯s arm had broken from the inside and snapped on its own. It was impossible to determine what really happen because clearly the arm didn¡¯t just break out of nowhere and fall to the ground.


    Far from the city park, Jack woke up after a hard night¡¯s sleep. He was too excited to sleep well. The moment Rydel woke up, he saw Jack sitting cross-legged on the floor with Bowzer next to him.


    ¡¯You¡¯re too smart, kid.¡¯ Rydel was amazed to see Jack using Bowzer to remove the gold.


    The foxes burning bite could easily break theyer of gold over the staff and Bowzer could do it without releasing any fire that would draw outside attention. Bits and pieces of gold fell to the floor as an ancient wooden staff slowly appeared. Though it was made of wood, Jack wasn¡¯t worried about damaging the staff. Why would he, it was a lv. 85 weapon?! If anything, Jack and Bowzer attacking it while using me bodies couldn¡¯t even scratch it.


    As rumors of the missing staff were covering the city, Rydel and Jack were soon inspecting a fully recovered lv. 85 cleric staff.


    ¡¯It¡¯s called "Midas¡¯ Hand," make¡¯s sense to have it coated in gold. How ironic?¡¯ joked Jack, it was impossible for him to not be smiling.


    Rydel asked, ¡¯Jack, what are you going to do with this? After we find the hidden tomb and get back to Reinolt, what will you do with that staff?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure, honestly,¡¯ Jack shook his head, still finding it hard to believe that he found such a treasure. Had he not been focused on finding the life spring for Slivia, he would n to wait for a chance to sneak into the catb and more easily find the tomb so he could raid it in peace.


    ¡¯Maybe I¡¯ll ask Zarris about it. Maybe I can get some amazing things for trading it? It¡¯s not like it would be much use to me?¡¯


    Though it was lv. 85, it was useless to him. Jack, with the achievement junkie subss, had the chance to possibly learn cleric skills in the future, but why would he keep a staff that he may never use, even when he eventually reached that level? It would be far more beneficial for him to trade it for stuff more applicable to him.


    Rydelughed and shook his head. ¡¯You¡¯ll make me cry acting like that. Only you would be willing to immediately trade a lv. 85 weapon in secret. If the world knew what you were holding, then everyone would go crazy just to get their hands on it.¡¯


    ¡¯But who would be willing to buy such a weapon, and who could actually afford it? In the end, I may have to trade it in with the Adventurers Association in order to get the best deal.¡¯


    Jack put the staff away and continued, ¡¯What I¡¯m interested in is what¡¯s in the hidden tomb. It should be filled with Ponlinne¡¯s treasures and items.¡¯


    He didn¡¯t mention it, but Jack was very curious to see Ponlinne¡¯s status log and review it. It was a given that he wanted to see what had the ability to kill a lv. 85 cleric with outstanding healing abilities after the Holy War had ended. What could have that kind of strength? Was it still out there in the world?


    Though Jack was anxious to find everything inside the tomb, Jack also understood that he wouldn¡¯t have the chance to better analyze the items after he left Ponlinne.


    ¡¯Well, should we check out the town? Maybe we¡¯ll get a chance to learn about any nobles that arrived already,¡¯ suggested Rydel.


    ¡¯Just give me a minute.¡¯


    Jack was surprised to see that he had an unread notification. Opening up his menu, he noticed that yet another achievement had beenpleted and he didn¡¯t even know it.


    [Steal a city¡¯s totem item without getting caught:pleted]


    [Steal Ponlinne¡¯s totem item without leaving behind any evidence or being recognized, even as the entire city is an uproar searching for you. Special reward: 20 skill points.]


    A light chuckle left Jack¡¯s mouth as he stood up and left with Rydel. They got some breakfast at the tavern and overheard the many rumors about the statue¡¯s missing staff.


    With nothing else to learn there, the two exited and took to the streets. It took some time for them to find a street merchant that mentioned a noble family arriving in town.


    Rydel browsed the man¡¯s wares and bought a small ring for a gold piece, which was far more than the asking price. "You mentioned the Maronn Family earlier. What can you tell us about them?"


    "I can tell you plenty," answered the man. He smiled wryly and continued, "The Maronn Family arrived early this morning and are staying with the Pon Family until further notice."


    "What do they specialize in?"


    "The Maronn Family is known as a family of Berzerkers. They¡¯re able to use brute force and strength to ovee any obstacles. It¡¯s their philosophy that with enough strength behind their sword, anything will bow before them." The merchant proudly exined. "I also hear that the Lyre Family will be arriving shortly and the Treall family will be thest to arrive before they open the catb for everyone."


    Rydel gave a satisfied nod and picked up another small trinket for a gold coin. "And what do you know about the Lyre family?" Since the Treall family was from Reinolt, he knew plenty about them.


    The merchant happily took the gold coin. "The Lyre Family is famous for creating some of the most powerful mages in the empire."


    "Anything special about those catbs? There¡¯s got to be a reason why so many noble families agreed toe and search the catb, right?"


    "You¡¯re right. Word on the street is that there are many hidden treasures inside the catb," exined the merchant. "Many powerful magic items were found in there in the past buttely the Pon family hasn¡¯t been able to find anything. That catb has existed longer than the Pon Family. It may be called the Pon Family Catb, but that¡¯s only in name. Not a single ancestor of theirs is buried there."


    "No matter how many times the catb was raided, zombies and undead continue to appear and protect the ce. Many locals believe that it was an ancient crypt for some powerful being or organization." The merchant paused for a moment, waiting for Rydel to purchase another trinket before he continued, "Most people don¡¯t know, but it¡¯s rumored that the great hero Ponlinne decided to stay here and form a town to protect that catb personally. Maybe the great hero even perished inside of it? Nobody knows."


    Jack spoke up telepathically to Rydel, ¡¯He may be right about that actually. I know that the Zuran Empire once had a crypt known for having undead hordes. It was used by a lot of heroes to grind and level-up.¡¯


    Rydel nodded and bought onest trinket. "Thank you, I hope we can keep this purchase a secret."


    "Of course, for such great customers, that¡¯s the least I can offer. Come again whenever you need," replied the merchant.


    Both men left the small stand and continued further into the city, heading toward the Pon Family estate at the north end of the city. They wanted to be ready to enter and wouldn¡¯t dare waste time.


    As they expected, a group of well-dressed men and women were ahead of them. Those people had just arrived outside of the Pon Family gates and were waiting for entrance to be granted.


    A servant hurried out of the manor and opened the gate. "So sorry for the wait, please forgive us. We didn¡¯t expect you to arrive so soon. Your rooms have already been prepared. Please, follow me."


    The group¡¯s leader nodded and followed in silence. Very quickly, the group entered the estate and the gate closed behind them.


    Crowds were already starting to form near the Pon estate, showing that many people were interested in the event that would soon be taking ce. Most were only there to observe and not participate, but a small group was already forming of people waiting to enter the catb.


    ¡¯It looks like the moment the Treall Family arrives, the catb will instantly open for everyone,¡¯ reasoned Rydel. ¡¯Let¡¯s hang around near that group over there. The more we blend in, the better.¡¯


    They assimted into the crowd easily, blending in with the masses.


    Time passed slowly for most people, but Jack was entertained by exploring the achievement system. Eventually, thuds of hooves and armor were heard in the distance and everyone started smiling.


    "Finally!"


    "Now we can get in."


    "Be careful, this will be dangerous but worth it!"


    The crowd exploded into enthusiasm as the Treall Family neared the Pon estate¡¯s gates. Three groups came to wee the Treall Family and each was being led by some extraordinary-looking people.


    Jack took a deep breath and refocused himself. He reminded Rydel, ¡¯Stay sharp, we¡¯ll have it harder than anyone else.¡¯

 Chapter 133 Enter the Catacomb

    <h4>Chapter 133 Enter the Catb</h4>


    Before long, there were four groups of people surrounded by a growing crowd outside the Pon Manor. One group stepped forward and led the others to the outskirts of town while the crowd followed.


    Those in the lead were from the Pon Family and they had to be on their best behavior as the hosts for such a grand asion.


    Behind them were the Maronn, Lyre, and Treall Families, each keeping their distance from each other. They may not have been enemies, but none of them nned to mingle or chat amongst the groups. Each group came with an agenda and didn¡¯t want to share any benefits if they didn¡¯t have to.


    The sun had yet to set when the Pon Family stopped just before exiting the city walls. They turned towards the others and smiled brightly.


    One man among them stepped forward and announced, "Everyone, we¡¯re d to have your help exploring our family¡¯s special catb. For those who don¡¯t know the rules of the event, allow me to exin."


    All eyes and ears were on him as the man continued, "Since so many people have arrived, we¡¯ve adjusted some of the rules to make things fair. Only those who are between lv. 20 and lv. 29 may enter the catb, without exceptions. Also, be aware that everyone must be respectful of each other. Fighting should be done between us and the monsters roaming the catb. There are many young geniuses here and we don¡¯t want anything unnecessary to happen to you all."


    Jack scratched his head, realizing that it would be even more difficult than they had anticipated. Without Rydel, Jack would very likely be alone as the weakest person to enter the catb.


    "Keep in mind that the reason we¡¯re allowing you all to enter is to help us secure some of our family treasures deep inside. If you find anything of value, you are to report it. Now, we won¡¯t steal or take anything from you unjustly. Know that we willpensate anyone who can bring us treasures from inside very handsomely," exined the man. "Any questions?"


    "What kind of monsters are inside?" Someone from the Treall Family spoke up.


    The man smiled and responded, "A good question! Inside are many types of undead. You must be careful because more undead will spawn without end. For that reason, we constantly need to raid and purge the catb. They should all be under lv. 30, however, if someone above lv. 30 should enter, then undead under lv. 40 will spawn also. That¡¯s why we must regte your levels, so please don¡¯t be mad with us."


    Another person from the Maronn family asked, "What kind of treasures are inside? Is there anything, in particr, we should keep a lookout for?"


    "Inside you may find random magical items. We¡¯ve found many things, ranging from magical weapons to armor, or from gold to valuable gems. If you find gold or gems, you may keep them for yourself, but anything magical in nature should be traded to us of the Pon Family for something of equal or greater value."


    "How big is the catb?" That time a crowd member asked, probably from someone waiting to enter after the noble families.


    "It¡¯s not toorge, but it¡¯ll take you all night to explore the catb fully. We¡¯ll give everyone till tomorrow morning at sunrise to explore the caverns. At that time, you¡¯ll be called back to trade in your items. Anything else?" asked the man, still patient and waiting to clear any doubts.


    "What if we don¡¯t want to trade our findings with the Pon Family?"


    Jack¡¯s question caught everyone¡¯s attention, especially those from noble families. They were especially curious about how the Pon family would handle such a situation.


    With a chuckle, the man answered, "I¡¯ll be honest with you, we hope that everyone will willingly trade the goods with us. We promise on our name to offer you something just as valuable, if not more! Isn¡¯t that fair if we¡¯re the ones allowing you to enter the catbs?"


    The same voiced responded again, saying, "But what if the person doesn¡¯te from a noble family? How can we guarantee that the trade will be fair? And if it¡¯s not fair, how can we avoid being pressured into a trade we don¡¯t wish to make?"


    This time the man felt irked by Jack¡¯s words, but he didn¡¯t show it. "We can assure the fairestpensation, how else have we be known as the generous and kind-hearted Pon Family? To all those here without any sort of background, you¡¯ll be treated the same as those from noble families in terms ofpensation."


    "And what if nobles team up against us inside the catb? They have powerful backers to make sure nothing happens to them, but how can you guarantee our safety? What happens if someone dies inside, will you provide investigation and seek out justice?"


    "If anyone is to die inside by any means other than from the undead, then it shall be investigated immediately before anyone is allowed to leave. Is that fair enough?" The man¡¯s voice was bing colder with every answer.


    Everyone understood that he was mad that the same person was asking such tant questions.


    "Good, I¡¯m d the Pon Family is so caring, even for us!" Jack ended the conversation with apliment, letting the man continue without ruining the mood.


    "Very well. Now, let us enter the catb. When I call your group, please step forward. Pon Family!"


    A group of five people stepped out from behind the man. Three of them were young like Jack, but the others were older. Rydel warned Jack that those two were both lv. 29 and probably sent to be bodyguards.


    "Maronn Family!"


    Another group of five people stepped out of the Maronn Family. Like the Pon Family, three were most likely the young masters while the other two strong bodyguards.


    "Lyre Family!"


    "Treall Family!"


    The other families followed the same pattern, proving to Jack that it¡¯s not going to be as easy as he wanted to find that tomb in secret.


    "Now, for those inside the crowd, we¡¯ll only be letting fifteen of you participate. We¡¯ll have a quick screening and select who will be joining the others in the catb. Step forward if you¡¯d like to enter."


    Jack and many others in the crowd stepped forward. One-by-one, the Pon Family inspected the many people, instantly sending away some candidates without a second thought.


    In no time a man approached Jack, who still appeared to be a slouching middle-aged man.


    "Name and level," asked the man performing the screening.


    "Jack, and I¡¯m lv. 20."


    "What a load of crap!"


    A shout was heard after Jack answered the question, startling the man who was handling the screening. He looked to the Treall Family and saw that one of the young masters was the one who had yelled. The man asked, "Is something wrong?"


    "There¡¯s no way that old man is lv. 20! I¡¯ve seen him fight with my own guards personally and I demand he reveal his level to all of us!" shouted Glen, the lv. 15 young master from the Treall Family.


    He was already in a bad mood for not being able to enter the catb. Now that everyone over lv. 30 was barred entry, he and those from the Treall Family understood that they were the weakest because their young talents were the weakest of the noble families.


    Glen then saw Jack and could help but yell in disgust. He truly didn¡¯t believe he was only lv. 20 and he wanted to let loose some anger at the same time.


    "That¡¯s what you¡¯reining about?" Suddenly, Jack¡¯s level information was no longer so mysterious. "There, take a look for yourself."


    "L-lv. 20..." Those from the Treall Family were stunned. They understood that this man was probably the person who caused a ruckus in their town. But could a lv. 20 really be that strong? He had overpowered two guards and used a rare fire spell that would have burned both of the guards to death had it made contact.


    "Can I go in now?" asked Jack, showing his impatience.


    "You can step forward and enter. Remember to respect the young masters," stated the man as he moved on to the next candidate.


    Jack didn¡¯t quite understand why the screening went so smoothly, not until the screening had beenpleted.


    ¡¯We¡¯re all below lv. 25...¡¯ Jack realized that the Pon Family was trying to rig it in favor of the noble families.


    Killing people wasn¡¯t allowed, but they never mentioned anything about stealing each other¡¯s treasures. If the nobles dominated the others, wouldn¡¯t the fifteen regr people just help them gather the harvest and make things easier for the nobles?


    He snickered and gave Rydel a meaningful look. ¡¯Since there¡¯s a change in ns, maybe it¡¯s best if you wait with Ayden till I call you. When we exit the tomb, I¡¯m sure things will getplicated.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry too much. You¡¯ve got your sudden death skill and I¡¯ve got one of the fastest beasts. Put those together and we should be able to make a clean getaway when the timees. Good luck!¡¯ Rydel winked and turned to leave.


    Jack sighed and looked around him. Once they were inside the catb, he had a feeling that the nobles would stop acting so noble.

 Chapter 134 Dont Trust Anyone

    <h4>Chapter 134 Don¡°t Trust Anyone</h4>


    "Alright, Pon Family, lead the way!" The man gave outst joyous shout to send off those waiting to enter the catb. He then looked into the behind him.


    There was a dirty, foul-smelling marsh not too mar away. As the man lifted his hand and raised a magical pendant, the marsh opened up and a sinkhole appeared in the ground. "That¡¯s the entrance. Good luck to you all."


    With that, the Pon Family young masters led the other nobles into the sinkhole. As they trickled inside, the sinkhole stayed open and showed no signs of closing.


    Once they were out of sight of the crowd, the different groups split up. The nobles didn¡¯t spare themoners a single nce and left in different directions.


    The inside of the catb wasrger than anyone had expected. It had multiple paths and could suffice to contain a small battlefield on every path. There weren¡¯t any undead yet, but hey had just entered and were in the most well-lit part of the catb.


    Jack pulled out a torch and lit it. He looked at the others, but no one said anything. Some ran off even faster than the nobles while others waited patiently at the exit as if they were waiting for someone to follow.


    Shaking his head, Jack quickly said, "Well, I wish you, kids, good luck. I¡¯ve got some exploring to do."


    "Wait!" The one lv. 25moner shouted to get Jack¡¯s attention. "You should stay with us. You may be the weakest at lv. 20, but you seem to have a lot more experience than any of us. With your help, we¡¯ll be able to find some good treasures between us all."


    A heartyugh echoed in the cavern, confusing themoners. Jack calmed hisughter and looked back at the others. "You don¡¯t get it, do you? They may not kill you, but those nobles are gonna rob you blind after you do their dirty work and snatch their treasures."


    "That¡¯s all the more reason to work together! If all us stick together, then we can stand up to them," reasoned the young man, instilling courage into the others who were listening.


    "And what about all those lv. 29 bodyguards? How do you n to handle them?" asked Jack. His harsh questions stifle some people¡¯s courage. "I¡¯m after gold and jewels since they won¡¯t be taking those from me and the noble already have plenty of that. And since that¡¯s what I¡¯m after, why should I split it with any of you?"


    "Y-you..." The others stared at Jack. Angered by his words, some tried to approach him.


    "Don¡¯t worry about little, old me, kids. I¡¯ll be just fine." When he finished speaking, Jack vanished into thin air, startling those who had tried to surround him.


    Themoners were are all amazed. They understood that the man was special yet that made them even madder when he refused to help them. He just ran away and it was impossible to catch him. Deep down, some wished they wouldn¡¯t have to fight the mysterious manter.


    Jack had disappeared into one of the winding paths that no one had taken.


    Sensing that no one was following him yet, he smiled and retrieved something from his storage. It was Ponlinne¡¯s staff, and it was emitting a blinking red light.


    Before the Treall Family had arrived, Jack had already performed the needed ceremony in secret. Now, he would be able to let the staff guide him toward the hidden tomb. Of course, he couldn¡¯t let others see it. He had to hide the staff the best he could because everything was riding on that staff.


    If the others somehow forced him to give up that staff, he¡¯d never make it to the tomb first.


    After understanding the general direction he needed to go and sensing that he wasn¡¯t anywhere near it yet, Jack stored the staff and starting walking. He took a couple of turns and found an intersection of paths.


    In the middle was a group of people facing off with a small batch of zombies. Jackid low and didn¡¯t join in the fight. He wanted to see how strong the Lyre Family mages were.


    As expected, the fight didn¡¯tst for very long. A few holy spells were enough to render the zombies to ashes and allow the group to move forward.


    ¡¯So, they can use multiple types of magic. I¡¯ll have to keep that in mind,¡¯ thought Jack. ¡¯If they went that way, then..." With the coast clear, Jack checked his staff. In a second he knew to take the opposite path and put away the legendary weapon. ¡¯Looks like the Lyre Family chose the right path. Here¡¯s hoping I don¡¯t run into them just yet.¡¯


    Keeping his distance, Jack always stayed out of sight and out of mind of the Lyre Family. Eventually, there was another split but Jack went the direction opposite the Lyre Family that time.


    ¡¯So far there have only been low-level zombies, between lv. 20 and lv. 22. Any deeper and we¡¯ll probably find more powerful undead.


    Jack hit the nail on the head with his guess. Before, he had the Lyre Family to clear the way, but now he was alone. However, why should he be worried?


    Zombies and most undead were weak against mes, so why should he be scared when he had a Hell-me Fox with him?


    Obviously, Jack didn¡¯t want to reveal Bowzer at all, but Jack could confidently peruse the catb that nothing there could kill him if things went haywire.


    When Jack neared another intersection, he found three zombies waiting for him.


    He smiled when he saw that they were lv. 23 and lv. 24. ¡¯Looks like I¡¯m making progress.¡¯


    Without hesitation, Jack cast me Burst. The zombies exploded in the fiery plumes, leaving only ash and bone behind.


    Jack removed his staff and checked his way, making sure not to lose track of his path.


    "Hey, old man!"


    That shout startled Jack. Immediately storing his staff, Jack nced at the people who hade up from the intersecting path. Jack recognized them as the Maronn Family, the bright ride robes and armor gave it away.


    "That was some spell! Why don¡¯t you journey with us? We could use a powerful mage like you," offered the young man leading the group.


    "Sir, I don¡¯t think we need--"


    "Quiet, you may be lv. 29 but what¡¯s wrong with partnering with a powerful mage?" That young man cut off one of his bodyguards, refusing to be swayed. "He may be lv. 20, but I doubt the Lyre Family mages are any stronger than that.


    The young man pointed to the crater filled with ash and charred bones. As they all looked at it, even the guards felt amazed.


    "Thanks for the offer, but I¡¯m not interested in traveling as a group. Since they¡¯ll be taking everythingter, I¡¯m after gold and gems. That way I can at least keep what I find," answered Jack. He wanted to appear transparent and blunt yet stubborn, like most cranky old men.


    "If that¡¯s what you¡¯re after then you can have all the gold and gems we find. Or is that not tempting enough?" asked the young man.


    Jack squinted and answered with a question. "What¡¯s your name, kid?"


    "You must address him proper--"


    "Flint Maronn is my name, but you can call me Flint if I can call you a friend. How about it?"


    Jack grunted. He understood that Flint was persistent but was seemingly a kind person. Also, Jack knew that if he didn¡¯t join them, there was a chance that they would follow him.


    "Hmmm... I don¡¯t like teams. I don¡¯t trust anyone I don¡¯t know, just like how they don¡¯t trust me," said Jack as he pointed to the two guards.


    "See, he doesn¡¯t know kindness when he sees it. We should just take his treasures now and save the time," groaned one of the guards.


    "Do you really want to test me?" Jack¡¯s right arm suddenly caught fire, yet his clothes didn¡¯t burn. The mes were condensing toward his palm, showing off how much explosive power was contained in a single me Burst spell.


    When they saw the fire personally, the guards swallowed some saliva. They were both lv. 29, yet they were intimidated by the intense heat, and they were five meters away. Imagining the explosion that terrifying me would cause scared even them.


    "Now, now,e down friend!" yelled Flint. "You, why are you opening your yap when you¡¯re not asked to speak? Speak out again, and I¡¯ll have you demoted!"


    "Sir, yes, sir!" responded the guard who had threatened Jack.


    "Your name was Jack, right? I¡¯m sorry for troubling you. We¡¯ll take our leave first." Flint gave a quick bow despite his high social status and led his group into one of the tunnels.


    As he was leaving he shouted, "I hope you can trust me if the asion arises!"


    Not sure what to think of Flint, Jack recalled his mes. He then moved ahead into the tunnel opposite the one Flint took. That was the way his staff told him to take.

 Chapter 135 Conflict in the Catacomb

    <h4>Chapter 135 Conflict in the Catb</h4>


    Jack kept pushing forward. He was lucky to only run into low-level undead so far, but he knew that soon he¡¯d be facing stronger monsters.


    He saw a few people every now and then inside the caverns. The catb was a natural underground maze. It was no wonder it would take the entire night just to explore it all.


    Amidst his fast fights with zombies, Jack had found over one hundred gold¡¯s worth of coins and gems. It was nice, but Jack would never be satisfied with that. In his anxiousness to find the tomb, Jack retrieved the staff and saw that the glimmering red light was slowly getting brighter.


    A soft yawn broke the silence, followed by a gentle voice in Jack¡¯s head. ¡¯Jack, where this?¡¯


    Jack shook his head, in disbelief that Bowzer could sleep so much. Bowzer was currently hidden in his cloak and he wasn¡¯t allowed to show himself. ¡¯It¡¯s about time that you¡¯re up! Here, smell this.¡¯


    Pressing the staff against his chest, Jack let Bowzer get a good whiff of the staff. Then he put it away and asked, ¡¯So, can you smell the tomb?¡¯


    It took a moment for Bowzer to respond. The fox was wriggling around in Jack¡¯s coat as if he was rolling around and looking every which way. After almost a minute, Bowzer calmed down. ¡¯Keep going. Me say which way.¡¯


    They traversed the caverns, letting Jack¡¯s torch light the way in front of them. ¡¯Hey, Bowzer, why are you sleeping so much? Are you okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, me just tired. Soon Bowzer grow.¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer grow? What do you mean?¡¯ Jack got curious. If Bowzer was about to grow then maybe he¡¯d reach adolescence soon. ¡¯How big will you get?¡¯


    ¡¯Soon, very soon. Me grow stronger," answered Bowzer.


    Jack chuckled. He could feel Bowzer¡¯s head bobbing up and down as if the little fox was agreeing with itself. ¡¯Well, just let me know, okay? It would be best for us to take it easy when that happens.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, go left.¡¯


    With his personal GPS, Jack wasn¡¯t too worried about getting lost. Now he could focus on fighting undead and avoiding the other wandering groups.


    Thanks to all the zombies he had killed so far, Jack and Bowzer were now lv. 21. By then, they were only encountering zombies between lv. 24 to lv. 26. Jack was wondering if he could reach lv. 25 before he had to leave.


    "Hey, look who it is?" A joking voice echoed through the cavern.


    Jack frowned and nced at his provokers. "What do you brats want?"


    "Hand over your treasures and we¡¯ll let you leave without injury," said the young man leading the Treall Family group. His name was Gret Treall and he was Glen¡¯s older brother. He had made it his goal to harass and take advantage of Jack at every opportunity he could.


    "Wow, those are big words for a weak brat like you. What gave you the courage to taunt your elders?" Jackughed and turned to leave down the cavern to the right.


    "Where do you think you¡¯re going, you coward? You only know how to pick on people weaker than you, so I¡¯ll do the same thing to you!" Gret shouted and ran toward Jack, followed by the other four people in his group.


    "Coward!" They kept yelling until they were about to reach Jack. Gret drew a sword and lunged forward, attempting to cripple Jack forever.


    "ng!"


    "Huh?" Gret¡¯s sword, which was about to pierce Jack¡¯s side, suddenly stuck itself into the cavern wall. "What? What happened? Where did he go?!"


    They were going insane! After chasing Jack and forcing him into a narrow cavern, the middle-aged man somehow disappeared from under their noses.


    Across the stone wall and in the left cavern that ran parallel to the other, Jack was already walking away whileughing to himself. The more he used Sudden Death, the more he grew to love the skill.


    ¡¯Jack, be careful. Me no can help, no?¡¯


    ¡¯Right, you can¡¯t help Bowzer because it¡¯s a secret that we¡¯re here,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯But don¡¯t worry, after we exit this ce, we¡¯ll make a fast getaway and then you cane out.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine, but me no like hiding,¡¯ replied Bowzer.


    Jack sighed and continued walking down the path with Bowzer¡¯s guidance. The number of zombies he would encounter started to dwindle. He began to wonder if someone was ahead of him clearing the path. That though was soon confirmed when he heard a few voices in the distance.


    "That sword should be ours, you know that!"


    "We fought for it, so it¡¯s ours. Please, let¡¯s just keep moving forward."


    When Jack recognized both voices, Jack made sure to stay close to the wall and stay hidden. ¡¯I guess Flint is the first to find a magic item. Too bad those Treall jerks found them.¡¯


    He peeked around the corner and was surprised. On the ground was the corpse of a zombie troll. It was lv. 28 and was surrounded by lv. 26 zombies. It was clear that Flint and his group had to really fight to get the sword in Flint¡¯s hands.


    Sadly, Jack also noticed that one of the guards around him was heavily injured. It was easy to guess that it came from the zombie troll.


    With one guarded heavily weakened and the others being exhausted or having minor injuries, Flint¡¯s group wasn¡¯t in the best ce.


    "Flint, just give it up. You won¡¯t be able to protect it for long without both of your guards, so why hold on to it?" reasoned Gret. He wasughing coldly and eyeing that magical lv. 30 sword.


    Flint shook his head and smiled. "No matter what, I can¡¯t give it up. If you really want it,e and take it already. What, does the Treall Family only know how to bark?"


    "Hand it over, Flint." A second voice came from one of the caverns.


    Jack quickly recognized the Lyre Family group. He sighed and scratched his head. Moving ahead was going to getplicated.


    "Tarnel, so you¡¯re here too," Flintughed as his group was effectively surrounded. "Let me guess, you want the sword too?"


    "Just pass it over and I can guarantee that we¡¯ll protect you," stated Tarnel. There wasn¡¯t a frown or a smile on his face. He looked emotionless as if this were amon happenstance for him.


    "We don¡¯t need your protection, but thanks for the offer. If you hurry, then you¡¯ll find the next magic item." Flint did his best to convince his aggressors to leave him alone.


    "Hey, Tarnel, if we beat them bad enough then everything in here will be split by the two of us. We can cut out the Maronn Family entirely," Gret chuckled and looked to Tarnel. "How does that sound? More for us, right?"


    A wand suddenly appeared in Tarnel¡¯s hand. "That¡¯s not a bad idea. How about whoever defeats Flint can have the sword?"


    "You read my mind."


    Both groups slowly walked forward, making their encirclement tighter and tighter. There was no escape for the Maronn Family.


    While Jack was on the side, he was startled. Someone had noticed Jack but hadn¡¯t given away his position. To his surprise, it was Flint that noticed Jack and asionally saw him. When Jack didn¡¯t act or draw any attention to himself, Flint smiled and signaled for Jack to join in. He even held out the sword, as if he was offering it in return for Jack¡¯s help.


    Shaking his head, Jack watched as the attackers were about to make their move. With a big sigh, a lv. 20 sword appeared in Jack¡¯s hand.


    "Flint, it¡¯s yourst chance. Hand it over!" Tarnel yelled, hoping to get the sword before Gret had a chance to take it.


    Gretughed andunched himself at Flint. "Toote!"


    A glowing rapier appeared in Gret¡¯s hand, the same that had nearly pierced through Jack¡¯s side.


    "Bring it on! You¡¯ll regret it!" The magic sword disappeared and a different lv. 25 sword reced it. A brutish aura burst forth from Flint as he charged against Flint.


    "CLANG!!"


    A heavy ringing filled the corridor as Flint¡¯s greatsword and Gret¡¯s rapier met in full force. Gret was pushed back a couple of meters, unable to counter Flint¡¯s superior strength.


    "This is the strength that allows you to boast in front of me? Ridiculous!" Flint charged him again, anxious to force Gret into the ground.


    A frown appeared on Tarnel¡¯s face as his wand began to glow yellow. "You chose this Flint, not me."


    Sensing the tension, everyone burst into action. The Maronn Family took a defensive position and did their best to protect their young masters as they fought the other young talents. Their biggest fear was the Lyre Family because they were adept mages. The Lyre Family would be able to support the Treall Family if they wanted or just attack from a distance.


    Sparks of electricity started to fly around Tarnel¡¯s wand. "Lightning Verdi--"


    "THUD! CRACK!"


    The massive electrical energy dispersed into nothingness, startling everyone on the battlefield. Even more shocking was that someone had appeared behind Tarnel and managed to hold a sword to Tarnel¡¯s neck.


    No one understood what those sudden sounds were until they noticed Tarnel¡¯s limp right arm.


    "It¡¯s... broken..." They didn¡¯t know what was happening. Tarnel was about to cast Lightning Verdict and incapacitate Flint in a single attack. Yet now, Tarnel was ambushed and overpowered out of nowhere.


    Though the Lyre family didn¡¯t recognize the culprit, the others did. The Maronn Family guards had embarrassed faces, unwilling to look at the man responsible for saving them.


    "You, again! Stupid old man!" Gret yelled at the top of his lungs.

 Chapter 136 Playing the Bully

    <h4>Chapter 136 ying the Bully</h4>


    Jack showed a wry smile and his eyes were sharp and unhesitant. He looked around at the Lyre Family with a demeaning gaze.


    None of the other members of the Lyre Family understood what Jack was doing or why he had suddenly ambushed their young master.


    "Sir, what are you trying to do?" asked one of the bodyguards as he stepped closer.


    "I wouldn¡¯t rmend youe any closer," stated Jack, keeping his cool. "You all are fine with picking on others when they¡¯re down, so why can¡¯t I do the same?"


    "But sir--"


    "Hurry up and pass me all your rings!"


    The sudden demand caused everyone to freeze. Even the Maronn and the Treall Families put a pause to their battle.


    "Are you threatening the Lyre Family?! You¡¯re insane!" One of the other young masters shouted back. He looked almost identical to Tarnel, so Jack assumed them to be brothers.


    With a smile, Jack replied, "Sure, why wouldn¡¯t I?" Just then, a bead of red blood started to dribble from Tarnel¡¯s neck. "Do you believe me now?"


    "You are insane, you know we can¡¯t kill here!" Both of the Lyre guards started to panic. It¡¯s one thing if their young master was injured and needed some healing, but to be disgraced like this and possibly lose him would lead to their death. They would fail at their only job!


    "Maybe not, but I can do this." The sword vanished as Jack put Tarnel in a headlock. His other arm smashed into Tarnel¡¯s other arm, cracking many bones and letting it hang limp like the other. "Shall I keep going?"


    "You..." The guards froze. They weren¡¯t able to decide, it was up to their young masters.


    "J-Just give it to him!" Tarnel¡¯s shaky voice filled the cavern.


    His younger brother nodded and threw a ring at Jack¡¯s feet. "Here, you can have it for now. But don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to avoid punishment after you exit the catb."


    The others nodded and followed suit, each throwing their storage item in front of Jack.


    Like taking candy from a baby, Jack slid Tarnel¡¯s ring off his finger and quickly stored it away. "Alright, now all of you should head back to the catb¡¯s entrance. I don¡¯t want to see you until morning when I¡¯m about to leave this ce."


    "Why should we--"


    "CRACK!"


    "Aaah!"


    As Tanel¡¯s brother tried to speak up, Jack sent another punch to Tarnel¡¯s left thigh. Tarnel¡¯s femur had not only broken, but it had also splintered and was now impossible to walk on. The young noble yelled in agony as his leg also fell limp and dragged on the floor.


    Jack didn¡¯t say a thing. Instead, he smiled and watched the Lyre Family carefully. Just when they wanted to open their mouths in anger, Jack¡¯s fist would get closer to Tarnel¡¯sst functioning limb, his right leg.


    "J-Just go already! Wait till morning!" Tarnel was fuming mad but was crying in pain as he sent his people away.


    None of this was warranted in his mind. It was always the strong taking from the weak, but he never would have guessed that he would be weak to someone else.


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were on Jack. After some silence, the Lyre Family members started backtracking. Soon they were out of sight and earshot.


    Flint had a huge smile on his face. There was a lot of admiration in his eyes as he watched Jack. He wanted help, but this was way more then Flint had asked for, but he was more than happy it happened. Anytime the Lyre Family was oppressed, the Maronn Family would relish in it.


    Gret had an aching feeling in the pit of his stomach. He and his followers had already tried to steal Jack¡¯s stuff earlier, yet he somehow escaped into thin air.


    Now, the middle-aged man had reappeared out of thin air and he sessfully robbed all the members of the Lyre family in front of his eyes. And he did it without anyone even daring to attack him!


    Jack waited a couple of minutes until he let go of Tarnel and picked up the items at his feet. "Until this is over, you¡¯ll be with me. I won¡¯t kill you, that I can guarantee."


    Tarnel swallowed some saliva and sat on the ground. He was too injured to run even if he wanted to try.


    "As for you..." Jack nced at Gret with a wicked smile. "I think we have some unfinished business, don¡¯t we?"


    "Shut up old man! You only caught that idiot by surprise because he was distracted. You can¡¯t take on all of us!" Gret shouted, keeping his followers on their toes.


    "Who said he¡¯s alone?"


    Gret instantly frowned and looked Flint in the eye. "What does this have to do with you?!"


    "We¡¯re you and Tarnelpeting to see who could get this first?" Flint retrieved the magic sword and held it up high. "Well, now that he¡¯s taken my offer to help me, it¡¯s his."


    Disbelief filled Gret¡¯s heart as the magic sword was thrown to Jack, who caught and stored it without a nce. "You-you nned this?! How dare you plot against the Treall Family?!"


    "Shut up!" Jack¡¯s voice echoed in the open space. "I may have been paid, but I haven¡¯t finished my job yet."


    "Guards! Protect me!" Gret and the two other young talents of the Treall Family tried to escape.


    "Not so fast!" With another heavy strike, Flint swung his greatsword but was blocked by one of the lv. 29 guards. "You can¡¯t..."


    Flint never finished his sentence. He was too amazed to see Jack already on the other side of the guards with Gret held up by his neck.


    "CRACK! CRACK!"


    "NOOOOO!!"


    Tears of pain rolled down Gret¡¯s face like mountain streams. Unable to fathom how Jack could teleport at will, all he could do was cry. Why was Jack so strong? He was only lv. 20 but Gret¡¯s defenses couldn¡¯t take a single blow. And he was a powerful mage too. Who was he and where did hee from?!


    "I think you all know the drill, or should I repeat myself?" Jackughed as Gret was squealing in his hands.


    "How dare you?!" Gret managed to find the strength to try and defend his pride. Unlike the more humble Tarnel, Gret was hurt more mentally than physically. "When this is over, my father will--"


    "CRACK! CRACK!"


    "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH..."


    "Will you shut up now, or do I need to teach you another lesson?" Giving Gret another two punches, Jack rendered Gret immobile until someone could get him medical attention. "Now, throw me your things."


    The two other young mastersplied without a word. They were absolutely terrified of Jack and needed no more convincing to do as he said.


    Both guards for the Treall Family groaned as they both removed storage rings and lobbed them to Jack.


    "Good, now get! And make sure to remind the Lyre family that if I see them down here, it¡¯ll only cause more harm to their young master," stated Jack while he found Gret¡¯s storage bracelet.


    Though they wanted to curse Jack to hell, the guards kept quiet and led the other two young masters back toward the entrance. They followed the Lyre Family¡¯s path and disappeared.


    Letting Gret fall to the floor, Jack let go of the now crippled young master and gathered his new things.


    "Wow! You¡¯re amazing!" Flint was even more amazed now. "Seriously, you should join us, and I don¡¯t just meanwhile you¡¯re in the cave. You and I can be great friends. If only you were younger than we could enjoy our youth as friends of adventure!"


    A chuckle left Jack¡¯s mouth when Flint spoke about Jack being younger. The disguised hero nced at Flint and shook his head. "And what¡¯s to say that you and your guards will just ambush me and take everything I¡¯ve worked hard to earn?"


    Before Jack finished speaking, a ring fell to the cavern floor in front of Jack. "If you want our things, I¡¯ll make it easy for you. But seriously, why don¡¯t you join me?"


    Jack was at a loss for words. He had contemted doing the same to Flint to guarantee his safety while he was in the catb, but his opinion of the crazy young master of the Maronn Family only got better by the minute.


    "I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll need this, not after everything I¡¯ve already found in the cave," said Jack as he kicked the ring back to Flint.


    The others were bbergasted, not only by their young leader but by Jack.


    Flint, without any second thought, had given up his personal storage ring before Jack even threatened them. Not even Halmut knew what kind of treasures might be in there since Flint was the heir of the family. And then, after giving up everything he owned, Flint proceeded to again ask Jack to join him in the Maronn Family.


    Jack had just robbed two noble family heirs and their servants after taking both heir¡¯s hostage. He was supposedly only lv. 20, yet his skills and abilities allowed him to do that without a single scratch on him. Then, he returned Flint¡¯s ring by saying that he had "found" enough treasures already. Didn¡¯t the old man say that he was only interested in gold and gems a little while ago?


    Things had changed drastically and none of them understood what would happen next.

 Chapter 137 Making Friends with Hostages

    <h4>Chapter 137 Making Friends with Hostages</h4>


    "So, what do we do now, friend?" asked Flint. Since Jack responded kindly, he had already decided that he and Jack were good friends. That¡¯s just the type of guy he was.


    "Well," Jack sighed and looked at his two hostages. Tarnel was pretty calm by then but Gret was still weeping and crying. "I don¡¯t want anyone to be following me, so I can¡¯t just let you all go so easily."


    "Say no more," replied Flint. As he turned to look at his fellow party members, he bowed. "Thank you for taking me this far, but I¡¯ll be traveling with my new friend from now on. Would you all please wait by the entrance. I¡¯m very grateful for your cooperation."


    "But young master--"


    "Now go, there¡¯s not much time left. We¡¯ve already been in here for at least six hours. I¡¯ll be fine, so don¡¯t worry about me," Flint cut off his guard¡¯s interjection and sauntered over to Jack¡¯s side and put an arm around him. "Oh, and make sure not toe back down. I don¡¯t want to force my new friend to hurt me, so please don¡¯t."


    None of them could believe what Flint was saying, even Jack. They were all speechless.


    It took a moment for one of the guards to bow and start heading for the entrance. Out of the entire party, he best understood Flint and he knew that Flint would never change his mind. As they all left, that same guard evenughed to himself, thinking, "Maybe the young master will actually seed in recruiting Jack." He thought that would be the best oue of it all.


    When the other¡¯s were out of sight, Flint nodded to Jack and asked, "So, where are we going now?"


    Jack couldn¡¯t help butugh. "You¡¯re something else, aren¡¯t you?"


    "I get that a lot."


    "Fine, then help me with those two." Jack pointed at his hostages. "If that one keeps whining, then just gag him to shut him up! As for you, since you seem cooperative..."


    A few thin wooden boards appeared in Jack¡¯s hands. After Slivia had passed, Jack held on to her storage ne. Being a cleric, she had all sorts of basic medical items to help her in the field, including those wooden boards used for splints.


    Jack took some time to board up both of Tarnel¡¯s arms and his femur. "It may not do much, but at least you can move your arms now. Your leg will be harder to heal cause I hit it a little harder. Sorry, I got caught up in the moment."


    From Slivia¡¯s storage, Jack pulled out a pair of crutches. "Do you think you can use these now?"


    "I can manage." Tarnel gave Jack a strange smile. He had never expected that Jack would actually be so kind to him after taking him hostage.


    Though he was currently Jack¡¯s hostage, Tarnel understood that it all happened due to the situation. Jack¡¯s mysteriousness and his actions to force three of the noble families away led Tarnel to believe that Jack may actually have a n to find some extremely valuable treasures. If that were true, he might be willing to forgive Jack since he was being treated quite well.


    "Good." Content to see that Tarnel was cooperative, Jack nced at Gret and Flint. Throwing Flint some rope, Jack said, "Here, you can use that to help carry him. For someone who focuses on strength, that shouldn¡¯t be an issue, right?"


    "Easy-peasy!" In a sh, Gret torso was wrapped in rope while Flint carried the other end of the rope over his shoulder. "Lead the way, buddy!"


    It still made Jackugh when Flint was so friendly to him.


    "Some ground rules. When we encounter any undead, you¡¯ll drop him and help me fight. He¡¯ll stay behind with his crutches to avoid any further injuries," exined Jack. "Running into the Pon Family is the only other majorplication to deal with. How do you suggest we deal with them?"


    Tarnel and Flint looked at each other, wondering if either would say anything. Gret didn¡¯t have the option to speak and he was already gagged.


    Surprisingly, it was Tarnel that spoke up. "You¡¯ve got some kind of n, right? You probably know exactly what you¡¯re looking for."


    "Yup." Jack didn¡¯t hide the truth. Hiding it would be useless because they would eventually see him open the tomb anyway.


    "I think we¡¯re all after the same goal then. We all want to best treasures that the Pon Family is adamant to find, and none of us want to trade them in. Since you¡¯re willing to do all this, you might even have a way to escape," Tarnel borated some of his thoughts, surprising Flint and Gret.


    "If I took one of them hostage like you, do you think it would have the same result?" asked Jack, not denying or confirming any of Tarnel¡¯s thoughts.


    "Probably, but you¡¯ll have to take even more risks when trying to escape after you exit," reasoned Tarnel. "Offending our families would only lead angering them, but they can¡¯t do anything to you while you¡¯re in town because you obeyed the rules that were clearly announced beforehand."


    "But if I offend the Pon Family, you¡¯re saying that exiting the city would be much more difficult?"


    "Exactly." Tarnel nodded, d to see that Jack understood things easily. "You may be from Reinolt, but getting out of the city is your biggest obstacle."


    "Wait, you¡¯re from Reinolt?!" asked Flint.


    Tarnel had figured it out since Jack already had a run-in with the Treall Family, which was also from Reinolt. Gret clearly knew that too. Flint, however, hadn¡¯t put two and two together and became quite sad when he heard that.


    "Just because I¡¯m originally from Reinolt, doesn¡¯t me you and I can¡¯t be friends," joked Jack. "I can¡¯t stay here, but we may run into each other in the future."


    Sadden yet able to understand, Flint gave a disappointed chuckle. "So, that means you won¡¯t join me and the Maronn Family? Are you sure?"


    "Positive."


    "Fine... Let¡¯s get moving then." Lifting Gret up high, Flint started walking into one of the tunnels.


    "We¡¯re going this way, Flint!" Jack shouted as he walked into a different tunnel, letting Flint rush back to them.


    The makeshift party slowly traversed the catb. Some undead were found, but they also passed a few battle sites which looked simr to the one where the magic sword was found.


    "The others should be nearby. Remember, if we see the Pon Family, just stay out of sight if you don¡¯t want me making things more difficult for you," stated Jack, making sure they were all on high alert.


    There were plenty of times where Gret had tried to speak up and retort Jack, but he was never able to undo the gag. Eventually, he stopped struggling and kept quiet, but they still never removed the gag.


    "Shhh, you all stay here."


    ¡¯Jack, people ahead.¡¯ Bowzer¡¯s young voice warned him.


    Taking a quick nce, Jack found exactly who he was hoping to see.


    They were finishing up a fight with a lv. 29 zombie troll and lv. 27 zombies. It was easy to see that the fight was hard, but the Pon Family managed to keep the advantage.


    The moment the zombie troll fell and the Pon Family members made a move for the magic book it was guarding, a figure suddenly appeared behind the young woman who was leading them.


    "Please, don¡¯t make me hurt such a prettydy," reasoned Jack.


    "What do you want?" The Pon Family guards seemed to be the most cooperative of the noble families. Then again, it might have been because they were guarding their family head¡¯s only daughter.


    "I want that book and all your storage items. I promise not to harm her if you do that and wait at the entrance for the remainder of our time inside the catb," exined Jack. "I only want to explore the caverns without intrusion or followers. Wait there, and she will be returned by morning without a single scratch."


    "Go, I¡¯ll be fine." The young woman smiled at her guards. She was grateful for their concern but she still waved them off.


    "Very well." All of them then removed their storage items and tossed them to Jack¡¯s feet. "Not a scratch, otherwise you¡¯ll be sorry."


    Without another word, the party left and quickly made their way toward the entrance.


    Jack was amazed at how cooperative they were. Even the young woman was shockingly easy to convince.


    "Here." She handed Jack her ring and smiled at him. "My name¡¯s Ke, what¡¯s yours?"


    "Jack. Thanks for listening so well."


    "Can you release me now? It¡¯s clear that you¡¯re stronger than me. Even if I¡¯m higher level, I¡¯m only a cleric, so what chance do I have against you?" asked Ke.


    "True, but know that I¡¯m not merciful if you act funny."


    She didn¡¯t fullyprehend Jack¡¯s warning until she saw three silhouettese out of a corridor and greet them.


    "Hey, Ke, I see you¡¯ve met my new friend, Jack!" Flint greeted her with a smile as he dragged the crippled and gagged Gret behind him.


    "So long as you cooperate, he¡¯s actually very understanding," stated Tarnel with a casual shrug.


    Ke was amazed and looked back at Jack with a smile. "Weren¡¯t you only lv. 20? How did you--"


    "I have my ways. Now, tell me, have you and your parties already dealt with the othermoners?" asked Jack.


    Tarnel and Ke both nodded. Gret bobbed his head up and down, as if he was trying to be extra nice in order to get the gag off of him.


    "Perfect! Then I can open the tomb in peace!"


    "Tomb?!" All the others went wide-eyed.

 Chapter 138 Finding a Tomb No One Knew Existed

    <h4>Chapter 138 Finding a Tomb No One Knew Existed</h4>


    "Tomb?!"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s what I said," Jackughed when he saw their surprised faces. "To be specific, I¡¯ll be opening Ponlinne¡¯s hidden tomb that¡¯s somewhere inside this ce."


    "Ponlinne¡¯s tomb..."


    They didn¡¯t know what to think. Though they had guessed that Jack understood the catb better than all of them, none of them would have guessed it was rted to Ponlinne the Great¡¯s tomb.


    "You mean that his tomb is in the catb?" Ke asked timidly. She was raised near the catb her whole life and this wasn¡¯t her first time entering it. Her father had always talked about the amazing treasures that kept appearing inside the catb. They had hoped in their wildest dreams that Ponlinne¡¯s tomb was rted to the catb, but that was just a hunch.


    "Yeah, and it shouldn¡¯t be too hard to find. Keep up, okay Miss Ke." Leading the way, Jack started heading deeper into the catb.


    "Is it just me, or does he not act much like an old man?" Ke asked the others.


    Tarnel nodded. "I was thinking the same thing. If you had the same thought, maybe that¡¯s not his true appearance. If that¡¯s so, then that¡¯s a terrifying mask. Not even our parents had recognized him."


    Even more confused, Flint tilted his head and squinted. "You mean, he¡¯s not an old man?"


    "Most likely not. Guessing by how he¡¯s treating us, he¡¯s probably around our age, in his twenties," reasoned Tarnel. "Then again, that¡¯s only a guess--"


    "Yes!" shouted Flint. "Then that¡¯s perfect! We can be adventure buddies after all!"


    Laughter filled the corridor as they all looked to Jack at the lead. "You guys are pretty smart."


    "So you are young like me? Show me! I want to see my buddy¡¯s real face!"


    "Not necessary," answered Jack as he waved his hand nonchntly. "The next time we meet, it¡¯ll be with my real face, how about that?"


    Flint frowned stubbornly. "And how will I know it¡¯s really you, huh? I¡¯ll never be able to tell if you don¡¯t show me now!"


    "I¡¯ll make sure you recognize me, don¡¯t worry," added Jack. "For now, focus on what¡¯s at hand. We¡¯re getting close, so stay on your toes. Ke, you¡¯ll be the party healer. And Flint, this is just in case!"


    A ring was thrown to Flint, which he caught out of reflex.


    "That¡¯s Tarnel¡¯s ring. Also, I put a few healing potions inside in case he¡¯s needed to fight."


    "Seriously?!" Both Flint and Tarnel were shocked. With that, there was a chance that Tarnel would be able to run or escape. Not to mention the possibility that the three of them team up against him.


    "It¡¯s just a precaution. Plus, that way I won¡¯t forget to give it back before I take my leave." Retrieving another more feminine ring, Jack smiled. "Ke, this one¡¯s yours. I can trust you, right?"


    She shed a flirty smile. "Of course. Since you¡¯ve been so kind, I might as well. And if you can really take us to Ponlinne¡¯s hidden tomb, I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t work together."


    "I¡¯m sorry to say this, but after I open the tomb, I can¡¯t let any of you inside," stated Jack. "There are some things I need from inside it and I can¡¯t let anybody know that I have such items. Those items are the reason I¡¯m doing all of this. It¡¯s very important to me."


    Tarnel shrugged, he had already expected Jack to say such a thing.


    Flint¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change in the slightest. He was just proud to go on an adventure and was happy he had made a friend. Normally, he¡¯s not let out much and doesn¡¯t do anything other than family responsibilities. This was his first real adventure, and it was far more exciting with Jack in the mix.


    Ke frowned, but like Tarnel she expected Jack to say something along those lines. Jack had taken so many precautions to remove the high-level bodyguards. Also, he had already proven capable of handling all of the young masters, so it made sense.


    "Can you at least let me take a peak? It can be after you¡¯ve stored everything?" Ke really wanted to see the tomb first hand.


    Also, she and the others were well aware that Jack would have to perform a miracle to escape. Though he surprised them all inside the catb, they weren¡¯t too confident in Jack¡¯s ability to escape with all of his "found" goods.


    "I¡¯ll be nice and let you visit the tomb, but only after I give you all the okay. Alright?" reasoned Jack. "Either way, be ready for anything. You have to realize something. If Ponlinne¡¯s hidden tomb is here, doesn¡¯t that also mean this is where he died?"


    Suddenly, a sense of dread washed over the other party members.


    Ke¡¯s and Tarnel¡¯s confidence in Jack¡¯s n started to waver after realizing that fact. Gret was panting heavily, unwilling to continue further upon hearing that. Flint smiled wide and let his adrenaline pump through his blood even quicker.


    Unfazed by the fact that Jack had known all along, he continued following Bowzer¡¯s guidance.


    They fought two more zombie trolls and imed two more magic items. It was clear to everyone that the items weer random and varied in level.


    One was only lv. 15, which saddened them all except for Jack who knew it was peak-tier equipment.


    The second item amazed them all. It was lv. 45! If any of them returned to their families with such an item, it would cement their standing in the family and guarantee that their parents would offer them only the best resources in the future.


    "Shhh... we¡¯re almost there." Jack stopped the party in its tracks and pulled out a simple-looking wooden staff. Its appearance wasn¡¯t extraordinary, but Ke instantly recognized it.


    "That¡¯s the missing staff!" Ke announced the truth to her fellow hostages without carrying if Jack heard her or not. "You were the one who stole it? Why?"


    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? It¡¯s how I¡¯ll find the tomb." The staff was blinking red somehow and the others felt it¡¯s strange light. "See, we¡¯re close!"


    Holding the staff ahead of him, the blinking became brighter and brighter. After five minutes of walking, Jack stopped in the middle of a tunnel. The staff was emitting a solid stream of red light without a single flicker.


    "Here..." Jack took a deep breath. Though it wasn¡¯t the first tomb he had found, it would be the most influential to his progress. There was no telling what he might find inside the tomb.


    "Stay back, if you get too close to the door before I give the okay, I won¡¯t be merciful," stated Jack coldly, stunning the others who had gotten adjusted to the smiling, friendly Jack.


    Not wanting to wait any longer, Jack swung the staff harshly against the cavern wall.


    "Thud!"


    No marks were seen on the wall and the sound the attack made wasn¡¯t all that loud. The young family heirs felt left down. They were expecting an amazing entrance and thunderous reveal for a mighty hero¡¯s tomb to open and appear.


    However, another second passed and they all looked back at the wall. It was changing! An opening was somehow forming and a marble entryway appeared in the wall exactly where Jack had hit.


    Looking up, they all read the name on the tomb¡¯s entrance.


    "Ponlinne"


    "Wait here for five minutes. If I haven¡¯te back out by then, you have my permission to enter." Jack gave onest warning before he went down the winding staircase inside the marble entryway.


    Those who were hostages now had no captor, but they all remained just outside the marble entryway. They thought Jack would be forced toter surrender his findings, so why piss him off now?


    Inside the tomb, Jack struggled to remain calm. He had been in that world for a short time and he had never really learned about any truly powerful people. Now, he finally found an ancient tomb of one.


    The inside was lined with dozens of chests and there was also a fountain just beyond Ponlinne¡¯s sepulcher.


    "The life spring..."


    Jack walked up to it and ran his hands through the water. He knew that the water had healing properties and was quite valuable. However, he wasn¡¯t after the spring¡¯s water, Jack was after the source of the spring¡¯s water.


    After filling a handful of bottles with the spring¡¯s water, Jack stepped into the fountain. Nearing its center, Jack reached inside of the fountain¡¯s spout.


    It took a moment but Jack found what he was looking for. Gently, Jack pulled his hand back out and it was now in a fist.


    Opening his hand, Jack saw the life spring jewel. It was the very rare item used to revive fallenrades, given that they hadn¡¯t perished too long ago. Being filled with life energy, an unused life spring jewel would over time create a spring¡¯s worth of water which had properties simr to healing potions.


    Jack stored it with haste and ran his hand over the sepulcher to gain Ponlinne¡¯s activity log for further study. He really wanted to know how such a powerful adventurer died and what could kill him outside of the Holy War?


    With everything stored and a minute to spare, Jack quickly entered his system menu and hurried to im his tomb achievement.


    There was one small detail that struck Jack dumb. He had gained exactly eighty-seven skill points, not eighty-five.


    Thest two tomb achievements had given Jack skill points equivalent to the tomb owner¡¯s level. If Jack had received eighty-seven skill points, didn¡¯t that mean...

 Chapter 139 Strengthing Bonds of Friendship

    <h4>Chapter 139 Strengthing Bonds of Friendship</h4>


    Dumbfounded by that small detail, Jack was lost in thought. Before he knew it, the five minutes he had given the others had passed.


    "Time¡¯s up! I¡¯m going in now!"


    Flint¡¯s boisterous announcement filled the tomb, startling Jack and derailing his train of thought.


    "Whoa..."


    After Flint hurried in, Ke and Tarnel were right behind him. In their haste, they left the gagged Gret outside. Sadly, he would never get the chance to enter the tomb.


    For them, they had never seen a hero¡¯s hidden tomb before. They didn¡¯t know that this one was far more beautiful and ornate than the others that Jack had raided; probably due to Ponlinne¡¯s high level.


    Unlike Jack, they scoured the tomb and took in every detail. They noticed many statues that looked like armed adventurers, lining the walls of the tomb. In the center was a magnificent sepulcher and just beyond it was a great fountain of the clearest water they had ever seen.


    Only now did Jack pay attention to the statues around him. He had just thought that they were representations of Ponlinne¡¯s past guildmates. However, he soon realized that there was something special about each statue.


    "Those weapons..." Some of the statues were holding high-level items! Most of them didn¡¯t, but some actually had a high-level weapon that most likely belonged to whoever the statue represented.


    It was hard to tell because they were covered in dust, cobwebs, and mildew like the rest of the statue. But would Jack¡¯s system not recognize such things in in sight?


    While Jack started gazing at the different statues, the others approached the fountain with sparkling eyes.


    "It¡¯s a former life spring." Jack¡¯s words gave them goosebumps as they gripped the edge of the fountain tightly. "All that water has the same properties ofmon healing potions."


    "Water... that works like a healing potion?" Ke was shaking as she slowly extended her hand to the water¡¯s surface.


    While Flint was taking deep breaths to help control his enthusiasm, Tarnel was eyeing the spring heavily.


    "Go ahead, jump in. If you can spend an hour in there, Tarnel, you¡¯ll probably leave fully healed."


    The moment Jack gave Tarnel the okay, the broken mage let go of the crutches and fell into the water.


    He only kept his head above the water¡¯s surface, everything else was being cleansed by the water¡¯s magical properties. To him, it felt like the mostfortable bath he had ever taken. Slowly but surely, the magical properties of the water would pulsate against his skin and gradually seep into his body.


    Not wanting to lose out, Flint jumped high into the air and did a cannonball into the fountain. The sloshing waves dripped out of the fountain and made Ke realize what was going on.


    "Hey, don¡¯t taint the water!"


    "Don¡¯t worry about them, this water can¡¯t be tainted so easily," exined Jack, who was still examining the statues. "It¡¯s magic, so how could dirt affect it? If that were true, then why is everything here covered in centuries of grime other then the fountain?"


    "Well... I guess you¡¯re right," agreed Ke. That¡¯s when she noticed how carefully Jack was examining a few statues. "What¡¯s caught your eye? Something special?"


    With augh, he looked back at the other three. He was pondering what to do with those items he had missed. If he wanted, he could take them all for himself. Or... he could cement a few bonds as allies for the future.


    "Tell you what, I¡¯m going to be nice to you guys."


    The other two also looked at him, wondering how Jack would be nice? Was he going to share some special treasure?


    Jack grinned and faced the three people that others thought were his hostages. "Some of these statues contain magical items, and all of them are at least lv. 60, if not higher."


    "Lv. 60!" Their hearts started pumping and their gazes returned to the statues they had overlooked.


    "I¡¯ll let each of you choose a single item to keep, then I¡¯ll take the rest. Go ahead, choose your items." Jack motioned with his hands as if to give them permission.


    "Don¡¯t mind if I do!" Flint bolted out of the fountain and toward a statue with a menacing-looking greatsword. "I want this one!"


    The crazed berserker had already started trying to pull the sword out of the statue¡¯s hand when Jack said, "That¡¯s just a regr statue. That helmet, however, is a lv. 70 peak-tier piece of armor."


    "Lv. 70! Peak-tier!"


    Every word that came out of Jack¡¯s mouth startled them even further. "Lv. 70, I want it!"


    Chuckling at the sight of Flint acting like a child on Christmas, he offered some more advice. "Wouldn¡¯t you rather have an item more fitted to you or your family? Like that war axe over there, or that long sword?"


    "Longsword, where?!" Flint instantly forgot about that statue and dashed to the one Jack was pointing at. "You mean this longsword?"


    "Yup, go ahead and wipe your hand against the de. Then¡¯s you¡¯ll see that it¡¯s a true lv. 75 peak-tier weapon."


    "Lv. 75 long sword?! It¡¯s mine!" With all his strength, Flint pulled and broke the statue¡¯s arms off as he finally got his sword. "Uhhh... sorry for breaking the statue..."


    "Don¡¯t even worry about it, it¡¯s already served its purpose anyway." Jack wasughing and enjoying Flint¡¯s simple-minded antics. Looking at the other two, Jack asked, "And you two, which do you want?"


    Tarnel looked at all the statues and finally shook his head. "I don¡¯t know. You should pick for me since you best understand what¡¯s what."


    Hearing Tarnel¡¯s suggestion, Jack smiled and walked to a statue of a sorcerer.


    When everyone saw Jack take not the weapon but the statue¡¯s robe, they were shocked. They wondered how they hadn¡¯t recognized a robe around one of the statue¡¯s earlier.


    "Don¡¯t bother feeling stupid. This robe has a metallic quality aleady, so after being covered in dust and gravel it blended in with the statue," exined Jack, helping clear their confusion. "This is a lv. 75 dragon sorcerer¡¯s cloak. It greatly boosts the wearer¡¯s magic abilities, as well as their physical defense. It¡¯s also peak-tier, just like his longsword."


    "Thank you, Jack!" Even though Tarnel knew that Jack would by far have the best harvest of treasures during this trip, Tarnel thought his struggle in the catb was well worth finding a legendary item! He had already forgiven Jack after Jack let him bathe in the fountain, now he was over the moon with joy. Finding a lv. 75 peak-tier item was a thousand times greater than anything he had expected to find.


    Jack ced the dragon robe on the fountain¡¯s edge, that way Tarnel could grab it easily after finishing his healing process. "So, which one do you want, Ke?"


    She looked pensive while inspecting the many statues many times over. Ke kept looking and thinking until she shook her head. "I don¡¯t want any of these."


    "HUH?!" All three men were taken aback by her words. Even Flint, who was swinging his new treasure around like a madman, stopped and looked at her funny.


    "What do you mean?" asked Jack.


    "The only item I want is Ponlinne¡¯s staff. Would you please allow me to have it?" Bowing to Jack, Ke humbled herself and continued to exin, "ording to our history, the Pon Family are descendents of Ponlinne, that¡¯s why we took the name Pon. Plus, Ponlinne was a powerful Cleric, the most powerful in Ancient Kartonia, so his staff should be the best weapon for my family of clerics."


    "Hmm..." Jack scratched his head, unsure of what to do. Though there was still a handful of peak-tier items, none of those items were lv. 85. The best was lv. 75, like the items the other two had chosen.


    "Please, Jack, I¡¯ll do anything! I¡¯d even agree to marry you if my family could have such a treasure."


    "What?!"Again, the others were stunned by Ke¡¯s actions.


    Jack looked at her and couldn¡¯t contain his shock. "You¡¯d be willing to marry an old man like me just for some old staff? Your family may never be strong enough to use it. They¡¯d probably just hang it up as their greatest family heirloom. Why give yourself up when you¡¯re such a stunning youngdy?"


    Even if Jack didn¡¯t want to admit it, his heart twitched when he heard her offer. All of a sudden, he felt like Daruun may have been right to say that Jack and Slivia hadn¡¯t yet fallen in love.


    "We all know that you¡¯re not who you say you are, so don¡¯t give me that excuse. Am I not pretty enough? Is my beauty not worth "some old staff?""


    Turning his own words against him, Jack felt somewhat helpless in front of Ke.


    "I¡¯ll tell you why I¡¯m hesitant. It¡¯s because Ponlinne¡¯s staff is stronger and more valueable than all of these remaining weaponsbined," stated Jack.


    Ke, Tarnel, and Flint had thought that they couldn¡¯t be any more surprised then they already were. However, Jack¡¯s statement about the value of Ponlinne¡¯s staff proved them wrong as all of there jaws went ck.

 Chapter 140 Keelas Desperate Plea

    <h4>Chapter 140 Ke¡°s Desperate Plea</h4>


    "It¡¯s... that valuable..." Ke didn¡¯t know what to say. She thought that all those items were priceless and had assumed that Ponlinne¡¯s staff may only be slightly better. The truth left her speechless.


    "Let me exin." Jack retrieved the staff. With the red glow gone, it looked like it was a simple wooden staff made from an ancient tree. "This is Ponlinne¡¯s staff. It¡¯s a lv. 85 cleric staff and it is a mythic-tier weapon."


    The tomb instantly was filled with the sound of heavy panting. Revealing Ponlinne¡¯s staff as a lv. 85 weapon and that it was mythic-tier was too much. It wasn¡¯t a straw that broke the camel¡¯s back, it was an anvil.


    "Lv... 85... mythic..." Those words were echoing in their skulls.


    "It was crafted from the trunk of a life tree by one of the greatest weaponsmiths of Ancient Kartonia. Though it just looks like a simple staff, it¡¯s stronger and more durable than the longsword that Flint chose. It also amplifies a clerics abilities even more than the dragon robe the Tarnel chose. This is a peerless item that only other mythic-tier items canpete with."


    Finished with his exnation, Jack waited for them toe back to their senses.


    After some time, Flint was the first one to speak. "How do you know all this? And... Ancient Kartonia? What¡¯s all that about?"


    Realizing that he had said too much toote, Jack sighed, "What I said is 100% true, but there¡¯s no one else who can validate it. Take the information however you wish."


    Tarnel was calming down but Ke was torn. She really only wanted Ponlinne¡¯s staff. It meant the world to her n and hearing that it was so valuable only made her more anxious to give it to her father.


    "Please, Jack... Can I please have that item?"


    Her whimper caught Jack off guard. He watched as she fell to her knees and bowed even lower to him. "Please... Let me take the staff... I can only offer myself in return."


    Groaning and struggling to keep his cool, Jack¡¯s determination to keep the staff was wavering. Jack walked up to her and helped her up. "Ke, tell me why it means so much to you and why that other lv. 75 cleric staff wouldn¡¯t suffice?"


    Tears started welling in her eyes as she looked up and met his gaze. "Jack... I need that item because it¡¯s my only chance at freedom."


    While Jack was confused, both Tarnel and Flint sighed. They quickly guessed what she meant by that.


    "And why is that?" asked Jack.


    "A long time ago I was betrothed to one of the Zuran Empire¡¯s many princes. It may sound like a wonderful opportunity, but that prince is a known lecher. He¡¯s a pig that only cares about using women for his own pleasure," Ke exined, disregarding the tears streaming down her face.


    "The reason I¡¯m down here is to find something that belonged to Ponlinne. My father only cares about gaining more influence in the empire, so that was the only way I was able to convince him to possibly rescind the betrothal. If I can¡¯t find such an item, then I¡¯ll be sent to the Zuran pce by the end of the month. The prince doesn¡¯t even want to wait till we¡¯re married to..."


    Overwhelmed with emotions, Ke stopped talking and tried her best to wipe away her tears.


    Shaken by her story, Jack couldn¡¯t help but struggle with his decision.


    A few minutes passed in silence. Soon, Jack spoke up, "So that¡¯s why you were willing to give yourself up. You thought that I¡¯d be a better candidate than that pig of a prince. Well, you¡¯re not wrong about that."


    His joke lighted the air a little before Jack continued, "Ke, do you really think that your father would give up the betrothal that easily? What are the odds that your old man keeps the staff and hands you over anyway?"


    Frozen in thought, Ke started to think more deeply about everything. Though she may have expected something like that, she still held to her belief of bing free before Jack reminded. Why wouldn¡¯t she, that was her only chance?


    "You know that Jack¡¯s right, Ke," added Tarnel. "If anything, your father would just hand you over quicker. With your betrothal and that weapon, the Pon family would cement itself as a key family throughout the empire."


    "True, your father¡¯s a jerk!" yelled Flint, adding more proverbial salt to her wounds.


    "Maybe you¡¯re right... but what else can I do?" Trembling where she stood, she turned back to Jack. "Please... It¡¯s my only chance..."


    The other two were also looking intently at Jack. They wanted to know what he would do. Even if he had taken them captive and forced their bodyguards away, it was obvious that Jack had a heart and wasn¡¯t cold-blooded.


    "Ke..." Struggling to find the right answer, Jack groaned. "What if... there was another option for you?"


    "What?!" Her sadness vanished instantly. She stared deeply into Jack¡¯s hesitant eyes.


    "What if there was a different option for you? I¡¯m not from the Zuran Empire and no one here knows who I really am. At least, not yet..."


    The others blinked and wondered what Jack meant by thatst statement.


    "If I could guarantee you passage out of the country, would you take it?"


    "YES!"


    There wasn¡¯t a moment of hesitation in her voice. Again, she started trembling as her eyes grew watery, but this time it was from overwhelming relief.


    "Don¡¯t get too emotional yet, you didn¡¯t let me finish," stated Jack, catching everyone¡¯s attention again. "I have my own background like you all have guessed. Even if your family realizes who I am, then they¡¯ll have no choice but to stop looking for you, at least not publically."


    They were all startled by Jack¡¯s confidence. What kind of background did Jack have exactly? Considering his knowledge and high-level skills, it didn¡¯t sound like a bluff either.


    "However, if I take you away, you won¡¯t be able to leave my side until you¡¯re strong enough to keep yourself safe from your own family. Also, you¡¯ll have to keep your identity a secret at all times, possibly acting as my maid or anything else depending on the situation," reasoned Jack. "Are you sure you want to do this? There¡¯s no option of returning once the deed is done. I won¡¯t let you go back even if you begged me to let you go."


    Ke wiped her eyes and looked at Jack. Her timid expression and her sense of fragility made her look particrly attractive at that moment. It made Jack want to hug and shield her from the outside world.


    "You... You really mean it?" stammered Ke. "You... would be willing to take me away?"


    "Only if you¡¯d be okay with it. Like you can see now, you won¡¯t be a prisoner or a hostage when you¡¯re with me. If you take my offer, then you would have to willingly follow me and do anything I ask of you. Is that clear?"


    "Crystal!"


    Ke leaped for joy and wrapped her arms tightly around Jack. At the moment he was a middle-aged man, but she knew that, in reality, he was a powerful adventurer around her age. That thought alone made her heart skip a beat, making her want to see his true face even more. She wondered, ¡¯How handsome are you, my knight in shining armor?¡¯


    If Jack knew what she was thinking, there was no telling how he would react. His heart felt weird at the moment. He felt like he wanted to protect Ke, but even more, his heart wanted to return to Reinolt and save Slivia, who had given her life for him.


    Jack patted her on the back and sighed, "Calm down, you¡¯ll be just fine. The getaway will be a little more difficult, but there shouldn¡¯t be an issue. Now, my question is what you two will do after this."


    Tarnel was already able to move his body again, but he stayed in the life spring to make sure he was fully healed. "Jack, is that your real name?"


    "Yes, it is. The only thing that I¡¯ve changed is my face and appearance," answered Jack.


    "Then, I¡¯d like to ask if we can call each other friends after this mess blows over. Is that okay?"


    "Of course you can, we¡¯re all buddies now!" Flint¡¯s shout showed his excitement and he made no intention of hiding his big smile. "Can you take me away too?"


    Everyone broke intoughter after Flint¡¯sment. Not sure what was going through Flint¡¯s head, Jack answered, "I¡¯d rather not piss off the Maronn Family, or the Lyre family for that matter. Angering the Pon Family was already beyond my ns, so don¡¯t ask such a crazy thing."


    "Then you muste and visit! But how will I recognize you when I don¡¯t know your face? You should show us, just in case!"


    "That¡¯s enough, neither of you two can see my face. For all I know, you¡¯ll have your memories scanned when they look for evidence," reasoned Jack. "Don¡¯t worry, when we meet again I¡¯ll make sure you know it¡¯s me."


    Disappointed, Flint grunted, "Fine, have it your way."


    Laughing at the side, Tarnel asked, "Will youe to visit me too? I can¡¯t wait to see who you really are."


    "Time will tell," answered Jack. He turned his attention back to Ke, who was still tightly embracing him. "Umm... You can let go now."


    "I don¡¯t want to." She shook her head, stubbornly holding on the Jack.


    "We¡¯re about to run out of time and you¡¯ll have plenty of time to talk with me after your gone, okay?" Nudging her away, Jack smiled and chuckled as he saw her tender expression.


    "Okay," agreed Ke, not pushing her luck too much.


    She was determined to get closer to him though, no matter. In order to guarantee that he would never let her return, Ke wanted to be his woman. Plus, Ke knew that Jack was probably her best option as a potential partner that she would ever have, in terms of personality and strength.


    "Now we wait. Let me exin a few things now, to make it easierter," said Jack.


    At first, all three of the family heirs were hesitant to believe that Jack could escape after everything he had done. But now, they all had a newfound belief in his abilities. Thanks to his natural confidence and charisma, they all wanted him to make a clean getaway, especially Ke.

 Chapter 141 The Escape

    <h4>Chapter 141 The Escape</h4>


    "Dong, Dong!"


    A loud bell sound throughout Ponlinne early in the morning. Most people already knew what it meant and hurried back toward the catb¡¯s entrance.


    Outside the catb¡¯s entrance which had just opened and be an exit, all the noble families were patiently waiting. None of them had left and were anxious to see what their people had found in the tomb.


    To their surprise, a lot of people quickly exited the moment the bell sounded. It was as if they had been waiting for the opening for some time. The most shocking thing was that only a select few of those who had entered still hadn¡¯t arrived. Also, the spectators were wondering why they all had such long faces.


    Passing the crowd and meeting in the center, each of those people that had entered was furious.


    The family heads were all astounded. Each of their people was there except for their own children. As they took a headcount, they realized that only five people were missing; each of the young family heirs and the middle-aged man who had asked all the questions.


    "Exin yourselves!" The Treall Family head shouted. He was disappointed to see Gret missing when he had given specific orders to watch over him, especially because of the mysterious middle-aged man that already had a grudge with his family.


    "Sir..." They didn¡¯t know what they could say in order to avoid their master¡¯s wrath. They knew they may lose their lives if anything had happened to their master¡¯s son.


    Seeing them unwilling to answer only enraged the Treall Family head further.


    "What happened to Tarnel?" asked the Lyre Family head. He was much calmer and believed that his son would be alright.


    "And Flint? Did he cause trouble again?" Flint¡¯s father sighed and rubbed his forehead like he was used to strange things happening to Flint.


    When the Pon Family noticed that Ke was also missing, they didn¡¯t say anything. The guards they had assigned appeared disappointed, but they weren¡¯t sad or furious. Seeing the guards¡¯ calmness, the Pon Family head decided to wait and see what would happen once thest few people exit.


    Almost thirty minutes passed without any activity from the catb.


    The Treall Family head couldn¡¯t take it any longer. "What happened inside? Spit it out!"


    Both of the assigned guards shivered, struggling to say anything. To the Treall Family¡¯s surprise, it was Tarnel¡¯s brother who spoke first.


    "Your excellencies, someone has taken my brother and the other heirs as hostages!"


    That announcement stunned the crowd and angered the family heads immediately.


    Tarnel¡¯s brother continued, "The middle-aged man, Jack, shattered both of my brother¡¯s arms and one of his legs to keep him as a hostage. Then, he forced us to hand over our personal storages. Whenever we tried to speak up, he only caused Tarnel more harm and told us to wait by the entrance for the remainder of the time. If not, he said it would only cause the hostages more harm."


    "The same happened with Gret, except all of his limbs were shattered," one of Treall¡¯s young talents added, not bothering to mention how they were the first to anger Jack.


    Then, everyone was surprised to hear the Maronn Family members startughing. The same guard who supported Flint¡¯s decision in the catb spoke up. "Don¡¯t worry about Flint too much. He offered himself to Jack without Jack even asking a thing. We still have all our rings if you don¡¯t believe us."


    When the Maronn Family head saw the rings still with his people, he chuckled and found the situation very amusing. If someone was so daring to try such a thing as take the family heirs hostage, leave it to his son to try and befriend such a person.


    "Flint will be fine," joked the Maronn Family head. ncing at the other family heads with mocking eyes, he continued, "If not, it¡¯s his own fault for being stupid and angering someone stronger than himself."


    "Shut up!" yelled the Treall Family head. He was furious! Based on what the others had said, his son was treated the harshest of them all.


    "And what of Ke?" The Pon Family finally asked the others.


    "She too was kidnapped, but we were promised that she would be returned without a single scratch," answered one Pon Family guard.


    "Very good." Recognizing that his daughter was only a victim of circumstance yet handled better than the others, he was content. Also, he and the other family heads knew that they wouldn¡¯t let the culprit off, so he decided not to get angry too quickly.


    Another half-hour passed as the crowd chatted about the news. Everyone wanted to know what had happened and why someone was willing to anger so many noble families publically. Would that person be able to avoid punishment?


    Not muchter, some faint footsteps were heard from inside the cavern. As the footsteps grew louder, the crowd grew quieter.


    Five silhouettes eventually came into view, but everyone was shocked by what they were seeing.


    Treall was wrapped up like before and had his crutches. Though he was fully healed, they wanted to keep the illusion that he wasn¡¯t until Jack had disappeared with Ke.


    Flint was his usual self, strolling in the back of the group without a worry in the world.


    Gret was by more the most miserable. His four broken limbs were dragging behind him as Jack had him tied to a rope at his side.


    In front of Jack was Ke. Though she was smiling like always, there was a de being held close to her neck.


    Of course, the center of attention was Jack. He was the one who had caused all this. Gret was being dragged behind him, Tarnel was struggling to walk with crutches because of him, and Ke was being threatened by his sword.


    All the family heads hadpletely different reactions to the scene.


    The Maronn Family allughed as Flint hurried to his father¡¯s side as if nothing strange was going on.


    The Lyre family looked at Jack coldly. They could see all the harm Jack had caused Tarnel but were also surprised that Tarnel was bandaged and already healing. It wasn¡¯t like your typical hostage situation.


    The Treall Family was livid. Every moment the watched Gret be dragged across the ground in his crippled and gagged state, they wanted to tear Jack apart even more.


    The Pon Family was unusually calm. Ke¡¯s father and the other family elders seemed unaffected by the whole scene. They were wondering what came next and how the middle-aged man nned to escape their wrath.


    In the chaos of the situation, most people forgot that those who enter were supposed to present their findings to the Pon Family. It seemed that this definitely took precedence.


    Tarnel hobbled off to his family. When his father was about to say something, Tarnel shook his head and whispered something into his father¡¯s ear.


    For a moment, the Lyre Family head¡¯s eyes sparkled but he quickly regained hisposure and said nothing else, only calling for the other members of his family to return to his side.


    Flint¡¯s father did the same after Flint told him a few things. The man¡¯s grin grew even bigger and couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. It appeared that he was making fun of the other nobles who had suffered, but only he and Flint knew the real reason.


    Angered beyond belief, the Treall Family head yelled, "Release my son immediately! I¡¯ll have your head for all the disgrace you¡¯ve brought my family!"


    "You suck at handling negotiations, don¡¯t you?" Just then, Jack let go of the rope and let Gret fall on his face. "There, I let him go. Good luck getting him to walk back without me!"


    "Why you--"


    "Hold it." Those two words and a drop of blood on Ke¡¯s neck got everyone to freeze. "If a single person steps forward without my okay, I¡¯ll make sure one of these will face the consequences."


    cing his foot on top of Gret¡¯s head, Jack looked at the family heads. "I¡¯m guessing none of you want me leaving without an exnation, right? And you¡¯re all probably wondering if I found anything. Sadly, I don¡¯t think we cane to an agreement."


    "Pestro! If youy a finger on my son you¡¯ll--"


    "Grrrrhhhhh!"


    Pained groans started to leave Gret¡¯s mouth as Jack put more pressure on his head. "Again, you really suck at negotiations. What¡¯s the point in threatening me while I still hold all the leverage? You¡¯ve got it backward."


    Jack looked to the Pon Family and bowed his head slightly. "Thanks for the oppotunity to explore your cavern. After my exit, you¡¯ll be able to check out the cavern yourself to see what we found. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be more than happy."


    Unsure what Jack meant, the Pon Family head squinted at Jack and asked, "And my daughter? What about her?"


    Suddenly, Jack startedughing loudly and arrogantly. All other sounds in the crowd were drowned out by hisughter. A few more seconds passed and Jack quieted down. "You don¡¯t need to worry about her."


    Out of nowhere, each of the family heads felt a sense of unease. But no matter how fast they could react, they were unable to do anything as a giant bird swooped down and snatched Jack and Ke out the crowd. Fast as lightning, the bird¡¯s silhouette vanished into the distance.


    "Contact Commander Pire!" yelled the Pon Family head. Outside of all his calctions of possibility, he and the other family heads would¡¯ve never anticipated a giant roc to appear and aid Jack¡¯s escape. Who could have?!

 Chapter 142 Change of Plans

    <h4>Chapter 142 Change of ns</h4>


    High in the sky just beyond the borders of Ponlinne, two people were being carried in the talons of a roc. Suddenly, they both disappeared and reappeared on top of the roc behind another man.


    "Jeez, kid, your luck with women is crazy!" shouted Rydel.


    Ke blushed, uncertain how she should interpret the meaning of Rydel¡¯s statement.


    "Shut up! Let¡¯s hurry and get out of here!" yelled Jack. "Don¡¯t waste time, just go!"


    Not wanting to mince words verbally, Rydel replied telepathically. ¡¯Seriously, kid, weren¡¯t youing here to revive your girlfriend? And now you¡¯re bringing another girl home? If you manage to pull this off, I can¡¯t wait to see the look on her face.¡¯


    ¡¯Shut up and fly!¡¯


    Seeing that Jack wasn¡¯t in the mood for jokes about his love life, Rydel set his gaze on the horizon and let Ayden toward the border.


    Uneasy about being so high in the air and riding on such a powerful beast, Ke clung tightly to Jack.


    Before they exited the tomb, Jack had mentioned that he only needed to stall for some time and that he wanted Flint and Tarnel to hurry to their families so they wouldn¡¯t get involved. Jack never mentioned how exactly they would get away after stalling long enough.


    Never in her dreams would Ke imagine that she¡¯d have a chance to fly through the air on such a magnificent beast. After a while, she got a little morefortable and started to enjoy the flight. She did, however, keep clinging to Jack but he acted like he didn¡¯t notice.


    Many hours passed and they would soon be approaching the Zuran-Reinolt border.


    Excitement swelled up in Ke¡¯s and Jack¡¯s eyes, both for their own reasons. Soon, they would be out of harm¡¯s way.


    "CAW!"


    The roc gave a shrill cry and caught everyone¡¯s attention. As they looked ahead, the three passengers saw a few ck dots appear above the clouds. Soon those ck dots started to multiply and growrger.


    "The Zuran sky navy..." murmured Rydel, catching Jack¡¯s and Ke¡¯s attention. "Get ready for a bumpy ride, because things are about to getplicated."


    "Can¡¯t Ayden outrun them?" asked Jack.


    "Normally, yes. But with three people on her back, Ayden and those hawks should be equal in speed," exined Rydel. "There are a few options. One, we stay the course and take our chances in the air, but I can¡¯t guarantee anything since we¡¯re high up and there¡¯s no telling what would happen if she or you fell."


    "Second, we descend and go the rest of the way on foot. That way, we¡¯ll meet back up with Ayden after entering the Reinolt Kingdom. What do you think, Jack?"


    Unhappy to be dyed, Jack was forced to make a hard decision. "Get us down. We¡¯ll have to go on foot. Have Ayden try to distract the sky navy, maybe it¡¯ll give us time to escape them.


    Not wasting a second, the roc descended at the speed of sound and rushed to the ground. It slowed momentarily and let it¡¯s riders hop off before bolting back into the clouds, heading in a new direction to avoid the sky navy.


    On the ground, Jack, Ke, and Rydel hid as the Zuran sky navy flew past. They had acted fast enough for them not to notice the change of riders.


    "Alright, kid, you¡¯re the one with the map, so you¡¯re taking the lead."


    When Rydel passedmand to Jack, Ke was astonished Rydel was clearly a talented and experienced person. If Jack was this person¡¯s leader, what status did he have?


    With a sigh, Jack raised his hand and ced it on his face.


    Ke watched carefully as her heart started beating and her thoughts were racing. ¡¯Is he going to show his real face? What does he look like? I hope he¡¯s handsome.¡¯


    As the mask came off, Jack¡¯s entire aura and stature changed. His posture was now confident and heroic. Jack¡¯s face was young and handsome, bringing a smile to Ke¡¯s face.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Jack asked as he saw Ke fixated on him.


    "Idiot, it¡¯s the first time she gets to see her hero¡¯s real face. Let her take in the moment, will you?"ughed Rydel.


    Intense blush flooded Ke¡¯s cheeks as she looked away to avoid eye contact with Jack.


    "Whatever, let¡¯s go," Jack pulled out the map of the Zuran Empire and started heading for the border town. "Bowzer, you cane out too."


    When a cute, furry head popped out of Jack¡¯s cloak, Ke was startled. She wasn¡¯t sure what to think. Why would Jack have such an adorable beastpanion?


    Sensing Ke¡¯s gaze, Bowzer blinked and got a good look at her while he perched himself on Jack¡¯s shoulders. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t afraid of him, Bowzer leaped into her bosom, startling her.


    "His name¡¯s Bowzer. Don¡¯t worry, he super friendly, especially with cute girls," stated Jack.


    "Does that mean you think I¡¯m cute after all?" Ke asked timidly.


    Before Jack could respond, Bowzer started cuddling up to Ke and licked her cheek, as if to confirm her question.


    "What kind of fox is he? Not many people are willing to take foxes as beastpanions, don¡¯t they cause too much trouble?"


    Chuckling to himself, Rydel itched his stubble and said, "This little guy¡¯s different. If we told you what he was, you¡¯d be too afraid to pet him."


    "Come on, don¡¯t¡¯ be ridiculous! He¡¯s too cute not to pet!" argued Ke, still pushing for an answer.


    "He¡¯s a Hell-me Fox," answered Jack.


    "A what?!"


    "We told you," joked Rydel. "Don¡¯t worry though, he¡¯s way too friendly. He only attacks when he or Jack get threatened."


    Ke¡¯s voice trembled. "You mean... this fox pup is really a Hell-me Fox?"


    "Mhm."


    Thinking of recent news, there was a story rted to a Hell-me Fox that had started to circte in the Zuran Empire. No one believed it, but it still existed nheless.


    It was said that a new summoned hero had emerged in the Reinolt Kingdom. Though he was still low-leveled for a summoned hero, people said he had tamed a Hell-me Fox and flipped the capital upside down with the help of the Adventurers Association.


    "If... this pup really is a Hell-me Fox, doesn¡¯t that mean..."


    "That your new friend is Jack, the summoned hero from the Adventurers Association?" Rydel finished Ke¡¯s question for her, smiling while he did it.


    "Really?"


    Jack sighed and looked back at Ke. "Yes, that¡¯s me. I told you before, that you¡¯ll have to follow me until you can take care of yourself. Until then, you¡¯ll have to hide your identity. Here, wear this."


    As Jack handed her a dark brown cloak, she smiled resplendently and epted it. It was on her in seconds and now they were all likemon travelers as they reached the main road. Though it was slower than traveling by air, they had no choice but to put up with the change of ns.


    By nightfall, they reached the Zuran Empire¡¯s border town. With less than an hour of walking, they¡¯d reach the border checkpoint.


    Last time they avoided it with Ayden¡¯s help, but now that the Zuran sky navy was involved, that option no longer existed.


    "Hey, kid, what should we do now?"


    Taking a moment, Jack pondered his options. They could either try to hurry through the border at night, or they could wait till morning and hope security would be more rxed.


    "What do you think, Rydel?" Jack trusted Rydel¡¯s opinion greatly.


    The hunter clicked with his tongue and started thinking out loud. "I know you don¡¯t want to waste time, but our safest bet is waiting till morning. Early tomorrow we can find a merchant caravan to hire our services, which should make the border check go much smoother. However, you know that will greatly affect our time."


    "On the other hand, we could try to pass the border check tonight, but I can guarantee that it will be more difficult since their expecting us to try and escape as fast as possible. Since you¡¯re the one who wanted to make the trip in the first ce, I¡¯ll let you decide for us all."


    Scratching his head, Jack was weighing the options out in his mind. He could either choose a safer passage in the morning, or a moreplicated passage in the middle of the night.


    Neither option was great, but he still had to choose.


    Ke then grabbed Jack¡¯s sleeve, surprising him. She said, "Go in the morning. We¡¯ll get caught if we go now."


    "And why¡¯s that?"


    "How are we going to hide me?" asked Ke, bringing up a good point. "If we join a caravan, then I can pass as a sick woman. That way, you have reason to join a caravan to have safety in numbers."


    "She¡¯s got a point kid," added Rydel. "It¡¯s toote to find a caravan now, and our best option is to wait till morning. Is that okay with you?"


    "Fine," answered Jack. He looked unhappy, but he would have been unhappy with either option. Though it would take more time, wouldn¡¯t it save more time in the end by avoiding conflict?

 Chapter 143 Complications at the Border

    <h4>Chapter 143 Complications at the Border</h4>


    Morning came slowly for Jack and his small party. They stayed at a simple inn to avoid any unwanted attention. As the sun rose, they were already on the streets searching for a caravan to join.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find a merchant willing to give them passage for a fee. Considering that Ke was pretending to be gravely ill to cover her face, it was quite a sum that they had to pay, but it was part of the n.


    The merchant offered to lower it if Rydel took a role as a guard, but he was too worried about his sick daughter to handle guard duty.


    All three were cooped up in a covered wagon together with bundles of merchandise. In an hour, they would have crossed the Zuran-Reinolt border and be able to fly the rest of the way.


    With their change of ns, they were cutting it very close to their deadline.


    Sadly, other than by Rydel¡¯s roc, there was no other way for people from Reinolt City to reach the border, if not, then Zariff and Maynard would have rushed there overnight. Instead, the three of them would have to hope for the best.


    Jack had started to wonder what else might go wrong. If he could prevent such issues from happening, then he¡¯d be able to change his fate and Slivia¡¯s.


    "Jack, calm down already. If we make it, then we¡¯ll make it. If not, you said you were already aware of our chance of failure," stated Rydel in a hushed tone. They made sure to speak quietly while in the caravan.


    Not satisfied with his chances, Jack ignored Rydel and kept trying to think of possible ways to speed up the journey.


    "Umm, are you okay, Jack?" asked Ke. It was easy for her to sense that Jack didn¡¯t have the calm and confident attitude he showed in the catb.


    "I¡¯m fine, I just wish that we could go faster." Not wanting to talk, Jack leaned back and closed his eyes.


    Rydel and Ke both started to worry about him, but they couldn¡¯t do anything. So, in the meantime, Ke and Rydel talked about everything that was happening in the Reinolt Kingdom.


    Also, Rydel started to exin what the Adventurers Association was and what it stood for. Since Ke was raised in the Zuran Empire, she had only heard about the Adventurers Association from passing stories. Now that she would be officially joining Jack¡¯s party, it was important for her to be an association member and learn about her future role in the team.


    Ke was lv. 27, but Jack was able to overpower because she was a pure cleric and could only cast healing spells. Of course, she was extremely talented at those and was a perfect fit in their party dynamic.


    ¡¯Jack, calm down.¡¯ Bowzer popped out of Jack¡¯s cloak and started rubbing his soft fur all over Jack.


    ¡¯I¡¯m fine Bowzer, why don¡¯t you y with Ke. She still has to get used to you, okay?¡¯


    The fox pup frowned but he nodded. ¡¯Okay.¡¯


    As Bowzer crawled into Ke¡¯s arms and let her pet his fur, Jack was trying to find ways to distract himself.


    Then he remembered about all the loot from Ponlinne¡¯s tomb. Not wanting to whip out valuable items in such a ce, he went to his skill list first and purchased Eagle Eye. It was too good a skill to pass up.


    Then he went to his achievement list and imed histest reward.


    [When everyone knows your name, but not your face: imed]


    [Because well-known in a country using your real name but not your face. Reward: 20 skill points.]


    After buying Eagle Eye, Jack was left with thirty-five skill points, which he decided to save for a rainy day.


    Next, Jack inspected Ponlinne¡¯s activity log. Since he had more time to kill than he wanted, he figured that he might as well use it.


    First, Jack confirmed that Ponlinne had managed to reach lv. 87. It was true! Jack had no clue how considering the level cap in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," but it had happened.


    Second, Jack started inspecting the activity log for everything involving the catb. Like he had guessed, it was the same ancient crypt that Jack had visited in-game. However, ording to Ponlinne, it had changed.


    The crypt that Jack knew was for low-level grinding where the lower you went, the stronger the undead. It ranged from lv. 15 to lv. 35.


    Ponlinne, in some diary entries, mentioned that the crypt had started to change after the Holy War ended. It had started to spawn monsters of all levels, but only in ordance with whoever was inside the crypt.


    He had sent a party of lv. 20¡¯s inside and they returned after facing creatures as strong as lv. 29. Yet, whenever Ponlinne entered, he had to face lv. 80¡¯s and had once seen a lv. 88 creature before he ran away.


    Jack had guessed that Ponlinne stayed near that crypt to try and grind to level up. If there was a new patch or expansion that raised the level cap, then that would exin why Ponlinne made his home there. Where else would a cleric be able to solo grind other than facing strong undead creatures?


    Checking information about his death, Jack discovered that Ponlinne had died against a lv. 89 lich king. Though Ponlinne was a powerful wielder of holy magic, the lich king was too much and caused his death.


    Ponlinne had even tried to run away from the battle, but the lich king made it impossible. The moment the lich king had caught him in its sights, it chased Ponlinne until he was dead.


    "That¡¯s one way to go. At least he was still only a yer at the time."


    Jack started to think about what he would¡¯ve done if he were stuck in a ce like that. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but Jack thought he would at least enjoy the thrill while he could.


    Also, Jack wondered what had caused the crypt to change. Ponlinne had tried to investigate, but he wasn¡¯t sessful. He did, however, discover some rather interesting information about the crypt.


    Depending on who was inside the crypt, theyout would change. The higher someone¡¯s level was, the deeper the crypt went. ording to Ponlinne, the lich king was the final monster at the very bottom of the crypt. Behind the lich king¡¯s tomb, there were closed doors. Had Ponlinne seded, he thought those doors would open to reveal the real secrets of the crypt. Sadly, he failed against the final monster, even with his holy magic being super effective against undead.


    Just then, a distant shout rang out. "Halt!"


    The wagon came to a gradual stop and the sounds of horses trotting also stopped. Against Jack¡¯s wishes, the entire caravan had stopped.


    Unhappy with the sudden development, Jack grunted and exited the wagon in search of the merchant.


    "Excuse me, but what¡¯s going on?" asked Jack.


    The merchant shrugged, "Nothing, the border patrol is just backed up. Apparently they¡¯re being extra cautious today, something about a noblewoman being kidnapped by a middle-aged man on a bird. Seriously, these stories just keep getting weirder and weirder.


    "Tell me about it," sighed Jack. "Any idea how long it¡¯ll be?"


    "There¡¯s a huge pile-up, so we¡¯ll probably be adding at least another half a day to our trip, maybe even a full day. I¡¯m sorry for the inconvenience."


    Squinting at the many wagons ahead of them in line, Jack shrugged his shoulders and hid his anger. "I guess that¡¯s just the way it is. Hopefully, this will blow over quickly. Thank you."


    He walked back to the wagon and informed Rydel and Ke of the news.


    "Wow, this makes things more difficult. We should be fine, but it¡¯ll definitely take longer." Suddenly, Rydel looked more concerned. "Jack, you know what this means, right?"


    Jack didn¡¯t respond, but both Rydel and Jack could see the pain in his eyes.


    "Everything¡¯s going to be okay, Jack, really. It¡¯s just going to take some more time, that¡¯s all." Ke did her best to try andfort Jack. Little did she know, she made it worse.


    Seeing Jack like that, Rydel added, "Hey Jack, don¡¯t try anything funny, no matter what! If we¡¯re caught, they have plenty of people over lv. 30. Even with your fox, there¡¯s no guarantee that we could escape through a fight. And don¡¯t try and me her either, This would¡¯ve happened either way, and you know that deep down."


    Not wanting to ept reality, Jack¡¯s eyes started to water. With all his heart, he wanted so much to dash out and force his way into Reinolt, but Rydel was right.


    There was no chance of them breaking through the border with only those him, Rydel, and Bowzer attacking. Plus, they would have to protect Ke, which would be next to impossible.


    The Zuran Empire was an ancient empire that had survived for a long time. Though the Zuran Empire was being held off thanks to a powerful expert in Reinolt, the empire¡¯s overall strength was head and shoulders higher above Reinolt¡¯s. All the guard captains were at least lv. 30 and they could never guess how many lv. 30¡¯s they would have to face to breach the border.


    Against all of Jack¡¯s hopes, wishes, and ns, he was forced to quietly wait in a wagon for his chance to peacefully cross the border, effectively failing to save Slivia.

 Chapter 144 Seeing Slivia Again

    <h4>Chapter 144 Seeing Slivia Again</h4>


    Waiting their turn for inspection, Jack was not happy. Night had already passed and the morning sun was rising before they had their chance to be inspected.


    The inspection was very thorough, two dozen guards inspected each caravan one at a time rather than one guard per inspection like what usually happened. Though it was extremely time consuming, Jack¡¯s party passed the inspection without too much trouble.


    By the time they had crossed the border, six and a half days had passed since Slivia¡¯a passing. It would normally take a day and a half to go from the Zuran-Reinolt border to Reinolt with on Ayden. Not taking time to sleep would save a few hours, but would that let them reach the capital in time?


    After reaching the Reinolt Kingdom, Jack¡¯s party said goodbye to the merchant. Well, Rydel and Ke said goodbye as Jack stared into the distance endlessly.


    Thest time Jack spoke or looked someone in the eye was when he ryed the information about the line for border inspection. Since then, Jack¡¯s eyes sank deeper into his skull and all emotion disappeared from his being.


    No matter what they said, neither Rydel nor Ke could get him to react in any way. Whenever Ke asked Rydel about what was wrong, Rydel would only shake his head and sigh. He told her that she would know in time and that he wasn¡¯t one to say anything.


    Once they were done saying goodbyes, Rydel led them into the woods to meet with Ayden.


    Rydel¡¯s fears hade true. He had guessed that the hawks could at most keep up with Ayden and try to maneuver to contain her, but he was scared of that. What he feared was the man in charge of Zuran¡¯s sky navy. With a merciless and cruel reputation, the sky navymander controlled a Thunderbird and could at least match the young roc, if not catch her.


    After Ayden had dropped off the others, she was able to avoid the dozens of giant hawks that chased her, but they had bought enough time for the high-level Thunderbird to arrive. After that, Ayden was only able to escape with an injured talon and a damaged wing.


    There was no way Ayden would be able to fly at her top speed for an entire day, let alone fly to Reinolt City without resting.


    They took off with some struggle but the ride smoothed out after the young roc started gliding through the clouds.


    Within an hour, the party noticed someone approaching them from below on a Thundercat. The cat was starting to look tired and ragged, but the man riding it smiled when it saw the roc flying overhead.


    The roc didn¡¯t stop. Rydel nced at Maynard and mentally told him to not say a thing. Jack kept staring ahead as if he was already imagining himself running through the streets of the capital toward the association building.


    Ke was behind Jack, hugging him from behind the entire time even though he never realized it. She didn¡¯t know Jack that well, but she knew he was extraordinary from his reputation and his demeanor in the catb. When she first saw Jack¡¯s face, she became determined to be some part of his life. Even if she wasn¡¯t his first wife or was a concubine, she wouldn¡¯t care.


    Having been betrothed her entire life to someone who was known as a perverse man with many women since he was young, the prospect of being the concubine to a strong, passionate hero like Jack was like a dreame true.


    Seeing Jack like this, Ke was clueless about what she could do to help. Without even knowing the cause of all this, all she could do at the moment was try and be there when he finally speaks again.


    Night came and they were forced to make camp. Aydenid down, resting while Rydel caught some beasts as food for Ayden.


    As expected, Jack said nothing and did nothing. He didn¡¯t eat or y with Bowzer, nor did he stay too close to the campfire.


    Late in the night, Maynard had caught up and saw Rydel stoking coals. The samurai talked telepathically in order to not wake Ke or disturb Jack by ident. ¡¯How is he?¡¯


    ¡¯He¡¯s... getting through it,¡¯ answered Rydel. ¡¯He¡¯s out in the woods right now. My guess is that he¡¯s thinking of her.¡¯


    ¡¯Today was the seventh day, right? Ya know, this will hit him hard. The kid only bounced back fastst time cause he had a chance to bring her back. But now...¡¯ Maynard sighed, ¡¯now he¡¯ll have to face the truth again, with no way out.¡¯


    Shaking hid head, Rydel looked Maynard in the eye. ¡¯We both know that the kid needs to grow up. This will be good for him."


    ¡¯Yeah, but do ya know how long it¡¯ll take for him to get over it? Will he still want to leave for the Polt Federation or go to Trodar? Will he still want to help us?¡¯ asked Maynard, just speaking his mind.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t.¡¯ Rydel shrugged. ¡¯I have no clue. He¡¯ll have to get over this some way or another. If not, then the kid isn¡¯t the hero that I thought he was.¡¯


    They talked for some time as Rydel informed him about the earlier parts of their trip and what Jack had done in Ponlinne.


    When Maynard heard that Jack had taken a lv. 85 staff that was hidden in the city¡¯s statue, his eyes twinkled. Every time Jack went somewhere new, he always managed to find treasures that no one knew existed.


    Maynard and Rydel each took a night watch shift and morning eventually came. As they packed everything up and stored it away, Jack emerged from the woods. He was the as before, but it was evident that he hadn¡¯t slept and the bags under his eyes made his sunken expression look miserable.


    While Maynard and his Thundercat had left early to try and arrive at the capital around the same time, Ayden took off through the skies.


    She flew a little faster after a good night¡¯s rest, but it still took her the rest of the day to reach Reinolt.


    Not bothering with the city gates, the party flew directly to the association building. But before they had fullynded, Jack was already on the ground and running into the building.


    As he rushed through the halls, many adventurers tried to say, "hi," but Jack them no attention. Bolting up the stairs and into the conference room, Jack¡¯s finally stopped. His breath was heavy and he looked terrible.


    Zariff, who was waiting inside the room, bowed his head and quietly left. Rydel and Maynard had already told him how Jack was acting. Even Bowzer had been staying with Ke since the night before, so why would Zariff be able to get anything out of Jack?


    Once the door was shut, Jack locked it and used the stone on the wall to cast silence. Slowly, he stepped toward the conference table.


    On top was a soft bedspread, turning the table¡¯s center into afortable ce toy down and sleep. Slivia¡¯s body wasying atop that bedspread, looking the same as when Jackst saw her.


    Besides the bedspread, the only difference in the room were the many etching and symbols that had been carved into the table.


    The Magic Corps had sent their most powerful cleric to enchant the table as a means to preserve Slivia¡¯s body and internal organs. Her corpse wasn¡¯t even cold yet thanks to the table¡¯s new magical properties.


    Sadly, the cleric didn¡¯t have a high enough level to do anything else. Body preservation spells that could be cast without enchantments were only possible for people over lv. 50.


    A small, sky-blue gem appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. Clenching it tightly, Jack looked at her as shey there with that same smile on her face.


    "Why..." Jack stammered, no longer able to contain his emotions. "Why..."


    Pushing the life spring gem toward her, Jack was hesitant. Deep down, Jack knew that it was impossible to bring her back with the liquid-filled crystal, but he also wanted to try it anyway.


    Fighting with himself, tears were streaming down his face. Veins were bulging as his fists clenched tighter and tighter. Movements were shaky, heavily affected by Jack¡¯s broken will.


    "He knew this would happen... and he still let me go... Why?!"


    "She gave up her life for me, and I can¡¯t even save hers on my second chance?"


    "What... What am I supposed to do with this now? How can I..."


    Jack would blurt out different lines randomly, sometimes in anger, other times in doubt. There were also moments of pure sorrow and emptiness.


    "Sliv... I¡¯m sorry..."


    The moment he was told about the inspection pile-up, Jack knew that he wouldn¡¯t make it. The reason he said nothing the rest of the trip, was because he spent the entire time trying to think of what he could say to Slivia. Unfortunately, he was still speechless and couldn¡¯t imagine a single thing that could ease his heart.

 Chapter 145 Patiently Waiting

    <h4>Chapter 145 Patiently Waiting</h4>


    Night passed slowly, like drips of wax on a candle as the wick gradually burned down to the candle¡¯s base.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the atmosphere around the association building to be somber. Everyone was excited to see Jack again and they all knew that the higher-ups for association headquarter would arrive the next day, but that mood subsided quickly.


    The conference room door remained locked that entire day as well. Not a sound came from inside, giving others the impression that Jack had used the stone of silence.


    Unaware of what Jack was doing or how he was trying to cope, the rest of the world kept spinning.


    King Leodoro paid a visit to check on the situation. Tridon did the same, wanting to learn what happened on the trip. When they heard the news, neither decided to stay long and left.


    At night, Zariff was at the bar on the first floor, a mug filled with the finest wine he had in front of him. It looked like the branch chief was having a staring contest with his drink.


    "Dear, don¡¯t worry too much. Just drink up." A gentle hand grabbed Zariff¡¯s from the other side of the counter. "You know that he¡¯ll be okay. Give him some time."


    "I¡¯m not just worried about Jack." Without realizing it, Zariff didn¡¯t even bother calling Jack a brat. Burdened with too many thoughts and duties, Zariff didn¡¯t care about such a petty thing.


    His curse had gotten worse, draining enough EXP to force Zariff down to lv. 35. It was only one level, but it was a heavy toll on Zariff¡¯s mentality since he had no way to stop it.


    Also, Zariff would asionally nce back at the reception desk to find it empty. He was also worried about his daughter. It¡¯s not like she had fallen in love with Jack, but she definitely cared about him. Every hour, on the hour, she would go up the conference room with a te of food and knock on the door. She¡¯d wait five minutes and then return to her desk duties.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Do you not want your daughter getting too close to him? You know she¡¯ll have to leave one day with a man of her own, right?"


    Marisha¡¯s verbal jabs hit Zariff¡¯s heart in a sore spot. He really had been too tough on his daughter. Whenever she tried to go on adventures, he wouldn¡¯t let her. If a boy ever tried to show interest in her, Zariff would scare the boy half to death and keep him from approaching his daughter.


    He had never asked his daughter¡¯s opinion on anything. If she ever liked any of those boys, he would never know and he wouldn¡¯t give her a chance to leave his protection either.


    Zariff¡¯s tough stance on parenting derived mainly from what had happened to Slivia, in fact. After finding her and learning what had happened, Zariff decided that such things would never happen to his daughter who was little at the time. He returned from that mission a different man, more caring toward his family but also overprotective.


    "When will you let her live her own life outside of you?" Marisha kept talking and poking at her husband¡¯s heart. "Would you rather her eventually run away from us or help her find her own way? If she somehow manages to get that boy¡¯s heart, wouldn¡¯t that mean she¡¯d be better off than staying with you all her life?"


    It was like a bomb had gone if in Zariff¡¯s mind. His mind was always closed off and never bothered fully considering his wife¡¯s harsh words before. Now that his mental state was weakened by the recent events, his wife¡¯s words eventually reached him.


    "You... really think so?" asked Zariff.


    "How could I be wrong? You married me because I¡¯m always right, right?"


    With a loud sigh, Zariff let out a sad chuckle. "You¡¯re right..."


    Marisha held his face and smiled. "Dear, you won¡¯t lose her, you never will. She just needs to grow up and live how she chooses. You and I both know that she¡¯s interested and getting to know more about Jack. She stopped trying before when Slivia arrived, but now she may want to try again."


    "But isn¡¯t it too soon? With everything--"


    "Everything will be fine," said Marisha with reassuring confidence. "From the look of it, Jack will neverck in femalepanions, but is that such a bad thing?"


    Zariff groaned as he started chugging his drink. That was one of his biggest concerns regarding Jack. He respected the kid and would always be working with him, but it was evident that he would always attract more women.


    In a cruel world like theirs, it wasn¡¯t too umon for people of great renown to have multiple women. Even King Leodoro had both a wife and two concubines. But would Zariff wish for his daughter to just be another number in some man¡¯s harem? Every parent wants the best for their child, especially when it involves their future partner.


    "Let her live, Zariff. Even if she and Jack get together and he has other women, would that be so wrong if she¡¯s happy?"


    Searching for an answer at the bottom of his mug, Zariff finished thest few gulps of his drink. As he mmed the mug down, Zariff grunted, "Well... I just want to be happy."


    "Then you¡¯ll support her if she goes after Jack?" asked Marisha as her lips neared his.


    He was hesitant, but he still answered, "Fine..."


    Sharing a quick kiss, Marisha brushed her hands along his face and neck. As they separated, she gave him a devilish smile. "It¡¯s about time. I¡¯m so d, will you help me celebrate tonight?"


    Understanding what his wife was up to, all Zariff could do was grin and bear it. Offering his full support, he took his mug to the back of the kitchen. The kitchen was quickly shutdown before Marisha dragged her husband away.


    *****


    "Thanks for everything, Maura."


    Ke¡¯s friendly voice filled the dorm room. Across from Ke in the other bed, Maura smiled back at her new roommate. "It was nothing, don¡¯t mention it."


    Maura had brought her some dinner and decided to eat together. She wanted to get to know her new roommate and that was one of the only ways she could think of to break the ice.


    Ke was like Slivia in many ways. Both were clerics, beautiful, blonde, and kind.


    Unlike Slivia, though, Ke was the same age as Maura but was much higher-leveled. Coming from a very privileged family had helped her a lot, but Ke was also very talented.


    "Did you make this stew yourself, it¡¯s amazing! Even our best chef¡¯s food wasn¡¯t this good,"plimented Ke, but she really meant it.


    "No, my mom made it. She¡¯s probably the best cook in the country. That¡¯s how she convinced my dad to keep visiting her, because he couldn¡¯t find better food anywhere else, even during his missions," answered Maura. She was exaggerating a bit, but that¡¯s what her mother had always told her.


    "Well, I¡¯d love to learn from her sometime. Would that be possible?"


    "Of course, she¡¯d love the help."


    "Great!"


    Both girls were happy at the moment as they finished their meal, temporarily forgetting the somber mood.


    "Hey, Maura," Ke spoke up as she put her empty bowl to the side. "Can I ask you a personal question? If you don¡¯t want to answer, you don¡¯t have to."


    "Sure, why not?"


    Ke blinked and sighed, hesitant to ask. "Maura, do you like Jack?"


    Maura¡¯s smile vanished she looked away. She couldn¡¯t hide the blush rushing to her cheeks.


    "So you do. Well, I want to get to know him too."


    Hearing Ke¡¯s confident statement made Maura finally look back to her new roommate. "Are you serious?"


    With a nod, Ke replied, "Yup. Who could be better than him? I was always betrothed to a pig prince who only cared about having women to pleasure him. Jack took me away and gave me a new life, and I want him to be a part of it."


    Ke noticed Maura¡¯s awkward silence and giggled. "You know, that doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t try too, right?"


    "You mean..." Confusion filled Maura¡¯s eyes as she looked at Ke¡¯s soft smile. "But won¡¯t you--"


    "Why would I get mad? If anything, you knew him first and have more reason to be mad at me,"ughed Ke. She had already learned about everything with Slivia from everyone inside the association. Unknown to Maura, Ke had also spoken to Marisha. In fact, it was Marisha who reached out to Ke.


    Marisha told Ke everything, including how her daughter had backed off the moment another woman came into the picture. Wanting some help, Marisha asked Ke to have a chat with Maura regarding Jack and how they both felt about him.


    "Maura, let me tell you something. Jack is a rare breed in Kartonia. The world is cruel and very few people are as genuine as Jack. He¡¯s still young and hasn¡¯t fully matured, but I¡¯m confident that he¡¯ll never be some cold and emotionless to those he cares about," exined Ke. "I don¡¯t know him well at all, but I know enough to be willing to give him everything. Maybe it¡¯s because Ipare him with that pig prince, but it still makes me happy, so why not?"


    Blown away by Ke¡¯s blunt exnation, Maura was unsure how to process such information. It took her a moment to open up and respond. "Ke, you won¡¯t get mad if I go after Jack? Even if I¡¯m the one who gets him in the end?"


    Breaking out inughter, Ke shook her head. "You don¡¯t get it, do you? Even if you go after Jack and you marry him, I still wouldn¡¯t give up. Why don¡¯t we share him?"

 Chapter 146 Regional Advisor Wain

    <h4>Chapter 146 Regional Advisor Wain</h4>


    As night was turning to dusk, loud horses were neighing outside in the streets of Reinolt City. There was a team of horses guiding a horse-drawn carriage and the entire group was hurrying through the city.


    Eventually, the group came to an abrupt halt outside of the association building. Everyone hopped off their horses as one man in front knocked on the door.


    Not giving the association time to greet their guests, a couple of men stepped out of the carriage. One, in particr, marched to the door and pounded it hard, shaking the hinges harshly.


    "What do you want?!" A voice yelled as the front door swung open. That¡¯s when Zariff realized why someone had bothered disturbing their night and interrupted his time with the wife. "Everyone, hurry in. You can park the carriage in the back."


    "It¡¯s about time,"ined the man who nearly destroyed the door with his harsh knocks.


    "Regional Advisor Wain, there¡¯s no need to be mad. I¡¯m sorry for the dy, but we were told you would arrive tomorrow," exined Zariff. "Also, I didn¡¯t know that you wereing. I thought only Branch Chief Liam wasing."


    "I decidedst minute toe and see everything for myself. Considering it may involve the syndicate, I had it my job to investigate," replied Advisor Wain. "Now, where¡¯s the young man you said discovered it all? I¡¯d like to get to know him."


    "Umm, can that wait till tomorrow, Advisor Wain?" Zariff noticed the advisor¡¯s strange look so he continued, "That kid, Jack, is currently upstairs, but he¡¯s unavable at the moment."


    "And why¡¯s that? He must be doing something pretty important if he can¡¯t meet with Advisor Wain," stated Branch Chief Liam, who closed the front door behind him.


    "It¡¯s a long story, mind if I exin over a drink and some good food?" asked Zariff, leading them to the bar. "Marisha! Advisor Wain and Chief Liam just arrived and they¡¯re starving!"


    Like lightning, a silhouette in a cozy robe appeared from down the hall. "Advisor, chief, it¡¯s good to see you. I¡¯ll whip up something special for you."


    "Good, now get to exining." With a nod to Marisha, Advisor Wain sat down beside Zariff and gave Zariff his full attention.


    Once Chief Liam did the same, Zariff stated, "You already know the attack we had anticipated came earlier than expected, but we managed to seed thanks to the hidden expert in Reinolt. Though we won the battle with little casualties, one of the few people we lost was that kid¡¯s girlfriend. She saved him but died doing so."


    "But wasn¡¯t that over a week ago?" interjected Advisor Wain. "If he¡¯s too much of a baby to get over it after a week, then--"


    "Let me finish, advisor, please," Zariff also cut-off Advisor Wain, making the advisor realize it was moreplicated than he had assumed. "It was a heavy blow for the kid, but he came up with a n. He and Rydel left for the Zuran Empire to bring back something that could save her and bring her back to life!"


    "Zuran Empire! Bring her back to life!" Advisor Wain was caught up on what Zariff had just said. "You mean to tell me that they entered the Zuran Empire, found a priceless treasure, and made it back here before we arrived?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s exactly what they did. But they did travel by roc, otherwise, it never would¡¯ve worked," exined Zariff.


    "Traveled by roc..." Advisor Wain started to chuckle in excitement. He leaned in close to Zariff and asked, "So, what happened, what did they find?"


    "They traveled to Ponlinne and managed to enter the Pon Family Catbs. Only those under lv. 30 were allowed at the time, so Jack entered alone, but he still got what he wanted. Not only that, in order to keep others from knowing what he found inside, Jack kidnapped four noble family heirs and forced their bodyguards to wait by the entrance."


    Panting wildly, Advisor Wain¡¯s eyes were sparkling. He had heard that the hero epted into the association was rather special and was known for creating miracles. What he didn¡¯t expect was that not only were all the rumors correct, apparently, they were underexaggerated!


    By then, food and drink had already been ced in front of them by Marisha. She was quiet, though, so she didn¡¯t disturb her husband¡¯s story.


    "Tell me more!" yelled the advisor as he grabbed the wine bottle and directly started drinking from it.


    "The kid had already stolen Ponlinne the Great¡¯s staff and used it to find Ponlinne¡¯s hidden tomb within the catb. There, the kid found what he was looking for, a life spring," exined Zariff. "He took the life spring gem and everything else inside the tomb. Then, after everyone exited and Jack made friends with the noble family heirs, Jack escaped with the Pon Family head¡¯s daughter. She¡¯s here and has joined the association in order to escape her betrothal."


    "Astounding!" Advisor Wain pounded his now empty mug on the counter, shaking the bar. "What else was in the tomb? There must be some amazing treasures!"


    "I have no clue."


    "What?! What do you mean?" asked Chief Liam.


    Shrugging, Zariff continued, "Exactly that, I have no clue. After everything they did, Jack failed to arrive in time to save her. He had seven days to get her that life spring gem, but thanks to the sky navy¡¯s interference they arrivedte at night on the eighth day."


    Chief Liam and Advisor Wain kept silent as they pondered Zariff¡¯s story. Such an amazing youth would be the star of the association someday. But, at the moment, they could also understand why the kid would take her death heavily on his conscience; even more so now that he had done so much to onlye up short in the end.


    "So, please, can it wait till tomorrow, Advisor Wain?" asked Zariff, hoping that the stern and cold advisor would soften up a little.


    "I guess it can wait." Normally the advisor wouldn¡¯t bother waiting, even if it involved the death of someone close. However, Advisor Wain understood that Jack could be a future face of the association and it would be best to be on good terms with him. Sure, Jack was young now, but for a lv. 20 do all that alone was amazing! And how could he forget that Jack was also a summoned hero with a Hell-me Fox beastpanion?


    "Thank you, Advisor. Here¡¯s to the association!" Zariff lifted his mug high, initiating a toast.


    "To the association!"


    They cheered and drank while they chatted and feasted. Not wanting to miss too much sleep, they kept their little meeting short and hit the hay.


    In the morning, everyone was startled to find the regional advisor inside the branch. The order said that only Branch Chief Liam and a group of men would arrive. For someone like Regional Advisor Wain to arrive unannounced was a big deal! While Zariff and Chief Liam were lv. 35 and lv. 39, Advisor Wain was lv. 47; the difference was huge!


    "So, Zariff, where¡¯s that boy now?" asked Advisor Wain as they enjoyed a breakfast at the bar.


    "He should still be--"


    Just then, slow footsteps came down the stairs. It was too early for a lot of people to work up there, so everyone only thought of one person when they heard those footsteps.


    "Jack!" Maura stood up and hurried to greet him. "Are you okay? You must be hungry,e with me."


    Not saying anything, Jack let her drag him to the bar. His eyes were lifeless like before and he didn¡¯t appear to be tired. If Maura had only just met Jack, she would have thought he was perfectly fine. But she had met Jack and she could tell that he was colder to the people around him than he had been before.


    "Here, let me grab you a te." Rushing to the kitchen, Maura didn¡¯t bother waiting for a reply.


    Jack blinked. He sighed and stretched his arms and back. Looking around the room, Jack noticed a few unfamiliar faces, two of which were seated beside Zariff.


    "Chief, who are they?"


    Zariff was startled for a moment. He didn¡¯t expect Jack to call him by his title. It was different and Zariff didn¡¯t like it, it felt like Jack was more distant.


    Advisor Wain saw Zariff¡¯s hesitation so he introduced himself. "I¡¯m Regional Advisor Wain and this is Branch Chief Liam, the West Polt Branch Chief. You¡¯re Jack, right?"


    A simple nod answered his question, so Wain continued, "If you want, you can just call me Wain. It¡¯s informal, but I don¡¯t mind since it¡¯s you. I look forward to showing you around the Polt Federation."


    Since all that was left of the syndicate incident was investigating any leads or further connections with Reinolt, Chief Liam and Advisor Wain would be their escorts to the Polt Federation.


    "When do we leave, Wain?" There was a slight smile on Jack¡¯s face but everyone could tell it was only out of courtesy.


    "The investigation shouldn¡¯t take too long, so probably tomorrow or the day after," answered Advisor Wain. He wasn¡¯t concerned with Jack¡¯s coldness. He cared most about results, and Jack had already proven that his results were excellent!

 Chapter 147 Slowly Warming Up

    <h4>Chapter 147 Slowly Warming Up</h4>


    "Okay, I¡¯ll keep that in mind."


    As Jack finished speaking, Maura appeared with a te of food. "Here, make sure you eat up. You haven¡¯t eaten a good meal for a long time, so enjoy it!"


    "Thanks," Jack replied with a nod.


    Picking up the toasted bread, Jack smelled it first, as if he had forgotten what toast was. He started to slowly eat, making sure to eat everything on his te but also not rushing or savoring it in any way. It looked like eating was a chore for him.


    "Jack, are you okay?" asked Maura as she came back to the other side of the counter and sat beside Jack. "With everything that happened... If you need someone to talk to, I¡¯m here for you. I¡¯m a good listener."


    A tiny chuckle escaped Jack¡¯s lips. Only he and Maura heard it, but it was enough to make Maura feel a bit better.


    ncing to Maura, Jack smiled. This time, unlike his smile to Wain, it was genuine and pitiful. "Thanks, Maura."


    Though Jack wasn¡¯t much for conversation at the moment, knowing that Maura was there to help him filled a small portion of the void in his heart.


    He had spent a lot of time thinking and reflecting on everything while he was locked up in the conference room. Thinking back, Jack couldn¡¯t help but recognize that his rtionship with Slivia was only in the early phases and didn¡¯t have much depth, despite what he had always thought.


    True, if she were alive then it had a great chance at blossoming into a beautiful romance. There were no doubts concerning that. However, the opposite was also true. Since she had passed before they got too serious as boyfriend and girlfriend and she wouldn¡¯t be able toe back to life, then what good would it do for him to mope and wallow about something that never was or would be?


    It was hard, Jack wouldn¡¯t deny that, but he understood that sooner orter he would have to move. As for whether it would be sooner rather thanter, Jack didn¡¯t know.


    Seeing Maura¡¯s gentle, caring side again touched Jack. During his many stays in the infirmary, it was always Maura that came and helped him. She was somewhat cold at times, but Maura would always help him and listen to him during those asions.


    Thanks to that, Jack¡¯s vulnerability made it easier to lean on Maura during such a difficult time. And if there were ever a time where Jack wanted a shoulder to lean on, it was at that moment.


    "Then hurry up and eat, we¡¯ll go talk in my room." Taking the initiative after seeing Jack warm-up for once, Maura pulled Jack away from the bar and toward the dorms.


    Jack meant to speak up and take her to his room but she kept pulling him away. Eventually, they wound up in front of Maura¡¯s and Ke¡¯s room.


    Maura opened the door and checked if Ke was inside. Since she wasn¡¯t, Maura held it open and pulled Jack inside. Locking the door behind them, Maura noticed his confused, shy expression. She joked, "What? You¡¯ve never been in a girl¡¯s room?"


    "N-no..."


    His nervous answer caused Maura to blush as she replied, "W-well I couldn¡¯t think of a better ce to sit down and talk in private. Do you not want to be in my room?"


    "No, that¡¯s not what I meant!" shouted Jack, still showing his nerves. "I just... didn¡¯t expect it, that¡¯s all." He still had the te in his hand, but his small appetite had already disappeared, so he put the te on a side table.


    "Jack, you can now. Say whatever you want and forget about everyone else," said Maura.


    "But what about--"


    Maura raised her hand and let a sh of blue light leave her fingertips. The blue light filled the room and disappeared quickly, surprising Jack.


    "Silence? You can cast magic?" asked Jack. He was stunned because everyone had said that Maura was a warrior, not a mage.


    "Don¡¯t tell anyone else, okay? Other than my mom, no one else knows, not even my dad," stated Maura.


    "Then, what ss are you?"


    "I¡¯m a spell-sword, but that¡¯s between you and me, got it?"


    "Yeah, of course," answered Jack. "It¡¯s just surprising, aren¡¯t spell-swords very rare?"


    Thinking back to Ancient Kartonia, spell-swords were onlymon amongst heroes. Finding an NPC spell-sword was like finding a needle in a haystack the size of a continent.


    With a nod, Maura smiled. "That¡¯s why my mom wants me to travel and learn more, but my father would never let me..."


    "Why not? With that subss, you could easily be stronger than that old fart."


    "Because Papa always said it was too dangerous for me. Without him to protect me, he¡¯s afraid to let me do anything. Training basic water magic isn¡¯t too hard with my mom¡¯s help," exined Maura. "The only reason why Papa doesn¡¯t know already is because I¡¯ve only recently leveled up and haven¡¯t officially entered my information yet. Once he sees that, there¡¯s no telling what he¡¯ll do."


    Jack sighed, "That¡¯s too bad, having a spell-sword around would be a huge help."


    "Jack, you¡¯re nning to leave Reinolt, right?"


    "Yeah, but everyone knows that, so why ask?"


    "I¡¯ming with you!" Maura took a deep breath before she blurted out her answer. Her tone was confident, but it gat shakier when her eyes met Jack¡¯s. "I need to get stronger and level up, that¡¯s only possible if I can leave and travel the world. And who better than to travel with than you?"


    "I... Uh..." Fumbling on his words, Jack was struck dumb with nervousness. "This is pretty sudden... You know that I¡¯m not like other people, right? I never know what I¡¯ll do next and I¡¯m way too unorthodox to make travel easy. Traveling with me--"


    "I¡¯m going with you, tell me why I shouldn¡¯t! Do you not like me? Is it because you don¡¯t want me around?" Maura¡¯s voice had a hint of trembling in it as she started to think that Jack would refect her.


    Jack sighed, not wanting to make her sad. After failing to save Slivia, Jack had be colder. What the others didn¡¯t yet release was the reason why. If he had fewer people close to him than he wouldn¡¯t always be worried about being too weak to protect others.


    "Maura, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want you around, because I do. But I¡¯m not strong enough to watch over you. I wish I was! Sadly, I¡¯ve only recently passed lv. 22 after fighting dozens of undead. Who know¡¯s how long it¡¯ll take for me to be strong enough to protect you?"


    As her heart felt like melting, Maura¡¯s nervousness disappeared. Though Jack hadn¡¯t realized what he said, exactly, hearing those words made Maura want to cry and hug Jack.


    The only person to ever say that to her was her dad, and there was never anyone else willing to contradict her father and say such a statement. It was only a seed of love, but it was enough to make Maura¡¯s heart skip a beat.


    "Jack..."


    Out of nowhere, Maura stepped forward and hugged Jack tightly. Her eyes were watery and she said nothing else.


    "Maura... I¡¯m too weak to guarantee your safety. I don¡¯t want you or anyone else getting hurt because of me."


    "Shut up, Jack." A soft whisper tickled Jack¡¯s ear, shutting him up instantly. "I don¡¯t care, Iing with you."


    "Okay, you¡¯reing with me, but this will be harder and moreplicated than you think. If you¡¯reing with me, then there are a couple of things you should know," exined Jack. "First off, doesn¡¯t this mean your whole family ising with me now? You old man wanted to tag along for a little while, and we both know your mom doesn¡¯t want to be left alone."


    "I¡¯ll talk to them, don¡¯t worry about that."


    "Okay, then second..." Jack was still holding her and decided not to use his inheritor¡¯s pact with her since she was low-leveled and needed EXP. However, he still wanted some of the pact¡¯s benefits, like being mentally linked and sharing skills.


    "What is it?" Noticing Jack¡¯s awkward pause, Maura looked up at him.


    After thinking about it a little bit more, Jack thought he might be able to make a new pact like in the game, but that would probably take time. "Nevermind, it¡¯s not important right now."


    "Okay!" Happy and excited, Maura hugged him tighter and buried her face into his chest. "Remember, if you want to talk, I¡¯ll listen. I¡¯m not strong yet, but I can listen."


    Hesitating, Jack almost patted her on the head but couldn¡¯t bring himself to do it. "I¡¯ll remember. You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ll find if I need someone to listen to me."


    "Good, then what should we do now?" Maura finally let go of Jack and gave him a little more space.


    "Hmmm... I still need to double-check on my new treasures from thest trip," Jack mumbled as he brushed his hand over the storage bracer he found a while back. Inside, all of his chests from Ponlinne¡¯s tomb were waiting to be opened.

 Chapter 148 Jacks New Treasures

    <h4>Chapter 148 Jack¡°s New Treasures</h4>


    As Jack stared at his storage bracer, Maura¡¯s eyes were twinkling. Her dad had mentioned that Jack found an ancient hero¡¯s tomb in Ponlinne, and she was extremely curious to know what it was.


    She had never had many chances to explore the world or go off on adventures. Since Jack was there with so many spoils of adventure, Maura wanted to see such treasures for herself. It was normal for her adventurous side to live through what her father brought home, but she felt even more intrigued since Jack was involved.


    "Hey Jack, can I see the treasures too?" asked Maura.


    Jack looked at her puppy dog eyes and shook his head while smiling. "If I show you this, then you have to keep everything you see a secret. Some things inside this ring may be beyond anything you¡¯ve imagined, so I¡¯m not evenfortable sharing that information with your old man. He may tell the association and I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯d be willing to watch me horde so many valuable items."


    Thinking carefully about Jack¡¯s words, Maura nodded and looked at Jack¡¯s bracer in excitement.


    Jack removed the chest and surprised Maura. Without warning, he opened it up and found it filled to the brim with gold.


    "So much gold..." Maura was mesmerized. Her dad always tried to hoard gold away, but she had never seen so much at once out in the open.


    Examining the box closely, Jack paid close attention to the box¡¯s design. Finding simr chests, Jack pulled out three other chests with the same pattern.


    Like he expected, Jack found that the three chests were also filled with gold. He stored them and pulled out another half dozen chests, each with the same design and with the same amount of gold inside.


    Maura was in awe and was speechless. She couldn¡¯t guess how much gold was in a single chest, let alone ten of them.


    "Let¡¯s check these ones." Since all ten of those chest shared designs and contents, Jack pulled out another half dozen chest but with a new pattern.


    Opening it slowly, a smile showed on Jack¡¯s face. "That¡¯s what I thought. Maura, do you know what kind of coin this is?"


    She shook her head slowly, letting Jack continue exining.


    "Have you ever heard of tinum?"


    "That¡¯s all tinum?!" She had never seen it, but Maura knew about the ancient currency worth ten times the value of gold. "All of these are... filled with tinum?"


    "Yup," answered Jack, opening each chest to prove it. "Now that I¡¯ve finally got some cash, let¡¯s try the other chests."


    Most of the chests were gold and tinum, but Jack was guessing that most of the chests had decent items. He didn¡¯t have high hopes to find too many high-level items in those chests since the highest level items were all found on the statues. Luckily for him, he already knew what all of those are, so he wouldn¡¯t have to show Maura anything. She was already overwhelmed, so Jackughed when he pictured her reaction to a lv. 75 or lv. 85 weapon.


    Excluding money, there were six chests leftover and they all share the same design. Wanting to not waste time, Jack pulled out all six and opened the first one before Maura had a chance to react.


    "More items and their levels aren¡¯t too bad," stated Jack as he looked at everything inside.


    "Aren¡¯t too bad..." Again, she was speechless. Maura couldn¡¯t tell what level those weapons were because they were too high-level for her, yet Jack was treating them like they were essories for an outfit.


    "With these, we shouldn¡¯t have to worry too much about getting new items as we level up." Just then, Jack noticed a sword inside one of the chests. As it gave off a frosty air, Jack smiled softly and picked it up. "Here, this is for you."


    Brought back to reality by Jack¡¯s words, Maura takes a closer look at what was in Jack¡¯s hand. When she realized it was a magical sword, Maura stuck out her hand to reject his offer. "No way! Do you know how much a sword like that would cost?! And you use swords too, so you keep it."


    "This is yours. If you¡¯reing with me, then your equipment needs to be at least this good." Jack forced it into her hands, eager to make sure she had the best equipment to keep herself safe.


    "But Jack... You know I can¡¯t let my dad see this..."


    "You know, if you¡¯reing with me then you¡¯ll have to tell him at some point. Till then, just store it. Besides, it¡¯s a lv. 25 cier shortsword. You can¡¯t use yet anyway."


    "Jack... I can¡¯t do that. I don¡¯t have anything to store it in," replied Maura. She looked away, embarrassed to not have such a simple item.


    "Let me guess, your old man?"


    "Yeah."


    "Fine, then... Here, take this ne." Without a second thought, Jack pulled out a storage ne from one of the chests.


    It was much more extravagant than the usual storage ne, being made from gold and sapphires; it was obviously a cash item some yer purchased and left behind in the guild. It was also a high-tier storage item. Maura would never need to worry about running out of storage.


    Maura was too startled by the sword¡¯s cold energy that she didn¡¯t realize what else Jack had given her till it was already in her other hand. "Jack..."


    "There, now you won¡¯t need to worry about storage. With that, I bet it¡¯s better than your old man¡¯s," joked Jack.


    "Can you... help me put it on?" asked Maura, batting her eyes enticingly.


    Jack blinked and quickly gave in. "Fine, give it here."


    Carefully, Jack put it around Maura¡¯s neck. He paused for a moment as she stared into his eyes. They were quite close, close enough for Maura to feel his breath on her face, which had startled her, causing her to meet his gaze.


    Coughing to clear his throat, Jack finished with the ne¡¯s sp and backed away.


    "Thank you, Jack." Maura was admiring her new ne and her new sword, letting Jack have a moment to inspect the chests without her wandering eyes.


    At that moment, Jack stored a lot of the weapons that were ssified as mid-level in "A Hero¡¯s Tale," meaning all weapons between lv. 30 and lv. 60.


    Not much was left for him to see, but a few velvet sacks caught Jack¡¯s attention. Opening one gingerly, Jack¡¯s eyes went wide and he took a deep breath to contain his sudden rush of excitement.


    "What¡¯s in there?" It was easy for Maura to recognize that whatever was in the bag was extremely valuable.


    "This... This changes everything!" Clutching the bag tightly, Jack shouted with joy.


    "Why? What is it?"


    "EXP pots!"


    Giving Jack a strange look, Maura asked, "What are EXP pots?"


    Jack returned her strange look and realized that such things were probably extremely rare, if not legendary in modern times.


    "Listen carefully, and never mention any of these to ANYONE, do you understand?" When Jack saw her nod, he continued. "To be specific, these are low-level EXP pots, the mostmon kind. They¡¯re only usable by people under lv. 30, so they¡¯re useless for your old man and the others. But for us, they give you massive amounts of EXP and practically let you cheat. With enough of them, you can instantly reach lv. 30."


    Jack didn¡¯t bother exining the other kinds of EXP pots. Of course, there were also mid-level EXP pots, but they were mythic-tier items rarely found in-game from boss drops. High-level EXP pots were practically nonexistent, so Jack was never nning on searching for any.


    "Instantly reach lv. 30?! That¡¯s impossible!"


    "Nope. I¡¯d prove it to you right now, but now¡¯s not the right time to use them. After wee back from the Polt Federation, then we can leave on our own for Trodar. That would be a better time to use them," exined Jack. "If we use them now, it would be way too suspicious since I¡¯m about to meet the association high-ups. When we¡¯re alone on the trip to Trodar, people will already expect us to be leveling up so they won¡¯t be too suspicious when we arrive in Trodar as lv. 30¡¯s."


    "Wait, why are we going to Trodar?" asked Maura. She knew a bit about the war going on there, so it caught her attention.


    "I¡¯ll exin that after we get back from the Polt Federation, till then..." Jack stored everything else, happy to know he had plenty of money to spend and items to trade during his time in the Polt Federation. Some people would try to save all the gold and tinum, but Jack only saw it all as a necessary tool for him to acquire what he would need.


    "Let¡¯s get back to the others, they¡¯re probably wondering why we¡¯ve been gone for so long," stated Jack as he moved toward the door.


    As he turned the handle and pulled the door open, a person who was leaning against it on the other side fell on top of Jack. Momentarily, he was blind and only knew that he was holding something soft.

 Chapter 149 Goodbye

    <h4>Chapter 149 Goodbye</h4>


    Blinded and pinned to the ground, Jack moved his hands to try and figure out what hadnded on top of him.


    Jack was looking back at Maura when this all happened, so all he knew was that something was pushed into his face and blocked his view. He couldn¡¯t see, but he was surprised at howfortable he was. Whatever was pressed against him, it was very soft.


    Soon, Jack¡¯s hand got hold of something. It was also soft, yet firm in his hand. He could feel some kind of cloth over it as well.


    "Wow, you¡¯re more daring then I thought."


    Recognizing that voice, Jack hurriedly got Ke off of him and saw the deep blush in her cheeks.


    "What, you didn¡¯t like it? It felt like you were enjoying it," Ke teased him, yet her face only got redder.


    "That-that was an ident. Why were you up against the door, anyway," asked Jack, trying his best to change the subject.


    Ke didn¡¯t dare look him in the eye as she yed with her hair. "Well, you both were in there for a long time. I thought you might be getting to know each other better, so I wanted to double-check."


    "What do you--"


    "No, we were just chatting, so don¡¯t worry about us!" Maura yelled, cutting off Jack and making sure to keep Ke from touching the subject anymore. She remembered their little chat the other night and understood what Ke¡¯s intentions better than Jack. "Come on Jack, don¡¯t we need to go and speak with everyone to n the trip?"


    "What trip? Aren¡¯t I a part of the group now too?" asked Ke. She was keen to not be left out, no matter how Maura tried.


    "Right, let¡¯s all go and see that old fart." Jack was the first to leave the room, leading the way for the two women behind him.


    As they all walked through the halls, Ke was eyeing Maura¡¯s new ne. Having a hunch where it came from, Ke asked, "Wow, Maura, that ne is beautiful! Where did you get it?"


    Still a little shy about receiving gifts, Maura only gave Ke a quick nce. "Jack was nice and gifted me it."


    "Oh, and there¡¯s nothing for me?"


    "Right now, we¡¯ve got to see if their¡¯s anything we need to do. Also, we need to arrange for the funeral..."


    Ke said nothing else, not daring to followup such a sad subject by asking for free items. Instead, she smiled at Maura. "You¡¯re more aggressive then I expected. Nice job."


    "I didn¡¯t do anything. He just found out that I didn¡¯t have my own storage item, so he gave me the ne. Nothing happened between us."


    "Sure..." Ke winked at Maura, not daring to believe that Jack gave away such a valuable ne that easily. She still didn¡¯t know Jack well enough to believe that.


    Soon they were back at the bar, but Advisor Wain and Chief Liam were both gone. Zariff was left alone at the bar as he looked at a paper ced in front of him.


    "Hey, old fart, what¡¯s that?"


    Hearing Jack¡¯s usualmentary, Zariff struggled to smile back at him. "Brat, we¡¯ve got a few things to do before we leave. We¡¯ll prepare a wagon and gather enough supplies. There¡¯s also the funeral that¡¯s happeningter tonight."


    "Okay, but you didn¡¯t answer my question." Jack neared Zariff and looked closely at the paper. He blinked, shocked by what he was reading. "Is that--"


    Interrupting Jack, Zariff turned to the girls and asked, "Maura, can you and Ke go clean up her body? Most everything has been done, but give her some new clothes, alright?"


    "Sure, Papa."


    "Of course, chief."


    They both went upstairs to attend to Slivia¡¯s corpse, leaving only Jack and Zariff at the bar. All other adventurers were assigned a part of the city to investigate for possible connections with the Chaos Syndicate.


    "So, when were you going to tell me about this? What took you so long?" asked Jack, eyeing Zariff to make sure he doesn¡¯t hide anything.


    Zariff sighed andughed at himself. "It was only a matter of time. I hadn¡¯t reported my condition to the association cause I knew this would happen if I did. Now that I¡¯ve already lost my first level to the curse, I had no way to hide it and Advisor Wain personally wrote my release papers."


    "How long much longer will you¡¯re released?"


    "This trip to the federation will be myst as the Reinolt Branch Thief. After that, my wife and I will be ordinary members again," said Zariff, looking downtrodden. "It¡¯ll be nice to not have so much stress, but I¡¯m not gonna lie. I¡¯m gonna miss the job, and the pay..."


    "Calm down, in time you¡¯ll be just fine. Even if you lose a few levels, I can help you get back to lv. 36 or even further," reasoned Jack. "Hey, wouldn¡¯t it be funny if your daughter passed you in level? Maybe I¡¯ll make that a goal of mine."


    Not even wanting to imagine that, Zariff stared at Jack. "Don¡¯t even--"


    "Actually, that would be great!" From inside the kitchen, Marisha appeared and cut-off her husband. "Do you think you can help her do that, Jack?"


    Jack scratched his head and nodded nonchntly. "Yeah, that won¡¯t be too hard."


    "Were you the one who gave her that ne? It¡¯s beautiful! That¡¯s quite a nice gift, young man. If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d guess that you¡¯re trying to take her for yourself."


    "Maam, I--"


    "Well, since she¡¯s already epted the gift, you¡¯ll just have to take responsibility. Take good care of Maura for me," continued Marisha with a wink. "Also, now you can call me Mom if you¡¯d like."


    "I-I..." Jack had no way to respond to that. He started to realize why Zariff never argued with her because she always had something else to say that would force you to agree to her terms.


    "Jack, I really do hope you can take care of my daughter, we both do. Every parent wants the best for their daughter, and we think you¡¯re the best one for her. In fact, we think you¡¯re the only one spectacr enough for her," exined Marisha. "Maura may be shy at times, but she¡¯s more caring and genuine than anyone. Also, she¡¯s also pretty special herself."


    Guessing that she was referencing Maura¡¯s subss, Jack nodded and said a few words. "Please don¡¯t misunderstand; she¡¯s beautiful and I¡¯m sure she could make any man happy. She came to me asking to travel with me and shecked some supplies, so I gave her some things, including that ne."


    "Either way, it¡¯s a beautiful ne and I¡¯m sure she¡¯s happy it came from you," Marisha added with a smile.


    "Anyway, if there¡¯s nothing else for me to do, I¡¯m going back to my room until it¡¯s time."


    Jack took his leave, not daring to continue talking to Marisha any longer.


    Zariff was feeling glum. The moment he admitted to supporting his daughter¡¯s decisions, she had already started making a move on Jack and he couldn¡¯t do anything. And having Jack joke about helping her be stronger than him, Maura¡¯s own father, made him even more upset.


    Marishaforted her husband. She understood how much was on his shoulders and that he had his own problems on top of that.


    *****


    Night winded down and the sun was setting. The Adventurers Association building was empty, not a single soul could be found in its halls.


    In the south end of Reinolt City, there was arge group of people walking alongside a covered wagon. Almost every citizen recognized some of the famous faces among that marching crowd.


    Eventually, Jack and the others came to a halt as the wagon entered the cemetery and approached an open grave. The tombstone was simple, yet it stood out from those around it thanks to it having a peak-tier item embedded into the tombstone itself. Most people wouldn¡¯t even realize it was previously an item if they had no way to appraise it. And since no one just decides to appraise random tombstones, the staff would be fine.


    Some people argued, iming that it was a waste of such a good staff. The idea started to be popr until they found out that Jack was the one asking for it to happen.


    Everyone gathered around the grave as a select few lowered the casket from the wagon into the freshly dug pit. Some people offered a few words but most people just watched.


    Slivia was a recent member and not many knew her personally, though everyone remembered her as the beautiful newbie.


    After all words had been said, each person took turns adding a handful of soil to the top of the casket.


    Jack stalled until he was the final person. Dirt slowly trickled out from between his fingers as his tears fell. Regardless of everything, he still felt responsible for her death and his inability to save her.


    "Goodbye, Sliv."


    His words were thest of the funeral and everyone sighed to think that the powerful hero who was on the rise had such a soft, caring side to him.

 Chapter 150 Leaving Reinol

    <h4>Chapter 150 Leaving Reinol</h4>


    The next day, the association building was back to its lively self. Most of the investigation was already done, all that was left was monitoring the situation and making sure that it doesn¡¯t happen again.


    In the back of the association building, Zariff and Marisha were both saddling up a horse. Around them were all the strongest members of the Adventurers Association¡¯s Reinolt Branch.


    "Chief, howe you¡¯ve emptied out your room? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re noting back!"


    "We need you, Chief, don¡¯t go yet. You haven¡¯t even said goodbye."


    Zariffughed loudly, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. "Shut up, all of you! You¡¯re annoying my wife. Besides, we don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening next. Maybe we¡¯ll see you again, maybe we won¡¯t. Either way, it¡¯s all about making sure the association is our top priority and guaranteeing that only the best people are in charge. If I¡¯m able, then I¡¯ll be back to see you real soon."


    "Chief..."


    Rydel and Maynard stepped forward, separating themselves from the crowd. They both understood that the chief wasn¡¯t nning to return to Reinolt. How could the proud Zariff let his people watch him slowly lose his EXP and levels? And how could he manage the branch when he would eventually no longer be able to do anything for the association?


    "Are ya sure you don¡¯t want us to join ya?" asked Maynard.


    "Don¡¯t worry, the brat wille back before he takes his leave. All the higher-ups want to meet him and he also wants to request you both as his personal aides and bodyguards. Once he¡¯s back, you both will have permission to travel with him where ever he goes, and no one will be able to give you orders besides him," exined Zariff. "Also, they want all the lv. 30¡¯s to stay here until Jackes back with the new guy."


    Understanding that Jack would return with Zariff¡¯s recement, they felt alright leaving Jack¡¯s side for a little while. If it meant they would be able to travel with Jack indefinitely without anyone keeping an eye on them, it was worth it.


    "Speaking of the brat, where is he?"


    Marishaughed, "Zariff, give him a minute. Maura was making sure he had a good meal before the journey started."


    "What? And she didn¡¯t offer me any?!"


    "Calm down, I already made you an early breakfast, that is, if you don¡¯t like my cooking, then I guess I won¡¯t be able to make you anything until I practice enough--"


    "No, no, I¡¯m just surprised is all," Zariff didn¡¯t let his wife finish.


    He had made that mistake before and wasn¡¯t allowed to eat her food for a week. While she and Maura enjoyed her delicious meals, Zariff would have to fend for himself. It was quite sad, and a very effective way for Marisha to manipte Zariff on special asions.


    Rydel looked around and smiled. "Speak of the devil, herees the kid now. Jack, you ready?"


    Jack came out of the backdoor with both Maura and Ke behind him. Bowzer was on his shoulder and he was looking a lot more like the old Jack, from before Slivia passed.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m good to go. Let¡¯s hurry up and get going," answered Jack.


    Ke grabbed his arm, not letting him leave without her. "Jack, you said I had to go with you wherever you went I¡¯m not allowed to leave your side. So, where¡¯s my horse?"


    "Ke, I have to make a few requests from headquarters first. After that, then you and the others will be following me everywhere. Just wait here, okay?"


    "Then howe she gets to go with you?" reasoned Ke, pointing yfully at Maura.


    "My family also has to go to headquarters, so Jack¡¯s justing with us to make things easier for him." Maura only gave her a nce before she mounted her horse that Zariff had prepared.


    Jack scratched his head and did the same. "Ke, just stay in the city until I get back. In the meantime, get to know Maynard and Rydel. Since we¡¯ll be journeying together, it might help to get to know them."


    "Alright, let¡¯s move out!"


    That shout came from the front of the association building. Advisor Wain and Chief Liam were both waiting for them to hurry up.


    "It¡¯s time, let¡¯s go!" yelled Zariff, leading his horse out of the association building¡¯s back alley.


    Marisha followed close behind him while Jack and Maura said a quick goodbye before they did the same.


    Seeing Jack leave, Ke frowned. She was in a ce she didn¡¯t know, and the one person who was there for her had left with her love rival. Not too happy about it, Ke looked to Rydel and Maynard. "Where¡¯s a good ce to level up? I need to reach lv. 30."


    Surprised to see her strange enthusiasm, Maynard and Rydelughed. The best ces to grind were in the southern forests of Reinolt.


    Rydel answered, "Aren¡¯t you supposed to stay in the city? That would--"


    "Please, just help me level up as quickly as possible," Ke begged and bowed before them. "Everyone said Jack has reached lv. 20 in a month, so how long will it take him to reach lv. 30? I¡¯m six levels higher than him, but he¡¯ll pass me if I¡¯m not careful."


    Laughing even harder, Maynard shook his head in amusement. "Ya don¡¯t get it. We already know that Jack will pass us, there¡¯s no doubt about it. After he gets back and we start traveling all over, we¡¯ll get left behind. Someday, you¡¯ll understand why."


    Confused by how casual the two proud men were, Ke had no idea why they acted like they expected and wanted Jack to pass them. Of course, she didn¡¯t know that Jack was once an ancient hero from before the Holy War. If there was anyone who¡¯s leveling could defy nature itself, it would be Jack.


    "Well, I still need to grind and level up! Why don¡¯t you help me?" Ke may have been humble in front of Jack, but she was still used to getting what she wanted most of the time.


    "Jack said to keep you in the city till he gets back, so that¡¯s what you should do. I¡¯ll take you to the forest outside the south gate, but that¡¯s as far as we¡¯ll go," exined Rydel. "It¡¯s still not the best for reaching lv. 30, but it¡¯s better than nothing."


    "Thank you! I¡¯ll be ready in a few minutes."


    Happy that someone threw her a bone, Ke hurried inside. She left Rydel and Maynard outside, not wanting to hear theirughter anymore.


    *****


    The road to the Polt Federation was long. It would take them over two weeks to reach the Polt-Reinolt border on horseback and to reach the capital city of the Polt Federation, it would take another couple days.


    Though the journey would be a long one, it would be quite safe and trouble-free. With Advisor Wain with them, travel on the main road would be easy. Maybe if they tried to take shortcuts through wild areas it would be different, but they had no reason for that.


    Curious about the Polt Federation, Jack looked to Maura beside him and asked, "Maura, what can you tell me about the Polt Federation?"


    "Well, I was born there and we stayed there till I was almost fourteen. That¡¯s when Papa was moved to Reinolt as the official Branch Chief. It¡¯s been a while, but I like it more then Reinolt if I¡¯m being honest," exined Maura. "It¡¯s a ce where you can find anything and every corner has a powerful adventurer with great stories!"


    "Sounds like a fun ce."


    "You¡¯ll have to be careful on the streets, dear, now that you have such a beautiful ne. Since Jack gifted it to you, make sure he helps you keep it safe, so stay with him and don¡¯t stray far, okay?"


    "Okay, Mom," Maura replied with red cheeks.


    "Hey, brat, don¡¯t go running off right after we get there. We¡¯re heading straight for headquarters and it¡¯ll take most of the day for you to handle your business and for us to handle ours," added Zariff.


    Marishaughed and looked back at her husband. "How about we visit my favorite restaurantter, it would be the perfect way to unwind after a long day. What do you say, Jack, it¡¯ll be our treat?"


    "Sure, I can¡¯t say no to a free meal, especially if it¡¯s your favorite ce," joked Jack. "Did you always live in Polt too, Maam."


    "Didn¡¯t I say you could call me "Mom" earlier? If not that, then at least call me by my name," Marisha teased him and made Maura¡¯s face even redder in the process. "And yes, I grew up in Polt. My family owns one of the city¡¯s most popr inns. That¡¯s where we¡¯ll be staying and dining tonight."


    "Wow, that¡¯s great!"


    "You mean I¡¯ll get to see grandpa and grandma again?!" Maura shouted.


    "Yeah, you¡¯ll see them. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to see you too!" answered Zariff. "It¡¯s been over five years since they¡¯ve seen you, so they¡¯ll spoil you, I¡¯m sure."


    "And I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to meet Jack, too. What do you think Maura?" asked Marisha with a gentle smile.

 Chapter 151 Adventurers Association Headquarters

    <h4>Chapter 151 Adventurers Association Headquarters</h4>


    "And I¡¯m sure they¡¯d love to meet Jack, too. What do you think Maura?"


    "Mom, that¡¯s enough! Why are you always teasing Jack? Besides, we¡¯re not like that... not yet..." Maura shouted, trying her best to ovee her embarrassment and stop her mom¡¯s taunting. As she finished speaking, Maura¡¯s voice softened and trailed off, making it hard for others to hear thest thing she said.


    Laughing, Marisha replied, "Fine, I¡¯ll leave him alone for now, but he already knows that I want you and him to get together, we¡¯ve even talked about it on multiple asions. Isn¡¯t that right, Jack?"


    Maura immediately looked at Jack, but he was turned away to hide his own embarrassment. When Jack stayed silent and never responded to her mother, Maura felt a strange mix of emotions. She wanted her mom to stop pressing the issue, but a small part of her was happy that her mom was trying to help her. Also, considering Jack¡¯s silence, it made her feel like he wasn¡¯t fully against the idea, and that gave her even more hope for the future.


    Keeping his thoughts to himself, Jack wasn¡¯t willing to talk with Marisha in front of Maura. The woman always had a way of turning a conversation in her favor. Jack was a nice guy and hated hurting the feelings of the people close to him. So, Jack was afraid that Marisha would force him to say something misleading or possibly get him to admit that he had started to care more about Maura, even though he was trying to close his heart.


    "Leave the brat alone," groaned Zariff. Witnessing this, Zariff came to realize something.


    Though Jack might be interested in his daughter, it was evident that he wasn¡¯t too active in pursuing her. Rather, it was mainly his daughter pursuing him, and even more so it was his wife pushing them together from behind the scenes.


    "Jack, you and I will go to headquarters while those two go and check on Marisha¡¯s parents. Alright?"


    "You¡¯ve got it," answered Jack, taking the get out of jail free card that Zariff was offering him.


    The rest of the journey was smooth, other than the asional awkwardment from Marisha to spark conversation.


    Jack made sure to stick to Zariff more as a means to escape the brunt of Marisha¡¯s advances and some of the awkwardness between him and Maura. Usually, Jack would be able to handle that much, but Marisha would always find a way to try and get Jack to admit that he and Maura should be together.


    He felt that the journey was extra long because of it, but deep down he was happy. They really did start to feel like family to him by the time their two and a half weeks of travel were over.


    "There it is, what do you think, Jack?" Marisha pointed out into the distance toward a magnificent city.


    The city was built in the center of a valley inside a mountain range. There was still plenty of room to fit a megacity in the valley, like Federal City, but it was a natural defense that no one could ignore.


    Traveling by normal road was fine and easy like always, but if some force tried to invade or attack, then they only had two directions toe from. They might try to climb down the mountains and enter the city, but that would make them easy targets. Some countries might have imagined trying to conquer the magnificent Federal City, but none had dared since before the Holy War back when Jack was ying the game as Jack_J.


    Seeing it with his own eyes and not through aputer screen, Jack was in awe and mumbled to himself, "It hasn¡¯t changed a bit..."


    Being one of the megacities in Ancient Kartonia, Jack was very familiar with the city¡¯syout and even remembered where most everything was. Though many things would have changed after hundreds of years, thergest and most magnificent buildings remained standing. There were even a few that would qualify as skyscrapers back in his homeworld.


    "It¡¯s amazing, isn¡¯t it! It¡¯s been so long!" Maura was happy to finallye back to the ce she had always called home. There, she was raised and that¡¯s where her family could be found too.


    "Remember, you two will go and say hi to your parents. I¡¯ll take Jack to the association headquarters, so don¡¯t worry about him," stated Zariff as he eyed his wife. He was insistent to let Jack handle his stuff on his own without Maura or his wife interfering.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll let the boy go for now," joked Marisha. "But he¡¯ll have toe back for dinner, and I¡¯ll make sure to arrange his stay at the inn. Don¡¯t waste time and miss dinner, got it?"


    "Got it, dear," replied Zariff as his horse neared Jack¡¯s. "Hey, brat, we should hurry and get this over with. We¡¯ve both got our own things to do, so we should start as soon as possible. That way we may avoid getting held up by some of the old men who run the association."


    "Just be careful about with man you call old!" A shout came from the front of the party.


    Everyoneughed when they realized the Advisor Wain had heard Zariff¡¯sment. Zariff just chuckled and shook his head. "Come on, Jack."


    The soon to be released branch chief took off, speeding toward the front of the party, signaling for Jack to do the same.


    Following Zariff, Jack joined the small group upfront. Together with Zariff, Branch Chief Liam, and Advisor Wain, Jack hurried into the city and left the group of adventurers behind with a wagon and a carriage that was now empty.


    Before long, that advanced group bolted through the outer gates of the city. Instead of lining up for the entrance inspection, they rode right through. Without the wagon or the carriage, they were able to avoid inspection thanks to Wain¡¯s rank.


    Jack was surprised but happy. Apparently, the Adventurers Association had a lot more influence inside a megacity like Federal City than it did in Reinolt.


    "Just keep up and don¡¯t get distracted. You can explore the city tomorrow," yelled Zariff, making sure Jack could hear him.


    Only nodding in response, Jack followed Zariff¡¯s advice, apart from the asional nce to something that caught his eye.


    While in the city, the group had to slow down for fear of pedestrians. All in all, it took them almost an hour to reach the Adventurers Association headquarters in the city¡¯s central region, even on horseback.


    Now that he was there in real life, Jack felt like the city was farrger and harder to navigate. It still felt familiar and he understood where he was, but it was taking him a lot longer than he had expected.


    When they finally dismounted, Jack noticed that one of the newer and smaller skyscrapers was being used as the association¡¯s headquarters.


    "Follow me, both of you." Advisor Wain nodded to Jack and Zariff, leading the way for them both.


    "Good luck!" yelled Branch Chief Liam who went a different direction.


    Zariff only waved back to him and they separated. Jack and Zariff both stayed close to Wain to make sure they wouldn¡¯t get lost in the crowded main floor. As Advisor Wain neared a wall, he waved a badge over a stone embedded there.


    Suddenly, the wall opened up and revealed a hovering metal te.


    "Hop on." That was all Wain said as he did the same. When both Jack and Zariff joined him on the hovering te, the wall closed shut. Wain waved the same badge in front of a simr embedded stone on this side of the wall. At the same time, he stated, "Floor six."


    As if in response to Wain¡¯s order, the hover te started to rise. It wasn¡¯t going too fast, but it wasn¡¯t too slow either.


    Jack chuckled to himself. Though there were hover tes in Ancient Kartonia, there weren¡¯t any quite like this. It was easy for Jack to see this as a magical elevator, and he found out from Wain that it was also called an elevator. In fact, the Adventurer¡¯s Association was the first to use hover tes in such a controlled way.


    That made Jack even more curious about the Adventurers Association, or more specifically the founder of the Adventurers Association. It should be someone extremely powerful, maybe even as powerful as some ancient heroes.


    "This way." The moment the hover te stopped moving, the wall opened up and let them onto the sixth floor and Wain started moving again.


    The sixth floor was much less crowded than the main floor. There were also fewer rooms, but they were muchrger. Eventually, the three of them arrived outside of a sturdy wooden door with the number 3 etched into the woodwork.


    Advisor Wain knocked gently and said, "I¡¯ve brought them both."


    "Oh, you¡¯re early. Come in and take a seat. We¡¯re finishing up another matter, but you can wait a few minutes and we¡¯ll get right to it."


    A calm voice was heard from the other side of the door before it opened on its own.


    As Jack looked around the room, a bright red notification appeared in his system.

 Chapter 152 Mysterious Founder

    <h4>Chapter 152 Mysterious Founder</h4>


    The room the had entered looked to be some sort of conference room, but it was different. Instead of a single table with chairs, there was one main table by the far wall with a few people seated in the middle of a single side. Closer to the door were a few dozen chairs and desks. Also, there were many seats along the walls, as if they were meant to have an audience.


    Only about a dozen seats were filled, but Wain took them to the side instead. Trying to figure out what was going on, Jack followed Advisor Wain and sat by the wall.


    Since he had nothing needing his attention at the moment, Jack opened up his system notifications. The ring red notification filled his view and Jack¡¯s jaw almost went ck.


    [Attention: Fellow champion found!]


    Those few words were like a bomb going off in his head. Thest thing he had expected to happen was to encounter one of the other two champions. And he was still too weak! If the champion was someone in that conference room, it was obvious that they were stronger than Jack.


    Jack put his Eagle Eye to the test, hoping he might find some clue as to who the other champion was.


    Looking over everyone, Jack learned that the weakest person in the room was Zariff, other than himself. To Jack¡¯s surprise, there were almost three people seated in those desks, and they were all at least lv. 46, some were even in the high fifties!


    Eventually, Jack finished with the people in the desks and looked to the table. There were thirteen men sitting there, and they were easily the strongest in the room. Jack made sure to take a mental note of each of them to remember their faces well.


    The seating was determined by strength. In the desks, the weakest people sat the farthest from the table. At the table, those on the end were all lv. 60 or higher.


    After counting nine people over lv. 60, Jack found that the four people at the table¡¯s center were unfathomable. Even with his Eagle Eye, Jack had no way to read them.


    Knowing that determined that one of them was the champion that his system warned him about. By following the rule that they were seated ording to strength, Jack determined that the man at the center was the strongest there and most likely the mysterious founder he had always heard rumors about.


    While Jack was busy guessing what how strong those four people might be, Zariff was frozen in ce as he stared at the panel of people at the table.


    When he became a branch chief, he had met a few regional advisors, such as Advisor Wain. The strongest of those he met was lv. 52. At the time, he was blown away and awestruck to meet someone so strong. But now... Zariff didn¡¯t know what to think.


    A few minutes passed and those at the table finished their discussion. The room got quiet and the man at the center of the table turned to Wain, Zariff, and Jack with a warm smile.


    "Come, we¡¯ve finished with the other matter. Now, it¡¯s time to discuss a few things with you both."


    The man looked middle-aged with a salt and pepper beard. He wore a majestic golden robe that made him appear to glow with boundless energy. Jack could tell that he wasn¡¯t a warrior, but a terrifyingly powerful mage.


    Wain nodded shyly and stood up. "Thank you, Founder."


    He led Jack and Zariff to the front of the room, just to the side of the main table. After that, he took his own seat at a desk in the back since he was only lv. 47.


    "First, let¡¯s discuss the matter involving Branch Chief Zariff," stated the founder. "Please, step forward."


    As Zariffplied and stood before the panel, a man at one end of the table spoke up, "Branch Chief Zariff, it is to our knowledge that you have now dropped in level from 36 to 35, correct? And how is that so, please tell us?"


    "A few months back Ipleted an assignment for the man who waster revealed as a member of the Chaos Syndicate. During that mission, I ended up poisoned and cursed. If I remain uncured of the poison, I¡¯ll die within a year and even sooner if I¡¯m forced to fight. The more strength I use, the closer I am to dying."


    One of the mysterious men beside the founder squinted and asked. "Can I have a sample of your blood, please?" He then tossed a small vial to Zariff.


    "Um... sure." Zariff retrieved a small knife and made a tiny cut on one of his fingertips. After putting a few drops in the vial, Zariff tossed it back and wrapped up his finger.


    The man stared intently at the poison as his eyes glowed purple. "This... is walking death toxin!"


    Everyone in the room was astonished to hear that. They all knew of the toxin, but few would be able to identify it.


    "You¡¯ll definitely pass within the next three months if you aren¡¯t cured. Hmm... this is a little moreplicated than I anticipated," mentioned the man, storing the vial of blood in his ring.


    Zariff swallowed some saliva. He wasn¡¯t ready for it to be over so soon, he thought he¡¯d be able to keep fighting it a while longer.


    "You¡¯re definitely unfit to proceed as the Reinolt Branch Chief. In a month¡¯s time, you¡¯ll be bedridden and soon after you¡¯ll give up yourst breath. That¡¯s my diagnosis."


    The man¡¯s final words were like daggers in Zariff¡¯s heart. He didn¡¯t want to believe it.


    "Is there any way I can be cured!" Zariff shouted, losing himself for a moment.


    That same man shrugged. "It¡¯s hard to say. That would involve finding a cure and searching for incredibly rare ingredients that may be unavable. We will, however, look into for you."


    "Now, about your curse..." Everyone went silent when the founder started talking. "I¡¯m d we know that the syndicate¡¯s influence in Reinolt has disappeared. It also exins how you received the worst possible curse, Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance."


    "Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance..." The others were startled, even more so by the curse than the walking death poison.


    "To think a mere branch chief would encounter both walking death poison and Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance... I¡¯m truly sorry. Even if we can somehow manage to save you from the poison, I have no way to remove that curse. No matter what, you will no longer be able to stay as a branch chief," exined the founder. "Again, I¡¯m sorry that you¡¯ve had to go through this at the association¡¯s expense."


    As the founder finished, the same person at the end of the table looked to those in desks. "From this moment on, Zariff Jaldor shall honorably rescind his title as the Reinolt Branch Chief and shall remain an ordinary member of the Adventurers Association for the time being. Aspensation for the troubles he¡¯s faced as the former branch chief, we shall gift him with five thousand gold coins and shall aid in the search for a cure to his poisoning."


    All people present nodded in unison, epting the terms and standing as witnesses of the decision.


    "Thank you, Zariff. Now, please step back and all Jack to step forward," stated the founder.


    As they switch ces, Jack patted Zariff on the back to try andfort him. He didn¡¯t fully understand everything going on in Zariff¡¯s mind, but Jack understood that Zariff was undeserving of such pain and stress.


    When Jack stepped forward, all eyes were on him. Even those at the table all stared at him with interest, much more than they had with Zariff.


    The founder was the one who started leading the discussion again, showing that they were giving Jack far more importance than Zariff. If anything, it felt like Zariff was just a casual affair while Jack¡¯s was the true matter at hand.


    "So, Jack, let me introduce myself. My name is Lorwynn and I am the founder of the Adventurers Association. In due time, you may meet these men beside me, but we¡¯ll save that for another day," Lorwynn stated as he bowed his head respectfully. "I hear that you were summoned just a month ago, yet you¡¯re already lv. 22. That¡¯s amazing!"


    Jack squinted his eyes, trying to understand what the founder was after.


    There was no way they summoned the founder and all the higher-ups to greet a lv. 22 hero. Maybe if they weren¡¯t so strong, but Jack was guessing that each of the four unfathomable figures was at least lv. 70, and maybe the founder was lv. 80.


    Lorwynnughed when he saw that Jack wasn¡¯t nervous in front of so many powerful people. In fact, he was moreposed than Zariff who was a former branch chief.


    "Jack, you¡¯re probably wondering why so many people have gathered just to see you, correct?" asked Lorwynn. "Let me exin a few things and then we¡¯ll get to the matter at hand."

 Chapter 153 Taking Jacks Things

    <h4>Chapter 153 Taking Jack¡°s Things</h4>


    Seeing that Lorwynn didn¡¯t want to waste time, Jack nodded and let the man talk uninterrupted.


    "Good, first let me exin who all is here. Before you are the thirty-two Regional Advisors that help us manage to the association and the many branch chiefs. Here beside me are the nine councilmen and the three guardians of the Adventurers Association. Together, we make up one of the strongest forces in all Kartonia," exined Lorwynn.


    "Normally, we wouldn¡¯t have everyone here to meet you, but something else also came up so we decided to meet you personally while we were already here."


    "It¡¯s an honor to meet so many powerful experts," said Jack as bowed to the table and then the desks.


    "Jack, we want to know if you have any goals or if there¡¯s anything that we can do to help you. Also, we were told that you had a few requests for us. Is that correct?"


    "Yes, I have a few requests," answered Jack. "But before that, I¡¯m curious, does the association have any other summoned heroes?"


    Lorwynn shook his head with a slight frown. "Sadly, we¡¯ve never been sessful at summoning a hero ourselves. You were a special case because no one ever summons such a low-level hero. Who can guarantee that they¡¯ll level up or work hard to get stronger? The point of summoning a hero is to summon someone strong and powerful that doesn¡¯t need anything other than some good equipment."


    "However, we¡¯re very d that you have joined the association and that you¡¯ve shown more growth than any hero we¡¯ve seen thus far," added Lorwynn. "Keep this up, and you could be joining everyone in here in no time."


    "Well, I¡¯ll be honest. I¡¯m more interested in traveling and growing stronger as fast as possible. I won¡¯t be satisfied with such low levels."


    Jack¡¯s statement shocked everyone in the room. To be called low-leveled as some of the most powerful people in the continent, it was like a p in the face.


    To Lorwynn it had the opposite effect. His warm smile grew and his eyes sparkled. "That¡¯s great! Since that¡¯s what you¡¯re after, are you wanting to form a traveling party? Is that what you¡¯re after today?"


    "You¡¯re very understanding, Lorwynn. That¡¯s exactly why I¡¯m here, and I already know who it is that I want. There are three association members I know personally in Reinolt that I would like to request officially be my party. That way they won¡¯t get conflicting orders and will only have to answer to me," reasoned Jack.


    "Hmm... We can make that happen, but wouldn¡¯t you want to take someone a bit stronger too, just in case. I¡¯m sure we can find a willing volunteer in the room if you just ask."


    "No, I¡¯m fine with just those three. It¡¯ll be Rydel, Maynard, and Ke from the Reinolt Branch. Thank you for your help, Master Lorwynn." Jack bowed again, insistent to keep his small party.


    Though he quite liked the association, the fact that another champion was already so high up in the organization didn¡¯t sit well with Jack. Besides, if Jack could revive Trodar and help it rise to glory like before, couldn¡¯t he form his own superpower organization?


    "Very well, it will be arranged," Lorwynn agreed, acting as if he had never made a suggestion in the first ce. "Now, there is something that we would like to talk to you about. We¡¯ve heard that you were able to find an ancient hero¡¯s tomb. And it wasn¡¯t just any tomb, but the tomb of Ponlinne the Great from the Zuran Empire. Is that correct?"


    Jack¡¯s smile vanished and he became straight-faced as they finally admitted what they were really after.


    "I won¡¯t lie to you. Yes, I did find it and yes, I was able to get ahold of Ponlinne¡¯s magic weapon. There were a few good items inside the tomb, the best being the life spring, from which I took a life spring crystal. May I ask why you want to know more about it?"


    "The Adventurers Association isn¡¯t one to take things forcibly from its members. In fact, we encourage members to strive to find their own treasures and resources everywhere they go."


    "Then why do you want to know so much about the treasures that I¡¯ve acquired for myself?" asked Jack, not acting neither warm nor cold to the association founder.


    "Jack, we want to ask you to donate some of the treasures that you¡¯ve acquired in Ponlinne¡¯s tomb. Of course, the life spring crystal is yours and it will save either your life or someone else¡¯s in the future," exined Lorwynn. "However, how do you n to use such powerful items when you¡¯re only lv. 22? We wish to hold on to them until you¡¯re stronger and can better wield the items that would be useful in the future. Until then, there are many people who would benefit from using such treasures until that time."


    Giving Lorwynn a strange look and a dry smile, Jack stated, "So, you want me to give away my treasures as a donation so that I might get a couple back when I may need themter? And what if I wanted to use them for trade? Like I said earlier, I won¡¯t be satisfied with such low levels. To grow stronger faster, I¡¯ll need those items as either resources or for trade to get resources."


    "Jack, please think this through. Who could possibly trade for things as valuable as Ponlinne¡¯s staff? Such treasures are priceless." reasoned Lorwynn.


    "Are you saying that the Adventurers Association doesn¡¯t have anything worth trading for my treasures?"


    Catching Jack¡¯s hint, Lorwynn chuckled. "You wish to trade the items with the association?"


    "If you don¡¯t want them, then just say so. But don¡¯t try and tell me that you don¡¯t have something of worth to trade, you¡¯re one of the strongest groups in all Kartonia and one of the richest," stated Jack.


    Taking a moment to think, Lowynn stroked his beard softly. "What do you want, Jack? And what are you offering?"


    Suddenly, a staff appeared in Jack¡¯s hands. Though it appeared like a normal wooden staff, everyone present was smart enough to realize that it was a true treasure.


    "You wanted Ponlinne¡¯s staff, right? You can have it after his poison and curse are removed."


    "Jack, you¡¯re demands are too harsh. There¡¯s no way that we can--"


    "I¡¯m just asking that you help the man who was devoted to your organization enough to face the Chaos Syndicate personally. He was even poisoned and cursed while on an official mission. You weren¡¯t the ones who assigned it, but you should also help those who are so badly treated while representing you," stated Jack.


    "Besides, if you can¡¯t do it, then who else could? We¡¯ve already been searching for ingredients to the poison¡¯s cure. We heard that we needed refined cleansing powder, right?"


    Jack looked over at Zariff and nodded, waiting for him to show his refined cleansing powder to the room.


    "We already found one of the ingredients. If we can find one of them, then the association should be able to find the rest. Or is a lv. 85 cleric¡¯s staff that was handcrafted from a life tree sapling not worth it to you?"


    Everyone was shaken by Jack¡¯s words. As a lv. 22, he showed more confidence than most people attending could muster themselves.


    "I can¡¯t guarantee anything about the curse, but I think we can take care of the poison," answered Lorwynn.


    "Well, how about this. After his poison has been cured and you can at least find me a clue as to how the curse can be lifted, then I¡¯ll hand over the staff for you to keep indefinitely. Is that a bad deal?"


    "What else do you have to offer? I¡¯m sure there were plenty of goods in that tomb."


    Jackughed and put the staff away. In its ce, Jack retrieved three other weapons, two lv. 55 and one lv. 65. "There were also these and a few chests worth of gold and tinum, but you¡¯re already plenty rich so you don¡¯t need coins, right?"


    "Right, but those three weapons would be perfect for some of the men here today. What do you want for them?" asked Lorwynn.


    "Weapons," said Jack with a simple smile. "I need lv. 30 and lv. 35 weapons for myself and my party, and they should be peak tier considering what I¡¯m offering you. That¡¯s fair enough, right?"


    "That can be arranged," answered Lorwynn, who was still smiling. "You¡¯re quite the negotiator for a new hero."


    "I just want to make sure both sides of the deal benefit. Plus, I think you¡¯re getting a steal of an offer for Ponlinne¡¯s staff, to be honest."


    Lorwynn didn¡¯t respond to Jack¡¯sment. He knew what the organization was capable of, and Jack was right.


    Helping find the other ingredients and only finding a lead to help Jack solve the curse was easy. They only had to search the market and pay a lot of coins for special ingredients if they didn¡¯t already have them. And after some digging through ancient texts and other sources of information, finding a lead on the curse shouldn¡¯t be too hard.


    Within the month, Lorwynn was confident that Ponlinne¡¯s staff would be in their hands. When that happens, they¡¯ll make a public announcement to try and draw in more recruits and attention. It was perfect for them.


    "Well, if there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯d like to get going. We have somewhere we need to be," stated Jack. "It was a pleasure doing business."


    Lorwynn nodded and looked to Advisor Wain in the back row. "Take them to the armory and let him choose what he wants. Once he¡¯s satisfied, bring us the weapons he traded us."


    "Y-yes, sir!" Advisor Wain stuttered under the sudden pressure. Not only was the founder himself giving him an order, but it also involved high-level items as well.


    Turning his attention back to Jack, Lorwynn bowed his head and said his goodbye. "I wish you luck on your journey, Jack. Make sure to stop by whenever you need something or would like to talk."


    "If I have a chance, I will."


    With that, Jack and Zariff left the room behind Wain, who was taking them to the armory on the fifth floor.

 Chapter 154 Night in Federal City

    <h4>Chapter 154 Night in Federal City</h4>


    Jack took his time choosing the best weapons possible. He even grabbed a lv. 35 sword for Maura, because her lv. 25 frost sword was as good as a regr peak-tier lv. 30 sword. It was almost a mythic-tier weapon even.


    They made sure to turn in the weapons Jack offered, as well as the refined cleansing powder. After giving Advisor Wain a quick goodbye, both Zariff and Jack took their horses to the inn.


    After riding into town, the meeting, and choosing weapons, It was alreadyte into the afternoon and the sun had started to set. It was about ten minutes of riding until the inn was in their sights.


    "This is the ce. What do you think?" asked Zariff with a yful smile.


    Stunned by luxurious it was, Jack was taken aback. It was huge and magnificent, with white and gold trim on almost everything. The inn had five huge floors and was bustling. Even the sign saying "Heavenly Pce" was over the top and extremely attractive to the eye.


    "This is the ce? You used toe here?"


    "Yeah... I¡¯m not a huge fan of the decorum, but the food is to die for." Zariff shrugged and led them both to the stable in the back.


    Normally, guests would have to tie down their horses, purchase the room, and then take them to the stables. However, Zariff didn¡¯t care since his wife¡¯s family owned the ce. A stable hand tried to stop them after he found out Zariff had no room key, but he just told the young man to ask the owners about him and left with Jack.


    They entered through the back door and made their way through the bottom floor¡¯s restaurant. When they reached the front desk, Zariff asked, "Hey, Molly, have you seen my wife and daughter?"


    "Zariff, you¡¯re finally here! They¡¯re waiting for you in the dining hall. Look for booth 18." The receptionist smiled when she saw Zariff and happily shared the information.


    Zariff thanked her and took Jack to the back corner of the restaurant. In that corner, there were only private booths. It wasmon for high-rollers or wealthy nobles to use such booths, but it would be Jack¡¯s first time.


    They knocked on the door and it was quickly opened. "Come in, dear."


    Following Marisha¡¯s instructions, Jack and Zariff each took a seat. Of course, Marisha made sure to sit with Zariff so that Maura and Jack were sat together too.


    "So, how¡¯d it go back at headquarters?"¡¯ asked Marisha, eyeing her husband.


    At first, he didn¡¯t respond, but he soon opened his mouth and said, "It went alright. I was honorably discharged, and we¡¯ve got quite a sum of gold as a way to thank me. I think we should get a nice little house for ourselves. What do you think, Marisha?"


    "I¡¯d like that." She caressed his arm, happy to know that her husband could finally rx.


    It was torture for her to watch her husband fight the poison, especially after any fights or missions he had. Though he hid it well with hid drinking, Marisha knew how her husband was always in terrible pain.


    "And the poison? Will they cure it?"


    "That--"


    "Yes, they agreed to hunt down the remaining ingredients for the cure and they¡¯ll make it themselves. Also, their searching for a way to lift his curse too." Interjecting, Jack made sure not to mention his deal involving Ponlinne¡¯s staff.


    He didn¡¯t want Marisha or Maura to know about that. If Marisha found out, Jack was afraid that she might try to thank him by sending him and Maura on a date that he couldn¡¯t refuse. Not that he wouldn¡¯t mind it, but Jack didn¡¯t want to pursue any rtionships for the time being. He felt he was too weak, especially after seeing the Adventurers Association¡¯s powerful lineup.


    "That¡¯s great!" shouted Maura. "You¡¯ll finally feel better Papa! But for now, just rx, you¡¯ve already got plenty of savings to live off of. Just enjoy some time with Mom at home."


    Zariff nodded. "Fine, I¡¯ll listen to you, Maura. So, what will you do now? I¡¯m guessing you wanted to go with him, right?"


    Maura blushed when her dad spoke so directly about it. She was still afraid that he would turn her down again and force her to stay.


    "So long as you¡¯re with Jack, I¡¯m okay with it. Just stick close to him, okay?" Zariff smiled at his daughter and turned to Jack. "As for you, take care of my daughter. If anything happens to her, then I¡¯lle looking for you, whether I¡¯m healed or not."


    "Papa! Thank you!" Tears formed in Maura¡¯s eyes after she heard her father. "You¡¯re really okay with me leaving? I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll be back?"


    "It¡¯s fine, just be careful and don¡¯t let him do anything too stupid."


    Marisha stayed quiet, enjoying the moment. She was happy to finally have Zariff allow their daughter to leave and learn to live life. And he was even trying to keep her and Jack together, that was a big plus in Marisha¡¯s eyes.


    "I¡¯ll make sure she¡¯s fine, so don¡¯t worry. Which reminds me..." Taking out a sword from his storage, Jack turned to Maura. "Here, this is for you."


    "What?! Are you serious?" Though she was questioning it, Maura didn¡¯t hesitate to take it from his hands.


    "A sword?" Zariff saw it and was confused. He thought that Jack had chosen it for himself. And why was Maura happy about getting a sword?


    Looking at her daughter, Marisha asked, "Honey, isn¡¯t it about time you told your father?"


    "Time she told me what? What kind of secret did you two keep from me?"


    Maura took a deep breath and nodded to her mother. Then, she looked her father in the eye. "Papa, I¡¯m going to leave to get much stronger and I want to be even stronger than you. I never told you this, but I¡¯m a spell sword, not just a mage like I told you. Are you mad?"


    "A spell sword... My daughter is a spell sword?! That¡¯s amazing!" Zariff shouted for joy. He never thought his daughter would have such a rare ss, why wouldn¡¯t he be excited.


    "Sweety, that¡¯s great! No wonder you were always trying to go out on adventures. With Jack¡¯s help, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll get stronger than me in no time!"


    At first, Zariff didn¡¯t like the thought of his only daughter being stronger than him. But once he knew that she had a rare and powerful subss, his perspective changed. If she kept grinding and pushed herself, she could be one of the strongest people within her level.


    "Since it¡¯s such a great asion, why not celebrate?" asked Jack.


    "We¡¯ve already put in the orders, so the food and drink will be back shortly. Until then, how about you tell us about your mastern, Jack? What¡¯s next on your to-do list?" Marisha turned the tables on him again, but it wasn¡¯t a loaded question so Jack was fine with answering.


    "I¡¯m going to hurry back to Reinolt to get the others and then we¡¯ll start traveling around to the neighboring countries to grind and search for valuable items or dungeons."


    "Oh,e on Jack. We know you¡¯ve got bigger ns than that. Maynard wouldn¡¯t shut up about finding the shrine of the ancient sword god and Rydel mentioned something about going to Trodar earlier."


    Since Marisha didn¡¯t give Jack a chance to avoid the subject, he let out a sigh and answered, "Well, those are part of the n. I¡¯m not 100% sure of everything we¡¯ll do on the way to trodar, but I don¡¯t want to enter Trodar until I¡¯m at least lv. 35," exined Jack.


    "As for that sword god, I still need to talk to Maynard about that. I think there¡¯s a better god for him to pledge to. The goal will be for everyone to pledge to a god and gain their blessings. That way, we¡¯ll have some kind of advantage against people our level. It would help us a lot."


    Hearing that, Maura blinked and asked, "Does that mean you¡¯re going to help me do that too?"


    "Yeah, you¡¯re part of the party, aren¡¯t you?" Jack joked around with her, making Maura feel a little embarrassed in front of her parents. "I¡¯ll exin more about the godster when the whole party is together, that way I don¡¯t repeat myself."


    A knock then came from the door. "It¡¯s me, I¡¯ve got your order ready."


    "Come on in Mom! Now you can finally meet Jack." Marisha yelled at the door, but she never looked away from the table.


    "Oh, he¡¯s here?" As the door slid open a beautiful, mature woman entered the room with arge tray in her hands. She was clearly older than Marisha, but her looks were uncannily simr.


    "It¡¯s so nice to meet you! I¡¯m Marisha¡¯s mother, Martha, but you can just call me grandma like Maura does." Sharing her daughter¡¯s glib tongue, Martha set down five tes on the table; one for each of them and one for herself. "So, I¡¯ve heard so much about you. Tell me, other than her beauty, what is it you like about our little Maura?"


    It was then that Jack realized the night was going to be long and the conversation would be hard to maneuver.

 Chapter 155 Zuran Empires Summoned Hero

    <h4>Chapter 155 Zuran Empire¡°s Summoned Hero</h4>


    Once Jack finally got through the long, dragged out night, he was able to get some rest in his own room. Like the others, Marisha made sure they were all staying on the fourth floor, so all their rooms were well stocked and well furnished.


    In the morning, Jack rolled out of bed with Bowzer. He was happy that he would soon be allowed to travel the world.


    Also, he was looking forward to the moment when he could use those EXP pots to quickly reach lv. 30. Who wouldn¡¯t want that?


    Getting himself an ordinary egg breakfast at the bar, Jack made sure to pay attention to any gossip mentioned around him. When his food arrived, Jack still paid attention to his surroundings to try and learn anything special.


    Sadly, he learned nothing new.


    "Where is he?! Where that new hero at?!"


    A few shouts were heard outside the Heavenly Pce inn, startling the guests. Some of the staff went out to calm the young man who was shouting, but he only got louder.


    "I heard that Reinolt¡¯s new hero was staying here. I came all this way to challenge him to a friendly duel, not even a fight to the death. If he can¡¯t do that much, then he¡¯s a coward that isn¡¯t worth his fame!"


    Hearing that, Jack understood that someone hade for him. Clearly, they weren¡¯t too friendly, and by the sound of it, that young man had a grudge against Reinolt.


    Wondering if it had anything to do with the Zuran Empire, Jack quickly finished his food and stepped outside. There he saw a few people being led by two young men that he didn¡¯t recognize.


    "Someone¡¯s looking for me?"


    When Jack exited the building and introduced himself, that small band of people instantly gave him a once over. They were all disappointed to not be able to see through him, despite being higher leveled than Jack.


    One of the young men in the lead gave Jack a sharp look. "You¡¯re Reinolt¡¯s new hero? What are you supposed to be, a ranger? Are you really a hero ranger?"


    "Shut up, who are you to talk like that, anyway?" asked Jack, not taking his taunts to heart.


    "I¡¯m Bart, the Zuran Empire¡¯s summoned hero. But I was summoned at lv. 24 and have already reached lv. 27." That youth boasted a pompous smile as he looked down on everyone around him.


    Shaking his head, Jack kept walking toward Bart. "You know, level isn¡¯t everything when ites to winning a fight. I¡¯m not as high-leveled as you, but I already know I can beat you in a single move."


    "Is that so?" The other young man showed a cruel smile. "Why not put your money where your mouth is? Do you dare?"


    "And you are...?"


    "I¡¯m Tyrel Zuran, the fifth prince of the Zuran Empire," the young man introduced himself with a bow while he maintained his crooked smile.


    All of a sudden, a certain person came to mind. Before he came to the Polt Federation, Jack had asked Ke if there were some people from the Zuran Empire he should remember given that all countries did trade in Federal City, there were chances that he might run into someone from the Zuran Empire.


    Surprisingly, Jack had run into the very prince who was once betrothed to Ke.


    "The fifth prince, huh? So, what¡¯s so special about that?" mocked Jack. "If you ask me, it sounds like you only talk with your mouths and not your actions. If he wanted, then I would¡¯ve even epted a deathmatch, but I guess you¡¯re too scared to even try that."


    "Shut up! I only offered since we were both summoned heroes and I¡¯m not personally against you. I just want to see if the Reinolt Kingdom¡¯s newest hero. Unless you¡¯re too scared to try..."


    Suddenly a fat sack fell to the ground at Jack¡¯s side, sending the sound of jingling coins. "You wanted to bet, right? Here¡¯s one thousand gold saying that I can win in a single move. Do you dare?"


    Bart looked back at Tyrel, hoping that the young prince would ept the wager.


    Seeing Bart¡¯s confidence and considering the terms of the fight, Tyrel finally agreed and wager another thousand gold of his personal funds.


    "Good, then let¡¯s get this started," shouted Jack. "I¡¯ll give you three attacks. If you can¡¯t finish me in three moves, then I¡¯ll finish it in one move. And don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t kill you or cause you too much pain, only enough to prove that I won."


    Laughing as he pulled out his greatsword, Bart smiled crazily. "Bring it on! It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve had a worthy opponent."


    As Bart charged with a heavy swing of the greatsword, Jack stood still and waited for him.


    The greatsword swung down through the air and aimed for Jack¡¯s shoulders. When he saw Jack¡¯s calm expression, Bart didn¡¯t know what to do. In his frenzy, he pushed harder to produce his strongest possible sword strike.


    However, the moment the sword reached Jack, it appeared to phase through him.


    "Not bad, you can generate more power than amon adventurer. Interesting..." Jack was thinking out loud, making sure that his opponent and his opponent¡¯s party were able to here him.


    "Shut up!" Sending another strike Jack¡¯s way, Bart was furious. He was lv. 27 yet Bart couldn¡¯t even touch another summoned hero that was probably weaker than himself.


    "Is that all you got? Should I even bother with attacking you?"


    Jack¡¯s taunts only got worse after Bart¡¯s second strike also missed Jack miserably. It always looked like it phased through Jack, but in reality, Jack was just using Sudden Death simultaneously to disappear and reappear in the same spot.


    Though the other hero may have noticed under normal conditions, Jack had already sessfully distracted Bart with his constant teasing and kept him from keeping a clear head.


    "Fine, you asked for this, so don¡¯t get too mad when if I identally kill you!" Bart kept yelling, making it easy for everyone in the neighborhood to hear him.


    Sensing the fight, Zariff, Marisha, and Maura walked out to find Bart¡¯s third strike nearing Jack.


    "Jack?!" The moment she saw the greatsword by Jack¡¯s head, her heartbeat sky-rocketed.


    "Calm down, Maura. The brat will be fine, he¡¯s just ying with him first."


    "ying with him?" Maura was shocked at how her father described the fight. However, when she saw that the sword strike didn¡¯t affect Jack at all, she started to understand what her dad meant.


    Bart was livid. He wanted to tear Jack apart for screwing up his mental state and distracting him from his sword¡¯s true power.


    "That makes three attacks. Are you sure you don¡¯t just want to give up now? Then at least you won¡¯t lose all of your dignity, just a portion."


    "Shut up! I¡¯ve had it with you!" Bart stepped forward again to force in another attack.


    Sighing and shaking his head, Jack finally took a step toward Bart. "I said you¡¯d only get three attacks. The fourth one will be mine, and it will also be thest."


    While Bart was getting madder with every step he took, Jack was the opposite. The closer he got to Bart, the calmer and more focused he got.


    As the greatsword came crashing down, something new happened. Jack didn¡¯t just dodge the attack, he had disappeared.


    It didn¡¯t take long for Bart to find Jack because the next moment Bart found a cold de pressed up against his neck.


    "Like I said, If you can¡¯t finish it in three attacks, then I¡¯ll finish it in one." Jack¡¯s tranquil voice only made Bart feel worse.


    Prince Tyrel was speechless. He had just lost one thousand gold in front of a crowd that they had gathered themselves. If he denied the bet, his reputation and the reputation of the Zuran Empire would be a joke throughout Federal City.


    "Of course, you¡¯ve earned it." With that, Prince Tyrel let Jack take away his one thousand gold. When Jack had stored all the gold and his sword, the prince asked, "What¡¯s so great about Reinolt? Why don¡¯t youe with us instead, what do you think? We can offer you way more than the weak Reinolt Kingdom."


    "Thanks, but no thanks. I already have ns and this been enough of a distraction." Jack turned and started walking toward Zariff, Marisha, Maura, and Martha just outside the inn¡¯s main entrance.


    "Oh, by the way, it¡¯s too bad about what happened in Ponlinne. I guess it just wasn¡¯t meant to be between you and the Pon Family¡¯s young mistress."


    Tyrel¡¯s fake smile turned ugly, unable to hide his cruel thoughts. He said nothing, but he decided at that moment that he would eventually kill Jack no matter what in the future.


    When those two and their party left, the street returned to normal and Jack entered the inn with the others to finish their breakfast and their preparations to travel back to Reinolt.

 Chapter 156 Lilliths Literature

    <h4>Chapter 156 Lillith¡°s Literature</h4>


    While Zariff, Marisha, and Maura were enjoying a meal with Martha, Jack was sitting at the side inspecting his system.


    Another achievement had beenpleted without Jack knowing, but it made himugh as he read it.


    [Survive the Shark Tank:pleted]


    [Hold your own in a major transaction with the creator of a financial superpower. Special reward: 35 skill points.]


    Happy to have sixty-five skill points, Jack opened his skill list. Though Jack wanted to eventually buy all of his inheritor¡¯s skills, there was something else that was more important. Since he had already bought the best skills, Jack knew that he would also need more mana now that he was starting to depend on those skills.


    If Jack didn¡¯t have enough mana, then future fights would be far harder. Up to that point, he had mainly fought low-level monsters and enemies. But what about mid-level or high-level opponents?


    The further up in level you go, the more important skills and mana be. Jack can get away with it since he¡¯s still low-leveled, but he wouldn¡¯t be so lucky for long.


    He spent a moment thinking and making a list in his [Journal] tab. There, Jack made note of everything that needed to be done before reaching Trodar. It read like this:


    [Have toplete before Trodar:]


    [-Everyone reaches lv. 35]


    [-Alter Inheritor Pact]


    [-Get disguises for everyone]


    [-Find hidden temples and shrines for each party member.]


    [-Find beastpanions]


    [-Find a way to store beastpanions]


    [-Learn bestial seals]


    Considering everything Jack wanted to do, he knew that Federal City was the perfect ce to find most of what he wanted. And now that he was rich, he could afford to spend his money.


    "What¡¯s on your mind, Jack?" Maura saw that Jack smiling while he stared off into space.


    "Nothing, I¡¯m just thinking about what needs to be down before I can enter Trodar. Which reminds me, where can I find the best market in town and a good auction house?"


    "That¡¯s easy, just let Maura take you around town," Marisha chimed in and gave them both a meaningful look. "Just ask Zariff, gathering supplies for an adventure is a great first date."


    "Mom!"


    "She¡¯s not wrong, sweetie. That¡¯s how your grandfather and I got so close," added Martha. "If you prepare together, it will help youmunicate better and you¡¯ll get to understand each other in no time."


    "Grandma!"


    Jack coughed to clear the air. "Actually, Maura, I am going to need a guide in the city. Even though you¡¯ve been gone for a few years, you grew up and know where the best and most notable ces are. It¡¯ll take all day, but can you please show me around?"


    Not sure how to respond after his mother and grandmother tried to hook them up, Maura hurried through herst few bites of breakfast. "Then let¡¯s go now before it gets too crowded and before they say anything else."


    As they darted out of their private booth, both Marisha and her mother shouted, "Bye, sweetie!"


    "You two... You¡¯re not giving that brat a chance to say no, are you?" Zariffughed, but he wasn¡¯t sure if it was at Jack being manipted or him having no say in Maura¡¯s future rtionships.


    "Of course not, why should we," giggled Martha. "Someone¡¯s got to help those two out, otherwise they¡¯ll take too long and I¡¯ll have to wait for my great-grandbabies."


    "Pfffffffew!!"


    All the ale in Zariff¡¯s mouth was sprayed out like mister. He coughed and tried to regain hisposure after hearing his mother-inw¡¯s bluntness.


    Marishaughed with mother, happy that she wasn¡¯t the only thinking like that.


    *****


    Thanks to their early start, the wide city streets weren¡¯t too crowded yet. Maura and Jack were hurrying and running toward the city¡¯s central square.


    There, as in Reinolt City, was the main marketce. Hundreds of tents and pop-up shops filled the square, and all the major stores had a property either inside the square or just outside of it. That was also where the biggest auction houses were found.


    After an hour of walking, it was still morning as they reached the central square.


    "Here it is, Federal Marketce. Where do you want to go first? Normally, the auction houses don¡¯t open till afternoon and evening, so let¡¯s get everything else first," exined Maura.


    "Okay, then do you know where a good bookstore would be?" asked Jack.


    "Sure, my mom¡¯s friend runs one just outside the square."


    It wasn¡¯t long before they had arrived in front of a good-sized book store. On the front was a sign saying "Lillith¡¯s Literature," but it wasn¡¯t too extravagant like others. Jack felt that it was very much like a mom-and-pop shop, and he liked that.


    Maura took Jack inside to find that the shop was about to open and no other customers had entered yet. "Lilly, it¡¯s me, Maura! Where are you?"


    "Maura? Marisha¡¯s little girl?!"


    A shout came from a back room from behind the counter. In seconds, a slim woman entered the room and jumped over the counter. "Maura, it¡¯s been so long!"


    The two of them hugged each other like long lost friends. In the meantime, Jack was scoping out the shop with his system.


    Surprisingly, a lot of the bookshelves were filled with spell scrolls and spellbooks of all kinds. Jack was guessing that there weren¡¯t many peak-level spells, if any, to choose from, but it was still quite the collection. Then Jack looked behind the counter and found what he was looking for.


    "Lilly, this is Jack. He¡¯s the summoned hero that just entered the Adventurers Association."


    Lilly went wide-eyed when Maura introduced the young man behind her. "Really? You¡¯re the famous new hero we¡¯ve been hearing about?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t say I¡¯m famous. I¡¯m just--"


    "What do you mean? Of course, you¡¯re famous! You were the reason why the Chaos Syndicate failed to take over Reinolt. If that doesn¡¯t make you famous, what will?"


    Jackughed when he heard Lilly exin it like that. "I guess you¡¯re right about that. I¡¯ll have to keep a lower profile in the future, I guess."


    "Anyway, what brings you two here? Are you running an errand for your mom, or is she trying to set you up with this handsome young man?" asked Lilly.


    "Lilly, not you too!" whined Maura. "I¡¯m here because Jack was wanting to visit a book store, so I rmended yours."


    "Maura, you¡¯ll need to find some spells too. You should pick out a few too, you¡¯ll need them," Jack said as he stepped closer to the two of them. "Since you have so many spells, I¡¯ll take a look through them, but what I¡¯m really after is arcane ink and various magical quills."


    Giving Jack a strange look as she reevaluated Jack, Lilly smiled. "Interesting... Are you trying to write your own spell scrolls?"


    "No, I need the best bestial ink pen you have and the finest bestial ink. Also, I need books about bestial seals, pacts, and how they¡¯re both created. Do you think you can help me?"


    "Wow, you¡¯re different. I¡¯ve never met a summoned hero before, but aren¡¯t they supposed to have a normal subss like everyone else?"


    "I¡¯m a special case," answered Jack with a smile.


    Lilly had realized that Jack was different than most people because it should¡¯ve been impossible for Jack to use those items regrly. Rumors said that Jack used both a bow and swords, which was already abnormal. But for Jack to use magical quills and spells should¡¯ve been impossible, but here he was asking for those items.


    "Fine, I¡¯ll help you," replied Lilly. "But only if I can advertise that you¡¯re exclusively shopping here. I¡¯ll even give you a store-wide discount. What do you say?"


    "I¡¯d be happy to." Jack shook her hand, figuratively sealing the deal. "Then I¡¯ll browse your spells while you get my stuff."


    Winking to Maura, Lilly returned to the backroom to gather what Jack requested.


    Maura turned to Jack with a surprised look. "You can use spells and magic too?"


    "Yeah, why not? Remember, I¡¯m a hero, not a warrior or a mage," Jack reminded Maura of his peculiar ss that she had once made fun of.


    "That¡¯s amazing! Then you¡¯ll be even more powerful than a spell sword!"


    "Shh, keep it down and go look for a few spellbooks. I¡¯m paying, so don¡¯t worry about the price. Just get the best, most suitable spells for you, okay?"


    "Alright, thanks, Jack!" She gave him a quick hug and hurried over to the area filled with water spells.


    Jack chuckled to himself and looked back to the many bookshelves in front of him.


    Most people in Kartonia were warriors while some were born with some magical affinity. It wasmon to be born with either or a strong physique or what they called a magical constitution, which allowed people to wield magic. Maura was lucky to inherit both of her parent¡¯s body types, allowing her to be a spell sword. However, her constitution only allowed her to cast water type spells and not any others.


    Assuming that everything was thanks to him being a chosen champion, Jack had discovered that he could wield all types of magic without external stimulus. That was something that not even his past in-game character could do.


    He still had to learn spells from spellbooks, but how could he not take advantage of his perfect magical constitution and his recently increased mana capacity?

 Chapter 157 Fat Goose Auction House

    <h4>Chapter 157 Fat Goose Auction House</h4>


    Making sure to find all peak-tier spells avable, Jack made his way through the aisles. He didn¡¯t find too many, but Jack was still satisfied that he at least found something.


    There were only two peak-tier spells at the moment. One was Lightning Verdict, the same spell that Tarnel from the Lyre Family specialized in. The second spell was an ice type spell called cial Prison, but Jack was going to give it to Maura instead.


    He also grabbed a few high-tier spells for himself, including Fireball, Stunning Blow, Lightning Bolt, and Feather Walk.


    Fireball was a ssic that Jack would be able to spam more often than me Burst. Though me Burst was more explosive, it also costed a lot more mana.


    Stunning Blow was a lightning type spell that coated a weapon or a fist in an enormous amount of static electricity. This wasn¡¯t amonly used spell, but for any spell sword with lightning type spells it was an absolute must. In fact, Maynard chose the Thundercat as his beastpanion in order to mimic this very spell.


    Lightning Bolt was exactly like it sounded. It was a strong bolt of electricity and gave Jack another strong ranged attack. It was more powerful than Fireball and was more difficult to dodge, but it also costed more mana. Jack just wanted it just in case.


    Feather Walk was a silent wind type spell that would be used to enhance one¡¯s speed. It was an easy spell and wasmon among enchanters to use in parties. Also, it was very hard to detect so Jack could use it and people wouldn¡¯t know that he could use wind type spells.


    Jack didn¡¯t want people knowing that he could use all types of spells, so he decided to stick with two types for the time being.


    If Jack¡¯s enemies knew that he could use all types of spells, they would plot to kill him even earlier. But that didn¡¯t matter too much to Jack since he already had plenty of secrets anyway.


    He didn¡¯t worry about finding Ke spells since she hade from a cleric family and already had more than enough spells at the moment. Maybe after lv. 40 she¡¯d need new spells, but till then Jack thought they¡¯d be fine.


    By the time he came up to the front, Lilly was already there with what Jack had requested. "Here¡¯s your two books and your quill and ink. It¡¯s some of the best in town, outside of the auctions of course."


    "How much?"


    "For all this, including the discount, it¡¯ll cost you at least six thousand gold."


    "That much?!" Maura was on her way to the counter when she heard the price.


    "Like I said, it¡¯s the best in the city. And that¡¯s after the discount," Lillyughed and saw the books in Jack¡¯s arm. Her eyes twinkled as she smiled. "But if you include what he¡¯s holding, the price will more than double."


    "Just add these to it and whatever she chose as well," said Jack as he ced his books on the counter. "What¡¯s the final cost?"


    Getting a better look at what Jack put in front of her, Lilly was speechless.


    "Three spell types and both of my peak-tier spellbooks? I hope you¡¯re made of money if you want all this."


    "Just give me a price."


    "Well... For all this, the lowest I can go is twenty thousand gold..."Lilly shook her head in disbelief. Only the wealthiest of noble families or the major organizations ever bought her peak-tier spells, let alone two of them and her highest quality quills and inks.


    "Okay."


    Suddenly, Jack raised his hand and arge chest appeared at his side. "This should cover it."


    Lilly was blown away, unsure if she should believe him or not, while Maura recognized the chest and suddenly felt a lot better.


    "Take a look," stated Jack. Lifting the lid for Lilly, Jack ran his hands through the thousands of resplendent gold coins inside. "Here¡¯s a little over twenty thousand gold, but I want all of my transactions kept secret. You can publicize that I exclusively shop here and like fire and lightning type spells, but nothing more."


    "Yeah... That¡¯s fine..." Overwhelmed by the sheer amount of gold in front of her, Lilly slowly came back to her senses.


    She was over lv. 40 and could guarantee the safety fo her goods, but how could she not be surprised to see Jack whip out twenty thousand gold like it was just spare change? It made her wonder just how rich he was.


    "Also, if you find any peak-tier spells, let me know. And if you ever find any mythic-tier spells, I will purchase them all with no questions asked, no matter the price, so long as you don¡¯t let others know about it. I don¡¯t likepetitive pricing for such items. If I wanted that, I¡¯d go to the auction house," exined Jack. "How does that sound?"


    "You¡¯ve got a deal!"


    Lilly shook Jack¡¯s hand and pushed everything his way. To find such a customer was a once in a lifetime opportunity, so Lilly had to take advantage and ept Jack¡¯s terms. With such a dedicated customer she could aggressively search for better spells without worrying if no one would buy them.


    "Here¡¯s my contact crystal, let¡¯s link them up," added Jack.


    "Let me have it for a second. In the back, I have a mid-tier contact crystal, that way I can even inform you while you¡¯re in neighboring countries. You won¡¯t be able to contact me, but I can give you a heads up about any new spells I find."


    Quickly linking their contact crystals, Lilly rushed to the back and returned to give back his crystal. "Is there anything else I can help you with?"


    "Sure, which auction house do you rmend?"


    Smiling even wider, Lilly took a deep breath. She would get paid a tinymission for every buyer she sent to the auction house she partnered with, and stumbling into a money-bags like Jack was like identally finding a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow.


    "There are three main auction houses, but I¡¯d rmend the Fat Goose." Lilly reached under the counter to grab something to hand to Jack. "Here, with this, they¡¯ll let you in and give you the VIP treatment."


    "Thanks, Lilly! I¡¯ll see you next time you get something good."


    "Bye Lilly, and thank you!"


    Jack handed Maura the cial Prison spell and they stored their things before the said goodbye and left.


    Maura already knew where the Fat Goose Auction House was, so it wasn¡¯t long until they were at its front steps.


    Admiring thevish golden ornament decorating the building, Jack could easily tell that the Fat Goose was a financial powerhouse, evenpared to the Adventurers Association.


    When they neared the entrance, one of the guards looked at them and politely asked, "What business do you have here? Do you already have an emblem?"


    "You mean this?" Jack held up the symbol that Lilly had given him.


    Instantly recognizing the significance of that symbol, the guard bowed to Jack. "Young master, please forgive my impoliteness. Allow me to guide you inside and lead you to one of our lovely escorts."


    Startled, Jack looked at Maura but she was just as confused. Since the man kept bowing, Jack finally responded, "Thank you, please lead the way."


    "May I ask the young master¡¯s name?"


    "It¡¯s Jack."


    "Very well, please follow me, Jack." The guard straightened his back and motioned for them to follow him.


    As they passed through the entrance, the other guards bowed in unison, showing great respect to Jack wherever he went. Soon they reached the main hall with many different people attending to the vast reception counter.


    Walking toward one end of the counter, the guard bowed to a woman on the other side. "Miss, Young Master Jack hase to participate in today¡¯s auctions."


    Having finished speaking, the guard turned and bowed toward Jack onest time before returning to his post outside.


    The woman behind the counter showed a friendly smile and gave Jack a once over. "Young Master Jack, my name is Eliza and I¡¯ll be your attendant today. Please, follow me to the third floor."


    When she mentioned the third floor, Maura started to understand what was going on. Jack wouldn¡¯t know enough to understand, but Maura knew a few things about the auction houses.


    Usually, there was a fee that had to be paid to enter an auction house unless one of the auction houses partners offers an emblem to a well-known customer. However, Maura didn¡¯t know what kind of emblems meant what.


    There were three floors used to view the main auction hall, and the first floor was formon people who paid the fee or received the most basic white emblems. Also, near the back of the first floor were booths for people with a bronze emblem. The second floor was reserved for wealthy nobles that had a silver emblem.


    Unknown to Jack, he was given a gold emblem, which meant he was a customer of the same caliber as a major organization and he would get a private room on the third floor. There he could see everything but no one from the outside could see him.


    Of course, Lilly had good reason to do so considering Jack¡¯s willingness to part with twenty thousand gold. But Jack had no clue that she had given him a fast pass to the top of the social hierarchy within the auction house.

 Chapter 158 Waiting for the Auction to Star

    <h4>Chapter 158 Waiting for the Auction to Star</h4>


    As they left the main hall and started up the stairs, Eliza asked, "Young Master Jack, can I please know what you¡¯re looking for?"


    "I came to see if you have any rare beasts worth my attention, or possibly if you had any bestial storage rings."


    Eliza¡¯s eyes lit up when Jack mentioned something so valuable. To her, it confirmed that he deserved the gold emblem because only people of that status would talk so casually about something so valuable.


    "It¡¯s a good thing you came this weekend. At the end of every week, we host the biggest auction, and you might find what you¡¯re looking for there. Of course, that¡¯s if you¡¯re lucky enough to afford it," exined Eliza.


    "That¡¯s not an issue. If you have it, I¡¯m buying it," stated Jack, oozing confidence. Jack then looked to Maura and added, "If you see anything you like or you think you¡¯ll need, I¡¯ll get it for you."


    "Okay." She blushed when Jack offered her whatever she wanted. It really did feel like she and he were shopping together on a date like her mother suggested.


    Getting the vibe that Jack and Maura were a couple, Eliza asked, "And how should I address your woman, young master?"


    "Um... I--"


    "You can call her Maura." Jack interrupted Maura.


    Though he didn¡¯t want to start a rtionship, given the situation he didn¡¯t want to risk someone trying something with Maura. For that reason, he felt it best to let Eliza think that they were a couple for the time being.


    "Very well, I¡¯ll remember that. Here¡¯s the entrance to the third floor." Eliza stopped at the top of the stairs and opened the door. As they stepped into a new hallway, Eliza pointed to a room to their right and gave them a key.


    "That¡¯s room 6, it¡¯s been reserved for you so feel free to wait inside for the auction to begin. There are all sorts of drinks inside, but there¡¯s also a small contact crystal that connects to the front desk if you want any food or need anything else. After the auction is over, I¡¯lle to find you and help you im your purchases."


    "Thanks, Eliza. We¡¯ll call if you need anything."


    They both bowed to each other, Eliza bowing much lower while Jack only slightly. As they parted ways, Jack pulled Maura into the room and locked the door.


    Looking around, they were blown away. It was the most luxurious ce they had ever seen, beyond their imaginations. There was a chest loaded with frosty energy to store over one hundred different drinks. In the center of the room, there were couches and recliners that felt like clouds. And the view of the stage was stupendous, even though there was no window.


    While Jack was curious about the wall, Maura exined the little she knew about the auction house. "Jack, we should be on the third floor, this is crazy! Only the strongest and most powerful people stay in these rooms. Most noble families can¡¯t even enter here easily."


    "Then, do you know what¡¯s up with this wall?"


    "I¡¯ve heard that it¡¯s special, that anyone inside can see outside but no one outside can see inside. These are the best rooms possible, but why would we be here?"


    Jack moved his fingers around the golden emblem of the Fat Goose Auction House. That was when he realized that is was because of Lilly. It should be because Jack had made an insane purchase that only powerhouse organizations typically make. He was sure that Lilly offered him the golden emblem because of that purchase.


    With a smile, Jack stored the emblem and made a mental note to thank Lilly the next time he purchased something from her. When she said they¡¯d get the VIP treatment, she wasn¡¯t kidding.


    "Look, Jack, the crowd¡¯s starting to enter the other floors."


    They sat down together on the central couch and watch the crowd grow and grow. Soon, a beautiful woman appeared on the auction stage, and both of them recognized her.


    "Eliza?"


    "Ladies and gentlemen, please keep calm and take your seats. This weekend¡¯s great auction will be starting soon," exined Eliza, keeping her warm smile the whole time. "Until then, we¡¯re going to open up with some smaller items to get everyone excited. How¡¯s that sound?"


    The crowd cheered as everyone scrambled to find their seats. All eyes were on the beautiful woman on stage as the curtain behind her opened for the first time.


    "To kick things off, we¡¯re going to auction off a newly created as of the world!"


    Eliza stepped back toward arge book on a pedestal. "This as is the most recent and urate to date. It gives you a detailed view of each nation¡¯s topography and geography. Also, it gives brief descriptions for each region depicted on its many pages. It is the cartographer¡¯s masterpiece that took over ten years toplete and perfect."


    Not too many people were interested but they all thought it was interesting and fitting to be an item sold during the opening act.


    In his private room, Jack took a deep breath and made sure not to jump the gun. He wanted that as and he was going to get it no matter the price, but he didn¡¯t want toe off too hard too early either.


    "Remember, here at the Fat Goose we¡¯re able to trade for both gold and other items. So long as the auction house acknowledges the trade as fair, it will happen," exined Eliza. "Now, let¡¯s start the auction off at one thousand gold for the world¡¯s greatest as!"


    "One thousand!"


    The first bid sounded out loud and clear. Itsted for a couple of moments until a second and a third followed it. It quickly reached three thousand gold, but the bids were slowing down.


    "Three thousand two hundred!"


    As Jack¡¯s voice rang out from the room, everyone in the crowd and on the stage could somehow hear him. When everyone realized that voice hade from the third floor, no one dared bid again. They wouldn¡¯t want to offend anyone that powerful and they were all certain that whoever was in that room had more money than them.


    Noticing that it was Jack bidding on the as, Eliza chuckled to herself. "Three thousand two hundred going once! Going twice! Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Suddenly, the sound of a gong filled the room. The book and pedestal were taken away and reced with the next item for auction.


    It was a set of lv. 30 high-tier armor. Most everybody on the first floor went wild over it, but Jack and the others on higher floors didn¡¯t care about that.


    Smiling, Jack felt excitement welling up inside of him. It was his first-ever experience with an auction and he was considered a high-roller with too much coin to spend. He liked the sense of thrill frompeting with bids.


    "Congrattions, Jack! You got the as." Maura was d to see Jack so happy. Just a while ago, she was only able to see coldness in his eyes and he would always keep his distance. Now, he was smiling and filled with enthusiasm like the first time she had met Jack.


    "Don¡¯t mention that, it¡¯s just a coincidence that I needed some maps to help our travels. And what better than that great as," Jackughed and grabbed himself a bottle of fine wine. Pouring himself a ss, he nced back to Maura and asked, "Do you want some?"


    "Sure." Maura grabbed a ss for herself and happily joined him for a drink. "What else are you trying to find. You mentioned something earlier about a special ring, right?"


    "Bestial rings," corrected Jack. "Bestial rings are special storage rings that can store living breathing creatures for a certain amount of time. Their at least peak-tier and the lowest levels avable are lv. 30. Those ones can store beasts for up to a week without them needing toe out for air. The higher-level ones are better, but they¡¯re rarer as well."


    Surprised that Jack would even know about such an item, Mauraughed and took another sip of wine. Every time she learned more about Jack¡¯s ns, she would realize how much Jack knew about the world and how little she knew herself.


    "Eliza mentioned that we may find what we¡¯re looking for, so I¡¯m excited for the actual auction to start. All of these items are good, but it¡¯s only the opening act."


    They looked back to the stage and watched it go on for a while. After almost an hour, the entire room was packed to the brim and they were bringing out the final item before the auction would officially begin.


    Jack wasn¡¯t paying too much attention, but thatst item caught Jack¡¯s eye and piqued his curiosity.


    Doing her job, Eliza riled up the crowd to get ready for the auction to begin. "And finally, before we start the auction, we at the Fat Goose are offering this rare monster fossil. It¡¯s a fossilized egg and we have no clue what it once was. Though it¡¯s useless to keep and hatch, it¡¯s still a rarity so we felt it was worth at least two thousand gold as a starting bid."

 Chapter 159 The Auction Begins

    <h4>Chapter 159 The Auction Begins</h4>


    The audience was silent. Most everyone there thought it was interesting, but they had nothing to do with it. Plus, they had alle with a purpose in mind and typically only carried enough gold for what they wanted. They didn¡¯t want to waste their chancester on something with no purpose.


    "Two thousand gold!"


    A voice sounded out from the second floor, catching people¡¯s attention.


    "Very well. Two thousand going once! Going twice--"


    "Two thousand five hundred!"


    Again, Jack¡¯s voice sounded out through the room.


    "Two thousand seven hundred and fifty!" That same person on the second floor called out, daring to challenge Jack.


    "Four thousand!"


    Showing that he meant business and that he would always get what he wanted, Jack instantly jumped the price again. It was like he was daring everyone to try and take what was already his. He wanted that egg and he was willing to pay far more for it if he needed to.


    Since Jack proved to be stubborn, that person on the second floor stopped bidding and let Jack have it. Any more and that man wouldn¡¯t be able to afford what he wanted in the first ce.


    "Four thousand going once! Going twice! Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Stepping back behind the closing curtains, Eliza disappeared and everyone understood what that meant. The auction was about to begin.


    "Yes!" Jack shouted to himself in excitement. "We got it!"


    "We got what? What¡¯s so special about that fossil?" asked Maura.


    He only shook his head and looked her in the eye. "Now not the time to talk about it,ter okay?"


    It didn¡¯t take long for Eliza to reappear on stage, wearing a brand new outfit that was more revealing and entuated her curvaceous body.


    "Everyone, it¡¯s finally time to begin the auction!"


    That being said, the curtain opened and showed a dazzling chest te on disy. It was bronze, but the workmanship was very intricate. Any young noble would have loved to have it.


    "This is a lv. 25 peak-tier chest te. This is only the beginning, but let¡¯s start the auction at four thousand gold!"


    "Four thousand!¡¯


    "Four thousand one hundred!"


    "Five thousand!"


    The bids started going wild as the people all chipped in for the first item. These first items would all be catered to those on the first level, that way regr people would be able toe without the wealthy nobles buying everything. The noble¡¯s won¡¯t buy what they already. Have.


    Eventually, the chest te sold for over seven thousand gold to someone in a booth on the first floor.


    When the next item was revealed, the crowd went wild again for the lv. 25 peak-tier sword. This cycle had started and hardly anyone on the second or third floor would be interested in anything for a while.


    Maura wasn¡¯t like Jack, though. She saw those lv. 25 items and felt that they were really good. It was clear on her face that she liked that sword.


    "Don¡¯t you already have an amazing lv. 25 frost sword?"


    Woken up by Jack¡¯sment, Maura blushed. "Yeah, it¡¯s just that I like swords. I was even thinking about asking for lessons from Maynard so I can dual-wield."


    "You want to dual wield?" Jack was surprised to hear that the gentle, caring Maura wanted to be a master killer. "If you want to, then go for it. But don¡¯t think about using that sword there; it¡¯s not fit for dual-wielding. Maybe if you were stronger like your old man, but you should focus on light and fast swords. The frost sword will work, but I guess you¡¯ll need another..."


    Leaving Maura in suspense, Jack started looking through his [Inventory] tab to quickly search the contents of his storage bracer. Almost a minute passed before Jack smiled and a second sword appeared in his hand.


    "Here, this should work for the time being. It¡¯s at least as good as the one on stage, but it¡¯s lv. 30 and is a short sword, like your frost sword."


    "But--"


    "And don¡¯t worry about needing another lv. 30 sword because that frost sword is special. I¡¯d guess that it¡¯s almost a mythic-tier weapon, so it¡¯ll do just fine until you reach lv. 35," exined Jack.


    At a loss for words, Maura smiled and bowed her head to Jack. "Thank you!" She felt slightly helpless whenever Jack just gave her things without asking anything in return. But if she ever tried to offer something, Jack would just say that those in his party can have only the best weapons.


    "Keep your eye on the stage. If you see any lv. 30 armor that you want, I¡¯ll get it, okay?"


    A silent nod was enough to answer his question. Then, they both looked back down and paid close attention to what items wereing and going.


    Sadly, they didn¡¯t see any armor fitting for Maura. Since that was the case, Jack would just offer her and the others some decent armor from the spoils of Ponlinne¡¯s tomb.


    "Next, we have a rare dark type spellbook. Surprisingly, it¡¯s peak-tier and came from an anonymous source. However, we can guarantee that no royal family in Kartonia has ess to this spell. Now¡¯s your only chance to get the only copy in the continent, so the bidding now starts at ten thousand gold!"


    The first floor went silent after Eliza¡¯s announcement of the price. Everyone on the first floor turned around to watch and see those wealthy and powerful people finally start fighting for treasures.


    "Ten thousand!"


    "Eleven thousand!"


    "Eleven thousand five hundred!"


    A bidding war among the second and third floors erupted and the price soared. Before they knew it, the price had paused momentarily at fifteen thousand five hundred.


    "Remember, this is your only chance to get your hands on this one-of-a-kind spell!" shouted Eliza, trying to stir up the bidding once again. "Fifteen thousand five hundred going once! Going--"


    "I have a question!"


    The shout came from the third floor and caused Eliza to pause again as she hoped another bid woulde from it. "Yes, go ahead."


    "You still haven¡¯t given us the name of the spell, why is that?" asked Jack.


    With an uncertain smile, Eliza answered, "That¡¯s because we don¡¯t know its name. We had our mages double-check the quality of the spell, but they weren¡¯t able to ascertain the name of this mysterious spell. If it¡¯s not a peak-tier spell, in the end, we at the Fat Goose will offer a full refund."


    Surprised to see how confident Eliza was in such a mysterious product, Jack smiled again and shouted, "Seventeen thousand gold!"


    Everyone was surprised again by Jack¡¯s antics. Those who were keeping track of his purchases were going crazy with envy. Including the other two items Jack had bought, Jack had offered a total of twenty-four thousand and two hundred gold. That was crazy!


    Even the people on the second and third floors were staring at Jack¡¯s room in shock. Who was the man inside there, and why did he have so much money?


    The man who had previously bid fifteen thousand and five hundred gold shook his head and said, "Let that young master have it, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have a good use for it."


    "Thank you, sir," Jack replied as well, showing his gratitude to the man for not forcing Jack to spend more than necessary.


    "In that case, we have seventeen thousand going once! Going Twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Excited that he won another peak-tier spell, especially a dark type spell, Jack rxed a little more.


    "Jack, how much do you n to spend?" asked Maura, who was even more shocked than the crowd. Today alone she had seen Jack give up more than forty-four thousand gold!


    "What¡¯s the point of having money if not to spend it? Besides, I¡¯m only getting items that are more than worth their value in gold," reasoned Jack. "If you think that¡¯s a lot, I¡¯m willing to part with everything I have on me if I¡¯m able to get everything that I¡¯m after."


    When Maura heard that statement, her heartbeat slowed down. She was the only person who knew just how rich Jack was. If he gave up over one dozen chests¡¯ worth of gold and tinum, everyone inside the auction house would go into a rage and storm Jack¡¯s room in anger.


    Little did Maura know that Jack hadn¡¯t shown her all of the chests filled with gold, so he still had plenty to spend. And since everything he was determined to get was for the betterment of himself or his party, Jack didn¡¯t see it as a loss.


    "Next up is a rare medical ingredient from the other side of the world. It¡¯s rarely found and even more rarely harvested. Starting at seven thousand gold, we have a vial of life tree dew!"


    Jack¡¯s ears perked up, as well as everyone else¡¯s. "Life tree dew..." Finally, Jack had found the rarest of the ingredients needed for Zariff¡¯s antidote. Though it wasn¡¯t originally part of the n, Jack decided that he would get it no matter what.

 Chapter 160 Throwing Money At Your Problems

    <h4>Chapter 160 Throwing Money At Your Problems</h4>


    "Seven thousand gold!"


    "Eight thousand--"


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    Those on the third floor finally started taking action. Without pause, the price rose past fifteen thousand gold.


    "Eighteen thousand gold!"


    "Twenty thousand gold!"


    No matter who bid it up, there was someone in room 2 on the third floor who would instantly raise the price. His approach was aggressive and overbearing. Clearly, this was the item that the man hade for.


    "Twenty--"


    "Twenty-two thousand gold!" That same man wouldn¡¯t let Jack get a word in. However, this time, since the man knew Jack had money to spend, he added a few words. "Sir, please allow us, the Adventurers Association to purchase this item. We need it urgently and will pay anything to get it, we will even owe the kind sir a favor."


    Surprised that the man was from the association, Jack was hesitant about what to do next. A part of him wanted to raise the price and see how much they wanted the life tree dew, or more urately, how much they wanted Ponlinnes.


    But Jack decided to not bother them and allowed them to take it. It would reach Zariff either way and Jack wasn¡¯t sure if he would have to bid against the associationter in the auction.


    "Very well, but if you and I go after the same item again, I hope you¡¯re willing to give it up like I am with this precious life tree dew," stated Jack.


    "Of course, then you very much, kind sir!"


    The room went quiet again, going from heightened bids to a calm chat. Others all respected the Adventurers Association a little more after seeing them spend so much coin like it was nothing as well as sessfully throw their weight around. Who would dare oppose them?


    "Twenty-two thousand going once! Going twice! Sold to the Adventurers Association!"


    "Gong!"


    Finishing the countdown, Eliza winked at the crowd while the next item was brought out for all to see. "This one is a lv. 30 halberd, peak-tier of course. The bids will start at five thousand gold."


    While the first floor filled with excitement, some people on the second floor starting to join in on the fun as well.


    Still, the only item to rile up those on the third floor was the life tree dew. No one was disappointed though because they all knew that a bidding war could break out at any minute. It was only a matter of time until the best treasures would be brought out.


    The halberd sold for almost twelve thousand gold to an old man in a booth on the first floor. He was ecstatic to win the bid, looking years younger from his enthusiasm alone.


    More lv. 30 items followed and Jack started to understand the pattern.


    They would gradually sell items of higher levels. Whenever the energy of the crowd would start to die, Eliza would bring out a major treasure to boost morale again. The system was quite clever and helped keep people in the mood to spend plenty of money.


    "Jack, shouldn¡¯t we get some of these?" asked Maura.


    "Nah, let them fight over them. We¡¯ve got much better gear since I traded a few things with the association, remember?"


    Taking another sip of her wine, Maura giggled, "Oh yeah... I forgot."


    Jack was surprised to see that Maura was looser and more rxed than he had ever seen her. "Maura, are you drunk?"


    "No... Of course not," replied Maura who only drank more so that she wouldn¡¯t be able to answer.


    Seeing her acting silly and enjoying her drink, Jack alsoughed and started to rx a bit. Unlike Maura, his drink was usually found on the side table and not in his hands. He didn¡¯t dare lose focus on the auction because there were too many things that would be useful to him at the moment.


    After some time, the curtains closed behind Eliza. As some special items were being prepared, Eliza spoke up and made sure to keep the crowd¡¯s attention.


    "Everyone, it¡¯s time for us to bring out some more special items to liven things up. While they prepare them, allow me to exin what these rare items are. Behind that curtain, we have three lv. 30 bestial rings for sale!"


    Jumping to his feet, Jack was d to find exactly what they were looking for. He, along with the rest of the room, listened carefully to the beautiful hostess of the auction to learn more.


    "For those that don¡¯t know, bestial storages contain a special pocket of space. Inside, you can store beasts for up to one week without worrying about them being able to breathe. Right now, we¡¯ll be selling three in a row and there are still more toeter, so don¡¯t worry too much if you can¡¯t grab one of the first three today," exined Eliza. "Now, who¡¯s ready to make the first bid, starting at ten thousand gold?"


    "Fifteen thousand gold!"


    Jack¡¯s shout stunned everyone for a moment. Many looked at his room, some with anger and some with jealousy. From thest bet Jack made, they had all learned that he still had plenty of money and only backed down for the favor from the association. But could everyone do something like that and could it happen again?


    No one wanted to chance it so they decided to let time pass.


    Eliza saw this and shook her head while smiling. She knew that they just wanted Jack to hurry up and run out of money but they didn¡¯t want to offend him either. If they would let Jack have this one, then maybe he wouldn¡¯t fight for the others.


    "Fifteen thousand gold going once! Going twice! Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    d that no one contested him, Jack had practically stolen the ring in his own opinion. And to him, it only made him more anxious to purchase the other two rings.


    "Alright, we¡¯ll start the bid for the second ring at the same price, ten thousand gold. Who¡¯s first?"


    "Fifteen thousand gold!"


    Again, amazement filled the room as everyone looked back to Jack¡¯s private room. He still wanted more?


    "Sixteen thousand--"


    "Twenty thousand gold!"


    Jack wasted no breath and immediately raised the price by five thousand the moment someone tried to outbid him. It was frightening because he didn¡¯t let hispetitor finish speaking.


    "Twenty thousand gold gong once! Going twice--"


    "Twenty-one thousand--"


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    Using the same strategy on his nextpetitor, Jack silenced the room and had practically taken over the auction for a moment.


    Wide-eyed and smiling, Eliza was extremely happy inside. She had chosen to be that young master¡¯s attendant and now she knew how much it could impact her stance in the Fat Goose Auction House.


    For those that wanted to climb higher in the ranks within the Fat Goose, it was always best for them to make connections with the highest spenders. That way, they would be regr attendants for the same people and be able to build a rtionship over time. And since she was Jack¡¯s first attendant and Jack proved to be wealthy beyond their imagination, she could practically guarantee that she¡¯d be his attendant time and time again. That could possibly boost her standing in the Fat Goose dramatically.


    "Twenty-five thousand going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Since Jack was throwing out gold left and right like it was a child¡¯s ything, no one wanted to contend with him. And, from the look of it, someone would have to pay way too much to evenpete for it.


    The other wealthy people interested in the ring decided to try their luck with ater ring. Since the auction house admitted that this was only the first batch of rings to be sold, they all guessed that there was plenty more to try and get.


    "Now for the third and final one of this batch. I¡¯ll tell you now, there are still another two batchesingter and one very special batch as well. The bidding will start now for ten thousand gold!¡¯


    "Fifteen thousand gold!"


    A strange mixture of shock and silence filled the room. No one could keep themselves from thinking that Jack was insane and that he had far too much money to spend. What group would be willing to part with so much gold at once when they¡¯ve already bought two of the same ring?


    "Sixteen--"


    "Twenty thousand gold!"


    The person who wanted topete with Jack was wearing an irritated expression on his face. He was on the second level, but only because he was a lower prince from a country on the continent¡¯s edge and not it¡¯s center.


    "Prince Tyrel, perhaps it¡¯s best to wait for the next batch of rings," whispered an old man behind the prince. "I know you want a ring, but there¡¯s more toe and surely that man won¡¯t have an infinite supply of gold. Surely, he has a limit and he should reach it very soon if he hasn¡¯t already."


    "Fine..." grumbled Tyrel. He stayed silent and let Jack take the item.


    "Twenty thousand going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "Now give us a minute to prepare the next few items, so please excuse me." Eliza bowed to the crowd and disappeared behind the closing curtain.

 Chapter 161 How Much Gold Can One Man Have?!

    <h4>Chapter 161 How Much Gold Can One Man Have?!</h4>


    Inside Jack¡¯s room, one person was startled beyond belief and the other was overwhelmingly happy. A few minutes passed and Eliza had yet to return to the stage, but a tiny knock came to Jack¡¯s door.


    "Who could that be?" Getting up after such a long time sitting, Jack stretched himself and walked over to the door. Unsure who it could be, Jack looked through the peephole and saw a friendly, familiar smile on the other side. "Come in."


    As Jack opened the door, Eliza walked in, acting even more respectful than before. "Young Master Jack, I¡¯m sorry to disturb you. I¡¯ve been sent here to verify that you can afford the things you¡¯ve purchased as well as bring them to you. So far you¡¯ve bought a world as, a fossilized egg, a dark type peak-tier spell, and now three bestial rings. You¡¯re total is eighty-four thousand and two hundred gold. Can we make the exchange now?"


    "Of course, I¡¯m happy you¡¯ve already brought me my things!" Jackughed as four chests appeared around him. "Here you are, feel free to take a look and count it all. I may have given a bit too much, but just consider that a delivery tip. You¡¯ll get the same if you bring me my things in a simr fashion next time, as well."


    "Next time... Young Master Jack, do you still n to keep purchasing items?" Eliza asked, thinking that Jack wouldn¡¯t have much left after she saw the four chests.


    "Of course I am, I still need more bestial rings!"


    "Young Master Jack, here are your things. I have something I need to report and I¡¯ll be right back, okay?" Eliza said a few words as she threw Jack a ring and then stored the four chests.


    "Very well, we¡¯ll be waiting for you here."


    With that, Eliza vanished and left the room. Within minutes she was back and her smile was even more resplendent. "Jack, I spoke with the managers and considering the amount of gold you¡¯ve spent and are still willing to spend, they¡¯ve decided to offered you a tinum emblem in exchange for you gold one. Here it is."


    Too curious about the sudden change of emblems, Jack asked, "What does this mean, exactly? What¡¯s the difference between gold and tinum emblems?"


    "Very few people throughout the continent have tinum emblems; you can count them on one hand, so you¡¯ll be the fourth person to receive one. From now on, this private room is yours indefinitely and you¡¯re also allowed to browse our warehouses personally. Doing that, you¡¯ll be able to make private offers outside of auctions is you wish, though we can¡¯t guarantee that we¡¯ll ept them if we don¡¯t feel it¡¯s worth it on our end."


    "Also, I¡¯ll be your dedicated attendant whenever you visit us. If you wish, we can connect your contact crystal to ours so that I can keep you aware of any precious items you might be after. How does that sound? You¡¯ll even be allowed free room and board here whenever you¡¯re in town, as well as food of course."


    "Wow, I¡¯ll dly ept the upgrade!" Jack immediately agreed after hearing the free benefits. He was basically offered the royal treatment for doing whatever he wanted.


    The Fat Goose may have appeared too generous, but they knew exactly what they were doing. With three major auction houses inside Federal City, how could they not try and rope in such a massive spender like Jack by any means necessary? His spending alone would earn them more than amon auction.


    Switching the emblems, Eliza curtsied to Jack. "This is great news! There is one thing I need to ask. Are you with any organization, and if so can you please tell me which one?"


    Scratching his head, Jack thought for a moment before he answered, "The organization I¡¯m with is only in its initial phases of growth, but in time we¡¯ll reveal more of our strength."


    "And which organization is that?" Eliza was even more curious now.


    "Will this information be confidential?"


    "All information involving our tinum guests is entirely confidential and impossible for other¡¯s purchase. Your secret identity is safe with us."


    "Alright, then I¡¯ll tell you but make sure not to inquire of me or my guild further. If you do, then I¡¯ll have to find a different auction house to help acquire my many needs," warned Jack, making sure to appear top-secret and stern. "I¡¯m with the Leisure Guild."


    "Leisure Guild..."


    Chuckling to herself, Eliza was wondering what the higher-ups would think when they heard that Jack was with the Leisure Guild. Eliza knew of it but she knew very little and that it¡¯s former grandeur had dwindled into a minor guild in Trodar. But if Jack was really from there, did that mean there was a lot more to the guild than anyone knew?


    "Thank you, Young Master Jack. For now, I must return to the stage. Once the auction is over, you can stay here and I¡¯lle to bring you your goods personally. Again, thank you for your patronage." She bowed to both Jack and Maura, leaving them with a very strong first impression.


    "Maura, what do you think?"


    "I think you¡¯re spending too much..." While Jack was alert and attentive, Maura was drunk and unfocused. "Shouldn¡¯t you save some for me too?"


    "Who said I haven¡¯t?" Jack joked around with the drunken Maura, sure that she wouldn¡¯t remember much of the auction the following day. "Let¡¯s get back to the auction, shall we?"


    Like Eliza had said to Jack, she soon after reappeared on the stage and riled up the crowd. But instead of offering more armor and items, she presented another batch of bestial rings. It was probably due to the time she was away and they wanted to reignite everyone¡¯s passion to spend money.


    "Here¡¯s another three bestial rings of the same quality and type. After these, there is onest batch and another special batch of bestial rings. Like before, we¡¯re starting at ten thousand gold."


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    "..."


    When Jack didn¡¯t immediately respond with a higher bid, the others all felt better. If Jack wasn¡¯t bidding, then maybe he had finally reached his limit. No one else dared spend so much before the auction¡¯s final item was up for grabs.


    "Eleven thousand gold!"


    "Thirteen thousand gold!"


    The bids came left and right. Since the man with the deepest pockets was joining the bid, no one was afraid to finally startpeting for the items. Very quickly, the price reached neen thousand gold and the bids were slowing.


    "Twenty thousand gold!" shouted Prince Tyrel from the Zuran Empire.


    "Twenty thousand gold going once! Going twice..." Eliza¡¯s pause felt a hair longer than usual as she looked up to Jack¡¯s room with a suspicious nce.


    Unlike the rest of the room, she knew that Jack was nowhere near his limit and that he wanted these items in particr.


    As if her nce had predicted the future, that same voice left Jack¡¯s room yet again to stun the crowd.


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    Tyrel¡¯s face twisted and contorted in fury. When he finally felt he would get a bestial ring for himself, that same annoying voice reappeared and stole his thunder.


    "Prince Tyrel, he should be at his limit now. No one would dare give so much gold to a young man," reasoned the old man behind Tyrel.


    "Fine... we¡¯ll wait since there¡¯s another batch..." Tyrelined to the royal advisor, agreeing only because he felt he had no choice.


    "Twenty-five thousand going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "Alright, on to the next one for another ten thousand gold," immediately going into the next auction, Eliza hurried the crowd to bid.


    "Ten thousand!"


    "Fourteen thousand!"


    Again, the bids went on without Jack and the others raised the price over and over again. But the moment it started to stall, a familiar voice rang out and angered everyone.


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    "Twenty-five thousand gold going once! Going twice..."


    The extra-long pause was a test to see if anyone daredpete with Jack, but it proved unnecessary.


    "Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    With every bid Jack won, Eliza¡¯s smile became more brilliant. How could she not be happy that the person she was in charge of was spending more than anyone even thought possible? Her stance in the Fat Goose would sky-rocket after this!


    "Now, we¡¯ll sell thest of this batch. Who will offer ten thousand gold for it?"


    Silence. Not a soul dared make a bid. Everyone had the same thought and fear. No matter what they offered, Jack would trample over them with his money.


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    This time, Jack took advantage of the situation and offered ten thousand gold to start everything off.


    "Ten thousand gold going once! Going twice--"


    "Eleven thousand gold!"


    The counter shocked the audience and Jack as well. Jack looked and saw Prince Tyrel on the second floor staring at his private room. A cold smile appeared on Jack¡¯s face when he saw that Tyrel dared bid him up.

 Chapter 162 Bringing About Their Own Misery

    <h4>Chapter 162 Bringing About Their Own Misery</h4>


    "Fifteen thousand--


    "Sixteen thousand gold!"


    "Twenty thousand--"


    "Twenty-one thousand gold!"


    Tyrel¡¯s aggressive counters kept the crowd in suspense. Someone dared counter that person and what would happen in the end? They were excited to see such a bidding war take ce.


    "Twenty-five--"


    "Twenty-six thousand gold!"


    "Your highness, if you¡¯re not careful then we won¡¯t have enough for theter items. Please, be prudent with your spending," warned the royal advisor.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just trying to force him to dry out his stash. Once he¡¯s out, then everyone will thank us and we¡¯ll get what we need," answered Tyrel, paying the old man little attention.


    "Thirty thousand gold!"


    "Thirty-one thousand gold!"


    "..."


    "Thirty-one thousand gold going once!"


    "Thirty-five thousand gold!"


    When Jack momentarily hesitated to raise the bid, Tyrel smiled evilly. If that¡¯s the case, the impulsive Jack should almost be at his limit. "Thirty-six thousand gold!"


    "Thirty-six thousand gold going once! Going twice..."


    As the long pause came, Tyrel looked proud and felt aplished. He had shown everyone that he wasn¡¯t someone that could be toyed with and forced the auction¡¯s biggest spender to waste his money. Now, he should be able to get what he wanted without worry.


    "Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "WHAT?!" Tyrel shouted at the top of his lungs and stared back at the stage in disbelief.


    "Congrattions, you¡¯ve secured thest bestial ring of this batch, young prince. Now we¡¯ll move on to a few more items before bringing out the next batch of bestial rings."


    While some people on the first floor were excited to see the lv. 35 items start to arrive, most everyone was staring at the angry prince and a particr room on the third floor.


    Furious, Prince Tyrel red at that private room on the third floor. He was supposed to only spend twenty thousand on a bestial ring and a maximum of twenty-five thousand. Now, thanks to whoever was inside that room, he had spent thirty-six thousand gold, destroying his bidding budget. How was he going to afford the final items?!


    "I¡¯m Tyrel, prince of the Zuran Empire! Who are you to dare belittle and trick me?!"


    "Your highness!" This time the royal advisor yelled back but finished with his normal voice. "There are times where you must prove your bearing and keep calm. Don¡¯t make a fool of yourself in front of the other nations."


    "You chose to make the bid, not me. You wanted topete, you won. Don¡¯t me me for your victory."


    Jack¡¯s response caused the others on the second and third floors to swallow some saliva. That mysterious buyer had used the Zuran prince as an example of what would happen if you try andpete. This was a lesson that everyone would remember.


    Hearing that, both Tyrel and the royal advisor were grinding their teeth. The man dared to call the prince¡¯s heavy spending a victory? He was obviously making fun of the prince.


    "Keep calm, your highness. There¡¯s nothing we can do about it anymore."


    "We should try to--"


    "No more! You won¡¯t be allowed topete with him again. You got the item you wanted and now I¡¯ll handle the rest of the bids." The Zuran prince may have been the face of that party, but why would the Zuran Empire leave it all to him without having sent someone to handle things in emergencies?


    The royal advisor was sent for that reason and he would now take control of all further business. Sadly for the prince, that meant he had proved himself too irresponsible and failed the test of this journey he was sent on.


    People on both the second and first floors were winning various items and time passed at a decent pace. Eventually, thest batch of bestial rings appeared.


    "Ten thousand gold to start off the bids. Who will it be--"


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    "..."


    Jack instantly made the first bid before Eliza could finish speaking. Normally she would take offense, but this time it made her happy.


    No one dared offend Jack this time. After what happened to the Zuran prince, they all let Jack take the first ring and would try for the second and third.


    "Ten thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    With six bestial rings imed and purchased, Jack felt satisfied with the Fat Goose Auction House. He had found some of the most important items he needed and at a good price and formed a great rtionship for future business. Plus, he was able to mess with Prince Tyrel, and that was well worth his spending.


    "As for the next bestial ring, we¡¯ll start it off with ten thousand gold again."


    "..."


    When Jack didn¡¯t make a bid, the other¡¯s on the third floor heaved a sigh of relief. They understood that Jack was done chasing the bestial rings.


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    "Thirteen thousand gold!"


    The bids raced on and someone soon reached twenty-two thousand gold. Everyone stared at that private room on the third floor, wanting to know what would happen.


    "Twenty-two thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    As the gong sounded, the entire crowd was happy. That crazy money-bags had finally stopped taking the bestial rings!


    Thest bestial ring was purchased for twenty-six thousand gold, most likely from someone that was sent for that item specifically. Why else would he offer so much? Not everyone was as rich as Jack.


    "Moving on, we¡¯ll now bring out the lv. 40 items and give you a range of options to choose from. They¡¯re all peak-tier, so don¡¯t think you¡¯ll get them for too cheap. This spear will be first and the bidding will start at ten thousand gold."


    Maura and Jack watched on, not caring for any peak-tier equipment. What he wanted to know was what was special about the next batch of bestial rings? Also, what would be the final item that had attracted so many influential people?


    The spear sold for sixteen thousand gold and the bids continued for some time. It was already evening by the time all lv. 40 items were sold and the next special items were wheeled out.


    "These are the special bestial rings I mentioned earlier. These are peak-tier lv. 40 rings which the Fat Goosemissioned a long time ago. Now, they¡¯ll finally be sold here. The bidding will start at twenty thousand gold!"


    Eliza¡¯s announcement struck the crowd dumb. Not only were they lv. 40 but the bidding started at twenty thousand gold?


    Special items would almost always sell for at least twice their starting price, if not more. They all knew these three rings would be the most expensive items yet. It would be a battle between the third floor.


    "Twenty thousand gold!" One private room started the bid causally.


    "Twenty-two thousand!"


    "Twenty-five thousand!"


    "Forty thousand gold!"


    Just when people were wondering if the money-bags on the third floor had reached his limit, Jack raised the price by fifteen thousand in a single shot. He wanted everyone to know that he wanted the first ring.


    "Forty thousand gold going once! Going twice..."


    "Wait!" Another young voice rang out from a private room. "I don¡¯t have more gold, I can offer a lv. 45 peak-tier sword. Would that be enough?"


    Eliza chuckled, "We¡¯ll have to check it out but it may--"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 50 peak-tier shield."


    That calm, confident voice cut-off Eliza and startled the young man who had offered the sword.


    A moment passed without a response before Eliza replied, "A lv. 50 peak-tier shield will definitely work, so no inspection will be needed. Young master, do you have anything to counter?"


    "I have nothing to beat such a great deal. I¡¯ll wait for the next ring," stated that young man. "Also, I hope that his excellency can forgive the Aazoon Kingdom for raising the price. If you wish, pleasee and visit us, it would be an honor."


    With his invitation on the table, that young man stopped talking and let the auction continue.


    Everyone was startled to hear the young man¡¯s final words. Even more surprising, the young man had offered that mysterious buyer to visit the Aazoon Kingdom as a guest of honor. Only a prince could make such an invitation.


    "Thank you." That was all Jack said in reply, not wanting to hold up the auction or ept in the open.


    That Aazoon prince said nothing more but he smiled. He found Jack amusing and could tell that whoever was bidding in that booth was young like himself. And although he hadn¡¯t epted the invitation, he hadn¡¯t denied it either. It seemed like that person just didn¡¯t want other¡¯s to know much about him.


    Happier than she thought would be possible, Eliza quickly moved on. "If there are no other counters, then the Fat Goose will ept the offer of a lv. 50 peak-tier shield in return for the lv. 40 bestial ring."


    It wasn¡¯t that there was no one else with lv. 50 items, but most of them weren¡¯t peak-tier. And if they had peak-tier lv. 50 items, who would willingly part with it?


    In Modern Kartonia, peak-tier lv. 50 items were extremely rare because very few cksmiths could make them. Typically, a peak-tier lv. 50 item was priced for over sixty thousand gold. For that reason, the Aazoon prince had apologized and wished that Jack would forgive them.

 Chapter 163 The Final Item

    <h4>Chapter 163 The Final Item</h4>


    As for the crowd, they were in awe of Jack¡¯s wealth. It wasmon for the great auctions to climax with a lv. 50 peak-tier item, yet they saw someone they presumed to be a young man offer such an item for a lv. 40 ring. That was truly showing off one¡¯s wealth.


    The other two rings were both traded away. One went to that Aazoon prince for the lv. 45 sword. The other was traded for aplete set of lv. 40 armor.


    Eliza quickly moved on to the lv. 45 items but the crowd wasn¡¯t as shocked as they normally would be. How could they be shocked after hearing a young man trade a lv. 50 peak-tier shield like it was nothing?


    Those lv. 45 items came and went, leaving them ready for the next special item.


    A dazzlingnce was brought forward, captivating the audience. Its aura was radiant and holy as if it were created by the gods.


    "This is lv. 45nce is a holy item from our archives at the Fat Boar. Blessed by Halmut himself, it allows its user to wield light itself and cut through anyone who dares to get in your way. This item will begin at thirty-five thousand gold."


    "Thirty-five thousand gold!"


    "Forty thousand--"


    Fifty thousand gold!"


    The entire second and third floors started topete, easily doubling the price.


    It wasn¡¯t hard for the auction¡¯s regrs to figure out that the holynce was supposed to be the final item up for grabs. From the noble¡¯s reactions, it was easy to see. What was surprising was that it was brought out one round too early. Since there was still onest round of bids for mid-tier and high-tier lv. 50 items, there should also be onest special item up for grabs.


    Did the auction house change to selling roster because of that mysterious young man¡¯s earlier trade? Some of the wiser men in the room started to think that.


    Those in running the Fat Goose Auction House had their own reasons for changing the selling roster. Though it would appear less significant after Jack¡¯s incredible trade, what the managers wanted to know was if Jack might be able to afford something even more expensive.


    When Jack said nothing and showed no interest in the holy item, it only confirmed Eliza¡¯s thoughts.


    She had spoken with the managers and they guessed that Jack would only be enticed by special or strange items and nothing else. They had considered this because of his purchases and by the fact that he ignored every normal item they had offered. Their conclusion was that they wanted to test Jack and his spending limits with an item that would typically never be sold outside of the yearly auction.


    If they failed to find a buyer, they didn¡¯t mind because they had earned a fortune already thanks to either Jack buying things or Jack causing others to overspend. And if they guessed correctly that Jack would go after such an item, they would be thrilled to have found such an amazing patron out of thin air.


    As an auction house, they would naturally collect extremely valuable items, some of which very few people could ever wish to afford. The managers wanted to know if Jack was one of those few people.


    "Seventy-one thousand gold!"


    The bids started to slow down. As Eliza started the countdown, many looked up to that particr room on the third floor. Would he bid again? Many hoped he would.


    "Seventy-one thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Everyone on the third and second floors was amazed that the mysterious young man hadn¡¯t said a word about the holy item. Other than Jack, almost every person on the second and third floors had made a bid.


    The only other group that didn¡¯t was the Zuran Empire. Before they knew it, the price had passed their limit.


    Originally, they had set aside seventy-five thousand gold to purchase that holy item. With it, they nned to lead the next war against Reinolt and challenge their mysterious expert. However, they were cut short thanks to the prince¡¯s antics and had no chance to win the auction.


    "Moving along, we¡¯ll bring out this week¡¯s mid-tier and high-tier lv. 50 items. Mid-tier items will start at twenty thousand gold and high-tier will start at twenty-five thousand gold. First, this helmet!"


    Keeping things moving, Eliza continued to sell the regr items with a feeling of suspense in her heart. She knew that the managers would select one of the Fat Gooses rarest items to sell at the climax, but she had no clue what it would be. The managers didn¡¯t have much time to find an item that might appeal to Jack¡¯s strange taste for merchandise. Not wanting to wait for long, Eliza rushed the rest of the auction.


    As the night was gettingte, the final high-tier lv. 50 items were sold off. To crowd¡¯s surprise, that mysterious voice hadn¡¯t spoken up in a long time.


    All those people in the second and third floor were anxious to see what the auction¡¯s final item would be. The supposed final item they all came to bid for was already sold and they had no clue what would happen next.


    The worst thing was that the previous winner of the holy item wouldn¡¯t be able to bid on what was about to arrive. He won what he had wanted, but he also felt like he lost because he had no money left topete.


    "I know what you¡¯re all thinking. What could top the holynce that we just sold offst round? Well, not even I know, not until this curtain disappears!"


    On cue, the curtain slowly opened and revealed seemingly-regr ck cloak inside of a well-adorned ss case.


    While everyone was looking at it in confusion, Jack¡¯s heart was pounding as he stood up and stared at the cloak.


    "Most of you are probably wondering why we are trying to sell amon cloak. Let me tell you all that this cloak is worth more than everything mentioned here today," exined Eliza, startling the crowd further.


    "The Fat Goose has held onto this cloak for more than a century. All we know is that it has the ability to change the wearer¡¯s appearance at will and it can work for anyone of any level. Yes, I said for anyone of any level. This is a true treasure, so we are only offering it in trade for another item or set of items we feel would be sufficient. The bids will begin in one minute, that way you can double-check what it is you have to offer."


    The entire main auction hall was silent, other than the sounds of heavy breathing.


    Those wealthy nobles above were staring greedily at the cloak. Even if they had to give up everything they had on them, they had to try and get that item.


    Jack was thinking the exact same thing. But unlike the nobles, Jack knew what that item was and had even used it countless times in-game. During his antics to became the achievement junkie, that cloak was his most used item during his entire time ying "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    Named "Sterfen¡¯s Cloak," the item was exactly what its name described. It was created by Sterfen himself and only avable during events and special bosses.


    One minute passed by as if it were a second and the nobles made their first offers and they were all equal to Jack¡¯s previous offer for the ring, a lv. 50 peak-tier item.


    "We, the Aazoon Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 war axe."


    "We, the Zuran Empire offer a peak-tier lv. 50 katana."


    "We, the Maltor Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 me sword."


    "We, the Sden Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 ivory bow."


    "We, the Fulken Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 long shield."


    "We, the Sandros Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 speed boots."


    "We, the Barzdol Kingdom offer a peak-tier lv. 50 war hammer."


    The entire audience was in awe. A peak-tier lv. 50 shield was offered in trade earlier and astonished everyone. Now, they were fully desensitized to all of the previous bids.


    With sevenpeting bids of peak-tier lv. 50 items from seven nearby countries, only the yearly auction could boast of such a deal taking ce.


    All eyes were on a single private room on the third floor. The young man in that room had amazed everybody with his wealth and only ever bid on strange or special items. If any item of the whole auction should catch his eye, it was that cloak.


    While everyone was looking at his room, Jack contained himself and kept from bidding just yet. He understood that the bidding had only just begun.


    Once the true bidding war broke out, then Jack would make his move on the cloak. No matter what any of hispetitors offered, Jack would finally show a glimpse of just how wealthy he was. In order to get that legend-tier cloak, Jack was willing to give up anything.

 Chapter 164 Bidding War

    <h4>Chapter 164 Bidding War</h4>


    Eliza was also eagerly staring at Jack¡¯s room. She knew he had more to give and Eliza was convinced that the managers may have found the perfect item to tease Jack¡¯s buying spirit.


    Looking back to the audience, Eliza stated, "We¡¯re sorry, but the Fat Goose will deny all current offers. We believe that is too low a price for such an item."


    "The Aazoon Kingdom will offer a peak-tier lv. 50 set of armor," shouted the Aazoon prince.


    "Please disy in on the wall of your room. There is a small, ck tform in the corner of your room. ce the armor there and then we¡¯ll all be able to see it," exined Eliza.


    Jack looked around his own room and found a simr pedestal as well. He thought it was an ingenious contraption, one able to help conceal people¡¯s identities yet helpful to speed up the process of the auction.


    "Take a look."


    The set of armor came into view, big enough to easily be seen from the stage. It contained a breastte, two bracers, and two shin guards. It was blue and appeared to be made of the toughest of metals, yet it shined let a sapphire. The beauty of the craftsmanship was enough to stun the crowd.


    "It¡¯s a water-type armor that is resistant to cold and ice. Thanks to the materials used, there¡¯s also a significant boost to the wearer¡¯s defenses. This should be a better deal, right?"


    Nodding, Eliza replied, "You¡¯re right, we¡¯ll ept this as the first valid bid. What other offers will we have?"


    A fiery sword appeared on one of the room walls without any warning. A young man¡¯s voice came from inside. "This is the lv. 50 firs sword that we offered earlier. Note that it is a magical ming sword, dealing extra fire and burn damage to its enemies. I believe it to be even better than that armor."


    Eliza stared deeply at the image of the ming sword and then back to the blue armor. Then, she looked around the crowd in thought.


    What others didn¡¯t know was that the managers had all snuck into the crowd to watch the auction personally, but they acted likemon citizens. The reason Eliza was looking around the crowd was to get the approval of the four managers.


    When all four shook their heads, Eliza looked back to the room with a ming sword. "I¡¯m sorry, but we hold the set of armor in higher regard to your magic sword, though it is an amazing weapon. If it were only a portion of the set, then you would have won, but theplete set is too valuable topare."


    "Thank you for considering the offer," stated the young man as the image of the fiery sword disappeared.


    "Who¡¯s next?" asked Eliza, not doubting that each kingdom would again make an offer.


    Another private room¡¯s wall lit up and showed another set of armor. "The Fulken Kingdom offers abination of two lv. 50 peak-tier weapons, a long shield and a scimitar. The long shield greatly increases defenses, matching the armor, while the scimitar is a wind type magic weapon. Its de is light as a feather and its attacks are as quick as the wind."


    "That is a wonderfulbination," Elizaplemented the representative of the Fulken Kingdom. When she consulted the managers, they were split on which was better.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but it¡¯s hard to decide which of the two offers would be better. We¡¯d like to more closely examine the items offered unless someone else has an offer that would prove more valuable."


    "That would be us," a gentle, female voice chimed in as another wall lit up. "Together with the ivory bow, the Sden Kingdom will offer a four-piece set of armor. The bow is also a wind type weapon, creating a simr effect as the aforementioned sword."


    Hearing that, all four managers nodded and agreed that it was the best offer without a doubt.


    "The Fat Goose epts your bid as the highest and most valuable at the moment," stated Eliza.


    "We¡¯ll add this ice whip to the offer!" shouted the Aazoon prince. "That makes our offer both offensive and defensive items like their¡¯s, yet with a five-piece armor. Also, both items are magical. Clearly, our offer is the best."


    "Indeed, that would put the Aazoon Kingdom back in the lead," replied Eliza. "I¡¯m sorry, princess, but they¡¯ve countered you."


    "It¡¯s to be expected. I¡¯ve nothing else to offer and wish the prince good luck in acquiring the cloak." The Sden princess took down their offer¡¯s image and kept watching.


    "Who¡¯s next?"


    The Zuran Royal Advisor was livid! Not only were they unable topete for the holy weapon, but they didn¡¯t bring sufficient items to trade for the strange cloak. They would return asughing stocks would don¡¯t know how to handle money and arecking wealth.


    It was true that the empire¡¯s wealth was starting to dwindle thanks to their war with the three countries that had broken off from them. Adding the humiliation of the prince to theirck of supplies, all of the strong nations that were present wouldn¡¯t forget how insignificant the Zuran Empire¡¯s presence was.


    "The Barzdol Kingdom offers thebination of a six-piece peak-tier armor and the war hammer. Both are earth-type magic weapons, increasing defensive strength to the maximum and offensive power to its limits." An image of the sturdy iron armor appeared together with the war hammer, adding more suspense to the auction.


    Eliza looked back to the managers and found that three of them agreed to take the Barzdol Kingdom¡¯s offer. "We ept the Barzdol Kingdom¡¯s bid as the highest and most valuable yet. Is there anyone else making an offer?"


    "The Sandos Kingdom is unable topete with the Barzdol Kingdom¡¯s offer, so we won¡¯t be bidding," said a depressed voice from a private room on the third floor.


    The Aazoon prince grunted, "We can no longerpete with the current bid. Had there been more notice that such an item was to be revealed, we would havee more prepared."


    "Thank you, we¡¯ll make sure to announce any such auction better in the future," Elizamented, making sure to address the fact that it was an umon surprise to everyone. She didn¡¯t want anyone feeling like they had nned to give the item away to anyone.


    "If there are no other bids, then the Fat Goose will ept the Barzdol Kingdom¡¯s offer. Going once! Going twice--"


    "Wait!"


    An elderly voice filled the room, surprising even the managers, however, they were happy. They brought out the cloak to bait a monster of a buyer. If they traded it for the current offer, the managers all felt that they may be getting short-changed.


    If they knew what Jack knew, that it was a legend-tier item, they probably wouldn¡¯t have even dared sell it anywhere but the yearly auction.


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 55 set of armor!" yelled the old man as an image of the armor appeared on a wall. "It¡¯s also an earth type armor and is a four-piece set that is peak-tier. No one else here could dare match it!"


    The bold statement rocked the hearts of the crowd. Not only was it a peak-tier lv. 55 item, it was a set! Only extremely high-level experts would have such things.


    Jack recognized that private room. Earlier in the auction, that same old man had purchased the life tree dew. Luckily for Jack, that man had offered to notpete with him if the situation came to happen. He doubted that the old man would back down, but he still had to try.


    "I¡¯ll also offer abination of peak-tier lv. 55 items!"


    When everyone heard Jack¡¯s voice, they all started to feel excited. If the ruthless mysterious young man made such an offer, that means he would go after the cloak with full force! It would be a good show against the Adventurers Association.


    The auction house managers were ted! They took the chance to catch the big fish, and they finally hooked him.


    A few images appeared on Jack¡¯s wall. "There are a total of four items: A robe, a staff, an amulet, and a ring. All of which increase mana capacity and regeneration."


    Now was the time for the managers to make a big decision, but again they were split. The armor was perfect for warriors while the robe was perfect for mages. It was an even split.


    Jack knew that both offers were equal, so he added, "Kind sir, earlier on you said you would back down should we ever enter into a bidding war over an item. Since that exact situation has urred, I ask that you please withdraw your bid."


    All eyes turned to the association¡¯s private room. Such a deal really had been made yet how could they imagine this situation to urter.


    If the old man agreed it was the same as honoring the deal and keeping the prestige of the association. If he didn¡¯t, then it would just prove that the old man valued the cloak too highly and still wouldn¡¯t give it up.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ll have to retract my previous statement. This cloak is more valuable than you know, young man, so I can¡¯t possibly give it up." It didn¡¯t take long for the man to reply and for a new image to rece the armor on his wall.


    "I¡¯m changing my offer. Now, I¡¯m offering two lv. 60 high-tier weapons!"


    Smiling wide, the mangers all nodded in unison to ept the deal. Looking to the association¡¯s room, Eliza stated, "We acknowledge that the association--"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon!"


    Jack¡¯s shout silenced everyone, especially the old manpeting for the cloak.

 Chapter 165 End of the Auction

    <h4>Chapter 165 End of the Auction</h4>


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon!"


    Everyone turned back to Jack¡¯s room as a new image appeared on his wall. It was a halberd with golden dragons etched into the handle and the de. As the dragons coiled around the shaft of the halberd, they formed grip for the user.


    "That should be enough, right? Or do you have anything else to offer?" Jack¡¯s question was spoken out loud, but everyone knew he was talking to that old man.


    Inside the association¡¯s private room, that councilman was fuming mad. He was certain that no one else at the auction was stronger than him and that his personal wealth could win him that precious cloak. Since it was so valuable, he even went back on his word and continued to up the bid.


    But now, the entire situation flipped. That mysterious young man pulled out a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon! Less than five people in all Kartonia could make such a weapon, and their odds of sess weren¡¯t the greatest either. How could he have such a thing and be so young?!


    The worst part was that Jack could have offered a lv. 60 peak-tier weapon and he still had a good chance of beating the councilman¡¯s two high-tier weapons.


    But a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon... The councilman wasn¡¯t even able to wield such a high-level weapon, let alone own one.


    And now, that same young man was ying with him like the auction was just a game. He even had the gall to ask if that was enough as if he could keep going!


    Of course, everyone was thinking the same thing but Jack. He had lv. 70 and lv. 75 items too, so he really could keep going if he needed to, and he would¡¯ve still found it a steal to get a legend-tier item in return.


    The old man¡¯s silence spoke volumes. There was no way he could beat such a bid.


    All four managers were breathing heavily and panting as they admired the golden halberd on disy. Each of them agreed that their efforts to test Jack¡¯s spending limit seeded beyond their imaginations. Even if the cloak was sold at the yearly auction, the price probably wouldn¡¯t have been so high. They didn¡¯t dream of getting a lv. 65 weapon for it, yet they were looking at it, and it was peak-tier!


    "The Fat Goose epts your offer of a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon. Thank you for your generosity!" Eliza bowed to Jack, overwhelmed with all kinds of emotions.


    "Thank you, I¡¯m d I could find such an item. If only you had more."


    That statement echoed in the minds of everyone present, "...If only they had more." Did that mean he still had more things worth as much as the cloak?!


    That councilman took a deep breath and tried his best to calm down. Hearing Jack¡¯sst statement, he also started to wonder if the boy really could keep going.


    "Thank you all foring and supporting the Fat Goose Auction House. We look forward to our future auctions and hope to see you all at ater time." Finishing with a final bow to the audience, Eliza hid behind the curtain and the auction came to a close.


    No one moved, however. They all kept staring at that particr room on the third floor with a single question in mind. Who was inside that room?


    Jack also wasn¡¯t in a rush to leave. He only had to wait and all his goods would be delivered to his room. Besides, Maura was drunk and had fallen asleep before the cloak was even revealed. He thought that he might as well wait and see if she wakes up in the meantime.


    One minute passed... Five minutes passed... Ten minutes passed and people finally started leaving. Those who had won an item left the main auction hall and went to one of the many iming rooms to collect their winnings.


    Those on the third floor waited even longer. Some even sent a servant into the hallway to keep an eye on room six. They all wanted to know who that young man was.


    There were a total of seven kingdoms with representatives present and the Adventurers Association, as well as a couple of secretive groups that don¡¯t like working in the public eye. Soon, other than room six, each upied room had a servant waiting just outside the door.


    To their disappointment, no one exited the sixth room. But after thirty minutes, a group of five people appeared on the third floor and made their way to the sixth room, quickly entering it.


    All the servants recognized the woman leading that group and informed their masters of the news.


    When they all heard that Eliza led four men into the room, they either groaned or sighed. It was clear to them that the Fat Goose Auction House was trying to rope a financial giant as a future partner. They understood that is was probably the managers that had entered room six together with Eliza.


    Figuring out who that person was would only get harder now. If they weren¡¯t able to figure it out before the mysterious young man exited the auction house, it would be impossible. And with the auction house helping his escape, each of the kingdom¡¯s representatives felt that they would be returning home without any exnation for what had urred.


    Inside Jack¡¯s room, Eliza and the managers all bowed the moment they entered. Eliza was the first to speak, "Young Master Jack, we¡¯d like to thank you for your extreme generosity. I¡¯ve brought with me the auction house¡¯s four managers to help me do so."


    "Young Master Jack, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. My name is Baral and I¡¯m the First Manager," a middle-aged man stepped forward to introduce himself. "Myrades and I would like to personally thank you for your kind support. Is it alright if we host a private banquet for you?"


    "I don¡¯t think that will be necessary," answered Jack. "I¡¯ll soon be leaving Federal City and I¡¯m not sure when I¡¯ll be back."


    "Please, Young Master Jack, my father would like to meet you," added Eliza.


    "Your father? And who is that? What position does he hold within the Fat Goose Auction House?"


    "He¡¯s the Owner. Without him, the Fat Goose would¡¯ve never existed and we would have been raided time and time again," answered Baral. "He¡¯s the most powerful man in the Fat Goose and the one who controls everything we do."


    When Jack heard that, he finally understood why Eliza¡¯s status in the Fat Goose was already so high for being so young.


    Also, Jack could tell that each of the managers was over lv. 55 and Baral, as the First Manager, was already lv. 65. If they respected Eliza¡¯s father so much, then the owner should be near lv. 70.


    "If I were to stay for the banquet, when and where would it be held?"


    The managers all smiled as Eliza exined, "We can hold it within the hour. My father is currently away but he¡¯s already been informed and is now hurrying back. As for where we hold it, is it alright if we host it within our guild quarters?"


    "Yes, I¡¯d prefer that."


    The guild quarters was the area where only guild members could go and where they lived. There shouldn¡¯t be any prying eyes from the other kingdoms if the banquet was to be held there.


    "Great, because we¡¯ve already started the preparations," Elizaughed as she pulled out a luxurious looking ring. "Here are all of you purchased items, and we¡¯ve included this ring as a gift to show our gratitude."


    "Thank you." Jack slightly bowed his head as he waved his hand. Three chests filled with gold appeared and surprised the manager. "This should cover the sixty thousand gold I owe. As for the rest..."


    Two items appeared in Jack¡¯s hands. In his left, it was a green, glossy shield that was lv. 50 and peak tier. In his right, a golden halberd appeared and radiated a heavy, golden aura.


    "Here you are."


    Nonchntly, Jack stepped forward and handed the two items to Eliza.


    "Th-thank you." Even with her upbringing, it was hard for her not to stutter and fumble her words while holding such a valuable item. She had never even seen a lv. 65 peak-tier weapon, let alone held one.


    "Thank you, Young Master Jack!" They all bowed deeply to Jack. At first, they doubted that Jack was as casual with wealth as Eliza had mentioned to them, but now they were proven wrong.


    "I have onest request, however."


    "Feel free to ask us anything you wish," replied Baral, happy to grant Jack a favor for a chance to get on his good side. For them to make friends with someone as wealthy as Jack was something out of their dreams.


    "I¡¯m not leaving this room until all other people in the main auction hall have left, including those on the second and third floors."

 Chapter 166 Feast with the Owner

    <h4>Chapter 166 Feast with the Owner</h4>


    "I¡¯m not leaving this room until all other people in the main auction hall have left, including those on the second and third floors."


    The mangers all looked at each other and nodded. Without a word, the three other managers left the room. Baral smiled and said, "Something so simple is easy the Fat Goose. Is there anything else?"


    "No, that¡¯ll be all. I¡¯ll wait until it times for the banquet." Jack returned Baral¡¯s smile, happy to see that the managers were understanding and didn¡¯t ask too many questions.


    "Do you mind if I stay here and wait with you? I¡¯d love to get to know you," asked Eliza. She nced at the sleeping Maura and giggled.


    "If you wish."


    "Great! Baral, you can inform me when everything will be ready and I¡¯ll bring him down."


    "Very well," replied Baral. "Young Master Jack, our little miss is in your care."


    With that, Baral fled the room to make sure everything was in order. While the three managers quickly cleared the main auction hall, he hurried to help the banquet be ready for the owner¡¯s arrival.


    Everyone on the third floor was saddened or irritated. They all wanted to at least see who that mysterious person was. Now, they could only hope that he would show up again in the future.


    The person most irritated was the old councilman from the Adventurers Association. At first, he respected and thought highly of the mysterious young man. Butter that same young man had forced him to renege his promise in public and then continued to poke fun at him after clearly winning the bid.


    Few people could evene up on the councilman¡¯s radar because he was a lv. 63 adventurer, but a young man had managed to do it with flying colors.


    Grumpily, the old councilman finally left after everyone else but he still didn¡¯t learn anything about the mysterious young man. After he left the auction house, it was already evening and the marketce was packed. Not wanting to give up yet, the old councilman stayed there and was waiting to see who left the building after him.


    He understood that the young man could use the cloak, but he had to try something. Angry and depressed, the councilman wanted to vent his emotions with something.


    Inside the Fat Goose Auction House, the main auction hall was soon cleared and some people emerged from the sixth room on the third floor. In the lead was Eliza, who wore a seductive smile. Behind her was Jack, who was carrying the drowsy Maura on his back.


    "Follow me, Young Master Jack." Eliza waited until Jack was beside her to keep walking, still wanting to chat with the wealthy young man. "Won¡¯t you please tell me more about you?"


    "What else is there to know? You know I¡¯m rich and that I¡¯m with secretly with the Leisure Guild."


    "But I want to know about you. I don¡¯t even know you¡¯re ss and subss!" whined Eliza, acting pitiful.


    To most people, introducing your ss and subss wasmon practice, but Jack wouldn¡¯t even tell her that much. He would only answer vaguely or he¡¯d ask her questions about what was going on in the world. No matter what she said, Jack wouldn¡¯t budge.


    "Why do you need to know that? That¡¯s unimportantpared to everything else. How you tell me about yourself instead?" reasoned Jack.


    Giving him an adorable frown, Eliza pointed ahead of her. "Since you don¡¯t want to talk, then we won¡¯t talk. We¡¯re almost there."


    She led him not to the main hall with the receptionists, but to a side hall that seemed insignificant. However, the moment they entered a door at the end of the hall the atmosphere waspletely different.


    Jack felt like he was inside an imperial pce at that moment. Everything was lusher and more vibrant.


    "This way," pouted Eliza. Seeing that Jack didn¡¯t mind if they weren¡¯t talking, she decided to try again. "Please? If you don¡¯t answer my questions, at least let me call you Jack."


    "Fine, I¡¯m alright with that."


    "So, Jack, what¡¯s your rtionship with her?" asked Eliza, motioning to Maura on his back.


    "I already told you, she¡¯s--"


    "Jack, I¡¯m not stupid. I know she tried to say otherwise but you didn¡¯t let her. You seem close, but not close enough to already be together," stated Eliza.


    With a loud sigh, Jack looked back at Eliza. "What¡¯s wrong with that? Can¡¯t I have a friend who¡¯s a female?"


    "Having those kinds of friends must drive your wife crazy."


    "I don¡¯t have a wife."


    "Girlfriend?"


    "Nope, she died almost a month ago."


    "..."


    Eliza had no response to that. How could she know that? Trying to salvage the conversation, she apologized. "Oh... I¡¯m sorry for asking."


    "That¡¯s okay, what¡¯s happened has happened. Those responsible are already dead," replied Jack.


    "Well, do you have any room left for more female friends, maybe for someone like me?"


    Chuckling to himself, Jack asked, "Are we there yet?"


    "Yeah..." groaned Eliza. They neared a courtyard and entered it without another word. Very quickly, they entered a small yet extravagant hall.


    In the center was a dark brown table that seemed to be made from an ancient tree. Gold tware and silverware wereid out in three spots; two together on one side and another spot at the head of the table.


    "You can set her down her ande take a seat." She pointed at one of the sofas to the side of the room.


    Jack carefullyid Maura down on the couch and smiled onest time as her cute sleepy face. Then, he turned around and sat at the spot furthest from the head.


    "Silly, that¡¯s my seat. You¡¯re sitting next to my father. He¡¯s very interested in you."


    "I wonder why," sighed Jack as he stood up and let Eliza take her seat. Sitting down again, he asked, "So, how long has the Fat Goose Auction House been around?"


    "Not long. We¡¯ve only been doing business for about twenty years. My father opened the auction house when I was a baby. Since then, we¡¯ve kept growing and eventually became the third biggest auction house in Federal City," exined Eliza. "Of course, it wasn¡¯t easy. My father always worked hard and kept getting stronger. Without him, some strong groups may try to take everything from us."


    "What good is having so much treasure if you can¡¯t protect it?"


    To Eliza, Jack sounded profound. But if Maura had heard him, she would think Jack was a hypocrite.


    Jack was easily one of the wealthiest people in Kartonia, the auction was proof of that. While his only backing was the powerful Adventurers Association, they had no clue just how rich he was. If they did, it was likely that they would take advantage of him. Who wouldn¡¯t sumb to greed when tempted by so much wealth?


    Across the hall, the sound of a door unlocking echoed. Both Jack and Eliza looked up to see a figure emerging and locking the door behind him.


    He appeared to be younger than Jack had anticipated, looking like he was in his thirties. Wearing an open red robe over a in white shirt and ck pants, the man walked closer and took his seat at the head of the table. With a nce at his smiling daughter, heughed.


    "So, you¡¯re the wealthy young man I¡¯ve heard about? My name is Argyle Wittam and it seems you¡¯ve already met my daughter."


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Master Argyle."


    "Please, my name is enough. Don¡¯t worry about honorifics with me, I never liked them in the first ce," stated Argyle. "Sorry for beingte. Let¡¯s hurry up and get the meal started."


    Right on cue, a side door opened and a few servants brought a few tters of different foods. There was a fully roasted boar with its ribs sectioned and ready to eat. Arge pot of roast beef wasid in front of Jack. Loaves of bread and dozens of cheeses covered that end of the table, showing that the Fat Goose was truly bringing out its finest for Jack.


    "Please, dig in. No need for manners here."


    Jack was hesitant to believe Argyle until he saw the man tear off the leg of a turkey and eagerly devour it. His impression of Argyle was nothing like he had expected from an owner of such a wealthy auction house.


    Not missing a beat, he joined in and happily ate his fill. Even the sophisticated Eliza ate with a touch of savagery.


    "So, Jack, I heard you¡¯re with the Leisure Guild, is that true?" asked Argyle.


    "Yes, but it¡¯s on a need to know basis. There are some things we¡¯re trying to do in secret."


    "Makes sense, it sounds like something that Tralon would do," added Argyle.


    Jack¡¯s fork stopped. He didn¡¯t reply but froze in ce for a moment. Unsure of what to think or how to respond, only one question was on Jack¡¯s mind. ¡¯Tralon is still alive?!¡¯

 Chapter 167 Found Ou

    <h4>Chapter 167 Found Ou</h4>


    Argyle looked at the confused Jack andughed, "So you¡¯re not from the Leisure Guild after all; that¡¯s what I thought."


    "You know Tralon? Tralon Dyrshire?"


    Jack¡¯s question caught Argyle off guard. He assumed that Jack¡¯s momentary confusion was from a slip of character, not that Jack struggled to believe that Tralon and Argyle were friends.


    "Sure do, but it has been a long time since I¡¯ve seen him," replied Argyle. "How¡¯s he doing nowadays?"


    "I¡¯m not sure..." His words trailed off as Jack started to get lost in his thoughts.


    Wondering what to believe and what no to believe, Argyle studied Jack. "Jack, are you really from the Leisure Guild? You should tell me now before I contact Tralon personally."


    "You can contact him?!"


    The question didn¡¯t confuse Argyle, it was Jack¡¯s expression. It wasn¡¯t a face of regret or anger, Jack¡¯s was a face filled with joy and longing. Now he really was baffled by Jack¡¯s antics and his ruse.


    "Yes, I can contact him via our guild contact crystal, it is high-tier after all."


    "Can you give me a moment to think? It¡¯s hard to think how I can best exin this," asked Jack, further surprising Argyle.


    "Sure..." he agreed and stopped eating as he waited for an exnation.


    Eliza was even more lost. She knew that her father would test Jack and that he had some connections with the Leisure Guild, but she had no clue what to think of either Jack or her father at the moment.


    Taking a minute to calm down and gather himself, Jack finally spoke. "I¡¯m not currently part of the Leisure Guild, not at the moment at least."


    "Not at the moment? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?"


    "It¡¯s very hard to exin, but I do know Tralon personally. If you want to test that, then I¡¯m more than willing to. It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve spoken to him..."


    While Jack trailed off like a war hero talking about his glory days, Argyle was trying to make sense of the situation.


    "If you¡¯re not part of the Leisure Guild, then what good is there in contacting Tralon? What¡¯s stopping me from just taking everything you have right now and kicking you out of my home?"


    Coming back to himself, Jack shook his head andughed at the unexpected development. This was going to be trickier than he expected.


    "Can you cast silence, please?" Jack asked Eliza, not Argyle, which surprised him.


    If Jack asked Eliza to cast silence and not him, that meant Jack was able to see through his level and ss. Jack was getting more mysterious by the second.


    She looked at her father first but quickly cast silence after getting his permission.


    "Alright, now spill it. Who are you really and why aren¡¯t you afraid of what I might do to you?"


    "A lv. 71 is going to act personally against a lv. 22 adventurer?" Jack joked with Argyle, confirming Argyle¡¯s thoughts. "Can you please promise to keep everything I¡¯m about to say between us? None of this can leave the room."


    "Fine." Argyle nodded, intrigued by how confident Jack was despite being in such a particr situation.


    "First off, Jack is my real name and I¡¯m with the Adventurers Association."


    "Seriously?" asked Argyle. "Weren¡¯t you in a bidding war with them just an hour ago?"


    "Yeah, but they didn¡¯t know that was me. I¡¯m the recently summoned hero that joined the association and faced off with the Chaos Syndicate. Does that ring any bells?"


    Argyle¡¯s eyes went wide as he realized that Jack¡¯s confidence had something to back it up. "But if they don¡¯t know that you were the one bidding and winning all those items, that means they don¡¯t know how wealthy you really are, right? So if we just take your things, then what could they do?"


    "It¡¯s not that simple either," Jack keptughing, destroying Argyle¡¯s seriousness. "I recently raided the hidden tomb of Ponlinne the Great in the Zuran Empire. There, I found too many treasures to count, including Ponlinne¡¯s lv. 85 staff. The association doesn¡¯t know about most of the treasure, but I¡¯ve already promised them that staff. Also, if you take everything, I can inform the association of all the treasures you take. Then maybe it wouldn¡¯t end as well as you would¡¯ve hoped."


    With squinted eyes, Argyle stared harshly at Jack. He was at an impasse. He couldn¡¯t take anything valuable or the association would learn about it. But he also gained some leverage on Jack since he knew that Jack had kept secrets from the association. The most confusing thing was how Jack knew Tralon, even by hisst name.


    "So... how should you and I handle this situation then. I know some secrets about you and you can keep me from taking things. Now what?"


    "You should let me go and we can be friends, how about that?"


    Argyle chuckled and said nothing. He took a moment to think before he asked, "And how is Tralon tied in all this? You said you know him but that¡¯s impossible. How did you even learn about a minor guild on the other side of the world?"


    Scratching his head, Jack answered, "That¡¯s even moreplicated... Can you give me another minute to think?"


    "I... fine." He didn¡¯t like not having answers, so Argyle put his impatience aside and let Jack have time to exin.


    All the while, Eliza was staring at Jack. She thought he was handsome and the fact that he talked down her father was a huge turn on for her. Were there any other young men could argue with a lv. 71 expert and not flinch?


    Considering everything, Jack sighed, "Can Eliza please leave the room?"


    "Hey, I want to--"


    "You heard the man, Eliza. Just wait outside or in your room. I¡¯ll call you back in soon," stated Argyle, nodding to his daughter.


    "Father!"


    "Please," begged Argyle.


    "Hmph!" Mad at both Jack and her father, Eliza pouted as she left the silenced room.


    "There, now speak! I don¡¯t like waiting for too long," shouted Argyle.


    "Calm down, I¡¯ll tell you everything. And when I say everything, I mean EVERYTHING," stated Jack. "Know that I¡¯m about to put even more of my life in your hands, so please be merciful with me."


    "Good!"


    "You already know that summoned heroes are summoned from different points in time, right? Well, I¡¯m a special case. I¡¯m not like other heroes because I didn¡¯t arrive here with my old level or skills. If I had, I¡¯d be the one scaring you half to death."


    Thinking about Jack¡¯s words, Argyle wasn¡¯t sure if he should believe him.


    "You asked how I know Tralon, so let me tell you. I was the hero who he had a pact with during Ancient Kartonia," exined Jack. "I didn¡¯t know that he was still alive and I have no clue why, but I can promise you that I am who I say I am."


    "You¡¯re..."


    More a moment, Argyle entertained Jack¡¯s words as true. If Jack was really the man he said he was, wouldn¡¯t that mean...


    "Yes, I am," answered Jack. "Now, let me tell you something. At the moment I¡¯m not a member of the Leisure Guild, but I was one of its founders in the past and I will head again in the future. I don¡¯t n to stay with the association forever. My treasures will all go to rebuilding the Leisure Guild."


    "Now I have a question. If Tralon is still around, how on earth is the Leisure Guild only a minor guild?"


    Argyle stroked his hairless chin, deep in thought. This was way more than he was expecting to hear. "Tralon... a long time ago he was cursed and he started to lose all his EXP bit by bit."


    "Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance..."


    Since Jack could easily name the curse, Argyle started to believe him. "Yeah, that¡¯s the one. Thest time I saw him was years ago and Tralon was at lv. 66. With his decline, the Leisure Guild went from being a global superpower to a dwindling guild in a broken country. Are you really--"


    "Yes, I¡¯m really him, but no one can know. Also, are you from Trodar?"


    "I¡¯m not, but my wife was. She was from a fallen noble family. During the war, her family was chased out of the country. Luckily for her, she was already with me at the time, but her family didn¡¯t make it," Argyle exined with sunken eyes. "She¡¯s no longer with us either, sadly..."


    "Sorry for bringing back sad memories."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got too many of those to count," joked Argyle. A long-time had passed since his wife died, so he was used to it.


    "Do you understand why I ask for us to part of friends?" Jack asked Argyle. At the same time, a pure white de appeared in Jack¡¯s hands.


    "This?"


    "This is too prove that we¡¯re friends," stated Jack as he passed Argyle the perfectly white sword.


    "I can¡¯t ept something so valuable, not as a gift," Argyle said that, but he immediately stored the sword. He nced at the locked door and looked back at Jack. "I¡¯ll give you the most precious thing I own, my daughter."

 Chapter 168 Blackmailed

    <h4>Chapter 168 ckmailed</h4>


    "I¡¯ll give you the most precious thing I own, my daughter."


    Those words grated on Jack¡¯s ears. It was unexpected and Jack couldn¡¯t even take back the sword because Argyle had already stored it away.


    "HUH?!"


    "My daughter will be in your care, Jack, so make sure to treat her right," stated Argyle, oblivious to Jack¡¯s response. "I still feel like I¡¯m the one losing out in this deal, but I can make an exception this once."


    "What are you talking about? I can¡¯t marry your daughter, I¡¯ve got way too many things to do!"


    "You will marry my daughter, whether you like it or not. I¡¯ve already epted your gift, so you must ept mine. If you can¡¯t ept my kindness, then I¡¯ll be forced to act in anger and take everything you have, including your life!"


    "Really? What makes you think you can pull that off?"


    Argyle showed Jack a wry smile. "You¡¯ve kept so many secrets from everyone, including the association. You covered all your tracks and somehow managed to enter into our auction house without anyone even knowing it was you. In other words, other than that girl on the sofa, there¡¯s nothing linking you to being here in my home, right?"


    "But--"


    "But what? You only told me who you were and gave me that sword for your own benefit. Don¡¯t tell me that you were willing parting with something so great, not when it only appeared after I¡¯d found you out," exined Argyle.


    "You¡¯re right about one thing; I don¡¯t want to kill you. As a former friend of Tralon and partly from the slight chance I¡¯m found out, but I should be fine considering I can say you hid your identity and offer treasures to pay for your death. Does any of that sound illogical?"


    Jack¡¯s face twisted as he looked back at Argyle. "... So, you¡¯re ckmailing me instead?"


    "Correct!"


    "And you think I¡¯ll just ept it?"


    "You have no choice!"ughed Argyle. "You may have been stronger than me in the past, but now you¡¯re nothing more than an ant for me or the association to y with to our hearts desires."


    "If anything, you should be thanking me! My daughter is beautiful and has many suitors, but we both know I¡¯ll never meet a man more capable than you. Plus, with her as your wife, you¡¯ll always have the Fat Goose as a backer, no matter what you decide to do!"


    Giving Argyle a strange look, Jack asked, "No matter what I do? Even if I start a war or have the gods themselves chase after me?"


    Stillughing, Argyle put his hand firmly on Jack¡¯s shoulder. "That doesn¡¯t matter to me. I get bored and tired of living like this, so why not? I¡¯ve always wanted to try and help Tralon, but never had a reason to."


    The high-level swordsman suddenly stoppedughing and looked Jack in the eyes. "Would you like to know why I opened the Fat Goose in the first ce?"


    Jack rxed and nodded.


    "I was always a strong adventurer, even at the time I was visiting Trodar frequently for my wife. Back then I was almost lv. 60 and I thought I could offer the world to my wife. But while we were on our honeymoon, my wife¡¯s family was attacked and piged, and there was nothing I could do about it..." Argyle sighed, pausing for a moment. "Without a powerful backer, no one would be able to protect the people they love."


    "So, I looked for the fastest way to create a background for myself. I didn¡¯t dare be someone else¡¯s pawn, so it was my only option. Now, after twenty years of endless grinding for EXP and collecting countless treasures, I own the Fat Goose."


    "But what does that have to do with me," asked Jack.


    "Everything, now," answered Argyle. "My wife¡¯s tragic death was impossible for me to stop and all I have left is Eliza."


    "In other words, your passing responsibility to me so that you¡¯re not worried about protecting her?"


    "Correct. For you, it¡¯s only a matter of time that you¡¯ll reign over the continent, so long as you survive till then. The association is a great backer, but you and I both know that you¡¯re like me. You refuse to be someone else¡¯s pawn in their scheme."


    "So I should be your pawn instead of the association¡¯s?"


    "Wrong, you will be no pawn of mine. I wouldn¡¯t dare control every action of someone as wild and ambitious as you," answered Argyle with a shake of the head.


    "But you¡¯ll ckmail me into marrying your daughter?"


    "That¡¯s not me controlling you, that¡¯s me forcibly making us permanent allies," added Argyle. "Wouldn¡¯t you rather have the freedom to roam with us, then be at the beck and call of Lorwynn?"


    Trying to think of something, Jack asked, "And what if I¡¯m interested in someone else?"


    "Marry her too! Someone like you is bound to have women thrown at you." Argyle looked at Jack like he was young and naive. "Jack, please don¡¯t take this issue to heart. I only want the best for my daughter and I can offer you the full support of the Fat Goose, no matter what!"


    "Why are you acting like this? You¡¯re ckmailing me, yet you¡¯re acting like I¡¯m already your son-inw," asked Jack. Suddenly, a thought came to Jack¡¯s mind. "Argyle, how did your wife die?"


    Argyle blinked and groaned, "That¡¯s unimportant at the moment."


    "You want to get revenge but never bothered while you were protecting Eliza, so it should be someone very powerful."


    Hitting the nail on the head, Argyle¡¯s gaze softened. "You got me. But I won¡¯t tell you who it was, not until you¡¯ve rebuilt the Leisure Guild and are at least lv. 60. Until then, it¡¯s pointless to tell you."


    "Do I really have to marry your daughter?"


    "Yes, you¡¯ll have the honor of marrying me only daughter," Argyle answered Jack with a piercing gaze. "You¡¯ll break the hearts of many young men, but it must be done."


    With a confused sigh, Jack asked, "When¡¯s the wedding?"


    "Tomorrow."


    "Tomorrow?!"


    "The sooner the better, both for me and for you. You said you were in a hurry, right?" Argyle joked with his soon to be son-inw.


    "I... I don¡¯t want to believe that all of this happened..."


    "Believe it, and you¡¯ll be thanking me in the future." Patting Jack on the back, Argyle continued. "I can let you leave, but you¡¯ll have our people escort you until the wedding tomorrow at noon. Make sure you¡¯re back here by morning."


    "..."


    "Cheer up! Anyone else would die to have this happen to them," reasoned Argyle.


    "I... it¡¯s a lot to take in so suddenly." Jack now knew that he had heavily underestimated Argyle¡¯s cleverness.


    But he had no choice. Without telling the truth, Argyle could just kill him and take his things. And rather than face a renowned lv. 71 expert, the association would probably ept a generous offering of materials and items instead of seeking vengeance for a lv. 22 hero.


    If anything, the association would be more furious at Jack for keeping everything so secret.


    "Jack, I really do want someone like you as a son-inw. You¡¯re the only one good enough for Eliza," added Argyle, speaking gently like a father would. "I can only hope that one day, you¡¯ll forgive me and thank me for this."


    "We¡¯ll see..." Standing up, Jack walked to the couch and picked up Maura from the sofa. "Can I leave now? There are some people who will want to know about this."


    "Of course. Our escorts will follow you in secret, so there¡¯s no need to worry about them getting in your way. And with your new cloak, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to make a clean get-away."


    Just then, a slight smile showed on Jack¡¯s face. He looked back at Argyle andughed, "By the way, I¡¯ll have to thank you again for this cloak. I couldn¡¯t have asked for a better price. All I had to give up was a peak-tier lv. 65 item and in return you gave me a legend-tier cloak. You really did lose out."


    With that, Jack exited and closed the door behind him, not daring to look back at the twitching Argyle.


    Livid at his losses, the manughed out his anger. Even when he had sessfully ckmailed Jack, that young hero still had to have thestugh.


    Soon, Eliza came back to the room and found her fatherughing hysterically. Unaware of everything that just happened between him and Jack, Eliza asked her father, "What happened? Why did you let Jack go?"


    Calming hisughter, Argyle smiled at her. "Eliza, tomorrow you and Jack will be married. From then on, you¡¯ll be traveling together with him and you both will have the full support of the Fat Goose."


    "WHAT?!?!"


    "Hurry and talk to the managers about how you¡¯d like the wedding to be, it¡¯s your big day after all."


    Not saying another word to his daughter, Argyle left the shouting Eliza alone in the room and immediately started talking to a deep purple crystal in his hand.

 Chapter 169 Wedding Annoucemen

    <h4>Chapter 169 Wedding Annoucemen</h4>


    Outside the Fat Goose Auction House, Jack was using Sterfen¡¯s Cloak and carrying Maura on his back as he made his way through the Federal Marketce. He went unnoticed and undetected, but amotion still emerged around the Fat Goose Auction House.


    A sudden announcement was being made across the marketce and was making its way through Federal City like lightning.


    Everyone was surprised by it as it came out of nowhere. Apparently, Jack, the rising hero of the Adventurers Association, would be wed to Eliza, the young master of the Fat Goose Auction House. And the wedding was tomorrow?!


    The streets were normally quieting down as the night sky arrived, but that night was the opposite. Messengers and dignitaries of all kinds rushed through the streets to verify the news.


    Some people went to the Adventurers Association but they were all turned away. They wouldn¡¯t get involved with the personal life of a low-level adventurer, even if he was a summoned hero. However, when a messenger from the Fat Goose cordially invited the association to the wedding, they epted.


    The Fat Goose Auction House was livelier than ever. With Eliza¡¯s marriage needing to be nned, arranged, and taking ce in less than twenty-four hours, how could it not be?


    News of the marriage spread faster than Jack couldfortably carry Maura, so the Heavenly Pce Inn heard the news before Jack¡¯s arrival.


    Marisha was perplexed and utterly confused. She had tried so hard to get Jack to ept her daughter, yet he never did. And now, someone that no one knew was to marry Jack the following day?!


    "What in Halmut¡¯s beard is that brat doing?!" yelled Zariff as he chugged a bottle of wine.


    "Calm down, I¡¯m sure there¡¯s an exnation for all this. Maura should still be with Jack, so I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be here soon to exin." Martha was the voice of reason. With her age and wisdom, she found it easier to stay calm.


    As Martha said, Jack soon arrived at the inn. He had already dispelled his cloak¡¯s ability so the moment he stepped inside, Jack was bombarded with questions.


    "Give me some space, I¡¯m not too happy about this either," yelled Jack. "Martha, get me something to drink, the strongest you have."


    With augh, Martha nodded and left to the kitchen.


    Jack walked past them and found a private booth near the back of the restaurant. Since the others followed him, he finally spoke after sitting down and setting down Maura, "This is not my fault and I¡¯m being forced to do this."


    "Yeah, right! You¡¯re being forced to marry the beautiful little miss from the Fat Goose?"


    "Calm down, you old fart, and let me exin!" Jack shouted back at the former chief and continued. "Long story short, we went to see your friend Lilly and bought some things. She gave me a gold emblem for the Fat Goose Auction House and I purchased plenty of things to help us on our journey."


    "Then, the auction house decided to put a legend-tier item up for bid, so I had to show a little too much wealth to get it. After that, I ate with Argyle and Eliza but Argyle quickly figured out my ruse. In the end, he ckmailed me into bing his son-inw. And now, here we are."


    Zariff and Marisha were speechless. Too many things had happened so quickly and it was hard for them to process it all.


    "Legendary item... ckmailed..." Mumbling to herself, Marisha was putting everything together. "So, you¡¯re really being forced into this?"


    "Yes!"


    "And you agreed to this?"


    "I had no choice... Even after mentioning the chance that I go after another girl, he insisted further."


    "Jack, you¡¯re an idiot," stated Maura. "I know you, you¡¯ll have plenty of women try to go after you. Since it¡¯s you, I¡¯m sure not many will seed but I¡¯m certain that a few will."


    "Anyway, since this is happening, you¡¯d better marry Maura too."


    "What?!"


    "You heard me, you¡¯re marrying Maura too," repeated Marisha. "It doesn¡¯t have to be arge ceremony. Everyone important to Maura is here at the inn. We can even do it tonight."


    "Tonight?!"


    "What do you think, dear?" Maura turned to her husband and asked his opinion.


    The burly man stared at Jack, not sure what to believe. "If Maura wants it, I¡¯m okay with it. I¡¯d rather her be the first wife than the second."


    "You¡¯ve got to be joking, right? Don¡¯t I get a say in this?!"


    "TWANG!!"


    Suddenly, a huge butcher¡¯s knife stuck itself into the table, almost cutting off Jack¡¯s nose.


    Looking up, Jack saw two people entering the booth. One was Martha with an entire casket of wine. In front of her was a muscr, old man. He wasn¡¯t as tall or as broad as Zariff, but he was more defined and wasn¡¯t any weaker.


    "If my little Maura wants it, she¡¯s gonna get it!" yelled the old man.


    "Dad, calm down. Maura isn¡¯t even awake yet," said Marisha.


    "I can fix that." Taking out a small bottle, the old man neared Maura and drained its contents down her throat. "Just give her a second."


    Like magic, Maura starting blinking her eyes and groaned loudly. "Ahhhh... My head hurts... Where am I?"


    "Sweetie, your back at the inn." Marisha sat beside her daughter and stroked her hair. "Do you know what¡¯s going on?"


    Maura looked around the room and asked, "Did Jack win the ring?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m sure he did. But do you remember anything else?"


    "She was out cold before the auction ended. Unlike her parents, she¡¯s a lightweight like no other," stated Jack.


    Shaking her head, Marisha exined, "Sweetie, listen carefully to what I¡¯m about to say. While you were sleeping, Jack and the little miss from the Fat Goose have decided to get married."


    "WHAAAAT?!?!"


    "And it¡¯s happening tomorrow at noon," Marisha continued. "Jack says he was forced by her father, which is very possible. Your father and I want to know, do you want to marry Jack too?"


    "I-I-I..." There was no way she could answer such a question so suddenly. Her headache was still setting in and she hadn¡¯t even gotten past the fact that Jack was going to be married.


    "Maura, it¡¯s okay. If that old man can force Jack into it, so can we," Zariff spoke up, trying to calm his daughter. Though he didn¡¯t want to admit it, Zariff knew that Maura was interested in Jack.


    "Zariff!" Jack yelled, trying to not get ckmailed twice on the same night.


    "Jack, be honest with me. Would you rather have Maura or that other girl you don¡¯t know be your main wife?" Zariff looked into Jack¡¯s eyes and asked him seriously. He wasn¡¯t joking around like usual and was determined to make his daughter happy.


    "Does anyone care about how I feel?!" Jack was baffled and was grasping at straws.


    "My daughter does, that¡¯s why I¡¯m asking. You know I wouldn¡¯t want it to happen like this, but my daughter has more right to be your main wife than that girl from the Fat Goose," reasoned Zariff.


    Looking proudly at her husband, Marisha smile and said, "You know he¡¯s right, Jack. Are you really so against marrying Maura? Do you not think she¡¯s beautiful?"


    Jack turned to Marisha and saw Maura looking up at him from Marisha¡¯s side. "I... Of course, she¡¯s beautiful. She¡¯s always been kind to me and caring whenever I¡¯m hurt. When she lets herself, she¡¯s yful and fun too... But this is WAY too sudden. Even she hasn¡¯t agreed to all this!"


    "I-I want to."


    That quiet statement from Maura¡¯s lips left Jack with a ck jaw.


    "See, Jack? I know my daughter, and I know you¡¯ll be the best man for her," reasoned Marisha.


    "..."


    Jack was stuck between a rock and a hard ce. Not only was he being ckmailed by his soon to be father-inw, now he was being backed into a corner by people he cared about.


    He couldn¡¯t argue with Zariff¡¯s logic, that Jack would prefer Maura as his main wife. However, forcing the two of them into it so suddenly was overwhelming to the extreme. Jack didn¡¯t want either girl to be his wife, not under such circumstances.


    But Jack knew enough about the culture of the world during the short time he had been in Kartonia. Whoever was wed first would be considered the main wife and would have the most influence of the wives. Also, at least with Maura, Jack could better keep her under control.


    Jack had no clue how Eliza would act or what kind of person she really was. Over time he would learn, but there was no telling what would happen since she mightin to her powerful father.


    Silence filled the room as Jack was busy thinking.


    Maura stared at Jack, hoping deep down that he would ept. She had finally admitted her feeling to Jack, and though she would never want this to be why they got together, Maura would rather get together under such stressful circumstances than not get together at all. Both Marisha and her were thinking the same thing, about the chance that Maura may never get Jack¡¯s heart if he was already married.


    It took a long time, but Jack finally made his decisionte in the night. Whileughing at his own miserable circumstances, Jack told everyone his decision.

 Chapter 170 Wedding Ceremony

    <h4>Chapter 170 Wedding Ceremony</h4>


    The next morning, the entire city was abuzz. People were crowding the streets since the early hours and all the powerful dignitaries and organizations were scrambling to prepare wedding gifts.


    Not too many people were invited and it was made a private event, but every person that received an invitation was very influential within Federal City.


    Jack arrived at the Fat Goose Auction House early in the morning, just like Argyle had asked. He also brought a few people along, those being Maura, her parents, and her grandparents. They all entered the Fat Goose Auction House and were guided to the guild quarters deep inside the property. Soon, they reached Argyle¡¯s personal courtyard.


    When Argyle saw Jack, he smiled warmly and waved. But as Jack got nearer, Argyle noticed something different about Jack that caught him off guard.


    "Jack, is there something you needed to tell me?"


    As the group neared Argyle, most of them couldn¡¯t help but be hesitant. They didn¡¯t want to offend someone who was lv. 71.


    Maura was especially shaky, trying to hide behind Jack. Thest time, she was asleep and never met the man. But now, it was totally different...


    Grabbing Maura¡¯s hand, Jack pulled her to his side. He looked to Argyle and said, "I¡¯vee just like we agreed."


    "And what¡¯s with her? Neither you nor she was wearing those ringsst night."


    "Considering the conditions you ced on me, we had to make a decision. Though it was much sooner than I would¡¯ve wanted, we made it officialst night," exined Jack. "If I remember correctly, you said that if I¡¯m interested in another girl, you said you wouldn¡¯t mind me marrying her, so I did."


    Speechless, Argyle stared at the confident Jack and the timid Maura. After a moment of thought, he shrugged. "Does this mean you¡¯ll go through all this willingly?"


    "Yes, it does."


    "Good, then I¡¯m d." Argyle heaved a sigh of relief. "Since you¡¯re doing this of your own will now, I¡¯m d my nned surprise won¡¯t be wasted."


    "What surprise?"


    "Forget about it, you¡¯ll find out after the wedding," stated Argyle. Then, he smiled at Maura. "Now, doesn¡¯t this mean that she¡¯s also my daughter-inw?"


    Unsure how to answer, Maura looked to Jack. When Jack nodded, she took a deep breath and introduced herself, "Hi, I¡¯m sorry for being unable to meet youst night. My name is Maura Jaldor and I¡¯m... I¡¯m--"


    "My wife," added Jack.


    "Yes, I¡¯m Jack¡¯s wife," repeated Maura, feeling a bit better after Jack said it. It was her first time saying it out loud, so she wasn¡¯t used to it yet.


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Maura. I¡¯m Argyle Wittam, owner of the Fat Goose Auction House and Founder of the Fat Goose Guild, but you can just call me Argyle." He bowed to Maura, showing much more respect than most lv. 71 experts would.


    Jack motioned for the other¡¯s behind him to step forward as he mentioned, "This is Maura¡¯s family. They¡¯re all from Federal City and they own the Heavenly Pce Inn."


    "I¡¯m Zariff and this is my wife Marisha," announced Zariff as he reached his hand forward. "I was recently released as an association branch chief, so I¡¯ll be staying in Federal City for some time."


    Giving Zariff a peculiar look, Argyle firmly shook Zariff¡¯s hand. "I¡¯m so sorry to hear that. It¡¯s a sad thing to see an outstanding man like yourself sumb to something so terrible as Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance."


    "Yes," agreed Zariff with a pitiful smile.


    Marisha also stepped forward and shook his hand as she introduced her parents, "They are my parents, Rayard and Martha Tomlin. They own the Heavenly Pce Inn, not us."


    "Hmm, I¡¯ve heard a lot of great things about the Heavenly Pce Inn. ording to rumors, they have some of the best food in the city. I¡¯d love to rmend the ce to some of our clients. In a few months, we¡¯ll have the yearly auction, so plenty of dignitaries will be searching for a ce to stay."


    "Thank you, Master Argyle!" Rayard bowed and confidently added, "I can guarantee the best meal in the city and would dly invite Master Argyle over for a meal whenever you¡¯d like."


    "I¡¯ll take you up on that offer one of these days, and just call me Argyle." Turning to Maura, Argyle asked, "Is it alright if your husband leaves to go get ready? The ceremony will be starting soon and I¡¯ll make sure you all have the best seats."


    Jack nodded to Maura and let go of her hand. After waving to everyone, Jack left with Argyle toward a dressing room.


    "I¡¯ll leave you here with Baral, he¡¯s the man in charge of it all. He¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re taken care of. Also, I have one question that we need to be answered before the ceremony," stated Argyle. "What¡¯s your full name?"


    "Jack..." He thought for a moment but soon nodded after thinking of a suitable name. "Jack Dyrshire."


    "Dyrshire? The same as Tralon?" asked Argyle, a little confused by the coincidence.


    "You wouldn¡¯t know this, but Tralon actually took my old name for his own after he and I formed a pact," exined Jack. "So, technically, it¡¯s Tralon that borrowed my name, not the other way around."


    Though Jack¡¯s main in-game character was Jack_J, the family name used for his ount was Dyrshire. Once Jack had chosen Tralon as his NPCpanion, he changed Tralon¡¯s name to match his for personal reasons.


    "Interesting..." Opening the dressing room door for Jack, Argyle looked at Baral inside, "Make sure everything is in order. If Jack asks for something, you make it happen. I¡¯m off."


    *****


    A couple of hours passed and guests were already being guided into the Fat Goose guild quarters.


    Maura and her family were some of the first people to take a seat, but not the first. First was a tall, thin elderly man with pointed ears. He was seated in the back though and didn¡¯t have much of a presence, so they doubted that he was important.


    Following them, a few groups arrived in session. One group sauntered up to the front, ring despisingly at Maura¡¯s family. One of the leading menughed and asked, "And who might you be? If you¡¯re important enough to sit here, then howe I haven¡¯t recognized you. Move back and make room."


    They felt an invisible pressure emanating from that man. Clearly, his level was far higher than any of theirs.


    "Kaldor, stop threatening my guests!" Argyle¡¯s booming voice appeared as he also stepped in. "I treat these people like my own, so don¡¯t try and throw your weight around. I¡¯d sooner kick you out than make them move unwillingly."


    "Really, then just who are they?"


    "I already told you, they¡¯re my people. So shut up and take a seat elsewhere."


    "Fine, fine, since you asked so politely I can only do so." Kaldorughed and took a seat as he continued, "Even though your Fat Goose is powerful now, it doesn¡¯t mean you can boss me around. Don¡¯t forget, my Golden Haven Guild was here long before you were. You were the one to arrive and start stealing our business."


    "What are you twoining about?"


    An elderly man approached them and sat beside the group from the Golden Haven Auction House.


    "Hurmot, I was wondering if you woulde. I¡¯m sorry for giving you such short notice, please forgive me." Argyle bowed his head slightly, acting very sincerely to the old man.


    "Forget about it, I¡¯m just surprised you actually agreed to something like this," replied Hurmot. "When I offered any of the young men from my Celestial Crane Guild, you turned me down with a second though. Yet here we are now, at your daughter¡¯s wedding which takes ce less a day after the announcement. What¡¯s with the rush?"


    "There were someplications with schedules, so we all agreed that now would be best and that it wasn¡¯t worth the wait."


    "Whatever you say." Hurmot still didn¡¯t fully believe Argyle and had no clue what was going on behind the scenes.


    The three men chatted and bantered as the other dignitaries of the city arrived. When the Adventurers Association walked in, it was surprisingly only Lorwynn that hade.


    Since most people wouldn¡¯t recognize him, Lorwynn¡¯s warm smile and mysterious aura made everyone wonder who he was. Then, he walked straight to the front and passed both of the Gold Haven Guild and the Celestial Crane Guild. Taking a seat next to Zariff, he smiled but said nothing.


    Zariff was startled but also said nothing, not even to his family. He didn¡¯t dare to say that Lorwynn was the association founder in public, not since Lorwynn liked his privacy.


    Soon Argyle stood before the entire crowd. "I¡¯d like to thank you all foring and supporting my daughter and her husband today. We¡¯re happy to ept your gifts and your personal witness to today¡¯s event. Now, let¡¯s allow the husband and bride to step forward."


    The doors at the back of the room slowly opened, gradually revealing two figures.


    On the right, there was a beautiful woman, whose white dress ented her curves and added to her natural sexiness. The veil covering her face added to her allure, enticing the crowd. Almost everyone recognized her as Eliza, the little miss of the Fat Goose.


    To her left, a proud, confident man walked hand-in-hand with her. His eyes were sharp and his demeanor was incredible. They could all tell that Jack was meant to be a hero.


    As Jack led Eliza to the front for all to see, they stopped in front of Argyle and bowed to him.


    "Jack Dyrshire, do you take Eliza Wittam, my daughter, to be yourwfully wedded wife and your lifelongpanion, no matter the circumstances or situations you two may face?"


    "I do."


    "And do you, Eliza Wittam, take Jack Dyrshire to be yourwfully wedded husband and your lifelongpanion no matter the circumstances or the situations you two may face?"


    "I do."


    "Then I pronounce you two husband and wife."


    Eliza¡¯s face filled with blush, so much so that it could be seen through her white veil. Her heart was thumping as she held out her left hand.


    Showing a beautifully crafted ring with a golden band and a bright red ruby, Jack gingerly grabbed Eliza¡¯s hand. He slid the ring onto her finger,pleting the ceremony.


    "You may now kiss the bride," added Argyle with a yful smile.


    Jack¡¯s hands trembled slightly as he removed her veil and showed Eliza¡¯s beautiful face. He couldn¡¯t help but admit just how beautiful she was. While Maura had a sense of purity and gentleness in her beauty, Eliza was fiery and sexy. They were both very different, yet equally beautiful in Jack¡¯s eyes.


    When he saw her tender gaze, Jack gave in. He caressed her face as he leaned in and took her first kiss for himself.


    Cheers filled the air! Apuse was sounded and congrattions were shouted. Some guests approached Argyle to congratte him and others did the same with Jack and Eliza.


    Time slowly passed and the multitude of people winded down and the afternoon was set in. With fewer guests, Maura and her family finally approached Jack.


    "Congrats, I can¡¯t believe how lucky you are. Just wait till Ke and the others learn about all this," joked Marisha.


    Worry filled Jack¡¯s thoughts as that thought ran through his mind.


    As if to calm him down, Maura grabbed his other hand and held it tightly. It made both Jack and Maura feel a bit better.


    "You¡¯re Jack, right?" asked a calm, clear voice from behind Jack. At the same time, a hand gentlynded on Jack¡¯s shoulder and turned him around. "It¡¯s been a long time, Jack. Far too long."

 Chapter 171 An Old Friend

    <h4>Chapter 171 An Old Friend</h4>


    "It¡¯s been a long time, Jack. Far too long."


    As Jack was spun around, he was startled. He hadn¡¯t sensed anyone or anything. Even though he wasn¡¯t searching for people, that person was able to slip past his awareness, meaning they were far stronger than Jack.


    Jack frowned and carefully looked up to the man who had grabbed him.


    That man was wearing a purple robe, but it was more ordinary than expected. He was tall, thin and wrinkles littered his face. His pointy ears stuck out of the man¡¯s long silvery hair and were starting to droop, almost losing their point. However, the man¡¯s eyes were wide open and filled with vitality.


    The anger on Jack¡¯s face vanished, quickly reced with surprise and joy. Jack almost bit his tongue to keep from cursing the old man.


    "What, you don¡¯t recognize me?"


    "T-Tralon?"


    "Ah, so you do remember me," the old manughed and put both hands on Jack¡¯s shoulders, looking the young hero in the eye. "If you were back, how could I note to see you?"


    "But... You¡¯re supposed to be in Trodar? And how are you even alive?!"


    Argyle approached the two and chuckled, "So, did you like the surprise? Let¡¯s go somewhere private and talk, okay?"


    He motioned for Jack, Tralon, and the others to follow, leading them to arge banquet hall filled with all kinds of food. "Everyone, let¡¯s celebrate this great asion!"


    With loud cheers, everyone took their seats and enjoyed the great spread.


    Too distracted by Tralon¡¯s appearance, Jack sat with Tralon to the side on a sofa. The old man looked at Jack and suddenly became more serious. In a low whisper, Tralon asked, "How can I know for sure that you¡¯re my master?"


    "Without me, you¡¯d still be the week Tralon Smitton. And who else was crazy enough to run a ce like the Leisure Guild than me, Jack_J, the Achievement Junkie?" Jack whispered back, happy to talk with an old friend.


    "You really are him..." Tralon then dropped to his knees and bowed before Jack, not caring about all the attention he brought to Jack.


    "Hey! Get up, will you? How will I exin this to everyone else?"


    "Well, everyone here is your family now, so why not?" Tralonughed as he returned to his seat on the sofa. "Please, don¡¯t hold this against Argyle. He¡¯s a sincere person and won¡¯t treat his friends wrong, he¡¯s even helped me and the guild on a few asions."


    With a small grunt, Jack replied, "I can understand why he did it, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that I was forced into this. That¡¯s not even mentioned everything else that resulted because of this."


    Shrugging and dropping his head, Jack frowned. Sure, he just gained a new backer and two beautiful wives, but was that what Jack wanted?


    "Master, please don¡¯t try anything too rash. I know you and I know how you like to make trouble," stated Tralon. "With Argyle¡¯s support, you¡¯ll have more freedom to act in the future. Knowing you, you want to leave the association and join the Leisure Guild again, despite the terrible state Trodar is in."


    Nodding, Jack asked, "That reminds me, how is the guild? And how is Gilga? Are there any problems in the Trodan Council?"


    "The guild is still intact, for now. Many of the rising politicians want us gone in order to take what¡¯s left of our treasury and the council will be reorganizedte next year," exined Tralon. "To save the Leisure Guild, you¡¯ll have to be strong enough to enter Trodar before then. If you¡¯re toote, I¡¯ll likely lose my seat on the council and the guild¡¯s days will be numbered."


    "How strong are you now, Tralon?"


    This entire time Jack was unable to read Tralon. He couldn¡¯t see anything about him of the items he was wearing. Jack knew it was a skill of Tralon¡¯s, but he had to ask, especially after hearing that Tralon was also cursed by Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance.


    Tralon slowly sighed, "I¡¯m lv. 61 now. To think I was once a lv. 85 and apanied one of the greats of ancient heroes... If it wasn¡¯t recorded in history, no one would believe me."


    "And how strong are the others in Trodar? Are there too many stronger than you?"


    "None are over lv. 70, thankfully. But with all the other councilmen ranging between lv. 66 and lv. 69, I know we won¡¯t be able to hold out for much longer. And even if we survive, there¡¯s no telling what the oue of Trodar¡¯s wars will be," stated Tralon.


    "... So, how strong should I be before I can start to help?"


    "If you¡¯re not even lv. 40, then I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll have enough sway with the other council members. Preferably, I¡¯d like for you to return at your peak, lv. 85... Then they would finally show respect to the marvelous guild you built," exined Tralon.


    "Lv. 40... This will be harder than I first thought." Jack scratched his head, trying to think of what to say next.


    Jack had a thousand questions for Tralon. He didn¡¯t have enough information about the hundreds of years between now and Ancient Kartonia, and Tarnel may have been the only person alive that could answer those questions.


    "Jack," Tralon interrupted Jack¡¯s train of thought, "I don¡¯t have much time to chat, sadly. The guild doesn¡¯t know that I¡¯m here, nor about us meeting each other. There were three reasons I came today."


    "First, I needed to verify if you were really him and if so then ask for your help with the guild. Second, I came to return this to you."


    A in, ordinary-looking ring appeared in between Tralon¡¯s fingers. He then handed it to Jack and continued, "Third, I came to renew my pact and once again be an inheritor."


    Staring at the ring, Jack startedughing hysterically. "This... You¡¯ve kept this junk with you all this time?"


    "I thought it mighte in handy at some point,"ughed Tralon. "Now, please renew my pact!"


    Again, Tralon kneeled on the floor for everyone to see.


    Jack nced at the others in the room, noticing that most everybody was watching them and utterly confused by how close they seemed.


    Whispering so no one else could hear, Jack asked, "Are you sure? I¡¯ll be editing the pact soon and making a better version if you could wait a little while. You¡¯ll need all the EXP you can get with your curse."


    "That¡¯s unimportant, please, form the pact immediately. If the new pact is better, than we¡¯ll form that one after you return to Trodar," Tralon insisted, holding out his hand in wait for Jack to begin.


    "Fine."


    While Jack made the small cut on his finger and wrote the pact on Tralon¡¯s hand, the others were amazed. Most of them had no clue who Tralon was, they only knew that he was stronger than almost everyone present. Yet, this proud old man was happily kneeling in front of Jack, begging him to be his master.


    Argyle smiled when he saw that. He felt that he had done the right thing, forcing Jack and himself to be allies. They would be able to use each other for their own selfish reasons. And seeing how devoted Tralon was to Jack, there was no doubt in Argyle¡¯s mind about Jack¡¯s story being the truth. What better evidence could there be?


    "There, it¡¯s done," said Jack, wiping the blood off his hands with a handkerchief. "Do you really have to leave already?"


    "Yes, I have to hurry to a council meeting and I¡¯m alreadyte as is. But, it was worth the trip." Tralon smiled as he rubbed his hand over the spot where the pact was formed.


    "How are you getting back then?"


    "Don¡¯t you remember? It¡¯s the reason why you chose me as apanion in the first ce!"


    With thatst shout, many different colored lights appeared and gathered around Tralon. In a sh, the lights condensed around Tralon until both he and the lights hadpletely disappeared.


    "Oh yeah... You specialize in space magic..." Jack mumbled to himself as he stared at the empty space where Tralon once stood.


    Now, he had gained a new inheritor, but he knew that he wouldn¡¯t be getting any EXP from it since Tralon was always busy running the guild. But, a thought ran threw Jack¡¯s mind and he startedughing hysterically again.


    Maura and Eliza both looked at each other and then at their husband, not knowing what was going on.


    While the others in the room were busy trying to wrap their heads around Tralon¡¯s sudden use of high-level teleportation magic, Jack wasbing through his system¡¯s features. Almost immediately, Jack found a new option in his [Inhertior Skills] tab, one for Tralon.


    Opening it up without a second thought, Jack couldn¡¯t help but start panting from the excitement. A massive list of learnable spells appeared in front of Jack, rendering him speechless.

 Chapter 172 Leaving Federal City

    <h4>Chapter 172 Leaving Federal City</h4>


    Before Jack could dive deeper into his newly acquired skills, a few people approached Jack. Both of his wives, Argyle, and Zariff all walked towards the distracted Jack, curious what was going on.


    "Jack, who was that man and why do I get the feeling that you know him better than you know me?" asked Maura.


    "Probably because I do know him better," Jackughed as he exited his system and joined everyone for the fantastic meal.


    While Jack had only started to eat, those that were finished had some questions for the young hero. Argyle asked, "So, Jack, are you still mad at me? This should make up for everything if you include the support I¡¯m now giving you."


    "I haven¡¯t decided that yet." Not wanting to admit it, but Jack was actually ecstatic about meeting Tralon and even more so about him renewing his pact. Now he¡¯d gain ess to all sorts of spells and many different types of magic.


    Tralon specialized in space type magic but he could also wield holy and earth type magics as well. This was the first inheritor to give Jack ess to spells, and Jack knew what most of them would be without looking. The most exciting part was that Jack was sure that Tralon knew mythic-tier spells and a couple of legend-tier spells. He couldn¡¯t help but get excited while he was forced to wait for a better time to take a look.


    But one thing was certain, Jack was already considering forgiving Argyle. Getting his hands on such powerful magic would¡¯ve been impossible without this happening.


    "Well, I¡¯ll wait till the day you do. I¡¯m sure it won¡¯t take too long," Argyle joked as he looked at both his daughter and Jack.


    "That reminds me, I¡¯m in a hurry and will be leaving Federal City before dark. I¡¯ll need to get some supplies for me and the party that will be traveling with me," stated Jack before stuffing his face with some grilled lizard meat.


    "So soon? You¡¯ve just been married to my beautiful daughter and you already want to leave. Why not--"


    "I¡¯ve already decided. My original n was to leave this morning, but someone had to go and change that," staring back at Argyle, Jack spoke forcefully, showing that he wouldn¡¯t change his mind.


    "Fine."


    Suddenly, a ring was thrown to Jack, which he easily caught. Perplexed, Jack looked back at Argyle, waiting for an exnation.


    "There are some things that might be helpful on your journey. You can still go grab as much travel supplies as you want from our archives, but consider that ring a gift to my new son-inw," Argyle shrugged as he spoke.


    "... Thank you, Argyle." Turning to Zariff while taking another bite, Jack threw him a different ring. "Here, you keep that until they heal you."


    Zariff quickly inspected the ring and almost choked on the air in his throat. Inside, he found a peak-tier lv. 85 staff and a chest, one which was filled with about twenty thousand gold.


    "Consider it a thank you for all the support you¡¯ve given me. Now, I don¡¯t owe you anything." Jack then focused no his food, devouring it as quickly as possible without regard for manners.


    By the time he finished, everyone had eaten their fill.


    "Eliza, can you take me to the archives? We need to hurry and leave before dark, or we won¡¯t make it to the next town."


    "Sure thing, dear," Eliza replied, fluttering her long eyshes. "Follow me."


    Both Jack and Maura left the room behind Eliza, leaving their parents and family inside the banquet hall. Those left behind made sure to chat more openly since the kids had left, letting both sides of the family learn about the other¡¯s actions toward Jack up to that point.


    After a few minutes, Eliza led them to a storehouse. Holding up an emblem of the Fat Goose to a stone on the wall, therge front door slowly opened for them.


    "This is the archive where you¡¯ll find all kinds of travel equipment. Take whatever you like, only the best for my husband," said Eliza, looking back to her new man.


    "Thank you." Not sparing her a nce, Jack immediately startedbing through the many items in the warehouse.


    After almost half an hour, Jack finished collecting supplies. He grabbed a fewrge tents, saddles, rope, torches, and everything else he thought might possibly have a use. Returning to the entrance, Jack found Eliza and Maura talking to each other. It was clear to Jack that they were both ufortable with the other, making him wonder how that will affect their journey.


    "Eliza, I never asked what ss you were; mind telling me?" Jack asked her even though he could see it with Eagle Eye. At least he would be kind to his new wife, whether he was forced into it or not.


    "I¡¯m an enchanter. With me in the party, everyone will be much stronger while your enemies will be weaker. That I can guarantee." She was still trying to act seductive, doing her best to entice Jack in some way.


    Since the moment she learned that Jack and Maura had also gotten married, Eliza made it her goal to take as much of Jack¡¯s heart as possible. She didn¡¯t mind the marriage being so sudden. For her, it was almost a dreame true. Never before had she been in a rtionship, but what girl hadn¡¯t dreamed of one day marrying a great hero? As for them not knowing each other, she felt that would happen over time. With arranged marriages being so prominent among major guilds or noble families, Eliza felt lucky that Jack was the one who had be her husband.


    "That¡¯s good, you¡¯ll fit right in with the others," replied Jack, giving her a slight smile. "Since we¡¯re ready, let¡¯s go."


    Not wasting any time, Jack and his wives returned to the banquet hall to say their goodbyes. Next, they went to the stables and each took a horse for themselves, as well as one extra horse.


    After leaving the Fat Goose Guild, the party went to the Adventurers Association headquarters and told them they would be leaving early. That way the association would send the new branch president without them and that they wouldn¡¯t need to worry about sending bodyguards with Jack.


    As evening set in, Jack and his wives had already left Federal City. They were hurrying on the road, trying their best to reach the next town before nightfall.


    It waster then they had expected, but the party reached the small trade town before the sun disappeared for the night. Since Federal City was one of the few megacities on the continent, there were many settlements surrounding it that saw all kinds of travelers and visitors.


    The party found an inn with a stable and decided to stay there for the night. After putting the horses away for the night, they entered the inn and found the front desk.


    There at the front desk, was a man leaning against the wall, as if he was waiting for someone.


    Maura was surprised to see him, yet Jack wasn¡¯t. Curious why he was there, Maura asked, "Rydel, what are you doing here?"


    "I hurried over a while ago. I¡¯ve been here since yesterday, waiting to escort you guys back Reinolt. Without a lv. 30, the journey would be much harder with monsters trying to ambush a weak party," exined Rydel. The hunter then sighed when he looked at the other woman at Jack¡¯s side. "This will be hard to exin when we get back."


    "I¡¯m sure Ke will understand, if not, she¡¯ll just have to deal with it," said Jack.


    "I wasn¡¯t talking about Ke, I was talking about Daliea."


    Remembering what he had said to Daliea, Jack suddenly understood what Rydel was talking about. This really would be hard to exin.


    "Anyway, I¡¯ve already paid for your room," stated Rydel, handing Jack a room key.


    Jack took the key and handed it to Maura. "You and Eliza will share a room. I¡¯ll stay with Rydel." He tried to escape up the stairs but Jack was stopped by a surprised Eliza.


    "Huh?! We just got married and instead of a honeymoon, you¡¯ve decided to hurry back to Reinolt. That¡¯s understandable but you won¡¯t even stay with me, your wife!" Her shout startled some of the customers at the main floor¡¯s bar, but she didn¡¯t care and continued shouting. "And what about her, you think you can just give one wife special treatment and ignore the other, how shameless?!"


    "Quiet down!" yelled Jack, trying to calm her. "I haven¡¯t given either of you special treatment. I may talk with her a bit more, but that¡¯s because we¡¯ve known each other longer."


    "But--"


    "Eliza, let¡¯s go to our room, I¡¯ll exin everything there," Maura chimed in, grabbing Eliza by the hand.


    "Hmph! Fine... Since he wants to act like that, maybe he doesn¡¯t deserve to spend time with us." Willingly following Maura, Eliza went upstairs and found their room.


    "You¡¯ve got your hands full, but I¡¯m surprised you don¡¯t take advantage of all this. If anyone else was in your shoes, they¡¯d be overjoyed," the hunter joked with Jack, lightening the mood of the main floor.


    "Let¡¯s go up already, I¡¯ve got to check a few things and then we¡¯ll discuss the n." Taking the lead, Jack went up with Rydel to their room without a second thought, anxious to learn about his new spells.

 Chapter 173 Legend-Tier Spells at a Legendary Price

    <h4>Chapter 173 Legend-Tier Spells at a Legendary Price</h4>


    Rydel opened the door to their room and let Jack in. "I¡¯ll be at the bar, you want anything?"


    "I¡¯ll be busy for a while, but go ahead and order two special meals for Maura and Eliza," answered Jack.


    "You mean, your wives?"


    "Just hurry up and make the order! I¡¯m sure they¡¯re hungry," yelled Jack as he shut the door, ending the conversation.


    He stored his cloak and let Bowzer rest on Jack¡¯s pillow. Lately, Bowzer had been getting drowsier by the day. ording to the fox pup, it was because his body was preparing to evolve and reach adolescence. Soon, Bowzer would no longer be a puppy.


    Sitting cross-legged in the center of the bed, Jack opened the achievement system and quickly selected Tralon¡¯s skill tab.


    Almost one hundred spells were listed in front of him. Most were low-tier and mid-tier, but Jack was still excited to gain so many spells to learn. Jack altered the system slightly and added a new tab inside his skill listbeled [Spells.]


    The [Spells] tab was used to list all spells that Jack had learned thus far and all spells that Jack would be able to learn through the system. He also categorized it, allowing him to filter the list by tier and by type.


    Choosing the tier filter, Jack quickly found all the high-tier spells that would be within his fingertips. Dividing them up by type, Jack read the three columns,


    [HIGH-TIER SPELLS]


    [Earth Type]


    [-Earth Wall: 50 skill points]


    [-Stone Skin: 75 skill points]


    [Holy Type]


    [-Blessing: 50 skill points]


    [-Lesser Replenish: 50 skill points]


    [-Greater Healing: 75 skill points]


    [-Lesser Party Heal: 75 skill points]


    [-Holy Weapon: 75 skill points]


    [Space Type]


    [-Pocket Dimension: 100 skill points]


    Looking over the list, Jack was speechless. It wasn¡¯t because of the spells he could learn, it was because the price was outrageous!


    Thinking about it, Jack felt his heart breaking into a million pieces. ¡¯If high-tier spells cost this much... What about peak-tier? Or mythic-tier? I don¡¯t even want to imagine the legend-tier price..."


    Not wanting to imagine such outrageous prices, Jack looked at the most promising high-tier spells. The first was, of course, the only space type spell, which was also a spell he had never heard of in-game.


    [Pocket Dimension]


    [Space type; 100 skill points. A one time spell that can create a separate space in its own dimension. The creator can put anything inside or take anything out at any time without expending mana. The pocket dimension is a vacuum and can be used as an infinite personal storage.]


    ¡¯Whoa... That¡¯s perfect!¡¯ Though Jack had never heard of it till then, he wanted it all the same. It would allow him to store things without storage items. That would mean it was practically impossible to steal his things!


    ¡¯Let¡¯s check the earth type next.¡¯


    [Earth Wall]


    [Earth type; 50 skill points. It creates a barrier of earth near the caster in whichever direction the caster chooses. Mana consumption: very low - average, depending on the size of the wall.]


    [Stone Skin]


    [Earth type; 75 skill points. The target¡¯s skin bes as tough as stone for the duration of ten minutes. Mana consumption: low.]


    ¡¯Hmm... not bad. Next, the holy type magic.¡¯


    [Blessing]


    [Holy type; 50 skill points. The target will gain an additional 10% health regeneration and 10% mana regeneration for the duration of ten minutes. Mana consumption: average.]


    [Greater Healing]


    [Holy type; 75 skill points. The target will heal up to 70% of its maximum hit points. Mana consumption: average.]


    Jack also skimmed through the other holy type spells, but they were all simr. Greater Healing was a better version of the mid-tier spell he could learn for twenty-five skill points, Lesser Healing, which healed up to 35% of a target¡¯s maximum hit points. Lesser Replenish was the same as Lesser Healing, but it restored mana instead of hitpoints. And Lesser Party Heal was a 35% heal for the entire party.


    Holy de was a spell that could make a weapon temporarily gain holy damage as a bonus effect. It was useful against undead, demons, or devils. Other than that, it would only slightly boost the weapon¡¯s damage.


    It took Jack a minute build up the courage to check the peak-tier spells. Most of them were just better versions of the high-tier spells, but they were all useful in certain situations.


    [PEAK-TIER]


    [Earth Type]


    [-Earth Fortress: 100 skill points]


    [-Swallowing Earth: 250 skill points]


    [-Create Golem: 250 skill points]


    [-Iron Skin: 300 skill points]


    [Holy Type]


    [-Greater Replenish: 100 skill points]


    [-Lesser Party Replenish: 150 skill points]


    [-Party Blessing: 150 skill points]


    [-God¡¯s Eye: 200 skill points]


    [-Greater Party Healing: 350 skill points]


    [-Revivification: 400 skill points]


    [Space Type]


    [-Lesser Teleportation: 300 skill points]


    [-Spatial sh: 400 skill points]


    [-Spatial Disruption: 400 skill points]


    ¡¯...¡¯ Jack was too caught up on the sudden jump in price to think clearly about the spells themselves. It took a moment to calm his panicking mind, but eventually, he started to open up his skills and inspect what benefits they gave him.


    This time, Jack inspected the earth type spells first. Earth Fortress was a better version of Earth Wall, creating a dome of earth around the target topletely cover them. Swallowing Earth was very much like creating a small earthquake to trap the enemies inside the earth itself. Create Golem was simple and straight forward, making a temporary fightingpanion that followed basicmands. And Iron Skin was the upgraded form of Stone Skin.


    Themon trend in all of them was the increase in mana consumption. Mana consumption was measured from very low, low, average, high, and very high. All of the peak-tier earth spells had at least an average mana consumption.


    Next, Jack looked over the many holy type spells. They also had a spike in mana consumption and were mostly better versions of the high-tier spells.


    Other than that, two spells were unique; God¡¯s Eye and Revivification.


    God¡¯s Eye was a peculiar spell that Jack was unfamiliar with. It allowed the caster to see their surroundings from beyond their own perspective as if they were looking down on the earth from the heavens. They could discern how many creatures or people were in the area, or they could search for specific things. The mana consumption was low, but it would continue to use mana the longer the caster had it active.


    Revivification was the most expensive and it was easy to understand why. It was a spell that could revive someone from an unnatural death within one minute of their death. During most situations it was useless, but on rare asions, it could be one of Jack¡¯s most powerful spells.


    When Jack started looking at the space type spells, heughed at his own misfortune. The space type spells were the ones he was most interested in, but they were always the most expensive.


    Lesser Teleportation would let Jack travel to anywhere within a ten-kilometer radius and had average mana consumption. It would be handy, but it wasn¡¯t good for party y.


    Spatial sh was an offensive type spell and was well worth the 400 skill points to learn it. A wave of spacial energy would be sent through the air, cutting through anything in its path. With an average mana consumption, it was a terrifying spell to be facing.


    Of the three, Jack was most interested in Spatial Disruption, because it would disrupt the movement of anything within fifty feet of the caster. Of course, the caster could control it so that allies were unaffected, leaving enemies wide open for attacks. Jack imagined casting this spell while letting Rydel and Maynard ughter anything that dared move.


    Knowing that he wouldn¡¯t be able to purchase any mythic-tier spells for a long time, Jack didn¡¯t want to spend too much time on them, but curiosity still got the best of him.


    [MYTHIC-TIER]


    [Earth Type]


    [-Summon Earth Elemental: 600 skill points]


    [-Diamond Skin: 700 skill points]


    [Holy Type]


    [-Greater Party Replenish: 500 skill points]


    [-Resurrection: 800 skill points]


    [Space Type]


    [-Greater Teleportation: 750 skill points]


    [-Copsing Space: 900 skill points]


    Jack was blown away again by the rising price in skill points. He wondered how he could ever gain so many skill points to learn them all.


    Then he took a deep breath. If he remembered correctly, he had forced Tralon to learn two legendary spells. If Tralon still knew them, that would mean Jack could possibly learn them. But Jack was afraid to look at them, fearing he might faint from the price alone.


    Thinking and calming himself, Jack finally looked at the legendary spells avable to him.


    [LEGEND-TIER]


    [Space Type]


    [-Rendering Space: 1500 skill points]


    [-Spatial Rift: 1750 skill points]


    [Rendering Space]


    [Space type; 1500 skill points. The caster can iste any number of targets and render the space around them,cerating their very molecules. The fewer the amount of targets, the more powerful the spell. Mana consumption: very high.]


    [Spatial Rift]


    [Space Type; 1750 skill points. A spatial rift is forcibly opened, connecting any two locations by means of the spatial rift. This allowsrge groups or gigantic creates to travel across any span of distance in a single step through the rift. Mana consumption: exponentially high.]


    Lost in thought and longing, Jack imagined using such terrifying spells personally. It was going to take him a long time to even learn peak-tier spells, let alone legend-tier.

 Chapter 174 Return to Reinol

    <h4>Chapter 174 Return to Reinol</h4>


    Downtrodden, Jack frowned and left the room. Wanting to drown his new woes in brundy, Jack joined Rydel at the bar.


    "Hey, so, what was so important that you couldn¡¯te down sooner?" asked Rydel.


    Jack sighed, "It seems I got too excited for nothing..."


    "Whatever it was, it seems like it can wait if you¡¯re not wanting to talk about it. Anyway, want to fill me in on the n?"


    "I¡¯ll give you the gist," answered Jack. "First, we head back to Reinolt and gather up the party. Second, I need to alter my Inheritor¡¯s Pact. It should only take me a few days of study and practice, but it has to be done."


    Rydelughed, "Why, so you can take all our EXP instead?"


    "The opposite, I don¡¯t want to take any of your EXP. We¡¯ll be too close for it to matter, and it would be bad if I was the only one leveling up. I need to find a way to bnce it while keeping our benefits. Thanks to some new supplies I bought, it should only be a matter of time until I have it ready."


    "I¡¯ll drink to that!" Rydel cheered, downing thest of his brundy. "Kid, I hope you keep your promise. You didn¡¯t forget that you¡¯ll be helping me get blessed by that god, right?"


    "Of course not! That¡¯s the next part of the n," replied Jack. "We¡¯ll be heading for the Aazoon Kingdom once the pact is ready. But we¡¯re not taking any roads unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary."


    "Really?"


    "Really, otherwise we won¡¯t be able to get so many people to level up. However, with so many people, we should be able to face some pretty powerful beasts with tons of EXP!"


    "Calm down, Jack, you¡¯re getting ahead of yourself." Rydel pped Jack¡¯s back with his empty mug. "By the way, weren¡¯t we supposed to search for that sword god in Zuran for that old samurai?"


    "Well... Actually, I don¡¯t n to go there at all..."


    Giving Jack a strange look, Rydel asked, "And why¡¯s that?"


    "Because the sword god isn¡¯t a neutral god," answered Jack. "Only the neutral god are trustworthy."


    "Seriously? I thought Halmut, the god of the heavens, was the one who defeated Skaryn and saved the world?"


    "It¡¯s true that they fought and that Halmut won, but do you think Skaryn was the only side that instigated the war?" snickered Jack.


    Baffled, Rydel tried to figure out what Jack meant. "You mean... that both Skaryn and Halmut were the cause of the Holy War?"


    "Precisely. When both of them were just as influential as the other, eventually, they decided to try and overtake the other¡¯s influence. With more influence, wouldn¡¯t the gods be more powerful? Powerful enough to have no rival?" reasoned Jack. "Does that not make sense?"


    "No, that makes perfect sense," agreed Rydel. "Is that why Trodar was hit harder than everyone else because it was always a neutral state and never holy nor chaotic?"


    "Yup, like always, you figure everything out so quickly."


    With a loud sigh, Rydel left a couple of gold coins on the bar counter and stood up. "Don¡¯t stay up toote, kid. We¡¯ve got a long day of riding tomorrow."


    "Oh yeah, that reminds me." Jack retrieved a gold ring from his storage. It¡¯s dark green gem was hazy in the light of the inn¡¯s candles. "Here, this is for Ayden."


    "Huh?"


    Rydel took it and inspected it. Without a second thought, Rydel smiled and dashed out of the inn. A couple of minutes passed and then he returned inside.


    "Thanks, Jack. I¡¯ll make sure to treasure it." Having thanked Jack for his new bestial storage ring, Rydel went upstairs with a beaming smile on his face.


    Left alone at the bar, Jack sat there for a long time, thinking and pondering about what he should do next. The biggest thing on his mind was what he should try and buy from his new spell list.


    After the wedding, Jack gained fifteen skill points for getting Eliza to admit that she liked him. Though they had gotten married, Jack still received fewer points than either Maura¡¯s and Slivia¡¯s achievements. It was proof that they just didn¡¯t know enough about each other to get so serious so quickly.


    Lucky for him, all low-tier spells that Tralon knew were given to Jack for free. Unlucky for him, they were mainly practical spells like Light, which only created a small ball of light.


    Spending twenty of his thirty skill points, Jack upgraded his mana regeneration to lv. 3. Jack figured that since he couldn¡¯t get any high-tier spells, then he should at least do something that would aid his spell casting and skill using.


    There was one major w to having so many skills and spells; both spells and skills use mana. Without an absurd amount of mana, Jack¡¯s huge arsenal of abilities wouldn¡¯t be too difficult to face. For that reason, Jack was determined to level up his mana abilities to the max if given the opportunity.


    As the night dragged on, eventually Jack took himself upstairs and slept next to Bowzer. Not once did Jack go and see his wives.


    When the morning sun woke the party up, they all hurried to the bar for a quick breakfast. Once that was over, they all mounted their horses and dashed down the road toward Reinolt.


    *****


    Just outside Reinolt City¡¯s south gate, two adventurers were farming EXP from anything they could find. By looking at their levels, it was clear that both of them were too strong to gain much benefit from killing such low-leveled creatures, but they did it anyway.


    "Ke, don¡¯t go off too far! Ya know we need to stay near the city. Jack and the others should be arriving soon."


    "Okay, Maynard. Let¡¯s just head back then," Ke pouted, unhappy with the results of all their farming. She had managed to level up, but that was only because she was already at the very top of lv. 27.


    Even after spending a month grinding through the forests outside of Reinolt City, nothing special had happened to her.


    ¡¯Hey, where are you two? We should be approaching the south gate in a few minutes.¡¯


    A mental message rang out loud and clear in Maynard¡¯s mind. He smiled and replied to Rydel, ¡¯We¡¯re at the edge of the south forest, so we should be able to meet ya outside the gate.¡¯


    Looking back to Ke, Maynard smiled. "It seems they¡¯ll be here soon then we thought. Let¡¯s hurry back, or ya will miss them."


    "Really?!" yelled Ke.


    Since the others were back, it meant that she wouldn¡¯t have to stay near the city anymore. Plus, she had heard from Maynard that they¡¯ll be going to other countries soon. Their journey would finally be starting and she¡¯d be able to level up together with Jack and them.


    "Try not to act too surprised when ya see Jack. A few unexpected circumstances happened in Federal City."


    "What do you mean? Is Jack okay?"


    "Oh, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine. If anything, he might be better than fine,"ughed Maynard. "Either way, I just hope ya don¡¯t act too surprised and die of shock."


    "What happened in Federal City? If it wasn¡¯t anything big, then you wouldn¡¯t be making such a big deal out of all this!" Ke shouted at Maynard, hoping that he¡¯d just admit the truth.


    "Ya will see. Anyway, let¡¯s get going."


    The two-person party quickly made it back to the south gate and stood off to the side of the road. As carts and travelers passed, Ke scanned them all in search of Jack while Maynard was calmly passing the time with meditation.


    "Didn¡¯t you say that they were supposed to be here by now?" asked Ke.


    Keeping quiet, Maynard kept his mouth and his eyes shut.


    "What, did you miss us that much?"


    A familiar voice came from behind Ke and the moment she heard it she turned around with a smile. "Jack!"


    Diving at him with her arms wide, Keughed and tried to embrace him.


    Suddenly, two people appeared in front of Jack, blocking her way. One of them was easy for Ke to recognize, but the other wasn¡¯t. "Who¡¯s this?"


    "This is Eliza. She¡¯ll be traveling with us from now on," stated Jack. "And I¡¯m sure you already recognized Maura, despite her new clothes."


    "Dear, who is this, and why is she trying toy her hands on you, my husband?"


    Eliza¡¯s sudden statement rocked Ke¡¯s brain heavily. "H-husband?! What is she talking about, Jack!"


    "Calm down, both of you!" yelled Jack. "We¡¯ve finally arrived and you¡¯re not letting us rx after our long journey."


    Ke quickly looked at both Eliza¡¯s and Jack¡¯s hands, finding both of them to be wearing wedding bands. "WHAT?! What happened in Federal City?!"


    "Only our wedding," Eliza joked around with Ke.


    It was easy for her to see that Ke was also trying to get after Jack. Sadly for both her and Maura, Jack had only agreed to marry them in name and not in act. Other than the moments where he would put on a show as their husbands, Jack would treat them like he had before. Even when Eliza tried to sneak into his tent at night, she was quickly rejected.


    Since she hadn¡¯t been able to make much progress with Jack their entire trip, she at least wanted to let off some steam. And since Ke was practically begging for it, Eliza yed along.


    "What, were you rejected and failed to get Jack¡¯s heart? Unfortunately, you can¡¯t even be his second wife, even if he agreed."


    "What do you mean?!"


    With a subtleugh, Eliza looked Ke in the eye and pointed at Maura. "Just see for yourself."


    Ke blinked a few times but quickly focused on the ring Maura was wearing. When she saw it, she felt like a freight train had hit her head-on. It was too much to take in or understand, so she was getting angrier by the second.

 Chapter 175 Altering the Pac

    <h4>Chapter 175 Altering the Pac</h4>


    "JACK?!"


    At the top of her lungs, Ke screamed, wanting an exnation for all this. However, when her bright red face turned to look at Jack, she couldn¡¯t find him. Rydel was still riding his horse and was now holding the reigns to Jack¡¯s horse as well.


    "Where did he go? He thinks he can just leave without an exnation?!"


    Laughing, Rydel nced at Maura. "Since Jack took off, how about you exin things? By the look of things, it would be better that you talk and not Eliza."


    Maura sighed, "Ke,e with me and I¡¯ll exin everything. Let¡¯s head back to the association building and we¡¯ll talk on the way."


    "Fine, but I refuse to give up! This only means that I need to try harder!"


    Together, Maura and Ke led the way with Rydel, Maynard, and Eliza in tow. Eliza looked at the calm samurai and asked, "Are you Maynard? They told me a lot about you and your bloodthirsty-style."


    "Yup, that¡¯s me," answered Maynard. "And ya must be Eliza. How does it now that ya are finally out on your own adventure? Is it better than being cooped up at home?"


    "Actually... It¡¯s my first time outside of Federal City..."


    "Seriously?!" Both Maynard and Rydel shouted, surprised by just how protective her father had been.


    "You¡¯re father must have really cared about you. I¡¯m surprised he gave you away so easily to Jack," mentioned Rydel.


    "Me too, but he said that it was better for me to be with Jack than anyone else. And if my father felt that it was better to be with Jack and not himself, than he must have a lot of confidence in Jack," stated Eliza, with a thoughtful tone. "But every time I ask Jack about what he and my father talked about, he never exins anything. And since he¡¯s not here, can either of you two exin it to me?"


    "Hey, he may not be here, but I don¡¯t think Jack would appreciate us talking about his secrets so openly," replied Rydel.


    Maynard nodded. "Ya will see with time. Now that you¡¯re together with Jack, ya will learn first hand, just wait."


    "But I¡¯m not sure that we are together..." groaned Eliza. "My whole life I was sheltered and raised in Federal City, dreaming about the day I¡¯d get to leave. Father always said that I¡¯d only get to leave after I¡¯m married. Now that¡¯s finally happened, and to a hero no less! But he doesn¡¯t treat me like he should treat his wife... Jack¡¯s nice to me, but I feel that it¡¯s only out of obligation."


    "Can ya me him though?"


    "What do you mean?" Eliza asked Maynard, who so casually sided with Jack.


    "Ya do know that your father ckmailed him into this, right?"


    Confused, Eliza looked at Rydel, not wanting to believe what Maynard just said. Sadly, she only saw the hunter shrug his shoulders and chuckle in response. "You mean he really was ckmailed? Then why is he being nice to me when he never wanted to be with me?"


    "Knowing that kid, he probably doesn¡¯t me you at all. If anything, he probably feels sorry for you. He¡¯s too kind-hearted to not take care of you, even if you only became his wife by coincidence," exined Rydel. "He¡¯s a great guy, but he¡¯s going through a lot more then you give him credit for. In time, though, you may be able to grab a piece of his heart if you¡¯re patient."


    She looked back at Rydel shyly. "You... really think so?"


    "Sure! We know Jack, and it¡¯s only a matter of time till he epts ya. Problem is, that might take longer than ya expect," mentioned Rydel.


    The rest of the way, Eliza rode her horse in silence at Maynard¡¯s and Rydel¡¯s sides.


    Back at the association building, Jack had already returned and hurried into one of the empty dorm rooms. Locking the door, Jack took his time to prepare plenty of papers, magical ink, and more. It was time to start adjusting the pact.


    Without any distractions, Jack wondered how many hours it would take him to finalize the new pact.


    At the entrance of the association building, Maura and the others finally arrived. Though Jack arrived first, he hurried through with his sudden death skill to not draw any attention. But now that Rydel and Maura were back, how could they not draw the attention of the entire branch?


    Many people swarmed Maura, wanting to know what happened with her father and why he hadn¡¯t returned with them.


    Instead of answering those questions, she let Rydel handle that. Maura greeted everyone and led Ke and Eliza inside to the bar. Though her mother was no longer cooking there, the new cook still wouldn¡¯t be bad.


    Rydel and Maynard were the ones to start answering questions. When they mentioned Zariff¡¯s dismissal due to being cursed and poisoned, it was a lot for the other adventurers to take in. And when they said that they would be leaving with Jack as his official party, the bar was in an uproar.


    Many of them were jealous of the hunter and the samurai. Everyone wished that they had be closer to Jack when they had the chance. But since that ship had sailed, instead they celebrated with Maynard and Rydel, toasting to their future journeys.


    There was, however, one person who wasn¡¯t cheering or toasting with everyone else at the bar. She calmly stood up and walked toward the two men at the center of themotion. "Are you really leaving so soon?"


    "Yeah, Jack¡¯s got some big ns so we¡¯ll be heading out as soon as he finishes something," replied Rydel.


    "Does that mean Jack is back?" asked Daliea.


    Maynard chuckled, "Yeah, he¡¯s probably locked himself away by now. I don¡¯t know how long he¡¯ll take, but ya will have to wait cause no one¡¯s allowed to disturb him."


    Nodding, Daliea looked around to see Maura with Ke and another girl that she didn¡¯t recognize. When she saw the rings on Maura¡¯s and Eliza¡¯s fingers, Daliea squinted her eyes in thought.


    She asked Rydel, "Did Maura get married?"


    "Oh, you noticed..."


    "So, she did? Where¡¯s her husband, I don¡¯t see him anywhere."


    "Umm..." Rydel looked to Maynard as if to ask him to exin instead.


    With a loud sigh, Maynard motioned to Daliea toe closer. He let her stand directly in front of him as he whispered something into her ear. It almost took a whole minute for him to stop whispering, but Dalieas face showed surprise in seconds.


    After his quiet exnation, Daliea looked perplexed. She thought in silence for a moment but eventually said, "Okay. Then I¡¯ming too."


    "We thought you might say that," grumbled Rydel. "I don¡¯t have anything against it since you¡¯re plenty strong. Actually, I¡¯d be happy to have youe along. But you¡¯ll have to convince Jack first."


    "Like I said, I¡¯ming too. Jack won¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll make sure of it."


    Both Rydel and Maynard looked at each other andughed. Though they already knew this would happen, seeing the jealous look in Daliea¡¯s eyes was proof that she still hadn¡¯t given up her chase for Jack.


    *****


    Time past and two whole days went by without warning.


    Jack was still locked up in that spare room, not letting anyone disturb his practice with pacts or Bowzer¡¯s long naps. Finally, Jack let out a sigh of relief.


    The young hero rxed and looked at the piece of paper in front of him. It was covered in a pattern simr to the old pact, but now it was far moreplex. With added shapes, symbols, and etchings, it looked far more powerful than it had been previously.


    One of the biggest requirements for pacts was that they were only usable for summoned heroes, so Jack naturally filled the hardest requirement.


    Second, it was about forming an original magic contract made in magic ink. Since JAck was using the best magical ink, paper, and quill money could buy, that requirement was also fulfilled.


    That only left the pact symbol. It had to reflect the words and meaning of the contract, utilizing the many shapes and etchings to do so. And now that Jack had finally seeded in bncing it all three steps, he could use his new pact.


    His door soon opened, and a slightly tattered looking young man exited. Jack made his way to the bar to get some much-needed food.


    It was about midday, giving Jack time to perform all the new pacts and say his goodbyes. Soon, he would finally be leaving Reinolt and starting his own journey without the association¡¯s influence. They would still back him so long as he didn¡¯t do anything too stupid, but they wouldn¡¯t decide his trip for him.


    With that over with, Jack enjoyed a good meal and waited for the others toe to find him. And since he had been stowed away for so long, his exiting seclusion was already getting spread around the building and reaching his friends¡¯ ears.

 Chapter 176 Beast Companions for the Girls

    <h4>Chapter 176 Beast Companions for the Girls</h4>


    The first person to find Jack wasn¡¯t who he had expected, but the person he had forgotten about many times.


    She silently sat beside him, going unnoticed until she asked, "So, when do we leave?"


    Finally sensing her, Jack was startled and looked up. When he saw Daliea, he chuckled, "Wow, you don¡¯t leave any room to argue, do you?"


    "Nope."


    "We leave tomorrow morning," replied Jack. "I still want to say my goodbyes and we also have something to do before we leave."


    "Right, you still need to give me your seed."


    "Pfffew!!"


    Spitting out his drink and almost coughing up his lunch, Jack was caught off guard with Daliea¡¯s bluntness. He knew she was like that, but this was the first time that she had done so out in the open.


    Also, unlike in the past, Daliea was no longer hiding her true appearance. Ever since the battle with the syndicate, the goblin city had been named as allies of Reinolt.


    Most of the goblins would nevere here, but Daliea and her captains were different. The captains wouldmonly be going back and forth, trading azure crystals for different supplies to help the goblin city grow. Daliea hadn¡¯t even gone back yet, not since she had to wait for Jack.


    The worst part was that Jack didn¡¯t really see Daliea as a goblin. She looked far too human, other than the light gray color of her skin and her pointed ears. If it wasn¡¯t for her skin, Daliea could possibly pass for a young elf even. Jack attributed that to her being from the rare shadow goblin race, but he wasn¡¯t sure why they were like that.


    "Jack, you no longer have the same problem as before, so why can¡¯t you give me your seed?" asked Daliea, not giving up in the least.


    "Daliea, I¡¯m married now. How could I do that?"


    "You¡¯ve already married both Maura and Eliza, so why not me too? I already told you, I¡¯ll give you everything."


    He sighed and rubbed his forehead, trying not to get a headache. "Daliea..."


    "I¡¯ve already talked with your wives, and they agreed," added the goblin queen.


    "What?!"


    Daliea continued, "Yup, so long as you do the same with them, they are fine with it. So why not?"


    Backed into a corner, Jack pouted on the inside. Looking her in the eyes, Jack admitted, "Daliea, please don¡¯t keep bringing this up. I¡¯m ttered but I¡¯m just not ready for any of that, not even with my wives. I only want to go that far with someone I love."


    "So you don¡¯t love your wives?"


    That question grated hard on Jack¡¯s ears because he never thought he would be asked such a thing. "Well... At the moment, not enough to go so far."


    "So in the future, you won¡¯t be against it? Then I will wait till you¡¯re ready," stated Daliea, smiling happily.


    Defeated, Jack finished his food in silence as the rest of his new party trickled toward the bar.


    "Alright everyone, we¡¯ll be leaving tomorrow morning and I¡¯ll exin the n on the road. For now, just make sure you¡¯re ready to leave." Jack then looked to Maura, Eliza, Ke, and Daliea. "Ladies, you¡¯re alling with me to go see Tridon, so please, no fighting along the way."


    "Tridon?" Eliza had no clue who that was.


    "Let¡¯s go!"


    Jack left with girls behind him, leaving Rydel and Maynard to finish the preparations for the trip.


    Jack¡¯s group caught everyone¡¯s attention as they walked through the street. After being gone so long, it was natural for the citizens of Reinolt City to find their hero¡¯s appearance so sudden. And with so many beautiful women beside him, including the goblin queen they had all heard about, the party was a sight to behold.


    Before long, Jack and the girls reached the Salendar Manor, but Jack was startled by what he found.


    There were many new buildings and it looked like the stables had almost quadrupled in size. More guards could be found everywhere, showing that the family¡¯s security had greatly increased.


    Curious about the recent changes, Jack asked the guards if he could speak with Tridon.


    At first, they refused, but after learning that they were speaking with Jack, Reinolt¡¯s hero, they quickly passed the message to Tridon and were allowed inside. It didn¡¯t take long for Tridon to appear personally and wee them.


    "It¡¯s been a while! How¡¯ve you been?"


    "There¡¯s too much to exin, but I do need your help," replied Jack.


    With a mischievousugh, Tridon smile. "Oh, so you¡¯re too busy with your wives to exin anything to me, an old friend?"


    Jack sighed, "Let me guess, Maynard?"


    "And Rydel. They both visited yesterday and filled me in. Let me guess, you¡¯re wanting to take some beasts as gifts to your wives?"


    "Tridon--"


    "Oh, that would be great!" shouted Eliza. "What kind of beasts do you have? Anything that¡¯s both powerful and cute?"


    "I¡¯ve got all kinds of beasts, but his time I¡¯m not giving any away."


    "What do you want?" asked Jack.


    "I want three peak-tier weapons; lv. 25, lv. 35, and lv. 40. I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re plenty wealthy and married a rich girl from Federal City, so that shouldn¡¯t be difficult, right?" reasoned Tridon.


    "Tell you what, I¡¯ll see what beasts you can offer us and then we¡¯ll discuss the price. Is that fair?"


    "Makes sense," Tridon stroked his beard and chuckled. "Come, I¡¯ll show you everything I¡¯ve got, including the new stock."


    "By the way, what happened here?" asked Jack.


    Sticking his chest out with pride, Tridon replied, "You¡¯re now talking to the Reinolt Beastmaster, head of the nation¡¯s Beast Manor, the newest national power. In terms of strength, we¡¯re almost equal to the Royal Court thanks to all the new recruits who want to tame their own beast and join the ranks."


    Surprised that King Leodoro was supporting Tridon so much, Jack smiled. He was happy that the Reinolt Kingdom was growing stronger after almost falling apart. It made him feel morefortable about leaving them all behind.


    Soon, they were all inside the stables and the girls were all looking at the many different beasts. Each of them was searching for what would be their personal beast and possibly one of their best friends.


    Jack looked to Maura and said, "You should go after one of the strongest Cetuses. Wouldn¡¯t it be perfect topliment your water magic?"


    "But aren¡¯t those too strong to control? I¡¯m only--"


    "Remember, as soon as we leave, you¡¯re level will change," added Jack, reminding her of the EXP pots he nned to give them all.


    Though she was hesitant to think Jack would give them all something so priceless, Jack wouldn¡¯t flinch at all. In his eyes, they would only be mid-level adventurers and that wouldn¡¯t even qualify them as experts in his eyes. For the rest of the world, reaching lv. 30 was an amazing aplishment. But for Jack, reaching level thirty was only a milestone that would allow him to travel and start the true grind, the push to be a high-level expert.


    "If you say so."


    Maura made her way to a Cetus¡¯ pen, catching the attention of the other girls who hadn¡¯t chosen one yet. On Maura¡¯s shoulder was Bowzer, who Jack had woken up specifically to help them tame the strongest beasts.


    With Bowzer activating his me body, the cetus easily agreed and allowed Tridon to give it a mutual seal with Maura.


    "That one was worth a lv. 35 weapon on its own, pretty fair for a lv. 34 cetus, right?" Tridonughed as he started to name his prices. He knew that Jack was only going to take his best beasts, so he was sure to set a good price.


    "That¡¯s fair." Like it was nothing, Jack took out a pair of w-like gauntlets and threw them to Tridon. "These should be useful to you, right?"


    "Perfect!" Tridon happily stored the new weapons which fit his fighting style perfectly. "What¡¯s next?"


    Jack looked at the other girls. "Make sure to pick a beast who shared simr abilities with yourself. Trust me, I¡¯ll exin whyter."


    "Okay!" Excited that Jack was finally doing something so special for her, Eliza didn¡¯t hold back. "I want that one!"


    Not wanting to be outdone, Ke hurried to her favorite beast. "And I want this one!"


    When Jack saw the beast the girls were pointing at, he shook his head andughed. They were going to make him spend a lot.


    "Wow, they want my only dryad and my only fairy. That¡¯ll cost you." Tridon shrugged and smiled at the same time. Though they were rare types of beasts, he only had them as a part of his collection. They weren¡¯t too useful to him.


    "How much?"


    "Since the Forest Dryad is lv. 31 and the Light Fairy is lv. 33, how about a trade for those lv. 40 and lv. 25 weapons?"


    Though it wasn¡¯t much to Jack, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like they were trying to get him to spend as much money as possible. But he couldn¡¯t argue because they had chosen the ones he thought were best for them.


    "What kind of weapons do you want?"


    "I need a sword for Troni and something else for me."


    Taking a moment to think, Jack retrieved two items. One was a sword and the other was w type weapon,monly used by strikers. "Will these work?"


    "Sure!" Tridon smiled wide, happy to now own a lv. 40 weapon. "They¡¯re all yours!"


    For the dryad, Bowzer didn¡¯t even have to use his me body to tame her. The Forest Dryad had a feminine figure but didn¡¯t have a human face. They were nt-type beasts and were known for their control abilities, perfect for Eliza as an enchanter.


    The Light Fairy actually took a liking to Ke without any help, probably due to the magic they shared. Both of the only used holy type magic and the fairy would much rather travel with Ke than stay in a pen all her life.


    ncing at Daliea, Jack asked, "And you? Which do you want?"

 Chapter 177 Deal with the Mysterious Protector of Reinol

    <h4>Chapter 177 Deal with the Mysterious Protector of Reinol</h4>


    "And you? Which one do you want?"


    Daliea looked around the stables but only shook her head in disappointment. "None of these."


    "Really? But what about that me Tiger, wouldn¡¯t that be perfect?"


    "It would be okay, but it¡¯s not the most suitable for me," stated Daliea. "I can cast three magic types and fire is my weakest of the three."


    "Three magic types?! Howe you never told me that?" asked Jack.


    She shrugged while keeping a straight, emotionless face. "You never asked."


    "..." Jack didn¡¯t reply, taking a moment to think. After a few seconds, he also shrugged. "What¡¯s your other magic types?"


    "Illusion and dark."


    Jack¡¯s eyes sparkled as he thought about the many dark type beasts in his memories. They were all mysterious and had strange abilities, some even shared both illusion and dark types. He couldn¡¯t help but agree with Daliea, that none of the beasts Tridon had would suit her as well as those.


    "Tell you what, let¡¯s get that me tiger for now and we¡¯ll get search for a dark type beast during our journey. How¡¯s that?" Jack asked Daliea, hoping she would agree.


    She looked at Jack, surprised to see him acting so kind to her. Though she knew that humans were no longer afraid of her, Jack was the only human that ever acted so kind to her, even after he kept rejecting her advances.


    "Okay."


    Daliea walked up to the me Tiger¡¯s pen and entered without a second thought. It was lv. 35, one level higher than Daliea.


    Before Jack had a chance to let Bowzer help her, the me Tiger roared and lunged at Daliea with intent to kill. From its actions, everyone could tell that the tiger was still new to being imprisoned and hadn¡¯t lost its killer instincts.


    But while everyone else was afraid for Daliea to get hurt, the me Tiger¡¯s w swiped through her and Daliea¡¯s figure became illusory, disappearingpletely.


    As the tiger and everyone watching were confused, Daliea appeared to the side of therge tiger. In her palm was a zing hot ball of yellow, white fire.


    Seeing that fireball, Jack felt his hair wanting to stand up in fear. He found it hard to believe that fire type magic was her weakest type. How could that be when her me was so hot?!


    Sensing the me, the me Tiger looked at Daliea with hesitation. Even as a me type beast, it could sense a high degree of threat from that fireball. Its movements calmed as the tiger let Daliea approach it without retaliation.


    When she saw that, Daliea knew that she had tamed the beast. Putting out her fireball, she petted the giant tiger. Since she was already small, the massive three-meter long tiger seemed enormous. Yet the goblin girl had still managed to tame it, even getting the tiger to lick her face and ept her as its new master.


    Tridon was startled by the scene.


    Since Jack had left, Tridon had signed a contract with the king, making his Beast Manor an unofficial branch of Reinolt¡¯s military. He received funding and supplies from the Royal Court, as well as the majority of the animals they had in store. Also, Tridon had purchased many more beast with his new funding to grow his rising organization.


    That tiger was the most expensive of the beasts he had purchased and was the most ferocious. It was still in adolescence and had the potential to break through lv. 50. Even he, Reinolt¡¯s Beastmaster, had trouble just getting it in the cage.


    Seeing the goblin queen, who was one level weaker than both Tridon and the tiger, dominate the tiger so easily, Tridon was aghast. He felt somewhat humiliated, but he wouldn¡¯t let the others know that.


    "Tridon, the seal," Jack spoke up, reminding Tridon of his part.


    "Right!"


    Therge man quickly performed a mutual seal for them, further amazed that Daliea could get the tiger to agree. It seemed too good to be true.


    "Alright, since we¡¯ve gotten what we came for, let¡¯s go," stated Jack. "Tridon, thanks for the help and the beasts. Here, I think this is worth the tiger, right?"


    A storage ring was thrown to Tridon, who caught and inspected it instantly. With a big smile, Tridon replied, "Sure, I think a lv. 35 beast is well worth it! It was a pleasure doing business and good luck on your journey."


    "Thanks. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll meet again, in time."


    With a light bow, Jack¡¯s party said their goodbyes to Tridon and thanked him for the beasts.


    Using the bestial ring that Jack had already given to Daliea, she stored all the beasts without trouble.


    It startled Tridon, but he said nothing but he had heard from the others that Jack had be extremely wealthy. He just hadn¡¯t expected the young hero to have so much more than himself.


    In no time, they were back outside the Beast Manor, wondering what was next.


    Jack took the lead, saying, "Let¡¯s go see Zarris. I¡¯d like to see him onest time before we leave."


    Maura looked at Jack and asked, "And what about the king?"


    "Knowing him, he¡¯ll probably show up at the association building to say goodbye," replied Jack. "Besides, I have something to ask Zarris."


    Thedies all followed Jack as they walked to the central square. Maura helped Jack contain Eliza and Ke, not letting them wander off in search of expensive, useless goods.


    Zarris was outside his tent, manning his little stand as usual. It was easy for him to notice Jack¡¯s partying his way. When they came into view, he asked, "Jack, how have you been? Did you like Federal City?"


    "Can we go in the back? There are some things I need to ask you."


    "Sure, step right in." Zarris held the p open, letting Jack and the girls enter the tent. Out of habit, Zarris cast silence and smiled. "So, what do you need today?"


    "There are a few things, but first I have a question." Jack got straight to the point, not trying to waste the little time he had left of the day. "You were that mysterious voice that saved us from the Chaos Syndicate, right?"


    "Hm, was it that hard to figure out?"ughed Zarris. "I tried to thank you for the information about the syndicatest time you were here. If you hadn¡¯t tried to contact me for supplies to face the syndicate, I would¡¯ve been toote to do anything."


    "I knew it! That means you¡¯re at least lv. 50, right? And you can cast both wind and space magic."


    "Right again, you¡¯re on a roll today."


    Curious, Jack asked, "What did the king give you to persuade you to stay here?"


    "A pretty good sum of money and whatever supplies I ask for, but the contract should be up for renewal soon and I¡¯m not sure if he can afford it," stated Zarris, totally calm like his disappearance wouldn¡¯t affect anything.


    "Hmm... What level are you, exactly?" Jack was sure that Zarris was using an item to hid his information, probably as part of the deal so that no one would ever know who Reinolt¡¯s protector was.


    "I¡¯m lv. 56, why?"


    "Then let me make you an offer." Suddenly, a staff appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. It was made of bone, as light as a feather, and appeared to hover over the ground. "Are you interested in this?"


    Zarris¡¯ eyes couldn¡¯t contain his desire for the weapon in Jack¡¯s hand. "What are the terms?"


    "For another three years, keep watching over Reinolt. Also, if you have any other friends that would like a simr deal, I¡¯m more than willing to pay for it."


    "A have a friend who might be willing. He¡¯s even stronger than me, but he even greedier."


    "What level and ss?"


    "He¡¯s a lv. 63 monk," answered Zarris. "Got anything for him?"


    A golden quarter staff appeared in Jack¡¯s hands, glowing in the low-lit tent. "I think this could work."


    Nodding, Zarris agreed with Jack. Sure, he and his friend were high-leveled, but that didn¡¯t mean they were the strongest or had the best weapons. Peak-tier weapons at their levels were practically priceless and hard toe by. A few years of service in a small kingdom was well worth such treasures, especially when there was a chance that nothing would even happen.


    "I¡¯ll contact him immediately. Knowing him, he should get here by the end of the month," said Zarris.


    "Perfect, then I won¡¯t have to worry about this ce while I¡¯m gone." Jack handed both weapons to Zarris, who dly stored them away. "Also, do you happen to have any space type spells for sale?"


    Chuckling, Zarris¡¯ eyes sparkled. "You can cast space type spells?"


    When Jack nodded, Zarrisughed and retrieved a book from his ring. "Here, consider as a part of our previous deal. That way I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m cheating you to badly."


    Jack took a look at the book, happy to get a free high-tier space type spell. "Thanks, Zarris! We should get going, but I¡¯ll be back before our agreement is over. If anything interestinges up in Reinolt, just contact me."


    Zarrisughed, thinking Jack was joking about the contact crystal. But then Jack pulled out a deep purple contact crystal, and Zarris¡¯ eyes went wide. "You got a high-tier contact crystal too! You must¡¯ve left Federal City like a bandit."


    "I guess, you could say that."


    While Zarris was referring to those few items he showed, Jack felt the same way but about other items, mainly the bestial rings, Sterfen¡¯s Cloak, and the fossilized egg. If the system was correct, that egg might even be worth more than the cloak in time.

 Chapter 178 Leaving Reinol

    <h4>Chapter 178 Leaving Reinol</h4>


    Jack¡¯s party left Zarris¡¯ tent and started heading back to the association building. It was alreadyte evening after choosing beastpanions and going through the central square.


    On the way back, Eliza and Ke convinced Jack to buy them all food from the street vendors. It wasn¡¯t the jewels or gifts that Jack hadn¡¯t let them buy in the central square, but they were still happy they convinced him to buy them something.


    "So, Jack, when¡¯s our wedding?" asked Ke, while she ate some grilled beef skewers.


    "Don¡¯t even joke about that!"


    "Who said I was joking? Since you¡¯ve already gotten two beautiful wives, what¡¯s wrong with a third?"


    Giving her a death stare, Jack firmly stated, "We are not having this conversation." Then, Jack started walking again, not caring if the girls followed him or not.


    "Wait! I¡¯m sorry!" Ke ran after him, as well as the other girls.


    Daliea was the only one who remained unfazed by it all. In her mind, all she had to do was be patient and the time woulde where she could be with Jack.


    Eventually, they all reached the association building by sunset. It was lively and filled with music, unlike most nights. When they entered, they were surprised to see the insides decorates with lights and papernterns. A big sign was written on the wall, saying, "Good luck on your journey!"


    "Hey, you¡¯re finally back!"


    Jack recognized that voice andughed. "Brunar, how have you been? It¡¯s been a while."


    "I¡¯m doing great! Now that I¡¯m lv. 24, I can go deeper into the south woods and the mountains. Soon, I¡¯ll be lv. 30 and can travel all on my own." With some pink in his cheeks, Brunar lifted his half-empty mug. "It¡¯s all thanks to you, so let¡¯s celebrate! You¡¯re leaving soon, so enjoy the night!"


    Laughing as he grabbed a mug of his own, Jack joined in on the fun. "If you say so, then I¡¯ll join in!"


    Thedies all smiled and found their own things to do. Some were at the bar, like Eliza and Ke who were started to be good friends. Maura followed Jack, joining his asional toasts and cheers. Daliea did the same as Maura, but she went unnoticed for the most part.


    Maynard and Rydel were sitting together with Tomas and Trevor. The samurai finished his drink and turned to the others. "Men, it¡¯s been an honor to fight alongside you."


    "Same! I can¡¯t wait to see who¡¯s stronger by the time you get back," replied Tomas. "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to take Trevor with you? He could use the experience."


    "That¡¯s not up to us, but Jack. And if I¡¯m not mistaken, he¡¯s already epted more people than he had originally nned," Rydel answered, pointing at the four girls in various parts of the bar.


    With a heartyugh, Tomas lifted his mug. "What a lucky boy! Here¡¯s to Jack, the young heartbreaker that will soon pass us all!"


    "Aye!"


    They all clinked their mugs together, joining the cheer and hastily downing their drinks. The first to finish was Rydel, followed by Maynard and Tomas. Thest was Trevor, who couldn¡¯tpete with the other men¡¯s drinking habits.


    "So, where are you all headed off to now?" asked Tomas, who had now calmed down.


    "Aazoon," replied Maynard.


    "Oh... Any reason why?"


    "It¡¯s a secret, but I¡¯ll be sure to share it in the future. For now, everything we¡¯ll be doing is a secret to everyone, including the association."


    "Even to the association..." Trevor was taken aback by Rydel¡¯s seriousness and his willingness to hide information from their superiors in the Adventurers Association.


    Tomas chuckled, "Understood, we¡¯ll both keep our mouths shut, won¡¯t we Trevor?"


    "Um... Yes, father," replied Trevor, now even more surprised that his strict father supported such behavior.


    "Listen carefully, son, there are times in a man¡¯s life which don¡¯t need to be shared, even if a superior officer asks for it. Sometimes, it¡¯s best to keep it to yourself and grow at your own pace," exined Tomas. "If you can someday understand that, son, then I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll surpass me in both strength and character."


    "Yes, sir!" Trevor shouted, enthused by his father¡¯s touching words.


    He took the words to heart and made sure to be more of his own man. Rather than only follow orders blindly like before, Trevor understood that he could do so and still be himself. If he had been like that from the get-go and never let people walk all over him with orders, he started to realize how much a difference it would have made during his prior assignments as a city guard captain.


    "Good for you, kid!" Rydel lifted his mug up, toasting to Trevor along with the others. "Oh, and remember to fill in the new branch chief when he arrives."


    "And when¡¯s that?" asked Tomas.


    "In the next few days. We left Federal City early so that we could leave without any eyes on us. It¡¯s better for us, at least that what Jack was saying."


    "I¡¯ll let him know what he needs to know. The rest he can learn from the past reports."


    Rydel smiled and added, "ording to rumors from Jack, the new branch chief should be a lot stronger than Zariff, at least over lv. 40. Apparently, the association doesn¡¯t want to give the Chaos Syndicate such an easy time if they return to Reinolt."


    "That¡¯s wonderful, I¡¯ll cheer to that!" yelled Tomas as the others joined in.


    The night was filled with chit chat and booze, so everyone was enjoying themselves.


    Eliza and Ke were getting closer with every drink they shared. They were eyeing Jack, waiting for him to start getting drunk. If they caught him too far under the influence, they nned to work together and take advantage of him.


    Jack, on the other hand, was only pretending to drink but had only filled his mug once the entire night. He didn¡¯t dare to leave himself so vulnerable when Eliza had almost seeded in sneaking into his bed a few nights ago. If she almost seeded when he was tired and barely awake, there¡¯s no telling what he would agree to after an entire night of drinking.


    Both Maura and Daliea could tell what Jack was doing, but neither of them nned to try and take advantage of him. They both wanted to genuinely earn his heart and they were willing to wait till that would finally happen.


    Though it took a while, morning still followed night and woke up the drowsy adventurers.


    The first one awake was Jack, who didn¡¯t dare to let Rydel of Maynard sleep in. He also knocked on the girl¡¯s door too. Since each dorm had two bunk beds, all four girls had decided to share a room for the night.


    Without pause, the door swung wide open, revealing the changing girls.


    Eliza, the one who opened the door, was still in her underwear and smiling seductively at Jack. Ke was leaning over her bed, showing off her breasts while in her underwear. Daliea was already fully changed and ready to go, probably because she was up even before Jack and just waited. Maura, on the other hand, didn¡¯t realize the door was open and continued to undress, showing off her fit figure in all its glory.


    Jack reached for the doorknob, and shouted, "Be outside in five minutes!"


    "What¡¯s wrong? You know that you can look at your wives however you want, right?" Still holding the door open, Eliza joked with Jack as she yed with her bra strap.


    "Huh? AAAAHHHHHHH!!!"


    When Maura heard Jack¡¯s voice, she wasn¡¯t too concerned. But when she heard Eliza¡¯s statement, she instantly looked toward the door and locked eyes with Jack. In a panic, she screamed and tried to cover her naked body with her hands, which almost made it even more attractive to Jack.


    "I¡¯ll be waiting outside!" Since Eliza wasn¡¯t letting him shut the door and he had already seen what he felt he shouldn¡¯t have, Jack looked away and ran.


    "Okay, dear, but don¡¯t forget about us!" yelled Eliza.


    She was feeling proud that she finally got a reaction out of Jack. It was obvious to her that Jack¡¯s biggest reaction came from watching the nude Maura changing and acting shy, but Eliza caught Jack¡¯s eyes roaming over her body all the same.


    Maura saw Eliza looking out the front door proudly in her underwear. "Eliza shut the door!"


    With augh, Eliza closed the door and joined the others in getting ready. In the five minutes given to them, they were dressed and ready to go.


    When they came to the bar, they found a spread of eggs, bacon, sausage, potatoes, and bread waiting for them. Jack and the men were already eating, waiting for the girls to join in.


    "Hey, dear, do enjoy the show?"ughed Eliza as she sat beside Jack.


    "Let¡¯s not talk about that." Jack proceeded to stuff his mouth so that he was unable to reply.


    Maura and Daliea sat down nearby, joining in the quick breakfast. Her shyness wouldn¡¯t let Maura stop blushing, even if Jack was really her husband that was the first time she had ever shown herself to him. But it was unfair because it wasn¡¯t up to her and she was the only one to do so.


    Sensing that the tension still there, Eliza poked more fun at Jack while she filled a te with food in front of her. "You know, if you would just ask, you¡¯d be able to see her again. And if you ask nicely, maybe you¡¯d get to see us all at the same time."


    "COUGH!! COUGH!!"


    Choking on his bread, Jack pounded hard on his chest hard. His face was tomato red as he stood up and started for the door. "Let¡¯s get going already, there¡¯s no time to waste."


    Though Jack avoided the subject, it was clear to all the girls that he had liked what he saw, whether it was intentional or not. If anything, Jack proved that he found them beautiful by avoiding the topic.


    It cleared some of the doubts that Eliza had had. She didn¡¯t think it was true, but there were moments that she thought Jack swung the other way. Seeing Jack so shy made her happy. Now that they were on the road, the chances to get close to Jack would only increase.


    Rydel and Maynardughed loudly, understanding exactly what happened. They were the first to follow Jack, quickly followed by the women. I


    n a few minutes, they gathered outside the association building onest time. In an hour, they were already outside the city walls.

 Chapter 179 New Pact and EXP Pots

    <h4>Chapter 179 New Pact and EXP Pots</h4>


    They traveled in silence down the main road for about an hour. That was when veered off the path and entered the edge of the South Forest. The others followed and Ke, in particr, was excited now that she would finally get to enter the South Forest for real.


    Another half an hour passed, in which a few weak creatures had confronted the party only to get easily killed. Jack finally stopped and turned to face everyone.


    "Alright, first off, let¡¯s bring out our beastpanions. From this point on, I only want to see them put away when other adventurers are around us or it¡¯s absolutely necessary," reasoned Jack. "You all need time to bond with them, that way you and yourpanions can trust each other."


    Maynard, Rydel, and Daliea all nodded, releasing all the beasts inside their rings. Each beast then stayed with theirpanion, keeping to themselves and not infuriating the others.


    The me Tiger was an exception. It stuck up its chest, acting like the other beasts were beneath it. That was until it saw the Thunder Cat and the roc, which were also level five beasts like the tiger. But the cat and the roc didn¡¯t pay the tiger any attention. Instead, they looked forward and saw Bowzer on Jack¡¯s shoulders.


    When the Tiger followed the Thunder Cat¡¯s line of sight, it saw Bowzer but didn¡¯t think much of him.


    Sensing the tiger¡¯s stare, Bowzer looked bat at it. Suddenly, the tiger sensed the threat of death, like it was only an insect in front of that small fox. It wanted tosh out and fight Bowzer, but it didn¡¯t dare. The strength of Bowzer¡¯s bloodline was enough to shut it up, so it wouldn¡¯t dare anger such a threatening beast.


    "Now that we¡¯re finally alone and away from the public eye, I¡¯ll hand these out."


    Jack retrieved the other three rings and sighed. If he had known that Eliza would be joining them, he would have bought another bestial ring.


    "Don¡¯t worry about me Jack, my father already gifted me one," stated Eliza, noticing that Jack was one bestial ring short. "But why is that important now, we¡¯re a long way from lv. 30."


    Smiling and happy that Argyle had anticipated the situation, Jack finished passing out the rings, giving all seven party members a lv. 30 bestial ring.


    "This is where things are going to get interesting. Those of you who are new to the party, everything that it is about to ur will fill you in on some of my biggest secrets. If you dare share this information with anyone without my permission, know that I won¡¯t hesitate to silence you by any means. Is that understood?"


    Ke and Eliza were shaken by Jack¡¯s threat. One was his wife and the other was someone who had willingly left her family behind to join Jack, yet he still was so cautious. It was clear to them that these things wouldn¡¯t be a joking matter.


    "Since there are no objections, first, we¡¯ll make sure that everyone gets the new pact."


    "Pact?" Again, both Eliza and Ke were clueless about what was going on.


    "Maynard, since you were the first person to get the old pact, how about you be the first to receive the new one?"


    Before Maynard could reply, two people had already stepped forward and stood in front of Jack. They looked at each other and both nodded before looking back at Jack, waiting to see what he would do.


    "Maura, Daliea, you both know what this means, right?" Jack asked them, wondering if they would hesitate at all.


    "Yes!" Both of them shouted in unison.


    Seeing that they were determined to be the first, Jack looked to Maura and said, "Okay then, you¡¯ll be first and Daliea will be second. Both of you, hold out your hands. Everyone else, get close so I don¡¯t have to waste any blood."


    Just then, Jack retrieved a knife and slit the edge of his finger, turning his index finger into a makeshift blood-ink pen. He proceeded to draw the new pact symbol on the back of Maura¡¯s palm.


    Once he was done and he moved on to Daliea, Jack said, "Now, ce a drop of blood in the center and it will be official."


    Following hismand, Maura poked her thumb with a knife and did exactly what she was told to do. The moment her thumb pressed into her hand, a sharp stinging pain came from everywhere the blood was. Slowly, the blood bonded with her skin and eventually vanished. The pain lingered a little, but Maura was feeling a lot better now.


    By then, Jack had already finished with Daliea and Maynard¡¯s pact symbols. While everyone was feeling the stinging pain of the powerful pact, Jack had a slight smile on his face.


    The new pact carried a lot of the same benefits as thest one, but there was no exchange of EXP involved with this one. Since they kept the skill-sharing ability, Jack would still be able to learn the other¡¯s skills while he would naturally be able to boost their skills.


    Some of the girls were already noticing that they felt a bit different after the pact was finished. They felt lighter and more agile. Also, they felt that their bodies were naturally stronger even though nothing else had changed.


    Daliea broke intoughter, struggling to believe how different she was now. "What kind of pact is this and why has my mana capacity increased?"


    "It¡¯s not just your manapacity, but also your mana regeneration speed that¡¯s increased," exined Jack, making Daliea smile even wider. "This pact allows you to ess my skills and allows me the opportunity to learn your skill. Now, my subss¡¯ skills are very different. Instead of learning sword techniques, I can raise my sword skill¡¯s general level."


    "So far, I¡¯ve raised my skills involving swords, knives, bows, dual-wielding, stealth, speed, health regeneration, physical resistance, mana capacity, and mana regeneration."


    As Jack listed his general skills, which they now had gained by default, the women all stared at Jack like he was a priceless treasure. On their own, such skills would still be good. But put together with learned or created skills, those general level skills would make all the difference.


    Eager to test it, Maura retrieved a sword and was instantly amazed. For some reason, the sword felt lighter. It felt like it was bing an extension of herself when she had only just retrieved it.


    Daliea did the same, casting a small spell in order to be amazed that her mana regeneration really had increased. Both Eliza and Ke did the same, in awe of that Jack had such unique skills.


    "That¡¯s not all," added Jack. "I also have beastpanion skills, which will let you borrow a tiny portion of your beastpanion¡¯s bestial magic and abilities."


    With a nod to Maynard as the signal, the others all looked to the samurai.


    Suddenly, static electricity was visibly dancing around Maynard¡¯s body. As he activated his Sudden Death skill, they could hear the sound of electricity coursing through the air around them.


    Looking behind them, there stood Maynard, still covered in electricity and smiling for them all to see.


    "Also, know that whatever items you¡¯re using or wearing will also be affecting your beastpanion. So in other words, make sure both you and your beastpanion arefortable with the items you use."


    "Are you serious? You have that many skills?!" Ke was baffled, finding this all hard to believe in though it was happening before her eyes.


    "Yup, and soon I¡¯ll upgrade mypanion telepathy skill. That should be very useful for the party," added Jack. "Now, onto the next matter of business. Maura, Ke, and Eliza step forward and take this."


    A velvet sack appeared in Jack¡¯s hand, indicating to Maura that it was finally going to happen. The other two girls saw Maura eager gaze and wondered what else could be so helpful.


    "These are EXP pots."


    "WHAT?!"


    Both Rydel and Maynard stared at the bag with jealousy in their eyes. They had heard about the tales of EXP pots, even though they had never seen them or known if they really existed.


    "Yes, these are ancient EXP pots, but they¡¯re only low-level EXP pots. That means they¡¯re only useful to those under lv. 30," exined Jack. "You three shouldn¡¯t be jealous since this is only a means of bing mid-level experts. In my eyes, being lv. 30 is only enough to qualify us to travel and nothing more. Once we¡¯re all lv. 60, then I¡¯ll consider us a high-level party."


    "But that will be far more difficult than anything you¡¯ve ever done before. Also, our lives will be on the line at times and we¡¯ll all have to work together when that happens. With these, all of us will at least be lv. 30 and we can start looking for real monsters to farm EXP."


    Jack handed Ke one EXP pot and two to Eliza. Maura received four EXP pots, making the other girls jealous even though they knew it was because Maura was so under-leveled. With six EXP pots for himself, considering Bowzer¡¯s level, they were all anxious to instantly be lv. 30¡¯s.


    Putting some mana into the EXP pots, they all felt a sudden rush of energy surging through there bodies. Once they had used all the EXP pots, the three girls were panting from overwhelming shock.


    They really had be lv. 30 adventurers.

 Chapter 180 Small Town Troubles

    <h4>Chapter 180 Small Town Troubles</h4>


    Once all the EXP pots were used up, the party had gained five new lv. 30¡¯s.


    When Eliza double-checked her level, she shouted for joy. She thought she would take at least another year or two to reach level thirty, yet Jack had a way for them all to break through lv. 30 instantly. Wondering what else Jack might have, Eliza was starting to believe that her father¡¯s high judgment of Jack wasn¡¯t wrong.


    Ke also reached lv. 30 and was on the brink of reaching lv. 31, but she felt a mix of emotions. She was originally stronger than Jack and thought it would make her more useful to Jack. But now, she was just like everyone else even though she had finally reached her goal of being lv. 30.


    Then Ke and Eliza looked at Jack. They wanted to thank him but instead they felt a little mad.


    Jack and Bowzer had both reached lv. 31 thanks to the EXP pots. As for him bing higher level than them, it was all a matter of luck in how close they were to lv. 30 when they used thest EXP pot.


    The girls didn¡¯t feel too bad since it was Jack who had given them the EXP pots, at least that was until they looked at Maura.


    By luck, Maura was on the cusp of reaching lv. 30 when she used herst EXP. Because of that, she was now lv. 32. She went from being the lowest of them all by arge margin, to the strongest of the new lv. 30¡¯s.


    Rydel and Maynard both felt their hearts ached to see the others all reach lv. 30 so easily. They could help it. The two of them had to grind for EXP and work so hard yet it took them most of their lives to grind and reach that level.


    "Everyone, remember that this is nothing. We¡¯re still too weak to do anything impactful," Jack reminded the party, bringing them back down to earth. "Our number one goal now is to grind for EXP. We need to all be lv. 40 before we reach Trodar, preferable lv. 45."


    Hearing Jack¡¯s dissatisfaction hit home for the newly leveled up girls. They had to stay humble and not overestimate their new strength, or they would pay the consequences.


    Jack continued, "Our second goal while on the road is for everyone to pledge to one of the neutral gods. Strangely enough, there are seven of us and there are seven neutral gods. A coincidence, maybe..."


    Maynard raised his hand and asked, "Why one of the neutral gods? What about the sword god, wouldn¡¯t he be best for me?"


    "No," Jack answered straight away. "Believe it or not, but we won¡¯t be searching for any of the chaotic gods or the holy gods. Both the chaotic and the holy gods were the cause of the Holy War ages ago, and neither side truly cares for those who have pledged to them."


    All of the girls, including Daliea, were confused by what Jack was saying. They didn¡¯t even know those neutral gods existed and Jack was also using the gods they respected for being responsible for the Holy War, which imed countless lives.


    "Um... What do you mean?" Maura was the first to ask for rification.


    Sighing and shaking his head, Jack exined, "Listen carefully and know that everything I¡¯m about to say is true, whether you like it or not."


    The party nodded and let Jack continue. "Both Skaryn and Halmut have been vying forplete supremacy amongst the gods for a long time. The Holy War was only their way of trying to conquer each other and take the other¡¯s influence. Both sides share equal me and caused countless innocent lives to be lost."


    "As for the neutral gods, you¡¯ve never heard of them because they destroyed their own shrines and temples before the start of the Holy War. They wanted nothing to do with the war, so they disappeared from society altogether," exined Jack. "I know this because I¡¯ve spoken with the ruler of the neutral gods personally and have already pledged to Daruun, the god of fate."


    Everyone¡¯s hearts were beating rapidly as they paid attention to Jack. If what he was saying was true, they had been lied to all their lives.


    "Believe it or not, that¡¯s your choice," added Jack. "But as a part of this party, each of you will pledge to one of the neutral gods and receive their benefits and blessings. With that, you¡¯ll all be more powerful thanmon summoned heroes."


    Again, their hearts wouldn¡¯t let them calm down.


    Bing so strong was hard, but with Jack¡¯s pact in ce and possibly being blessed by gods made it seem possible.


    They all quickly realized that Jack wasn¡¯t joking when he said they were still too weak. It was easy to understand that Jack wanted them to be the most powerful party there was.


    "There is a third goal we have while on the road, but it¡¯s only if the opportunity presents itself," continued Jack. "We want to tame and befriend the most powerful beasts we meet. That way, we can either store them away or at least have a new strong ally. Any questions?"


    Almost everyone¡¯s hands shot up at the same time.


    Jack spent the next hour or so exining who the seven neutral gods were. He told them that he wouldn¡¯t mind multiple people pledging to the same god if that¡¯s what they wanted. So long as they pledge to one of them, Jack would be happy.


    They then made their way through the South Forest, heading southeast. Since their first stop was Aazoon, they didn¡¯t want to waste any time.


    For almost a week, they traveled through the thick woods. They found beasts between lv. 23 to lv. 26, the same level range that Ke was wanting to find before bing lv. 30.


    Maynard and Rydel were happy to no longer give up any EXP, as they were finally starting to face monsters that could help them level up. Ke was also happy, soon she would be lv. 31 and leave Eliza as the only lv. 30.


    By the time the neared the Aazoon-Reinolt border, they decided to visit a border town instead of camp.


    It was Rydel¡¯s and Jack¡¯s idea because they wanted to see if there were any clues about powerful beasts or foes that needed to be defeated. The stronger the opponent, the better it was for EXP.


    After checking in at a local inn, they all found arge table to share some dinner. They ordered their own meals, some eating lighter than others. The waitress, however, seemed a bit shaken when she took note of all the meals ordered.


    "Is everything okay?" asked Jack, sensing the waitress¡¯s worry.


    "U-um no, I-I think everything is fine. Just let me check your order in."


    The waitress hurried away, but she returned just as fast. A defeated look was on her face. "I¡¯m sorry, but we¡¯re out of beef and pork tonight. All we have are the sds."


    "Huh? What happened to keep you from having beef and pork?" Rydel asked, sure that the small town should have its own farmers breeding animals and hunters to make up the difference.


    "Um..." She looked at the party, hesitating to say anything but shaking as she faced them.


    "It¡¯s okay, we¡¯re not mad. If anything, we might be able to help. We¡¯re all from the Adventurers Association, so maybe we can do something about it."


    When Jack mentioned the association, the waitress¡¯s eyes started to water. Immediately, she wiped away her tears and started to exin everything.


    "It all started about a week ago. Recently, all of the animals that the farmers breed are disappearing. With so few left, they won¡¯t sell any until they can raise new stock."


    "And what about hunters? There are some in the vige, right?" asked Jack.


    She nodded frantically. "Yes, we have plenty of hunters, but they¡¯re all afraid to stray too far from town. The cause of the disappearing animals has been said to be wild bears."


    "Bears?" Maynard was confused about why bears should be an issue for hunters.


    "Yes, but they aren¡¯t normal bears," exined the waitress. "The hunters have never seen suchrge bears near the town before. They should be from further in the forest, and they¡¯re even more wild than normal."


    Jack¡¯s interest was finally piqued. "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯ve never seen them myself, but the farmers and the hunters agree that these bears are too wild and strong for any of them to stop. The few times anyone has tried to kill one of those bears, three of our best hunters were killed, and they were all at least lv. 25!"


    Looking at the others, Jack saw that everyone was paying close attention to the waitress¡¯s exnation. Some excitement was seen in all of their eyes.


    Returning to look at the waitress, Jack waved his hand over the table.


    A small mountain of various beast meats appeared, startling the waitress. With a smile, Jack said, "Here, consider this as payment for our meals. We¡¯ll check out the issue tomorrow morning and we¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s taken care of."

 Chapter 181 Investigating the Stange Bears

    <h4>Chapter 181 Investigating the Stange Bears</h4>


    "We¡¯ll check out the issue tomorrow morning and we¡¯ll make sure it¡¯s taken care of."


    The waitress couldn¡¯t hold back her tears when she saw the meat on the table. She grabbed as much as she could in her arms and bowed her head. "Thank you! Thank you! Stay as long as you like, don¡¯t worry about paying. Just, please, help our small town."


    She made her way to the kitchen and brought back the cook, who also thanked them and helped take what was left of the meat Jack had given away.


    "Any guess as to what¡¯s going on, Jack? Most of these border towns are ced in safe zones outside of the South Forest, so hearing about such strong beasts it definitely unusual," reasoned Rydel.


    "Yeah, maybe we¡¯ve already found our first grindstone to sharpen ourselves," Maynard joked with them, anxious to finally let loose. It had been a while since he had just been allowed to ughter everything in his path.


    "I¡¯m not sure but if we¡¯re lucky it could be a frenzy."


    Jack¡¯s mention of a frenzy startle Eliza and Ke, but it excited the rest.


    Frenzies were rare, unnatural urrences when a lot of a certain type of animal suddenly went berzerk. Frenzied beasts came in unknown numbers, had stronger attacks and defenses than normal, and offered more EXP than normal too. Also, it wasmon for there to be an unusually powerful beast that caused the frenzy and drove the frenzied beasts out of their usual hunting grounds.


    "If it really it a frenzy, then we¡¯ve gotten very lucky," stated Daliea.


    They all chatted about any possible types of bears it might be, but they couldn¡¯t reach a conclusion.


    Soon, they were all feast on the food brought to them. As a show of thanks, the chef prepared extra for those who had ordered a lot, guessing that they were plenty hungry.


    The table was slowly cleared as the many different dishes were eaten. Gradually, everyone left the table and turned in for the night. Like usual, the girls paired up and shared two rooms while Maynard and Rydel did the same.


    Jack was the only one with his own room, but he let Bowzer have the other bed.


    Ever since they became lv. 30, Bowzer had entered aa-like state. All he did was sleep and nothing could wake him up. However, Jack didn¡¯t try to wake him up after noticing that Bowzer was growing rapidly while in his sleep. He didn¡¯t know how long it would take, but Jack knew that Bowzer was finally evolving into his adolescence.


    There were only three people left at the table now, Jack, Maura, and Daliea.


    Looking to them both, Jack said, "Thanks for your help in keeping the other two girls in check. Without your help, I don¡¯t know what would¡¯ve happened by now."


    Though Jack¡¯s will was strong, he understood that he could¡¯ve easily sumbed to temptation with either Eliza or Ke. Without Maura and Daliea helping him avoid such problems, Jack was convinced that he would¡¯ve given in already.


    "I still don¡¯t see why its a big deal, but since you¡¯ve asked for help, I¡¯ll keep helping," reasoned Daliea.


    Maura chuckled, "You know, maybe they aren¡¯t the only ones who want that sort of thing?"


    "Either way, thank you for your help." Changing the subject, Jack pulled out a ck spellbook. "Daliea, you said you specialize more in dark type magic, right? Then this should be useful to you."


    Taking the spellbook and examining it personally, Daliea¡¯s eyes sparkled. "Jack... Where did you get this?"


    "It was on sale at an auction and I got it for an amazing price, not even twenty-thousand gold!"


    "That¡¯s because there aren¡¯t any noble families that use dark type magic. If there were, the price would¡¯ve easily doubled," exined Daliea as she put the spellbook away. "This is perfect for me, and I¡¯ve been needing a peak-tier dark type spell. Thank you, Jack!"


    Catching him off guard, Daliea vanished from her seat and reappeared beside him. Before he could do or say anything, she was already hugging him tightly.


    "That¡¯s enough, you¡¯re more than wee, Daliea. Just calm down, okay."


    "Okay," Daliea giggled as she let him go. "Really Jack, this spell means a lot to me. I¡¯ve already offered you everything, but I¡¯ll mention it again because that¡¯s the most I can say after getting such an amazing gift."


    "Just keep calm, and make sure to use it whenever we¡¯re in a bind." Now looking at Maura, Jack retrieved another item that he had won from the auction. "Do you remember me buying this?"


    "Sure, it¡¯s that fossil egg, right? But why are you bringing it out now?" Though there was no one in the tavern at the moment, it still surprised her that Jack would be bringing out the egg, especially after he had gifted something to Daliea.


    "This is for you."


    "What?! But why? This is already dead and fossilized."


    "Who said it was dead?" Jack smiled as he exined the egg¡¯s true nature. "It¡¯s currently in a dormant state. This egg belongs to a beast so powerful that its bloodline rival¡¯s Bowzer¡¯s."


    Both Daliea and Maura went wide-eyed, finding that hard to believe.


    "This egg belongs to a cial Hydra, the kings of water type bestial magic. If you can feed the egg enough water type magical energy, then there¡¯s a chance that it can hatch," exined Jack.


    "cial Hydra..." Maura didn¡¯t know what that was, but Daliea shivered just from imagining that terrifying beast. "Is it really a cial Hydra?"


    "What¡¯s a cial Hydra?" Maura asked, curious to know what exactly it was.


    Daliea looked at the egg and said, "cial Hydras are ancient beasts that haven¡¯t been seen since the Holy War when they were used by the gods. When fully grown, they have nine heads and can rival even flood dragons, one of the five strongest dragons."


    Now trembling, Maura stared at the egg with a newfound respect and fear. Such a beast could definitely rival a Hell-me Fox.


    "This is for you, Maura," Pushing the egg toward her, Jackughed. "You¡¯re the only one with water type magic and with your spell sword ss, a cial Hydra would be the perfect beastpanion for you."


    "I... I don¡¯t know... what to say..."


    "Just say thank you and take it. Make sure to give it water type energy every day," replied Jack. "If we can find any water type magical items, we¡¯ll make sure to buy them to help it out. I want that egg to hatch before we go to Trodar."


    "... Okay." epting the egg, Maura felt that she had gained more of Jack¡¯s trust. "I¡¯ll make sure it hatched in time. But make sure you help me take care of it, Jack, cause I don¡¯t know how to tame such a powerful beast..."


    "Of course I¡¯ll help, but I think you¡¯ll be just fine. You¡¯re so caring, maybe the hydra will think you¡¯re its mother," Jack joked with her, getting both Daliea and Maura tough.


    "Anyway, I¡¯m off to bed. Goodnight, girls."


    "Goodnight!" replied both of them, happy with the gifts Jack had given them.


    Looking to Maura, Daliea smiled. "Still, you¡¯re the one he likes the most no matter what I do."


    "Stop it!"


    "Really, you can see it whenever he talks to you. He¡¯s kind to me, but he¡¯ll joke around with you and show a side he never does with me," reasoned Daliea. "Maybe it¡¯s because of who I am..."


    "Just stop it, Daliea. You¡¯re plenty beautiful, and I wouldn¡¯t guess you were a goblin unless someone told me. You¡¯re too beautiful for him to just think of you as a goblin," replied Maura. "Plus, he gave you a gift too, so of course he likes you. Just give it time and maybe we¡¯ll both get lucky."


    Even though Maura knew Daliea was the goblin queen, she really couldn¡¯t deny that she had her own kind of beauty. She wasn¡¯t as voluptuous or sexy as girls like Eliza and Ke, but she had her own feminine curves and seductive body. Daliea was like a shorter Maura, fit yet curvy. And despite being a goblin, she wasn¡¯t t chested either.


    "Maura, thank you." She was touched by Maura¡¯s words and d that she had made such a great friend.


    "Now, let¡¯s go to our room and check out our gifts."


    Maura and Daliea cleaned up their spots and went upstairs to their room. They spent a long while inspecting their gifts and getting used to them.


    By the time morning came, the party was excited to finally find a worthy challenge to test their new strength.


    Jack led the girls to some of the local farms and asked the farmers some questions. In the meantime, Maynard went to find some hunters in order to learn their side of the story. During all that, Rydel was scouting the nearby edges of the forest in search of unusual tracks or signs of carnage.


    No matter what, they were determined to find these beasts as fast as possible.

 Chapter 182 Frenzy!

    <h4>Chapter 182 Frenzy!</h4>


    It wasn¡¯t too hard to find information on the bears. What surprised Jack was the type of bear they were up against.


    ording to the farmers and the hunters, culprits of the missing animals and the dead hunters were t-nosed Bears. Known as one of the few types of bears to form a pride, t-nose Bears were giant, five-meter tall bears. They would dominate a region of wildlife all their own and had average levels ranging between lv. 28 to lv. 32.


    Mentioning this to Rydel, the hunter shook his head. "I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ve formed a pride, though. From the tracks, only one or two havee around the vige."


    "But if they really are frenzied, then they might be in the middle of migrating," reasoned Jack.


    Everyone smiled, happy that they might finally find some good fodder for their EXP grind.


    After thanking the farmers and hunters, the party left for the forest. It was still morning and they had Rydel lead them, that way not a single bear could escape. When a half an hour of walking passed, Rydel suddenly stopped.


    "Look, there it is."


    They all nced through the trees, following the trail of a dragged animal. Hiding behind a small gathering of trees, Jack and the others saw a huge, furry creature slouching over a cow that it had dragged into the woods.


    Seeing its round face, Jack was certain that it was a t-nose Bear, confirming that there should be more in the area. Also, his system verified that the t-nose Bear was definitely frenzied.


    "It¡¯s true, they are frenzied." Rydel could also tell thanks to his Eagle Eye. "This one¡¯s only lv. 30 though."


    "No, it should normally be lv. 28, meaning its one of the weaker bears. And with frenzy, it should be a great test of strength," Jack reasoned as he looked to Maura. "Do you want to test it out first?"


    Two shortswords appeared in Maura¡¯s hands, one giving off a frosty aura. "Just surround it and let me test a few new skills."


    "You all heard her. Let¡¯s surround the bear and see just how strong it is."


    They all took their time to surround it. Thanks to Jack¡¯s passive lv. 2 stealth skill and the bear being distracted with its meal, the party sessfully cut off all means of escape.


    Taking the lead, Maura gave a battle cry and charged through the trees to take on the hulking beast.


    The bear quickly noticed Maura and growled angrily at her, raging that its meal had been interrupted. It lunged forward, swiping its giant ws at Maura.


    Without hesitation, Maura sidestepped and shed the bear¡¯s arm with her frost sword. As the bear¡¯s flesh was torn open, the freezing of its body was audible to the entire party as the shards of ice crackled.


    That frost sword was powerful, enough to make even Maynard jealous that he couldn¡¯t use it himself.


    "ROOOOOOAAAARR!!"


    Angry and in pain, the t-nose bear kept swiping its long arms at Maura. However, even though the giant bear was strong enough to crush boulders and trees with a single swipe of its paw, it wasn¡¯t fast enough to catch the light-footed Maura.


    "Die!"


    Taking advantage of her dual-wielding, Maura evaded the blows while shing each arm that neared her. Very quickly, she was almost under therge beast.


    First, Maura thrust her sword into the bear¡¯s chest and then she thrust her frost sword into the bear¡¯s armpit, making sure that it was a killing blow.


    "Roar! Rooooaaaa..."


    As the bear toppled over, Maura pulled out her des and smiled at the others. Some of the bear¡¯s blood had sshed onto her outfit and face, but she didn¡¯t seem to care.


    In a way, it added to hear tranquil beauty, but mainly it sent a shiver down Jack¡¯s spine. It became clear that he would never want to get on Maura¡¯s bad side.


    "Well, that was easier than I thought," shouted Eliza, somewhat disappointed.


    Mauraughed, "Maybe, but I got a ton of EXP! A few more and I¡¯ll reach lv. 33."


    "Then it¡¯s a good thing that they form prides," Jack joked with them, forgetting Maura¡¯s moment of brutality. "Rydel, do you think you can take us to the rest of them? If they¡¯re all like this, then just make sure to hit them through the armpit. That should be their weak spots."


    Rydel chuckled as he let Maura store therge bear¡¯s corpse. "If there really is a pride of these things, then I can definitely find it."


    Taking Rydel¡¯s word for it, the party started to wander deeper into the forest. This time, they weren¡¯t too worried about being secretive since they now knew they could handle the bears without much trouble.


    For hours, they wandered the forest, following Rydel through creeks, over hills, and across fields. With only four bear corpses to show for their time, the party was getting a little restless.


    Just then, Rydel signaled for them all to stop.


    There were no signs of any bears near them, but Rydel had found not one set of tracks, but the tracks of almost a dozen t-nose bears. He turned to Jack and asked, "About how many bears are usually in a pride?"


    Thinking back to some early game events, Jack came up with an average. "I¡¯d say maybe two or three dozen."


    "Well, if I¡¯m not mistaken, these tracks are from a dozen bears and they were probably a scouting party."


    Everyone paid close attention to Rydel as he said that. They all had the same thought. If the scouting party had a dozen bears, then how big was the pride?


    "That¡¯s perfect! We need enough fodder for both us and our beasts, so this will work perfectly," reasoned Jack. "Any guess as to how far away the pride is?"


    "If they¡¯re migrating and the scouting party was here not too long ago, then we should almost be on top of them."


    "What do ya want to do now, Jack?" asked Maynard, hoping their tactic would focus on frontal assault instead of stealth.


    Jack looked around at everyone, sensing everyone¡¯s anxiousness. "Let¡¯s get closer. Once the entire pride is in view, we¡¯ll split up and work in tandem with our beasts. But don¡¯t spread out too far, only enough to make sure you¡¯ve got your own opponent but close enough to help others if they need."


    "Eliza, Ke, since Bowzer¡¯s out ofmission for the time being, I¡¯ll be sticking close to you for support."


    "Alright!"


    "We¡¯ve got your back!"


    Both girls were happy to see that Jack would finally need them for something. Since Daliea and Maura would be busy attacking, it made them happy to have an important role in helping Jack personally.


    "Good. As soon as the pride is in view, bring out yourpanions. Also, keep in mind that a pridelord may also be leading them. If that¡¯s the case, no one should attack the pridelord alone. At the very least, two groups of two should work together, if not all of us. Does everyone understand?" asked Jack.


    When everyone gave a silent nod, Jack smiled and let Rydel lead the way.


    Another half an hour passed, but no oneined. They had finally found the pride, and it was way too big. Altogether, Rydel had counted over fifty t-nose bears.


    The good news was that if there was a pridelord, it wasn¡¯t currently with them. Taking on the entire pride and a pridelord together would have been incredibly difficult.


    Jack couldn¡¯t help but wonder how such a strong pride of t-nose Bears suddenly appeared in the South Forest. They weren¡¯t natural predators there and there were way too many bears for it to be a natural cause. Something or someone should be behind such a thing.


    Not having much time to waste before they were spotted, Jack quickly opened his skill list. After reaching lv. 30, Jack gained another thirty skill points, giving him forty in total.


    All forty will then spent, twenty to upgradepanion telepathy to lv. 2 and twenty to upgrade his sword skill to lv. 3.


    After mentally telling everyone that they could now telepathically speak with their beastpanions, they spread out. Once everyone was ready, Jack yelled, "Now!"


    At that moment, six different beasts appeared from various bestial rings and filled the forest with their roars.


    The nearby bears growled and turned to see seven humans and six beasts charging toward them at full speed. Before the bears could do anything, two of therge beasts were killed in surprise.


    Both the Thunder Cat and the Wind Roc took advantage of their speed, instantly killing one bear each.


    Maynard quickly appeared beside his Thunder Cat, using the same tactic to y his first t-nose Bear. Relishing in the ughter that was about to happen, adrenaline was pumping through his body at full speed.


    Rydel too a different approach, sitting on top of his Wind Roc and working together with it. While Rydel would weaken any bears that dared approach them, the roc would go in for the kill.


    Maura and Daliea weren¡¯t far behind, joining the ughter with the cetus and the me Tiger.


    To the rear, Eliza and Ke supported the party with aid from their Forest Dryad and the small Light Fairy.


    Alone but not too far from Eliza or Ke, Jack held the center position of the party, keeping them all in formation.

 Chapter 183 Facing the Bear Pridelord

    <h4>Chapter 183 Facing the Bear Pridelord</h4>


    The war between Jack¡¯s party and the t-nose Bear pride was finally underway.


    Maura, Daliea, and Maynard were gods of ughter as the carved through the rampaging bears. Of course, their beastpanions yed a huge role. Without them, the adventurers would be hard-pressed to face so many bears at once.


    Offering aerial support, Rydel and his Wind Roc dominated from the skies, making sure that no one was facing too many bears at once. The other two supports were in the back, guarded by Jack. Together, Eliza¡¯s buffs and Ke¡¯s healing were a huge help to the party.


    Everyone was in perfect sync, using their new ability tomunicate telepathically to the fullest. Since they were all linked to Jack, everyone was always aware if someone needed help.


    With how much easier it was, Maynard and Rydel almost felt like they were cheatingpared to how their previous parties had handled things. Then again, they weren¡¯tining at all.


    "Keep it up! We¡¯re halfway through them!" yelled Jack. He always tried to keep a view of everyone, keeping them all on their toes and ready for anything. Facing such strong beasts, one wrong move was all it took for things to turn for the worse.


    "RRROOOOOAAAAAAARRRR!!!"


    A resounding roar echoed through the forest, startling everyone, including the t-nose Bears.


    As they looked behind them, an enormous beast was rushing towards them. With a hulking frame over six-meters tall and almost four meters wide, the t-nose Bear Pridelord had finally made itself known.


    "Maynard, protect Eliza and Ke!"


    Jack¡¯s yelled caught the party off guard. They all understood what Jack was nning to do.


    "Are you insane!" yelled Rydel.


    "Rydel, have Aiden take me to the pridelord before it joins up with the pride," shouted Jack. "If they work together, then we¡¯ll get overrun."


    With a worried yell, Maura looked to Jack. "But Jack--"


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll just hold him off with my me body while you all finish off the pride. That way we can all fight the pridelord together," yelled Jack. "Now hurry up and take me over there!"


    "Fine, but you¡¯d better not do anything too stupid! Just wait for us." Knowing that Jack was right, Rydel had his roc, Ayden, pick Jack up and carry him over the pride. Once on the other side and near the charging pridelord, the roc released Jack.


    "me on!" Out of habit, Jack yelled as his form became fiery and expanded to the size of a toll, almost matching a typical t-nose Bear. His level shot up from lv. 31 to lv. 37, almost matching the pridelord¡¯s lv. 38.


    A lv. 35 greatsword appeared in Jack¡¯s hand, but he was wielding it like he would any regr sword. "Let¡¯s see how strong you are!"


    "RRROOOOAAARRR!!"


    As is epting Jack¡¯s challenge, the bear pridelord eyed Jack and dove at his ming body. It¡¯s giant ws pressed forward, intent on tearing Jack to smithereens.


    Just before the ws reached Jack, he disappeared from where he stood. While the pridelord was confused, Jack reappeared beneath it and shed into the pridelord¡¯s armpit. Though it wasn¡¯t as effective as Jack would¡¯ve hoped, at least he was able to make dents in the pridelord¡¯s impressive defenses.


    Enraged by Jack¡¯s unexpected attack, the pridelord roared again, but this time Jack could feel his very soul shaking.


    It was a soundwave attack used to stun prey and intimidate other beasts. Even if Jack was smarter than an average beast, he was still stunned momentarily and saw the bear¡¯s wing at his.


    Again, he vanished and reappeared in the air right above the pridelord¡¯s head. Jack swung his sword down, aiming for the bear¡¯s neck.


    This time the pridelord wasn¡¯t surprised, though, it was smart enough to understand that Jack could vanish at will and kept its guard up. Sensing Jack above it, the bear swipe again, this time meeting Jack¡¯s attack with its own.


    With a shrill grinding sounding from the sh of de and w, Jack was thrown back.


    The pridelord¡¯s paw was numb from Jack¡¯s attack, but it didn¡¯t care. With Jack thrown back, it leaped toward him, swinging its paws yet again.


    For the third time, Jack vanished and reappeared in the distance. He was breathing heavily and his arms were shaking after taking colliding with the bear¡¯s attack. His mana was starting to run low thanks to thebination of his me body and his constant use of Sudden Death. At that rate, the fight wouldn¡¯tst too much longer.


    Changing his strategy, Jack let a mass of fire gather in his palms before heunched the Fireball spell he had gotten from Lillith¡¯s Literature. Since he was already using his me body, Jack¡¯s the fire type high-tier spell didn¡¯t use much mana.


    The bear flinched as it blocked the fireball with its paws. It hadn¡¯t taken too much damage, but there were patches of burnt fur now.


    Seeing that, Jack kept throwing Fireballs as he circled around the pridelord, not letting it reunite with its pride.


    Each time a fireball cam near the bear, it swiped with its ws, destroying it on contact. However, more fur was now burnt and a few patches of skin were now charred.


    Jack realized that the pridelord¡¯s resistance to the fire was weakening and sped up his production of fireballs. As he did so, Jack drank two elixirs to regain hisst mana. It helped Jack keep up the volley of mes, but it was only a temporary fix. Any more and his mana would be affected by consuming too many elixirs.


    "ROOOAAR!!"


    Unhappy that a human was able to stop it, the bear pridelord hurled itself toward Jack. When Jack¡¯s fireballs came at it, the pridelord didn¡¯t block them. Instead, it let the mes crash on its thick fur so it could finally catch Jack.


    Since the pridelord had given up on its chances of blocking, Jack smiled. Another mass of med emerged from Jack¡¯s hands, but this time it was different. The me was more concentrated and intense as if it would explode into a fiery oblivion on impact.


    "DIE!!!"


    Yelling at the top of his lungs, Jack hurled his most powerful fire type spell, me Burst, at the pridelord.


    Sensing a major threat from Jack¡¯s attack, the pridelord halted its charge and swung both of its arms at the mes nearing it.


    A fiery explosion ensued and consumed the entire pridelord.


    All trees, bushes, and greenery in the surrounding twenty meters were destroyed by the heat. The hot light of the explosion lit up the shaded forest and the battlefield.


    Most of the bears were already dead and there were only small injuries thanks to them having both a cleric and an enchanter.


    When the party saw the fiery explosionpletely engulf the bear pridelord, they were in awe. They all understood that such an attack wouldpletely obliterate any one of them. To see Jack create such an attack, even though he was almost out of his mana for the second time now, was a huge boost in morale.


    With a rise in their determination, the party carved through all bears in their way. Not a single bear would have a chance of survival.


    Breathing heavily and feeling like he would soon copse from exhaustion, Jack watched the mes slowly disappear. Left behind was a charred and almost hairless pridelord.


    Still breathing but in agonizing pain, the behemoth t-nose Bear red angrily at Jack, the cause of it suffering.


    With firm but slow steps, the bear pridelord walked toward the weak Jack.


    "Really?! You still want more?" Jackughed, feeling his lungs ache with every deep breath. "Fine, I¡¯ll keep ying with you."


    Another elixir appeared in Jack¡¯s hand as he popped off the top with his teeth and chugged it. As mana started to fill his body, Jack¡¯s veins felt like they were on fire and about to burst.


    As all the mana and fire type energy Jack had left was gathering into his palm, his me body was also absorbed into the condensing ball of fire. Jack smiled madly at the approaching pridelord. "I wonder, can you handle another one?"


    "RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRR!!!"


    Frantic and unwilling to take another one of Jack¡¯s me Bursts, the bear pridelord summoned all its strength to charge at Jack, closing the gap with record-breaking speed.


    "Try this one," Jack taunted the pridelord once more as he tossed the mes at the giant bear.


    Heughed when he saw that the pridelord had given up blocking the attack and instead swung its powerful arm at Jack¡¯s chest. It had already understood that me Burst wasn¡¯t like Fireball and that the explosion was where its damage came from and not the actual hit of the Fireball.


    Both attacks hit their marks. The bear pridelord let out an agonizing cry, filled with regret and suffering, as it was again consumed by the mes. Jack was flung through the air, crashing through some trees and undergrowth and leaving his blood all over the ce.


    The party was about to finish and join the fight against the pridelord, but they were already toote.

 Chapter 184 Recovery

    <h4>Chapter 184 Recovery</h4>


    "JACK!!"


    Everyone yelled as the heard the young hero crash through all kinds of undergrowth.


    Some of thest few bears also eyed Jack, intent on killing the one responsible for harming their pridelord. But they wouldn¡¯t get the chance because the adventurers used the bears¡¯ distraction to give quick lethal blows.


    In less than a minute, the fight was over and all the girls hurried to Jack¡¯s side with Ke and Eliza in the lead.


    Seeing that Jack would be well taken care of, Maynard and Rydel decided to charge the pridelord. But their hopes of finishing it off ended before they even began.


    Charred and burned beyond recognition, the t-nose Bear pridelordid on the ground, no longer breathing. It was sad for them to see it like that because now they wouldn¡¯t be able to harvest any of its materials. All the fur had been destroyed, its meat was ruined, and even the bones had be brittle.


    "Man... What the heck was that fire?" Rydel asked himself.


    "Maybe it has something to do with Bowzer reaching adolescence?" reasoned Maynard. "I¡¯m curious, what will Bowzer be like after his done evolving? If it means Jack¡¯s mes get stronger, then it would definitely be amazing!"


    They bantered as they walked over to Jack, who was surrounded by women.


    Barely conscious, Jack groaned as he looked around him. Even though Ke had already started to heal his injuries, his body was beyond exhausted after drinking three elixirs in a row. He struggled to move his head back and forth, let alone walk.


    "It¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll be fine after some good rest," Jack joked around with them, trying to lighten the mood.


    "Be quiet, you shouldn¡¯t exert yourself." The yful, teasing Ke was gone at the moment. Instead, she was much gentler and stared at Jack with worried eyes.


    "Really, I¡¯ll be fine after I sleep it off."


    "Shut up! Can¡¯t you see that you¡¯re too injured to even walk? Just let us help you and rx."


    Eliza yelled at Jack, showing a bit more of her true self. She had never been outside of Federal City, so this was her firstrge scale fight. And with this being the first time she¡¯s had a party member be so injured, it was hard for her to keep calm.


    That¡¯s when Jack was suddenly lifted up, carried away by Maura. She looked at the other girls. "I¡¯ve seen this before. Because it involved his me body, he really will need time to rest. It¡¯s not as bad this time, but we should get him back to the inn."


    Ke and Eliza found it hard to believe that letting Jack sleep it off would do much, but Daliea also spoke up, "She¡¯s right. This happened after his fight with a troll captain not too long ago. At least this time he¡¯s still conscious, so that¡¯s a good sign."


    "Well... If you really think that would be best."


    Reluctantly, Ke agreed and stopped wasting her healing spells. Strangely enough, she could tell that Jack wasn¡¯t able to be fully healed with magic.


    That was the first time she¡¯d experienced something so strange. Her family was reputed as the best clerics in the Zuran Empire, yet she was unable to heal her own party member. In her heart, she felt like she had failed.


    "Don¡¯t worry about him, they¡¯re right, ya know," Maynard chimed in. "That kid¡¯s me body is strange. It gives him crazy boosts of strength, but his defenses remain the same. And if he¡¯s hurt in that form, then he can¡¯t be healed magically. Jack said it had something to do with the fox¡¯s bloodline."


    Feeling a bit better thanks to Maynard¡¯s exnation, Ke nodded and followed the others toward the dozens of bear corpses.


    Still depressed, Eliza also felt like she had failed. She felt that if she had been able to buff Jack, then maybe it wouldn¡¯t be as bad as it was now. But that was no longer a possibility and would serve as a reminder for Eliza in the future.


    The party divided up the corpses equally, letting everyone get their own share, including Jack.


    Rydel gathered Jack¡¯s portion for the time being and offered to carry Jack. Even if it would be easier, they couldn¡¯t use their beasts to carry him or they would risk revealing them to people unnecessarily. For that reason, Rydel offered to take him from Maura.


    "No, I¡¯ll be fine."


    Now that she was higher leveled, carrying Jack wouldn¡¯t be too difficult. So long as she doesn¡¯t have to fight, Maura could handle carrying him back the rest of the way.


    Returning to the small town was much faster than tracking the bears. Since they didn¡¯t have to conceal their movements, the party ran most of the way.


    Before sunset, they reached the inn with Jack on Maura¡¯s back.


    "Oh, you¡¯re back--" The waitress saw them enter and greeted them, but she cut herself off when she saw them covered in blood and the half-conscious Jack. "What happened?! Are you okay? Let me get a medic--"


    "That won¡¯t be necessary," stated Ke, waving her hand and releasing some holy type energy to show that she was a cleric.


    "Then... What about him?"


    "He just needs some sleep," replied Rydel,ughing quietly at the frantic waitress.


    "If you¡¯ll excuse us." Maura immediately started up the stared, followed closely by Daliea. The other two girls did the same, eager to help Jack in any way.


    "Man, that kid is too lucky,"ughed Maynard. "Shall we drink?"


    Rydel nodded and took a seat at the bar. "Waitress, get us two specials and a couple of mugs with your best brandy."


    "I-I¡¯m on it." Shaken to see that the two men weren¡¯t concerned for the injured Jack, the waitress moved a little slower than usual. It took her a couple of minutes to put in the order and return with their drinks. "Here you go. And... do you really think he¡¯ll be okay?"


    "Yeah, he¡¯ll be fine. He¡¯s experienced much worse before,"ughed Rydel. "Don¡¯t worry about him. Also, we took care of your bear problem."


    "Really?! They¡¯re all gone?!"


    A few men were sitting at a nearby table. Rydel didn¡¯t recognize them so they must not have been locals.


    "Yeah, we found an entire pride of those t-nose Bears. But they¡¯re all dead now, even the pridelord."


    "Pridelord..." Those men thought about Rydel¡¯s words before one of them yelled, "I don¡¯t believe you! A party of only seven lv. 30¡¯s took down an entire pride of t-nose Bears? You just don¡¯t want others to kill them before you do!"


    "Thud!"


    Suddenly, a huge, furry corpse fell to the floor beside Maynard, making the entire table shiver. To their shock, it really was a t-nose Bear. They weren¡¯t able to identify what type of bear they might¡¯ve been, but that small band of people was ready to start searching for the bears in the morning.


    Unlike Jack¡¯s party, they only agreed to do the job for a hefty sum of gold. Though it would cost the local businesses dearly to agree, they did because they were desperate.


    But now that party¡¯s ns were ruined before they could even search for their first bear.


    Rydelughed when he saw the surprise on the men¡¯s faces. "If you don¡¯t believe us, would this prove it?"


    "THUD!!"


    An evenrger corpse hit the tavern floor, echoing in the empty restaurant. It was charred and destroyed, but it resembled the t-nose Bear corpse even though it was muchrger.


    "If ya are mad and want to fight about it, know that I only unsheathe my sword to kill. I don¡¯t care who ya are," Maynard joked around with the frightened party. "We¡¯re with the association, what about you?"


    Hearing that they were from the association, the other party was instantly humbled. Their bravado vanished and their leader stood up and bowed. "We¡¯re sorry for not believing you and iming that the association wasn¡¯t capable. As members of the Snow guild, the locals reached out to us and asked for help. Please, forgive our offenses to you."


    "Snow Guild, from Aazoon?"


    "Yes."


    "I didn¡¯t know any locals had crossed the border in search of help." Rydel couldn¡¯t argue with the town¡¯s logic though. The closest city wasn¡¯t in Reinolt but in Aazoon. And since the two countries are on peaceful terms, they can easily cross the border.


    "We¡¯re actually heading there next, do you mind waiting a few days to return? It would help us to have a guide."


    "Of course!"


    Even though that man was the same level as Rydel, he bowed again out of respect. The Snow Guild was powerful inside Aazoon, but it couldn¡¯tpete with the strength or the fame of the association.


    "Great! Then just wait here in town. In a few days, we should be ready to leave."


    Maynard and Rydel then stored the corpses and returned to their drinks, ignoring the men from the Snow Guild for the rest of the night.


    Jack rested for three whole days before he was back to his full strength, but Bowzer was still sleeping.


    During that time, he was happy the Maura had decided to stay in his room. Without her there and with Jack¡¯s inability to move, there was no telling what Eliza or Ke might try.

 Chapter 185 Entering Aazoon

    <h4>Chapter 185 Entering Aazoon</h4>


    With Jack fully recovered, it was finally time for the party to leave the small town. With their own guides, things would be much easier, especially when considering what kind of ce the Aazoon Kingdom was.


    Though it did share the southeast edge of Reinolt¡¯s South Forest, the Aazoon Kingdom only owned that small strip ofnd in order to have a direct route to the Polt Federation. The majority of their kingdom was to the east of the South Forest. There, it was a frozen tundra with Icicle Mountains at its center.


    The Aazoon capital, Frostburn City, was located in between the Icicle Mountains and very hard to reach for travelers that had never been there before.


    Technically, Jack had been there before but it was through hisputer screen. He¡¯d much rather have a guide to make things go smoothly.


    And even though Bowzer was still asleep, Jack wanted to test his new strength.


    Thanks to the frenzied bears, everyone in the party had leveled up at least once, including their beasts. Some lucky people at the edge of their level were even able to go up two levels.


    Eliza was the lowest of them all at lv. 31, but her Forest Dryad jumped to levels to reach lv. 33.


    Jack and Bowzer were next, both at lv. 32.


    Happy to not be the weakest, Ke had also managed to skip through an entire level and reach lv. 32 while her Light Fairy was now lv. 34.


    Rydel was also lv. 32 now, happy to not be the weakest despite his age. His Wind Roc barely managed to level up, keeping its status as the strongest in the party at lv. 37.


    Muara and her cetus followed after that, at lv. 33 and lv. 35 respectively.


    Finally, Maynard had been able to level up. And with his Thunder Cat, they both went up two levels. Now, they were both lv. 35.


    It may nor seem like much after facing dozens of giant, frenzied bears and a pridelord, but it meant a lot to them. The higher the levels went, the harder it was to grind. For them to level up at all so quickly made them all happy.


    Jack was the only one who was unaffected by the level gains. In his mind, he could¡¯ve grinded for hours in-game and get there much quicker. Though the circumstances were different, they still affected Jack¡¯s perspective on leveling.


    Now, the party was stronger and had a better sense of unity since they had already had their first battle. Entering a new country together would be perfect to help them bond and grow closer.


    d to be on his feet, Jack was waiting downstairs in the tavern with the girls. Soon, Rydel and Maynard came down with a group of five men. That group of lv. 30¡¯s were the men that Rydel had convinced to be their guides.


    When the leader of that group saw Jack, he hesitated and gave him a second look. "You¡¯re Jack, right? The new hero in the association?"


    "Right. And you are?"


    "Call me Karo. Me and my men will help you enter the Aazoon Kingdom."


    "Can you take us to Frostburn City?" asked Jack.


    Shaking his head, Karo replied, "Sadly, I can¡¯t. We, the Snow Guild, are based in Quazur. We can help you enter the tundra and take you as far as the Quazur, but from there you¡¯ll be on your own. But there are guides you can hire once you enter Quazur."


    "Good to know, thanks."


    With a polite bow, Jack looked over the rest of Karo¡¯s party. They were well-rounded, but they were all warriors despite having long-ranged, mid-ranged, and closebat covered amongst the five of them.


    "Well, let¡¯s hurry up and get going. We¡¯ve got to reach Frostburn City as fast as possible."


    Letting Karo and his men take the lead, Jack¡¯s party followed them out of town. Thanks to theck of horses from the recent bear attacks, they were forced to travel on foot until they reached the border town inside Aazoon¡¯s borders.


    It took them a couple of days, but they managed to get there without any trouble whatsoever.


    Since the Reinolt Kingdom and the Aazoon Kingdom were in a trade agreement, the borders had no checkpoints and were free to cross. This made things a lot easier since both border towns were used to having visitors from the other country.


    Once in the border town, the entire party had to purchase winter clothes. Originally, Jack wanted tomission some winter clothes made of t-nose Bear hide, but the border towncked an artisan who could craft such a material.


    Since that was the case, they didn¡¯t even stay the night and purchased some horses before leaving straight away.


    Traveling then sped up, especially because they all bought a snow stallion. If they wanted to cross the tundra on horseback, it would be impossible without a snow stallion, whose fur and muscles were thick enough to withstand the cold weather.


    They crossed thest bit of grasnds over the next three days, enjoying the warm air while the could. On the fourth day, the party finally entered the frozen tundra.


    With a change of clothes, everyone quickly bundled up and get back onto their snow stallions.


    Jack was the only one to not change his clothes. With a thought, he activated Sterfen¡¯s Cloak and it became a warm snow jacket that covered his whole body. The more he used Sterfen¡¯s Cloak, the more he fell in love with it. It also solved his nakedness issue after using his me body. Being a legendary item that could shapeshift, it was able to survive inside the mes, letting Jack stay clothed afterward.


    He was very happy went he thought about that. At the moment after he was injured by the pridelord, the thought never crossed his mind. But now, he was eternally grateful that the cloak kept him from revealing himself to the women in his party. He would¡¯ve never heard the end of it.


    It was on the fifth day the party finally reached Quazur.


    It was a city, fully developed with its own stone walls to protect the citizens. Since it was thest city in the tundra and the closest major city to the Polt Federation, it was a major trade hub in Aazoon.


    The Snow Guild was in charge of the city¡¯s safety and security. Every major city other than Frostburn City was run by a different guild or a noble family. But the overall rulers of Aazoon were still the royal family, who were on good terms with all noble families and guilds.


    As a whole, the Aazoon Kingdom was far more unified than Reinolt, making it hard for Jack to believe that the syndicate had weaseled into the royal family.


    "We¡¯re finally here, so now we¡¯ll say our goodbyes. There¡¯s a small guild of guides you can find in the town square if you¡¯re interested. If something happens to you while you¡¯re staying here, just tell the nearest member toe find me." Karo pointed at his chest, showing the insignia of the Snow Guild on his coat.


    "Though there isn¡¯t a branch of the Adventurers Association in Aazoon thanks to its unforgiving weather, we¡¯ve always been on good terms with them. Here, you¡¯ll be treated with the respect you deserve."


    "Thank you, Karo. If something happens, we won¡¯t hesitate to call for you," replied Jack, bowing his head respectfully.


    "Men, let¡¯s go!" With a shout, Karo led his five men toward the city gates and disappeared.


    "Let¡¯s store the stallions for now. We¡¯ll need them for our travels and its cheaper that way."


    Everyone agreed with Rydel and stored their horses. Then, they all walked toward the gate, holding a piece of paper that Karo had given them. Thanks to the paper, the party didn¡¯t need any inspection and was instantly granted ess into Quazur.


    It wasn¡¯t hard to find an inn, so they were settled down before sunset.


    While the others were getting ready for dinner, Jack left the inn to find an artisan tomission his bear fur coats. However, he failed to escape Daliea, who caught him sneaking out of the inn alone and would only keep it a secret if she could join him.


    He agreed, but only if she did so in her goblin form. So, with some reluctance, Daliea cast an illusion and made herself look human.


    In the town square, they found a small market with plenty of tents set up. Outlying those tents were some stores and shops.


    Picking a store with plenty of high-quality goods, Jack and Daliea entered and made the order. They were told that the fur coats would be done in a week since Jack had ordered six of them.


    Jack didn¡¯t want to wait so long, but he knew that the closer they would get to the Icicle mountains, the worse the weather would get.


    Also, what the others didn¡¯t know was that Sterfen¡¯s hidden temple was supposedly on one of the mountain peaks. That meant they would need the best coats possible, so a week¡¯s wait was worth it.


    Exiting the shop, Jack saw the open market. With so many new shops, he wanted to see if he could find anything good, especially for the hydra egg.

 Chapter 186 Frost Pearl

    <h4>Chapter 186 Frost Pearl</h4>


    "Daliea, are you okay?" Almost forgetting that Daliea was with him, Jack surprised her with a question. "As a goblin, you¡¯re even more prone to the cold aren¡¯t you?"


    Daliea blushed a little but didn¡¯t look away. Happy that he was concerned for her, she smiled. "You¡¯re wrong, I¡¯m not like the other goblins. I don¡¯t have any natural weaknesses, just like you."


    "Really?"


    That shocked Jack especially. With his vast in-game knowledge from "A Hero¡¯s Tale," Jack was certain that all goblins were weak to both cold and fire due to their weak constitution. The shadow goblins were the only race of goblins he didn¡¯t know much about.


    "Are you sure? You haven¡¯t felt weak or too cold since we entered the tundra?"


    "No, I¡¯m fine, really."


    "Oh... Well, either way, you¡¯ll have a better coat soon. You¡¯ll need it when we reach Frostburn City." Jack looked away, trying to recover from her awkward questioning. "Let¡¯s check the market if there¡¯s anything good, okay?"


    "Alright!" Daliea smiled, hoping she could find something for Jack to buy her.


    Together they started rummaging through the different tents. Though the market was small, Jack was amazed that each tent had quality items. Compared to Reinolt¡¯s central square, Quazur¡¯s market was even better.


    They took their time, not worrying about the others back at the inn.


    Soon Daliea found something interesting with an old, sickly-looking man sitting behind a stand. He still had plenty of vitality, but one of his arms was ck and rigged. Clearly, it was no longer in use.


    "Did you find anything you like?" asked the man.


    "Mhm, I like this bracelet. It¡¯s an illusion type item, right?"


    He let out a weakugh and sat upright. "That must mean you also use illusion magic. It¡¯s not valuable to anyone who doesn¡¯t, so you must be."


    "That¡¯s an illusory charm. It¡¯s a one-time use item that lets the user take the appearance of another race or another person. It¡¯s a peak-tier charm too, meaning it¡¯s undetectable and your body will actually take that form temporarily."


    With a twinkle in her eyes, Daliea asked, "How long does itst and how must is it?"


    "It willst for one hour, and I¡¯m willing to part with it for at least ten thousand gold."


    "Ten thousand..."


    Daliea sighed. She had nowhere near that much. And she would feel bad to ask Jack for such an outrageous sum.


    Jack, who was at the stand next door, approached them and saw the trinket in her hands.


    "Wow, you actually found something. How much?" Jack looked at the man, blinking in surprise when he saw the man¡¯s frost burnt arm.


    "Ten thousand gold and it¡¯s yours."


    "That much? Nah, it¡¯s not worth it." About to leave, Jack saw the sadness in Daliea¡¯s eyes. "What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s a good item, but its uses are too limited to be worth that much. I¡¯m sure your illusions will work just fine."


    Seeing that she still held onto the item, Jack asked her telepathically, ¡¯Daliea, why do you want this so bad?¡¯


    At first, she didn¡¯t dare reply and blushed, but her straight forward nature eventually overpowered her shyness. ¡¯I thought... that maybe if I wasn¡¯t a goblin, even for only an hour, then maybe you would notice me.¡¯


    Both touched and hurt by her answer, Jackughed at himself.


    ¡¯Daliea, that¡¯s not the reason why I¡¯ve rejected you all this time. I don¡¯t want to do that with just anyone. I¡¯m--¡¯


    ¡¯But that¡¯s why I thought I would need it. To you, I¡¯m just another girl... a goblin girl...¡¯


    His heart ached a little bit with every word she added. ¡¯Daliea, really, it¡¯s not your fault. You¡¯re beautiful, evenpared to humans. I¡¯ve been turning you down for the same reason as the others, I¡¯m only willing to do that with someone Ipletely trust, someone who I want o spend the rest of my life with.¡¯


    ¡¯So don¡¯t me yourself, you¡¯re plenty beautiful already. I¡¯m just not ready to take the step with anyone, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯... Okay.¡¯


    Daliea was on the verge of crying and was holding back her tears. Thinking back to Maura¡¯s encouraging words, Daliea felt much better about herself.


    It was also one of the first times she felt closer to Jack on a personal level. She had already offered herself out of duty to her tribe, but that part of her was weakening as time went on.


    Daliea wondered if she would actually be willing to leave Jack if he ever agreed. Her mindset was changing and she was starting to think it was better to travel with Jack than to leave him and fulfill her duties to her fallen tribe.


    The old man watched as the two stared into each other¡¯s eyes. He had no clue that they were speaking telepathically, only seeing that the two deeply cared about each other.


    "Since you two lovebirds don¡¯t want it, just leave already," grumbled the old man, a little jealous.


    "Huh?!" Jack gasped, forgetting that the old man was there. "Sorry, she¡¯s not my... We¡¯re in the same party."


    "Yeah, yeah, say whatever you want. You¡¯re lucky enough to have someone but don¡¯t blow it so easily!" yelled the old man, startling both Jack and Daliea. "I used to travel too, but look at me now. If all you¡¯re going to do is show off your woman, just give it back and go."


    "I¡¯m sorry." cing it the charm back on the stand, Daliea put her hands up innocently.


    They left the stand in a hurry, not daring to look back at the angry old man. The air between them was a little awkward, but Daliea was very happy to have someone think she was Jack¡¯s woman.


    That¡¯s when they noticed amotion at one of the distant stands. A crowd was gathering around a group on horseback. Apparently, they were looking for rare items like Jack. Only, that stand owner happily brought out some of her finest items the moment they arrived.


    Jack got closer and took a look at the items, intrigued at what they might be and who the influential people were.


    The moment Jack saw a small crystal-clear, blue bead in the merchant¡¯s hand, he hurried to the front of the crowd.


    There was a young man leading that group. He had gotten off his stallion and was personally inspecting the merchant¡¯s wares. When he saw that bead, he had the same reaction as Jack and reached for it.


    "Wait! I¡¯ll buy that pearl off you! Name your price!"


    Everyone was in shock to hear Jack¡¯s offer. The merchant froze, unsure of what to do since the young man in front of her also wanted the pearl.


    That young man smiled andughed when he heard Jack¡¯s shout. Turning around he got a good look at Jack, who had not broken through the surrounding crowd. Almost yfully, the young man asked, "Who are you?"


    "Does that matter? I want the pearl and I think you do too. Who are you?"


    That young manughed again, surprised even more by Jack¡¯s second statement than the first. "You really don¡¯t know who I am, huh? You must not be from Aazoon then."


    He stoppedughing but kept his friendly smile. "My name¡¯s Willim Frant, and since I¡¯ve told you mine, at least tell me yours."


    "I¡¯m Jack." Confused at how courteous the noble-looking youth was, Jack was hesitant to offend him. "With such an entourage, you must be from a powerful group. Who are you with?"


    "Me?" Willimughed again, unable to contain himself. "I¡¯m the crown prince of the Aazoon royal family."


    Jack¡¯s heart skipped a beat. This was definitely not someone he wanted to offend. It also reminded him that the prince had unknowingly invited Jack to visit. Funnily, here they were, again fighting over an item for sale.


    "My apologies for the discourtesy, your highness," stated Jack, giving Willim a bow. "However, I really need that frost pearl."


    "Hmm..." Willim paused the conversation, taking his time to examine Jack more closely. "You wouldn¡¯t happen to be Jack Dyrshire, the rising hero from Reinolt, would you?"


    "I am."


    "Ah hah! I knew! Who else would be bold enough to act like that in a foreignnd," Willim chuckled, exining his thoughts. "If you¡¯re really the same Jack, I have a way to settle who gets the pearl. Would you like to hear it?"


    Taken aback by the prince¡¯s jovial attitude, Jack nodded.


    "You and I will have a sparring match. Whoever wins can purchase the pearl. Sound fair?"


    Hesitating to answer, Jack quickly inspected the prince with his Eagle Eye. When he saw that the prince was already lv. 30, he was astounded. The prince couldn¡¯t be much older than Jack, yet he was already that high of a level, which meant the Aazoon Prince was likely the most talented noble youth he had met to date.


    d that he had recently level up and that the prince had no way to see Jack¡¯s level for himself, Jackughed along with the prince. "I think that¡¯s fair. Shall we?"

 Chapter 187 Sparring with Willim

    <h4>Chapter 187 Sparring with Willim</h4>


    "I think that¡¯s fair. Shall we?"


    With a big smile, Willim replied. "Yes, lets. Follow me."


    Willim parted the crowd and led Jack to the very center of the town square, where it was the most open. With help from his party on horseback, the foot traffic was redirected and there was plenty of room for the match.


    "I¡¯ll warn you beforehand, be careful with my ice. I don¡¯t want to turn you into a hero icicle."


    "Just try your best, your highness, and we¡¯ll see how it goes. I think I¡¯ll surprise you even more."


    As they shared some friendly banter, both of them took their positions about ten meters away from each other.


    Of the men on horseback, one had a more imperial uniform, showing his higher rank. At the edge of the battle area, he dismounted and looked at the two young men. "This is a sparring match to test your skills and not a match to the death. The victor will purchase the frost pearl and that¡¯ll be the end of it. Please, take care of each other. Fight!"


    Frosty air whirled around Willim, growing with each passing second. Hail and icicles formed inside that wind but stayed airborne, guided wherever the wind went.


    "Icicle Storm!" Willim yelled as the winds were directed towards Jack.


    At the same time, a heatwave wasing from Jack. mes were gathering at his fingertips and coalescing in his palms. Launching the mes forward, Jack shouted, "Fireball!"


    Half a dozen small fireballs flew from Jack¡¯s hands and collided with the cold wind filled with shards of ice. A small explosion of steam sounded out, alerting everyone in the nearest kilometer of the duel taking ce.


    For the crowd, the steam seemed to heat up their blood, riling them up for a good show. They all thought their prince as nigh unbeatable, yet here was another young man matching him.


    "Good! If you couldn¡¯t handle that much, your reputation as a hero would have been undeserved. Now, try this one."


    The warm air vanished in an instant. Cold, blue energy gathered in Willim¡¯s palms, appearing frozen yet still agile. Growing without end, the wind was blowing together with that blue energy to form a sphere. As Willim opened his arms with a smile, that ball of cold wind expanded drastically, bing two meters in size.


    "Blizzard Orb!"


    That condensed ball of raging winds and frost wasunched at Jack with incredible speed.


    Luckily for Jack, he wasn¡¯t just wasting time, watching the prince cast spells without preparing a counter. More fire was condensing into a ball, this time bing lighter in color as it condensed more and more. All of Jack¡¯s me energy was forced into a palm-sized ball before threw it toward the Blizzard Orb.


    "me Burst!"


    Again, more steam was created, but this time a shockwave rocked the town square. Some of the nearby stands were too weak to take the blow, splintering as the shockwave spread. Many of the spectators were pushed back, in awe of the power that both young men were showing.


    That royal guard who was judging the match was surprised. He was unmoved by the shockwave, but he was excited to know that his young master had finally found a worthy rival.


    "Amazing!" Willim was getting more excited with every exchange. The more power that Jack showed, the more enthused he was. "How about this? We¡¯ll see who has the most powerful spells and the first to run out loses."


    "I like the way you think, but I¡¯m not just a mage."


    Willim was about to say something in response when Jack suddenly vanished without a trace. He has a sinking feeling all of a sudden and turned around as quick as his body would let him. But he was too slow.


    A fist drilled into the prince¡¯s side, knocking the wind out of him andunching him a meter in the air.


    Everyone¡¯s jaws dropped as they witnessed the undefeated prince crash into the cold hard ground. There was no blood or harsh words, but it was clear that Jack had the upper hand. With an ability that let him vanish so suddenly, Jack could¡¯ve easily dodged all the prince¡¯s spells and punched him much sooner.


    Knowing that he was being yed with, the crown prince tried tough but couldn¡¯t with his aching chest. Soon he was up on his feet but he didn¡¯t gather any energy or start any spells. Willim knew that he had lost.


    "That was great! If it was that easy for you, you should¡¯ve said so. I would¡¯ve just let you take the pearl in the first ce."


    Giving the prince a funny look, Jackughed as well. "For some reason, I don¡¯t believe that."


    "Yeah, you may be right." The prince waved at his guards, letting them know that it was all over. Then, he walked to the merchant and handed her arge sack of gold in exchange for the pearl.


    Not knowing what to do, she handed the prince the pearl. If the prince wanted to go back on his word, then she wouldn¡¯t dare offend him.


    Before Jack could yell in anger, the frost pearl was thrown to him, catching him off guard. Jack caught it again gave the prince a funny look.


    "Jack, you¡¯re the first person my age to best me. Take that as a token of my friendship. Would you minding with us to Frostburn City and visiting the royal pce?"


    Taken aback by how genuinely straight forward the prince was, Jack struggled to respond. "I... My party is already nning to go there, but we¡¯re waiting for our new coats to be made."


    Happy to not be rejected, Willim asked, "How long will that take?"


    "About a week."


    "A week, huh?"


    The prince scratched the side of his face, thinking something over. Suddenly, he pped his hands together and shouted, "In that case, I¡¯ll stay here too! When the week is over, we¡¯ll use the ancient relic to teleport to the capital!"


    "You have a strange way of doing things, don¡¯t you?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, you got a problem with that?"


    "Nope!" Jack shook his head with a smile. "In fact, I quite like it. I¡¯ll go inform my party, they¡¯ll be happy to know we have permission to use the relic."


    "Mind if I join you?" asked the Prince, eagerness written all over his face.


    "Sure, why not? They¡¯ll meet you at some point."


    Daliea hurried to Jack¡¯s side. She was overjoyed to see Jack defeat the prince, then again, she knew it was bound to happen. Anyone facing Jack while at the same level would be at a severe disadvantage, let alone a lower level like the prince.


    Jack and Willin walked side by side, chatting about each other¡¯s adventures thus far. In tow were Daliea and the head guard who had been the match judge. The other men left under Willim¡¯s orders.


    As the night rolled in, Jack and Willim entered the tavern with hungry bellies. They walked past the bar and found the other members of Jack¡¯s party finishing ate dinner.


    "Jack! Where have you been? I missed my husband," pouted Eliza, trying to grab his attention after she saw that Daliea was with him.


    "Come and sit down, the food¡¯s pretty good here," Maynard said as he looked at Willim. "And who¡¯s the new friend ya made?"


    Jack, Willim, Daliea, and the guard all sat down before Jack introduced him. "Everyone, this is Willim Frant. He--"


    "Pfffeee!!" Rydel coughed on his brundy as he immediately recognized that name. "Willim Frant? As in, the crown prince of Aazoon? That Willim Frant?"


    "Do you know any others?" Willim joked. "Waitress, four specials and as many drinks as they want! It¡¯s all on me!"


    In awe of Jack¡¯s influential new friend, they all looked to Jack, waiting for an exnation.


    "What? Why are you all looking at me like that?" asked Jack.


    "Daliea, can you exin this, please?" Maura looked the Daliea, who dropped the illusion spell now that she was back and her deal with Jack was over.


    The guard chuckled and spoke up, "Allow me. We¡¯ve been apanying the prince while he traveled and grinded in the tundra for the past couple weeks. We got here this morning and used the day to rx."


    "While we were here in the trade hub of Aazoon, the prince was looking for something special to gift his younger sister. That¡¯s when he and Jack both found a frost pearl. They both wagered it over a sparring match, but the prince lost in the end and gifted the pearl to Jack. And, here we are now," exined the man.


    "Oh, you were looking for a gift for your sister?" asked Jack. Now that he understood why the prince wanted the pearl, he felt bad, a little.


    Finishing the mug of brundy that was brought to him, the prince mmed it on the table. "Nah, don¡¯t mind that at all. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find something while we wait for your coats."


    Jack saw a thread of hesitation in Willim as he said that. He wasn¡¯t sure what it was, but it wasn¡¯t fitting of his usual brazen nature so it stood out to Jack.

 Chapter 188 Meeting the Little Sister

    <h4>Chapter 188 Meeting the Little Sister</h4>


    Despite what his guards wanted, Willim decided to stay in the same in as Jack. Every day they would check what new items had arrived in the town square and talked about all kinds of things, ranging from past adventures what was currently going on in the world.


    The citizens of Quazur were happy to see their prince interacting with them. It wasn¡¯t often that someone so influential would lounge around in a city outside of the capital.


    Jack¡¯s party quickly took a liking to him. His yful personality proved inviting and he loved to joke around, even if the joke is on himself.


    By the time the week was over, Willim was unable to find something to gift his sister. He would never exin what exactly he was looking for to Jack, though, just saying nothing was suited for her.


    As for the frost pearl, it was fastened into a ne and given to Maura. But Willim was surprised that Maura never wore it and struggled to figure out why, even though Maura was so happy to receive it.


    Little did he know that the ne was currently around the hydra egg, slowly pouring its natural ice type energy into it. It wasn¡¯t the most effective way of incubating the egg, but it was better than nothing.


    On the seventh day, after picking up their coats, they all made their way to the town hall run by the Snow Guild with Willim and his guards.


    Willim led the way as they entered. "We need to use the relic so I can get back home."


    "Right away, Prince Willim. We¡¯ll have it ready in ten minutes. Right, this way."


    The receptionist was very warm to them, most likely because of Willim being present. She led them through a couple of hallways until they reached an open courtyard.


    There, the party saw a tform with strange symbols and etchings covering it. Below the tform was a very powerful crystal emanating spatial energy.


    Jack was happy to see it, recognizing them as the teleport relics from "A Hero¡¯s Tale." He had no clue that some still existed. If that was the case, Jack wondered if he could find an unused one somewhere and steal its crystal.


    Very soon, a total of ten lv. 30 mages entered the courtyard, surrounding the tform.


    The receptionist motioned to Willim, waiting for him to step on as usual. She was surprised to see that Jack¡¯s entire party joined him on the tform.


    "Your highness, are they also using the relic?" asked the receptionist hesitantly.


    "Of course! They¡¯re my guests of honor."


    She sighed and nodded to the mages. "Wait just a moment your highness." Another ten mages came and joined the others.


    Realizing why the teleport relic was regted, Jack shook his head. He had no clue that it would take so many mages just to activate the teleport relic. And it wasn¡¯t even the most powerful kind of teleport relic. There were two kinds, one that had only one location linked and others with multiple locations linked.


    Thinking about it, Jack was still expanding his knowledge and understanding of just how underdeveloped Modern Kartonia was.


    "Thanks for visiting us here in Quazur, your highness."


    With thosest few words, everyone on the tform was drenched in spatial type energy. The energy was so thick, it felt like they were all swimming in it. Then suddenly, in the blink of an eye, their surroundings changed.


    They were still in an open courtyard, but the sky was totally different. It was like the sky outside of the tundra, clear and sunny. Also, the courtyard they were in now was five timesrger than the previous and guards were seen all around them.


    That thick spatial type energy slowly dissipated. The teleportation was a sess.


    "Men, tell my father to prepare some guest rooms! We have guests, and they deserve our respect!" yelled Willim.


    All of a sudden, Willim was a totally different person. The air about his was serious yet warm, and he handled the pce guards with authority instead of acting childish. This was the same prince that Jack had met in Polt.


    Understanding that Willim was now acting like a man of his position, Jack¡¯s party also showed their more serious side.


    More people arrived in the courtyard but they weren¡¯t wearing armor. They were all wearing noble blue robes or dresses. Willim was flocked by them and bombarded with all sorts of questions.


    "All of you, just calm down!" shouted Willim, not happy to see so many people questioning his decision to bring Jack¡¯s party through the relic. "This is my new friend. You all know him as the rising hero of the Adventurers Association, but I know him as Jack while he knows me as Willim. They¡¯re my guests, so don¡¯t you dare mistreat them."


    Some of those people eyed Jack, intent to learn more about him.


    "Jack, follow me!"


    Willim took charge, pushing his way through the crowd of peopleing to the courtyard. Thanks to him, Jack¡¯s party was able to squeeze their way out of the courtyard and officially enter the pce.


    "Jack, let¡¯s have a feast for breakfast. It¡¯ll be easier to talk then."


    The party nodded, happy to be fed regardless of the undesired attention. While they didn¡¯t like it, they all understood that it was a strange urrence, and since both Jack and the prince were involved it was bound to grab everyone¡¯s attention.


    Soon, the party entered a private dining hall with only the prince. There, they found an enormous spread of different foods. It wasn¡¯t all breakfast items either. Plenty of steak and pork dishes were found as well.


    "Dig in!"


    Everyone enjoyed themselves, d to no longer have wandering eyes all over them.


    Jack looked to Willim and asked, "What was all that about? They didn¡¯t seem too happy with you?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about them." Willim waved his hand nonchntly as he swallowed a mouthful of roasted boar. "Those guys were all on my uncle¡¯s side, so it doesn¡¯t matter what they think. Since my father became king and not him, we¡¯re the ones with the say around here."


    "Are there contentions inside your family?"


    "I guess, but what royal family doesn¡¯t have those? If people weren¡¯t fighting over the throne, what else would they fight for?" Willim joke with them, returning to his jovial nature.


    A knock was heard at the main door and Willim yelled, "Hurry up, Sis, or it¡¯ll be cold!"


    "Don¡¯t mind if I do!" A soft voice was heard as the door opened and closed. Willim¡¯s teenage sister skipped to his side and sat down to join the feast.


    "Jack, this is my little sis, Erina. Erina, this is my new friend, Jack." Willim introduced them, making sure to be extra polite with his sister.


    "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Jack. We¡¯ve heard a lot about you so it a surprise to have you show up so suddenly," Erina tried to exin some of the confusion that was Jack¡¯s weing party.


    "Don¡¯t worry about it. I¡¯m happy to finally meet the little sister your brother has told me all about. If it wasn¡¯t for me, he would¡¯ve gotten you a gift too."


    "Really? What were you going to get me?" Her eyes lit up like a child on Christmas morning.


    Willim shrugged. "Forget that, it¡¯s not important."


    "I don¡¯t know, a frost pearl sounds pretty important to me, Willim," joked Jack.


    "A frost pearl?!" Erina was shocked to hear that. "Does that mean you took it from Wil?"


    "No, he won it, fair and square," stated Willim. "We had a little sparring match and he wiped the floor with me, so he won it."


    "Oh..." Her enthusiasm dropped drastically as she reached slowly for food to fill her mouth.


    Unclear on what just happened, Jack asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Why are you so sad all of a sudden, Erina?"


    "Just eat up, there¡¯s no need to keep bringing that up," said Willim, making it obvious that he wanted to drop the subject.


    However, Jack didn¡¯t like how the mood became somber so quickly. He wanted to know why. "Really, Erina, did you need a frost pearl for something?"


    "Well..."


    "Erina, you don¡¯t need to tell them if you don¡¯t want to." Looking at his timid sister, Willim tried his best to support her.


    She looked at her brother and then at Jack. Her face was riddled with sadness and confusion, leaving Jack even more anxious to get to the bottom of the issue.


    "Did you want it?"


    That question came from one seat over from Jack. Everyone looked and saw Maura holding a ne with a frost pearl embedded in a little amulet. "We were going to use it for something, but if you need it, you can have it."


    Sniffling, Erina¡¯s eyes started to water. She didn¡¯t say anything, but she wiped her eyes with her sleeve and nodded.


    When Maura got up and ced the amulet around Erina¡¯s neck, the young, barely-teenage girl made the most adorable face. More tears fell as she bowed her head and thanked Maura for the gift.


    No one in the room was eating anymore, or even thinking of the food for that matter.

 Chapter 189 Erinas Condition

    <h4>Chapter 189 Erina¡°s Condition</h4>


    All eyes were on the crying girl.


    Erina hopped out of her chair and wrapped her arms tightly around Maura. "Big Sis, what¡¯s your name?"


    "Big Sis?!"


    Maura was taken aback by Erina¡¯s statement. She had never been called that before, but it made her happy when she saw Erina¡¯s innocent face.


    "Call me Maura, okay Erina?"


    "Okay, Maura!"


    Jack didn¡¯t know what to say or do. He now understood that being overfriendly ran in Willim¡¯s family, but he still wasn¡¯t sure why Erina was crying in the first ce. Why would she need a frost pearl so badly?


    "Jack, I¡¯m sorry about this," Willim apologized and shook his head.


    "Don¡¯t worry about it. Since Maura gave it away, it¡¯s Erina¡¯s now. I¡¯m just confused. Why does she need something like a frost pearl so badly?" asked Jack, hoping they¡¯d be more open after receiving the frost pearl.


    "I¡¯m not the one who should answer that. If Erina is willing, then let her."


    "Mhm!" Erina lifted her head from Maura¡¯s chest, looking at everyone else in the room. "Can you keep a secret?"


    Jack¡¯s party looked at each other,ughing at themselves. What secrets weren¡¯t they keeping?


    "We¡¯ll all keep your secret Erina. So, please, tell us," Maura answered for everyone.


    The small, teenage girl nodded and put on a more serious face. "I¡¯m different from other people. Ever since I could remember, I¡¯ve had something inside me. If I¡¯m not careful, it attacks me and trying to take control of my water type energy."


    "If I ever run out of water type or ice type energy, then the thing inside me will take over my body."


    "Take over your body..." Jack pondered her words, trying toe up with what might be able to cause such a thing. "Erina, if you run out of energy, do you start to feel cold like you were frozen inside your own body."


    "Yes!" She nodded frantically, surprised that someone was able to understand how she felt.


    Scratching his head, Jack made an ugly face and groaned.


    Rydel and Maynard both watched him carefully. They had been with Jack the longest and understood that Jack¡¯s reaction wasn¡¯t a good sign.


    "Can I have your permission to inspect you with one of my skills, Erina?"


    Willim asked, "Do you know what might be the cause of this? I¡¯m not sure if we can let you do that since she has royal--"


    "Okay!"


    "Erina!" Startled to see his shy sister willing to be inspected, Willim gave her a strange look.


    "Maura, do you trust Jack?"


    She chuckled when she heard Erina¡¯s question. "Erina, Jack is my husband. Of course, I trust him."


    "Oh, so he¡¯s Big Bro Jack? Then I trust him too."


    Willim let out a pained sigh. "Erina..."


    "Don¡¯t worry Willim, it won¡¯t hurt her in any way. It¡¯s not that kind of skill."


    With permission, Jack activated the second part of Eagle Eye. So long as the target being inspected willingly agrees, Eagle Eye can find more in-depth details about that target. It was a part of the ability that never existed in-game, but Jack was happy to have it.


    A part of Jack was happy he could test that part of the skill. It also made him curious if other skills had abilities that never existed in-game. But that was a thought to ponder at a different time.


    Thanks to Eagle Eye, Jack better-understood everything about Erina and noticed a strange status.


    "That¡¯s what I thought... Willim, was she born with this?" asked Jack.


    "No, she wasn¡¯t. But she was like this since she was little. We were never able to find a cause or a doctor who could figure out anything. Why, did you find something?!"


    "Erina, don¡¯t freak out from what I¡¯m about to say, alright?" Jack made sure to prepare the little girl for the bad news. "You¡¯ve been cursed, and I think its an Ice Spirit that has been trying to take over your body."


    "What?!" Willim shot to his feet. "Are you serious?! You¡¯d better not be lying!"


    "I¡¯m not lying, she¡¯s really been cursed and an Ice Spirit really is inside of her body," stated Jack. "I think the biggest issue, besides trying to get that out of her, is trying to figure out who did this. A curse doesn¡¯t happen without a castor and an Ice Spirit doesn¡¯t appear without a summoner."


    "Jack, I appreciate you trying to help, but are you absolutely sure about this?" Willim asked again, feeling a bit calmer since Jack didn¡¯t yell back at him.


    "I¡¯ve been through a lot more than you give me credit, Willim. If there was anyone that could figure out that it was an Ice Spirit at my level, it would be me. I can¡¯t say why, so you¡¯ll just have to trust me," stated Jack, letting Willim decide what was true or false for himself.


    "I¡¯m... cursed..." Worry riddled Erina¡¯s youthful face, losing some of her innocence.


    The others in the party were just as surprised by Jack¡¯s statement as Willim.


    Spirits weremonly found in records of Ancient Kartonia or the Holy War. They were strong summons with the ability to possess people who shared amon energy type, eventually taking over them and serving they summoner with their new body.


    They were things of nightmares, mentioned in ghost tales to scare disobedient children intopliance. But to actually find one inside such a young, innocent girl couldn¡¯t be a coincidence, not when that little girl was second in line to inherit the throne.


    "Jack, do you realize how bold of a statement your making? If she¡¯s really been possessed by an Ice Spirit, that means that someone is making a move against the throne."


    "Like I said, it¡¯s up to you whether you believe me or not. I have no other way to prove it besides my word, sadly," sighed Jack. "If you want, we can take our leave. We have some important matters to handle in the Icicle Mountains."


    "In the Icicle Mountains? What in Halmut¡¯s beard does the association need from the Icicle Mountains?" Willim asked, still trying to take in the information Jack had presented them.


    "Who said it had anything to do with the association?" Jackughed and stood up. "Do you mind having someone show us out? It would be awkward to get lost inside the pce."


    With the wave of Willim¡¯s hand, of the servers stood in front of Jack, motioning to follow him.


    "Thanks for everything, Willim. I still consider you a friend and I mighte to visit before we travel back through the tundra. Till then, take care. You too, Erina."


    The others also stood and bowed before they followed Jack.


    Maura sighed, giving Erina onest look. Even though Willim had reason to doubt Jack¡¯s bold statement, she knew that Jack wouldn¡¯t say such a thing if he had any doubt. She didn¡¯t like it, but she knew that the cute girl who had called her "Big Sis" was cursed by a frightening Ice Spirit, like something from Erina¡¯s nightmares.


    "Maura..." When Maura let her go and followed after Jack, Erina couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore.


    Now alone in the private hall, Willim went to his sister and picked her up, embracing her warmly. "I¡¯m sorry, Erina. I wish I could do more for you. It¡¯s too bad Mom¡¯s not here... She would know what to do."


    "Sniff!"


    Wiping her nose with her sleeve, Erina looked up to her big brother. "Big Bro, am I really cursed? Does that mean I¡¯m going to die?"


    "You¡¯re not going to die, Erina. Me and Papa will make sure of that," said Willim, struggling with what to do next. "Erina let¡¯s go and talk to Papa about this. I would never want my adorable sister to be cursed, but I want to know what he thinks."


    *****


    Later that day, a party of seven people left the protection of Frostburn City and entered the Icicle Mountains.


    There, the clear, warm sky was no more. Only cold, bone-chilling wind existed there. It was far worsepared to the tundra they had entered earlier, and they would never be able to go through it without there new coats. Even with the coats, the party was still feeling the cold, including Jack with his legendary item.


    ¡¯The Icicle Mountains were always known as the coldest ce in all Kartonia and we need to reach the top of cier Peak. There, we should find Sterfen¡¯s hidden temple!¡¯


    Jack filled the party in of the details using telepathy. In such stormy conditions, speaking verbally between party members was practically impossible.


    They all nodded and continued to move forward at a snail¡¯s pace.


    Everyone was excited. Even though they were searching for Sterfen so Rydel could pledge to him, it was enough to find a real hidden temple. If they could find one for Sterfen, it meant that they could find one for each of them.


    The thought of being blessed by a god kept them all motivated, willing to press through the endless blizzard.

 Chapter 190 Icicle Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 190 Icicle Mountains</h4>


    The party trudged through the dense wind and snow, slowly climbing one of the three main mountains within the Icicle Mountains. It was the tallest of the three, cier Peak.


    ¡¯Hang in there, everyone! It¡¯s best not to rest, but if we must then we can use the snow tent I borrowed from the Fat Goose,¡¯ Jack did his best to motivate his friends and make sure they were okay.


    ¡¯Is it at the very top?¡¯ asked Eliza, hoping they wouldn¡¯t be in the blizzard for too long.


    "It is, unfortunately. But that does exin why it¡¯s still hidden," reasoned Jack, trying to find some kind of positive.


    They continued pushing since it was still morning by the time they left the city. When they asked around town about cier Peak, everyone thought Jack was suicidal.


    ording to the townsfolk, it was going to take them three days to reach the peak if they didn¡¯t run into anyplications with beasts along the way. If they did, there was no telling what would happen.


    Also, they had to consider that most of their beastpanions wouldn¡¯t be able tost for long in these conditions if a fight broke out. Other than Maura¡¯s cetus, the others couldst a few minutes at most. Though the cetus wasn¡¯t used to snow, it was used to the cold of the deep sea so it wasn¡¯t bothered by the snow.


    They spent an entire day to finally pass the base of the mountain and make camp.


    Taking advantage of Maura¡¯s cetus, they had it keep watch overnight as they all slept in the thick snow tent Jack had prepared. In the morning, Maura stored the cetus away, letting it get its needed rest.


    ¡¯Remember, we may not be as lucky today. If we face any beasts, stay together and defend until we know what the beasts are capable of,¡¯ warned Jack.


    With a decent night¡¯s sleep behind them, the party pressed forward again. Their trek up the mountain was still slow, but it was unwavering.


    They continued for hours, snacking on rations inside their thick coats along the way.


    Around midafternoon, Jack suddenly stopped, catching everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¯Everyone, listen closely.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, they should be wolves from the howls.¡¯ Rydel was the first to recognize the beasts from their cries. ¡¯But something¡¯s off. It seems like the wolves are already fighting something else.¡¯


    "...roooaaaarrr..."


    A quiet roar reached everyone¡¯s ears, confirming Rydel¡¯sst statement.


    ¡¯Any guess what it might be, Rydel?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure, but it¡¯s strong enough to scare a pack of wolves,¡¯ stated Rydel. ¡¯Do you think we should try to avoid it, or should we confront it?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... I think it¡¯s best for us to confront it. If it¡¯s that strong, we¡¯ve already wandered into its territory. And I¡¯d rather face it on our terms then have it stalk and hunt us down,¡¯ reasoned Jack, getting everyone to nod in agreement.


    ¡¯Rydel, lead the way.¡¯


    With the shift in party leader, the party kept its slow pace but changed direction slightly. In a few minutes, a battle scene appeared in the distance.


    Five wolves were circling around arger beast covered in light blue patches over white fur. It was scary how well it blended in with the snowyndscape.


    ¡¯So it¡¯s a Frost Leopard. This won¡¯t be easy, not with this weather,¡¯ stated Jack, letting everyone know what they were up against.


    As they got closer, they noticed three wolve corpses bleeding bright red on the white snow, and a fourth one soon fell as well.


    ¡¯It¡¯s lv. 41...¡¯ Jack shook his head, not happy with their luck.


    It would¡¯ve been perfect if they were trying to grind and level up at the moment, but they were in a hurry to the peak. If they became too injured to continue the trip, they would¡¯ve wasted three days to make it so far and turn back.


    ¡¯Jack, what do ya think?¡¯ asked Maynard, curious what n Jack wasing up with.


    ¡¯Well, this would be a lot easier if Bowzer was awake,¡¯ whined Jack, still not sure what to do. ¡¯Maynard, me and you will be the ones at the forefront. With Sudden Death, we¡¯ll have to kite it toward everyone else¡¯s attacks. We¡¯ll let the me Tiger, your Thunder Cat, and the cetus join the fight. Sadly, Aiden won¡¯t be able to help in this weather, not at his level.¡¯


    ¡¯Sounds like a n. Let¡¯s get ready, the fight won¡¯tst much longer," said Rydel, who was still paying attention to the battle of the wolves and the leopard.


    They started to get in formation as another wolf fell dead. Since only three were left, they were killed even quicker since the leopard had fewer enemies to worry about. Though the Frost Leopard had taken some damage, it wasn¡¯t anything too serious since the wolf pack leader was only lv. 33, while the rest were only lv. 30.


    Easily sensing more threats nearby, the Frost Leopard growled as it eyed both Jack and Maynard who were closest.


    ¡¯Now!¡¯


    Just as the leopard pounced at Jack, it found that it was unable to hit the small human.


    At the same time, three separate roars echoed on the mountainside. Maura hopped onto her cetus and drew her des. Daliea kept her distance with Rydel, Eliza, and Ke while her tiger charged the leopard with mes protecting it from the cold. The Thunder Cat joined Maynard and Jack, distracting the leopard amidst attacking it.


    "ROOOAARR!!"


    Raging about the sudden rise in threat, the Leopard tried to escape but was cut off by the Thunder Cat.


    While Maynard and Jack also cut off the leopard¡¯s other paths of escape, the me Tiger roared back and lunged forward with fire wrapped around its ws.


    Bothrge cats were ferocious, attacking each other without fear. Though the me Tiger had a lower level, being a me type helped make up some of the difference. With the support from Rydel¡¯s arrows, Daliea¡¯s and Jack¡¯s fire spells, as well as Maura¡¯s and Maynard¡¯s swords, the Frost Leopard eventually fell.


    The party was lucky that the injuries were minimal, but it was clear that they couldn¡¯t face another powerful beast without needing to rest and heal.


    Daliea¡¯s me Tiger was the most hurt of the party, taking most of the leopard¡¯s attacks head-on. Even after magical healing, it wouldn¡¯t be able to help them for the rest of the day.


    With that in mind, the party took things easy.


    After storing the wolf and leopard corpses, they made decent progress. They did have a run-in with some nearby wolves, but they were only lv. 30 and were missing a pack leader. It was assumed that those wolves had escaped the panther at the sacrifice of the others. Too bad they stayed nearby and attacked Jack¡¯s party right after that.


    When night came, they again let the cetus take guard.


    Inside the snow tent, the wind didn¡¯t affect them, but it was still plenty loud. Jack was the only one who wasn¡¯t annoyed by it since he was busy looking at his achievement system.


    Another new achievement was suddenlypleted.


    [Predator turned prey:pleted]


    Apparently, that leopard was in the middle of its hunt when Jack¡¯s party had intervened. Thanks to their intervention, Jack now had a total of twenty skill points, but he didn¡¯t dare spend it yet.


    Night came and went, letting the morning light barely pierce through the stormy weather.


    ¡¯Remember, stay vignt. The closer we get to the peak, the stronger the beasts get. We¡¯ll have to avoid fighting at all costs, even if we add a day or two to the journey,¡¯ stated Jack, making his stance clear.


    With a new day ahead of them, the party continued their trek up the mountain.


    Whenever they found any signs of nearby beasts, the party took their time going around them. It slowed them greatly, but they felt it was necessary. At times, they all wished they hade to the mountain after they were stronger, but Jack would remind them that the other hidden temples or shrines could be just as dangerous or worse.


    Satisfied that they were getting close, the party didn¡¯tin and kept their focus on the task at hand. Making it through the treacherous weather was their priority.


    It took them an extra three days to skirt through the territories of the many beasts unscathed, making it to the peak on the sixth day.


    They were all feeling better. Making it to a ce rarely visited by mankind felt like quite an aplishment for the party, filling them with pride.


    Jack enjoyed the view, as they had finally started to look above the clouds. Another alert shed by him, letting him know that another achievement had beenpleted.


    [Looking down on the world:pleted]


    Giving Jack another thirty skill points, Jack was happy to have fifty skill points. But then he would look back at his skill list and shake his head, unhappy to be so far from what he wanted.


    "...Roooaarr..."


    A calm, rxed roar echoed out from behind the party. They all looked up toward the peak. It was difficult to see, but there was the opening of arge cave hidden in the snowy peak.


    With one collective sigh, everyone looked at Jack, wondering what he wanted to do.

 Chapter 191 Depths of Glacier Peak

    <h4>Chapter 191 Depths of cier Peak</h4>


    Jack met their gazes with his own. He had a feeling that it had all been too easy. His fate was already mixed up, so he wasn¡¯t too surprised to find a beast waiting for them inside.


    He knew that the beast was likely the strongest on the mountain and it would be the most difficult thing they had ever faced, but Jack still wanted to enter that cave.


    A part of him still believed in Daruun, who told him to seek out the neutral gods. And since Daruun knew that Jack¡¯s party woulde here for Rydel, Jack assumed that there had to be a way to aplish their goal. Daruun wouldn¡¯t send his own champion to his death before the champion¡¯s purpose was fulfilled.


    ¡¯We¡¯ll have to enter the cave with the utmost secrecy. Normally, I would go alone with the blessed bracer, but I¡¯d be dead meat if I was caught."


    "...roooaarr..."


    Again, that gentle roar sounded out from the cave. This time, Jack listened more closely and waited in silence, confusing the others. He warned the party, ¡¯Shhh.¡¯


    A few moments passed and the same roar came from the cave. They waited again, finding that the roar was following some sort of patter with the same amount of time before each roar.


    ¡¯Is it... sleeping?¡¯ Rydel asked the others for their opinions.


    ¡¯Hmm, if it is, then we may have a chance after all,¡¯ughed Jack. ¡¯Everyone, we¡¯re going in. Since we¡¯ll be out of the weather, if things go south, don¡¯t hesitate to summon your beastpanions. Now, be as quiet as possible.¡¯


    They all shared onest nce, reaffirming each other¡¯s determination. Since the beast may be asleep, they all felt a bit better.


    As Jack took the lead, he handed Rydel the blessed bracer they had found in the goblin cave. He didn¡¯t want to leave anything to chance and he thought that Rydel might need it to enter the hidden temple.


    Following Jack, the party took their time entering the cave. The path narrowed and started to wind further into the cier Peak.


    Something felt off to Jack, though. If the roar they heard was from a slumbering beast, it must¡¯ve been massive. Yet, the path they were on was only wide enough for two people two walk side-by-side. He wanted to know, how did such arge beast get so deep inside cier Peak?


    The path continued for quite some time. Since they couldn¡¯t sense any threats and the cavern was already too narrow to hide inside of, Jack, Maynard, and Rydel retrieved their kari crystals to light the way.


    It was perplexing how long the cavern was, slowly appearing more man-made than natural.


    When they all noticed the subtle changes, everyone smiled. There really would be some kind of ce hidden deep inside the peak, and the odds of it being the hidden temple were increasing the further they went.


    Carved into the stone around them, the party found a few symbols and what appeared to be a serpent¡¯s head. The most surprising part was that the serpent¡¯s neck went along the wall and the end wasn¡¯t in sight.


    They followed the path, continuing to inspect any new symbols of images they found. Just when they thought they had reached the end of the serpent¡¯s neck, another serpent¡¯s head appeared beside it, also going along the entire wall.


    This same pattern happened again for a third time... a fourth time... a seventh time!


    They had now passed seven serpent heads, and the end still wasn¡¯t in sight. They wondered how many serpent heads they would find and why they were there in the first ce?


    The roars still followed the same breathing pattern and remained soft, but now they were much louder. It almost sounded like there were multiple beasts in a heavy slumber at the end of the path.


    Jack wasn¡¯t feeling very well. In worry, Jack stopped the party and opened his system. He then opened the map and double-checked their locationpared to the hidden temple. ording to the map, they were right on top of it, but Jack wasn¡¯t done with the map.


    He changed the map¡¯s tab, searching through the temples of the holy gods. That was when Jack¡¯s heart sunk into the pit of his stomach.


    ¡¯How is that possible?!¡¯ Jack shouted within the confines of his mind.


    ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s wrong?!¡¯


    Rydel was the one to respond but everyone wanted to know why Jack had suddenly be so worried. And based on the anger in his shout, something bad may happen.


    ¡¯This...¡¯ Jack didn¡¯t want to believe what he was seeing. He selected both tabs, looking at both the neutral and the holy gods. ¡¯That¡¯s impossible! No, that can¡¯t be!¡¯


    Maura stepped up and grabbed Jack¡¯s shoulder, but still talked with her mind, ¡¯Jack, tell us what¡¯s wrong!¡¯


    ¡¯This... Apparently, this is the shrine of the Water Goddess, Lunara...¡¯


    ¡¯HUH?!¡¯


    Maynard asked, ¡¯But, wasn¡¯t this supposed to be Sterfen¡¯s hidden temple? How could you mix them up?¡¯


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t mix them up,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Sterfen¡¯s hidden temple is also here.¡¯


    ¡¯What?! You mean that there are two gods with shrines here? How?!¡¯ Rydel also struggled to believe it, while the girls were filled with disbelief and confusion.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know, but that¡¯s how it is. I know my information is correct because it came from Daruun himself.¡¯


    The others wanted to argue more, but they kept from saying more. They all knew that Jack wouldn¡¯t make a mistake like sending them to the wrong temple. But how could they expect to find two temples in such a secluded ce?


    ¡¯This confirms it.¡¯ Jack pointed to the seventh serpent head carved onto the wall. ¡¯Do any of you know what the symbol of Lunara is?¡¯


    No one answered.


    ¡¯It¡¯s the nine-headed cial Hydra.¡¯


    Everyone¡¯s spines stiffened, not letting them move or breathe. They all nced at the wall, now hesitant to move forward a single step.


    ¡¯Everyone, I¡¯m going to keep going forward.¡¯


    That sentence chipped away at the fear that had frozen the others. They still said nothing, too shocked and afraid to say anything.


    ¡¯If you want to go back, then I understand. However, I¡¯m going forward. Will anyone join me?¡¯


    Everyone stared at Jack with a feeling that Jack was ludicrous!


    ¡¯Jack... If you¡¯re really going to go, I¡¯ll join you.¡¯ Maura was the first to break the minute-long silence.


    ¡¯Thank you, Maura." Jack smiled and bowed his head to her, showing his gratitude.


    ¡¯Me too.¡¯ Daliea also stepped forward. ¡¯Let¡¯s at least see if whatever lies at the end is sleeping or not.


    ¡¯Count us in!¡¯ Maynard and Rydel replied together. ¡¯We don¡¯t want to keep getting shown up by ya youngsters.¡¯


    Now alone, Ke and Eliza gave a sorrowfulugh and looked at each other. They said nothing, but the stepped forward, standing behind Daliea and Maura.


    ¡¯Everyone... Words can¡¯t describe how I feel right now,¡¯ said Jack, almost getting teary-eyed.


    ¡¯Remember, we¡¯re just checking if it¡¯s asleep. If not, let¡¯s get out of there as fast as possible,¡¯ reminded Rydel. He may have been willing to help, but he still didn¡¯t want to die.


    ¡¯Alright then, let¡¯s go!¡¯


    With renewed energy, Jack led them deeper into cial Peak. After almost ten minutes of walking, they found the eighth serpent head, but the kept their pace.


    Another twenty minutes passed and the path ttened out, no longer dropping at a slope. They had no clue how deep inside the peak they were, but it was toote to turn back so easily.


    Soon, they saw the ninth serpent head and followed the path ahead. An hour passed in silence. Finally, they saw all nine necks gather and connect to a body carved into the stone wall. Also, a few meters in front of the party was an archway.


    ¡¯We¡¯ve finally reached the end...¡¯ Staring at the archway that was barely lit from their distant kari crystals, Jack took some deep breaths. ¡¯Everyone, are you ready?¡¯


    ¡¯Ready!¡¯ The party responded in unison, anxious to see what beast or beasts were snoring so loudly.


    They stored their kari crystals and let Jack and Rydel stay in front with their eagle eye. Though they couldn¡¯t see too clearly, at least they could still see figures and movements.


    The party poked their heads through the archway, but neither Jack nor Rydel saw anything besides a huge, open room.


    ¡¯Slow.¡¯


    Everyone kept a hand on the person in front of them, ready to activate some kind of light at a moment¡¯s notice.


    They walked slowly, barely moving at all. It took them five minutes to travel twenty meters. And despite hearing the loud snores, Jack and Rydel were still unable to see anything.


    Traveling five meters at a time, both men used their Eagle Eyes to the fullest, trying to learn what this ce was and what might be inside it. Now, they couldn¡¯t even see the ceiling above them.


    Another five meters, a total of seventy meters from the archway, they finally saw something.


    It wasrge and smooth, too smooth to be a boulder. As the next snore sounded out, they noticed some slight movement. They finally found a sleeping beast, and its head wasrge enough for the entire party to sit on.

 Chapter 192 Terrible Timing

    <h4>Chapter 192 Terrible Timing</h4>


    Jack and Rydel both swallowed some saliva. They both thought it was way too big.


    Following the neck, both of them tried to find another head, but they never found another head or the end of that neck. But if both of them had to guess, their worst nightmares were true.


    ¡¯Everyone, we¡¯re going to back up twenty-five meters. Rydel and I are going to leave to inspect the cave further, and you¡¯ll have to wait there,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯Don¡¯t move around too much or make any noise. And if either of us says so, be ready to light up the ce and attack. Okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Did ya find something?¡¯ asked Maynard.


    ¡¯Yeah, and it¡¯s way too big. Inspecting this ce won¡¯t be effective with everyone, so you¡¯ll just have to wait,¡¯ Rydel replied, agreeing with Jack¡¯s n.


    The party didn¡¯t like waiting and doing nothing but they had no other option so they followed orders. Everyone backed up and waited quietly like they were told.


    Both Jack and Rydel then let go of the others and went off in separate directions.


    They wanted to go around the hydra, hoping that they could find an entrance to another room or something about Sterfen.


    As they went around the hydra, they counted the heads together. When they had found all nine heads, they eventually met up on the opposite end of the hydra after going all the way around. There they found the hydra¡¯s body.


    The hydra¡¯s body was huge. They were unable to see just howrge it was because, like the ceiling, it was too high for them to see. It was possibly bigger than the entire association building in Reinolt, and that wasn¡¯t including the heads.


    ¡¯Did you find anything?¡¯ asked Jack.


    Rydel shook his head. ¡¯Nope, not a thing. There were no rooms or anything around the outer walls. What are you thinking?¡¯


    Staring at the monstrosity before them, Jack scratched his head silently. ¡¯The only ce we haven¡¯t been to is the center of the room since the hydra is blocking the way. Maybe there¡¯s a way up or down but the hydra is blocking it.¡¯


    ¡¯Are you sugesting--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll get in closer and see if I can find a trapdoor or a staircase.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, are you sure about that?¡¯


    ¡¯What, would you rather do it instead?¡¯ Jack joked with Rydel, trying to keep himself from tensing up. ¡¯At least I have Sudden Death, so there¡¯s a chance that I can get away in the worst-case scenario.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, then you¡¯re not thinking of fighting this thing,¡¯ Rydel sighed in relief.


    Both of them had Eagle Eye and could usually inspect a beast¡¯s level, but neither of them could see how strong the hydra was. That only added to their fright after seeing just how big it was.


    ¡¯Alright then, you get back to the party and I¡¯ll get closer. Remember, be ready to escape at any moment!¡¯ reminded Jack.


    They walked together until Jack was back at the front of the hydra. Once there, they split up, one going to the party while the other followed the hydra¡¯s necks in search of a way out of the room.


    The party was confused when only Rydel came back but they were frightened when Rydel exined what Jack was doing.


    Jack was in awe of the massive hydra. He started to imagine Maura riding and taming such a beast after the egg finally hatched. From the size of the egg, Jack would¡¯ve never thought a Nine-headed cial Hydra was so terrifyingly gigantic. It could probably march on Federal City and be able to hold its own against the strongest of experts.


    "...rrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaahhh..."


    Just then, a long yawn came from the inside of Jack¡¯s coat. It wasn¡¯t too loud, but when the entire cave is in silence, even the party could hear it from far away.


    Before Jack could do anything, another yawn was heard, and it was louder than the first.


    "Rrraaaaaaaaaahhh..."


    Some rustling was heard as Bowzer popped his head out of the cloak and then hopped onto the cave floor.


    Suddenly, he started glowing. Red fire type energy was gathering around him.


    ¡¯Bowzer! What are you doing?!¡¯ Jack was frantic. Finally, Bowzer woke up but at the worst possible time!


    ¡¯Bowzer grow now!¡¯


    A happy tone filled Jack¡¯s head as he heard Bowzer, making Jack frown.


    The red glow intensified, started to be lighter and brighter. Bowzer was also clenching his teeth and groaning in pain.


    With the bright glow Bowzer was giving off, Jack could see the hydra more clearly. He saw that the neck alone was three meters thick, and the ceiling was still out of view. But Jack did notice that there was a staircase in the middle of the hydra heads.


    Now, everyone else could see the form and shape of the hydra too, making them gasp in terror.


    "What brings you all here?"


    Five words echoed off the cavern walls, sending chills down the party¡¯s spines. They all wanted to know what Jack was doing, why did he suddenly light up the ce and start making noises?


    Jack red at Bowzer, who never stopped glowing. If anything, Bowzer¡¯s light was getting stronger and his grunts were getting louder. He really wished that he had stored Bowzer instead of carrying the pup as usual.


    Just then, the hydra heads started moving, rising off the ground one after the other. It was easy for everyone to see them all lift up and stare at a single point, Jack.


    "Oh? What¡¯s a Hell-me Fox doing down here? And why are did you choose to evolve in my home?"


    That voice filled the air but none of the hydra¡¯s many mouths were moving. Also, the voice was gentler than they had expected. It sounded feminine despiteing from such a huge beast.


    "Are any of you going to talk, or will you just stand there until you soil yourselves?" The hydraughed, enjoying the unexpectedpany.


    "Um, you¡¯re a Nine-headed cial Hydra, right?" Jack asked it a question, curious how friendly the hydra might be.


    Again, the hydraughed as one of the heads got closer to Jack and Bowzer. "That I am. I¡¯m surprised that such a young adventurer can recognize me. What¡¯s even more surprising is that I can¡¯t see through you, at least not without using a skill. What¡¯s your name, boy?"


    "Jack."


    "Jack... What an interesting name. Jack, I want to ask you a few things. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve left this ce, so I¡¯d like to know what I¡¯ve missed," stated the hydra, totally rxed as one of the heads also nced at the others. "And please don¡¯t try to leave without answering my questions. I don¡¯t want you causing any trouble."


    Jack and the others all nodded.


    "Good, now tell me, who was the winner of the holy war?"


    "Skaryn was sealed away and Halmut won, ording to the ancient records," answered Jack. "Though there aren¡¯t as many followers now, Halmut is respected while Skaryn is feared."


    "Oh, so neither side won?" mumbled the hydra, startling Jack. "Was Skaryn really sealed away?"


    "I don¡¯t know, it happened around five hundred years ago..."


    "Wow, it¡¯s been that long. I guess I lost track of time." For a moment, everyone thought they saw the hydra shrug its shoulders before it continued. "Next question, who¡¯s the strongest hero now? What¡¯s their name?"


    "Umm... If you¡¯re talking about the same heroes from Ancient Kartonia and the Holy War, there aren¡¯t any."


    "What? Exin." The hydra squinted its eyes at Jack, finding that hard to believe.


    "There are still summoned heroes, but they¡¯re not the same as before. We can¡¯t revive ourselves and I¡¯ve only met one other summoned hero besides myself. There aren¡¯t that many of us."


    "So you¡¯re one of these ¡¯summoned heroes?¡¯" It took a moment to think before it asked, "What¡¯s the highest level person on the continent?"


    Jack scratched his head, trying to think of the best way to answer. "I¡¯m not sure. The strongest people I know are all lv. 70¡¯s but the founder of the Adventurers Association might be near lv. 80."


    "Adventurers Association? What¡¯s that?"


    "It¡¯s a giant, international organization that has gathered adventurers from all Kartonia. Think of the Adventurers Association like a giant guild, and it¡¯s arguably the strongest organization in Kartonia."


    "Arguably? What other organization canpete with it?"


    Amazed that the hydra was happy with such general information, Jack made sure to stay on the hydra¡¯s good side. Especially since Bowzer was in the middle of evolving and was extremely vulnerable at that moment.


    "There¡¯s one other organization that couldpete with it, but it lives in the shadows. It¡¯s called the Chaos Syndicate and it¡¯s believed that they follow Skaryn even though he¡¯s sealed," exined Jack.


    "Hmm, that could be trouble..." The hydra paused its questions, taking more time to think.


    "Um, what should I call you?"


    "Oh, where are my manners." Laughing, the hydra looked at Jack and the others with smiles. "My name is Lunara."


    "Lu... nara..."


    While the others looked at the hydra with fear in their eyes, Jack¡¯s entire body rxed, so much that he fell to his knees. Jack also startedughing and looked back at the hydra.


    "You¡¯re Lunara, the Water Goddess?"

 Chapter 193 Discussion with Gods

    <h4>Chapter 193 Discussion with Gods</h4>


    "You¡¯re Lunara, the Water Goddess?"


    Giving Jack a peculiar look, the hydra nodded. "You know who I am? How is that possible?"


    "What do you mean? This is your shrine, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Yes, but how did you find it? My previous shrine was destroyed and I¡¯ve never revealed this ce to anyone since before the Holy War." Lunara¡¯s tone was getting colder, suspicious of Jack¡¯s intentions.


    "Well..." Realizing that Jack again stuck in a hard ce from hisck of information, he pondered what would be best to say next. "Lunara, by any chance is this also Sterfen¡¯s hidden temple?"


    Suddenly, everyone felt a bestial pressure suppressing them.


    With fury in her eyes, Lunara asked, "Who sent you?! Was is Halmut?!"


    "No, no! I¡¯m pledged to Daruun!"


    "Daruun?!"


    The hydra¡¯s long tail was about tosh forward at Jack, but the rage quickly disappeared from Lunara¡¯s eyes.


    "You... You¡¯re really pledged to Daruun?"


    "Yes, he¡¯s the reason I found this ce. We came so that a member of our party could pledge to Sterfen, but I only realized that it was your shrine after seeing the hydra heads carved along the path," exined Jack, hoping that Lunara didn¡¯t have a grudge against Daruun.


    "Can you prove it?" asked Lunara, still acting warily.


    "Can¡¯t you just inspect my ss and level?"


    "I tried, but I was still unable because you¡¯re hiding it with a legend-tier item," stated Lunara.


    "Oh." Storing his cloak that had turned coat, Jack asked, "How about now?"


    A moment passed before Lunara smiled. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were Daruun¡¯s champion? This changes everything."


    The others in the party were too confused to do anything. From the moment that they discovered the hydra to be an ancient god to the moment Jack admitted to having a legend-tier item, they were shocked to process everything going on.


    Then, the cave filled with bright blue light, emanating from Lunara¡¯s giant body. It easily overwhelmed the light from Bowzer as her body started shrinking. Gradually, it started to take on a humanoid shape and eventually became their size.


    The blue light from her body faded, but the carvings of hydras on the walls stayed lit, letting them see the entire room.


    "Jack, since you¡¯re with Daruun, we¡¯re on the same side," stated Lunara as she appeared before the hero in her human form.


    She was wearing a long, celestial-blue dress that faded to light blue at the dresses edges. It was neither form-fitting nor frilly, but it couldn¡¯t hide her outstanding, immortal beauty.


    Curious what she meant, Jack asked, "What do you mean, we¡¯re on the same side? Aren¡¯t you one of the holy gods?"


    "I was at a time, but I also refused to fight in the Holy War," answered Lunara. "There were a few battles that Halmut forced me to join, but I¡¯ve been against that lying pestro for a long time now."


    "So, does that mean you¡¯re like an unofficial neutral god?"


    "Well, my husband is a neutral god, so that should count for something."


    "Husband?!" Not expecting such an answer, Jack asked, "You mean..."


    "Sterfen, yes," replied Lunara with a chuckle. "Sterfen and I have been together for a long time now, since before the Holy War..."


    She stopped talking and let her words trail off as if she was recollecting her memories from long ago. But sad frown appeared on her face, not a smile.


    "You came here for him, right? I see you¡¯ve already gotten one of his cloaks, so he¡¯ll like that. Come, you and your friends can follow me." Lunara turned around and started walking toward the spiral staircase at the center of therge room.


    Looking back to the others, Jack shouted, "Come on guys, let¡¯s get going!" He followed behind Lunara, not waiting for his confused party members.


    He wasn¡¯t worried about Bowzer. Jack wanted to leave Bowzer down there since he was in the middle of evolving, and it¡¯s not like there were any threats to him so he could be alone. Once he was done evolving, he could juste upstairs.


    Eventually, the party members ran toward Jack, not wanting to be left behind.


    "Jack is she really..." Maura was hesitant to ask, too caught up on the fact that she might be standing so close to an ancient deity.


    "Yeah, she really is a god. It exins a lot, now that I think about it."


    His earlier confusion about there being two gods sharing space was cleared up and it exined how a holy god could share space with a neutral god. It actually made Jack happy, since it would allow him to ask them all kinds of questions.


    It took them almost ten minutes to reach the top of the staircase and reach a trapdoor in the ceiling.


    Lunara waved her hand and blue energy covered the door, opening it for them. "Everyone, pleasee in. We haven¡¯t had guests in a while, so we¡¯re d to finally have somepany."


    Jack just smiled.


    The others nodded nervously. During this trip, they had expected to face some of the strongest opponents they would ever meet in order to enter a god¡¯s hidden tomb.


    Now, after being cordially invited by one ancient god to meet her husband, another ancient god, in their own home, it was too much.


    Lunara entered first, followed by Jack and the others.


    To there surprise, they walked into what looked to be a luxurious living space with white and blue everywhere. With four elegant blue couches and a white table between them, there was enough room for everyone to sitfortably.


    Not sitting down, Lunara left the trapdoor open for Bowzer and went to a hallway. "Just make yourselves at home. I¡¯ll send my husband in while I prepare some hot tea for everyone. I¡¯m sure you would like that after your cold journey to get here."


    Everyone looked at Jack, not sure what they should say.


    "Just rx guys, it¡¯ll be fine, we¡¯re their guests after all," Jack joked.


    Eliza gave Jack a stern look. "Jack, howe I feel like you¡¯re not telling us everything? And you didn¡¯t mention that the cloak you bought from us was a legend-tier item!"


    "Actually, I already told your father about that," stated Jack. "As for everything else, can you me me? I barely knew you."


    "I¡¯m your wife! If you can¡¯t tell your wife your secrets, then who can you tell?"


    "Well, I don¡¯t have to tell anybody... That¡¯s an option too," reasoned Jack, trying to keep everyone calm. "Besides, something tells me you¡¯re all about to learn everything."


    "Oh, so you¡¯re the ones my wife told me about."


    They all looked and saw a maning out of the same hallway that Lunara went into. He was wearing a white robe. It was cozy and casual, nothing that seemed worthy of a god¡¯s status.


    "Allow me to introduce myself." The man bowed his head slightly. "I¡¯m Sterfen, God of Secrets. I¡¯m amazed that you all were able to find me. Then again, if my wife was correct, it shouldn¡¯t have been too difficult if Daruun was the one who sent you."


    Taking the liberty to speak, Jack stood up and bowed to Sterfen before he spoke, "I¡¯m Jack, the champion that Daruun has chosen."


    "Yes, I can see that,"ughed Sterfen as he joined them on the couches. "I also heard that you own one of my precious cloaks. I¡¯m willing to trade you for it, I¡¯ll make it worth your while."


    "Actually, I¡¯m not the one looking for you."


    "Oh, then who is?" asked Sterfen curiously.


    Knowing it was his time to speak, Rydel stood up and bowed deeply to their host. "My name is Rydel and I¡¯vee to pledge allegiance to you."


    "So that¡¯s what this is about... What if I say no?"


    Rydel kept his head down. "Then I¡¯ll ask again, but I can¡¯t possibly force you."


    "Hmm... I¡¯ll think about it," stated Sterfen, looking back to Jack. "As for you, I¡¯ve got plenty of questions I¡¯d love to ask. I¡¯m also willing to answer any questions that I¡¯m able to. Sound fair?"


    "I can agree with that."


    Seeing Jack acting so calm and being treated so highly by a god, Maura, Daliea, Eliza, and Ke all admired Jack even more. It reinvigorated the drive they had to be with him. There was no way they would ever find another man like Jack.


    "So Jack, since your that man¡¯s champion, I can assume you¡¯re nothing likemon heroes. Please, tell me who you really are and don¡¯t you dare lie to me. Not even my wife can hide the truth from me," Sterfenughed, making sure that he was warm with Jack since he was sent by Daruun.


    Jack knew that if anyone could keep a secret, it was the God of Secrets. "Technically, I¡¯m a summoned hero with my own unique ss and subss. The thing I know you¡¯ll find interesting is that at one point, in a different body, I was a hero from Ancient Kartonia, one at the very top."


    "Oh, really?! Then, tell me your title."


    "Like every hero at the top, I had more titles than I can remember, but I had my own title given to me by the other heroes which you may know," stated Jack. "I was a cofounder of the Leisure Guild in Trodar, Founder of the Trodan Council, and the more aplished of all heroes in Kartonia. The others would call me the Achievement Junkie."

 Chapter 194 The Legend of Trodar

    <h4>Chapter 194 The Legend of Trodar</h4>


    "Others would call me the Achievement Junkie."


    Jack smiled, curious to see how Sterfen and the others would react.


    Sterfen tilted his head. "The Achievement Junkie, huh? I¡¯ve never heard of you."


    "Hmph! Hmph!" Jack choked on his pride, meeting much lower about himself. He looked around at his friends and saw that they were just as confused.


    "However, if you really were the cofounder of the Leisure Guild and founder of the Trodan Council, then you must¡¯ve been Jack J.," reasoned Sterfen, easily figuring that much out.


    "Jack J.!" Rydel shouted. He was already sitting back down, but his head was spinning now.


    Jack had already told him that he was an ancient hero from Trodar, but he was unwilling to tell him his old titles in the past. When Jack had mentioned his title as the Achievement Junkie, it only confused him more.


    But when Sterfen said that Jack was Jack J., the Legend of Trodar, that was way more than he was expecting to learn.


    "Right, so you do know me!" said Jack.


    "Of course I¡¯d know of Jack J.! I¡¯ve never heard of this title called "Achievement Junkie," but it must be real since that¡¯s your current subss. Do you not know how the people of Kartonia remember you?" asked Sterfen with a smile.


    "Um... To be honest, I don¡¯t."


    With augh, Sterfen shook his head. "Jack J. is known as the hero with too many titles to remember, so it¡¯s only fitting that he himself would forget. Though he disappeared for unknown reasons, it¡¯s impossible to now remember one of Ancient Kartonia¡¯s most legendary and sessful heroes. Eventually, the world cam to know you as Jack J., the Legend of Trodar."


    Thinking back, Jack remembered his conversation with Argyle. He remembered that Argyle was at a loss for words and thought Jack was a pinnacle hero. However, Jack didn¡¯t think Argyle would¡¯ve known Jack by a name that Jack had never known. He assumed that Argyle was guessing his Achievement Junkie title, which led to him looking like a fool now in front of Sterfen.


    "Jack... is Jack J., the Legend of Trodar..." Eliza was mumbling to herself, now aware of the reason her father forced their marriage and offered Jack the full support of the Fat Goose Guild.


    Ke was in awe, reveling in the fact that the man she was chasing was one of the most prominent heroes of all time. And now, he was back to make a new name for himself, a new legend.


    Maura said nothing. She knew that Jack was special and that he was always more knowledgable about the world than anyone she had ever met. But knowing that he was the Legend of Trodar...


    Even though she was from Polt originally, every child would learn about the legendary heroes of old. The one with the most stories, both amazing and strange, is Jack J. It was a hero she loved to hear more about, especially how free and passionate he was to travel and try new things. And now, Maura discovered her husband to be that very hero she had heard so much about as a child.


    "Ya are Jack J..." Maynard thought back to his first conversation with Jack when he decided to form a pact with the young hero. Jack had made a strangement about battling nude, and now he understood why. As Jack J., he really had done the most outrageous things imaginable as a hero.


    "So that¡¯s who the old man chose, Jack J... Not a bad choice at all," Sterfen was thinking out loud, letting others agree with his open statements. "I¡¯m no longer surprised that you found me here or that you were crazy enough to try and sneak past my wife."


    Laughing weakly, Jack asked, "Oh, did she tell you about that?"


    "Of course, she also mentioned that you¡¯ve gotten yourself a Hell-me Fox, a kind of beast only a guy like Jack J. would dare to tame."


    "Everyone, I¡¯ve brought you all some hot tea to warm you up," Lunara walked in, announcing her entrance.


    "Honey, you¡¯ll never believe who hase to visit us!" Sterfen stood up, helping his wife pass out the cups.


    "What do you mean, I was the one who brought them here."


    "Okay, then tell me his name." Sterfen pointed at Jack, making a game out of his identity.


    "That¡¯s Jack, Daruun¡¯s champion."


    "Yes, that¡¯s who he is now, but do you know who he was in the past?" With a smile, he waited for his wife to frown and give up. "Of course you know him, we¡¯ve heard all about him. He¡¯s even stolen from me in the past."


    Hearing thatment, everyone looked to Jack whoughed shyly and looked away, admitting his guilt in silence.


    "Stolen from you? But who was capable of that? The only one I can think of would be... Jack J.!" As if struck by lightning, Lunara looked back at Jack with newfound respect in her eyes. "You¡¯re Jack J.!"


    "Why is it that I¡¯m meeting with gods, yet they¡¯re more excited to meet me than I am to meet them?" Jack asked, trying to avoid the overwhelming attention. He knew he might have been famous in the past, but apparently he was more famous than he had given himself credit.


    "Well, that exins how you recognized me so easily,"ughed Lunara.


    "Am I really that famous? Wasn¡¯t it over five hundred years ago?"


    "Actually, by my count, you vanished from Kartonia well over one thousand years ago," stated Sterfen. "If you were still around and managing the Leisure Guild, Trodar may not have suffered so much during the Holy War which started roughly one thousand years ago."


    "That long... and you still know me?!" It was easy for Jack to see the admiration welling up in the eyes of all his party members.


    "Jack, you may not know this, but almost all Kartonia knows who Jack J. is. You were in all of my favorite children¡¯s stories... Did you really fight with an ancient chimera with no weapon or armor?!" Maura spoke up, unable to contain some of the excitement.


    "Well, yeah, but I had my reasons," argued Jack, not wanting to borate and possibly exin all the insane achievements he had done in-game.


    Sterfen looked at Jack with his devilish smile. "Jack, you¡¯re arguably just as famous as my wife, even more so actually. They still know your name, even if it¡¯s through kid¡¯s fairy tales and stories."


    "But this should at least make it easier to believe that I¡¯m Daruun¡¯s champion, right?" stated Jack, changing the subject. "I showed up in Modern Kartonia as a lv. 1, but I won¡¯t be happy until I¡¯m back at the peak."


    "I¡¯ve already met who I presume is Halmut¡¯s champion, and I¡¯m guessing Skaryn¡¯s champion is the one at the top of the Chaos Syndicate. I won¡¯t rest until I can hold my own amongst the other champions, and for that, I need to level up."


    "So, Jack, do you already know about the level cap?" asked Sterfen, attracting everyone¡¯s attention.


    "We can go beyond lv. 85 now, right?"


    "Right, but do you understand what that implies?"


    "No, I was hoping to ask you about that."


    Giving Jack a meaningful look, Sterfen sipped his tea. "Jack, do you know what it is that makes us gods?"


    Baffled by the strange question, Jack shook his head.


    "Let me exin. One of the biggest differences between us gods and you mortals is our level. Every god is at least lv. 90, but you can imagine how hard it would be for us to level up anymore, right?"


    Jack¡¯s eyes went wide. "So that¡¯s what the Holy War was about..."


    "Right you are." Sterfen nodded. "Luckily, we neutral gods avoided it thanks to Daruun¡¯s help, but my wife almost lost her life in that war. Also, we lost something too precious to rece."


    "The three major gods all chose a champion to confide in as a chance to rebuild the structure of the gods in their favor."


    "Wait?! You mean that I--"


    "That you¡¯re expected to cleanse the gods?" Sterfen finished Jack¡¯s statement for him, nodding as he spoke. "I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ll pull that off, but that¡¯s what expected of the champions. That¡¯s also the reason that my wife almost killed you before."


    Lunara bowed her head to Jack and the others. "I¡¯m sorry that I doubted your intentions earlier. I thought you were sent by that despicable Halmut to kill me and my husband. Please, forgive me."


    Something Lunara said stuck out to Jack. "Lunara, if you were a holy god before, why do you hate him so much now? Was it because he forced you to join the Holy War?"


    "It¡¯s not so much that he forced me to join it, it was how he forced me that neither I nor my husband can ever forgive!" shouted Lunara, not hiding her animosity in the least.


    Sterfen grabbed his wife¡¯s hand, a broken, forlorn look in his eyes. "Honey, please calm down! It¡¯s been so long, there¡¯s no telling what¡¯s happened to her by now."

 Chapter 195 Convincing Sterfen and Lunara

    <h4>Chapter 195 Convincing Sterfen and Lunara</h4>


    "Honey, please calm down! It¡¯s so long, there¡¯s no telling what¡¯s happened to her by now."


    Hesitating from her husband¡¯s words, Lunara struggled topose herself. "I know Sterf, it¡¯s just that I can¡¯t help myself when I think about that terrible man."


    Reading the mood, Jack was slowly starting to understand. "So, Halmut forced you into fighting by taking someone away from you? But, who could he have taken to make you agree?"


    Sterfen looked at Jack. "You, Jack J., were the one who stole from me the most, but I don¡¯t hold you to it at all. I already know that you heroes were just trying to get stronger bypleting missions given to you by the gods."


    "But you weren¡¯t the only one, many others tried too. While most of them failed, a couple did seed. One hero managed to steal something priceless from my wife while she was in her hydra form," exined Sterfen. "She had just gone throughbor and she wasn¡¯t at her full strength when countless heroes attacked her and someone stole her egg."


    Jack, Maura, and Daliea, the three people who knew about the egg, all nced at each other, thinking the same thing. Could it be...


    "That egg soon turned up in Halmut¡¯s possession. With it, he forced my wife into joining some of the key battles of the Holy War."


    The God of Secrets went silent, staring at his wife¡¯s sad face.


    "Eventually, we discovered that he had no intention of ever returning the egg. That was when I made it a point to steal it back, being the God of Secrets I felt it would be possible," exined Sterfen. "However, the egg was no longer in Halmut¡¯s possession... I searched all of the holy gods but couldn¡¯t find it no matter where I looked. That pestro had the gall to trick my wife with the egg, yet he had rid himself of the egg the entire time."


    "That pestro!" yelled Lunara. "He deserves death! Jack, you must make sure to kill that man!"


    "Calm down, please, Luna," holding her hand tightly, Sterfen pled with his wife. "Jack may be Daruun¡¯s champion, but I¡¯m not sure he¡¯ll be able to kill a main god. To do that, he¡¯d have to be a god in the first ce."


    "Actually, that sounds like an interesting idea," Jack showed Sterfen an intrigued look. "Something like that is possible."


    With a nervous chuckle, Sterfen added, "I may have said too much. Either way, now you know why my wife got involved in the Holy War against her will."


    Jack¡¯s party members were mumbling to themselves in the background, to nervous to speak up.


    "So... the Nine-headed cial Hydra from the Holy War wasn¡¯t just a beast, it was Lunara fighting in secret?" Jack deduced the truth easily thanks to there exnation. "Sterfen, Lunara, is there any way that we could get you to help us on our journey?"


    "What exactly do you mean?" asked Sterfen with a puzzling look on his face.


    "I don¡¯t mean for you to actually be with us. If you did that, we would never level up ourselves. But, would you allow Rydel and Maura to pledge to you and received your highest blessings, your legendary blessings?"


    Rydel wasn¡¯t too surprised by Jack¡¯s question, but Maura was. Though she hadn¡¯t yet chosen a neutral god she wanted to pledge to, she never expected to get a chance to pledge to the Water Goddess.


    "Hmm, that¡¯s quite a bold question to ask. You know full well that such blessings require, so that must mean you have something of equal value to offer. And no, I won¡¯t ept your cloak in exchange for such a blessing," stated Sterfen.


    Lunara looked at Jack, surprised that he was so confident when asking for such a blessing.


    "Jack, you may not know this, but we can only have one legendary blessing active at a time. While we don¡¯t have anyone pledged to us at the moment, asking such a thing is too much, even for the legendary Jack J."


    "Well, since you know I¡¯m Jack J., you know that I¡¯ve always found a way to aplish anything I want, no matter what," Jackughed, still remaining confident. "I think that after we show you what we have to offer, you¡¯ll be begging for us to ept your legendary blessings."


    "Bold words indeed..." Sterfen smiled a little. "You¡¯re definitely Jack J., no one else could ever talk to a god like that unless they were a god themselves. So, what is it that you¡¯re offering?"


    Jack sighed and gave Maura a nod, making both Sterfen and Lunara turn and look at her as well.


    She trembled as she tried to calm her nerves. Maura stood up, bowed, and retrieved arge item which she ced on the table for everyone to see.


    The other party members were startled. They had no clue that Maura hade to possess such an egg.


    Eliza recognized it as the egg she sold to Jack but wasn¡¯t able to figure out why they brought out a fossilized egg.


    "I¡¯m guessing you both know better than I do as to what kind of egg this is," said Jack with his confidentugh.


    The peculiar looks on Sterfen¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s faces vanished instantly.


    Unable to hold herself back, Lunara put her hand on the egg, crying. "You... How did you..."


    "If there¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t question anymore after meeting Daruun, it¡¯s fate," stated Jack with a shrug. "From what I know, that egg isn¡¯t dead yet but is onlycking water type energy. It should¡¯ve run out of energy long ago and perished, but if it¡¯s the daughter of two gods, then I guess that would exin how it had abnormal energy levels to begin with."


    Holding the egg tightly, Lunara dropped to her knees. She didn¡¯t care if Jack¡¯s party saw her like that. It had been almost one thousand years since she had lost her child and they were unable to sessfully have another one.


    The odds of two gods having a child were startlingly low, so it was a miracle that it happened in the first ce.


    Laughing uncontrobly, Sterfen looked to Jack and his party. "Of course, expect the Legend of Trodar to do something that even the gods thought impossible. You¡¯ve done it again... I think my wife will agree with me when I say that we¡¯re willing to offer these two our legendary blessings."


    "Yes, I agree!" shouted Lunara. "To have her back... Even in my wildest dreams, I was unable to find her, yet here she is in my arms. Thank you, Jack, thank you!"


    "Don¡¯t thank me just yet, I have one other favor to ask."


    Hearing that, Sterfen kept his smile and waited for Jack to ask the favor. Lunara returned to her seat on the couch, but she kept the egg in her arms as she did so.


    "You both know that your daughter will hatch after giving her enough water type energy. And since it¡¯s been so long, I¡¯d imagine that the egg will hatch the moment it has enough, which shouldn¡¯t be hard with Lunara taking care of that," stated Jack.


    "What I want to ask of you two is if you¡¯ll let your daughter join our party."


    "Absolutely not!"


    "Absolutely!"


    Two replies came at the same time.


    Lunara, who disagreed, was startled to hear that her husband agreed to such a thing. "Sterf, why would you agree to that?!"


    "Honey, you know that she¡¯ll have to level up and get stronger. Here, hidden away with us, she¡¯ll never get very far. And if Halmut learned that we found our child, what would he do?" reasoned Sterfen, shaking Lunara¡¯s heart.


    Jack agreed with Sterfen, "I was thinking the same thing. And since your daughter isn¡¯t like other monsters, I think she¡¯ll be able to make a pact with me while at the same time have a mutual seal with Maura, the girl that would be pledging to you, Lunara."


    "And since you agreed to give her your legendary blessing, you¡¯ll know where both Maura and your daughter are at all times. It¡¯s not like she¡¯ll be far away. If anything, Maura and I would be able to help level her up while you would still be able to protect her and care for her from a distance."


    The Water Goddess carefully considered Jack¡¯s words.


    Her maternal instinct wanted to stay with her daughter from the moment she hatched, but a part of her maternal instincts also agreed with Jack¡¯s logic. To survive in the future, her daughter would need to grow, and there wasn¡¯t a party that could offer a better leveling experience than Jack¡¯s.


    Continuing, Jack added, "Also, I happen to have plenty of low-level EXP pots. I can help her instantly reach lv. 30, so you won¡¯t have to worry about her not being able to protect herself while she¡¯s with us."


    "Plus, if I¡¯m able to aplish whatever it is Daruun has nned for me, then there¡¯s a chance that you and your husband won¡¯t have to hide away anymore," persuaded Jack. "You¡¯d be able to live in the open again, together with your daughter."


    Jack¡¯s offer was sounding better and better every time he opened his mouth.


    Sterfen was already sold since Jack was the champion his leader had chosen, but Lunara was still on the fence. She clutched the egg and hugged it tightly, pondering what was best for her daughter.

 Chapter 196 Tough Conditions, Unique Reward

    <h4>Chapter 196 Tough Conditions, Unique Reward</h4>


    While Lunara was holding tight to the egg, Sterfen sighed and put his arms around her. "Luna, you know that it will be best for our daughter. And, she¡¯ll still know about both of us, we can visit her every now and them."


    "Do you two have contact crystals?" Assuming that they didn¡¯t, considering how long they had been hiding, Jack threw two purple crystals onto the table. "These are high-tier contact crystals. They¡¯ll let you contact anyone instantly, no matter where they are on the continent, so long as you link the crystals with the person your contact."


    Lunara picked up one of the crystals on the table. "So, with this, I could call you or my daughter at any time?"


    "Correct. And we could do the same, just in case something happens and your daughter needs your help. Besides, me and Maura won¡¯t be her parents. She can think of us as her brother and sister than you¡¯ll know we¡¯ll take the best possible care of her."


    The Water Goddess was silent, still struggling to agree, but she eventually nodded.


    "Alright, then how about you go and help our daughter hatch. In the meantime, I¡¯ll exin a few things to Jack. Since he¡¯ll be caring for our daughter and is willing to be her big brother, I¡¯ll be nice and help him, like I would a son."


    Shocked at how cooperative Sterfen was, Jack put up his hands innocently. "I won¡¯t turn down your offer, but I¡¯m surprised you¡¯d be so willing to--"


    "Jack, you¡¯re the champion that my faction chose and supports. Also, you¡¯ve managed to save my wife from the biggest regret of her life, her greatest worry and misery. Since you¡¯ll be protecting my daughter and helping her grow, the least I can do is share some of the many secrets I know," exined Sterfen.


    "And my informationwork is only second to Daruun¡¯s, but unlike him, I can say anything I want without worrying about thews of fate," Sterfenughed with a proud smile.


    "In that case, should I call you father?" Jack joked around with him.


    "To be honest, I¡¯d find it an honor. With someone Jack J. as an adopted son, I think we¡¯d be the envy of the gods. If Luna is fine with that, I wouldn¡¯t mind it."


    Jack froze, not expecting the God of Secrets to agree so easily. He thought it would be fine to y along with the joke, but didn¡¯t expect to get setup.


    "I have two conditions," stated Lunara. "First, swear on your life to protect our daughter, like a true brother would. Second, swear to kill that pestro Halmut, even if it isn¡¯t necessary for your mission as Daruun¡¯s champion."


    Not sure how to respond, Jack just stared at the two gods. "Hmm, the first condition is a given. If she¡¯s in the party, I¡¯d be willing toy my life down to protect her. The second condition is the one I¡¯m not sure I¡¯ll be able to fulfill."


    "Then you can forget having her in your party. A true big brother would willing to protect and avenge his sister and parents. If you can¡¯t do that, how could I ever ept such conditions?" reasoned Lunara, making her intentions clear.


    "But--"


    "She has a point, Jack," Sterfen chimed in. "Otherwise, we¡¯ll just have to thank you for returning our daughter to us with a warm meal."


    Pondering the offer, Jack started to wonder what he would have to do exactly as a champion.


    If his true goal was to cleanse the gods, then there would be a chance that he would have to fight Halmut anyway, whether he liked it or not. It would make sense since Jack would have to face either Halmut¡¯s champion or the other gods.


    "Jack, please ept these two conditions," begged Lunara, catching Jack off guard. "I hate to admit it, but you and your party will be the best ce for our daughter to grow. And you also might be the only one who could kill that pestro and free me from the contract I made long ago."


    "Contract?"


    "If you agree, that and more will be exined," stated Sterfen. "I¡¯ll tell you how we became gods and how it is you can do the same. Considering your mission, you¡¯ll have to be a god at some point, Jack."


    With a pounding heart, Jack was hard-pressed to turn down the offer. The only doubt was Halmut, would Jack be able to kill such a powerful being, a main god?


    "I... I¡¯ll ept the terms."


    "Wonderful!" Sterfen rose to his feet and walked over to Jack.


    He stuck his arm out, wanting to shake Jack¡¯s hand. But when Jack reached out, Sterfen pulled him up into a hug. "Then, I guess I¡¯ll have to start calling you by your newest title. Jack, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll make me proud, Son."


    Suddenly, a ring alert shed across Jack¡¯s eyes, leaving his notification alert golden in color.


    Too curious not to open it right away, Jack opened the notification and almost lost all of his strength in shock.


    [New title earned: Demihuman]


    [Be a Demihuman:pleted]


    [Be the son of a god, gaining their support and their ultimate, unremovable blessing. Unique reward earned for bing the son of two gods. Unique reward: 500 skill points.]


    As Jack inspected his golden alert, he was too distracted to realize what was happening to him.


    Everyone was staring at him. His body was giving off a golden light, blinding the party members.


    Lunara watched her husband, surprised that he was willing to give Jack such an opportunity. She understood that each god was capable of choosing a single mortal as a son or daughter, and that person¡¯s fate would forever be linking to that god¡¯s fate.


    If that person were to perish, the god would lose their title and power as a god, also losing levels in the process.


    But if that person sessfully became a god, the original god who made the new god their child would gain the potential to be a main god, gaining levels in the process.


    It was the riskiest move a god could make, hence why Lunara only agreed after giving strict conditions. And if those conditions were not met by the selected son or daughter, they would lose their title as demihuman and that god would never be able to choose another son or daughter again.


    The golden light didn¡¯tst long, only for a brief moment, so it had vanished by the time Jack¡¯s attention came back to the other¡¯s.


    He looked at them all, surprised to see them looking at him with open mouths and such astonishment.


    "Don¡¯t mind them, Jack, they¡¯re just in awe of the new title you just gained. You¡¯re now a candidate to be a god, a demihuman."


    Jack heard Sterfen¡¯sment, now gaining a better understanding of why they had given such a strict requirement as killing Halmut.


    "Demihuman?!"


    The party was still going through a rollercoaster of emotions. What was surprise quickly turned into confusion, because they had never heard of that term before.


    "Before I exin, please excuse my wife. I¡¯m sure she wants our daughter to hatch as soon as possible,"ughed Sterfen.


    "Please, excuse me." Lunara sent down the stair, and a blue glow immediately came through the open trapdoor.


    "Now, Jack, let me exin what it means for you to be a demihuman and then we¡¯ll see if you have any unanswered questions, okay?"


    Jack nodded. "Sure, I¡¯m all ears."


    "A demihuman, like I said earlier, is a candidate to be a god. A god can only select a single mortal to make a demihuman, and it¡¯s a great risk to the god. If the candidate fails to be a god within ten years of being selected, then the candidate will lose the title of demihuman," exined Sterfen.


    "The god who selected that candidate will then face punishment, losing their status as a god and the levels they had gained as a god. But if the candidate sessfully bes a god in the allotted time, then the god who selected the candidate will gain levels, EXP, and the opportunity to be a main god."


    "Hmmm..." Surprised to see that the risk and reward were so great, Jack paid close attention.


    "As a demihuman, you gain no additional benefits until you¡¯re lv. 89. At that time, you¡¯ll gain the skill to absorb a new type of energy, and once you¡¯ve umted enough of that new type of energy you¡¯ll reach lv. 90 and be a god."


    "Now, a word of warning. You¡¯ll be considered our son from this time forward but you shouldn¡¯t dere this publicly while you¡¯re so weak," stated Sterfen. "If the other champions learned about this, they would hunt you down. As a champion of a main god, that god is not able to dere you a demihuman, but I doubt that you haven¡¯t already received some amazing benefits that even I don¡¯t have as a champion."


    "Any questions?"


    "How did you and your wife be gods? Was it through one of the main gods?" asked Jack.


    Sterfen nodded with a slight chuckle. "You¡¯re smart. I became a neutral god because I epted Daruun¡¯s offer years ago."


    "So, that means Halmut was the one who offered it to Lunara? Wouldn¡¯t that technically make Halmut her father?"


    "Correct, Halmut is indeed her father."

 Chapter 197 Abusing Sterfens Vast Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 197 Abusing Sterfen¡°s Vast Knowledge</h4>


    "Correct, Halmut is indeed her father," replied Sterfen.


    "The rtionship isplicated between those two. Out of respect for my wife, I¡¯ll give you the briefest of exnations. When she was made a demihuman, Halmut had indeed adopted her and gave her everything she could ever ask for. Yet, in the end, it turned out that he didn¡¯t care for her, but only cared about the strength she added to his group of influence. I think you already understand that part."


    "Right, that¡¯s pretty obvious if he would hold her child hostage and then toss it aside like it was nothing."


    "But do you understand why Halmut tossed away the egg instead of helping it hatch?" asked Sterfen.


    Thinking about it, Jack shook his head. If it were him, he definitely would¡¯ve wanted it to hatch.


    "It¡¯s because our daughter will already be a demihuman. She¡¯ll never have to agree to anyone¡¯s terms to be one since both of her parents are already gods," stated Sterfen. "You¡¯ll need to conceal her title, but don¡¯t worry about that too much. She has my blood, meaning that she can conceal anything with just a thought. It will take a legendary item stronger than your cloak for them to see the truth."


    "Do you have any other questions?"


    "Hmm... I¡¯ll have to think about it," replied Jack. "Do you know how long it will take to hatch the egg?"


    "Probably a couple of days. Please, make yourselves at home in the meantime," Sterfen said as he looked at Jack¡¯s party. "And since you all are his wives, I guess that mean¡¯s your my daughters-inw. What are your names?"


    Maura was hesitant to say anything, but Eliza was too excited to keep her mouth shut. "My name is Eliza Dyrshire, Jack¡¯s second wife. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Father-inw."


    "You adjust quickly, I like that,"ughed Sterfen. "And you, you must be Maura, right?"


    She nodded her head, "Y-yes, I¡¯m Maura. Sorry, I¡¯m just nervous to meet someone of your caliber."


    "Don¡¯t be nervous, we¡¯re family from now on. You¡¯ll be my daughter¡¯s big sisters, so you¡¯d better treat her well."


    "Of course!" Maura and Eliza bowed, both happy to get that over with.


    "And what about you two, has my son not yet made you his?"


    Jack suddenly choked on his tea, almost coughing up a lung as he cleared his throat.


    Before Ke could answer, Eliza spoke up, "Actually, Jack still hasn¡¯t made either of us his woman yet. I think we should have the rights to be his first since we¡¯re already his wives.


    "Really?!" Sterfen nced at the nervous Jack. "You¡¯re just full of surprises. I never would have pegged you as such a straight shooter when ites to women. Just make sure to take care of them, because if you neglect them for too long, they¡¯lle to neglect you too. And in a party, you can¡¯t have that happening."


    Jack wanted to thank Sterfen for the advice but he also noticed the god give him a cheeky smile with a wink.


    "I¡¯m never said it wouldn¡¯t happen, I¡¯m just against going so far without any true emotions behind it," stated Jack, defending his romantic ideology.


    "Really?! I¡¯ll hold you to that!"


    "Me too!"


    Both Eliza and Ke immediately spoke up,mitting Jack¡¯s statement to memory. If Jack was being honest, then it was only a matter of time.


    Maura and Daliea said nothing, but they both gave Jack a meaningful look, causing the hero to blush and look away.


    Sterfen kept quiet for a moment, but he wasn¡¯tughing or smiling. He was staring at Daliea, who only noticed after themotion about Jack subsided.


    She felt ufortable as if Sterfen was able to see right through her. Since he said nothing, she eventually asked, "Umm... Are you against me, a shadow goblin, being here?"


    "Not at all, but I think you¡¯ve got the wrong idea," Sterfen chuckled and looked at Jack. "Do you understand what I¡¯m talking about, Jack?"


    "No... I don¡¯t think I do..."


    "Hmm, that makes sense, I guess. It did happen before the time you were a hero, after all."


    Jack¡¯s curiosity was instantly piqued. "What do you mean? What happened before I was a hero? You mean, before I was an ancient hero?"


    "I sure do. Before you were an ancient hero, her race went through struggles that very few races survive. They did somethings to guarantee their survival, even if it eventually led to your generation not knowing the truth about your own people," stated Sterfen while pointing to Daliea.


    "I won¡¯t exin anything to you since I had only recently be a god at the time and only learned a part of the story, but I can point you in the right direction."


    Jack turned to Daliea, noticing that she was genuinely confused. With her like that, it was clear to him that the origin of Daliea¡¯s people was even more mysterious than he¡¯d expected.


    "You know how we can learn more about her people, Father?" asked Jack, already trying to abuse his new title.


    "Smart move, calling me father in hopes that I¡¯ll give you special treatment. Well, it worked, sort of. I¡¯ll tell you this, the origin of your people can be found in Korten."


    "Korten?!"


    Everyone was shocked to hear that because it made no sense. Korten was one of the ancient kingdoms, and no one bothered to invade them because it was the Elven kingdom. Since the Holy War, the Elven Kingdom of Korten rarely made any contact with the outside world. All who tried to enter were never heard from again.


    "My people... really originate from Korten?" asked Daliea, struggling to keep herself together.


    "Yes, I never lie," stated Sterfen.


    "Jack..."Daliea looked to him with begging eyes.


    He knew what she wanted to ask him. Their only chance of ever getting into Korten was with Jack.


    Lucky for him, there was a time that the Leisure Guild had an exclusive trade treaty with Korten because they shared borders at one point. He thought that he might be able to find a way in, but only after the revival of the Leisure Guild and after Trodar reimed its lost territories.


    "I¡¯m sure my son will think of a way to enter Korten, but till then you¡¯ll have to wait patiently." Steren then looked to Rydel and nodded. "Are you ready to receive your blessing?"


    Rydel didn¡¯t say a word but he immediately dropped to his knees and bowed to Sterfen, ready to ept his blessing.


    "By my godly authority, I hereby ce you under my care, Rydel Kalen."


    Those few words seemed ordinary to everyone except for Rydel. For him, those words were echoing inside of his head as if they were burrowing their way into every part of his being.


    White light covered him for a moment, marking that the blessing had beenpleted.


    "With my legend-tier blessing, you¡¯ll now have a passive invisibility skill that doesn¡¯t use mana and works even when attacking. Also, your stealth abilities will increase tenfold, giving you the ability to go anywhere without ever being found or noticed," exined Sterfen. "Unless it¡¯s legend-tier detection magic, you can¡¯t be found. Use this wisely."


    "Thank you, Master Sterfen!"


    Rydel slowly rose to his feet, ted to have such abilities.


    Curious, Jack checked his skill list and opened Rydel¡¯s tab. Just as he thought, he was unable to acquire Rydel¡¯s new stealth abilities.


    "Before I go and prepare us lunch, let me tell you about a few people that might catch your interest, Son," added Sterfen, grabbing Jack¡¯s attention.


    "My wife isn¡¯t the only god that stands against their benefactor. There are other lower gods that would rather follow Daruun, but are bound by the terms the epted as demihumans and can¡¯t betray the main god that helped them."


    Sterfen continued, "Though there are seven neutral gods, you¡¯ll find that others might be more suitable for yourpanions."


    "Would the Sword God happen to be one of those?" Maynard blurted out his question, still not wanting to give up on pledging to the god he admired the most.


    "Of all the holy gods, Tyres, the Sword God, is the most loyal to Halmut. I¡¯m sorry, but I would heavily rmend that you forget trying to seek him out," answered Sterfen, stomping out the small fraction of hope Maynard had left. "I¡¯m sure that Jack would agree in saying that your dedication to your craft would be a perfect fit for Jin, the God of Discipline."


    "Plus, I think he¡¯ll take a liking to you. You¡¯ll figure out why when you finally meet him," added Sterfen with a smile.


    Maynard was sad by the truth but felt better about pledging to Jin since Sterfen, a god, also said it would be perfect for him. With that in mind, Maynard was more at ease.


    Looking back to Jack, Sterfen stated, "There are a total of six gods that aren¡¯t willing to follow orders, and Lunara is one of them. Would you like to guess the other five?"

 Chapter 198 Adolescent Bowzer

    <h4>Chapter 198 Adolescent Bowzer</h4>


    "Would you like to guess the other five?"


    "Hmm..." Jack took his time to answer, pondering and hoping that a select few might be avable for people to pledge to. "Honestly, I have no clue. I know about the gods, but I have little to no knowledge about the Holy War or the rtionships that exist between the gods."


    "I guess that fair to assume," replied Sterfen. "First, I¡¯ll tell you that there¡¯s definitely one holy god that you must visit whenever possible, Kori."


    "Kori? The Fox God?"


    "Yes, Kori, the Fox God. You¡¯ll understand why when you meet him, but you should definitely visit him, even if no one wants to pledge to him," stated Sterfen. "Now, for the other four. Two of them are holy gods and the other two are chaotic gods."


    "Wait, doesn¡¯t that mean that Halmut¡¯s side is technically weaker since there¡¯s more division amongst the holy gods?" asked Jack.


    "Right again, that¡¯s exactly how it is. It¡¯s for that reason that Halmut took advantage of Lunara, your mother."


    Still getting used to the sudden family dynamic he was thrust into, Jack chuckled. "So, that means that Halmut¡¯s struggling more than Skaryn, now?"


    "That¡¯splicated. Skaryn was in fact sealed away by Halmut, but Halmut wasn¡¯t much better off thanks to his grave injuries. One is sealed and one has uncurable injuries. This is why it¡¯s up to their champions to settle most things," exined Sterfen.


    "Now, back to the rebel gods. From the holy gods, we have your mother and Kori, as well as Perchet and Lyrun."


    "Lyrun?! Lyrun rebelled?!"


    "I know it¡¯s hard to believe, but he has," mentioned Sterfen. "It¡¯s strange that Lyrun, the God of Space, the third strongest of the ten holy gods, rebelled, but it¡¯s true. The other three are the lowest of the holy gods, so its a bit more understandable."


    Jack instantly turned to Eliza, who was smiling wide.


    Not everyone knew all of the gods, but it wasmon for them to know a couple of gods that they favored like Eliza did with Lyrun, the Nature God.


    "As for Perchet, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll have someone fit to pledge to the God of Sound, so I¡¯ll mention the other two," continued Sterfen. "I think your old pal, Tralon, will be happy that Moranti has rebelled."


    "Moranti too?!"


    "Yes, both Moronti and Choron have rebelled out of the ten chaotic gods. As for any of the gods who haven¡¯t rebelled, don¡¯t dare to step foot in their temples or shrines. It may cost your life," warned Sterfen.


    "Father, of all the neutral and rebel gods, who do you think would be best for my friends?" asked Jack, hoping that Sterfen¡¯s opinion would heavily influence the decisions of his party members.


    All those who were listening in on the conversation suddenly felt Sterfen¡¯s gaze see through them. They feltpletely naked and exposed in his eyes.


    "For starters, Rydel and Maura are already ounted for. As for Maynard, you¡¯ll be in good hands with Jin, very good hands. Obviously, Eliza should pledge to Lyrun, no questions asked," exined Sterfen. "Ke may need to pledge to Dragas, but then you¡¯ll have to help her with that one."


    Giving his new son a crude smile, Sterfenughed, making Jack even more curious about the matter.


    "You don¡¯t yet know why, but I assure you that Eedaj is the god Daliea should pledge to."


    "Eedaj? The Mind God?" Daliea mumbled to herself.


    "If you say so." Jack shrugged, trusting Sterfen¡¯s opinion of the gods more than his own, for good reasons.


    "But also, you really should visit Kori as soon as possible," added Sterfen. "Make it as urgent as possible."


    "But why--"


    "Just do it, or you¡¯ll regret it."


    Jack sighed, "Fine, we can squeeze it into our ns I guess."


    "Great! Now, I¡¯ll go prepare some lunch. Please, make your selves at home. We have plenty of guest rooms, so don¡¯t worry about anything. We can only wait until our precious daughter is finally born," said Sterfen as he left back through the hallway.


    For the next two days, the party spent their time with Sterfen and Lunara as they prepared for their child to finally be born.


    Most of the time the party members kept to themselves, each person pondering about the god that Sterfen had rmended for them.


    Jack spent a lot of time inspecting his skill list, perplexed at what he should do next and still taking in the fact that he suddenly gained five hundred skill points at once.


    Looking closely, the words "unique reward" caught his eye. He had no clue that there was something above special rewards, but it made him question his approach to achievements. Eventually, Jack came to a conclusion about special and unique goals after a day of reading over past achievements.


    Special rewards were given whenever Jack went above and beyond what the achievement had asked for.


    Unique rewards, Jack spected, came frompleting achievements in a way that had never been done before.


    Jack was very eager to test this theory, but he would have to wait a bit longer. Once the egg hatched, he would have to help it reach lv. 30 and then he would be able to leave with everyone.


    It was already the end of the second day. That was when Bowzer climbed up the stairs to find Jack on the couch, but it was hard for Jack to recognize him.


    True, it wasn¡¯t too difficult when Jack realized he was the only fox nearby, but Bowzer lookedpletely different now.


    He was almost as big as Jack if he stood on two feet. And his fur was a passionate red, much brighter than his mother¡¯s dark brown fur. Bowzer was still his yful self, but he resembled a puppy that had grown up and still thought he was ap dog.


    The moment Bowzer saw Jack on the couch, he leaped into the air and tried tond on his shoulders.


    Jack saw Bowzer, but he was toote to avoid the leaping fox.


    As Bowzer hit his mark,nding on Jack¡¯s upper body, Jack was thrown backward off the couch, tumbling to the polished stone floor. Yet, Bowzer didn¡¯t seem to notice and continued to lick Jack¡¯s face clean.


    Hearing Jack¡¯s tumble, everyone came rushing into the great room, startled by the scene in front of them.


    While Maynard and Rydelughed at Jack, the girls all crowded Bowzer and started petting his new fur coat.


    Still on top of Jack, Bowzer stopped licking Jack and gave the girls his attention. He let them pet him all over, proud of his colorful fur that was even softer and more protective than before.


    "Bowzer, get off me!"


    Realizing that he had Jack pinned, Bowzer nodded. ¡¯Okay!¡¯


    Jack scrambled to his feet and wiped the slobber from his face. "Bowzer, you¡¯re still a cute fox, but I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be able to rest on my shoulders anymore."


    ¡¯Huh?! Why not? Jack no let Bowzer rest on shoulder?¡¯ begged the fox, showing everyone his big, puppy dog eyes.


    "Aaaaah!" captivated by Bowzer¡¯s cuteness, the girls proceeded to hug Bowzer tenderly.


    ¡¯One second, Bowzer. You can y with the girls until I¡¯m done¡¯ Jack ordered mentally with an annoyed look on his face.


    Since Bowzer was no longer interrupting him, Jack returned to his skill list and purchased a few things. One hundred skill points went to Pocket Dimension because he felt it was absolutely necessary. Another two hundred and forty skill points upgraded mana capacity and mana regeneration to lv. 5. Sixty skill points also went to upgrade health regeneration to lv. 4. Finally, Jack spent one hundred skill points on Blood Thrust and Blood Cross, leaving him with ten skill points.


    It took him a few days to decide his spending strategy. In the end, he decided to y it safe and spend his points to strengthen his passive skills and low mana abilities rather than blow it all on a single, high-cost spell. Plus, now everyone had more mana to work with, meaning he would be better suited for when he finally bought peak tier spells.


    Satisfied, Jack looked at saw Bowzer rolling around with the four women rubbing his belly.


    For a moment, Jack felt a tinge of jealousy but said and did nothing.


    Instead, he went downstairs. Sterfen had already told them that the egg could hatch anytime now. And since it was a once in a lifetime experience, Jack wanted to see the hydra hatch from its egg.


    "Come down guys, or do you want to miss the show?"


    Maynard and Rydel hurried behind Jack while the women slowly followed along. Soon, they were back in the giant room, watching Lunara in her hydra form pouring bottomless water type energy into the egg.


    Sterfen was sitting on one of her hands, passing some of his energy to his tired wife. At this rate, the egg was glowing on its own, ready to hatch at any moment. Then, finally, the egg trembled a little.

 Chapter 199 Little Lina

    <h4>Chapter 199 Little Lina</h4>


    As the egg trembled, everyone shook in anticipation. They continued to wait another five minutes until it trembled again. Then it happened again in three minutes, one minute, ten seconds.


    Now the shaking was constant, rocking back and forth as Lunara¡¯s energy was being poured into it.


    "Crack!"


    Crackling sounds filled therge room, echoing off the walls. The shell started to break, with cracks slowly covering its surface.


    "Crack! CRACK!!"


    A piece of the eggshell fell to the floor, shattering on the stone floor. Another piece fell, doing the same. Now, there was a hole the size of a human head.


    "...rrrraaaaaaa..."


    A soft whine came from the egg, filling all eighteen of Lunara¡¯s eyes with tears. She and Sterfen immediately stopped wasting their energy, taking a moment to catch their breaths and watch their daughter finally be born.


    "...rrraaaaaa... RRRAAAA...."


    The whining got louder as the shell continued to splinter and break apart. Finally, a single hydra head poked out from the now open shell. It¡¯s baby blue scales beautifully reflected the magical lights of the room.


    "...Rrrrraaaaa..."


    "Lin..." Lunara¡¯s voice trembled as she said her daughter¡¯s name.


    All of Lunara¡¯s heads gradually surrounded the baby hydra as the rest of the shell was destroyed. It crawled around for a few minutes before it learned to use its cute, stubby legs. Recognizing Lunara as its mother, the baby hydra cuddled up to the giant mother hydra.


    Sterfen also appeared next to the baby hydra, holding out his hand to pet her.


    The baby hydra hesitated but soon felt a sense of familiarity with the man in front of her. That familiarity came from her bloodline, letting her know that the man¡¯s blood was also running through her veins. She didn¡¯t know how, but the baby didn¡¯t question her instincts.


    As Sterfen pet the baby hydra, he got closer until he was hugging her tenderly. It was as big as Bowzer¡¯s adolescent form, so it curled its long body around Sterfen, happy to be pet.


    Lunara then shrunk down to her human form and joined her husband in hugging their child. It was a moment that they had waited almost a thousand years to see. A moment they thought they would never have.


    The others had watched the whole thing from the stairs, touched by the tenderness that both parents showed. Though gods were also imagined as all-powerful, this was a rare moment that showed how gods were just like everyone else. They would never forget that.


    A few minutes passed until both parents carried their daughter to the stairs and then up to the great room.


    Jack¡¯s party followed them. They all wanted a turn to pet the baby hydra.


    Another hour passed as Lunara cradled the baby, engraving this moment into her memories. Sterfen was beside her for most of the time, but also chatted with the others. He wanted to give his wife time with the baby since they would soon have to part.


    "Here." Jack pulled out a velvet bag filled with EXP pots, startling Sterfen.


    "You weren¡¯t kidding when you said you had plenty,"ughed the new father. "You should give them to her. That way she really will see you as her big brother. Otherwise, it may be hard to get her to listen to you while traveling."


    "You have a good point."


    "Jack, you¡¯re my son now. I would rather treat you like the son I never had, then for it to just be a name. So, know that I¡¯m entrusting your sister¡¯s safety to you. If you need us, we¡¯re just a call away." Sterfen smiled.


    "Well, technically I didn¡¯t have any parent in the first ce since I was summoned here. If you¡¯re serious about being my parents, I wouldn¡¯t mind, Dad."


    Moved and still emotional from the baby¡¯s birth, Sterfen¡¯s eyes watered a little bit. "My boy."


    The father reached out and hugged his son, finally happy to have a son he can call his own. To make sure Jack knew that, a white glow surrounded Jack and seeped into him.


    "There, now you¡¯re truly my son. It¡¯s not much, but now not even legend-tier items will be able to see through you. Just like me, you¡¯re truly unreadable."


    "Thanks, Dad." Jack hugged him again. "Is there anything in specific you want me to teach little Lina?"


    Sterfen got a chuckle out of Jack¡¯s nickname for Lin. "It¡¯s up to her, but I¡¯m a master of knives and illusion type magic while your mother is a master of water type magic and has her bestial form. If I¡¯m not mistaken, little Lina should have both illusion type and water type magic. Help her surpass us, that¡¯s all I ask."


    "Will do, Dad."


    "Well, since you¡¯re all leaving, how about I say goodbye to your lovely wives and your future wives."


    "Dad!"


    "Come on, you know is fathers joy and responsibility to embarrass his son with the honest truth," joked Sterfen. "Take good care of all my daughters-inw, it¡¯ll be good for little Lina to have so many sisters."


    He then hugged each of the girls one by one, thanking them for returning their daughter, as well as asking them to take good care of both his son and his daughter.


    It made them all proud that Jack was officially the son of two gods. Even if he was adopted, it was still an honor that no one else had ever earned in history. And it was the man that they cared about the most.


    Sterfen reached Maynard and said, "Make sure to tell Jin I said, ¡¯Hi.¡¯ Jin¡¯s like a brother to me, so I know you¡¯ll be in good hands."


    "As for you," Sterfen looked to Rydel, the man who he had given his legend-tier blessing. "You¡¯re traveling with my son, so I hope you represent me well."


    "Of course, Master Sterfen."


    "Good." He ced both hands on Rydel¡¯s shoulders, giving him an encouraging nod. "I look forward to seeing and hearing all about the great things you¡¯ve done in my name."


    Another couple of hours passed and everyone trickled into the great room, where Lunara was now standing with a sad smile on her face.


    Sterfen approached her and wrapped his arms around her. "Luna, everything will be fine. Our son will protect her and they can reach us if they ever need help. It¡¯s time."


    She nodded slowly, agreeing with her husband. Lunara walked to Jack. "Jack... no, Son, please take care of her."


    "I¡¯ll protect Lina with my life." Proceeding to take out the velvet bag of EXP pots, Jack retrieved one and ced it on Lin¡¯s chest.


    Lin, like any other baby, bit down on the EXP pot. But before she could swallow it, it glowed and disappeared as the EXP transferred to her.


    The baby hydra started to grow, quickly bing lv. 6 in an instant. Soon, Lunara was forced to put her down.


    Jack pulled out another two EXP pots and put them on the ground for Lin to y with. Again, she bit down on them until both vanished and her level rose to lv. 14.


    This process continued until seven EXP pots were used and Lin had grown to lv. 32.


    Also, her body was now ten meters long from head to tail and she had three heads. Lin no longer acted like a baby, but she did seem shyer.


    She noticed something strange about Jack. For some reason, Lin felt some both her father¡¯s and her mother¡¯s energy when she looked at Jack. Because of that, she slowly brushed her three heads against him, testing to see if he was friendly.


    Jack pet all three of her heads. "Little Lina, I¡¯m your big brother, Jack."


    "Ja-ck?"


    Everyone was startled. Lin had already said her first word, and it wasn¡¯t they had expected.


    Sensing that something was off, Jack pointed one of Lin¡¯s heads toward Lunara. "That¡¯s Mom, can you say hi?"


    "Mom!"


    Lunara felt like electricity had just run through her body. Hearing her newborn baby calling her that was too much.


    "And that¡¯s Dad, say hello."


    "Dad! Hello!" Lin repeated anything Jack told her.


    "Lina, for now, you¡¯ll have to travel with me and your sisters."


    "Sisters?" Lin saw Jack pointing at the other girls behind him. "Sisters!"


    "Yes, they¡¯re your sisters. I¡¯ll keep you safe, together with your sisters and your uncles."


    Lin saw the two middle-aged men in the back. "Uncles!"


    "Yes, but now we have to say goodbye to Mom and Dad."


    "Good-bye?"


    "Yes, we won¡¯t see them for a while, but we can talk to them whenever you want, okay?" Jack pet her heads and led her to Lunara and Sterfen. Once in from of them, he hugged one of her necks. "Make sure to hug them tight, just like this, okay Lina?"


    "Hug!"


    The young hydra wrapped one head around Jack, one around Lunara, and one around Sterfen.


    Both parents were teary-eyed, happy that Jack was really acting like a big brother. They both felt a bit more at ease, d to have chosen him of all people as the son they had always wanted.


    "Little Lina, do you want to know something cool?" asked Lunara. As Lin nodded cutely, the mother leaned in and whispered something into her ear.


    Suddenly, Lin started glowing bright blue and her form started shrinking. Just like her mother, Lin was able to take a human form. Normally, it was only possible for bestial gods, but having no mortal blood and being born a demihuman allowed her to inherit the ability naturally.


    As she shrunk and the light started to fade, Lunara retrieved a nket and covered her naked daughter.


    Lin looked like a young, barely-teenage girl. She was small and cute, with bright blue hair, just like her mother.


    Sterfen held up the nket as Lunara helped Lin into a battle dress, made for both beauty and battle. Atst, she handed her daughter a ring. "This is a special kind of spatial ring that will hide in your scales when you transform. That way, you won¡¯t need to worry about it."


    Sterfen threw Jack a ring as well. "There¡¯s not much in there, but consider it a sort of early inheritance."


    With a questioning look, Jack inspected the ring and almost had his eyes pop out of his skull.


    Inside the ring were all kinds of gold, tinum, and luxury items for travel. Also, there were many water type and illusion type spellbooks, two of each kind.


    Jack mumbled to himself, "Yeah, not much at all."


    "Onest thing," stated Lunara, staring at Maura. "By my godly authority, I hereby ce you under my care, Maura Dyrshire."


    Blue energy gather around Maura, gently merging with her, giving her a sense offort. It was over in but a moment and Maura quickly bowed. "Thank you, Mistress Linara."


    "Please, you can call my Mom. You are my daughter-inw and my daughter¡¯s sister, after all,"ughed Lunara, not thinking much of it.


    Sterfen looked at them all and gave his final hug to his daughter, together with Lunara. "Little Lina, make sure to listen to Jack and your sisters. Do whatever they say, okay?"


    "Okay, Dad! Okay, Mom!"


    "Alright, now go and stand with them. We¡¯ll send you off," stated Lunara, again with a smile filled with both sadness and hope.


    When Lin ran to Jack¡¯s side and grabbed his hand, Sterfen and Lunara also grabbed each other¡¯s hand. Together, they recited, "To the base, we send you, to the ce marked in the past. Down the mountain you¡¯ll go, to the city you sawst."


    White, blinding light filled the room, originating from Jack¡¯s party. Like a bolt of lightning, the light appeared and disappeared in a blink of an eye.


    Left alone in the great room, Lunara was crying into her husband¡¯s shoulder. They were both tears of joy and sadness.

 Chapter 200 Back in Frostburn City

    <h4>Chapter 200 Back in Frostburn City</h4>


    White light surrounded the party, blocking their vision entirely.


    It gradually faded away, but they could still only see white. It took them a moment, but the party soon realized that they were at the base of the cier Peak, not too far from Frostburn City.


    Beneath them was an enchanted tform embedded in the mountain. It was impossible to find in the blizzard, but them being sent there must have blown away the snow covering it. However, the blizzard was making quick work of covering it back up.


    Everyone immediately geared up and put on their warm clothing.


    When they saw Lin start ying around in the snow, not caring about a jacket, they allughed. The little girl was adorable, making it easy to forget that she was actually a beast with the most powerful hydra bloodline in the world.


    "Big Brother, what is this?" Lin asked as she rolled around in the snow.


    "That¡¯s snow. Right now we¡¯re in Aazoon, the coldest country in the world. There¡¯s lots of snow here because it¡¯s really cold. But look." Jack pointed at everyone else in the party. "See, most people can¡¯t be here where it¡¯s so cold. Can we y in the snowter, somewhere that¡¯s not as cold?"


    "Okay!" Lina nodded, happily agreeing since Jack promised to y with her.


    "Everyone, let¡¯s go get something to eat. We¡¯ll reach Frostburn City by noon," stated Jack, taking the lead.


    The mood was very rxed since the strong beasts of cier Peak were behind them. With only the base of the mountain between then and the warm, artificial environment of Frostburn City, the party was happy.


    Just like Jack said, they arrived at the capital just after noon and quickly got themselves a few rooms at a local inn.


    Not wasting another minute, they all hurried to the tavern and made their orders. Maura took care of ordering for Lina, who was very curious about why everyone was so excited.


    "Here¡¯s your drinks. The food will be out shortly."


    The waiter brought them all their drinks, mainly the local brundy and a big ss of milk for Lina. They all watched little Lina guzzle down the milk like there was no tomorrow. In the end, they ordered a whole pitcher of milk, slowly portioning it out to her.


    Since it was arge inn with a decent-sized kitchen staff, the food came out quickly.


    When it hit the table, everyone started to dig in.


    Surprising them all, the first to finish was Lina, who was licking the te clean. "More!"


    "Lina, you need to say please when you ask for something. If not, you¡¯ll be rude to others," stated Maura, taking the moment to educate the little girl.


    "More, please!" Lina repeated with a nod.


    Jack smiled and told the waiter, "She can order whatever she wants and however much she wants. Don¡¯t worry about the cost."


    "Sir, with such arge party already--" Just then, the waiter was cut off by Jack handing his a few gold coins under the table. "Very well, sir, we¡¯ll bring out today¡¯s special stew for the girl."


    "Yay!" Lina shouted, smiling at Jack.


    After seeing her almost empty a carton of milk and lick her te clean, it was obvious to Jack that Lina¡¯s appetite was enormous. Then again, he remembered her hydra form, which was almost big for the party to ride.


    He tried to think of some sort of n to handle her appetite, but only two came to mind.


    The first option was what was currently happening, just order as much food as possible and don¡¯t worry about the coin. Though Jack had enough money to do that, especially after Sterfen¡¯s gift, that wouldn¡¯t allow the party to be low profile.


    The second option was for Jack to finally level up his cooking skill.


    By cooking most meals, they could cut costs and the party would be able to blend in better with the other travelers. Jack would have to feed her enough so that she wouldn¡¯t need more than a few tes at the taverns.


    When the party left at the end of the night, Lina had drunk two and a half pitchers of milk and eaten ten separate dishes.


    Everyone in the tavern was blown away, but Jack made sure to tip well in order to keep the staff from talking too much. The party left to one of their rooms to talk in private, letting the dinning room return to normal.


    They all gathered in Jack¡¯s room, wondering what was next, excited to meet another god.


    "First, before we do any of that, me and Maura need to perform the pact and the mutual seal with Lina."


    "Huh?"


    "Lina, to help you get stronger faster, me and Maura are going to help you. But you have to let us do some things, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    "I¡¯ll go first." Jack stepped forward and smiled at the girl. "Don¡¯t worry, this doesn¡¯t hurt."


    Taking out a knife, Jack slit his finger, making Lina give him a weird look. But Jack continued, using his finger to draw the pact in blood on Lina¡¯s forehead.


    "Okay, now you need to bite your thumb and put a drop of blood where I just drew on your head," exined Jack.


    With no hesitation, the girl obeyed Jack and bit her finger. In a sh, she pressed her thumb against her forehead and the blood slowly disappeared into her skin.


    ¡¯Can you hear me, Lina?¡¯


    "Oh! I hear Big Brother in my head!" Amazed, the girl shouted back to Jack.


    Jackughed, along with the others. ¡¯Silly girl, try and talk with your mind. Just think of words you want to say.¡¯


    ¡¯Like this?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s perfect!¡¯ Jack gave her a big thumbs up. ¡¯Now we can talk without anyone else hearing. Or if you¡¯re far away and need to talk to me, you can do it just like that.¡¯


    ¡¯You can also talk with all of us," added Eliza with augh.


    ¡¯Really?! I can talk with sisters too, and uncles? Amazing!¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, now it¡¯s my turn,¡¯ said Maura. She stepped in front of Lina while Jack stepped to the side.


    ¡¯Both of you please be patient with me. I¡¯m still new to writing seals, so I won¡¯t be too fast,¡¯ stated Jack.


    True to his word, Jack took his time drawing the bestial seals. Luckily, Lina¡¯s physical body was incredible, so she felt little to no pain during the procedure. Soon, the seal was over and sessful.


    "What does this one do?" asked Lina.


    Maura answered, "This seal lets you and me be like partners. We¡¯ll share EXP and grow faster together."


    "EXP?"


    "That¡¯s what you get after winning fights and battles," added Eliza. As Jack¡¯s wife, she made it her duty to cherish Lina. "You¡¯re so strong already, but you can only be as strong as your mom and dad by getting a lot of EXP."


    "Oh! So I need to fight a lot, I can do that!" Lina was pumped up. She was excited to get strong like her parents, though she wouldn¡¯t be if she knew how long it would take.


    "We¡¯ll do it together. From now on, we¡¯ll fight together, you and me. Okay, Lina?" asked Maura.


    "Okay! I¡¯ll fight together with Sister Maura."


    "Now, we can move on," stated Jack. "I¡¯ve got to make a detour to the pce. We¡¯ll be leaving in the morning, so I wanted to say goodbye onest time."


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ming too!" shouted Maura. "I want to say goodbye to Erina."


    "Oh, then I go too!" shouted Lina,tching onto Jack¡¯s coat.


    "Fine, but no one else. You all need to make sure we have supplies for the trip through the tundra. We had it easy getting here, but we need all the grinding we can get," said Jack. "Everyone already has snow stallions, but ask around and try to get a map of the tundra."


    "We¡¯ll take care of that." Both Maynard and Rydel nodded.


    Turning to the other three women, Jack asked, "Can you all search for all the high-tier and peak-tier spells you can find. The more, the better."


    "And the cost?" asked Ke.


    "Knowing Eliza, she¡¯s got plenty on her and I¡¯ll pay her back for whatever the costs were."


    Eliza nodded. "That¡¯s fine with me. Tell little Erina I said goodbye, okay?"


    "I¡¯ll tell her," replied Maura, who was walking to Jack¡¯s side. She grabbed Lina¡¯s other hand. "Are you ready to go, Lina?"


    "Mhm, let¡¯s go! To the pce!"


    "Silly Lina, you don¡¯t know where to go," added Jack, keeping her from running out of the room without them. "We¡¯ll lead the way, so just hold both of our hands."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll hold Big Brother¡¯s hand too!"


    The three casually left, leaving smiles wherever they went. With Lina¡¯s natural beauty and her acting not quite her age, she was adorable to the older travelers and they all thought she was Jack¡¯s and Maura¡¯s daughter.


    Many made smallments along those lines, making both Maura and Jack blush, but Lina was unfazed. She was happy to go to the pce.

 Chapter 201 Helping the Royal Family

    <h4>Chapter 201 Helping the Royal Family</h4>


    It waste in the afternoon by the time the group of three reached the pce.


    With its magnificent size and the regal blue colors, the Frostburn Pce was just as remarkable as Jack remembered seeing in-game. However, his eyes gave him far better graphics than any graphics card.


    "Big Brother, is this it? It¡¯s bigger than Mom!"


    Jack and Maura bothughed as Lina expanded her horizons. They nced at one of the pce guards, who in turn approached them kindly.


    "Is there something you need?" asked the guard.


    "I¡¯m Jack from the association. I¡¯vee to visit his highness Prince Willim before I leave the country."


    "You¡¯re Jack?! Hurry, the prince has been expecting you." The pce guard immediately turned and looked to the other guards in front of the gate. "This is Jack, the man Prince Willim was searching for. Open the gates immediately, and let them pass!"


    "Um... Did something happen?" asked Jack, surprised to see that it was so easy to enter.


    "No, it¡¯s just that the prince had us search for you a couple of days ago. He mentioned being worried that you didn¡¯t make it during your trip to the Icicle Mountains," exined the guard. "He¡¯ll be happy to know that you¡¯re fine and will be d to wee you as guests. Come, I¡¯ll take you to him."


    "Thank you. Let¡¯s go girls."


    Jack, Maura, and Lina followed the guard, answering Lina¡¯s many simple-minded questions along the way. She wanted to know what everything was, and Jack was fine with exining it all. He wouldn¡¯t easily admit it, but he liked having a little sister to take care of.


    The guard led them through many halls, but oddly enough they were all side halls. They were going a way that Jack hadn¡¯t traveled before. He didn¡¯t question the guard but waited to see what the destination might be.


    Eventually, the guard led them up a tower on the west side of the pce. "Behind that door, you¡¯ll find Prince Willim and Princess Erina. Please, go on ahead."


    With his job finished, the guard turned and left.


    "I guess we¡¯ll just have to knock our selves," whispered Jack.


    He gave the heavy door a firm knock and heard a familiar voice yell, "Come in!"


    "Excuse us," stated Jack as he opened the door for the two behind him. They entered the room and were surprised to see that it was a bedroom, a girl¡¯s bedroom.


    "Jack, it¡¯s really you!" Willim was beside the bed and looked up with a tired smile.


    Seeing the bags under Willim¡¯s eyes, Jack could tell that he¡¯d been there for some time. He also noticed Erina tucked up in herrge bed.


    Maura instantly reached the other side of the bed and put her hand on Erina¡¯s head. "She¡¯s... getting colder?"


    "Yeah... it¡¯s been like this for the past few days. Not much has happened since youst saw us, but this is Erina¡¯s third day in bed. She¡¯s been like this before, but never for more than a day or two," exined Willim.


    Erina smiled and opened her mouth, but she was too weak to make a sound. This only made her look even more pitiful.


    "What did you decide about what I said?" asked Jack.


    Willim shook his head. "I didn¡¯t decide anything, but we mentioned it to my father and uncle. My uncle was against believing it, and so was my father at first. Then, two days ago, the same day Erina was bedridden, our father came to speak with us in private. He said that he believed you and wanted to speak with you personally."


    Jack sighed, "So that¡¯s why you sent people to look for me."


    "Actually, I only did because my father asked. He didn¡¯t want others to know about you and him meeting. That¡¯s why we had a guard stationed outside, waiting for the moment you arrived. He was given specific instructions with a specific path to follow," exined Willim. "No one is supposed to know that you¡¯re in here with us. At least, that¡¯s what father said."


    "Really?" Startled that they took so many measures of security, Jack started to imagine what the king may be like.


    "Really."


    That deep voice echoed from the balcony window. As everyone looked over, they noticed an aging middle-aged man. His ck hair was bing gray and his beard was doing the same, but his eyes were still sharp.


    "I¡¯m Wilheim Frant, Willim and Erina¡¯s father. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, Jack." The king showed Jack a warm smile and bowed to him, not caring about his status.


    "Father..." Willim was amazed to see his father bow to Jack. There were very few people that he had ever bowed to, but Jack wasn¡¯t anything like those powerful old men.


    "Willim, it¡¯s fine. This man ispletely trustworthy, I¡¯ve confirmed that with Argyle¡¯s help," said the king. "Anyway, I¡¯vee to ask you a few things. First, is there anything you can do to help my daughter?"


    "So, you believe me when I say that she¡¯s being possessed by an ice spirit? Removing something like that can be incredibly dangerous," stated Jack, testing the king¡¯s response.


    "I have no capability to remove the spirit and will have to search for someone who can. Since you recognized it, I want to think that you know of a way to remove it."


    Jack looked at the king and scratched his head. "I know a way, but I¡¯m not strong enough to do that. And it¡¯ll be hard to even get the needed materials..."


    This whole time, Lina has been at Maura¡¯s side. She at first tried to y with Erina, but Maura wouldn¡¯t let her. When Maura exined that there was something cold inside of Erina making her sick, Lina blinked and crawled onto the bed, beside the smiling Erina.


    "Lina, what are you doing?" asked Maura, interrupting Jack and the king¡¯s conversation.


    "I¡¯ll make Erina feel better," answered Lina with a proud smile. She turned to Erina and asked, "Do you want the cold to go away?"


    Erina was still too weak to reply, but she managed to nod slightly.


    "Okay, then I¡¯ll make the cold go away," as Lina said that, her eyes started to glow blue. Without warning, Lina¡¯s body and also started glowing as it expanded and grew.


    While the king, Willim, and Erina were startled, Jack and Maura shook their heads. They didn¡¯t think that Lina would just transform in front of everyone, they hadn¡¯t considered that.


    Ignoring the others, Lina¡¯s Three-headed cier Hydra from was shown in all its glory. She was still on the bed, making the bed¡¯s legs give out and crumble under her weight.


    Before anyone could do anything, Lina opened all three of her mouths and got extremely close to Erina. She roared, "Devour!"


    "Stop, beast!" shouted the king, who drew a sword.


    "Wait!" Thanks to Sudden Death, Jack appeared between the king and Lina. "She¡¯s helping Erina! She¡¯s devouring the ice spirit!"


    "What?!"


    Stopping himself, he looked more closely at his daughter. He smiled when he saw that the hydra hadn¡¯t bitten Erina, but was draining the cold energy out of her.


    Jack was baffled. He knew that cier Hydra¡¯s were known for their abilities to devour the world, but he didn¡¯t think that the cute Lina would already have the Devour skill. After this, Jack nned to have a long talk with Lina about her many abilities that they would have to keep secret. Also, he would make sure that Maura kept a close eye on her.


    A minute passed and there was no longer any cold energy left within Erina.


    Overjoyed to never have to worry about it again, Erina started jumping on the bed. She then started petting Lina¡¯s hydra heads and climbing around on her long necks.


    "Well... I guess she¡¯d no longer cursed,"ughed the king. His eyes were watery, almost brimming over with tears. "Jack... thank you."


    "Don¡¯t thank me, thank Lina. But, please, no one can know that Lina is a hydra, so keep that between us," replied Jack.


    "That girl only appeared with you after your trip to cier Peak, so what was it you found there?" asked the king. "If you don¡¯t want to say anything, then I¡¯ll--"


    "Mom and Dad live up there!" Lina blurted out the answer. She was told to keep things a secret before the entered the city, but she was too busy having fun with Erina to remember the warning.


    "Mom and Dad..."


    The happiness of the king vanished and filled with fear. If Lina was a giant hydra as a little girl, that could only mean that her parents were enormous hydras. That was not something the king would want near the city.


    "King Wilheim, don¡¯t worry about them."


    "Jack, can you please borate on what you found on that mountain? It¡¯s a matter of security for my people, so please tell me," asked the king.


    With a sigh, Jack shook his head at Lina. "King Wilheim, can we speak in private before we continue this conversation?"

 Chapter 202 King Wilheims Reques

    <h4>Chapter 202 King Wilheim¡°s Reques</h4>


    "King Wilheim, can we speak in private before we continue this conversation?"


    The king nced at the others in the room and nodded, leading Jack to the balcony. Once there, the king cast and silence, making a barrier to keep anyone from hearing them.


    "Please, exin this to me, Jack."


    "You said I¡¯m trustworthy, why do you say that?" asked Jack.


    "I spoke with Argyle concerning you. Since he¡¯s now your father-inw, I figured that he should know you well enough. After dogging him enough, he finally mentioned that you know Tralon from the Leisure Guild," exined King Wilheim. "I know nothing of the rtionship between you and him, but so long as you¡¯re an acquaintance of his then I can trust you."


    "Hmm... I know this is going to sound strange, but can you leave me alone in your silence barrier for a moment. I need to contact someone."


    "Of course." Thinking it might involve the association, the king stepped just outside of the silence barrier.


    All the king saw was Jack pull out a high-tier contact crystal and have a minute-long conversation. After that, the king saw Jack put the crystal away and motion for him to step back in.


    "I have permission to tell you, but this will be a state-level secret. If you dare mention this to anyone, I can guarantee that not only but your family and kingdom will be wiped out. Do you understand, King Wilheim?"


    Feeling more weight on his shoulders, the king hesitated but he nodded.


    "Very well," continued Jack. "That little girl¡¯s name is Lin, and she¡¯s the daughter of Lunara. Do you know who that is?"


    "Lunara... the Water Goddess?!" With his heart jumping out of his chest, King Wilheim struggled to say much else.


    "Yeah, that¡¯s her. She has granted me the task of helping her daughter be stronger for the time being. I just spoke with her, and she has asked you toe and find her at cier Peak. There, you¡¯ll find a cave. Go down through the cave and you¡¯ll find her hidden shrine," exined Jack.


    "Lunara wants to see you within one week¡¯s time. She¡¯s curious how the kingdom has be since shest visited. So long as you go as soon as possible, you should be fine," Jack chuckled.


    "Really?! The Water Goddess wishes for me to go and visit her?" asked the king. "I-I¡¯ll go! I¡¯ll leave before nightfall!"


    "Good! She¡¯ll exin everything else," added Jack. "Now, didn¡¯t you have something else you wanted to ask me?"


    "Oh, right! There¡¯s onest favor to ask of you, but this one is much simpler and well within your capabilities. Also, we¡¯ll reward you handsomely since only you can do this for me."


    *****


    Those inside the room were either staring at the two men conversing on the balcony or ying around on the bed. Luckily, Maura had already convinced Lina to revert back to her human form.


    Eventually, Jack and the king returned to the room.


    "Jack, thank you for agreeing to the task. Please, everyone, follow me." Without another word, the king opened the main door and left the room.


    Jack grabbed Maura¡¯s hand and rubbed Lina¡¯s head. "Little Sis, it¡¯s time to go!"


    "Ahhh..." Lina sighed and followed as she held their hands.


    Erina did the same, grabbing her big brother¡¯s hand and shutting the door behind them as they left.


    With the king in the lead, no one dared to stop any of them. Thanks to that, they all entered the giant courtyard with the teleportation relic. The king led them up onto the relic, using it as a stage.


    Not ten minutes had passed before arge crowd of people emerged and entered the courtyard. It was almost full by the time people stopped trickling in.


    Willim was especially perplexed. He recognized everyone in the courtyard and was surprised that every member of the royal family and all of the royal guards had been summoned altogether. Whatever his father was nning, he waspletely clueless.


    "Brother, what¡¯s the meaning of this!" shouted a man who was just below the tform.


    "Weis, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m just announcing something," stated the king, easing the tension of the surprise meeting.


    "Everyone, I have wonderful news! My daughter, Princess Erina, has been cured of her illness thanks to this young man!" Motioning toward Jack, the king continued, "This is Jack, the rising hero of the Adventurers Association. He has done us an amazing service, for that reason I¡¯ve summoned you all. I¡¯m announcing the betrothal between Jack and my beautiful daughter Erina!"


    Apuse roared and filled the courtyard. It was sudden, but it made sense for such a thing to happen.


    Maura, Willim, Erina, and Lina were all startled, especially Erina, whose face became riper than a tomato.


    "I¡¯ve asked Jack to say a few words, so hear him out!"


    Jack stepped forward, standing to the left of the king. "Please, just call me Jack. I¡¯m just d that Erina is doing alright now. To describe it, I think a poem would best exin it, so please let me recite."


    With a cough, Jack cleared his throat. He smiled wide and took a deep breath.


    "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower¡¯s birth!"


    Suddenly, pitch-ck clouds appeared and loomed over the entire courtyard. Those witnessing this were in a panic, unsure of what was happening.


    "As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let my blood guide thy signs as they crossover!"


    Jack continued and shed his forearm. Using the blood, Jack started painting a circle around him.


    "Stop that--"


    "SILENCE!!!"


    Just as the king¡¯s brother was about to order someone to stop Jack, the king¡¯s voice echoed and shook the entire courtyard.


    "Those who dare touch Jack or dare to leave shall be marked as enemies of the state!" shouted the king, changing the mood entirely. While guards appeared and lined all the exits, the king looked at the other members of the royal family, noticing many with grim expressions.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Speak up!"


    "Y-your majesty, that young man is casting ck magic. If he keeps this up, then we¡¯ll--"


    "Shut up!" retorted the king. "Jack was able to help the Reinolt Kingdom remove the leech that is the Chaos Syndicate, so I asked him to help me do the same. All who dare speak now will bebeled as syndicate members and ughtered. Otherwise, wait till he¡¯s finished!"


    Many people were visibly shaking, terrified of what the king had just said.


    For the innocent, it was the king¡¯s admittance that their nation was also under the syndicate¡¯s influence.


    For the guilty, it was their death sentence.


    The king¡¯s brother was also trembling, though not quite as much as others. He swallowed some saliva and asked, "Brother, how--"


    "SILENCE! I¡¯ve given the order, and all who break it will perish!"


    Just then, a rush of frost filled the entire courtyard with the king at the center. Though the other royals were strong, King Wilheim was lv. 62 and outssed them all. They had no choice but to wait in silence or be killed on the spot, even his brother.


    Finished with the blood circle, Jack finished up. "Skaryn, reveal thy intent and let the world behold thy servant¡¯s work!"


    "Crack! CRACK!!"


    ck lightning scattered across the clouds, making those unknowing nobles below quiver in fear.


    "Bother--"


    "Thy deeds shan¡¯t remain hidden, and thy hands shan¡¯t go berserk!"


    Weiss tried to interrupt but Jack paid them no mind. To him, he didn¡¯t care what anyone was saying or doing. With the king standing directly beside him, no one there would be able to affect his performance of the ritual.


    "CRACK!!!"


    More ck lightning appeared, descending into the crowd and sting into almost one-fifth of the people gathered in the crowd. Both royals and guards were sted, proving that the king¡¯s fear.


    "All who are bathed in ck lightning shall perish immediately as traitors to Aazoon! Everyone, pass judgment now!"


    All unaffected royal guards took action. Though they knew these people personally, the moment they were revealed as syndicate members, all trust and past rtionships were thrown out without prejudice.


    "But I¡¯m your brother! Surely, you can¡¯t--"


    Weiss tried to talk his way out of punishment but was frozen solid before he could finish his first sentence.


    With the king acting personally and the help of all the royal guards and nobles, the syndicate members didn¡¯t stand a chance. They were too ill-prepared for such a circumstance and had underestimated the king greatly.


    Within fifteen minutes, all syndicate members were ughtered and the royal guards started cleaning up.


    "Now..." Turning to his son and daughter, the kingughed, "Sorry for not telling you about his, but it had to be done immediately and without w. If such threats appear while you¡¯re king, I hope you can act in a simr manner, Willim."


    "And Erina, I¡¯m sorry for ying with your feelings like that, but I needed to give Jack a reason to speak that would keep everyone calm. This was the best we could think of."


    "So... I¡¯m not..."


    "No, you¡¯re not betrothed to Jack, not unless you want to be,"ughed the king.

 Chapter 203 Planning the Next Move

    <h4>Chapter 203 nning the Next Move</h4>


    "No, you¡¯re not betrothed to Jack, not unless you want to be."


    "I refuse," stated Jack. "Erina is a lovely girl, but I already have two wives and two other femalepanions. Plus, she¡¯s still young and will find her own love someday."


    "I understand and I agree with you," Willim chuckled. "Now, I wish I could travel with you too!"


    "Sadly, we can¡¯t. I¡¯ve got too many things to do and most of those things are top secret. Just ask your father how secretive things are, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll agree with me."


    "Willim, he¡¯s right. Maybe in the future, but for now, just focus on getting stronger. If you don¡¯t give your all when leveling, you¡¯ll get left behind and won¡¯t be able to help Jack if the need ever arises," stated the king as he turned back to Jack. "Young hero, I owe you a lot. If you ever need my help, consider the Aazoon Kingdom as an ally."


    "Thank you, King Wilheim." Jack bowed, happy that things went as smoothly as nned. "I¡¯ll remember that in the future. For now, I need to leave with my friends. We¡¯ll be passing through Maltor to reach Sden."


    "Sounds like a n, I wish you the best!" chuckled the king. "But be careful in Maltor, the people and the nobility are very prideful. They¡¯ve been our rivals for quite some time."


    "I¡¯ll remember that, thanks!"


    "At least take this, as a gift to remember us by."


    Jack received a ring from the king and bowed to them. After a couple more minutes of chatting, the small party was escorted through the pce by Willim and Erina. Once back outside, they said their goodbyes and parted with smiles.


    It was now evening after everything the king had them do.


    With their task over, the small party returned to the inn, letting Lina eat anything she wanted from the food stands along the way.


    When they got back, they found Rydel and Maynard sitting at the bar. To make room, they relocated to a table with Jack, Maura, and Lina.


    "So, how¡¯d things go at the pce?" asked Rydel.


    "They went really well. The king had my reveal the hidden identities of the syndicate members in the pce, and he wiped them all out. We now have a new ally for the future," exined Jack. "However, after dinner, me and Maura are going to have a long chat with Lina about her identity and her powers, since she¡¯s not allowed to show anyone without permission."


    "Oopsie..." Lina put her head down, avoiding eye contact.


    Maura giggled, "It¡¯s okay, this time you¡¯re lucky it was the king. If it was anyone else, things would¡¯ve been harder to exin, right Jack?"


    "Right, so no more transforming without our permission. We¡¯ll talk more after dinner, so for now just order as much as you want."


    "Yay! Thanks, Big Brother!"


    By the time the food was ordered and brought to the table, the remaining three girls returned with big smiles on their faces.


    "Ya all seem happy," said Maynard. "What did ya find?"


    "We only found one peak-tier spell for Maura, but we found some good high-tier spells for Maura, Eliza, and I," stated Ke with a proud smile.


    "Good, then we¡¯ll discuss paying you back after dinner in the room."


    Not wanting to discuss so much money in public, Jack¡¯s party enjoyed their meal first. After they and Lina had their fill, they all gathered back in Jack¡¯s room.


    Now in the privacy of their room, Daliea cast silence to let them feel at ease.


    Bowzer was let out of Jack¡¯s ring since he was now too big to be carried, a fact that Bowzer didn¡¯t like. The foxid across his bed and started devouring the meat Jack gave him.


    "Before anything, let me check something."


    By now, they were used to Jack randomly closing his eyes and tuning out the world. They all guessed it had something to do with Daruun, since it was how Jack found Sterfen and Lunara.


    After they found Lunara by ident, Jack made a point to look at all gods at once. He didn¡¯t want to identally overlook a god and get his party in trouble.


    He had spent some time in Sterfen¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s home memorizing the location of all the gods that they would have to visit, making things a bit easier. However, he was d that he double-checked his map.


    One of the god¡¯s location had changed.


    Originally, Jack had nned to go to Sden because that was where the nearest god on their list was, Kori, the Fox God. Also, going that direction would lead them toward Trodar and some of the other gods anyway.


    But now, the location of Kori¡¯s shrine had changed. Kori was now in Fulken, which is the country between Sden and Maltor.


    Jack started thinking about what this meant. He didn¡¯t know how a shrine could move, nor did he understand why Kori would now be even closer.


    "We¡¯ll keep our course for Maltor and we¡¯ll readjust our course after that if we need to," stated Jack, bringing his attention back to the party.


    "What do you mean readjust? Did something change?" asked Rydel.


    "I¡¯ll give you a few details about our current ns," exined Jack. "For now, our main goal is to get you all pledged to your chosen god. Whilst doing that, we need to keep leveling up and preparing to enter Trodar."


    "Which gods are we visiting first?" asked Eliza, hoping she wouldn¡¯t have to wait too long to pledge to her god.


    "I¡¯ll tell you where they are, but don¡¯t mention any of this to anyone, got it?" Jack continued as they all nodded, "Dragas is in Limneer, so that will be thest one we visit, being the furthest from us."


    Ke frowned, not too happy about beingst.


    She was now starting to feel like she was always getting overlooked by Jack. Since Daliea was closer to him on a personal level and the other two girls were his wives, this was the mindset she was starting to get, making her a bit more desperate in her future attempts to get Jack.


    "Jin is in Prachten, so he¡¯ll be the secondst god we visit. It¡¯s actually very convenient because I wanted to investigate both Prachten and Limneer already since they had broken off from Trodar and are currently warring together against Trodar," mentioned Jack.


    "So those trips will also be about reconnaissance," stated Rydel. "We¡¯ll make sure to remember that."


    "Good," Jack continued. "The mostplicated part of the trip will be our visit to Korten. At first, I thought we could go there after Trodar, but that¡¯s changed. We must find a way to gain entry into Korten before then."


    "Gain entry... into Korten?" Elizaughed. "You do realize that not even the king of Sden, the only country with a trade agreement with the elves, is allowed to cross the nation¡¯s borders."


    "I know. It was always hard for humans to enter, and it¡¯s only gotten harder after the Holy War. But we have to enter Korten, no matter what. Inside Korten is where we¡¯ll find both Eedaj for Daliea and Lyrun for you, Eliza."


    Stunned by Jack¡¯s statement, the party realized how serious Jack was, especially Eliza and Daliea.


    "I may be able to get us in, but it might be a stretch. But for now, let¡¯s focus on the next god we¡¯ll be visiting," stated Jack. "Kori was in Sden, so we had nned to go through Maltor and Fulken to get there, but that¡¯s changed."


    "Why has it changed?" asked Maura.


    "You said Kori ¡¯was¡¯ in Sden. Does that mean he¡¯s no longer there?" Rydel caught what Jack was leading up to.


    "You¡¯re right, Kori¡¯s shrine is no longer in Sden. It has moved to Fulken now," Jack said as he shook his head in disbelief.


    Everyone went wide-eyed, confused as to how that was possible.


    "The shrine moved... but how?" Maynard asked, wondering if the know-it-all Jack had an answer.


    "I have no clue, but I¡¯ll be keeping tabs on Kori¡¯s shrine as we travel," replied Jack. "Hopefully, the shrine won¡¯t move further away. If it does, then we¡¯ll have to give up on meeting Kori tillter."


    "Does anyone have any questions?"


    Ke raised her hand. "Jack, what are we doing after we enter Trodar?"


    "That¡¯s not something you should worry about. I¡¯ll exin that after we finally enter Trodar. For now, don¡¯t bother thinking about it," answered Jack.


    Since no one else had any more questions, Jack added, "I also wanted to give you guys a heads up. Now that you know who I really am, I¡¯ll probably start doing some unusual things like I did in the past. I just wanted to warn you."


    "Really?! Can we help?" Eliza asked with a bright smile.


    The moment they realized that Jack was the same Jack J., the Legend of Trodar, each of the girls viewed Jack differently. They were all certain that no one else would be better to marry than Jack, even if he had multiple wives.


    Each of the women, including his wives, made it their goal to get Jack to fall in love with them. And if they got to make history alongside such a legendary figure along the way, then it would be even better.

 Chapter 204 Bowzers Origins

    <h4>Chapter 204 Bowzer¡°s Origins</h4>


    "If you want to join my crazy antics, I may stop you depending on what it entails," stated Jack.


    Jack just wanted to experiment with his achievements to see if he could find a way to earn more unique rewards. The more unique rewards he could get, the more skill points he could acquire, and the more skills and spells he could finally get for himself.


    "Whatever it is, I¡¯ll join you!" shouted Eliza. "I¡¯m your wife, after all, so if anyone should join you it¡¯s me."


    "H-hey, don¡¯t forget about me!" Maura chimed in, startling Jack.


    In the back of Jack¡¯s mind, he cried, ¡¯Not you too, Maura... Who¡¯s going to help me now...¡¯


    "We¡¯ll all help him!" shouted Ke, not wanting to be outdone.


    "Yes, all of us," stated Daliea, adding herself to the mix.


    "Sounds like fun to me. Ya can count me in!"ughed Maynard, curious to see what might happen.


    "I guess I¡¯ll join your strange antics, too," added Rydel.


    Before Lina could join in, Jack put his finger to her mouth. "You¡¯re still too young to try some of the things I¡¯ll do. But if you¡¯re able, I¡¯ll let you try too, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    Jack felt a mix of emotions. Part of him didn¡¯t like how willing the girls were to join him, suspecting that they were up to something.


    But deep down, Jack was d. If his whole party joined in, he wondered if his chances of gaining a unique reward would go up. It was worth a shot.


    At the moment, Jack had forty skill points, but that was nowhere near enough. He gained a new achievement, [Friend of Aazoon] and gained thirty skill points, however, Jack was determined to milk the system for all the skill points he could. With the party¡¯s help, Jack thought he¡¯d at least have a better chance.


    "For now, get some rest because we leave early in the morning," said Jack. "We need to hurry through the tundra and reach Kori. We don¡¯t want to miss him."


    With that settled, everyone dispersed to their own rooms.


    Eliza and Ke offered to stay behind and help Jack unwind, but he turned them away. He wanted to speak with Bowzer alone.


    ¡¯Bowzer, did you hear what we were talking about?¡¯


    ¡¯Uh-huh, Me heard everything.¡¯


    ¡¯Than, do you know Kori, the Fox God?¡¯ asked Jack.


    He had spent a lot of time thinking about why Sterfen was so insistent about speaking with Kori. In the end, the only reason Jack could think of was Bowzer. Why else would Sterfen insist that they visit him immediately when no one could pledge to him.


    ¡¯Kori... Me don¡¯t know Kori,¡¯ replied Bowzer, shaking his head. ¡¯There¡¯s Fox God?¡¯


    Jack sighed. ¡¯Yes, Kori is the Fox God. But, ording to Sterfen, Kori is also one of the rebel gods, no longer listening to the main god he¡¯s under.¡¯


    ¡¯Weird... But why visit Kori?¡¯ asked Bowzer.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure. I thought it was because of you.¡¯


    ¡¯Me?¡¯


    With a nod, Jack exined, ¡¯If the Fox God wouldn¡¯t be interested in you, then why would he be interested in anyone else in the party? My guess is that Sterfen thinks Kori wants to meet you.¡¯


    ¡¯Meet me, but why?¡¯


    ¡¯I have no clue.¡¯ Following hisst line of thought, Jack asked, ¡¯You never did tell me what happened before we met. Mind telling me now, since no one will interrupt us this time?¡¯


    Hesitating, Bowzer took his time to think before he nodded. ¡¯Story not long but hard to say.¡¯


    Jack suddenly had an idea. ¡¯Bowzer, wait just a moment.¡¯


    Using his forty skill points, Jack upgraded hispanion telepathy to lv. 3. He thought that Bowzer would speak better after evolving, but since that didn¡¯t change anything, Jack wanted to test his telepathy skill.


    ¡¯How¡¯s that?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯That¡¯s much better! I don¡¯t feel much strain talking to you now!¡¯ replied Bowzer, startling Jack with the sudden change in speech. ¡¯Now I can really tell you what happened!¡¯


    ¡¯My mother was on the run and she was protecting me. We ran for a long time and eventually reached Reinolt. My mother was always fighting, using her me body nonstop,¡¯ exined the fox. ¡¯One day, she was injured a lot, but she finally killed the beasts that were chasing us. After running all day when she was weak, we hid in a tree.¡¯


    Bowzer continued, ¡¯That¡¯s when I met you. The reason you could kill her was that her me body was heavily injured, otherwise, you wouldn¡¯t be able to kill her. She told me that she wouldn¡¯tst much longer and hoped that I would be alright...¡¯


    With some sorrow in his gaze, Jack asked, ¡¯Do you know why you were being chased?¡¯


    ¡¯Nope, my mother never told me that.¡¯


    ¡¯Do you remember what was chasing you?¡¯ More than anything, Jack wanted to know what had the capability to chase a matured Hell-me Fox across Kartonia. It had to be something terrifying.


    ¡¯Dragons.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s mouth opened, but not a sound was made. His mind wasn¡¯t ready for that kind of mental bomb. ¡¯Y-you¡¯re saying that dragons were chasing you and your mother? And your mother was able to kill them?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, she killed four dragons during the trip. She let me eat them too.¡¯


    Laughing, Jack tried to make sense of this. ¡¯So, to recap, you and your mother were chased for a long time by dragons, which your mother defeated by was near death after doing so. And in her fragile state on death¡¯s bed, I killed your mother and took you away?¡¯


    ¡¯Yup!¡¯ Bowzer nodded.


    ¡¯Are you sure you don¡¯t know why the dragons were chasing you?¡¯


    ¡¯Nope, I have no clue.¡¯


    ¡¯Do you remember what kind of dragons they were?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯There were two dragons with lightning and two dragons with fire. The ones with lightning were the first to die, but the dragons with fire were the ones who gravely injured my mother.¡¯


    ¡¯By any chance, did those dragons with lightning have four wings instead of two?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah! That¡¯s right!¡¯


    Jack¡¯s heart sank to the pit of his stomach. ¡¯And the dragons with fire, they didn¡¯t also be able to spit magma, did they?¡¯


    "They did! How did you know?¡¯


    With Jack¡¯s heart trying to sink further into his intestines, he felt like he wanted to cry. He held up his hand to Bowzer and looked away, wanting a moment to think to himself.


    ¡¯Storm Dragons?! They were chased by Storm Dragons?! And Magma Dragons too?! What on in Halmut¡¯s beard happened for ancient dragons to appear and chase a Hell-me Fox?!¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer,¡¯ Jack looked back at the fox, ¡¯I¡¯ll be honest. I have no clue how to connect the dots or why you were chased by dragons. Maybe meeting with Kori will help exin why.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, then I¡¯m excited to meet this Kori, the Fox God. I wonder what he¡¯s like?¡¯


    ¡¯For now, let¡¯s just get some rest. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll head out.¡¯


    Bowzer nodded. ¡¯But remember, since I can¡¯t ride on your shoulders, I want you to ride on mine.¡¯


    ¡¯But the snow--¡¯


    ¡¯The blizzard around the mountains didn¡¯t¡¯ affect me, so how could the tundra?¡¯ reasoned Bowzer.


    ¡¯Fair enough, but we¡¯ll take turns riding your back,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Alright, sleep well, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯You too! Goodnight!¡¯


    Bowzer slept easy, but Jack struggled to fall asleep. After learning that his foxpanion had been chased by four ancient dragons, he wondered what might happen in the future.


    Morning came slowly for Jack, who still had bags under his eyes.


    "Good morning!"


    Earlier than the usual wake up call, the door opened to reveal Eliza and Ke entering the room, still in their pajamas.


    Eliza saw Jack struggling to get out of bed and smiled. "What¡¯s wrong, dear? You didn¡¯t sleep well? Let me help you."


    "That¡¯s okay, I¡¯ll--"


    Faster than lightning, Eliza was sitting behind him and started rubbing his shoulders. As her hands danced over his back, the tension and worry Jack had all night started to gradually fade.


    He said nothing, but Jack¡¯s satisfied sighs were enough for Eliza to understand that he didn¡¯t want her to stop.


    "You know, if this helps, I can give you a massage whenever you need it. I am your wife, after all," Eliza giggled, trying to seduce him a little.


    "Well... I... This does feel nice..."


    Unable to disagree with all the relief he was feeling, Jack couldn¡¯t stop Eliza from pushing the conversation further.


    "Then how about we do this every morning? I can guarantee that I¡¯m the most capable of your wives in terms of massages. Plus, I think you need the relief as often as you can."


    "Not... every morning..."


    "Fine, but for now just rx and let my hands do the talking," said Eliza, proud to finally make a kink in Jack¡¯s emotional armor. "Ke, can you go get Jack his breakfast? To save time, I think it¡¯s best you if you feed him during the massage."


    "I don¡¯t think..."


    "Sure, I¡¯ll be right back!" Ke took off for the kitchen without any hesitation.


    Knowing that he was caught in the girl¡¯s trap, Jack gave up that morning. He was far too stressed and such care was the perfect medicine.


    Besides, he knew it was toote to go back from the moment he realized that Eliza was an expert masseuse. There¡¯s no way he wanted to give up the best stress reliever he¡¯d found during his entire time in Kartonia.

 Chapter 205 Enter Maltor

    <h4>Chapter 205 Enter Maltor</h4>


    After his massage and his breakfast, Jack hurried out of bed. He was determined to now let it go any further.


    Soon, everyone else was up and finishing their own breakfast while Jack spent time thinking about the trip. With breakfast not taking long, the party quickly left Frostburn City.


    They made sure to go southeast. That way, they would eventually reach the capital of Maltor, Scorch City, which was surrounded by the Molten Mountains.


    Opposite Aazoon, Maltor was known for its heat. Every mountain in the Molten Mountains was a volcano. Together with the Aazoon Kingdom, the two nations formed what looked like a rough symbol for yin and yang on the map, one side covered in ice and the other covered in desert.


    Jack wanted to avoid going directly south, but not only to make it easier to reach Trodar.


    The main reason he avoided going directly south was because the second most powerful holy god had a temple on the other side of Maltor. Jack wanted to avoid that half of the country at all costs.


    But he didn¡¯t tell the others that because he didn¡¯t want them to worry.


    Thanks to the weather, their travel speed was quite slow. It took them almost three weeks to reach the Aazoon-Maltor border. Though they did stop multiple times to y with Lina in the snow, no oneined about that.


    The border was more guarded than the Reinolt-Maltor border, but it didn¡¯t take them too long to get through the border patrol.


    Both nations were rivals, but they hadn¡¯t had a war in over two hundred years. Due to that, the party didn¡¯t have much to worry about.


    Jack¡¯s party stopped in the nearest border town and made sure to purchase better supplies. Now that they were crossing a dry desert and not a frozen tundra, it called for a change in clothes and supplies.


    Like the tundra, they took their time traveling. Unlike the tundra, it took them a bit longer because of Lina not being used to such weather. After the first few days at a slow pace, she grew more ustomed to it and they finally picked up the pace.


    In the end, it took them almost eight weeks, or two months to reach Scorch City starting from Frostburn City.


    Along the way, everyone under lv. 34 had managed to level up once, including the beastpanions. It wasn¡¯t much, but it was progress nheless.


    But when they finally got there, the party was d to see that Scorch City also had an artificial environment created within its city walls. Inside the city, they could finally rx and enjoy a cool, fresh breeze.


    Covered in sweat, the party all agreed to get rooms, bathe, eat, and turn in for the night.


    After getting a good night¡¯s sleep, they all felt much better. At breakfast, everyone was asking Jack what it was that they should do now since they all thought they were just passing through.


    "We¡¯ll be staying in Scorch City for a while," replied Jack, startling everyone. "I don¡¯t know why, but we have to stay here for the time being. It shouldn¡¯t be more than a few days, but I¡¯ve already paid to stay here for the next two nights in the meantime."


    "Can we go around and check the market for anything good?" asked Eliza with a seductive smile.


    "Sure, go ahead and buy any peak-tier spells or any items that you think are worth buying."


    "Great!" Eliza sprung to her feet and grabbed Jack¡¯s arm. "Let¡¯s get going."


    "Wait, I thought--"


    Maura got up and grabbed Jack¡¯s other arm, surprising everyone. "Can¡¯t you give us some time too? Since we¡¯re staying here a few days, you¡¯ll have some free time anyway..."


    Jack knew that he couldn¡¯t escape their two-pronged attack. "Fine, but only for today. I¡¯ve got other things--"


    "Yay! Big Brother¡¯s taking us shopping!"


    During the trip, everyone would make sure to teach Lina about everything they could. And the girls made sure to teach Lina all about the joys of shopping. They also made sure that Lina knew that Jack was loaded and could afford almost anything that Lina could want.


    With a long sigh, Jack stood up and let his wives take him away. They were followed closely by Ke and Daliea, leaving the samurai and the hunter behind at the table.


    "He¡¯s finally starting to open up again, isn¡¯t he?" Rydelughed as Jack was dragged away.


    "Yeah, it¡¯ll do him good though. I wonder how long he¡¯llst,"mented Maynard.


    The two chatted while having an early drinking session. In the end, they started betting on how long it¡¯ll take for Jack to crack and who¡¯ll get him first.


    While Jack was now being dragged in the streets of Scorch City, he checked his map to verify something. He was right to check the map because his thoughts were confirmed.


    After they reached Scorch City, Jack had contacted Sterfen and Lunara to give them an update.


    At that time, Sterfen told Jack that he needed to stay in Scorch City for the time being and offered no exnation. All Sterfen would say is that the party needed to wait at least three days and that within that time period, something good would happen.


    Jack¡¯s hunch was that it somehow involved Kori, the Fox God.


    ording to the map, Kori¡¯s shrine was now in Maltor and it was headed for the capital. The only possible exnation that Jack could think of would be if Sterfen had somehow contacted Kori and the Fox God was determined to meet them, no matter what.


    Unable to determine why, Jack could only wait and see what happens. He trusted Sterfen, so Jack was confident that Kori wouldn¡¯t do anything bad to them.


    "Jack!"


    Suddenly, a cry for his name brought Jack back to reality. He was now in a tent surrounded by clothes. "What is it, Eliza?"


    "You¡¯ve been staring off into space for a while now and you won¡¯t tell me which dress you like more!" pouted Eliza, holding up two dresses against her body.


    "Really? Why do you need--"


    "Jack, what do you think?"


    Turning around, he noticed Maura doing the same thing with two more dresses.


    That¡¯s when Jack realized that all five girls, including Lina, were each browsing some of the most expensive dresses in the entire tent. Normally, those were only purchased by nobles and royals, but they were dragging him into spending a fortune on dresses alone.


    "Ladies, do you really need such dresses? It¡¯s not like there¡¯s any asion for them."


    "Well, maybe we can make an asion,"ughed Eliza. "We¡¯ve yet to go on a date even though we¡¯re already married. I think you owe Maura and me that much."


    "But--"


    "Look, Big Brother! Big Sisters all look so pretty! I want a pretty dress too!" Lina¡¯s eyes were twinkling as she cut him off. "Please, Big Brother? Pretty pleeease?"


    Jack bit his tongue, unable to say no to Lina¡¯s cute face. He had fallen into the women¡¯s trap.


    Patting Lina¡¯s head, Jack looked her in the eye. "For now, you can only get one dress. Okay?"


    "Okay!"


    It wasn¡¯t only Lina that responded, but all five girls.


    Eliza got closer to Jack and pouted, "So, will you tell me which one you like most or not?"


    "... I like the blue one. It goes well with your blonde hair..."


    "Thanks! Then I¡¯ll get the blue one for our first date!"


    "I never--"


    "Jack, which one?" Maura pouted, following Eliza¡¯s example.


    Wanting to cry, Jack looked at her puppy dog eyes. "The red one..."


    One by one, Jack gave his opinion on each of the girls¡¯ dresses. They all chose the one that Jack liked the most. Except for Lina, who convinced Jack to buy both dresses, making the other girls jealous.


    From that point on, Jack paid attention to everywhere they went. At all costs, he would avoid getting trapped again.


    They spent all morning browsing the market. Other than a few trinkets to go with the dresses, they didn¡¯t buy anything else.


    Jack wasn¡¯t able to find anything worth buying, so he dejectedly paid for a few small things to keep the women from dragging him into any more major purchases.


    For lunch, the group found a local restaurant.


    Excited to try the local cuisine, everyone made their orders. Like always, Jack gave the waitress an early tip to keep them from cutting off Lina¡¯s many orders.


    With satisfied stomachs and happy faces, the party made their way to the local magic shop.


    Inside, everyone split up and started searching for whatever suited them. With Jack there personally, they nned to splurge and get anything they wanted.


    Maura was helping Lina browse too, teaching her to not read or use the items without purchasing them. That had already happened, though Jack was lucky it was with some cheap trinket in the market and not a peak-tier spell.


    Jack was browsing the fire type and lightning type spells, hoping to find a peak-tier spell.


    In the end, Jack did find one, but there was a problem. The peak-tier spellbook was in the arms of a middle-aged man who was also browsing the fire type spells.

 Chapter 206 Kidnapped?

    <h4>Chapter 206 Kidnapped?</h4>


    That middle-aged man noticed Jack¡¯s gaze and smiled. "Let me guess, you were wanting to see this?"


    "I mean, who wouldn¡¯t," joked Jack, ncing back at the peak-tier spellbook.


    "I¡¯m about to purchase it, but I don¡¯t mind if you check it out. In fact, you can have it, but I¡¯d like to chat with you in private first," said the man.


    Jack gave him a strange look. "Are you serious?"


    "Completely. But your wives and the others can¡¯t know about this, Jack."


    With a serious face, Jack stared at the man. He knew that this mysterious man would only recognize him if he had been informed by someone.


    "Who told you?"


    "I¡¯ll tell you when we¡¯re alone. Come," the man replied, turning toward the front desk to purchase the spell for almost thirty thousand gold. "What are you waiting for? If you don¡¯t hurry, they¡¯ll notice."


    Then, the man left the shop without giving Jack another look.


    Torn about what to do next, Jack took a moment to think before he quietly left the shop.


    Thinking about it, Jack knew that it could either have been Sterfen or the champion of the association that had sent this man. And since it was most likely Sterfen, there was a chance of it being that person.


    The moment Jack exited the store, a hand grabbed him from behind and pulled him into an alley.


    "Shhh..."


    Slowly, the hand uncovered Jack¡¯s mouth, but Jack said nothing. It was the man he had just spoken to.


    The man quickly wrapped Jack up in heavy-duty rope and pulled him into a run-down shop at the end of the alley. Once inside, the man waved his hand and red energy filled the space. He had cast silence.


    "So, Jack, got any ideas on who I am?"


    "Are you Kori?"


    "Bingo!"


    Suddenly, the man¡¯s appearance changed. His average looks became sharper and more defined. Now his physique was lean yet powerful. The smile on his face felt intoxicating as if it had some sort of bestial charm.


    "I¡¯m d you could figure it, but please don¡¯t break free, not yet."


    Confused by everything, Jack nodded and kept listening.


    "Now, please bring out that foxpanion of yours. There¡¯s something I need to know," stated Kori, still showing his bewitching smile.


    The next moment Bowzer was summoned from the ring and saw Jack tied up. Without hesitation, Bowzer leaped forward to break the ropes. But suddenly, Bowzer found himself unable to get closer to Jack.


    Looking back, Bowzer saw the handsome man who was holding tight to his tail. "Who are you and what are you doing to Jack?"


    "Trust me, I have a reason for this."


    That¡¯s all he said before he suddenly vanished. Before Bowzer could do anything, Kori was behind him and had already wrapped that same rope around Bowzer¡¯s legs and tail, rendering Bowzer immobile.


    "Now that the hard part is over, I can finally get down to business."


    "What do you want!" roared Bowzer.


    "By any chance, little fox, did you ever consider why I can understand you even though you can¡¯t yet speak with telepathy?" Kori sat down in front of his "hostages" and propped his head on his fist.


    "I..." confused, Bowzer stammered.


    "I¡¯m Kori, otherwise known as the Fox God," Kori introduced himself to the now silent Bowzer. "And you, little fox, have been very hard to find."


    "But, honestly, that¡¯s actually a good thing," added Kori.


    "Were you the one hunting me down?! Were you the one who caused my mother¡¯s death?!" Furious, Bowzer snarled and bared his fangs at Kori, despite knowing that he was too weak to threaten the god.


    "I¡¯m definitely a part of that mess, but I never would¡¯ve wished that fate on your mother... In fact, I wish I could¡¯ve found you sooner. If I had, then maybe she would still be here with us," replied Kori, whose smile was now self-mocking.


    "W-what do you mean?" asked Bowzer.


    "I don¡¯t have much time, so I¡¯ll be brief," stated Kori. "Little fox, I¡¯m sorry that I, your father, was unable to protect both my wife and my son when they needed me most. I¡¯m a failure as a father and I won¡¯t bother begging for forgiveness. All I can offer is this."


    While both Jack and Bowzer were frozen in disbelief, Kori stood up and snuck a ring into the ropes holding Jack bound.


    "That¡¯s a special ring that will stay with beasts, even after they take their human transformations."


    "But how can--"


    "Like I said, I don¡¯t have much time," Kori cut Bowzer off and shook his head. "Since I¡¯ve said my piece and have passed that to you, I should get going. Take care, little fox. And boy, take care of my son."


    Kori then ced his hand on Bowzer. At the same time, golden light filled the closed-off room and was absorbed into Bowzer.


    Jack¡¯s system instantly recognized what was happening. Kori had just made Bowzer into a demigod like Sterfen had done to him.


    "But you said you were--"


    Suddenly, more ropes were wrapped around Bowzer¡¯s mouth, keeping him from saying more.


    "Someday, you¡¯ll understand why I did this."


    Just then, a pounding was heard at the door. When there was no answer, the door was destroyed, revealing the five girls from Jack¡¯s party.


    They looked inside to see the same middle-aged man they had seen inside the magic shop. Also, they were livid to see Jack and Bowzer tied up.


    Kori nodded and dashed through a window, shattering the boards that had covered it up.


    As he vanished, a whisper reached both Jack¡¯s and Bowzer¡¯s ears. "Don¡¯t tell anyone, or you¡¯ll regret it."


    The girls hurried to untie Jack and Bowzer, struggling with the ridiculously strong ropes. Surprisingly, none of them could break them. Eventually, the ropes were untied and Jack and Bowzer were free.


    Eliza recognized that the ropes were used for hunting high-level beasts, meaning that man should¡¯ve been stronger than everyone, yet had run away all the same. It was baffling.


    "Jack, what happened?!" Maura was the first to pull Jack up andtch onto one of his arms.


    "We¡¯re fine, don¡¯t worry about us," answered Jack, quickly storing the ring that Kori and passed him. "Really, he didn¡¯t do anything but tie us up. We don¡¯t even know why he did that."


    "You get kidnapped and you tell us not to worry?!" Eliza grabbed his other arm. "You might have been forced to marry me, but that doesn¡¯t mean I don¡¯t care about you, Jack! Stop acting like you don¡¯t know us, even after we¡¯ve been traveling together for months now. That¡¯s even longer than you knew Slivia."


    "Eliza, that¡¯s--"


    Interrupting Maura, Eliza continued, "But am I wrong? You¡¯ve already married us and I¡¯m pretty sure you¡¯re already used to being around us. So stop acting so distant!"


    Her breathing was heavy and she clutched her hands against her chest. "Jack, all my life I¡¯ve been dreaming about being with the man of my dreams like every other girl. Sure, I didn¡¯t know you, but you were still him! And now that I know you even more, I know how great of a person you are, I was lucky to marry you, and then you disappear and get kidnapped right in front of my eyes."


    "You may not think so, but I was scared to death when I saw you tied up, about to be taken away from me..."


    "...Eliza..." Jack mumbled, even more perplexed now than he was earlier getting fake kidnapped.


    "Jack, don¡¯t act stupid now," added Ke. "Sure, we make act desperate at times, but we all do care about you. It onlysted for a second, but I think we were all terrified to see you like that."


    "..."


    Unsure of what was the best thing to say, Jack said nothing. Kori warned them to not mention the truth to anyone, but even the truth wouldn¡¯t help him out now.


    "Jack... we really were worried about you. And that¡¯s going to happen whether you like it or not..." Maura averted her gaze, trying to hide her teary eyes and her red face.


    "I¡¯m sorry, okay."


    "Don¡¯t just say that!" shouted Eliza, still trying to get over her rampant emotions. "If you¡¯re sorry, then treat us like any other man would his wives."


    "... I guess I can do that much," stated Jack. "I would pat your heads or hug you, but you¡¯re not really letting me."


    Instantly, the girls released him and helped him up.


    He did exactly what he had said and gave each of them a tender hug, thanking them foring to find him.


    Jack returned Bowzer to his ring and left with the girls. For the whole afternoon, he let them shop for a few more outfits and items.


    After that, thedies were all feeling better, including Lina, who only understood what had happened after they exined it while shopping and she had burst into tears of the thought of losing her big brother.

 Chapter 207 No Way Ou

    <h4>Chapter 207 No Way Ou</h4>


    By the evening, Jack and the girls all returned to the inn to get some food.


    They were soon joined by Rydel and Maynard, who had left to do some weapon shopping. Maynard wanted to find more peakp-tier lv. 35 swords, but nothing he found was better than the two katana that Jack had given him.


    Both of the men were surprised to see that all the girls were now closer to Jack, yet he didn¡¯t force them away like usual.


    "What happened while we were gone?" asked Rydel. "By the look of things, it seems that things are finally heating up between you all and Jack."


    "Stop it." Jack waved his hand, not wanting to talk about it.


    Eliza grunted. "Well, if someone hadn¡¯t been kidnapped, then maybe we wouldn¡¯t have been so worried. Why didn¡¯t you call for any of us with telepathy."


    "It¡¯s already in the past, so let¡¯s not worry about it."


    That entire day, while most of the girls were epted Jack¡¯s many apologies, Eliza had hounded him for details. Rather than spill the beans, Jack had just been avoiding such invading questions, proving that he wasn¡¯t willing to talk about it.


    "Jack, I¡¯m your wife. If you¡¯re not going to exin yourself, you¡¯ll have to do something to make up for it."


    "And that is?"


    "Let me sleep with you tonight."


    "Pffew!" Jack choked on his brundy. "Eliza, you know that I--"


    "Yes, I know that you don¡¯t care about your wives. You won¡¯t exin yourself to them and you won¡¯t even try tofort them physically," stated Eliza, not budging at all.


    "Eliza, please, forgive me but I¡¯m not in the mood to talk about the kidnapping anymore, okay?"


    "Then can I sleep with you tonight, or not?"


    "Eli--"


    "Or will you sleep with Maura tonight instead?"


    "E-excuse me?!" Jack stuttered, startled by the sudden change in the conversation.


    "B-but Eliza, why--"


    "Jack will you be sleeping with Maura or with me tonight, which of your wives?" repeated Eliza. "To make sure that you won¡¯t get kidnapped again, one of us should share your bed to guarantee your safety. If you say neither, I¡¯ll make it my point to join you regardless."


    Frowning, Jack looked Eliza in the eye. Then, he looked to Maynard and Rydel for help, but they either looked away or were busy looking to the bottom of their mug.


    He sighed, "Can¡¯t we--"


    "Do I really need to make a scene, Jack?" stated Eliza with a poker face. "I¡¯m your wife, so I¡¯m pretty sure everyone else in the bar will side with me on this one."


    Finally, Jack looked to Maura sheepishly. "Maura, can you stay in my room tonight?"


    "S-sure, I can do that," Marua blushed as she agreed.


    "Not just in the same room, but in the same bed. If I find that she¡¯s not sharing your bed, I¡¯ll join you in the middle of the night," said Eliza, not backing down an inch.


    "I--"


    "Okay!" shouted Maura, not letting Jack use her shyness as an excuse.


    This surprised them all. Everyone knew that Maura was slowly getting more daring, but it still startled them to hear her agree to actively agree to share a bed with Jack and not give into shyness.


    What Jack first thought would be his only way out had be a simple change of circumstances.


    "Good, then me and Ke will be off to bed early. We should probably start heading back to Polt tomorrow, early in the morning," mentioned Eliza.


    Jack asked, "And why¡¯s that?"


    "Don¡¯t you remember? We¡¯ve got the yearly auctioning up," replied Eliza. "We¡¯ve got a month and I¡¯m sure you want to be there, right?"


    "How could I forget!" Jackughed at himself. He really had forgotten all about it.


    "But I thought ya said we should stay here?" asked Maynard.


    "Sterfen already told me that we can leave. I¡¯m not sure why, but he said he¡¯d exin itter."


    In reality, Sterfen hadn¡¯t contacted him. He only knew that Sterfen needed them in Scorch City for that strange kidnapping situation to take ce.


    "Well, then let¡¯s all head to bed. We¡¯ve got another two weeks till we reach Federal City," stated Rydel. "I hope you two love birds enjoy the night!"


    "Hey, that¡¯s--"


    "You¡¯re lucky Maura, but you know you¡¯ll have to share him eventually," added Ke.


    Eliza also spoke up, "Good luck, Maura! I¡¯ll just wait my turn."


    Lina was taken up by Daliea, who only blushed and led the innocent girl to their room.


    Alone, Jack and Maura smiled awkwardly to each other. "Um... Maura, I--"


    "Jack, we don¡¯t have to if you don¡¯t want to." Maura¡¯s statement eased some of the tension in Jack¡¯s heart until she added, "But, if you want to, then I¡¯d like for you to be my first."


    With a heart pounding so hard all he could hear was his heartbeat, Jack swallowed some saliva and blushed. Just because he hadn¡¯t agreed to do anything prior, doesn¡¯t mean he was tempted.


    Tonight would be a great test for his willpower.


    *****


    Outside the city on top of Magma Summit, the tallest peak of the Molten Mountains, a middle-aged man was overlooking the city.


    That man remained there for most of the day, just watching the city as time passed. Soon, another man appeared behind the middle-aged man.


    Dressed extravagantly, the man who just arrived squinted at the middle-aged man who was ignoring him. "Kori, what¡¯s the meaning of your little visit?"


    "Do I look like Kori to you? Who could ever be so handsome?" whined the middle-aged man, still not bothering to turn and face the neer.


    "Kori, just stop with the act already. How could I not recognize the god I helped banish?"ughed the well-dressed man.


    "So, you finally admit to it, huh?" Finally, Kori turned around, now looking like his true self. "How long had you all been nning it?"


    "Ever since you abandoned us during the Holy War, to be honest," replied the man. "If you had joined the final battle, the losses wouldn¡¯t have been nearly as bad as they had been. I would¡¯ve joined Halmut in killing the scourge of the underworld."


    "Instead, Halmut was forced to seal him at a great cost. Even after five hundred years, Halmut still hasn¡¯t fully recovered. For that, I me you!"


    Koriughed, "Sure, find the easy way and me the man who wasn¡¯t there. That¡¯s definitely your style."


    "Now answer the question, what bring¡¯s you to my territory? You were banished to that forsaken pit, yet here you are."


    "You wouldn¡¯t believe me even if I told you, so why waste my breath." The Fox God shrugged, toying with his fellow god.


    "You know, I have my own eyes all over my territory. So, why did you try and kidnap that young hero from the association? Is this your way of getting back at us?" questioned the man. "That hero may be young, but he shows great promise and will be a valuable asset to the champion in the future."


    "h, h, h... All you guys ever talk about is the champion." Making a puppet with his hand, Kori mocked the man. "When was thest time we ever did anything as holy gods worth mentioning? Howe we¡¯re not allowed to act in public since the Holy War?"


    "That was by order of Halmut, so don¡¯t you dare question his orders!"


    "It¡¯s not that I¡¯m notplying, I¡¯m just curious as to why he gave the order," reasoned Kori. "Was he afraid that one of us lower gods would betray him?"


    "Shut up!"


    "Why, if anyone has anything to benefit from the situation, then it¡¯s you!" Kori chuckled. "Now, thanks to Halmut¡¯s absence, you¡¯re the acting head of the holy gods."


    "I said--"


    "Yet, you abuse it and banish me instead? I just don¡¯t get why," Kori sighed, scratching his head. "But what would I know, I¡¯m just an idiot who only knows about good looks. You¡¯re Naparn, the Molten God, you¡¯re far wiser than a silly fox like me."


    "Get to the point, Kori," stated Naparn, giving him a little leeway after being praised.


    "I just want to know why."


    "Why what?"


    "Why did you do it? Why did you not only have me banished, but you had my family killed?" asked Kori in a calm, rxed tone.


    "It was the decision of all of us, not just me," reasoned Naparn. "You know that we won¡¯t make a move unless either Halmut orders it or we all agree to do so together."


    "So that¡¯s why both you and Torian sent your fellow dragons after my wife while I was with the council during the decision?" Kori fiercely stared into Naparn¡¯s eyes.


    "I have no clue what you¡¯re talking about. After the decision was made to have you banished, our men did hunt down your wife. I will give her some credit though, she at least took them down with her. She was a warrior through and through," stated Naparn. "If things were different, she would¡¯ve definitely made a strong god, probably stronger than you."


    "Yeah... If things were different..."


    "So, are you going to hurry back to the hole you were banished to crawl in for the rest of your life, or will I have to take you there myself?"


    "It seems that I¡¯ve lost my way. Do you mind guiding me?" Kori smiled coldly.


    "It will be my pleasure."

 Chapter 208 Hurry Back to Pol

    <h4>Chapter 208 Hurry Back to Pol</h4>


    Jack struggled that night.


    In the end, he was able to keep himself from taking advantage of Maura, but he also felt more hallow in the morning when he thought about it. He was honestly happy to have her with him, even if it was only to be there.


    Without realizing it, he had embraced her in his sleep, leading to a beautiful scene for Eliza to find in the morning.


    When she found out nothing happened, Eliza frowned, but she was d that Jack had at least made progress. The thing she didn¡¯t like the most was that Jack was more willing to act with Maura then he was with her.


    Soon, everyone was downstairs early in the morning for a good breakfast before they hit the road.


    But it was strange, almost the entire bar was filled, despite it being so early.


    They didn¡¯t even have to ask why either because everyone was talking and gossiping about the same thing.


    "Did you hear about what happened to Magama Summit?"


    "Of course! If you go to the south side of town you can see what happened."


    "Really?! I¡¯ve gotta go see it!"


    Taking a table due to theck of seats at the bar, Jack¡¯s party paid close attention to the strange news.


    "What can I get you this morning?" asked the waiter, who much much busier than normal.


    "Breakfast specials for everyone, and by the way," Rydel sudden flicked the waiter a gold coin, "what can you tell us about Magma Summit? We¡¯re new here."


    dly epting the coin, the waiter smiled. "Everyone¡¯s talking about it. Apparently, the top of Magma Summit, the tallest mountain in the Molten Mountains, was blown to smithereens. If you head south, you¡¯ll be able to see that a fourth of the mountain is now missing, melted away."


    "Seriously?"


    It¡¯s one thing to hear crazy rumors, but for the waiter to state it so clearly and say that it could be seen from the city meant it was most likely true. But what on earth could do something like that?


    "Any idea on a cause?"


    "It¡¯s hard to say. The issue happenedtest night, so few people even heard the distant explosion," exined the waiter. "At first, people thought Magma Summit was gonna erupt, but they soon noticed the top of the summit melting away."


    "Hmm... Thanks for the info."


    "You¡¯re wee, I¡¯ll bring your specials and some drinks right away."


    With the waiter gone, Jack¡¯s party chatted little about the mountain and more about the sudden trip to Polt.


    Maura was excited to go see her father, especially since he should¡¯ve already been cured of the poison.


    Eliza was happy to see her father again, but even more excited to see what kind of a ruckus Jack would cause at the yearly auction. It was clear to her how what would be avable at such auctions, and she knew that Jack would always find a way to get what he wanted.


    Rydel and Maynard were indifferent, only curious about what the yearly auction would offer this year.


    Ke was actually a little worried, hoping that she wouldn¡¯t identally run into her family while she was there.


    Daliea and Lina both enjoyed their meals, just happy to follow Jack along for the adventure. And with Jack opening up more to the girls, Daliea was getting more curious if she would ever get a chance with him.


    Within the hour, they had eaten their breakfast and canceled the third night¡¯s stay at the inn. Now, they were riding horses through the desert, the same horses they had traded for the snow stallions at the border.


    The trip was fairly simple and straightforward. Nothing unexpected happened since it was the mostmon travel road in the Maltor, the one leading to the Polt Federation. Also, it helped for their entire party to be over lv. 30, it was a good way to keep bandits away.


    There were a couple of nights where Maura slept with Jack, allowing them both to feel closer and closer each night.


    Eliza had also managed to sleep with Jack along the way. Once, in the middle of the night, she crept into Jack¡¯s tent and was mistaken for Maura. Jack only noticed in the morning, when he woke up to groping her chest by ident.


    With some luck, they reached Federal City sooner than expected, giving them two weeks till the auction.


    The city guards tried to search them, but Eliza unted the crest of the Fat Goose and bypassed it altogether.


    Though Eliza wanted to visit the Fat Goose first, Jack made it a point to go to the Heavenly Pce Inn first. Since Zariff was better now, he wanted to see for himself.


    It waste afternoon when they reached the inn, so they stored their horses in the stables and went straight to the restaurant.


    "Maura! Sweetie!" Marisha instantly spotted her daughter while she was waiting for tables. "Howe you didn¡¯t tell us you wereing?"


    "Well, we couldn¡¯t miss the yearly auction, so here we are. Can we have one of the big rooms?" asked Maura.


    "Of course, in fact, there are a couple of people here who would love to see you all. Follow me." Marisha led the way, but she also nced at Jack. "So, Jack, how are you treating my daughter?"


    "Maura¡¯s been amazing. She¡¯s also a big sister now!"


    Expertly dodging the impending awkward conversation, Jack pushed Lina forward. "This is Lina, my little sister."


    "Really?" Marisha was baffled and didn¡¯t know what to believe.


    "Lina,e and say hi to my mom,"ughed Maura, taking Lina by the hand.


    "Hello, Maura¡¯s mom!"


    Marisha chuckled from Lina¡¯s impromptu greeting. "So, are you really Jack¡¯s little sister? Where did they find such a cute girl like you?"


    Maura answered, "We came across her in Frostburn City."


    "Frostburn City?! You went to Frostburn City, thend in an eternal blizzard?"


    "Yup, and then we crossed over to Scorch City on the way here," Eliza added, not wanting to get left out. "After the auction, I¡¯m not sure where we¡¯ll go next, but I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll be fun."


    Rposing herself, Marisha knocked on a private room¡¯s door. "Please, everyone pile in. There¡¯s plenty of room and some people would like to see you."


    One by one the party entered. Maura and Eliza immediately showed beaming smiles and ran in.


    Inside, Argyle and Zariff were chatting over some wine.


    As Jack¡¯s party arrived, Zariffughed, "Leave it to the brat to show up uninvited. Hurry up and sit down so we can order already. Maura, how are you?"


    "Mhm, I¡¯ve been great Papa." Nudging Lina forward, Maura introduced her, "Papa, this is Lina, Jack¡¯s new sister. We found her in Frostburn City and she¡¯s been with us ever since."


    While Lina was admiring Zariff¡¯s hulking stature, Eliza ran and hugged her father.


    "Eliza, have you been doing okay during your new life of adventure?" asked Argyle with a smile.


    "It was very different at first, but now I¡¯m used to it. I¡¯m making lots of progress," chuckled Eliza as she gave a chick nce to Jack.


    Marisha went back to work, finishing up her tables so that she coulde and join themter.


    That night was rather wild for Jack. Split by his two fathers-inw, who each wanted to know about the progress of the rtionships of their daughters, Jack was bombarded with awkwardments, death threats, and blunt warnings.


    Worst of all, the pressure only increased after Maura¡¯s grandfather finished cooking and joined in the conversation.


    After that conversation finally ended, Jack heard of some major news from Marisha.


    Apparently, the entire Adventurers Association has been going through a screening process. They¡¯ve doubled down on the requirements to enter and making sure to squeeze out any possible spies in the association.


    Jack never heard about any of that since he had a special role in the association, nor did he bother to learn much else about it.


    Also, Jack learned from Martha, Maura¡¯s grandmother, that the party was very lucky to be family. If they weren¡¯t family and had guessed that Jack¡¯s party would return for the yearly auction, then the cost of an inn would¡¯ve been beyond increased.


    With all of the royal families in town and most of the noble families, each of the famous inns were packed and charging extra. This happened every year because all three of the major auction houses would join hands to hold the yearly auction, this year hosted by the Fat Goose.


    Once the night came to an end, Jack decided something.


    It was the first night where Jack requested for Eliza to join him. Of course, he only wanted it in order to get a full-body massage, but she only agreed if he let her stay all night.


    Needing the massage, and knowing that it wasn¡¯t the first time, Jack gave in and let her share a bed with him. However, he still gave no consent beyond holding each other, though she did sneak in a couple of kisses on his cheek that he struggled to fight against.

 Chapter 209 Obnoxious Princes

    <h4>Chapter 209 Obnoxious Princes</h4>


    While waiting for the auction to begin, Jack spent a lot of time with Argyle. The lv. 71 auction house owner would take Jack around Federal City, showing him the ins and outs.


    Also, Argyle would answer all of Jack¡¯s questions pertaining to the dozens of visiting dignitaries.


    Fifteen of the royal families hade from all over the continent, just for this auction. And it wasn¡¯t the princes or advisors who were sent this time. The kings and rulers of each nation came personally to bid on the items.


    Since Jack was one of their rarest of patrons, like the many visiting kings, Argyle hinted to him about some of the more valuable items that would be up for grabs.


    Jackmitted that information to his memory. This time, Jack couldn¡¯t be as greedy since he would be bidding against the kings themselves, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t go after the things he wanted most. It only meant he couldn¡¯t take everything and leave the kings nothing like Jack wished he could do.


    With so many visiting kings, the entire city was in an uproar and it only grew more frantic as the auction date neared.


    After Jack got the information he needed from Argyle and had learned the generalyout of Federal City, he didn¡¯t bother roaming the crowded streets.


    He or the girls would only leave when they needed something or a few of them would go and check the market to see the new wares. Since kings and noble family heads were visiting the city, most of the market stands would finally bring out their most valuable goods, making it the perfect time to search for some good items.


    Maynard and Rydel spent their time in the Heavenly Pce Inn, drinking away with Zariff.


    They told Zariff all about their journey, minus their meeting with Lunara and Sterfen. While drinking with their old friend, both of them were ted to no longer be seen as the two old men of the group.


    One morning, the girls left together to the market to search for more goods. Lina went with Maura and Daliea, who was using her illusion to appear human, while Eliza went with Ke, who had bundled herself up and covered her face with a veil to conceal her identity.


    It was extra early, just after the stands opened and before the crowds became unmanageable.


    Like always, the girls had tried to bring Jack along. But he would always refuse, not wanting a repeat of what happened in Scorch City.


    Instead, he took the day off to drink with Rydel, Maynard, Zariff, and Argyle. It had been a while since he was among only guys, so Jack cherished the moment while he could.


    Of course, the room was already silenced. Like all of the Heavenly Pce Inn¡¯s private booths, there was a stone on the wall that could cast silence upon activation.


    "So, Jack, of all the things I mentioned, which one catches your attention the most?" asked Argyle.


    "Hmm... That¡¯s hard to say. I¡¯m not like most people who go after the equipment with the highest level. I¡¯d rather find peculiar and unique items that might only be useful in certain situations," answered Jack.


    "Like..." Rydel added. He and everyone else were all curious about Jack, especially after they had learned about what Jack did during thest auction he participated in.


    "To bepletely honest, I hope that you or the other auction houses put up some mythic-tier or legend-tier items by mistake, likest time,"ughed Jack. "Know that if there are any legend-tier items, I won¡¯t care who I offend to get my hands on them."


    "Jack, isn¡¯t that a little too much?!" shouted Zariff. "You can¡¯t be that crazy, do you realize what might happen if you offend too many people?"


    Zariff spoke up, but he was surprised to see that none of the other three men appeared surprised by Jack¡¯s statement. If anything, they were acting like they expected nothing else.


    The other three men were smiling on the inside. Each of them knew who Jack really was, Jack J., the Legend of Trodar. In the past, Jack J. was the most unusual hero yet also the most aplished. He had offended entire nations and guilds in the past, so why wouldn¡¯t Jack dare do so while his identity was concealed during the auction?


    "Don¡¯t worry Zariff, I won¡¯t go overboard, not unless someone forces my hand. At that time, I¡¯ll be seeking the help of my powerful father-inw for help to keep things under wraps," stated Jack.


    "Well... I guess I can¡¯t me you if they really are legendary items. But just be smart and don¡¯t cause too much trouble. You¡¯re known for that," Zariff sighed.


    He found it hard to berate Jack for too long. After helped get him healed and even gave him the new pact with no EXP loss, Zariff was finally starting to acknowledge him as more than a brat. Also, the fact that his entire party was now almost as strong as Zariff helped with that.


    ¡¯JACK!¡¯


    Suddenly, Jack heard a shout go off in his mind.


    ¡¯Jack,e quick! We¡¯re at the market!¡¯


    This wasn¡¯t the first time Eliza had suddenly called him for help during their market errands. It had happened before and Jack had fallen for it.


    Normally he would ignore such a plea, but Eliza seemed frantic and a second voice soon sounded off, followed by a third.


    "Jack, please hurry to the market! Ke and Daliea need you!"


    "Big Brother! Big Sisters are in trouble!"


    With Maura and Lina also asking for help, Jack hurried to his feet. "Guys, do you minding with me? The girls are in trouble at the market."


    Argyle stood up but sighed as he did so.


    It was amon urrence during this time of year for some haughty nobles to pick onmoner women, boasting about their noble blood. It was also known that some would be quite forceful upon rejection sincemoners wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything.


    Without exception, they all got up and followed Jack out of the room. The band of men hurried through the streets, emitting an intimidating aura to get the crowd to open a path.


    Within fifteen minutes, the band of men came to an abrupt halt around arge gathering of people. The intimidating aura wasn¡¯t quite as effective this time since most of these people were around Jack¡¯s level and were busy watching something going on in the middle.


    Jack nced at Argyle, who nodded.


    "Out of the way!"


    His voice rumbled and shook the marketce. Those men who previously didn¡¯t budge dly got out of the way. No one dared to stop Argyle after they felt his unmatched strength.


    The group hurried to the front and entered the ring of people.


    Inside the crowd¡¯s circle, there was another smaller circle made up of well-dressed young men and their guards. All of those people in the smaller circle were now staring at Jack¡¯s group or more specifically Argyle.


    "Sir, we¡¯re sorry to trouble you but this is the business of the Maltor Kingdom. Would you please forgive us for disturbance?" dered one of the young men with a humble bow.


    Another did the same. "This is also a matter involving the Fulken Kingdom."


    "As well as the Zuran Empire," added a voice familiar voice. That particr young man then noticed Jack and frowned. "What are you doing here? This has nothing to do with the association, so hurry and leave."


    Jack stepped forward, walking straight toward those young men without any hesitation.


    "I said leave before you offend not only me but the Zuran Empire!"


    The princes and their guards all readied weapons, not attacking but showing no fear to act if pushed.


    "Step away!"


    Suddenly, a wave of heat filled the square and the princes started to sweat. They were dumbstruck when they saw Jack suddenly be the embodiment of fire and grow to a ridiculous size.


    Not wanting to lose, the Zuran prince shouted, "I said leave before--"


    Just then, Jack disappeared from in front of them and reappeared on the other side of them, now inside of their circle.


    "Are you alright?"


    That gentle toned question reached the ears of all people in the crowd. For most spectators, especially the women, it was heartwarming. For the princes, however, it was bone-chilling.


    "If you were anyter, that man would¡¯ve forcibly taken Ke away!" shouted Eliza, the most unfazed of the women. "And those two were arguing over who could have Daliea first and second. Then, they--"


    A finger was then pressed to Eliza¡¯s lips. Jack had dropped his me body and stopped her from saying more. He turned to Ke and Daliea and asked, "Is that true?"


    "Yes! It¡¯s the same pig who tried to force me to marry him!" shouted Ke, not caring if she offended the Zuran prince.


    Daliea nodded. "It¡¯s true, they didn¡¯t care about me and immediately started bickering about who got me first..."


    "Also," added the hot-blooded Eliza, "they mentioned me but I showed them the Fat Goose emblem. After that, they didn¡¯t mention me, but they did mention seeing if Maura¡¯s husband was worthy of her and tried to coerce her too."


    "Is that so..."

 Chapter 210 Public Apology

    <h4>Chapter 210 Public Apology</h4>


    "Is that so..."


    Jack looked back to the princes, who were no longer feeling so confident. "Since you¡¯ve troubled not only the members of my party but my wives as well, normally, I wouldn¡¯t think too hard about sparing you, but I¡¯ll be nice today. Begone!"


    Prince Tyrel growled, "You... That woman is betrothed to me, so I won¡¯t be leaving without her!"


    "And what rtionship do you have with her? I don¡¯t see why you would want to be an enemy of both Maltor and Fulken?" added the Fulken prince.


    "And you want to be enemies with me?" Jack smiled coldly, not hiding his malicious intent.


    The guards all frowned, unhappy with the princes¡¯ behavior. Clearly, they were in the wrong and the entire crowd could understand that. And now that it involved the rising hero and his wives, this was beyond what it ever should have been.


    "I¡¯m going to give you till the count of five to be out of my sight," stated Jack in a crystal-clear tone. "If I can still see you by then, I¡¯ll take it that you want to fight. One..."


    "Your highness, please, reconsider," a guard whispered to the Fulken prince.


    "Nonsense! He wouldn¡¯t dare to be that stupid!"ughed the prince.


    The Maltor prince also chuckled. "I¡¯m curious, just how ballsy is this guy I¡¯ve hear so much about. If he¡¯s not too strong, then maybe I will take his wife. That way, I won¡¯t have to share."


    "Your highness!"


    Infuriated, Jack yelled, "Five!" He then vanished without a trace like before.


    "See, he just ran away-- AAAAAHHH!!"


    The Maltor suddenly cried in pain, grabbing at his wrist to feel for the hand that was no longer there.


    On the groundid the prince¡¯s hand, pouring blood onto the ground.


    "Sorry, it seems that I skipped a few numbers. I got a little riled up and got ahead of myself. Here, let¡¯s restart the count. One..."


    Jack, who had reappeared behind the Maltor prince, was now casually walking back to the center of the circle, unfazed by the stares of the guards or the crowd.


    "Two..."


    Both Prince Tyrel and the Fulken prince were wearing ugly faces. This was beyond anything they expected.


    "Aaahhh... You... You dared do this to me!" shouted the Maltor prince. "Guards kill him!"


    "But sir--"


    "I said kill him!"


    "That won¡¯t be necessary."


    All eyes went back to Argyle. Thanks to Jack¡¯s shocking antics, they had forgotten all about the unfathomable man who had arrived with Jack.


    "So, you talked lightly about my daughter and are now threatening my son-inw... If I didn¡¯t know any better, I would guess that Fulken, Maltor, and Zuran don¡¯t want to participate in this year¡¯s annual auction."


    All guards froze on the spot,pletely reevaluating their impressions of Argyle.


    Prince Tyrel also froze, not daring to move after he realized who Argyle was. He also cursed his terrible luck.


    The Fulken prince wasn¡¯t frozen in fear, but he lost all intention to continue his antics.


    Still in the heat of the moment after losing his hand, the Maltor Prince wasn¡¯t so easily calmed. "What!? That¡¯s ridiculous! We, the Maltor Kingdom, are one of the three strongest kingdoms! You can¡¯t just kick us out, especially after what that despicable man has done."


    "Your highness--"


    "It¡¯s toote!" The Maltor prince retrieved a dazzling red sword and charge toward Jack at full speed.


    Staring coldly at the charging prince, Jack scoffed and shook his head. He didn¡¯t even bother reacting.


    "I, Argyle Wittam, hereby dere that the Maltor Empire has vited the International Polt Treaty and shall not be allowed entry in this year¡¯s annual auction!"


    As Argyle¡¯s voice filled not only the marketce but the entire central portion of Federal City, the Maltor prince finally stopped. Only now did he realize what he had done.


    "What is the meaning of this!"


    Another shout was heard in the distance, responding to Argyle¡¯s shout.


    The crowd was speechless, unsure of what was about to take ce due to the prince¡¯s rash actions. But at the same time, they understood his anger after they saw Jack cut his hand off without any hesitation.


    Soon, the crowd opened up again, letting a few select men enter the circle. Each of the men was dressed nobly, showing off their pinnacle social status.


    The one with the ugliest face stared at Argyle. "Exin yourself, Argyle!"


    "Why don¡¯t we let your son, the crown prince, exin things?"


    "Randall, what is he talking about?" The king quickly noticed the prince¡¯s missing hand. "Who did this?!"


    "I did." Jack shrugged his shoulders. "Don¡¯t me me, I gave him a fair warning after he insulted my wife, iming that he would take her from me."


    "And you are?" Realizing that this was moreplex than he thought, the king no longer showed any anger.


    "I¡¯m Jack, the same one from the Adventurers Association and also Argyle¡¯s son-inw."


    When Jack mentioned that he was with the association, the king remained unfazed. It was when Jack called himself Argyle¡¯s son-inw that he frowned and stared at his hesitating.


    "I¡¯m sorry for the trouble that my son has caused. I hope that you can forgive his behavior," stated the king emotionlessly, looking Jack in the eye.


    "He brought it on himself. In my eyes, he¡¯s paid for hisment and I¡¯ve already given him another chance to leave. He¡¯s the one who keeps pushing me," replied Jack, ncing at the angry prince.


    "Randall, apologize, immediately!" ordered the king of Maltor.


    "But Father--"


    "I said apologize!"


    Randall groaned and quivered from his anger, but he managed to bow his head and look away from Jack. "I apologize for my rude behavior."


    "Don¡¯t apologize to me; apologize to my wives and my party members. I was only acting to protect them."


    "You..." Randall mumbled under his breath before heplied. "I apologize to all of you. I was out of line."


    "Good, now begone!" shouted Jack. "My wives shouldn¡¯t have to bear seeing you."


    "Randall, hurry back, now!" yelled the king.


    Without a word, Randall tried to stare holes into Jack¡¯s eyes before he followed his father¡¯s orders.


    Turning to Argyle, the king bowed his head slightly. "Argyle, I apologize on behalf of my son. He is too foolish to attack a member of your guild, especially during such a time as now. Please, I ask that we, the Maltor Kingdom, be allowed to participate in this year¡¯s annual auction."


    With a nod, Argyle replied, "The entrance fee will be doubled and the crown prince will be banned from the Fat Goose Auction House, but you¡¯ll be permitted entry."


    "That you for kindness. We¡¯ll dly pay." Next the king turned to Jack again bowed his head slightly. "I really do hope that you harbor no ill-will toward Maltor. I know it¡¯s not enough, but please ept this as my apology."


    As the king of Maltor held out his hand, a zing sword appeared. It was simr to the one Prince Randall had used but it was lv. 40, not lv. 30.


    "Thank you, your highness. I humbly ept your apology and remember your generous gift." Jack bowed deeply and took hold of the sword.


    "Good, I look forward to you and your party visiting us in Scorch City. Until then, I have important matters to take care of."


    Just like that, the king of Maltor left with the other noble figures.


    "Jack!"


    Suddenly, Jack felt his arm being grabbed. He saw Ke in tears, smiling in between her sniffles. "Jack... Now they know..."


    "Rx, they just know that you¡¯re currently in my party and that¡¯s it." He patted her head. "Just calm down, remember, I said you would be fine if you traveled with me."


    Someone then grabbed Jack¡¯s other hand, interlocking their fingers with his.


    "Jack, thank you."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it, Daliea. You¡¯re in my party, so how could I let someone just take you away like that?"


    "Still..." Catching Jack off, Daliea leaned in close and kissed his cheek. "Thank you."


    Jack chuckled as a tinge of red appeared on his cheeks.


    "No fair!" All of a sudden Jack¡¯s other cheek was met with the same sign of gratitude. Ke grunted, "I was going to do that too..."


    Eliza looked at them, feeling a bit jealous but totally fine with the situation. How could she get mad at them if she would be doing the exact same thing?


    "Let¡¯s head back to the inn and get some lunch, okay?"


    "Okay, lead the way, Jack!" shouted Ke, who refused to release Jack¡¯s arm. She wanted to take advantage of the opportunity for as long as she could.


    That was the day that Jack became regarded as adies man. Rumors, like always, spiraled out of control. In the public eye, Jack had gained two new identities. Everyone would either regard him as a knight in shining armor or as a womanizer who wasn¡¯t satisfied with only one or two women.


    Even though it was far from the truth, Jack¡¯s reputation as a womanizer was sealed in stone that day.

 Chapter 211 Surprise Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 211 Surprise Visitor</h4>


    The rumors of Jack spread quickly, especially since he had been in the spotlight before.


    There were three days left before the auction now and the streets were only getting more crowded. Jack¡¯s party gave up trying to search the marketce by then.


    With the auction just around the corner, they would already do what they could to get the best items and it was no longer worth their time in the crowded market for the decent things they had. Besides, anything that would catch their eye after everything Jack had done could only be found at auctions, in dungeons, or in tombs.


    At breakfast, the party was gathered in a private booth and enjoying Rayard¡¯s magnificent cooking.


    "Knock, knock, knock."


    Marisha¡¯s voice then followed. "There are some people here to visit Jack. Would you like to let them in or would you prefer another booth?"


    They were puzzled. Who was important enough for Marisha to escort personally and suggest getting a separate booth?


    Jack got up and opened the door, only to be shocked and terrified of the man on the other side.


    "He says he¡¯s from Adventurers Association council and that you¡¯d probably prefer a separate booth," mentioned Marisha, seeing that Jack really did recognize him.


    "Yeah... we¡¯ll take a separate booth." Turning to the others, Jack added, "I¡¯ll be having breakfast with an acquaintance from the association. I¡¯ll be back soon."


    Having said that, Jack exited the private booth and followed Marisha and the man to another end of the restaurant.


    "Here we are, and don¡¯t worry about the cost since your with the association¡¯s council."


    "Thank you. I¡¯m d to see that Zariff found himself such a good wife,"ughed the man, taking initiative to enter first and sit furthest from the door.


    Jack chuckled as well and asked for two special breakfasts for the two of them before he closed the door behind him.


    "So, what brings the Founder of the Adventurers Association all the way here to see me, a low-level summoned hero?" asked Jack sarcastically. "I¡¯m guessing it wasn¡¯t because I broke any association rules."


    "Correct. Your conduct has been totally fine in the eyes of the association," replied the man. "I¡¯m here not as the founder, but just as Lorwynn."


    "Okay... Then why do you care about me?"


    "Can I just say that your new method of hiding your level and information is impable. Not even I can read you this time, and that¡¯s quite a feat," joked Lorwynn, making Jack go wide-eyed.


    "Do you know who I actually am?" asked Lorwynn, catching Jack off guard.


    Saying nothing, Jack was looking at his ring red alert which reminded him that he was with a fellow champion.


    "Do you know, yes or no?" repeated Lorwynn, still smiling warmly.


    It was clear to Jack that Lorwynn was already aware of Jack being a champion, so he didn¡¯t have a reason to lie.


    "You¡¯re another champion, right?"


    Lorwynn sighed, "So you do know... Is that why you agreed to Argyle¡¯s forceful marriage?"


    Seeing Jack¡¯s strange look, Lorwyn continued, "What? It¡¯s not too hard to figure out for a man like me."


    "Since you know I¡¯m a champion, what are you going to do now?" asked Jack, showing his best poker face to hide his beating heart.


    A knock then came from the door. "Food¡¯s here!"


    Jack got up and took the food, closing the door and reactivating the silence barrier before he set down their meals. He didn¡¯t touch anything yet, but Lorwynn calmly started eating.


    "Why are you so tense? Just rx already, at least enjoy your breakfast," said Lorwynn in between bites.


    However, Jack didn¡¯t even grab his fork.


    "Fine, I guess we¡¯ll talk first and eat second. But don¡¯t me me if I order another meal after this one gets cold." Lorwynn pushed the te to the side and met Jack¡¯s hesitating gaze with a small smile. "Seriously, just calm down. I¡¯m not going to do anything to you."


    "Really?"


    "At least, not right now," added Lorwynn. "For now, you don¡¯t pose a threat to me so I figured I¡¯d investigate a little and maybe enjoy a chat with a fellow champion. I haven¡¯t been able to talk with about this stuff in ages."


    "... Okay, I¡¯ll bite. So, what did you want to talk about?" asked Jack.


    "Oh, lighten up! Let¡¯s introduce ourselves. I¡¯ll go first." Lorwynn stood up and elegantly bowed with one arm in front of him and one arm behind. "I¡¯m Lorwyn, a former soldier turned champion by Halmut himself. Thanks to Halmut¡¯s blessing, I¡¯ve been alive for the past five hundred years, though no one else knows that."


    Lorwynn looked up and saw that Jack was still struggling to rx. "Oh,e on, I¡¯m really not going to do anything. Unless you won¡¯t even chat with me, then maybe I¡¯ll get mad."


    With a cough to clear his nerves, Jack stood up and politely bowed. "I¡¯m Jack, a summoned herp turned champion by Daruun. As for everything else, you should already know that."


    "Wrong," replied Lorwynn. "Summoned heroese from Ancient Kartonia, so that must mean that you did to. And since it was Daruun that chose you, you must have been extraordinary among those ancient heroes."


    Reading the situation, Jack sighed, "You¡¯re right, I was originally here during Ancient Kartonia. But I was lucky to get chosen. It¡¯s definitely not what I had nned."


    "Jack, who are you really?" asked Lorwynn bluntly, with a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile.


    "... You¡¯re really not going to attack me?"


    "Nope. Not any time soon."


    "Can I ask why?"


    "Nope," replied Lorwynn. "Let¡¯s just say that depending on who you really are will determine if I let you roam free or if I keep you on a leash in the association. This is a very important decision for me, so I need the truth."


    "Oh, and don¡¯t lie. Even if I can¡¯t see your information anymore, I can at least tell if you¡¯re lying to me," added Lorwynn. "Just consider it the strong bullying the weak and you¡¯ve got no choice but to try and be on my good side. So, who are you, Jack?"


    "... I¡¯m Jack J."


    "Seriously?!"


    This time, it was Lorwynn that went wide-eyed. But his face didn¡¯t show signs of terror. He looked starstruck and amazed to have Jack in front of him.


    "You¡¯re really the Legend of Trodar?! That¡¯s amazing! It¡¯s no wonder that old man from the Leisure Guild showed up at your wedding,"ughed Lorwynn, but he suddenly became dead-serious. "So, does that mean you¡¯re heading off to Trodar and rebuild the Leisure Guild?"


    "What does that matter to you?"


    "Just as I said, I can either keep you on a leash or I can let you roam free."


    Jack squinted at Lorwynn, making his displeasure tantly known. "... Yes. I¡¯m trying to grind up as fast as possible and n to revive the Leisure Guild. What will you do about that?"


    "Good..."


    Lorwynn closed his eyes and stroked his beard in thought. He did this for a solid five minutes, letting the time slowly pass for Jack as if the time were slowly steamrolling him to death.


    "Okay."


    "... Okay, what?" asked Jack, still confused by Lorwynn¡¯s strange behavior.


    "Okay," repeated the old man.


    "What are you okay with? At least give me something," stated Jack, not hiding his annoyance.


    "For now, I¡¯ll let you do whatever you want to do." Lorwyn then pulled his te back over and was happy to see that it was still warm. "Good, this makes things easier."


    "Can you at least tell me why? How can I expect you to just let me off? I thought we were enemies?" Anxious, Jack shot off one question after the other.


    For a brief moment, Lorwynn showed a serious face and stopped eating. He mumbled, "The enemy of my enemy is a friend..."


    After that, Lorwynn said nothing as he cleaned the te.


    "Thank you for the meal, and it was an honor to meet the Legend of Trodar. To think Daruun actually pulled off getting such a powerful ally... Well, I¡¯m off. I¡¯ve got some things to take care of, so good luck with Trodar and the Leisure Guild! Hopefully, I¡¯ll see you next time youe visit Federal City."


    And just like that, Lorwynn left.


    Jack was still hesitant to touch his food. He had been found out by a champion that was undoubtedly the strongest person he¡¯d met thus far, yet here was, still alive.


    Nothing made sense to him, but Jack was certain that Lorwynn was up to something.


    No matter how Jack put things together, it made no sense for Lorwynn to leave him alive, let alone let him roam and recreate the Leisure Guild. By all logic, Lorwynn shouldn¡¯t let Jack live, yet he was permitted to do as he pleased.


    With no way to defend himself, Jack became even more determined to level up. And since the auction was so close, Jack decided that he would take whatever he wanted.


    Even if he angered a few royal families, none of them would be as threatening as Lorwynn. Jack¡¯s only way out was to get stronger and watch his back.

 Chapter 212 Gathering for the Auction

    <h4>Chapter 212 Gathering for the Auction</h4>


    Jack was perplexed by Lorwynn¡¯s sudden visit and struggled to rx for the next couple of days.


    He spent the time trying to decide what his biggest priority of items would be. With that, he would be ready to enter the auction and wouldn¡¯t hesitate to buy something he might regret not bidding on.


    In no time, the date of the auction arrived.


    Early that morning, Jack and his party left the Heavenly Pce Inn. Wearing dark cloaks, they hid their identities while Jack used his cloak to look like a wise, middle-aged man.


    Together, they entered the Fat Goose Auction House, but it took them a while to get through the crowd. They had decided to use a side entrance with Eliza as the guide to avoid the many prying eyes. Unlike everyone else, they were avoiding the spotlight.


    Once inside, Eliza took them all immediately to the third floor. With Jack¡¯s own private room, everyone was able to cozily sit and watch the auction.


    Zariff and Marisha wanted to join them but Jack refused.


    Since they weren¡¯t traveling with him, he wouldn¡¯t dare reveal any unnecessary secrets that he had no control over. At least with everyone else, they already had an idea of his end goals and knew his true identity. For them, keeping secrets about a few items he bought at auctions was nothing.


    Now that Eliza was Jack¡¯s wife, she no longer hosted and decided to stay with Jack and them.


    Argyle himself even came up to join the party in Jack¡¯s room. After what happened at thest auction, he wanted front row seats to the show. He was sure that Jack was about to steal items away from plenty of dignitaries.


    And most importantly, Argyle wanted to know which strange items Jack might buy. Surely there were going to be items determined as having lesser value, yet Jack tended to bid on such items. Argyle wanted to know why.


    "Everyone, I¡¯m d you¡¯re enjoying the upgrades I¡¯ve made to the room," stated Argyle. "Now, the wall¡¯s voice projection spell has an added voice changer. That way no one will recognize Jack after he swindles everyone."


    "Ha, ha, very funny," joked Jack. "I believe the biggest fool to get swindledst time was you, right?"


    "Yup, that¡¯s why I showed you all of the items that the Fat Goose was going to put up. Now, it¡¯ll be the turn of the other two auction houses to get robbed!"ughed Argyle. "Remember, this auction willst for three days. Each day, the value of the items will go up. This is the one auction where we sell our greatest of treasures, so make sure to get everything you can, Jack."


    "You just want to see how many people I piss off, don¡¯t you?"


    "And what¡¯s wrong with that? We only get to gather like this once a year, so why not enjoy it to the fullest while supporting my son-inw?"


    Lina was leaning up against the wall, in awe of how she could see the audience and the stage below. "Big Brother, how can I see them? Can they see me too?"


    "No, they can¡¯t see or hear us right now, Lina. It¡¯s a special magic that lets us look outside but doesn¡¯t let them look inside. And only one person can use the voice projection at once. That¡¯s why I¡¯m holding this because I¡¯m the only one allowed to right now."


    In Jack¡¯s hand was a small, polished brass bar with a cushy handle. The top of the brass bar had a gem embedded into it, and the gem was the same color as the crystal-like wall they were looking through.


    "Oh, can I try!" asked Lina.


    Shaking his head, Jack put the bar away. "Sorry Lina, but I¡¯m the only one who can use it during the auction. But I¡¯ll make sure to get you something good, how about that!"


    "Yay! Thanks, Big Brother!"


    Enjoying the sight, everyone chuckled. The mood was very light in the room. Even though they knew Jack was likely going to go after the most valuable items, none doubted his ability to get them. So while some nobles or royals were nervous or anxious, everyone in Jack¡¯s room was smiling and waiting to enjoy the show.


    Jack wasn¡¯t nervous, but he was pensive. He was determined to take whatever he wanted, but he also had to keep in mind not to go too far overboard without a good reason. But he also knew that if the entire third day they only sold legend-tier items, then Jack would take them all.


    Obviously, it was likely that there wouldn¡¯t be that many legend-tier items up for grabs, but Jack would be willing to get anything so long as it was really worth offending someone to get it.


    They watched the crowd pile in.


    This time, the entire first floor wasn¡¯t filled withmoners, but with nobles. Since so many royal families hade and the strongest of organizations as well, only the most powerful of noble families could get a spot on the second floor.


    Everyone was excited and ready to get the first day started.


    The auction would be broken up into three days based on the level of the items. During the first day, all items from lv. 45 and below would be sold. After that, all lv. 50 and lv. 55 items would be sold on the second day. And finally, the third day would be all lv. 60 and higher.


    If there were special items without level, like Sterfen¡¯s Cloak, the day it was sold would be based on the estimated value. All special items estimated to be equal to a lv. 50 item was sold on day two, and items estimated as equal to anything over lv. 60 would be sold on the third day. Not many special items would be sold on day one, usually.


    "So, Jack, which item from the Fat Goose interests you the most?" asked Argyle.


    Jackughed, "If I told you, you wouldn¡¯t believe me."


    "Really?"


    Everyone looked to Jack, happy that he was finally hinting at something he would want.


    "Can you at least tell me which day it¡¯ll be sold?"


    "I¡¯ll make sure to buy it tomorrow. And if I guess correctly, I¡¯m going to make you a fool yet again."


    Before, Jack had always refused to give his opinion about the items because he didn¡¯t want his father-inw to spread the word and force the price to jump. But now that the auction had started, it was toote.


    As everyone at the auction was very powerful, staying up for three days straight wasn¡¯t an issue. For that reason, though the auctionsted three days, it was all one continuous auction.


    And since Argyle had already agreed to stay in the room, that meant he wouldn¡¯t be leaving until the auction was over. Such were the rules of the annual auction.


    Argyle sighed and showed a self-mocking smile. "Well, if that¡¯s true then I can only hope the other two auction houses will be even bigger fools."


    "And they will be,"ughed Jack. "At least, I know the Golden Haven Auction House will be. If they really put up the items you mentioned, they have the item I want most of all. And guess which day it¡¯ll be sold on?"


    Feeling a bit better, Argyle guessed, "The third day? Or the Second?"


    Jack shook his head. "Today."


    "Really?" With sparkling eyes, Argyleughed heartily, "Perfect! If only I could tell it to Kaldor¡¯s face, that would make it even better."


    "Of course, that¡¯s just the one I want most from items that aren¡¯t a surprise. You never bothered showing me those items, so I can¡¯t be too sure."


    "If I was allowed to, I would¡¯ve shown you everything. But it would go against the contract we three auction houses have," stated Argyle. "Those surprise items will be sold at thest half of the auction and act as a finale of sorts. I¡¯m not allowed to tell anyone, not even the other auction houses."


    "Then I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find a few interesting things at the end." Scratching his head, Jack imagined himself holding even more legend-tier items. "Who knows, if all of the items are really that tempting, then I may just have to take them all."


    "If that¡¯s the case, I¡¯m d we have front row seats," Maynardughed, excited to see Jack beat out all the royals and nobles.


    Rydel added, "If you find any special bows, I¡¯d love to get my hands on them."


    "I¡¯ve got plenty of bows up till you¡¯re lv. 55. Once you¡¯re lv. 60, then we¡¯ll start looking for more weapons," stated Jack. "Besides, if we can find the materials, then we can get a weapon crafted specifically to get blessed. That would be best by then."


    "But till then, let¡¯s focus on our current goal and get ready for Trodar."


    Finally, the stage curtains opened and a beautiful woman walked out. "Everyone, are you ready to kick off this year¡¯s annual auction?"

 Chapter 213 Testing the Waters

    <h4>Chapter 213 Testing the Waters</h4>


    "Everyone, are you ready to kick off this year¡¯s annual auction?"


    A wave of apuse and cheers filled the room. The crowd on the first floor shouted, trying to get them to hurry the auction along and get started.


    "Since you¡¯re all so excited, we¡¯ll now officially start the annual auction!" yelled the beautiful woman. "It¡¯s day one, so remember that everything under lv. 50 will be sold today. If you¡¯re only interested in things more valuable than that, you¡¯ll only need to wait one more day, so please be patient."


    "Now, our first item!" She stepped aside and let a group of men push out a trolly.


    Atop the trolly was a sword. It didn¡¯t look very extravagant, but its aura was fiery and fierce. The crowd saw it and instantly understood what it was.


    "This sword may only be lv. 25, but it is still a holy weapon that would be perfect for those young masters in search of a weapon to help them stand out from the crowd," shouted the woman, making sure to grab the interest of the young nobles and royals. "This item will start at eight thousand gold, so who wants to make the first bid of the day?"


    "Eight thousand gold!"


    "Nine thousand gold!"


    "Ten thousand gold!"


    In less than a second, the first three bids were made and the auction was already heating up.


    Argyle nce at Jack, noticing how calm and unaffected he was. With a snicker, he thought to himself, ¡¯I guess he really is above lv. 30 now. To think he got everyone over lv. 30 so quickly... How did he do it?¡¯


    While Argyle passed the time imagining how strong Jack was and the capabilities of the former-ancient hero, the first item was sold off for a total of neen thousand gold.


    To help the auction houses spread out their time and reach three days, there was always at least a fifteen-minute wait between items. Sometimes, it was an hour¡¯s wait, depending on the item.


    This was because they would exchange the goods immediately after each purchase. If they had to exchange three days¡¯ worth of items at once, the royals and nobles wouldn¡¯t want to wait so long in a line. It was best for everyone doing things this way, and since it was only once a year, the royals and nobles didn¡¯t mind the slower-paced auction.


    Soon, the next lv. 25 holy item arrived on the stage. It was a shield blessed by Torian, the Lightning God. It had a passive paralyzing effect that would slow any enemy that came in contact with the shield.


    Again, it started at eight thousand and sold for around twenty thousand gold. This was a trend for all the following lv. 25 holy items as well.


    Eventually, they finished the lv. 25 items and brought out their first lv. 30 item.


    The staff was also a holy item, and greatly boosted a mage¡¯s mana supply. Everyone¡¯s eyes were getting greedier with every item that reached the stage.


    "This staff has been blessed and allows the spell caster to greatly increase their mana supply. It¡¯spatible with all types of mages, so it will start at twelve thousand gold!" yelled the auctioneer.


    "Twelve thousand gold!"


    "Thirteen thousand gold!"


    "Fifteen thousand gold!"


    Bids came from everyone, quickly raising the price to more than twenty thousand gold. But still, Jack didn¡¯t react to the item, surprising Argyle.


    Argyle wondered if Jack might have already passed lv. 35 as well. It sounded impossible, but Jack had already down what he thought was impossible, so Argyle assumed it Jack might have pulled it off.


    "Twenty-four thousand gold!"


    The buds were finally slowed down, giving the auctioneer time to speak. "Twenty-four thousand gold going once! Going twice--"


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    A shout came from Jack¡¯s private room, startling some people. For those that frequented the Fat Goose, they knew that thest time that room was upied was when a mysterious young man had arrived and stolen the show and most of the best goods. Though the voice sounded different, some wondered if that was the same wealthy young man. Because it if was, then even the royals would have some stiffpetition for the best items.


    "Twenty-five thousand gold going once! Going--


    "Twenty-six thousand gold!" shouted the same man who almost won the bet. But he was startled when that voice bid him up again without any wait.


    "Twenty-eight thousand gold!"


    "Twenty-eight thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Since Jack had jumped two thousand gold in an instant, the other bidder knew that Jack was willing to spend more than him, who was at his limit already.


    Ten minutes passed until a knock was heard at Jack¡¯s door. Jack then stood up and walked not to the door, but to the side of the door. He nned to use another of Argyle¡¯stest features of the room.


    There, Jack found a small door in the wall and ce a ring inside before he closed the small door and knocked.


    After another few seconds, Jack heard a knock from the other side. He opened the small door again and found the same ring inside.


    Jack quickly inspected the ring and smiled. Then, he went back to his seat and sat between his two wives. Holding out the ring, Jack stated, "Eliza, this is for you, but I still need the ring to keep bidding."


    With eyes aglow, Eliza retrieved the staff from the ring and showed it to everyone. She then jumped at Jack, wrapping her arms around him. "Thanks, Jack! I¡¯ll treasure it."


    "Just make sure you use it to take care of the party," replied Jack. "And please stop whining about me not treating you like a wife."


    "That¡¯s easy, of course I¡¯ll take good care of the party with such a great weapon. As for being treated like a wife, the least you could do is kiss me. Then maybe I¡¯ll stopining, for now..."


    "Shhh, the auction is starting again," interrupted Jack, who kept Eliza from getting touchy in front of everyone.


    Everyone in the room got a chuckle from the newlyweds, not sure what to think of them.


    Back on stage, the auctioneer had the next iteme out, another lv. 30 holy weapon. This time it was a pair of iron gauntlets.


    Jack didn¡¯t bid on this item, which saddened some of the crowd members. They were hoping that the same wealthy youth was back. His style of bidding a moment ago was very simr to the first time, so it got their hopes up.


    Another holy item came and went after that one as well, but still, there was no bid from Jack. The next item, however, grabbed everyone¡¯s attention.


    The beautiful woman exined, "This holy amulet is also lv. 30 and greatly boosts holy type magic¡¯s effects. If you¡¯re a cleric and you want to be more effective as a party member, then you¡¯ll want this item, which starts at thirteen thousand gold!"


    "Thirteen thousand--"


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    That sudden shout from the third floor startled everyone, including the auctioneer. The first bid hadn¡¯t even been finished and someone instance raised the price by twelve thousand gold. They were making a statement that they clearly wanted that amulet.


    "Twenty-five thousand going once! Going twice--"


    "Twenty-six thousand gold!"


    "Twenty-eight thousand gold!"


    Even when someone threatened to steal the item, Jack continued to raise the price without pause. He wanted everyone to know that if he was after an item, that he would get it.


    "Twenty-eight thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    The crowd was riled up, trying to figure out who that was on the third floor. Pretty soon, the rumor spread about the mysterious young man from a few months ago using that same room. Everyone started to wonder if the same aggressive, wealthy young man had returned to steal the show once again.


    The royals all stared at Jack¡¯s room. They weren¡¯t too happy about the addedpetition and wanted nothing more than to know who was inside.


    On the second floor, the man who had been outbid for the amulet frowned. He red at Jack¡¯s room.


    It was the Pon Family Head. Even though he could use lv. 35 items, a lv. 30 holy amulet would¡¯ve still been perfect for him since he could wear it while still using a lv. 35 staff. But someone beat him and showed no mercy in doing so.


    Inside Jack¡¯s room, another exchange had been made and Ke, the escaped heir of the Pon Family, was gifted the same amulet that her father had lost.


    She thanked Jack but refused to take it unless Jack helped her put it on.


    After a few moments of bickering, Jack ced it around Ke¡¯s neck and returned to his seat. "Everyone, one of my goals is for us each to have at least one holy item. We¡¯ll need all the strength we can get, and buying holy items are a great solution until we can craft our own."


    All the party members smiled, excited to know part of Jack¡¯s betting strategy and to get their own holy items. For the party members, unlike most royals, the first day was the most exciting.

 Chapter 214 Jacks Most Anticipated Item

    <h4>Chapter 214 Jack¡°s Most Anticipated Item</h4>


    Next on stage was a lv. 30 holy sword and all eyes were on it.


    "This falchion is blessed by the Molten God, giving it the ability to heat up and slice through anything it touches. This sword will also be starting at thirteen thousand gold."


    "Thirteen thousand gold!"


    "Twenty-five thousand gold!"


    The whole crowd looked back to Jack¡¯s room, feeling more certain that the same proud youth hade again to run away with everything.


    Maura was eyeing that sword and was waiting to see if anyone dared to challenge Jack.


    "Twenty-five thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    While everyone got ready for the next item, a person came and delivered the sword to Jack¡¯s room. Then, Jack simply put it away without showing it or giving it away.


    Maura frowned sadly and stared at the unfazed Jack. "Jack... can I--"


    "That sword is too low leveled for you. Since you¡¯re about to reach lv. 35, it¡¯s best to get you lv. 35 weapons. Just be patient," stated Jack, catching Maura off guard and putting a smile on her face.


    Two more lv. 30 holy weapons but Jack made no bids on either of them. The crowd felt a bit restless as if they were expecting Jack to take them away likest time.


    What was brought out next, surprised most of the crowd.


    "Roar!"


    In a steel cage, arge lion stood in front of everyone. "This is a Twintailed Lion, a lv. 30 beast with a fourth-level bloodline. It can be yours starting at thirteen thousand gold!"


    "Thirteen thousand gold!"


    "Fifteen thousand gold!"


    The crowd went crazy for it, trying their best to get their hands on the beast.


    Jack stared nkly at the beast. Its bloodline was as strong as a few of theirpanion beasts, but it wouldn¡¯t be any better than them.


    The kind of beast Jack wanted was a giant beast to carry the party. Though the Wind Roc with a sixth-level bloodline might get that big eventually, it would take a long time. And there were some beasts used specifically for party travel, which was perfect for them.


    Selling for twenty-six thousand gold, the lion roared onest time before it was taken away.


    Next up was a Giant Badger. They were typically used for digging, construction, or demolition, but could also work well with earth type mages to help control opponents and defend.


    Like before, Jack and his party were uninterested in the badger and let it go by without any bids.


    A few more fourth-level beasts came and went, eagerly getting bought up by those on the first floor.


    "Next, we have a special lv. 30 item. It¡¯s a rare secure storage ring. With it you¡¯ll be able to safely store your things without anyone else being able to inspect it without your permission or before your death," exined the auctioneer. "We have yet to unlock it, so it¡¯s contents are still unknown. Keep that in mind as you start the bid with sixteen thousand gold!"


    "Six--"


    "Thirty thousand gold!"


    All eyes looked to Jack¡¯s room with dumbfounded expressions. Raising the price was one thing, but almost doubling it for the first bid, again? They all felt certain that the same reckless, wealthy young man was back and would fight to get his hands on everything.


    The biggest question in the minds of the crowd was how much money and wealth did Jack bring this time?


    "Thirty-one thousand gold!"


    Another voice came from the third floor. It was aged and experienced, most likely from one of the many kings that hade out.


    "Thirty-two thousand gold!" shouted another man on the third floor.


    A third king yelled, "Thirty-three--"


    "Forty thousand gold!"


    Jack did it again, causing even the kings to question how much wealth the rumored young man had, and who was he with to have so much money.


    "Forty thousand gold going once! Going--"


    "Forty-one--"


    "Forty-five thousand gold!"


    Without hesitation or mercy, Jack controlled the bid and demanded his prize.


    "Forty-five thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    While the royals all felt uneasy with a surprise bidder throwing money so wantonly, the crowd get more excited every time they heard Jack¡¯s altered voice. Thanks to Jack, the annual auction was going to get very interesting.


    Inside Jack¡¯s room, everyone was acting normal except for Argyle.


    He knew the background information on that very ring and was the one who informed Jack about it prior to the auction. Argyle realized that this was the item Jack was going to practically steal away from the Golden Haven Auction House.


    "Jack, is that it?"


    "Yup, that¡¯s it."


    "But why?!" questioned Argyle. "Sure, it¡¯s a secure storage ring but there¡¯s also a lv. 50 secure storage ring for sale on day three. Wouldn¡¯t that ring have better goods than a lv. 30 one?"


    "Who said I was after what was inside?"ughed Jack.


    He kept Argyle in suspense, not fully exining himself until the ring finally arrived. After the exchange, Argyle kept asking, "So, what¡¯s inside? What¡¯s so great about that item?"


    Jack was smiling, opening his achievement list and staring at histest achievement.


    Then, he suddenly frowned. "Argyle, have you heard of a ce called the Earthen Keep?"


    Argyle blinked and stroked his beard. "No, I haven¡¯t. Why do you ask all of a sudden?"


    "Greeeeaaat..." sighed Jack, shaking his head. He reread the achievement, sulking in his bad luck.


    [Find StarryTrex¡¯s Hidden Tomb: in progress]


    [Find StarryTrex¡¯s hidden tomb deep inside the Earthen Keep. Reward: 86 skill points, ess to his saved data.]


    Jack vividly remembered who StarryTrex was, yet another guild leader like Ponlinne. But he also remembered Earthen Keep.


    If Argyle hadn¡¯t heard about it, that meant it was a sealed ancient dungeon. And to be honest, Jack was d that it was sealed.


    It was a grind dungeon for lv. 80¡¯s, an ancient keep built inside of an underground dungeon. Though the thought of getting more guild goodies was tempting, it wasn¡¯t even close to convincing Jack to storm Earthen Keep at his current level.


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?" asked Rydel. "Didn¡¯t you say that the ring was what you wanted most? Well, now you have it but you¡¯re upset. Do you mind exining why?"


    "The ring was a memento of a powerful ancient hero, so I thought I¡¯d be able to find his hidden tomb. Sadly, we won¡¯t be going near his tomb for a loooong time..." sighed Jack.


    "Seriously? How do you know it belonged to an ancient hero?" asked Argyle, realizing that Earthen Keep should be the tomb is supposedly hidden. "And you know what the Earthen Keep is, right?"


    "I know it¡¯s a hero¡¯s item because of my subss, that¡¯s all I can say," stated Jack. "As for the Earthen Keep, I know what it once was during Ancient Kartonia. But if you haven¡¯t heard of it, then it should be a sealed ancient dungeon by now."


    "Really?! Then we¡¯ll have to go there, I¡¯ll join you even!"


    Argyle¡¯s favorite part about being the owner of the Fat Goose was chasing down hidden treasures and dungeons. So the moment he heard that the Earthen Keep was still sealed, he was eager to take all of its treasures before anyone else.


    "Not happening." Jack shook his head and noticed another lv. 30 holy item on stage, but it wasn¡¯t what he wanted either.


    "Why not? With me, you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ve yet to meet an ancient dungeon I can¡¯t conquer," boasted Argyle. "And since we¡¯d be the first ones, imagine all of the goods we could find."


    Jack nced at Argyle and raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to enter a lv. 80 grind dungeon?"


    "Huh..."


    "That¡¯s what the Earthen Keep is. It was one of the few dungeons used to help ancient heroes go from lv. 80 to lv. 85. So unless you¡¯re willing to die, I¡¯d rmend you not ask about Earthen Keep until your at least lv. 80."


    "..."


    Argyle had nothing to say. His sudden excitement was destroyed and he now understood why Jack went from extremely happy to the frustrated. To know of such a great ce yet to have no ability to even enter it was very disheartening.


    The auction continued and they eventually started selling lv. 35 holy items.


    "This bow is a lv. 35 holy weapon crafted by the elves of the Korten Kingdom. All arrows fired from the bow will beunched with a burst of wind to increase the bow¡¯s range and strength," exined the auctioneer. "This will start at twenty-three thousand gold, so who will--"


    "Forty-five thousand gold!"


    Again, Jack startled everyone and took anything he wanted, regardless of what others thought or did.


    "Forty--"


    "Fifty thousand gold!"


    "... Fifty thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    There were many kings who red at Jack¡¯s booth. Most of the royals had spoken or messaged each other to try and figure out who was inside that booth, yet no one was able to figure it out.


    To the royals, the person was a ghost. They had no information on him and they had no way to find information on him.

 Chapter 215 Flexing on Kings

    <h4>Chapter 215 Flexing on Kings</h4>


    Following the bow, a spear was brought out. "This holy weapon is blessed by Halmut. It can give off a holy glow to light your path or pierce through the toughest of armors. The bid will begin at twenty-three thousand gold!"


    "..."


    Everyone looked over to Jack¡¯s room, half expecting him to make an insane bid right out the gate. But the bid never came.


    "Twenty-three thousand gold!"


    "Twenty-four thousand gold!"


    Once everyone thought Jack wouldn¡¯t be bidding, they all continued as normal. It was soon sold for forty-six thousand gold and the next holy item was brought out.


    But again, the crowd was disappointed when Jack didn¡¯t make a bid.


    Inside his room, Jack was inspecting the secured storage ring. He already knew what items would be sold on the first and second days, so he didn¡¯t bother paying attention until something he wanted was up for grabs.


    Some people in the room enjoyed drinks while they chatted and others enjoyed watching the auction. They didn¡¯t bother Jack, who had his eyes closed and was in a meditative position.


    Jack checked the ring and was somewhat happy with his findings.


    There were a few swords and items, ranging from lv. 30 to lv. 40 and most of them were holy items. It proved how effective it was to be a cash yer from the start, making it easy to grind andter forget about the items you once held dear once you had surpassed them.


    Happier with those swords than what would be sold in the auction, Jack pulled the five different lv. 35 holy swords. This instantly caught everyone¡¯s attention, especially Argyle, Maynard, and Maura.


    "Maura, I¡¯ll let you pick one sword first and then Maynard will choose the second, you the third, and Maynard the fourth," exined Jack as heid the five swords on the table.


    Staring at the sudden appearance of holy swords, Maura eyed Jack and smiled wide.


    She grabbed a shortsword with felt as light as a feather. Though she wasn¡¯t able to put any mana into it due to her level, Maura could tell by the design that the sword was made to be extremely quick. "Thank you, Jack!"


    "You¡¯re wee."


    Maynard red at all of the swords and shook his head.


    "Jack, I¡¯m sorry but I¡¯d sooner use these lv. 30 katanas then use any of these. As a samurai, I only wield katana," exined Maynard.


    "Wow... You really will be perfect being pledged to Jin," sighed Jack. "I¡¯m not going to lie, I thought you might say that. I¡¯ll still get you katanas, but I thought I should at least offer them."


    "In that case, Maura, go ahead and choose two more. That way, you can have more options to choose from when up against varying opponents."


    "O-okay!"


    Without a second thought, Maura grabbed the second shortsword. It was totally different from the other one and felt extra heavy in her hands, but she did prefer shortswords to other styles of des.


    Plus, it gave her the thought of creating her own sword style. By using both an ultralight shortsword and an extra heavy shortsword, she would be able to alternate between lightning-fast strikes and heavy strikes with enough practice.


    For the third sword, she chose the one she felt blended best with her water type energy. It was a short saber, but it would allow her to add shing type attacks to her arsenal, though it would be much more obvious than the hidden light-heavy style she wanted to create.


    "Thank you, Jack!"


    Maura jumped for joy and clung to Jack in glee. She quickly pecked him on the cheek before he coughed and avoided showing much public affection.


    "Alright, then let¡¯s get back to the auction. The swords I would¡¯ve bought for you should be next," mentioned Jack, trying to calm Maura down.


    They all refocused and waited a few minutes for the next trolly to be brought on stage.


    Now everyone could see two sheathed shortswords, a nearly identical pair. They were very ornate, showing more intricacies than any of the swords that Jack just offered them.


    "These are from the Holy War and were used by heroes in battle to fight the demons of Skaryn," exined the auctioneer. "With them, the wielder will have strikes at the speed of light to maneuver around any defense. As they should be sold together, we¡¯ll start the bidding at forty thousand gold!"


    "Forty thousand gold!"


    "Forty-five thousand gold!"


    "Fifty thousand gold!"


    The bid rose steadily as all the royals argued over it. After almost everyone on the third floor had made a bid, the price finally stopped eighty-two thousand gold.


    "Eighty-two thousand gold going once! Going twice..."


    Staring at Jack¡¯s room, the auctioneer and the crowd waited for him to make a bid and run away with the spectacr item. However, Jack still made no bids.


    "Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Another half an hour passed before the next trolley carried in another set of swords, but their appearance was much simpler.


    "Though these katanas seem ordinary with their in ck handles, I can assure you that they are anything but ordinary," stated the beautiful woman on stage. "These ck katana are actually blessed by Choron, the Shinobi God who follows Skaryn."


    Looks of awe filled the crowd as they reevaluated the katanas in front of them.


    The auctioneer continued, "These katanas carry a shadowy, illusory aura, making it difficult for opponents to read your attacks. As a set, their starting price is fifty thousand gold!"


    "Fifty--"


    "One hundred thousand gold!"


    "..."


    Nowing out of silence, Jack stunned the crowd with his aggressive betting. Most royals all stared at that booth, wondering how a supposed young man could afford everything he was purchasing. It was only the first day, yet he had spent a massive fortune like it was nothing at all.


    "One hundred and five thousand gold!" a challenging bid was called out.


    Waiting a moment, the auctioneer yelled, "One hundred and five thousand going once! Going--"


    "Wait!" shouted Jack. "Would you consider a trade?"


    "That depends on what you¡¯re offering, but we definitely would ept a worth trade." The woman nodded, happy to finally get their first trade offer.


    During the auctions, traded goods were always best. Auction houses would always have money, but getting valuable goods as bets almost always paid off in the long run for any auction house.


    "I¡¯ll give you two lv. 45 peak-tier weapons, a spear and shield of the same set."


    Suddenly, Jack¡¯s wall disyed the items he mentioned, startling the crowd and showing off the fine design of the lv. 45 items.


    The woman looked into the audience to see three people, the head managers of the three auction houses, wondering if they would agree. But before she got her answer, another offer was made.


    "I¡¯ll also offer two peak-tier lv. 45 weapons and I¡¯ll throw in twenty thousand gold!"


    All three managers nodded, agreeing to the new offer.


    "We shall ept your offer as the current leading bid. Going once! Going twice--"


    "Or..." Jack yelled, stealing the spotlight again. "Or would you prefer a lv. 60 peak-tier weapon?"


    The woman instantly looked to see the three smiling managers. It was a clear winner and on obvious choice. "We shall graciously ept your offer. Going once! Going twice... S--"


    "WAIT!!" shouted the same person who previously countered Jack.


    Up on the third floor, that royal was furious. "I, the King of Fulken, would like to ask the gentlemen with the current high bid to withdraw his bid!"


    While everyone was baffled by the king¡¯s statement, he continued, "You are no king and you have yet to admit who you really are, so I can only assume that you have no background and were lucky to gain some items and gold. But I will dere you as a friend of Fulken and give you a title in my kingdom if you will rescind your offer. What do you say?"


    "..."


    Silence filled the room. All eyes were focused on Jack¡¯s room, which still showed a lv. 60 spear. Then, another image appeared on the screen beside the spear, and a third image as well. The entire crowd had their mouths agape.


    "I don¡¯te from a real background, huh?" mocked Jack. "In that case, exin how I can also afford to add both of the peak-tier lv. 45 items to the bid just because I¡¯m feeling generous?"


    "Sir, does that mean--"


    "Yes, my new bid is the peak-tier lv. 60 spear, along with the peak-tier lv. 45 two-piece set I showed earlier. I¡¯ll give you all three items for those two swords."


    "Sold!"


    There was no pause or countdown. The auctioneer immediately epted the offer, not daring to miss such a generous offer.


    While everyone belonging to the auction houses stared at Jack¡¯s room with awe and praise, the Fulken King was bright red and livid.


    Not only was hepletely rejected, but he was also walked all over and made aughing stock.


    The other kings and queens all looked at Jack¡¯s room differently now.


    They knew he wasn¡¯t to be underestimated or belittled. Otherwise, he might humiliate hispetitors, even if he spent far more than any of them would willingly give. Kings weren¡¯t supposed to have less wealth than non-royalty, yet this mysterious man proved he could out unt them all.

 Chapter 216 End of First Day

    <h4>Chapter 216 End of First Day</h4>


    It didn¡¯t take long for a knock to reach Jack¡¯s door, but this time a voice was heard too.


    "Thank you for your generous offer, Master. Would it be alright for us to meet our kind benefactor? We¡¯ll maintain the utmost secrecy, of course."


    The only thing that the people outside heard was the sound of a knock on the small door to the side. They quickly understood and made the exchange as usual.


    Both of the head managers from Golden Haven and Celestial Crane left with sad faces.


    They asked the manager from the Fat Goose to take lead them to the room, but he rejected them. He said that person was a friend of the owner, Argyle, and that he kept everythingpletely secret.


    Of course, the manger never mentioned that he also knew who he was, but that didn¡¯t matter.


    Now, both managers returned to the owners of their respective auction houses and informed them about their findings and their rejection.


    The owners were startled to hear that Argyle knew that person personally but wouldn¡¯t reveal anything, even to the fellow auction houses which were all known for their secrecy.


    Kaldor stormed off. He began his search for Argyle and more information on the mystery man. Determined to not let Argyle monopolize such an extravagant spender, Kaldor had his other men help him search for Argyle and contact him if they spotted him.


    Hurmot, the owner of the Celestial Crane,ughed to himself.


    Unlike Kaldor, Hurmot¡¯s rtionship with Argyle was much better as he had helped teach Argyle how to run an auction house, for a very high price of course. But this allowed him to know Argyle¡¯s way of handling things.


    After almost an hour passed, the auction finally restarted and Kaldor was dejected. He failed to find Argyle even when he extended the wait time.


    "Next, we¡¯ll start selling a few lv. 40 holy weapons." Unfazed by her boss¡¯s bad mood, the beautiful woman on stage got things rolling without a hitch.


    Four different lv. 40 holy items were sold, but Jack didn¡¯t so much as look at them.


    At the moment, he had no need for such items and he wouldn¡¯t for a while. Plus, he had a few already so it wasn¡¯t his biggest priority.


    And if Jack could find a way to craft his own, then he wouldn¡¯t need to bother buying any ever again. If anything, he might a sell a few if a need for more money ever came up after he revamped the Leisure Guild.


    The same thing happened when the lv. 45 items came out.


    That aggressive young man that had amazed everyone with his wealth and attitude never said a word after he won the katanas. But it didn¡¯t make sense to most people since those items were clearly more valuable and Jack could definitely afford them.


    Some of the royals were trying to figure Jack out as well. They assumed that he was probably around lv. 35 and possibly equipping a party, which sounded terrifying to face for anyone not over lv. 45.


    However, other than that, they were all left in the dark, eager to see what else Jack would purchase.


    "With that, we¡¯ll take the evening break and allow you all to take a quick rest or share a meal. We¡¯ll reconvene at daybreak. And thank you foring," announced the woman on stage as she disappeared behind the closing curtain.


    The doors to the main hall stayed closed, only letting those from the auction houses enter or leave.


    For that reason, most people started retrieving all sorts of things from their storages, mainly things like tables, chairs, and food.


    Jack¡¯s party was already finishing the final preparations of a great feast, which Marisha was cooking for them with the other women helping. Lina also lent a hand, trying her best to imitate Maura.


    "Hey Argyle, I have a question for you. Do you know any unaffiliated lv. 70 experts?"


    Jack¡¯s question startled not only Argyle but Rydel and Maynard who were nearby and joined the conversation early.


    Squinting his eyes, Argyle stared at Jack. "Why on earth are you looking for such an expert?"


    "Everything will make sense eventually, but for now I just need to find an unaffiliated lv. 70 expert," replied Jack, shrugging his shoulders.


    "Are you going to try and convince an unaffiliated lv. 70 to join you and the Leisure Guild? Do you realize how hard that is?"


    "I¡¯ve got an idea, but it needs to happen anyway. So, do you know any or not?"


    Ruffling his fingers through his hair, Argyle sighed. "To be honest, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m one of the younger lv. 70¡¯s and don¡¯t know most of the others."


    Just then, a knock was heard at the door.


    Jack got up and neared the door. This time, he tapped a small stone on the door frame, allowing the entire door to be see-through like the wall facing the stage.


    On the other side, there was an old man with a long gray bird. He was well-groomed and well-dressed, showing that he came from some kind of status.


    "Hurmot?" Argyle noticed the man and instantly recognized him.


    "Knock, knock, knock," Hurmot knocked again, patiently waiting outside the door.


    "You know him?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s the man who owns the Celestial Crane Auction House. I had paid him to be my mentor and I learned how to run this ce from him," admitted Argyle. "But I don¡¯t get why he woulde here personally, not after we already turned down his manager."


    Suddenly, a voice went off inside Argyle¡¯s head. "Argyle, are you going to let me in or not?"


    Argyle grabbed his purple contact crystal and looked at Jack. "What do you want to do? Should we let him in or not? He just contacted me, asking to open the door."


    Jackughed, surprised that Hurmot was able to deduce that Argyle was hiding in Jack¡¯s room. "Argyle, do you trust him?"


    "Of everyone in Federal City, I feel he¡¯s the most trustworthy and the man who knows the most secrets or people," answered Argyle, not holding back any praise.


    With a shrug of his shoulders, Jack unlocked the door and held it open.


    Hurmot smiled, dly walking in and letting the door lock behind him. "So you were hiding in here... Howe you never told me about such an amazing benefactor? Were you not willing to share?"


    Argyle opened his mouth, but Jack spoke up first. "It¡¯s because he promised not to rat out his son-inw."


    "Son-inw?!" Looking at the young man beside him, Hurmot easily recognized him as the young man whose wedding Hurmot recently attended. "Argyle... Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re just buying all of this and gifting them to the boy?"


    Breaking out inughter, Argyle held his stomach. It took him a moment to rpose himself.


    "Hurmot, trust me, I haven¡¯t lent him a single coin. In fact, I only met Jack after he robbed me of the cloak we sold a few months ago."


    "I was that mysterious buyer who offered a lv. 65 weapon for the cloak, which you happily epted," Jack chuckled as he corrected Argyle and stuck out his hand to Hurmot. "You¡¯re Hurmot, right? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet."


    "Likewise." Hurmot firmly shook Jack¡¯s hand and stared deeply into the young hero¡¯s eyes.


    "Know matter what you try, you won¡¯t be able to see through me this time, Hurmot. Sorry to disappoint you," Jack joked with the old man, understanding what he was trying to do. "But Argyle was right, I¡¯m the one who purchased everything and I arguably have more wealthy than him."


    "Those are boastful words for a--"


    A staff suddenly appeared in Jack¡¯s hand as Jack smiled. "Really? Then how could I possibly own this peak-tier lv. 70 cobra staff?"


    "That¡¯s..."


    Putting it away immediately, Jack continued, "Since we have some time to chat, I¡¯d love to ask you some questions that I think only you can answer. And then maybe I can exchange that staff and some of my own information in return. Something tells me that you might be interested."


    Hurmot shook his head, struggling to wrap his head around the situation.


    He had assumed that some unaffiliated lv. 70 had finallye out of hiding, but this was even more shocking.


    "Who are you really?" asked Hurmot.


    "That depends, are you willing to answer any questions I have? I¡¯m only asking for a fair exchange," reasoned Jack. "And if you believe that I have such valuable information, you can ask Argyle if I¡¯m lying or underestimating myself."


    Doing just that, Hurmot asked, "Argyle, who on earth is he?"


    "He may arguably be one of the most knowledgable people in all of Kartonia, if not the most knowledgable," stated Argyle. "And if you don¡¯t believe me, you can ask Tralon, who will personally vouch for Jack."


    Not hesitating, Hurmot took out his purple contact crystal and tested that.


    When Tralon answered and restated exactly what Argyle had said, Hurmot was at a loss for words. Turning to Jack, he nodded. "I agree. If both of them say so, then I have no reason to doubt you. I¡¯ll tell you anything."


    "Great!"

 Chapter 217 What Lina Wants, Lina Gets

    <h4>Chapter 217 What Lina Wants, Lina Gets</h4>


    "Thank you for waiting patiently. Now, it¡¯s finally time to start day two!" shouted the announcer, getting the crowd back on their feet.


    "We¡¯ll start off the second day with a special item. It¡¯s quite rare and they are hard to find nowadays. As a lv. 50 peak-tier item, we¡¯ll be selling this summoning amulet, starting at forty thousand gold!"


    "... Forty thousand gold!"


    Another moment passed till a rival bid arrived. "Forty-one thousand!¡¯


    "Forty-two thousand gold..."


    This item was definitely rare and peak-tier, but it wasn¡¯t the most popr item either. Summoning Amulets were known usually as a single-use summoning spell with someone or something that has bonded their blood with the amulet.


    Typically, it was better to carry a beastpanion in a bestial storage than to just have a single-use summoning spell. But this was also the only ce to sell such an item since it was lv. 50 after all.


    The beautiful announcer smiled half-heartedly as she started the countdown, "Forty-two thousand gold going once! Going twice..."


    "Forty-three thousand gold!"


    The sudden shout from Jack surprised the auctioneer and the former high bidder. But that bidder quickly backed off, not bothering to argue over such an item with someone as ruthless as Jack.


    "Forty-three thousand gold going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    While everyone was getting ready for the next item, Argyle red at Jack. "Is this what you meant by robbing my on the second day?"


    "Yup!"


    "Well... I wouldn¡¯t call losing such an item a robbery..."


    "If you knew what I nned to do with it, then you would,"ughed Jack. "Though I¡¯ll have to wait till I¡¯m lv. 50 to be able to use it or even bond it to me and the summon, it¡¯s a must-have item!"


    "If you say so." Argyle shrugged, unsure if he should even feel bad since it would¡¯ve sold low anyway.


    Jack was looking around the room, noticing everyone getting a good feel for their new weapons or items. That¡¯s when Jack saw that Daliea was silent and looking away from the group.


    Having an idea why, Jack walked over to her. "Let me guess, they all got something and you didn¡¯t, but you don¡¯t want to tell me?"


    Daliea shyly nodded and turned to face Jack.


    "I didn¡¯t buy you anything because I already had something in mind for you. What do you think?" asked Jack as he retrieved a choker from his storage and handed it to her.


    Inspecting it carefully, Daliea realized that it contained dark type energy. "What does this one do?"


    "It¡¯s a lv. 35 holy item that amplifies all dark type energy. So, all spells that use dark type energy, like that new peak-tier spell I gave you before, will be even stronger," exined Jack. "It¡¯s just like Eliza¡¯s amulet, but I think this dark choker is more fitting with your light grey skin than some shiny pendant."


    With a blush on her face, Daliea asked, "Can you help me with it?"


    "Fine," sighed Jack. He knew this would happen and was already expecting to put it on her.


    After he fastened it around her neck, the knock of the delivery man came. Jack smiled at Daliea and went to make the exchange as Daliea returned to the group and was weed by the other girls.


    Very soon, the auction was back underway.


    "Next, we¡¯ll bring out some more peak-tier lv. 50 weapons and items. After that, we¡¯ll have a couple of lv. 50 holy items up for grabs as well!" The announcer baited the audience, making sure they were anxious for the holy items on the way.


    "This one is a lv. 50 halberd. Its great reach and bnce offers overwhelming power and precision. It will also start at forty thousand gold."


    "Forty thousand gold!"


    "Forty-two thousand gold!"


    Back in action, the crowd went crazy.


    Based on who was bidding, Jack was able to understand why the three day system was in ce. The first day heavily targeted the crowd on the first floor and the second day was being taken over by the second floor bidders right from the start.


    That meant that the third day would turn into an all-out bidding war between the third floor. And the fact that most of the third day¡¯s items were unannounced only added to the drama and the possible price tag.


    Jack didn¡¯t bother bidding on the halberd, or the item after that, or the item after that. He just chatted with the others, mainly clearing some doubts after Jack¡¯s conversation with Hurmot.


    "Jack, are you really going there at lv. 30?" asked Argyle.


    With a nod, Jack replied, "Yes, if that¡¯s my best option, then I¡¯ll have to go there."


    "But you¡¯ll--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about me or your daughter. When I go there, it¡¯ll be alone."


    "What do you mean you¡¯ll be alone?!" shouted Eliza from across the room. "You expect me, your wife, to let you go to such a dangerous ce alone?! You¡¯ve already been kidnapped once, Jack, I won¡¯t let that happen without me again!"


    "Jack was kidnapped?!"


    "Calm down, Argyle." Jack held up his hands, trying to calm down the father and daughter. "Eliza, please, don¡¯t worry about me too much. I¡¯ll be fine."


    "Actually, I¡¯m also against this," added Maura, showing a determined re.


    "You too..." sighed Jack.


    "At least take us two with you, or we¡¯ll be forced to follow you in secret," stated Eliza, knowing how to get at Jack.


    "How about we discuss thister?"


    "No, we¡¯re discussing it now,"ined Eliza. "If you¡¯re going to Barren City in Sandros, then you¡¯ll at least have to take your wives."


    "..."


    Jack frowned. He nced around at the others but found no help.


    "Fine..." agreed Jack. "But everyone else should go to Iscantor and train near the Korten-Iscantor border. We¡¯ll meet up there after I¡¯m finished with everything in Barren City."


    "Yay! Thanks, Jack!" Eliza threw herself at Jack.


    She tried to kiss his cheek but he leaned back to try and avoid it. But to Jack¡¯s surprise, Maura attacked him from the other side. Caught in the middle, both women kissed his cheeks and left Jack turning red.


    "Alright, alright, that¡¯s enough." Jack held out his arms, breaking them up. "Then it¡¯s decided. After the auction, we¡¯ll split up. As for those going to Iscantor should not cause harm to any elves near the border, not unless it¡¯s a life-threatening situation. Got it?"


    "Sure thing, Jack!" shouted Maynard, lifting his ss of wine. "To Jack, and all the treasures he spoils us with!"


    Rydel followed along. "To all the adventures and EXP he gets us!"


    "Oh, knock it off you two!" shouted Jack. "Now you¡¯re just encouraging them to keep bullying me!"


    "So? Ya asked for that by letting so many women into the party. Since we can¡¯t beat them, why not join them!"ughed Maynard, downing his drink together with Rydel.


    Rubbing his forehead, Jack looked around at the giggling women and Argyle¡¯s wry smile.


    He was definitely the party leader, but when it came to anything outside of adventuring, he was always the underdog of the party. It almost made him want to cry...


    "Oooohh! I want that one!"


    Suddenly, Lina¡¯s giddy shout broke the conversation. Everyone looked over to see Lina leaning against the wall with the view of the stage.


    Jack looked at the stage and at the current bidders. Then, he startedughing, "Consider it done!"


    "Seventy-nine thousand going once! Going twice...S--"


    "Wait!" Jack interrupted the auctioneer. "I would like to ask the king of Fulken to withdraw his bid, as I want that item. Will you do so?"


    The Fulken king ground his teeth, trying his best not to show too much of his rage.


    After a moment of silence, Jack continued, "In that case, I¡¯ll offer eighty-five thousand gold."


    "Eighty-five thousand gold going once! Going--"


    "Eighty-six thousand gold!" shouted the Fulken king. He was struggling to believe that a rumored young man would have so much wealth.


    "In that case..." replied Jack. "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 55 high-tier item."


    Groaning, the Fulken king kept himself from blurting out a rival bid. The only way to beat that was to offer a peak-tier lv. 55 item, but why should he give one of those up for a peak-tier lv. 50 item? It would be a total loss. Even if he won the item, the Fulken king would be humiliated yet again by that mysterious person.


    The king looked to his wife and whispered, "I¡¯m sorry..."


    "We¡¯ll ept your generous offer. Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "Thank you for letting me have it in the end!" eximed Jack, rubbing in his victory even more.


    Inside the room, everyone wasughing at the king¡¯s expense. Jack was now feeling a bit better after he found an outlet to relieve his stress and Lina was giddy to get what she wanted.


    Once the delivery person made the exchange, Jack immediately took out the hair clip he had just bought and fastened it in Lina¡¯s blue hair. "It looks good with your hair. Nice choice, Lina."


    "Thanks, Big Bro!"

 Chapter 218 Taking Everyones Breath Away

    <h4>Chapter 218 Taking Everyone¡°s Breath Away</h4>


    Jack¡¯s party was reveling in Jack¡¯s victory. It only proved that one of Jack¡¯s weaknesses really was little Lina.


    Argyle chuckled as he pitied the Fulken king. He didn¡¯t think Jack would suddenly buy a lv. 50 hairclip on the whim of a young girl, let alone pay such a price for it. It made Argyle wonder just how rich Jack was.


    While the hair clip was useless at the moment, Jack was d that he was able to get something for Lina. He didn¡¯t want her to feel left out. And once she reached lv. 50, it would be a great item for her.


    It helped with mana regeneration, and it worked quite well since it was a peak-tier lv. 50 item.


    Lina went around the room, showing off her new hairclip to everyone.


    Jack was starting to pay more attention to the auction again, in particr, to who won what items. Now that there weren¡¯t just holy items for sale, there was more variety to the types of energy in the items.


    Based on the items purchased and with some help from Argyle, Jack was able to guess what nobles or royals might be in each room. Obviously, he could figure out all of them, but every now and then it was obvious.


    He discovered that King Wilheim was also there on the third floor after the king bought a water type item and Jack recognized his voice.


    Also, Jack found the Maltor king in the room beside King Wilheim¡¯s. It was again the voice and the fire type item that gave him away.


    Though he knew it was impossible, Jack wanted to figure out who all of the people were, or at least as many as he could. It mighte in handy if they get something to valuable or threatening, depending on who it was.


    After the peak-tier lv. 50 items were all sold, the next item or items were rolled out.


    The announcer introduced the items, "Next, we¡¯re selling a few bulk batches of greater healing potions. Each batch contains one hundred potions, and the bidding will start at forty thousand gold."


    "Forty--"


    "Forty-one thousand gold!" shouted Jack, curious what might happen next.


    At first, there was no response. Everyone was pretty clear on what kind of bidder Jack was, so few people dared bid against him, especially when it was an item like this. There were multiple batches up for grabs, so they reasoned it wasn¡¯t worth going all out to get the first one.


    "Forty-one thousand gold going once! Going twice--"


    "Fifty thousand gold!"


    Everyone smiled when they heard that voice. Yet again, the Fulken king challenged Jack.


    With a smile, Jack shook his head. "Fifty-five thousand gold!"


    "Sixty thousand gold!" yelled the king.


    "Sixty-one thousand gold!"


    "Sixty-five thousand gold!"


    "Sixty-six thousand gold!" stated Jack, taking a different approach to his usual jumps in price.


    The Fulken king growled and eyed Jack¡¯s room. "Seventy-five thousand gold!"


    "Seventy-six thousand gold!"


    Smiling, the Fulken king was d that Jack instantly raised his bid. The highest most people would willingly spend on such potions were seventy thousand gold. As a test, the king went straight to seventy-five thousand gold and Jack supposedly fell for the trick. His guess was that Jack didn¡¯t fully understand the prices, but that Jack would simply pay more than everyone else.


    "Eighty thousand gold!"


    "Eighty-one thousand gold!"


    It happened again and the king¡¯s smile got colder. He determined that onest time should be enough to make up for the humiliation he felt before. "Eighty-five thousand!"


    "..."


    "Eighty-five thousand going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    The king¡¯s smile was quickly reced by a frown. He red intensely at Jack¡¯s room, only now realizing that Jack wasn¡¯t as foolish as he had guessed.


    "Since you were so intent to have it, I decided to give it to you as an apology for taking your items earlier. Please, I hope you can forgive me now."


    That statement was a poison dagger piercing the king¡¯s pride. There was noing back now, not after Jack had bluntly mocked him in front of all the kings present.


    It was a great thing that only Jack could be heard from his room, otherwise, the entire auction hall would be overrun with his party¡¯sughter. Eliza found it particrly hrious since she understood auctions very well.


    With a pitifulugh, Argyle stared at the Fulken king¡¯s room. He understood that there was no hope of him reconciling with Jack.


    Of course, that would be if they knew Jack¡¯s identity.


    Since no one knew who he was, Jack allowed himself to act a bit more like Jack J., the greedy, selfish man who sacrificed hundred-man raids just to get an achievement.


    In fact, that was exactly what Jack was doing.


    So far, Jack had alreadypleted two achievements and was trying to get a couple more. Thanks to the Fulken king, Jack got the [Instictive buyer] and [New top dog] achievements from buying on a whim and publicly humiliating a king.


    Curious if there were any other achievements he could get in the auction, Jack wanted to try something. It took a few minutes, but Jack quickly made a search function that covered his entire system in one search.


    He searched "auction" and found a few results. Reading over them, Jack came up with a few ideas to try and gain some special or unique rewards.


    When the next batch came up on stage, before the woman could announce the starting bid, Jack shouted, "Thirty-nine thousand gold!"


    Confused at what to do, she looked at the managers in the crowd. But when she thought they would want to correct her, they all shrugged and acted like it didn¡¯t matter.


    So, she started counting, "Thirty-nine thousand going one! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    As the deal was made official since no one dared challenge Jack after what happened to the Fulken king, an alert shed across Jack¡¯s screen.


    [Cutting the price:pleted]


    [Pay less than the base price of an auction item during an annual international auction and sessfully win the bid. Special reward: 75 skill points.]


    Happy with his sess, Jack dly made the exchange and revisited his auction-rted achievements. Having already earned one hundred and twenty skill points from the auction alone, Jack was determined to milk the auction for as many skill points as possible. It was rare to have so many royals in one ce to make such an international level event possible, so Jack wanted to sprint with this opportunity while he had it.


    While smiling uncontrobly, Jack divvied up his hundred potions among the party. Everyone got eight or nine potions in the end and they were all anxious to see what Jack would buy next.


    More bulk potions were sold, but Jack didn¡¯t bother bidding on them. His party had plenty for their current level¡¯s needs.


    After ten bulk potion orders were sold, another bulk order was rolled out on the trolly. "These are greater elixirs, and like the greater potions they will be sold in bulk orders of one hundred. The starting price is fifty thousand gold."


    "One hundred thousand gold!"


    "..."


    No one said a word or even took a breath after Jack made the first bid. All eyes gradually turned to Jack in silence, including those inside his private room.


    Only one person made noise, letting everyone nce at the Fulken king¡¯s room. They could imagine how furious the Fulken king was. Jack had backed out of a price that was already too expensive for most people to imagine, yet here he was starting a bid at an even more ridiculous price.


    "..." The auctioneer hesitated, needing the help of the managers toe to and start a countdown. "Going once... Going twice..."


    "One hundred and fifty thousand gold!"


    "..."


    Again, everyone was totally baffled and dumbstruck. Jack had just bid up his already ridiculous price by fifty thousand gold... They were questioning how real everything actually was.


    The beautiful auctioneer struggled to do her job while so confused. She stammered, "...Y-you do know that you don¡¯t have to--"


    "One hundred and seventy-five thousand gold!" Jack shouted again and cut her off. "If I want to raise my bid, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do!"


    "O-okay! One... hundred and seventy-five thousand... Going once... Going twice... Sold."


    "... Gong..."


    Even the guy in charge of the gong was too caught up in the moment to do his one job correctly.


    While everyone was totally out of the loop to Jack¡¯s logic and they questioned his sanity, Jack was trying not tough hysterically.


    He had his system open, reading through his two newest achievements.


    [Your own worst enemy:pleted]


    [Make things harder for yourself and bid yourself up at the annual international auction. Special reward: 50 skill points.]


    [Moneybags!:pleted]


    [Pay WAY too much for an auction item. Unique reward: 150 skill points.]


    No one else could understand why, but Jack stood taller and prouder after making such an outrageous purchase.

 Chapter 219 Infinite Wealth?

    <h4>Chapter 219 Infinite Wealth?</h4>


    Inside Jack¡¯s room, no one said anything. They were either too blown away by the price or too confused by how proud Jack was of the outrageous purchase.


    Argyle was the first to manage forming words. "Jack... What on earth was that?"


    "You do remember that I¡¯m also Jack J., right?" replied Jack. "If you think I did some outrageous things before, just wait till you see what I do now that I¡¯m starting from scratch."


    In a way, Jack was happy to start enacting such crazy things again. It helped him always find something new in-game to keep him fully content, and now it would offer him a way to get stronger as fast as possible.


    "That item was from the Fat Goose, right?" asked Jack with a smile.


    Suddenly, Argyle¡¯s confused face turned bright and lively. "You... you did that on purpose!"


    "Well yeah, I wouldn¡¯t do that because I¡¯m stupid,"ughed Jack.


    "I¡¯m not so sure about that..." added Eliza, looking down in the dumps. "Jack... Why would you waste so much money?!"


    "Eliza, calm down. Trust me, I didn¡¯t waste a single coin."


    "But--"


    "Trust me, your husband."


    "..." Her jaw froze as she was startled by hisment. "Jack, I just..."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." Jack put up his open hands, showing that he wasn¡¯t mad at all. "Besides, if that got you angry, then you¡¯ll be furious by the end of today."


    "What do--"


    "Please, just trust me," Jack cut her off. "All the crazy stuff I did in the past was with reason, and the same goes for right now. Let¡¯s pay attention to the auction. One of my favorite items ising up soon."


    That¡¯s when they all remembered Jack mentioning that his favorite item from the Fat Goose would be sold on the second day.


    Argyle was even more excited now. From the way Jack was acting, it seemed like he was going to spend even more moneyter, and it was likely on one of his items. If that was so, then he would have more bragging rights with the other auction house owners.


    When it came time to exchange, again, both head managers from Golden Haven and Celestial Crane came to the door and asked to visit Jack.


    But again, Jack only passed a ring. And heughed when he heard a surprised shout from the other side of the door, which meant they were startled to see that he really had paid one hundred and seventy-five thousand gold for the greater elixirs.


    He quickly passed them out like he had before and returned to his seat.


    It took extra long for the next item toe out, but the auctioneer seemed extra excited. "Alright, next up we have a beast with a fifth level bloodline. It¡¯s a lv. 42 me Tiger from the Molten Mountains, a rare breed that¡¯s hard to track down. The bidding will start at fifty thousand gold."


    "Fifty thousand gold!"


    "Fifty-two thousand gold!"


    "Fifty-three thousand gold!"


    The auction heated up. Everyone was excited and felt a bit better about spending money after Jack blew almost two hundred thousand gold on some elixirs. They all found more reasons to justify their spending, making the auction houses even happier.


    Jack¡¯s party watched on, not caring since they already had a me tiger.


    It was soon sold for almost ny thousand gold, which convinced Jack that Tridon had caught most of his beasts by hand. There was no way that Tridon could afford so many beasts, especially the Wind Roc with a sixth level bloodline.


    Four more fifth level beasts were sold off before Jack made a move.


    "Now, the sixth and final beast of the day will be sold. Also with a fifth level bloodline, we bring out this behemoth of a bird," announced the beautiful woman as she stepped to the side of the stage.


    The curtains were now fully opened and a massive cage was lowered down for the audience to see.


    Inside the cage was a giant bird, almost three times the size of Ayden, Rydel¡¯s Wind Roc. It¡¯s pitch ck feathers had a sheen to them, making the bird appear somewhat majestic. But there were no feathers around its head, showing its grey flesh.


    "This Giant Condor may be low leveled at lv. 34, but it¡¯s great size and natural strength make it a fearsome opponent to most beasts. It can dominate the sky and travel at great speeds thanks to its huge wings. Without any problems, it can carry up to ten people, maybe more if you sacrifice speed andfort."


    With everyone enthralled by the giant beast, the auctioneer added, "The starting bid for this one will be sixty thousand gold. So, who will leave here today with this beautiful beast?"


    "Sixty thousand gold!"


    "Sixty-five thousand gold!"


    "Seventy thousand gold!"


    The bids rose like rockets, not stopping any time soon.


    Jack silently stared at the stage, smiling. Those around him knew he wanted that bird and after the stunt he just pulled, they were sure that he would win.


    "One hundred thousand gold!"


    "One hundred gold going once!"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 55 peak-tier item!" A shout came from the third floor.


    "I¡¯ll also offer a lv. 55 peak-tier item!"


    More royals on the third floor spoke up, joining the bet. They all started to disy their items, already knowing that this bids were going to be close.


    What startled a lot of people was Jack. He hadn¡¯t made a sound. That made the royals feel a mix of relief and fear.


    That mysterious person had already given away a lv. 60 item, so it was likely that he could afford to fight for the condor. And that was their greatest worry.


    Soon, everyone calmed down as ten different rooms disyed their offers and exined the items. After they finished, it was time for the auctioneer and the managers to decide.


    "At this moment, we can¡¯t decide a single winner out of the ten offers. There are three offers currently tied for the highest bid," exined the woman. "The two-piece armor set, the sword and shield pair, and the dual spears. Will there be any changes to the offers?"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 60 high-tier armor set!" shouted the same king who offered the lv. 55 armor.


    "Then I¡¯ll offer a lv. 60 peak-tier sword!"


    "Hmm..." The king who had offered the spears took a moment to think. "I¡¯ll also offer a lv. 60 peak-tier spear."


    Some of the other kings also wanted to make new offers, but they weren¡¯t willing to spend enough to beat the current bids.


    "Very well, give me a moment to think," stated the auctioneer, who looked at each of the items and asionally to the crowd. "We feel that the sword is the best of the three offers. Will there be any more changes to the bid?"


    "I¡¯ll give you a high-tier lv. 65 spear!"


    The third king said nothing, not daring to keep bidding.


    "I¡¯ll also offer a high-tier lv. 65 sword!"


    Both items were disyed for everyone to see. The crowd loved the tenseness in the air, excited to see who would win the giant beast.


    "A moment please!" The auctioneer again inspected the disys and sought the opinion of the managers. They were split, but they were in favor of the spear.


    "We shall acknowledge the spear as the more valuable of the two and recognize it as the current high bid."


    The king who offered the swordughed, "Very well, I have no further bids. Let the man have it."


    With a nod, the auctioneer started the countdown. "Going once! Going twice... So--"


    "Excuse me!!"


    A shout broke the silence and shocked everyone. The crowd recognized that voice. They all looked to Jack¡¯s room and saw an item on disy.


    "Aren¡¯t you going to examine my offer too?" asked Jack.


    "O-of course!"


    Surprised, both the auctioneer and the royals all looked to Jack¡¯s disy. Almost immediately, their jaws dropped. They had no wordse to mind to exin what they saw.


    On that disy, Jack had ced what looked like a decently crafted sword, but its looks were deceiving. The level disyed blew everyone away.


    After coughing to regather herself, the auctioneer stammered, "L-lv. 70 weapon?"


    "Correction, a peak-tier lv. 70 weapon."


    Those who hadn¡¯t realized the quality of the sword were floored. The royals all looked to Jack¡¯s room and thought back to the rumors about the mysterious young man who had seemingly infinite wealth. And here he was disying just that.


    "This is definitely worth more than the lv. 65 spear. If there are no changes to the--"


    "I have no means topete," stated the now dejected king.


    "In that case... Going once... Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    As the gong sounded most of the royals sighed in disbelief while the crowd looked up to Jack¡¯s room in awe.


    The managers were blown away. Both managers from Golden Haven and Celestial Crane stared at Baral, who couldn¡¯t contain his excitement.

 Chapter 220 I Cant Accept This!

    <h4>Chapter 220 I Can¡°t ept This!</h4>


    Jack made the exchange as usual, without saying a word to the manager who came to see him. He then transferred the beast from the auction house¡¯s bestial ring to his own with a smile on his face.


    The others in his room weren¡¯t as surprised this time. Slowly, they were bing desensitized to Jack¡¯s seemingly insane spending.


    Looking at his system, Jack chuckled.


    [Unfair Exchange:pleted]


    [Be a part of apletely one-sided exchange of goods and willingly be on the losing side. Unique reward: 100 skill points.]


    Also, Jack looked at two of the other money rted achievements he found and sighed.


    [Millionaire!: in progress]


    [Spend a total of one million gold coins. Reward: 100 skill points]


    [Billionaire!: in progress]


    [Spend a total of one billion gold coins. Reward: 500 skill points.]


    Though he had enough to earn [Millionaire!] a few times over, Jack was trying to think of how he could possibly get a special or unique reward. If he were to use the auction, he would have to do it before the second day ends, because the entire third day is trade based. Or he could...


    "Hey, Argyle," Jack suddenly spoke up and came out of his trance, "Do you have any essories or a dress that Lina might like?"


    "Sure, I¡¯ve got just about anything. Why do you ask?"


    "Do you have one on you right now?"


    "Yeah..." He took out a dress with a ne without batting an eye. The dress wasn¡¯t anything special but Argyle proudly held up the ne. "This would be perfect for her because--"


    "Do you have any regr nes? You know, the kind that is purely aesthetic and has no other value?"


    "Sure... like this?" Argyle switched the nes, now showing one with a regr sapphire inside. It was beautiful and quite expensive for themon folk.


    "Perfect! Can I buy those off you?" asked Jack, startling not ARgyle but the women of his party.


    "You don¡¯t have to, consider them a--"


    "No, I need to buy them! Name your price," stated Jack.


    "Umm... It¡¯ll cost one hundred gold for the two together, but--"


    "Okay, here¡¯s the money." Jack tossed Argyle a ring as he quickly took the dress and ne over to Lina. "Here you go, just for you!"


    "Oh! I love them!"


    Jack put the ne around Lina¡¯s neck and handed her the dress to tryter, making the other girls a bit jealous.


    Argyle, on the other hand, was shaking as he held up the storage ring Jack had given him. "Impossible! I can¡¯t ept this!"


    "That¡¯s my payment, just consider the rest as a tip," joked Jack nonchntly.


    "I¡¯m serious Jack! There¡¯s no way I can--"


    "I¡¯m also serious, Father-inw. I need to do this, so if you don¡¯t take it then I¡¯ll go offer it to Hurmot."


    "I..." Argyle sighed, noting the serious re Jack was giving him. Though it was way too much, after everything Jack had done so far, it was believable that he really would go and offer it to Hurmot.


    "Father, what¡¯s wrong?" asked Eliza?


    "You can tell them, that doesn¡¯t matter. What matters is that you ept that payment and offer me nothing more in return for it," stated Jack, not letting Argyle offer anything else.


    "But... Fine." Argyle looked at the others and opened his mouth but struggled to admit the truth. "He... This is way too much for those items... I--"


    "Father, we all know that he paid you way too much. But how much is too much?"


    "... Seventy thousand tinum..." muttered Argyle, still struggling to understand what Jack was up to.


    "Seventy thousand tinum!? Isn¡¯t that the same as seven hundred thousand gold?!" Eliza had never seen tinum before, but she knew of its value. She guessed that Jack might have some with his vast wealth, but she never guessed that he had that much tinum, let alone enough to spend it all on a simple dress.


    Looking back to Jack, Eliza red at him. "After this, you¡¯re taking me and the other¡¯s shopping and you¡¯re getting us whatever we want!"


    "Eliza, I had a reason to do this. I--"


    "No excuses! You have WAY more money than you let on yet you spent so much on a dress for Lina, yet you struggle to spend one hundred gold on your wives?" stated Eliza, not backing down at all. "It¡¯s the least you could do, otherwise we¡¯ll be jealous and won¡¯t want to sleep with you."


    "I¡¯m okay with that..." chuckled Jack.


    "Then no massages."


    "And I¡¯ll just have to keep Lina with me from now on," added Maura, also feeling jealous. How could she not when he spent that absurd amount of money without batting an eye, but only for Lina.


    To the side, Lina tilted her head in thought. She then gasped as an idea shed through her head. "How about we all go shopping? I like to see the big sisters in pretty dresses."


    "A great idea, Lina!" shouted Eliza. She went over and patted Lina¡¯s head. "Now we only have to convince your big brother to take us."


    "I¡¯m sure we can some time, but we--"


    "Big Brother, can¡¯t we go shopping? If you have so much, then it¡¯s easy! Let¡¯s go find pretty dresses for all the big sisters," cheered Lina, weakening Jack¡¯s defenses.


    "I could always just give you some more since you¡¯ve paid so much--"


    "NO!" shouted Jack, insistent to not take anything else.


    "Jack, if you won¡¯t take us shopping, then at least let my father give us some more," reasoned Eliza.


    "... Fine... Before we leave, I¡¯ll buy each of you a dress," agreed Jack.


    "And essories!" added Ke.


    "... And essories."


    "Yay! Thanks, Big Brother!" Lina ran up and hugged Jack.


    Jack sighed, defeated. He didn¡¯t mind spending the money, but he also didn¡¯t want to spoil the girls and let them think that he would buy them whatever they wanted.


    Looking to Maynard and Rydel, Jack asked, "Is there anything you two would want?"


    "Nope," Maynard shook his head. "Ya already got me new katanas so I¡¯m not missing anything."


    As Rydel also shook his head, Jack was relieved. At least someone understood his intentions and agreed with him.


    "Still... Why so much, Jack?"


    Argyle couldn¡¯t get over the exchange. He had seen that much gold before, but not that much tinum. But that was in the auction house treasury, not in the hands of a young man who gave it away like it was a paltry sum.


    "I have my reasons..." Jack started smiling again. He had opened his achievement list and was reading his newest achievement.


    [Millionaire!:pleted]


    [Spend a total of one million gold, over three-quarters of which was overspending. Unique reward: 300 skill points.]


    Jack didn¡¯t dare try and rush the [Billionaire!] achievement, as Jack was unsure that he had enough and he also didn¡¯t dare waste so much.


    Now, thanks to the auction, Jack had a total of seven hundred and twenty skill points.


    He was ecstatic, but he also understood that this wouldn¡¯t be repeatable. Most of the time, Jack won¡¯t find an easy target to exploit for unique rewards, like the annual auction. Jack had no clue when the next time he could get unique rewards would be.


    During all of this, the auction continued selling lv. 55 peak-tier items. They were now selling the final items of the day, lv. 55 holy items.


    But Jack only watched. He had no desire for those and had already spent more money than he had nned. And with day threeing up, Jack knew that the best still was toe.


    The bids for those holy items were fierce because only three of them were avable. Of the three, the most expensive one was a lv. 55 holy halberd that thirteen royal families fought for. In the end, it was given away for a lv. 70 high-tier item.


    Once the second day¡¯s break started, Maura began cooking with Lina, teaching her gradually how to prepare vegetables.


    Eliza scooted closer to Jack. "Would you like a massage?"


    "I would, but not if it¡¯s only because you want to spend more moneyter," replied Jack, giving her a strange look.


    "Why would I do it just for that?" argued Eliza. "Can¡¯t a wife treat her husband to a massage without some underlying reason?"


    "Isn¡¯t it because you¡¯re my wife that I should expect an underlying reason?" Jack joked, getting everyone but Eliza tough with him. "So long as I don¡¯t hear about this while we¡¯re shopping, then I¡¯ll dly take the massage."


    "Good, theny down."


    Watching his daughter and the man he forced to be her husband, Argyle chuckled to himself. He knew that Jack wouldn¡¯t be like most people and just ept his daughter, which was why he was willing to force Jack in the first ce.


    Also, he knew how stubborn and determined his daughter was. She got that from her mother, so Argyle was confident that Eliza could sway Jack over time.


    It made him happy to see that his guess was the correct one.

 Chapter 221 Day Three

    <h4>Chapter 221 Day Three</h4>


    "It¡¯s finally time to show off the best of our amazing items!" the auctioneer announced. "Remember, today we will only be exchanging for items, as gold is too difficult to measure these items value."


    Those on the first floor wanted in anxiousness. They had no hope of getting any of these items, so they wanted to just enjoy the show.


    All of the nobles on the second floor looked up to the third floor. Hoping that they could somehow get one of the items that will be for sale, they knew it would be hard with so many royals present.


    Everyone on the third floor looked at a single room. They all had an eery feeling that the rest of the auction would be determined by whether that man wanted something or not. And they all wanted to know what his budget was.


    If they had any clue of the outrageous purchase Jack had made within the confines of his room, they would¡¯ve given up on the auction.


    Jack just watched as he normally did. He wasn¡¯t interested in the first batch of items, but the mystery items that each auction house had prepared. His hopes were to find mythic-tier and legend-tier items.


    "First up, we¡¯ll sell a plethora of lv. 60 and lv. 65 items, both peak-tier and holy. After that, we¡¯ll get into the mystery items to finish the auction," added the beautiful woman on stage. "Now, here¡¯s the first item, a peak-tier lv. 60 bow! Who will make the first offer?"


    Some nobles on the second floor made the first bid but were quickly passed by the people on the third floor.


    "Jack, what are you getting today?" asked Ke.


    Eliza chimed in as well, "Yeah, what are you after now? Haven¡¯t you already gotten everything we need?"


    "I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯m just waiting for the mystery items, to be honest. I don¡¯t care about any of these items," answered Jack.


    Argyle sighed, "You really are hard to please, aren¡¯t you? Do you know how many people would shrivel up in anger if they heard what you just said?"


    "Well, it¡¯s true. I¡¯ve already traded away a peak-tier lv. 70 item, will they have anything worth that much?" replied Jack.


    "I¡¯m sure there will be such items. There aren¡¯t many of them, but the royal families typically own lv. 70 items that have been passed down for a long time. So, if they find something they really want, they might trade those away for something more suitable to them," exined Argyle. "Don¡¯t think that you won¡¯t have anypetition when ites to getting the best items today."


    "We¡¯ll see about that. I¡¯d like somepetition,"ughed Jack. "By the way, howe you didn¡¯t know that cloak was a legend-tier before? Is there no way for you to measure an item¡¯s value?"


    "Well..." Argyle scratched the side of his face. "For things like spells, we still have a way to measure them, since there are still some mages that have such level spells. But for manufactured items and weapons, we can only guess since we don¡¯t have any records of how mythic-tier and legend-tier items are made."


    "Hmm... So that¡¯s why... I guess that makes things easier for me, I hope."


    "After this, can you help me categorize our special items in storage, Jack?" asked Argyle.


    "Special items? But I¡¯ve alreadybed through your storehouses and couldn¡¯t find any."


    "That¡¯s because the most special items are either on my person or with Baral at all times," answered Argyle. "If you could help us categorize the items, it would be a huge help."


    "... I don¡¯t know... Then I won¡¯t be able to get my stuff for cheap."


    Argyleughed until he saw how serious Jack¡¯s face was. "Seriously?!"


    "Of course I¡¯m serious. I may have a lot of money, but I don¡¯t have an infinite supply of high-level items. If I had to trade for fair value, then I¡¯d have spent almost have of everything I own on the cloak alone," stated Jack, startling Argyle and getting Eliza to giggle.


    "Sorry, Father, but I¡¯m with Jack on this one," added Eliza. "We¡¯ll need all the items we can get and that would definitely affect us down the line. Besides, Jack needs his wealth to revive the Leisure Guild."


    "Not you too, Eliza..." groaned Argyle.


    Jack looked back to see Eliza smiling at him. He blushed slightly but he quickly looked away and paid attention to the auction, even though he wasn¡¯t too interested.


    A few lv. 60 peak-tier items were sold quickly and a lv. 60 holy weapon was on disy now.


    All the royals bid like crazy to get their hands on it. They nced at Jack¡¯s room, d that he hadn¡¯t made a sound as of yet. It was their hope that he either ran out of money form his ridiculous spending and they could get the items they really came for.


    The holy staff was exchanged for a lv. 70 high-tier item in the end, but none of the royals were upset. Up next were more of the items they wanted and most of the kings would personally be able to wield lv. 65 items.


    Like before, Jack only watched but he didn¡¯t do anything.


    Those in his room were no longer paying attention to the auction. Maura was making breakfast as Ke was helping Lina prepare things for the meal. Rydel and Maynard were enjoying their three-day drinking fest with Argyle, making the most of it before they had to return to their arduous traveling.


    Eliza was massaging Jack¡¯s back while he waited for the mystery items toe outter. That¡¯s when Daliea approached them and asked, "Eliza, can you teach me?"


    "About massages? Sure!" Eliza smiled and backed away from Jack. "I¡¯m sure Jack won¡¯t mind, soe on over. I¡¯ll guide your hands at first and walk you through it."


    "Thank you!" Daliea showed a shy smile and let Eliza start teaching with the silent Jack as a test dummy.


    Time flew by as the party was upied with their own things.


    Soon, everyone was gathered around to enjoy a delicious brunch prepared by Maura and Ke with Lina¡¯s help flipping some lopsided pancakes.


    "Thanks,dies!" Jack nodded to the chefs before he and the others started serving themselves.


    The atmosphere in the room was light and friendly, very different than what was going on outside in the auction hall.


    "I¡¯ll offer a peak-tier lv. 70 weapon!"


    "I¡¯ll also offer a peak-tier lv. 70 shied, and I¡¯ll add a mid-tier lv. 70 sword."


    "Add a mid-tier lv. 70 breastte to my offer!"


    Two royals were in a heated bidding war as they both wanted the lv. 65 holy item.


    The auctioneer stared at both disys for a moment before she said, "We¡¯ll give preference to the mid-tier shield and the peak-tier morningstar."


    With an angry grunt, the losing royal shouted, "Make it a high-tier shield!"


    "Then we¡¯ll prefer your offer. Will there be any more changes to the offers?" asked the auctioneer as she stared at the other royal¡¯s room.


    There was no response, but the items on their disy disappeared, showing that they had given up the bid.


    "Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "That was our final item before we bring out the mystery items. In one hour, we¡¯ll start the next auction promptly," stated the auctioneer as she vanished behind the closing curtain.


    After that, she hurried away behind the stage and entered a room where she found two of the three head managers. "Where¡¯s Baral?"


    "This doesn¡¯t concern him. We wanted to inform you that there will be a change to the listed mystery items," exined one the manager from Celestial Crane. "This isn¡¯t because of you, it¡¯s because of that mystery patron."


    She rxed a bit more when he said that. "Is it because he didn¡¯t bid on a single item today?"


    "That¡¯s exactly why," the manager from Golden Haven replied with a grunt. "We mentioned the idea to Baral, but he said they won¡¯t be making any changes. Apparently, they knew he woulde and have already prepared some items for him but didn¡¯t warn us about such a high spender."


    "True, thest time someone spent anywhere near as much was when the association founder personally shopped over a decade ago," added the auctioneer.


    "For that reason, the value of the items will skyrocket near the end. Don¡¯t be too hasty to ept offers without our approval. Most of these items you¡¯ve never even seen so you¡¯ll have no clue of how much to sell them for," stated the Celestial Crane manager. "Do you have any questions for us?"


    "Do you have the new list?" asked the woman skeptically, finding it hard to believe that she couldn¡¯t evaluate the new items properly.


    She was handed arge piece of parchment and nced over it. Very quickly, she got caught up quite a few different items. "Are we really selling all of this?"


    "Make sure to memorize that list and the descriptions we¡¯ve added," replied the Celestial Crane manager.


    They then left her alone to study the new items and inform the owners of the updates.

 Chapter 222 The First Mystery Items

    <h4>Chapter 222 The First Mystery Items</h4>


    "Everyone, I¡¯m proud to finally begin the most anticipated portion of the annual auction, the mystery items!"


    By now, everyone was eagerly watching the stage.


    Jack was no exception. What got Jack especially riled up was Argyle¡¯s attitude about the mystery items.


    Though Argyle didn¡¯t know what the other auction houses were going to offer, he did hear about how they altered their item lists. He had already done so before he submitted it, trying to take advantage of Jack¡¯s deep pockets. And now that the other two auction houses were doing the same, Argyle wanted to see Jack¡¯s n of attack and whether he would run away with every mystery item.


    Both Hurmot and Kaldor were in a different room on the third floor, the room reserved for the owners.


    "Where is Argyle, that pestro?!" shouted Kaldor. "Is he actually hiding away with that mystery buyer? He¡¯s got some nerve not warning us about him and showing favoritism."


    "Can you me him?"ughed Hurmot. "Wouldn¡¯t you do the same thing in his shoes? Besides, we¡¯ve also made adjustments to suit him with our new mystery items."


    "Just you wait, I¡¯ll walk away with the most winnings this time! You can¡¯tpete with the items I¡¯ve decided to give up," roared Kaldor, boasting with his chest out.


    "We shall see what Eve does with our new lists. I¡¯m curious to see how arranged the items this year? Whose items will be sold first and whose items will be determined as the most valuable for the end?" murmured Hurmot, staring at his eldest daughter on the stage. "Time will tell."


    "Just wait and see," chuckled Kaldor, calming down as the first item was brought out.


    Eve, who was given the responsibility of ordering the items ording to price, watched the men roll out the first item to her side. "I¡¯ll fill you all in on a special secret. This year, all three auction houses have gone above and beyond to offer you the very best items they have to offer."


    "As an example of how generous they are this year, our opening item is something we would normally save near the end. It¡¯s a mythic-tier spell scroll!"


    While the crowd went nuts, Kaldor frowned.


    "What?! Your daughter did this on purpose!"


    "Oh, so that one¡¯s yours, is it?" Hurmot chuckled.


    "Enough! There¡¯s no way that neither you nor Argyle offered nothing cheaper than that. She must be trying to start off the auction with a great item to rile the crowd," reasoned Kaldor.


    "Who knows?" Hurmot shrugged and nced toward Jack¡¯s room.


    He was lucky enough to have Argyle speak up for him and get a chance to speak with Jack. Though he only learned a few vague things about the young hero, it became tantly evident that the youth was more wealthy than even Argyle during the second day of the auction.


    Putting that together with his meeting with Jack, Hurmot nned his items ordingly, targeting Jack with every single item, not just a few. What he wanted was to empty Jack¡¯s pockets as much as possible.


    Sadly for Kaldor, he didn¡¯t know anything about Jack other than the fact that he was insanely wealthy. He had no other hints and failed to prepare as well as the other two. But he wouldn¡¯t admit it and would search for every excuse to support his stance.


    In the meantime, Eve continued exining the item. "This is the Tempest sh wind spell, though it¡¯s a one-time use item, you¡¯ll only need to cast it once to wreak havoc on your enemies. Who will make the first bid?"


    Immediately, the disys on the third floor filled withbinations of lv. 60 and lv. 65 items. It was difficult to determine the most valuable of them, but Eve handle the task like a champ with the assistance of the managers.


    "We¡¯ll recognize the bid of the peak-tier lv. 65 sword and the mid-tier lv. 65 spear as the highest thus far."


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 70 peak-tier halberd!"


    Just when everyone expected Jack to strike, he did and his offer, like always, blew the others out of the water.


    The royals were irritated by the man¡¯s seemingly endless wealth. They had lv. 70 items, but they wouldn¡¯t be willing to spend them so willy-nilly before the final mystery items, which were usually lv. 70 items.


    For that reason, the other royals backed down. Since this year¡¯s mystery items were far more valuable than usual, they would have to spend wisely and save the bulk of their budget to get an item they really want.


    "Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Before the crowd could settle down, Eve spoke up again. She hadn¡¯t disappeared like she usually did after a sale.


    "There¡¯s one other change that I¡¯ve decided to implement for this year only," announced Eve, surprising even the owners. "We¡¯ll be going through all ten mystery items in a row! There will be no break between them, so get ready for the second item."


    While those on the third floor sighed and did their best to prepare themselves, those on the second floor were more excited. The crazy the auction got, the easier it would be for a bidder to make a mistake, giving the second floor a slightly better chance at the items.


    Unaffected, Eve presented the next item at her side. "Again, we have a mythic-tier spell scroll!"


    "Ridiculous!" Enraged, Kaldor stared at Hurmot. "She has to be doing this on purpose! There¡¯s no way all of your items are that valuable!"


    Calm as a spring morning, Hurmot looked up to the now standing Kaldor. "I can¡¯t speak for Argyle, but I can guarantee that all of my items are worth more than those spell scrolls."


    "Impossible! Show me your item list!"


    "You know I can¡¯t do that," stated Hurmot with a shake of his head. "You have no hope of changing the listed items now that we¡¯ve started selling the mystery items. Just sit down, you¡¯ll see for yourself that I¡¯m not lying. I¡¯ll even point out all of my items for you."


    Kaldor grumbled and sat down with crossed arms. He watched on in anger, anxious to see if they really did offer better items than him.


    All the auction houses owned incredibly valuable items, but they feared to put up their most valuable items. If there wasn¡¯t a guarantee that they¡¯d have someone able to pay the true value of the item, why would they offer such items?


    Following that logic, Kaldor was even further baffled. If the other two really offered items of that caliber, he wondered if they would seed in their bets or if they would lose those most valuable items to low bids.


    "This mythic-tier spell scroll uses illusion type magic. The spell mentioned is Body Double," exined Eve. "For one whole day, you¡¯ll have a clone of yourself that is mentally linked to you. It¡¯s not too strong, but it can speak and sound just like you, as well as physically interact with other people. Other than it being lv. 10, there are no signs that the clone is a fake. Who will start us off?"


    "I¡¯ll give you a lv. 70 peak-tier helmet!"


    All the royals that were eager to fight for the item suddenly frowned. Jack joining the bid made things much harder.


    "Going once! Going twice..."


    "I¡¯ll also offer a peak-tier lv. 70 item!" shouted a royal as a wall disyed a shield.


    "Hmm..." Eve was inspecting the two, searching for a difference in value.


    "Add this to my offer," stated Jack, bring attention back to his room. He then added a mid-tier lc. 70 shield to his disy.


    "Do you have anything to add as well?" asked Eve to thepeting royal.


    The disy went nk as the royal said, "I have nothing to add. Let him have it."


    "Very well. Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Unfazed and emotionless, Jack stared at the stage, waiting for the next item. Suddenly, he asked Argyle, "Were any of those yours?"


    "Nope. Of the ten mystery items, each auction house puts up three and the hosting house puts up four," exined Argyle. "My guess, knowing how shrewd Hurmot is, both of those items were from Kaldor and Golden Haven."


    "Hmm... Sounds like you and Hurmot are both determined to empty my pockets."


    "Isn¡¯t that our jobs,"ughed Argyle. "Besides, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy with the items you¡¯ll have to help you on your journey."


    "I guess..."


    Back on stage, the third item was revealed and Kaldor frowned deeply, almost forming permanent wrinkles.


    "Our third item will be this sixth level beast, a descendant Thunderbird!" announced Eve, unaware of Kaldor¡¯s angry roars and her father¡¯s chuckles. "You all should know about such a magnificent beast, so it needs no introduction. Let¡¯s hear the first bid!"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 70 peak-tier item!"


    Now in the habit, everyone turned around to see Jack¡¯s disy screen, which showed an ornate dagger.

 Chapter 223 Old Friends in the Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 223 Old Friends in the Crowd</h4>


    Silence filled the room for a moment before a couple of royals activated their disys.


    "I¡¯ll also offer a lv. 70 peak-tier item!"


    "I as well!"


    "I¡¯ll give you a lv. 75 peak-tier item!"


    That shout startled everyone, mainly because it came from the second floor and not the third. All eyes moved in great surprise to see a noble holding a robe.


    "This is a lv. 75 dragon¡¯s sorcerer¡¯s cloak. I feel free to inspect it as you see fit," stated that noble with a big smile.


    That noble wasn¡¯t the only one who was smiling. In his room, Jackughed and removed his disy items without a word.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Jack?" asked Argyle, who was more surprised by Jack voluntarily giving up the bid than anything.


    The auctioneer also noticed that Jack removed his bid and asked, "Sir, does this mean you rescind your bid instead of increasing your offer?"


    "Let my good friend have it."


    That¡¯s all Jack said, but since it came from the mysterious moneybags, the entire crowd went crazy. Did that mean that noble family knew who the mystery man was?


    The Lyre Family head made a strange face, trying to make something of the unexpected development. He was focused on the fact that Jack acted like he was gifting the item, as if he could easily outbid him but instead called him a friend and gave it up.


    Beside the Lyre Family Head, Tarnel startedughing and looked up to the room of that mysterious man on the third floor. He couldn¡¯t see Jack, nor did he ever see Jack¡¯s real face, but he knew enough to recognize that the mystery man was the one who had robbed the tomb and gifted him the same dragon¡¯s sorcerer robe they were offering.


    More roaringughter was heard from the group beside the Lyre family as well.


    There was a young manughing his head off and staring up at that room. He wandered over to the Lyre family and threw his arm around Tarnel. With a whisper, he asked, "Is that who I think it is?"


    "Yeah, no doubt."


    "Then Ke must be..." mumbled Flint. Suddenly, he startedughing even harder, but this time he stared at the room containing the Zuran royal family. "Wow... he wasn¡¯t kidding about his background..."


    Continuing the auction, Eve shrugged. "Very well, we will now send someone to inspect the item."


    Just then, the Celestial Crane manager appeared in front of the Lyre family. He held out his hand, taking the robe and scanning over every piece of it. "It is indeed what he says. It qualifies as the highest offer."


    "Great, are there any other changes to the bids?" asked Eve, ncing at the third floor and noticing the disys clear up. "Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    The crowd was in an uproar! They didn¡¯t expect a noble of all people toe out with the highest bid thus far, let alone win a mystery item.


    Tarnel went up to his father and whispered something in his ear, causing a look of realization to sh across his face.


    Laughing, the Lyre family head looked to Jack¡¯s room. "Thank you for allowing me to win this noble beast. You can consider yourself a friend of the Lyre family."


    That statement was made for a few reasons.


    First, it was to show everyone that Jack was just being kind and that this was their first interaction. The Lyre family head didn¡¯t want everyoneing at him to ask about the mystery man¡¯s identity.


    Second, it was to genuinely express gratitude to Jack. Without him, they wouldn¡¯t have the robe in the first ce, let alone win the beast. And they knew Jack had a lv. 85 staff and spent five minutes alone in the tomb, so they assumed that he had more wealth then they could imagine.


    Jack didn¡¯t reply but he continued tough inside his room.


    Ke alsoughed, happy to see that both Tarnel and Flint were still doing fine. She had already noticed her father, but she didn¡¯t care to pay him any attention.


    "Moving on to the next item, it¡¯s actually another sixth level beast!" As Eve got the crowd focusing back on the stage, another caged beast was rolled out.


    All of the royals, who were confused about a noble family having a lv. 75 item, had no time to think about it as they refocused on the next item.


    "This one is mine," stated Hurmot, calming Kaldor ever so slightly. "Hmmm... to think Argyle beat my starting piece as well... I wonder..."


    As the old man mumbled to himself and the infuriated Golden Haven owner stewed in thought, arge two-headed ck and gray wolf roared inside of its cage.


    "This Two-headed Wolf has a descendent bloodline from the mythic Cerebus bloodline. And like the Thunderbird, this one is still young and can be tamed. What will be the first offer?"


    "I¡¯ll offer a lv. 70 peak--"


    "This lv. 75 longsword! Peak-tier!" The booming voice of the Maronn family filled the entire auction hall.


    As he pulled out the longsword, the other nobles all stared enviously at the two noble families that exhibited greater wealth than the royal family over them.


    The Zuran king stared curiously at the two families. He wasn¡¯t mad because he already got what he hade for, but he wondered how they obtained such valuable treasures. And now that they were publically traded for these beasts, he would look a fool for snatching them away from the nobles.


    It was a tricky thing, but he didn¡¯t entertain the thought since he already had too many issues to worry about and would soon need both noble families to support him in the near future.


    The same manager inspected the sword and sighed in amazement. "It¡¯s exactly what he says."


    Eve smiled. "Are there any other bids?"


    No one said a thing. For the same reason they didn¡¯t bet against Jack earlier, those with the ability to bid up the offer waited till something more valuable showed up on stage.


    "Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    "YEEEEEEESSSSSS!!! Flint, I¡¯ve gotten you a new friend, so treat him well!"


    "I will father! Thank you!"


    The father-son duo shouted there conversation, inciting the jealousy of every prince present.


    Again, Argyle was startled to see Jackughing and reluctant to bid. "Do you really know them?"


    "Yeah, I know Flint and Tarnel, those two family heirs," replied Jack. "I met them when I ran into Ke. I¡¯m d they found a good use for the gifts I left them."


    "What?! You¡¯re the reason they had those?!"


    "Who else would be?" Jack chuckled. "Let¡¯s keep watching. I¡¯m curious when you¡¯re first item wille up."


    While the next item was brought out, Eve shouted extra loud to speak over the loud Maronn family, "On to the next item!"


    "This is a lv. 70 holy sword! Said to be blessed by the Sword God, Tyres, this sword has the ability to pierce even peak-tier armours and shields. Who will be the first to--"


    "One lv. 80 mid-tier weapon!"


    "..."


    All went silent, even the two owners on the third floor. Everyone was distracted by the axe that appeared on Jack¡¯s disy, struggling to believe their eyes.


    "... A-are there any other offers?" Eve struggled to get her question out. When the dead-silence continued, she started the countdown. "G-going once... Going twice... S-sold!"


    "...Gong..."


    While everyone was still in awe, Jack looked back and asked, "Argyle, was that from you?"


    "Yup, and I¡¯m d you liked it!"ughed Argyle, happy to win the best item by far.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but that might¡¯ve been one of the biggest robberies of the day," chuckled Jack, shutting Argyle up.


    "What do you mean?!"


    "That¡¯s not a holy weapon, it¡¯s a mythic-tier sword."


    Argyle¡¯s happy expression vanished. As a lv. 71 swordsman and a wealthy auction house owner, Argyle had already owned a lv. 70 holy sword, hence his willingness to exchange it at the auction.


    But a mythic-tier sword... That alone was priceless in the world, but the fact that it was a lv. 70 sword made Argyle¡¯s heart ache more than when Jack revealed the truth about the legendary cloak.


    Overhearing the conversation, Eliza and the others burst intoughter. The sudden change from total bliss to heart-wrenching pain on Argyle¡¯s face made Eliza shed a tear formughing too hard.


    She knew that this auction was her father¡¯s petty way ofpeting and outsmarting Jack after losing the cloak. Yet now, everything was thrown back in his face by another unfathomable loss on Argyle¡¯s part.


    "Sorry, Father, maybe next time." Eliza came over and hugged her father as she tried to stopughing.


    "Is that a furnace?"


    Unlike everyone else, Jack was still looking at the stage and saw the next iteming up. His appetite to spend wasn¡¯t yet satiated, and he nned to go for it all.

 Chapter 224 Dominating the Auction

    <h4>Chapter 224 Dominating the Auction</h4>


    Eve sighed and redirected everyone¡¯s focus back to the stage. "Everyone, I think you¡¯ll all find this next item very interesting. It¡¯s a furnace, the very items used to create such weapons as the one you just saw. This is one of the best in the continent, at the very top of the peak-tier and possibly even higher. Who¡¯ll get it?"


    "One lv. 70 peak-tier item!"


    "I¡¯ll also give a lv. 70 peak-tier item!"


    "A mid-tier lv. 80 spear!"


    There was no question as to where thatst bid came from.


    Everyone, in particr the royals, all wondered how wealthy that mysterious man was. Sure, there were people who had such items, but they shouldn¡¯t have that many of them. And usually, they were treasures that a royal family would cherish in hopes that they could somehow break through to lv. 80.


    There weren¡¯t any known cksmiths that could create lv. 80 items, so there were truly priceless.


    Yet here was Jack, practically giving them away inparison. All the royals grew even more curious as to who the mysterious bidder was. Some wanted to align with them in hopes of gaining some benefits, while others wondered if they could rob them of everything.j


    Since no one bid higher, and since it wasn¡¯t the first lv. 80 item Jack had offered, Eve found it a bit easier to keep herself together. "Going once! Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    Up in the owners¡¯ room, Hurmot grinned with a twinkle in his eyes.


    Kaldor, on the other hand, was so red in the face that people looking at him could imagine steaming off of him. "You offered such an item?! Are you insane?!"


    "I don¡¯t think so, because I just gained a priceless lv. 80 item," replied Hurmot. "That item alone might be enough to bring out a few reclusive experts to next year¡¯s auction. It was a great investment."


    "Then what¡¯s your final item? You were crazy enough to offer that, so how much of a madman were you really?" questioned Kaldor.


    "I think the true madman is Argyle. To think that he still has three items left after my furnace... What in Halmut¡¯s beard did he put up?"


    Coming to the same realization, Kaldor quieted down and watched to the rest of the auction, feeling down on himself. Compared to the year before, Kaldor had made a killing this year. But byparison, he was shortchanged from the opportunity.


    Jack was hiding a smile, content to get his hands on a mythic-tier furnace. With that, he would be able to create mythic-tier weapons. But only if he found a suitable cksmith and had something to base such weapons on, like his new mythic-tier sword.


    However, Jack was d to get it and would search for a cksmith at ater point in time. For now, he would focus on grinding preparing to reshape the Leisure Guild.


    "Our next thing up for grabs are these boots, but don¡¯t be fooled," shouted Eve, keeping the audience active. "These ordinary-looking boots are unique lv. 70 holy items that are blessed by the Illusion God. It allows the wearer to appear to be in two ces at once, making them very difficult to face in closebat. What will the--"


    "One high-tier lv. 80 breastte!"


    Some people were already looking up to Jack¡¯s room before he ced the bid, anticipating an unbeatable offer toe from him.


    "Going once... Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong!"


    In the eyes of the crowd, Jack¡¯s pockets only kept getting deeper, never running out. It scared the royals. They feared the worst, that not a single royal would get their hands on a mysterious item.


    "Were those yours Argyle?" asked Jack.


    "Yeah..." pouted the auction house owner. "Let me guess, they¡¯re mythic-tier?"


    Jack¡¯s nod was answer enough for Argyle¡¯s heart to skip a beat. He was d to get a high-tier lv. 80 item, but it still hurt to lose another mythic-tier item that he could use personally.


    Eve was already bringing out the next item, getting used to Jack¡¯s dominating bids. "There are now three items up for sale, and I don¡¯t believe we¡¯ve ever sold anything this valuable before, at least not in my lifetime."


    Those words shook the crowd. The royals with items topete with Jack were d they held themselves back. Now was the time for them topete.


    Giving Hurmot a peculiar look, Kaldor asked, "What did you put up...?"


    "You¡¯ll see," stated Hurmot, not letting his eyes leave the stage.


    Two items were wheeled out at the same time, confusing the audience.


    "Everyone, both of the next two items have been evaluated at the same price. For that reason, we will sell them both at the same time," exined Eve. "Both of these ancient books are spellbooks. But, there¡¯s something special about them. Inside, you¡¯ll find mythic-tier spells."


    A deep breath was taken by everyone collectively, even Jack.


    With a frozen gaze, Kaldor¡¯s mouth was agape. "You... You both put up mythic-tier spell books?!"


    Hurmot was also entranced, but for a different reason. "If we both put up mythic-tier spellbooks, yet neither of them were thest item, just how crazy was Argyle?!"


    "These spells are--"


    "I¡¯ll offer a peak-tier lv. 80 item for each spellbook!"


    "..." Eve stopped talking and looked toward that room on the third floor, along with everyone else. "Y-you have two peak-tier lv. 80 items?"


    Suddenly, two weapons appeared on Jack¡¯s disy, a ive and a metal w. "Both are peak-tier lv. 80 items. If you must, you¡¯re wee to send someone to inspect them."


    The hearts of the royals all seized up. Most of them were unable to evenpete with one lv. 80 peak-tier item, yet Jack had thrown out two at once.


    The couple of kings that had a peak-tier lv. 80 item with them hesitated. They definitely wanted one of those spellbooks, but they also remembered that there was one item left. Meaning, that there was something even more valuable after those spellbooks.


    "Are there anypeting bids?" asked Eve, whoughed and struggled to believe how profitable this year¡¯s auction had been. "Since no one has said anything, I¡¯ll begin the countdown for both items at once."


    "Going once... Going twice... Sold!"


    "Gong! Gong!"


    Finally, Argyle felt much better. He already knew that the spellbook was peak-tier, so this matched his expectation.


    Hurmot couldn¡¯t stopughing. From Jack¡¯s aggressive bids, he had the feeling that he had underestimated Jack¡¯s wealth. But he was still d nheless because he got a lv. 80 peak-tier item.


    Having such an item already set both Celestial Crane and Fat Goose auction houses apart from Golden Haven. Each auction house had a lv. 80 item, but none were high-tier, let alone peak-tier. This could heavily influence the development of both auction houses and attract the most reclusive experts for another spectacr auction.


    Left out, Kaldor was struggling to control his rage. He only managed to gain a peak-tier lv. 75 item. For such an item, there were only two cksmiths in the world that could make them, making it priceless.


    Yet he didn¡¯t just lose in terms of profit, he waspletely outssed by the other two auction houses winnings.


    "Who¡¯s ready for the final item?"


    With a great roar, the crowd cheered as onest item was rolled out on a pure white trolly. As thest item, everyone was sure that the royals would give it their all to fight Jack for it.


    But before Eve could exin anything, Jack already shouted out an offer with his gaze fixed on the white trolly.


    "One peak-tier lv. 80 item!"


    Eve stammered, "Please, let me exin what this--"


    "I¡¯ll also offer a lv. 80 peak-tier item!"


    "Me too! And I¡¯ll add a lv. 75 peak-tier item!"


    Two voices cut her off. The royals finally couldn¡¯t stand Jack¡¯s dominating bids.


    Sighing, Eve looked up and saw all three disys. She noticed that the first royal also added a lv. 75 peak-tier item, yet Jack¡¯s disy didn¡¯t change at all.


    "Give me a moment to review the two leading offers. Then we¡¯ll decide who will walk away with these--"


    "That won¡¯t be necessary!" shouted Jack. The image on disy changedpletely, reced with a sword. "I¡¯ll offer a mid-tier lv. 85 weapon."


    "..."


    "..."


    "..."


    The only thing heard throughout the auction hall was heavy breathing. Everyone was trembling from excitement and amazement. Jack¡¯s offers would always get more radical and never lower, even after everything he put up. It was too much toprehend,ing from a mysterious buyer with no known background and someone who was guessed to be a young man.


    Both Kaldor and Hurmot had goosebumps.


    At that moment, Hurmot knew that he had underestimated Jack¡¯s wealth. He wished he had put something up to match Argyle¡¯sst item.


    "WHAAAAAAAT?!?!?!"


    Kaldor roared. It was too tough of a pill for him to swallow. "That idiot actually put his Phoenix Lilies up for auction?! And it¡¯s the entire bouquet?!"

 Chapter 225 After the Auction

    <h4>Chapter 225 After the Auction</h4>


    "G-going once..."


    As Eve started the countdown, all the royals looked to Jack¡¯s room with determination. They all decided that they would learn who that mysterious person was, no matter what it took.


    "Going twice..."


    Hurmot and Kaldor were bickering over the final result of the auction, one of them furious at the other two owners and one mad at himself.


    "Sold!"


    "GONG!!"


    "E-everyone, again we¡¯d like to thank you foring and participating in this year¡¯s annual auction. For now, we¡¯d like to ask you all to wait either in the auction hall or in your private rooms as the items we just sold are delivered to their owners," stated Eve, getting everyone to look back to Jack¡¯s room.


    If not for the two nobles who somehow got the sixth level beasts, all of those items would be delivered to a single man.


    They all understood what she meant by that statement. The auction houses were supporting that man¡¯s anonymity and didn¡¯t want any prying eyes.


    "After ten minutes, we¡¯ll open the doors of the auction hall and allow everyone to leave as they wish," continued Eve. "We appreciate your support of the auction houses and we look forward to next year¡¯s auction. It should be even more glorious!"


    As she made thatst statement, Kaldor grunted, "You two should¡¯ve told me that you were going to other such ridiculous items."


    "Why? So you wouldn¡¯tin and whine after wepletely outshined you?" Hurmot gave a coldugh. "This is business, you know that. Thanks to that mystery man, the next year¡¯s auction will be amazing! Good luck scavenging items to keep up next year."


    Hurmot finished speaking as he left the room, leaving Kaldor to wallow in anger.


    Up in his private room, Jack sat down on the couch as he waited for all of his new items to be delivered. "Argyle, those Phoenix Lilies were yours, right?"


    "Yup."


    "Are you really okay with that?"


    "Of course!" replied Argyle with a resoundingugh. "For me, they just stay in storage all the time. And thanks to you, I won this year without any debate. Even that wise Hurmot couldn¡¯tpete with my daring n this year."


    "If you say so."


    Soon, a knock came from the door. Again, it was the managers. And, again, Jack said nothing, only exchanging the items through the sidepartment.


    He quickly took out the bouquet of Phoenix Lilies. A decision had to be made.


    Phoenix Lilies were wondrous items that would keep someone from dying. Upon death, the holder of a Phoenix Lily would revive with half of their strength. In a world without respawn or resurrection, this item was literally a lifesaver.


    But there was one problem. There only had six Phoenix Lilies.


    They now had a party of eight, nine if Jack included Bowzer. Thisplicated things.


    "Here you go Lina, make sure you always keep this with you."


    "Thanks, Big Bro! It¡¯s so pretty." Lina smelled and cherished the beautiful flower.


    He then looked at thest five flowers in his hand. With them, Jack looked at everyone else in the room. "Guys, these are Phoenix Lilies, if you didn¡¯t know. With them, the holder will instantly be revived after a killing blow, but I only have five left..."


    "Let the girls have them," stated Maynard.


    Rydel nodded. "Yeah, they should have them."


    In response, Jack walked up to both of them and handed them each a lily. "Maynard, you¡¯ll always be on the front lines and will likely be away from the cleric the most. You should have one. And Rydel, you¡¯ll be the party scout so you¡¯ll have plenty of times where you are on your own and might need this."


    Neither of them rejected the item. They understood that Jack was trying to divvy them up based on the party¡¯s needs, so they couldn¡¯t argue.


    Next, Jack looked at the remaining four girls.


    But before he could say anything, Daliea spoke up while shaking her head. "I don¡¯t need that. Just let the others have them. Remember, I¡¯ve got the most magic and the most mana out of everyone here. With my illusion magic, I can always escape from trouble in the worst-case scenario."


    Touched, Jack smiled sincerely a Daliea. He was d he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about the girls growing apart from the uneven distribution of such valuable items.


    Handing thest three out to the remaining girls, Jack sighed, "Also, I have these to give you both."


    Both mythic-tier spellbooks appeared in his hands as he extended them toward Ke and Eliza. "I¡¯m only doing this because when you learn them, I¡¯ll also have a chance to eventually learn them thanks to my subss. Make sure to use them wisely."


    Eliza dly took it and jumped up to hug Jack. "Thanks, Jack!" She also tried to kiss his cheek, but he pushed her off of him before she was able to.


    Ke smiled and gratefully took it. Standing up, she also hugged Jack, but it was quick and obvious that she wasn¡¯t trying anything more.


    Jack looked back to Argyle and took out the mythic-tier sword. "Do you want this back?"


    "You mean it?!" He got excited and started to reach out for the sword.


    "For the right exchange, I¡¯m willing to give it back."


    "That¡¯s what I figured... What do you want?"


    "I¡¯m willing to give up the sword but only for something from your restricted storage."


    Argyle sighed and scratched the side of his face. "I should¡¯ve known... Very well, I¡¯ll show you the Fat Goose¡¯s restricted storageter. For now, we¡¯ll have to wait for the royals and everyone else on the third floor to leave."


    "Can¡¯t we just leave, you and me?" Suddenly, Jack¡¯s entire appearance changed into that of a Baral, the Fat Goose¡¯s first manager.


    "I guess that works. Follow me."


    The two then left the others alone in the room, without worry.


    They ran into a couple of royals who were lounging in the hallway and had seen Argyle and "Baral" exiting Jack¡¯s room. One of them was familiar to Jack and asked Argyle, "Master Argyle, do you know the man from that room? I¡¯d like to invite him to a feast."


    "Sorry, but I have sworn to absolute secrecy. No one is allowed to know his identity or inquire about him from the Fat Goose," replied Argyle with a quick nod while continuing to walk past.


    Jack looked back at the Maltor king, curious what his motives might be.


    Argyle led Jack to the back of the guild quarters and eventually to a door with a magic seal. He took out a key covered in inscriptions and ced it in the door. At the same time, the inscription on the door started to glow and move.


    "Everything beyond this door is only known by myself and Baral, so like everything else about you, keep these things a secret. And if you want something, just ask and I¡¯ll let you know if I find it to be a fair trade," exined Argyle.


    "Very well."


    Both of them entered the room and resealed the door behind them and let no one know that they were inside.


    "Go ahead, take a look around."


    Before Argyle told him to do so, Jack was already inspecting every item on disy.


    There weren¡¯t too many items, only a couple of dozen. But there were also some empty spaces, most likely from the items that were just auctioned off and not yet reced by what the Fat Goose had received in exchange.


    Jack only found a handful of mythic-tier items, but no legendary items.


    A bit bummed but still happy to get something valuable, Jack inspected the four remaining mythic-tier items.


    Though Jack didn¡¯t say it out loud, Argyle understood that those four items were all mythic-tier and were valued around the same price as that sword.


    "Which one do you like?" asked Argyle.


    Jack focused on two of the items, going back and forth between them. It took him almost a minute, but he finally pointed at one of them. "I want this one."


    "Hmm... Interesting, but that makes sense since you can use that item now and not at lv. 70 like the rest. But can you actually use that?" stated Argyle jokingly. "I ept the offer."


    After a toss of the sword, Jack then grabbed the mythic-tier spellbook with a big grin. Jack brushed his fingers over the cover and mumbled the spell¡¯s name to himself, "Time Stop..."


    "I know you want to learn it right away, but we should get back to everyone else," stated Argyle, pulling Jack back to reality. "You¡¯ll probably have to stay the night, but after that, we can sneak you our the ce. I¡¯ll order a feast to be prepared."


    While he said that, Argyle was twirling his "new" sword around, quickly adjusting to its weight. Rather than putting it back into the restricted storage, he happily stored it away in his personal storage forter use.

 Chapter 226 Another Surprise Visi

    <h4>Chapter 226 Another Surprise Visi</h4>


    Both of them soon returned to the room upstairs, again avoiding some lingering royals in the hall.


    Within the hour, servants brought up over a dozen trolleys of food, startling the royals in the hall. When all of the trolleys were pushed into that mysterious room, the royals didn¡¯t know what to believe, since it was enough food to feed a few dozen fully grown men.


    What they didn¡¯t know was that the bulk of that food was for Bowzer and Lina, who were practically bottomless pits for all kinds of food.


    The others were resting on the couches, enjoying the meal with some small talk.


    "So, Jack, what did you get from my Father for that sword?" asked Eliza.


    "Something pretty good, I¡¯m sure it wille in handy at some point," replied Jack, not giving much detail. "Hey Rydel, pass the roasted turkey!"


    No matter who asked, Jack and Argyle wouldn¡¯t say a word about their special exchange.


    Argyle had also offered to exchange for the discement boots, but Jack turned him down. He would need something to entice a lv. 70.


    "Since you won¡¯t talk about your special exchange, will you tell us more about what we¡¯re doing in Barren City?" Eliza stared at Jack with a frown.


    "There¡¯s not much to talk about. We¡¯ve only got one thing to do there, get a strong expert to join the Leisure Guild wholeheartedly."


    "Jack... You do realize how hard that is, right?" stated Argyle. "It¡¯s not like during Ancient Kartonia. Now, lv. 70¡¯s are the strongest experts in the continent and don¡¯t need a guild to support them."


    "True, but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get someone at some point. Since I can¡¯t get to that level soon enough, I¡¯ll have to get someone that already is."


    "But to go to Barren City... Are you sure you don¡¯t want using too?" Daliea looked to Jack subtly and shyly.


    He sighed, looking at Daliea and the others. "Trust me, we¡¯ll manage, okay? I¡¯m not sure how long we¡¯ll be but it¡¯s best that we don¡¯t take too many people. The less attention we draw, the better."


    "But I want toe too!" shouted Lina stubbornly.


    Jack sighed, "Lina, I¡¯m sorry but it¡¯ll only be for a short time. I¡¯ll be back after I do something."


    "But--"


    "Lina, it has to be this way. The only way you coulde along is if you stayed in Maura¡¯s ring the whole time, but you don¡¯t like the ring, right?"


    "Ohhh..." Lina groaned. "Please, Big Bro?"


    "No!"


    Maynard agreed, "Don¡¯t worry, Lina, they¡¯ll be fine and you¡¯ll see them again soon."


    "Plus, including Bowzer and the other beasts, we should be able to handle anything lv. 40 and under. With Eliza for support, Maura controlling the fight, and me and Bowzer on the front lines, we¡¯re quite the party," reasoned Jack.


    Not arguing with that logic, the others were forced to be at ease.


    Jack quickly pulled out the as he had purchased and pointed to a small town. "You guys should aim for Gin. It¡¯s a decent-sized town and it¡¯s just outside of the woods where you¡¯ll find plenty of lv. 30 beasts and even some lv. 40. But remember, avoid hurting any elves unless it¡¯s life-threatening."


    "Yeah, yeah, we got it, Jack," chuckled Rydel as he downed some wine. "I hope you enjoy your honeymoon to Sandros."


    "This is not a honeymoon!"


    "What¡¯s a honeymoon?" asked Lina.


    Eliza giggled. "Well, a honeymoon is when a man and a woman--"


    "It¡¯s not anything like that! This is not a honeymoon, this is strictly business and you two will be in your own room. Got it?" shouted Jack, not giving Eliza any wiggle room.


    "...Fine..." grumbled Eliza.


    Maura frowned.


    She was always around Jack and he was already a key part of her life. If he wasn¡¯t there, everything would just feel wrong. And she was already growing used to sharing a bed with him and Maura would miss that.


    For the rest of the night, they chatted and reminisced about their past few months of travel. After morning came and the auction hall was cleared, Jack and his party were sessfully sneaked out of the auction house.


    The party returned to the Heavenly Pce Inn for onest night in Federal City. Before the split up the next day, Jack had to go on the promised shopping spree with the girls.


    Once they arrived at the Heavenly Pce Inn, Jack was approached by Marisha and she whispered, "That same man who spoke with you before is here waiting for you. He said you would want to speak with him if I mentioned it."


    Jack nodded and turned to the others. "It looks like someone is here to speak with me again, so you all can go on without me. I¡¯ll join you in a little bit."


    As everyone else went to their private booth for breakfast, Marisha led Jack to a private room in the back of the restaurant.


    After entering, Jack silenced the room and sat down. "What brings you here, Lorwynn?"


    The old man kept his amiable smile. "I didn¡¯t know that you had managed to find not only Ponlinne¡¯s staff but everything left behind from the Medic Guild. That was quite the show at auction. I enjoyed it."


    "So, what of it? Are you just here to take it all for yourself?"


    "I could... but I won¡¯t," replied Lorwynn, baffling Jack.


    "But why would you--"


    "I have my reasons for letting you run loose for a little while," interrupted Lorwynn. "If those reasons prove true, then they¡¯ll eventually exin themselves. But since the association wasn¡¯t able to figure it out, I¡¯ll let this slide."


    Staring deeply at Lorwynn, Jack¡¯s mouth was agape as he tried to think of something to say.


    "Where are you heading next?" asked Lorwynn. "I¡¯d imagine that you¡¯re not ready to take over the Leisure Guild and there are a few stops on the way. Where to next?"


    "..."


    "You don¡¯t have to tell me if you don¡¯t want to. I can¡¯t say I me you either, we are technically enemies, after all," Lorwynnughed. "So long as you stay out of Talrania, that¡¯s all that matters."


    "Talrania? What¡¯s in--"


    "Stay out of Talrania and don¡¯t search for anything concerning Talrania. If you do, then I will be forced to act against you, is that understood?" stated Lorwynn, dropping his friendliness for the first time.


    "Yeah... I can do that..."


    "Good, then there won¡¯t be any issues." Returning to his usual self, Lorwynn continued, "How soon are you nning to take over the Leisure Guild, a year?"


    "..."


    "Yeah, probably a year. I hope so. If not..." Lorwynn stopped talking, keeping himself from saying too much. "Anyway, I wanted to link our contact crystals. You know, just in case."


    "I guess we can do that." Reluctantly, Jack pulled out his crystal and linked it to Lorwynn¡¯s. "Is there anything else?"


    "Jack, I¡¯m not sure you fully understand what your role is as Daruun¡¯s champion. It¡¯s much bigger than you realize," replied Lorwynn. "Of us three champions, your job is the hardest, and you¡¯re also thetest to start preparing for it."


    "So, you already--"


    "Yes, I¡¯ve already met and fought with the other champion," Lorwynn finished Jack¡¯s statement for him. "It¡¯s been almost two hundred years since then, so we¡¯ve both grown a lot, I¡¯m sure. But don¡¯t worry about him, you¡¯re too weak to do anything about either of us."


    "Then what should I do? We¡¯re enemies, yet you¡¯re giving me advice on what to do as a champion?"


    Lorwynn¡¯s beard bounced as he nodded. "Precisely. You should form your own power, which you¡¯re currently doing, and focus on just grinding. You shouldn¡¯t try to find any trouble that you¡¯re not ready to handle. This is a war of attrition that can¡¯t be won overnight. So, what won¡¯t you do, Jack?"


    "...Go to Talrania or investigate Talrania."


    "And?"


    Jack sighed and grumbled, "I won¡¯t search for the third champion."


    "Good! As for what your role entails as Daruun¡¯s champion, that¡¯s for you to figure out on your own. Do you have any other questions before I leave? There¡¯s no telling when we¡¯ll next meet, if at all."


    Jack stared at Lorwynn and asked, "How¡¯s Halmut doing?"


    "He¡¯s doing just fine for the time being."


    "Why haven¡¯t the other holy gods done anything since they won the Holy War?"


    With a snicker, Lorwynn replied, "Simple, Halmut ordered them not to. And as for the chaotic gods, they don¡¯t dare try anything since Skaryn was sealed away. Anything else?"


    "No, that¡¯s all."


    "Very well, then I wish you the best of luck on your journey, Jack." The old man stood up and was about to open the door when he whispered, "Seriously, Jack, I¡¯m rooting for you."


    Then, he left the room and shut the door before Jack could look back and stop him. Jack opened the door to ask Lorwynn what he meant, but the old man had vanished.

 Chapter 227 Another Visitor???

    <h4>Chapter 227 Another Visitor???</h4>


    Jack sighed, not sure how he should feel about the conversation he just had. He was left curious about too many things without any answers, and he wasn¡¯t even allowed to search for the answers himself.


    But he couldn¡¯tin. There was a chance that Lorwynn was right and Jack would only bring himself trouble that he¡¯s not ready for.


    Until he was higher leveled, Jack would only focus on the Leisure Guild and grinding EXP.


    The young hero left the booth and found hispanions eating without him. Taking a seat and grabbing a turkey leg, Jack tried to eat away his troubles.


    They all asked what happened, but Jack didn¡¯t answer any questions or exin anything.


    Like always, Eliza tried to get near Jack but not even a massage was enough to break his defenses this time.


    As the sun set, Jack took the liberty to be the first to retire for the night. In his own room with Bowzer, Jack let his mind drift.


    Eventually, his tiredness overcame him and Jack was sound asleep.


    "Knock! Knock! Knock!"


    With a yawn, Jack was forced awake. "What is it?! It¡¯s the middle of the night!"


    "You have a guest, and he said it was urgent!" shouted Marisha.


    "But I¡¯m sleeping, just wait till--"


    "Brat, just open up the door! It¡¯s an old friend of yours!"


    Hearing Zariff, Jack was startled and confused. Jack got up and rubbed his eyes as he hobbled toward the door. As he opened it, he was met by a surprisingly familiar face. "Tralon? What¡¯s up?"


    "We¡¯ll discuss that now." Tralon walked right in, pushing past the tired Jack and closing the door. He quickly cast silence and sat on the bed. "Jack, a few things have happened and we need to talk."


    "Alright, go ahead."


    "Trodar is in trouble. You already know about the current wars, but it¡¯s nothing too serious at the moment. But now Sandros appears to be getting involved again," exined Tralon. "There¡¯s not enough evidence to convince the council to act, but I¡¯m certain that Sandros has agreed to join hands with Limneer, making things far worse than they should be."


    "What about you guys? If you¡¯re the weakest member of the council, then howe you aren¡¯t acting?"


    "To keep the wars from breaking out into chaos and causing too many casualties to count, Trodar signed a war pact with Limneer, Prachten, and Iscantor. That pact agrees that none of us will send anyone over lv. 40 for the time being. In a couple of months, that pact will be null and void though, so it seems Limneer is trying to get Sandros to help overwhelm us while it¡¯s still applicable."


    "Hmm... So, in other words, the current war effort is about who runs our of supports first?"


    "Exactly," replied Tralon. "If none of us nations can guarantee the safety of our men, which most are under lv. 40, then there¡¯s no reason for them to uphold their current government in the face of other offers."


    "And since the nations all used to be one in the first ce, the citizens aren¡¯t exactly loyal to those new nations, are they?" reasoned Jack.


    "Right again. But that¡¯s changing as they¡¯ve proven that they can hold up against us. If anything, it¡¯s our supporters that are considering abandoning Trodar," stated Tralon. "With the newer nations thriving and growing, they¡¯re not happy about our inability to reim our territory. And with Sandros joining the fight, as well as Iscantor trying to for a trade treaty with Korten, the people aren¡¯t too happy with the council."


    "So, shouldn¡¯t the council act to stop Sandros?"


    "It should, but most weren¡¯t in favor of it. They¡¯d rather hold out for longer to save our troops, at least until it¡¯s time to renegotiate our war pact."


    "Then... why did youe here to exin this to me?" asked Jack.


    "Because I think this is the opportunity you¡¯ll need to gain the favor of the people. Think about it," exined Tralon. "Right now, they can¡¯t send anyone lv. 40 or higher, so wouldn¡¯t it be the perfect moment for you to step in as the hero when the council waited on the sidelines?"


    "Actually, that¡¯s not a bad idea."


    "However, I will tell you that the Leisure Guild doesn¡¯t have anyone we can send to help you. Most of our members aren¡¯t even lv. 30... And those that are older members are mostly lv. 40¡¯s. You¡¯d have to handle this on your own."


    Scratching his head, Jack sighed, "Then, do you think I should take my whole team? I was already thinking of heading to Sandros to try and recruit a lv. 70 for the guild."


    "Don¡¯t even think about that right now. Considering the current state of the guild, not even considering Trodar as a whole, no free lv. 70¡¯s would agree to join. You may have great items, but that¡¯s not enough for them. And they¡¯d just kill you, not caring about the association," reasoned Tralon, putting a frown on Jack¡¯s face.


    "Jack, you have to believe me on that. You don¡¯t know enough about Trodar¡¯s current situation to understand that, but you¡¯ll figure it out soon. But for now, I think you should go and investigate the movements of the Sandros military. If they really n to move together with Limneer, then do anything you can to dy them. With enough dy and evidence, the council will make a move against them."


    "So... should I bring my whole party?"


    "I don¡¯t think you should," stated Tralon. "This is mainly for secretly tracking military units so you don¡¯t want a lot of people, but you¡¯ll also want to bring one of your strongest party members. I¡¯d bring one of your strongest party members and your stealthiest party member. That way you can gather intel, and then hit them hard before you run away."


    "Then Rydel is definitelying along. As for the other person... It would have to be Daliea. She¡¯s arguably the strongest in the party, yet she also has illusion type magic. I¡¯m sure that wille in handy," reasoned Jack, sharing his thoughts.


    "She¡¯s the shadow goblin, right? I think that would be perfect."


    "Is there anything else you¡¯ve heard of? If Limneer is finding a new ally, why wouldn¡¯t Prachten or Iscantor?"


    Tralon sighed, "That¡¯s what I fear as well. We know that Iscantor is focusing on trying to ally with the Korten, so we¡¯re not too worried about them trying anything too sudden. But we haven¡¯t learned anything about Prachten¡¯s movements, which is suspicious but we have no leads."


    Staring at his map, Jack had a sudden thought. He frowned and asked, "Prachten wouldn¡¯t agree to work with Talrania, would they?"


    "No, there¡¯s no way." The old pointy-eared man shook his head. "Talrania ispletely isted from the rest of the world and doesn¡¯t let in any outsiders. Trying to work with them would be even more difficult than with the elves."


    "Really?" Shocked, Jack rethought the situation. "Then what about Churstin to the south?"


    "Maybe, but we haven¡¯t noticed anything. For now, just focus on Limneer and Sandros. The moment you confirm they¡¯re allies, find a way to dy them. After that, contact me immediately and I¡¯ll summon the council to act ordingly."


    "Also, consider this an official assignment of the Leisure Guild, so I¡¯ll give you these." Seven emblems appeared in his hand as Tralon held them forward. "With these, you and your party will officially be recognized as members of the Leisure Guild."


    Jackughed, "What about the exam process that I set up?"


    "You made it, so I don¡¯t think you have to take it. Plus, there¡¯s no time nor need for such a test. I look forward to the day that you can take the patriarch¡¯s seat from me. If the world would allow it, I¡¯d give it up right now," chuckled Tralon.


    "I¡¯ll need one more emblem, we gained another member recently. She¡¯s the daughter of two gods, so I was happy to ept her as my little sister."


    "Two gods?" Tralon stroked his beard in thought. "Jack, did you be a demigod?"


    "What makes you think that?"


    With a heartyugh, Tralon patted Jack¡¯s shoulders. "You used to steal from the gods, on multiple asions, yet you always returned safe and sound. I¡¯ve been around long enough to know about demigods. And if I were a god, I¡¯d agree with your new father that you¡¯ve got the potential to be a god."


    "Well, I¡¯ll make sure you talk with Sterfen and Lunara sometime. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be able to answer a lot of their questions."


    "Anyway, I should get going now. Again, the others don¡¯t know about my sudden leave, so I need to hurry back."


    "Wait!" Jack grabbed Tralon¡¯s hand before he could escape. "Let me give you the updated pact. I don¡¯t want to steal your EXP when you clearly need it against your curse."


    They quickly rewrote Tralon¡¯s pact, only to get interrupted by someone contacting Tralon. The moment the pact wasplete, Tralon waved goodbye and disappeared in a sh of light.

 Chapter 228 Search For a Stone

    <h4>Chapter 228 Search For a Stone</h4>


    As the morning sun rose and shown through the windows, all the members of Jack¡¯s party awoke and made their way downstairs for their usual breakfast. But Jack was nowhere to be found.


    "Have you seen Jack?" Eliza looked around the breakfast table.


    Maura shook her head and frowned. "No... Mother said he had a guestst night and Jack left immediately after. When she asked if she should wake us up, he said it wasn¡¯t worth it and that he would be back in the morning."


    As Eliza¡¯s lips twitched downward into a frown she crossed her arms and red at her food. The site of eggs and bacon and biscuits didn¡¯t make her any happier but she ate all the same.


    The party enjoyed the breakfast or at least tried to. Rydel and Maynard dug into the meat eagerly without a second thought. They knew Jack would be back and it didn¡¯t bother them in the least. Nina didn¡¯t pay too much attention, so long as she had the attention of Mara, chatting her ear off. Ke tried to calm down Eliza, gradually seeding until Eliza agreed to eat without Jack.


    It was only a matter of time before there was a knock at the door. Maynard hurried to open the door. Jack entered with a frown on his face. As he sat down Eliza was the first to speak up. "Where were you? And howe you didn¡¯t tell any of us that you left?"


    "I didn¡¯t see a reason why I should... All I did was go to the marketce." Jack sighed as he started to shovel eggs into his mouth.


    "So, did you find what you¡¯re looking for?" asked Maynard.


    Jack swallowed his food before he answered, "No, I didn¡¯t..."


    "And what¡¯s so hard to find that it wasn¡¯t in the federal market?" asked Rydel.


    "It¡¯s a long story," mumbled Jack. "You guys know how I find hidden tombs, right? Well, there is a particr item that¡¯smonly found in ancient hero tombs of the weaker yers. I want that item but to do so I need to find an item belonging to now-dead weak yers."


    Maynard and Rydel both looked at each other and smiled.


    Lina then spoke up, "What¡¯s a hidden tomb?"


    "It¡¯s a ce for fallen heroes. There you can find their past items and their treasures. But the treasure I want isn¡¯t valuable in terms of money, yet it¡¯s priceless to me. That item can let me speak with Daruun since I¡¯m pledged to him."


    The others around the table stared at each other. They did know what to feel.


    "So you had a way to contact the God of Fate and you didn¡¯t tell us about it? Not even your wives?" grumbled Eliza.


    Jack shook his head. "Nope."


    Hearing his casual answer Eliza didn¡¯t know how to respond. She was fuming yet she didn¡¯t know why. Rather than yell back, Eliza stuffed bacon in her mouth and red at Jack like a wife would before putting her husband in the doghouse.


    Unfazed from Eliza¡¯s gaze, Jack looked to the others in the party. "I need that item because it will help me and all of us in the future. Also, it will make sure that our ns are steady and more sessful. So until I find that item, I¡¯d rather not leave Federal City.


    Maynardughed, "That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all you had to say!" Both he and Rydel ordered another few rounds of brandy, no longer worrying about traveling in the day.


    Daliea finally made herself known. "Is there anything I can do to help?"


    "I don¡¯t think so, sadly." A slight smile showed on Jack¡¯s face. "I¡¯m the only one who can recognize items that formally belonged to ancient heroes."


    "Okay. But if you find a way for me to help, then let me know," insisted Daliea.


    "The same goes for me," added Maura.


    "And me too, Big Bro!"


    Jack looked around the table, smiling at the girls offering their assistance. He also looked at Ke who nodded, silently adding herself to the list.


    "And make sure to ask me too..." stated Eliza, making sure she wasn¡¯t forgotten.


    Everyone then finished eating their food, some enjoying it more than others.


    Rydel and Maynard stayed behind to enjoy themselves and drink while the girls went their separate ways. Ke asked Eliza for a massage so she went upstairs to their room. Daliea followed behind, making sure to always be learning from the master masseuse. Maura showed Lina around the city. Little Lina was excited to finally see and experience such a wonderful ce without any rush.


    Just think he said, Jack spent his time in the marketbing through every single tent.


    Most of the day had no results. Jack only managed to cover one-fourth of the market since he was extremely thorough and didn¡¯t dare miss a single shop. Near the end of the day, however, as the sun was setting Jack was lucky enough to find a spear. It was a lv. 15 spear, peak tier. Just above the vor text, Jack found the owner¡¯s name, that of an ancient hero.


    Without alerting the others Jack exited the city and retrieved the magnificent bird that he had purchased during the auction, which he quickly named Appa. Jack mounted the bird and let Bowzer sit on his head. While Bowzer kept the bird calm Jack quickly performed a mutual seal and made the bird his beastpanion.


    Thanks to hispanion telepathy skill it was quite easy for Jack to lead Appa around toward his intended destination, the northwest region of the Polt Federation.


    Without much trouble Jack found the desired location, performed the chant, and opened the tomb. Only a few low-level beasts were around so Appa and Bowzer cleared it easily.


    In the meantime, Jack entered the tomb and found hardly anything inside. There wasn¡¯t even much gold, let alone tinum. It was clear that this yer never bothered to buy a thing and soon gave up on the MMORPG. And, sure enough, Jack discovered no tutorial stone; guessing that it was used up a long time ago.


    The young hero and his beastpanions quickly fled, returning to Federal City empty-handed.


    They found the others eating dinner without them but they didn¡¯t care. When the others asked what Jack had been up to and why he waste, he said nothing.


    Bowzer tried to exin but no one understood a word of what he was saying.


    The next day wasn¡¯t any better. Jack managed to find another useful item, but it was impossible for him to reach that tomb¡¯s location. He was already warned not to enter Talrania, so there was no way he could chance it just to find a tutorial stone.


    On the third day, the unhappy Jack returned to the market to scour through thest of the shops. Again he found another item but he kept looking. Rather than hurry off to the tomb, Jack decided to finish searching and find all tombs after that.


    Once he had finished looking at all the shops, Jack had two items and two leads. The sun had already set and the others were already enjoying dinner. But Jack exited the city on the same. Bringing out Appa yet again Jack left for the first of the two hidden tombs.


    Appa¡¯s speed proved immensely helpful. In half an hour they reached the southeastern border of the Polt Federation and entered Fulton. After another five minutes of travel, they descended into a forest.


    Bowzer handled beasts in their way, letting Jack focus solely on opening the tomb. As he entered this one, which was the within arge ancient tree, Jack found a familiar sight. There was a single chest near the sepulchre with only a few gold coins and some starter items inside. But no tutorial stone.


    They hurried to the next ce, hoping to finally get their hands on what they needed.


    This time they went southwest and entered Sandros. It took almost an hour for them to travel and then search in the sand for the tomb¡¯s entrance. If Jack weren¡¯t in such a hurry, he would¡¯ve appreciated the pyramid-like tomb that was hidden in a mound of sand.


    Beasts that resembled scorpions and spiders surrounded them, but again Bowzer and Appa took care of. It was easy. All of those visited areas were swarming with lv. 20¡¯s, enough to kill the low leveled heroes but nowhere near strong enough for the ming fox and the giant bird.


    Whilst inside the tomb Jack started to smile.


    A sarcophagus reced the typical sepulcher and three chestsid beside it, proving the fallen hero to be a money yer. The anxious Jack quickly dug through the chests and stored everything without any inspection until he reached that item, a tutorial stone. On it were a few cracks but it remained whole.


    Without hesitation, Jack poured mana into it and the world went quiet.


    "You were quite eager this time," stated a familiar voice.

 Chapter 229 A Hard Conversation

    <h4>Chapter 229 A Hard Conversation</h4>


    "You were quite eager this time."


    "I¡¯d ask if you knew how hard it was to speak with you, but I¡¯m sure you already know. Can¡¯t you make it easier for me, your chosen champion?" muttered Jack.


    Daruun shook his head with his emotionless face. "It will be easier in time once you find my temple. After entering there you can ask me anything and everything you want. But until then you¡¯ll have to find other means. Also, you should know that this tutorial stone has already been used once."


    "Then I only get two questions?" Jack red at Daruun, obviously unhappy.


    "Precisely. Now, what would you like to speak about? Have you finally decided to be yourself or are you still waning to other people¡¯s wills? Perhaps this is about your wife¡¯s and all the time you enjoy spending with them."


    "That¡¯s enough... You know very well that my current rtionship status would be very different had you warned me better in the past," mumbled Jack, trying not to light the fuse of his short temper.


    "I did warn you and you decided to take the lesser of the two options. Therefore, the lesser of the two oues came to pass. You chose to try and have the best of both worlds, reviving a fallen friend while also keeping close to the Adventurers Association. Those were your actions and that was your decision," exined Daruun. "I may be the God of Fate but I don¡¯t change fate, I can only offer you a glimpse into it."


    Jack red at the stoic god. Old feelings welled up inside him and he did his best to keep them down but some still squeezed their way out. "So, in other words, even though I¡¯m your chosen champion, you¡¯ll still leave me hanging out to dry without any warning of my friends dying?"


    "The death of a person is practically impossible to stop, even more so if they¡¯re closer to you. The more you fight fate, the harder it fights back, as you¡¯ve started to learn. Knowing who will die,... When... Where... Those are things that you shouldn¡¯t burden yourself with. And knowing them will only make things worse," mentioned Daruun under his breath.


    "So I should just sit here and let people die?!" shouted Jack. "The reason I pledged to you in the first ce was so that I can be prepared for every situation and can reduce the casualty and failure rate of everything me and my party does."


    "Wrong..." Daruun held up a hand in pause. "You first joined me and my side to reduce the failure rate of your schemes and ns. This is the first time it ever involved including a party that you actually cared about."


    Caught in thought Jack¡¯s jaw stiffened, still agape. "Yes... But... That just means now I need to learn their fates as well."


    "Wrong again. Precisely because they are yourpanions, you shouldn¡¯t learn much of their fate," corrected Daruun. "I¡¯m sure you figured it out by now but let me rephrase it. You, my chosen champion, were selected to fight fate. That means that the world will be fighting against you."


    "That also means that anyone alongside you will also be fighting fate, but they¡¯ll find it much harder than you do. To fate there must always be a bnce; for every right, there must be a wrong. For every victory, there must be a defeat. For each person to rise, there must be someone to fall. That is the simplestw fate, thew of bnce."


    "Are you telling me that by being with my friends, they have a greater chance of dying?!"


    "That¡¯s one way to interpret it, yes. But they¡¯ve also done so willingly."


    "That doesn¡¯t matter!" With a raging eyes Jack stepped up to Daruun. "What¡¯s the point of me even having a party if all I do is bring them misery?!"


    "That¡¯s not all you bring," added Daruun. "You also add purpose and fulfillment to their lives, just look at Rydel. He was a lonely Hunter who would have scrounged for money until he had enough to eventually travel to Trodar. But what would it be done after that? Wouldn¡¯t he have just given his life defending the country he grew up in? What about Maynard, the bloodthirsty samurai who was always looking for a challenge? Wouldn¡¯t he travel until he was eventually overpowered and defeated in battle like he used to always go on about?"


    "That¡¯s enough..."


    "And what about your wives?" continued Daruun. "Maura would¡¯ve spent her life living by her parents¡¯ rules and expectations if you hadn¡¯t shown up. And though you don¡¯t see it, Eliza was the most sheltered of them all and you were her ticket into the real world. You were the hero of her dreams, possibly the only person her father would have trusted her with. Without you, she never would¡¯ve left the Fat Goose Guild, a shadow of her true self."


    "Just stop--"


    "Maybe you¡¯ve forgotten about Ke. But you remember, don¡¯t you? Without you, she would¡¯ve been married off to a perverted prince as one of his many forgotten and abused wives."


    "I said--"


    "And that¡¯s not including Daliea, the lone survivor of an abandoned race--"


    "STOP!" Jack grabbed hold of the robed god. "Shut up already!"


    "Should I? I didn¡¯t even mention Lina, who would¡¯ve never been born without you," added Daruun.


    No longer able to control himself, Jack shook Daruun back and forth, letting his hot raging breaths cover Daruun¡¯s face. "Just shut up! Shut up!"


    Time passed as all the world remained frozen.


    Teary-eyed with quivering lip Jack kept his gaze on the god before him but said nothing. Neither did Daruun. Both remained there, one weeping and onepletely emotionless.


    Eventually, Daruun spoke again, "You know nothing of fate. You know nothing of death. To you, the death of a friend is heavy on your heart, but is it heavier than the death of millions? Pursuing a noble cause in an unjust world will inevitably lead to the death of a few, but those few deaths can spare the lives of countless others."


    "But... That doesn¡¯t mean my friends must die," whimpered Jack, still trying to stand his ground.


    Daruun shook his head. "I never said they had to. But you must realize the weight of your responsibility. Didn¡¯t Lorwynn mentioned that your job among the three champions was the hardest? It¡¯s because you¡¯re not fighting one current, but two. You aren¡¯t to picking a side, you¡¯re making your own."


    Suddenly, a solemn tone of regret shook Daruun¡¯s throat. "I left this world unattended for too long and grew out of hand... Sadly, I can do nothing personally. That¡¯s what you¡¯re here to do. To right the wrongs and fight the unruly system that grew unstoppable in this world. The rest of the world doesn¡¯t know it, but they will eventually thank you for your interference in fate."


    Still quivering Jack¡¯s hands released Daruun¡¯s robe. "Then how do I keep my friends safe? Why should I let them join me if some are going to die?"


    "If you ask around, you may figure out that some of your friends have epted that fate. You may find it wrong but your friends, in the worst-case scenario, might ce more importance on your life than their own. And if you told them to leave, do you really think they would?"


    Seeing that Jack remained silent Daruun took the initiative to change the subject, returning to his emotionless self. "Weren¡¯t you going to ask me about Trodar and how you can control it?"


    "Why do you always bring this up?" asked Jack.


    "What up?"


    "Something that I never asked for... Last time you made sure to talk about who I really was. This time you made sure to poke fun at me and tell me not to worry about my friends when they die because of me. What am I to you? I thought I was your chosen champion, the person you would help seed no matter what..."


    "It¡¯s precisely because you are my chosen champion that I bring these issues up. If you don¡¯t learn enough about the world and don¡¯t have certain expectations, then what urs in the future will be even harder for you," exined Daruun.


    Jack clenched his fist and shook his head. "What if I don¡¯t want that? What if I give up and decide to live a casual life instead?"


    "That¡¯s impossible," sighed Daruun. "For a time you would live a peaceful life, but you¡¯ve already stepped on this path. Your decisions thus far would fail to prevent any casual life you may choose from flourishing. Your only hope of a peaceful life in this world is to fulfill your role as a champion and right the wrongs that past gods have done."


    "... But that¡¯s not what I signed up for..."


    "In a way, it was. Afterpleting the achievement list in your past life, you opted to ept the extraterrestrial quest you were given. And I know for a fact that your past self, even knowing what you¡¯ve gone through now, would have epted that quest. Am I wrong?"


    Silence. That was the only answer Jack could give.


    "Since that¡¯s the case, shouldn¡¯t we continue nning your next steps? You know that without me your ns will fail and you won¡¯t know what to do." Daruun finally brushed and fixed his robe. "So, weren¡¯t you wondering how you could gain control of Trodar?"

 Chapter 230 The Neccesary Steps

    <h4>Chapter 230 The Nesary Steps</h4>


    "So, weren¡¯t you wondering how you could gain control of Trodar?"


    Jack didn¡¯t respond immediately. Still pondering his role in Daruun¡¯s n, questioning more of Daruun¡¯s intentions.


    But he also understood that he had no choice but to eventually return to his friends who were waiting for the next part of the n. "Yeah... I need to know how I can gain control of Trodar while saving it and what steps do I need to fill for that to happen."


    "That I can help you with." Daruun nodded. "For you to save Trodar and gain influence over it there are a total of five steps that you must follow. Step one: you must slow the Limneer-Sandros alliance¡¯s advance and find evidence for Tralon to push the Trodan Council to act. This will be one of the harder steps. Would you like to ask questions before I exin the other steps or after?"


    "I¡¯ll ask the questions afterward..."


    Daruun continued, "Very well. Step two: you must find a way to cut off the supply lines from Churstin to Prachten, the very supply lines that the Trodan Council knows nothing about. Step three: you must help Korten in order to gain their trust. Also note, that your friend Daliea will be key to this and that without her this step will fail. Step four: you and your party must officially join the Leisure Guild. Step five: you will have to sessfully be elected onto the Trodan Council."


    Jack scratched his head in thought, still irritated with Daruun. "For step one will I need the entire party?"


    "As you¡¯ve already nned, I would advise that your party split up but in a different way. I believe a few party members should head to Prachten in order to learn more about supply lines. They won¡¯t need to act, though, so there¡¯s not too much danger there. On the other hand, those with you will be in immense danger as you infiltrate Limneer and forcibly halt their advance by some means after giving Tralon the evidence of their alliance, which breaks the war pact they signed. If you can¡¯t slow down their advance, then the Trodan forces won¡¯t make it in time to stop the invasion."


    "Then who do you suggest I bring?"


    "I suggest you add a couple people to those you already nned to bring along. Together with Daliea and Rydel, your small party is quite powerful for its level but you¡¯ll still need the help of Eliza and Ke if you want to avoid catastrophe."


    With widened eyes Jack looked back to Daruun. "You mean--"


    Shook his head. "The catastrophe will only happen if they don¡¯t join you. But if they¡¯re with you, then that catastrophe will be averted. Their help in controlling battles and healing the party will be a pivotal asset during this first step of your n."


    "All right..." Feeling a bit more at ease Jack let his train of thought continue. "Where do you suggest each of our parties began our searches?"


    "Maura, Lina, and Maynard should start their search in Talmook, to the south of Prachten. You and the others should start in Zurden. Once in your respective location, you should start searching for information and im a ce to hide in secret. The fewer the people who know of your existence the better," exined Daruun.


    "Sounds simple enough... Why is step one so dangerous?" asked Jack.


    Daruun shrugged and looked away. "Because you will be dealing with a small army that only a handful of people know exists. The moment you make yourself known, they will do everything and anything to shut you up and keep you from revealing them. If they¡¯re found out, that means they¡¯ve incited the anger of the high leveled people of Trodar, something that the Limneer citizens were always against. Which would then lead to ack of support."


    "And what would happen if I fail any of these five steps?"


    "Then you will either fail to save Trodar or fail to gain influence over it, only saving it a couple of years before its imminent copse," replied Daruun. "Again, this is an example of how difficult a im against fate is. But if you seed in the end against all the difficulty thaty in front of your party, then you¡¯ll find yourselves in a much better position to protect your loved ones. Doesn¡¯t that sound worth it to you?"


    A slow nod came from Jack¡¯s head. "And what should I know of the other steps?"


    "Most everything will exin itself as the situations unravel. For step two, all you have to do is stop the supply line and that can be by any means you deem necessary. Step four is self-exnatory and step five will involve you running a campaign where you publicly announce your involvement in steps one through three so that the public will rally on your side," exined Daruun.


    "Step three is the second hardest but is more than possible, so long as Daliea is with you. With her step three is a guaranteed sess. Any other questions about this?"


    "No, I don¡¯t think I will get anything out of you besides needless details," grumbled Jack. He took a moment to think. With only one question left from the tutorial stone, Jack pondered what to do next.


    "Shouldn¡¯t you save thest question just in case?" Mentioned Daruun.


    Hearing that, Jack couldn¡¯t help but agree. After onest look at Daruun, Jack turned and walked away without a word. Just as he was about to exit the tomb, he heard Daruun¡¯sst question.


    "Would you like to know what skills will help you the most?"


    His footsteps stopped. Turning around, Jack stared at the still emotionless God. "And what would those be? Wouldn¡¯t that be a waste of myst question?"


    Daruun showed a subtle smile as he shook his head. "Thanks to your efforts and your recent tomb raiding, you¡¯ve now got seven hundred and fifty-nine skill points. Do you think it¡¯s best to buy an immensely powerful spell or to distribute them amongst a few spells that are less powerful yet quite practical?"


    "Just tell me already since you know best," whined Jack.


    "What I rmend is that you level up both mana capacity and mana regeneration first, which will take 320 skill points. Then you should buy Spatial Disruption," advised Daruun. "This will aid your entire party at once and create the ideal environment for teamwork. As for the remaining 39 points, that¡¯s up to you."


    Jack scoffed, "Wouldn¡¯t Revivification be a better choice?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t rmend it."


    "I see..." Jack showed no hesitation as he opened up his skill list and purchased Revivification along with upgrading mana capacity and mana regeneration to lv. 6.


    Daruun sighed and shook his head. "Very well... Good luck."


    As Jack reentered the barren, sand-covered world under the dark night sky, he was tackled to the ground. Before Jack could do anything fox saliva painted his face. "Bowzer, calm down."


    ¡¯Did you find it?¡¯ Asked Bowzer.


    Jack nodded and neared Appa. The giant bird lowered his wing and allowed Jack to climb on, followed by Bowzer. In moments the three of them vanished as if they themselves had be stars in the distant firmament.


    *****


    A knock sounded on the locked door of the Heavenly Pce Inn. There was no reply. Again, knocks came from the door.


    "I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming," a distant voice rang out. A few moments passed till the door finally opened up after the lock was undone. "Thanks for choosing... Oh, it¡¯s you, Jack. What took you--"


    "I¡¯m off to bed..." Exhausted both physically and mentally, Jack brushed past Martha and trudged up the stairs.


    He stayed quiet as he passed numerous rooms and soon turned a door handle, finding his own personal space. Deep breaths filled his stomach and lungs, gradually calming him. In his tired state, Jack forgot to release Bowzer, leaving Jack alone in the pitch-ck room as he struggled to drift to sleep.


    Hours passed and the sunshine quietly crept through the foggy window covered in morning dew.


    "Jack... Jack..."


    Something heavy started to weigh down Jack¡¯s chest, enough to wake him up when apanied by the gentle calls of his name.


    Jack tried to wipe his eyes but found himself unable. Something was on top of his arms, as well as his body. As he cracked his eyes open, it took a moment for Jack to clearly see the womanying on top of him. He blinked. He noticed that she was still clothed and wasn¡¯t trying to do anything but shake him awake. "Eliza... What do you want?"


    "It¡¯s time to wake up," Eliza smiled as she sat up beside him. "If you¡¯re tired and sore I can always give you a massage?"


    "Maybeter... For now, just let me rest..." Jack mumbled as his dark and tired eyelids heavily fell, shielding Jack from the morning sun¡¯s rays.


    "Fine... Rest well..." Standing up Eliza took a good look at Jack. She had never seen him so tired.

 Chapter 231 Drunk and Stressed

    <h4>Chapter 231 Drunk and Stressed</h4>


    Hours passed in slow motion for Jack¡¯s party as they waited for him to wake up. Everyone was curious about what happened.


    ording to Eliza, something was off. Not only was he tired physically but the look in his eyes wasn¡¯t as lively as he normally was. Yet she didn¡¯t allow anyone to enter his room or even nce at him. Eliza made sure that Jack wasn¡¯t disturbed and he was allowed his beauty sleep.


    The drifting smells of the sulent lunches on the main floor¡¯s tavern started to fill the air. One by one the party found themselves drifting toward their private dining room and making themselvesfortable.


    Being the furthest from the door, Rydel and Maynard cheered each other in excitement for the adventure waiting head. They were the first to notice Jack taking his time to enter the room, still with a distracted look in his eyes. "Jack,e! The lunch special is great."


    Jack nodded. Still in no rush to approach them, Jack sat down. He didn¡¯t bother getting anyone¡¯s attention, patiently waiting for more food to arrive on its own.


    "Something wrong, Jack?" Asked Rydel.


    "No, why do you ask?"


    Rydel looked at Jack carefully. "Jack, I know you well enough to know when you lie. Something¡¯s up and you don¡¯t want to talk about. Well, until you¡¯re ready to talk about it how about a few drinks to loosen up."


    "Sure... Sounds good to me."


    Overhearing the conversation, Eliza poured a ss of brundy for Jack. She and the others carefully paid attention to the weary-eyed hero.


    In a single gulp Jack rushed the ss to his lips and allowed the liquid courage to flow. He mmed the ss back down on the table, feeling a bit better about himself, at least in the moment. "I¡¯ll have another!" He repeated the action again but only once before Marisha brought in the next round of food.


    Maynard gave Jack a weird look. "Yeah, you¡¯ve never been one to drink much but ya wouldn¡¯t tell that from what you¡¯re doing now."


    Jack didn¡¯t respond. He only eyed his food and took it eagerly, speeding up his pace with every motion of his hand and fork. Savoring the taste of the roast beef and the roasted potatoes he tried to lose himself in the moment. But his lingering thoughts still remained in the back of his head.


    No matter what he did Jack couldn¡¯t distract himself for long while he was sober.


    He chugged to the third ss of brundy and held it up. "Give me the strongest stuff you got, the whole bottle."


    "Coming right up." In moments Marisha disappeared and returned with a bottle down and slid it across the table. It had nobel and no sign of its contents. All Jack, Rydel, and Maynard could see was a dark liquid sloshing around inside as Jack picked up the bottle.


    Without a second thought Jack popped off the cork and put the bottle to his lips. Jack didn¡¯t get very far before he started coughing, letting some of the alcohol dribble from his lips and onto his clothes. He coughed while shouting, "Now that¡¯s what I¡¯m talking about!"


    Neither Rydel nor Maynard said another word as they lifted their sses and cheered alongside Jack.


    The girls sat across from them but didn¡¯t chime in. They were already enjoying their ownpany when Jack started to make even more of a ruckus.


    Lena was the first to say something. "Big bro!"


    Maura put her hand on the teen¡¯s shoulder. "Lina, how about we let Jack drink a little bit?"


    "Why?"


    "He needs to loosen up before we can ask him some questions," stated Eliza. "At least then, maybe he¡¯ll be more honest with us."


    Ke and Dalia kept quiet as Maura and Eliza chatted about Jack¡¯s treatment toward his wife¡¯s.


    The beautiful Ke kept her thoughts to herself as she pictured what it be like to be one of Jack¡¯s wives. Thinking honestly about it, though, Ke now found it harder to seek after that sort of a rtionship with Jack.


    Daliea, on the other hand, focused on something else. She still thought of Jack, mainly how she might be able to better help him. It was obvious to all the girls that something happened with Jack and he couldn¡¯t hide the stress from everyone. Daliea pondered ways that she might be able to help him relieve that stress and make it easier for him.


    The afternoon quickly rolled in as Jack was well into his second bottle of the mystery liquid. His speech wasn¡¯t slurred but his usual judgment and mental fortitude were opening up without any inhibitions.


    Since Jack was the most open he had ever been, both Rydel and Maynard, who were secretly letting Jack drink by himself, felt it was time to start talking. "So, Jack, what¡¯s up? What¡¯s got you so down in the dumps?" asked Maynard.


    "I... don¡¯t want to talk about it," griped Jack. "Daruun is stupid, he may know everything but he stupid..."


    Everyone around the table chuckled, except for Lina who knew nothing of this person that Jack was mentioning. "Who¡¯s Daruun, Big Bro?"


    "He¡¯s a snarky god who thinks he knows everything. He¡¯s a big help but he¡¯s stupid. If he was smarter, than he would be more specific about the hardships we¡¯ll be facing." Again Jack lifted the bottle to his lips and proceeded to his mouth clean. "At least this time I know what to do to get us in Trodar and to save it."


    The hunter¡¯s eyes almost rocketed out of his skull as he stared at the intoxicated Jack. "What do we have to? And when are we leaving?"


    "We¡¯ll split up," stated Jack as he lifted a finger high in the air in a know-it-all fashion. "But things will be different. Maynard, Mara, and Little Lina are going to Prachten. Everyone else ising with me to Limneer. That way we can save Trodar."


    Jack paused, as if he had no clue everyone else was on the edge of their seats waiting for him to continue. Suddenly, Jack leaned into the table and looked around while putting a finger to his lips. He whispered, "There¡¯s this secret army... Limneer partnered with Sandros and they n to invade real soon. But that¡¯s not al... Prachten¡¯s getting help from Churstin. Maynard and Maura are going there to learn about the secret supply line while the rest of us find evidence of the secret army. But don¡¯t tell anyone... It¡¯s a secret."


    It was hard for others to take this seriously from the overly animated Jack. But they understood well enough that it was a drastic situation that could be very dangerous.


    Maynard gave Jack a little nudge. "Hey, ya know, if I go with ya guys we should be able to handle the army much better."


    "No!" Vigorously, Jack shook his head. "Can¡¯t do that. Daruun said you need to go to Churstin... I mean Prachten. The rest of us will be real sneaky and find the secret army in. Then I can tell Tralon and we can stop them."


    "When are we leaving, Jack?" Rydel was the only one not struggling to smile. He had aser-like focus as he stared into Jack¡¯s eyes as if forcing him to be sober for a moment.


    Jack blinked. "Tomorrow morning."


    "Do we need to prepare any special supplies?"


    "No," replied Jack while returning to his intoxicated self. "We just need to be real sneaky. Once we find evidence then all we have to do is slow them down, we don¡¯t have to defeat them. But it¡¯s still really dangerous. If we aren¡¯t careful... we could..."


    A hard p resounded off of Jack¡¯s back, straightening him up and startling him. With a sharp smile Rydel added, "Oh, we¡¯ll stop them. That you can be sure of."


    While under the influence, Jack was unable to realize just how determined Rydel was but the others all noticed a fiery passion streak through the hunter¡¯s eyes as he mentioned that.


    Maynard sighed, "If that¡¯s how you want to do it, then I guess I won¡¯tin... I¡¯ll take good care of your wife and your little sister, Jack."


    "Thanks, Maynard! I knew I could count on you!"


    Without another word, Jack finished the second bottle and motioned for them to pass him a third. The more alcohol that entered his system, the more slurred and blurry he got during their conversations.


    The rest of the party sadly couldn¡¯t get much more information out of him, at least not anything reliable.


    Most of the day was spent in the inn as Jack almost drunk himself into unconsciousness. By the time dinner rolled around Jack was barely able to lift his head.


    Eliza eyed Jack and was about to stand when Daliea spoke up, "Let me help you."


    Daliea rushed to Jack and threw one arm over his shoulder and one of his arms over hers. Without any difficulty she lugged him away from the table toward his room on the second floor.


    Everyone was surprised to see her step up like that but they did nothing in response. They knew well that Daliea wouldn¡¯t take advantage and was just genuinely helping.


    A jealous nce left Eliza¡¯s eyes but she too did nothing and left with Ke to go search for any possible supplies that might help them on their journey.

 Chapter 232 Leaving Federal City

    <h4>Chapter 232 Leaving Federal City</h4>


    Once in Jack¡¯s room, Daliea sat him up on the bed. She gave him a once over and sighed before turning to leave.


    "Wait!" A hand firmly grabbed Daliea¡¯s wrist. "Can I have one of those massages? I could use one... Right now..."


    The gray-skinned girl chuckled and looked back at Jack. "Sure. Lay on your belly."


    "All right!" With a spry eagerness, Jack jumped onto the bed andnded belly first. "I¡¯m ready!"


    Daliea stretched her fingers and loosened her joints, readying herself to give Jack the best massage she could. She stood over him and started to work on his upper back, going slow and pushing deeply to knead the stress out of him.


    "Oh... Yeah..."


    Still somewhat unsure of herself, Daliea¡¯s fingers gradually crept down to his lower back. She followed down along the spine in search of knots in the muscles.


    "You¡¯re good at this..." A sigh of relief fled from Jack¡¯s lips.


    She didn¡¯t say it but Daliea was very excited and happy that the massage was going well.


    Jack continued to throw randomments as Daliea worked her magic on his back. They didn¡¯t realize it but they hadsted almost 30 minutes without keeping track of the rest of the world.


    The experience wasn¡¯t anything crazy or life-altering, but Daliea was extremely happy to be of use for Jack to make things at least a little bit easier for him. Jack had already been unconscious for some time now but Daliea kept going. Only after removing all knots from his back, arms, and legs did Daliea leave the room.


    Everyone in Jack¡¯s party, other than the young hero himself, used the night to either prepare for the journey or to enjoy each other¡¯spany onest time before they split up.


    All grew quiet in the Heavenly Pce Inn. No visitors came this time. No surprise guests found their way to Jack¡¯s door.


    The fresh morning air was peaceful and heartwarming. While Jack tumbled out of bed, Martha and Marisha were already saying their goodbyes to Maura and little Lina, as well as the other girls.


    Zariff was sharing onest brundy with both of his former association mates. Rayard stayed in the kitchen to make sure they offered them a wonderfully extravagant breakfast to send them off.


    Other than the goodbyes there wasn¡¯t much else to say, so they didn¡¯t say much. Even Argyle, who was generally concerned for his daughter¡¯s safety, hade but showed little worry and was d to see his daughter growing together with the husband he thought was perfect for her.


    Jack smiled and greeted everybody, also saying his goodbyes. But everyone could tell that something was still off. It wasn¡¯t as bad as it was the night before but there was still something different about Jack.


    But now was not the time to push him to learn more. Instead, they enjoyed each other¡¯spany until the table grew bare and the food dwindled from their tes. As their bellies filled, one by one people left the private dining room. Once Argyle and Zariff left, Marisha was the next to follow and then finally Martha.


    The party all looked at each other and eventually found themselves watching Jack, who was still staring down at his empty te.


    "It¡¯s time to go, ain¡¯t it, Jack?" asked Maynard.


    Jack nodded. "Yeah... Let¡¯s get going. We¡¯ll take a ride on Appa to speed things up."


    "Who¡¯s Appa?" Lina tilted her head as she blinked at Jack.


    "You¡¯ll remember him when you see him." Jack pushed himself up from the table and made his way out of the private room, letting the others follow suit as he continued to talk, "Based on his speed we should be able to reach Talmook in four days¡¯ time. That should speed things up a lot."


    "Seriously?!" Rydel was astounded by that fact. "That¡¯s almost as fast as Ayden."


    "True, but I¡¯m sure Ayden can maneuver better. And that¡¯s not even counting having so many people on his back," reasoned Jack. "In that case, it¡¯ll probably take us about five days."


    Maynard shrugged and smiled. "Well, I guess we¡¯ve got a few more days together then. Maybe we can stop by another shrine or temple on the way?"


    Having totally forgotten about the need to make more pledges, a lightbulb suddenly went off in Jack¡¯s head. "Oh yeah... Actually, you might be right about that."


    "Really?!"


    "There is one god that we could check out after we reach Prachten, before reaching Talmook, but it might add some time to our journey and depending on that we may not have time for it."


    Eliza¡¯s eyes lit up as she leaned in toward Jack. "Which God is it? Will it be mine?"


    "No, it¡¯s Jin."


    "Finally!" Maynard pumped his arm into the air rocketing both fists up and down in excitement.


    "Everybody, calm down. Remember, right now our main focus is to help Trodar in any way we can," reminded Jack. "If Jin¡¯s shrine happens to be somewhere difficult to ess or would take too long to find, then we¡¯ll have to give up on it temporarily because we¡¯re running against a clock."


    Before Maynard could reject, Rydel nudged him and gave him a serious look. "Right, if we don¡¯t hurry up and get this done, then there won¡¯t be a Trodar left to save."


    "Fine, fine. We¡¯ll just check it out and I won¡¯tin if we have toe backter. But after you guys do your thing I say we visit Jin next," reasoned Maynard.


    Not arguing with Maynard, Jack decided to leave that topic alone. "Just make sure we don¡¯t stand out too much during all this. Thest thing we want is unwanted attention. It¡¯s not too bad here in Federal City, but once we enter the warring nations, things will get a lot moreplicated if people know why we¡¯re there."


    They talked and bantered until they were finally outside the city limits.


    No longer within sight of any unwanted spectators, Jack released both Bowzer and Appa from storage. Jack rubbed Appa¡¯s head, stroking his feathers to keep them aligned and unruffled. "Hop on everybody, and hang on tight."


    Lina was the first one to dart up onto the giant bird¡¯s back, followed by Maura and Eliza. Maynard was next to find a spot on Appa¡¯s back, while Daleia and Ke were thest.


    Rydel brought out Aiden and mounted the magnificent roc in turn. "Let¡¯s get a move on or you won¡¯t be able to keep up." Without any warning, Aiden took off into the distance, heading southwest.


    "Hang on tight!" Everyone grabbed hold of Appa¡¯s feathers as Jack led Appa to chase the speeding roc.


    Though the girls carefully tended to their hair that morning, Eliza in particr, all their effort was lost in moments. The raging winds blew past their faces and their skin bounced and rippled from the pressure they faced. Their hair flew back as if the wind was trying to rip it off their heads, undoing all effort made to make their hair seem tame.


    Maynard, on the other hand, retrieved a bottle as he held on with the other hand. Leaning in close to the bird while tilting his head sideways to drink, Maynard couldn¡¯t help butugh. He couldn¡¯t hear Eliza shouts thanks to the wind but he could enjoy the disappointed look on her face as she tried to reign in her hair.


    Jack was still unfazed and busy mulling over the forced conversation he recently had with Daruun. Even if he could momentarily distract himself, Jack¡¯s train of thought would always return to worrying about endangering his friends.


    ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s got you so down?¡¯ Whileying across Jack¡¯sp Bowzer looked up to his friend¡¯s solemn face. ¡¯Is something wrong?¡¯


    ¡¯No... I¡¯ve just been having a lot of my mindtely,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about. Just give me some time.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... But you can tell me anything if you need to,¡¯ added Bowzer.


    Suddenly, Rydel¡¯s voice echoed in the minds of everyone,¡¯ So, where exactly is this shrine? It might help if I knew where I was going.¡¯


    Out of reflex Jack opened up the map in his system and pinpointed Jin¡¯s hidden shrine. ¡¯Look¡¯s like we¡¯re heading for Sunset Valley.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, you don¡¯t say?¡¯ The curious tone of the hunter¡¯s voice gave a sense of familiarity. ¡¯In that case, I¡¯ll keep the lead. I¡¯ve never been there but I¡¯ve heard all about it and have an idea of where to go. Once we get close we can ask the locals but I can point us in the general direction.¡¯


    ¡¯By all means.¡¯

 Chapter 233 Splitting Up

    <h4>Chapter 233 Splitting Up</h4>


    It didn¡¯t take long for Lina to get bored with the scenery and start asking more and more questions about anything that came to her mind. Each party member took turns answering her questions, except for Maynard who just enjoyed drinking and asionally adding a jokingment that would get Rydel tough.


    Traveling in this way saved the team a lot of time and was much more practical. They still needed to camp out each night but they didn¡¯t face much worry with that.


    The only downside was losing the chance to gain EXP while on the road, but the party also knew there would be plenty of EXP waiting for them after they reached their destination.


    Four days flew by as the party adjusted to their new means of travel. They were well within Prachten after crossing over both Sandros and Iscantor.


    Now they were in a small vige, searching for some more Intel about Sunset Valley. While doing so they made sure to enjoy a good meal at the local inn.


    As the party found a table near the center of the inn¡¯s tavern, they could already overhear a number of conversations that piqued their interest.


    The paid close attention to the nearest conversation as it was the clearest and easiest to follow.


    "That happened to you too?" Asked a burly man with rugged leather armor.


    One of the other three men at the table nodded. "Yeah, it seems like it¡¯s getting worse. A couple of months we probably won¡¯t be able to enter that godforsaken valley."


    "No kidding..." A different man at the same table scratched his left arm, or at least what was left of it.


    The party¡¯s eavesdropping was then interrupted by the waiter. "Hey, what brings you into town? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever seen you here before."


    "Just business," replied Rydel. "But what¡¯s this I hear we hear about Sunset Valley? Something happen?"


    "Well... We¡¯re not supposed to talk about that, at least not while on the job..." A gold coin was suddenly flicked into the air, which the waiter casually caught and tucked away in his pocket. "I don¡¯t know too much but I know that it¡¯s getting pretty dangerous around there."


    "I thought it was supposed to be a tourist attraction? You know, supposed to be a wonder for the eyes every sunrise and sunset, for all the lovers go to reignite their passion."


    "In the past maybe, but not now. Apparently, the ce is slowly getting overrun by more powerful beasts that just keeping anding." The waiter shook his head as he sighed. "It used to be my favorite ce to take my wife but I¡¯m too weak to do that now. Anyone under lv. 20 doesn¡¯te back alive. Anyone under lv. 30 wille back injured. Rumor has it that soon anyone under lv. 40 will face the same fate and it¡¯s only a matter of time till the trouble rises and rises."


    Jack tossed up another gold coin as he asked, "Got any idea what¡¯s behind this?"


    "No... I don¡¯t." The waiter fiddled with the coin while he was deep in thought. "So far no one knows the cause or how to stop it. I just know we need to stay away if were not strong enough. That¡¯s all I know but is there anything I get you the drink?"


    Rydel chimed back in, "Brundies all around and juice for the young one. We¡¯ll each take whatever your special is today."


    "Coming right up." The waiter weaved in and out of the tables and quickly vanished into the back room of the kitchen.


    While waiting for their order the party listened to everyone else, finding that their stories weren¡¯t any different from the waiter¡¯s. Maynard nced Jack and asked, "So... Does this mean that... We¡¯ll have to wait?"


    Jack didn¡¯t answer but Rydel did. "You think? We don¡¯t have time for something like that, at least not right now. After we¡¯re done with this, then maybe we cane back but keep your priorities straight."


    "Way ahead of you, Rydel, don¡¯t worry about me." The samurai lifted both hands innocently as if to remove all questions about his priorities.


    The food came and went, just as good as any typical inn¡¯s specials would be. It wasn¡¯t amazing but it was nice to rx in a warm atmosphere and enjoy thefort of a good night¡¯s sleep in a well-maintained bed.


    By sunrise, the party was already gone and cleared out of the inn, well on their way for Talmook.


    With luck, they managed to arrive in the growing city by early afternoon, which led to some party members wanting to take some time and explore the city.


    "We don¡¯t have much time so we should just get going now," stated Jack. "Maynard, you already know what to do, so just make sure that Maura and Lina don¡¯t cause any trouble."


    Lina looked up to her big brother and frowned. "But Big Bro, can¡¯t we all look around the city?"


    Jack rxed a little bit, not wanting to seem stiff when dealing with Lina. He hopped off of Appa¡¯s back and helped Little Lina do the same. "Sorry, but we really don¡¯t have any time. The sooner we stop that army, the better chance Trodar has for making it through this."


    "Then promise me we¡¯ll explore the city together when you get back," reasoned the young teen.


    "Right now--"


    "Promise!" Lina got close to Jack and stared deeply into his eyes, not stepping down or giving him any leeway.


    The young hero scratched his head. "Okay... I promise that we¡¯ll all explore the city when we get back." He wrapped her arms around her and gave her a quick hug. "Until then you better listen to Maura and Uncle Maynard. If you don¡¯t do what they say, then the deal is off."


    "Okay! Then I¡¯ll listen. Thanks, Big Bro!" She returned the hug and then strolled to Maura and Maynard who had already dismounted from the giant bird.


    As Jack turned to climb back on to Appa, suddenly, two hands wrapped around him from behind. "Be careful, Jack. I¡¯ll miss you."


    A slight smile showed as Jack turned around and wrapped his arms back around Maura. He let her head rest against his as she clung to him. "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be back soon. We just have a few things we need to take care of first. Thanks to our pact we can let you know about everything while it¡¯s going on, so don¡¯t feel like we¡¯re out of touch or anything, okay?"


    "I won¡¯t," replied Maura as she let him go and looked away to hide the water beginning to build in her eyes. "Everyone needs to be careful, remember that."


    "You¡¯re not gonna kiss her?"


    In amazement, everyone looked back at Eliza who was obviously annoyed by Jack¡¯sck of sympathy. "That¡¯s the least you could do if you¡¯re not going to see her for who knows how long. Go on, you can do it."


    Jack bit his tongue as he struggled to reply.


    Before he coulde up with something to say or he decided to acquiesce, Jack was bombarded by a set of soft lips pushing up against his. Jack didn¡¯t fight Maura¡¯s advance. He held her as she did so, closing his eyes and giving in to the moment.


    Eliza smiled, happy to see Maura finally showing some initiative.


    A moment passed as everyone watched with a smile, except for the blushing Lina. When Maura finally released Jack from her clutches she avoided Jack¡¯s gaze but didn¡¯t hide her bright red face. "Just be careful."


    "I will."


    The two went their separate ways, one mounting the giant bird and the other joining the two people at the side.


    As Appa took off toward the northwest, Maynard gave Maura a little nudge. "So, you¡¯re finally going to fight for him?"


    "We should hurry, otherwise, we won¡¯t find a good inn before they fill up," stated Maura as she took the lead toward the city.


    Lina stayed close to her with some blush still apparent on her face as Maynard chuckled from behind


    *****


    Jack and those remaining with him made their way toward Limneer. They did manage to enter the country by nightfall, but they were near the border. In about a day and a half, they reached their destination, Zurden.


    Zurden wasn¡¯t arge city, in fact, it could barely be considered a city at all. But in all of Limneer, it was one of the biggest trade towns. Being near both the border of Trodar and Sandros, there was always a hustle and bustle in the streets no matter the hour or the day. Countless visitors woulde in and out of the city to stay the night or just grab some supplies before continuing on their journies.


    It wasn¡¯t hard at all to enter the city while blending in with the many travelers but the party knew better than to ask the wrong questions and get themselves in trouble.


    n order to prevent that, Rydel was selected as the spokesman for the party, letting Jack and the others speak to him mentally if the need would arise.


    Once inside the city, the party traversed the dirt roads while weaving in and out of the foot traffic. In no time they found themselves surrounded by a number of inns of different shapes and sizes.


    After scanning those nearby, Rydel led them into one of the shabbier and moremonce establishments.

 Chapter 234 Finding a Place in Zurden

    <h4>Chapter 234 Finding a ce in Zurden</h4>


    Once inside the mood changed. The warm and busy atmosphere of the city streets morphed into the cold and distant air of the run-down inn.


    "Can I help you?" A scruffy faced man rose up from behind the counter with groggy and tired eyes.


    Rydel looked back to him without a hint of hesitation. "Just looking around for the right ce to stay. Can we have a few brundies while we check out the ce?"


    In a blur, the man filled several mugs and the stench of aged alcohol found its way toward the party. "Sure. Got any questions for me?" asked the man.


    "At the moment, no. But we¡¯ll let you know if somethinges up." Rydel sipped his drink and smiled as he motioned for the rest of the party to sit down beside him.


    The tattered man returned to his duties or whatever else it was he was doing earlier before the party arrived and started their mental conversation.


    ¡¯What are you thinking, Rydel?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯If you want things to stay secret, then sometimes ces like this are where you can find the best option. For now, just listen carefully to see if you can learn anything.¡¯


    Everyone stayed quiet as they each tried to find a conversation within the tattered tavern. There were plenty of people there but they mostly kept quiet like the party. However, there were a few groups who stood out and didn¡¯t fear to make noise.


    "What do you mean it got away?!" A scarred and muscr man reached across a table to grab one of hispanions by the throat. "I hope you got a good exnation for this?"


    The threatened man didn¡¯t appear scared as he shook his head. "It¡¯s just like I said, the beast got away and we couldn¡¯t find it anywhere, not a single trace."


    The hand around the man¡¯s neck tightened as therge man pulled his victim closer. "You call that an exnation? I call that excuses. I hired you to do a job, so why didn¡¯t you do it?"


    "It¡¯s impossible to find that thing now." The man now held in the air started to show some signs of worry. "Not even you could find it, so how you expect me to?"


    "Because I hired you! If you can¡¯t do a job right, then you should¡¯ve told me before I hired you."


    "Hey! That¡¯s enough!" shouted the scruffy man from behind the counter. "If you can¡¯t y nice, then take your game somewhere else."


    "Don¡¯t worry, this won¡¯t take long." A gnarly grin twisted its way onto the man¡¯s face as his untrimmed fingernails started to pierce the other man¡¯s skin.


    "Ahhh!"


    Just as therge, dirty fingers were about to crush the smaller man¡¯s throat, a knife was suddenly stabbed into therge man¡¯s arm, forcing him to drop his subordinate. "Who dares?! If you¡¯re a man, show yourself!"


    "I believe the owner of this establishment asked you to y nice or get lost. Since you can¡¯t do either, I thought it would be all right for me to intervene," chuckled Rydel as he sipped his brundy, not even paying attention to the man¡¯s savage face.


    "Oh, you¡¯re asking for it!" bellowed the man. "Men, let¡¯s show him how we like to y!"


    "Stop!" The man behind the counter mmed his fist into the bar and red angrily at Rydel. "See what you¡¯ve done! Now, I¡¯ll have to--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." Rydel finished his drink and turned to look at the man¡¯s scarred face while letting out a long sigh. "Hurry and get lost, because I y dirty."


    The burly man wanted tough but didn¡¯t find himself able. Before hisughter could leave his lungs, an arrow was in the midst of reaching his face.


    Haphazardly the man lifted his arm, letting his toughened leather bracer take most of the blow, but was startled to see the arrow pierce not just his skin butpletely through his arm. "Who are--"


    Suddenly the man found himself unable to move. He shouted angrily, "Get him!" but the moment he finished hismands the others at the table stiffened up just as he did. "An enchanter?"


    While he was trying to figure out who was aiding the archer, therge man started to sweat but it wasn¡¯t from nerves. The mug in his other hand suddenly burst into mes, burning his flesh down to the bone.


    "AAHHH!"


    The scruffy middle-aged man who was at one point scared of the gang was now shocked by the party sitting in front of. They weren¡¯t even standing and they had already rendered therge man and his gangpletely unable to fight. Two of the women were obviously casting magic, one to immobilize and the other to set fire to the mugs, while the hunter, the apparent leader of the bunch, had his bow drawn and ready to fire yet again from thefort of the bar stool.


    "So, would you like to keep ying?" joked Rydel.


    The targeted men suddenly found themselves able to move again, but they didn¡¯t want to. Only the leader of the gang charged toward the bar.


    However, he was intercepted by the casually walking Jack, who was already halfway to their table.


    "Out of my way!" Pops and crackles sounded as the man clenched his fists in fury, ignoring Jackpletely. At least for the moment.


    When a resounding thud filled the tavern, the burly man looked down to find Jack¡¯s fist ripping through the man¡¯s leather armor. He screamed in pain as he wasunched across the room and back into the table where he had sat with his friends, panting and struggling to breathe with his concaved chest.


    Jack stood over all of them as Rydel spoke, "Just get out of here before you really start to have some fun!"


    Therge man would¡¯ve loved to regain his reputation, yet hisckeys thought otherwise and picked him up before retreating from the inn.


    In moments the inn¡¯s somber atmosphere was restored, but the bartender looked at Rydel and his party in a new light. By the time Jack returned to his seat, the bartender gave them all a refill. "So, what is it you looking for again?"


    "Just a ce to stay without any eyes on us," replied Rydel, happily sipping the free round of brundy.


    The scruffy man leaned in close to Rydel and whispered, "I may have just ce you look. I¡¯ve got another property a few streets down. It¡¯s away from the main roads and pretty isted from neighboring buildings. If you want, I can rent you the ce."


    As Rydel was about to respond, Jack mentioned the condition that he wanted to add. Rydel smiled and looked to the bartender. "If we can pay for the full month in advance and guarantee no visitors."


    "For two hundred gold you got a deal."


    "Done."


    The two of them shook hands firmly, letting Rydel pass the man a storage ring in the meantime.


    The man quickly inspected the ring, smiled, and pulled out a small bag from below the counter. "Here are the keys, don¡¯t trash the ce or I¡¯ll have to charge more. Once the lunch rush is over I¡¯ll take you there myself."


    With that, he hurried off to the broken table. The owner cleaned it up as if nothing happened, recing it with a different rundown table, which had the same marks of wear and tear.


    A couple of hours passed until the bar started to grow quiet and fewer patrons were present. Leaving one of the servers in charge the owner quickly left the building and was promptly followed by Rydel and the party.


    They weaved through the still busy streets until they reached the outskirts of town, a couple of blocks away from the main roads.


    The distance between the buildings was more than the party had expected. The nearest building was almost one hundred meters away on either side, showing just how isted the ce was. Just like the inn, the ce was rundown and well on in years. But it served perfectly what the party needed.


    "That¡¯s the ce. Just make sure it¡¯s all in one piece by the time youe back and return the keys. And if you need more time, let me know because I don¡¯t have any other buyers asking at the moment."


    Rydel patted the man on the shoulder and held out his other hand toward him. "Thanks. We appreciate the secrecy."


    Again they shook hands and again the man epted another storage ring as payment for silence. They parted ways after that, not saying another word nor looking back at each other.


    The party quickly entered the old two-story building, which was more than big enough to fit them all. Though it seemed run-of-the-mill it, had all the amenities you could ask for on the inside, proving that it was amon urrence for people in search of privacy to rent out such a ce.


    The first person to explore the entire house was Eliza, who hurried back to everyone else in excitement. "There¡¯s even a bathhouse, sodies first!"


    Wrapping her fingers around both Ke¡¯s and Daliea¡¯s wrists, Eliza yanked them to the back of the main floor to the fully functional bathhouse.


    With a sigh, Rydel sauntered into the kitchen. "Since Maura¡¯s not here, I guess I¡¯ll make dinner first."


    Solemn as ever, Jack sat down at the dining room table not too far from the kitchen. He paid close attention to the serious expression on Rydel¡¯s face. "Something on your mind?"


    "Yup, just like you."


    "Yeah... Want to talk about it?"

 Chapter 235 Rydels Origin

    <h4>Chapter 235 Rydel¡°s Origin</h4>


    Rydel¡¯s hands froze before they started cutting into arge chunk of meat taken from his storage ring. "Only if you talk too."


    "Only if this stays between us."


    They both nodded. Jack got up and joined Rydel in the kitchen as the two started prepping the different ingredients for what Jack assumed was a soup or stew.


    "I guess I¡¯ll go first," Rydel chuckled glumly.


    His serious demeanor slowly melted to reveal a faint depression inside his eyes. "I¡¯ve got a personal grudge with the Limneer army. This is my first time on Limneer soil but my blood¡¯s already boiling. I¡¯m not usually like Maynard; rather than seek bloodshed and growth in battle, I would just search for a smarter way to solve my problems. But this is the one time that I want to cause bloodshed."


    There was a silence between the two as Jack waited for Rydel to gather himself.


    "Do you want to know why I decided to be a hunter?" asked Rydel. "Because of my father. We grew up in the small city of Vash, I¡¯m not sure if you know it."


    "I¡¯ve been there." Jack noticed a smile on Rydel¡¯s face but there was no happiness behind it.


    Taking a big breath Rydel continued, "When I was a kid my father would take me hunting. He would show me the best way to track down game, how to handle a bow, how I should hold the knife skinning a beast whenpared to fight a beast... He was a master hunter.


    "After about a week of him showing me the ropes, I felt like I could do it myself." The proud hunter suddenly burst intoughter, the type that was self-mocking. "I felt like I could challenge the world, like every young idiot my age. That morning I left early into the nearby woods since we lived on the outskirts of Vash. Not sure how long it took but eventually I found some deer tracks, and you know what that meant.


    "Slowly and carefully I followed them. I would try to stay hidden among the bushes and the trees, or least as much as a young foolish boy would.


    "After some time I finally found him. It was a buck, a big one too. I knew that grabbing it would make me make my father proud. So I did exactly what he said; slinking up to the tree and finding my window, I pulled the small bow from my back and took aim... What do you think happened?" Rydel¡¯s empty gaze met Jack¡¯s as he waited for a response.


    He thought for a moment before Jack shrugged. "Did he get away?"


    "No. No, he didn¡¯t," answered Rydel. "Somehow I managed to hit my target but he didn¡¯t go down in a single arrow. The buck tried to escape but I didn¡¯t let up. I followed behind it at my top speed but the buck was quickly getting out of sight.


    "Determined, I still followed those tracks and after a few minutes, I found the buck... But I also found a pack of dire wolves.


    "Apparently, I was stupid enough to forget that the wolves to be attracted to the scent of blood, even though my dad warned me many times in the week prior. I had lost track of time and my surroundings, only to find myself too far gone from home, where wolves weremonly found and my father warned me to stay away from."


    Tense and rigid, Rydel struggled to keep speaking. "The buck didn¡¯t get away. It was already dead, being torn apart by some of the wolves. The lead wolf was the first to see me and let loose a howl before creeping up toward me... I froze...


    "Just as the wolf lunged at me, I turned to run. Thanks to that I was lucky enough to get bitten in the leg, and not anywhere vital." At the same time, Rydel pulled up his right pant leg to show arge scar on his calf, thesting reminder that the wolf had given him.


    "As I grew more frantic I heard the twang of a bow," added Rydel. "That giant dire wolf suddenly released my leg and fell limp on the ground. An arrow was lodged into his throat, leading to its brain. It was one of my dad¡¯s handcrafted arrows."


    Rydel let out a long sigh as his body started to rx again. "The other wolves also dropped dead, one by one, by those same arrows. Secondster my dad was rushing towards me and did his best to patch me up while I was screaming and yelling in a panic. Eventually, I calmed down, but only after he picked me up and started to carry me back."


    Jack could sense just how impactful that experience was for Rydel. But he couldn¡¯t understand why that had anything to do with the Limneer army.


    So he waited. He didn¡¯t want to diminish the story and he had a feeling that Rydel wouldn¡¯t have told him that without a reason.


    "My dad scolded me a lot on the way home, but I can¡¯t me him. I needed that, otherwise, who knows if I would ever try that again," continued Rydel. "And once I got home my mom wouldn¡¯t stop chewing me out. I was grounded for a month after that...


    "They didn¡¯t tell me right away, but apparently that dire wolf was disease-ridden and I was going to need medicine to make sure I didn¡¯t get infected."


    Jack started to hear the skin of Rydel¡¯s hands being tightly rubbed together as if he was clenching a leather whip.


    "Unbeknownst to me, my father took a trip to a nearby vige so he could get the medicine for cheaper, that way we could afford it...


    "He told me it wouldn¡¯t be long and that I¡¯d see him again in a couple of days. But it didn¡¯t..."


    It was the first time that Jack ever saw water buildup in the toughened hunter¡¯s eyes.


    "It took him five days... Not three... And when he came back it wasn¡¯t with his horse or his bow... Or his arm...


    "That was when we found out that Limneer had started raiding Trodar¡¯s borders in an attempt to invade. It was the first time so no one was prepared or ready and the small viges couldn¡¯t stand up to the Limneer forces."


    Wiping his nose, Rydel blinked to try to hold back tears. "My father got the medicine but he was attacked on his way back... And he had to give up his arm in order to escape with his life...


    "Because of me... My father lost his bow-wielding arm... And when we moved to Gilga, to ensure our protection, he was forced to be a trader and a merchant, which he hated and wasn¡¯t too good at... But it was the only way he could provide for us"


    Rydel could hear Jack gulp down his saliva as he tried to stay quiet during Rydel¡¯s whimpering. Not another word was said.


    The prep work was dyed for dinner due to Rydel¡¯s story, but they still managed to get everything in a pot over a fire before the girls came out of the bathhouse.


    Now with dry eyes, Rydel looked at Jack. "So, what¡¯s on your mind?"


    "Umm..." Jack scratched his head and looked around to make sure the girls weren¡¯t nearby. "This stays between us?"


    Without a word Rydel tilted his head and raised his eyebrow, looking at Jack like he was too stupid to read the mood.


    "Right... I... Remember when I spoke with Daruun? It has something to do with that."


    Rydel shook his head and sighed, "Really, you don¡¯t say?"


    Finding his rhythm Jack continued, "There was something that Daruun made sure to mention and talk about... It has a lot to do with the party and, in particr, the survival of the party."


    "What is it? Are we all going to die?" asked Rydel in a joking manner.


    "No, it¡¯s just that... Some of us might..."


    "And?"


    Dead serious, Jack looked at the incredulous Rydel. His own stressed expression seemed to be the exact opposite of the rxed and calm Rydel.


    After a moment of silent confusion, Rydel spoke up, "You know, Jack, this isn¡¯t our first timeying down our lives. Both me and Maynard fought in the war against the Zuran Empire and I¡¯m sure Ke was near those same front lines as a healer. We both know that Daliea has seen her fair share of battle, possibly more than me. Sure, there are a few people who are new to this but I¡¯m sure their feelings aren¡¯t much different."


    "But... But how can--"


    "I thought you were an ancient hero?" Rydel suddenly asked. "Of all of us, you should be the one most ustomed to battle and death. In your time you caused more of that than all of usbined, even whenpared to some minor wars between nations... And now you¡¯re stressed because we¡¯re putting our lives on the line?"


    Jack shook as he stammered, "I, uhh..."


    Standing still with eyes wide open Eliza did her best to remain quiet. She remained concealed in the hallway so that she wouldn¡¯t interrupt the conversation between Jack and Rydel. Then she looked back down the hall to find Ke and Dahlia walking toward her.

 Chapter 236 Opening Up

    <h4>Chapter 236 Opening Up</h4>


    Eliza quietly scampered down the hall to intercept them. "Hey, I¡¯m going to help the boys prepared dinner, so can you prepare the rooms upstairs? I¡¯m sure they could use a touch-up."


    Both Daliea and Ke agreed to help as they turned and made their way upstairs, leaving Eliza alone as she went back to the edge of the hallway and listened in on the rest of the conversation.


    "Out with the Jack,e on." Rydel gave Jack a nudge to try and jumpstart his brain.


    Jack grumbled, "It¡¯s different than it was before..."


    "And why is that?"


    "Because... Because I..." Jack shook himself, trying to find thest bit of sense still inside him. "Because I care about you guys..."


    "What... What do you mean?" Bewildered by that strange statement, Rydel gave Jack a goofy look.


    Jack continued to slowly put his thoughts together and open up to the hunter. "Before... I didn¡¯t really care much about others. It was totally different than it is now too... Before I wasn¡¯t even here, and I had no clue who the other heroes were, nor did my actions affect the real lives of those heroes. But now it¡¯s different... Now I¡¯m here and not only is my life in danger but yours, as well as everybody else¡¯s too..."


    Even more confused, Rydel asked, "You mean you didn¡¯t care about anyone before? Anybody?"


    Jack let out a self-mocking chuckle but it slowly turned into a whimper. "No, I didn¡¯t. I only cared about myself... And since we could respawn in the past, I nned all my tactics ordingly, not really caring about how many people died because it wasn¡¯t real death... I thought...


    "If you think about it... I¡¯m not really a hero, am I?"


    Only their breathing could be heard, along with the bubbling of stew. Suddenly, both Rydel and Jack heard a sound in the hallway. They traced the nearly silent sniffling back to Eliza who finally revealed herself.


    Jack tensed up even more, nowpletely frozen in fear of disappointing his friends. But as he avoided Eliza¡¯s gaze he suddenly felt warm as her body embraced his.


    "Jack... Do you think we care about what you did in the past?" asked Eliza.


    "Well... Isn¡¯t that why your dad married you and me?" grumbled Jack, struggling to even reply.


    "Maybe, but do you know why I agreed to it even if I knew nothing about you, personally?" whispered Eliza, making sure that the girls upstairs wouldn¡¯t overhear them.


    "I love my father, but he never let me do anything I wanted. You were the only way that I could escape that sheltered life that he gave. For the very reason that you were against the marriage, I agreed to it. That¡¯s how I knew you wouldn¡¯t mistreat me.


    "Yeah, I¡¯m too pushy at times and I¡¯m sorry for that. But I didn¡¯t know how else I could thank for helping me find my own life..."


    Gently, she kissed his cheek. "That alone makes you my hero. So, I¡¯ll go where you go and help you however I can. These past few months alone have been more exciting than the rest of my lifebined, and that¡¯s all thanks to you."


    Choked up on emotions that he still wasn¡¯t too familiar with, Jack couldn¡¯t find any words to reply with. But Rydelughed, "See, Jack? I told you the others would feel the same way."


    "I guess, but it doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯ll all be in danger because of me," reasoned Jack.


    "You¡¯re so stupid sometimes."


    Eliza released Jack¡¯s torso and ced both hands on his cheeks. She held him tenderly but firmly as she pulled him in close for a kiss.


    After a few moments passed she released the emotion-filled hero. "Since we were kids, all of us have seen plenty of death, Jack. It happened when my mother gave her life for my father and many other times when the guild was in danger during its growing years. We all understand what we signed up for, especially after meeting gods face-to-face and learning what you have to do. If anything, you¡¯re the only one stupid enough to not realize that till now."


    Eliza fixed her hair and walked toward the stew pot. With a smile, she picked up a spoon and gave it a taste. "Not bad for a couple of boys. I¡¯m guessing Rydel took the lead?"


    "You guessed it." Rydel walked up and gave it a taste himself. "It¡¯s almost ready. Jack, how about you go get the other girls and tell them it¡¯s time for dinner?"


    "Sure, I¡¯ll do that." Blinking and blushing, Jack swallowed some saliva as his gaze left Eliza and he ran into the hallway.


    "You know, that¡¯s not exactly how I would¡¯ve handled it," mentioned Rydel.


    Shaking her head Eliza joked, "it¡¯s only natural for his wife to know him better."


    In minutes Jack returned with Ke and Daliea behind him. Therge pot of stew was already resting on a towel in the center table as Eliza was gathering bowls and spoons for everybody. Together they enjoyed the venison stew and chatted for most of the night, happy to have Jack be more open and receptive than before.


    *****


    After talking throughout the night, the party knew what they were supposed to be doing. The following day was the beginning of their operation.


    Thanks to Sterfen¡¯s blessing, Rydel was chosen to gather information throughout the city. With his ability to sneak in and out of the property while invisible they would draw less attention to themselves and increase their odds of learning something they shouldn¡¯t.


    Ke volunteered to leave in search of supplies and anything else they might need during their stay there in the safe house. She borrowed the bracer that allowed her to be invisible and spent most of her day in the streets of Zurden after she disappeared from the others¡¯ views.


    Since they were hiding it meant that Bowzer was allowed to be out and about. The growing fox spent his time in the covered courtyard in the center of the property. There he was able to y with fire, as well as Dahlia and her me Tiger. It gave them time to bond as well as enjoy themselves and let the beasts relieve some stress.


    Jack took the liberty to take an afternoon bath. He felt great as he soaked in the warm waters that came gushing from the mouths of old lion statues. He had long since washed himself and was now enjoying the stress relief of the tiny waves crashing against his skin.


    "You¡¯ve been here for quite a while."


    His eyes jolted open as the rxed Jack suddenly rocketed to his feet out of reflex.


    "Don¡¯t mind me," giggled Eliza as she gave him a once over with blush on her cheeks. "Since you were taking so long, I figured I would join you instead of waiting."


    "Eliza!" shouted Jack. "What are you doing here?! I¡¯m almost done, so I¡¯ll just--"


    Eliza clicked her tongue in an interjection. "What¡¯s wrong? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m doing anything wrong, as your wife."


    Her steps were small as she neared the bath and ever so slightly peeled away the towel covering her body. After checking the temperature of the water with her toes, Eliza smiled as she threw the towel to the side and entered the bath on the opposite side of Jack.


    Redder than the raw meat he handled the night before, Jack averted his eyes from the exposed Eliza. But he couldn¡¯t help himself as he kept his wife in the corner of his sight. Now it felt as if the gentle waves wereing from his pounding heart as it tried to leap out of his chest.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" As if she didn¡¯t notice Jack stealing nces at her, Eliza walked to the side and grabbed the bar of soap that Jack had used earlier. "If you¡¯re going to watch, then at least own up to it. Is it so hard to appreciate your wife¡¯s beauty?"


    "Uhh...Umm..." Nothing from Jack¡¯s mouth was making sense.


    "If you¡¯re not busy, then how about washing my back instead of just peeping?"ughed Eliza. She turned her back toward him and held the bar of soap to the side. "Here."


    Jack choked on his mumbling sybles, not even able to swallow his own saliva or cough to regain hisposure.


    "I¡¯m waiting..."

 Chapter 237 Alone Time

    <h4>Chapter 237 Alone Time</h4>


    "I¡¯m waiting..."


    Finally, Jack started to wade through the water. He took his time until he could almost reach Eliza¡¯s back.


    "Go on, you know how to use soap, right?"


    "Of course I do!" Out of reflex, Jack grabbed the soap after to her taunt. His hands shook as he rubbed the bar and gathered suds around his hands. Just before he touched a bare skin he hesitated.


    "Hurry up already." Eliza then stepped back into Jack¡¯s soapy hands, letting them rub against her. "Is it really so hard?"


    Jack said nothing but he finally let his hands move across her back. With the rigid movements, he slowlythered her shoulders.


    "Gently, Jack."


    Her soft voice brought a rush of blood to Jack¡¯s face, and he was very d that she couldn¡¯t see him. He did as he was told and loosened his fingers, gliding over her skin until Jack eventually finish washing her back. "I¡¯m... I¡¯m done."


    "Good, now you can do my hair," replied Eliza as she held up a small ss bottle to her side. "Here, use this."


    "O-okay," stuttered Jack.


    His hands became shaky once again, but not quite as much as they were at the beginning. cing the soap back in her hand Jack took the little bottle, opened it up, and poured some of its liquid into his palm. As he rubbed it into her hair Jack asked, "Like this?"


    "Softly, Jack."


    Following hermand, Jack was more careful as he ran his fingers through Eliza¡¯s blonde hair.


    The soft scent of newly blooming flowers assaulted his nostrils as he found himself getting closer and closer to her. Soon his chest was almost touching her back as he finished with the shampoo. "T-there you go."


    "Thanks, Jack. Can I have my bottle back now?"


    "Of course!" he quickly put it in her dainty fingers, finding it harder and harder to contain himself. "Is there... Is there anything else you need help with?"


    "No..."


    Only then did Jack noticed that while he was taking his time, Eliza had already washed the entire front of her body.


    "O-okay..." Jack stepped back as he turned to hide his bright red face.


    Eliza let out a long and audible sigh as she quickly finished cleaning herself. She got back out of the water and grabbed her towel, still not hiding from Jack. Her steps were extra slow as she walked away. Before she exited through the door, Jack could hear her soft annoyed voice. "You really are stupid sometimes..."


    Once again alone in the bath, the blushing hero didn¡¯t know what to do next.


    *****


    "Where is Daliea?" asked Rydel as he looked around the table.


    As if in reply to the call the gray-skinned girl walked out of the courtyard alongside Bowzer. "Sorry, you can me him." Daliea took a seat as Bowzer failed to exin anything and defend himself.


    The hunter nodded and smiled. "Good, now I can tell you all that I found nothing, at least nothing big. I¡¯ve got some more leads so today wasn¡¯t a waste, but it will take a few days until I get anything major to report."


    "Thanks, Rydel," stated Jack. "Ke, were able to find everything we need?"


    "I sure did. Now we have enough fresh food tost us another week."


    Before she could remove the bracer from her arm, Jack held up his hand. "You keep that for now. You¡¯ll need it in case we need you to get anything else."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll have her grab some more shampoo," said Eliza. "Thanks to someone using too much, now I¡¯m out."


    "What do you--"


    "Eliza, isn¡¯t it time to serve dinner?" Jack then stood up and grabbed Eliza by the hand as they walked toward the kitchen counters.


    Sauce covered ribs and mashed potatoes were quickly served and spread across everyone¡¯s tes before people had time to question Eliza further but what she had meant. Everyone then thanked Eliza for the meal and enjoyed themselves before they went to their rooms one by one.


    Both Jack and Eliza were making sure to be thest two people remaining in order to chat and talk about some things. But there was onest person who had other ns.


    "Eliza, can you help me with the massages again?" asked Dahlia.


    "Are you still having trouble with the legs?" Eliza clicked her tongue in thought until she remembered that Jack was sitting across the table. "Actually, that¡¯s perfect! You¡¯ll help Jack by giving him a massage and I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re doing it right."


    "Wait, what?" Jack looked shyly at Dahlia. "Did you say something about a leg massage?"


    With a nod, Eliza smiled. "Yep, and to be more specific, the upper thigh. It¡¯s a bit harder because the muscle is thicker and you don¡¯t know whether you should push harder or softer so you¡¯ll be the perfect test subject for Daliea to learn on."


    "But I--"


    "Now hurry upstairs and take your clothes off so they don¡¯t get in the way." Eliza hurried to her feet and pushed Jack out of his chair. "We¡¯ll be up in a few minutes, so if you want to cover yourself with a towel, then you¡¯d better be quick."


    Without a need for another warning, Jack took off, leaving Bowzer behind with two girls.


    Daliea blushed as she imagined performing the more intimate massage on Jack and not a fellow woman. "I don¡¯t know, Eliza... Howe we can¡¯t just--"


    "Don¡¯tin, or I won¡¯t teach you anything else," argued Eliza with her high and mighty finger up in the air. "Just do as I say and you¡¯ll be fine. Besides, it¡¯s not like anything crazy is going to happen while I¡¯m there with you, right?"


    "Right! Right..." Even though Dahlia had gray skin, her bright red blood made itself known across her small cheeks.


    Psyching Daliea up, Eliza put both of her hands on Daliea shoulders. "You¡¯ll do fine, I promise. Don¡¯t worry about him. He may not admit it but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s just fine with receiving such a massage. Trust me."


    A few minutes passed before the two girls went upstairs with Bowzer happily following them. Daliea started to knock on the door but Eliza just swung it right open. "I see you¡¯re ready. Now, Daliea, you know what to do."


    The goblin girl¡¯s shoulders seemed to shrink as she got closer and closer to Jack, whoid across the bed with his stomach down and a towel covering his torso. She stood over him but still couldn¡¯t find the courage to ce her delicate fingers on his leg.


    Elizaughed, "Don¡¯t worry, like I said, he¡¯s fine with this." Going to the other side of the bed Eliza lined herself up with his other leg and took hold. "Just do as I do."


    With a few deep breaths, Dahlia did exactly that. Both girls found their rhythm started to rub any remaining stress out of Jack¡¯s system.


    asionally Eliza would give Daliea tips or tell her to be more forceful while squeezing harder forcing a satisfied groan out of Jack as proof of her methods. By the time they had thoroughly rubbed down Jack¡¯s legs, Daliea was feeling much better about herself.


    Jack, on the other hand, had no way of hiding his embarrassment.


    Eliza took full advantage of this and giggled, "Well, we definitely know that Jack enjoyed it. You can tell by the color of his face, can¡¯t you, Daliea?"


    Daliea didn¡¯t mean to look but she couldn¡¯t help herself. The sight of Jack¡¯s blushing face burrowed in a pillow made her heartbeat flutter.


    At the same time, Eliza snuck her hand under his towel and pinched his cheek while Daliea wasn¡¯t looking. Eliza covered her mouth with the other hand, hiding herughter as she stood up and made her way to the door. "Come on, Dalia. Let¡¯s give him some alone time."


    "R-right!" Now feeling a bit warm herself, Dalia bolted from the room, making it out before Eliza blew Jack a kiss and closed the door.


    Jack finally removed his face from the pillow and took a deep breath. Just when Jack thought he was alone and he stood up, a surprised voice sounded within his head.


    ¡¯So, you did like their massage.¡¯


    Turning his head to the side, Jack saw a smiling fox in the corner of the room and tried tough away his embarrassment.

 Chapter 238 Playing with Fire

    <h4>Chapter 238 ying with Fire</h4>


    While the party was cooped up in the safe house three days passed by with little to nothing learned. Rydel was busy gathering more information and securing stronger lead as the others decided to pass the time with an experiment.


    In the middle of the enclosed courtyard, Jack was building a small tower of wooden beams that were crudely cut and shaped, most likely bought at a discount from the local carpenter. To the right of that were a few iron ingots stacked on top of each other. And finally to the right of that was a small nugget that seemed to be made of a blue steel.


    With a smile on his face, Jack hurried back to the edge of the courtyard and stood in between Daliea and Bowzer. "All right, let ¡¯er rip."


    Daliea nodded and patted her me Tiger at her other side. The tiger stepped forward with the bestial smile on its face.


    Its fangs opened wide as red and orange mes spewed from his gullet and out of its jaws. It did its best to control the fire so that it would only target the center of the courtyard, the same ce where the wooden beams, the iron ingots, and the blue nuggetid on the ground.


    After thirty seconds the tiger closed his mouth and took a step back. The others then came forward and took a closer look at what remains in the center of the courtyard.


    Eliza and Ke were also watching from the side but had no way of participating. So, instead, they cheered the others on and were curious to see who¡¯s mes would be the strongest even if they already had a solid guess.


    First, they inspected the wooden beams. They were still aze but were mostly intact after the thirty seconds, apart from some having split in half or fallen out of the pile.


    Secondly, they checked the iron ingots. They were brightening in color but still didn¡¯t manage to reach any shade of red.


    The little blue nugget of the side seemed unaffected entirely but no one seemed surprised by that at all.


    "I guess it¡¯s my turn." While the others went back to the side Daliea used a steel rake to brush the burning beams and the heated ingots to the side. At the same time, Jack ced a new bungle of wooden beams and some ingots where the others once were.


    A few deep breathster Daliea lifted both of her hands. Bright red embers sparked and spewed from her palms as they gathered around the items in the center of the courtyard. 30 seconds passed and she quickly called off the me.


    Everyone was all smiles as they gathered together topare her results with that of the tiger.


    The bundle of burned a bit fiercer, as almost all of the wooden beams had cracked and fallen apart. The iron ingots had be slightly brighter than when the tiger had done so but still didn¡¯t manage to reach red-hot. And of course, the blue nugget was again unaffected.


    They scattered like before and left Jack alone in the center. He ced a new wooden pile and three new iron ingots after pushing the old ingots and broken beams to the side.


    With one hand Jack¡¯s casted fire started to gather andunch at his inanimate targets. Another thirty seconds passed and they checked his results.


    What surprised them all was that he did worse than both the tiger and Daliea, albeit not by much. But they also had to remember that he hadn¡¯t yet activated his me body.


    He quickly pushed the rubble to the side, reced them with new sets, and that the others back away even further than they had before.


    Jack let loose a low growl as his body expanded and burst into mes.


    Unlike before Bowzer¡¯s evolution, Jack¡¯s level was unaffected by the addition of his me body. However, the ferocity of his mes was far stronger than anything he had before. At the tip of his red-orange mes there were hints of white and everyone in the courtyard felt the heat wave wash over their skin.


    Focusing on his targets Jack barraged the wooden beams, ingots, and the blue nugget with his fearsome mes. Those merciless thirty seconds seem tost much longer than the prior attempts due to the exhausting heat beating on everyone¡¯s faces.


    Jack calmed down and dispersed his me body with a few deep breaths. With his legend-tier cloak keeping him clothed, Jack motioned for the others toe and check out the damage he had caused.


    The pile of crude wooden beams was practically nonexistent with only charcoal remaining. The iron ingots had just barely managed to be red-hot and somewhat malleable. The blue nugget, however, still seemed untouched.


    "The cksmith wasn¡¯t kidding" chuckled Jack. "I guess it wouldn¡¯t be mythril for nothing."


    Bowzer started jumping for joy as it was finally his turn to test his mes. Though it had been some time since he¡¯d evolved, the fox had never had many opportunities to use his me body or his new mes to the fullest extent since then. Now he could let loose and see just how powerful his fire had be.


    The others stood back as far as possible. Eliza and Ke, in particr, were no longer in the courtyard but in the house with the courtyard door open.


    A quick howl sounded as Bowzer suddenly engulfed his entire body in mes as his body grew and grew.


    Jack then sent a message mental message to make sure that Bowzer wouldn¡¯t grow toorge and damage the courtyard by ident, so the Fox obliged and did exactly that, only letting himself grow to two meters in height.


    Like Jack, Bowzer also had white in his fire but much more of it. The root of his mes was still bright orange as it turned to white and then at the tip there was a hint of ck.


    Even with Bowzer controlling the size of his me body the intensity of his mes could cause damage to the courtyard without even touching a thing.


    A fireball was coughed out of his mouth before Bowzer was forced to lose his me body entirely by Jack.


    Even if he didn¡¯t breathe fire for thirty seconds like the others, everyone knew his mes were far more deadly and far more threatening with only a single fireball. The results spoke volumes.


    There was no pile of wood, at least not anymore. Not even charcoal marked where the pile once stood, only dust and ash. The iron ingots had already started melting and pouring over each other. And little blue nugget of mythril had started to change colors but only to a lighter shade of blue.


    The fox was happily panting with his tongue out, waiting for the team¡¯s judgment as the others were in awe of his destructive power.


    The me Tiger started at Bowzer with fear in his eyes as if he were looking at a king of monsters. Jack wasughing almost uncontrobly as he imagined eventually getting those very same mes for himself.


    Daliea was the most awestruck. She turned her attention from the remains toward Bowzer. "With fire like that... You can almost ignore levels entirely so long as the gap¡¯s not too wide."


    Hearing that only heightened Jack¡¯s excitement. Sadly, he had thirty-nine skill points leftover and not forty. if he had but one more skilled point Jack could upgrade hispanion bloodline skill to level 3 and increase the ferocity of his mes.


    Eliza and Ke, on the other hand, looked around at the courtyard. Their thorough inspection revealed some heat damage and warping in some parts, especially where Bowzer stood.


    Jack had stood in the same ce and had already damaged the granite but Bowzer had melted it and any other granite within a two-meter radius.


    "Look what you¡¯ve done now, Jack." Eliza shook her head as sheughed at her husband.


    Jackughed back, "What? Don¡¯t me me, me the fox."


    "True, but he¡¯s your fox so you¡¯re paying for it," added Ke with a snicker.


    Everyone startedughing as they let the Hell-me Fox roll around in the pile of ash particles like it was freshly fallen snow.


    Soon a message reached everybody¡¯s mind. "I finally got something good. I¡¯ll exin more when I get back, but be ready to leave tomorrow morning."


    After everyone got Rydel¡¯s message the atmosphere grew slightly more serious, apart from the yful fox.


    Daliea and Jack volunteered to clean up the courtyard and do their best to fix the little damages they could whilemitting to pay for the rest.


    Eliza made her way to the kitchen and started to prepare a feast for theirst night in town.


    Ke was already gone and on her way toward the market to grab anyst-minute items or supplies that they could need.


    Everyone already knew what to do as they had spent the past three days talking about what preparations they might need and what supplies they should acquire for the n. And now that they had a solid lead it was time to make their final preparations.

 Chapter 239 Finding the Army Camp

    <h4>Chapter 239 Finding the Army Camp</h4>


    Within a few hours, the entire party was gathered around the dinner table finishing a mighty feast that Eliza had prepared for them.


    Rydel was the main speaker this time as he filled in everybody about the rumors of smaller military groups andpanies being transferred to the nearby mountain range. It was being done subtly at first but now soldiers were no longer returning yet more were still be dispatched. He also mentioned that almost all military personnel in the city of Zurden was about to be d transferred to that very mountain range within the next day or two.


    Considering everything they knew the party was able to deduce that the mountain range was most likely where they needed to go.


    They then discussed what the next steps to their n would be. It was understood by all that they would be using no fire while camping in order to remain hidden, and not stray far from camp. Also, in the morning they nned to visit the scruffy bartender and pay whatever they needed to fix the damages while letting him know that they may not return.


    The girls were both excited and anxious as they moved forward with this n. Rydel wouldn¡¯t say anything but the fire in his eyes was enough to show everybody that he didn¡¯t want to wait any longer. At the same time, Jack had an empty smile while he stewing in thought.


    Night went by slow for some and quicker for others. Morning came and they all left the house and thanked the owner for letting them rent it.


    They then left the city limits. Once they were far enough to not be seen or heard Jack brought out Appa and the party flew into the distance.


    Not even half an hour passed before they descended and continued on foot in order to not get caught by possible military scouts.


    After hours of walking stealthily into the mountain range, the party finally stopped.


    Rydel, who had been scouting ahead, had returned to the group with some news about a militarypany not too far ahead. Based on the way they were going the party shouldn¡¯t be too much further from the army¡¯s camp.


    With that in mind, Jack and the party decided it was best to find a ce to camp not too far away but not too close as to be caught so easily.


    It took some time but they eventually found a small mountain cave that winded for a little while till ending in a decent-sized opening.


    Each party member took out some kari crystals and ced them around the new campsite. Thanks to the cave¡¯s winding path, no light would be able to exit the tunnel. Cooking with a fire still wasn¡¯t an option but at least they could have light.


    It was gettingte in the afternoon as the girls were setting up tents and the boys left to go scout out the army.


    Both men were invisible, one thanks to his blessing and one thanks to a low level bracer.


    Taking nearly 2 hours they found a good viewpoint and came to a halt.


    The jagged cliffs around them made hiding easy with their invisibility. It also gave them a great view of the well-lit military camp that was hiding in the small valley within the mountain pass that wasn¡¯tmonly traversed.


    "It¡¯s a lot bigger than I expected..." Jack couldn¡¯t shake his uneasiness earlier and the sight before him only made him feel worse.


    "We should get closer. We have to learn more about how they are, what they have, and how exactly we can stall them."


    Though Jack couldn¡¯t see Rydel, the tone in his voice assured Jack that an immovable determination could be found in the hunter¡¯s eyes. "I¡¯ll head back to the cave. Go ahead and scout out the camp but don¡¯t do anything, okay? We don¡¯t need to act or cause any trouble without nning ordingly and being ready for the consequences."


    Since silence remained Jack was sure that Rydel was already long gone.


    He found it easier to return to the cave than it was to find that cliff and managed to do so in half the time. Once inside the cave he was weed with cold bowl of soup.


    In the center of their camp was arge kari crystal, a few chairs and a table were gathered around to the side of it. That¡¯s where the girls gathered around Jack to learn what came next after he finished his meal.


    "It¡¯s a lot bigger than I had guessed," mentioned Jack.


    Daliea chuckled and shook her head. "If I was going to invade a neighboring country I would use thergest force I could muster, so that only makes sense."


    Ke and Eliza sharedforting smiles but said nothing so that Jack could continue.


    "It¡¯s going to be a lot moreplicated to hold the army back, that¡¯s for sure. We¡¯ll have to put emphasis on our stealth and will probably have to change base camps a few times in order to stay hidden. Rydel is learning more now as we speak. Once he gets back, I¡¯ll make sure to message Tralon and exin the situation."


    "And don¡¯t forget to fill in Maura and Maynard," added Eliza. "You did promise her that, don¡¯t you dare forget."


    With half a smile Jack looked back at her. "Right, I¡¯ll do that now."


    Jack then entered the men¡¯s tent and took his time to inform both Maura and Maynard of their progress.


    The girls passed the time chatting and talking. They frequented the topic of what might happen if they got caught and what they would then do to escape. However, the mood wasn¡¯t somber or cold. The girls were actually quite lively and enjoying each other¡¯spany.


    Minutes came and went as hours passed and all the girls climbed into their bedrolls. The inside of their tent was warm and cozy, quite pleasant to sleep in. Only Jack was awake as he sat at the table while breathing in the cold night air deep inside the cave.


    He waited, nervously counting the stctites and stgmites and then recounting them because they weren¡¯t too many of them. After 10 rounds of counting Jack heard footsteps as someone entered the campsite.


    "So, what did you find?"


    Rydel¡¯s deep breaths softly echoed within the cave as he walked up and took a seat across from Jack. "There are almost five thousand men down there. Almost two thousand from Sandros and the rest are from Limneer, and the count keeps rising."


    Coughing to clear his throat some tension, Jack asked, "Do you think we can stall them?"


    "It¡¯s possible... Difficult but possible."


    A quick mental message was then sent to Tralon. What followed next startled both Rydel and Jack. There was no reply in word but a sh of light suddenly filled the tavern and a figure emerged from that light.


    "Jack, are you certain of your estimation?"


    Rydel spoke up in response to Tralon, "It¡¯s not an estimation and there are even moreing. I¡¯m not sure how many but at least 100 more from Zurden alone, and that¡¯s not including any other soldiers from nearby cities or towns that might¡¯ve been recruited."


    Seeing the anger pent-up behind Rydel¡¯s stare, Tralon looked Rydel in the eye. "Take me there. Trouble of this magnitude is something I need to see with my own eyes. Then I can immediately report it to the Council."


    "Then you¡¯ll need this." An ordinary bracer was being held out to the elderly man with somewhat pointy ears.


    Tralon took the bracer and immediately equipped it. Both he and Rydel then exited the cave in due haste.


    Jack sighed. Tralon¡¯s reaction was enough for Jack to realize that the mission¡¯s true level of difficulty was far greater than the elderly man had ever imagined.

 Chapter 240 Whats the Plan?

    <h4>Chapter 240 What¡°s the n?</h4>


    "Jack." Just before dawn, a familiar voice echoed throughout the cave. "Let¡¯s talk, you, me, and Rydel."


    Rydel was walking behind Tralon with a relentless fire burning in his pupils. He remained silent as he and Tralon sat down across from Jack at the table while the girls were still sleeping.


    "So... What do you think we should do?" asked Jack.


    Tralon stroked his beard. "First I¡¯d like to hear what you originally nned to do, as well as both your thoughts and Rydel¡¯s on the matter. You two are much more familiar with your party and can better assess what you can and cannot do."


    Given the invitation to speak Rydel took the initiative. "I think we should infiltrate the camp and assassinate the general. It¡¯s the simplest strategy and the most effective so long as we pull it off. Plus, we may be able to me the Sandros soldiers for that with Daliea¡¯s help."


    It was hard for Jack to refute the passionate Rydel but he sighed, "Wouldn¡¯t that also put the entire party in immediate danger? And how would we exit camp after the general is dead and everyone turns on us?"


    "That¡¯s what we came here to do, right? We signed up for danger so why not?"


    "What if we destroy their rations? And, maybe we can start some contention between the two nations?" Jack suggested.


    "That would only dy the inevitable."


    "But dying is what we came here to do in the first ce."


    "True, but they can order food to be brought with the next batch of soldiers. And without anything big, like the assassination of a general, then I wouldn¡¯t count on contention amongst the ranks to be very significant," added Rydel as stern as ever.


    Jack opened his mouth but hesitated. "Well... All we need to do is cause dys, so wouldn¡¯t it be better to be more covert and have the missionst a couple of days more to stay safe? If we get caught, then there¡¯s no telling--"


    "Just wake up, Jack!" The cheap wooden table creaked and rocked as two fists pounded nearly splintered the tabletop. "Some of us may die. ept that. Right now, we need to stop that army in its tracks before it leaves for Trodar."


    "Calm down you two," Tralon chimed in, making sure that Rydel didn¡¯t run away with conversation in a flurry of passion. "Both ideas have some merit so there¡¯s no need to demean each other."


    The wise mage also saw a broken determination behind Jack¡¯s fa?ade. "Before you to two discuss this any further, let me fill you in on a couple of things.


    "First off, you need to know that ording to my intel not only does this army not exist but Limneer¡¯s other forces still remain intact and unchanged. Now that Limneer has an extra army and they¡¯ve rallied quicker than I would¡¯ve expected, I¡¯ll need at least five days, three at the very least."


    Suddenly both Jack and Rydel got a better sense of the hopelessness that Tralon was feeling from his shaky voice alone.


    Tralon continued, "Trodar¡¯s military assets have already been divided into three and we¡¯re barely able to hold on at the moment. Facing an extra army right now is one of the worst possible oues. I had estimated that they might be ready to attack within a few weeks, but after seeing what I just saw they could cross the border within a couple of days.


    "Luckily, though I¡¯m not allowed to fight I am allowed to magically transport the army. There¡¯s no telling how many people we can gather together in just five days but I can transport them here at a moment¡¯s notice if needed," added Tralon.


    "No matter what you feel would be best, I beg of you to stall this army. If this army is ready to invade then that means the others are as well, and if there¡¯s an army left within Trodar without anyone to hold it back, then that could mark the turning point in the war."


    The passion in Rydel¡¯s eyes was curbed and the determination in Jack¡¯s eyes was gradually restoring. In the face of a dire situation they were lucky to have Tralon there to wake them up, at least a little bit.


    "Which of the two strategies would you rmend, Tralon?" asked Rydel with a hinting smile at Jack.


    He closed his eyes in deep thought. "The most effective option would be the assassination while also the most dangerous. Destroying their rations and their supplies could definitely work as a deterrent, but then you shouldn¡¯t leave the mountain range because they might be ready to advance after more supplies arrives. Then, after that, your second time interfering will be much harder.


    "Both strategies can work but they have differences in terms of consequences. I¡¯ll let you decide the consequences you wish to face and then choose a strategy based on that."


    A sudden shift of attention waved from Tralon over the Jack as Rydel and the old mage waited for his reply.


    It wasn¡¯t immediate. Jack didn¡¯t dare be hasty with his decision.


    "Jack, what do you wish to do? And what dangers are you willing to risk?" Tralon repeated himself in order to keep Jack from neglecting the answer and not confronting his fear.


    "I... I... I¡¯d rather not risk a party wipe if I don¡¯t have to."


    A deep breath left Rydel¡¯s lips as he popped his knuckles to relieve some tension. "So... Which tactic are you choosing?"


    "What if we destroyed not only their supplies but also the iing suppliesing with the next batch of soldiers?" asked Jack.


    "That¡¯s... Not a bad idea, "replied Tralon.


    The dying fire inside Rydel started to regain its fervor. "And what if I infiltrated the camp alone in order to take out the general while you and the others got as far away as possible?"


    "No." That time Jack¡¯s answer was instant. "If there¡¯s a way for every one of us to make it out of this alive and unscathed, then I¡¯d rather take that risk. I don¡¯t want to sacrifice one person for the lives of everyone else."


    "Yeah, unless that person is you..."


    Caught with his mouth wide open Jack had nothing else to say.


    "I would like to agree with Jack on this one, Rydel. I admire your bravery and I would ask you to do such a thing if the need were to arise, but for now, let¡¯s n otherwise." With one hand patting Rydel on the shoulder Tralon slowly stood up. "Since that is your decision, then I¡¯ll take my leave and start recruiting an emergency army. Good luck, and make sure to report anything you may need from me."


    Jack was still caught up on Rydel¡¯s statement and only nodded as Tralon disappeared in a burst of light.


    "I¡¯m going to take a nap. Wake me up once everyone¡¯s ready to discuss the n." The hunter then hurried to his tent without so much as a nce at Jack.


    Sighing and scratching his head Jack couldn¡¯t stop wondering whether he chose correctly.


    One part of him knew that Rydel waspletely right and logical to want an assassination. It was clearly the best deterrence and would be the fastest way to fulfill the n. But it also meant that whoever did the deed was unlikely to survive afterward and anyone else in the camp would be in danger.


    Deep down Jack also knew that it was very possible to dy the army¡¯s ns for a few days so long as they yed their cards right. Though it would take more steps of action, they could receive the same result with more likelihood of everyone surviving.


    A migraine was setting in as Jack kept flip-flopping between each situation and each possible oue he could think of as the other party members slept quietly.

 Chapter 241 Reaching a Compromise

    <h4>Chapter 241 Reaching a Compromise</h4>


    Though time passed Jack was still unable to decide what was right and what was wrong. Eventually, the first girl poked her head out of the tent, curious about the tired looking Jack.


    Whenever she asked him what was wrong he only said that once all the girls were up they would call Rydel and everyone would discuss the n.


    With that being said, Eliza took the initiative to make a wake-up call and bring everyone to the camp¡¯s center. Once Rydel joined them, all eyes were on Jack.


    "Just so you guys know, we¡¯re going to have to dy this army for five days while Trodar tries to put an army together. If we can¡¯t do that, then Trodar¡¯s in trouble."


    "Are we getting any help from Tralon?" asked Ke.


    Jack shook his head. "Sadly, he can¡¯t. If he was caught doing that then Trodat would break the war pact and that could lead to who knows how much chaos. We¡¯ll have to work without him for the most part but we don¡¯t have to fight the army directly. We¡¯ll just use dying tactics in order to waste their time and hopefully give Tralon enough time.."


    "And what tactics would those be?" Daliea stared curiously at Jack.


    During all this Rydel remained quiet but his passionate stare gave the girls a sense of disapproval.


    "Since all we have to do is dy the army, that¡¯s all we¡¯re going to do. Our first course of action will be to destroy any food or supplies that we can, forcing them to wait longer for the next shipment to arrive. Then, we¡¯ll target those shipments instead of targeting the army directly. By doing that we should be able to buy at least five days if not a week. Also, it¡¯ll be much easier to deal with smaller groups than the entire army."


    "Or we could just kill the general and escape."


    Again Jack shook his head. "Rydel, we talked about this. Were not going to use sacrificial tactics when we don¡¯t have to. If there¡¯s a way for every one of us toe out of this, then that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do."


    As Ke and Eliza nodded, Daliea squinted. "Well... With my illusion magic an assassination might be very possible... We might even be able to--"


    "I¡¯ve already decided that there¡¯s no assassination. Just stick to the n and we¡¯ll be able to hold out," refuted Jack. "But like you suggested, you and Rydel will be key to this n, Daliea. You two will be the ones to infiltrate and destroy all supplies you can before escaping. Then we can just monitor the situation and target any iingpanies of soldiers with the new supplies."


    "It¡¯s not like that can¡¯t work, but wouldn¡¯t assassinating the general be faster?" She tried to sound considerate toward Jack but Daliea¡¯s experience made her feel that Rydel¡¯s idea would be far better. "Both ns would work and I¡¯ll go along with whatever you decide, but I do agree with Rydel that killing the general would just be better."


    Frowning, Jack looked to the others at the table. "What do you two think?"


    Ke shook her head. "I don¡¯t know what to think because I¡¯m new to this. I¡¯ve never been in this kind of situation and I honestly don¡¯t know which would be better."


    "Same. Both ideas sound possible, but I wouldn¡¯t want to sacrifice anybody so I think we should go the safer route," added Eliza.


    "I feel the same way," sighed Jack. "You two may not think it¡¯s the best idea but it will get the job done and I stand by it. "


    With a shrug of his shoulders, Rydel chuckled a little bit, defeated. "Since you¡¯re finally standing up for yourself and your ideas than I guess I¡¯ll go along with it."


    "Just tell me what to do and I¡¯ll try to make it happen," said Daliea with a smile.


    Feeling a bit better about himself Jack sat a little bit straighter. "Rydel already knows theyout of the camp and he¡¯ll talk with you about which paths you should and shouldn¡¯t take. What I want you to do is be in charge of the escape, ensuring that both you and Rydel can get out of their alive. Most soldiers won¡¯t be a problem but it would be best if you can leave without any fighting involved. What do you think would be best given theyout of the camp, Rydel?"


    "If she can make a distraction of some kind, then I know I¡¯ll be able to get inside and destroy all the rations. As for their supplies, I can destroy the extras they haveying around but most of the soldiers keep their equipment on them or inside their shared tents," replied Rydel.


    "And... What if we found a way to set fire to said tents?" asked Daliea.


    Everyone paid close attention to the beautiful goblin¡¯s strange smile. They started to think about the idea as Rydel asked, "Wouldn¡¯t they be able to stop the fire before it got out of hand? Or do you know a spell that they can¡¯t trace back to you?"


    "It wouldn¡¯t be too hard if we recruited Bowzer as well," added Daliea. "If you guys can pull off the same stunt you did at the goblin city, then wouldn¡¯t he be able to ravage the tents and set everything aze?"


    "Maybe... but I don¡¯t want to give away that we¡¯re the ones doing this if we don¡¯t have to. And if they recognized him as a Hell-me Fox, that would be the same as admitting I was here," argued Jack.


    "Maybe, but what if Bowzer controlled his size and stayed small like he did when he was testing his fire back in the courtyard? Wouldn¡¯t he be mistaken for some other kind of fire-rted fox?"


    Before Jack could reply, Rydel stood up in excitement. "That would be perfect! While I destroy the rations Bowzer can destroy the barracks, then they¡¯ll be left even more miserable than we had thought possible."


    "But what if they decide to invade early because of that?" Jack slowly stood up to meet Rydel¡¯s gaze. "If that happened, then their invasion would be on our hands and our fault. And we all know that we can¡¯t stop that big of an army, so why should we risk that?"


    "Jack, I know it sounds risky but it¡¯s worth it," stated Daliea. "What if we did that but we only burned the Sandros army and not the Limneer army?"


    "What do you mean? Why not the other way around?" asked Rydel. "If we can burn the Limneer army and me Sandros for it, then Sandros wouldn¡¯t involve themselves any further in the war."


    Rydel reasoned, "If we really tried we might even be able to convince Limneer that Sandros has partnered with Trodar. Then they would never team up again..."


    Suddenly, the new riskier n started to sound more attractive to Jack. "Okay, then let¡¯s think this through a little bit more. How exactly are we going to me Sandros for burning down and destroying all the tents that Limneer has? And how will we give off the idea that Sandros was teaming up with Trodar?"


    "That¡¯s the hard part... We would have to nt evidence somewhere where Limneer officials could find it, but it also has to be somewhere believable enough to convince them," stated Rydel.


    Ke also added, "And don¡¯t forget that we have to leave evidence behind of how Sandros burned down the tents. If we can¡¯t do that, then there¡¯s no way they can be med."


    "True... But it would be the best n and it would definitely stop them from invading." Though not everything added up Rydel still wanted to push for the destruction of the Limneer army in some way.


    "Rydel, I know you want to destroy this army but I don¡¯t think that¡¯s in our best interest at the moment. There are only five of us and they have over five thousand soldiers. We only need to slow them down so that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to do. Unless you can think of a reasonable way to me Sandros for burning down those tents, then I don¡¯t think that¡¯s a good option."


    Brainstorming together the party tried to piece together the means to me Sandros for this n; even Jack was trying his best to find a reason for such a n.


    A couple of minutes passed before Rydel stepped back and started to pace. Then, he started to whisper out loud to himself, speaking his thoughts. In no time everyone could hear him as he pitched an altered idea of the same n, the only logical way he thought they could me Sandros and get away with it.


    At first Jack was against it, but then Daliea, as well as Ke, agreed with the idea. And once Eliza was convinced, then Jack was thest to agree, albeit reluctantly.

 Chapter 242 Just Following Orders

    <h4>Chapter 242 Just Following Orders</h4>


    "Hmmm..." A man sat behind a makeshift desk with papers scattered about which were covered in scribbles, coordinates, and various orders given by him or other military higher-ups. He sped his hands and fiddled with his thumbs. "It seems that we¡¯ll have to speed up our schedule. Gather the officials and tell them that we leave tomorrow night."


    "Gen. Toms, are you sure?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m sure, you two assistants will pass the orders onto the officials, who will then pass them on to the captains. After that, enjoy a good meal and get a good night¡¯s sleep. There¡¯s no telling when the next time you¡¯ll be able to enjoy that," stated General Toms.


    "Sir, yes sir!" Both men saluted and left the general¡¯s tent in a rush.


    One assistant looked to the other and smiled. "Dirk, we¡¯re finally getting out of this ce."


    "Yeah, but Loire, are you really looking forward to the massacre waiting for us?" asked Dirk.


    Assistant Loire¡¯s footsteps came to a halt as he smirked at Assistant Dirk. "This is what we signed up for. This is why we became assistants to the general. If you¡¯re not wanting war, then why did you take the position? That doesn¡¯t make sense."


    "Maybe I just wanted to pay raise and a way to make sure that my family got what they needed." Assistant Dirk continued to walk on without a care for Assistant Loire. "If you don¡¯t hurry then you¡¯ll bete for our meeting with the officials."


    With a chuckle, Assistant Loire caught up to Assistant Dirk and rambled on about the excitement that was waiting for them on the battlefield-to-be.


    After a few minutes, they entered a tent which had a number of other soldiersing in and out. But then the other soldiers took a seat at arge table and gave their attention to the two assistants.


    "Men, we¡¯re finally leaving this mountain pass and we¡¯ll soon go on a rampage in Trodar. Tomorrow night we head out, so make sure to tell the captains and to inform the Sandros soldiers as well. Also, enjoy yourselves while you still can. Unless you¡¯re confident you¡¯ll survive the onught, get your fill now." Assistant Loire was the one to give the order while Assistant Dirk looked on and paid attention to the different faces and reactions of the officials.


    While some officials were excited, others seemed nervous and a few had a look of terror or regret. But none of them spoke up as they knew the assistants and the general were unforgiving to anyone who dared rebel or disobey orders.


    "You¡¯re dismissed. Now go inform the others," stated Assistant Dirk with a nod.


    The officials promptly saluted and exited the tent, leaving the two assistants to bicker orugh amongst each other.


    Most officials immediately left for the soldiers¡¯ tents in search of the captains. Only a few dared go elsewhere first, most likely in search of some alone time to take in the situation before reporting it or to finish up some matters they already had on hand.


    One of those officials made his way toward the cafeteria once he was out of sight of the others. He easily weaved through through the foot traffic of the camp and entered one of thergest tense they had, filled to the brim with soldiers enjoying an evening meal.


    The officials scanned his surroundings, as if looking for something that wasn¡¯t there or something that seemed out of ce. Eventually he got some food and sat himself sitting at a distant table in the far corner, the one nearest to the kitchen storage and not the exit.


    Like always time passed as more and more soldiers found themselves leaving the cafeteria, but the official did not. He had been slowly consuming his meal, almost meticulously. His head stayed down for the most part while he only inspected the area on asion throughout his meal.


    "Official Harolt, how¡¯s the meal been?"


    Suddenly filled with energy and alertness the official shot to his feet and saluted. "Assistant Loire, the meal¡¯s been good."


    "Hmmm... I see. How did the captains take the news?" asked the assistant.


    "Sir, I¡¯ve yet to give the report. I myself felt a bit distressed about it and took the liberty to grab a meal to calm myself and allow me to better deliver the news," replied Official Harolt.


    Assistant Loire blinked and tilted his head as he chuckled. "Really? I wouldn¡¯t expect that from you. I¡¯ve got some time, so how about you and I go and give the report together? Then we cane back and drink the night away while we still can."


    "Yes, sir. Why not?"


    The official started raking the remaining food into his mouth as he cleaned up his te. Though he seemed delighted to have the assistant¡¯s help, rms were ringing inside his mind. ¡¯Daliea, do it now!¡¯


    ¡¯But it¡¯s too soon--"


    ¡¯It¡¯s now or never,¡¯ stated Rydel. ¡¯One of the assistants wants to take me to the tents to the soldiers¡¯ tents and you need to act before he arrives.¡¯


    ¡¯Got it!¡¯


    An audible sigh rang out in both Rydel¡¯s and Daliea¡¯s minds. ¡¯Just be careful and don¡¯t do anything that would guarantee your death.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Jack. We got this covered,¡¯ added Rydel.


    ¡¯Yeah, together with Bowzer we¡¯ll make sure to get the job done,¡¯ Daliea assured Jack confidently as the mental conversation came to a close.


    Daliea, who had the appearance of the Limneer soldier, found one of the many empty tents belonging to an absent soldier in hispany. She quickly changed her appearance to that of a man in a Sandros mage¡¯s uniform with the mark of a lieutenant on his shoulders, ready for battle.


    Just before the rush of soldiers returned from the evening meal to the privacy of their tents, one of those tents at the center of the campground exploded in a plume of fire.


    Everyone nearby rushed with buckets of water andrge nkets to try and put it out but the fire kept growing and growing, expanding to the nearby tents unstoppably. The most terrifying thing was that they couldn¡¯t put the fire out.


    These mes were both orange and white with a tinge of ckness that seemed so dark that even the devil¡¯s heart couldn¡¯tpare. Every possible thing they could think of to put the fire out was rendered useless, not even able to stop the fire from spreading. The me seemed to spawn from hell itself.


    Captains and officials tried their best to get closer to the fire¡¯s center but it was impossible. The heat was too much to bear and they weren¡¯t strong enough to make it past the outer ring of the mes.


    News spread across the entire camp as all soldiers and officials made their way towards thepany tents.


    Inside the cafeteria, everyone started to yell and shout as they bolted for the exit. Assistant Loire¡¯s face suddenly tightened up as he turned his head toward the distant tents of the thousands of Limneer soldiers as if he could peer through the canvas surrounding the cafeteria.


    "Harolt,e with me! We¡¯ve got to put that fire out!" Assistant Loire was shouting to official Harolt while he was already halfway out of the tent.


    Unable to disobey orders, the official followed suit and dashed alongside the army of soldiers hurrying back to their quarters. Before long they arrived but it was toote to save the majority of the tents.


    By then they were focusing on salvaging the remaining tents instead of fighting the fire. The officials and captains had ordered their soldiers to douse the remaining tents in water and dirt in order to create some kind of barrier between the canvas of the tents and the ensuing mes.


    The look on Assistant Loire¡¯s face was baffling as his mouth fell agape. Official Harolt reacted the exact same way, or at least he did on the outside.

 Chapter 243 Diversion of Fire

    <h4>Chapter 243 Diversion of Fire</h4>


    Faced with the rapid growth of the unquenchable mes Assistant Loire looked to Official Harolt. "Spread out! Do everything you can to keep more tents from burning."


    Then, without any warning, the assistant dashed into the mes. His figure disappeared as he ran through the orange and white fire, seemingly disappearing or burning away. No one could tell which was true.


    Official Harolt, as well as the other officials, all gathered around the fire, trying to epass it and soak all remaining tenants. Well, everyone thought official Harolt was doing that. Instead, he disappeared among all the chaos.


    Not only did he disappear but he seemed to vanish out of thin air in the blink of an eye. And since no one was keeping their eye on him like before, the man had sessfully escaped his responsibilities and fled from the scene of the fire.


    Within the mes that¡¯s all there was, mes.


    Assistant Loire was adept at using fire with his quick attacks and throwing knives. He even wore fireproof clothing in order to better handle his own overwhelming mes. However, even with his skill and aptitude for fire, Assistant Loire was sweating and he could tell that his clothes were still intact but wouldn¡¯t be able to survive direct contact with such intense heat.


    The assistant weaved through the ming tents, making sure not to touch them directly. He squeezed by them as fast as possible in order to quickly find the source of the sh fire. It took longer than he would¡¯ve wanted, but he did manage to make it to the center of the camp.


    There was nothing left. The mes had already extinguished themselves because there was nothing left to burn. All that remained was charred ground and gravel with sprinkles of ash covering everything. Also, there was a man standing there, staring back at Assistant Loire.


    "Someone finally decided to show up."


    Assistant Loire scoffed as he wiped the sweat from his brow. "Who are you and why are you doing this?"


    "I thought you¡¯d be able to tell?"ughed the man as he held his arms open wide, showing off his Sandros uniform.


    "You... You¡¯re with Sandros?"


    "So, are you here to stop me or question me?" asked the man, stillughing while keeping calm.


    "Why can¡¯t I do both?" Assistant Loire charged the man at full speed. His dashed steps covered the distance needed as he lunged at the man with a ming knife.


    That man only keptughing as the knife reached its target but then flew right through it. It was then that Assitant Loire realized that the man¡¯s image started to disperse and be more illusory. A solemn look filled with fear crossed Assitant Loire¡¯s face.


    "Did you really think it would be that easy? Mages like myself wouldn¡¯t be able to reach my rank without being able to deal with hand-to-handbat specialists, like yourself."


    A sense of threat spread and shivered over Assitant Loire¡¯s body. He nced to the side as he jumped back, narrowly avoiding the fireball hurled toward him. It wasn¡¯t white like most mes but it was still bright orange and yellow, almost enough to burn through his clothing on contact.


    Just when he thought he had avoided the disaster with the fireball whizzing past his face, a second fireball mmed into his back,unching him forward into the ground and burning away the back of hismissioned jacket.


    "Come on, that all you got? I thought you¡¯d at least put up a challenge." The illusory man¡¯s figure had returned to view but on the opposite end of the clearing. "But if you¡¯ve got nothing else, can you just jump into the mes and save me some time? You won¡¯t be able to stop me like this."


    Assistant Loire threw off his coat and let it burn away to cinders. "Fine, I guess there¡¯s no talking, is there?" He twirled dual-wielding daggers as they lit themselves on fire, with the same brightness of the mystery man¡¯s mes. "I guess this will be a good test to see who¡¯s stronger. An assistant from Limneer or a lieutenant from Sandros."


    "Hurry up and get serious or I¡¯ll get bored and burn everything else to the ground," the mystery man continued to mock Assistant Loire


    Not giving in to the taunt, Assistant Loire once again charged at the mystery man, but this time while hurling ming knives in order to avoid falling for the same trick twice.


    Like before the man¡¯s figure became more illusory as knives flew through him but he didn¡¯t disperse fully and somehow came back together after each knife passed through him. This only confused the assistant even further but all he could do was continue the attack until he could find a way to stop the man.


    On another side of the camp the man disguised as official Harolt ran through the empty cafeteria, still invisible. He went into the backroom to find a few cooks still there, scrambling to put food way. However, unlike Assitant Loire who presented a threat to Rydel, these cooks weren¡¯t even lv. 30.


    He quickly dispatched those cooks before they even knew they were dead. Then, he found himself alone with crates and crates of raw and preserved ingredients. Everything with it was within his grasp and at his fingertips with no one to stop him from destroying them.


    Yet rather than destroying them, Rydel held out his hand and ced it on one of therge crates. It then disappeared with a sh of his storage ring. The hunter repeated this until he is stored every morsel of food that he could find. He then went to the dead cooks and took all of their storage rings, finding even more supplies.


    With this abundance of material and resources, Rydelughed in the echoes of his mind, ¡¯It¡¯s done. Let¡¯s get out of here.¡¯


    He then left the camp and the cafeteria altogether just as easily as he had waltzed into the cafeteria and taken everything away with him.


    ¡¯Great job, Rydel,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯Okay, Daliea. Stop ying around and just escape. Bowzer will help you out of the white mes and you already know what to do after that.¡¯


    ¡¯Got it.¡¯


    The mysterious man suddenly stoppedughing at Assistant Loire¡¯s futile attempts. The same figure which the assistant had been aiming at then dispersed into the air, leaving behind no evidence of a physical form. "I¡¯ve had enough fun, but thank you for amusing me."


    "Get back here, you pestro!" Assistant Loire shouted and ground his teeth as he threw ming daggers in every which way to try and find his target. But he failed. Raging shouts were droned out by fire as he scoured the ashy remains at the center of the camp to no avail.


    The fire continued to rage on without anyone finding a way to stop it.


    The Limneer soldiers soon came to a conclusion. After dousing dozens of tents in water and failing to stop the sh fire, they decided to take down as many tents as possible. They did it in a hurried fashion and didn¡¯t bother bundling everything up properly. They rolled everything together and threw it to the side as far as possible in order to keep the tents far from the mes.


    Eventually, Assistant Loire returned from within the mes. His clothes were singed and some articles of clothing were missing altogether. The most notable thing about him was the obvious frown which seemed to cover his entire face and distract everyone from his burns and injuries.


    The assistant noticed that the fire was still raging but no longer able to spread. He sighed as he angrily red at the unknown mes which even he couldn¡¯t touch without consequence.


    "What did you learn?" asked Assistant Dirk.


    "We need to investigate the Sandros army."


    "And why is that?"


    Assistant Loire released a long sigh, filled with both relief and angst. "I fought a lieutenant in there. He was a master of illusions and fire. If we can find that such a person really exists within the Sandros ranks here, then they¡¯re the one to me."


    "You know this will change everything. We won¡¯t be able to leave tomorrow if that¡¯s true and there¡¯s no way to keep each side from questioning the other if you go through this," reasoned Assistant Dirk. "Are you sure?"


    Assistant Loire shook his head. "We can do it quietly. We don¡¯t have to question the Sandros army, we only need to ask them if we can speak with their lieutenants and narrow the search. The man I fought was lv. 35, so we¡¯ll keep that in mind and test for their magic type. If there¡¯s no match, then we know someone else impersonating them."


    Assistant Dirk smirked and gave his fellow assistant the slight nod. "Makes sense. But still, we have to dy our leave a couple of days because of everything that happened, but I think the Sandros army will be fine with a few questions, as will the general."


    "Then let¡¯s go, right now. Let the officials handle this. We¡¯ve got something more urgent on our te."


    Both of the assistants walked side-by-side as they casually talked in whispers while any nearby soldiers were scrambling around the remaining mes, waiting for them to die off and allow everyone to search if any of their belongings had miraculously survived.

 Chapter 244 Aftermath of the Surprise Attack

    <h4>Chapter 244 Aftermath of the Surprise Attack</h4>


    By the time both assistants reached the general, Rydel had not only left the camp but he had returned to the camp.


    After returning he snuck Maura, who had hidden herself among the scrambling soldiers as a lowly private the Limneer army, the blessed bracer so that she too could be invisible and leave without a trace.


    Once he handed off the bracer to Rydel, Jack returned to the camp within the cave to find Ke and Eliza throwing a small celebration of sorts. "You know, the mission¡¯s not over yet."


    "We know, but the worst is over so why not rx a little bit?" reasoned Eliza. She poured a ss of wine and ced it on the table across from her. "Come on, it¡¯s only one drink. It¡¯s not like you¡¯ll get drunk from a few sips."


    The young hero sighed as he smiled and shook his head. He took a seat, grabbed the small ss, and took a sip. "Wow! Where did you get this stuff?"


    "I took the privilege to borrow some from my father¡¯s personal stash before we left Federal City. That way we can look forward to celebrating more often." Eliza sat up proudly with her chest out, getting Jack to smile even wider.


    "Where¡¯s mine?" Ke asked in a teasing manner.


    The three of them slowly sipped on their drinks as Rydel and Daliea made their way back to the cave and soon joined them for the tiny celebration.


    As it gotter into the night, the mugs were eventually emptied. Everyone was left at the table without anything to hide the serious mood that followed their actions against the army camp.


    "So, now what?" asked Rydel as he nced around the table.


    Daliea was the first to answer, "I¡¯m sure this will stop them for a day or two, but they¡¯ll figure out that it wasn¡¯t Sandros who caused this. It might leave them with some doubts in the end but it won¡¯t separate the army."


    "True, but that¡¯s not what we were after," replied Jack. "The incident with the tents was enough to stop them for a day or two. If you add on their food shortage, then the army shouldn¡¯t be able to move within two or three days before they¡¯re able to get more supplies. That alone is huge, not to mention how we can give this food and supplies to Tralon in order to speed up Trodar¡¯s military efforts."


    "Yeah, but what do we do next? They¡¯ll find out that it wasn¡¯t Sandros pretty soon and I¡¯m sure they¡¯re going to increase the amount of security, as well as scope out the nearby mountains more closely," stated Rydel.


    "We need to hurry and move out to a new location. That way we can stay hidden while still keeping an eye on the camp. Plus, we need to keep watch for iing supplies and military units. If we can eliminate those, then the army shouldn¡¯t be moving for at least five days total, just like Tralon asked."


    Everybody nodded as they stood up from the table and started to take down camp.


    It didn¡¯t take long as everything was able to be stored away and there was no fire to put out. In minutes they were already walking out of the cave and creeping through the night, leaving the mountain pass.


    They continued to walk till the morning sun started to creep over the mountain¡¯s edge, shedding light on the stealthy party.


    While keeping close to the route toward the mountain pass, the party made sure they were far enough away to not be found by military scouts. From this distance Rydel would only check up on the mountain on the army camp every other day. His main focus, however, was to find the soldiers that would deliver the next round of supplies and able bodies to the army.


    Fire was still not allowed within camp and kari crystals were also frowned upon due to theck of enclosed space to hide their light. Other than Rydel, everyone would stay within earshot of the camp and gather any needed supplies from mother nature while the sun was still out.


    The day that followed their intrusion on the hidden army went by peacefully. They didn¡¯t face any problems or altercations and had managed to escape the search of the Limneer military. They weren¡¯t entirely sure of the exact actions or orders given to the hidden army after what they had done, but they knew that the army wasn¡¯t moving anywhere just yet.


    At dusk, those at the campground gathered together while Rydel gave the mental report of everything they needed to know.


    There was still no sign of iing troopsing to aid the army. And there was still no sign of military scoutsing to close to their small hidden camp.


    Jack took the night watch as Rydel eventually returned to get some much-needed sleep. After staying alert for almost two days straight, the hunter finally agreed to get some rest.


    Nothing happened. That night was uneventful and left the lone Jack to ponder what mighte next.


    He still worried about the party¡¯s safety, though he did his best to keep those worries under wraps and out of sight from the other party members. The fear wasn¡¯t quite as bad as before but there was always a small part of that worry eating away at him.


    Now they had sessfully stolen resources and destroyed countless tents of the Limneer army, there was no telling what would happen if they were caught. It would be obvious.


    If caught, Jack and his friends would be forcefully executed on the spot, with only a shrivel of possibility that one of them would be detained and tortured for information before they were ughtered in the end.


    Such thoughts kept Jack from getting any sort of rest or letting his mind feel at ease. He didn¡¯t bother any of his sleeping friends to talk or chat because he was already too insecure about his own origins as a hero and his false bravery.


    Begrudgingly, he clutched his fingers around a stone until he finally decided to pour some mana into it and make it glow.


    The whistling of the wind came to a halt. The rustling of insects and small creatures in the undergrowth came to a pause. The gentle calls of the owls and other nocturnal predators were no longer heard.


    "So, what would you like to talk about?"


    "You already know what I want to talk about."


    The sound of Daruun¡¯s stress-filled sigh broke the silence. "Normally, I should only let the tutorial stone be used when you have a question... But I¡¯ll make an exception this once since it doesn¡¯t involve crucial information."


    Daruun made his way to the table at the center of the camp and sat himself. "Come, I¡¯m all ears."


    Jack finally looked back at the god he was pledged to, not knowing what to expect from the conversation he was about to have. He silently walked over and sat across from the god.


    The encounter was so nonchnt and underwhelming that if the other party members somehow managed to wake up and see this, they would struggle to believe that that was truly Daruun, one of the most powerful gods.


    "I have tomend your party for that n of yours. It was a smart move to strike like that while you still had the advantage of surprise. But that¡¯s why you¡¯re so worried now, isn¡¯t it?"


    "You know, you¡¯re never subtle. Has anyone ever told you that?" asked Jack with a smile that wasn¡¯t the smile.


    "Most definitely," chuckled Daruun. "You know, whatever happens in life isn¡¯t always in our control. Sometimes fate has reasons that none of us can understand."


    "That means a loting from the guy who knows everything, including how many people will die, where they¡¯ll die, and the cause of their deaths." Jack clicked his tongue as he couldn¡¯t decide whether he wanted to be angry at Daruun or thank him for telling him about the hidden army. "I thought being close to you would make my life a lot easier, not the other way around..."


    "Well that¡¯s not what you signed up for, now is it? You will have to trust me, but I can assure you that I am a far greater help than I am an encumbrance." A moment of silence passed as Daruun twiddled his fingers back and forth in thought. "Maybe if I told you a story you would feel better."


    "Oh boy, storytime! I¡¯m so excited..." mocked Jack as he shook his head andughed.


    Jack continued his weakughter as the god simply and patiently stared at him. After some time Jack calmed down and raised an eyebrow to Daruun, who still waited. More time passed till the hero waspletely quiet and fully attentive to the god before him.


    Daruun continued without acknowledging Jack¡¯s sarcasm. "You should know that this story is 100% true, so don¡¯t question its legitimacy."

 Chapter 245 Heart-to-Heart with Daruun

    <h4>Chapter 245 Heart-to-Heart with Daruun</h4>


    Daruun began to recount his tale, \"A man once sought ultimate power, just like most men. He was willing to do anything and everything in order to get. Some of his motives were noble while others were not, just like everybody else. After countless years of searching and scouring, this man finally found the ability to have all the power in the world, the ability to defy fate itself and anything else that tried to go against him.


    \"Just as everybody does he had gone through countless cycles in his life of good times and bad times. Of emotional highs and emotional lows. At that particr moment, he was at what he would call his greatest emotional low...


    \"Throughout most of his life, this man had sacrificed everything he had to finally gain this power. But now he had no one and no thing to share it with...\"


    An even longer pause took ce, so long that Jack interjected, \"And what does this have to do with me? I¡¯m not after having the greatest power, and I¡¯m not willing to give up everything and anything for it if I had the chance.\"


    \"Sorry, I was caught up in an afterthought but I will continue.\" Daruun raised his hand as if not to worry.


    \"This man wasn¡¯t always like that either. In the beginning he was much like you. He wanted to enjoy life to the fullest alongside his love. Sure he sought power, but not by unconventional or self-destructive means. The man was happy to be strong with no need to be the strongest.


    \"But one day that changed. Unbeknownst to him, his most cherished love was murdered. She was tortured... Mutted... Burned... Along with his growing family... And he had no clue. He was away on a business trip as trading was his expertise at the time. During his weeklong journey, his family was hunted and removed from existence without his knowing. When he got back... The man broke...


    \"The culprits didn¡¯t try to hide anything. They left behind a symbol, a crest. It was the crest of a guild that the man had refused to do business with because of the unjust stories that he had heard of them...\"


    Taking a moment to swallow some saliva caught in his throat, Daruun frowned as he looked off into the distance. \"That man did nothing wrong, in fact, he was absolutely in the right to avoid the evil that guild took part in. He then tracked those people and made sure to pay a visit to that guild leader. Any guesses as to what happened then?\"


    Jack stared at Daruun who didn¡¯t meet his gaze. \"He killed them all in a rage, I¡¯m guessing.\"


    \"No... He was almost killed because he was too weak. He had always considered himself strong until he was threatened and confronted by those at the top of the world, who are willing to do anything on a whim so long as they desire it. And if they don¡¯t have their way, then they¡¯ll only make things worse.\"


    \"So... Are you saying I shouldn¡¯t settle with my strength until I¡¯m at the top of the world? Isn¡¯t that a little bit much?\" reasoned Jack.


    \"That¡¯s a good question. I wonder how the old Jack would feel about that, the Jack that became the Achievement Junkie, one of the most aplished and feared ancient heroes?\"


    \"It was just a game back then. If it were--\"


    \"It may have been a game but you had the same ideals when you first arrived here, remember? Or have you allowed your own fear to keep you from acting how you really wish?\" stated Daruun while finally looking back at Jack.


    The young hero was ring at the god but Jack felt tongue-tied when he felt the brokenness behind Daruun¡¯s eyes.


    Daruun eventually continued, \"I¡¯m not trying to say that you should abandon your emotions. What I want you to realize is that sometimes you¡¯ll have to act against your emotions to get what you really want the end. Nothing will ever work out exactly how you wish. It¡¯s your choice. You can fight for what you want or you can coast through life and hope that your agenda doesn¡¯t conflict with that of someone stronger, who is willing to fight.\"


    \"... There¡¯s no other option?\" asked Jack, blinking to keep water from building up in his eyes. \"Is there really no way to live without risking our lives? What¡¯s the point of living if there¡¯s no option to live how you wish without risking your loved ones? That doesn¡¯t sound like any kind of life I want...\"


    \"That sounds like quite a cause to fight for. Maybe after all this, you can help the rest of the world feel such freedom.\"


    \"In other words, I¡¯ll never have such freedom with my friends?\"


    \"You will, but not before fighting the gods to earn it.\"


    Neither of them said anything after that and since the rest of the world was frozen in time momentarily, not even the quiet crickets could join the conversation to break the silence.


    \"Well, if you don¡¯t have any more questions about my story or any other questions for me, I should probably get going.\"


    Jack¡¯s mouth scrunched up as he tried to think of something to say. \"Daruun...\"


    \"Yes?\"


    \"That man, how long did it take for him to get that power?\"


    \"Technically it took him more years than he could count.\" Just as the hero was about to frown Daruun added, \"But it won¡¯t be the same for you. The system you¡¯ve been given is iparable to anything that man was lucky enough to find.\"


    \"Then how long will it take me?\" asked Jack.


    \"Not sure. That¡¯s up to you and how hard you¡¯re willing to work for it,\" replied Daruun. \"And as for your friends, some of their lives are in your hands, and some aren¡¯t. Only time and circumstances will prove whose fate you can somewhat control.\"


    He then opened his mouth to say something but stopped himself. Daruun refrained from saying too much.


    Giving Jack a soft smile, Daruun nodded his head in a graceful manner. \"Thank you, Jack. Though you epted the quest, I am still at fault for bringing you here and making you go through so much hardship. Note that I¡¯m trying my best to help and that I¡¯m doing everything possible to help you seed and keep your friends alive.\"


    Jack was taken aback. He was used to talking with the know-it-all Daruun, not the grateful god who was willing to bow his head in gratitude. \"You¡¯re wee... I hope you mean that.\"


    \"I do... I do.\"


    In the blink of an eye, Daruun¡¯s figure vanished and the world came back to life. Only Jack didn¡¯t seem as lively as before. He sat there and thought, not caring how much time passed.


    It was early in the morning while the sun was rising when Jack next heard someone else¡¯s voice. It rang loud within his mind and wasn¡¯t from any party member.


    ¡¯Jack, how are things looking? Has the army left yet?¡¯


    With a chuckle the young man replied, ¡¯No, they¡¯re still cooped up in the mountain pass. I imagine they¡¯ll be busy for the next couple of days, at least while they wait for support and supplies.¡¯


    ¡¯What did you do?¡¯


    ¡¯All we had to do was set fire to their tents and steal all their food. But don¡¯t worry about us, right now we¡¯re not even within the mountain range. All that¡¯s left is targeting the regiments bringing the next round of supplies and fresh troops. Once we do that, then they should be halted for at least five days, like you wanted.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s great! Of all people I knew that you could make it happen,¡¯ replied Tralon ¡¯What did you do with the stolen supplies?¡¯


    ¡¯I was going to ask if you needed them. Since you¡¯re raising an army and we have enough supplies for an army, why not put the supplies to use.¡¯


    ¡¯Can Ie to pick it up now?¡¯ asked Tralon.


    ¡¯Sure, I don¡¯t see why--¡¯


    Before Jack could finish his reply, Daruun had already appeared in a sh of light. \"Wonderful! Your efforts and aid will not go unnoticed in Trodar, that¡¯s for sure. With this, so long as you¡¯re at least lv. 40, you may gain enough support to join the Council next election.\"


    Jack flicked a ring to Tralon with a smile. \"If doing this much would give me a shot, then just wait till you see what else I have in store. After this, we¡¯ll be cutting off the supply lines from Churstin to Prachten and paying a visit to Korten.\"


    \"Really?!\" Passionate fire burned within Tralon¡¯s eyes as he looked to the young hero. \"You¡¯re just a spectacr, even at a lower level. I¡¯m proud to call you Master.\"


    \"Enough of that. Get going and go deliver the news. That should cause a surge in army applications so you¡¯ll be even more ready to face Limneer when the timees,\" stated Jack as he held up his hands innocently.


    The two old friends smiled at each other and nodded. Then, in another sh of light, Tralon disappeared.

 Chapter 246 Reinforcements???

    <h4>Chapter 246 Reinforcements???</h4>


    It was now the second day after the party¡¯s attack on the army. Surprisingly, it went by calmly.


    Everyone made sure to release their beastpanions, passing the time together and strengthening their bonds little by little. Though they had given themand to stay quiet and vignt, the beasts had no problems with that. If anything, it helped to have their highly attuned senses keep everyone on edge in the case that they were discovered.


    The only beast that had to go back inside of storage was Appa, who would¡¯ve been easily noticed given time. He was well fed and then sent back in until the time came for them to leave or there was enough space to roam free.


    Passing the time together with Bowzer and the other beasts definitely helped Jack loosen up. He still had some worries, but Jack was able to overlook those while watching Bowzer and the me Tiger wrestle. Neither of the two beasts could use their mes but the two seemed to be getting along better and better by the hour. By dinner they seem to be best friends, always wrestling and testing each other when they least expected.


    That night Rydel took the night watch once again. Both he and Jack would take turns in order to make sure they were always at peak awareness.


    After the sun was long set a message woke up the newly slumbering Jack. ¡¯I¡¯m to the northeast of camp. Hurry over here.¡¯


    Not wasting a moment Jack scrambled to his feet and hurried to find Rydel, was high in the trees overlooking the makeshift path toward the army within the mountain pass.


    Once Jack was at his side, Rydel began to recount what happened up to that point. ¡¯It seems a small group is making their way to the mountain pass. There are only three of them but they¡¯re scattered about thirty meters apart from each other. It¡¯s likely that their delivering supplies without risking extra troops, at least not until the army has the supplies to move on its own and meet the other troops elsewhere.¡¯


    ¡¯So you think the reinforcements are camping somewhere else?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯That¡¯s exactly what I think. They don¡¯t know who caused that disturbance and they don¡¯t know howrge of a force we have. It makes sense for them to resupply and gather elsewhere, somewhere we wouldn¡¯t know about.¡¯ Rydel grabbed the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. Light groans were made as he pondered and pondered about where the reinforcements might be.


    Jack began to feel tense but he also noticed that the veteran hunter was even more riled up than he was.


    After a couple of minutes, Rydel¡¯s eyes shot open. ¡¯If I were them I would want to meet somewhere not too far from the border yet still hidden. It has to be somewhere they can ess quickly. I¡¯m guessing that they¡¯re not too worried about us finding them within a few days, but rather immediately...¡¯


    ¡¯Aren¡¯t there a few border towns near here? You think the Limneer army would be willing to risk a town¡¯s safety in order to quickly hide reinforcements?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure. It would have to depend on the general¡¯s decision. If he¡¯s cutthroat, then yes he would be willing to. Sadly, I didn¡¯t have much time while in disguise and wasn¡¯t unable to learn enough about him to be sure of that.¡¯


    ¡¯Then should we take out these three?¡¯


    Rydel shook his head. ¡¯I don¡¯t think so. For all we know they¡¯re not even carrying anything and are only testing us. If we attack them, we¡¯ll be revealing our location and may be subject to an ambush. I¡¯d much rather find the reinforcements before they gather.¡¯


    Jack scratched his head. ¡¯Then what should we do about this army? Do you think we should just leave it be?¡¯


    ¡¯Why not set a few traps and see if we can stall for more time?¡¯ reasoned Rydel. ¡¯We wouldn¡¯t need a lot of them. We¡¯ll only need to set a few magic formations that arerge and explosive. So long as we set enough to guarantee that at least one trap goes off, then the army will be forced to dy further and scan the area for more traps before departure.¡¯


    ¡¯Not bad... We can get Daliea after this and have her get started immediately,¡¯ stated Jack.


    ¡¯Way ahead of you.¡¯ Daliea¡¯s voice sounded out in Jack¡¯s mind, both startling him and causing him to smile.


    ¡¯We¡¯ve already been talking,¡¯ exined Rydel. ¡¯By tomorrow afternoon we should be ready to start looking for the reinforcements.¡¯


    ¡¯Since you¡¯re already so prepared, where¡¯s the first ce we¡¯ll go to search for the reinforcements?¡¯ Jack asked the focused Hunter.


    ¡¯Well... We should definitely check the nearby towns. If the general¡¯s really daring, then we may have to check a couple of cities. We¡¯ll have to y things very carefully because even after the traps the army will only be dyed for an extra day. Then, that army is sure to meet up with reinforcements and attack Trodar before they suffer any serious casualties from their unknown enemy.¡¯


    ¡¯In other words, it can only get harder from here...¡¯ rephrased Jack. ¡¯I guess each day will cost us more and more effort. At least we don¡¯t need to buy Trodar a week, but five days is still... difficult to manage.¡¯


    A halfhearted chuckle made Jack look back at Rydel. ¡¯You know, anything could be waiting for us in those reinforcements. For all we know, a small band of reinforcements might be even more terrifying than that five thousand man army.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s what I¡¯m afraid of...¡¯


    ¡¯Well, that¡¯s what we agreed to. There is no reward worth any effort without some kind of risk. The reward of defeating Limneer won¡¯t be so easy to earn. Thousands of people have already risked their lives or lost them for such this cause, so why not ours. Compared to most members of the Trodan army we have a higher chance of survival behind enemy lines than they do on the battlefield.¡¯


    Mulling over Rydel¡¯s words, Jack again scratched his head. That thought made him feel a bit better about the task at hand but it also confirmed his worries. Nervously, Jack looked into the distance in the direction of the nearest town. ¡¯I¡¯m finally starting to understand why some people are willing to be so cruel...¡¯


    Curious, Rydel asked, ¡¯Really? Why is that?¡¯


    ¡¯Some generals find it easier to be cruel toward an enemy poption than it is to sacrifice the lives of their soldiers...¡¯


    ¡¯So you had the same idea, huh? But would you be willing to do that? Would you be able to live with that on your conscience?¡¯


    Jack took a deep breath. ¡¯I... I don¡¯t know...¡¯


    ¡¯Then think of it this way. If you¡¯re willing to sacrifice a few hundred or a couple of thousand lives of your enemy, then you can guarantee that each of us will live through this,¡¯ reasoned Rydel. ¡¯That¡¯s why only the most cutthroat people are allowed to lead the war effort. It would be the first time that Trodar¡¯s done this, but Limneer was the first to do it. Remember what happened to me and my family? It would only make sense to return the favor.¡¯


    As Rydel was getting more riled up, Jack got quieter and quieter. The hunter continued to ramble on about the many families he knew that were trapped inside of burning viges on Trodar¡¯s borders when Limneer first attacked. Limneer had always been the most aggressive and still was. Them seeking aid from Sandros already proved that.


    Eventually, Rydel paused. ¡¯So... What you n to do, Jack?¡¯


    No answer was given. The moment passed as Jack slowly climbed down the tree and walked back toward the campsite.

 Chapter 247 Calming Her Husbands Worries

    <h4>Chapter 247 Calming Her Husband¡°s Worries</h4>


    It was still early morning and there was plenty of time to rest, but Jack couldn¡¯t find it in himself to sleep. His turbulent mind wouldn¡¯t let him calm down.


    As the others eventually woke up they quickly found Jack sitting in the center of camp with ck lines beneath each of his eyes. Most ignored it but Little Lina made sure toment on them.


    Lina tilted her head to the side as if to get a better view of Jack¡¯s face. "Big Bro, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong. Don¡¯t worry about it, okay?" replied Jack, showing a hint of a smile to ward off her curiosity.


    Before long everyone was up, giving Jack the chance to update them all on the next steps of the n. Like Jack expected, everyone agreed whole-heartedly and worked together to make some breakfast before taking down camp.


    Though he was smiling, the other party members understood that Jack was ridden with stress and worry. But they couldn¡¯t do much about it since he wouldn¡¯t acknowledge it with anyone else. They could only wait for a better opportunity to discuss it or for Jack to open up on his own. Of course, they had no clue that he was also stewing over his most recent conversation with Daruun.


    A few hourster both Daliea and Rydel returned with smiles on their faces. Not much else was said verbally as the party silently left the area and made their way to the town not too far from the base of the mountain.


    It waste in the afternoon by the time the entered town, but they quickly left without saying a word. There was no military personnel to be found anywhere.


    Moving on to the next border town, they hoped to have more luck. And since they refused to use Appa in fear of being caught, they managed to arrivete into the night.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll scout the town,¡¯ Rydel called out mentally to the party. ¡¯Everyone should get a quick rest at an inn, even if for only an hour or two.¡¯ Having said his piece, the hunter dashed into the dark streets of the quiet town.


    Jack tried to voice his own opinion of not resting quite yet but Eliza grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into the nearest inn. ¡¯Come on everyone, we shouldn¡¯t waste any valuable time. Let¡¯s rest while we can so we¡¯re ready for whateveres next.¡¯


    ¡¯Right behind you!¡¯ agreed Ke.


    Dahlia nodded and walked behind the couple, following them without hesitation.


    The party approached the barren front desk. Eliza was about to call out for someone when a head popped up from below with a yawn. "Hi, what can I do for you?"


    "We need a few rooms for the night," stated Eliza with an amiable smile.


    "Well, I¡¯ve got two left. One with two beds and a single bed."


    Again Jack tried to interject but Eliza was too quick with her reply. "We¡¯ll take it." She hastily set a few coins on the counter. "Keep the tip."


    As the man at the front desk happily swapped the coins for two keys, Jack was frowning and giving Eliza a mean re.


    "Come on, it¡¯s not going to kill you to share a bed with your wife," joked Eliza. She waspletely unperturbed by Jack¡¯s antics as she pulled him up the stairs to the third floor toward their room.


    Ke giggled as she watched the two leave her and Daliea behind on the second floor, where their room was located.


    The two girls made themselves at home after locking the door behind them. Yet as Ke pulled the covers over her, she noticed that Daliea wasn¡¯t anywhere near her bed. Instead, she found Daliea at the table in the corner of the room.


    "What¡¯s up? Aren¡¯t you going to sleep?" asked Ke.


    "Not yet." Daliea shook her head and pulled out a nk piece of paper along with a quill pen.


    Too curious, Ke then asked, "What¡¯s that for?"


    "It¡¯s... a letter."


    "To whom?"


    Hesitant, Daliea coughed to clear her throat. "To... Jack."


    "Oh? Why write him a letter? Why not just talk to him?" reasoned Ke.


    "Well, this is in case... If I don¡¯t get a chance to tell him this before I..."


    Realizing the personal significance of the matter, Ke started to back off and put less pressure on the goblin girl. "Oh, sorry to pry."


    "No, don¡¯t be sorry," stated Daliea. "I just saw Eliza do this, so I thought why not write one too."


    "Wait, you saw Eliza write one of these letters?" questioned Ke even more curious than before, considering she was always with Eliza yet never saw such a thing.


    "Yeah..." Daliea replied softly, having said something she probably shouldn¡¯t have.


    "Did she tell you why?"


    "No... I only saw a piece of it," replied Daliea.


    With stars in her eyes, Ke hopped out of bed at sat herself across from Daliea. "Wait, you saw the letter? Tell me more."


    Feeling a sense of duty to finish the conversation she had fueled, Daliea begrudgingly exined, "It was in the middle of the night, the one night where Jack wasn¡¯t on guard duty. I was... hidden, since I had been helping Rydel scan the area before that."


    "Sure you were," giggled Ke.


    "So, when I got back to camp Eliza was finishing up her letter," continued Daliea. "All I know is that it was address to Jack and was about their rtionship."


    "That¡¯s it?" groaned Ke. "If that was all, it wouldn¡¯t have inspired you to write your own, right?"


    With a sigh, Daliea added, "Well... Eliza did add one other thing."


    "And that was?"


    "She... She took out her Phoenix Lilly and hugged it tightly. Then she put it in a new storage ring... which she then put in the envelope."


    "WHA--?!"


    "Shhh," Daliea threw her hand over Ke¡¯s mouth, trying her best to silence Ke¡¯s surprised shout. "I shouldn¡¯t have told you this. You know Eliza wouldn¡¯t like us to know about that."


    "Well... I guess you¡¯re right." Ke sat there for a few moments. Suddenly, she nodded to herself and pulled out her own piece of paper and a quill.


    "Ke, what are you--"


    "Well, if you¡¯re both writing some final words, why can¡¯t I? Who knows, you¡¯ll probably never have to read it anyway."


    Neither of the two girls said anything more, letting each other focus on their own letter and only sneaking asional ncing at each other¡¯s words.


    *****


    "Jack..."


    "Jack..."


    "Jack!"


    "What is it, Eliza?" Jack rolled over inside his bedroll, letting him get a better view of Eliza, who was sitting up on the bed.


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong with you?" asked Eliza.


    "Nothing, now let me sleep." Jack closed his eyes and tried to ignore his wife. But she quickly said something that caught his attention.


    "How about a massage?"


    Looking back to Eliza, Jack lifted his head from the pillow. "Well..."


    "We all know that you¡¯re stressed out and worried about what¡¯s about to happen. Don¡¯t I, as your wife, have the responsibility of supporting you and easing your burdens?" stated Eliza as stood up.


    "Well..."


    "¡¯Well¡¯, what? Are you going toy down on the bed or not?"


    With a quick nod, Jack got to his feet and prepared for the massage. Knowing what was needed, he removed his shirt and pants before approaching the bed.


    "The boxers too."


    A look of surprise crossed Jack¡¯s face. "But I--"


    "For a full body massage, those will only get in the way. Since you¡¯re more stressed than ever, I¡¯ll make sure to relieve you of it all."


    Not arguing with her, Jack then removed his boxers. He did his best to cover up with a towel he retrieved beforeying down.


    Happy to see himpliant, Eliza stood over Jack. "We won¡¯t be needing this."


    "Hey, that¡¯s--"


    In a sh, the towel was thrown away and lotion was poured onto Jack¡¯s back, not letting him get up.


    "Quiet, Honey. Just rx and enjoy yourself."


    Like magic, Eliza¡¯s hands started to glide over Jack, sometimes slowly and other times quickly. Her varying pace and movements forced a few light moans from Jack¡¯s mouth, who was incapable of denying the amount of relief he felt.


    Taking her time, she worked every inch of Jack¡¯s back and shoulders before moving down his arms. Eventually, Eliza moved on to his feet before gradually moving up to his calves and thighs.


    At every new area, she would briefly pause while applying more lotion, but it neversted longer than a second. However, after rubbing Jack¡¯s thighs another pause urred, one slightly longer than the others.


    Jack was about to awake from his rxation to check on Eliza but the massage quickly continued as she revisited his back. But something was different.


    What was rubbing against his back... didn¡¯t feel like hands. They felt soft, yet firm. It was warm, yet shivers ran down Jack¡¯s spine as thought more about it.


    "Do you want me to stop, Jack?"


    Those soft words trickled into Jack¡¯s ear just before he hesitated. They caused him to drift back into rxation and submit himself to the bliss.


    Eliza smiled. Finally, Jack let down his walls.

 Chapter 248 Nothing to Be Found

    <h4>Chapter 248 Nothing to Be Found</h4>


    The short time the party had was ticking away quickly.


    With a frown on his face, Rydel eventually returned to the inn where the others were staying. After searching for nearly two hours, Rydel had againe back empty-handed with no intel. All he knew was that all military personnel had been moved away about a day ago, just like thest town they visited.


    Thanks to the receptionist, Rydel learned what rooms hispanions had rented and made off to break the news to them.


    A soft knock sounded out. ¡¯It¡¯s me.¡¯


    Not even a moment had passed before the door creaked open and let the hunter inside. He entered the room to see Daliea behind the door and Ke at the table, both showing no signs of rest.


    "What are you two doing? This was your time to rest and recharge. There¡¯s no telling when you¡¯ll get some shut-eye next." stated Rydel, baffled by the sight before him.


    "We had other preparations to make that were more urgent," replied Ke. "But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re fully ready now. Got any good news?"


    Rydel sighed, "Sadly, no. All the soldiers were moved elsewhere urgently. I couldn¡¯t find exactly where, but I know what direction they went in."


    "That¡¯s good," added Daliea. "So we should get going now before we miss our chance."


    "Right. Lucky for us, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re too far from us," exined Rydel. "If my hunch is right, their reinforcements are probably stationed in Zurden."


    "Oh... Thatplicates things, right?" asked Ke.


    "Right. That changes a lot, actually. It makes some strategies more effective, but while others are near impossible." Rydel shook his head, mumbling, "I just wonder what Jack is willing to do now that it involves civilians."


    Both women nodded in agreement, easily understanding Rydel¡¯s train of thought. A moment of silence filled the room before Daliea spoke up.


    "Well, if we must act to save a nation, we must also be willing to burn down a nation."


    "But Jack won¡¯t agree to that," retorted Ke. "We all know that he would never agree to kill innocent people."


    "So?" Ke and Daliea were struck silent by Rydel¡¯s casual yet cold tone. "Limneer has never cared about the lives of the innocent. They¡¯ve destroyed entire viges and towns in Trodar. Rather than defend them and im them as their own territory, they thought it easier to raze them to the ground and not have to worry about them."


    "That was how I was raised, avoiding the cruelty of the Limneer armies, who forced my family into misery," continued Rydel. "Even if I had to burn down all of Zurden, that would only atone for a fraction of all the innocent Trodan¡¯s that they¡¯ve killed."


    Noticing the awkward air, Rydel regathered hisposure. "Either way, we need to fill Jack in on everything and get moving."


    Rydel calmly opened the door and walked with haste toward the third floor. The women soon followed him after locking the door behind them.


    Once on the third floor, they found the couple¡¯s room with ease and pounded their knuckles on the solid wood door.


    No answer.


    Again, Rydel knocked, saying, ¡¯It¡¯s us.¡¯


    Again, no answer.


    The three party members shared a nce and readied themselves for the worst, preparing to charge into the room. Just as Rydel was about to kick down the door, a soft voice filled their minds. ¡¯Just a moment, let me unlock it.¡¯


    Relieved that they misunderstood the situation, the three rxed and waited for the lock to be undone and the door to creak open.


    Their now calm demeanor quickly changed to startlement after they entered the room. When the door shut, they were even more shocked.


    Only covered by a half-open robe, Eliza stood in front of the door with a blushing smile. "I take it you¡¯ve got a lead to follow?"


    "Y-yeah..." replied Rydel, who next looked to the bed. He chuckled when he noticed the slumbering hero naked under the covers. "Well, it looks like you two made the most of your time."


    "We sure did," giggled Eliza. She sauntered over to the bed and brushed the side of Jack¡¯s face. "Honey, it¡¯s time to get up. Rydel¡¯s got our lead."


    "Huh?" With a yawn, Jack sat up and stretched his arms, revealing his bare chest to everyone¡¯s wide eyes. "Is something wrong?"


    "Nothing¡¯s wrong, Dear. They¡¯re just surprised, that¡¯s all."


    "Surprised?" Suddenly, it all made sense to him. Seeing his wife in her robe, what Jack had assumed was a dream became cemented into his memory. And with the others now looking at his bare chest, he couldn¡¯t help but turn bright red.


    He quickly retrieved clothes and put them on before getting up. With a cough to try and regain his self-confidence. "Hhhh hmmm! Sorry about that. I¡¯m sorry you had to see that."


    "Don¡¯t be. I¡¯m just d you finally opened up. With Eliza taking your first, she and Maura shouldn???t have it too difficult anymore," joked Ke.


    "I--"


    "So, Rydel, what did you find out?" asked Eliza, keeping anyone from pushing Jack to far. She didn¡¯t dare risk losing the progress she had worked hard to get.


    "Like before, there was no military personnel anywhere in town. They were all sent away with a distinct destination given, but I do know which way they went," exined Rydel. "Considering that the other towns are most likely in the same situation as this one, reinforcements are either found in the wilderness near the mountain, or they¡¯re waiting inside Zurden."


    "Oh... And you don¡¯t think they would be hiding out in the nearby forest?" asked Jack.


    With a sigh, Rydel shook his head. "No, I doubt it. Limneer has been known to not care for civilian lives during times of war, and considering we dealt a decent blow to the army they thought was secret it wouldn¡¯t surprise me if they would use their own civilians as a shield in order to keep the upper hand."


    Falling back onto the bed behind him, Jack rubbed his brow, irritated with the development. "You really don¡¯t think they¡¯d just hide in the forest near the border? Wouldn¡¯t that let them travel faster?"


    "Yes and no. They would be better situated to attack sooner, but they would also be at risk of being found by Trodar¡¯s military if they camped too close." Rydel¡¯s reasoning got everyone nod in agreement, even Jack. "So there¡¯s no reason why we shouldn¡¯t assume that they¡¯re using Zurdern, a city with great defending walls that¡¯s also situated close to the border, as a makeshift base."


    "Jack, I agree with Rydel. I think we should hurry and make way to Zurden," stated Daliea.


    "And then what?" Jack showed his half-defeated eyes. "I¡¯m not saying I¡¯m against fighting in Zurden, but..."


    "You don¡¯t want to get the civilians involved, do you?"


    Jack looked to Ke¡¯s soft eyes. "Yeah... I¡¯d prefer not to involve them."


    Ke then added, "You know, whether it¡¯s Limneer or any other nation, every major general wouldunch an attack on the city, regardless of the citizens living there. Considering how Limneer broke the war pact and is about to invade, everyone will understand if you attack the city and not the army inside it."


    "But..."


    "Everyone will forgive you, Jack. They would even call you crazy for not doing it."


    "But I wouldn¡¯t forgive me."


    Taken aback, Ke paused, letting Jack have a moment to continue his response.


    "Ke, everyone... As much as I want to guarantee that we all live, I just... I can¡¯t bring myself to kill an entire city..."


    Everyone sighed, but not in disappointment.


    Jack continued, "Even if it¡¯s what everyone else would do, it¡¯s not what I want to do. I don¡¯t want to fuel the fire for war with Limneer to continue. I would rather make peace and avoid war altogether. But if we burn down Zurden, even if it would make sense strategically, how would the people of Limneer willingly agree to peace after that?"


    "... Jack..."


    While everyone remained silent, Eliza¡¯s gentle voice brought Jack¡¯s mind back to the room. And to his surprise, he found himself tightly embraced by her.


    "Jack, I¡¯m so proud to be your wife."


    With the thumping of his heart, Jack felt a lot of his remaining stress fading away in the warmth of her embrace.


    Ke smiled. "Jack, we all knew what you would say. We just wanted to hear you say it."


    Snickering to himself, Rydel stated, "Well, I can¡¯t say I didn¡¯t see thising. As much as I would hate to admit it, if you want real peace with Limneer, then we¡¯ll have to do things the hard way. But don¡¯t expect me to take it easy on the Limneer army."


    "I wouldn¡¯t dream of it," replied Jack.


    "Well, if you think it¡¯s best to spare innocent lives, then I¡¯ll do as you say." Daliea bowed her head, doing her best to hide the blush in her cheeks.


    "Hurry up and get Bowzer out. Shouldn¡¯t we fill him in?" whispered Eliza.


    "Oh yeah!" In a sh, the adolescent fox appeared in the room to the side of Jack and Eliza. But before Jack could say anything, Bowzer howled and smiled.


    ¡¯Oh! You finally made Eliza your woman! It¡¯s about time!¡¯


    "Shut up, you nosey fox!" Jack¡¯s shout startled the others, filling the room withughter as they easily guessed the situation.

 Chapter 249 Scouring Zurden

    <h4>Chapter 249 Scouring Zurden</h4>


    Well before the sun began to rise over the mountains of Limneer, Jack and the others had left town under the cover of night.


    With Zurden as their destination, they all hurried at top speed on Appa¡¯s back. Though it was riskier to travel that way, they didn¡¯t dare give the army on the mountainside enough time to regroup. Time was what they werecking, so they had no choice but to do everything they can to make up for it, hoping night offered enough cover for the massive bird.


    Thanks to the risk, the party managed to reach the outskirts of Zurden just before the sun came up. And with haste in every step, they quickly entered the city.


    ¡¯Everyone, it may be best if we split up and search for any lead we can get throughout the city. I¡¯ll go on my own while you all split into groups of two,¡¯ mentioned Rydel as he bolted into a shaded ally.


    ¡¯Ke, let¡¯s go.¡¯ Daliea, already disguising her goblin self under an illusion, grabbed the cleric¡¯s hand, but was surprised to feel some resistance.


    ¡¯Just a moment.¡¯ Ke turned to Eliza and handed her an envelope. ¡¯Hold onto this for me, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay. What are you, some sort of secret admirer?" joked Eliza.


    ¡¯Just hold onto it. It¡¯s in case I don¡¯t get a chance to tell you all somethingter. Okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Then I¡¯ll keep it safe for you.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright, let¡¯s go, Daliea!¡¯ Ke, in turn, grabbed Daliea¡¯s hand and ran off in the opposite direction as Rydel.


    ¡¯Then that just leaves us.¡¯ Eliza smiled as she grabbed Jack by the arm and pressed herself against him. ¡¯How about we check out the city square together?¡¯


    ¡¯I guess.¡¯ Jack easily caved and escorted his wife through the streets. ¡¯But let¡¯s make sure to not draw too much attention.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, so long as we don¡¯t draw the wrong kind of attention, then there¡¯s nothing wrong with the right kind of attention.¡¯


    ¡¯What do you--¡¯


    As Jack looked back at her, he was caught off guard by her sudden kiss, but he didn¡¯t fight it. In fact, it was the first time he returned the favor.


    After their moment of passion, Jack then noticed the many eyes gathering on him, some green with envy and others filled with approval.


    ¡¯See, Jack. Sometimes the right kind of attention is better than no attention at all. None of them would guess that we¡¯re here covertly or have intentions to fight anyone. Right?¡¯ reasoned Eliza.


    ¡¯R-right... Let¡¯s just keep that to a minimum, though.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ Happy to have him agree, Eliza brushed his arm while holding tight, making sure Jack and everyone else know that she cared for him.


    Thanks to there couple¡¯s antics, the two of them found it easy to make their way through the streets that were growing more crowded as the sun continued to rise. In less than half an hour they found themselves in the center of town, near the market, town hall, and all other important buildings.


    ¡¯What¡¯s that?¡¯


    ???Look¡¯s like some sort of bulletin board. You think we¡¯ll find any interesting announcements there?¡¯ Jack led Eliza closer to get a better look. But as the many posters became discernable, his face stiffened. ¡¯Is that...¡¯


    ¡¯We need to tell the others now!¡¯


    *****


    To the west side of town near the most rural areas, Daliea and Ke wandered the streets side-by-side.


    It had only been a couple of minutes since the party had split up and they already noticed a dramatic change in the social ss of the citizens. Though they weren¡¯t at the center of town like Jack and Eliza where the wealthy lived, the run-down shacks and half-destroyed buildings stuck out like a sore thumb.


    ¡¯What is this? What happened here?¡¯ Ke couldn¡¯t help but question herself about the surroundings. ¡¯Was it like this when west came here?¡¯


    ¡¯... No... it wasn¡¯t.¡¯ Also stuck in a daze, Daliea did her best to remain astute. ¡¯My question is, where are all the men? All I see are women and children.¡¯


    Both of the girls were blown away by the rubble of the west side of town. The further from city center they got, the more startling the sight became. After five minutes of walking in shock, they paused in confusion.


    In front of them was the very inn at which they had stayed, or at least what was left of it. Most of the buildings in the area were still standing, albeit missing some walls or a roof. But that inn was only rubble,pletely demolished.


    ¡¯What... What happened?¡¯ mumbled Ke in the depths of her mind.


    As they were in utter shock of the scene before them, a small gathering of women wasing out of hiding. Each of them was paying close attention to the two girls frozen in the middle of the street. Some were even signaling to each other, gradually surrounding them from inside the remaining buildings.


    ¡¯Ke... did you notice that?¡¯ asked Daliea, who was more used to the cruelty of the world and didn¡¯tpletely forget her surroundings.


    ¡¯Huh? What do you mean?¡¯


    Daliea grabbed Ke¡¯s hand and once again started walking. ¡¯I think we¡¯re being surrounded.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?¡¯


    Now realizing the truth of her surroundings, Ke acted calmly and followed Daliea¡¯s lead but they were both quickly blocked by a small mob of women.


    Since the women said nothing, Daliea was the first to speak, "Would you please excuse us."


    "No, we can¡¯t let you do that. Not without handing her over!" shouted a middle-aged woman at the frown of the crowd.


    "Her?" Startle again, Daliea pointed and Ke to see all the women nod in response. "And why is that? Has she done something wrong?"


    "Yes!" Following the mob mentality, each of the gathered women shouted in unison.


    Their leader continued, "Hand her over and we can let you pass. Otherwise, we¡¯ll be forced to take action against you both."


    Appearing clueless, Daliea asked, "Well, can you at least tell me what she did wrong?"


    "Because of her, all of our husbands have been forced away to serve the military on the front lines..." The woman¡¯s voice started to crack, showing the depravity she was trying to hide. "But if we can bring her in, then they¡¯ll bring us back our husbands safe and sound!"


    "But... That doesn¡¯t make sense," reasoned Daliea. "How could she have caused such a thing?"


    "Because that¡¯s what she caused! The general made himself clear and the only hope for our husbands to return alive is for her to be turned in."


    "But what has she--"


    "Will you give her up or not!" shouted the woman as she held back tears. "If not, then we¡¯re bringing you in with her!"


    Ke and Daliea both looked to each other. They didn¡¯t seem worried, but they weren¡¯t rxed either. It had be clear that things were going to be far moreplicated then they had anticipated.


    *****


    In the northeast part of the city, Rydel weaved through allies and scaled rooftops unbeknownst to anyone thanks to Sterfen¡¯s blessing.


    This being notorious as the midnight district, Rydel was sure there was dirt to be dug up.


    The silent hunter stalked many businessmen and wealthy merchants visiting the many exotic establishments. Only the truly proud and powerful were willing to visit in broad daylight.


    After a few minutes of searching, Rydel caught sight of a peculiar target, someone he knew personally. They had only spoken a few times and the man didn¡¯t even know Rydel¡¯s true face, but Rydel knew the man¡¯s.


    Rydel immediately chose the man to be his target and stayed within earshot to not miss anything the man said as he approached a plush building made for the most wealthy of men to enjoy themselves.


    The man smiled and bowed his head to the doorman. "I¡¯m here as an assistant to the general."


    "Right this way," stated the hulking man while propping the door open. "I¡¯m sure Assistant Loire will find himself at home with our services."


    "Thank you." Assistant Loire slipped the man a gold coin before entering the room and seemingly disappearing before Rydel¡¯s eyes.


    Noticing the enchantment lining the inside of the building, Rydel knew that his only hope of learning more was to get inside and personally follow the man he had previously deceived.


    Being noticed wasn¡¯t the issue, it was getting the door to stay open long enough for him to enter. The doorman had meticulously opened the door for not only Assitant Loire, but the previous guest who had entered. At that rate, Rydel wouldn¡¯t have enough time to enter without cousin trouble.


    Taking the chance, Rydel crept closer to the door. He was practically leaning on it, only leaving the area near the handle unupied. And after a couple of minutes, another wealthy man approached the doorman, who in turn bowed his head and moved toward the door.


    With one hand over his mouth, Rydel made sure not to breathe on the man directly in front of him.


    As the door was unlocked by the doorman and slowly pushed open Rydel ducked under the doorman¡¯s arm and heaved a quiet sigh of relief as he too vanished into the luxurious building.

 Chapter 250 The Lavish Lute

    <h4>Chapter 250 The Lavish Lute</h4>


    As the hunter secretly entered the enchanted interior of the building, he slunk to the side, making sure to avoid any possible traffic in the entryway or the halls.


    The aroma ofvender and aged wine filled Rydel¡¯s nostrils. Multiple musicians flooded the ce with their melodies, ovepping one another and harmonizing for the enjoyment of the patrons. Fine metals and precious jewels covered the walls, doors, and even the clientele.


    Scoffing under his breath, Rydel hurriedly yet carefully crept through the main hall. That led him to a great room with many solid gold instruments atop the mantle of a massive firece, thergest of which was hanging from the ceiling with jeweled letters etched into it, reading "The Lavish Lute."


    Tables and futons were scattered across the vast room with over a dozen men enjoying themselves to thepany of many beautiful women. Laughter and whispers came from each futon, most of which carried a tone of belittlement.


    Rydel scanned the room but still found no sight of his target. Next, he looked to the staircase at the back of the room, and then the balcony that wrapped around and gave onlookers a great view of the action downstairs.


    He didn¡¯t bother paying any of those pompous pigs any attention, nor did he watch their perverted actions, some being done openly for all to see. Rydel¡¯s eyes were fixed on that certain someone who was calmly walking along the balcony toward a group of men on the second floor.


    Before Rydel¡¯s target reached his acquaintances, Rydel was a couple of meters away, ready to listen in and learn everything.


    Assistant Loire showed a toothy grin as he approached his friends with open arms. "Boys, I¡¯m back. Did you miss me?"


    "Of course not!"ughed anky, bald man in a ck vest. "With you gone, I was able to spend more time with my beloved. What was her name again..?"


    "Enough of that, there are more than enough women for us all," a stalky, bearded man with a top hat joked. "Besides, we¡¯ve all seen you two share before."


    The bald man keptughing but resumed to watch the perverse show below. "True! The more the merrier, right?"


    "Anyways, I¡¯m d to be back, but I don¡¯t have much time at the moment," added Loire. "I¡¯ve got something for you, Trank. Ites personally from General Toms."


    "Oh?" The bald man turned back toward Loire with a smile only a stalker would appreciate. "And what is it that he wishes me to do? Or shall I say who?"


    "Read it for yourself. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be more than satisfied with the contents."


    As Loire passed arge envelope to Trank, Rydel repositioned himself to the wall behind the tall man.


    "Well, no use in reveling in the suspense. Open it already!" stated the man in the top hat, patting Trank on the back.


    "Hmmm... Oh, this will do nicely." Trank licked his lips as he fingered through a few pages of documents, some with sketched profiles at the top. Once on the fourth page, a twisted smile resurfaced on his face. "Oh! This will be splendid!"


    As Rydel caught glimpse of the envelopes contents, he started choking on air. His heart sped up with each passing second, especially after seeing the man¡¯s sadistic grin from.


    "So, these are the suspects you¡¯ve searching for, I presume?" asked Trank.


    Loire nodded. "Precisely. But you must be careful with this batch. We¡¯re not certain of their abilities. All we know is that the same unusual white me we witnessed burning down our camp was sighted and reported within the city just days before."


    "It took some time for us to recover the little information we do have. After a couple of days, we finally discovered the owner of the property where the mes were spotted, a good-for-nothing innkeeper who didn¡¯t know how to speak. So, we had to teach him the hard way," Loire exined with jovialughter. "In the end, we were forced to extract his memories, and that¡¯s how we uncovered their identities."


    "Well, I wouldn¡¯t call this pitiful amount of information their identities,"ughed Trank. "All you¡¯ve given me are their faces and a couple of generic names which are most likely false. I¡¯ll have to try extra hard in order to find them with such poor information."


    "Consider this the advance." With the flick of the wrist, Loire tossed up a storage ring. "Will that cover the issue?"


    "Oh yes, it will. I can see that the general must really have his hands full." In the blink of an eye, the ring vanished into Trank¡¯s own storage ring. "If that cheapskate is willing to cough up this much, then these folks must have given you hell."


    "Well, you wouldn¡¯t be wrong about that."


    "I even heard that you were sorely beaten, so badly in fact that you couldn¡¯t manage to recognize your opponent, let alone touch him," the man in the top hat added, verbally jabbing Loire in the gut.


    "Well now, I¡¯m not sure--"


    "And not only were all of your tents and stations burned to ash, but your entire camp was robbed blind in the midst of it all," Trankughed along with his friend. "Talk about kicking you while you¡¯re down."


    Loire took a deep breath before grinning and bearing with the jokes. "Enough of that. I¡¯ve delivered the message and the payment, so I should be off."


    "Oh, so soon? Don¡¯t you want to stay and enjoy yourself at least a little?" questioned Trank. "Since you¡¯ve brought me such a nice present, this one will be one me."


    "Really? Since when did you be such a nice guy? I¡¯ll have to take you up on that. But I¡¯m not sharing this time, I want my own room," stated Loire.


    Trank nodded. "Very well, go pick one for yourself and im a room. I¡¯ll sure the owner will be fine with that, right, Darto?"


    "Of course that¡¯s fine, anything for one of my best friends and clients." The man with the top hat proudly pounded his belly as he pointed down the hall on the second floor. "No one¡¯s using any rooms on the second floor. You should have the ce to yourself for the next few hours till we start filling up."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll make myself at home." Loire confidently walked toward the hall and approached a few of the serving girls at the end of the balcony. "Hmmm, I choose... you! Come with me. And Trank, don¡¯t barge in like you always do. I haven¡¯t had this in ages, I need this."


    Both the tall and the short man waved him goodbye as they turned their attention below, letting Loire pull the gently-frowning girl toward one of therge rooms at the end of the hall.


    "Ladies first," Loire joked as he pushed the woman inside the room. He snickered as slowly closed the door behind him. Then, Loire swiped his hand over a gem embedded in the wall. "Don¡¯t worry, no one will be able to hear you, so you can scream all you want."


    "N-no... P-please, be gentle..." stammered the girl ridden with fear.


    "SLAP! Huh, what was that?!" Leaving a bright red handprint on her delicate face, Loire took one step closer for every step she took back. "Don¡¯t worry, like I said, no one will hear you."


    "Please... PLEASE BE--"


    "SLAP!" Loire¡¯s snickering soon becameughter on the verge of lunacy. "I¡¯ll have to be quick, so I¡¯ll apologize in advance for not letting you savor the pain."


    Loire stiffened his wrist andshed out with the back of his hand, intent on breaking the woman¡¯s jaw.


    "AAAAAAHHHH!!!"


    Suddenly, Loire let loose an agonizing scream. He frantically looked down to see blood pouring out from his wrist where his hand had once been.


    "Shhh, that¡¯s enough."


    That voice sent chills down Loire¡¯s spine, but it wasn¡¯t as terrifying as the feeling of a cold de pressed against his neck.


    "Who-who are you?! Do you know who I am?! Do you realize what you¡¯ve--"


    "Assistant Loire, though we¡¯ve met before, I never would¡¯ve pegged you as the most perverted bastard I¡¯ve ever had the displeasure of conversing with." The calm voice came from the left side of Loire, and it was close enough for Loire to feel the invisible man¡¯s breath.


    "W-what do you mean? Who are you?" questioned Loire, desperate to understand the situation.


    "First." Allowing himself to be visible, Rydel showed his calm self in all his glory before the quivering military assistant and the confused, terrified woman.


    "It¡¯s you! You¡¯re one of those--"


    "I said that¡¯s enough." Rydel shut the man up by pressing the knife ever so slightly, letting Loire¡¯s cold blood trickle down his own neck. Then, the hunter nodded to the woman. "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine now."


    "B-but I..."


    Before she could finish speaking, Rydel¡¯s left chopped at the base of her neck, carefully knocking her out.


    "Now then, back to business," Rydel mumbled as his hardened eyes stared at the pitiful Assistant Loire. "Thest time you saw me, you called me Dirk if I¡¯m not mistaken."


    "Y-you were... But I..."


    "And since this is thest time you¡¯ll see me, I¡¯ll tell you my real name. That way you can tell the devil who imed the reward on your filthy soul."


    "I.."


    Without another word or any hesitation, Rydel¡¯s de cut clean through Loire¡¯s throat and spine, leaving his head attached by only some remaining flesh and muscle.


    As Loire dropped to the floor motionless, Rydel flicked the blood from his knife and stored it away.


    Suddenly, a loud message went off inside Rydel¡¯s head. ¡¯Everyone, be careful! They¡¯re already onto us!¡¯

 Chapter 251 Unavoidable Conflic

    <h4>Chapter 251 Unavoidable Conflic</h4>


    With shared nces, Daliea and Ke both sighed.


    Ke asked, "Can you at least tell me what I¡¯m being used of?"


    "You... You¡¯re enemies of the state!" shouted the lead woman. "You and your friends have already been called out and there¡¯s no going back for you! Juste peacefully and let us get our husbands back!"


    "But why are we enemies of the state?"


    "I... I don¡¯t know. But I do know that if you go to trial and you¡¯re innocent, then you¡¯ll be fine and I¡¯ll get my husband back," reasoned the woman, trying her best to keep things from getting out of hand.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but if the state is going to such extremes do you really think she would get a fair trial?" stated Daliea, taking the wind of the woman¡¯s sails.


    "W-well..."


    "I¡¯m sorry for what they¡¯ve done to your husbands, but this really has nothing to do with me. Can you please let us pass?" Ke took a few steps forward but the mob made no moves to clear a path. "Ladies, we need to pass. Will you please let us go?"


    The women around started to gather behind Daliea and Ke as well. And in ce of sharing any more words, they each took out some makeshift weapons ranging from kitchen knives to cheap swords bought for bargain prices in the market.


    Both Daliea and Ke frowned when they realized how determined and desperate the women were.


    Dahlia did her best to persuade them. "Ladies, please don¡¯t do this. Please..."


    "We¡¯ll do what we must in order to get our men back home," replied the middle-aged woman.


    Ke hesitated. She clutched her fists tightly and took a deep breath, preparing to do something she would abhor.


    ¡¯On the count of three, hop on my back, Ke.¡¯


    Those words shook Ke even more, fueling both her anxiety and her curiosity.


    The mob of women took the first step toward the girls, marking the point of no return.


    ¡¯1...¡¯


    Gaining speed, the mob marched to close the distance while staying on guard.


    ¡¯Daliea...¡¯


    ¡¯2...¡¯


    "Now,dies!" The woman in front gave themand, leading the charge with her dull, chipped sword.


    ¡¯Daliea!¡¯


    ¡¯3!¡¯


    Following Daliea¡¯s lead, Ke leaped onto Daliea¡¯s back and closed her eyes in suspense.


    Unseen by Ke, dark energy gathered around Daliea, thick enough for her and Ke to be hidden in broad daylight.


    "World of Shadows!"


    Suddenly, the orb of darkness that surrounded them burst and expanded more than times over, epassing the mob and all their nearby surroundings inplete and utter darkness.


    "W-what happened?!"


    "M-mommy! Mommy!"


    "Where did they go?"


    "Don¡¯t let them get away!"


    Shouts came from all directions, confused and disoriented in the newfound darkness. Only two people weren¡¯t left abandoned by their senses, and they were already exiting the dark world.


    ¡¯Ke, you can open your eyes now.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯ As she opened her eyes, Ke noticed the change of scenery and the surprisingck of women around them. ¡¯What happened to the others?¡¯


    ¡¯Look behind you and see for yourself. Also, you can get off now,¡¯ Daliea chuckled as herpanion hopped off her back.


    When Ke looked back, she struggled to believe her eyes. ¡¯What in the world? What did you do?¡¯


    While being interrogated by Ke, Daliea led the way through the allies to get out of sight. ¡¯It¡¯s a spell called World of Shadows. It¡¯s a peak-tier dark spell that Jack got at an auction a while back. This was the first time I¡¯ve needed to use it outside of practice.¡¯


    ¡¯Whoa... You know, sometimes I forget how amazing you are, Daliea.¡¯


    ¡¯Wha! Where did thate from?¡¯


    Keughed at Daliea¡¯s shyness topliments. ¡¯Well, we rarely see you use dark magic and I forgot you have three magic affinities. That¡¯s amazing!¡¯


    As the two weaved in the back streets, an announcement sounded loudly in their minds.


    ¡¯Everyone, be careful! They¡¯re already onto us!¡¯


    Hearing the seriousness in Jack¡¯s voice, both Daliea and Ke almostughed at thete warning. But what Rydel added afterward brought kept them from joking around.


    ¡¯Listen up, I¡¯ve got to warn you all. Apparently General Toms has had no fear in involving the citizens in the matter. Someone had noticed our fire-test while we were here in town and that led them toward the innkeeper who rented the ce to us. They used his memories in order to create wanted posters for each of us, connecting the white fire from the test with the fire from the camp.¡¯


    Everyone was dumbstruck, feeling terrible about being caught in such a way and shocked that the general was both cruel and fast-acting to such a degree.


    Rydel continued, ¡¯Also, they¡¯ve hired someone I assume is an experienced bounty hunter. So we need to hurry and aplish our goal so we can get out of Limneer.¡¯


    ¡¯Do you know where we can find the army?¡¯ asked Jack, cutting to the point of the matter.


    Rydel chuckled a little, ¡¯Luckily, I was able to meet the same assistant that delivered the bounty before he made his final delivery. Thanks to his final message, I know exactly where to find them.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, where shall we meet up?¡¯


    ¡¯Meet me in the northwest part of town, near thergest manor in town,¡¯ directed Rydel.


    Putting it all together, Daliea chimed in, ¡¯Oh... So that¡¯s where they¡¯re hiding the troops.¡¯


    ¡¯Exactly. But we need to hurry,¡¯ added Rydel. ¡¯I¡¯ll be going silent for the next few minutes, but if somethinges up, then let me know. See you soon.¡¯


    ¡¯Daliea, Ke, how close are you?¡¯ asked Eliza.


    ¡¯We¡¯re quite close. We¡¯ll be there in a couple of minutes,¡¯ Daliea responded confidently.


    ¡¯Good, then we¡¯ll see each other soon. Be careful,¡¯ Jack warned them onest time before he went silent.


    As he and Eliza left the city square, they passed through an empty ally and came back out as twopletely different people. With Sterfen¡¯s Cloak, Jack easily became someone else in the blink of an eye.


    Eliza, on the other hand, was wearing a new cloak, one of the many things that her father had given her during theirst pass through Federal City. It masked her aura and could change her face to that of an old woman. Though it was nothingpared to Jack¡¯s legend-tier cloak, it got the job done.


    Both of them followed the flow of foot-traffic, getting closer and closer to the noble¡¯s manor.


    ¡¯Where are your two? Don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re off being lovey-dovey.¡¯


    Eliza giggled a little bit at Ke¡¯s yful tone, ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re about there. We saved the fun for the bedroomter.¡¯


    ¡¯Where are you two?¡¯ Jack interrupted them, not wanting to continue the awkward conversation.


    Daliea¡¯s reply saved him. ¡¯We¡¯re to the west of the main gate.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh! I can see you.¡¯ Eliza waved, still maintaining her elderly look and shocking the girls in the distance.


    ¡¯If you see an old hag waving, just know it¡¯s my wife. Ow!¡¯ Jack¡¯s joke was interrupted by a smack to the back of his head. ¡¯Hey! I thought you¡¯d be happy I called you that.¡¯


    Eliza pouted, ¡¯I¡¯m not some old hag!¡¯


    ¡¯But you are my wife, aren¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡¯...¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza?¡¯ Stunned to see Eliza go silent, Jack to the moment to return the favor. ¡¯If you don¡¯t like me calling you that, then I guess I won¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯As your wife, I¡¯ll always be happy for you to call me yours,¡¯ Eliza proudly stated. ¡¯Just... Please be nice to me while you do so. Otherwise, my massages might not be so nice either.¡¯


    ¡¯When you two are done with your lovers¡¯ quarrel, can we get back to the task at hand.¡¯


    With that being said, all four of them went silent and waited for the invisible yet present Rydel to exin some things. ¡¯Since everyone¡¯s here, let¡¯s make a quick battle n. The troops should be in the back garden to the rear of the manor. That way they can enter and exit the city directly without alerting the rest of the city.¡¯


    ¡¯So how should we enter without being seen, and how can we attack while guaranteeing a clean getaway?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯I think it would be best to strike all at once from different sides. Jack, let Ke have that bracer so she can remain hidden and only act when needed. Eliza, you should stick close to Jack so you can work together. Daliea and I should be able to work alone since we¡¯re both ranged fighters,¡¯ exined Rydel.


    ¡¯We target the captains and the officials and then we make a break for it. With the help of Ayden and your tiger, we should be able to break in and break out without too much worry. Any questions?¡¯


    Jack was already handing off the bracer to Ke, who quickly went invisible. With her out of sight, each party member waspletely unrecognizablepared to their wanted posters.


    With preparationsplete, Rydel gave the final shout, ¡¯Good, now let¡¯s strike hard onest time!¡¯

 Chapter 252 Wolves in Sheeps Clothing

    <h4>Chapter 252 Wolves in Sheeps¡° Clothing</h4>


    ¡¯Good, now let¡¯s strike hard onest time!¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah!¡¯


    A unifying shout sharpened their focus for the battle toe. Both Jack and Daliea changed their appearances, one bing a hooded man and the other bing Assistant Loire. Rydel¡¯s invisibility already allowed him free reign to go wherever he wished, he ould even attack while invisible now. Ke positioned herself near the gate to the back of the manor, in range to heal anyone yet prepared to escape at a moment¡¯s notice. And Eliza would wait behind the wall near Ke for the attack to begin so she could support Jack from a distance.


    Bowzer sadly wouldn¡¯t be joining the fight, as that would give away their identities in a heartbeat. Though the party¡¯s faces were known, they knew little to nothing about them. But if a Hell-me Fox showed up, then there would only be one conclusion the could reach.


    While Bowzer would sit out the fight, unless something dire happened, Daliea and Rydel would release their me Tiger and Roc to support themselves since Eliza would be busy helping Jack.


    With nothing left but the execution of the n, the party split up and got into position.


    Rydel easily slipped past all guards and walked right in through the front gate without any issues. Daliea and Jack did the same, but with Daliea disguised and walking with one another.


    "Wee back, Assistant Loire!" The guards on both sides stood tall and saluted Daliea as she walked by.


    Thanks to her past encounter with the assistant, she knew his basic appearance and the sound of his voice, something simple to imitate for a master of illusion magic. "At ease. I¡¯m just following orders to bring an old friend for some help."


    "Sir, yes sir!" Rxed and unrmed, the guards let the two pass with bothering them further, afraid to rub their superior officer the wrong way.


    ¡¯Nice job, Daliea,¡¯ Jackplimented her while hiding his smiling face in his hood.


    ¡¯That was the easy part,¡¯ replied Daliea confidently. ¡¯Nowes the hard part. I just hope no close friends of this guy are here.¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t see the other assistant present, nor do I see the general,¡¯ Rydel ryed histest discoveries from within the walls. ¡¯There are more soldiers here than I expected, nearly one thousand. But since Assistant Loire was ced in charge of them, there should only be three officials among the small army to assist Loire in leading the troops.¡¯


    ¡¯So each of us needs to find an official before we strike, I presume,¡¯mented Daliea.


    ¡¯Correct. Till we¡¯ve located them, don¡¯t do anything to draw attention,¡¯ Rydel assessed. ¡¯Daliea, maybe you and Jack should--¡¯


    ¡¯Way ahead of you.¡¯


    Both of them passed through a small garden along the way. Once the coast was clear, their appearances changed yet again, now bing twomonce Limneer soldiers. They stepped back out as Daliea asked, ¡¯Will this do?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s perfect,¡¯ chuckled Rydel. ¡¯Also, I¡¯ve found the first official. He¡¯s probably the furthest one from the gate, so I¡¯lle back for him once we find the other two.¡¯


    With the encampment now in view of the two new additions to the Limneer army, Jack made note of the official before turning his attention elsewhere. ¡¯What¡¯s with those makeshift stables? The beasts inside aren¡¯t consistent at all ranging fromrge to small.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s only a futile effort to strengthen their force by any means necessary,¡¯ reasoned Daliea. ¡¯Focus on the officials, don¡¯t let those untamed beasts worry you.¡¯


    Sticking to the n, the pair split up to cover more ground. Searching through nearly one thousand soldiers wasn¡¯t going to be too easy despite their hopes.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve found a couple of captains... but no officials.¡¯


    ¡¯Keep looking, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Nothing yet for me either.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Daliea. We¡¯ll find them soon enough. Ke, Eliza, keep waiting. Don¡¯t move till my signal.¡¯


    With Rydel there to keep everyone in check, everyone else was able to remain calm, cool, and collected. Other than hisplete invisibility, the hunter¡¯s experience in stealth was their greatest asset. He effortlessly directed his team and kept them both motivated and rxed, two things that were imperative to such a stealthy operation.


    ¡¯I found one!¡¯


    ¡¯Where is he, Daliea?¡¯ asked Rydel.


    ¡¯He¡¯s inside one of the captain¡¯s tents. He and the captain are ying poker.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, just stick close to that tent for now,¡¯ ordered Rydel. ¡¯Once Jack and I are in position, you¡¯ll enter as if to pass news to him and we can all strike together.¡¯


    ¡¯Very well. I¡¯ll do just that.¡¯


    ¡¯Any luck, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯No, not yet, Rydel.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine. Just stay calm and keep searching at a casual pace. Don¡¯t let your anxiety make you stand out.¡¯ As if Rydel could still Jack, he called the rookie out on the most basic of mistakes.


    Jack readjusted his pace and took a deep breath. He then put a smile on his face and nonchntly strolled through the next portion of the camp, more easily blending in with the crowd.


    *****


    The outside of the manner was calm like it always was. A few guards would patrol the perimeter on a schedule like clockwork. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, except for an elderly woman lying against the back wall of the manor.


    "Excuse me, ma¡¯am," the guard on duty called out to her. When she didn¡¯t respond or even move he quickened his pace to approach her. "Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry but I must ask you to leave."


    Again, she didn¡¯t move or show any signs of life.


    Somewhat paranoid, the guard reached forward to grab her arm hanging to the side. But it suddenly moved away from him.


    "Boy... What are you doing?" Finally, the woman spoke up. "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re taking advantage of a mature beauty like me in public, are you?"


    "N-no, ma¡¯am!" The guard waspletely off his guard by the woman¡¯s response.


    "Then just leave little old me alone. After some rest, I¡¯ll be on my way again."


    "But ma¡¯am, I¡¯m not permitted to allow anyone to loiter these walls for the time being," exined the young guard.


    "What? You¡¯re worried about an old biddy like me? Has my age turned me into such a repulsive monster?"


    "N-not at all ma¡¯am!" Still ufortable, the guard swallowed some of his courage and continued to push the conversation. "Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m sorry but I must ask you to leave."


    "Oh... But I¡¯m still weak from travel and haven¡¯t rested," stated the woman, still only showing the sagging bottom half of her face through her hood. "Just another half hour of rest and I¡¯ll be fine and on my way again."


    Taking a huge breath, the guard didn¡¯t give up. "Ma¡¯am, if you¡¯re too weak, then maybe I can carry you to a nearby inn. That should be fine, right?"


    "Boy, I have no money and no possessions to my name. How can I afford the expensive inns here in Zurden?"


    "Don¡¯t worry, ma¡¯am. We¡¯re not too far from a cheap yet amodating inn on the west side. It¡¯s cheap enough that I can cover the cost," stated the guard persistently. "Just give me a moment to inform the other guards. I¡¯ll be back shortly."


    "Wait! Boy..."


    No longer listening to the woman¡¯s cries, the young guard ran off to inform the other guards of his temporary leave.


    The old woman groaned, not happy with the sudden development. ¡¯Everyone, I have a problem. One of the guards wants me to vacate, even offering to carry me to a nearby inn.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, we can¡¯t let him take the old hag away...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack! I already told you--¡¯


    ¡¯She is my old hag, after all.¡¯


    Rydel gave his two cents on the matter. ¡¯Hmmm... thisplicates things. How much longer until he takes you away?¡¯


    Eliza thought for a moment before answering, ¡¯I¡¯ve got maybe five more minutes.¡¯


    ¡¯Only five minutes huh... No luck yet, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Not yet.¡¯


    Thinking on his feet, Rydel sighed, ¡¯I¡¯ll be there soon, Eliza. I¡¯ll handle the guard. That should buy us another fifteen minutes before the next guard checks the perimeter.¡¯


    ¡¯So, I¡¯ve got to make this quick,¡¯ Jack made Rydel¡¯s intentions clear, letting everyone know that they were now on a time crunch.


    Daliea also asked, ¡¯Should I join him in searching for thest official?¡¯


    ¡¯No, yo stay there,¡¯ answered Rydel. ¡¯You won¡¯t be able to rush back to your target without drawing too much attention to yourself. With a captain nest the official, it alreadyplicates things more than I would like. However, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to handle them both without drawing much attention, so long as you y it smart.¡¯


    ¡¯Ok... Good luck, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Daliea. I¡¯ll try my best.¡¯ Still acting casual, Jack¡¯s mind behind the facade was running rampant. He should still be able to find thest official in time. But if the official isn¡¯t found alone, and given no time to n his attack, Jack¡¯s part of the strike was definitely the most difficult.

 Chapter 253 Change of Plans

    <h4>Chapter 253 Change of ns</h4>


    Sooner than expected, the young guard came bolting around the corner, shouting at the top of his lungs. "Ma¡¯am, I¡¯m back to help!"


    Eliza took the initiative to start standing herself up, making sure to support herself firmly like any weak old woman would. Thest thing she wanted was for the young guard to touch her. Though she looked the part, her illusory robe couldn¡¯t change her actual physical form, and the young man would realize instantly that things weren¡¯t what they seemed.


    "Don¡¯t force yourself, ma¡¯am. Let me help you."


    "No, I¡¯ll be fine. Just give me a moment." Eliza waved the young man off, not letting him support her arm.


    "Ma¡¯am, I insist." Not taking no for an answer, the young man pulled Eliza up by the elbow. "Here, hop on my back. I¡¯ll carry you to the inn."


    "Young man, I appreciate your kindness, but please let me keep my pride," Eliza insisted, pulling her arm away. "Just wait a few seconds for me to catch my breath."


    "Ma¡¯am, please. I¡¯ve taken my break to help you and I¡¯ll need to hurry back to my post. It would be best for us both if I support you," stated the young guard, stepping forward to pick her up.


    ¡¯Is that him¡¯


    "You¡¯re such a kind young man..." Eliza nodded with a sigh. "I think it would be best for you to take the day off and not worry about me."


    "Ma¡¯am, I¡¯ve got responsibilities waiting..."


    Just then, the young man lost his breath and fell forward, but he somehow stopped falling in midair.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll hide him in that ally.¡¯


    Rydel was already dragging the unconscious body away. Had anyone else seen it, they would¡¯ve been so confused and curious to know how a sleeping man was sliding across the cobblestone road belly up.


    Not long after the body was hidden and Rydel¡¯s voice sounded out for the whole party. ¡¯That¡¯s taken care of, but now we¡¯ve got less than ten minutes before the next guardes by. We need to hurry, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Maybe I should ask around...¡¯


    Jack was narrowing down the remaining tents, but he was getting more stressed with each passing moment. Looking to the side, he found a few buddies sharing brundies outside their tent, a perfect situation to take advantage of.


    Both of the buzzed soldiers chatted loudly, not caring what the passing men thought of them during their break time. But as they reached for their mugs their makeshift table shook and quaked.


    They blinked and refocused their eyes to see a big ss bottle with a light brown liquid sloshing around inside. Rather than get mad, their grins grew wider.


    "Take a seat! Anyone willing to share is more than wee to join!" shouted one of them.


    "I¡¯m a little busy now, but once I deliver a message to the official I¡¯m clear for a few hours," exined Jack while scratching his head. "Problem is, I can¡¯t seem to find the man. Got any idea where he got off to?"


    "Oh yeah!" the other inebriated man pped his hand atop his head as he recalled his memory. "That guy went off that way toward the back. Rumor has it that some big shot was humble enough to share a tent with us infantrymen."


    "Really, well I better go find him. Maybe I¡¯ll get lucky and meet someone famous!"


    "Hurry up, and leave the liquor behind. We¡¯ll open it up for you," joked the first man.


    "Thanks, I¡¯ll be right back!"


    Leaving the bottle behind to distract the drunkards, Jack made a course for the back of the infantry tents. After poking his head in every tent he passed Jack managed to narrow the field even faster as he eventually reached the final infantry tent, and he could already hear a conversion going on inside.


    ¡¯Guys, I think I found him, but I¡¯m not sure yet.¡¯


    ¡¯Why aren¡¯t you sure? Just look at his uniform,¡¯ stated Rydel.


    Jack exined the situation, not daring to act just yet. ¡¯ording to the soldiers, he¡¯s inside thest infantry tent, and I¡¯ve already verified that he¡¯s not in any other one.¡¯


    Knowing that a punchline wasing, Rydel tried to hurry Jack. ¡¯So, why haven¡¯t you checked yet?¡¯


    ¡¯They also said some big shot was humble enough to stay in that tent, but it was only a rumor,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯Do you still want me to check, or should you, Rydel?¡¯


    ¡¯Thest infantry tent? Give me a minute.¡¯


    To not seem suspicious, Jack walked around the neighboring tents. Though he was stood out a little, he wasn¡¯t the only one. Other than Jack, a few soldiers were constantlying and going past the tent, probably seeking out the truth to the rumor going around camp.


    ¡¯I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s the tent surrounded by gossip?¡¯ asked Rydel, stating the obvious.


    ¡¯Yup.¡¯


    ¡¯Give me a moment, but be ready to act, cause we¡¯re almost out of time.¡¯


    Under the eyes of dozens of soldiers, walked up to the tent and leaned in close to better understand the conversation going on inside.


    The conversation wasn¡¯t anything special and it seemed like some old friends were catching up. However, Rydel¡¯s heart sunk to the bottom of his stomach.


    Rydel fought the fear freezing him up and managed to get a sentence out, ¡¯Jack, just hurry back to the first official we found.¡¯


    Confused, Jack asked, ¡¯What do you mean? It¡¯ll be hard for me to get there in time without drawing attention.¡¯


    ¡¯Just go, a little bit of attention won¡¯t be a bad thing. I¡¯ll take care of this one. It¡¯ll be tricky sneaking into the tent, perfect for me,¡¯ replied Rydel, not giving in.


    ¡¯Oookay, then I¡¯ll hurry up.¡¯


    Jack knew that something was off, but he also understood that Rydel was their best bet at getting in and out of that tent with the least amount of trouble. With that in mind, he jogged away, rushing back to the front of the camp, passing the drunkards who had already emptied the gift he left them.


    ¡¯Jack let me know when you¡¯re in position.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯ve got it.¡¯


    Now that Jack was in charge of the first official, Rydel felt a bit better, but another unexpected weight copsed onto his shoulders.


    Controlling his breathing, Rydel walked around the tent, searching every fold and crevice for the best way in. The best thing he could find was a p opened at the top for light and to let smoke for the night fire out.


    He pondered a moment about what his next step should be. Two targets to choose from, yet only one moment of opportunity.


    Putting his nerves to their limits, Rydel walked away from the tent and climbed atop the nearby wall. With the new vantage point, the hunter was able to look into the tent with neither of its upants any wiser about his presence.


    ¡¯Rydel, I¡¯m almost there but I¡¯ll have to act fast since I¡¯m drawing some attention.


    Taking Jack¡¯s warning to mind a bow appeared in Rydel¡¯s hand, yet still not visible to the masses below him. ¡¯Tell us when you¡¯re walking into the tent, Jack. Daliea will need to follow your timing. And the moment after you kill him, scream out loud for the entire camp to hear.¡¯


    ¡¯What? Why should I--¡¯


    ¡¯Just do it,¡¯ insisted Rydel. ¡¯It will help Daliea take on both of her targets and give me an opening.¡¯


    Again taking note that something was off in Rydel¡¯s voice, but agreed nheless. ¡¯Okay, I¡¯m entering the tent now.¡¯


    ¡¯Daliea, you go too,¡¯ directed Rydel.


    ¡¯Right.¡¯


    Rydel let loose a deep breath as he cocked his bow and readied a one-of-a-kind arrow he had treasured for years. Something he had bought himself in the case he ever ran into a beast too tough to handle or escape from while on a hunt.


    Bow held tightly, arrow fletchings at his cheek, and eyes locked in on the man sitting in front of Assitant Dirk.

 Chapter 254 Under Attack Yet Again

    <h4>Chapter 254 Under Attack Yet Again</h4>


    Throwing the tent¡¯s door wide open, a soldier rushed inside, panting and gasping for air.


    "What¡¯s the matter, soldier? Is something wrong?" A well-built man sat up from his cot, giving the tired soldier a curious look.


    Amidst his heaving, the soldier managed to squeeze out the news. "Sir, Assitant Loire just returned in critical condition. They need you in the back tent immediately!"


    Back on his feet, the official¡¯s eyes shook. "What?! What happened?"


    "I¡¯m not sure. All I know is that he cam back with a hole in his chest."


    "Out of the way!" The official threw his coat back on and nudged Jack to the side to exit with utmost haste.


    "But Official..."


    Turning back with annoyance in his eyes, the official barked back, "What else is..."


    Silenced by a knife through his throat, the official shivered as the soldier who did him in whispered, "I¡¯m sending you to him now..."


    As the official tried to reach out to the soldier he gave up the ghost and fell lifeless to the floor.


    ¡¯I¡¯m screaming in 3... 2... 1...¡¯


    "AAAAAHHH!!" Jack burst through the tent door with his vocal cords stressed beyond what he thought possible. "The official... The official¡¯s been killed!"


    All surrounding soldiers bolted into action, dropping everything as Jack¡¯s voiced expanded through the camp. And thanks to Jack¡¯s worry, the entire camp came to life in search of the truth.


    Everyone ran around slightly manic, yet orderly enough to keep things in order. That was until another shout sounded out from across the camp, followed by a pir of fire destroying one of the tents.


    As the confusion and chaos ensue beyond what the camp had prepared for, Jack slipped away with the crowd, changing his face and appearance yet again.


    *****


    Daliea patiently waited near her target, visualizing what would take ce once she made her move.


    The best choice of action would be to assassinate the official with her first move and then deal with the captain afterward since he wasn¡¯t even lv. 30. It may cause some noise but that would be unavoidable in her predicament.


    However, when Jack¡¯s target suddenly changed and he was then supposed to make a scene, it was exactly what Daliea needed. With some luck, she thought it might be possible to kill the captain while the rest of the camp is abuzz about the first official¡¯s death.


    ¡¯Okay, I¡¯m entering the tent now.¡¯


    Hearing her cue Daliea waltzed up to the tent door, yet another voice sounded in her head.


    ¡¯Daliea, don¡¯t be afraid to cause a scene. No matter what, a fight will break out after Jack draws everyone¡¯s attention, so adding to the chaos is fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Understood, Rydel.¡¯


    Surprised to hear that, Daliea kept the thought in mind as she announced herself, "Sir, I have news from Assistant Loire."


    "Well get in here and make it quick!"


    Following orders, Daliea pushed the tent door aside. "Excuse me."


    The official nonchntly pped his hand up and down to the messenger, not daring to look away from his poker game. "What is it? Is the assistant back already?"


    "Yes, sir. He just arrived and is wanting all officials and captains to meet him in the back tent."


    "Oh? Looks like we¡¯re both unlucky this time," joked the official, looking at the frown of the man across from him. "How urgent is it?"


    "He requests youe immediately. It seems that we may need to leave sooner than expected," replied Daliea, bowing her head to not disrespect the superior officers in any way.


    "Looks like I win again!" The captain snatched the pile of silver and copper coins from the center of the table. "Now we can go."


    Sighing in displeasure, the official stood up and stretched his back before grabbing the coat lying across his cot. "The back tent, right? We can get there on our own so you¡¯re dismissed."


    "Sir, I was given orders to inform you, as well as escort you as quickly as possible," retorted Daliea. "Please understand sir, I¡¯m just following orders."


    "Sounds like Assistant Loire is as uptight as ever," sighed the captain. "Whatever, it doesn¡¯t change anything. Let¡¯s go."


    ¡¯I¡¯m screaming in 3...¡¯ Jack¡¯s warning caused Daliea to take another moment to breathe andmit to her targets.


    Finishing thest of his buttons, the official agreed, "Right, off we go."


    ¡¯2...¡¯


    Daliea bowed onest time, then she held the tent p open for the other. "After you."


    "Well, at least you respect your superiors!" The captain quickened his pace to beat the official out.


    ¡¯1..."


    As the official stepped up, his casual face became tense and serious, like he was putting on a show for the whole camp to see.


    "AAAAAHHH!!"


    Jack¡¯s jolting scream was heard from across the camp, alerting the official and the captain of danger. Sadly for them, they were looking around the camp and near the manor walls, not behind them.


    Without any noise, a dagger was thrust through the officials throat, forever silencing him without letting him know how he was done in.


    The captain turned back to speak with the official about the sudden shout but was aghast at what he found.


    Blood was draining from the official¡¯s throat, trailing off the dagger and dripping to the ground. And behind the official, he saw that same infantryman that delivered the message but the soldier¡¯s eyes were glowing bright red and mes were gathering around his outstretched hand.


    "Cyclonic me."


    "Aaahh!" Being roasted alive and reduced to cinders caused the captain to spend hisst breaths in agony, alerting the rest of the camp of another anomaly.


    The tent also went up in mes, threatening to burn down the rest of the camp. However, the neighboring tents had no chance of escaping the fire as Daliea set fire to all nearby tents with no regard to who was inside.


    With everyone focused on the fire and stopped the spread, Like Jack, Daliea altered her disguise and blended in with the confused troops.


    *****


    ¡¯I¡¯m screaming in 3...¡¯


    Grateful for Jack¡¯s countdown, Rydel rxed his breathing temporarily and easily followed Jack¡¯s timing.


    ¡¯2...¡¯


    Not having to think quelled Rydel¡¯s nerves momentarily. His hands remained firm and on target.


    ¡¯1...¡¯


    Onest breath, long and deep enough to keep Rydel backing out of his portion of the mission.


    *****


    "Dirk, you know I trust you more than anyone, but you know that Loire is more than capable of such a simple task."


    "General, it¡¯s not that he can¡¯tplete the task. What I fear is that he¡¯s too easily goaded and distracted to understand the urgency of his assignments, especially during such a critical situation like now."


    General Toms leaned back in his chair, taking Assistant Dirk¡¯s words into consideration. "Maybe you¡¯re right, but he¡¯s already left. All we can do now is wait for the man, though I think you¡¯re right about him getting distracted again, given howte he is."


    "General, I think we should back off and allow these troops to regroup with our units posted on the border," reasoned Dirk. "It would show that we haven¡¯t broken the war pact yet it would still provide the extra push we need to break their front lines."


    "Dirk, you misunderstand our objective."


    Toms scratched his neck and stood up, meeting Dirk¡¯s gaze at eye level. "We¡¯re not trying to break their frontline. What we¡¯re after is aplete and total invasion. We¡¯ve already proven that we can break the front lines, but with the aid of this secret army we can storm Trodar and burn it all as we pass over it."


    Slightly stunned at the general¡¯s frankness, Dirk blinked. "You mean..."


    "Correct. We¡¯re not trying to break their frontline. We¡¯re trying to cripple Trodar to the point that their people give up. So what if we break the war pact? That only matters if we fail, which is impossible so long as we strike now."


    "But General, what¡¯s the point of winning if we gain nothing from it?" asked Dirk.


    With a chuckle, General Toms answered, "Victory. That¡¯s all that matters. The winner is made king, and the loser is vilified. No matter what it takes, sess is all that matters in the end. Don¡¯t let your own personal morals get in the way of results. That¡¯s something that Loire has mastered, unlike you."


    "I..." Unsure how to respond, Dirk took a moment to think.


    "AAAAAHHH!!"


    "What was--"


    "Aaahh!!"


    As Jack¡¯s initial shout reached their tent, both men turned toward the front of camp instinctively. Dirk¡¯s reflex to question the situation was fast, but not as quick as General Tom¡¯s shout in pain.


    "General!" Mortified, Assistant Dirk caught the falling General Toms. He found the arrow that had pierced Toms back and attempted to remove it.


    "N-no! Don¡¯t touch it!" General Toms gritted and went stiff from the pain as Dirk grabbed the arrow.


    "But General--"


    "This isn¡¯t an ordinary arrow... I can feel something... seeping out of it..." Toms broke into a heavy sweat. "I¡¯m not sure... What happens if you remove it."


    "But--"


    "Warn... The camp... But don¡¯t leave me... It¡¯s happening again..."


    Reaffirming his resolve through the general¡¯s pain, Assistant Dirk shouted at the top of his lungs and with all the might of a lv. 36, "WE¡¯RE UNDER ATTACK!"

 Chapter 255 Getaway

    <h4>Chapter 255 Getaway</h4>


    "WE¡¯RE UNDER ATTACK!"


    While Assistant Dirk shouted with all his might, General Toms pulled out his contact crystal. He could only mumble a few words before putting it away and continuing to writhe in pain.


    "Close the camp! No one leaves, or they¡¯ll be killed on the spot!" Dirk¡¯s orders continued to ring out through camp, restoring a margin of order.


    All soldiers froze, including two of the many who had already started running toward the manor walls.


    "Captains, gather your men and make a headcount. After that, everyone must line up in front of the gate for further orders."


    With Dirk¡¯s orders made clear, everyone started to calm down and do as they were told.


    Both Daliea and Jack started walking back, but another unexpected warning was screamed into their minds by Rydel, ¡¯Run! Use your beasts if needed, just get out of there!¡¯


    Jack was too curious not to ask, ¡¯But why--¡¯


    ¡¯General Toms and Assistant Dirk are here!¡¯ rebutted Rydel. ¡¯For now, Toms can¡¯t act but we need to get away no matter what!¡¯


    ¡¯But we need to dy--¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ve done the best we can. Now let¡¯s go!¡¯


    Since Jack wavered, Daliea acted in a way that would force Jack to follow along. While Jack argued with Rydel, she released her me Tiger, immediately giving away her status as a spy.


    ¡¯Daliea, what--¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s toote to change course now, so let¡¯s leave!¡¯ stated Daliea as she watched countless soldiers rush toward her.


    "I¡¯ve no time for you! World of Shadows!"


    None of the charging soldiers were ready for the sudden darkness that consumed them. The orb filled with dark mist expanded, even including a portion of the wall.


    Many attacks wereunched toward the portion of the wall within the orb, but Daliea had the me Tiger counter attack from within the orb. While the mes dashed out toward the low-level soldiers, Daliea made her escape.


    Jack, on the other hand, sighed in regret. He had hoped to guarantee the sess of their mission with thisst push. But now there was still a chance at failure. And since they had already attacked twice, the third would be far more difficult with only a slight chance of sess.


    However, Jack knew that now was the only chance for him to get away and reunite with the party.


    "Feather Walk," under his breath, Jack mumbled to himself in order to quicken his pace.


    The hero sudden gained sped off toward the wall near the gate, but he still caught the attention of some of the soldiers.


    He looked back and saw something he didn¡¯t expect. From the back tent emerged two men, one hunched over while being supported by the other. Only the one who was fully aware looked back to Jack with a vein building from his forehead.


    Many arrows and long-range attacks had already tried to hit Jack, all of which failed. But that furious man retrieved a sword for his one free hand andunched an attack of his own. With one swing of his de, the man generated a razor-sharp wave of energy heading straight for the running Jack.


    Jack sidestepped to the best of his ability, narrowly avoiding the attack. But he quickly noticed that a second wave had followed the first, hiding in the trail the first wave had left behind, and the second attack was perfectly on target.


    Unable to evade the cutting wave, Jack activated his Sudden Death skill, suddenly reappearing a couple of meters away and still running.


    Dirk was surprised to see Jack manage to avoid the attack, but that didn¡¯t stop him fromunching another set of attacks. Yet just as he lifted his sword a second time, Dirk hesitated and jumped back with the general.


    As he withdrew his attack, Dirk managed to dodge a few arrows that had seeminglye out of nowhere.


    Now on guard, Dirk looked around the walls. He knew that his enemy was well concealed and wouldn¡¯t dare stay in the same spot after attacking and was most likely attacking while on the move. And considering the vulnerable general beside him, Dirk understood that though catching a spy was of the utmost importance, keeping the general alive was even more so.


    Since Dirk didn¡¯t attempt another attack on Jack, no more arrows were targeting him or the general. Dirk quickly understand that the other side had no more intentions to fight at the moment.


    So far three spies had been exposed and all three of them proved to be very capable, and Dirk assumed that any of the three could at least keep up with him based on their performance in escaping. Since it was likely that there were more of them yet to be revealed, if they were hell-bent on killing the general, they would all attack them now and force Dirk away from the weakened Toms.


    But instead, they ran. It was something that Dirk would have no choice but to ept given the current circumstances.


    Once Jack had slipped away over the wall, Dirk returned to giving orders, "Captains, make a headcount of your men and line them up in front of the gate. Guards, follow the culprits but make no attempts to subdue. Just keep tabs on their location."


    "Dirk... Thank you," mumbled Toms, still trying his best to control himself from spasming.


    "General, what should I do about the arrow?"


    General Toms tried his best to chuckle, "Don¡¯t worry... Very soon, someone should arrive to help me."


    "Oh, am I too early?"


    The echo of the sudden voice startled Dirk, causing him to lift up his sword in defense.


    In a sh of light and a crackle of static electricity, anky, bald man rushed over the wall and dashed toward the defending Dirk. "Boy, I suggest you put the de down before I assume you want to y with me."


    "Took you long enough... Now get this out of me," stated Toms,pletely unafraid of the man¡¯s devilish smile.


    Seeing the general¡¯s reaction, Dirk lowered his guard andid the general down with his back up.


    "Hmmm..." The man brushed some dust from his vest while he looked more closely at the shaking general. "Someone must have really wanted you dead to waste such a precious weapon."


    "Just... Take it out already."


    "Okay, but know that taking it out is far more painful than keeping it in,"ughed the man. "It¡¯s lucky you have me, otherwise the pain would be too bearable and might even kill you."


    Dirk quivered when he overheard the man. He looked at his own hand, remembering how he had almost removed the arrow out of impulse, trembling at the thought of causing the general¡¯s death.


    "That¡¯s why I called you, Trank... Now get the job done!"


    "Does this mean I my payment will increase?"


    Toms quaked as he groaned, "Fine! Just hurry!"


    "Very well."


    Trank twiddled his fingers, generating a small electric current around them. It gradually grew stronger until the electricity covered the entirety of his hands.


    "Remember, you asked for this,"ughed Trank.


    "Just hurry and... AAAAAHHHH!"


    The electric current passed from Trank¡¯s hands to the arrow as he grasped it, sending the current into Toms¡¯s body.


    While the general screamed, Dirk felt even more helpless.


    Enjoying himself, Trank slid his right hand down the shaft of the arrow till his fingers came into contact with Toms¡¯s back. Without any hesitation, Trank sank his fingers into Toms¡¯s flesh, startling the nearby assistant to death. But then his fingers quickly reemerged, this time holding tightly to the arrowhead and yanking the arrowpletely from Toms¡¯s body.


    Enraged at how his superior was being treated, Dirk shouted at the shady man, "What was that for?! That¡¯s not how you--"


    "Of course that¡¯s how you remove an arrow, at least that¡¯s how you remove this type of arrow," stated Trank, still smiling. "Hurry and call a medic to heal his back. After that, he should be as good as new."


    "Thank you, Trank," sighed Toms. "I feel better already."


    ???But sir, how could you let him injure you like that? How is that the correct procedure to retrieve the arrow? Even if the arrowhead was barbed, you caused far more harm then the barbs would have," argued Dirk.


    "Boy, do you know what sort of arrow this is?" asked Trank. "If not, let me exin. This isn¡¯t military-grade, it¡¯s beyond that. These are far too expensive to be used casually in war."


    "Then what in Halmut¡¯s beard are they for?" questioned Dirk.


    Toms spoke up in reply, "Poaching."


    "What?"


    "Toms is correct, this type of arrow is used for hunting game that is too powerful for a single man to handle," exined Trank. "Only veteran hunters dare purchase them, and they¡¯re only used in emergencies or for certain requests, such as high-level griffons or dragons."


    "On such beasts, an arrow such as this would cause some paralysis and slow it down enough for an unlucky hunter time to escape. For hunters, this is a life-saving arrow.??? Breaking into loud, unperturbedughter, Trank looked to Toms on the ground. "Though, this is the first time I¡¯ve seen such an arrow used on a human. How was it? I¡¯m sure the pain was excruciating."


    "Beyond that," replied Toms. "I¡¯m just d you hurried here before I gave up fighting the pain."


    Getting back to the topic, Dirk again questioned, "But howe you must remove the arrow in such a damaging way? Though the general can be healed, such a would will leave him scarred and won¡¯t be fully healed without some rest."


    "That¡¯s the cruelty of the arrow¡¯s design," Trank retorted as he held the arrow up for all to see. "If you look below the arrowhead, you¡¯ll notice that the material there is different from the rest. It¡¯s reinforced ss designed to shatter if not handled properly. And if that breaks, then the arrowhead will release all of its remaining energy over the span of five seconds. They¡¯re a one-time use weapon perfect for wild beasts that might struggle and break the arrow."


    "Or for torturing me to death," Tomsughed coldly as he remembered the pain he felt. "Anyways, thanks foring. And good luck with your hunt."


    "Don¡¯t worry yourself." Trank¡¯s smile grew wider and more sinister as he squatted down to pat Toms on the back. "Thanks to them showing themselves, my job just got easier."

 Chapter 256 Back into Hiding

    <h4>Chapter 256 Back into Hiding</h4>


    Once Jack was over the wall, he dashed toward Eliza and Daliea, who had already started running toward a nearby alleyway.


    ¡¯Hurry up, and head for the private estate we stayed at. I¡¯ll take care of those on your tail," Rydel ordered, getting a nod from the others.


    With Ke remaining invisible while she ran alongside Eliza, everyone managed to enter the alley and start their way toward the meeting ce.


    Only a moment behind, two guards came into view, following the party and entering the same alley. But before Rydel acted against them, he paid close attention to the rooftops, noticing three more guards keeping a close watch from above.


    The hunter changed his target and hopped off the manor wall toward the nearest building. Within seconds, Rydel was pulling himself up onto the roof.


    Rydel understood that Jack and the others were at least 10 minutes away from the private estate on the outskirts of town at their given pace. With that in mind, he wanted to make sure all eyes were off them within the first three minutes, otherwise hiding would be tricky.


    First on his new hitlist was an archer atop the building opposite Rydel¡¯s. He moved swiftly and silently, but he was too busy hiding from Jack¡¯s line of sight to realize that he was already spotted from behind.


    While he hopped over to the next building, Rydel had begun making his move.


    The hunter hopped across the small alley and crossed over to the next building, putting him a few meters away. In a few steps, Rydel was almost breathing on the archer¡¯s back.


    Trying to keep up with the party¡¯s pace, the archer prepared to cross to the next building, but the moment he stood up to jump, he a hand cover his mouth and a cold de slit his throat. In seconds, his muffled cries vanished forever.


    Moving on to his next target, Rydel spotted the first of two thieves two buildings ahead of him.


    Not wasting any time Rydel made full use of Sterfen¡¯s blessing to quietly dash across the rooftops. He reached his target easily, but he took a second to verify that he wasn¡¯t noticed by either of the thieves.


    Showing no sign of awareness to his presence, the thieves continued to pursue the party on the ground. They each had a contact crystal in hand, possibly speaking to each other.


    "Are you sure we can¡¯t attack?" asked the thief near Rydel. "If we catch them off guard, we should be able to take out at least one."


    "Orders are orders. Just follow closely and ry their position," stated the thief in front, paying attention only to the intricate movements of Jack and the team.


    Rydel noticed the crystals and knew that he had to act faster this time.


    Armed with a long hunting knife in one hand and a bow in the other, Rydel hurried behind the second thief. Unlike when he killed the archer, Rydel waited for the thief tofortablynd on the next building. But the moment the thief ducked and slowed himself down, Rydel took action.


    "Why do I have to be in the second position? How about we..."


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Suspicious of the second thief¡¯s sudden silence, the first thief looked back toward hispanion, but what he saw horrified him.


    Lying on the ground was his friend with a dagger jutting out of his throat. However, there were no signs of anyone getting close enough to stab the second thief.


    "I should..."


    Before the first thief had a chance to say anything, an arrow had pierced his skull, killing him instantly.


    ¡¯All eyes from above have been neutralized,¡¯ Rydel filled in the others. ¡¯Now I¡¯ll take out the remaining two pairs of eyes.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Rydel.¡¯


    The hunter used his superior vantage point to easily locate the two men chasing hispanions. They had taken two routes, one in the alley to Rydel¡¯s left and the other was in the alley to Rydel¡¯s right. However, if he didn¡¯t hurry, the two remaining pursuers would meet back up and make things more difficult.


    Since Jack had taken a right at the next turn, Rydel chose to remove the man in the left alley. He didn¡¯t want to remove the man to the right only to have the one of the left see his fellow guard dead along the way.


    His new target was an assassin, so Rydel rethought his strategy a little.


    As the assassin neared the next turn, he spoke into his contact crystal, "I¡¯m heading right. I¡¯ll meet up with you shortly."


    "Okay," replied the other pursuer.


    Suddenly, the assassin heard a whistle in the air, the familiar sound of arrows pursuing him. He saw two arrows from the corner of his eye. One was aimed for just barely in front of him and the other was aimed for another meter further ahead.


    The assassin was already in motion forward, so jumping back so suddenly wasn¡¯t fast enough to dodge the iing arrows. Instead, he carefully jumped forward, cing him between the two projectiles and keeping him from harm¡¯s way.


    Safe at the moment, the assassin was about to warn the other guard but found himself unable. Before he could send his message, a thin, practically invisible wire between the two arrows sliced through the assassin¡¯s throat, letting his head topple to the floor. Too busy trying to warn the other guard, that assassin wasn¡¯t able to even realize that he had died.


    With one remaining target, Rydel honed in on the final pursuer, a hunter, like him.


    Rydel ran through a few strategies in his mind, picking one that he felt was most unpredictable to a fellow hunter


    "Where are you?" the final guard asked his now deceasedrade. "I¡¯ve passed the turn, where are you?"


    Getting no reply, the hunter raised his guard, preparing himself for the worst. He quickened his pace and double-check each corner and possible hiding ce for an attacker.


    Suddenly, the whistle of an arrow¡¯s fletchings sounded from above, catching the hunter¡¯s attention. But when he noticed it, he was confused. The arrow he saw came straight down as if it wasn¡¯t even aimed properly at him.


    More worried about his safety than the mission, the hunter jumped toward a well-guarded corner among heavy boxes and crates.


    Like the others, he readied his contact crystal to ry a message, but this time to his captain back at camp. However, the moment he lifted the crystal, that same hand was severed from his forearm.


    "What?! How¡¯s this--"


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t have you interfering." That voice didn¡¯t startle the on-guard hunter, but it terrified him. "Now, you can join yourrades."


    "Wait! I can be of use..."


    As the man pled for his life, his plea fell on deaf ears. Rydel was already slicing through his throat before thatst guard could finish his sentence.


    ¡¯The final man has been neutralized. Head to the estate. I¡¯ll see you soon," reported Rydel as he climbed back on top of a building to regain his view and the high ground.


    Rydel double-checked the surrounding area to make sure he got rid of all the following eyes and was happy to note that he was sessful. Using the high ground again to his advantage, Rydel managed to catch up with Jack and the others but he didn¡¯t join them on the ground. The proud hunter stayed up top, ready to act at a moment¡¯s notice.


    Though he was prepared, Rydel¡¯s awareness didn¡¯t seem to be necessary. In minutes, the party reached their destination, this time with new disguises and walking casually now that they were out in the open.


    By the time the party had reached the front gate of the private estate, Rydel had already picked the locks and allowed them entry. Finally, they could take a breather.

 Chapter 257 Whats Next?

    <h4>Chapter 257 What¡°s Next?</h4>


    The moment the party entered the estate and closed the doors, Daliea cast silence. With the fear of being caught temporarily gone, the party rxed a little.


    Rydel finally made himself visible as he addressed the team. "Everyone, I think it¡¯s best we leave town as soon as possible. We can¡¯t stay here for long."


    "Aaaahhh..." sighed Eliza. "And we finally got to rx."


    Ke added, "Don¡¯t we deserve at least a few minutes of rest? Though me and Eliza did nothing back there, we were on edge and ready to do anything needed."


    "It went too smoothly, looking back at it all," stated Daliea. "It should have been far more difficult."


    "That¡¯s because we weren¡¯t as sessful as we had nned," Rydel began to borate. "We were unlucky enough to run into not only both of General Toms¡¯s assistants but the general himself. I managed to wound the general pretty badly, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s more or less fine by now."


    "Then why did you pull us out of there?" asked Jack. "Weren¡¯t we supposed tomit to getting the job done then and there?"


    "We didmit, but there was no telling if we would seed even if we did stay," replied Rydel.


    "But we could¡¯ve tried at least. Now we¡¯ll never know. Now we¡¯ll have to think of a new n of attack to dy them, and we¡¯ll have tomit to it."


    "Look, Jack, it sounds like you¡¯re starting to ept the fact that we¡¯re putting our lives on the line, and I¡¯m d for that. But I¡¯m not willing to waste our lives in a situation that is likely to fail even if we all died."


    Avoiding Rydel¡¯s confident gaze, Jack looked to the rest of the party before looking down at the ground. "Was it really that bad of odds? I thought we were ready... You already killed one assistant and crippled the general, so all we had to do was fight off the captains and thest assistant. How hard could that be?"


    "It would still be difficult Jack. You??re forgetting the army," Daliea interjected. "Though they are weak in terms of level, their sheer numbers can be overwhelming, especially if we still have high-level opponents to face."


    "It¡¯s not just that..."


    Everyone turned to Rydel as he shook his head and continued his exnation, "I saw the general contacting someone the moment I rendered him unable to fight. And since I¡¯ve already seen an executive order from the general be handed off to a bounty hunter, it¡¯s likely that if we had stayed and fought, that we would¡¯ve been overwhelmed."


    "Are you sure?" asked Jack.


    "I¡¯m almost certain of it. It¡¯s one thing to face a mostly low-level army with a few captains in an unsuspecting environment. But that¡¯spletely different than facing a team of experts trained to hunt and kill," reasoned Rydel. "The man I saw receive our execution order was strange and twisted, and I was unable to see through his level."


    Jack spoke but paused his words, "Well... That doesn¡¯t mean--"


    Rydel cut off Jack¡¯s unconfident statement. "And if that man has a team behind him, it¡¯s likely that they would¡¯ve arrived at the camp sooner thanter. It¡¯s also likely that they¡¯re searching the city for us right now. We should exit the city and revisit the n once we¡¯re in the clear."


    "But if we exit the city, then there¡¯s no way they¡¯ll let us back in," argued Jack. "Then what will we do?"


    "I¡¯m... not sure yet." Rydel shrugged, unhappy with his ownck of knowledge. "We don¡¯t know enough about these bounty hunters to n effectively. So long as we get out and keep near the city, then I can do more reconnaissance and better take them into consideration."


    Torn at the thought of either failing due tock of action and the party perishing entirely, Jack took a deep breath as he vigorously scratched his head.


    If he pushed for them to stay in the city and continue to fight, there was now a chance that the party would be overwhelmed and ughtered. It was even possible that the party would be wiped without aplishing anything significant.


    If he agreed with Rydel¡¯s n, there was a chance that they would fail to dy the army entirely. That would lead to the loss of countless lives of both Trodan soldiers and Trodan citizens. Though Tralon would have his new army ready in a few days, Jack understood that after two attacks, the astute General Toms would likely decide to attack as soon as possible in order to avoid a third raid. The secret army wouldn¡¯t be able to reach the capital, but they would make it further into Trodar than ever before.


    Jack didn¡¯t like either option, which only made the decision all the more difficult.


    "Jack, I think Rydel is in the right," stated Daliea. "You¡¯ve learned that you can¡¯t guarantee all of our lives on every mission. Now, you must learn that not every mission will end in sess, at least not aplete sess."


    Eliza took this chance to give her opinion as well. "Daliea¡¯s right. Jack, we all know that you¡¯ve been under a lot of stress and want to do your best. But Jack, you have to see that what we¡¯ve done already is amazing."


    She walked up to her husband and grabbed his hand, softly brushing her thumb along his palm. "Jack, it¡¯s gonna be okay. We¡¯re all still here."


    "But we still haven¡¯t finished the mission. If we can¡¯t dy them, then--"


    "Then people will die, we know." Seeing a kink in Jack¡¯s defenses, Eliza pulled his arm into her chest as she leaned into him. "But that¡¯s how life is sometimes. People will die every day no matter what we do. But at least we can leave here knowing that we¡¯ve already saved a lot of people."


    "...But..."


    "Jack, imagine how bad things would¡¯ve been if we hadn¡¯te at all. It would be way worse. With everything we¡¯ve done, we¡¯ve already saved countless lives, even if others will still die."


    Struggling to find an argument for his wife¡¯s statement, Jack sighed, "But... If we can dy them just a bit more, then we can save even more lives."


    "And what if we die?" questioned Eliza, striking Jack dumb. "We¡¯re not questioning your intent, Jack, or you¡¯re willingness to help out in such a dire situation. But if we all die, even if we seed and prevent the army from breaching Trodar, then what will happen to Trodar the next time something unexpectedes up? Wouldn¡¯t it be defenseless?"


    "... Ummm..."


    "And what about Maura and Lina? What will happen to them if you died along with all of us?" Eliza continued to destroy Jack¡¯s mental defenses. "And Sterfen and Linara? They each chose you as their descendant, making you a demigod. If you die, who will avenge all of the suffering Halmut caused them, even taking away their only child?"


    "Eliza, please--"


    "Jack, it¡¯s normal to feel guilty in situations like this," Eliza¡¯s tone of voice again became calmer and more caring. "But you can¡¯t let that guilt affect your view of the big picture. We can try again, but even if we fail, we¡¯ve managed to do a great good Jack. And that outways the bad that could¡¯ve been. Okay?"


    "... Okay." Unable to defy her logic, Jack patted Eliza on the head. "Thank you, Eliza."


    "Don¡¯t thank just me. Thank them too. Everyone else feels the same way, you¡¯re just too dense to figure that out," stated Eliza, who was smiling happily.


    "Well, now that she finally got you to open up, at least we have a way for him to really listen to us now,"ughed Ke. "From now on, we¡¯ll let the wife handle Jack, that way she can threaten Jack if he doesn¡¯t listen."


    "Hey, there¡¯s no need for--"


    "True, if it¡¯s really needed, then I guess I can just ignore him for a while, not giving him massages or spending the night with--"


    "Okay, okay, I get it! I¡¯m too dense for my own good, now let¡¯s move on," stated Jack, not hiding the blush on his face.


    "Good, now we can focus on the next task, escaping the city," Rydel continued the original discussion. "Do you have any ideas, Jack?"


    Jack coughed to regain hisposure before he answered, "Taking everything into ount, getting out may not be too difficult so long as we leave as soon as possible."


    "I¡¯m not sure about that. Since General Toms was decisive enough toe personally to recruit reinforcements, then that means he¡¯s somewhat predicted our movements already. Taking that into ount means he¡¯s most likely already closed off the exits to the city," reasoned Rydel.


    "True... But we have two people able to escape without a trace thanks to the bracer. What if you and one other person left first, then you could bring back the bracer for the next person?"


    "That may work, but it would take more time than we¡¯d want." Rydel shook his head. "We¡¯d have to go far enough from the city so that whoeveres with me can wait alone without being caught. By the time we¡¯ve all exited the city, General Toms may have already left for the border or may have even crossed it."


    "Hmmm..." Jack, along with everyone else pondered the situation, trying their best to find a fast and safe escape route.


    "I may have an idea," stated Daliea, "but it¡¯s a bit different than what you all may be wanting."

 Chapter 258 Zurden Up In Flames

    <h4>Chapter 258 Zurden Up In mes</h4>


    "Sir, yes, sir!"


    "Take a seat, all of you. We¡¯ve got some important matters to discuss, so pay attention." In front of thest official and the remaining captains, General Toms showed no sign of weakness. Hefortably sat behind his desk and continued, "First off, some bad news. Assistant Loire has been killed."


    "What?"


    "How could this happen?"


    "Really?!"


    "Quiet!" Assistant Dirk stood at the general¡¯s side, focusing on maintaining order so the general wouldn¡¯t need to force overwork himself while he was still recovering.


    Once the lower-ranked officers shut their mouths, General Toms moved along as if nothing had happened. "Due to the vacancy of his position, I¡¯ve already asked for two more assistants to be assigned to me, one veteran of the position and one who has been newly promoted. They should arrive hear my early morning tomorrow. So, do you all understand what that means?"


    The unconfident men all lowered their heads, waiting for the general.


    "When the new assistants arrive, we¡¯ll move out immediately. Also, be aware that we will be meeting up with a second army before making a move at the border."


    Somewhat shocked, the men looked up to the general¡¯s stoic face, startled at how casual the man treated international warfare.


    "From now on I want our security tripled. We¡¯ve been found and assaulted far too easily, and that can¡¯t be allowed again." Finally, General Toms showed some kind of emotion, disappointment. A single nce from Toms chilled the men before him to the marrow of their bones. "We can¡¯t afford to make another mistake like this again. How are the efforts to find the pestros who caused this?"


    One man stepped forward as he gulped down some of his nervousness. "Sir, all entries and exits to the city have been closed off. Not even members of the local noble family have been allowed to leave."


    "Good, let¡¯s keep it that way until we leave," Toms nodded, letting his smug expression fade back into an unemotional gaze and relieving some of the pressure from the men. "Now, are there any questions?"


    "No, sir," replied the men in unison.


    "Then you¡¯re all dismissed."


    As the men dly left the general¡¯s tent, Dirk started to pace and share his thoughts, "General, are you sure they won¡¯t attack again tonight?"


    With a soft smile on his face, Toms replied, "I¡¯m certain. After their attack on the camp in the mountains, rather thenunch a second attack they set traps and moved on elsewhere. That being the case, I think we¡¯re up against a small team of professionals and not any regr military spies."


    "However, that also means that there¡¯s most likely not enough members of this team to take our forces head-on. Considering their ability to flee the camp and quickly locate our reinforcements, I must give them some degree of credit for keeping me on my toes. Also, I¡¯d personally like to thank the man who gave me such a trophy of a war scar. But that might not happen, sadly."


    "What do you mean?" asked Dirk.


    "Time, Dirk. Time is what these people are after," General Toms reasoned. "I assume that the moment our secret army was found, they reported us to their higher-ups and made the first strike against the camp. And them stealing our resources was not only a way to show us but to speed up their own efforts to raise an army to rival ours. But do you want to know what the worst of all this is?"


    Dirk remained quiet so Toms shook his head and sighed, "This team has discovered our partnership with Sandros."


    Now wide-eyed at the realization, Dirk spoke up, "General, doesn¡¯t that mean--"


    "That Limneer will be held ountable for breaking the war pact? Yes, that¡¯s what will happen, so long as we fail to strike. And since I now understand that this team¡¯s goal is to buy time and not cripple our forces, I won¡¯t give them another second." A cold grin spread across Toms¡¯s face as he snickered, "Are they in ce?"


    "Yes, they¡¯ve already been ced and are ready at a moment¡¯s notice."


    "Good. Then we¡¯ll see just howmitted these people are to keeping us away from Trodar."


    "But General, if they can¡¯t even get out of the city, then they¡¯ll--"


    "They¡¯ll escape the city, Dirk. There¡¯s no doubt about that," stated Toms. "If I wanted to keep them here, it would be nigh impossible. I¡¯m not sure how, but they had the means to keep someone invisible even while attacking. I¡¯ve only ever seen something like that from items and abilities over lv. 50."


    "You don¡¯t think that Trodar would send a high-leveled expert since we¡¯ve already broken the war pact, do you?" Dirk tried his best to put two and two together.


    "No, impossible. If they tried that, then Prachten and Iscantor wouldn¡¯t let them slide. Also, if they had a true expert among that small band that attacked us, why would they run away without at least killing me?" General Toms¡¯s cold smile faded as he reached back and felt the sore wound on his back. "My guess is that these people are some of Trodar¡¯s best below lv. 40, possibly people we¡¯ve never seen before or even people that they¡¯ve hired from afar. So, if they attack again, I¡¯d rather lose a quarter of the army then let them runaway a third time."


    "General! General!" Urgent shouts from outside the tent brought their conversation to a halt.


    "Enter."


    A captain rushed inside, one of the few who had recently left the general¡¯s tent just minutes ago. "General, I¡¯vee to report about the city¡¯s security. Sir, we¡¯re under attack!"


    "What?" General Toms forced himself up with a groan. "Who is it and which part of the city?"


    "Sir... We don¡¯t know who it is but it¡¯s happening everywhere," stated the captain, trying his best to remain calm in front of the general.


    "Everywhere?"


    "Juste outside sir and you¡¯ll see what I mean." The captain didn¡¯t even wait for a reply as he held up the tent p for the general and the assistant.


    Curious General Toms walked outside, followed by Assitant Dirk. Once out there, they both quickly grasped the situation.


    "Those pestros... They¡¯d go this far?" Toms mumbled to himself as he realized what he was now up against.


    Just beyond the walls of the manor stood the city walls, nowpletely engulfed in white mes that Toms and Dirk had recently be familiar with. And all the soldiers within the camp were scrambling to gather some means to put out the fire.


    "Take down the tents immediately!" shouted Toms at the top of his voice so all the camp could hear him. "After that, all soldiers are to gather in the city square and wait for further orders!"


    Hearing the echoing orders, the recently recruited soldiers of the make-shift army calmed down quite a bit. With such simple orders, how could they not understand them and be eager to get far away from those intimidating white mes?


    "Dirk."


    "Yes, General?"


    "Go and inspect the me. I want a report on it immediately!"


    "Yes, General." Without looking back, Assistant Dirk took off with great speed hopping over the manor wall and rushing toward the nearby mes.


    "And you, Captain, tell the city security to back away from the mes and refocus their efforts on a different portion of the wall."


    "But, sir, that won¡¯t work," replied the captain.


    Toms frowned and red at the captain for talking back to him. "What do you mean?"


    "S-sir, the entire city is surrounded. We can¡¯t just..."


    No longer caring about the captain or his words, General Toms immediately ran up to the nearest wall and climbed to the top to gain a better view.


    It was terrifying. The entirety of Zurden¡¯s city walls was coated in those deadly white mes, making Toms question whether he had misjudged the true aim of the team working for Trodar.

 Chapter 259 Just Follow Orders

    <h4>Chapter 259 Just Follow Orders</h4>


    General Toms shook as he took in the sudden change to his surroundings. Never had he imagined such a sight would happen in Zurden, a sight that he would only wish on his greatest enemies.


    The general took out his contact crystal and whispered, "Trank, make sure your men hold their positions. Don¡¯t let this affect the n unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary."


    "Sure thing, Toms."


    Focusing fully on the new challenge before them, Toms continued to speak using the crystal, "Dirk, what have you learned?"


    "General, it¡¯s the same me..." Assistant Dirk was at a loss for words, struggling to say much else.


    "Any ideas on how to stop it?"


    "I... I¡¯ve no clue," replied Dirk. "Back at camp, none of us were able to stop the mes. The only solution we had was to break down the unaffected tents and keep them away from the mes so it wouldn¡¯t spread. After that, the white me eventually dwindled and died without any more fuel."


    "Great..." General Toms gave a self-mocking chuckle. "So what do you rmend we do?"


    "To stop the me we¡¯ll need to keep it away from anything that can catch fire, and that would mean the immediate destruction of all buildings near the city walls."


    "Impossible... That would take far too long for the guards."


    "Well, General, if our forces joined the effort, then it may be possible to--"


    "I said it was impossible. Think of something else," stated General Toms, unfazed emotionally.


    "Yes, of course..." dejected, Assistant Dirk sighed. "There may be some parts of the city wall that aren¡¯t affected so badly. It would be near impossible for something like this to happen so quickly, so I¡¯d imagine that they attacked portions of the wall that would let the mes eventually connect."


    "So we need to look for where the me is the weakest and breakthrough before we¡¯re trapped in a ming hellhole? Now that¡¯s a n."


    "Also, General, that person who set the camp on fire was a master of illusions. So there might be--"


    "You don¡¯t think all of this me is real?" Toms asked. "Not a bad thought. Then we need to hurry and send the scouts to join you in testing that theory. Once we¡¯ve found a weak spot in the me, we¡¯ll destroy that portion of the city wall and hurry toward the border."


    "General, don¡¯t you think we have enough men to help escort the citizens out of the city? It will go faster than destroying the--"


    "Also impossible. It seems that I¡¯ve underestimated how desperate this band of assassins are to stop us from attacking. That gives us all the more reason to push forward without any dy," reasoned General Toms.


    "But... Can¡¯t we at least--"


    "Enough, Dirk. You know your position and you know how important our mission is," stated Toms. "If you¡¯re worried about the morality of the troops, then we¡¯ll use this to fuel their anger against Trodar."


    "But these aren¡¯t veteran soldiers like back at camp. These are all fresh recruits, most of which have families here in Zurden. They¡¯ll want to go and help their families--"


    "The fresher the better, all the easier to convince them. Now that¡¯s enough!" General Toms clenched the crystal fiercely as he shouted back to the uncharacteristically paranoid Dirk. "I¡¯ve already given my orders, so make sure they¡¯re followed perfectly like you always do."


    "... Of course, Sir."


    Defeated, Assistant Dirk rushed back while rying the general¡¯s order through contact crystals. Immediately, dozens of scout took to the rooftops and scattered, each heading toward a different portion of the city walls.


    However, there was one slight tweak to the general¡¯s orders. The scouts all hurried to their assigned areas to inspect the wall, but Assistant Dirk was going elsewhere, the contact crystal still in his hand.


    "Where are you? Are you safe?"


    Almost immediately, a response filled Dirk¡¯s head, "Yes, we¡¯re at home. I hear a lot of shouting outside. Is something wrong?"


    Relieved, Dirk sighed, "Something hase up, but everything should be fine. I¡¯m on my way to pick you up now."


    "What?! You¡¯reing home?"


    "No, I¡¯ming to get you," replied Dirk. "Help Ste and Stephan to pack everything as fast as possible. I¡¯ll be there in a few minutes."


    "Uh, okay... I¡¯ll do that."


    A burden off his shoulders, Dirk continued his near frantic pace as he got closer and closer to home. Though reports we¡¯reing in, Assistant Dirk had already established a chain ofmunication, one where he wasn¡¯t necessary, so he ignored them.


    Just like he had told his wife, Dirk soon arrived at a decently sized home on the east side of Zurden. Without any thought, he pushed the door open and entered the house.


    "Honey, are you okay?" Instantly hearing her husband¡¯s heavy footsteps, Wenda ran into the main living area, the room directly in front of the entrance.


    "Wenda, I¡¯ve got to--"


    "Wow, I have to give Rydel and Daliea more credit after this."


    An unfamiliar voice caught Dirk off guard. He immediately scoured the room but found nothing.


    "Oh right, you still can¡¯t see me," stated the voice. "How¡¯s this?"


    Finally, Dirk found his home¡¯s perpetrator but it only made him all the more furious. He found the perpetrator holding his wife, covering her mouth with one arm and holding a knife not too far from her neck with the other.


    "You... You¡¯re one of those assassins, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Wow, even under all this you won¡¯t raise your voice. Trying not to scare the children?" Seeing some hesitation in the assistant, the man continued, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not here to threaten anybody. I just wanted to make sure I had your attention."


    As soon as he said that, the perpetrator released Wenda and threw the knife to the ground. He sauntered over to the couch while Dirk hurried to his wife¡¯s side.


    With a wave of his hand, Silence was cast and the man sat himself while motioning to the couch beside him. "Come, have a seat. I came all this way to talk with the man that even my scout had high praise for."


    Dirk¡¯s impression of the invader improved slightly, but he still remained cautious. "Wenda, make sure the kids stay in their room."


    "She¡¯s more than wee to join the discussion, Dirk. In fact, I¡¯d prefer it. I think you¡¯ll want her input on what I have to say," insisted the man. "And like I said before, I¡¯m not here to threaten anyone. If I was, why would I wait till you were home?"


    "Wenda, let the kids y in their room bute back." Dirk couldn¡¯t help but find this man all the more intriguing. The man had a point.


    "So, Dirk, how¡¯s General Toms treating his favorite assistant?" asked the man with a smile.


    "Before we continue this conversation, can I know your name or at least a name that I can call you?"


    "Sure. The name¡¯s Jack." The man stretched his arms and back casually, not offended in the slightest.


    Wenda quickly reentered the room and sat next to her husband.


    Seeing that she was still scared and avoided Jack¡¯s gaze, Jack sighed, "Like I told your husband, my name is Jack. Also, that¡¯s my real name, not some code or disguise. Depending on how this conversation goes, I might even show you my real face."


    "Y-you¡¯re real--"


    Before Wenda finished stammering, Jack¡¯s appearance changed in the blink of an eye to middle-aged woman, baffling Wenda and stunning Dirk. Jack did this two more times before reverting to his true self. "This is the form that you sketched for my wanted posters, so it¡¯s probably the easiest to speak in."


    Dirk nodded out of reflex while Jackughed to himself.


    "So, Dirk, you didn¡¯t answer my question."


    "I¡¯m doing fine under General Toms," replied the assistant. "Get to the point, I have things I need to do and I¡¯m already breaking regtion in being here, let alone talk with you."


    "Okay, then I¡¯ll get right to it." Jack sat up and leaned both arms on his knees, looking confidently back at the husband and wife. "Dirk, I want you to join Trodar."

 Chapter 260 The Invaders Offer

    <h4>Chapter 260 The Invader¡°s Offer</h4>


    "Dirk, I want you to join Trodar."


    Again thrown for a loop, Dirk looked to his wife and then back to Jack with augh. "If that¡¯s all, then you¡¯re just wasting your time and my time. You have no reason to believe that--"


    "Actually, I have all the reason to believe that you would be willing to join Trodar," interjected Jack. "I know more about you than your own general, is that hard to believe considering me and my team managed to creep into your camp without any issues?"


    Dirk stayed silent, letting Jack continue the irrelevant attempts to sway him.


    "Wenda, how happy are you with your husband¡¯s position in the army?" Jack calmly asked her.


    "I-I¡¯m very happy with it. He¡¯s such a great man, so of course, he deserves his position and rank."


    "Are you happy with him being forced to leave the city and the citizens behind while the city burns to ashes?"


    Shocked to hear such a statement, Wenda confidently replied, "Dirk would never--"


    Jack shook his head and cut her off, "But it¡¯s not about what your husband wants, it¡¯s about what General Toms wants. Did you know he¡¯s breaking ordersing here? The general wants to leave the city immediately without offering any aid to the city, its citizens, or the families of all those soldiers he just forcefully recruited."


    "What do you mean? What¡¯s going on exactly?" Wenda was confused and looked to her husband for support, but she only saw how hollow and empty his eyes were. "Dirk, what does he mean by all of this?"


    "Do you want to tell her, or should I?" Jack asked.


    "I-I..." The assistant who was always calm, cool, and collected finally showed the kink in his armor, but only in front of his wife. "Wenda, it¡¯s not like that. With what¡¯s happening now, the general wants--"


    "Wait, is the city really in danger?! Why are we sitting here calmly?!" Wenda shouted and jumped to her feet. "We need to get the kids out of here! We need to--"


    "Please, calm down Wenda," Jack serenely stood up and motioned back toward Dirk. "Trust me, you and you¡¯re family are more than fine. With me here, the mes surrounding the city are of no threat to you."


    "What do you mean by that?" asked Dirk, ignoring his wife¡¯s confusion.


    "Exactly that. That me is of no threat to me, nor to you while I¡¯m here. So, let¡¯s continue our little discussion. But first, help your wife to sit and calm down."


    Still trying to piece together an impression of Jack, Dirk stood up and embraced his wife. "Wenda, please calm down. I¡¯ll always make sure you and the kids are safe, no matter what."


    "And that¡¯s my reason," shouted Jack, pointing eagerly at Dirk.


    Not understanding Jack¡¯s meaning, Dirk asked, "You¡¯re what?"


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m here talking with you and not already outside of the city walls. You care for other people dearly, and especially your family. That¡¯s why you¡¯re not cut out for the Limneer military and should join Trodar."


    "So, because I care about my family, I should betray my country and join my enemy? Tugging on my heartstrings doesn¡¯t mean I won¡¯t keep a clear view on the bigger picture," stated Dirk as he sat back down with his wife.


    Jackughed, "Who said I was your enemy?"


    "You¡¯re with Trodar and you¡¯ve been sent to kill me and other high ranking officers, why wouldn¡¯t you be our enemy?"


    "My mission was originally to investigate rumors of a secret army, which the general has hidden in the nearby mountains, along with Sandros troops, which shows that you¡¯ve broken the war pact as a nation."


    Wenda was dumbfounded as Jack continued, "My current objective is to dy the army, but not at all cost. Why else would we only steal your resources at the camp and assassinate a few captains here in Zurden? And if you argue about the fire, in all honesty, most of it is fake and used as a scare tactic to get my team out of the city. I¡¯m sure your scouts will report that if they haven¡¯t already."


    "Then... Why are we talking right now?" Dirk questioned, not understanding why Jack would go out on a limb to meet with him.


    "Because I¡¯m not your enemy, and neither is Trodar. I don¡¯t want this war to end through bloodshed, I want to end it through diplomacy."


    Dirk suddenly burst intoughter, "Diplomacy? Have you met any of the higher-ups in Limneer? There¡¯s no way you could ever--"


    "The nobles of Limneer may be a lost cause, but do you want the entire nation to suffer because of that?" reasoned Jack. "Since Limneer broke the war pact, so long as we can work together with Prachten and Iscantor, then diplomacy isn¡¯t impossible, is it?"


    "Well... maybe not..." Gears spun in Dirk¡¯s head as he pieced together the puzzle. "But that¡¯s just a theory, nothing guaranteed. Why should I join you?"


    "Because your wife and children will be happier in Trodar, and your aid will quicken our efforts to end this war, freeing themon citizens of Limneer from forced warfare." Again, Jack turned to Wenda. "Do you know why Trodar hasn¡¯t invaded Limneer?"


    "Because they can¡¯t, right? Their forces are split into three fronts," replied Wenda.


    "Wrong. Because the higher-ups refuse to force war on their people. We¡¯ve only been fighting defensively, taking abuse mostly from the merciless armies of Limeer who torch and destroy all viges and towns they pass in Trodar," Jack stated, bringing a grim expression to Wenda¡¯s face.


    "Dirk, he¡¯s lying, right? You would never..." Wenda stopped talking as her husband looked away in shame, not daring to reply with words. "That... That can¡¯t be..."


    "Your husband knows plenty about the cruelty that the Limneer military thrives on, just ask him about his perverse coworker, Assistant Loire."


    "Loire, what¡¯s wrong with him?" asked Wenda. "He was such a nice man. He even visited us earlier today when--"


    "What!" A switch flipped in Dirk as he grabbed his wife by the shoulders and looked caringly into her eyes. "That presto came here while I was gone? Don¡¯t tell me he yed with the children?"


    "Y-yes... that¡¯s exactly--"


    "Dirk, Wenda, don¡¯t worry about that pig any longer. My scout found him alone in a back room of the Lavish Lute and he made sure that pig would nevere out again."


    "The Lavish Lute?!" This time Wenda exploded. "That man would go there? Impossible! He¡¯s a respectable assistant like my--"


    "Wenda, that¡¯s enough." Dirk pulled her in close for a moment before looking back to Jack. "So, hypothetically, if I were to side with you, what would that entail?"


    "The safe passage and transport of your family to Trodar, a home fully paid for in Gilga, and a job in the Leisure Guild."


    "The Leisure Guild?" Dirk mumbled to himself before asking, "Why the Leisure Guild?"


    "Cause that¡¯s who I¡¯m with. I¡¯m good friends with the guild leader and we can make sure that your protected and not abused for information against Limneer," exined Jack. "If you want, I can even have your family in Gilga within the hour."


    "WHAT?!" Both Dirk and Wenda shouted in shock.


    "No, really. I can have it arranged for your family to be in Gilga within the hour. If you weren¡¯t so busy with work orders, then I can even let you join them and bring you back shortly after."


    "That... That¡¯s impossible," chuckled Dirk.


    Jack alsoughed, "To me, that word may as well not exist."


    Within his mind, Jack sent a mental message, ¡¯Tralon, now.¡¯


    While Dirk and Wenda tried to grasp how serious Jack¡¯s offer was, a sh of light blinded them. But as soon as Dirk covered his wife to protect her, the light vanished leaving behind a wrinkly, old man that was somehow filled with vitality.


    Wenda was even more confused. Dirk, on the other hand, was frozen in ce. He felt a mix of awe and fear as he instantly recognized the man before them.


    Jack stood up and introduced the man properly, "Dirk, Wenda, this is my good friend, Tralon, the leader of the Leisure Guild."


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you." Tralon smiled and bowed his head to the couple, terrifying Dirk all the more.


    "T-there¡¯s no need to bow your head. I wouldn¡¯t want you to feel--"


    "Young man, there¡¯s no need for such formalities right now. I¡¯m not here as a guild leader, I¡¯m here as a friend and formerpanion to this man," stated Tralon, pointing to Jack. "What he said is true. I can guarantee the safety of your family and we will dly ept you into our ranks if you so wish."


    "I-I... I can¡¯t just--"


    "We get it. You worked hard for years to provide for your family. You may have joined the military thinking they were righteous, but your priormitment shouldn¡¯t mean youpromise your values as a human being," interjected Jack. "Also, now that you can no longer hide your secret misery from your wife, what do you think she would prefer?"


    Dirk opened his mouth but said nothing. He turned to his wife, who was shocked at the sudden development. "Wenda, I..."


    "Dirk, you should¡¯ve told me sooner." Wenda buried her face in Dirk¡¯s chest. "If I knew it was that bad, I never would¡¯ve pushed you to get a promotion. The money helps, but other things are more important."


    Hearing her words, Dirk turned to Jack and Tralon. "I... This is so sudden, I can¡¯t just--"


    "You¡¯re father-inw and mother-inw are wee toe too. We¡¯ll even pay for the medicine she needs," Jack added with a chuckle.


    "You..." Dirk broke intoughter. "You really do know more about me than the general."

 Chapter 261 Charging Toward the Border

    <h4>Chapter 261 Charging Toward the Border</h4>


    "Sir, I¡¯ve go the report from the scouts."


    "Come in," ordered General Toms. "What are we dealing with?"


    "Sir, the majority of the fire is made up of illusions, but we still can¡¯t underestimate things. Within the illusions are real patches of white fire, and those are spreading as we speak. If nothing is done, the fire should spread across the entirety of the city walls within a day," reported the captain.


    "Hmmm... So, where is the safest ce to breakthrough the mes?" asked Toms.


    "Thergest remaining gap is to the Northeast," exined the captain. "The mes to the west are the strongest and to the east are the weakest."


    "How long till that gap closes?"


    "The scouts estimated three hours at most, but it could likely close within the hour."


    With a grunt of approval, Toms stood up and marched past the captain giving the report. He stepped outside of his tent and saw his army crammed into the city¡¯s main square. Easily being noticed, the general took a deep breath and raised his arm.


    "Men! It¡¯s time we make our move and track down the vermin that brought fire to our city! If we don¡¯t break through the fire now, they¡¯ll escape and never be found again! I ask now for your full strength and determination in bringing them to justice! Are you with me?!"


    "SIR, YES, SIR!" In unison, almost one thousand troops shouted in praise at the righteousness of their general.


    "Now, take up your weapons and line up! Now, we move out!"


    Taking the lead, Toms parted the sea of soldiers around him and marched northeast. "Any buildings destroyed by our march will be paid for by the state! Don¡¯t let anything stop your charge!"


    Once the general let the soldiers march uninhibited, their speed increased and so did the destruction of the city.


    Along the way, a familiar face appeared beside General Toms and matched his pace. Toms chuckled, "About time you showed up."


    "Sorry, General, I had personal matters to attend to."


    "Dirk, what kind of personal matters would you... Oh, right. You¡¯ve got family here, don¡¯t you?" As Dirk nodded in response, Tomsughed it off, "Forget about it. I can let it slide this once. Just stay sharp, we¡¯ll need to pay attention when we make a break for the border."


    "Of course, General."


    As they neared the northeast portion of the wall, a scout jumped down from one of the rooftops. "Sir, I¡¯ll lead you to the gap."


    "Make it fast!"


    Though the army¡¯s reckless sprint for the city limits caused a fair amount of destruction, they managed to reach the wall within fifty minutes, giving them just enough time to squeeze past the spreading fire in the worst-case scenario.


    The scout marked the gap as Toms booming voice filled the air, "Men, I know you¡¯re starting to feel tired, but here is where the test of strength truly begins! After we break through the wall, we must keep an eye out for enemies as we follow them to the border! Ready?!"


    "SIR, YES, SIR!"


    "Captains, now!" Toms gave the order as all the captains stepped forward and activated their strongest attacks, along with Toms and Dirk. In the time of a single breathe, different sorts of energy bombarded and ravaged the city wall. It stood no chance and was pried open wider with each attack.


    Once the barrage was over, a three-meter opening was left behind.


    "Men, as you pass through,unch your strongest attack the walls! The wider you make it the faster we can get through it and the sooner we catch the fiends who caused this!"


    "SIR, YES, SIR!"


    "Now move!"


    General Toms and Assistant Dirk kept the lead as the army forced their way through the tight opening, expanding it with each passing second.


    Now entering the woods that covered the northern part of the Limneer-Trodar border, Toms kept his contact crystal in hand at all times, always ready to give pass amand.


    Dirk stayed focused on the trail before them, like the captains behind them


    They didn¡¯t follow any set path but were bypassing the roads in an attempt to charge directly for the border. If the newly recruited soldiers had any experience, they would¡¯ve felt their approach to pursuit as a bit strange and rushed. However, they couldn¡¯t understand that Toms¡¯s true intention was to use that fire as fuel for the soldiers¡¯ rage, easily convincing them to charge the border.


    "General, when are we meeting with the other troops?" asked Dirk.


    "They¡¯re on the way, but I don¡¯t n to stop," Toms replied. "We¡¯ll let them cover our rear until we conjoin on the other side of the border."


    "But won¡¯t an invasion be nigh impossible with only these men? They may have a decent number of bodies, but they¡¯re all green and inexperienced," reasoned Dirk. "They¡¯d be no better than cannon fodderpared to Trodar¡¯s current forces on the border."


    "How long did it take for you to realize that?" General Tomsughed quietly, keeping the conversation between the two men. "Wouldn¡¯t that leave Trodar¡¯s forces wide open for attack from our remaining forces?"


    Finally showing some emotion, Dirk looked back to the general out of the corner of his eye. "General... You can¡¯t be serious."


    "Oh, I¡¯m serious alright. This strategy has worked before, so why not now?" stated Toms indifferently. "With this batch of fresh meat creating the initial breach, our remaining forces will clean through the border easily. I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll reach the capital like I had hoped thanks to those pests from earlier finding us out, but we¡¯ll be able to force Trodar to surrender with help from Prachten and Iscantor."


    "... I see. So this was your n all along, even if the camp had never been attacked?"


    With a proud smile on his face, Toms tapped on the edge of his forehead. "Precisely. You¡¯ve always got to think outside of the box."


    "Then howe I never heard about this?"


    "Dirk, you¡¯re a great guy. That¡¯s why Loire insisted that you shouldn¡¯t be told. But don¡¯t worry, one day you¡¯ll be smart enough to see things clearly." Toms patted the younger man on the back as if to pass down precious, well-aged wisdom.


    "Right..." Dirk also chuckled but he shook his head. "I guess I did need time to see things clearly... Sorry for taking so long."


    "No worries, Dirk. Besides, now that Loire¡¯s gone, we¡¯ll be working more closely than ever. Just wait till I tell you about my ns for the Trodan viges we¡¯ll be piging."


    "Alright, but tell meter. For now, we should focus on the surroundings. Who knows where those spies might be hiding?"


    "Good. You¡¯ll make a great general one day with that kind of focus. I¡¯ll make sure to teach you everything,"ughed the general, again hitting Dirk on the back.


    The troops continued their march through the night and into the early morning. Most were exhausted and the army was moving at a snail¡¯s pace by the time the sun was climbing up the sky.


    "Men, you¡¯ve got two hours to rest! Make the most of it!" Toms¡¯s shout spread across the camp, causing each soldier to groan in either pain or disappointment. "If I hear anyints, we¡¯ll take the border right now! What do you say?!"


    "..."


    "Good, now rest!"


    While the majority of the armyid down to try and get some sleep, the captains were rxing and chatting among themselves. Their higher levels made it much easier to keep the pace with the low-level soldiers.


    "Dirk, join me for a quick drink!"ughed Toms. "Before every great battle, I always share a shot. I¡¯ve yet to lose after drinking my good luck charm!"


    Like usual, Dirk kept close to the general but not too close as to invade his personal space. He sighed and got up from hisfortable seat against a tree. Shortly after, Dirk was beside Toms with a small ss in his hand.


    Toms clinked the shot sses in excitement. "To the destruction of Trodar!"


    "To victory!" Dirk shouted his own cheer before downing the drink along with his superior officer.

 Chapter 262 The Third Strike

    <h4>Chapter 262 The Third Strike</h4>


    As the two hours came to an end, Toms made sure that no one was able to sleep any longer. "Alright, men, let¡¯s move out!"


    Toms and Dirk began their march, not giving their followers any other option than to obediently head toward the border. However, something that the new soldiers noticed but didn¡¯t understand was the relocation of the captains. It was briefly talked about within the ranks and then quickly ignored as no answer was given as to why the captains were now located at the rear of the army¡¯s march.


    "Men!" Seeing how the soldiers were a bit confused without their captains guiding them, Toms spoke up to reignite their rage. "We¡¯re almost at the border! Be ready to push through by force! If anyone is too distracted, then they¡¯re sure to die before iming vengeance for their city!"


    There was no call back at that time. Instead, the soldiers quickened their pace and sounded various battle cries as they neared their first bloody battle.


    Dirk would look back on the soldiers and feel his heart clench. He couldn¡¯t argue with the effectiveness of Toms¡¯s strategy but he would forever be opposed to the morality of such measures. Looking back, Dirk mentioned, "I¡¯ll walk amongst the soldiers for a while. It should help morale quite a bit."


    "A great idea!" Tomsughed. "Just make sure you¡¯re back in position for our maneuver at the border. And keep an eye out for them, okay?"


    "Of course, General."


    Dirk slowed down and became consumed by the mass of soldiers that were once behind him. All the soldiers were excited to see him among them and they made sure to march onward with a smile. No one wanted to disappoint the assistant or make a bad impression. It was their chance to stand out and get noticed.


    After joining the crowd, the assistant seemed to move around the army as if in search of someone. When he was almost in the middle of the army, a hand reached out and tapped him on the shoulder.


    "Didn¡¯t expect to see you here."


    "Same, it¡¯s been a while, old friend," Dirk replied with a slight smile. "How did you get mixed up in all this?"


    "Well, I guess you could say that the aggressive recruiting strategy was quite persuasive. Any tips for a neer like me?" joked the aging soldier.


    "With your skills, you should be fine. But if any of yourrades joined as well, I¡¯d try and band up before the border. Increase your odds a bit more."


    "Will do, Dirk. I¡¯ll stop getting in your way now,"ughed the man.


    Dirkughed as well, yfully pping the man¡¯s shoulder. "Anytime, old friend. If I get the chance, I¡¯ll find you again to help you out if needed."


    After the short exchange, Dirk found his way back to the front of the army.


    ¡¯Everyone, we¡¯re going with n B,¡¯ the aging soldier calmly stated in his mind.


    ¡¯And what about Dirk?¡¯ Rydel¡¯s voice responded.


    ¡¯He¡¯s ready to make a move when the timees,¡¯ replied the soldier. ¡¯Daliea, you¡¯ll make the first move, but don¡¯t be afraid to back off. You still need to recover after all of the illusions you cast yesterday.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Jack. I¡¯ll keep that in mind,¡¯ Daliea replied shyly. ¡¯Is everyone ready?¡¯


    ¡¯Ayden and I are in position,¡¯ stated Rydel.


    Eliza followed, ¡¯So are me and Ke.¡¯


    ¡¯And I¡¯ve been waiting for too long,¡¯ Jack added. ¡¯Let¡¯s get this done so we can finally sleep and be done with this mission.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright. We¡¯re starting in 3... 2... 1...¡¯


    Right on cue, a massive orb of ckness appeared and covered a sixth of the army near the front, stopping just before it reached Assistant Dirk.


    Toms quickly noticed it and turned himself around. "Men! We have spies among us! Be merciless and attack anyone suspicious!"


    As he was giving the order, the army came to a grinding halt, trying to create some space between them and the darkness. For those inside the shadowy world, they were able to hear the general¡¯s orders, but they couldn¡¯t even see the hand in front of their faces. Without any kind of light magic to counter it, they were lost within the abyssal darkness.


    The soldiers readied themselves to attack, but something caught them off guard.


    Only a few seconds after the darkness appeared shouts of the trapped soldiers rang out. Everyone could hear their pain and suffering. Soon, they too understood what was happening inside that darkness.


    White fireballs emerged from the darkness, flying haphazardly into the surrounding army. Both fear and rage-filled the hearts of the soldiers as they recognized those mes.


    Toms paid close attention, nodding silently as if to give credit to his enemy for their cunning and tenacity. "Men, don¡¯t be afraid, just attack! Throw everything you have into that ck sphere! And be ready for more surprise attacks from anywhere else!"


    As if to follow the general¡¯s orders, more cries of men rang out but from the rear this time. A third of the captains were nowying across the ground in a pool of blood. Each had an arrow jutted out of their neck or skull.


    The captains had nned to stay back and disappear before entering enemy territory, that way the general wouldn¡¯t lose the few veteran soldiers he did have.


    Now, having sectioned themselves off from the rest of the army, they were easy targets. But they still had no idea how those first captains had died. They didn¡¯t know where the arrows hade from, nor did they hear anything besides the faint whistle of an arrow, but they were too fast to see.


    One captain retrieved his contact crystal and reported, "Sir, we¡¯ve lost a third of the captains."


    "What?!" Toms heard the captains¡¯ cries but hadn¡¯t recognized who they belonged too. "How?! Who caused it?!"


    "Sir, we don¡¯t know," the captain frantically replied. "They were killed by arrows, but we never saw where they..."


    "Speak up! What¡¯s happening?!" Toms tried to get another response, but the dead captain would never be able to speak again after taking an arrow through his throat. "Dirk! Get back here!"


    Following orders, Assistant Dirk dashed toward the general, staying close like they had nned. "What now, General?"


    "Now we let Trank¡¯s men make an appearance," groaned the general. "Looks like I¡¯ll have to pay him double after all."


    The fireballs continued,pletely disregarding the hundreds of arrowsunched into the darkness. And the invisible archer continued to pick off the captains since they had made his job easier.


    Within the army, a few men weren¡¯t attacking but slipping through the ranks and approaching the dark sphere. As they reached the gap between the army and the orb, they each took out a staff. Immediately, their staffs began to glow and amass a lot of energy, drawing the attention of the soldiers and stopping them from attacking.


    Jack also saw them, but he was unable to see through their levels, marking them as the men he was warned about.


    ¡¯Everyone, the experts are making a move on the orb. Bowzer, get back in Daliea¡¯s ring. Daliea, take to the air. Rydel, you know what to do.¡¯


    Following the n, the fireballs ceased just before the secret magesunched their attack.


    Not taking that as a coincidence, Toms and the still hidden Trank understood that there had to be someone keeping an eye on everything outside of the darkness, likely another spy hidden among the army.


    Finally, the charged up spells were hurled into the dark sphere. A raging blizzard wasunched, a tidal wave was created, a storm of boulders was thrown, and a shing whirl of wind was set off. The dark orb was quickly blown apart by the collision of the four peak-tier spells.


    However, when those spells pierced the orb, something else did as well. At the top of the orb, arge blur streaked through the darkness, leaving behind only entry and exit points.


    Also, there was suddenly someone riding that incredible beast as it exited and disappeared at an incredible speed.


    Again, the army had been attacked and the attackers had escaped their grasp. At least, that¡¯s what the majority of the soldiers thought.

 Chapter 263 Just Before the Border

    <h4>Chapter 263 Just Before the Border</h4>


    While most soldiers were disillusioned by the sudden attack that had devastated their ranks, Toms was pondering what to do next. "Dirk, what do you think we should do?"


    "General, are you wondering if we should either move on or search for more spies among us?" Dirk asked. "I think we should press on."


    "Are you sure? If they attack us again, it will be at their advantage so long as they have a spy or two among our ranks," argued Toms.


    "But weren¡¯t you the one who said they were after time? That they would dy us as long as possible, giving us all the more reason to push forward with the attack?" reasoned Dirk. "If we stop now and run a thorough search, it will take time. The spies will slip through the cracks if we rush the search."


    "Hmmm... You do make a good point... Right, let¡¯s press on without any dy. Whether we stop or push ahead, they¡¯ll attack either way. Might as well not waste time."


    Toms took another deep breath before giving his orders, "Men! Hurry and take one of your potion rations! We move out now!"


    Almost the entire army looked up to the general with some level of disdain. Not only were they not allowed time to properly heal, but they weren¡¯t able to do anything for their fallenrades either. But the inexperienced soldiers didn¡¯t say anything to refute their cold general as they saw him turn and resume the march.


    "Men! This is war! We won¡¯t always have time to gather dead or loaf around to heal!" Toms added. "Now, we follow those who escaped to the border! You all saw it, so don¡¯t forget the culprits we¡¯re after!"


    Feeling more at ease with the general, the soldiersplied and marched on with the few captains that remained.


    Jack marched alongside his temporaryrades, never waning from the role he had to y. He was surprised by how easy it was to follow the n, but he knew the toughest part was yet toe.


    The march continued as the refocused army paid close attention to their surroundings. No one wanted to face another surprise attack.


    All that remained of the army¡¯s trek to the border was a single valley. After crossing it, the army would officially enter the Trodar border and invade.


    What the army didn¡¯t know was that camped on both sides of the valley were two halves of an army, one bearing a Limneer g and the other a Sandros g. They had arrived the night before and were waiting for the diversion army to attack and create an opening.


    Those two camps were divided as they struggled forplete cohesion after the fire incident back at the camp. But they still shared the same goal and agreed to continue their nned attack.


    However, they had been spotted by a sneaky hunter.


    ¡¯Everyone, be careful,¡¯ Rydel warned. ¡¯Above the valley up ahead, we have the secret army on both sides. Be ready to adapt and flee the area as soon as possible.¡¯


    d to have that knowledge, Jack ran through their n in his mind. After some quick thinking, he ryed some possible alterations to the original n. ¡¯Remember, we only need to dy for a few more hours. Tralon¡¯s army is already en route for the border. All we have to do his stall and run.¡¯


    ¡¯Ke, Eliza, you two will have to be very careful not toe out unless necessary. And if you¡¯re needed, you¡¯ll have to disappear as quickly as you appeared. Got that?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure thing, Jack. I wouldn¡¯t want to leave my husband a widower so young,¡¯ joked Eliza.


    ¡¯Seriously, be careful you two,¡¯ Jack stated sternly. ¡¯Daliea, if you should wait by the side and only do as we had nned. You¡¯re practically out of mana and you¡¯ve already taken too many potions recently thanks to your n back at Zurden, so I no further attacking from you..¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... But if something goes wrong I won¡¯t hesitate to act,¡¯ replied Daliea.


    ¡¯Okay, but if we tell you to leave, then you leave,¡¯ Jack sighed, both d and annoyed at Daliea??s stubbornness. ¡¯Rydel, do you need to make any further changes?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Everyone, keep an eye out for those bounty hunters mixed in with the soldiers. ording to Dirk, they should all be our level or higher and they¡¯re being coordinated by Trank from the shadows,¡¯ Jack exined. ¡¯If you¡¯re caught in any kind of confrontation, then get out immediately. Understood?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, what about you?¡¯ asked Ke. ¡¯You¡¯re in the worst position of all. How are you going to get out if things get dicey?¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got some tricks up my sleeve if worstes to worst. Just stick to the n and don¡¯t worry too much about me. I mean, I am Jack J., the Legend of Trodar. Don¡¯t forget that,¡¯ boasted Jack, trying to calm their nerves.


    ¡¯Why shouldn¡¯t I worry about my husband...¡¯ whimpered Eliza. ¡¯Just don¡¯t die, promise me that.¡¯


    ¡¯I promise that I won¡¯t die, okay Eliza?¡¯


    ¡¯Call me ¡¯Dear.¡¯¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza, I¡¯ve told that--¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, please.¡¯


    ¡¯... I promise I won¡¯t die, Dear.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Darling.¡¯


    ¡¯Now that you two are done with the chit chat, Jack, can I let this thing loose?¡¯ Rydel interjected, a sense of excitement obvious in his voice.


    ¡¯Once the back of the army has made it at least fifty meters into the valley, then let it rip.¡¯


    The army had to slow down at the valley¡¯s narrow entrance but quickly sped back up once inside. The natural cover of the valley made it an ideal spot for the invasion of Trodar, hence Trodar cing an army not too far from the valley¡¯s exit.


    Within the ranks of the army, an aging soldier gradually slowed down. He trickled toward the back, almost reaching the captains by the time everyone had entered the valley.


    At the front of the march, Toms chatted with Dirk. "Once we enter the border, keep to the side. We¡¯ll create an opening for the soldiers and then retreat to our other forces."


    "Understood, General."


    "Dirk, you know you don¡¯t have to keep calling me that, right?"ughed Toms. "Loire and I never bothered with titles or formalities when we were alone, so you can do the same."


    "Alright, Toms."


    "That¡¯s more like it." Toms¡¯sughter grew louder and louder. "After all this, we¡¯ll finally be able to pressure Trodar into surrendering. It¡¯s about time."


    "But what about after that?" questioned Dirk. "How will the three nations divvy up Trodar, and what about the higher-ups in Trodar? Won¡¯t they still put up a fight?"


    "Those old fools are too soft to do that. So long as the people of Trodar agree to surrender, then those senile men are likely to agree to our terms." Toms¡¯sughter could now be heard by all the soldiers on the front line. "Imagine that, politicians that let the people control them instead of keeping control over the people. Crazy, right?"


    "Yeah... That¡¯s just crazy..." Dirkughed as well, but without any gusto or real emotion.


    Suddenly, Toms quitughing and grew serious. "Dirk, be ready. We¡¯ll be crossing the border shortly and even with our levels, we can¡¯t guarantee our retreat. You¡¯ll have to be on your toes. I don¡¯t want to lose myst assistant."


    "Thanks for the tip, General... Toms."


    "You¡¯ll get used to it soon enough. Now keep an eye out for the next ambush," Toms stated. "If they¡¯re smart, those pests should attack soon now that we¡¯re contained in the walls of the valley."


    Not too far ahead, a man invisible to the naked eye stood atop one of the ridges above the valley. In his hands was an unraveled scroll containing a sealed spell. Softly speaking aloud, he uttered the words written inrge, archaic font.


    "Tempest sh."

 Chapter 264 The Power of a Mythic-Tier Spell

    <h4>Chapter 264 The Power of a Mythic-Tier Spell</h4>


    Toms waspletely on guard, fully expecting another attack toe at any moment.


    Dirk was also on guard, but not to his surroundings. He was already warned of what came next and he had no interest in getting swept up in the massacre that was about to ensue.


    The assistant was against unnecessary ughter, but Dirk also understood that Jack and his team had to take certain measures if they were to face an army on their own. They had no choice but to fight to kill. There was no other way for their n to seed. And it would be better for a chuck of the small army to die, then to have the entire army sacrificed.


    Not muchter, Dirk heard a single phrase go off in his head from his contact crystal.


    "Get out now."


    Looking to the incredibly aware Toms, Dirk nodded and darted to the side of the valley without any more hesitation. He understood that if he wavered now, it was likely that he would die.


    Toms saw the retreat of his assistant and was left baffled. However, just as he nned to speak up, he caught glimpse of something not too far ahead of him.


    Near the edge of the ridge, a vortex of air was forming and growing at an rming rate. Within a single breath, a whirlpool of wind had taken shape before the army.


    Following Dirk¡¯s example, Toms dashed to the other side of the valley in an attempt to avoid whatever attack that was. He hadn¡¯t the slightest clue what was going on, but Toms felt like he was looking death in the eye whenever he focused on the strange wind formation.


    Just as the general started to run, the wind vortex quickly neared the verge of exploding. It unleashed a few pulses of wind as it grew more ferocious.


    Though they were smallpared to the massive wind storm itself, those pulses shed through the valley walls like butter, scaring the army witless.


    The initial waves of wind sliced unimpeded through the walls of the valley, also destroying a portion of the camp on that ridge. As for the army trapped inside, they were far too close to the windstorm to hope for escape as it instantly killed the soldiers at the front of the march.


    There was no order for retreat yet all soldiers had turned to run away at top speed. There was no organization to the retreat, only bodies being trampled over and men forcing their ways past one another. Those at the back struggled to not be overtaken by those trying to pass them.


    Only the captains were fast enough to escape the rampaging retreat, apart from a single aging soldier who suddenly outran the captains.


    That aging soldier had cast Feather Walk and disregarded his need to remain in disguise. Though he kept the appearance, it was obvious to the captains that the man before them was no regr soldier.


    But as soon as they realized that, it was toote to do anything. And to top it all off, the captains had suddenly found themselves within a world of pure darkness.


    The already terrified soldiers froze in ce as the familiar orb of darkness appeared around the exit of the valley. They wanted to cry in self-pity as the horrid situation only got worse.


    Behind them was a massive whirlpool of wind threatening to im all of their lives and before them was an unknown darkness that earlier was filled with the most terrifying mes they had ever witnessed. It was an impasse at both sides, leaving death as their only option.


    Some brave souls ran straight into the darkness, only to join in the captains¡¯ screams of terror.


    With no other choice, the soldiers attempted to climb the valley walls. It wouldn¡¯t be too difficult for the able-bodied soldiers, but the chaos of their retreat led to most soldiers frantically pulling each other down in an attempt to escape all the more quickly. That cycle only led to a few soldiers escaping and most of the army remaining trapped.


    Finally, the vortex exploded.


    Waves upon waves of razor-sharp windshed out across the valley and the ridges. The nearby camp was devastated, killing plenty of the Sandros army lying in wait there. On the other side, the Limneer camp was also ravaged by the winds, albeit not as badly.


    The army trapped in the valley cried in fear as the unguided and unpredictable pulses of wind whipped the valley floor and carved through any soldiers in their path.


    Toms acted fast enough to climb the valley walls the moment he saw the wind take shape, letting him flee to the Limneer camp above.


    However, he didn¡¯te out unscathed. A few pulses of wind had caused plenty of rubble to fall on him during the climb and he was unlucky enough to take a pulse head-on. Toms managed to evade it for the most part, but he lost a portion of his left hand along with his ring and pinky fingers.


    The general bandaged it up on the run, not daring to stay anywhere near the iing waves.


    Amidst the chaos, Toms only caught a glimpse of another blur streaking across the sky like before. He assumed the invisible caster of the spell had gotten away again, but Toms had no time to think of anything beyond his own survival at the moment.


    Everything happened within the span of seconds, not even letting a minute pass. In less than a minute, nearly half of the remaining soldiers in the valley had been cut down and there were plenty of wounded as well. And that was without taking into ount the casualties of the two camps.


    Once the storm cleared, the dark orb at the valley¡¯s exit soon faded, leaving behind giant scorch marks assumed to belong to the former bodies that had burned away.


    Toms walked back to the scene of the crime, red with anger as he looked down at the remnants of his army. After everything that just happened, he didn¡¯t have the gall to order an immediate charge, which would only infuriate the few men he had left. Even the men in the camps were too shocked to willingly enter battle against that kind of threat so quickly.


    With nothing left but to let some time pass before the invasion, Toms took out his contact crystal.


    The general nearly broke the crystal to bits in his palm as he shouted, "TRANK! Tell me you¡¯ve found them already!"


    "Don¡¯t worry yourself, Toms. I¡¯m already in pursuit," Trank calmly replied. "But I¡¯ll need to ask you something? Do I have permission to kill that silly assistant of yours?"


    "WHAT?! Of course, you can¡¯t! Don¡¯t be absurd!"


    "Then I¡¯ll have my hands full, seeing as he¡¯s currently escaping with those behind the ambush."


    "..."


    "Toms?"


    Without thinking, Toms had instinctively clenched his fists even harder and shattered his contact crystal. Too angry to care, he let all his frustration and anger out through his voice.


    "DIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRKKKKK!!!!!"


    The survivors in the valley felt their souls shake as they saw their general shouting from above. All soldier in the camps did their best to get a good view as well.


    "YOU¡¯LL PAY FOR THIS!! YOU AND YOUR FAMILY!! I¡¯LL SELL YOUR MISERABLE CHILDREN TO DARTO SO HE CAN TOY WITH THEM ALL THEIR LIVES!! AND YOUR WIFE WILL BECOME THE ARMY¡¯S WHORE!! AND YOU¡¯LL BE DISMEMBERED AND FORCED TO WATCH THEIR SUFFERING, YOU FILTHY TRAITOR!!!"


    With the general¡¯s true nature being revealed for all to see, the armies also started to understand what had happened.


    They were betrayed. And not just by anyone, but by the general¡¯s very own assistant. That mark of shame would forever be worn by General Toms, regardless of what happened now. It showed that the general and his two armies had sessfully been dyed.

 Chapter 265 Escape?

    <h4>Chapter 265 Escape?</h4>


    Now burdened with four people on her back, Ayden wasn¡¯t able to reach her top speed, but it was fast enough to run from the decimated army behind them.


    Jack, thest of the four people to have climbed onto her back, let loose a long sigh of relief. "Finally... It¡¯s over."


    "Jack, don¡¯t rx yet," stated Rydel. "It¡¯s not over until we¡¯re gone and out of Limneer."


    "And don¡¯t forget about Trank," Dirk added. "He and his best men weren¡¯t hidden among the army. They stayed silent and hid in order to search for you guys. If he¡¯s caught onto our trail, then we won¡¯t escape without a fight."


    Seeing Dirk unsheathe his sword, Jack understood how much the former assistant feared the famed bounty hunter of Limneer. "Dirk, do you know Trank¡¯s level?"


    "It should be at the cusp of lv. 39, but he¡¯s always kept it hidden. All I know is what¡¯s on his official report, but he¡¯s well-known within the criminal underworld so that record was probably falsified."


    "Do you think he¡¯s on our trail?"


    "Yes, he¡¯s too skilled to make it this easy."


    "Is he fast enough to catch us?" Jack¡¯s rxed expression faded.


    Dirk simply nodded. "He¡¯s known for his expertise with lightning, making him inhumanly fast and powerful. If anyone could catch up to this beast, it would be him and his men."


    "It would be best to remain vignt than to identally fall into an enemy¡¯s hands," said Rydel. "Don¡¯t let Eliza and Kee out yet. Let them stay hidden for now."


    "I guess that might be best," Jack agreed.


    ¡¯Eliza, Ke, stay hidden for now. We may have someone on our tail.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... But what if you need support?¡¯ asked Eliza. ¡¯Without us, you three will be much weaker in teambat.¡¯


    ¡¯That... If we¡¯re attacked, then you cane out. But until that happens, we don¡¯t want anyone finding you. It¡¯s better for them to attack us and have youe as support than for you to be attacked while we hurry to help you.¡¯


    ¡¯So, you¡¯re that worried about your wife?¡¯ thought Ke. ¡¯Then I¡¯ll make sure she and I are safe in our hiding ce.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Ke. Please, Eliza, don¡¯t do anything without getting permission first,¡¯ Jack plead.


    ¡¯Fine... But if my husband is in trouble, then I¡¯ming to save him.¡¯


    With that worry suppressed, Jack returned to his conversation with those on Ayden¡¯s back. "Daliea, how are you feeling?"


    "I¡¯m fine."


    Jack shook his head. "Daliea, be honest. If you¡¯re not honest with yourself, that will only make things worse if a battle breaks out."


    "I¡¯ve got the me Tiger so I can hold my own," replied the goblin girl.


    "No fighting for you," Rydel added his two cents. "Daliea, you¡¯re in no condition to fight. The me Tiger should be your means of retreat, not your means of defense."


    "He has a point. I¡¯m not sure how strong your tiger is, but against Trank, it probably won¡¯t matter," added Dirk.


    "But--"


    "Daliea, if we get into a confrontation, we¡¯ll create an opening so you can flee. If not, then you¡¯ll just be a burden to the rest of us," Jack insisted, making sure that Daliea felt a sense of duty in retreating.


    "Fine... I¡¯ll flee if necessary."


    "Thank you." Jack bowed his head to her.


    "Here hees."


    When Dirk said that, a bolt of lightning flew past Ayden, clipping a piece of her wing. Trank¡¯s figure still remained hidden within the trees below, but his presence was now unquestionable.


    Ayden was already being burdened with four people on her back, so the minor damage to her wing was all the more prevalent. With each p of her wings, she grew slower and slower. It was only a matter of time until she would be overtaken.


    Rydel ran his hand through Ayden¡¯s soft feathers as he looked back with a grim expression across his face. "Jack, I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve got anymore say in the matter. He¡¯s better than we estimated."


    While Jack tried to imagine the possible scenarios-toe in search of a means to escape, Rydel added, "We should call Eliza and Ke. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to fight on our terms instead of theirs?"


    "... You have a point."


    ¡¯Girls,e out now. We¡¯re about to fight.¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯re on our way!¡¯ shouted Eliza, tones of dness and anxiety mixed within her voice.


    Annoyed to face a final confrontation despite their sess in dying the enemy army, Jack looked down into the trees and shouted, "Hey, Trank! How about we talk this over?"


    A body covered in obscene amounts of static electricity emerged from the trees and followed them along the treetops. Trank snickered loudly, "Well, aren¡¯t you a surprise? It¡¯s not often that my prey is smart enough to speak with me. What do you propose, hm?"


    "How about we buy you off?" Not bothering to fluff his words, Jack cut right to the point. "I pay you something you¡¯d want and you let us off without any physical confrontation."


    "As intriguing as that sounds, I¡¯ve already been hired to y you and your band ofrades... And I¡¯m a man of my word."


    "Wow, I didn¡¯t realize that such a twisted bounty hunter could have a sense of honor."


    Trankughed even louder, "Oh, you are a smart one! I like that. All the more fun to y and break."


    "You think you¡¯ll have it easy? I can assure you, we¡¯re not like most adventurers," argued Jack.


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m intrigued. Most adventurers wouldn¡¯t carry a mythic-tier spell on them or have a means of total invisibility at your levels," stated the bald man with a twisted grin. "I¡¯d be too bored to bother with regr adventurers. But since you¡¯ve caused so much trouble for poor, old Toms, I struggle to imagine how much fun I can have with you."


    With a better understanding of the famed bounty hunter¡¯s personality, Jack struggled toe up with a better argument.


    "What do you n to do to us?" Daliea shouted as Jack was caught up in thought.


    "Usually I extract all the emotions from your bodies through every means imaginable. And since you¡¯re all strong-willed, I¡¯d like to try some group experimentation instead of my usual solo sessions," Trank admitted his true feelings without an ounce of shame, only adding to how perverse a man he was known to be.


    "If you don¡¯t hurry ande down from up there, then you¡¯re beautiful roc will be too tired for escapeter. Why note down and try your luck, seeing as you¡¯re oh so confident," joked Trank.


    Rydel nodded, directing Ayden to descend gradually. Once near the treetops, Rydel rubbed Ayden onest time before storing her away.


    The party dropped to the ground but immediately took a defensive formation and retrieved their weapons.


    Trank also dropped to the forest floor, smiling wide for the party to see. "Now, only one question remains. Whose support will arrive first? Will it be your friends or my men?"


    Jack scoffed but said nothing.


    "What? Are you not happy that my men couldn¡¯t find your friends first?" Trank joked. "We tried, but we inevitably failed to locate them. So once you all ran from that beautiful spell, it was clear that no more spies remained in the army. And since we couldn¡¯t wait any longer, I was forced to pursue you and have my team hurry back."


    "No offense, but you¡¯re rambling is very stereotypical. Can we just start fighting, now?" Jack insisted.


    "Sorry, but I want you to understand the situation from my point of view," Trank stated. "Also, if you haven¡¯t noticed, I¡¯m quite calm even though I¡¯m without any teammates. Don¡¯t you wonder why?"


    Jack sighed, "I¡¯d be lying if I said no."


    "Then let me exin a bit," Trank continued. "I¡¯m quite experienced inbat. In particr, I specialize in fighting groups, so much so that my team only hinders me for the most part."


    "So, long story short, you sent your team to do some other task so you could fight with us all by yourself? Sounds like your pretty cocky,"ughed Jack.


    "Oh, I¡¯m very cocky, I¡¯ll admit to that. But you would be too if you were in my shoes. I mean, just look at you. You easily outnumber me yet none of you have moved in the slightest. Are you that scared of me?" reasoned Trank.


    "I wouldn¡¯t say scared is the right word... You¡¯d probably understand it more as praise for your reputation," Jack mentioned, still not losing hisposure.


    Trank¡¯s twisted grin returned. "Oh, then I¡¯ll dly ept yourpliment. You really are smart, knowing just what to say to get me excited... I may have to share some of you with my men after I¡¯ve subdued you, but I¡¯ll make sure to keep you all to myself. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be the toy of a lifetime."


    A chill ran down Jack¡¯s spine as the utterly perverse man called him such a thing. "Well, then what are we waiting for? Don¡¯t you want to wrap this up before your men arrive."


    "Oh, I have plenty of time," Trank cackled as sparks of electricity started to gather around his body. "Show me a fun time worthy of the expectations you¡¯ve set."

 Chapter 266 4-V-1

    <h4>Chapter 266 4-V-1</h4>


    The moment electricity around Trank took a visible form, Rydelunched the first attack. His arrow flew true to his aim, piercing Trank¡¯s forehead. Yet, as the arrow pierced thenky man it never took hold of anything and phased through him without a trace.


    Such a disy forced the party to reevaluate the man standing before them.


    "Since you¡¯re so eager to y, then allow me to oblige." Trank licked his lips. Next, he vanished.


    Right in front of them, the tall, hard-to-miss man had disappeared without leaving any footprints or a single sound. The party¡¯s opinion of Trank soared all the higher as they readied themselves for his attack.


    "I expected more."


    With a sigh, Trank reappeared behind Rydel. Lightning coated his finger as the man¡¯s long arms extended with the speed of a gunshot for the hunter¡¯s forehead.


    Rydel fought his body to forcibly evade the attack. He managed to avoid the finger, but his bnce was thrown and Trank¡¯s second hand was already hurtling toward the hunter.


    "Not bad," snickered Trank. "But too slow."


    Just as the finger was about to drive itself through Rydel¡¯s chest, a de appeared to parry the electrocuting finger.


    "Oh... So you¡¯re not just the party leader by name, but also in terms of ability." Trank¡¯s face twisted even more as he got a good look at Jack, who had appeared in front of the vulnerable hunter. "I¡¯m definitely keeping you to myself."


    "Yeah, good luck with that. Some say I¡¯m too much to handle," Jack bantered.


    Like Trank had done earlier, Jack also disappeared in the blink of an eye using his Sudden Death skill. nking the bounty hunter, Jack reappeared with his sword already swinging down on the man¡¯s right arm.


    Surprisingly, Jack managed to make contact. Or so he thought. His de glided through Trank¡¯s figure as if the man was a ghost, unable to be touched by anything physically.


    However, just moments ago Jack had managed to not only touch Trank¡¯s finger but block it from killing Rydel. The hero quickly deduced what may be the cause and prepared for Trank¡¯s counterattack.


    With his smile intact, Trank swung the same illusory arm at Jack. That time it made full contact with Jack¡¯s sword and forced him back a couple of meters. The leftover static electricity on Jack¡¯s sword numbed his hand, feeding some of Jack¡¯s fears and proving that the four versus one scenario may not give them an advantage.


    "You¡¯ve got some strange skills, huh Trank?"


    "Indeed." Trank proudly bowed to Jack, not fearing any possible attack that mighte as he did so.


    Jack exined his thoughts out loud, "I¡¯m guessing that your phasing ability is a skill you¡¯ve either paid a high price for or you¡¯ve developed yourself. It lets you use your speed to the fullest, making minute movements to dodge an attack while still appearing to receive it."


    "You¡¯re correct. You¡¯re one of the few who managed to deduce that," stated Trank. "Then again, most don¡¯t live long enough to properly witness it in the first ce."


    "But that¡¯s not why you specialize in facing groups," Jack continued. "Even when I block your attacks, I still feel a numbing effect from the overwhelming static electricity. You don¡¯t need anyone to support you because you¡¯re able to support yourself by controlling the flow of any fight you¡¯re in."


    Trank¡¯s eyes widened as he again bowed. "Splendid, absolutely splendid. Now that you know of my abilities, have youe up with a strategy to face me?"


    "I may not look it, but I have a lot of PvP experience, so I think I already understand your build."


    "PvP? My build?" Trank finally showed some confusion. "What do you mean?"


    "What I mean is that I know you¡¯re a ss cannon," Jack exined with a smile of his own. "You¡¯ve increased your speed and attack power to their limits, but you¡¯ve ignored your defensespletely. And to make up for yourck of defense, you¡¯ve created a strategy that mixes your incredible speed with your ability to stun opponents. But if even one attacknds on you properly, then you¡¯re done for."


    The man¡¯s smile twisted all the more as Trank spastically popped his neck to loosen up.


    A moment of silence passed as Jack¡¯s party members took his words to heart in an attempt to better prepare themselves.


    Daliea soon heard a voice in her head. ¡¯When I signal, you run with the me Tiger.¡¯


    She said nothing in response but quietly nodded as she kept a close eye on the threatening presence before her.


    "To deduce all that so quickly... Who are you, anyway?" Trank asked giddily.


    "Nobody, just a guy who wants to make sure Trodar stays safe," replied Jack.


    "Then I guess I¡¯ll have to coax the truth out of you... But I¡¯ll have to save that forter when we¡¯re alone. For now, I should get serious or you might force me to share my prey."


    A pulse of electricity burst from Trank, hitting each of the party members and forcibly tensing up their bodies. At the same time, Trank struck back at the hunter who had first targeted him.


    Jack managed to again block the attack, but it was much cruder and sloppier due to fighting the static electricity coursing through him.


    "You must be the one who nearly killed Toms, correct?" Trank giggled as he pointed to Rydel. "I¡¯ve never seen such an arrow used on a human before. It was quite amusing to see old Toms writhing in pain for once."


    All while speaking, Trank lunged back to the hunter. "Too bad I had to save the man."


    Rydel was forced to defend himself as Jack was too slow to perform consecutive blocks while fighting the static. The hunter chose an interesting tactic, one that caught even Trank off guard.


    As Trank lunged toward Rydel¡¯s chest, Rydel merely leaned to take the blow directly with his shoulder. The finger pierced his flesh and rendered his left arm useless, but Rydel¡¯s right arm held a dagger aiming for Trank¡¯s extended elbow. However, he was too slow to disable the bounty hunter and Rydel only managed to wound Trank, hindering the attack speed of his right arm.


    "You... You¡¯re fun too..." Trankughed as he jumped back to avoid further damage. "Are you all like this?"


    Again, Trank disappeared but he resumed the conversation. "You... You were the illusion man?"


    He struck forward with his left arm, aiming for Daliea¡¯s neck. Trank¡¯s face showed an expression of pure pleasure as he relished in the excitement of finding such wonderful ythings.


    ¡¯Now!¡¯


    That shout went of in Daliea¡¯s head as Jack appeared between her and Trank. But unlike before, Jack wasn¡¯t attempting to block or parry the attack. Stealing Rydel¡¯s strategy, he made sure to protect Daliea with his chest as he swung his glowing sword across Trank¡¯s torso.


    The two men traded attacks as Daliea brought out her me Tiger and mounted him.


    More riled up than ever, Trank stepped back and ran a finger along his bloodied chest before sucking it clean. "Oh... I¡¯m going to enjoy you."


    But as the me Tiger dashed away, everyone heard the crackle of a lightning bolt.


    Electricity ran over the bodies of Daliea and the me Tiger as they fell to the ground, barely moving. What followed was the sudden disappearance and reappearance of Trank, who now stood over both of them.


    Jack watched in horror and groaned as felt his body fight the numbing blow he had just taken. And his mind was rattled, trying to understand who Trank was unaffected by his Stunning Blow attack.


    All the hero could do was watch as Trank thrust his finger into the me Tiger¡¯s skull, extracting its life.


    Daliea, fully incapable of moving, looked back to Jack and the party. She noticed the arrow heading toward Trank, as well as the defensive position of Dirk. What she focused on was the agony on Jack¡¯s face.


    The goblin girl smiled. That was all she could do after taking that lighting bolt.

 Chapter 267 The Death of a Party Member

    <h4>Chapter 267 The Death of a Party Member</h4>


    Trank¡¯s finger crackled as electricity ran over it and the man let the arrow phase through him. "That¡¯s one down." He mocked them as he reached forward for his next killing strike. However, he found himself unable to move either of his arms.


    Vines from the nearby undergrowth had started to wrap around him.


    "Stay away from her!"


    That familiar voice shouted as more vines reached out and pulled Daliea away from the bounty hunter.


    Jack forced himself to stand up, bearing the pain as he saw Eliza and Ke descend from Appa above. Some water in his eyes still ran but in dness, not sorrow.


    While Trank destroyed the vines crowding his body, Ke waved her staff and removed the stun ced on Jack and Daliea. With both supports to back them up, the party was feeling a bit more optimistic about the situation.


    "So, you won the race, huh? No matter. My men will be here shortly," stated Trank, now acting more serious than perverse. "You¡¯ve earned my respectsting this long and somehow keeping her alive, despite losing such a precious me Tiger. I can ept killing the others, but please don¡¯t make me have to kill you, Mr. Party Leader."


    Not saying a word verbally, Jack refocused himself and stored Appa as Ke healed him and Rydel. Though Rydel¡¯s wound wasn¡¯t fully healed, at least he could use a bow now, albeit slower than he would wish.


    ¡¯We need to hurry and kill him. His team will be here any second, and there¡¯s no telling what will happen if they help him.¡¯


    ¡¯Then you¡¯ll need Bowzer, Jack,¡¯ Rydel t out stated his opinion. ¡¯We don¡¯t want to reveal ourselves, but would you rather die? Bowzer¡¯s the only one he can¡¯t touch, and if you use your me body then it¡¯s the same as revealing Bowzer.¡¯


    Not disagreeing with Rydel, Jack ordered, ¡¯Bring out yourpanions. Do it now while you have the chance.¡¯


    All at once, more beasts appeared to join the battle. Eliza¡¯s dryad emerged with an aura of life and vibrant energy to bless the party members with increased mana. Ke¡¯s fairy shone a light on the entire party, blessing them with partial health regen.


    Ayden and Appa were kept away, as to both offer a getaway and to also not reveal their location due to the giant bird that¡¯s visible at a distance.


    Bowzer finally emerged, more anxious than ever to get out and join a fight instead of only spitting out a few fireballs. His bestial instincts took over the moment he saw Trank standing over the corpse of the me Tiger, the beast that had only recently befriended.


    "That¡¯s... Wait, are you with the Adventurers Association?" Trank couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw the fox.


    Rumors of an adventuring hero named Jack and hispanion Hell-me Fox were traveling across the continent. They were only rumors and most didn¡¯t believe them, but Trank felt it was too much a coincidence considering the skill of the young man and the sudden appearance of a fire-red fox.


    Jack¡¯s only response was the activation of his me body as he used Sudden Death to charge the man.


    Not daring to take that me unprotected, Trank evaded the attack, but only to notice the fangs of the now ming fox barreling towards him. Again, he dodged the attack and created some distance between him and his fiery opponents.


    "I don¡¯t like the idea of antagonizing the association, but if it means ying with you two then I won¡¯t be able to help myself."


    While Trank gathered more and more electricity around him, a few figures appeared from the forest.


    "Men, these two are mine. No matter what, don¡¯t interfere with my game!" Trank shouted ecstatically. "Now I can focus on my true prey."


    Not wasting a moment, the six new arrivals leaped into action. Two targeted Dirk as the remaining four fought alone.


    ¡¯Protect Daliea!¡¯ Jack¡¯s order red in Bowzer¡¯s head.


    ¡¯But Jack--¡¯


    ¡¯Now!¡¯


    Unwillingly, Bowzer snarled at Trank before darting back toward the other party members.


    Jack kept a grasp of the big picture and understood that while the others were very capable, two supports and a weakened Rydel wouldn¡¯t be able to handle protecting Daliea on their own. They needed someone who could attack head-on, and the usual candidate for that was either in Prachten, busy with Trank, orpletely out of mana. Dirk could possibly fill that role, but he was already being double-teamed, making that highly unlikely.


    Trank also understood this, which is why he hurled himself at the turned-around fox. However, he was met with the reappearing Jack who was covered in living mes.


    Backing away, Trank asked, "That ability of yours resembles that of the fox. How are you able to use it?"


    Jack cast both Feather Walk and me Burst as he charged his opponent. Though Trank narrowly avoided it, some of his clothes were catching fire as the mes got too close forfort.


    "Can¡¯t we discuss this like men, not only with our fists but with words also?"


    Still ignoring Trank¡¯s statements, Jack focused on attacking and attacking alone. His Sudden Death allowed him to appear behind Trank, nearly pinning the man against a tree.


    Anticipating the predictable attack, Trank pushed off the tree to increase his speed but was rudely interrupted as Jack had not attacked but instead used Sudden Death again to cut him off. And since he was already in motion, Trank¡¯s perverse smile reemerged as he was forced to trade blows with Jack.


    Jack¡¯s Prating Fist boosted by his me body bore into Trank¡¯s chest, but he was forced to ept five piercing fingers from thenky man in return.


    Somewhat regretful of his attack choice, Trank noticed the terrible burns across his hand. Most of the skin was gone and a lot of his hand¡¯s muscles were nothing but char. He also took notice of his bare, burnt chest as he spat up blood from the internal damage.


    Jack didn¡¯t appear to have taken any damage thanks to his me body, but he wasn¡¯t faring any better. His me body meant he sacrificed defense for strength, just like Trank¡¯s ss cannon build.


    "I see... You felt that it would be better for your fox to help defend the others and were confident in your own abilities," stated Trank, still licking his lips. "That was a smart bet. But either way, you won¡¯te out victorious."


    Cracks of thunder rang out as two bolts of lightning rained down from the sky and consecutively struck Jack.


    "Aah!"


    Not missing an opening, Trank lunged at Jack, who managed to step back and avoid the sh of electricity.


    Shaking the stun off, Jack¡¯s high-temperature blood was coursing too quickly to be permanently slowed with his me body active. But he did feel a sharp pain in his chest from where Trank had swiped just a moment ago.


    That was when Jack noticed Trank licking blood from a pair of steel ws adorned on his hands. "So, you still bleed in that form? Then you can still die."


    A brilliant sh filled the area, blinding not only Jack but everyone else, including Trank¡¯s own men.


    On guard and ready, Jack braced himself for the next attack while keeping his depleting mana in mind. When the light faded Jack activated Prating Fist, ready to trade blows yet again. But he couldn¡¯t find Trank.


    "AAAHH..."


    That cry took the life out of Jack¡¯s eyes. The hero deactivated Prating Fist and instead activated Sudden Death as he raced to his party.


    However, Bowzer beat Jack to the punch. The ming fox grewrger, catching the trees on fire as his anger caused Bowzer¡¯s me body to turn white-hot. He attacked at full speed while abandoning defense entirely.


    Trank only snickered as he dodged the attack and licked the blood of his most recent victim from his ws.

 Chapter 268 A Trade

    <h4>Chapter 268 A Trade</h4>


    While Bowzer remained at Eliza¡¯s side, Trank backed away toward the iing Jack.


    "You seem to be quite attached to that one. Show me your rage," Trank mocked Jack while licking his lips, savoring the reactions he was receiving.


    In a fit of anger, Jack¡¯s charge wasing at full power. However, that left him wide open to a counterattack from the nimble Trank. Jack¡¯s fist nced the man¡¯s side in return for Trank¡¯s sh across Jack¡¯s back.


    "Not bad for losing control. But you¡¯ll need to be smarter than that if you want any hope of saving yourselves."


    As the two party leaders faced each other in the growing heat of battle, faint red light started to envelop Eliza¡¯s fallen body. Bowzer defended her as Trank¡¯s men were in shock of the sight. The red glow soon amassed into an ethereal lily at her bosom and sank into Eliza¡¯s chest. Once it was fully absorbed into her corpse, the energy dispersed rapidly and the hole in Eliza¡¯s neck resealed itself.


    Breath rushed back into Eliza¡¯s lungs and her blood started to pump anew. Her paling face had blood rushing through it yet again.


    Out of reflex, Eliza shot back up. As she sat on the ground, a look of confusion and worry filled her eyes.


    "Eliza, don¡¯t waste any more time!"


    Her attention was brought back to the current situation as Eliza looked back to Ke. "But... How am I--"


    "No time for that! We need you!" Ke shouted while keeping track of everyone¡¯s health and status, directing her efforts to keep herrades alive.


    Eliza refocused herself and rejoined the battle she had been forcefully removed from, bewildering Trank¡¯s men and causing them to worry.


    "Men, don¡¯t mind her!" eximed Trank for all to hear. "That only proves how wealthy these travelers are. They had such a powerful recovery item that could revive one¡¯s self... I wonder how many more they have?"


    Jack calmed down slightly as Eliza got back on her feet, feeling all the more grateful to Argyle and his generosity to sell him the Phoenix Lilies. On the other hand, he despised Trank all the more.


    ¡¯Eliza, stay alive... Please.¡¯


    ¡¯... Of course. You too.¡¯


    After a quick mental exchange, both Eliza and Jack returned to the action.


    "Come, boy. Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? How can the association¡¯s rising hero be so simple and boring?"


    Looking Trank in the eye, Jack took out a dark red sword. It didn¡¯t give off any special aura or seem too expensive, but it wasn¡¯t showing any sign of damage in the fiery hands that wielded it.


    "What an interesting de... Show me what it can do, or I might get bored and kill one of your friends to pass the time."


    Unaffected by Trank¡¯s trach talk for the time being, Jack jumped forward. As Trank sidestepped, Jack activated Sudden Death and nked him. The de started to glow blood-red as it tried to pierce through Trank¡¯s chest.


    "Still too slow." Trank leaned back as the de reached full extension. But to his dismay, the blood-red glow left the de and continued to drive itself into Trank¡¯s torso.


    Somewhat startled, Trank activated his skill to vanish and reappear a ways back.


    As he caught his breath, Trank felt proud of his choice to waste a skill to evade the attack. He took note of the blood-red glow¡¯s reach so he wouldn¡¯t make the same mistake twice.


    "Too slow."


    Trank looked back to see Jack behind him, resetting himself for another Blood Thrust attack. Seeing Jack¡¯s leading arm about to pierce his back, Trank decided to dodge to the side of the thrust in order to be most efficient.


    As the glowing de neared the evading Trank, it stopped. And then, it started to go backward.


    What Trank wasn¡¯t expecting was Jack¡¯s deactivation of Blood Thrust and his use of its momentum to hurl a Prating Fist with even more speed. It wasted more mana, but it gave Jack the opening.


    Eating the ming fist, Trank coughed up more blood as he wasunched into a nearby tree.


    Jack looked closely at his almost empty mana bar. Even with the dryad¡¯s blessing in ce, he was practically running on empty.


    Also, Jack noticed something wrong with his left hand. He wasn¡¯t able to use it or even clench it in a fist.


    "Not bad... for a young boy," coughing blood between words, Trank stood himself back up on slightly shaky feet. "You¡¯re good, I¡¯ll give you that. But you should be out of mana by now, at least in a few moments. What will you do then?"


    That thought was already being pondered in Jack¡¯s mind. He understood that Eliza wasn¡¯t close enough to their current battleground to support Jack, and he was also against getting closer to her as she had already been killed by Trank, using up her Phoenix Lily.


    Jack pulled out an elixir and tried to hurry it to his lips, but Trank suddenly appeared before him.


    "Not while I¡¯m here," Trank chuckled.


    Jack managed to avoid Trank¡¯s assault, but the bounty hunter wasn¡¯t targeting Jack. He was targeting the bottle.


    While Jack gained some distance, the bottle had already broken and the elixir spilled.


    Working at full speed, Jack¡¯s train of thought plowed through every idea and strategy it could create to win the current encounter.


    Trank casually tilted his head, ignoring the massive amount of damage that his torso had taken thus far. "What is it? You¡¯re really out of mana? I¡¯m not sure what level you are, but I¡¯m certain you¡¯re lower than me. But I must say, you¡¯re mana reserves must be quite vast for your level."


    Not daring to respond, Jack stayed focused on Trank. He had enough mana to activate onest attack.


    Taking all things into consideration, Jack finally reached a conclusion as to what he could do.


    ¡¯Rydel, use the life spring jewel.¡¯


    ¡¯Huh... Whaaaaat?!¡¯


    Rydel said more, but Jack paid the hunter no mind. He was busy trying to execute a n for Trank¡¯s death.


    "Well, are youing at me?" Trank asked nonchntly. "Or shall Ie to you?"


    Jack was unfazed and gave no response.


    "Very well, then here I cooome," joked Trank.


    Trank shed his twisted smile as he lunged at Jack. The hero remained unmoved so Trank continued his assault as nned.


    Lightning flickered across his ws as the first one reached for Jack¡¯s thigh, easily piercing and wounding him. But Jack was still motionless.


    As the first w was retracted, the second plunged toward Jack¡¯s heart, a blow that Jack wound be forced to evade at least partially. But instead, Jack took the blow head-on without flinching. The de bore into Jack¡¯s chest and hit its target despite Trank¡¯s anticipation.


    However, Trank saw the blood-red glow of Jack¡¯s de rushing toward his own heart. Only then did he realize Jack¡¯s n.


    Both attacks cleanly entered their targets, and both targets remained motionless.


    On the other side of the battlefield, those on both sides paid close attention to the battle of their leaders. When they saw the final exchange, their fighting ceased.


    No one could believe what just happened.


    Trank¡¯s men found it unfathomable that Jack had managed to kill their leader, even if it was by sacrificing his own life. And Jack¡¯s party was shocked by the reckless tactic that Jack chose.


    Jack had decided that so long as he managed to kill off Trank, it would give his team the edge over Trank¡¯s men. He would need to be resurrected, but his corpse would carry such an item anyway. With him eventuallying back to life, he felt that being killed was a fair trade and a victory.


    Of all the party, Bowzer was the one who was hit the hardest by the sight.


    The fox¡¯s previous anger to Eliza being killed was dwarfed by his sudden surge of rage. He trembled at the thought of losing Jack. Imagining a life without him had be unthinkable for the fox.

 Chapter 269 Resurrection or Death?

    <h4>Chapter 269 Resurrection or Death?</h4>


    Bowzer¡¯s me body trembled. It suddenly started to grow rampantly and uncontrobly. The tinge of red in Bowzer¡¯s mes was growing darker and darker, nearly bing ck. The Hell-me Fox soon grew to a height well above the trees¡¯, terrifying everyone below.


    Trank¡¯s men were shaken. Not only had they lost their boss, but now, just like in legends, a Hell-me Fox was about to rampage against them.


    The party members were also mortified, especially Dirk who didn¡¯t know about Bowzer or his origins.


    All Bowzer could think about were the people who caused all of this. He pictured General Toms and the army that forced Jack to take action without any real support from Trodar. He pictured Trank¡¯s men and how they forced Jack to fight alone against Trank. And he also pictured Trank, but he was only angered further by the fact that Trank was already dead, not letting Bowzer have the chance to ughter him.


    While Bowzer was turning his full attention to Trank¡¯s men, who had already begun to run ion fear, the other party members heard a distantugh that sent chills down their spines.


    They looked away from Bowzer as the enraged fox chased after the frantic bounty hunters and Trank tilted his head to get a better look at them.


    "My, that was close..." Trank removed his hand from Jack¡¯s chest and kicked the limp body away, forcing Jack¡¯s sword out of his own torso. "That has to be closest anyone¡¯se to doing me in."


    "B-but... How..." Eliza¡¯s eyes were already overrun with tears. "How are you..."


    "Take a look."


    Trank ran his w along his torso, revealing the wound that Jack had just given him. It was a clean jab on the right side of his chest, not the left.


    "I may not have been able to dodge it with my phasing skill, but it allowed me to redirect it." Without wasting another second, Trank retrieved a fancy bottle from his storage and downed its contents in one go.


    Everyone was mortified as they saw the opening in his chest start to close up.


    "That full potion may not be able to heal all the internal damage that boy caused me, but it restores enough HP and mana to y with the rest of you," cackled Trank.


    "Huh?"


    One more voice broke the party¡¯s stupor and caught Trank¡¯s attention. "So, you did have a means of resurrection like yourdy friend."


    Red energy dispersed from around Jack¡¯s newly revived body, just as it did when Eliza revived before. But he and most of his party members were far more shocked than Trank.


    "But before I deal with you, let¡¯s even the ying field a little."


    As Trankughed, Jack was suddenly reminded of the threat he and the others faced but his confusion upon revival already gave Trank an opening to attack.


    "Do you have another one?"


    That question warned Eliza of the danger looming behind her. She did her best to move away from the twisted man, only to see his hand reaching for her chest.


    But that hand never reached its target.


    Blood was spilled as the hand bore into its victim¡¯s flesh, iming yet another life. The corpse was falling on top of Eliza, having anticipated Trank¡¯s attack and pushed Eliza out of harm¡¯s way.


    Trank stepped back and licked his de clean. "Smart move. I¡¯ll give her that."


    "Ke!" Eliza¡¯s watery eyes were given no rest as she looked at Ke¡¯s paling face. Even as the blood left Ke¡¯s cheeks, Eliza could feel the warmth in Ke¡¯s slight smile.


    Jack was already back on the warpath, having received more health and mana somehow upon his unexpected revival.


    Trank smiled delightfully as he parried Jack¡¯s attacks. And since Jack hadn¡¯t yet reactivated his me body, he didn¡¯t have to waste any mana to use a skill and evade.


    "You¡¯re feisty. I like that. Maybe I should kill all the others to see how reckless you be."


    As Trank finished his taunt, he created another blinding sh to hide his next movements.


    Jack turned and rushed back to his party, making sure to get close enough to use Sudden Death and protect anyone who would need it. However, as he darted for hispanions, Jack spat up blood. A ded w had pierced his side.


    Falling to his knees, Jack looked back to see Trank licking Jack¡¯s blood from the removed w.


    "You¡¯re still too green and easily goaded, my toy," stated Trank. "Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll make sure to y with your friends while you recover."


    Not giving Jack a chance to react, Trank disappeared again, unafraid of Jack¡¯s interference.


    ¡¯Drink a potion, now!¡¯ Rydel¡¯s voice echoed in Jack¡¯s mind.


    Jack followed it out of reflex and noticed Rydel throwing a slew of knives at the reappearing Trank. Jack put the potion to his lips while Rydel dove to cover the vulnerable Daliea.


    "Close." Trank scoffed at Rydel¡¯s vain attempts to slow him down. He allowed the knives to phase through him before Trank struck with lightning speed. "But not close enough."


    In a fraction of a second, Trank thrust his w into Rydel, Daliea¡¯s meat shield.


    Without any hesitation, Trank moved quickly to the other side of Daliea, effectively nking her. He swiped for her neck with the aim to kill. Based on how much the team focused on protecting her, Trank assumed that she had no means for resurrection.


    "NOOO!!"


    Jack was back in action after healing enough to fight with his wounds and he was already halfway through a Blood Thrust toward Trank¡¯s side.


    Trank side-stepped again, narrowly avoiding the blow and creating a small space between him and Jack. Then heughed, "You were so close."


    Not understanding what Trank meant, Jack squinted angrily at the man. But he suddenly felt something hit the back of his leg.


    "Go ahead, look. I won¡¯t make a move," Trank chuckled. "Remember, I¡¯m a man of my word."


    Curious what that was, Jack stole a peeking nce at the back of his feet only to find himself unable to look away.


    There lied Daliea with blood running from a slit in her neck.


    Trank continued to mock Jack, "Oh, and you should take a look at the other one too. I thought she¡¯d be back up by now considering how she threw herself to save that woman."


    Jack looked back to Ke, only to see that no red energy had gathered around her. She remained lifeless in Eliza¡¯s arms.


    "You... What have you done?" muttered Jack.


    "Me? I¡¯m just doing my job, so why get so flustered," Trank¡¯sughter got louder. "If anything, you should¡¯ve expected me to be a heartless killer that always gets my prey. Didn¡¯t Dirk warn you?"


    "Shut up..." mes burst forth from Jack. "Shut up already..."


    "Oh, and if you want to save your little pet you should hurry," added Trank. "He¡¯ll kill my men but he¡¯ll eventually be done in by General Toms if he continues--"


    "Shut up!"


    Jack charged Trank directly again, which thenky man narrowly avoided like always. However, Trank still felt a burning sensation in his side.


    Trank looked down to find that the fist which never made contact still caused him damage, leaving a terrible burn in his side.


    Looking back to Jack, Trank noticed that something was off. Jack¡¯s me body was still growing, and it wasn¡¯t bright red mes like before. The mes were now white-hot with streaks of dark red coursing through it, exactly like the rampaging Hell-me Fox that was setting the forest aze by simply walking through it.


    "You and that fox... How are you--"


    "SHUT UP!!"


    Jack barrelled his way to Trank, getting faster andrger all at once.


    Trank could still evade the blows but had no way to counter the sheer heat that Jack was giving off. Every time the man glided past a thrown punch, the residual heat from the nearby fist would still cause serious burns.


    The confidence in Trank¡¯s eyes started wain. It was the first time, for as long as he could remember, that he felt the true threat of death looming over him.

 Chapter 270 Bitter Victory

    <h4>Chapter 270 Bitter Victory</h4>


    Jack plummeted further and further into a rage, instinctually gaining speed and power.


    In contrast, Trank was gradually losing more health and mana with each exchange. Though he could evade attacks, he couldn¡¯t fight the overwhelming heat that Jack¡¯s me body produced. And he couldn¡¯t fight back either. Jack¡¯s sword had already melted and been forgotten while Trank¡¯s ws were gradually melting from being in such close proximity to Jack.


    No matter how he thought of it, Trank knew that he had driven himself into a corner that would most likely be his end.


    Not paying attention to the serious terror that Trank was revealing with his face, Jack attacked again and again with reckless abandon. All that mattered was that Trank was still breathing and he needed his life snuffed out.


    "As much fun as you are, I don¡¯t think I can y anymore." Trank pulled out a spell scroll and darted away as quickly as possible. "Next time, I¡¯lle more prepared to roughhouse."


    "Time Stop!"


    Just before Trank activated the spell sealed within his scroll, Jack activated his only mythic-tier spell without thinking.


    The entire world froze in ce, simr to what would happen during Jack¡¯s conversations with Daruun. This time, however, it would onlyst for a single second. But in that second, Jack could do anything.


    Without wasting a moment, Jack rushed the still Trank and drove his massive, ming fist into the perverse man¡¯s skull.


    As the punch connected, it didn¡¯t stop. Jack drove his fist into Trank¡¯s head and then into the ground, crushing his skull without any opposition.


    That second quickly passed, leaving the other party members perplexed.


    When Trank appeared to have the ability to escape, dashing their hopes of revenge for their fallenrades, the entire suddenly scene changed. Jack had practically teleported to exactly where Trank stood, only Trank was now a headless corpse with his brain matter sizzling away under the exposure of Jack¡¯s intense heat.


    And to make matters worse, the moment Jack appeared to have killed Trank, his me body disappeared and Jack copsed on top of the burning corpse.


    "Jack!" Eliza was the first to run to the unconscious hero.


    Rydel grabbed Daliea¡¯s corpse and nodded to Dirk, who did the same for Ke. "Eliza, grab Jack. We¡¯ve got to go."


    "But--"


    "Take the storage ring off that scoundrel and let Appa out of Jack¡¯s ring," continued Rydel. "We¡¯re getting out of here."


    "And what about Bowzer?" questioned Eliza as she followed Rydel¡¯s orders.


    "So long as we can let him know that Jack¡¯s alive, we should be able to stop him before his mindless rampage reaches that army."


    Both Rydel and Eliza bottled up their emotions and stored their beastpanions, as well as Ke¡¯s worried fairy and Daliea¡¯s fallen me Tiger. They hurried away on Appa, not wanting to remain in the forest now covered in unstoppable white mes.


    Next, they easily spotted the massive Hell-me Fox not too far away. Rydel took a deep breath before shouting, "Bowzer! Jack¡¯s alive!"


    At first, it didn¡¯t faze the fox, but as Rydel repeated his shout and Appa got a bit closer, Bowzer turned to look at them.


    As Bowzer eyed them, everyone felt a strange pressure overwhelm them. The only thing simr to that feeling was how Lunara had looked at them while in her Nine-headed Hydra form. They felt immobilized, so much so that Appa almost stopped pping his wings.


    "B-Bowzer!" Eliza was the next to shout. "Jack¡¯s alive, but we need to leave now! Please stop ande with us!


    Hearing those words again from a second source brought some sense back into Bowzer¡¯s mind.


    The fox squinted and took a better look at the many bodies atop Appa, including the unconscious Jack. But unlike thest time when Bowzer saw Jack¡¯s corpse, he saw red in Jack¡¯s cheeks and no holes in his chest.


    With a booming howl that the party was sure the army camp had heard, Bowzer finally ceased his rampage. His shrinking body soon returned to normal before the fox copsed due to exhaustion.


    Appa descended and allowed the party to pick up their final party member. With everyone gathered and aboard the giant bird, they fled the scene of white fire oveing the forest.


    Dirk looked down, holding back his emotions as the party left the burning forest behind.


    "We didn¡¯t mean for this to happen, Dirk. I¡¯m sure you can understand that," Rydel spoke up, not wanting Dirk to misunderstand."


    "I know..." sighed Dirk, still not looking away. "I had no clue that Jack had a Hell-me Fox, one the disastrous beasts of legend."


    "Are you regretting joining us?"


    "No... I¡¯m actually feeling better about that decision after seeing you all fight together. I¡¯m just... overwhelmed with a mix of emotions and memories I guess," exined Dirk. "In all my time with the Limneer military, I¡¯ve never met a bunch of idiots like you guys."


    Rydel broke out inughter, d that Dirk wasn¡¯t so easily broken. "Idiots, huh? Care to exin?"


    "You all threw yourselves over one another, disregarding your own safety for that of yourpanions¡¯. Sure, I¡¯ve met fools like that before, but never an entire party¡¯s worth," Dirkughed as well. "Then again, I¡¯m one of those idiots too."


    "Then you¡¯ll fit right in back at Trodar. We¡¯re d to have you." Extending his hand with a smile, Rydel added, "And don¡¯t worry about that fox. This was the only time he¡¯s gone crazy like that. He¡¯s actually a yful pup that prefersying on someone¡¯s shoulders to walking."


    "That beast rides on someone¡¯s shoulders?" Dirk gave Rydel a confused look.


    Rydel paid the look no mind. "That pup only recently evolved. Before, he used to hide away in Jack¡¯s coat pockets most of the time."


    "Oh? So, Jack had that thing since it was a pup?"


    "That thing is named Bowzer," Eliza interjected. "I¡¯m d to have you helping our cause, but don¡¯t discriminate Bowzer like that."


    "I-I¡¯m sorry. It¡¯s just that after seeing that... After seeing Bowzer be a natural disaster I¡¯ve only heard legends about, it¡¯s hard to imagine him as anything else," exined Dirk.


    Eliza continued to run her fingers through Jack¡¯s hair as his headid across herp. "That¡¯s what Bowzer hates most, though. No one sees him as anything other than a natural disaster. And Jack¡¯s done well to keep Bowzer from being exposed to the level of hate he would normally receive."


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Thank you." Dirk bowed his head to the thoughtful youngdy. "And I¡¯m sorry for saying such a thing. Also, I wish Jack a full recovery. You two must be close."


    "He¡¯s my husband."


    Dirk swallowed the words he was about to say. He looked to Rydel, who passed him a bottle of brundy.


    "Right now, things didn¡¯t go as we expected, but that¡¯s fate I guess. The least we can do is wait for Jack toe to and figure out what¡¯s next. Why sulk more than our fair share?" reasoned Rydel as he put a simr bottle to his lips. Yet, as nonchnt as the hunter acted, neither Dirk nor Eliza could see any sort of enjoyment in his dull eyes.


    While Dirk did the same, Eliza was lost in thought. Her eyes wandered over the bodies of Jack, Ke, and Daliea.


    She had almost lost Jack for good, making her so d that she had given up her Phoenix Lily. But she couldn¡¯t help but feel guilty for Ke. Eliza understood that Ke had done for her, what Eliza had done for Jack. In that little letter that Ke had handed Eliza must¡¯ve been Ke¡¯s Phoenix Lily.


    And when she thought about the loss of Daliea, she remembered how Daliea refused to take a Phoenix Lily and how much Daliea has constantly done for the party. Then Eliza remembered how hard Daliea worked to learn massages and how sincere she was with Jack and everyone else.


    No matter how she thought about it, Eliza didn¡¯t want to lose either of them.

 Chapter 271 Discussion Before Breaking the News

    <h4>Chapter 271 Discussion Before Breaking the News</h4>


    With Appa flying at full speed, there was no one nearby that could keep up. And for anyone that saw the massive bird rocketing through the sky, they were too busy with the white-hot forest fire.


    The party flew for an entire day, continuing through dusk. They were too preupied with worry to bother changing out of their tattered, bloodied clothes.


    Eventually, Rydel had stopped trying to dowse his emotions in alcohol. Dirk stopped with the first bottle while Rydel managed to go through most of his personal stash. Eliza stayed vignt with Jack resting on herp, waiting for the moment he opened his eyes.


    Beside Elizaid Bowzer, who now appeared to be sleeping soundly in ce of lying unconscious. Eliza asionally ran her fingers through his fur, always amazed by how soft it was considering it was able to burst into mes but was never dry or rough.


    Entering the second day of travel, the three party members were all caught up in what to do next.


    Dirk was the first to voice a question, "So... What happens next? We¡¯re not heading for Trodar, so where are we going?"


    "Prachten," answered Rydel, hungover and grumpy. "We¡¯re joining our other party members in Prachten and... we¡¯ll be cutting off their supply lines from Churstin."


    "Supply lines? Churstin¡¯s aiding Prachten?"


    "It¡¯s within the grey area of the war pact, so if they¡¯re found out it¡¯s... not exactly condemning," Rydel stammered in his uncaring state. "Also, it should be easier than dealing with your presto of a general... and that pervert Trank."


    "That¡¯s good, I guess." Dirk took a moment to think before touching a more sensitive topic. "So... When are we going to bury the--"


    "We¡¯re not burying them."


    Both Rydel and Dirk stiffened as Eliza cut in, "We¡¯re not burying them. Once Jack wakes up, we¡¯ll bring them back."


    "Being them back? But that¡¯s impossible--"


    "Nothing¡¯s impossible. Not with Jack," stated Eliza as if trying to convince yourself.


    "She¡¯s may have a point... You know?" Rydel coughed. "We already have a way to revive one person... But I don¡¯t know what to do about the other."


    "What?!" Dirk¡¯s mind was getting overwhelmed. He had already been amazed when he saw Eliza, Rydel, and Jacke back from death the moment they died, so he somewhat epted the thought of resurrecting the dead. "Then... How exactly are we doing that? Is it some powerful spell or an item?"


    "That depends. Jack¡¯s got ways of knowing these things and finding artifacts and tombs. If anyone can revive a fallen ally... then it¡¯s Jack."


    "Jack can do it. I¡¯m sure," restated Eliza,bing Jack¡¯s hair with her fingers.


    "By the way, Eliza... Do you know how Jack got a Phoenix Lily? Or why Ke didn¡¯t have hers?" asked Rydel.


    "I... I may have given my lily to Jack." Eliza didn¡¯t hide anything. "I gave him a letter that he swore never to open unless I was ever killed."


    "Hmmm... And Ke?"


    "She... Ke gave me a letter too, but I didn¡¯t expect her to pull something like that..." Following instructions, Eliza took out Ke¡¯s envelope. She opened it up to find a storage ring hidden with the letter. "She... Because of her, I¡¯m..."


    "Eliza, don¡¯t me yourself, okay?" Rydel stopped Eliza from saying more. "If Ke did that, then sho chose to. Don¡¯t me yourself for something... she wanted to give you."


    The enchantress remained silent, struggling to ept both Rydel¡¯s words and the clear intent Ke¡¯s actions showed.


    Dirk paid close attention to the two of them. He could tell that there was more to this party than meets the eye.


    The swordsman understood that this wasn¡¯t just a team put together for a mission. It was a true party made up ofrades who cared for each other. Everyone had a function and it was well bnced. And now that he knew some party members weren¡¯t present, Dirk was wondered if this party may be one of the strongest under lv. 40. He also grew curious about the remaining party members and who they would be.


    Then he realized something. Thesest two conscious party members are going to have to break the news to the others upon arrival.


    "Why are you so quiet now?" Rydel chuckled. "It¡¯s not like you knew either of them."


    "I..." chuckling with Rydel, Dirk put up his hands. "I¡¯m sorry. I just... I was thinking about how tough your current situation is."


    "This isn¡¯t the first time a party member died, you know?" stated Rydel. "Though we failed to bring her back to life, Jack got a special item while trying to. Now, we can resurrect someone else thanks to that."


    "Sounds like Jack really cares about his party members."


    "In my opinion, he cares too much... Like an overbearing parent," Rydel¡¯s chuckles continued. "When we first started this mission... he was terrified to fight you guys directly. He refused any sort of n that would put us in immediate danger of death."


    "Really?" Dirk struggled to believe that. "But this is war?"


    "Jack¡¯s got a lot of experience, but he¡¯s also very different. In the past, he would only fight by himself and never worried about others..." The hunter paused as he caught himself in a tangent. "Sorry, I shouldn¡¯t talk about Jack¡¯s past without his--"


    "Please, continue."


    Rydel turned to see Eliza¡¯s sincere gaze melting through his reluctance to say more. "Fine... But only cause his wife said so. I¡¯ll me you when he finds out."


    "In the past, Jack gained quite a reputation... But he did it alone. He rarely worked with others, and it was never... asrades," Rydel exined the little he had learned from his heart-to-heart conversation with Jack. "He gained that reputation without intending to... And now he¡¯s a summoned hero that struggles to believe he¡¯s a hero..."


    "So... Jack really is that summoned hero from the rumors?" Dirk couldn¡¯t help but ask, even after witnessing Bowzer reveal himself as a Hell-me Fox.


    With a nod, Rydel continued, "Yup, that¡¯s him. He¡¯s a great kid, but he¡¯s not as strong as you give him credit... Sure, he¡¯s dependable in a fight and I trust him with my life... But under that confidence, he hides doubt and worry."


    Then, Rydelughed again while pointing at Dirk. "Are you wondering why Jack didn¡¯t actually burn Zurden to the ground? Or wondering why he didn¡¯t have me use that crazy spell back at the camp?"


    "Yeah... I¡¯m definitely curious."


    "Because he¡¯s not only worried about his party but everyone." Rydel smiled warmly. "That kid... who canmand a Hell-me Fox and use its powers for himself... doesn¡¯t want to be known for strength through destruction. He refused to destroy Zurden, even after I asked him to do it."


    Startled by Rydel¡¯s statement, Dirk didn¡¯t know how to reply.


    "I was born and raised as a kid in Trodar, just beyond the border of Limneer..." Rydel didn¡¯t wait for Dirk to question his opinion and just exined it outright. "My vige and many others were razed to the ground by Limneer troops without mercy. My father was strong enough to get us away... but he lost his arm in the process. We were forced to move to Gilga and his only choice for work was hardbor after losing his arm, barely making a living... Eventually, we fled Trodar for something better, but we only escaped the border patrols thanks to my dad¡¯s sacrifice..."


    "I¡¯m sorry..."


    "Don¡¯t be, you weren¡¯t even a soldier at the time."


    Swallowing some saliva trapped in his throat, Dirk replied, "I wasn¡¯t a soldier yet, but I¡¯ve been serving under the man who caused you that turmoil."


    "What?" The warmth in Rydel¡¯s face vanished as Rydel stared holes into Dirk. "You mean General Toms, don¡¯t you?"


    "Correct... He¡¯s always been the greatest orchestrator of the war," exined Dirk. "He was the man the nobles chose to direct the war and gave him full control to do whatever was necessary, at least that¡¯s how Toms always stated it."


    Rydel ceased speaking, only looking back to the no-longer-visible army.


    Eliza kept her thoughts to herself. Since the two men were discussing other matters, Eliza pondered Rydel¡¯s statement about Jack¡¯s worries and self-doubts, wondering what she could do to help remove them.

 Chapter 272 Back Together Again...

    <h4>Chapter 272 Back Together Again...</h4>


    Inside the tavern of a small inn, three people sat at arge table waiting for their dinner to arrive.


    "Big Sis, I¡¯m hungry."


    "Lina, the food is on its way. You don¡¯t have to wait much longer."


    "Just drink your juice. Ya know ya can have as much as ya want."


    Almost on cue, three waiters approached the table, each carrying arge tray filled with hot tes. "I¡¯m sorry for the long wait, but the kitchen made sure all of your food was cooked to perfection."


    "Yay! I¡¯m so hungry!" Lina grabbed her fork and knife and stared longingly at the food being ced in front of her.


    The waiters started to scatter the dishes across the entire table, but Maynardughed, "Put them all in front of her. Just ce my steak and her stew by us."


    They didn¡¯t question Maynard¡¯s statement, only doing as he said with a smile. This was not the first time the waiters had witnessed the little girl¡¯s outrageous appetite or the group¡¯s unrivaled tips. "Very well. Enjoy!"


    While Lina began her nightly feast, Maynard and Maura chatted.


    "Do you think they¡¯ll be okay?" asked Maura. "I know they¡¯re strong, but they¡¯re up against an army. Wouldn¡¯t it have been better if you had joined them? Then, maybe Rydel could stay here and gather information by himself?"


    "Listen, Maura, Jack chose the teams and I agree with his decision," Maynard replied in between bites. "Ya should just eat your stew before it gets cold. And don¡¯t worry about them so much."


    "But if we--"


    "Maura, even if Rydel would be better suited them me for gathering information here, he¡¯s much better as a scout and informant when dealing with an army," Maynard continued. "Ya forget about his experience in our wars back in Reinolt. I¡¯m just good for killing things, though I am jealous that I couldn¡¯t fight my way through an army of soldiers. That I¡¯ll admit."


    The young woman took a few bites before asking, "But we haven¡¯t been able to learn much here... We both specialize in offense, not stealth."


    "But I¡¯ve been able to teach ya a lot while we¡¯ve been here," stated Maynard. "Ya have improved your techniques plenty cause of that. And who else can watch over Lina? Ya want her to face an army?"


    "No... I¡¯m just... I¡¯m just jealous..."


    "Oh, ya finally admitted it! It¡¯s about time! Come on, let¡¯s celebrate with a drink!"


    "Maynard, I¡¯m not your drinking buddy like Rydel. I¡¯m your student and fellow party member. Also, I have to care for Lina, so I¡¯m not spending the night with you at the bar," stated Maura, as if repeating something she had said many times before.


    "Come on... What good is drinking when ya drink alone." Feigning disappointment, Maynard tried to make Maura feel guilty.


    "Big Sis, I want dessert!"


    Lina¡¯s shout caused them both to find her surrounded by empty tters with a big smile on her face.


    "Of course, but only one tonight. We can¡¯t let you have too much sugar," replied Maura, giving Maynard the cold shoulder.


    "Oh... But I¡¯m still hungry?" pouted the young girl.


    "Lina, would you rather not have any dessert?"


    "No! I want cake!" shouted Lina. "But I also want pie, and pudding, and--"


    "You can only choose one." Maura remained firm.


    "Fine... I¡¯ll have the cake!"


    Like clockwork, a member of wait staff arrived waiting for Lina¡¯s dessert order. He humbly bowed and took his gold coin tip before hurrying back to the kitchen. In moments, he was walking back to their table with arge, high-rise cake. "There you, go, little missy."


    "Lina, what do you say?"


    "Thank you!" The girl shouted it only a fraction of a second before her fork plunged into theyered cake.


    Happy to see his well-paying customers content, the waiter left with a bow.


    "Can¡¯t I get a pie too?" Lina pled with frosting all over her face.


    "Nope, you only get one dessert. So hurry and finish your cake. It¡¯s almost bedtime."


    "Okay..." Lina pouted but only momentarily before she filled her mouth with more and more cake. She had no clue that when most kids get one dessert, they would get only one slice and not one whole dessert. But she would nevere to terms with such a thing, and Maura understood that.


    ¡¯Guys, go to the northwest forest outside of Talmook. We¡¯ll be arriving soon.¡¯


    "Yay! Big Bro¡¯sing back!" Lina shouted with joy as she paused her eating at the sound of Rydel¡¯s statement.


    "Shhhh!" Both Maura and Maynard put a finger to their lips as Lina giggled innocently.


    ¡¯We¡¯ll leave now. See ya soon,¡¯ Maynard happily responded.


    "Now hurry and finish your cake, Lina. If you want to see Jack, then you¡¯ll have to..."


    Maura never finished that sentence as Lina had finished the cake in record time. She had activated her devour ability and practically inhaled what was left, but they were wouldn¡¯t be staying there any longer so Maynard and Maura onlyughed at the sight.


    Lina dly grabbed Maura¡¯s hand and pulled her through the city at a breakneck pace. Passersby were startled by the young girl¡¯s tremendous speed while Maura and Maynard were either dragged by the hand or running just behind her.


    After ten minutes of running, the three of them had entered the forest and were deep enough to not be easily seen.


    ¡¯Okay, we¡¯re here and ready for ya.¡¯


    ¡¯Give us a few minutes. We¡¯ll be there shortly.¡¯


    ¡¯Big Bro!¡¯ Lina struggled to contain her excitement. ¡¯Big Bro, you¡¯re almost here!¡¯


    When no reply came, Lina only kept speaking, ¡¯Big Bro? Big Broooo?"


    Lina continued her mental questioning, intent on getting her big brother to respond. At the same time, Maynard and Maura felt that something was off.


    Rydel¡¯s tone of voice was neutral and detached. There was no emotion behind the few words he said. And with Jack not responding to Lina of all people, both of them started to worry about what may have happened.


    ¡¯Big Brooooo? BIG BRO!¡¯


    "Lina, that¡¯s enough." Maura knelt beside the girl and patted her head. "What if Jack¡¯s tired after everything they did and fell asleep? Do you want to wake him up?"


    "No... Maybe..." Lina was indecisive, not good at hiding her feelings.


    "Lina, let¡¯s just wait for them to arrive, okay? That way, Jack can get a bit more sleep before he sees his cute little sister."


    "I am pretty cute, aren¡¯t I?" Linaughed. "Okay, I¡¯ll wait."


    ¡¯Do ya really think Jack is just sleeping?¡¯ Maynard mentally asked Maura.


    Maura smiled back at Lina while responding, ¡¯I doubt it... But our pacts are still working, so he¡¯s not dead.¡¯


    ¡¯True.¡¯ Maynard nodded while he looked up to the sky. ¡¯I guess it could¡¯ve been worse, considering he¡¯s at least alive. But what about the others?¡¯


    ¡¯... I¡¯d rather not imagine things like that.¡¯


    ¡¯Just a thought.¡¯


    Thinking back to Rydel¡¯s deadpan words, Maynard already had some assumptions as to what happened in Limneer. He knew Rydel well and Maynard understood how Rydel spoke whenever the hunter was hiding or prolonging something. And it was always in that same deadpan tone.


    Lina did her best to wait patiently, but she quickly started pacing and marching around while staring at the sky through the trees. "When are they gonna get here?"


    "Calm down, Lina. They¡¯ll be here soon," stated Maura, who had started imagining the worst. She was reluctant to do so, but she couldn¡¯t stop herself in such a situation. All she could do was hope that her friends were alright, no matter how grim her thoughts were.


    After a few minutes had passed with what felt like the speed of hours, the three of them all saw arge birde into view. It got bigger and bigger until it descended right in front of them.


    "Big Bro!" Lina couldn¡¯t hold herself back any longer and jumped onto the bird¡¯s back. She had tunnel vision as she hugged Jack¡¯s unconscious body.


    Maura and Maynard, on the other hand, were at a loss of words as their breath was stolen by the sight before them.

 Chapter 273 Accepting a Tough Decision

    <h4>Chapter 273 epting a Tough Decision</h4>


    "No..."


    Only one word managed to escape Maura¡¯s lips. Her eyes were torn as to what they wanted to see, Jack¡¯s unconscious body beside a resting Bowzer or the corpses of Daliea and Ke.


    "Big Bro?" Lina finally noticed that something was wrong when Jack wasn¡¯t waking up. "What¡¯s wrong..."


    The young girl¡¯s tunnel vision was shattered as she looked up to see Eliza in her bloodied dress. "Big Sis Eliza... What happened?"


    "Lina... I¡¯m sorry." Eliza pulled the girl into a hug, letting her tears fall onto Lina¡¯s shoulder.


    Looking over Eliza, Lina noticed a man she didn¡¯t recognize sitting next to Rydel, who was also wearing clothes covered in dry blood. Lina then looked down behind Eliza, recognizing the lifeless bodies of her two other "sisters".


    "Big... Sis..." The little girl had no hope of holding back tears. Her eyes instantly puffed up and filled with water. "Big Sis... What happened?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, Little Lina... I¡¯m sorry..."


    "Lina," Rydel spoke up, "Things didn¡¯t go as we nned. It was a lot harder than we expected."


    "Uncle Rydel..." Lina struggled to get the words out as her mind tried to ept the terrible sight in front of her eyes. "They¡¯ll be okay... right?"


    "I... don¡¯t know," Rydel answered honestly. "We would need Jack for that, but he¡¯s been unconscious since his fight with a bounty hunter."


    "Bounty hunter?" Maynard questioned. "Ya guys had bounty hunters chasing ya?"


    "Yeah."


    "What about the army?"


    "It¡¯s been dyed."


    "So ya were sessful, then?"


    "... Yes. The mission was a sess." Rydel looked to Maura¡¯s forlorn face, not sure how he should exin everything.


    "Allow me to exin. That might make things easier." Dirk stood up and introduced himself, "My name¡¯s Dirk, the former assistant to General Toms of the Limneer army."


    "Former assistant?" Maynard was blown away by the man¡¯s reputation.


    "Correct. I¡¯ve decided to aid Trodar in ending these wars as peacefully as possible," Dirk continued. "As for what happened, the army was sessfully dyed and the party managed to escape them. However, the bounty hunters that General Toms hired caught up with us."


    "Daliea," Dirk pointed to the grey-skinned girl, "had used up all of her mana and had already consumed multiple elixirs in order to make the dy possible without harming the innocent citizens of Limneer. That left her vulnerable and the leader of the bounty hunters made sure to exploit her weakness."


    "Ke," he next pointed at the cleric, "gave her life protecting Eliza. And apparently, she had also given her means of self-resurrection to Eliza as well, effectively trading her life for Eliza¡¯s. She also was the only one who could directly counter the bounty hunter¡¯s stunning abilities, making her a prime target to remove as quickly as possible."


    Dirk continued as if he were giving a military report, not paying mind to the sorrowful expressions of the others at the moment, "Jack eventually managed to kill the leader of the bounty hunters while Bowzer went on a rampage and ughtered the remaining bounty hunters under that man. Also, the fox started the worst forest fire that Limneer has ever seen in all its history. However, I¡¯d guess that both of them were left quite weak after the encounter, especially Jack after all of the damage that he took. Hence, both of them have been either resting for days on end or remaining entirely unconscious."


    "... So, ya betrayed your superior to help make this possible?" asked Maynard, who like Rydel was more experienced in the tragedies of war.


    "Correct. I made sure to lead the general and the army along to a certain point where the Rydel and the others could make their move, finally giving the general no choice but to dy his invasion," exined Dirk. "Also, I was offered a home for my family in Trodar and a job within the Leisure Guild."


    "Then where¡¯s your family now?"


    "Already in Gilga," replied Dirk. "Jack was kind enough to bring the guild leader as their personal escort. He teleported them away before the final n was underway."


    "Then your family is out of harm¡¯s way and we have no reason to go back to Limneer as of yet..." While the others were filled with sorrow, Maynard began to emit a near-palpable blood-lust. "I guess I¡¯ll have to ughter that general some other time."


    Though Dirk was familiar with Toms and his strength, he couldn¡¯t deny the sense of fear he felt when Dirk saw Maynard¡¯s crazed eyes and the samurai¡¯s unwaning desire to kill. The former assistant still didn¡¯t believe that Maynard could do the general in so easily, but he felt that the samurai would possibly give the general the fight of a lifetime.


    "Either way, we¡¯re stuck with what to do next," Rydel interjected, calming Maynard slightly and gathering everyone¡¯s attention. "Remember, Jack has a life spring jewel."


    "Right, we can bring back... one of them..." Maura struggled to admit the harsh reality.


    With a nod, Maynard continued, "Jack will wake up but we¡¯re not sure when. Last time it took him a week, and I think he took far more damage this time around so it could likely take even longer for him now."


    "But the life spring jewel can only revive someone within a week of their death," Maynard picked up on Rydel¡¯s train of thought. "Ya think we¡¯ll have to choose who lives and who doesn¡¯t since Jack won¡¯t wake up in time, right?"


    "No..." Eliza mumbled to herself as the thought of choosing returned to her mind. And it was only made worse that they were the ones to choose and bear the burden, not Jack.


    "That¡¯s right," nodded Rydel. "Also, we don¡¯t currently have a way to preserve the bodies, so we¡¯ll have to choose quickly."


    "But... how can we?" asked Maura, struggling to process everything.


    "Sadly, I have to think about what¡¯s best for the party. And if you remember that we need to go to Korten..."


    "Then it would be best to have Dalieae back." Maynard didn¡¯t hide his opinion or soften his voice in any way.


    "But what about Ke?" Eliza¡¯s conscience forced her to ask, even if she couldn¡¯t refute their argument. "We can¡¯t just... let her die."


    "Eliza, it¡¯s not that we don¡¯t want Ke back," exined Maynard, "but we¡¯ll probably need Daliea if we want to be sessful in Korten. That¡¯s just how things are, we can¡¯t change that."


    "I¡¯ll be honest," Dirk¡¯s unexpected voice broke the debate. "Nearly every party in Kartonia would have to let both of them go. In my life, I¡¯ve had to say goodbye to countlessrades in arms. You guys being able to revive even one of them... That¡¯s a miracle that everyone else in the world would die for."


    Taking Dirk¡¯s opinion to heart, everyone else remained silent for a while.


    Only Lina who was willing to speak up, "But... I don¡¯t want to say goodbye to Big Sis Ke..."


    Maura tried to wipe some of her tears as she climbed onto Appa. She nestled up to Eliza and Lina, throwing her arms around them both. "It¡¯ll be okay... Sometimes... fate¡¯s not too nice to us. But other times, fate¡¯s really nice to us. You don¡¯t remember it, but when you were an egg, you were stolen, right?"


    "Right..."


    "Your mom and dad thought they lost you forever. They eventually gave up on finding you after hundreds of years. But we found you and we helped you hatch. That¡¯s also because of fate," stated Maura.


    "So fate... is good and bad?"


    "Yes, Lina... it is." Eliza lifted her head and shared a sad smile with Maura. "Fate has a lot of hellos and goodbyes..."


    "Ya will never forget the goodbyes, but ya can always focus on the hellos," added Maynard with a chuckled.


    "Focus on hellos... But I still don¡¯t want to say goodbye." The stubborn girl shook her head.


    "Lina, sometimes fate doesn¡¯t give us a choice... Or it gives us a really hard one, like now." Tears continued to fall from Eliza¡¯s cheeks as she hugged Lina and Maura even tighter. "I don¡¯t want to say goodbye either, but I have to say it too... Maybe if we say it together, it will be easier."


    "... Okay..." Lina wiped her tears and looked at the smile left of Ke¡¯s face. "Goodbye, Big Sis Ke."


    Maura and Eliza couldn¡¯t hold back any longer. The floodgates were forced open and they let all their tears spill unimpeded.


    "Big Sis Eliza, you said together..."


    "Okay..."


    "Me too..."


    Eliza and Maura repositioned themselves around Lina, letting the three of them have a good look a Ke¡¯s smile.


    "Goodbye, Ke..."


    Together, the three girls embraced each other as they were forced to begrudgingly ept the truth.


    "Bye, Ke," Rydel added with a bow of the head.


    Maynard held both sheathed swords and formally bowed. "Goodbye, Ke."


    Dirk watched with moist eyes as the party members each took their turn saying their goodbyes. If he had any doubts about their loyalty to each other before, they were all eradicated by witnessing this sorrowful event.

 Chapter 274 Visiting the Unconscious Jack

    <h4>Chapter 274 Visiting the Unconscious Jack</h4>


    "You were quite reckless, you know? You know...?"


    "Hmmm..." Jack groaned as a voice echoed between the walls of his skull like they were canyon walls.


    "Get up already. You know it¡¯s me," berated the voice. "Who else could speak with you while you remained unconscious?"


    Fighting with his mind, Jack managed to open his eyes. He was startled to see such a vibrant, bright blue sky. As he sat up, Jack noticed a not-too-distant sun peeking over the clouds. It was an unusual ce to be, but Jack soon remembered that he had seen it before.


    "Daruun... What¡¯s up? And... I¡¯m unconscious?"


    The god walked over to Jack and patted the hero on the back. "First, congrattions! You¡¯ve aplished the first step to gaining control over Trodar, albeit you nearly destroyed your body and mind while doing so. You just had to go and forcefully use a spell you knowingly didn¡¯t have enough mana to cast, didn¡¯t you?"


    "Shut up... I lost two party members to make that happen," Jack stated angrily.


    "No, you lost one party member," corrected Daruun. "While you¡¯ve been unconscious, your party took it upon themselves to use the life spring jewel and revive Daliea."


    "What?!" Finally standing up, Jack met Daruun¡¯s gaze. "What exactly is going on right now? Tell me that first before I get too mad to listen."


    "Good... You¡¯re making progress." Happy to see Jack a bit more open, Daruun threw his arm around Jack¡¯s shoulder. The god waved his hand, causing the scenery around them to shift and recreate a past event.


    Jack loosened up as he saw Rydel, Eliza, and Dirk meet back up with Maynard, Maura, and Lina. He saw their conversation. He felt their pain and matched some of their tears. He struggled to keep it together when he saw Eliza and Maura losepletely to their emotions.


    Next, he saw Eliza retrieve the life spring jewel from Jack¡¯s storage ring. She knelt beside Daliea¡¯s body and poured some mana into the jewel.


    Everyone was startled as the jewel shattered instantly, but they were reassured when all of its energy poured into Daliea, filling her with vitality once again. After a few moments passed, her chest began to rise ad fall, proving to everyone that the goblin girl was breathing yet again.


    The scene began to fade, returning to the cloudyndscape as the party gathered around the sleeping Daliea.


    "Please tell me you noticed your unconscious body lying at the side?"


    "Yeah... I saw it."


    "Good, then you should understand that right now you¡¯re still unconscious," exined Daruun. "I¡¯m not here to answer any questions, I¡¯m just here to check up on you."


    "To check up on me?" Jack gave Daruun a strange look. "Since when did you care about me personally and not just my duties as your champion?"


    Daruun shook his head. "Jack, I¡¯ve always cared about you. In fact, you don¡¯t know it but I¡¯ve also been watching you, even your entire life prior to your eptance of my quest."


    "I call bull..."


    Before Jack could curse the god, the clouds reshaped and showed a young man sitting at a makeshiftputer desk in his tiny bedroom. Theputer was old even for thete 2000¡¯s, but the young preteen didn¡¯t seem to mind in the slightest. All he cared about was his ability to y his favorite game, "A Hero¡¯s Tale".


    "This... How is this..."


    "Like I¡¯ve always said, I have seen everything past and future, as well as everywhere," stated the god, not surprised by Jack¡¯s stupor. "If you remember correctly, this was the first day that--"


    "This was my first day ying "A Hero¡¯s Tale", but how can you..." Feeling assaulted with the new information, Jack¡¯s current understanding of Daruun was broken beyond recognition. "Aren¡¯t you just... A god from Kartonia?"


    "Well... technically no."


    "What?!"


    "If you want me to better answer that question, then you¡¯ll need to use your tutorial stone¡¯sst charge. I can activate it in your ce if you¡¯d like?" Daruun smiled.


    "I... But won¡¯t I..."


    "It¡¯s your choice, but you already know what to do until you¡¯ve joined the Trodan Council. By then, maybe you¡¯ll find another tutorial stone, who knows?"ughed Daruun.


    "You would..." Jack mumbled to himself. After realizing that Daruun had seen not only Jack¡¯s life in Kartonia but his growing years back in his homeworld, Jack¡¯s opinion of Daruun changed instinctively. Before, Jack felt that he was only a pawn to the fate that Daruun had given him, but now... Jack wasn¡¯t sure what to feel.


    Following his gut, Jack asked, "Daruun, can you tell me about your origins and how you¡¯re tied to Kartonia if you¡¯re not from here?"


    Daruun chuckled, "Since that¡¯s your question, I¡¯ll give you an answer. But only if you¡¯re truly open to me and my insights. Do you promise to follow my guidance and not act like an ignorant, spoiled child?"


    "Yeah... I¡¯m sorry about that. If I had followed your guidance, I could¡¯ve used Spacial Disruption to counter Trank¡¯s insane speed, right?"


    "Correct."


    Jack took a deep breath before he humbly bowed. "Daruun, as your champion, I¡¯ll do better to follow your guidance."


    "Good. Now, let¡¯s take a seat before I ramble on about myself." The god waved his hand, creating some simple butfortable chairs for the two of them. Between the chairs was a small table with a bottle of wine and two sses already poured. "Please, help yourself."


    Jack and Daruun grabbed their sses. They took a sip, shocking Jack¡¯s senses with its divine taste.


    "First and foremost, I ept your apology," stated Daruun. "I know how stubborn you are as well as your ignorance towards authority, something you¡¯ve always shown a tendency of with your parents."


    Shrugging his shoulders, Jack took another sip of the heavenly wine in ce of responding.


    "As for my origins, they aren¡¯t much," Daruun continued. "Ie for an impoverished world in the corner of this sector. I grew up in a humble family and eventually had my--"


    "Wait, wait, wait!" Jack put up his hands in protest. "What do you mean by ¡¯world in the corner of this sector¡¯?"


    "Right. Allow me to exin the gxy¡¯s generalyout first," stated Daruun, stealing what was left of Jack¡¯s attention.


    "The gxy is made up of twenty-eight sectors, eight at its core and twenty others surrounding them. Both of use from sector twenty-six on the edge of the gxy. That¡¯s where my homeworld, your homeworld, and Kartonia are all located. Each sector is then divided into districts and then into systems. All three of these worlds are located within the Fate District, but each is in a different system, as each system has upwards of a dozen worlds."


    Following along hurt Jack¡¯s brain, which wasn¡¯t expecting Daruun to share that big of a picture.


    "Like I said earlier, my world was impoverished inparison to the others, even worse off than yours," exined Daruun.


    "Wait, WAIT!!" Again, Jack put up his arms in protest. "What do you mean worse off than mine?"


    "Jack, that¡¯s an entirely different question for another time. Unless you don¡¯t want me to answer your original question, I¡¯d suggest that you either find more tutorial stones or find my temple. Either will work."


    With that over with, Daruun continued, "As I was saying, my world didn¡¯t have much to offer. There was no means ofmunication or travel between it and its neighborings. And it offered people little to no means of growing stronger and eventually breaking through the void between worlds."


    "Whoa, whoa, WHOA! Are those things supposed to bemonce?!"


    "For the sectors closer to the gxy¡¯s center, they¡¯re mostlymonce. For sectors like ours, I¡¯d say it¡¯s about fifty-fifty at most," Daruun exined. "Anyways, my worldcked a means of growing stronger and we couldn¡¯t even attempt to create technology that could reach another, let alone fly. The world was more primitive then Kartonia in that regard."


    Jack patiently sat down. He was d Daruun had given him a chair, otherwise, he may have fallen over after getting hit with such outstanding information.

 Chapter 275 Daruuns Origins

    <h4>Chapter 275 Daruun¡°s Origins</h4>


    "I grew up with nothing. My family consisted of my father, my mother, and myself, but I rarely saw either of them. I had been sent away to nearby mines to work for a wage given to my parents. Though I hated it as a child, I have to thank them when looking back." Daruun showed a sad smile. "Because of that hard manualbor, I grew to be quite strong for my age.


    "However, as years passed and I was sent from one mine to the next, eventually something happened without my knowledge. My parents had been killed for the savings they had amassed from my earnings. I don¡¯t know what they had nned to do with that money, but I¡¯ll never know so I don¡¯t like to think about that too much."


    Jack listened closely, surprised that the all-seeing god came from such a lowly beginning.


    "The mine I was working in didn¡¯t tell me about their deaths. They kept working me until the mine was depleted, acting as if they had been sending money back home. I only found out the truth when I returned home and found that another family had moved into our small, dpidated home...


    "They didn¡¯t tell me anything, only shooing me away. I had to track down a distant neighbor that worked with my dad in order to find the truth. But... I wasn¡¯t even sad about my parents¡¯ passing. After growing up in that forsaken world, my fourteen-year-old self thought it was just part of life, or fate if you will," stated Daruun.


    "That was the first urrence that had me pondering what fate was. At the time, I believed that fate was a destiny of sorts as if it were something that I was just born into and had no say or control over.


    "My stubborn and foolish self believed that my parents¡¯ passing must have been a way to let go of the past as if I was born for something greater. With that in mind, I made it my mission to find thergest city I could and prove myself capable of living a better life than my parents in every way possible."


    Daruun paused his story to take a satisfying sip of wine. "Are you keeping up? Or should I slow it down a tad?"


    "No, I¡¯m following along fine. Don¡¯t worry, if I have any questions then I¡¯ll let you know," Jack joined Daruun in taking a sip but he hadn¡¯t stop imagining the god¡¯s ongoing story ying out in front of him.


    With Jack keeping up, Daruun continued, "It took me two years of travel and wandering to reach Bragdor, a city the size of Zurden in the center of one of my home¡¯s many deserts. There, I was sure that I would leave my mark on society and prove sessful.


    "And no, I didn¡¯t have any idea what I was going to do next," chuckled Daruun, understanding what was going through Jack¡¯s attentive mind.


    "I ended up working more manualbor with a merchantpany. After proving I was smart enough to count and loyally working with them for a year, the owner started to take a liking to me. He started to teach me how to read and write, showing me that I can work with my brain and not just my body.


    "After another year, I was then ced in charge of organizing the man¡¯s storehouse. I was to make sure everything was ounted for and was in its proper ce," exined Daruun. "The owner had practically be a father figure to me, a boy now eighteen years of age. And since I proved capable of working well with numbers and was also his strongest employee by far, the man had instinctively started treating me better, like a son of sorts.


    "He allowed me to live with him in hisrge home and eat with his family..." Daruun paused again, this time taking a deep breath. "That¡¯s where I met Turmea for the first time. She was the owner¡¯s daughter, and he always kept her hidden away at home to protect her. She was the most beautiful person I had ever seen..."


    Since Daruun had paused again, Jack asked, "Was the owner okay with the two of you being together?"


    "Not at first... It took more time to convince him I was not only capable of providing for her but that I truly loved her. He was an incredible man, unlike every other greedy man on that miserable rock of a.


    "When I started pursuing her, he wasn¡¯t directly against it, he only kept us from rushing into something without developing true emotions first," Daruun exined with a smile. "And once Turmea started to reciprocate my feelings, her father took it on himself to teach me everything there was to be a merchant. He showed me how to manage costs, negotiate deals, n for travels, and anything else involved in the business. He hid nothing from me. Soon, I was his right-hand man, as well as his son-inw.


    "That time of happiness ended not muchter," Daruun stated as the smile fell from his face.


    "After I had the privilege of marrying my wife, Mea, my reputation as the greatest merchant¡¯s right-hand man and possible sessor became known throughout the city. One night I was wandering the streets in a shadier part of town, uncaring of my growing reputation. That was the first time I was confronted with a dubious offer. They asked me to help them raid the man¡¯s storehouse and I¡¯d get half the profit in return.


    "I told them no without hesitation and walked away, not listening to anything else they had to say. They tried to hold me back, but I was more than strong enough to deal with those muscleheads.


    "When I came home I didn¡¯t mention it to my father-inw, though in hindsight I most definitely should¡¯ve," sighed Daruun. "One weekter, the same thing happened in a different part of town, only they had brought more muscle to try and keep me in check. I beat my way out of that encounter and did my best to keep it hidden from my father-inw.


    "He would¡¯ve found out eventually through the rising rumors, but it happened a third time in the middle of the city market. But that time it was the men of the city¡¯s secondrgest merchant. They pulled me aside to make sure our conversation wasn¡¯t witnessed by the masses, offering me everything that my father-inw owned so long as I helped run him out of business.


    "Like always, I said no. But that time I didn¡¯t have to fight my way out. They let me go without any objection. However, they told me I had one week to ept the offer as I walked away."


    Jack was engrossed in the story, forgetting about his original question and taking mental note of Daruun¡¯s experiences.


    "That week passed quickly and I hadn¡¯t bothered counting the days or even considering the offer I had long forgotten. The day after that encounter I left the city on a journey to procure a new product from a distant vige. I was gone for an entire week and was d to return to see my wife again...


    "Before I entered my home, I saw the doors and surrounding walls battered and destroyed. Some parts of the wall were still on fire, gradually spreading across the property. I rushed inside to see my worst nightmare I had never imagined..."


    Daruun¡¯s face was deadpan, emotionless. His eyes were hardened and lifeless.


    "When I entered my home... I wasn¡¯t weed by what I found... I was destroyed..." The calm-minded Daruun struggled to get the words out of his mouth. "In the main hall, I found my father-inw chained up by the same guards he had hired to protect his home... In front of him was my mother-inw... being raped... by the same merchant who had made me the offer to betray my father-inw..."

 Chapter 276 A Bigger Picture

    <h4>Chapter 276 A Bigger Picture</h4>


    Those words were hard enough for Daruun to share, but he choked on the next sentence, "And... beside her was... Mea... my pregnant wife... she was... surrounded by his men and his son..."


    Daruun remained silent for a moment, still not showing emotions, only letting them loose through his words or theck thereof.


    Seeing the confident, all-knowing god of fate breaking down right before his eyes, Jack was speechless. Nothing he thought of was worth saying and had no way tofort the immortal god before him. And Jack understood that even if he had something to say, what good would it bepared to the vast knowledge or experience of Daruun?


    "That was the day I broke."


    Daruun finally continued. "I charged toward the men holding down my wife, intent to ughter them all regardless of the reputation that my father-inw taught me to uphold. But I was intercepted by some hired mercenaries. Compared to nearly everyone in the city I could hold my own, but I had never considered the possibility of facing someone bred to fight and kill. I didn¡¯t let myself think that the other merchant would go so far and pay such a high price...


    "I was chained and beaten while my wife was defiled in front of me... Afterward, they tortured her, killing her slowly along with my unborn child... Next, they killed my mother-inw and eventually my father-inw...


    "I¡¯m not sure why, but they didn¡¯t kill me," added Daruun. "Instead, they continued to beat me and then paraded my naked, beaten self around town like a trophy, an example of what would happen if someone stood against them.


    "After some time, they released me and banned me from the city. I was thrown out into the barren desert without a shirt on my back and with dried blood covering my entire person. My only choice was to die or struggle beyond what I was physically able in order to survive.


    "I swore that I would get revenge. There wasn¡¯t any devil or god that could¡¯ve convinced me otherwise. I had to kill them. Part of me even wanted to burn the entire city to the ground to erase such terrible memories from existence..."


    As Daruun¡¯s voice faded and he paused yet again, Jack remembered something. The story that Daruun had shared back at the camp. The story of a merchant who was broken and lost everything, sumbing to the hunger for power and revenge.


    "Daruun... That story you told me earlier, was it about you?"


    The corners of Daruun¡¯s lips slowly and painfully curled upward. "You¡¯re right. That story was mine. Since you¡¯ve realized that, then you should understand how the rest goes. After spending years in search of strength by any means, I finally found it.


    "I raced back to Bragdor. I stormed through the city¡¯s main gate and forced my way towards my old home, which had been renovated and became that disgusting merchant¡¯s new manor. I left nothing standing as I razed the ce. After destroying the manor, I killed his guards, the same men I once worked alongside. Next, I dragged the merchant and his son through the streets, beating them and all city guards that dared to stop me.


    "They hadn¡¯t recognized me, something I didn¡¯t notice till the merchant beaten so badly that he wasn¡¯t able to lift even a finger. I said my name, but he only shouted for more guards to came and take me away. For some reason, he thought it impossible that I could kill him. But I did.


    "And once the merchant was dead, I ughtered his son and his family... After that, I ughtered the families of the guards that had betrayed me... and the other smaller merchants that had made simr offers in the past... and everyone who hadughed and mocked me when I was paraded around town in shame...


    "I had massacred an entire city," Daruun sighed, leaving Jack stunned.


    "Don¡¯t you have questions to ask me? Like, ¡¯Why would you go too far?¡¯ ¡¯Why the whole city?¡¯ Or ¡¯Was it worth it?¡¯"


    Jack said nothing but was still unable to keep his thoughts to himself as Daruun listed the questions Jack had at the front of his mind.


    "First, I went that far because no matter how many people I killed, it never felt like enough," answered Daruun. "Second, I killed the whole city because I med the development of that situation on the environment that created the filth and sleaze that was that grimy merchant.


    "And third, no... It wasn¡¯t worth it."


    Surprised by Daruun¡¯s third answer, Jack asked, "What do you mean? Didn¡¯t you finally avenge your family and gain closure?"


    "No, I gained no sense of closure from the massacre I had caused. No matter how I thought about it or how I tried to justify my actions, I could never remove the scar that was branded on my heart. No amount of spilled blood was able to wash that scar away."


    Daruun let Jack ponder that a moment before continuing, "Only after searching for what fate truly was did I start to heal the hole in my heart. I spent countless years searching for some kind of meaning to the fate I had experienced. I wondered what I could¡¯ve changed or what was unchangeable. I soon started to look beyond my pain and question my very existence.


    "After spending many years wandering the deserts of my homeworld, I stumbled upon a discovery. Beneath the sand were ancient ruins. It took time, but I eventually found more and more of those ancient ruins. It was through those ruins that I found a way off of that. And after spending lifetimes gaining more and more strength, I stand before you as the Daruun I am now, the all-seeing, all-powerful ruler of the Fate District."


    "HUH?!"


    Floored by the sudden shift from Daruun¡¯s emotional storytelling to the reveal of his true position, Jack had no idea what to say next.


    "You... You¡¯re the... There¡¯s a..."


    "Calm down, Jack. Take another sip of the wine, it¡¯ll help your nerves," Daruun chuckled.


    Doing exactly that, Jack downed the contents of the wine in one gulp, which forcefully calmed his body and mind.


    "Good, now I can answer the second part of your question if you¡¯d like."


    Confused, Jack scratched his head. "Second part?"


    "You want to know my ties to Kartonia, don¡¯t you?"


    "YES! Yes, I do!" More anxious then ever, Jack leaned in to pay better attention as Daruun willingly offered more information.


    "This part of my story isn¡¯t as long," stated Daruun. "Simply put, I created this world as an experiment."


    "Huh?"


    "Jack, remember this." Daruun looked Jack in the eyes. "Beyond this world are people far stronger than anything you can imagine. Something like creating a world is rare, but not impossible. As for why I made it, I wanted to test my abilities and ended up creating Kartonia ages ago.


    "Though I created the world, my position as a district ruler keeps me from directly interfering with the happenings of this world," exined Daruun. "That¡¯s why I devised the level system and integrated it into how this world and its people react to cosmic energy."


    "Cosmic energy?" Jack was only getting more confused as Daruun continued his exnation.


    Daruun sighed and shrugged his shoulders. "Don¡¯t worry about cosmic energy for now. Just understand that throughout the void that our gxy exists within, cosmic energy flows eternally. Every world reacts to it differently, some only gaining enough to create life, like your homeworld, and others naturally gaining abilities to umte that cosmic energy and grow stronger.


    "Here, I wrote the level system into the very fabric of the world, making sure that its inhabitants would have a way to grow stronger and possibly be strong enough to leave the naturally," Daruun exined further.


    "But while I managed to create a means for growth here, I eventually made a couple of mistakes that almost led to the extinction of the world. Remember the godly war you¡¯ve heard so much about?"


    Jack tried to piece together the jumbled up puzzle that was the conversation. "You mean... You created the gods... by ident? And that led to you needing me to fight them in your stead?"


    "Exactly!" Happy to see Jack figure it out, Daruun poured Jack another ss. "I¡¯m d you¡¯vee to more properly realize your role."


    "I do have one question though," Jack added.


    "So long as it pertains to this topic, I might answer it."


    "You said people would eventually get strong enough to leave the naturally. Has that ever happened?" asked Jack.


    Daruun answered him outright, "No."


    "Has anyone gotten close?"


    "I¡¯d say that Halmut and Skaryn are close, but they¡¯ve deceived themselves and made it impossible."


    "What do you mean?"


    Daruun smiled back at his champion, d that after the many conversations he and Jack had shared, Jack was finally open to genuinely listen and take Daruun¡¯s advice to heart.


    "Imagine this," stated Daruun. "What if Halmut and Skaryn weren¡¯t fighting each other, but fighting alongside each other?"


    "That would be a terrifying force to face," Jack replied with a shake of his head. "But how would they get stronger when there¡¯s no one else to face for EXP?"


    "A good question. Something that they should¡¯ve asked my ages ago."


    With a thought in mind, Jack asked, "How well do Halmut and Skaryn know you?"


    Daruun started tough, "That¡¯s another question that you don¡¯t currently have the means to ask."

 Chapter 277 Two and a Half Weeks Later

    <h4>Chapter 277 Two and a Half Weeks Later</h4>


    "Uhh..."


    Eliza¡¯s head jerked the moment Jack¡¯s incoherent groan reached her ears. "Jack..."


    "Uhh... Huh..." As if coaxed by Eliza¡¯s tender voice, Jack¡¯s eyelids cracked open.


    "Jack... You¡¯re awake." Maura rushed to the bedside opposite Eliza. She grabbed her husband¡¯s hand and gently caressed it.


    Jack¡¯s minimalistic movements weren¡¯t enough to return the favor, but he managed to curl his fingers loosely around her hand. "Eliza... Maura..."


    "Yes," they answered together.


    It took another moment for Jack¡¯s eyes to fully process his new surroundings. As the blurriness faded, Jack came to see both of their smiling faces looking down on him. "Where am I?"


    "You¡¯re in one of thergest hotels in Talmook. We needed a room big enough for all four of us or we would¡¯ve fought over who stayed by your side," exined Eliza.


    "Oh... Wait... Four of us?" Jack repeated. "But I only see..."


    "Jack!" The bed-ridden hero heard the door swing open and another familiar voice rang out as Daliea hurried to sit beside Eliza. "Jack, you¡¯re awake."


    "Yeah, I am..." Seeing her made Jack happy, but it also reminded him of the event he saw y out alongside Daruun.


    "Daliea... I¡¯m d you¡¯re still alive..." As Jack uttered those words, the others all hesitated to respond. But Jack continued, "I guess that means... Where is she buried?"


    "She hasn¡¯t been buried yet," Maura replied. "It took a couple of days but we managed to find a shop selling caskets. We bought an enchanted casket that helped slow her body¡¯s dposition with some of your money, but we haven¡¯t been able to decide where to bury her."


    "By the way," Eliza added, "at some point, we need to discuss our finances."


    Jack¡¯s weak body failed to tilt his head in confusion. "Why? Has somethinge up?"


    "Yes. You¡¯ve been holding out on us!" pointing her finger at Jack, Eliza guilted him. "You have that much?! And you weren¡¯t willing to at least buy us some dresses or essories?"


    "That... But I¡¯ll need all of that for reviving the Leisure Guild," reasoned Jack as he turned to Maura for support.


    Maura¡¯s sad expression warmed up as she giggled, "Jack, I think Eliza has a point. We can spare at least that much, can¡¯t we?"


    "I think Jack made the correct decision," stated Daliea in his defense. "He¡¯s spoiled all of us so I don¡¯t get why you¡¯re acting like you¡¯ve received nothing from him."


    "Daliea..." The young hero smiled, d to have someone help protect him from his wives.


    "But he¡¯s got WAY too much already. He could at least get us something without Lina being the excuse," argued Eliza. "Why can¡¯t he just treat his wives for once..."


    Now that he understood their motives, Jack tried and failed to sit up, which caused Eliza and Maura to immediately drop their little game and hold Jack softly.


    "Eliza, Maura, once we¡¯re in Gilga we¡¯ll go on a proper date. Okay?"


    "Promise?" Eliza smiled.


    "You mean that, Jack?" Maura blushed.


    "Of course, you are my wives after all,"ughed Jack. "I don¡¯t know what I would do if I lost you..."


    Both women leaned in close and took a turn to kiss Jack¡¯s cheek. Daliea sat next to them, unsure of how to contain her jealousy.


    "I-I¡¯ll go get the others. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll want to see you too." Not liking the feeling of being the fourth wheel, Daliea gave a quick bow before she darted out the door.


    "You know, Jack, she really cares about you. You¡¯ve realized that by now, right?" Eliza prodded Jack with her words.


    "... Yeah... I¡¯ve noticed," Jack sighed.


    "Wait, really?!" Acting surprised, Eliza looked to her fellow wife. "Maura, did you hear that? Jack is noticing that we have feelings for him."


    "You know I¡¯m right here," Jack dryly stated. "And I thought that was obvious since me and you spent that night--"


    "Shhh! No more." Eliza threw her hand over Jack¡¯s mouth but was unable to keep Maura from catching on.


    "What¡¯s he talking about?" asked Maura.


    "Nothing. He¡¯s just trying to talk his way out again, like always."


    Maura lifted one eyebrow as she removed Eliza¡¯s hand from Jack¡¯s face. "Jack, what were you saying?"


    That was when he realized that Maura still didn¡¯t know about Jack and Eliza taking that next step in their rtionship. "Ummm... I¡¯m just reminding her of thatst battle we had. I did everything I could to protect them."


    "Jaaaack?" Maura repeated his name, intent on getting this crucial information out of him. "Tell me the truth. I¡¯m also your wife, remember?"


    "I... We..." Jack hesitated but couldn¡¯t think of a way out of an awkward exnation. "Maura... You see, Eliza and I--"


    "Jack!"


    "Jack, ya finally got up!"


    "Big Bro!"


    The door was suddenly thrown open as more and more people charged into the room and Lina dove into Jack¡¯s injured chest.


    Taking this opportunity, Jack retreated from his conversation with Maura and greeted them all. "Rydel, Maynard, Lina... Sorry I¡¯ve been out again. I hope I wasn¡¯t a burden on you."


    "Nah, ya can just keep resting for a while," replied Maynard. "With Rydel handling the intel, we¡¯ve already learned most of what we need."


    "Really? Then, what¡¯s the situation?" asked Jack.


    Rydel exined, "Well, this job may be a lot harder than we thought. The man in charge of the deal is a ninja from Churstin. He¡¯s lv. 44 and he¡¯s unlike most of the few ninjas I¡¯ve seen. His stealth abilities rival mine, but I¡¯ve already witnessed his ability to kill. He should specialize in assassination if I¡¯m not mistaken."


    "Assassination?" Somewhat surprised, Jack thought for a moment. "What¡¯s an assassin doing selling weapons?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, to be honest," replied Rydel. "From what I¡¯ve seen he might be working alone or for a third party and not for Churstin. Also... He knows that I¡¯ve been tailing him."


    "What?!"


    "Hold on, ya never told me that?!" Maynard turned in shock. "Ya, the best spy and stealth master I¡¯ve met, were caught spying on him? And this assassin didn¡¯t kill ya or threaten ya?"


    "No, he didn¡¯t. That¡¯s the scary thing... There have been a few times that he¡¯ll look back at me while I¡¯m hiding and wave to me as if he wants to talk. He¡¯s never told me anything or approached me, but I¡¯m confident he knows that I¡¯ve been following him for the past couple of weeks," exined Rydel.


    "I see... Wait, the past couple of weeks?! How long was I out?" Jack was startled.


    "Almost three weeks now." A less familiar voice came from the door. Dirk chuckled as he pped Maynard on the back. "While you¡¯ve been napping, we¡¯ve been busy. Rydel, and asionally Daliea, will go and find new information on the various weapon transactions. Maynard and I have been sharpening our swords against one another, teaching each other a few new tricks. And your wives have been here with you, even if we invited Maura toe spar and learn."


    Grateful to Dirk¡¯s military training and his straightforward way of reporting, Jack felt caught up on recent events for the most part. "Thank you, Dirk. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve made your self at home in the party."


    "If I didn¡¯t already have a wife and children to tend to, I would be hard-pressed to part ways with you all," praised Dirk. "But I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll spend plenty of time together at some point in the Leisure Guild."


    "In time, yes. But for now, we should figure out what¡¯s up with this strange ninja. Rydel, have you at least learned his name?" Jack asked.


    "He¡¯s refused to share that information with anyone, even his paying customers."


    "Hmmm... If it¡¯s a third party, I wonder if they¡¯d be willing to leave Churstin if another big buyer made an offer?" reasoned Jack. "Rydel, give me a few more days to rest. Then, we¡¯ll both go and visit this ninja with an offer he can¡¯t refuse."

 Chapter 278 The Unreasonable Ninja

    <h4>Chapter 278 The Unreasonable Ninja</h4>


    Three more days passed without Jack leaving his bed. Eliza and Daliea were constantly at his side, either tending to him or chatting together. Maura would either be with Jack or sparring with Dirk and Maynard since she could use all the technical training she could get. Bowzer was also let out so long as he remained in Jack¡¯s room and stayed quiet enough to not be heard.


    After three days, Jack was finally able to stand but he struggled to walk without wincing in pain every step.


    They decided to wait another three days for Jack¡¯s body to readjust further, at least letting him walk and talk without feeling unnecessary pain. Once Jack was able to at least appear like his usual able-bodied self, Jack and Rydel nned to make their move the following day.


    Three and a half weeks had passed since Jack had cked out and they were finally moving on with step two of his n to gain control of Trodar.


    Rydel led the way as the two men left the hotel before midday. They wandered the streets in a way that seemed aimless, but they eventually reached an alleyway tucked away in a corner of the city that most locals wouldn¡¯t know existed.


    Since it wasn¡¯t like before where Rydel was keeping his distance and trying his best to remain unseen, Jack entered the alley with a neutral expression as Rydel followed his lead.


    "What¡¯s up?" The ninja was leaning against the back corner as he looked up at the two men approaching him. He turned toward Rydel and smiled. "Are you finally gonna buy something?"


    "We¡¯re here to browse your wares," Jack answered for Rydel. "If you¡¯ve got anything good, then I¡¯m not leaving without cleaning you out."


    "Well, what are you after? Common items? Peak-tier weapons?" The ninja casually faced Jack, proud to gain such an interested customer. "Or are you after custom and mythic-tier weapons?"


    "You¡¯ve got custom weapons? Show me."


    In the blink of an eye, a spear appeared in the ninja¡¯s hand. "Here, check it yourself. If you like it, make me an offer."


    Jack eyed the weapon as he tried to see through the ninja¡¯s level. However, since Jack failed to see through the man, he dly took the spear that his system instantly recognized as the item of an ancient hero. "Where did you get this stuff?"


    "I have my sources. Pay enough and I may say more,"ughed the ninja.


    Feeling that something was different about the ninja, Jack took out a moneybag and threw it to the ninja. "That should cover it, right?"


    "Hardly," the ninja scoffed as he stored the moneybag away without even opening it. "That¡¯s just a down payment."


    "You don¡¯t even know how much I¡¯ve given you, how could you--"


    "I know the difference in weight between tinum and gold, buddy. I¡¯m no noob."


    While Rydel was slightly confused by the ninja¡¯s choice of words, Jack¡¯s suspicions grew the more the ninja spoke.


    "Then show me what else you got. I¡¯ve got more to offer if you¡¯ve got something better than this."


    "Check these bad boys out." A pair of wristbands were thrown to Jack. "If you like those, then make sure to pay up properly. And don¡¯t think PK is an option for you, cause it¡¯s not."


    Jack was happy to see the ninja willingly selling such items. The more items he had from ancient heroes, the more tombs and achievements he could get. In that short exchange, Jack had already gained three new achievements to find tombs, and two of them were to find the same tomb.


    "I like them, but your prices are too high based on the spear," argued Jack.


    "Are you kidding?"ughed the ninja. "Back in the day, those would¡¯ve been must-have items! Each band boosts half of your stats greatly while slightly decreasing the other half. With both equipped, you¡¯ll give all stats a boost that outweighs and eliminates the debuffs."


    "So what? They¡¯re only yin-yang bands. Back in the day, these were a dime a dozen. Everyone had them but only up to lv. 30. After that, it¡¯s better to just get custom armor made for you in sets," stated Jack, standing his ground with a smile on his face.


    "You..." Staring deeply at Jack as if he had just been seen through, the ninja chuckled, "Who are you? You a summoned hero?"


    "Maybe. And you?"


    "Maybe."


    Jackughed as he extended his hand to the ninja, "The names Jack. What¡¯s yours?"


    "The tag is Ghositrax, but Trax will do." The ninja happily shook Jack¡¯s hand. "You can keep those trash bands since you overpaid for the spear."


    Though Jack¡¯s hunch was confirmed, something was still off. He wanted to know why this summoned hero still talked like a gamer, unlike the other summoned hero he¡¯d met before. It was something Jack took a mental note of so he could ask Daruun about it the next time he got a chance.


    Also, Jack didn¡¯t have time for it at the moment but, a notification popped up the moment Ghositrax shared his name.


    "You said your name was Jack?" Trax¡¯s smile widened as if he was anticipating something.


    "Yup, and this is my friend Rydel." Jack motioned toward the hunter beside him. "As you know, he¡¯s been following you around for a while."


    "But that¡¯s it?"


    "Well, I was technically the one who asked Rydel to--"


    "That¡¯s it? It¡¯s just Jack?" Trax repeated.


    Not sure what to say, Jack scratched his head. "What do you mean?"


    "Jack? Your name is only Jack?" The ninja¡¯s smile started to fade as his shoulders drooped in disappointment.


    "I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re getting at," stated Jack.


    "Nothing... I just thought I finally found who I was looking for..." Trax then turned around waved goodbye. "See ya, Jack. Good luck with whatever it was you¡¯re up to."


    "Wait! Where are you going now?"


    In a single leap, Trax was now on top of the roof overlooking the hidden alley. "Nothing, I¡¯ve just got to get back to work. Sorry I don¡¯t have time to chit-chat."


    "Wait, Trax!" Jack followed the ninja onto the roof. "What¡¯s going on? Why are you just leaving like that? At least sell me more stuff. If youe with me, I can bring you to a promising clientele that would--"


    "Thanks but no thanks. I need my loot to find him." Not listening to Jack¡¯s offer, Trax dashed away across the rooftops.


    "Trax!" Jack and Rydel followed after him, intent on at leastpleting the second step of his n if they couldn¡¯t learn anything more from the ninja.


    "Stop following me! You¡¯re drawing too much unwanted attention!" The ninja dove back into an alleyway, disappearing behind one of the winding turns of the back streets.


    ¡¯Rydel, find him at all costs,¡¯ Jack ryed his mental message.


    Without a word, Rydel dove after the ninja, testing his tracking abilities to the max to try and find even a hint of the ninja¡¯s trail.


    Jack paused on the rooftop, quickly opening up his menu and checking his recent notifications. After passing over the three quests about ancient tombs, Jack was baffled by the final notification. It was anew achievement, one with an event reward.


    [Fulfill Choron¡¯s Personal Request: in progress]


    [Visit Choron and hear out his request. Fulfill it to your utmost ability. Event reward: 50 skill points; Special reward: determined by how effectively you fulfill Choron¡¯s request.]


    There was little to no information given about what Jack would have to do toplete the quest, but the fact that it offered an event reward and involved Choron, the Ninja God, was all that Jack needed to bite the bait.


    And since the event triggered the moment Ghositrax introduced himself, Jack wondered how the ninja and Choron were connected.

 Chapter 279 A Friendly Wager with the Ninja

    <h4>Chapter 279 A Friendly Wager with the Ninja</h4>


    As Jack tried to figure out the situation taking ce before him, Rydel was doing his best to find the ninja. But no matter where he looked or felt Trax would¡¯ve been hiding, Rydel came up short.


    A part of Rydel was d to face a challenge, but for the most part, he understood that the ninjapletely outssed him in terms of stealth. Rydel felt that he could search all day and stille up with nothing, forcing Rydel to gain more and more respect for the ninja.


    Jack took a different approach. He stood atop the roof and shouted, "Hey Trax, how¡¯s Choron doing?"


    There was no response.


    "Are you looking for someone to fulfill his request?"


    "Maybe."


    Jack turned around to find Trax standing still behind him. With augh, Jack held out his hand again. "Well, I would like to ept that request. Can you take me to him?"


    "I refuse," Trax scoffed. "I have specific orders to find a specific person. I can¡¯t see through you, but I¡¯m sure that someone would¡¯ve been able to find me in a heartbeat. You failed to do that much, so how could you ever fulfill the request of a god?"


    "But didn¡¯t I easily find with only a few words? Come on, I¡¯ll surprise you for sure." Unfazed, Jack showed his confidence and kept his hand extended. "Who are you looking for, anyway? Maybe I¡¯ve heard of him."


    "Sure you have, but that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ve met him or know where to find him," replied Trax. "If I told a low-leveled hero like you who I was searching for, then you¡¯d just cower and hide from his strength."


    "But aren¡¯t you just selling weapons to Prachten to increase the war effort? What has that got to do with finding someone?"


    "To find the person I¡¯m after, I need to get his attention. To do that, I was ordered to sell weapons to Trodar¡¯s enemies while not directly interfering with the war," exined Trax.


    "That¡¯s strange since I¡¯m the one who was sent here because you¡¯ve been meddling with the war from the sidelines," stated Jack. "Who¡¯s to say that I¡¯m not the one you were trying to attract?"


    "Really?!" Trax burst into hystericalughter. "You? They sent you? Why would they send someone so week?"


    "Well, my level is within the terms of the war pact, for one. And two, because I have the backing of the Leisure Guild," as Jack chuckled he took out his emblem, catching the ninja off guard.


    "You, a member of that legendary guild?!" Trax snatched the emblem from Jack¡¯s hands and examined it closely. "This... You must¡¯ve stolen it."


    "Or been given it by Tralon, the current guild leader and my personal friend."


    Trax reluctantly returned the emblem to Jack, sizing up the man. "You... Is your name really Jack?"


    "Yes."


    "And what¡¯s your level?"


    "I reached lv. 34 just a few weeks ago."


    A long sigh left the ninja¡¯s mouth as he started to mumble to himself, "The name might work... But the level is way off... There¡¯s no way..."


    While Trax was busy conversing with himself, Jack called Rydel back and opened up the map tab from his menu.


    "Tell you what, Trax. How about you stop selling weapons to Prachten and you take me to Choron¡¯s hidden shrine? We¡¯ll let him determine whether I can do the quest or not," reasoned Jack.


    "Impossible. I¡¯m only allowed to bring him back."


    "Then just stop selling weapons to Prachten and I¡¯ll go visit Choron myself."


    Again, Trax broke out inughter, "Very funny, but how could you ever find him or his shrine? That¡¯s impossible. It took me years of searching and investigating and, most importantly, luck to find that ce."


    "But the Churstin Canyon isn¡¯t too far from here. It wouldn¡¯t take that long, would it?"


    That response shocked Trax to his core. "You... How do you know where to find Choron?"


    Jack closed the menu and smiled, "Because I¡¯m probably the one you¡¯re looking for."


    "Impossible... Simply impossible!" Trax¡¯s mumbles escted to shouts as Rydel joined them on the rooftop.


    "Trax, does Choron have a contact crystal?" Jack asked.


    "Maybe..."


    "How about you call him and ask. If you want, I¡¯ll speak to him and prove you wrong," argued Jack. "I¡¯d even bet on it."


    "Not happening," scoffed the ninja. "Besides, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re the one I¡¯m looking for."


    Suddenly, the sound of rattling coins disrupted the conversation. Trax looked down to see a mountain of thick, well-crafted moneybags lying on the roof tiles, the types of coin purses used for carrying tinum or precious gems.


    "I¡¯ll bet all of this that I¡¯m the one you¡¯re looking for. Care to match me?"


    Tempted by the odds he felt were in his favor, Trax took a calming deep breath. "Fine, I¡¯ll match you with these." A small mound of weapons appeared at the ninja¡¯s feet. "Do you dare ept?"


    Jack¡¯s eyes were glued to the various weapons lying on the rooftop. Their levels were all over the ce, but they were all mythic-tier and custom made for ancient heroes. With that many former belongings of ancient heroes, Jack could tomb raid to his heart¡¯s content.


    "Deal!"


    "Your loss!" Trax chuckled and finally shook Jack¡¯s still-extended hand. "I¡¯ll call him right now."


    "Wait." Jack stopped the ninja from retrieving his contact crystal. "You aren¡¯t just going to kill me and run if you lose the bet, right?"


    Trax stared at Jack, immediately understanding what type of yer Jack was. The type he hated mast to bargain with. "If you¡¯re the guy I¡¯m after, then Choron would kill me for killing you."


    "But what if you just got back on the deal like we never made it, huh? What¡¯s stopping that from happening?" reasoned Jack. "How about you tell Choron about our bet before I talk to him. That way, he¡¯ll make sure the winner doesn¡¯t back out."


    "You¡¯re crazy! How could I just--"


    "You know, I can back out too," Jack stated. "I can call Tralon whenever I want and he can simply teleport to my location. I could just have him steal all of your weapons in the name of the Leisure Guild."


    "The Leisure Guild is too noble to ever--"


    "The Leisure Guild... noble?" Jack¡¯s suddenughter made it hard for him to speak. "Listen, if you really know about my guild... then you should know it¡¯s anything but noble."


    "I..." Trax restrained from saying more. Though the current Leisure Guild was moreid-back and respected as the longest-surviving guild, he was reminded of the guild¡¯s original reputation as the most shameless guild of any server.


    "So, you¡¯ll tell Choron, right?"


    "... Fine. I¡¯ll tell Choron before you speak with him." Irritated, Trax took out his contact crystal and spoke loudly, "My Lord, I¡¯ve got something to tell you."


    A moment of silence passed before Trax nodded. "Yes and no. I¡¯ve found someone iming to be sent from the Leisure Guild, but he doesn¡¯t fit the description or the requirements. But he had the audacity to im that he was the one you were seeking, so much so that he wagered a dozen high-quality moneybags just to speak with you."


    Trax nodded again. "Yes, I met his wager with the remaining custom items that you¡¯ve given me."


    After onest nod, Trax handed the contact crystal to Jack. "Your turn."


    Jack snickered as he casually took the crystal. "Hey Choron, long time no see."


    "Hmmm... What do you mean by those words? You¡¯ve seen me before?" an aging voice responded.


    "Of course! I was the one who stole your prized katana back in the good old days," Jackughed loudly, causing Trax to frown heavily.


    "You... What¡¯s your name? And what makes you so confident as to wager everything you own to speak with me?" asked the voice.


    Jack continuedughing, "Oh, that¡¯s not even close to everything I own. I¡¯m confident because I¡¯ve stolen from you before and already know that your hiding beneath the Churstin Canyon. If your servant here hadn¡¯t chosen to take the wager, I would¡¯ve gone and found you myself."


    "You... And your name?"


    "The name¡¯s Jack, but you¡¯ll know me better as Jack_J."

 Chapter 280 Chorons Convincing Offer

    <h4>Chapter 280 Choron¡°s Convincing Offer</h4>


    "The name¡¯s Jack, but you¡¯ll know me better as Jack_J."


    "Y-you?!" Trax tensed up as he overheard Jack¡¯s statement.


    "You... When can youe to see me?" Choron asked, not doubting Jack in the slightest after Jack¡¯s verbal recollection of ancient events.


    "Well, I¡¯ve got a few things I need to finish first," replied Jack. "I know you¡¯re a god and all, but I¡¯ve already made ns to visit Jin, Lyrun, and Eedaj first."


    "Jack, this request is of the utmost importance."


    "Maybe, but visiting those three has something to do with reviving Trodar. And since you orchestrated selling weapons to Prachten, I¡¯m sure you already realize how important that is to me," reasoned Jack.


    Choron chuckled, "Of course, what I have to offer will be of aid to Trodar as well. I¡¯ve bebeled as one of the rebel gods and I can offer you information on the other rebel gods."


    "Thanks, but no thanks. I¡¯ve already spoken to Sterfen about that."


    "Sterfen... Well, then allow me to offer my support in your endeavors should you need it."


    Jack paused for a moment, taking that in. "You, the Ninja God, are offering me a favor?"


    "Such a thing is not impossible," stated Choron. "There is something I need done and you are the only hero to ever achieve something of equal caliber."


    "But how did you know that I would be here?" Jack questioned. "It¡¯s no longer Ancient Kartonia and this method wouldn¡¯t work to find me in the past. How did you know this would work, or that I would even be in Modern Kartonia?"


    "Daruun told me of his champion, and that is why I seek your aid."


    "Daruun told you about me? When?"


    "Before the Godly War, just after your disappearance from Ancient Kartonia," exined Choron. "It was at that time that I wished to seek you for aid, but you had already disappeared and could not be found by myself or Sterfen. With neither of us able to find you, Daruun was my only option to find you.


    "I made an exchange with Daruun in exchange for the information and learned that you would be here as his champion. For that reason, I¡¯ve had my pupil acting on my behalf for the past few years to draw you out."


    "Wait... You¡¯ve been sitting on this quest since before the War of the Gods?"


    "Correct."


    Jack¡¯s mind went crazy trying to quicklye up with an inkling of what the quest might be. "And what¡¯s in it for me if Iplete this task? I may just be a mortal, but your next few words will determine if I ept your request and when I¡¯ll get around to it."


    "Very well... My offer contains a few things. First, you¡¯ll gain that pupil as a member of your party and will be allowed to use him as you see fit."


    With augh, Jack started to understand how shrewd the Ninja God was.


    "Second, I will owe you one favor that I will be bound to fulfill so long as it is within my power."


    The smile on Jack¡¯s face widened exceptionally. He loved the thought of having a god owe him a favor. That was something money couldn¡¯t buy, something that even during his hunt for achievements Jack had never been able to earn.


    "And third, I¡¯m willing to relocate to and operate publicly from Trodar."


    That final reward rocked Jack¡¯s unprepared heart. From what Sterfen and Lunara had told him, the gods were being ordered to remain hidden. He didn¡¯t sully understand their circumstances, but Jack knew that Choron¡¯s third offer shouldn¡¯t be possible."


    "Choron... Are you and the other gods unable to go public for the time being? ording to Sterfen, you all have been ordered to--"


    "The order was given but that changes nothing," Choron confidently replied. "Once you seed in fulfilling my request, I¡¯ll be more than able to go public once again."


    "But... How?"


    "Come to me and you¡¯ll learn," stated Choron. "I¡¯ve been waiting for over a millennia and now I can finally fix that error I made ages ago. But only with your help."


    "Hmmm..." Jack was torn. He needed to finish the necessary steps to gain control of Trodar, but such a tempting offer had to be considered.


    But, one thing wasn¡¯t making sense. If Daruun knew that this was going to happen, why didn¡¯t he include visiting Choron in his steps to gain control of Trodar? Surely, convincing a god to relocate and make Trodar his new public home would instantly give Jack influence over the people. Yet this wasn¡¯t included.


    "You won¡¯t tell me anything else over the crystal?"


    "Jack... I need your aid and I¡¯m willingly offering you something that no god has ever granted. At leaste and see me personally. Then we can talk more clearly of this," reasoned Choron. "Your stay doesn¡¯t have to be quick, but I wish that you can hear me out and ept my request, even if it¡¯s not fulfilled immediately."


    "... Okay, I¡¯ll see you. But promise that you???ll stop supplying Prachten with weapons."


    "Done," Choron chuckled. "Oh, ande alone. It¡¯s best if only you know where my shine resides."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll have Trax take me..."


    "No, I¡¯d prefer he stay with your party. Consider it as my offer of protection for them while you¡¯re away. Also, he¡¯s only ever entered with my aid. But you should be able to enter by yourself, given your reputation."


    Jackughed, "You want to test me?"


    "Correct," replied Choron. "It will prove you are who you¡¯ve imed to be."


    "This won¡¯t take like a year or two toplete, will it?" asked Jack in an annoyed tone.


    "No. For Jack_J., this should be simple."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll find my way over but I¡¯m bringing my beastpanion."


    "I¡¯ll allow the Hell-me Fox to apany you. It shouldn¡¯t affect anything," stated Choron.


    "Then I¡¯ll be seeing you soon."


    "Yes... I¡¯ll be waiting."


    Taking in the meaning behind that conversation, Jack let loose a long sigh as he tossed the contact crystal back to Trax. He walked up to the ninja and threw his arms onto Trax¡¯s shoulders. "Wee to the party, Trax!"


    "HUUUH?!" Even more confused than before, Trax stammered and mumbled, "T-that can¡¯t be. I¡¯ve got so much... And with Choron I need..."


    A few secondster, Trax heard an aged voice in the depths of his mind. "Follow Jack¡¯s orders. From now on, you will party with the greatest hero of all ages."


    "But I..." Trax then remembered the fame and notoriety behind Jack¡¯s former self, the Legend of Trodar. The thought of partying with such a famous figure filled Trax¡¯s heart with pride, but Trax also remembered Jack¡¯s infamy among the heroes, which practically outweighed Jack¡¯s worldly fame.


    "No buts... From now on, you can consider him as your Lord, whom the ninja serves whole-heartedly," stated Choron, filling Trax with a sense of duty and pride.


    "Y-yes, my Lord."


    "I¡¯m no longer your lord, I just told you this," sighed Choron. "I¡¯m still your master, but Jack is your lord. Remember that."


    "Yes, Master."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"ughed Jack, overhearing Trax¡¯s side of the conversation. "Begging Choron to no join my party? It¡¯s toote for that."


    "No, I just had my doubts as to whether you¡¯re worthy of being my lord with your noob level," replied Trax.


    "Well, that will get fixed in time. For now, let¡¯s all get back to the hotel. We¡¯ve got a slight change of ns," Jack stated as he started sprinting through the alleys.


    Rydel followed closely while Trax stayed at the rear. He would need some time to fully incorporate himself into a new party as a former solo yer, much like Jack before Jack was summoned to Modern Kartonia.

 Chapter 281 New Friends, New Pacts

    <h4>Chapter 281 New Friends, New Pacts</h4>


    "What do you mean you¡¯re going alone?!" Eliza shouted.


    "But Big Bro promised!" Lina joined in on the verbal tirade against Jack¡¯s updates to the n. "Big Bro promised to take us around town. You promised!"


    "Lina, please understand--"


    "Jack, you¡¯re not going to break your promise with Little Lina, are you?" interjected Maura, siding with the other two.


    "Guys, it¡¯s not that I¡¯m breaking the promise, I¡¯m only tweaking it," reasoned Jack. "I¡¯ll take you all shopping after I get back. We can even do it in Estonya, the elven capital to make up for missing it here."


    Lina¡¯s frown flipped upside down as her eyes lit up. "Elves? We¡¯ll go shopping with elves?"


    "Yup. There you¡¯ll find things that no one else has in the world," Jack added with a convincing smile.


    "Yay! We¡¯ll go shopping but with elves!" Lina¡¯s simple mind wasn¡¯t hard to convince.


    Jack then turned to his wives and Daliea who stood with them. "Please understand that I need to do this. I mean, it is the personal request of a god."


    "I get that... But howe I can¡¯te with you?" pouted Eliza.


    "Or me?" added Maura.


    "And Daliea doesn¡¯t want you to go alone either, right Daliea?" Eliza grabbed the grey-skinned girl¡¯s hand as if to pass her some of Eliza¡¯s courage.


    "Yeah... I¡¯d feel better if one of us went with you," Daliea shyly stated.


    Jack shrugged his shoulders. "I¡¯m taking Bowzer, and that should be more than enough. Besides, you all need to go grind and gain EXP or we¡¯ll waste too much time. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll gain some while I¡¯m gone, but we can¡¯t have you all get left behind."


    "Yeah, just let the boy go! I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine while we grind away!" Maynard shouted,ing to Jack¡¯s aid.


    "Maynard," Maura rolled her eyes at the battle-crazed samurai. "You just want to kill something after staying cooped up for so long."


    "No," Maynard shook his head. "I¡¯m excited to finally go to Sunset Valley! I¡¯ll finally get to pledge to Jin and get stronger like Rydel."


    "Then it¡¯s settled," Rydel chimed in. "We¡¯ll head to Sunset Valley and start clearing it out so we can reach Jin. In the meantime, Jack will go and meet Choron to learn more about the new quest."


    "Yeah!" In excitement, Maynard unsheathed both katanas and clenched the hilts tightly.


    The girls all sighed, knowing that there was no way around it this time.


    Jack walked over and calmly threw his arms around his wives. "I¡¯ll be back, so don¡¯t worry about me, okay? It¡¯s just a test. It¡¯s not like Choron would kill me, otherwise, why would he have kept waiting for me toe back?"


    Maura and Eliza kept their remaining thoughts to themselves as they embraced Jack and rested their heads on his shoulders.


    Proving that she was still more open than Maura, Eliza reached out and grabbed Daliea¡¯s arm. "Come on, get in here."


    Embarrassed and jealous, Daliea stepped forward and joined the group hug.


    "Me too!" Lina jumped and crashed into the four of them, almost knocking them over. They all got augh out of the young girl¡¯s antics and felt a bit better.


    "But before we take off, there are two things that need to be done," Jack spoke up while pointing to Trax. "First off, we¡¯re forming a pact."


    "What?! But I don¡¯t need your--"


    "You¡¯ll want this pact. We¡¯ve all formed one and it allows you to mentallymunicate with all of us and we can even share skills to an extent," exined Jack. "There¡¯s not much downside to this pact, and I won¡¯t be taking any of your EXP. Also, if you say no, then I¡¯ll just have a chat with your master about it."


    "Fine... I guess that¡¯s not too bad." Trax stepped forward and took a knee. "Let¡¯s get this over with."


    Jack didn¡¯t say another word as he bit his thumb. With the freshly drawn blood, Jack etched the pact onto Trax¡¯s forehead. In a matter of moments, the ninja sealed it with his own blood and activated the pact.


    ¡¯You can hear me, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, my Lord.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh yeah, drop the honorifics,¡¯ughed Jack, catching Trax off guard. ¡¯You may be used to it by now thanks to Choron, but now that you¡¯re a party member for life like the rest of us, we¡¯re all equals. I just happen to be the party captain, not your lord. Got that?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah... I got it.¡¯ Trax felt a bit better after hearing that. His impression of Jack started to lean toward the famous reputation and not the infamy that the heroes had fueled in the past.


    ¡¯Wee to the party! We¡¯re d to have ya,¡¯ughed Maynard.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll be seeking your advice on increasing my stealth, so be prepared to help me," stated Rydel.


    As the party members took turns weing their new party member, at the side stood Dirk, feeling a mix of emotions.


    Jack saw the swordsman¡¯s strange expression and chuckled, "What¡¯s on your mind, Dirk?"


    "Is it your pact that boosts Maynard¡¯s skills with a sword?" the man asked outright. "No matter what I try, though I¡¯m one level higher than Maynard, his sword strikes feel different than anyone else I¡¯ve seen at our level. It¡¯s hard to exin or put into words."


    "To answer your question, yes. I have a passive sword skill that increases my effectiveness while wielding a sword and boosts my sword-based abilities as well," exined Jack. "The pact I¡¯ve created allows Maynard to passively gain half of my skill level, naturally increasing his abilities with all swords. But that also applies to my bow skill, my mana regeneration, my mana capacity, my physical resistance, and more."


    "You have that many skills..."


    Dirk was lost in thought and envy while Trax, who had overheard Jack¡¯s exnation, felt pride swell up inside of him. Both men now desired to join Jack¡¯s party indefinitely, even if one of them was reluctant for personal reasons.


    "You know, I wouldn¡¯t be against making a pact with you, Dirk."


    With his attention stolen, Dirk smiled at Jack. "Really? What are your conditions?"


    Jackughed, "You know my character well. If you make a pact with me, I won¡¯t farce you to join my party. However, you¡¯ll have to prove yourself useful in other ways."


    "Such as?"


    "Your skills in management and delegation are amazing, to say the least. There¡¯s a reason why you managed to be a military assistant without bing corrupt like the others," stated Jack. "You¡¯ll already be entering the Leisure Guild¡¯s cement test to be a fully-fledged of the guild, but I want you to swear fealty to it. I want you to help with its operations and its management."


    Dirk chuckled, "That¡¯s it? You want to give me a cushy, well-paying job that doesn¡¯t involve me leaving my family for months at a time or risking my life every other day?"


    "Who said it was well-paying?" joked Jack.


    "If it is, then I¡¯ll take it," reasoned Dirk.


    "You drive a hard bargain, but I¡¯ll ept your terms." Jack reached out and firmly shook Dirk¡¯s hand. "We¡¯re honored to have a man of your experience join our cause."


    Next, Dirk knelt in front of Jack, letting the young hero draw up the pact in blood. He then took out his sword and slit his thumb, allowing Dirk to seal and fully ept the newly formed pact between them.


    ¡¯Now I¡¯ll be able to easily keep tabs on the guild and increase its productivity, all thanks to you.¡¯


    The first mental message Dirk ever heard caused him to shake his head. ¡¯Such a position is what I had always wanted, I¡¯m sure you figured that out.¡¯


    "Tonight, we celebrate!" Maynard had already brought out arge barrel of alcohol for all to share.


    "Wait." Jack held up his hand. "There¡¯s still one more thing to do. Eliza, can you bring out her casket."

 Chapter 282 Another Goodbye

    <h4>Chapter 282 Another Goodbye</h4>


    "Eliza, can you bring out her casket."


    The warmth of the moment began to fade as everyone understood what they were about to do.


    Eliza nodded. She silently walked to the center of the room and ced the casket there. Running her fingers along the side, Eliza was reminded about the letter that Ke had left her and now she was asked to never share all of its contents, only portions.


    "Eliza, can you open the casket and say a few words," Jack asked. "I think you¡¯re the one most fit for it."


    "Yeah... I¡¯ll do that." The enchantress carefully utched the coffin¡¯s lid and lifted it.


    Once opened, everyone could tell that the coffin¡¯s enchantment wasn¡¯t perfect, only slowing the dposition of Ke¡¯s lifeless body. But even with a slight stench of death and the beginning signs of dposition taking effect on Ke¡¯s body, everyone could still make out her final smile that she left them.


    "She..." Eliza did her best to summarize some of the letter¡¯s major points but it took some thought. She didn¡¯t want to divulge what Ke wished to remain secret. "Ke was someone raised with a lot of pressure on her shoulders. Since young, she was always following the ns of her family and was forced to ept them, something I can understand well.


    "But before thergest decision someone had ever made in her ce came to pass, Jack appeared in her life," Eliza continued. "If Jack hadn¡¯t agreed to take her away, she would¡¯ve been forced to marry a perverse pig for a husband and be one of his silent trophy wives all her life. Since Jack epted her wish and stole her from her family, Ke was given a chance to live life on her terms.


    "She had no regrets..." Showing the opened envelope to everyone, Eliza took moment to quell a portion of her emotions. "She left me this, which is the reason I¡¯m still alive and the reason she died in my ce. But she died on her own terms... And that what she always wanted. Ke lived her life on her own terms and she happily gave her life for mine on her own terms. It¡¯s something that I¡¯ll never forget... Something... that will always remain with me..."


    Losing control, a tear showed itself on Eliza¡¯s cheek as she looked to Jack. "She wanted us to live our lives on our terms, no matter what they are. We shouldn¡¯t worry about what we can¡¯t control. We should focus on what we can control and make an effort to always enjoy life... Like she did..."


    A few minutes passed as more tears streamed down Eliza¡¯s face and she gradually lowered the envelope.


    "Thank you, Eliza." Suddenly, Eliza felt two arms wrap themselves around her and a soft voice in her ear. "I¡¯m sure Ke would be proud of you."


    Jack then looked up to the others. "Let¡¯s all say our goodbyes before we let her rest in the nearby mountains."


    One by one, the party members approached the casket, each saying their final words to the cleric. Eventually, the only one left was Eliza, who was still standing in the same spot and struggling to take another step.


    She didn¡¯t hear the others, Eliza only heard words from the letter in Ke¡¯s voice. "Don¡¯t be sad... I did this for you... You always stood by me and shared my pain... No matter what, you always remembered me and treated me like your best friend, my first real friend... I may have joined the party for Jack, but I stayed because of you... I think I love you..."


    "Eliza."


    Brought back to reality by her husband¡¯s voice, Eliza was startled. "Jack, don¡¯t scare me like that."


    "It¡¯s your turn," Jack ignored her banter. "Do you want us to leave the room?"


    "... Yes, please." Eliza nodded as the party member started to exit therge bedroom. "Jack... you can stay..."


    Surprised by Eliza¡¯s sudden statement, Jack smiled and closed the door. He then walked over to his wife, waiting by her side.


    Eliza was already beside the casket and looking back at Ke¡¯s soft smile.


    "Ke... I... You were my first true friend too. You understood my troubles growing up in a noble family and we were always together for everything. I¡¯m going to miss you so much... I love you too, Ke... But... I also love my husband, Jack... No matter what, I¡¯ll never forget you and I¡¯ll always keep your love with me, okay?"


    Halfway through her little speech, Eliza had grasped Jack¡¯s hand, holding tightly and not daring to ever let go.


    Baffled and dumbstruck, Jack kept his thoughts to himself. In the end, he had no say in the current situation and just made sure to stand by his wife.


    "Can you forgive me, Ke? I loved you, but as the sister I always wanted but was never born... I¡¯ll never forget you... Never..."


    With her final words slowlying out, Eliza reached up for the casket lid. She closed it carefully as if she were trying not to wake up Ke sleeping inside.


    Jack nodded and stepped toward the door, but a hand stopped him. A warm yet wet face buried itself in Jack¡¯s chest.


    "Jack... Can you please..."


    Without a word, Jack leaned into her, embracing Eliza and resting his head against hers. At the same time, Jack cast silence around them. "Eliza, take as much time as you want."


    "J-Jack..."


    No longer trying to seem strong, Eliza let all of her emotions go.


    "Ke... Why did you do that?! Why did you..."


    Jack remained quiet. He was her rock and her shoulder to cry own. The hero was dense at times, but he would always act ordingly if he coulde to understand the situation. And this situation only required his presence and his touch, not a single word.


    Time passed slowly for the two of them, but for the rest of the world, fifteen minutes had passed before Eliza and Jack opened the door.


    "Let¡¯s go." Jack led the way. "We can all drink after this and enjoy the night. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll part ways for the time being."


    Once Jack and the others left the city limits and could avoid prying eyes, the left with Appa to a nearby mountain.


    There was nothing left to say. Each party member helped dig a hole and ce Ke¡¯s casket inside. Next, they took their time to fill the hole and pat down the dirt. Finally, Rydel etched a small cross on a nearby rockface, marking the fall of an adventurer.


    "To Ke!"


    Suddenly, everyone turned to see Eliza with a full ss lifted high in the air.


    "Ke didn¡¯t give up her life for us to be sad. She gave it up so we could be happy. We should honor that," stated Eliza as she passed Jack a bottle of Ke¡¯s favorite wine.


    Jack followed her example, taking out a ss and filling it before passing the bottle to the next person. He also took out a second ss along with a bottle of juice that mimicked the wine.


    Soon, everyone had their wine ss raised high, including Lina with her juice.


    "To Ke!"


    In unison, they shouted and in unison, they drank from their sses. The party felt a new level of togetherness, even toward their newest member who hadn¡¯t even taken part in the battle. That was a defining moment for the party and a memory they would all cherish.


    After their drink, the party returned to Talmook and the hotel they had paid for. Maynard, Rydel, and Dirk spent the night at the bar, not caring how much they spent so long as it was for a good drink. Daliea paid for a separate room and retired early, still feeling some anxiety since she had been chosen over Ke to be revived.


    Jack began the night with the other men at the bar but soon made his way upstairs. When he opened his door, he was blown away by what he found.


    "J-Jack..." Maura stumbled over her words.


    "Jack, we both feel like you¡¯ve ignored Maura long enough, right?" popping her out from behind Maura, Eliza spoke for her fellow wife.


    "I... You¡¯re right," Jack admitted, feeling a bit more open after getting help from alcohol. He closed the door behind him. "Maura, I¡¯m sorry for not treating my wife properly. How can I make it up to you?"


    A blush covered all of Maura¡¯s face. "Well... W-we could..."


    "Need some help?" Eliza giggled, giving Maura a little push.


    Unprepared for Eliza¡¯s nudge, Maura fell into Jack¡¯s open arms. If any more blood could¡¯ve rushed to her face, Maura¡¯s head might¡¯ve exploded.


    "Yes."


    That was all Jack said as he leaned in to kiss her.


    Maura didn¡¯t fight back. She wasn¡¯t expecting it to go so fast, but Maura weed Jack¡¯s advance and kissed him back.


    Jack led his beautiful wife to their bed as Eliza left the room with a wink. That night, she stayed with Daliea.

 Chapter 283 Splitting Up Again

    <h4>Chapter 283 Splitting Up Again</h4>


    The morning didn¡¯t waste any time, quickly rising in the sky to wake up the rest of the world.


    Members of the party trickled out of their bedrooms without any kind of order. They would all go downstairs and gravitate around arge table until the took a seat and ordered a meal to start the day.


    Eliza made sure that she, Daliea, and Lina would be the first two at breakfast. She wouldn¡¯t let herself miss the chance to tease Jack about the previous night. Also, she brought Daliea along almost instinctively. Without Ke, who was always going with her to ces, Eliza sought someone else¡¯spany. And though she didn¡¯t realize it yet, Eliza also wanted to allow Daliea to feel included around Jack, unlike what Ke had started to feel.


    While Lina began her morning feast, the pair of women didn¡¯t have to wait too long. Soon, Jack and Maura were spotteding down the stairs.


    Their appearance was normal and unsuspicious, yet Eliza could see something different in Maura¡¯s eyes. A part of Eliza felts jealous as she watched Jack escort Maura down the stairs, something he didn¡¯t do with Eliza.


    As the couple neared the table, a tinge of blush flooded Maura¡¯s cheeks.


    "Maura, there¡¯s nothing to feel bad or guilty about." Eliza reached across the table and held Maura¡¯s hand in support. "If anything, we should both be mad at Jack for making us wait so long."


    "Where¡¯s the waiter?" Jack spoke loudly, not wanting to let that conversation carry on much longer. "Waiter, we¡¯ll get two breakfast specials with extra pancakes. And two sses of your freshest juice."


    "Of course, sir. I¡¯ll bring the juices right away," the waiter replied with a bow before he hurried off the kitchen.


    "Eliza, Maura," Jack then looked to both of his women. "I¡¯m sorry for troubling you and making you both worry. Please, don¡¯t think I don¡¯t care about you... Because I do."


    "You only care about us?" asked Eliza, hinting at something else.


    Jack sighed, "No... I... We may have been forcefully married, but I¡¯ve grown to really, really care you both."


    "How much do you care about us?" Eliza continued to poke at Jack¡¯s statements.


    "I..." stammered Jack. "I... I¡¯ve never really said that before, so it¡¯s really hard to say."


    As Eliza was about to stoke the fire again, Maura took initiative. The Spellsword reached out with one hand to turn Jack¡¯s head and stole a quick kiss from her husband. "I love you, Jack... I haven¡¯t always, but I¡¯ve grown to love you after all we¡¯ve been through."


    "I... I love you too." The answer that was on the tip of his tongue had been coaxed out of him. Jack looked to Eliza next with a tender smile. "I love you too."


    "I love you too, Jack." Finally satisfied and not wanting to be outdone, Eliza stood up and leaned across the table to steal a kiss of her own.


    To the side of them was Daliea, the grey-skinned girl that wasn¡¯t able to hide her embarrassment nor her envy. Her rtionship with Jack could be described as unusual. She had nearly forced herself on him back in Reinolt but out of duty for her fallen tribe and not out of emotion. Now, she was able to see who Jack truly was, yet two others had be his wives already. Daliea didn¡¯t know what she should do with her newly developed emotions.


    "What about Daliea?"


    That question grabbed the attention of everyone at the table, including the drunkards who were hungover at the other end.


    Hearing Eliza¡¯s question, Daliea froze. She wanted to both run away and stay to hear the answer. It was a difficult decision but her body tensed up, not letting her actively choose which path to take.


    "I..." Jack took a quick nce at the blushing shadow goblin then looked away, trying to hide his own blush.


    Thinking that things were too easy, Eliza prodded again, "Jaaack... Come on, you can be honest with us. Since you¡¯ve already got two wives, why not have a third?"


    "Pppphheeww!!"


    Jack coughed and spat as his wife spoke openly about Jack¡¯s rtionship options.


    "We don¡¯t mind, do we, Maura?"


    "No... Actually, I¡¯d be happy," added Maura, feeling much more confident around Jack after the night before.


    "See, since your wives don¡¯t have a problem with it, why not just make Daliea--"


    "We¡¯re not discussing this now!" Jack shouted, no longer hiding his red face. "We¡¯ve got things to do we need to head out as soon as possible. Now¡¯s not the time for this."


    As the waiter neared them with the two newest orders, Jack reached out and pulled his te down. He stuffed his face with great speed, not showing any manners or decorum whatsoever. Of everyone, Jack was the first to finish eating and then stood up. "I¡¯ll be waiting outside. Don¡¯t waste any time."


    While Jack walked away, Eliza giggled, "I¡¯ll take that as a yes."


    "W-what do you mean, Eliza?"Daliea asked.


    "Isn¡¯t it obvious? He¡¯s willing to take you as his next wife."


    "What?!" holding her hands up in protest, Daliea stood up. "No, no, no, I could never do that to you and Maura."


    "Daliea..." Eliza grabbed Daliea¡¯s had, not letting her escape. "Maura, please tell Daliea."


    Maura also started blushing, but she didn¡¯t hide it. "I... At first I didn¡¯t like the idea of sharing Jack, even with Eliza. But... since it¡¯s you Daliea, I would be happy if you became his wife."


    "Huh?!"


    "Daliea, listen to reason. We both know that you¡¯ve had feelings for Jack for quite some time. Isn¡¯t that why you joined in the first ce, to make him yours?" reasoned Eliza, getting the goblin girl to quiet down. "Ke felt like an outcast around Jack because of Maura and me, but we didn¡¯t know that. I don¡¯t want you to feel that way, so please be honest with us."


    "Daliea, would you want to be with Jack if you had the chance?" Maura asked.


    "I..."


    "Be honest," repeated Eliza.


    "I... I want to be with Jack."


    Eliza smiled. "Good, then that¡¯s what we¡¯ll work toward next."


    "Mhmm, I¡¯d like that," giggled Maura. "Then we can all be like real sisters. I¡¯d like that."


    Outside of the hotel, Jack didn¡¯t know what his wives were plotting but he wanted nothing to do with it. The man was already struggling to open up to his feeling for the first time and more of that kind of talk would only make things harder for him.


    Jack patiently waited another ten minutes for the rest of his party to turn in their room keys and make their way outside.


    "Are we ready?" Jack asked.


    "So, how are we doing this? Who¡¯s taking Appa, you or us?" Rydel answered with a question of his own.


    "You¡¯ll be the ones to take Appa. We got him for party travel, and that means for the majority," stated Jack. "I¡¯ll be fine. Churstin Canyon isn¡¯t too far from the border, so it won¡¯t be hard to get there."


    "Then I think that¡¯s it unless the girls had somest-minute shopping to do," joked Rydel.


    "Nope. We¡¯re all set. The shopping can wait till Estonya, right Lina?" replied Eliza.


    "Right!"


    "Then let¡¯s go." Jack led the team as they exited the city and wandered into the woods. Once out of sight from the road, he took out the giant beast of a bird. "Appa, you¡¯ll be with Eliza and the others for now. I¡¯ve got something else to do, but I¡¯ll be back in no time. So what they say, okay?"


    Appa nodded to the other party members, showing them Appa¡¯s willingness to listen and work with them.


    Everyone began to mount the bird, all save for Jack, who also took out Bowzer to let the fox try and say his goodbyes.


    Each of his wives kissed Jack before climbing the bird¡¯s back and the men all said goodbye in their own ways, usually with a nod of the head. Daliea was thest to say goodbye as she approached Jack with blush in her cheeks and wandering eyes.


    "Daliea, calm down. I¡¯ll be fine and don¡¯t worry about that conversation from earlier." Jack opened his arms to hug the goblin girl. "See, I¡¯ve already forgotten all about it, so you should too."


    Nodding slightly, Daliea step closer to Jack and held out her arms, but her blush grew brighter and brighter.


    Jack wasn¡¯t sure what was wrong with Daliea, at least not till it was toote.


    Daliea¡¯s hands didn¡¯t wrap around Jack¡¯s back for a hug, they caressed the side of his face and his neck. Next, she jumped up to match Jack¡¯s height. Once there, Daliea¡¯s tomato red face rushed forward until Daliea¡¯s lips met Jack¡¯s.


    Itsted only a second, but it felt much longer to the shocked Jack and the embarrassed Daliea.


    With that over, Daliea hurried onto Appa while wondering how she let Eliza convince her to do such a thing.


    The stupor on Jack¡¯s face was priceless as he struggled to wave goodbye as Appa took off, leaving the blushing hero alone with Bowzer.

 Chapter 284 Party of One and a Fox

    <h4>Chapter 284 Party of One and a Fox</h4>


    ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯ asked Bowzer. ¡¯Do you not like Daliea?¡¯


    ¡¯Th-that¡¯s not it!¡¯ Jack shouted in reply. ¡¯I wasn¡¯t expecting that... And Daliea never acts like that, so I¡¯m sure Eliza had something to do with it.¡¯


    ¡¯But since she agreed, doesn¡¯t that mean Daliea likes you? So, what¡¯s wrong with liking her back?¡¯ the fox reasoned.


    ¡¯That... We¡¯re not discussing this right now,¡¯ Jack changed the topic. ¡¯Right now, we¡¯ve got to reach Churstin Canyon as soon as possible and I know just the way.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, do we get to run there?¡¯ Bowzer asked in excitement.


    ¡¯Nooo... This way we¡¯ll be there in no time at all,¡¯ughed Jack.


    ¡¯What do you mean? Hello??¡¯ Bowzer looked to Jack with a tilted head. Jack¡¯s silence was enough to let Bowzer know that Jack was already up to something. Only when a sh of light appeared and blinded him did Bowzer understand Jack¡¯s n.


    "Tralon, thanks foring and helping us out." Jack walked up and shook his hand.


    "What¡¯s the emergency?" Tralon was on guard, searching his new surroundings. "I don¡¯t sense any threats or imminent danger... What is it you need?"


    "Me and Bowzer need to go to Churstin Canyon, but we¡¯ve lent our bird to the other party members so we need your help," exined Jack.


    "But I¡¯m not a caravan service..." sighed Tralon. "It¡¯s not too far from here. Why not ride Bowzer there?"


    "But you¡¯re already here. Wouldn¡¯t it be a waste of your mana toe here and leave without helping us out?"


    "It could also be considered a waste to have me use a legendary spell to take you somewhere so near." Tralon then burst intoughter, "Well, you¡¯re still the same Jack that I served in the past."


    "So you¡¯ll help us?"


    "This time, yes. But I¡¯m not a caravan service, so please don¡¯t think of me as free transportation," stated Tralon. "I¡¯ll cast Spacial Rift so you can cross through it. Shall I do it now? Do you already have what you need?"


    "We¡¯ve got everything, so we¡¯re ready when you are."


    "By the way... Why are you going to Churstin Canyon? I don¡¯t remember that being in the n you presented me," asked Tralon.


    "I¡¯m going to meet Choron," Jack replied with a proud smile.


    "The Ninja God? Why¡¯s that?"


    "Because he¡¯s had a quest waiting for me since before the Godly War and now I can finally ept it."


    "Since before the Godly War... interesting..."


    Jack continued, not hiding anything from his long-timepanion, "Once I fulfill his request, then he¡¯ll be moving to Trodar and will start to operate publicly like in ancient times.


    "Really?! That splendid! Leave it to you to convince a god to relocate ande out of hiding," praised Tralon. "Then I¡¯m d to be of aid in this quest. If you need my help toplete it, I¡¯m more than willing."


    "I¡¯ll remember that, but for now we only need to get there as fast as possible, hence calling you."


    "Say no more!" Tralon waved his hand. It didn¡¯t seem to do anything for a moment, but a secondter ck and purple energy gathered behind the man. The energy morphed and twisted, bing a tear in space itselfrge enough for both Bowzer and Jack to enter side by side. "Good luck, Jack. If you need me, I¡¯lle immediately."


    "Thanks, Tralon. You don¡¯t know how much your help and support means to me," Jack stated. "Oh, and sorry for not always treating you with much care before... Like when I used you as live bait, or--"


    "I forgive you, Jack. Just promise me you¡¯ll rise to even more glory this time," chuckled the old man.


    "Then consider it a promise."


    Jack gave Tralon a bow before he and Bowzer walked through the Spacial Rift, disappearing from sight.


    Reappearing on the other side, Jack and Bowzer exited the rift. They saw the rocky ridges of the surrounding mountains and theck of greenery to cover the canyon in the distance.


    The Spacial Rift closed not even a moment after Jack and Bowzer exited it as Tralon didn¡¯t want to waste any mana.


    ¡¯Wow... Is that the canyon, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s it, buddy.¡¯ Jack smiled. ¡¯It¡¯s just us this time, so we¡¯ll have to be careful. I¡¯m not sure what kind of test Choron has waiting for us.¡¯


    ¡¯Right.¡¯ Bowzer was excited to not only be out of the ring but to be allowed to roam alongside Jack.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t think this ce will have lots of beasts, otherwise, I would¡¯ve waited to fully heal beforeing,¡¯ Jack exined. ¡¯I¡¯m guessing the difficulty lies with finding the actual entrance to the god¡¯s shrine or with some kind of puzzle he¡¯s ced before that entrance.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?¡¯ Some excitement disappeared from Bowzer¡¯s voice. ¡¯How do you know all this?¡¯


    ¡¯Because it¡¯s not the first time I¡¯ve had to sneak into Choron¡¯s shrine, but that was before he relocated and hid away."


    While conversing with Bowzer, he was already looking at his map to find any clues about the entrance. However, since he had no good maps about Churstin specifically, his map tab only gave Jack a general area to search and not a finite location.


    ¡¯We¡¯ll check over there first.¡¯ Jack pointed to the northern end of the canyon. ¡¯Sadly, things will be harder this time around, but we should be able to make do.¡¯


    While Bowzer was trying to question Jack about thest time he raided a god¡¯s shrine, Jack was now looking at his achievement list. There were some new notifications there that he must¡¯ve missed while unconscious.


    [Step one in controlling Trodar:pleted]


    [More than you can handle:pleted]


    [Seduce Daliea:pleted]


    Jack selected the first one, eager to see his reward.


    [Step one in controlling Trodar:pleted]


    [Dy the army until sufficient Trodan forces reach the border to control the situation. Discover the truth about the Limneer-Sandros alliance and break the alliance. Unique reward: 100 skill points. Would you like to im the reward?]


    Jack was baffled by the second sentence in the achievement description. He had discovered the truth about the Limneer-Sandros alliance, but he had no idea why it was broken off or that it had already ended. Yet his system credited Jack on the feet, so Jack didn¡¯t n toin about it.


    Next, Jack imed the reward and opened the next one.


    [More than you can handle:pleted]


    [Forcibily cast a spell that your mind is unable to handle and seed. Reward: 20 skill points. Would you like to im the reward?]


    With a chuckle, Jack imed his twenty skill points and moved on to thest achievement, which forced Jack to acknowledge Daliea¡¯s emotions.


    [Seduce Daliea:pleted]


    [Get Daliea to confess her feelings through the act of kissing in ce of words, even after marriage has already been mentioned and considered. Special reward: 50 skill points. Would you like to im your reward?]


    Since he already had thirty-nine skill points, Jack opened up his skills tab with two hundred and nine skill points to spend. He reexamined his options, hoping to find something that could prove helpful for his newest challenge.


    Looking at the spells of his inheritors, Jack wasn¡¯t surprised to see that Ke was no longer listed but he was surprised to see Eliza¡¯s spell list so full.


    Eliza had not one but two mythic-tier spells. One was given to her by Jack, but he had no clue where the other one came from. Also, there were more peak-tier and high-tier spells as well. The only conclusion Jack could imagine was that Argyle had given her more spellbooks during theirst trip to the capital, which was befitting of Argyle¡¯s protective character.


    With more options to choose from and more skill points to spend, Jack chose what he felt would best fit the situation.

 Chapter 285 Things Just Fall into Place

    <h4>Chapter 285 Things Just Fall into ce</h4>


    ¡¯Sorry about that, Bowzer. I was busy looking at some new skills.¡¯ Jack reached out and pet Bowzer after ignoring the fox¡¯s questions.


    ¡¯New skills? Like what?¡¯


    ¡¯Well, I have more to learn now, but I only got one new spell,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯But this one spell is about to make our job a lot easier. First, let¡¯s reach the canyon wall.¡¯


    The duo trekked to the canyon, reaching it before noon.


    Once there, Jack smiled and his eyes turned bright white while emitting an ethereal cloudiness. Bowzer was confused, unsure of what kind of skill Jack had picked up or what it did exactly. The fox didn¡¯t feel any kind of powering from Jack¡¯s eyes, so they didn¡¯t feel as strong as the appeared.


    Jack was too busy enjoying his new skill to see the strange look that Bowzer was giving him.


    With God¡¯s Eye active, Jack was able to search the entire canyon bit by bit. It was as if his eyes were connected to satellite zooming in on the earth below, only God¡¯s Eye was crystal clear no matter how far or near his perspective was. And the low mana consumption was perfect, so long as Jack used the spell in short bursts and an intended purpose.


    The glow in Jack¡¯s eyes vanished as he dashed toward the south side of the canyon.


    ¡¯Jack? Aren¡¯t we going the other way?¡¯ asked Bowzer.


    ¡¯Nope, I was wrong,¡¯ Jack responded as he hopped on Bowzer¡¯s back ¡¯This is definitely the way to go. Take us to the very end of the canyon.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, if you say so.¡¯


    Bowzer sped up and breezed along the canyon walls until. They spent about half an hour at that speed until Bowzer came to a gradual halt at the end of the canyon. ¡¯Now what?¡¯


    ¡¯Follow me.¡¯ Jack hopped off, immediately running into the canyon. ¡¯It shouldn¡¯t be too much further... There it is!¡¯


    Pointing at one of the tallest rock formations jutting from the center of the canyon, Jack sped up and started to climb the rockface.


    Following along, Bowzer did whatever Jack did. His sharp w and high speed allowed the fox to climb the formation before Jack reached the top. ¡¯Now what?¡¯ Confused, Bowzer looked around to only see small rock formations scattered around him and a few taller ones in the center.


    ¡¯Now, we can get in,¡¯ chuckled Jack as he reached the top.


    He said nothing more to Bowzer as Jack walked up to one of the smaller rock formations and picked up therge, square-like boulder. Then, Jack took his time and carried it toward the center formations.


    What surprised Bowzer was what happened next when Jack threw the boulder on top of the center formations. Jack also climbed up those and ced the boulder from earlier inside the center formations, causing it to disappear from Bowzer¡¯s sight.


    ¡¯Bowzer, bring that broken boulder over there, but just thergest piece.¡¯


    Acting without a word, Bowzer did as Jack told him. That broken boulder was carefully picked up in Bowzer¡¯s jaws.


    ¡¯Make sure not to break it anymore, okay?¡¯ warned Jack.


    Bowzer made sure to be extra careful, taking his time to bring it to Jack. And yet again, Jack took it and ced it inside a different portion of the center formations.


    That happened three more times with Bowzer obediently fetching the boulder that Jack requested and Jack somehow making the boulder fit within therger formations. However, the sixth and final boulder that was passed to Jack made a sound as it fell into ce among the other boulders.


    "Gong..."


    The sound was quiet but loud enough for Jack and Bowzer to hear.


    As the sound faded, the center formations started to shake. Cracks appeared on the sides and the giant rock formation they had climbed was rocking back and forth.


    ¡¯What¡¯s going on?!¡¯


    Jack jumped down and ran his hands through Bowzer¡¯s fur. ¡¯Calm down. I thought something like this would happen.¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯


    The rock formations at the center, those that Jack was on top of a moment ago, suddenly shattered. A chain reaction had begun as more and more cracks spread across the giant rock formation. Any and all nearby visitors at the canyon would be able to hear quaking happening within the canyon.


    ¡¯Stay calm Bowzer.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, what if we fall and die?!¡¯ Bowzer focused on the cracks now running under his feet, proving his worst thought may not be wrong.


    ¡¯Just stay--¡¯


    "CRACK!"


    Before Jack could stop Bowzer from worrying, the giant rock formation beneath their feet crumbled and began a long fall to the ground below. But Jack and Bowzer also noticed that the very ground they were standing on suddenly became brittle as they fell into the new cavity of the rock.


    That massive rock formation had fallen apart, never to stand again. All people there hurried to see what had happened and what had caused the ancient formation to suddenly break apart.


    During their search of the rubble, they found nothing. Not a single hint of a cause existed and there was no sign of any living thing trapped inside the wreckage.


    *****


    "Uhhh..." Holding his head, Jack felt himself lying on the ground in pitch-ck darkness. ¡¯Bowzer?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack?¡¯


    A me appeared as it surrounded Bowzer¡¯s fur coat, but only enough to light up the dark world around them. ¡¯Jack, we¡¯re alive?¡¯


    ¡¯I told you to stay calm, didn¡¯t I?¡¯ughed Jack. ¡¯I was ny percent certain that we wouldn¡¯t die.¡¯


    ¡¯Only ny percent?! And the other ten?¡¯


    ¡¯Where are we, anyway?¡¯ Jack ignored Bowzer¡¯s worried question, focusing on the dark cave in which they found themselves.


    Taking a quick look at his map, Jack determined that they were still at the southern end of Churstin Canyon.


    With a quickugh, Jack started to walk northward. ¡¯I guess we¡¯re under the canyon. If so, then Choron¡¯s shrine should be this way.¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack, we just...¡¯ Bowzer sighed, epting Jack¡¯s strange way of making things somehow work in the end. He quickened his pace to catch up with Jack, making sure to keep the path lit.


    ¡¯Check that out!¡¯ Jack smiled as they found some ancient Kartonian hieroglyphs etched into the walls, along with some imagery of war carved into the stone walls. ¡¯Does this remind you of something?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s like... Lunara¡¯s temple, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Exactly. We¡¯re definitely on the right path,¡¯ Jack stated, taking in the beautiful carvings surrounding them.


    Eventually, they came to arger room before reaching the end of the path. Inside the room were dozens of old cots and some ancient furniture. Along the walls were depictions of armies of ninjas and their travels across thend.


    ¡¯Some old barracks of sorts?¡¯ Jack tried to figure out the use of such a room. He then noticed that a single cot near the back wasn¡¯t caked in dust and there was a mattress along with a set of sheets. ¡¯Hmmm... Did Trax stay here before?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, that ninja?¡¯ Bowzer overheard Jack¡¯s thoughts. ¡¯He¡¯s been here too. Why didn¡¯t we have him show us the way?¡¯


    ¡¯Where¡¯s the fun in that?¡¯ Jack joked. ¡¯ording to Choron, Trax can only enter here with Choron¡¯s help. He would only slow us down since we found the entrance by ourselves.¡¯


    ¡¯True, true.¡¯ Bowzer nodded, feeling proud to have sessfully entered the hidden tomb of a god.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s move on.¡¯


    The duo returned to the hallway, enjoying the art on the walls and the many stories the pictures told. It kept their minds upied as they wandered deeper and deeper into the cave.


    When Jack double-checked their location on his map, he became certain that they were about to meet the god who had summoned them.


    Like Jack had predicted, he led Bowzer into a vast open area at the end of the passage. They noticed that the art there was even more intricate and this was the first room that was well lit without any need of Bowzer¡¯s fire.


    "You..."


    That voice crept into Jack¡¯s and Bowzer¡¯s ears, alerting them of the des already pressed against their necks.


    "You really are Jack_J."

 Chapter 286 Chorons Other Visitor

    <h4>Chapter 286 Choron¡°s Other Visitor</h4>


    "You really are Jack_J."


    "Hey, Choron. I see you got your sword back," Jack joked, not entirely sure what would happen next.


    "True... It took a long time and the effort of my many followers of the past, but I did manage to get it back," Choronughed, lowering his sword from Jack¡¯s nack and his knife from Bowzer¡¯s neck. "And you still remembered the secret entrance of my old home, so you must be the same Jack_J. from old times."


    "Well,st time you made me piece together a key broken and scattered across Kartonia. If it wasn¡¯t for a skill that gave me a bird¡¯s eye view, then I never would¡¯ve noticed the entrance," exined Jack.


    Bowzer was confused and asked, ¡¯What do you mean, Jack?¡¯


    "Those rock formations we filled with boulders had a gap shaped like a keyhole. From the sky, you could see the unusual shapes of the surrounding boulders. That was the best lead to finding this ce when I used God¡¯s Eye, so I bet it all on that since it was rtable to the entrance of Choron¡¯s previous home," Jack exined. "And here we are, face to face with the Ninja God himself."


    Both Jack and Choron bowed to one another, but only with their heads.


    Choron¡¯s full head of white hair bounced as he bowed, covering the carved mask he wore over his face. The god¡¯s attire was simple in color and design but it allowed him to have aplete range of motion.


    "I like the new mask. Did you make it yourself?" Jackplimented.


    "Of course... But let¡¯s not discuss my wood carving skills. Sterfen informed me that you¡¯re now his and Lunara¡¯s son. Is that correct?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s correct."


    Jack smiled, slightly surprised that Choron was so close to Sterfen. If anything it increased Jack¡¯s impression of Sterfen. The stealthy god had married a within the Holy Gods and was on terms with Choron, one of the Chaotic Gods.


    This also made Jack start to see some of the unexpected benefits of being a neutral god, as they seemed to be able to work with either side without and drawbacks.


    "Sterfen and I are old pals. We were close friends back during our mortal days," mentioned Choron. "If only I had listened to him back then."


    "Hmm?"


    "Jack... Don¡¯t worry about that. Before you leave here, you¡¯ll know of the greatest regret I have. But first, I¡¯ll need to exin some things and share some context. Shall we sit?" Choron stepped toward the center of the room and three floor cushions appeared along with a small table between them.


    Both Jack and Bowzer happily followed and seated themselves across the god. Including the time he was kidnapped by Kori, Choron was the fifth god that Jack was able to personally meet and converse with and thatck of shock was very obvious to Choron when Jack ced a bottle of wine on the small table along with two sses and a bowl.


    "Jack... First, you¡¯ll need to understand how most gods came to be. Then you¡¯ll be bettered prepared for my task."


    "Then carry on!" Jack lifted his full ss in anticipation of another lesson about the gods.


    "You¡¯ve already learned about demigods, so you¡¯ve already learned about the first step of entering godhood. But you don¡¯t know whates next," exined Choron. "After you be a god, you¡¯re then ushered into one of the three factions of the gods, the one that sponsored your godship and allowed you to take that step.


    "Since Halmut and Skaryn became the first gods and eventually formed their own factions, they¡¯ve carefully and diligently made sure that no god has ever changed factions. However, though it¡¯s nigh impossible, some of us gods would only agree to their offers if there was a way for us to be free of factions, simr to the Neutral Gods."


    "So the Neutral Gods never formed a faction?" Jack asked.


    "That is correct. The Neutral Gods have no such terms to follow and are free to act as they please. We¡¯ve only dubbed them as Neutral Gods because Skaryn and Halmut wanted a way to differentiate them," stated Choron.


    "And, let me guess, you were one of the gods who required a loophole in your agreement with Skaryn as your sponsor?"


    "Again, that is correct. It¡¯s much easier exining things to you than others, like that pupil of mine in your party." Choron smiled under his mask. "What I¡¯m after is my freedom from the Chaotic Gods. Earning me that freedom is what constitutes my request."


    "Ohh... That¡¯s why you¡¯ll be able toe out of hiding after I¡¯m finished with your request. But wouldn¡¯t the other Chaotic Godssh out at you for turning on them?" Jack deduced.


    "They¡¯ll wish to, but by acting against me they would be breaking orders to remain hidden. There¡¯s a chance that the Chaotic Gods make a move against me as a whole, but that would incite the wrath of the Holy Gods," stated Choron.


    Jack squinted. "But you going public would show the world that the gods are still alive. They would start to wonder why the other gods haven¡¯t shown themselves. Wouldn¡¯t that be enough reason for either side to make a move against you?"


    "Possibly, but it will be different since I¡¯ll officially be changing sponsors from Skaryn to Daruun," chuckled the god. "And since I¡¯ll be going to Trodar, things will be easier for me."


    "Why¡¯s that?"


    "Because Trodar was always seen as the neutral estate, the ce where the Neutral Gods were allowed to reside. The first time the gods ever made a move against Trodar was after the Neutral Gods went into hiding."


    A thought suddenly came into the back of Jack¡¯s mind. "You mean... You want the Neutral Gods toe out of hiding so you can too?"


    "You¡¯re not known as the Legend of Trodar for nothing," replied Choron. "Though I¡¯ll ask you to fulfill the first part of my request immediately, the rest wille when you¡¯re ready and able in the future. Don¡¯t think this quest will be finished so easily.


    "By the time you¡¯ve finished my request, Jack, I¡¯m assuming that Trodar will be on its way to regaining its past glory. And with you at the helm of its revival, there¡¯s a chance that other neutral gods can be convinced to return to Trodar."


    "That¡¯s not a bad n, especiallying from an assassin like you," added a third voice. "I guess you¡¯ve had plenty of time to deduce what may or may not happen with you¡¯re return to the public."


    Before Jack could respond in surprise, Choron bellowed withughter, "Sterfen, why hide your face. We¡¯re old friends yet you enter my home without announcing yourself, how rude!"


    A familiar figure took shape to Jack¡¯s side. Seat cushion number four appeared and allowed the master of stealth to sit himself down at his son¡¯s side. "Choron, I¡¯vee all this way to introduce you to my son yet you¡¯re still hiding your face."


    "Fair¡¯s fair..." The Ninja God removed the angry wooden face, revealing a young, chiseled face that defied Choron¡¯s white hair. "Since you¡¯ve agreed to show yourself, I¡¯ll do the same."


    "Jack, this is my good friend, Choron," ignoring their previous conversation, Sterfen introduced his old pal to his new son.


    "Wow... I didn¡¯t realize you looked so young..." Jack was startled by the man¡¯s youthful features.


    "Pay it no mind, as we were saying," continued Choron, "by the time I¡¯m free I want the Neutral Gods to return to Trodar, at least a few of them. Sterfen, do you think that would be possible."


    "Hmmm... considering the leveling that Jack will need toplete this task, I think we¡¯ll have enough time to recruit a god or two for Trodar¡¯s sake."


    Taking the back seat of the conversation, Jack sighed and took notes as the two friendly gods casually chatted about recruiting all-powerful gods.

 Chapter 287 Higher Powers Asking Even Higher Powers

    <h4>Chapter 287 Higher Powers Asking Even Higher Powers</h4>


    "Sterfen, would you be able to go public in Trodar?" Choron asked. "If you were willing to do that, couldn¡¯t it help convince the other Neutral Gods?"


    "It¡¯s not impossible, but it¡¯s also not ideal. My situation is a bit unique thanks to my wife. Unlike you, she wasn¡¯t wise enough at the time to request a loophole. She¡¯s bound to the Holy Gods until Halmut is killed by Jack," stated Sterfen.


    "By Jack? Don¡¯t tell me those were your conditions for the boy?" In shock, Choron saw both father and son nod their heads like it was of no consequence. "But couldn¡¯t you just bring her to Trodar?"


    "Hmmm... I could, but that would just give the Holy Gods an excuse to level the entire country. Unless we already had the other Neutral Gods back in Trodar. Then there¡¯s a chance that we could sneak Luna in," exined Sterfen. "But there¡¯s no way I can be one of the first Neutral Gods to go public."


    "Then who would you suggest we seek out first?"


    Sterfen suddenly broke out inughter. "I¡¯m not sure." Then, he tossed up a small stone-like it was a ball, catching Jack¡¯s attention instantly. "You two, ce your hand on this stone."


    Jack followed instructions without hesitation, as did Choron, showing that this wasn¡¯t his first time doing this.


    Light suddenly filled the stone and blinded the three men for the moment. As their sight returned, there was a fourth man among them, already sitting on a seat cushion. "I would say that this is unexpected, but..."


    "We all know that you saw thising, so we¡¯d like to ask you a few questions," stated Sterfen.


    "Very well, but only because you¡¯ve now involved my champion," Daruun chuckled and nodded to Jack. "So, what would you like to ask me? It must be important for you to use that special stone I gave you."


    "Daruun, you know that we¡¯ve already reached an agreement and that I¡¯ll be seeking Jack¡¯s help to fix my error of choosing Skaryn instead of you. But I also wish to go public after that, so the presence of the other Neutral Gods would be appreciated," exined Choron.


    "You know I won¡¯t forcibly gather the Neutral Gods, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wanting to know which gods would be most easily convinced, right?"


    "Right." All three of the inquisitors nodded, waiting for DAruun to say his piece.


    "Very well, I¡¯ll give you my opinion, but it may not defer much from Sterfen¡¯s given his informationwork," stated Daruun. "First off, I think Eedaj will be the easiest and fastest to convince."


    "Eedaj?! Really?" Perplexed, Choron looked to Sterfen.


    "I was thinking the same," Sterfen added as he looked to Jack with a smile. "With Jack and his party, I think Eedaj may even offer it himself. But Jack will have to be ready to ept the offer."


    "Why wouldn¡¯t I¡¯?" Jack interjected himself into the four-way conversation. "I can¡¯t think of any reason why I wouldn¡¯t."


    "Good, then we¡¯ll move on to the next god," Daruun moved the conversation along. "Second, I think you should try and convince Rikko."


    "Rikko? Why that tricky pestro?" Sterfen questioned.


    "He¡¯d be the simplest to convince. Though it may take some great burry, we¡¯ve got the most shameless hero of all to take care of that,"ughed Daruun. "After Jack¡¯s gained some influence over Trodar and joined their council, he can set out to recruit Rikko. But you would want at least three gods in Trodar before you try and sneak Luna in, right?"


    "Yeah..." Sterfen chuckled guiltily. "Who should the third be?"


    "As for the third person, I think it should be Perchet."


    "What?!" All three men were thrown for a loop by Daruun¡¯s final suggestion.


    "I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be happy to gain Perchet¡¯s presence in Trodar. His presence would greatly aid in protecting your wife, Sterfen. And it will keep the Chaotic Gods fromshing out against Choron as well," reasoned Daruun. "The only question of the matter is whether Jack will be able to help him regain his freedom from the Holy Gods."


    "Do you think he can do it?" Sterfen¡¯s eyes were shining, more confident than ever.


    "I believe Jack has the ability."


    Choron smiled. "Then that¡¯s the n! First, Eedaj, then Rikko, and finally Perchet."


    As they exined this, Jack grew to understood why Daruun didn¡¯t put add his meeting with Choron to Jack¡¯s steps in joining the council. Choron¡¯s request was going to take a long time toplete.


    "After that, some of the remaining Neutral Gods may relocate of their free will. And you may gain a chance to help Moranti escape his fate with the Chaotic Gods," added Daruun. "But that will be extremely difficult. Not only is Moranti valued as the most powerful Chaotic God under Skaryn, but his changing sides would also mark the Neutral Gods as having more members than either the Holy Gods or the Chaotic Gods."


    "That would... upset the bnce that Skaryn and Halmut worked so hard to create," stated Sterfen. "And if that¡¯s sessful, then the remaining rebel gods would most likely leave of their own volition."


    "Yes, that¡¯s correct. However... If you take Jack¡¯s unpredictableness into all of this, there may be another path entirely," added Daruun.


    "What do you mean? What other path?" Choron asked, now staring at Jack in surprise.


    Daruunughed, "Sterfen, we both know that there is one other way for your wife to be freed. And if that happens, wouldn¡¯t you be able to relocate to Trodar immediately?"


    "Yes... But that method is even more difficult than killing Halmut, so there¡¯s no reason for Jack to attempt it."


    "I don¡¯t think Jack should attempt it, I think one of his acquaintances should." Daruun showed an unusually wry smile. "I¡¯m talking about the association head."


    "WHAT?!" Jack shouted. "No way! How can I convince Lorwynn, Halmut¡¯s very own champion, to help weaken the Holy Gods so drastically?!"


    "Because he would do it willingly."


    Baffled by that statement, Jack, Choron, and Sterfen all stared at Daruun like he was insane. They all understood that Daruun was all-knowing, but it was still too tough to believe such a thing so easily.


    "Jack, after you join the Trodan Council, you¡¯ll have another opportunity to meet with Lorwynn. If you y your cards right and ask with your god-defying confidence, you may be surprised about the oue," exined Daruun. "But either way, you now have two ways of making this happen, so I hope I was of some use this time around."


    "You always are." Choron bowed to the man. "I swear on my godly title that I¡¯ll be resigning from the Chaotic Gods and will be returning to the side I should¡¯ve chosen from the beginning."


    "And if she can really be freed sooner... then I¡¯m more than satisfied with the answers you¡¯ve given me," Sterfen replied with a bow.


    "And Jack... This n will greatly strengthen Trodar and give you the aid of gods, but this will be known as your first act as my champion. For as much strength you be gaining from all this, you¡¯ll be gaining even more enemies, if not more. Keep that in mind as you tread carefully and defy the odds like you always have." Daruun bowed his head to Jack, who did the same in return. "Now that I¡¯ve answered your question, I¡¯ll be going. Once three days have passed, feel free to contact me again, Son."


    "I will, Father," Sterfen smiled and bowed onest time before Daruun vanished.


    "Oh yeah... Since he helped you, that makes you Daruun¡¯s son, doesn¡¯t it?" Jack finally connected the dots.


    "Yup, and he¡¯s always been an amazing father-figure," Sterfen replied. "In a way, that makes him your grandfather, Jack."


    Jack startedughing. He wasn¡¯t certain how well Sterfen knew Daruun, but Jack liked the idea of being rted to a man who ruled over a portion of the universe.


    ¡¯Did I miss something?¡¯


    Jack looked to see Bowzer¡¯s confused stare. Heughed and started petting him. ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about it. I can exin everythingter.¡¯

 Chapter 288 What am I Stealing?!

    <h4>Chapter 288 What am I Stealing?!</h4>


    "Considering we¡¯ve now got two options for Neutral God recruitment, shouldn¡¯t we get back to what you want my son to do for you, Choron?" Sterfen brought them back to the point of their conversation. "I came because you wanted my opinion, but we shouldn¡¯t keep Jack away from his own goals."


    "Right." Choron nodded. "Jack... You now understand that what I¡¯m after and some of the major steps to making my offer possible, but you still need to actuallyplete the task. Now, I¡¯ll exin the condition for my leaving of the Chaotic Gods."


    Being brought back out of the surreal conversation they just had, Jack paid close attention to Choron¡¯s n while running his fingers through Bowzer¡¯s fur.


    "I had two conditions given to mean, but I refuse to act on the first so allow me to exin the second option. You¡¯ll need to steal something for me."


    "Steal something? Since you can¡¯t do it yourself, I¡¯m guessing its from another god. Wouldn¡¯t Sterfen or Rikko be better choices than me?" reasoned Jack.


    "If I request the aid of other gods, then the condition will be rendered null and void, forcing me to do something I would despise," stated Choron. "But requesting aid from a hero is something we gods have all epted since Ancient Kartonia. And there¡¯s no hero with a better track record than you.


    "If you can steal this item and bring it back to me, then you¡¯ll have fulfilled the terms of my agreement and I¡¯ll be free to go public and relocate to Trodar. Sound like something you can do?"


    "After everything we just talked about, do I have any say in the matter?"


    Jack sighed, realizing just howrge-scale his ns are bing. Not even a day ago, his biggest n was to join the weakened Trodan Council and find a means to end the war peacefully. Now, he¡¯s sitting amongst the gods as the plot the revival and growth of the neutral faction, weakening both the holy and chaotic factions by default.


    The eye-opening realization was proof to the young hero that he was on his way to bing a worthy champion. It was also proof that all of Jack¡¯s past hardships, both distant and recent, were nothingpared to what was toe.


    "So, who is it I¡¯m stealing from?" Jack asked.


    "You¡¯ve got to steal Naparn¡¯s sword."


    "Naparn¡¯s sword?! The legendary de known as Molten Mist?!" Jack almost fell over from the terrifying truth behind his assignment.


    "Yes, that¡¯s the de that must be stolen. Like I said earlier, I¡¯m not expecting you to aplish this quest immediately, but I do want you to start preparing yourselves for it," answered Choron. "And Sterfen, I wanted to ask you to consult Jack on the matter. Right now he¡¯ll only need to know how to prepare, but when the timees, can you assist him within guidelines?"


    "Since it¡¯s Jack, I think I¡¯ll be able to find a way to make it possible. Since he¡¯s my son, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s more than capable of simply stealing something," Sterfen joked, pping Jack on the back. "You¡¯ll be fine Jack, you are my son after all."


    "Yeah... I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll figure something out..."


    "For now, Jack, just focus on getting your party pledged to the various gods we¡¯ve already discussed. Then, we¡¯ll need to consult Eedaj about this. He¡¯ll probably be key in creating an opportunity to steal that sword," exined Sterfen. "Sound easy enough for now?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t call any of this easy, but I don¡¯t think it¡¯s impossible..." Jack scratched his head as he rethought epting the request.


    "Also, Jack, I would be eternally grateful to you if you could somehow convince Lorwynn to help Luna gain freedom. Please, Jack, can you try and make that work?" Sterfen bowed and begged. "If that happens, we¡¯ll happily relocate to Trodar and help our children in any way we can. That should also help you gainplete control of Trodar and end the war without much fighting."


    "I¡¯ll try my best, Father," Jack answered while swallowing saliva. He still had no clue how such a weak hero like himself could convince one of his greatest and most powerful rivals to help Jack out.


    "I¡¯m so d I epted you as my son, Jack. You deserve every bit of praise and fame you¡¯ve earned over the years. And I¡¯m excited to see you gain even more." Stefen smiled. "So, Choron, is there anything that Jack should do now?"


    "For now, I want you to get something for my pupil," answered Choron. "Since he¡¯s in your party, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy for him to gain this."


    A sheathed katana appeared in Choron¡¯s hands. "This is indeed the katana you once stole from me, but if you remember correctly, it was part of a set."


    Catching on, Jack replied, "Yeah... Does that mean you never found the wakizashi after all this time?"


    "I have not." Choron shook his head. "Finding my high-level katana was much simpler. But finding the wakizashi proved almost impossible for my followers. Its unique ability allows anyone of any level to wield it, hence why I would asionally lend it to my greatest of followers. But that also meant it was virtually impossible to narrow our field of search to find it.


    "But, since you¡¯ve got connections with Daruun, that means you¡¯re more apt to find it than I am. Like Sterfen just did, can¡¯t you also asionally call upon him to answer a few questions?"


    "Well... You¡¯re not wrong, but it¡¯s not that simple either. I don¡¯t gain the ability to meet with Daruun whenever I please until I¡¯ve found his temple," exined Jack.


    "Oh... Good luck with that..." Sterfen mumbled, startled to learn such a thing.


    "But I can find a way to contact him, so don¡¯t worry about that," added Jack.


    Choron sighed in relief. "Good... Then, please, find the wakizashi and give it to my pupil. This should greatly help you and your party."


    "I¡¯ll happily ept a weapon fit for a god." Jack bowed.


    "Then that¡¯s all I have to say." Choron bowed as well. "Let¡¯s connect our contact crystals before you leave. Once you find the wakizashi, inform me straight away."


    They quickly touched their contact crystals and stored them away.


    "Since it¡¯s been ages, I¡¯ll stay here and chat for some time, so don¡¯t mind me, Jack," Sterfen added.


    "Oh, by the way, would you two want to speak with my friend Tralon?"


    "Of course!" Sterfen smiled and answered outright. "I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll both have plenty of things to share with such an experienced man."


    "Then give me a second."


    ¡¯Hey, Tralon. Are you busy right now?¡¯


    ¡¯No, not really. What¡¯s the matter?¡¯ Tralon replied almost immediately.


    Jack chuckled, ¡¯I¡¯m here with Choron and Sterfen, both of which would love to speak with you. Also, Sterfen mentioned something about being able to pledge to Moronti, so--"


    Before Jack could finish his convincing argument, a bright sh of light filled the vast space for a second time. However, it Tralon who appeared this time in ce of Daruun.


    "Choron, Sterfen, it¡¯s a pleasure to make your acquaintance." Tralon bowed before the two deities, proud to be among such powerfulpany.


    "Sit, join us, Tralon. Jack was just leaving so you can have his seat. Any friend of my son is a friend of mine!" Sterfen cheerfully picked up the bottle of wine that Jack and left on the table. "See, my son was nice enough to bring us such a fine drink. It would go to waste without sharing it over a great conversation."


    Jackughed while getting up, and switching ces with Tralon. "We¡¯ll see ourselves out. It was great chatting with you all. And I look forward to the future of Trodar with your needed support!"


    Leaving the others to chat and share secrets, Jack climbed onto Bowzer¡¯s back and the duo rushed back into the tunnel.

 Chapter 289 Explaining Things So A Fox Could Understand

    <h4>Chapter 289 Exining Things So A Fox Could Understand</h4>


    Leaving the cavern wasn¡¯t difficult at all. Jack and Bowzer followed the tunnel to the end. There, they found an active ancient relic used for teleportation. The duo stepped onto it confidently, immediately sending them somewhere not too far from the northern end of the canyon.


    ¡¯We¡¯re out!¡¯ Bowzer shouted. ¡¯Now what? Do we need to find more of those stone thingies?¡¯


    ¡¯They¡¯re called tutorial stones, and yes we need to find another one. Except, we have no ride and Tralon¡¯s portals are useless if we don¡¯t know where we¡¯re going,¡¯ Jack sighed.


    ¡¯Then where should we go?¡¯ asked Bowzer. ¡¯Is there a big city nearby?¡¯


    Opening the map tab, Jack took a closer look at what Churstin had to offer. ¡¯We¡¯re a few days away from the capital. That may be the best bet. Or...¡¯ Jack checked his surroundings and was happy that no one was in sight at the moment. ¡¯Or we can check these.¡¯


    A pile of weapons appeared at Jack¡¯s feet, all of which were getting picked up by his system as items formerly belonging to ancient heroes.


    ¡¯What are those?¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer, these are my winnings from my little bet with Trax. Now, I can im my rewards," Jack exined with a smile. ¡¯Give me a moment to see which tombs are closest.¡¯


    With his system working its magic, Jack looked through nearly a dozen different weapons hoping to find the tombs of their past owners within Churstin. Some proved to genuinelye from Churstin while others came from across the continent.


    There was a lv. 35 bow that originated from Reinolt, something Jack would have to remember forter. A couple of the tombs were also located in Talrania, again making Jack wish he could visit that mysterious nation. But ultimately, there were four tombs found within Churstin for the tag team to visit, and one wasn¡¯t too far away.


    ¡¯Bowzer, first we¡¯ll head east toward the Fissured Mountains,¡¯ Jack hurriedly put the weapons away and climbed onto Bowzer¡¯s back. ???And since we¡¯re on a time crunch, just go as fast as you can. Don¡¯t worry about others seeing you, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Alright!¡¯


    With obvious enthusiasm, Bowzer took off at full speed. The fox wasted no time as he streaked across the barrennd surrounding the canyon and eventually found his way into a forest. Still, he showed no signs of slowing down.


    Whenever wild beasts would step up against them, Bowzer would simply use his bloodline and watch them cower away from him. They didn¡¯t want to be bothered so that was the best solution.


    They traveled through lunch without stopping. Jack ate some rations while Bowzer, with Jack¡¯s help, was constantly chewing on jerky as he ran.


    As the sun fell, the party came to a halt at the edge of the forest.


    ¡¯Bowzer, we¡¯ll stop here for the night.¡¯


    ¡¯But I can keep going!¡¯ Bowzer insisted. ¡¯Don¡¯t we need to--¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer, we¡¯ll need our rest before we reach the Fissured Mountains. You¡¯ve never been there, so I¡¯ll tell you about my past experiences there.¡¯


    ¡¯Hey, Jack, howe you¡¯ve been everywhere but you¡¯re so low-leveled? Is it because you were an ancient hero before?¡¯ Bowzer tilted his head, anxious for an answer.


    ¡¯Yeah, that¡¯s why. I thought you knew that already?¡¯


    ¡¯I do. But weren¡¯t you also really high-leveled back then? Why aren¡¯t you that high-leveled like before?¡¯


    Jack pondered the question for a moment till he smiled. ¡¯I don¡¯t know.¡¯


    ¡¯You don¡¯t know?¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know.¡¯ Jack shook his head. ¡¯It¡¯s hard to exin my past situation... I¡¯m not even sure how to exin the physics or reason behind it...¡¯


    ¡¯Physics? What¡¯s that?¡¯ More confused than ever, Bowzer leaned in closer to Jack.


    Since Jack didn¡¯t want to make a fire or set up an actual campsite, He just took out arge bedroll for Bowzer and a chair for himself.


    ¡¯Forget that word, it doesn¡¯t mean anything to you.¡¯ Jack was not about to start exining such a broad thing as physics to a fox with what barely qualified as a medieval education level. ¡¯This isn¡¯t going to make sense to you, but I want you to think of my previous self, the Legend of Trodar and the ancient hero, as something like an avatar... Also, an avatar is something that is controlled by someone outside it.¡¯


    ¡¯So... When you were an ancient hero, that wasn¡¯t your real body?¡¯


    ¡¯Right! Good job, Bower,¡¯ Jack praised the fox and scratched behind his ears. ¡¯That¡¯s why I was lv. 1 when I got summoned here. I¡¯ve kept all of my past knowledge, but I had no strengths of my past self.¡¯


    ¡¯Then what happened with your avatar?¡¯


    ¡¯I... I don¡¯t know... I¡¯ve never really thought about it like that...¡¯ That new perspective and idea were added to Jack¡¯s running list of questions he had for Daruun. ¡¯I¡¯ll have to ask Daruun that after we get more tutorial stones.¡¯


    ¡¯If we find your avatar, won¡¯t we also find all fo your high-leveled equipment? Wouldn¡¯t that be better than finding all these other tombs?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes and no,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯If we find my avatar, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll have any way too...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack? Jaaack??¡¯


    Thanks to Bowzer sharing his thoughts openly, Jack came to realize something. Sure, Jack didn¡¯t know what happened to his old body or his stuff, but Jack never thought that would do him much good till he was high-leveled anyway. What Jack forgot was one of his character¡¯s former titles and an item that was given to him along with that title.


    ¡¯Daruun¡¯s Envoy...¡¯


    ¡¯What? Jack, speak up so I can hear you too!¡¯


    ¡¯Daruun¡¯s Envoy... One of the titles that my ancient self had earned was Daruun¡¯s Envoy. I was the first-ever person to earn that title, so I received a one-of-a-kind, legendary item. I thought it was useless and was only legend-tier for its vor text... but maybe...¡¯


    ¡¯Maybe what?¡¯


    ¡¯That item was known as Daruun¡¯s Crest. Its vor text said that it gave it¡¯s bearer the ability to act in Daruun¡¯s name. I used it for a few quests then stored it away... But it also...¡¯ As Jack¡¯s rambling came to an end, the hero took out a single ring and ran his fingers around its ridges.


    ¡¯Jack... finish exining things, please!¡¯ shouted Bowzer, startling Jack and breaking his concentration on the ring.


    ¡¯Right! Sorry... where was I?¡¯ Jack stopped ying with the ring, only looking at it now. ¡¯I may not know where my avatar is, but I do know where something else is. And I¡¯m too anxious to not go there right now.¡¯


    ¡¯Wait, we¡¯re not going to the Fissured Mountains?! I ran all this way for nothing?¡¯ined Bowzer.


    ¡¯No, we¡¯re still going there and to the other tombs before we meet back up with the party. It¡¯ll be easier that way and they won¡¯t argue with me over what I find,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯But where we¡¯re going now, we¡¯ll find things that even most lv. 85 heroes of the past had only wished to find.¡¯


    ¡¯Ohhh...¡¯ With his interest piqued, Bowzer couldn¡¯t stop wagging his tail. ¡¯Then let¡¯s go right now! I don¡¯t need to sleep!¡¯


    ¡¯We will, but we¡¯ll want Tralon with us this time. Also, we¡¯re about to cheat our way up a few levels." An excited grin appeared on Jack¡¯s face, just like Bowzer.


    ¡¯Hey, Tralon. Are you free right now? Tralon?¡¯


    ¡¯What is it, Jack? I¡¯m busy discussing the ancient causes and effects of the Godly War with Choron and Sterfen,¡¯ replied Tralon in an annoyed tone.


    ¡¯Well, how about you take a break from that ande get me. I¡¯ll need your help somewhere.¡¯


    ¡¯Where¡¯s that? I hope it¡¯s important and truly utilizes my abilities, given that I¡¯m currently in thepany of gods.¡¯


    Jackughed, ¡¯Tralon, we¡¯re heading to the storehouse.¡¯

 Chapter 290 Jacks Old Office

    <h4>Chapter 290 Jack¡°s Old Office</h4>


    ¡¯Tralon, we¡¯re heading to the storehouse.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Then I¡¯ming. Give me a moment.¡¯


    A few minutes passed as Tralon finished his conversation with the two gods and dismissed himself.


    "It took you long enough," Jack joked as Tralon appeared in a sh of light. "Let me guess, you took the time to memorize the location so you can go back after we¡¯re done?"


    "Of course! That was the first time that I¡¯ve been able to speak with people older than me! And with their breadth of knowledge and unique perspective, I can learn so much."


    "Did you ask them about your curse?"


    Tralon shook his head, losing some of his excitement. "They don¡¯t know of a cure."


    "I figured... I¡¯ve already asked Sterfen, so I guess the only person left to ask is Daruun. I¡¯ll add that to my list," Jack sighed. "Anyways, I¡¯m assuming you¡¯ve got enough mana to take us to Gilga."


    "Sure, but don¡¯t you want to go to the storehouse?"


    "Yes, but you won¡¯t have enough mana left to carry us through it," replied Jack. "Remember, we¡¯re only lv. 34 right now. With you, we¡¯ll just barely make it to the end so long as we¡¯re careful."


    "I forgot about that... Then I¡¯ll take you to Gilga. You can stay in the guild house as my guests for the night."


    "Are you sure we should do that? Would that cause trouble for you?"


    "No, I¡¯ll be fine," chuckled Tralon. "Since your levels are concealed by your cloak, it will keep suspicions to a minimum. I¡¯m sure some of the council members will be keeping tabs on us, but you can just change your appearance and store Bowzer away when we¡¯re in public. Maybe Argyle would work?"


    "Not a bad idea." With augh, Jack activated his cloak and became an Argyle look-alike. "I¡¯m sure my father-inw won¡¯tin since it¡¯s me falsifying his identity."


    "A perfect image. Well done. So, are you ready? We need to get a good night¡¯s rest if we want to storm the storehouse tomorrow."


    Jack turned to Bowzer. "I¡¯m sorry, but you¡¯ll have to wait in my ring till we get to our room. But once we¡¯re at the storehouse tomorrow, you¡¯ll be free to roam wherever you like."


    Bowzer pouted but did as Jack said. The fox walked toward Jack, obediently letting Jack store him in the bestial storage.


    "Then, let¡¯s go." Tralon opened up a rift in space, walking through it along with Jack.


    The two men were now in a spacious office, startling Jack. "You... You haven¡¯t changed a thing, have you?"


    "Well, I did change a few things," replied Tralon. "All of your hidden weapons were stored away. I didn¡¯t like the thought of your high-level weapons being found by anyone who dared to thumb through my office."


    "Smart move. But I see you kept the chair, desk, and bookshelves. Why didn¡¯t you sell them? Wouldn¡¯t that be able to raise the guild¡¯s funds significantly?" Jack asked as he took a seat in the dragon hide chair he had crafted long ago.


    "As you¡¯lle to know, I¡¯ve kept the guild and its many belongings the same for all these years. The system you created here was better than anything I could imagine myself, and I refused to sell or exchange any of its items that I deemed priceless, no matter what Argyle tried to offer me."


    "Oh? Is that how you two met? He tried to haggle for all of my old stuff?" Jack joked.


    "Actually, yes. But we became friends soon after that. asionally, he makes me an offer for little things like your chair or the bookshelves you made."


    "I can¡¯t me him. It¡¯s arguably the mostfortable and most expensive seat I¡¯ve seen, while the bookshelves auto-cast silence and are made from an ancient Gaia Tree..." Jack¡¯s attention left the conversation as he started to tinker with the lock on his desk.


    "Click!"


    "Wow, you didn¡¯t even change the code. Are you a hoarder?"


    "Maybe, but I¡¯m so d I am. Otherwise, who knows what would be left for you now that you¡¯re back?" Tralonughed.


    Jack¡¯s smile softened. "It must¡¯ve been hard for you. Keeping all of this while Trodar was facing hardship and you were losing levels to the curse."


    "Sure, it was hard but not impossible." Tralon shrugged.


    "The other council members want you gone so they can steal what¡¯s left of the guild, don¡¯t they?"


    "... Like always, you find the truth before I have a chance to admit it."


    Jack sighed again. With his current level, he was powerless to do anything against the council that he had founded. And now, that same council was starting to focus more on causing internal struggle then solving the problems surrounding Trodar, forcing Tralon to personally seek Jack for help.


    "Don¡¯t worry yourself, Jack. I¡¯ll make sure that the guild survives and remains intact until you¡¯re strong enough to take it over," Tralon added. "Until then, don¡¯t worry about the guild. You just got me a new manager, that alone will help me focus on the duties of the council."


    "Oh yeah..." Midsentence, Jack took out a well-sized coin purse and ced it on the desk. "Here¡¯s Dirk¡¯s sry. He doesn¡¯t need this much considering I paid for his house, but I promised him it would be well-paying. Now, he can¡¯tin and has more reason to do his job."


    "That¡¯s... quite a sum for someone not even lv. 40."


    "And this..." A dozen more bags were ced on the desk, only these were heftier and filled with tinum. "This is to help you keep the guild running. I can¡¯t take over yet, but I can at least supply you with funds."


    "How did you--"


    "I was lucky enough to raid the tomb of Ponlinne a while back. Do you remember him?"


    "Ponlinne?! Of course, he ran the Medic Guild, right?" Tralonughed. "So that¡¯s how you took advantage of Argyle and the other auction houses. Leave it to you to find the tomb of a lv. 85 guild leader while you¡¯re still low-leveled."


    "Actually, Ponlinne wasn¡¯t lv. 85. He was lv. 87."


    "What?!"


    "I¡¯m not sure when, but sometime after I left the level cap was removed," stated Jack.


    "But what could kill a lv. 87 hero? Sure, Ponlinne was a cleric but he was still lv. 87."


    "He stumbled upon a dungeon that never existed during Ancient Kartonia," Jack exined. "That dungeon would change based on those who entered it. Based on the highest level among the dungeon¡¯s upants, that crypt would open up deeper and deeper. Ponlinne eventually reached the final floor where he found massive ancient doors, but they were guarded by a lv. 89 boss."


    "A lv. 89... that¡¯s unheard of!" shouted Tralon.


    "Ponlinne was just going to check out the boss and flee, but the boss countered him and never let Ponlinne escape. But, at least we now know the level cap is gone and that there a likely to be more unknown dungeons to explore," reasoned Jack.


    "True. But are you sure you want to give up all of this for the guild? Will you have enough left for your party and your needs?"


    "Honestly, no. I¡¯ve been too generous with my cash," Jackughed, remembering his costly private deal with Argyle. "However, given that you haven¡¯t sold everything inside the guild house, you probably never attempted to open the storehouse either."


    "Guilty as charged," the old manughed along with Jack.


    "Then once I open that up, I¡¯ll have more than enough... And I¡¯ll be able to get my hands on that crest!"


    "Oh? That useless emblem you threw in the storehouse? What do you need that for?"


    "I need to test something. Since some items now can do different things, I wonder what that crest can do now that I¡¯m officially Daruun¡¯s champion."


    Tralon stroked his beard with a nod. "Interesting, indeed. But how about we go and get some sleep. If not, we¡¯ll have to wait even longer to storm the storehouse."


    "Speaking of that, has anyone entered the storehouse since I was gone?" Jack asked.


    "Only petty thieves. Since I¡¯m still around, the other council members steer clear of the ce. They may be strong enough to storm it, but they wouldn¡¯t be fast enough to steal anything before I get there." Tralon chuckled, "Besides, they don¡¯t know how to open the final door which the guild crafted in its heyday."


    "True... but that¡¯s why we have this!" Jack flicked the old ring up in the air and caught it. "That door won¡¯t be a problem for us. But who knows what¡¯s in the storehouse now that a thousand years have passed."


    "We¡¯ll find out when we enter. Hopefully, I¡¯ll be able to carry us through it. If not, then I¡¯ll make a rift and we¡¯ll escape."


    "Sounds like a n. Now, where am I sleeping tonight?"


    Tralon sighed. "Sadly, I can¡¯t offer you your old room. If I did that, then it would draw too much attention. I¡¯ll lead you to the guest rooms."


    Tralon and Jack, who was still disguised as Argyle, slowly walked through the guild house, drawing a lot of attention. However, no one bothered them since it was the guild leader and someone they recognized as lv. 71, even though they couldn¡¯t currently see through "Argyle¡¯s" level.


    Well, almost no one bothered them...

 Chapter 291 Threatening a Council Member

    <h4>Chapter 291 Threatening a Council Member</h4>


    "Tralon! Finally, you¡¯vee to see me... Argyle? When did you arrive in town?"


    A well-dressed man in a zer approached Tralon and Jack as they passed themon area of the guild, falling for Jack¡¯s disguise.


    "Quace... Why are you so far in my guild house? You¡¯re supposed to wait near the reception area unless you have an appointment, which you don¡¯t." Tralon acted indifferently as he reprimanded the man.


    "Tralon, that¡¯s enough drivel. I¡¯m a Council Member, and since you were not replying to my calls I came to find you," stated Quace.


    "Well, now you know I¡¯m already busy." Tralon smiled. "I¡¯ll arrange an appointment in the next few days, so if you would please--"


    "Tralon, I¡¯m not going anywhere until you sit with me," Quace demanded.


    "Just because you¡¯re lv. 69 doesn¡¯t mean you have the right to act so proudly in front of me. I was once lv. 85 and have fought alongside ancient heroes against the gods. You¡¯re nothingpared to them," Tralon chuckled.


    Quave¡¯s lip twitched. "Tralon, I will be heard out. I demand it! Without our support, you¡¯ll soon lose your seat on the council, and what will happen to your failing guild then? Why not simply donate--"


    "If you¡¯re about to im something as idiotic as donating all of the merchandise I¡¯m nning to acquire, then I¡¯ll force you to listen to me!"


    Startled by "Argyle¡¯s" sudden statement, Quace cleared his throat and looked back to him, acting far more calm and reasonable than he was to Tralon. "Argyle, please, don¡¯t take this the wrong way. The Leisure Guild has been the pride and treasure of Trodar for so long, yet it¡¯s failing. We wish for its power to stay in Trodar, even if the guild has to downsize."


    "Still, what you¡¯re doing now in an infringement on my dealings with Tralon. Are you willing to pay the consequences of that personally?"


    "I..."


    "It¡¯s best you go, Quace. We both know that Argyle is a reasonable man until he gets angry. Now I have to deal with the results of your actions. Please, leave me till the time I¡¯ll appoint," stated Tralon, hiding his smile.


    "Fine, then I¡¯ll be back in three days."


    "Make it one week. I¡¯ll be leaving on business with Argyle. Unless you want to take that up with him?"


    "No... Then I¡¯ll be back in one week," replied Quace. "You¡¯d better be here by then."


    "I¡¯ll be patiently waiting."


    Tralon and Jack watched Quace storm away, furious to have a false Argyle stand in his way. They bothughed and continued to Jack¡¯s room, casting silence as they entered.


    "Here you are, Jack. Also, thank you."


    "Nah, don¡¯t mention it. That pestro wanted to mess with my guild, I would act like that even if I wasn¡¯t pretending to be Argyle," Jackughed, recounting Quace¡¯s flustered face.


    "Then I¡¯lle to pick you up in the morning."


    "Hey, Tralon, should we call Argyle for help?" Jack asked.


    "Well... That¡¯s up to you. Why would you suggest something like that?"


    "Since no one has regted the storehouse for over one thousand years, do you think the artificial dungeon could¡¯ve grown more dangerous?"


    "That¡¯s possible, but I¡¯m not entirely sure. However, I wouldn¡¯t be against opening a rift for Argyle if you¡¯ll convince him toe."


    Jack nodded and pulled out his contact crystal. "Hey, Argyle, you still up?"


    "Jack? What do you need?"


    "Are you busy at the moment?" Jack asked.


    "Well, not at the moment."


    "And for the next few days?"


    Argyle took a moment to reply, "I have a meeting with Hurmot since he¡¯s been begging me to tell him everything there is to know about you. Why? What do you need from me?"


    "Tell Hurmot to reschedule and that I¡¯d be willing to join him for a drink in the near future. But for now, I need your help in Trodar."


    "In Trodar? Why should I go help you? Aren¡¯t you busy with your party?"


    "Actually, we¡¯ve temporarily split up so that I can run a few errands," Jack exined. "But don¡¯t worry, Eliza and Maura are both very safe with everyone else. I¡¯m alone with Bowzer and Tralon for the time being."


    "But if you¡¯re with Tralon, then why do you need me?"


    "Because tomorrow we¡¯re storming the Leisure Guild¡¯s storehouse."


    "You¡¯re what?!" Hammered with the unexpected truth, Tralon took a moment to cast silence around him before continuing, "You three are going to storm the storehouse?"


    "Yes, but we wanted to bring you along as insurance. You see, no one has regted the storehouse since I left during ancient times. Before, there were only beasts between lv. 50 and lv. 65 if you include our mini-boss. But now, we¡¯re not sure what levels they are."


    "What¡¯s in it for me?"


    Jack chuckled, "I¡¯ll let you have one thing, be it on my current person or in the storehouse."


    "Done. Tell Tralon to open the rift from my office."


    In seconds, Argyle was standing before them. But he was startled when he looked back at himself. "Jack, is that you?"


    "You guessed it," Jackughed as he reverted to his true self and let Bowzer back out. "To reduce suspicion I was you for a little while. It came in handy too since an idiot council member came by to try and steal all of our stuff."


    "Which member?" Not caring about Jack¡¯s antics, Argyle looked to Tralon for an exnation.


    Tralon sighed, "It was Quace. But he¡¯s not the only one behind this. Nearly half of the council is trying to get their hands on the guild."


    "That¡¯s... That¡¯s absurd! You¡¯d sooner sell it to me than donate it to selfish pestros like them!"


    Jackughed even harder, "That¡¯s what I told him! Quacedonly left quietly cause I shut him up while parading as you."


    "Then I¡¯m d you brought me here. I¡¯d being back sooner orter, but I¡¯m d it¡¯s sooner." Argyle rxed a bit afterughing with Jack. "After this, I¡¯d like to meet with you about some business, Tralon."


    "It would be my pleasure."


    "Also, I hope you don¡¯t mind, but I¡¯ll be testing out those mythic weapons you returned to me, Jack," Argyle joked. "Don¡¯t be mad if I break the dungeon you created long ago."


    "Naw, you¡¯re fine. I only made it for an achievement anyway, and I thought it would be fun to ce it in the storehouse for kicks and giggles," Jack replied. "Now that I¡¯m back, I¡¯m just after what lies behind those doors. And if everything works out as I wanted, then you¡¯ll be seeing some gods make an appearance in Trodar."


    "Are you serious?"


    "Mhmm," Tralon chimed in. "We spoke with Sterfen and Choron personally today, so we¡¯ve got a few ns to revive the faded Neutral Gods in Trodar."


    "The Neutral Gods... I¡¯ve heard about them. Is Sterfen one of them?" In awe, Argyle looked proudly upon his son-inw. It was the moment Jack proved to Argyle that he really was the best man for his only daughter.


    "Yes, but we¡¯re also trying to Lunara and Choron to leave their godly factions and join the Neutral Gods so they can go public again," mentioned Jack.


    "Wait, what?! Are all the gods still alive? When¡¯s this happening?"


    "We¡¯ll exin everything in the morning. So let¡¯s hurry and get some sleep," Tralon added.


    "Right... It¡¯s a good thing I came here sooner thanter..." Argyle mumbled as he walked toward one of the beds. "Wait, why are we waiting and not leaving right now?!"


    "Well, I wanted to let Tralon rest so he¡¯ll be more prepared for the storehouse," answered Jack.


    Argyle shook his head and threw a sparkling blue bottle at Tralon. "There, that should fully replenish his mana with little to no side effects. So let¡¯s go already!"


    While Tralon chugged the elixir, Jackughed, "That works too. Bowzer, you¡¯ll need to wait a bit longer, cause we¡¯re leaving now."

 Chapter 292 Spreading the News

    <h4>Chapter 292 Spreading the News</h4>


    Though he had to go back to the ring, Bowzer wasn¡¯t unhappy. He was excited to explore another dungeon, especially one so much more powerful than them.


    With Bowzer hidden, this time Jack decided not to alter his appearance. Since the real Argyle was here, Jack had an excuse to be there, doing business as Argyle¡¯s son-inw.


    "Tralon, do we need to open a rift, or is it safe to travel there on foot?" Jack asked.


    "Hmm... I¡¯d prefer to open a rift, but that wouldn¡¯t be ideal for maintaining my mana," replied Tralon. "If we go on foot, then we¡¯ll get there in the middle of the night fully ready to tackle it all. However, we can be certain that the council will take notice of our entry into the storehouse. And I would even guess that there¡¯s a slight chance that some may enter behind us in secret."


    "They¡¯re that daring?" Argyle asked in surprise. "And if I kill a Council Member, what will happen then?"


    "That¡¯s hard to say... I¡¯d rather not resort to violence."


    "But what if I do? Would I be held ountable even though they¡¯re trespassing on guild grounds?" reasoned Argyle. "Can¡¯t we just say that they died in the dungeon if anyone¡¯s curious?"


    "Things would get tooplicated too quickly. I¡¯d rather we prolong the violence until the guild has revived its foothold in the city. Then, at least we¡¯ll be able to make it out with minimal consequences," stated Tralon.


    "I see. So we can¡¯t kill them... But you never mentioned anything about crippling them."


    Both Tralon and Argyle looked to Jack, who didn¡¯t bother hiding his sarcastic smile.


    "That... isn¡¯t the best solution, but it is a solution."


    "Tralon, I think the boy is onto something with that. If they have the gall to enter your guild¡¯s storehouse, then they deserve at least that. If someone tried to enter my storehouse uninvited, instant death would be a merciful punishment," stated Argyle, standing behind Jack¡¯s idea.


    "Then, that¡¯s that. If they dare break into our guild¡¯s storehouse, then they¡¯ll be crippled at the very least."


    "And what if more than one council member enters? Argyle may be strong against one or two, but what if three, four, or even five enter, Jack?"


    Jack chuckled, "Then I¡¯ll have to y dirty. It¡¯s been a while, but I¡¯m more than capable while on home turf."


    "Oh? I¡¯d like to see that!" Argyleughed. "If legends hold true, you were known as benevolent yet shameless. What kind of tricks can someone so low-leveled aplish?"


    "Why should I reveal my hand?" joked Jack. "If I really wanted, I could find us a path that easily takes us through the dungeon and straight to the vault on the final floor. But I need EXP. If I can¡¯t reach lv. 45 soon, then how will I take over the council?"


    Tralon joined in on theirughter. "Ah... It¡¯s good to have you back, Jack. I think I¡¯ve gone soft without your sense of reckless adventure to keep my blood pumping."


    "Then this is perfect. In fact..." Jack paused for a moment to check something in his system. After seeing what he wanted, Jackughed all the louder. "In fact, is there a way to guarantee that someone enters the dungeon behind us?"


    "You want to set them up?" Argyle smiled. "What do you have in mind?"


    "Nothing special. But is that possible, Tralon?"


    The pointy-eared man stroked his beard. "How about we go shopping together? Also, together we¡¯ll inform the deputy manager that we¡¯ll be visiting the storehouse. That should get the entire town buzzing about it."


    "Good... But would anyone outside the council try and enter the storehouse?"


    "It¡¯s possible, but we can kill those mercilessly," stated Argyle without batting an eye.


    "True. We only need to worry about the council members." Tralon nodded. "But if more enter then we can handle... What do you n to do, Jack? I know you¡¯ve got some scheme ticking inside your head. Mind filling us in?"


    "That would be pointless." Jack shrugged. "We¡¯re still not sure who¡¯s entering or how many are daring enough to follow us in. As for my n, why tell you now when it¡¯s probably going to changeter?"


    "Fine, but fill us when it¡¯s decided. Considering how oundish your schemes are, I¡¯d prefer to know ahead of time."


    "But that¡¯s why you two will be with me. You¡¯re my insurance, after all. Without the two of you, I wouldn¡¯t be able to take things so far..." Jackughed. "But... Tralon, if a council member happens to ¡¯disappear¡¯ that would be okay, right?"


    "I don¡¯t want us killing any of them." Tralon remained firm.


    "Who said anything about us killing them? The eleven floors of the storehouse are very confusing at times. If someone¡¯s not careful or knowledgeable, they could very well get lost and disappear. Remember?"


    "Oh... Yes, then that would be fine." Tralon¡¯s stern frown lightened up as he smiled. "That¡¯s something we can¡¯t control, so of course it¡¯s understandable."


    "Also, Argyle, you¡¯ll need this." Jack threw his father-inw the old ring. "With that equipped, you¡¯ll be permitted to enter the dungeon. Without it, no one over lv. 69 would be able to enter. I made sure of that when I created the dungeon."


    "So not only are there eleven floors, but you managed to create a level cap for the dungeon? If the monsters inside have grown unregted for as long as you said, this might be one of the most fun dungeons I¡¯ve ever entered," Argyleughed. "I¡¯ve always dreamed of storming this storehouse, and now I can finally do so without breaking guild rules."


    "So, shall we go?"


    "After you, Jack." Tralon held the door open, letting Jack and Argyle exit first. "Now, to the deputy manager."


    Tralon led the two men toward the reception area, not daring to hide their presence and chatting loudly for all to hear. As more and more people took notice of the three men, they couldn¡¯t help but want to learn what these men were up to.


    "Ilgor, My friends and I will be gone for some time. I expect to be gone for at least a week, maybe longer. But don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll just be busy at the storehouse."


    "T-the storehouse?!" Ilgor couldn¡¯t help but shout in surprise. "B-but, sir, I thought it went up to lv. 65? How will you be able to--"


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m going with him," Argyleughed loudly, making sure everyone heard him.


    "Y-you¡¯re going too?! But, sir, I thought that you said the founder--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about what the founder said. I¡¯vee to learn that the founder would be okay with this venture," Tralon chuckled as he nced at Jack, who couldn¡¯t contain hisughter. "We¡¯re only doing what I should¡¯ve done long ago, cleaning up the ce and making sure the monsters inside haven¡¯t grown toorge to handle."


    "O-oh. Then please forgive my outburst." Ilgor bowed, sincerely sorry for questioning the guild master.


    "You¡¯re quite loyal, aren¡¯t you?" Jack spoke up, catching the man by surprise. "Yet you¡¯re only lv. 35... It¡¯s a shame you¡¯re not stronger."


    "Y-yes..." Unsure who Jack was and how to respond, Ilgor stammered. "I¡¯ll try harder to level up in my free time."


    "Good, that¡¯s some greatmitment. Tralon, I really like how you¡¯ve been running the ce."


    "Of course, Jack. I¡¯ve always made sure to do the founder proud. That way, should he ever return, though we¡¯re only a few memberspared to the past when we had thousands, the few men we have are all loyal to the guild," exined Tralon.


    "If only we had another leveling dungeon..." Jack mumbled, catching wind of another idea. "Anyways, let¡¯s get going!"


    "Right." Tralon looked back to Ilgor. "Please send word to Potion House and Steel Works that we¡¯ll being to gather supplies for our adventure."


    "Y-yes, sir!"


    As the three men walked out into the city, all guild members were in a frenzy. And as Ilgor passed the news onto the stores, it started spreading like wildfire. After one thousand years, the storehouse was finally going to be opened.

 Chapter 293 Alerting the Council Members

    <h4>Chapter 293 Alerting the Council Members</h4>


    "What?! Ilgor, you¡¯re not lying are you?"


    "Of course not? I never lie about my master¡¯s intentions. They¡¯ll be there soon, so please prepare for their arrival. Also, he¡¯s with Argyle from the Fat Goose," stated Ilgor.


    "Argyle is with him?! But he¡¯s not a guild member!"


    "I believe he¡¯s been hired to help the guild master. There¡¯s another man with them, but I¡¯m not sure who he is or what level he is," exined Ilgor. "All I know is that they¡¯ll be at your store soon, so please be ready to receive them."


    "Of course! We¡¯ll be more than ready. Thank you for the heads up, Ilgor."


    The woman ended her conversation with Ilgor, but she didn¡¯t put her contact crystal away. Instead, she called someone else. "Lord Quace, I have some important news!"


    "Milda, it better be good. I¡¯m not in the mood for bad news," groaned Quace.


    "It¡¯s great news! So great, that I had to inform you immediately. Tralon will be opening the storehouse."


    "WHAT?!" Quace crushed his calming cup of tea in shock. "Say that again, and you¡¯d better not be lying to me!"


    "Lord Quace, Ilgor just called me and informed me that Tralon, along with Argyle and another unknown man, is on his way to gather supplies at your Potion House," Milda informed her boss. "Also, they¡¯ll be visiting Steel Works, so I imagine that Lord Bikkem will also be informed about this."


    "So that¡¯s why Argyle¡¯s back in town..." A devilish smile crept onto Quace¡¯s face. "It makes sense now... I¡¯ll be informing the other council members. Try and stall them for as long as possible while we start making preparations."


    "Of course, Lord--"


    "Hello! Where¡¯s the attendant?!"


    Startled, Milda stated, "They¡¯re here, sir. I¡¯ll stall as long as I can."


    "Good, You¡¯re services are greatly appreciated, Milda."


    Milda fixed her hair and made sure her dress was properly attended to before she emerged from the back room of the Potion House. "Tralon, thank you for choosing Potion House. I¡¯ve been told you¡¯re going on quite an endeavor. Are you really opening up the storehouse?"


    "Of course we are, why else would we have Ilgor spread the word," in ce of Tralon, Jack answered. "Now, we¡¯re in a hurry so please gather ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs."


    "S-so many high-quality potions? Is the storehouse that dangerous?" Using her shock to her advantage, Milda put on an act in order to stall.


    "Yes, now quickly gather the order or we¡¯ll be forced to not choose the Potion House," Jack added with a smile.


    Thrown off by Jack¡¯s bluntness, Milda asked, "Tralon, who is--"


    "He¡¯s my son-inw," Argyle answered, "And we¡¯re both in a hurry, so please make haste. Otherwise, we¡¯ll go elsewhere."


    "N-no worries. I¡¯ll be right back with your order."


    "If you¡¯re not back here in one minute, we walk out," Jack shouted as Milda turned to enter the back room.


    "B-but sir--"


    "59... 58..." Argyle began to count, thoroughly enjoying Jack¡¯s way of doing things.


    "Y-yes, sir!"


    Milda dashed into the back room, not daring to act any longer. Such an order was monumental to the Potion House. Even if Quace was the owner and her boss, themission Milda would make off such an order would almost be equal to a year¡¯s sry.


    "10... 9..." Jack had joined Argyle in counting while Tralon hid hisughter behind a straight face.


    "Here you are, sirs!" Milda rushed out of the backroom, not daring to let this sale slip through her fingers. Now at the counter, she waved her hand and ced fifty bottles in front of the three men. "Here are your ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs. Will that be all?"


    "Yes, that will be all. Thank you for your great service. Keep the tip!" Jack reced the fifty potions with a heavy coin purse, making Milda¡¯s eyes shine as the three men exited the potion house.


    "Thank you! Come again next time!"


    She eagerly started counting, enthusiastic to find that Jack was such a great tipper.


    "Milda... Milda!"


    "Y-yes, Lord Quace?" Milda took out her contact crystal, forgetting that she had to report back to the owner.


    "Why are they already at Steel Works? We¡¯re you supposed to stall them?!" Quace shouted.


    "B-but, sir, they were about to walk out. I could either fill the order quickly or they would leave without buying the fifty potions."


    "F-fifty potions?!" Even Quace was caught off guard by such a high number. "What did they order?"


    "They ordered ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs."


    "That much?!" Startled, Quace wasn¡¯t sure how to handle this. "But... That¡¯s practically our entire stock?! How could Tralon afford that?"


    "We¡¯ll just make more. We don¡¯t get many orders for high-quality potions that often."


    "But, Milda, we¡¯ll need some potions as well!"


    "What?! You never told me that!"


    "I... Either way, I¡¯ll need the remaining high-quality potions. What¡¯s left?"


    Milda sighed, "We¡¯ve got one high potion, three high health potions, and two high elixirs."


    "That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all?"


    "That¡¯s all we have left till I finish another batch, but that will take a month or so," Milda exined. "And don¡¯t you dare me me for not having enough! It¡¯s not my fault, and I¡¯ll quit before I take your abuse."


    She was more willing to stand up for herself now that she had earned a year¡¯s worth of gold in a single day. Milda was confident that her potion skills would find her another job by the time she needed money again.


    "Y-you... Fine... Just start making the next batch, and double it this time."


    "Okay, but don¡¯t get mad at me when Ie back from buying all the extra ingredients, Lord Quace." Milda smiled and put her contact crystal away. Her day had taken a turn for the better.


    *****


    "Wait! Come back! Please, sir, we¡¯ll--"


    "I gave you two minutes and you failed miserably!" Jack shouted. "I¡¯m a man of my word, so we¡¯re leaving and that¡¯s that."


    "But--"


    "But what?" Argyle turned around and stared the clerk in the eye.


    Feeling Argyle¡¯s invisible pressure the clerk whimpered, "P-please sir! If you leave now, then--"


    "I don¡¯t care what happens to you or the shop," Argyle stated. "I¡¯m always prepared for adventures, so we can make do without you this time. But don¡¯t expect us toe back based on your poor service toward high-paying clients."


    "Wait! Sir, pleasee back! Wait!"


    The clerk at Steel Works was groveling at the front steps of therge storefront, watching the biggest order of his life slip through his fingers. And it was all because of themand he had received from the owner, Lord Bikkem.


    If Lord Bikkem hadn¡¯t demanded the clerk to take at least five minutes toplete the order, the clerk would¡¯ve be a rich man. It was either he lost his job or he lost the biggest sale he¡¯d ever receive. Either choice was terrible, but the clerk felt he had chosen incorrectly in the end.


    "That was quite cold, Jack. Are you sure I should¡¯ve done that?" Argyle whispered.


    "Don¡¯t lie. You enjoyed it, didn¡¯t you?"


    "Sure, but that doesn¡¯t mean it was the right thing to do. I¡¯ve heard great things about Steel Works."


    Jackughed, "So what? We only did that to grab the attention of the council members. But we did get lucky that thedy finished our order so quickly. I imagine that the council members won¡¯t have that many potions left for themselves."


    "But wouldn¡¯t they have some on hand?" asked Argyle.


    "No, I doubt they have more than two high health potions on their person, if that," added Tralon. "Unlike you, after they attained their high levels the other council members have been living a lush lifestyle without any practice or training for years."


    "Whaaat?! Are they crazy?!"


    "I would say yes, but that just shows you why they don¡¯t take the war effort seriously. They¡¯re so focused on making more money or gaining more influence that they ignore Trodar¡¯s ws and needs."


    "We¡¯ll change that soon," Jack stated. "But for now, let¡¯s make our way to the storehouse."

 Chapter 294 Investigating the Third Man

    <h4>Chapter 294 Investigating the Third Man</h4>


    The party of three men took their time walking through the streets of Gilga. They could rush and get there sooner, but Jack was too caught up in the city sights. Seeing the streets he helped build in-game with his own eyes was a proud moment for him, something he never would¡¯ve imagined could happen in real life.


    Them taking so long ended up gathering even more attention. All of Trodar recognized Tralon and his world-renowned reputation as the oldest, most experienced adventurer. As for Argyle, he also had quite a reputation in Gilga since it was his home until he moved to Federal City after his wife was killed.


    However, the people of Trodar were still perplexed about the third man in the party. He seemed too young to belong with those two powerhouses, yet he somehow fit right in with them.


    From the shadows, back alleys, and rooftops, there were a few people following the small party.


    "It seems they¡¯ve taken the bait," Tralon whispered.


    "Good, that¡¯s what we wanted," Jack chuckled. "Argyle, we should really create a pact after we enter the storehouse."


    "Why? I don¡¯t need your help. You just want to mooch off of your father-inw."


    "So, isn¡¯t that what sons-inw are supposed to do?" joked Jack. "But the pact will allow you tomunicate with me and Tralon telepathically. That will keep things smooth and it¡¯ll be easier to inform you of the n."


    "Hmmm... I¡¯m not entirely against it, but I¡¯m not a fan of things like pacts," argued Argyle.


    "Well, everyone in my party has formed a pact with me. That means you¡¯ll be able tomunicate with Eliza telepathically too." Noticing that Argyle was paying more attention after the mention of his daughter, Jack added, "Also, it lets us share skills. Your sword skills will get stronger after you make a pact with me and I can possibly learn your skills too. Then I can better defend your daughter."


    "... Fine. We¡¯ll form the pact after we enter. But it better not do anything like take EXP as rumors say."


    "That was just what all ancient heroes did in the past, I¡¯m guilty as well. But I changed that, so you don¡¯t need to worry about it."


    Argyle nodded. "Good. Then I can¡¯t wait to see how strong I get after adding your skills and using my new weapons."


    "Me too. I¡¯m excited about the blood bath you¡¯ll make and the EXP I¡¯ll gain."


    Tralon looked at the two of them, d that Argyle had managed to fix the rtionship he had forced onto Jack. From the get-go, Tralon knew that Argyle was very much like the old Jack_J he had traveled with, so Tralon knew it was only a matter of time for them to get along and party together. They were both too selfish not to work together and take advantage of the events around them.


    "By the way, Jack, did you ever find a cure to Tralon¡¯s curse?" Argyle asked.


    "I¡¯ll answer that question after we form the pact. Then we can speak openly without fear of being heard,"ughed Jack.


    "True... That would be ideal!" Argyleughed as well. "The next time you raid a powerful dungeon, you¡¯d better call me again. I need more merchandise for the auctions and I get bored lounging around with nothing to do."


    "Consider it done."


    A short distance away, a few listening ear¡¯s were catching bits and pieces of the party¡¯s conversation.


    One thief was crouching from the rooftop directly over the party. "Lord Quace, the mystery man¡¯s name is Jack and he appears to be Argyle¡¯s son-inw, but I can¡¯t see through his identity or his level."


    "His son-inw? Argyle has a son-inw?!"


    "Lord Quace, I¡¯m sure of it. They both admitted it and seem very close," exined the thief.


    "But..." Quace was further enraged by the news, furious that Argyle had constantly turned down the advances of Quace¡¯s son only to learn that Argyle had epted another so quickly as his son-inw. "I¡¯ll look into this. Stay unseen and know that Lords Bikkem and myself aren¡¯t far behind."


    "Yes, Lord Quace."


    Curious about this son-inw, Quace called a friend of his from Federal City. "Hurmot, are you there?"


    It took a moment for an answer toe. "Quace? How can I help you?"


    "Does Argyle have a son-inw?"


    Sensing the loaded question, Hurmot chuckled, "Yes, he married his daughter off near the end ofst year, just before the yearly auction."


    "What?!"


    "Calm down, Quace. You know how picky Argyle is, especially for his daughter. It¡¯s not your fault your son was never epted by Argyle nor Eliza."


    "Hurmot, who is this son-inw?"


    "I don¡¯t know much about him," replied the old auction house owner. "I know that he¡¯s a summoned hero from Reinolt, yet he somehow joined the Adventurers Association as well."


    "He¡¯s with the association and he¡¯s a summoned hero? This son-inw would have to be the rumored hero with a Hell-me Foxpanion, wouldn¡¯t it?" Quace questioned, feeling both a bit better and a bit more worried.


    "Yes, that¡¯s the one."


    Racking his brain for what to do next, Quace asked, "Hurmot, is there anything else you know about him? I¡¯m willing to pay."


    Hurmot suddenly broke intoughter, catching Quace off guard. The thought of Quace trying to outbuy Jack was nothing but an oundish joke. "Quace, no matter what it is you offer, I still have no more information on the young man. I¡¯m sorry, but that young hero is a bit of an enigma."


    "There¡¯s nothing else you know?" Quace was a bit surprised. "What about his level? His ss? Just the basics."


    "I¡¯m not sure. I wasn¡¯t able to see through the young man back at his wedding, so I don¡¯t know what more to tell you."


    "You, Hurmot of the Celestial Crane, were unable to see through someone? I find that hard to believe."


    Hurmot kept chuckling, "Then don¡¯t believe me. I¡¯ve said all I can, so please excuse me."


    As the conversation ended, Quace was both worried and furious. If what he learned was true, then even the Adventurers Association might get involved, which was something that Quace was entirely against.


    For so long, the council had managed to keep the association out of Trodar¡¯s business, even disbanding the local branches temporarily during times of war. Thest thing they wanted was to give Lorwynn an excuse to upy Trodar. They were helpless in the face of the association and were only able to keep them out through politics.


    Still wanting more information, he contacted yet another friend from Federal City. "Kaldor, are you there?"


    "What is it?! I¡¯m busy!"


    "Kaldor, I¡¯ll be quick. What can you tell me about Argyle¡¯s son-inw?"


    "Oh, that brat who married his daughter out of the blue?" Kaldor calmed his voice. "Argyle decided that his daughter would marry a summoned hero in the association overnight. They were married within a day and were gone the next."


    "In a day?!"


    "Yeah. Lorwynn even showed up for the wedding," added Kaldor.


    "Lorwynn attended his..." Quace¡¯s fear of Jack¡¯s position in the association seemed to being true.


    "But I talked with one of the association elders. ording to them, Jack is just a regr member who shouldn¡¯t even be lv. 30. The only thing special about him is that he¡¯s allowed to go and do whatever he wants. His decisions don¡¯t necessarily have the backing of the association, but he also isn¡¯t be forced toplete any of the association¡¯s missions. It¡¯s a weird rtionship, really," exined Kaldor.


    "Oh... so he¡¯s with the association but just as a regr member?"


    Suddenly, Kaldor asked, "Why do you ask anyway?"


    "Nothing special, just that Argyle is here in Gilga with that son-inw. They¡¯re about to go with Tralon and enter the Leisure Guild¡¯s storehouse," Quace chuckled.


    "WHAT?! That pestro is entering the storehouse?" Thoughts were running wild through Kaldor¡¯s head. He had already been outdone in the past yearly auction and now Argyle was about to get the opportunity of a lifetime. "What¡¯s the Leisure Guild¡¯s policy on entering as a nonmember?"


    "That¡¯s hard to say. They¡¯ve been around for years but they¡¯ve never opened it to the public, or at all. This is the first time," answered Quace.


    "The first time... Then it must be filled with treasures!" Kaldor¡¯s shouts grew louder as his fury grew deeper. "Is there any way you can get in there? I¡¯ll pay full price for whatever you can get me. I¡¯m a day and a half away at the soonest, so I probably can¡¯t make it in time."


    "I¡¯ll tell you what. I think you shoulde." Quace reasoned, "Rumor has it that no one over lv. 69 can enter, but I doubt that since Argyle is entering. And there are eleven floors, so you¡¯ll still make it in time before they reach the end. They¡¯ll clear us a path and we¡¯ll reap the rewards. You¡¯ll have two, maybe even three or four of us council members to join you."


    "Deal! I¡¯ll leave immediately!"


    As Kaldor ended the conversation, Quaceughed to himself, "Tralon, Argyle, don¡¯t me me for whatever happens. It¡¯s just business, and you made the wrong decision to not involve the council in an event as so great as opening the storehouse."

 Chapter 295 Conniving Council Members

    <h4>Chapter 295 Conniving Council Members</h4>


    While his spies were carefully watching the three men make their way through the city, Quace contacted his fellow council member, Lord Bikkem.


    "Bikkem, I¡¯ve figured out the third man. We won¡¯t have to worry."


    "Oh? Then who is he and why is he among such powerful men?" Bikkem asked.


    "Get this. That kid is Argyle¡¯s new son-inw, but he¡¯s not even lv. 30," Quaceughed. "But he¡¯s also the rumored hero with a Hell-me Fox, so we can¡¯tpletely forget about him."


    "Hmmm... So they¡¯re relying on Argyle for the most part with Tralon taking a supporting role... And the boy is probably there as support with his beast to help keep the mobs in the dungeon from going too wild..." Bikkem began to pick apart the small party¡¯s possible formations.


    "And that¡¯s why you¡¯re the man in charge of the war effort."


    Bikkem scoffed, "Tell that to Tralon. Sure, he ended up being correct in the end, but he still went around the other council members to investigate international affairs. That¡¯s a direct breach of our code and our trust!"


    "Well, now we can personally remind the old bat why he¡¯s supposed to go through us," added Quace. "Without us, how would Trodar ward off the threat of invasion on three fronts? Just our presence in Trodar scares the surrounding nations."


    "How far are we taking this, Quace?"


    "I just spoke with Kaldor from Golden Haven. He¡¯s on his way and will be entering after us to help control Argyle. Then, we¡¯ll be able to overwhelm that old war hero and the pitiful son-inw," exined Quace. "And don¡¯t worry about the association. If the kid dies then it¡¯ll only cause a minor issue with the association that we can patch easily."


    "Good... Then, shall we get going? Once they enter, we shouldn¡¯t wait too long to follow."


    "Right, but let me call the others. Since Kaldor will be joining us, I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be willing."


    As their conversation ended, Quace started a new one. "Kims, are you ready?"


    "My sword is sharpened and ready to clear a dungeon. It¡¯s been too long!"ughed the other council member.


    "Calm down, we won¡¯t be doing any fighting unless necessary," Quace stated, reminding the youngest and newest council member. "We¡¯re letting Argyle and Tralon handle that, but we won¡¯t have to worry about Argyle or that third man anymore. Kaldor¡¯s on his way and the third man is only Argyle¡¯s son-inw."


    "Oh... But I want a battle!" roared Kims. "Every since I became a council member, I¡¯ve been cooped up in the city. Now, I can finally let loose a little and you¡¯re telling me we¡¯re not doing anything?"


    "There will be a battle and there will be blood but we¡¯ll be facing Tralon¡¯s party instead. Wouldn¡¯t that prove more fun than some mobs in a dungeon?"


    "Maybe..."


    "And once it¡¯s all over, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to pick up a new sword from the storehouse vault. How¡¯s that for motivation?" persuaded Quace.


    "I¡¯m in. I¡¯ll be waiting near the storehouse for you and Bikkem to arrive," Kims agreed.


    "It¡¯s not just us. Vixus may tag along as well."


    "Oh... interesting. Then I¡¯ll wait for you three at the storehouse."


    With two council members convinced to join their crusade, Quace called onest council member as an extra guarantee. He didn¡¯t want to call too many of them though, as many would t out reject the idea of entering the storehouse, let alone attacking a fellow council member like Tralon. Also, he didn¡¯t want to spit all of the priceless loot among too many people. Five was already enough.


    "Vixus, have you heard the news?"


    A sharp, sophisticated voice replied, "Something about Argyle and Tralon paying a visit to the storehouse. I figured that you might get yourself involved. Is Bikkem tagging along?"


    "Bikkem and Kims are both joining me. Also, Kaldor from Golden Haven is already on his way to help us control Argyle. All we have to do is aid him and overpower Tralon," stated Quace. "Argyle¡¯s son-inw tagged along as support for them, but he¡¯s too low-leveled to cause much worry."


    "Hmmm... Then why are you calling me if you¡¯ve already guaranteed your victory?"


    "Vixus, with your beasts you¡¯ll be able to help control or maybe even tame some of the wild beasts in the storehouse. With you joining us, then we can kiss that pompous pain of a council member goodbye and we¡¯ll be the first council members to ess the treasures of the failing Leisure Guild," reasoned Quace.


    "Well... That doesn¡¯t sound like a bad offer if I¡¯m being honest," stated Vixus. "But you¡¯re sure that we¡¯ll seed?"


    "Vixus, there¡¯s no need--"


    "Tralon is the greatest war hero in all of Kartonia and he¡¯ll be working alongside Argyle, the impassioned man who brought the Fat Goose Guild to the forefront of the continent in a matter of a few years," Vixus argued. "And that son-inw may be weak, but he¡¯s still a member of the association and he¡¯s got a Hell-me Fox. Taking everything into consideration, it doesn¡¯t sound like so simple a raid."


    Quace sighed, "Vixus, that¡¯s why we want you to join us. If you say no, then we¡¯ll just go on without you but that means you¡¯ll have to ept whatever treasures we leave behind."


    "I didn¡¯t say I was against it..." added Vixus. "What I want is the first pick of the vault among the council members. Kaldor will take his share, but I want to be able to choose my winnings before you or the other council members."


    "You drive a hard bargain... as usual," Quace sighed again in annoyance. "Fine. You¡¯ll get first pick among the council members. But you¡¯d better be at the storehouse by the time we enter. We¡¯re not waiting for you."


    "I¡¯m already en route."


    "Of course you are... Then we¡¯ll be seeing you soon."


    With that over with, Quace called Bikkem onest time. "Bikkem, they¡¯re both joining us, but Kims will be a bit battle hungry and Vixus would only join if I gave him the first pick of the vault."


    "That¡¯s fine by me," stated Bikkem. "I¡¯m sure there will be plenty of treasures tucked away inside the vault, so that¡¯s the least of my worries. We¡¯ll have to be on our toes during all this. We must remain close enough to monitor them yet far enough away to not be found by either of those two veteran warriors. It¡¯ll be tricky, but doable."


    "I¡¯m d to hear that. With you coordinating everything alongside Kims on the frontline, I can decimate them from a distance while Vixus and his pets will control the tempo. Then, once Kaldor arrives to join the fray, there will be no stopping us from reiming Trodar¡¯s ancient treasures," Quace chuckled.


    "Just keep your head on straight. It will be simple so long as we y our cards right and we aren¡¯t unlucky," added Bikkem. "Don¡¯t forget about the dungeon itself. No one knows what it¡¯s like in there and legend only states that it was unpredictable."


    "Then we¡¯ll do as you said. We stay close enough to Tralon that we can find our way, yet far enough to remain hidden. And we¡¯ll leave some kind of marker for Kaldor when he arrives. How¡¯s that?"


    Bikkem smiled. "That¡¯s manageable."


    "Just remember, Bikkem. After all this, we¡¯ll finally get the two things we¡¯ve wanted. Tralon will be gone and we¡¯ll gain everything inside the storehouse,"ughed Quace.


    "Right. High risk, high reward. How many potions did you find in the end?"


    With a sigh of disappointment, Quace replied, "After searching the other shops, I¡¯ve got one high potion, eight high health potions, and six high elixirs."


    "That¡¯s it?!"


    "Tralon and Argyle bought nearly my entire stock, something I hadn¡¯t considered."


    Bikkem clicked his tongue. "Well, if all goes to n then this should be enough to handle a few hups."

 Chapter 296 Failing To Stall Them

    <h4>Chapter 296 Failing To Stall Them</h4>


    The small party of three had been taking their time and were strolling through the city at a leisurely pace as they finally neared the northern city gate.


    "It¡¯s too bad we couldn¡¯t go through the southern gate." Jack shrugged.


    Tralon chuckled, "You just want to see the giant statue in the southern square."


    "So, who wouldn¡¯t?"


    Argyleughed as well, "Yeah, who wouldn¡¯t want to see a giant statue carved in their likeness?"


    When the three men reached the gate, Tralon and Argyle both nodded to the guard as reassurance to let them pass.


    "U-um, sirs. I¡¯m afraid we need to check that man," one of the guards nervously stated, pointing at Jack.


    "And why¡¯s that?" asked Argyle.


    "W-we¡¯re just following orders."


    The guards all trembled as they pondered the orders given to them by Lord Bikkem, who made sure to try and stall Tralon¡¯s party for as long as possible.


    "Sorry, but you¡¯re not allowed to check me. But feel free to ask my father-inw who I am," Jack stated while motioning toward Argyle.


    When they saw this, the guards didn¡¯t know what to say. They could either go against direct orders or face the wrath of the two powerful men before them.


    "Actually, I think I have a way to prove my identity... And since I¡¯m not hiding it at the moment, I guess he cane out now..." Jack started to ramble, catching the attention of the guards and giving them some hope. "Here, this should be enough proof, right?"


    As Jack activated a ring on his finger, a beast the size of a man appeared, startling the guards.


    Excited to get out, Bowzer looked around to find out they were still in the city. ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s happening?¡¯


    "W-what kind of beast is this? I-is it registered?" stammered a guard.


    Jack smiled while he scratched Bowzer behind the ears. "He¡¯s registered with the association. You would be able to check that, but you¡¯ve closed the local branches. That¡¯s why it¡¯s impossible for you to check me."


    "B-but, sir. It¡¯s against regtion to allow someone without proper identification and the proper paperwork toe and go from Gilga," The captain of the guard stepped forward, determined to receive the promotion Lord Bikkem had offered in return for stalling Tralon¡¯s party.


    "Oh?" Jackughed. "I don¡¯t remember Gilga being so strict in the past..."


    "We¡¯ve always been this thorough, I can assure you, sir," stated the captain.


    Jack continued tough, "Sorry, that was just a thought. As for proving myself, this fox here more than enough proof of my identity."


    "T-that¡¯s a fox?!"


    Each of the nearby guards inspected Bowzer with their eyes, noticing that despite the beast¡¯s size, he did, in fact, appear to be a fox of some kind.


    "Either way, we only need to go through with the proper paperwork," the guard captain corrected himself. "Being Argyle¡¯s son-inw and Lady Eliza¡¯s husband, we can immediately start drawing up the paperwork for you. It¡¯ll be no trouble at all."


    "And how long would that take?" Jack asked.


    "Given the short notice and that we¡¯re short-staffed at night, we can have it ready for you within twenty-four hours." The captain smiled and bowed his head, happy to use his connections to speed up the week-long process.


    "Too slow."


    "B-but, sir, that¡¯s already speeding it up drastically--"


    "Bowzer¡¯s all the evidence I need. Show them Bowzer," Jack chuckled. ¡¯Make a medium-sized me body, enough to scare them but not enough to threaten the city.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯ Realizing what Jack was after, Bowzer yed along.


    Before the guard captain had a chance to reply, he felt a sudden wave of heat wash over his entire body. It felt like a sh fire had just hit him full force but it was still going. Almost immediately, he determined the source of the heat and the captain fell back in fear.


    "T-that¡¯s a--"


    "Bowzer¡¯s a Hell-me Fox, but he¡¯s still my best friend and we do everything together," Jackughed loudly and cut off the captain¡¯s screams. "So, do you know who I am now?"


    "Y-you¡¯re the..."


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t hear you. Speak up," taunted Jack.


    "You¡¯re the new hero of the Adventurers Association?!" shouted the captain.


    Jack smiled wide for all to see. "That¡¯s right! So, now that you know who I am and I¡¯ve given you proof, I should be allowed to pass, right?"


    "B-b-but, sir... We still have protocol--"


    "Well, I guess there is a chance that I¡¯m faking this with an illusion spell," Jack interrupted the captain again. "I guess I¡¯ll have to let Bowzer break a few things to prove that he--"


    "T-that won¡¯t be necessary, sir!" More frantic than ever, the guard captain backed away from the party. "You¡¯ve definitely proven who you are. I¡¯ll have the paperwork written up for you so you can just pick it up when youe back."


    "Great!" With a p of Jack¡¯s hands, Bowzer¡¯s intimidating appearance shrunk down to his usual, furry self. "Then I¡¯ll have to thank you in advance."


    Jack took the lead as he ced a small coin purse in the captain¡¯s hands. "That should more than cover the costs, I¡¯m guessing."


    With a quick peek inside the bag, the guard captain started to nod uncontrobly. "Yes! This is more than enough! Thank you, sir!"


    The guard captain led the other guards in a bow as Jack rode off on the back of Bowzer with Argyle and Tralon in tow. Once they were out of sight, the captain pulled out a few coins from the purse and handed them to a nearby guard. "Start his paperwork immediately! Call the association to get his details in order and make sure we have the paperwork ready the moment he returns!"


    "S-sir, yes, sir!"


    The three men all broke out inughter, along with Bowzer, as they were no longer in ear-shot of the northern gate.


    "Jack... You¡¯re as reckless as I remember. Don¡¯t change. We need someone like you."


    "Me, change?" Jack shrugged. "That wasn¡¯t my fault. I¡¯m sure they were paid off by another council member. Otherwise, why would they question me in front of both of you two?"


    Argyle nodded. "You do have a point. Tralon, which council member is in charge of the military right now?"


    "That would be Bikkem," Tralon¡¯s drooping pointy ears almost bounced as he nodded. "He was ced in charge of all military personnel, as well as the town and city guards. It was him that refused to search deeper about the rumors of the Limneer-Sandros alliance. If I hadn¡¯t taken matters into my own hands, there¡¯s no telling how many innocent lives would¡¯ve been lost thanks to his unconcern."


    "He sounds hard-headed, like most generals," joked Argyle. "But he sure thinks quick on his feet. Not only did he try to stall us at the shops, but he also convinced the guard captain to stop us at the gate. He¡¯s both determined and resourceful. I¡¯ll keep that in mind while we¡¯re in the storehouse."


    "So he¡¯s a tactician?" asked Jack.


    "Yes. He¡¯s the best tactician among the council members," answered Tralon.


    "Well, I think my job just got easier," Jackughed.


    Argyle gave him a weird look. "Oh yeah, why¡¯s that?"


    "Because the more thorough a tactician is, the more information he¡¯ll gather. The more information he gathers, the more precise his n bes. The more precise his n bes, the closer he is to victory," Jack whispered, making sure only they could hear him. "But what if his information is wrong?"


    As he understood what Jack meant, Argyle burst out in gut-bustingughter. "I can¡¯t wait to get in that storehouse! There¡¯s no telling what we¡¯ll find in there!"


    Tralon and Jackughed along with him. They were anxious to see just how badly they could underestimate Jack and Bowzer, the former Legend of Trodar and a young Hell-me Fox like those of the legendary tragedies.

 Chapter 297 Opening the Storehouse

    <h4>Chapter 297 Opening the Storehouse</h4>


    Jack, Bowzer, Tralon, and Argyle soon left the beaten path and started to walk through the thickest, jungle-like forests of Trodar. Any ordinary citizen would steer clear of the area since it was filled with beasts over lv. 20 and sometimes lv. 30. However, these men weren¡¯t ordinary in the slightest.


    With the flick of a wrist, both Argyle and Tralon would swat away any beast who dared approach them.


    After another twenty minutes of walking and shooing away wild beasts, the party came to a halt. Argyle looked in awe. Tralon was beaming with pride. Jack had nostalgia oozing off of him. They were all looking at the sealed entrance of the Leisure Guild¡¯s storehouse, their private, artificial dungeon.


    "This is it... I finally get to crack open its doors..." Argyle couldn¡¯t contain his enthusiasm. "Hey Tralon, did you know that the whole reason I fell in love with raiding dungeons was because of this ce?"


    "Really?" Jack was surprised by the sincerity of Argyle¡¯s suddenment.


    "Why¡¯s that?" Tralon asked with a smile.


    "The first time I came to Trodar I was about Jack¡¯s age. I somehow trekked the deserts of Sandros and found my way here. When I stumbled upon this ce on my way to Gilga, I wasn¡¯t sure what to think of it," Argyle exined.


    "Growing up poor in Sandros, I heard plenty of stories about Trodar¡¯s past glory and wealth. But only after I get here did I find out how proud the Trodan people were, and they had good reason.


    "They were proud to have the oldest guild in Kartonia, despite its loss of power, as well as the oldest, wisest guild master. They were proud of their history because unlike every other country they were founded by ancient heroes, one of which ranked among the greatest in all of history."


    Argyle turned to Jack with a smile. "When I snuck my wife away on our first date, we came here. That¡¯s when I learned that not only was it an ancient dungeon, but that it was created by the founder of the Leisure Guild as a means to protect their many treasures. The pride in her eyes was contagious, that¡¯s why we stayed together and this had be a little getaway of ours."


    Unsure if they should say anything, Jack and Tralon both looked to each other as Argyle continued.


    "After seeing this sealed dungeon filled with ancient treasures so many times, how could I not dream of opening it up and exploring what had remained sealed since Ancient Kartonia? It may have been every adventurer¡¯s dream at one point, but that was the only way I could think of to gain approval from my father-inw... To be stronger than him and prove that I could provide enough ie to reestablish their declining nobility."


    "Wow... I didn¡¯t know you had such a soft side," Jack joked.


    "Everyone does at some point." Argyle sighed, "It¡¯s just too bad Lizbet couldn¡¯t live long enough to see me steal away some of your treasures, huh Jack?"


    "Lizbet?"


    "She¡¯s your mother-inw."


    "Oh... Then it is sad. I¡¯m sure I would¡¯ve gotten along with her. She wouldn¡¯t ckmail me like her husband," Jack chuckled.


    "Are you still mad about that?"


    "... No... Thank you, Argyle."


    The swordsman proudly smiled. "I told you so."


    "Yeah..."


    "Anyway, shall we enter?" Tralon stepped forward.


    "I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve got the key."


    "Yes, Jack, I¡¯ve got the key. Till we get out, I¡¯ll have to leave it open. Honestly, that¡¯s the biggest w in your design, in my opinion," chuckled Tralon.


    "It wouldn¡¯t be any fun if no one else was able to ess it," Jackughed. "Back then, we had more than enough guild members to monitor the ce and keep unwanted thieves out."


    ¡¯We also gave them all false hope, since the vault only opens to people over lv. 70, right Jack?¡¯


    Hearing Tralon¡¯s mental message, Jack snickered, ¡¯So you did remember that... Another reason why you were fine with Argyleing.¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s quite a devilish tactic. You ced a vault at the end of a dungeon that only let¡¯s people in under lv. 70, yet the vault will only open to people lv. 70 or higher. Hence, your creation of that ring, a loophole in your system,¡¯ Tralon kept his thoughts between Jack and himself. He didn¡¯t dare mention this out loud for the spies to hear.


    Jack only keptughing, not responding. The true reason behind the creation of that dungeon was an achievement. Jack only ced it on top of the storehouse, which half acted as Jack¡¯s extended storage, and created the lv. 70 paradox because he was bored.


    Argyle eagerly walked behind Tralon, who retrieved arge, ancient key.


    The key glistened yet had no sheen. Its material was strange and unknown to almost everyone in Modern Kartonia.


    To create the dungeon, Jack went through the trouble of gathering heaping amounts of roxite, an ancient, ck mineral denser than iron. It had an unusual texture when carved or crafted with, creating that lustrous yet unpolished sheen on the ancient key.


    The giant ck doors were covered in undergrowth,pletely overrun by vines and tree roots over the past millennia.


    As Tralon approached the side of the doors he uncovered the keyhole from the surrounding foliage and carefully ced the key inside. When the key was turned, a brilliant light was released around the edges of the great doors, destroying all fauna and nt life that had overwhelmed them in the past one thousand years.


    Now seeing the intricate details of the door and its unrivaled craftsmanship, Argyle couldn¡¯t help but smile. "Finally..."


    Tralon then removed the key and walked to the center of the two doors, standing still for thirty seconds.


    Suddenly, the doors began to open bit by bit. This happened whenever the doors were unlocked and someone would properly wait for the doors to respond to their presence. They would even close behind the party, ensuring that no beasts or mobs from inside would be able to get out.


    "Amazing..."


    Argyle felt like he was a kid again. He had raided many tombs before, but none of them were quite like this. Most tombs had a simple entrance and didn¡¯t bother trying to contain what was inside, as well as a straightforward theme.


    The storehouse dungeon was obviously man-made. That was clear by the expert carvings in the doors alone. And the level cap was an unusual thing for dungeons too, not to mention the mystery behind the dungeon¡¯s rumored "unpredictable"yout.


    But what Argyle was most curious about wasn¡¯t even the loot that was waiting inside the vault. Argyle wanted to know how Jack, a mortal man, had managed to effectively create a dungeon with its own thriving ecosystem so that it wouldn¡¯t need outside management to maintain. The amount of effort it would take to make such a thing... It baffled Argyle.


    While Tralon watched the doors open with a smile and Argyle¡¯s mouth was agape in awe, Jack and Bowzer stepped into the doorway. "Are youing, or not?"


    "You don¡¯t have to tell me twice!" Argyle dashed in, making sure he was the first of the party to officially enter the storehouse.


    "I¡¯ll make sure not to slow you down," Tralon joked as he walked alongside Jack into the dark cave system before them.


    Thirty more seconds passed and the doors began to slowly but steadily close.


    Not too far away, a few prying eyes watched the doors reseal themselves. "Lord Quace, they¡¯ve entered the storehouse and the doors are still unlocked."


    "Good... Anything else I should know?" replied Quace.


    "Tralon stood in front of the doors for thirty seconds and then the doors opened up by themselves. After another thirty seconds, they started to close."


    "And what about Argyle? Did you enter too? Quace asked.


    "He was the first one to dash in."


    Quace chuckled to himself, "That¡¯s good to hear. Thank you, you may return to your usual duties."


    "Yes, Lord Quace."


    Taking out his crystal yet again, Quace informed his fellow council members that he was about to arrive and that the n was a go.

 Chapter 298 Layout of the Storehouse

    <h4>Chapter 298 Layout of the Storehouse</h4>


    "They¡¯re still there," Jack chuckled as his eye glowed and were covered white haze.


    Tralon smiled proudly. "So, Jack, you¡¯ve learned God¡¯s Eye. What else have you learned from me?"


    "Just Pocket Dimension and Revivification so far. I¡¯m not sure what I want to learn next."


    "You learned his spells?" Argyle asked.


    "Remember that pact I mentioned? It lets you have ess to part of my passive abilities, like my sword skill or my mana skills, and in exchange, I gain the chance to learn your skills or spells."


    "That¡¯s... really strong. Perfect for parties. What else?"


    "You¡¯ll be connected to myself and everyone who created a pact with me, like a mentalwork of sorts," answered Jack. "It lets you talk mentally and roughly sense where the others might be."


    "Is distance a factor when you¡¯re talking to someone?"


    "No."


    Argyle nodded. "Then let¡¯s do it."


    "Alright, but we¡¯ll have to be quick." After cutting his index finger, Jack quickly yet carefully drew his inheritor pact on Argyle¡¯s forehead, who then activated it with his own blood.


    ¡¯Testing, testing, one, two, three.¡¯


    ¡¯I can hear you loud and clear!¡¯ Excited for it to work, Argyle¡¯s previous enthusiasm for entering the dungeon was revived. ¡¯How do I contact others?¡¯


    Tralon replied, ¡¯Just imagine their face in your head and call out to them.¡¯


    With a nod, Argyle started beaming wider and wider. Jack wasn¡¯t sure why, not until he got a message of his own.


    ¡¯Jack! How is my dad calling me like this?! Did you just make a pact with him? Aren¡¯t you supposed to be in Churstin?¡¯ Eliza¡¯s questions kepting anding.


    ¡¯Eliza, trust me. I did go to Churstin and I already spoke with Choron, Sterfen, and Daruun,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯I needed your father¡¯s help to do something and Tralon is with us too. Once we¡¯re done, then I¡¯ll finish up a few things ande meet you guys in Sunset Valley.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Eliza,¡¯ Argyle chimed in. ¡¯I¡¯ll only call you when I have a reason. I was just excited to test it out.¡¯


    Eliza sighed as she left the conversation, a bit irritated that Jack was with her dad but not her. And the fact that Jack was off somewhere doing who knows what was a bit concerning, but Eliza felt better about that when she took into ount that Tralon and her father were there.


    ¡¯Argyle, swing your sword now and tell us if there¡¯s a difference.¡¯


    Hearing Tralon¡¯s statement, Argyle did just that. He took out his sword and swung it with intent to kill an imaginary target. To his surprise, the attack felt sharper than usual.


    ¡¯That¡¯s my passive sword skill taking effect. I haven¡¯t leveled it up that much yet, but you should have plenty of mana now, not to mention your mana regeneration,"ughed Jack.


    ¡¯Hmmm... What the...¡¯ Sensing his newly increased mana capacity, Argyle chuckled giddily. ¡¯Oh, I could get used to this.¡¯


    ¡¯You should because I¡¯m still not done increasing that either. But these small bonuses you now have should help you stand out against an opponent around your level, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh yeah... I can¡¯t wait to test this! Where¡¯s something to kill?¡¯ Argyle scanned his surroundings, eager to put his new abilities to the test.


    ¡¯Now that we can talk mentally, let¡¯s do so for the remainder of our time in the storehouse. We wouldn¡¯t want to leak information to our followers, would we?¡¯ Tralon took the lead. ¡¯Now we can tell you a bit more about the storehouse and its unique design. Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Argyle, there are eleven floors to the dungeon, but we¡¯re currently on what you could call floor zero. Up ahead, there¡¯s a teleportation tform that will let you officially enter the dungeon,¡¯ Jack exined. ¡¯Every day, the teleportation pads are randomized to an extent. Of course, the ring your wearing can go against that and let you teleport to any floor of your choice, including the eleventh floor.¡¯


    Taking a good look at the ring, Argyle¡¯s eyes widened. ¡¯Then why give it to me?¡¯


    ¡¯Because without it, you wouldn¡¯t be allowed in here nor could we open the vault,¡¯ Jack answered as he started walking again. ¡¯This dungeon has a level cap of lv. 69, but that ring can allow anyone of any level to enter. Also, to mix things up, I thought it would be fun to give the vault two requirements to open. One, the person opening it must possess that ring or one of the other three that I made and two, that person must also be at least lv. 70 or higher.¡¯


    ¡¯You sneaky pestro,¡¯ Argyleughed. ¡¯I like the way you think. So that¡¯s how you kept any intruders from walking away with your stuff.¡¯


    ¡¯Well yeah. Just because a giant vault is ced behind a boss doesn¡¯t mean that you¡¯ll be able to enter it after you beat the boss.¡¯ Jack smiled, remembering all of the hate he got for creating such a dungeon. ¡¯For now, though, we won¡¯t use that ring to go straight to the boss. We need to go in order or our guests will get lost and we won¡¯t be able to lead them to the tenth floor.¡¯


    ¡¯What¡¯s on the tenth floor?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s where they¡¯ll go missing and possibly die if they¡¯re really unlucky,¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯But if they go missing there, they¡¯ll eventually turn up somewhere else. And that¡¯s where we¡¯ll have a bit more fun.¡¯


    The party soon reached the teleportation circle which was still in perfect condition despite how much time had passed.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure where we¡¯ll go first, but this should be fun.¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean by that?¡¯ Argyle asked.


    ¡¯Like I said before, the order of the levels will randomize every day. We¡¯ll have to clear levels one through four in whatever order theye in. After thates level five, then they get jumbled up again from levels six through nine. Then we¡¯ll reach level ten just before we face the boss and enter the vault on the eleventh floor,¡¯ exined Jack.


    ¡¯If it changes every day, what happens if we rest in between floors?¡¯ Tralon asked, curious about what seemed like a small w.


    Jack scratched his head. When he was Jack_J, he was just ying a game and it was very possible to beat the dungeon in a day. But before Jack got depressed about the sudden hike in difficulty, Jack remembered the day/night cycle of "A Hero¡¯s Tale."


    ¡¯Scratch that,¡¯ Jack corrected himself. ¡¯The levels should reset every nine days, sorry about that.¡¯


    ¡¯How did you mix up nine days and one day?¡¯ Argyleughed.


    ¡¯Nevermind that. We should go or we might run into our guests too soon, or worse, they might get a chance to steal our precious EXP. Argyle, would you like to be the first to step into the circle?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, why not.¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, after you.¡¯


    Once both Tralon and Argyle had stepped on the tform, Jack and Bowzer stepped into the circle. ¡¯Tralon, activate the circle, please.¡¯


    A small burst of mana left Tralon and entered the carvings of the magic circle, filling it with power. The circle changed color from faded blue to deep purple as itunched a pulse of spacial energy at the people inside of it.


    When the pulse collided with the four figures it caused no damage whatsoever. Instead, the four figures vanished without a trace.


    Gradually, the deep purple energy surrounding the previously activated circle dissipated, forcing the teleportation circle to be dormant once again.


    A simr pulse of spacial energy was released on a different floor but it had the opposite effect. As if that pulse and the one on the entrance floor were connected. four figures emerged from the source of the second pulse.


    Jack quickly noticed the surroundings and deduced their new location. ¡¯Level three... Be careful of the--¡¯


    "ROAR!!"

 Chapter 299 Extermination On The Third Floor

    <h4>Chapter 299 Extermination On The Third Floor</h4>


    "ROAR!"


    Before Jack was able to warn the party of what to expect, Bowzer¡¯s instinct kicked in. The fox started to circte the energy of his bloodline, making sure all surrounding beasts could feel it oozing out of him.


    They understood that Bowzer was the one who yelled but it still put them on guard. If Bowzer felt threatened so quickly, they knew that the enemy was already on top of them.


    While Argyle and Tralon readied themselves for battle, Jack stepped in between them. ¡¯This floor is swarming with jakals, so be ready at all times.¡¯


    ¡¯Right... Now I remember this floor,¡¯ Tralon sighed. ¡¯It¡¯s one of the few floors that don¡¯t have artificial lighting.¡¯


    ¡¯Of course not, then what¡¯s the point of filling it with Jakals?¡¯ Jack stated, not paying attention to the annoyed tone in Tralon¡¯s voice. ¡¯Bowzer, light the ce up.¡¯


    A smallyer of white me began to dance around Bowzer¡¯s fur. The pitch-ck darkness of the cavern was being driven away by the bright, white light. Where regr mes would only light up their immediate surroundings, Bowzer¡¯s white mes illuminated everything within fifty meters of the fox, not counting the dim light that went beyond that.


    And thanks to that brilliant me, a band of jakals was spotted heading toward the party.


    ¡¯Not bad.¡¯ Happy to see things clearly, Argyle retrieved his sword and darted ahead to meet the jakals head-on.


    They werenky, reptilian humanoids with snake-like eyes and bristles in ce of hair running from the top of their heads to the tip of their tails. Each of the jakals carried a long spear in their hands and were equipped with a quiver of short spears on their backs.


    The threergest jakals charged Argyle with their long spears while the remaining seven kept their distance and retreated to the dim light. Their footsteps werepletely undetectable, making them terrifying opponents in the dark.


    Tralon retrieved a staff and smiled at the jakals who were about tounch a barrage of short spears.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t interfere! They¡¯re mine!¡¯ Argyle shouted into Tralon¡¯s mind.


    Not paying attention to Argyle¡¯s demands, a few arrows whizzed by and nted themselves in the distant jakals. However, the jakals were entirely fine andpletely unperturbed by the arrows now jutting out of them. But more arrows came, one for each of the seven jakals.


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯


    ¡¯What? I need EXP and those were just regr arrows with no skills or abilities. The jakals probably didn¡¯t even feel them,¡¯ Jackughed.


    The young hero would¡¯ve shot the other three as well, but Argyle was already finished beheading them, cutting clean through the long spears held up in defense.


    While a few rounds of short spears had beenunched, Tralon easily defended against them with Earth Wall while Argyle charged thest seven jakals and hacked them into bits.


    While Tralon and Argyle didn¡¯t notice any significant increase in EXP Jack was all smiles as he and Bowzer instantly reached the peak of lv. 34. Considering Jack had technically attacked and participated in killing seven jakals from lv. 56-58, it made sense.


    ¡¯Another round of jakals and we¡¯ll be lv. 35,¡¯ Jack stated proudly.


    ¡¯Jack, how many jakals did you put in here again?¡¯


    ¡¯Let me think... the third level is one of therger levels in terms of space so I would guess around five viges¡¯ worth.¡¯


    ¡¯That many?¡¯ Stunned, Argyle looked at Jack like he was insane.


    ¡¯Yeah, but there¡¯s no telling how many there are now. After having one thousand years to repopte, I wouldn¡¯t be surprised to find the equivalent of a city¡¯s worth,¡¯ Jack added. ¡¯But there shouldn¡¯t be any more than that because they would run out of food. You don¡¯t want to know how hard it was to capture enough of their favorite foods and put them in here.¡¯


    ¡¯You... I guess that¡¯s why we call you the Legend of Trodar.¡¯


    ¡¯We should be on our toes then. Otherwise, we¡¯ll quickly get overwhelmed,¡¯ added Tralon.


    ¡¯Or... we can just wipe them all out.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, there¡¯s no reason to wipe them all out. Otherwise, this floor of the dungeon would be useless.¡¯


    ¡¯Just because it would be empty doesn¡¯t mean it would be useless. If anything, that means we can use it for something else.¡¯ Jack smiled. ¡¯Right now, what I need is as much EXP as possible and that¡¯s all I see when I see the jakals. Sure, maybe we can tame some beasts on different floors, but not jakals. And maybe we can use this space for something elseter...¡¯


    ¡¯Are you sure? Once I¡¯ve killed them all, then all the hard work you put into making this floor will go to waste.¡¯ Argyle¡¯s words were against Jack¡¯s decision, but there was a hypocritical excitement leaking from eyes.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sure. And it won¡¯t go to waste. I¡¯d like to make at least one floor into a fortress of sorts, so why not the third floor, one of the most spacious floors?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... an interesting idea.¡¯ Argyle smiled. ¡¯Jack, you¡¯ll have to join me and Tralon when I bring up businesster.¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, but let¡¯s clear the third floor first.¡¯ Jack turned and showed Tralon a smug smile. ¡¯Also, have you ever seen a legendary spell in action, Argyle?¡¯


    More excitement washed over Argyle as he also looked to Tralon with a matching smile. ¡¯No, but I¡¯ve always wanted to see one.¡¯


    ¡¯He has seen one. My Spatial Rift that got you here is one such spell,¡¯ chuckled Tralon. ¡¯But I guess I can show you another one since you want to witness one in battle. However, I refuse to do so unless both Argyle and I temporarily use your former pact, the one where you do take half of our EXP earned.¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, you¡¯ve got a point Tralon. If it¡¯s temporary then I don¡¯t mind,¡¯ added Argyle.


    ¡¯Well, it would make it easier on you guys I guess. And you would be able to ughter everything without having to worry about me getting in your way or affecting the party¡¯s pacing,¡¯ Jack agreed with a nod. ¡¯Also, we¡¯ll need to store all of the jakal bodies. We don¡¯t want to scare our guests with the carnage left behind and we can make plenty of things out of the corpses.¡¯


    ¡¯But we¡¯re splitting them. I want half of everything we take while ughtering our way through the dungeon,¡¯ Argyle stated his terms.


    ¡¯Done.¡¯ Jack then put the fallen jakals into his pocket dimension. ¡¯So, let¡¯s get the party started.¡¯


    Jack quickly overwrote their pacts with the former, now giving him a sizable chunk of all of their EXP gained in the near future. With that finished, the party of three men and arge fox began their march through the cavern, killing everything in sight until they reached the giant gathering of jakals near the center of the third floor.


    The only buildings were huts either carved into the ground or crafted by a basic cement the jakals made from the stone walls and some of the entrails from their various species of prey.


    As Bowzer¡¯s light found the edge of the gathering of huts, they realized how many jakals they were up against. It was definitely enough to fill a small city, a terrifying number. Even Argyle, a lv. 71 swordsman, was hesitant to charge in blindly.


    While Argyle was ughtering all jakals that approached the party, Tralon popped his knuckles and showed a spry smile. He didn¡¯t use the staff this time but a copious amount of spacial energy swarmed over Tralon¡¯s hands. Then, when most spells would be cast and hurled towards an opponent, Tralon reached out with his right hand and grabbed the space in front of him. Literally.


    Tralon¡¯s left hand did the same, so Tralon stood there with the fabric of all nearby space held tightly in his hands.


    "Rendering Space."


    Two words left Tralon¡¯s mouth as he crushed the fabric of the nearby space in his hands and ripped it apart.


    At the same time, the ground below them began to quake and the roof over there heads shifted. Following Tralon¡¯s action of ripping the fabric of space, the gathering of huts shook before there were entirely shredded and decimated by the invisible space that Tralon had destroyed and let loose.


    Argyle paused his killing spree as the jakals around him stiffened in terror at the sight of their entire species being obliterated in one fell swoop. And it was an attack they didn¡¯t understand, increasing their fears dramatically.


    But Argyle only hesitated momentarily. He swiftly slew the remaining jakals that hadn¡¯t been eradicated by Tralon¡¯s overwhelming spell.


    ¡¯That... was something else...¡¯ Argyle struggled to describe what he had just witnessed. Even the rubble that was left was just finely minced jakals and diced boulders, making the ground look like a giant cutting board.


    Jack was in awe. He had seen the attack before, but never with his own eyes. However, his over-the-moon excitement still increased significantly when Jack looked at the explosion of EXP that he received.

 Chapter 300 Jack Remembers the Fourth Floor

    <h4>Chapter 300 Jack Remembers the Fourth Floor</h4>


    Clean up didn¡¯t take very long as Jack and Tralon simply through everything in their pocket dimensions, including the rubble.


    While Argyle ran through the outlying areas to make sure the jakals were extinct, he continued his mental conversation with the others. Argyleughed, ¡¯So, what level are you after all that, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯d imagine it went well for him because I leveled up as well,¡¯ Tralon added.


    ¡¯What?! Then what happened to Jack?¡¯


    Jack sighed, struggling to contain himself. ¡¯Everyone is going to be so mad at me the next time I see them...¡¯


    ¡¯Just tell us already!¡¯ Argyle shouted.


    ¡¯We¡¯re lv. 47...¡¯


    ¡¯Woooow... Your party is going to be pissed when they see you,¡¯ Argyle burst intoughter. ¡¯I¡¯m lv. 71 and I¡¯m pissed at you for that kind of cheating, so I only imagine how bad they¡¯ll want to beat you after this.¡¯


    ¡¯Lv. 47? That means you already qualify for the uing election.¡¯


    ¡¯Wait, Jack¡¯s running for the council?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, Argyle. He¡¯ll be joining me on the council and will soon supersede me as the guild leader,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯To do what he wants, then he¡¯ll need to be a council member. Things would be too tricky if he wasn¡¯t.¡¯


    ¡¯I get that but won¡¯t he be tied down to the city as a council member?¡¯ Argyle asked.


    ¡¯Actually, no he wouldn¡¯t. Remember, the council was created by heroes so it was also created so that heroes and adventurers could hold the position while maintaining the freedom to travel. To make sure things stayed that way, I obtained a congress crystal for the council back in the day.¡¯


    ¡¯What¡¯s a congress crystal?¡¯


    ¡¯Right, you wouldn¡¯t know,¡¯ Tralon replied. ¡¯A congress crystal is like a contact crystal but it can call multiple crystals at once and an entire group of people can converse through it instead of one.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... So it basically lets the council hold meetings while some members are away. What¡¯s the range?¡¯ Jack asked.


    ¡¯The entire content, but the congress crystal is sorge we had to make it into the new council table,¡¯ answered Tralon.


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t know you had a congress crystal. I would¡¯ve made you an offer if I did,¡¯ Argyle joked.


    ¡¯Either way, being a council member doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re bound to the city. You can retain your position from anywhere on the continent so long as you¡¯ve been elected,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯You might like it too, Argyle. Have you ever thought about running?¡¯


    ¡¯That would never...¡¯ Argyle paused, thinking a bit more before responding, ¡¯We¡¯ll talk about thatter when we discuss business, okay?¡¯


    Surprised to not get rejected, Tralon looked to Jack and nodded. ¡¯Very well, I¡¯ll keep that in mind forter.¡¯


    Once Argyle returned from his crusading, he dumped the corpses from his storage and let JAck store them away in his infinite pocket dimension.


    ¡¯So, where to next?¡¯ the swordsman asked with a smile.


    ¡¯To the next circle and wherever it takes us.¡¯ Jack led the march to the next circle, happy to have saved so much time thanks to a legendary spell. ¡¯We¡¯ll take the next level slower and camp there for the night. Since Tralon¡¯s only lv. 62, he probably doesn¡¯t have much mana left after that.¡¯


    ¡¯Right,¡¯ Tralon chuckled, stroking his beard.


    The party of four trekked to the circle and calmly activated it, releasing a familiar pulse of spacial energy that took them to a new floor.


    With feet back on the ground, Jack smiled as he recognized the floor¡¯syout and it¡¯s artificial lighting. ¡¯Wee to the fourth floor.¡¯ But as his memories flooded back to him, the smile faded.


    ¡¯What¡¯s waiting to be killed here?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    ¡¯On this floor, I¡¯d rather we not kill anything if we can avoid it.¡¯


    Argyle was perplexed, as was Tralon who inquired further, ¡¯And why¡¯s that, remind me?¡¯


    A chuckle escaped Jack¡¯s mouth as he scratched his head in anger and nervousness. ¡¯To be honest, Ipletely forgot about the storehouse for the longest time. And when you gave me the ring back at the wedding, I put it away as an afterthought that I¡¯de back to once I was lv. 50 or lv. 60...¡¯


    ¡¯And...¡¯ Tralon prodded.


    ¡¯And I forgot about what I put in here...¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    ¡¯Of all the floors... this will be the one where we¡¯ll most likely find a thriving civilization now that I¡¯m thinking back on it. And I¡¯m an idiot for not remembering this ce sooner...¡¯


    ¡¯Just spit it out, Jack!¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, remember that one time we got a special quest to capture shadow goblins?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeees... It¡¯s hard to forget that one. It wasn¡¯t long after I joined you on your adventures.¡¯


    Jack sighed, ¡¯I never told you what I did with them, right?¡¯


    ¡¯No, you... Oh, that¡¯s why.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s why what?!¡¯ Livid, Argyle red at Jack. ¡¯What is it? So you captured some shadow goblins and threw them in a dungeon. What¡¯s the big deal?¡¯


    ¡¯I captured them near the beginning of my time as a hero. All of my memories from that time are pretty jumbled up, so I forgot all about it. But now that I¡¯m partying with a shadow goblin...¡¯


    ¡¯Ooohh... She doesn¡¯t know about this, does she? Now I get it.¡¯


    Jack thought hard about the past but it was really difficult to remember. He captured those goblins and built the storehouse during his first of ten years ying "A Hero¡¯s Tale," so he couldn¡¯t help but fail to recall it clearly. What he wanted to know was who had given him that quest, but he couldn¡¯t remember for the life of him.


    ¡¯Either way, I don¡¯t want any more trouble between us and the shadow goblins,¡¯ Jack stated. ¡¯We¡¯ll have to find a way to not only make peace but clear the way so that the council members behind us don¡¯t destroy them.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm... Sounds like you¡¯re stuck in quite the pickle,¡¯ Argyle chuckled.


    ¡¯Thanks for the advice. What do you think, Tralon?¡¯


    ¡¯I say we y it by ear, but we¡¯ll make sure that nothing happens to them in the end if at all possible.¡¯


    The young hero sighed and climbed onto Bowzer. ¡¯Alright... Let¡¯s head out.¡¯


    However, as the party left that corner of the fourth floor, they were soon approached by two short, humanoid figures.


    "Who dares enter our floor?"


    Jack looked at the speaker in the eyes as a rush of muddled emotions came over him. "We mean the shadow goblins no trouble. In fact, we mean to help them.¡¯


    "What do you mean by help?" answered the goblin scout. "We haven¡¯t had any humans enter our territory for one thousand years, yet you show up to help us with the problems you don¡¯t know we have?"


    "Please, we mean no harm. We would like to meet with your chief."


    "And why should we let you do that?"


    "Because if you don¡¯t I may do something we¡¯ll regret," stated Argyle, pressuring the lv. 59 goblin.


    "I... Fine, but we still haven¡¯t determined if you¡¯re friends or foes, so don¡¯t expect any hospitality," the leader replied angrily. "Follow us."


    After following the passage for ten minutes, they reached the biggest opening on the fourth floor. They noticed a city of sorts built in the center, but it was small and nowhere near as advanced as Jack had expected.


    The two groups entered the short city walls, catching the eyes of two dozen shadow goblins. Gossiping had already begun as the two scouts led the small party into a tiny castle-like structure.


    Jack hopped off of Bowzer and the party members ducked their heads as they entered, Immediately, they were guided toward the main hall by another dozen shadow goblins.


    When they reached the main hall it was the only door tall enough for them to enter normally. The party was hurried through it and forced to kneel upon entry.


    "All bow to for Grangor, the shadow goblin chief!"

 Chapter 301 Chat With The Shadow Goblin Chief

    <h4>Chapter 301 Chat With The Shadow Goblin Chief</h4>


    "All bow for Grangor, the shadow goblin chief!"


    Going with the flow, Jack, Bowzer, Tralon, and Argyle all lowered their heads in respect for the goblin chief.


    "You may stand. That way we can talk like men." The party stood as the aging goblin rose from his seat and walked toward them. "You¡¯re humans indeed, but why have youe here? How have youe here?"


    Jack was the one to step forward. "What matters most is that our reasons for entering this dungeon lie on the eleventh floor. However, I would like to offer our help to you and your people, Grangor."


    "Your help? And what help would that be?"


    "That depends on what you and your people want, but we came here mercifully to make peace with you, not destroy you," reasoned Jack. "My friend Argyle is over lv. 70, so surely you wouldn¡¯t underestimate our abilities, since you¡¯re only lv. 66, Grangor."


    Grangor squinted, appearing neither mad nor happy. "And if we sought your aid, what would you ask in return?"


    "I would ask to keep a friendly rtionship, even to remain allies if you were willing. And forgive me for asking, but how old are you Grangor?" Jack asked.


    "Hmmm..." The goblin chief itched his scraggly chin in thought. "I¡¯m near the end of my life, approaching six hundred years of age this decade."


    "And what are your intentions for your tribe? You obviously know you¡¯re in a dungeon, but what do you n to do about it?"


    "We¡¯d like to escape, but that¡¯s impossible."


    "Is it now..." Jack chuckled. "Chief, can we speak with you alone? If it would make you feel better, it can be only us two."


    "Guards, leave this ce be. We¡¯ll chat in private, as I believe there is something special behind this man¡¯s confidence," Grangor shouted as he eaves off his reluctant guards. "And your friends may stay also, I wouldn¡¯t want one of my men to identally anger any of them while we chatted."


    Both Argyle and Tralon gave a grin of approval, acknowledging the insight of the old goblin chief. Bowzer smiled too, happy he could be included and not set aside.


    With resistance, the guards were shooed away by Grangor, leaving the goblin chief alone with the four-man party. "So, I presume that you¡¯ll be making me an offer or telling me more about your connection with this dungeon now that we¡¯re alone. Am I wrong to assume so?"


    Jack sighed and smiled at the same time. "Since you¡¯ve been in this ce your whole life, you¡¯re not entirely sure of all the things that happened outside of this dungeon. In a way, it actually preserved your race."


    "Oh?"


    "While you¡¯ve been in here, there was a war of the gods and the decline of ancient heroes," Jack exined. "There are still heroes, but their summoned and not as powerful. I¡¯m a summoned hero that came from the time of ancient heroes. Also, I happen to know everything about this dungeon."


    "Please, exin more about the dungeon and your offer to help us get out of it," replied Grangor.


    Jack nodded. "I¡¯m going to be honest with you. Long ago before I was summoned to this time, I was the one who captured your ancestors and put them in this dungeon, the dungeon I created."


    "Hmmm... That¡¯s why you didn¡¯t want the others to hear your story."


    "I¡¯ve nothing against shadow goblins. If I had, then I would¡¯ve killed your ancestors instead of cing them here," Jack continued. "And though your people may have been forced to grow within a less hospitable ce like the outside world, you did manage to avoid the extinction of your race."


    "Our extinction?" Grangor looked carefully into Jack¡¯s eyes. "Please exin."


    "The modern world knows nothing of your kind. There¡¯s only one shadow goblin remaining ording to my knowledge and she¡¯s a member of my usual party. But I didn¡¯t bring my usual party here as they were too weak. Lucky for her and your race, your tribe has grown and survived in a ce sealed away since ancient times."


    "Hmmm... That¡¯s fortunate indeed."


    Jack paused for a moment. "So... Do you forgive me for cing your ancestors within the confines of an inescapable dungeon?"


    "Yes, I do." Grangor smiled and nodded. "I don¡¯t see why I shouldn¡¯t believe you, and the fact that you¡¯re here discussing this with me is a good sign. But if you really want us to be free of this dungeon, then what will you do to us after we¡¯ve exited?"


    "I... I¡¯m notpletely sure," Jack stated. "But I would like to help you and your people live outside. It may nor be able to happen immediately as we still need to prepare a few things before we reintroduce you to the outside world."


    "Alright, but how do you n to get us out of here?" Grangor questioned. "We¡¯ve sent many warriors over the years to try ad conquer the dungeon, yet even when we sent a small army no one ever returned victoriously."


    "That exins why your civilization is so small. By now, I was expecting hundreds or even thousands of shadow goblins to here."


    "Sadly, that isn¡¯t reality. We¡¯re barely two hundred strong if we include the young, which is terrible considering our races great lifespan."


    Jack nodded. "Right... But either way, you won¡¯t have to worry about trying to clear this dungeon. We¡¯ll take care of that. However, there is something we must do."


    "And that is?"


    "A few powerful men will be following us into this dungeon and we want to make sure that they don¡¯t attack you and your people. How do you propose we do that?"


    "Grangor looked to Tralon, the wisest looking of Jack¡¯s party. "Are we able to fight them?"


    "No." Tralon shook his head. "We wish to lure those men to the tenth floor, so we can¡¯t make contact with them till that time. How adept are you and your people at illusion magic?"


    "We¡¯re quite capable, but do you think those powerful men will fall for our tricks?"


    Stroking his beard, Tralon thought hard about it. "That depends. If we leave them to their own devices, there¡¯s a chance you¡¯ll be discovered. But if we make a strong enough diversion, then we¡¯ll lead them on."


    "A diversion? What do you rmend?" Grangor asked.


    "Well..." Jack answered. "I have an idea, but your people aren¡¯t going to like it."


    "So long as you can guarantee the safety of my people, our exit from the dungeon, and our prosperity in the outside world, then I¡¯ll convince them."


    "You¡¯re not against me supporting your tribe after you escape here?" Jack asked.


    Grangor shook his head. "Weck all knowledge about the current outside world. And if you had lied about what urred outside, that doesn¡¯t mean we know it any better. What we would need more than anything is a knowledgeable, reliable partner to guarantee our prosperity and security."


    "Than consider my assistance here as an offer to ally with myself, my guild, and my country." Jack smiled, happily holding out his hand.


    Grangor¡¯s wrinkled hands sped around Jack¡¯s hand. "Thank you, kind sir. What¡¯s your name?"


    "Oh yeah! My name is Jack. That¡¯s Bowzer over there and these two friends of mine are Tralon and Argyle," Jack introduced the party, d to see that the old goblin chief was humble and a good listener.


    "Now, tell me your n to aid my people in avoiding these other men."


    "We¡¯ll have your people flee to the outer edges of the floor and leave the city in mes."


    "Oh... That... could work, I guess..." baffled by Jack¡¯s idea, Grangor listened carefully for more.


    "We¡¯ve already wiped out the entire third floor and exterminated the jakals, so if those mene here to find the city in mes, it wouldn¡¯t surprise them. Most likely, they would think that we had already moved on to the next floor."


    "You¡¯ve exterminated the jakals?!"


    "Yeah, it didn¡¯t take long," Jackughed.


    Grangor¡¯s face twisted slightly. The jakals were one of the biggest deterrents of the shadow goblins, always overwhelming them with outstanding numbers, so having a party of four im that they exterminated the jakals entirely was hard for Grangor to swallow.

 Chapter 302 Proving His Identity

    <h4>Chapter 302 Proving His Identity</h4>


    "Don¡¯t act so surprised, Grangor. You should never underestimate the power of legendary spells," joked Jack.


    "Legendary..." Still overwhelmed, Grangor tried to keep calm.


    "So, what do you think of that n?"


    "I... I would like to see evidence of your strength," stated Grangor. "I¡¯ve heard you out and I like what you¡¯re offering, but I¡¯ve never witnessed your strength and you haven¡¯t offered any real proof behind your im as the dungeon¡¯s creator."


    "That understandable, I guess." Jack shrugged. "How would you like us to prove those things?"


    "I want to see one of your most powerful spells in action. As for your identity, if you can prove that you¡¯re connected with a shadow goblin from the outside world, I¡¯ll believe you."


    "Okay... If I can get her to talk with you, will you have a way to prove she¡¯s a shadow goblin?"


    "What do you mean? To speak she would need to be here with you."


    Jack chuckled and flicked his contact crystal in the air. "Not anymore."


    While the goblin chief watched closely, Jack shouted into the crystal, "Hey! Trax! Are you there? Hellooooo?!"


    "What is it?! Don¡¯t just start yelling at me for no reason," replied the ninja. "Also, why are you calling me over the crystal?"


    "I need to speak with Daliea immediately. She needs to know something."


    "Fiiine... One sec..." Trax groaned.


    Grangor was a bit confused, but he surmised that Jack was having a conversation with someone based on what he could hear.


    "Yes, Jack. What¡¯s the matter?" A gentle feminine voice came over the crystal.


    "Are you sitting? If not, I¡¯d rmend it."


    Daliea sat herself on her bed and worriedly asked, "Why? What happened? Are you okay?"


    "Daliea... you¡¯re not thest shadow goblin."


    "WHAT?!"


    "I¡¯m standing across a man named Grangor, he¡¯s a chief of a tribe two hundred strong. I¡¯m calling you because I need to prove I have ties with you and your race."


    "Jack, you found a shadow goblin tribe?!"


    Jack nervously chuckled, "That¡¯s... a long story. I¡¯ll exin everythingter, but right now can you somehow prove to Grangor that you¡¯re a shadow goblin?"


    "Let me speak with him." Daliea did her best to calm down and do as Jack asked.


    "Here. With this, you¡¯ll be able to talk with her." Jack carefully ced the contact crystal in Grangor¡¯s hand.


    Not entirely sure what to do, Grangor gave it a try. "Oh... Hello? Can you hear me?"


    Daliea responded immediately, "Kreychu ara wo."


    "K... Kreychu ara wo na?"


    When Grangor began to speak in a differentnguage, Jack was blown away. He had never considered that other races might have their ownnguage aside from what wasmonly spoken. Once he started thinking about it, he didn¡¯t even know what themonnguage of the world was called.


    Jack¡¯s curiosity about the differences between Kartonia and "A Hero¡¯s Tale" was reignited like it never was before.


    However, something became very clear to Jack¡¯s party. Grangor was speaking a differentnguage but he was struggling with it. asionally he would revert to themonnguage for a few words before returning to whatever he and Daliea were speaking.


    "Here, Jack." Soon Grangor said goodbye to Daliea and returned the contact crystal to Jack.


    Jack meant to continue his conversation with Grangor but Daliea hadn¡¯t finished speaking. "Jack, thank you so much. I can¡¯t believe it... You really found a surviving tribe..."


    "There¡¯s no need to thank me, Daliea. I¡¯ll talk to you about itter. For now, I¡¯ve got to help Grangor and his tribe with something."


    "Alright, but don¡¯t hesitate to call me if you need my assistance. Bye, Jack... No way, Eliza! I¡¯m not saying..." A piece of Daliea¡¯s conversation outside of the crystal was caught before she dropped their connection, putting a smile on Jack¡¯s face.


    "By the way, what was thatnguage you two were speaking?" Jack asked Grangor.


    Much more willing and excited to receive Jack¡¯s help, Grangor replied with a smile, "That was thenguage of our people. I don¡¯t believe it has a name, but that was most definitely thenguage of our ancestors."


    Some blush filled Grangor¡¯s grey cheeks. "However... only a handful of us in my tribe can speak it. And though I¡¯m the most proficient, I wasn¡¯t able to keep up with your friend."


    Laughing, Jack shook his head. "Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m sure she can help you and your tribe learn it after this. Now, as for the n..."


    "Yes, I¡¯ll agree to whatever you wish. But, please, show me and my people the power of your strongest spell. That will prove that you¡¯re capable of clearing this dungeon and it will help convince the others to go along with your n," reasoned Grangor.


    "True... That makes sense."


    "If I may," Tralon interjected, "Jack, maybe there¡¯s a better way to handle this."


    "Really?" Curious, Jack looked back to Tralon. "If there is, then I want to know it."


    "It will be strenuous for me and I¡¯ll have to waste some of the supplies you bought, but I can kill two birds with one stone," Tralon stated proudly. "I can cast my legendary spell, Spatial Rift, and help the shadow goblins escape the dungeon immediately. However..."


    "You¡¯ll need a ce to put them," Argyle finished Tralon¡¯s thought.


    "Correct. What do you think, Jack? Are you alright with me wasting potions and needing a bit more rest?"


    Pondering the idea, Jack rolled it around his brain in search of what could make it possible. The biggest issue was where he would put them for the time being. If a tribe of over two hundred shadow goblins suddenly appeared, then the world would be rmed. And since they were stronger than the average warrior of Modern Kartonia, they would be seen as a threat without the proper preparations.


    It took a minute or two, but Jack finally came to a conclusion he was willing to ept. "Tralon, we¡¯ll do just that. But I¡¯ll need to contact someone first."


    "I could probably make room for them at the Fat Goose," added Argyle.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. I know exactly where to send them for the time being." Jack reactivated his contact crystal and crossed his fingers. "Hey, are you two still chatting away?"


    "Yes... What do you require?"


    "So, in order to better contact Daruun, I set out to retrieve something from my guild¡¯s storehouse. But on the way through its dungeon, I¡¯vee across a tribe that¡¯s grown while it was sealed away. Can I send them to you and your vast tunnel system for the time being? At least till I can make a ce for them in Trodar?"


    "That¡¯s fine... What race are they?"


    "Shadow goblins."


    "Shadow goblins?!" Sterfen interjected, having ced his hand on Choron¡¯s contact crystal from the get-go. "Jack, you had shadow goblins in your artificial dungeon?!"


    "Yeah... I kinda forgot about them, otherwise, I would¡¯ve gotten them out sooner."


    "Jack... you don¡¯t know what this means..." Sterfen struggled to get his words out. "I¡¯m guessing you want Tralon to open a rift for them. Do that immediately! You were smart to send them here and keep them out of sight for the time being."


    "Right, we¡¯ll open it immediately. Thank you, Choron."


    "No, thank you, Jack... This will greatly help our cause," Choron chuckled, ending the conversation.


    Jack retrieved all the potions he had purchased earlier and passed them to Tralon. "Waste as many potions as you need. We¡¯re sending them all to Choron for now."


    "Oh... Well thought, Jack." Tralon smiled.


    "Choron? As in Choron, the Ninja God?" Grangor eyed Jack, curious to know how he had such connections.


    "The same. He¡¯s an ally of mine, as well as a few other gods," answered Jack. "You and your tribe will stay with them while I prepare a ce for you in Trodar."


    "Thank you!" Without any hesitation, Grangor fell to his knees and prostrated himself. "If you can truly make this happen, we will owe you our lives."


    "Calm down, it¡¯s only--"


    "No, we¡¯ll truly owe you our lives," continued Grangor. "If my race was wiped out in the outside world, that means you saved us, even if it wasn¡¯t in your ns to do so. And by offering us a painless escape into the protection of a god, we¡¯ll be forever in your debt."


    "Okay, okay, just calm down!" Jack pulled Grangor up off of the floor. "Look, I want your people to prosper again, and that means I need to guarantee that you¡¯ll be safe. I¡¯m doing this for me, my guild, and Daliea. Okay?"


    "Yes, Master Jack."


    "Master..." Jack face palmed himself, unsure how if he could get Grangor to think differently.


    "Jack, this is great!" Argyle beamed and pped his son-inw on the back. "Now you¡¯ll have your own forces. So long as you can equip them with good equipment and train them properly, they¡¯ll be a strong force in the continent, possibly one of the strongest."


    "Please, Master Jack, allow us to swear fealty to you after you take us away from here." The moment Argyle mentioned training and equipping the shadow goblin tribe, it only proved that Jack was far more capable than Grangor had assumed. If his tribe could truly be one of the most powerful forces in Kartonia, then it was worth swearing fealty to such a mysterious young man.


    With that in mind, Jack sighed and chuckled. "Well... I guess I¡¯ll ept it."

 Chapter 303 Argyles Plans in Trodar

    <h4>Chapter 303 Argyle¡°s ns in Trodar</h4>


    "Thank you, Master Jack. I¡¯m sure that my tribe can prove useful to you so long as you treat us respectfully like your friend promised me."


    "Ohhh..." Realizing that Daliea had talked him up, Jack understood why the shadow goblin chief was so willing to ept him. "We¡¯ll have to act fast, so get every member of your tribe outside of the city gates. And tell them to bring all of their precious belongings."


    "But if we do that, it would take much longer to--" Suddenly, a ring was flicked to Grangor. "W-what is this?"


    "It¡¯s a storage ring and it should be able to hold everything your tribe holds dear," answered Jack. "You can keep that. Once we¡¯re finished here with this dungeon, we¡¯lle to visit you all again and discuss your relocation, as well as give you everything you and your tribe could need."


    "T-that... Thank you, Master Jack!"


    "No more bowing! Hurry and gather your tribe so we can get this over with. We¡¯ll be outside the gate getting ready."


    Jack and the others were the first to leave the main hall but Grangor wasn¡¯t far behind. His aging body had an unusual pep in his step as he ran to inform his men and the tribe.


    "Jack, just so you know, I¡¯ll be needing at least five of these high elixirs to transport so many people, maybe more." Tralon let out a regretful sigh. "If only I was still lv. 85... then I wouldn¡¯t need these."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it, Tralon. A few high elixirs are worthlesspared to gaining a tribe of shadow goblins as allies. Use them all if you need to," Jack joked.


    "How long do you think it¡¯ll take them to gather?" Argyle asked.


    "Hmmm... At least an hour maybe?" replied Jack.


    ¡¯Then how about we talk business while we wait?¡¯ Switching to telepathy, Argyle got straight to the point. ¡¯I¡¯ve been wanting to do something for a long time and I think now is finally the time to do it.¡¯


    Jack asked, ¡¯Do what, exactly?¡¯


    ¡¯I want to open a second branch of the Fat Goose in Gilga,¡¯ admitted Argyle. ¡¯I was hoping that we could ally with the Leisure Guild, and possibly share facilities for the time being.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s very business-like of you,¡¯ Tralonughed. ¡¯We have plenty of space for it, so I wouldn¡¯t mind renting out some of the space to an old friend, so long as Jack¡¯s alright with that.¡¯


    ¡¯Why would I be?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, you may not know it, but almost every council member has been wanting to upy our guild¡¯s property and they¡¯ve tried every means possible. They¡¯ve offered to purchase portions of it, rent it out, have it donated in exchange for a temporary portion of the city¡¯s revenue,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯Argyle has mentioned the idea before, but he never made an offer. He probably assumed that I would be more willing now that you¡¯re involved in the decision.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, that makes sense. Well, I am okay with it and that¡¯ll give Argyle a way to help the Leisure Guild in the form of paying rent, right Argyle?¡¯


    ¡¯Right your are,¡¯ughed the swordsman. ¡¯But it¡¯s also great for me. Things in Federal City have been getting a little hectic and I like the option of relocating should the need arise.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, even if your entire guild came to Gilga, we¡¯ll have more than enough room. Our guild was built to house thousands, even though we¡¯re more of an empty shell with only a few hundred members in such a cast property,¡¯ stated Tralon.


    ¡¯Then I can move in immediately?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, why not? Once my level is high enough, I might even be able to draw you a teleportation circle,¡¯ Jack joked.


    ¡¯Hey, don¡¯t promise me that unless you can deliver." Argyle took Jack seriously, not daring to miss out on such a thing. "What level do you need to be to make me one?"


    ¡¯Once I¡¯m lv. 55 I¡¯ll be able to if I really push myself, but Tralon could also write one, couldn¡¯t he?¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?! You lied to me?!¡¯ Pointing a finger at the aging mage, Argyle red with a fiery passion.


    ¡¯Yeah...¡¯ Tralon innocentlyughed. ¡¯If I¡¯m the only man who could make one, then why should I ept that burden if I can merely act like I forgot in my old age.¡¯


    ¡¯You... Send me a list of materials and I¡¯ll make sure to have them ready,¡¯ replied Argyle, not wanting to argue over something he would¡¯ve done as well.


    ¡¯Are you sure you can afford it?¡¯ Jack asked. ¡¯A local teleportation circle is one thing, but circles spanning across different nations ispletely different. The further apart the two circles, the more costly it bes.¡¯


    ¡¯Makes sense, but it¡¯ll be worth it so long as it¡¯s operational and we keep it a secret,¡¯ stated Argyle, intent on making it happen.


    ¡¯Fine. Once we¡¯re done here, I think I know what you¡¯ll want from the vault. If you take that item instead of a treasure for your auction, then the price will be cut in half.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? What item?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s a magic crystal,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯Every long-distance teleportation circle needs a powerful magic crystal built into its foundation. Inside the vault, we¡¯ll find a few of them."


    "Perfect, then I¡¯ll take the biggest one!¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry, but the biggest one will be used by us,¡¯ Jack argued. ¡¯I know I said you could take anything, but the biggest one will be used for a teleportation circle in the Leisure Guild. We used to have one, but I¡¯m guessing it was destroyed during the Holy War. And I want to make a bigger, better one.¡¯


    ¡¯That one wouldn¡¯t be the second teleportation circle that connects to one I¡¯ll have in the Fat Goose, would it?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s right, but you¡¯ll have free ess since you¡¯ll be paying rent and won¡¯t need to pay for it,¡¯ Jack added. ¡¯Ours will be much bigger. That way we can use it as a hub for other teleportation circles in the future. But that¡¯s all for ater time. Before that, we¡¯ll need to find a good cksmith to help make them.¡¯


    ¡¯I might be able to help you there,¡¯ replied Argyle, ¡¯but it¡¯ll take some convincing to get him to help.¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ll get there when we get there. For now, let¡¯s focus on the task at hand and beat the dungeon," stated Tralon. "After we¡¯ve gone through all eleven floors, beaten the boss, and retrieved our treasures, then Argyle and I can discuss the finer details.¡¯


    ¡¯Sounds good to me.¡¯ Jack shrugged. ¡¯But since you¡¯re opening a branch in Gilga, Argyle, does that mean you¡¯ve been considering running for the council?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ve thought about it, but I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d be able tomit enough time for it,¡¯ answered Argyle. ¡¯I¡¯ll be busy getting this new branch up and running while helping Baral manage the branch in Federal City.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Baral won¡¯t be managing the new branch?¡¯ Tralon asked in surprise.


    ¡¯No. He¡¯s more than capable, but I thought it might be better for you and Jack if I was in Trodar personally.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Argyle. You¡¯re quite the father-inw,¡¯ Jack added with a bow of the head.


    ¡¯I¡¯m just doing what I want to do. Also, this might help me get closer to learning about my wife¡¯s murderer.¡¯


    ¡¯Ahhh... Now I get it. If you ever need our assistance, you¡¯re more than wee to ask Argyle. Considering you¡¯re willing to do all this, it¡¯s the least we could do,¡¯ Tralon offered.


    Argyle nodded. ¡¯I¡¯ll remember that. Just don¡¯t mention this to Eliza. That¡¯s all I ask.¡¯


    Jack pped Argyle¡¯s shoulder. ¡¯Consider it done. Just let me know what you¡¯re up to before you do something stupid, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, Jack¡¯s got more experience than anyone in seeding at stupid things,¡¯ joked Argyle, getting both of them tough.

 Chapter 304 Giant Spacial Rif

    <h4>Chapter 304 Giant Spacial Rif</h4>


    While the three menughed, they also discussed their future ns to bring gods to Trodar so that Argyle was fully up to date on what had to be done.


    As their conversation neared its end, Grangor approached them with over two hundred shadow goblins of all ages. There was more youth then elderly due to the tribe¡¯s constant push for clearing the dungeon and sending out their warriors.


    Because of that, most of the shadow goblins were between levels 20-39 but a fair share of goblins was in the 40¡¯s as well. Aside from the chief at lv. 66, there were six other shadow goblins over lv. 50, which included the lead scout that Argyle had intimidated upon entering the fourth floor.


    Grangor was ecstatic, eager to finally see his people leave this dungeon and find a more prosperous ce to live. But most of the shadow goblins behind him were still unconvinced.


    "Master Jack, please forgive us for taking so long."


    "No worries, Grangor. You were faster then we were expecting, which is good because we need to get you all out as soon as possible," Jack replied with a smile. "Tralon, it¡¯s time. Have the potions at the ready."


    "Right."


    Tralon closed his eyes. His focus left the dungeon and honed in on a ce he had recently memorized deep below Churstin Canyon. As he pinpointed the vast chamber where he had sat beside gods, Tralon smiled.


    "Spatial Rift!"


    Dark violet energy suddenly appeared and starting dancing violently around Tralon¡¯s body. And as that energy grew thicker the shadow goblins in disbelief were blown away by the sight of the old man drowning in vibrant power they had never seen before or imagined could exist.


    The violet energy oozed out from Tralon, gradually pulling apart the space behind him. Soon, a tear emerged, then grew wider and wider.


    Now, even the shadow goblins over lv. 50 were convinced that they were finally getting out of the dungeon.


    Grangor was delighted to see this taking ce. Unlike the others, he knew that the spell Tralon was casting was a legend-tier spell, something most people would never be able to witness in real life.


    Finally, the rift steadied itself after bingrge enough for twenty goblins to enter at once.


    "Now! Hurry and go!" Tralon shouted.


    "Run, Grangor! We¡¯ll see you again after we¡¯re done here," Jackughed loudly, letting all the goblins hear him.


    With an anxious grin on his face, Grangor yelled, "Everyone! We¡¯re finally getting out of here, so thank Master Jack before we leave this ce."


    Altogether, the shadow goblins bowed in their own ways and replied, "Thank you, Master Jack!"


    "Go already!"


    Not wasting another second, Grangor and the other shadow goblins ran at full speed. They funneled into the rift without ever looking back to their homes or the dungeon that housed them. Each shadow goblin was excited to finally escape the dungeon that had contained their people for over one thousand years.


    As thest shadow goblin exited, Tralon instantly released the spell. He copsed to the ground, not paying attention to his soaking wet robes or the sweat covering his body. Tralon looked to his side andughed at the seven empty bottles beside him.


    ¡¯That was a lot harder than I wanted it to be...¡¯


    ¡¯Just rest Tralon. Rest as long as you need.¡¯ Jack walked over to Tralon and lifted the old man onto his back. ¡¯As long as we clear the first four floors in nine days, then we¡¯ll reach the fifth floor before they reset again.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks... Jack...¡¯ Drifting to sleep from pure exhaustion, Tralon let his body go unconscious and enter a state of recovery.


    ¡¯Bowzer!¡¯ Jack carefullyid Tralon across Bowzer¡¯s back. ¡¯We¡¯ll rest in the city until Tralon is fully recovered. Find him the best bed in the chief¡¯s home.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯ Slowly but steadily, Bowzer took Tralon away in search of afortable bed.


    ¡¯So, Jack, what should we do while we wait?¡¯ Argyle asked. ¡¯Got any ideas to pass the time?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm... We could check in on the others and how their leveling is going. But then they¡¯ll ask about my level...¡¯


    ¡¯Hey, sweetie. I¡¯m just checking in on you and the others.¡¯


    ¡¯Argyle! I just said--¡¯


    ¡¯Hey, Dad. We¡¯re doing alright for now,¡¯ Eliza replied, noticing that something was off from Jack¡¯s interruption.


    ¡¯Are you still leveling or are you back at an inn?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    ¡¯We¡¯re almost back at the inn. Sunset Valley is more difficult than we anticipated, but we¡¯re doing fine despite the recent changes to our party.¡¯


    ¡¯Recent changes?¡¯ Argyle gave Jack a questioning look as he continued, ¡¯What changes?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Jack hasn¡¯t told you yet?¡¯


    ¡¯I... Umm...¡¯ Jack tried to break the awkward tension to the best of his ability. ¡¯Argyle, back in Limneer we seeded in dying the army but we were ambushed by bounty hunters... In the chaos, many of us almost died. If it wasn¡¯t for those Phoenix Lillies, neither Rydel, Eliza, nor myself would¡¯ve been alive. But Daliea and Ke still passed...¡¯


    ¡¯But... You spoke with Daliea earlier, didn¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡¯I did, but only because we used a life spring jewel to revive Daliea... But we had no way of reviving Ke,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯We held her funeral and weed two new temporary party members, a swordsman and a ninja who led me to Choron.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... I see... Well, I¡¯m d that you and Eliza are still with us.¡¯


    Argyle didn¡¯t want to say it out loud, but he was overjoyed. Though he understood that losing Ke was a great blow to the party, Argyle didn¡¯t know her personally and he had seen plenty of death in his life. He was so d that he offered the Phoenix Lillies at the auction. And if he ever got such an item again, Argyle would directly sell it to Jack, no questions asked.


    ¡¯I¡¯m d you¡¯re all working well together, Eliza. But I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got your hands full as the main support of the team,¡¯ Jack added.


    ¡¯Yeah, but Rydel is helping too,¡¯ replied Eliza. ¡¯His arrows help keep the battles under control and make it more manageable for me. However...¡¯


    ¡¯You think we need to find another cleric?¡¯


    ¡¯... Yeah... I know they can¡¯t rece Ke, but the party could really use one.¡¯


    Jack sighed, ¡¯I agree. We can¡¯t have an unbnced team, that¡¯s just asking for trouble when things get tougher. I¡¯ll see if I can find one before we meet up again.¡¯


    ¡¯So, sweetie, what level are you guys so far?¡¯ Argyle asked, not hiding his smile from Jack.


    ¡¯We¡¯ve all gone up a level so far, and Maura is about to go up a second level. It¡¯s hard work clearing out the ce, but we¡¯re lucky that almost no one else visits the valley anymore. Oh yeah, we also got hired to clear the valley after the townspeople saw us doing so wellpared to past adventurers.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s great! So some of you should be lv. 40 soon,¡¯ Argyle congratted his daughter. ¡¯Unlike Jack, you¡¯re all working so hard and grinding away to earn each and every level.¡¯


    ¡¯Argyle...¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean, Dad? Has Jack leveled up too?¡¯ Eliza asked, noticing Jack¡¯s avoidance of the question.


    Argyleughed as he stared Jack in the eye. ¡¯This pestro had me and Tralon carrying him through a dungeon, so his gains have been unbelievable. I was pissed when I found out how fast he¡¯s going up.¡¯


    ¡¯Jaaack, where are you guys? And are you really having them carry you for free levels?¡¯ questioned Eliza.


    ¡¯It wasn¡¯t my original intention, but my ns had to change so I recruited them to help me raid an old dungeon that¡¯s too strong for Bowzer and me,¡¯ answered Jack.


    ¡¯What dungeon?¡¯


    ¡¯... The storehouse of the Leisure Guild.¡¯


    ¡¯The storehouse?! Isn¡¯t it filled with lv. 50 monsters?!¡¯


    ¡¯Actually, they ranged from lv. 55 to lv. 65. But some mobs might be even stronger now that no one¡¯s touched the storehouse for a thousand years.¡¯ Jack nervously corrected his furious wife.

 Chapter 305 How Could I Ever Thank You?

    <h4>Chapter 305 ¡°How Could I Ever Thank You?¡°</h4>


    ¡¯JACK! Are you crazy?!¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza, calm down.¡¯ Jack put his hands up innocently even though she couldn¡¯t see him. ¡¯I have to get a certain item out of the vault so I can better contact Daruun. Also, it turns out that it¡¯s a great opportunity for me to gain a few levels before the election at Trodar. There are only six months until the first round of elections starts, so I¡¯ve got to hurry.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack... remember, you promised me that you¡¯d stay alive.¡¯


    ¡¯I know, and I¡¯m very much alive. Nothing in here has been able to so much as touch me thanks to Tralon and Argyle,¡¯ Jack stated.


    ¡¯Okay... But you¡¯d better be willing to spend some money when we go on our dates, considering it¡¯s the storehouse you¡¯re raiding,¡¯ reasoned Eliza. ¡¯And don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s not worth it, because your wives should be more important than anything else, right?¡¯


    ¡¯I... Okay, I won¡¯t hold back but at least keep it within reason.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Jack!¡¯ Eliza giggled. ¡¯By the way, what level are you, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack? Jaaack? I know you¡¯re there.¡¯


    Hesitant, Jack swallowed some saliva lodged in his throat before whispering softly, ¡¯We¡¯re... lv. 47.¡¯


    ¡¯What was that? I didn¡¯t catch what you said,¡¯ prodded Eliza. ¡¯Speak up, Jack. Are you trying to keep secrets from your wife?¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer and I are... lv. 47,¡¯ Jack sighed.


    ¡¯You¡¯re what?! You¡¯re lv. 47 in just a few days?!¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza, calm down. This leveling strategy only works because we¡¯re using my old pact that takes half of Tralon¡¯s and your father¡¯s EXP. Without that, I wouldn¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯Are ya serious?! Ya already reached lv. 47?!¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, how¡¯d you do that so quickly?¡¯


    ¡¯Big Bro! Why¡¯d you forget about me? I want to level up too!¡¯


    ¡¯Jack... Have you really leveled up that much? Will you not need us anymore?¡¯


    Each of his party members quickly joined the conversation, adding their own question or thought to the mix. Jack was helpless against the slew of interjections, incapable of answering everything all at once.


    ¡¯Guys... Guys! Please, calm down for a second. I can exin!¡¯ Jack did his best to regain some control. ¡¯I¡¯m in the storehouse of the Leisure Guild, which has a dungeon I built with mobs reaching levels as high as lv. 70. That¡¯s why Bowzer and I are traveling with Argyle and Tralon. I only got there so quickly because the storehouse mobs have grown too much after the past thousand years and we wiped out a city¡¯s worth of jakals.¡¯


    ¡¯Jakals? Are they supposed to be as strong as lv. 60? Even with those two doing the killing, that many jakals would take forever to kill¡¯ asked Rydel.


    ¡¯Not if you take them all out in one attack from a legendary spell.¡¯


    ¡¯Then what about the shadow goblins that Daliea¡¯s been talking about?¡¯ Eliza asked. ¡¯She¡¯s been so excited to know that her race still exists and can¡¯t wait to meet them. But if they were in the storehouse, that means you put them there in the past. If you had ced some shadow goblins in the storehouse, howe you only mentioned that now?¡¯


    ¡¯I... I forgot...¡¯


    ¡¯You forgot?! Jack, don¡¯t just scratch your head and dodge my question! For something that important to Daliea, you should¡¯ve told her from the beginning. Also, how do you n to get them out of there?¡¯ Eliza questioned her husband mercilessly.


    ¡¯First off, the shadow goblins have already been removed from the dungeon and she¡¯ll meet them once we¡¯re done handling things on our end,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯Second, I really did forget! Making this dungeon was something I did when I first started being a hero, way before I was even lv. 85. Most things I¡¯m known for happened after I was lv. 85, so of course I¡¯m going to forget a few things.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, how did those shadow goblins get in the dungeon if you¡¯re the one who made it?¡¯ DAliea asked, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¯Well... I don¡¯t remember who it was, but someone had given me a quest to capture a small number of shadow goblins. I didn¡¯t kill any of them, I only ced them in one of my dungeon floors because each floor was supposed to be different...¡¯ Jack exined his past actions. ¡¯But because of that, this tribe was forgotten by the rest of Kartonia and avoided extinction.¡¯


    ¡¯I guess you¡¯re right...¡¯


    ¡¯Daliea, I didn¡¯t do it with the intent to hurt your people. Honestly, at the time I was so focused on leveling up and grinding, I was doing anything and everything to get stronger. And it was a great test of my skills to face your people without killing them. It was very difficult so I thought it would be a waste to kill such amazing opponents,¡¯ Jack reasoned, trying to persuade the goblin girl. ¡¯I had never known them as anything other than mysterious goblins at the time... But I am sorry for acting in such a way and for not remembering them up till now.¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s okay, Jack. At least you know better know,¡¯ replied Daliea in a calm, d tone. ¡¯It may not have been your intention, but you still managed to save my race... That¡¯s something I can¡¯t overlook, Jack. And I¡¯m so happy that my people are still alive.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯ll have to help them relearn your native tongue but I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re properly trained,¡¯ added Jack.


    ¡¯Jack, how could I ever thank you?¡¯


    Eliza could sense the tension building in the conversation and she could also see Daliea¡¯s blushing face. She nudged Maura beside her, making sure that her fellow wife saw how affectionate Daliea appeared to be at the moment.


    With a sigh, Maura nodded to Eliza. They seemed to act in code, understanding the meaning of each other¡¯s thoughts and actions while others only saw the surface level.


    ¡¯Daliea, you don¡¯t have to--¡¯


    ¡¯How about you marry Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza! I don¡¯t want to force--¡¯


    ¡¯I-I would be willing.¡¯


    ¡¯...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, speak up!¡¯ Eliza shouted. ¡¯A beautiful woman that we all care about just offered you her hand in marriage. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re opposed to having more than one wife because we already know the truth behind that excuse.¡¯


    ¡¯...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack,¡¯ Maura chimed in, ¡¯we feel that Daliea cares about you just as much as we do. And after everything she¡¯s done for us, we know that you care about her too. Right¡¯


    ¡¯...¡¯


    ¡¯Right, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Can we please not talk about this right now?¡¯ Jack pled with his wives.


    ¡¯Why not listen to them? They¡¯re your wives, they deserve that much respect.¡¯


    Jack turned to Argyle. He could feel the seriousness behind the swordsman¡¯s intimidating re and his sudden opinion. ¡¯Fine... We can talk I guess. I¡¯ve got some time while Tralon recharges his mana.¡¯


    Back in Prachten, the party had paused their return to town and stopped at the side of the road. There, both Eliza and Maura looked to Daliea. Speaking verbally so Jack couldn¡¯t hear here encouragement, Eliza smiled, "Daliea, if you want to, then just do it. Maura and me won¡¯t be mad at all."


    "But... Eliza--"


    "She¡¯s right, Daliea," stated Maura. "Jack¡¯s dense and hard-headed, so it took forever for him to open up to us, even after we became his wives. If you don¡¯t act now, then I¡¯m not sure when you¡¯ll get another chance like this."


    Without a word, DAliea nodded.


    ¡¯Hello? You wanted to talk, but now you¡¯re silent... If we¡¯re not talking then we¡¯ll--¡¯


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯ Daliea¡¯s shout got Jack to be silent and listen. ¡¯Jack... A lot has changed since I first offered myself to you. In Reinolt, I almost forced you to make me your wife... But after traveling and seeing your party grow I couldn¡¯t find it in myself to act that way again.


    ¡¯Jack, I still want to be your woman... more so now than ever.¡¯


    ¡¯I... I don¡¯t know what to say...¡¯


    ¡¯Do you care about her Jack? Yes or no?¡¯ Argyle threw out his question without fear or hesitation, gaining his daughter¡¯s respect.


    Speaking in person, Jack looked back to his father-inw, "Argyle--"


    ¡¯Jack, if you care about her, then why not? Give me one good reason.¡¯ Argyle didn¡¯t let Jack hide their conversation from the others, keeping it within the group.


    A rollercoaster of emotions started to fill Jack¡¯s mind as his party members didn¡¯t let him bottle anything up.

 Chapter 306 New Discovery From a New System Feature

    <h4>Chapter 306 New Discovery From a New System Feature</h4>


    ¡¯I... do care about Daliea.¡¯


    ¡¯How much?¡¯ Argyle asked.


    ¡¯A lot.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t say it, Daliea,¡¯ Jack cut off the goblin girl, not letting her say what he already knew. ¡¯Now¡¯s not the time or the ce... You and I can¡¯t talk about it alone after we¡¯re done. Would you prefer that?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, I would.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, Jack¡¯s finally manning up!¡¯ joked Argyle. ¡¯Just don¡¯t forget about my beautiful daughter or your other wife during all this. You chose to have more than one wife, so you¡¯ve got to care for them all.¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, Father-inw,¡¯ Jack cheekily replied. ¡¯This conversation will happenter between Daliea and me so let¡¯s leave it at that for now.¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack, what about your level? Are you really lv. 47 after clearing just one floor?¡¯ Rydel insisted to continue the conversation Jack was ignoring.


    ¡¯Yes, but it was only because I wanted that levelpletely empty for future use. Most floors will be cleared enough to get by but not ruin the ecosystem.¡¯


    ¡¯So ya aren¡¯t going to level up again like crazy, are ya?¡¯ Maynard asked.


    Jack sighed, ¡¯I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s impossible. If wee across a mob that I would deem better as killed off, then we¡¯ll exterminate that one too. Also, there¡¯s still the boss on floor eleven so I¡¯m not sure what level I¡¯ll be by the end.¡¯


    ¡¯Howe ya didn¡¯t bring us, huh? We want free levels too!¡¯


    ¡¯Maynard, it¡¯s not that simple. I had to change the pacts with Argyle and Tralon so that they gave me half of their EXP in order to do that. But that wouldn¡¯t work for the rest of you. You would have to make contact with the enemy in some way to gain a fraction of the EXP, but doing that would slow Argyle and Tralon down to the point where we could get wiped,¡¯ reasoned Jack.


    ¡¯I guess ya have a point...¡¯


    ¡¯But Big Bro is so much stronger now... What about us? What if we can¡¯t keep up any more?¡¯


    ¡¯Lina, I don¡¯t think you of all people should worry about that,¡¯ Jack chuckled. ¡¯Out of everyone, you have the most potential to be even stronger than both me and Bowzer. We¡¯ll still be a party and you¡¯ll always be my Little Lina.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Big Bro!¡¯


    ¡¯For now, just keep trying to level up. How about we race?¡¯ Jack proposed. ¡¯We¡¯ll see if you guys can clear Sunset Valley before I finish up this dungeon raid and my preparation with Choron.¡¯


    ¡¯If we beat you, then you¡¯ve got to buy us all new equipment!¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, I¡¯ll need some new katana soon!¡¯


    ¡¯And I¡¯ll need a new beastpanion.¡¯


    As everyone started to add to the list of things Jack needed to supply the party, Jack was scratching his head and watching Argyleugh at his predicament.


    ¡¯Fine, it¡¯s a deal. I¡¯ll get you everything you need if you can clear sunset valley before I¡¯m done with my errands.¡¯


    ¡¯Yay! Thanks, Big Bro! We¡¯ll kill all the monsters in no time!¡¯


    Everyone started tough at Lina¡¯s youthful enthusiasm, happy that it was contagious. The party eventually said their goodbyes and starting returning to the inn before it got too dark.


    Jack and Argyle, on the other hand, had nothing but time on their hands as they waited to Tralon to recover from his over-expenditure of mana.


    Soon after the group conversation came to a close, Bowzer returned with a smile. ¡¯He¡¯s resting in the chief¡¯s bed.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Bowzer. You¡¯re always a huge help when I need it.¡¯ Jack rubbed the fox¡¯s belly, making Bowzer kick his back leg out of reflex.


    Argyle decided to take a nap while Jack was still awake. They agreed to take turns resting just in case the council members arrived and decided to try something. And as the current lookout, Jack cast God¡¯s Eye and began his search for the council members.


    To his luck, he saw them near the entrance of the storehouse. Three were already there and one other council member was almost there.


    "So there are for of them..." Jack mumbled to himself as he maintained a bigger picture. " We should be fine for now..."


    Deactivating the spell, Jack opened up his system to find a few notifications waiting for his attention.


    [Unreasonable force of nature:plete]


    [Elvennguage detected. Trante?]


    AS tempting as it was for Jack to see why he wasbeled as an "Unreasonable force of nature", Jack was fixated on the new ability he discovered within his Achievement System.


    Jack selected the old notification offering to trante but was disappointed by what came next.


    [Couldn¡¯t recognize or distinguish anynguages being spoken. Search fornguage manually?]


    Selecting that instead, Jack was floored by the list that popped up in front of him. At least a dozen differentnguages were listed but most were unnamed and only one was marked as fluent. Jack selected that one, curious what his system could tell him about themonnguage of Kartonia.


    [Modern Humanian: fluent]


    [User is fluent in Modern Humanian, the mostmonnguage of Modern Kartonia, and the standardized form of Ancient Humanian. Created by humans who popted the majority of Kartonia, influencing the rest of the world to pick up thenguage for reasons of trade, interaction, andmunication.]


    Curious, Jack returned to the menu and selected one of the unnamednguages.


    [???: unheard]


    [??? must be heard by the user in order to decipher thenguage and/or the dialect.]


    He then came back to thenguage menu, selecting the only othernguage he had recognized so far.


    [Elven, Greis Dialect:pletely foreign]


    [Unable to understand orprehend thenguage to the user. The Greis dialect ispletely foreign to the user and the majority of the continent. A forgotten ancientnguage from a forgotten people, the Greis Elves.]


    Reading the description, Jack froze up.


    Stated clear as day in the description, Jack learned the name of thenguage that even Grangor thought was unnamed. He also figured out something that left him at a cliffhanger.


    Wanting an immediate answer, Jack whipped out his contact crystal, the next best thing to having a tutorial stone. "Sterfen! Father! Are you there?"


    "Yeah, I¡¯m here. Did somethinge up?" Sterfen eventually responded.


    "Tell me what you know about the Greis Elves."


    "Oh, so you found out the truth. What gave it away?" Sterfen chuckled.


    "It was thanks to my subss that Darrun gave me," Jack exined. "I heard Daliea speak with Grangor in their native tongue and my subss has anguage feature I just discovered. That feature informed me about the Greis dialect, a forgotten dialect specific to the Greis Elves."


    "Really? Well you found out sooner than I was expecting you too, but you are my son after all,"ughed Sterfen. "What do you want to know? My knowledge is pretty limited on that subject because the events around the Greis Elves happened before I was a god."


    "Tell me everything you know."


    "Well, for starters they were like other elves with their long life spans and high affinity for magic. But they also stood out as the only elves who could wield dark magic and had zero chance of learning light magic," exined Sterfen.


    "A lot of disputes rose up between the Greis Elves and the other elves. Eventually, something major happened involving the Greis Elves being hunted down and killed. Their kind gradually vanished from history, or at least that¡¯s what humans and most people believe. Most elves don¡¯t even know the truth behind what happened or that the Greis Elves managed to hide themselves as shadow goblins. At some point, even they entirely assumed the identity as shadow goblins and forgot about their true origins."


    "Wow... No wonder I was able to learn little to nothing about them in the past." Jack blinked and shook his head. "What else can you tell me about the Greis Elves?"


    "ording to the official records, only one Greis Elf remains alive that knows the full history."

 Chapter 307 The Guests Enter the Storehouse

    <h4>Chapter 307 The Guests Enter the Storehouse</h4>


    "Are you saying that one of the original Greis Elves is still alive? From the time before Ancient Kartonia?"


    "Yes."


    Perplexed, Jack¡¯s brain was running out of breath. "That person... who is it and where can I find them?"


    "If you found me, then you¡¯ll be able to find them too. But you¡¯ve already made ns to visit him, so don¡¯t worry about it," Sterfen casually replied.


    "What?!" Gradually picking up the hints that Sterfen was throwing to him, Jack was left dumbstruck. "Eedaj?!"


    "Bingo."


    "Eedaj, the second most powerful Neutral God, the Mind God, is a Greis Elf? Then how on earth were the Greis Elves chased away and nearly killed off?" questioned Jack.


    "What do you mean?" Sterfen paused. "What¡¯s this "earth" that you--"


    "How did Eedaj not put a stop to the persecution of his people?!"


    "Okay, okay, calm down a little," Sterfen chuckled, forgetting Jack¡¯s use of a foreign word. "That¡¯s something I feel would be best described by Eedaj himself."


    "But Sterfen?! Father?"


    "Buttering up to me won¡¯t get you anywhere this time, but I do appreciate it," added Sterfen. "I don¡¯t know the whole truth behind it either, so it would be best if you spoke with Eedaj and informed me about after."


    "But... How could you now know? You¡¯re the God of Secrets!" shouted Jack.


    Sterfen sighed, "Just because I¡¯m the God of Secrets doesn¡¯t mean I know everything. For nearly every event after I became a god, I have plenty of information to share. But for the ones before my immortality, especially something asplicated as what happened with the Greis Elves, I don¡¯t feel I have adequate information to share it with others."


    "But... Can¡¯t you at least tell me what you know?" Jack begged.


    "No, because I¡¯m not sure if my tiny amount of information is correct. There are two people who you could ask for more information. Obviously, there¡¯s Eedaj, and we can¡¯t forget about the all-knowing man who brought you here."


    "I... I guess I could ask Daruun... But I don¡¯t have a way to do that yet."


    "Then hurry up and find what you¡¯re looking for in the storehouse. That or wait patiently for your time to visit Korten and seek out Eedaj. Now, if you¡¯ll excuse I have to go punish your mother."


    Sterfen closed off the conversation, not letting Jack ask him anything else.


    The young hero sat and stewed in his thoughts. There was also the option of calling Daliea and talking with her about all of this, but he felt that would do more damage than good.


    At the moment, Daliea was already distracted by Jack¡¯s discovery of more shadow goblins. Adding even more mystery and confusion to that would only keep her from focusing on Sunset Valley and helping the party seed.


    *****


    Outside the storehouse doors, three men were gathered, waiting on theirstrade.


    "Where¡¯s Bikkem? Wasn¡¯t he supposed to be here hours ago?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. Something came up involving the war and he had to attend to it right away," replied Quace. "He¡¯ll be here any minute now, so there¡¯s no need to worry."


    "Can I tell him to hurry?" asked Kims. "I want to hurry and get in there before Tralon and Argyle kill everything."


    "I told you to calm down, Kims. Remember, we¡¯re here for the treasure and to take care of Tralon."


    "But Kims does have a point. Though I¡¯m entirely fine with allowing Tralon to do our heavy lifting, won¡¯t they get too far ahead and make things difficult for us if we don¡¯t get in there now?"


    "Waiting a few more minutes won¡¯t hurt the n, Vixus," exined Quace. "We need him if we want any chance ofpeting with tralon in terms of strategy. I hate to admit it, but Tralon¡¯s advantage in experience is hard to ovee without Bikkem¡¯s help."


    "I¡¯ll admit to that, but you told me that you wouldn¡¯t wait for me if I waste. So why wait for him?"


    "Come on, Vixus, lighten up. Soon, the weight holding down the council will be removed and we¡¯ll be able to usher in a new era for Trodar, not one relying on ancient traditions that have long faded away."


    "But I still want to kill something!"


    "Kims, calm your sword," Vixus stated. "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have things to kill and will thoroughly enjoy ramming your de through Tralonter."


    "Ohhh... I¡¯d like that a lot," Kimsughed, putting his sword away. "Anyway, how much longer are we going to wait here?"


    "Not another minute!"


    The three men all looked out with smiles to see a broad, mountain of a man approaching them with great speed. "Sorry to keep you waiting. I had to speak with the general over the Prachten border."


    "What about?" Vixus asked.


    "Apparently the Prachten forces backed away from the border. They¡¯re still there in case we invade, but they¡¯re no longer on the offensive."


    "Strange... Are there any guesses as to why?"


    Bikkem nodded. "After thest few skirmishes, the Prachten army seemed to becking resources, especially weapons and armors. They may be switching to the defensive since they¡¯ve run low on equipment after the war effort has been dragged out so long."


    "A logical answer. Any other suspicions?"


    Bikkem shook his head. "No, we¡¯ve yet to learn anything else. But ever since Tralon organized that sh army and sent it to the Limeer border, the other fronts have lessened their attacks. Maybe they¡¯ve also learned that Limneer broke the war pact and slowed because of that."


    "Or they fear Trodar all the more now that we somehow managed to stop a surprise army."


    "Right, Vixus," exined Bikkem. "There¡¯s also a chance that they learned about how devastated that army was by the time it reached our borders. To be honest, I also have no clue as to what happened or who Tralon got to aplish such a feat."


    "Whoever it is, they must be devoted to Trodar if they¡¯re willing to go that far," stated Quace. "And if they¡¯re devoted to Trodar, then all we have to do is get the council behind them and allow them to see that our ways are more prosperous then that old man¡¯s."


    "Not a bad idea. I like it." Vixus smiled. "Once we get them on our side, we could have them run raids through Limneer, Prachten, and Iscantor. That should weaken our enemies¡¯ morale and allow us to overwhelm one of the three."


    "And once that happens, then it¡¯s only a matter of time for the remaining two fronts, regardless of who they are," added Bikkem. "But enough of that. Let¡¯s hurry up and get inside. We don¡¯t want to be left behind with no way to track them. Then it would be pointless for Kaldor toe."


    The four men walked over to the giant ck doors, patiently waiting thirty seconds.


    As the ancient doors creaked open, each of the four council members showed a different smile. Kims was excited. Vixus was curious. Bikkem was anxious. Quace was relieved.


    They all stepped inside the door, letting it close behind them. The cave was simple enough to figure out as the neared the teleportation circle and were wicked away in a disy of purple, spacial energy.


    When they reached the "first" floor, they were surprised by how quiet it was.


    They assumed that they would need stealth in such a ce, so the quickly trekked across the floor. It was muchrger than they had anticipated but it was also much more empty. In fact, it was entirely empty. They couldn¡¯t find anything at all no matter where they looked. There were no enemies, no mobs, no major signs of battle.


    What they didn¡¯t realize was that the only major sign of battle was so huge that it made that portion of the terrain appear to be naturally t, the same ce where the gathering of jakals¡¯ huts used to be found.

 Chapter 308 Waiting For Tralons Recovery

    <h4>Chapter 308 Waiting For Tralon¡°s Recovery</h4>


    With nothing to do but walk on what they assumed was the first floor, the councilmen wandered until they came across the next teleportation circle.


    Now on the next floor, the four men even more careful to not be seen since this floor had artificial lighting.


    They stuck close to the walls and allowed one of Vixus¡¯s scouting beasts to scan the area for them. He chose to use a small, speedy lizard as Vixus felt it was most befitting of the cave environment.


    Traveling slower than on the first floor, the councilmen made sure to be extremely cautious. They had no desire of getting caught on the "second floor", long before they reached their goal. In their minds, the best way of clearing the mysterious, unpredictable dungeon was to allow Tralon, who they assumed had traversed the dungeon long ago, to lead the way.


    "Hmmm... interesting..."


    "What is it, Vixus?" Quace asked in the world¡¯s softest whisper.


    Seeing through the eye of his lizard, Vixus described the sight before the lizard. "There¡¯s a roughly built city here, but it¡¯s just as quiet as the empty floor we just passed. It¡¯s possibly abandoned."


    "Howrge is it?" Bikkem asked.


    "Small. Even its walls aren¡¯t much taller than us. It was probably a small civilization of some race that those men have wiped out," deduced Vixus.


    "Makes sense. Check the city, please. I want to know if they¡¯ve left yet or if they¡¯re resting with the city as their camp."


    "Right." Vixus sent his lizardpanion over the short city walls in search of any signs of life. "Nothing so far..."


    After scouring the city and taking its time, the lizard reached the chief¡¯s home.


    "I see a light inside one of the buildings. I think they¡¯re camping for the night after sessfully clearing the two floors," stated Vixus.


    "Good, then we¡¯ll let them rest for now. We¡¯ll consider what to do about Tralon once Kaldor arrives tomorrow. Till then, let them do whatever they want," Bikkem reasoned.


    "Then I¡¯ll just have my lizard-- Hey!"


    "Shh..." Bikkem and Quace both tried to silence Vixus¡¯s sudden shout.


    "That fox..."


    "What about the fox?" asked Quace.


    "That fox just ate my lizard."


    Not sure how to feel, the other councilmen looked to the annoyed Vixus. They were all smiling, hiding theirughter about their fellow councilman¡¯s poor luck.


    "We¡¯ll check on them in a few hours with a different beast. Now we know not to get to close or that fox might get hungry again."


    *****


    After Sterfen ended their conversation, Jack wasn¡¯t able to focus on much else beyond the mysterious events he knew nothing about. So, to get his mind off of what he wasn¡¯t able to learn at the moment, Jack cast God¡¯s Eye and paid close attention to their followers.


    Jack enjoyed watching the four councilmen wander around the third floor so carefully. He would check on them every ten minutes or so, keeping track of their speed and location at all times.


    Once they were teleported to the fourth floor, Jack paid extra close attention. To make sure they were found but not seen, Jack had Argyle and Bowzer join Tralon in the chief¡¯s house.


    When Jack noticed that the councilmen were no longer moving, he searched for anything that might be foreign to the dungeon that could be used to scout them out. Jack quickly found a lizarding from the direction of the councilmen. As the lizard gradually entered the city, Jack snickered.


    The hero waited for quite some time for the lizard to get close to the chief¡¯s house and spot the light they set. As soon as Jack was sure the lizard saw them, Jack chuckled.


    ¡¯Hey, Bowzer, you hungry?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah!¡¯


    ¡¯Sadly, most of the creatures on this floor are insects, but you got lucky.¡¯ Jack pointed to the outside wall. ¡¯On the other side of this wall is a tasty lizard. But you¡¯ll have to catch it by surprise or it will run away from you.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? Thanks, Jack!¡¯


    All smiles, the Hell-me Fox silently got up and trotted through the halls. He swiftly exited the house and located his dinner. The poor lizard didn¡¯t stand a chance against Bowzer¡¯s speed or his powerful fangs.


    ¡¯That should do it.¡¯


    ¡¯What are you talking about, Jack¡¯


    Jack smiled at Argyle motioned to the outside where they could hear Bowzer loudly chewing and crunching on the lizard. ¡¯If I¡¯m not mistaken, Bowzer¡¯s dinner was a beast scout sent out by the councilmen.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Nice move, Jack,¡¯ Argyleughed. ¡¯Then we should be fine for another day so long as they know we¡¯re in here.¡¯


    ¡¯I just hope a full day¡¯s rest will be enough for Tralon.¡¯


    ¡¯Knowing him, he¡¯ll be a bit sore but he¡¯ll muster through it for now. By the way, what in Halmut¡¯s beard is on the tenth floor?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, I should warn you about that,¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯It¡¯s almost as big as the third floor with the jakals, but I only ced a handful of monsters on that floor.¡¯


    ¡¯So what makes it so fearful?¡¯


    ¡¯Also like the third floor it¡¯s pitch-ck down there, but unlike the third floor, it had illusory mists and mobs specializing in illusions and charms. If you don¡¯t know theyout of the floor, then you¡¯ll be forced to wander aimlessly until you happen to step on the teleportation circle.¡¯


    Startled, Argyle gave Jack a crazy look. ¡¯It¡¯s that bad?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah but it¡¯s probably much worse now. The beasts on that floor were actually some of the weakest in the entire dungeon, they just made the tenth floor impossible to navigate. There¡¯s no telling how many of them there are now,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯Also, if you can¡¯t properly understand teleportation circles, then you might end up going somewhere you don¡¯t want to go.¡¯


    ¡¯You put more than one kind of circle down there, didn¡¯t you?¡¯


    ¡¯Guilty as charged,¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯Without our mental link, it would almost be impossible to travel together. Even if we¡¯re tied together or holding hands, we wouldn¡¯t be able to see ourselves down there. And I don¡¯t want to use Bowzer¡¯s mes either, otherwise, we may not be able to trick the councilmen.¡¯


    ¡¯And what if the councilmen decide to attack us before we reach the tenth floor?¡¯ Argyle asked.


    ¡¯Well... In that case, we fight. And since they may try to eliminate Tralon, then I wouldn¡¯t be against eliminating them if necessary.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, so you wouldn¡¯t care if I killed them?¡¯ Argyle smiled. ¡¯Even if some getaway and they can prove we did it?¡¯


    ¡¯Even then, because they entered uninvited into our guild¡¯s storehouse. And since they would be forced to exin why the dared to try that, then I think our arguments would bnce out,¡¯ reasoned Jack. ¡¯As for the uing election, I think once we reveal ourselves as the culprits behind sess in both Limneer and Prachten. And by then I¡¯ll also have an alliance with Korten, hopefully.¡¯


    ¡¯If you can prove all that public and you get the treaty with Korten, then I can see why you would be a shoo-in for the council.¡¯


    ¡¯Also, I may be able to get a god to move to Trodar by then, I think.¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?! Which one?¡¯ Argyle¡¯s eyes were filled with excitement.


    ¡¯It would be a Neutral God that most people have forgotten, but he¡¯s still a god,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯His name is Eedaj. I should be able to meet him in Kortan, and if I¡¯m thinking correctly I might be able to convince him to relocate to the Leisure Guild.¡¯


    ¡¯You and your wild schemes... I¡¯m d I¡¯m getting mixed up in them,¡¯ughed Argyle. ¡¯This is far more exciting than just preparing for auctions or making business deals.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, you¡¯re always wee to participate in them when you¡¯re able, and under certain circumstances, I might request it.¡¯


    ¡¯Consider it done.¡¯


    Jack and Argyle proudly shook hands, not as son-inw and father-inw but as future partners both anxious for adventure.

 Chapter 309 Kaldor Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 309 Kaldor Arrives</h4>


    With nothing left to do but wait, Jack fiddled with his system.


    At first, he was inspecting thenguage feature and moved it out of the settings tab and on to the main menu. After that, he reopened his achievement list and was reminded of the achievement he had yet to im.


    [Unreasonable force of nature:plete]


    [Be the cause of the extinction of a species, eliminating it permanently from history. Unique reward: 125 skill points.]


    Part of Jack was ecstatic to find himself with one hundred and twenty-five free skill points, but another part of him felt some regret and guilt. He didn¡¯t know that jakals were no longer alive outside of the dungeon and part of him wished to keep a few jakals alive to relocate them or experiment with them and their cultural development.


    But it was toote for any of that. All Jack could do was ept his reward and ept that he had not only saved a species from extinction but had effectively exterminated one as well.


    Jack took the hundred and twenty-five skill points, now leaving him with one hundred and thirty-four skill points. Now he had to make a decision, to spend it or to save it. He could spend it on some smaller skills that he had been ignoring for a long time or he could try to save up for something more expensive.


    The temptation of the powerful spells was tempting, but Jack decided to spend them on something that could help both himself and the party in Prachten.


    First, Jack upgraded hispanion bloodline skill to lv. 3 for forty skill points, leaving him with ny-four points to spend. Those were mostly spent on thepanion telepathy skill, making it lv. 4 and leaving Jack with fourteen skill points.


    Doing this, Jack hoped that the party would be able to bettermunicate with their beastpanions and that his own me body would get stronger.


    ¡¯Jack, did you do something again?¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean, Bowzer?¡¯ Jack turned to see Bowzer walking back into the room.


    ¡¯Wait, Bowzer just talked?!¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, I¡¯ve always been able to talk with Jack.¡¯ Bowzer tilted his head, not surprised in the least.


    While Argyle was blown away by Bowzer suddenly speaking telepathically, Jack realized what had happened. ¡¯Bowzer, do it again.¡¯


    ¡¯Do what again?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, has Bowzer always been able to speak?¡¯


    Laughing, Jack looked at his startled father-inw. ¡¯Argyle, calm down. He¡¯s been speaking with me from the beginning, but now he can speak with others I guess.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?! Everyone else can hear me now?!¡¯ Excitement filled Bowzer¡¯s adolescent voice. ¡¯Eliza! Can you hear me?!¡¯


    ¡¯What is it now?¡¯ Eliza shouted back. ¡¯Who did Jack make a pact with this time? He should at least warn us--¡¯


    ¡¯Eliza, it¡¯s me! Bowzer!¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer?!¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer, that¡¯s enough!¡¯ shouted Jack. ¡¯Let them sleep. You can talk to them when we finish the dungeon, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... But I can talk to everyone now!¡¯


    ¡¯Shhh!¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, right.¡¯ The fox chuckled as he grew quiet, but he couldn¡¯t hide the smile on his face or the excitement in his steps.


    ¡¯Sorry, Eliza. I upgrade mypanion telepathy skill and now he can speak to you guys. Also, now you should be able to better understand your beastpanions,¡¯ exined Jack.


    ¡¯Oh... Just make sure he doesn¡¯t wake us up again.¡¯ Eliza yawned and ended the conversation, too tired to get excited.


    ¡¯So Bowzer can talk now,¡¯ sighed Argyle. ¡¯Listen up, Bowzer. You¡¯ve can¡¯t just shout at people. At least be courteous to others, or I¡¯ll have to remind you personally.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, it won¡¯t happen again.¡¯ Bowzer nodded.


    ¡¯Good, now it¡¯s my turn to rest. Wake me up if you need me or if Tralon gets up.¡¯ Stretching his arms and back, Jack stood up and left to find a bed of his own.


    Jack slept for a few hours but nothing had changed. Tralon was still unconscious, but hisplexion seemed healthier and livelier. Lucky for them, the other councilmen didn¡¯t bother attacking them or trying anything. It proved that Tralon had guessed correctly, that the councilmen wanted to let Jack, Tralon, and Argyle act as their guinea pigs in the dungeon.


    But it also showed that the councilmen were on guard, something Jack would keep in mind as they pushed forward.


    A full twenty-four hours had almost passed before Tralon started to move again. ¡¯Oh...¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, how are you feeling?¡¯


    ¡¯Better... I¡¯m feeling much better, Argyle.¡¯ Tralon found Jack and smiled. ¡¯I think I¡¯m well enough to keep going now.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t push yourself too hard, Tralon,¡¯ Jack replied. ¡¯We¡¯ll keep going, but if you need to rest than say so, alright?¡¯


    With a sigh, Tralon nodded. ¡¯I will. Thank you, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Then it¡¯s time to move out! Where to, Jack?¡¯ Argyleughed, happy to continue the adventure.


    ¡¯From here it should be northwest. But let¡¯s keep a calm, steady pace now that we¡¯ve got an audience watching us.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, so they¡¯vee,¡¯ughed Tralon. ¡¯Then I¡¯ll be extra careful to keep their attention on me and not you, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, then let¡¯s go!¡¯


    Jack mounted Bowzer and assumed the back position of their triangle formation, letting Tralon and Argyle guard the front on both sides. Thirty minutes of walkingter, the party vanished in a pulse of purple energy.


    Not too far away, four men waited for information toe from their beast scout.


    "So, they¡¯ve finally moved on... They took their time, didn¡¯t they?" Vixusmented as hemanded hisst lizard to return.


    "Maybe they were recovering after wiping out the two floors," added Bikkem.


    Quace nodded. "Right, then it was smart of us to let them handle the floors for us. Let¡¯s wait here a while and give them time to clear the next floor."


    "Isn¡¯t now also a good time to contact Kaldor?"


    "I¡¯ll do that now, no need to remind me, Vixus." After rolling his eyes at Vixus, Quace pulled out his contact crystal with haste. "Kaldor, how far out are you?"


    "I should be arriving within the hour. It¡¯s to the north of the city, right?" asked Kaldor.


    "To the northwest. You¡¯ll see a clearing and some giant, ck doors that you can¡¯t miss," exined Quace. "Once you¡¯re there, stand in front of the doors for thirty seconds for them to open, and don¡¯t worry about closing it."


    "Alright, I¡¯ll be calling you soon!"


    Kaldor hung up, not wanting to waste time talking. He was busy imagining all of the treasure he was about to receive, dwarfing everything that Hurmot and Argyle had won at the yearly auction.


    Picturing mountains of gold and tinum... Imagining the piles of ancient weapons and equipment... Visualizing all of the priceless treasures that had been sealed away within his grasp... Kaldor enjoyed his daydreams for the rest of the ride as his Giant Condor carried him to the northern region of Trodar.


    By the time the condor descended, Kaldor was antsier than ever.


    Raids weren¡¯t an umon urrence for Kaldor, but he had never gained exclusive ess to a newly opened dungeon that had been sealed for a millennia. That was a dreame true for him.


    Now standing in front of the ck doors, Kaldor was feeling anxious, so anxious that he struggled to stand still in front of the ancient doors.


    But after thirty long seconds, Kaldor¡¯s smile got wider.


    He stored the condor and strode forward to enter the opening doors. Once there was enough room to fit therge man he stepped in, or at least he tried to.


    For some reason, Kaldor was unable to enter the doorway. Even with the doors open and unlocked, Kaldor still felt an invisible force blocking him from entering the dungeon he was so eager to raid.


    A minute passed as Kaldor struggled against the invisible force. Another minute passed. Soon five minutes passed and Kaldor remained unable to go any further. Rage and fury were painted on his face as he retrieved his contact crystal.

 Chapter 310 Change of Plans for the Councilmen

    <h4>Chapter 310 Change of ns for the Councilmen</h4>


    "Quace! Why can¡¯t I enter!"


    "What do you mean?" Quace questioned. "We¡¯re already on the second floor waiting for you."


    "But why can¡¯t I enter! The doors have opened but there¡¯s some invisible force not letting me enter," barked Kaldor. "Did you trick me intoing?"


    "Of course not! What would I gain by sending you all the way here," Quace replied as he tried to grasp the situation. "Argyle is already on the third floor, so the level cap should just be a rumor."


    "Level cap? You sent me to a dungeon with a level cap and didn¡¯t tell me about it!"


    "Kaldor, calm down. There has to be a way for you to get inside. Argyle¡¯s with Tralon already so there has to be a way," argued Quace, trying to reason with their ace-in-the-hole.


    "Maybe Tralon knew about the level cap and had a way to get him inside," Vixus stated, overhearing Quace¡¯s frantic side of the conversation.


    "Right, Tralon must have some way to get people in despite the level cap!"


    Still furious, Kaldor shouted, "But how does that help me? You got me involved so I would hold back Argyle while you faced Tralon, but you can¡¯t get me in without facing Tralon and stealing whatever it was that got Argyle inside. You pestros!"


    "Kaldor, we didn¡¯t mean for this to happen. How could we know that the Leisure Guild had an enforced level cap on the storehouse? No one has ever entered it since the guild¡¯s founder disappeared," Quace reasoned. "There was never a chance to learn the truth, so don¡¯t me us."


    "I don¡¯t the others, I me you, Quace! Don¡¯t go around offering deals when you can¡¯t back them up, pestro!" Kaldor refuted.


    "But Kaldor--"


    "I still expect to receive a share of the treasures. I didn¡¯te all the way here for nothing!"


    "Kaldor, that¡¯s absurd! How could you expect us to do that when you aren¡¯t able to help us?"


    Kaldor barked, "You offered to be allies but you want to be enemies instead?"


    "We..." Fearing the wrath of a lv. 72 and his organization, Quace chose his words carefully. "Let me speak with the other councilmen first. We can get you a portion of the treasures, but not a majority."


    "Fine, inform me once you¡¯ve made a decision."


    Quace stopped speaking with Kaldor and looked around him. The other three councilmen were eyeing him, already knowing what Quace wanted to discuss.


    "I say we give Kaldor your share of the treasures, Quace."


    "Vixus, that¡¯s--"


    "You¡¯re the one who got Kaldor involved without guaranteeing that he could enter," argued Vixus. "Also, you convinced us that we would have his support to face Tralon and Argyle. That also turned out to be a lie."


    "That¡¯s unreasonable to say. How did I lie?"


    Kims replied, "Sure, I¡¯m fine withing to kill things and gain EXP, but you said that Kaldor would be able to hold off Argyle while I got to kill Tralon. Now we¡¯ve already entered the dungeon and can¡¯t turn back, so who¡¯s going to hold off Argyle?"


    Quaced gulped, not happy to have the other three men eyeing him like that. "Don¡¯t look at me. I¡¯m a sorcerer. With his speed, Argyle would close the distance and do me in."


    "But you¡¯re the highest level," stated Vixus. "Even if you don¡¯t face him alone, you should still bear that responsibility."


    "Then who will help me? Any volunteers?" Quace looked to both Bikkem and Vixus. "Kims may have the most fighting experience, but he¡¯s also five levels lower than Argyle. One of you two should help me with Argyle."


    "I think the monk should do it."


    "What about you and your beasts?" Bikkem argued. "With the help of your beasts, you¡¯d be able to divert Argyle¡¯s attention off of Quace while Quace goes for the killing blow."


    "But you have the greatest defense, greater than all of my beasts," reasoned Vixus. "You may be able to hold Argyle off just as well as Kaldor with Quace backing you up. My beasts will be needed elsewhere."


    "Really? And where would that be."


    "Have you forgotten about the son-inw hero with a Hell-me Fox?"


    Everyone paused for a moment, remembering the legendary beast. Quace shook his head. "Vixus, he¡¯s much too low to be--"


    "I doubt he¡¯s as weak as you believe him to be," stated Vixus. "If he¡¯s gone up against the syndicate and been sessful, I doubt he¡¯s so easy to handle. Either he¡¯s much stronger than we give him credit or he¡¯s a master tactician that we should fear facing. Both scenarios are something we should be ready for."


    "Vixus, stopining and--"


    "Quace, Vixus has a point," added Bikkem. "In that case, I¡¯ll team up with Quace against Argyle. We¡¯ll hold him off while Kims faces Tralon and Vixus quickly finishes off the young hero and the fox."


    "Really, Bikkem? Are you sure?" asked Quace.


    "Yes, I¡¯m sure that would be best. Once the hero and the fox are dealt with, Vixus could then control Tralon while Kims goes for the killing blow. Then all four of us will be left against Argyle, should he choose to keep fighting by that point," Bikkem exined.


    "So long as I get to have my fight, I¡¯m fine with that."


    "I second Bikkem¡¯s n."


    Quace looked back at his fellow councilmen in a stupor. "And... what about the treasures?"


    Bikkem nodded. "How about this. Kims, Vixus, and myself will take fifteen percent each. We¡¯ll give Kaldor ten percent and you five percent, leaving the remaining forty percent for the city¡¯s treasury."


    "That--"


    "I second that thought," added Vixus.


    Kims chuckled, "Sounds good to me,"


    "But I shouldn¡¯t be getting only five percent. I was the one who organized this!" shouted Quace.


    "And due to your poor organization, we¡¯ve had topletely change our n. You¡¯ll already be taking the most credit for bringing the storehouse treasures to the city, so be lucky that you¡¯re even getting five percent," reasoned Bikkem with a straight face.


    "I... fine. But at least let me pick the first item."


    When the three councilmen agreed to that condition, Quace sighed into his contact crystal, "Kaldor, you¡¯ll be receiving my share of the treasures. Alright?"


    "Good. Then I¡¯ll be patiently waiting outside these doors," Kaldor angrily chuckled.


    Quace put his contact crystal away and looked back to the party of councilmen. "So, are there any other things we need to discuss?"


    "When are we making a move against them?" Vixus asked, wanting to get a read on his fellow councilmen.


    "The sooner the better!" shouted Kims.


    Quace shook his head. "We should wait until we near the final floor. So long as we attack before the eleventh floor, we¡¯ll be fine. Let them handle the mobs while we attack their backs."


    "But should we wait that long?" Bikkem questioned. "What if they present us with a better opportunity? If they get caught up facing mobs and are left weak, why not strike sooner?"


    "We could do that, but what about the rest of the dungeon? The eleven floors only get more confusing and random as we go deeper, right? If we kill Tralon in the early levels, can we guarantee our sess on theter levels?" reasoned Quace.


    "For once, you have a point, Quace," Vixusughed. "I think we should wait till thest half of the dungeon to strike, but as soon as an opportunity appears in thetter half, we should take it. I don¡¯t think we should wait till the ninth or tenth level unless it¡¯s absolutely necessary."


    "I¡¯m alright with that reasoning," Bikkem agreed. "We shouldn¡¯t waste opportunities when there¡¯s no guarantee of a better one toe."


    "I just want to kill him, so I¡¯m fine with whatever. But that does sound like the best n, so let¡¯s go with that."


    Quace covered his face with his hand and sighed. "Fine... then we¡¯ll strike on either the sixth, seventh, or eighth floor, depending on when an opportunity presents itself. Does everyone agree?"


    "Agreed."


    "I¡¯ll agree to that."


    "Yeah!"


    With everyone reaching an ord, the councilmen waited a bit longer. They wanted to make sure that the next floor was clear and that they weren¡¯t spotted till thest half of the dungeon.

 Chapter 311 Rushing the First and Second Floors

    <h4>Chapter 311 Rushing the First and Second Floors</h4>


    A pulse of deep purple energy appeared in a dimly lit cavern. It onlysted a moment, but it left four figures behind as it dispersed.


    ¡¯What floor are we on now?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    ¡¯This should be the first floor, the easiest of the dungeon. This shouldn¡¯t take too long. But let¡¯s not exterminate everything we see. I¡¯ll be happy to break lv. 50 by the end of this ce, so theter floors will be enough for that.¡¯ Feeling a bit tinge of regret about forcing extinction upon the jakals, Jack wanted to keep the dungeon intact as much as possible.


    ¡¯I guess we can make that happen. But if something attacks, then I¡¯m killing it.¡¯


    Jack chuckled, ¡¯sure, go for it. But with you in the party, we¡¯ll be attacked less than you¡¯d think. A lot of the mobs on this floor are simpleminded. The threat on this floor is if you get overrun by too many weaker monsters.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... That sounds boring.¡¯ Argyle shrugged.


    ¡¯At least I can save my energy for this floor,¡¯ added Tralon. ¡¯Now let¡¯s hurry. I want to get to the fifth floor as soon as possible.¡¯


    ¡¯Really, why¡¯s that?¡¯


    ¡¯You don¡¯t know this, Jack, but the fifth floor is my favorite floor. Both the fifth and the tenth floors are very reminiscent of your adventuring style and are very different from typical dungeons.¡¯


    ¡¯Now that sounds like fine!¡¯ Argyle smiled. ¡¯Where to, Jack? I want to see this fifth floor.¡¯


    ¡¯We have to reach the end of the tunnel, that¡¯s all. But we¡¯ll have to hurry, so I think Argyle should rest on Bowzer for a while.¡¯


    ¡¯Then please, excuse me.¡¯ Tralon happily climbed atop the nimble fox.


    ¡¯Right, then let¡¯s go!¡¯


    As if a race had just begun, Argyle, Jack, and Bowzer bolted head-first into the dim cavern, not caring about what may try to attack them.


    Like Jack had stated before, more creatures avoided the party with a lv. 71 swordsman instead of attacking. asionally, they would run into a beast stupid enough to test them, but it always ended with a single swing of Argyle¡¯s sword.


    The end was quickly found and the circle was activated.


    Suddenly, Argyle was perplexed. He and the rest of the party were now outside on a path climbing a mountain. ¡¯What is this?¡¯


    ¡¯This is the second floor,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯I told you that I made this dungeon different than the rest. This floor is a bit misleading. Want me to exin why now or do you want to figure it out?¡¯


    ¡¯Is it misleading but fun?¡¯ questioned Argyle.


    ¡¯Nah, it¡¯s just misleading. Starting on the fifth-floor things will get fun and will start to take us a bit longer toplete.¡¯


    ¡¯Then just tell me so we can hurry up and reach the fifth floor.¡¯


    Jack smiled. ¡¯The goal of this floor isn¡¯t to reach the mountain peak, it¡¯s to reach the center of the mountain. There is a teleportation circle at the top of the mountain, but it will only bring you back to where we are now. We need to find the secret entrance to the mountain then hurry and reach the next circle.¡¯


    ¡¯Wow... You¡¯re one pesky pestro, Jack,¡¯ughed Argyle.


    ¡¯Come on, let¡¯s hurry up. Maybe those fools will fall for the stalling tactic and give us even more time,¡¯ stated Jack.


    Argyle led the way, but Jack and Bowzer remained at his side, letting Jack inform Argyle on where to go and how to find the hidden entrance to the center of the mountain.


    Though dealing with the beasts only took a swing of Argyle¡¯s sword, Jack was still surprised by the increase in levels. The first two floors only had basic mobs in order to make the daring adventurers exploring the dungeon feel confident about their ability to survive the dungeon, only to take things up a notch in terms of physical and mental difficulty inter levels.


    Yet, on the first to floors, the majority of mobs weren¡¯t lv. 55. They varied between lv. 56 to lv. 59. And they even ran into a lv. 60 along the way.


    This made Jack both curious and worried. Of course, he wanted to see how the dungeon he had created in a videogame had evolved in real life. Also, he was worried about thest half of the dungeon, especially the boss on the eleventh floor. Jack had a way to deal with the boss based in the past, but there was no telling whether past methods would still prove to be functional or not.


    After a couple of hours, the party had managed to find the hidden entrance and found the circle hidden within the mountain.


    ¡¯Is there anything else or can we hurry to the fifth floor?¡¯


    ¡¯Let¡¯s rest here for an hour.¡¯


    Giving Jack a confused look, Argyle asked, ¡¯An hour, why so long?¡¯


    ¡¯Because I¡¯m not sure what level the mobs on the fifth floor will be or how many we¡¯ll find there,¡¯ answered Jack.


    ¡¯Then tell me more about this ce while we rest,¡¯ Argyle insisted as he sat down cross-legged before the teleportation circle.


    Bowzerid down as Tralon and Jack also took a seat.


    ¡¯Since Tralon remembers the fifth floor so well, how about we have him talk about it.¡¯ Jack looked to Tralon and nodded.


    ¡¯Well, the fifth level is the most deceiving level in all of the dungeon, apart from the crafty and tricky tenth floor,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯The fifth floor is a giantbyrinth filled with treasures and monsters alike.¡¯


    ¡¯There are treasures on the fifth floor?¡¯ Argyle¡¯s ears perked up. ¡¯What kind of treasures? Howe those treasures aren¡¯t hidden within the vault?¡¯


    ¡¯Because these treasures serve a purpose, to mislead you and everyone else willing to traverse the dungeon.¡¯


    ¡¯To mislead me? How so?¡¯


    ¡¯Not only is the entire fifth floor abyrinth made of roxite--¡¯


    ¡¯Roxite?! The entire thing is made of roxite?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, Argyle. So were those doors we opened up and most of the dungeon is made of the stuff,¡¯ mentioned Tralon. ¡¯Now, not only is the fifth floor abyrinth made of roxite, but you¡¯ll have to be wary of all the treasures strewn about the level.¡¯


    Argyle squinted as Tralon continued, ¡¯Some treasures will be genuine, but most will be false and will attack you should you choose to interact with them.¡¯


    ¡¯Attack if you interact with them... If the false treasures aren¡¯t really treasures, then are they some kind of mob?¡¯


    ¡¯Good guess, Argyle!¡¯ Jack gave his father-inw a thumbs up. ¡¯Got any guesses as to what kind?¡¯


    ¡¯Knowing how sneaky you are, you probably built a giantbyrinth and filled it with mimics to catch unsuspecting people off guard and kill them.¡¯


    ¡¯I guess you do know me pretty well,¡¯ughed Jack. ¡¯That¡¯s why we¡¯ll have to be extra careful on the fifth floor. Some mimics may attack outright or they could wait for you to try and pick them up. Either way, it¡¯s a great scare tactic and a good way to catch inexperienced adventurers off guard.¡¯


    ¡¯Or to take their stuff after they die?¡¯


    ¡¯Wow, you do know me well!¡¯ Jack sprung up to his feet and chuckled.


    ¡¯Nah, I just understand you¡¯re sense of humor. Why did you build this ce again? Are you sure it wasn¡¯t because you got bored?¡¯


    Laughing loudly, Jack looked Argyle in the eyes. ¡¯If you put it that way, yeah, I was very bored at the time and I wanted to mix things up. That¡¯s why things are so different on each floor. I wanted a single dungeon to contain all of my favorite things from other dungeons.¡¯


    ¡¯Man... You¡¯re a pestro through and through... But I like that!¡¯


    d to see his father-inw excited for the fifth floor, Jack grinned and decided not to reveal all of the fifth floor¡¯s secrets just yet. He wanted to see how much fun Argyle could have with the secret mini-boss.

 Chapter 312 Enter the Fifth Floor

    <h4>Chapter 312 Enter the Fifth Floor</h4>


    After waiting an hour or so, the party continued to the fifth floor. They were eager to see what had be of the fifth floor with renewed health and mana.


    Argyle was a bit surprised at first when they arrived. Kari crystals lined the entire ceiling and they were on a path barely three meters wide with a dead-end behind them. They could see the path fork into three before them, offering them a choice at the beginning of thebyrinth.


    ¡¯So there¡¯s no way for us to see the rest of the path since you didn¡¯t leave any gaps. I love and hate that idea,¡¯ stated Argyle with a sour face.


    ¡¯Who said there was no way to see it?¡¯ Jack chuckled as the color of his eyes became a faded white.


    Tralon nodded. ¡¯Jack, allow me. Honestly, you and Bowzer together may be stronger than me right now. Bu tI can handle something as simple as God¡¯s Eye without worries.¡¯


    The white light faded from Jack¡¯s eyes as Tralon¡¯s gained that same white cloudiness. ¡¯Sounds like a n. If needed, me and Bowzer will tag-team whatever dares to hurt you, Tralon.¡¯


    With a smile, Tralon looked around them and gained a new view of the surrounding, looking through the dungeon walls and clearly seeing thebyrinthyout. He kept his gaze for nearly five minutes until he canceled the spell and smiled. ¡¯We¡¯ll go left first.¡¯


    ¡¯I hope you¡¯re leading us to all of the treasure troves and not just the end, Tralon,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯I don¡¯t like the idea of leaving anything behind for those stupid councilmen.¡¯


    ¡¯I already know what you¡¯re after so, of course, I¡¯ll lead us correctly,¡¯ Tralonughed. ¡¯Also, I¡¯m not sure if you noticed earlier but there are far more mimics than I remember.¡¯


    ¡¯I caught a glimpse. I¡¯m sure Argyle will have fun trying to loot my dungeon,¡¯ Jack joined in theughter.


    ¡¯Well, if nothing has a level higher than lv. 65, then why would I want it.¡¯ Argyle showed a smug look until a thought came to him. ¡¯Unless... there are mythic-tier items in here?¡¯


    With a nod, Jack replied, ¡¯I guarantee that there are no legendary items here, but there might be a few mythic-tier items among the overwhelming mimics.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll ept your challenge, Jack!¡¯


    ¡¯Just be quick about it. If you take too long, then I¡¯ll be forced to take it all to save time.¡¯


    ¡¯And how do you n to handle the mimics on your own, huh?¡¯ Argyle mocked.


    Jack shrugged. ¡¯Why should I deal with them when I can simply choose the real items among the mimics?¡¯


    Argyle looked at his son-inw like he would a cheating conman. ¡¯You can do that? I¡¯d like to see you try it.¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, just don¡¯t be mad when I take everything. How about we take turns choosing an item? That way you won¡¯t be mad when I leave with everything?¡¯


    ¡¯Deal!¡¯


    As Jack and Argyle continued down the path, each with their own versions of a mischievous grin, Tralon calmly rode Bowzer at the rear. ¡¯What do you think, Bowzer? Who will snag more treasure?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack for sure!¡¯


    ¡¯Oh? I think it might be closer than Jack¡¯s expecting, but only time will tell.¡¯


    Tralon and Bowzer were quick to be great friends. Both were fully loyal to Jack and were d to have someone to finally talk to about so many things. Tralon could talk about all of his many life experiences, both with and without Jack, while Bowzer was d he could finally speak to someone besides Jack and ask Tralon any question that came to his mind.


    ¡¯I call first pick!¡¯ shouted Argyle. He made sure he was the first to arrive at the glittering open space they had reached. The auction house owner stared at the brilliant treasures lining the walls around them. ¡¯This one! This one is mine!"


    Jack was all smiles till he noticed which one Argyle was reaching for. With a frown, he asked, ¡¯Are you sure about that?¡¯


    ¡¯More than sure!¡¯ Proud of his choice, Argyle chose a spear among many weapons surrounding it. When he lifted it in the air, it glistened in the light of the thousands of kari crystals along the ceiling. ¡¯This is a good spear. What tier is this one, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s only peak-tier, but it¡¯s at the top of peak-tier.¡¯ Jack squinted and gave Argyle a scan with his eyes. That was when Jack sighed and smiled. ¡¯So that¡¯s how you did it... That¡¯s a nice headband you¡¯re wearing, isn¡¯t it?¡¯


    ¡¯What, this? It¡¯s nothingpared to what you own, but it¡¯s quite useful at times like this. Remember, I own an auction house and made tomb-raiding my upation. If I didn¡¯t have something like this, I never would¡¯ve been sessful.¡¯


    ¡¯Fair, it¡¯s my fault for underestimating you. Then let¡¯s be fast with our choices so we can hurry and clear the dungeon.¡¯ Jack looked again at Argyle¡¯s Headband of Truth. ¡¯I¡¯m just curious, how much if that headband worth nowadays?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... I¡¯d say it¡¯s worth a lv. 65 peak-tier item.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I can buy it off of you for a lv. 70 item, right?¡¯


    Turning his attention to Jack, Argyle stored the spear. ¡¯It wouldn¡¯t be impossible. What are you offering?¡¯


    ¡¯Nothing yet,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯I¡¯ll be nice and make you an offer after we¡¯re done here. That okay with you?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, now hurry and choose your item.¡¯


    Jack then picked a belt from among the treasures. It was only lv. 50, but it would greatly increase the wearer¡¯s natural strength. And so long as Jack used his transforming cloak correctly, then the belt should be protected while Jack uses his me body.


    ¡¯Oh, nice choice!¡¯ Argyleughed as he picked up a lv. 60 sword. ¡¯Only peak-tier, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah. There wasn¡¯t anything mythic-tier in this batch,¡¯ Jack stated as he selected a lv. 55 ne.


    ¡¯That¡¯s everything real, right?¡¯


    ¡¯That Headband of Truth lives up to its name,¡¯ chuckled Jack. ¡¯Let¡¯s get going to the next treasure trove. There should be two more before the safe house.¡¯


    ¡¯Safehouse?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, I put a safe house in the center to mark the halfway point of the fifth floor.¡¯


    Tralon smiled. ¡¯I¡¯ve already memorized the first half of thebyrinth, so we¡¯ll reach the next two troves very soon. And I¡¯m sure Argyle will want to search the safehouse for more treasures.¡¯


    Argyleughed, ¡¯You already know it, so don¡¯t get mad at me for turning your safehouse upside down.¡¯


    ¡¯Anything you find in the safe house you can keep, I¡¯ll be nice but you¡¯ll have to really search if you want to find things I¡¯ve hidden away,¡¯ Jack stated proudly.


    ¡¯Sounds simple enough. Where to now?¡¯


    ¡¯We go straight, then left.¡¯


    Jack and Argyle followed Tralon¡¯s directions eagerly, both full of smiles. When they reached the second trove, they again chose another four treasures. There wasn¡¯t anything spectacr, but it was all good equipment that was worth something. How could Jack put anything truly valuable out in the open?


    The same thing happened at the third treasure trove. Each of them chose two items and managed to avoid the mimics. Soon they were on the way to the safehouse.


    After twenty minutes of walking, something came into view, and Argyle beamed. The swordsman darted ahead at full speed. He didn¡¯t want to waste a single moment in his search for Jack¡¯s treasures.


    ¡¯One, two, three...¡¯ Jack started to quietly count as he slowly approached the two-story safehouse.


    Tralon and Bowzer followed Jack¡¯s pace, but the fox was also excited to explore the safehouse. However, before Bowzer could act, Tralon caught his attention.


    ¡¯Bowzer, don¡¯t go inside.¡¯


    Bowzer pouted, ¡¯But why?! Argyle went inside, why can¡¯t I?¡¯


    ¡¯Just wait. You¡¯ll see,¡¯ chuckled Tralon.

 Chapter 313 The Mini Boss

    <h4>Chapter 313 The ¡°Mini¡° Boss</h4>


    ¡¯Where did you hide it! It¡¯s got to be somewhere!¡¯ Argyle¡¯s shouts filled Jack¡¯s, Tralon¡¯s, and Bowzer¡¯s heads.


    ¡¯15... 16... 17...¡¯ Jack continued to quietly count as heughed at Argyle.


    ¡¯Jack! What did you hide in here? Is it in the basement? No... Is it in the attic?¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, why can¡¯t I go in too?¡¯ asked Bowzer.


    ¡¯Just wait and see. I¡¯m sure Jack will say something soon,¡¯ answered Tralon.


    ¡¯Jack, speak up!¡¯ Argyle shouted.


    With a growing smile, Jack replied, ¡¯28... 29... 30! Alright, Argyle, get out of there!¡¯


    ¡¯But I haven¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯Get out now before it¡¯s toote!¡¯


    ¡¯I... Okay.¡¯ Hurrying down the stairs, Argyle rushed to the front door with a heavy frown on his face.


    ¡¯Hurry!¡¯


    Argyle slowed down as he leaned on the front door. ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s up? I almost found it didn¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯Get out of there already! Now!¡¯


    ¡¯Fine...¡¯ sighed Argyle.


    The swordsman stepped out, unhappy and discontent with Jack¡¯s attitude. He stepped out of the two-story building and descended the few steps at the entrance. Argyle¡¯s frown was apparent to all, but he noticed that even Tralon was smiling.


    Suddenly, Argyle heard a low snarl from behind him. A nce behind him, however, revealed nothing.


    Not understanding what was going on, Argyle looked back to Tralon, who simply pointed back at the safe house.


    Following Tralon¡¯s finger, Argyle looked back to the home he had just exited and noticed something different, something that startled even him. Argyle immediately drew his sword and prepared to defend himself.


    ¡¯Now you understand.¡¯ Jack sighed, also drawing a peak-tier lv. 45 sword from his collection.


    ¡¯What is that thing?¡¯ mumbled Argyle.


    ¡¯If I remember correctly, it¡¯s a giant mimic. Jack put it in here as the "safe house" in order to trick inexperienced ancient heroes and anyone who dared to enter the dungeon without being a member of the guild,¡¯ exined Tralon.


    ¡¯Oh... So that thing was Jack¡¯s idea?! You pestro! That thing almost ate me!¡¯ Argyle leered at Jack, his gaze felt like daggers to the lower leveled hero.


    ¡¯What? I told you that I made this ce because I was bored and I wanted it to be spontaneous. Isn¡¯t that pretty out of the ordinary?¡¯ Jackughed as he watched the house in front of them start to shift and quake.


    Right before there eyes, the party witnessed the transformation of the "safe house" into a giant, mobile mimic. A vast number of tentacle legs lifted the "house" off the ground as a dozen massive tentacles rushed out of the open windows. The inside walls of the home started to secrete mucus and seem more flesh-like. The window to the great room suddenly blinked, revealing itself as a giant eye, twitching and watching the party¡¯s every step.


    ¡¯Jack, why did you put something like that in here?!¡¯


    ¡¯Calm down, Argyle. If you think this is bad, just wait till the eleventh floor,¡¯ Jack scoffed. ¡¯Consider this the mini-boss that guards thest half of the dungeon.¡¯


    ¡¯But it¡¯s lv. 69!¡¯ Argyle was shocked. Not only was it massive, but it almost rivaled his level. The giant mimic was obviously going to be more difficult than most lv. 69 beasts from its size alone, not including the dozens of tentacles it had at its disposal.


    ¡¯Well... It was only lv. 62 when I put it in here. How was I supposed to know that it would grow so much?¡¯ Jack argued while clenching the hilt of his sword tightly. ¡¯Mind if I attack first? I want to see how strong I am at full power now that I¡¯m lv. 47.¡¯


    ¡¯Be my guest!¡¯ Argyleughed as he pped Jack on the back, forcing the hero forward.


    The giant mimic also began its attack as itunched its giant tentacles at the approaching enemy, unfazed by Jack¡¯s sudden growth and the raging mes that covered his body.


    ¡¯Eat this!¡¯


    Blood-red energy covered Jack¡¯s de as he thrust it forward unabashedly.


    In turn, the giant mimic roared andshed out one of its many tentacles to gage Jack¡¯s strength. The framework of the "house" twisted into an eerie smile as its tentacle was only damaged superficially with a decent-sized cut and some minor burns. But it had sessfully repelled the attack andunched Jack backward, forcing Jack to revert to his normal form through sheer pain.


    ¡¯Oof!¡¯ Jack couldn¡¯t contain a grunt of pain as he was roughly caught by his father-inw. ¡¯Can¡¯t you be gentle?¡¯


    ¡¯Gentle? You were thrown back by a giant monster more than twenty levels higher than you! Be lucky I caught you at all and broke your fall!¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... Thanks.¡¯ Jack wiped the blood from his mouth and took a heavy breath from his aching chest. ¡¯I guess we¡¯ll have to work together.¡¯


    ¡¯I can¡¯t do much for now, but at least I can support.¡¯


    Jack felt a rush of vitality wash over him as he looked back to Tralon with a smile. ¡¯Thank¡¯s Tralon. Bowzer, you¡¯re allowed to use your strongest me body here. Don¡¯t hold back.¡¯


    ¡¯Finally!¡¯


    Bowzer bolted toward the house at full speed. The fox was smiling wide as he grewrger andrger, nearly matching the giant mimic in size.


    Snarling, the giant mimic¡¯s one eye red at Bowzer, wary of the fox¡¯s powerful bloodline despite sensing the fox¡¯s low level. Tentacles curled into fists as theyunched themselves at the barreling fox mercilessly.


    With a growl, Bowzer spewed white-hot mes, dowsing the tentacles in inextinguishable mes.


    ¡¯Tzzzz...¡¯


    The aroma of charred tentacles filled the air, smelling like the most putrid, rancid roasted octopus that the party members had ever smelled.


    Jack pinched his nose shut as he smiled at Bowzer, who was nearly even with the giant mimic. Thanks to the upgrade to his bloodline skill, Jack¡¯s me body was gaining a tinge of white as well, but it was still nothingpared to Bowzer¡¯s unstoppable, evolved mes.


    While Bowzer kept the giant mimic from charging the party, Argyle nked the monster with abination of attacks. The swordsmanunched a total of five attacks, each creating a long-range wave of sword energy.


    Smiling with excitement, Jack watched the attackbo carve into the mimic, forcing the "house" to grimace and pay Argyle more attention. Though it was cool to watch, Jack was more excited to learn that attack from Argyle¡¯s skills and make it his own. Such high-level long-range sword attacks were hard toe by in Modern Kartonia, so Jack was anxious to try it himself.


    ¡¯Bowzer, keep pressuring it!¡¯ shouted Argyle. ¡¯We¡¯ll nk it and bring it down together!¡¯


    Jack remained on the side, not wanting to disrupt the teamwork between Argyle and Bowzer.


    Unlike Jack, Tralon had many spells that would work as support and not just offense. To keep the mimic controlled Tralon cast Earth Wall twice, once on each side of the giant mimic. This forced the monster to face either Bowzer or Argyle and left it with no path of escape.


    Try as it might, the giant mimic was cornered and forced to keep Bowzer at bay. Though the fox was low-leveled, the white mes were too threatening to the giant mimic. With less focus on Argyle, it was only a matter of time until the giant mimic fell by the sword.


    Panting, Argyle chuckled, ¡¯Jack, thanks for the workout. If I didn¡¯t give you half of my EXP, I would be pretty close to leveling up right now.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t mention it. I¡¯m d I could help keep you in shape,¡¯ Jackughed, giddy at the sight of him and Bowzer reaching lv. 49. ¡¯It¡¯s nice to be carried for once.¡¯


    ¡¯Let¡¯s rest for a while before we take thest of the treasures you¡¯ve left behind,¡¯ Tralon stated. ¡¯Jack, are you sure you don¡¯t want to attack the other mimics?¡¯


    ¡¯Let the councilmen try and steal my treasures. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll enjoy ying with all the mimics of thebyrinth.¡¯

 Chapter 314 Tricked by the Dungeon

    <h4>Chapter 314 Tricked by the Dungeon</h4>


    "I¡¯m not sure if they¡¯ll call it fun, but the thought of them failing to find anything while attracting countless mimics makes meugh,¡¯ Tralon chuckled.


    ¡¯So, how long will we wait here?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    Jack thought for a moment. ¡¯We can either rest on the next floor or rest here. Depending on what floor we¡¯re sent too, resting may not be easy.¡¯


    ¡¯Then tell me about the next few floors. We can decide together.¡¯


    ¡¯Like the first four floors, floors six through nine will randomly cycle and I¡¯m not sure when they¡¯ll reset. There¡¯s a good chance that we¡¯ll have to repeat a floor or two because of that. But I¡¯d rather repeat a couple of floors than attempt to rush through the four floors.


    ¡¯The next four floors had higher-leveled mobs than the first four when I made the dungeon, so I have no clue what level they are now,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯It may take us at least a day to clear each of the next four floors.¡¯


    ¡¯That long?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, that way we can guarantee we¡¯re not overwhelmed and ughtered. The next four floors are each designed after a different biome: an active volcano, the frozen tundra, an illusory valley, and a forest of clouds.¡¯


    ¡¯What? I¡¯ve never heard of such a dungeon.¡¯ Argyle looked to Tralon for validation, who nodded.


    Jack continued, ¡¯There shouldn¡¯t be anymore mini-bosses, but there¡¯s no telling how many mobs there are now on each remaining floor. I think we should take one floor a day. And we don¡¯t need to exterminate an entire floor, but don¡¯t we shouldn¡¯t hold back if we¡¯re attacked.¡¯


    ¡¯Then, are we going to camp here for the night, Jack?¡¯ Tralon asked.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s finish the rest of the floor and camp out by the circle. Then we can use all of tomorrow to clear the next floor.¡¯


    ¡¯I call first pick!¡¯ Argyle took the initiative and ran ahead.


    ¡¯Wrong way, Argyle!¡¯ Tralon shouted.


    ¡¯Toote!¡¯ Jack bolted in the other direction, giving him the lead.


    While Argyle and Jack were shouting at each other, Tralon hopped onto Bowzer¡¯s back and enjoyed a chat with the fox.


    The small party¡¯s chemistry was different than Jack¡¯s main party, but they were enjoying themselves more than ever as they continued to take everything that Jack had left behind on the fifth floor.


    Once they reached the circle, they set up camp. Argyle retrieved a chair from his storage, as did Tralon. Jackid next to Bowzer, making use of his soft fur as he retrieved the materials to make a fire.


    *****


    "How interesting..."


    "What are you thinking, Vixus?" Bikkem asked.


    "Thest two floors werepletely cleared by Tralon¡¯s party, yet they left so many weak mobs alone here. Are they trying to speed up?"


    "I¡¯m not sure why they would suddenly speed up,¡¯ stated Bikkem. "Since they rested so long before, maybe they¡¯ve decided to do just enough to clear a floor and save energy forter floors."


    "Perhaps that¡¯s the case. That¡¯s the most logical exnation..." Vixus nodded. "Then they¡¯ve probably cleared at least three floors today at this rate."


    "First, let¡¯s leave this floor and reach the fourth. If they did the same thing there, then we¡¯ll move on to the fifth floor."


    "Are you two done?" asked Quace. "Are we moving forward or not?"


    "We finish this floor and check the next floor. If there are still some beasts remaining there, then we move on to the fifth floor to scout out Tralon¡¯s team for the night," Bikkem exined. "Alright?"


    "Works for me!" shouted Kims. "Can I kill whatever tries to attack us or get near us?"


    "Sure, but no chasing after anything. We¡¯re in a hurry," replied Quace, trying to act as the leader. "Let¡¯s get going then."


    The four councilmen were happy to finally get moving and to find the "third" floor so easy. With Tralon and the others paving the way, the councilmen barely had to lift a finger that floor. They easily moved on to the next floor, where they were startled by the change in scenery.


    "This is... still in the dungeon?" Vixus was puzzled as he stared at the rocky mountain path they were on. "How strange..."


    "Well, it is was created by the Legend during ancient times, so shy does it have to follow normal logic..." Bikkem thought out loud. "I wonder."


    Bikkem turned around and faced the base of the mountain. Then, he thrust a fist forward, creating a small shockwave that was aimed away from the mountain. But the shockwave was soon dispersed in mid-air as if it had collided with something invisible.


    "Hmm... so it¡¯s an illusion? How intricate..." deduced Bikkem.


    "The Legend is very deserving of his title. This ce stands as proof of that," stated Vixus. "And if things are like this on just the fourth level, then how will things be on the remaining seven levels?"


    "We may as well not assume anything about those levels. It¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re following Tralon, otherwise, I have a feeling that clearing this dungeon would be much more difficult then we anticipated. No wonder they bought all of your potions, Quace."


    "Either way, we¡¯ll keep letting them do all of the heavy-lifting and wait for a chance to finish off Tralon," Quace replied, making sure that all the councilmen could hear him.


    "Of course, just don¡¯t get in the way when the timees." Vixus looked back at Quace. "You may have organized this, but you follow our ns. If you don¡¯t, then there¡¯s no telling what may happen."


    "Right, right," sighed Quace. "I¡¯ll make sure to listen."


    "Good, now let¡¯s keep moving. It¡¯s a long way to the peak." Bikkem marched ahead, confidently leading the others.


    They noticed that the "fourth" floor had been cleared out just enough to pass, like the floor before it. But that started to change more and more as they made their way up the mountain.


    "Bikkem, aren¡¯t there too many beasts remaining for Tralon¡¯s party to have cleared it?" Vixus asked.


    "Hmm... You may be right, but do we have any other choice?" replied Bikkem. "For all we know, they dashed through here and barely killed enough to squeeze by. Also, no one has touched this ce for a millennia, so it makes sense for so many to exist despite someone clearing the floor."


    "Perhaps... Then let¡¯s keep going."


    "Finally! I¡¯ll clear the way!" Kims happily took the lead, brandishing his swords at anything that stood in their way. "Wow... there are so many of them, and they¡¯re all almost lv. 60."


    "You¡¯re right... They¡¯ve definitely gone uncontrolled for thest thousand years. It makes sense why they woulde down here," reasoned Bikkem. "The first two floors were probably easier to exterminate all together, but here they simply had to cut some mobs down to handle the overpoption."


    "That¡¯s why they had to use more effort on the first two floors and were forced to rest for a day," Vixus continued Bikkem¡¯s train of thought. "I wonder what¡¯s lying in wait for us on the next floor. Hopefully, we won¡¯t have to do much."


    The councilmen continued to push ahead. Kims took charge of their attack but Quace started to aid him as they faced more and more mobs near the mountain¡¯s peak.


    "We¡¯re almost there."


    "Quiet, Quace. Lessining and more killing!" Kims shouted, eagerly plunging his des into nagas, giant beetles, and every kind of beast found on the mountainside. "We¡¯ll get there eventually, one kill at a time."


    They kept a steady pace and were soon at the mountain top looking down at the teleportation circle they had found.


    "Good, now let¡¯s go and scout them out!" Quace was the first to step on the circle, waiting patiently for the other councilmen.


    When they all joined him, they activated the circle and readied themselves to enter the next floor. However, their surroundings were far too familiar to be on the next floor.


    "This... What is this?!" shouted Quace, unhappy to find himself back at the beginning of the same floor.

 Chapter 315 Falling for the Mimics

    <h4>Chapter 315 Falling for the Mimics</h4>


    "This... What is this?!"


    "Quace, shut up!"


    Looking to Bikkem, Quace questioned, "Why? I¡¯m pissed off that we¡¯re back to the beginning of the floor. Aren¡¯t the teleportation circles supposed to take us to the next floor?!"


    "There are a couple of possibilities that could exin what just happened. First, we might be on the next floor and it¡¯s eerily simr, though I doubt that. Second, and the most likely, there¡¯s more than one teleportation circle here and it¡¯s a different circle that will take us to the next floor," exined Bikkem.


    "But why would a dungeon be like this? No other dungeon--"


    "ording to history, there was no other artificial dungeon created so extravagantly as this one. Also, this dungeon has always been rumored to be perplexing and misleading since Ancient Kartonia. Even some ancient heroes struggled to navigate this ce if the legend is correct," Vixus stated, boasting his knowledge of the Leisure Guild. "If anything, I had a feeling that it was too easy. Now I know that it was. There must be another path that we overlooked or possibly a passage into the mountain."


    "But... I guess you¡¯re right. Sorry for overreacting," Quace sighed.


    "It¡¯s fine, just don¡¯t let anything affect your judgment. On this floor it¡¯s fine, but there¡¯s no telling what may happen on theter floors that are more dangerous. Keep a level head, Quace," persuaded Bikkem. "Even Kims isn¡¯t as frazzled as you. Keep it together."


    "Right, then let¡¯s look for this other path."


    The councilmen spent a few hours searching and testing a few different paths, most leading to dead ends or a circle connected to the beginning of the floor. It was on the fourth path that they found the circle leading to the fifth floor, finally relieving Quace of plenty of pent up stress.


    "This... Is this a maze?"


    "It seems to be. It¡¯s well lit but there¡¯s no way for us to look at other paths," Bikkem chatted with Vixus. "It seems that this level will take us some time to figure out."


    "But what if we run into Tralon¡¯s party?" asked Quace.


    Bikkem nodded, "Then we act and go for the kill. Even if Argyle and his son-inw survive, we must kill Tralon. Otherwise, we¡¯ve wasted our effortsing here."


    "Then I hope we¡¯re lucky enough to run into them inside thebyrinth," joked Kims.


    "You mean unlucky enough," replied Vixus. "The walls are too narrow to have a proper group battle here, making our greater numbers a disadvantage if they have a good formation."


    "But we don¡¯t have superior numbers," stated Bikkem. "Don¡¯t forget the fox and the boy will be fighting together, so it will be harder on them."


    "True, but it¡¯s still not ideal to battle here. I hope we clear the maze first. And since it seemed that Tralon¡¯s party knew exactly where the correct circle was on thest floor, they may also know the exact path to take in thisbyrinth," reasoned Vixus. "I think it¡¯s best to assume that they¡¯ve alreadypleted this floor or that they¡¯re resting at the circle before moving on."


    "I agree. It¡¯s likely that we won¡¯t run into them so soon. But after this floor, we¡¯ll make sure to stay closer so that we won¡¯t be left behind and can make a move when appropriate." Bikkem nodded to the others, getting their approval to move forward.


    They wandered for some time, reaching a few dead ends and being forced to retrace their steps. Eventually, they found the first treasure trove.


    "What is... So many treasures?!" Quace shouted with joy.


    "Calm down, Quace. There¡¯s no telling why they left this behind," reasoned Bikkem. "Wouldn¡¯t Argyle be adamant to take this with him?"


    "But what if they¡¯ve agreed that he can¡¯t take any treasures?" stated Quace. "There¡¯s a chance that he¡¯s already been paid handsomely for his help."


    With a shake of his head, Bikkem replied, "Just be careful, that¡¯s all I¡¯m saying."


    "Oh, I¡¯m being careful..." Quace carefully searched for the item that best caught his eye. "See, I¡¯m only going to take a single item out of all these. Okay?"


    "That¡¯s fine, I guess," sighed Bikkem.


    Smiling and giddy, Quace grabbed a gem-encrusted staff with a twinkle in his eye. But that smile vanished when therge gem at the top of the staff blinked.


    "What the--"


    Before he could do anything, Quace felt teeth sink into his wrist, teeth that appeared to be made of the gems from the staff in his hand.


    No longer hesitating, Quace became battle-minded and sted the staff with a raging ball of me, forcing it too let go of his hand. "It¡¯s a mimic, kill it!"


    Hearing his favorite word, Kims took action andunched a wave of sword energy at the mimic posing as a sorcerer¡¯s staff.


    "Careful, Kims! Don¡¯t hit or touch any other item!"


    Vixus tried to warn Kims, but it was toote. The sword attack hit the staff head-on, but the remnants of the sword energy nced a few other mimics around them.


    "sted mimics!" Bikkem shouted as he dashed in and grabbed the staff mimic. The furious monk hurled the mimic back into one of the hallways. "Get the other mimics in the hall! That way we won¡¯t have to fight the inactive mimics."


    Both Kims and Vixus nodded, following Bikkem¡¯s example. Quace focused his firepower on the hall, targeting all the mimics being thrown to the side.


    The improvised teamwork was well executed and very urate. Within a minute or two, all active mimics were killed and the inactive mimics were left behind as the party of councilmen moved on.


    "No wonder they left those behind..." Vixus shook his head. "So, the Legend left hordes of mimics to fool any explorers of his dungeon. And anyone who doesn¡¯t know better, or for those who aren¡¯t guild members like Tralon, they could easily be overrun by a swarm of mimics."


    "But what if there were some real treasures hidden among the mimics?" Quace asked.


    Vixus chuckled, "Knowing the Legend¡¯s temperament, I would say that there probably were. That is if Argyle hasn¡¯t already snatched them away. Since he owns an auction house, he most likely has a way to discern between items and a way to discern what treasures were real and which ones were falsified."


    "Vixus has a point," stated Bikkem. "No matter what, we can¡¯t touch a single piece of treasure on this level."


    "But Bikkem, we--"


    "There¡¯s no way to scavenge through that many mimics without wasting our time. And if we take too long, we¡¯ll lose Tralon¡¯s trail," argued Bikkem. "I would offer to let you stay behind and sort through the mimics yourself, but we¡¯ll need your help to execute the n to take down Tralon."


    "Right... Then no more treasures. I understand." Quace sighed, unhappy to be fooled so easily.


    The councilmen continued and eventually made it past the next two treasure troves and reached arge clearing in the center of the maze.


    "I wonder what... What is that?" Vixus quickened his pace, catching the attention of the other councilmen. "Is that a... mimic?"


    When Vixus and the others behind him entered the clearing, they were blown away. Not too far away was what seemed to be a house fallen on its side yet still intact. But the burned and shed tentacles gave away it¡¯s true form.


    "A giant mimic... I guess they still had to fight something on this floor. And I¡¯m d it was them..." Bikkem stated.


    "Imagine if we had found this ce before them. Quace would have started to search for treasures in that house, not knowing it could eat him alive," reasoned Vixus.


    Quace choked on some saliva before he forced it down.


    "Ahh... I would¡¯ve loved to fight that!" Kims pouted.


    Unbeknownst to the others, light filled Vixus¡¯s eyes as he reexamined the corpse of the giant mimic. "I wouldn¡¯t say that if I were you, Kims."


    "Oh? And why not?"ughed the swordsman.


    "Because you¡¯re only lv. 65. Not only was this mimic giant in size, but it was also lv. 69."


    "Lv. 69?!" Bikkem¡¯s neck jolted to the side as he looked at Vixus. "Are you certain?"


    "I¡¯m sure. I have an ability to see through monsters and beasts, whether dead or alive. And this behemoth of a mimic was lv. 69," Vixus stated clearly.


    "But how could they beat it so easily, then?" Bikkem¡¯s questioned. "No... It wasn¡¯t that easy. They¡¯re probably resting by the circle now to recuperate after the fight."


    As Quace started to bicker with Bikkems and Kims about what to do next, Vixus approached the fallen beast. He kept his thoughts to himself as he examined the wounds of the giant mimic. There were many gashes present along with some minor areas of burns. But Vixus examined the rest of the giant beast, including the side it was lying on.


    When Vixus noticed the damage done to that side, he froze momentarily. Vixus struggled to believe just how badly burnt the giant mimic was because such a burn had to be caused by a fire spell of mythic or legendary proportions, which Tralon didn¡¯t have.


    The only other option was the Hell-me Fox and the young hero of the association. And after witnessing that carnage, Vixus was all too curious about Jack and Bowzer.


    "Vixus? What are you doing here?"


    An aged voice rang out in Vixus¡¯s mind, clearly from his contact crystal. And it was a voice Vixus heard almost every day since he too was a member of the council.


    Vixus nced the other bickering council members a ways away as he took out his contact crystal and couched to regain hisposure.


    "Tralon, what is it you need?"

 Chapter 316 Cofounders Descendant?

    <h4>Chapter 316 Cofounder¡°s Descendant?</h4>


    After taking out chairs and starting a fire, Jack, Tralon, Argyle, and Bowzer allowed themselves to rx and roast some meat rations to pass the time.


    ¡¯Hey Tralon, would you mind using God¡¯s Eye again.¡¯


    ¡¯Why¡¯s that, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ve already seen the four councilmen with God¡¯s Eye but I can¡¯t recognize anyone other than Quace.¡¯


    Tralon nodded. ¡¯Oh, so you want me to reveal which council member dared to enter your dungeon and help you n ordingly. Give me a moment.¡¯


    While Jack and Argyle smiled in wait, Tralon¡¯s eyes had a white cloudiness ze over them. ¡¯They¡¯re not on this floor yet... Ah, there they are. They¡¯re on the second floor but it seems they¡¯ve fallen for your false circle multiple times already.¡¯


    ¡¯If they fell for that so easily, then I¡¯m excited for them to try theter levels,¡¯ughed Jack.


    ¡¯Or to see them against the mimics,¡¯ Argyle chuckled.


    ¡¯There¡¯s Quace and Bikkem like we had guessed. Seems like they fell for our bait. The young EXP crazed Kims is with them. And there¡¯s also... Vixus?¡¯


    Midugh, Jack paused and slowly turned back to Tralon. ¡¯Who else is with them?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, right... There is a council member named after your fellow cofounder. Also, he¡¯s a genuine descendant of said cofounder,¡¯ mentioned Tralon.


    ¡¯What?! Exin!¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, not long after the Godly War, well after ancient heroes had disappeared from Kartonia, the Leisure Guild used a lot of treasure to be one of the first to summon an ancient hero,¡¯ Tralon exined. ¡¯We had nowhere near enough to summon someone of your level, considering the drastic increase in cost for every five levels, but we did manage to summon a lv. 75 hero sessfully. It was Vixus Senpai, but he soon removed senpai from his name.¡¯


    A flood of unexpected thoughts washed over Jack¡¯s brain. ¡¯That... But...¡¯


    ¡¯I know that Vixus Senpai left the guild before we attained our grand reputation and I had no intention of summoning him, but he was the one we had summoned in the end,¡¯ stated Tralon.


    Jack¡¯s mind was forced into neutral, unable to get past his past memories of Vixus_Senpai and the initial struggles of the Leisure Guild.


    Together they had started the Leisure Guild and had started the Trodan Council, each holding a seat to help govern the state. At the time, the level cap was lv. 70, hence the dungeon only going as high as lv. 65. Jack remembered the many times when the guild had been raided or the moments when the guild nearly copsed internally.


    Vixus_Senpai was the first person that Jack_J. Had considered a friend, the first person to continually party with Jack.


    That friendship and partnership continued for two more years. The level cap had been increased to lv. 75 and the Leisure Guild was on the rise, already being recognized as one of the greatest guilds. The initial hurdles of the guild were long gone and they could now enjoy the fruits of theirbor, yet something changed.


    Gradually, Vixus_Senpai was on less often and he was eventually unable tomit to the long grinds for guild raids or leveling.


    Eventually, the day came when Vixus_Senpai told Jack that he was quitting "A Hero¡¯s Tale." Jack didn¡¯t listen very well at the time, but he remembered Vixus_Senpai mentioning something about his wife, his soon-to-be-born child, and his promotion at work. Jack didn¡¯t want to hear it, but Vixus_Senpai was decently sessful in life outside of "A Hero¡¯s Tale" and there was no longer time nor energy left for a silly game that would never amount to anything of worth in real life, ording to Vixus_Senpai.


    ¡¯Jack... Jack!¡¯


    ¡¯Huh? Oh... sorry about that.¡¯ Jack scratched his head and nodded. ¡¯So, you somehow summoned the old guild leader. What happened next?¡¯


    ¡¯Did you not hear anything I just said?¡¯ asked Tralon.


    ¡¯I... No. I didn¡¯t,¡¯ Jack answered honestly. ¡¯Please, tell me again now that I¡¯m paying attention.¡¯


    ¡¯Right... So, after we summoned Vixus Senpai, or Vixus as he liked to be called, I tried to pass him the reigns of the guild and allow him to again lead us. But he refused,¡¯ Tralon exined. ¡¯It may have been due to the difference in our levels, but he didn¡¯t like the idea of taking control of the guild anymore. Also...¡¯


    ¡¯Most of the items designated for the guild leader were all upgraded to lv. 85, so all of the old gear that he had given up was now unusable to him,¡¯ Jack finished Tralon¡¯s thought.


    With a sad smile, TRalon nodded, ¡¯Right. In the end, he felt it was best to not be associated with the guild, not wanting to take back any of his former equipment or items. Instead, he headed the council and started a few businesses in town, he even started a family.


    ¡¯In all honesty, he chose to live a very uneventful life in my opinion,¡¯ Tralon added.


    Jack sighed, ¡¯Yeah, but that¡¯s the life that he chose for himself, even back then... Then how did he die?¡¯


    ¡¯Well... He was actually done in by a rare poison, one you¡¯re very familiar with, Jack.¡¯


    Wide-eyed, Jack looked Tralon in the eye. At the same time, Argyle looked to Jack, startled to hear that Jack would be familiar with a poison that strong.


    With a nod, Tralon continued, ¡¯Since you discovered the walking death toxin well after Vixus had left the guild, he was clueless as to what he could do to stop it. And since I never had ess to the cure, Vixus Senpai didn¡¯t live long enough to see his grandchildren. A sad end for the short life of a former hero.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... Do you have any idea how he was infected?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯No, but it was around the same time that the Chaos Syndicate started to appear in Kartonia. And since many people had been killed by that same poison in the syndicate¡¯s hands, I assumed that the syndicate was also the cause of Vixus Senpai¡¯s death."


    "Okay... So... So this councilman with the same name, I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s a distant descendant of the cofounder?¡¯


    ¡¯Correct,¡¯ replied Tralon. ¡¯It¡¯s been over four hundred years since then, so there¡¯ve been many of his descendants that have held a council seat. Also, they all tend to be very interested in the guild but always refuse to join it.¡¯


    Argyle chimed in, ¡¯How exactly were they interested in the guild? Did they try to take something from you?¡¯


    ¡¯They usually imed that they had a birthright to half of our treasures since their ancestor was the cofounder, though he deserted before we achieved out unmatched fame. Hence why Jack was regarded as the Legend of Trodar and Vixus was forgotten by history for the most part,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯I believe that was the second major reason why Vixus Senpai refused to rejoin the guild.


    ¡¯And to his descendants, I¡¯ve always mentioned how their ancestor refused to take anything from the guild when he left. Since Vixus_Senpai personally refused to take anything, I too refused to offer any sort of mary stimulus to his ancestors.¡¯


    ¡¯What did this Vixus want?¡¯ Jack asked, still straight-faced and swallowing down his emotions.


    ¡¯He has be arguably the most powerful of his descendants, showing potential to surpass Vixus Senpai,¡¯ stated Tralon. ¡¯Due to their centuries-old businesses, the family is the wealthiest in Trodar. Rather than argue about what belonged to them, Vixus made me some generous offers to purchase guild properties and assets. And if worst came to worst, he¡¯s the man I would most likely be willing to negotiate with.¡¯


    ¡¯Yet that Vixus is now down here, helping the others raid the storehouse?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, the storehouse is the property that Vixus is most interested in.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh? This old ce? Probably after the treasure in the vault."


    Tralon shook his head. ¡¯Actually, he offered to help me with the storehouse if I wanted to empty the vaults before I sold it to him. He only asked that he had the chance to select a single treasure before I took the rest.¡¯


    ¡¯A single treasure... Which treasure is he after?¡¯ Jack mumbled to himself, trying his best to think back on the many items tucked away in the vault.

 Chapter 317 Chance to Cha

    <h4>Chapter 317 Chance to Cha</h4>


    ¡¯He never told me what treasure he was after, but he never appeared to be against the Leisure Guild. If anything, I felt he was quite amodating with his offers and his clear intentions to receive a single item from the vault.¡¯


    ¡¯This Vixus never did anything like colluding with other councilmen against you?¡¯ Jack questioned, trying to figure out the man named after his one and only former party member.


    ¡¯No. He¡¯s usually the one to help me defend my cause in the council meetings, one the only ones to do so openly. For that reason, I¡¯m shocked to see him down here,¡¯


    ¡¯So Mr. Nice-Guy turned out to be more rotten than you expected. What¡¯s so umon about that?¡¯ Argyle shrugged.


    ¡¯It not that he¡¯s working with other councilmen, it¡¯s that he¡¯s deliberately working with these councilmen in particr,¡¯ exined Tralon. ¡¯Both Bikkem and Quace have always been against anything involving the growth of the Leisure Guild. They¡¯ve made sure to treat us partially, and Kims has been taken under their wing as the least experienced council member.¡¯


    ¡¯So, in other words,¡¯ Jack started toy out the facts more clearly, ¡¯this Vixus has never tried to harm the guild and has only ever treated it favorably, yet he¡¯s now decided to work with the councilmen that most hate the guild, daring to enter our storehouse directly and possibly aiming for your life, Tralon. Did I miss anything?¡¯


    With a chuckle, Tralon shook his head. ¡¯No. That¡¯s exactly what I¡¯ve meant to say. I¡¯m baffled by why he is here.¡¯


    ¡¯But are you?¡¯ Jack asked, catching Tralon off guard. ¡¯It¡¯s clear that this Vixus is after a single thing and that¡¯s something hidden in our vault. Since you¡¯ve always told him no, wouldn¡¯t raiding the tomb be the next best option? That¡¯s what I would¡¯ve done, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah... That¡¯s definitely what you would¡¯ve done,¡¯ughed Tralon.


    ¡¯Now the question is what item is he particrly after and why.¡¯ Jack scratched his head for a moment before he asked, ¡¯Where are they now?¡¯


    ¡¯They¡¯re about to reach the fifth floor.¡¯ Tralon checked again with God¡¯s Eye.


    ¡¯When you see him alone, I want you to call him.¡¯


    ¡¯What?¡¯


    Jack nodded. ¡¯I want you to call him via your contact crystal when he¡¯s alone and can talk without the other councilmen overhearing him. You¡¯ll question him about his intentions in the storehouse, maybe ask about the treasure he¡¯s after. Then I want you to pass me the crystal so I can talk to this Vixus.¡¯


    ¡¯But why would you talk with--¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, please, just do this and then let me talk with him,¡¯ Jack restated. ¡¯If he decides to tell the others that we¡¯re onto them, then so be it. I¡¯m just curious about a few things, that¡¯s all.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright... then I¡¯ll do as you ask. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯m able to speak with him.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, what are you up to now?¡¯ Argyle asked with a raised eyebrow. ¡¯Mind filling me in so I can join the fun?¡¯


    Chuckling, Jack shrugged. ¡¯Maybe I¡¯m just curious how they bribed him, is that wrong of me to wonder?¡¯


    Argyle leaned closer to Jack. ¡¯What I want to know is what you¡¯ll do with that information.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯ll see soon enough. If I don¡¯t get the chance to show you, then I¡¯ll tell youter.¡¯


    The party patiently waited around the campfire while snacking on roasted meat. Jack rubbed Bowzer¡¯s belly and scratched behind his ears every now and then. Argyle was sipping on some wine, asionally reaching down to feel Bowzer¡¯s luscious fur. Tralon was the only one who wasn¡¯t fully rxed as he spied on the other councilmen with God¡¯s Eye.


    Finally, Tralon found an opening to make the call.


    When Quace, Bikkem, and Kims began to bicker about what to do next, Vixus walked away to better inspect the fallen giant mimic. Not letting this chance go, Tralon smiled and retrieved his contact crystal.


    "Vixus? What are you doing here?"


    As the startled councilmen doublechecked on the other three councilmen traveling with him, he took out his contact crystal and whispered, "Tralon, what is it you need?"


    "I need you to get some space so we can talk without Quace, Bikkem, or Kims overhearing you," Tralon calmly stated.


    "That... How did you know that--"


    "There are many spells that you don¡¯t know about from ancient times and I happen to have a few of them. I can see you inspecting the Giant mimic as we speak, so do you believe that I know you¡¯re in the storehouse now?"


    "I... I never knew you had such a spell..." Vixus sighed. "Give me a moment."


    "You three, don¡¯t disturb me ore near here while I inspect this beast further. I want to learn more about it and the battle they had. It will help us prepare for our confrontation toe," shouted Vixus, already turned away from the council members and walking to the other side of the house.


    "Alright. Us three will wait here," replied Bikkem.


    Quace smiled, "Does that mean we can inspect the troves while he¡¯s busy?"


    "Quace, we¡¯ already--"


    "I¡¯ll go with you!" Kims happily nodded. "If you fail again, then I get to kill the mimics."


    "You two... Fine, but we¡¯re only going back to the nearest trove." Bikkem agreed with a sigh. "Vixus! Us three will go inspect the past trove of treasures while you¡¯re busy. No rush, so make sure to learn all you can."


    "Of course!" Vixus shouted as he turned the corner around the house and went out of sight of his party members.


    "Now that they¡¯re leaving you alone, we can talk more freely, yes?" Tralon asked, already noticing the other three councilmen walking away.


    "Fine, since you¡¯ve caught me red-handed, I¡¯ll talk."


    "Why is it that you¡¯ve agreed to work with those three? Is it so you could get that one treasure you¡¯re after?"


    Vixus nodded. "You¡¯re correct to assume such."


    "And how did they know that you were after such a treasure in the first ce?" asked Tralon.


    "That... They dogged me about the offers I made to you and investigated them. Once they connected the dots and learned that I was after the storehouse, they¡¯ve been constantly egging me on about some minor things to slow down your guild. I¡¯ve refused all up until now, as you can guess from our council meetings."


    "Then you only agreed because you want that specific item, and you felt this was the best chance to get it?" assumed Tralon.


    "Correct again," sighed Vixus.


    "Then what if..."


    "Tralon? What were you going to say?"


    "Hi, sorry to interrupt your conversation, but I was dying to speak with you."


    "I... Who is this? Is this... Jack, Argyle¡¯s son-inw?" Vixus was surprised by the sudden interruption to his conversation, but he was astute enough to figure out that if it wasn¡¯t Argyle who interrupted them, there was only one other person.


    "You¡¯re quite a smart cookie, aren¡¯t you Vixus?" Jackughed. "Since introductions aren¡¯t needed, let¡¯s get down to the nitty-gritty. What treasure are you after exactly?"


    "That... That¡¯s not something I¡¯m privy to reveal so easily."


    "Well, depending on what the treasure is, then I might be able to give it to you free of charge... But you don¡¯t want to reason with me."


    A long pause took ce as Vixus digested Jack¡¯s unexpected statement. "... What do you mean by that?"


    "What? I thought I was pretty clear with that statement."


    "But how can you offer me something that even Tralon has been refusing me all these years?" questioned Vixus.


    "Oh, so now you¡¯re interested in speaking with me, I take it?" Jack chuckled. "I¡¯ll say it again, depending on what treasure you¡¯re after, I can simply gift it to you."


    "But what are you after? What agenda do you have? Also, how can you promise me what Tralon can¡¯t give up?"


    "One question at a time, okay?"

 Chapter 318 Finally Making Their Move

    <h4>Chapter 318 Finally Making Their Move</h4>


    "One question at a time, okay?" Jack sighed. "As for what I¡¯m after, what do you think it is, given that we know you¡¯ve illegally entered our storehouse and are following us?"


    "You want to know what we n to do inside of the storehouse and are wondering if we have any agenda besides stealing the treasures of the vault," Vixus deduced. "Also, what do you mean by "our storehouse"?"


    "Exactly that. It¡¯s our storehouse, as I¡¯m also a member of the Leisure Guild," stated Jack. "And yes, what you¡¯ve deduced is part of what I want to know. But I¡¯m also interested in your intentions for the treasure you seek after you¡¯ve obtained it."


    "You ask too many questions."


    "So do you," retorted Jack. "But unlike you, I¡¯m willing to answer you¡¯re questions, that is if you¡¯ll cooperate. Or am I wrong to assume you won¡¯t cooperate?"


    "... Even if you¡¯re a member of the guild, you wouldn¡¯t have the right to offer me anything in the storehouse."


    "Why not? Do you know me so well?"


    Vixus hesitated, curious why Jack was so confident with his words. "Are you now Jack, the young summoned hero that recently joined the Adventurers Association, married into the Fat Goose Guild, and imed a Hell-me Fox as your beastpanion with a mutual seal?"


    "Wow, you¡¯ve done you¡¯re homework. You even know about the mutual seal. I¡¯ve got to give you some credit for digging so deeply into my history," replied Jack. Is that all?"


    "What do you mean by that?"


    "Are you done speaking of me and who I am?" Jack rephrased. "If so, then you¡¯re still a long way off."


    "That... How so?"


    "If you can¡¯t figure out at least why there¡¯s a possibility that I¡¯ve done more than that, then you¡¯re nowhere near as smart as you distant ancestor."


    Taking Jack¡¯s words to heart, Vixus thought a moment longer as he used thatst statement as a hint. "You... You knew my great ancestor?"


    "Getting warmer,"ughed Jack.


    "You were a former guild member that happened to get summoned... And now you¡¯re working with Tralon to revive the guild?"


    "Not bad at all. So, do you believe me now that I can get you what you want?"


    Hesitating again, Vixus replied, "Then how can you guarantee that I¡¯ll receive my item?"


    "Because I¡¯m going to open the vault."


    Startled by Jack¡¯s bluntness, Vixus instinctively chuckled. "That... That doesn¡¯t guarantee that I¡¯ll get the item I want."


    "But it¡¯s the best guarantee you have, right? Or would you rather deal with the other six floors ahead of you? I can guarantee you that the remaining six floors are more difficult then you assume and even if you survive, you may be forced back to the outer doors of the dungeon before you make it to the eleventh floor."


    "That... Then tell me what¡¯s on the--"


    "And even if you somehow, against all odds, make it to floor eleven, I doubt your party is prepared for the vault guardian. If his level hasn¡¯t changed in the past millennia than you might win at the sacrifice of a couple of party members, but not even I know what level he is now."


    "... So, what you¡¯re saying is that the other councilmen and I can¡¯t possibly reach the vault on our own?"


    "Right you are."


    "Then how will you get through it?"


    "I¡¯m an ancient guild member who knows the secrets of the guild. If anyone knew how to maneuver the dungeon, wouldn¡¯t it be me and Tralon?" Jack stated. "So, will you talk, or not?"


    Vixus didn¡¯t reply immediately. He wanted to think things through and hated to make impulsive decisions.


    "What will it be? I don¡¯t think your friends will be upied for much longer."


    "I... What would you want me to do?"


    Jack smiled andughed, "I want you to join the Leisure Guild."


    *****


    "Vixus! What have you learned?"


    The beast tamer got off of his knees and noticed Bikkem calling out to him with a satisfied Kims and a disappointed Quace in tow. He dusted his pants off as Vixus pointed to a charred tentacle. "Though this beast died by the sword, most of the damage it received was from a powerful me of some sort. But Tralon can¡¯t use such spells."


    "Are you insinuating that the Hell-me Fox is the reason the defeated this beast?" asked Bikkem, picking up a simr charred tentacle.


    "You¡¯re always so sharp, Bikkem. I think we¡¯ve underestimated the threat this fox might be. Also, we need to watch out for the young hero as well."


    "I imagine you have a reason to fear him as well?"


    "But he¡¯s not even lv. 30, right?" stated Kims. "Why should I worry about such a weakling?"


    "I believe we¡¯ve also heavily underestimated that hero. As Argyle¡¯s son-inw, I¡¯m sure he¡¯s been given only the best equipment, and do you think that Argyle, the man so reluctant to marry off his daughter, would choose a man so weak as his son-inw? I think we should assume that he¡¯s stronger than Quace¡¯s son."


    "Impossible! He¡¯s not even lv. 30 and you want topare him to--"


    "Quace!" Bikkem interrupted. "Let Vixus speak, now shut up!"


    "Thank you, Bikkem." Vixus nodded to the monk and continued, "ording to my information, that hero has a mutual seal with the Hell-me Fox, which means--"


    "Impossible! How could such a weak--"


    "Quace! Shut up!" Staring daggers into Quace, Bikkem red at the curious councilman.


    Vixus sighed. "As I was saying, Since they have a mutual seal, they shouldn¡¯t be very far apart in terms of level. Though I don¡¯t believe he¡¯s as great a threat as the Hell-me Fox, he still shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. This giant corpse of a monster is proof of that. Those two are the only ones in the party with fire magic, so who else could cause this?"


    Bikkem stroked his bare chin. "What would you estimate is his level then, or his ss?"


    "As for level, I would guess at least lv. 50. With a powerful enough spell and the aid of the fox, a lv. 50 could deal this level of damage with Argyle and Tralon aiding them," stated Vixus, startling Quace and putting a smile on Kims¡¯s face.


    "Also, it may be safe to assume that they know we¡¯re in here."


    "What? Exin," Bikkem demanded.


    Vixus nodded. "Just a moment ago, I spoke with Tralon. He was wondering why we were following them into the dungeon."


    "How did they figure it out."


    "Tralon only mentioned that he used an ancient spell that¡¯s hard to find nowadays in Modern Kartonia," exined Vixus. "In the case that they know we¡¯re here, I think it may be best to attack as soon as possible and not dy things any longer."


    "But... If that¡¯s true, then how do we know you¡¯re not working with them," argued Quace. "Weren¡¯t you always trying to get into the storehouse? Maybe they made you a desperate offer to attract your help?"


    "They did make such an offer," Vixus admitted, "but why should I ept a single piece of treasure when we¡¯ll take the whole thing? Answer me that?"


    "Well..."


    "And you know Tralon, he always ces too many unnecessary conditions on his deals. How could I, Trodar¡¯s greatest businessman ept such a thing? Why would I ept an apple if I already own an entire bushel?"


    Bikkem nodded. "Then let¡¯s make our move now. We don¡¯t want to give them any more time to n against us."


    "But how can we verify that they know?" Quace kept bickering for the sake of not losing the argument.


    "Call him and find out yourself. Why should I lie about such a thing now?" stated Vixus as he and Bikkem charged forward. "My me Tiger will keep the fox busy while I take on the young hero. Kims, charge Tralon hed on. Don¡¯t give him space to cast any ancient spells. And Quace, follow Bikkem¡¯s lead."


    "Vixus, I¡¯m not doubting your--"


    "Let¡¯s go already!" Bikkem shouted from the front.


    With Vixus beside Bikkem and Kims chasing behind them, Quace sighed as he ran to not be left behind.

 Chapter 319 Confronting Tralon

    <h4>Chapter 319 Confronting Tralon</h4>


    The councilmen rushed through the rest of thebyrinth, ignoring all of the false items that glittered and tempted Quace in the fourth treasure trove.


    "Vixus, I imagine you¡¯ve got some sort of n."


    "Yes, Bikkem. I told Tralon that I want to speak in person, just the two of us. He agreed and we promised to meet up in thest treasure trove. It should be the sixth one."


    "Hmmm... Then what will we do next? Do you n to lure him back toward us or do you want us to strike while he¡¯s not suspecting it?" Bikkem asked.


    Vixus shook his head. "I¡¯ll let you decide since you¡¯re the tactician. If you want me to keep him distracted, then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯m not sure if I have a reliable way to lead him back toward you guys."


    "True, then let¡¯s go with that n. We¡¯ll strike Tralon together while you distract him, Vixus. That simplifies things and keeps us from dealing with Argyle, so long as we can kill Tralon instantly."


    Kims smiled, "As long as I get to thrust my sword into him."


    "Then I¡¯ll need about ten seconds to charge the most appropriate spell," stated Quace. "To avoid missing or identally hitting Vixus instead of Argyle, that¡¯s what I¡¯ll need."


    "Very well, then when I signal, you¡¯ll start counting into your contact crystal for Vixus to hear," ordered Bikkem. "We needplete cooperation for this to work. If we underestimate Tralon for his level again, there¡¯s no way out of the consequences this time."


    Vixus squinted as he heard that, as did Kims.


    It was clear to them and many of the councilmen that neither Bikkem nor Quace were ever willing to cooperate with Tralon or his proposals. But to hear that this wasn¡¯t the first time they had attempted to kill the aging mage was news to both of them. This time they had been persuaded by money from the vault and the item he had been seeking his whole life or through the chance to gain loads of EXP, but they wondered what could motivate the other two councilmen so much as to act with such malice.


    "We¡¯re passing the fifth treasure trove now, so let¡¯s slow down and stay as quiet as possible," Bikkem suggested.


    The others followed the order and slowed to a silent jog as they neared the meeting ce. They took a few wrong turns but managed to find the entrance to the sixth trove, which gave off a golden light from the items inside the open space.


    With a nod, Vixus stepped forward. "I¡¯ll distract him, so you¡¯d better not mess this up. You¡¯ll get one chance."


    Vixus walked a few meters and turned a corner to catch sight of an elderly man with drooping, pointed ears. The man looked back to Vixus with a soft smile. "Vixus, I¡¯m d you came alone."


    "That¡¯s what we agreed on, so here I am. Now, what are you willing to offer me?"


    As the two men started to converse, Bikkem motioned to Quace as he and Kims crept toward the edge of the corner.


    "10... 9..." The sorcerer began the countdown.


    "It¡¯s always straight to business with you," sighed Tralon. "Very well, I can offer you the item you wish so long as you tell me what it is."


    "But I wish to retrieve it myself. Can¡¯t you at least offer to take me into the vault for that?" Vixus questioned, keeping his usual persona and ying the part.


    "That¡¯s impossible." Tralon shook his head. "Getting you into the vault would make things to difficult for me. I hope you can understand that much, Vixus."


    "4... 3..."


    Vixus sighed as the countdown got nearer to its end. He paced to the side, making sure he wasn¡¯t between the soon-to-be attackers and their target. "Tralon, I¡¯m sorry to decline."


    "1!"


    Suddenly, a red-hot magic circle appeared beneath Tralon¡¯s feet, startling the aging man.


    "Vixus..."


    An explosive plume of mes burst from the magic circle, consuming Tralon entirely as Vixus jumped back.


    At the same time, both Kims and Bikkem charged into the treasure trove with bloodlust. The plume of fire would onlyst for a moment, leaving a small opening for the other two to go in for the kill.


    As the plume began to die down, the attackers prepared to deliver the final blow.


    "Goodbye, Tralon!" Bikkem shouted as he hurled himself toward the rescinding plume of fire.


    But to his surprise, as the plume died down there were still mes roaring around Tralon¡¯s body, and they seemed more formidable than Quace¡¯s sneak attack. Then, those new red mes with a tinge of white began to grow and take the form of arge humanoid staring down the iing attackers with a devilish grin.


    "W-what?!" Bikkem halted his assaulted and refrained from plunging his fist into those fearsome mes.


    The attack crazed Kims, however, continued his attack unabated. He wasn¡¯t sure what was going on or if the person in front of him was really Tralon, but he knew it was an enemy and Kims wanted to try himself against such a fearsome foe.


    Yet he was stopped.


    The faces of the councilmen grew dim for a moment as they hadn¡¯t noticed Argyle charging in to block Kims in his tracks. They had been too distracted by the unusual, elemental-like entity before them.


    Kims¡¯s excitement instantly dwindled into seriousness as he was forced to trade blows with Argyle.


    "Try this!" Argyle cackled, knocking Kims¡¯s sword to the side and shing off one of his arms, but Argyle failed to take Kims¡¯s sword-wielding arm.


    "Quace! Cauterize this!" Kims¡¯s shouted with veins bulging from his forehead.


    The sorcerer ran in from around the corner, stunned by what he discovered. "B-but then we can¡¯t--"


    "Just do it! I can¡¯t fight while I¡¯m bleeding out." Kims argued, jumping back to make it easier on Quace.


    "Fine..." The sorcerer reluctantly agreed and brought out high-intensity mes to cauterize and seal Kims¡¯s wound.


    Not flinching but relishing in the pain, Kims smiled. "Argyle, what are you doing here?"


    "I could ask you the same thing, Kims. Just because you¡¯ve gotten a bit stronger doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll be able to handle me." Argyleughed as he picked up the dismembered arm. "Since you don¡¯t want to salvage this..."


    A few swipes of Argyle¡¯s sword were enough to hack and dice the arm into nothing but bits of flesh and bone, making it impossible to piece back together.


    Bikkem red at Argyle first, then at the towering body of me, and finally at Vixus. "Vixus! You--"


    Just as Vixus was about to bebeled as a traitor, that me body lunged out to the nearby beast tamer, forcing the Vixus toward the opposite entrance to the trove and burning his side. "Get back here, coward!"


    Vixus grimaced and released his lv. 62 me Tiger. "Sick him!"


    The me Tiger was high-leveled, obvious from its size alone. It was almost as big as the towering me body, which the tiger attacked fearlessly.


    But the me Tiger suddenly flinched and jumped back as another me body appeared from the hall and dove toward the iing tiger.


    When the councilmen noticed the other me body, they were shaken. It was farrger and the mes surrounding it were bright white. Even the kari crystals lining the ceiling were dim byparison to the roaring white mes.


    "That¡¯s... So that¡¯s how it happened," Bikkem stated aloud. "That¡¯s Jack and the Hell-me Fox, be careful!"


    "What?! That¡¯s them?" Quace was baffled.


    "They must¡¯ve been the ones that Argyle used to dy the Limneer army. It would exin the white-hot forest fire that destroyed the Limneer forest and the city walls of Zurden," Bikkem exined, clearly putting the pieces together for all to understand. "He must be able to use illusion magic as well in order to disguise himself as Tralon."


    "But he was only supposed to be lv. 30. Clearly, he¡¯s not lv. 30 right now!" Quace was in denial as the two groups were in a staredown.


    "Maybe that¡¯s why he came in here, to power grind and to let these two carry him so he could level up rapidly," reasoned Bikkem, surprising even Jack with his abilities of deduction. "Either way, there¡¯s no turning back now, so follow the n!"


    "But where¡¯s Tralon?" Vixus asked as sweat leaked from his brow.


    Bikkem was about to report Tralon¡¯s location when he realized that the mage was nowhere to be found.

 Chapter 320 Whats Your Motive?

    <h4>Chapter 320 What¡°s Your Motive?</h4>


    "Tralon... Where is that pestro!" Quace shouted at Argyle and Jack.


    "Tralon? Hmm... Remind me who that is." Jack acted clueless as he examined the four councilmen.


    "You..."


    "Calm down, Quace. He¡¯s messing with us," stated Bikkem. "We don¡¯t mean either of you two any trouble. We¡¯re here for Tralon and Tralon alone."


    "And that¡¯s why you can¡¯t find Tralon," Jack replied. "If you were able to find him, then you¡¯d team up on him and teabag him."


    "We... What?" Caught off guard by Jack¡¯s choice of words, Bikkem hesitated. "Either way, we don¡¯t want to fight either of you two, so can we at least agree to back off and go our separate ways?"


    "Go our separate ways? This is a dungeon! There¡¯s only one way to go!" Jackughed. "Besides, you¡¯re all trespassing and there¡¯s a rule we¡¯ve had in the guild since this dungeon was first opened. Would you like to know what it is?"


    The councilmen stayed silent, trying to realize the underlying hints in Jack¡¯s statement.


    "All uninvited nonmembers of the guild are to be ughtered!"


    That stole the attention of the councilmen, not giving them much time to think. Bikkem replied, "You n to ughter us councilmen? That breaking the greatestw in all of Trodar!"


    "You broke it first, oh mighty Lord Bikkem," Jack taunted with a bow of his head. "And this guild was founded before Trodar existed, so the guild rules are superior. Unless you have something to convince me otherwise."


    "We can give you everything in the vault!" shouted Quace. "So long as you two don¡¯t interfere, we¡¯ll kill Tralon and you can have everything inside the vault!"


    "Hey! That¡¯s not what we agreed on!" Vixus refuted.


    "Quace, don¡¯t make statements that we would need to discuss as a group. And don¡¯t make it sound as if we¡¯re afraid to fight them either," stated Bikkem, not daring to take his eyes off the tricky duo threatening them. "Also, if I heard him correctly, it seems that this young hero is already a member of the Leisure Guild."


    "Not already, I¡¯ve always been a member, since before I was summoned."


    "Oh... That exins a lot." Bikkem nodded. "Then you¡¯ve been the one leading the way and not Tralon?"


    "You¡¯re sharp, much sharper than the idiot who willingly sold us his entire stock of potions. Now you don¡¯t have enough for the whole party while we have an abundance," chuckled Jack, stoking Quace¡¯s anger.


    "Quace, keep calm. He¡¯s targeting you so don¡¯t y into his hands."


    "Right!" Quace tried his best to control his breathing, not letting it get too wild.


    Bikkem squinted and red at the lv. 71 swordsman. "Argyle, can¡¯t wee to an agreement on this?"


    "Bikkem, you brought this on yourself," replied Argyle, not wanting to talk too much as he eyed the furious Kims. "Don¡¯t you want to keep ying?"


    "I think they all want to keep ying," Jackughed. "Am I wrong?"


    "What are you going to do to us? We¡¯re still council members, so killing us would only hurt your public image, even if you¡¯re with the Leisure Guild. The Leisure Guild isn¡¯t as powerful as it was in the past. Now, the council holds all the power!" Vixus reasoned.


    "Right, you can¡¯t kill us and there¡¯s no telling on whether you three can even aplish that feat," stated Bikkem, grateful to have Vixus to aid in the discussion. "It would be best for both sides to stand down, wouldn¡¯t it?"


    "How about this, I¡¯ll stand down if you can answer one question."


    Bikkem eyed Jack carefully and nodded. "Good, then state your question."


    "Why do you want to kill Tralon and why do you want to erase the Leisure Guild?"


    "That¡¯s simple. We want the treasures that it contains so that Trodar can begin to prosper like during ancient times."


    "So if I take you to the eleventh floor and open up the vault for you, then you won¡¯t kill Tralon?"


    Bikkem bit his tongue, not letting himself answer too quickly. He had underestimated the tact of the young hero.


    "What¡¯s wrong? I thought you only wanted the treasures? What if I sold you half of the property too, then the Leisure Guild would have diminished to a minor guild both in strength and influence. Then the council could do whatever they wanted. How¡¯s that sound?" Jack continued.


    "There¡¯s no proof that you could offer such a--"


    "If Jack allows it, then I would agree."


    Startled further by Tralon¡¯s voice in his head, Bikkem coughed. "That... That would take too long of a process. We¡¯re in the middle of a war and we need the assets immediately in order to--"


    "Be honest with me or we fight right here," ordered Jack, shutting Bikkem up. "I also remember that coward Quace offering us everything in the vault, so long as we let you kill Tralon, which doesn¡¯t add up with your logic. So, who are you working with that wants Tralon dead?"


    "We¡¯re not working for anyone, so why don¡¯t you--"


    "QUALLACE!!"


    "Ahh... You¡¯re proven guilty by your conscience, I see," Jack snickered as he nced at the uneasy Quace. "If you don¡¯t give me some sort of answer in the next five seconds, then my father-inw, my Hell-me Fox, and myself will attack you without mercy ording to guild rules. 5..."


    "I agreed toe here through bribery of a great sum of money by Bikkem and the promise to gain a particr item in the vault along with other treasures," Vixus stated, catching wind that there was more to this then meets the eye.


    Jack nodded to Vixus and turned to Kims. "4..."


    "I¡¯m after EXP and growth," Kims replied with a nod. "I¡¯m the newest and the weakest council member. Though Tralon is weaker in terms of level, his experience is more vast than the entire councilbined, so I see him as a great challenge and rival. Also, I¡¯ve been trying to kill everything within reach of my sword, Vixus can attest to that."


    Though Kims was a very straightforward person, he was still a councilman and was plenty smart in his own right. He too could sense that Bikkem and Quace were hiding their true motives against Jack¡¯s questioning.


    "3..." Again, Jack nodded to Kims and moved on to Quace.


    "..." Tongue-tied, Quace had no clue how to respond.


    Bikkem then interjected, "I¡¯m only after improving Trodar as soon as possible so that we can reim our lost territories and regain our world-renowned fame. Whether you believe me or not, that¡¯s the truth."


    "Then why aren¡¯t you on the offensive? You should¡¯ve jumped at the chance to find Limneer breaking the war pact, yet you denied it and refused to investigate. Exin that to me?" Jack argued.


    Opening his mouth, Bikkem smiled and struggled to reply. "That... Tralon brought me no supporting evidence on the matter and I was busy handling the three-front war."


    "The three-front excuse isme," Jack scoffed. "When was thest time Iscantor attacked? And Prachten only has skirmishes every now and then, right? It was always Limneer taking the initiative, which you tantly ignored when Tralon pushed for an investigation. It seems that your issue with Tralon is deep-seated and personal, not just for the greater good like you stated over and over."


    "That..." Bikkem thumbed through replies in his mind, not managing to find a clear-cut response.


    "2..."


    "Kims, will you fight with us or against us?" Tralon¡¯s voice crept into the young councilman¡¯s head. "If you fight with us, you¡¯ll gain EXP throughout the next six floors and enter the vault."


    Kims quietly closed his eyes and thought to himself without giving a reply.


    "Jack, we¡¯re only doing this for the good of Trodar. Howe you can¡¯t see that?"


    "Because your actions speak louder than words," Jack sighed nonchntly,pletely unconvinced. "1..."


    Bikkem swallowed some saliva and looked to Quace, who nodded. Then he looked to Kims and Vixus, who also nodded.


    "Attack!"

 Chapter 321 Councilmen Vs Councilmen

    <h4>Chapter 321 Councilmen Vs Councilmen</h4>


    "Attack!"


    Bikkem shouted at the top of his lungs, activating a number of skills and surrounding himself in different auras.


    Quace lifted his arms and began to hurl fire spells relentlessly toward Argyle, the only target of his that Quace¡¯s mes could actually damage.


    Kims gave a battle cry as he firmly gripped his saber with his remaining arm. He then created ayer of sharp, sword aura around him.


    Vixus grunted as another beast emerged from his bestial ring, an Armored Rhinocerous, letting it snarl and prepare to charge.


    Argyle, Jack, and Bowzer were unaffected by the show of abilities taking ce. They stood proudly, waiting for their enemies with gusto and determination to take everything head-on. No fear was seen in their eyes, only confidence, which surprised Bikkem to an extent.


    The mad monk bolted forward with both fists rocketing through the air toward Argyle. He didn¡¯t dare take on an opponent with a me body, as that would be hard for a man who fought with his fists.


    Kims also stepped up, leading his saber toward Argyle as if to create an opening for Bikkem.


    When both swords shed, Argyle smiled and swatted Kims away. Argyle then readied himself as best he could in a moment¡¯s notice to take on the raging fists of the mad monk.


    Bikkem¡¯s first punch was blocked by Argyle¡¯s de, but the second was nigh unblockable after that. It barreled its way toward Argyle¡¯s ribcage, intent on concaving it and forcing the swordsman to his knees.


    While Bikkem charged ahead, Quace¡¯s fireballs neared Argyle as well, ready to burn him alive the moment after Bikkem¡¯s fist would retreat. It was perfect coordination.


    But suddenly, Bikkem coughed up blood.


    The monk was slowed, which allowed Argyle to evade the second punch. Livid, Bikkem turned to his side. "Kims! What is the meaning of this?!"


    And Quace¡¯s face quickly twisted as well. His fireballs had been stopped midair by the me Tiger and the Armored Rhinocerous was charging the sorcerer at full speed.


    Kims nor Vixus said a word. All they did was attack.


    Vixus leaped off of the rhino and confronted Quace, not letting the sorcerer easily evade the rhino¡¯s charge. And Kims withdrew his saber from Bikkem¡¯s gullet, jumping back to stand beside Argyle.


    Quace was unable to fight back against Vixus. The me Tiger would negate his spells with minimal damage while the rhino and Vixus would beat him, gradually bringing down his HP and his mana. It was only a matter of time for the sorcerer to lose in the mismatched encounter, no matter how well he could dodge.


    Bikkem truly became a mad monk, attacking in every which way and doing anything to keep up with the two swordsmen that were cornering him and chipping away at him bit by bit.


    Jack and Bowzer just sat back and rxed. Bowzer had dashed toward the other entrance to the trove, closing off the only other escape route that Quace and Bikkem had.


    Also, Tralon appeared to Jack¡¯s side, wearing a smile. "Jack, your ns always amaze me."


    "It¡¯s nothing tooplicated. We just gave both Kims and Vixus a better offer and revealed that Quace and Bikkem had shadier motives than they were letting on. And any good politician knows that the worst thing they can do is be publicly affiliated with shady, questionable groups," exined Jack,ughing as the two most deceiving council members were being beaten down.


    "Still, though Vixus had already agreed, how did you know that Kims would join in? Especially after Argyle cut off his arm."


    "Tralon, Kims is very battle minded and opportunistic. I would argue that he only took the deal because his arm had been cut off," reasoned Jack. "That was like a wake-up call to his instincts, making it easier for Kims to more clearly see that Quace and Bikkem were up to something."


    "And what if he didn¡¯t agree and instead attacked Argyle?"


    "Then we would fight him too. There¡¯s still Bowzer and me to help control the fight, not to mention you. We would¡¯ve been fine."


    Tralonughed and shook his head. "I¡¯m just d we¡¯ve worked this out in the end."


    Jack nodded. "Now let¡¯s go and question those two more carefully."


    The beating hade to a halt as Quace was the first to fall. Out of mana and low on health, Quace could do nothing but beg for his life.


    Bikkem, on the other hand, kept throwing punching and forcing the swordsmen to give it their all. But, eventually, the monk¡¯s high defense gave in and he was forced to his knees.


    "So, are you more willing to talk now, or do we need to convince you further?" Jack questioned.


    "I--"


    "We have nothing to say to you!" Bikkem shouted, not letting Quace speak for himself.


    "Hmm... Okay, then it seems you¡¯d rather be questioned in public," snickered Jack. "Argyle, cripple them. We don¡¯t want them trying anything while we drag them along like living corpses."


    "You--" Before Bikkem could try and counter Jack¡¯s statement, a sword was thrust into his chest. Then, that sword was twisted around, acting like a meat grinder against Bikkem¡¯s ribcage and internal organs.


    Tralon then cast Lesser Healing. This stopped the bleeding and healed the monk enough so that he could survive, but also making it impossible to fully heal wounds that have already scarred over and be too weak to do anything beyond simple functioning.


    With a chuckle, Jack verified that Bikkem¡¯s level had officially been crippled. The monk¡¯s lv. 68 strength was forever gone.


    "Please, PLEASE!!" Quace dropped to his knees and began to kowtow. "I¡¯ll talk! I¡¯ll cooperate!"


    Yet Argyle was still unconvinced, plunging his sword into the sorcerer¡¯s chest. He ground away at the man¡¯s strength, forever crippling his internal organs and body thanks to the lesser healing that left everything scarred and brittle.


    "Now break their arms and legs so they can¡¯t try anything like killing themselves. Then we¡¯ll gag them," ordered Jack. "Since they remained so adamant to conceal the truth, I can only imagine just how incriminating it is. With that kind of information, we of course will let the world know after we¡¯ve finished up our time in the dungeon."


    "Allow me." Kims stepped forward and mmed the blunt side of his saber into Bikkem¡¯s limbs. "If you hadn¡¯t bribed me, I would¡¯ve kept my arm!"


    Once Kims had taken out his aggression on the two cripples, they could only lie on the ground and barely move their heads with immense pain.


    Vixus was the one who gagged them and drugged them unconscious. He wanted to make sure that the party wouldn¡¯t hear theints of the two cripples along the trip.


    With that taken care of, Kims faced Argyle and Tralon with a bow. "Please forgive my foolishness. I¡¯m easily blinded by greed and lust for EXP, as well as trying to increase my influence within the council."


    "That¡¯s understandable, plus you¡¯ve already been punished in my book," Jack replied instead, pointing at Kims¡¯s missing limb. "Now, let me exin a few things more clearly now that we don¡¯t have to worry about those two rats.


    "My offer to Vixus is the same that I offer to you, Kims. We¡¯ll take you through the remainder of the dungeon and even let you take up to three treasures of your choice with my permission. But there¡¯s one condition," Jack exined and looked to Vixus with a smile.


    Vixus, in turn, sighed and bowed. "I, Vixus Hurdlon, agree to publicly join the Leisure Guild and stand by it for the rest of my life as the Vice Guild Master."


    "Good... I¡¯m d that Vixus¡¯s descendant will be able to take up his former responsibilities. We¡¯re d to have you." Jack and Tralon both bowed to the man, all smiles.


    "That¡¯s it?" Kims asked, disrupting the mood. "All I have to do is join the guild?"


    ??That¡¯s it. But you¡¯ll have to take on a leading role fit for your strengths," replied Jack. "I was thinking you¡¯d be perfect as our Security Advisor."


    "Security Advisor? What would that entail?"


    "It¡¯s a position that¡¯s been vacant for a couple of centuries, Kims," Tralon exined. "You would be in charge of maintaining security throughout the guild, both within Trodar and outside of Trodar."


    "Oh... So I would be allowed to travel?" Kims asked with a hint of a smile.


    "Not only would you be allowed to travel, but we¡¯ll pay for your travel expenses, so long as they¡¯re within reason," added Jack. "I would want you to hurry up and reach lv. 70 or even lv. 80 if you can. We¡¯ll pay for potions and all other leveling supplies you would need, which we can afford thanks to the vault. By bing one of the strongest in the continent, you can best guarantee the safety and security of the guild."


    "I, Kims Grantel, pledge to take up the position of Security Advisor and offer my life to the Leisure Guild!" Kims dropped to one knee and immediately epted the position that he seemed to be crafted just for him. "Even if it means losing my council seat, I¡¯m willing to uphold my responsibilities of bing the strongest swordsman in Kartonia and protecting the guild, despite myck of a left arm."


    "We¡¯re excited to have such a passionate addition to the guild." This time, Jack, Tralon, and Vixus all bowed together, marking a moment of immense growth for the guild.

 Chapter 322 The Sky Floor

    <h4>Chapter 322 The Sky Floor</h4>


    While Jack and Tralon were exchanging smiles with the newest members of the Leisure Guild, Argyle sighed, "Great, but can we get a move on? Now that we¡¯ve got luggage to carry, we can¡¯t waste any more time."


    ¡¯Right, let¡¯s go!¡¯ Bowzer shouted in excited.


    "Argyle¡¯s right, let¡¯s hurry up and get going to the next floor," Jack agreed. "And with two more able bodies, then we¡¯ll have no trouble clearing the next four floors with ease."


    "I¡¯ll clear the way. It¡¯ll let me get used to battling with one arm and I need all the EXP I can get." Kims giddily ran toward the exit of the fifth floor.


    Argyle raced after Kims while Tralon chatted with Vixus and Jack threw the two crippled councilmen onto Bowzer¡¯s back. With the updated team of six powerful party members, excluding Vixus¡¯s beasts, they were more prepared than ever.


    Once everyone was gathered at the circle, Tralon activated it and sent the team onto the next floor.


    As the purple energy dispersed and the party arrived at their destination, they were all dumbstruck by the new world around them.


    Beneath their feet were clouds, yet they were firm enough to walk and run on. Surrounding them was a crystal clear sky, proving to everyone that they were above the cloud line and high in the air. In the distance, different species of birds and flying creatures roamed freely.


    "What is this..." Kims was in awe.


    Vixus was focused on a nearby beast passing them by. "A griffon?! Why are there griffons on the sixth floor of the dungeon?!"


    "Actually, this is the eighth floor," Jack exined, catching Vixus and Kims even more off guard. "You didn¡¯t realize it before, but the first four floors will always appear in a random order which changes every nine days. The same goes for the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth floors. Currently, we¡¯re on the eighth floor, a ce we called the sky floor."


    "The sky floor... And the griffon?!"


    "Vixus, you¡¯ll have to keep calm in these next few floors. These four floors are all different environments, suitable for different kinds of beasts. And when this ce was being built, we stuffed it full of every kind of beast we could get our hands on at the time, that was an idea of your ancestor¡¯s. So, now that I think about it, we¡¯ll probably find some beasts in here that might have gone extinct in the outside world, or at least are extremely difficult to find."


    "Jack, are you saying we have ess to beasts that no one else in the world might have?" asked Vixus with an obvious intent behind his words.


    "How about this, each of you can take a single beast with you today so long as there are at least two more of that species left behind. We don¡¯t want to identally force a species to go extinct,"ughed Jack, scratching his head.


    "What different environments are these floors, Jack? Do you remember? I want to know which would be best to choose from."


    "Vixus, chill for a bit. Remember, only one for now. Maybe you cane and pick another er." Jack put his hands up innocently. "Anyway, the four environments are a lush valley, a frozen tundra, an endless sky, and an active volcano. Keep that in mind as we travel through the floors, cause we can¡¯t turn around after we pass a floor.


    "Personally, I also need another flying beast. And though a griffon is a great choice with a sixth level bloodline, I may want something different," Jack added with a wry smile.


    Vixus squinted at Jack. "You remember the exact types of beasts there are, don¡¯t you?"


    "Mostly, but not all off the top of my head," answered Jack. "But I remember enough to know exactly which flying beast I want. Anyone else want a beast from the sky floor?"


    "I do!" Vixus¡¯s hand shot up.


    Since no one else raised their hands, Jack looked to Kims first. "Which floor do you want to choose from?"


    "Which would you rmend?" questioned Kims. "I don¡¯t care what magic type they are, I just want something that can pair well with my fighting style, fast and merciless."


    "Hmm... Then I would choose from the sky floor if you¡¯re after speed. But if you want power, the magma floor will work too."


    "Then if I don¡¯t see one I like here, I¡¯ll get one from the magma floor."


    With that decided, Jack then turned to Tralon. "I never asked earlier, but do you even have a beastpanion?"


    "Not since my firstpanion perished during the Godly War." Tralon shook his head, a sad look in his eye.


    "Would you like another one?"


    "If I see one that catches my attention, I¡¯ll let you know."


    "That just leaves us with Argyle. What do you want?"


    A thieving smile spread across Argyle¡¯s face. "I want one from each floor."


    "Argyle, that¡¯s--"


    "Consider it as part of my payment since I¡¯m only taking a single item from the vault," reasoned Argyle. "Plus, just four beasts alone would make for the greatest auction I¡¯ve ever held. And who knows, maybe I¡¯ll keep one for myself."


    ¡¯By the way,¡¯ Jack replied mentally to Argyle, ¡¯you have ess to mypanion bloodline skill as one of my inheritors. Which means whatever beast you form a mutual pact with can share their abilities with you, like me and Bowzer."


    ¡¯Really?! Then I must have one from each floor! Screw the auctions!¡¯¡¯


    Jack chuckled and sighed. "Fine, since you¡¯re my father-inw and you¡¯ve been such an amazing help for such a low price, you can have one from each floor."


    "Then, can I give up on the two extra items you promised me from the vault in exchange for two more beasts?" questioned Vixus, surprising Jack. "I believe that¡¯s fair, right? And you would have no reason to question my loyalty since I¡¯ll only be able to ess this ce through the guild."


    "Alright, you can take three beasts total but only a single item from the vault. Happy now?"


    "Extremely."


    "If there are no more questions orints, then let¡¯s get moving," Jack refocused the group. "The next circle should be southeast, but I want to check northeast first."


    "Jack, what would you--"


    "If you see one, two, or three you like, then say so. I¡¯ll let you know if they were one-of-a-kind or whether we should be able to find more of them. Got it?"


    "Got it," Vixus nervously chuckled, trying to keep his excitement in check.


    While they traveled toward the northeast, everyone was blown away by the dozens of beasts they had never personally seen before. Each of the beasts were well known in bestiaries or stories but were difficult to find in real life.


    Vixus remained patient despite his nerves. How could he choose a beast from the sky floor without learning what beast Jack was after first? Wouldn¡¯t that beast be the rarest or most powerful of all?


    It took them about an hour to reach the northeastern region of the sky floor, mostly due to them taking their time and admiring the beasts around them.


    "That one."


    Jack and the others turned to Kims, surprised to see him a ways behind them.


    "I want that one. Can I take him with me, Jack?" Kims lifted his finger, showing which of the marvelous beasts he was after.


    "Oh, I forgot those were in here. Nice choice. If you can catch it, then Bowzer can help you keep it calm during the sealing process."


    The moment Jack gave Kims permission, the swordsman darted into action. Leaping with all his might, Kims grabbed hold of one of the beast¡¯s wings and forced it into a nosedive toward the ground.


    However, the beast didn¡¯t give up the fight. It entered a death roll as it plummeted toward the ground made up of clouds at full speed. The beast was eager to throw Kims and prove its own might against the swordsman.


    Kims held on for dear life with his one arm clutching the base of the wing and his legs wrapped around the beast¡¯s belly, struggling much more than he would¡¯ve liked. But the man¡¯s determination proved impossible to shake as he managed to cling on just as the beast altered its course and narrowly avoid a crashnding.


    "That¡¯s a..." stammering, Vixus recognized the beast but was too shocked by Kims riding one to speak clearly.


    "A Winged Serpent... not bad at all," Jack chuckled, enjoying the show.

 Chapter 323 Persuading A Winged Serpen

    <h4>Chapter 323 Persuading A Winged Serpen</h4>


    "A Winged Serpent... Not bad at all."


    "Oh, I haven¡¯t seen any of those for a few centuries," Tralon stated. "Due to them having six wings, their unique, scale-like feathers became an item of great luxury during the initial period of peace following the Godly War. They¡¯re extremely endangered and cost a fortune for a single beast."


    "Are there anyws or rulings that wouldn¡¯t allow Kims to have one?" asked Jack.


    "In this case, no. Thews were mostly ced over the region where you¡¯ll find their natural habitat, in Barzdol. They control what you take into the area and what you bring out. But since you¡¯ve got some hidden away in here, nothing can stop him from holding one," Tralon exined. "And if anyone dares to confront Kims about it, his new position in the Leisure Guild will help protect him as we¡¯re known for being ancient and unique throughout the continent."


    "And now that we¡¯ve got three men over lv. 60 and are reopening the ancient vault, the Leisure Guild¡¯s level of influence should again rival a kingdom or even the Trodan Council," Vixus remarked. "Why else would I agree to join? Maybe if it was just me and Tralon I would¡¯ve disagreed, but with Kims joining then it became too advantageous of an offer to turn down."


    "I¡¯m just d you see things clearly and can be dealt with like a proper businessman. If not, things would¡¯ve gotten dicey back there," Jack joked, nudging Vixus with his elbow. "It also helped that we¡¯ve still got some of Vixus Senpai¡¯s old stuff in the vault."


    "That¡¯s the main reason I agreed, sure, but finding this... I¡¯m amazed to find such rare beasts thriving so freely!"


    "I¡¯m sure that there are still many rare beasts like this in simr situations, locked up or sealed away in hidden dungeons across Kartonia. One day, I¡¯m sure someone will open them up again,"mented Jack. "Look at Kims go!"


    Everyone turned their attention back to the one-armed swordsman, surprised to see him still hanging on after five minutes.


    "Kims, do you need any assistance?" Vixus shouted.


    "This one will be mypanion so stay out of it!"


    The partyughed as Vixus sighed. They kept watching the show for another five minutes, amazed to see Kims hold out so long with just one arm.


    The Winged Serpent also started to notice that something was different.


    Being born within the dungeon was a bit different than being raised outside. That Winged Serpent was lv. 64, not the strongest of his kind within the dungeon but still respectable among his peers in terms of strength. There was still the concept of prey and predator, but there was rtive peace between the strongest species as they were ced in different regions of the floor since day one of the dungeon. In reality, the sky floor had developed more into a thriving ecosystem than a dungeon for grinding.


    Also, this Winged Serpent had never met a human before and didn¡¯t know what this thing was that had climbed onto its back. All it knew was that it felt threatened and tried to buck the unusual beast.


    However, after failing to throw the strange beast for ten minutes, the Winged Serpent no longer felt threatened. Whenever it looked back to the creature clinging to its wing the serpent could sense something in the creature¡¯s eyes. That Winged Serpent began to feel the respect that Kims had for it and eventually started to develop mutual respect for the strange creature¡¯s determination and strength.


    Kims refused to attack the beast. He simply held tightly and waited.


    The party was forced to patiently stand-by, wondering how things would y out and if Kims could somehow tame such a beast.


    "Join me outside." Kims smiled back to the beast between his heavy breaths. "Outside you¡¯ll be able to fly freely wherever you want."


    Perplexed, the five-meter long beast slowed and squinted back at to Kims. It hissed, wanting to somehowmunicate with Kims but finding itself unable.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s go outside and race!¡¯


    As a voice echoed in the serpent¡¯s mind, it started to look about for the source. That¡¯s when it noticed Bowzer below. The Winged Serpent began to descend as it conversed with the fox. ¡¯This outside... What is it?¡¯


    ¡¯Outside is a world so big that you can go anywhere!¡¯ Bowzer happily replied with a nod. ¡¯There you¡¯ll be able to fly as high as you want and go wherever you want.¡¯


    ¡¯As high as I want?¡¯ The Winged Serpent hovered above the ground and stared longingly at the false sky above its head. ¡¯What must I do to go to this outside?¡¯


    ¡¯Join us on our journey! We¡¯ll take you there. Just make a seal between you and Kims on your back.¡¯


    ¡¯Kims? Is that what you call these creatures?¡¯


    ¡¯No, they¡¯re humans. Kims is that one¡¯s name,¡¯ corrected Bowzer. ¡¯My human¡¯s name is Jack and yours will be Kims. That way you cane outside with us and travel like I do.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Is that what this Kims is attempting to do? To persuade me to join it?¡¯ the Winged Serpent questioned, quite curious about these humans and this outside with no limit to the sky.


    Jack and the others easily noticed that some kind of exchange was going on between the fox and the serpent. It was obvious as they kept sharing looks and nodding to one another. But even in that, Kims held firmly to the Winged Serpent, not rxing for even a moment.


    ¡¯Will I be limited or contained in any way in this outside?¡¯


    ¡¯Sometimes you¡¯ll be ced inside a ring for a short time, but that also depends on your human. If they really like you, then you¡¯ll be able to stay out all the time.¡¯


    The serpent blinked, taking Bowzer¡¯s words to heart. ¡¯And someone with your bloodline dares to work with these humans?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m d to be with Jack, he¡¯s great! We travel and work together every day, what else can I ask for?¡¯ Bowzerughed.


    ¡¯Then... I think I¡¯m willing to try going to this outside. But I refuse to be ced in this ring or any sort of containment unfairly,¡¯ reasoned the serpent.


    ¡¯What¡¯s your name?¡¯


    ¡¯Ssildro.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, Ssildro, I¡¯ll talk with my human about that.¡¯ Bowzer then turned to Jack, grabbing the party¡¯s attention. ¡¯Jack, Ssildro wants to go outside and will go with Kims, but he doesn¡¯t want to be contained or stored away.¡¯


    Jack chuckled and nodded before he looked up and shouted, "Hey, Kims! Bowzer said that the serpent wants to go outside with you, but it hates being contained."


    "Then I will never contain it," Kims replied immediately, not wavering in the least. "With my new background, I¡¯ll just be called another lunatic from the Leisure Guild, so why not?"


    "Great, thene on down! Bowzer will tell Ssildro," Jackughed.


    While Kims carefully released the serpent¡¯s wing and hopped back onto what could be called ground, Bowzer told Ssildro the good news, putting a smile on the serpent¡¯s face.


    Ssildro then descended fully,ying himself across the ground and folding its six great wings against its body. Amazingly, the wings became rxed and flexible enough to allow Ssildro to coil his five-meter long body like amon cobra.


    Jack took out a brush and ink, readying himself to create a seal. "Bowzer, inform Ssildro about the sealing process and that it will be mutual. That way both Ssildro and Kims will be able tomunicate with each other."


    As Bowzer exined some things, Ssildro nodded and lowered his head toward Jack. It was very trusting of Bowzer, or more specifically of Bowzer¡¯s powerful bloodline.


    After a few minutes of careful brushwork, Jack finished his part and allowed Kims and Ssildro to finish it with their blood. Now, Kims was finally rxed and smiling, especially once he heard Ssildro¡¯s voice in his head.


    ¡¯I can call you Kims, yes? I¡¯m Ssildro. I hope we can take care of each other. If not, then I¡¯ll eat to increase my level.¡¯


    ¡¯Ssildro, you have my respect and my promise to take care of you. Whatever you want, just say it and I¡¯ll make sure to offer it.¡¯ Kims bowed to the beast, not at all intimidated by the threat. He was d to find the serpent had such an attitude and was curious how it would be on a battlefield.

 Chapter 324 Meeting with the Minokawas

    <h4>Chapter 324 Meeting with the Minokawas</h4>


    Kims and Ssildro each bowed to one another out of respect before the swordsman hopped onto Ssildro¡¯s back as the serpent uncoiled himself and took flight alongside the party.


    "So, now that he¡¯s found his newpanion, shall we continue northeast?"


    Following Jack¡¯s lead, the party continued their journey. All was going well and smooth since no beast dared approach them, which Jack then attributed to Bowzer after seeing how much respect Ssildro had for the fox.


    But after some time, Kims spoke up, "Jack, Ssildro is warning us not to go this way."


    "And why¡¯s that?"


    "He said we¡¯re about to enter the territory of a the Minokawas."


    "Mino... Minokawas?!" Vixus was shaking with joy. "Jack, there are Minokawas in here?!"


    "I wanted it to be a surprise," sighed the hero. "If memory serves me right, then only three or four were put in here back in the day. But based on Ssildro¡¯s suggestion, it seems they¡¯ve be quite a force here on the sky floor. Kims, tell Ssildro that I want to meet with the Minokawas, but he¡¯s wee to stay behind if he¡¯s afraid."


    With augh, Kims soon added, "Ssildro just wanted to warn us but he¡¯s more than willing to join. He has no fear of the Minokawas."


    The party chuckled and continued their trek. After another five minutes of wandering, they heard a shout.


    ¡¯Halt!¡¯


    Besides Jack and Tralon, the other men were all startled by the shout. It was only a telepathic message, but it was still understandable to them all. That meant whoever spoke was either another human or a creature that could rival their natural intelligence, if not surpass it.


    ¡¯Halt! Are you humans, perhaps?¡¯


    Jack looked up to see a majestic beast dive from the distant sky with immeasurable speed yet still gracefullynd on its feet. It still had a beak, but within the beak was a row of serrated fangs. The beast was covered in feathers but it¡¯s head and feet more closely resembled a dragon than it did any bird. From the top of its head to the tip of its tail, the beast only measured around three meters in length, but it still showed no awareness or respect for therger Winged Serpent.


    "My name is Jack," the hero introduced himself with a bow. "Is there any way that you and I can speak between just the two of us?"


    The beast eyed Jack and scoffed. ¡¯Does that mean that you are, in fact, human?¡¯


    ¡¯I am, and I would like to speak to your leader,¡¯ replied Jack, ¡¯or as you would call him or her, your sovereign.¡¯


    ¡¯Interesting indeed... You know of our culture so well yet we only know ancient legends of yours. Exin this, human.¡¯


    Smiling, Jack bowed again. ¡¯Can you please take me to your sovereign? I¡¯m sure he or she would also like to learn this and I have a request for them as well. Of course, with that requestes an offer of my own.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright, but no weapons must be wielded in her presence. Follow me.¡¯ The Minokawa guard spread its wings and began to travel at a pace more fitting for the party. ¡¯Hurry if you want to meet the sovereign.¡¯


    "Everyone, hurry and follow that Minokawa! We¡¯re going to go meet the Minokawa Sovereign, so store all your weapons!"


    While they all started to run after Jack, Vixus started to ramble on about the Minokawas and the sovereign before anyone else could ask for more information. "The Minokawa Sovereign?! There¡¯s a sovereign in here?! Jack, do you know what this means? We had assumed that the Minokawas were either extinct or hiding away from the world. The fact that they have enough Minokawas in this ce for them to elect a sovereign is incredible!"


    "Get all your nerves out now, Vixus, because when we meet the sovereign I¡¯ll be the only one allowed to speak. Got it?" Jack eyeballed Vixus, making sure he understood.


    "Right, I¡¯ll act properly for the sovereign¡¯s sake."


    After five minutes of rushing, the party started to see more and more Minokawas around them. Another five minutes passed and they seemed to reach what could be described as a peak among the clouds. Around the peak was a handful of powerful Minokawas of varying colors, each nearing lv. 70. At the top sat a Minokawa with pure white plumage that turned golden at the tips of each feather.


    "We¡¯re proud of this opportunity to meet the Minokawa Sovereign," Jack bowed before the noble beast, letting the others quietly follow his example. "My name is Jack. How should I address you, your majesty?"


    ¡¯My name is Phara and you may call me such, Jack.¡¯ The Minokawa Sovereign nodded her head to the hero. ¡¯I¡¯ve never met a human in all my life, nor did the previous sovereign, nor the sovereign before him. Why are you suddenly appearing again in ournd?¡¯


    "Phara, I can assure you that wee in peace and don¡¯t have any ill intentions for your people," Jack stated. "Is it alright it the two of us speak alone between us?"


    ¡¯You may exin yourself, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, your majesty.¡¯ Jack bowed again before standing tall and meeting Phara¡¯s gaze. ¡¯First, does her majesty know that you are in a limited space that we humans call a dungeon?¡¯


    ¡¯I know not about this dungeon, but I do know that we reside in a limited space that is a false sky. That has been passed down throughout our history.¡¯


    ¡¯Are your people eager to leave this limited ce?¡¯ questioned Jack.


    ¡¯To speak honestly, I don¡¯t think we would be neither against the idea or for the idea,¡¯ answered Phara. ¡¯It would be worth considering, but we¡¯ve built a great ce for our people here and hold no ill will against the person who ced our ancestors within this space, as our ancestors were freed of the dragons¡¯ dominion in the outside world.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, so you have records of the outside world? I¡¯ve underestimated the knowledge and wisdom of your people, Phara,¡¯ Jack bowed for a third time, remaining courteous and favorable to the Minokawas. ¡¯Then let me make my request followed with my offer. I ask her majesty if a young Minokawa would like to journey with me outside. Maybe then you and your people would be able to make a better decision about whether you remain here or travel outside.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh? So you wish to take one of us with you? That makes things far moreplicated, Jack. We, the Minokawas, are a noble people and we don¡¯t like to be treated as ves.¡¯ Phara shook her head.


    Jack smiled. ¡¯I don¡¯t know what your legends say about us humans, but I have no intention of making any of your people ves. If you look at the fox traveling with me, you may realize that his bloodline is stronger than you, even rivaling the dragons that put you down your ancestors.¡¯


    Intrigued, Phara turned to Bowzer. After carefully inspecting him, she sighed, ¡¯I see. Then what exactly does traveling with you entail? How do you n to offer security to one of our own and why should I allow you to take one of our offspring under your wing?¡¯


    ¡¯Phara, your majesty, I n to form what we call a mutual seal with whoever will be joining me. That is proof we¡¯ll see each other as equals and that we¡¯ll be able to grow stronger together by sharing EXP.¡¯


    ¡¯So you¡¯re offering to help one of our youth to grow stronger?¡¯


    ¡¯Not just that,¡¯ continued Jack. ¡¯I have the ability to help your entire race leave this space, should you wish. Also, you have my guarantee that humans will not be entering this ce like in ancient times, ughtering all manner of beasts without consequence. I control the entry into this space, so I can assure you that nothing will change in that sense.¡¯


    ¡¯Then what else can you offer us that could convince myself and the elders to agree with you?¡¯ Phara asked.


    ¡¯I can offer you wealth, items, and equipment, or anything else you would like,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯Given time, I could armor and supply your race. Then, if you decide, we could take revenge against the dragons that lorded over your ancestors."


    ¡¯That... Can you offer such a thing?¡¯ baffled, Phara hesitated and thought for a moment. ¡¯If that offer is true, then it may be enough to convince the elders. But I¡¯ll need proof if you want me to entrust you with the life of a young Minokawa.¡¯


    ¡¯Bowzer, can you please tell Phara who it was that killed your mother?¡¯ Jack dragged the fox into the conversation.


    Thinking back to the past Bowzer began to snarl, and feint embers ran through his fur. ¡¯Those dragons will pay!¡¯


    ¡¯See, we¡¯re already against the dragons in general,¡¯ Jack added while he petted Bowzer to calm the fox¡¯s anger. ¡¯Also, I¡¯ve already been charged with the mission to kill the greatest dragon of all.¡¯

 Chapter 325 Convincing the Minokawa Sovereign

    <h4>Chapter 325 Convincing the Minokawa Sovereign</h4>


    ¡¯Also, I¡¯ve already been charged with the mission to kill the greatest dragon of all.¡¯;


    ¡¯You... You would dare such a thing?¡¯ Phara questioned the young hero, baffled by his unearthly confidence. ¡¯Say that all you want, but I¡¯ll still need proof of this.¡¯


    Jack sighed. ¡¯And exactly how should I prove it, Phara?¡¯


    ¡¯That I¡¯m not sure, but I will say that you intrigue me far more than I anticipated, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... Phara, if I let you look at my stats will you be able to read my title?¡¯


    ¡¯Stats? You mean your information? I was wondering why I was unable to see through your strength. I should see it if you removed the ability blocking it.¡¯ As Phara finished her sentence, Jack unequipped his cloak and revealed himself in a cheap shirt and pants. At first, Phara was confused by Jack¡¯s weak strength at lv. 49 but was then startled by his ss and title. ¡¯Hero ss... and Demigod? What are the meanings of these things?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m one of three people with the hero ss, each receiving the blessing of a main god. I¡¯ve received Daruun¡¯s blessing as the God of Fate. Also, I¡¯ve been made a demigod by my adoptive parents, Lunara the Water Goddess and Sterfen the God of Secrets. In the future, I¡¯m likely to be a god because of that,¡¯ Jack exined. ¡¯Is my story more believable now?¡¯


    While the Minokawa Sovereign ryed Jack¡¯s request and offer to the elders, she took a moment to think for herself. But the Minokawa elders were confused and enraged.


    ¡¯So weak! And yet we let him speak with the sovereign? Throw him out!¡¯


    ¡¯But what is that title? Or that ss?¡¯


    ¡¯Those don¡¯t matter if one is too weak to uphold such a bold promise.¡¯


    ¡¯We could investigate further, but I doubt it¡¯s worth the effort¡¯


    The elders began to bicker and shout aloud, questioning what they should do with Jack and his lower leveled strength.


    ¡¯Silence! He is my guest for the moment, so there will be no ndering him without just cause,¡¯ Phara ordered, demanding cooperation. ¡¯Jack, as you can see, the elders won¡¯t be convinced. I¡¯m sorry but I must reject your request.¡¯


    ¡¯But I¡¯m traveling with a Hell-me Fox that can rival dragons. And if you look closely now, he too is a demigod,¡¯ stated Jack, not losing his cool quite yet.


    ¡¯That... That¡¯s true...¡¯


    Phara reexamined the Hell-me Fox. Before, she was able to feel the raw strength of his bloodline, which rivaled hers and possibly surpassed it. However, the second time revealed the fox to also be a demigod and made her feel the fox¡¯s bloodline strength more clearly.


    ¡¯If that¡¯s not enough to convince you, then how about this? Bowzer, so them how big you really are.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯


    Without hesitation, Bowzer dropped the unconscious cripples and lept to the side of the cloudy summit where there was more room. Then, everyone else suddenly felt a shower of heat wash over them. The party members weren¡¯t startled or scared, but the looks on the elders¡¯ faces twisted at the sight of therge fox bing a hulking me body towering over them and letting his unadulterated bloodline show off its strength.


    Even Phara, the lv. 71 Minokawa Sovereign felt a tinge of fear in her heart as she looked at those white mes dancing around Bowzer.


    "We may only be lv. 49 for now, but we¡¯re more than strong enough now to fend for ourselves," Jack shouted for all to hear. "If you don¡¯t like the idea of gaining the favor of two future gods before they ascend to godhood, then that¡¯s on you. We¡¯ll just be going then. I wish your people the best, Phara."


    Bowing onest time, Jack sighed and turned away from the Minokawa Sovereign. He signaled to the party as he began to leave, but even the party was in shock.


    Other than Tralon, the news contained in Jack¡¯sst statement was core-shaking to the high-level men. No one had ever made such a statement in all of their lives, but no one else ever had the rumored demigod title that they saw Jack and Bowzer reveal before their eyes.


    ¡¯Wait, Jack!¡¯ Shaking the initial nerves off, the lv. 71 Minokawa pped her wings and appeared before the fleeing Jack. ¡¯Stay. We may be able to reason with the elders after that show you put on.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, then I can tell Bowzer to stop?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s enough, Bowzer. Don¡¯t scare them too badly,¡¯ughed Jack.


    While Bowzer reverted to his original form and returned to the side of the party to carry the beaten councilmen, the Minokawas were nervously reviewing the words their ancestors had spoken. The ancient words spoke of a natural strength so powerful that it could weaken the Minokawa bloodline, suppressing it and forcing cooperation; that was what it felt like before a true dragon. That was also the first time the elders personally experienced such a thing and wondered if the fox could actually rival a dragon.


    ¡¯I don¡¯t believe any of the elders wish to question their strength after witnessing the fox¡¯s bloodline. Am I correct to assume so?¡¯ Returning to her spot atop the cloud peak, Phara looked to the elders around her.


    ¡¯I have no reason to question them. Though they aren¡¯t the strongest in level, the difference in bloodline strength is enough for them to put up a fight,¡¯ one elder stated.


    Another elder shook their head. ¡¯They may be strong, but that means nothing to us. Why should we give up a youth in such a gamble.¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, it would be a gamble, just like everything else in life. We could turn them away and stick to tradition or we could take the chance and see just how strong one of our own can be. What if there¡¯s a chance to rival the strength of dragons in the future?¡¯ A different elder spoke up to share his reasoning.


    ¡¯But that risk is too great!¡¯ argued the final elder.


    ¡¯It seems that the elders are split on the decision, which means that my vote will be the deciding factor,¡¯ Phara stated, getting the elders to stop bickering.


    She took ast moment to look over Jack and speak with him directly. ¡¯Jack, what level can you guarantee that this youth will reach?¡¯


    ¡¯In time, they¡¯ll reach a minimum of lv. 80 and might reach lv. 89.¡¯


    ¡¯And what if they perish before that point?¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll have already died alongside it.¡¯


    Phara blinked and hesitated. Finally, she spoke out, ¡¯Call forth Phoro.¡¯


    ¡¯Your majesty! But these--¡¯


    ¡¯Silence! I gave my order, do you dare disobey?¡¯ A bestial aura surrounded Phara and pressed against the elders.


    ¡¯N-no, I don¡¯t dare deny the word of the Sovereign.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, then fetch Phoro immediately.¡¯


    That cowering elder regained hisposure and grunted loudly as he flew past Jack. Within a few minutes, the elder returned with a younger Minokawa at his side, still eyeing Jack angrily.


    The younger lv. 47 Minokawa was still over two meters in length from tip to tail and had feathers with a silver sheen leading into a noble purple, simr to that particr elder eyeing Jack.


    ¡¯Mother, Father brought me here as quickly as he could. What is it you need of me?¡¯


    ¡¯Phoro, from this point on, you¡¯ll be leaving this sealed space as apanion to this human,¡¯ Phara exined. ¡¯You¡¯ll be mutuals and equals in all things. Also, with the help of this human who has godly potential, you¡¯ll be the strongest Minokawa of all, even greater than our ancestors.¡¯


    Sighing, Jack now understood the anger and impartiality of that elder giving him the death stare.


    ¡¯But Mother, I¡¯ve yet to reach lv. 50 and we¡¯ve always been trapped in this sealed space. How can I simply leave?¡¯ Phoro questioned indifferently.


    ¡¯Look to this human and that fox. You¡¯ll notice their status as demigods. Also, that fox has a bloodline that surpasses ours and canpete with that of the dragons. You¡¯ll join them on their quest against the dragons of the outside world, creating a ce for our race to gain a foothold and reign as we should.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯llplete this mission to the best of my ability, Sovereign.¡¯ Phoro bowed, still not showing any emotion.


    ¡¯By the time you¡¯vepleted this task, you¡¯ll have already grown stronger than myself and inherited my title as well.¡¯ Phara also bowed but looked again to Jack. ¡¯Take care of my son. If not, I¡¯ll do everything in my power to hunt you down and kill you, even if you be a god.¡¯


    Jack and everyone in the party bowed. ¡¯Thank you, Phara. As I said before, we¡¯ll protect him with my life just as I would for Bowzer or Bowzer would for me.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack.¡¯ Catching on quickly, Photo turned to him and bowed. ¡¯I¡¯ll be in your care. Together, let us end the reign of the dragons.¡¯


    Next, Jack took out the supplies to perform the mutual seal. ¡¯This will sting for a little bit, but it will mentally link us over any distance and allow us to share EXP.¡¯


    ¡¯Very well, then proceed.¡¯


    With Phoro¡¯s permission, Jack created the mutual seal. Now, the two were linked indefinitely.

 Chapter 326 The Youthful Phoro

    <h4>Chapter 326 The Youthful Phoro</h4>


    ¡¯Your majesty, I¡¯m sorry to leave so soon but we really must be going. We¡¯ve got to hurry and get through the next few floors and leave this space.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll wish you the best, Jack. Phoro, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re smart enough to act appropriately when needed, you always have been,¡¯ Phara sighed. ¡¯Farewell, my son.¡¯


    ¡¯Goodbye, Mother, Father.¡¯ Showing them onest bow, Phoro then turned to Jack. ¡¯After you.¡¯


    The party began their trek southbound, eventually leaving the Minokawa¡¯s territory. Once outside of their territory, everyone heard a huge sigh of relief from behind them.


    ¡¯Fiiinally! I don¡¯t have to listen to my father and his rants about duty and responsibility.¡¯ Using his telepathic ability, Phoro spoke loudly and shared his thoughts with the entire party.


    Jack broke intoughter and looked back at the Minokawa. ¡¯Wait, you¡¯re not some duty-driven son of the Sovereign? What was up with that act back there?¡¯


    ¡¯That? I can¡¯t just say no to my parents in front of the elders. He may not look it, but my father is way more overbearing than my mother,¡¯ replied Phoro, smiling with his eyes. ¡¯So, what are we really up to? You seem a bit young to be fighting dragons.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, we¡¯re still going to fight dragons in time,¡¯ answered Jack, reequipping his cloak. ¡¯Also, I really am nning to be a god alongside Bowzer, and I have been charged with the mission to kill the world¡¯s strongest dragon. That part wasn¡¯t a lie.¡¯


    ¡¯WHAT?! You can¡¯t be serious!¡¯


    ¡¯Calm down, I think we¡¯ll get along better than you¡¯d expect. I have a special way of doing things,¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯Would you believe me if I told you that less than a week ago I was lv. 34?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s impossible! No one can level up that quickly.¡¯


    ¡¯But me and Bowzer did. And you will too in the future, Phoro. I think we¡¯ll be great friends in the future.¡¯


    ¡¯Does that mean I can level up without doing anything?¡¯ Phoro asked, praying to get a yes in response.


    Scratching his head, Jack replied, ¡¯You¡¯ll still have to try, but I¡¯ll make it go faster. However, some particr situations might get dicey if you don¡¯t do what I say. Got it?¡¯


    ¡¯Got it! So long as I can rx most of the time, then I¡¯ll be happy.¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ll see about that,¡¯ chuckled Jack. ¡¯At least I can say you¡¯ll rx more with me than you would with your father and you¡¯ll still out level him in the end.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s good enough for me! I look forward to our time together!¡¯


    ¡¯Mind if I ride on your back for a while? I imagine you would barely notice a difference and I¡¯m sure it would be a fun ride,¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯Oh, you want to have some fun? You¡¯ve chosen the right Minokawa for the job! Hop on.¡¯ Phoro leaned forward and spread his wings wide, making it easy for Jack to climb onto his back. ¡¯Hang on tight, because I¡¯m about to give you the ride of your life.¡¯


    Without further warning, Phoro took off with blinding speed. Jack felt his skin stretching against the wind in his face, matching the feeling the Rydel¡¯s roc had given him. ¡¯I hope this isn¡¯t your top speed. I¡¯ve met a roc that can go faster than this.¡¯


    ¡¯Rocs may be bigger than me, but they can¡¯t keep up with me!"ughed Phoro.


    Suddenly, it was as if Phoro skipped a gear or two. Jack brutally fought the wind to lower his chest against Phoro¡¯s back. Even with his new increase in level, he couldn¡¯t take the wind pressure any longer. Curled up like he was, Jack struggled to hang on securely.


    Then, at the drop of a dime, Phoro came to a stop, jumbling up Jack¡¯s internal organs and bringing him a sense of nausea.


    ¡¯How was the loop de loop?¡¯ Phoro proudly asked.


    ¡¯I... I didn¡¯t know we did one...¡¯ Both in awe and in pain, Jack fell from Phoro¡¯s back and sighed. ¡¯I will say... that was something else...¡¯


    ¡¯Amazing, right? Never underestimate a Minokawa¡¯s speed!¡¯


    ¡¯Just give me a minute to recover. Then we¡¯ll head back to the party. I don¡¯t mind the loop de loops or tricks, but let¡¯s not travel quite so fast till I¡¯m a bit stronger, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Got it, but weren¡¯t you guysing this way for that?¡¯ Pointing with his beak, Phoro showed Jack the familiar circle found on all levels of the dungeon.


    ¡¯We¡¯re already... Yeah, we still need to go back to the party. I have to help the others findpanions before we leave.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, then I¡¯ll help too. I want out of this ce as soon as possible,¡¯ replied Phoro. ¡¯Most beasts hate being in this limited space. It may seem like a sky, but it¡¯s not endless at all. For people like me, we feel restricted in here, even if the elders are d that no dragons can push us around in here.¡¯


    ¡¯Well...¡¯ Jack chuckled. ¡¯There aren¡¯t any dragons per se, but other floors might have some dragon-rted species. If you saw the boss on the eleventh floor, then you¡¯d probably mistake him for a dragon of sorts.¡¯


    ¡¯What¡¯s a boss?¡¯ asked Phoro nonchntly.


    ¡¯A boss of a dungeon is the biggest and strongest monster there is. And this limited space we¡¯re in now is a single floor of this dungeon, created using illusion and wind magic. To clear the dungeon and leave you have to defeat the boss, usually.¡¯


    ¡¯Wait! There¡¯s a dragon in here, and it¡¯s that strong?! What will we do?¡¯ panicked, Phoro began to pace and rummage through his feathers with his beak.


    Jack sighed. ¡¯Calm down, okay? I wouldn¡¯t be going there if I didn¡¯t know what I was doing. Besides, the boss just has a dragon bloodline. He¡¯s not a pure dragon.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... But I¡¯m not sacrificing myself for your sake.¡¯


    ¡¯Who asked you too? Just chill in the back with everyone else when that happens and let me handle it,¡¯ Jack stated to the pouty Minokawa. ¡¯I¡¯m feeling a bit better now, so let¡¯s head back. And not so fast this time, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Right, right.¡¯ Phoro shrugged his wings and let Jack slowly climb onto his back. ¡¯Then I¡¯ll just go half-speed like I did at the beginning. Or is that still too much for you?¡¯


    ¡¯Real funny, but that¡¯s fine.¡¯


    Barreling through the air, Phoro and Jack were soon reunited with the party, but the party had taken a detour. Both Argyle and Vixus were leading the others to a vast nest filled with colossal slumbering beasts.


    Phoro nodded as hended beside the other party members. ¡¯Oh, they found some condors. I guess they wouldn¡¯t be terriblepanions.¡¯


    "Not terriblepanions?" Vixus red at the youthful Phoro. "Those are Golden Condors, whose bloodline can rival yours, no?"


    ¡¯No, they can¡¯t,¡¯ Phoro replied. ¡¯They can rival us in strength, but our intellect is much greater. Why else can I talk to all of you with thoughts alone.¡¯


    "Either way, we¡¯re getting a couple of them. Are you going to help or get in the way?" questioned Argyle.


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯


    "If your bloodline is so respected, can¡¯t you convince two of them to join us? They¡¯ll be able to leave this dungeon for good."


    ¡¯Okay, then I¡¯ll go ask them.¡¯ Once Jack hopped back to the ground, Phoro took off with a smile.


    Phoro woke up a couple of slumbering condors, who were angry until they recognized the Minokawa before them. They started to chat and converse since Phoro was taking his sweet time to persuade them.


    ¡¯Jack,¡¯ Argyle mentally messaged the hero, ¡¯There¡¯s one more favor I¡¯d like to ask.¡¯


    ¡¯Another one? I¡¯m already letting you take a beast from each floor, what else could you want?¡¯


    ¡¯Not long ago, I got a message from Hurmot. You remember him from the Celestial Crane, right? Quace contacted him a while back and he eventually figured out that we¡¯re in the storehouse. He wants to know if he can join us.¡¯

 Chapter 327 Call From Hurmo

    <h4>Chapter 327 Call From Hurmo</h4>


    ¡¯He wants to join us? But how can we--¡¯


    ¡¯Hurmot is an old friend of Tralon¡¯s too. He knows that Tralon can open a rift and allow Hurmot to join us,¡¯ exined Argyle. ¡¯Also, he said he¡¯s willing to bargain with you for the entry to the storehouse.¡¯


    ¡¯With me? Don¡¯t you mean with Tralon?" Jack asked.


    ¡¯No, he said he would bargain with you, Jack. I think he understands that you¡¯re like an anomaly and that this was your doing. So, what do you want me to tell him?¡¯


    Jack scratched his head and smiled. ¡¯Can I talk with him?¡¯


    ¡¯He¡¯s already waiting for you.¡¯ Argyleughed and passed Jack the already active contact crystal, surprising Jack further.


    "Hurmot, what¡¯s up?"


    "Jack, you don¡¯t have to tell me about your affiliation with the Leisure Guild if you don¡¯t wish too, but please allow me to join you inside the storehouse. Of course, I¡¯ll pay for my entry," Hurmot stated. "Name your price, Jack."


    "And what about the stuff inside the storehouse? What if you want something you find in one of the levels or you want to take things from the vault?" Jack questioned, walking away to not be in earshot of the party. "How do you n to pay me for those things?"


    "However you deem sufficient, Jack. At the very least, allow me to enter that ce. Even if I can¡¯t afford to purchase anything inside. Is that alright with you?"


    "What if I¡¯m not after gold or magic items?"


    Hurmot chuckled, "Then allow me to offer the support and influence of the Celestial Crane. As the most respected and powerful auction house across Kartonia, I¡¯m sure that has some merit to you."


    "I¡¯ll be frank with you, Hurmot. I¡¯m not after that for myself, I¡¯m after that for the Leisure Guild. Before I was summoned, I was a former member of the guild during ancient times and I want to help the guild rebuild its lost fame. What can you offer to help that?"


    "Rebuilding the Leisure Guild, huh? How about I offer all of my business connections and I¡¯ll owe you a favor as a lv. 72 summoner."


    "That¡¯s not a bad offer, but I had a different thought in mind," stated Jack. "Is it possible for the Celestial Crane to relocate to Trodar?"


    "Impossible," Hurmot answered immediately. "The traffic of business is iparable between Gilga and Federal City. Such an endeavor is practically impossible to survive at the scale that we are as a guild."


    "But what if I want to rebuild Gilga into the megacity it once was? What about then?"


    "If you could rebuild Gilga to that state... It wouldn¡¯t be impossible. But that has no guarantee and would need to be decided in the future," stated Hurmot.


    "But Argyle¡¯s opening a Gilga branch and he¡¯ll be heading it personally, didn¡¯t you know? He might even be running for the council this uing election."


    "What?! You can¡¯t be serious?"


    "Oh, I¡¯m serious about the Gilga branch. And even if Argyle hasn¡¯t fully epted it yet, I¡¯m confident he¡¯ll be entering the election," Jack replied. "But with my current connections and resources, after I join the election we¡¯ll only hold five of the eleven council seats."


    "Jack, asking me to relocate to Trodar is one thing, and asking me to join you in the election for the council is another."


    "Fine, I just thought I¡¯d extend the offer. Since you don¡¯t want to bite, then don¡¯t be mad when Argyle shows you up again at the next auction,"ughed Jack.


    "There has to be some sort of agreement we can reach, right Jack?"


    "Tell you what, I won¡¯t let you enter the storehouse but I can get you something."


    "But Jack, I wish to enter and see--"


    "If I can bring you a Celestial Crane, how much would you offer me?"


    "A Celestial Crane?!" Finally thrown off his game, Hurmot hesitated. "Jack, my offer would depend on the level."


    "It would be at least lv. 60. How does that sound?"


    "That... I¡¯ll let you choose an item from my guild¡¯s storehouse."


    "Including your restricted storage?"


    "... Yes, I¡¯ll let you choose an item from our restricted storage with my permission."


    "Then I look forward to delivering your crane, Hurmot," chuckled Jack.


    Hurmot sighed, "Jack... Is there really no deal we can make for you to allow me into the storehouse?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, but there are so many tempting things in here that I would bankrupt you before the auctions," Jack joked. "Even Argyle is struggling to contain himself and he¡¯s my father-inw."


    "But having a lv. 72 wouldn¡¯t aid you in any way? We¡¯re you looking for the favor of a lv. 70 before?"


    "Not in that sense, and I doubt you¡¯d be willing to join the Leisure Guild. But I¡¯ll keep you in mind should we need another body in the dungeon," replied Jack. "I¡¯ve got to go now, Hurmot. My new Minokawa just finished talking with some Golden Condors."


    "Jack! Wait--"


    Laying waste to Hurmot with his words, Jack cut the conversation short and returned to his party.


    Phoro was already introducing two gigantic Golden Condors to Argyle and Vixus, who promised to care for them and informed the condors about their intentions. Since the two men wanted the gargantuan beasts to help with business trips and to represent the wealth of their enterprises, both Golden Condors were promised preferential treatment and luxury. This easily persuaded the two condors to join them outside. Beasts asrge as them felt even more constricted in the dungeon, so there was no debate needed.


    Neither of the beasts received a mutual seal though, as neither man wanted to split EXP with a beast that wasn¡¯t going to be joining them on the battlefield.


    Once the seal was set, the party climbed onto Argyle¡¯s condor while Vixus happily sat atop his. Even thezy Phoroid on Argyle¡¯s condor, taking the free ride. That¡¯s when Jack saw it fit to return Argyle his contact crystal and inform him about Hurmot.


    "So he¡¯s not joining us but we¡¯ll find him a Celestial Crane? I guess that¡¯s reasonable."


    "Phoro, where will we find the Celestial Cranes?" Jack asked.


    The Minokawa didn¡¯t even move as he replied, ¡¯Those should be to the south, west of the circle I showed you.¡¯


    "Then that¡¯s where we¡¯re headed!"


    The party led the condors and soon found what they were looking for. Traveling by air was much faster, and the Golden Condor¡¯s sixth level bloodline proved powerful enough to carry the party with room to spare.


    It took some prodding, but Jack managed to convince Phoro to get up and speak with one of the many cranes.


    A few minutester, a small flock of Celestial Cranes followed Phoro back to the party andnded on the condor. ¡¯Um... Jack, all of them want toe with.¡¯


    "All of them? What did you say?"


    The cranes then nodded in unison as one stepped forward and spoke telepathically, ¡¯Jack, we¡¯re all tired of this space. Though we¡¯re weakerpared to these other beasts with you, our intellect is only rivaled by the Minokawas. I¡¯m sure there must be some use for us in the outside world.¡¯


    Not expecting such an oue, Jack asked, "If one of you were to be separated from the flock, what would you do?"


    ¡¯That depends. If they leave of their own will, then we¡¯ll be very understanding and support that crane. If it was by force, it would be uneptable.¡¯


    "I made a promise to man outside that I would bring him a Celestial Crane, but not as a ve. That man owns a ce called the Celestial Crane and I thought he would like to have thepany of such a beast. He¡¯ll of course offer you the greatest of care and you¡¯d be pampered in luxury for the most part."


    The lead crane looked back to the others and nodded. ¡¯That sounds like a ce suitable for all of us. Can we all go there?¡¯


    Jack sighed, "Let me contact him and find out."

 Chapter 328 Hurmots Counteroffer

    <h4>Chapter 328 Hurmot¡°s Counteroffer</h4>


    "I¡¯ve got to go now, Hurmot. My new Minokawa just finished talking with some Golden Condors."


    "Wait! Jack--"


    Before Hurmot had the chance to reply, the conversation was already cut short.


    "st! Jack, at least make me an offer or bargain with me... Why must you force me to make such drastic decisions," the old man mumbled to himself in the privacy of his own office.


    Hurmot sighed and looked around at the spacious room where he spent most of his waking hours. On the walls were many different decorations and awards, given to Hurmot by kings and nobles for all the contributions the Celestial Crane had given across Kartonia. Of the thirty-two nations of Modern Kartonia, more than twenty were represented along the walls of the office.


    "Trodar... I¡¯ve only visited and never stayed long..."


    Hurmot stood up and started to pace around the room. He was trying his best to figure out what Jack might be up to and, more importantly, what effect would that have on Trodar or the world atrge since the revival of the most ancient, active guild would be monumental news.


    "Jack mentioned that he would already have control of five of the eleven council seats, something that I can¡¯t question. Through bribery alone, Jack could control most of the council if he wished... But if he only has five seats, did he do something other than buy favor of a few council members?


    "Maybe... He¡¯s using his wealth on the guild? If that¡¯s the case, even he can¡¯t afford the council members forever. At most, it would be for a few major decisions but they could still turn against him in the end.


    "Then if he¡¯s paying for the guild¡¯s revival and knows Tralon well enough for the ancient mage to personally make time for Jack¡¯s surprise wedding, who could he be?"


    The further down the rabbit hole Hurmot went, the more he realized how important Jack must have been in the past.


    But that didn¡¯t make sense either, since Jack must¡¯ve been around lv. 30 at most when they first met at Jack¡¯s wedding. That would mean Jack wasn¡¯t even lv. 30 as an ancient hero and was too weak to hold any position of authority. Yet Tralon clearly had a personal rtionship with Jack and Jack was now leading Tralon and Argyle through the legendary storehouse of the Leisure Guild.


    "Who in Halmut¡¯s beard is he... And where did he gain such wealth in the first ce?


    "... Should I dare try and help the boy?"


    While Hurmot was caught in thought, a voice eventually rang out in his head for the second time that day.


    "Hurmot, are you busy?"


    "Jack... Are you finally going to let me strike a deal?"


    "Sorta. I¡¯m calling to ask what you¡¯ll offer me for five Celestial Cranes."


    "Five of them... Jack, every time we have an exchange you always seed at amazing me," replied Hurmot.


    "What¡¯s important is your offer for the five cranes. They refuse to go alone, so it¡¯s five cranes or no cranes," Jack stated.


    "Well... I believe one will already be covered by something from our restricted storage, right?"


    "Then I¡¯ll get five things from your restricted storage? Wow, you¡¯re more generous than I gave you credit," Jackughed.


    With a sigh, Hurmot shook his head. "I can¡¯t offer you five items from there, but that leaves us with the cost of the other four... How many would be covered by my opening of a Gilga branch?"


    "That depends. How big is it and who would be running it?"


    "It would be my manager, the one you constantly denied entry to at thest auction," Hurmot chuckled. "It would be small in terms of manpower, but we would still hold local auctions and add to the overall influence of Gilga, no?"


    "Hmm..." Jack scratched his head, noting that Hurmot had been pondering Jack¡¯s words between their calls. "That can count for one of the others. But what about the other three?"


    "Only one? Do you realize the cost of such a venture? It should be at least two of them."


    "Fine, we¡¯ll say one and a half. Happy?" replied Jack. "If you were the one heading the Gilga branch, then I could make it two and a half."


    "Only that much? If I personally go to Gilga, it should cover the four remaining cranes as a bare minimum. And that¡¯s without me daring to enter the election. I¡¯ve managed to keep out of politics in Federal City and I¡¯d especially prefer not to get involved in Trodar¡¯splicated situation."


    "I guess you¡¯re pretty wise but you¡¯re not much of an opportunist. How did you manage to start an auction house?" Jack joked.


    "Enoughughter, I¡¯m serious about this deal, Jack. And what would it take for me to join you in the storehouse?"


    "Hurmot, I already told you that much."


    One eyebrow raised and a sour smile across his face, Hurmot scoffed, "Jack, you can¡¯t expect me to ept such terms. Tell you what, I¡¯ll send my manager to open a Gilga branch and you can take two treasures out of my restricted storage with my permission."


    "Open the Gilga branch and make it one item that I can take whether you like it or not, then the five cranes are yours."


    "..."


    "What¡¯s wrong? Do you have something so valuable that you can¡¯t refuse to lose it at the expense of such amazing beasts?" mocked Jack.


    "Two items with my permission, Jack. Take it or leave it." ying hardball, Hurmot drew the line.


    "Since you won¡¯t agree... I guess the Leisure Guild will have to take care of the cranes."


    "But we had a--"


    "We never reached mutual terms, so don¡¯t say we had a deal and cry so badly, Hurmot," Jack exined. "As for treasures, I doubt anything you¡¯ll let me have from your storage can rival what I¡¯ll find in our vault, so why bother? Plus, I¡¯m certain the Leisure Guild could use five Celestial Cranes ranging from lv. 61 to lv. 66."


    More frustrated and irritated than he had ever been in the past decade, Hurmot groned to suppress his cursing towards Jack. "My offer is more than reasonable, you know that Jack."


    "You¡¯re right, it is. But I¡¯m not being reasonable. Why should I act reasonably when I¡¯m the one holding all the cards and you¡¯re not meeting my needs?" Jack reasoned, getting Hurmot to clench his teeth.


    Without wasting another moment, Hurmot ended that conversation and called someone else in the party. "Tralon, I already know where you are. How much would it cost to join you in the storehouse?"


    "Hurmot, I..."


    "... Tralon?"


    "Calling Tralon won¡¯t do you any good, Hurmot."


    "Jack?! Return Tralon his crystal at once. I¡¯m dealing with your guild leader so you have no say in this."


    "Really? So if I say that you¡¯re not allowed to join us without my permission and then I let you ask Tralon, what do you think will happen?"


    Hurmot wanted so much to answer and rub a victory in Jack¡¯s face. But something felt off. How had Jack taken Tralon¡¯s crystal without a fight? And why was he so confident despite the level difference and Tralon being the guild leader over Jack?


    "Can I speak with Tralon, please?"


    "Sure, but good luck. You¡¯ll need it," Jackughed, passing Tralon his crystal.


    "Hurmot..."


    "Tralon, I know that the guild has beencking funds for some time. I can--"


    "Hurmot, allow me to stop you there," Tralon calmly interjected. "I¡¯m sorry, but if Jack says you can¡¯t enter or that the Leisure Guild will assume ownership of the cranes, then that¡¯s how it will be."


    "But Tralon... You can¡¯t be serious? Why are you letting him walk all over you? He¡¯s not even level--"


    "He¡¯s stronger than you realize, Hurmot. By the time we exit the storehouse, Jack will be lv. 50 along with his Hell-me Foxpanion. And now he¡¯s made friends with a Minokawa as well, so I dare you to say that Jack isn¡¯t as capable as I am," exined Tralon. "He¡¯s the one you¡¯re dealing with, not me."


    "..." Hurmot was infuriated and perplexed, unable to think of a reply.


    Again, Jack¡¯s voice returned to Hurmot¡¯s mind. "So, is our discussion over or not?"

 Chapter 329 A Convincing Argumen

    <h4>Chapter 329 A Convincing Argumen</h4>


    "So, is our discussion over or not?"


    "Jack... Who are you?"


    Not expecting that question, Jack burst intoughter for a few seconds. It took a moment for him to calm down. "Hurmot, you can¡¯t afford to know that."


    "What do you mean I can¡¯t afford to know it? The Celestial Crane is--"


    "You can¡¯t afford it because you¡¯re too cheap," stated Jack. "If you¡¯re not willing to even meet the terms for the cranes or to join us in the storehouse, how could you willingly pay up to know more about me?"


    "I..." Unsure how to reply, Hurmot thought for a moment. "Jack, are you one of the original members of the Leisure Guild?"


    "Are you willing to let me take something from your restricted storage, regardless of whether you like it or not?" Jack chuckled. "I told you, you won¡¯t let yourself afford such knowledge, so I have no reason to answer."


    "... Then how much would it cost to learn the truth of your origins?"


    "You need to join the Trodan Council."


    "But that¡¯s impossible, I already told you that."


    "And that¡¯s why you can¡¯t afford the truth."


    While Jack was shrugging the conversation off like it was nothing, Hurmot was fuming mad. He had met many unreasonable people before, but Jack took the cake and ate it too. Jack was on another level of selfishness, not daring to give up anything in his exchanges.


    "Jack... I¡¯m sure that I can offer you two treasures that catch your eye," stated Hurmot, standing by his offer.


    "I¡¯m sure a few of your treasures would, but I doubt you¡¯d willingly part with them. Wouldn¡¯t you have me fully exin why I want an item before you give me permission? Then you¡¯ll get selfish and not agree because you¡¯ll be unwilling to part with something you didn¡¯t realize was so valuable.."


    "Jack, please tell me. Howe you¡¯re so unwilling to ept my offer?"


    Jack replied, "It¡¯s a good offer, I¡¯ll admit that. But it¡¯s only good. It¡¯s not enticing. You¡¯ll never get me to budge the way you are now. How can you entice a man that is wealthier than you, Hurmot?"


    Hurmot was about to reply but felt it was better to not reply angrily. For all he knew, Jack really was wealthier, and Jack opening the storehouse vault alone might make the Leisure Guild as wealthy as the three major auction guildsbined if rumors were proved true. It was the first time that Hurmot had tried to do business with someone wealthier than himself, making Hurmot better understand Jack¡¯s stubborn selfishness a bit better.


    "Why are you so expensive?"


    "That¡¯s the minimum price, Hurmot. Take it or leave it. So, are you going to ept any of my three offers or am I taking these cranes back to the Leisure Guild?"


    When no answer came, Jack sighed. "It was nice talking to you, Hurmot."


    Jack ended the connection and tossed the contact crystal back to Argyle. "I guess these cranes areing with me to the Leisure Guild."


    ¡¯Excuse me, Jack," the lead crane spoke up. ¡¯What will be happening to us? It seems like you and your acquaintance weren¡¯t able to see eye to eye."


    "You¡¯ll still be leaving here, but now you¡¯re alling with me to my guild instead."


    ¡¯Guild? Is that some sort of gathering or conglomerate?¡¯


    Jack nodded. ¡¯Exactly. It¡¯s where most of us are from. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re taken care of. You¡¯ll be used to help messengers and run errands for our guild. We¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re fed and sheltered, so long as you offer yourselves as members of the guild, gaining an equal standing with other human members. Are you willing?"


    ¡¯So, rather than be pampered icons with that acquaintance of yours, we¡¯ll be members of your guild on equal terms of both responsibility and benefit?¡¯ The lv. 66 crane looked to the others, who all nodded. ¡¯Then we ept, Jack.¡¯


    As the cranes all bowed to Jack, bing the newest members of the guild, Vixusughed along with Kims.


    They both understood that their party¡¯s strength was enough to overpower the cranes and force their cooperation, yet Jack chose to make them equals, something they hadn¡¯t considered.


    "Jack... Kims and I have been wondering--"


    "You¡¯ve been wondering who I am, right?" Jack already knew where they were going. "With my little speech for the Minokawas and Hurmot questioning me, how could I not know that you¡¯re both curious?"


    "Very true." Vixus nodded.


    Kims then spoke up, "How did you be a demigod?"


    Those words startled the cranes, who looked to Jack with a new reverence and respect.


    "Quiet. How about we talk about this elsewhere?" Jack insisted. "I don¡¯t want to let everything in the dungeon know that about me. We¡¯ll save such questions for the eleventh floor, okay?"


    "Alright." Kims bowed his head with a smile. "So long as I get to travel and focus on growing stronger, then I¡¯ll be happy no matter what. That¡¯s why I joined the council in the first ce, yet I was anchored by it instead."


    "Well, I still want you on the council, but you¡¯ll be allowed to travel all you want without the other councilmen bothering you now. Their business is within the city while yours is in the wilderness. Nothing wrong with that, right?"


    Both of them chuckled as the party then left for the circle. It was quickly found but they had to make a few decisions before they departed for the next floor.


    "Does anyone have an extra bestial storage?" Vixus asked. "My spare ring waspletely filled by the condor alone, and I¡¯ve yet to select my other two beasts."


    "I¡¯ve got one left after filling mine with the condor, but I may need that for my other beasts as well," replied Argyle. "Sorry."


    "I¡¯ve got a few, Vixus." Tralon activated his storage and retrieved an ornate, golden ring carrying the insignia of the Leisure Guild. "This one is a lv. 65 mythic-tier bestial storage. It should fit at least three of those condors."


    "Mythic-tier?!" Argyle¡¯s business senses were tingling. "You had that all this time and you never sold it to me?!"


    "I¡¯ve got more than you know, Argyle," chuckled the aging mage. "Now, Vixus, this ring has a condition. It can only be used by a member of the Leisure Guild. So, should you ever leave the guild or betray us and I strike your name from the record, it¡¯ll be useless to you."


    "That¡¯s... different. Was that amon condition for items in ancient times?" Vixus asked.


    Jack answered, "Moremon then you¡¯d think. It costs less make them and it gives more incentive to guild members to remain loyal to their sponsors."


    With his curiosity sated, Vixus smiled and epted the ring. "You should¡¯ve mentioned benefits like these when you were trying to convince me in the first ce. I almost turned you down back there, you know?"


    "What¡¯s the use of offering you this stuff if you¡¯re only in it for treasure? The guild needs supporters, not leaches taking everything for themselves," reasoned Jack. "Once we open the vault, then you¡¯ll find plenty of treasures like that. Honestly, that¡¯s how most of the items are. Why else would I call it a storehouse and not a treasury."


    Argyle then looked to Jack, dumbstruck.


    "Don¡¯t look at me like you never would¡¯vee had you known that. There are still plenty of regr treasures among the guild items," stated Jack. "Also, even if you had chosen one of the guild items as your treasure, then it all you would have to do is join the Leisure Guild to use it."


    "That¡¯s--"


    "If I remember correctly, there were many former members that had created guilds of their own," Tralon cut in. "That¡¯s how most of the guilds in Trodar were back in the day. They were considered branch guilds, guilds considered as allies of the Leisure Guild."


    Eyeing Tralon, Argyle clicked his tongue. "How can I be a member of a different guild when I¡¯m a guild leader elsewhere?"


    "That¡¯s how the Leisure Guild always worked. Did you know the Leisure Guild was run by a council at the beginning? At first, the Trodain Council and the Leisure Council were one and the same," exined Jack. "Once Trodar began to thrive and gain its own identity, then the two split while most of the members would participate in both councils. That¡¯s why we named it the Leisure Guild. People were allowed to act at their leisure, doing what they want when they want. Isn¡¯t that perfect for you, Argyle?"


    "I¡¯m not just going to agree and join someone else¡¯s guild..." Argyle replied, not hiding that he was pondering something.


    Jackughed, "You¡¯d be wee to join, Argyle! As my father-inw, I¡¯ll give you special treatment and spare you of all responsibilities. Then you only need to call in during urgent meetings or help during emergencies."


    ¡¯Let¡¯s you and I discuss thatter.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay.¡¯


    Those two quick messages got Jack to smile wider and Argyle to sigh.


    "Now, shouldn¡¯t we get going? We¡¯ve got four more floors to clear before we reach the boss floor and open the vault."

 Chapter 330 Beast Inheritor?

    <h4>Chapter 330 Beast Inheritor?</h4>


    "Boss floor? So there is a boss to the dungeon?" asked Kims.


    "I refuse to talk about the boss since I¡¯ve got a n for that, which I don¡¯t want you guys screwing up," stated Jack, getting Tralon to smile curiously at the hero. "If there¡¯s nothing else, then let¡¯s go already."


    "Wait." Tralon held up his hand. "Since you don¡¯t want to talk about how you¡¯ll deal with him on the eleventh floor, I¡¯ve got a question for you, Jack. What do you think will happen if you give a crane an inheritor¡¯s pact?"


    Jack first squinted then showed a wild grin. "That¡¯s a great question to consider, isn¡¯t it? Let¡¯s try it!"


    The cranes hadn¡¯t been stored away as they were the same size as Phoro and wouldn¡¯t attract much extra attention on theter floors. So, when the lead crane overheard the change in the conversation, he tilted his head and asked, ¡¯What¡¯s a pact? And What does it do?¡¯


    Jack walked up to the crane with his big grin. "My inheritor¡¯s pact allows us to be connected mentally across any distance and allows me to share skills with whoever bears the pact. Though, I¡¯ve never made such a pact with a beast before, so I¡¯m sure both you and I are curious what will happen."


    Technically, Jack had made such a pact with a beast before, Lina. But that was different. Lina was very young and was the daughter of a bestial god who could take human form and a human god. There was no telling whether it would have the same effect on her than it would with the crane.


    ¡¯That sounds intriguing. If you wish to try it, then allow me to be the subject, Jack. It¡¯s the least I can do since you¡¯re offering us a chance to leave without struggle or mistreatment. What do I need to do?¡¯


    "Just bow your head."


    As the crane bowed, Jack slit his finger and began to write the pact in blood on the crane¡¯s forehead. "Now, I just need a drop of your blood to finish the pact."


    With a nod, the crane lifted one of its feet. He pecked at his toe and drew blood, letting the crane press the toe into the pact. Then, the pact was finished and faded into the crane¡¯s feathers as if it had never existed.


    "Go ahead and try some attacks in the air to see if you notice anything different. I¡¯ll check something now."


    The crane did just that, happily flying up to test if his strength had increased in some way.


    Jack, on the other hand, simply opened his system menu to his skills tab. There, he found something interesting.


    "Is your name Cerdot?"


    ¡¯Yes, how did you know? From the pact?¡¯


    Jack nodded and continued to explore Cerdot¡¯s skill tab. There weren¡¯t too many skills listed, but it was still a sess in Jack¡¯s eye. However, there was one downside to his discovery. Wanting to be sure, Jack selected a skill and read the details.


    [Flight - lv. 0, inessible]


    [Basic ability to fly by use of wings, which the user doesn¡¯t have. 0/5 skill points, if requirements are met.]


    Opening a new skill, Jack found a simr answer.


    [Wind de - lv. 0, inessible]


    [Basic ability to slice through the air by use of wings, which the user doesn¡¯t have. 0/5 skill points, if requirements are met.]


    Jack then deduced that though his system could offer him the skills, Jack¡¯s physical form wascking the ability to use and apply such skills in any way. It was probably different than if he had formed a mutual seal with the crane and gained ess to the crane¡¯s bloodline. Instead, the system was pickier about requirements to learn certain skills, like the need to have wings to perform the crane¡¯s wind abilities.


    There was only a single skill that Jack was able to ess should he purchase it.


    [Telepathy - lv. 0]


    [Basic ability tomunicate simple thoughts with people within two meters of the user. Further development is needed to bettermunicate ideas or emotions. 0/5 skill points.]


    ¡¯Jack,¡¯ Cerdot was already speaking through the pact and not his own telepathy skill. ¡¯Can you hear me, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯I can hear you fine. You¡¯re a fast learner.¡¯


    ¡¯It seems that most of my abilities are the same, but my wind de skill is sharper than before. Is that due to the pact?¡¯ asked Cerdot.


    ¡¯That¡¯s probably from my sword skill,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯So the sword skill is simr to your wind de... Interesting.¡¯


    There was one other thing that Jack hadn¡¯t notice yet in his excitement to explore the skill list, but it was found next. Comforted to gain something, Jack sighed.


    [Ruler of Beasts:pleted]


    [Have a high-level beast willingly subjugate itself to you while you¡¯re still a mid-level hero, without any third-party support. Special reward: 66 skill points.]


    iming it and returning his attention to the party, Jack gave Tralon a thumbs up.


    "I¡¯m d that your experiment proved sessful." Tralon smiled as Cerdot returned to the ground.


    "Jack, what--"


    "I... You want to know about my pact now, don¡¯t you?" Jack questioned Vixus and stared at Kims, who nodded unabashedly. "It lets me mentally link with others and share skills between me and the person bearing the pact. Both Tralon and Argyle already bear my pact."


    "What?! And you didn¡¯t dare to offer such a thing to us?" Vixus looked at Jack in surprise. "Are you saying that you don¡¯t want our skills, Jack?"


    "I won¡¯t mind making such a pact in the future, but prove to me that you deserve it," Jack exined. "If you can prove that you¡¯re loyal, then maybe I¡¯ll agree to it. There are also some risks when I use it, so I can¡¯t just give it away to anyone."


    "What kind of skills can I gain?" asked Kims, still not afraid to speak his mind.


    "The list of skills you gain might still grow, but so far the best skills are increased mana regeneration and mana capacity. Along with a sword skill, a bow skill, and more, you¡¯ll gain ess to my beastpanion skills The same skill that lets me use Bowzer¡¯s me body could let you use the skills of your Flying Serpent, for example."


    Kims¡¯s eyes glistened as he began to imagine such increases in his fighting power. "Jack, how can I prove myself?"


    "It¡¯s not so simple as to--"


    "I¡¯ve already willingly given up an arm and hold no grudge for losing it. If I had a third arm, I¡¯d offer it in exchange for the pact," stated Kims, showing his determination. "How can I prove it to you?"


    Taking a moment to think, Jack rode a few different trains of thought in search of a reply.


    Including the EXP gain in his pact wouldn¡¯t work because he wanted Kims to level up as fast as possible for the sake of the guild. But other than that, Jack couldn¡¯t think of something off the top of his head.


    "Jack," Kims spoke up again, interrupting Jack¡¯s thoughts. "Do you know how to perform bloodmitments?"


    Vixus and Argyle turned to Kims with the look of death in their eyes. They both knew of the ancient stories regarding such ceremonies but feared the thought of having such a ceremony performed on them.


    Tralon looked to Kims and smiled wide. He hadn¡¯t expected the youngest and most inexperienced member of the council to be so daring and forthright. Making such amitment was against the morals of most people, so it was incredibly rare to find someone as strong as Kims willingly offer such a thing. However, such an act made Tralon¡¯s respect for Kims grow tenfold.


    "Do you understand what such amitment means? That¡¯s not something you can take lightly."


    "If it¡¯s anything like the rumors, then I¡¯m willing to make such amitment right now before you make the pact." Kims stood his ground, not wavering at all.


    Jack scratched his head. "Why do you want to be so strong?"


    "I¡¯d rather not admit it aloud, but I¡¯m willing to admit it between the two of us."


    Kims¡¯s response surprised Argyle and Vixus even further, as well as Jack. The young hero knew all about bloodmitments having performed one in the past, yet he was baffled like Tralon as to why someone who was already considered high-leveled would so easily ept a bloodmitment.

 Chapter 331 Truth Behind Kims

    <h4>Chapter 331 Truth Behind Kims</h4>


    Looking back at the stern determined gaze of the new security advisor, Jack sighed. "Fine, thene with me."


    The two men walked out of earshot, still keeping the attention of the other party members.


    "So, tell me about it."


    Kims nodded and swallowed some saliva. "I¡¯ll be honest. It¡¯s not too embarrassing, but I would rather that my peers not pity me in any way."


    "Does that mean I¡¯m not your peer?" Jack asked.


    "Aren¡¯t you my employer and boss?" replied Kims. "Even if you are my peer, who other than you can I tell? Also, I need to tell you before you perform the bloodmitment on me."


    "Alright, then go ahead. I¡¯m all ears."


    "I was born in Trodar but was raised in Prachten. I was born out of wedlock between a noble family of Trodar and a woman of Prachten," Kims exined. "By definition, I wasn¡¯t born a citizen of Trodar and was never recorded as my father¡¯s son. He refused to admit that he had lied to both his wife and my mother, forcing us out and nearly killing my mother in the process.


    "I can¡¯t count the days that went by without food and I can¡¯t remember the number of times I was beaten in order to protect my mother. All I knew was a determination to live a better life, a life that my ignorant father was gifted at birth, which he denied his only son due to his own pride."


    As Kims paused for a moment, Jack asked, "How much of this is known to the council?"


    "Nothing, apart from my birth in Trodar and my upbringing in Prachten. Most of the council sees me as the pity vote of themon people," Kims mentioned. "They say I only won because I¡¯m one of them, amoner with no true wealth to my name.


    "Why do you hide this? I¡¯m sure you can confide in at least one member of the council."


    "I almost opened up to Bikkem recently. That¡¯s why he invited me here, to entice me with wealth and EXP, the two things separating me from the other council members."


    Nodding, Jack clicked his tongue. "That makes sense... But why him and Quace? What about the other eight councilmen?"


    "I can¡¯t do that so easily, Jack, not if I want my revenge."


    "Revenge?"


    "To get revenge on my father, I have no choice but to hide my origin," stated Kims. "Otherwise, my father may catch wind of me."


    "Your father..." Putting two and two together, Jack realized what Kims was implying. "Oh... That doesplicate things. Which one is he?"


    A depressed smile crept onto Kims¡¯s face. "He¡¯s the current spokesman of the council, Lord Thyron Tindrell."


    "That reallyplicates things... What do you n to do?"


    "I want to surpass him in level and influence, at a minimum. I¡¯ve thought about killing him but I haven¡¯t yetmitted to the deed, not fully," answered Kims.


    "Then you wanting to make a bloodmitment is your way of doing anything to get what you want? If you¡¯re that desperate, I can see why you turned to those two cripples for help." Jack sighed with dull eyes. "Tell me what you know about a bloodmitment."


    "A bloodmitment is something that would sometimes happen in ancient times but is typically looked down upon nowadays. However, it was the most effective way for adventurers to keep their followers and party members loyal to them."


    "That was a somewhat umon way of using a bloodmitment," stated Jack. "The mostmon use was to force beasts and people to sacrifice themselves for what many called ¡¯a Greater Good¡¯, something I see as nonsense.


    "But, I¡¯m also one of those adventurers who performed a bloodmitment on a follower," Jack continued. "After going through so much, I decided to use that dark tactic to ensure that a certain mission would be a sess. And surprisingly, that mission failed. But I did gain a truepanion from that incident after enough time had passed and we bonded."


    "Jack, can I ask why you¡¯re so knowledgable about this stuff even though you sere summoned at such a low level?" Kims looked longingly at Jack.


    With a smile on his face, Jack shook his head. "Let me finish first. I performed that bloodmitment once and never had to attempt it again, nor did I ever have to enforce it. Before I perform such a ceremony for a second time, I want to be sure I won¡¯t need to enforce it."


    "Then please do so to me." Kims dropped to his knees and bowed his head. "Jack, I understand that as soon as I ept a bloodmitment, my life is in your hands. I¡¯m fine with that since I don¡¯t deem you as a corrupt person."


    Breaking out inughter, Jack looked back to Kims. "Me, not corrupt? Tell that to Argyle and see how he¡¯ll react."


    "Jack, I can tell that your conscience is clean, regardless of the unusual things you do. Your ways of dealing with the situation are entirely different than what I know, yet you stille out on top after every exchange. You¡¯re the type of man that will stop at nothing to aplish his goals, yet won¡¯t do it at the sacrifice of his own men. Am I wrong in my opinion, Jack?"


    Silent, Jack scratched his head but didn¡¯t say a word.


    "Please, perform a bloodmitment on me and take my life in your hands. I¡¯ll be whatever you want me to be and do whatever you wish regardless of how righteous or wrong it may be. If you can guarantee that I¡¯ll gain strength like no other and be able to exact revenge on my failure of a father, that¡¯s all that matters."


    Clenching his fists, Jack struggled to get his words out. "Kims... You understand that I¡¯ll be able to end your life without hesitation should I choose to? Do youprehend how unjust a bloodmitment is to the one it¡¯s performed on? Even if you do as I say, so long as I¡¯m not satisfied I can still end you."


    "Then allow me to do as you say. It will force me to prove myself, like you wanted. And if I fail to meet your standards, then end me and remove the risk of me taking advantage of our pact," Kims replied confidently, not blinking nor hesitating.


    "Kims..."


    Jack struggled to believe what was happening. Never would he have imagined performing that dark ritual again.


    He didn¡¯t mention it to Kims, but the bloodmitment was something that Skaryn and his followers had created to ensure the loyalty of Skaryn¡¯s followers, ording to what Jack learned in "A Hero¡¯s Tale". It was the insurance policy to keep people from betraying the chaotic gods. Ancient heroes only adapted what Skaryn had long been using to keep his people silent and loyal for life. The original version of the blood pact is the reason why Jack had been able to mark members of the Chaos Syndicate, forcing their darkmitment to be revealed to all.


    "Jack, please," Kims begged again. "I¡¯m not entirely sure of the effect the pact will have on me, but if it was one of the reasons why your party so easily cleared those first two floors, then please let me inherit your pact."


    "That was--"


    "I¡¯m not sure what you did, but I still remember walking across that first floor we were sent to. There, we found little to no signs of life. And in the center was an unnaturally t, altered region. It appeared to be cleanly cut and shaped, possibly by the rumored spells that Tralon possesses," deduced Kims. "But he shouldn¡¯t have enough mana at his level to perform such spells, even if he had them. Yet he also managed to level up, despite his curse."


    "You¡¯re sharper than you let on, Kims."


    "I told you, I won¡¯t let anyone get in the way of my revenge. Why should I reveal my cards to people that may be threats in the future?" reasoned Kims. "Please, Jack. If you can offer me a way to be stronger like the heroes of Ancient Kartonia, then perform a bloodmitment on me and form the pact."


    Swallowing some saliva, Jack looked to the distant Tralon, who nodded. Then Jack looked at the bowing Kims with a frown. "Alright. I¡¯ll perform the bloodmitment."

 Chapter 332 Agony of the Blood Commitmen

    <h4>Chapter 332 Agony of the Blood Commitmen</h4>


    "Alright. I¡¯ll perform the bloodmitment."


    "Thank you, Jack." Moisture started to build in one of Kims¡¯s eyes but he quickly whisked the tear away before it took form. "What should I do?"


    "This won¡¯t take long, but I¡¯ll need your blood for this, at least a small bowlful."


    Arge mug appeared in Kims¡¯s hand. "Is this big enough?"


    "Sure."


    Not flinching, Kims ced the mug on the ground before him and he then looked to Jack with his arm extended. "Can you give me a hand?"


    Without a word, Jack retrieved a knife and shed Kims¡¯s wrist emotionlessly.


    Blood trickled and flowed down Kims¡¯s lone hand, pooling in the wide mug below. Neither Kims nor Jack paid attention to each other or showed any emotion. Jack knew that Kims was more serious than ever and Kims felt no need to grovel or show pain for something he had begged to receive.


    "That¡¯s enough."


    Once the mug was filled, a cloth appeared in Jack¡¯s hands, which he used to stop the blood flow in Kims¡¯s arm and then bandage the wound. But as Jack covered the cut, holy white energy gathered around Kims¡¯s wrist and sealed the wound like it never happened.


    Jack nodded to Tralon in the distance.


    Tralon, along with the others, was witnessing something that he had only seen once before. He understood better than anyone else present how it felt to be on the receiving end of a bloodmitment. It was the first memory of Jack that Tralon could vividly remember; when Jack had done it to him.


    No longer bothering with the bandage, Jack picked up the mug and dipped his finger in the fresh, warm blood.


    "Stay still, no matter what. Otherwise, this will hurt even more."


    When Kims nodded, Jack began to draw a small circle around the one-armed swordsman. Then, he drew a second circle inside of the first, filling the area between the two with some glyphs and ancient characters. There were only four characters drawn, one for each direction. But the blood began to glow in ce of drying up.


    Jack didn¡¯t stop. Next, Jack drew a fifth and final character on Kims¡¯s forehead. But that was drawn in Jack¡¯s blood, making him the master and owner of themitment.


    As Jack finished, he flicked the remaining blood from his finger and took a few deep breaths as the blood grew brighter and brighter.


    From the distance, Argyle and Vixus were shaking. They feared that ancient ritual but never thought they would personally witness one. And the ominous aura emitted by the glowing blood sent shivers down their spines. Even Phoro, who had no understanding of the ritual, felt only hesitation and uneasiness while witnessing it.


    Jack then opened his mouth, reciting the activation chant. "From blood, you began and by blood, you may end. On my will, you shall act or die by my hand."


    "Ah... Aaaahhh..."


    Grimacing and wincing in pain, Kims tensed up and took the brunt of the ceremony without wavering.


    Everyone paid close attention to the circles of blood. Those circles began to rotate and shrink around Kims. Slowly... Slowly they crawled up Kims. Eventually, Kims felt a searing pain as the blood was forcing its way back into the pores all over Kims¡¯s body.


    But the pain didn¡¯t stop there.


    As the circle continued to shrink, it left Kims¡¯s clothes stained and his body shaking. The circles finally became one and surrounded the ancient character written in Jack¡¯s blood.


    Rather than mold with Jack¡¯s blood, Kims¡¯s blood seemed to surround Jack¡¯s, protecting it and worshipping it.


    Then, the most painful part began. Kims felt his eyes trying to squeeze their way out of their sockets from the pain. The remaining blood, both Kims¡¯s and Jack¡¯s, gradually seeped into Kims¡¯s forehead. It was going slower and was now far too painful for Kims to hold back his tears of pain.


    Kims endured the final stage of the ceremony as the party and all beasts in the surrounding kilometer shriveled up from the ominous aura alone.


    Jack was the only one who remained unmoved. But a tear was falling down each of his cheeks.


    Witnessing that ritual first hand without a screen was far worse than with one. Thinking about how he caused Kims such torture was agonizing to him, but Jack had no choice. The young hero stood tall and respected Kims¡¯s will and determination.


    After nearly five minutes of crying and shouting, Kims fell onto his hand and knees.


    The one-armed swordsman was covered in sweat and blood. Tears still ran from his eyes and Kims¡¯s jaw quivered. The bloodmitment was far beyond his imagination. He was certain that he would never wish such pain on his worst enemies. If he fully understood how painful it was going to be, Kims would¡¯ve hesitated and thought twice about submitting himself to a pain he dubbed as worse than death.


    "From now on, you¡¯re life is in my hands. I hope we can get along in the future and work to better Trodar." Jack gave Kims a full bow, not daring to look down on Kims¡¯s pride.


    "T-thank you... M-Master Jack."


    "Jack is fine." Stopping the exhausted Kims from forcing himself to stand, Jack continued, "Now, I¡¯ll write the pact on your forehead in my blood. I¡¯ll only need a single drop of yours to seal the pact. And it will only sting a little, but you may not even feel it after what you just endured."


    Kims nodded and stayed down. Even if he wanted to stand, hecked the strength to do so properly.


    Jack got to writing the pact, drawing with the slit of his finger. In moments, Jack knelt down to support Kims. Then, Jack pricked Kims¡¯s finger and helped the weakened man press it against his forehead.


    The inheritor¡¯s pact glistened momentarily before seeping into Kims¡¯s head, which the man didn¡¯t even notice as he continued to breathe heavily.


    ¡¯Kims, you¡¯re something else.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you... Jack. You don¡¯t understand... how much... this means to me,¡¯ Kim¡¯s replied telepathically, struggling to remain conscious.


    ¡¯After seeing you go through that, I may be starting to understand. But for now, just rest. We¡¯ll talkter.¡¯


    Without another word, Kims closed his eyes with a grin of victory. After enduring hellish pain, he rested soundly knowing that he managed to get what he wanted and proving that nothing could stop him from achieving his goals.


    "Ssildro, can you please carry him while he rests? He¡¯ll be out cold for a while."


    Like it was a reflex, Ssildro appeared beneath Kims¡¯s chest and lifted him into the air in an instant. The speedy serpent looked at Kims with even more respect, d that the human he called partner was so resourceful and reliable.


    "Well, he¡¯ll be out for a few days," Jack stated. "We should get moving. Keep your eye out for the next few floors. Also, be careful on the magma floor. That¡¯s probably the most chaotic one."


    No one replied with words. The party nodded and followed Jack to the circle. As everyone touched it, Tralon activated the teleportation sequence and bid the sky floor farewell.


    After an instant passed, the party found themselves in a blizzard with nothing but snow as far as the eye could see.


    "Jack, is this the ice floor?" Vixus shouted against the wind for all to hear as the party¡¯s visibility was low.


    "Yup!" replied Jack. "Stay close and pay attention. The circle should be to the west. Do your best to listen to your surroundings."


    Following Jack¡¯s warnings, the party moved out.


    Originally, Jack was going to have the party ride the cranes but that was nigh impossible in the weather of the ice floor. All they could do was trudge through the snow and hope they don¡¯t get caught off guard by a surprise attack within the storm.

 Chapter 333 Ambush on the Ice Floor

    <h4>Chapter 333 Ambush on the Ice Floor</h4>


    The party trekked at a walking pace, struggling to push themselves too hard against the blizzard and the snow they sunk into with every step. When they weren¡¯t careful, they sunk to their waist and were forced to slowly climb back up with each step.


    ¡¯Jack, what about my beast?¡¯ Argyle asked Jack telepathically. ¡¯How am I supposed to find it?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s your problem, not mine. With Kims unconscious, I just want to get out of here as soon as possible. Maybe we¡¯ll get lucky and find some jumpier creatures on this floor, so you can capture whatever attacks us,¡¯ joked Jack.


    Nodding, Argyle sighed. The weather wasn¡¯t entirely unbearable for the high-leveled men, but having an unconscious member and two cripplesplicated things. With that in mind, Argyle kept his eyes peeled for what would eventually attack them.


    Only minutes after their mental conversation, the snow beneath the party¡¯s feet began to shift.


    Everyone paused. On high alert, the party waited for the ambush toe.


    "There!" Argyle shouted as he jumped into the air, watching the snow below burst viciously. A long, icy-blue figure shot out, chasing after Argyle. "This one¡¯s mine!"


    Vixus and Tralon remained on standby to aid the swordsman while Phoro, Ssildro, and the cranes kept their distance from the frozen wyrm.


    "Someone got lucky!" Jack shouted with a smile.


    ¡¯Careful, three more areing!¡¯


    As Bowzer¡¯s warning rang in Jack¡¯s mind, the hero got serious and yelled at the top of his lungs. "Watch out! There are three more!"


    No longer distracted by Argyle confronting the towering wyrm, the other party members readied themselves to act on a moment¡¯s notice. The aviary beasts all took to the sky. They couldn¡¯t move quickly in the buffeting winds but they could maintain flight at a safe altitude long enough to avoid the wyrms.


    "Don¡¯t kill them! Catch them all!" Jack shouted again. "They¡¯ll be perfect to cross the tundra!"


    Tralon and Vixus both nodded as they stepped back to avoid the attacks of two more wyrms.


    ¡¯Cerdot, you and the other cranes carry these two cripples. Then me and Bowzer will take thest wyrm,¡¯ Jack called out to Cerdot as he and Bowzer jumped back to face the final wyrm.


    Following orders, Cerdot swooped down to pick up the two broken councilmen as Jack distracted the wyrm with his me body. Though he wasn¡¯t strong enough to do much damage, at least he made a great diversion with his growing stature and surprising ability.


    ¡¯My turn.¡¯


    Next, the cautious wyrm trembled slightly. It then looked back to the fox only to see an evenrger, more intense me body charging it.


    Releasing some cial breath, the wyrm defended itself and extended more of its massive body out of the ice floor beneath the snow. Now looking down on Bowzer, the cier Wyrm showed no fear or hesitation. It created a frosty aura around its body, making it appear to be made of ice. Then, the wyrm charged Bowzer for a head-on sh.


    The wyrm¡¯s frost body collided with the fox¡¯s me body, causing small explosions of steam to rush over the nearby battlefields.


    While the others weren¡¯t at a disadvantage against the wyrms, they were still getting a feel for how to fight them. Even during their own battles, they were forced to notice the battle of the titanic figures.


    The other three wyrms also hesitated as they felt the tail-end of the resulting shockwaves from each collision of the frost body and the me body.


    Argyle readied himself to attack during the wyrm¡¯s hesitation, but a low unfamiliar voice roared out for the entire party to hear. ¡¯What is it you want? And why are you in our hunting grounds?¡¯


    When that wyrm spoke, the other wyrms ceased their attacks. The wyrm facing Bowzer red at the fox as it backed away and removed the body of frost coating its scales.


    "Are you their leader?" Jack maintained his me body while calmly walking toward the wyrm who spoke.


    ¡¯Yes, and are you theirs?¡¯


    "You guessed it. The name¡¯s Jack. What¡¯s your¡¯s?"


    ¡¯You may call me Dradich. What brings such unfamiliar creatures to our hunting grounds?¡¯


    Squinting and sizing up Dradich, Jack took a moment to reply. "Dradich, do you know what kind of space you¡¯re living in?"


    ¡¯This space is limited and has barriers at the end of the mountain,¡¯ the giant wyrm answered. ¡¯No matter what we try, there is no escape from it. We¡¯ve been trapped here for centuries. My father¡¯s father was one of the first to be born in this space, never knowing the outside world.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve met many different creatures here but none like you or yourrades. Are you the humans of legend?¡¯


    Jack chuckled, "I¡¯m not sure about your legends but we are humans. And this space is something we call a dungeon. The beasts flying above us are from another space in this dungeon, but we¡¯re going to take them with us to the outside world."


    ¡¯Then you must take myself and us wyrms with you!¡¯ Dradich snarled.


    ¡¯Whoa, calm down," Jack lifted his hands nonchntly. "That¡¯s something that will have to be discussed, not something you can just order, Dradich."


    ¡¯You willply or we¡¯ll y you,¡¯ retorted the wyrm, unafraid. ¡¯Even if you can kill us, I¡¯ll warn my fellow wyrms and they¡¯ll overwhelm you and drag you to the frosty pits of hell.¡¯


    "Just stay calm, Dradich. I¡¯m not saying we can¡¯t take you out. What I¡¯m saying is that we need to talk it over first," Jack stated, somewhat calming the wyrms icy gaze. "First off, how many wyrms are there? Given your lifespans and your low fertility rates, I¡¯d guess maybe a dozen?"


    Dradich¡¯s re grew colder. ¡¯Yes... There are fifteen of us wyrms. Now, you will lead us out.¡¯


    "Second, what terms will you agree to in order to join us?"


    ¡¯Terms? Either you lead us out or we drag you to hell. Take your pick, Jack!¡¯


    "I¡¯m not unreasonable unless I have to be, Dradich. I think we can benefit each other," Jack chuckled, thinking of what his best bargain could be. "Do you still remember who your greatest ancestor is?"


    ¡¯The mighty Nine-headed cial Hydra who can devour the heavens!¡¯ Dradich roared, letting the other wyrms do the same.


    "Good, then would you like to meet one?"


    ¡¯Impossible! How could such a puny creature like a human be acquainted with the mightiest of beasts?!¡¯ argued Dradich, baring his fangs.


    "Simple, I was adopted by one," Jackughed, piquing Dradich¡¯s attention. "We can take you out of here and can even reunite you with Lunara, the world¡¯s strongest hydra. Does that seem beneficial to you?"


    ¡¯If what you say is true, human, then that would be exactly what we wish.¡¯ Half-convinced, Dradich leaned in closer to Jack¡¯s ming body.


    "Great, but before that happens, allow me to present my conditions." Dropping his me body, Jack reverted to his true form and reached out to feel Dradich¡¯s scaly body. "May I?"


    The great wyrm eyed Jack carefully but extended his body into Jack¡¯s hand.


    Jack felt the ice-cold scales lining the beast¡¯s massive frame. The frosty scales felt impervious and indestructible. Then, Jack looked at the wyrm who had fought against Bowzer¡¯s mes. Stunningly, there were no signs of battle. Though Bowzer was lower-leveled by a ways, his raging mes were enough to scare the giant mimic on the earlier floor. That wyrm was the first beast that managed to counter Bowzer¡¯s evolved mes without any major consequence.


    "Dradich, we¡¯ll take you out of here and reunite you with your greatest ancestor. But you¡¯ll have to be allies with us. When we need your support, you¡¯ll have to help us. However, the same goes for you. Should anything happen to you and the wyrms, we¡¯ll be there to help," exined Jack.


    "There are twost conditions. One, you will have to stay with Argyle, the human you¡¯ve been fighting, as a mutualpanion, fighting each others battles."


    ¡¯So long as I meet the great ancestor and you prove your words to be true, I¡¯m willing to be an equal to a warrior such as him.¡¯ Dradich bowed to Argyle, acknowledging the man¡¯s superior level and umon strength, which Jack¡¯s pact had boosted.


    "Second, I¡¯ll be sending your fellow wyrms to the Icicle Mountains outside of Frostburn City. You¡¯ll be guardians of the city as the royals there are great friends of mine. Also, your great ancestor resides in the Icicle Mountains. You¡¯ll be able to serve her and receive her protection there."


    ¡¯That¡¯s wonderful, but you must first prove such a thing possible, Jack. If you¡¯re unable, then I¡¯ll eat you where you stand for such devious lies," barked Dradich, bringing his head ever so close to Jack.


    "That¡¯s fine, I¡¯ll even sit in your mouth so long as you give me some time to contact some people and arrange it all."


    Sensing Jack¡¯s confidence, Dradich opened his mouth wide without a word.


    Jackughed and stepped inside. "Guys, don¡¯t worry about me. This guy won¡¯t dare swallow me, so just wait."


    As Jack finished speaking, Draditch shut his mouth andid his head patiently on the ground. There was no malice nor excitement in his gaze as he waited for the oue of his dealings with Jack.

 Chapter 334 Convincing Dradich

    <h4>Chapter 334 Convincing Dradich</h4>


    "King Wilheim, can you hear? Hello..." Inside the beast¡¯s massive maw, Jack was sitting on the creature¡¯s firm tongue with his contact crystal in hand.


    "Jack? Is that you? Sorry for the wait, I was in a meeting."


    "That¡¯s fine, I just wanted to inform you of something before you freak out in surprise."


    "Then give me a moment to find somewhere more private." As King Wilheim hurried through the pce halls toward his office, he squinted. A few minutester the king continued, "Alright, I¡¯m ready to talk. What¡¯s going to happen now?"


    "First, have you visited Lunara yet?"


    "Ummm..."


    "Don¡¯t tell me that the mighty King Wilheim hasn¡¯t yet gone to visit the Water Goddess, the same goddess that your family has worshiped and admired for so long?" Jack sighed. "Why not?"


    "Well... I¡¯ve been so busy, and with the yearly auction not long ago we had to travel and prepare other things."


    "No more excuses, I need you to go up there immediately. Actually... It might be easier for me to send her to you."


    "What?!"


    Jack looked up to the top of the wyrm¡¯s mouth. "Hey! Dradich, can you let that old mage inside here? I need to speak with him!"


    Upon Jack¡¯s questioning, Dradich opened his mouth yet again to allow Tralon entry. As the old man walked in, Jack pulled out a couple of kari crystals to give them some light as Dradich closed his mouth again.


    "Wait a moment, King Wilheim. Let me call Lunara real quick" Jack then looked to Tralon and ignored the king¡¯s babbling as he ended their conversation. ¡¯Tralon, I¡¯m going to need your services soon, so just wait a bit.¡¯


    Tralon sighed and nodded, defeated. During this trip, he had been more of a travel service than anything else. It was partially due to his decrease in level but mainly because of Jack¡¯s unorthodox tactics, which he supported.


    "Lunara? Are you doing alright?"


    Only a few secondster, a familiar feminine voice replied, "I¡¯m doing fine, but I¡¯m lonely without my husband. How¡¯re you and Lina doing?"


    "Lina¡¯s doing great! She¡¯s helped in ways that I didn¡¯t expect. Did you know she already has the devour skill?"


    "Really?! So soon?!" Lunara shouted with joy. "I¡¯m so proud of her!"


    "As for me, I¡¯m briefly away from the rest of the party at the moment. I needed to enter the Leisure Guild¡¯s storehouse to reim some things," Jack added. "It¡¯s been so long since I made this ce, that it¡¯s turned into a bunch of thriving ecosystems filled with beasts that Kartonia hasn¡¯t seen for some time."


    "Really? What are you after in there?" Lunara asked.


    "An item that didn¡¯t do much for me in the past but might help me better contact Daruun now. Also, I¡¯ve been recruiting people and beasts to our cause. You¡¯ll never guess what beasts I found on the ice floor deep in my dungeon."


    "You have a floor filled with ice?" Lunara questioned, a tone of excitement in her voice.


    "You didn¡¯t know... Hmm, I thought you would know about this ce since you¡¯re always with Sterfen. Let¡¯s talk about the dungeonter, what you need to know is that I found a group of cier Wyrms down here."


    "cier Wyrms?! Jack, you must bring them to me!"


    "I¡¯m doing that now. I¡¯m currently convincing them to join you in Aazoon. We¡¯ll open a spatial rift and send them right to you. I just need to know whether you¡¯re able to leave the mountain and visit the king in Frostburn City. Is that too much to ask?"


    "No, that¡¯s one of the few things I¡¯m allowed to do," replied Lunara. "So long as I¡¯m within the Icicle Mountains and don¡¯t make a scene in the city, then I¡¯ll be fine."


    "Good, I¡¯ll make sure the king prepares someone to wee you privately and takes you to him. How soon will you be there?"


    "In about a minute or so." A low hum sounded from Lunara¡¯s crystal, the same hum that came from a teleportation circle. "Tell him to hurry."


    "Okay, I¡¯ll tell him now! Thanks, Mom!"


    "No, thank you! I¡¯m d to have such a capable son." Lunara chuckled as the conversation was cut short.


    Reconnecting to the king¡¯s contact crystal, Jack spoke up, "King Wilheim! Hurry and prepare someone to receive Lunara! She¡¯ll be at your front door any minute."


    "WHAT?! How can I--"


    "Also, don¡¯t tell anyone of her identity. She¡¯s not wanting to be worshipped. We just need to inform you of a few things privately. Okay?"


    "Okay... Then I¡¯ll send someone immediately!"


    Jack patiently waited as Lunara then arrived at the icy pce and was directed to a spare guest room. Wilheim was waiting silently inside, unbeknownst to the servant, shaking with nerves as the door opened to reveal the beautiful Lunara in her frosty blue dress.


    Once the door shut, Wilheim cast silence and bowed. "Y-your Holiness!"


    "I appreciate the bows, but how about we begin the discussion. Let¡¯s touch crystal¡¯s so Jack can fill us in on the rest."


    "Right..."


    When both crystals made contact, Jack began to exin everything. "So, before you two get acquainted, let me tell you what I¡¯m about to do. I¡¯m going to have Tralon open a spatial rift and send fourteen cier Wyrms into the Icicle Mountains."


    "WHAT?!" Not ready for such a statement, King Wilheim interjected. "Jack! You can¡¯t just--"


    "He¡¯s doing this for my sake, King Wilheim," stated Lunara, getting the king to shut up instantly. "Jack, continue."


    "They want to be reunited with their greatest ancestor, Lunara, and Lunara could use the power of such strong underlings. I¡¯m not sure about the other eleven, but the three I¡¯m currently with are all over lv. 60 and can create frost bodies that almost rival Bowzer¡¯s me body," exined Jack.


    "And King Wilheim, don¡¯t worry about them since they¡¯ll be serving Lunara. I¡¯m sure they won¡¯t rampage through your city or Aazoon without an order."


    The king swallowed some saliva as Lunara giggled at the statement.


    "This won¡¯t be long term though, at least I don¡¯t think so," added Jack, surprising both King Wilheim and Lunara.


    "What do you mean, Jack?" asked the goddess.


    Jack answered, "I¡¯m sure Sterfen will fill you in more once he returns, but I¡¯ll give you the gist of our current ns. Soon, we¡¯ll be bringing gods back into public view, at least in Trodar. That¡¯s all part of the n to get you, Lunara, protected inside of Trodar, away from the influence you despise."


    Lost and utterly confused, King Wilheim failed to understand the situation.


    "That... Of course, he would try something like that," Lunara chuckled, thinking of her husband. "I hope you¡¯ve got a ce suitable for me prepared. That cial floor of your dungeon doesn¡¯t sound bad at all."


    "You know... that¡¯s not a bad idea..." Inspiration struck Jack as he started to take that thought and run with it. "I¡¯ll have to add something to this ce, but you might be right, Lunara."


    "I¡¯m so proud of my son, gathering the gods for the sake of his tired mother." Lunara showed a warm smile.


    "WHAT?!" no longer able to keep up with the conversation at all, Wilheim shouted. "What¡¯s going on--"


    "King Wilheim, I¡¯m just letting you know that strong beasts, the likes of which even you can¡¯t control, will be entering the Icicle Mountains. But they¡¯ll be controlled by Lunara, so don¡¯t be afraid. Just make sure no one goes out there and angers them, okay?"


    "I... I can make sure that won¡¯t happen," replied Wilheim, a bit calmer after remembering he had shouted at a goddess.


    "Then I¡¯ll have Tralon open the rift in five minutes at cier Peak. He should remember that ce."


    "We¡¯ll be waiting." Lunara smiled and disconnected the conversation. "Come on, Wilheim. We¡¯d better take the teleportation circle if you want to get there soon enough."


    "What?"


    Nervously following the goddess out of the room and through the halls, King Wilheim baffled the servant and nobles throughout the pce. His action of following such a gorgeous, unknown woman was unusual and striking. Even Willim caught a nce at the two of them before they exited the pce and hurried to the base of cier Peak.


    Jack, on the other hand, looked to Tralon with a proud smile.


    "I¡¯m assuming I¡¯ll be opening a rift to cier Peak if I heard correctly," stated Tralon.


    "Yup. Go on out and wait for the other wyrms to arrive."Jack¡¯s smile grew wider as he thought about Dradich bingpanions with Argyle. "Hey, Dradich! You may want to let us out so you can properly call your fellow wyrms. If they don¡¯t arrive in five minutes, then they¡¯ll get left behind!"


    ¡¯Where¡¯s your proof?¡¯


    "In five minutes, you¡¯ll have your proof when we open a rift in space. You¡¯ll be able to peak through it and see for yourself!"


    ¡¯... Very well. But you¡¯ll remain in my mouth as I see things for myself. I don¡¯t want there to be any tricks involved.¡¯


    "Fine, I can do that,"ughed Jack, amazed by how astute the ancient wyrm was.


    Both Jack and Tralon exited the wyrm¡¯s mouth, allowing the colossal beast to roar and shake the snow around them.

 Chapter 335 Skipping the Valley Floor

    <h4>Chapter 335 Skipping the Valley Floor</h4>


    In a matter of minutes, eleven more gigantic cier Wyrms popped up through the snow. Such an intimidating sight made even Argyle nervous as Jack walked back into Dradich¡¯s mouth.


    ¡¯Tralon, go ahead. We¡¯ll make it as quick as possible.¡¯


    On Jack¡¯s order, Tralon took a deep breath and gathered spatial energy around him to force open a rift between two spaces, one in front of the mage and the other at the top of cier Peak.


    "Come on, Dradich! Let¡¯s see what¡¯s on the other side."


    Though he didn¡¯t show it, Dradich was also nervous. He and the other wyrms only knew stories about the outside world and their Great Ancestor. For there to be a chance that he¡¯ll see both of those things made the massive beast nervous.


    "Hurry up! We can¡¯t hold that rift open all day!" shouted Jack. "Don¡¯t tell me your scared, are you?"


    Without any more hesitation, Dradich grunted, blowing Jack over within his mouth. Then, the giant wyrm stuck his head through the riftrge enough for a single wyrm to enter.


    Pain never came as Dradich lunged hisrge head through the rift, almost startling him as badly as what he found on the other side.


    There was a great view of the clouds and the frozen world below. Dradich understood that he was truly in a separate location.


    "Ah! There¡¯s the rift!"


    Dradich then looked up to see a woman, followed by a man, jump down from the tip-top of the mountain the wyrm was now on. But before Dradich could say another word, the woman¡¯s form shifted and expanded at an outrageous rate. In seconds, the woman gained nine serpentine heads and a bodyrger than Dradich¡¯s.


    ¡¯G-Great Ancestor!¡¯ Dradich immediately bowed, forgetting that he was giving Jack a rough time in his mouth.


    "Lift your head," ordered Lunara. "What is your name?"


    ¡¯Dradich, your Holiness."


    "Why don¡¯t you speak with your mouth, Dradich?"


    ¡¯Oh...¡¯ Dradich quickly opened his lips, letting Jack tumble out.


    "Jack! So that¡¯s where you were," Lunaraughed. "I¡¯m d to see my son doing so well for himself. What level are you now?"


    "I¡¯m... lv. 49. I¡¯ll be in the fifties real soon." Jack shook the snow off him and climbed up to his feet with a smile. "Dradich is the leader of the other fourteen wyrms, but he¡¯ll be helping me personally and won¡¯t be staying here."


    "Fine by me. I hope that Dradich will perform ording to my son¡¯s expectations. What do you say, Dradich?"


    ¡¯Yes! Of course, your Holiness!¡¯ Bowing yet again, Dradich removed all doubt from his mind about what Jack had said before.


    "Did you never learn human speech? Allow me." One of Lunara¡¯s many heads extended and touched foreheads with Dradich. Then, a bright light grew between the heads and gradually faded away. "That should make things easier."


    Dradich then opened his mouth, revealing his naturally low, booming voice. "Thank you, your Holiness. I¡¯ll make sure to do all that Jack says."


    "Then let¡¯s get the other wyrms across before Jack¡¯spanion tires. It was a pleasure to meet you, Dradich. I¡¯m excited to hear of your aplishments from Jack."


    The giant wyrm nodded and rescinded his head back through the portal.


    "And Jack, be careful," Lunara added as the hero neared the rift. "Your father and I are depending on you."


    "Of course." Jack nodded and prepared to step through the rift. But he did a double-take. "Do you prefer being called Mom or Mother?"


    "...Mom"


    "Okay, then I¡¯ll see youter, Mom."


    Jack stepped through the portal with his goodbye, putting a tender smile in Lunara¡¯s heart, which was hard to see fully with her current nine-headed form that shook King Wilheim to his core.


    The wyrms began to hurry through the rift with great speed. Though they could only enter one at a time, they were much faster than the shadow goblins. Tralon only needed three high elixirs this time, allowing the mage to rest while conscious so long as he did nothing for a day or two.


    Dradich was the only wyrm left behind. He proudly turned to Jack and bowed his head with an open mouth. "Jack, I¡¯m sorry for doubting you. Please forgive me."


    "Forget about it! Just make sure to work well with Tralon. He¡¯s my father-inw, so don¡¯t give him any trouble."


    "For your family, I¡¯ll make sure to be respectful, Jack." Dradich then looked to Argyle, showing a giant grin. "I¡¯m very arrogant, but please allow me to join you on your adventures."


    "Of course!" Staring at the lv. 70 cier Wyrm, Argyle was filled to the brim with excitement. "Jack, hurry up and form that seal!"


    "Fine. Dradich, lower your head for a moment."


    The wyrm followed Jack¡¯s request and allowed Jack to perform the mutual seal between Dradich and Argyle.


    With a gargantuan lv. 70 beastpanion with a seventh level bloodline, Argyle was over the moon. "Hey, Jack. What do you think would happen if I just traveled on his back instead of flying like everyone else?"


    "Well, in terms of speed, he¡¯s probably just as fast as those condors. Just be careful to not run over a vige or destroy a forest wherever you go,"ughed Jack.


    "I guess you have a point... I¡¯ll figure something out! Is there enough room for him at the Leisure Guild, Tralon?"


    "We¡¯ll have tobine a few courtyards... but it¡¯s definitely doable," replied the mage, who was lying down to rest and ignoring the cold temperature of the snow.


    "Dradich, take us to the magic circle west of here."


    "Climb on," the wyrm replied, beaming with pride to be serving his Great Ancestor and to have her protecting his fellow wyrms.


    The party hurried onto the giant wyrm¡¯s back, including the aviary beasts. Once everyone was ounted for, Dradich rocketed over the snowyndscape. In less than five minutes, the wyrm stopped and swiped his tail to reveal the magic circle that had been buried by years and years of snowfall. He thenid over the top of the circle, waiting for what he assumed would happen next. "This leaves the space, correct?"


    "Right, but are you sure you don¡¯t want to be stored away before we enter the next floor?" asked Jack.


    "No."


    "What if we enter a space filled with fire and magma?"


    "Then I¡¯ll make due. So long as we make haste, I¡¯ll be fine. If it¡¯s too hot, then I¡¯ll simply activate my frost body and bear it," answered Dradich, confident in his constitution as a wyrm.


    "Alright... Vixus, activate the circle."


    This time it wasn¡¯t a bath of purple energy, more like ake of purple energy that covered the giant wyrm and transported the entire party.


    They then found themselves in a lush green valley, with mountain walls surrounding them.


    "Dradich, this space is filled with greenery and should be a bit more peaceful. Just head northeast. You¡¯ll find the circle there in front of a giant tree."


    "Right!"


    Barreling through the trees and greenery with ease, the cier Wyrm made his way toward the next circle. Argyle would¡¯veined that he would miss a beast, but he was too overjoyed with what he got toin about the party acting so rushed.


    No beasts dared approach the giant wyrm as its power clearly rivaled the strongest beasts across the valley floor and didn¡¯t seem to be looking for a fight.


    It left plenty of green carnage wherever it went, leaving trees toppled and crushed without hesitation. However, thanks to the giant tree, the party didn¡¯t have to spend much time on the valley floor and it was easy to find the teleportation circle.


    Dradich was careful not to destroy the ancient tree and instead coiled around it as heid over the teleportation circle.


    A few roars of beasts sounded out, showing that a few of the stronger beasts on the valley floor would soon be making an appearance. However, Vixus had already ignited the teleportation circle and the party was gone before those beasts could show themselves or discover where that massive wyrm hade from.

 Chapter 336 Rushing the Magma Floor

    <h4>Chapter 336 Rushing the Magma Floor</h4>


    When the party appeared on the magma floor, they were instantly hit with a wave of dry, face-melting heat. Sweat was leaking from their brows before they had realized what floor they were on.


    "Wee to the magma floor, everybody," Jack joked with a sigh. "Dradich, are you going to be okay here?"


    In response to Jack¡¯s question, frost started to fill the air around the wyrm. It cooled the party and allowed them all relief from the overbearing heat but it never managed to form the icy armor they had seen before.


    "If you hop off my back for a moment, then I can create my frost body to better protect you and myself," Dradich stated, getting everyone toply.


    A few momentster, everyone was back on top of the wyrm, d to be cool andfortable in the face of the heat.


    "Let¡¯s be fast though. I can¡¯t sustain this forever in such a ce," added Dradich.


    "Then let¡¯s hurry southbound. The circle is at the southernmost point of the dungeon," exined Jack. "But everyone needs to watch out for enemies. This floor was usually the most difficult to clear in terms ofbat because everything here wants a fight."


    "Careful! Here theye!" Dradich roared and began his charge into the ming dungeon.


    Everyone looked out to see beasts that they weren¡¯t familiar with.


    "I guess the fiends won the power struggle on this floor," mentioned Jack. "I wonder if any smanders survived."


    "Fiends? Do you mind if I take a fiend, Jack?" asked Vixus. "I¡¯ve never met one before and heard that they have ties with dark magic as well."


    "You¡¯re right, that¡¯s probably how they overwhelmed the smanders and other beasts down here," replied Jack. "Capturing a fiend is one thing, but getting it toply with a seal is another."


    "Just help me catch one that¡¯s at least lv. 60. Then, if I fail to bond with it, let me fail."


    "It will still count as your third beast, so don¡¯t me me when we can¡¯t subdue it," chuckled Jack, readying himself for the horde of fiends following Dradich.


    Squeals and screeches echoed off the cavern walls, getting louder and louder as the fiends got closer and closer. With bony limbs and wings, the ckish-red, devilish creatures hounded the cier Wyrm.


    "Dradich, if me or Bowzer use our me bodies, will we hurt you?"


    "Just don¡¯t hit me by ident. I can take the heat of you standing on my back," replied the wyrm, confident in his abilities.


    Jack then surrounded himself in mes and used them to cast his spells. "Bowzer, not full-size but full strength, okay?"


    With a nod, Bowzer activated his me body to match Jack¡¯s size while maintaining his coat of white-hot fire. Both Jack and Bowzer began to hurl or spit fireballs at any fiends getting too close. Though it didn¡¯t deal much damage, it was enough to buffet the fiends and keep them distanced. And being on the magma floor made it easier to use fire magic and not waste extra mana.


    The other able party members joined in. The cranes who weren¡¯t carrying the cripplesunched des of wind at the fiends while Phorounched small whirlwinds at the devils. Vixus and Argyle both activated a few of their long-range attacks to help keep the fiends at bay.


    "Jack, something else is lying in wait up ahead."


    Dradich¡¯s warning caught Jack¡¯s ears, convincing the hero to turn his attention elsewhere.


    At the same time, Vixus shouted, "There¡¯s one! Let that lv. 63 fiend through, I want him!"


    While the party was focused on keeping the fiends back and Vixus wrestled a fiend with the help of his me Tiger, Jack and Dradich were waiting for the other beast to make an appearance.


    Suddenly, a giant roar filled the cavern,ing from the southwest.


    Out of ava pool emerged a giant lizard, ring back at the party and the fiends with fury. Dark red mes showed themselves as the lizard opened its mouth.


    "Nevermind, the smanders are still alive!" Jack shouted, a bit nervous to take on another powerful foe along with the fiends.


    "Hold on!"


    Just as the Molten Smander spewed a plume ofva toward the giant wyrm, Dradich spitted a plume of ice and frost. An explosion of steam shook the dungeon floor, creatingrge waves in theva pools along the sides of the path.


    Once the attacks collided, Dradich then sped up. With all of his might, he charged the winding path and put all of his energy into his frost body.


    Another giant smander emerged, then another.


    Even if Dradich could avoid the attacks of a single smander, the giant wyrm was unable to do so against five smanders while carrying the party on his back.


    Dradich evaded as many attacks as possible and countered any attacks he was able, but he still received a few attacks against his frost body. However, Dradich never slowed down and continued to barrel through the dungeon floor with great haste.


    Luckily, the smanders also attacked the fiends who dared enter their territory. And Vixus was lucky enough to capture a fiend, albeit still wild and unwilling to remain pinned by the me Tiger.


    "Is that it?"


    "Yes, keep going, Dradich!" Jack shouted. "Bowzer, help handle the smanders!"


    The fox was already spewing white fireballs to counter theva plumes of the smanders. The other beasts and Argyle were doing the same thing, doing everything in their power to keep the smanders from touching the wyrm that dared to charge through the magma floor.


    Another explosion then took ce, but not from steam.


    To the side of the circle, another smander appeared, thergest of the smanders and highest in level at lv. 69.


    "Jack, get ready to activate the circle without any hesitation. I¡¯ll attack that beast with everything I¡¯ve got left, so don¡¯t miss the chance to flee this space."


    "Vixus, you heard Dradich, right?" Jack shouted. "You¡¯d better be ready to activate that circle. The moment Dradich touches it, we need to get out of here."


    "Right! I¡¯ll be ready to go, just help me with the fiend once we enter the next floor," replied Vixus, nodding in agreement.


    With a roar, thergest smander readied his attack.


    "Bowzer, let loose everything against that attack! We need Dradich to hit the smander, not its attack."


    ¡¯You got it!¡¯


    The Hell-me Fox grew slightly as he jumped onto the top of Dradich¡¯s head and stared back at the smander. Bowzer knew the smander could sense his bloodline, but it also shrugged off the bloodline¡¯s typical effects like the cier Wyrms, proving that it too had an ancient bloodline at the seventh level.


    Showing no mercy, the smander¡¯s me-filled maw opened wide andunched a massive river ofva out of the Molten Smander¡¯s gullet.


    Bowzer growled and snarled as his mes gained a hint of ckness. Then, the fox roared. A relentless stream of white mes, with tinges of red and ck, streaked toward the smander.


    Both attacks collided, canceling each other out and making wave after wave in the nearbyva pools.


    As Bowzer¡¯s me body rescinded, the frosty energy in Dradich¡¯s mouth exploded full-force. Like aser, the current of sub-zero ice barraged against the smander, causing it to cry in pain as a part of the magma coating epassing the smander¡¯s body became crust and dried up.


    "Now, Jack!" yelled the wyrm.


    "Vixus, get ready!"


    The wyrm continued his charge toward the circle as the smander recovered from the attack.


    Cracking and flowing anew, theva coating around the smander would be reactive in a couple of seconds, not offering the party much time. It prepared a second attack for the wyrm, not daring to surrender or showing any fear.


    Yet as the next river ofva was aimed at the wyrm, the gargantuan beast suddenly disappeared. Only a giant pulse of purple energy was left where the wyrm once was.

 Chapter 337 Beholders on the Tenth Floor

    <h4>Chapter 337 Beholders on the Tenth Floor</h4>


    Purple energy cascaded over Dradich and the party atop his back. They felt the overbearing heat disappear, letting them all release a subconscious breath of fresh air. But once the purple energy dispersed, they saw nothing else.


    There was no artificial lighting and there were no kari crystals lining the ceiling. The party members struggled to see their hands in front of their faces and the wyrm they were sitting on.


    "Everyone, no matter what, we stay together on this floor. No one should leave Dradich¡¯s back!" Jack shouted, making sure everyone heard his warning. "Phoro, Ssildro, Cerdot, you and the other cranes should enter Vixus¡¯s bestial storage for now. If you get lost or separated, then there¡¯s no telling what may happen."


    "Sound great to me." Phoro rushed to Vixus¡¯s side. "Please, store me away as Jack ordered."


    Struggling to keep the bony fiend from breaking free, Vixus and the me Tiger were both preupied. Vixus sighed, "Can I get a little help, Jack?"


    "Once you store the cranes, Phoro, and Ssildro, then we¡¯ll help," stated Jack.


    "Fine..." Vixus lifted a single hand bearing the ring. "I can store Ssildro but what about Kims?"


    "Well..." Jack started to think and gave Vixus a wry smile. "Has anyone ever stored a human in a bestial storage before?"


    "That--"


    "The issue with storing humans is that they¡¯ll fight being stored, like a wild beast. But if they¡¯re unconscious, in theory, they can be stored," Tralon spoke up, still lying down to recharge. "Maybe I should get stored too, thinking back on it."


    "That... You can¡¯t be serious? Then we¡¯d be just like--"


    "I¡¯d rmend you not finish that sentence." Argyle¡¯s cold tone startled the beast tamer. "These beasts are our equals. They¡¯re either ourpanions or their members of your guild, Vixus. Don¡¯t forget that."


    "R-right!" Vixus coughed to regain some of his lostposure. "Then I¡¯ll just store the other two away as well."


    Phoro was the first to be ced inside the bestial storage, followed by Tralon who was beside Vixus. Ssildro was next with Kims and the cranes werest with the broken councilmen.


    "Now, can you help us out, please?" Vixus asked, still fighting the upliant fiend.


    Jack sighed as he carefully walked over. "We don¡¯t have time for this. Why not just take a beast from this floor? They all use dark magic."


    "What?! Then why did you let me bring this in here?!" Fuming, Vixus almost released the fiend by ident.


    "Because we need bait to test something." Once he was beside Vixus, Jack started pulling the fiend to the edge of the giant wyrm. "If you want to catch a big fish, then you need a smaller fish as bait."


    Grasping the situation, Vixus nodded.


    In a swift motion, Jack retrieved a sword and shed one of the fiend¡¯s wings. The beast snarled and spat in a rage as it was then thrown into the ckness with no means of flight.


    Vixus, Argyle, Jack, and Bowzer heard the fiend¡¯s screeches as it vanished before their eyes.


    Only a second after the fiend disappeared, a bloodcurdling wail rang out, drowning out the fiend¡¯s screeches. Then, the snapping and grinding of bones echoed off the cavern walls, causing Vixus to flinch in terror and curiosity of what could¡¯ve caused that.


    "Now!"


    With an arrow already nocked, Jack shot into the darkness. Attached to that arrow was a powerful cord, the same used to handle and restrain high-level beasts. He received a few as aplimentary gift when he had purchased Appa. Now, he could put them to better use.


    When the cord stopped moving forward, Jack clenched it in his fist, yelling, "Pull!"


    Being directly beside Jack, Vixus grabbed hold first, followed by Argyle.


    "Bowzer, give us some light!"


    ¡¯O-okay!¡¯ There was some hesitation and exhaustion in the fox¡¯s voice. But Bowzer still ignited his me body and started to burn away the surrounding darkness. Though his white mes were waning more toward red, Bowzer forced himself to stay aze.


    It was clear to the others that Bowzer was more exhausted then he let on, but they didn¡¯t have time at the moment to help him. They were busy dragging a four-meter ck, tentacled beast from the thick, murky darkness.


    "What is--"


    "That¡¯s going to be your next beast, Vixus. Your wee!" Jackughed loudly as he stared into the beast¡¯s onerge eye. "You, what¡¯s your name?"


    ¡¯Me...¡¯ The singr jaded, yellow eye of the beast leered back at Jack as he spoke back at the party using telepathy. ¡¯I¡¯m Mooldrat... What... are you?"


    "I¡¯m Jack, a human who¡¯s only passing through this limited space toward the next one."


    ¡¯You... seek death?¡¯


    Noticing the beast¡¯s change in tone and it¡¯s unusual speech pattern, Jack squinted back. "What do you mean by that, Mooldrat?"


    ¡¯Many... travel though that circle... None...e back.¡¯ Both the party and the beast stopped fighting the rope jutting from the beholder¡¯s side, simply maintaining a few meters between each other. ¡¯Why... do you seek death... beyond that circle?¡¯


    "But you shouldn¡¯t be able to ess that circle," replied Jack. "Tell me more about this circle. Does every circle transport you away, or only one?"


    ¡¯Just... one...¡¯ answered the beast. ¡¯If... you¡¯re here for that... then... why do you try to take me?¡¯


    "We may seem ill-willed now, but we¡¯re nicer than you think. Wouldn¡¯t you like to escape this ce? There will be no more limited space to contain you."


    ¡¯No... I don¡¯t want it.¡¯ The beast¡¯s spherical body moved from side to side. ¡¯Only... deathes from that circle.¡¯


    Rethinking his pitch, Jack took one hand off the rope. "Mooldrat, how about you take us to that circle. Then we won¡¯t bother you or any other Dark Beholders along the way."


    ¡¯There... aren¡¯t many left. Little... food is found here. Most... died through the circle. Many... have gone crazy with time.¡¯


    "Dark... Beholders..." While Jack and the beholder were conversing, Vixus was mumbling to himself and letting his mind run wild at the thought of being the master of a legendary beholder.


    "Do you or the other beholders know about the world outside this space?" Jack asked.


    ¡¯World... outside? What... is it like? I... forgot.¡¯


    "Moodrat... how old are you?" Baffled, Jack had to ask to satiate his curiosity.


    ¡¯Me... I don¡¯t remember.¡¯ Mooldrat shook his head, which was his entire body minus his ten ck tentacles.


    "Were you born in here?"


    ¡¯... No... I... was born outside... I think...¡¯


    "Mooldrat, can you tell us how you¡¯ve survived so long?"


    The beholder¡¯s blood-red iris shifted and looked back to Jack. ¡¯I... eat my family... We... eat each other...¡¯


    Jack swallowed some saliva, wanting to ask another question but fearing the answer. No one in the party could see Mooldrat¡¯s level since that was one of the beholders¡¯ most well-known traits.


    "Mooldrat... what level are you?"


    ¡¯My... level? I... forgot I had one...¡¯ The beholder¡¯s gnarly yellow fangs curled into a smile as it chuckled and the blood of the freshly eaten fiend dripped from its lips. ¡¯I¡¯m... lv. 78.¡¯


    The party members all froze, stiffening their grip on the rope. Vixus¡¯s dreams were shattered. Argyle red heavily at the beholder, keeping himself aware and alert. Dradich also readied himself, preparing to flee the moment he was given the signal.


    "That¡¯s pretty good!" Jack started tough loudly, startling his serious-facedpanions.


    ¡¯Really? Then... that¡¯s good!¡¯ Mooldrat¡¯sughter grew louder, matching Jack¡¯s to echo throughout the pitch-ck cavern.


    "Tell you what, I¡¯ll protect you against what¡¯s on the other side of the circle. If I can do that, then how about you join me and my friends outside. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to talk to others and we can feed you all kinds of food, however much you want."


    ¡¯Food... all kinds and whenever I want?¡¯ Salivating, Mooldrat didn¡¯t hide his lust for sustenance. ¡¯If... you give me so much food... and... protect me... then...¡¯

 Chapter 338 Swaying Mooldra

    <h4>Chapter 338 Swaying Mooldra</h4>


    ¡¯If... you give me so much food... and... protect me... then...¡¯


    "If you want, we can even be friends."


    The Dark Beholder hesitated and floated nearer to Jack. ¡¯What... are friends?¡¯


    Jack smiled warmly and hid a sigh amongughter. "Two or more people be friends when they work together and feed each other. And when there¡¯s a chance, they can have fun together, like how we were bothughing together."


    Hoping to take advantage of the beholder¡¯s frazzled psyche, Jack chose his words carefully.


    ¡¯Friends... We¡¯re friends now?¡¯ Mooldrat asked, tilting his head and body to the side in thought.


    "Sure, why not? Don¡¯t you want a friend that can have fun with you and feed you? Then you¡¯ll never have to each your own kind again."


    ¡¯That... sounds nice... I... won¡¯t run out of food anymore...¡¯


    "So, will you let your friend protect you from the beast on the other side of the circle? Then, I¡¯ll give you all the food we can."


    While bargaining, Jack threw out arge sack. Mooldrat¡¯s nose may have only consisted of two slits between his mouth and eye, but he instantly caught a whiff of a scent the beholder had long forgotten. The beholder snarled and instinctively chomped down on the sack, tearing it and it¡¯s contents to shreds with his mangled teeth.


    ¡¯This... What is this?¡¯


    "That¡¯s beef, a type of meat from the outside world. Do you like it?" Jack asked with a smile. "Since you like it so much, once we¡¯re out of here I¡¯ll give you all the beef you want."


    ¡¯Yes! Give me more beef!¡¯ Drool cascaded out of the insane beholder¡¯s mouth, unable to resist such a temptation.


    "We¡¯ve only got one more sack left. We can--"


    ¡¯I want it!¡¯ Mooldrat rushed Jack, stopping less than a meter in front of the hero with a crazed look in its one eye.


    "Only if you promise toe with us," reasoned Jack. "I¡¯ll protect you after we travel through the circle and then feed you all you want on the outside. Do we have a deal?"


    ¡¯Yes! Give me more beef!¡¯ The beast¡¯s rotten purple tongue licked the remaining blood from its lips. ¡¯I want it now!¡¯


    "Argyle," Jack turned to his father-inw, "Can you share thest of our meat with Mooldrat?"


    "Sure." Feeling morefortable and able to put on an act, Argyle lobbed another sack of their dry rations to the hungry beholder, who tore it to shreds in seconds with a look of bliss on its face.


    Mooldrat moaned in ecstasy, ¡¯Beef... good!¡¯


    "Great! Then show us to the circle. After we travel there, we¡¯ll be able to find you more meat, Mooldrat," reasoned Jack. "Argyle, put Dradich in your storage so we don¡¯t attract any other beholders and are forced to share food with them too."


    ¡¯Yes... it¡¯s all for me!¡¯ cackled Mooldrat, as if he was about to start living his greatest fantasy.


    Dradichplied and allowed Argyle to store him away.


    "Vixus, don¡¯t forget your me Tiger." As Jack passed the beast tamer, he whispered, "Do you think you can control him, or should I take care of our new friend?"


    "I... You can take care of him, Jack," Vixus nervously replied as he stored the me Tiger.


    With that decided and only Jack, Bowzer, Argyle, and Vixus remaining, the party followed the eager and jittery beholder that towered over them.


    "How much farther is it, Mooldrat?"


    ¡¯Far... it¡¯s near the center of all the other circles.¡¯


    Puzzled, Vixus noticed a few different circles as they wandered through the tenth floor. "Why are there so many teleportation circles on this floor?"


    ¡¯Those... are all broken... Only... one circle teleports...¡¯ answered Mooldrat, still licking his lips in anticipation.


    Jack whispered a quick exnation, "Most are fake. Some take to random spots of the tenth floor, others will take you to the entrance of the dungeon."


    "That... That¡¯s too cruel, Jack. Why would the Legend make such a floor?"


    Chuckling, Jack shrugged. "Maybe he was bored and wanted to mess with everyone who dared to steal his stuff."


    Argyle and Bowzer both smiled, overhearing the conversation. Both were feeling a bit fatigued, especially Bowzer, but they were at least able to calmly walk on this floor. And the danger was supposedly over, so long as Mooldrat didn¡¯t have a change of heart.


    ¡¯Fresh... meat...¡¯


    A new voice started to echo within everyone¡¯s minds. It was jarring, distracting the party and forcing them to find the source.


    ¡¯None for you! My friends!¡¯ Suddenly, Mooldrat bolted through the air. He then collided with a second beholder that was barreling into the view of the party.


    ¡¯But--¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t share!¡¯ Mooldrat was visiblyrger than the second beholder, grappling the second¡¯s tentacles and taking a bite out of its face. ¡¯They¡¯re all mine!¡¯


    Everyone stayed close to Bowzer, their only light source.


    ¡¯Jack, how did Mooldrat know where that other beholder wasing from?¡¯ Argyle asked the walking, ancient encyclopedia that was his son-inw.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t you know about the legendary beholders? They have a legendary ability called True Sight,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯They can see clear as day down here and can even see through invisibility.¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?!¡¯ Argyle was baffled mentally by the confirmation of the ancient legends and by the cannibalistic sight he was watching. ¡¯Were they always... so barbaric?¡¯


    ¡¯No, they¡¯ve always been regarded as some of the most intelligent creatures in existence. But...¡¯ Jack guiltily smiled. ¡¯But what else would happen when you trap a bunch of them in a pitch-ck dungeon and not include much else to eat? Once people stoppeding through here, I think they started to go insane from hunger.


    ¡¯Also, there shouldn¡¯t be away for beasts to activate the teleportation circles, yet Mooldrat is insistent that the circle to the boss on the eleventh floor works. That might have had a huge negative impact on their psyche as well,¡¯ reasoned Jack.


    While Jack finished his exnation, Mooldrat was finishing a meal. The Dark Beholder was licking the skull clean, not even leaving a drop of blood or a scrap of skin on the corpse of the invading beholder. Mooldrat¡¯s depravity and lust for hunger became all the more apparent to the witnesses of the scene.


    "Hurry up, Mooldrat, or we won¡¯t be able to find you more beefter," stated Jack.


    ¡¯No! I need beef... I¡¯ll bring my meal with me...¡¯ Mooldrats ten dark tentacled wrapped themselves around the remains of the corpse, lifting it for Mooldrat to enjoy while he led the party.


    ¡¯Jack, are we really taking that thing outside with us?¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Argyle. I¡¯ve got an idea.¡¯


    ¡¯And what would that be?¡¯


    ¡¯Just wait and see. Also, once we¡¯re on the eleventh floor, don¡¯t let Vixus activate the teleportation circle,¡¯ mentioned Jack.


    Eyeing Jack, Argyle continued questioning the hero, ¡¯Jack, what do you mean by that?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll confront the boss alone. Bowzer cane along since he¡¯s mypanion, but I don¡¯t want you and especially Vixus ruining my discussion by doing something stupid.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯re going to have a discussion with the boss?! Are you mad?¡¯


    Jack chuckled softly. ¡¯No, Mooldrat¡¯s mad. I¡¯ve just got a hunch. We¡¯ll be sent to a teleportation circle on the eleventh floor which both can both receive and transport people. That¡¯s how you enter and leave the eleventh floor. But don¡¯t dare to activate it, so you¡¯ll have to keep Vixus from doing that. Just drag him to the side opposite the vault.¡¯


    ¡¯And what about you?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll be preupied talking with the boss, remember? That way we can enter the vault without worry.¡¯ Jack sighed. ¡¯I¡¯m still not lv. 50, but I¡¯m really close. I¡¯m sure I can level up outside. Then...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Either way, don¡¯t wet yourself in fear and keep Vixus from doing something stupid. Got it?¡¯ stated Jack, seriously eyeing his father-inw.


    Argyle nervously smiled and nodded. ¡¯Got it.¡¯

 Chapter 339 Enter the Boss Floor

    <h4>Chapter 339 Enter the Boss Floor</h4>


    ¡¯Jack... Are you sure you don¡¯t have any more of that beef?¡¯ asked Mooldrat, licking his lips.


    Jack shook his head and shrugged. "Sorry, Mooldrat. I¡¯m all out. But I can tell you where I¡¯ll find more."


    ¡¯Tell me!¡¯


    "First, let me tell you about where we are. This limited space is one of many spaces inside of a ce we call a dungeon," stated Jack.


    ¡¯Oh... So I was put in a dungeon...¡¯ As if a fragment of Mooldrat¡¯s memory recovered, he eagerly listened to Jack.


    "Mooldrat, do you know what a dungeon is?"


    ¡¯It¡¯s... a ce where... heroes went... right?¡¯


    "Right! See, you¡¯re just as smart as legends say,"plimented Jack, keeping himself on Mooldrat¡¯s good side and continuing the conversation. "The circle we¡¯re going to will take us to thest space of the dungeon, where the strongest creature lives. Most likely, that creature is what has been killing the other beholders when they went mad and used the circle."


    ¡¯Oh... But you¡¯ll protect me... right, Jack?¡¯


    "Precisely! Argyle and Vixus are going to step back while me and Bowzer deal with the boss. You¡¯ll back away with them, okay?"


    Mooldrat nodded. ¡¯But where is there more beef?¡¯


    "Behind that strong strong creature is a giant vault. There, I¡¯ll find you more beef before we use the final circle to go to the outside world," stated Jack. "How does that sound?"


    Already salivating, Mooldrat nodded again. ¡¯Yes! I want more beef! Give me more beef and I¡¯ll go with you!¡¯


    "Great! See, we¡¯re already great friends, right?" Jack insisted.


    ¡¯Yes... great friends feed me... We¡¯re great friends...¡¯


    "Do you eat friends, Mooldrat?" Jack asked.


    Struggling to answer, Mooldrat took a moment to ponder. ¡¯No... because friends give food and beef!¡¯


    "You¡¯re right again, Mooldrat!" Jack beamed. "Do you listen to friends and do what they say, since they give you food?"


    ¡¯Yes... For food, I listen to friends." Mooldrat nodded, still leaving behind a trail of drool.


    "How close are we, Mooldrat?"


    ¡¯Oh... We¡¯re almost to the circle.¡¯ Speeding up, the beholder rushed into the darkness.


    "Mooldrat! Come back!" As the beholder came back into sight, confused, Jack stated, "We can¡¯t see in the dark like you, so you¡¯ll have to stay near Bowzer where we can see you. We don¡¯t want to lose our new friend, right?"


    ¡¯Right! I can¡¯t lose my friends!¡¯ Mooldrat returned to his previous position in their formation. ¡¯The circle... is up ahead...¡¯


    "Mooldrat, do most beholders live to be over one thousand years old, like you?" Jack asked, curious.


    ¡¯I¡¯m... one thousand years old?¡¯ Only realizing that after Jack¡¯s statement, the beholder tilted his head in surprise. ¡¯Maybe... But I¡¯m the oldest here... There¡¯s the circle!¡¯


    Changing the subject, Mooldrat rushed into the dim light and watched the others near the circle he was hovering over. It was almost identical to the other circles, only showing a few small differences in the ancient writing that created it.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t touch... If you touch... you leave.¡¯


    "Really?" Jack was baffled, knowing full well that the circle was never intended to act in such a way. "Okay... then let¡¯s all touch it together. That way I can protect you, Mooldrat."


    ¡¯But...¡¯


    "Do you want more beef, or--"


    ¡¯Yes!¡¯


    "Then we¡¯ll all touch it in three..."


    The others gathered to the edge of the circle while Mooldrat slowly extended a tentacle toward the circle.


    "Two..."


    Everyone took a deep breath, reading themselves mentally for what was about to happen.


    "One!"


    All at once everyone touched a part of the circle and felt a rush of purple, spatial energy wash over them.


    Reappearing elsewhere, the party opened their eyes to find themselves in another dark space, but it was very different. It wasn¡¯t a tunnel or cavern. They found themselves in a vast, open space with on corridors or passageways connecting to it and there was no ceiling in sight it was so tall. There was dim artificial lighting along faraway walls, as the teleportation circle they now stood on was in the center of the spacious room.


    There was one thing, however, that contrasted the dimly lit walls and the dark, open space that was supposed to be a ceiling.


    The only part of the vast room that wasn¡¯t circr were two gigantic, ancient doors, matching the ones from the dungeon¡¯s entrance. Kari crystals surrounded the trim of the doors, showing off the natural splendor and beauty of the roxite and the detailed carving etched into it.


    "Everyone, back against the wall opposite the door. Bowzer, you¡¯re staying with me."


    "But Jack--"


    "Do it now! Or you may die!"


    "Interesting... Humans have returned to the dungeon..."


    An unnaturally deep, gravelly voice shook the room and the stone walls. Vixus swallowed his words as Argyle was already dragging him to the back wall. And Mooldrat was right behind them, visible trembling at the sound of that voice.


    As Argyle and Vixus reached the back wall, they turned around just in time to see a figure emerge from the darkness above the magic circle.


    Mooldrat¡¯s True Sight had already betrayed him, stealing him of any hope to stand before the creature that only he had seen through the darkness.


    It wasn¡¯t so much a figure that emerged, it was more of a gargantuan silhouette. The creature¡¯s head was the first thing to enter their sight, but that alone almost filled a quarter of what was visible to the party.


    The beast¡¯s massive, piercing eyes were the first parts of it to be recognized. And it was clear that they were draconic. Next, they noticed the beast¡¯s mouth opening and closing, showing off rows and rows of jagged teeth that would put razors to shame, each asrge as a human leg yet they fit easily in the beast oversized jaw.


    What was peculiar was the skin of the beast, if you could call it skin. It was very simr to the exoskeleton of insects, yet there were still spikes protruding through what they assumed was the beast¡¯s spine.


    "Tell me, how did you enter this dungeon, and why have youe here?" That booming voice shook Jack as the creature got closer and closer.


    "I¡¯m with the Leisure Guild. Do you still remember what that means?" Jack then held up the emblem that Tralon had given him long ago.


    "That emblem... I haven¡¯t seen one in over one thousand years..." The beast began to chuckle. "Tell me, howe the dungeon was sealed away and why no one has visited me in over one thousand years? If I don¡¯t like your answer, then I¡¯ll ignore that emblem in your hands."


    Jack sighed, happy to see that the beast was still sane, unlike the beholders on the tenth floor.


    "That¡¯splicated, but I can exin if you don¡¯t mind a long story."


    "I¡¯ve waited more than a millennium, so amuse me,"ughed the beast, lowering his head to rest on the ground, blocking Jack and Bowzer from the vault door.


    "First off, you should know that the ancient heroes are no longer roaming Kartonia. That period is now known as Ancient Kartonia and we¡¯re currently in a period called Modern Kartonia," exined Jack.


    "There are no more heroes?" questioned the beast. "Then what became of my master, the guild leader?"


    Smiling, Jack replied, "Before a war of the gods broke out and the world would need him most, he vanished."


    "He vanished? He was killed or in by one of the many gods he had offended?"


    "No, he simply vanished from the timeline. Soon after he disappeared, more and more heroes started to disappear too. Then the Godly War happened and now the gods are hiding from the world. Because of all that happened previously, the dungeon was sealed away and hasn¡¯t been reopened till now, Dragovich."

 Chapter 340 The Draconic Centipede and the Vaul

    <h4>Chapter 340 The Draconic Centipede and the Vaul</h4>


    The beast¡¯s eyes stiffened, ring down heavily on the human before it. "You know my name, human? How so?"


    "Was it ever a secret?" chuckled Jack.


    "No... it wasn¡¯t. But you still know of me and bear the emblem of the guild. Who are you to know so much?"


    With a smile on his face, Jack waved his hand to cast silence, not wanting Vixus to overhear them or for Mooldrat to learn so suddenly that his new best friend was the man who captured him in the first ce.


    "Would you believe that I¡¯m your master, Jack J.?"


    Dragovich squinted and came within a meter of Jack¡¯s face. "You? Do you have any proof?"


    "I know that you were gifted to me for being the first person toplete Grixor¡¯s quest, making you the one and only Draconic Centipede that¡¯s not under his influence," stated Jack, surprising the gargantuan beast. "Also, you were raised as my first ever beastpanion till you were lv. 68 and then ced inside this dungeon as the keeper and guardian of the vault, even if the other guild members didn¡¯t know it."


    "You... reveal your level and ss to me at once," Dragovich order, truly wanting to know the truth.


    "I¡¯m not the same as I was before. I¡¯ll let you see, but also allow me to exin." Jack then removed his cloak and revealed himself.


    "Lv. 49... If you are my master, then why are you so weak? Exin or die, for none shall falsify my master¡¯s identity."


    "I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯re loyal as ever, Dragov."


    "That..."


    Dragovich was caught off guard by the sudden mention of his nickname. When Dragovich was born, Grixor, the God of Earth, gave the Draconic Centipede his name. It was only after Jack had taken ownership of him that the gamer officially renamed him Dragov because it was easier to say.


    Though it tarnished the powerful, draconic name that he was born with, Dragov eventually grew ustomed to it. But he only allowed Jack to call him that.


    "So, Dragov, what level are you know? And, have you gotten even bigger?"


    The Draconic Centipede shook his head and body before softening his re. "I¡¯m lv. 81 now."


    "And are you the one who altered this magic circle?" Jack knelt down and closely examined the writings with his fingers. "You changed this circle so it would teleport anything that touched its sister circle on the tenth floor, didn¡¯t you?"


    "How else would I find nourishment?" replied Dragov. "I was left here without any prey of my own. I feared that I would soon run out of beholder to feast upon as they stoppeding through the circle not long ago."


    Jackughed, "Your meddling with the circle had a hand in the beholders on the tenth floor insane. Did you know that?"


    "I realized it quickly, but I have no regrets as it kept me alive and growing. My hope was to rejoin my master on the battlefield. Though I can gain EXP in this dungeon setting, it neverpared to facing godly beings with my master. The thought of defying even the gods... That the epitome of strength."


    "How about you join me and we fight the gods again?" Jack added, catching Dragov¡¯s attention.


    "Exin? Also, I¡¯m still not fully convinced you¡¯re my master."


    "Dragov, I want to ask you to allow us entry to the vault. If I¡¯m right, there will be an item in there that will help me prove my identity."


    "You won¡¯t take anything else? Aren¡¯t you down here to raid the vault?" argued the Draconic Centipede.


    "If I¡¯m really who I im to be, would that count as raiding or reiming my treasures?"


    Dragov eyed Jack cautiously. "Then exin what you meant by fighting the gods. I¡¯m curious."


    "Simply put, I¡¯m going to be fighting the Holy Gods and the Chaotic Gods as the champion of chosen champion of the Neutral Gods," Jack stated. "That¡¯s why I vanished. Daruun, the God of Fate, plucked me from that time and put me here with a new body and new abilities. Sure, I have to start from scratch, but my potential is far greater with my new abilities."


    "So you¡¯ll be fighting the gods directly?" asked Dragov.


    "In a way, yes. But I¡¯m going to prepare and ready my side for battle before that happens," exined Jack. "For example, I¡¯ll be bringing the neutral gods back into the public light. That alone will bring more traffic into Trodar and will tempt the other gods to do something lest they lose the little influence they have left."


    "Hmm... Calcting, thought out, against the norm... You scheme just like my master in the past, I¡¯ll admit that. But I still want evidence. If there is no evidence in that vault, what happens then?"


    "Then... I¡¯m not sure," Jack chuckled nervously. "I¡¯m being honest here, Dragov. Who else would know so much about our rtionship?"


    "Then we¡¯ll cross that bridge when we get there. For now, I¡¯ll allow you to open the vault without my interference." Dragov began to retract his head into the darkness above. "I hope you truly are my master. Then I can finally leave this ce and fight bigger, more challenging foes..."


    When Jack dispersed the silent orb around them, Argyle heaved a sigh of relief.


    Vixus on the other hand was still shaking at the knees. "Argyle... What was that? It¡¯s even bigger than your wyrm."


    "I¡¯m not sure, but Jack¡¯s already struck a deal with it. Now, we¡¯ll finally enter the vault," stated Argyle, stepping toward Jack.


    ¡¯Friend!¡¯ Mooldrat was the first to reach Jack with a big, gnarly grin of his yellow fangs. ¡¯You protected me and now we can find beef!¡¯


    "You¡¯re right, Mooldrat! Let¡¯s let Argyle open the vault and search for your beef. After you, Argyle." Jack showed a slight bow, leading Argyle forward with his hand. "Just ce your hand with the ring on the door and give it a little push."


    With a nod, Argyle took the long walk toward the door. The echoes of his footsteps came to a stop once he ced his hand on the door. And with the tiniest push, Argyle felt the door utch from the inside and start to open on its own, like the dungeon¡¯s entrance.


    "Mooldrat, you cane inside, but don¡¯t touch anything, okay?"


    ¡¯Okay! I just want beef!¡¯


    "I¡¯ve already found some!" The beholder instantly turned his head to find a couple of dozen sacks of rations just outside the door. Another bag and another bag were being thrown onto the pile from Argyle who was already inside. "Have at it, Mooldrat!"


    Not saying another word, the drooling beholder began to rip the sacks open one by one. He was in a world of bliss he had forgotten in the past millennia.


    "Hurry up and pick your treasure, Vixus. Go ahead." Jack pushed the slow walking Vixus forward, reminding the best tamer of the reason he had entered the dungeon.


    "Right!"


    Vixus darted in at full speed, carefully but hastily rummaging through the many treasures of the vault. And like Jack had stated earlier, most everything carried the insignia of the guild, marking them as guild items for guild members.


    While Vixus was hurrying through the vault and Argyle was searching for where the magic crystals were stored, Jack walked into the vault with his gaze locked. The hero didn¡¯t touch anything as he walked to the back corner. There, he finally opened a single chest and pulled out a single item.


    It was a sphere crafted from a polished crystal thatfortably fit in the palm of Jack¡¯s hand. Inside the crystal was the symbol of Daruun, an all-seeing eye among the clouds. The item was also very peculiar because no matter what angle you viewed it from or how many people looked back at it, the eye was always looking back at the viewer. It was mysterious and creepily portraying Drauun¡¯s ability to always be watching over everything.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack nervously smiled. "Okay, let¡¯s try it out."

 Chapter 341 Using Daruuns Cres

    <h4>Chapter 341 Using Daruun¡°s Cres</h4>


    "Okay, let¡¯s try it out."


    That was the item that brought the entire raid to pass. Now, Jack only needed to test it out and see what exactly it could do. And since he also had to prove his identity to Dragov, why not kill two birds with one stone?


    Jack walked back out of the vault, ignoring Argyle¡¯s strange look and the beholder feasting on rations outside the vault door. He let Bowzer follow him though, as that was to be expected.


    "Dragov!" Jack shouted, looking into the darkness looming over his head.


    "Yes..." That ultra-low voice echoed off the walls as the Draconic Centipede descended into view. "Did you find the item that could prove yourself?"


    "Yeah, but I¡¯ll need you to touch it with me when I activate it. Otherwise, you won¡¯t know about what happens next," replied Jack.


    "Very well."


    Though Dragov could touch it with his head, instead, he lowered another portion of his body to reveal dozens of centipede legs along that part of his body. He was sorge that this portion of Dragov hung down like a "U",ing from the darkness above and then returning to it. And each of the long legs had a draconic w at the end of it, jutting out of the exoskeleton.


    One of those long ws extended slowly toward Jack¡¯s hand. When both Jack and Dragov were touching it, Jack took a deep breath and poured some mana into the clear crystal.


    But nothing was happening.


    ring back at the crystal, Jack was furious. He did a double-take and noticed that everyone else was still moving and active. No one was frozen in ce like the time before.


    "Come on..." Jack muttered under his breath, flooding the crystal with more mana.


    "Is something wrong?" asked the gigantic centipede.


    "No, just give it some time," stated Jack, determined to make something happen.


    "Jack..." Dragov watched the hero closely. He wanted nothing more than for his master to have returned and fight powerful foes alongside him. And though Jack didn¡¯t have any physical evidence yet, Dragov felt that Jack wasn¡¯t lying either.


    "Give it time! Maybe it needs more mana..." Draining himself of everything he had left, Jack emptied his mana reserves into the tiny, spherical crystal in his hand. "This has to work!"


    Sensing the overload of mana, Argyle and Vixus refocused on Jack¡¯s desperate attempts to use the item he had pulled from the vault. Even Mooldrat, who was obsessed over his feast had gained an interest in what Jack was doing or at least attempting to do.


    "Come on... Come on!" Shouting and feeling thest bit of magical energy leave his body, Jack shook.


    When thest morsel of mana was extracted from his body, Jack copsed, nearly dropping the crest in his hand.


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯ Bowzer caught Jack with his body, making it easier for Jack to remain on his feet.


    "Jack!" Argyle rushed to the side of the exhausted hero. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "Give me the high elixirs."


    "But Jack--"


    "I need the high elixirs!" Jack shouted, not acting patient by any means.


    "That... okay." A single high potion appeared in Argle¡¯s hand. "Here¡¯s a potion."


    Without hesitation, Jack¡¯s shaking hand forcefully took the potion and put it to Jack¡¯s lips. In almost a single gulp, Jack downed the potion without a care in the world.


    Next, the hero stood back up as his shaking started to calm down. "More... Give me all of them."


    "Jack--"


    "Now! I need this, Argyle!" Jack looked back into Argyle¡¯s eyes, looking away from the crystal for a single moment before returning his focus to the task at hand. But in that single moment, Argyle an unquenchable rage and hunger to make something happen.


    Believing that Jack wouldn¡¯t do anything suicidal, Argyle passed Jack the remaining nine high elixirs they had bought. "Here..."


    A second was already going down Jack¡¯s throat as he took the remaining high elixirs and stored them away.


    Then, even more mana poured out of Jack and into that transparent crystal. Yet even though Jack was savagely forcing all of his mana into it, the small crystal showed no reaction. It only soaked up the mana like it was a drop of water hitting the ocean.


    "More!"


    Two more potions were consumed and Jack repeated the process. When nothing changed, Jack consumed his fifth and sixth high elixir, falling to his knees and barely keeping the crystal in his hands.


    This scenario was very different from what Tralon experienced holding the rift open. Tralon had to maintain a steady flow of mana, sufficient for the corresponding size of the spatial rift. But Jack was simply forcing all of his mana into the crystal at the fastest rate possible, and then he would consume a couple of potions to instantly fill him back up again. The constant cycle of instant drain and immediate replenish was extremely taxing on Jack¡¯s body.


    But he didn¡¯t care. All Jack cared about was getting this item to work like he had guessed it would. He knew that Daruun was too calcting to not have given Jack such an item for nothing.


    "Jack, please st--"


    "I¡¯m not done yet!"


    Two more potions made their way into Jack¡¯s body, just as quickly as the mana was being forced back out of it.


    Jack¡¯s mind was pounding, not letting him hear or think about anything. His body was quivering,cking the ability to stand or steadily hold Jack¡¯s head up. The hero¡¯s head tilted from side to side as he red furiously at the little crystal.


    "More..." Between his heavy breaths, Jack took out the ninth and tenth high elixirs, the final two.


    "Jack, no!"


    Unable to here Argyle¡¯s warning, Jack guzzled down the remaining two elixirs before his father-inw could stop him.


    Jack coughed and groaned. His body struggled to ept two more elixirs and their rush of mana. His body was starting to shut down. Yet Jack kept his mouth shut and forced his gullet to ept the final elixirs, letting Jack flood the crystal with onest round of mana while Jack teetered on unconsciousness.


    Vixus and Mooldrat were both beside Argyle, who was now on his knees supporting Jack¡¯s head.


    With Jack¡¯s body lying down outside of his control, the only thing Jack kept supporting was his arm holding Daruun¡¯s Crest. The hero refused to pass out, focusing only on that crystal in the palm of his hand.


    Now, he noticed something. The crystal was glowing faintly, but only enough to light up the hero¡¯s palm.


    "But... I need... to bring... Dragov..."


    A few words managed to fall out of Jack¡¯s loose mouth as consciousness started fading from Jack¡¯s mind.


    Out of instinct, Bowzer ced his paw on the crystal and started to pour his bestial mana into it. When he felt that he was doing hardly anything, the fox looked up pleadingly to the giant Draconic Centipede.


    "Jack..."


    While Argyle was holding up Jack¡¯s head and Vixus was on standby to offer his support, Dragov looked back to Jack. His giant half-insect, half-draconic gaze was actually, soft. It was difficult to tell, but Dragov was frowning sadly.


    Watching Jack¡¯s desperation to activate that crystal and overhearing Jack¡¯sst few words, the Draconic Centipede felt his heart numb slightly.


    While Jack spent thest of his energy holding up the crystal, no longer able to fight the exhaustion, that giant centipede w reached out and touched the crystal once again. But this time, a storm of bestial mana poured into the crystal, allowing its brightness to grow and grow.


    Vixus was in shock and hadpletely forgotten about the giant beast. Now being so close to it and getting a better estimate of its size by the hanging portion of Dragov¡¯s body, he was scared witless.


    Mooldrat recognized that this time Dragov had no ill will for the party and only wanted to help.


    Argyle watched the creature¡¯s massive leg reach out and touch the crystal oh so carefully. It was amazing to see how tenderly such a weapon of destruction could caress the crystal. That¡¯s when he noticed the glow of the item be blinding.


    A sh of brilliant light filled the room, even brighter than when Tralon would teleport. It was startling to everyone present.


    Only Jack smiled.

 Chapter 342 Summoning Daruun

    <h4>Chapter 342 Summoning Daruun</h4>


    "Jack, you always have to go and prove that only the most reckless options are for you."


    A voice pierced through the blinding light, startling everyone further.


    "Don¡¯t be afraid, this is what Jack wanted to happen, to an extent." As the light faded, a man was revealed beside Jack in a pure white robe. "His prediction was close enough, albeit that he¡¯s still trying to rush things more than anyone else would expect him to."


    "Who are you?" On guard, Argyle swallowed some saliva while leaning protectively over Jack.


    "Who do you think?" chuckled the man, smiling back at Argyle¡¯s threatening gaze. "You¡¯ll never be able to see through me, but I know everything about you, Argyle Wittam. And you, Vixus Hurdlon. I even know about Mooldrat and Dragovich, and all of the things they endured or waited for inside this dungeon. So, who do you suspect I am?"


    Sensing an aura that waspletely foreign to him, Argyle cautiously looked back to the simply-dressed man. "I... I¡¯m not sure."


    "Who do you think that Jack would try so hard to summon?"


    Thinking of that, Argyle¡¯s serious face was wiped away by uneasiness. "You¡¯re... Daruun... The God of Fate?"


    The man smiled. "Correct."


    "He¡¯s..." stammering and stumbling over his thoughts, Vixus fell to his knees and bowed. "I-I¡¯m sorry!"


    "Sorry for what, Vixus? If you want to apologize for something, speak up and share your thoughts," stated Daruun, still smiling warmly.


    "T-that... I..."


    "Since you can¡¯t speak, how about I speak instead?" Daruun then looked to Jack, sighing. "I knew you would do this, but part of me was hoping you try some other way. Your reliability puts me at ease, but your recklessness even has me worried."


    Jack said nothing in return. He passed out after the bright sh signified that he had seeded. Releasing that pressure and focus meant passing out and remaining unconscious while Daruun appeared.


    "Dragov." Daruun looked to the Draconic Centipede with a smile of appreciation. "Thank you for lending Jack some of your mana. It¡¯s thanks to you that he seeded in summoning me this way."


    "Daruun... I¡¯ve only heard tales of you. More importantly, I know that my master worshipped and followed you. Does this mean that Jack is indeed my master?" Dragov questioned, trying to make sense of the situation.


    "That¡¯s correct. Jack is indeed your old master."


    "Wait... If Jack¡¯s is the master of the dungeon boss... isn¡¯t he..."


    "Yes, Vixus, he¡¯s the man you¡¯re picturing now. The creator of this dungeon and my greatest follower, though I wouldn¡¯t call Jack a worshiper," Daruun chuckled. "Jack was the ancient hero Jack J., otherwise known as the Legend of Trodar."


    "Then... he¡¯s... Jack¡¯s..."


    "Calm down, Vixus," Argyle spoke loudly, trying to get Vixus to shut up. "Daruun, this isn¡¯t the first time Jack had summoned you, right? What¡¯s so different about him summoning you this way?"


    "The other times wouldn¡¯t be counted as summons, actually," exined Daruun. "Each time Jack conversed with me was only between us. It was more like he created a window of space where Jack could speak with an apparition of me. This is the first time he sessfully summoned me, albeit he had a lot of help."


    "Then how long are you summoned for?"


    "That¡¯s up to me. I can stay however long or however short I feel. This time, since it¡¯s been so long since I¡¯ve physically walked on this, I¡¯ll stay for a while. I wouldn¡¯t want to leave before I can congratte Jack."


    "Does that mean you¡¯ll be staying with Jack till he wakes up?"


    "A bit longer than that." Daruun nodded. "Now bring out Tralon. I¡¯d like to speak with him as I¡¯ll be staying with the Leisure Guild for some time."


    While Argyle nodded and started to release the others from his bestial storage, Daruun looked to Bowzer, who was only looking at Jack and not focused on the god who had appeared. "Bowzer, he¡¯ll be fine. Though he¡¯s reckless, he¡¯s always able to make things work out in the end. Why else would I choose him as my champion?"


    Finally, Bowzer looked toward Daruun, who was now kneeling beside Jack and the fox. "Daruun, what happened to Jack¡¯s avatar?"


    "His what?"


    "His avatar," repeated Bowzer. "Jack said his other self wasn¡¯t his real body and he wanted to ask you that, right?"


    Chuckling loudly, Daruun petted Bowzer¡¯s head. "Don¡¯t worry about that right now. Jack will get a chance to ask meter and I¡¯ll eventually have to exin that. Unlike before, Jack has finally managed to summon my true self and not just an apparition. As a reward, I¡¯ll make sure to answer plenty of his questions after he wakes up."


    "Thank you." Bowing his head, the fox tilted his head, all but asking to be scratched behind the ears.


    Doing as Bowzer wished, Daruun smiled and scratched Bowzer¡¯s fur while Tralon approached Daruun.


    "Daruun." The ancient mage bowed, respectfully and cordially addressing his superior.


    "It has been some time, Tralon. Nearly one thousand years if I remember correctly."


    "Right you are, Daruun," replied Tralon, lifting his head. "Please, allow me to again thank you for your help long ago and again for your appearance now."


    "Long ago it was just an apparition that spoke with you and showed you where to find an elixir of youth. You¡¯re the one who ventured to find it, willingly bing cursed to do so." Daruun stood himself up and extended his hand to the aging mage. "I guess you learned a thing or two from Jack about being reckless."


    Taking Daruun¡¯s hand in his, Tralon smiled with some moisture in his eyes. "But it was you who told me that Jack would be back. How could I not search for a way to be with him again."


    "Just be careful. Isn¡¯t your time almost up?"


    Tralon¡¯s smile remained as he stated, "Even if it is, it was worth it."


    "Thank you, Tralon. Without your actions and support, Jack would¡¯ve been at a great set back. It¡¯s thanks to you and a few others that Jack has been able to level up so quickly and protect himself," mentioned Daruun. "Whatever happens to you in the end, know that I¡¯m eternally grateful for the help you¡¯ve given me by proxy of Jack."


    "I¡¯m just d to see that Jack wasn¡¯t killed or hunted like the others..."


    Overhearing this conversation, the other party members were floored.


    Argyle was especially perplexed. Not only had Tralon met Daruun before, but that meeting is the reason why Tralon is both alive and cursed.


    "What¡¯s this about heroes being hunted, Tralon?" Argyle questioned, intent on getting an answer.


    "Now¡¯s not the time to talk," Daruun interrupted. "With Jack out cold, let¡¯s save the serious discussion forter. Tralon, hurry up and take all of your guild items. I¡¯m sure you and Jack will need them at some point.


    "As for what to do after that, how about we get a bite to eat?" Daruun asked with a smile, stunning the crowd around him. "I haven¡¯t eaten Trodan cuisine in a millennium. Do you still have the best spider stew in Kartonia?"


    "Y-yeah... Trodar¡¯s known for it, thanks to the Silk Woods south of Gilga." Not wanting to argue with a god with strength far beyond hisprehension, Argyle nodded and agreed.


    "Perfect! Then once Tralon collects the remaining goods, we¡¯ll get going," chuckled Daruun. "And don¡¯t worry Vixus, Daruun will give you your ancestor¡¯s old talisman when we get back, and Argyle, you¡¯ll receive your crystal.


    "And you, stop trying to hide behind Dragovich. Come out, Mooldrat."\\


    Once he was called out, the Dark Beholder poked his head and body out from behind the giant centipede. ¡¯Y-you¡¯re... Daruun, right?¡¯


    "That I am. And if you want your mind fixed, then you¡¯d better get over here," stated the god, getting the behold to hurry over. "Do you swear to treat my champion as a friend, listening to his orders and not daring to eat him or anyone else without his permission?"


    Dropping to the ground and bowing, Mooldrat replied, "Y-yes... Please... my people remember you... oh great... God of Fate..."


    "Good, then here."


    As Daruun waved his hand strange energy gathered around Mooldrat¡¯s mind, forcibly entering and rearranging how his brain worked.


    "This is much better!" the beholder shouted, again able to speak with his mouth as well as his mind.


    "I¡¯ve altered your mind slightly, making it impossible for you to betray Jack since you said so yourself. Should you do so, you¡¯ll contemte suicide before you think of turning against him," stated Daruun, getting both Argyle and Vixus to stiffen their spines in fear.


    "Have no worries, as I¡¯ll willingly serve him so long as he treats me ordingly. It¡¯s thanks to being trapped here that I¡¯m still alive and not eaten by a dragon, like most of my people," mentioned Mooldrat.


    "Good. Now that Tralon¡¯s done with his collecting..." Daruun smiled back to Tralon as he exited the now empty vault, "all that¡¯s left is dealing with you, Dragov. I already know you want to leave with Jack. I can assure you that Jack will return to this ce shortly after he wakes up to get you, so wait just a little longer."


    "Thank you." Humbly, the massive beast bowed his head all the way to the floor.


    "I¡¯m excited to see Jack help you evolve, Dragov," added Daruun while waving his hand and filling the entire space with another sh of light.


    Before Dragov could ask what Daruun meant, the god and the others had already disappeared from the eleventh floor.

 Chapter 343 Chatting While Jack Rests

    <h4>Chapter 343 Chatting While Jack Rests</h4>


    In a sh of light, the party was whisked away from the eleventh floor, reappearing in a much smaller ce.


    "I believe this ce is better for chatting and is most suitable for Jack to rest. Would you disagree, Tralon?" asked Daruun, sitting himself down behind Jack¡¯s old desk.


    "Of course not. Bowzer, justy Jack down at the side with this." Tralon retrieved a thick bedroll andid it out for Jack. "So, Daruun, can I ask what you n to do during your stay with the Leisure Guild? I must say, we¡¯re honored to host you, though we mayck some of the appropriate amodations."


    "Don¡¯t worry about me. Sleep is of no necessity to me and I would rather chat or speak with you and everyone else than waste time sleeping," replied Daruun. "As for my ns, I have my intentions but that mostly relies on Jack. I already know what he¡¯ll be doing, so I also know what I¡¯ll be doing by default, butI¡¯ll allow him to exin himself.


    "While you call in some lunch, how about I help you reactivate your teleportation hub?"


    "Then allow me to order the finest spider soup in the Gilga. Money is of no worry to us now." Tralon smiled as he whipped out his contact crystal, whispering a few orders into it.


    "Daruun, what happened at the end of Ancient Kartonia?" Argyle questioned, not easily abandoning his curiosity. "Why aren¡¯t there ancient heroes anymore?"


    Daruun grinned. "I¡¯ll talk about that after Jack wakes up. Until then, let¡¯s eat and talk about things that he wouldn¡¯t mind missing out on."


    Not waiting for Tralon to lead the way, Daruun opened the door to the office and waved for the others to follow. "Come. We¡¯ll return here after we reactivate this circle. And since I¡¯ll do it personally, then Tralon will have the energy to make your teleportation circle in Federal City, Argyle."


    Tralon and Vixus followed without hesitation, leaving Argyle to trail behind. Bowzer decided to stay with Jack, also needing to rest himself and wanting to keep an eye on Mooldrat in the other corner.


    There weren¡¯t as many members of the Leisure Guild as there were members of the Fat Goose Guild, but it was the busiest time of day. For that reason, everyone was out and about, running errands across the different departments of the guild. So when the guild members saw an unfamiliar man leading their guild master, a councilman they didn¡¯t yet know was a guild member, and the well-known owner of the Fat Goose, they were baffled.


    No one dared to stop them or confront them since they were all such major public figures, but how could they not wonder who the mysterious man was to be leading them around?


    After the four men reached the center of the guild¡¯s property, they found an open courtyard. There were three wide gates to ess it but they were quickly shut to keepmon guild members from seeing what was about to take ce.


    Then, all of a sudden, an explosion of spatial energy burst toward the sky. All guild members felt the waves of powerful, raw mana wash over the guild grounds. And everyone knew it where it came from.


    Before the guild members could open the gates, the rush of spatial energy had ended and the four men were already walking away.


    They never managed to see what had happened, but everyone found out what the men had aplished.


    "The teleportation hub..."


    "The hub is working!"


    "They fixed the hub!"


    As themon members started to rejoice at the sight of the glowing runes and archaic writing across the giant teleportation circle, they jumped for joy. This was a major event for the Leisure Guild, giving them something that no one else had in all Kartonia.


    "They excite easily, don¡¯t they?" Daruun chuckled. "Things are very different than they were before..."


    The men didn¡¯t say much until they returned to the privacy of the office, where they found a grandiose pot of spider stew and a stack of bowls.


    Serving himself, Daruun spoke up, "So, Vixus, what are your intentions for the Leisure Guild?"


    "I-I... I¡¯m excited to join such a prominent guild and am excited to help revive it under the guidance of the Legend, who was able to summon even a god."


    "There¡¯s no need to be so nervous, Vixus. Just make sure to treat the guild right, or Jack will have to take care of you personally. Got it?" While intimidating Vixus with a smile, Daruun put his bowl to his lips, slurping away at the delicate broth. "Ah... It¡¯s like I remembered. I¡¯m d that at least this remained from ancient times."


    Argyle tried to think of something to ask that wouldn¡¯t be put off forter, but he struggled to find such a question.


    ¡¯Daruun, can you tell me what happened to Jack¡¯s avatar?¡¯


    "I already told you, I¡¯ll fill you all in about that once Jack wakes up." The men were confused at what Daruun said until the god added, "Oh right, Jack hasn¡¯t fully leveled up your telepathy skill yet... I guess it won¡¯t make much a difference to do this."


    The same strange, transparent energy that had altered Mooldrat¡¯s mind gathered around Bowzer¡¯s forehead. It was gone in the blink of an eye, but the next thing that happened shocked them all.


    "I can speak! I can speak!" the fox shouted. "I can speak like everyone else!"


    "Calm down, little fox. You can speak normally now, but that¡¯s all. All I did was max out the telepathy skill that Jack has ignored all this time. It won¡¯t have any effect on his fate, so consider my thank to you, Bowzer. Thanks for staying with Jack all this time." Daruun nodded his head to the fox, smiling warmly.


    "Thank you, Daruun!" The bowed in turn, giddy to finally feel more included with the party.


    "How about I answer your question, as Jack wasn¡¯t going to ask it anyway?" Daruun pointed at the beholder who was quite cramped in the back corner of the office. "You want to know what happened to your race, correct?"


    With a nervous smile, Mooldrat bowed. "Thank you for thinking of me, oh great God of Fate."


    "Like many other races, yours was hunted by the gods. They were forced to either participate in the war or to be removed from existence," stated Daruun, startling everyone in the room apart from Mooldrat. "You beholders are proud, especially you Dark Beholders. Though the Scarlet Beholders and the Deep Beholders acquiesced and joined a side each, your people chose extinction, which is arguably my fault."


    "Great God of Fate, don¡¯t feel bad for me or my people. Unlike other races, our lifespans are enormous, which allows us to better remember things before the godly pantheons were formed. We were proud to fall so long as it proved to honor you, our--"


    "That¡¯s enough." Daruun held up a hand and used his energy to keep Mooldrat from moving his lips and tongue anymore. "That¡¯s not something I¡¯m willing to discuss right now, but I¡¯m grateful to know that you and your people have remembered me after all these years."


    Feeling the energy release his jaw, Mooldrat smiled and bowed, not uttering another word.


    "As for what you just hear, don¡¯t expect any exnations from me," stated Daruun, looking back to the startled men across from him. "That information is useless to you at the current moment, therefore, it¡¯s useless to waste words on it. Let¡¯s all eat and enjoy some soup while Jack recovers. In an hour or so, Kims should wake up and I¡¯ll introduce myself to him as well."


    While Daruun served himself seconds, Tralon sighed and served himself his first serving. Argyle was next and finally Vixus. Tralon also gave Bowzer a bowl and offered some to Mooldrat, who imed to be full from his feast of rations.

 Chapter 344 Gods React to the Summons

    <h4>Chapter 344 Gods React to the Summons</h4>


    Far from Gilga and the Trodan border, a tall mountain peak pierced through the clouds. It reigned over the small border country of Warmount, a small nation that formed from the remnants of an ancient empire. This peak was the tallest in all Kartonia, easily eclipsing all other mountain tops.


    The peak was inessible to humans and virtually impossible to climb. Yet a man was pacing inside a pavilion atop the peak, wondering what that strange energy was that he felt moments ago.


    "Naparn..."


    That man suddenly turned around, utterly shocked to hear that faint, familiar voice. Naparn hurried out of his pavilion and entered the vast, golden pce connected to it.


    Worry filled the god¡¯s mind as he wondered what could cause him to be summoned. It was the first time since the end of the Godly War that Naparn had been summoned. He was given control over the Holy Gods temporarily at that time, but what was so drastic for his sole superior to call upon him again?


    "Naparn..."


    "I¡¯m here, Halmut, your excellency. What is it that you need of me?" Panting, Naparn rushed into the major god¡¯s chamber as quickly as he could. Never had he been called twice before arriving.


    "Naparn..." The room shook slightly as a gigantic golden moved for the first time in one thousand years. His neck craned over Naparn¡¯s human form, revealing the crown of horns that decorated the dragon¡¯s mighty head. The beast¡¯s wings then swung open, generating hurricane-level winds as they stretched themselves. "Why are you in your human form, Naparn? You know better..."


    "Oh, of course!" Scared straight, Naparn instant began his transformation. Hot energy coursed over him like magma as he took the shape of a long dragon with ck scales and what seemed to beva flowing between each scale. "Forgive my offense, Halmut."


    "Very well... This time I¡¯ll forgive you since it¡¯s been so long," Halmut¡¯s voice echoed inside the chamber and Naparn¡¯s skull. "Naparn... It¡¯s begun."


    "What¡¯s begun?" Confused, Naparn asked, "Halmut, your excellency, what¡¯s begun?"


    "He¡¯s been summoned... Daruun¡¯s champion has not only arrived, but he¡¯s begun to make his move," stated Halmut, almost paling the Magma Dragon¡¯s ck-scaled face. "You failed at the one task I gave you, Naparn. What shall your punishment be?"


    "Halmut, your excellency, please forgive my failed foresight. I can assure you, this was not my intention," The Magma Dragon dropped to his knees, prostrating himself before the muchrger Golden Dragon. "I¡¯ve been so busy trying to keep the rebel gods in line that I must have overlooked Daruun¡¯s champion. But I¡¯m sure that Lorwynn is far more prepared and able to hunt down--"


    "Enough!"


    Naparn almost bit off his tongue as Halmut exerted pressure over the Magama Dragon to shut him up.


    "Never underestimate anything that man does... Since Daruun¡¯s champion has already begun taking action, then he must have alreadyid down some precautions to keep us from immediately attacking him," Halmut reasoned. "Besides... We can¡¯t send Lorwynn after Daruun¡¯s champion just yet, not with Skaryn¡¯s champion so near. I¡¯m sure Lorwynn is preupied for some time. Once Skaryn¡¯s champion falls and that threat is lessened, then we¡¯ll make a move against Daruun¡¯s champion."


    "But Halmut, your excellency... We outnumber the Neutral Gods and out level them as well. Why must we always avoid conflict with them?" questioned Naparn, still prostrated.


    "Just do as I say. In time, you¡¯lle to know just how difficult dealing with Daruun and his followers can be..." The gargantuan Golden Dragon sighed. "Now go. Keep an eye on Trodar, but don¡¯t make a move without my permission. Do you understand, Naparn?"


    "I understand, your excellency."


    "Then leave me to rest." Returning his head and neck to a pillow fitted to match, Halmut repositioned himself a started to softly snore as he had for one thousand years.


    *****


    "Moranti! Moranti!"


    Shouts filled the underground cavern as a small band of humans rushed through the passage. Soon, they reached an ordinary door and threw it open without warning.


    "Moranti! Did you feel that? What was that?"


    "I don¡¯t know. Now leave since you all cam uninvited."


    In the small, candlelit room behind the beat-up wooden door, sat a cloaked man with legs crossed, meditating.


    "But Moranti, that felt like the time you opened up that massive spatial rift. Don¡¯t you remember when--"


    "I said get out!" Taking a deep breath and uncrossing his legs, Moranti opened his eyes. Staring back at the other Chaotic Gods who dared visit him uninvited, the white in Moranti¡¯s eyes was taken over by abyssal darkness. "You¡¯ve interrupted my meditation!"


    "We¡¯re sorry, Moranti!" The god in front fell to his hands and knees, followed by the other two. "We apologize for our offense. We only wanted to know what kind of power could cause such a disturbance, and you¡¯re the only one we can ask."


    "Don¡¯t bow to him. He¡¯s not Skaryn," stated another voice as a fourth human walked in. "Moranti, stop trying to scare them already. Now, tell us what that disturbance was."


    The dark abyss disappeared from Moranti¡¯s eyes just when spacial energy was recing his irises. "I don¡¯t know."


    "Liar! You most definitely know what that was! There was an explosion of spatial energying from Trodar," stated the fourth man with his muscr stature. "Was is the Leisure Guild¡¯s teleportation hub? Did they reactivate it somehow?"


    Moranti lifted his eyes to meet his fellow god¡¯s gaze. "Oh, that? Most likely you¡¯re right. I¡¯m not sure how it happened, but that¡¯s the most likely cause. Is that all you wanted to ask me, Pestro? I¡¯d rather not have your ugly mug distracting me from my meditation."


    Snarling, Pestro turned around in anger. "Come one. This guy¡¯s useless. We¡¯ve got other things to worry about for now. Ready the syndicate members and make sure Hadurt is ready to go. Leave him to meditate in his shackles."


    Snickering and enjoying the chance to pick on Moranti, the other three godsughed and followed Pestro out.


    Once the door was closed, Moranti smile but he didn¡¯t return to his meditative stance.


    Shaking the chains that kept Moranti from leaving that small room, the God of Space searched his tattered clothes to find a contact crystal, the only item that he had sessfully smuggled into his captivity long ago.


    Moranti swiped his finger across the air, locking the door and wrapping some chains around it. With another wave of his finger, Moranti cast silence.


    He took a few deep breaths, relieved to know that his opportunity to be free would soon arrive.


    But before Moranti activated his contact crystal, he quickly hid it away again and returned the room to normal. Moranti assumed his meditative position just before the door swung open yet again.


    Sighing, Moranti opened his eyes. "What¡¯s so important that you came personally? Did you want to revel in what you¡¯ve done to me all these years? Go ahead, I¡¯ll let you just this once."


    "Shut up, Moranti," spat the new visitor. "Did you feel that, yes or no?"


    "Feel what?"


    That furious god charged Moranti and punched his stomach. As the God of Space coughed in pain, the visitor then punched Moranti¡¯s side and then groped him by the throat. "Did you feel that, yes or no?"


    "Feel what?"pletely unperturbed and unaffected by the violence, Moranti replied nonchntly as blood dribbled down his lip.


    "... You¡¯d better not have. If I catch you trying something again, you¡¯ll end up much worse than this." Again, the furious visitor spat on the pitiful God of Space.


    But as the visitor was leaving, Moranti chuckled loudly, "Or what? You¡¯ll kill me? Two of you died trying to do this to mest time. Imagine what I¡¯ll do if you actually try to kill me. Maybe even Skaryn would show you more mercy--"


    "Shut it! That¡¯s enough!" barked the visitor. "Enjoy your istion."


    As the door was mmed shut, Moranti heard the various locks on the outside get set, proving that he had sufficiently provoked his formerrade.


    Moranti then swiped his finger a few times and readied more chains on his side of the door, then casting silence. Now able to speak without the chance of someone interrupting, Moranti took onest deep breath before activating his contact crystal.

 Chapter 345 Waking Up to Find Daruun

    <h4>Chapter 345 Waking Up to Find Daruun</h4>


    "Ahh..."


    "Jack! You¡¯re finally waking up!"


    As Jack groaned and started to open his eyes, a warm tongue began to lick all over the hero¡¯s face. "Bowzer! Calm down!"


    The fox retracted his tongue but kept his happy eyes glued to Jack. "You¡¯ve been sleeping for a while, but you woke up exactly when Daruun said you would!"


    "I¡¯m... When who said what?!" Jack tried to jolt himself into sitting up but failed to lift even his head. Groaning from his aching body, Jack asked, "What... What happened exactly? And are you talking?!"


    "Yeah! Daruun let me talk now!" Bowzer¡¯s tail wagged happily. "Also, everyone else says that their beasts can speak telepathically now. I guess it¡¯s because Daruun changed one of your skills or something."


    "He what..." Immediately opening his menu, Jack checked his skill list with his eyes wide open.


    [Companion Telepathy - lv. 10]


    [Your beastpanion can speak telepathically and verbally with anyone who speaks the samenguage as the user. Lv. 10, MAXED OUT.]


    Gradually recalling what happened before he cked out, Jack remembered the crest but he couldn¡¯t find it in his hand or his storage.


    "Looking for this?"


    Jack and Bowzer looked to the door of the office room to watch five men walk through the door. Kims and Vixus were behind Argyle and Tralon. Leading them was the mysterious God of Fate, Daruun.


    "Daruun... Daruun?! What are you still doing here?!"


    "Steady, Jack. Stay calm and let me exin," stated Daruun with a soft smile. "Everyone else has been waiting for you to wake up so I could answer their questions."


    "But... How can they see you? I thought only I could--"


    "What you did in the storehouse wasn¡¯t anything like what you¡¯ve done before, Jack. Before, you used some old trinkets to summon an apparition of me into a sealed time and space. That¡¯s what only you could speak with me at those times."


    "But what about our conversation with Choron and Sterfen? Exin that, then!" shouted Jack.


    Daruun nodded. "Each of my sons and daughters carries an item simr to those old trinkets, but they don¡¯t break and can be used once every few days to ask me questions. It¡¯s also how I contact them on rare asions.


    "What you did, Jack, was summon my physical form, or in other words, you managed to bring my true body here."


    "I... But what about your--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about that, Jack," Daruun interjected, not letting Jack mention Daruun¡¯s inteary duties. "I long knew that this would happen and was prepared to stay here for a time. If not, then how could I congratte my champion personally after he passed out from summoning me?"


    "I..." Jack started tough, feeling a bit more at ease. "So... I summoned you... a major god?"


    "Yup. Why else did it take all of your mana multiple times over?" joked Daruun. "Anyway, now I can answer a few questions that Argyle and the others have been hounding me about for some time."


    "Finally!" Argyle sat himself down in one of the chairs lining the side of the room, as did the other three men.


    Taking the main chair behind the desk, Daruun smiled. "This is a good chair... Anyway, which question shall we--"


    "What happened to the ancient heroes?"


    "Argyle, no need to be so impatient." Daruun lifted his hand to calm the lv. 71 swordsman. "Fine, I¡¯ll answer that first, is that okay with you, Jack?"


    "I... sure... so long as my other questions will still get answered and we won¡¯t be wasting a question," stated Jack, getting Daruu tough.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that, Jack. I¡¯ll be here for another day or two, depending on what you do next," replied Daruun. "But since we¡¯ve taken so long to speak, you¡¯ll get busy with another conversation, I¡¯m sure."


    "How could I--"


    "Jack! What on earth did you do?!"


    Before Jack could argue with Daruun, he heard Sterfen¡¯s voice ring in his head. Taking out his contact crystal, Jack replied, "Dad, I¡¯m not sure what you¡¯re--"


    "Did you summon Daruun? Did you seriously summon him?" Sterfen doggedly asked. "Jack, how did you do it, you must tell me?!"


    "Calm down, Dad. I¡¯ll exin itter," stated Jack. "Right now--"


    "Right now, I was about to answer some of his questions as congrattions for sessfully summoning me," speaking normally, Daruun acted as if he had heard it all and was part of the conversation.


    Jack was startled at first, but when Sterfen replied to Daruun through the crystal, Jack was both amazed and slightly puzzled.


    "Daruun... You¡¯re really here... Does that mean--"


    "No, Sterfen, I¡¯m not here to stay and I¡¯ll be leaving soon. But I wille and visit all of my children before I take off. Also, congrattions on finally having your child, Sterfen."


    Unable to say much else at the moment, Sterfen sighed, "I... Thank you, Father."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll be seeing you and Lunarater." Finishing that conversation before it started, Daruun smiled to everyone else in the room who was out of the loop. "Now that Jack won¡¯t be interrupted for a while, let¡¯s talk.


    "As for what happened to the ancient heroes... You can only me me for letting things get out of hand. I let my emotions cloud my judgment long ago, leading to the Godly War that consumed the continent for nearly half a century."


    Daruun continued, "In terms that Jack can understand, the Godly War was the final event before the close of the servers. In terms that the rest of you can understand, the Godly War was almost the apocalypse of Kartonia. Gods were hunting down the heroes, either recruiting them or killing them on the spot. And for those heroes who were too weak, they were either killed by the gods or by the many beasts that went wild without the control of the gods.


    "It was at that time that a pact between Halmut, Skaryn, and I was broken. Both Halmut and Skaryn ignored the pact, thus bringing an end to ancient heroes rising again after death and stopping new heroes from rising."


    Taking Daruun¡¯s words to heart, everyone listening was baffled to hear that the other two main gods were both to me.


    "They decided to break the pact instead of summoning me to rewrite it. They were both after a single thing, growing stronger and trying to reach the absolute pinnacle of the world," stated Daruun.


    "What do you mean by that?" Jack asked, still lying down at the side.


    Daruun sighed. "Both Halmut and Skaryn want to reach lv. 100, something that no one in Kartonia has ever done. And they decided to abandon their old strategy, instead mutually agreeing that the other¡¯s pantheon would be a sacrifice for them to rise up. Hence, they ignored me and started the Godly War. That¡¯s also why I had my sons and daughters retreat from the public eye. I didn¡¯t want them getting dragged into this.


    "By sons and daughters, do you mean--"


    "Yes, Argyle, I mean the other Neutral Gods," answered Daruun. "When a god helps a mortal be a god, they be that person¡¯s parent. I currently have seven children and two grandchildren."


    "Grandchildren?" Vixus muttered, much morefortable around Daruun thanks to the god¡¯s three-day stay. "What do you mean grandchildren?"


    "A god can im a mortal as their child and offer them the chance to be a god. I have two grandchildren because two mortals have be demigods, hopefuls to be the next generation of gods," exined Daruun. "In fact, one of them is in this room, lying down in pain as he listens to his grandfather."


    Turning to Jack, Kims and Vixus were in awe. That gave them a new outlook and respect for Jack.


    "Also, that means we¡¯re now rted, Argyle. It seems that your daughter is now my granddaughter."


    Hearing that was too much for Argyle to take. His mind started to wander as he realized that the forced marriage of Jack and Eliza was way more impactful then he had ever imagined.

 Chapter 346 Q&A With the God of Fate

    <h4>Chapter 346 Q&A With the God of Fate</h4>


    "Anyway, what¡¯s the next question you have for me?" Daruun kept a calm smile and waited for someone to speak up.


    As one of the few who weren¡¯t distracted by thest thing Daruun mentioned, Tralon asked, "Given my condition, is there anything that I can do about it?"


    "That¡¯splicated... Yes and no," replied Daruun, catching Jack¡¯s and Argyle¡¯s attention. "You could always take another elixir of youth, but that likely would have no effect on you now. As for your curse... you need either Skaryn or three Chaotic Gods to jointly remove the curse."


    "Okay... are either of those two things possible?"


    "Hold on, what are you two talking about?" Jack chimed in. "Tralon, do you know Daruun from before? Is he why you¡¯re still alive after all this time?"


    Nodding with a smile, Tralon replied, "Yes, Jack. There¡¯s no use in hiding it any longer... I managed to contact Daruun not long after you disappeared. That¡¯s when I officially pledged to him and he told me where to find an elixir of youth, with the warning that I would be cursed should I steal it."


    "Then why would you--"


    "Because the first question he answered gave me hope, Jack," stated Tralon. "He told me that you would be back, but not in my lifetime. Then he told me that my only chance of working alongside you was if I drank an elixir of youth, which gave me another thousand years of mortal life. And finally, he told me where to find one with a warning that I would fall into an irrevocable curse should I be sessful in my theft."


    Jack was speechless. It made sense but it was hard for him to take it all in.


    Daruun squinted momentarily and shook his head slightly as Tralon was speaking.


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m still alive and received Skaryn¡¯s Vengence, as it was from him that I stole the elixir of youth," mentioned Tralon.


    "... How long do you have left?" Jack managed to finally ask.


    Tralon sighed, "Maybe a year, at most two. I can¡¯t remember very well."


    "Eleven months and twenty-six days." Daruun¡¯s statement stole the attention of the room. "That¡¯s how long you have, Tralon."


    "What?!" Shocked and infuriated, Jack forced his head to raise despite the pain. "Tralon, you didn¡¯t tell me that?!"


    "You didn¡¯t need to know. And there¡¯s nothing you can do about it, Jack. The deed was done long ago and there¡¯s taking it back now," stated Tralon, defending his decision.


    Jack looked at his long timepanion. "Tralon, at least tell me sooner. That way I can find something to help at least. Daruun, what can I do to prolong Tralon¡¯s life?"


    "That... I¡¯m sorry, but there¡¯s nothing I can do about that."


    Dumbstruck, Jack kept looking between Tralon and Daruun, not wanting to ept such a situation.


    "Then are there no ways to prolong his life? What about other legendary items? Or... What if he bes a demigod and rises to immortality?"


    "Impossible." Daruun instantly shot down Jack¡¯s ideas. "The elixir of youth isn¡¯t almighty and without its consequences, Jack. Do you think someone could forcibly extend their life an extra thousand years and not receive any side effects? By taking an elixir of youth, a mortal is no longer able to be immortal."


    "That... You¡¯re kidding me, right? What kind of potion is that?! Who would seek out such a potion that wasn¡¯t trying to live forever?!" argued Jack.


    Daruun remained calm and shrugged. "Take that up with Skaryn, not me. He was the one who created such a thing."


    "What..."


    "Jack, the only reason those elixirs can prolong a mortal is because it will use your immortal potential as a fuel for your increased vitality," exined Daruun. "But once a mortal runs out of that dormant, inactive energy, they perish."


    "Then why would Skaryn make it?! There¡¯s no benefit for him to--"


    "There¡¯s a lot of benefits, Jack. How do you think the Chaotic Syndicate has be so powerful despite remaining in the shadows and being extremely selective with its members?"


    Opening his mouth but failing to reply, Jack was stunned, along with everyone else in the room. They all started to imagine the true potential such an elixir had in the hands of the Dark God. It proved to them why the syndicate managed to survive for so long. Also, it made them wonder how many high-level people had been hiding in the shadows for ages under the syndicate. There¡¯s no telling how tempting an elixir of youth would be to powerful experts who want to live longer and continue their training.


    "Jack, aren¡¯t you curious as to why there aren¡¯t as many high-level beasts in Modern Kartoniapared to Ancient Kartonia?" Daruun continued to keep the men inside the office enraptured and always asking for more.


    "Many bestial species did go extinct or be endangered and hideaway, but there were also many ced in simr circumstancespared to your storehouse dungeon," Daruun stated. "You weren¡¯t the only guild that had their own dungeon, right? And what about the ancient, high-level dungeons that Modern Kartonia doesn¡¯t know about?"


    "That..." Jack struggled to speak as his mind was running wild. "Is that why they were trying to recruit and kill ancient warriors?"


    Daruun smiled again. "That¡¯s exactly why. The gods or better put Halmut and Skaryn, wanted ess to those dungeons that were able to be sealed. From those dungeons, they learned how to seal and enclose other dungeons for their personal use."


    "Are you saying that the Chaos Syndicate has had ess to ancient leveling dungeons all this time? And they¡¯ve been gathering high-level warriors and mages for centuries to allow them to grow?" Jack questioned, starting to piece it all together.


    "You¡¯re half right. The Chaos Syndicate does have all that, but so does the Adventurers Association," added Daruun. "It may not be as potent as Skaryn¡¯s elixir of youth, but they also have the means to burn thetent energy of mortals to increase their lifespans. How do you think Lorwynn has lived for so long?"


    "And that¡¯s why neither side has made a move yet... Because once they do, both sides will be revealed to the world and induce panic. Even if it¡¯s the association, having that much power is too threatening for normal people and organizations to ignore," reasoned Jack.


    "That..." Argyle spoke up, trying to gather his thoughts. "Daruun, when will both sides sh?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. If I were you, I would immediately be public allies with the Leisure Guild and hurry to open your Gilga branch, Argyle," stated Daruun. "After this, take Tralon to Federal City and make your teleportation circle."


    "Okay..." Wanting to know more, Argyle tried his best to bottle his worries.


    "For the time being, you all should focus on rebuilding the Leisure Guild and growing as quickly as possible," mentioned Daruun. "Soon, Jack will visit Eedaj, who will then relocate to Gilga and be a public figure of Trodar, like in ancient times. But this time he¡¯ll be supporting the Leisure Guild directly, as he¡¯ll want to make sure to support his nephew."


    "Nephew? ... Me?!" Jack pointed at himself, a bit surprised.


    "Right! Don¡¯t forget that we¡¯re all a family, Jack. Unlike Skaryn and Halmut, I only chose those who truly embodied the role of being my son or daughter. Having made that mistake in the past, I made sure to be picky," Daruun exined with a chuckle. "That¡¯s why there are fewer Neutral Gods, because I only choose the best.


    "Just be ready to meet Eedaj¡¯s demands, Jack. I¡¯m sure you won¡¯t disappoint me or the Leisure Guild."


    "Right!" Jack nodded, happy to have Daruun¡¯s support in all this.


    "Once Eedaj joins Trodar, the other gods will definitely take notice," Daruun continued. "The Chaotic and Holy Gods will be wary of Trodar and of Jack while the Neutral Gods may start to move on their own. After the election, Jack will entice Rikko to join our cause. Then... that¡¯s where things will get veryplicated no matter which path Jack chooses."

 Chapter 347 Daruun Broadens Their Horizons

    <h4>Chapter 347 Daruun Broadens Their Horizons</h4>


    Thinking back to the n he, Choron, and Sterfen discussed with Daruun, Jack sighed.


    Daruun continued, "As for how you all can grow stronger as a guild, you¡¯ve already gained one way, thanks to the storehouse. With the addition of the beasts from the storehouse, you¡¯ve got quite a sizable and fearsome force. With so many different beasts with seventh level bloodlines, they¡¯ll be more easily enticed to join the cause and face the rival pantheons."


    "But how can we convince them of that?" Vixus asked. "That¡¯s a tall order that we can¡¯t handle at the moment. We¡¯re not strong enough to entice them or force them to cooperate. They could even overpower us the moment we let them out of the storehouse."


    "True, but that won¡¯t be difficult in time. Once the gods start moving, where do you think they¡¯ll want to stay after entering Trodar?" questioned Daruun, leading everyone¡¯s train of thought.


    "That... Oh... Then the gods would like to rule a floor of the dungeon?" reasoned Vixus.


    "Correct, Vixus," Daruun replied. "But you¡¯ll have to alter all of the circles so that they can go to any of the floors for guild members."


    "Oh, so that¡¯s how you want to entice people to join the guild? An excellent strategy," added Tralon.


    "As peoplee to see if the gods are truly gods and seek pledges like ancient times, they¡¯ll be forced to join the guild to do so," Kims reasoned, catching Vixus off guard. "Will we be allowed to pledge to gods as well?"


    "Of course, you should!" Jack answered. "Everyone needs to if we¡¯re up against such powerful hidden forces!"


    Still caught up in the stress of facing such powerful foes, Jack¡¯s mind was runningps through his memories, trying to imagine how he and hispanions could grow stronger faster. Initially, Jack felt great about bing lv. 49, but now he felt smaller than a peanutpared to what Jack discovered he was truly up against.


    "Calm your mind, Jack. It¡¯s not quite so bad at the moment." Daruun walked over to Jack and ced his hand on Jack¡¯s chest. "Cheer up, will you?"


    As Daruun chuckled, strange energy left his hand and filled Jack with vitality. The aching internal organs were calmed and the strained muscles became rxed. A rush of energy left Jack smiling and sitting up with no pain.


    "All I did was heal your exhaustion, Jack, nothing else. I can¡¯t wait for you to heal naturally as I have other matters to handle in a few days,"ughed Daruun. "As for your worries about the association and the syndicate, calm them for now. Remember, this war goes three ways. Who said that you had to face both sides head-on?"


    Feeling at ease physically and mentally, Jack finally grinned. "You have a point there... Since you¡¯re so calm, does that mean you¡¯ve got a way for me to get stronger faster? And for the guild members to do the same?"


    "Let¡¯s just say that I wouldn¡¯t have my sole champion face something he didn¡¯t have a chance to defeat. Make sense?"


    "So long as there¡¯s a chance, I guess I feel better," sighed Jack.


    "Also, hurry up and check your notifications," Daruun mentioned. "You¡¯ll discover something on your own without needing my help."


    Following Daruun¡¯s advice, Jack crossed his legs on the bedroll and opened his notifications tab. Immediately, Jack¡¯s jaw almost hit the floor.


    [It¡¯s all In the eye of the beholder:pleted]


    [Persuade a beholder, one of the most intelligent beasts, to party with you for a dungeon run. Hidden reward: 500 skill points.]


    "Daruun... what¡¯s the meaning of this?" Jack asked the god beside him.


    Daruun patted Jack on the shoulder. "What do you think it means, Jack?"


    "That..."


    Jack kept the rest of his thoughts to himself, as this pertained to "A Hero¡¯s Tale" and would be very difficult to exin to the others. But in the depths of his own mind, Jack dove headfirst into the rabbit hole that Daruun had presented him.


    The most jarring thing about that achievement wasn¡¯t how many skill points that Jack had earned, nor was it the fact that it wasbeled as hidden. What stunned Jack the most was how that was one of the peskiest achievements Jack had everpleted in "A Hero¡¯s Tale". Toplete that achievement, Jack spent more than an entire day feeding beholders until one finally started to follow him around. Then, Jack immediately led it into a low-level dungeon and had the beholder chase him all the way through.


    But the fact that Jack had just achieved the same crazy in-game achievement in real life was a lot to take in.


    "Jack, I can¡¯t tell you what achievements are hidden within the system, but know that all hidden achievements are from there as well," added Daruun, bring Jack¡¯s attention back to the room. "Also, you forgot to look at the new event."


    "What?" After a quick nce at a new achievement he unlocked, Jack looked back to Daruun. "Are you serious?"


    "Completely."


    Looking back to the new event achievement, Jack took a deep breath.


    [Rise of the Leisure Guild: in progress]


    [Return the Leisure Guild to its former fame and infamy, then surpass that. As the former Legend of Trodar, let all the world and even the gods understand it¡¯s power and influence. Reward: determined uponpletion. Event reward: 5000 skill points.]


    "That reminds me," Daruun interrupted Jack¡¯s thoughts, "you¡¯ve got to make a public statement about your campaign for the election, Jack."


    "Yeah... What about it?"


    "I¡¯m going to help you."


    Everyone in the room froze and eyed Daruun¡¯s simple smile. Then they looked to Jack¡¯s face riddled with bewilderment.


    "I¡¯m going to help you, Jack," replied Daruun. "You¡¯ve got three days to bring Eedaj here or my assistance will be inessible."


    "What?! Three days!" shouted Jack. "But I¡¯m not even with my party at the moment. How could I--"


    "Your party cleared Sunset Valley yesterday. All you have to do is show up and talk with Jin. After that, bring them here and leave with Daliea for Korten. You should have just enough time with help from Phoro."


    "Oh yeah, I forgot about him!"


    "Don¡¯t worry, Jack. Phoro, along with the cranes, has been staying in one of the concealed courtyards," Tralon chimed in. "Also, we¡¯ve readied a courtyard for the beholders and have constructed a new courtyard for Dragov, now that he¡¯ll be staying within guild grounds."


    "Oh... It seems that I¡¯ve missed more than I can remember," chuckled Jack, getting Daruun tough with the hero.


    "Jack, I¡¯ll take you to the eleventh floor now to help you bring Dragov into his new home," added Daruun. And before Jack had a chance to say anything else, a sh filled the office as Jack and Daruun vanished.


    A simr sh filled the vast chamber of the eleventh floor. The god and the hero were now in the depths of the storehouse, one still standing while the other sat crosslegged.


    "Daruun... You¡¯ve already brought us here, haven¡¯t you?" Jack sighed as he stood himself up. "Daruun, what happened to my former self?"


    "Oh, you mean what Bowzer referred to as your avatar? Forget that for now. You¡¯re not ready to know about that or you¡¯ll just get distracted by a side quest and get yourself killed," Daruun replied nonchntly.


    "That... understandable."


    As the two men chatted, Dragov lowered his head form the darkness overhead. "Jack, you¡¯vee back. And so have you, Daruun."


    "Dragov, I¡¯m sorry for leaving you down here for so long. I didn¡¯t expect all this to happen..." Jack stated, trying his best to seek forgiveness from the giant beast he had practically imprisoned.


    The Draconic Centipede¡¯s giant head started to shake side to side. "Jack, there¡¯s no need to ask forgiveness if there was never an offensemitted. Because of my stay here, I¡¯ve grown stronger. And if Daruun was correct, I¡¯ll be able to help you fight the gods. Also... What did you mean by evolve?"


    "Oh, that?" Daruun replied, catching Jack by surprise. "I meant exactly what I said. I¡¯m genuinely excited to see Jack help you evolve."


    "Daruun, what are you talking about?" asked Jack.


    Daruun sighed. "I guess I¡¯ll exin it now since it won¡¯t change anything. Do you remember how Bowzer evolved earlier, Jack? That was Bowzer¡¯s bloodline inheriting more of its dormant strength. Bowzer will evolve two more times, once at lv. 60 and again at lv. 90. As for Dragov, he¡¯s evolved twice already. So, what do you think I¡¯m implying?"


    It took Jack and Dragov a moment to catch on, but Jack¡¯s eyes shot wide open the moment the thought struck him.


    "You want me to make Dragov a god?!"


    "What..." Never had such a thought urred as possible to Dragov, but the giant centipede had definitely entertained such thoughts. What monstrous beast hadn¡¯t?


    "Now you¡¯re starting to think for yourself, sort of." Daruunughed, "I just hope you won¡¯t be this slow after I leave in a few days."

 Chapter 348 Testing the Updated Bloodline Skill

    <h4>Chapter 348 Testing the Updated Bloodline Skill</h4>


    While Daruunughed to himself, Jack wasing to terms with all of the new things he was now nning to do. Sure, he could act cool and collected, but that didn¡¯t mean that Jack was so confident in himself. It helped that he had years of gamey to help him y the role of a legendary hero, despite his mortal nerves.


    "Dragov," Daruun continued, "the Leisure Guild has prepared a massive courtyard for you, one I¡¯ve made sure fit your size and allowed for the freedom to move as you wish."


    "Finally!" a shout of excitement shook the chamber. "I¡¯ll be able to stretch my body and restfortably!"


    "Oh... So he¡¯s grown that much?" Surprised, Jack returned to the moment and looked up at the darkness, remembering exactly howrge he made that space. "You¡¯ve grown A LOT, Dragov."


    "Then, let¡¯s get going, shall we?"


    Again, a sh of light filled the chamber. This time, all three of them were transported to a new area unfamiliar to Jack. Also, the new space was entirely closed off yet well-lit, giving Jack a full view of Dragov¡¯s overwhelming size.


    Dragov was overjoyed. The giant centipede was already moving and making sure to explore the giant space he was given.


    While Jack was in awe of the sheer size of Dragov, he began to wonder how they fit such a space within the Leisure Guild property without razing half of it to the ground. That¡¯s when Jack heard a few voices behind him.


    Looking back, Jack found Tralon leading Vixus, Kims, Argyle, and Bowzer down arge flight of stairs.


    "Oh... He made it underground." Jack figured out Tralon¡¯s clever design which was hidden by the slight nt in the ceiling. "What took you guys so long?"


    The others were d to see the new chamber but were startled by what some might call a wild beast of godly proportions. They couldn¡¯t help but be startled by howrge the Draconic Centipede really was and how fast the massive beast was as it skirted around the open area.


    "I¡¯m d that Dragov is pleased with his new home," Tralon chuckled as he finally reached Jack. "This ce is at the edge of the property, that way Dragov can simply break through the ground at the rear and he¡¯ll be just outside the city walls."


    "Did you hear that, Dragov!" Jack shouted, getting the centipede to calm down and crawl closer. "If something happens and you¡¯re needed to take action, you¡¯ll break through the back wall. That way you¡¯ll appear just outside of the city and won¡¯t destroy it in the process."


    "I¡¯m grateful to know that, Master Jack." Dragov bowed his head to the human.


    "I don¡¯t want to hear that, Dragov. You can call me Jack and I¡¯ll call you Dragov, got it?"


    "Got it, Jack."


    The hero smiled back at the gigantic centipede, contemting whether he should form a mutual seal with Dragov or not.


    "Go for it, Jack." Daruun¡¯s voice encouraged Jack¡¯s thoughts and brought everyone¡¯s attention to Jack. "Aren¡¯t you curious what will happen should you use your bloodline skill with Dragov? Or with Phoro? Or with all three of yourpanions together?"


    Overloaded with such exciting thoughts, Jack stepped forward with quill and ink in hand.


    "Dragov, we¡¯re going to form a mutual seal and be forever linked both physically and mentally," Jack exined to the massive beast. "This will allow me to grow stronger and share some of your abilities while also linking us telepathically, as well as splitting all of our EXP from this point on."


    "Then go ahead. What must I do?" asked Dragov.


    "Just bring your head down here. When I ask, I¡¯ll need a drop of your blood to finish the seal."


    Jack had already started writing the seal the moment Dragov¡¯s head was in reach. When Jack asked for Dragov¡¯s blood, the centipede pricked his giant tongue on one of his many teeth. Taking a drop of that small stream of blood, Jack finished the seal and found himself partnered with three beasts of exceptional bloodlines.


    "Mind if I watch you test your new bloodline skills?" Daruun asked, sharing the same question that immediately came up in the others¡¯ minds as well.


    Not answering verbally, Jack activated his bloodline skill. Now, he found himself in a new mental space. As if all three of the beasts were surrounding him, Jack saw the essence of their bloodlines in three different directions, imitating the beasts they came from.


    Reaching out for the wind essence, Jack felt himself be lighter and more agile. His body suddenly felt more flexible. Also, Jack felt the instinctive need to p his arms as if they were wings.


    Since Jack was entranced by the mental space he had discovered, he had closed his eyes and didn¡¯t know that feathers and wings had suddenly grown were Jack¡¯s arms had been. He still had hands, but they had three fingers and rested at the end of his newly grown wings. Jack didn¡¯t grow a beak, but his eyes became those of the Minokawa¡¯s granting him sight beyond that of eagles.


    Only after Jack had tested his new sight did he realize that he was no lingerie inside that mental space.


    "W-What?!"


    "Congrattions, Jack. You¡¯ve sessfully bonded with the Minokawa bloodline." Daruun began to p, but he was the only one not frozen in shock. "Test your new speed. With your body feeling so flexible, you should be able to turn corners while keeping your ridiculous flight speed."


    Testing just that, Jack rocketed through the air ording to the instincts of the bloodline. He didn¡¯t manage to fly as smoothly as Phoro or as quickly, but Jack was delighted to have such abilities.


    "Don¡¯t forget about Dragov, Jack. Try his bloodline out too."


    As Jack stopped looping around the giant centipede¡¯s body andnded on Dragov¡¯s back, the Draconic Centipede watched in angst. Dragov hoped to see Jack using his bloodline power, wanting to help Jack in a way he had never considered before.


    Jack took a few deep breaths as he reentered that mental space and separated himself from the essence of Phoro¡¯s bloodline.


    Then, Jack smiled with eyes closed, not knowing what woulde next.


    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Jack started to shake his jaw open. Three rows of jagged teeth reced his usual grin. Next, tes of armor started to cover Jack¡¯s body, yet they folded into one another to keep Jack mobile and flexible. Also, bone spikes jutted out of Jack¡¯s back through the exoskeleton he had grown. And finally, Jack¡¯s fingers had merged together to morph Jack¡¯s hand¡¯s into a single long w, mimicking one of Dragov¡¯s many legs.


    Since Jack already knew that the change had urred in reality as well as in that mental space, he admired his new form.


    "Try a skill!" Daruun shouted, waving his hand to bring a sturdy, stone dummy into existence.


    Hearing Daruun¡¯s shout, Jack showed his new threatening smile as he looked to the dummy. Jack¡¯s right w began to glow blood-red. Bursting forward at full speed, Jack activated Sudden Death to reach the dummy in an instant.


    Thrusting hisrge draconic w forward, Jack easily carved through the stone dummy, leaving a clean, gaping hole.


    "So I can use certain skills with these as well?"


    Jack started to simte the different things that he could try. That¡¯s when he remembered his bestial skills from Cerdot, the one¡¯s that required Jack to have wings.


    "You¡¯ll have plenty of time to try your new flight skillster," Daruun mentioned, grabbing Jack¡¯s attention. "I¡¯ll be nice and tell you shouldn¡¯t make a mutual seal and an inheritor¡¯s pact on the same creature. If you do that, then the pact will im precedence in the system and you won¡¯t be able to ess thatpanion¡¯s skills."


    "What about Lina? Howe I can¡¯t learn her skills?" Jack asked as he reverted to his human form.


    Daruun answered, "Because she¡¯s an anomaly. She¡¯s the first-ever child of two gods, making her far more than just a beast or a human. Also, I¡¯d rmend that you only make a maximum of four mutual seals. Otherwise, you¡¯ll overload yourself when you¡¯re trying to merge bloodlines using your skill."


    "Merge bloodlines... You mean activating more than one bloodline at a time, right? Does that mean I can..."


    "I don¡¯t know..." Darguun shrugged, teasing Jack. "There¡¯s only one way to find out, right?"


    With another passionate smile, Jack closed his eyes and reentered that mental space. In the face of the three separate bloodline essences, Jack called all three of them to him.

 Chapter 349 Failed Transformation

    <h4>Chapter 349 Failed Transformation</h4>


    Inside that mental space, Jack felt a surge of power unlike anything he had ever experienced. Though he was focusing on the mental space, the changes urring to his body were so overwhelming that he was forced to open his eyes.


    That exoskeleton armor remained across Jack¡¯s back and torso, but feathers began to sprout as Jack¡¯s arms grew longer to form wings while maintaining those insectoid ws jutting from the ends of Jack¡¯s wings. His deathly jaws didn¡¯t change, but his eyes became draconic and mimicked the Minokawas. As Jack¡¯s body was finishing taking shape, red-hot mes started to gather around his new form.


    Witnessing Jack¡¯s transformations back to back was awe-inspiring to the men at the entrance.


    Bowzer was in awe of the power that Jack was putting off and could feel his bloodline reacting to Jack¡¯s new form. The fox feltfortable with the new form, yet there was a small part of him that felt slightly threatened by the raw bloodline energy that Jack was releasing. It was hard for Bowzer toprehend.


    Dragov was smiling with his mouth open wide. Such a sight was great news for him since he was a keyponent of that transformation. And being so high leveled, the threat he felt was more minimal.


    "Careful, Jack," Daruun spoke up. "I wouldn¡¯t go straight tobining all three if I were you."


    "Why¡¯s..."


    Jack pped his wings and leaped off Dragov to resume his flight. But he only fell. A blood clot spewed from Jack¡¯s mouth as he lost control and plummeted to the ground.


    The others started to take action and hurried to Jack¡¯s side as the hero¡¯s bloodline powers faded away.


    "As I said,¡¯ Daruun sighed, "I wouldn¡¯t try using three bloodlines at once. You¡¯re lucky that the three bloodline abilities aren¡¯t counterintuitive. While searching for thatpanion, don¡¯t try to merge bloodlines until you¡¯re stronger. Or it might be due to the low level of your bloodline skill."


    "Well... Which is it..." Jack stammered while wiping the blood from his mouth.


    "Probably both." Daruun chuckled, pping a frown on Jack¡¯s face.


    Sighing and struggling to sit up, Jack looked back to the god. "Then... What level should my skill be to merge the three bloodlines?"


    "To merge three? You haven¡¯t even tried to merge two yet, which would still fail by the way. Increasing your level will increase the strength of your body, allowing you to hold the transformations longer and better use them. But that will only prolong the pain of the transformations if you don¡¯t increase your bloodline skill," Daruun exined as Argyle helped Jack up to his feet.


    "To sessfully merge two bloodlines you¡¯ll need your bloodline skill at lv. 5. For three bloodlines, lv. 7 is needed. And don¡¯t dare to attempt four bloodlines until you¡¯ve reached lv. 9."


    "Then what happens at lv. 10?" questioned Jack, giving Daruun a curious look.


    "That... I¡¯m not going to tell you yet," replied Daruun. "Too many distractions will lead to your downfall, remember that."


    "Right... But why can¡¯t you tell me now? It¡¯s not like it¡¯ll change anything in the immediate future," reasoned Jack.


    "Why wouldn¡¯t it? You would just spend all your time trying stupid achievements to unlock more abilities. You¡¯ll need to do that, but there are other things that need to be attended to first," stated Daruun. "Just be lucky that you didn¡¯t fight the transformation and ended it. If you forced yourself to maintain that form, you could kill yourself."


    "Then how should I spend them now?" Jack asked.


    Daruun smiled. "Upgrade your bloodline skill to at least lv. 5, or maybe even lv. 6 if you¡¯re excited to use the three bloodlines sooner. And no, I¡¯m not giving you a freebie as I did for your telepathy skill."


    While the others were a bit confused, Jack quickly opened his skill list and poured his newly gained skill points into his bloodline skill.


    Five hundred and sixty skill pointster, Jack left his remaining twenty skill points inside the system and looked back to Daruun. "So, now I should be able to mere two bloodlines?"


    "For a short time. It would¡¯ve been for a minute, but you extended that to three minutes by making it lv. 6." Daruun chuckled, "I¡¯m d my grandson is listening to his grandpa."


    "Sure, but does that mean I can call you old-timer as my grandpa?" Jack joked.


    "Maybeter, but don¡¯t you need to get going, Jack?"


    Looking back to Daruun¡¯s amiable smile, Jack remembered his three-day time limit to recruit a god. The hero turned to Tralon and asked, "Can you send me to Sunset Valley?"


    "I¡¯d love to, but I only have enough mana to send you there. After creating such a grand space for Dragov, I¡¯ve already used most of my mana," stated Tralon.


    "Then could you send me and Phoro there? It will cut my travel time in half."


    "That¡¯s more than doable. A great idea, Jack." Tralon smiled. "Phoro and the cranes are in the courtyard east of here. Also, keep in mind that the courtyard to the west is filled with the remaining Dark Beholders from below. Since they still worshipped Daruun, he altered all their minds to relieve them of their insanity at the cost of bing obedient to you."


    "Oh... that¡¯ll be useful." Jack scratched his head for a moment. "Keep them a secret and don¡¯t let them leave that courtyard. I¡¯d rather keep them as a secret line of defense now that they¡¯re no longer insane. They¡¯ll make terrifying security guards for suspecting attackers. How many are there and what¡¯s the range of their levels?"


    "There are only a dozen left if you include Mooldrat. The three youngest beholders that avoided being eaten are over lv. 40 while most are around lv. 65. There are, however, three others besides Mooldrat over lv. 70," exined Tralon, d to report such a boost in strength for the guild.


    "And how many days do you have left again?"


    "That... I¡¯ve got eleven months and twenty-six days left, ording to Daruun," Tralon replied while looking at the ground.


    Jack nodded and scratched his head again. "Then I¡¯ll make sure to figure something out within eleven months and twenty-five days, just to be safe."


    "Okay, Jack. If there¡¯s anyone who could figure something out, then it would be you."


    As Jack nodded and left to get Phoro, Daruun kept a slight smile. "Jack, don¡¯t forget to redo Tralon¡¯s and Argyle¡¯s pacts."


    "I¡¯ll do that before I leave with Phoro!"


    Jack¡¯s shout rang out just before he closed the door behind him. Looking back, Jack found a regr looking exterior to Dargov¡¯s courtyard, hiding the giant space carved out below.


    Then, Jack rushed into the courtyard just east of Dragov¡¯s home. There Jack found the cranes enjoyingfy nests and spreads of delicious food. And like Jack expected, Phoro was given thergest and most plush nest of all, covered in cushions and surrounded in all sorts of food.


    ¡¯Phoro! We¡¯ve got to go!¡¯ Jack¡¯s voice shouted directly into the Minokawa¡¯s head. ¡¯We¡¯re going somewhere, but to save you some energy I¡¯m having Tralon teleport us there first.¡¯


    ¡¯Well, I guess I¡¯lle along since you¡¯ve gone to such lengths,¡¯ Phoro replied with a sigh.


    The draconic birdzily stretched before suddenly rocketing to Jack¡¯s side. "You don¡¯t have to scream at me, you know?"


    "Right, you can speak normally now. I¡¯ll remember that forter." Turning back to the door, Jack held it open. "Come on, we don¡¯t have any time to waste."


    "Why such a hurry?" asked Phoro, disappointed.


    "Because I¡¯ve got three days to get to Prachten and back, then travel to Korten and back. Without you, that would be impossible, Phoro."


    "What about your friend, Tralon? Can¡¯t he just teleport you back and forth?"


    "His current energy levels won¡¯t allow him after he built that space for Dragov."


    "Dragov? Who¡¯s that?" Phoro asked in front of the door leading to Dragov¡¯s underground space.


    "Right... You never met him on the eleventh floor. He was the dungeon boss, but now he¡¯s the guardian of the guild. Open the door and see for yourself." Jack smiled, motioning toward the well-disguised space.

 Chapter 350 Reunion With the Party

    <h4>Chapter 350 Reunion With the Party</h4>


    "This isn¡¯t anyrger than our courtyard," Phoroined as he opened the door. "How could he get so tired that he can¡¯t... What is that?!"


    The moment Phoro poked his head in, he was baffled to see so many steps leading downward that he could barely see the end. And with his excellent vision, he could make out the dots of people in the distance. However, his excellent vision waspletely unnecessary toprehend the visible size of the Draconic Centipede, which dwarfed the wyrm he road in the dungeon.


    "Come on, Phoro. Dragov won¡¯t eat you." Jack pped Phoro on the back and closed the doors behind them. "Like you, Dragov shares a mutual seal with me, so stop worrying so much."


    "But that thing... it¡¯s monstrously huge! How did I not sense it?!"


    "That thing is the new guardian of the guild and his name is Dragov. Dragov is a Draconic Centipede, a beast with the terrifying ability to be undetectable by magic and normal sensory means. So if we get attacked by something we can¡¯t handle, Dragov will be the one to handle it. Don¡¯t you feel better knowing that he¡¯s guarding this ce?" asked Jack.


    "That... That would be great! Well done, Jack, doing all that to keep me safe!"


    "Just hurry up and join me down the stairs. We need to hurry up and get going." Leading the way, Jack ran down the step with great haste.


    Not letting himself lose such a simple challenge, Phoro opened his wings and glided down. Before Jack had reached halfway, the Minokawa was resting beside Tralon. "Come on, Jack! I thought we couldn¡¯t waste any time?"


    "Shut up!"


    Daruun, Tralon, and Argyle startedughing. The strange duo was perfect for each other.


    "Hey, Daruun, I¡¯ve been thinking," Jack asked as he hurried down the final steps. "You said I should only have up to four beasts as mutualpanions. But don¡¯t I already have four beastpanions?"


    "If you¡¯re referring to your condor, Appa, then yes you do. Since Phoro¡¯s bloodline is far stronger yet is simr, the condor¡¯s essence was drowned out, not letting you merge with it. But that can be fixed if you transfer the seal to someone else."


    Daruun¡¯s statement startled Jack and everyone else in the room. The god spoke so nonchntly, yet what he said was somethingpletely foreign and viewed as impossible to them.


    "How does that work?" asked Jack.


    "Simple, you¡¯ll remove your blood from the seal and rece it with the blood of another," stated Daruun. "But the conditions of the mutual seal still apply. Appa will have to respect and agree to reform the mutual seal with that person. But that¡¯s not an issue."


    "Why not?"


    Daruun sighed. "Jack, who do you think has been caring for Appa while he¡¯s been gone?"


    Thinking back, Jack had given Eliza that responsibility since Maura was busy with Lina. And imagining how caring Eliza could be, his doubts started to fade.


    "If you say so, but how do I make that change?"


    "I¡¯ll teach you after your party arrives here. Now hurry up before you fail this side quest," chuckled Daruun.


    Nodding, Jack then smiled at Tralon. "Thanks for this. Allow me."


    Jack hastily but carefully rewrote his pact and removed the EXP sharing effect.


    With that over with, Jack bid them all a quick goodbye and stored Bowzer in his bestial storage. Then, Jack dragged Phoro through the small rift that Tralonhad opened, not wanting to waste Tralon¡¯s time and mana.


    On the other side of the rift, Jack found himself and Phoro in a forest.


    "So, where to now?" asked Phoro.


    "I guess Tralon hasn¡¯t been to Sunset Valley in a long time. Take us up." Jack hopped onto Phoro¡¯s back, who easily lifted the two of them into the sky overseeing the forest. "There! That should be the town."


    With the sun still high in the sky, Jack and Phoro flew through the air in record timepared to Appa or Ayden.


    ¡¯Eliza, where are you guys? I¡¯m already at the town.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack! You¡¯re finally awake?¡¯ The happiness in her voice was apparent and impossible to miss. ¡¯We¡¯re camping inside Sunset Valley, not too far from the entrance. You can¡¯t miss us.¡¯


    ¡¯Camping? You didn¡¯t want to stay at the inn?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯It¡¯s easier this way, plus Lina wanted to sleep with Appa since his feathers are so soft,¡¯ Eliza replied. ¡¯By the way, don¡¯t you ever groom him, Jack? How could you be so ignorant?¡¯


    ¡¯That... I¡¯m sure he self grooms, Eliza. I don¡¯t have time to--¡¯


    ¡¯You can always make time, Jack. It doesn¡¯t take that long,¡¯ Eliza cut her husband off. ¡¯Now, his feathers are twice as soft and he¡¯s much happier.¡¯


    Jack sighed. "Then you¡¯ll like what I¡¯ve got to tell you. By the way, turn around."


    ¡¯Turn around?¡¯ Not realizing that Jack¡¯sst statement was made verbally, Eliza turned around to see Jack standing not even a meter away from her. Both startled and excited, Eliza froze for a moment. But that moment cost her.


    While Eliza froze up momentarily, Little Lina was already in midair, preparing to tackle her brother to the ground. "Big Bro!"


    Knocked to the floor, Jackughed, "Hey, Lina. Long time no see. Have you gotten taller?"


    "Really? I¡¯m getting bigger already?!" The little girl in a teenager¡¯s body started to pat herself down, hoping to sense that she had grown.


    "Stop teasing her, Jack." Eliza quickly recovered gave Jack¡¯s shoulder a light punch as the hero got back up. "Don¡¯t leave me behind again, okay?"


    "Eliza, that¡¯s a hard thing for me to promise," replied Jack. "But I can promise that I¡¯ll alwayse back. How about that?"


    "And not wife another wife?"


    Nervouslyughing at Eliza¡¯s half-joke, Jack held up his hands and looked to his other wife heading his way. "Maura, it¡¯s been--"


    Again, Jack was cut off but in a much more pleasant way this time. Maura¡¯s lips shut up the hero, locking with his briefly. A few secondster, she broke off the kiss. "Jack, I¡¯m d you¡¯re back."


    "Maura..." Surprised to see Maura act so affectionately in front of the party, Eliza turned Jack around and did the same. After ending their smooch, Eliza smiled. "We¡¯re both d you¡¯re back, Jack."


    "T-Thanks..." chuckled Jack.


    "Ya finally came!"


    Maynard led the men as they returned to camp with the corpse of arge, gnarly boar. It was being carried by Rydel and Dirk while Trax held up the boar¡¯s rear and tail.


    "Sorry to interrupt your mealtime, but we need to hurry up and get going," stated Jack. "Let¡¯s hurry to find Jin, then we need to get back to Gilga."


    "So soon? What¡¯s up, Jack?" Rydel asked, sensing that Jack¡¯s urgency wasn¡¯t from danger.


    "So long as we hurry up, you¡¯ll all get to meet Daruun." While the entire party was rendered speechless, Jack continued, "I managed to summon him and he¡¯s staying in the Leisure Guild for now. But I also need to hurry to Korten and visit Eedaj. There¡¯s a lot to catch up on since west met, so I¡¯ll exin all I can while we travel to Jin¡¯s shrine, okay? Now, where¡¯s Appa?"


    Hearing his name, Appa poked his head out of the women¡¯s tent, which was farrger than that of the men thanks to Eliza.


    Then, Appa startled Jack by speaking aloud, "Yes, Jack?"


    "Oh, right... I forgot he can speak now too," Jack chuckled. "We need you to take us to the heart of the valley. Can you do that?"


    "Sure." The massive bird wiggled out of the tent¡¯s entrance, then eyed the single unfamiliar face it found. "Who¡¯s this?"


    Turning around, Jack released Bowzer from the storage and pointed to the Minokawa. "Everyone, you all know Bowzer but this is Phoro. He¡¯s one of my new bestialpanions. Which reminds me..." While the rest of the party examined the draconic traits of the three-meter tall bird, Jack looked to the Giant Condor. "Would you like to bepanions with Eliza instead of me?"

 Chapter 351 Finding Jins Shrine

    <h4>Chapter 351 Finding Jin¡°s Shrine</h4>


    "Would you like to bepanions with Eliza instead of me?"


    Overhearing her name, Eliza looked away from the powerful Minokawa and saw Jack staring warmly into Appa¡¯s eyes.


    "Would you like that, Appa? You can be honest," Jack insisted that the condor answer his question.


    "Honestly... yes. I would prefer that. She cares for my wings and feathers. I like that." The condor nodded, not hiding his true feeling from his mutualpanion.


    "Then after you take us to Trodar, we¡¯ll transfer the mutual seal to Eliza, okay? I think that would be for the best."


    "What?!" Baffled, Eliza stuck her head in front of Jack¡¯s. "Are you kidding me? Why would we do that? How would we do that?"


    "Calm down, Eliza." Jack grabbed her shoulders as the party realized what was going on. "Are you saying that you wouldn¡¯t like to have Appa as a beastpanion?"


    "No! Of course not! That¡¯s just too crazy of a thing for you to mention so casually, Jack," stated Eliza. "Is that even possible?"


    "Thanks to Daruun it is." Jack pecked her on the forehead, startling her and keeping her from arguing. "Now, shall we go?"


    "Um, where are we going?" That familiar voice reminded Jack of thest party member as she exited the women¡¯s tent. "Are we going to meet Jin now?"


    "Yeah, we¡¯ll meet Jin now. Then, we¡¯ll hurry back so we can go meet Eedaj so you can finally learn the truth behind the fall of your race, Daliea."


    Looking Jack in the eye, the grey-skinned beauty smiled. "Thank you, Jack. Then I¡¯m d we¡¯re hurrying."


    "Also, I think I found you a new beastpanion, but we¡¯ll talk about that when we reach Trodar," Jack added. "Now hop on Appa and let¡¯s go!"


    Not letting the party waste time, Jack nudged his wives toward the condor. Lina was the first to climb on and roll in his freshly brushed feathers. Once everyone was ready, including Phoro who casuallyid across the condor¡¯s dack, they were off.


    Five minutes passed as the team was taken to the deepest part of the valley, where a small yet powerful waterfall had created a pond below.


    "So you¡¯re lv. 49 now... We have such a strong husband, don¡¯t we?" Eliza joked as she grabbed Maura¡¯s hand.


    "Yeah, but we won¡¯t get left behind." Morefortable than ever around Eliza, Maura wasn¡¯t anywhere near as shy as before. Her time spent most around Lina and Eliza helped her a lot with her confidence as a woman.


    "Right! And with a second powerfulpanion, I¡¯ll be sure to catch up!" Eliza proudly stated,bing her hands through Appa¡¯s feathers.


    Jack smiled. "You do realize Appa¡¯s also lv. 49, right?"


    "Really?! I mean... I guess that makes sense." Eliza shrugged. "Maybe you¡¯re only doing this so you can protect me better."


    "Maybe..."


    Though Jack informed them of the general happenings and results of the dungeon run, he didn¡¯t mention his upgraded bloodline skill. At lv. 6, his inheritors could ess up to lv. 3, which greatly boosted the party¡¯s strength. But what Jack was thinking about was when he reached lv. 10. Not only would it be so powerful that Daruun refused to mention it to not distract Jack, it meant that his party could ess up to lv. 5, where it allows them to merge bloodlines during transformation.


    With that on his mind, Jack started to wonder what beasts would be perfect for his party members, and which ones wouldbo well.


    "Jack? Jaaack?"


    "Big Bro?!"


    Startled awake from thought, Jack looked to Lina and Maura. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "We¡¯re here, Jack," Maura replied. "Aren¡¯t you going to open the shrine or help us find the entrance?"


    "Right!" hopping to the ground, Jack reviewed his map tab and made sure they were right on top of the shrine. "Hmm... It should be right here."


    "Really?" Eliza asked. "Then howe we haven¡¯t found it yet????


    Jack reexamined the surrounding area and found himselfing back to the pond. But before he said anything or came to a conclusion, Jack heard a ssh. Looking back he saw Rydel smiling.


    "What?" The hunter shrugged. "I mentioned that the pond was suspicious and Maynard dove in headfirst. You know how he is."


    The entire party got augh out of it but Maynard never came back up for water. After almost a minute, a faint red glow could be seen from the bottom of the pond. But just as the light appeared, it was snuffed out and Maynard wasunched out of the water.


    With a harshnding on the valley wall, Maynard fell with a thud. The samurai coughed up some blood but was too busy smiling to reply to his party¡¯s worried questions. "I think I found it..."


    "So that¡¯s where the waterfall leads," reasoned Rydel. "I knew something was off."


    Jack shook Maynard a bit and asked, "But what happened to you? Why were you thrown out of the water like that?"


    "There¡¯s a hole at the bottom of the pond, but there¡¯s also a barrier that wouldn¡¯t let me through. So, what else would I do other than break it?"


    Not hiding hisughter, Jack patted Maynard on the shoulder. "Maynard, I like the way you think but that¡¯s probably not the best solution in this case. Let me try something."


    Jack then dove into the water with a smile on his face.


    "Me too!"


    Surprising the others, Lina followed after Jack. Though some wanted to stop her, they all quickly remembered that Lina was in her natural element and was far stronger than they give her credit. They had been reminded a few times during their tirade against the beasts of Sunset Valley, that Lina shouldn¡¯t be underestimated.


    Below the water, Jack swam down toward the bottom. But he was quickly passed by Lina, who jetted past him and swam more naturally than most fish.


    ¡¯Lina, what are you doing?¡¯ Jack asked telepathically.


    Unlike Jack, Lina spoke verbally, unimpeded by the water, "I want to see the bottom too. Maybe I can help Big Bro."


    "Fine, but don¡¯t do anything without my permission. Got it?"


    "Got it!"


    Jack caught up to her and they descended the rest of the way together. Once at the bottom, Jack noticed that there was a tight tunnel.


    ¡¯Lina, check that tunnel and tell me what you find.¡¯


    "Okay!" Nodding, Lina followed her brother¡¯s orders and glided through the tight space. Not even a minuteter, she called back telepathically. ¡¯Jack, I found the barrier!¡¯


    ¡¯I see... I¡¯ming in!¡¯


    Following Lina¡¯s example, Jack hurried inside the tunnel and barely fit himself through the small passageway. After a few winds and turns, Jack found himself face to face with a barrier of white light. Water could pass through it without a problem, but it stopped Jack¡¯s hand instantly.


    What Jack didn¡¯t understand was how Maynard was hurled out of the water from such a tight space. ¡¯Lina, I???m going to try something. It¡¯s going to hurt me, but I¡¯ll be right back, so don¡¯t do anything while I¡¯m gone.¡¯


    "Okay..." Not understanding what Jack was about to do, Lina agreed to her big brother¡¯s demands.


    Swallowing some saliva, Jack retrieved a sword and activated his Blood Thrust skill. The blood-red glow filled the tiny underwater cavern, letting a small bit escape the opening and show itself to the party above. Then, like Maynard, Jack attacked the barrier, hoping to learn more.


    As the sword made contact with the barrier the attack¡¯s power and strength were reflected onto Jack as if he had thrust the sword into his own side. No entry wound was made but Jack wasunched back by a terrifying recoil. Also like Maynard, Jack somehow was transported through the rock that formed the tunnel and then hurled into the valley wall.

 Chapter 352 Jin, the God of Discipline

    <h4>Chapter 352 Jin, the God of Discipline</h4>


    Coughing up a bit of blood, Jack tumbled down the rocky valley wall and hit the ground beside Maynard and the others.


    "Didn¡¯t think ya were as stupid as me,"ughed Maynard.


    Jack smiled and wiped the blood from his mouth. He then pulled out two bottles of life spring water Jack had collected back in Ponlinne¡¯s tomb. "Here. This will stop the internal bleeding."


    While Jack and Maynard drank the healing water, the other party members were startled by Jack¡¯s statement.


    "We¡¯re fine now, so don¡¯t worry about it," Jack added, calming the party. "Now, I think I know what to do."


    Still in a rush, Jack returned to the water and hurried to the bottom at full speed. When Jack reached the tunnel, he didn¡¯t stop or slow down. Instead, Jack closed his eyes and aimed where he thought the barrier might be beneath the rock.


    Lucky for Jack, his assumption was right. As his body came in contact with the rock, he phased right through it.


    When Jack reappeared in front of the barrier, Lina was blown away. "Big Bro, how did you do that?!"


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure. I want to say this rock tunnel is an illusion, but I think there¡¯s more to it than that,¡¯ Jack replied. ¡¯Anyway, I need you to do something. Can you devour the barrier, Lina?¡¯


    "Really?! You¡¯ll let me eat it?!"


    Not waiting for Jack to change his mind, Lina¡¯s body expanded and swiftly took the form of a long three-headed hydra. And thanks to the tunnel¡¯s strange ability, Lina¡¯s long body didn¡¯t destroy it. Back in her hydra form, Lina opened all three of her mouths and bit into the barrier. Her teeth ripped the barrier to shreds and left a huge, gaping hole. It was as if the magic barrier was a giant cookie and each of the three hydra heads stole a bite from it, savoring and chewing on the magic.


    ¡¯That¡¯s enough, Lina, just enjoy your snack.¡¯ Jack noticed that Lina was enjoying the vor so he didn¡¯t bother her with anything else. ¡¯Everyone, the barrier¡¯s open now. Come one down!¡¯


    ¡¯What about Appa, Bowzer, and Phoro?¡¯ asked Eliza.


    Jack replied, ¡¯Store them. I¡¯m sure there will be a ce for them in the shrine.¡¯


    Eliza told the beasts of the n and stored them away before she and the other party members jumped into the water.


    ¡¯Also, that rock tunnel at the bottom is false. You can swim right through it. Just follow Lina¡¯s body and you¡¯ll find it.¡¯


    At first, the party was confused but they quickly caught on when they saw the hydra tail wagging through what was supposed to be solid rock. With that to guide them, the party didn¡¯t struggle to find the barrier and the hole she had made. Also, they saw Lina take three morerge bites and smile at the taste.


    Jack was already inside the barrier.


    Once Jack crossed through the hole Lina had made, the flow of the water drastically changed. Jack felt his body being dragged down with the sudden shift of the current. As he fell, Jack realized what was going on. His new view was that of an upside-down shrine surrounded by a moat. And Jack presumed that the shrine wasn¡¯t upside-down, but that he was upside-down and inside of a waterfall.


    "You!"


    A booming voiced echoed within the hidden room. It was masculine but not too low of a register. Also, it¡¯s tone seemed more bothered than angry.


    While Jack crashed into the moat below, he saw the rough figure of a man through the running water. He came to the side and gasped for air.


    "You, it must be you! What did you do to my barrier?! Do you now understand how difficult it was to make that?" The now clear figure berated Jack.


    "Sorry, we¡¯re just in a hurry to speak with Jin so I don¡¯t keep Daruun waiting," Jack replied as he mored onto the carved stone floor jutting out of the moat.


    "Daruun? What do you know of him? Speak, boy?"


    Now breathing easier, Jack looked back to Jin. He was a man with average stature and height, but half of his toned torso was revealed by the kimono cut diagonally across the torso. Jin¡¯s hair was done into a tight bun and his facial features were just as sharp as his gaze.


    "Jin, my name is Jack. I¡¯m Daruun¡¯s champion and your nephew. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally meet you, uncle."


    "Nephew?!" The man¡¯s piercing stare was shattered by thatment. "Who sent you?"


    "Technically, Sterfen sent me so you could bless one of my party members, but Daruun also sent me and told me to hurry," Jack replied.


    Jin squinted and stepped in front of Jack. He puffed up his chest and pped his hands down onto Jack¡¯s shoulders without mercy. As Jack chuckled in pain, Jin grinned madly.


    "Finally! So it was you who summoned him three days ago... And you¡¯re Sterfen¡¯s son, that would half exin the hydra outside my door. Oh, where¡¯s this party of yours? Are you sure that they¡¯ll fit my blessing and my requirements?"


    Jack nodded with augh, "Uncle Jin, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll fit your requirements. Also, that¡¯s my little sister outside."


    "Little... They found her?!" Jin boomed withughter, gripping Jack¡¯s shoulders tighter and tighter with every guffaw. "That¡¯s wonderful! You¡¯ll have to tell me everything!"


    "Uncle, calm down! You¡¯re squeezing a little too tight!"


    "Oh, sorry about that!" Jin continued tough as he released Jack from his friendly yet torturous grip.


    While Jack rubbed his throbbing shoulders, a giant ssh happened behind him.


    "That must be your party," assumed Jin. "I hope you¡¯re not lying about your party member being fit for my blessing. I¡¯m extremely cautious about selecting disciples."


    "Jin!" A loud voice interrupted their conversation, followed by someone hurriedly climbing out of the water and kowtowing to the god. "My name is Maynard. I¡¯m a samurai on a search to seek thy blessing of discipline."


    "Oh, a fellow samurai! I see why you brought him, Nephew," Jin chuckled and gave Maynard a once over.


    Hearing Jin¡¯s statement, Maynard blinked. "Master Jin, may I raise my head?"


    "Of course! A proud samurai should never bow his head so easily!" With a tap of his foot, Jin knocked Maynard back up onto his feet, stunning the samurai. "As a fellow disciple of the de, You¡¯d better show me everything you¡¯ve got. Otherwise, I¡¯ll be forced to turn you away."


    "Just curious, but do you know Tyre, Uncle Jin?"


    Thrown off by Jack¡¯s question, Jin¡¯s smile fell from his face. "Why do you ask?"


    Jack shrugged and smiled. "I only ask because Maynard here was desperate to train under Tyres. Even when I told him that it wouldn¡¯t work out, he only stopped insisting after Steren repeated what I told him."


    "Oh... I see..." Suddenly, four katanas appeared and floated in the air around in. "In that case, I¡¯ll have to adjust my test...


    "Maynard," Jin¡¯s armor-piercing stare returned and focused on Maynard, "I¡¯ll strike four times. If you can at least see or avoid all four of them, then you¡¯ll pass. You¡¯ll get three attempts to pass. Do you understand?"


    Taking a deep breath, Maynard retrieved his two katanas and took a battle-ready stance. "I¡¯m ready."


    "Then herees the first test."


    A burst of aura exploded out from Jin¡¯s body, frightening the remaining party members still climbing onto the stone tform. They watched as Maynard remained calm before the god. Then, they saw Jin pick up two of the four floating swords.


    What followed was truly shocking for Maynard and the party, minus Jack.


    Two more phantasmal arms appeared from Jin¡¯s back. They seemed to take form out of thin air, yet they both firmly gripped the two remaining swords from the air.


    "Here Ie! Don¡¯t die!"

 Chapter 353 Failing Jins Tes

    <h4>Chapter 353 Failing Jin¡°s Tes</h4>


    "Here Ie! Don¡¯t die!"


    Not sparing Maynard another moment of preparation, Jin vanished with the whistle of the wind, reappearing directly in front of Maynard.


    The first strike came from Jin¡¯s front fright hand. It was a simple move and seemed to be much slower than Jin was moving before. Swing down to the left, the first katana struck down without hesitation.


    Maynard didn¡¯t dare to take the attack head-on. How could hepare to the strike of a god, even if the god clearly wasn¡¯t giving it his all? Instead, Maynard sidestepped and rotated to his left. Using his own katana to parry Jin¡¯s attack, Maynard started to prepare for the second strike. Yet Maynard had misjudged the simple attack.


    When Maynard¡¯s katana came into contact with Jins, it phased through the de, unable to deter the strike in any way.


    "You can do better!" shouted Jin. His katana shed Maynard¡¯s left forearm. "Test one: failed!"


    Jin then stood up straight and lowered his des, asking, "Are you ready for the second attempt?"


    Perplexed, Maynard didn¡¯t reply immediately. The aspiring samurai was too distracted by his left sleeve. He had no clue how Jin had done it, but Maynard felt the attack phase through his arm. It hadn¡¯t damaged a single hair on Maynard¡¯s arm yet it cleanly shed the sleeve of his kimono.


    "Are you ready?" repeated Jin.


    Swallowing some saliva, Maynard blinked and kept a rxed, firm grip of his katana¡¯s. "Please, begin my second attempt."


    "Very well!"


    Like clockwork, Jin disappeared and reappeared while attacking in the exact same motion as the first time.


    This time, however, Maynard avoided making contact at all costs. As the strike came, Maynard also disappeared to avoid the de. Reappearing a couple of meters away, Maynard inhaled a deep breath.


    Then, before Maynard could exhale, Jin was now in front of him. Even using Sudden Death, Maynard felt that Jin¡¯s attack mixed with his godly speed made the God of Discipline unavoidable.


    "Come!" Jin shouted as his sword shed through Maynard¡¯s right sleeve, again leaving the samurai¡¯s arm in mint condition.


    Working overtime, Maynard¡¯s mind searched for some way to deal with Jin¡¯s strange attacks.


    "Second attempt: failed!" Jin stood up straight and took another deep breath, maintain his stare without a single blink. "Are you ready for the third attempt?"


    Still running without a strategy, Maynard kept quiet.


    "Are you ready?" Jin repeated, noticing no change in Maynard¡¯s battle stance or hesitation in the man¡¯s eyes. "Then here Ie!"


    Again, Jin reenacted the same scenario and, strangely enough, it was terrifying for Maynard to know exactly what was going to happen and that he had no way of stopping or avoiding it.


    With that in mind, Maynard clenched his jaw. Blood-red energy gathered around his katanas, which swung in a cross in an attempt to intercept Jin¡¯s attack.


    "Come!"


    Jin¡¯s yell rang throughout the shrine as the energy-coated des met with the simple sh attack.


    "CLANG!!"


    The sound of shing metal was that of a victory bell. All the stress and tension in Maynard¡¯s gaze lightened and sharpened as he readied himself for the following strike.


    "Good! Now take my second attack!" Not giving Maynard much time to react, both of Jin¡¯s front arms swung down in a crossing motion without any added energy or skill.


    More blood-red energy erupted from Maynard as he responded with a simr cross.


    Though the sound of a ng still sounded, another sound quickly followed.


    Some of the party members watching missed what had happened due to the attack¡¯s incredible speed. They were baffled as to why Maynard had fallen on one knee.


    Rydel managed to spot the true attack hidden behind the cover of Jin¡¯s cross sh.


    "His back right arm had the true attack," mentioned Jack, getting Rydel to nod in agreement. "Now, what sill Maynard do."


    "Third attempt: failed!" Rxing yet again, Jin asked for the third time, "Are you ready for the final attempt? Or do you need to drink a potion first?"


    Maynard groaned as he forced himself back up. He looked down at his left leg. The pants he wore showed no signs of wear and tear yet blood covered the entire pant leg from the wound beneath the cloth.


    "Are you--"


    Before Jin finished his question or readied himself for the next attempt, Maynard bolted forward with Blood Thrust. It drove true, untouched by any of Jin¡¯s katanas as the god remainedpletely calm.


    The fierceness in Maynard¡¯s eyes was the same he would have on a bloody battlefield, fighting for his life.


    But that fierceness proved pointless. The de phased through Jin¡¯s torso, passing directly through the god¡¯s touchable yet impregnable heart.


    Maynard¡¯s attack continued, driving another thrust for the god¡¯s head, and again it went unblocked yet unsessful. This happened over and over again as the God of Discipline simply watched without batting an eye.


    "What strategy is this? Exin yourself?"


    "If I can¡¯t dodge your attacks, then I can only stop them by overwhelming them!" shouted Maynard. "If ya are unable to wield a sword, then ya can¡¯t strike me. If ya can¡¯t strike me, then I win!"


    "Hmm... an interesting tactic indeed." Jin nodded to the relentless samurai. "Maynard, what is your name?"


    Not staying his attacks, Maynard replied while his thrusts buried themselves into Jin¡¯s nearly ethereal body, "Maynard Avarich."


    "Maynard Avarich... I¡¯ll remember that. I¡¯ll take it that you¡¯re ready!"


    Undeterred by Maynard¡¯s many thrusts, Jin allowed them all to phase through him as his own katana swung down toward Maynard. The samurai countered the first strike and readied himself for the second.


    When the cross sh aimed for Maynard, the samurai met them with a Blood Thrust, doing the same for the true attack swiftly executed by Jin¡¯s back right arm.


    "Hmm... You know such tactics wouldn¡¯t work in truebat but decided to try your luck with me. You¡¯ve got guts, Maynard Avarich. Nowes my third strike! Don¡¯t die!" warned Jin.


    White ethereal energy gathered around Jin¡¯s de as he repeated the same strike as his first, only increasing the power drastically.


    Sensing the boost in the attack¡¯s strength, Maynard made a snap decision.


    As Jin brought his sword down with precision and unwavering strength, Maynard readied a Blood Cross. Both attacks were primed and aimed, but not for each other. In ce of meeting the attack head-on, Maynard vied to attack Jin with everything he had in an equal exchange.


    Both attacks streaked through their opponents yet neither man fell.


    Maynard¡¯s attack had no effect on the god whatsoever. The Blood Cross shed through his body and was wastedpletely.


    On the other hand, Jin¡¯s sword phased through Maynard¡¯s body like it always did.


    All was silent as Maynard examined his body first with his eyes and then with his hands. No clothes were cut and no wound could be found apart from the gash in his leg from earlier. He tried to focus on his internals but they also seemed to be in perfect condition.


    "Now, for my fourth strike!"


    Caught off guard, Maynard lifted his katanas but had no chance ofpeting with Jin¡¯s iparable speed. The tip of Jin¡¯s katana had already pierced Maynard¡¯s heart before the man could put up a proper defense.


    "By my godly authority, I hereby ce you under my care, Maynard Avarich."


    Speechless, Maynard blinked and was left with his mouth agape as the same ethereal white energy that had covered Jin¡¯s swords and made up the barrier glittered around him.


    "Don¡¯t disappoint me, Maynard. Never back down and always take life head-on, one step at a time. Discipline is about taking a step forward every day, regardless if you were pushed back or not."


    "Thank you, Master Jin!" Maynard hit the floor and kowtowed to the god, d to have earned the god¡¯s blessing and happy to be alive.

 Chapter 354 An Agreement With Uncle Jin

    <h4>Chapter 354 An Agreement With Uncle Jin</h4>


    Jack heaved a sigh of relief when Jin removed the katana from Maynard¡¯s chest and put away his swords.


    "I¡¯m d you like him, Uncle Jin," Jack chimed in as he threw an arm around the god. "What do you say about joining us in Trodar? Eedaj is moving there soon and Daruun will be staying at the Leisure Guild for a while."


    "Jack, I¡¯lle back to the world when I feel like it, but for now, I¡¯ll keep to myself," Jin replied, throwing his arm over Jack¡¯s shoulder. "Give me some time and I mighte to see if you¡¯ve got a ce fitting for me."


    "Do you need a waterfall?" asked Jack. "If so, I¡¯ll have one prepared for you. Whatever you want, just name it."


    Dropping the smile, Jin stared into Jack¡¯s eyes. "I want to know where to find Tyres."


    "Oh... that¡¯s all? What if I tell you where to find his temple?"


    "You can do that?!" Like before, Jin grabbed Jack by the shoulders and started squeezing tighter and tighter as his enthusiasm grew. "Tell me, Nephew! Where can I find that traitor?"


    Realizing that Jack had identally tripped on andmine in their earlier conversation, Jack chuckled nervously. "Jin, what are you nning to do if I tell you?"


    "I¡¯ll kill the man, what else?" Jin replied, looking back at Jack as if the hero was stupid.


    "Uncle Jin, I don¡¯t think now¡¯s the time to--"


    "Nephew, please tell me where to find him. After I track that pestro down, I¡¯lle to Trodar and I¡¯ll owe you a favor," Jin offered, tempting Jack.


    Jack¡¯s hopes of finding a shortcut in his ns were shattered as Jin¡¯s determination to get revenge was too strong for the god to ignore. Nothing Jack could think of would be enticing enough for the God of Discipline.


    "Tell you what, if you stay in Trodar for a year, then I¡¯ll help you track down Tyres and I¡¯ll make sure no one will get in the way of your duel," Jack added. "How¡¯s that sound, Uncle."


    Jin shook his head. "That¡¯s tempting, but a man must handle his own grudges. I¡¯ll take care of Tyres on my own, just tell me where to find him."


    "I... One second, okay?" Jack then pulled out his contact crystal and shouted, "Tralon! Give the crystal to Daruun!"


    "Jack, that won¡¯t be necessary," Daruun spoke simply, covering the vast distance with his voice alone for Jack and Jin to hear. "It¡¯s okay to tell him, Jack. But, Jin, please don¡¯t act too foolishly. Even if it means retreating and striking again another day, promise me you¡¯ll turn tail if anyone besides Tyres joins your fight."


    "But Daruun--"


    "Jin?"


    "... Fine. I promise to make a strategic retreat should I fail to iste Tyres or we¡¯re interrupted," Jin agreed.


    "Good, then go ahead and tell him, Jack. Also, Daliea and you should leave immediately for Korten," Daruun added before ending the conversation.


    Sighing, Jack looked to his party then back to Jin. With a quick check in the map tab, Jack located what Jin was after. "Uncle Jin, at the moment Tyres¡¯s hidden temple is in... the Zuran Empire?"


    "What part of the Zuran Empire?" asked Jin, not wanting to miss it by ident.


    "To the southeast. It¡¯s not quite on the border of Reinolt or Polt, but it¡¯s not far from that corner of Zuran."


    "What¡¯s Reinolt?"


    Looking back to Jin, Jack asked, "You don¡¯t know that the Zuran Empire was broken into four, like Trodar?"


    "Trodar broke into four?!" Surprised, Jin ruffled his goatee with his fingers. "Who knew?"


    "Uncle Jin, how long have you been holed up in here?"


    Jin started to count with his fingers before holding up nine of them. "Almost nine centuries."


    "Nine centuries?!"


    "What? I have a training regimen that I can¡¯t skip on, Nephew. That¡¯s why a waterfall is crucial for helping me clear my mind!" reasoned Jin, not helping his case much. "But thanks for the information, Nephew. I look forward to rejoining you in Trodar in the future."


    "Wait!" Jack grabbed Jin by the arm, not letting the god escape so easily. "What does your legendary blessing do for Maynard? Can¡¯t you at least exin that much?"


    "Oh, right..." Jin smiled warmly and looked to his new and only disciple. "Maynard, you¡¯re now my lead disciple so disappoint me. Like me do earlier, my blessing offers two things: the ability to phase objects or people and the ability to harness your potential energy, bringing it out of yourself to form extra appendages."


    "Then, I can summon two spare arms like ya did earlier," asked Maynard.


    Jin nodded. "Yes, but it¡¯ll take practice and training. With enough training, anything is possible."


    Suddenly, six arms formed from Jin¡¯s back and chest. They moved in perfect sync and reacted as if they were genuinely a part of the god¡¯s body. Jin¡¯s smile showed his natural confidence, but Jack doubted whether his uncle was trying to inspire Maynard or to show off.


    "It will take some time to learn this skill, but you¡¯ll still be able to phase objects and people," added Jin. "Just make sure to practice, practice, practice because controlling the de while it¡¯s phasing is iparable to wielding a regr katana."


    "I¡¯ll make sure to train well, Master Jin." Maynard bowed again as the god waved and then disappeared.


    "Tell my niece that she can eat the entire barrier if she wants. I don¡¯t need it anymore!"


    Jin¡¯s voice echoed within the chamber, reminding the party about Lina. They looked up andughed. The hydra girl was nearly done devouring the barrier already, savoring the delicate energy left behind by the god.


    ¡¯Hurry up, Lina. We¡¯ve got to get moving.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, Big Bro!¡¯ Lina replied, picking up the pace of her snacking.


    Eliza walked to Jack and smiled. She released the three beasts from earlier. "I know they missed meeting Jin, but at least they can see how cool the shrine is."


    Jack chuckled. "Eliza, you know I wasn¡¯t kidding around when I called him uncle, right? ording to Daruun, all of the Neutral Gods are like an adopted family, sons and daughters of Daruun."


    "Does that mean I¡¯m the God of Fate¡¯s granddaughter?" Catching on quickly, Eliza smiled and reminisced on being a part of such an amazing family tree.


    "Then... I¡¯m also his granddaughter," added Maura, leaning into Jack¡¯s side. "Right?"


    "Right." Jack hugged her and then sighed. "Now... Daruun just told me that I¡¯ve got to leave for Korten immediately."


    "Alright, then let¡¯s--"


    "Taking Appa will be too slow, Eliza," Jack cut her off. "Me, you, and Daliea will be clinging to Phoro for dear life as he takes us there. Sorry..."


    "You¡¯re leaving us again?" Maura asked. "How long will you be this time?"


    "I¡¯m only in a hurry be Daruun gave me a three-day time limit, so you know that I¡¯ll be back soon," replied Jack, calming Maura. "Everyone else should just take Appa to Gilga. I¡¯m sure Rydel can lead the way, right?"


    "That I can do," Rydel proudly stated.


    "Also, Hurry up and drink this, Maynard." Jack tossed the samurai another bottle of life spring water. "It¡¯s strong enough to heal your wound, but be careful for a few hours."


    "Thanks, Jack." Maynard dly drained the bottle and wiped his face of any leftover drops.


    Jack chuckled, "Don¡¯t thank me, I just don¡¯t think Eliza would like for you to dirty Appa¡¯s freshly cleaned feathers."


    Laughing, Eliza wrapped her arms around Jack and pecked his cheek. "Thanks."


    All smiles, Jack then looked to Daliea, who shied away from looking Jack in the eye while he was surrounded by his wives.


    "Daliea, we¡¯ve got to go, now. Let¡¯s hurry out of here, okay?"


    "Alright. I¡¯ll follow you," stated Daliea, feeling better now that she was included. And when she looked to Eliza, the enchantress was showing off a big smile.

 Chapter 355 Korten Border

    <h4>Chapter 355 Korten Border</h4>


    Turing to Bowzer and Phoro, Jack added, "Sorry, but I¡¯ll have to store you while we leave. Bowzer, I¡¯ll make sure to let you out in Korten so you can walk around and see the elven city. Okay?"


    "Okay..."The fox sighed, both unhappy yet understanding. "Phoro better go full speed then."


    "No!" shouted Jack, not wanting Phoro to reply. "Half-speed will be plenty good. Since he¡¯ll have three people on his back and will travel for so long, half-speed should be perfect."


    "You¡¯re just scared you can¡¯t handle me," Phoro lifted his chin proudly. "To keep youfortable I¡¯ll only go half-speed. But make sure to tell me the moment you want me to go faster. The sooner we get back to Trodar, the sooner I can rest in my cozy nest."


    "Then, let¡¯s go." In a quick motion, Jack stored the two powerful beasts and looked to the two women joining him. "Come on, there¡¯s no time to waste. Don¡¯t you want to know about your people, Daliea?"


    Nodding, Daliea followed Jack and Eliza as they jumped with all they¡¯re might toward the top of the waterfall. They had to grab the wall and climb through the where the barrier once was, which was where Jack gave Eliza some extra support.


    When Jack noticed that the water pressure was changing and not as stable as before, the hero called out telepathically to the others, especially Lina.


    ¡¯Lina, stop! Everyone, you need to get out of here before Lina eats thest of the barrier!¡¯


    ¡¯But Big Bro... It¡¯s so tasty and I¡¯m growing stronger...¡¯ Lina groaned.


    ¡¯What? Maura, is that true?¡¯ Jack asked as he, Eliza, and Daliea were swimming to the top of the discreet pond.


    ¡¯She¡¯s right, Jack. I finally hit lv. 40 and I guess it¡¯s thanks to her snacking.¡¯


    Surprised by Maura¡¯s reply, Jack smiled and shook his head. ¡¯Everyone, get out of there so Lina can finish eating the barrier, but not another bite until they¡¯re all out, okay Lina?¡¯


    "... Okay, I¡¯ll wait..."


    While the hydra impatiently waited for the rest of the party to leave the shrine, Jack, Eliza, and Daliea had resurfaced. They noticed the water level dropping in the pond, proving Jack¡¯s theories of the shrine slowly flooding as true.


    "Don¡¯t worry about drying off. We¡¯ll air-dry thanks to Phoro." Releasing the Minokawa, Jack hopped on his Phoro¡¯s back and held out a hand for Eliza. "Come on."


    That¡¯s when Jack was stumped. Eliza shook her head and nudged Daliea forward. "Let Daliea sit behind you. I¡¯ll sit in the back."


    Shyly but happily, Daliea took Jack¡¯s hand and climbed on behind him.


    "Hang on tight. Phoro is a lot faster than you think." Jack then pointed his hand and shouted, "Phoro, we¡¯re going directly east. Once we reach the Korten border then I¡¯ll give you more--"


    Jack¡¯s directions were cut-off by the buffeting winds. Phoro took off the moment he was given a course, smiling as he forced his passengers to reflexively cling onto him and each other.


    While Jack grasped Phoro¡¯s feathers tightly, he blushed as two short arms suddenly wrapped tightly around his chest.


    ¡¯Daliea... Don¡¯t be scared. Phoro knows exactly what he¡¯s doing,¡¯ Jack stated, trying to talk away his blush. ¡¯This isn¡¯t even his top speed, so know that he¡¯s keeping us in mind.¡¯


    ¡¯This... isn¡¯t his top speed?¡¯ Daliea stammered, clinging even tighter to Jack as she tried to imagine the best going even faster.


    Smiling, Jack nodded. ¡¯But don¡¯t ask him about it or neither of us will make it to Korten. I¡¯m still not strong enough to handle his speed.¡¯


    Daliea blinked, keeping her face behind Jack¡¯s back to avoid the buffeting wind. ¡¯Then... I¡¯m just going to hold on tightly for the rest of the way. Is that okay with you, Jack?¡¯


    Jack opened his mouth but hesitated to reply. But when he saw the smile on Eliza¡¯s face, he rxed a bit. ¡¯Sure thing, Daliea. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks.¡¯ Though Daliea didn¡¯t admit it, she was very happy to be so close to Jack and to not feel excluded.


    The trip continued just like that for nearly a day. Flying through the night, Phoro was unaffected by the long flight, actually appearing to be bored with his flight speed. "You know, at full speed, we would¡¯ve arrived long ago?"


    ¡¯That doesn¡¯t matter,¡¯ Jack replied telepathically, unable to handle the wind like the Minokawa. Also, he opened his map tab while continuing, ¡¯In five minutes, readjust your course to northeast-east. Then we¡¯ll arrive near Estonya and...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, is something wrong?¡¯ Daliea asked, sensing that Jack was thinking deeply about something out of the blue. ¡¯Jack?¡¯


    Eliza felt the same way and prodded the hero mentally in search of the reason. ¡¯Jaaack?¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry, I just... Well, Lyrun isn¡¯t in Estonya anymore.¡¯


    ¡¯What?! Where did he go?¡¯ asked Eliza.


    ¡¯He¡¯s still in Korten, but he¡¯s outside the forest where Eedaj has been staying,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯I wonder why--¡¯


    ¡¯HALT!¡¯ a telepathic cry resounded in the party¡¯s heads. ¡¯Stop, or be in on the spot!¡¯


    ¡¯Phoro, descend for now.¡¯


    The Minokawa sighed butplied. He brought the small party to the ground, slowing himself as he went. Once Jack, Eliza, and Daliea stood on the ground, Phoro looked through the trees and remained vignt.


    ¡¯What business do you have in Korten?¡¯ That same voice yed out for them all to hear.


    Jack shouted, "If you want to talk to us, then let¡¯s talk face to face. Why hide yourselves? Are you that afraid of us?"


    "The elves of Korten know on fear!"


    Half a dozen voices replied,ing from all directions. One by one, six elves emerged from the thick forest glen to surround the small party.


    The elves were shorter than Jack, but they were all fairly taller then Daliea. However, their ears pointed straight up in the same way that Daliea¡¯s did. Theirplexion was pale, far fairer than Jack¡¯s or Eliza¡¯s. And with such slender figures, they were naturally beautiful and handsome to all who saw them.


    Thanks to Jack¡¯s knowledge of Daliea¡¯s race, he quickly concluded that the elves were far more simr to Daliea than any of the goblins he had ever seen, apart from theirplexion and slightly taller stature.


    Stepping forward, Jack bowed his head. "I¡¯m Jack, a summoned hero from the Leisure Guild. I¡¯vee for a few different reasons and I feel it would be best to discuss them after entering Estonya."


    The elven guards were cautious but unperturbed by Jack¡¯s order. The elf with the most luxurious armor stepped forward and eyed Jack. "We have no reason to not kill you for trespassing in Korten. As a member of the Leisure Guild, I¡¯m certain that you know of ourws and how strict they are toward trespassers."


    "True, but I¡¯m certain you¡¯d rather make peace with us in ce of waging war." Finishing his statement, Jack released Bowzer and gave the telepathicmand, ¡¯Show off your mes, but don¡¯t grow or attack.¡¯


    Bearing his teeth, Bowzer gave off an intimidating aura as mes suddenly epassed his body.


    Entranced by the dancing white mes, the elves stepped back and withdrew their weapons.


    "You dare attack Korten?!" the lead guard shouted.


    "Who said we were attacking?" Jack questioned. "I¡¯m just proving a point. If you don¡¯t want to speak with me, then I¡¯ll be off to meet Lyrun and Eedaj. Thanks for nothing!"


    "Wait!" Lowering his bow, the lead guard met Jack in the eye before the hero turned around to mount Phoro. "Who did you just say?"


    "Lyrun, the Nature God? You don¡¯t know him?!"


    "No, the other one. Repeat that name again."


    Showing a slight smile, Jack shrugged. "Who? Eedaj? What, do you not know about the Mind God? I thought at least the elves would remember given their life spans and history. Also, I doubt that Eedaj would stay here if you elves hadn¡¯t weed him."


    All the guards lowered their weapons, confused by Jack¡¯s statement and the knowledge he assumed to have.

 Chapter 356 Meeting the Elven Chief

    <h4>Chapter 356 Meeting the Elven Chief</h4>


    "Your name was Jack, correct? State what business you have with Eedaj."


    Sensing the seriousness in each of the elves¡¯ res, Jack smiled. "I have no reason to tell you since you won¡¯t speak with us. We¡¯ll be leaving now to find both Lyrun and Eedaj, so I¡¯d rmend that you let us depart peacefully. It wouldn¡¯t be the first time that we identally cause a forest fire because someone forced us to fight back."


    "Then is we discuss business with the Leisure Guild, you¡¯ll tell us more about your business with Eedaj?" the lead guard asked, whose sudden shift in tone surprised Jack.


    "Sure."


    "Then give me a moment." Taking out a contact crystal, the lead guard turned away from the party as he spoke with someone. After a minute or two, he turned back around to say, "Come, we¡¯ll lead you into Estonya. But no weapons are to be drawn and that fox must be stored away."


    "The fox stays out but he wouldn¡¯t dare activate his mes unnecessarily," replied Jack, getting Bowzer to drop his miniature me body.


    The lead guard squinted but nodded. Then, he led Jack¡¯s small party through the woods on foot.


    Almost an hour passed as the party walked in silence. Jack had attempted to speak with the lead guard or crack a joke, but the guard¡¯s defenses were imprable.


    "There." Finally, after reaching the top of a hilled path the guard pointed toward what looked like an ancient wooden wall. "That¡¯s Estonya. If you dare show any malice or intent to fight in the city, we¡¯ll y you without thought."


    "We¡¯ll y nice. But if you try to take advantage of us, the fox won¡¯t be the only one burning Estonya to the ground," stated Jack. "I remember how beautiful Extonya was in ancient times, so I¡¯d rather not destroy it. Please don¡¯t force our hands to desecrate such a breath-taking ce."


    Not happy nor unhappy with Jack¡¯s statement, the guard led them to the gate embedded into the natural wood wall.


    With a knock, the guard shouted, "Shurca gaisu!"


    The doors started to slowly open after the guard gave the order. But while Eliza was in awe of the beautiful wall and the scenery, Jack noticed Daliea¡¯s dumbstruck face.


    ¡¯Did you understand what he said?¡¯ Jack asked telepathically.


    Daliea only nodded slowly in response, trying to figure out what was going on.


    ¡¯Stop worrying. You¡¯ll be excited about what you¡¯ll learn here.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, do you know something that you¡¯re not telling me?" questioned Daliea.


    The hero smiled. ¡¯It¡¯s not that I¡¯m unwilling to tell you what I know, it¡¯s just that I only know a fraction of what we¡¯ll learn shortly after meeting Eedaj. So, in a way, I¡¯m just as excited as you are.¡¯


    "Follow me closely, don¡¯t fall behind!"


    The guard¡¯s shout got Daliea to move again, letting her notice that she was the only that hadn¡¯t entered through the door. Once inside, she joined Eliza in bing speechless.


    With the city now in full view, Eliza and Daliea were blown away by the blend of nature and civilization. It was unlike anything they had ever imagined. Also, there were buildings far taller than the wall or the trees yet they hadn¡¯t seen them from the air or from anywhere outside of that giant wooden wall.


    "There¡¯s an illusion spell incorporated into the root wall surrounding the entire city," Jack mentioned, confident that he understood why the women were confused.


    "The city walls are roots?" Eliza asked.


    "That¡¯s right. They¡¯re roots to the Ancient Life Tree in the city center." Pointing to the distant tree that rivaled Dragov in size, Jack continued, "That¡¯s the pir of Korten and it offers the elves a natural mana spring, like a hot tub but the mana in the spring is so dense that it turns the water a crystal clear green."


    "How do you know so much about the history of my people?" asked the guard, still not stopping as he led them toward the giant tree.


    Jack replied, "Remember, I¡¯m an ancient hero that was summoned to Modern Kartonia. I¡¯m pretty sure I know more about your country than you do."


    "Take that back!" Lunging his finger to Jack, the guard threatened, "Retract that statement or I¡¯ll y you right now!"


    "I¡¯ve already told you that I¡¯d rather not burn Estonya to the ground. But if you start attacking me, how else will I defend myself then by facing you with overwhelming mes?" refuted Jack. "Now, will you keep leading us to the elven chief or shall I lead the way?"


    As Jack led the two women and the two beasts past the infuriated guard, the elf shouted, "You know nothing about this ce? How dare you assume to know such a sacred ce?!"


    "Then hurry up and take us there before I walk in on the chief without you. Would that mean you¡¯d get punished?"


    Clenching his fists tightly, the guard took a deep breath and dashed ahead of Jack. "Just shut up and let me lead. I don¡¯t want to hear another word from your mouth. Or else..."


    "Or else what?"


    "Not another word!"


    "Someone¡¯s on edge," chuckled Jack. "Why don¡¯t you head back to your guard duties? I can take us there calmly and make sure that--"


    "Shut up!" A sword appeared in the guard¡¯s hand, pointing to Jack. "Not another word."


    "... Or else what--"


    The sword was quickly lunged at Jack, aimed for his arm as to injure the hero and not kill him.


    Jack clicked his tongue at the guard, nudging both of the women to the side so they wouldn¡¯t get caught up in the guard¡¯s fury. Narrowly yet easily avoiding the strike, Jack snickered, "Come on, I thought you would lead us there? You made us promise to not wield weapons in the city, yet what about you?"


    "Shut up!" Again the guard struck toward Jack, now aiming for his torso.


    "Too slow!" Jack allowed the de to nearly pierce his clothes before activating Sudden Death and appearing behind the elf. "Come ondies, let¡¯s go meet the chief."


    "You--"


    "That¡¯s enough!" A bellowing voice shook the party and the guard, as well as all the nearby elves who stopped in their tracks. "No weapons are allowed to be wielded in the city, so exin yourself!"


    "You heard him!" spat the guard, ring at Jack.


    "I¡¯m talking to you, Tarmurn!" The mature elf looked down on the guard as he floated in the air overhead, causing the guard to stiffened and bite his tongue. "I told you to bring our guests to my estate yet here you are attacking them instead. Even now, he remains unarmed and has only avoided your strikes. It¡¯s as if he understood ourws better than you, of the nation¡¯s guards! How shameful."


    Blood trickled from the guards hand from clenching his fist too tightly. "But Chief Gwendon, this man has only spouted nonsense since he--"


    "What nonsense? Was he lying or making up stories when he stated how grand the Ancient Life Tree was? Or did he lie about the existence of the mana spring? Clearly, this summoned hero has visited Estonya many times before during Ancient Kartonia, back when we were open to the world," reasoned the chief. "Is it so hard to believe that a human could respect or admire the natural beauty Estonya has to offer?"


    "But--"


    "But nothing! Return to your post immediately! And if I see you brandish your sword in city limits again, it¡¯ll be your post!" the elven chief shouted as he descended to the ground before Jack and his party. "Please, forgive that man¡¯s ignorance. Korten isn¡¯t like it used to be."


    "I can see that... At least it¡¯s beauty has remained," Jack chuckled, breaking the awkward tension as the guard stormed off.

 Chapter 357 Probing the Elven Chiefs Knowledge

    <h4>Chapter 357 Probing the Elven Chief¡°s Knowledge</h4>


    Heaving a sigh of relief, the elven chief smiled back at the small party. "Please, follow me."


    As Jack¡¯s party followed the chief, they were taken down the main roads and grabbed the attention of most elves they passed. This was in part to having the chief lead them and also in part to them being humans. But most gazes lingered on Daliea in the end, making Jack all the more curious.


    After another forty-five minutes of walking, the group finally reached the Ancient Life Tree. Inside the tree¡¯s base, many rooms were carved out but left vacant.


    The chief led them to one of therger rooms and grabbed the handle with green aura surrounding his hand. Atch was heard, activated by the magic, allowing them ess to the room. With a smile, the chief held the door open and nodded his head. "Please, after you."


    "Thank you, Chief Gwendon." Jack bowed his head as he entered first, followed by the women and the beasts.


    Once the party had entered, Gwendon entered the room as well, locking the door behind him again with the same magic. Then, the chief opened his arms and smiled proudly. "This is where I reside. Though this room is my office, that door opposite us leads to my humble abode. So, if you happen to ever need me, you know where to find me."


    "Thanks, but I¡¯d like to get straight to business as I don¡¯t have a lot of time to spare, Chief Gewendon." Sitting himself in one of the many seats around the chief¡¯s desk, Jack waited for the chief to sit.


    "Right." Once the others found a seat and the chief returned to his desk, Gwendon asked, "I heard that you¡¯re here with the Leisure Guild. Is that correct?"


    "That is."


    "And you¡¯re also here to visit Lyrun? Is that true as well?"


    "Yup, but we¡¯ll be also be visiting Eedaj," added Jack. "Tell me, do you know who that is?"


    A confused smile appeared on the chief¡¯s face. "I... I know of him but I¡¯m too young to have ever met him. I¡¯m only one hundred and thirty-two years old, and thest time anyone met with Eedaj was well before the Godly war began."


    "Do you know why that is, at least?" asked Jack.


    Shaking his head, Gwendon replied, "I¡¯m not entirely sure, but I do know that something offended the god, and the elves, as well as Lyrun, were a part of it."


    Wide-eyed, Jack paused for a moment before asking, "Does anyone know what happened exactly? Or would I have to talk with Lyrun about that?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, but allow me to warn you about something. Lyrun hasn¡¯t epted any visitors since the end of the Godly War. The only interactions he has with this ce is when the current chief gives him yearly reports or if there were ever an emergency that only he could resolve," exined Gwendon. "Otherwise, he simply stays high up in the Ancient Life Tree."


    "So his temple never changed after all this time?" Jack chuckled as he checked the map and verified Lyrun¡¯s location. "Gwendon, what do you call the forest to the north of Korten."


    "In history, we¡¯ve referred to it as the Prehistoric Forest due to the size of the ancient trees and wildlife, buttely we¡¯ve referred to it as the Illusory Woods," Gwendon stated.


    "Does that mean the forest has changed since then?"


    "The forest itself remains the same. What has changed is the magic barrier that surrounds the forest. If someone enters then they will travel in circles for hours unknowingly until they end up exiting exactly where they entered," replied Gwendon.


    Jack squinted and asked, "Did you know that Eedaj currently resides in that forest."


    "That¡¯s what ancient rumors and legends have told us but it was never confirmed."


    "Gwendon, would you mind if we try to visit Lyrun? He¡¯s currently not in his abode, but we¡¯ll wait outside his door it that¡¯s okay with you."


    Gwendon blinked. "What do you mean? How could he not be there?"


    "Nevermind that then. If you don¡¯t mind us attempting to speak with Lyrun, then let¡¯s talk as the elven chief and the ambassador of the Leisure Guild. Okay?"


    "Sure... Jack, what is it that you want to discuss?"


    "First, why did you let us into Estonya when yourws typically prohibit such a thing?" asked Jack.


    Gwendon replied, "For several reasons actually. Since you¡¯re a former ancient hero as well as a member of the Leisure Guild, that showed you had credibility. And once you mentioned you had business with not only Lyrun but Eedaj, I knew that something was up."


    "Why¡¯s that?"


    "Because even most elves don¡¯t remember Eedaj and he¡¯s originally from here. Most of the younger generation has only heard tales about him and quickly forgets everything about the god," stated Gwendon. "Honestly, I don¡¯t know much about him either. All I know is that he¡¯s supposedly living in the Prehistoric Forest and has made it his home. But it makes sense to believe that he¡¯s the cause of that strange barrier as well."


    "Do you know anything about his origin or his abilities?" questioned Jack, trying to gauge the level of knowledge the ancient civilization could have.


    Shaking his head, Gwendon sighed. "I know very little. I know that he¡¯s a master of illusions, making him the best cause for the change in the Prehistoric Forest."


    "And Lyrun hasn¡¯t told you anything about Eedaj?" Jack asked with a curious smile. "Feel free to be honest. If Lyrun told you anything but you¡¯re not allowed to say so, tell me now, please."


    Gwendon rxed a bit and looked into Jack¡¯s confident gaze. "Lyrun has warned me to never allow elves into the Prehistoric Forest and that it¡¯s best to not search anything about Eedaj."


    "So, the Nature God has decided that the elven race should forget about him... Interesting." Jack softened his smile and slowly scratched his head. "Gwendon, did Lyrun tell you what might happen should an elf enter the Prehistoric Forest? Or did he not go into detail about that?"


    "No, he simply stated that no one should enter there and that it¡¯s best to not attempt to seek him out. As for Eedaj¡¯s origin... Honestly, I can¡¯t remember anything about it. I don¡¯t even know why or how Eedaj came to upy the Prehistoric Forest. Though I do remember that it caused quite an uproar back in the day, ording to the story my fathers have passed down," mentioned Gwendon.


    "The Prehistoric Forest was a major source of food and a great ce for us elves to train and grow stronger back in the day. It¡¯s teeming with wild beasts so it was also a great food source for the viges and towns to the north. But one day, that illusory barrier appeared and changed everything. When confronted about it, Lyrun simply told everyone that a god named Eedaj was now living there and to not bother entering."


    Gwendon continued, "Some still tried but either got lost and returned where they entered or they never made it back out. That¡¯s all I know of Eedaj¡¯s origin."


    "Really? That¡¯s all?" As if he was startled and unconvinced, Jack asked, "Do you even know what race the god is? If he¡¯s human, an elf, a beast?"


    "No." Gwendon shook his head. "Why, do you know, Jack?"


    Jack started to break out in quietughter, covering his face with his hand. "I guess I know more about him then you... Anyway, allow me to state my purpose in speaking with you before I go and visit Lyrun."


    "Very well. Go ahead, Jack."


    With a smile, Jack stood up and extended an open hand toward the elven chief. "The Leisure Guild would like to reestablish our trading pact with Korten."

 Chapter 358 Negotiations Go South

    <h4>Chapter 358 Negotiations Go South</h4>


    "The Leisure Guild would like to reestablish our trading pact with Korten."


    Baffled by Jack¡¯s sudden offer, Gwendon was at a loss for words. It took him a few moments to gather some thoughts. "Jack... That... I¡¯m not sure we can--"


    "Gwendon, what would Korten lose in such a pact?" asked Jack. "If you¡¯re looking for treasures, then we have more than you can count. And if you¡¯re after tinum, we¡¯ve got an abundance of that as well. Is there even a downside to such a deal?"


    "That¡¯s hard to believe, Jack," replied the chief, twiddling his fingers atop his desk. "Last I heard, the Leisure Guild was taking a turn for the worse. How could a declining guild have such things, even if it is the ancient Leisure Guild?"


    Letting actions speak louder than words, Jack simply smiled and retrieved something from his storage.


    As Jack ced the staff on the chief¡¯s desk, the elf¡¯s eyes were instantly drawn to the weapon. "Jack... This is--"


    "An elven staff created by ancient, high-level elven mages. It¡¯s a mythic-tier weapon that you traded to us long ago," stated Jack. "Recently, we¡¯ve acquired new high-level members and just revisited our storehouse for the first time since before the Godly War. Do you know what that means, or is Korten not that acquainted with the matters of the world outside its borders?"


    "I know of your rumored storehouse, Jack. Being the most ancient surviving guild carries enough weight for me to learn that much. And you¡¯re telling me you¡¯ve finally opened up your storehouse?"


    "Gwendon, I¡¯ll cut to the chase. What I¡¯m after is not only the ability to trade with Estonya, which is beneficial for both sides, but to hire your craftsmen. I¡¯d imagine that you¡¯ve still got a few mythic recipes and maybe even a couple of legendary recipes that your people can craft for us, right?" Jack asked with a smile.


    Eyeing Jack and carefully selecting his words, Gwendon replied, "And you¡¯re not after the recipes themselves?"


    "Nope. I just want to purchase your services. Also, I¡¯m willing to be your exclusive client."


    "That... Jack, I can¡¯t agree to such a proposition. To open trade, maybe, but to allow exclusivity would cost you--"


    "And what if we can afford it?" asked Jack. "If we can afford it, how about we renew the trading pact and add an exclusivity use. Every five years we¡¯ll renew it, offering Korten a payment to retain the exclusivity. Does that seem fair so long as we can afford it?"


    "If the Leisure Guild can afford that much, why don¡¯t they simply buy items from the auction houses?" asked Gwendon, trying to learn more and find an edge.


    "Right, I haven¡¯t introduced my party," Jack suddenly motioned to those around him, acting like he was changing the subject. "That aviary beast is a Minokawa, which I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about."


    Getting distracted by the seventh level bloodline beast, Gwendon examined Phoro with his eyes as the Minokawa proudly posed for him.


    "This fox is also a Hell-me Fox," added Jack, stealing the chief¡¯s attention further, "and both are my mutualpanions."


    Then, Jack pointed to Eliza. "This is one of my wives. Her name is Eliza, the former young master of the Fat Goose auction house."


    "Oh..." Catching on to Jack¡¯s hint, Gwendon realized that Jack already had close ties with the auction houses, which increased his interest in negotiating a trade pact. "In that case--"


    "Andst but not least," Jack continued his introductions, pointing toward the final member of his small part, "we have Daliea, who is more closely rted to you than you know. Does the term greis elf mean anything to you?"


    The atmosphere had shifted from a somewhat tense negotiation to a friendly meeting to dead silent befuddlement.


    "By the look on your face, it seems you know more than you¡¯re letting on, Chief Gwendon." Jack smiled back at the chief, which felt all the more intimidating paired with Jack¡¯s know-it-all stare.


    The elven chief closed his mouth and looked down at his desk. Not daring to meet Jack¡¯s gaze, Gwendon asked, "What do you know about greis elves?"


    "I asked you first, chief. Does the term greis elf mean anything to you?" Jack repeated, not daring to hold back during the negotiation.


    "... Yes, it means something to me," Gwendon calmly replied. "Now tell me, what do you know about greis elves."


    "I don¡¯t know much, but I know that Eedaj will want to meet with me," stated Jack, "as he is a greis elf, like my friend Daliea."


    Not only was the chief dumbstruck, so were Jack¡¯s party members.


    Eliza and Bowzer were staring with mouths agape, looking back and forth between Jack and Daliea while Phoro calmly groomed his feathers.


    Daliea was frozen in all senses of the word, apart from being epassed in ice. Motionless and without words, she was stuck staring at Jack with countless thoughts runningps through her head all at once. There was so much to take in from that one statement.


    Gwendon was also baffled. Not only did Jack name a long-forgotten race of elves from the elves¡¯ dark past, he instantly pinned Eedaj as a former member of that race and presented a survivor of that long-lost race as well. Jack was constantly destroying the chief¡¯s expectations with every turn of their conversation and the chief could hardly keep up.


    "Gwendon, am I wrong in assuming that you know exactly what I¡¯m talking about?" asked Jack. "Also, am I wrong to assume that the other elves know about greis elves as well?"


    Inhaling a deep breath, Gwendon tried his best to calm his mind before speaking. "Jack... I¡¯ll tell you a bit more. We elves know of old stories about a darker time of our history, which does involve greis elves. But only I know that Eedaj is actually one of those ancient elves. That¡¯s something kept within the family of the chiefs."


    "Did you recognize Daliea as a greis elf?"


    "No, but she does fit the description from our old stories," admitted Gwendon.


    Turning to Daliea, Jack smiled nervously. "I¡¯m sorry for not telling you sooner, but I thought it would be better for Eedaj to tell you instead of me. I didn¡¯t n for the negotiations to be like this."


    "Jack... When did you find out?" Daliea quietly asked.


    "Just recently while I was exploring the storehouse," answered Jack. "It was when you spoke your ancientnguage that my subss allowed me to recognize it as greis elven, an ancient dialect of elven that was long lost. As for how I knew about Eedaj¡¯s race, that¡¯s thanks to my calling Sterfen immediately afterward."


    "Then... is that why you--"


    "Yes, that¡¯s one reason why I did what I did in the dungeon." Jack didn¡¯t want Daliea to mention the other greis elves that Jack had escorted out of the dungeon, not in front of Gwendon. Knowing she needed it, Jack embraced Daliea without another word. She returned his hug and let her tears run into his chest.


    "Jack, now that you know about greis elves and have even found a survivor of the race, what do you n to do?" asked Gwendon, showing a straight face and not caring about the moment between Jack and Daliea.


    Releasing her with a smile, Jack then looked back to Gwendon. "That depends, is there something wrong with that?"


    "That¡¯s one of the most well-kept secrets of our race, something we don¡¯t want the world to know about," stated Gwendon, acting serious but still not threatening the party.


    "So, you¡¯d like for me to keep this a secret?"


    "Yes."


    "And how do you n to do that?" asked Jack. "Make me an offer."


    "I won¡¯t--"


    "What are you, lv. 73?" Jack asked, cutting the elven chief off with an exact guess. "You¡¯re not strong enough to kill me and face the consequences. I¡¯m a demigod and son to two gods. Also, the Leisure Guild will reduce Estonya to the ground should you dare kill or mean harm to any of us."

 Chapter 359 An Impasse of Terms

    <h4>Chapter 359 An Impasse of Terms</h4>


    "And how can the Leisure Guild make such a im. Tell me."


    "Trust me, we retrieved more than just wealth from the storehouse dungeon, Gwendon. Also, even if you kill me, you¡¯d be the cause of Estonya burning to the ground," stated Jack. "Want me to prove it?"


    When Gwendon nodded, Jack walked toward the locked door. "Then it would be best to show you outside. Unless you¡¯d like your house reduced to ash or for the Ancient Life Tree to catch fire."


    Immediately standing up, Gwendon approached the door and unlocked it with his magic. "Should you attempt anything to harm my people or our homes, I won¡¯t hesitate to kill you, Jack."


    "Gwendon, I would never. I truly admire the natural beauty of Estonya," replied Jack. "It would be a waste to destroy such a ce. Also, I still need to visit Lyrun, and it would be hard to exin why such destruction happened while he was absent."


    Jack and the party walked through the door, letting Gwendon lock the door behind them. They walked a little until they were in the center of the clearing between the elven homes and the Ancient Life Tree.


    "Here should work." Jack nodded and looked to Gwendon. "Make sure no elvese to close, otherwise, don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you."


    Nodding, Gwendon waved his arm and created a giant barrier of green energy to keep anyone from getting too close.


    "Good, then I¡¯ll show you something really cool," chuckled Jack. "Eliza, Daliea, Phoro, back away please."


    When the coast was clear, Jack looked to Bowzer. ¡¯Let¡¯s show them our full strength. Grow as big as you want, let loose!"


    Faster than they could blink, Jack¡¯s party and Gwendon felt a flood of heat overtake them. They were in shock at the sudden transformations happening before them.


    The fox had grown to legendary proportions, identical to the old tales of woe surrounding the Hell-me Foxes. But Jack¡¯s transformation was just as intimidating! He was now five meters tall, which didn¡¯tpare to the Hell-me Fox but was paired with the ming wings and terrifying draconic eyes.


    "See what I mean?" Jackughed as he flew circles around the Hell-me Fox, so fast that Gwendon couldn¡¯t believe a man had such speed.


    "I see... That¡¯s enough, please."


    As Gwendon admitted Jack was correct, both the hero and the fox reverted to their usual forms with pride in their eyes. Jack then walked up to Gwendon and threw his arm around the elven chief. "So, will agree to negotiate with the Leisure Guild for trading exclusivity or not?"


    "Jack... I can negotiate trade but it won¡¯t be decided overnight and exclusivity is out of the--"


    "It¡¯s either exclusivity or no trade," stated Jack. "You don¡¯t have to agree now, I just want to know if you¡¯re willing to negotiate or not. If not, then I¡¯ll go elsewhere with my offer."


    Sighing loudly, Jack released the chief and approached his party members. "Let¡¯s go see Lyrun."


    "Jack, it¡¯s not so easy to--"


    "Calm down, Gwendon. If I wanted to harm Estonya, don¡¯t you think I would¡¯ve done it by now?" reasoned the hero. "I¡¯m just going to take the path through the center of Ancient Life Tree. Won¡¯t that be fine?"


    "That path was destroyed long ago. Only the chiefs can--"


    "Then we¡¯ll take the path through your house," Jack continued. "Is that okay with you or not?"


    "I can¡¯t let you do that either, Jack. At least allow me to visit Lyrun first and verify that you¡¯ll be allowed in," stated Gwendon, trying to reach apromise.


    Jack squinted as he looked back to his map, still a bit puzzled about what was going on.


    "Fine, then I guess we¡¯ll take out leave. Since you¡¯re not interested in exclusivity and don¡¯t wish for us to meet Lyrun, so be it. At least let us visit the Prehistoric Forest before we leave. And I can find my way, so there¡¯s no need for an escort, okay?"


    Gwendon made a strange face before he nodded. "Fine, then you can visit the Prehistoric Forest before you exit Korten. Should you wish to negotiate again, please use the proper methods ofmunication next time so we can prepare for your arrival and negotiate properly."


    "Sure thing, Gwendon." Jack waved to the elven chief as he and the party walked away with their backs to him. "Thanks for the chat!"


    The elven chief sighed heavily as he watched the small party walking away inughter and giggles. Their nonchnt demeanor about the whole interaction said a lot to Gwendon about how confident Jack was and made him all the more curious about the man.


    Though they were on their way out of Estonya, the party still got plenty of stares, even more than before. Then again, Jack and Bowzer did put on quite a show which was quickly shared through word of mouth throughout the city.


    ¡¯Jack, what transformation was that?¡¯ Eliza asked telepathically, keeping the party¡¯s conversation between themselves.


    ¡¯It¡¯s my new upgraded ability. I can now activate up to two bloodline abilities at once,¡¯ Jack answered proudly. ¡¯What you saw was Bowzer¡¯s bloodline mixed with Phoro¡¯s bloodline. It¡¯s probably my best transformation in terms of attack power.¡¯


    ¡¯Wait... do you have other transformations?¡¯


    ¡¯There¡¯s one more beast that became mypanion named Dragov, letting me have three bloodlines to choose from or three hybrid transformations between them,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯That other beast is crazy strong, but his defenses are off the charts. The best all-around transformation would be mixing Bowzer¡¯s and Dragov¡¯s bloodlines and the most defensive would be mixing Phoro¡¯s and Dragov¡¯s bloodlines.¡¯


    ¡¯So, not only did you grow in level but in ability also? Jack, you¡¯re overpowered now," Eliza teased her husband with a smile.


    Jack chuckled, ¡¯I wasn¡¯t before that?¡¯


    Bowzer walked with his head held high. A lot of the watching eyes were on him as the elves feared such a legendary beast. It was very different for Phoro, who was quickly ignored beside Jack and Bowzer, but he didn¡¯t care either.


    ¡¯Daliea,¡¯ Jack called out to the shorter woman, catching her a bit by surprise. ¡¯What¡¯s wrong? You can tell us.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack... I¡¯m sorry for ruining your negotiations.¡¯


    ¡¯Nonsense!¡¯ Jack didn¡¯t let Daliea say another word of me. ¡¯That¡¯s their fault for having issues with your race, not yours. Either way, we¡¯ll still be meeting with Lyrun and Eedaj, so don¡¯t sweat it.¡¯


    ¡¯How¡¯s that?¡¯ asked the girl who formerly thought herself a goblin.


    With a smile, Jack replied for the entire party to hear, ¡¯Because Lyrun has been at the Prehistoric Forest since before we arrived in Korten. I¡¯m not sure why, but he¡¯s been waiting just outside it without moving at all.¡¯


    ¡¯Great, then I¡¯ll still get to pledge to him!¡¯ shouted Eliza, d to not be the only party member without a blessing.


    As the party eventually reached the city gate, it was opened for them without a word and closed behind them as well. Then, the party changed course and began their trek north.


    Not far behind them, a few elves kept watch from the treetops. The lead guard was the same that Jack had angered earlier, but he was feeling much better after hearing that Jack¡¯s meeting with Gwendon didn¡¯t go well and he was ordered to keep an eye on them as they visited the Illusory Woods.


    However, that job got a lot harder as Jack stored Bowzer and mounted Phoro along with the women.


    In a single p of Phoro¡¯s great wings, the party rocketed toward their destination far faster than the elves could keep up. A couple of momentster, the party was out of sight and Tarmurn¡¯s spies were left behind, red in the face with anger.

 Chapter 360 Finding Lyrun

    <h4>Chapter 360 Finding Lyrun</h4>


    ¡¯That¡¯s enough, Phoro!¡¯


    The Minokawa chuckled as Jack gave the order to slow down, returning to his usual half speed. ¡¯I hope you get stronger sooner. I want to fly freely, not at a snail¡¯s pace.¡¯


    Laughing, Jack looked back to the women as he replied, ¡¯If that¡¯s a snail¡¯s pace, I want to get a snail as my nextpanion.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... too fast...¡¯ Eliza groaned, feeling a headache from that explosion of speed.


    Jack tried tofort her and Daliea. ¡¯Told you to brace yourself. How else were we gonna lose those elves following us?¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... just don¡¯t do it again,¡¯ replied Eliza.


    ¡¯Yes, let¡¯s not do that again,¡¯ added Daliea, who felt a bit better since the incident took her mind off the negotiation with Gwendon. ¡¯Are we there now?¡¯


    ¡¯Not quite,¡¯ Jack answered. ¡¯At this speed, we¡¯ll reach there in a couple of hours. So just rx for now.¡¯


    Feeling at ease flying at a morefortable speed, the party recuperated a bit before resuming their chat. Daliea was the first to kick off the discussion.


    ¡¯Jack, do you know anything else about my race?¡¯


    Shaking his head, Jack replied, ¡¯Sadly, no. All I know is that you¡¯re from an ancient elven race that supposedly disappeared from history by disguising themselves as powerful goblins. But even after that, they were eventually wiped out like your tribe.¡¯


    ¡¯And what about Eedaj?¡¯


    ¡¯All I know is that he¡¯s the oldest of your race and that he knows the true history of what happened to your people."


    The thought of learning the truth filled Daliea with peace. She instinctively leaned her chest and head into Jack¡¯s back, making herself morefortable.


    Jack didn¡¯t object but he looked back to Eliza, who smiled and nodded.


    Eliza was the next person to ask a question. ¡¯Jack, do you think I¡¯ll be able to get Lyrun¡¯s blessing?¡¯


    ¡¯I would think so,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯Sterfen said that he¡¯s a rebel god, so why not?¡¯


    ¡¯What did Daruun say?¡¯


    ¡¯I... I didn¡¯t ask Daruun that...¡¯ Recounting his conversations with Daruun, never once did the God of Fate mention getting Lyrun¡¯s blessing as key to Jack¡¯s visit to Korten.


    ¡¯But do you think I can still get his blessing?¡¯ Eliza asked again.


    Jack sighed, ¡¯If he¡¯s too stupid to offer you his legendary blessing, then I¡¯ll find you a new, better blessing. Don¡¯t worry too much, okay Eliza?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, darling.¡¯ Eliza¡¯s hand reached past the smaller elven girl and felt Jack¡¯s chest. ¡¯I¡¯ll do as you say.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, hon.¡¯


    Jack smiled, enjoying the tender embrace of the two women behind him as they continued toward the Prehistoric Forest.


    The next two hours flew by until Phoro asked, ¡¯Jack, I¡¯m guessing that¡¯s the ce?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, you can¡¯t miss it,¡¯ chuckled Jack.


    The women gradually opened their eyes, getting a full view of the sudden change in nt life ahead. Everything was enormous! The bushes looked more like trees and most of the fauna was taller than them. And the trees... They could only be looked down on by the Ancient Life Tree in Estonya. Otherwise, the Prehistoric Forest might im to contain the tallest trees in Kartonia.


    ¡¯Start the descent, Phoro,¡¯ ordered Jack. ¡¯We¡¯re going to meet the Nature God.¡¯


    ¡¯Sure thing!¡¯


    The Minokawa took his time to slow down andnd just in front of the massive forest. That was when the party noticed something peculiar.


    A thinyer of phantasmal energy faded in and out of existence, surrounding the entire Prehistoric Forest somehow. Jack reached out to touch it but he went right through the barrier instead. It seemed that Gwendon wasn¡¯t lying about the ability to enter the barrier, but he wasn¡¯t sure about what would happen after entering. Keeping that in mind, Jack looked to his party with caution.


    ¡¯Everyone, we¡¯ll have to stay on our toes once we enter the forest. If the elves haven¡¯t been hunting in there for so long, then there¡¯s no telling what we¡¯ll run into once we¡¯re inside.¡¯ Jack added, ¡¯But before that, Lyrun should be just east of us.¡¯


    Leading the party, Jack walked long the illusory border with his map tab in the corner of his view, like a minimap. As he got closer and closer to where Lyrun was marked, Jack eventually came to a halt.


    "Lyrun! We know you¡¯re here, so can you make it easy on us ande out already!"


    Jack¡¯s shout echoed through the area, bouncing off all the trees and thick foliage. It was nigh impossible to find the god although Jack was certain that Lyrun was nearby. That¡¯s why Jack shouted, hoping that Lyrun was willing to cooperate.


    "Very well... Does that mean you¡¯re with Daruun?"


    A soft, androgynous voice reverberated through the wooded area,ing from everywhere and nowhere at the same time.


    "That depends, are you?" replied Jack.


    "A good answer..." Suddenly, the bark of the tree three meters ahead of Jack started to peel apart, slowly creaking a cavity within. From that cavity emerged a tall man with elven features and vitality, unlike anything Jack had witnessed before. The man then cast a gigantic barrier to engulf their surroundings and spoke, "I am Lyrun. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet with the man I assume is Daruun¡¯s champion. It¡¯s been a long timeing."


    "Lyrun... So, it¡¯s true that you¡¯re one of the rebel gods?" asked Jack.


    The Nature God nodded. "That¡¯s correct. Please, speak freely as no one can hear or see what¡¯s taking ce in this space."


    "Have you been expecting us?"


    "In a way, yes. I was recently told that Daruun had been summoned and have been waiting here since then," stated Lyrun.


    Jack tilted his head and asked, "Who told you?"


    "No one that you would know," answered Lyrun. "But that source is entirely reliable so I don¡¯t doubt it. And now that you¡¯re here before me, you¡¯ve confirmed that he was correct."


    "What else do you know?" questioned Jack. "Do you know anything about the ns of the Neutral Gods?"


    "I know nothing of the sort," Lyrun stated, shaking his head.


    "Then let me fill you in a bit, but first allow me to introduce a few people." Motioning to his party members, Jack introduced them, "This is Phoro and this is Bowzer. I assume you already know what types of beasts they are, so allow me to introduce the two people most interested in you. First, there¡¯s my wife Eliza who wishes to pledge to you. And second, there¡¯s Daliea who¡¯s a surviving member of the fallen greis elves."


    Lyrun kept his slight smile but took a deep breath in through his nose. "I see. Well, allow me to say that it would be better that she doesn¡¯t receive my blessing, as I can¡¯t offer the legendary blessing your most likely after."


    "Why not?" asked Jack.


    "Someone else is currently using that blessing, that¡¯s why." Looking to Daliea, Lyrun¡¯s slight grin shift to a small frown. "Allow me to first apologize for what urred in the distant past to your people, Daliea. And please know that it was all my fault."


    Caught off guard, the party looked to Lyrun with curious eyes. Daliea was feeling a tumult of different emotions, differing from rage to empathy and sorrow to courtesy.


    Lyrun continued with a humble bow. "I¡¯m certain that you¡¯ll soon be meeting with Eedaj, so I won¡¯t go into detail about the past. I just wanted to formally apologize. You¡¯re wee to hate me as my brother Eedaj has grown to."


    "Your brother? You and Eedaj are brothers?" Jack asked.


    With a nod, Lyrun mentioned, "That¡¯s true, yes, but the reason I came was to warn you. What is your name, by the way?"


    "Right, my name is Jack. I¡¯m a summoned hero that¡¯s technically under the Adventurers Association but I¡¯m more focused on the revival of Trodar and the Leisure Guild," Jack finally introduced himself.


    "Leisure Guild... And a summoned hero... Are you Jack J., perhaps?"

 Chapter 361 Dark Clouds Looming

    <h4>Chapter 361 Dark Clouds Looming</h4>


    "Leisure Guild... And a summoned hero... Are you Jack J., perhaps?"


    "Is it that obvious?" Jack chuckled, scratching his head.


    "Only because I know that your Daruun¡¯s champion," replied Lyrun. "Without that crucial piece of information, it would take some digging to learn the truth. And even then, it would only be theory."


    "But would the gods make a move against me on a theory?" asked Jack.


    "No, we¡¯re not allowed to do that. We¡¯ve been given our orders and those orders would need to change for us to personally take action. However, that doesn¡¯t mean holy and chaotic factions wouldn¡¯t send their champions to deal with you," answered Lyrun.


    "Well, for the time being, I¡¯m not too worried about that," Jack stated. "I¡¯ve already met the holy champion and I¡¯m not too worried about him."


    "You¡¯ve met him already?" Lyrun¡¯s tone shifted abruptly. The casual conversation felt more hard-pressed as the Nature God loudly questioned Jack, "Tell me, what¡¯s his name? And what¡¯s his profession?"


    Jack squinted but replied, "You¡¯re asking about Lorwynn, right? The founder of the Adventurers Association?"


    Lyrun opened his mouth to say more but he found himselfcking the words. His thoughts were still too rampant for the god to form the questions he wanted answers to.


    "He hasn¡¯t reported that, has he?" Jack asked, finding the answer written all over Lyrun¡¯s face. "I guess Lorwynn wasn¡¯t lying after all."


    "How long has he known?"


    "He knew since my first visit to Federal City. As an official member of the association and having stopped the syndicate¡¯s plot in Reinolt, I met him and the rest of the council. It was then that I discovered he was a champion but I only learned that he was the holy champion after he visited me personally at an inn," exined Jack.


    "This isn¡¯t good..." Worry started to seep from Lyrun¡¯s face. "Why did he have to meet you so soon?! This could ruin everything!"


    "Lyrun, what are you talking about?" Sensing that something major was going on behind the scenes, Jack wanted to learn all he could.


    "Jack... Well, you are Daruun¡¯s champion... Maybe..."


    "What are you up to Lyrun, and how could my meeting Lorwynn ruin it?"


    Hesitant, Lyrun tried to calm his nerves and look Jack in the eyes. "For now, you don¡¯t need to know anything. But should something go wrong, I may ask for your assistance."


    "And why should I offer you my help if you can¡¯t help me?" Jack reasoned, not backing down.


    "That... You have a good point... Is there anything I can help with?" Lyrun asked.


    "Well, I was trying to renew the Leisure Guild¡¯s trading pact with Korten, as well as pay handsomely to be Korten¡¯s exclusive trading partner..." Jack thought out loud. "But then Gwendon had to turn me down without considering it."


    "You want exclusive trading rights? That¡¯s it? You¡¯re not after our treasures or our collection of ancient item recipes?" Baffled, Lyrun tried to learn more about Jack¡¯s motives.


    "If I want those things, then I¡¯ll trade for them. What I want are exclusive trading rights between the guild and Korten for a minimum of five years," repeated Jack. "And if what you ask of meter is too much for that, then at least ten years. How does that sound?"


    "That¡¯s... doable. But when I ask for your assistance, you¡¯ll have toe immediately."


    Smiling with his hand extended, Jack replied, "So long as I¡¯m not busy protecting the guild or an ally of the guild, then I¡¯lle personally. If not me, then someone else wille in my stead. So, will it be five or ten years?"


    "Ten," Lyrun immediately answered. "Then we¡¯ve reached an ord."


    Both the man and the god shook firmly as they came to terms. Jack was ted to get what he wanted for the guild and Lyrun was d to have a new ally for his own machinations.


    "By the way, I¡¯m also here to take Eedaj to Trodar. He¡¯ll be the first of the Neutral Gods to relocate to the Leisure Guild," Jack added. "When you became a god, did you leave a way out of the holy faction?"


    Lyrun sighed. "Yes, but that¡¯s the least of my worries right now. Maybeter I¡¯ll discuss that with you, but I¡¯ve got other matters to look into as you¡¯ve already made contact with my disciple."


    "Oh... So that¡¯s why you can¡¯t give Eliza your blessing. Then, if I get the chance, I¡¯ll tell Lorwynn you said, ¡¯Hi¡¯ when I see him next."


    "Thank you, Jack. I must be off now. Good luck in Trodar, and tell my brother he can always ask for help should he need it."


    Lyrun bowed his head lightly as the green barrier retracted in the blink of an eye. By the time it was gone, Lyrun had already vanished without a trace.


    "Come on, let¡¯s hurry up and meet Eedaj. We¡¯ve only got tomorrow to get back to the Leisure Guild, so we may have to fly through the night," Jack refocused the party and stepped through the illusory barrier around the Prehistoric Forest. "Come on, let¡¯s stick together."


    The rest of the party followed along, still feeling some pride for Jack¡¯s ability to speak so confidently with immortal beings.


    *****


    "How much longer, Tralon?"


    "Calm yourself, Argyle," replied the aging mage. "The circle will bepleted very shortly."


    Argyle sighed, "But that¡¯s what you said two hours ago..."


    "No, I said it would bepleted shortly. This time I specifically said ¡¯very shortly¡¯ to emphasize the little time left," chuckled Tralon.


    "You know, after learning that you were that boys sidekick all those years ago, I finally understand your wicked sense of humor," Argyle mentioned, not disrespecting norplimenting the mage.


    "I¡¯m being serious, though. In less than five minutes, the circle will be operational," added Tralon, smiling back to his old friend.


    "Argyle!"


    Surprised to hear Baral¡¯s voice from outside the concealed courtyard, Argyle shouted, "What¡¯s wrong Baral?"


    Baral asked, "May Ie in? Something strange is taking ce outside."


    "Very well, but only you."


    The massive lock within the door clicked and Baral opened it just enough to enter the room before shutting the door and relocking it. Then, the manager hurried to Argyle with a bow. "Argyle, you may want to check what¡¯s going on outside. A furious, unnatural wind is carrying what looks like endless storm clouds toward Federal City."


    "Storm clouds?" Argyle itched the scruff on his face. "Tralon, have you heard of such a thing?"


    "Hmm... That¡¯s hard to say. It could be a number of things. I¡¯d have to see it for myself to know for sure," stated Tralon. "But I¡¯m busy here, so it might be best if you go, Argyle."


    "Then I¡¯ll hurry back and describe everything to you. Show me, Baral." The auction house owner took the lead, despite his asking Baral for guidance.


    The two men sealed the door behind them, hurrying to get a better view of the storm that was racing toward Kartonia¡¯s greatest megacity. It took nearly five minutes just to exit the auction house but they were soon outside, where Baral was baffled further.


    "They¡¯ve already gotten so close?"


    "Baral, how far away were the clouds ten minutes ago?" asked Argyle.


    Replying, Baral recovered, "They were about thirty minutes of travel away."


    That was when Argyle understood his manager¡¯s confusion. If it wasn¡¯t Baral telling him that, he wouldn¡¯t have believed such a thing. The pitch-ck storm clouds were already over a third of the city yet they truly were endless.


    Taking every detail into his memory, Argyle hurried to decipher the exact characteristics of the storm before he and Baral rushed back to Tralon.


    "You¡¯re back already?" Tralon asked, still hunched over to write thest few characters of the teleportation circle.


    "Tralon, the pitch-ck storm should already be covering the entire city by now and the most peculiar thing is the ck lightning that¡¯s coursing through the clouds but doesn¡¯t reign down on the city," exined Argyle.


    As the final character was magically etched into the newly made tform, Tralon¡¯s finger stiffened. "ck... lightning?"

 Chapter 362 Black Lightning Throughout Federal City

    <h4>Chapter 362 ck Lightning Throughout Federal City</h4>


    "ck... lightning? And it¡¯s not striking the ground?"


    Argyle replied, "No, it¡¯s coursing through the clouds without harming anything in the city."


    "Argyle, gather your guild and send them through the portal." Tralon stood up and retrieved his usual staff. "Make haste, Argyle."


    "Tralon, I can¡¯t just--"


    "If you want your guild to survive, then send everyone through the portal immediately," stated Tralon. "I¡¯ll be leaving first to prepare the guild to receive your people."


    "But Tralon--"


    "Hurry up!"


    A powerful pulse of spatial energy erupted from the tform, startling Argyle and Baral as Tralon disappeared. Left with only Tralon¡¯s warning, Argyle left with a hard decision to make.


    "Argyle..." Noticing the panic in Argyle¡¯s face, Baral spoke up, "Do you trust Tralon?"


    "I¡¯d trust him more than anyone, second only to..." Catching himself before admitting his unconditional trust to Jack, Argyle looked back at his manager. "Tralon¡¯s experience speaks volumes and hardly anyone in Kartonia canpete with his insight."


    "If you trust his insight so much, they why do you doubt his warning?" questioned Baral. "If Tralon was so worried about what¡¯sing, then why shouldn¡¯t we be worried? He just left to prepare for our entire guild¡¯s arrival, Argyle. Do you think he would say that jokingly?"


    "No... Call the other managers and order an immediate evacuation of the guild through the teleportation circle," replied Argyle, regaining some of his natural confidence.


    "And our storages?"


    "Each manager is already in charge of one storage, so they should also take care of those treasures during a crisis," Argyle stated. "I¡¯ll let you handle the restricted storage, Baral. I¡¯ve got something to take care of."


    "I¡¯ll handle it proudly, Argyle." With a quick bow, Baral jumped into action. He called the other managers as he hurried to the restricted storage."


    Argyle took a deep breath and did something no guild member was suspecting.


    Once Argyle had exited the concealed courtyard, the swordsman charged through the roof of his guild house. Rather than wind through the halls and avoid colliding into other guild members, Argyle sprinted across the rooftops toward his destination. It didn¡¯t take him long at top speed, seeing the Heavenly Pce Inn¡¯s sign from the rooftops.


    The swordsman quickly dropped to the ground and let himself inside.


    "Oh, Argyle. Long time no--"


    "Marisha, get your husband and parents together now," Argyle stated clearly but not too loudly.


    Thrown for a loop, Marisha put down the menus in her hand and asked, "What¡¯s going on?"


    "I¡¯m not sure, but Tralon¡¯s worried about those clouds, so we should as well." Argyle hurried inside to the room where he would typically find his asional drinking buddy. "Is Zariff in his booth?"


    "No, he¡¯s out doing a delivery. At least tell me what--"


    "Wait, he¡¯s got Jack¡¯s pact too, right?" Argyle mumbled to himself, stopping in ce and not taking in what Marisha was shouting at him.


    ¡¯Zariff, can you hear me?¡¯


    ¡¯Argyle? Is that you? When did you make a pact with Jack?¡¯ Surprised yet happy, Zariff replied.


    Argyle sighed in relief. ¡¯Zariff, hurry to my guild house and join the evacuation. I¡¯ll lead your wife and her parent there now.¡¯


    Sensing Argyle¡¯s urgency yet notprehending the situation, Zariff questioned, ¡¯Whoa, whoa, what¡¯s going on, Argyle? Did you say your guild is evacuating?¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon just created a teleportation circle there,¡¯ replied Argyle. ¡¯My guild will be using that to escape to Trodar. I¡¯ll bring your wife and her parents with me now, so hurry and get there while you can.¡¯


    ¡¯But what¡¯s going--¡¯


    ¡¯Zariff, I honestly don¡¯t know anything. All I know is that Tralon insisted that my guild should escape to Trodar while they were still alive.¡¯


    ¡¯Then... This has something to do with those clouds? That ck lightning does give me chills...¡¯ Zariff couldn¡¯t help but remember the ck storm clouds that Jack had summoned to reveal the hidden syndicate members in Reinolt. They were eerily simr, yet there were far too many of those clouds to count. ¡¯He didn¡¯t mention anything about the syndicate, did he?¡¯


    Intrigued, Argyle answered, ¡¯No, why do you ask that?¡¯


    ¡¯That ck lightning looks like the same Jack used to identify syndicate members,¡¯ replied Zariff with a sigh. ¡¯Let¡¯s meet at your ce. Take care of my wife!¡¯


    As Zariff ended the conversation, he took a deep breath while staring up at the dark, dismal sky. Once he exhaled, Zariff grunted and burst forward at peak speed. Offering delivery to the other side of town was something he already hated, even for the extra fee, and being separated from his family right then was even worse.


    Argyle nodded and turned to Marisha. "You and your parents areing with me right now. Are youing willingly or not?"


    "That..." Marisha wanted to scream at Argyle for such ament, but the degree of seriousness in Argyle¡¯s eyes gave her chills. "I¡¯ll... go get my mom and dad."


    "If you and they aren¡¯t back in one minute, then I¡¯ll bring them myself," stated Argyle, not giving Marisha or her parents any leeway. "Once we¡¯re at the guild, then we¡¯ll meet up with Zariff. He should be on his way now."


    "But how--"


    "Fifty-nine... Fifty-eight..."


    Not wasting any more time bickering, Marisha dropped everything and hurried to the kitchen. A few loud voices were heard as well as a few thuds, but the three of them hurried to meet Argyle at the front.


    Noticing the red handprint on Rayard¡¯s cheek, he chuckled. "Now, we¡¯ll leave for the Fat Goose immediately. And I know you¡¯re all over lv. 20, so don¡¯t you dare move slowly."


    "Argyle, what¡¯s--"


    "I¡¯ll exin at the Fat Goose!" shouted Argyle, cutting off Martha from asking more. He then threw the door open and stepped out, waiting for the others to abandon their guests and run beside him.


    They left begrudgingly, but the looks on their faces started to change as the ck lightning was growingrger andrger. Though it only ran through the clouds at the moment, it was growing visibly stronger at an rming rate. Most of the civilians outside were already startled by the sudden storm, but that frightening ck lightning was forcing everyone to realize that something unimaginable was about to happen.


    "Federal City!"


    A voice abruptly shouted as ifing from above the clouds. "You house the greatest offenders within your city, which we havee to purge. Should you join our purge, you shall avoid extermination. Should you interfere, you will be exterminated. Should you do nothing... then good luck to you!"


    The voice startedughing wildly as the ck lightning grew more ferocious. Finally, a single bolt struck down on the city, reducing a few buildings to rubble and fire.


    Worried beyond belief, Marisha saw the not too distant mes rising from the rubble and was shaken by that powerful lightning. "This..."


    "Just hurry to the Fat Goose!" Argyle shouted as the others were now willingly following him with great haste. "Forget the lightning, I¡¯ll handle it if necessary."


    Thatughter still rang out throughout the city, terrorizing the inhabitants of the world¡¯s greatest megacity as bolt after bolt of that lightning destroyed the city bit by bit. "Where are your heroes? Where¡¯s the association to stop us? As our greatest foes, we¡¯vee to finish the fight that they started a thousand years ago!"


    "If that¡¯s so, then show yourself!" A new voice rang out, reverberating through the city to match the despicableughter. "If you want to fight, then fight!"


    "Lorwynn... Finally, you¡¯ve shown up to the party,"ughed the crazy voice. "Are you ready for our showdown? Or will you run away likest time?"


    "Silence, Hadurt!" Lorwynn barked, slowing levitating up toward the sky for the city to see. "You¡¯ve forced my hand this time, so I¡¯ve no choice but to render you lifeless this time."

 Chapter 363 Federal City Under Attack

    <h4>Chapter 363 Federal City Under Attack</h4>


    A hole started to open up in the clouds as a lone figure descended to face Lorwynn with a twisted grin.


    But Argyle only nced at the two men as the lightning stopped raining down on the city for the time being. He understood that the two men were now conversing for only their ears, however, he had no time to focus on that situation.


    The Fact Goose was already in view. All they had to do now was cross the city market, but Argyle dashed in front of the other three, blocking them from going further.


    "Hey! What are you--"


    Just then, an echoing thud resounded as a figure fell from the sky andnded a few meters in front of Argyle. It was a huge mountain of a man wielding a greataxe who tilted his head from side to side, letting Argyle hear the crackles as the man loosed his neck.


    "You¡¯re Argyle, right?" asked the hulking figure, looking down on Argyle from half a meter up. "Join us!"


    "I decline!" shouted Argyle. "Now let them through or I¡¯ll kill you on the spot."


    "Oh, I like that n! Let¡¯s have a go!" snickered the man, lunging forward with his greataxe.


    Argyle would normally sidestep the attack, but that wasn¡¯t in the card due to the three people hiding behind him.


    "Then die!"


    A sword appeared in Argyle¡¯s hand. It was then coated in a sharp aura, like the rest of the Argyle¡¯s body. Since he wasn¡¯t able to see through the attacker¡¯s strength and he was warned they might be from the syndicate which Daruun had warned Argyle of recently, Argyle went all-out from the very start.


    "Go!" Argyle shouted as he parried the greataxe, proking the thee people behind him to get moving.


    Those three took action and started to run, but that man didn¡¯t dare stop them. Instead, the wicked grin on his face turned serious as he looked to his weapon. Arge crack was now formed in the rod supporting the axe head, in the very spot that Argyle had swatted at.


    Now on guard, the man asked, "What sword is that?"


    "My murder weapon!"


    Not caring to speak, Argyle pushed ahead with a flurry of strikes. They were either blocked or dodged by the uncharacteristically quick man. But Argyle was gaining more and more momentum as the fight started to pick up its pace.


    More and more figures were dropping from the sky. Manynded in the market but dozens were still scattered across the city.


    However, none approached the three running toward the Fat Goose.


    The men and women who dropped from the sky all had a target in mind, entering nearby shops or influential buildings. Most of those people darted toward the Adventurers Association, earnest in drawing out the strongestbatants. Rather than give up their pawns, the syndicate dropped some of their more powerful warriors first to keep their pawns alive for as long as possible.


    Marisha and her parents were at the front steps of the Fat Goose when they looked back to Argyle¡¯s assault on the man that had blocked them. They could hardly keep up with their eyes, let alone imagine how strong those attacks were between bothbatants.


    "Marisha!"


    Relief filled Marisha¡¯s heart as she heard her husband¡¯s voice. "There you are!"


    Zariff dashed up the stairs,pletely exhausted while at the same time entirely on guard due to the situation. When he saw Argyle holding back that man, Zariff grabbed his wife by the hand. "Hurry! Let¡¯s get inside!"


    Hearing Zariff¡¯s shout, Argyle stepped back for a moment and smiled to see them out of sight.


    "What? What happened to your fury? Your rage?!" That man started to gain more confidence again. "You don¡¯t know this, but I¡¯ve been training for over a century. There¡¯s no way you can--"


    "Three attacks."


    Infuriated to be cut off during his intimidating back story, the man grunted. "You! If you¡¯re so cocky, then--"


    "You¡¯ll die in three attacks, regardless of how long you trained," stated Argyle, amping up his sharp aura ridiculously. "Now die!"


    Bursting forward at his full, unbridled speed, Argyle thrust his de forward with precision.


    Knowing all too well that Argyle¡¯s sword was somehow damaging his mythic-tier weapon, the man didn¡¯t dare let Argyle¡¯s strike hit its intended target. Dark red energy covered the man as he startled to cackle wildly.


    The first strike didn¡¯t even nce the axe-wielding man. But Argyle¡¯s de only changed directions, resulting in a sh blocked by the man¡¯s axe.


    "Two attacks till your death."


    "Shut up and fight!" shouted the man, growing to hate Argyle more by the second.


    Argyle¡¯s second attack was already underway, though. His blocked sh led to Argyle turning in the air to use the recoil of the block to his advantage,unching a diagonal sh with even more energy poured into it.


    Unwilling to take the attack and unable to back away after already evading the first attack, the manunched his own attack to meet Argyle head-on in a full power sh.


    As the piercing light blue energy shed with the dark red energy, the greataxe suddenly lightened in the man¡¯s hand. Speechless, the man saw the head of his greataxe get sliced off by Argyle¡¯s attack, leaving the man wide open to the fear that was finally setting in.


    "Send more for Argy--"


    The man tried his best to call other warriors and warn them about his defeat, but Argyle¡¯s de pierced through the man¡¯s full-te armor and carved into his throat. His words were cut short, just like his life.


    Argyle immediately dashed toward the Fat Goose, not daring to stay any longer as more and more fights were breaking out between high-levelbatants. Some neighboring buildings were already being razed to the ground from the effects of battle. Other warriors soon noticed the fall of Argyle¡¯s opponent, both shocked and giddy at the oue.


    While a few more men started to target Argyle and the Fat Goose, Argyle shouted in his mind, ¡¯Tralon, has my guild already escaped?¡¯


    ¡¯Nearly everyone is through, just hurry!¡¯ replied the mage.


    ¡¯But if I draw others to the circle, then--¡¯


    ¡¯Even better! Do that, but escape the moment you¡¯re able!¡¯ replied Tralon, confusing Argyle. ¡¯Now hurry!¡¯


    ¡¯Fine!¡¯ Argyle shook his head in disbelief by Tralon¡¯s n but he followed along anyway. However, since the guild house was empty, Argyle broke through the building to reach the circle in a straight shot.


    In the marketce, Hurmot was already battling his own opponent to keep him away from his guild house, but he was amazed to see Argyle carve through his opponent so cleanly. And when Argyle rocketed into the Fat Goose without caring for the building, Hurmot wondered what Argyle might be up to or what he might know. And with that in his mind, how could Hurmot not start imagining Jack as a cause of that?


    The managers of the Celestial Crane were also outside, but opponents quickly arrived for them after they aided Hurmot in overwhelming his foe.


    Golden Haven was having a terrible time. Their owner was still absent on an anonymous leave and the managers were struggling to hold back the opponents trying to raid their guild.


    Yet when no managers of the Fat Goose came out, it was eerily suspicious. Then Argyle destroyed his own guild house in a rush to flee from morebatants, something that Argyle would never do under normal circumstances. Hurmot was having a hard time understanding what the younger auction house owner was thinking. He wondered if Argyle was actually going to allow the invaders to take his riches, something an auction house owner would never do.


    With Argyle supposedly fleeing, Hurmot decided to make a bet. While his mangers stalled the invaders, Hurmot destroyed his way into the Celestial Crane, as Argyle did with the Fat Goose. However, Hurmot was heading toward his restricted storage.

 Chapter 364 The True Battle Begins

    <h4>Chapter 364 The True Battle Begins</h4>


    "Hadurt, what are you after this time?"


    "Lorwynn, if you think this is enough to stop me now, you¡¯ll get overrun,"ughed the man in ck skeletal armor. "I¡¯d call your reserves if I was you."


    Not hesitating in the slightest, a contact crystal appeared in Lorwynn¡¯s hand. "Bring out everyone! It¡¯s happening!"


    "How decisive... Shall we let the pawns y before they get wiped out by our aftermath?" joked Hadurt.


    Lorwynn stayed his hand, not daring to attack as the unpredictable Hadurt was also remaining on the sidelines. Should he act, Lorwynn knew that Hadurt would throw caution to the wind. Even if it involved killing his own subordinates, Hadurt would do anything so long as it led him to victory in the end. At the moment, it was better that neither Lorwynn nor Hadurt fight to keep their own troops from falling uselessly.


    Below, as Hurmot followed Argyle¡¯s example by barreling into his guild house, a sudden rush of freshbatants emerged from the association building, forcing a lot of the extra hands avable to the invaders to be upied.


    "Good... Now it¡¯s time to party!" shouted Hadurt.


    As if responding to his shout, dozens more invaders started to fall out of the storm above. They charged toward the association. Finally able to fight anything but endless dungeon mobs, those formerly secludedbatants fought with the vigor of wild beasts.


    The first managers of Celestial Crane and Golden Haven were both ted and rmed to see the sudden rush of reinforcements emerge from the association building. ted to have more support and lighten the load they were facing, but rmed to see so many powerful experts that didn¡¯t exist in the records.


    "Celestial Crane!" A shouted filled the minds of all Celestial Crane guild members. "Flee Federal City at all costs! Reunite in Gilga, but say nothing till you reach there! That¡¯s an order!"


    "Izzix, escape now!" Again, Hurmot¡¯s voice filled the first manager¡¯s mind, but now through his personal contact crystal and not his guild contact crystal.


    "But the storages--"


    "I¡¯ve already emptied the restricted storages and storages one through three. But if we dy retreat any longer, it may grow toote!" stated Hurmot. "Now run!"


    Hurmot¡¯s connection ended, leaving Izzix to make his own decision.


    The many guild members started to flee toward the city walls by any route they could find. They used the distraction of the reinforcement to the fullest.


    "Run, Cannor!" That was thest thing Izzix shouted before using his strongest attack to break free of his opponent. Once that opening was made, the fencer ran away at full speed with no regrets behind him.


    Cannor spotted the running Izzix, truly baffled by the antics of the other two auction houses.


    Unlike Celestial Crane or Fat Goose, the owner of Golden Haven was absent, leaving Cannor in charge of everything. And should he decide to flee from an invasion, there was no telling how Kaldor would react. He wanted to call Kaldor, but Cannor was too busy struggling to hold his own against opponents with their levels concealed.


    He made no call to retreat nor did make any call to retrieve the treasures from within the guild.


    Cannor sighed, angry that Kaldor trusted no one enough to allow them ess into the restricted storage. Such a decision was the bane of Cannor¡¯s existence at that moment, keeping him from trying to flee only to lose the guild¡¯s most precious treasures. Without those items, even if the guild survived it would have no chance of remaining one of the most influential auction houses in Kartonia.


    Wielding his greatsword with anger and rage, Cannor became more savage the more he thought about the situation and his inability to seed in either path he could take.


    When the other members of Golden Haven saw the members of Celestial Crane running away, they were baffled.


    Most of Celestial Crane¡¯s opponents chased after the managers and fleeing members but some redirected their attention toward Golden Haven. It forced the members of Golden Haven into greater depression, offering them no way out as they had missed their opportunity to run.


    "Stand and fight! Like our guild master, refuse to stand down before a challenge!" Cannor shouted, trying his best to inspire his fellow guild members to continue their losing fight.


    While the fight on their end was growing grimmer, something stole the attention of the entire battlefield.


    Out of nowhere, a gigantic pulse of spatial energy enveloped the entirety of the Fat Goose guild house. Then, without warning or giving viewers time to react, that purple energy imploded the entire guild house. Every bit of material in the guild house¡¯s construction was practically evaporated, torn and shredded apart by the spatial pulse.


    When the purple energy dispersed, there was no sign of the Fat Goose ever existing where it¡¯s guild house once stood.


    Shaken to the extreme, Cannor waspletely perplexed and lost as to what was happening. All he could do was prolong his inevitable fall as more and more invaders entered the marketce, trampling what used to be stalls, booths, and night merchants.


    "Was that..."


    "The Fat Goose had a teleportation portal?!" An excited chuckle left Hadurt¡¯s lips. "Who gave then that? Do you know, Lorwynn?"


    Keeping his mouth shut, Lorwynn kept his thoughts to himself. It was obvious to him who gave that to the Fat Goose, but he had no clue that Jack was so resourceful so soon. Lorwynn didn¡¯t show it with his face, but he was d to realize that Jack was growing far quicker than he had anticipated.


    "It should¡¯ve been that old mage from Trodar, right?" reasoned Hadurt, proving just as sharp as Lorwynn thanks to his long lifespan. "I guess they were closer than we suspected. I¡¯ll remember that forter. For now... Should we finally get started, Lorwynn?"


    Fixing his sharp gaze on Hadurt, Lorwynn stayed silent. He wanted to prolong their battle for as long as possible.


    "Fine... Then we¡¯ll just do this!"


    Following Hadurt¡¯s intent, the ck lightning started to build up again. In a matter of moments, more and more lightning started to rain down on the city, some even striking the bloody battlefield in the central market. The lightning showed no preference, killing anything and everything it touched whether they were enemies of the syndicate or members of the syndicate.


    Some of the more powerful experts managed to either avoid the lightning or eat the damage while standing strong, but anyone under lv. 60 was instantly fried to death by electrocution.


    "You¡¯re always in a rush to cause a massacre, Hadurt... Have you always been so sick minded?" questioned Lorwynn, not showing any emotion apart from his piercing stare.


    A crudely shaped greatsword appeared in Hadurt¡¯s had, matching his ck armor spattered in bloodstains. "Come on, Lorwynn. Let¡¯s y around a little. They¡¯re already in harm¡¯s way, so what difference does it make if we fight now?"


    Sighing, Lorwynn equipped his staff made from the wood of the Ancient Life Tree. Golden runes were etched into the wood, appearing to match Hadurt¡¯s greatsword in strength and rarity.


    "This time, I¡¯ll take Lyrun¡¯s staff even if I die!"


    "Then I¡¯ll be sure to im your life, but I won¡¯t offer a fair exchange."


    The ck de fell, leaving dark, dubious energy streaking the air behind it. It collided with the green barrier that Lorwynn cast around himself, creating sparks of green and ck energy blowing past bothbatants.


    Hadurt grinned wide as he started to hack time and time again, sending waves of ck energy into Lorwynn¡¯s barrier and the battlefield below.


    When the battle below was suddenly hit by the remnants of Hadurt¡¯s attack, everyone trembled in terror, especially the syndicate members who knew Hadurt¡¯s true nature.

 Chapter 365 Fall of Golden Haven

    <h4>Chapter 365 Fall of Golden Haven</h4>


    As dark waves of death struck the battlefield below, the syndicate members pushed even harder to enter their assigned buildings.


    Sadly for Golden Haven, the invaders that arrivedte to the Fat Goose were forced to fight elsewhere. And what target would be better than an auction house? By then, it was clear that Kaldor wasn¡¯t in Federal City at the time, meaning that Golden Haven¡¯s strongest man wasn¡¯t there to save his guild.


    Cannor was already at the end of his rope. The invaders were just toying with him now. They would deal him a heavy blow to send Cannor flying and then they would walk up to him, patiently waiting for him to get back up and repeat the cycle. Soon, a circle gathered around him so that different invaders could take turns beating on him.


    At the same time, Golden Haven¡¯s storages had already been breached.


    Celestial Crane left behind a few storages as well, but all of their high-level items were nowhere to be found. And searching the Fat Goose was impossible as it was eradicated along with all of the invaders who had chased Argyle into the Fat Goose.


    With such rotten results from their raid thus far, the invaders made sure to pige Golden Haven for everything it had. They slew every member along the way, only ying with the managers who could withstand more than a single blow. But even the managers could only take so much. They too started to die off, eventually leaving Cannor as the sole remnant of Golden Haven.


    Surrounded by attackers and given no chance to escape, Cannor tried his best to ignore his bloody wounds and his broken left arm.


    "You... How dare you!!" Cannor shouted with all his dying fervor. With his one good arm, Cannor charged his strongest attack.


    One of the invaders stepped into the circle, which quickly reclosed to create a makeshift diatorial pit. That invader was the first to pin Cannor and the one had broken his arm. The invader spoke loudly with a proud grin, "As a fellow berserker, I¡¯ll face you. But take this first, as you¡¯ve earned my respect."


    A high potion fell to the ground in front of Cannor. But the enraged berserker stomped on it as he charged the invader.


    "So be it..." Preparing his own attack, the invader leaped into the air and brought his sword down on Cannor.


    The sh was quick. Cannor was forced to his knees by the attack as his right arm broke from the impact. The invader gave Cannor a sug look and added, "If you had at least been honorable and made this a duel, I would¡¯ve finished you honorably. But now..."


    With a swing of his greatsword, the invader shed Cannor across the chest. The manager¡¯s organs started to fall out as the attack went just deep enough to cut Cannor open without touching his vital organs.


    "Now I¡¯ll show you disrespect for disrespecting me," the invader finished his earlier thought. "Men, you may do what you wish."


    Stepping back out of the circle, the syndicate berserker let the other blood-crazed men tear the manager to pieces. Not paying attention to Cannor¡¯s final cries, the berserker nonchntly smiled when he noticed Hadurt¡¯s attacks reflecting into the marketce below. Then, he spotted the fight between the association and his fellow invaders. Spotting what seemed like a good foe, the berserker darted out from the wreckage of Golden Haven and reentered the chaotic battlefield.


    As his new opponent slew an invader, the berserker charged him with a regr wing of his sword. That opponent easily batted the sword away and looked curiously at the berserker.


    "I¡¯m not looking for ythings, I¡¯m after a battle!" shouted the berserker, keeping his calm smile.


    Annoyed at the berserker¡¯s desire for a fair fight, the barbarian swung his greataxe in fury. When the berserker dodged it but didn¡¯t return with an attack, the barbarian shouted, "You invade our home and desire a fair fight? Ridiculous!"


    "It doesn¡¯t fave to be fair, I just want someone who can attack properly," taunted the berserker, finallyunching a true attack.


    The energy covered weapons shed, pushing both men back. Grunting unhappily, the barbarian slid back a couple of meters. With a half-satisfied smile on his face, the berserker took a single step back.


    "You¡¯re strong enough, I guess," stated the berserker, getting a better feel for the barbarian¡¯s strength. "Give me all you¡¯ve got or you¡¯ll only give me a warm-up."


    Furious, the barbarian prepared another attack with all his strength. His axe turned dark brown, mimicking stone that had beenpacted indefinitely. When it shed against the berserker¡¯s sword, the berserker finally showed a full smile.


    "That¡¯s more like it!" Dark blue energy coated the berserker¡¯s de. It started to look like ckened ice, as if it were hard enough to break even ciers. "Let¡¯s go again."


    The two men shed again and again. Both attacks proved powerful but the condensed energy gathered around the axe started to show some cracks. But before the barbarian could fix that, the berserker was already attacking again to chip away at it more and more.


    "Come on, don¡¯t end it like this," stated the berserker, not letting up or giving the barbarian a chance to breathe.


    More focused than ever, the barbarian groaned as he blocked blow after blow. He understood that if the tempo of the battle didn¡¯t change, his attack would shatter and leave him vulnerable.


    "Enough!"


    A new voice appeared as the berserker looked to his right. But as the berserker turned his face, a fist immediately connected. Blown back a few meters, the berserker tumbled and managed to end up on his knees with his sword holding him up.


    "If you needed help, you should¡¯ve asked." A second association member was now standing beside the barbarian. "For now, we¡¯ll face this man together."


    "But--"


    "This berserker is most likely a chief in the syndicate, if not a regent," stated the monk, getting the barbarian to shut up. "It will take at least two of you councilmen to face him, so it¡¯s best for a guardian to face him. If you argue, then I¡¯ll face him alone."


    "You¡¯re confident enough to fight me alone?" the berserker chuckled as he walked back to his opponents. "Then you¡¯d better be at least a guardian to talk that big."


    "Come!" shouted the monk, not denying his status in the association.


    The berserker smiled wide and sharpened his gaze. Finally, he could feel the thrill of battle that he was searching for in this fight.


    "Since you¡¯vee..." The berserker then swung his ice-coated sword over and over, creating waves of sword and ice energy. "Then I won¡¯t hold back anymore."


    Thrusting a flurry of fists forward, the monk shattered the sword attacks aimed for him, but the barbarian couldn¡¯t keep up. After breaking one of the attacks aimed for him, the barbarian was hit by the second and lost an arm to the third. Having lost half of his battle strength, it was clear to the barbarian that he unlucky to fight such a foe.


    "I¡¯ll take care of this," stated the monk. "Do what you can elsewhere. Leave him to me."


    "Care to relocate?" The berserker pointed his massive de toward the center of the marketce, where most of Hadurt¡¯s remnant attacks werending.


    "Since you offered it, I¡¯ll oblige," replied the monk, jumping directly into that storm of attacks.


    The berserker followed suit, not backing down either. Both men had simr thoughts to their leaders overhead, not wanting their fight to kill their own men.


    Some of therger buildings in the area started to break apart, splintering debris every which way as the other guardians of the association found the regents of the syndicate. Now, each of the most powerful characters in the full-scale battle would be forced to go all-out.

 Chapter 366 Association Guardians Vs. Syndicate Regents

    <h4>Chapter 366 Association Guardians Vs. Syndicate Regents</h4>


    While streets and neighborhoods were being destroyed by the shes between the guardians of the association and the regents of the syndicate, one of those fights also urred in the marketce.


    Both the monk and the berserker weaved between the attacks raining from above to face each other. The monk proved quick and versatile, facing the berserker with his fists or asionally using a bow staff. At the same time, the berserker proved forceful and immoveable. The battle between the two was growing more powerful by the second.


    "Why have youe?" asked the monk, chatting whilst he traded blows.


    Chuckling, the berserker replied, "If you can still chat casually, then I¡¯m not pressuring you enough."


    Taking things up a notch, the berserker stepped back and charged an attack. Now, more ckness filled the cial energy around the berserker¡¯s sword and made it grow in size, feeling more dubious and blood-curdling. With a smile, the berserker stated, "Block this, and I¡¯ll answer your question."


    Hesitant to face such an attack head-on, the monk took the risk. As he took a deep breath, golden light started to gather around him. That golden light formed a buddha of sorts with eight different arms.


    "Then here Ie!"


    As the giant de mmed down on the monk, the monk and the image behind him both reached out to stay the de. For a moment, both attacks remained still on contact. But then, one attack shattered while the other only weakened. The loser coughed up mouthfuls of blood, falling to their knees.


    "We came... to settle the score... and prepare for the true final battle."


    "I... see..."


    Struggling to breathe and cling to life, the monk looked at his wound. The greatsword had cut clean through his shoulder and was driven into the monk¡¯s chest.


    Breathing heavily and disregarding blood dripping from his busted lip, the berserker smiled. "You... were a worthy opponent."


    "I¡¯m... d... I..."


    The monk never finished speaking. His life left his broken husk before his final words could escape his lips.


    cing one foot on the corpse¡¯s other shoulder, the berserker removed his de. He fell to one knee with the greatsword supporting him. Still smiling, the berserker looked up to see another piece of Hadurt¡¯s attacking at him.


    Rolling aside, the berserker narrowly avoided the attack and returned to the mutted husk of the monk. It didn¡¯t take long for the berserker to find the monk¡¯s storages and loot his former opponent in time to avoid the next attack that deflected towards him.


    "That berserker is quite skilled," Lorwynnplimented.


    Conversing while continuing his strikes, Hadurt replied, "On¡¯s the craziest of the regents. Of course he¡¯d be strong."


    "Too bad..." added Lorwynn.


    Hadurt chuckled, understanding exactly what Lorwynn meant.


    While On¡¯s breathing started to return to normal, he noticed another figure rushing toward him. He swung his sword to block the knife thrown at him, forcing him to remain in the center of the marketce and avoid Hadurt¡¯s attacks midbattle.


    "So, rumors were true," On chuckled. "Are you the fourth or the fifth guardian?"


    That knife was suddenly pulled back toward the woman who had thrown it, revealing a tiny chain connected to the hilt. "I¡¯m the fifth."


    "Two extra guardians... that could be a problem, good thing I¡¯ve already killed one," chuckled On, content to fight again.


    "Then try both facing both of us!" shouted another voice. Another woman wearing a robe stood at a distance while she started to cast her spells.


    Shaking his head, On¡¯s smile got wider. "And there¡¯s number four, right?"


    "Leave or die!" shouted the ninja woman, with a katana in one hand and chained knife in the other.


    "You see..." Stretching his arms and back, On made himselffortable despite his busted lip and tired appearance. "We also had two new regents ready for this invasion."


    "Had?" Catching the strange wording, the ninja asked.


    On took a deep breath and readied his sword as he continued, "Yeah, he had two other regents. But I thought they would be better used as fodder than as extra bodies."


    "You see, I crave a good battle but I¡¯m not allowed to face the other regents because I might get carried away and kill them. So, when two new candidates arrived for the position, they let me fight them instead to increase my EXP," On expounded on his statement as the ninja and sorceress were startled to hear such a thing.


    On shrugged. "Such is life in the syndicate. All that matters is strength. And if you¡¯re strength is better suited as fodder for others to grow, then so be it. That¡¯s how I see you two now if you didn¡¯t yet realize that."


    As the sorceress finished readying her powerful spell, she asked, "And what makes you think you¡¯re able to beat us both at the same time?"


    "Because that¡¯s how those candidates fought too," answered On. "What, did you think I wouldn¡¯t give them a fair fight? Now, let me feel alive like your formerpanion just did!"


    Rocketing forward the berserker brandished his de, which had already activated the same attack that killed the monk moments ago. On showed unrivaled determination in his eyes as he aimed his greatsword for the ninja, undeterred by the enormous fireballing toward him.


    The berserker managed to carve through the fireball, stunning his new opponents. Though it was weakened by the mes, the dark ice around the de remained.


    shing upward in retaliation, the ninjaunched her an attack to collide with the berserker.


    "Not enough..."


    That simple phrase struck fear in the sorceress¡¯s heart as the icy greatsword pushed the ninja into the ground, making a crater on impact.


    "Anyst words?" asked On, looking the broken ninja in the eyes.


    She groaned and mustered some strength to spit on On¡¯s de. "You¡¯re not--"


    Before she finished her sentence, On¡¯s drove his sword into her skull. "You sullied my de, so I must clean it with your blood. Now we¡¯re even."


    On then looked to the sorceress with a slight smile. "Let me guess, you¡¯re barely over lv. 70, right? There¡¯s no way that ninja was over lv. 73, so you should be around the same level, unlike that monk."


    Finally showing distress, the sorceress started to hurl some smaller spells with one hand while casting arger spell with her second.


    Undeterred, the berserker swatted away the weaker spells as he sauntered toward the sorceress. He spoke loudly, "Dual casting... so you multiss with battlemage, not bad at all. But you¡¯re not ready to handle me."


    On took his time, making sure to allow the sorceress to cast her powerful ultimate spell with her second hand.


    Finally, a fireball that looked like a small sun hovered over the sorceress¡¯s raised hand. Using up all the mana possible, the sorceress boosted her attack to the fullest as she hurled it toward the berserker. With the wave of her arm, the small sun was aimed directly at the now motionless berserker.


    "Interesting..."


    On clutched his greatsword tightly, pouring everything he had left into the growing frost sword. The de grew in length and width, nearly bing a sword meant for giants. The berserker shouted a battle cry at the top of his lungs while swinging the massive de toward the iing spell.


    When the two attacks collided, an explosion of steam burst out and reduced the visibility to zero.


    Falling to her knees and breathing heavily, the sorceress let her sweat fall unimpeded. Anxiously, she kept her eyes peeled in search of a fallen berserker.


    "Not... bad... at all..."


    That broken sentence took the sorceress¡¯s breath away.


    As water vapor dispersed and the berserker came into view, the ice around his sword was reduced to barely covering the de. His armor was in tatters and nowpletely useless. Burns and dried blood were evident everywhere that his armor had beenpromised. And a smile was stered on his face.


    "Anyst words?" On asked, pointing his de at the tired sorceress.


    Knowing that it was over, she said the first words that came to mind, "Glory to Halmut."


    "You¡¯ve earned my respect."


    The tip of On¡¯s de pierced into the sorceress¡¯s chest, stabbing directly through her heart and killing her instantly. He carefully removed his sword andid her down on the ground. "You were a worthy opponent, indeed."

 Chapter 367 Clash of Champions

    <h4>Chapter 367 sh of Champions</h4>


    "That berserker really is something, isn¡¯t he?"


    "Of course! He¡¯s my training partner, after all," Hadurtughed. "Lorwynn, when are you going to fight me instead of hiding behind your barrier?"


    "Who said I haven¡¯t already started fighting back?" Lorwynn asked, not smiling nor frowning.


    Hadurt was perplexed until he realized something. Halting his onught of attacks against the barrier around Lorwynn, Hadurt gathered more and more energy around his crude greatsword while looking to the sky above.


    "Now you realize what was happening..." chuckled Lorwynn. The mage lowered his staff, but the barrier remained unaffected. Instead, a humongous fireball of condensed mes dove down through the dark clouds. It was simr to the attack of the sorceress yet her attack couldn¡¯tpare in size or destructive power.


    "That¡¯s more like it!"


    While Lorwynn floated away, Hadurt lunged toward the small star aimed right at him. His pitch-ck de was thrown against it, cleaving into the fireball despite some obvious struggle.


    However, unlike On who had destroyed the entire fireball, Hadurt cleaved it in two and let both halves fall to the city below. With a cruel smile on his face, the chaotic champion watch as one half of the fireball fell into the marketce and the other destroyed countless buildings to im the lives of countless citizens.


    Lorwynn waspletely unfazed by the scene. Against Hadurt, he had no choice but to be on guard at all times. Should he show a moment of hesitation, then Hadurt would expose it immediately.


    "Don¡¯t stop now, Lorwynn," Hadurt ordered in a pleading voice as if he was begging for Lorwynn to try that again.


    "Who said I stopped?"


    Just then, four more of those fireballs fell through the storm clouds. Each came from a different direction, forcing Hadurt to try harder.


    The ck berserker grinned as he charged his sword and made a three hundred and sixty degree swing.


    All four of the massive fireballs were met with a circr wave of ck energy that cleanly cut all four fireballs in half. As the fireballs copsed and fell to the city below, Hadurt charged his sword again, stating, "If that¡¯s the best you¡¯ve got, then juste and die already."


    "You¡¯ve gotten much stronger sincest time, Hadurt. What level are you now?" asked Lorwynn.


    Hadurt smiled. "I¡¯ll tell you mine if you tell me yours."


    Nodding, Lorwynn added, "I¡¯m lv. 87."


    "Lv. 88," Hadurt replied with a confident smile.


    "Then this should be much more interesting thanst time," stated Lorwynn. "Show me what you¡¯ve learned since then and we¡¯ll see if you¡¯ve earned the strength to back your wild ims."


    "With pleasure!" Diving toward Lorwynn, Hadurt¡¯s ck energy left the sky stained as he streaked through the air.


    A second staff appeared in Lorwynn¡¯s other hand. This one was covered in jewels of all kinds and colors. It gave off a powerful aura, not shrinking in the face of Lyrun¡¯s staff in the mage¡¯s other hand.


    Lorwynn lifted his second staff, letting the yellow gemstones glow blindingly bright as a bolt of lightning rained down on the staff. The lightning entered the barrier but didn¡¯t damage it in any way. Also, the ck lightning from the storm clouds was being attracted by the massive bolt that Lorwynn had summoned. Then, Lorwynn pointed the staff to the iing Hadurt, sending the lightning directly at him as if the staff was directing the current of electricity.


    Hadurt¡¯s smile lessened, growing more serious. That ck energy started to cover his body as well while the ck berserker hacked the lighting away bit by bit.


    "No fair! Wielding Lyrun¡¯s staff and Kylon¡¯s staff isn¡¯t fair at all!" shouted Hadurt.


    "And equipping Skaryn¡¯s full armor and wielding his sword isn¡¯t?" replied Lorwynn, not buying into Hadurt¡¯s false fear.


    "Then I guess we¡¯re about even in that regard..." No longer trying to hide the nature of his equipment, Hadurt sliced the lighting down the middle in a single attack with a wave attack. "It¡¯s down to tactics and determination, my specialty!"


    Changing colors from yellow to blue, the air around Lorwynn felt as if it froze. The clouds above him started to change as well, affected by the instant drop in temperature.


    When Hadurt was a few meters away, a cial wall appeared between the two champions.


    It wasn¡¯t hard for Haldurt to force his way through the cial wall, but Lorwynn was now much higher in the sky. At the same time, Kylon¡¯s staff was now glowing red and another fireball started to fall through the clouds. But that fireball dwarfed Lorwynn¡¯s previous attacks, blocking out most of the sky as it fell.


    "If you can beat this one, then I¡¯ll be forced to take you more seriously."


    Hearing Lorwynn¡¯s taunt, Haldurt¡¯s smile vanished. All he felt now was the determination to win at all costs and respect for his powerful rival.


    "Fine!" Hadurt¡¯s shout filled the city as more ck energy gather around him. However, that ck energy wasn¡¯ting from Hadurt. The storm clouds themselves were being pulled toward the chaotic champion, turning into fuel for his power.


    Lorwynn squinted at Hadurt, angered by such a tactic. "That¡¯s quite a dirty trick your gods have yed, Hadurt. Do they not believe you can win on your own?"


    "Shut up!" Frustrated and angry to follow the n he was given, Hadurt charged at the fireball with relentless ck energy pouring into him from all directions. When his sword met with the great fireball, a furious explosion of fire and darkness erupted in the sky until the fire was consumed by the darkness.


    Emerging victorious from the sh, the demonized berserker red at the mage still hiding behind the green barrier.


    Seeing Lorwynn unperturbed by his increase in strength, Hadurt shouted, "Fight me for real already! Otherwise, you¡¯ll die for nothing!"


    "Fine."


    Kylon¡¯s staff disappeared form Lorwynn¡¯s hand, soon reced by a golden scepter. "Since you¡¯vee at me with Skaryn¡¯s equipment and the boosted strength of your gods, I¡¯ll let you see the might of Halmut¡¯s Scepter."


    A ray of golden light shown down on Lorwynn, piercing through the clouds unabated. More and more rays of light shown down on the champion, boosting his strength in a simr fashion to Hadurt¡¯s demonization.


    "We never chose to be each other¡¯s foe, Hadurt, but you must still die," Lorwynn shouted.


    Hadurt grinned. "Either way, someone¡¯s dying today and I can¡¯t wait to im your corpse as my greatest trophy."


    Down below, the only people still fighting was the Adventurers Association. And since the association was busy fighting their own battle, the citizens were left to face the fires ravaging the city on their own.


    Chaos ensued as the world was supposedlying to an end. Fire and lightning rained down on the city mercilessly, wrecking everything and everyone. It seemed unavoidable as the city¡¯s destruction grew with each passing second. The poorer citizens on the outskirts were the happiest as they managed to flee through the city gates before the traffic of the wealthy carriages sealed off the escape route unintentionally.


    It was mass pandemonium. No one felt safe as they witness the greatest city of Modern Kartonia go up in mes. And when they thought about the god-like battle in the sky, they felt cmity had imed the ce dubbed the safest city in Kartonia.


    Soon, the poor were fighting with the wealthy, destroying their carriages to allow everyone else to exit. The city gates had turned into riots as the poor attacked the wealthy and the wealthy shouted orders to their guards to kill the poor. And in the end, the wealthy lost as many of their guards turned against them in protest like the other citizens.


    After that day, Federal City would never be the same.

 Chapter 368 Total Annihilation

    <h4>Chapter 368 Total Annihtion</h4>


    As the citizens scrabbled below, the two champions continued to sh with one another. The darkness around Hadurt would attempt to swallow the light around Lorwynn, never seeding. The light epassing Lorwynn would always try to chase away Hadurt¡¯s darkness, unable to vanquish it.


    Looking to his rival, Hadurt asked, "We¡¯re about equal, so how do you want to end this?"


    "That..." Lorwynn looked beneath him. He paid little attention to the citizens and more to the association he had spent his life building. "That¡¯s yet to be decided."


    "Come on, don¡¯t tell me that you¡¯re out of ideas, Lorwynn. You¡¯re a trickier pestro than me,"ughed Hadurt.


    Lorwynn sighed. "Does that mean you¡¯re admitting defeat?"


    "Never!"


    "Then you give me no choice..." With a short distance between the two champions, Lorwynn stored Lyrun¡¯s Staff and gripped Halmut¡¯s Scepter with both hands. "Get ready. This is my greatest attack of all."


    Excitement returned to Hadurt¡¯s face as he smiled wide. "Finally... I¡¯ve been waiting for this."


    "You won¡¯t attack me directly now?" asked Lorwynn. "Now that I¡¯ve stored Lyrun¡¯s Staff, I¡¯m vulnerable again."


    "And then what will I do against your attack?" retorted Hadurt. "What¡¯s the point of killing you if it costs me my life?"


    "You don¡¯t get it, do you?" Lorwynn chuckled as the light around him grew and grew until the clouds around the city center were entirely parted.


    Hadurt gave Lorwynn a curious stare. "What do you mean?"


    "Since it¡¯s toote to stop the spell, I¡¯ll tell you," replied Lorwynn, keeping his gaze fixed on Hadurt. "Wouldn¡¯t it be best for the gods if both of us perished together?"


    "That..." confronted with such an idea, Hadurt was also torn at heart.


    With the champions active, the differing factions of gods aren¡¯t allowed to fight each other. Only after a faction loses their champion can the gods begin to take action again. But wouldn¡¯t that just result in the faction without a champion gaining an advantage?


    Such a thought wasn¡¯t new to Hadurt but it was the first time that Lorwynn had admitted to sharing such an outlook. That just made it harder for Hadurt to take in at that moment.


    "Now... It¡¯s toote for both of us..." Lorwynn admitted.


    Brought back to the moment, Hadurt looked to Lorwynn and saw Halmut¡¯s Scepter falling apart. The golden scales that covered it broke apart until they blew away like dust in the wind. The sturdy dragon bone that made up the scepter¡¯s form cracked and dwindled to dust as well. Nothing was left of the god¡¯s legendary weapon.


    "What are you doing?!" shouted Hadurt.


    Lorwynn smiled. "You and I both know what I just did. So, allow me to bid you farewell onest time, Hadurt."


    "Shut up!"


    "It was an honor to have such a rival."


    As Lorwyn bowed his head, the light parting the clouding became blinding. An abrupt pir of pure white light fell from the heavens with unfathomable speed. One champion was busy bowing while the other watched the pir of light in absolute terror.


    Neither of them had time to say another word or move another centimeter. The pir of light consumed them and obliterated what remained of the central market below.


    The pir of light onlysted for a second before it vanished, leaving the clouds parted and the market nonexistent.


    Thebatants on both sides stopped fighting. The association members looked up eagerly while the syndicate members were anxious to know the results of the attack. But when they noticed that there were no signs of either champion remaining, both groups were shaken to their cores.


    "Retreat!"


    An order filled the minds of the syndicate members. They were extremely hesitant to follow but On¡¯s order was repeated, "Retreat! We¡¯ll regroup and decide our next strategy soon."


    The invaders kept quiet as they all pulled out a spell scroll. In a matter of seconds, all the invaders vanished in plumes of dark smoke that matched the clouds overhead. Also, the clouds started to fade away, leaving the night sky beautiful with the full moon overlooking the megacity¡¯s destruction.


    "Stop the fire!" One of the two surviving guardians ordered through their guild contact crystal. "Help the citizens and calm the panic throughout the city. That¡¯s an order!"


    Slowly, the association members went into action and split up throughout the city.


    Once the two guardians and the four remaining councilmen were left behind with the troops that had been hidden for so long, they inspected the site of Lorwynn¡¯s battle.


    Try as they might, they failed to find anything left of either champion thanks to the pir of light that had annihted everything in its path. Even the stone roads of the marketce were evaporated, cut in a perfect circle to match the pir of light. A pit over one hundred meters deep and over one hundred meters wide was left at the site of the pir. And nothing was at the bottom other than brittle, scorched earth.


    *****


    "What was that idiot thinking!"


    "Calm down, Pestro. We had no control over the holy champion and no reason to believe he wouldmit suicide to annihte our champion."


    "Shut up, Tralbok! It wasn¡¯t your n that was ruined, nor was it your power that proved useless in a battle against mortals!" Pestro shouted to his fellow god.


    Tralbok shrugged. "True, but that doesn¡¯t mean your efforts were in vain, Pestro. Your demon clouds forced the holy champion to be desperate, right? And with both champions gone, doesn¡¯t that mean we can finally act personally?"


    "That... That¡¯s true, I guess." A wicked smile appeared on Pestro¡¯s orcish face. "Does that mean--"


    "No, we can¡¯t make a move so soon. First, we have to learn why the holy faction chose for their champion to act as such," reasoned Tralbok. "There¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ve learned about Moronti¡¯s rebellion and the two gods he killed in the process."


    "You think they would dare take us head-on, Tralbok? That¡¯s unlikely since they¡¯ve got more deserters than us," stated Pestro. "But you have a point... Let¡¯s gather information before we make a move."


    "You know what this means, right?" Tralbok asked Pestro, raising an eyebrow.


    "Right... We¡¯ll need Choron, won¡¯t we? And what should I do if he¡¯s uncooperative?"


    Tralbok squinted. "Tell him that we¡¯ll offer him freedom once the holy faction has been eliminated."


    "He¡¯ll never believe that," reasoned Pestro.


    "He¡¯ll have to. Killing the holy faction would result in him meeting his requirements to terminate his allegiance to us," stated Tralbok. "I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be d to know that you and I will help him with Naparn. Wouldn¡¯t you in his position?"


    Pestro cackled, "Right! Then I¡¯ll be back once that ninja has started gathering intelligence again."


    "Also, make sure he looks into Trodar and the neutral champion. We can¡¯t forget about them, not after Skaryn¡¯s final warning," Tralbok added.


    *****


    "Fool! Lyrun, do you realize what your disciple has done?!"


    Sighing, Lyrun nodded. "I do."


    Pacing back and forth on the pavilion high above the clouds, steam started to emit from Naparn. "Your disciple just destroyed all of our ns! What do you have to say for yourself?"


    "I don¡¯t know what he was thinking, but can you deny his final words, Naparn?" stated Lyrun. "If anything, the selection of champions was merely a dying tactic to keep the gods at bay for a time. At some point, the champions would fall against the gods and our war would continue. So what¡¯s so terrible about both sides losing their champions?"


    "And what about the third faction?" questioned Naparn, not wanting to let go of his anger.


    Lyrun tilted his head and answered, "Aren¡¯t they at the greatest disadvantage? As the sole side with a champion alive, what can they do?"

 Chapter 369 Adjusting the Gods Plans

    <h4>Chapter 369 Adjusting the Gods¡° ns</h4>


    "As the sole side with a champion alive, what can they do?"


    "You know very well that they y by different rules, Lyrun," snarled Naparn, letting smoke emit from his burning body. "We¡¯re the one who can¡¯t attack them, not the other way around. Even with their champion, they should be allowed to fight us should we attack them. So how are we going to handle this now? And are you sure Lorwynn died?"


    Lyrun nodded. "His blessing has gone inactive..."


    Still fuming mad, Naparn scratch his head furiously. As he scratched away at his skin, moltenva started to ooze from the scratch marks.


    "I think there are still a few options for what to do. First, is there anything wrong with selecting a new champion?" asked Lyrun.


    "That¡¯s impossible," replied Naparn. "Halmut was only allowed to choose a single champion. Those were the rules set by the main gods. For him to choose another... There¡¯s no telling what would happen."


    "What if both sides chose a new champion?" Lyrun continued questioning. "And can¡¯t we go visit Daruun since he happens to be here? Then we can ask to rediscuss the terms of the champions."


    "Why would he rediscuss the terms?! His champion is clearly doing well for himself to have summoned Daruun personally," argued Naparn. As Naparn got madder, more magma started to ooze from his person. "What if we just target the neutral champion? Then we could at least remove the variable of mortal interference from the equation."


    "That¡¯s the second option I wanted to mention. It¡¯ll be difficult since the chaotic gods still have most of the syndicate to use as they wish, but after some time we should be able to refocus our efforts against the neutral champion," reasoned Lyrun.


    Naparn squinted, somewhat calmed by Lyrun¡¯s agreement. "Why can¡¯t we attack the neutral champion now?"


    "Do you want to throw away the remnants of the association that Lorwynn built?" asked Lyrun. "If we don¡¯t patch things up there right now, who¡¯s to say that the syndicate won¡¯t arrive and finish them off while we¡¯re preupied. Then the mortal influence would be even greater against us, wouldn¡¯t it?"


    "Right... Things were easier when this was only a two-front war," Naparn stated in an annoyed tone.


    "Also, you¡¯re forgetting something extremely important, Naparn."


    Baffled, Naparn asked, "And what¡¯s that?"


    "The informationwork of the neutral gods. Combining our information gathering abilities with that of the chaotic gods just barely lets uspete with their information," stated Lyrun. "Sterfen is the most notorious assassin, but he¡¯s also the greatest spy to ever exist in Kartonia throughout the ages. And we can¡¯t underestimate Eedaj¡¯s abilities either, that I can guarantee on my life as his blood brother.


    "Perhaps that¡¯s why Halmut is hesitant to attack the neutral gods? Though Daruun supposedly cannot harm any of us gods, when you have him fill in few gaps of information that Eedaj and Sterfen can collect... The neutral faction will always have the edge on the most important part of war, information."


    "I never thought about it like that... That must be why I¡¯ve never been able to sense their champion but he somehow summoned Daruun. That level of information is a terrifying thing to war against, I will agree with that." Naparn nodded, finally letting the magma oozing from him dry up and crust over.


    "Then, are we going to go with the second option?" asked Lyrun.


    "Most likely... We¡¯ll have to go with the second option," Naparn replied with a sigh. "But that means we¡¯ll need Perchet¡¯s help, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "I¡¯m afraid so. Without him gathering information, taking on the neutral faction would lead to an unknown oue," Lyrun stated.


    "sted rebel gods... How dare they stand against Halmut, the one who gave them immortality?!" Naparn¡¯s shout shook the pavilion that he and Lyrun stood on.


    Lyrun sighed, "There wille a time to punish them ordingly, Naparn. But for now, we need his assistance. Without it, we would be blind whenpared to the endless information that the neutral faction can ess."


    "I¡¯ll send Torian and Grixor to handle him then. With both of them, they should be able to get him to cooperate," added Naparn. "But what should we do about Kori and Lunara?"


    "Lunara¡¯s situation isplicated thanks to her secret marriage to Sterfen, so I don¡¯t think we should attempt to control her just yet. Kori is different though. At least Lunara stays tucked away in her temple like she was ordered. Kori does whatever he wishes and goes wherever he likes. Didn¡¯t you find outside of your temple recently?"


    "Yeah... and he put up a bit of fight before he finally turned tail and ran home," replied Naparn. "How can we control him, though?"


    "Last I heard, there was a new hero in the association that has a Hell-me Fox for apanion. Maybe we could look into that and find something," answered Lyrun.


    Naparn finally smiled. "A member of his species survived? And it¡¯s already under our control? My, my... How much does fate hate that deplorable fox?"


    *****


    Far from Federal City, a forest was still. That forest was so dense that sunlight could barely pass through the treetops. Silky thread covered nearly every trunk and enormous webs could be spotted everywhere.


    Then, a purple pulse of energy abruptly appeared within that dense forest, hiding the natural purple hue within the dense foliage.


    As the purple energy faded, a circr barrier made of green energy was left behind. Two figures stood within that barrier as it started to break apart and disintegrate.


    "Lorwynn, what¡¯s the meaning of this?! What have you done?!"


    "Shut up and listen, Hadurt! I saw you thinking about myst question, that¡¯s why I brought you along," replied the mage. "But if you want my exnation, then you¡¯ll have to deny Pestro¡¯s blessing immediately."


    "That¡¯s--"


    "Do you want to work for them till you die?!" shouted Lorwynn, forcing Hadurt to ept the reality of the role they had been coerced to ept long ago.


    "... Fine." Hadurt sighed. Closing his eyes, Hadurt grunted and forced some ck demonic energy from his body. When it dispersed, he noticed that his armor was still basically untouched. Yet he also saw Lyrun¡¯s Staff breaking apart like Halmut¡¯s Scepter did to cast Holy Castigation. "If you¡¯re defenseless now, tell me why I shouldn¡¯t kill you here?"


    "Because you¡¯re also curious if there¡¯s another way to end all this. You want to know if there¡¯s a way to survive till the end and possibly get revenge on the gods that turned you into a weapon of mass destruction," Lorwynn replied with a smile.


    Hadurt frowned and pointed his de at Lorwynn. "Did I ever say I disliked my current self?"


    "Did you ever say you liked it?" argued Lorwynn. "Five hundred years is enough time to force you to think their way, but by giving in to the mindset they forced upon you, doesn¡¯t that make you nothing more than a tool for them to throw away once it¡¯s useless?"


    "I won¡¯t ever be useless!" shouted Hadurt, thrusting the de toward Lorwynn¡¯s neck.


    The mage didn¡¯t move, letting Hadurt¡¯s de stop just before piercing Lorwynn¡¯s skin. "See? If you really want to be their puppet, then why didn¡¯t you kill me just then?"


    Since Hadurt remained silent, Lorwynn continued, "Do you want revenge against them? Be honest, admit it!"


    "... So what if I did?" Keeping his greatsword at Lorwynn¡¯s neck, Hadurt nced away and replied, "There¡¯s no way for that to happen. All I can do is make myself useful."


    "But what if there was a way, Hadurt?"


    "Impossible... To fight a god, I¡¯d have to be one. It¡¯s impossible Lorwynn, I¡¯ve already looked into that route."


    "But now it¡¯s not impossible." Lorwynn smiled while nudging the sward away from his throat. "Come with me to the Leisure Guild."

 Chapter 370 Safe at the Leisure Guild

    <h4>Chapter 370 Safe at the Leisure Guild</h4>


    "Come with me to the Leisure Guild."


    Hadurt looked at Lorwynn like he had gone insane. "Huuuuh?! That crappy guild that¡¯s barely surviving?"


    "There¡¯s much more to it than either of us realized. That¡¯s where I¡¯ll introduce you to the other champion," replied Lorwynn with a smile.


    "The other champion... I didn¡¯t even know he was active and you¡¯ve already met him?" Taking a second to think, Hadurt asked, "What¡¯s so special about thest champion? What can he do for us that we can¡¯t do ourselves?"


    "He can help us be gods."


    Hadurt¡¯s mocking expression fell from his face. "You¡¯re not lying to me, are you?"


    "Would I go through the trouble of destroying two godly weapons and denying my master¡¯s blessing so I could lie to you?" Lorwynnughed, "I wouldn¡¯t joke about this, Hadurt. You¡¯re the only other person that understands how miserable it is to be in our shoes. To be at the cusp of godhood yet to never be given the opportunity... That¡¯s a life of torture and you know it, whether you admit it or not.


    "So, will youe with me or not? You can kill me now and still run back to the chaotic gods before it¡¯s toote," added Lorwynn. "Once you enter the property of the Leisure Guild, there¡¯s no going back."


    Taking his time, Hadurt casually swung his sword around as he pondered Lorwynn¡¯s offer.


    "This is you¡¯re only chance to surpass the lv. 89 limit, Hadurt. Are you going to turn that down?"


    "No... I¡¯lle but I¡¯m not agreeing to anything else. I only want to learn the truth behind your words," stated Hadurt.


    "Then change your clothes and put that sword away. We stick out too much like this." Lorwynn changed his apparel in the blink of an eye, appearing to be amon adventurer with a in sword at his waist.


    Hadurt chuckled when he saw the greatsword at Lorwynn¡¯s side. He too changed his apparel tomon clothes and a simple greatsword. "That enough? Now hurry or I¡¯ll kill you in impatience."


    "Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯re not as far as you would think," chuckled Lorwynn. "We¡¯re currently in the Silk Woods. So long as we head north, we¡¯ll reach Gilga within the hour."


    "You... You nned this all out knowing I¡¯d tag along? And what if I said no? What would you have done?" questioned Hadurt.


    "I would¡¯ve died." Lorwynn nodded with a smile. "So I¡¯m d you chose correctly. Now we can both be gods."


    "And what makes you so sure of that?"


    "Two things," replied Lorwynn. "I know that the other champion is already a demigod."


    "What?! You¡¯re joking?!" struggling to ept that, Hadurt denied that statement outright. "Champions are champions. Why would the gods let us join them?"


    "I asked my master that same thing, Hadurt. But he always said that the Neutral Gods saw things differently, something my master wishes he had noticed before joining the Holy Gods," Lorwynn replied. "He said that the neutral champion¡¯s job would be much more difficult than ours because his true fight wasn¡¯t with us but with the gods."


    "That¡¯s ridiculous though. How could someone ever expect a mortal to grow to defeat a god, let alone face two entire pantheons of gods?!" retorted Hadurt.


    Lorwynn turned and started walk as he answered, "Wouldn¡¯t the all-knowing and all-seeing God of Fate be able to do just that, though? Also, I already know the true identity of the neutral champion and it¡¯s far more prestigious than either of us. You could even say that in his past he achieved more than both of usbined, so it would be logical for him to be chosen by Daruun."


    "Wait... Is the other champion a summoned hero?"


    "Now you¡¯re catching on," chuckled Lorwynn.


    Piecing it all together, Hadurt¡¯s mind started to see the bigger picture. Since they were heading toward the Leisure Guild, that meant the champion must¡¯ve been a former hero from Trodar. And if that hero had done more than both himself and Lorwynnbined, there was only one hero from Trodar that matched that description.


    "Daruun chose the Legend of Trodar?!" blurting out his discovery, Hadurt ran in front of Lorwynn and grabbed him by the shoulders. "You¡¯re kidding, right?! You¡¯ve got to be kidding me?! After all the training I¡¯ve done to be the strongest of us champions, the Neutral Gods chose him?! But how?!"


    "Calm down, Hadurt, I don¡¯t know that much," Lorwynn replied, shaking free of his rival¡¯s grip. "That¡¯s something I want to learn to, but we¡¯ll only learn that after going to the Leisure Guild."


    "Then why aren¡¯t we running?" Hadurt suddenly booked it, leaving Lorwynn in the dust.


    Lorwynn sighed and chased after Hadurt, d to see that the berserker was in high spirits.


    *****


    "Argyle," Baral knocked a door before entering. "Everyone is ounted for."


    "That¡¯s great..." Argyle sighed, relieved to no longer being chased by so many high-leveled experts. Now fully at ease, Argyle waved away his manager and smiled to the man sitting beside him. "Tralon, thank you."


    "Don¡¯t mention it, Argyle. How things are now, there¡¯s no reason why we wouldn¡¯t help you." Tralon returned Argyle¡¯s smile and added, "I¡¯m sure Jack and the others will be d to have you here."


    Still rxed, a sorrowful smile crept onto Argyle¡¯s face as he asked, "What do you think happened to Federal City?"


    "I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll hear about the news shortly. If Hurmot is as wise as I believe, I¡¯m sure he escaped and I¡¯m a bit shocked that he hasn¡¯t called me yet," Tralonughed, but it wasn¡¯t anything more than an attempt to keep a positive outlook. "Sadly, I don¡¯t think the rest of Federal City will escape such destruction.


    "Thest time I saw such a storm was during the Godly War. Those storms ravaged battlefields, killing indiscriminately. It was a special ability of Pestro, the Demon God," added Tralon. "Wherever those clouds appear, so long as they can¡¯t be negated, even a victory wille at a loss for both sides."


    "Also, what did you do to seal the teleportation circle? I thought they would¡¯ve followed me here?" asked Argyle.


    "Oh, I didn¡¯t seal your circle. I destroyed it." As Argyle groaned at the loss of such an expensive treasure, Tralon continued, "It¡¯s a custom of the Leisure Guild to ce a spell of self-destruction embedded into each teleportation circle that connects to our main hub. I was simply following the tradition that Jack had instigated in the guild."


    "Self-destruction? Doesn¡¯t that also mean you could just destroy anyone linked to your hub?"


    Tralon nodded. "Yes, that¡¯s correct. But we¡¯re not that type of guild, unless someone forces our hand. In reality, I believe it was just something that Jack would use to rid himself of pursuers after his constant mischievous acts."


    Chuckling, Argyle agreed that Jack would be that kind of person.


    "Anyway, shouldn¡¯t you go speak with your guild, Argyle?" asked Tralon. "You¡¯re more than wee to stay with us here and consider the first month¡¯s rent on me. That should give you spending money to advertise and connect with the market here in Trodar."


    "Thanks, Tralon. You¡¯ve been a bigger help than I want to admit."


    "Don¡¯t forget Jack. He¡¯s the reason we could make your teleportation circle in the first ce. And he¡¯s the reason Daruun was summoned, who encouraged us to hurry to Federal City in ce of helping Jack fast travel to and from Korten," stated Tralon. "He¡¯s the key to all this, so we mustn¡¯t forget that."


    "Right. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be d to know that I¡¯m here to stay," chuckled Argyle. "And I¡¯m d to know that we¡¯re under the protection of a Draconic Centipede, a horde of Dark Beholders, and a small flock of Celestial Cranes. Not to mention Dradich, my new wyrmpanion, and the Golden Condor I got for the guild."


    "Or the remaining shadow goblins?" Tralon added with a smile.

 Chapter 371 Two Guests in the Leisure Guild

    <h4>Chapter 371 Two Guests in the Leisure Guild</h4>


    "Right..." sighed Argyle. "And just when I thought that Jack had be too strong too quickly, I found out that he¡¯s still not strong enough..."


    "Jack knows that better than anyone, Argyle. Why else would he be so adamant on taking advantage of others when given the opportunity?" chuckled Tralon.


    "I just thought he was a jerk."


    "Well, he is," Tralon admitted. "But if he wasn¡¯t a jerk, could he have gotten this far so quickly? Doesn¡¯t it make sense for Daruun to choose a jerk as his champion?"


    "You¡¯ve got a point there," Argyle agreed as he lifted himself from his lounge chair. "I¡¯ll get my people situated to the north end of the property. That¡¯s where you want us, right?"


    "Correct. That way you can still have a storefront with an abundance of foot traffic," replied Tralon.


    As Argyle opened the door to leave, he was surprised to find the Leisure Guild¡¯s deputy manager on the other side.


    "O-oh, sorry to trouble you Master Argyle. Is the guild leader inside?" Ilgor asked.


    "I¡¯m here,e in, Ilgor." As the deputy manager entered the room, Tralon asked, "Should Argyle need to hear about this as well?"


    "Um, I just came to tell you that you have guests," stated Ilgor. "Two men dressed as adventurers are asking about joining the guild, but they¡¯re too strong for me to assess. A-also, they asked for you by name, so I thought it would be fitting to--"


    "I¡¯ll see them, Ilgor. Such strong members are worth a moment of my time." Tralon smiled as he too stood up. "If you wish, you¡¯re wee to join me, Argyle."


    "No thanks, I¡¯ve got other things that do. I¡¯ll let you know when we¡¯re moved in," replied Argyle, walking away with a wave.


    "Ilgor, show me to their waiting room."


    The deputy manager nodded and took Tralon to a small room with a simple table and chairs. In the old days, the room was a conference room for adventuring parties but now they were just spare waiting rooms to receive guests.


    Tralon knocked on the door before he turned the handle. He walked in while introducing himself, "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you. I¡¯m... Ilgor, you may leave. I¡¯ll handle everything with them personally."


    "O-of course, Guild Master." Ilgor bowed and continued down the hall as Tralon locked the door behind him.


    Casting silence, the old mage sat down across the two supposed adventurers. "I¡¯m sure you already know who I am, so why don¡¯t you introduce your new friend, Lorwynn?"


    "The names Hadurt. We came to meet the neutral champion, so where¡¯s he at?" Hadurt impatiently questioned.


    Lorwynn chuckled, "What he means to ask is if we can visit Jack. Is he in right now?"


    "No, I¡¯m sorry but he¡¯s off on guild business," answered Tralon. "As for the neutral champion, what exactly fo you mean by that?"


    "Exactly that. Isn¡¯t Jack the neutral champion?" Hadurt kept questioning the ancient guild leader. "Or am I wrong to assume that he¡¯s the former Legend of Trodar?"


    Tralon was very cautious with his words, trying to understand the situation better and discern what he could and couldn¡¯t say.


    "Excuse me." A calm voice slipped through the door as it opened and closed. Smiling warmly, another man walked over and sat beside Tralon.


    "And who are you?" asked Hadurt.


    "I¡¯m the one you want to speak with. I¡¯m not Jack, but I have been waiting for you two to arrive. How¡¯d the battle in Federal City go, by the way?" Daruun asked.


    Lorwynn leaned into the table. "It went smoother than I was expecting, but I did surprise everyone after all."


    "And how¡¯s your master doing, Lorwynn? I¡¯m sure he¡¯s tired of putting on a false front for Naparn and the other Holy Gods."


    Dropping his smile, Lorwynn stared seriously at the man across from him. "Who are you?"


    Daruun chuckled, "Will you admit who you two really are to Tralon or not? He¡¯ll figure it out anyway, so why hide it?"


    "That..." Lorwynn kept from saying more, not sure what was the best thing to do.


    Hadurt started intently at Daruun, trying to see through him. "What level are you? And how are you hiding it so well?"


    "I have no level. There¡¯s no way for the system to get a read on me," replied Daruun. "If you and Lorwynn won¡¯t mention your true identities, then I can assure you that Jack won¡¯t help you be gods."


    "But--"


    "I¡¯m Hadurt, the chaotic champion chosen by Skaryn before he was sealed away. I¡¯ve long forgotten my family name, along with their faces. All I want is power, and I agreed toe here for that purpose alone," Hadurt immediately opened up. "Now, tell me how I can be a god since you already know what I¡¯m after! Also, exin how you could know that was my motive!"


    "Easy enough. By the way, my name is Daruun. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet both of you."


    "Wha..." Swallowing what Hadurt assumed would be his reply, Hadurt took a moment to process Daruun¡¯s introduction.


    Lorwynn was wide-eyed and speechless as well. His jaw hung open as he tried to fathom finding a main god within the confines of a mortal guild. The image was too strange to him that it was hard to believe.


    "You¡¯re joking... right?" asked Hadurt. "You¡¯re really the God of Fate? The god ruling over the Neutral Gods?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t call what I do ruling, Hadurt. The way I see it, I¡¯ve simply epted them under my wing as my sons and daughters. I understand that¡¯s hard for you to grasp,ing from the chaotic gods who constantly bicker and fight for more strength, but that¡¯s the truth," stated Daruun. "In a way, you could even call the Neutral Gods the younger brothers and sisters of Halmut and Skaryn."


    "What do you mean?" asked Lorwynn.


    Daruun smiled. "Like those you call the Neutral Gods, I also helped Skaryn and Halmut ascend to godhood."


    Silence filled the room. Not even a heartbeat could be heard from any of the three men sitting at the table.


    "I never imed to rule over gods or create my own faction. I simply thought helping them in the past was the right thing to do at the time, but I¡¯vee to see the error of my ways," continued Daruun. "From then on, I made sure to be absolutely sure whenever I made a move. Due to myck of judgment in the past, I allowed those two to eventually war and divide the world. That¡¯s how you two got dragged into this mess, so allow me to apologize."


    "You... helped Skaryn be a god?" a few words managed to escape Hadurt mouth. "Doesn¡¯t that mean--"


    "Yes, I¡¯m technically more powerful than both Halmut and Skaryn. That¡¯s why they y by my rules, otherwise, I¡¯ll be allowed to handle things personally," Daruun answered.


    "What do you mean by--"


    "Lorwynn, don¡¯t ask for unnecessary information and waste our time together. You don¡¯t need to know my rules, as that¡¯s between myself and the two people who imed you both as champions," stated Daruun. "What you¡¯re after is the ability to be gods, something that your own pantheons have refused to you time and time again. Would you like to know why?"


    Both Lorwynn and Hadurt nodded, letting Daruun control the conversation while Tralon sat back and listened closely.


    "Tralon, pay attention because this also applies to you," added Daruun. "First, you two need to understand the consequences of your extended life. Like Tralon, you¡¯ve each partaken of some means to extend your mortal lifespan. One of the reasons that your pantheons refuse to help you be gods is because they know it¡¯s a waste. Any mortal that extends their life like you three have done will lose their immortal potential, making it a waste to select you as a demigod."

 Chapter 372 What Can You Offer Jack?

    <h4>Chapter 372 What Can You Offer Jack?</h4>


    While both champions were aghast, Daruun continued, "The second reason is that the gods ruling your pantheons have forbidden it. They refuse to allow their subordinate gods to outgrow them."


    "Then... If it¡¯s impossible, why did you mention that Jack could help us be gods earlier?" questioned Hadurt. He just recently epted the chance to be a god and he wasn¡¯t willing to let go of that chance so easily.


    Smiling, Daruun replied, "That¡¯s because Jack does have the ability to help you. Allow me to exin.


    "Jack has already been imed as a demigod, as has his new sister and his foxpanion. And others will soon be joining those ranks. The issue you three now face doesn¡¯t lie in the inability to find willing gods, it lies in your currentck of immortal potential. So if youck something, can¡¯t you simply get more of that thing?"


    Following Daruun¡¯s logic, Tralon finally spoke up, "Are you saying that there¡¯s a way to regain our immortal potential?"


    "No, that potential has been spent." Daruun shook his head but kept smiling. "But you can take someone else¡¯s immortal potential."


    "Then--"


    "Let me finish, Hadurt. You wouldn¡¯t want to feel depressed after I crush your simple theory," stated Daruun. "In order to steal someone¡¯s immortal potential, that person¡¯s immortal potential must be active and realized. What do you think that means, Hadurt?"


    The berserker nervously replied, "That... means we need to kill a god."


    "Good for you, one god¡¯s immortal potential is practically limitlesspared to mortals. Felling a single god would give all three of you a chance. But that potential would be foreign to you so, at most, you¡¯d be able to keep the energy within you for a week before itpletely fades. Within that week, you¡¯ll need to be a demigod and cross lv. 90," exined Daruun.


    "And should you reach lv. 89 before you be a demigod, you¡¯ll reach a standstill and EXP will have no effect on you. Should you gain EXP while at lv. 89 without being a demigod, then that EXP will be lost," Daruun added. "So, with that in mind, how do you think Jack will be able to help you?"


    Lorwynn answered, "He¡¯ll have to kill a god for us, right?"


    Daruun nodded and looked to Tralon


    "But that..." Tralon muttered, struggling to speak his mind.


    "Tralon, you¡¯ve got less than one year to surpass your former level and be a god should you wish to keep living," Daruun spoke Tralon¡¯s mind for him. "I wouldn¡¯t call that impossible, but it is incredibly difficult. You all will have to work hard for that to happen."


    "Wait, Jack¡¯s going to kill a god within a year?!" Lorwynn shouted.


    Hadurt gave his former rival a strange look. "What¡¯s the matter? He¡¯s the Legend, isn¡¯t he?"


    "Yeah, but his situation is different than other summoned heroes," replied Lorwynn. "Jack was summoned at lv. 1 and he¡¯s been working his way back up from nothing."


    "WHAT?! Daruun, you would do that to your champion?!" yelled Hadurt.


    "That¡¯s exactly what I did. If I hadn¡¯t, then Jack would only have the potential of his past self. By starting from scratch, I allowed Jack to have a unique subss that, knowing Jack, he¡¯ll use to flip Kartonia upside down," reasoned Daruun. "For him, starting at lv. 1 was better than bringing his past self."


    "But how strong is he now. When I first met him months ago, he had barely reached lv. 20."


    "Well, considering that he¡¯s now lv. 49 and almost lv. 50, I¡¯d say he¡¯s on course," replied Daruun, stunning both Lorwynn and Hadurt. "He may be lower in level, but he¡¯s your only hope to be gods and escape the inevitable deaths your roles carry. So, what do you think you should do or offer him?"


    "I¡¯ll pledge to him." Hadurt blurted out his reply, startling Lorwynn even further. "For him to kill a god means he¡¯ll most likely already be a god, right? Wouldn¡¯t that me I could pledge to him, the first-ever hero turned god-killer turned immortal? That¡¯s my kind of god!"


    Daruun startedughing, meeting Hadaurt eye to eye. "I think he¡¯d like that. Just don¡¯t get too mad at him when he has you doing some crazy schemes. What about you, Lorwynn?"


    "I... I¡¯d prefer to pledge to my master, given the chance."


    "That¡¯s very reasonable and honorable of you. But how will you help Jack get to the point where he can kill a god?" questioned Daruun. "Hadurt didn¡¯t state it directly, but he¡¯s willing to follow Jack at the chance to be a god and kill Pestro for all the trouble the Demon God has forced him to suffer."


    "Hey!"


    "Am I wrong, Hadurt?" Daruun chuckled. "So, what are you offering him, Lorwynn?"


    Hesitating, Lorwynn looked to Hadurt. "If Hadurt will join as well, I¡¯ll join the Leisure Guild in secret and guard it from the shadows. That way Jack doesn¡¯t have to worry about the guild while he¡¯s away."


    "Great idea, but that won¡¯t be worth anything once Jack gets back. Also, Jack might turn you down for that," stated Daruun.


    Tralon shrugged, adding, "Yeah, I could see Jack doing that."


    "Impossible." Lorwynn shook his head. "What could offer better security than Hadurt and I?"


    "A god."


    Those two words instantly silenced Lorwynn and brought a smile to Hadurt¡¯s face.


    Daruun continued, "Also, if mortals dare attack without the aid of the gods, Jack¡¯s already started to ce countermeasures throughout the guild. So that offer wouldn¡¯t be very enticing to Jack. Try to think of what Jack would want someone of your level to do, something that only you two could aplish."


    Stewing in thought, Lorwynn was stumped.


    Since he was mentioned as well, Hadurt also put his mind to work. After about a minute, the berserker thought of something. "Unlike Lorwynn, all I know how to do is fight and grind through dungeons. Is that what Jack would want?"


    "Right again, Hadurt." Daruun nodded. "How else will Tralon have a chance at reaching lv. 89 so quickly?"


    Both champions looked to each other and startedughing.


    "That¡¯s it?" asked Lorwynn. "If I offer Jack a year of my time to carry Tralon back to his old strength, then he¡¯ll make me a god?"


    "That¡¯s your best bet. Just don¡¯t screw up your rtionship or attempt to betray him, otherwise, he¡¯ll make sure you die. Though his mother can¡¯t do anything at the moment, Jack¡¯s father has nothing keeping him from ying both of you."


    "His father?" Hadurt looked back at Daruun, confused.


    "Remember how I said the Neutral Gods are my children? Well, when any of them choose a demigod, they adopt them. Currently, I have two grandchildren if you include Jack," answered Daruun.


    Lorwynn nervously asked, "Then, who¡¯s his father?"


    "Sterfen, the God of Secrecy," Daruun stated, "or as some of the older gods would call him, the Assassin God."


    Both champions swallowed the saliva lodged in their throats, realizing that there truly was no going back. It was one thing to imagine taking on the neutral champion like they always had, but the more they learned about the Neutral Gods and their ns, the more terrifying that Jack started to be. And while being on Jack¡¯s good side was stupendous, they quickly realized that being on his bad side would be equally terrifying.


    "So, I take it that you two will tell Jack what you told me here?" asked Daruun.


    "I will," replied Hadurt.


    Lorwynn nodded. "I will."


    "Great!" Tralon shouted with a grin from ear to ear. "Wee to the Leisure Guild. Jack will be back shortly with Eedaj, the Mind God, who will be relocating to live in the Leisure Guild. Allow me to show you around. I¡¯m sure you¡¯d like to meet the beholders and Dragov."


    While Lorwynn was caught up in the mention of Eedaj and beholders, Hadurt was curious about the other name Tralon mentioned. The berserker asked, "Who¡¯s Dragov?"


    "Just be calm and follow me. And no attacking him, okay?" Tralon added with a chuckle as he led the two newest recruits out of the room.

 Chapter 373 Eedajs Home

    <h4>Chapter 373 Eedaj¡°s Home</h4>


    Five minutes of walking led Jack and his party in a circle back to where they entered the Prehistoric Forest. They quickly came to understand the purpose of the barrier.


    "Jack," Eliza spoke up and looked to her husband, "what will you do about the barrier? Are you going to break it?"


    Shaking his head, Jack examined the barrier closely. He noted that the barrier wasn¡¯t a dome but a wall that rose high into the clouds, taking flying overhead out of the equation. There were no holes or signs of holes anywhere to be found, so Jack didn¡¯t bother searching for one elsewhere. The barrier was perfectly executed and there was no reason for Jack to believe that a god would make such a careless mistake.


    Cupping his hands over his mouth, Jack took a deep breath. Using all his strength, Jack shouted into the forest, "Eedaj! I found more greis elves! Wanna meet them?"


    The shout echoed through the hulking trees and nts of the Prehistoric Forest. Not surprised by Jack¡¯s attempt to find a loophole in the situation, Daliea and Eliza smiled at Jack¡¯s calm thinking.


    Not even a minuteter, a single portion of the barrier peeled back. An entrance fit for one person was left as the barrier seemed to ebb and flow around the opening, like a waterfall cascading around a boulder. A telepathic voice trickled into the party¡¯s minds, ¡¯Come. I¡¯ve been expecting you.¡¯


    With a smile on his face, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. Leading the party into the forest, Jack nodded and took the first step.


    Without the barrier affecting their judgment, the party easily made their way further and further into the Prehistoric Forest. But they were surprised to find no beasts anywhere within the forest. Even after thirty minutes of trekking, the party found signs of animal life but animals.


    That was something that Jack didn¡¯t want to believe was normal and could only chalk up to Eedaj messing with the natural order of things. He was sad though, as Jack wanted to see if any beasts were fitting for him or the party.


    ¡¯Come in,¡¯ the telepathic voice softly whispered to the party.


    Confused, the party continued walking until they found something interesting. Much like the elven chief¡¯s home carved into the roots of the Ancient Life Tree, they found a door and a window in the massive roots of thergest tree they had seen yet. A light was on, showing them that the owner was home, clearly waiting for them despite thete hour.


    While the party was in awe of the breathtaking sight of the simple home in such a scenic ce, that door creaked open and a short, grey-skinned man poked his head out.


    "I thought I told you toe in?" the man chuckled, pushing the door open wide. "Come, you¡¯re my first mortal guests in over a millennium."


    The man¡¯s soft voice was startling to Jack.


    Jack¡¯s image of the Mind God was that of a tactical master that excelled in mental torture and espionage. Yet now in front of him stood a short, grey-skinned elf with a warm smile and a tender, androgynous voice. Though Jack was sure this was indeed Eedaj, it took a moment for Jack¡¯s brain to redo his mental equation to reimagine Jack¡¯s image of the Mind God.


    While Jack was in a stupor and the other party members were waiting for Jack to say or do something, Daliea suddenly fell to her knees. She was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing Eedaj, one of her people, for the first time in over a century.


    "Your name is Daliea, right?" Eedaj gingerly asked as he walked up to her and knelt beside her. cing a hand atop her head, Eedajforted Daliea. "I already know. I¡¯m sorry for being unable to find you and your tribe in time to save you. At least you¡¯re still alive, as are others."


    In tears, Daliea wiped her cheeks and tried her best to speak, "Does that mean... our people will be alright?"


    Eedaj nodded. "The hard times have only begun, but now we can face them together."


    Looking to the other party members, Eedaj helped Daliea get back to her feet and added, "Let¡¯s hurry and get inside. The stew is almost ready, so we¡¯ll talk more easily around the fire."


    "Very well," Jack replied, walking in before Eedaj could lead Daliea inside. "But we don¡¯t have much time, Eedaj. I need to get you to Trodar before the end of tomorrow."


    "I see. Then I guess I¡¯ll make this fast, but forgive me in advance for peeking into your thoughts to speed things up," Eedaj stated. "However, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re already used to that thanks to your conversations with Daruun, Jack."


    Jack nodded. "Go right ahead. That way you can just give me your answer."


    Laughing softly and warmly, Eedaj looked back and forth between Jack and Daliea as the party sat down on the handmade leather couches around the cooking fire.


    "Jack, I agree to return to Trodar and to open a shrine," admitted Eedaj. "Now, here are my terms which I already know you¡¯ll ept. My people will join your guild with me, bing honorary members and equals in your society. Also, you will marry my daughter."


    "No!" Jack shouted out of reflex.


    "Let me finish." Eedaj held up a finger, retaining his warm smile. Then, he stepped toward Daliea to pat her head again. But this time, a burst of energy came from Daliea in a sh of red, ck, and faded white. Itsted only a moment but, apart from Phoro, everyone present understood what just happened. Eedaj repeated, "My people will join your guild with me, bing honorary members and equals in your society. Also, you will marry my daughter. Do you still have any objections?"


    Chuckling nervously, Jack turned to Daliea. She was clearly confused by the sudden shift of the situation, but when she looked back at Jack, the happiness in her eyes couldn¡¯t be hidden by her confusion.


    "I have no objections," replied Jack. "So, what should I call you now? You¡¯re not my uncle anymore, so..."


    "Call me what you wish. Uncle is fine, but I would prefer father-inw or even father should you be willing," answered Eedaj.


    "Then... you¡¯re my palpo now?" Daliea asked, looking back to Eedaj.


    Eedaj inhaled a deep breath as Daliea said those words. He didn¡¯t cry but it was easy to see that he was d to hear such a statement. The god replied with a smile, "Yeah, I¡¯m your palpo now. And you¡¯re my dhendi, so feel free to ask for anything."


    As Eedaj handed Daliea a storage ring filled with spellbooks and items, the lid atop the stew pot started to shake.


    "Now, let¡¯s eat something before we get going. Considering I¡¯ll be back in the spotlight anyway, I¡¯ll give us a ride back. That way we can enjoy the meal without any rush," Eedaj stated. "Also, Eliza, know that I see you as a daughter-inw. Feel free toe to me about anything in the future as we¡¯ll both be staying in Gilga."


    "Thank you, Father-inw." Eliza smiled and telepathically whispered to her husband, ¡¯I guess I didn¡¯t have to poke you too much this time.¡¯


    ¡¯No, I¡¯ve learned my lesson, hon,¡¯ Jack replied while receiving his portion of stew from Eedaj.


    The Mind God was so amiable and approachable, unlike anything the party had originally expected. What they assumed might have be an intense discussion turned out to be a split-second decision that left both parties excited for the future.


    Much like how Daruun would guide any conversation he was a part of, Eedaj was able to directly address the heart of any question or conversation. But his natural persona was very warm and epting. This unexpected personality made Jack wonder something. If Eedaj¡¯s usual personality was so warm toward his friends, how cold was Eedaj toward his enemies?

 Chapter 374 Leaving Korten Behind

    <h4>Chapter 374 Leaving Korten Behind</h4>


    That meal was both hearty and light. Its base was made from the rarer beasts found in the Prehistoric Forest and was paired with the wild vegetables and herbs that could be found there as well. It was a meal unlike any other, which the party felt was worth savoring instead of rushing.


    d to not be pressed for time thanks to Eedaj¡¯s offer, the party and the god enjoyed the meal while chatting andughing together. They were able to joke around as Eedaj didn¡¯t need any exnations for what had happened so far thanks to his abilities as the Mind God.


    When the meal finally ended, Jack sighed. "You won¡¯t be able to make this once we¡¯re in Trodar, will you?"


    "I¡¯ll still be able, Jack," replied Eedaj. "I¡¯ve had nothing to do for the past millennium so I took the time to learn cooking. Also, I¡¯ve stored samples of each nt and a few specimens of each beast. With my mental abilities, I can learn the habits and favorite prey of each beast, making it easier to pair ingredients and discover new vors."


    "Wow... I never expected to the Mind God to like cooking so much," chuckled Jack.


    Eedajughed along with Jack, "You¡¯d be surprised to know of gods and their hobbies. Some day you should ask Sterfen about his collection. You¡¯ll be even more surprised."


    "I¡¯ll remember that!"


    "Shouldn¡¯t we be going, Palpo?" asked Daliea. She was so happy to be able to call someone that again.


    Nodding, Eedaj stood up and stretched to help the meal settle in his stomach. "Let¡¯s get going. I¡¯ll show you how a god travels in style."


    While Eedaj went around his home, storing all the furniture, decorations, and cooking utensils, the party exited the humble home and waited outside. A few minutester, Eedaj exited the now empty house and shut the door behind him. He rubbed the giant root he long called home onest time before stepping toward the party.


    "Now, it¡¯s time I came back into the world."


    Eedaj stood there calmly with the party. He said nothing else nor did he move. But a few momentster, everyone heard the rush of wind blow through the treetops.


    When the source of the wind came into view and sat on a tree branch high above, the party was speechless. Eedaj, however, spoke up, "Everyone, this is mypanion, Konbel. She and her ancestors have been mypanions ever since my ascendance. She¡¯ll be the one taking us to Trodar."


    "I forgot all about that..." Jackughed to himself, in awe of the massive beast that bowed its head to greet the party.


    Eedaj showed them stairs carved into the giant tree, spiraling up toward the branch with Konbel. The god added, "She¡¯s a Behemoth Crane, by the way, a rare breed that doesn¡¯t need to mate toy eggs. She¡¯s also thest survivor of her race, so we be great friends over time. When she finally has her child, they¡¯ll be yourpanion, my dhendi"


    Eventually, the party reached the Behemoth Crane and followed Eedaj onto her back.


    "Keep your heads down and try not to move too much," instructed Eedaj. "Though she¡¯s no Minokawa, her speed is enough to knock you all back at your current strength."


    They heard no order given to Konbel, but she started to p her wings and take off into the sky high above the giant trees.


    ¡¯I¡¯d rmend we speak mentally should you wish to converse,¡¯ Eedaj opened a mental link between them all. ¡¯We¡¯ll arrive in Gilga before sunset, so let me exin a few things now.¡¯


    The party was struggling to move as blistering winds tried to knock them off the crane¡¯s back. They nodded or said nothing, letting Eedaj calmly speak his mind.


    Eedaj continued, ¡¯As my daughter, Daliea, you¡¯ll now gain the ability to use telepathy with anyone and anything, feeling their emotions and thoughts. That includes nt life as well, so always keep that in mind. And since you share the same three magic types of mine, you¡¯ll notice that you now have a new skill for each of those magic types.


    ¡¯For illusion, you can now read unprotected minds and even alter memories. How much you can alter the memories of your target depends on the amount of mana you¡¯re willing to expend and how unwilling the target is toward your alterations.


    ¡¯For darkness, you can now create a special, illusory darkness. This darkness can affect anyone with certain attributes or characteristics of your choice, or it can be ineffective to anyone with certain attributes or characteristics of your choice. Either option is viable, but the more precise andrger the darkness, the more mana you¡¯ll expend while it¡¯s active,¡¯ exined Eedaj. ¡¯This dark ability only works because you have illusion magic.


    ¡¯As for fire, this ability exits only because you have illusion magic as well. You can create mes that are invisible to others, like your darkness. But this ability is far more taxing in mana, so I prefer to use it in battlepared to the widespread use of the dark illusion you can now create.¡¯


    ¡¯Daliea,¡¯ Jack spoke up, ¡¯I can¡¯t even imagine how powerful you¡¯ll be with these skills. That¡¯s amazing.¡¯


    ¡¯She¡¯ll be more powerful than ever, but she¡¯ll also have to manage her mana more than ever before,¡¯ stated Eedaj. ¡¯If she can¡¯t manage mana correctly, she¡¯ll run out far too quickly and be left vulnerable. Especially at first, she should use these abilities sparingly.¡¯


    Eedaj added, ¡¯Let me put her new skills into perspective. The ability to alter memories is equal to a mythic-tier spell, the ability to create the illusory darkness is equal to a peak-tier spell, and the ability to make her mes illusory is a peak-tier spell on top of whatever spell she uses to create the mes. Don¡¯t think she¡¯s invincible, because she¡¯s not.¡¯


    With that clear depiction, everyone in the party better understood the downside to such powerful abilities.


    Daliea nodded and asked, ¡¯So I should be extra careful with these skills? Should I worry about people discovering I have these abilities?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s a great question but don¡¯t worry about that,¡¯ answered Eedaj. ¡¯Since I¡¯m back into the public spotlight, such abilities will be connected back to me. And the other gods will already guess the connection even if you didn¡¯t use those abilities. So don¡¯t worry about it, okay? As my dhendi, I¡¯ll protect you, as will your husband.¡¯


    ¡¯About that...¡¯ Jack chimed in again. ¡¯When will we hold the wedding?¡¯


    ¡¯Why not tonight?¡¯


    As Eedaj smiled, the rest of the party had mixed reactions. Bowzer and Phoro were proud of Jack while Eliza started to giggle. Both Daliea and Jack were blushing but said nothing to disagree with the god.


    The Behemoth Crane rocketed through the sky while maintaining it¡¯s natural grace and beauty. And due to the high altitude the crane maintained, everyone on the ground below saw the magnificent beast as she raced toward Trodar.


    When the crane left the Prehistoric Forest the elves were all in awe. It was the most sacred beast to them with an eighth level bloodline, a beast regarded as the carrier of the elven gods. And to see one race away from the Prehistoric Forest was equal to the confirmation of legends. The existence of Eedaj was a revived discussion thanks to the crane¡¯s appearance.


    That led to many elves hurrying to the Prehistoric Forest, yet they were baffled further after arriving there.


    Their name for the ce no longer held any value. The illusory barrier that surrounded the forest had vanished, allowing everyone entry to that prehistoric ce.


    With a flood of elven explorers, it was easy for them to find the simple home that wasn¡¯t hiding in any way. Once they spotted the tree with stairs carved into it, they then found the unlocked door built into the tree¡¯s roots. But there was nothing to be found in that space clearly made into a home.


    Curious and confused, the elves didn¡¯t know what to make of the discovery.

 Chapter 375 Choron Goes Off the Grid

    <h4>Chapter 375 Choron Goes Off the Grid</h4>


    Flying high in the sky, arge creature flew at incredible speeds. Its speed cut through the clouds and shook all aviary beasts nearby. Yet none of the beasts ormon people that the creature had passed knew that it had flown overhead.


    That beast was massive and grotesque. It resembled the bone fiends of the magma floor from the Leisure Guild storehouse but was far toorge and only had a single eye focused on its destination. Other than a muzzle wrapped around its face to keep it from wailing, there was a gemstone choker around the fiend¡¯s neck with a chain leading back to the man sitting on the giant fiend¡¯s back.


    The man sat on a chair that was installed into the giant fiend¡¯s spine, jutting out from the creature¡¯s back. In one hand, the man held the chain of the giant fiend and in the other hand, he held a contact crystal.


    "Choron, answer already!" the man shouted again into the crystal, still not getting a response.


    The crusty boils around the man¡¯s pig-like nose almost cracked open as his face tightened in anger. His body was broad and sturdy but there was arge amount of fat covering the powerful muscles of his abdomen.


    He shouted once more, "Choron! Answer me! How dare you not answer a superior?!"


    With nothing left to do, the man grunted and put the crystal away. Since Choron wasn¡¯t going to let him in, the man needed to enter by force.


    On the man¡¯smand, the invisible fiend dove down toward the expansive canyon below. It aimed for a spot that seemed to be covered in somewhat fresh rubble. It didn¡¯t stop though, barreling into the ground and finding a passage beneath it.


    The giant beast soonnded at the bottom. Dim artificial lighting lined the walls and there was a single passage out of that chamber.


    Dismounting the fiend, the hulking man shook the ground as hended on his feet. He started to walk down the tunnel with a smug look on his face. The art along the walls didn¡¯t interest him as he confidently walked with his gaze fixed forward.


    Eventually, the man reached arge chamber filled with beds. Only then did he finally seem interested in something other than the final chamber at the end of the tunnel.


    The beds weren¡¯t dusty or unkempt. Everything was clean, tidy, and organized. Some beds had even been moved around. It was nothing like thest time he had visited Choron a couple of centuries ago.


    Sniffing the surrounding air, the man¡¯s pig-like nose snorted while trying to figure out the reason behind the sudden change.


    "... Goblins?... Or elves?"


    The scent was both familiar and unfamiliar to the hulking man. No matter what he tried to imagine, though, he couldn¡¯t pinpoint the exact creature the scent belonged to.


    Unhappy to realize that Choron had epted people into his hidden temple, the man charged ahead at full speed.


    Everything shook as the man¡¯s great weightbined with his speed and strength to barrel through the remainder of the passage. Only after he stepped into the vast open chamber and noticed a figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the room did the man halt his charge.


    "Choron!" shouted the man. "What¡¯s going on here? What have you done now!?"


    Unfazed, the man remained cross-legged and continued his meditation.


    "You..." Stomping forward, the giant man marched toward the tranquil ninja. Once he was standing over the ninja, the man shouted directly into the ninja¡¯s ear. "What¡¯s the big idea, huh?!"


    "Why so loud?" asked Choron, finally opening his eyes.


    "Answer me! Why didn¡¯t you let me in?" questioned the man.


    Choron chuckled, "Pestro... can¡¯t you see I¡¯m in the middle of meditation? Now¡¯s not the time to bother me. We can speakter."


    "No! We¡¯ll talk here and now!" Grabbing the ninja by the cor of his jacket, Pestro lifted the ninja a full meter until they were eye to eye. "What are you doing, Choron?!"


    "I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about, Pestro."


    "Nonsense!" Spittle from Pestro¡¯s cries speckled Choron¡¯s face. "Tell me or die!"


    "That¡¯s some threat, Pestro, but... can your actions back such a statement?" Choron chuckled.


    Showing no hesitation, a halberd appeared in Pestro¡¯s other hand and was thrust into Choron¡¯s chest. "Now speak or die!"


    Blood trickled down Choron¡¯s chest and the ninja spit a mouthful of the red liquid as well. But the ninja never stopped smiling orughing. "I ask again... Can your actions back such a statement?"


    Pestro snarled and removed the halberd only to thrust back into another part of Choron¡¯s chest.


    As more blood fell from the ninja¡¯s mouth, he chuckled more. "You¡¯re toote..."


    Just as Pestro started to gather ck demonic energy around his halberd, Choron¡¯s figured evaporated in a puff of smoke. Leaving Pestro alone in the empty chamber of Choron¡¯s hidden temple, Choron¡¯s ninja clone disappeared without a trace.


    "Raaaaahhhh!!"


    Echoing off the walls and causing rocks to fall from the temple ceiling, Pestro yelled in pure, unadulterated rage. More and more of that demonic ck energy gathered around him as the Demon God demonized and thrashed out within the temple.


    Everything wasid to waste. The shrine of the main chamber was reduced to rubble. All the beds and furniture in the living quarters were shredded in Pestro¡¯s rampage. Every image along the walls was broken with either Pestro¡¯s shouts, his fists, or his demonic halberd. Nothing was safe from his fury.


    After ten minutes of destruction, Pestro returned to his mount while panting heavily. He wasn¡¯t tired, just extremely livid and trying to calm down before he reentered themon world. If he identally thrashed out while in the mortal world, Tralbok and the other gods would never forgive him.


    Five minutester, Pestro was calm enough to speak normally. He then mounted the giant fiend and pulled out his contact crystal while the fiend fled from the scene of destruction.


    "Tralbok, Choron wasn¡¯t there."


    "What?!" replied Tralbok. "But ording to crystal, Choron only left that ce fifteen minutes ago, after you had already arrived."


    "That was a clone, nothing more," replied Pestro, grinding his teeth. "Also, the beds had been used recently but I couldn¡¯t pinpoint what creatures had used them."


    Thinking silently, Tralbok twiddled his fingers. "Pestro, do you have any clues or theories about what type of creatures had used the beds? Maybe we can pinpoint Choron¡¯s location from that."


    With a sigh, Pestro replied, "I was stuck between goblins or elves."


    "Goblins and elves? What a strangebination... Then let¡¯s check the goblinnds of Drulgen."


    "But what about--"


    "Don¡¯t worry too much about Rikko. Just go there quietly and scope things out. If you happen to run into him, just state that you¡¯re handling business for the faction," reasoned Tralbok. "Don¡¯t bother searching in Korten. That would cause too much trouble at the moment."


    "But aren¡¯t we supposed to face the Holy Gods before the Neutral Gods?" asked Pestro.


    Tralbok replied, "Well, we¡¯re not facing them. All you¡¯re doing is handling the business of the faction. Don¡¯t act afraid of Rikko, but don¡¯t do anything to hurt him either. If he causes you too much trouble, then call me so I can speak with him."


    Nodding, Pestro guided his giant fiend eastward, heading toward the southeast corner of the continent.


    "Also, don¡¯te back till you have a lead on Choron, Pestro," Tralbok added. "With your snout, you should be able to sniff something out or at least eliminate goblins from our search list. Got it?"


    "Got it."


    With the conversation over, Pestro clenched his fists tightly. He was still enraged about Choron giving him the slip. With so much pent up aggression, Pestro wanted to hurry up and find Choron so that he could use the ninja as a punching bag to vent.

 Chapter 376 World Changing Announcemen

    <h4>Chapter 376 World Changing Announcemen</h4>


    The Behemoth Crane glided through the sky effortlessly, letting the people below admire it and wonder what was going on.


    As the crane entered Trodar and was headed for Gilga, rumors were already starting to arise of a mythical bird flying through Trodar. Thanks to contact crystals, such rumors spread like wildfire as everyone was telling their friends and loved ones to go outside and watch the sky. Whenever the rumor was confirmed true, that person would then tell even more people.


    That continued until a good portion of the Gilga citizens were awaiting the pass of the magnificent bird. The restaurants with street seating were unexpectedly mmed and the amount of business along the streets started to rival that of a holiday.


    This continued for thetter half of the day until that awaited moment finally arrived.


    While the sun was still crawling down the sky, a blip appeared in the distant sky. Gradually, that blip turned into a circle. That circle turned into a small bird. Then, that small bird slowly grew into a gigantic silhouette. Once the figure was recognizable as that of a crane, the citizens of Gilga were blown away.


    It was amon practice of powerful experts or businesses to have a great flying beast for travel. However, they had never seen such a spectacr beast used for such a purpose.


    At first they were in awe, like they would be for a shooting star streaking across the heavens. But they soon realized something. That beautiful crane-like beast was starting to slow down. The closer it got to the city walls, the slower it became. Also, the beast was growingrger andrger, beginning its descent.


    That awe soon turned to something else. Some believed it was a powerful foreign dignitary. Others thought it was a wild beast in search of humans as food. Many were too curious to settle on a single oue, impatiently wanting to learn the truth.


    Soon, the giant crane had descended low enough to barely clear the tallest buildings of Gilga but it hadn¡¯t stopped going forward.


    The streets of Gilga were flooded with people as the bird cawed and slowly glided over the city to grab the attention of the citizens. Mobs were following after the beast as typical carriage traffic came to a standstill due to the excess of pedestrians. But many of those riding in carriages joined the crowds as they learned what was going on.


    Some people even thought they saw human silhouettes on the back of the magnificent bird. Not many believed those rumors but it added to everyone¡¯s curiosity.


    Eventually, the massive bird pped its wings and came to a halt in the air. Reaching it¡¯s long legs down, they carefullynded on the wall of a vast property, the greatest property in all of Gilga.


    The crowds eventually caught up to the gigantic beast, trying to understand what was going on. Then, the people noticed figures climbing off of the crane and standing beside the beast atop the walls of the Leisure Guild.


    It didn¡¯t take long for the gate beneath the crane to open up and for members of the Leisure Guild to join the crowd. Even Tralon exited the guild, catching the attention of everyone.


    The citizens started to think that the legendary guild might be up to something. And since that thought went against the current belief that the guild was on the decline, their immense curiosity managed to grow even more.


    "People of Trodar!"


    A voice called out from the top of the guild walls. Finally, one of the people from the crane was addressing the anxious crowd.


    "My name is Jack," the hero introduced himself. "I¡¯m a summoned hero that was formerly with the Adventurers Association. But I must kindly relinquish my membership so that I can join the Leisure Guild."


    Suddenly, an ocean of voices and gossip flooded the entire city of Gilga. Jack was about to continue when he caught wind of some of the things the people were mentioning.


    "Does that mean the association is really through?"


    "Did the association lose the battle in Federal City?"


    "Is Federal City really in ruins?"


    The things gossiped by the people werepletely foreign to Jack, leaving him perplexed. With that in mind, Jack continued, "My leave from the association is a personal decision that I¡¯ve been longing to make. Before I was summoned to this time, I was a member of this guild during ancient times. And seeing it¡¯s current state, how I could I not give it my all to help the Leisure Guild rise back to the glory it once held?"


    The crowd roared in appreciation of Jack¡¯s words. Questions starteding from everywhere. But one question was quickly picked up by the entire crowd to make sure that Jack heard it and its many variations.


    "Who are you?"


    "What level are you?"


    "Do you know the legend?"


    Jack opened his mouth to answer but something else happened to steal his spotlight.


    The sound of rolling thunder came out of nowhere. Clouds that seemed neither stormy nor calm rushed over the great spectacle. Lightning crackled and thunder rang as the clouds started to part.


    Everyone below saw a figure descend in a pir of light. No one recognized the man but his in white clothing was eye-catching and untainted.


    As the crowd was overwhelmed by the sight, Jack startedughing alongside Eedaj.


    The two of them had chatted along the ride to coordinate this grand entrance and speech to mark the return of the gods to Trodar. But after all of that nning, they were upstaged almost instantly by Daruun¡¯s sudden appearance.


    Daruun descended andnded between Jack and Eedaj, keeping himself the focal point of the event.


    Crowds were gettingrger andrger and Trodar¡¯s most important figures were starting to arrive as well. Some of the councilmen had mixed into the crowd, along with some of the greatest businessmen. How could they miss such a momentous asion?


    When those figures noticed Kims and Vixus standing beside Tralon and Argyle, they almost hit the floor. But their attention was also stolen away by Jack and then by Daruun.


    "Citizens of Trodar!" Daruun spoke, acting as if Jack hadn¡¯t already spoken. "I know that none of you remember me, but I remember all of you."


    With everyone¡¯s attention fully fixed on him, Daruun continued, "For millennia I¡¯ve watched over Kartonia. Long ago, before those other foolish gods began a war that used you as throw-away pawns, I was blessed enough to aid the Leisure Guild rise to the forefront of the continent. And now, since the Holy and Chaotic Gods had long abandoned their duties, I¡¯m back to help the Leisure Guild rise again and bring Trodar back to the pinnacle of the continent."


    The people went ballistic! With his divine descent and his heavenly intro, themon people were already convinced of the speaker¡¯s divinity. And to mention that he was a long time supporter of the Leisure Guild struck a chord in their hearts.


    "Allow me to reintroduce myself." Opening his arms to the crowd, Daruun spoke gently but his voice somehow filled the entirety of the city. "I am Daruun, one of the long-forgotten gods of Trodar. The few tales that still linger from ancient Trodar know me as the God of Fate."


    The crowd started to whisper but it soon grew into a furor. People were thinking back to the ancient tales of Trodar, back to the fairytales about Trodar¡¯s ancient magnificence as thend that formerly housed the most gods. And for those that could remember that much, it was impossible for them to forget the all-knowing god that guided the Legend of Trodar long ago.


    "Like before, I¡¯vee to guide the Leisure Guild again," Daruun continued as the crowd tried to bottle their excitement. "And to do that, I¡¯ve revived the greatest hero to walk on Trodan soil. Standing beside me is the man that carved Trodar into the continent, the man that defied rival gods and all mortal expectations. As the founder of the Leisure Guild, he has achieved too much to ce under a single title, earning the all-epassing name, Legend."


    Jack was frozen where he stood, eyeing Daruun carefully. He knew what Daruun was about to do but he also knew that he was about to incur the wrath of the gods. His body was too overwhelmed to function properly at that moment.


    Even though Daruun knew that such an announcement was outside of Jack¡¯s ns and it would bring the gods¡¯ wrath upon Jack, he didn¡¯t hesitate at all.


    The God of Fate paused and motioned to Jack with his right hand, shaking the crowds¡¯ bottled excitement to the breaking point.


    "Behold! I, Daruun, the God of Fate, have brought back your greatest shining light and Trodar¡¯s greatest hope, the Legend of Trodar, Jack!"


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"


    Shouts, screams, yells, shrieks. All manner of cries sounded out as the God of Fate introduced the greatest hero in Trodar¡¯s long history.


    The only silent voice was Jack¡¯s. His mind went nk from the pressure of the crowd and of the unannounced consequences that came with his former identity.

 Chapter 377 Jack, The Legend of Trodar

    <h4>Chapter 377 Jack, The Legend of Trodar</h4>


    "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"


    As the crowds¡¯ cheers swelled to the highest yet, Jack struggled to get his mind past the thought of prematurely announcing himself.


    ¡¯The gods already learned you were active starting today, and bringing Eedaj back into public view would force them to investigate deeper,¡¯ Daruun¡¯s voice crept into Jack¡¯s troubled mind. ¡¯Would you rather have the gods snooping around you to learn your identity or tell them outright?¡¯


    Clinging to that fresh seed of confidence that Daruun had just nted in Jack¡¯s mind, Jack raised his arms before the crowd. It took a moment for the crowd¡¯s excitement to still and allow Jack the opportunity to speak.


    With everyone¡¯s undivided attention, Jack stood proud atop the wall. "Trodans... It¡¯s good to be back."


    The crowd went nuts again, reveling on the stories of old and how they mighte to pass yet again. And thanks to yesterday¡¯s incident in Federal City, the entire world was left wondering what could happen next and if any ce in the world could be safe. Now, Trodar had an answer to that and they couldn¡¯t be prouder.


    "Also, allow me to introduce one more man," Daruun resumed his speaking, pausing to let the crowd¡¯s attention return to him. "As the God of Fate, I have too many responsibilities to dwell here. Though Jack is linked to me and will receive my guidance, I can¡¯t personally offer that to you all. But this man can."


    Motioning to his left, Daruun saw everyone¡¯s eye follow the direction of his hands and stated, "This is Eedaj, another long-forgotten god of ancient Trodar. For those of you that remember the fairytales of Trodar, he¡¯s also known as the Mind God."


    While the crowd started to whisper and remember the Mind God, Daruun continued, "Also, this man is the leader of a rare breed of elves that was lost a long time ago. However, Jack has discovered the surviving tribe and brought them here to offer even more protection for the city and greater growth of your economy."


    On cue, arge group of short, grey-skinned people emerged from within the property of the Leisure Guild. Both the crowds and those from the crane were startled by the appearance of more than two hundred greis elves.


    "Now, you may know of Jack¡¯s great achievements from the past, but know this. Before revealing himself to you all, Jack has been busy iming newer, greater achievements." Daruun shifted the attention from the two gods back to the human, something that only Jack could pull off.


    "After his revival, Jack has been busy visiting of forgotten gods of Trodar. Though we were forced to flee during the Godly War of the past, Jack has made sure that such a thing will never happen again!" continued Daruun, acting as the greatest hypeman Jack could wish for. "Not only does Jack have connections with myself and Eedaj, but Jack is also the proud adopted son of another forgotten god, the great God of Secrecy."


    "That would be me!"


    Out of nowhere, the crowd heard a new voice shout out from atop the wall. Their eyes scrambled to find a new man standing to the right of Jack, which baffled everyone.


    Jack was startled to see Sterfen arrive beside him, but he felt d to have him join such a momentous event.


    Sterfen shouted, "Trodans, I¡¯m Sterfen, the ancient God of Secrecy. I¡¯ve personally witnessed Jack¡¯s amazing abilities and have done just as Daruun stated. I¡¯m proud to say that Jack is now my son, and a candidate to one day be a god himself."


    Overdosed on excitement, the crowd was jittery and wondering what could possibly top what had already been said.


    "I¡¯m also proud to tell you this," added Sterfen. "My son Jack managed to do more than we can describe in words, but I can assure you that the Leisure Guild is once again fully prepared to defend this great city and help it once again be the great megacity that was famed throughout Kartonia.


    "To do that, he¡¯s done the impossible. Jack has be best friends with one of the legendary beasts that you fear most, a fox that can climb back from the pits of hell. Everyone, please step back so you can see it with your own eyes."


    Clearing a crowd like this was normally impossible, but everyone was already imagining the same fearsome beast and no one wanted to be left near it.


    Once a clearing of over two hundred meters was left in front of the gate below, Sterfen smiled to Jack, who nodded to Bowzer.


    Understanding that it was his time to shine, therge fox jumped down to the floor below. He attracted everyone¡¯s gaze, some filled with fear and hesitation while others watch with excitement and curiosity.


    Howling, Bowzer¡¯s white me coat reappeared and grew rapidly. The crowd could only watch as a beast straight out of nightmares was proven to exist right before their eyes. Bowzer¡¯s giant size and threatening mes silenced the crowd, leaving them with anxiety.


    "Don¡¯t be afraid!" Sterfen shouted. "This fox goes by the name Bowzer and he¡¯s Jack¡¯s mutualpanion. Together, they¡¯ve been preparing to reach new heights beyond every other hero to ever want across Kartonia."


    As Bowzer¡¯s ming form started to shrink and rescind back to his normal form, Sterfen added, "Also, to make sure that Eedaj remains in this city as the first returning guardian god, my son will be marrying his daughterter tonight."


    With their expectation obliterated yet again, the crowd felt like they were dreaming. Everything felt too good to be true, yet there was also evidence. Why else would such a magnificent crane appear so casually? How could they exin Daruun¡¯s entrance that shook the city momentarily? And what about the Hell-me Fox that seemed under Jack¡¯s control? There was plenty of doubt, but there was enough evidence to convince themon people.


    "Sadly," Sterfen continued, "At this moment in time, I can¡¯t remain in Trodar with all of you. But I will always offer my strength and support when it¡¯s needed. But you will have my son, Jack, the Legend of Trodar as well as Eedaj, the Mind God to take care of you as ambassadors of the Leisure Guild."


    "Now go!" Daruun shouted, this time in a booming voice that shook everyone. "We must prepare for this great wedding which will be held within the Leisure Guild. There will be limited seating for the public, but I¡¯ll also allow everyone willing to wait outside of this gate to see it when the wedding begins. Thank you for your time."


    Before the crowd could apud or attempt to ask any of the millions of circting questions, Daruun pped his palms and created a sh of light that blinded the entire crowd. When the sh was gone, all of the gods and the people from the crane had disappeared. Even the Behemoth Crane was gone, startling everyone and reinforcing the gods¡¯ ims of being divine.


    Tralon, the guild members, and the greis elves were already walking back into the guild.


    The guild members were blown away by the announcement. Their guild leader had said that a great asion was about to take ce, something that would mean the absolute rival of the guild. And though the guild members doubted aplete revival, they were corrected thoroughly by the reveal of Jack¡¯s identity, as well as the many other announcements made to the public.


    Those greis elves were still in shock. They had long believed themselves to be a race of advanced goblins, but it felt so good to be called elves for some reason. And when they saw Daliea and Eedaj standing atop the wall, their hearts were shaken and overwhelmed with joy. Their doubts about having listened to Jack vanished right then and there. Nothing could¡¯ve felt better or more fulfilling than that new knowledge about their origin and the fact that a member of their race was a god.

 Chapter 378 Catching Up On World Events

    <h4>Chapter 378 Catching Up On World Events</h4>


    Those that were carried away by Daruun now stood inside of a massive open courtyard. The Behemoth Crane carefullyid on the ground and nestled her head within her feathers while the others started conversing.


    "Daruun, was that necessary?" Jack asked.


    Smiling, Daruun replied, "I told you that if you arrived on time then I would help you, didn¡¯t I?"


    "This is what you meant by help?!"


    "Jack, calm down. Thanks to that show, do you think you¡¯ll have any trouble getting elected to the council?" reasoned Daruun. "Just keep a calm mind because step three of your five-step n is still underway."


    Calmer, Jack eyed Daruun. "Then what else remains with step three?"


    "Negotiations," Eedaj cut into the conversation. "You¡¯ll have to be present, Jack, but I can handle the negotiations should you wish."


    "I¡¯d like you there and you¡¯re wee to speak freely, but I¡¯d still like to lead them," Jack replied, then looked back to Daruun. "But I¡¯ve already spoken with Lyrun and made arrangements with him. Are you saying that¡¯s going to fall through?"


    "Thanks to us announcing that Eedaj will relocate to Trodar, he¡¯ll be forced to renegotiate his side of the terms," stated Daruun. "But what we¡¯ll be after isn¡¯t really their technology or their magic items, Jack. Those can be created by the greis elves with some practice and the aid of Eedaj."


    "Then what are we after?" asked Jack.


    Daruun chuckled, "Sterfen, would you like to answer him, or should I?"


    "I can answer that." Joining the conversation, Sterfen eyed Jack with a proud smile. "What we¡¯re after is friendship."


    Curious and confused, Jack asked, "And why¡¯s that?"


    Sterfen answered, "Because there wille a time that Korten will need more help then they will admit and they¡¯ll onlye to you if you¡¯re on great terms. Also, we can¡¯t involve Lyrun in any of this. The rtionship we¡¯re after must be genuine and created between our nations."


    "But why can¡¯t we--"


    "Because Lyrun is still a member of the Holy Gods," Eedaj cut Jack off. "He can¡¯t make certain moves personally, otherwise, he¡¯ll face the consequences of the other Holy Gods."


    Jack sighed. "Then how am I supposed to do that?"


    "In a few days, a messenger from Korten should be arriving," stated Daruun. "They¡¯ll try to arrange a meeting between the guild and your pal Gwendon. You must do everything to make sure you can control those negotiations while not dominating it in order to foster this needed rtionship."


    Taking that in, Jack remembered something else he wanted to ask about. "By the way, I heard something happened in Federal City with the association. What¡¯s that about?"


    "Right, you¡¯ve been traveling," Steren sighed. "Arge scale fight broke out in the middle of Federal City. The syndicate finally made a move against the association. All the higher-ups were forced to fight ande out of hiding, shocking the world with the amount of secret forces that both organizations had. The champions also duked it out over the city center, destroying it in the process."


    "Lorwynn and the other champion fought each other again?" Startled, Jack continued his questioning, "What happened? Who won? And what about the guilds? Also, what about Maura¡¯s family? Did--"


    "Everything¡¯s fine, Jack," Daruun spoke and lifted his hand to demand Jack¡¯s attention. "Thanks to Argyle and Tralon hurrying to Federal City, they managed to finish the Fat Goose¡¯s teleportation circle just in time. They managed to escape, alongside with Maura¡¯s family, with no casualties. Thanks to the sword you returned to Argyle and your tradition of self-destructing circles, the Fat Goose was saved and no one managed to follow them here."


    Reaching the end of the first loop de loop of that emotional rollercoaster, Jack heaved a sigh of relief.


    "As for the other guilds, you¡¯ll be running into Hurmot before the elven messenger arrives," Daruun continued. "What I¡¯m excited to see is how you¡¯ll handle Kaldor. Thanks to those councilmen you¡¯ve captured, he¡¯s been waiting outside of the storehouse all this time and has no clue about what happened. In a few more days, he¡¯ll get impatient and start waiting in Gilga. That¡¯s when he¡¯ll learn about the incident and rush back to find his guild and auction house decimated and robbed of everything."


    Jack showed a strange smile. "So, because he was greedy and tried to swindle me of the guild items from the vault, he ended up getting robbed instead? That¡¯s karma at its finest."


    "True, but you¡¯ll still have to deal with him in some way," added Daruun. "He¡¯ll me you for a lot of what happened and want you to rpense him. Also, it won¡¯t be hard for him to figure out that you were the mystery buyer thanks to your revealed identity."


    "Right... I forgot about all of the people who are going to hound me for not telling them sooner," stated Jack.


    Daruun shrugged. "Why worry about that? They can¡¯t logically me you for keeping it a secret."


    "Wait, you never told me the result of the fight!" Jack looked back to Daruun. "Are you avoiding the question?"


    "I just thought you¡¯d like to hear the result from your two newest recruits," chuckled Daruun. The God of Fate waved his had and opened the gate to the courtyard, letting two men enter and lock the gate behind them. "Jack, meet your two newest members."


    "I... Lorwynn?! What are you doing here?!" Baffled and left with a jumbled mess in his mind, Jack questioned, "You joined my guild? What happened in Federal City?!"


    ¡¯Jack, don¡¯t ignore your notifications.¡¯


    Hearing Daruun¡¯s statement in his mind, Jack set aside his confusion enough to notice the ring red notification.


    Turning to the man beside Lorwynn, Jack cautiously asked, "I know you¡¯re the other champion, so who are you?"


    With a chuckle, the man bowed his head. "I¡¯m Hadurt, the man that Skaryn chose as his champion and the man that Pestro turned into a power-hungry beast."


    "Oh, so Pestro was your master... I¡¯m sorry you had to look at his ugly mug for so many centuries," Jackughed but kept a cautious eye on the chaotic champion.


    "Both me and Lorwynn cut our ties to join the guild," added Hadurt, startling Jack further, "but only because you can offer us more than either of the other factions."


    While Jack was confused, Sterfenmented, "So you two finally figured out your fate. And instead of facing it yourselves, you want my son to help you out?"


    Lorwynn nodded. "Guilty as charged. Who would be better to challenge fate than the champion chosen by the God of Fate, right?"


    "I can¡¯t say I disagree there," chuckled Sterfen. "That means you¡¯ve abandoned your blessings and your masters. I¡¯m sure Pestro doesn¡¯t know about this since I¡¯m guessing Lorwynn incited it all. But does Lyrun know about this, that¡¯s what I want to know."


    "No, my master doesn¡¯t know about this," replied Lorwynn. "I was unsure how much help my master could give me in his current situation. With that in mind, I felt it was best for him to not know about this, so please keep our secret."


    "Can someone please exin what happened?!" shouted Jack.


    "Right," Lorwynn sighed, taking a moment to think of the best exnation possible.


    But during Lorwynn¡¯s pause, Hadurt shrugged and answered, "It¡¯s simple. We fought each other and Lorwynn almost killed us both while faking our deaths. The fighting stopped after that, ording to rumors, but the city was half destroyed already and the strongest guilds and organizations were raided by the syndicate. That¡¯s when we joined the guild and met Daruun, who convinced us by saying you could make us gods, unlike our former benefactors."


    "I..." Holding his tongue, Jack looked to Daruun in shock. "I can make them gods?"

 Chapter 379 Only One Path of Two

    <h4>Chapter 379 Only One Path of Two</h4>


    "I can make them gods?"


    Daruun nodded and then shrugged. "Given time, yes. That will be very possible."


    "But I thought--"


    "Just know that there is a way for you to make them gods, but to do so, you must first be a god," stated Daruun. "As for how they can be gods, just know that it involves killing a god, which means you should be a god first. If you get hung up on anything else, then you¡¯ll get distracted from what needs to be done now."


    "Then that means... I¡¯ll need to be a god within a year?"


    "If you¡¯re trying to extend Tralon¡¯s life, then yes. But don¡¯t lose your cool, Jack. I¡¯m not saying it¡¯s impossible to do so, but the probability of that path intersects with a different path involving Sterfen," Daruun added, grabbing the attention of the entire room.


    Sterfen and Jack tried to imagine what Daruun was going to say but the God of Fate continued to surprise them. "Jack, from this moment on, there are many routes to take toward your fate. You control that, not me. It¡¯s your decisions that might save the world or allow it to fall. Not every decision could be so consequential, but the decision you¡¯re about to make might lead to that.


    "You have the option of Lorwynn partnering with Hadurt to carry Tralon until he levels up enough to potentially be a god before his death. Now, that path carries manyplications and intricacies as well that would need to be executed perfectly to keep Tralon alive," reasoned Daruun.


    "Another option is one that involves Sterfen and helping your mother leave the Holy Gods sooner rather thanter," continued Daruun. "To do this, you would need Lorwynn¡¯s help, which would keep him from power-leveling Tralon with Hadurt."


    "Also, by taking that option there¡¯s a chance that youplicate things for Lorwynn or even the rebel Holy Gods. But should he prove entirely sessful, there¡¯s also a chance for him to remain hidden from the Holy God¡¯s as well. That path might also aid you in your quest to recruit Choron if executed correctly."


    Jack¡¯s mind was throbbing from the pressure behind this decision. His emotions were fighting with his logic.


    Heavily pandering Daruun¡¯s words, Sterfen started to imagine what sort of n would involve helping his wife gain an early escape from the Holy Gods.


    "Oh, and Lorwynn, you wouldn¡¯t need to worry too much in either of these scenarios," Daruun added, calming the former holy champion. "Should Jack choose the path to aid Tralon in ascending, you¡¯ll be focusing on dungeon runs. And should he choose the path to rescue Lunara sooner thanter and aid Choron, you¡¯ll be Sterfen¡¯s personal aid as you both work toward those goals."


    Stewing in deep thought, Jack hated the decision presented to him.


    At the side, both Eliza and Daliea could recognize Jack¡¯s internal struggle. But while the elf girl hesitated, Eliza hurried to Jack, embracing him from behind. She whispered, "Whatever you decide, we¡¯ll all agree."


    Jack¡¯s lips twitch upward for a second as he ced his hand around hers. He said nothing but he was visibly calmer.


    Sighing, Daruun told Jack, "Don¡¯t feel pressured to decide now, Jack. I¡¯m only telling you this much so that you can make a proper decision. You can prolong your decision for six days. If you take too much longer than that, then you¡¯ll have chosen neither path and you¡¯ll be left adjusting to the decisions of others."


    Feeling better and worse at the same time, Jack nodded to Daruun and the others.


    "Today will be my final day staying here. I¡¯ve got other duties to attend to," stated Daruun. "After the wedding, we¡¯ll have a great feast before I depart. Now, shouldn¡¯t you and Daliea prepare for the ceremony?"


    Struggling to reply, Jack was lucky to feel someone grab each of his hands. Both Eliza and Daliea were tugging him along, leading him out of the room.


    "Come on, I¡¯m sure the others are already here," stated Eliza. "Let¡¯s hurry up and transfer Appa to me to get your mind off everything else."


    "Y-yeah..." Jack meekly replied, finally moving of his own volition.


    "Then you¡¯ll need me," Daruun chuckled as he followed them out of the courtyard, along with Bowzer and Phoro. "Your party should be in the courtyard prepared for the wedding."


    They took their time to travel through the guild, guided by Daruun. After ten minutes of wandering, they reached that courtyard to find dozens of chairs set up in a half-circle facing a constructed tform. In the seats closest to the tform, the other party members and Maura¡¯s family were waiting.


    "Jack!" Seeing her husband being pulled into the courtyard, Maura hurried to hug him. She was quick to see that something was wrong and asked, "Is there something you want to talk about?"


    Shaking his head, Jack replied with a soft smile, "No, not today. Let¡¯s talk about it tomorrow."


    "Right, today is a celebration for our husband and our new sister," added Eliza, caressing Jack¡¯s arm while smiling at Daliea.


    "Daliea, I was wondering if Eliza and I could be your maids of honor?" Maura kindly asked.


    Nodding, Daliea giggled. "Of course... Who else could I ask?"


    "Then let¡¯s go get you ready." Letting go of Jack, Eliza skipped around him to link arms with Daliea. "We¡¯ll help you pick out a dress and essories. Maura, where¡¯s the dressing room?"


    "Follow me!"


    Delighted, the thee women ran back out of the courtyard toward the bride¡¯s designated area. Jack was left behind with only the men.


    "Jack, why aren¡¯t you happy?" asked Bowzer. "I thought you liked Daliea?"


    With a nervous chuckle, Jack answered, "I do, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m like this..."


    "So you¡¯ll have to make an important decision, what¡¯s the big deal? Is it your first time?" Bowzer questioned Jack, hoping to get his point across.


    "I... No, it¡¯s not."


    "Then, take some time to think over which one you should do and then follow through on whatever you decide," reasoned Bowzer. "You can always call Daruun when you have a question."


    "True, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯ll always answer your questions," stated Daruun.


    Stunned slightly, Jack asked, "And why not?"


    "Because that¡¯s not how my crest works." Daruun exined, "My crest can contact me and it can summon me. It also represents that you¡¯re my messenger when needed. Which reminds me, feel free to check more of your recent notifications if you¡¯re want to feel better."


    "What do--"


    "Anyway," continued Daruun, "The crest will have the ability to contact me directly, light a contact crystal. But know that each time you contact me will use the same amount of mana as a peak-tier spell, and that¡¯s for each minute we share. So I¡¯d rmend using it wisely and not for lengthy conversations like we have had in the past, Jack."


    "What... Why does it need so much mana?!"ined Jack.


    Daruun smiled and looked at Jack like the hero was stupid. "Did you already forget that I¡¯m not staying on the? Did you think interstermunication was so simple?"


    "N... Yeah, sorry about that. I¡¯m a little stressed out at the moment." Jack sighed. "It¡¯s hard to get my mind off of this, okay?"


    "I¡¯m sure Daliea will help ya with thatter tonight,"ughed Maynard as he walked up to Jack.


    Rydel joined in, throwing his arm around the hero. "Yeah, I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll keep him upied, at least till morning."


    A chuckle escaped Jack¡¯s lips but only for a moment.


    "Jack, just rx. Either of those two options would make sense for what you¡¯re nning to do," added Tralon. "So why not enjoy the moment while it¡¯s here? You¡¯re not going to disappoint Daliea after all this, are you?"


    "No," stated Jack, finally letting his usual tone of voicee out. "I¡¯ll treat her right. That much I can handle right now."

 Chapter 380 Wedding Hosted By The Gods

    <h4>Chapter 380 Wedding Hosted By The Gods</h4>


    The empty seats around the tform started to gradually fill with the most important guild members and Jack¡¯s loved ones at the front.


    Eventually, some nonmembers of the guild trickled in as well. They were the important or influential figures from Gilga. Some were businessmen, others were councilmen or the assistants of councilmen. To earn a seat at this surprise wedding was practically impossible without already having a certain level of influence.


    But there was something strange about the seating.


    Guild members were still offered better seating than the councilmen or the wealthiest businessmen. Though they offered to pay for better seats, no one was willing to exchange seats and the ushers deny all sorts of bribes.


    "What¡¯s the meaning of this?" one of the councilmen shouted into his contact crystal. "Tralon, I demand an answer!"


    "Halmon, settle down. The seating wasn¡¯t arranged by me or the guild. If you have any problems, take it up with the gods who arranged it, not me," replied Tralon, thereby ending the conversation and putting his contact crystal away.


    "But this is your guild!" Councilman Halmon refused to give up so easily, despite not hearing back from Tralon.


    Tralon sighed, mumbling to himself, "Not for long..."


    With Tralon not willing to help them, a group of three councilmen decided to take matters into their own hands.


    Those three got up from their given seats and neared the front of the seating area. Once at the front row, they neared Maynard, Rydel, and Zariff, the people they felt were most undeserving of their seats by theirmon apparel.


    Halmon stated, "Here, allow us to purchase those three seats from you. We¡¯ll give you one thousand gold each."


    "That¡¯s all?" chuckled Zariff. "This is the greatest wedding Trodar has ever seen and you¡¯re only offering one thousand gold for our front row seats? What a joke!"


    Keeping his cool, Halmon replied, "Then what would you deem a fitting price. Be quick about it."


    "I won¡¯t even consider moving for anything under fifty thousand gold," stated Zariff. "Why should I give up the seat of a lifetime for anything less than that?"


    "That... It¡¯s only a seat to walk the couple share their wedding vows. Surely it can¡¯t cost that much," reasoned Halmon.


    "Then get lost!" Zariff answered.


    Maynard added, "Ya don¡¯t even know the bride or groom. All ya want is to look important in front of the gods. But if you¡¯re not willing to prove how bad ya want it, then go back to your seats before ya lose those too."


    "I¡¯m sure we can find a middle ground that¡¯s--"


    "Enough ying around." Another man had entered and immediately gone to the front with the other councilmen, not even ncing at the seat the ushers showed him. "I¡¯ll pay the fifty thousand for each of your seats, including his."


    Trax turned his head and sighed, looking back to the man trying to purchase his seat. "Mine¡¯s not for sale."


    "Nor mine," stated Rydel, not even sparing the man a look.


    That man red at the men denying his offer, not frowning nor smiling. He scanned the rest of the row and noticed a couple of unexpected faces sitting beside Tralon near the center aisle.


    Walking toward his acquaintances, that man kept his calm demeanor while the other three councilmen followed him along. Once he neared those seating by the center aisle, he nodded to them. "Kims, Vixus, how much did you too have to pay for such great seats."


    "Not a single gold coin," replied Kims, keeping his eyes forward as to not look at the man.


    "I doubt that," chuckled the man. "Since when were you on such great terms with Tralon and the guild? Didn¡¯t you two try and--"


    "If that¡¯s all you¡¯re going to talk about, I would hurry back to your seats before they¡¯re given away to someone else," Tralon interjected. "These two are honorary members of the guild, so of course they¡¯ll sit at the very front of the guild seats. Understand?"


    That man gave Tralon a strange look, then he shared that look with the other two as well. "I see... Then how might I also gain one of these seats? Might I join the guild for a day?"


    "Impossible."


    The councilmen were startled by the new voice that interrupted the conversation. They and that man turned to the tform to see Jack looking down on them with an unhappy re.


    "This is my wedding day. If you¡¯re going to act like vultures, then I¡¯ll send you out so you can scalp seats like them," stated Jack.


    Not taking Jack¡¯s statement to heart, that man bowed his head. "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Jack. I¡¯m Thyron Tindrell, the council spokesman. As the leading political figure, I¡¯vee to witness your wonderous wedding ceremony."


    "If that¡¯s all you¡¯re here for, then your given seats are enough," stated Jack, not giving an inch. "If you cause any more trouble or try to take any of the reserved seats on the front row, then you¡¯ll be dismissed before the bride arrives."


    Finally showing a hint of a frown as Thyron sighed, he replied, "Jack, I¡¯m sure that--"


    "Stop trying to act high and mighty because of your position. I created that position, remember?"


    Stopping his reply, Thyron bowed his head again to Jack. "Then we¡¯ll return to our seats. I¡¯m sorry for creating such a disturbance."


    "But what--"


    "No more, Halmon. Let¡¯s return to the seats they graciously offered us. Not ever is allowed entry, after all," stated Thyron, calmly walking back toward the seat the usher had shown him earlier.


    Jack was stunned to see how calm and calcting the current spokesman was. He nced at Kims, who finally showed his frown the moment Thyron left. The tension between those two as councilmen was obvious to everyone, not only those that knew Kims¡¯s secret.


    As Jack returned to his ce on the tform, it didn¡¯t take long for the awaited moment to arrive.


    The artificial lighting at the room was dimmed, leaving the spotlight shining on the tform. Then, Ilgor stepped out from behind the tform. He carried a cushioned stool in one arm and a lute in the other. Gently, he sat on the stool and allowed his fingers to run along the lute¡¯s strings.


    Soft music started to caress everyone¡¯s ears. Feelings of warmth were evoked by the chord¡¯s Ilgor yed, removing any lingering tension felt within the great room.


    With everyone feeling light-hearted and guided by the ambiance of the room, a single ray of light suddenly shown down from the ceiling to reveal the entrance of the bride.


    Her grey skin was ented brilliantly by her cobalt blue dress, enrapturing the attention of everyone. It was slim, yet showed that the small elven girl was as much of a beauty as the two human women walking behind her.


    At Daliea¡¯s side, she was being escorted by her new father, her palpo. The two smiled at each other as they walked up the center aisle, iming the spotlight for everyone to see.


    They didn¡¯t rush themselves. Taking their time, Daliea, her escort, and her two maids of honor walked up the aisle and up onto the tform.


    There, Daliea saw Jack in a new suit, or at least the altered cloak turned into a new suit. It was foreign to anything she had seen before, but it was much more fitting and high ss than any suit a tailor could¡¯ve made for him. It was pure ck, but he had a bow tie matching Daliea¡¯s dress and a smile on his face.


    Behind Jack stood Sterfen, who was also smiling proudly.


    Daliea took her ce across from Jack, looking up to the hero with nervous yet happy eyes. Behind her, Eedaj mimicked Sterfen to proudly look over his new dhendi as he made her vows.


    Both Maura and Eliza were smiling ear to ear, d to know that the woman they cared for like a sister would never be forgotten or left out from the party. That feeling was especially impactful for Eliza, who remembered the letter she received from Ke.


    Standing at the center of the tform and to the couple¡¯s side, Daruun shared a smile with Jack and Daliea before he started the ceremony.


    "Jack Dyrshire, as my chosen champion and my adopted grandson through Sterfen, do you take Daliea Bavlyion to be your wife for all your life, to cherish and to care for, no matter the circumstances and no matter how much fame or power you gain in the future?"


    Jack took a deep breath and nodded, replying with a smile, "I do."


    Turning to Daliea, Daruun asked, "Daliea Bavlyion, as my adopted granddaughter through Eedaj, do you take Jack Dyrshire to be your husband and partner for all your life, to cherish and to care for, no matter the circumstances and no matter how much fame or power you gain in the future?"


    "I do," replied Daliea with watery eyes.


    "Then, we¡¯ll allow you to share rings," added Daruun.


    Another spotlight shone down on the aisle, letting the whole crowd see a young girl skipping down the aisle with a giant smile for everyone to see. In her hands was a velvet cushion holding two magnificent rings.


    Little Lina happily walked up the aisle and delivered the rings to the couple before she joined Eliza and Maura at the side.


    "As amitment to each other and to act as a witness of saidmitment, you may share your rings," Daruun warmly added.


    Not a single word was shared between the couple. They exchanged smiles as they ced a ring on the other¡¯s finger. Then, they locked their fingers and looked into each other¡¯s eyes. Not shying away this time, Jack leaned down to kiss his bride, who kissed him back.


    As that moment slowly passed for the couple, everyone else watched them eventually break their kiss.


    "Now," Daruun softly broke the silence. "Let us begin the feast!"

 Chapter 381 God-filled Reception

    <h4>Chapter 381 God-filled Reception</h4>


    Ilgor¡¯s ying started to pick up more as the lighting returned to normal.


    Volunteer guild members stepped into the great room, dressed as servers. They carried arge tter of food in one hand while keeping their other hand free. That free hand was used to retrieve pre-decroated tables to set the food on top of.


    More musicians followed the servers into the great room, lining up along the walls. They reced Ilgor and allowed everyone to feel the upbeat shift in the atmosphere.


    Jack, Daliea, and everyone atop the tform descended so that more volunteer guild members could put the tform away and ready their grand table.


    The main table was long and oval-shaped, allowing each person sitting there to be seen by all others at the table. Jack and Daliea took the center seats of one of the long sides, followed by Maura and Eliza as his other wives. But Lina managed to snag the chair between Jack and Maura, making sure she could sit next to the man of the hour and better celebrate with her big bro.


    Across from Jack, Daruun sat at the other seat of honor with Eedaj and Sterfen beside him. Both of the other gods made sure to sit on the side of their son or daughter, following tradition.


    To fill in the rest of the seats, the other members of the party joined them. Maura¡¯s family was overwhelmed to share a table with the gods, but they dly epted the seats at one end of the oval despite their nerves. Argyle and the managers of the Fat Goose sat at the other end of the oval. And, of course, Tralon, Vixus, Kims, and even Ilgor and now Dirk found a seat at the table of honor.


    The councilmen were also given a grand table of their own, as well as the important businessmen.


    Halmon and most of the other councilmen were lightly frowning, not wanting to ruin the mood but still dissatisfied with their treatment. At least they wanted to be introduced to the three gods, but no one bothered to mention them or give them special attention apart from therge table.


    Thyron, on the other hand, noticed the others at the table of honor,mitting their faces to his memory. He kept a soft smile on his face as he enjoyed the food and drink offered at the banquet. For him, an aging man who had been to countless banquets, this ceremony stood at the top in extravagance. Of the councilmen, Thyron was the first to recognize what made up the meals they were eating.


    "Halmon, stopining and enjoy yourself. You¡¯d be surprised how great this meal is, should you let yourself enjoy it," Thyronmented, who was trying a bit of everything, even the food offered by the wandering servers.


    Surprised to see Thyron enjoying himself, Halmon and the others agreed to try and make the most of it. They followed the example of their spokesman and were startled to realize how good the food was.


    "No expense was too small for such an asion," stated Thyron, admiring a morsel of meat on his fork. "Each dish was made with rare beasts and even the herbs are quite exotic. I, myself, am unsure what creature this meat came from, nor am I familiar with the spices used to season it, but this is one of the most delicious things I¡¯ve ever put in my mouth, if not the most delicious."


    Unable to argue with Thyron, the other councilmen were subdued by the food. Their negativements vanished, though their sour attitudes remained in the back of their minds.


    "A toast!" Abruptly, a voice rang out and stole everyone¡¯s attention.


    Hadurt was proudly standing while holding arge tankard filled to the brim with the luxurious wine. He again shouted, "A toast to the bride and groom! May your love always be passionate!"


    Laughing, Jack and Daliea each lifted their half-emptied sses, shouting in unison, "Thank you!"


    Shouts filled the room as everyone else drank along with the couple and Hadurt returned to his seat beside the disguised Lorwynn, who was rubbing his forehead and eyeing the ignorant but also disguised Hadurt.


    Amidst the music and the buffet, one servant hurried to Tralon at the table. He whispered something into Tralon¡¯s ear, startling Tralon and causing his to pause his feast.


    "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s what I was told."


    Looking to Jack, Tralon telepathically passed the news, ¡¯Jack, another god has arrived to see you.¡¯


    ¡¯Let him enter,¡¯ Daruun replied telepathically, interjecting himself into their conversation. ¡¯It¡¯s best to wee him.¡¯


    Jack nodded and sighed, letting Tralon send off the servant to allow the new guest inside while ordering others to prepare an extra seat beside the gods at Jack¡¯s table.


    "Hey!"


    A shout reverberated through the great room, stealing attention from the food and music.


    It came from a man standing waltzing into the room, leaving his guide behind. He was chubby and appeared to be quite happy-go-lucky. The man wore a golden, open robe with matching pants, not hiding his round belly at all and letting it hang out for everyone to spot. As eyes gathered on the man, he smiled with pride, relishing in the attention.


    "Sterfen, why didn¡¯t you invite me sooner?" the man continued to shout as he sauntered toward the grand table. "I didn¡¯t have time to prepare a gift, it was sost minute."


    "Guuro, hurry and get over here before I rob you blind for disturbing my son¡¯s reception banquet," Sterfenughed loudly, stunning the many people watching the conversation y out. "At least greet your niece and nephew, why don¡¯t you?"


    Before taking his newly prepared seat beside Sterfen, Guuro bowed to Jack with the graceful wave of his arms. "I¡¯m proud to meet you, my nephew. I¡¯m d to finally see our champion with my own eyes and I congratte you on your third marriage."


    "Thanks, Uncle Guuro, it means a loting from you," chuckled Jack, noticing the rtionship between Guuro and Sterfen.


    Sterfen pped Guuro on the back as the God of Greed took his seat. "Eat all you want! I gathered the ingredients and Eedaj had a hand in preparing them. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve had plenty of fun during your many hidden travels this past millennium, but this will be the best meal since my own wedding. I guarantee it."


    "Then don¡¯t mind if I do just that!"


    With near blinding speed, the full boar that was ced between Jack the gods and the couple became a husk and a pile of bones. Guuro had even sucked the cartge clean off the bone, leaving not even a scrap for Bowzer and Phoro at the side of the table.


    Guuro licked his lips and sucked the grease from his fingers. He then asked, "Now, where¡¯s the appetizer?"


    "There¡¯s plenty more," added Daruun. "We knew you would make an appearance so we were forced to prepare heartily beforehand."


    "Leave it to Pops to know me so well," chuckled Guuro. "Then I¡¯ll be busy feasting, for the time being, so we¡¯ll chit chat after I¡¯ve had my fill."


    Jack wanted to talk with the God of Greed and ask the man a few questions, but it was clear that nothing would be able to interrupt Guuro¡¯s feasting. It was clear that Guuro was the actual embodiment of greed, in all terms of wealth and luxury.


    The others attending the feast gradually resumed their prior conversations, only asionally stealing nces at the new arrival they could¡¯vebeled as the God of Gluttony.


    As the feast continued into the night, everyone at the grand table was conversing besides the gluttonous god who was still enjoying his fill of the food. And soon came the time for the banquet to toast to the departure of the bride and groom.


    Jack and Daliea left the room while waving to the many guests cheering for them. They left Eliza, Maura, and the others back at the table as the couple left for their prepared bedroom.

 Chapter 382 Daruuns Departure

    <h4>Chapter 382 Daruun¡°s Departure</h4>


    When the sun rose the following morning, the entire city still had a buzz. Even though nomon citizens managed to personally attend the grand wedding, they were able to watch it take ce, thanks to a projection created by Daruun. It was the talk of the city, somehow making its way into every conversation across Gilga.


    That morning Jack woke up to a pleasant sight. The smaller elf woman was in his arms, having fallen asleep in his chest.


    Carefully, Jack ran his fingers through her hair as he took in the situation.


    A lot had happened since his arrival in Kartonia. His entire world had changed, literally. Now, he was regarded as a hero by many and had three beautiful wives, which he had finally grown ustomed to living and traveling with. Also, he had made some amazing friends, unlike anything he ever had before in his lonely life. With his friends, he finally felt a sense ofpanionship that no online party ever had given Jack in the past.


    Maybe it was because everything was real now, but Jack was d to finally have a party of his own. In the past, he had made fun of such groups yet now he was happier than ever to be a part of one.


    Sure, he had some rough patches so far. Jack had also experienced death in a way that was rare in his past world, losing two party members on two different asions due to their self-sacrifice. If it hadn¡¯t been for either of those two, Jack understood that he would¡¯ve died a long time ago.


    His head was clear and sharper than ever. But there were still plenty of things that Jack still needed to confront or decide.


    "What¡¯s on your mind?" Daliea¡¯s soft voice caught Jack¡¯s attention.


    Smiling tenderly, Jack answered, "A lot... but also not a lot... I¡¯m just trying to take it all in, I guess."


    "Well, is there any way I can help my husband?"


    "No, I wouldn¡¯t want to worry my wife so soon after the wedding. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be plenty worriedter when I get some crazy idea or try something stupid again," chuckled Jack.


    Daliea leaned her head into Jack¡¯s chest. "It sounds like you¡¯re finally back."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Back to the Jack I met before we left Reinolt."


    "Oh... I didn¡¯t realize I was gone for so long," sighed Jack.


    "I¡¯m sure Maura will be d to have you back too," added Daliea. "I think she missed that confident, yful Jack more than any of us."


    "Really? I guess I¡¯ll have to make it up to here, then." Jack gave Daliea a quick peck on the forehead, before letting her go. He got up and started getting dressed. "Come on, we still have to speak with Daruun before he leaves."


    "Okay..." Daliea yfully sighed.


    They both readied themselves for the day and then hurried to Jack¡¯s office. There, everyone was waiting for them with smiles and curious looks.


    "Sorry to take so long." Jack walked up to Maura and Eliza, giving each of them a quick kiss on the cheek. "Did you miss me?"


    Maura blushed a little, replying, "A little..."


    "Next time, let¡¯s all sleep together. That way you won¡¯t miss me either," replied Eliza, getting Maura to blush more, as well as Daliea.


    "Now that we¡¯re all here, I can finally say my goodbyes," stated Daruun, grabbing the attention of the four of them and everyone else. "Jack, I don¡¯t think we need to say goodbye, but know that I¡¯m proud to have you as a grandson as well as my sole representative on Kartonia."


    Turning to the three gods near him, Daruun added, "It was also a pleasure to see my sons again, and I¡¯m so d to see them getting along."


    "Of course, Pops," Guuro chuckled. "Why should we bicker like the other gods? If we argued too much, then I¡¯d end up ugly. How else has Pestro be the icon of hideousness other than his foul temper?"


    Sterfenughed heartily and threw his arm around Guuro. "And should any god act out of line, I¡¯ll take care of them. If not, then how will Guuro be able to sleep so soundly?"


    "Great!" Daruun chuckled as well, now turning to Eedaj. "Take care of Trodar. Soon, you¡¯ll have others to help you with that, but for now, it¡¯s on you."


    "Consider it done, Father." Eedaj bowed his head, all smiles.


    "Then, I¡¯ll be off. Take care, everyone!"


    A brilliant sh of light filled the room like it always did when Daruun made an entrance or an exit. But Daruun was still standing there as it ended.


    Jack didn¡¯t understand what was going on, so he asked, "Why are you still here?"


    "You haven¡¯t noticed yet, have you?" Daruun replied with a question.


    Looking around, Jack caught on to the situation. Everyone else in the room waspletely still and there was no sound apart from Jack¡¯s and Daruun¡¯s voices.


    "I see," chuckled Jack. "So you did want to talk about something after all."


    "I thought it was fitting for us to speak freely before I left. You¡¯ll be d to know that Appa is now the mutualpanion of Eliza, leaving you with the ability to pick up one morepanion."


    "That¡¯s good, but that¡¯s not why you did all this, right?"


    "Doing this, I wanted to help you not feel overly burdened with your big decision," stated Daruun. "Have you decided yet which path to take?"


    "Before I answer that, I have a few questions," Jack replied. "You said a while back that I should visit Rikko after I¡¯m elected to the council. Is that after the election ends or after I¡¯ve guaranteed my seat?"


    Proudly smiling at his grandson, Daruun nodded. "I¡¯m d your starting to think like you again. The best time would be after the election ends, but earlier is still doable."


    "Then, if after the election is best, that would take up another few months of me physically running the campaign. And that would also interfere with the n to help Tralon be a god while there¡¯s time..." reasoned Jack. "Also, I¡¯d need to be carried alongside Tralon to reach that level as well, thus slowing Tralon¡¯s leveling and making the situation more difficult. I could level on my own with my beastpanions though, so that could word instead..."


    "It seems you¡¯re considering everything for this decision. But you¡¯re forgetting one important factor."


    Perplexed, Jack blinked and scratched his head. "What¡¯s that?"


    Daruun replied, "Have you asked Tralon his opinion on this?"


    Taken aback, Jack asked, "Can¡¯t you just tell me his opinion?"


    "I can, but it would be better received from his own mouth," reasoned Daruun. "The pace of your journey will hinge on this decision, Jack. Should you push to be a god as quickly as possible, that means you¡¯ll be forced to fight the gods sooner. And even if you manage to do so, what might happen to those you care about?


    "If the Leisure Guild was invaded by a single lv. 80 expert and that expert managed to kill your wives, what would you do to that expert and the organization he¡¯s connected with?"


    "I¡¯d destroy them... That¡¯s what I¡¯d like to say," replied Jack. "Does that mean you¡¯d prefer I take the other path, the one to help Lunara sooner rather thanter?"


    "The decision is yours, Jack. But I want to make sure you understand the consequences of both options." Daruun exined, "Either way, you¡¯ll eventually be confronted by both factions, but one path is rushed and rushing is the mostmon factor that creates mistakes in the ns of life. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?"


    "Well, I can¡¯t disagree..." mumbled Jack, still letting his brain run with both ideas. "And there¡¯s no other way to keep him alive?"


    "Jack, ask Tralon his opinion on the situation and then call me if you disagree," replied Daruun. "If not, then it sounds like you¡¯ve already made up your mind, right?"


    "... Right."

 Chapter 383 Daruuns Words of Warning

    <h4>Chapter 383 Daruun¡°s Words of Warning</h4>


    "That¡¯s enough about your decision." Daruun sighed. "You still haven¡¯t checked to find your newpleted achievement, Jack. Were you too distracted by Daliea yesterday?"


    Ignoring thatstment, Jack checked his achievements, startled to see such an achievement existed.


    [The gods are my messengers:pleted]


    "I told you I would help, and here¡¯s a big reason why. Consider it a parting gift," Daruun added as Jack was dumbstruck by his discovery. "Since we won¡¯t be meeting face to face for some time, I thought I¡¯d leave my grandson with a gift. You¡¯d better be grateful."


    "Thank you, Grandpa!" Jack shouted back to Daruun even though his eyes were still glued to the newly imed achievement.


    [The gods are my messengers: imed]


    [Only the gods are worthy of dering your identity and goal to all the world, inciting the jealously and attention of the warring godly factions. Legendary reward: 2000 skill points.]


    "Want any tips on spending?"


    Finallying out of his trance, Jack excitedly chuckled. "I can just throw it into my bloodline skill, right?"


    "And what about Tralon¡¯s legendary spells?" argued Daruun. "Or his mythic spells? Remember, you¡¯re lv. 49 now, soon to be lv. 50. You¡¯ve got far more mana and can start to use mythic spells sparingly."


    "In that case... Give me a few minutes."


    Jack started to reexamine the different abilities and spells he had to choose from. As tempting as it was to level up his abilities, Jack was eyeing Tralon¡¯s spells. With his heart set, Jack started to devise a n on how to maximize his spending.


    "Daruun, let me ask you a few things." Finishing his long trip on that train of thought, Jack asked, "Greater Teleportation allows me to personally teleport anywhere that I¡¯ve been before. Couldn¡¯t I technically store my party in a bestial storage and use that to travel?"


    Laughing, Daruun replied, "And this is exactly why I chose you as my champion, Jack. Of course, that can work given the circumstances you just mentioned. Just be careful of putting something inside your storage that will fight back. A small amount of resistance could result in your bestial storage shattering and releasing everything inside."


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind," continued Jack. "And even though I have plenty of mana thanks to my skills, I could technically use Greater Replenish indefinitely to keep my mana consumption regted, right?"


    "That would work better than taking potions in a simr manner. But after enough uses, your body will still feel the pain and fatigue of your mana constantly draining and instantly refilling. You can still remember how that felt from summoning me, so I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t like to repeat that any time soon," exined Daruun.


    Jack scratched his head and sighed. "So it¡¯s not indefinite... But it¡¯s more than worth the hundred skill points, so I¡¯ll get that too."


    "And Jack," Daruun added, "since you haven¡¯t yet used your portion of the spells Sterfen gave you, why not strengthen your party with those? You¡¯ll still have ess to the spells via your system and the party will get a boost unlike anything else you can offer them."


    "Since you¡¯re thinking the same thing, I¡¯ll do that after this," replied Jack. "But should I buy more of their skills or buy Tralon¡¯s three space type peak-tier spells?"


    "For now, those peak-tier spells should work just fine. Plus, they¡¯ll give you versatility inbat and other situations, which you like more than anything."


    "You know me well, Gramps."


    Chuckling to hear that nickname, Daruun asked, "Do you have any more questions for me?"


    "Is there really no other way to keep Tralon alive?"


    "No, there¡¯s no other option for him, even if you¡¯re involved, Jack."


    Sighing, Jack then asked, "How can Lorwynn and Sterfen free Lunara sooner?"


    "Well, it¡¯s a simple concept. Unlike how Sterfen and the other Neutral Gods do things, the other factions have formed actual contracts with each god entering their pantheon. It uses a blood seal simr to your pact that takes EXP, but instead, it can incur a curse that¡¯s simr to Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance, only tailored for gods. Should the curse written on the contract be activated, they will be stripped of all EXP gained after godhood."


    "Then they would no longer be gods?!" Catching onto what Daruun was entailing, Jack asked, "Are there conditions that need to be met for them to enact that curse?"


    "Correct, they can¡¯t just activate it whenever they wish. So long as the gods don¡¯t act against the will of their faction, those curses can¡¯t be activated. But should they betray their faction or ally with other gods, then the curse is allowed to be activated," exined Daruun. "That¡¯s why Lunara is on a short leash. After her marriage to Sterfen, she almost lost her godhood. Kori has a bit more leeway but only enough to falsify your kidnapping, as you experienced in Maltor. And Choron is currently on the run, but he hasn¡¯t done anything to prove his betrayal as of yet."


    "Choron is on the run?!"


    "Right, you weren¡¯t informed of that," Daruun added with a smile. "That¡¯s why the greis elves were transported before you arrived, because the Chaotic Gods wanted him to start running surveince on the other factions. Instead, he disappeared without an exnation.


    "Also, keep in mind that Lyrun¡¯s situation is much more fragile than any other. He¡¯s been acting against the Holy Gods in secret for some time now but has yet to get caught. However, should that happen, he¡¯ll immediately be stripped of his godhood and killed."


    Stirred to hear that, Jack asked, "And what about Perchet, or Moranti?"


    "Perchet is powerful enough to keep the other Holy Gods from messing with him, but they¡¯ll be searching for him soon so he can run surveince on the other factions, like Choron and the Chaotic Gods," answered Daruun. "As you can guess, both Skaryn and Halmut rewarded strength more than everything. So when they gave favor to the strongest and at times ignored the more strategic gods, like Choron or Perchet, some antagonism started to foster.


    "Moranti, though, is a special case. He¡¯s a man that has endured more than most godsbined. After Skaryn and Halmut, he was the next god to rise. And with his powers over space, he could arguably rival either Skaryn or Halmut. It was mostly coincidence that he happened to choose Skaryn as his benefactor long before Moranti better understood the ways of the world," exined Daruun.


    "He eventually became the first god to rebel, even doing it openly among those of his faction. The Chaotic Gods are hesitant to enact the contract, though, as his presence has kept the Holy Gods from attacking. Their only hope of defeating Moranti without great sacrifice is Halmut, but Halmut¡¯s still recovering and doesn¡¯t dare to upset the delicate bnce. That¡¯s why the Chaotic Gods captured and imprisoned Moranti instead of killing him. And should they activate his contract, they¡¯ll not only deal with the Holy Gods but face Moranti¡¯s wrath even further. Even if he became a mortal, Moranti¡¯s power could rival gods, so the Chaotic Faction is stuck between a rock and a hard ce thanks to him."


    "Wow... There¡¯s a lot going on... What ns does Lyrun have?" asked Jack.


    Shaking his head, Daruun answered, "You shouldn¡¯t look into those ns, Jack. They¡¯ll only deter you from doing what you must. You¡¯ve already entered the sight of the gods, so you¡¯re meddling would both ruin your own ns and get Lyrun caught in the act."


    "Got it."


    "Since I¡¯ve already mentioned Skaryn¡¯s Vengeance, I¡¯ll remind you about how to undo it," added Daruun. "You¡¯ll need either Skaryn, Halmut, or three Chaotic Gods that know the curse to undo it. Luckily, there are two rebel Chaotic Gods so you¡¯ll only need to figure out which other god you will sway."


    Surprised to catch what Daruun insinuated, Jack asked, "Any suggestions as to who that third Chaotic God should be?"


    "Time will tell, Jack. Before thinking about that, you should free Choron and Moranti. As for the third, you might decide to get creative. It¡¯s not that you need a third Chaotic God to rebel, you just need a third god who understands the intricacies of the curse to willing help remove said curse." With that thought finished, Daruun then asked, "Is there anything else?"


    Jack scratched his head for a moment, finally replying, "Can I give you a hug, Gramps?"


    "Of course!" Daruunughed and stepped forward with open arms, embracing Jack with a smile. "We¡¯re family now, Jack. Don¡¯t forget that, okay?"


    "Alright."


    Both men let go and nodded to each other. Then, Daruun waved goodbye as another sh of light was created by his departure, leaving Jack in the room with everyone else.

 Chapter 384 Tralons Opinion on Life or Death

    <h4>Chapter 384 Tralon¡°s Opinion on Life or Death</h4>


    While Jack readjusted to the other people in the room, his wives were startled to see Jack suddenly disappear from their side. Though he was only a meter or two away, it was still jarring.


    "Sorry about that," Jack walked back to his wives while exining himself to the room. "Me and Daruun had onest chat before he left. Which reminds me..."


    Taking out the ring Sterfen had given him long ago, Jack looked to Maura and Daliea. "You two, hold out your hands with your storage rings."


    As they did so, they soon found a vast amount of spellbooks being poured into their storages.


    "Jack, you don¡¯t have to--"


    "Daliea, calm down. Consider this your duty as my wife," Jack stated. "I¡¯ll always try to protect you, but we¡¯ll be facing gods. There¡¯s no telling what mighte our way, so the least I can do is offer you these. This is one way that I can help protect you, okay?"


    "... Okay." Daliea wasn¡¯t well ustomed to receiving such a plethora of gifts or so much help from other people. It was a new experience but she felt good about it, albeit a little awkward to respond to.


    "That goes for you too, Maura. Learn all these spells, even the legendary ones," added Jack. "You¡¯ll have to be very careful managing your mana, but it¡¯s better to have them just in case. Since your lv. 40 now, you should be fine to use a mythic-tier spell if the need arises."


    "And what about me?" Eliza asked, smiling at Jack.


    Jack sighed. "Sadly, I don¡¯t have much at the moment, but I can get you a legendary blessing and a couple of mythic spells from the storehouse. Will that be enough for now?"


    "That¡¯s more than enough," Eliza replied. She held her hand out as well, but she pulled Jack in for a quick kiss before he could transfer a couple of mythic spells. When she broke the kiss, Eliza added, "Just don¡¯t forget any of us. I get traveling when necessary, but you have to promise to treat us all equally. And no more wives, either!"


    Laughing, Jack held up his arm to the square. "I promise, no more wives. You three are already too much for me to handle, so having more is out of the question."


    Taking the two mythic-tier spells and a handful of peak-tier spells, Eliza then asked, "So, what do we do now?"


    "Well..." Jack sighed, looking around the room with a slight tinge of pink in his cheeks. "I¡¯ll be leaving to raid a few ancient tombs and then I¡¯ll go visit Dragas with Eliza, but I want to talk with Tralon in private first. Then, I¡¯ll talk with everyone about what the guild will be nning next."


    "We¡¯ll be waiting outside," Hadurtmented, throwing his arm around Lorwynn and dragging Lorwynn out the door.


    The others did the same, leaving Jack and Tralon inside to talk alone. And with the special bookcases that auto-cast Silence, they never had to worry if someone outside could listen in on the conversation.


    "Yes, Jack? What did you want to talk about?" Tralon asked with his usual smile.


    Jack hesitated to reply at first, but Jack answered Tralon with a question. "Did Daruun tell you about the two major paths we could focus on?"


    "No, I¡¯m not sure what those two paths are."


    "Then... let me exin them. I want your honest opinion on these two paths and your personal feelings as well. Okay?"


    Tralon nodded. "Of course."


    "Alright..." Again, Jack sighed, this time taking a seat and motioning for Tralon to do the same. Once Tralon sat beside him, Jack began his exnation, "There are two main focuses that the guild can choose from. But due to the sensitivity of time, by choosing one path we¡¯ll have to abandon the otherpletely.


    "One option is to focus on the removal of Lunara, Sterfen¡¯s wife and my mom, from the Holy Gods. This would involve Lorwynn and Sterfen working together to handle the task while the rest of the guild can focus elsewhere..." Jack stated before he paused.


    "That sounds like a wonderful thing," Tralon replied. "It would give us something to aim for as well as offer the rest of the guild some leeway for our actions."


    "Exactly, it would allow me to focus on the election and other things while we get the guild ready to receive both Sterfen and Lunara. That would be a huge help to the guild," added Jack. "But..."


    "Go ahead, Jack. Say it." Sensing Jack¡¯s unwillingness, Tralon pushed the hero to admit the guild¡¯s second option.


    "But going that route would leave us unable to save you."


    "I don¡¯t need to be saved, Jack," stated Tralon, shattering Jack¡¯s expectations. "Have I ever asked you for such a thing? You allowed me to be the adventurer of my dreams, Jack. My greatest wishes have already been fulfilled. And ever since I took that elixir of youth, I knew that I had no hope of living any longer than those thousand years. It¡¯s only logical."


    "But Tralon, so long as we¡¯re careful, there¡¯s a chance--"


    "There¡¯s a chance for everything, Jack. No matter how our lives are at any given moment, there¡¯s always a chance things could turn for the worse or for the better. If anything, knowing exactly how long I had to live encouraged me to give it my all," reasoned Tralon. "Since I knew you wereing back and I was promised to meet you again, I made sure that this guild remained. I didn¡¯t let anything be taken nor did I sell a single thing of value. My final wish was to make sure you had everything you needed to continue your adventure. That way you could help others achieve their dreams, like how you helped me."


    "Tralon..." Speechless, Jack tried to reply but his tongue was glued to the bottom of his mouth. He couldn¡¯t make a sound.


    Continuing, Tralon smiled and ced both of his hands on Jack¡¯s shoulders. "Jack, you gave my life a purpose. Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought my life could¡¯ve been so adventurous and grand. Thanks to you, I¡¯ve gone toe-to-toe with gods and have grown more powerful than most mortal men couldprehend. As your adventuringpanion, I became powerful enough to face ancient heroes on my own. You allowed me to surpass even heroes, Jack, that¡¯s something I couldn¡¯t have asked for."


    "But Tralon... We can do that again, so why not--"


    "I¡¯ve long epted my death," Tralon admitted, "and I refuse topromise the lives of my fellow guild members and especially not yours. I don¡¯t doubt your abilities, Jack. I¡¯m certain you would seed in bing a god before my lifees to an end, but that wouldplicate everything else you hold dear.


    "Since I¡¯ve already epted and awaited my passing, why should I force others onto a path where they would face death unwillingly?" reasoned Tralon, still smiling.


    In the back of Jack¡¯s mind, he was unable to form words or sentences. All the adventures and achievements that Tralon spoke of were gained while Jack was ying a game. That¡¯s it. There was nothing special beyond it just being a fun game to y and giving Jack a sense of achievement hecked in his normal life.


    It hurt Jack to hear how amazing and spectacr Tralon made it sound when all Jack knew was the amalgamation of pixels on aputer screen. The sense of achievement Jack felt from his escapades in "A Hero¡¯s Tale" was dwarfed by Tralon¡¯s statement, even though both Jack¡¯s and Tralon¡¯s achievements were one and the same.


    "Jack," Tralon continued sharing his thoughts in excitement, "I can never thank you enough for all that you did for me. The times we fought together, the times you saved my life, and the countless adventures we experienced. All of my proudest moments in life were with you, Jack. So thank you. Don¡¯t worry about me, you¡¯ve got newpanions to live and adventure with. Allow me to do what I can while I¡¯m here, though, so don¡¯t get disheartened when I do finally pass. Okay?"

 Chapter 385 The Guilds Game Plan

    <h4>Chapter 385 The Guild¡°s Game n</h4>


    "Don¡¯t get disheartened when I do finally pass. Okay?"


    Jack opened his mouth but, still, no words managed toe out.


    After gaining more strength, rising in level, and unlocking new abilities, Jack felt more confident than ever in his ability to protect his party. Add the arrival of gods to the Leisure Guild and it amounted to Jack believing himself able to never lose a party member again, so long as he followed Daruun¡¯s advice.


    Then this decision came to exist.


    It was only made worse by the false sense of achievement that he felt while Tralon spoke so highly about his and Jack¡¯s greatest moments together. That only made Jack more desirous of creating those moments again, to share those moments while he was physically with Tralon and not present through aputer screen, while he could truly consider Tralon a friend andpanion instead of a mass of pixels doing whatever Jack ordered.


    But even Tralon was against that. Jack understood that logically it would endanger everyone far more than the other option. However, there was no way to choose the other option without hesitating.


    "Jack, I can see that you¡¯re unwilling," Tralon added, "but you shouldn¡¯t risk the life of an already-dying member of your family at the risk of the entire family being hunted in the end. Don¡¯t you agree, Jack?"


    Swallowing his half-baked responses, Jack answered, "Yeah..."


    "Then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll focus on aiding Lunara in sessfully parting from the Holy Gods," stated Tralon. "And I¡¯ll focus on building up the guild. I¡¯ll make sure we remain organized while taking in all the recruits we¡¯ve already started to receive. Also, I¡¯ll make sure that the guild is safe while you¡¯re away. Then you¡¯ll have no need to worry about things and can focus on your goals."


    "... But what about after your passing?" Jack squeaked out a question.


    Tralon again patted his hands on Jack¡¯s shoulders. "That¡¯s simple. By then, I¡¯ll have taught the managers everything they need to know. And since you¡¯ve been reinstated as the guild leader as ofst night, that won¡¯t be an issue either."


    "What?! You¡¯ve already--"


    "After you left the banquet with Daliea, I made the official announcement. Though I¡¯m now the senior vice guild leader, I¡¯ll still handle everything with Vixus¡¯s help. Once I¡¯m gone, Vixus will be able to run the guild with his business experience and the managers will be more than capable to keep things in order," reasoned Tralon, not giving Jack the chance to turn down the position. "Now, you¡¯re practically guaranteed a council seat. You might even be elected as the next spokesman."


    "I guess... But you should¡¯ve at least told me beforehand," argued Jack.


    Tralon chuckled, "If I had told you beforehand, you would¡¯ve done something to keep me from making the announcement. Now, you have no choice but to ept the responsibility and position that was made for you. Now, the guild will follow your example and prosper like times of old."


    "But... I guess you¡¯re right..."


    Jack could see the sincerity in Tralon¡¯s eyes and sense the confident demeanor he had. Even while talking about his own death, Tralon¡¯s smile never wavered. If anything, Jack could sense a feeling of relief buried in Tralon¡¯s words.


    "Then no more arguing about my passing, Jack. It¡¯s inevitable and only natural. Let this old man finally get some rest," added Tralon, putting the final nail in the coffin to end that discussion for good.


    "Okay... But don¡¯t you dare try to end it sooner," stated Jack. "And if some wayes up for you to keep living, will you take it?"


    "Jack, there won¡¯t be--"


    "Will you take it?" Jack repeated.


    Sighing with a soft smile, Tralon nodded. "Should another option arise to prolong my life, I¡¯m willing to ept it. But should you force yourself to act contrary to your true mission, I¡¯ll end my life myself. I refuse to be the cause forpromising your mission as Daruun¡¯s champion."


    Jack¡¯s smile faded slightly. "I understand."


    "Then let¡¯s get everyone else back in here," Tralon added, walking toward the door with his smile still present. "Remember, don¡¯t worry about me."


    Jack nodded, watching the others reenter the room while Tralon held the door open. When everyone was ounted for, including Bowzer and Phoro who had slept in earlier, the discussion began.


    "Our current focus as a guild will be the removal of Lunara from the Holy Gods," Jack stated loudly, putting a smile on Tralon¡¯s and Sterfen¡¯s faces. "That means Lorwynn will be assisting Sterfen. Should you two need anything, don¡¯t hesitate to ask me or anyone else, okay?"


    "Of course, Jack. I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way," responded Sterfen. The god then approached Lorwynn with a smile. "Since you have no blessing, I¡¯ll be giving you my mythic level blessing for the time being. That should give you passive invisibility at no cost to your mana. However, while you can wield a weapon, you won¡¯t remain invisible while attacking."


    "Alright... But is it such a good idea to try this right after I faked my death?" asked Lorwynn.


    "Do you think Daruun would be wrong about it?" Jack replied with a question. "I¡¯ve been stupid enough to not listen to Daruun before and that resulted in the death of a party member. Would you like to try it for yourself?"


    Lorwynn promptly shook his head, no longer denying Jack¡¯s order.


    "With that covered, then let¡¯s talk about what the rest of us are doing," continued Jack. "Me, Tralon, Vixus, Kims, and Argyle will be joining the election for council seats. To do that, we¡¯ll be making use of our two captives. Are there any objections?"


    No one raised a hand or replied, so Jack continued, "Once we¡¯ve guaranteed my seat, then me and the party will be leaving for Drulgen."


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Eliza.


    "Because that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find Rikko, the God of Trickery and Sleight of Hand," answered Jack. "With him, we¡¯ll have the support of two gods, offering better protection of Gilga and the guild atrge. Also, this will increase our influence again and help us recruit even more people thanks to their offered blessings.


    Hadurt then raised his hand but spoke without waiting, "Then what am I going to do? I thought me and Lorwynn would be running dungeons?"


    "Hadurt, I¡¯m hoping that me and you will be fast friends because we¡¯ll asionally be doing dungeon runs," answered Jack. "But in the meantime, I¡¯m not quite sure what else you can do besides chill in the guild as ast line of defense."


    "But that¡¯s boring... There¡¯s gotta be something I can do? Can I go with Lorwynn and Sterfen?" Hadurt asked with a longing smile.


    Shaking his head, Sterfen replied, "Sorry, but no can do. I would love to do this on my own, personally, but Lorwynn is my ticket in and out of the Holy Gods¡¯ stronghold. Most of that mission will be me on my own while Lorwynn waits patiently for who knows how long. Once I¡¯m inside, I still have to wait for a proper moment to steal Lunara¡¯s contract. If I rush things, then it would only make things worse."


    Frowning, Hadurt sighed, "I get it. I¡¯ll just make things worse cause I¡¯m impatient. Then can¡¯t I do some other important thing?"


    Scratching his head, Jack tried toe up with something. "I still want you to tell us more about the syndicate. You can discuss that with Tralon ande up with a game n to keep us safe, then maybe you can y around with Dragov. How does that sound?"


    Hadurt showed everyone a curious look and shrugged, "That¡¯s not a bad start I guess. But you¡¯d better give me more to do once I get bored with that. You¡¯ll have plenty of time to figure something out by then."


    "You got it, Hadurt." d to have Hadurt¡¯s and Lorwynn¡¯s support, Jack looked to everyone else. "As for those staying in the guild, focus on expansion. Argyle will also be focusing on cementing the Fat Goose in Gilga. And since Hurmot of the Celestial Crane should be arriving any day now, then we¡¯ll be able to build up the market of Gilga as well. Any objections or extra thoughts?"


    With everyone agreeing, Jack bowed his head to everyone. "Then let me thank you all for your support. Without you, neither the guild nor me could handle what needs to be done. Thank you."

 Chapter 386 Kaldors Humility

    <h4>Chapter 386 Kaldor¡°s Humility</h4>


    Jack lifted his head to find everyone smiling back at him. With a sigh and a smile, Jack ended the meeting and dismissed everyone.


    While Jack was opening his skill list to spend his newly earned two thousand skill points, there was a knock at the open door. Jack replied with a nce, "Yes?"


    "Master Tralon... I-I mean Master Jack, there¡¯s someone here to see you," Ilgor stated, correcting his old habit.


    "Who is it? I¡¯m a bit busy."


    "Master Jack, it¡¯s Kaldor from Golden Haven, sir," Ilgor replied with his head half bowed.


    Jack chuckled lightly, finally giving Ilgor his full attention and pausing his focus on the skill list. "Then you can send him here to my office. Also, you don¡¯t have to be so formal, Ilgor."


    Swallowing some of his nerves, Ilgor stammered, "Thank you, Mas... Th-thank you, Jack."


    As Ilgor left to retrieve the impatient guest, Jack took a seat behind his desk. The only people that remained in the room were his party members that had long been separated. And since Jack was about to receive someone, they sat to the side while Jack waited for Kaldor.


    At the same time, Jack spent all two thousand skill points in one go. Like he had discussed with Daruun Jack bought one mythic spell, Greater Teleportation, and four peak spells, Greater Replenish, Lesser Teleportation, Spatial Disruption, and Spatial sh. With two thousand skill pointsing and going, Jack felt a rush of excitement to search for more hidden achievements and to earn more legendary rewards.


    But that calm excitement was blown over by the Kaldor¡¯s shouts as the man neared Jack¡¯s office.


    "P-please, sir. Don¡¯t make a ruckus for the guild master," Ilgor stated, trying to calm Kaldor¡¯s nerves.


    "Quiet!" shouted Kaldor, finally reaching the open door waiting for him. "I¡¯ll close the door, so leave us be!"


    Shutting the door behind him with some minor aggression, Kaldor stepped into Jack¡¯s office while taking a deep breath, unsure of what was going on or how he should address the situation. "So... you¡¯re actually the Legend of Trodar?"


    "That¡¯s right," replied Jack. "What can I do for you, Kaldor?"


    "Were you the one who bought everything at the auction?" questioned Kaldor. "It had to be, so don¡¯t deny it. It would make sense for Argyle to know as your father-inw. Why else would he sell you such expensive items?"


    Jack nodded. "I¡¯ll say, you¡¯re smarter than I gave you credit, but that¡¯s my fault since you¡¯ve proven able to sessfully run arge scale guild. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"


    "You already know about my deal with Quace and Bikkem, right? What are you going to do about that?"


    "To you, nothing. You may havee, but who wouldn¡¯t for what they promised. Those two will be made into examples soon, but there¡¯s no reason for me to do anything to you," answered Jack. "Also, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard about Federal City by now, right?"


    "... I¡¯ve heard rumors..." Kaldor stated with a grim expression.


    "If you want, I can call in Argyle to exin what he experienced," Jack added.


    Eyeing Jack carefully and trying not to speak too loudly, Kaldor asked, "What exactly are your ns? From what I¡¯ve seen, the Fat Goose has already started building a guild house here. It¡¯s as if the entire guild managed to escape Federal City. Was that your doing?"


    "Not exactly... I helped them indirectly, but it was the guild that aided the Fat Goose¡¯s escape from Federal City," stated Jack. "They managed to not only escape but retain all of their wealth and treasures as well. Soon, auctions will begin here in Gilga like they did in Federal City."


    "Then do you know what happened to my guild?" asked Kaldor. "Be straight with me."


    Jack nodded but dropped his smile. "Kaldor, I¡¯m afraid that Golden Haven fell alongside many other guilds in that battle."


    "So it¡¯s true..." Clenching his fist, Kaldor¡¯s face tightened in rage. "Since you managed to see iting, do you know who caused it?"


    "I didn¡¯t see iting so soon, Kaldor, we had only prepared for it just in case," admitted Jack. "As for the identity of the culprits, I¡¯m sure you could figure that out by giving it some thought. Who other than the Chaos Syndicate could make such a move?"


    "Do you know what they were after?"


    "I do," replied Jack, "but that information is on a need-to-know basis."


    "I must know--"


    "You want to know the who and why so you can try to seek out revenge, right?" reasoned Jack, hitting the nail on the head. "Kaldor, the reason that¡¯s on a need-to-know basis is because once you get entangled in this mess, you¡¯ll be unable to get out of it. And by yourself, you¡¯ll only get killed without bringing a single man with you. I¡¯m sorry but--"


    "By the sound of it, you¡¯re against them too," Kaldor interjected. "If you¡¯re against them, then that would mean I can be considered an ally."


    Jack shook his head. "Right now, a single lv. 72 brawler wouldn¡¯t be able to offer me much. I¡¯ve got people that could kill you with the flick of a finger. In terms of strength, I don¡¯t see you as anything worth taking a chance on."


    Hearing that, Kaldor grimaced for a moment before shaking his head.


    "Let me be straight with you," Jack continued. "I¡¯m surprised you¡¯re acting so mature. I thought you would be rampaging and shouting louder than ever about what happened."


    "It¡¯s one thing to be livid for losing during an auction, it¡¯s entirely different when you lose your guild. I¡¯m far too angry to let it loose. If I did that, I¡¯d destroy a city block without thinking twice," Kaldor stated with a straight face.


    "That makes sense." Jack nodded and looked Kaldor in the eye. "Since you¡¯re able to remain collected while we chat, then I¡¯ll make you an offer. If you be the Treasurer of the Leisure Guild, then I¡¯ll let you in on everything, like I did for Argyle. But once you¡¯re in, there¡¯s no turning--"


    "I¡¯m in. Now tell me."


    "But I didn¡¯t even finish my warning?" Jack chuckled. "You don¡¯t care that you¡¯ll be working under someone else? What about your pride as a guild leader?"


    "It¡¯s because of that pride that I must avenge everyone who dared stand for me and my guild. Rather than retreat with the little they could take away, most remained to guard what they had no hope of retreating with... That loyalty must be repaid before I dare imagine opening another guild," Kaldor stated.


    "And considering they overwhelmed my guild so easily and forced both Argyle and Hurmot to flee, I¡¯d imagine the attackers came from an organization that even they couldn¡¯t measure up to. Then why shouldn¡¯t I ally with a stronger power? I don¡¯t think you¡¯d mind me opening a subordinate guild under the Leisure Guild, would you?"


    Jack shrugged. "Well... It would probably be fine so long as you train another treasurer to take your ce."


    "Then the deal is done." Kaldor bowed to Jack before asking, "Now, what was the true reason they attacked? If you could predict such an attack, then there must be some motive you discovered that led you to such a conclusion."


    "I¡¯ll keep it brief." Jack exined, "The Chaos Syndicate is more than just a shady organization. The syndicate is a puppet organization under the control of the Chaotic Gods and has always been so. They attacked Federal City because that¡¯s the base of the Adventurers Association, which is the puppet organization under the Holy Gods. Does that make sense?"


    "You mean that after the gods disappeared, they¡¯ve been waring in secret all along through those two organizations?" Kaldor connected the dots.

 Chapter 387 Kaldor Meets Hadur

    <h4>Chapter 387 Kaldor Meets Hadur</h4>


    Nodding, Jack continued, "And it goes deeper than that. Soon, the Chaotic and the Holy Gods will be reappearing, partially because of me. Since I¡¯m bringing the forgotten Neutral Gods back into the limelight of Trodar, it¡¯ll be pressuring the other godly factions to do the same. I¡¯m just making sure to stay ahead of the curve."


    "I heard about that... Are there really gods in Trodar?" Kaldor asked hesitantly.


    "Would you like to meet one? My father should be busy preparing to leave but I can call in my father-inw or my uncle if you¡¯d like," replied Jack.


    "That... Maybe not right now," stated Kaldor. "That means you¡¯re truly the Legend of Trodar... Wow..."


    "Does that bother you?" asked Jack.


    Kaldor chuckled and shook his head. "Not in the slightest. I would only be willing to work under someone as great as the Legend."


    "Then, since you¡¯re working with me from now on, know that the guild¡¯s ultimate aim is to topple both the Chaotic Gods and the Holy Gods," Jack stated, not holding back. "It¡¯s toote for you to escape your new duties, but I wanted you to understand that. Rather than wait for another war to break out among the gods, the goal of the guild and the Neutral Gods is to eliminate the other factions altogether. Whether that¡¯s by bringing the gods to our side or wiping them out, that doesn¡¯t matter so long as the factions are gone in the end."


    "Then... where would I fit in all this?" questioned Kaldor, trying toe to grips with such an outstanding goal.


    "That¡¯s up to you," answered Jack with a shrug. "So long as you handle your duties of treasurer, I¡¯ll be happy. But should you want revenge, that means you¡¯ll be at war with the Chaotic Gods who made the attack and possibly the Holy Gods who attracted the syndicate to Federal City. That much depends on your sense of justice."


    Seeing that Kaldor wasn¡¯t responding, Jack added, "Is your need for vengeance deterred simply because your target turned out to be the gods?"


    "No... That just means I¡¯ll have to work a lot harder..." Kaldor took a deep breath and looked back at Jack. "Is there a way for me to fight a god?"


    Jack abruptly burst intoughter. "Sorry, I¡¯m notughing at your determination. It¡¯s just that you¡¯re finally sounding like the man Argyle told me about... It¡¯s not impossible for you to fight a god, but you¡¯d first have to be one. As for killing the higher-ups of the syndicate that razed your guild to the ground, you would only need to reach at least lv. 85 to attempt revenge on them."


    "Then... If Imit to killing those of the syndicate, can you promise me that you¡¯ll kill the gods responsible, Jack?"


    Taking a moment to respond, Jack noticed something startling. Kaldor¡¯s eyes were filled with water, on the verge of letting a tear escape through his eyshes.


    "I... I can guarantee that will happen," promised Jack. "In the end, it¡¯ll be their lives or mine, so I¡¯ll make sure to kill any and all gods who get in our way, including those who dared attack your guild."


    "Thank you..." Wiping his eyes, Kaldor started to return to his usual confident self. "Then I¡¯ll have to train hard. I¡¯ll train a treasurer in no time, that way I can focus on leveling up."


    "You know... I may have a way for you to power level and grind, Kaldor," added Jack, stealing the man¡¯s attention again. "But you may not like it."


    "If it gets me stronger, I don¡¯t care if I hate it. All I need is to get stronger. After avenging my brothers, then I can feel at ease," replied Kaldor, not backing down at all.


    Jack sighed. "Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t warn you. Rydel, can you go get Kims and Hadurt for me?"


    The party members in the room were slightly surprised by Jack¡¯s request, but they felt it was a fitting decision and now understood Jack¡¯s prior statement to Kaldor. Without a word, Rydel left the room only to return in less than a minute with two men in tow.


    As Rydel returned to his seat, Hadurt asked, "What¡¯s up? He mentioned that I get to run dungeons now, is that true?"


    "Yes and no," replied Jack, looking to both Kims and Hadurt. "This is Kaldor, the founder of the former Golden Haven Guild from Federal City. He¡¯s agreed to be our treasurer and train a recement. Once his recement is trained, you three will then start running dungeons together."


    "How long will it take you to train someone?" Hadurt turned to Kaldor with a smile, hoping it would be sooner rather thanter.


    Kaldor replied, "Maybe a month, but with the right candidate I can do it in a week. After that, the new guy can just call me or speak with Argyle if he finds himself with any unusual circumstances."


    "Great! Then I won¡¯t be bored for long!"ughed Hadurt.


    Kims looked to Jack and asked, "What if we¡¯re needed for security purposes?"


    "Tralon¡¯s here too, so he can always open a rift if needed be," answered Jack. "You can also take one of our teleportation scrolls. Just make sure you¡¯re either touching all party members or they wait inside a bestial storage while you use the scroll. That way we don¡¯t waste the few scrolls that we have left."


    "Makes sense. Then I¡¯ll get one from Tralon." Kims smiled, clearly excited to start leveling up.


    "Now for the introductions..." Jack sighed. "Kaldor, you already know Kims but let me tell you about Hadurt. But remember, I warned you that you might not like this."


    "I¡¯ll handle anything so long as it makes me strong enough," stated Kaldor, confident as ever.


    "Then allow me to introduce Hadurt, the retired champion of the Chaos Syndicate and the man that led the charge on Federal City not too long ago."


    "What?!" Instantly infuriated, Kaldor¡¯s rage came to life as energy gathered around his fists. Two wed gauntlets appeared on his arms, ready to strike without mercy.


    "Enough!"


    Jack shouted, but Kaldor stillunched a fist to Hadurt, who wasn¡¯t fazed in the slightest.


    Kaldor¡¯s fist struck its target directly on the chin, unleashing his unfiltered anger. But Hadurt didn¡¯t even budge. The former champion¡¯s chin remained still while taking the attack head-on.


    With a chuckle, Hadurt smiled at the confused and enraged Kaldor. "I get that you¡¯re angry, but Jack was wrong. I didn¡¯t lead that attack. I just showed up to take on Lorwynn, so the attack on your guild had nothing to do with me. And as of now, I¡¯m no longer a puppet for the gods to y with. If you want to kill the god responsible for your guild¡¯s fall, then I¡¯m your man."


    "What are you talking about?!" Turning to Jack, Kaldor furiously questioned, "Jack, what¡¯s the meaning of this?!"


    "Kaldor, we recently recruited both Lorwynn and Hadurt, the former champions of the Chaotic and Holy Gods. They¡¯re two of our secret weapons against those factions, so who better to train you than the man who knows the syndicate inside and out?" reasoned Jack, calming Kaldor slightly.


    "I get that you want to kill me and I don¡¯t mind thepetition, but should you get too serious then so will I," added Hadurt. "And I¡¯m sure Jack would rather have me kill you than to have you kill me. I bring a lot more to the table and way more firepower while agreeing everything he¡¯s said, all to get revenge on the gods who toyed with my life. Get the picture?"


    "He¡¯s not wrong, Kaldor."


    With Jack verifying Hadurt¡¯s reasoning, Kaldor retracted his fist from Hadurt¡¯s face. The former auction house owner red at the former champion, barking, "State your cause for revenge!"


    "I was promised the opportunity to join the gods in exchange for half a millennium of service. But as that time started to near an end, I came to find out that they never would¡¯ve allowed my ascendance to godhood," exined Hadurt, also leaking energy from his self-contained fury. "They nned to let me get killed and ruined my potential to be a god. For that, I will kill them, especially the god that deceived me from the start."


    Sensing Hadurt¡¯s passionate rage, Kaldor grunted and folded his arms. "And when I kill all the members of the syndicate, what will you do?"


    "I¡¯d kill them all now if I didn¡¯t have to hide my identity," Hadurt replied with augh. "But I can tell you who to watch out for and just how strong they all are. As you are now, you¡¯ll have to work much harder to catch up."


    "... Then I¡¯m willing to put up with you," replied Kaldor.


    Stillughing, Hadurt continued, "You won¡¯t have to put up with me. If you¡¯re really after killing them, then find a recement and join me in a dungeon. Survive my training, then you¡¯ll be able to kill almost anyone in the syndicate without worry.


    "Deal."


    No more words were said and there was no shaking of hands. However, both men became more driven than ever to dive back into training, as well as Kims who was feeding off of their energy.

 Chapter 388 EXP In Exchange For Godhood

    <h4>Chapter 388 EXP In Exchange For Godhood</h4>


    Sighing loudly, Jack added, "I forgot to mention, I¡¯ve already got a man in mind to be the recement treasurer. However, since he¡¯s low-leveled, he¡¯ll be considered the assistant treasurer and will handle everything while you¡¯re away, Kaldor."


    "Who did you have in mind?" asked Kaldor.


    "Rydel, can you go get--"


    "I¡¯m on it, Jack. No need to mention his name, I already know who you¡¯re talking about." Rydel hurried away, chuckling as he left the room a second time. Five minutester, he returned with a broad, muscr man standing behind him. Then, Rydel nodded to Jack and returned to his seat, leaving the man nervously standing in the center of the room among the other three powerful men.


    "Papa, it¡¯s okay, why are you nervous?" Marua asked, giggling at her father¡¯s unusual nervousness.


    "Zariff, there¡¯s no need to worry. I understand that your level is still decreasing and I¡¯m already working on a way to remove that curse," Jack stated, calming Zariff. "I want to know if you¡¯re willing to join the Leisure Guild officially and take up a position. Are you?"


    "Yeah, I can do that much no problem," replied Zariff, a little startled to be asked such a thing among the powerful men he was beside.


    Jack smiled. "Good, then I¡¯d like you to meet the man who will train you. This is Kaldor, our new treasurer. You¡¯ll be the assistant treasurer and handle his duties while he¡¯s power leveling."


    Recognizing Kaldor as the former leader of Golden Haven, Zariff swallowed some of his nerves and bowed to the man. "Then I¡¯ll be in your care. Though I¡¯m not as aplished as you, I once managed a branch of the association."


    "Oh... Then you¡¯ll be a fine candidate, I guess," replied Kaldor, nodding in approval. "I¡¯ll show you the ropes and remind you what to do this week. After that, I¡¯ll be leaving with these two to a dungeon, but you contact me or speak with Argyle if you have any problems."


    "Sure, I can handle that." Zariff proudly looked to Jack, d that he could somehow contribute to Jack¡¯s cause and return the favor of saving his family¡¯s lives. And he was especially proud to know that he was contributing to such a legendary figure, who happened to also be his son-inw.


    "With that settled, do any of you four have other questions for me?" Jack asked.


    Hadurt replied with a question, "What dungeon do you have in mind?"


    "Hmmm... Though the storehouse could work, I¡¯d rather keep that ce intact, so it¡¯ll have to be elsewhere," reasoned Jack. "Do you know of a dungeon called Earthen Keep, Hadurt?"


    "No, I¡¯ve never heard of it."


    "Then I¡¯ll have to run it by Lorwynn. If he doesn¡¯t know about it, then that¡¯s where we¡¯ll send you guys," stated Jack.


    "It was a dungeon for people trying to reach lv. 85 back in the day, though you¡¯ll be staying on the first three floors till Kims and Kaldor are both at least lv. 80. That may not seem like much to you Hadurt, but Earthen Keep is one of thergest dungeons to ever exist. Those three levels, to clear the floors entirely, should get them to around lv. 80. And by then, they should be able to handle floors four and maybe five with your help, so long as you¡¯re careful. After that, y it by ear and follow your gut, Hadurt. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve got plenty of experience grinding for EXP."


    "Want me to get Lorwynn in here?" Hadurt asked, excited to hear that such a treacherous ce existed.


    "Well... Actually, yeah, that¡¯d be perfect. There¡¯s something I need to do before he leaves with Sterfen."


    Before Jack finished his reply, Hadurt bolted out of the room, returning shortly with Lorwynn dragging behind him.


    "Before you get mad at him, I¡¯ve got something to ask you, Lorwynn," Jack stated, keeping Hadurt from some of the me. "Do you know about a dungeon called Earthen Keep?"


    "Hmmm... I¡¯ve heard of it, but we don¡¯t dare train there," answered Lorwynn. "ording to our scouts long ago, it was overrun with creatures, making it a terrifying ce for anyone to train safely."


    "Even better!" Hadurt shouted, not hiding his smile.


    Catching on to the meaning behind the question, Lorwynn shook his head and added, "I wouldn¡¯t rmend going there."


    "Even with Hadurt protecting these two?" Jack asked. "If worstes to worst, I can send Dragov in to get them out and you would join them once you¡¯re able."


    "That... That does make it seem like a usible n," Lorwynn admitted.


    Jack added, "Also, they¡¯ll be staying on the first three floors till these two are lv. 80, so it¡¯s not like they¡¯ll be running wild inside."


    "Exactly how big is this dungeon, Jack?" Hadurt couldn¡¯t help but ask.


    Scratching his head, Jack answered, "I¡¯d say each floor is at least the size of the Leisure Guild¡¯s property. It¡¯s also ny-nine floors deep, so don¡¯t get lost in there."


    "Ny-nine floors..." The smile on Hadurt¡¯s face had almost be a fresh tattoo, permanent and free of wrinkles or fading. "Are we able to--"


    "No!" Jack outright rejected what Hadurt was about to propose. "That dungeon was notoriously known to be used for hundred man raids. There was only one person stupid enough to run it alone, so don¡¯t even think of trying to clear the ce, not yet."


    Curious, Hadurt asked, "And who was stupid enough to run it solo?"


    "That would be me!" Jack shouted proudly. "But back then heroes wouldn¡¯t outright die. Instead, we would get resurrected at a nearby town or temple. That¡¯s how I eventually managed to sneak my way through to the boss floor and chip away at the boss until the crypt lord finally died. Nowadays, what I did wouldn¡¯t even be considered clearing the dungeon."


    "But--"


    "Hadurt, I promise you that we¡¯ll clear the ce eventually. How else will I be able to be stronger? And if it took one hundred ancient heroes, I imagine that a single party with the help of a god could..."


    Jack paused. With that thought in mind, Jack started to question everything. A single question could change everything he had nned thus far.


    What if a god carried me through Earthen Keep?


    "Jack, are you thinking what I¡¯m thinking?"


    Looking back to Hadurt¡¯s ever-growing smile, Jack nodded. "We¡¯ll discuss thatter. Stick to what we discussed for now while I handle some matters of the guild and prepare to visit Rikko."


    Looking at Jack curiously, Lorwynn asked, "But weren¡¯t you going to visit Rikko after the election? Why the sudden change of mind?"


    "There¡¯s something that¡¯se up so I¡¯ll be leaving sooner," replied Jack. "I¡¯ll stillunch my campaign before I go, but I¡¯ll leave after guaranteeing my seat. There¡¯s something I must urgently discuss with Rikko. Sadly, Jin left before I could even offer him a contact crystal... otherwise, I¡¯d discuss that matter with him."


    "Then if there¡¯s nothing else, allow me to--"


    "There¡¯s onest thing," Jack added, getting up from his chair. He walked toward Lorwynn and smiled. "I want to form a pact with you."


    "Huh? Why should I--"


    "This pact links us telepathically and allows us both to share skills. And though I don¡¯t have any active skills to share, I have plenty of passive skills that would interest you," stated Jack.


    "... Keep talking."


    Jack smiled wider. "Basically, it will give you half of my passive skills, including increased mana capacity, mana regeneration, and my beastpanion bloodline skill that lets me use my mutualpanion¡¯s bloodline, as well as many other skills. How else could I make a me body like Bowzer¡¯s?"


    "WHAT?!" Pushing Lorwynn out of the way, Hadurt eagerly stepped in front of Jack. "Make a pact with me! Come on, why waste it on him?"


    "I¡¯ll make one with both of you," Jackughed, putting his hands up in attempt to calm Hadurt¡¯s eagerness. "I just need to make sure I form one with Lorwynn before Sterfen takes him away. Alright?"


    "Okay... but I¡¯m next!"


    With Hadurt getting out of Lorwynn¡¯s way, the mage sighed. "I¡¯m willing to make the pact, just make sure there are no negative side effects."


    "That¡¯s thest thing I need to mention," added Jack. "There¡¯s one single downside to this pact, but it won¡¯t mean much to either of you thanks to your strange circumstances."


    "And that is...?" Lorwynn wanted to learn why the pact was too good to be true.


    Jack sighed and continued, "This pact will take half of all the EXP that either of you will gain from now on. Know that there is a version of the pact with that condition removed, so when ites time for you to ascend we can alter the pact and remove that condition."


    Visibly ufortable, Lorwynn shook his head. "That¡¯s quite a condition, Jack. I¡¯m not sure--"


    "That¡¯s it?! No problem!" Hadurt shouted, dly agreeing and looking at the startled Lorwynn. "What? We¡¯ll waste all EXP after reaching lv. 89 anyway, so why not help him be a god sooner?"


    "That..." Lorwynn struggled to find a counterargument to Hadurt¡¯s reasoning. "But how could you give up so easily?"


    "I¡¯m not giving up!" Hadurt yelled in retort. "With him bing a god sooner, I¡¯ll be a god sooner! Then, we can charge through Earthen Keep together! This is a great solution!"


    The former holy champion didn¡¯t want to ept such a tantly negative thing as positive, but their strange situation did make sense of it. With nothing else to say, Lorwynn sighed. "Fine... I¡¯ll agree to the pact."


    Since there was no more arguing, both Lorwynn and Hadurt knelt down, letting Jack perform the pact. Once each of them had finished, Lorwynn departed with Sterfen and Hadurt rushed to Dragov to test his increased strength.


    Kims followed Hadurt around, always trying to find a moment to learn from the former chaotic champion.


    Kaldor and Zariff also left, soon finding Ilgor to guide them around the guild and show them where they would be working.


    Only Jack¡¯s party was left in the office, that was until Rydel and Trax left to go train together. Though they couldn¡¯t level up through basicbat training, they could sharpen each other¡¯s skills. Maynard did simr, seeking out a small courtyard to diligently train his new abilities gifted from Jin.


    The women all waited for Jack to say what came next, especially Eliza who wanted to ask about their uing trip to visit Dragas. And Lina was already ying with Bowzer and Phoro, enjoying their soft fur and feathers.

 Chapter 389 Elizas Entomophobia

    <h4>Chapter 389 Eliza¡°s Entomophobia</h4>


    Sighing, Jack turned to his wives and asked, "We¡¯ve got two options for today, do you want to go shopping together like I promised or do you want toe with me to raid an ancient tomb?"


    "Wasn¡¯t the promise to go shopping in Estonya?" Eliza added with a smile.


    Jack chuckled, "We can still do that, but it¡¯ll have to wait a few days till an official agreement is made between the guild and Korten."


    Smiling, Eliza replied enthusiastically, "Then let¡¯s check out that tomb! But can we get there and back in a day?"


    "We¡¯ll be fine thanks to my new skills," Jack proudly answered. "But since we won¡¯t be shopping, let¡¯s test out some of your new skills in a special room. Also, I want to introduce Daliea to her new beastpanion."


    "Then let¡¯s take Lina with us. That should be fine, right?" asked Maura.


    Jack nodded as Lina perked up at the sound of her name. "Where are we going? Are we going shopping?"


    "No..." Jack reached out and rubbed her head, repeating himself, "We¡¯re going to raid an ancient tomb, but first we¡¯re going somewhere to test new skills and meet Daliea¡¯s new beastpanion. Also... You haven¡¯t met Dragov yet, have you?"


    "Who¡¯s Dragov?" asked Lina, speaking for both herself and Jack¡¯s wives.


    "Just follow me." Jack held the door open for the women. As Bowzer and Phoro were thest to exit, Jack closed the door and added, "Just know that he¡¯s harmless, okay. Don¡¯t freak out when you see him."


    They toured the Leisure Guild while Jack avoided exining himself. Eventually, Jack reached a restricted part of the guild, not even essible to the managers. Jack showed his new guild emblem, that of the guild master, allowing himself and the party to enter through the enchanted gate.


    Once they passed those enchanted walls, which blocked the view of everything inside the restricted space, the women were surprised to find so many courtyards in a space that appeared much smaller from the outside. Jack waited for them to catch up, moving at a decent pace toward the courtyard at the very back.


    "Okay..." Jack sighed, grabbing the handle to the door but pausing before opening it to his wives and Lina. "Again, don¡¯t be scared of what¡¯s inside. Dragov is my third beastpanion and a formerpanion I had back in Ancient Kartonia. So remain calm."


    "Jack, what is he? Why is he so scary?" asked Eliza.


    Maura added, "You¡¯ve already told us, so just open the door."


    "I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine, Jack," stated Daliea, grabbing the handle of the second door.


    Not waiting any longer, Jack opened the doors together with Daliea, startling Jack¡¯s wives. Maura hesitated to take more than a single step inside while Daliea shook the nerves away and trusted Jack¡¯s words of warning. Eliza immediately jumped behind Jack, peeking over his shoulder in terror.


    "Whoa... He¡¯s as big as Mom!" Lina was amazed, staring at Dragov¡¯s huge body with her mouth wide open.


    Jack chuckled, "Yeah, he¡¯s a great addition to the defenses of the guild. Should something happen, Dragov can break out through the back wall and emerge outside of the city."


    "J-Jack... W-what is that?"


    Looking back to Eliza, Jack was amazed to see genuine fear in her eyes. "Eliza,e inside and we¡¯ll talk while we go meet him."


    Eliza finally entered the room, but she remained behind Jack¡¯s back every step of the way.


    "Dragov is a Draconic Centipede," stated Jack. "He¡¯s already lv. 81 and will be the guardian beast of the guild for the time being. Once we¡¯ve got other strong beasts and experts, then he¡¯ll be joining us on the battlefield."


    "Th-that will be joining us?! B-b-but..."


    "I guess Eliza is afraid of something after all," giggled Maura.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Big Sis. He looks friendly!" Lina shouted as she ran down the steps reaching the bottom at a breakneck pace. Once there, Lina changed to her hydra form, which was now fifteen meters long and four meters tall. She roared, "Hi! I¡¯m Lina, what¡¯s your name?"


    Dragov had long noticed them but was surprised to see Lina turn out to be a hydra. He replied with a bow of his massive head, "Hello, I¡¯m Dragov, Jack¡¯s beastpanion. I didn¡¯t know he was traveling with a Nine-headed cial Hydra..."


    "That¡¯s my little sister, Lina," Jack shouted as he tried to hurry Eliza down the stairs, who was fighting him for every step until he picked her up. "Remember, I¡¯m now the son of Lunara and Sterfen, so it only makes sense to help raise my little sister."


    "I¡¯ll remember that." Committing that to memory, Dragov then asked, "What brings you here, Jack? Do you need my help with something?"


    "At the moment, no, but I wanted to introduce you to my wives and I thought this would be a good ce to test their upgraded bloodline skill," answered Jack, surprising the women around him. He then added, "Also, I¡¯ll be bringing Mooldrat here as well. He¡¯ll be traveling with us from now on."


    "Go ahead and use this space as you wish Jack. If you want, they can go ahead and attack me. It¡¯s better than attacking the walls," Dragov politely stated.


    Surprised to see that the colossal centipede was so kind, Maura and Daliea followed Lina to feel Dragov¡¯s impregnable exoskeleton. Sensing that the beast showed them no hostility and only hospitality, they both bowed their heads and introduced themselves, even though Maura was still hesitant.


    "Eliza, you should go too."


    "Jack... I- can¡¯t..."


    Sighing, Jack pulled her in front of him. The hero nudged her closer and closer toward Dragov, not letting Eliza avoid that much-needed introduction. "Go on, Eliza. You¡¯re confident enough to speak in front of thousands but you won¡¯t greet my beastpanion?"


    "Th-that doesn¡¯t count! Those aren¡¯t the same, not at all!" Her voiceshed out at Jack as she was only a few meters away from the biggest insect she¡¯d ever seen,rger than the ones from her nightmares. "J-Jack... Please..."


    "Just put out your hand and introduce yourself," stated Jack. "If you don¡¯t hurry and say it now, I¡¯ll leave you alone while I go get--"


    "No!" One of Eliza¡¯s hand¡¯s firmly gripped Jack¡¯s arm as she tried to swallow as much of her fear as possible, burying her head in his chest. "H-hi... I¡¯m Eliza... J-Jack¡¯s wife..."


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Eliza," Dragov replied with another bow of his head. "I¡¯ll make sure to always protect you and help you whenever I¡¯m able. As Jack¡¯s wife, I¡¯m willing to die in exchange for your life if necessary."


    "Th-thank you..."


    Since Eliza¡¯s other hand was held out but wasn¡¯ting any closer to Dragov, Jack telepathically told Dragov to move closer. The moment Dragov¡¯s hard shell-like exoskeleton touched Eliza¡¯s hand, she shivered and instantly retracted her arm to grab Jack even tighter.


    "Well, I guess Rome wasn¡¯t built in a day..."


    Eliza was distracted by Jack¡¯s strange phrase and didn¡¯t notice that Phoro had flown away and the shutting door above startled her all the more.


    Before the women could get Jack to exin where Phoro had left, the door was opening again. Phoro led the way but a massive ck beast was floating in with him. Eliza, who was already afraid of the behemoth insect her, again tried to hide herself behind Jack, failing miserably now that there was a beast on each side of her.


    "Everyone, I¡¯d like for you to meet Mooldrat, a Dark Beholder who, like Dragov, has been alive since Ancient Kartonia," Jack introduced the beholder, who bowed his floating head to the women and grinned with his gnarly yellow teeth. "From today onwards, he¡¯ll be yourpanion, Daliea. He¡¯s lv. 78, so now I¡¯ll be sure my wives are safe while they¡¯re traveling with me."


    The nerves that each of the women felt melted a little, causing Eliza to stop shaking for just a second. It was a touching thought for them to know that Jack was that worried about them.

 Chapter 390 The Girls Beast Companion Abilities

    <h4>Chapter 390 The Girls¡° Beast Companion Abilities</h4>


    "It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you all." Mooldrat finally lifted his head, trying his best to make his smile amiable. "As Jack stated, I¡¯ll proudly be apanying the daughter of Eedaj. Should you need, I¡¯ll give up my life."


    Daliea was taken aback, feeling both nervous and touched to receive such apanion. She stepped toward Mooldrat and asked, "Can I call you Mool for short?"


    "Of course you may." Mooldrat¡¯s big eye blinked, startling the spooked Eliza but not Daliea.


    "Can I feel your tentacles?" asked Daliea, reaching out her hand.


    "Sure, but be careful of the barbs. I don¡¯t want you hurting yourself by ident," replied Mooldrat. "I hate to be the cause of your pain, Daughter of Eedaj."


    "You can call me Daliea, Mool. I¡¯d prefer that since we¡¯ll be partners from now on."


    "Thank you, it¡¯s an honor, Daliea."


    One of Mooldrat¡¯s ten tentacles lowered into Daliea¡¯s hands, feeling both heavy and light at the same time due to the beholder¡¯s levitation. She examined the matte skin, noticing a cluster of ck barbs begin to emerge from the end of the tentacle. Each barb measured as long as Daliea¡¯s hand, proving that the dozen or so barbs of each cluster could easilytch onto prey or shred something to pieces.


    When Daliea finished examining the tentacle, the barbs retracted and Mooldrat nodded to her. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll make sure to never bring you harm, Daliea. As yourpanion, I¡¯ll support you in every way I¡¯m able."


    "Now, onto the main event," Jack interrupted the conversation, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention and sitting Eliza down on Bowzer¡¯s soft fur. "I want you all to try to activate the bloodlines of yourpanions. Before you could activate a portion of their skills or abilities, but now you should be able to do more, like how I can make a me body."


    "Really? Why¡¯s that?" asked Maura, intrigued at the possibility of using the hydra¡¯s bloodline.


    Jack smiled, continuing his exnation, "Since I¡¯ve leveled up the skill so much, you should all be able to use it like I always could. Now, I can activate up to two bloodlines at once so you should be able to activate one too. Let¡¯s get the seal out of the way now..."


    He wasted no time, performing the mutual seal between Mooldrat and Daliea. Relieved to have such a strong beast keep his wives safe, Jack resumed his exnation. "Okay, now each of you should be able to use the skill. Clear your mind and imagine yourpanion, then you¡¯ll be able to feel some sort of resonance. Once you feel that, try to envelop yourself in it that resonance and let it loose."


    As Jack exined the process, Daliea followed along step-by-step. With her mind cleared, she easily noticed a new strength surging out of her core. Letting that power envelop her, Daliea took a deep breath as her body started to shift and alter itself.


    Six ck tentacles started to emerge from Daliea¡¯s back, either finding a way out of her shirt or forcing their way out through a newly-ripped hole. Each tentacle was a bit longer than Daliea was tall, simr to how Mooldrats tentaclespared to his four-meter tall body. When Daliea finally opened her eyes, both were yellow with a piercing red pupil.


    "That¡¯s it!" Jack shouted, reminded how talented Daliea has always been. "With those tentacles, you should be able to control the barbs and use the many eye abilities that Dark Beholders wield."


    "What kind of abilities?" Daliea looked to Mooldrat and asked.


    Proud to see her transformation, Mooldrat replied, "Naturally you have True Sight, letting you see through illusions, invisibility, darkness, and all manners of haze. There are five different rays that you now possess. You should be able to use a telekic ray, a fear ray, a paralyzing ray, a disintegration ray, and a petrification ray."


    "Petrification?!" Startled, Maura stepped a bit closer to Jack and Bowzer.


    "That¡¯s right, but the petrification is very slow and is only permanent should you manage to petrify the entire target of the ray," exined Mooldrat. "It¡¯s fearsome but very difficult to use as a finishing blow in a battle. It¡¯s better for imprisoning an already defeated foe or to store food forter."


    "For food? You can eat stone?" Daliea asked, not afraid but excited to learn more.


    "Sure, but it tastes better fresh," continued Mooldrat. "As for the paralyzing ray, it¡¯s very self-exnatory, as well as the telekic ray. Personally, I prefer to use the fear ray on anything that needs to use concentration for spells or abilities. The fear ray, in those cases, is a battle-winning ability. The disintegration ray is faster than the petrification ray but will only affect wherever it touches. sting a creature with the disintegration ray is best for dealing damage, scarring them, or removing limbs should you be able to concentrate the ray long enough."


    "Oh!" Remembering something, Mooldrat added, "And know that you can only use one ray at any given time and it takes anywhere from a second to a minute to recharge for the next ray. That depends on how long the previous ray was active, especially the petrification ray which is more taxing."


    "Also, try levitating, Daliea. I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s got something to do with your telekinesis," chuckled Jack.


    Focusing her mind, Daliea felt an ethereal force outside of her body. To her, is seemed tangible and solid, able to form around anything she wished. She allowed a portion of that force to wrap around her, lifting herself off the ground.


    "Amazing!" Lina, who had been so amazed she was speechless, finally got some words out. "Big Bro, what can I do?!"


    Laughing, Jack shrugged. "Sorry, Lina, but you don¡¯t have any beastpanions. And you¡¯re already a beast so--"


    "But I still want to transform!" shouted Lina, not wanting to be left out. "I want a beastpanion!"


    "That¡¯s... I like the way you think, Lina!" Jack suddenly got excited, imagining Lina bing a beast that could terrify even the gods. "Right now... I can¡¯t think of any beasts that would work well with you. But we¡¯ll double-check after we get back from the ancient tomb, okay?"


    "Okay! Thanks, Big Bro!"


    "Maura, Eliza, aren¡¯t you going to try it?" Jack asked while staring caringly at them.


    "Alright, I¡¯ll give it a try!" Maura rxed and let her breathing calm her body. Doing as Jack mentioned earlier, she found the energy gathering from her core and let it envelop her.


    Maura didn¡¯t grow in size, but her skin and features began to change. Her hands became webbed with sharp ws at the end. With cier blue skin, Maura felt aforting coldness fill her body. And Maura¡¯s teeth became identical to Lina¡¯s Jaws. She also gained Lina¡¯s dragon-like eyes that were better than an eagle¡¯s, even underwater.


    "I¡¯d talk to Lina about your new abilities, but I imagine that all your water spells and abilities should be much stronger in that form," stated Jack.


    "Not just my spells..." Maura giggled, feeling light as a feather, only just realizing that she had grown a long, powerful tail to match Lina¡¯s.


    "Wow! Big Sis is like me!" Still in her hydra form, Lina walked over to Maura in excitement. "You¡¯re water should be much stronger now. Oh! Try and eat something!"


    "Oh yeah! Test and see if you have Lina¡¯s devour skill!" Also excited, Jack eagerly watched as a small vortex of energy started to gather around Maura¡¯s erged mouth. "That¡¯s it! No fair... I can¡¯t get that ability from my pact..."


    "Was Bowzer¡¯s me body not enough?"


    Everyone then looked to the teasing Eliza, who was no longer shaking in fear. With everything going on at once, Eliza managed to put Dragov¡¯s existence to the back of her mind so long as he was behind her and out of sight.


    "Jack, howe I can¡¯t do it?" questioned the more impatient of Jack¡¯s three wives.


    "That¡¯s probably because you have two beastpanions," answered Jack.


    Confused, Eliza then asked, "But Maura has twopanions, so why could she do it so easily?"

 Chapter 391 Tomb in the Fissured Mountains

    <h4>Chapter 391 Tomb in the Fissured Mountains</h4>


    Jack sighed. "That¡¯s only because Lina¡¯s powerful bloodline overwhelmed the bloodline of Maura¡¯s cetuspanion. Yourpanions arepletely different so you¡¯ll have to recognize which bloodline is which before trying to activate the skill. Try it with your dryad first, okay?"


    "Okay..." Calming her breathing, Eliza refocused herself. It took a few minutes but Eliza managed to differentiate the two bloodlines. Focusing on the energy of her dryadpanion, the aurora around Eliza began to change.


    The ground beneath Eliza¡¯s feet started to grow tufts of grass, surprising everyone present. Her physical appearance didn¡¯t change at all, but her eyes had be entirely green with no pupil or iris. Both eyes looked like leaves when held up in direct sunlight, slightly transparent and filled with ents of soft orange and streaks of warm yellow.


    "Well... How do I look?" Eliza examined herself and then did a turn around for everyone to see. "Did anything change?"


    "Look in a mirror..." For a moment, Jack was bewitched by Eliza¡¯s eyes, unable to look away from her. After Eliza took out a mirror and looked away, Jack broke eye contact and exined more, "Dryads are naturally charming, able to coerce nt life to their will and cast powerful enchantments."


    "Oh, is that why you can¡¯t look away from me?" teased Eliza. "Maybe I¡¯ll have to try this outter tonight..."


    "Since you¡¯ve all tested your new skills, let¡¯s get going!" pping his hands, Jack changed the subject. "Phoro, Bowzer, I gotta put you away for a second, okay? Daliea, store Mooldrat as well."


    The beasts were quickly stored away as Jack looked to Lina. "If you want toe with us, then you¡¯ll have to go back to your human form. Otherwise, I can leave you here to y with Dragov."


    "Umm... Is it going to be fun where we¡¯re going?" Lina asked, tempted to stay and y with the massive centipede.


    "Not exactly," replied Jack. "We¡¯ll be back before nightfall, so we cane back to pick you upter, okay?"


    "Okay!" Lina shouted and barreled toward the centipede. "Dragov! I want to slide on your back!"


    The others got augh out of Lina¡¯s antics as Jack wrapped his arms around each of his wives. "As beautiful as you all are in those forms, you should change back to save mana and not scare anyone we might run into. And a change of clothes would be good too"


    Once the women were back to normal and changed out of their torn clothes, Jack activated his new skill Greater Teleportation. Jack and his wives were suddenly transported in a sh of light, like Tralon and Daruun had done so many times before. When the light faded, the party looked around to find themselves in a rockyndscape with a row of jagged mountains not too far away.


    Jack released Phoro and Bowzer, then turned to see his surprised wives. "We¡¯re just outside the Fissured Mountains, that¡¯s where we¡¯ll find this hidden tomb. Eliza, would you please bring out Appa?"


    "Sure thing."


    With the Giant Condor, the party was off for the mountains, excited to adventure together again.


    Not even an hourter the party was overlooking the mountainside. There, Jack retrieved the sword that acted as their guide. After apologizing to Appa and Eliza for the mess he was about to make, Jack slit his hand carefully, allowing gravity to cover the downward-pointing de in blood.


    They were then led to one of the mountain peaks, jutting out between the mountainside and therge, bottomless fissure that ran down the center of the mountain range.


    "That peak..." Jack directed Appa toward the mountain, making sure to keep an eye out for nearby beasts. There were a few, but nothing that the lv. 49 Bowzer and the lv. 47 Phoro couldn¡¯t handle.


    Those two dispatched the nearby beasts with ease while Jack searched the cliffside for the tomb¡¯s entrance.


    On the side of a perfectly vertical drop, Jack finally managed to find the entrance thanks to Appa, who was carrying the party over the fissure. Soon, they were d to find the rockface parting to form a smooth entrance to a small cave. And it was just in time, as Jack heard a distant growl from deep inside the fissure.


    ¡¯Bowzer! Phoro! Get back now,¡¯ ordered Jack, not daring to find out what was below without first entering the ancient tomb.


    Both beasts hurried back and were stored before Jack jumped into the newly-opened cave.


    "Jump! I¡¯ll catch you!"


    Eliza didn¡¯t hesitate and leaped toward Jack, forcing him to catch her like she were a princess. "Thanks, Darling."


    "Anytime." Jack chuckled and helped her stand up. "Come on you two."


    Maura was next, followed by Daliea. After both of them were caught by Jack and carefully ced inside the cave, Eliza stored Appa as the growling started to grow louder.


    The cave wasn¡¯t very deep but that made it easy to find an archway with a name etched into the stone overhead. Reading the sign, "T1golBidd13s", Jack reached up and ran his hand over the lettering as he stepped inside.


    There they found a few dozen chests and rows of armor on disy around the sepulcher.


    "Go ahead and check the chests. If there¡¯s anything you want, just let me know."


    Happy to hear that, Eliza was the first to ce her hands on a chest. But Maura wasn¡¯t far behind as she rummaged through the chests to find items of varying uses and levels. Daliea carefully inspected the armors and cloaks on disy, focusing on some of the magic staffs beside the cloaks.


    Jack focused on the sepulcher and imed his reward, earning himself fifty-five skill points.


    Without a second thought, Jack checked the T1golBidd13s¡¯s activity log.


    "Jack, can I keep this?" Maura pulled a sword out from one of the chests. It shined like an emerald and as thin as a cicada¡¯s wing, which also happened to be the name of the sword. But she failed to get a response, so Maura called again, "Jack? Jaaack?"


    "Huh... Oh, that¡¯s a great sword. It¡¯s lv. 45 and mythic tier, definitely keep that one."


    Not directly replying to Jack¡¯s robotic answer, Maura eyed Jack for a moment and then asked, "Jack, is something wrong? You¡¯re really focused for some reason..."


    Trying tough it off, Jack didn¡¯t manage to reply. He quickly checked his map and startedughing again. "Okay, let¡¯s hurry up and gather everything. We can sort through it all back at the guild."


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?" Maura asked again, more sternly this time.


    Putting his hands up, Jack walked to her and pushed the emerald-green sword up to her chest. "Nothing¡¯s wrong. I¡¯m just trying to hurry back before Lina drives Dragov crazy."


    Giving Jack a serious re, Maura asked one more time, "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Like I said, nothing is--"


    "Rrraaaaaahhh..."


    Surprised to hear that low growl again, all the women stiffened in startlement. Somehow the growl had gotten even louder then it was while they were outside.


    "Jack, what¡¯s--"


    "Store everything and grab hold of me, Now!" Jack shouted as he frantically began to ce chest after chest into his storage.


    Daliea didn¡¯t ask any questions and began to do the same with the various armors. Catching on, Eliza did the same, leaving Maura to worry enough for them all.


    "Rrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..."


    "Alright, grab hold of me!"


    Each of the three women grabbed Jack in some way. At the same time, the room began to shake and the four of them felt the mountain moving beneath their feet.


    But before anything else could happen, Jack and his wives were again taken away in a sh of light, leaving the empty tomb behind.


    "Rrraaaaahhh!"


    Suddenly, the wall of the mountain burst open. The small, smooth opening in the mountain was now a dust-covered hole four meters wide. A two-meter tall, mountain of a man now stood in that small cave, staring at the ancient tomb¡¯s entrance. Though he was much too broad to fit normally, the man walked through the rock surrounding that entrance like it was paper, shaking the mountainside.


    Now inside the tomb, the man growled again, but even louder this time, "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"


    The man¡¯s eyes red at the sepulcher, overflowing with rage. In a fit of anger, the man kicked the sepulcher, reducing it to rubble and dust instantly.


    "WHERE IS IT?!"

 Chapter 392 An Enchantment Key?

    <h4>Chapter 392 An Enchantment Key?</h4>


    Inside that blinding light, Jack and his wives were carried far away. When the light faded, they found themselves on solid, non-moving ground and sighed. Excited to have escaped before facing whatever that beast was, the three women hugged each other, making sure Jack was a part of the group hug.


    "Isn¡¯t that the Legend?"


    "That¡¯s him! And that¡¯s his wife!"


    "Who are the others?"


    "Mommy, I want to meet him!"


    That air of celebration was quickly met with a uproar of voices praising and greeting Jack from all around. The party was too excited about their escape to realize where exactly they had ended up.


    Completely surrounded by people, the party was being hounded with questions and greetings aimed to get Jack¡¯s attention.


    "Out of the way!" Jack shouted, getting the crowd to grow silent. "I¡¯m on official guild business and must hurry back. I¡¯ll make another public appearance soon, but for now we have to leave immediately!"


    Not wanting to anger their hero, the crowd slowly created an opening for the four people trapped inside.


    "Thank you. Your cooperation is the same as aiding the Leisure Guild," Jack added while pulling his wives away from the crowd.


    Looking to the three women, Jack exined things telepathically. ¡¯We¡¯re back in Gilga, so don¡¯t worry anymore. I rushed the teleportation, so I only pictured Gilga and not a specific part of the city. We¡¯re safe now but we¡¯ll have to hurry back to the guild to sort the rest of the items."


    ¡¯Jack, what happened back there?¡¯ Maura was still hung up on what took ce back in the ancient tomb. It was obvious that Jack had discovered something and anticipated that creature¡¯s approach, but she couldn¡¯t imagine what that creature was nor how Jack had gained some premonition of it¡¯s attack.


    Jack sighed and answered, ¡¯I¡¯ll exin that after we reach the guild. That way we can include Eedaj in the conversation.¡¯


    ¡¯Why do we need him?¡¯ Daliea asked. ¡¯At least tell us what creature that was. Considering how unwilling you were to meet it, that beast should be quite fearsome.¡¯


    ¡¯That... That was Grixor, the Earthen God...¡¯ Jack answered, trying not to scare his wives too much.


    ¡¯What?¡¯ Startled, Eliza almost fell over as Jack pulled her through the street. ¡¯Jack... You can¡¯t be serious, right? Why would you take us to Grixor¡¯s temple?¡¯


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t, but his temple must be at the bottom of the Fissured Mountains,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯I hadn¡¯t taken Grixor or the other gods into consideration since we were only going after a tomb.¡¯


    ¡¯Well... hurry up and teleport us to the guild, then,¡¯ Eliza stated.


    ¡¯Sorry, but I¡¯ve already used up most of my mana. Greater Teleportation is a mythic-tier spell, after all,¡¯ Jack chuckled, trying to act more confident and lighthearted since they were now out of harm¡¯s way.


    Having appeared near the city¡¯s center, it took the party almost half an hour to reach the Leisure Guild property which upied the southwestern limits of the city. Once inside, Jack hurried his wives to the restricted area and entered one of the centermost courtyards, which were thergest courtyards excluding Dragov¡¯s underground space.


    "Eedaj! We ned to talk!" Jack shouted, finally able to stop and breath.


    Coming out of a connected room at the back, Eedaj emerged and stared a Jack for a moment before shock spread all over his body. "Jack, what did you do?!"


    "I didn¡¯t do anything... I don¡¯t think," Jack replied. "All we did was raid an ancient tomb in the Fissured Mountians, it¡¯s not like we entered Grixor¡¯s temple or anything. However..."


    Jack looked to his wives and then back to Eedaj before he continued, "I found out how that ancient hero died, that¡¯s why I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Luckly, I teleported us out before Grixor learned who it was that opened the ancient tomb."


    "And how did that ancient hero die, Jack?" Eedaj asked.


    "He was killed by Grixor."


    Everyone paused for a moment to take in that statement, including Jack. It was a shock for a god to just up and kill an ancient hero, not without a reason at least. And considering how Grixor had attacked the tomb immediately after it was opened, there must¡¯ve been a special cause for Grixor to act out.


    Eedaj questioned, "Do you know why Grixor attacked that hero? Or how Grixor killed him?"


    Nodding, Jack replied, "I know that Grixor hurled boulders at the hero and killed him while the hero was exiting the fissure hiding Grixor¡¯s temple. I¡¯m pretty sure that hero tried to raid Grixor¡¯s temple but ultimately failed. As for why Grixor attacked the tomb... That I¡¯m unsure of."


    "What did you recover from the tomb? Show me everything."


    Retrieving everything, the party took out every chest and all of the disys from the tomb.


    Eedaj scanned the disys first but shook his head. Then, he opened up the chests one-by-one to carefully inspect the contents of each chest. The Mind God was meticulous, holding up each item for everyone to see while carefully examining it. After the first chest, Eedaj moved on to the second chest. And then the third chest... And then the fourth...


    Though it was taking quite a while to inspect everything, the party was enraptured in Eedaj¡¯s careful examinations. They couldn¡¯t take their eyes off due to their anticipation.


    Jack was also inspecting each item, putting his system to good use. The sheer amount of mid-level mythic-tier items was unexpected. With those, Jack could either strengthen his party or the guild.


    On the twenty-sixth chest, Eedaj couldn¡¯t put down one of the items. Staring intently at it, Eedaj did his best to ascertain the items origin. Finally looking back to the party, Eedaj exined, "So far, the only item that may have incited Grixor to attack that tomb would be this. It¡¯s an enchantment key, or an item that works as a key to unlock or undo a specific enchantment. And since the detailing of the enchantment on this key is extraordinary, it must unlock a powerful enchantment."


    The women were all focused on that item in Eedaj¡¯s hands. It looked like a pearl the size of their palm, only it was covered in etchings filled with mana.


    "Jack, what do you think?" Eedaj asked for the hero¡¯s opinion, noticing that Jack¡¯s jaw had gone ck while staring at the enchantment key.


    "N-no way..."


    "Jack, please share your thoughts with us all. Or would you prefer I read your mind?"


    Surprising everyone, Jack nodded slowly instead of replying.


    Taken aback, Eedaj followed up by reading Jack¡¯s mind instead of asking anything else. But not even a second after reading Jack¡¯s mind, Eedaj¡¯s body tightened up as Eedaj reexamined the orb in his hands. A few words slipped out of the god¡¯s mouth, "It... can¡¯t be..."


    "Hey, don¡¯t leave us out of the loop!"ined Eliza. "We want to know too!"


    "Please, Jack, tell us," Maura asked, also pouting.


    Sensing the atmosphere, Daliea put her new abilities to use and also read Jack¡¯s mind. And like Eedaj she also refocused on the orb with fear in her eyes, only she ced a hand over her mouth to keep any words from escaping her lips.


    "Daliea! You¡¯re supposed to be on our side!" Eliza added, startled to see that even Daliea refused to say a word.


    It took a few more seconds but Jack finally mustered up a few words for his other two wives. "Eliza... Maura... I¡¯d rather you not know what that is... I think that would be best for us all."


    "But Jack, we shouldn¡¯t have any--"


    "This isn¡¯t a secret, Eliza. This is a terrifying thing to know exists, let only find... I wish Daliea hadn¡¯t found out, but it¡¯s toote for that," continued Jack, soft spoken but firm. "Eedaj... Can you hold onto that for me? I wish I could give it to Daruun, but he¡¯s already gone."


    "Yeah... I¡¯ll hold onto it," Eedaj answered, storing the orb in his own storage. "Should you find another... just bring it to me immediately, okay?"


    "Of course." Jack bowed and regained some of hisposure as he turned to his wives. "Let¡¯s go... I¡¯m sure Eedaj has plenty to do since the guild is almost done building his new shrine."


    Jack then exited, followed by Daliea and then the other two. And no matter what Maura or Eliza said, Jack said nothing in response. He was too busy trying to calm down to even listen to their questions or statements about his unfairness as a husband.

 Chapter 393 Struggling to Relax

    <h4>Chapter 393 Struggling to Rx</h4>


    It was already afternoon and the sun had begun its descent over Gilga. Jack was still caught up on the discovery of the enchantment key, as well as Daliea, and struggled to rx at all. Eliza and Maura had long stopped asking about the item, having spent five minutes trailing the slow walking Jack with no results.


    They entered the back most courtyard and descended the steps, although Eliza remained at the rear and refused to move from behind Jack.


    Maura hurried to Lina, who was using Dragov like a giant slip and slide with her powers over water.


    When Jack finally reached the bottom steps, he sat down there. He released Bowzer and Phoro to let them y or do whatever they wanted. Jack said nothing to either of them, even if Bowzer had begun to grill Jack anew like Eliza had done before.


    Eliza decided to sit beside Jack, making sure to have Bowzery down beside her and with the fox¡¯s head on herp. This wasfortable for Bowzer but especially so for Eliza, who struggled to even look up while inside Dragov¡¯s dedicated space.


    Daliea eventually brought out Mooldrat, distracting herself with learning about him and his abilities. And since Dragov allowed Mooldrat to attack him however the beholder wished, it allowed Mooldrat and Daliea to explore Mooldrat¡¯s attacks as well as Daliea¡¯s new abilities.


    Still lost in turbulent thought, Jack scratched his head. Then he scratched his neck. When his neck started to feel raw, Jack scratched his head with both hands. Soon, Jack was vigorously scratching his shoulders.


    No matter what positives he tried to imagine, Jack, for the most part, hated that new item they discovered.


    "Jack..." Eliza ced a hand over Jack¡¯s, stopping him from attempting to scratch a hole through his cloak. "I¡¯m not mad you¡¯re keeping a secret from me, I just don¡¯t know how to help you orfort you without knowing."


    "This... is probably something that can¡¯t beforted," stated Jack, still softspoken and spooked. "Knowing those things exist changes everything, Eliza. That much I can say."


    Leaning her head on Jack¡¯s shoulder, Eliza asked, "Then... how many of those things are there?"


    "There should be five of them... but I¡¯m not sure."


    "What do you mean?"


    Finally ncing at Eliza through the corner of his eye, Jack stated, "All I know is that there were originally five of those keys. What I don¡¯t know is how many still exist."


    Taking a moment to think, Eliza drew a nk. "Does that mean you can break them? If you¡¯re so worried about that item, then why not break it like the--"


    "No!" Jack suddenly jolted, turning his torso to face Eliza, who lost her headrest and saw pure fear in Jack¡¯s eyes. "We must never break that key. I wish those never existed but... all we can do is protect it or hide it."


    Feeling Jack¡¯s umon seriousness, Eliza nodded. "Okay, Jack. Then we¡¯ll never break that key. Can you tell me why?"


    Jack took a moment to think of a fitting answer, finally stating, "Enchantment keys are like a double-edged sword. They can make a powerful enchantment more secure but it can also lead to that enchantment¡¯s undoing. Basically, a particr portion of the source enchantment is engraved into an enchantment key, making that enchantment impossible to break without the key. But should someone get the key, then it can be undone easily."


    "And what if someone breaks a key?" asked Eliza.


    "Then that portion of the source enchantment is removed, making the enchantment fragile and easily breakable," exined Jack. "And no matter what, we must never break that key. We can¡¯t even let it¡¯s source enchantment weaken, let alone get undone."


    "I see..." Eliza nodded, following Jack¡¯s logic. "Does that mean we¡¯ll now be searching for more keys?"


    "No," Jack answered immediately. "Don¡¯t get me wrong, I¡¯m d to have that key. It¡¯s just... I wish that key and the other four never existed. Their existence is what¡¯s terrifying..."


    "Well, should you ever want to tell us, I¡¯m sure Maura and I will be happy to hear all about it," replied Eliza. "Thanks for teaching me about enchantment keys."


    Jack sighed, finally letting a slight smile creep up at the ends of his lips. "Thanks for listening... It helps, at least a little."


    Pecking Jack on the cheek, Eliza was beaming. "Anytime, Darling."


    They sat there for a while. Eliza returned her head to Jack¡¯s shoulder as they both watched Lina riding what Jack considered a rollercoaster made up of Dragov¡¯s body. Maura was on Lina¡¯s back, enjoying the moment with their little sister and making yet another happy memory for them all.


    It was good for them tough and enjoy that moment.


    The rest of the day passed without a hitch. With Jack low on mana, they could only wait till the next day to leave for Dragas.


    Originally, Jack wanted to visit the other three ancient tombs in Churstin, however, his mood for tomb raiding was soured at the moment. And since it wasn¡¯t an urgent matter, Jack decided to save those forter.


    Jack was also startled to find his room altered. The bed was now muchrger, and he discovered that Eliza wasn¡¯t joking about the four of them sleeping together. But he was also happy to see his wives sleeping together like long-lost sisters sharing a bed. It was a pleasant sight and helped his restless mind finally get some much-needed sleep.


    In the morning, Jack groaned as he stirred awake. He groaned again, feeling something immensely heavy on top of him. There was no way it was one of his wives. Jack¡¯s mind was still starting up as he blinked and eventually recognized what wasid on top of him and his wives.


    A massive, fifteen-meter long hydra hadid all three of her heads across the bed. Her snoring was jarring, making Jack wonder how he hadn¡¯t been awoken from that alone.


    "Lina... Liiina..." Jack patted one of the heads, trying his best to wake her gently but failing miserably. "Lina... Lina! Liiina!"


    Eliza, Maura, and Daliea all groaned as they were woken up by Jack¡¯s shouts. But their momentary anger fizzled out when they realized their situation.


    "Lina! It¡¯s time to wake up!" Jack kept shouting, now rocking one of the hydra heads furiously.


    "Huuuh..." That rocking hydra head yawned loudly, startling the four people directly underneath. "Huh? Oh... Good morning, Big Bro..."


    "Lina, why are you in here?" asked Jack. "And why are you in that form?"


    "Hmm? Oh! Sorry!" Not realizing her mistake, Lina giggled as she reverted to her human form. Now, the teenage girlid across all four of them and rolled to the side.


    Finally able to get up, all four of them stretched and felt a rush of relief spread through their bodies.


    Maura was the first to look back at Lina at the side of the bed, asking, "Lina, why are you in here?"


    "Ummm... I had a bad dream..." mumbled the teenage girl, still acting like she was barely eight years old. "I thought it would be better to sleep here and it was."


    "Well..." Eliza sighed, rubbing Lina¡¯s bedhead. "That¡¯s fine, but you should let us know when youe it next time, okay?"


    "Okay!" d to not get scolded, Lina hugged Eliza tightly.


    Jack then added, "But no hydra form, not when you¡¯re sleeping with us."


    "But... I was scared... And I¡¯m stronger like that, so..." Feeling nervous again, Lina looked up at Jack from her hug.


    "I get that..." Jack sighed. "But you shouldn¡¯t trap us like that. Tell us beforehand and then, maybe, just maybe, you can ce one of your heads on the bed with us."


    "Okay!" Jumping at Jack with a hug that tackled him back into the bed, Lina giggled again. "Thanks, Big Bro!"

 Chapter 394 Finding Dragass Shrine

    <h4>Chapter 394 Finding Dragas¡°s Shrine</h4>


    Eventually, Jack managed to exit his room, ready for the day. All the women followed him out as well, some being excited to visit another new ce and some being excited to visit another god.


    Jack asked Rydel, Trax, and Maynard if they wanted to tag along but he was rejected by all of them. Each of them wanted to stay and train since the mission had nothing to do with leveling. Also, they didn¡¯t mind missing out on the initial trip to visit the Goddess of Love.


    After grabbing some food from the courtyard turned mess hall, aptly named the food court since ancient times, Jack, his beastpanions, and the women left together on Appa.


    While the women chatted or answered some of Lina¡¯s spontaneous questions, Jack sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.


    What seemed like meditation to the others was actually Jack sitting nervously in front of his achievement list. There was a new achievement listed, one that hade to exist the moment Jackid eyes on that enchantment key. The day before, Jack had refused to check it as the title alone sent shivers down his spine. And again, Jack found himself just staring at the title, unable to do anything else.


    It took Jack thirty minutes of sitting nervously and, eventually, breaking a sweat to finally muster the courage to select the achievement and read its description. That was when the previously ignored mountain of fear fell back on top of Jack with full-force.


    [Prevent Skaryn¡¯s Unsealing: in progress]


    [Keep the gods from releasing Skaryn or destroying all five essential enchantment keys to his seal. Event reward: 50,000 skill points]


    Jack didn¡¯t realize it, but he was trembling terribly. He was shaken to his very core. The fear he felt prior was nothingpared to the tumult and terror that Jack was now wracked with.


    "Jack..."


    "Jack..."


    "Jack!"


    Hearing a rush of voices ringing in his ears, Jack finally closed the menu and opened his eyes.


    Finding himself surrounded, Jack attempted to chuckle but his body wouldn¡¯t let him.


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?" Maura straightforwardly asked. "Don¡¯t deny it, just please tell us."


    "It... It¡¯s just something rted to that enchantment key we found. Don¡¯t worry about it... And please don¡¯t read my mind right now, Daliea," Jack added. "I don¡¯t want you burdened to know this."


    "But... Okay, Jack. I won¡¯t," smiling sorrowfully, Daliea replied.


    Maura was irritated to not learn anything else but Eliza sat down beside Jack and rested her head on his shoulder. Hoping to help like the day before, Eliza asked, "Is there anything you can talk about? Maybe we could at least help you feel better..."


    "I... I don¡¯t think so... Not with this, sadly..." stated Jack, struggling to talk about the subject without giving anything away. "Just know that we must protect that enchantment key with everything we have. I¡¯m d Eedaj has it, at least."


    "Should we not have found it?" asked Eliza.


    "No, it was a great thing to find, something that could be crucial in the future," answered Jack, trying to somehow ease the tension between him and those staring at him. "It¡¯s a wonderfully powerful item that I¡¯m d we have. It¡¯s just that... You know what, it¡¯s nothing. I shouldn¡¯t be worrying about something that may not even happen."


    Changing the subject, Jack asked, "Maura, what do you think of your cetus?"


    "He¡¯s strong and fast. He¡¯s a great mount for battle," replied Maura, at least d that Jack wasn¡¯t ignoring them anymore. "Why do you ask?"


    "Because at some point you¡¯ll gain the ability to merge two bloodlines, but that won¡¯t work with your cetus and Lina." Jack exined, "Lina¡¯s bloodline is extraordinary, obviously, and it overpowers the cetus¡¯s bloodline since they¡¯re so simr. If you want to use the bloodline skill to the utmost, then you¡¯ll probably want to choose a newpanion."


    "Really?" Showing some resistance, Maura asked, "Do I have to?"


    "Well... It¡¯s not like you have to, but from a logical standpoint you should choose a differentpanion."


    Thinking hard, Maura raised the question, "What if I just get a thirdpanion and only use two bloodlines?"


    "That... Hmmm..."


    Jack started to mull over that n. Considering Lina wouldn¡¯t exactly be Maura¡¯s mount that meant that the cetus would always be present and fighting alongside Maura, so it wouldn¡¯t just be a leech of her EXP. And it would work well together with Maura¡¯s water abilities, able topliment her fighting style and even maneuver in water.


    "If you want to, then that¡¯s fine. But that means your cetus will always have to fight by your side, even when you have a thirdpanion. I don¡¯t want him turning into a handicap for your leveling," reasoned Jack.


    Nodding, Maura smiled. "Of course!"


    "What about me?" asked Eliza. "Does that mean I can already mix mypanions¡¯ bloodlines?"


    "No," answered Jack. "I need to upgrade the skill even more for that. I tried it before leveling the skill and I almost fainted from the pain."


    "Oh... Then I¡¯ll wait too," added Eliza, satisfied with her current bloodline abilities to either enhance her nature spells or to grow wings for arms. But until she gained some magic clothing like Jack or Lina, Eliza refused to use her ability with Appa¡¯s bloodline under normal circumstances. Eliza didn¡¯t like the thought of destroying all of her nice clothes to casually grow wings.


    The conversation grew to be more lighthearted as Jack buried his fear and worry so that the others wouldn¡¯t see it for the time being.


    It took the party almost the full day to reach their destination, finally arriving at sunset. Crossing the Limneer-Trodar border was tricky so they instead went over the Prachten-Trodar border and entered Limneer from there.


    Appanded in a massive flower field in the southern tip of Limneer, one of the least popted areas of the nation and away from prying eyes. There were some people visiting the field, however, as it was a rare ce where flowers could grow and bloom year-round.


    Jack looked to Eliza. "Can you bring out your dryad? She¡¯ll be able to search for any anomalies about this ce."


    Eliza did just that, letting her dryadpanion explore the many types of flowers the filled the area.


    Ten minutes had passed when Eliza stated, "She found something."


    The party followed Eliza toward her Dryad, who was at the eastern edge of the field staring curiously at a small, unique flower. The flower was tiny and had no leaves. Its petals were a soft magenta and resembled a rose, but sky blue fments jutted out of the flower¡¯s center.


    "She¡¯s never seen that kind of flower before," stated Eliza, surprising Jack. "She doesn¡¯t know what it is, why it¡¯s there, or what it¡¯s for."


    Curious, Jack activated God¡¯s Eye. After another minute, Jack smiled.


    Jack crouched down and ced his face directly in front of the flower. His smile was warm and inviting when he suddenly shouted into the flower, "Dragas! I saw you, so don¡¯t deny it! I¡¯m with Daruun, so let us in!"


    No one knew what Jack was up to, but they were used to him trying strange things. They remained quiet and let Jack shout however loud he wished.


    Soon, everyone¡¯s eyes were back on that flower. It was now growing with unbelievable speed. In a few seconds, petals had grown asrge as Jack¡¯s head, not stopping there. Eventually, they became asrge as Jack and then asrge as the party. The petals unfurled from their bundle and then closed over the entire party, including Appa.


    Next, the party started to tumble around inside the flower, as if the flower was moving with great speed.


    Finally, the rumbling stopped. The flower petals unfurled themselves again to uncover the party.


    d to no longer be thrown every which way, the party examined their new surroundings, an underground room that was vast and filled with exotic flowers of every size and sort. They also noticed that giant flower shrink back to normal and remain tucked away inside this jungle of flowers.

 Chapter 395 Dragas, the Goddess of Seduction

    <h4>Chapter 395 Dragas, the Goddess of Seduction</h4>


    The setting filled with petals and thorns was spectacr. So many eye-catching colors filled the party¡¯s view, showing from vibrant green to neon yellow and from ruby red to sapphire blue. And with the flowers recreating the vines and undergrowth of a jungle, the party was amazed to find such a hidden oasis of beauty.


    "So, you¡¯re with Daruun?" A full and mature feminine voice caressed each party member¡¯s ears.


    Everyone looked around to eventually find a woman only a few meters away, leaning against one of therger flowers. Her seductive attire was fitting her curvacious figure perfectly. Though her dress was simple, the ssic slit down the side of the leg showed just enough skin to make a man¡¯s heart pound. And the hint of her cleavage being revealed could attract any man¡¯s eye. But her face was the most distracting of the woman¡¯s features. It was round, yet cut to perfection, as if her skull was hand crafted and her skin was a masterpiece of the gods, which in a way was true.


    Seeing Dragas in real life was entirely different than meeting the goddess in person. The air about her felt different and Jack couldn¡¯t help but stare into her soft brown eyes. Also, Jack wasn¡¯t the only one lost in her gaze.


    Lina, being the youngest and most pure, was the first to say something. "Wow... You¡¯re really pretty..."


    Dragas lifted a hand to her mouth, giggling. She stood up straight and carefully walked toward the party, stating, "Are you supposed to be Daruun¡¯s champion? I must say, you¡¯re quite handsomepared to most men. Have youe to pledge to me?"


    "N-no..." Jack stammered, regaining hisposure. "I¡¯vee so that my wife can pledge to you."


    "Oh... that¡¯s interesting." Dragas smiled, intrigued. "Which of these lovelydies is youre wife? Or are you so lucky to have all three of these beauties for yourself?"


    "I¡¯m that lucky," Jack replied with a nervous chuckle. "But one is already pledged to Lunara and the other is already Eedaj¡¯s daughter."


    "Oh... Oh?! Really?"


    Noticing Dragas¡¯s surprise, Jack was d to gain an edge in the conversation and not be led along by the Goddess of Seduction. He stated, "Eedaj has relocated to Trodar already, being the first of the Neutral Gods to do so. Soon, Sterfen and Lunara will be joining him. Also, Daruun made an appearance to the public, stating that the Leisure Guild will be standing up against the other godly factions."


    "I missed that much?" Dragas tilted her head teasingly, looking away from the party in thought. "Then, where do you fall into y? What¡¯s your name?"


    "I¡¯m Jack, but everyone knows me as the Legend of Trodar."


    "Oh! It¡¯s you!" Stepping even closer to Jack, Dragas entered his personal space with passionate eyes. "I finally get to meet you!"


    "Hey!" As Dragas tried to lean further toward Jack and grab his hand, Eliza stepped in and stood between the goddess and her husband. "Excuse me, but that¡¯s my man you¡¯re trying to seduce."


    "Well... It¡¯s not like you¡¯re unwilling to share..." teased Dragas, startling the party. "I¡¯ve always wanted to meet him more than any other hero. Has he told you about all the times he stole my lingerie or my--"


    "No need for that!" Jack interjected. "That was always for a mission, not for myself. There¡¯s no need to mention that now."


    Dragas frowned slightly, pouting, "No fair! Out of every hero, you¡¯ve stolen from me the most. Doesn¡¯t that mean you love me more than even my own followers? You¡¯re just too afraid to admit it to your wives, aren¡¯t you?"


    "Nope! I¡¯m a devout follower of Daruun and I¡¯m also the son of Sterfen and Lunara, so I¡¯m already your nephew," retorted Jack, not daring to look Dragas in the eye.


    "Oh... I see... Lunara again..."


    Noticing some tension in the goddess¡¯s voice, Maura asked, "Please, excuse our impoliteness as your guests, but is there possibly something between you and Lunara?"


    "Of course there is," Dragas answered in a very matter-of-fact way. "When two women pursue the same man, there¡¯s bound to be some hostility left behind after the sh of our intentions."


    Looking to Jack, Dragas smiled seductively. "But as Lunara¡¯s son, I think that gives me all the more reason to make you mine, Jack. Is that so wrong of me to ask? It¡¯s not like you don¡¯t already have your own harem, so what¡¯s wrong with adding one more wife to that list?"


    "I¡¯m sorry, Dragas, but I¡¯ve already promised them that--"


    "Why would they reject me? I wouldn¡¯t mind getting to know each of them personally, as well," added Dragas, staring tenderly at Jack¡¯s wives. "However, who is she? I¡¯d imagine she¡¯s too young to be your wife, unless you--"


    "She¡¯s my sister!" Jack shouted, not letting Dragas assume anything else for even a second.


    "Sister..." The seductress¡¯s gaze shifted, focusing on Lina¡¯s smile and the girl¡¯s crystal clear blue eyes. "I see... So they seeded after all, did they?"


    With Dragas¡¯s eyes no longer trying to seduce the entire party, Jack turned to her and stated, "After being summoned to this time, I managed toe across Lina¡¯s egg. When I returned it to my mom and dad, they officially made me there son. So, yes, Lina is the first ever natural born demigod."


    "Jack..." Dragas¡¯s gaze slowly tilted back towards Jack. "Please, let me bear your children."


    "I can¡¯t--"


    "Excuse me," again, Eliza cut into the conversation, carefully eyeing Dragas. "If you want his child, then answer me this. Why do you love Jack?"


    "Because he the most stunning hero to ever live, even more so then Sterfen was before his ascendance," answered Dragas. "What else is there to say?"


    "Would youy down your life for Jack?" questioned Eliza.


    Amazed to see Eliza remain calm yet speak so passionately, Dragas smiled at her. "Maybe... Then again, maybe not... That would depend on the situation."


    "I¡¯ll always been willing to give up my life for Jack¡¯s, that¡¯s why he¡¯s still here today."


    "Then why are you still here?" asked Dragas.


    Eliza sighed. "That¡¯s... only because someone elseid down their life for me."


    "Oh..." Seeing through Eliza¡¯s softened gaze, Dragas reasoned, "So you had a secret admirer and he saved your life."


    "You have no right to talk about Ke like that," stated Eliza.


    Dragas¡¯s smile widened. "A woman? Maybe I don¡¯t have the right... But I¡¯m sure you must understand how it feels topete with another women for the man you love. Given your situation, you might feel that everyday, at least a little. Don¡¯t deny it. I¡¯m sure you understand why I don¡¯t want to lose to Lunara and long to also have a child of my own."


    Since Eliza kept quiet, Dragas continued, "The greatest hero of my time has already married and had a child with a different beauty instead of me. Who else can I turn to for that?"


    Unable to answer, Eliza kept her mouth closed. She didn¡¯t want Jack to just give into this goddess but she could also rte to Dragas, apart from the goddess having endured that feeling for countless years.


    "If you¡¯re not going to argue with me, then why not share him with just one more person? Is that so hard?" asked Dragas.


    "I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t do that," Jack stated, startling the goddess and his wives. "I¡¯ve already promised them that I won¡¯t have any more wives."


    "Then make me your concubine," Dragas replied nonchntly with a shrug.


    Scratching his head and trying not to meet Dragas¡¯s tempting gaze, Jack added, "That won¡¯t work either. But..."


    "But what, Jack?" Dragas asked, keping her seductive eyes on him in case he nces back at her.


    Jack took a deep breath and looked to Eliza. He struggled to reply, "I... do think we can fulfill that great desire of yours."


    "Oh? But how, since you must think of me as ugly given your unwilllingness."


    "You¡¯re extravagant beauty is why I¡¯m not looking you in the eyes. I¡¯ve made my promise as a man and I don¡¯t want to be tempted to break that promise," reasoned Jack, making sure topliment the goddess. "But... what if you could... raise a child without that?"


    "Impossible," stated Dragas. "How could I raise my own child without your help?"


    Swallowing some of his nerves, Jack took a moment before finally stating, "I... I can help you raise a granddaughter, can¡¯t I?"

 Chapter 396 A Startling Proposal

    <h4>Chapter 396 A Startling Proposal</h4>


    "I... I can help you raise a granddaughter, can¡¯t I?"


    All the women, including Lina, stared back at Jack. That statement shook all of their hearts.


    Dragas stared at Jack with neither a smile nor a frown, curious. "What do you mean by that?"


    Swallowing more of his nerves, Jack managed to reply while motioning to Eliza, "Well... If you make Eliza your daughter... Then you can help raise your granddaughter."


    "Jack, that¡¯s very different, though," replied Dragas. "It wouldn¡¯t be the same as bearing my own child. And isn¡¯t Eliza in your party, meaning she¡¯ll be busy adventuring and isn¡¯t prepared to raise a child?"


    "That¡¯s where youe in..." Jack replied, still too ufortable to easily mention such an idea. "Afterbor... Eliza could resume her travels with us and leave the child-raising to you... That¡¯s something that even Lunara doesn¡¯t get to do."


    Touching on Dragas¡¯spetitive side as a woman, Jack noticed the goddess begin to soften her stance and stare.


    Still between the two of them, Eliza stood there silent with a face that got redder and redder by the second. Maura and Daliea were also blushing, staring at Eliza with both nervousness and a tinge of jealousy.


    "You¡¯re saying that I would get to raise the child?" asked Dragas.


    Jack nodded. "Y-you would have to join the Leisure Guild and relocate to Trodar, but yes."


    "And what about Lunara? Wouldn¡¯t it also be her grandchild? If she¡¯ll eventually be moving to Gilga as well, wouldn¡¯t she want to help raise it?" reasoned Dragas.


    "Knowing her, I¡¯m sure she would want to help raise it," Jack replied with a sigh.


    Dragas shook her head lightly, disappointed. "Then that wouldn¡¯t do."


    "Why not? It would still be your grandchild and you could hold her every day. Is that not what you wanted?" asked Jack.


    "That..." Dragas tried to respond but couldn¡¯t think of a reply off the top of her head.


    Shrugging, Jack looked back to his wives. "If you¡¯re not able to ept that, then maybe we¡¯ll have Eliza go pledge to some other god. What magic types does Guuro have again?"


    "Don¡¯t you dare let such a beautiful women pledge to that disgusting man!" Dragas shouted, stepping up to the blushing Eliza.


    The goddess carefully examined Eliza¡¯s face and figure, nodding and admiring it. Finally, the goddess sighed. "You¡¯re quite beautiful, Eliza. In that regard, you¡¯re definitely worthy of being my daughter. And of all his wives, you seem like the temptress of the three, a quality that we share. Tell me, why should I consider letting you bear my grandchild?"


    The wording that Dragas used made Eliza¡¯s head turn tomato red. Words couldn¡¯t be formed in her mind as she waspletely overwhelmed by the situation and the topic at hand. Having never discussed such a topic with Jack prior only made things much, much worse for her.


    "Eliza," Jack spoke softly to his wife, "you don¡¯t have to agree to this. I¡¯m sure we can find you another blessing that¡¯s just as good as Dragas¡¯s. What I said before was hypothetical and for the future, so don¡¯t--"


    "I wouldn¡¯t dare consider it unless she agrees to get pregnant as soon as possible," Dragas added, not letting Jack¡¯sforting words have much footing.


    Jack took a deep breath. "Eliza... Really, you don¡¯t have to--"


    "Jack..." Eliza finally formed a word, stopping Jack from saying anything more. "I... I wouldn¡¯t mind... if you wouldn¡¯t..."


    At that moment, Eliza turned to face Jack. Her eyes were wet and her stare was the softest Jack had ever felt. Never had Jack seen Eliza look so fragile yet so heart-warming. It gave him an overwhelming desire to protect her and that beautiful fragility she showed.


    "If you want to..." Jack paused, startled to be admitting such a thing. "If you want to, then I¡¯m willing."


    Embracing Jack, Eliza had practically forgotten about Dragas, who was standing in front of the couple.


    The goddess watched the disy in front of her. She sighed, touched by the feelings that Jack and Eliza shared. It reminded her of Eliza¡¯s earlier words, "Why do you love Jack? ... Would youy down your life for Jack?"


    "If you two are serious," Dragas spoke up, regathering everyone¡¯s attention, "then I¡¯m willing to make Eliza my daughter. But I won¡¯t leave here until the baby is almost born. Do you agree to those terms, Eliza?"


    Wiping her eyes with her hand, Eliza nodded slowly.


    Amazed that she was agreeing to this as a goddess, Dragas shook her head andughed. Another secondter, Dragas rposed herself. She stepped forward and pulled Eliza in for a tender hug. Lights bloomed out of Eliza, marking her as the next demigod.


    Jack was startled. He was feeling emotional and was extremely attentive to what was going on. So, when three different colors of light bloomed as ethereal flowers around Eliza before fading away, Jack was again at a loss for words.


    When Dragas stepped back, she noticed Jack¡¯s confusion and smiled. "You didn¡¯t know I wield three magic types, did you?"


    Jack, as well as the others, nodded at the goddess. The beasts were especially surprised as they had sensed what those three magic types were.


    "That¡¯s probably because you ancient heroes always ssified us Neutral Gods by our blessings and not our capabilities," Dragas stated. "I may not be the greatest fighter, but I¡¯m the strongest enchantress of all the gods, including the other two factions. Can you believe that?"


    "Then..." Thinking about the different colored lights that came from Eliza a moment ago, Jack concluded, "Then, you wield nature, holy, and dark magic?"


    "Yup!" Dragas replied with a proud smile. "Aren¡¯t you d to have a mother as powerful as me?"


    "D-Dragas, I--"


    "Eliza is my daughter, making me your mother, Jack," Dragas stated, not letting Jack deny her. "If you refuse to call me that, then you can forget my relocation to the Leisure Guild. That goes for you and all of your wives."


    "Y-yes, Mother," Jack replied with a smile.


    "Good, now, where was I?" Dragas looked back to Eliza, smiling proudly at her new daughter. "I¡¯m guessing you must wield at least one of my magic types and y a support role in the party since Jack willingly brought you here. So, tell me more about yourself, my dear."


    "Right..." Eliza hesitated, not used to having a mother of her own and still filled with emotions from earlier. "I¡¯m also an enchantress. I have nature magic but no other magic types."


    "Nature magic? Good! That¡¯s my favorite kind," added Dragas. "As my beautiful daughter, you¡¯ll be able to use all sorts of pheromones to charm anyone and anything if used correctly. Also, you¡¯ll feel a great boost to all your nature spells, so I¡¯m sure your party will be d to have you."


    "Y-yes..."


    Dragas tilted her head and gingerly asked, "What¡¯s wrong? Do you not like to call me mother?"


    "No, it¡¯s just that... I¡¯ve never really had a mother," replied Eliza. "My mom passed away when I was young so I don¡¯t remember her well."


    "Oh, then let me fill in that void in your heart." Dragas reached out and embraced Eliza again, more tenderly and caringly than the first time. The goddess spoke quietly, barely letting Eliza hear Dragas¡¯s whisper, "It must¡¯ve been hard growing up, to be such a woman without a motherly figure to help you. From now on, you can count on me for that. Your father must¡¯ve been a great man to have raised you so well."


    This time, Eliza hugged Dragas back. She could sense the genuine warmth of the goddess¡¯s heart.


    Happy to feel her daughter returning her embrace, Dragas added, "Should you need me, for anything, just let me know."


    Dragas didn¡¯t want to admit it but she felt so ted to have a daughter. It wasn¡¯t the same as Dragas bearing her own child and she understood that. However, how could Dragas not feel relieved to finally have a daughter of any kind after dreaming about it for more than a millennium?

 Chapter 397 The Specialties of the Neutral Gods

    <h4>Chapter 397 The Specialties of the Neutral Gods</h4>


    While Eliza and Dragas were hugging each other, Jack let loose a sigh of relief.


    Outside of that conversation, both Maura and Daliea were at a loss of words. The idea of Eliza having a child was jarring to them, but not in a bad way. It was startling because it evoked a simr spark of desire inside of them. They didn¡¯t want to mention it at that moment, but they both understood the jealousy that overtook them as fellow wives.


    A few momentster, the now mother-daughter couple released each other. Both of them felt d to have either a mother or a daughter figure in their lives, something that they both had wanted for a long time.


    "So, Dragas, I was wondering--"


    "Son, speak clearly," stated Dragas, implying something.


    Jack clicked his tongue and restated, "So, Mother, I was wondering something. My view of the Neutral Gods as a hero during Ancient Kartonia was very different from what I¡¯ve been learningtely. Can I ask you a few things about the Neutral Gods?"


    "Of course, Sweetie," replied Dragas.


    "Then, why did the Neutral Gods never face either of the other godly factions?" asked Jack. "Us ancient heroes saw the Neutral Gods as misfits that couldn¡¯t fit into either the holy or the chaotic pantheons, but I¡¯m starting to think otherwise."


    Smiling, Dragas answered, "Well, you¡¯re not wrong, first off. None of us would ever fit into the other panthons, that¡¯s a fact. We¡¯re too free-spirited for their rules and needless structure. Unlike the other pantheons, each of us Neutral Gods have their own desires and passions to pursue and act upon. Taking orders isn¡¯t what we do. We¡¯repletely independent and can do whatever we wish. That¡¯s what it means to be a Neutral God."


    "But why did all the Neutral Gods decide to fade from history before the Godly War?"


    "Well, none of us care for war or needless bloodshed, so why should we have joined the Godly War?" argued Dragas. "Though we¡¯re more than capable, that doesn¡¯t mean we have to act ording to the standards and expectations of the other pantheons. Besides, do you think a lot of the other gods were so willing to partake in the Godly War? I¡¯ve heard a few things and know of a few different gods that were punished for theirck of participation.


    "Take Lunara and Kori, for example." Dragas continued, "One only joined the fray atst minute due to her egg being stolen and one refused to join the war entirely. Now, both are being isted and aren¡¯t allowed to leave their temples without facing grave consequences."


    Thinking back to the contracts that Daruun mentioned before, Jack sympathized with Dragas¡¯s words.


    Bowzer, on the other hand, started to feel some anger begin to swell inside him. Hearing that his father was punished for refusing to enter that bloody war of old was fuel for his inner rage. The fox spoke up, asking, "What kind of consequences do they face if they leave their temples?"


    "Hmm... I believe it was the loss of a limb on the first offense," answered Dragas. "And after that, it was either losing godhood or their life. Something like that, I believe."


    Suddenly, a heat wave burst over the area. Everyone felt a rush of heat emanating from Bowzer even though his me body wasn¡¯t activated.


    "Calm down, little fox," Dragas stated, startled to see the fox¡¯s temper. "Who are you exactly?"


    Bowzer hesitated, trying to not activate his me body by ident. He spoke through gritted teeth, "I¡¯m Bowzer... Kori¡¯s son..."


    "Oh... I see..."


    Dragas was amazed to learn that Jack had not only gathered aid from the gods so far, but that Jack had also found such a powerful ally outside of the influence of the Neutral Gods.


    Eliza, Maura, and Daliea were astounded by that fact as well. It had never been mentioned by Jack or Bowzer, so that news was mind-blowing to discover.


    "Calm down, Bowzer," Jack approached Bowzer and started to run his hands through Bowzer¡¯s hot fur. "Calm down, for now. I¡¯m sure he¡¯s alright and we¡¯ll see him again. Don¡¯t worry about him. He¡¯s a god so I¡¯m sure he can handle himself."


    Gradually, the temperature of the room began to lower and return to normal. But Bowzer¡¯s cold re didn¡¯t change.


    "Dragas," Jack continued his questioning, "are the other factions afraid of the Neutral Gods?"


    The goddess chuckled, "Of course not! Why should they be? Both of those factions have more gods then we do and they were chosen mostly for their strength. Skaryn ended up making a more well-rounded pantheon, but that¡¯s only because he had Moranti to back him up. In terms of raw battle strength, the Holy Gods have the edge but, in terms of battling in a group dynamic, the Chaotic Gods have the edge. That¡¯s why neither side won the Godly War.


    "Byparison, us Neutral Gods are very different. Though we are powerful in battle, we each specialize in an aspect outside of battle as well. We¡¯re the most versatile and adaptable pantheon, and our information system is better than the other two pantheons¡¯bined," reasoned Dragas. "That¡¯s why they¡¯re not afraid of us, but I would say that they¡¯re more cautious of us than they are of each other."


    d to hear Dragas¡¯s perspective, Jack then asked, "Can you tell me more about the specialties of the Neutral Gods, Mother?"


    "Sure thing, Son." Dragas giggled and answered, "I think you understand what I specialize in now, seduction and support. Your father, Sterfen, is the master of stealth and secrecy but he was also the most feared assassin to ever roam Kartonia."


    Hearing that, Jack was both taken aback and emboldened. He was proud to learn that about his dad.


    "Eedaj can read minds and see almost everywhere within Kartonia with his personal spell God¡¯s Perspective, but he¡¯s also the most torturous maniptor of the mind. He¡¯s the only god to sessfully torture and extract information out of another god. Also, he¡¯s one of the few gods that has killed another god," added Dragas, giving everyone goosebumps.


    "You already know about Daruun, so I¡¯ll skip him," Dragas continued, not letting anyone ask more about Eedaj. "Guuro is an amazing cleric but he¡¯s also the shrewdest businessman to ever live, and he¡¯s the man behind the creation of Federal City. He¡¯s got a habit of disguising himself and bing a ghost investor in mortal businesses.


    "Jin is a man among men who diligently wields his katanas with a precision that even Tyres, the Sword God, can¡¯t match. He¡¯s also a master of calligraphy and map making, though no one would be able to guess that from meeting him."


    "Seriously?!" Jack shouted in shock.


    "Oh, so you¡¯ve already met him,"ughed Dragas. "Anyway, the final Neutral God is Rikko, who shouldn¡¯t be underestimated. He¡¯s very simple-minded but he¡¯s a master tactician. His personal strength isn¡¯t anything special among the gods, but his quick wits and natural battle instincts can make up for that. And since even ying chess against him is absurd, I can only imagine that warring against him wouldn¡¯t be any fun either."


    "No way?! The Goblin God is a master tactician?!" That was something that Jack couldn¡¯t process easily.


    "Don¡¯t be fooled by his simple speech, he¡¯s too tactical and is almost always underestimated. Why else would he be so good at sleight of hand? His simple speech will get you to drop your guard, allowing him to pillfer from even gods if they¡¯re not careful," reasoned Dragas.


    "That... Wow, I never would¡¯ve guessed all that." With a new perspective on the Neutral Gods, Jack tried to picture how they might fight as a unit.


    If the Holy Gods were camparative to a powerful, uniform army, then the Chaotic Gods were like guerrs that fought smarter and not harder. And then there would be the Neutral Gods, a special operations team that would always be three steps ahead and ready to snipe or assassinate any single foe.


    Clearly, in a straight forward war, the Neutral Gods would have the biggest disadvantage with Jin being the only front-liner of the six active Neutral Gods and with their fewer members. However, Jack wasn¡¯t yet counting himself or the other godly candidates they had, which could flip that scenario in their favor if they were given time.

 Chapter 398 God-killing Gods?

    <h4>Chapter 398 God-killing Gods?</h4>


    But before Jack could let his mind drift too far about the Neutral Gods¡¯ line up, he asked Dragas another question, "You mentioned Eedaj being one of the only gods to ever kill another god. Can you go into more detail about that?"


    Dragas saw everyone¡¯s eyes refocus on her. She sighed. "Jack... I thought Eedaj would¡¯ve already told you about that. You didn¡¯t ask him about what happened to his people?"


    "I... Well, we asked but it wasn¡¯t a good time to talk about that at the moment," replied Jack. "I¡¯ll have to ask him when we get back. But can you exin how he¡¯s one of the only gods to kill another god? Wouldn¡¯t other gods have fallen by now or gotten killed in the Godly War?"


    "Jack, I honestly wouldn¡¯t even call that war as ¡¯godly¡¯ since most of the fighting was done entirely by their followers. If anything, it was one of the bloodiest periods of history that Kartonia has ever seen. But not a single god was killed." Dragas exined, "You see, Halmut and Skaryn were ying chess with their followers as the sacrificial pawns. They tried to outmaneuver the other with their stronger pieces, their subordinate gods, but neither side could break the bnce. Would you like to guess why?"


    "Because some gods avoiding fighting?" reasoned Jack.


    "Because few gods were truly willing to risk their life," stated Dragas. "The stronger gods wanted to pair up with a weaker god to face another god of the rival faction. That way the stronger god would survive no matter what happened in the battle.


    "I¡¯m not saying they wanted the weaker gods tomit suicide," Dragas rified, "it¡¯s just that their hierarchy is purely based on strength. So when Kori t out refused to join the war, a key piece of the Halmut¡¯s went missing. And Perchet wasn¡¯t truly fighting either, he just held back whichever god came his way. He chose certain survival over possible victory. As for Lunara, she was almost killed in that war... If Sterfen hadn¡¯t stolen her injured body away, then she would¡¯ve be the first casualty of the ¡¯Godly War¡¯."


    Shaken up a bit, Jack then asked, "But what about the Chaotic Gods? I imagine they faced simr issues, right?"


    Dragas nodded. "Their problems were different from the Holy Gods¡¯, mainly because the Holy Gods focused on overwhelming, brute strength to win. The problems of the Chaotic Gods led to them being in an extremely unfavorable position. Choron was tipped off by his long-time friend, Sterfen, and managed to avoid his death. But that angered the stronger Chaotic Gods as they nned to use Choron as bait to finally kill Naparn.


    "Also, like Perchet, Moranti wasn¡¯t even fighting by the end of the war," continued Dragas. "His strength could rival Skaryn or Halmut, but he was bound by a contract to Skaryn and forced to do his bidding. But once Skaryn was sealed and Halmut was gravely injured, the other gods rushed to the scene of the fight, either trying to finish off Halmut or protect Halmut. But something weird happened...


    "The Chaotic Gods never arrived at the battlefield. None of them. It¡¯s something that still baffles the Holy Gods and has them on the defense. Since Moranti was still a major threat, they haven¡¯t been able to rest. With his abilities to travel wherever he wishes, Moranti could easily enter Olympic Chateau and kill Halmut while he rests."


    "Olympic Chateau... What¡¯s that?" Daliea was the one who asked, sharing the same question that was on the rest of the party¡¯s mind.


    "Wouldn¡¯t you know?" Dragas asked Jack.


    Shaking his head, Jack replied, "Technically, yes, but I don¡¯t know remember the name of the new country it¡¯s in."


    "Riiight, you¡¯re used to Ancient Kartonia..." Dragas nodded and answered, "You¡¯ll find Olympic Chateau atop the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Jupitor. But knowing where it is doesn¡¯t mean you can just walk in. The barrier protecting it was made by Halmut, guaranteeing its security. Not even Sterfen can enter there.


    "Anyway, about Moranti..." Dragas smiled and resumed her previous exnation, "Moranti is the only person who can enter that ce without breaking a sweat. And his strength is a real threat to Halmut. But still, he¡¯s never gone up there since the war. Do you already understand why, Jack?"


    Jack nodded. "He¡¯s the reason why the Chaotic Gods never made it to Skaryn¡¯s and Halmut¡¯s battlefield, isn¡¯t he?"


    "Exactly!" Dragas answered. "The Holy Gods have been so busy fearing Moranti¡¯s potential threat that they¡¯ve acted very carefully since the war. But the Chaotic Gods faced a mutiny by Moranti. It took the next four strongest Chaotic Gods under Moranti just to restrain him, two of which were killed in the process.


    "And that¡¯s my long answer. Most gods have lived and not sessfully killed another god because they don¡¯t want to die or risk dying."


    Mulling that over for a moment, Jack asked, "Then which gods have sessfully killed someone?"


    "Howe your grilling me and not your father?" argued Dragas, pouting yfully.


    "Because he¡¯s on his way to the Olympic Chateau to steal Lunara¡¯s contract," answered Jack, effectively striking Dragas dumb momentarily. "And since I¡¯m guessing he¡¯s your source for this information, you¡¯re the next best thing. Uncle Jin never bothered to learn anything about that war and Eedaj will get questioned about something else, so that leaves you, my lovely mother."


    "Fine... I guess I¡¯ll spill some more information," Dragas sighed. "Let¡¯s see... There¡¯s Eedaj, Moranti..." She paused, unable to hide the sudden ufortable look in her eyes. But she giggled again, returning to normal in an instant, "And finally, there¡¯s Halmut and Skaryn. That¡¯s all of them."


    "That¡¯s it? My dad hasn¡¯t killed any? Wasn¡¯t he an assassin?" questioned Jack.


    Dragasughed again, "Well, he never killed a god, but Sterfen did kill five godly candidates just before they ascended. And that was before Sterfen was a demigod. Ahhh... those were the good old¡¯ days..."


    "That¡¯s better..." Jack sighed, d that his father had a proven track record behind his name. It made him feel a bit better about Sterfen¡¯s visit to Olympic Chateau.


    "Is there anything else you¡¯d like your mother to exin for you?" Dragas looked around to all the party.


    "Where¡¯s my dad?"


    Everyone turned to Bowzer, who was still staring coldly at the ground.


    Dragas was about to answer when Jack spoke up, "Bowzer, I already know where your dad is, so don¡¯t worry. Once we¡¯re strong enough, then we¡¯ll help him too."


    "Okay..." The fox¡¯s re softened, more at ease after having Jack¡¯s promise.


    "Since that¡¯s everything, then allow us to say goodbye, for now, Mother," Jack bowed to Dragas with a smile. "We need to get back to the guild."


    "Don¡¯t keep me waiting long, young man. I don¡¯t want to wait any longer than I must to hold my granddaughter," replied Dragas, eyeing Jack while motioning to Eliza. Then, Dragas put her arm around Eliza and walked her away from the party. "Give us a moment to chat. You know... about mother-daughter stuff."


    Once they had some privacy, Dragas took out a vial of translucent green liquid. Dragas handed it to Eliza and whispered something into Eliza¡¯s ear.


    The next moment, Dragas and Eliza returned to the party, thetter blushing brightly. They hugged onest time before Dragas waved to everyone else. "I¡¯m so d to have a family again... I can hardly wait for the next time we¡¯ll be together."


    Everyone waved back to the goddess as they gathered around Jack. Once everyone was connected to Jack in some way, he activated Greater Teleportation.


    The great sh of light blinded Dragas, leaving her alone yet again.


    Taking a deep breath, Dragas sauntered over to a flower with a long t stem for Dragas to lounge on. She closed her eyes and released that long breath, letting a single tear glide down her cheek. Her hand opened to reveal two ordinary rings, a golden band and a simple engagement ring with the tiniest gemstone.


    "Brok... I have to tell you all about our new daughter... You would love her..."

 Chapter 399 Truth of the Greis Elves

    <h4>Chapter 399 Truth of the Greis Elves</h4>


    A great sh filled Dragov¡¯s chamber as the party returned to the Leisure Guild.


    Jack turned to his party members and asked, "Do any of you want toe with me to see Eedaj?"


    "I will."


    "I already knew that, Daliea," Jack chuckled. "Anyone else?"


    "I¡¯m going to stay here and train with Dragov." Bowzer hurried over to the massive centipede and shouted, "Dragov! Can I attack you with everything I¡¯ve got?"


    "Go ahead, Bowzer. I¡¯m always willing to help a friend." Dragov bowed his head, respecting the fierce look in Bowzer¡¯s eyes.


    While Bowzer started to activate his me body, the party started to ascend the stairs. Everyone wanted to tag along with Jack, excluding Phoro who immediately returned to his nest along with Appa, who had also made himself a nest.


    Soon, the party was in front of Eedaj¡¯s personal courtyard and knocked on the door.


    "Come in."


    The party entered the main chamber and found Eedajwaiting for them. Lina enjoyed thefy leather couches that Eedaj had brought from Korten as the rest of the party paid close attention to Jack and their host.


    "I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ll be asking about my people and the turmoil they faced long ago..." Eedaj looked to Jack, who nodded. "Very well... I¡¯ll try to not ramble but still give you the information that you¡¯re seeking, Jack."


    Eedaj pulled a pot from cooking fire between the couches and poured himself some tea. He took a sip. Then, he ced the pot back over the fire. Finally, Eedaj sighed and looked back to Jack.


    "It was long ago, before a majority of the gods were even deities. Your father, Sterfen, was only a demigod when this took ce." Eedaj hesitated before continuing, "After Halmut and Skaryn came Moranti. After them came Lyrun and finally myself."


    Blinking, Jack asked with a smile, "You were the fifth god?"


    "If you¡¯re not counting your grandfather," added Eedaj. "The sixth god was the first of arge batch of demigods to arise at the time. He was regarded as the most powerful genius of that generation, a generation far after my own. And since he had just joined the Holy Gods, he was quite cocky and boasted about his powerful bloodline, stating it was second only to Halmut¡¯s"


    "What bloodline did he have?" asked Jack.


    "He was a Magma Dragon."


    "The same as Naparn?"


    Eedaj nodded. "In fact, it was Naparn¡¯s elder brother. But that¡¯s beside the point... That sixth god, as idiotic as he was, decided to push the limits of stupidity. I had called him out a few times for acting without reason, only for Lyrun to shelter the immature god.


    "Soon after... that idiot dragon had the audacity to attempt what he stated as ¡¯teaching me a lesson¡¯." Pausing, Eedaj took a long sip of tea before continuing, "While I was away visiting Lyrun at Olympic Chateau... that foolish godid waste to the city my people had built to rival Estonya. We were a stange race, one that started with me from a mutation I was born with. Rather than wield holy magic like other elves, I wielded dark magic. That wasn¡¯t something the other elves took kindly to... Even my elder brother...


    "For that reason, we had built a city in another country, where Sden stands now. But that emerging nation never had a chance to rise... At the time I was preupied by Lyrun, who was trying to sway me to join the Holy Gods. I had no clue that he was merely distracting me while the foolish dragon dared attack my people... By the time I came home, the ce was in ruin and not a single building stood..."


    Dark energy began to swirl around Eedaj, leaking out from rage. The god took another deep breath and a sip of tea, calming that energy.


    Eedaj continued, "It was then that I could no longer forgive my brother nor the Holy Gods for backing that dragon¡¯s efforts. I used my personal spell God¡¯s Perspective to track down that fool... And then... I developed my second personal spell specifically to torture and extract every morsel of information out of him..."


    With Eedaj pausing so often, Jack found a moment to ask, "And what skill is that?"


    "Cerebral Copse..." answered Eedaj. "It renders the brain malfunctional, leaving behind memories but also leaving it unable to activate any motor skills or even speak. All the victim can do is move their eyes, that way they can watch me inspect their minds thoroughly, ripping their consciousness apart bit by bit... And thus was the fate of the sixth god, and the fall of my people..."


    Jack swallowed some saliva and asked, "Do you think Lyrun had a hand in--"


    "Yes," Eedaj answered before Jack could finish his question. "Don¡¯t fall for his ploy. I¡¯ve heard what Sterfen had to say about Lyrun acting as a rebel in secret, but I refuse to believe it."


    "Why?"


    The fury in Eedaj¡¯s eyes returned. "Because that¡¯s who he is. I may be branded as the great maniptor of the mind, but he¡¯s the greatest maniptor I¡¯ve ever known. And should someone he knows, especially a mutant younger brother, show more potential than him, he¡¯d rather plot in secret than let the world know his true colors. He¡¯s more loyal to Halmut than anyone, I¡¯ve witnessed that with my own eyes before any other Neutral God had even became a godly candidate."


    "I see... Then, you never managed to find your people after that?"


    "Eventually, I did," stated Eedaj. "But they had already taken to new customs and called themselves something else. Most had forgotten that they once had their own propernguage, let alone how to speak it... And the few tribes I had found that retained ournguage and most of our culture weren¡¯t being targeted by anyone. So... I decided that it might be best for them if I didn¡¯t get involved again, keeping a target off their backs."


    "But..." Daliea spoke up with a shaky voice, "You said you were the first... Doesn¡¯t that mean they¡¯re your family?"


    Looking Daliea in the eye, Eedaj sighed as a shiver ran down his body. "I lost my family to that foolish beast... And considering the spite that already existed between us and the other elves, I felt it was best that they don¡¯t bear the added resentment. But I also didn¡¯t know that you would get hunted again... I¡¯m sorry for not protecting you as I should have."


    "It¡¯s okay, Palpo." Daliea got up and sat beside Eedaj. "Even though we were scattered, we¡¯re back now. That¡¯s all that matters, that¡¯s what you said."


    "Dhendi..." Eedaj wrapped an arm around Daliea and leaned his forehead into hers. "Thank you..."


    "I¡¯m sorry, Father-inw," Jack bowed his head to Eedaj. "I¡¯m the reason you remembered all those old feelings, forgive me."


    "You¡¯re not to me, Jack. I would be curious too, it¡¯s only natural," Eedaj replied, lifting his head. "If anything, now you understand that I will never again trust Lyrun, and I don¡¯t think you should either, no matter what anyone else says."


    "Then... what do we do about Lorwynn? He¡¯s Lyrun¡¯s disciple."


    Eedaj shook his head with a frown. "I tried to warn him, but that young mage refused to believe me, ignoring all of my warnings. He had finally escaped Lyrun¡¯s control, so I can only hope that he remains outside of it from now on."


    "Well, it¡¯s gettingte, so we should get going. Thanks for sharing." Jack again bowed his head. He then looked to everyone else, adding, "I think it¡¯s time we get some rest."


    Everyone stood and bowed to Eedaj. However, Eedaj kept his arm around Daliea. The god asked, "Dhendi... would you mind staying here tonight? I have a spare room ready and I can prepare you some ssic Greis dishes."


    "I¡¯d like that." Daliea smiled and looked to Jack, stating, "I¡¯ll be staying here tonight if you need me."


    "Sure thing. But next time, I¡¯d like to try the food too," Jackughed, waving goodbye as he led everyone else out of the room, leaving the father and daughter to share some ancient traditions and tales.

 Chapter 400 Hurmots Offer

    <h4>Chapter 400 Hurmot¡°s Offer</h4>


    Jack, Eliza, Maura, and Lina were the final members of the party walking around the guild. They remained in the restricted area, quickly reaching their ownrge courtyard not too far from Eedaj¡¯s.


    Once they entered, Maura turned to Lina and asked, "Do you want me to sleep with you tonight? Just in case you have another bad dream?"


    "Yeah! I¡¯d like that!" Lina grabbed Maura by the hand and led her away toward the private bathhouse. "Can you help scrub my back too?"


    Mauraughed, acquiescing to whatever Lina asked. But before Maura disappeared with Lina, she winked to Eliza.


    Red streaked across Eliza¡¯s face again. Then, when she remembered what Dragas whispered to her, and became as red as a tomato. She looked to Jack carefully though, not wanting to hide her embarrassment from him.


    Having noticed the wink, Jack sighed. He took Eliza by the hand and did his best to calm his beating heart.


    Together, they entered their bedroom, just the two of them.


    Jack sat on the bed beside his wife, trying toe up with what to say. And since Eliza was in the same boat, it took them a minute to do anything apart from blush.


    "Eliza..." Jack finally mustered the courage to speak up, caringly stroking Eliza¡¯s cheek with his hand.


    ¡¯Jack, are you back?¡¯


    Just as Jack was feeling more confident, Tralon¡¯s urgent voice popped into his head.


    Jack turned his head as he coughed to regain hisposure in front of his blushing wife. "Just a moment, Eliza... Tralon¡¯s calling me and it seems important."


    "O-of course!" Eliza chuckled nervously. "Then... I¡¯ll be waiting here..."


    "Right." Jack turned to face a wall, still sitting on the bed. That¡¯s when he felt the need to look back to Eliza, who used her head to motion towards the door. Finally catching the hint, Jack rushed to his feet. "R-right..."


    Jack nervously chuckled and left the room, letting Eliza breathe and take in the situation a bit better.


    ¡¯What¡¯s up, Tralon?¡¯ Jack asked.


    d to hear Jack¡¯s response, Tralon replied, ¡¯So you¡¯re back? I found Bowzer in Dragov¡¯s chamber so I assumed so.¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah, I¡¯m back. Is something the matter?¡¯


    ¡¯Come to your office,¡¯ answered Tralon. ¡¯Hurmot arrived this morning and has been waiting all day for your return. He refuses to leave until he meets with you personally.¡¯


    ¡¯I see... Then I¡¯ll meet you in my office. Give me a few minutes," Jack stated, exiting the restricted area.


    That¡¯s when Jack noticed the umon amount of foot traffic within the guild. Though it was well past sunset, people were stilling in and out of the guild like it was day time. Assuming it was due to the recent increase in the guild¡¯s poprity, Jack shrugged and hurried to his office.


    Jack knocked and entered the door, closing it behind him before looking to Hurmot sat on the side. Tralon sat on the opposite side of Hurmot, d to have Jack back.


    Assuming hisfortable seat behind his desk, Jack smiled at Hurmot. "So, Hurmot, it¡¯s been a while. How have you been?"


    "Jack... Why didn¡¯t you tell me you were the Legend of Trodar?!" Hurmot blurted out his questions, acting out of character. "I would¡¯ve let you into the restricted storage and more should you have told me. So why didn¡¯t you tell me?!"


    "Well... I didn¡¯t n to reveal myself so soon, otherwise, I might¡¯ve considered telling you during ourst conversation," admitted Jack. "But, there¡¯s no changing the past. Now, what can I do for you?"


    "Jack..." Hurmot took a moment to regather himself and return to his usual calm behavior. "Jack, I want to make the Celestial Crane a subordinate guild under the Leisure Guild."


    "Whoa, that escted quickly. Where did thate from all of a sudden?" asked Jack.


    "Well, that¡¯s what you wanted isn¡¯t it?" reasoned Hurmot. "That way, we can help each other. My guild gains your protection and you¡¯ll have me enter the campaign for a council seat. Is that such a terrible exchange?"


    "No, that¡¯s a great thing. I just didn¡¯t expect to reach that conclusion so quickly," Jackughed briefly. "Then I take it you were surprised by what happened in Federal City?"


    "Who wouldn¡¯t be?" Hurmot asked that rhetorical question only to see Jack smiling back at him. "That, of course, doesn¡¯t include you, the most aplished hero of Ancient Kartonia. But either way, it was an eye-opening experience. It taught me many things."


    "Like what? Please, borate," asked Jack.


    Hurmot nodded. "Well, mostly, it was a great lesson in humility. If I hadn¡¯t ordered a retreat so hastily, then my guild would¡¯ve likely fallen alongside Golden Haven. I didn¡¯t know that the syndicate was so powerful. Nor did I know that the association was hiding its true strength from the world."


    When Jack waved his hand for Hurmot to continue, Hurmot added, "With my strength, there¡¯s no way for my guild to prosper as it has up till today. We all believed that we stood at the top. And, yes, we did understand that the association could overtake us should they desire, but we didn¡¯t think they were strong enough to overtake all three auction guildsbined. That¡¯s why I desire your protection, even at the cost of me dabbling politics."


    "Seems like you were definitely humbled," Jack chuckled. "Is there anything else you learned? Or maybe any conditions you have for me before swearing fealty to the guild?"


    "I now understand that there¡¯s much more happening in this world behind the scenes than I had ever considered. And should I interpret your great reveal correctly, it¡¯s the gods that are truly pulling the strings and not the syndicate nor the association," stated Hurmot.


    "As for conditions... Can we also have storefront space like the Fat Goose?" Hurmot asked.


    "Hmm... Do you want to be on the same street or a different one?"


    "The same street would be fine," answered Hurmot. "That way we can attempt to create an auction district in the future."


    Smiling, Jack replied, "I like the way you think. But I have a condition for you. I want to form a pact with you. That way you¡¯re linked telepathically to me and many others, like Tralon or Argyle. Also, you¡¯ll be stronger by gaining ess to my passive skills, like boosted mana capacity or increased mana regeneration."


    A brightness emerged in Hurmot¡¯s eyes as he smiled and asked, "Would that include your beast skill?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯ve heard all about how you¡¯ve grown a me body like your fox," answered Hurmot. "Would that skill be included?"


    "The skill would be, but not the me body itself. That particr skill allows me to ess the bloodline of any beastpanions with a mutual seal," exined Jack. "I can also grow wings like my Minokawa now."


    "And the Celestial Cranes, do you still have them?" questioned Hurmot, getting more and more excited. "Can I make one of them mypanion, so I can do the same?"


    "Sure, but there¡¯s a catch," Jack added. "This pact will send me fifty percent of the EXP you gain from now on."


    "Deal!" shouted Hurmot. Seeing some shock in Jack¡¯s face, Hurmot exined, "I¡¯m an old man and I don¡¯t need to spend all my days trying to level up. To give up the EXP from the few fights I get into nowadays, that¡¯s a pittancepared to that beast skill."


    "Then we have a deal."


    They performed the pact on the spot, sealing their standing as subordinate and leader. And because of Hurmot¡¯s impatience, Jack telepathically called Cerdot to the office. Once the cranes arrived, Hurmot was over the moon and begged Jack to perform the mutual seal on the spot, which Jack did.


    However, Jack kept his pact with Cerdot. Even if he never had to use it, it offered Jack some powerful skills that he wanted for his transformations.


    Jack allowed Tralon to handle the rest, taking his time to return to Eliza at the courtyard, ignoring the traffic which Jack now understood as the survivors of the Celestial Crane Guild moving in.


    Once he entered his courtyard and stood in front of his bedroom door, Jack hesitated.


    Instead of entering, Jack shakingly lifted his hand lightly knocked on the door. He then softly added, "It¡¯s me..."


    "... Come in."


    There was a pause before Jack entered the room, giving Jack a moment to prepare himself. When Jack entered, he was surprised to find it so dimly lit.


    "I¡¯m waiting..."


    Hearing Eliza from the bed, Jack took onest deep breath. With the initial nerves gone after the couple¡¯s earlier interruption and no need to say anything more, Jack locked the door and made his way to Eliza on the bed.


    He sat down, finding her in lingerie.


    Eliza was lying down on her side, looking away from Jack. She then pointed to the side table where two sses sat, one empty and one full. "I¡¯ve already had mine... You took so long..."


    Feeling bad, Jack downed the full ss in one gulp.


    Suddenly, Jack¡¯s entire body felt warmer. He felt himself be entranced by Eliza, unable to look away.


    "What... What was that?"


    Eliza finally turned to Jack, letting him notice the red in her cheeks and the few beads of sweat on her body. "M-My mother gave it to me... It¡¯s to help..."


    Neither of them could wait any longer.

 Chapter 401 Elven Messenger Arrives

    <h4>Chapter 401 Elven Messenger Arrives</h4>


    "Lina, you have to be careful to not smother people in your sleep."


    "But Bis Sis, I didn¡¯t mean to..." Lina looked back up at Maura with pouting eyes.


    Maura sighed and patted the girl on the head. "Just be careful next time, okay?"


    "Okay!"


    With that over with, both of them resumed eating their breakfast. Maura had decided to make a breakfast fit for kings, or at least her father, ording to her mother.


    There was an egg frittata filled with local herbs and tender, roasted pork belly that melted in your mouth with every bite of the fluffy egg. To garnish there was a light sd that Maura adjusted to use a citrusy berry vinaigrette, using the local delicacy known as relst berries. And to top it off, Maura had pulled out a bottle of morning ale. It wasn¡¯t heavy and it was quite dilutedpared to most alcohol, but the gentle warmth it gave the body was a great wake up call along with the meal.


    Finally, someone exited the main bedroom in the courtyard. Jack was already dressed and prepared for the day, taken aback to find Maura and Lina with such a feast for breakfast.


    "Come on, Jack. If you don¡¯t eat it now, the eggs will get cold,"mented Maura, moving on to her next bite.


    Jack smiled and patted Lina¡¯s head before sitting down beside his wife. He kissed Maura on the cheek, quietly responding, "Thank you."


    Taking a bite of the frittata, Jack¡¯s senses were instantly alerted. He felt his entire body waking up, recovering all the energy he had spent the long night before. It didn¡¯t take Jack long to finish his frittata and help himself to another serving.


    Seeing that, Maura giggled, "Don¡¯t forget the sd. If you don¡¯t eat well, how can you expect to keep up with all three of us?"


    Caught off guard, Jack¡¯s throat tightened up while guzzling his morning ale. A few drops managed to leak out of his mouth as the hero coughed, pounding a fist into his chest. Jack forced the drink down and nced a Maura, who was still calmly smiling like nothing had happened.


    "Right..." Jack then slowed down a bit, taking more time to savor the meal and notice the bnce it had. "You know, this reminds me of your mom¡¯s cooking. It¡¯s really good!"


    "Who did it better?"


    "Do I even have to say it? I never would¡¯ve thought a sd would work so well as part of a breakfast, but you¡¯ve proven me wrong. That berry vor goes well with the pork," replied Jack. "You should show her this sometime, maybe she¡¯ll ask for the recipe."


    Smiling, Maura changed the subject. "How¡¯s Eliza?"


    "She¡¯s still in bed," replied Jack. "She didn¡¯t get much sleepst night and faced the most mental exhaustion of everyone yesterday. So there¡¯s nothing wrong with her sleeping in. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d like to talk with someone other than me, so maybe--"


    "Jack, of course we¡¯re going to talk." Maura chuckled and gave Jack¡¯s shoulder a light jab. "If you dropped such a bomb of a decision on me, I¡¯d be even more devastated than Eliza."


    With that in mind, Jack asked, "Maura... how do you feel about that?"


    "About what?"


    "You know... having kids? We never really talked about that..."


    Maura hesitated to reply, but stated, "Well, what do you want, Jack? Are you asking me if I¡¯ll--"


    "No, it¡¯s not like that," Jack rified. "I just want to know your honest thoughts. I always thought girls had nned how many kids they would have and have their names picked out, or something like that. And since we¡¯re husband and wife, I thought it was a topic long overdue..."


    "... I wouldn¡¯t mind having kids," Maura replied after a pause. "Though, I¡¯m not sure I¡¯d want them right now... But it couldn¡¯t wait too long either, cause you¡¯ll be a god eventually and that means having kids would get more difficult."


    "You know you¡¯ll be a god too, right?" added Jack.


    "Maybe in the future... But I¡¯d rather we try it before you¡¯re a god, just to make sure I can have at least one..." Maura was blushing slightly, however, her smile and tender gaze remained unmoved. "Is... that okay with you, Jack?"


    "Maura, I think it¡¯s an obvious yes. If not, do you think I would¡¯ve brought up such an idea to Eliza in the first ce?" Jack chuckled. "Also... Eliza may need someone to rely on other than me. I¡¯ll always be busy, even while the party is resting, so it¡¯ll be hard for me to be there for Eliza whenever she needs help. Could you--"


    "Enough stupid questions, Jack. You know Daliea and I will be there for her. We are sisters now, remember?"


    "Right... Sorry about that."


    Maura sighed and smiled back at Jack. "But I¡¯m d that you¡¯re not forgetting about her... That shows that you¡¯re not ignoring us after all."


    "I may get busy, but I wouldn¡¯t dare ignore you, not on purpose," admitted Jack, scratching his head.


    Jack looked back to his te, wanting to hurry and finish his meal, but he found it emptied and licked clean. Maura noticed the same thing with her te. Both of them then looked to the side, finding the culprit patting her belly, satisfied with the meal.


    "Well... I guess I¡¯m off to handle a few things. I¡¯m sure the elven messenger will arrive soon and I¡¯ve got to deal with those two councilmen as well..." stated Jack, getting up from the table.


    "Sure thing, Jack," Maura took Jack¡¯s te, stacking it on her own. "Then I¡¯ll wait for Eliza to wake up."


    "Don¡¯t cause too much trouble while I¡¯m gone, Lina!" Jack shouted as he neared the courtyard¡¯s exit.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Big Bro! I¡¯ll be good!"


    Exiting the restricted area, Jack strolled through the guild. He caught the eyes of many, especially the newest recruits who were speechless as the former ancient hero walked past them.


    On the way to his office, Jack found Ilgor leading a young, pointy-eared woman with a petite build. Smiling, Jack called out to Ilgor, "Is that the elven messenger?"


    Noticing Jack, Ilgor nodded. "Y-yes, Master-- I mean, yes, Jack."


    "Since she¡¯s here, I¡¯m guessing it¡¯s for me. I can take the lead from here," stated Jack waving off Ilgor with a thank you.


    The elven woman followed Jack, twiddling her thumbs every now and again. When they entered Jack¡¯s office, she sat down and sighed while Jack took his center seat.


    "So, what has Gwendon decided?" Jack asked bluntly.


    The woman coughed to gather herself and answered, "Chief Gwendon wishes to meet with you, Master Jack. He didn¡¯t mention anything about terms you may have discussed prior, but he did say that he was interested in discussing some sort of agreement between the Leisure Guild and Korten."


    "Okay... I guess that¡¯s a start." Jack nodded, thinking about his words. "How soon is he willing to meet me?"


    "Actually... He¡¯s already in Gilga," replied the woman. "We arrivedtest night and rented an inn just outside of the guild. He and some of the elders havee to meet you, Master Jack."


    "So he¡¯s taking the initiative this time... I can admire that. Tell him that we can start discussions immediately. He and the elders are wee to stay in the guild as our guests should they wish, and we¡¯ll be d to host a meeting in one of our conference rooms. Would that be ideal?"


    "Thank you, Master Jack." The elven woman heaved a sigh of relief and stood up with a bow. "I¡¯ll inform them immediately."


    "Then I¡¯ll have the conference room prepared ASAP," stated Jack.


    "Um... yes." A bit confused by Jack¡¯s expression, the elven woman lifted her head and left with a smile.


    Jack then contacted all the big shots he had under him. With the elven elders arriving as well, the least Jack could do was bring some of the big guns of the Leisure Guild. How else could he silently intimidate Gwendon and the elves?

 Chapter 402 Elven Elders Meet the Leisure Guild

    <h4>Chapter 402 Elven Elders Meet the Leisure Guild</h4>


    Without announcing it to the city or the citizens of Gilga, the Leisure Guild silently weed the elven chief and six elven elders. They were led to arge conference room, easily able to fit everyone.


    As Gwendon entered the room, he noticed a row of people sitting on the opposite end of the table.


    Those people all stood up out of respect for the elves. Jack stood at the center of those men. On one side was Tralon with the new leaders of the Leisure Guild: Vixus, Kims, Kaldor, and Zariff who attended as Kaldor¡¯s assistant. On the other side of Jack was an empty seat followed by Argyle and Hurmot, the leaders of the two subordinate guilds under the Leisure Guild.


    Seeing that line up startled Gwendon and the elven elders. They had heard rumors of the ancient, legendary hero that had returned and quickly deduced that hero to have been Jack, the man that visited them not even a week ago. That was the main reason they found some interest in meeting with Jack.


    But to see the powerful lineup already under Jack¡¯s control, their hearts tensed up for a second. They knew immediately that in terms of strength, the guild alone could easily rival a nation, like it could during ancient times.


    "Jack, thank you for allowing us to meet so suddenly," Gwendon bowed his head.


    Jack nodded back to him. "It wasn¡¯t any trouble at all. Let¡¯s all sit and talk, be it about possible deals we can make or just sharing information. There¡¯s no need to feel pressured while you¡¯re here."


    Gwendon chuckled, not sure if he should believe that with such a line up before him.


    One elder spoke up, asking, "First and foremost, I believe we would all like to verify that you are indeed the ancient hero of recent rumors, the Legend of Trodar. Is that true? And if so, how can you prove it?"


    "I can vouch for him."


    That new voice entered the room as the door opened and closed. Eedaj then casually walked and sat himself in the empty seat beside Jack. He continued, "Do you need me to verify my identity as well? Or have you already figured it out?"


    Gwendon¡¯s jaw opened to speak but no words came out. It was easy to understand who that grey-skinned elf was. With the knowledge he and the elders had mixed with the stories of what took ce a few days ago, Gwendon and the elders instantly felt a new level of invisible pressure fall on top of their conversation.


    Standing up with a full bow, Gwendon took a deep breath before stating, "Eedaj, your excellence, I know I was not part of the generation that ignored your people, but please allow me to apologize for the contempt that we had for them."


    "If that were true, why did you say my people and not our people?" replied Eedaj, causing the elven chief to bite his tongue. "I don¡¯t hold a grudge against you or the current generation of elves, so don¡¯t worry about that. That grudge is for someone else."


    "Th-thank you, your excellence." Gwendon remained bowed as he epted Eedaj¡¯s words.


    "That¡¯s enough of that, and no need to speak so highly of me. I¡¯m not as pretentious as Lyrun."


    While the elders were taken aback and unsure how to respond to that, Gwendon sighed and smiled. The light in his eyes was a bit brighter as if he was relieved to hear that.


    "Anyway, is there anything, in particr, you¡¯d like to discuss? Or do you have any more questions? We¡¯ll do our best to answer them," Jack asked, resuming control of the meeting.


    "Yes." Returning to his seat, Gwendon looked to Jack. "Before discussing this deal of exclusivity that you were seeking, we have a few questions about yourself, the guild, and the intentions of the guild."


    "Fair enough. Ask away."


    Another elder spoke up, "Jack, if our information serves correct, you¡¯re not as strong as you once were. Why is that?"


    "Simple. I had to start over from scratch," stated Jack, startling everyone, including those on his side of the table aside from Eedaj. "To surpass my former limits, I needed to start over. And since I received divine assistance to do so, the potential and abilities I currently possess heavily outweigh my former skills, apart from temporarily having a lower level. But my level is still rising and will soon surpass my former level. Does that exin enough?"


    That elder sighed and nodded. "Yes, that exins plenty."


    "Alright, next question." Jack looked at all the elves, wondering who they had nned to speak next.


    "How strong is the Leisure Guild currently?" asked another elder.


    "That¡¯s a great question, one with two different answers. One answer is for public record and to maintain the public view of the guild and the other answer is for our personal records, keeping our trump cards hidden," exined Jack. "Which answer would you like?"


    "Hmm... How about both?"


    One corner of Jack¡¯s mouth arched up as he shrugged. "On public record, everyone you see before you are our strongest experts. As for the quantity of members, that¡¯s hard to say as we¡¯ve had a sudden influx of new recruits since the events a few days ago. I¡¯m sure you can imagine why."


    The elves carefully eyed Jack as that same elder pried further, asking, "... And the answer for your personal records?"


    "That¡¯s something personal, so how could we share that with anyone not directly affiliated with us." Jackughed, causing the elves to all frown. However, Jack added, "But to speak metaphorically... should an event simr to the destruction of Federal City take ce here in Gilga, we should be able to ward it off no problem."


    Their anger instantly shifted into curiosity. Gwendon and the elven elders were extremely intrigued by such an answer.


    It was obvious that having the public protection of a god was outstanding, especiallypared to the rest of the world. And even though Lyrun technically resides in Estonya, he doesn¡¯t do anything or truly offer any protection to the elves, something only the elven chief and elven elders new about.


    "You¡¯re saying that Gilga could ward off such an invasion without issues?" Gwendon asked to rify.


    Jack chuckled. "Gwendon, I¡¯ll tell you something that most aren¡¯t privy to know. I¡¯m preparing for an invasion far worse than what happened in Federal City, so of course repelling such a minor attack would be possible."


    "Jack... What do you mean by that?"


    "How long do you think the other gods will remain hiding now that I¡¯ve already started gathering the long-forgotten Neutral Gods?" asked Jack, stumping Gwendon. "And let¡¯s be frank. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re all smart enough to realize that the Godly War centuries ago never truly ended. Right?"


    Since Gwendon and the elders were speechless, Jack continued, "Rather than get caught up in an imminent storm, I¡¯d rather spark the storm myself. That way I can at least guide the storm in a more favorable direction. And though Korten¡¯s hidden forces might be the strongest of all the nations thanks to the long lifespan of elves, can those forcespare to the Chaos Syndicate or the Adventurers Association? That¡¯s what every nation is probably wondering right now. Whether there¡¯s a way to survive or not? Or better put, whether there¡¯s a need to ally with one of those two monstrous powers or not, and which one to pick?


    "My answer to that... Why not have my own power that can surpass them?"


    The elders were carefully taking Jack¡¯s words in, trying their best to process them. At the same time, Gwendon eventually asked, "Then... are you trying to propose something?"


    "I¡¯m fine with having a trading pact, even one without exclusivity, but would that be the best thing for Korten? We¡¯ll be fine here in Trodar, so that¡¯s enough for me, but would a trading pact alone give Korten what it needs most right now?"


    Sighing, Gwendon shared a look with the elders around him. When they all eventually nodded, Gwendon proposed, "Jack, if Korten was to ally with the Leisure Guild, would you be able to guarantee our safety and protection?"


    Jack scratched his head put on a pondering face for a moment. He then replied, "Yes, and no."

 Chapter 403 Heart-to-Heart With Gwendon

    <h4>Chapter 403 Heart-to-Heart With Gwendon</h4>


    "Yes, and no."


    Jack¡¯s answer left the elders baffled, but Jack added, "The reason I say both yes and no is veryplicated. If you want to discuss that further, then it will have to be between Gwendon, myself, and Eedaj. Is that okay with you, elders?"


    The elders all looked to Gwendon, giving him a variety of looks.


    Taking that in, Gwendon replied, "I¡¯ll agree to a more private meeting, but I¡¯ll still have to gain the consent of the elders before agreeing to any sort of deal between us."


    "That¡¯s fine," stated Jack. "There are just some details that I don¡¯t believe should be shared with anyone but the elven chief. As for everyone else, there¡¯s another conference room beside this one or a lounge on the opposite side. Feel free to wait in either of those ces."


    Taking their leave, those on Jack¡¯s side of the table were the first to exit. The elven elders followed. Now, only three men remained at the center of the long conference table.


    "So... what did you wish to speak about?" asked Gwendon.


    Jack sighed, interlocking his fingers andying his arms on the table. "Should you share any of the unmentionable details I¡¯m about to speak of, I¡¯ll make sure Eedaj personally deals with you. Do you understand, Gwendon?"


    "Right..."


    With the elven chief beginning to sweat, Jack got straight to business. "Like I hinted at before, at some point the war of old will resume between the gods. However, this time the Neutral Gods won¡¯t be sitting on the sidelines. As the chosen champion of Daruun, the god leading the Neutral Gods, it¡¯s my duty to act on their behalf. Would you like to know the aim of the Neutral Gods?"


    As Gwendon nodded, Jack continued, "Their aim is simple. To have peace. Unlike the other pantheons, the Neutral Gods aren¡¯t bound to follow the orders of their leader. Each Neutral God can act for themselves, allowing them to coexist peacefully and not be influenced by the power-hungry desires of other gods."


    Jack noticed Gwendon in deep thought, so Jack asked, "Have you heard of any tales about Ancient Trodar? Have you ever heard about any of their wars or skirmishes?"


    "No..." Gwendon tried but failed to recount a single war or major battle involving Trodar before the Godly War.


    "My point exactly," stated Jack. "Trodar was the only neutral state, meaning it was the only nation to worship only the Neutral Gods. That¡¯s why I¡¯m again gathering the Neutral Gods to Trodar, attempting to bring back that era of peace.


    "But to do that, we¡¯ll first be faced with another daunting war between the gods. And since I¡¯m getting involved this time, neither the Holy Gods nor the Chaotic Gods wille out unscathed. There¡¯s a chance that peace can only be realized after the other two factions are destroyed," mentioned Jack, stunning Gwendon further. "Should that need arise, then I¡¯ll have to make sure it happens. Do you realize now why I said both yes and no?"


    Gwendon swallowed some saliva and sighed. "... Because of Lyrun?"


    "Correct," Eedaj answered in Jack¡¯s stead. "And why would Estonya¡¯s allegiance to Lyrun bring trouble, since you understand why his presence might interfere with our alliance?"


    "Because... if another godly war broke out, then Korten is a likely target," reasoned Gwendon. Also, with the perspective of the Leisure Guild rising with the aid of the Neutral Gods, Gwendon realized something else that startled him even further. "Are the syndicate and the association under gods as well?"


    Jack smiled. "So, you finally figured it out, huh? If that¡¯s the case, what would you have to do as the current elven chief? What decision would you need to make in the possible future?"


    Swallowing more saliva, Gwendon replied, "Eventually, should we ally with you, I would likely be forced to abandon the alliance to side with the association and the Holy Gods..."


    "Or?" Jack lifted his eyebrow, waiting for Gwendon to mention his second option."


    "Or... Or we would have to leave the protection of the Holy Gods for the Neutral Gods at that point..." admitted Gwendon, struggling to imagine the situation could be so serious.


    Eedaj spoke up, "I¡¯ll give you my honest opinion, Gwendon. I don¡¯t trust Lyrun. I firmly believe that he had something to do with the Greis elves being scattered and hunted down. Also, I¡¯ll admit that Lyrun¡¯s been a master maniptor since before he ascended to godhood. In all of your interactions with Lyrun as the elven chief, has he ever been cold to you?"


    Thinking back, Gwendon shook his head. "No."


    "Has he ever been warm to you?" asked Eedaj.


    "... No..."


    "Has he ever spoken his opinion inly or does he like to beat around the bush till you understand the bigger picture that he paints with his words?"


    "... We¡¯ve never spoken like we are now, so no." Gwendon had plenty of thoughts rushing through his head at that moment, beginning to question many things.


    Jack inserted himself back into the conversation, stating, "Gwendon, I¡¯m not asking if you¡¯ll outright abandon Lyrun or the Holy Gods. But before I can agree to any sort of partnership between Korten and the Leisure Guild, you¡¯ll have to decide what your answer will be to that eventual question. Would you rather ally with the god of your ancestors, the same god who is impossible to read or understand beyond face value, or with the pantheon of Neutral Gods, who I can introduce to you personally and you can meet with like we are now with Eedaj? Which option is better for Korten¡¯s future, regardless of tradition or what the elves might think at the moment? What¡¯s better, going to war over empty traditions or fighting for your personal freedom? The war ising so, no matter what, you¡¯ll eventually be faced with some sort of question along these lines."


    Finished with their side of the story, Jack and Eedaj let Gwendon sit and marinate in thought. A minute passed. Five minutes passed...


    After ten minutes of thought, Gwendon sighed and looked to Jack. "In the case that your offer is the best option that we decide on, how can you guarantee more protection than the Holy Gods?"


    "An excellent question," chuckled Jack. "In total, there are seven Neutral Gods, but Daruun won¡¯t be doing anything so there are only six able to act in Kartonia. That¡¯spared to ten gods in the chaotic and holy factions each. But... what if we suddenly gained an influx of new gods? And what if there are some gods, either chaotic or holy, that aren¡¯t willing to die for the cause of their faction and would rather join the Neutral Gods? In that case, what do you think would happen to the bnce between the gods?"


    "Then... their previous bnce would be destroyed," reasoned Gwendon.


    "Actually, the bnce has already been destroyed, all thanks to the Godly War long ago. Right now, they¡¯re trying to keep the scale from tipping in favor of the opposite faction." Jack then started tough, stating, "That¡¯s why I¡¯m simply going to destroy that scale, throwing everything off bnce and forcing them to face the consequences of the war they started long ago. But by the time that happens, it may be toote for us to help you."


    Gwendon sighed, unable to say more.


    Jack sighed too, shrugging off his seriousness. "No matter what happens, I wish Korten the very best and hope that, should you decide to remain with the Holy Gods, you¡¯re not so unlucky as to war with Trodar. Being that unlucky could mean the end of your entire nation and possibly your race."


    The casualness behind Jack¡¯sment only made it dig deeper into Gwendon¡¯s side. And since Jack was the same outstanding ancient hero known to rob from all the gods and contend with entire nations or guilds on his own, the weight of Jack¡¯s words was almost unbearable. Gwendon felt Jack¡¯s pressure almost as much as Lyrun¡¯s influence over Estonya, making the elven chief want to cry. Such a decision was something Gwendon wouldn¡¯t even be faced with in his nightmares.

 Chapter 404 Trading Pact with Korten

    <h4>Chapter 404 Trading Pact with Korten</h4>


    The three men remained seated in silence for another five minutes. Jack was about to ask the others to return to the room, but Eedaj spoke up.


    "Gwendon, I know it goes against everything the elves have done up to this point, but I hope that you¡¯ll side with us in the end. I don¡¯t want to you go through the same thing I did. And though you may not consider me as one of you, I still consider you as my people too," stated Eedaj, startling both Gwendon and Jack. "Please, consider this carefully. I hope that you¡¯ll be willing to join our cause and seek our protection when the timees."


    "I... I¡¯ll consider it carefully," replied Gwendon, shook beyond belief.


    Jack added, "How about we at least enter a trading pact to begin the rtionship of the Leisure Guild and Korten. That way you¡¯ll understand that we don¡¯t hold any ill will against Korten. As for our future rtionship... that will be determined by you. What do you say?"


    The elven chief sighed and gave Jack a half-smile. "I think a trading pact would be fine. Are you after exclusivity?"


    "Can I even ask for that, given that you could just up and break the pact at any time?" Jack joked.


    "Right... then let¡¯s call everyone back in."


    While everyone started to file back into their seats, Gwendon felt awkward. It was made very clear by Jack and Eedaj that the Leisure Guild was not only willing to ally with Korte but that they were seeking it out. However, it was also made perfectly clear that Korten was in a situation that Gwendon had never expected. And that situation was far direr than anything that Gwendon had ever handled as the Elven Chief. No matter what he chose, Korten, along with the rest of the world, would get enveloped by the storm toe.


    "Right," Jack resumed control of the meeting, "ording to what we just discussed, the only thing that we can agree on at the moment is to form a trading pact between the Leisure Guild and Korten. Does anyone here disagree with that proposal?"


    The side of the Leisure Guild was quiet while the elven elders were puzzled. They looked to Gwendon but were startled to finding him nodding, agreeing with Jack¡¯s statement.


    "Excuse me," one elder spoke up, "wasn¡¯t the Leisure Guild interested in an alliance?"


    Jack nodded. "We are, but at the moment Korten is unable to make amitment of such magnitude, not without possibly breaking said allianceter down the line. So, why should we agree to an alliance that could break before it¡¯s even announced to the world?"


    Still baffled, another elder added, "But Jack, we¡¯re more than able to offer our--"


    "The reason why I spoke personally with the chief is because he¡¯s the most privy to information from Lyrun. That information keeps you from fullymitting to the alliance as a nation and is the reason we cannot agree to an alliance at this time. Should that change, we¡¯ll dly form an alliance on a moment¡¯s notice," reasoned Jack, getting the elders to all look back at Gwendon¡¯s troubled face.


    Jack continued, "That being said, we¡¯d still like to form a trading pact to maintain a good rtionship with Korten. There won¡¯t be any terms of exclusivity, but we¡¯ll offer higher prices for your goods and momentarily pay the tariffs and entry fees should your people wish toe sell merchandise in Gilga."


    "No exclusivity... That seems more like the Leisure Guild and Korten would be acquaintances and not be on good enough terms to form an alliance, doesn¡¯t it?" stated one elder, trying to repaint the picture and me the Leisure Guild to an extent.


    Before Jack replied, Gwendon answered, "What they are saying is perfectly sensible, given the circumstances between the Leisure Guild and Korten. The one at fault for not forming the alliance is us, not the Leisure Guild. I¡¯m sure they could enter a trading pact with anyone and aren¡¯t desperate for our business, so me Korten for falling short and not the Leisure Guild for disagreeing."


    Taken aback, the elders were all speechless.


    Jack and those on the other side of the table were surprised but d to see that Gwendon was indeed mature enough to be the elven chief.


    "Since you agree, Gwendon, Eedaj and I have some important business to handle," Jack stated. "I¡¯ll leave the details of the pact to the men here. Argyle and Hurmot are from our subordinate guilds, the Fat Goose and the Celestial Crane. Should you have any items you¡¯re seeking to sell for a high price, they¡¯re the ones to speak with. To deal directly with the Leisure Guild, you¡¯ll speak with Kaldor and Zariff, our treasurer and assistant treasurer. Should any of your people or merchant long to visit Gilga or sell merchandise here, Tralon and Vixus will be the ones to speak with. They¡¯ll organize any lodging needed and a space to sell goods.


    "Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me???" Jack stood up and bowed to Gwendon and the elven elders before heading to the door.


    Eedaj stood and followed, nodding to Gwendon before closing the door behind him.


    Outside of the conference room, Jack took a deep breath and looked to Eedaj. "I didn¡¯t know you still cared about the other elves."


    Nodding, Eedaj walked and talked with Jack, "I would only wish that level of destruction on my enemies. Also, I don¡¯t want them to be sacrificed to push Halmut¡¯s aims further. It¡¯s something that almost happened before, but never took ce thanks to the unexpected ending of the Godly War."


    "That... Lyrun would sacrifice his own people?" Struggling to understand, Jack asked, "What makes you so sure?"


    "The elves were made into a great military power during the godly war. The Holy Gods relied on them heavily for many tasks. That dwindled their numbers greatly, barely leaving them with enough people to run the nation," exined Eedaj. "One wrong move and the entire race could¡¯ve been erased."


    "That¡¯s a bit extreme, don¡¯t you think? Without much proof, I¡¯m not sure Lyrun would be--"


    "Jack, you have to trust me, as your father-inw." Eedaj remained calm but the serious look in his eyes silenced Jack. "In Lyrun¡¯s case, it¡¯s best to predict a crueler oue. He¡¯s not so kind-hearted as everyone has always believed.


    "At least keep that in mind, Jack. And should there ever be a time where Lyrun tries to make a deal with you, refuse it. Okay, Jack?"


    "... I¡¯ll definitely keep that in mind," replied Jack. "I should probably get going now. I need to go deal with those slimy councilmen and use them to make a public announcement."


    "Alright, then I won¡¯t take up any more of your time. Thanks for listening, Jack."


    The god and the hero went their separate ways, one heading toward his home and the other heading toward the guild¡¯s underground prison.


    Along the way, Jack couldn¡¯t help but wonder what was really going on with Lyrun. With two Neutral Gods differing in opinion and Daruun warning Jack to not look into it, Jack¡¯s curiosity about Lyrun was growing by the second.


    To get his mind off Lyrun, Jack took a detour on the way to the guild prison. A long detour.


    Jack still went underground but in apletely different part of the guild property. After making sure he was alone, Jack entered the treasury and opened the vault. It was filled to the brim with items that were both basic and nearly priceless in Modern Kartonia.


    Jack grabbed a few guild storage rings, one for every level up to lv. 70. That way his bestial storage might eventually fit Dragov and he could do many things. He fiddled with the lv. 50 ring for a second before he stored that as well. Then, Jack began opening every chest that hade from the storehouse.

 Chapter 405 Search for a Crap Ring

    <h4>Chapter 405 Search for a Crap Ring</h4>


    Each and every chest was scoured by Jack. The hero didn¡¯t overlook a single coin in those chests, let alone the items.


    He found all sorts of guild items and a few treasures that some might be jealous of, but Jack remained unsatisfied. Double-checking the chests, Jack was again left disappointed.


    Finding no sess, Jack returned all the items back to their chests and resealed the vault as he exited. Jack began to rummage through his thoughts and memories, searching for a clue. And again, Jack struggled to change his disillusioned expression.


    Eventually, Jack telepathically called Tralon, ¡¯Tralon, I¡¯ll be quick. Do we still have any of the custom items that I made myself?¡¯


    ¡¯One second, Jack... We¡¯re finishing up," replied Tralon, unable to give Jack an answer just yet.


    Impatient, Jack groaned and asked, ¡¯I just need to know, do we have any or not?¡¯


    ¡¯I... Jack, just give me a few minutes.¡¯


    Unhappy and grumpy, Jack returned to the main building of the guild, heading for his office. Once there, he started thumbing through all the books on each shelf. When that proved fruitless, Jack started to inspect his desk and it¡¯s contents.


    He had never really gone through the desk since his return to the guild, only using it for discussions with important people. And he was again disappointed to find hardly anything at all.


    Jack realized that Tralon must¡¯ve cleaned out the desk before officially returning the office to Jack, which only made Jack more impatient.


    ¡¯Finally, I can talk.¡¯ Tralon¡¯s voice filled Jack¡¯s head. ¡¯What are you looking for, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯All I want is any item that I made myself, not something I had others make for me,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯Do we have anything like that?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm... that¡¯s hard to say. You were always very particr about keeping your most personal items on you at all times, remember?¡¯ stated Tralon, getting Jack to sigh.


    Running through his memories, Jack tried toe up with some sort of solution. ¡¯Come to my office, Tralon. We¡¯ll talk easier here.¡¯


    ¡¯Right.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s mind was running full steam ahead while Tralon walked to Jack¡¯s office. By the time the old mage arrived, Jack¡¯s head was practically steaming he was so heated and anxious.


    "Jack, is something wrong?" asked Tralon. "Why do you need any item like that? You can¡¯t even wield any of those."


    Sighing, Jack opened his eyes and replied, "I don¡¯t want to equip anything, I just need a custom item that I made. It can be any level and even have little to no value. It could lead me to something really important."


    "Oh, any level?"


    The dissatisfaction on Jack¡¯s face began to fade as Tralon retrieved something from his pocket dimension.


    "I hardly use that spell anymore, but it¡¯s only to keep my most prized possessions safe. Though I don¡¯t want to part with this, it¡¯s not like it cane with me after I die. If it¡¯s of use to you, then go right ahead."


    Tralon held in his hands a in-looking purple ring. It was only lv. 15 and barely qualified as a high-tier item. The forming of the ring was crude, but the natural luster of the pearl-like purple stone was still visible. There was nothing fancy or desirable about the ring, but it made Jackugh to see it again.


    "You still have that?! Why did you keep that junk?" Jackughed.


    "Well, it was the first item that you ever gave me. Though it¡¯s worth nothing, in terms of mary value, the ring marks the beginning of my adventures by your side, the greatest turning point of my life," stated Tralon, chuckling along with Jack. "Honestly, I¡¯m not sure why I kept it way back then, but I¡¯d now argue it¡¯s my most prized possession. But since it was yours to begin with, you can have it back."


    Holding out the ring, Tralon sighed and smiled at Jack.


    Sensing how much it meant to Tralon, Jack remarked, "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll bring it back eventually. It shouldn¡¯t take long."


    "I¡¯d like that."


    Jack reached out to grab the ring, feeling a sense of dness that Tralon treasured that crap item and a sense of anxiety to learn if he¡¯s old body had an ancient tomb.


    ¡¯Jack, Jack, Jack...¡¯


    Abruptly, a sh of light filled the room. Jack found himself able to move, but Tralon was frozen where he stood. And, for some reason, that ring was no longer in his hand.


    "Jack... Didn¡¯t I tell you not to worry about your old self for the time being?"


    Turning toward his desk, Jack replied, "Daruun, what gives? Can¡¯t I at least look into it a little bit? What¡¯s so wrong about--"


    "I know what you¡¯re thinking, Jack," Daruun stated, sitting in Jack¡¯s seat and leaning over Jack¡¯s desk with a serious look in his eyes. "You should be d that I was still around visiting my sons and daughters."


    "Come on, Daruun. You can¡¯t expect me to not look into my old self. At least let me know if I have a tomb somewhere," argued Jack.


    Daruun shook his head. "It¡¯s to keep you from learning that very thing that I¡¯m here now. Would you like to talk about it? We¡¯ve got all the time in the world."


    Jack didn¡¯t know what to say, not until he saw Daruun flick the purple ring into the air and catch it in his palm. Defeated, Jack grabbed a chair from the side and ced it across from Daruun. "Alright, then let¡¯s talk about it. But it seems I was right to assume my old body has a tomb, seeing that you¡¯re--"


    "Jack, allow me to speak first," interjected Daruun. "Let me say a few things about why I¡¯m against giving you this ring without a proper warning. In the end, the decision will be yours. Just hear me out and ask your questions first. Will you agree to that?"


    "... Yeah, I¡¯ll agree to that." Jack nodded, eagerly wanting to know why Daruun was so persistent about the topic.


    It was the first time Daruun had actually stopped Jack from acting on his own, something Daruun didn¡¯t do even when Jack had made a mistake that resulted in the eventual death of Ke. And given the fact that Daruun hadn¡¯t left Kartonia yet meant that the God of Fate had been waiting for this moment to speak with Jack.


    With all that in mind, Jack was sure that he had stumbled upon something great. It could either be a great travesty or a great triumph, and the only way to find out was to listen carefully.

 Chapter 406 Option Three: Carving Your Own Path

    <h4>Chapter 406 Option Three: Carving Your Own Path</h4>


    "... Yeah, I¡¯ll agree to that."


    Daruun nodded and sighed. Then, Daruun stood himself up. "Jack, you¡¯ll want to stand for this."


    "Come on, Daruun, I think I can handle the news. Besides, aren¡¯t I supposed to sit for startling news?" Jack joked.


    "Very well."


    Suddenly, a sh of light filled the room, taking the two of them far into the clouds over Kartonia.


    Jack felt himself falling,nding firmly yet softly on his rear. He stood on that tform of cloud and chuckled, "Oh... Now I get it?"


    Daruun smiled, d to see that some of the previous tension of the conversation was gone. He asked, "Jack, why are you so intent on learning about your past self?"


    "I¡¯m not that hung up about it. I¡¯m just curious is--"


    "Jack, you searched every chest of your vault, twice," stated Daruun, silencing Jack¡¯s excuses. "Again, why are you so intent on finding out more about your former self?"


    "Well, if I can find my former self, wouldn¡¯t that give me the greatest bounty I¡¯ve ever had? Wouldn¡¯t that give me all the items I could ever need? With those, I could level up quicker and--"


    "And you could save Tralon?"


    Jack¡¯s mouth was still open but he didn¡¯t finish his statement. Looking to Daruun, Jack sighed with a nod.


    "Jack, we already talked about that, and you even spoke with Tralon, yet you¡¯re still set on choosing that other path."


    "No, I¡¯m trying to make my own path," stated Jack. "Can¡¯t I just make a path that can save Tralon and keep the gods at bay long enough to protect everyone? What¡¯s wrong with searching for that?"


    Daruun rubbed his eyebrows and sighed. With Jack so set in his mind, the God of Fate could only address the issue. He stayed silent and waved his hand again, taking them away to somewhere else.


    As the light faded, Jack was startled, so much so that he almost fell back.


    In front of Jack stood Naparn, who was currently locked in ce with an ugly shouting face. To the other side was Lyrun, taking Naparn¡¯s angry shouts with a straight face.


    "Don¡¯t be scared Jack, they don¡¯t even know we¡¯re here," Daruunmented. "I brought you here to teach you something. We¡¯ll be using your father, Sterfen as an example. You wouldn¡¯t know it, but Sterfen is also nearby, not even five meters away from Naparn. I¡¯m sure you already know why.


    Jack tried to look around, but he was unable to sense anything about Sterfen, even knowing that Sterfen was almost within arm¡¯s reach.


    Daruun continued, "I want you to understand patience, and Sterfen is a perfect example of that. He¡¯ll be patiently waiting for the precise moment that he can assault Naparn. And since that moment must be exactly perfect, Sterfen will wait however long it takes. He¡¯ll follow Naparn everyone, waiting not for a moment of a ny-nine percent chance of sess, but one hundred percent chance of sess. Do you think shortcuts will get you to a one hundred percent chance of sess, Jack?"


    "They can, so long as I only use shortcuts appropriately. I can¡¯t use them everywhere, but what¡¯s wrong with using them to speed through the things that don¡¯t mean anything?" reasoned Jack.


    "Right, they can be effective only when used properly and taken carefully into consideration," stated Daruun. "I only want you to state that for yourself, making sure you don¡¯t forget that. Also, you must remember that taking shortcuts in your situation can either save your life or get it taken from you. Understood?"


    "Yeah, I get that. But why can¡¯t I know about my old body?" asked Jack.


    Another sh of light carried them back into the clouds. Daruun continued, "Jack, I¡¯ll be very clear about this, so just listen and save your questions for when I¡¯m done, okay?"


    As Jack nodded, Daruun began his exnation, "Jack, I told you before that there were two options. I¡¯m both d and sad that you already realized the third option, to go your own way. This option is just as viable as the other two, but it can also lead to certain doom. It can¡¯t be taken lightly.


    "Should you make your own path, that means all decisions that follow will get much, much more difficult. You¡¯ll be choosing between lives at times, and you¡¯ll have to move on as if those lives meant nothing to you," reasoned Daruun. "That¡¯s one reason why I stopped you. Because you¡¯ve proven up till now that you¡¯re indecisive, especially when it involves lives of others, whether you know those people or not.


    "With that level of indecisiveness, there¡¯s no way you would ever seed in making your own path. Do you agree with me on that point?"


    Sighing, Jack nodded. The hero had no way to argue with that logic.


    "Also,¡¯ Daruun continued, "creating your own path means that you¡¯ll be more unpredictable to others and yourself. Making your own path means you¡¯ll gain the ability to free Lunara and save Tralon.


    "Now, that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll seed at both but it does mean that both will have a chance of sess. That¡¯s how everything will be should you choose your own path. All will be possible, both sess and failure. It¡¯s both the riskiest and the most rewarding of paths to take." Staring calmly at Jack, Daruun asked, "What are you willing to sacrifice, Jack?"


    Slow to answer, Jack replied with a question, "That depends... What am I sacrificing for?"


    Daruun began to smile, rephrasing his question, "In order to seed on your own path by your own rules, what are you willing to sacrifice?"


    "My own rules..." Jack scratched his head for a moment. "Can my family¡¯s survival be a rule of mine?"


    "Of course."


    "Then... I¡¯m willing to sacrifice anything for that to happen."


    Daruun¡¯s smile remained but he hesitated to speak for a moment. However, the god quickly resumed his thought, "In that case, you can¡¯t be so indecisive. Should somethinge between you and your goals, you must act with purpose. I encourage you to make a few rules that, should they be threatened, must take precedence and force you to take action, even if it¡¯s drastic or threatens some innocent lives.


    "What scenario is worse: the destruction of a single city filled with innocent lives or an endless war across the entire continent that can only result in an apocalyptic end?"


    "I... I get what you mean."


    "You¡¯ve always understood that, but you never acted on that. Though I¡¯m d you¡¯ll save innocents whenever you¡¯re able, the cause you¡¯re facing equivalent to the end of the world, Jack. You must not be blinded by your own personal feelings," reasoned Daruun. "Why else did I include such selfish achievements in "A Hero¡¯s Tale"?


    "Take your final achievement as an example. It sacrifices one hundred people and the user for no apparent reason. Yet you did it anyway. You, Jack, had a fixed goal that you wanted and you weren¡¯t going to let the other hundred people or the boss stop you. That¡¯s the kind of dedication that I was after. If you were so focused on a silly achievement, just how focused would you be when the stakes were high and the world was on the line? It¡¯s a level of focus that few could imagine having. But you¡¯ve got it, deep inside of you. Why aren¡¯t you letting it out?"


    Jack mulled over that thought. He smiled, again unable to disagree.


    "Now, Jack, I¡¯ve known that you¡¯d pick such a path in the end, that¡¯s why I chose you. To fight fate, how can you not carve your own path?" reasoned Daruun. "And now that you¡¯ve gone through so many things to get this far and have been served many lessons, you¡¯re as ready as you¡¯ll ever be. Just know that the moment you begin to make your own path, fate will be unforgiving until you either reach your goal or you quit. Are you going to quit, Jack?"


    "No," Jack replied, not hesitating. "Thanks for teaching me what¡¯s needed before I got in over my head."


    "Then, what will you do after I give you this ring? Tell me, Jack."


    Answering, Jack nodded, "I¡¯m going to find my tomb no matter what. That way I can best protect everyone and face my enemies."


    "That¡¯s good to hear." Daruun chuckled, showing Jack a big grin. "I¡¯m d you¡¯re willing to take it all on. Just don¡¯t forget who you are and your mandatory rules that will be your purpose for victory."


    "Thanks, Gramps."


    "No problem, my boy."


    The two embraced each other, patting each other¡¯s back like a doting grandfather and grandson would do.


    "Here." Daruun released Jack and held out the ring. "You¡¯ll probably want to check the ring while I¡¯m still here. I¡¯ll finally be getting back to work after we¡¯re done."


    Sensing relief and responsibility hit him at the same time, Jack took the ring. He then opened his notifications. Just as Jack had expected, Jack found a new achievement to find another ancient tomb. But the moment Jack opened it, his mind went nk.

 Chapter 407 Why Is My Tomb There?!?!

    <h4>Chapter 407 Why Is My Tomb There?!?!</h4>


    "You¡¯re kidding me, right?"


    "No, Jack, what you¡¯re reading is the truth."


    A whole new flood of emotions overtook Jack, switching from excitement to anxiety and from uneasiness to wonderment. Even Jack wasn¡¯t sure how to take in that information.


    "I¡¯m guessing you have some questions based on your baffled expression," added Daruun. "Is my assumption correct?"


    Jack slowly nodded. His mouth opened but he only managed to take a deep breath and let out a long sigh. Opening his mouth again, Jack¡¯s words finally came out, "Daruun... How can this speed things up? Wouldn¡¯t this be an even bigger distraction than trying to level up me and Tralon at the same time?!"


    Smiling, Daruun shook his head. "That depends entirely on how you want to reach your tomb. Should you decide to choosemon means, then of course it would distract you even more. But, should you attempt it through umon means, then you¡¯ll be able to aplish it sooner."


    "What kind of umon means can get me to the bottom of Earthen Keep sooner?!" Jack shouted, feeling mislead. "How did my body even get down there, anyway?!"


    "Don¡¯t you remember?" Daruun asked with a joking smile. "Jack, what was the final achievement that youpleted in "A "Hero¡¯s Tale"?"


    "Easy, "All for None, None for All", right? How does..."


    "Do you remember now?"


    Jack pped his forehead and dragged his hand down his face. After all the times it took Jack to finally seed at "All for None, None for All", how could he forget the final sess?


    "You mean to tell me... that my old character¡¯s tomb is on the final floor of the Earthen Keep? The same floor guarded by Crypt Lord Duorda, the hardest boss of "A Hero¡¯s Tale"? Is that what you¡¯re trying to tell me?"


    "Does your system lie?" joked Daruun.


    Staring at his still open achievement list, Jack felt defeated.


    [Find the tomb: iplete]


    [Find the tomb of Jack_J. on the final floor of Earthen Keep. Reward: 85 skill points. Event reward: 2000 skill points.]


    Though he was d to notice that there was at least an event reward, Jack was still torn as to how he could possibly aplish the achievement in record time like Daruun was implying.


    "Jack, just ask your questions and we¡¯ll talk about it. Haven¡¯t you already been thinking about how to clear that dungeon?"


    "Yeah, but I was going to attempt it after bing a god or when I¡¯ve got a few gods to carry me through it," replied Jack.


    Daruun smiled teasingly with a chuckle. "But would that get you a legendary achievement, Jack?"


    "What do--"


    "Don¡¯t forget, some of the in-game achievements have been programmed into your system. Have you forgotten your other great achievement involving Earthen Keep?"


    Jack blinked and pondered for a moment, only to feel like he was hit over the head by reality as he remembered. "You can¡¯t be serious! You want me to solo run it, at my current level?!"


    "Yes... and no." Daruun exined, "To earn that achievement, did you have to kill all the mobs?"


    "No..." Jack stubbornly replied.


    "Did you even have to kill anything?"


    "Yes! I had to kill the boss!" shouted Jack, not holding back his fury. "Do you know how long that fight took and how many times I died memorizing all of his attack patterns?! He¡¯s a boss built for a hundred man raid, and now he¡¯s probably lv. 89!"


    "But are you in a game, Jack?"


    "I... What do you mean?"


    Daruun answered, "Games can only include possibilities that are programmed into them, but what about life? I can assure you that there is a way for you to aplish that achievement and for you to earn the legendary achievement along with it. If there¡¯s wasn¡¯t such a possibility, would I bring it up?"


    "That... No, you wouldn¡¯t have mentioned it..." Jack agreed, unhappy for Daruun to be right in such a situation.


    "Jack, this will allow you ess to all the items you held previously and even the items from your personal storage that was within the guild."


    "You¡¯re the reason that¡¯s empty?!" Jack shouted again.


    Chuckling, Daruun answered, "Not me, the world. That same integrated mechanic of the world gave you most of Ponlinne¡¯s treasures, so why wouldn¡¯t it transport your personal goods to your tomb? And since you technically never logged off, I made sure that you were included in those that created a tomb at the end of the servers."


    "But... how on earth can I do that now? Maybe if I was at least lv. 80, but now... It should be impossible."


    "It¡¯s not impossible, just nearly impossible," corrected Daruun. "That¡¯s why the system will reward you handsomely for it. Also... I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll want to gain those skill points as soon as possible."


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Jack.


    "Because you¡¯ll be d to have them. Now, aren¡¯t you going to ask about how you¡¯ll pull off such a stunt?"


    "Yes, please borate."


    "Very well." Daruun exined, "With ny-nine floors, even running through it without fighting will take you quite a long time to run it. And you¡¯ll only be allowed your beastpanions, no one else, though you won¡¯t need them in my opinion."


    "I can¡¯t even bring them?!"


    "Let me finish," stated Daruun. "Once you¡¯re inside Earthen Keep, you shouldn¡¯t exit until after you¡¯ve already entered your tomb. Your teleportation skill is too easily spotted and isn¡¯t subtle at all. It would rm the mobs on whatever floor you attempt to use it on. To exit the dungeon, that¡¯s fine. But to reenter the dungeon where you left off, it would get you killed."


    "So, if I leave the dungeon early, then I¡¯ll have to start all over again?" reasoned Jack, uneasiness stered on his face.


    "Correct. That¡¯s why you shouldn¡¯t leave until after you¡¯ve entered the tomb," Daruun repeated. "What you¡¯re wondering the most is what will happen on the ny-ninth floor with Duorda, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯lle up with something."


    "That¡¯s it?! You¡¯re not going to tell me have to evade him or how to do anything?!"


    "Nope. I don¡¯t want to influence your system and detract from your reward. However, I can guarantee you that there is a way and it will make itself known, given who you are," answered Daruun. "Don¡¯t worry too much Jack. Getting there will be easier than you think, so long as you realize how poorly you¡¯ve been using your pact."


    "Poorly?" Curious, Jack asked, "How else am I supposed to use my pact?"


    "You¡¯ve used it well in most cases, but it¡¯s potential can¡¯t be reached with what you¡¯re doing now. It¡¯s the way you gain new skills and abilities, which you¡¯re decently good at bncing, so you should gather as many as possible. But you¡¯ve distracted yourself with spells and haven¡¯t touched any of the high-level skills that Argyle, Hadurt, or the others can offer you," reasoned Daruun. "You¡¯ll need those as well, don¡¯t forget that, Jack.


    "Also," Daruun continued, "you should be trying to gain the strongest skills from the strongest people, yet you¡¯ve ultimately failed to do so thus far."


    "But I¡¯ve--"


    "Jack, who are the strongest people you know?" asked Daruun.


    Shrugging like it was obvious, Jack replied, "Hadurt and Lorwynn, duh."


    "Wrong," corrected Daruun. "And this is the root of your failure to magnify the potential of the pact. I even made sure that the system couldplement the pact, yet you fail to use it with your strongest allies!"


    "What do you..."


    "Oh, did it finally hit you?"


    "I can use the pact on gods?" Jack asked half-heartedly, finally figuring out what Daruun was implying.


    Daruun heaved a sigh of relief. "Finally... You¡¯ve finally realized what I assumed you would¡¯ve been doing all along. It¡¯s about time, Jack."

 Chapter 408 Pacts With Gods

    <h4>Chapter 408 Pacts With Gods</h4>


    "As you can guess, it¡¯s making a pact with Sterfen and purchasing one of his skills that will allow you to pull this stealth mission off," added Daruun, making Jack finally feel more at ease. "You should make sure to form a pact with each willing god before you hurry off to go see Rikko. And since you¡¯re carving your own path, you can head out after you dere your entry in the councilmen election.


    "Do you have any more questions, Jack?"


    Thinking it over, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. The thought of the soloing Earthen Keep wasn¡¯t as stressful when he included the option of using the skills of the gods, in particr a skill from the god currently stalking Naparn within the Olympic Chateau. Byparison, the Earthen Keep felt a bit safer.


    "No... I don¡¯t think I have any more questions about my tomb... At least not any that you would willingly answer."


    "Sorry, Jack, but I want to make sure you get as many skill points as possible from this. You¡¯ll be grateful for that in the end," added Daruun. "If that¡¯s the case, then I¡¯ll finally be getting back to work elsewhere. I¡¯ve ignored my other duties long enough."


    "Alright, but I¡¯ll be calling you should I need anything."


    As Daruun nodded to Jack, a warm light swelled from Daruun¡¯s being. It gradually grew until it engulfed all of Jack¡¯s vision, much softer than the other shes that blinded Jack.


    When that light faded, Jack blinked. He found himself picking up the ring from Tralon¡¯s hand.


    "Can I ask you what you¡¯re trying to find?" asked Tralon.


    Bouncing the ring up and down with his hand, Jack replied with a smile, "I¡¯ll be searching for my old tomb and this can help me locate it."


    "Really?!" Tralon was amazed, eager to find such a ce. "How can that ring help you?"


    "My subss lets me find tombs of heroes so long as I have an item crafted by them," answered Jack. "But to get to my tomb... it¡¯ll be even riskier than the storehouse."


    "Where is it? Can I assist you in any way?"


    Jack smiled and patted Tralon on the shoulder. "I¡¯ll tell you, but promise to be calm because I have a n... I think..."


    Tralon nodded but he didn¡¯t quite catch what Jack mumbled at the end of his statement.


    "My tomb is at the very bottom of Earthen Keep, where I spent myst mission," stated Jack. "I do have a n, though it means I¡¯ll be going alone this time."


    "What?! That¡¯s ludicrous! Jack, you can¡¯t possibly--"


    "I¡¯m not going, not yet," added Jack. "I¡¯ll first have to make pacts with some gods to gain ess to their skills. Only after I have Sterfen¡¯s skills in stealth will I head to Earthen Keep. That way, I¡¯ll sneak through the entire dungeon like I did that one time."


    Feeling a bit better, Tralon asked, "And what about the crypt lord?"


    "I¡¯ve got something in mind for that too, so don¡¯t worry." Jack hid his own confidence and answered Tralon with the confidence that Daruun had shown, "Just know that once I enter Earthen Keep, I won¡¯t be exiting until I seed."


    Hearing that, Tralon deduced what Jack was about to ask him. "Jack, I¡¯ll make sure to protect your family and party at all costs!"


    Jack heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank you, Tralon. Take especially good care of Eliza. Apparently... Dragas gave her a fertility potion after Eliza became Dragas¡¯s daughter, which means..."


    Tralon¡¯s eyes shot wide open and his mouth fell agape. "Jack... You can rest assured that I will protect Eliza and your child with my life!"


    "That¡¯s enough, Tralon," added Jack. "No one other than my wives, Lina, and my beastpanions know, not even the other party members. Don¡¯t tell anyone unless you feel it¡¯s absolutely necessary or until it¡¯s already be obvious to everyone else."


    "Of course. I¡¯m sworn to secrecy," replied Tralon.


    "Good, then know that I¡¯ll be taking that challenge on to better ensure everyone¡¯s protection. The sooner I can find that tomb and reim my treasures, the stronger we¡¯ll be to face the other godly factions," stated Jack. "For now, I¡¯ll go visit Eedaj, then Lunara and Dragas. Sterfen¡¯s upied at the moment and it may be better to find Jinter, so I¡¯ll then visit Rikko. While I¡¯m away, handle everything here in my stead."


    "I wouldn¡¯t have it any other way!" Tralon dly agreed, still feeling proud to know that Jack was on his way to bing a father."


    They both left Jack¡¯s office and parted ways.


    Jack hurried back to the restricted area and knocked on Eedaj¡¯s courtyard door.


    "Come in."


    Entering with a smile on his face, Jack hurried and recounted his experience with Daruun to the Mind God. Eedaj grinned, agreeing with Daruun¡¯s way of thinking. They performed the pact then and there, not wasting any more time. The only thing Jack didn¡¯t expect was how insistent Eedaj was to receive the pact with the EXP leech. Jack tried to convince Eeaj otherwise, but the Mind God was obstinate.


    Thanking Eedaj with a bow, Jack hurried away to inform his wives about the newest update to his n. At the same time, Jack imed the newest reward from histest achievement.


    [Even gods salute me: imed]


    [Gain the absolute respect of a deity, even getting them to pledge an offering to you rather than having you pledge to them. Legendary reward: 2000 skill points.]


    Also, Jack checked out Eedaj¡¯s skills. Many of which were identical to Daliea¡¯s after she received so many spellbooks from Daliea. The greatest difference was the new ss of spells that Jack had never seen before,beled [Personal-tier Spells].


    Jack remembered a few different gods mention personal spells that they had created but he didn¡¯t know that it was an actual ssification. Both personal-tier spells were very eyecatching and very expensive...


    [PERSONAL-TIER SPELLS]


    [-God¡¯s Perspective: 3000 skill points]


    [-Cerebral Copse: 4000 skill points]


    Keeping calm, Jack reasoned that the price was only fittingpared to legendary spells. But even then, Jack¡¯s heart ached to know that they were more expensive than any achievement he had earned so far, even legendary achievements.


    With that in mind, Jack decided to save the two thousand skill points he had just earned. Jack didn¡¯t want toter find himself with too few skill points to purchase Sterfen¡¯s skill.


    As Jack entered his own courtyard, he was greeted by Lina, who dragged him to the bedroom. There, they reunited with all three of Jack¡¯s wives. Maura and Daliea were sitting beside Eliza on the bed.


    "How are you feeling?" Jack asked.


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m feeling fine," replied Eliza. "I¡¯m just a little overwhelmed, that¡¯s all. With this happening so soon... I¡¯m excited and worried at the same time."


    "Well, that makes sense since you¡¯ll soon be a mom," chuckled Jack. Daliea scooted over to let Jack sit with Eliza. "I¡¯ve just learned a few things that can help make things easier. It does involve me going away for a little while, but you¡¯ll be d to know what I¡¯ll be bringing back."


    Saddened, Eliza looked back up at Jack. "You¡¯re leaving? So soon?"


    "Not yet," answered Jack. "Before I do that, I¡¯ll be revisiting Dragas and Lunara with my teleportation skill. Then, I still have to enter the election and bring the next god to Trodar. After all that, then I¡¯ll be going away for a short time."


    "Okay... but we can¡¯te with you?" asked Eliza.


    Shaking his head, Jack exined, "Where I¡¯ll be going, not even Bowzer will be joining me. He and Phoro will be staying here with you, Dragov too. So even while I¡¯m gone, you¡¯ll have them. But... Once I enter that ce, I won¡¯t be able to leave, till I¡¯ve made it to the end. However, once I¡¯m done with that, I¡¯lle back with all of the treasures and items that I gathered during my time as an ancient hero."


    "Oh..." Eliza felt a desire to argue with Jack but she also understood how important such a mission was. After a moment of thought, Eliza smiled softly and leaned against Jack. "Then you¡¯ll have to make sure you bring something good for me and even more treasures for our baby."


    Everyone in the room got a chuckle out while Jack replied, "Of course. Only the best for our kid."

 Chapter 409 Lunara Learns Where Sterfen Is

    <h4>Chapter 409 Lunara Learns Where Sterfen Is</h4>


    As Jack and his wives started to chat about some of the things Jack would possibly bring home, they heard a knock at their door.


    Lina was the first to bolt for the guest, wanting to be the person opening the door. Behind her came Jack, who was smiled nervously when he noticed Argyle standing on the other side of the door.


    "Jack, is Eliza doing okay?" asked Argyle. "She asked me to hurry over as fast as I can but didn¡¯t tell me why."


    "She¡¯s perfectly fine, Argyle, so there¡¯s no need to worry. I¡¯m sure she just wants to talk and catch up with you," replied Jack.


    Argyle nodded and walked in. "That makes sense. Then I¡¯ll let myself in."


    "You¡¯ll find her in the bedroom with the others," added Jack. "I was about to leave anyway, so let them know that I¡¯ll be back soon."


    "Okay."


    Jack fled the scene, not knowing what Argyle would do to him after learning that Eliza would soon have Jack¡¯s child. He was going to return soon anyway, so Jack decided toe back after the initial shock was gone.


    Using Greater Teleportation, Jack vanished in a sh of light.


    Lounging and deep in thought, Dragas admired the ring now on her finger with sorrowful eyes. Though the gemstone was insignificant, she admired it more than all of the priceless flowers that she had been cultivating for the past millennium.


    But when a bright sh of light suddenly appeared in front of her, her smile lost its sorrow.


    "Visiting me twice in one day, you¡¯ll spoil me, Daruun," Dragas giggled as she put the ring away.


    "Sorry to disappoint you, Mother," Jackughed, surprising Dragas as the light faded. "I came by to thank you for the potion, it was quite effectivest night."


    Smiling, Dragas replied, "I was going to use that on you and I but you refused... Maybe now you¡¯ve--"


    "I¡¯m here to form a pact with you, Mother," stated Jack, not letting Dragas offer herself again. "You¡¯ll have ess to all of my passive skills and I¡¯ll be able to learn your skills through my subss. It¡¯s something that Daruun wants us to capitalize on."


    "Oh? And does it take anything from me?" asked Dragas.


    "Nope."


    "What if I want it to take something from me?" Dragas pouted.


    Giving Dragas a strange look, Jack added, "There is a version of the pact that gives me half of all EXP you gain--"


    "Then that¡¯s the one we¡¯ll use!" Dragas hopped off her seat and stood before Jack. "Now hurry up and get it over with. Unless you want me to get down and beg--"


    "Hold still!"


    Jack took a deep breath and looked away from Dragas¡¯s enticing eyes to regather himself. He then slit his finger and starting drawing the pact on Dragas¡¯s forehead.


    "Hmph! You¡¯re no fun..."


    The pact was quickly formed and Jack said a quick goodbye as he shed away. Jack didn¡¯t want to spend another second there alone with Dragas, not with her still trying to entice him.


    A brilliant sh of light appeared elsewhere, on the other side of the continent. It happened within a dark chamber with no lighting, so it startled the great beast that was resting peacefully. The beast¡¯s nine heads all blinked, wondering who hade to visit.


    "Hey, Mom!"


    A sigh of relief escaped all nine of the hydra heads as the light faded. The great beast then morphed into a beautiful woman, dashing toward the man that had appeared.


    "Jack, I¡¯m so d to see you!" Lunara gave Jack a big hug. "When did you get a teleportation spell?"


    "I got it from Tralon," answered Jack. "I came to say high and to check in on you."


    "That¡¯s all? You could¡¯ve just used the contact crystal for that. Why are you really here?" Lunara asked with a smile.


    "How about we go talk upstairs on the couch. That¡¯d be morefortable since I just traveled so far toe see you."


    The mother and sonughed as the walked up the stairs. Jack was going on about Lina¡¯s inhuman appetite by the time the got upstairs.


    "Want anything to drink?" Lunara offered.


    Jack waved his hand. "No, thank you. I can¡¯t stay for long, sadly. But since you¡¯ll being to Trodar soon, that doesn¡¯t matter all that much."


    "What do you mean, Jack?"


    "Didn¡¯t Dad tell you..."


    It was toote. Jack had already mentioned Sterfen and his involvement in something. And linking that to her freedom, Lunara began to worry.


    "Jack, tell me what you were about to say. Do you want to lie to your mom like that?"


    "Mom, if he didn¡¯t--"


    "Tell me, Jack!" Lunara insisted.


    Swallowing some saliva and choosing his words carefully, Jack replied, "Well... Dad is out making sure that you¡¯ll be free soon."


    "Jack, tell me the full story," demanded Lunara.


    "Of course..." Jack sighed. "Just promise not to freak out or do anything to stop him."


    "Jack, tell me or--"


    "Promise me, Mom."


    Lunara could feel how serious Jack was treating the situation so she begrudgingly agreed, "Fine... I won¡¯t do anything to stop him, but only because I assume you¡¯re involved too."


    "Thanks." Jack paused, letting himself get asfortable as possible. "Dad is in Olympic Chateau and--"


    "WHAT?!" Lunara jumped to her feet, about to leave.


    "WAIT!" Jack stood and put his hands on her shoulders. "Mom, you promised to not--"


    "Jack, you don¡¯t understand! Going there is the same as getting himself killed!" shouted Lunara. "There¡¯s no way that he could--"


    "There is a way to sneak in, at least now there is!" yelled Jack. "Now sit down and we can talk about it."


    Tense and unwilling, Lunara sat down, eyeing Jack. "Then tell me, how did he sneak in?"


    d that she stopped fighting back, Jack sat Lunara down and sat himself beside her. "Mom, have they told you anything about what happened in Federal City?"


    Lunara nodded, "They said the association was attacked by the syndicate and left a lot of the city in ruins."


    "And both champions died, right?"


    "Right."


    "Well... what if I told you that neither champion actually died? Would you believe me?"


    The stubborn re on Lunara¡¯s face became a look of awe. "Are you saying..."


    "Yes, both champions are alive and well," stated Jack. "Both of them joined the Leisure Guild in secret with the hopes that I can help them ascend in the future, unlike the broken promises that their former factions gave them."


    "Does that mean that Lorwynn snuck Sterfen into the Olympic Chateau?" asked Lunara.


    "That¡¯s exactly what happened. And I have the confirmation of Daruun that Dad is currently stalking Naparn, waiting for the perfect moment to strike," answered Jack. "Soon, Dad will be back with your contract. And then you¡¯ll be able to break the contract and free yourself, finally."


    Two different sides of Lunara were fighting for supremacy at that moment. She was filled with worry about her husband and the risk he was putting himself through for her sake. But Lunara was also ted to know that she could possibly be freed so soon from her contract.


    "Mom, is there any reason I should worry about Dad?" Jack asked


    "Hmm? Oh, no, there¡¯s no need to worry," answered Lunara. "For him, the hardest part was getting in unnoticed. Since he¡¯s already gotten that far, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be fine. He is the Assassin God after all."


    "Really? That¡¯s one of Dad¡¯s titles?"


    "I guess we didn¡¯t tell you, but Sterfen was the most notorious assassin for the longest time. He killed a few demigods, but it wasn¡¯t what you¡¯re thinking," Lunara chuckled. "I had many suitors and hadn¡¯t yet ascended. Yet, I found myself drawn to Sterfen and his mysterious strength. When they threatened to kill him, I wanted to protect him but Sterfen took matters into his own hands. Throughout the month that followed, almost all of my remaining suitors were assassinated."


    Shocked to hear that, Jack smiled hysterically. "You mean, Dad killed all those demigods just so he could have you to himself?"


    "Yup." Lunara was all smiles, proud to have such a strong husband.


    "But... how can he assassinate someone so strong? Can¡¯t they just heal or get resurrected?" questioned Jack.


    "Not if it¡¯s Sterfen," answered Lunara. "Not only does Sterfen have a personal spell for stealth, but he also has a personal skill that makes any wound from his knife incurable, even after resurrection."

 Chapter 410 Sterfen, The Deadliest God??

    <h4>Chapter 410 Sterfen, The Deadliest God??</h4>


    "What did you just day?" Jack asked out of reflex.


    "That¡¯s Sterfen has a skill to make his attacks incurable," Lunara answered. "But that doesn¡¯t mean the attack is invincible."


    "Why wouldn¡¯t it be?! If the wounds you create are incurable, then you¡¯ll always be at an advantage in a fight," argued Jack.


    Shaking her head, Lunara added, "That¡¯s only if the attacknds. Sterfen¡¯s skill adds no extra power or ability to the attack, and it takes a lot more mana than you would expect. Whenever he uses the attack, it¡¯s the same as amon mortal attacking, only that the wound can never heal."


    "What? Then why would Dad--"


    "Sterfen developed it for assassination, not for battle," stated Lunara. "Though it¡¯s rarely applicable to battle, that skill can even kill gods if used properly. Even if someone is a god, they wouldn¡¯t be able to survive with a gaping sh carved into their neck."


    Taking that into consideration, Jack felt more at ease. If anything, it was an extremely unique skill that intrigued Jack all the more. And pairing that with Sterfen¡¯s abilities withe stealth made Sterfen one of the deadliest gods in certain scenarios.


    "Mom, is Sterfen one of the reasons why the Holy Gods are so hesitant to attack the Neutral Gods.


    "Definitely! He¡¯s also the reason why they haven¡¯t activated my contract so far. Naparn must have nightmares about it," Lunaraughed.


    "What do you mean? Has Dad and Naparn shed in the past?" asked Jack.


    "Not exactly..." Lunara sighed and smiled softly. "Long ago, when I was about to marry your father, Naparn threatened to activate my contract. He was adamant that I don¡¯t marry anyone outside of the Holy Gods, dering that he would discuss activating my contract with Halmut should I attempt anything.


    "I had already gained Halmut¡¯s permission, probably because of Sterfen being a Neutral God, but I worried what would happen if all the other Holy Gods petitioned against it... That¡¯s when Sterfen acted in silence, not warning me beforehand," stated Lunara. "I¡¯m not sure about everything that happened, but I know that Sterfen convinced Naparn to back off somehow. And given Sterfen¡¯s skills, I can only imagine Naparn agreed to avoid a death threat."


    "So Dad has the ability to kill the other gods? Howe he hasn¡¯t just--"


    "Jack, your father can kill gods but the circumstances have to be perfect. Take Olympic Chateau for example. The gods couped up there are safe because Halmut¡¯s barrier keeps Sterfen out. And they¡¯re always cautious when they¡¯re anywhere else out of fear. So it¡¯s rare that Sterfen is given a perfect opportunity to pull off an assassination," exined Lunara. "And if Sterfen just started trying to kill everyone, then they would set traps to catch him on any of the next assassination attempts."


    "So, the threat exists but Dad has never pulled the trigger and forced anyone to try and act against him? I guess that makes sense," reasoned Jack.


    "Either way, now that he¡¯s sneaked into Olympic Chareau there¡¯s no stopping Sterfen, even if I want to..." sighed Lunara. "I just hope he doesn¡¯t actually kill anyone. If he did... then the godly war would immediately resume with the Neutral Gods as the prime target."


    "I¡¯m sure Dad¡¯s smart enough to avoid any unnecessary conflict, at least, I know what I would do in his scenario."


    Smiling, Luanara asked, "Oh yeah? Then what would you do?"


    "I would try to bargain. I¡¯d take a god hostage and use the god¡¯s life as a bargaining chip for your contract," reasoned Jack. "Does that sound like something Dad would do?"


    Lunara curst intoughter, feeling at ease. "That sounds exactly like Sterfen! If that¡¯s the case... then I really might be freed..."


    "And then you can finally reunite with me and Lina. We¡¯ve already got the perfect ce for you."


    "Then I¡¯ll be looking forward to it," replied Lunara. "But why did youe again?"


    "Right! I came to make a pact with you. That way we¡¯ll be telepathically linked and we can share skills. Also, that means you¡¯ll be telepathically linked to Lina," added Jack.


    "Really?! I¡¯d love that!" Lunara shouted, excited to be able to speak with her daughter whenever she wished. But then, Lunara suddenly hesitated and looked to Jack with seriousness. "But... would a mutual seal be better?"


    "That... I¡¯m not sure about that..." Jack got caught up in the moment and hadn¡¯t considered such a thing. "That would mean we¡¯re splitting EXP, would that be--"


    "That¡¯s not a problem for me, Jack," answered Lunara. "But I won¡¯t be fighting anytime soon, so I would be taking some of your EXP while you¡¯re leveling up... I¡¯m not sure which would be better for you."


    "Give me a moment to think..."


    Pushing his brain into high-gear, Jack did his best to imagine the future effects of both a pact and a mutual seal with Lunara. Both were fantastic options and her bloodline was very tempting but Jack also wanted ess to Lunara¡¯s skills, which wouldn¡¯te with the seal. And with the EXP share being a possible issue for the time being, Jack decided otherwise.


    "Let¡¯s go with a pact," stated Jack. "I¡¯d love to form a mutual seal with you and use your bloodline like I do with Bowzer¡¯s, but that¡¯s just not ideal right now."


    "Well, keep that considered forter, then," replied Lunara. "For now, a pact will be great!"


    The son and mother formed a pact, adding Lunara to the mentalwork. That was verified when Lina shouted in excitement back to Jack and Lunara.


    Jack then left, letting Lunara and Lina enjoy a long-overdue conversation. To use Greater Teleportation a third time, Jack used Greater Replenish first. With seventy percent of his mana revived, Jack felt a strange mix of rejuvenation and fatigue wash over his body. It wasn¡¯t that bad and was easily bearable, but it made Jack keep his limits in mind.


    Returning to his front door in a sh of light, Jack was excited to rest alongside his wives till nightfall.


    He opened the courtyard door to find no one inside. A bit taken aback, Jack looked to his bedroom door. Courageously, Jack walked up and opened the door, finding his assumption correct as he was bombarded with shouts the moment he entered.


    "Jack!" Argyle rushed to Jack, mming both of his hands on Jack¡¯s shoulders. "Why didn¡¯t you tell me about this?! How could you do this now of all times?! Is that all you care about, Jack?!"


    "Father!" Eliza shouted. "I already told you, it was this or Jack get another wife, and I prefer this."


    "But..." Argyle released Jack, trying to get ahold of himself. "Jack... Do you realize what you¡¯re doing, right?"


    "Yes, I do," replied Jack. "Also, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll do everything possible to protect her while I¡¯m away. And once the baby¡¯s born, Dragas wille and help protect her."


    "Dragas?"


    "Dragas, the Goddes of Love and Seduction," mentioned Jack. Then, an idea popped into Jack¡¯s head. He smiled, continuing, "Dragas adopted Eliza as a demigod, making her Eliza¡¯s new mother."


    "What?!"


    "That¡¯s just how it works, unless you want to make that official..." added Jack.


    "I-I couldn¡¯t--"


    "That¡¯s a great idea, Jack!" Eliza ran over to her father and turned him toward her. "She¡¯s gorgeous, Father, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be happy with her!"


    "Eliza... That¡¯s not how--"


    "Father, trust me, it would be best for both of you. But how can we make this work..." Eliza started to scheme, changing the subject. "Jack, got any ideas?"


    "We¡¯re not discussing--"


    "It won¡¯t happen overnight, but I think we can make it work out in the end," replied Jack, ignoring Argyle.


    "I said enough!" Argyle shouted. "Since you¡¯re all fine with the situation, then I¡¯ll be leaving."


    As Argyle opened the door to leave, Jack added, "I¡¯m sure the baby will be happy to meet Grandpa Argyle, don¡¯t you think so, Eliza?"


    Freezing for a single moment, Argyle let his proud emotions as a soon-to-be grandpa slip out while his back was turned. Then, he hurried off, not wanting his daughter or Jack to see him get emotional.

 Chapter 411 Bikkem and Quallace Exposed!

    <h4>Chapter 411 Bikkem and Quace Exposed!</h4>


    The next morning was just like any other. With the sun beginning to climb over the streets of Gilga, the foot traffic began to increase. Businesses were all opened and the city was gaining more immigrants as the rumors of the Lesure Guild, Jack, and the gods were spreading further from Trodar¡¯s borders.


    "Citizens of Gilga!"


    A shout caught the attention of everyone at the southern extents of the city. Everyone looked to find a man standing on a small tform before the ancient statue of the Legend of Trodar, but the likeness between the statue and the man was startling.


    "Everyone, I¡¯m here to make something known!" Jack continued his shouts as more and more people started to gather around him. "For those of you that don¡¯t know me, my name is Jack, the same man you regard as the Legend of Trodar!"


    People started to flock as Jack¡¯s voice filled the streets. Crowds hastily gathered around the tform, waiting for Jack to say more.


    Smiling, Jack was ready to stun everyone. "Everyone, first and foremost, it¡¯s important that I now announce my candidacy for the Trodan Council, the same organization that I helped create long ago. As for why that¡¯s necessary, let me prove it to you. Bring them out!"


    The attention of the crowds shifted to the northern end of the street, where Jack was pointing. They saw a small gathering of people leading a steel cage on wheels.


    As those men at the lead stepped on to the tform, the crowd was stunned to realize who most of those people were.


    "Allow me to introduce the newest members of the Leisure Guild," added Jack, stunning the crowd further. "Handling the major events of the guild, we have Tralon and Vixus, both councilmen. Also, we have Kims as the newest Security Advisor. Kaldor, the former guild master of the now fallen Golden Haven from Federal City, is our treasurer. The other two men are Argyle and Hurmot, the guild masters of Fat Goose and Celestial Crane, the two newest subordinate guilds under the Leisure Guild."


    That announcement was too much to handle for the public to digest in a single moment.


    ording to rumors, the Leisure Guild had long been on the decline and may even start to dwindle away. But that was all before Jack¡¯s divine announcement a few days ago. Now, the people of Gilga finally got to witness the rapid growth that the Leisure Guild had gained, allowing it to again rival the council.


    "As for those in the cage, they¡¯re two men who dared enter our storehouse to rob our treasures and even attempted to kill us. I¡¯m sure you can recognize both of these despicable councilmen, Lords Bikkem and Quace!"


    The degree of shock that the crowd felt was unfathomable. Introducing the Leisure Guild¡¯s strength publicly was enough to shatter their mindsets but adding that twist of two beaten councilmen was over the top.


    "Now, do you want to know why I use the term despicable?" Jack asked the crowd, pausing in wait for an answer.


    "Why!"


    "Tell us!"


    Riled up and in search of an answer, the mob mentality was starting to trickle into the crowd.


    "I say so because not only did these two councilmen attempt to kill us and steal from us, they have been acting in secret with something we all despise. These two councilmen have done something unthinkable, betraying the trust of all the people of Trodar!" shouted Jack, riling up the crowd more and more with every word. "These two men dared to turn against us. These two men have dared conspire against your lives! These two men have been working under false personas, but they¡¯re truly snakes nted by the Chaos Syndicate!"


    Fear, anger, disappointment... All sorts of emotions began to churn within the mind of every crowd member.


    No one wanted to believe that their elected councilmen dared to be apart of the shadiest organization known to history, but it was hard to not believe Jack and his band of powerful figures. That only let their emotions fester more, leaving them undecided and questioning everything.


    "You can¡¯t prove anything!" Everyone¡¯s attention was recaptured by Bikkem, who stood against the steel bars, shouting, "How dare you so easily admit lies and tant rumors! You¡¯re no hero!"


    "Oh, do you want me to prove it?" Jack smiled back at Bikkem, startling the man into silence. "Very well... I¡¯ll prove it here and now...


    "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower¡¯s birth!"


    Covering up the picturesque morning sun, ck clouds started rolling in over the southern extents of Gilga. This terrified the crowd, especially after the recent event that left Federal City in ruin.


    "As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let my blood guide thy signs as they crossover!"


    More terror sunk in as Jack suddenly slit his forearm. As Jack started to paint a circle of his own blood, the clouds grew thicker andrger.


    "Skaryn, reveal thy intent and let the world behold thy servant¡¯s work!"


    "CRACK!"


    ck lightning started course over the clouds, giving everyone chills. The most terrified person, though, was Bikkem, who saw Jack look back at him with a devious smile and blood dripping onto the finished circle.


    "Thy deeds shan¡¯t remain hidden, and thy hands shan¡¯t go berserk!"


    As Jack finished the incantation, two bolts of lightning struck the steel cage. Both Bikkem and Quace tensed up as the crowd saw the lightning remain dancing over their bodies.


    But there was also a third bolt of lightning, that was what caught Jack¡¯s eye.


    That third bolt of ck lightning fell onto a man attempting to flee from the center of the tightly packed crowd. As the lightning hit him, he jumped and tried to flee at full speed. But he had already been discovered by Jack and the many men surrounding the hero.


    Tralon¡¯s hands were already on Kims¡¯s and Kaldor¡¯s backs. They all teleported directly in front of the fleeing man.


    The man was blinded and then met with a fist to his face. He was rocketed to the pavement below, indenting the road as Kaldor fell on top of him and Kims ced his sword at the man¡¯s neck. Tralon calmlynded and shook his head in disgust.


    In the chaos of the situation, no one had recognized who that third man was, but they were quick to remember the man¡¯s face now that he wasn¡¯t moving anymore.


    "Lord Halmon..." Jack stated the mystery man¡¯s name aloud, letting everyone realize that a third councilman had been inducted into that shadowy organization. "Lord Halmon, I¡¯m sure you weren¡¯t expecting to get caught like this, but you can only me yourself for following my little parade."


    "Jack!" Halmon snarled. "You dare to defy the council?! That¡¯s treason against the state! You--"


    "You have no right to make such a statement!" A new voice called out. The crowd parted in awe as Thyron Tindrell continued his usation, "Halmon, along with Bikkem and Quace, consider yourselves removed from office! You¡¯ll be taken into custody as criminals of the state and you have no right to deny your guilt!"


    "B-but... Thyron why--"


    "Silence!" Thyron walked up to the pinned councilman, holding a fireball directly in front of Halmon¡¯s face. "Should you dare utter another word of sphemy, I¡¯ll reduce you to cinders where you lie now!"


    The crowd began to cheer, d to know that their most trustest councilmen, the spokesman, wasn¡¯t a member of the Chaos Syndicate. It relieved some of their doubts and worries, also making them proud to see him standing up for the people of Trodar.


    Jack watched Thyron carefully. With Thyron trying to take some of the glory, Jack tried to figure up what exactly Thyron was after.

 Chapter 412 Thyrons Request, Denied!

    <h4>Chapter 412 Thyron¡°s Request, Denied!</h4>


    "Jack!" Thyron shouted and looked to the tform, "Please, allow me to take these three into custody. They¡¯ll be tried as criminals of treason and will face death, that I can assure you."


    "Of course!" replied Jack, "Feel free to take Halmon in, but these two will face trial ording to the guidelines of the Leisure Guild, which existed before the council was even formed. For their crimes against us, we¡¯ll personally hold their trial."


    "Please, Jack, allow me to handle this. The people of Trodar deserve ultimate justice for facing such a misgiving, and they deserve to know that these criminals suffered until death," reasoned Thyron, beginning to sway the crowd to his side.


    "True, but I can already tell you that we¡¯ve crippled both Bikkem and Quace. Their strength shouldn¡¯t even be lv. 10 now. And though they are guilty by thews of Trodar, they are also guilty by thews of the Leisure Guild. They¡¯ll be tried by us and they¡¯ll receive their just punishment," stated Jack, not backing at all.


    "Jack, I insist that--"


    "My mind has been set and it won¡¯t be changed!" Jack shouted. "The people of Trodar deserve justice, not corruption. And though you¡¯ve proven yourself innocent as the lightning didn¡¯t strike you, Thyron, what¡¯s there to say about the other councilmen? I¡¯ll be visiting the council soon to discuss the possibility of more traitors standing among the council. That¡¯s why I¡¯ll be joining the council this time, to help make sure it¡¯s running as we intended long ago! Isn¡¯t that what the people want?!"


    Finally siding with Jack, the people cheered for the man who revealed the truth behind the council and was still pushing for further investigation.


    Noticing that the crowd couldn¡¯t be swayed again, Thyron smiled and clicked his tongue. "I agree that such questioning should happen, but that--"


    "Then I, Jack, the guild master of the Leisure Guild, ask you, Thyron, the current spokesman of the Trodan Council, to join us for a Leisure-Council Conference in the town square!" Jack shouted, confusing the crowd and silencing Thyron. "Do you ept this summons?"


    Thyron exhaled and clicked his tongue again. "As the spokesman of the council, I have no right to infringe upon such a summons."


    "Then it¡¯s settled. We¡¯ll send you the written summons in the next few days," stated Jack. "I look forward to seeking justice for all of Trodar to see. Also... make sure every councilman is present. If they reject the summons, this time we¡¯ll hunt them down as guilty for the act of treason."


    "Jack, that¡¯s--"


    "Why else would they flee from the summons, Thyron?" Jack asked, making sure the crowd could hear them. "Unless they¡¯re trying to avoid being discovered as syndicate members, why else would they run. Tell me, Thyron."


    "I¡¯m not sure, Jack," answered Thyron. "But there are always a few that aren¡¯t able to--"


    "I¡¯ve already said my piece!" shouted Jack.


    Ignoring Thyron from that moment on, Jack turned and led his men back toward the main entrance of the Leisure Guild. Kaldor, Kims, and Tralon released Halmon after Kaldor and Kims beat him and Thyron took hold of the captive.


    Thyron could only watch as Jack led the members of the Leisure Guild, amazed by how strong the Leisure Guild had suddenly grown. It was far outside of any of his calctions.


    As they reentered the Leisure Guild, Jack bowed to all the men behind him. "Thank you for assisting me. I¡¯m d we managed to catch a third rat."


    "Think nothing of it, Jack. We¡¯re all a part of the guild, so it¡¯s only natural," Hurmot replied as he, Argyle, and Kaldor left to resume their usual duties.


    Vixus and Tralons also left, having plenty to do thanks to yet another influx of new members needing to be tried before entry into the guild. It was inevitable that the guild would face such aggressive growth, but it was overwhelming until they could train more managers to work alongside Dirk.


    Kims was the only one left with Jack. He looked at the cage, asking, "What do we do with these two?"


    "You can take Bikkem back to his cell. I¡¯ll escort Quace back to his."


    "How dare you, Jack! How dare you--"


    Bikkem tried to nder Jack still, infuriated to have been revealed and humiliated so terribly. But A swift punch to his jaw shattered Bikkem¡¯s ability to speak any more.


    Both captives were taken out of the cage and led toward the prison. Once there, Jack and Kims split up to direct each of the captives to their respective cell. Then, after Kims and Bikkem were out of earshot, Quace asked, "So... I get to live now, right?"


    "Of course, that was the deal." Jack smiled and unlocked the istion chamber in front of him. "He¡¯s waiting for you inside. Your cooperation will earn your freedom."


    "And... what about after I¡¯m free? Won¡¯t they just--"


    "We¡¯ll discreetly send you somewhere far away. That way you can¡¯t be tracked by the syndicate and you¡¯ll be able to at least live freely. You¡¯ll receive the death sentence, ording to our records, but that¡¯s only to keep you from being hunted. As for you not getting caught after that, legally change your name and live a normal life. The more ostentatious you act after this, the more likely you¡¯ll get caught," Jack stated, putting Quace at ease.


    Letting loose a sigh of relief, Quace finally smiled. "Thanks! I¡¯ll let you know everything!"


    "Good, because if you don¡¯t tell us everything you know or you lie, then you¡¯ll be tortured instead of freed," Jack replied nonchntly. "With the Mind God, we¡¯ll verify that you were honest and that you told us everything to the best of your knowledge. Don¡¯t forget that, okay?"


    "Right!" Unashamed of epting that double-crossing deal, Quace happily walked into the chamber and sat down across from Eedaj.


    Jack locked the door and sat beside Eedaj, beginning the questioning, "Now that we¡¯ve done what you asked, tell me, how was Thyron not affected by the ck lightning?"


    "That I don¡¯t know, but I can tell you that over half of the council are members of the syndicate," answered Quace. "I can even give you names."


    "That¡¯s good... Then what does the syndicate intend to do with Trodar?" asked Jack.


    Quace replied, "Easy, like every nation, they try to have a sway in how things run. The syndicate wants to control everything while remaining in the shadows. They¡¯re the reason all the councilmen want the Leisure Guild gone and are how most of us have business connections and more wealth than we can ount for."


    "How is Thyron connected to all of this?"


    "He¡¯s the one calling the shots inside of Trodar. He¡¯s also the one who introduced me to the syndicate and offered me a handsome sum for joining," answered Quace.


    "Yet he wasn¡¯t affected by the lightning..." Jack took a moment to think, ncing at Eedaj. When Eedaj nodded, Jack sighed. "Alright, then why is the syndicate so interested in the Leisure Guild?"


    "They wanted to control it at first, but with Tralon remaining as guild master for so long, that was incredibly difficult. We only managed to sneak in one spy and it¡¯s only for information," Quace stated. "So, because of Tralon¡¯s presence, they shifted the n to buying out the Leisure Guild and attempting to get ahold of the storehouse. That¡¯s why we were so eager to jump on the opportunity of you opening the storehouse."


    Nodding, Jack asked, "Okay... Why are you wanting to remain here and not with Thyron, your ally?"


    "Well... That¡¯s because I don¡¯t know what he¡¯ll do to me..." admitted Quace. "There¡¯s no telling what he would do. He could try to free me secretly, but I doubt that after my level was crippled... He¡¯ll just kill me to seal any loose ends."


    Eedaj nodded and Jack leaned onto the table with a smile. "Now, about those names..."

 Chapter 413 Traveling to Drulgen

    <h4>Chapter 413 Traveling to Drulgen</h4>


    It was almost noon when Jack exited the guild prison. He sighed and stretched, remembering the next thing on his to-do list.


    Jack walked calmly through the guild, waving to a few lucky members who were confident to greet Jack as he passed. That didn¡¯tst for long though as he eventually entered the restricted area and sought out his own courtyard. Once he was there, Jack was tackled to the ground by Lina.


    "Big Bro... Are you really leaving without me? Not again..."


    "I¡¯m sorry Lina, but I won¡¯t be gone for too long," Jack replied, rubbing Lina¡¯s head. "I¡¯m going to visit Uncle Rikko. Though he¡¯ll have me steal something, I¡¯ll be back sooner than you think thanks to teleportation."


    "But you promisedst time and we still haven¡¯t gone to Estonya..." pouted Lina, not giving up so easily.


    "Well, what can I do instead? I can take you there once I get back with Uncle Rikko."


    "Okay, but you better be back soon!"


    Elizaughed, along with Daliea and Maura. Seeing Jack go was a bit harder on Eliza after their recent decision to have a child, but it wasforting to know that Jack could always teleport back to them.


    Jack stood up and embraced each of his wives one-by-one. They remained silent, though, as the four of them had already spoken about the matter the night before. Each of Jack¡¯s wives was confident that Jack would be back sooner thanter, mostly because Rikko would most likely ask Jack to steal something and not fight an army.


    A knock was heard at the courtyard door but they invited themselves in. Both Argyle and Tralon walked up to Jack.


    "You¡¯d better not die while you¡¯re away. If you die, then I¡¯ll kill you for making my daughter a widow," Argyle verbally jabbed Jack, getting the hero to chuckle.


    "Are you ready?" asked Tralon.


    With a nod, Jack sighed and waved goodbye onest time while a spatial rift opened up. Jack walked through it with a proud smile on his face.


    Stepping into what seemed like a new world, Jack scanned his new environment with his eyes as the rift closed behind him.


    He stood in a strange forest filled with twisted trees of all heights. The ground beneath his feet wasn¡¯t level at all, varying from small patches of t ground and small rock formations jutting out of the ground between the trees. There was a slight incline, showing Jack that he was indeed within the small mountain range of Drulgen.


    It was the first time Jack had stepped foot there, but it was also one of the few times that Jack felt true nostalgia. The view of the forest matched the in-game perspective perfectly. It felt good to find a ce that hadn¡¯t changed much since his game-ying days.


    Letting out a long sigh of satisfaction, Jack pulled up his map tab and opened up the locations of the gods.


    Immediately, Jack found Rikko¡¯s hiding ce further inside the small mountain range. But something else startled Jack, halting his footsteps. There was a second god within the mountain range, and he was even closer to Jack. Only, that was a terrifying thing to discover as that god was neither a neutral god nor a rebel god.


    "Pestro..." Jack mumbled quietly to himself, recharting his path to best avoid the Demon God of the chaotic gods.


    Jack then equipped the low-level bracer. With it, he became invisible and started creeping through the forest.


    Further in the mountain range, one of the goblin settlements was currently on high alert. Though more than a hundred goblins resided in that vige, they all hid and kept their distance from an unknown visitor.


    The visitor¡¯s ugly features were startling but the sense of power given off by the creature¡¯s massive two and a half meter build was enough to frighten the goblin residents. That visitor sniffed about with his pig-like nose, taking his time and checking every corner of the settlement. Whenever he stopped sniffing, he would frown and groan while moving on to another part of the vige.


    Some younger goblins tried to make a ruckus andin to their parent for cutting into their ytime, but they were quickly gagged or silenced. No one wanted to offend that hulking stranger wandering through the vige.


    Finally, the visitor took one final sniff in thest part of the vige. His frown was deeper than ever and his fists were clenched tightly. Doing his best to keep fromshing out in anger, the stranger suddenly snarled and shouted, "Rikko! I know you can hear me! Come out your coward!"


    Pestro remained standing there, still breathing heavily. As no response came, He snarled again and retrieved his halberd. In a single swing, Pestro carved a crevice straight through the center of the goblin settlement. The attack didn¡¯t hit a single home but it confirmed the goblins¡¯ fears about the stranger.


    "I saide out! Come on, are you scared?!" yelled Pestro. "I¡¯m not here to fight! I just want to ask you something! Nowe out!"


    Still, no response came and Pestro¡¯s patience was wearing thinner and thinner.


    But the Demon God sniffed again, suddenly catching a new scent. He looked to the outskirts of the vige, spotting a goblin with dark blue skin, something that didn¡¯t match the other goblins of that settlement. Also, that goblin had three eye-catching earrings, two golden hoops in his left ear and a silvery corkscrew that ran through the bottom half of the goblin¡¯s right ear. Apart from a storage ring, the blue goblin only wore a white, silk loincloth with golden embellishments and finely made ck, leather shoes.


    Finally, a slight smile appeared on Pestro¡¯s face. The tall god sauntered over toward the blue-skinned goblin. "Finally, I¡¯ve been trying to find you for a while now."


    The blue-skinned goblin kept an emotionless face and turned around. He waved his hand, wanting Pestro to follow him.


    As the two of them left themon goblins of the vige speechless, neither of the two gods said a word until they could no longer be seen or heard by wandering ears. Now that they werepletely alone, Pestro asked, "Can we talk now? I¡¯m on a tight schedule."


    "What you want?" Rikko asked in a high-pitched voice, still not facing Pestro.


    "I¡¯m investigating something for my faction and want your permission to do so," stated the Demon God.


    "Hmm? You ask permission?" Rikko broke intoughter. "You funny Pestro! You always funny! Ugly too!"


    Pestro sighed and snarled, "This involves a few gods so I¡¯d rather not get you involved. I just want you to know that I¡¯ll be here. It¡¯s best to have your permission but I¡¯ll do stay whether you like it or not."


    "That was fifth vige. What else you need?" asked Rikko, teasing with his high-pitched voice and peeking back at Pestro over his shoulder.


    "That¡¯s none of your business!" replied Pestro. "Now that you know I¡¯ll be here for a while, I should get going. I still have a ways to go."


    "Pay Rikko."


    Pestro eyed Rikko, who was eagerly holding his hand out toward the hulking Demon God.


    "Pay Rikko. Or face consequences," Rikko stated, not intimidated at all by Pestro¡¯s size or the halberd in his Pestro¡¯s hand.


    "Fat chance! What are you going to do? Fight me?" Pestroughed.


    "Okay... But no be madter..." Snickering, Rikko turned back around and starting skipping away.


    "Hmph!" Pestro grunted and started walking toward the next settlement. He paid no mind to Rikko, confident that his own strength far out rivaled the tiny Goblin God. Just the thought of Rikko trying to attack him made Pestrough heartily as the Demon God thought it impossible.

 Chapter 414 Rikkos Outlandish Request...

    <h4>Chapter 414 Rikko¡°s Oundish Request...</h4>


    Soon after the two gods went their separate ways, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. He kept his map tab open like a mini-map, which let him discover that the two gods had made contact and even traveled together briefly.


    During their exchange, Jack had paused his trek toward Rikko. Even with Rikko there to possibly protect Jack, the hero didn¡¯t want Pestro to know that he was alone in Drulgen.


    So, when the two gods finally separated, Jack changed his course to evade Pestro at all costs. It took the rest of the morning, all of the afternoon, and most of the evening to go the long way around Pestro, but Jack was finally nearing Rikko. That¡¯s when Jack noticed something strange happen with Rikko on the mini-map.


    Suddenly, Rikko disappeared. It took Jack a moment to find Rikko elsewhere, now running toward the nearby Jack.


    Catching Jack off guard, the moment Jack looked away from his mini-map he saw a dark blue goblin leaning against a tree a few meters away. The blue-skinned goblin was staring back at Jack as if trying to size him up.


    "What you want?"


    That high-pitch voice shocked Jack as he looked back and forth from the map tab and the goblin in front of him. With the goblin¡¯s identity confirmed, Jack smiled and bowed. "Uncle Rikko, I finally found you."


    "Uncle?" Rikko tilted his head and casually scratched the inside of his long nose. "Who you?"


    "I¡¯m Jack, Sterfen¡¯s son and the neutral champion," replied Jack. "Also, I was once a big supplier of yours. Do you remember the ancient hero Jack J., the Legend of Trodar?"


    "Oh! You Legend?!" Again, Rikko suddenly moved from the tree with incredible speed, suddenly appearing before Jack and taking Jack by the hand. "Rikko remember! You give Rikko lots!"


    Yanking his hand away from Rikko, Jack chuckled along with the Goblin God, "It¡¯s nice to finally meet you."


    As Jack pulled his hand away, Rikko smiled wide, "Why no shake? Come, Nephew Legend!"


    Rikko firmly embraced Jack, rubbing and patting the taller hero on the back. Jack tried to pull away, but he was no match for the god¡¯s surprising strength.


    "Oh! Rikko like this!" Rikko backed away, ying with a new cloak that he was now wearing.


    Spotting the cloak and instantly recognizing it, Jack looked down aghast. Jack retrieved a simple shirt and pair of shorts, covering up his naked body. "Uncle Rikko, is that any way to greet your nephew?!"


    "Thanks, Nephew Legend!"ughed Rikko. "This good for me. Rikko use all time."


    "But I need it!" stated Jack, not conceding at all.


    "But had to confirm..." Rikko chuckled, throwing the cloak back to Jack after getting a chance to see through Jack¡¯s stats and title. "So... you really nephew... How Sterfen?"


    Taking back the cloak, Jack happily put it back on and rposed himself. "He¡¯s doing great. Soon, my mom will be free from her contract."


    "Really?! How?!" Rikko rushed Jack again, but this he only invaded Jack¡¯s personal space.


    "That¡¯s a long story. I¡¯ll tell you all about it once we get back to Trodar," stated Jack.


    "Trodar? Why Trodar?"


    "That¡¯s where my guild is. Also, that¡¯s where the neutral gods are starting to gather again. Eedaj is already moved in and Sterfen will be soon with Lunara," replied Jack. "Daruun said that you would be the next one to join us, so that¡¯s why I¡¯m here."


    "Oh... Papa sent you?" Rikko backed away, again scratching the inside of his nose while in deep thought. "What he say?"


    "That you would be the next god to join me in Trodar."


    "But what Papa say? How Rikko go there?"


    Jack replied, trying to match Rikko¡¯s casual tone, "Gramps said that after Eedaj moved into Trodar, that you¡¯d be the next one."


    "But what Papa say? How Rikko go there?" Rikko repeated himself. "How you help Rikko, Nephew Legend?"


    "Oh..." Jack sighed, catching onto what Rikko was implying. "Well... Gramps did mention that you might want me to steal something for you, like in the good old days. But you wouldn¡¯t ask your nephew to--"


    "Goodie!" Jumping for joy, Rikko did a backflip out of excitement. "Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko!"


    "Calm down, Uncle Rikko," Jack put his hands up innocently, trying not to make a big deal of the scenario. "I can help you, but it¡¯s got to be fast. The sooner we can get back the better."


    "Hmm.... Rikko need think..." With passion, Rikko began to forcefully itch the inside of his nose, making sure equally distribute his scratching between both nostrils. "Hmm... How Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko..."


    "Whatever it is, just say the word. So long as you¡¯re willing to relocate to Trodar, then I¡¯ll do anything," added Jack.


    The Goblin God suddenly turned to Jack, staring intently at the hero while his finger remained firmly lodged in the goblin¡¯s nose. "Anything?"


    "Well, maybe not--"


    "Nephew Legend no take back words! Said anything! Now you help Uncle Rikko!" Ecstatic to hold Jack to his word, Rikko removed his finger and waved his arms in excitement. After a few seconds, Rikko wiggled his nose-picking finger at Jack. "Come close, Nephew Legend. Uncle Rikko tell what you do..."


    Unsure if he was ready for Rikko to ask for something oundish, Jack sighed and stepped closer to the goblin. He leaned over, letting Rikko whisper into his ear.


    But the moment Jack understood what Rikko was after, he jolted back,ining, "No way! That¡¯s impossible!"


    "But Nephew is Legend! Nephew Legend do anything!" Hyping Jack up, Rikko suddenly moved and appeared on Jack¡¯s back, as if Jack were giving the Goblin God a piggyback ride. "Uncle Rikko help Nephew Legend steal!"


    "But that¡¯s--"


    "If Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko, Uncle Rikko brings all goblins!" added the Goblin God, staying Jack¡¯s tongue. "All goblinse with Rikko and Rikko helps Nephew Legend. So... Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko or no?"


    Defying every fiber of his own sanity, Jack nced up at Rikko on Jack¡¯s back. "You¡¯ll help me steal it? In that case, what would I need to do?"


    Grabbing both of Jack¡¯s cheeks, Rikko pulled his head into Jack¡¯s, letting the goblin¡¯s gnarly breath fall onto Jack¡¯s face. "Nephew Legend help?"


    Jack squinted in disgust and nodded. "Yes... I¡¯ll help you steal it..."


    "Goodie, goodie! Go, Nephew Legend! That way!"


    Rikko steered Jack around, riding on his back while exining more of the uing situation in his own broken speech.


    The sun was now set as the night sky nketed over the small mountain range. Another settlement of goblins was currently being inspected by Pestro and his pig-like snout. It was the seventh goblin settlement that he had visited and Pestro was furious. Without any leads on the scent from Choron¡¯s barracks, how could he not be frustrated?


    As he exited the seventh vige and began his trek for the following settlement, Pestro¡¯s sensitive nose caught a whiff of something new. It didn¡¯t match the scent from Choron¡¯s barracks but he did instantly pinpoint the species of the creature.


    "Human?" Pestro mumbled to himself as he took another sniff. "Human male? What¡¯s a human doing in here?"


    Following his snout, Pestro wandered away from the next settlement and deeper into the crooked woods. Eventually, Pestro stopped. He cocked his head to the side and red at the human man not even five meters away from him.


    The man remained calm and kept a confident smile on his face, unfazed by Pestro¡¯s brutish figure.


    "Wow, Pestro, have you grown more boils since thest time I saw you?" asked the man,ughing at his own joke.


    Snarling, Pestro started to breathe heavily. "Who are you? And how do you know me?"


    The man stoppedughing but kept his smile. He untingly waved his arms into a deep bow. "The name¡¯s Jack, but your ugliness would better know me as the Legend of Trodar, or as the neutral champion."

 Chapter 415 The Guilds Traitor Silencing Loose Ends

    <h4>Chapter 415 The Guild¡°s Traitor Silencing Loose Ends</h4>


    After Jack departed through the spatial rift, everyone gathered in his courtyard went their separate ways, each handling their own duties or hobbies.


    Tralon and Argyle briefly discussed the council and the election process. Since Argyle was about to join the election and hopefully enter the council, he was curious about some of the finer details of the process. But that conversation ended quickly as the two parted ways after exiting the restricted area.


    Tralon continued toward his new office to handle a few things. On the way, Tralon spotted Ilgor, who appeared to be startled for some reason. "Ilgor, is something the matter?"


    "U-Um, no sir!" Ilgor stammered. "I-I¡¯m sorry. I was just caught up in thought is all."


    "No need to worry. With so many things happening all at once, I can understand why you, as a deputy manager would be overwhelmed," Tralon replied with a soft smile.


    "R-right. Then I¡¯ll be off." Ilgor bowed respectfully to Tralon and made his way through the halls of the main building, leaving Tralon in an unexpected hurry.


    Tralon thought it was odd for Ilgor to move so quickly, but it was of little consequence to the busy vice guild master.


    Exiting the main building, Ilgor swallowed some saliva and forced himself to act as he always had. Removing the haste from his step, Ilgor continued further into the guild property. Eventually, Ilgor managed to find the guild prison.


    "Guards, Vice Guild Master Tralon has urgent news for you! You must hurry right away!"


    "Really?" The two men guarding the entrance of the prison looked to each other, one of them asking, "But what about--"


    "While you¡¯re away, I¡¯ll remain at your post. Don¡¯t worry," stated Ilgor, relieving the guards of their duties. "Tell those inside, as well. You all must hurry, double time!"


    "Yes sir!"


    Both guards hurried inside and quickly reemerged with four more guards. All six men rushed off toward the far off main building of the guild.


    Once the guards were out of sight, Ilgor stepped into the guild prison. Inside, Ilgor let loose a sigh and groaned, "Finally!" Next, the deputy manager found the guard¡¯s quarters. There he found a map of the prison and a list of the inmates and their cells. Ilgor took two keys off the wall and entered further into the dungeon while casually twirling a dagger between his fingers and whistling a catchy tune.


    After a few left turns and a couple of rights, Ilgor¡¯s footsteps halted. As his whistle ended with a long single note, Ilgor chuckled while peering into one of the dark cells. "Bikkem, is that really you? My, how pathetic have you be?"


    "Shut up, Ilgor!" Bikkem barked. "Hurry up and get these chains off me!"


    "But I do enjoy this sight... To see the high and mighty Bikkem, a lv. 68 syndicate chief that always berated and ridiculed me, a lowly deputy at lv. 35, chained and beaten..." Ilgor sighed, cing the back of his palm against his forehead in a dramatic fashion. "It¡¯s such a beautiful sight that I¡¯m tempted to leave you like this forever."


    "That¡¯s enough! I¡¯m still a syndicate chief so you have to obey my orders. Now free me already!" barked Bikkem.


    "Fiiine... I guess I have no choice," replied Ilgor while twirling the cell¡¯s key in his finger.


    The cell was unlocked and Ilgor took his time approaching Bikkem and unlocking his shackles. And the moment those shackles hit the floor, Bikkem darted away, or at least he tried to.


    Laughing, Ilgor smiled wide, "So... you realized my true assignment? No matter..."


    With bones still healing from all of his beatings, Bikkem struggled to get far at his slow speed. He was too slow. Abruptly, Bikkem stopped and gasped for air.


    "Did you really think it would be that easy?" Ilgor mocked Bikkem as the broken man fell to the floor, a dagger jutting out of his back. "You were too arrogant in my eyes, nothing like Thyron who kept everything purely professional. A true disgrace to your position."


    "You..." Bikkem groaned as Ilgor walked up to the fallen man.


    Stillughing, Ilgor removed the dagger and again thrust it into Bikkem. The de prated Bikkem¡¯s lung, narrowly avoiding his weakening heart.


    "I was told to silence you, surprisingly. And to think that you dared to imagine yourself as a regent someday... but look at you now, quivering during your final breaths."


    "Please... Don¡¯t--"


    A third thrust cut into Bikkem¡¯s heart and was twisted around, shredding the beating organ to shreds.


    With Bikkem¡¯s life imed, Ilgor stood back up and flicked the blood on his dagger back onto Bikkem¡¯s corpse. He turned and walked away, not nning to hide anything. Ilgor understood that his time inside the Leisure Guild was done, as he would run away after silencing thest remaining loose end to the syndicate¡¯s n.


    Twirling his knife and whistling, Ilgor hurried to the other side of the prison. Soon, he stood outside of an istion chamber and peeked inside. "Quace? Are you in there?"


    There was no reply, but Ilgor saw a figure scrambling in the darkness. Ilgor snickered as Quace tried to cower in the back corner of the cell.


    Sighing, Ilgor unlocked the istion chamber and stepped inside. As the light from the hallway entered behind him, Ilgor got a better view of Quace tucked away in the corner. He chuckled, "Does this mean that you understand why I¡¯m here?"


    Trembling, Quace nodded. "B-but... But how did you--"


    "Shhh... There¡¯s no need to speak, Quace," stated Ilgor. "We all know that you¡¯re the most cowardly chief in the syndicate. You only got that position because of your level. And since you¡¯re the most recent to join, you don¡¯t have any merits to back up your position... You even failed in the storehouse, so now¡¯s it¡¯s time to face the facts."


    "P-please... You don¡¯t have to--"


    "Oh, but I must," interjected Ilgor. "You¡¯re barely lv. 9 now, so you can only cower as I take your pathetic life. There¡¯s no need to say anything."


    "But--"


    Cut off by Ilgor¡¯s dagger, Quace shook as he saw the dagger plunged into his throat. Then, he stopped shaking. Also, Quace stopped breathing. His motionless, lifeless husk was only standing because the dagger was also pierced into the stone walls of the cell.


    Clicking his tongue, Ilgor sighed, "I guess this is the end for the Leisure Guild."


    "And why is that?"


    Ilgor spun around,pletely caught off guard by the man now standing in the doorway.


    That man was short and his pointy ears weren¡¯t very intimidating. But the look in the man¡¯s piercing eyes made Ilgor feel smaller than a mouse. The man then stepped inside as Ilgor mored backward, clumsily falling on his rear. Finally, that man closed the cell door and repeated himself, "Why is that?"


    "E-Eedaj... W-what are you doing here?!"


    "Ah, that sounds more like the Ilgor that I know. I wonder which is your true character: the treacherous backstabbing spy or the cowardly man who struggles to finish his sentences?" Eedaj blinked, not showing neither surprise nor anger.


    "Y-You can¡¯t just--"


    "Oh, I can definitely do whatever I wish to you. Jack gave me full freedom to pick apart your mind, one strand of thought at a time," stated Eedaj.


    Ilgor was shaking more and more with each slow step Eedaj took toward him. He backed into a corner inplete desperation. That¡¯s when he realized something. The dagger that had plunged into Quace¡¯s body was still stabbed into the wall but Quallce¡¯s body was nowhere to be found.


    "Oh, did you finally realize the truth of the situation?"


    Hearing that, Ilgor shook uncontrobly. He realized that he had been set up and trapped. He wasn¡¯t sure how, but Ilgor knew that he had drastically failed his final assignment in the Leisure Guild and greatly underestimated his ability to escape alive.

 Chapter 416 Jack Vs Pestro

    <h4>Chapter 416 Jack Vs Pestro</h4>


    "The name¡¯s Jack, but his ugliness would better know me as the Legend of Trodar, or as the neutral champion."


    Pestro squinted and snarled, "Neutral champion... They got the Legend of Trodar as their champion?! How?! There¡¯s no way!"


    "Say whatever you want but that doesn¡¯t change my identity as the Legend of Trodar or your identity as the most unattractive god at the butt of everyone¡¯s jokes," Jackughed, riling up Pestro. "What¡¯s so hard to believe?"


    Still snarling, Pestro tried to keep calm enough to not kill Jack where he stood. "How are you here now?"


    "Simple, I was summoned to this time. If a mortal can summon an ancient hero, why can¡¯t Daruun? It would only make sense, right?" reasoned Jack.


    "Why are you here in Drulgen?" questioned Pestro.


    "Nunya..."


    Confused, Pestro asked, "¡¯Nunya¡¯ what?"


    "None-ya business!" joked Jack. "Why should I tell you about the business of the neutral faction? Give me one good reason."


    Popped his knuckles, Pestro¡¯s clenched fists grew tighter and tighter. "Reply or die!"


    "Ohhh, dear! What are you going to do to me? Scare me to death with your ugly mug? Or torture me with your rank breath?" Jack fake cried, mocking Pestro every chance he could.


    "You..."


    "Come on, Pestro. Do you really think I¡¯m scared of you? The scariest part about you is your face, so I¡¯ll be fine so long as I don¡¯t have to see it every day," stated Jack. "Wow... I just realized how horrible your life must be, being terrified of your own reflection... I wouldn¡¯t be able to handle that."


    The god¡¯s snarls grew more violent. A long, ck halberd appeared in Pestro¡¯s hand, emitting a demonic aura. "Give me a reason not to kill you right now..."


    "Hmm... Because killing me for being handsome will only hurt your self-esteem even more?" Jack joked, shrugging at the furious god. "But are you sure you can kill me? Unlike your champion, I already have experience fighting gods. I¡¯ve even tussled with you long ago in the past. Don¡¯t you remember that?"


    Pestro¡¯s snarls were more like growls as the Demon God ground his teeth together.


    Jack continued, "It would be too embarrassing for you after you fail to kill me, especially in such favorable circumstances as you¡¯re in... Are you sure you want to be that embarrassed?"


    "SHUT UP!"


    Lunging forward with the swing of his halberd, Pestro attacked in rage! Despite his size, the Demon God was quick on his feet and fast to strike. The ck demonic energy gushed out of the halberd and arched downward toward Jack.


    But before the halberd or that deadly energy could reach Jack, the hero disappeared in a small sh of white light.


    "Not even close..."


    Grunting through his teeth, Pestro turned around to find Jack leaning against a tree ten meters away. The god¡¯s fury and rage only grew as Jack proved trickier to kill than expected.


    "Coward!" yelled the god.


    "So? You¡¯re a god, why should I fight by your rules?" Jack chuckled.


    While eyeing Jack, Pestro reevaluated Jack. That¡¯s when he noticed something that earlier was hidden behind his rage.


    "What spell is this?"


    "Not telling..." Wagging his finger side to side, Jack made himselffortable while leaning against the tree.


    Pestro didn¡¯t ask again. Instead, the Demon God recognized the spell as a space type spell. He felt his body moving slightly slower, but only slightly. His brute force was more than enough to plow through Jack¡¯s weak spell.


    "Is that the best you¡¯ve got? If you¡¯re the Legend of Trodar, then prove it to me!"


    Charging with a clearer mind, Pestro swung his halberd one hundred and eighty degrees horizontally. The wave of demonic energy carved through all the crooked trees within one hundred meters of Pestro¡¯s attack.


    But, again, Jack vanished in a tiny burst of light,pletely evading the attack.


    "You¡¯ll have to try harder than that!"


    Pestro turned around again, only to find Jack loungingfortably in the high branches of a twisted tree. Clenching his halberd even tighter, Pestro started to emit more and more demonic energy. He didn¡¯t be demonized, as he would feel embarrassed to need that to beat a mortal, but the energy around the halberd was getting darker and visibly denser with every insult that Pestro felt.


    "RRRAAAAAAHHH!!"


    Abruptly, the Demon God yelled from the deepest depths of his lungs. His shout echoed through the mountain range, creating enough force to blow back all trees within two hundred meters of him, as well as Jack.


    "Now you¡¯re mine!" Pestro charged at Jack while the hero was being blown back.


    The look on Jack¡¯s face wasn¡¯t painful, albeit that his internal organs had been rattled violently by Pestro¡¯s shout. However, the hero kept ying the part, refusing to show his true strength which was even lower than Pestro had "underestimated".


    "That the best you can do?" Jack mocked the raging god as he again teleported away. "I guess your looks really are your most deadly weapon..."


    Pestro heard Jack¡¯sst remark, tipping his fury further over the edge. The Demon God quickly spotted Jack four hundred meters away, knowing full well that Jack wasn¡¯t trying to hide with his loud, snarkyments.


    "You dare?!" roared Pestro. "I y you here and now and wear your hide as my trophy!"


    "Oh, so now you¡¯re hunting me for my handsomeness? I guess you¡¯ve finally epted how truly hideous you are."


    Not wanting to give Jack more fuel for insults, Pestro barreled toward Jack with an upward swing. Such an attack wouldn¡¯t make sense to most people, as their weapon would be dragged through the ground. But that didn¡¯t matter to Pestro. The Demon God effortlessly sliced through the ground below as he readied his upward sh at Jack, also charging through each tree that dared stand in his path.


    "Is that all you can do? How can you hit me like that, let alone touch me?"


    Simr to before, the devastating attack carved through the earth to create a deep crevice five hundred meters long. But Jack was nowhere to be found near the crevice.


    "I¡¯m over here," stated Jack, tapping Pestro on the back.


    And as expected, Pestro furiously reached back to grab Jack only to grasp at the fading light left behind by Jack¡¯s teleportation. "COWARD!!"


    "Tell me, Pestro, why should I fight you? What do I have to gain at this moment? Nothing, as far as I see it," Jack reasoned, standing fifty meters away and looking back at Pestro with a wry smile. "At the moment, killing you would be too difficult on my own and I have my own agenda right now. I don¡¯t have time for a dragged out battle to slowly chip away at your life."


    "Shut up! You dared belittle me, now face the consequences!"


    Not backing down in the slightest, Pestro readied his halberd for another strike, still not taking Jack seriously. How could the berserk Demon God take an enemy seriously that only ran away from each encounter?


    Darting forward at full speed, Pestro streaked through the air faster than ever.


    Jack didn¡¯t show it but he was startled to see Pestro¡¯s chunky frame move so quickly, even though it made sense for a god that specialized in physicalbat.


    Not taking any chances, Jack immediately cast Lesser Teleportation, narrowly avoiding another fatal blow.


    "Fight, coward! Fight or die!" Pestro¡¯s shouting was growing louder and louder, echoing till the nearby goblin settlements could hear him.


    "Well, as much as I¡¯d hat to admit it, I think you¡¯ve got bigger problems now," Jack startedughing, only ncing at Pestro from the corner of his eye.


    "What?! All I need is to kill--"


    "Oh... Rikko no like smell... How Pestro wear this?"

 Chapter 417 Rikkos Dastardly Plan

    <h4>Chapter 417 Rikko¡°s Dastardly n</h4>


    "Oh... Rikko no like smell... How Pestro wear this?"


    That high-pitched voice casually came from behind Pestro, startling the Demon God. Pestro jolted around to face Rikko, asking, "What are you doing... "


    Unable to finish his question, Pestro¡¯s rage and anger rose to new levels. He choked on his anger, struggling to breathe properly and speak. The sight of Rikko pinching his nose shut while holding Pestro¡¯s loincloth in the air was too much for the already irritated Demon God.


    "GIVE THAT BACK!!"


    "Rikko warned Pestro," the Goblin God replied with a nasal voice as his nose was pinched. "Pestro no be mad when face consequences..."


    "Rikko, return them now or die!"


    "Oh? You want fight? Pestro not confident naked?"


    "RIKKO!!!"


    Jack suddenly teleported behind Rikko and burst intoughter. He didn¡¯t have the confidence to stare at the hideous, bare god before him but knowing the situation was enough for Jack tough till his lungs gave out.


    "Silence! I won¡¯t stand for this!"


    "Uh, uh, uuuh... Pestro face consequences, now Rikko took loincloth," replied Rikko, still plugging his nose while smiling back at Pestro¡¯s nakedness. "But loincloth smell, so Rikko burn."


    "No! Give it back, NOW!"


    "Then Pestro leave?" Rikko asked, raising one eyebrow. "Rikko and Pestro shake on it?"


    Completely humiliated, Pestro snarled and ground his teeth. His re bounced back and forth between Rikko and Jack, catching on that this was a plot all along. That only fueled his raging fire but Pestro understood that Jack couldn¡¯t be killed so easily, especially now that Rikko got involved.


    "So? Rikko and Pestro shake, or Rikko burn loincloth? Pestro want return naked?" Rikko questioned, hurling more verbal wood onto the fire of Pestro¡¯s fury.


    Taking deep breaths, Pestro grunted and started to slowly walk forward.


    "No halberd or no shake!" demanded Rikko, threatening to tear the loincloth.


    Snorting angrily, Pestro stored his halberd. Though his weapon was now gone, Pestro¡¯s gaze was sharper than ever, trying to slice through theical expression on Rikko¡¯s face. "Now, give it back..."


    "Shake first!" Shooting his hand up for the massive god to grab, Rikko smiled while holding the loincloth behind him.


    Pesto clenched his fists and popped his knuckles before he grasped Rikko¡¯s hand firmly, trying to squeeze it till the hand broke. But the goblin¡¯s grip strength was startling, nearly matching Pestro¡¯s. It was something that only made Pestro angrier as he tried harder and harder to squeeze the life out of Rikko¡¯s hand, which was quiterge for a goblin.


    This continued for a few seconds as the two gods stared each other down. One was attempting to burn holes into the other with his hot re while, at the same time, the other softly stared back with a toothy grin.


    "Since Pestro shake, Pestro get loincloth." Rikko happily held the loincloth in front of him as Pestro snatched it and finally let go of Rikko¡¯s hand. "Remember, now Pestro leave and no return. Bye-bye!"


    "See ya! Wouldn¡¯t wanna be ya!" Jack joked and waved at Pestro while carefully standing behind the shorter Goblin God.


    Not saying anything else, Pestro eyed the two of them as a loud shriek filled the air.


    A giant, winged fiend with a cor descended from the clouds above. It thennded behind Pestro, waiting for therge god to mount it.


    Pestro kept quiet as he climbed onto the fiend¡¯s back and sat himself on thefortable seat jutting from the fiend¡¯s back, yet his heavy re at Jack and Rikko didn¡¯t seemfortable at all. And once he was seated, the fiend took off and returned to the world above the clouds.


    "Ha! Ha! Rikko score big!" Dancing and jumping around, Rikko celebrated.


    "What do you mean, Uncle Rikko?" Confused, Jack looked to the ecstatic Goblin God and asked, "Why¡¯d you give him back the loincloth?"


    "Rikko no want loincloth, Rikko want something else..." Rikko tilted his head from side to side as he answered.


    Squinting, Jack then asked, "But you asked for my help to steal the loincloth... What were you really after?"


    "Nephew Legend, Rikko make best steal in long time! Thank you for help, Nephew Legend," Throwing his arm over Jack, Rikko pulled the hero in his giddy jig. "Uncle Rikko and Nephew Legend celebrate now!"


    "But what else did you steal? I didn¡¯t see you take anything, and Pestro didn¡¯t have anything else on him..."


    "Nephew Legend no see clear. Pestro have lots stuff Rikko want. Pestro have storage, Rikko want what in storage," chuckled the Goblin God.


    Going wide-eyed, Jack froze and looked back to Rikko in befuddlement. "Uncle Rikko... you can steal from people¡¯s personal storages? But wouldn¡¯t a god have a secure storage?"


    "No matter to Rikko!" The goblin continued dancing as he answered proudly, "Rikko take what Rikko want. Secure storage no stop Rikko. Nothing stop Rikko!"


    "Then... what did you steal from Pestro?"


    Finally, Rikko stopped dancing but his smile got wider. Rikko wagged his finger at Jack, motioning for the hero toe closer. When Jack eagerly lent Rikko an ear, the Goblin God whispered the name of his new trophy.


    "WHAT?!" Jack jolted his head back and grabbed it tightly with both hands. "No way! Show me, I don¡¯t believe you!"


    "Then Uncle Rikko show Nephew Legend, but Nephew Legend never doubt Uncle Rikko again."


    "Never again! I¡¯ll never doubt you again, Uncle Rikko! Now show me!" If what Rikko said was true, there would never be another reason to doubt Rikko¡¯s tactical abilities.


    With a proud grin, Rikko thrust an open hand into the air. Then, Rikko summoned his newest item, giving Jack a sense of awe.


    The item was longer than Rikko was tall and quite ornate, even though it was mostly ck and hid most of the intricate details. As Rikko twirled the halberd around, Jack was in awe. Never had Jack imagined that he could steal a god¡¯s personal weapon so simply. It gave Jack hope to retrieve Naparn¡¯s sword in the future.


    "So, what Nephew Legend think?"


    At a loss for words, Jack replied, "It¡¯s... it¡¯s unbelievable... I can¡¯t believe you stole that... How did you do it?"


    "Personal skill!" shouted Rikko, struggling to bnce the halberd while twirling it at high speed. "Rikko need Nephew Legend to make Pestro angry. That make Pestro careless. Rikko also need Pestro store halberd while Rikko watching. Then, Rikko find item inside storage. Rikko need two or three seconds for steal halberd, that why Rikko shake so long."


    Hearing Rikko¡¯s exnation, Jack understood why Dragas had earlier mentioned her caution around Rikko. Should someone underestimate Rikko, they¡¯ll greatly regret itter.


    Jack could only imagine how livid Pestro would be once he learns about his lost halberd.


    "Rikko best!" The Goblin God continued his dancing, giddily bouncing around with iling limbs.


    "Uncle Rikko, how did you pinpoint the halberd of all the items in the storage?" asked Jack.


    "Easy! Pestro use energy with halberd and Rikko find leftover energy in storage," exined Rikko. "More energy make easier find and faster steal. That why Uncle Rikko need Nephew Legend make Pestro angry and wild. Make easy steal for Uncle Rikko."


    "But... what about when Pestro realizes you stole it?"


    "Rikko no stay here, so no matter!" Rikkoughed, not batting an eye. "Rikko go Trodar with all goblins. Then, Uncle Rikko and Nephew Legend have more fun!"


    Both Rikko and Jack broke out inughter. Rikko was d to have a worthy aplice to some of his future thefts and excited to pull off such a great heist against Pestro. Jack was over the moon to have another god join his side. Also, the fact that Rikko stole Pestro¡¯s halberd and could possibly help Jack steal Naparn¡¯s sword in the future excited Jack like no other.


    They danced toward the nearest goblin settlement, preparing to announce Rikko¡¯s public return to the goblins and to inform them of their immediate migration.

 Chapter 418 The Syndicates Response

    <h4>Chapter 418 The Syndicate¡°s Response</h4>


    Flying over the clouds, Pestro shouted with all his might. He was trying to relieve himself of all the pent up aggression that Jack and Rikko had cause him. Not only did he fail to find a lead on Choron, Pestro had been humiliated on a personal level.


    "Pestro, where are you now?"


    A voice sounded in Pestro¡¯s head, causing Pestro to grunt onest time before taking out his contact crystal and replying, "Tralbok... I¡¯m leaving Drulgen... There was nothing there that traced back to Choron."


    "Good. Make your way to Trodar immediately."


    "Trodar?! But they¡¯ve already started gathering gods there!" argued Pestro, confused.


    Tralbok replied, "That¡¯s exactly why you¡¯re going. Our ns have beenpromised and we can either pull out of Trodar or attack now. We chose to attack now since we still have people within Gilga at the moment. You¡¯ll attack with the syndicate forces from the outside while our nts and hidden reinforcements attack from the inside."


    "What about Eedaj and Sterfen?"


    "Don¡¯t worry about Sterfen," stated Tralbok. "Knowing him, he¡¯s not even in Trodar. He¡¯ll be busy tending to his wife as always. As for Eedaj... That will be up to you to handle. I don¡¯t have to kill him but you must keep Eedaj from stopping the syndicate. Is that clear?"


    "Yeah... I guess that makes sense. It¡¯s now or never isn¡¯t it?"


    "Correct, Pestro. It¡¯s either we attack now while we can to cripple the neutral faction¡¯s growth or it bes toote. And should they grow to match us and the holy gods, then we¡¯ll be the first to fall due to our situation," exined Tralbok. "We must stop them from growing."


    "Then why not send more gods?"


    "Because if we do that, we¡¯ll leave ourselves vulnerable to the holy gods," Tralbok reasoned. "Are you saying that Eedaj is too much for you to handle?"


    "Of course not!" Still infuriated from his encounter from Jack and Rikko, Pestro shouted, "Even if you told me to kill that elf I wouldn¡¯t worry. I was just curious, that¡¯s all."


    "Good, then hurry to Trodar at top speed, and don¡¯t worry if others see you. You¡¯ll be making a public appearance anyway so why let that slow you down?" stated Tralbok.


    "Then I¡¯ll be there before tomorrow morning!"


    "Good. I look forward to your victory."


    The conversation ended, leaving a smug grin on Pestro¡¯s face. He was looking forward to the ughter of the Leisure Guild. And, knowing that the champion was on the other side of the continent, Pestro was all the more excited to ruin Jack¡¯s home while the hero was away.


    Ignoring cloud cover, Pestro¡¯s mount suddenly picked up speed and rocketed across the night sky with unbelievable speed.


    Some people below saw it and were confused as to what it was. It was simr to a shooting star but it flew across the entire sky in a straight line. A few were betting that it was some powerful creature that had suddenly awakened in search of something. What those people thought didn¡¯t matter though, as they wouldn¡¯t be able to witness the devastation that Pestro would cause once he reached Trodar.


    *****


    ¡¯Tralon, make sure you get a good night¡¯s rest tonight. Tomorrow you¡¯ll be opening a rift for Rikko and all the goblins.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, where exactly will all of them be going?¡¯ asked Tralon.


    ¡¯We¡¯ll send them to that abandoned city on the fourth floor of the storehouse,¡¯ Jack answered. ¡¯That way they have their privacy and Rikko can temporarily remain a secret resident of Trodar.¡¯


    Tralon sighed with a smile. ¡¯Alright, then I¡¯ll make sure to retire at a decent hour.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, I¡¯m d to hear it! Also, if my wives ask, I¡¯ll be staying the night in Drulgen to make sure the goblins get along well with the guild.¡¯


    ¡¯Very well, I¡¯ll let them know should they ask. Don¡¯t party too much without us, Jack.¡¯


    Laughing, Jack replied, ¡¯I¡¯ll keep that in mind. See you tomorrow, Tralon.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll see you then, Jack.¡¯


    As the conversation ended, Tralon heaved a long sigh. He stared at the papers piked on top of his desk, most of which he had just finished filling out.


    After their stunt in the city, the Leisure Guild had many people abandoning smaller guilds, whether they were adventurers, merchants, or regr folks. The draw of the Leisure Guild was huge! Just being affiliated with them could increase the sales of local merchants and gave a sense of security tomon citizens. Most of them wouldn¡¯t reside in the guild property but they were still promised protection as they partnered with the guild either for work, small quests, or doing business with them.


    That influx led to Tralon and Vixus being swamped with recruit forms. And though some managers were being trained with Dirk¡¯s help, losing Ilgor meant that everyone else had to pick up a piece of hisrge workload.


    Noting that it was already well past sunset, Tralon decided to do something he rarely did. Tralon left the unfinished forms on his desk for the following day. It would turn the next day into an extra-long, stressful day but it would allow him to help Jack in the morning. That mattered more to him than anything.


    Before Tralon cleaned up the rest of his desk, a knock sounded at the door.


    "Come in," stated Tralon.


    In walked Hadurt, surprising Tralon. The straight-faced warrior asked, "Did I catch you at a bad time?"


    "No... I was just cleaning up before I left for bed," replied Tralon. "How can I help you?"


    "I want to discuss the syndicate, at least a little bit. After what happened today, let¡¯s at least talk about how they¡¯ll respond," Hadurt stated, acting more seriously than usual.


    Tralon nodded. "Okay, then how do you think the syndicate will respond?"


    "First off, I doubt they¡¯ll let their members die in public," answered Hadurt. "I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll retaliate in some way before that happens. Given their usual conduct, I expect them to act out within three days."


    "Three days? So soon?"


    "Yeah, the syndicate prefers to take precautionary action or precautionary stalling. With the Leisure Guild dering themselves as enemies of the syndicate, I know the syndicate won¡¯t stay quiet for long," reasoned Hadurt. "We need to prepare for a full-scale attack, just like they did in Federal City."


    "Hmm... I see your point." Tralon stroked his beard in thought. "Tomorrow we¡¯ll gain the support of Rikko and the goblins, so we¡¯ll gather everyone afterward and make ns when Jack returns."


    "Good... I¡¯m d the Leisure Guild is willing to stand up and act more than the association ever did," Hadurt joked.


    Tralonughed as well, "With Jack leading the way, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be doing more than just acting against the other factions. If anything, I fully expect him to incite their wrath in no time at all. So long as he¡¯s the same Jack I adventured with, he¡¯ll always be the most targeted man under the heavens."


    "Sounds like this will be fun... If that happens, then joining you guys will have been more than worth the risk."


    "I¡¯m d you see it that way. How are you feeling inside the guild? Are you disappointed?"


    Hadurt clicked his tongue and sighed. "Not disappointed, just really bored... I¡¯ve lived in dungeons for the past five hundred years, only leaving for brief exchanges with Lorwynn. Everything else is boring byparison."


    "Well, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll have plenty of chances to level up soon," Tralon replied with an amiable smile. "With Jack¡¯s current n, he¡¯ll be leveling up like there¡¯s no tomorrow. Soon you¡¯ll be able to be a god thanks to him, so I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be more than just d in the end."


    "With ascendance on the line, I¡¯ll do anything if it keeps that dream alive..." Hadurt sighed again, longingness filling his eyes. "To waste five hundred years of effort... I don¡¯t want to waste that."


    "Oh, I can understand exactly how you feel. I already experienced that," stated Tralon, reminding Hadurt of Tralon¡¯s age. "I was once lv. 85, now I¡¯m nothing but lv. 62... I¡¯m so weak now, I don¡¯t know what to do. And with only eleven months left, how could I dare dream a false hope again."


    "Hey, with Jack on the case, don¡¯t you think it¡¯s still possible?" reasoned Hadurt.


    Tralon sighed and stroked his beard. "Maybe..."

 Chapter 419 Attack on the Leisure Guild

    <h4>Chapter 419 Attack on the Leisure Guild</h4>


    The moon crept up the sky, marking the midnight hour. While Gilga was at rest and peace, forces began to gather within the city¡¯s walls.


    Unbeknownst to the public, fourteen men sat around arge table. At the head of the table was Thyron. Thyron smiled proudly at the men around him. "Tonight, we finally act. The Leisure Guild has forced our hand so we¡¯re forced to show no mercy. I appreciate the addition of you five regents. You¡¯ll make this invasion possible."


    "Don¡¯t count out On, and the other two," stated one of the cloaked men. "They¡¯ll handle the real invasion. We¡¯re just here to keep the higher-ups in the guild from getting involved."


    "True... But you¡¯re still key for the invasion to seed. Without you diverting the attention of Argyle, Hurmot, and Kaldor, how could the invasion work properly?" reasoned Thyron.


    Another man in a hood spoke up, "I think our best n of action is to attack Jack and his personal team. Three of us should stall those auction house owners while the other two should search for Jack. Eliminating him is our top priority."


    "So long as those three are stalled, then I¡¯ll agree with your proposal. Make sure to send your strongest three at those men," stated Thyron, keeping the n as precise as possible. "As for the rest of us under lv. 70, we¡¯ll seek out the other higher-ups of the guild and overwhelm them. That way, On, ddy, and Jeara will clean up the rest of the guild unimpeded. My remaining question is whether your n to handle Eedaj will hold true."


    "Don¡¯t worry about that," The first hooded man responded. "The only way to fight a god is with a god. That¡¯s why we brought a god of a higher level to keep Eedaj from doing anything. But are you sure that only Eedaj is present?"


    "Good..." Thyron sighed, relieved to not face a god¡¯s wrath. "Before our informant was captured, he guaranteed that Sterfen had already left the Leisure Guild for a personal quest. I¡¯m not sure what that quest was but we know that he has yet to return."


    "Then all is set. Shall we get going?" asked the first hooded man, taking charge as the most powerful syndicate regent present.


    "Follow me."


    Thyron led the men out of that room and through his personal manor. Soon, the group of fourteen men was walking through the dark streets of Gilga, avoiding the artificial lighting of the main roads.


    Other then Thyron, there were two other councilmen uncovered and elven hooded men, five of which had darker hoods with red embellishments to mark their status.


    They took their time, keeping to the unseen paths and remaining undetected. Thyron¡¯s perfectionism wouldn¡¯t allow any simple slip-ups to result in the party¡¯s failure. It would go against his nature and his philosophy. And with his life at stake, the treacherous council spokesman didn¡¯t leave anything to chance.


    Eventually, when the moon was at the center of the night sky, the main entrance of the Leisure Guild came into sight.


    "Who would like to have the honor of starting everything?" Thyron asked, ncing back at the men behind him.


    "Allow me..." One of the cloaked men stepped forward with rage burning under his hood.


    "Oh, Halmon? Someone¡¯s riled up about getting caught..."


    The former councilman ignored Thyron¡¯sment and took the lead. Once they were twenty meters away and finally in view of the artificial lights, yellow energy started to revolve around a staff in Halmon¡¯s hand. He abruptly mmed the butt of his staff on the ground.


    When Halmon¡¯s staff connected with the ground, a fault line rushed forward from the point of impact. A tremor shook the street as that fault line opened up and dragged the main entrance of the Leisure Guild into its dark depths.


    "Good! That should wake them all up," chuckled Thyron. "Now let¡¯s move!"


    The group of invaders picked up the pace but only to a jog. They remained in formation as the group plowed through the weaker guards. Only when some people of their caliber arrived at the front of the guild¡¯s main building did the group halt their invasion.


    "Thyron..." Tralon stood amidst the unweing party, disappointed to see what was going on. "So you are part of the syndicate after all."


    "Technically, I¡¯m one of the few unregistered aplices," Thyron replied with a proudugh, sizing up the men gathered around Tralon. "So, we¡¯ve got Vixus, Argyle, and Kaldor... Where are Kims and Hurmot? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll need them to stop us."


    "Really?"


    A voice rang out not in the air but in the minds of everyone. It continued, "I don¡¯t think they¡¯ll have to act at all. Should you take one more step, I¡¯ll leave you all as nothing but a thoughtless husk of living flesh."


    At the same time, dark ck clouds started to roll in over the city. Compared to what happened at Federal City, the speed of the cloud¡¯s arrival was far faster.


    While those clouds rolled in, everyone remained motionless in front of the main building. Eedaj finally arrived but he was staring up at the clouds swirling over the Leisure Guild property. No attention was given to the mortals standing on the ground.


    "So, you¡¯ve decided to show yourself, Pestro!" Eedaj shouted, not hiding the deity¡¯s presence from the guild members around him. "Should you make a single attack against the city or my guild, then I¡¯ll personally corrupt your mind until you¡¯re a brainless diety waiting to be ughtered for EXP. Do you dare?"


    The rest of the city was on high alert as they were quick to discover a familiar apocalyptic scenario taking ce. All the citizens were now watching the skies, some able to see a hulking, brutish figure descending from the clouds on the back a giant bony fiend.


    Snarls and grunts filled the air of Gilga as that man shouted, "I¡¯m only here to keep you from interfering. Should you interfere, though, I wouldn¡¯t mind killing you here and now."


    After Pestro¡¯s reply, another loud explosion sounded from deep inside the guild. So deep, in fact, that explosion came from the back most courtyard of the restricted area. As the only courtyard connected to the city walls, it made for the perfect target for a break-in.


    "You dare threaten me!" Eedaj suddenly took off, rushing through the sky with a stern re fixed on the bony fiend. "Don¡¯t underestimate me, you oaf!"


    "Try me!"


    Pestroughed and took off to the fields surrounding the city. He wanted to keep the Leisure Guild out of Eedaj¡¯s range of attack, making sure to keep his focus on the mission of the syndicate.


    "So, you¡¯re just the diversion? Not bad, Thyron. You came even sooner than we had expected," Tralon stated, keeping a straight face.


    "Of course, you understand that I¡¯m not the type to underestimate opponents. I always overestimate, that why I¡¯ll always overwhelm my foes," chuckled Thyron. "Now¡¯s the time, so do what you must."


    Without any words, the group of fourteen broke apart. They started to scatter into all sorts of directions.


    But they startled and stopped in their tracks. The only two to make it out were two syndicate regents over lv. 70. All others were pushed back by the sudden rush of reinforcements from inside the Leisure Guild. And the most startling part was how beasts were included in the guild¡¯s reinforcements.


    Hurmot had arrived with his five Celestial Cranes, stopping the third syndicate regent. But there were also Dark Beholders licking their lips at the sight of the syndicate members, which was terrifying as the beholders could understand the syndicate members¡¯ levels clearly while concealing their own.


    "What... What is this?" Thyron red back at Tralon.


    Laughing and smiling, Tralon stated, "I¡¯m sorry, but it seems like you¡¯ve utterly failed to overestimate us. For that, you¡¯ll pay dearly."

 Chapter 420 Jacks Instant Return

    <h4>Chapter 420 Jack¡°s Instant Return</h4>


    "I¡¯m sorry, but it seems like you¡¯ve utterly failed to overestimate us. For that, you¡¯ll pay dearly."


    Not fully convinced, Thyron began tough as well. "Oh, I can¡¯t wait to see how you deal with the true invasion. I¡¯ll tell you now, we¡¯ve got lv. 80¡¯s back there, something you can¡¯t handle even if all of you were there to defend."


    Hearing that, Argyle, Vixus, and Tralon all started tough together.


    Before Thyron could speak again, a louder andrger explosion happened again from the back of the Leisure Guild. This time, though, it wasrge enough for all of those at the front of the guild to see over the top of the main building. And as the rubble cleared, a colossal, serpentine figure was left behind for all to see.


    "It¡¯s a good thing we¡¯re not back there," added Tralon. "We would only get in the way of the heavy hitters."


    Thyron swallowed some saliva, finally starting to waver in his confidence.


    *****


    Gathered around a bonfire, dozens of goblins danced and passed booze to the guests of honor. They had thrown together a makeshift festival to celebrate the return of their long-lost deity and the friendship of the Leisure Guild.


    Those two guests of honor were seatedfortably and drank together as the midnight hour had passed.


    They drank, hardly affected by the alcohol thanks to their levels. And since Jack understood how busy he would be the next day, he wasn¡¯t drinking anywhere near as much as the Goblin God beside him.


    ¡¯Jack, we¡¯re under attack!¡¯


    An rmed voice screamed into Jack¡¯s mind, instantly sobering the hero. Before Jack could ask for more information, Tralon continued, ¡¯Pestro arrived and... and they¡¯ve attacked Dragov¡¯s courtyard!¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m on my way now with Rikko,¡¯ stated Jack, jumping to his feet and startling the goblins with his sudden seriousness. ¡¯Don¡¯t hold back anything.¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ll be waiting.¡¯


    Jack immediately contacted Dragov, stating, ¡¯Dragov, go wild! No need to hide anymore, just protect the guild and the city.¡¯


    ¡¯With my life, Jack.¡¯ Though the centipede¡¯s words were quite solemn, Dragov¡¯s voice was filled with excitement and eagerness.


    After speaking with Dragov, Jack contacted Bowzer. ¡¯Bowzer, you can go wild outside of the city. Just don¡¯t get in over your head, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay!¡¯


    "Nephew Legend, something wrong?" Rikko asked.


    "Shh!" Not answering Rikko just yet, Jack contacted one more person. ¡¯Hadurt, you don¡¯t need to hide your identity. Just kill and ughter.¡¯


    ¡¯Finally! Something exciting!¡¯ Hadurtughed


    ¡¯Also, I have a present for you. I¡¯lle find you on the battlefield,¡¯ added Jack.


    ¡¯Oh? Then it must be good! I¡¯ll be waiting!¡¯


    Finished with that, Jack turned to Rikko and stated, "Look, Uncle Rikko, I¡¯m sorry to cut the celebration short but you and I have to go."


    "What about goblins?" asked Rikko. "What happen?"


    "Pestro and the syndicate are at the Leisure Guild right now. And considering that Pestro is there to keep Eedaj busy, I can only assume the worst. Most likely, they¡¯ve brought out all their big guns this time, possibly even more than when they invaded Federal City."


    "Ok, so we go now? We get goblinster?"


    "Exactly," replied Jack. "We¡¯ll bring the goblins over after the invasion. For now, I¡¯ll teleport us back to the guild."


    Taking out a teleportation scroll, Jack extended his other hand to Rikko. Jack didn¡¯t want to waste his scroll but he¡¯d rather not waste forty percent of his mana just to arrive in the middle of a heated battle.


    "Okay, but Rikko no help."


    "What?! Why?!"


    The Goblin God started to chuckle. "Uncle Rikko no help defend. Uncle Rikko help Eedaj..."


    Hearing that, Jack gave Rikko a strange look. He wanted to see through the goblin¡¯s intentions but understood that it would never be so simple after what he previously experienced with Rikko.


    "What are you up to, Uncle Rikko?"


    "Rikko not sure. But if Rikko lucky, Rikko have best steal ever!"


    Sighing and squishing his face with the palm of his hand, Jack stated, "Just... be sure to help, okay?"


    "Rikko offer special help," chuckled Rikko with a smile.


    "Fine..."


    When Rikko finally took Jack¡¯s hand, both of them were taken away in a sh of light.


    *****


    "What was that?!" Eliza shouted as she heard an explosion from the back of the restricted area.


    Eliza ran out of the bedroom to find the others in the center of the courtyard. Maura had already taken out her Cetus and Daliea had already taken out Mooldrat as well. Lina was the most confused and the only one not yet alert.


    With Mooldrat at her side, Daliea stated, "Someone must¡¯ve attacked the back wall. That¡¯s the only logical exnation."


    Not wanting to be left out, Eliza took out her dryad and called for Ayden to hurry over.


    "Why would someone attack?" Lina asked.


    Maura patted the girl on the head, answering, "Because some people don¡¯t like what Jack is doing. They probably want to stop him before he gets stronger."


    "And what are those clouds? Oh, that¡¯s a big birdie!"


    Lina pointed to the massive fiend flying through the sky, not recognizing it. At the same time, the other women all recognized Eedaj following that flying beast. That marked that foe as a godly being, proving that this invasion was not something they should underestimate.


    Then, another explosion sounded from the back of the Leisure Guild. But this one dwarfed the prior and hurled rubble everywhere. As Dragov¡¯s behemoth body emerged from the rubble, the women all readied themselves for the worst.


    Just when they were ready to leave and join the fray, an abrupt sh of light filled the courtyard. It left the women nervous and fearful until they recognized one of the two figures left behind from the light.


    "Jack! What¡¯s--"


    "The syndicate is attacking and they made sure to bring a god to keep Eedaj busy," Jack immediately started to exin the situation, not changing his straight face. "The main entrance has also been breached but I¡¯m guessing the true forces will be attacking from the rear. Hadurt, Dragov, and Bowzer are already on the move but I¡¯ll be joining them shortly."


    "And what about us?" asked Maura.


    "Given your current strength, I think it¡¯s best to hide inside the guild," answered Jack. "I¡¯m sure some forces will manage to slip into the guild, so I want you all to work with the rest of the party, Phoro, and the remaining beholders to defend the inside of the guild. Can you do that?"


    The women would be against not joining the battle but they were also d that Jack cared about them enough to keep them out of the bloody battlefield outside of the city.


    With determination, Lina asked, "Big Bro, I want to fight!"


    "You will, Lina--"


    "I want to full power!" shouted the teenage girl. "Can I, please?"


    Jackughed and patted Lina on the head. "Sure, you can go all out. Okay? Just make sure to listen to everyone and be careful. If they say not to fight, then what do you do?"


    "Then I don¡¯t fight!" answered Lina, smiling and giggling to no longer fight in her human form.


    "Then... I¡¯ll be off."


    "Who¡¯s that?" asked Eliza, pointing to the blue goblin with a finger up his nose.


    "Oh, this is Uncle Rikko, the God of Trickery," introduced Jack. "He¡¯ll be joining Eedaj shortly, but I¡¯m sure he¡¯s got some scheme itching inside his long nose."


    Rikko burst out inughter as he started to itch his nostril more passionately. "Nephew Legend understand!" But just when Jack was expecting Rikko to dance in thought, the Goblin God disappeared before their very eyes. With Rikko¡¯s insane bursts of speed, he managed to disappear into the darkness of the night.


    "Then, I¡¯ll leave the guild grounds in your hands. Call Rydel and the others right away." Jack wrapped all the women in his arms for a group hug. "Should you need me, just say so. And Mooldrat, keep them safe at all costs."


    "Of course, Jack. I¡¯ll forfeit my life before I allow Daliea or your other wives to fall in battle."


    "Good... I¡¯ll see you soon. Tell me if you need help!" Jack shouted as he bolted out the front door, not wanting to waste another second.

 Chapter 421 The Guilds Unexpected Countermeasures

    <h4>Chapter 421 The Guild¡°s Unexpected Countermeasures</h4>


    Outside the city walls, before the invasion began, dozens and dozens of armed warriors and mages waited in the dark Silk Woods outside of Gilga. They stayed to the southwest, the nearest area to their point of invasion. The advanced group of three syndicate regents had already set out to stealthy blow a hole in the city wall. All those forces had to do was wait for the hole to be made before they could charge through the open fields and into the Leisure Guild.


    Leading that groups were all remaining syndicate regents and a couple of dozen syndicate chiefs over lv. 60.


    Hidden outside of those forces were three people. Those three were the calmest of all invaders and the most confident in their abilities. They were fully equipped and waiting for the moment that they would enter the battlefield.


    "How long do you think this will take?" one of those men asked.


    "ddy, there¡¯s no need to assume it so easy," another replied.


    ring angrily at the man that replied, d stated, "You know I don¡¯t like being called that, On."


    "Why are you so embarrassed? You¡¯re the one who chose the name "Hardy_ddy", so man up and work harder, ddy," the third personughed. "Maybe then we¡¯ll finish up quickly and get some sleep."


    "Jeara!"


    "Calm down, d. If you get too riled up too quickly, then it will only cause you problems on the battlefield," stated On, perfectly calm.


    "Hmm..." d clicked his tongue. "Either way, let¡¯s hurry up and get this over with. Otherwise, we won¡¯t be able to sleep before the next dungeon run.


    "Yeah, ddy¡¯s got a point, On," added Jeara. "Can¡¯t we just charge in, us three? That would be quicker."


    "Do you think the Legend of Trodar can be defeated so simply?" questioned On, silencing both d and Jeara. "Sure, he may not have his past level for some reason, but he was known for his tenacious tricks and strange tactics. I¡¯m sure that this invasion won¡¯t go smoothly. Wouldn¡¯t you rather the fodder handle the surprise and learn from their failures?"


    "Well... When you put it that way, I guess it makes sense... I just hope that happens sooner thanter. If not, how will ddy be able to contain himself?"


    "Enough of that!" dined, elbowing Jeara in the chest.


    "Hey, if you¡¯re trying to get physical with ady, then at least say it. Otherwise, you¡¯re just a creep afraid of women," Jeara joked, nudging d¡¯s elbow away.


    "It¡¯s starting."


    As On announced the initial attack, d and Jeara both refocused on the city in the distance.


    Right on cue, dark ck clouds rolled in over the Leisure Guild almost instantaneously. Pestro¡¯s voice echoed, hardly audible to the far-off trio. Then, a portion of the city wall exploded in a roaring fire. Finally, the invasion was underway.


    All of those syndicate members lying in wait ran out of the Silk Woods. Their target was blown wide open and practically asking to be invaded.


    But as those invading forces were charging through the field, another explosion happened. They saw the rest of that portion of the city wall and the attached building be blown apart as something huge rushed out of the ground. Then, what was huge became massive. What was massive be colossal. And what was colossal became unfathomable.


    That invading army of hundreds of warriors and mages all gasped that gargantuan beast looked straight at the. The beast then climbed out fully, protecting the hole in the wall with the back portion of his body.


    Suddenly, that beast spoke, shouting, "All who dare invade shall perish!"


    All eyes were open wide in shock and all spines were tingling at the shocking reveal of such a beast. And the fact that the beast¡¯s level was hidden to them only made things worse.


    And just when they thought things were out of hand, they saw a four-legged beast hop onto Dragov¡¯s back. Compared to the towering centipede, the fox felt inconsequential. But their eyes almost fell from their sockets when that fox also began to growrger than the city wall and was bathed in white-hot mes.


    They all knew what sort of beast that was. And to face a Hell-me Fox along with that fearsome centipede was beyond all of their expectations.


    But as the army froze in fear, three figured jumped into action. Those three charged past the army and rushed toward the centipede and the fox.


    Feeling a sense of relief, the army shouted for joy and followed those three into battle.


    "Uh, uh, uh..."


    A new voice suddenly echoed across the battlefield. It originated from in between the colossal centipede and the massive fox. That¡¯s was when the invaders spotted a single man casually walking out toward the army.


    While the army didn¡¯t think much of the man, those three leading the charge felt their hearts sink to the bottom of their stomachs.


    Only after getting closer did the rest of the army finally recognize the man, throwing them back into the woes of terror. How could they not recognize the skeletal armor and the crudely designed ck de that particr berserker used? And how could they not feel absolutely terrified to see their former champion siding with two of the most terrifying beasts they¡¯d seen.


    "You?!" In shock, On rerouted himself and dashed toward his former training partner. "You¡¯re still alive?!"


    "Very much so. In fact, I¡¯m more lively than ever!" Hadurt chuckled, rocketing himself toward On with a powerful leap.


    "d, you¡¯re with me!" On shouted, immediately restrategizing. "Jeara, try to control that centipede!"


    "You got it!" the powerful woman dashed toward the towering centipede, leading half of the invading army with her.


    "Hadurt, why are you--"


    "d, there¡¯s no time to chat with your enemy," On added while jumping back from Hadurt¡¯s strike, "not when he¡¯s that much stronger than you."


    Hadurt¡¯s de cleaved the earth easily, making a fifty-meter crevice. Chuckling, Hadurt stated, "Oh, you remember me so well, On. I¡¯m ttered, really. And make sure you try harder, ddy, otherwise, you won¡¯t be any fun for me."


    "You--"


    "d, you¡¯re on defense and I¡¯m on offense! That¡¯s the only way to contain Hadurt!" shouted On, not hesitating at all.


    "Not a bad n... Have the lv. 85 berserker on the attack while the lv. 83 pdin defends to keep the berserker alive. Not bad at all," Hadurt stated with a smile. Then, Hadurt pointed at the centipede and added, "Too bad you can do that against him."


    "Why do you say that?" On inquired, trying to get as much information from the talkative tractor as possible.


    "Let¡¯s just say that beast is a boss on his own. And let¡¯s not forget Bowzer," Hadurt chuckled, now pointing his sword at the fox who had charged into the remaining portion of the army. "You¡¯ll have to manage your troops better than that. Otherwise, that centipede will stomp you out and that fox will reduce your forces to cinders."


    Eyeing Hadurt and taking deep, fuming hot breaths, d shouted a question, "Why are you with them?! What could they possibly offer you?!"


    With a sigh and a wry smile, Hadurt replied, "Something that you never could and something that you three were never privy to learn... Unlike you guys, I¡¯ll soon ascend."


    "Are you nuts?!" d chuckled and gave Hadurt a mocking look. "We¡¯ll be gods soon enough, now get back on the side you belong."


    "I¡¯ve already chosen my side and I stand by it. They¡¯re more honest and open, confirming the truth that I learned long ago," replied Hadurt. "If you want, we can chat for a bit but I¡¯m sure Jeara would like to join that conversation as well. Too bad she¡¯s busy."


    Hadurt shrugged and looked to On while adding, "So, will we talk or duke it out? Take your pick before my de gets antsy."

 Chapter 422 The Battlefield Outside the Walls

    <h4>Chapter 422 The Battlefield Outside the Walls</h4>


    On was speechless. Though he was extremely interested in learning about Hadurt¡¯s reasoning and logic, On didn¡¯t see that battlefield as a fitting ce for such a discussion.


    d was furious. He was a former, low-level ancient hero that got picked up and trained by the syndicate. Everything he had was thanks to the syndicate and his half-century of service was almost up. Soon, he along with hisrades would ascend, yet the leader he had admired now abandoned them.


    "Any more questions?" Hadurt asked, casually readying his weapon. "Going once... Going twice..."


    "Those behind me, split up! Half of you face the fox while the other half form a new hole and breach the guild!" On shouted into a guild contact crystal, making sure his forces weren¡¯t unorganized. "ording to record, that fox shouldn¡¯t be anywhere near your level. Avoid his mes and y it safe!"


    As On stored the contact crystal, Hadurt nodded. "Anything else?"


    Determining his mindset, On steadied his gaze on Hadurt. "No. It¡¯s time we speak with our des. I still consider it an honor, and though I would¡¯ve preferred to surpass you on my own I¡¯ll ept your defeat with d¡¯s help. It¡¯s better than you dying against the holy champion."


    "Well said... Now, are youing to me or would you rather I shatter your formation first?" Hadurt confidently asked, as if he couldn¡¯t be bothered to go all out from the get-go.


    "Alright, then here wee."


    Both On and d charged toward the former chaotic champion, fully decided on ying him. On kept the lead, swinging his greatsword with dark demonic energy bursting out of the de.


    As the attack mmed down on Hadurt, the former champion took it head-on. Hadurt was a bit surprised to find the ground beneath him break apart on the impact. He chuckled and asked, "Is that Pestro¡¯s blessing? I guess they didn¡¯t mourn for me after all."


    Swatting On¡¯s halted attack away, Hadurt swung back to find d intercepting and shielding On. The pdin would then attack while On came from above with a second attack.


    Smiling wide, Hadurt sidestepped d¡¯s attack and parried On¡¯s. It was a one-twobo that proved quite efficient, even against the lv. 88 former champion.


    "See, the onlybos you know are the ones I taught you,¡¯ mocked Hadurt. "If you can¡¯te up with anything else, you¡¯ll never do me in without help from Jeara. Oh wait, she¡¯s too busy being swatted away by Dragov to help you create any openings."


    Both On and d remained silent, one bing more serious and the other growing too livid to express in words. They channeled those feelings into the fight, keeping themselves fully alert and prepared to risk it all against their strongest opponent to date.


    Like Hadurt had joked, Jeara was far off trying to confront and control the colossal centipede. But no matter what she tried, the beast¡¯s size and strength were too much for her to remain rooted to the ground. Jeara¡¯s level was high enough to keep the damage minimal, many thanks to her knight ss, but it didn¡¯t mean she could control the centipede¡¯s movements all on her own.


    Many members of the army following her were gettingunched back with many of the weaker members of the army dying instantly. It proved that the centipede was not only massive but that its hidden level could rival even Jeara.


    Only a few people were managing to sneak around Dragov and enter the guild grounds while the others were awaiting a possible massacre.


    The third portion of the battlefield was enacting On¡¯s orders, splitting up in two. One half charged toward an unguarded portion of the wall while the other contended with the Hell-me Fox.


    Bowzer was fighting in an unusual fashionpared to his past self. He remained fierce but more controlled. The fox made sure to avoid more attacks and almost act like a decoy rather than attack like an enraged bull. With the level difference, Bowzer was more focused on a battle of attrition and picking off people slowly than trying to take on the collective all at once. It showed his ability to mature in battle and showed that his seriousness for growing stronger was at a new level.


    A great thing to happen was that Bowzer and Jack had already reached lv. 50 because of Dragov ughtering the three syndicate regents that blew apart the wall at the beginning. And the more fodder that was thrown at Dragov and the longer the battle, the higher their level would grow.


    Further to the north of that same western field, two gods were staring each other down. Pestro remained seated on his giant fiend while Eedaj floated in the air over a dozen meters away. Neither seemed willing to fight but both were ready to act on a moment¡¯s notice.


    ¡¯Eedaj!¡¯ Jack called out telepathically. ¡¯Rikko¡¯s here and he said he¡¯ll help you but wasn¡¯t specific as to how.¡¯


    Grateful to hear that, Eedaj replied, ¡¯Good, that makes things much safer for us.¡¯


    ¡¯Also, Pestro doesn¡¯t have his halberd anymore.¡¯


    ¡¯What?¡¯ Eedaj asked, startled.


    Jack confirmed his prior statement. ¡¯Rikko stole it and I¡¯m not sure that Pestro even knows that yet.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... That makes things a bit easier...¡¯


    Curious, Jack asked, ¡¯Eedaj, why are you so cautious around Pestro?¡¯


    ¡¯His level is much better than mine, that¡¯s why,¡¯ answered Eedaj. ¡¯I¡¯m only lv. 93 while Pestro is lv. 95. And though Rikko¡¯s help is appreciated, he¡¯s only lv. 91. Together, we should be able to keep Pestro from going crazy. The question is, what is Rikko up to...¡¯


    ¡¯Either way, I¡¯ve told you all I know and have to get back to the battle at hand. Good luck!¡¯ Jack added, not wanting to distract Eedaj too much.


    Eedaj kept staring at Pestro, meditating over what Rikko may be up to and how Eedaj should try to y along. Finally, Eedaj asked the Demon God, "So, why has the ugliest being of Kartonia decided to scare the world again and show his face?"


    "Very funny... Are you so sure you want to piss me off?" questioned Pestro. "I¡¯m sure to be more than you can handle."


    "That so? Then why aren¡¯t getting off your fat butt? Are you afraid to be retarded?"


    "Eedaj, you and I both know that I¡¯m stronger, so why are you trying to y these mind games."


    "If that¡¯s so, then prove it. How about we exchange a single blow. I¡¯m sure we can act ordingly after that."


    Staring back at Eedaj, Pestro¡¯s lips curled up into a cruel smile. At the same time, the giant fiend began to slowly descend with Eedaj following. Once they were grounded, Pestro finally got up and jumped to the ground. "Let me guess, Konbel is hiding inside the guild?"


    "She¡¯ll only remain in hiding if your fiend doesn¡¯t try anything in the city. Otherwise, she¡¯ll leave you with no way to return or escape," answered Eedaj.


    "Very well." Pestro softly pped the side of the giant fiend.


    With some soft wails and screeches, the fiend pped its wings and flew to the western edge of that field. It made sure to stay as far from the battle as possible while keeping close enough to dash in and help if called.


    "Now, shall we get on with it?" Eedaj asked as he took out a staff made of pitch-ck wood with the reddest of all rubies embedded at the staff¡¯s head.


    Pestro scoffed, "You asked for this..."


    Suddenly, the proud, confident re of Pestro¡¯s rescinded. The Demon God snarled angrily out of reflex, struggling to hide his anger from the Mind God.


    "What¡¯s wrong? Did you change your mind?"


    Pestro didn¡¯t answer. Instead, he thought back to thest moment he used the Halberd.


    "RIKKO!"

 Chapter 423 Demon God vs Mind God

    <h4>Chapter 423 Demon God vs Mind God</h4>


    "RIKKO!"


    The god¡¯s raging shout shook the ground and reached the distant battlefields. Pestro¡¯s fury was at an all-time high, at a peak it had never reached before. Demonic energy began to swirl and dance over Pestro, beginning the god¡¯s demonization. A ck greatsword appeared in the Demon God¡¯s hands, arger version of the same crudely designed sword in Hadurt¡¯s hands.


    "Oh? No halberd?" Eedaj lifted an eyebrow and stared curiously at Pestro, feigning ignorance.


    "So? Would I even need my personal weapon to kill a god two levels below my own?!" shouted Pestro.


    "Interesting... That de is eerily simr to Hadurt¡¯s legendary weapon. Is it arger version, perhaps?"


    Squinting, Pestro asked, "How do you know about Hadurt¡¯s weapon?"


    "Because I¡¯ve seen him use it. I fact, he¡¯s wielding it right now." Eedaj pointed to the far-away battlefield, making sure Pestro spotted the berserker d in the legendary skeletal armor.


    "WHAT?!" Instantly spotting the former chaotic champion, Pestro¡¯s record-breaking rage raised even higher. "That fool is still alive?! And he¡¯s betrayed us?! He¡¯ll die today..."


    "I doubt that..." added Eedaj with a slight smile, grabbing Pestro¡¯s attention once again. "You¡¯ll be too busy with me to worry about him. And since you decided to use a legendary weapon and not your personal halberd, you¡¯ll find this match far more difficult now..."


    "Then let¡¯s get this over with! I need to hurry up and skin that traitor alive!"


    Jumping forward, Pestropleted his demonization and lunged his greatsword in a downward arch. The Demon God attempted to cleave the Mind God in two.


    However, it obviously wouldn¡¯t happen so easily.


    Eedaj gathered ck and red energy around his staff. Darkness began to gather around the dueling gods, hindering Pestro¡¯s sight as his sword cleaved the ground and not Eedaj.


    "I can still smell you!"


    Snorting, Pestro hurled his next attack right at the evasive Mind God, undeterred by the five-hundred-meter cloud of darkness engulfing them.


    Rather than dodge, Eedaj this time hurled the mes he had gathered around his staff. Numerous fireballs wereunched, some aiming for Pestro and some dotting the battlefield where they fought.


    The Demon God sliced through the first fireball only to learn that it was an illusion but the second fireball was real, as well as the third. And by the time Pestro had destroyed the iing fireballs, Eedaj had already repositioned himself elsewhere.


    Both gods paused briefly. They each quickly assessed their foe.


    Eedaj was able to gauge the difference in strength between Pestro¡¯s personal weapon and the legendary weapon he currently wielded. The difference wasn¡¯t enough to make the duel easy for the Mind God, but it was enough to keep the Demon God at a more even ying field with Eedaj.


    Pestro wouldn¡¯t admit it but he admired Eedaj¡¯s battle strategy. He knew about the Mind God¡¯s powerful illusions and understood that Eedaj would go for a battle of attrition. By mixing illusions with mes it would allow Eedaj a strategic advantage, forcing Pestro to waste more mana to verify which attack was true and which was false. Such a strategy could devastate any opponent if it wasn¡¯t countered sooner thanter.


    Once that brief pause ended, Pestro then took out a second long, ck greatsword. Dual-wielding those crude des, Pestro readied himself to face the illusions as quickly as possible.


    Smiling, Eedaj understood that tactic and obliged by hurling more fireballs at the Demon God.


    One-by-one, those fireballs were torn asunder. It didn¡¯t matter whether they were real or illusory. Pestro cleaved them all effortlessly as he raced toward Eedaj. But the Demon God suddenly felt a powerful heatwaveing at him. It was like the rest of the fireballs, only the nearest fireball he could see was still a few meters away.


    With a swing of a sword, Pestro chuckled, "Not only can you create illusions of mes, you can remove mes from my vision while hurling them at me... That¡¯s a terrifying ability."


    "Yet here you are cutting even the invisible fireballs in half. Isn¡¯t that scarier?" argued Eedaj,ughing as well.


    "I guess we¡¯ll find out now!" roared Pestro, slicing through the other fireballs and chasing after Eedaj.


    Neither god backed down or held back. The battlefield beneath their feet was being shredded and decimated, although Eedaj simply floated over it, undeterred. As for Pestro, he trotted over the ground either way, unaffected by the ever-changingndscape and only altering his course to avoid illusory mes that Eedaj had hidden in the darkness.


    *****


    Standing atop the city wall, Jack was invisible with his low-level bracer equipped. He watched as a quarter of the army was heading his way, ignoring those that managed to get past Dragov.


    Now being lv. 50, Jack felt a bit more confident, especially as he was about to reach lv. 51 thanks to Dragov and Bowzer. With that in mind, Jack took out an item he had been dying to use.


    It was a summoning amulet. A while back, Jack had purchased that amulet during the annual auction and now he could finally use after passing lv. 50.


    Unlike themon mages of Modern Kartonia, Jack had memorized most of the written ancientnguage that existed before Ancient Kartonia. It was used for writing magic circles, ancient pacts, and just about everything with magical writing. Modern Kartonia had its own version of thenguage which was just as effective but very different after going through so many updates. But it was because of that difference innguage that Jack had stolen that summoning amulet for a pittance.


    Able to finally cast it, Jack giddily activated the summoning amulet and stored the low-level bracer. Though the iing army spotted him, Jack didn¡¯t care. He was far too excited to finally summon a beast that even he knew little about.


    Dazzling purple energy glittered the amulet¡¯s lettering, growing brighter and brighter. It then shredded itself apart as the amulet was overflowing with spatial energy.


    Jack and the iing army watched as a sh of purple light filled their vision momentarily, but not enough to blind them. However, that purple energy didn¡¯t fade. Instead, it reformed and started to take a new shape. While Jack watched in awe, the army watched in caution as that form became more beastly.


    The purple light finally faded away, but only after it took the form of a fifteen-meter tall beast. It had long wings and glistening faint-purple scales, as well as two hind legs and two forelegs, each with five ws that made razors look dull. A crown of sharp horns wrapped around the beast¡¯s head, alternating between long and short for an imperial feel. Its eyes, however, felt more human than beastly, making it more mysterious and ominous along with it¡¯s shorter face and small but jagged teeth.


    That army almost halted their charge out of surprise and confusion. Unlike the other two beasts, this one was entirely foreign to them. They had learned all about dragons thanks to the syndicate but there was no record of that mysterious purple dragon before them.


    That beast then blinked, finally able to move and breathe. It sighed, enjoying its first breath after being unsealed. Then, it examined its surroundings, spotting the army and then Jack.


    "Are you the one who summoned me?" The dragon¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t harsh but it wasn¡¯t friendly either.


    "No, I¡¯m the one that freed you. I¡¯m Jack, what¡¯s your name?"


    "Hmmm... You¡¯re an interesting adventurer, Jack," replied the dragon, continuing to speak telepathically. "What do you mean by freeing me?"


    Jack answered, "I mean just that. I want to free you and help you reim your rightful spot on top of the food chain."


    "Reim?"


    "If I¡¯m not mistaken, you¡¯re kind doesn¡¯t exist anymore. You are a Spectral Dragon, right?"

 Chapter 424 Summoning a Prehistoric Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 424 Summoning a Prehistoric Dragon</h4>


    "You are a Spectral Dragon, right?"


    Nodding, the dragon replied, "You¡¯re correct, but what do you mean my kind is extinct? We reigned over the world. Even when I was captured, we still were the supreme beings."


    Trying to gauge how long the dragon had been sealed in that amulet, Jack asked, "Do you know about the gods?"


    "Of course," replied the dragon. "The unstoppable duo of Skaryn and Halmut finally ascended, bing the first two beings to ever reach godhood."


    Taking in that statement, Jack didn¡¯t know what to think, let alone how to reply. "Umm... We¡¯ll talk moreter about that but... Can I ask for your help at the moment? Once we deal with that army we can talk and I can fill you in on the thousands of years that you¡¯ve missed."


    "Thousands of years?! What do you mean?!" shouted the dragon.


    "What¡¯s your name?" Jack asked, not shying away from the dragon¡¯s anger.


    "... You may call me Karronteel," after a pause the dragon answered.


    "Well, Karronteel, can we ally at least temporarily while we handle them?" Jack pointed to the iing invaders.


    "So long as you answer all my questions... I¡¯ll consider a momentary alliance." Turning away from Jack, the dragon looked to the iing army while asking, "Should a few slip through, is that a problem?"


    "Considering our levels, I think that¡¯s only natural," Jack chuckled, spotting the dragon¡¯s unhidden strength at lv. 54.


    "Very well..."


    The dragon¡¯s wings shot open wide as he stared down the army, which didn¡¯t back down as they too could see that the dragon¡¯s level was only 54. But that didn¡¯t stop Karronteel from opening his jaws and spewing a breath attack of pure spatial energy.


    That attack was unlike anything the invaders could¡¯ve expected, instantly shredding through all unprepared lv. 50¡¯s that failed to evade the attack.


    Immediately, the army took the mysterious dragon more seriously. And when the dragon threw itself into the army, they allunched full-power attacks to y the beast.


    But, apart from the mages¡¯ magic attacks, all other attacks connected with the dragon but phased through it. Their weapons were still visible while they went through the dragon, as if the beast¡¯s physical body had somehow be ethereal. And, on top of that, all magic attacks were either repelled or evaded by the dragon¡¯s sudden teleportation to the rear of the army.


    Again, the dragon spewed a spatial breath attack that caught the army off guard, killing dozens of lv. 50¡¯s and heavily injuring many lv. 60¡¯s.


    The few syndicate regents managed to defend the blow with their superior levels but they werepletely baffled by that dragon¡¯s strange abilities. Fighting a dragon, even at lv. 54, wasn¡¯t easy. Adding teleportation and that ethereal ability that made it immune to physical attacks just made facing that mysterious dragon far more difficult than any other dragon species they could imagine.


    Admiring the abilities of the Spectral Dragon, Jack sighed. He watched as the army reorganized and changed their strategy.


    Since all lv. 50¡¯s would just be fodder for the dragon, they separated and charged toward Jack on top of the wall. The lv. 60¡¯ss and lv. 70¡¯s stayed behind to keep the dragon at bay with a better understanding of the strange dragon¡¯s abilities.


    Not wanting to seem weak in front of Karronteel, Jack hopped off the city wall. The moment Jack touched the ground, his form altered and mes exploded from his body. That newly formed me body rivaled the city wall in height and two wings spread out. Not giving the nearby invaders even a second to take in Jack¡¯s transformation, Jack rocketed into the center of those couple of dozen lv. 50¡¯s.


    Before the syndicate members knew it, ming waves of wind energy had decapitated almost half a dozen of them and Jack wasunching his next flurry of attacks.


    Magesunched all sorts of spells at Jack, particrly water spells from those that had water type magic. Warriors threw themselves into Jack with their strong armor and near reckless abandon, attempting to slow Jack down.


    Sadly, Jack didn¡¯t stay in one ce at all. Mixing his Minokawa-like speed with the Sudden Death skill made catching Jack nigh impossible in closebat. Another barrage of ming wind des decimated another half dozen syndicate members as they scrambled to contain Jack.


    After the second attack, Jack backed off for a moment. He kept his eye on Hadurt¡¯s battle. Trying to think of how to get to Hadurt, Jack shouted, "Karronteel, keep these guys busy for a second while I deliver something."


    Rather than reply verbally, the Spectral Dragon nodded and vanished from where he stood. Appearing out of thin air behind Jack, Karronteel prepared his spectral breath for the remaining lv. 50¡¯s who turned to retreat toward their strongerrades.


    Taking that as the dragon¡¯s response, Jack threw himself through the air. With his incredible speed, he neared Hadurt¡¯s battlefield in a few seconds.


    "Hadurt!"


    Hearing Jack¡¯s shout, Hadurt jumped back toward the iing Jack, still on guard against the two men he faced.


    Since those two also spotted Jack, they changed tactics. While d rushed toward Hadurt, On charged Jack. Eachunched their own attack, one hitting a well-defended target while the other found their target unhittable.


    Again, mixing Sudden Death with the Minokawa¡¯s speed made Jack extremely difficult to hit. And since it was On¡¯s first time experiencing it, the berserker failed to hit his target. However, as soon as Jack appeared beside Hadurt, he turned tail and flew off as quickly as he had arrived. Both d and On were curious as to what just happened, especially when they spotted Hadurt¡¯s crazed smile.


    Returning to his own battlefield, Jack saw all of his former opponents be shredded apart molecule by molecule from Karronteel¡¯s spectral breath. And as soon as they were killed, the dragon rushed back to the other invaders without batting an eye.


    "Karronteel, do you ned any--"


    "I require no assistance, Jack. Should you be needed elsewhere, then we¡¯ll reunite afterward for your questioning," Karronteel stated, dering his confidence for the entire battlefield to hear.


    Not wanting to get on the bad side of a Spectral Dragon, Jack rushed off toward Bowzer¡¯s battlefield.


    Far-off to the north, the two gods continued their duel.


    Tired of that darkness and his inability to see the other battles, Pestro took in a deep breath and roared at the top of his lungs. The darkness surrounding them dispersed, forcibly broken up by Pestro¡¯s intense yell.


    When the smoke cleared, both Eedaj and Pestro got a good view of the other battlefields. Everything was as they had expected, all except for a single fight that rose up while they were blinded.


    "That... " Spotting Karronteel, Pestro waspletely shaken. The confident Demon God was at a loss for words as his eyes were glued to the sight of the Spectral Dragon.


    Eedaj was also startled by the dragon¡¯s appearance. It was something far beyond his calctions.


    "Where did you find that?"


    Turning away from the distant Spectral Dragon and looking into Pestro¡¯s solemn, piercing gaze, Eedaj replied, "I have no idea where or how Jack summoned a Spectral Dragon. It¡¯s something that, ording to my knowledge, shouldn¡¯t still exist."


    "Tell me!" shouted Pestro, shaken and unable to ept such a vague answer. "Tell me, Eedaj! How do you have a Spectral Dragon!"


    "That one has such a low level, so why are you--"


    "Tell me!" Swinging his des at full-power, Pestro¡¯s mixed emotions were turned into attacks. "Tell me!"


    Easily evading the wild warning swings, Eedaj chuckled and smiled. "Is your rtionship with Moranti that bad?"


    "RRRAAAAAAAHHHH!!!"


    Like a mad bull, Pestro rushed Eedaj with no holds barred. His earlier cautious fighting style was abandoned as the Demon God gave into his emotions and unleashed his hellish fury.

 Chapter 425 Battles Within the Walls

    <h4>Chapter 425 Battles Within the Walls</h4>


    Inside the restricted area of the Leisure Guild, a few invaders started to climb over the walls. But even as they managed to enter the Leisure Guild, they were faced with yet another obstacle.


    Rowes of guild members lined the back walls, ranging from lv. 40 to lv. 60. Rather than remain in the front, they had been ordered to defend the back wall. Kims led them, holding fast to his title as the Security Advisor. And amidst that army of guild members wererge, one-eyed beasts drooling at the sight of the intruders.


    At the core of those guild members was a party, and each member of that party had at least one beastpanion at their side. And though that party was low-leveledpared to the invaders, it was their beasts that startled the invaders, especially the three-headed hydra roaring at the invaders. Just when the invaders thought that they¡¯d seen enough strange beasts, they found even more within the guild walls.


    A fight immediately broke out as the invaders dared rush into the guild, confident in their superior levels.


    While the fighting got more intense by the minute as more and more invaders managed to climb over the wall, Jack¡¯s party remained calm. They fought as well, but they would fight only one, two, or up to three invaders at a time as a party. That battle was a matter of synergy between lower leveled guild members versus the higher leveled invaders with fewer numbers.


    As for the few regents that squeaked past Dragov, they were targeted by the beholders or Kims and Ssildro.


    The battle was organized but grew more chaotic.


    Just when the party was getting a good rhythm going, having killed a duo of lv. 50¡¯s, Lina¡¯s attention jolted behind them. She shouted, "Look out!"


    Two hooded men were darting directly toward the party. Their faces were concealed but all the party members could feel the cold gazes of those approaching experts. It was clear that those two men knew exactly who they were after.


    "Die!"


    As those two men were about tounch an attack at the party, they suddenly jumped backward. They managed to evade Mooldrat¡¯s disintegration ray.


    Therge beholder eyed both hooded figures, growling and separating himself from the party. "Daliea, allow me to handle them. They¡¯re too strong for the party."


    "But--"


    "They¡¯re lv. 73 and lv. 74," stated Mooldrat, snatching the entire party¡¯s attention. "I¡¯ll take care of them. Don¡¯t¡¯ concern yourselves with them."


    "Okay..." Daliea replied. "But ask for help should you need it, Mool."


    "Of course, Daliea."


    With that said, Mooldrat floated forward, rushing the two men before they got close enough to threaten the rest of the party.


    Both of those hooded men overheard Mooldrat¡¯sments. They had no ability to discern Moodrat¡¯s strength but they knew that the beast had strange abilities and was at least high enough level to threaten them, otherwise it wouldn¡¯t have such confidence.


    Guessing what those two would do next, Mooldrat revealed the barbs on all of his tentacles and gathered energy over his eye. He snarled with a smile, "If you think one is enough to handle me, then you¡¯ll be my meal before you know the cause of your death."


    Sensing that threat, both men sighed. They rethought their strategy and decided to not split up just yet, not with the beast having both physical and magical abilities.


    At the front of that giant group battle, Kims fought alongside Ssildro against one of the regents. The match was in Kims¡¯ and Ssildro¡¯s favor thanks to Ssildro¡¯s frighteningly fast strikes, which Kims mimicked thanks to the pact. The duo had managed to catch that regent off guard, setting them up for a sessful fight.


    ¡¯Kims, are you still at the back?¡¯


    Hearing that in his head, Kims replied telepathically, ¡¯Yes, we¡¯re holding off the invaders who rushed past Dragov.¡¯


    ¡¯Hurry here and switch with me.¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, I can¡¯t just--¡¯


    ¡¯If not, you won¡¯t get your revenge on Thyron,¡¯ added Tralon. ¡¯Now will be your only chance. And You¡¯ll fare better than I.¡¯


    ¡¯... I¡¯m on my way!¡¯


    Neither man said a word more, not wanting to waste their time and focus.


    Kims inhaled and stared at the on guard regent before him. Then, the one-armed swordsman closed his eyes. He let a pause hang in the air ufortably long.


    Seeing that, the regent was confused. Not only had his opponent closed his eyes but he didn¡¯t attack or take a defensive stance. Obviously, the one-armed swordsman was up to something but the regent was utterly clueless as to what it could be. And the strangely long pause only added to the tension.


    A few seconds passed in silence. Neither opponent moved, nor did Ssildro who was coiled up behind Kims.


    Finally, the regent flinched, stepping toward Kims with his greataxe.


    Kims then moved but kept his eyes closed. He took in another breath. Just as the axe came down, Kims sidestepped and lunged forward, agile as a snake while ducking the attack and piercing the regent through the heart.


    Opening his eyes, Kims kicked the fresh corpse from his de and started to run off. He shouted, "I¡¯m switching with Tralon, he¡¯ll be here momentarily!"


    With that encouragement, the army of guild members stood strong. They awaited the arrival of the vice guild master to support their defensive line.


    *****


    At the front of the guild, many smaller battles were taking ce. Cranes and beholders were holding their own against the invaders, some even double-teaming a syndicate member and gaining an advantage.


    As for the three regents that were contained at the front, each was facing off with their one opponent.


    The fight between Kaldor and the regent before him was close. Neither man budged or showed a single misstep in battle. They left no openings for their opponents, each focusing on brute strength.


    Hurmot was facing a powerful sorceress. Though Hurmot was the oldest and most experienced of the three auction house owners, the battle was slowly tipping in the sorceress¡¯s favor.


    As for Argyle, his battle was a heated battle of swordsmanship. However, unlike Argyle¡¯s brief exchange with a regent during the Federal City attack, Argyle¡¯s opponent wielded a legendary weapon as he was chosen to fight Argyle from the get-go. And with that boost in quality, Argyle¡¯s mythic-tier sword¡¯s weapon-breaking properties were greatly weakened.


    Those two exchanged blow after blow. It was a bit surprising for the regent, though. He was lv. 73 while Argyle was lv. 71. He had assumed that over time the benefits of his higher level would prevail. But Argyle proved just as resilient and Argyle¡¯s mana was keeping up with his own.


    "Hmm... You¡¯re interesting. How are you able to keep up with me perfectly while you¡¯re two levels lower? Tell me," the regent asked Argyle.


    Scoffing, Argyle replied while attacking, "Let¡¯s just say that fighting against the Leisure Guild was the worst decision of your life. Nothing is ever as it seems."


    "Oh? Why¡¯s..."


    Spoke while parrying Argyle¡¯s attack, but the moment the regent touched his opponent¡¯s sword his opponent disappeared. That¡¯s when he spotted Argyle out of the corner of his eye, almost nking the regent swordsman.


    Grunting, the regent rushed his de to the side. He barely managed to block the attack with a slight loss of footing.


    All of a sudden, the regent saw a second image of Argyle emerging from the first. Eachunched a different attack from a different side. The regent was forced to act quickly and decide which was true and which was false like before.


    To help his defense, the swordsman stepped left and blocked left to avoid the right side entirely.


    In the end, the regent failed to discern which attack was real but he did manage to avoid the well-hidden attack. However, the regent also understood that he would be on the defensive until he could figure out that strange copying ability.

 Chapter 426 Thyron vs Tralon

    <h4>Chapter 426 Thyron vs Tralon</h4>


    Not too far-off from the battle between the regents and the auction house owners, two mages were facing each other. One was old and ancient while the other was elderly yet couldn¡¯tpare in terms of age or wisdom.


    "Thyron, what¡¯s your motive in working with the syndicate?"


    "Tralon, shouldn¡¯t you be more interested in your survival than in my motives?" Thyron chuckled, gathering electricity around his hands.


    At the same time, Tralon called out telepathically, ¡¯Kims, are you still at the back?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, we¡¯re holding off the invaders who rushed past Dragov,¡¯ the one-armed swordsman replied.


    ¡¯Hurry here and switch with me.¡¯


    A bolt of lightning shot out from Thyron¡¯s hand, but it only hit an empty building as Tralon teleported to the opposite side of Thyron.


    ¡¯Tralon, I can¡¯t just--¡¯


    Tralon cut off Kims, making sure the proud swordsman understood his logic, ¡¯If not, you won¡¯t get your revenge on Thyron. Now will be your only chance. And you¡¯ll fare better than I.¡¯


    ¡¯... I¡¯m on my way!¡¯


    With that conversation over, Tralon felt much more focused on the fight, evading another lightning bolt.


    "If all you do is run, you¡¯ll be out of mana before you ever get a chance to injure me," chuckled Thyron. "Come on, show me why you were chosen as the Legend¡¯s aide!"


    Taking in a deep breath, Tralon raised his arm with yellow energy while pointing his staff to the ground, also using yellow energy.


    At the same time, Thyron felt the ground beneath his feet suddenly disappear. His footing fell three feet until solid ground was found, but a dome of earth had also emerged around him to trap Thyron¡¯s arms and torso in the center of the dome.


    Tralon had dual cast Copsing earth and Earth Fortress, showing off his creativity as a wizard against the sorcerer that relied purely on powerful spells. It was simple yet effective.


    "Not bad... But not enough!"


    Yellow energy filled Thyron¡¯s eyes as the rock trapping him burst apart. Then the ground started to do the same, erupting and spewing rocks and boulders viciously toward Tralon.


    The wizard dashed to the side, revealing his strangely high dexterity, a stat that Jack forced Tralon to raise in the past.


    "Oh! You¡¯re quicker than you look for such an old-timer,"mented Thyron. "If only you weren¡¯t so hard-headed and were willing to work with us. You¡¯d be an amazing ally and we could even remove that curse from you. Wouldn¡¯t you want that?"


    "You¡¯re a true politician, Thyron. Always blowing hot air, especially amid a drastic situation," Tralon replied.


    The sorcerer shrugged. "Then your death is your own fault."


    More lightning was gathered in one of Thyron¡¯s hands. At the same time, yellow energy gathered around the spokesman¡¯s other arm.


    "Dodge this!"


    Another lightning bolt targeted Tralon, but the earth on either side of the wizard was being splintered apart like before. With no other choice, Tralon teleported to evade the attack, reappearing at the side.


    "I wonder how much mana you still have. Maybe your former self could win, but you¡¯re nothing but a walking corpsepared to him!" mocked Thyron.


    "True... But at least I have my priorities straight," stated Tralon, unfazed by thement. "My priorities keep my aim true and consistent while yours will cause your downfall, Thyron."


    "Oh really? Will your heroe and save you? Will your weak gods be able to hold out against the strongest of the deities?" Thyron questioned. "Today the Leisure Guild will fall, even if Gilga has to join it in hell."


    A contact crystal appeared in Thyron¡¯s hand. He activated it and calmly stated, "You¡¯re needed. Launch the assault now!"


    Just as quickly as the contact crystal was put away, Tralon asked, "What¡¯s all that about?"


    "Nothing for you to worry about. You¡¯ll be busy begging for a merciful death!"


    Another bolt of lighting and barrage of cracking earth forced Tralon to teleport again.


    However, as Tralon teleported, he was greeted with an electrical shock. Electricity was dancing through the air as if it formed a thirty-meter perimeter around Thyron. And with it taking form as Tralon teleported, the wizard was unable to dodge the attack.


    "Lightning Cage..." Thyron spoke up. "Usually, it¡¯s used to keep warriors contained and away from me. But in your case, it¡¯s to keep you from constantly avoiding damage. And anything beyond twenty meters won¡¯t be very effective against me unless you spend far more mana than necessary, which I¡¯m also okay with. A neat trick, right?"


    The constant tension and rxation of Tralon¡¯s muscles were forcing Tralon¡¯s body to spasm. Physically moving was out of the question and attacking from beyond thirty meters was indeed a handicap to force Tralon to waste his mana. With the seven-level gap between the mages, Thyron wanted nothing more than the crafty, experienced Tralon to simply run out of mana and be a sitting duck. That was the easiest way to guarantee his victory.


    "Not going to teleport?"


    Thyron carefully managed the lightning cage with one arm, making sure to not hit himself while raining additional electricity down onto Tralon. His second arm glowed yellow as the sorcerer clenched his fist.


    Stealing Tralon¡¯s prior strategy, Thyron cast Earth Fortress to trap Tralon¡¯s torso in a ring of earth.


    Unable to do anything else, Tralon released a sh of light. His body was carried out of the earthen entrapment and outside of the lightning cage.


    Before Thyron could give Tralon some verbal retort, the wizard gathered purple energy around his hand and shed his arm through the air.


    A thin de of spatial energy took shape and was thrown through the cage of lightning, not affecting it at all. It rushed toward Thyron, intent on slicing the sorcerer clean in two.


    Thyron began to run toward Tralon and the attack, but he drastically dropped in height. Casting Copsing Earth allowed Thyron to sink a path of earth toward Tralon, dropping his height beneath the trajectory of Tralon¡¯s attack. At the same time, the lightning cage around Thyron threatened to consume Tralon yet again as Thyron got closer.


    Still feeling the aching aftereffects from his time inside the lightning cage, Tralon teleported even further away.


    That¡¯s when Thyron noticed something. Amidst battling, Tralon was making sure to never ce himself in line with the nearest city buildings or some buildings in particr. The sorcerer deduced Tralon¡¯s most likely ces to reappear and readjusted for his next attack.


    While keeping Lightning Cage active, Thyron cast Erupting Earth again. This forced Tralon to teleport again and evade, but the wizard was bombarded with earthen debris the moment he appeared elsewhere.


    "You¡¯re too predictable, Tralon," Thyronughed as the wizard was pummeled with rocks and boulders. "You¡¯re concern for others makes you a liability at your level."


    Tralon teleported again but was again bombarded with debris and stone.


    Bloodied and nearing the brink of his abilities, Tralon was then trapped again by the Lightning Cage as Thyron casually approached Tralon.


    "If you don¡¯t teleport away, I¡¯ll tell you more about that call I just made," stated Thyron, catching the wizard¡¯s attention. And since Tralon didn¡¯t teleport, Thyron chuckled and continued, "Though you¡¯re well prepared to the west, there¡¯s no way the city of Gi will be prepared to the east. As we speak, thousands are charging through the eastern fields. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll reach the city walls any minute now."


    "W-What?"


    "An army of thousands will tear the city apart and then overrun you," Thyron rified, relishing in Tralon¡¯s pained expression. "Sure, they are no regents with them, but those syndicate chiefs and disciples are more than enough to level a city. You scared the syndicate enough for them to bring out everyone.


    "Can you picture it? An army of thousands of lv. 60¡¯s and lv. 50¡¯s marching onto Gilga, stampeding it to smithereens? What a glorious sight!"

 Chapter 427 Holy Gods Spectating

    <h4>Chapter 427 Holy Gods Spectating</h4>


    "Can you picture it? An army of thousands of lv. 60¡¯s and lv. 50¡¯s marching onto Gilga, stampeding it to smithereens? What a glorious sight!"


    Tralon was unsure what felt worse, the electric shock constantly coursing through his body or his heart tightening uncontrobly. Each was unbearable.


    As Thyron continued tough and Tralon prepared to teleport away, they both heard the whistle of the wind.


    Thyron jumped back and groaned in pain. Lightning Cage was instantly dropped as that arm of Thyron¡¯s pressed into his bleeding side. The spokesman took a few deep breaths and spied thetestbatant to join the battle.


    "Tralon, are you--"


    "I¡¯m fine." Tralon rushed to his feet, coughing up some blood as he did so. "Be careful of his Lightning Cage and his earth type spells."


    Without another word, Tralon teleported away in a sh of light.


    "Oh? You¡¯re not going to tag team me?" Thyron chuckled as he put a potion bottle to his lips. The wound on Thyron¡¯s side stopped bleeding and his smile returned. "Without Tralon¡¯s support, you¡¯ll never manage to defeat me."


    "I¡¯ll do more than defeat you..." Kims solemnly replied. "I¡¯ll kill you."


    "What bravado! Where do you get such confidence after losing an arm?" asked Thyron with a mocking smile.


    Tightly gripping the hilt of his sword, Kims squinted at Thyron. "You¡¯re the reason my mother suffered all her life... now, I¡¯ll be returning the favor, Father..."


    Going wide-eyed, the reality of Kims¡¯s statement dawned on Thyron. "That¡¯s why... That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always hated your face! You remind me of that insolent woman!"


    "No more talk. All I want to hear is the silence after your heart stops beating."


    Dashing into action, Kims lunged forward, unafraid of the sorcerer four levels higher than him.


    *****


    "What are they thinking..."


    "Lyrun, what¡¯s your opinion on this?"


    Naparn and Lyrun both stood over a mirrored tabletop, only the mirror was currently disying the battle taking ce between Pestro and Eedaj.


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m unsure of what to think," replied Lyrun. "The only logical exnation for such an action would be desperation, but the syndicate has never acted so desperately before. What I¡¯m truly wondering is the cause of that desperation."


    "And what about that dragon?!" Naparn shouted, changing the picture disyed to that of the Spectral Dragonying waste to thest of those lv. 50¡¯s from the divided army. "How did he manage to get a summoning scroll for that particr dragon?!"


    Lyrun shook his head. "That I¡¯m also not sure of... But, ording to our investigations, Jack participated in a few auctions a while back, buying out most of the items like never before, anonymously of course. I¡¯m guessing that summoning scroll must¡¯vee from the annual auction."


    "But for that dragon, of all beasts?!"


    "Calm down, Naparn," added Lyrun. "First off, that dragon is only lv. 54 and proves no danger to you. Second, we have to keep in mind that the auction house owners are the most notorious dungeon robbers and the biggest buyers on the ck market outside of the association and the syndicate. And considering that it was a Spectral Dragon sealed within that scroll, I take it that the scroll¡¯s writing was entirely foreign to anyone who found it. Of all people in Modern Kartonia, aside from the gods, wouldn¡¯t the Legend of Trodar be the most capable person to understand such a scroll?"


    Following Lyrun¡¯s train of thought, Naparn struggled to find any ws. But his anger was still unquenchable by such a quick answer.


    "But... To get a Spectral Dragon... That¡¯s something I might expect from the chaotic gods, not the neutral gods," reasoned Naparn, popping his knuckles from clenching his fists out of reflex.


    "It¡¯s definitely outside of expectations, but it seemed that even Eedaj was startled to see Jack summon the dragon. I don¡¯t think he knew about it, which means Jack¡¯s acting on his own without the neutral gods controlling him in any way," deduced Lyrun.


    "They let their champion act freely?! Are they so foolish?!"


    "Naparn, remember, the neutral gods aren¡¯t like us," added Lyrun. "I know for a fact that each of the neutral gods is independent and can act for themselves. With that in mind, I think their gathering is a result of Jack¡¯s actions and not their own initiative. I would guess that Jack is the key to all of their ns. Rather than use the champion as fodder or as a dying tactic like us and the chaotic gods, I want to believe that the neutral gods are attempting to raise their champion above that."


    Eyeing Lyrun, Naparn asked, "What do you mean? Are you saying they¡¯re trying to make him a god?"


    "I don¡¯t have any reason to say otherwise," Lyrun stated. "Also, there¡¯s something else we need to consider. We can¡¯t forget about Hadurt¡¯s appearance."


    "Right... If Hadurt is so lively so soon, then there¡¯s a chance that Lorwynn is alive as well," added Naparn. "To think, our champion of all people was our greatest weakness..."


    "Only time will verify that," stated Lyrun. "I¡¯m just saying we should keep that thought as a possibility."


    Turning the attention of the viewing mirror back onto the godly duel, Lyrun added, "Aside from all that, I¡¯m curious as to why Pestro refuses to fight with his halberd. Without it, his duel against Eedaj will be far more difficult."


    "And didn¡¯t he react badly to the Spectral Dragon as well?" asked Naparn.


    "Right. It¡¯s a strange thing to consider, but Pestro seemed more affected by the dragon¡¯s appearance than you were. And though he¡¯s on the opposing side of that dragon, his reaction wasn¡¯t normal anger. A hint of fear was in his eyes after spotting the Spectral Dragon. But that doesn¡¯t make sense as he¡¯s Moranti¡¯s ally."


    Lyrun tapped his fingers against his staff for a few seconds, pondering everything deeply.


    Naparn soon sighed and wore a strange expression on his face. He mumbled, "I guess we¡¯ll have to inform Halmut of this... Since it involves a Spectral Dragon, he¡¯ll want to know about it..."


    "Go ahead, I¡¯ll be following you in soon..." Lyrun replied, but kept his gaze glued to the frozen image of the Pestro¡¯s startled face.


    "Alright, but don¡¯t take too long..." Naparn sighed again, turning around and leaving through the hallway.


    The Molten God walked slowly, not wanting to rush himself or his announcement. He was still tongue-tied as to what he would say and could only imagine how Halmut might react. Caught up in thought, the Molten God slowly sauntered through the hall, reaching Halmut¡¯s throne room at a snail¡¯s pace.


    "Finally..."


    That unexpected, uttered word startled Naparn, putting the Molten God on full alert.


    "You¡¯re toote..."


    Only after that second statement did Naparn recognize the feeling of a knife against his neck. Completely baffled and aware of his predicament, Naparn swallowed the saliva clogging up his throat. "Sterfen... How did you get in here?"


    "Oh, I¡¯ve been here for some time now." Releasing his invisibility, Sterfen¡¯s body came into view casually standing behind Naparn and holding a de to the Molten God¡¯s throat. "I¡¯ve been enjoying the show in Trodar, especially when my son summoned a Spectral Dragon. To think he had that up his sleeve... But you didn¡¯t expect it either, which finally created an opportunity for me."


    "Sterfen... You know that killing me will only result in Halmut hunting you down. You shouldn¡¯t--"


    "Oh, I shouldn¡¯t?"


    Sterfen¡¯s knife gently broke Naparn¡¯s skin as it pressed slightly more into Naparn¡¯s throat. The Assassin God revealed his true colors as the casual warmth of his re abruptly dropped below sub-zero.


    Sterfen coldly asked, barely whispering into Naparn¡¯s ear, "Tell me, Naparn... Why shouldn¡¯t I kill the man responsible for my wife¡¯s near-death experience during the war you forced her into? Why shouldn¡¯t I kill the man who wanted to ruin my marriage just so he could personally take advantage of my wife¡¯s bloodline? Give me one good reason."

 Chapter 428 Sterfens Offer to Halmu

    <h4>Chapter 428 Sterfen¡°s Offer to Halmu</h4>


    "Give me one good reason."


    Naparn was entirely still. The Molten God didn¡¯t even breathe, afraid that Sterfen would press the knife further into his throat.


    "Hmm... It seems you remember your lesson well..." Sterfen chuckled as he dragged the tip of his de down Naparn¡¯s throat. He cut into the cor of the god¡¯s luxurious jacket. Underneath that, a vulnerable scar was visible. "You know my capabilities already, so don¡¯t push your luck."


    "What do you want?" asked Naparn.


    Sterfen¡¯s warm smile returned, making the Assassin God all the more frightening. "Sadly, killing you will ruin my current ns... If only..."


    "If you¡¯re not here to kill me, then why are you in Olympic Chateau?"


    "First, let me warn you about something," Sterfen added. "You¡¯ve already experienced two of my personal skills, but you¡¯ve never experienced my third."


    "Third..." Naparn¡¯s breath stopped again.


    "Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s simple. Now that I¡¯ve marked you with my de, my third skill has already activated. It took half a century to perfect but I crafted it should I ever get a chance to enter here, like I have now," exined Sterfen. "I call the skill Mark of the Reaper. In that slit on your neck is a portion of my own energy, ready to puncture your throat and end your life upon mymand. I¡¯ll let you feel it for yourself..."


    As Sterfen removed the de from Naparn¡¯s throat, Naparn was terrified. He saw Sterfen remove the knife and step aside yet the Molten God still felt the presence of a knife prating his skin.


    "Unless I remove that mark, your life is in my hands for the next twenty-four hours," stated Sterfen. "Should I wish you dead, that¡¯s what you¡¯ll be. Should someone else wish you alive, then they¡¯ll have to bargain with me..."


    Catching on to Sterfen¡¯s plot, Naparn red angrily at Sterfen. "You dare use me as a hostage?! How could--"


    "Would you rather die right now?"


    Stopping his tongue, Naparn refused to say more.


    "Good, now be silent and wait for our next hostage to arrive."


    "What--"


    "Naparn?"


    Hearing that voice, Naparn looked back from where he came. He spotted Lyrun walking up to him. But Naparn¡¯s heart sank further before he felt any relief. The familiar slit along Lyrun¡¯s throat was enough to dash away the Molten God¡¯s hopes of being freed.


    Lyrun was confused as well, turning to Sterfen and then looking behind him.


    That¡¯s when Naparn also noticed a second Sterfen casually walking behind Lyrun. And as soon as Naparn spotted the second Sterfen, its figure faded away."


    "Sterfen... You used a body double to mark me?" Lyrun asked, showing a praising smile.


    "Unlike this pestro, you¡¯re smart enough to recognize a hostage situation without putting up a fight. With that in mind, why not use a low-level copy instead of myself?" answered Sterfen. "But just because my body double to marked doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re safe. I¡¯m sure you can still feel the knife against your throat as we speak."


    "Then, I assume you¡¯ll be taking us to Halmut?"


    "Correct. He¡¯s got a few things that I desperately want. Do you think I¡¯m kind enough to keep Naparn alive longer than he needs to be?" Sterfen stated, not holding back his words.


    Stewing in anger and silence, Naparn didn¡¯t dare speak. Against his will, the Molten God had no choice but to go calmly along with the scenario like Lyrun.


    "Then follow me. It¡¯s been a while since Ist visited my arrogant brother."


    "Sterfen, Halmut is--"


    "He¡¯s my brother, whether you like it or not," interjected Sterfen. "It¡¯s not my fault that Halmut has abandoned his family. If he hadn¡¯t then I¡¯d be calling you nephew... Then again, maybe it¡¯s a good thing he left the family. I would hate to bebeled the ck sheep for wanting to fillet my nephew..."


    The God of Secrecy nonchntly strolled through the halls as the hostage gods followed suit.


    In a few minutes, the group of three entered the expansive throne room. Halmut was already rolled over, watching the three gods enter with squinting eyes.


    The main holy god didn¡¯t keep his eyes on Lyrun or Naparn for long. His focus was on Sterfen as he sighed. "Sterfen, what have you done?"


    "I¡¯m only here because you¡¯ve forced my hand, Brother," Sterfen stated in a very professional tone. "If you and those under you hadn¡¯t bothered my wife so much then I never would¡¯ve gotten involved. Can you really me a husband for seeking vengeance and freedom for his wife?"


    "I¡¯m not your brother, Sterfen. I respect you and the other gods under Daruun but I have given that up. You know that," argued Halmut. "Now, exin yourself. How did you enter this ce and why are they both standing behind you so casually with blood on their necks?"


    "Long story short, they¡¯re my hostages."


    "Hostages? You can¡¯t take--"


    "Halmut, as you don¡¯t wish to be my brother I won¡¯t remain courteous." Sterfen¡¯s voice became colder as he cut off the dragon and continued his exnation, "With a singlemand, their lives will be lost. Even if you revive them, the holes in their necks would never heal, so take that into consideration. Would you like to lose your two most loyalckeys?"


    "I¡¯m no--"


    "Shut up!" Halmut spoke up, silencing Naparn from joining the conversation. "Continue, Sterfen."


    Nodding, the Assassin God continued, "I¡¯m giving you a choice. I can either kill both of these men now or you can hand over my wife¡¯s contract, as well as Kori¡¯s."


    "Or," added Halmut, "I can just kill you now."


    "True, you¡¯re entirely capable of killing me. But I¡¯ll be taking these two with me. And since one of them is the man I despise more than death, I¡¯m willing to exchange my life for both of theirs," reasoned Sterfen, not flinching under the dragon¡¯s threats. "So, what will it be? I¡¯ll release them after you hand me the contracts and escort out of Olympic Chateau. I feel that exchanging the lives of two gods for the lives of two others is quite fair, don¡¯t you?"


    *****


    Facing his opponent, Argyle held nothing back as he forced the regent swordsman to take defensive precautions.


    The regent was gritting his teeth in anger. Even with his legendary de, the swordsman was forced to equip his shield. It removed the regent¡¯s ability to attack two-handed and his mythic-tier shield was now getting cracks thanks to Argyle¡¯s special de.


    At the same time, Argyle kept a close eye on Tralon¡¯s duel.


    Tralon had managed to escape the Lightning Cage from Thyron but he was starting to look worse for wear. And with such a wide level gap, Argyle couldn¡¯t imagine Tralon holding out much longer.


    With that in mind, Argyle needed to hurry up and finish his opponent.


    Argyle exhaled sharply through his nostrils. Focused on the man shielding himself, Argyle rushed forward with ever more determination.


    The two images of Argyle split up again. One rushed to nk the regent while one sidestepped and ducked low for an attack on the regent¡¯s legs.


    Forced to defend, the regent moved to parry the low attack in front of his face and kept his shield ready to defend the attack behind him. As the two swords connected in front of the regent¡¯s right leg, Argyle¡¯s sword faded into nonexistence. The regent rushed his head around to get a better view of Argyle¡¯s iing attack but didn¡¯t find Argyle.


    Atst second, the regent caught a glimpse of Argyle in the air.


    Rather than simply nk, Argyle leaped to a new vantage point and attack from the spot exactly opposite his false attack. He nked from high up, putting the regent¡¯s parry at thergest disadvantage Argylde could create.

 Chapter 429 Turning the Tide of Battle

    <h4>Chapter 429 Turning the Tide of Battle</h4>


    The regent was forced to use his shield to block. However, Argyle¡¯s free hand gripped the side of the shield, keeping a window of opportunity for his attack.


    Stabbing his de into the regent¡¯s chest, Argyle twisted it for added pain and damage.


    Though Argylended a crucial blow, it left an opening for the regent to also sh into¡¯s Argyle¡¯s shoulder.


    They stepped away with blood across their torsos. Neither was backing down from the fight.


    Argyle smiled and stretched his wounded shoulder as if to say that he felt fine despite all the damage he took. His bravado continued as Argyle rushed the regent anew, again using his Discement Boots to the fullest.


    The regent scoffed as his de suddenly became coated in dark energy.


    They shed again, this time with the regent selecting the true Argyle and parrying the attack. But, due to the shield, the regent failed tond a scathing blow.


    With a new sh torn through his clothes, Argyle squinted.


    ncing away briefly, Argyle spotted Tralon recaptured within Thyron¡¯s Lightning Cage and lying bloodied amidst boulders and rubble.


    ¡¯Jack,¡¯ Argyle telepathically asked, ¡¯Can I bring out Dradich?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... If he stays near the evacuated buildings and doesn¡¯t harm the main building, that¡¯s fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks!¡¯


    Jack¡¯s and Argyle¡¯s conversation was short and sinct but it offered Argyle another trick up his sleeve.


    As the regent finally rushed Argyle, trying to regain his earlier momentum, he lunged forward to reevaluate Argyle¡¯s defensive capabilities.


    However, his sword never managed to reach his foe.


    Instead, a gigantic beast appeared by Argyle¡¯s side and suddenly barreled into the unsuspecting regent.


    mmed into one of the smaller empty buildings near the guild¡¯s entrance, that regent coughed blood over and over. And just as the beast backed off, Argyle rushed in with his sword.


    The regent could only moan as his heart was run through and the equipment in his battered hands fell to the ground. His moan died out, fading away along with his life.


    Argyle smiled and hastily looted his fallen foe. "Thanks, Dradich. You¡¯re a huge help."


    "Thanks for filling me in before releasing me," replied Dradich. "I¡¯m d to be out and able to defend during such an asion."


    It was then that Dradich caught glimpse of the towering centipede far-off. The cier Wyrm was speechless, hoping that wasn¡¯t their foe. "Argyle... that centipede, is it--"


    "No, that¡¯s Jack¡¯spanion. He¡¯s defending against an entire army. We need to hurry and finish here to help them out." Argyle stated, taking that moment to breathe and regather his thoughts on the situations around him.


    Tralon had just teleported away after Kims arrived to confront Thyron. Hurmot was holding his own but his disadvantage was getting worse by the minute. Kaldor, on the other hand, had managed to gain momentum and would soon overwhelm his foe.


    "Kims!" Argyle shouted, "Do you want any help?"


    "This is my fight, so leave him to me," Kims coldly stated, not looking away from Thyron for a second.


    "Very well! Don¡¯t take too long!"


    Keeping their true aim in mind, Argyle patted Dradich again. "Can you tunnel through the earth? The main battle is in the southwest field and I¡¯m sure Dragov, that centipede could use your help."


    "Consider it done!"


    The cier Wyrm hurled himself into the ground, easily prating the earth and burrowing away at top speed.


    Argyle didn¡¯t say anything else. He rushed toward Hurmot¡¯s battle, certain that hurmot didn¡¯t care about whether he had help or not, unlike Kaldor.


    "No fair!" The sorceress shouted as she hurled a mixture of boulders and shards of ice at the iing swordsman.


    Throwing a five-attackbo of long-range sword attacks, Argyle forced his way through the barrage of spells. It was a bit easier than his previous fight thanks to the sorceress¡¯s divided attention.


    With his opponent lessening her pressure, Hurmot was relieved and shouted, "Thank you, Argyle! Now, to finish her!"


    Holy energy gathered around Hurmot¡¯s staff. Then, it formed half a dozen swords.


    Hurmot waved his arm,unching the six radiating swords of light at the sorceress. Without being burdened to defend, the aging man could unleash his attack spells without worry.


    The sorceress managed to defend against a few holy swords but she couldn¡¯t defend against them all while trying to force the aggressive Argyle back. And once she was hit, they didn¡¯t let up on her at all. There was no way those two veteran fighters would allow their opponent a moment to consume a potion of any kind.


    She managed to hold on for a few more moments, but thebination of Argyle¡¯s long-range sword attacks and the dancing holy swords was too much for her.


    The sorceress¡¯s defeat was also a great distraction for Kaldor¡¯s opponent. It was very unsettling for that regent to watch the other two get overpowered and it altered his mindset from battle-mode to escape-mode.


    However, his hesitation already marked his demise.


    The spiked steel knuckles that Kaldor wielded pierced through the regent¡¯s helmet, throwing the regent crashing into the ground. Kaldor didn¡¯t let up at all, following that attack with a diving heel kick into the regent¡¯s neck.


    With a crack, the regent¡¯s life was imed while the sorceress was in by the final barrage of holy swords.


    Both Kaldor and Hurmot imed the rewards of their battle before looking to the other fights taking ce around them. Argyle had already in two syndicate chiefs and was rushing to the next one facing Vixus.


    That chain reaction was unstoppable. With the auction house owners joining the cranes and beholders, they steamrolled the remaining forces of the syndicate at the guild¡¯s entrance.


    But just when they were feeling proud of their aplishment, a wild sh of purple energy erupted from the east. It wasn¡¯t within the city andsted for only a moment, but the sheer amount of spatial energy would¡¯ve been enough to nearly cover the Leisure Guild property.


    The ground shook, rocking the city gently as the purple energy faded from the eastern sky.


    The cranes, beholders, Kaldor, Hurmot, and Vixus were entranced by that phenomenon. They had no way of determining what that was or what sort of threat had created such a thing.


    Argyle stood with his eyes fixed on the now clear eastern sky. His mouth was wide open as the tremors ceased. The sight he had just witnessed was eerily familiar to him but wasn¡¯tparable to what he remembered.


    Kims¡¯s and Thyron¡¯s battle had just gotten underway. The swordsman tested his steel against the sorcerer¡¯s Lightning Cage, finding it terribly difficult to maneuver inside. He escaped with the bloodline skill, increasing his mobility and adding wind to his already incredible speed.


    That¡¯s when that earth-shaking sh of purple light filled the entire eastern horizon.


    While Kims was too concerned about the battle he had been imagining since he was a child, Thyron¡¯s wavering confidence hit an all-time low. The seriousness in his eyes started to leak out desperation after witnessing that purple energy.


    "How... How?!"


    But before Thyron could scream andin any more, Kims had thrown a few long-range sword attacks to deter the upset sorcerer.


    Thyron didn¡¯t care about the battle anymore, nor about the invasion. All he wanted to do was run away. His chances for victory were at a jarring zero percent now that the regents had fallen thanks to the sudden appearance of a cier Wyrm.


    The Lightning Cage disappeared as Thyron evaded Kims¡¯s attacks. The sorcerer now gathered lightning around his entire body, intent on fleeing as quickly as possible.


    However, just as Thyron turned to leave, a nimble crane intercepted him.


    "Cerdot! He¡¯s my opponent alone!" Kims shouted, against any form of assistance.


    Cerdot nodded, staying put in front of Thyron. "I understand that, but we¡¯re only here to keep him from escaping. We¡¯ll only attack should your life be threatened."


    "Thank you."


    It was during their conversation that Thyron realized what was going on. Three cranes had formed a perimeter around Kims and Thyron. Or in other words, there was no hope of escape...

 Chapter 430 Western Battlefield Heats Up

    <h4>Chapter 430 Western Battlefield Heats Up</h4>


    In the southwest field, Dragov defended the guild with everything he had. Though he out leveled most of the invaders by a great margin, having hundreds of mages and warriors attacking him all at once was still a lot for the Draconic Centipede.


    Dragov watched as his health eventually passed the halfway mark under the invaders¡¯ siege. Only focusing on defense was the cause of that, but it also kept a majority of the army from rushing into the guild all at once. It allowed the weaker guild members inside the walls the ability to defend properly.


    The most annoying thing to Dragov was the lv. 83 knight. She would constantly keep Dragov from ughtering the army en masse and also remained a threat to the people inside the guild. No matter what, Dragov wasmitted to killing her and keeping her from entering the guild grounds.


    Jeara was struggling hardcore. The centipede¡¯s natural armor was astounding, still holding strong against the onught of attacks thrown at it. It was mind-boggling to the knight.


    However, she was forced to ept that reality. She stayed focused on the task at hand and was helping more and more syndicate members get past the towering centipede.


    Looking at the three men not too far away, Jeara was disappointed to see the fight reach a draw.


    When she saw arge body of me fly toward that battle with rocketing speed, Jeara debated rushing back to help. But she was relieved to see that body of me fly away just as quickly as it had arrived.


    Able to focus on her task, Jeara kept Dragov from ughtering every syndicate member in sight.


    That¡¯s when another roar filled the air, the roar of yet another beast.


    Out of the ground appeared a massive wyrm. It couldn¡¯tpare to the centipede, but the arrival of another giant lv. 70 beast wasn¡¯t a good sign for the syndicate.


    Dragov spotted the wyrm but was unable to speak before the wyrm introduced himself, "Dragov, I¡¯m Dradich. I¡¯m thepanion of the human Argyle. I¡¯vee to help."


    "Great!" The centipedeughed, startling many of the syndicate members. "First, help that dragon!"


    Watching the motion of Dragov¡¯s head, Dradich turned around to be startled. To see a dragon up close left some fear in Dradich¡¯s mind but that dragon was strange and peculiar. It was unlike anything Dradich had seen or heard of.


    "Go! Don¡¯t waste time!" Dragov roared, startling the wyrm.


    Following orders, Dradich rushed through a portion of the army and charged toward the struggling Spectral Dragon.


    "Stop that wyrm!" Jeara shouted and jumped toward the newly arrived beast. She didn¡¯t want the tide to turn.


    But Jeara found herself being blocked and swatted away by Dragov.


    When the wyrm arrived, the Spectral Dragon squinted, questioning, "Ally or enemy?"


    The giant wyrmshed out, activating his frost body and throwing himself into the center of the lv. 70¡¯s that had been ganging up on Karronteel. As the wyrm scattered that group, he stated, "I¡¯m Dradich. Can you handle the lv. 60¡¯s?"


    "Yes," replied Karronteel. "With the others distracted, it¡¯s only a matter of time until the weak will lose their lives!"


    The tag team of Dradich and Karronteel began to wreak havoc on that portion of the invading army.


    Seeing the wyrm¡¯s arrival and having received his gift, Hadurt started to chuckle maniacally. His sudden giddiness was jarring to On and d but they soon realized why.


    Dark energy danced violently around Hadurt, marking his demonization. The look in Hadurt¡¯s eyes was excited yet ice-cold. The Berserker finally stated, "I may not have his blessing anymore, but I¡¯ve got something even better..."


    The ck sword was instantly returned to Hadurt¡¯s storage, confusing On and d. And when On wanted to take advantage of the unarmed former champion, a new weapon appeared in Hadurt¡¯s hands, one that forced both On and d topletely reevaluate the fight.


    A pitch-ck halberd twirled through the air as Hadurt adjusted to his new weapon. "Finally... Let¡¯s test it out, shall we?"


    No longer holding anything back, Hadurt unleashed hell upon d and On.


    The addition of a god¡¯s personal weapon changed everything.


    d still managed to defend On in their revolving formation, but hisrge, full-body shield wouldn¡¯t be able to hold on for long. He could feel it starting to crack under the pressure of the Demon¡¯s God¡¯s personal halberd. If they couldn¡¯t change something quick, then the battle would be over within a couple of minutes.


    Seeing d¡¯s struggles, On had to reconsider their n. With no other options, On backed off and focused on evasion. At the same time, On shouted, "Hadurt, what was it you wanted to--"


    "Toote!"


    The former champion lunged at the other berserker, chasing On down while d struggled to keep up.


    With nowhere to go, On ran into the army and tried to hide himself. However, Hadurt simply followed him everywhere while cleaving through every syndicate member that was within range.


    "You had your chance to talk... Now¡¯s your chance to die!" Hadurt yelled, frenziedly chasing after On. "Your sacrifice will be enough to push me to lv. 89. Then, you¡¯ll always be remembered as a very important person to me, On. So die already!"


    Unable to escape Hadurt¡¯s gaze, On shouted, "d! Help the army!"


    Struggling to watch On run for his life, d nodded and turned back around. With a pained expression, d spotted the best ce for his efforts. The guardian rushed to one of the nearer battlefields, the one upied by the two bodies of me.


    Jack and Bowzer were fighting with tactics in mind. They just wanted to dy them for as long as they could. Both of them understood that defeating that small army wasn¡¯t going to happen.


    And with a high-level guardian barreling towards them, Jack was at a loss for words.


    ¡¯Jack... Are you there?¡¯


    The unexpected message startled Jack, forcing the hero to back away a bit from the fight.


    ¡¯Yeah, what--¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, let me say thank you onest time.¡¯


    Utterly perplexed, Jack replied, ¡¯Tralon, what--¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Jack... For everything...¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon! TRALON!¡¯


    All of a sudden, a burst of purple energy erupted in the distant eastern sky. The entire battlefield saw the sh, amazed and confused at the same time.


    The ground beneath everyone¡¯s feet shook as well, startling everyone further, getting most everyone to pause and reposition themselves. Even d was forced to halt momentarily, almost falling over in his haste across the shaky ground.


    Only a momentter the sh ended and the shaking stopped. The battle immediately resumed, thinking nothing of the st as it was too far away to be of significance in the battle at hand.


    Jack, however, quivered. He immediately opened his menu to the skill list but failed to find Tralon listed.


    With Jack¡¯s me body motionless, the nearby army targeted him. They prepared more spells and sent more attacks his way as Jack was finally still and not constantly evading their attacks.


    That¡¯s when they all started to sweat profusely.


    The temperature of their battlefield was already quite intense with Jack¡¯s powerful me body and Bowzer¡¯s white-hot me body active. Jack¡¯s weaker mes made him an easier target for the warriors, but that changed abruptly.


    The temperature of Jack¡¯s mes spiked! They went from being red-hot with tinges of white to matching Bowzer¡¯s mes. Then... they kept getting hotter... bing half ck and half white.


    Jack¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t visible with the me body active but all the syndicate members nearby felt the hero¡¯s heated gaze burning through their determination.


    "Die!"


    Finally, d arrived to assist in the killing of the two me bodies. He charged with his shield in front of him, ready to bash first and kill second.


    Bowzer backed away, sensing a massive threat from the guardian. But Bowzer was startled when Jack darted forward to meet the iing guardian head-on. The fox didn¡¯t know what to think or why Jack had suddenly given himself up entirely to rage.

 Chapter 431 Tralboks Worries

    <h4>Chapter 431 Tralbok¡°s Worries</h4>


    Leaning forward while supporting his arms with his knees, Tralbok stared anxiously into a looking ss.


    The looking ss wasrger than his palm with gold trim around it. The god had his fingers tightly wrapped around the edges of the mirror. It was how Tralbok was constantly monitoring Pestro and the reason for his anxiety.


    Before everything had begun, Tralbok verified that Pestro was indeed on his way to Trodar. But the frustrated look on Pestro¡¯s face led Tralbok to inspect the Crooked Mountains, the ce Pestro had been searching for clues on Choron.


    What Tralbok found there was more than he wanted to know.


    He spotted Rikko walking toward a goblin settlement alongside a human man that shouldn¡¯t have been in the Crooked Mountains.


    Finding Jack there had started to create the anxiety that was now in full bloom for Tralbok.


    The acting leader of the chaotic gods was torn as to allow the weaker gods to watch the battle alongside him, especially since it might negatively affect their already terrible morale to see Tralbok¡¯s great stress. With that in mind, Tralbok holed himself up and used a smaller looking ss to watch the battle personally.


    It all started well until the Draconic Centipede arrived and formed a perimeter around the invading army. That was enough to greatly dishearten Tralbok, so Hadurt¡¯s appearance was equivalent to a punch in the gut. Then, for some reason, Pestro¡¯s fury spiked and the Demon God cursed Rikko. It perplexed Tralbok until Pestro retrieved a ck greatsword instead of his halberd.


    No one else understood what had really happened, but Tralbok figured out the truth.


    Tralbok assumed that Pestro did something to anger Rikko, which was very easy to do with Pestro¡¯s temper and Rikko¡¯s personality. That must have led to Rikko somehow duping Pestro and stealing the demonic halberd without Pestro knowing any better.


    And though Pestro had a higher level than Eedaj, it didn¡¯t mean that the fight would be easy. Eedaj was unique and targeted his opponents¡¯ minds. Under the right circumstances, Eedaj just needed a single moment of opportunity to end the battle with Pestro. So Pestro losing his Halberd was a huge disadvantage, forcing the Demon God on an uphill battle.


    Then, while Pestro was gradually falling deeper and deeper into his emotions to rage against Eedaj, Tralbok walked with hesitation. Tralbok knew that Eedaj was just trying to create an opportunity to act.


    Finally, the final nail in the coffin that drove Tralbok¡¯s anxiousness to new heights was Jack¡¯s sudden arrival on the city wall.


    Knowing that something was wrong, Tralbok left his personal quarters and rushed through the caverns of their headquarters. He ran at full speed, not wanting to waste a single second.


    Not even a minuteter, Tralbok arrived before an ordinary-looking door. His hand hesitated to grab the door handle. But then, Tralbok saw Jack summon a Spectral Dragon. That incident through Tralbok¡¯s mind into a minefield of worries. It was enough stress to convince Tralbok to open the door.


    "Oh... Tralbok? What are you on about now?"


    Putin gon a confident face, Tralbok stared Moranti in the eyes. "I need you to send me to Trodar."


    "What?" Moranti started tough. "No, seriously, why are you here?"


    Repeating himself, Tralbok stated, "I need you to send me to Trodar, now!"


    "Not happening," stated Moranti, understanding that Tralbok was serious for some reason.


    "You have no choice!"


    "Of course I have a choice, give me one reason why I should do it?" asked Moranti.


    "You¡¯re torture will be lessened. Also, we¡¯ll bring you better foo."


    "Nah, that doesn¡¯t matter to me," replied Moranti, not caring.


    "Then what will it take for me to get to Trodar?" Tralbok questioned, still eyeing the casual Moranti.


    A slight smile crept onto Moranti¡¯s face. "How about I go to Trodar?"


    "No!" Tralbok instantly answered, "You¡¯re a loose cannon that willingly kills his fellow gods. Why on earth should we--"


    "Because, based on the level of your false bravado, someone important to the syndicate might die soon," reasoned Moranti. "Why shouldn¡¯t I just let them die? Isn¡¯t that better for me in the long run?"


    "But--"


    "Just because I have the ability to send you there doesn¡¯t mean I will!" shouted Moranti, not letting Tralbok get a word in edgewise. "I want these shackles and chains released. That¡¯s the only thing I long for. Unless that¡¯s involved, then I don¡¯t care who dies. I¡¯d rather see the entire faction fall before I help you out more."


    "Then I should kill you now!"


    "Can you?" Moranti asked, confidently smiling. "You¡¯ve only restricted my movement, not my abilities. The reason I haven¡¯t killed you lot is because I¡¯d be left alone in shackles with no one to free me, waiting for Halmut to take my head."


    Then--"


    "And don¡¯t even mention the contract until I can see it. Skaryn still has those, only he¡¯s sealed away and unable to enforce them," stated Moranti. "Until he¡¯s freed, you have no way of punishing me for anything I do, even if I killed you."


    Tralbok didn¡¯t hide his rage from Moranti, showing his hatred with every fiber of the god¡¯s being.


    "Oh! So it¡¯s Pestro you¡¯re worried about." Moranti caught a glimpse of the looking ss in Tralbok¡¯s hand. "How about this? You¡¯ll set me free and I won¡¯t target the chaotic gods until the holy gods are out of the picture. I¡¯ll even save Pestro from his fight with Eedaj."


    "I¡¯m not worried about--"


    "If you¡¯re not worried about Eedaj, then something else must have you worried. Come on Tralbok, share the news," prodded Moranti. "If Pestro¡¯s up against the neutral gods and you¡¯re worried about him, then I¡¯d be double worried. Those guys are so unpredictable it¡¯s amazing! There¡¯s no telling what they can and can¡¯t do, regardless of their shortage of numbers."


    Frowning back at Moranti, Tralbok said nothing. He only looked into the looking ss.


    "Tralbok? Traaaaaaal..." Moranti called Tralbok by his former nickname, pestering Tralbok until he responded.


    But, out of the blue, Tralbok flinched and his eye twitched. Glued to the looking ss, Tralbok was further startled by another development from the Leisure Guild.


    Moranti noticed the change in attitude and checked the looking ss as well.


    Bursting intoughter, Moranti¡¯s voice filled the room and the nearby caverns, "They even got your precious champion?! And that hideous fool¡¯s weapon? Amazing! Simply amazing!


    "How about we watch closely as your little syndicate gets trashed and Pestro gets himself killed," chuckled Moranti.


    Tralbok grunted and rushed away from Moranti, leaving the room fuming mad.


    *****


    With his back against a tree, Lorwynn lounged in the shade. He was patiently waiting outside of Olympic Chateau¡¯s barrier. Remaining invisible was easy for him as that area had little to no natural predators. Almost all beasts were terrified of the Holy Gods and wouldn¡¯t dare get too close to Olympic Chateau.


    "Lorwynn, you there?"


    Hearing Sterfen¡¯s voice, Lorwynn smiled and took out his contact crystal. "Yeah, are you all done?"


    "You can go on without me," replied Sterfen, catching Lorwynn off guard. "I¡¯m speaking with the head honcho right now so I¡¯ll be able to figure a way out."


    "The... You¡¯re meeting with Halmut?!"


    "Calm down, kid. I¡¯ll exin my anticster but, for now, you should head back to the guild."


    "Sterfen, how can you--"


    "Lorwynn, hurry back to the Leisure Guild. Use the teleportation scroll," stated Sterfen.


    Startled to see how insistent Sterfen was, Lorwynn sighed, "I... Okay, but don¡¯t me me if you can¡¯t get out."


    "Just go. The guild¡¯s under attack and could use you right now."


    Hearing that, Lorwynn didn¡¯t say another word. Instead, he reced the contact crystal in his hand with a spell scroll. That scroll was quickly unfurled and activated. Lorwynn was carried away in a sh of light, leaving Sterfen alone inside Olympic Chateau.

 Chapter 432 Kims vs Thyron

    <h4>Chapter 432 Kims vs Thyron</h4>


    A lone sh of light appeared in the center of the Leisure Guild. Before it could fade, Lorwynn rocketed into the air to get a better picture of the situation.


    Dragov was the first and most obvious sight to find, followed by the army that was attacking him. The former holy champion also spotted a cier Wyrm rushing to the aid of a dragon that Lorwynn had never seen before.


    When Lorwynn found Hadurt standing in front of On and a guardian, he chuckled. But he abruptly stoppedughing once he noticed the weapon in Hadurt¡¯s hands.


    Going back and forth between the powering-up Hadurt and the godly duel at the further extents of the field, Lorwynn didn¡¯t know what to think. That scenario didn¡¯t make sense but he had to give credit to Jack and the Leisure Guild. To not only steal a god¡¯s personal weapon but to give it to Hadurt was something that Lorwynn couldn¡¯t even imagine, let alone pull off.


    Lorwynn also noticed Jack and Bowzer as a cry suddenly sounded out from below Lorwynn.


    Not wasting any more time, Lorwynn threw himself into the battle within the walls of the Leisure Guild. He brought out his staff and covered the battlefield in green energy. On the side of the invaders, the ground trembled as savage nts burst from the ground.


    Thanks to Lorwynn¡¯s spell Entangling Jungle, the invading forces became slowed or immobile for the time being.


    However, Lorwynn was focused on a particr battle and hurled a holy light into the fray.


    With the holy light healing him, Mooldrat roared and darted toward the regent who dared attempt sneaking past him. But the other bloodied regent stabbed Mooldrat in the back as the beholder tried to escape the encounter.


    The second regent, who only managed to blow past the beholder with half an hour missing, rushed toward the women the beholder was guarding. His one good arm held tight to his staff, throwing fireballs with all his might.


    Though his life was likely to be taken in the end, the regent was proud to have eliminated the loved ones of the neutral champion.


    Yet those fireballs were extinguished before they reached their targets. A rain of lightning reduced the fireballs to cinders.


    Everyone in that battle looked up toward the lightning¡¯s point of origin. Mooldrat shook. He was both badly injured and ted. The regents were utterly baffled. They were frozen in ce by abination of confusion and fear.


    Lorwynn didn¡¯t introduce himself, rather he shot out more lightning to decimate the two regents.


    Then, the eastern sky was flooded by purple energy and the ground gently shook beneath everyone¡¯s feet. It surprised Jack¡¯s party before they could thank Lorwynn or ask how he had arrived.


    The former hoy champion instantly recognized that purple light as remnant spatial energy. And the instantaneous sh paired with the trembling of the ground must be an attack, thought Lorwynn. It was a strange phenomenon thatcked exnation and reason, leaving the Lorwynn worried and confused at the same time.


    Dropping to the floor, Lorwynn took a moment to ask the party, "Do any of you know what that was?"


    No one replied with an exnation before they returned to the fight at hand.


    Just as Lorwynn was about to halt his moment of thought, a voice screamed inside his head as well as all people connected to Jack through a pact.


    ¡¯Someone help Jack!¡¯ It was Bowzer, and his shouts were drastic. ¡¯Jack¡¯s gone crazy!¡¯


    Taking that as his cue, Lorwynn looked to the party. "I¡¯ll help Jack and Bowzer. If you need anything, just say so."


    Taking off through the air, Lorwynn hurried to where he was needed most, throwing lightning bolts into the herd of trapped syndicate members as Lorwynn flew overhead.


    *****


    Surrounded by three cranes, Kims was undeterred by their presence. All Kims cared about was ying the man who ruined his mother¡¯s life and his childhood.


    Thyron, on the other hand, was entirely focused on escaping alive. Even if he won the battle with Kims, that didn¡¯t matter if the cranes would just end him afterward. He was determined to find some means to slip away.


    Kims charged in again, not caring if Thyron¡¯s Lightning Cage reactivated, which it did. The swordsman was greatly slowed as he lunged forward with his de.


    A wall of rock rose up to block Kims¡¯s attack. Then, as Kims broke through the wall, Thyron hurled a lightning bolt through the broken wall and into Kims. It was a direct hit!


    Groaning, Kims still pushed forward to close the gap.


    Instead of running further back, Thyron remained where he stood and avoided nearing the cranes. Though Kims was too dutiful to ask for help, there was no way that Thyron would risk the cranes having their own ns. The sorcerer cast Earth Wall again without batting an eye. And as Kims broke through that one, there was a second earth wall after it, as well as a third.


    Finally, after the third wall of earth, Kims had managed to reach Thyron. Or so he thought.


    Thyron was nowhere to be found and his Lightning Cage had deactivated.


    When Kims¡¯s feetnded back on the ground, a hand suddenly erupted from the earth below to firmly grab the swordsman by the ankle.


    "Shocking Grasp!"


    Electricity poured into Kims at an rming rate. That attack was much more intense than the lightning bolt from earlier. Kims felt his skin char around his ankle, struggling to take the attack.


    "Just die!" Thyron¡¯sugh spread out from below, proving where he was located as the sorcerer cast Shocking Grasp yet again.


    Tensing and spasming, Kims¡¯s muscles were unable to cope with the sheer amount of electricity being pumped into him. All Kims could do was fight his cramping body and sense the damage being done to his internals.


    The cranes were hesitant to jump in, about to go in for the attack when they noticed something odd about Kims.


    His body started to elongate and stretch out. Kims¡¯s neck got longer along with his torso and limbs. Also, a pair of white, feathery wings ripped out the back of Kims¡¯s shirt. Nimble as a serpent, Kims¡¯s foot slid out of the sorcerer¡¯s hand. At the same time, Kims¡¯s sword was thrust into the earth and toward the origin of Thyron¡¯s voice.


    "Wha--" Caught off guard, Thyron cried out but coughed up blood after getting stabbed.


    Thyron rushed out of the earth, reactivating Lightning Cage as he fled.


    However, Kims was far quicker in his transformation. The one-armed swordsman took a lightning bolt head-on in order to thrust his sword into Thyron¡¯s chest. And before Thyron could cry in pain, Kims had already started to twist the sword within the sorcerer¡¯s ribcage.


    Both men fell over after sharing attacks.


    The fatigue and internal damage within Kims¡¯s body couldn¡¯t be ignored much longer as the swordsman shook, only able to stand while leaning against his de for support.


    Blood spilled out of Thyron¡¯s shoulder and chest, the two ces he had been injured. In particr, the wound in Thyron¡¯s chest was also bleeding internally and filling up the empty space within his body. One arm was unusable and Thyron could feel his life slipping through his consciousness.


    Neither man could move anymore, lying in pain and agony.


    Thyron red at Kims for onest time, grunting at the swordsman while the cranes stood over him like vultures waiting for their prey to die.


    As Thyron¡¯s life faded away Kims was sadly unable to savor the moment. His body was reverting to normal after he fell unconscious. He won the fight and did as he wished, but he failed to say goodbye to the man he had loathed since birth.

 Chapter 433 Jack vs Vladdy

    <h4>Chapter 433 Jack vs ddy</h4>


    Running through the crowds of the southwest fields, On did everything in his power to create distance between himself and the raging demon after him.


    Following On like a hawk was Hadurt, battle-crazed and obstinate to steal away On¡¯s life for EXP. It would push the former champion into lv. 89, where Hadurt would only have to wait for the right moment to ascend. Then, he¡¯d finally achieve the goal of his life and be able to seek revenge.


    Both berserkers were determined but there was nowhere for On to hide. The crowd offered nothing because Hadurt carved through the syndicate soldiers like butter with his new halberd.


    "Come on, On! Why drag it out?" Hadurt bantered.


    On remained unresponsive. He didn¡¯t dare to incite Hadurt even more. All he wanted was to reach Pestro. On was certain that should he get near enough to the Demon God, Pestro would instantly assault Hadurt to retrieve his weapon.


    Hadurt knew exactly what On was up to. And though he would prefer to duke it out in a manly fashion with his old friend, On was forcing Hadurt to prove why he was selected as the champion.


    On top of the demonic energy dancing around Hadurt, powerful static electricity crackled around his skeletal armor.


    In the blink of an eye, Hadurt went from chasing On to blocking On¡¯s path.


    Cursing his terrible luck, On turned and dashed back into the army. However, Hadurt appeared there as well, beheading all nearby syndicate members.


    "On, I¡¯m sorry it came to this. Really, I am," Hadurt stated, appearing slightly calmed. "At least allow me to remember you as the honorable warrior you imed to be and not the coward who ran away. You¡¯d be the biggest hypocrite I know... not counting the gods."


    Taking that in, On sighed. He hated to admit it, but On understood that Hadurt would never allow him to even get close to Pestro, let alone escape.


    The lv. 85 berserker took in a deep breath, thinking of some of the brave warriors he¡¯d defeated in the past, like the manager of Golden Haven. Unable to think of his name, On chuckled, "Alright..."


    "Good... Then prepare yourself. I¡¯ll let you make the first move. But try running again and I¡¯ll be forced to ruin you and your reputation," added Hadurt, keeping his halberd ready.


    "Just a moment..."


    On took another couple of deep breaths before resuming his battle stance. While preparing his strike, On asked, "Do you think ddy will be able to take on that hero?"


    "I have no clue!" Hadurtughed. "For all I know, Jack could get killed by some no-name soldier or he could y a god. He¡¯s the Legend of Trodar, anything could happen..."


    "Yeah... I guess... Do we really have to do this?"


    Hadurt nodded. "Can¡¯t have it any other way, sadly. I¡¯ll never forget you or your help, On."


    "Thanks... I appreciate that."


    Knowing fully well who would win this exchange, both berserkers gripped their weapons tightly before the sh.


    Then, they attacked.


    On charged with his greatsword. His strongest attack mixed with his strongest demonic buff, creating an attack meant to obliterate On¡¯s opponent along with the earth he stood on.


    Hadurt leaped with a sh attack, boosted by his own demonic buff. Also, lighting coursed over the de, adding another boost in attack power. There was also a sharp wind sandwiching the de in order to increase the speed and cutting ability of the sh.


    Both des connected. One de shattered. Blood was spilled out.


    Sighing, Hadurt released his demonic aura, as well as the lightning and wind energy. He smiled slightly at the sight of his new level and bowed his head to the fallen berserker.


    "Sorry... That¡¯s just how the world works when those gods get involved."


    Hadurt looted On¡¯s storage but didn¡¯t touch On¡¯s armor. At the very least, Hadurt wanted his old friend to be remembered and honored correctly.


    *****


    "Die!"


    Finally, d arrived to assist in the killing of the two me bodies. He charged with his shield in front of him, ready to bash first and kill second.


    Jack activated Sudden Death to avoid the iing attacks from the army. Following that, Jack recognized the guardian barreling towards him. Without any hesitation, Jack took the initiative and threw himself at the guardian.


    The army cleared a path for d, allowing the guardian to take Jack head-on without interruption. Theypletely trusted d and were confident that he would quickly dispose of their enemies.


    Before Jack connected with d¡¯s shield, the form of hisrge me body suddenly changed.


    Both of Jack¡¯s wings disappeared and were reced by arms. But then each of Jack¡¯s hands shifted into a single long w, matching the distant centipede¡¯s arms but coated in ck and white fire.


    The shield of the berserker and the w of the hero shed, sending d back a step and Jack back a meter or two.


    ¡¯Someone help Jack! Jack¡¯s gone crazy!¡¯ Out of reflex and concern, Bowzer announced their need for help. Though he trusted Jack¡¯s abilities, Bowzer didn¡¯t feel confident about the sudden match up after witnessing that same guardian sh with Hadurt.


    Along with the syndicate members nearby, Bowzer was surprised to see Jack like this, acting without reason. But something else overtook that surprise. Not only was Jack¡¯s power suddenly stronger along with his me body, but Jack managed to shrug off the shield bash attack decently well for someone under lv. 60.


    That¡¯s when Bowzer noticed something that caught him off guard.


    Somehow, Bowzer¡¯s level had reached the end of lv. 68. It didn¡¯t make sense to the fox, but he couldn¡¯t deny that it was a fact. Both Bowzer and Jack had reached lv. 53 amidst the huge battle with help from Dragov, but a sudden boost of fifteen levels was uncalled for.


    Then, Bowzer remembered the purple energy in the eastern sky and the trembling of the ground.


    Focusing on evasion, Bowzer took a moment to connect that phenomenon with a memory from his time inside the storehouse. Remembering how Tralon eviscerated the jakal army, Bowzer determined the only logical conclusion.


    While Bowzer was trying to piece together what was going on, Jack was living in the fight. To Jack, all that existed was himself and his opponent.


    Jack didn¡¯t let up on the guardian, throwing yet another w attack against the shield. His w thrust forward with fire and blood-red energy.


    The guardian tanked the hit, being pushed back oslightly.


    But Jack continued, using Sudden Death to reposition himself and nk the guardian. However, the guardian¡¯s shield still managed to block the next thrust.


    Not wanting to waste time, Jack remained rational while enraged. The hero channeled his fury the best he could and decided on the next tactic to try. He opened his menu and instinctually selected a skill while upgrading it greatly before closing it and acting again.


    Now nking the guardian on the side nearest to his sword, Jack thrust forward with both ws.


    Unable to properly block both attacks, d readied himself to block one and parry the second.


    Just as the guardian began to spin around, d coughed up blood. d blinked, not believing his eyes.


    Both of Jack¡¯s ws were already jutting through d¡¯s body, one in d¡¯s side and another in the upper chest to the side of the heart. d¡¯s body was already catching fire thanks to Jack¡¯s ck and white me body. But the worst feeling came from d¡¯s internal organs, which were also burning away.


    d groaned, failing to cough up the drying blood in his veins as he looked back up at Jack¡¯s face.


    Kicking d¡¯s impaled body from his ws, Jack turned and groaned in pain. While d perished in mes, Jack¡¯s body was aching. His overuse of Greater Replenish was taking its toll after Jack cast it in conjunction with Time Stop.


    Though Jack kept his intimidating appearance in front of the baffled army, the hero knew that his body would give out any moment now.

 Chapter 434 Rikko Makes His Move!

    <h4>Chapter 434 Rikko Makes His Move!</h4>


    Jack¡¯s me body continued to look down on the remaining syndicate members, all the more intimidating after defeating a lv. 83 guardian. And considering how no one understood what Jack did to win, they were even further frightened.


    Despite his appearance, Jack was on hisst legs. Using Time Stop was still the most costly of his spells. Using Greater Replenish only bought Jack a few moments before his body started to shut down.


    ¡¯Bowzer we need to run,¡¯ Jake stated telepathically. ¡¯Take me back inside the guild...¡¯


    The fox was d that Jack wasn¡¯t as crazy as his me body had let on. Bowzer dashed toward Jack, getting a lead on the baffled syndicate members.


    Jack mounted Bowzer with a groan as they dashed off at top speed. But the army wasn¡¯t just going to let them leave so easily.


    The remaining lv. 60¡¯s and lv. 70¡¯s chased after them. Some started to gain on the fox, which was to be expected with their level difference. It was only a matter of time till they were caught and killed now that Jack was a handicap.


    The hero was about to call for more help but he spotted someone flying through the air, heading towards Jack and Bowzer.


    That someone dowsed Jack and Bowzer in holy light and hurling lightning into the crowd following the duo. He dropped to the ground, blocking the duos pursuers personally.


    Feeling some of his body¡¯s pains and aches lessening, Jack sighed. Though his body was still shutting down, Jack knew that he could at least maintain consciousness while his body began to rest.


    ¡¯Bowzer... drop the me body... I can¡¯t hold it any longer...¡¯


    Both Jack and Bowzer dropped their me bodies as they continued their dash for the city wall.


    Finally not under the stress ofbat, Bowzer showed a slight smile. But Bowzer¡¯s body remained burning hot, even after losing the me body.


    "Ahh! Bowzer--"


    "Jack!"


    Bowzer came to a grinding halt. The fox bounced the weak Jack from his back as softly as he could. While Jack groaned from his aching body and the burns he had received, Bowzer felt his body trying to again release his me body.


    ¡¯Jack, I can¡¯t...¡¯


    The barely conscious hero noticed Bowzer struggling to contain his me body. It was a strange sight, something that felt oddly familiar to Jack.


    Remembering the only other time Bowzer couldn¡¯t control his me body, Jack looked back at his and Bowzer¡¯s levels.


    ¡¯Lv. 69... Bowzer, are you evolving?!¡¯


    ¡¯That... can exin it...¡¯ replied the fox, still wanting to fight it and carry Jack to safety.


    ¡¯Phoro! Come get me, now!¡¯ Jack shouted telepathically.


    ¡¯Alright, but I¡¯ming full-speed!¡¯


    With an escape on the way, Jack turned to Bowzer and forced a smile. ¡¯Bowzer, just let it go... Phoro will be picking me up any second now, so no need to fight it... Just get far away from the battlefield...¡¯


    ¡¯Okay...¡¯


    The fox nodded and noticed the iing Phoro over the top of the city wall. With nothing holding him back, Bowzer took off further north while keeping close to the city wall. His me body erupted again while his mes were more intense yet inconsistent.


    Phoro arrived and helped Jack onto his back.


    ¡¯Take me to the west wall... near Bowzer...¡¯


    Following Jack¡¯s order, Phoro carried Jack to the wall. Theynded not too far from the west gate and could see all the battlefields now.


    Jack kept his eyes half-closed. The hero didn¡¯t have any energy to waste and was forced to watch while he was left incapable of helping. Jack was delighted to see that Lorwynn had arrived, but he was more interested in the godly duel and what Rikko had nned.


    *****


    Pestro was still raging, only getting stronger and faster as he allowed his emotions to run wild.


    Eedaj, on the other hand, was focusing on evasion while continually maintaining the illusory darkness around Pestro.


    Both gods started to feel the tax of battle, keeping a close eye on their mana stores. They each had a few more powerful moves to offer but they also understood that those moves would be best used under the right circumstances when they¡¯re guaranteed to hit.


    The Demon God¡¯s demonic attacks shredded the ground that he walked on. Holding nothing back, Pestro seriously wanted to kill Eedaj rather than just stall the Mind God.


    ck lighting started to dance around Pestro¡¯s swords,bining dark and lightning type energies. Static electricity covered the area as Pestro¡¯s speed increased again. The Demon God chased after the Mind God, finally gaining on him.


    It only took a few swings and a few moments for the Demon God to finally catch up to Eedaj. Pestro saw Eedaj looking back to him as Pestro¡¯s greatswords arched toward Eedaj.


    Thoserge swords threatened Eedaj as they neared his side, ready to sh through the elven god¡¯s flesh.


    "Ahh..."


    A god grunted spit out a morsel of blood as he stopped in his tracks.


    Pestro snarled as he looked down at his chest to find an unwee guest stabbing a dagger into Pestro¡¯s chest and a dagger into Pestro¡¯s knee.


    "RIIIIKKOOOOO!!"


    "See, Pestro funny!" The Goblin God twisted his de in Pestro¡¯s chest cavity, taking full advantage of his sneak attack.


    "YOU!" Pestro ignored the pain and the blood dribbling down his chest, jabbing one sword into the ground and grabbing Rikko by the throat. "You¡¯ll die!"


    Despite the tight griptched around his neck, Rikko smiled and chuckled with strained breathing, "Rikko no die... Pestro die..."


    As Pestro took that in, the Demon God noticed the figure of Eedaj a few meters away begin to fade into the illusory darkness. Then, all of a sudden, Pestro felt a hand firmly grab the top of his head.


    Knowing exactly what had happened, Pestro¡¯s focus shifted immediately to Eedaj floating over him from behind. "Eedaj--"


    "Cerebral Copse!"


    Eedaj tightened his grip around Pestro¡¯s head, sending a pulse of psychic energy into the Demon¡¯s God¡¯s skull.


    "AAAhhhhhaaaaAAAaaahhh..."


    Pestro had no chance to stop the merciless Mind God who would never turn down such a window of opportunity. He felt his arms grow limp, followed by his legs. He lost ess to his divine physique. Without any footing, Pestro fell backward.


    Rikkoughed again, now freed from the Demon God¡¯s loose grip. "Rikko say Pestro face consequences! Now Pestro pay with life!"


    "No, Rikko." Eedaj stopped the chuckling goblin from stabbing Pestro in the throat. "Let¡¯s help Jack kill him. He could use the EXP."


    "Oh, Rikko like that too," replied Rikko, storing away both of his daggers.


    "You... How... dare..."


    Pestro struggled terribly to speak a single word, forming broken and iplete phrases.


    "That¡¯s enough from you, Pestro. You dared face us, but we¡¯re not like the holy gods. We don¡¯t fight with brute force. Instead, we¡¯d rather appear weak in order to gain the advantage in the end," stated Eedaj, relieved to have ended the battle without any major injuries.


    Eedaj let the darkness fade, giving them all a better view of the other battlefields and giving the other battlefields witness the oue.


    "Cease your fighting, or die!"


    Everyone heard Eedaj¡¯s telepathic shout, jarring the syndicate members andforting the guild members.


    Eedaj continued, "The fight is over. Surrender your weapons peacefully and you may still live. Attempt anything, and you¡¯ll be killed by a god. Would you dare?!"


    The sound of weapons nging on the ground started to fill the area. At the same time, the giant beasts halted their rampages in order to watch Eedaj and Rikko.


    "The Leisure Guild has won this fight and protected the city!" shouted Eedaj, filling the guild members with well-earned pride. "The syndicate and the chaotic gods have lost!"


    "Have we, now?"

 Chapter 435 Tralbok Intervenes

    <h4>Chapter 435 Tralbok Intervenes</h4>


    "Have we now?"


    A new voice quietly sounded out from behind Eedaj and Rikko, near the fallen Pestro. The far-off crowds couldn¡¯t hear the voice, but the three gods could.


    Eedaj ceased his speaking and jolted around. Rikko did the same while retrieving both of his daggers. The expressions on both of their faces could only be described as utter disbelief.


    Hovering over Pestro was a man in an extravagant ck and gold cloak. In one hand was an intricate ck and gold staff that winded all the way up the shaft until it merged into a glistening diamond the size of a fist, already glowing with a massive amount of energy. In his other hand was a silver and purple scythe, simply designed but covered in feint purple scales, much like those of Karronteel. The very tip of that scythe, however, was stabbed into the man¡¯s foot, dripping blood onto Pestro.


    "Tralbok, how--" Eedaj shouted and prepared an attack, but he could do nothing against the already cast spell of Tralbok.


    "Reverse!"


    Tralbok shouted as he stored the scythe and cast one of his personal spells, engulfing Pestro and the two neutral gods inside an ethereal barrier.


    The barrier wasn¡¯t strong, but it wasn¡¯t meant to contain anything. It had a different effect.


    Eedaj stopped casting his spell and turned back to face the other battlefields. Rikko stored his daggers away and did the same. Then, both of them started to smile. Words left their mouths but in reverse. Eedaj restated his little speech to the crowd but backward and Rikkoughed at Pestro strangely.


    The two gods then looked back to Pestro and reyed how Rikko almost finished off Pestro but was stopped by Eedaj. Those clouds of darkness started to reappear as both Rikko and Eedaj resumed their former positions of trapping Pestro.


    Pestro rose back up to his feet, feeling sensation in his body yet again as those psychic pulses left his body and Eedaj eventually lifted his hand from the Demon God¡¯s skull.


    Finally, that barrier burst, leaving the three gods in their former circumstances.


    Pestro stood with two daggers jutting out of him and with Rikko¡¯s neck in his grasp while the false Eedaj began to fade and the true Eedaj was hurrying to ce his hand on Pestro¡¯s head.


    But now, Tralbok was involved.


    "Rikko!" Eedaj shouted as his target changed from Pestro to Tralbok. "You deal with Pestro! I¡¯ll handle Tralbok!"


    "Uh-huh..." Rikko responded as Pestro tightened his grip.


    The goblin nimbly removed his two daggers from Pestro, using one to block the swing of Pestro¡¯s sword. Rikko used the other dagger to stab into the arm holding Rikko by the neck.


    Pestro snarled and groaned while Rikko twisted the knife inside the Demon God¡¯s forearm, forcing Pestro to loosen his grip.


    Once Rikko had a moment of clearance, he hopped back a few steps while twirling his daggers. "Come Pestro! Want to kill Rikko?"


    Roaring, Pestro chased Rikko out of the darkness and into a clear opening. There he would remove a lot of Rikko¡¯s tricky tactics and gain the advantage so long as he could catch the speedy goblin.


    Both Tralbok and Eedaj stared at each other. They remained silent until Rikko and Pestro had fled from the scene.


    "So, Eedaj, would you mind telling me how you stole Pestro¡¯s halberd? Or do I need to spell it out myself?" asked Tralbok.


    Eedaj sighed. "I don¡¯t know how it happened. All I can assume is that Rikko stole it before Pestro arrived in Trodar. Now, did you really just use Moranti¡¯s scythe to travel here?"


    "Sadly, that was my only option. Any other way would result in Pestro being left a cripple, and we can¡¯t have that," Tralbok stated.


    "Then tell me, how does your body feel after going through with that?" Eedaj mockingly chuckled.


    Tralbok coldly smiled. "For Moranti and his ethereal abilities, I can see why it would be useful. As for anyone else, I wouldn¡¯t rmend attempting it. It¡¯s quite painful, after all. Just look at my foot and you can tell right away."


    "Why not just take Pestro away and use your Time Reversal then?" asked Eedaj. "Wouldn¡¯t he feel better after you both escaped?"


    "Very funny... but we fully intend on taking advantage of this battle once and for all. We can¡¯t afford to have another rival in our current circumstances. So it¡¯s now or never."


    Hearing that, Eedaj took in a deep breath. He mentally prepared for a far more taxing battle toe.


    When the other battlefields saw the sudden change of the god¡¯s attitudes and the appearance of another god, they were confused until a single person resumed their attacks. It started a chain reaction as all the syndicate members picked up their weapons and started their attacks again.


    However, Lorwynn showed no mercy to those who dare approach him.


    And, rushing back into the fray was Hadurt and his demonic halberd.


    Those alone were enough to strike fear into the army. With both now on the side of the Leisure Guild, the syndicate members felt an awkward mix of emotions. They were terrified to fight much longer against the powerful beasts and the former champions, but they were proud to see their gods gaining the advantage on their own battlefield. It left them perplexed on what their best course of action should be.


    Hadurt and Lorwynn punished all syndicate members who dared to falter in their attacks. When Lorwynn finished with the batch that had chased Jack and Bowzer, he hurried over to assist the wyrm and dragon with their fight. Wanting a strong opponent, Hadurt found Jeara and raced toward her as he slew dozens of syndicate members.


    Within the guild walls, Argyle and the others had juste to assist the rear. They found most of the syndicate members being killed or trapped inside a living jungle. Cleaning things up there didn¡¯t take long with their reinforcements.


    Since fewer and fewer syndicate members were climbing over the wall, Argyle and Kaldor led the high-level guild members to the city wall. That¡¯s where they spotted the strange shift of the battlefield.


    The arrival of Lorwynn was a huge boost of confidence and proved to be a fatal addition as he helped Hadurt dwindle the army forces. Also, they were startled to see a purple dragon fighting beside Dradich. And then there was Bowzer, who was far away from the battle and howling loudly for some reason. Jack was nowhere to be found, but he assumed that Jack was okay at the moment, given the fact that Bowzer wasn¡¯t screaming telepathically at anyone anymore.


    Of all events taking ce, the most surprising was the battlefield further north.


    There was a huge cloud of darkness there, yet two people were fighting outside of that darkness. Those from the entrance recognized the hulking man as the god that Eedaj led outside of the city. However, they were utterly clueless as to why that powerful god was chasing after a goblin. And seeing that goblin outrun the god was all the more perplexing.


    ¡¯Jack, where are you?¡¯ asked Argyle.


    ¡¯On the wall... near the west gate...¡¯


    Hearing Jack¡¯s voice gave Argyle some relief but Argyle could understand from Jack¡¯s voice that the hero wouldn¡¯t be rejoining the battle anytime soon. He was d to know that Jack managed to control himself and escape the fight before he was overpowered and killed.


    ¡¯Want me to--


    ¡¯Yeah...e over here, Argyle...¡¯ Jack answered before Argyle could finish his question. ¡¯Spread everyone out... Don¡¯t let anyone avoid death...¡¯


    Argyle passed on Jack¡¯s orders, shouting, "Spread out on the wall, don¡¯t let any intruder escape death!"


    With that over with, Argyle rushed toward Jack, leaving Kaldor inmand. Argyle was eager to ask Jack all about the mysterious events of the outside battlefield.

 Chapter 436 Halmuts Stubbornness

    <h4>Chapter 436 Halmut¡°s Stubbornness</h4>


    High up in Olympic Chateau, four gods gathered around the mirrored table to watch the events of Trodar.


    Lyrun was emotionless, feeling terrible for getting caught and used as a hostage. It was a disgrace to his abilities and his reputation.


    Naparn felt simrly, only to a much more extreme degree. His natural pride as a magma dragon and with his position as the second strongest holy god was too much for Naparn to take the situation lightly. The only reason Naparn remained silent was because Halmut had ordered it.


    Having reverted to his human form, Halmut sported a salt and pepper hair with no facial hair. His eyes remained Draconic, able to see through almost anything with a nce. Those eyes went back and forth between the table and Sterfen, one of the few people Halmut couldn¡¯t easily see through.


    "You know, Sterfen, I still believe you should¡¯ve epted my offer long ago," stated Halmut. "If so, then none of this would¡¯ve happened. Together, you and your wife could¡¯ve helped up im victory in the war, keeping the neutral gods from needing to involve themselves and you never would¡¯ve lost your child."


    "Maybe..." Sterfen shrugged, answering but keeping his gaze on the viewing table. "Only that doesn¡¯t matter anymore. The war already ended in a draw and we¡¯ve already been reunited with our child, no thanks to a certain someone supposedly losing it after the godly war..."


    "Anyway," Halmut continued, not minding how Sterfen almost killed Naparn with his re alone, "Are you sure you don¡¯t want to side with us? Should the neutral gods join us, then the chaotic gods wouldn¡¯t stand a chance."


    "What are you after again, Halmut?"


    "EXP, of course."


    "That¡¯s why we refuse," answered Sterfen. "There¡¯s no telling what you would do to us should you not get enough EXP from finishing off the chaotic gods. Besides, if you¡¯re after EXP then wouldn¡¯t it be better if you just turned against your own gods and stole their lives while you had the chance?"


    Chuckling, Halmut replied, "Maybe, but there would be no point in me heading a pantheon for so long. I would¡¯ve wasted so much energy."


    "Not if that¡¯s why you raised the pantheon in the first ce..."


    "Enough of that. Tell me, what do you think of this fight between Pestro and Eedaj? Do you believe Eedaj can manage?" Halmut questioned, changing the subject.


    Sterfen smiled again. "I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have too much to worry about. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be satisfied with the ending."


    "Does that mean you believe Eedaj will be victorious?"


    "Something like that..." stated Sterfen. "Eedaj wouldn¡¯t provoke a fight without a reason, especially against an opponent of a higher level."


    "What level are you now, Sterfen?" asked Halmut.


    "Wouldn¡¯t you like to know?" Sterfenughed, ncing at Halmut¡¯s friendly yet false smile. It was creepy how good Halmut was at acting amiable.


    "It¡¯s just banter. Don¡¯t you want time to pass quickly so you can finally relieve your wife of her contract?"


    "If you would just let me leave now then that wouldn¡¯t be an issue," stated Sterfen.


    Halmut replied, "Well, I¡¯d rather enjoy the show with you and hear yourmentary. You¡¯re far more knowledgeable than you let on, Sterfen, that much is obvious."


    "Really? I wonder what gave it away. Was it my title as the God of Secrecy or my outstanding charisma?" Sterfen joked.


    "Thetter, most definitely," Halmut chuckled. "There¡¯s nothing you¡¯d like to speak with me about? I¡¯m sure you know some information worth trading..."


    Sighing, Sterfen, "Sorry, Halmut, but I¡¯m pretty sure I know more than even you, given that my rtionship with father isn¡¯t on the rocks. Unless youe up with something that I¡¯m dying to learn, then I¡¯d rather keep my eyes peeled on the fight."


    "Oh... Then... What if I told you about our reserve forces. Would that catch your eye?"


    "A little, but not enough to sell out."


    "Hmm... Then I¡¯ll keep thinking, just in case Ie up with something worth your while," added Halmut, looking back to the table.


    Finally, once Pestro¡¯s rage was at an all-time high, the spectating gods noticed Rikko¡¯s sneak attack.


    "Oh... That¡¯s why you were so confident," stated Halmut. "You had reason, I see."


    Sterfen only smiled, watching as Eedaj sessfully fooled Pestro and reduced the Demon God to a divine husk of EXP waiting to be harvested.


    "That ability really is something... Would your side be willing to trade me Pestro¡¯s breathing corpse?" Halmut questioned.


    "That... That would be an interesting conversation indeed..." Sterfen sighed in relief as Eedaj stopped Rikko from finishing off the god. "I¡¯d have to speak with my son first, but I wouldn¡¯t be against it, so long as you¡¯re willing to pay fairly."


    Halmut opened his mouth to reply but he then closed it again. His eyes finally focused on the scene of the battlefield, having his interest truly piqued for the first time thus far.


    Sterfen noticed this and looked back as well, nearly dropping his jaw to the floor in the meantime.


    "Tralbok?! What is... That scythe!" Sterfen shouted in anger.


    "Tralbok came and not Moranti? Do you know why that is..." Halmut didn¡¯t look at Sterfen but the question was clearly aimed at Sterfen.


    "Hand me the contracts now, and then I¡¯ll tell you," Sterfen instantly replied, eager to leave and rejoin the others in Trodar.


    "Oh, how interesting..." Halmut then changed the perspective of the table, zooming in on his former champion and Lyrun¡¯s dormer disciple. "So he made it back in time. And he hasn¡¯t a single scar even though he took my Holy Castigation head-on. But he¡¯s also not wielding Lyrun¡¯s staff... So that¡¯s how he pulled it off."


    "Halmut, I¡¯ll tell you what you want to know," stated Sterfen, no longer in the mood for trivial conversations. "Hand me the contracts and I¡¯ll exin everything while you lead me out."


    "But the show is only just beginning, Sterfen. It¡¯s rare to see the famous Time Reversal spell. Really, it¡¯s a waste of talent for the God of Time to remain under Skaryn. Who other than I could use his potential to the fullest."


    "Halmut!" Sterfen pounded the mirror table, cracking the corner and almost cutting out the image.


    Sighing, Halmut dropped his yful smile and eyed Sterfen. "You chose toe here and force my cooperation. The least you could do is stay and be a proper guest. If you so much as cause another scratch on the table, I¡¯ll have your arm."


    Removing his fist from the table, Sterfen shouted, "Hand over the contracts and I¡¯ll tell you everything."


    "Hmm..." Halmut calmly grabbed his chin, acting like he was deep in thought. "I think I can figure out most of the truth on my own Sterfen, so there will be no need for any further discussion. Let¡¯s just enjoy the fight. Oh look, Pestro chased Rikko away! I suppose that means Eedaj ns to take him on alone... With these new matchups, who do you think will win, Sterfen? Will Rikko somehowe on top of Pestro without any more tricks to rely on, or will he be ground into a paste under the Demon God¡¯s rage? And what about Eedaj? Will the lv. 93 Mind God with powerful illusions be able to ovee the lv. 96 God of Time who can revert any oue?"


    Sterfen didn¡¯t y along with Halmut. He said nothing else. Since Halmut wasn¡¯t interested in information anymore, then Sterfen wouldn¡¯t share any information at all, including his opinions.


    Technically, Sterfen could use his hostages to simply flee but he wouldn¡¯t do that. After getting a once-in-a-divine-lifetime opportunity to enter Olympic Chateau and take gods as hostages for his wife¡¯s contract, Sterfen would never let such an opportunity slip away.


    All he could do was trust in his brothers and son to ovee what appeared to be the worst possible fate.

 Chapter 437 Jack Realizes Their Desperate Situation

    <h4>Chapter 437 Jack Realizes Their Desperate Situation</h4>


    A moment passed as Eedaj and Tralbok eyed each other. One was preparing to defend and evade while the other was preparing to attack.


    Tralbok made the first move, using wind to disperse the darkness around them. He coldly smirked as more wind whirled around his body. The God of Time had be as light as a feather.


    Eedaj gathered fire to hurl fireball after fireball at Tralbok, making sure to include some false ones and some invisible ones, though it didn¡¯t make much of a difference for Tralbok. Then, the Mind God recast darkness and created multiple copies of himself. Those copies dashed through the darkness, weaving in and out of each other to best hide Eedaj¡¯s true self.


    "Interesting..." Tralbok chuckled.


    With a wave of the hand, Tralbok created a tornado with himself in the center. That tornado grew until it consumed all of the various Eedaj clones, tearing each of them apart.


    Just when it seemed that Eedaj had evaded the attack, Tralbok waved his hand again. This caused the tornado to twist and turn. It acted more like a snake than it did a twister, but such was a simple task for a lv. 96 god.


    As the tornado twisted, it snatched Eedaj while it dispersed thest of the darkness.


    "Come on, Eedaj. Don¡¯t tell me that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? Or did you waste all of your mana against Pestro?" mocked Tralbok. "If you don¡¯t hurry and figure something out, then you¡¯ll have lost your life while destroying your reputation."


    Eedaj remained silent. His body was circling inside the threatening winds and taking damage with every second he was inside. But he remained calm. So calm in fact, looking closer made it seem like Eedaj was meditating.


    With his eyes closed, Eedaj waspletely focused on his personal spell, God¡¯s Perspective. Not only did it allow Eedaj to view nearly any part of the world at a given moment, it also allowed Eedaj to view the world from someone else¡¯s perspective. In this case, Eedaj was carefully examining Tralbok¡¯s perspective and his current thoughts about the battle.


    It was a rare urrence.


    On one side there was the God of Time, a man who could reverse any oue so long as he was careful and strategized correctly. And against him was the Mind God, a man who could view the world through his opponent¡¯s eyes and anticipate attacks before his opponents could decide what they did next. Even with the difference in level the battle was extremely unique and quite a show for Halmut and the other gods.


    *****


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯ Argyle hurried to Jack¡¯s side, finding the hero lying across the wall with his eyes close. ¡¯Jack, what happened here?¡¯


    ¡¯Are Bowzer and Phoro ok?" Jack asked.


    Argyle looked to the Hell-me Fox and Minokawa not far from the gate, then nodded. ¡¯For now, they¡¯re fine. We¡¯re close by so I¡¯ll help them if they need it.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... Then let me exin...¡¯ Jack sighed, d that he had upgraded his health regeneration skill to lv. 7. It was the only reason he was still conscious. Opening his eyes, Jack looked back to the battlefield. ¡¯We leveled up too quickly... Bowzer forcibly started evolving... The same is happening to Phoro... As for the dragon, that beast was in the summoning amulet I won at the auction...¡¯


    ¡¯That...¡¯ Doing a double-take to see the dragon in a new light, Argyle looked back to Jack and verbally shouted, "That was in my amulet?!"


    It pained Jack to chuckle but he did so anyway. "Yeah, I¡¯m excited about him... Argyle... You saw the purple light, right?"


    The mood changed, instantly losing the lightheartedness.


    "Yeah, I saw it. That was Tralon, wasn¡¯t it?"


    "Yup... It was hisst spell..."


    Dumbstruck, Argyle looked to Jack with his mouth agape. Such a statement was too unexpected.


    Jack continued, "I don¡¯t know why he did that... but it had to be something terribly important... for him to trade his life..."


    "We¡¯ll investigate when we can," replied Argyle. "For now... sadly, all we can do is wait for the gods to stop fighting. Without that, no one will be safe, even after we ughter the army."


    Lifting his head slightly, Jack reexamined the battlefield.


    Lorwynn had made short work of the men facing Dradich and Karronteel, sending Jack even more EXP. Dradich and Lorwynn hurried to aid Dragov while Karronteel backed off to get a breather. Like Jack and Bowzer, Karronteel was under-leveled and struggled against the lv. 60¡¯s and lv. 70¡¯s. However, Karronteel was now lv. 61 after pushing himself to the limit.


    Hadurt was toying with Jeara, who refused to face Hadurt head-on. Soon, Hadurt would get tired of her running, but not yet.


    With a Draconic Centipede now at lv. 83, a cier Wyrm now at lv. 74, and Lorwynn now at lv. 88, the remaining syndicate members were up against the wall. They would slowly die and be killed without mercy.


    Jack noticed Rikko and Pestro next, chuckling in the back of his head. But then he spotted Eedaj, a sight that brought all of Jack¡¯s happy thoughts to an end.


    "No... Why is Tralbok here!?" Jack shouted, catching Argyle¡¯s attention.


    "Tralbok... Tralbok?! Tralbok, as in the God of Time?!" Argyle joined Jack in shouting. "That¡¯s Tralbok?"


    "It has to be... But how did he get here?" His mind wandering anew, Jack¡¯s stress level spiked yet again. "Now what? Guuro left after the reception... Dragas is too far... And Uncle Jin never bothereding... Now what?!"


    Argyle wanted Jack to calm down but he couldn¡¯t think of any way to do so. He felt just as troubled, anxious to know how Eedaj could make that work. Trying to not overthink the situation, Argyle asked, "Who¡¯s the blue goblin?"


    "Oh yeah... That¡¯s Uncle Rikko, the God of Trickery... He¡¯s the one who stole Pestro¡¯s halberd..."


    "What?!"


    "Take a look at Hadurt..."


    Looking to a different part of the battlefield, Argyle found Hadurt chasing after a knight, slowly losing his patience. In his hands was a ck halberd erupting with demonic energy.


    "That... You stole a god¡¯s weapon?"


    "But what will we do about Tralbok?" Jack returned to the most important topic at hand. "With him here... It can ruin everything..."


    Trying to speed things up, Jack telepathically shouted to Hadurt, ¡¯Hurry up already! With Tralbok here, who knows what could happen if you don¡¯t kill them now!¡¯


    ¡¯Fine...¡¯ Hadurt sighed as he picked up his pace, closing the gap between him and Jeara.


    She put up a defense, but the demonic halberd shattered her sky defenses.


    After iming her life and swiping her storage, Hadurt rushed back to the army. However, Hadurt looked behind him as a shout bellowed across the open field.


    "HADURT, YOU FOOL!!!"


    Pestro had been fed up with the speedy goblin who didn¡¯t bother fighting back. The moment he noticed Hadurt separate from the army with the halberd in hand, Pestro made it his mission to end the former champion he had blessed prior.


    "DIE!! AND RETURN MY WEAPON!!"


    The ground under Pestro¡¯s feet scattered as the Demon God pushed off toward Hadurt. Not caring what stood in his way, Pestro focused on Hadurt and only Hadurt.


    Instantly adjusting, Rikko changed course for Hadurt as well. The blue goblin shouted, "Hey! Give Rikko back halberd. Rikko stab fat Pestro with it. Rikko want see Pestro pop!"


    "Rikko!"


    Unable to ignore such tant ndering, Pestro tried to elbow Rikko as the goblin ran past him.


    Chuckling and unfazed, Rikko evaded the elbow and used that moment to pass Pestro. Beating the Demon God to Hadurt, Rikko stated, "Come, we run!" Rikko then grabbed Hadurt by the arm and dragged him along, kiting Pestro further and further north until they entered the woods and disappeared.

 Chapter 438 Tralbok Targets Jack

    <h4>Chapter 438 Tralbok Targets Jack</h4>


    When Lorwynn saw Hadurt dragged away by a goblin, Lorwynn didn¡¯t know whether he shouldugh or hurry over and help. It¡¯s not like he was confident to face Pestro. It was that Lorwynn was confident that they might hold out with the goblin¡¯s help, as he was clearly a god if he couldpete with Pestro.


    Instead, however, Lorwynn heard Jack¡¯s voice in his head, saying, ¡¯Finish the army off! If we don¡¯t do it now, we may not get another chance.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright...¡¯ Lorwynn shrugged and flew high up into the air. He overlooked the remainder of the army, gauging its size and getting a rough estimate of bodies. With that in mind, Lorwynn activated a nature spell, gathering green energy all around him before it rained down on the battlefield.


    That energy fell over the center of the army, spreading out to cover thest couple of hundred syndicate members trying to run away. Nothing happened at first but powerful green roots burst from the earth to trap the army.


    Then, before Dragov and Dradich could rampage through the jungle of vines, half a dozen pirs of lightning fell from the ck clouds overhead. Lorwynn stole the lives of dozens of syndicate members in a single moment, just before the two massive beasts plowed through the vines to kill the remaining stragglers.


    Sweating and breathing heavily, Lorwynn put another potion to his lips. Lorwynn sighed and looked back at the two remaining gods.


    "Hmm... Seeing him first hand, I think he¡¯s more capable then Hadurt," Tralbok stated, smiling back at Lorwynn. "If only he could use dark magic, then he would¡¯ve made a perfect champion for us."


    "Says the man who lost his own champion."ughing, Eedaj finally opened his eyes and spoke, "Now, shall we get on with this?"


    "Well... since you¡¯re only evading my attacks and you already read my mind, I¡¯m guessing you know what I¡¯ll do next..."


    Not replying to Tralbok¡¯s open-ended statement, Eedaj immediately shouted with telepathy, ¡¯Jack, get away now!¡¯


    ¡¯Huh?¡¯


    Eedaj took off toward Jack, gaining a lead on Tralbok. He repeated, ¡¯Jack, get away now! Tralbok wants to kill you!¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯


    Jack jolted up, forcing his body to sit up and lean on his arms with the little strength he had regained so far. He turned to Phoro but saw the minokawa roaring and in the middle of his evolution.


    With that option gone, Jack turned to Argyle. "Take me to Lorwynn... Now!"


    "What do--"


    "Now!" forcing himself to fall into Argyle¡¯sp, Jack shouted, "Hurry, or Tralbok will kill us both!"


    "Alright!" Argyle shouted, catching on immediately.


    Jack then shouted to Lorwynn, ¡¯Come get me! Tralbok wants to kill me!¡¯


    ¡¯That... I¡¯m on my way!¡¯


    Lorwynn¡¯s body was also starting to ache. Even with his level, it was taxing on his body to fight so many enemies over and over again as he couldn¡¯t rely on natural brute strength like Hadurt or the beasts. The former holy champion took to the sky and rushed toward Jack and Argyle.


    Argyle¡¯s speed had improved thanks to Dradich¡¯s rampaging. Now at lv. 75, Argyle was more confident than ever, until he remembered that it was a god chasing them.


    Eedaj was busy trying to force Tralbok intobat while staying between the God of Time and Jack. Fireball after fireball was thrown at Tralbok. More illusory Eedaj¡¯s appeared, but only two extras this time. But they also threw attacks at Tralbok.


    "So... you¡¯re finally getting serious, Eedaj. You¡¯re a bit toote, though..." Tralbok clicked his tongue and shook his head. Then, with a simple snap of his fingers, Tralbok rushed past all of the fireballs and the three Eedajs.


    Eedaj would¡¯ve tried something else but only if he was able to move. In fact, no one other than Tralbok was able to move as time had been frozen for a second.


    Once Eedaj noticed that Tralbok had slipped past him, it was already toote. Eedaj turned around, still throwing fire with everything he had. Then, a massive orb of darkness expanded and engulfed nearly the entire battlefield.


    ¡¯Jack, get out now!¡¯ Eedaj stated telepathically. ¡¯Tralbok is currently trapped in illusory darkness, but he¡¯ll get out any moment."


    ¡¯Thanks, Eedaj!¡¯


    Argyle had no clue about the darkness as it was only affecting Tralbok. The only thing Argyle wanted at the moment was to hand Jack off and run.


    Tralbok didn¡¯t look it, but the strain of battle was starting to take its toll on him. He was either evading Eedaj¡¯s spells using time magic or repelling them with wind magic, and his earlier use of Moranti¡¯s scythe only made things worse from the get-go. And now that he was trapped in a world of shadows over a kilometer long it would only drag the fight out longer.


    With time on his side, Tralbok created another strange barrier. Then, all of a sudden the darkness shrunk back into its initial small form and returned to Eedaj¡¯s hand. Rather than waste time, Tralbok wasted a great deal of mana to cast his second personal spell, Spell Reversal.


    That¡¯s when he spotted Jack yet again. And now, Jack and the man carrying him were in his range.


    Without a second thought, wind energy was thrown from Tralbok¡¯s hand, aiming to separate Jack¡¯s head from his body.


    When his spell was countered, Eedaj immediately recast it to try and hide Jack. Also, Eedaj dual cast a giant fireball to target Tralbok. He didn¡¯t let up at all, clinging to all hope that Jack would escape alive.


    As the darkness went back up, followed by that giant fireball, Tralbok only managed to partially evade the attack. He felt his leg burning as he tried to fly out of reach of the fireball. However, Tralbok managed to cast his spell all the same,unching a vicious wind de with incredible speed.


    Tralbok didn¡¯t have the privilege to see his attack im Jack¡¯s life, but he was smiling and satisfied as he removed the burn from his leg using time magic.


    Eedaj didn¡¯t let up though. More and more fireballs were flying at Tralbok, all of which were at least five meters in width.


    Taking Eedaj more seriously, Tralbok recast Time Stop and hurried to where hest saw Jack.


    The God of Time happily searched the area, wanting to see the hero¡¯s decapitated head for himself. But he never found it.


    "Where is he?! I know I hit him!" Tralbok shouted, not hiding any of his frustration.


    Not answering verbally, Eedaj and his copies cast more fireballs. They were relentless.


    "Is that all you can do? That¡¯s just..."


    Tralbok was angry and mocked Eedaj, but he then felt something sneaking from behind him. The God of Time hurried away at top speed. He couldn¡¯t see anything there, but he felt a de sh across his side.


    Startled and smiling coldly, Tralbok red at one of Eedaj¡¯s figures. "So... even you rely on knives? Is every neutral god a thief?"


    Smiling with a matching cold stare, Eedaj replied, "Maybe... Maybe not... we just like to keep things mixed up and mysterious. Why would I ever take it easy on you?"


    While Tralbok faced off with Eedaj in the massive orb of shadows. Two people appeared elsewhere in a sh of light.


    Finding himself in Jack¡¯s office, Argyle was baffled. He looked down to see Jack letting out onest sigh before he cked out, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth.


    "Jack..." Argyle did his best to try and wake Jack, but the best he could do was wipe the blood from Jack¡¯s lips.


    After Jack forced himself to cast Greater Replenish and Lesser Teleportation simultaneously, there was no way that Argyle could wake Jack up, not after at least a weak of rest.

 Chapter 439 The Unstoppable Tralbok Claims His First Victim

    <h4>Chapter 439 The Unstoppable Tralbok ims His First Victim</h4>


    Eedaj saw Jack teleport away, but he was certain that Jack was in critical condition based on his prior physical state. There was no telling where Jack went but Eedaj was d that he wasn¡¯t anywhere to be found.


    Tralbok grew annoyed by the darkness and flew straight up. He escaped the shadowy world to gain a better view of the distant guild grounds.


    Anger burned in Tralbok¡¯s eyes. As the God of Time, he was quite prideful and Tralbok refused to believe that a mortal could avoid death by Tralbok¡¯s own hands. Adding Eedaj¡¯s pestering only fueled his anger more. That¡¯s when he spotted Lorwynn just outside of the shadowy world and smiled.


    Confused, Lorwynn tried to reevaluate what had just happened and why Jack had asked for help to escape if he could just teleport away.


    ¡¯Lorwynn, run!¡¯


    Harkening to Eedaj¡¯s warning, Lorwynn took off without a second thought. With Tralbok on the loose, Lorwynn didn¡¯t dare to try and get targeted unnecessarily. But it was toote for that.


    Lorwynn saw Tralbok trailing him and could only sigh. Not leaving anything to chance, Lorwynn covered himself in lightning energy and rocketed away at full speed.


    Three mages were zipping through the skies, one after the other. Lorwynn had the lead with his lightning magic, but Tralbok was gaining on him with more powerful wind magic. And, at the rear, was Eedaj who was forcing himself to fly faster by wasting even more mana. It wasn¡¯t ideal, but it was all the Mind God could do to keep up.


    "How about you join us!" Tralbokughed, smiling at Lorwynn. "Come on! We can always use a man of your talents."


    "No thanks! If even that simple-minded berserker left you behind, then you won¡¯t have anything to offer me," Lorwynn stated while sweating and flying away.


    The two bantered for a bit as Tralbok was getting closer and closer to the former champion.


    Then, Lorwynn abruptly changed course straight up.


    Tralbok followed, not hesitating at all. Eedaj moved to do the same, but Lorwynn telepathically warned the Mind God, ¡¯Watch out for my attack.¡¯


    After changing his course, the lightning energy around Lorwynn be more violent in nature. That violent nature called down another four pirs of lightning, aiming at the man just behind Lorwynn.


    "Not bad..." Tralbok chuckled as the lighting was about to fall upon him


    With another snap of his fingers, Tralbok elegantly appeared at the side of the lightning pirs. He would¡¯ve closed the distance to Lorwynn but stopped after noticing Lorwynn being guarded on all sides by the lightning.


    The second passed, as did the lightning.


    Both Lorwynn and Tralbok were motionless for a fraction of a moment, no closer together than they were before.


    "You¡¯re as crafty as Eedaj, I¡¯ll give you that. But can you evade my attack?"


    In the same ce where the lightning fell, Tralbok unleashed another tornado. He chuckled as Lorwynn was dragged into the buffeting winds. However, he soon frowned.


    In order to force his way back out of the tornado, Lorwynn had retrieved a new staff, one that looked eerily simr to Lyrun¡¯s staff.


    That particr staff was a legendary mock-up of Lyrun¡¯s staff and a weaker version. Its barrier wasn¡¯t strong enough to take a god¡¯s full attack head-on but the barriersted long enough for Lorwynn to struggle out of the tornado. By then, the barrier and mock staff broke in exchange for Lorwynn¡¯s freedom.


    "Oh... You¡¯re pretty entertaining... Try this one!"


    Tralbok attacked again, but this time with time magic. With Time Stop, the God of Time threw himself into Lorwynn. Just to mock the former champion, Tralbok appeared before Lorwynn as the spell wore off.


    With Tralbok suddenly appearing in front of him, Lorwynn failed to avoid the god¡¯s grasp anymore.


    "No!" Trailing behind with lesser flight magic, Eedaj finally arrived as Lorwynn¡¯s neck was gripped by Tralbok¡¯s hand. The Mind God was about to hurl more fireballs but hesitated to throw them after forming them.


    "What? Are you afraid to fight me after I gained a meat shield?" Tralbok chuckled. "So, what should I do now?"


    "Tralbok..." Eedaj bit his lip, struggling with what to say next.


    "You already know that I won¡¯t give him up for anyone other than your precious champion. At the same time, I know that¡¯s never going to happen. With that being said, what else is there to consider?"


    While Tralbok was stating his reasons for killing the former holy champion, Lorwynn was still not giving up.


    Another pir of lightning fell from the sky, one asrge as all four of the previous pirsbined. And Tralbok and Lorwynn were in the direct center of the st.


    Lorwynn didn¡¯t hesitate to target himself at the chance of striking a god, an admirable quality.


    Tralbok was taken aback. But he didn¡¯t flinch either. Tralbok stored his staff and snapped his fingers again. Then, he dragged Lorwynn aside and avoided the lighting like it was child¡¯s y.


    Once the lightning passed, Eedaj watched as Tralbok ced his second hand over Lorwynn¡¯s chest, already knowing what came next.


    Understanding the situation, Lorwynn groaned in pain with little to no mana left. With some leftover blood in his mouth, the former holy champion spitted in Tralbok¡¯s face, finally getting the God of Time to frown.


    "You... What¡¯s the meaning of this?" Tralbok asked calmly yet coldly, gripping Lorwynn¡¯s neck tighter.


    "If I can¡¯t wound your body... Then at least I can wound your pride..." Lorwynn stated with a smile. "Now I can say my attacks affected you in some way."


    "Well... Since you¡¯re proud of your final moments, I won¡¯t ask for any final words."


    A pulse of wind energy torn into Lorwynn¡¯s chest, shedding his lungs and heart in a single, messy blow. Bits of flesh sprayed out of Lorwynn¡¯s back as he spitted and coughed up even more blood onto Tralbok as his final attack on the god¡¯s pride.


    Unhappy with the mess on his clothes, Tralbok scoffed and tossed Lorwynn¡¯s lifeless body aside.


    The corpse fell undeterred from high above the battlefield.


    Both Dragov and Dradich had almost finished the ughter when they noticed the falling corpse. Dradich made sure to catch Lorwynn¡¯s body while Dragov finished the army in rage. The wyrm then hurried back toward the city wall, intent on searching if there were some means of resurrecting Lorwynn.


    Motionless and speechless, Eedaj stared up at Tralbok. He couldn¡¯t do anything but attempt to contain Tralbok¡¯s speed, and Tralbok¡¯s use of time magic only added to the obscene difficulty.


    Tralbok, on the other hand, wasn¡¯t focusing on Eedaj. The God of Time was looking around for his next victim. He understood that Eedaj could struggle in a fight, but Tralbok would rather watch Eedaj struggle even more while he picked off the most significant forces of the neutral gods.


    "Hmm... Who¡¯s next?" Tralbok asked aloud, mocking Eedaj¡¯s ability to stop him. "Doesn¡¯t your hero have his own party? Oh, he has wives too..."


    Eedaj remained quiet but it didn¡¯t stop Tralbok from spotting someone that made even Tralbok¡¯s eyes go wide. "That... Yes, that¡¯s who I¡¯ll kill next..."


    Still reading Tralbok¡¯s mind, Eedaj turned around and took off for the west gate of the city. But Tralbok did so as well, gaining the lead this time. Not wanting to see this happen again, Eedaj shouted, "Bowzer! Run!"


    But... the fox remained where he stood, howling in pain. While in the middle of evolving, how could Bowzer reply, let alone control himself?


    "A much morepliant target..." Tralbok chuckled, gathering more wind around his hand yet again.


    Throwing everything he had, Eedaj did his best to keep Tralbok upied but utterly failed. He couldn¡¯t even touch the God of Time now that Tralbok was getting serious. Like moments before, Eedaj could only watch and shout as Tralbok threw another attack.


    As the vicious wind de sliced through the air, Bowzer howled. The Hell-me Fox did his best to move aside but could only increase his mes as his evolution continued.


    Those white mes burst with explosive force, turning half ck and half white. Then, suddenly, pitch-ck mes erupted, engulfing Bowzer¡¯s entire me body as the wind de also entered the hellfire.

 Chapter 440 The Power of a Fully-Evolved Hell-Flame Fox

    <h4>Chapter 440 The Power of a Fully-Evolved Hell-me Fox</h4>


    Standing on the city wall, Kaldor, Hurmot, and Vixus watched the fight between Tralbok and Eedaj in awe. Witnessing a battle between gods was beyond a once-in-a-lifetime chance, so they relished in the view while Dragov and Dradich finished off thest of the army.


    When they spotted Tralbok running away, at first they thought it a good sign. That was until they saw Argyle carrying Jack toward Lorwynn.


    Realizing that Tralbok was after Jack, they felt their hearts clench.


    Their interference would be equal to a fly pestering a man. They wouldn¡¯t reach Jack sooner than the nimble god and would die with a flick of Tralbok¡¯s finger. With no way to help, watched Eedaj doing everything possible to keep Tralbok at bay.


    It had be clear that Eedaj was unable to control this new godly addition to the battle. If anything, it only made the men on the wall feel worse.


    Tralbok was blinded momentarily but he suddenly removed the entire orb of darkness, creating a window of opportunity to throw an attack at Jack.


    But when the orb of darkness reappeared, those on the wall were left with their jaws agape.


    Beating loudly, their hearts struggled to wait for the reveal of Jack¡¯s fate.


    Then, that new god rose above the orb of darkness, seemingly unscathed. It pulled the men¡¯s heartstrings tighter.


    The other mid-level and barely-high-level members of the guild watched as well, not wanting to believe their eyes. After everything that the Leisure Guild and Jack showed off, those new guild members rushed to the Leisure Guild hoping to gain a higher position as the first batch of high-level recruits. There weren¡¯t too many of them, but their presence was greatly appreciated in the battle and overall. Yet now, they watched as a god hunted down their cause for joining the guild.


    It didn¡¯t take long for that god to change targets, rushing toward a man they had never met before. That man had proven to be astoundingly powerful earlier but those new recruits and the current leaders of the Leisure Guild didn¡¯t believe that Lorwynn could survive the god¡¯s pursuit.


    However, Lorwynn put up a great fight. He dashed through the air, making Tralbok fight for the opportunity to kill him. When Lorwynn was eventually captured, everyone was shocked to see Lorwynn target himself with such a powerful lightning spell, all to hurt the god.


    They didn¡¯t hear his final words, but everyone watching gained a great deal of respect for the mortal man who attempted to harm a god, even in the face of death.


    As Lorwynn fell and was caught, they noticed the wyrm rushing back at full speed with the corpse on his back.


    Vixus shouted to the many new guild members, "Anyone with resurrection spells, step forward! You¡¯ll receive special favor within the guild for your services."


    Only three people stepped forward. There was a woman and a man that were almost lv. 60 and there was a hooded man with a single arm and a hidden level. But that hooded man didn¡¯t turn to Vixus like the others. Instead, he kept his eyes glued to the battlefield, asionally ncing at the west gate where two beasts were currently evolving.


    The man and women were given their assignment, rushing toward Hurmot with everything they had.


    At the same time, The crowd on the city wall saw that merciless god redirect himself at a new target. As the god was quite far away, it wasn¡¯t hard for the crowd to realize where he was heading.


    They saw the defenseless fox howling as that god rushed toward it. Some felt tempted to rush and interfere, but utterly doubted their abilities to do so.


    Just then, everyone heard a loud crack. Searching for the source of the sound, the crowd spotted fresh cracks in the city wall where that hooded figure once stood. They were speechless as they saw that hooded figure rocket through the air at a speed that rivaled the god!


    When that merciless god evaded all of Eedaj¡¯s attacks while preparing his own strike, that hooded figure also prepared an attack as he never stopped his mad dash for the fox. However, both the hooded figure¡¯s attack and Tralbok¡¯s attack were thrown at the fox.


    The wind de of Tralbok¡¯s was deadly and meant to instantly kill the helpless fox. But the other attacknded first.


    It was a small ck sphere. To the crowd, it looked insignificant and easily overlooked. Yet they were again struck dumb when the ck spherended at the fox¡¯s feet. Aggressively, the sphere exploded and engulfed the fox¡¯s huge me body in pitch-ck mes. Easily outgrowing the fox, the fire eventually came into contact with the wind de, which was also consumed by the hungry ck mes.


    At the sight of those ck mes, Tralbok halted his charge. He stood in the air maybe fifty meters away from the roaring ball of me. His face was no longer arrogant or mischievous.


    Tralbok watched as that hooded mannded an arm¡¯s reach from the ck mes,pletely unaffected by them or the unimaginable heat they gave off. Even the nearby stone walls were heating up from just being in the vicinity, yet that hooded man carefully walked along the mes until he stood between Tralbok and the fox inside the ck fire.


    "What--"


    "Don¡¯t..." The hooded man shouted with a clenched jaw, furiously interrupting anything that Tralbok attempted to say. His own emotions were so high that the hooded man struggled to say a single sentence. "Don¡¯t... Touch... My... SON!"


    Unable to hold himself back, the hood burst into mes as the man grew in size.


    Everyone watching felt their hearts pounding, almost bursting from shock, Tralbok included.


    That mysterious figure grew and grew, eventually surpassing the size of Bowzer and the mes that covered him. The figure¡¯s form was shifting, changing from that of a man to a quadruped, only he had three legs and not four. Taking a form simr to Bowzer¡¯s me body, that figure roared, shaking the hearts of everyone in the entire city.


    Thanks to the size of the me body, nearly the whole city could see it. The sight dragged the citizens to the deepest depths of fear and disbelief. As if out of the citizen¡¯s darkest nightmares and childhood fears, a hundred-meter tall Hell-me Fox with pitch-ck mes towered over the west gate to the city.


    "Kori..." Tralbok finally spoke up again, feeling the Fox God¡¯s deadly, heated gaze. "Why are you--"


    "Don¡¯t touch my son!" Kori shouted again. "I won¡¯t lose him again!"


    Taking that in, Tralbok realized that he hadmitted a grave error that was impossible to calcte prior. He opened his mouth again to attempt to reason with the Fox God, but Kori¡¯s shout interrupted him again.


    "Eedaj! Leave or you¡¯ll burn to death..."


    Controlling his anger, the hulking me body started to shrink down. The mes didn¡¯t die down but they shrunk to the original size of the man. But despite the change in size, his intimidating presence wasn¡¯t weakened in the slightest.


    "Kori, I had no idea that he was your son," admitted Tralbok. "Had I known, then--"


    "Tralbok, our factions were enemies before this ever happened... I doubt you¡¯d show him mercy when given an easy chance to kill him," Kori stated, holding tight to reason as a means to control his rage.


    Tralbok bowed his head to Kori. "Then, allow me to leave now. I see no reason why--"


    "You¡¯ve already proven to be my son¡¯s enemy... More than enough reason to show you no mercy..."


    "Kori, please, right now the holy gods have gained a new enemy as well. Why don¡¯t you take your son and return to--"


    "Defend yourself and die!"

 Chapter 441 Rushing to Jacks Aid

    <h4>Chapter 441 Rushing to Jack¡°s Aid</h4>


    "Oh, so he chose to kill Jack outright..." Halmutmented on the scene they were witnessing, smiling as he did so. "Not a bad tactic, considering his mismatch with Eedaj."


    Sterfen remained silent. His heart was pounding as Tralbok avoided all of Eedaj¡¯s attacks. Witnessing Tralbok¡¯s charge on Jack almost made Sterfen¡¯s heart leap from his chest.


    The four gods all watched as Tralbok used his time magic to avoid all attacks, even countering the darkness that tried to hide Jack. Tralbok¡¯s wind de attack put a smile on Halmut¡¯s and Naparn¡¯s face while Sterfen watched in horror. Yet their view was destroyed with the second appearance of that dark orb, not letting them watch Jack be ughtered.


    "Oh, Eedaj ruined the fun..." mumbled Halmut.


    After a few moments passed, Sterfen felt a fraction of relief but hid it from his face. When Tralbok rose up out of that massive orb of darkness, Sterfen could still sense his connection with Jack as the demigod Sterfen chose.


    But the battle continued as Tralbok then targeted the nearby Lorwynn.


    With his battle experience, Lorwynn put up a good fight, considering his mortality. It surprised Halmut to see that his former champion was so resilient and proud before Tralbok. When Lorwynn tried to attack Tralbok with himself as bait, it filled Halmut with pride for choosing such a great champion.


    Lyrun did his best to hide the worry on his face. Knowing that Lorwynn had left the holy gods didn¡¯t anger or sadden Lyrun at all, but seeing Lorwynn confronted by a chaotic god was too much for Lyrun.


    As Lorwynn¡¯s former master and the man who taught Lorwynn almost everything Lorwynn knew, it was hard for him to see Lorwynn be hurt so badly. Lyrun had never intended for Lorwynn to be the holy champion and risk his life as such, yet his disciple¡¯s abilities had attracted the eye of Halmut and forced Lyrun to hand him over.


    When Lyrun had learned that Lorwynn was still alive and had abandoned the holy gods, he was relieved. Yet that moment of relief was momentary and soon crushed as Lyrun witness his former disciple be killed by Tralbok.


    "At least he died proudly," stated Halmut, not caring what the others felt or realizing the feelings that Lyrun was hiding.


    Staying his tongue, Lyrun hid his emotions while they watched Lorwynn¡¯s body fall.


    They noticed that Lorwynn¡¯s body was caught and hurried toward those on the wall. Also, they noticed the two guild members rushing toward the cier Wyrm and the fallen Lorwynn.


    "Oh... so he¡¯ll live..." Halmut clicked his tongue, dissatisfied to see Lorwynn¡¯s final moments tainted. "He should remain a corpse before we¡¯re forced to do the traitor in..."


    But their attention was stolen again as Tralbok chose a new target.


    All four of the gods were on the edge of their seats, some in excitement and others in worry. They spotted Tralbok¡¯s next target, putting a smile on Naparn¡¯s face.


    "Not bad..." stated Halmut, starting to chuckle. "I guess he¡¯s trying to remove the potential threats before facing Eedaj. I wonder... Is he trying to save enough mana to use Moranti¡¯s scythe again, or does he just hate the weak Leisure Guild that much?"


    However, their attention was stolen again when they spotted the hooded man rushing toward the evolving fox as well. When that man threw the small ck fireball, all of them were speechless.


    Finally, Sterfen loosed a sigh of relief while the three holy gods watched with mouths agape.


    Seeing Kori appear to defend his son was too much for Naparn to take. He shouted, "That sted fox dares leave istion again?! I should¡¯ve taken both of his arms!"


    "So..." Halmut¡¯s eyes were sparkling in excitement. "He finally chooses to fight... Wait, did he just call that evolving fox his son?"


    The leader of the holy gods looked away from the table, ring at Naparn, who immediately silenced himself upon hearing Halmut¡¯s question.


    "Naparn, would you mind telling me how the neutral champion gained Kori¡¯s son as his beastpanion?" questioned Halmut. "Weren¡¯t you in charge of keeping watch over Kori¡¯s wife while she was apart from Kori? Why didn¡¯t you inform me that they had a child?"


    Under Halmut¡¯s stare, the proud Molten God felt himself shrinking. "I... We made sure to watch them at all times."


    "Then how did you not know about their child? And how did their child end up with them?!"


    "That... Um..."


    "Shhh!" Sterfen sounded out, intervening. "We finally get to see Kori go all out, so why not bicker and argue after I leave?"


    Nodding Halmut returned his gaze to the viewing table. "Right... We¡¯ll discuss the topic thoroughly after our guest has left, won¡¯t we Naparn?"


    The Molten God didn¡¯t respond. He only shrunk back in his chair to watch in silence.


    *****


    ¡¯Argyle! Argyle, are you alive!¡¯


    ¡¯Kaldor...¡¯ Argyle sighed as he replied. ¡¯Both me and Jack are alive.¡¯


    ¡¯Good--¡¯


    ¡¯Send a high-level cleric or priest to Jack¡¯s office immediately!¡¯ shouted Argyle. ¡¯Jack¡¯s unconscious but I think his body is worse off than it seems. Hurry!¡¯


    ¡¯Okay, I¡¯ll send someone.¡¯


    Finishing his conversation with Argyle, Kaldor looked to Hurmot beside him. "Hurmot, your daughter is a cleric, right?"


    "Yes... why do ask?"


    "Send her to Jack¡¯s Office right now." Kaldor exined, "I¡¯m not sure how, but Jack and Argyle are there now and Jack needs a cleric immediately."


    "Oh! Then we¡¯ll send a few priests along with Eve," replied Hurmot. The aging auction house owner mounted a Celestial Crane and the two flew off to the crowd still inside the Leisure Guild.


    As theynded, Jack¡¯s party hurried over along with the nearby Celestial Crane members.


    "What¡¯s happening? Is Jack okay?" Eliza asked, beating Maura and Daliea to the punch.


    Hurmot nodded and looked to Eve, stating, "Jack¡¯s fine, but he needs medical attention immediately. He¡¯s with Argyle in Jack¡¯s office as we speak."


    Not replying, all three of Jack¡¯s wives stored their beastpanions and climbed onto Appa. They immediately took off, racing toward the main building near the front of the entrance. When they rushed to enter the main building, they spotted two men with levels higher than their own. None of them took those two men lightly as they dismounted Appa and brought out their beastpanions yet again.


    "State your business!" Daliea ordered as she activated her bloodline skill and transformed.


    "Wait! We¡¯re not enemies!" one man shouted.


    The other coughed and retrieved an emblem to show the three women.


    At the same time, Hurmot, his daughter, and one of his managers rushed over on the backs of two Celestial Cranes. What they spotted the two men, Hurmot shouted, "What brings you councilmen here. Are you after a fight?"


    "No... We¡¯re trying to learn what¡¯s going on," stated the second councilman holding the emblem. "We spoke with a crane before entering here. Are you needing any more assistance?"


    Laughing, Hurmot shook his head. "Unless you want to fight the gods, I¡¯d rmend you don¡¯t help us. Everything else is under control, apart from the battle deities."


    "Then, was it also the guild that stopped the army outside the east wall?" the first councilman asked.


    "What army?" Hurmot asked.


    Seeing everyone¡¯s confused faces, the two councilmen didn¡¯t know what to say. The first councilman went on to exin, "ording to the guards on duty, an army of more than ten thousand troops emerged from the distant woods. And they were all powerful foes too, over lv. 50.


    "Yet, just before they reached the city walls, Tralon appeared. Without a word, Tralon took out a strange stone that started to glow before it broke. Then, he started to gather an unfathomable amount of spatial energy, all before he teleported away to the center of the army..." The first councilman paused for a moment, struggling to believe the words that were about toe out of his mouth.


    "Then... spatial energy fell onto the entire army, shredding every warrior and mage in its ranks to nothing but scraps of flesh... None of the guards knew what to think, nor could they find Tralon anywhere."

 Chapter 442 Rikko vs Pestro

    <h4>Chapter 442 Rikko vs Pestro</h4>


    Rushing through the northern woods, Rikko continued to drag Hadurt behind him. "Give Rikko halberd!"


    "No, I don¡¯t want to! It¡¯s mine now!" Hadurt argued.


    "Rikko give back, but need to bait Pestro," stated Rikko. "Rikko need halberd for Rikko kill Pestro."


    "Really? You can kill him?" Finding that hard to believe, Hadurt asked, "If you can kill him, then why didn¡¯t you earlier?"


    "Because Rikko no want all EXP. Now Rikko need kill Pestro or Rikko die. You want die?"


    "No! But promise that he won¡¯t take it back."


    "Rikko stole halberd and Rikko never let go after Rikko steal," Rikko proudly stated while taking the halberd from Hadurt. "Rikko no let go ever, no worry."


    "Okay..."


    "Now, you run. Unless you want die."


    "Fine, then let go of me!" Hadurt shouted and pped Rikko¡¯s hand but failed to affect the Goblin God¡¯s grip at all.


    "Okay... but you run back now. Rikko face Pestro."


    Finally, Rikko released the berserker, who tumbled through the undergrowth before gaining his footing and running away at full speed.


    When Pestro saw Hadurt run, he instinctually turned to chase. That was until he heard Rikko.


    "Fat Pestro no want halberd? Or Pestro scared Rikko pop fat Pestro?"


    Snarling, Pestro turned back to Rikko. He saw the Goblin God twirling the halberd and pping his rear whileughing at Pestro.


    "If Pestro scared, then say so. Rikko be easy on fat Pestro if Pestro want," Rikko taunted again and again, proving he was falsely titled and was more befitting of the name Trash Talk God or the God of Taunts.


    Caving into his rage, Pestro rushed after Rikko. But he failed to catch Rikko before the goblin began to run again.


    "See, Pestro too fat. Rikko help Pestro lose weight. More running, more!"


    The dark demonic energy coursing over Pestro started to look like burning fumes from the Demon God¡¯s anger. With both swords in hand, Pestro hurled wave after wave of demonic energy to fell all trees nearby.


    With no trees to aid in Rikko¡¯s escape, the Goblin God finally stopped. His motionless body was turned away from Pestro, who stood still while his rage built more and more.


    Then, the sudden sound of trickling water filled the air.


    Pestro didn¡¯t know what to think. He kept his focus on Rikko, not bothering to investigate the sound further.


    Rikko finally turned around to face the Demon God, releasing a long sigh of satisfaction and relief. At the same time, Rikko readjusted his loincloth.


    "Aaahhhh... Now Rikko done. Pestro still want halberd?" Rikko held the halberd out, acting as if he would willingly hand it over.


    Pestro was confused for a moment, until he spotted the yellow liquid dripping off of the halberd.


    "RIKKO!! YOU FOUL GOBLIN!"


    "So Pestro no want?" Rikko frowned, continuing his act. "Then Rikko keep safe. Now worry, Rikko care for halberd forever."


    "RIKKO!"


    Throwing himself at Rikko, Pestro showed no mercy. He used full-power attacks that tore apart the ground and shook Rikko¡¯s clothes as they passed by him. But Pestro was gaining more and more speed with each swing of the sword.


    Rikko kept narrowly avoiding each de. asionally, he would block an attack using the halberd.


    After almost a minute of that rampage, Rikko attacked back. The goblin slid past the two swords and swung the halberd toward Pestro¡¯s side. He missed as Pestro sidestepped but some of that yellow liquid sprayed off the tip of the de and onto Pestro.


    "There, now Pestro smell better," Rikko chuckled as he backed away again.


    Noticing the goblin piss on his belly, Pestro angrily wiped it off and continued his rampage.


    The two seemed to be quite coordinated. One focused on attacking while the other mostly evaded to only sneak in a few attacks here and there. Yet neither of them seemed to have an advantage against each other.


    That continued for another minute or two before Pestro roared, "Coward! Fight me for real!"


    With relentless fury, Pestro continued to attack, forcing himself to his limits to increase his speed even more.


    Rikko noticed the change in pace, finding the new speed quite dangerous. There were a few swipes that caught a piece of Rikko¡¯s mboyant loincloth as he blew around. Rikko attacked yet again, swiping at Pestro¡¯s belly.


    The Demon God though nothing of the blow, quickly sidestepping into his next attack. But he suddenly felt something jab into the side of his belly.


    "Oh, Pestro no pop..."


    Looking down, Pestro noticed how the goblin was now closer than ever with the halberd barely puncturing Pestro¡¯s stomach. And when Pestro lunged to grab Rikko, the goblin swiftly moved again while unsheathing the halberd¡¯s de from Pestro¡¯s fat.


    "Well, Rikko no pop Pestro... Rikko only kill Pestro now," Rikko stated, shrugging as if he had no other choice."


    "You... What did you do?" questioned Pestro.


    "Rikko do what?" Tilting his head to the side, Rikko yed coy. "Rikko stab Pestro but Pestro no pop. That what Rikko do."


    "But why were you so fast?!" shouted Pestro.


    "Oh... Because Rikko fast."


    A slight crackle of electricity sounded, catching Pestro off guard when he spotted blue lightning dance over the blu goblin¡¯s body.


    Smiling, Rikko stated, "Now... Rikko fastest!"


    Pestro attack with both swords, but Rikko had vanished before his eyes and his fined tuned senses.


    "Up here!"


    pping Pestro across the face with the blunt side of the halberd, Rikko gave himself away. He was standing on Pestro¡¯s shoulders, smiling from ear to ear.


    "You!"


    Rikko vanished yet again, not giving Pestro the chance to cleave the goblin in two.


    Figuring out Rikko¡¯s speed was simple now. Pestro deduced that Rikko had finally started using wind magic earlier, but Pestro had no clue that the Goblin God could wield lightning magic as well. That proved that Rikko was toying with Pestro the entire time, keeping his speed at the perfect level to keep Pestro distracted and away from everyone else.


    Also, Pestro deduced that Rikko had no finishing move that could kill him. The stab into his stomach was barely enough for the demon god to feel it, let alone take any major damage.


    The two gods had approached their paths to greatness with simr strategies, only varying one thing. They both chose to focus on a single stat. One focused purely on strength and brute force to be the ultimate barbarian. The other focused on only speed, turning himself in the speediest rogue to ever live.


    "Even with lightning magic, you¡¯re so weak!" Pestro shouted, returning Rikko¡¯s taunts with his own.


    "Pestro fat but no have thick skin," Rikko teased while wagging his finger back and forth. "Rikko have thickest skin, so Rikko no mad. But Rikko sad... Rikko want see Pestro belly pop..."


    "Take me on like a man! What are you, scared?" Pestro questioned, trying his best to taunt the Goblin God.


    "Yes, Rikko scared," replied Rikko. "Rikko scared Pestro no want to y with Rikko. Then, Rikko need kill Pestro because Pestro no fun..."


    "Thene on!"


    ¡¯Rikko, where are you?¡¯


    Evading Pestro¡¯s attacks, Rikko answered the telepathic call, ¡¯Eedaj go north. Rikko y with Pestro there. Where Tralbok?¡¯


    ¡¯He¡¯s busy with Kori...¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, Kori here! Rikko want see Kori too!¡¯ Rikko started to p his hands while dancing around Pestro¡¯s swinging des, taunting the Demon God with his actions and not his words.


    ¡¯You¡¯ll see himter. Let¡¯s cripple Pestro again before that.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... then Rikko wait,¡¯ replied the goblin, still evading and not attacking. ¡¯Rikko use wind and lightning already but no hurt Pestro. Pestro mad mad so Rikko distract. Eedaj go for head when arrive.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright, just don¡¯t die before I arrive.¡¯


    ¡¯Rikko too fast for Pestro. Rikko no die!¡¯


    The two gods continued, one getting giddier the more he dodged and the other growing more furious than he could ever have imagined possible as he missed time and time again.

 Chapter 443 Eedaj & Rikko vs Pestro

    <h4>Chapter 443 Eedaj & Rikko vs Pestro</h4>


    Pestro was losing his patience fighting Rikko. He wanted so bad to kill the goblin, but he was starting to believe that he would never get the chance to in a head-to-head match.


    However, Rikko¡¯s trash talk was god-tier and drove the raging barbarian further into rage with each passing second.


    What Pestro didn¡¯t know or suspect was that Eedaj had escaped from his fight against Tralbok and was waiting nearby. That was something that Rikko hid well by distracting Pestro with more witty, simple-minded banter.


    Waiting at the tree line, Eedaj tried to think of how he could best use his surprise attack.


    ¡¯Eedaj what take long?¡¯ Rikko asked. ¡¯Use fire illusion. Together we rush Pestro.¡¯


    ¡¯But--¡¯


    ¡¯If Kori fight Tralbok, we need end Pestro fast. Rikko no want Tralbok save Pestro again.¡¯


    Agreeing with the goblin, Eedaj sighed before throwing a couple of invisible fireballs and casting invisibility on himself.


    Like before, Pestro sensed the iing invisible fireballs and shed them apart. But Rikko slid past Pestro¡¯s defenses at the same time tod a few quick blows.


    Baffled, Pestro looked around for Eedaj but failed to find the Mind God. "Eedaj?! What are you--"


    "Pay attention or Rikko kill Pestro!" Rikko snickered, slicing toward the Demon God¡¯s neck.


    Not wanting to tank that targeted attack, Pestro stepped back and ceased his yelling. But there was no way that Pestro would forget about the unseeable threat looming around him. An invisible Eedaj with invisible fireballs was a terrifying support whenbined with Rikko¡¯s fast jabs and stabs. Pestro realized that he had been trapped yet again and there was no escaping with Rikko running at top speed.


    "Then just die!"


    Pestro snarled as the ck clouds over Gilga expanded to cover the northern forest. Hideous ck lightning started to fall upon the battlefield, threatening both of Pestro¡¯s opponents.


    Rikko didn¡¯t find it too difficult to deal with thanks to his overwhelming speed but Eedaj felt his mobility reduce drastically. Though he could remain invisible, now Eedaj couldn¡¯t run around the battlefield willy-nilly and attack from wherever he wanted. It worked well at minimizing Eedaj¡¯s potential threat while he remained invisible.


    "Too slow!" Rikko chuckled, storing the halberd and retrieving his own two personal daggers. Lighting coat one de and wind coat the other as the goblin started to get into a rhythm.


    The Goblin God rushed again, not worried about Eedaj. He lunged at Pestro as fast as lightning with his electrified dagger.


    Dodging the blow the best he could, Pestro defended with one of his swords while backstepping slightly. The Demon God prepared for the second attack that he was certain would follow.


    And just as Pestro expected, Rikko threw another attack. Literally, he threw his knife mid-swing.


    Pestro was baffled as the Goblin God threw the de mid-swing to extend his range andnd a blow. It meant giving up that dagger, but the dagger covered in wind kept its course and bore into Pestro¡¯s shoulder.


    "See! Rikko kill Pestro if need," joked the goblin, tossing his second sword back and forth between his two hands.


    Pestro grunted, acting like it was nothing as he resumed his barrage of sword attacks.


    That attack didn¡¯t deal much damage but it was carefully lodged in Pestro¡¯s shoulder. And thanks to the jagged teeth on the back of the daggers, Pestro didn¡¯t want to remove the dagger without reason. Plus, by not removing it, Pestro kept Rikko from wielding both daggers and minimized the attacks that Rikko could make.


    "Pestro want keep dagger?" Rikko frowned as he evaded the Demon God.


    "That was nothing! Go ahead and try it again if you¡¯d like!"


    Pestro did his best to steer Rikko toward the strikes of lightning but failed as the nimble goblin managed to avoid each bolt raining down around him. It was impressive, even to Pestro.


    All the while, Rikko smiled yfully. "Okay... But if Pestro want dagger, Rikko make Pestro pay..."


    Not knowing what Rikko was nning now, Pestro kept his eyes peeled on the goblin. But by the time Pestro realized what Rikko was after, it was toote.


    The knife in Pestro¡¯s shoulder suddenly heated up, bing red-hot in less than a second. The aroma of sizzling flesh filled the air, causing Pestro and his sensitive nose to flinch back. But the knife started to turn around in Pestro¡¯s arm, tearing the Demon God¡¯s muscles and ligaments apart.


    Finally, Pestro attempted to pull the de out but it was ripped from his shoulder before he could grip the dagger.


    Standing before him was Eedaj, now making himself visible with the red-hot dagger gripped in his ming hand. A sight that left Pestro mortified, especially after he lost feeling in his right arm.


    "See! Pestro always pay!"ughed Rikko, still resuming his attack. "Pestro die soon, so bye-bye!"


    Rikko¡¯s dagger coated in lighting was thrust again and again, keeping Pestro on his toes as the hulking man escaped the attacks with scratches and cuts. The pacing of the fight waspletely one-sided now. Pestro¡¯s momentum waspletely overtaken.


    Eedaj cooled down the knife and passed it back to Rikko, letting the tag team face the crippled Demon God full-force. Other than Eedaj¡¯s low mana, the two godsboed well to keep Pestro on the ropes. They yed with him, letting him evade killing blows with minor scratches.


    "Too bad Pestro no fun... Rikko need end it now!"


    With both daggers getting coated in lightning and wind, Pestro readied his one able arm and weapon to defend. As Rikko charged, Pestro tried to parry one blow and allow the second attack to hit Pestro¡¯s side, a ce where the attack wouldn¡¯t cripple the Demon God further.


    The parry was sessful and Rikko¡¯s second attack was going as Pestro nned as well. But when a hand suddenly gripped Pestro¡¯s head all rms went off as Pestro had experienced that same grip not too long ago.


    "Eedaj--"


    "Cerebral Copse!"


    "AAAAaaaaAAaaaahhHHHhh..."


    Falling over, Pestro¡¯s body flopped and was left ragged. Pestro¡¯s mind was mostly intact but he couldn¡¯t feel his body at all. The only sensation that Pestro felt were his eyes and sliver of mobility with his mouth. All other hopes of movement were dashed as Pestro was hit for the second time by Eedaj¡¯s attack.


    The false Eedaj behind Rikko faded as Eedaj no longer hid his true self, letting his real body be visible over Pestro.


    Snickering and dancing, Rikko waltzed over and removed his dagger from Pestro¡¯s side, which Pestro couldn¡¯t even feel anymore. "See! Pestro pay for everything!"


    "You... won¡¯t..."


    "We¡¯ll get away with it," stated Eedaj, knowing exactly what Pestro wanted to say. "Tralbok is busy handling someone else at the moment, so don¡¯t expect him to show up again and reverse the situation."


    "W-Who..." Pestro asked, trying to cling to some semnce of hope.


    "Sadly for Tralbok, he chose the wrong person to target. Tralbok started to pick off people instead of facing me." Eedaj exined, "He tried to kill Jack but failed. Then, he managed to chase down and kill Lorwynn, but I believe he¡¯ll be back up soon thanks to the quick thinking of the guild. And finally, Tralbok targeted the Hell-me Fox that happens to be Jack¡¯spanion. Would you like to guess the parent of that Hell-me Fox?"


    "... No... way..."


    "Yes, way," continued Eedaj. "In fact, just before Tralbok could kill the young fox, Kori rushed out of the Leisure Guild to take Tralbok head-on. I guess he had snuck in as one of the new recruits to keep an eye on his son. He didn¡¯t n to make a move though, as it would go against his contract with Halmut. But how could he watch his only son die before his eyes after losing his wife already?"


    Pestro said nothing else. The Demon God closed his eyes and tried to take it all in while not offering Rikko any more satisfaction.

 Chapter 444 Koris Terrifying Black Flames

    <h4>Chapter 444 Kori¡°s Terrifying ck mes</h4>


    "Defend yourself and die!"


    Kori no longer contained his feelings, rushing Tralbok with all of his fury contained in his small me body.


    Not daring to take the Fox God lightly, Tralbok attempted to distance himself. But he was startled that the Fox God¡¯s natural speed could keep up without the use of wind of lightning magic.


    Tralbok evaded while doing his best to remember everything he could about Kori and the few Hell-me Foxes that have existed in Kartonia. Two of the three major incidents involving Hell-me Foxes were Kori making a name for himself, but the one Tralbok keyed in on was the third and final incident Kori caused.


    By then, Kori had already be a god and gained his pitch-ck mes. And he ended up dueling with another god who had boldly challenged the Fox God¡¯s pride.


    That face-off was the inciting act behind the fairy talesbeling Hell-me Foxes as natural disasters waiting to happen. It was the fight that destroyed a nation¡¯s capital and left all spectating gods stunned. How could such a close duel of gods not be memorable, especially when the two gods were from the same faction?


    Proud as ever, Naparn had denounced the Hell-me Foxes as lower beings to Magma Dragons, even though their bloodlines were equally powerful. It was just after Halmut¡¯s battle with Skaryn, leaving Naparn entirely in charge of the holy gods during Halmut¡¯s initial recovery phase. And given Naparn¡¯s grudge against Kori for not joining the war, Naparn¡¯s natural pride drove him to punish the fox¡¯s reputation, stating that the fox¡¯s defenses were rubbish and that the Hell-me Foxes were the equivalent to a ss cannon.


    Not taking that lightly, Kori disputed with the Molten God verbally first, but Naparn insisted they test his theory, remaining confident in his higher level.


    When Kori eventually ignored Naparn, the Magma Dragons incited a few Hell-me foxes to battles. But they would team up and pick on the foxes, never killing them but crippling them or taking a limb as a trophy.


    Unable to stomach such a thing, Korished out against Naparn in the Molten God¡¯s territory. The divine Hell-me Fox leveled the capital city that waster rebuilt with the rise of the Maltor Kingdom as Scorch City.


    Enraged, Naparn descended from Olympic Chateau to find Kori waiting for him within the ashes of the city.


    The two gods faced each other without mercy, putting their mutual allegiance to Halmut aside.


    Though the battle was very straightforward with both gods fighting in their beastly forms, in the end, the battle resulted in a draw. Naparn¡¯s natural defenses and attacks as a Magma Dragon proved formidable but Kori¡¯s pitch ck mes also proved unstoppable. There were no tricks to the battle, only pure, unadulterated rage between the two most powerful wielders of fire magic.


    Keeping Kori¡¯s mes in mind, Tralbok had toe up with a strategy on the fly for facing his newest opponent. Even if Tralbok knew that he had a single level advantage over Kori, Tralbok would never dare to test himself against the undying ck mes that Kori controlled.


    "You call that defending yourself?!" Kori shouted. The Fox God was tired of Tralbok running and tossed out a dozen of those small ck fireballs.


    Spotting those fireballs was an instant red g for Tralbok. They appeared to be the same expanding fireballs as the one that defended Bowzer and devoured Tralbok¡¯s earlier attack.


    Tralbok halted momentarily and shot up into the sky to avoid the minefield of ck fireballs.


    This strategy only worked for a moment though as more and more ck fireballs formed around them. Soon, Tralbok found himself and Kori entirely surrounded in those ck fireballs. They formed a perimeter in the air, giving Tralbok only a few hundred meters of space to move in.


    Tralbok attempted to reverse and counter them, but he realized that each fireball was cast individually and Kori must¡¯ve been able to cast so many at once due to his bloodline.


    Some would argue that wielding more magic types was always better and made for stronger opponents. Such people would find facing an elemental specialist incredibly difficult and Kori was an example of that. While most people can only dual cast spells, Kori could cast up to half a dozen at a time so long as they were fire spells and weren¡¯t his most powerful attacks. That was one of the bonuses to having a single element if it was mastered, something that Kori¡¯s bloodline and training had aplished.


    Seeing no way out, Tralbok turned to Kori onest time. "Kori, must we do this? Sure, you¡¯ll deal me quite a lot of damage, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t kill you in the meantime."


    "Then prove it!" Kori shouted and rushed Tralbok as he regained his hundred-meter height and foxy me body.


    With Korimitting to a battle that even the fox wasn¡¯t fully confident in, Tralbok looked to the north and deeply frowned. At the same time, that purple scythe from earlier reappeared in Tralbok¡¯s hand.


    Before Kori could pounce on top of Tralbok, the God of Time stabbed his second foot with the scythe and shouted in pain as he was teleported away in a subtle blink of purple energy.


    Roaring in dissatisfaction, Kori consumed all of the ck fireballs and returned to his normal fox form with no fire. Kori then dashed back toward the west gate and ate the mes protecting his evolving son. He ignored the shouts of Rikko as the Goblin God and Eedaj dragged the motionless husk of Pestro out of the northern woods. Instead, Kori reactivated his me body and started to devour Bowzer¡¯s rampant mes.


    Somehow, Bowzer¡¯s shouts and howls lessened. It seemed like the fox wasn¡¯t feeling as much pain with Kori¡¯s help.


    *****


    "Oh, so Tralbok was saving his energy in case he wanted to escape. He¡¯s such a schemer, that one..." Halmut sighed, unhappy to not see Kori fight at full strength.


    "If you¡¯re unhappy about the oue Halmut, you should ask Naparn about the incident that destroyed Magma City," Sterfenmented, feeling much better as the situation proved to end positively for his side.


    "Right, I was resting while that happened. Tell me, Naparn, what caused the destruction of the city you and your people were so proud of?" Halmut asked.


    Stiffening up, Naparn beat around the bush. "Well... that¡¯s a very..."


    "Naparn had challenged Kori as a punishment for not participating in the war effort but Kori refused," Lyrun spoke up, exining everything sinctly yet in detail. "The Magma Dragons then started to pester and team up against Hell-me Foxes to prove they were stronger. Angered by the crippling of the few Hell-me Foxes that survived the war, Koriid waste to Magma City and dueled with Naparn to a draw, all while Kori was only lv. 95 and Naparn was lv. 97."


    "That--"


    "What?!" Startled, Halmut shouted with a baffled look stered across his face. "Naparn... Is that why you didn¡¯t tell me about your acts against Kori¡¯s family?"


    Naparn kept quiet but his silence was answer enough.


    Feeling torn, Halmut thought carefully about the current rtionships he had with the holy gods. Sadly, had he known that Kori showed so much potential, Halmut would¡¯ve definitely supported the fox over Naparn despite Naparn being a dragon. Yet Halmut had already missed his chance to fix Kori¡¯s standing in the holy gods. Already, Kori¡¯s family had been hunted down and Kori gave up his arm recently after he left his istion, which was reported to Halmut unlike the first time Kori left istion to face Naparn.


    Halmut understood that it was toote to right the wrongs that had been done to Kori and that Kori would never be loyal with Naparn around. And given the current situation, Halmut made his decision.

 Chapter 445 Halmuts Decisiveness

    <h4>Chapter 445 Halmut¡°s Decisiveness</h4>


    With a loud sigh, Halmut retrieved two scrolls. The other three gods saw Halmut take one in each hand. But before handing them over, one of the contracts suddenly caught fire.


    "Halmut, we had a--"


    "I¡¯m only honoring the contract that Kori agreed to long ago," Halmut stated, not flinching at all. "This is technically his third offense against his istion, which merits the loss of his godhood."


    "That--"


    "It¡¯s toote Sterfen..." The remains of the contract fell out of Halmut¡¯s hand and fell to the floor. "Now, I¡¯ll give you Lunara¡¯s contract for both Lyrun¡¯s and Naparn¡¯s lives."


    "That¡¯s ridiculous!"


    "Would you rather I kill you now? Release Naparn first and then I¡¯ll hand you the contract and escort you out like a proper guest."


    Sterfen eyed Halmut, utterly repulsed by the sudden development. Then, Sterfen grinned and snapped his fingers.


    Lyrun finally took a deep breath, feeling sweet relief as the Mark of the Reaper vanished from the elf¡¯s neck. A thin scar was still left from the de, something that would never fully heal thanks to Sterfen¡¯s abilities, but the threat to Lyrun¡¯s life was gone.


    "Now hand it over."


    Smiling back to Sterfen, Halmut replied, "Very well... I like your confidence, so I¡¯ll y along this time."


    Halmut casually extended his hand, passing Sterfen the contract to his wife¡¯s godhood. "I suppose this means that we¡¯ll be enemies after your departure from Olympic Chateau?"


    "Yes, but that¡¯s by your decision, not ours. Feel free to not do anything and maybe we won¡¯t need to face you in the end..." Sterfen paused to open the scroll and take a peek at the contents of the contract. Then, he chuckled and shook his head. "But I doubt a greedy pestro like you could keep yourself from trying to kill them off for your own EXP."


    "We¡¯ll see," Halmut replied with his false friendliness that could fool almost anyone. "For now, at least let me congratte you on the birth of your daughter. I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be something special in the future."


    "Oh, Jack and I are sure of that. I¡¯ll see myself out so no need to walk with me. Just make an opening in the barrier so I can step out."


    "Very well."


    With that, Sterfen walked out of Olympic Chateau with only half of his goal realized, yet still fully satisfied to finally have freed his wife.


    *****


    As Rikko rushed to greet Kori, the Fox God started to groan and pant.


    Dropping his me body, Kori reverted to his normal fox form. He writhed in pain for a moment, leaving everyone in suspense as to what was going on. Then, a mass of holy energy erupted from Kori¡¯s body, causing the fox to howl in pain.


    It onlysted for a moment, Kori was left panting and breathing heavily. His body was shaking and struggling to stand straight. Heid himself down beside Bowzer, with a small, relieved smile on his face.


    "Kori, what happen?" Rikko asked, carefully patting his old friend on the back. "Kori okay? Wait..."


    "Yeah... I guess Halmut was watching after all..." Kori sighed, not dwelling on it too much.


    "What?!" Eedaj was startled and read the fox¡¯s mind to learn the truth of the situation. "Kori... your level..."


    "Yeah, I know... I guess I¡¯m no longer the Fox God, am I?" Kori chuckled, trying to y it off. "Either way, at least Bowzer¡¯s okay and I don¡¯t have to worry about that contract anymore."


    Amazed at Kori¡¯s optimism, Eedaj sighed. Rikko, on the other hand, was instantly back to his jovial self.


    "Kori let Rikko ride? Like old time?" questioned the Goblin God, easing the situation with his humor.


    "Later, okay Rikko? Right now, I want to make sure Bowzer¡¯s evolution goes well," answered Kori. "Also, shouldn¡¯t you go check on Jack? Do you know where he is?"


    "That..." Eedaj paused for a moment but smile and quickly resued the conversation. "Jack¡¯s currently in his office. I guess he forcibly teleported away to avoid Tralbok, which is both great and devastating at the same time."


    "He pushed too hard, huh? I¡¯ve been there..." Kori sighed, reminiscing about the days passed.


    "Either way, we need to attend to Jack and make sure to include you in ourtest strategy," stated Eedaj.


    Looking back at the Mind God, Kori raised an eyebrow and asked, "And what strategy is that?"


    "To raise more gods. Pretty simple really."


    "Yeah, but--"


    "After we let Jack kill this ugly, breathing corpse, then he¡¯ll gain more EXP then ever before and we¡¯ll be able to use his dying energy to temporarily revitalize your immortal potential," exined Eedaj. "And since you¡¯re now at lv. 89, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to level up within a week¡¯s time and be a god again."


    "That¡¯s... That¡¯s what you¡¯re doing?!" Surprised and convinced, Kori started tough. "That exins why both Lorwynn and that chaotic champion sided with you. I didn¡¯t know that such a strategy existed."


    "You¡¯ll have to thank Daruun for that. Now, all we have to decide is which god will make you a demigod now."


    "Rikko choose Kori!" The goblin instantly shot his hand up to the sky.


    "No can do, Rikko. You¡¯ll choose Hadurt since you both wield wind and lightning. That would be ideal," stated Eedaj, recing Rikko¡¯s smile with a grumpy frown. "That leaves Guuro and Jin as the only ones who haven¡¯t chosen demigods, but Jin is off doing who knows what so I doubt he¡¯ll be avable..."


    While Eedaj pondered it more, a bright sh of light filled everyone¡¯s views. A sense of worry took their hearts but was quickly reced with joy as Sterfen now stood before them all.


    "Kori... I¡¯m sorry but I couldn¡¯t get your contract before Halmut activated it..." Sterfen sighed.


    "That¡¯s fine... Wait, what do you mean by that?" questioned Kori.


    Sterfen smiled lightly, retrieving an unfurled scroll for the former Fox God and the others to see.


    "No way! You actually got her contract?!"


    "All I had to do was take Naparn and Lyrun hostage, no big deal," chuckled Sterfen, surprising them all further. "But Halmut used your contract before handing it over, saying you breached it by leaving istion again."


    "Yeah, don¡¯t worry about it... I¡¯m just amazed that you got Lunara¡¯s contract and lived to tell the tale," Koriughed along with Sterfen. "I¡¯m sure she¡¯ll be d to be free. I may have lost my godhood, but I¡¯m so happy they can¡¯t hold that contract over my head now..."


    "If Lunara is free to join us, then she¡¯ll be able to choose a demigod too, right?" added Eedaj. "That means Guuro can choose Lorwynn and Lunara can choose you, Kori. It may not match up with your magic types, but you¡¯ll have a slight affinity to water magic out of it."


    "Speaking of which, I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to cast my few holy spells anymore... Bummer..." Kori sighed. "I guess having some of Lunara¡¯s skills or abilities wouldn¡¯t hurt though. "


    "Sounds like a n," Sterfen stated. "Now, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯m going to go see my wife."


    "Don¡¯t you want to go with Jack? He¡¯ll be able to teleport after he wakes up," Eedaj added.


    Sterfen shook his head. "Nah... I just hurried back to make sure everything was okay. I¡¯m going to go ask Lina if she wants to help me bring Lunara back to Trodar. Maybe we can make it back and surprise Jack when he wakes up."


    "Well, I¡¯ll be waiting here with Bowzer. Once his bloodline reaches the third stage, I¡¯ll be d to go along with whatever ns you have for me," stated Kori, ncing back to his son.


    Each of the gods and the former god smiled. With excitement for what was toe after enduring such an intense battle, they happily ignored Pestro¡¯s mumbling.

 Chapter 446 Tralons Final Moments

    <h4>Chapter 446 Tralon¡°s Final Moments</h4>


    "... Jack..."


    "Jack."


    "Come on, Jack, I know you can hear me."


    Sighing, Jack finally opened his eyes. Strangely, Jack felt no pain.


    "Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. You¡¯re still unconscious," stated a familiar voice. "I¡¯m visiting you because I was asked to show you something and I was kind enough to help."


    "Gramps..." Jack looked around to find himself with Daruun up in the clouds. "Who asked you to show me something? Is there someone more powerful than you that--"


    "Don¡¯t start fantasizing too much, Jack. Something like that won¡¯t be happening as you currently exist on a I made from scratch. No one else in the universe can know about your existence until you surpass lv. 99 and pain enough power to travel beyond this," Daruun exined.


    "Then... who would be so important that you¡¯re their messenger?" asked Jack.


    Sighing, Daruun showed an ufortable smile. "It¡¯s not that they¡¯re more important than me, but that I respected them enough to grant their dying wish. I¡¯m talking about Tralon."


    "Tralon! How could he--"


    "Let me show you what I mean..."


    Daruun waved his hand, sending him and Jack through a sh of light. They reappeared on the east gate of Gilga.


    "What are you..." Jack was about to continue his emotional questioning when he spotted something out in the distance. "Is that... an army?"


    "That¡¯s an army of over ten thousand men, all ranging from lv. 50 to lv. 60. Those are the scraps of the syndicate that weren¡¯t as driven as the main force that you¡¯re facing on the west side. With five centuries to build up their forces, this much is to be expected," exined Daruun. "And this army is attacking at not too long after you joined the fight in the southwest fields."


    "Then... this is where Tralon--"


    "Speaking of Tralon..."


    Just as Daruun¡¯s words trailed off, Tralon appeared in a sh of teleporting light, right on cue.


    "Just watch Jack. Save all your questions for afterward."


    That was all Daruun said as the duo saw Tralon¡¯s reaction to the massive army rushing the east gate. And seeing their high speed, Tralon understood that they would enter the east gate within minutes, unabated by the weaker soldiers atop the city wall. In response to seeing them, Tralon took out a small stone.


    "That¡¯s a--"


    "Wait, Jack..."


    They continued to watch as Tralon poured mana into the already cracked stone, breaking it to pieces. At the same time, the rest of the world froze as an apparition of Daruun appeared before Tralon, amazing Jack.


    "So," the apparition spoke to Tralon, "have you decided on what your third and final question will be after so long?"


    "Yes... I would like to know what are the different oues involving this army based on what actions I decide to take," Tralon stated, staring confidently at Daruun with hope.


    The apparition nodded. "Very well. There are two main oues to consider here. The first is if you decide to not interfere. If you decide to focus your attention elsewhere and aid the other battlefield instead, this army will carve through the city until they reach the Leisure Guild property on the other side.


    "This will create far more casualties than the battle that destroyed half of Federal City and will result in Gilga nearly being removed from the map. The Leisure Guild has the strength and forces to win, but they will suffer great losses as well. And without the city¡¯s economy, the new subordinate guilds under the Leisure Guild, as well as the trading pact with Korten, will greatly suffer. The wealth that the guild possesses will be used to rebuild the city and not the guild."


    "... And the second option?" Tralon asked, swallowing some of his nerves.


    "Should you decide to act against the iing army, you¡¯ll be able to reduce the army¡¯s forces by a good fraction with your powerful legendary spell. However, that will leave you unable to participate in the battle or even move for a couple of days in your current condition," answered Daruun.


    Tralon stroked his beard, not satisfied with either of those answers. Then, he asked, "Is there no way for me to stop the entirety of the army?"


    "It¡¯s not that such a feat is impossible... There are just some conditions that you would have to ept for it to happen," Daruun replied. "Would you like to--"


    "Please, exin to me these conditions," Tralon firmly stated. "I¡¯ve watched over this city since it¡¯s birth over a millennium ago and I¡¯ve cared for it ever since... And should the city be destroyed and its citizens be massacred, then it will also affect the world¡¯s perception of the guild and Jack. Also, the only way to fend off this armypletely would be using Dragov in the middle of the city, destroying the remaining portions of the city while defending it. There would be no point in such an action."


    For Jack, watching this scene take ce, he was speechless. He didn¡¯t know what Tralon had been up against or what Tralon had been thinking when Jack suddenly received Tralon¡¯s final telepathic message. But now... he felt his heart open and tighten at the same time as he already knew the oue of the soon to be mentioned conditions.


    "I¡¯m d you¡¯re thinking so clearly..." Daruun¡¯s apparition added with a sigh. "As for the first condition, It has to do with your mana capacity. For you to cast such arge spell, it goes beyond your current mana capacity. Forcing yourself to increase the spell¡¯s size in your current condition will destroy the mana lines within your body, giving you less than twenty-four hours of life before sumbing to a natural death with no hope of resurrection."


    "I see... but that will allow me to capture the entire army within a single spell?" Tralon asked, not swayed in the least.


    Shaking his head, Daruun¡¯s apparition continued, "There¡¯s one more condition. Even if you force the spell to growrger, you can¡¯t control it beyond the spell¡¯s range. So, to ovee that final hurdle, you would need to do what?"


    Taking a moment to think, Tralon mumbled to himself while stroking his beard, "If I can¡¯t extend the range... Then I would have to maximize it, possibly... I would have to be at the center of the army?"


    "Yes," Daruun agreed. "You would have to begin the spell and then teleport yourself to the very center of the army the moment before you cast it. That would allow you to maximize the range of Rendering Space and allow the entire army to go down with a single spell. But... that inevitably leaves you vulnerable to the spell as well."


    "You¡¯re saying I¡¯ll be killed by my own spell?"


    "Correct, should you choose to--"


    "Very well." With a nod, Tralon swallowed the saliva in his throat along with thest of his nerves. "If one life can save thousands, then it¡¯s worth the sacrifice."


    "Are you sure--"


    "Yes, Daruun. I¡¯m willing to ept those self-destructing conditions," stated Tralon. "If I would die after the spell anyway, it won¡¯t make a difference if I die by my own spell."


    "That spell will instantly reduce your body to shreds and minced meat, leaving your flesh unrecognizable among the masses of the enemy army. Are you alright with that?" asked Daruun.


    Tralon nodded. "If that¡¯s what it takes, then I¡¯ll ept. I¡¯m sure Jack will find all of this EXP helpful. I just wish I could give him all of it and not just half..."


    "Such is fate, something we can only attempt to predict while we try to find our own path," Daruun stated.


    "Daruun, can I ask you onest thing? I don¡¯t need an exnation so it shouldn¡¯t need a new tutorial stone to ask."


    "Yes, Tralon. I¡¯ll make sure Jack learns that this was your will and your decision," Daruun answered Tralon before Tralon could even ask the question.

 Chapter 447 Witnessing Tralons Self-Sacrifice

    <h4>Chapter 447 Witnessing Tralon¡°s Self-Sacrifice</h4>


    Alleviated to hear that, Tralon smiled. "Thank you, Daruun. Without your guidance, I never would¡¯ve sen Jack again or would¡¯ve witnessed the magnificence of the city and guild that Jack had created. I was able to take part in that spectacr legacy, my proudest achievement."


    Daruun¡¯s apparition sighed. "Tralon... Don¡¯t worry about Jack. I¡¯ll make sure he knows everything regarding this decision, and I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll understand your intentions. Is there anything else you wanted to ask me?"


    "No... There¡¯s nothing else."


    "Then," Daruun added, "let me say this. Thank you, Tralon, for everything you¡¯ve done and for always taking the path that most would waver from ever epting."


    "Thank Jack, he¡¯s the one who taught me that," Tralon replied with a touching smile.


    With that over, Daruun faded away and the world around Tralon began to move again.


    Tralon wasted no time as copious amounts of raw spatial energy started to gather around his arms, startling the frightened guards on the city wall. While preparing the spell, Tralon sighed and contacted Jack for thest time.


    Personally witnessing the smile on Tralon¡¯s face and the tears in Tralon¡¯s eyes, Jack couldn¡¯t keep his own waterworks from taking ce. Jack had no doubt that Tralon died fulfilled and satisfied at that moment. The look on the aging mage¡¯s face in his final moments was proof of that.


    ¡¯Jack... Are you there?¡¯ Tralon asked.


    ¡¯Yeah, what--¡¯


    Tralon interrupted Jack, not wanting to waste his final moments as the army was about to reach the city walls, ¡¯Jack, let me thank you onest time.¡¯


    ¡¯Tralon, what--¡¯


    Mid conversation, Tralon teleported away into the center of the horde of enemies. He drew a lot of attention, but that didn¡¯t matter to Tralon as he focused on saying his final uttered sentence, ¡¯Thank you, Jack... for everything...¡¯


    With that final goodbye out of his mind, Tralon forcibly ripped the fabric of space around him, casting Rendering Space across the entire army.


    A torrent of spatial energy flooded the eastern field, nearly disintegrating everything and everyone that stood in its wake. The intimidating army of over ten thousand had been shredded into a paste in less than a second.


    All the guards rushing to the east gate were astounded, speechless at the sight of such a phenomenal spell. Had they not been there to witness that event, hardly anyone would¡¯ve believed it to have been possible, let alone that it happened moments before the city was breached. After a few moments to take in the newly updated situation, the guards began to shout and praise the powerful mage who saved them all, forgetting the weakening reputation of the former guild master.


    "So, do you have any questions for me?"


    Still watching the scene take ce, Jack¡¯s ethereal presence stood beside Daruun. "... No... There¡¯s nothing else to say..."


    "While I¡¯ve awakened your subconscious, you should check your achievement list. You¡¯ll be amazed at what Tralon and the others have helped you earn," Daruun added.


    Emotionlessly, Jack blinked and opened his menu. Then, he took his time to open the achievement list.


    "This... This is thanks to Tralon, isn¡¯t it?"


    "Well, having the dueling gods was a great part of it as well, but Tralon saving the city was by far the greatest contribution. How can an achievement be great if there¡¯s no left alive to admire it?"


    Jack kept his eyes locked on his newlypleted achievement, unable to say more.


    [Rise of the Leisure Guild:plete]


    [Sessfully eclipse and surpass the former, ancient reputation of the Leisure Guild. By demonstrating the guild¡¯s ability to repel all forces with minimal casualties, including gods and being outnumbered by the thousands, the reputation of the Leisure Guild has surpassed even the organizations that gods have supported for over five centuries. Legendary reward: 2000 skill points. Event reward: 5000 skill points.]


    For quite a while, Jack remained motionless and speechless while staring at the achievement. Daruun said nothing either. He patiently waited for the hero to eventually im the achievement and look back to him.


    "Are you wondering about the rest of the fight? Or would you like to hear about that from them first hand?" Daruun asked.


    "Go ahead and sum it all up."


    "Very well." Daruun exined, "Tralbok chased and killed Lorwynn after failing to kill you. While Lorwynn was rushed to the most powerful clerics the guild had on hand, Tralbok rushed Bowzer in an attempt to kill the fox. However, Kori, who had disguised himself as a new recruit of the guild to keep an eye on Bowzer, stepped in to save Bowzer and forced Tralbok to retreat.


    "With Kori handling Tralbok, Eedaj rushed to aid Rikko in crippling Pestro, which they did. They dragged him back as a husk of his former self, waiting for you to wake up and finally kill him."


    Amazed to hear that, Jack looked back to Daruun. "They crippled him to the point that I can kill him?"


    "Correct. That¡¯s what Eedaj had nned all along," continued Daruun. "Now, there was also something else taking ce elsewhere while this battle concluded. Sterfen made his move on the holy gods in Olympic Chateau, using your summoned Spectral Dragon as the perfect distraction to catch them off guard. With them unaware, Sterfen took both Naparn and Lyrun hostage in exchange for Kori¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s contracts."


    "That¡¯s--"


    "However," not letting Jack get too excited before he finished, Daruun interrupted Jack, "Halmut refused to hand the contracts over until after the battle, as he didn¡¯t want Sterfen returning to make the battle so one-sided. And after witnessing Kori¡¯s appearance and learning more about the deep-rooted hatred between Kori and Naparn, Halmut decided to activate Kori¡¯s contract before relinquishing it to Sterfen. In the end, Kori lost his godhood and dropped from lv. 95 to lv. 89 and Sterfen left Olympic Chateau with your mother¡¯s contract.


    "But, you¡¯ll be d to know that Kori will again be able to ascend using the same strategy as Hadurt and Lorwynn," Daruun added. "So, we¡¯ve received one new neutral god in Lunara and we¡¯ll soon receive three new neutral gods if handled correctly."


    "By handled correctly, what do you mean?" Jack asked.


    "I mean that they¡¯ll have to fully focus on leveling up. Thanks to the battle, Hadurt is now lv. 89 and Lorwynn is halfway through lv.88. So long as they go to the right ce and just focus on EXP gain, all three will manage to ascend in their week-long time frame," answered Daruun.


    "Would Earthen Keep work for them?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s where I¡¯d rmend. They¡¯ll be the perfect distraction for your sneaky entrance. Then, while they grind EXP on the first floors, you¡¯ll be crawling through all ny-nine floors to reach your tomb at the bottom."


    "And I¡¯ll be strong enough to face the boss myself?" questioned Jack.


    Daruun chuckled, "Not in the way you¡¯d expect... Also, you¡¯ll be ced eerily close to godhood after killing Pestro, but reach won¡¯t reach lv. 90 so easily. After finding your tomb is when you should worry about the grind to ascension. Trust me, you¡¯ll be d you went that route first instead of grinding with those three."


    "Hmm... so I¡¯ll be able to handle Crypt Lord Duorda alone, but not in the usual sense..." Jack scratched his head, trying to imagine what Daruun could be hinting at. "What, do I need to up my charisma and seduce him?"


    "Perhaps..." Daruunughed, intrigued by Jack¡¯s attempts to predict the strange exchange that Jack will experience at the end of Earthen Keep. "Don¡¯t worry so much about that. I know that you¡¯ll be fine in the end, so just focus on what¡¯s most important for now. Make more pacts with gods, make a public statement as the Leisure Guild for all the city and world to learn, and enter Earthen Keep confident that you¡¯ll eventually find your old in-game avatar."


    Jack sighed. "Fine... then I¡¯ll just wait and see since you¡¯re so confident about the final floor."


    Daruun smiled, d that Jack would focus on the task at hand and trust in his word.

 Chapter 448 Achievement System Based on God System??

    <h4>Chapter 448 Achievement System Based on God System??</h4>


    "... Aaaaahhh..."


    "Jack? Jack!"


    "Huh... Ohh!"


    Jack finally opened his eyes, finding the real world around him and not an illusory vision supplied by Daruun. But before he could speak or see everyone around him, Jack was bombarded by tender yet firm embraces from his wives.


    "Jack... Why do you have to scare us like that?" Eliza sighed, speaking softly into Jack¡¯s ear.


    "You always do this to us," added Maura. "But we¡¯re d you survived a god chasing after you."


    Daliea was the first to release Jack and give him some room, adding, "Only you could survive a god¡¯s wrath... I¡¯m proud of you."


    Taking all that into consideration, Jack struggled to sit up without any aching. "How long was I out this time?"


    "Six weeks," a familiar voice stated.


    "Mom... What are you doing here?"


    "Your father brought me here, free and clear of my contract," Lunara replied. "We¡¯ve been waiting for you to wake up. Now, the Leisure Guild can finally make a public statement about the battle."


    "Couldn¡¯t--"


    "It has to be you, Jack." Catching the hero off guard, Sterfen walked across the room to take his wife by the hand. "Who other than you can rile up a crowd? As the guild master, it¡¯s your duty to make such statements and allow the world to understand just how spectacr your guild is."


    "Well... that makes sense... Where¡¯s Lina?" Jack asked, noticing that only one family member was missing.


    "She¡¯s ying with her friend from Aazoon," answered Lunara. "Do you remember the little princess that Lina saved?"


    "You mean Princess Erina? Why is she here?"


    Sterfen raised his other hand. "That would be my fault. When I arrived in Aazoon and let Lunara destroy her contract, she made sure to inform King Wilheim. When he heard that, he begged me to take Prince Willim and Princess Erina with me to Trodar.


    "Apparently, with the association and the syndicate showing their true colors, many kingdoms were terrified by the true difference they had in power. Some alliances have formed recently and a few kingdoms have started to war overnd and power, seeking a means to grow stronger and attempt to rival the powerful association."


    "Will war break out in Aazoon?" Jack asked.


    "It¡¯s a likely possibility," Sterfen answered. "I guess King Wilheim was eager to see that his children were safe, and he insisted that Trodar was the best ce to be."


    "He¡¯s not wrong, but what does King Wilheim intend to do if war breaks out?"


    "I¡¯ve no clue." Sterfen shrugged. "He did ask to speak with you when you woke up. Just ask himter when you get a chance."


    Lunara pulled Sterfen to Jack¡¯s bed and sat beside Maura. "For now, I¡¯m just d that you¡¯re alright. But you can¡¯t keep doing this to yourself, Son. I don¡¯t want to see you die before you get your chance to ascend."


    "Don¡¯t worry, that will be happening sooner thanter," Jack chuckled. "Dad, where¡¯s Pestro being held?"


    Giving Jack a strange look, Sterfen replied, "He¡¯s in Eedaj¡¯s courtyard. How did you know--"


    "While I was out, I was lucky enough to speak with Daruun. He exined a few things to me... including what happened in the east field."


    "Oh... So you know about Tralon?"


    "Yeah... But I¡¯ll talk more about him when I give that speech you¡¯re so eager for me to present to the city," replied Jack. "For now, we need to discuss what¡¯s next."


    "We¡¯re way ahead of you," Lunara added with a smile. "After you kill Pestro, I¡¯ll choose Kori as a demigod, Rikko will choose Hadurt as a demigod, and Guuro will choose Lorwynn as a demigod, though it did take some convincing for Lorwynn. Then, we¡¯ll help them all level up at full speed."


    "Right," Jack agreed. "I¡¯ll rewrite the pacts so that they don¡¯t give me EXP and I¡¯ll make sure to have a pact with Kori that lets him keep all EXP from the get-go. That way, they¡¯ll be able to level up in Earthen Keep."


    "So you want to send them there after all?" asked Sterfen.


    Jack nodded. "But Kims and Kaldor won¡¯t join them just yet. Only after they ascend with those two join them. And while that¡¯s happening, I¡¯ll start my own mission."


    "And what¡¯s that?" Eliza asked. "Is that when you go away for a while?"


    "Yeah... I¡¯ll be busy sneaking through all ny-nine levels of Earthen Keep to im my own ancient tomb on the final floor," answered Jack, stunning everyone. "I¡¯ve done it before, so why not do it again?"


    "Jack... I¡¯m sure you have your reasons, but how will you--"


    "I¡¯ll make a pact with you too, Dad. Then, I¡¯ll have ess to even your personal skills. Wouldn¡¯t that make it possible?" Jack added.


    Both Lunara and Sterfen were taken aback. After a moment of thought, Sterfen blinked and asked, "Jack... You can learn personal skills and spells?"


    "It¡¯s not easy, but I can learn them thanks to my subss. Gramps made sure I¡¯ll have everything I need to seed," Jack stated proudly.


    "Someone who can learn other gods¡¯ skills... That¡¯s a terrifying ability, Jack..." Lunara added, struggling to believe that Jack had such capabilities. "Adding your passive skills to that... That could make you the most powerful god..."


    "That¡¯s probably what Daruun wanted," Sterfen stated. "I¡¯m guessing he learned from the god system he made."


    "What? What god system?" Jack asked.


    Sterfen exined, "Don¡¯t you wonder why lv. 89 is the cap? Well, your grandfather said it was because you can only reach the strength of lv. 90 and higher by absorbing true cosmic energy and not the energy filtered by the world.


    "There¡¯s still plenty of that raw cosmic energy on this world but mortals have no chance of sensing it. That¡¯s why a god needs to awaken thattent potential in a mortal in order for them to sense it and be what¡¯s considered a god on this world. The best means of leveling up as a god is to actually help demigods."


    Perplexed, Jack asked, "And why¡¯s that?"


    "Because every time a god helps a demigod ascend, that god will gain one level¡¯s worth of EXP at that demigod¡¯s ascension," Sterfen answered. "That¡¯s how Halmut and Skaryn rose to the top without trouble. Because part of their contracts is that no one under them can aid a demigod, only letting either of them gain that EXP. Yet they failed to reach surpass lv. 99 all the same."


    "Okay... but why would my abilities be an upgraded version of the god system?"


    "You share skills with your pact and your system right?" Sterfen answered with a question.


    "How did you know I have a system?"


    "Because Daruun has mentioned it a couple of times. Remember, we can ask him questions too," chuckled Sterfen. "The exchange that takes ce between a demigod and a god is simr to you and your pacts. We give our new child a portion of our abilities in exchange for receiving the residual EXP caused by your ascendance. Sound familiar now?"


    While Jack and his wives were processing that, Lunara added, "I can cast a couple of holy spells thanks to my contract with Halmut. Well, I had that ability until now. But Daruun promised long ago that he would formally ept me as his daughter, so that will change soon."


    "That¡¯s why I think Daruun learned from the god system he put in ce long ago to create your system," Sterfen rified.


    Still taken aback by the meaning of that statement, Jack mumbled, "My achievement system... is better than the god system?!"


    "Yes, I¡¯d say it¡¯s an improved model built to focus on growth through well-developed rtionships, like how Daruun had always wanted the gods to share a familial bond. Only, Skaryn and Halmut found a different way to manipte the god system."

 Chapter 449 Discussing the Guilds Next Steps

    <h4>Chapter 449 Discussing the Guild¡°s Next Steps</h4>


    "Now, that doesn¡¯t mean the god system is weak," Sterfen continued, "I just think your system is a one-off improvement and not a system created for a multitude of gods. It takes more effort than the god system, but it offers much more for yourself and those you¡¯ve created a pact with.


    "What I wonder most is what benefits your demigods will receive."


    Unable to answer that or conceive that with his current level, Jack was startled to imagine what his chosen demigods would receive. Considering that choosing a demigod would be more impactful than his normal pact, there was no telling what Jack¡¯s system would offer those demigods.


    A few knocks rapped on the door. Lunara smiled and shouted, "Hurry up! We can finally discuss everything!"


    Eedaj opened the door, leading Rikko, Kori, Bowzer, Hadurt, and Lorwynn. The rest of Jack¡¯s usual party entered next with the guild leaders. Then, to Jack¡¯s surprise, Dragas and Guuro were thest to enter before they closed the door and cast silence throughout the room.


    "Finally, you¡¯re awake!" Dragas rushed to the other side of Jack¡¯s bed, sitting beside Eliza.


    "And why were you so worried about me?" Jack chuckled.


    Dragas showed a pouty face. "How could my grandchild not have a father?! If you leave Eliza a widow, I¡¯ll kill you and turn your body into fertilizer."


    "Okay... I¡¯ll keep that in mind," Jack smiled nervously and looked to the others around the room. "Sorry to keep you all waiting so long."


    Lorwynn smiled warmly. "It was no--"


    "Yeah, why did you take so long?! All you had to do was wake up!" Hadurt shouted with a smile. "Do you realize how tempting it was to kill Pestro personally while you wereatose? Now¡¯s my chance to ascend, so why did you take so long?!"


    Laughing, Jack slowly lifted a hand up to calm Hadurt. "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve got a fun n for Pestro. But before that happens, I wanted to make sure that we¡¯re all on the same page for whates next. You guys already talked about who¡¯s making you three demigods?"


    Kori answered, "Lunara will choose me. I think Rikko is choosing Hadurt while Guuro is choosing Lorwynn. Then those two will get a boost to two of heir magic types."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll mention whates next." Jack continued, "After we kill Pestro and you three can reignite yourtent potential, you¡¯ll join me in Earthen Keep."


    "You¡¯reing too?" Hadurt asked, raising an eyebrow. "Does that mean--"


    "No, I won¡¯t be helping you clear the entire dungeon. But you are allowed to kill anything and everything you can. You can¡¯t miss this chance to be gods. We need all the support we can get and there¡¯s no telling when you¡¯ll get another chance," stated Jack. "I¡¯ll be going solo, sneaking through all ny-nine floors of the dungeon until I can reach the ancient tomb at the end."


    "Ohh... Who¡¯s tomb is that?"


    Jack looked to Hadurt and smiled wide. "Mine."


    "What?!" Hadurt shouted while everyone else out of the loop was stunned.


    "It¡¯s the tomb of my former body," Jack exined. "When I was chosen as Daruun¡¯s champion, I started back at lv. 1 because I received a new body with even more potential. Though that made things difficult in the beginning, now I can do way more than I ever could in myst life.


    "Also, I should find all of my old items in the tomb, including all of my old gear, equipment blueprints, EXP pots, and more," added Jack. "With that, we should be able to arm a small party to the teeth."


    "Perfect! Then we¡¯ll be able to make new gear and equipment on top of gaining some right off the bat," Lorwynn stated, seeing into Jack¡¯s intentions.


    "Yup, and given my system¡¯s abilities, I think I can cheat smithing and weapon crafting..."


    Most everyone turned to Jack with a strange look on their faces.


    Noticing their confusion, Jack exined, "With my new body came something called a system, which, ording to Sterfen, should be better than the god system. That¡¯s how I¡¯m able to ess the skills of everyone with a pact, even the personal skills and spells of gods. That should also help me instantly be a master cksmith to create my own weapons."


    "Ok... so that means you can learn skills faster than anyone else?" Hadurt asked, trying toprehend what Jack meant.


    "Sorta... That¡¯s a big part of it. But it also makes all of you stronger, as you all know," answered Jack. "But there¡¯s one thing you need to remember. While I¡¯m making this long dungeon run, I can¡¯t leave until I reach the ny-ninth floor. If I leave halfway, then I¡¯ll half to start back at the beginning and waste even more time that will be needed elsewhere."


    "That¡¯s fine," stated Eedaj. "Considering what just happened, we know that the chaotic gods won¡¯t be making a direct move anytime soon. We¡¯ve practically eliminated their entire syndicate and they¡¯re down to their remaining gods. And Moranti weakened their numbers already, so the chaotic gods will be acting carefully and thoughtfully.


    "And the holy gods?" Jack asked.


    Kori answered, "I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll need to worry about them either. They just lost two gods and now we¡¯ve holed up numerous gods here in Gilga. Until Halmutes up with some countermeasure for the increase of neutral gods, he won¡¯t be stepping out against us, not in godlybat at least."


    "Then now should be the best time for me to disappear for a while. All the more reason why I need to hurry and clear Earthen Keep," concluded Jack.


    "And what should we do?" Rydel asked. "Is there anything we can do to level up while you¡¯re gone, Jack?"


    Jack scratched his head. "Hmm... You¡¯re all around the mid-forties so we would need a suitable dungeon... Hadurt, do you know any dungeons that could work? With the syndicate on the ropes, I imagine that we could find an empty dungeon for them right?"


    "Or..." Sterfen cut back into the conversation, "What if they joined some of the uing wars?"


    "Why¡¯s that?" asked Jack.


    "Well, after half of the Trodan Council was proven to be syndicate members, that left the Leisure Guild with the majority of the remaining seats. Also, the people of Gilga are almost too grateful to the Leisure Guild, wanting it to resume control over Trodar like things were originally after Trodar was formed," exined Sterfen. "Because of that, it means the Leisure Guild will now be the driving force to reunite Trodar¡¯s lost territories and could ally with other nations."


    "Oh... So you want them to fight in the war with Prachten, Iscantor, and Limneer?" reasoned Jack.


    "No, just the fight with Limneer," Vixus responded. "Prachten and Iscantor have both asked the Leisure Guild to host a war conference. They¡¯ve already asked us if there was a way to end things peacefully or create an alliance."


    "Really?" Caught off guard, Jack scratched his head again. "And since Limneer hasn¡¯t, I assume you¡¯re suspecting they¡¯ll be the only ones to fight it?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s what we¡¯re suspecting," stated Vixus. "How would you like to handle it, Jack?"


    Taking a moment to think carefully, Jack nodded and stated, "How about this... We¡¯ll have each of them rejoin Trodar officially, but they¡¯ll be territories under the Trodan g? Then, they¡¯ll each elect their own representatives to run the territories under Trodan rule. Does that sound fair to you?"


    Vixus smiled, along with the others, replying, "That sounds very generous considering our overwhelming strength."


    "And with the other nations about to war, I¡¯m sure at least Prachten and Iscantor will be d to have the Leisure Guild for protection," added Eedaj. "As new nations, they¡¯ll be the first target fornd-hungry kingdoms."

 Chapter 450 Expansion of Trodar??

    <h4>Chapter 450 Expansion of Trodar??</h4>


    "And since you¡¯ll be leaving for some time, Jack, let me warn you of what should be happening very shortly," Eedaj added, getting a nod from the other gods and the former god. "History is known to repeat itself, so I can only assume that the amount of kingdoms across the continent will dwindle while you¡¯re gone.


    Jack and the others paid close attention as Eedaj exined, "I think all gods present would agree with my theory. Once war breaks out somewhere in the continent, it will spread like wildfire. By the time you return from the dungeon, I¡¯m certain that you¡¯ll findrger, more powerful empires where numerous kingdoms once stood."


    "And that¡¯s what King Wilheim was afraid of?" Jack asked, ncing at Sterfen.


    Nodding, Sterfen added, "I agree with Eedaj. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll see empires rise, but I think the other gods won¡¯t remain hiding for long. I think they¡¯lle back and start to rebuild their followers now that gods have been reintroduced to the world. That¡¯s one major reason why Halmut won¡¯t attack us yet. He¡¯d rather do it after having overwhelming numbers to thoroughly squash us out."


    "What do you think about Aazoon? Do you think they¡¯ll hold out?"


    Lunara answered, "There¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ll remain as an empire in the end, but once gods get involved that could change... Aazoon had always been my domain, and, without me present, I¡¯m not sure what will happen there."


    "Hmm... Would you want to go back there?" Jack asked.


    Surprising Jack, Lunara shook her head. "I¡¯d rather be with my family."


    "Personally, I like the idea of helping other nations but I don¡¯t like the idea of spreading our forces too thin..." Jack added. "If it¡¯s just territory wars, I¡¯m perfectly fine with that. But I¡¯m not sure how I feel about spreading out the gods that we have. Do you think that¡¯s a safe bet?"


    All the gods looked to each other, trying toe up with an answer. It was Rikko that answered, "Why no bring nation here?"


    Unsure of how to respond, Jack and the others looked to Rikko with intrigue and doubt.


    "Uncle Rikko," Jack asked, "do you understand what that would imply? How would we make room for other nations? Maybe we could save some major cities but we can¡¯t fit that many people inside Trodar."


    "Then make Trodar big!" Rikko shouted inughter. "If Trodar big, Trodar fit more people. Goblinse too! They live in west forests soon."


    "That¡¯s great, but..."


    "Rikko wants to expand Trodar¡¯s borders," Kori rified, getting a wink from Rikko as the Goblin God itched his nose.


    "Oh... That¡¯s... That¡¯s not entirely impossible..." Jack started to entertain such a n. "Is that what you meant, Dad?"


    Nodding, Sterfen replied with a smile. "That¡¯s exactly what I meant. You¡¯ve already got one powerful ally in Aazoon, and given King Wilheim¡¯s aptitude, I¡¯m sure he¡¯d be humble enough to relocate. As for Reinolt..."


    "I forgot about Reinolt, to be honest..." Jack chuckled.


    Daliea spoke up, "We already know the small goblin nation will join us. As for Kiong Leodoro, I¡¯m not so sure."


    "I think I¡¯m more interested in the powers within Reinolt, like Tridon. Or even a couple of noble families in Zuran, perhaps..."


    "Jack, the war between Zuran and Reinolt has been picking up more than ever recently," Rydel chimed in. "Since you mentioned him, you might like to know that Tridon has been a huge asset to controlling the war. With the Beast Manor added to Reinolt¡¯s military strength, Reinolt grew far stronger, even after removing Zariff and Arnole from the equation. Tridon¡¯s over lv. 40,st time we talked."


    "Really? That¡¯s great news!" Jack smiled. "Then we¡¯ll have to keep an eye on him and Reinolt. He may be low-leveled, but his experience with beasts should rival Vixus. And with everything inside the storehouse, imagine if we could recruit the Beast Manor and upgrade it with our own strength?"


    "That¡¯s great but ya think he¡¯d do that? With the war going on, taking him away would mean Reinolt would get overrun," added Maynard.


    "Well, once gods get involved, what will happen then?" Jack asked, stumping the samurai. "If they need help in their war effort, I don¡¯t mind you all going to help and gain EXP. But I refuse to let you all sacrifice your lives for Reinolt. Is that clear?"


    Rydal and Maynard nodded while Trax just stood in the corner, unfamiliar with Reinolt but eager to gain EXP with his new training buddies.


    "How will we transport everyone? I¡¯m sure King Wilheim would like to know," Lunara asked.


    "That... I¡¯m not so sure anymore," replied Jack. "I never learned Tralon¡¯s legendary spells so--"


    "Didn¡¯t you summon a Spectral Dragon?" Eedaj interrupted Jack with a question. "Wouldn¡¯t his strength be plenty for such travel?"


    "I have no clue," Jack answered. "Where is he by the way?"


    "He should be staying with Dragov. The two of them seem to get along quite well, which makes sense."


    Curious, Jack asked, "Why would that make sense?"


    Eedaj answered, "Because both of their species are prehistoric. The only difference is that the Spectral Dragons were wiped out long ago and the few that existed in Ancient Kartonia were killed by the ancient heroes under Halmut¡¯s orders."


    Following that train of thought, Jack asked, "Does that mean Halmut was the one who killed the Spectral Dragons?"


    "In essence, yes. Halmut ordered his own kind, the Sun Dragons, to ughter the Spectral Dragons after Moranti chose to side with Halmut. Then... Halmut had his own kind ughtered," Eedaj added, startling those present that weren¡¯t gods. "He didn¡¯t like the thought of someone of such a threatening bloodline rising topete with him, so much so that he had the Spectral Dragons eliminated and had his own kind killed."


    "Is his bloodline that much stronger?" Jack asked, still startled.


    "Remember how Bowzer and Phoro began their evolution after reaching lv. 60 on the battlefield? Do you remember how that dragon, Karronteel also passed lv. 60 but didn¡¯t evolve?" Eedaj¡¯s questions left Jack speechless before Eedaj answered himself, "That¡¯s because Spectral Dragons, like Sun Dragons, evolve four times and not three."


    "Huh..." Baffled, Jack didn¡¯t know what to say.


    Eedaj continued, "Spectral Dragons will evolve at lv. 30, lv. 50, lv. 70, and lv. 90. If Bowzer¡¯s and Kori¡¯s bloodline is equivalent to what you would call a level eight bloodline, then Halmut¡¯s, Moranti¡¯s, and Karronteel¡¯s bloodline would be level nine. It used to be said that a Spectral Dragon or Sun Dragon at lv. 80 could contend with a lv. 90 god, so said the rumor that I never saw tested."


    "... And Halmut didn¡¯t want them aspetition..." reasoned Jack, catching on. "And that¡¯s why he¡¯s hesitant to face Moranti, who¡¯s weaker by level but whose bloodline strength is simr..."


    "That¡¯s exactly why." Eedaj nodded and smiled. "And since you¡¯ve managed to find one, that means we need to help him grow stronger."


    "I have a proposition," Sterfen spoke up, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. "After this batch of demigods, I think all others chosen to be demigods should go through Jack."


    "But--"


    Continuing, Sterfen interrupted Jack, "I honestly believe the demigods chosen under Jack will prove to be more powerful than any we¡¯ve seen before. Also, that will help Jack level up to rival Halmut quicker. Are there any objections?"


    "Come on--"


    All the gods rose their hands, as well as the current demigods and those who would eventually be demigods. With everyone giving their approval, Jack kept quiet and epted his fate.


    One voice spoke up before Jack could verbally acknowledge everyone¡¯s decision. "Do you really think that, Sterfen?"


    Turning to face Hadurt with a smile, Sterfen nodded. "If I wasn¡¯t already a god, I would rather wait till Jack could choose me than to ascend sooner by another god¡¯s hand."


    "Really..." Taking the seriousness in Sterfen¡¯s eyes into ount, Hadurt sighed. "Then... I think I¡¯d rather wait."

 Chapter 451 Jack Forming a Godly Faction?!?

    <h4>Chapter 451 Jack Forming a Godly Faction?!?</h4>


    "Then... I think I¡¯d rather wait."


    Hearing Hadurt¡¯s statement, Lorwynn was floored. He had finally agreed to have someone other than Lyrun to help him ascend, yet Hadurt had decided against it all of a sudden and forcibly changed Lorwynn¡¯s perspective.


    "Are you sure about that?" Lorwynn asked, looking Hadurt in the eyes.


    The former holy champion nodded and looked at Jack. "How long will it take for you to ascend?"


    "As soon as I¡¯m done clearing Earthen Keep, my only goal will be to ascend," stated Jack.


    "Then, do you mind if I wait?" Hadurt asked with a friendly smile. "I want to be the first demigod you choose and the first god to ascend. That¡¯s what I originally promised Daruun when I joined, so why not wait a bit longer for a chance of being even stronger?"


    "Hadurt, why--"


    "Lorwynn, stay out of this." Hadurt walked up to Jack, ignoring Lorwynn¡¯s stare and the surprised looks of everyone else. "If you can raise the strongest faction of gods, then I want to be the first of the strongest!"


    "The first of a new generation..." Sterfen mumbled to himself, excited to see this taking ce. "I think it¡¯s a great idea! It will also help prove just how strong Jack¡¯s demigods are, let alone how strong they¡¯ll be after their ascension."


    "But I don¡¯t want to form a faction!" Jack shouted, not liking where this conversation was heading.


    Lunara giggled, "Jack, you¡¯ll end up creating a faction whether you like it or not, at least from the perspectives of the other gods. If anything, you¡¯d be the true leader of the neutral gods since Daruun doesn¡¯t do anything besides speak with us. Wouldn¡¯t that be best for all of us?"


    "That... Maybe..."


    "Then it¡¯s settled! Hadurt will be the first to join the Legendary Faction!" Sterfen shouted, getting the other gods to all smile.


    "Legendary Faction?! What is that supposed to mean?!" Jackined.


    Eedaj chuckled, "It makes sense, Jack. When a demigod ascends, their title has something to do with what they¡¯ve achieved. Well, in terms of achievement, even gods struggle topare to you, Jack. You have so many achievements that the only way to epass them all was to give you the title of "Legend", something no other hero has been given by necessity. And since you would be a god capable of wielding the abilities of other gods, wouldn¡¯t calling you the God of Legend be the only fitting title?"


    Jack whimpered and chuckled at the same time. "But that¡¯s so pretentious..."


    "All the more reason it¡¯s a fitting name," added Eedaj, causing everyone to burst intoughter.


    "I like it!" Hadurt pumped both fists into the air. "I¡¯ll be the first legendary god!"


    "Can¡¯t we call it something else?" Jack asked onest time.


    Sterfen shrugged. "Can you think of something better? Feel free to let us know."


    Left at a dead end, Jack¡¯s train of thought started to run moreps through his mind but failed to think of anything on the spot.


    "Either way, Hadurt will be the first demigod to Jack. That means he¡¯ll wait here in Gilga while Lorwynn and Kori grind in Earthen Keep till their ascension," Eedaj concluded.


    "Then... let¡¯s get this over with..." Jack sighed, unable to change everyone¡¯s minds. "Let¡¯s start with the pacts. Kori, Dad, step up."


    "Jack..." Kaldor also stepped forward, asking, "Can I also make a pact? If it¡¯s so great a thing, then please allow me to offer you my skills as well."


    Not against the idea, Jack nodded. He then performed three new pacts, increasing his list of avable skills greatly. It was getting much harder to navigate so Jack decided to take a moment and reorganize it a little.


    Jack kept the option of searching for skills based on which inheritor they came from, But Jack also added a new filter. Now, he could look at all avable skills at once. Spells and skills could be separated or joined on a single list, depending on what Jack wanted. Also, he separated everything by level. All spells were separated by tier and all skills did the same, being either low, mid, high, or personal.


    While Jack reorganized his skill list, Lorwynn and Kori were officially chosen as demigods. However, there was a change. Kori was still selected by Lunara, but Lorwynn was chosen by Rikko as Lorwynn wanted to increase his abilities in battle. Also, Rikko¡¯s lightning paired well with Lorwynn, and now Lorwynn would be able to use select wind spells to get even faster.


    Things were decided and everyone was informed that Jack¡¯s speech would take ce the following morning.


    It was already noon, given that Jack woke up midday, and Jack paced himself as he got up and petted Bowzer. "How are you feeling?"


    "I¡¯m great!" Bowzer licked Jack¡¯s face, toppling the hero to the ground with his increased size that matched a fully-grown, mutated grizzly. "With my father joining us, nothing could be better!"


    "I¡¯m d..." Jack sighed, waiting for Bowzer to let him back up. "Are you still a demigod?"


    "No..." Bowzer admitted with a frown.


    Jack nodded and petted Bowzer again. "Probably because your dad isn¡¯t a god anymore... Do you want him to choose you again? Since we¡¯re at the same level, we¡¯ll be gods at the same time if he chooses you again. And that¡¯ll make him stronger, something we could use."


    "Yeah! I like that!" Bowzer licked Jack again, unable to contain his happiness.


    "Then tell your dad when he gets back from Earthen Keep. Sadly, you won¡¯t being with me so you¡¯ll wait here," added Jack. "But you¡¯re more than wee to join any of the war efforts alongside the others! I¡¯m sure they¡¯d like to have a lv. 70 join the party for protection."


    "But we¡¯ll be stronger than that! You¡¯ll kill Pestro, remember?!"


    "Right... That should give us a nice boost!"ughed Jack, happy to remember that. "Well, I¡¯m going to visit Karronteel and Dragov. Want to join me?"


    "Nah..." The fox shook his head. "I¡¯ll spend some time with my father before you all leave tomorrow."


    Jack petted Bowzer one more time before Bowzer ran off to catch up with Kori and the other gods.


    Looking back, a thought came to Jack¡¯s mind. "Eliza... How are you feeling?"


    Nervously, Eliza chuckled and blushed. "Well... I can confidently say that you¡¯ll be a father soon."


    Not saying anything, Jack walked up to Eliza and embraced her tightly. "You don¡¯t have to go and fight if you don¡¯t want to... I¡¯m sure we can find more time for that after the baby..."


    "Thanks, Jack..." Eliza pecked her husband on the cheek and nuzzled her head into Jack¡¯s neck. "I¡¯ll keep that in mind."


    Jack finally let go but he retrieved a scroll and ced it in Eliza¡¯s hand. Then, Jack retrieved two more, handing one each to Maura and Daliea. "Please use these if there¡¯s any chance you¡¯ll be hurt. They¡¯ll safely bring you back to my office."


    "But... you don¡¯t have many of these, do you?" asked Daliea. "I¡¯ll be fine without--"


    "I insist!" Jack stated. "If you care about me, then ept them and promise that you¡¯ll use them to escape any danger thates after you while you¡¯re away. I refuse to lose any of you, even if that means a nation falls without your help."


    "Jack..." Maura¡¯s eyes were watering, just like the others. "Okay... I promise."


    "I also promise!" Eliza nodded and smiled as a tear of joy streaked down her cheek.


    Daliea sighed and nodded. "I too will promise... Thank you, Jack."


    "For my wives, this is the least that I¡¯ll do." Jack pulled all three into a hug, not letting them see his own eyes start to water. "I¡¯ll be gone, so I want to make sure you¡¯ll be safe while I¡¯m away. But you can still call me if somethinges up or you need my opinion on a situation, okay?"


    None of the women replied verbally, but they all nodded while holding tight to their husband.

 Chapter 452 Convincing Karronteel

    <h4>Chapter 452 Convincing Karronteel</h4>


    Arge courtyard door opened. Jack carefully closed the door behind him, still feeling some aches throughout his body.


    "Jack..." Dragov called out happily.


    Smiling, Jack descended the steps and replied, "Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯m fine, just a little sore."


    Beside Dragov were two more beasts, a wyrm and a dragon. Dradich bowed his head to Jack while Karronteel casually turned around as Jack reached the final steps. The dragon spoke, "Have youe for me?"


    "I came to talk with you. You still want to hear about what happened since your sealing, right?" Jack asked.


    When Karronteel nodded, Jack added, "To help me exin some things, I had to go get someone..."


    At the same time, the courtyard door reopened as a grey-skinned elf stepped in and flew down the steps in record time. Landing, Eedaj smiled and bowed his head to therge fifteen-meter tall dragon. "I¡¯m Eedaj, also known as the Mind God. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet such a prestigious beast like yourself. You¡¯re Karronteel, correct?"


    The dragon nodded, taken aback by Eedaj¡¯s self-introduction. "You... are a god?"


    "There are many gods these days, for more than there were during the era of your people," replied Eedaj.


    "Then tell me... How much time has passed since Halmut and Skaryn ascended? And what happened to my people?"


    "I¡¯ll answer every question I can." Eedaj waved his hand to retrieve two chairs and a giant cushion. "Please, have a seat. It¡¯ll be easier for us to speak this way."


    Karronteel nodded as he and Jack took sat down, allowing Eedaj to start exining, "As for the exact amount of years since their ascendance, I¡¯m not sure. My brother and I were the fourth and fifth gods to ascend and it¡¯s been over five thousand years since then. Now, before I exin a bit more, I must ask you this: Who is Moranti to you?"


    "Moranti?!" A smile spread across the dragon¡¯s face, sensing that a piece of his old home was still around. "Is Moranti still living? Please tell me that Moranti is alive. There¡¯s no way anyone could¡¯ve defeated him!"


    "Calm down..." Eedaj paused, giving the dragon a moment to breathe and regather himself. "I know that Moranti is still living, but I¡¯m not sure what his current conditions are."


    Catchin on slightly, Jack asked the dragon, "Does that mean you know Moranti too?"


    "Of course! As our champion, it would be a disservice to doubt his strength!" shouted Karronteel, still showing some of his emotions.


    "Moranti is a Spectral Dragon..." Shaking his head, Jack sighed. "That gives me all the more reason to save him next!"


    "Save him?! What¡¯s happened to him?!"


    Both Eedaj and Karronteel stared at Jack as the hero stated, "Daruun told me--"


    "Daruun?!?! You know Daruun, Jack?!" Karronteel interrupted them again, acting all the more surprised.


    "Karronteel... What is Daruun to you?" Jack questioned.


    "He is the almighty one that aided Halmut and Skaryn in their ascendance. Though we knew little of him, we recognize him as a being above deities."


    "That¡¯s shockingly true," Jack replied. "Anyway, I¡¯m a hero that Daruun chose to represent him in this world. For that reason, I¡¯ve been named as Daruun¡¯s champion while I gather and lead the neutral gods against the other godly factions."


    "Godly factions?"


    "Long story short, Halmut and Skaryn eventually became enemies and formed their own godly factions. They helped others ascend, much like Daruun had helped them. Only, they forced every deity they helped into a strict contract, unlike Daruun. Eedaj is one of the neutral gods, the gods that received Daruun¡¯s help to ascend without contracts or binding seals," Jack exined.


    "Then... Why must you war with the others?" asked Karronteel.


    "We¡¯re only fighting them because they started this," answered Jack. "What will soon take ce is the second godly war. The first only took ce between Halmut and Skaryn, as well as their factions and all of their mortal followers. That nearly ended the world but never truly ended. We¡¯re trying to stop this before they end up destroying the world again."


    "I see. So, as Daruun¡¯s champion, does that mean you¡¯ll be a god?"


    "Yes. Very soon, many others, including myself, will ascend to godhood. That¡¯s the reason I wanted to talk with you, Karronteel," stated Jack. "I wanted to ask if you would be willing to join me for that. As equals, of course."


    "That means I¡¯ll also be a god in time... But if we must face the other gods, then would we also be facing Moranti? I refuse to--"


    "Moranti is actually under a lot of stress right now. He was captured and contained by his fellow chaotic gods after Moranti revolted and killed two of them," answered Jack. "Lucky for him, Skaryn is still sealed and is unable to activate Moranti¡¯s contract, let alone learn about Moranti¡¯s rebellion."


    "Then--"


    "Like I said earlier, I n to free Moranti and help him break his contract," Jack continued. "So, knowing that we¡¯ll soon free Moranti and that you¡¯ll join me in ascending, would you like to travel with me?"


    "So long as we¡¯re true equals, then I¡¯ll consider it. But you¡¯re still too weak, in my opinion," added Karronteel.


    Jackughed, "Maybe when I summoned you, but I¡¯m stronger than you are now. If you want to test that, then be my guest."


    Staring cautiously at Jack, Karronteel didn¡¯t agree immediately. The dragon then asked, "Show me your level, then. If you¡¯re at least stronger than me by a single level, I¡¯ll agree to your request."


    With a sigh, Jack removed his cloak and momentarily deactivated his innate ability to block prying eyes. "Read ¡¯em and weep!"


    Karronteel didn¡¯t understand what Jack had said, but the dragon was astounded to see that Jack was over ten levels stronger. "Lv. 72?! But how could that be possible when you were so weak before?!"


    "As Daruun¡¯s champion, I¡¯ve created many ways to gain EXP that you might call peculiar... But it allows me to take full advantage of moments like that battle to farm EXP better than anyone else!"


    "Farm EXP? What¡¯s the meaning of that phrase?" asked the dragon.


    "It means that I can gather EXP in many different ways so that way I level up much quicker," Jack answered. "Once we form a mutual seal and bepanions officially, we¡¯ll be linked mentally and through EXP. That way, you¡¯ll level up just as fast as I do while I get stronger by having ess to your bloodline?"


    "What do you intend to do with my bloodline?!" Karronteel suddenly shouted. "I¡¯ll have you know that--"


    "Chill!"


    While Jack shouted, he activated his bloodline skill but kept it controlled to not stress his fatigued body. The hero only altered his left arm, which wasn¡¯t as sore as the right, allowing it to be a singr w to replicate Dragov¡¯s ws.


    "See?" Showing off his transformed arm, Jack continued, "I can only do this because Dragov is one of my beastpanions. When I form a mutual seal with a beast, I can recreate their bloodline strength. It was something that Daruun gave me a while back."


    "Oh... So that magic is from Daruun..." Shifting from suspicion to shock, Karronteel took in the sight of Jack¡¯s unique skill. "Daruun must truly be a being that stands over gods, as I¡¯ve never seen or heard of such magic."


    "Everything I have now is in part thanks to him," added Jack. "So, does that mean you¡¯re willing?"


    "Yes, I¡¯ll remain true to my statement. As you are now much stronger than me, I¡¯ll join you as apanion on equal footing," stated Karronteel. "However, know that even with you¡¯re higher level, you aren¡¯t strong enough to kill me. Should you ever--"


    "I¡¯m d we can be friends!" Jack shouted, not letting Karronteel finish his threat.


    The two then performed the mutual seal, officially making Karronteel Jack¡¯s fourth and final beastpanion.

 Chapter 453 Jacks Speech at the Statue

    <h4>Chapter 453 Jack¡°s Speech at the Statue</h4>


    After the sun hid for the night and the moon crossed the sky, all was peaceful in Gilga. However, not all was calm.


    Given six weeks, the stories of the Leisure Guild¡¯s monumental victory had the chance to scatter across the continent. And with the threat of the syndicate still fresh in the public¡¯s mind, Gilga was instantlybeled as the new safest city in all Kartonia. A flood of immigrants flowed into Trodar with all hopes of feeling safe yet again.


    The wars between Trodar and it¡¯s former territories was halted as they were too busy trafficking the wave of immigrants. Also, the citizens of those three nations were now wanting to seek peace with Trodar or even reunion with their former nation.


    Prachten and Iscantor weren¡¯t against the thought of reuniting, but the nobles running Limneer were more against the thought than ever. After their dramatic defeat and getting caught acting contrary to the war pact, those nobles knew that Trodar wouldn¡¯t be lenient with them. They understood that Trodar might likely wipe those nobles out.


    To counter such thoughts, they had started to spread false rumors all sorts, failing to sway many of its citizens from fleeing to Trodar. Morals were no longer an issue, so long as the nobles could retain their lives and power.


    With crowded streets well into the night, Gilga was peaceful yet extremely busy.


    When the sun began to climb the following morning, the filled streets began to part and make a path. Most didn¡¯t understand what was happening until they spotted a small parade of people, beasts, and arge cage.


    Recognizing the simple insignia on the gs that were sported, everyone did their best to clear a path for the heroes of Gilga, the same heroes that had attracted those immigrants in the first ce.


    At the front of the line, Jack walked with his three wives. Bowzer and Kori walked behind them in their fox forms, startling all of the new arrivals to Gilga.


    The parade moved south of the guild¡¯s main entrance. It took much longer due to the size of the crowd, but they eventually stopped after reaching Jack¡¯s statue in the southern regions of the city.


    More and more people hurried there, mixing into the already-packed streets.No one wanted to miss whatever announcement the Leisure Guild had nned. Most of the current citizens hoped to hear that the guild would formally ept the responsibility of running and directly protecting them, no longer remaining a third-party that could choose to act only if it wished. Hoping for such a statement, the streets filled while Jack retrieved a raised podium from his storage and waited for the crowd to reach its limit.


    When there was hardly enough room to raise one¡¯s arms within the crowd, Jack held up his arms and drew everyone¡¯s attention. "People of Gilga! People of Trodar! Finally, we, the Leisure Guild, will be making a statement about the recent battle against the Chaos Syndicate!"


    All went deathly silent. None dared interrupt or mishear Jack at that moment.


    The hero continued, "There are some things that need to be rified. First and foremost, I want to make one thing very clear... I was not the one who saved you!"


    Jack¡¯s voice echoed over the streets and the heads of the crowd. They didn¡¯t know how to react to that statement.


    "The one who saved you is far braver than I! For years he traveled alongside me and then he took on the responsibility of caring for the Leisure Guild and Trodar after I left you long ago," Jack exined. "The man who saved you was Tralon Dyrshire!"


    "Those who were present in Gilga that night remember a vibrant sh of purple light overtaking the eastern field. That was one of the greatest spells ever cast. That was Tralon¡¯s dying spell!" Jack shouted. "Tralon understood that there were two options. Either the syndicate¡¯s army would raze the city and the Leisure Guild would be forced to sacrifice the city to win the battle..."


    Pausing, Jack let his words marinate in the crowds¡¯ minds for a second. "Or... Tralon could sacrifice his own life without any hope of resurrection in exchange for the lives of the city! Being who he was, Tralon found himself unable to witness the deaths of you all... He found it repulsive to imagine the destruction of the city he helped construct from the ground up... That marvelous man, Tralon Dyrshire, is your savior... not me."


    While the Crowd joined Jack in a moment of silence, Jack gathered purple energy around his hand.


    To the shock of the crowd and those from the Leisure Guild, Jack turned and sliced his hand through the air time and time again. A thin wave of sharp spatial energy left Jack¡¯s hand each time, aiming directly for the giant statue. Cleanly cutting through, those Spatial shes destroyed the statue and reduced it to rubble.


    Looking back to the crowd with some water in his eyes, Jack continued, "As I am was not your hero, I don¡¯t deserve such praise! I¡¯m still living and will prove my worth in the near future but Tralon proved to be a better man already. It¡¯s only fair that his statue should stand there for us to admire and remember for the eternities. None should forget his sacrifice!"


    The crowd roared! Caught up in the moment, everyone¡¯s perspective of Jack changed at that moment, as well as their perspective of Tralon.


    Most everyone believed that Tralon was an aging war veteran on hisst legs with nothing much to add to the city, besides his former reputation. But now... It hurt just to realize how wrong they were. With Tralon standing up to save the entire city at the cost of his life, amidst a battle that involved gods, it proved just how influential the aging mage could be.


    As for everyone¡¯s opinions on Jack, they were both humanized and idealized. With Jack being the former Legend of Trodar, the person that all kids grew up hearing stories about, he instantly became the idol of the city.


    Seeing Jack step down from the spotlight in order to give Tralon the honor the fallen mage deserved was shocking. It was selfless, not something expected from the selfish ancient hero. And adding the genuine emotion on Jack¡¯s face was what cemented the citizens¡¯ new view of Jack. Not as the ancient hero but as the hero of this generation. Not as a former legend but as the current representative of the gods. Not as a selfish idol but as a caring human.


    "Never forget his sacrifice!" Jack shouted again. "Tralon was the shining example of what we wish to aplish, so I¡¯ll never forget him. And to honor his wish to protect this country, I tell you all now that the Leisure Guild will resume control over the Trodan Council to guarantee your safety."


    Cheers filled the entire city. Such a guarantee was equivalent to life and death for the citizens and especially eye-catching for those new immigrants.


    Continuing, Jack added, "Also, know that we¡¯ll be increasing the size of the city walls! We want to make sure that all are wee withing Trodar and especially Gilga. With that, we¡¯ll also be introducing more gods into our ranks. Allow me to introduce them."


    One-by-one all the gods stepped forward. Kori didn¡¯t at first but Rikko nudged him forward until it was toote.


    "We have Rikko, the Goblin God of Trickery and a master tactician!"


    Doing a backflip and dancing in ce, Rikko showed off for the crowd and reveled in the excitement.


    "Next is Kori, the Hell-me Fox God who defended the west gate to the point of sacrificing his godhood. But rest assured, he¡¯ll ascend yet again along with others," Jack added. The crowd was amazed but Jack continued down the line while the other gods simply waved. "There¡¯s Lunara, the Water Goddess, the Nine-headed cial Hydra, and the wife of Sterfen, God of Secrecy, formerly known as the Assassin God. Also, make note that they¡¯re both my parents, of which I¡¯m very proud.


    "There¡¯s also Dragas, the Goddess of Seduction, one of the most beautiful women to ever live. You¡¯ve already seen Eedaj, the Mind God, but Guuro, the God of Greed, otherwise known as the God of Bussiness has also joined us in Gilga," added Jack. "They¡¯re all--"


    "Don¡¯t forget me!"

 Chapter 454 Pestros Public Execution

    <h4>Chapter 454 Pestro¡°s Public Execution</h4>


    "Don¡¯t forget me!"


    Jack, the gods, and the crowd were all astounded to hear that billowing shout. It came from the distant rooftops further south.


    "Hurry up, or we¡¯ll move on anyway!" Sterfen shouted with a chuckle.


    "Just wait a moment! Practice some patience why don¡¯t you!"


    "Sure,ing from the guy who wasted almost two months searching for his rival only to fail in the end," Sterfen teased. "All you had to do was wait before Jack could take you to him!"


    The crowd was stunned to see two deities bantering so casually. It was too far outside of their expectations.


    As the new arrival dashed to find his ce in line, Jack continued, "Finally, there¡¯s Jin, the God of Discipline, the rival of the well-known Sword God."


    That statement shook the hearts of the crowd.


    From Jin¡¯s attire, he was clearly a samurai so it made sense for a samurai god to rival the Sword God. But imagining that there was suddenly a figure that could match Tyre¡¯s supremacy with a sword was difficult to take in so quickly.


    Not minding how startled the crowd was, Jack went on, "With everyone here, the Leisure Guild¡¯s goal is evident, but I¡¯ll be honest with you all. If you think that battle was the worst you¡¯d ever seen, then allow me to remind you of the bloodshed your families faced no more than five centuries ago during the Godly War. The recent battle with the syndicate is only the beginning, hence why the Leisure Guild has summoned all of these deities to Trodar, as a means to defend against the next Godly War that is toe!"


    Terror and fear racked on the souls of everyone listening. But before they fell into despair, They heard Jack continue.


    "However, unlike before, I and these deities stand between Trodar and the rest of the world. Should anyone, god or man, dare invade on ournd and our ideals, then we¡¯lly waste to them and their forces! So long as the Leisure Guild stands, so will Trodar."


    Rising up from the pits of despair, the crowd¡¯s fervor reached an all-time high as they cried and shouted for the Leisure Guild.


    "As proof of my words, we¡¯ll now kill one of the gods who dared to trample over Trodar!"


    All went quiet as therge cage was carried over toward the tform. Then, Jin stepped up and lifted it off the wagon and onto the pavilion, center stage.


    Inside the cage was a hulking man with some cuts and dried blood all over his body. His height was equal to two normal people, as was his width. The most defining features, though, were the boils all over the man¡¯s face and his pig-like snout, making his appearance naturally repulsing. But look in that broken man¡¯s eyes could kill as he red at Jack, the gods, and the crowd.


    Stepping down from his raised tform, Jack unlocked the cage and stepped inside. He eyed Pestro without any hint of fear. Shouting, Jack stated, "For causing terror and strife to Gi and the Leisure Guild, I sentence you, Pestro, the fallen Demon God, to death by my hand!"


    "You... mortal... can¡¯t..."


    "Say what you like, but in your current state, killing you won¡¯t be difficult at all," stated Jack, not giving into the broken threats of a battered god. Retrieving a sword, Jack ced the de to Pestro¡¯s throat. "Try all you want, Pestro, but you can¡¯t move your body nor connect with your mana. Right now, your life is mine to take."


    "Fool!" Pestro shouted as loud as he could, startling those in the front rows of the crowd.


    But the de then covered itself in purple energy as Jack shed across Pestro¡¯s thick neck. Alone, the sword wouldn¡¯t have punctured the god¡¯s durable body, but with Spatial sh the de drew blood.


    Losing blood at an rming rate, Pestro knew that Jack¡¯s attack had managed to do enough to slowly take his life.


    "I--"


    Before Pestro could utter another word, Jack leaned into the de and jammed it further into the open slit of Pestro¡¯s neck.


    "Not another word... Your life and EXP are already mine."


    Blood spilled over the cage floor and onto the pavilion. It was a gruesome sight but the crowd eagerly watched as Jack gradually snuffed out the life of a crippled deity that everyone knew and joked about. The moment was surreal and captivating.


    Lunara leaned her head onto Sterfen¡¯s shoulder as the two of them admired their son¡¯s tenacity.


    All the gods knew that Jack would be the one to y the Demon God for the EXP, but they never thought Jack would do it so publicly, using Tralon¡¯s memory and the appearance of all the gods to culminate in Pestro¡¯s public execution.


    Life remained in Pestro¡¯s eyes as he tried to bore holes into Jack through his stare alone, ultimately failing. The Demon God clung to his life for as long as he could. He fought death for more than fifteen minutes until Jack and his bloodloss eventually caused the light in Pestro¡¯s eyes to fade, leaving them dull and without sheen.


    Once Pestro¡¯s final breaths were gone, Jack removed his sword from the god¡¯s throat and held it up high for all to see. "Those who dare attack us will be ughtered, men and gods alike! If you wish for such protection, then join Gilga and Trodar, supporting them with your energy and time to make it a paradise among a world at war!"


    With his words finished, Jack closed his eyes to take in the fanatic screams of the crowd. But Jack was actually checking his new achievement and raised stats.


    First off, how could Jack not immediately spot his instantaneous rise in level? In a single leap, Jack¡¯s level shot up from lv. 72 to lv. 81. He was sure that it would¡¯ve been higher but Jack also split that EXP with four beastpanions, which only proved how outrageously powerful gods were inparison to mortals.


    Also, it was evidence of the EXP curve. Though it was far more difficult to level up with each level, the difference in earned EXP from killing a mid-level opponent and a high-level opponent was insane. Killing a god-level opponent only proved to be the steepest part of that EXP curve without a doubt.


    Suddenly, a massive roar sounded out from one of the beasts in the guild parade.


    All eyes shifted to the purple dragon that was happily roaring. Thanks to Jack, Karronteel just reached lv. 74, thus beginning his third and second-tost evolution.


    With a few ps of his wings, Karronteel took to the sky as his body started to grow. Not only was he gettingrger and physically stronger, Karronteel¡¯s unfathomably sharp ws were getting sharper and longer. The sheer amount of spatial energy pouring out of the dragon¡¯s massive frame was awe-inspiring to the viewers.


    Taking advantage of the opportunity, Jack shouted, "Everyone! Allow me to introduce one of thetest additions to the Leisure Guild. As you all can see, this dragon is unlike any you¡¯ve ever known. In fact, his species existed long before even Ancient Kartonia and his bloodline can rival even Halmut¡¯s. With the same bloodline as Moranti, the God of Space, this Spectral Dragon is a personal friend andpanion of mine, going by the name Karronteel. With his help, the Leisure Guild has grown far stronger than we were without him!"


    Going from speechless to crazily screaming, the crowds were enraptured by Karronteel in all manners. Seeing such a beautiful, magnificent beast was inherently amazing, not including the unheard-of bloodline strength that the public couldn¡¯t even imagine.


    That day wouldter be dubbed as Tralon¡¯s Day, a new Trodan holiday which the Leisure Guild publically celebrated for the remainder of the day with food, wine, and an open market within the Fat Goose and Celestial Crane.

 Chapter 455 Chaotic Gods Go Into Hiding

    <h4>Chapter 455 Chaotic Gods Go Into Hiding</h4>


    Leaning over the chipped viewing table, Halmut¡¯s gaze was sharp yet calm. He spoke, "Lyrun, summon the others. It¡¯s time we discuss preparations for war."


    "Right away, your excellency." With a bow of his head, Lyrun pulled out his contact crystal and began to summon the holy gods one-by-one.


    Halmut continued mulling over the recent events of the world in his mind.


    The syndicate was practically abolished, leaving the chaotic gods with little to no forces left. Contention among the chaotic gods had be obvious by Tralbok wielding Moranti¡¯s scythe. Also, a chaotic god had actually been killed and it wasn¡¯t at the hands of a holy god, or even a god at all! Not to mention Kori and Lunara joining the neutral gods, despite Kori losing his godhood for the time being.


    Mumbling to himself, Halmut closed his eyes and nodded, "Things are much different now... I wonder how we¡¯ll trample this new rising force?"


    Racing toward the Olympic Chateau, a dragon was rocketing through the air. It¡¯s scales matched the darkness of a night sky, easily noticed in juxtaposition to the white clouds underneath the beast. At twenty meters long, the ck dragon slipped through the barrier without a hitch and slowed his sound-barrier-shattering speed with his mighty wings, which had hands near the ends of its wings.


    Those hand touched down on the ground as the beastnded on the pavilion outside of the conference room, where Halmut and Lyrun found themselves.


    "Perchet,e. It¡¯s been too long..." Halmut greeted the new arrival amidst his soft mumbling.


    Perchet¡¯s long ear twitched, catching Halmut¡¯s whispered mumble with no trouble at all.


    The ck dragon didn¡¯t adjust his gaze or turn toward the conference room. In fact, it had no gaze to adjust. The ck dragon had no eyes or eye sockets. As a proud Nocturnal Dragon, it relied on it other heightened senses to live its life without any weakness.


    Rocking slightly from side to side, the dragon walked with the front hands of its wings and its hind legs. Though Perchet had no sight, he showed no struggle in finding the entrance to the conference room.


    "Use your human form... That way we can discuss things over the viewing table..." mumbled Halmut, not leaving his train of thought till the others arrivedter.


    Nodding, Perchet took a deep breath as his body gathered dark energy and shrunk down. In his human form, Perchet seemed to be an average man with long ck hair, in a ck robe, with a ck blindfold wrapped over his eyes. Now in his human form, Perchet found his seat and took a sniff.


    "Why was Sterfen in my seat?" Perchet asked, turning his ear toward Lyrun.


    Used to Perchet¡¯s mannerisms, Lyrun casually answered, "Well, Sterfen only took Naparn and I as hostages in exchange for his wife¡¯s contract. No big deal, really."


    "Oh... that¡¯s interesting..." sighed Perchet, nodding and grabbing his hairless chin.


    The hard-to-read Nocturnal Dragon kept his stoic appearance as he too joined Lyrun and Halmut in waiting for the others. He was always the first to arrive as Perchet was very punctual and well-organized.


    *****


    "BLAST!"


    Tralbok almost destroyed the chaotic gods¡¯ viewing table in rage as he watched Pestro slowly receive a dishonorable death at Jack¡¯s hands.


    The other chaotic gods were mumbling amongst themselves, not daring to sit on the same side as the rarely enraged God of Time. They kept their thoughts to themselves until Tralbok was ready to talk more openly.


    Five minutes passed as Tralbok did his best to calm down. Though he wasn¡¯t fully calm, he was now at least clear-headed.


    "What should we do about this?!" Tralbok shouted, waiting for the other four chaotic gods to respond in some way.


    One spoke up with a more rxed tone. "Tralbok, how are we supposed to fight now?"


    When Tralbok didn¡¯t reply, that god borated, "With just us five, facing the holy gods will be nearly impossible. Adding the now-rising neutral gods into the mix only worsens our chances of sess. Should we just wait for those two factions to fight?"


    "Not a bad idea... But I don¡¯t think it will be that simple," Tralbok replied. "With Pestro falling like this, I shouldn¡¯t have revealed myself with Moranti¡¯s scythe. Then, at least the holy gods would¡¯ve kept our strength in question to an extent. But now... I think we¡¯ve be the target of both the holy gods and the neutral gods. Oosam, do you have any ideas?"


    The god who spoke earlier nodded and continued, "I think we need to go intoplete hiding."


    "Then what should we do about Choron and Moranti?"


    "Hmm... that¡¯s the hardest thing to say..." Oosam itched the scruff on his face. "As for Moranti, I think we should kill him."


    Suddenly, Tralbok burst into chuckles. "That¡¯s easy to say, but do you have any idea as to how we can pull that off?"


    "Why not simply gift him? I¡¯m sure we could reach an agreement of a temporary ceasefire with Halmut should you offer Moranti as coteral," reasoned Oosam. "With Moranti¡¯s life in Halmut¡¯s hands, I¡¯m sure the great Sun Dragon will agree to hunt us down after dealing with the neutral gods, so long as we don¡¯t offend them in the meantime."


    Tralbok nodded. "True... That¡¯s very doable... Then the rest of us would only need to hide and wait for the war between the neutral and holy factions to die down. We¡¯ll have to focus on gathering thest two enchantment keys while they kill each other... But what about Choron? We didn¡¯t manage to catch him before he fled."


    "Given his rtionship with Sterfen, maybe we should count him among the neutral gods," Oosam added.


    "I agree. I¡¯d rather y things safely than wait for the unexpected to happen..." agreed Tralbok. "Then, for the time being, we¡¯ll be splitting up. Keep your contact crystals ready at all times and search for the final enchantment keys at the cost of your life. I¡¯d rather congratte a resurrected ally on a job well done than scold a frightened wimp that couldn¡¯t stand up for our cause as a whole."


    All other gods nodded, keeping Tralboking severe methods of "scolding" in the back of their minds.


    Tralbok added, "Now, you¡¯re all excused to scatter and find new homes outside of Talrania. I¡¯ll pay a little visit to Moranti. I should wake him up before dragging him to Halmut."

 Chapter 456 Rushing to Save Moranti

    <h4>Chapter 456 Rushing to Save Moranti</h4>


    While the rest of the guild was bringing out food and eye-catching merchandise to lure the crowds northward toward the Fat Goose and Celestial Crane, Jack and everyone returned to the guild property. Pestro¡¯s divine corpse was still in the cage, carried along with them.


    Once they were in the clear with everyone to the northern end of the guild property, Lorwynn and Kori stepped up toward the cage. Both entered without hesitation and Lorwynn was beaming with excitement. They readied themselves to steal Pestro¡¯s dwindling divine potential.


    Kori meditated for a moment as he honed in on the smallest morsel of energy found inside of his body, thetent fragment of Lunara¡¯s energy that was waiting to catalyst Kori¡¯s missing divine potential. Finding that, Kori brought that energy to the palm of his hand carefully. With that slowly showing itself, the former Fox God ced his hand on Pestro¡¯s bare chest.


    Everyone noticed a tiny stream of dark energy rush out of Pestro¡¯s chest and into Kori¡¯s arm.


    That energy quickly reabsorbed into Kori¡¯s being, glittering the area around him with dark energy that faded into water energy before dispersingpletely.


    Following Kori¡¯s example, Lorwynn slowed his breathing as he focused on the morsel of energy that Rikko had left inside of him. It took Lorwynn an extra couple of minutes to focus that divine energy into his palm, but he managed to do it without losing control. He ced his hand on the same part of the corpse¡¯s chest as Kori removed his hand. And simr to what had just happened, a rush of dark energy entered Lorwynn¡¯s body before turning into a blend of wind and lightning energy as it faded.


    Jack nced at Hadurt, asking, "Are you sure about this? You may not--"


    "Jack, what level are you now?" Hadurt responded with a question.


    "Lv. 81."


    Smiling and letting out a sigh of satisfaction, Hadurt exined, "Remember when I first met you? You weren¡¯t even lv. 50! Yet you¡¯ve already cracked the eighties to be one of the strongest mortals across Kartonia. If you wanted, you could probablypete with me."


    "I don¡¯t know about that," Jack chuckled.


    "Either way, I¡¯ll stick by my decision. If waiting just a bit longer means my potential will be that much greater, then I¡¯ll wait however long it takes," added Hadurt, getting all the gods to smile.


    "Jack... We need to talk."


    A new voice caught most everyone off guard, all expect for Sterfen and Lunara. Looking back, Jack noticed a familiar deity running towards them. Trax was about to bow with the ninja continued, "We need to talk now before it¡¯s toote."


    "Ok..." Noticing that Sterfen and Lunara weren¡¯t surprised, Jack assumed Choron¡¯s entrance into the guild had something to do with them. "Then we¡¯ll go to my--"


    "Now, Jack!" Choron insisted. "Whatever you¡¯re doing now can wait. It must. Unless, you want to lose your chance at saving Moranti?"


    "What..."


    "Moranti just informed me of Tralbok¡¯s new n. He wishes to bargain with Halmut with Moranti as coteral in an attempt to buy the chaotic gods time," stated Choron. "It¡¯s ast-ditch effort to keep the holy gods from hunting them down until you¡¯re eliminated."


    "That means--"


    "Yes, Tralbok should be leaving any moment now. He already stole Moranti¡¯s contact crystal, so I know nothing else."


    Karronteel yelled and roared in fury, not really saying anything but showing his rage. But the others ignored the Spectral Dragon as they didn¡¯t n to let that happen no matter what.


    Hurrying to his map screen, Jack found both Moranti and Tralbok near the center of Talrania. The other gods were in Talrania too, but only three remained in the center while the others were currently fleeing and scattering.


    Apart from Moranti and Tralbok, a third chaotic god was approaching them, as if he had started to flee but was now returning.


    "It seems they haven¡¯t left yet... I guess Tralbok asked for help since he knows Moranit likely spoke with you," Jack exined. "Oosam is about to meet with Tralbok, then I assume they¡¯ll be leaving the moment Oosam arrives."


    "Then there¡¯s no time to waste!" Jin stepped up and threw his arm around Jack¡¯s shoulders. "At lv. 81, you should be able to teleport all of us nearby, right, Nephew?"


    Laughing, Jack smiled back. "Yes, but not everyone cane."


    "Well, you can¡¯t leave me out of this!" Jin boasted, pping Jack on the back.


    "We¡¯lle too." Lunara pulled her husband forward. "Moranti is one of the few dragons that I whole-heartedly respect. I¡¯d hate to see him fall now."


    "Count me in." Eedaj nodded, adding himself to the impromptu roster.


    "I¡¯ming as well," added Choron. "Moranti has always taken care of me. If I don¡¯t step up now and help free him, I¡¯d be considered an ungrateful coward."


    Shrugging, Jack chuckled. "Then I guess we should go now. Everyone else, just wait here and keep an eye on the city. We¡¯ll be back shortly."


    Everyone agreed. They were all smiles as those five gods gathered around Jack and ced there hands on his shoulders. Then, that band of five gods and a powerful demigod was carried away in a sh of light.


    *****


    "What took you so long!" Tralbok shouted as Oosam shuffled toward him.


    Oosam bowed his head. "Sorry, I was the first to leave after you dismissed us so it took me some time to return."


    "Anyway, let¡¯s go already!" shouted the God of Time.


    Behind him was Moranti, in an additional set of chains that restrained the God of Space by the ankles and wrists whilepletely restricting the use of his hands and feet. Moranti had no way to separate his hands or feet. Clearly, Tralbok didn¡¯t want to give Moranti any chance of escape and had ounted for that.


    The duo of jailers took off through the air, dragging their prisoner behind them, who was forcefully flying the other way with as much strength as he could muster while cuffed. Moranti couldn¡¯t stop them while his powers were restrained, but he could slow them greatly.


    They darted through the sky in a hurry, not caring if others saw them between the gaps in the clouds. All they wanted was to travel as quickly as possible and flee. So long as they were fast enough, Choron would have no way of tracking them.


    Though they were right about Choron¡¯s abilities, neither Tralbok nor Oosam knew about Jack¡¯s system, let alone the map function that Daruun had given it.


    When they neared the Korten border to the north, both gods suddenly stopped.


    Moranti also stopped fighting back. Instead, he started tough without a word. With his spatial awareness, Moranti had long sensed those new arrivals but was d that both of his captors finally noticed what was going on.


    "Come out!" Tralbok shouted.


    "Thene down," responded a voice. "If you want to talk first, then let¡¯s meet on the ground. Otherwise, don¡¯t expect us to show mercy."


    Recognizing Eedaj¡¯s voice, Tralbok squinted and looked to Oosam. "Shall we?"


    Oosam only replied with a nod. Then, three more of Oosam split out of the original. The same happened for Tralbok and their prisoner. All four versions of the group split up into different ways, in an attempt to fool the four different divine presences that they felt within the clouds beneath them.


    It was a perfect diversion. However, there was one thing that they hadn¡¯t ounted for, nor could they have anticipated it.


    When the four different versions of the chaotic gods separated, Jack was hiding his presence along with Sterfen so that neither of them could be sensed. And with his mini-map out, he had a natural counter to the Illusion Gods, schemes. Though it was hard to discern which of the groups was true, Jack was able to tell which group possessed the stronger divine energy as that group was the most recognizable by the system.


    With Jack calling the shots, all four of the undisguised neutral deities swarmed downward toward the same version of the group with no hesitation whatsoever.


    Trapped and startled to have been caught so easily, both Tralbok and Oosam were caught off guard but immediately heightened it for a possible battle to break out.

 Chapter 457 Jacks Surprise Attack Against Tralbok!?

    <h4>Chapter 457 Jack¡°s Surprise Attack Against Tralbok!?</h4>


    "I see you found us, Eedaj," Tralbok calmly spoke, unfazed. "Mind borating as to how you did it so quickly?"


    "That¡¯s not for me to say, as I wasn¡¯t the one who found you," replied Eedaj. "Now, hand Moranti over, along with his scythe, and we¡¯ll allow both of you to leave peacefully."


    Tralbok chuckled. "You think a band of low-level gods can intimidate us? Sure, I know that Sterfen is hiding somewhere, but that won¡¯t make much of a difference. Don¡¯t force me to--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about me!" Moranti shouted with beaming arrogance, refusing to be used as a hostage. "I may get hurt, but Tralbok and Oosam can¡¯t kill me. Just do what you need to!"


    Hiding his contempt for Moranti with a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile, Tralbok continued, "If you want to fight, then we¡¯ll oblige. But don¡¯t expect us to back down so easily. We¡¯ve got somewhere to go, so hurry up and decide whether you¡¯ll risk your lives in vain or not."


    Having said his piece, Tralbok resumed his journey with Oosam. But he was cut off by Jin.


    "I¡¯ve heard you gave Eedaj a tough time not too long ago. If you¡¯re that strong, then allow me to try my hand," Jin confidently stated, rxed and ready to do battle.


    "You, a lv. 91 wants to duel with me?" Laughing, Tralbok shook his head. "Sorry, but I don¡¯t have time to waste on small fry."


    At that remark, six illusory arms took form and attached themselves to Jin, a glowing katana firmly gripped in each hand. "So be it." Jin darted forward, swinging toward the God of Time.


    Aware of Jin¡¯s strange ability, Tralbok avoided the attack in ce of blocking it. Even with a five-level advantage, Tralbok had to acknowledge Jin¡¯s abilities to evade defenses almostpletely with his phasing stills.


    Eedaj rushed toward Oosam. With each of them wielding dark and illusion magic, Eedaj didn¡¯t want to leave the others to face the tricky god and find themselves at a disadvantage. Choron joined him as well. That way, two lv. 93¡¯s were up against the lv. 95 Illusion God.


    While Jin was striking toward the evasive God of Time, trying his best to force Tralbok to the ground.


    Withmand of cosmic energy, all gods could levitate and carry themselves through the sky naturally. However, Tralbok¡¯s natural speed mixed with lightning magic meant the God of Time would have the advantage in the sky against Jin who was a skill-based warrior without wind or lightning affinity.


    Aiding Jin in that effort was Lunara. At lv. 93, Lunara rose in the sky and took to her true form. She then dove down toward the duo.


    Not left with many options, Tralbok covered himself in lightning and dashed downward at a nt. The God of Time made sure to advance forward while also dropping toward the ground to avoid the diving hydra.


    Jin took a different approach. As Lunara fell, Jin flew in a straight line northward.


    When he made contact with the colossal hydra, Jin disappeared. His phasing skill left Jin unaffected by the falling beast. This allowed Jin to keep up with his enemy using simple Geometry.


    Then a voice went off in Jin¡¯s mind.


    ¡¯Now.¡¯


    Nodding to himself, Jin darted again toward Tralbok. He aimed for just ahead of his enemy, hoping to hit him mid-flight.


    Tralbok scoffed at the futile efforts that both gods put against him. Since Oosam was keeping Choron and Eedaj busy, who were both faster than either Lunara and Jin in terms of a chase, Tralbok focused on fleeing rather than fighting. He readied his time magic and prepared to evade.


    Abruptly, the sharp whistle of wind sounded from a nearby cloud. For some reason, the cloud parted yet Tralbok found nothing leaving the cloud.


    Before this scenario had taken ce, Jack had already purchased Sterfen¡¯s passive stealth skill for six thousand skill points. It was all thanks to having publically executed Pestro, which awarded Jack with his first-ever divine reward for ten thousand skill points and a one-time achievement named [Not even gods are safe].


    Adding the one thousand five hundred and sixteen points he already had, and Jack dly paid for the ultimate stealth skill, leaving him with five thousand five hundred and sixteen skill points forter.


    With both of their stealth skills, Jack and Sterfen had been patiently waiting in that cloud. Their n would only call for a single moment, so they would have to wait.


    Now, they finally acted.


    With Jack pouring all mana into his minokawa form, Sterfen clung to him as Jackunched them out of the cloud while still invisible. That¡¯s why the clouds had parted.


    But Jack didn¡¯t stop there. Though his body was weak and would struggle in a prolonged fight, Jack had the stamina for a burst of intensity. The moment Jack rocketed out of the cloud at full speed, Jack then cast Time Stop.


    Tralbok went wide-eyed as he felt the familiar sense of time magic being cast by another. But he was toote to stop it.


    Both Jack and Sterfen used that single second of Time Stop to the fullest. Jack¡¯s unadulterated speed delivered Sterfen to his target. With an unguarded throat, Sterfen sliced into Tralbok, attacking so cleanly as to keep blood off of his knife.


    The second passed and Tralbok immediately ced a hand over his throat. Turning back a second¡¯s worth of time, Tralbok healed himself in the only way that could possibly seal one of Sterfen¡¯s wounds.


    But that left Tralbok wide open to Jin¡¯s iing attack. In tangent with Jin¡¯s attack, Lunara¡¯s nine heads all released roars with icy breath attacks to keep Tralbok from evading Jin.


    Covering himself in lightning and preparing to receive Jin, Tralbok stared as the eight des of the samurai neared him.


    However, just as the des pierced his flesh, Tralbok was left baffled. All eight des phased through his entire body. Not a single scratch was left on Tralbok or inside of him. The God of Time was utterly perplexed as to what Jin was doing.


    Tralbok then noticed that there were only seven swords. One of Jin¡¯s hands were unarmed.


    Nothing was making sense to Tralbok as Jin¡¯s attacks and entire body phased through the God of Time.


    At least, it didn¡¯t make sense until the charge was over.


    Tralbok rushed ahead but felt that something was off. Now, there was no resistanceing from the chain behind him.


    Turning to face Jin, Tralbok¡¯s confidence instantly dropped to well passed his stomach.


    Jin¡¯s target was never Tralbok in the first ce. The samurai had phased through the God of Time, forcing himself to remain steady while still feeling some slight effects from the electricity dancing around Tralbok. But that didn¡¯t stop Jin from attacking his true target.


    The God of Discipline had swung all seven of his swords through the cuffs keeping Moranti at bay. Yet none of them had a single scratch on them. That¡¯s because Jin had directly attacked the locking mechanisms inside, enacting Jack¡¯s n to perfection.


    With the locks shattered, Moranti took a deep breath as he ripped the cuffs off of his person. Exhaling, Moranti wiggled his fingers and toes. Finally, after five hundred years, he was free.


    Lunara halted her icy breath. Jin stepped aside. Jack kept his transformation with Sterfen on his back, both still invisible. Tralbok was speechless as his throat immediately dried.


    "Finally!" Moranti shouted as he stretched his body, popping most of the joints across his body. Then, he eyed Tralbok with a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile. Moranti simply asked, "Now, will you return my scythe or would you like me to be merciless?"


    Before Tralbok could muster together some words, Jin spoke up, "It should be in here."


    Moranti and Tralbok looked to find Jin holding out a ring. It was very familiar to both of them, especially Tralbok.

 Chapter 458 Moranti Freed!!!

    <h4>Chapter 458 Moranti Freed!!!</h4>


    Thinking back a moment ago, Tralbok originally thought he had miscounted. But it was then that Tralbok realized why he spotted only seven swords. The eighth hand had stolen the God of Time¡¯s storage ring while Jin phased through him. It was a feat worthy even of Rikko.


    With a big grin, Moranti didn¡¯t hold himself back. The God of Space snatched the ring and scanned through its contents with haste.


    "Oosam! Get us out of here!" Tralbok shouted in pure terror, not wasting any time as he rushed toward the Illusion God with abundant use of time and lightning magic.


    Oosam also acted immediately, aware of the sudden shift of the situation. A storm of false doubles exploded out from the Illusion God to form another perfect diversion. The true Oosam reached Tralbok with his wind magic and used a spell scroll to teleport away.


    They barely managed to miss the beautiful scene of Moranti finally reacquainting himself with his long-lost personal weapon. It felt like a piece of him had rejoined him to make Moranti feel whole.


    d their unorthodox n worked out in the end, Jack let loose a long sigh.


    "Before I congratte you all and thank you, lets head somewhere else..." Moranti clung to his scythe, jabbing into his body without doing himself any harm. At the same time, a rush of spatial energy inundated the area to envelop all of Moranti¡¯s rescuers.


    Unlike the times when Jack and Tralon had teleported, there was no sh. Instead, the spatial energy seemed to implode into nothingness.


    On the other end of their teleportation, everyone reappeared in Gilga. They were in the sky overlooking the Leisure Guild. Also, they were now gathered together and no longer spread apart like before. Not only had Moranti teleported them all away, but he had repositioned everyone with little to no difficulty.


    Removing the scythe from his body, Moranti brought the de to his lips and kissed it. Only after that did he look to everyone else with a smile. "Who is it I have to thank?"


    Jin chuckled and pointed Jack while he dispersed his illusory arms. "My nephew nned that, so he should get most of the credit."


    "So you came up with that little scheme? Thank you!" Moranti stored his scythe and opened his arms with a toothy grin. Jack was then teleported in front of Moranti, making it easy for the God of Space to embrace his hero. "You don¡¯t want to know what would¡¯ve happened if you were muchter. If we were closer to Olympic Chateau, Torian may have shown up and ruined everything."


    Keeping that in mind, Jack chuckled while he patted Moranti on the back. "Does this mean you¡¯ll be joining us?"


    "Duh!" shouted Moranti. "If I wasn¡¯t the first god to form a contract, I would¡¯ve known better in the first ce!"


    "I¡¯m d to hear that. With you on our side, Halmut will bide his time before attacking," Eedaj stated. "Your presence here changes everything. It means we¡¯re now the strongest faction."


    "I wouldn¡¯t say that..." Moranti sighed, catching the others off guard.


    Choron added, "He¡¯s right. But let¡¯s get back to everyone else. It will be easiest to exin things only once."


    "Right... Then let¡¯s go..." Jack nodded and let go of Moranti.


    Jack was the first tond, reverting to his normal form and leading the gods toward the restricted area. At the same time, he called everyone telepathically to inform them of the rescue party¡¯s return.


    The rescue party was thest to reach Dragov¡¯s courtyard, but they were only a few minutes behind the others.


    Moranti was eager to speak his mind. However, the God of Space was immediately sidetracked from the moment he stepped into the dug-out courtyard. The sight of another from his race nearly drove Moranti to tears.


    "Jack... How did you--"


    "That¡¯s Karronteel," Jack answered while Moranti pointed at the Spectral Dragon testing his new strength against Dragov¡¯s hard exoskeleton. "He had been trapped inside a summoning amulet that I got from one of the auction houses. Since none of them understood the ancient text, I got it for cheap."


    Suddenly, Moranti pulled Jack in for another hug. Only this time, Jack felt his shoulder moisten.


    "You should go and talk with him. He¡¯s a huge fan of yours!" Jack joked, nudging Moranti forward.


    Rather than run, the God of Space instantaneously teleported to the bottom of the steps. He now stood in the air between Dragov and Karronteel, the water still apparent in his eyes.


    At first, Karronteel and Dragov were confused but Moranti¡¯s form changed in the next instant. Moranti expanded into a fifty-meter tall Spectral Dragon, awing both of the sparring beasts.


    "Moranti!" Karronteel shouted in excitement. "I-it¡¯s really you! I knew you¡¯d be alright!"


    The fifty-meter Spectral Dragon nodded and smiled at the twenty-five-meter Spectral Dragon. "You¡¯re Karronteel, right? Have you already partnered with Jack?"


    "Yes!"


    "Good... He¡¯s the one who saved me just a few moments ago," Moranti stated, sending waves of gratitude over Karronteel¡¯s heart. "I saw what he was capable of and I agree that he¡¯s the most suitable partner. Only, as he¡¯ll soon ascend to godhood, so should you."


    With the simple extension of his long tail, Moranti touched the younger dragon¡¯s forehead. A dazzling purple light burst out from within Karronteel, not surprising anyone.


    "Now, you¡¯ll do our people proud," added Moranti.


    "Always!"


    Karronteel understood what had just happened thanks to witnessing Lorwynn and Kori activating their temporary potential. Like the others, Karronteel had proudly be a demigod.


    "Make sure to ascend as quickly as possible. If you don¡¯t ascend soon enough, I may lose my life," Moranti stated, startling everyone apart from the gods. Continuing, Moranti sighed, "Such is life... We have to ept past decisions and make the most of them."


    "Why do you say that?" Jack asked.


    Turning to the young hero, Moranti answered, "Because that¡¯s what¡¯s stated in my contract. I was the first god to ept a contract so the conditions could never get soplicated. My only condition is that I need to reach lv. 99."


    "You mean you need to reach lv. 99 before Skaryn is unsealed?" reasoned Jack.


    "Something like that..." Moranti shrugged. "There¡¯s a chance that Skaryn won¡¯t do anything though, so long as Tralbok doesn¡¯t kiss up to him like always."


    "What level are you now?"


    "Lv. 97. But don¡¯t underestimate me. I¡¯ll go toe-to-toe with halmut if I need to. I can¡¯t overpower that pestro but it¡¯s almost always a fair fight," stated Moranti. "That¡¯s not counting when he cheats though. Halmut does that a lot..."


    "No kidding..." Lunara angrily sighed, reminded of many past memories involving both Halmut and Naparn during the Godly War. Kori also nodded,pletely understanding how they felt.


    Jack couldn¡¯t help but chuckle to hear Moranti using Pestro¡¯s name in such a way, catching him off guard. But he quickly returned to his thought about Moranti¡¯s unexpected statement. "When you say that Skaryn may not do anything, what do you mean?"


    "Just that. Is that hard to understand?" the God of Space chuckled.


    "I thought that--"


    "You don¡¯t know Skaryn or Halmut." Moranti exined, "Let me preface our discussion with some background information.


    "Back in the day, thousands of years ago, Skaryn and Halmut werepanions bearing the first-ever mutual beast seal. Together, they ascended to godhood with Daruun¡¯s divine assistance. They remained great friends for quite a while but being the first to ascend fueled their greed unlike ever before."


    While most everyone was startled, Moranti continued, "I was the first strike against their friendship. As aiding demigods ascend gave EXP, both of them fought to have me join them. I chose Skaryn in the end because he didn¡¯t threaten me or try to control me. Also, his offered contract was much better than Halmut¡¯s, so it was a no brainer."


    "But why are you sure he wouldn¡¯t do anything?" Jack continued to instigate.


    "Because we¡¯re also mutualpanions."

 Chapter 459 Morantis Freedom Changes Everything...

    <h4>Chapter 459 Moranti¡°s Freedom Changes Everything...</h4>


    "Because we¡¯re also mutualpanions."


    "Huh..."


    Jack¡¯s mouth was left open, unable to form words as his brain short-circuited momentarily.


    Continuing, Moranti added, "Sure, Skaryn¡¯s a strict guy and he can get triggered pretty easily but he¡¯s a good friend."


    "Then... If he¡¯s such a good friend, why on earth did you rebel?!" Jack shouted, totally thrown for a loop along with the rest of the mortals and gods present. "Wait, what do you mean triggered?!"


    "I learned that from some of you ancient heroes long ago," Morantiughed as if relishing in fun memories. Then, he showed them all a smug shrug. "I don¡¯t hate Skaryn, I hate the faction. And if I killed some of the idiot pestros, like Pestro was, it was to remove the factions altogether."


    "But that... Why would that..." Jack¡¯s brain was aching from the confusion. "Can you exin a bit better, please?"


    Sighing, Moranti obliged. "Fine... Then let me add this. Skaryn may have gotten me to join him, but we didn¡¯t officially form a faction until after Halmut had already helped three demigods ascend. Before we knew any better, they were parading themselves around the world as the self-proimed ¡¯Holy Gods¡¯ andbeling me and Skaryn as the ¡¯Chaotic Gods¡¯. Halmut started everything, not Skaryn."


    "That¡¯s true," Eedaj added, reaffirming the statement for the others to more easily take in.


    After that, Skaryn had no choice but to recruit more. He understood howpetitive Halmut was and that Halmut would stop at nothing to get what he wanted," continued Moranti. "Apart from Eedaj torturing that stupid Magma Dragon to death, the first god to die unjustly was one of ours.


    "The god following me was ambushed by the holy gods and killed by Halmut. That¡¯s when I killed their newest member while he was sleeping in Olympic Chateau. The pitiful fool didn¡¯t even know he had been killed by the time his head was removed from his body..." Moranti sighed, bringing his tangent to an end.


    "Anyway, now you understand that Halmut was the driving force for the conflict. But Skaryn did join in, so he¡¯s not guiltless," added the God of Space. "Depending on what happens next, I¡¯d be interested in knowing how Skaryn would react should after his unsealing."


    "What do you--"


    Choron cut into the conversation, "Moranti... Are you going to talk about it or not?"


    "Right, right..." Moranti sighed again, resuming the true exnation. "Knowing Tralbok, I won¡¯t assume that we¡¯re the strongest faction. Not with his loyalties being so fickle."


    Jack caught wind of what Moranti was implying, but it was Sterfen that spoke next, "You mean Tralbok may switch sides? Can he do that?"


    "It wouldn¡¯t go against his existing contract to form a second contract," answered Moranti. "He¡¯s the kind of man that doesn¡¯t mind servitude if it offers security. For years he¡¯s been debating jumping ship. And now that Choron and I have left officially, Tralbok will most likely try and convince the remaining chaotic gods to join him and the holy gods."


    "That¡¯s quite an assumption..."


    "He¡¯s right," Eedaj spoke up again. "I noticed it slightly during our first battle but it was at the forefront of his mind when we rushed to Moranti¡¯s rescue. He was originally nning to offer Moranti in exchange for a better standing in the holy gods."


    Breaking out inughter, Moranti shook his head. "I guess he was even more cunning than I gave him credit... That two-faced pestro..."


    "Now that you¡¯re free, can¡¯t you just kill him? What¡¯s stopping you?" Jack continued his questions, trying to get as much information as possible before redesigning their game n.


    "I could... but finishing Tralbok off is much trickier than you think," Moranti stated. "His time magic is hard to counter and he always carries at least one item for self-regeneration on him. That annoying pestro is the most cautious god I¡¯ve ever known. However... that means we now have a self-regenerating item!"


    Taking out Tralbok¡¯s stolen ring, Moranti greedily smiled for all to see. "I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll try to get another such item off of Halmut, but at least we have his wealth!"


    "So, in other words, the remnant chaotic gods will likely join the holy gods," Jack summed up the conversation. "Shouldn¡¯t we just kill them now then?"


    "We could try, but I¡¯m sure the holy gods will intervene this time. Given Tralbok, he¡¯s probably got a contact within the holy gods, right?" deduced Sterfen.


    "Correct..." Choron nodded. "His contact is also ours, only Tralbok doesn¡¯t know that Lyrun is two-timing the holy gods."


    "What?!" Eedaj shouted in question.


    "I told you Lyrun was on our side!" Sterfen added, nudging Eedaj in the side.


    Moranti turned to the Mind God and stated, "I¡¯ve been in contact with Lyrun for a few centuries now, thanks to Choron linking our crystals in secret. It¡¯s obvious he hasn¡¯t told you or the holy gods about that, so I can only assume that he¡¯s done well to hide his tracks."


    "But... I thought--"


    "Lyrun is moreplicated than you know," Choron added. "Since that incident, have you ever been able to read your brother¡¯s mind while your own mind was clear of rage? Or do you blind yourself still?"


    "That..." sighing, Eedaj didn¡¯t know what to say but he was already getting angry just thinking about his rtionship with Lyrun.


    "Either way, Lyrun is the one who told us about Tralbok¡¯s possible betrayal and the various offers he¡¯s given the holy gods," Moranti continued. "He¡¯s also the one who warned me and Choron before Tralbok caught me with the contact crystal and redid my chains. Also, he¡¯s the one who warned Choron to flee before Pestro arrived at his temple."


    "That..." Eedaj wanted to ask if what they were saying was true but it was clear as day for the Mind God. He saw straight through their emotions and found their statements to be true at the deepest levels of their consciousness.


    "Than... what about the incident of my people? How could he--"


    "Eedaj, calm down." Sterfen walked up and ced both hands on the elf¡¯s shoulders, rubbing them down. "Rx... then we can talk more clearly and you¡¯ll better understand them."


    "Right... Sorry..." Taking some deep breaths, Eedaj refocused the best he could. "Then... has Lyrun ever told you about his side of that story?"


    Moranti shrugged, as did Choron. On the other hand, Sterfen spun Eedaj around and nodded.


    "I told you, he didn¡¯t take part in that," stated Sterfen. "He genuinely wanted you to join the holy gods."


    "But why would he be so interested that he--"


    "He had been deceived by that long-forgotten Magma Dragon and Halmut. What Lyrun wanted was for you to be epted as a holy god so that the other elves would better rte with you and the other Greis elves," exined Sterfen, instantly silencing Eedaj. "I never told you the rest because you would¡¯ve never believed me. Now, I think you¡¯re in a position where you have no choice to believe. So, after reading my mind and hearing all of our words, do you believe that your brother was so spiteful of you after having a few centuries to mature?"


    Finally considering that possibility, Eedaj struggled to ept that in his heart. It was so radical to his beliefs for thousands of years, so those feelings wouldn¡¯t change instantaneously.


    "With the holy gods about to grow again, it¡¯s only a matter of time until they eventually strike another war," Moranti returned to the original topic.


    "Then... what do you think we should do?" Jack asked. "I¡¯ll recover all of my old treasures at the bottom of Earthen Keep and those two will quickly ascend this week. That should leave our strength about even."


    "I disagree," replied Choron, "and so would Lyrun."

 Chapter 460 Wanting Another Opinion

    <h4>Chapter 460 Wanting Another Opinion</h4>


    "I disagree, and so would Lyrun."


    "Then, please, tell us more," added Jack.


    Moranti continued, "There¡¯s one key factor that you don¡¯t consider. You know how most of the holy gods are beasts, so have you considered those powerful beast races in your ns? Or did you just assume that the holy gods had the association under their control?"


    "True, but normally, that wouldn¡¯t be too much a problem... Unless..." Sterfen paused, altering his opinion after considering recent events. "Halmut¡¯s going to raise more gods, won¡¯t he?"


    "Maybe he already has," replied Moranti. "All I know is that Halmut has been keeping his favored races hidden away. The Magma Dragons, Storm Dragons, Flood Dragons, Quake Dragons... those four races remain loyal to Halmut out of a mix of fear and respect. And given half a millennium, I can guess that at least one from each race is near the cusp of immortality."


    Reconsidering that into the equation, Jack¡¯s mind was in overdrive as he tried to piece together a working form for eventual sess.


    "That changes everything... Sterfen, did you know about this?" Jack turned to his father, annoyed to have just heard such crucial information.


    "It wasn¡¯t of much consequence till now. How could I not know when you consider your mother?" reasoned Sterfen.


    With a sigh, Jack thought in silence for a moment while the others waited for his next question.


    A few minutes passed but Jack kept quiet, leaving everyone in suspense for the next question or crazy scheme Jack would cook up. Then, they all smiled to see Jack retrieve Daruun¡¯s crest.


    "How about I get some help from you all?" Jack asked while holding the crest out toward the gathered gods. "I¡¯ll still be the main contributor, but having your help should keep me from passing out afterward."


    The gods chuckled and stepped forward. Once all the deities had ced a hand on the crest, Jack began filling the crystal sphere with mana. And now that he was lv. 81 with lv. 6 mana capacity skill, Jack was confident they could pull off the summoning without much worry.


    But even with Jack¡¯s absurd mana stores, his mana was practically gone before the crystal sphere reacted. Jack cast Greater Replenish and continued with a nod to the gods around him.


    Now, they also started to pour in their mana. With deities aiding him, Jack got the crest to fully light up before he ran out of mana for a second time.


    In a dazzling burst of light, this time Jack got to witness Daruun¡¯s magnificent arrival.


    "You¡¯re lucky I was taking a break..." Daruun sighed and chuckled as he scanned the many faces and figures gathered. "So, Jack managed to set you free, Moranti? Too bad you¡¯re still under contract. Otherwise, I would eagerly wee you as a son."


    Moranti smiled. "Don¡¯t worry about it. With Jack¡¯s crazy leveling, it won¡¯t take long. And he¡¯s going to Earthen Keep, so I¡¯m not worried."


    "Good. You shouldn¡¯t be." Daruun turned to Choron next. "Sorry, but you¡¯re also under contract for the time being. I can¡¯t make you my son until that¡¯s changed."


    "I understand." Choron nodded with a simple reply.


    "As for you... Come here! I can finally ept you as my official daughter, not as a daughter-inw!"


    Lunara ran into Daruun¡¯s arms as Sterfen also joined in to form a group hug. The relief in Lunara¡¯s eyes was beyond description, something that would take days to describe and years to experience.


    Then, pure white light left Daruun¡¯s body to envelop Lunara. It seeped into her, filling the Water Goddess with tender warmth. A burst of that white light filled the room again as Lunara was officially weed into the family as Daruun¡¯s newest daughter.


    "Thank you, Father..." Lunara cried as she was embraced by Daruun and Sterfen. "Thank you, Sterf..."


    "For you, anything..." Sterfen whispered softly.


    The momentsted a few seconds before Daruun released them. He looked to Kori and smiled sorrowfully. "I¡¯m sorry it ended up like that..."


    "Don¡¯t worry about it," stated Kori. "Losing an arm meant I was able to track my son, letting me save his life. I consider it a blessing."


    "I¡¯m d you see things so clearly... I¡¯m excited to wee you into the family as my grandson. And now, I have my first-ever great-grandson!" Walking to the foxy duo, Daruun petted them both. "Wee to the family, Bowzer!"


    "Thanks!"


    Both foxes licked Daruun as they enjoyed the familial bonds of the neutral gods all the more. That left Jack and the others as Daruun returned to face the group. "I don¡¯t have much time, so we¡¯ll have to be quick about it. What else do you need of me, Jack?"


    "Before I forget, there¡¯s something I want you to hold onto." Looking to Eedaj, Jack asked, "You still have it on you, right?"


    Surprised to realize Jack¡¯s scheme, Eedaj nodded. The next instant, a crystal ball with all manner of etchings and patterns was brought out of Eedaj¡¯s storage.


    "That... You have one of his keys?!" Moranti was baffled and excited. "Wait! Why are you giving it to Daruun?!"


    "Because that way no one will ever be able to unseal Skaryn," reasoned Jack.


    "But--"


    "Give me one good reason why I shouldn¡¯t."


    Moranti thought hard, trying to think of something new to say. He ended up turning to Daruun and asked, "Is that the best thing to do? What¡¯s wrong with unsealing Skaryn?"


    Daruun sighed and showed a soft smile. "That¡¯s hard to say... Skaryn is moreplicated than Halmut, which is both a good and bad for this case. It¡¯s good because there¡¯s a chance he may be of aid to our cause but there¡¯s also a chance that he would absolutely ruin everything."


    "There¡¯s a chance he would help us?!" Jack shouted in question. "How?! Then why does my system want me to prevent his return?!"


    "All of these questions shouldn¡¯t be asked right now," stated Daruun. The God of Fate waved his hand to float the enchantment key toward him, taking it into his hands. "For now, I¡¯ll hold onto it."


    Jack quickly opened his system but was disappointed to see that his quest to prevent Skaryn¡¯s revival was still active, even after Daruun took the enchantment key.


    "Now, is there anything else?" Daruun asked. "If not, I¡¯m awfully busy and--"


    "Wait!" shouted Jack. "How should we handle the reserve forces that Halmut¡¯s been saving? We held back the syndicate, but that was with sacrifices. And now some of our key fighters will ascend and face gods instead."


    "Then it sounds like you¡¯ll need to increase both your mortal and immortal forces. You need to hurry up and leave for Earthen Keep, or you¡¯ll take too long to reach your tomb and those two may not ascend," reasoned Daruun. "As for facing those beasts, you¡¯ve already got a few races loyal to you, so why not better incorporate them into your forces?"


    "What do... You mean the storehouse?" asked Jack.


    "It would be a great start, enough to face the association together with your current forces. As for facing the dragons... Have you considered your party¡¯s potential strength? What about after you level up all the passive skills you¡¯ve been ignoring? With some leveling, couldn¡¯t they challenge dragons? Dragov is already lv. 86, so it¡¯s a matter of getting the others to catch up," exined Daruun.


    "And what about the wars that are about to break out?"


    "Jack, you shouldn¡¯t be worried about anything. In fact, I don¡¯t think anyone should contact you until you return from your tomb," Daruun stated, stunning everyone. "I¡¯ll be frank. Trouble won¡¯t stoping. But with everything you¡¯ve prepared and everyone you¡¯ve gathered under the Leisure Guild, they¡¯ll manage without you while you¡¯re in Earthen Keep."

 Chapter 461 Holy Conference Begins

    <h4>Chapter 461 Holy Conference Begins</h4>


    Continuing, Daruun added, "So long as everyone does their best and does everything to keep the Leisure Guild as the focus of their mind, then you¡¯ll find everyone waiting for you by the time you return, Jack. Okay?"


    Then, Daruun looked to Jack¡¯s wives and party. "I know it may be hard, but can I ask you all to please not contact Jack while he¡¯s away. He may worry but that will motivate him to be faster."


    Nodding without a smile, Daliea responded, "I can promise..."


    "Me too..." added Maura.


    Eliza sighed, "I... I can promise too... But only if you promise that Jack wille back alive!"


    "That I can guarantee," Daruun stated with a smile. "You¡¯ll be amazed by what wille to pass after his return. Use this time to prepare yourselves physically and mentally. Things will only get worse until this finallyes to an end."


    Having said his piece, Daruun bowed his head to everyone again. "I¡¯ll let you all get back to work while I do the same. It was nice seeing you all again."


    One more sh filled the great room, blinding everyone as Daruun left the world.


    Understanding hisck of time, Jack hurried to Argyle. "Can you promise to protect them while I¡¯m gone?"


    "Why are you asking only him?" Hadurt sauntered over and threw an arm around Jack¡¯s shoulders. "Remember, all of us are here for that."


    "But when they leave--"


    "Eliza will be staying here," stated Dragas, catching everyone off guard. "She¡¯ll listen to her mother and stay her. That way I can protect my daughter and my grandchild."


    A bit taken aback by that statement, Argyle asked, "Sure, you may have adopted her but I raised her. If she wants to--"


    "She¡¯s staying with me until Jack returns." Dragas stood her ground, but showed Argyle a sly smile. "You seem like apetent father... If you don¡¯t like me ordering her around as her adoptive mother, how about we make it official?"


    "WHAT?!"


    Before Argyle could say anymore, he caught whiff of a gentle smell nearing his nostrils. As he stared into Dragas¡¯s eyes, he felt his heart soften a little.


    "Come now... I won¡¯t bite, not until you ask me to," the goddess added, not afraid to seduce Argyle in front of everyone.


    Jack and Eliza both enjoyed seeing Argyle struggle to handle Dragas. At the same time, Jack went to his wives and wrapped them with his arms. "I¡¯ll make sure to set a dungeon record so I can get back ASAP."


    "What¡¯s a-sap?" Daliea asked with a chuckle.


    "It means ¡¯as soon as possible¡¯. I don¡¯t want to be gone any longer then I need to be," exined Jack, getting all three of his wives to hug him tighter.


    "Be safe..." mumbled Eliza, fighting the urge to beg Jack to stay a bit longer.


    "Always. How else will I get to see my beautiful wives again?"


    A momentter, they let go of each other with a sigh. They only waved as Jack hurried to Choron and Moranti.


    They said only a few words before Jack started performing his pact with each of them. In a rush against the clock, Jack hastily wrote the pacts as Kori and Lorwynn approached him. The moment Jack was finished with both pacts, Moranti waved good-bye as he opened a spatial rift for the trio.


    Onest time, Jack waved to his loved ones before stepping through the rift.


    *****


    Unharmed and perfectly capable, both Oosam and Tralbok appeared inside an underground chamber. As the transporting light faded, Tralbok rushed to his seat at the viewing table.


    No one else was there but Tralbok eyed the other seats while retrieving a contact crystal.


    "Get back now!" Tralbok ordered. "There¡¯s been a change of ns! If you don¡¯t want to die Moranti¡¯s hand,e back now!"


    Oosam calmly but stressfully sighed as he too returned to his seat. Joining Tralbok, he waited for the others in silent meditation.


    *****


    "Perchet, tell Naparn to hurry up. It¡¯s toote to not feel ashamed so least he can do is get his humiliation over with quickly so we can begin."


    The blindfolded man nodded. His mouth and lips moved but no one at the table heard anything.


    Not even a minuteter, Naparn rushed into the room in a cold sweat.


    Seeing this, Halmut chuckled. "Perchet, what did you tell him?"


    "That if he wasted more time, then you¡¯d remove a single digit for every minute more we waited," Perchet answered, getting everyone at the table to billow withughter.


    "What?! How dare you lie to--"


    "Sit down already!" Halmut ordered, getting Naparn to finally concede and take his seat. "Good. Now that we¡¯re gathered here after so long a time, let me ask this first. Is there any news that I should be aware of?"


    The table was silent and solemn. Only one figure rose from his seat to face Halmut at the table¡¯s head.


    "Grixor... What is it you need to tell me?"


    "Your excellency, I lost the key."


    "WHAT?!" Halmut roared, letting his draconic fury show. "What do you mean?! How could you lose such a thing?!"


    "It was a long time ago..." Grixor exined. "While I was hibernating, a hero snuck into my temple and stole some of my treasures."


    "You let--"


    "He seeded in stealing them but I killed him before he could escape," Grixor continued, not daring to stop his story until it was finished. "But the hero¡¯s death created a sealed tomb and I had no way to enter it or activate it."


    "Then... the key is among the treasures inside that tomb?" Halmut brought his boiling anger down to a simmer. "Hmm... That may work in our favor. Not even the chaotic gods could--"


    "But someone else did activate that tomb," added Grixor. "But by the time I rushed in, they were gone with all of the treasures..."


    "You... YOU FOOL!!" Halmut pped his hand through the air, hurling a mass of holy energy at the hulking figure of Grixor. While the Quake Dragon was thrown into a nearby wall, Halmut snarled. "How dare you lose the most precious item I entrusted you?! Kylon, tell me that you still have yours!"


    "Of course I do." The woman stood up and bowed her head with a small smile.


    "Good..." Halmut¡¯s temper died down again.


    "The enchantment key is still in my possession, always safely guarded," Kylon added.


    While he red at Grixor scrambling to his feet, halmut reminded, "Make sure to always be on guard. Thanks to Grixor¡¯s failure, it¡¯s the final key that remains. You should remain entirely focused on safekeeping it."


    "Very well."


    As the Kylon sat back down and Grixor returned to his seat, Halmut looked to Lyrun. "Remind me of that two-timing coward¡¯s offer?"


    "Tralbok agreed to bring Moranti in chains in exchange for fair treatment and conditions when joining the holy gods," stated Lyrun. "However, I think Tralbok will be changing that proposal."


    "Why?" Halmut asked, not happy to be promised Moranti¡¯s life only for those words to be withdrawn.


    "I saw something take ce in my looking ss. It was a fairly quick exchange, so quick that there was nothing I could do." Lyrun exined, "When Tralbok and Oosam started rushing toward Olympic Chateau, they were intercepted. Choron and the neutral champion led Lunara, Sterfen, Eedaj, and Jin to free Moranti. The moment Moranti was freed, Tralbok fled with Oosam."


    "Oh... That means that loose canon is atrge..." With dissatisfaction riddling his face, Halmut leaned back in his great chair. "If that¡¯s so, then epting Tralbok and the others may not be a bad option. Of course, their contracts will be far more strict but such is the fate of those on the losing side... They must agree to the conditions of their superior or fall."

 Chapter 462 The Holy Gods Plan

    <h4>Chapter 462 The Holy Gods¡° n</h4>


    "True..." Lyrun chuckled and nodded. "I think he¡¯ll agree. I¡¯m not sure about the others, but Tralbok should be able to sway them now that Moranti is a serious threat to their lives."


    "In that case, Kylon, you should still keep track of that enchantment key but you can rx a little. I may have you make an appearance with the rest of us," stated Halmut, snatching everyone¡¯s full attention. "With the neutral gods iming Trodar, it¡¯s only fair that we retake our rightful spots in the mortal world. Then, it will only be a matter of time till we can snuff out Trodar and im victory."


    "Finally!" Naparn shouted, lifting his fist in praise.


    "Yes! It¡¯s about time they recognize you for your true worth, your excellency!" Torian shouted as well, raising his fist in a simr fashion.


    "For his excellency!" shouted Grixor.


    In unison, the gods around the table cheered, "For his excellency!"


    "Thank you." Halmut nodded, feeling satisfied. "When we finally win and I ascend beyond this world, I¡¯ll make sure to bring you all with me!"


    All the holy gods cheered and smiled, some falsely and some genuinely. Perchet was the only one who kept to himself but that was to be expected of him. He rarely spoke out of turn and was extra sensitive to sound, so he was always the lone wolf that never praised Halmut beyond the initial cheer.


    Halmut next put up his hands and stood. Waiting for everyone to quiet down, Halmut added, "Now, I would like to hear your opinions as to what we do next. I have my own thoughts, but I¡¯d prefer to hear yours first. Naparn?"


    Standing, Naparn replied, "I believe we should strike before the neutral gods gain more power. If we give them too much time--"


    "Do you believe that they¡¯ll defeat me, Naparn?" Halmut suddenly questioned.


    "That... That¡¯s not what I was implying." Naparn rewarded his thoughts, "I think now is the best time for us to deal with them. They¡¯ll only be more formidable in time so I believe we should strike while we have the advantage."


    "Not bad... Lyrun?"


    Taking the spotlight from Naparn, Lyrun stood up. "I think it would be best to wait. Since we have our reserved forces, I don¡¯t see why we should act in such a rush."


    "But--"


    "Naparn! Let him speak freely!" Halmut ordered, eager to hear Lyrun¡¯s thoughts on the matter.


    Nodding, Lyrun continued, "If they¡¯re about to raise more gods, then let¡¯s do the same. What would be so horrible about that? Adding the remaining chaotic gods and the more powerful dragons waiting to ascend, would we get outdone so easily?"


    "Very true... Then, what do you think we should do while we wait for the proper moment?" Halmut asked.


    "I agree with your prior statement," Lyrun answered. "If we return to the public eye, then we¡¯ll be weed just as much, if not more than the neutral gods. Our mortal forces would soon outnumber theirs and our immortal forces would grow more quickly than theirs. If we focus on the end game then we¡¯ll be best prepared for the moment to strike. If we¡¯re short-sighted, then we may create the opportunity of our own demise."


    "Well said!" Halmut praised. "Does anyone else agree with him?"


    "I second Lyrun¡¯s thoughts as my own," stated Kylon.


    Grixor nodded. "I prefer to fight, but a long battle is favorable this time."


    "What do you think, Tyres?" asked Halmut.


    All the gods turned to see the only true human among them. They were all anxious to hear his opinion, not only as a human but as the youngest of the holy gods.


    Tyres blinked and stated, "So long as I can face new challenges to grow, then I¡¯m fine with anything. But I think Lyrun has a point."


    "Then we all agree with Lyrun, that we should grow aggressively and eventually smother Trodar to death!" shouted Halmut, praising Lyrun more and more.


    Naparn was the only one who still held a slight grudge against that idea, partially because he was on the losing side of the discussion. But he couldn¡¯t overturn Halmut¡¯s orders or disagree with the entire faction. That would only remove even more from his influence over the other gods, something that he refused to lose as the second-strongest holy god.


    "Then, let¡¯s check in on Tralbok..." Halmut smiled as he activated the viewing table.


    Searching the ideal path between Olympic Chateau and Hades Compound, they found no godsing their way. That being said, Lyrun then retrieved his contact crystal to speak with Tralbok.


    "Tralbok? Yes... Yes... Alright... I¡¯ll pass the crystal." Pausing the conversation, Lyrun tossed the contact crystal to Halmut. "He¡¯s got them gathered and wants to speak conditions with you."


    Chuckling, Halmut spoke with the crystal in hand. "Yes, Tralbok?"


    "Halmut, your excellency, I¡¯ve gathered those of us that remain of the chaotic gods. After much deliberating, we¡¯ve decided that it would be best to ally ourselves to you while the neutral gods are atrge," Tralbok stated.


    "True, but how do you n to ally with us? I have only one condition, that you formally join the holy gods," ordered Halmut. "We¡¯ll even allow you to join us while we return to the public. As you gain followers and pledges, you¡¯ll be able to grow stronger."


    "I¡¯m not against those conditions," Tralbok rified.


    "Great. Then hurry here and we¡¯ll discuss your contracts in great detail."


    "Can¡¯t we--"


    "Never form an alliance with someone afraid to meet in person. There¡¯s no telling what such a person might scheme if left unchecked," added Halmut. "Hurry here or you¡¯ll have no part of us."


    "... Very well. We¡¯ll be leaving shortly..."


    After Tralbok ended the conversation, Halmutughed and threw the crystal back to Lyrun. "Well done again, Lyrun. You¡¯ve handled the negotiations well up to this point. I can tell by Tralbok¡¯s submissiveness."


    "Thank you, your excellency. All for you and your glory," replied Lyrun, smiling.


    "With that being said, who would like to make the first appearance?" Halmut asked. "Whoever it is, I expect your arrival toe with the conquering of a nation!"


    "Then allow me..." Naparn stood, d that at least a portion of his n would be useful. "I¡¯ll lead Maltor to rise up as an empire, like ancient times."


    "Great! Who else?"


    "Allow me." Catching everyone off guard, Tyres stood proudly. "I¡¯ll take those puny territories back for Zuran and make the empire ours."


    "Perfect!" d to see the gods excited, Naparn continued, "Who else?"


    "I have a suggestion..." Lyrun spoke up again. "How about we test the loyalty of those soon-to-be members of the pantheon? Doesn¡¯t Tralbok have a temple in Sandros and Oosam one in Talrania? Why not have both nations ally to invade Trodar?"


    "Interesting... Keep going," Halmut insisted.


    "We¡¯ll see just how loyal they are to your excellency¡¯s glory and they¡¯ll be perfect for keeping Trodar busy and out of everyone else¡¯s business. Wouldn¡¯t they make the perfect diversion for us to overtake the rest of the world?"


    "Lyrun, that¡¯s a perfect n. We¡¯ll do just that!" Halmut broke out in arrogantughter. "Once this preparatory phase has passed, then we¡¯ll begin to pressure Trodar and squeeze the life from them. Then, finally, we¡¯ll be able to use them as sacrifices for my final ascension."


    "For his excellency!" Tyres shouted, reigniting the cheer.


    "For his excellency!"


    With everyone shouting praises, Halmut patiently waited for Tralbok¡¯s arrival. Though they wouldn¡¯t be fully willing, Halmut understood how persuasive he could be when applying the right kind of pressure.


    All the gods began to take out wines, ales, brundies and all sorts of liquor.


    While the other cheered and drank for either Halmut or their own personal desires for power, Lyrun cheered and kept the source of his joy a secret. He relished in the fact that his former disciple would soon ascend. It was a proud moment for him.

 Chapter 463 Enter Earthen Keep

    <h4>Chapter 463 Enter Earthen Keep</h4>


    Stepping through the rift in space, Jack, Lorwynn, Kori found themselves in a strange ce.


    It was barren for as far as the eye could see but there was little to no sand. It wasn¡¯t mountainous but smaller, crude mounds of rock dotted the area. There were no trees but there were many forms of bushes and cacti that mimicked trees. At the same time, there was no sky overhead. Instead, they saw rock jutting downward from the ceiling with some kari crystals scattered across the protrusions as dim artificial lighting.


    "So he sent us straight in... I guess we don¡¯t need to worry about resealing the tomb," joked Jack.


    "Get ready," Kori spoke up. "We¡¯ve already been spotted."


    "Correction, you two have been spotted. I¡¯ll get away while you distract everyone. But first, Lorwynn, we need to rewrite your pact. Can you keep them busy for a moment, Kori?" Jack asked as he slit his finger.


    The hero and former holy champion quickly redid heir pact, allowing Lorwynnplete ess to all of his earned EXP.


    While they did that, Kori got a headstart on his kill count. Two basilisks with reptilian, lizard bodies and feathers of all colors had rushed the party, getting intercepted and caught off guard by Kori¡¯s overwhelming transformation. His ck, unquenchable mes covered both basilisks lost all their feathers and soon their lives while Jack finished up.


    "That¡¯s two for me," stated Kori, still keeping his me body active. "Let¡¯s see who can level up quicker."


    "You¡¯re on!"


    Excited to know what was toe, Lorwynn covered himself in lightning and wind energy. As the next few basilisks approached the party more cautiously, they were suddenly caught off guard by Lorwynn frightening speed. Thanks to Rikko choosing him, Lorwyn managed to add a few wind buffs in ce of attacks, making flight effortless for Lorwynn and allowing him to nearly match the nimble Goblin God.


    In their shock, all three basilisks were in lightning riddle them thorned vines emerged from the ground to strangle them to death.


    "Well, I¡¯ll be off," Jack stated, already invisible. "Don¡¯t worry about how many items you use. There¡¯s a reason I let you raid the guild vault for supplies."


    "Thanks! Then we won¡¯t ask for forgivenesster!" Kori chuckled. He couldn¡¯t remember thest time he just let go, allowing himself to attack and burn anything and everything without a care in the world. It felt liberating as he started over on his path to ascension.


    While Jack disappeared and said no more, the duo of a full-evolved Hell-me Fox and a former champion that now had four magical affinities attracted more and more beasts as they began the harsh grind for lv. 90.


    Jack keptpletely silent and out of sight as he ran through the first floor. He had developed something new that made things much easier for him.


    By tweaking his map tab, Jack positioned it to be his mini-map he always did. It didn¡¯t show much, at least not until Jack cast God¡¯s Eye. Not expecting this to happen, Jack realized that the mini-map was updated ording to what Jack saw. Also, a notification popped up on his system, making Jack truly feel like a cheater.


    [Would the user wish to cast God¡¯s Eye over the map?]


    [Yes or no?]


    No hesitation was needed. Instantly selecting yes, Jack found himself able to see as he normally would while also keeping a thoroughly detailed view of the world and enemies around him with his revamped mini-map. Paired with his ultimate invisibility, Jack could now glide through the first floor and avoid all the mobs that would be fodder for Lorwynn and Kori.


    Feeling more rxed about the situation, Jack found a clear area far from all the mobs. The hero took a seat on the mostfortable rock he could find as he opened his skill list.


    With twelve thousand five hundred and sixteen skill points, Jack took a moment to carefully choose which passive skills needed the biggest boosts.


    Even though it took Jack a few minutes, he didn¡¯t care. What Jack wanted was to use his skill points to boost a number of skills and spells, not spend them all at once. He remembered Daruun mentioning how Jack would want as many skill points as possible after running Earthen Keep, so he wanted to keep a sizable sum forter use.


    Though Jack eyed many skills and spells he could easily purchase, Jack decided not to buy anything apart from passive skills until he knew what Daruun was warning him about.


    In the end, Jack had spent a total of two thousand six hundred and forty-five skill points purely on passive skills. Jack upgraded a total of nine passive skills to lv. 6, which included: bow, sword, knives/daggers, physical resistance, strength, speed, hearing, perception, and stealth. He debated going higher, but the amount of skill points that would take was beyond anything Jack wanted to spend at the moment. Going from lv. 9 to the maxed lv. 10 for a single skill would cost two thousand five hundred and sixty skill points, and that didn¡¯t include the upgrade to lv. 7, lv. 8, or lv. 9. As much as Jack liked the thought of upgrading something to the max, now wasn¡¯t the time.


    Saving nine thousand eight hundred and seventy-one skill points forter, Jack took a deep breath and resumed his journey.


    d that his upgraded mini-map wasted little to no mana, Jack kept it active at all times while he hurried through the first floor. Due to the spell focusing on only that perimeter around Jack, it reduced the mana cost aspared to viewing the entire floor at once.


    While mobs were either attracted to the raging Hell-me Fox and overwhelming mage, Jack sneaked past the many mobs ranging from lv. 80 to lv. 83. Such would be the reality for the first few floors that originally were only lv 80 while in-game. The mission wasn¡¯t difficult in terms of execution due to Jack¡¯s strategy, but it would test his patience as Jack would do his best to rush across ny-nine of thergest dungeon floors of all Kartonia.

 Chapter 464 The War Conference

    <h4>Chapter 464 The War Conference</h4>


    Two days had passed since Morani¡¯s rescue and Jack¡¯s departure. Gilga was receiving more traffic and immigrants than ever before, evenpared to its hay-day.


    Currently, numerous dignitaries were visiting the city. In particr, Many nobles and military officials had gathered within the Leisure Guild while the guild hosted the requested war conference between Trodar, Iscantor, Prachten, and Limneer.


    Outside the conference hall, Rydel was speaking with someone via contact crystal visibly disturbed by what he was being told.


    "There are how many?!" Rydel blurted out his words, startled and unable to control his volume at first. "How could Zuran suddenly gain so many people?"


    "I don¡¯t know," Tridon replied, "But I wanted to ask if there¡¯s any way you coulde with Jack and--"


    "Jack¡¯s busy right now. He¡¯ll be gone for a while and not even the gods are allowed to disturb him," Rydel stated, disheartening Tridon. "I think I can go along with a few others... but I¡¯m not making any promises about winning you the war."


    "Thank you! Thank you! With this, you can consider your debts for those beasts you took free and clear!"


    "That¡¯s so thoughtful of you..." Sighing, Rydel took a moment to think before saying, "Jack can¡¯te, but I think I can take Bowzer and Karronteel..."


    "Great! Oh, and who¡¯s Karronteel?"


    "You¡¯ll find out soon enough. We¡¯ll be there within the hour."


    "Within the hour?!" having his expectations obliterated, Tridon shouted, "How can you--"


    "I¡¯ve got to go and finish a few something. If not for that, we would be there in a few minutes," stated Rydel. "See you soon..."


    Ending the conversation, Rydel stored his contact crystal and reentered the giant conference hall. He strolled up one of the center aisles and returned to his seat, one of many on a raised seating area overlooking six sections of seating.


    Each of those six sections was filled with representatives from the three territories that defected from Trodar, taking two sections each.


    At the front of Trodar¡¯s raised seating area was Vixus. After he was officially named as the Vice Guild Master, he also assumed the role of the council spokesman. No gods were seated with him, leaving him as the presiding dignitary.


    With him were all higher-ups of the Leisure Guild and the Leisure Guild¡¯s subordinate guilds. Also, Jack¡¯s party was present, which is why Rydel returned to sit beside Maynard, Zariff, and Trax.


    Vixus paid no attention to Rydel as he returned, acting as if the hunter showed no interruption whatsoever. "I¡¯ll ask again. Do you three territories agree to these terms? And if not, please inform us as to why."


    Prachten was the first territory to speak up. Their head representative stood back up and exined, "As for agreeing with the terms, I can¡¯t so for certain without taking a small recess to confirm with my fellow representatives. But I will say that I personally find no fault with the terms and am willing to support such a decision."


    "We¡¯re d to hear that." Vixus smiled and bowed his head to the Prachten representative. "Should there be any issues that you do have with the terms, we can discuss them then."


    Vixus and those from Trodar then looked to the representatives of Iscantor. Their amiable yet unreadable expressions said a lot.


    "As the current Vizor elected to head the Iscantor council, I¡¯m willing to stand by your terms, Vice Guild Master Vixus." That man also showed a friendly smile with more depth than politicians could easily read into.


    "Wonderful. We¡¯re happy to know that you¡¯re willing to join Trodar and work together to increase our security and influence across Kartonia."


    All eyes fell onto the crowd from Limneer.


    At the front of that crowd sat General Toms among a few others. But General Toms said nothing, only gritting his teeth while staring at Jack¡¯s party.


    When the conference began that morning, Jack¡¯s party was introduced as those that subdues the illegal army that Limneer had formed against the policies of the agreed-upon war pact. It brought them a new level of prestige but also a lot of infamy among those of Limneer. With the nobles and generals of Limneer controlling things behind the scenes, how could they not want to strangle the party that kept them from taking control of the war? Rather, now they were all on the losing side in terms of reputation, appreciation of their citizens, and stiptions with clear bias at the war conference.


    A well-dressed man a few seats away from General Toms stood up. His smile wasn¡¯t true but it was worthy of a conniving politician. "Vice Guild Master Vixus, there are many treatments that we agree to, but there are some which we can¡¯t possibly ept."


    "And those would be?" Vixus asked for rification.


    Thevishly dressed man continued, "We agreed to form an alliance with Trodar but we see no reason why we should be a subordinate territory of Trodar. This past war has proven that our three nations are capable of many things without Trodar, so I don¡¯t believe there are enough grounds for us to be your subordinates."


    "Is that all?"


    "Also, there¡¯s a single condition that should¡¯ve been added to your proposal," stated the man. "With your abundance of gods, why must they all remain in Gilga? There¡¯s no point in having an alliance for protection when only Gilga and Trodar are protected."


    "Understandable... Then how about this, I¡¯ll get you a conference with the gods and you can convince them to relocate. How¡¯s that?" Vixus questioned, too savvy with business and politics to waste words unnecessarily.


    "That... As you¡¯re the ones with the connection to the gods, then it would best be handled by yourselves. Isn¡¯t your guild master a spokesman for them? Where is he, by the way?"


    "Guild Master Jack is handling more important matters at the moment," Vixus replied. "And though he represents them, they¡¯ve officially integrated themselves into the Leisure Guild. Technically, they don¡¯t belong to Trodar but the guild. If you¡¯re asking me to manage your rtionship with them, that would need to be through a separate inquiry of the guild and not Trodar."


    "But--"


    "As for bing our subordinates, that¡¯s mostly for your benefit and not ours," Vixus continued. "Should you want to face the world on your own, then you¡¯re wee to do so. But if you seek the protection of Trodar and are daring enough to request the guild to relocate their strongest forces elsewhere, then what are you offering us in return for such a ridiculous request. Please, sense of it if you can."


    Taking a moment to choose his words, the man carefully said, "It¡¯s not a request but something that our people need to feel secure. Without at least that, how could we justify suddenly allying with our enemy to the popce?"


    "I think there¡¯s some error in your thinking..." Vixus sighed and went on, "If I¡¯m not mistaken, the greatest fraction of our newest immigrantse from Limneer. Unless you¡¯re ever worse at handling paperwork then your political mannerisms make me believe you are, then how could you not know that? Wouldn¡¯t allying with us, in fact, boost the poprity of you nobles and generals currently in power?"


    That man wanted to speak but Vixus kept going, saying, "If you refuse to see the facts, then there¡¯s nothing I can do to help you. However, I can inform you that Limneer did breach the former war pact, which gives us reason enough to invade with high-level experts. You haven¡¯t forgotten that fact as well, have you?"


    Biting his tongue, the man stayed his anger with his smile that wasn¡¯t a smile. "Vice Guild Master Vixus, please see our reasoning more clearly. With the way the world is going, how can we--"


    "Shut up."

 Chapter 465 Limneer Faces Judgmen

    <h4>Chapter 465 Limneer Faces Judgmen</h4>


    "Shut up." Tired of the roundabout discussion, Vixus cut to the core of the argument. "You just don¡¯t want to face the consequences of breaking the war pact and are so greedy that you¡¯ll ask your foes for godly aid with little to no repercussions on your part. If I¡¯m wrong about that, please exin to me how so."


    The representative from Limneer opened his mouth but the Vizor of Iscantor spoke up first, "Isn¡¯t he also forgetting the Leisure Guild¡¯s trade pact with Korten? By opening the guild branches in our territories, we would also gain ess to elven trade goods, a privilege unique to Trodar alone."


    "Right," the head representative of Prachten spoke up next. "Not only are you asking for more than you¡¯re willing to offer, you¡¯re wanting us to overlook your war crimes as well? Where did you find such confidence, I wonder..."


    "That¡¯s enough bickering, so how about we get back to the real discussion," the lead noble of Limneer insisted. "Those are the issues that I have with the terms."


    Nodding, Vixus stated, "In that case, Trodar sees no benefit in working with such a two-faced nation. With your inability to discuss things thoroughly, it¡¯s astounding that your nation functions at all. I feel sorry for any citizen headed by such perverse leadership."


    Fully enraged, the lead noble red at Vixus and the others.


    At the side, Toms could no longer withhold his anger. A spell scroll appeared in his hand under the long table where those at the front sat. He steeled his nerves, ready to cast a spell that Toms could only afford after selling everything he owned.


    "If Limneer won¡¯t be respected, then I see no reason to continue," stated the lead noble. "We¡¯ll leave immediately and--"


    "Not so fast..."


    A voice telepathically filled the room, catching all representatives of the three territories by surprise.


    One of the side doors opened as Eedaj entered and continued, "Should anyone leave their seats now, I¡¯ll treat them as an enemy of the Leisure Guild."


    "Who are--"


    "Eedaj, thank you for joining us!" Vixus shouted with a smile. "It¡¯s a pleasure to have the Mind God joining our conference."


    Hearing Eedaj¡¯s title struck everyone dumb, even Toms with his fingers clutched tightly to the spell scroll.


    Turning to face the representatives of Limneer, Eedaj spoke normally for all to hear, "You know, things would¡¯ve been handled differently if I or any god was heading this conference. We wouldn¡¯t leave you territories with a choice. In terms of power, all you can offer are able bodies and mid-level experts for the most part. Give me one reason why I should let you leave and return to your discussions with Sandros?"


    "That--"


    "And you..." Eedaj raised his arm, picking up a man beside the lead noble with telekinesis. "I¡¯ll tell you now that you won¡¯t be returning to Sandros either..."


    epting his fate, Tomsmitted himself. He stood and pointed one hand toward Jack¡¯s party.


    "Just die!"


    Everyone else was confused. When Toms rushed to his feet iming death upon those from Trodar, he didn¡¯t do anything else.


    Noticing that nothing happened, Toms shouted again, "Die!" But again, nothing happened.


    "Oh, Rikko no care for scroll..." Rikko sighed, depressed.


    Only then did Toms notice the strange blue-skinned goblin now standing behind him. And in that goblin¡¯s hands was the precious spell scroll that cost everything from Toms.


    "Give that back you useless goblin!" Toms yelled, taking out a sword with his one arm.


    "Rikko no useless. You useless!"


    With that shout, Rikko then appeared behind Toms again, now atop the table. But in his hands was Toms¡¯s decapitated head. "Ugh... Head too ugly for trophy..."


    Rikko tossed the head back into the crowd of Limneer of representatives as he hopped off the table and itched his nose. At the same time, Eedaj slowly approached the lead noble and had everyone enraptured. Both appeared and immediately became the centers of attention and fear.


    Eedaj asked, "Shall you speak for yourself, or shall I pass judgment first and speak for youter?"


    "You can¡¯t--"


    "Ah, ah, ahhh... Shhh, no need to shout."


    Another voice filled the room all of a sudden. It wasn¡¯t telepathic yet no one was able to tell where it originated. When everyone looked to the now-silent lead noble, they found a clue, however.


    On the lead noble¡¯s neck was a drip of blood, trickling down until it fell onto his expensive blouse. The stain continued to grow as more and more blood kept trickling, as if growing longer slowly with each passing second.


    "Do you plea guilty or innocent?" asked the voice.


    Trembling and pale from fright, the lead noble gradually opened his quivering mouth. "I-I... I didn¡¯t..."


    The trail of blood suddenly became a plume of warm red as it stained the entire outfit. The lead noble¡¯s head fell softly, unable to hold his head up or the rest of his body. His corpse flopped onto the table for all to see in horror or awe.


    Finally, the origin of the voice was revealed. A man in simple ck clothing appeared where the lead noble once stood, casually looting the corpse.


    "For those of you yet to be killed," Eedaj continued, shaking the Limneer representatives to the core, "you¡¯ll be questioned and inspected by me. We don¡¯t wish to kill you all. We¡¯re only after those that will lead to the eventual copse of Limneer at cause Trodar and the Leisure Guild more trouble in the long run."


    All was silent as Eedaj nonchntly strolled through the aisles of Limneer¡¯s two seating sections. Some people instantly copsed, dying in a way that none of them could understand while Eedaj filtered through all of their minds.


    In the end, five of six generals were killed and three of five noble family heads were in.


    Those from Prachten and Iscantor were speechless. With no ability to even decipher or gauge the capabilities of those three men, they could only assume all three were deities like Eedaj. And seeing the stark difference between them and mortals shattered their expectations many times over.

 Chapter 466 Trodar United

    <h4>Chapter 466 Trodar United</h4>


    With the gods cleaning up, Vixus readdressed the crowd of representatives, "Is it safe to say that everyone else is in agreement with these terms?"


    "Of course!" The Prachten head representative bowed his head, making sure to show no signs of offense to the guild or the gods.


    "We¡¯ll ept the terms also," added the Iscantor Vizor.


    "Then this is what will take ce now." Vixus exined, "You now fly the Trodan g, but you may still fly your own to represent your territory. You¡¯ll exist as separately governed states within Trodar. Though you¡¯ll have follow thews of Trodar, you may petition for expectations or alterations within your own territories. You¡¯ll form a council to run your territory, whose top three representatives will now be a part of the Trodan Council. The territory containing Gilga will be named after it¡¯s new, rising megacity. All four states, Gilga, Prachten, Iscantor, and Limneer, will make up Trodar.


    "As a side note, know that the Leisure Guild will open and construct new branches in each of your capitals. Simr to how the Adventurers Association functioned before the battle of Federal City, you¡¯ll be able to hire the guild or seek aid from them in times of emergency," continued Vixus. "Also, as we promised, we¡¯ll construct a marketce within the guild¡¯s property so that elven traders and merchandise will be avable to your territories."


    Turning to the remaining half of the Limneer representatives, Vixus smiled warmly. "For those of you from Limneer, know that we hold no grudge against those that remain. Eedaj has already mentally purged you of anyone that would¡¯ve brought you to ruin, so we¡¯re d to be working with you all from now on.


    "We already know about the struggle that you¡¯re facing now, including the shortage of food and resources due to the forest fire that resulted from Trodar defending the border," Vixus added, letting the Limneer representatives feel more at ease. "As proof that we still respect those remaining in Limneer, allow me to introduce the manager that¡¯s will direct the Leisure Guild¡¯s Limneer branch."


    That same side door from earlier opened, grabbing everyone¡¯s attention. When the remaining people from Limneer recognized the man entering the room, the load on their hearts was lightened.


    "As some of you may know, I¡¯m Dirk Capush, the former assistant to thete General Toms. From now on, I¡¯ll be in your care," introducing himself with a proud bow, Dirk dly greeted some of his old friends.


    "Dirk! You¡¯re alive?!" One of the remaining family heads was floored to see his childhood friend still alive.


    "Yes, very much so," chuckled Dirk. "Along with other experts from the Leisure guild, I¡¯ll dly be serving Limneer. But this time in a manner that the people of Limneer deserve."


    "Know this," Vixus spoke up again, letting Dirk join those of Limneer, "All of our guild properties will be linked via teleportation circles, which will be essible to the public for fees depending on the purpose of each use."


    "You mean... we¡¯ll be able to travel to and from each territory using teleportation magic? That¡¯s amazing!" Prachten¡¯s head representative was overjoyed to hear such great news, as was everyone else.


    Nodding, Vixus continued, "The conditions of use are this. Only legitimate citizens of Trodar may ess it, or official trading partners of Trodar and the Leisure Guild. To prove that, each citizen will take a simple, free test to receive a Trodan emblem as proof of citizenship. Should the emblem be lost they can simply retake the test and receive a new emblem for a fee of one silver."


    "A test? Why a test?" asked the Iscantor Vizor.


    "To ensure the safety of our guild and Trodar as a whole," answered Vixus. "The testprises mainly of two things. They¡¯ll be tested for being a member of the Chaos Syndicate and the Adventurers Association. No member of either may enter a guild property without special permission and most definitely cannot use the teleportation services. Should someone use an emblem not linked to them, then they¡¯ll face a trial as to why they would attempt such a thing."


    "Understood!" The Iscantor Vizor sighed, happy to know how secure the Leisure Guild was acting.


    "With that being said, let us end this war conference. Prepare to announce your fealties within the week to your people and begin your elections for council members immediately," stated Vixus. "I look forward to seeing you all again and thank you for joining our efforts in elevating Trodar to a supreme standard. In the courtyard outside a banquet is waiting for those who wish to stay and talk with each other."


    Everyone raised from their seats as many started to pile out of the room and into the courtyard. Some went slower, finding some people to chat with as they followed the crowd. Others stayed behind and waited to speak with those from Trodar.


    While Vixus and the higher-ups from the guild eventually joined everyone in the courtyard, Rydel gathered the party, as well as Argyle who stayed with Eliza. "Everyone, I¡¯ve got some news about Reinolt."


    "I¡¯m in!" Maynard shouted. "It¡¯s war, right? I already know what ya want to say, so count me in!"


    "I guess I¡¯ll tag along then," Trax shrugged and smiled.


    Zariff sighed, "I shouldn¡¯t... I¡¯m barely lv. 30 now..."


    Chuckling, Rydel looked to the women and asked, "Well, I wanted to ask who would join me in fighting Zuran. Do you three want to tag along?"


    "Yes!" Daliea answered right away.


    Maura did the same, "Of course! But not unless--"


    "I¡¯ve already told Tridon that we¡¯re not fullymitted to the war, so don¡¯t worry about that," added Rydel. "Zuran somehow gained another few hundred soldiers and will get overrun soon. With us as reinforcements, they should be fine for now or at least until we can expand the borders and make room for them."


    Eliza wanted to respond, but she turned to her father instead. "Can I go, please...?"


    "Sure, but I¡¯ming too!" Argyle shouted with a smile. "But we¡¯ll have to convince her too, won¡¯t we..."


    "I¡¯m sure you can figure that out. Just offer her something she wants and maybe she¡¯ll give in a little," stated Eliza.


    "But what do I have to offer a god?"


    "Well... I didn¡¯t mention this before, but she¡¯s always wanted to have a child. That¡¯s how--"


    "Whoa!" Putting his hands up in objection, Argyle replied, "Calm down, that¡¯s a bit much."


    "What¡¯s wrong with that? I¡¯ve always wanted a sister, so why not?" Eliza asked, showing her father a pouty face.


    "Either way, let¡¯s go see Moranti and the others. Without them, we won¡¯t be able to make it in time to help," stated Rydel, leading everyone out of the conference room. "Is Lina still with Erina and Willim?"


    "Yeah," Maura answered. "Let¡¯s go get her. I¡¯m sure she¡¯d like to tag along."


    The party walked through the halls with haste, making sure to find the correct room. They knocked and the door swung open before they could ask permission to enter.


    "Big Sisters! Are you here to y with me and Erina?" Lina asked, giving each of the women a hug.


    "Not right now, Lina. We¡¯re going to Reinolt to help their war effort," Rydel spoke up.


    "Does that mean the Leisure Guild is willing to get involved in another nation¡¯s wars?" Sitting on a couch, Prince Willim looked to those entering the room with pleading eyes. "If so, can I ask you to help Aazoon as well?"


    "That¡¯s a tall order... Do you know the situation in Aazoon at the moment? We would need more information," stated Rydel.


    Willim nodded. "Father hasn¡¯t contacted us since his small chat with Jack, but I got some information from others in the pce. Amazon managed to avoid war with some of the surrounding nations and may soon create an alliance of kingdoms. But Maldor changed everything when they attacked out of the blue."

 Chapter 467 Splitting the Party on Two Fronts

    <h4>Chapter 467 Splitting the Party on Two Fronts</h4>


    "Maldor is attacking Aazoon?" Argyle was surprised to hear that.


    "Yeah, but it¡¯s not just Maldor. Maldor is now an empire and our informants say that Naparn has returned to Maldor," stated Willim. "He wants Maltor to expand and some neighboring nations joined in to receive a god¡¯s divine protection."


    "They¡¯d rather be allies with a god than enemies..." Rydel mumbled.


    "Please, help Father!" Erina ran up to the party and hugged Maura along with Lina. "Please!"


    Maura and the other women sighed, understanding what this meant. They were going to have to spit up.


    "How about I go with some people to Aazoon while you take some to Reinolt?" Argyle suggested while nudging Rydel. "Wouldn¡¯t that be best?"


    "Yeah... but now we¡¯ll need gods toe with us. If Naparn¡¯s the cause of the sudden war in Aazoon, then who¡¯s to say that a different god is responsible for the increase in numbers from Zuran? Things will be much more difficult with deities involved..."


    "Then let¡¯s hurry up! We¡¯ve got no time to waste," Argyle chuckled, getting excited for another battle.


    Erina and Willim joined the party as they made their way to find the gods. After a few minutes of walking, the party found a secluded courtyard and entered without saying a word.


    Inside, they found the same three gods that had intervened during the conference discussing what Eedaj had learned from his mind readings. When they spotted the others entering, they dly waved them in and allowed them to join the discussion.


    "Before we discuss anything else, we need your opinion on something," Rydel stated. "Zuran¡¯s military forces have increased drastically overnight and Maldor has officially attacked Aazoon without warning. And ording to Prince Willim¡¯s informants, Naparn¡¯s appearance in Maldor is the cause of the sudden war."


    "Naparn? He¡¯s shown himself?" Sterfen asked, getting a nod from Prince Willim. "Hmm... We¡¯ll have to react carefully. As much as I hate him, Naparn is a real threat to most gods. We have Moranti, but if Moranti acts then Halmut may show up himself..."


    "That¡¯s why we need your opinion on this," Rydel reminded. "Either way, we want to at least go and help while we can. Maybe we can hold things off long enough to expand our borders?"


    "That¡¯s doable, I believe," stated Eedaj. "But let¡¯s wait for--"


    "Eedaj wait for who?"


    The second door to the courtyard swung open as Rikko led the other gods of the Leisure Guild into the courtyard.


    While the party was a bit surprised, Sterfen spoke up, "Since everyone¡¯s here, we¡¯ve got a few things to discuss. And with what we just learned, it may involve all of us."


    "Really?" Dragas asked, holding a hand to her chest. "What happened for all of us to get involved."


    Eedaj scanned Rydel¡¯s mind, followed by the other members of the group. "Allow me to exin. First, know that Sandros is currently trying to steal Limneer as a territory. They wanted to do so politically but we¡¯ve already made that impossible. We¡¯ll need to prepare ordingly for that, especially if we want to expand the border there."


    "I think I can open Churstin to the idea of joining Trodar," added Choron. "That¡¯s where my reputation is strongest, so it shouldn¡¯t be too difficult should I be allowed to show my face."


    "Of course! Go for it!" Sterfen pped Choron on the back.


    "Rikko take charge. Then Rikko defend and invade Sandros," added the Goblin God.


    "Also," Eedaj continued, "Maldor has attacked Aazoon before their alliance was officially formed. That attack was supposedly sparked by Naparn¡¯s return to Maldor."


    "So they¡¯re returning?" Lunara asked. "Is that how it involves us all?"


    Nodding, Sterfen replied, "Yes. And Zuran¡¯s military grew too quickly to not be suspicious. If gods are rilling up war again, then it won¡¯t be much longer."


    "We want to help Reinolt fight Zuran and Aazoon against Maldor," Rydel chimed in, already ustomed to speaking with deities. "While Rikko is hurrying to expand the borders, we want to prolong the wars until there¡¯s space for those nations to relocate."


    "And you want our help? I¡¯m in!" Lunara grinned, walking over and taking Lina by the hand. "If it means it means holding back Naparn then I must agree."


    "You¡¯re not going alone, are you?" Sterfen asked.


    "My father ising with us to Aazoon, so maybe--"


    "What do you mean ¡¯us¡¯?" Dragas interrupted Eliza. "Didn¡¯t I say you¡¯ll be staying here with me?"


    "Thene with us to Aazoon, Mother. You¡¯ll be there to save me and we¡¯ll leave immediately if we know we¡¯re going to lose," reasoned Eliza. "Also, you may be able to spend some alone time with Father. I know you¡¯ve been considering it."


    "Eliza! That¡¯s--"


    "Fine, then I¡¯ming with you, Lunara," Dragas stated, sauntering over to her daughter. "I hope you won¡¯t mind if I support you. We can¡¯t have you falling to Naparn and leaving my grandchild exposed to that monster."


    Laughing, Lunara smiled back. "I¡¯d be happy to have your help."


    "That means the others are going to Reinolt, right?" Jin cut in. "And if a god returned to Zuran, it should be Tyres, right? Then I¡¯m going there!"


    "Then how about I join Jin?" Eedaj suggested.


    Sterfen nodded and sighed, "I¡¯m alright with that, but it means I¡¯m going to Aazoon. There¡¯s no way I¡¯m letting you two face that monster alone."


    "You care about me?" Dragas teased.


    "Yes, my dear sister," replied Sterfen, getting Dragas to roll her eyes. "I¡¯m not the best at fighting head-to-head but I¡¯ll be fine alongside my wife. Especially thanks to Jack."


    "Oh, why¡¯s that?" asked Dragas, curious what Jack could¡¯ve done to help gods thousands of years old.


    "He suggested something we had considered prior, but Jack made us reconsider. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll find out eventually," joked Sterfen, leaving Dragas and the others hanging on a metaphorical cliff.


    "That leaves Rikko, Guuro, and I to guard Trodar, with Choron avable if needed," stated Moranti. "Just make sure not to die. I promised Jack that I would keep you safe. So, if you need a quick escape, contact me and I¡¯ll get you out of there. Okay?"


    All of the mortals felt the pressure of Moranti¡¯s friendly re, nodding.


    "Great, then let¡¯s hurry up and go get the others," added Moranti. "I¡¯m sure Karronteel and Bowzer would like to tag along for your adventures. Phoro won¡¯t join you, but not out ofziness. He¡¯ll being with me and Hadurt to recruit the beasts of the storehouse."


    With everyone in agreement, the gathering of gods and mortals was teleported to Dragov¡¯s massive underground courtyard where Bowzer and Karronteel were sparring.


    "You two, save your energy for the war!" Sterfen shouted with a chuckle, instantly stealing the attention of the two giant beasts. "One of you will go to Aazoon to defend against Maldor and the other to Reinolt to face the Zuran Empire. Any--"


    "I¡¯m in!" Bowzer shouted, his voice being deeper as he was now an adult Hell-me Fox. "Wherever I¡¯m needed, I¡¯ll go!"


    "Same!" Karronteel shouted, also eager to hunt enemies on a battlefield.


    "Bowzer go Aazoon," stated Rikko. "Fox defend fire good. Karr go Reinolt. Karr kill soldiers more and more."


    "Since the tactician agrees with me, then Bowzer¡¯s with me. Karronteel, you¡¯re with Jin and Eedaj," Sterfen added. "Eedaj, mind finding us the best ce to travel?"


    "Sure."


    Casting God¡¯s Perspective, Daruun scored Reinolt first. Eventually, he found the current battlefield and was startled by the difference in numbers between the two armies. Eedaj hastily found an open clearing not too far from the battle and shared the sight with Moranti, another perk of the personal spell God¡¯s Perspective.


    Nodding, Moranti opened a rift while Eedaj found no battle taking ce on the Maldor-Aazoon border. The Mind God only found military camps and the carnage of the first skirmish.


    The Reinolt party then left and Moranti opened a second rift leading to Frostburn Pce, where Eedaj had found King Wilheim preparing to leave for the battlefield.


    Both parties were gone in seconds, leaving Moranti and the remaining few gods along with Dragov.


    "I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be needed here, so don¡¯t feel jealous, okay?" Moranti joked with the Draconic Centipede as he and the other left the courtyard in search of the napping Phoro.

 Chapter 468 Reinolt vs Zuran

    <h4>Chapter 468 Reinolt vs Zuran</h4>


    Coming through the rift, Rydel¡¯s party found themselves on a hillside clearingmonly found in Reinolt.


    "The battle¡¯s just beyond that grove," Eedaj stated, not wasting a moment as he had seen the drastic difference in military strength. "I¡¯ll be honest. Unless Jin and I stepped in, I¡¯m not sure if you¡¯ll be able to hold them off beyond a few battles."


    "It¡¯s that bad?" Rydel asked while bringing out Ayden.


    Eedaj nodded and exined. "Most of the army is below your level or equal to you. But I¡¯m sensing some high-levelbatants mixed in with the low-level and mid-level soldiers. That¡¯s why I say that."


    "And ya won¡¯t get involved?" Maynard asked, looking to Eedaj and his master.


    Jin shook his head. "I¡¯m just here for Tyres for our promised duel. Eedaj, don¡¯t interfere."


    "I won¡¯t, not unless Tryes cheats you again," added the Mind God, surprising the mortals around them.


    "Then you¡¯ll have my thanks."


    Eedaj mentioned, "We won¡¯t get involved with mortals so simply, not when we have no clear reason to and our appearance will only cause other gods to arrive and wreak havoc."


    "Fair..." Rydel sighed. "Maynard, Trax, hop on. We need to find Tridon and fast."


    "Is there a ce where I can find only enemies?" Karronteel asked Eedaj.


    The Mind God smiled and shared his God¡¯s Perspective with Karronteel, letting the Spectral Dragon find exactly what he was looking for. Without hesitation, Karronteel took off with incredible speed, matching those with wind or lightning magic. It was as if his god sliced through the air to decrease his wind drag to zero, showing off his physical form¡¯s natural prowess and the strength of the spatial energy he wielded.


    With a dragon headed for the rear of the Zuran army and a huge Wind Roc headed for the front, everyone on the battlefield was immediately rmed. No one understood whose side they were on, hoping they were friends and not foes.


    But when the twenty-five-meter tall dragon dove into the Zuran army with his spectral breath attack, it was clearer than a cloudless noonday sky. Most of the hidden high-level soldiers rushed back to face the beast, even though they had no clue what level he was.


    The Wind Roc carried three passengers and two of those passengers were shooting down at the Zuran soldiers below. Both Rydel and Trax showed off their archery skills as they sniped soldiers with pinpoint uracy. Rydel in particr showed off, taking far-off shots with his roc-like eyes, something he learned to control after practicing with the bloodline skill.


    Maynard impatiently waited as they searched for the man who had summoned them in the first ce.


    They quickly found some of the strongest Zuran forces about to breach Reinolt¡¯s front line of defense. Finally, it was Maynard¡¯s time to act.


    Maynard leaped off of Ayden and brought out his Thunder Cat, named Raiton. As Maynard activated his bloodline skill, the duo bolted through the battlefield and tore into those attempting to break out of the battle.


    While Maynard kept them at bay, Trax descended and joined the samurai in defending. Rydel allowed Ayden to join the fight while he rushed to aid an old acquaintance.


    Being tag-teamed, King Leodoro refused to let the front line fall. With his control over lightning, the king kept himself from receiving any grave injuries while attempting to stave off two of the strongest opponents there. However, as both were warriors, the moment they got close to Leodoro, they gained the advantage.


    As they were overwhelming the lightning mage, an arrow whizzed by. One of thosebatants heard it but didn¡¯t think anything of it as they were on the battlefield. The other shouted in pain, reaching for his knee.


    Both warriors backed away as they spotted the arrow that went straight through the man¡¯s knee, from the back to the front.


    But neither Leodoro nor Rydel took it easy on they both targeted the weakened, crippled warrior. A sh of lighting rained onto the barbarian while three more arrows lodged themselves into the same spot.


    Completely unable to use his right leg, the barbarian howled in pain as he threw his axe in rage at the mage. The other barbarian charged at the nearing hunter, who had already put his bow away and wielded twin, purple daggers. He could tell that the hunter before him might actually threaten his life, unlike the winded mage.


    Noticing who it was that saved him, Leodoro was taken aback and struck dumb. But he didn¡¯t have time to question why Rydel had appeared. He had to finish off the crippled barbarian.


    With a few spells, Leodoro¡¯s lightning roasted the barbarian, letting the king witness Rydel¡¯s fighting prowess first hand.


    What Leodoro didn¡¯t know was how Rydel had learned how to fight hand-to-hand with Trax¡¯s and Maynard¡¯s help, adjusting their fighting styles to his knives. That was one of the key things that they had done during their time clearing Sunset Valley. It was the same for Trax and his archery, which was scrutinized and polished by Rydel¡¯s teachings.


    Though the barbarian had the advantage in reached and size, Rydel made perfect use of his wind magic to nimbly avoid each swing of the barbarian¡¯s greatsword.


    Rydel was patient. He evaded calmly, waiting for the perfect moment to strike a single crippling blow. Only when the greatsword was too close forfort did Rydel use a knife to parry the attack. But Rydel was shocked.


    The hunter found guiding his enemy¡¯s attack too easy. Instead of feeling the effects of the barbarian¡¯s superior strength, Rydel felt his own strength to almost be on par with the barbarian.


    With that in mind, Rydel chuckled. He wouldn¡¯t waste any more time.


    Parrying another attack with even more force, Rydel swung for the barbarian¡¯s neck with his free hand.


    The barbarian tried to sidestep but was caught off bnce. He did, however, manage to keep his neck out of reach from the de. That was until Rydel used the swing of his arm to throw the knife into the barbarian¡¯s throat, trusting that he could give up the knife and have no need to parry a second attack.


    Quickly removing the knife from the barbarian¡¯s throat, Rydel ran to Leodoro. "Where¡¯s Tridon?"


    "You... He¡¯s further south," Leodoro stated, grasping hold of the situation and ignoring his desire to inquire more about the hunter¡¯s arrival and unexpected strength. "Tridon wanted to attempt a nk but... you brought a dragon?!"


    "I¡¯ll exinter..." Rydel turned and ran toward Ayden, who picked Rydel up and carried his to the south end of the battlefield.


    Rydel asked telepathically, ¡¯Tridon where are you? Don¡¯t nk them or you¡¯ll get caught in our attack.¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯ Tridon shouted. ¡¯I¡¯m in the forest, about to attack when a dragon arrives and attack¡¯s Zuran soldiers. Is that your attack?!¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s Karronteel. I¡¯ll introduce you twoter. For now,e back and help us clear the battlefield,¡¯ Rydel exined. ¡¯You¡¯ll only get in Karronteel¡¯s way, so don¡¯t even think of joining him. You¡¯re too low-leveled for that.¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?! I¡¯m lv. 44 now!¡¯


    ¡¯And I¡¯m lv. 48, but he¡¯s almost lv. 80. So, in other words, don¡¯t even think of pissing him off by trying to fight by his side,¡¯ reasoned Rydel, forcing Tridon to admit his weakness.


    ¡¯You¡¯re what?! No way!¡¯


    ¡¯Just hurry out and joining the fight like the rest of us," ordered Rydel, taking charge even though he was no longer an official soldier of Reinolt.


    Further west a few people stood atop a hill overlooking the battlefield. They were shocked by the arrival of a powerful Wind Roc and the men on its back. Of course, the arrival of the dragon was the most jarring thing for them. As the one¡¯s coordinating the Zuran Empire¡¯s forces, they were enraged to see that they would need to take drastic measures.

 Chapter 469 Arriving in Aazoon

    <h4>Chapter 469 Arriving in Aazoon</h4>


    Pacing in his chambers, King Wilheim was ying out mental simtions of the sudden war that targeted his nation. Nearly all ended in catastrophe as even those where Aazoon was victorious it was aplished at a great cost.


    With his steed being readied for departure, all the king could do was wait and worry.


    But the king¡¯s concentration was abruptly broken by the sound of footsteps within the room, other than his own. Wondering if he had been ignoring his messenger, King Wilheim turned around and was instead tackled to the ground without warning.


    "Father!" Erina cried as she was finally able to see her father again.


    "Erina... and Willim?" Unsure what to say or think, King Wilheim readjusted himself to the crowd of people that arrived via spatial rift, something the king had only seen done by Jack and his party. "What¡¯s going on? How are you two here?"


    "We brought them along," stated Sterfen, stealing the king¡¯s attention. "Willim warned us about Naparn arriving in Maldor and we thought it was unfair for them to have divine aid. So we¡¯re here to keep that from happening."


    As most of his mental burdens were lifted by that statement, King Willim sighed, "Oh, thank Halmut..."


    "No, thank Jack! Never thank that lying pestro of a dragon!" Lunara corrected the king¡¯s figure of speech, making sure to give credit where credit was due.


    "Right... Sorry about that," Wilheim chuckled along with the others at Lunara¡¯sment. "That means you¡¯re here to help, right? Will you be staying?"


    Shaking her head, Lunara replied, "No, we¡¯re not staying here. I¡¯ll be living in Trodar from now on with my family."


    "I see... Then you may as well leave now. Without a god in our borders, there¡¯s no point in us warring with Maldor. Even if you help repel them, they¡¯ll juste back time and time again..." stated the king, dejectedly.


    "True, but we may have a n to fix that," added Sterfen.


    Standing himself back up, King Wilheim gave the god a curious look. "Really? If it can save this country then I¡¯ll do anything, even sacrifice myself."


    "No need to die, King Wilheim, just make a decision. Abandon Aazoon--"


    "What?!"


    "Abandon Aazoon ande to Trodar," Sterfen continued, not letting the king¡¯s startlement interrupt him. "After reiming our former territories, Trodar is now about to war with Sandros. Though it¡¯s very different from this country, we¡¯d be d to offer the territory we win from the war to you and your people."


    "Are you serious?! I ept!"


    "No need to--"


    King Wilheim energetically interrupted Sterfen, adding, "If you have the means to transport my people, I¡¯ll take any freend you have. There¡¯s no need to offer me a country."


    "Then how about this?" Sterfen exined, "Limneer, Prachten, and Iscantor just rejoined Trodar but as independent Trodan territories. They¡¯re self-governed still but fly the Trodan g along with their territorial g. Churstin should be joining soon too, thanks to Choron¡¯s influence. Would it make you feel better to receive thatnd if you became a self-governed state within Trodar?"


    King Wilheim thought about it for a few seconds but didn¡¯t take long to nod and smile. "In exchange for protection and freedom from this threatening war, There¡¯s no need to think twice about it. Upon our arrival in Trodar, not only will we be a state under the Trodan g, we¡¯ll aid Trodar in iming thend that we¡¯ll inhabit."


    "There¡¯s no doubt that you¡¯re an amazing king, Wilheim. I just hope your people and your family will agree," sighed Sterfen.


    "If they don¡¯t then they¡¯ll perish here," stated Wilheim. "Half of the surrounding nations have agreed to join Maldor or at least aid in their war to overrun Aazoon. There¡¯s no hope left for this country where it stands now."


    "Then it seems we showed up at the right time. I¡¯ll make sure everything is ready. Can you bring all willing citizens to the capital via your teleportation circles? They still work, right?" Sterfen asked before informing Moranti about the update.


    "Of course! Cut I¡¯ll call them here for a national conference before telling them. There, they¡¯ll choose to join me in Trodar or to face the invaders with hope that the invading armies be merciful to a kingless kingdom," Wilmeim exined, surprising everyone with his decisiveness.


    Lunara spoke up, looking to the rest of the party, "Then allow us to help your armies hold out until then. How long will you need to gather them for the conference?"


    "I¡¯ll waive all travel fees and with the news about the war spreading, I think the people will understand if I hold the conference tomorrow."


    "Wow... Are you always this impulsive?" Sterfen asked.


    Nodding, Wilheim proudly replied, "Always! I¡¯ve trusted my gut all my life and I¡¯ll continue to do so until it costs me my life!"


    "He¡¯s always been like this," added Willim, getting the party to nod and sigh.


    ¡¯Moranti, Aazoon agreed. They¡¯ll hold a national conference tomorrow for us to send them to Trodar,¡¯ Sterfen passed the information on.


    ¡¯Great! Just make sure they gather tightly together before I show up and take them away. We don¡¯t want to forget anyone, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Right!¡¯


    Sterfenughed as he returned to the conversation in the room. "We¡¯ll be ready to transport them tomorrow, so long as they¡¯re gathered tightly together."


    "Sounds easy enough to me." Wilheim shrugged andughed. He found it hrious how quickly his mindset was able to shift from the pits of despair to the heavens of hope. "Is it really alright if--"


    "It¡¯s fine!" Eliza shouted, not wanting the king to doubt Trodar, the guild, or Jack. "We¡¯ll dly have you in Trodar. You don¡¯t even have to offer your daughter like some people had to..."


    "Hey! I think it worked out just fine!" Argyle shouted, not taking kindly to his daughter¡¯s verbal jabs.


    "Oh? You¡¯re the one who paired them up?" Dargas nced at Argyle, a smileing to her lips. "You are a sharp father..."


    "Let¡¯s hurry up and get going. I¡¯ve got an idea as to how we¡¯ll stall them. I¡¯ll need to run it by Rikko and Moranti first, but I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll agree," stated Sterfen, walking towards the door.


    "Alright, but we¡¯ll take the wyrms," replied Lunara, surprising King Wilheim. "We couldn¡¯t bring them withst time so we can¡¯t forget them now. And since the nation will be run over, why not bring all of the wildlife along?"


    "I¡¯ll leave that up to you, my dear." Sterfen smiled, happy to have such a smart woman in his life.


    "Then Erina can ride on my back!" Lina shouted.


    Maura shook her head. "No, Lina. We¡¯ll need to save our energy. The wyrms can already travel so fast without any trouble, so let¡¯s just go with them."


    "But..." Unhappy, Lina frowned and looked to her parents.


    Lunara felt her heart soften and sighed, "Well... How about she rides your back after the war. Then she¡¯ll live in Trodar and you can y all the time."


    "Okay..." Shrugging, Lina epted that and gave in.

 Chapter 470 Cause of Zurans Growth

    <h4>Chapter 470 Cause of Zuran¡°s Growth</h4>


    "RETREAT!!!"


    The order rang out over the entire battlefield. With superior numbers and with their enemies tired and battered, those over the Zuran forces ordered a hasty retreat. They were focused on the long term war and not the battle, keeping their priorities straight.


    "Push forward!" King Leodoro gave the order into his contact crystal, passing themand onto all the captains and military officials of Reinolt.


    Karronteel was thergest factor contributing to the retreat. His attacks and newly evolved body was practically invulnerable to anyone below his level. This made him the army¡¯s worst nightmare.


    However, when the retreat began, Reinolt forces rushed toward the dragon as well.


    Unable to change that fact, Karronteel took to the air and rethought his strategy. That¡¯s when he spotted those on the hill and determined that they were the ones over the Zuran army. The Spectral Dragon unleashed a ferocious roar and zoomed toward them with malice and killing intent.


    Those on the hill were unfazed, though. Seeing the dragon rush towards them was of little to no consequence.


    When Karronteel arrived at his prey, one of those men leaped into the air. He drew a sheathed sword and swatted at Karronteel¡¯s ws. The collision sent Karronteel back to the ground, fall atop many Reinolt forces chasing the Zuran army.


    Leaving the dragon with a baffled and raging expression, the man dropped back to the hill. Together with all those generals and higher-ups, the man fled the scene.


    While the army pursued the retreating enemy, most were shocked by the sight of a human man swatting a giant dragon so casually. Rydel, Maynard, and Trax were thrown for a loop, now understanding what Eedaj had meant earlier about being unable to hold out forever.


    Karronteel took little to no damage physically, but his pride was torn to pieces with that trade of blows.


    ¡¯Calm down,¡¯ Eedaj¡¯s voice filled the heads of Karronteel, Rydel, Maynard, and Trax. ¡¯There¡¯s no shame in being pushed back, as that was no mortal who swatted Karronteel away.¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯ Karronteel shouted within his mind. ¡¯Then who was it?!¡¯


    Eedaj answered, ¡¯That was Tyres, the Sword God. You don¡¯t have to worry about facing him. That will be Jin¡¯s long-awaited duel. But he only swatted you aside as a warning, most likely. This war has only just begun. Don¡¯t think a war is won in a single battle.¡¯


    Taking that to heart, Karronteel flew up and returned to the others in the party. There he found two others standing and talking.


    "You¡¯re Karronteel, right?!" Tridon shouted, eagerness oozing out of his stare.


    "Yes, that¡¯s who I am. And you?" the dragon asked, startling the king.


    "I¡¯m Tridon and it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you! I thought I had studied all dragons but I¡¯ve never seen record or heard of any dragon like you. What species are you?"


    "I¡¯m one of two proud Spectral Dragons remaining," stated Karronteel. "I was sealed away for a time but I¡¯m told that my people were attacked before a period you call Ancient Kartonia."


    "Before... you¡¯re a prehistoric race?!" Feeling like a kid in a candy store, Tridon didn¡¯t know what to ask next about the Dragon.


    "Cool down, Tridon. You can talk with himter. For now, we need to discuss what¡¯s happening next. What we¡¯re up against... What we¡¯ve got at hand... Those questions and a couple of others," Rydelmented, eyeing Leodoro.


    "Right... we¡¯ll talk while we follow the battle," replied the king. "They should stop and reform the front line at the border."


    "It¡¯s faster to travel by air." Rydel patted Ayden, who had grown muchrger after reaching lv. 50 in thest battle. Though he would only evolve once, it still greatly increased his size to amodate more passengers.


    Everyone climbed on as the roc took to the air alongside the dragon. Compared to those on the ground, they were traveling incredibly fast but it was only casual for the two strong beasts.


    King Leodoro sighed and began his exnation, "There¡¯s not much to say about a cause. They invaded us just as they asionally do, only they showed up with far more forces than we had ever nned to receive."


    "But do you know why they have so many forces?" Rydel asked.


    "No."


    "Don¡¯t tell me ya don¡¯t have any capable spies after losing Rydel?" Maynard joked but didn¡¯t smile.


    "We¡¯ve heard a few rumors but nothing more," Leodoro added, looking away out of reflex.


    "Rumors? What rumors?" Tridon asked, shocked to be out of the loop.


    "There¡¯s... Supposedly, a god showed up in Zuran," Leodoro admitted.


    Rydel added, "Tyres, right?"


    "Right..." Seeing that Rydel and the party were already informed, Leodoro no longer hid the information from Tridon. "Tyres returned to Zuran and dered that the empire should be whole again. Only, they didn¡¯t tell those of Reinolt, wanting to use us as an example for the other nations that broke off of the empire."


    "So, because Reinolt was the most influential cause of the rebellion years ago, Zuran is using you as an example?" Rydel deduced, keeping it simple yet clear.


    "Correct..."


    Furious, Tridon shouted, "And you decided not to tell me! You¡¯re ridiculous!"


    "Can you me him, Tridon?" Rydel shrugged. "If you knew about that, would you have agreed to go to war and defend Reinolt?"


    "... No..."


    "So he only hid the information to keep his life in check. Does that not make sense?"


    "It makes sense, but he still could¡¯ve told me!" Tridon resumed his shouting. "There¡¯s no reason to die a useless death! If what he said is true, then those extra forces weren¡¯t just the armies that Zuran used to defend their other borders. They also have the forces from the other revel nations! There¡¯s no way for us to take on that many people!"


    "Yes, there is," Leodoro spoke up. "With them and this powerful dragon, we can--"


    "Shut up." Rydel wasn¡¯t going to stand for receiving any sort of orders. "We¡¯re here because we thought we could help. But clearly, that¡¯s not all you need, is it? The only hope of Reinolt surviving is to overtake the whole of the Zuran Empire. Until that happens, Reinolt can only exist as Zuran¡¯s punching bag."


    "But can¡¯t you--"


    "That dragon has a name," Maynard stated, defending their case. "Ya have no right to order him around. If he wanted, he could eat ya right now and none of us could do anything to stop him. He¡¯s only here for two things. One, because he¡¯s Jack¡¯spanion and came to protect us. Two, because he¡¯s hungry for EXP, not to save ya or your country."


    Hearing them loud and clear, Leodoro struggled to stomach that information. "But... Then what will you do now?"


    "There¡¯s something that Jack wanted to offer you, but he¡¯s busy so we came instead," stated Rydel. "Trodar¡¯s borders are about to expand. If you want, you¡¯ll be allowed to rebuild your country under Trodar¡¯s g as a Trodan territory."


    "But that would be the same as submitting to Zuran!" yelled Leodoro.


    "Is it?" Tridon asked, thinking more deeply. "Wouldn¡¯t being under Trodar be much better than Zuran? At least we can trust Trodar, but can we trust Zuran?"


    "Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re--"


    "I¡¯m fine with relocating to Trodar," Tridon admitted. "What¡¯s the point of fighting a pointless war?! Why should my men and their beasts sacrifice themselves in a fight that will never end till they¡¯re overrun?!"


    As Leodoro was unable to answer his questions, Tridon continued, turning to Rydel, "Is there a way for us to go to Trodar with you? Since you traveled here so quickly, doesn¡¯t that mean you can get us there just as quickly?"


    "That¡¯s possible. We can arrange for you and your Beast Corp to join us. Jack wanted to ask if you¡¯d like your Beast Corps to be a branch of the Leisure Guild," added the hunter.


    "Really?! You¡¯ve got yourself a deal!"

 Chapter 471 A Decisive Nigh

    <h4>Chapter 471 A Decisive Nigh</h4>


    "Really?! You¡¯ve got yourself a deal!"


    Leodoro¡¯s heart sank past his stomach and into his intestines. He was a man led by both logic and pride, but pride was always the bigger motivator for him.


    "Doesn¡¯t Trodar have a slew of gods? Is there some way that we could bring one here to--"


    "Do you think we have the ability to order gods around? Just because they¡¯re in Trodar and they¡¯ve joined the Leisure Guild doesn¡¯t mean we can order them around. They¡¯re still deities far stronger than even Karronteel," stated Rydel. "We can, however, buy you some time to think and gather your people."


    "Okay... Then give me some time to think..."


    "Oh, know that Trodar doesn¡¯t have kings, so that means you would be a council head," Trax added, making sure Rydel didn¡¯t leave anything out.


    "No royalty..."


    The king was silent for the rest of the ride as Tridon couldn¡¯t stop admiring Karronteel, as well as Ayden who had grown much stronger andrger since the time Tridon caught the roc.


    When they reached the border, theynded and gathered the army to set up camp. As there was no telling when the next skirmish would be, everyone was on their toes, ready to defend or attack at a moment¡¯s notice.


    At the rear of the camp, the party had their own tent set up. They kept the p open in order to let Karronteel join their conversations from outside.


    "Are you seriously lv. 48? Weren¡¯t you under lv. 30st time?!" Tridon asked, struggling to believe he had been surpassed so easily.


    "I¡¯m lv. 48 and Ayden is lv. 50," mentioned Rydel. "Maynard has me beat though since he¡¯s lv. 50 and his Thunder Cat is lv. 49."


    "And I¡¯m lv. 52," Trax stated, making sure his recognition was given. "I may not have a beast, but that¡¯s only because I¡¯ve yet to meet one suitable to fight beside me."


    "Trax, help me out!" Maynard shouted as he rushed out of the tent.


    "Help you with what?"


    "I want to test my skills. I¡¯m still struggling to phase my de properly, so I need ya to help me," rified the samurai.


    "Oh... just don¡¯t cut me by ident likest time."


    Those two started their typical practice routine. One focused on the application of his unique phasing ability while the other sharpened his sword skills against a master. Though Trax was a ninja and could be called a master of many weapons, his skills with a single weapon weren¡¯t as developed as true masters, like Maynard with swords or Rydel with bows.


    "What level is he?" Tridon asked Rydel.


    The hinter shrugged, "Ask him and find out. I¡¯m not sure after the battle."


    Given the okay, Tridon also stepped out and approached Karronteel. "Do you mind if I ask your level?"


    "Lv. 77. Those weaklings made for decent fodder, but they¡¯re too weak to grind now that I¡¯ve grown stronger," answered the dragon, sensing Tridon¡¯s natural curiosity and praise for his species.


    Time passed slowly for everyone there. Noon passed and became evening,ter bing night as the sun disappeared from the horizon.


    Tridon was still full of questions and praise for Karronteel, who proudly answered and ryed prehistoric tales about his people.


    Maynard and Trax were still training due to Maynard¡¯s determination to master his phasing skill. He could phase it through things but had no controlpared to Jin, who had managed to cut only the skin of Maynard¡¯s leg, avoiding muscles, bones, and even the clothes covering the leg. Until he had such control, Maynard would never give up.


    Rydel had taken a nap and rested. He prepared for the other mission that Eedaj had assigned him. But before that, he paid a visit to King Leodoro.


    Knocking on the wooden post, Rydel asked, "Can Ie in?"


    "Of course..."


    Walking in, Rydel was surprised to find Leodoro sitting together with his wife. "Is she..."


    "Yes, she¡¯s expecting," King Leodoro answered, relieving Rydel of needing to ask such an awkward question.


    "So, have you reached a decision?" Rydel asked.


    The king swallowed some saliva and sighed. "I... I would like to try my hand at defending the kingdom. I¡¯ve already sent messengers to the other nations that defected prior. Once I get a response, I might learn of a possible way out of this."


    "I admire your persistence, but what if there is no other way?


    "Then... Can I ask you to take my wife to Trodar?" Both Rydel and the queen were caught off guard by Leodoro¡¯s words. "Then, at least I know that she and my child will be safe..."


    "Leo! You can¡¯t--"


    "After this war, I¡¯ll send for your return. Alright?" cing his hand on her cheek, Leodoro caressed her face with his thumb. "Alright?"


    "..." She didn¡¯t want to answer, but she knew her husband too well. She understood that he couldn¡¯t make such a decisive move without nning or thinking it through. That¡¯s the way he always was.


    "Alright?" Leodoro asked again, cing his other hand on the bump of her belly.


    "... A-Alright..." The queen sniffled and threw her arms around her stubborn, thick-headed husband. "You bettere to your senses soon... We¡¯ll need you."


    "Of course..." Looking back to Rydel, Leodoro pled, "Please, take care of my wife."


    "That much I can do without worry," stated Rydel, not tarnishing the king¡¯s pride. "She should hurry and join Tridon so she won¡¯t get left behind."


    "Thank you, Rydel... Thank you..."


    Leaving the teary-eyed couple alone in the tent, Rydel heaved a long sigh. Rydel then walked back to his tent, finding the others still going at it. Rather than join them, Rydel climbed onto Ayden and flew away into the dark, night sky.


    *****


    Sitting around a table, many men were quietly waiting for the final seat to be filled at the head of the table. A few more silent minutes passed until the p of the massive tent opened up for the final arrival.


    All the other men rose to their feet and bowed. They promptly waited for that man to take a seat before returning to their own.


    "Master Tyres, we¡¯d like to apologize for forcing you to sully your hands against that dragon," the man just beside the head of the table stated loudly.


    "It¡¯s of no consequence. Since I did nothing but p him, the gods of Trodar won¡¯t be riled up," Tyres exined, allowing the other men to feel some relief. "There still may be a chance of a goding to face me, though. Seeing as those reinforcements came from nowhere, a god may have tagged along as well."


    "Then..."


    "Should that be true, I¡¯ll handle the other deity, rest assured. But as for the war, that¡¯s something that I shouldn¡¯t get involved in. That would only lead to the other gods attacking you while I¡¯m away, hence immortals aren¡¯t allowed to massacre mortals," stated Tyres.


    "Then allow us to reorganize ourselves," stated that man beside Tyres. "We¡¯ll be ready for that dragon and the others now that we know not to hold anything back. Since they¡¯ve revealed their trump card, we shall reveal the one you graciously gifted us."


    "It wasn¡¯t I but my fellow holy god, Kylon that gifted you those beasts," Tyres corrected.


    "Thanks to both you and Kylon, we¡¯ll im victory and resume our rightful ce in the continent!" shouted the man.


    "Emperor, please remain calm. This is only the first step toward greatness. There¡¯s much more toe afterwards. And given your drive and passion, I¡¯m sure that I or any other holy god would be proud to have you serving under us."


    "Thank you, Master Tyres!" The Zuran Emperor stood and bowed again to Tyres, truly touched by those words. "For you and the holy gods, the Zuran Empire will stand proudly."

 Chapter 472 Within Earthen Keep

    <h4>Chapter 472 Within Earthen Keep</h4>


    As his ws tore apart another basilisk, Kori could hear the intestines of the reptilian beast sizzling as the foul stench of grilled, putrid meat had already filled the air. It was an aftereffect of Kori leaving the burning corpses scattered in every which way. They had no time to care for the bodies, nor would they care if they had time.


    Lorwynn was also self-centered at the moment, frying all iing basilisks from the inside out with lighting or shredding them to pieces with dancing swords created with holy energy.


    "Not bad, Lorwynn," Korimented. "You¡¯re a lot better than I expected you to be."


    "Just because the God of Time managed to kill me before doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t handle myself now. He had eight levels on me and I was mortal. If we were equal level, I would¡¯ve floor him," stated Lorwynn, chuckling along with the former Fox God.


    "Fair." Just then, Kori blinked and sniffed. "Oh... We¡¯ve got us another big one..."


    Lorwynn nodded. "Let¡¯s nap after this one. Then we can try and make the final push through."


    Racing towards the Hell-me Fox was a gigantic basilisk, over thirty meters in length. But the Giant Basilisk¡¯s appearance did little to affect the fox.


    "How far are you?" Kori asked nonchntly, not even looking at the charging beast.


    "I¡¯m almost three-fourths of the way."


    "Ha! Then it looks like I¡¯m in the lead!" joked Kori, still not looking at the lv. 85 Giant Basilisk. "Hurry up or you may not make it in time and Hadurt will beat you."


    Shouting, Lorwynn smiled, "Shut up... It¡¯s only been three days! After a good nap to replenish some energy, I¡¯ll catch up and ascend before you!"


    "Try me!" Koriughed. "I even gave Hadurt something special, so if you don¡¯t ascend now, there¡¯s no way you¡¯ll beat himter."


    By then, the Giant Basilisk was less than fifty meters away from the fox. It opened its massive maw and gathered a murky, grey liquid at the bottom of its mouth.


    Basilisks were known for their special saliva that could turn things to stone upon contact. It was a rare ability but took a few seconds to gather the fluids necessary, something that Kori had given the Giant Basilisk many times over. Irritated by the ignorance of its prey, the Giant Basilisk readied all of the special saliva it had to show the fox wrong for being so ignorant. It proceeded to spew out that liquid, aiming directly for the me body it was charging.


    That finally got Kori¡¯s attention but not enough to warrant the fox¡¯s intervention. Rather than dodge, Kori took off and barreled for the Giant Basilisk with little to no regard for that saliva.


    The Giant Basilisk felt proud of its foe¡¯s ignorance, waiting to see it turned to stone and be the Giant Basilisk¡¯s meal.


    "Tzzzzz..."


    More sizzling rang out through the cavernous dungeon floor. The thick, murky saliva was evaporating too quickly to ever reach the ck me body.


    Baffled, the Giant Basilisk didn¡¯t know what to do next. The only thought that popped into its mind was to run. But it was toote to flee as Kori was already on top of the Giant Basilisk with hungry eyes.


    Then, suddenly, Kori¡¯s me body dispersed.


    It gave the Giant Basilisk some hope, which was dashed immediately as lightning fell upon its hulking body. The attack hurt but wasn¡¯t fatal. However, that lightning was enough to stun the Giant Basilisk and allow the fox to begin eating the massive beast alive.


    Kori was excited as his heated breath cooked the meat while he chewed it. Lorwynn rained more lightning down onto the basilisk while fileting the beast alive using his holy swords.


    In a few moments, the still-living basilisk had two limbs removed and chunks of its torso carved away.


    "As I thought! This meat tastes good!" Kori shouted with his mouth full.


    "Anything will taste good after eating nothing for three days,"mented Lorwynn, hypocritically using electricity to fry up his own portion of meat.


    The Giant Basilisk cried and wailed with all its might but it was picked apart piece-by-piece by the party of two hungry demigods.


    After the Basilisk finally died a painful death, Lowynn and Kori delightedly finished their meal. They were interrupted though by the arrival of two more Giant Basilisks, both at lv. 86. But now that they were done ying with their food and no longer hungry, neither of the two men cared for a prolonged battle.


    Kori dashed toward the one on the left and Lorwynn soared toward the one on the right.


    Both Giant Basilisks attempted to use their trump cards, both proving useless. The one on the left saw its putrid saliva evaporate despite its incredibly high boiling point while the one on the right had no way to hit the nimble mage, who could dance in the air if he wished. Each basilisk was forced to confront an enemy head-on without any help from their most notorious ability.


    Kori¡¯s reactivated me body tore the Giant Basilisk apart and scorched the beast¡¯s internal organs. There was no hope of the Giant Basilisk recovering, let alone winning the battle.


    Lorwynn¡¯s holy swords sliced into his foe with ease, first targeting the Basilisk¡¯s eyes. After carving out the beast¡¯s eyes, two holy swords dug into the hinges of the Giant Basilisk¡¯s jaws. With its fangs and sight removed, the basilisk had no proper way to defend and fight back against the merciless mage.


    When they finished their opponents, each of them sighed and found a seat nearby. Their clothes were sttered and painted with blood. You could see itty-bitty bits of basilisk flesh and intestines shriveled on their outer robes.


    Now in his human form, Kori made himselffortable andid down. "It¡¯s nap time, right?"


    "Yup..." Lorwynn forced a yawn from his mouth and created a wide, light green barrier around them. "Should anything enter here, we¡¯ll know right away. After three hours, it¡¯ll break and wake us up with an rm."


    "Neat spell... Where¡¯d you learn it?"


    "My master... He taught me almost everything I know..." Sighing, Lorwynn readjusted himself and closed his eyes. "Goodnight..."


    Kori chuckled, "Goodnight, kid."


    While the leveling duo had nearly cleared all of the first floor, Jack was flying down the dungeon. With his mini-map¡¯s new ability, his travels were made easier. When a particr dungeon floor permitted it, Jack would use his minokawa form to breeze through an entire floor. But that only happened about once every five floors, letting him clear at least five floors a day with hardly any rest.


    Currently, Jack was heading down a vertical cavern in order to reach the sixteenth floor, impatient as ever.


    Though Jack was traveling at a pace that would¡¯ve beaten his old in-game record, Jack was now living ording to Kartonia and not a videogame¡¯s day-night cycle. At his best pace, Jack would clear the entire dungeon in around three weeks, which was more time than Jack wanted to spend away from the others.

 Chapter 473 Naparns Insurance

    <h4>Chapter 473 Naparn¡°s Insurance</h4>


    Walking back and forth with calm steps, a proud man in extravagant clothing pondered his new situation. Having created a barrier around the entire camp and a second barrier around his grand tent, he felt at ease to know that even if he couldn¡¯t keep Sterfen out, he would at least know better if the Assassin God had entered the area.


    With that worry no too present in his mind, he turned and walked back to the long table at the center of the tent.


    "Come in!" shouted the man.


    "It¡¯s about time..."


    "Don¡¯t give me that look, Oosam. You and the others chose this of your free will."


    "Sure, but it doesn¡¯t mean you or the others need to harp on us so badly," Oosam stated.


    Two more figures entered the tent behind the Illusion God. They wore matching, multicolored robes and their outfits were mirrored. Their physical features were androgynous, making it hard to tell whether they were male or female. Both had short hair that reached their shoulders on one side and the bottom of their ear on the other, but the nt of their hairstyles was also mirrored by each other.


    The three of them sat at the table, making sure to sit opposite their host.


    "So, what is it you need us for, Naparn?" Oosam asked.


    "I just want to have some insurance, that¡¯s all," admitted the Molten God. "We already know that Trodar has interfered in the Zuran-Reinolt war, so it¡¯s practically guaranteed that they¡¯ll be here as well. Since they took the bait, I want to make sure they don¡¯t wriggle free while they¡¯re in our grasp."


    "Hence your orders for Tralbok... That makes sense, but what is it you want from us?" Oosam asked again.


    Shaking his head, Naparn looked to the two on either side of Oosam. "I need the Twin Mage Gods more than you, Oosam."


    "Oh? Are you afraid that you¡¯ll lose too much credit for using so many gods?"


    Smiling, Naparn replied, "I still want your help, Oosam, but you¡¯ll be my insurance and my trump card. You don¡¯t need to show yourself unless necessary. I know that Sterfen and Lunara wouldn¡¯t dare face me alone, so I can only assume that they brought another god to better their odds. With the Twin Mages, however, I can keep them from running while also keeping the advantage. If you were to help out from the beginning, they would just flee."


    "True..." Oosam shrugged, agreeing with the Molten God.


    "So you need us?"


    "Both of us?"


    Each of the twin gods spoke up in a voice that wasn¡¯t masculine yet not entirely feminine either.


    Looking to the right of Oosam, Naparn smiled and asked, "Sybin, don¡¯t worry, okay? I¡¯ll be there to protect you."


    "I¡¯m Sybin!" the other shouted with an angry re.


    "I¡¯m not my sister! How could you mix us up so easily!" Pounding his fist on the table, the one on Oosam¡¯s right yelled, "We¡¯ll help you, but don¡¯t try and get in my sister¡¯s pants!"


    "My apologies, Sillo. I meant no disrespect," Naparn put up both of his hands in innocence, leaning back in his chair. "Forgive me, I should¡¯ve rified from the beginning."


    "It¡¯s simple, my brother¡¯s hair falls to the right while mine falls to the left. How could you forget that? We already told who knows how many times!" Sybin shouted, not happy about the mix-up or her brother¡¯sment.


    "I meant no offense, nor was I meaning any disrespect to you, Sybin," Naparn stated, looking softly at the androgynous woman. "Please, forgive me. I don¡¯t want us to have any harsh feelings while fighting on the same battlefield."


    "Fine... Just don¡¯t forget like you always have..." Sybin rolled her eyes, not happy but not too angry. If anything, she and her brother were used to this happening all the time.


    Sillo sighed, "Just don¡¯t treat us badly... If not, don¡¯t expect us to fight with you willingly."


    "Thank you." Naparn bowed his head and looked back to Oosam. "Just remain at the side and wait to see if you¡¯re needed."


    "How do you n to attack?" Oosam asked.


    With a chuckle, Naparn revealed a cold smile. "Since they haven¡¯t arrived just yet, I think I¡¯ll give them a reason to hurry up. Some of my men will begin the attack at dawn. The same goes for Tyres with their war."


    "I just hope you¡¯re confident in this scheme. If not, then we¡¯ll all be in trouble," added the Illusion God.


    "Then just follow the n. We¡¯ll be fine," Naparn remarked. "What? Are you afraid of them? Which of them scares you the most?"


    "Hmmm... Sterfen is the most threatening of them all, I would say," Oosam answered honestly.


    "Why do you say that?"


    "Well, isn¡¯t that why you¡¯ve created a barrier within a barrier?" Oosam reasoned, catching Naparn off guard. "Also, we¡¯ve never seen him in a direct fight. That leaves us with no prior knowledge of his abilities in a battle scenario, whether they decline or increase. Knowledge is the greatest weapon and we have little to no knowledge about his true capabilities."


    Since Naparn remained silent as Oosam finished, the twin gods blinked and were surprised by Oosam¡¯s high opinion of Sterfen. Sybin asked, "What level is he?"


    "I don¡¯t know," Oosam added. "Do you know his level, Naparn?"


    "... I don¡¯t..." The Molten God hated to admit it, but he also agreed with Oosam in his heart.


    "But if you don¡¯t know his level, doesn¡¯t that mean Halmut doesn¡¯t know his level either?" Sillo asked.


    Shaking his head, Naparn exined, "Sterfen has always been the biggest mystery. Even when ordered under contract, Lunara was unable to tell us what level Sterfen was because she didn¡¯t know either, and she¡¯s his wife... The reason Halmut and Skaryn never approached him about joining them was because they didn¡¯t know what level he was or that he was ready to ascend.


    "Then, he suddenly ascended out of the blue and eloped with Lunara, disregarding my threats or the threats of other holy gods... As a foe, he¡¯s the most fearless and fearsome person among the neutral gods..."


    "And that¡¯s why you want both the Twin Mages to help you with me as insurance... To think that you, the second strongest of the holy gods, is so terrified of him... I never would¡¯ve suspected that," reasoned Oosam, leaving the others speechless. "I¡¯ll make sure to keep my eye on them and act when I see fit."


    "... Thank you..." Naparn sighed, unable to admit that Oosam was wrong while they sat inside of the double barrier specifically designed to warn him of Sterfen¡¯s appearance.


    "Wow... Then we¡¯ll be extra careful around him too!" Sillo added. "Don¡¯t fight him, Sybin. We¡¯ll fight someone else."


    "Okay... Let¡¯s do that..." Sybin agreed, nodding with her brother.


    Standing up, Naparn retreated to his bed with onest statement, "Then rest now. At dawn, we strike."

 Chapter 474 Flood Dragons Attack!!

    <h4>Chapter 474 Flood Dragons Attack!!</h4>


    "Tralbok, are you in position?"


    "Yes, I¡¯m ready to act."


    "Good, then I¡¯ll make the first move." Putting his contact crystal away, Tyres returned his attention to the world around him. He stood high in the sky and overlooked the not-too-distant Reinolt encampment.


    Two heads were poking out of the clouds behind him, staring longingly at the camp.


    Tyres ordered, "Go ahead and eat your fill. But don¡¯t forget to take down that tent."


    Both of the giant heads nodded and immersed themselves back into the clouds. Secondster one gigantic silhouette soared out of that same cloud and charged down at the front of the camp.


    The Reinolt scouts spotted the figure but they couldn¡¯t believe their eyes.


    That figure had four wings, the front pair being longer than the second pair behind the first. The beast was covered in blue-green scales of many different shades. Its body appeared to be that of a prehistoric crocodile with a thin, long face and a tail that matched the rest of its body in length. But the beast also had some webbing between its digits and many gnarly horns jutting from its forehead and snout.


    The monster terrified all who caught sight of it and was too quick to allow the scouts time to warn the others. It crashed into the two hastily-constructed watchtowers and left them obliterated while smothering half a dozen tents with the rest of its seventy-meter long body.


    "DRAGOOON!!!"


    Shouts filled the Reinolt camp as everyone was alerted by the appearance of one of their worst nightmares. They had just felt so much better after gaining the aid of a dragon, yet now a muchrger dragon appeared against them.


    While the camp was rousing up in rm, everyone was barreling toward the great beast with all manner of weapons.


    Yet, as they were rushing for the dragon at the front, another resounding crash was heard.


    "Another dragon!"


    More shouts filled the air as all hope was lost at the sight of another mythical dragon, which some thought was evenrger than the first. And that second dragon rushed directly on top of the king¡¯s tent. There was no hope of any survivors under the seventy-five-meter behemoth.


    Just when all hope was lost and the Reinolt soldiers were ready to run, another rming shout was heard.


    "Zuran¡¯s on the move! They¡¯reing straight for us!"


    There was no sense of safety left in their minds. All Reinolt soldiers immediately felt overwhelmed, outmanned, and without any power to resist their demise.


    *****


    After saying his momentary goodbyes, King Leodoro decided to escort his wife to Tridon as he was sure to never see her again. They casually strolled through camp, heading east toward the back edge of the camp to the tent furthest from the front lines. As they neared the final tent with a dragon parked in the rear, the queen stopped.


    The queen tightened her grip and sniffled. "You... Why can¡¯t you just let go?!"


    "Honey, it¡¯s--"


    "Just forget about being king! There¡¯s no use in it if you¡¯re dead!" shouted the queen, not caring who heard them as the only nearby tent was that belonging to Rydel¡¯s party. "Please,e with me... Think of our child!"


    "I am... That¡¯s why I do this," King Leodoro stated, hugging his wife yet again. "No matter what happens, I want my child to know that I never gave up. I want them to know their father was a proud king that did all he could, leaving nothing to regret. Isn¡¯t that how you would want them to live?"


    "But..." the queen whimpered, having failed to convince her husband.


    "Shhh... This is for our child. Let them grow and be whatever they want to be. I¡¯ve always dreamt of being king and proudly defending my people. How can I let them get involved in more trouble and war? What kind of king would that be?" reasoned Leodoro. "I¡¯ll make sure to care for my people, just as I¡¯ve cared for you. I¡¯ve made so many mistakes as a ruler, so it¡¯s only right for me to try and fix those."


    Amidst their heartfelt moment, a thunderous roar sounded out front the front of the camp. Following the roar was a multitude of shouts that brought the camp back to life in an instant.


    "Dragon?!" Leodoro shouted in startlement. "Stay here! I must--"


    "Please don¡¯t do this!" The queen refused to let go of her husband, understanding what he would most likely do after seeing her off to safety.


    "I must--"


    A second crash and roar filled the air as even more shouts of rmed cried about the destruction of the king¡¯s tent.


    "Stay here!"


    Leodoro let go of his wife and ran off as more cries warned the camp of the iing army. As he departed, the queen¡¯s face dripped with tears as she witnessed her proud husband dashing into battle with no hope of victory.


    Just then, another dragon flew overhead, only that was the dragon the queen already knew about. Karronteel rushed into action. He discerned which of the two dragons was the strongest and targeted the stronger of the two. Since the lv. 82 dragon was at the front, Karronteel chose to take on the dragon at the center of camp, which was too high-leveled for Karronteel to discern. But rather than fight in the center of camp, Karronteel tackled therger dragon and teleported them both outside of campgrounds.


    The invading army was all smiles as they charged ahead with full confidence. However, their confidence was rattled when they saw two dragons appear on top of them.


    Karronteel decided that the best course of action was to fight thergest dragon amidst the enemy army. Though it could make things more difficult for himself should he get teamed up against, but Karronteel was sure that wouldn¡¯t happen thanks to the presence of the behemoth Flood Dragon he faced. Anyone who dared join that fight would only get caught in the crossfire of two mythical, high-level dragons.


    "What are you?!" the long-faced dragon roared, noticing the w marks Karronteel left on its side.


    "A Flood Dragon that can¡¯t even remember the existence of us Spectral Dragons? How ignorant?!" Karronteel roared, charging again.


    Opening its long mouth, a five-meter wide geyser of water erupted out of its throat. Yet it blew through Karronteel¡¯s ethereal body without any effort on the Spectral Dragon¡¯s part.


    With the confirmation that his opponent was indeed a prehistoric dragon, the giant Flood Dragon got serious. It repeated the attack but infused his steaming-hot, watery breath with more magic than ever. This managed to make contact with the Spectral Dragon¡¯s elusive physical form but Karronteel teleported the moment the attack made contact.


    Both dragons were aware of their opponents and had effectively sized each other up. Neither cared about the army that they hadnded on top of nor how the Flood Dragon¡¯s attacks also damaged the army. They both understood that a battle between two powerful dragons was going to be brutal and bloody. Caring for those around them would only hinder them.


    While Karronteel prepared for a gruesome grudge match with a dragon with a level more than five levels higher than his own, Maynard and Trax had already reached the front line where the other dragon wasying waste to Reinolt soldiers.


    "What level is it?" Trax asked rhetorically, assuming that Maynard was just as clueless.


    ¡¯It¡¯s lv. 82,¡¯ Eedaj¡¯s voice suddenly and briefly filled Maynard¡¯s and Trax¡¯s minds. ¡¯I would step in but I¡¯m upied with an evenrger dragon at the moment. Instead, look behind you.¡¯


    Perplexed, both Maynard and Trax turned around to spot a spatial rift tear itself open. One man walked through with a beaming smile.


    "Where¡¯s the dragon!?" Hadurt shouted with eagerness oozing from his searching gaze. "There it is!"


    Before either the samurai or the ninja could inform Hadurt about the situation, Hadurt charged for the Flood Dragon with his demonic halberd in hand. He was already missing out on the fun in Earthen Keep, so he was all the more anxious to kill a dragon.

 Chapter 475 Jin Confronts Tyres

    <h4>Chapter 475 Jin Confronts Tyres</h4>


    Tyres watched casually as the two dragons under hismand barreled into the unsuspecting camp. As the second Flood Dragon nose-dived into the king¡¯s tent, Tyres sighed.


    "Finally! Are you ready to admit defeat?"


    Turning around, Tyres showed a stern face to his one-time friend andpanion. "Jin, why are you always so eager to die?"


    "Why are you always so eager to hide?" Jin retorted, unfazed by the Sword God¡¯s remark.


    "I won thest duel, so it¡¯s you searching for death.


    "No, you and Torian won that fight, but I won the duel!" shouted Jin.


    Shrugging, Tyres rolled his eyes, "Either way, I won in the end. You¡¯re the one obsessed with death, not me."


    "Coward!" Jin retrieved two katanas, arming himself and preparing for their imminent duel.


    "Before we get to fighting, you should warn your reinforcements toe out now. Otherwise, there won¡¯t be a duel or any time to save you," Tyres added with a cold smile.


    Right on cue, another silhouette rocketed through the sky toward the two gods. It was beyondrge or huge. The silhouette matched Lunara¡¯s hydra form in length and it¡¯s two expansive pairs of wings made up for theck of additional heads. It came to a halt in the air, steadily pping its powerful wings to maintain flight and look down on the small human gods before it.


    "It¡¯s not Torian this time? Will Kylon be fast enough to save you when you get in trouble?" Jin mocked his opponent.


    "Jin, I admire your tenacity and discipline. Why must you face us and perish?" Kylon asked.


    "I have standards too, just as you do Kylon. Don¡¯t lower yourself by teaming up with him. Your noble reputation will be ruined," stated Jin.


    "I understand your concern, but please know that I do this out of orders, not of my own will. I have the highest respect for you, Jin, much more than I have for many of my fellow holy gods. It¡¯s too bad we find ourselves on opposing sides."


    Sighing, Tyres added, "I heard that..."


    "I don¡¯t care," stated Kylon. "As a god with a level advantage, you¡¯re too cowardly to face your old friend head-on while he, without advantages, has gained the better of you each time in the past, even escaping death when a second god aids you in attempting to kill him. As a warrior, he¡¯s one of the best. If his level were even three levels higher, he¡¯d be able to fight toe-to-toe with any of us more powerful gods as possible equals."


    "I appreciate the high praise!" Jin bowed formally to his supposed enemy. "Why are you a part of the holy gods again? I always forget how such a respectable person is under the crafty, treacherous leadership of Halmut."


    "Say what you must but Halmut has helped me in the past and I intend to repay that debt, even if I must act against my honor during asions like this," Kylonmented.


    "Then allow me to intervene." A fourth silhouette soared towards the group of gods, a smaller, humanoid silhouette.


    "Eedaj... You¡¯re the one who came to help him?" Kylon asked.


    With a nod, Eedaj replied, "Correct. How about both of us back off and allow them to handle their own business? I don¡¯t see a need in attacking you if you see no need in attacking me."


    "Very well. I support that decision."


    Both the colossal dragon and the short elf flew further than a kilometer away.


    "Are you sure you¡¯re okay with losing your security?" Jin asked. "Once I swing my des, I¡¯ll stop for no one, mortal or immortal."


    Dual longswords appeared in Tyre¡¯s hands. The Sword God inhaled and exhaled as he sharpened his gaze. "Come! I¡¯ll show you why I earned the title Sword God and not you!"


    *****


    "Are you so confident in Jin¡¯s abilities that you¡¯ll allow him to face Tyres after knowing Jin¡¯s at a level disadvantage?" Kylon had already reverted to her human form and nonchntly stood in the air beside Eedaj.


    Shrugging, Eedaj answered, "Even if I wanted to, Jin would never let me. And though Tyres has leveled up since theirst match while Jin hasn¡¯t, Jin has sharpened his skills all the more. He¡¯s one that seeks mastery and not pure, brute strength thates with leveling. I¡¯m not sure if you dragons fully understand that, not without seeking to master a trade outside of battle."


    "That makes a lot of sense..." Kylon nodded. "Just know that should you intervene, I¡¯ll be forced to attack you, Eedaj."


    "Thank you for the warning," The Mind God chuckled while focusing his attention elsewhere.


    He was proud to see Karronteel take on the stronger of the two dragons and even teleport it into the charging army, slowing the invasion and hurting the Zuran forces while alleviating the Reinolt camp of some worries. But that left the Karronteel at a great disadvantage while there was still a second, albeit weaker dragon for the others to handle. With three unfair matches happening at the same time, four if you include Eedaj¡¯s momentary standstill with the lv. 94 Kylon beside him, Eedaj contacted some help.


    ¡¯Moranti, the situation has changed here. Kylon is keeping me from helping and two flood dragons are attacking the camp.¡¯


    ¡¯I can¡¯t go myself. I¡¯m busy here.¡¯


    Shocked to hear that, Eedaj asked, ¡¯How so?¡¯


    ¡¯Tralbok and Torian decided to stop by and pay me a visit,¡¯ Moranti answered, shattering Eedaj¡¯s expectations. The God of Space continued, ¡¯But I can open a rift to the same spot I did before and send someone through it.¡¯


    ¡¯Then do that, but open the rift a few meters from Maynard¡¯s current position. That¡¯s where they need it. Also, can Rikko--¡¯


    ¡¯Rikko¡¯s also busy but I can send Guuro.¡¯


    ¡¯Why is Rikko busy?¡¯ Eedaj asked.


    ¡¯Sterfen cooked up a scheme and Rikko couldn¡¯t say no. He¡¯s on standby right now, waiting for his chance to act.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright... Then send Guuro through as well.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll send help for the dragons first. Then I¡¯ll convince Guuro to get off his fat butt and through the rift,¡¯ Moranti added before ending the conversation.


    Kylon remained silent as she thought Eedaj was also silently watching everything y out.


    But no. Eedaj was now focusing on the duo heading toward the dragon inside the camp. He sensed their worry and contacted them immediately, answering their question and briefly joining their conversation telepathically, ¡¯It¡¯s lv. 82. I would step in but I¡¯m upied with an evenrger dragon at the moment. Instead, look behind you.¡¯


    As Hadurt stepped through the rift, Eedaj sighed in relief. He then informed both Hadurt and Karronteel of the change in the situation.


    ¡¯Karronteel, Hadurt has arrived. Can you teleport and swap opponents with him?¡¯


    ¡¯But--¡¯


    ¡¯That dragon you¡¯re facing is lv. 86, Karronteel. It¡¯ll be a terribly tough opponent for either you or Hadurt and I¡¯m not denying your ability to face such an opponent. However, Hadurt will have a better chance of killing it while you mayst longer in a fight against it.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... Then I¡¯ll kill the lv. 82!¡¯


    ¡¯You heard that, right--¡¯


    ¡¯Switch now or I¡¯ll kill them both!¡¯ Hadurt shouted, not containing his excitement in the slightest.


    ¡¯Prepare a downward strike. Tell me when you¡¯re ready,¡¯ Karronteel abruptly stated, catching Eedaj off guard.


    The Mind God and Kylon, the Storm Goddess, watched as Karronteel took to the sky and performed a nose dive directly for the massive Flood Dragon. Yet, just before the Spectral Dragon dove headfirst into the Flood Dragon¡¯s watery breath attack, Karronteel vanished and was reced by a human wearing ck armor in a sh of purple light.


    Hadurt, with his demonization active and his halberd arching downward, carved through the breath attack andnded a clean blow to the lv. 86 Flood Dragon¡¯s face. At the same time, Karronteel¡¯s nose dive connected with the lv. 83 Flood Dragon within the camp, tearing his ws into the Flood Dragon¡¯s neck.


    Both Flood Dragons roared and billowed in fury at the sudden change of opponents.

 Chapter 476 All-Out War on the Zuran-Reinolt Border

    <h4>Chapter 476 All-Out War on the Zuran-Reinolt Border</h4>


    It was well past midnight as dawn approached. Gilga was still filled with more traffic than most cities at midday but things were quite peaceful.


    Morantifortably sat in his courtyard. The simple act of sitting and lounging freely was currently a great pastime for Moranti, as it felt so good to be without chains and to have unrestricted movement again. But during his lounging hours, Moranti reopened his eyes and sighed.


    The God of Space frowned and grumbled as he teleported out of his chambers. Reappearing in the dark sky over Gilga, Moranti red at the two men visiting him, annoyed.


    "What do you want?" Moranti asked.


    "Nothing. We¡¯re just stopping by to check in on you, that¡¯s all."


    "As kind as that sounds, you¡¯re no friend of mine. Friends wouldn¡¯t chain each other up for half a millennium."


    "But you¡¯re free now, so why not let bygones be bygones?"


    "Enough chat, Tralbok. Why did youe? I would think that you¡¯re here to challenge me, but Torian alone won¡¯t be enough help for you."


    "Like he said, we didn¡¯te to cause any trouble," Torian spoke up for himself, standing proudly in his eye-catching yellow robes befitting of a king.


    "Then tell me, why else have two trouble makers appeared on my doorstep?" questioned Moranti.


    "We¡¯re just here to make sure that you¡¯re here," Tralbok mentioned. "Considering what¡¯s going on elsewhere, we only need to keep you from going to help your friends."


    "And what¡¯s stopping me from leaving?" Moranti teleported, appearing behind each of the two gods and throwing his arms around their shoulders. "Can you two keep me from teleporting away?"


    "No, but we can ughter the city after you leave," answered Torian, looking back at Moranti without fear. "Even if you teleport back, I¡¯m fast enough to eliminate your guild while you¡¯re away."


    "Hmm... That is troublesome..." Moranti released both gods and bobbed his head from side to side in thought for a few moments.


    As Tralbok had implied, Eedaj¡¯s telepathic voice soon resounded in Moranti¡¯s head, ¡¯Moranti, the situation has changed here. Kylon is keeping me from helping and two Flood Dragons are attacking the camp.¡¯


    The God of Space sighed in his mind, ¡¯I can¡¯t go myself. I¡¯m busy here.¡¯


    ¡¯How so?¡¯


    ¡¯Tralbok and Torian decided to stop by and pay me a visit. But I can open a rift to the same spot I did before and send someone through it,¡¯ Moranti added, thinking on his feet.


    ¡¯Then do that, but open the rift a few meters from Maynard¡¯s current position. That¡¯s where they need it. Also, can Rikko--¡¯


    ¡¯Rikko¡¯s also busy but I can send Guuro,¡¯ Moranti stated.


    ¡¯Why is Rikko busy?¡¯


    ¡¯Sterfen cooked up a scheme and Rikko couldn¡¯t say no. He¡¯s on standby right now, waiting for his chance to act.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright...¡¯ Eedaj sighed, epting all the help he could get. ¡¯Then send Guuro through as well.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll send help for the dragons first. Then I¡¯ll convince Guuro to get off his fat butt and through the rift.¡¯


    Finished with Eedaj, Moranti turned back to his visitors and smiled. "Would you like for me to let you in for some tea or would that kill you with kindness?"


    "I¡¯m fine," answered Tralbok.


    But Torian nodded. "I¡¯d like some tea. Can we have some here?"


    "Very well... Give me a moment." Moranti waved his arms as spatial energy gathered around them.


    At the same time, Moranti contacted Hadurt hastily. ¡¯Hadurt, I¡¯m opening a rift. I need you to kill a dragon.¡¯


    ¡¯Say no more!¡¯ shouted the former champion.


    Doing just that, Moranti said nothing else as a rift opened and sent Hadurt to join the battlefield in Reinolt.


    ¡¯Guuro, take the rift to Reinolt and I¡¯ll give you some of my scales.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m on my way!¡¯ Surprisingly, Guuro rushed through his rift even more quickly than Hadurt.


    Then, Moranti finished waving his arms as a tea kettle and two cups appeared in the air. They floated as the kettle poured itself two servings of the most expensive tea Moranti could find. One cup floated into Torian¡¯s hands while the other went into Moranti¡¯s.


    Annoyed, Tralbok asked, "And mine?"


    "You didn¡¯t want any, so there will be none for you," Moranti stated, taking a sip while hiding his crafty smile.


    *****


    "Where did hee from?" Kylon asked, turning to Eedaj.


    "Who? Hadurt? Wasn¡¯t he there the whole time?"


    "Eedaj, I saw the rift open with my own eyes," stated Kylon as she took out a contact crystal.


    "Wait, what¡¯s the big deal about Hadurt?"


    Not answering Eedaj, Kylon spoke clearly, "Tralbok, why is Moranti aiding them here?"


    "WHAT?!"


    "He just opened a rift and sent Hadurt through. Why did you allow him to use his powers?" Kylon questioned.


    "Torian! It¡¯s Torian¡¯s fault!"


    "Don¡¯t allow him to intervene!"


    While Kylon shouted at Tralbok via the contact crystal, she abruptly darted to the side and narrowly avoided a fireball.


    "Since you¡¯re impeding me from helping, then I¡¯ll also impede you. Put the crystal away or we¡¯ll have to get serious. I¡¯ve already killed a dragon god once and I¡¯d rather you not be the second, Kylon," Eedaj stated as fire danced around his palm.


    Kylon blinked, taking Eedaj more seriously and putting the crystal away. She was confident that her raw power was greater than Eedaj¡¯s, but Eedaj was crafty and could make up for a level advantage better than most. His experience outweighed hers as well. No matter how she, or Eedaj, thought about it, a battle between them could result in either of them dying should they fullymit to the fight.


    "Good, now let¡¯s enjoy the show. I¡¯d rather share thoughts andmentary with you than attacks."


    Nodding, Kylon resumed her calm demeanor and spectated the battle alongside Eedaj.


    With both dragons upied, that left Maynard, Trax, and Tridon with only the army to face. King Leodoro was already leading his troops and repositioning them to meet the advancing army as well.


    Maynard and Trax turned to Tridon, who had followed them since the moment they left the tent. The samurai asked, "Will ya me me if ya die?"


    "If you¡¯re to me, then of course!" shouted Tridon.


    Taking out Raiton, the samurai-ninja duo climbed on the Thunder Cat¡¯s back. Pulling Tridon on as well, Maynard added, "Then hold on tight!"


    With all of its strength, the Thunder Cat took off. It zipped out of the camp and passed all of the Reinolt soldiers. Apart from those that were teleported, they were the first to reach the invaders.


    Once they reached the Zuran army, they split up while keeping rtively close. Together they charged the right side of the army that was traveling around the dragon¡¯s grudge match against the battle-crazed berserker. With that fight taking ce before their eyes, the Zuran soldiers were further caught off guard by the lightning-quick Thunder Cat and its party stealing the initiative.


    Maynard wasted no time as he activated the bloodline skill and became the hybrid of a human and a Thunder Cat. Fur filled with static electricity covered his body while the rest of his body became more flexible and nimble. At the same time, though, Maynard¡¯s fast-twitch muscles grew quicker and more explosive, drastically increasing his fighting strength.


    "No fair!" Trax shouted as he took on the iing soldiers in his normal form.


    Laughing as he did it, Maynard cut down half a dozen soldiers in a second. "Then hurry up and choose apanion. Ya can only me yourself!"


    Tridon¡¯s eyes were filled with admiration and longing as he witnessed Maynard¡¯s transformation. As a beast tamer, it was impossible for Tridon to feel any more jealous and envious than he did at that moment watching Maynard fight seamlessly alongside his Thunder Cat. He didn¡¯t know how the samurai had done it, but Tridonmitted it to memory and determined in his heart that he would gain that ability also.

 Chapter 477 Rushing to the Desert Tundra

    <h4>Chapter 477 Rushing to the Desert Tundra</h4>


    "How much further?"


    Shouting back to Sterfen and the others, King Wilheim replied, "We¡¯re almost there! Give it a few more hours and we¡¯ll see the campgrounds."


    Snow and wind buffeted the party¡¯s faces as they raced on the backs of the giant cier Wyrms. Like he had long ago, Dradich led his fellow wyrms while everyone road on his back.


    Dawn was almost breaking and everyone was anxious to reach their destination. That¡¯s when an rming call reached King Wilheim via contact crystal.


    "Sir! We need help!"


    "What¡¯s wrong?!" questioned Wilheim. "Calm down and--"


    "There are dragons, sir!" the military captain stated, not wasting any breath. "Their army is approaching from the side as well! We¡¯ll die if--"


    "Sterfen!" Wilheim worriedly shouted and looked to the real man in charge.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Sterfen asked, understanding that something urgent was taking ce.


    "Dragons are on the battlefield! If we don¡¯t hurry, then..."


    Not paying much attention to King Wilheim¡¯s further ramblings, Sterfen immediately contacted Moranti, ¡¯Moranti! We need to reach our battlefield now, or it¡¯ll be toote. Moranti?¡¯


    ¡¯Give me a moment... Where do I open it?¡¯


    ¡¯The Desert Tundra,rge enough for cier Wyrms.¡¯


    A reply didn¡¯te, reced with a thirty-second pause. Sterfen then understood that the same scenario may be taking ce elsewhere or the holy gods hadid arger trap than he had anticipated.


    But after those thirty seconds, a spatial rift appeared not even one hundred meters in front of Dradich.


    The lead wyrm barreled into the rift, having already experienced travel in such a fashion. Those wyrms behind Dradich did the same without hesitation or question.


    On the other side of the rift, the party found themselves in a strange ce. The world was covered in sand, yet it was cold to the touch and soft blue in color, getting colder and looking more like grains of snow as the sand got closer to Aazoon. Overhead, the sun shone brightly but was covered by the thinnest cloud cover, allowing the area to remain quite well-lit yet at a constant cool temperature in part to the cold sand. It felt strange to those entering the Desert Tundra for the first time, as if such a ce shouldn¡¯t exist.


    But no one¡¯s attention was on the weather. Their eyes were all focused on the not-too-distant battle taking ce.


    On the side with the most snow-like sand was arge army of thousands. Amidst that army were three monstrous dragons, spewingva from their mouths and leaving the army in ruins. Half of Aazoon¡¯s forces had already been wiped out and the evenrger, allied army on Maldor¡¯s side hadn¡¯t even reached them yet.


    "Bowzer, I hate to ask you this but take on thergest dragon," Sterfen ordered within a second of spotting the battle. "He¡¯s lv. 87. Can you take him?"


    Not answering verbally, Bowzer leaped from Dradich¡¯s back and rushed toward the battle at top speed. The lv. 81 Hell-me Fox howled as he formed his newly upgraded me body. His mes were now half white and half ck, asionally turning more ck than white. Now standing at seventy meters in height, Bowzer jumped through the battlefield and instantly drew the attention of the three Magma Dragons.


    The Magma Dragon¡¯s had dark, dull scales that appeared to be made of hardened magma. When they spotted the raging fox, they roared and rushed toward the fox. Magma could be seen oozing and dripping from between their scales as they grew angrier and more enraged.


    Bowzer paid no attention to the other two Magma Dragons rushing him, focusing on the fifty-meter tall Magma Dragon that Sterfen had pointed out.


    Both of the slightly smaller dragons charged Bowzer but were suddenly swatted to the side. They both snarled and looked to see what had caused their fall only to grow quiet and let moreva fall from their bodies in silent anger.


    "Lunara! How dare you attack mere mortals!"


    Hearing the familiar, disdainful voice, Lunara rolled her eyes. "You call that an attack? If you want me to attack them, then that can be arranged."


    Descending from the sky, Naparn kept his smug re on her while Bowzer continued his charge. "So, you brought Dragas along? I¡¯m surprised to see you two working together."


    "What¡¯s wrong with old friends making up?" Dragas stated as she joined the other two gods in the air over the battlefield. "Sorry Naparn, but just because I¡¯m single doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m desperate and hateful. Even if I was, I would turn you down again in a heartbeat."


    Ignoring thatment, Naparn asked, "So, where¡¯s Sterfen hiding now? Does he n to y chicken like he always does?"


    "He¡¯s twice the man you¡¯ve ever dreamt of bing," stated Lunara.


    "You say that yet his fighting style is so cowardly? He can only show his face when no one is ready to face him. Sure, I¡¯ll admit he¡¯s an intimidating foe while I¡¯m unarmed, but which god isn¡¯t?" Naparn joked. "Never has he epted a proper duel or battle, so I have no reason to respect his fighting abilities, only his stealth skills."


    "Are we just going to stand here and bicker all day or will you leave peacefully?" Lunara questioned, having heard enough nder about her husband.


    "Oh, I¡¯m so scared... Whatever will I do against two lv. 93¡¯s and a coward?" mocked Naparn. "Maybe if Kori was still a god, then I¡¯d be worried. But against you three? I guess I¡¯ll have to teach you to respect your superiors!"


    Withdrawing his sword, Naparn roared at the two women before him. His form took to a hybrid between a human and a Magma Dragon. ck, charred scales covered his body and his face squared off as his jaw became that of a dragon. Two wings and a tail sprouted from Naparns back, proving that, despite his yful tone, the Molten God was taking the fight seriously right out the gate.


    Lunara acted simrly, taking to her hybrid form, which was almost identical to Maura¡¯s transformation but as a fully matured beauty. Her tail and ice-cold scales were pr opposites to Naparn¡¯s. And though she had no wings, Lunara¡¯s neck grew longer and two more heads formed while her limbs grew longer also.


    Dragas also transformed, not wanting to be left out. Her body didn¡¯t growrger or more bestial, but her appearance still changed quite a bit. Turning pale green, Dragas¡¯s skin and feint veins mimicked a leaf while taking in the sun¡¯s rays more abundantly. As her hair became emerald green, matching her lips and eyes, Dragas assumed her hybrid form of a human and a dryad.

 Chapter 478 Morantis 1-V-3

    <h4>Chapter 478 Moranti¡°s 1-V-3</h4>


    While gods bickered and ascended further into the sky with each second of their conversation, Bowzer tackled the fifty-meter dragon. However, the dragon pped its wings to boost his agility momentarily and sidestep the charge.


    Both towering beasts eyed each other as the rest of the Aazoon army was scrambling away.


    At the other end of the fight, both of the other dragons were stopped by the cier Wyrms and Argyle.


    "A lv. 81 and a lv. 79..." mumbling to himself, Argyle stood firm atop Dradich. "We¡¯ll take the lv 81, have the others take the lv. 79."


    "You heard him! Don¡¯t touch our prey!" Dradich roared,manding the other elven cier Wyrms to team up against the Magma Dragon stronger than all of them individually. Both armies were amazed to see those eleven huge wyrms suddenly appear out of nowhere, cover themselves in ice, and throw themselves into theva-coated Magma Dragons.


    Doing the same, Dradich activated his frost body to the fullest and barreled towards the forty-five-meter Magma Dragon.


    Argyle tapped into Dradich¡¯s bloodline, transforming and creating his own frost body as well. The duo of the lv. 75 cier Wyrm and the lv. 76 swordsman confidently charged the lv.81 dragon. Their stand riled the passion of the soldiers, stirring their hearts with the hope of victory.


    "Men!" All Aazoon soldiers instantly turned their attention to their king as hope filled their eyes with each word King Wilheim spoke. "Now is not the time to retreat! Now is the time to stand for our country, to stand for our home, to stand for our families! If we turn back before the sun rises, then Aazoon will be finished before the day¡¯s end! Will you stand with me now!"


    "SIR, YES, SIR!!!"


    A unanimous, resounding battle cry took over the battlefield. No Aazoon soldier dared turn their backs on the invading army, facing them and pushing to fight with a revived passion to defend their homnds. It was especially encouraging when King Wilheim was the one at the lead, unafraid of getting caught up in the battle.


    Beside him were each of Jack¡¯s wives, fully transformed with theirpanions out and fighting. Lina was also among, not hiding hisrge hydra form as she tore into the front lines of the Maldor forces. She was getting so wild that Maura had to call her back so that they could all keep close to each other in the event someone needed help.


    Both Prince Willim and Princess Erina wanted to tag along but their father forced them both to remain in Frostburn City. There, they would wait for the moment Moranti opened a spatial rift for the citizens.


    *****


    "Tralbok, why is Moranti aiding them here?"


    In a split-second, Tralbok retrieved his contact crystal and shouted, "WHAT?!"


    "He just opened a rift and sent Hadurt through. Why did you allow him to use his powers?"


    ring at Moranti sipping his tea, Tralbok shouted, "Torian! It¡¯s Torian¡¯s fault!"


    "Don¡¯t allow him to intervene!"


    As Kylon¡¯s shout was abruptly cut off, Tralbok sensed that the connection was canceled. Rather than shout at his new ally, Tralbok turned his attention to Moranti. "What did you do?!"


    "What? I was thirsty and had been looking forward to my tea all day."


    "What did you do in Reinolt?!" Tralbok rephrased his question.


    "Oh, that? All I did was send Hadurt through a rift," Moranti answered, already knowing that the former chaotic champion would get spotted, keeping Guuro unmentioned.


    "What else?!" barked Tralbok. "I know you! What else did you--"


    "Knowing me, did you expect me to cooperate with only you two present to threaten me?" Morantiughed. "If you want to try that, you should have Lyrune out of hiding."


    Called out, a long sigh was heard as an elf descended from a nearby cloud.


    "It¡¯s been a while, Lyrun. How¡¯ve you been?" Moranti asked with an amiable smile.


    Sighing andughing at the same time, Lyrun replied, "Well... It¡¯s been alright, I guess."


    Torian remained silent but his gaze was sharper than ever as he kept his eyes peeled on Moranti, waiting for the moment the God of Space tried to act out again.


    As Lyrun¡¯s awkward chuckles came to an end, another voice sounded in Moranti¡¯s mind.


    ¡¯Moranti! We need to reach our battlefield now, or it¡¯ll be toote. Moranti?¡¯


    Still smiling at the three gods there to pressure him, Moranti telepathically replied, ¡¯Give me a moment... Where do I open it?¡¯


    ¡¯The Desert Tundra,rge enough for cier Wyrms.¡¯


    Keeping Sterfen¡¯s response in mind, Moranti¡¯s smiled softened and faded. He asked, "Does this mean you three are facing me? If you¡¯re gonna fight, then let¡¯s fight. If not, head home before you get hurt."


    Showing his teeth, Torian spat, "Does that mean you¡¯ll--"


    Before Torian could finish speaking, Moranti¡¯s figure vanished in a blink of purple energy. The Storm Dragon prepared to attack but was rmed to feel a mass of spatial energy behind him, just as Lyrun and Tralbok were.


    They spotted Moranti behind them, already in midswing of his scythe. It¡¯s purple energy sliced through all three of the gods but dealt no damage. Instead, all three of the pressuring gods felt themselves get pulled away with that spatial energy, being sent elsewhere forcibly.


    All three of them reappeared in the air over an endless body of water. The remnant spatial energy of the sh attack finished passing through them and faded away. While Lyrun shook his head in disappointment, Torian was sparking with static electricity and Tralbok was fuming mad.


    But before the three gods rushed back with Torian¡¯s incredible speed, a second sh of purple light filled the air in front of them. Moranti appeared with a grim frown stered across his face and spatial energy gathered around his hands, having just opened a spatial rift for Sterfen. Now, with the three threatening gods far from Gilga and Trodar¡¯s borders, Moranti had no reason to y nice.


    "Do you recognize this ce?" Moranti asked, lifting an eyebrow in wait for a reply.


    Lyrun nodded. "Kustram... Or at least what once was Kustram."


    "Right..." Moranti continued while the Torian and Tralbok were growing angrier by the second, "The same ce where Halmut and Skaryn once battled, sinking the ind nation. Since the former civilization was wiped out long ago, we don¡¯t need to hold back at all!"


    Each god readied themselves before they could bat an eye. Tralbok retrieved his staff and doused himself in abundant amounts of wind energy. Lighting danced over Lyrun as he prepared his body and mind for the high-speed battle that was about tomence. Both Torian and Moranti reverted to their hybrid forms.


    Green-yellow scales covered Torian as a pair of the thinnest dragon wings rushed out of his back. His ws and fangs were short, but Torian¡¯s body became as speedy as a lightning bolt and as nimble as the wind. Lighting and wind energy heavily washed over the Thundering God as he roared and rushed Moranti.


    With his purple, ethereal scales, Moranti stood firm in the air. His long ws, thinner than a cicada¡¯s wings, protruded from Moranti¡¯s hands. A crown of horns emerged from the God of Space¡¯s forehead while he proudly pped his purple wings and met Torian head-on.

 Chapter 479 Tyres vs Jin

    <h4>Chapter 479 Tyres vs Jin</h4>


    des shed as the Sword God and the God of Discipline began their long-awaited rematch. Neither surrendered initiative, dashing into each other with full-force.


    Their first few strikes were in and simple. No energy or special tricks were showed. Both swordsmen wielded their swordsmanship in the purest form as they traded blows. It wasn¡¯tmon by any means among battles between gods but it was themon beginning to each of their duels.


    "You¡¯re too slow!" Tyres shouted, boasting his superior level while quickening his step.


    The Sword God¡¯s movements hastened yet remained perfectly bnced. He weaved through Jin¡¯s attack and prepared a harsh sh against the samurai¡¯s torso. But he never made contact.


    For a moment, Tyres thought Jin broke the custom, something that Jin had always maintained till Tyres grew tired of the prolonged fight. But Tyres realized that Jin had effectively dodged the attack and was already preparing his own in response.


    Jin¡¯s reply was a simr sh attack, only it was even quicker than Tyres¡¯s attack!


    The Sword God was astounded and startled as he finally activated some energy to quicken his step and avoid the blow.


    "Again... You lose again," Jin stated with a smirk.


    Tyres eyed Jin in anger. "What was that? There¡¯s no way you¡¯re that much quicker than me..."


    "Guess again." Jin repeated the attack, proving to Tyres and both of the spectating gods that he indeed had out-sped Tyres with no additional energy.


    "Impossible..." Frowning deeply, Tyres released more energy and covered himself in wind. "I¡¯m sure there must be some trick to your attack. You were barely quicker than me while at the same level, yet now that I have an advantage and you¡¯re even faster?!"


    "Say what you want but I don¡¯t seek tricks. I seek results and will work hard to bring out my fullest potential without shortcuts," stated Jin.


    "Then exin to me how you¡¯ve gained so much speed."


    "That¡¯s the thing, I¡¯m not the one who got faster."


    "Huh?" Baffled, Tyres reasoned, "If you won¡¯t exin your speed, then there must be a hidden trick. Why else would you not tell me?"


    "Because I have my reasons. But like I said, I¡¯m not the one who got faster. That¡¯s my exnation." Jin readied himself to receive Tyres¡¯s imminent attack.


    "Then I¡¯ll have to force you to share your secrets!"


    Along with the wind around Tyres¡¯s body, fire and lightning gathered around his swords. The Sword God lunged forward with incredible speed that could match Rikko¡¯s nimbleness. One ming sword and one electrifying sword each swung toward Tyres¡¯s friend turned foe.


    Jin kept his gaze fixed as both des neared him. The God of Discipline used one of his katanas to lightly parry the ming sword while he leaned to the side and allowed the shocking sword to whiz past his ear, almost giving Jin a haircut it was so close. He then shed toward Tyres¡¯s chest, still not using energy.


    With his magic gathered around him, Tyres easily dodged the ordinary strike and counterattacked.


    Jin focused on evasion as both of Tyres¡¯s longswords narrowed brushed past his torso and neck. All the while, Jin refused to use energy until absolutely necessary. Due to his persistence in daily training, Jin was the first to discover his upgraded strength and abilities after Jack had purchased skill upgrades three days ago. And the moment Jin learned that his skills had grown stronger, he refused to be unaware of his new limits and trained to rediscover his newly heightened senses. Now, Jin was pushing those limits by remaining as close to Tyres¡¯s attacks as possible while still avoiding any type of damage.


    "You¡¯re technique hasn¡¯t improved at all..." Jin critiqued. "If anything, it may have gotten worse."


    "That¡¯s enough!"


    Not taking kindly to Jin¡¯s newfound abilities and taunts, Tyres added wind and lighting magic to boost his speed all the more. This finally forced Jin to use energy and forcibly deflect the strikes, the scenario that benefitted Tyres.


    "How has he grown so much without leveling?" Kylon asked Eedaj.


    Replying, Eedaj shrugged, "When all you do is train every day all-day-long for a thousand years, wouldn¡¯t it make sense for him to get better?"


    Kylon squinted and shook her head. "But such a drastic increase should be impossible without leveling... What has he done recently?"


    "Jin spent thest two months searching for Tyres but ultimately failed. We came here because we knew Tyres had arrived, something that Jin could never ignore," mentioned Eedaj.


    "But that doesn¡¯t exin his growth..." Kylon added. "Though Tyres was the lowest leveled holy god, he has every reason to be stronger than Jin. Tyres is an astounding swordsman with three magic types that increase his speed and fighting power drastically. Jin is the only god with zero affinity for magic and relies purely on trained skills, standing an entire level lower than Tyres. Exin to me, how he could ovee such an overwhelming gap of potential?"


    With a smile on his face, Eedaj replied, "Never underestimate the power of hard work. I know no other, mortal or immortal, that is as diligent and disciplined as Jin, hence his title. Though Tyres arose to godhood first while Jin was rejected by both Skaryn and Halmut, Jin never gave up and eventually joined us neutral gods. Even after ascending, Jin would rather miss meals and rest than to avoid his rigorous daily training."


    "And?"


    "And what?"


    Insisting to hear more, Kylon asked, "And what else has transpired that allowed Tyres to grow stronger against the logic of the world?"


    "His patience and diligence are what won out in the end. By remaining patient, he ended up joining us rather trying to impress either Skaryn or Halmut after their rejection, like what Tyres had done. Instead, Jin sought his own path. And now, even at lv. 91, you admire his skills and evenpared him to a high-levelbatant, didn¡¯t you?" Eedaj replied.


    Kylon smiled. "True... I believe he has earned his right to be a god and has proven himself. But that doesn¡¯t exin anything new. Jin¡¯s strength already defiedmon logic, yet now it seemingly defies how this world functions, by level. What has he found that can be better than leveling?"


    "I see... So you want to understand him not for the sake of their duel but for yourself. Then you can attempt to gain that strength in hopes of pairing that boost with leveling," stated Eedaj, finally getting Kylon to admit to her own thoughts which he had read all along.


    She eagerly nodded, waiting for Eedaj to say more.


    "I¡¯ll say this. As a holy god or even as a chaotic god, this boost in strength is impossible to gain," admitted Eedaj, not daring reveal its true nature or connection to Jack.


    "No holy or chaotic god... Then do all neutral gods have this boost?" Kylon asked with a stunned stare.


    Eedaj said nothing, only maintaining his typical smile. He kept Kylon in suspense as Tyres was forcing Jin to use more and more energy, a thoughtful strategy.


    Since Jin had no magic affinities, his way of wielding energy was by using the raw mana within his body. Unlike using spells or skills that boasted magical properties, Jin¡¯s skills weren¡¯t aided by the use of the world¡¯s mana. It was for that reason that Jin created his unique techniques that were low mana cost and easily sustainable with no shiness whatsoever.


    As Tyres was already hammering away at Jin with nothing held back, Jin was forced to give up practising his swordsmanship on Tyres and rely on his skills.


    Inparison to Tryes¡¯s relentless speed, Jin activated his illusory arms and now wielded twelve des. This was his way of countering Tyres. If Jin couldn¡¯t evade his enemy¡¯s attacks, he would grow enough arms to deflect them all and keep up the hard way.

 Chapter 480 Hadurt Slays the Dragon

    <h4>Chapter 480 Hadurt ys the Dragon</h4>


    With the godly duel heating up in the sky, the battlefield below did the same. Three dragons were fighting with their lives on the line, as well as a lv. 89 berserker that was possessed by the increasing pace of his battle.


    Hadurt was all smiles while he continued to test his draconic opponent. His ck halberd carved through the heated, vaporized breath attacks of the Flood Dragon. In Hadurt¡¯s eyes, this was the perfect chance to test his skills.


    ¡¯Karronteel, how about a race?¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯ asked the Spectral Dragon, focusing on defending himself.


    ¡¯I bet I can kill mine first.¡¯


    ¡¯I ept your challenge!¡¯ Karronteel shouted telepathically, followed by his mighty roar.


    Riled up even more, Hadurt¡¯s smile turned demonic. The demonic energy started to seep into Hadurt¡¯s character along with his body. His sanity was still fully intact but Hadurt had given in to his current emotions. He wanted to y the dragon.


    The Flood Dragon was amazed to see a human fight so daringly and manage to oppress him. It was outside of all expectations he and most all dragons had formed after entering istion near the end of the Godly War.


    "Come on big fe, give me everything you¡¯ve got!" shouted the Hadurt, grinning devilishly. "If you don¡¯t keep me entertained then I¡¯ll kill you too quickly!"


    Insulted, the Flood Dragon roared. It began amassing more and more steam within its gullet.


    Hadurt patiently waited a couple of seconds while the beast charged its attack, startling the Flood Dragon. But the Flood Dragon disregarded the human¡¯s insolence and spewed an explosion of steam.


    All soldiers within the attack¡¯s trajectory were blown away, even when they were more than a dozen meters behind Hadurt. The ck-armored berserker, on the other hand, cleaved downward against the attack. At first, they were at a standstill. However, Hadurt still managed to slice the vaporized attack in two with great effort and thebination of wind and dark magic.


    "My turn!"


    Lighting and wind energy stormed around Hadurt and intermingled with the dark, corrosive energy. Before the Flood Dragon could blink, Hadurt appeared above the beast. With a single swing, Hadurt dove into the Flood Dragon¡¯s neck.


    A fountain of red blood sprayed all over Hadurt¡¯s devilish smile. He was too fast for the massive-bodied dragon to evade.


    The Flood Dragon was still plenty alive and rushed to the side. Tanking such a grave wound hadn¡¯t left it incapable, but it did leave the Flood Dragon waiting for its life to gradually end due to blood loss without healing magic.


    "I¡¯m not done yet!"


    Again, Hadurt dove into the long body of the Flood Dragon. And though the high-level dragon was obviously fast, it was too slow and toorge of a target for Hadurt to miss.


    Another cut appeared on the dragon¡¯s shoulder. Then a sh carved into the beast¡¯s side. Flesh parted as Hadurt sliced one of the dragon¡¯s leg¡¯s off.


    Frantic, the Flood Dragon took to the sky to retreat. But would Hadurt let his prey flee?


    He shed again, making contact.


    The dragon whined in pain as it plummeted back to the ground below. Losing a leg made itnd all the more horribly, but that was mostly due to the dragon losing one of its tworgest wings.


    "Hmm... I can make all kinds of stuff from this!" Hadurt chuckled, feeling up the disembodied wing.


    Snarling and roaring in a frenzy, the Flood Dragon targeted the Reinolt soldiers and the allies of the man threatening it. If it couldn¡¯t deal with Hadurt, it decided to kill or threaten those that it could.


    A plume of steam and heat rocketed out of its mouth. It took out plenty of Zuran forces to get there, but its targets were the party holding the invasion back.


    ¡¯Maynard, Trax, watch out!¡¯ Hadurt yelled within their minds.


    Catching wind of the iing attack, Trax hurried back while Maynard and Raiton shed away in a show of their incredible speed.


    At the same time, the Flood Dragon¡¯s mouth suddenly mmed shut. Hadurt had run his halberd through the beast¡¯s jaws.


    In a new whine of pain, the Flood Dragon ceased its attack after hurting itself. Having holes in its mouth left the dragon unable to use breath attacks without consequence.


    "I think we¡¯re done here..." While his halberd was skewered through the dragon¡¯s mouth, Hadurt sent absurd amounts of electricity through the halberd and into the beast.


    The dragon thrashed, cried, scratched at Hadurt, but the berserker removed his halberd only to jab it into the dragon¡¯s forehead. He then started to turn the halberd cruelly while sending more and more electricity directly into the Flood Dragon¡¯s skull.


    All the battlefield heard the dragon¡¯s cries. They had no choice but to witness the demonic berserker torture the dragon to the brink of death, only putting it out of its misery so he could collect its limbs and corpse as trophies.


    But when he finished that battle, four men arrived on the scene to confront the berserker.


    "Huh? Oh, more association guys... That¡¯s what you¡¯ve been up to..."


    Getting recognized was no surprise to the four men. They surrounded Hadurt as the lead man spoke up, "I¡¯ve heard that Lorwynn is also alive. Tell us where and how you convinced him to turn traitor!"


    "You¡¯re confused," replied Hadurt. "It was the other way around. He¡¯s the one that convinced me, and neither of us regrets it one bit. Now, I¡¯ll warn you. Flee now or die. It¡¯s your choice."


    None of the men said a word, standing firm.


    Hadurt sighed, "Fine... But I¡¯ll feel like I¡¯m bullying you when you¡¯re so low-leveled... All of you,e at me!"


    They took him up on that, swarming him as a single unit. At levels 80, 81, 82, and 84, Hadurt¡¯s level was a major threat without relying on teamwork.


    Still covered in lightning and wind, Hadurt evaded but found the duelist keeping up with him. The duelist thrust his rapier forward, also using wind and lightning magic. His role was to keep up with Hadurt and to not let him getfortable while the others would corral the berserker and support their leader.

 Chapter 481 Interrupting the Duel

    <h4>Chapter 481 Interrupting the Duel</h4>


    Karronteel, despite his enthusiasm, was unable to win so easily against his opponent. The six level difference didn¡¯t help.


    The two dragons exchanged breath attacks constantly as they were at a draw each time. Speed was Karronteel¡¯s greatest advantage, letting himnd a few attacks with his sharp ws. But he had also felt the force of one of the Flood Dragon¡¯s steam explosions to even the score. Both of them were panting and waiting to see what came next in their fight.


    While that was taking ce, Karronteel couldn¡¯t help but notice the other battle ending and Hadurt taking on four more opponents at once. Also, he spotted the rest of the party staying the army before they were about to get overwhelmed by the sheer amount of iing soldiers, as the Reinolt army was still moments away as well.


    Everything was ying out as if Karronteel was needed for more than just to fight the dragon in front of him. He, along with the rest of the party, understood that their hope of victory was through quality ofbatants and not quantity. That meant that the longer Karronteel took to face the Flood Dragon, the more likely they were to lose.


    Keeping that in mind, Karronteel continued to assault the slower dragon. But he decided to try fighting smarter and not harder, unlike most dragons.


    As Karronteel charged the Flood Dragon it prepared another steam explosion. The attacks were about to collide when a spatial rift opened up between them. It consumed the steam explosion entirely, leaving Karronteel untouched while the Flood Dragon cried in pain. The other end of the spatial rift opened beneath the Flood Dragon¡¯s belly, unleashing it¡¯s own attack on the beast¡¯s underside.


    With the Flood Dragon getting blown into the air briefly, Karronteel wasted no time and struck while he could. His ws tore in the Flood Dragon¡¯s throat, pooling blood on the ground below.


    In rage, the Flood Dragon spewed its regr breath attack, something that would do little to no damage against itself without the forceful explosion.


    Karronteel opened a rift again, but the other end was nowhere to be found in the battle. Instead of retargeting the Flood Dragon, the vaproized breath attack was redirected into the Zuran army to ease the burden on Maynard and Trax for another moment.


    While the Flood Dragon was bleeding out, Karronteel then used his own breath attack to counter but it was also consumed by yet another rift. The other end opened over head of the Flood Dragon to target the weakened neck.


    More and more blood cascaded from the Flood Dragon¡¯s neck. There was no stopping the red fluid and no way to shake off the injury.


    The Flood Dragon attempted to flee but it was impossible to escape a Spectral Dragon. They were once the apex predators for a reason. No matter where their prey attempted to escape or hide, the Spectral Dragon could find them and be there in a sh of purple light. This was also true for fleeing enemies.


    By the time the Flood Dragon had flown away, Karronteel was prepared to end it. And with the Flood Dragon¡¯s focus on fleeing and defending, Karronteel found it much easier to go for a critical strike.


    Karronteel opened onest rift, one justrge enough for his ws. He shed into it and gripped what was on the other side.


    Stopping midair, the Flood Dragon cried in agony as sharp ws tore its throat apart. Blood spilled into the beast¡¯s lungs while it plummeted back to the earth below. It gasped for breath and tried to cling to its life, but in vain. The great dragon drowned in its own blood and suffocated after losing the ability to breath through it¡¯s mangled and shredded neck.


    Though Karroneel had used a lot of mana, he had plenty leftover to fight lower-leveled soldiers.


    The magnificent Spectral Dragon roared and dove into the iing forces to keep the others from getting overrun.


    Maynard and Trax focused on quick and clean killing blows, along with Raiton. That was their only hope against the massive army. They were forced to treat each fight as an individual battle and end each foe as quickly as possible. But Karronteel¡¯s arrival lightened that load quite a lot as the strongest Zuran soldiers were forced to target the dragon.


    Now, with Karronteel joining the fray and with the Reinolt army having finally met the Zuran forces, the battle was nearly at a draw. They had to wait for a tipping point. The battle could go either way with the next big move.


    Still overhead, Tyres and Jin were facing off with Kylon and Eedaj spectating.


    Tyres was feeling the pressure as his incredible speeds were getting matched by Jin¡¯s abundance of limbs. The samurai was perfectly blocking and countering the overwhelmingly fast attacks. At the same time, Tyres would asionally be pushed back.


    One of Jin¡¯s new techniques was abination of two strikes in one. Two of his ethereal limbs would ovep to the point where the arms were aligned while only the extra hand and sword would emerge parallel to the other. It created a heavy blow that would often force Tyres to back off momentarily and allow Jin a few more swings at the Sword God.


    Soon, Tyres found himself getting forced downward. Both swordsman then decided on a change of scenery as Tyres dove toward an unupied field with Jin close behind.


    "What happened to your technique? Have you learned anything new?" spat Jin, unsatisfied with the current pace of the fight.


    "Thene and try my new attack. I¡¯ll counter your joint strikes," Tyres proudly stated, taking a defensive stance.


    A bit happier, Jin readied himself and prepared six joint attacks with thebination of his twelve arms. The God of Discipline charged ahead unafraid and undeterred. He was determined to make Tyres eat his own words.


    As Jin closed the gap, Tyres gathered a ridiculous amount of lightning and wind energy around him but left nothing on his swords. It was strange. Such a stance was against Jin¡¯s expectations as he suspected that something strange was about to take ce.


    Jin¡¯s sword attacks arched toward Tyres one-by-one yet the Sword God did nothing to defend them. Instead, Tyres retreated a few meters.


    The earth below Jin¡¯s feet rumbled suddenly. Out of no where, Jin felt the ground copse under his footing. At the same time, Jin saw long teeth burst from the ground in an attempt to catch the God of Discipline in a single bite.


    That giant mandible managed to mp down on Jin. However, Jin phased through the rugged maw that tried to swallow him whole.


    "Grixor... Why are you interrupting us?!" Jin shouted, annoyed.

 Chapter 482 Unexpected Reinforcements

    <h4>Chapter 482 Unexpected Reinforcements</h4>


    "Grixor... Why are you interrupting us?!"


    The Quake Dragon grunted as the rest of his body burst from the ground. He said nothing as his wingless, hard-ted draconic body barreled at Jin. While standing on four legs, Grixor was sixty meters long and twenty meters tall. As Jin backed away, Grixor groaned and stood on his hind legs.


    But Jin wasn¡¯t able to rx. Both of his feet were suddenly grabbed by two hands rushing out of the ground. At the same time, Tyres charged forward with killing intent.


    Just as Tyres was about to reach the samurai, a barrier of holy energy blocked his assault


    While Jin attacked the hands holding him down and broke free of their grip, Guuro descended by his side. They stood together as the holy gods formed a perimeter around them.


    "Tyres, you coward!" Jin berated, cheated out of his duel yet again.


    "What¡¯s it matter? So long as I win, then it¡¯s my victory all the same," retorted Tyres.


    While the battle on the ground heated up with the reveal of three more gods, Eedaj dove down to join them. Only he was stopped by Kylon the moment he moved.


    "Eedaj, so I have to do this?" Kylon asked.


    "I guess so..." Eedaj sighed, gathering fire and darkness around him. "Forgive me. Whatever the oue is, know that I respect you, Kylon."


    "The feeling is mutual."


    Entering her hybrid form, Kylon immediatelyunched her steamy breath attack against Eedaj¡¯s fire. At the same time, electrical energy danced around her body. She, like Eedaj, was lucky enough to wield three elements and not two.


    Darkness expanded around them as they began their battle, catching the eyes of the gods below.


    Guuro examined the three gods around them before asking, "So the chaotic gods are no more? Your will¡¯s that weak, Alcahain?"


    Scoffing, the former chaotic god smiled coldly. "I¡¯m free to act as I wish with Skaryn absent, so I¡¯ll do what I must. Unlike you, though, I¡¯m still very much alive and will remain alive for quite some time."


    "Are you sure about that?" Jin taunted, readying his katanas.


    Grixorughed, "What can you do about it? Alone, Alcahain will lose. But with me, there¡¯s no chance for you two."


    Refuting that statement wouldn¡¯t be possible with words. Words wouldn¡¯t make sense as the lv. 91 samurai and lv. 92 cleric would take on a lv. 92 swordsman, a lv. 90 brawler, and a lv. 95 Quake Dragon. Only their fate-defying survival would counter such a statement.


    ¡¯Hadurt, are you busy?¡¯


    The former chaotic champion evaded an intersecting barrage of attacks while replying, ¡¯Only at the moment. What¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    ¡¯Can you face Alcahain and live?¡¯


    ¡¯HUUUUUUH?!?! What are you talking about?!¡¯ Hadurt shouted as he rerouted the party chasing after him.


    ¡¯Alcahain and Grixor teamed up with Tyres against Jin. I¡¯m busy with Kylon and Guuro won¡¯t be enough to help Jin,¡¯ reasoned Eedaj. ¡¯If you do that, won¡¯t you be able to at least hold out against him?¡¯


    ¡¯But... Really, right now?!¡¯ Hadurtined as he focused on evasion from his pursuers.


    ¡¯Yes! Immediately! If you don¡¯t go now, then you won¡¯t be able to call their battle a fight!¡¯


    ¡¯Fine! I¡¯ll do it now!¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Hadurt...¡¯


    Ending their conversation, Hadurt backed away and retrieved a small ss vial while he redirected himself for the battlefield of the gods. Those chasing him were unsure of what was going on or what red liquid was inside the vial, but they couldn¡¯t do anything as Hadurt gulped down the liquid without a second thought.


    As the liquid passed his throat, Hadurt then spun the halberd until he pierced his forearm with it, going clean through to the other side.


    That party of association higher-ups was dumbstruck as they witnessed Hadurt convulsing and crying in pain. They saw the demonic energy pour into Hadurt¡¯s body. A coughing spasm broke out of Hadurt¡¯s lips as well, but the berserker didn¡¯t stop running or slow down in the slightest. He paid no attention to the spectating pursuers.


    Only secondster, that party noticed Hadurt¡¯s body begin to visibly change.


    His body structure started to be more lupine and taller. Hadurt¡¯s limbs were growing longer and his muscles expanded as well. Forced to store his armor away, Hadurt shouted in agony as his bones and body were forcibly changing and growing to reach three meters in height. ws formed where his fingernails and toenails once were. ming-red fur sprouted along Hadurt¡¯s shoulders, forearms, and calves. The berserker¡¯s face thinned out to a point as his mouth, nose, and ears all mimicked a fox. His pained cries turned to howls as his shaking started to lessen.


    Those from the association were baffled and utterly clueless as to what just happened. All they knew was that Hadurt had likely just be far stronger than previously.


    While they were caught up in the moment, Hadurt covered himself in demonic, lightning, and wind energy. His new form mixed with his already incredible speed became the nightmare of those association members.


    The leader was the first to die. As the demonic halberd was thrust through the duelist¡¯s throat, Handurt¡¯s second hand tore into the man¡¯s chest. With two fatal wounds, Hadurt eliminated the party¡¯s key to keeping him at bay.


    Mercilessly, Hadurt ughtered the remaining three and dashed toward the nearby field. His howls filled the battlefield with eeriness and shock.


    "ALCAHAIN!!" Hadurt roared.


    Before the three holy gods made a move, they spotted the iingbatant. However, they were floored to see what Hadurt had be and how fast he was moving.


    Continuing, Hadurt cried with a hellish smile of his new fangs, "It¡¯s my turn to teach you what fear is!"


    "Go, just hurry up and kill him," Grixor stated.


    "But--"


    "Do you doubt me?!" Grixor questioned.


    "N-no..." Alcahain didn¡¯t dare look Grixor in the eye as the Quake Dragon took his hybrid form. Like his rtionship with Moranti before, Alcahain knew when he was outssed.


    Rather than reject Grixor¡¯s proposal, Alcahain left Grixor and Tyres to handle Jin while he darted toward the iing enemy.

 Chapter 483 Deadlock in the Desert Tundra

    <h4>Chapter 483 Deadlock in the Desert Tundra</h4>


    The weaker of the three Magma Dragons was being overrun by nearly a dozen cier Wyrms. Such an overwhelming attack was too much for the great beast. However, it still took fatally wounded four cier Wyrms before it was frozen over and killed.


    Not wasting time, the seven remaining wyrms hurried to aid their leader.


    "This one is our prey!" Dradich shouted. "Aid the army, now!"


    Hurriedly changing targets, the wyrms bore through the cold sand toward the colliding armies. Thanks to the sand, their speed was incredible and allowed them to hurry into the Maldor forces. But the hidden high-level experts of the army targeted the wyrms and kept them at bay in order to keep the wyrms from tipping the scale of battle.


    Dradich and Argyle had split up to tag-team the forty-five-meter tall Magma Dragon. While Dradich drew the dragon¡¯s attention, Argyle was rushing to the nk oring from the side.


    The Magma Dragon wed into Dradich¡¯s frost body, getting the wyrm shout in pain. But at the same time, the mighty dragon roared.


    Argyle was cutting into the underbelly of the dragon¡¯s tail. And though the beast swung its tail in defense against the swordsman, preventing Argyle from severing the tail, Argyle did manage to leave a sizable wound open forter attacks.


    Yet, as Argyle readied his next barrage of sword attacks,va fell over the wound and hardened in order to leave no weak point exposed.


    ¡¯How annoying... Got any ideas?¡¯ Argyle asked telepathically.


    Replying, Dradich eyed the Magma Dragon as it backed away from the duo, ¡¯It seems we need to overwhelm it before it can cover its wounds. We need to break its defenses and deliver the killing blow simultaneously.¡¯


    ¡¯Easier said than done,¡¯ added Argyle, ¡¯but you¡¯re not wrong. This could take some time...¡¯


    The swordsman looked toward the army. As the wyrms were held back from scattering the Maldor soldiers anymore, Argyle sighed in worry for his daughter and his yet to be born grandchild.


    ¡¯They¡¯ll be fine. We¡¯ll join them after removing this threat. Or would you rather them face the dragon?¡¯


    ¡¯Let¡¯s do this!¡¯


    Argyle rushed the Magma Dragon, switching roles with Dradich. The wyrm took the opportunity to burrow into the ground while the dragon was dealing with Argyle¡¯s icy charge and his chilling sword attacks.


    At the same time, there was an epic duel taking ce not too far from there. A lv. 81 Hell-me Fox and a lv. 87 Magma Dragon were staring each other down. So far, they had only exchanged a few attacks. They kept a close eye on each other, not underestimating the other.


    Bowzer was underleveled and sure to be careful. The Magma Dragon had something else ying through his mind.


    Clear as day, that Magma Dragon remembered seeing a simr fox ravage his home town centuries ago and face the greatest of the Magma Dragons to a draw. And it was done while the fox¡¯s level was lower than Naparn¡¯s. That memory and tale wouldn¡¯t allow the Magma Dragon to make a false move or to grow cocky. It understood that underestimating such a fox could mean its life.


    Both armies were far from the two towering beasts, leaving them with room to fight freely. In other words, there was no one present to hold them back or assist them. It was a duel of the two strongest fire bloodlines of Kartonia.


    The Magma Dragon let loose a guttural roar. Sand shook under its cry, trembling and shifting under Bowzer¡¯s feet. Then, pirs of hardened sand shot up at the fox without mercy.


    However, the residual heat around Bowzer was beyondparison. All sand around Bowzer was melting and entering the refining process, which included the pirs.


    Finding no advantage with his second magic type, the Magma Dragon roared again. This time, a geyser of bubbling magma rocketed out of its mouth. Determination filled the dragon¡¯s eyes as itmitted to ughtering the dreaded fox of his people¡¯s nightmares.


    In response, Bowzer coughed up a ball of ck and white mes. It was much smaller than the plume ofva, yet the heat it gave off was even hotter.


    When both attacks collided, a heatwave exploded out toward the neighboring battles. Argyle, Dradich, and the other Magma Dragon felt the residual heat stronger than the army, causing even the Magma Dragon to hesitate. But their fight quickly resumed, just as Bowzer and his opponent repeated their attacks.


    Again, a heatwave filled the surrounding battles. But they didn¡¯t stop their attacks this time. Lava spewed ceaselessly from the Magma Dragon¡¯s throat while Bowzer coughed up a dozen of those expansive fireballs.


    Thendscape was changing from their attacks, bing red hot sand while other parts were cooling down from the nearby cold sand to form ponds of ss.


    Both beasts were now stepping forward. They got closer and closer as the collision of their attacks grew more aggressive by the second.


    Those from both armies were rattled by the sight.


    The Aazoon soldiers weren¡¯t terrified but they were startled beyond belief. They had gone from losing all hope against dragons of legend to finding a new seed of hope in reinforcements. And now, that small seed was growing proudly with each explosion of Bowzer¡¯s fireballs, proving that they too had the aid of a legendary beast.


    King Wilheim held strong to the reigns of his soldiers¡¯ hearts. Even under those circumstances, he was the first to continue his assault and tune out the spectacr sh of fiery titans in the distance.


    Jack¡¯s wives and Lina were also among the first as they expected nothing less from Bowzer. Together with their beastpanions, they held the front line. To their sides were the Aazoon captains and soldiers, helping them to face the invaders without any disadvantage. And any high-level expert who dared to attack the wives was met by Mooldrat, who was guarding them instead of pushing the line.


    Though the battle on the cold sand was getting more and more heated, it couldn¡¯tpare to the battle taking ce overhead.

 Chapter 484 Ambush of the Twin Mages

    <h4>Chapter 484 Ambush of the Twin Mages</h4>


    "Is that the best you¡¯ve got?!" Naparn shouted with a domineering smile. Not holding back against his formerrade, the Molten God hurled bubbling magma at Lunara.


    Saying nothing, Lunara doused theva in her cial breath, hardening it instantly and letting her swat it away. Dragas wasn¡¯t too far from here and gave Lunara the confidence to stand before the lv. 97 Molten God.


    Naparn continued to shout, "If Sterfen is too much of a coward to show himself, then I¡¯ll just have to kill you!"


    Charging at full speed, Naparn prepared his de. It was red-hot and ready to cleave the icy goddess in two. Defending such an attack woulde at a cost.


    However, Dragas was also a part of this fight. And her abilitiesbined with Lunara¡¯s weren¡¯t simply additive, they were multiplied.


    As the Molten God rushed Lunara, he felt himself grow heavier and more sluggish as a faint ck aura gathered around him. At the same time, both holy and nature energy surrounded Lunara¡¯s body, filling her with more strength than ever.


    A frosted spear appeared in Lunara¡¯s hands. It was glistening white like freshly fallen snow.


    With her weapon at the ready, Lunara took Naparn head-on!


    Just before their collision, Naparn had to force his way past a barrier of holy light, lessening his attack¡¯s strength. This evened the score as the debuffed Molten God exchanged blows with the buffed Water Goddess.


    The colliding attacks caused the air to tremble. Opposing energies warred as Naparn¡¯s Molten de met Lunara¡¯s cier Spear. Neither side budged, standing their ground and sending shockwaves through the air. Even at their great height, the residual shockwaves were felt by those battling below, albeit too weak to cause them any harm.


    Naparn was incredibly displeased. Though he wasn¡¯t at a disadvantage after counting the debuffs and buffs, his pride was already wounded greatly.


    He proudly stood as the second strongest holy god. Yet he was iparable to the second strongest chaotic god and always had been. Knowing full well that three gods were dispatched to keep Moranti at bay, how could Naparn not feel insulted in his current situation? While Moranti was facing two lv. 96¡¯s and a lv. 95, Naparn was being rivaled by a two lv. 93¡¯s. There was noparison to be made.


    Fueled by his raging pride, the heat around Moranti grew and grew.


    Lunara acted simrly as she covered herself in more cold energy. But Naparn¡¯s soaring temperature was starting to overtake her subzero defenses. It would mean a prolonged battle was the worst strategy.


    "Now, you¡¯ll face my wrath!"


    As Naparn shouted and pushed Lunara back, something strange urred. Two figures suddenly rushed up out of the Zuran army. Those two took to the sky with vicious speed and were aimed for the battle in the sky. Each gathered a different energy into their hands.


    When Dragas and Lunara spotted the new challengers, both of the iing figures threw their own attacks.


    A bolt of blue lightning rushed from one figure¡¯s hand while a ming vortex burst out from the second. The lightning targeted Lunara, the Water Goddess, and the fire targeted Dragas in her dryad hybrid form. Clearly, those attacks would be critical to the battle and nned out in advance.


    Dragas managed to find a moment to evade, narrowly avoiding the encirclement of mes. But the same couldn¡¯t be said about Lunara.


    While being pressured by Naparn, there was no chance that Lunara could avoid the speed of that jarring attack.


    As the lightning fell upon her, Naparn grinned from ear-to-ear. That was until he noticed something.


    Standing in front of Lunara, Sterfen had appeared. With his knives in hand, the Assassin God deflected the lightning while receiving some small residual damage.


    "No one touches my wife..." Sterfen stated, snatching everyone¡¯s attention. But he wasn¡¯t done. Soaring downward, Sterfen countered the charge of the two iing figures. "Sillo... Sybin... You¡¯ve chosen death!"


    Laughing to themselves, the Twin Mage Gods nced at each other. Sillo mocked, "What are you going to do about it?


    "Does the stealthy god have anything he can do now that you¡¯re found out?" Sybin added.


    Yet as they giggled to themselves, Sterfen continued his rush.


    "Fools!" Naparn shouted at the ignorant twins. "Don¡¯t lose sight of him!"


    "Funny you should say that..."


    Hearing that whisper at his side, Naparn lifted his arm to defend his throat. In the knick of time, Naparn felt a scratch against the scales of his forearm. The Molten God used the same motion to extend that arm and swipe his sword through the air, making contact with an invisible figure.


    A second image of Sterfen appeared with blood dripping from a sh across his chest. "Not bad..."


    That second image faded, proving that it was merely a weak body double. That was also proven as the scratch on Naparn¡¯s arm was barely noticeable, much in part to the natural defense of his scales.


    While Naparn felt a sense of relief, the Twin Gods were startled by Sterfen¡¯s frontal assault, the exact opposite sort of attack that Sterfen was known for.


    Sterfen reached the Twin Mage Gods with two knives in had, one aimed for each god.


    Both Sillo and Sybin grew more serious after Naparn¡¯s warning. Sillo gathered an armor of earthen energy. It was sopacted that it nearly resembled thick, crudely formed metal. Sybin, on the other hand, increased the amount of wind energy around her while weaving past the iing attack.


    Each twin was ready for a battle. But they felt no resistance as the knives reached them.


    "What the--"


    "AAAAHH..."


    Sillo shared his thoughts aloud but was interrupted by his sister¡¯s cries. He turned to see a dagger shoved through her throat. But something was off. That dagger came from the side, the same side that Sybin had traveled past in order to evade Sterfen¡¯s attack without colliding against Sillo.


    The image of Sterfen that had just falsely attacked the twins then faded and the true figure of Sterfen appeared, holding the other end of that killing dagger.


    "As I said, you¡¯ve chosen death..."

 Chapter 485 Sterfen Hides No More

    <h4>Chapter 485 Sterfen Hides No More</h4>


    "As I said, you¡¯ve chosen death..."


    Cold eyes met Sillo¡¯s shocked gaze. Never had Sillo felt smaller and more vulnerable, even while standing before an angered Moranti.


    Above, Naparn was at a loss for words. He was d to know that he had survived Sterfen¡¯s surprise attack, however, Naparn didn¡¯t know how to process Sterfen¡¯s immediate execution of a well-respected god. Sure, Sybin was only lv. 93, but she wielded five magic types while Sterfen wielded one. Yet she was assassinated in broad daylight directly in front of them. While part of Naparn was more hesitant than ever against Sterfen, a small part of him felt d that he had never underestimated Sterfen through his actions of the past.


    Dragas was blown away by Sterfen¡¯s performance. Though they had never been lovers in the past, she had always had a biased opinion of Sterfen¡¯s strength either way. And now Dragas finally felt satisfied to know that she had never been wrong, even though she failed to win Sterfen¡¯s heart in the end.


    Everyone was in shock, but Lunara was filled with appreciation and love. Unlike the others, Lunara¡¯s confidence in Sterfen was absolutely unshakable. For her, Sterfen¡¯s word was irrefutable. Even an empty promise that most would make out of emotion in the moment was carefully executed to perfection. Her own release from the holy gods was a prime example, or how Sterfen had arrived and brought her back from death¡¯s door during the Godly War of the past. Not even for a moment did she doubt her own protection. Lunara didn¡¯t know her husband¡¯s level but she was sure of his strength.


    While everyone was in shock or awe of Sterfen¡¯s unbelievable disy, Sterfen removed the de from Sybin¡¯s lifeless corpse. He let her body fall to the ground. It fell ungracefully as it flopped around in the wind.


    Sillo wanted so badly to hurry to his sister¡¯s side and attempt to cast resurrection magic but he couldn¡¯t. After seeing Sterfen¡¯s abilities first hand, Sillo could only let the water fall from his eyes as he stared furiously back into the sub-zero gaze of the Assassin God.


    Sterfen then added, "Oosam, I¡¯de out now before I hunt you down next..."


    Both Lunara and Dragas werepletely startled to know that Oosam was hiding nearby. Naparn and Sillo felt chills as Sterfen called out their ace in the hole, and to do so after one-shotting one of their own.


    "I see..." A sigh sounded out from in between the two godly fights. The Illusion God appeared and turned to face Sterfen. "In that case, I¡¯ll join Sillo as he exacts revenge for his fallen sister."


    "Don¡¯t worry, he¡¯ll be joining her soon," Steren instantly refuted with only confidence in his voice. "All who dare to touch my wife will die."


    "Then I¡¯m d I haven¡¯t threatened her," Oosam joked as he lowered himself to join Sillo on their battlefield.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about me. Just handle your own fight. But if you need help or want to switch, then say so immediately,¡¯ Sterfen telepathically stated, no longer putting on false airs or attempting to hide his confidence from Dragas.


    Lunara was the first to continue attacking. She jabbed her spear toward Naparn without hesitation or fear.


    The Molten God defended and parried the attack with his sword.


    Dragas followed as she increased the strength of the aura shield around Lunara while pushing the debuff on Naparn to the limit.


    Working together, Sillo and Oosam waited as Sterfen was distracted by Naparn¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s exchange. When Sterfen nodded and approved of the oue, he finally looked back to his two opponents. "Oosam, will you surrender his life to me or do I need to add you to my list of foes?"


    "Sterfen, things don¡¯t work they did in the past," Oosam replied. "Now that you and the neutral gods are acting against the other gods, I can¡¯t show you any preference."


    "It¡¯s not that we¡¯re just now acting out, it¡¯s that you and the others have all been doing whatever you¡¯re told by Halmut and Skaryn. With them doing as they wish, they almost ended the world. And your ignorance was a part of that, which led to us needing to step up in order to avoid the¡¯s extinction," stated Sterfen. "Now, I¡¯ll ask once more. Will you surrender this fight and flee while I deal with him for the crime of targeting my wife?"


    "No!" Sillo shouted. But he turned to see Oosam¡¯s uneasy expression, feeling even lower than before.


    Finally, Oosam replied, "I can¡¯t..."


    "Then so be it... Don¡¯t me me if your life gets caught up in this," Sterfen added with a sigh.


    Lightning sparked around both Oosam¡¯s and Sillo¡¯s bodies as they readied themselves. After witnessing the immediate fall of Sybin, they left no stone unturned or preparation unmade while facing Sterfen.


    Sterfen casually popped his neck, followed by his fingers. A dagger danced through his fingers more nimbly than ever as Sterfen took in a deep breath.


    Just as Sterfen rxed his body and began acting casually, his silhouette disappeared before their eyes.


    The Illusion God was on full alert as he did his best to see through Sterfen¡¯s disappearance. At the same time, he created multiple forms of himself to create more insurance for his own survival.


    Sillo shouted in anger, "You dare kill my sister?! And now you think I¡¯m so easy a target?! I¡¯ll show you!"


    With himself at the center, a dancing web of lightning formed around them. It had no effect on Oosam, who had his own lightning protecting himself and his copies, but it was a great deterrent to slow Sterfen.


    "You and your single magic affinity, how dare you mock my sister and I! With five magic types alone and eight magic types together, you dare tarnish our legacy?!" continued Sillo. "Then try this!"


    While maintaining the lightning web, a veil of holy energy erupted from Sillo. It passed over Oosam and his copies, then surpassing the lightning web. And after a few seconds, another figure became visible as it traversed the lightning web with care.


    Sillo beamed, "Found you!"

 Chapter 486 Tipping the Scale of Battle

    <h4>Chapter 486 Tipping the Scale of Battle</h4>


    Torian and Moranti shed!


    Loose bolts of electricity unleashed themselves during their collision. Spare spatial energy leaked out, contending with the electricity and cutting through some of the bolts.


    "You¡¯ll have to try harder, Torian," Moranti teased, preparing his next attack.


    But before Moranti could attack again, Tralbok was on the move. His great speed with wind energy kept him from getting left aside by the two fastest dragons. Add that to his time magic and he was right on top of Moranti without hindering Torian.


    A fierce de of wind magic hurled toward Moranti. It was countered but kept Moranti from immediately overwhelming Torian.


    Given an opening, Torian charged yet again. An electrifying scimitar appeared in his hands as Torian shed toward the God of Space.


    Moranti easily dodged the attack, however, teleporting to the side and showing them a smile. "At least you came at me with confidence to harm me. That¡¯s more than most can grasp, albeit futile."


    Torian said nothing as he charged again, now with a second scimitar. Also, his long, thin tail was used as a ded whipped with a serrated spike at the tip. Together, all three des stormed toward Moranti without mercy or hesitation.


    Tralbok acted again also. A cyclone gathered around him as he controlled the winds to twist toward Moranti. He was corralling Moranti as Torian pushed to deliver a grave blow.


    But Moranti teleported again.


    This time, Moranti reappeared by Lyrun, the god who was left alone. Moranti sighed and threw a spatial sh toward his old friend. "Why... Lyrun?"


    "I¡¯m just following orders," Lyrun answered. With staff in hand, Lyrun created a green barrier around himself that easily withstood the spatial sh. At the same time, wind gathered around him as Lyrun sped backward to allow the other two to take Moranti head-on. "It¡¯s nothing personal, Moranti."


    "I¡¯ll remember that," chuckled Moranti. He received the two charging gods with more attacks and spatial shes.


    As that spatial energy reached them, though, more green barriers appeared around them to protect them from Moranti¡¯s offense.


    "Come on, Lyrun. Isn¡¯t two against one bad enough? Why do you have to get involved?" Moranti joked while teleporting away again.


    "Enough!" Torian shouted. "As a noble Spectral Dragon, I have respect for you, Moranti. But your cowardly tactics are anything but noble. Face us head-on or I¡¯ll know with certainty that you¡¯re not truly the man everyone fears you to be."


    Dropping his casual tone, Moranti raised one eyebrow. He gave Torian a once-over, followed by Tralbok. After inspecting Lyrun as well, Moranti understood that all three were fully-geared up and ready for a life-threatening fight. They weren¡¯t underestimating him at all. In fact, they were overestimating him at the chance that they would get caught off guard. It filled Moranti with pride as he took such preparations as apliment.


    "Very well... But before you pay the price, remember, you asked for this..."


    A yful smile painted itself across Moranti¡¯s face. Moranti¡¯s dazzling, purple scythe appeared in his hand. A sheet of spatial energy fell over the surrounding area as Moranti¡¯s form became more ethereal and unreal.


    *****


    The military battle on the Zuran-Reinolt border was nearing its climax. All that was left was for one side to tip the scales.


    Maynard and Trax were now focused on killing enemies while using the least mana possible. They refused to cause troubleter on by mana-mismanagement. And with the battle about equal, all they had to do was wait.


    Karronteel was also fighting to a draw, asionally taking damage at the cost of a foe¡¯s life. He was thergest focus of the Zuran army. If he could get loose than the Zuran army was done for.


    "HO!!"


    From behind the Zuran army came a resounding battle cry. No one knew what was happening until they spotted the armor those soldiers were wearing.


    The Zuran army cheered as their morale soared to new heights. With reinforcements, they had the opportunity to make a push for victory. All the while the Reinolt soldiers readied themselves for the increased burden that was about to fall upon them.


    After a few minutes of deadlock, the reinforcements reached the battlefield.


    "Aaahh..."


    Cries rang out from the back of the Zuran army, causing everyone unease. They soon realized something. Those reinforcements had begun to attack the Zuran army. They wore the same armor but something was interesting about their helmets. Each helm was painted either red or yellow. There were only a few hundred men and they weren¡¯t the strongest army but they stuck out like a sore thumb as they attacked their supposed allies.


    Suddenly, the caws of birds rang out through the air. The depressed Zuran soldiers felt a ray of hope shine down on them as the familiar sight of the sky navy appeared on the horizon.


    Yet, two more birds came into view,ing from the direction of the false reinforcements. One was a Thunderbird while one was Wind Roc that seemed eerily familiar to those fighting below. Also, a hulking Two-headed Wolf raced out of the nearby woods and into the Zuran army with fangs bared.


    Maynard and Trax smiled, knowing that they managed to do their job.


    Flying overhead, Rydel petted Ayden and smiled at the man riding the Thunderbird.


    That young man was full of enthusiasm and shouted, "Thank you for your offer!"


    "Don¡¯t mention it, just help me take care of the sky navy," replied Rydel.


    More eager than ever to prove himself, Tarnel readied his lightning spells and petted his Thunderbird, the same that he had purchased during the annual auction.


    On the ground, Flint was leading the charge of the soldiers with red-painted helmets, his fellow members of the Maronn Family, alongside his Two-headed Wolf. He and his father were all smiles. Given the opportunity to migrate and join Trodar as a noble family was an opportunity that they couldn¡¯t pass up.


    With the Maronn Family and the Lyre Family rebelling at such a crucial time, the bnce of the battle was finally tipped.

 Chapter 487 Hadurt Holds Off Alcahain, The Brawler God

    <h4>Chapter 487 Hadurt Holds Off Alcahain, The Brawler God</h4>


    The Zuran army was in the worst position yet but the same couldn¡¯t be said for the gods siding with them.


    In that open field, three holy gods faced off against two neutral gods and a former champion. Including Kylon above, there were now four holy gods present to give them a clear advantage, especially after considering their levels.


    Secluded from the other deities was Alcahain. He rushed to face the former champion that he had helped train.


    Hadurt focused on his drive for battle and not the overwhelming odds that made his interferencepletely illogical. Rather, Hadurt gritted himself to face off against the only chaotic god that could be counted as a true teacher of his.


    While Pestro was the one who had blessed Hadurt, thete Demon God took little to no time to teach Hadurt anything. The only lengthy interactions they had were the times when Pestro would bully and beat on Hadurt. Though Alcahain wasn¡¯t a father figure for Hadurt, he at least answered Hadurts questions on asion or allowed Hadurt to test a skill every so often. Alcahain was the god that Hadurt disliked the least. But that was nowhere near enough emotion to stop Hadurt from trying to shred the Brawler God to pieces.


    Pausing his charge, Alcahain sighed, "You know, we could--"


    The Brawler God was interrupted by the swing of Hadurt¡¯s halberd. It crashed down where Alcahain once stood. When Alcahain sidestepped the attack, Hadurt added, "Why stop fighting? Let¡¯s talk with our mouths and our fists!"


    "Fine..."


    Acquiescing, cahain covered his gauntlets in earth energy, thrusting his fist forward. The demonic halberd rushed to parry the attack, forcing Hadurt back a couple of meters.


    "There¡¯s only a one-level difference, yet the gap is so wide..." Hadurtined.


    Alcahain chuckled. "For a mortal, you¡¯re the strongest I¡¯ve ever faced. But that¡¯s to be expected after your permanent demonization. Let me guess, you used Kori¡¯s blood, didn¡¯t you?"


    "Isn¡¯t that obvious?" Hadurt smiled, readying himself for charge again.


    "Well, it¡¯s better than Pestro¡¯s choice. I¡¯ll give you that. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯re ready for me, kid."


    "Only one way to find out!" Hadurt shouted as he bolted toward Alcahain.


    "Good... At least put up a fight!"


    Letting go, Alcahain showed an excited grin. One fist was now coated in earth energy while the other was coated in lightning, allowing him to change his fighting style with each punch thrown. He couldnd a heavy blow that could tear through defenses or an instantaneous body blow to create an opening.


    Hadurt understood Alcahain¡¯s fighting style well. The berserker chose an interesting tactic to counter the Brawler God.


    When Alcahain led with a lightning-quick punch, Hadurt ducked. Hadurt used his new body¡¯s flexibility and strength to the max to evade the opening punch while swinging his own attack toward Alcahain¡¯s body.


    Spotting the attack, Alcahain was cautious. Though Hadurt was still a mortal, he didn¡¯t dare underestimate the berserker. After seeing Hadurt time and time again supersede the expectations of the gods, Alcahain wouldn¡¯t take the chance against Hadurt¡¯s newly upgraded strength. Instead, he used his weighted punch to deflect the attack head-on.


    The halberd was swatted aside and Hadurt felt his hand tingling from the impact.


    Alcahain didn¡¯t let up. More electrifying punches hurled toward the former champion. And even with Hadurt¡¯s new flexibility and speed, he couldn¡¯t avoid all of the blows. One knocked the wind out of Hadurt after drilling him in the side. But rather than fight the fist, Hadurt used the punch¡¯s momentum and jumped back to avoid the follow-up swing of the heavy punch.


    "Good, good... You still remember my fighting style," Alcahainmented.


    Panting, Hadurt smiled. "Sure do... I liked it so much that I would¡¯ve copied you had I chosen to be a brawler. Instead, I had to adapt it to my style..."


    "Oh? Then go ahead and show me before I finish you off."


    Lightning and darkness formed a thickyer around the halberd. Hadurt calmed his breathing and refocused his gaze. "Then let me show you... the perfection of your technique!"


    Taking off, Hadurt charged the Brawler God. Hadurt threw his entire body into this swing of the halberd, not letting a single ounce of his strength go by unused.


    Still smiling, Alcahain readied his heavy attack to counter yet again.


    Both attacks were thrown. The halberd arched with fury toward Alcahain while the gauntlet roared upward with potent strength. Yet they didn¡¯t collide. A sudden gust of wind fell upon the halberd, allowing it to slightly change its course at thest second and breeze past the defending fist.


    In the end, the heavy fist fell upon Hadurt¡¯s chest while the halberd coated in lightning, wind, and dark energy bore into Alcahain¡¯s chest.


    Hadurt was thrown far back. The berserker tumbled as he ate dirt tore apart the ground with his various impacts.


    Alcahain remained standing. He didn¡¯t move whatsoever. However, blood dripped from his torso.


    "You liar!" Alcahain shouted, unsure of whether he should get mad orugh.


    Coughing and forcing his aching body back to its feet, Hadurtughed, "So? Inded a blow and that¡¯s what matters."


    "You... You just had to turn traitor on us..." sighed Alcahain. "You would¡¯ve made the perfect sparring partner with some more practice."


    "Why not test that theory now? I¡¯m down to spar if you are?"


    "I don¡¯t have time for that now, otherwise, Grixor might beat me from frustration."


    "Too bad... Then I¡¯ll have to keep trying to kill you." Hadurt shrugged, wiping the blood from his mouth and ignoring his broken ribs.


    Alcahain took the lead again, dashing ahead with his fists. Now they were both covered in earth and lightning energy.


    Taking the defensive, Hadurt covered himself in lightning and wind while he used his speed to narrowly avoid the blows and wait for a proper opening. He would bide his time. Hadurt didn¡¯t mind fighting quickly but he understood that the current moment needed a dyed battle. Besides, Hadurt¡¯s confidence wasn¡¯t really in winning, it was in surviving.

 Chapter 488 Grixor Tests Jins Resolve

    <h4>Chapter 488 Grixor Tests Jin¡°s Resolve</h4>


    Not too far away from the battle of a mortal and an immortal, Eedaj was up against a powerful foe, Kylon. Eedaj had the greatest respect for her.


    "Kylon, I¡¯d rather not face you!" Eedaj shouted.


    "Then cease your defenses and die!" replied the Storm Goddess.


    "But aren¡¯t we too simr? Given our pasts, you share more experiences with me than you do any holy god."


    "So? How could that change my allegiances?" Kylon questioned.


    Eedaj sighed, pausing the fireball he was about to throw. "Kylon... Do you not me Halmut?"


    "Halmut is not to me, but Skaryn is!"


    "Why? Apparently, I know your thoughts better than you do," Eedaj stated. "I know what you¡¯re bottling up. I understand the anger and rage you¡¯ve sealed away."


    "Eedaj... I don¡¯t mind talking about this, but I must fulfill my duty," Kylon replied calmly.


    "Very well. Then we¡¯ll chat while trading blows..."


    Eedaj let multiple copies of himself surround the Storm Goddess, each wielding a fireball. They allunched their attacks and spoke one after another, each saying a different sentence in order to conceal the true body of the Mind God, "Why hide your anger from Halmut? It¡¯s right to be furious. After losing your home and most of your people, you should be angry."


    "True..." Kylon admitted, actively throwing small bolts of static electricity to disperse the false enemies.


    "Then why hide it? Why are you still loyal to him?" Eedaj asked, casting darkness around their midair battlefield.


    Kylon created mist to spread and counter the darkness, answering, "Because I have no choice. I¡¯ve alreadymitted and it¡¯s toote to change that."


    "It¡¯s never toote for change. Isn¡¯t that what Daruun told you long ago?"


    At a loss for words, Kylon created her own mes andunched a pulse of fire across the air.


    Forced to defend, Eedaj¡¯s true form was revealed after parting the mes with his magic. His eyes wandered over to Hadurt¡¯s battle. Seeing the former champion holding off the Brawler God was admirable, to say the least, and a great burden off of Eedaj¡¯s mind. But he was still worried about the other two, looking in their direction to reassess the situation if necessary.


    The 2-v-2 battle of the gods was interesting as both sides used simr tactics. The frontrunner of each side was a swordsman while the second would defend, either with magic or their body.


    But Grixor grew tired of the slow-paced match up. Turning to Tyres, Grixor shouted, "You take tubby. I¡¯ll take Jin..."


    "Hey!" Jin shouted in defiance. "Wait your turn, Grixor! I¡¯ll face you after killing that leech."


    "Too bad!"


    Not giving the samurai a choice, Grixor charged him. His natural armor in hybrid form was beyond a doubt the strongest among the gods and he looked down on Jin with his four-meter frame. Without wings, Grixor was the slowest of the dragons but his natural defense and strength kept him from being at a disadvantage with the others.


    And now that Grixor, a lv. 95 Quake Dragon, faced Jin, a magicless lv. 91 samurai, he had no shortage of confidence.


    Guuro defended the charge initially but was pushed back as Tyres graciously epted Grixor¡¯s change of tactics. So long as the n was executed, Tyres didn¡¯t care what needed to be done.


    The cleric defended and was forced away from the samurai. Tyres kept Guuro from returning to Jin¡¯s side while Grixor punched Jin in the opposite direction.


    Jin managed to defend the strike and took little damage, but he couldn¡¯t fully negate the momentum and was thrown backward nearly a dozen meters. Landing on his feet, Jin squinted and groaned, "Whyyyy?! Why do you holy gods never honor our duels?!"


    "I don¡¯t care about them, but I respect your determination," Grixor replied, walking casually toward the lonely samurai. "If you want to prove you¡¯re better than Tyres, then just defeat me. That¡¯s something that Tyres has never done and will never happen."


    "Hmmm... Not a bad proposition, I suppose..." Jin pondered the thought while readying all twelve of his katanas.


    "Like Kylon, us dragons respect you for your tenacity. But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll sit back and let you do whatever you want. If you¡¯re determined to prove Tyres¡¯s weakness, then prove your strength first!"


    Grixor darted toward Jin with his ted, natural armor. His ws clenched into a fist as he tested the samurai¡¯s strength.


    Jin responded simrly, using a joint attack of four arms to counter the dragon¡¯s punch.


    Both strikes met and surprisingly canceled each other out. A look of surprise and excitement came over Grixor. "I¡¯ll tell you what... I acknowledge you as superior! I don¡¯t care about your level, not when you¡¯ve got so much strength to back up your words. It¡¯s been a while since someone¡¯s gotten my blood pumping..."


    Receiving thepliment Jin grinned. "Thank you. It¡¯s about time... Then I guess I¡¯ll need to get through that thief¡¯s bodyguard before taking his head."


    They traded blows again, resulting in the same way. Both of them were grinning like madmen. With an eagerness to let loose, Jin and Grixor held nothing back.


    Earth energy erupted from Grixor¡¯s body, enveloping his natural armor in even more protection.


    Jin had only a thinyer of faint, white aura around him. He kept his twelve arms and changed hardly anything about his presence. But the sharpness of his eyes was enough to cut to any man¡¯s heart. But against the confident dragon, Jin¡¯s gaze was only fitting of an opponent strong enough to pique Grixor¡¯s interest.


    "Let¡¯s see how long you can hold on, human!"


    With that shout, Grixor barreled into Jin. Both of his front ws streaked toward the samurai, only milliseconds behind each other.


    The God of Discipline never took any battle lightly. He used two more joint attacks to counter, wielding five swords for each strike.


    Colliding yet again, the katanas and the ws held each other off. But Jin was pushed back a few steps while Grixor gained a few steps. However, the grin on Grixor¡¯s face disappeared.

 Chapter 489 Jin vs Grixor

    <h4>Chapter 489 Jin vs Grixor</h4>


    "What did you do?"


    Annoyed that he was pushed back, Jin sighed, "What do you think? Isn¡¯t it obvious?"


    "You broke through my defenses... No..." Grixor examined his ws but failed to find a single scratch. "You phased through my defenses..."


    "I¡¯ve never faced a more sturdy physique," Jinmented. "Even your bones are so hard. Have you ever been injured before?"


    "Never, at least, never anything worth noting. But you may change that... Now I¡¯m riled up! You can make me feel alive!"


    Wasting no time, Grixor charged again. Even more energy coated his ws as Grixor wanted to know how much it would take to defend against Jin¡¯s unique abilities.


    In their next sh, Jin used six arms for each counterstrike. He followed the same tactic as before though, using one of the six katanas to attack and not defend. Jin was sessful in attacking but only enough to break through the abundance of earth energy and cut the te armor of Grixor¡¯s scales.


    As the sh ended, Grixor chuckled, "Again! Make me feel again!"


    Grixor pummeled into Jin, still forcing the samurai back a few steps with each exchange while he only took cuts on his knuckles and the backs of his hands. But that was more than anything that Grixor had felt in a long time, more than enough to reawaken his passion for battle.


    "Come on! Show me more!" insisted Grixor.


    "Very well..." Understanding how badly he was outmatched, Jin inhaled to calm his mind. He didn¡¯t allow his thoughts to grow negative and weaken his resolve. "Then allow me!"


    Jin took the initiative and lunged toward Grixor. Not using a single joint attack, Jin timed his strikes to ovep while attacking from different angles. Twelve separate strikes rained down on the Earthen God, all of which aimed for a different part of the body.


    "Wonderful!"


    Forced to spread his energy, Grixor stopped focusing on his ws and allowed his entire body to be better guarded. His forearms kept the thickest coating as they covered Grixor¡¯s face, but that wasn¡¯t enough to stop Jin.


    Each of the twelve strikes carved into Grixor¡¯s energy and natural ted armor. Cuts and scratches appeared all over the Earthen God¡¯s body. Some blood was drawn by half of the attacks, leaving Grixor with a satisfied grin on his face.


    He inhaled deeply and sighed, "Ah... It feels good to be alive! Never have I bled so much from a single fight! Truly, you¡¯re a warrior deserving to rank above mere humans!"


    Examining the damage he caused, Jin shook his head. "That got you excited? I barely gave you some papercuts and you¡¯re pumped up? I admire your excitement for battle but don¡¯tpliment me for doing so little."


    "You deserve the praise! If it makes you feel better, know that even after leveling up Tyres was unable to leave a scratch on me while you¡¯ve left half a dozen! You¡¯re far beyond Tyres!" stated Grixor.


    "Hey! I heard that!" Tyres shouted.


    "Then prove me wrong and kill the fat one!" Grixor eximed, refusing to retract his words.


    "Fine! Then allow me!" Shifting his focus, Tyres altered his strikes. Rather than dy or keep Guuro back, the Sword God added killing intent to each strike.


    "Hey! There¡¯s no need to prove anything!" Guuro whined. "You¡¯re better than Jin, so why--"


    "If you finish that sentence then I¡¯ll kill you myself!"


    Shutting up after remembering that Jin could hear them as well, Guuro hardened his defenses to the fullest extent. One arm with staff in hand focused on his barriers while the other was preparing a new spell.


    "Holy me!"


    Guuro¡¯s shout rmed Tyres, who shed the attack in half. "If you want to surprise me, then don¡¯t shout your attacks!"


    Just then, a sharp, dark spike drove itself into Tyres.


    Backing up, Tyres managed to avoid aunty critical damage and was only grazed. He nodded and sighed, "Right... You¡¯ve got dark magic too..."


    "Took you long enough," Guuro scoffed. His shadow retracted and returned to its usual, harmless form.


    "Ha, ha, ha!"


    Grixor was roaring withughter. Seeing the Sword God get cut by a cleric before dealing any damage himself... It wasical to the powerful Quake Dragon.


    "No, now I¡¯m certain he¡¯s stronger than you, Tyres," added Grixor. "Who knows? Maybe he¡¯s right about you stealing his--"


    "Shut up!"


    Tyres unleashed more energy than ever as he sped up to a frightening degree.


    Guuro returned his full focus to defense as that was the only way to stay the speeding swordsman. Otherwise, the God of Greed was certain to take more damage than he couldfortably deal with.


    "Where were we?" Grixor scratched the side of his face, looking back to a chuckling Jin. "Right... You were giving my life purpose!"


    Again, the Quake Dragon charged at Jin full-force. He held nothing back this time, knocking Jin back a few meters with each strike. Grixor received more and more scratches with each encounter but he was having too much fun to care. All he wanted was to enjoy the little pain he could after going millennia without it.


    "Grixor, don¡¯t forget the n."


    A single sentence rang out in Grixor¡¯s head, reminding the Earthen God about the purpose of his appearance.


    Sighing, Grixor took a moment to shake his head and drop his smile. "I¡¯m sorry, Jin... I got carried away and nearly forgot my goal here."


    "Oh? And what goal would that be?" questioned the samurai.


    "You¡¯ll soon see..."


    Jumping back into action, Grixor didn¡¯t let up. His attacks were just as strong as before, chipping away at Jin little-by-little. Then, Grixor¡¯s tailshed out as well, using the ball of spikes at the end as a mace.


    Jin quickly separated and coordinated his strikes. They went from six joint arms in two pairs to four joint arms in three pairs. This allowed him to defend himself, but Jin was thrown back a dozen meters with each trading blow. Also, Jin was no longer able to add any offense to his strikes. He was mercilessly getting pushed back further and further from the other gods with no ability to stop Grixor.

 Chapter 490 Jin Broken and Taken Away

    <h4>Chapter 490 Jin Broken and Taken Away</h4>


    Overwhelmed, Jin struggled to figure out a solution. He attempted to rush to the side but Grixor¡¯s tail didn¡¯t allow Jin enough time to readjust himself before taking another attack.


    "You¡¯ve done well, Jin... But it¡¯s time."


    Grixor¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t cold nor warm. With an emotionless face, Grixor roared and unleashed even more energy around his tail, throwing into the samurai with all the strength Grixor¡¯s massive frame provided.


    Jin did all he could to defend. All twelve of his katanas were driven into the iling tail, yet Jin still felt his footing giving way. But Grixor¡¯s ws followed the tail in milliseconds. One was deflected while the other managed to force its way past Jin¡¯s defenses, snatching Jin¡¯s true right arm.


    The samurai groaned but swallowed his yell.


    "Wow... You deserve praise. To be a weak human yet you¡¯re able to swallow such pain." Grixor smiled again, praising Jin as Grixor twisted his w and yanked Jin closer to him. The crunch of the samurai¡¯s bones was louder than Jin¡¯s pained groans.


    Jin never stopped attacking Grixor but his attacks weren¡¯t very effective as Grixor pulled the Samurai into his chest, not giving Jin the space to swing his katanas or enough leverage to pierce his earth energy armor. That was only made worse as Jin¡¯s second arm was also gripped and broken by Grixor¡¯s other w. This happened with each of Jin¡¯s physical limbs, yet Jin continued to grit his teeth and use his illusory limbs to break free.


    Still admiring Jin, Grixor retrieved an amulet radiating holy energy. Its appearance had Jin immediately struggle to free himself. But the Earthen God was too strong.


    "You¡¯reing with me..." Grixor stated, activating the amulet.


    A column of light suddenly fell from the dark sky. It enveloped Grixor and Jin, who was held tightly against Grixor¡¯s chest. Both were lifted off the ground as they were carried away into the heavens.


    As the column faded, Eedaj¡¯s eyes nearly burst from their sockets. "Kylon! What does Halmut want with Jin?!"


    "Tyres, Alcahain, it¡¯s time to retreat!" The Storm Goddess turned away from Eedaj, not bothering to answer him.


    Either way, Eedaj read her mind to learn the truth. Then, Eedaj¡¯s heart skipped a beat.


    "I¡¯ming, I¡¯ming!" Tyres shouted as he sliced Guuro¡¯s barrier onest time.


    Alcahain didn¡¯t reply. He was still trying to kill Hadurt! After his permanent demonification, Hadurt had grown all the more difficult to kill since he focused on survival and not victory.


    "Alcahain! Now!" Kylon rushed to the recently inducted holy god, taking out her amulet to travel via light column to their destination.


    Tyres did the same, vanishing from the battlefield and leaving the Zuran army in shambles as they retreated.


    The mortal battle was a victory for Rydel¡¯s party and Reinolt, but the battle of the immortals ended in their side¡¯s defeat.


    While Hadurt was finally able to rx and breathe, taking some potions to recover from his injuries, Eedaj rushed to Guuro. At the same time, Eedaj mentally shouted to both Sterfen and Moranti, ¡¯They¡¯ve taken Jin! We need to get him back, now!¡¯


    *****


    "Found you!"


    Sillo¡¯s lust to kill was higher than ever before as he spotted the no-longer-hidden assassin. Lightning gathered to formnces. Earthen spikes were ripped from the ground below. Ice was formed to create tridents. Holy light emerged in the shape of swords. Darkness appeared to make sabers. All five of those elemental attacks took shape around Sillo¡¯s body, just waiting to be hurled into Sterfen.


    Once he became visible, Sterfen didn¡¯t waste any movement. He charged through the lightning and bolted for Sillo with incredible speed.


    "Die!"


    All five of the incredible attacks darted through the air to engulf Sterfen in a frenzied whirlwind of projectile attacks.


    Sterfen did his best to avoid any major blows or to get caughtpletely. Tanking or deflecting some attacks, Sterfen broke free from the whirlwind but the attacks followed him.


    Strangely enough, Sterfen¡¯s focus was on the other fight above his own.


    Lunara was shoeing promise with all the support from Dragas, but it wasn¡¯t going to be enough in the long run. That was clear to everyone.


    While running from the slew of attacks, which Sillo kept adding to, Sterfen held his hand toward the heavens. Something small appeared in his palm. It was white and pillowy, something that was familiar to Sillo and Oosam yet somethingpletely unexpected.


    That small cloud-like substance suddenly grew darker and rushed higher into the sky. In moments, that small cloud smaller than Sterfen¡¯s palm billowed and roared with thunder and lightning. A raging storm was formed and sheet after sheet of rain fell heavily onto the many battlefields.


    "Water magic?! How can you use water magic?!" Sillo shouted in anger, utterly perplexed and confused. Not only had Steren suddenly used a second magic type, but Sterfen had also cast such a useless spell to change the weather.


    Oosam, on the other hand, at least understood the intentions of the spell. He looked up to Lunara, who was smiling from ear-to-ear on all three of her heads. In such weather and with that abundance of rain, she would get faster!


    The Illusion God was taken aback. Never would he have believed that Sterfen was so capable as he did now. Not only had Sterfen one-shotted a lv. 93 god, while fighting another lv. 93 god and a lv. 95 in tandem Sterfen was more worried about his wife¡¯s fight than his own. And how was it that Sterfen managed to cast water magic, exactly? All these thoughts flooded Oosam¡¯s mind.


    "What¡¯s the point of such a useless spell?!" Sillo yelled, still focused on chasing Sterfen with his plethora of varied attacks.


    Many copies of Oosam surrounded Sterfen as well, making the situation all the harder.


    But Sterfen didn¡¯t mind. With his wife receiving another boost and the weather putting a damper on some of Naparn¡¯s strength, Sterfen was dly keeping these two from targeting the busy duo above him.


    Then, Sterfen asked telepathically, ¡¯Rikko, are you ready?¡¯

 Chapter 491 Withdrawal of the Holy Gods

    <h4>Chapter 491 Withdrawal of the Holy Gods</h4>


    ¡¯Rikko, are you ready?¡¯


    ¡¯Rikko always ready!¡¯ Rikko eagerly replied, not wanting to ait a second longer than needed.


    ¡¯On my signal then. It could be any moment,¡¯ Rydel stated, ending their conversation temporarily.


    The Assassin God kept a close eye on the battle above, never truly focusing on his own fight. He was too caught up by his wife¡¯s sudden advantage to do anything more than avoid direct conflict with Oosam or Sillo.


    Naparn wore an ugly frown. The sudden change of weather was bad enough for his magic but Lunara was also boosted. And should he attempt to counter it, it would leave Lunara a chance to do the same. Cursing Sterfen and his mysterious casting of water magic, Naparn knew that their fight could no longer be a battle of attrition.


    Dousing his entire body in bubbling magma, Naparn roared. His charge evaporated all rain that got near him as he charged at Lunara.


    Not shirking back, Lunara took aim and led with her spear to meet Naparn face-to-face. With her boost in speed and the many buffs, Lunara was confident that she wouldn¡¯te out as the loser of their imminent exchange. Her frosty spear froze all nearby water in preparation to challenge Naparn¡¯s attack.


    Dragas readied more spells, renewing her many debuffs and buffs. She refused to make an error in such a pivotal moment.


    ¡¯Now!¡¯


    Just as Sterfen shouted telepathically to Rikko, he ducked under a rain of holy swords and snapped his finger.


    Naparn and Lunara were less than a meter away from collision yet he felt an abrupt pain in his forearm. ncing at his sword-wielding arm, Naparn¡¯s heated gaze was chilled momentarily. He had made a crucial mistake.


    The small, insignificant scratch on Naparn¡¯s sword-wielding arm no longer there. In its ce was a deep gash across Naparn¡¯s forearm. He had failed to anticipate Sterfen¡¯s use of the strange skill, Mark of the Reaper, for something apart from assassination. Naparn never imagined Sterfen using such a skill for a simple gash.


    But it was toote to stop the sh of attacks. Lunara¡¯s spear drilled into Naparn¡¯s weakened attack, knocking the Molten God back. At the same time, his grip on the hilt only got weaker.


    And, out of nowhere, Naparn heard a familiar yet ufortable chuckle. Before he knew what was going on, Naparn felt the sword in his hands being ripped from his strained grip. All the while, a knife was suddenly aimed for his throat. Worst of all, due to the direction of the attack, Naparn could either receive the attack or let go of his sword and evade. And seeing Sterfen at the other end of the knife was enough reason to evade.


    With the sword torn from his hand, Naparn roared, "RIKKO!!!"


    Not too far away, Rikko became visible but only for a moment. The Goblin God stuck his tongue out as he reced Sterfen¡¯s ring of invisibility with a spell scroll. In a single moment, Rikko had taken advantage of the situation to snatch Naparn¡¯s sword directly from Naparn¡¯s hand and teleport away.


    Left with only Sterfen as a target for his rage, Naparn hurled magma at the Assassin God but in vain. The image of Sterfen faded, proving to be a ruse all to help Rikko steal the sword.


    "HOW DARE YOU!?!?"


    Oosam and Sillo were startled by Naparn¡¯s roars. Only then had they noticed the gash in Naparn¡¯s arm and the missing sword.


    "I¡¯LL--"


    "Time to withdraw."


    Hearing Halmut¡¯s voice, Naparn¡¯s unquenchable fury heated even more. Lava was pouring out of him, creating a smallke in the sand below.


    "Naparn, NOW!"


    The same voice went off in Oosam¡¯s and Sillo¡¯s minds. They weren¡¯t as rebellious against leaving so suddenly, but Sillo felt a deep pain in his heart. He rushed to the world below as quickly as possible while Oosam teleported away with the amulet he had received recently.


    Sterfen didn¡¯t stop the Mage God. He already knew it would be unnecessary.


    Sillo reached the ground but felt his broken heart shatter further when Sybin¡¯s corpse was nowhere to be found.


    "She¡¯s with Rikko, now!" Sterfen shouted, chuckling as he did.


    While Naparn was still struggling to calmly react to Halmut¡¯s summons, a voice red within Sterfen¡¯s mind.


    ¡¯They¡¯ve taken Jin! We need to get him back, now!¡¯


    Eedaj¡¯s cry was enough to turn Sterfen serious in an instant. He didn¡¯t reply immediately, however. Stefen instead made a beeline for the furious Naparn.


    "NAPARN! RETURN NOW!" Halmut ordered yet again.


    It rang out loud and clear for Naparn, but the Molten God spotted Sterfen rushing him from below. Lunara did the same form above. He was caught in the middle of both husband and wife, the same that loathed Naparn to their cores.


    Reluctant, Naparn roared and activated his amulet, abandoning his precious weapon and the battle.


    The pir of light fell from the heavens and consumed Naparn. But it didn¡¯t stop the dagger thrown into Naparn¡¯s side upon his departure.


    Sillo left also, seeing no reason to remain there alone. Even if it meant leaving his sister¡¯s corpse behind, staying would only result in him joining her in death.


    ¡¯They¡¯re back at Olympic Chateau!¡¯ Sterfen shouted, finally replying to Eedaj. ¡¯Moranti, we need you!¡¯


    *****


    Spatial energy was everyone within sight. Moranti¡¯s fiendish grin was also everywhere as he teleported within that space freely and with little to no consequence.


    Torian and Tralbok were forced to regroup with Lyrun and focus entirely on defense against Moranti¡¯s sudden, forever-shifting attacks.


    One moment, Moranti was beside Torian and swinging his scythe. The next moment, his scythe enters a tiny rift and threatens Tralbok¡¯s life. Spatial rifts were opened up freely with that space inundated with spatial energy, making Moranti¡¯s unpredictable fighting style all the more dangerous.


    Each holy god used their abilities to counter the onught. Torian¡¯s spectacr reflexes allowed his agile body to avoid serious injury. Tralbok was nimble yet still needed time magic to aid in healing his more grievous injuries. Lyrun remained in his barrier, focusing solely on his own survival in order to withstand the storm of attacks.


    Toying with his opponents, Morantiughed. His chuckles seemed to echo as his body was constantly reappearing in separated spaces.


    But all of a sudden, Lyrun pulled out his amulet and allowed the other two into his barrier. The next moment, they were carried away in a pir of light, running away in the blink of an eye.


    Moranti was a bit confused, but Eedaj¡¯s sudden shout made sense of the situation.


    ¡¯They¡¯ve taken Jin! We need to get him back, now!¡¯

 Chapter 492 Rushing to Retrieve Jin

    <h4>Chapter 492 Rushing to Retrieve Jin</h4>


    ¡¯They¡¯ve taken Jin! We need to get him back, now!¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?¡¯ Moranti was startled to hear such a thing. ¡¯Who took him?¡¯


    ¡¯Grixor! He broke Jin¡¯s limbs and carried him away,¡¯ exined Eedaj.


    Then, Sterfen¡¯s shout came through, ¡¯Moranti, we need you!¡¯


    ¡¯Right, right... I¡¯ll go get him back,¡¯ Moranti stated calmly.


    ¡¯Pick something up from Rikko to trade. He¡¯s good two things that I¡¯m sure they¡¯d want to get back,¡¯ Sterfen added. ¡¯Also, I¡¯ming with you.¡¯


    ¡¯Are you--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about me. I¡¯ve only killed one god today and I¡¯m not satisfied yet.¡¯


    Excited to hear that, Moranti smiled and teleported back to the Leisure Guild. Sure enough, he found two familiar faces waiting for him in their meeting room. Instantly, Moranti recognized one of the items the holy gods would be desperate to get back.


    "Look! I¡¯ve finally got it!" Choron shouted in childlike enthusiasm. He swung Naparn¡¯s sword around like a toy.


    "Since you¡¯ve already fulfilled your contract, then let me take it back," Moranti replied. "I¡¯m sure it coulde in handy for negotiations to get Jin back."


    "What?!" Both Rikko and Choron shouted in unison.


    "I¡¯ll exinter. First, I need the sword. Second, you have something they¡¯d want, right?" Moranti asked, pointing at Rikko.


    Nodding solemnly, Rikko retrieved the corpse of the fallen Mage God, shocking Choron.


    "Good, I¡¯ll take them both off your hands."


    Storing both the sword and the corpse, Moranti teleported away in haste. Now standing beside Sterfen in the air, Moranti smiled and extended his hand to the Assassin God.


    "Lunara, gather the others and prepare for our return. We¡¯ve got to go get Jin, that battle-crazed idiot," Sterfen stated. Then, he took Moranti by the hand and vanished, leaving Lunara and Dragas to gather the others and learn more about the situation from Eedaj.


    *****


    Halmut stood patiently over the viewing table. After reminding Grixor of the n, Hadurt smiled as Grixor fled with the amulet. As the others in Reinolt did the same, Halmut changed the view.


    Looking over the scene on the Maldor-Aazoon border, Halmut was confused by what he saw.


    Naparn appeared to be a magma elemental he was so mad. Lava consumed his entire body as Naparn was yelling to his opponent, the fading Sterfen. But whatever the situation, they had fulfilled their strategy already.


    Halmut calmly stated into his contact crystal, "Time to withdraw."


    Seeing Oosam and Sillo retrieve their amulets was proof that the message went through yet Halmut was furious to see Naparn ignore the order.


    "Naparn, NOW!"


    After yelling directly into the depths of Naparn¡¯s skull, Halmut saw his loyal second-inmand ignore orders yet again. And seeing Sterfen and Lunara rocket toward him was only adding more to Halmut¡¯s rage.


    Since Naparn was still rebellious, Halmurt roared, "NAPARN! RETURN NOW!"


    Finally, as Grixor and the others entered the conference room, Naparn fled his battle with great reluctance.


    "Naparn refused to return?" Grixor asked, still smuggling the beaten and broken God of Discipline.


    "It¡¯s nothing. He¡¯ll be here any second," Halmut answered, steadying his gaze. "But we should be ready. Knowing them, they shouldn¡¯t take long to arrive."


    The holy gods each took a seat and the bestial gods returned to their human forms.


    Jin was handed to Halmut, who showed the samurai a friendly smile. "Jin... It¡¯s been quite a while since we¡¯ve spoken. Wasn¡¯t it before your ascension?"


    Rather than answer, Jin spat in Halmut¡¯s face and smiled. "Kill me... Now¡¯s your chance..."


    "That¡¯s tempting... but there¡¯s something more valuable than your life, at least it is to me. I¡¯m hoping it¡¯s not the same for yourrades..." Halmut cheekily replied.


    Naparn stormed in, still covered from head-to-toe in magma.


    "Cool off or you¡¯ll be waiting outside," stated Halmut, still unhappy with Naparn¡¯s insolence.


    "Yeah, cool down, hothead!"


    That voice rang out from the back of the room. None of the holy gods had entered from that side yet everyone recognized that voice. The holy gods looked and found two fellow deities standing within the conference room, unwee.


    "Sterfen... We meet again and so soon..." Halmut chuckled, turning to show Jin in his hands.


    "Yeah, yeah, shall we get on with the trade?" Moranti cut in.


    "Fine. Hand over the enchantment key and I¡¯ll release Jin."


    Sterfen and Moranti were floored by the request, not expecting it toe from Halmut.


    "I¡¯ll repeat myself this once. Hand over the enchantment key and I¡¯ll return Jin to you. If not, then I see no reason for him to remain alive," stated Halmut, still showing his well-rehearsed smile.


    "You don¡¯t want this?"


    As Moranti retrieved the corpse of the fallen Mage God, the unknowing holy gods were startled. Halmut, however, was unfazed, shrugging and answering, "No... I don¡¯t feel a corpse is worth him alive."


    "Then what if we add this to spice up the trade?" Moranti smiled back, showing his own acting skills.


    Again, all holy gods that weren¡¯t present on the Maldor-Aazoon border were baffled to see Naparn¡¯s sword appear in Moranti¡¯s other hand. Halmut was also startled, turning to Naparn with hellish fury in his eyes.


    "Do you want it or not?" Moranti asked again.


    Halmut took a moment to reply. It was a development he hadn¡¯t quite expected. Adding the sword to the deal had actually made it a fair deal, considering Halmut¡¯s ability of resurrection. But that wouldn¡¯t get Halmut what he wanted...


    Torn at the moment, Halmut eyed the others carefully. He asked, "Does that mean you won¡¯t offer the enchantment key?"


    His tone finally shifted and became cold. Halmut popped the knuckles of his free hand, preparing to deliver a finishing blow to the already broken samurai. However, Halmut suddenly felt something warm fall onto his chest, yet it quickly chilled and wet his robes. The Sun Dragon looked down in shock. Then, Halmut felt a rush of blooding up his throat. The red liquid dribbled out from between Halmut¡¯s teeth and down his cheek. His rage eclipsed Naparn¡¯s in an instant as he looked down at the samurai with utter disdain.

 Chapter 493 Jins Decisive Actions

    <h4>Chapter 493 Jin¡°s Decisive Actions</h4>


    While Halmut and the two intruding gods mentioned each other¡¯s terms, all eyes were on them. The holy gods were on standby in case Halmut gave an order. They kept their focus on Moranti and Sterfen as well in order to not be surprised by the duo. No one had anticipated that Jin, the broken man in Halmut¡¯s clutches, would be the first to act and without a word. Everyone only learned of his actions after noticing the blood dribbling out of Halmut¡¯s mouth.


    As Halmut was about to dispute over the terms with Moranti and Sterfen, Jin refused to be useless.


    Six illusory arms appeared out of Jin¡¯s back, each taking a katana in hand. All six katanas were then driven into Halmut, but not without stabbing themselves clean through Jin¡¯s body first. The beaten samurai showed a joyful smile as he coughed blood all over Halmut¡¯s chest. A seventh illusory arm was used to toss Jin¡¯s storage ring toward hispanions, after instantly storing the six katanas.


    "Now, it¡¯s a fair trade..." Jin chuckled with his dying breaths. "A corpse for a corpse... And no EXP for you, Halmut..."


    Halmut didn¡¯t roar. His anger was far too much for a simple roar to suffice.


    With the deal at a standstill, Halmut already knew that getting the enchantment key wasn¡¯t going to happen in that exchange. The Sun Dragon thought he was thinking a few steps ahead and imagined ying Jin to make the trade simple, also letting Halmut steal the items and weapons off of Jin¡¯s corpse beforehand along with gaining some good EXP. But his own decisiveness failed to outshine Jin¡¯s.


    Sterfen sighed and shook his head. "Well... Given the change of circumstances, I think we¡¯ve got a fair trade. One¡¯s deities corpse for the other. Take it or leave it."


    "... Hand over the sword as well..." Halmut grumbled, no longer in the mood. He just wanted the scenario to end as quickly as possible.


    "Fine..." Moranti groaned.


    Holy aura washed over Halmut and healed his wounds. At the same time, he walked forward toward his fellow negotiators. Moranti and Sterfen did the same. The three men walked within arms reach. Sterfen shook Halmut¡¯s hand, feeling the dragon¡¯s anger through his tense grip. Then, the exchange was made.


    Both parties backed away with a new corpse in hand, along with a heated sword in Halmut¡¯s case.


    "It was a pleasure..." Sterfen added just before Moranti teleported them both out of Olympic Chateau.


    "NAPARN!!!"


    Halmut¡¯s roared echoed across all of Olympic Chateau. Such fury and anger were rareing from the eldest dragon, but he couldn¡¯t contain himself and sought to find the person with the most me. And with Naparn being in charge of the Maldor-Aazoon battle that meant Naparn was responsible not only for the loss of the sword but also for the death of Sybin.


    Having his anger momentarily overpowered by Halmut¡¯s rage, Naparn shrunk in his seat. He was silent as Halmut rushed back to the table with clenched fists and glowing eyes.


    *****


    Moranti and Sterfen reappeared in front of Lunara and Dragas, only gone for a few minutes.


    Neither Dragas nor Lunara asked about what happened. They both noticed Jin¡¯s corpse, as well as the six stab wounds littering his body. With their knowledge of Jin, they figured something like that might have happened.


    "He really did such a thing?" Dragas chuckled and shook her head.


    Sterfenughed as well, "You should¡¯ve seen Halmut¡¯s face. He healed immediately but waspletely caught off guard by Jin¡¯s move. Even in death, Jin refused to give Halmut any satisfaction."


    "Sounds like him, alright..." Lunara sighed. "But doesn¡¯t this mean--"


    "Yes, Jin will have to start over. But he chose that so we¡¯ll just me him. Besides, I¡¯m sure Jin will take the me for his loss, even if he got overpowered," Sterfen added, tossing Jin¡¯s lifeless body to Dragas. "Would you mind?"


    "Sure."


    Holy light left Dragas¡¯s hand and flooded into the corpse. Gradually, the six stab wounds sealed themselves and pink returned to Jin¡¯s cheeks. With a few coughs of stale blood, Jin found himself very much alive, again.


    "Oh... So he agreed?" Jin asked, looking to Sterfen and the others while still being held up by Dragas.


    Shaking his head, Sterfen chuckled. "You¡¯re reckless idea worked like a charm. Of course, Halmut would never ept a fair trade and requested Naparn¡¯s sword as well."


    "Right... How did you get that, anyway?"


    Sterfen replied, "We¡¯ll exinter when Eedaj and everyone gets back. For now, let¡¯s watch Bowzer kill his first dragon."


    The four gods contacted Eedaj and informed them of Jin¡¯s return, but they didn¡¯t want to miss the show taking ce below. Smiling, Sterfen was excited to see the newly-leveled-up Bowzer take on and overpower the lv. 87 Magma Dragon.


    On his separate battlefield, Bowzer was confused and excited at the same time. Earlier, he had suddenly gained two and a half levels. The fox was unsure as to why but he was d to have the sudden boost. And moments ago, he gained another level and a half. Now, Bowzer was at the top of lv. 85 and about to enter lv. 86.


    The Magma Dragon was cautious as ever but felt more uneasy. It could tell that Bowzer¡¯s attacks had gotten stronger not once but twice. Unable to know about Bowzer¡¯s radical, umon leveling, the Magma Dragon went all out.


    Lava cascaded along the Magma Dragon¡¯s body as it roared and charged the Hell-me Fox head-on. Even greater plumes ofva rocketed out of its mouth.


    ck and withe mes grewrger as Bowzer also charged ahead. The fox was unafraid of the potential impact. Bowzer knew how his mes held up preciously at lv. 81. Now that he was lv. 85, Bowzer showed no hints of fear or hesitation. More of his small fireballs collided with theva, overpowering the magma and threatening the Magma Dragon.


    While the Magma Dragon was shocked by such a drastic change in Bowzer¡¯s abilities, it was toote. His charge met Bowzer¡¯s not even a secondter. The ck and white mes battled the heated magma, overwhelming it and enveloping it.


    Roars and cries rang out as the Magma Dragon, for the first time in its life, experienced what it was like to be burned.


    More and more sand melted as Bowzer cranked up the heat as much as he could. Bowzer bit into the Magma Dragon¡¯s throat while the Magma Dragon tried to w and force Bowzer to release it. But Bowzer growled and released fireball after fireball into the Magma Dragon¡¯s neck at point-nk range.

 Chapter 494 Regrouping in Trodar

    <h4>Chapter 494 Regrouping in Trodar</h4>


    As the dragon felt its life burning away, it departed only after having wed into Bowzer¡¯s face and body as the dragon¡¯sva was ineffective and unable to burn the ming fox.


    Once the Magma Dragon had finally fallen, Bowzer didn¡¯t let up at all.


    Howls sounded out as Bowzer charged for the final remaining dragon. However, Bowzer wasn¡¯t given the chance to deliver a single blow.


    With Argyle staying the Magma Dragon, Dradich burrowed underground and created a sinkhole. Once the dragon¡¯s weight caused the ground below to give way, Dradich strangled and immobilized the Magma Dragon, taking damage despite his frost body. Then, Argyle charged in to deliver the finishing blows and y the great beast.


    As the duo finished the beast, Bowzer turned next to the battle between the armies. His voice shouted mentally, ¡¯Get away from them! They¡¯re mine now!¡¯


    Jack¡¯s wives were startled by the shout but grateful for the assistance. They passed the message on to King Wilheim, who immediately began to withdraw his soldiers while remaining on guard.


    The Maldor forces were excited to see the Aazoon army backing up. But that was only for a moment. The next moment, countless cries rang out from endless Maldor soldiers.


    A rain of ck and white fireballs fell on top of them, expanding aggressively and instantly consuming anyone who came in contact with the mes. The Maldor forces cried in despair as they tried to retreat. However, they were met by a charging Hell-me Fox.


    None managed to escape the mes, regardless of their nation of origin or their political position. Bowzer¡¯s mes showed no preference among its victims.


    Watching Bowzer torch the Maldor forces to nonexistence, King Wilheim was taken aback. "So... The legends are true?"


    "Sort of... In describing the destructive ability those foxes have, they¡¯re very much true."


    A voice was heard overhead, getting the king and everyone standing on the former battlefield to look up. Sterfen smiled as he and the other gods descended. Finally, Dragas released Jin and let him stand on his own two feet, albeit wobbly for a second.


    Sterfen continued, "For now, you¡¯ve won. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll win every time or in the end."


    "Then we must hurry and retreat to Trodar," stated King Wilheim, undeterred about their previous agreement.


    "Good, then I think it¡¯s best to take your army now... How about it, Moranti?" Sterfen asked.


    Moranti nodded. "Sure, but take it easy on me. I¡¯m not just a delivery boy, you know?"


    "I know, I know."


    The duo of godsughed together while the King gathered his men together as tightly as possible. When they were bundled up against each other, Moranti asked, "Is there anything else you need from here? We¡¯re noting back, apart from visiting Frostburn City."


    "There¡¯s nothing. All of my men agree to side with you and your strength. Without that, we all would¡¯ve died here today," Wilheim replied. "All they ask is that we bring their families as well."


    "Simple enough..."


    Having said that, Moranti pped his hands together. Spatial energy inundated the entire army, turning every soldier a shade of purple. That purple energy then condensed around the army. Everyone present seemed to implode into nonexistence as they were teleported away from the battlefield along with the gods.


    Everyone then found themselves appear within a vast open field. A few craters were scattered around the ce, along with many patches of scorched earth.


    Sterfen spoke up, "Wee to Trodar!"


    The army next spotted the city walls not too far from them. When they spotted the west gate and therge engraving that read, "Gilga", the soldiers were overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. Many were confused as to what they should feel. Others were ted to be found in a safe city and environment for themselves and eventually their families. Some were still stuck on how they were teleported away so easily.


    "For now, the Leisure Guild will provide you all with tents and temporary lodging. Given how we¡¯ll be working together to find you newnds, it¡¯s the least we can do," added Sterfen, motioning for King Wilheim to follow Jacks¡¯ wives toward the guild.


    As the soldier gradually started to head for the city wall, a spatial rift opened up in front of Moranti and the others. Through it walked Eedaj and Guuro, followed by those of Rydel¡¯s party. Also, Tridon came through followed by almost all of the men serving under him. Finally, there was a mature woman, wearing an extravagant dress with a sorrowful expression painted on her face.


    "So, how¡¯d it go for you, apart from dealing with Jin¡¯s loss?" Sterfen asked.


    Eedaj sighed, "Reinolt did well but only with help from Karronteel and Hadurt. Without them or our assistance, there¡¯s no way for them to win."


    "Then why did the king reject the offer?" Dragas asked, unsatisfied with the prideful mindsets of most men.


    "You already know why, Dragas," replied Eedaj. "Either way, the Beast Corps agree, so long as we visit Reinolt City and get their families toe as well."


    Nodding, Moranti asked, "Then, what¡¯s next?"


    "Well, first off," Sterfen exined, shaking his head at Jin, "we¡¯ll need to get Jin back into godhood, only we can¡¯t at the moment since we traded Sybin¡¯s corpse to get him back. We also need to get ready for an imminent attack on Trodar. To do that, we should probably be more public and create some temples. I¡¯m sure the holy gods will be doing the same shortly if they haven¡¯t started already."


    "And with Jin¡¯s loss of strength, we¡¯ll be one man down for the next attack... I guess we lost that one," Moranti sighed. "At least that keeps things interesting. I wonder if Mr. High-and-Mighty wille down or will he just let me ughter them all without interference?"


    "Either way, we need to hurry up and prepare. You wouldn¡¯t want to let Halmut have his way in the end, right Moranti?"


    Chuckling along with Sterfen and the other gods, Moranti pped Jin on the back, knocking the samurai over. "Right..."

 Chapter 495 Asking What Comes Nex

    <h4>Chapter 495 Asking What Comes Nex</h4>


    "That¡¯s enough... Now back to business..."


    Halmut took some deep breaths as he walked back to his seat. The other holy gods patiently waited while their eyes were glued to the distant wall. A body was embedded in the granite, groaning after taking such a beating. Naparn limply fell from the wall and sorely walked to his seat as well.


    "Now... There are some things we must discuss," Halmut returned to the topic at hand. "Though we didn¡¯t end up with the enchantment key this time, at least we came out on top in this exchange. Which reminds me..."


    Looking to the corpse atop the table, Halmut asked, "Who killed her?"


    "It was Sterfen," Oosam calmly replied.


    "Right... Then, Tralbok, you¡¯re magic should be cast first," ordered Halmut.


    Tralbok nodded and got up from his seat, approaching the corpse. White, blinking lights surrounded his hand as Tralbok touched the hole in Sybin¡¯s neck. A few moments passed but, eventually, it started to reseal itself.


    Next, Halmut lifted his hand and shrouded the corpse in holy light. His other hand held a multi-colored crystal. As the holy energy entered Sybin¡¯s body the multi-colored energy of the crystal fled to the corpse as well, leaving the gem entirely clear and translucent, like ss.


    Breath escaped Sybin¡¯s lungs once more. Her eyed blinked spastically for a moment as she took in her new surroundings. "I¡¯m... back?"


    "Yes. You can¡¯t get out of your contract so easily," Halmut stated, smiling. "Now, return to your seat. We need to discuss the next steps of your return to the public eye."


    *****


    Inside the Leisure Guild, all the neutral gods were together in their strategy room. All of Jack¡¯s party members were also present, apart from the hulking beasts that were resting after a long battle.


    Sterfen closed the door behind him as he reentered the room, now joined by Phoro. "It was a sess."


    "Good... Then our mortal forces aren¡¯t any weaker than theirs. Aside from their hidden dragons, we¡¯re sure to be able to withstand them," Eedaj stated.


    "But including the dragons is the important part," added Sterfen. "We¡¯ll need to rally up as many forces as we can, given how Lunara¡¯s people and Kori¡¯s were wiped out either during the war or while Kori was in istion. Got any ideas, Moranti?"


    "If we had just a few more Spectral Dragons, then we¡¯d be able to contend with however many dragons came against us. Is there no way to search for others?" Moranti asked.


    "I have no clue. That¡¯s something that Jack may be able to answer but I think asking our dad would be best," Sterfen replied with a shrug.


    "Can we do that?"


    Sterfen took out his calling stone, cing it on the table. "Everyone,e and touch the stone. After he shows up, you can let go."


    No one was against the idea as everybody got up and stood around the table. Once all hands were on the stone, Sterfen poured his energy into it and summoned Daruun¡¯s apparition.


    "Father, we have a few questions." The others returned to their seats while Sterfen continued, "Is there some way to search for more prehistoric amulets? Would we be able to find more Spectral Dragons?"


    "Hmm..." Daruun¡¯s apparition stroked his chin. "It¡¯s not impossible... but it would be incredibly difficult. There¡¯s a reason why neither Halmut nor Skaryn attempted such a thing prior."


    "And what reason is that?" asked Sterfen.


    "Because Jack was never around until now and he would never agree to help them with such a thing," stated the apparition. "Jack¡¯s system, as you¡¯ve already assumed, is a more efficient version of the god system. With it, Jack should be able to search for specific items by mixing skills and spells together with his system. But you¡¯ll have to wait for Jack¡¯s return and it would still take him time to scour the continent in secret for such a thing."


    "So Jack can do that too? Now I¡¯m jealous..." Moranti gave a self-mockingugh.


    "Don¡¯t be. You¡¯re plenty powerful as is, Moranti. Your species has origins that rival Jack¡¯s system but such a thing would take some time to exin," Daruun added.


    "WHAT?! Tell me more! Does that mean there are more of my race elsewhere?" Moranti asked.


    "Not on this. Your race was created in an attempt to mimic a friend of mine. His abilities are beyond incredible, particrly in battle. If he and I were to fight, he would clearly be the victor," exined Daruun, jarring everyone present. "But I failed to recreate his lost species. However, it led to you Spectral Dragons being born, something I¡¯m ultimately proud of."


    The many mortals in the room were the most baffled, not fathoming what Daruun could mean by creating the Spectral Dragon species.


    The apparition continued, "Right, allow me to say this for those of you who didn¡¯t yet know. I¡¯m the creator of this world."


    Not only were the mortals floored, Choron and Lunara were also thrown for a loop.


    "As an attempt to better understand cosmic energy and refine my skills, I created this secluded world. I filled it mostly with lifeforms designed after those I¡¯ve encountered throughout my life. And while I¡¯m at it, I¡¯ll mention the purpose of surpassing lv. 99," mentioned Daruun. "Only by surpassing lv. 99 can someone grow strong enough to leave this. But it¡¯s not as easy as it seems, otherwise, someone would have done it by now. But is there anything else you wish to ask me?"


    Completely unfazed by Daruun¡¯sments, Sterfen asked, "Father, can you tell us if they¡¯ll attack us before Jack arrives?"


    "They will," Daruun answered. "Don¡¯t count on finding more summoning amulets before they rile up more conflict here in Trodar. Also, a reminder, don¡¯t contact Jack. He¡¯ll contact you all the moment he¡¯s finished reaching his tomb. Anything else?"


    "What¡¯s the name of my great ancestor?"


    Turning to Moranti, Daruun smiled. "Dominus. You should be proud to have his blood running through your veins."


    "Dominus... Now that¡¯s a name!" Moranti shouted. "One day, I¡¯ll meet him!"


    "Stick with Jack and you just might," Moranti chuckled. "With nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave. I wish you all luck. A father would never wish ill of his children."


    Smiling onest time at the other and ending with a nod to Sterfen, Daruun¡¯s apparition vanished in a sh of white light.


    But when the light faded, everyone was still in a daze though. The mortals and the newly inducted neutral gods were baffled to learn about Daruun¡¯s true identity. Moranti was daydreaming about passing lv. 99 and traveling to visit his powerful ancestor. All other neutral gods were hung up about Jack¡¯s system truly surpassing their god system. Only Sterfen was still smiling, fully taking in his father¡¯s departure and words of wisdom.

 Chapter 496 Wilheims Humility

    <h4>Chapter 496 Wilheim¡°s Humility</h4>


    "Let Wilheim in," Sterfenmented, turning to Rydel.


    The hunter nodded and left the room while he finished gathering himself. More than a minuteter, Rydel returned with a grateful king in tow.


    King Wilheim immediately dropped to his knees and bowed his head before the various deities. "Thank you!"


    "Stand up... There¡¯s no need for that right now." Sterfen continued, "King Wilheim, thank you for agreeing to our proposal and trusting us to win you and your people thend that you deserve. Before anything, you should know that such a crusade could take a month or two, depending on how Sadros reacts to our invasion."


    "I¡¯m not worried at all. Given that I don¡¯t think even half of the people will join me so suddenly, I doubt we¡¯ll need much room for us," reasoned Wilheim.


    Eedaj smiled and joined the conversation, "King Wilheim, I think you¡¯re underestimating your people and their respect for you."


    "There¡¯s no way that I¡¯m--¡¯


    "Of the modern kings, you¡¯re regarded as one of the noblest and most caring to your people. You¡¯re the type of man that will choose to suffer along with your people or even for them, should your suffering be enough to allow your people happiness," exined Eedaj. "You¡¯ve earned not only respect from your people but also loyalty, which grew out of your loyalty to them."


    Still keeping his head bowed, Wilheim stated, "I¡¯m a simple man. I believe in treating others as I would wish they treat me. What you and other kings might see as sacrifice or suffering, I see as a privilege."


    "Then we¡¯re d to have you!" Sterfen continued, reaching out and pping Wilheim on the back. "After you bring any willing citizen to Trodar, we¡¯ll let you remain a king for your people. However, the country will still need to be ruled by what we¡¯ll call the royal council. You¡¯ll be the figurehead of the representatives elected by your people, leading your royal council with your people and Trodar in mind."


    "If you wish, I don¡¯t need to remain a king--"


    "Yes, you do," Lunara argued, catching the king off guard. "I didn¡¯t just visit you that first time I met you. Since it had been so long, I took a stroll through Frostburn City. King Wilheim, you¡¯re needed as a king for your people¡¯s sake, not for your own. If your title was removed, then they wouldn¡¯t feel as secure about Trodar or their unchangeable decision to follow you."


    "With Lunara¡¯s opinion in mind, we want you to remain king of your people but to lead the nation with your fellow councilmen as the spokesman of your council. That¡¯s how you¡¯llply with thews of Trodar and remain a monarch," reasoned Sterfen, smiling back at his wife.


    "So you have no choice! You¡¯re their king and it will stay that way. After a few years, then you¡¯ll be able to revoke that title and pick up a new one, but only after the people are morefortable about their new life under Trodar," Eedaj stated. "Understood?"


    Wilheim sighed but then chuckled and shook his head. "I both understand and don¡¯t understand. But if that¡¯s what you require, then I agree wholeheartedly."


    "Great! Then, wee to Trodar!" Sterfen led the many gods as they officially weed Wilheim as a new spokesman for the soon-to-exist territory under Trodar.


    The rest of the day passed quickly. Those from the guild got more sleep, like Jack¡¯s wives, party, and beastpanions. Some of the higher-ups in the Leisure Guild joined Wilheim for his final return to Frostburn City as they prepared for the king¡¯s highly-anticipated speech.


    People flocked to Frostburn city in droves. It was startling to find that over ny percent of Aazoon citizens had managed to gather there via their running teleportationwork, mostly due to the free travel costs and urgency of their king¡¯s message. All mages manning those circles werepletely exhausted, but they had been paid handsomely for their services and would receive their next bonus the next day after sending everyone back to their homes.


    When Frostburn City had filled up entirely within the span of a day, Wilheim and other paid workers constructed massive tents and makeshift windshields to help the remaining citizens gather outside the city.


    Once noon rolled around, King Wilheim had already built a raised tform for his speech. It was built within the city square but high enough for those outside the city to notice. Also, Vixus and the others of the Leisure Guild had brought a few things with them to make the speech easier to give.


    Wilheim stood proudly on the tform. He marveled at the sight of his people willingly gathered on a moment¡¯s notice. In his hand was a light pink crystal, which appeared to be a variant contact crystal. Once Wilheim feltfortable enough he began to speak.


    "Everyone! Please listen carefully!"


    The king¡¯s voice echoes throughout the entire capital but from multiple locations. Those locations that echoed the king¡¯s words strangely were manned by a member of the Leisure Guild, each guarding what looked like the front half of a giant megaphone attached to a stand. And each of those strange cone-like items echoed the king¡¯s words using a simr pink crystal embedded at the base of the cone¡¯s shape.


    With both their sudden travel in mind and the strange phenomenon of the king¡¯s voice echoing robustly beyond the city limits, the Aazoon citizens werepletely focused on the announcement at hand.


    "Everyone... Aazoon is no longer safe!" shouted Wilheim, startling the crowd. "But don¡¯t fear! There is somewhere safe that we can go! You¡¯ve all heard about the sudden war that broke out on our borders. What you don¡¯t know is that Magma Dragons battled our armies earlier this morning in an attempt to destroy us all."


    While the crowd was reeling from shock, Wilheim continued andforted his people, "But know that those dragons have been killed!"


    Cheers filled the city but the king wasn¡¯t finished. "However, none of those legendary beasts were killed by anyone from Aazoon."


    The cheers began to quiet down. Everyone was confused to hear that, only knowing that Aazoon had been abandoned by the other neighboring nations. Yet someone was willing to help Aazoon against dragons all of a sudden?


    "If not for the one ally we had, our army would¡¯ve been ughtered before the Maldor soldiers could even reach them. But thanks to our one ally, three lv. 80 dragons were in and Aazoon is temporarily safe," Wilheim continued, hyping up this yet-to-be-named ally all he could.

 Chapter 497 Voices Fill Frostburn City

    <h4>Chapter 497 Voices Fill Frostburn City</h4>


    "It¡¯s also because of this ally that we here in Aazoon have been offered a means to survive."


    As their king paused for a moment, all surrounding citizens were taken aback. Those that were young felt awe and admiration for their king and this anonymous ally. As for those with more years under their belts, they were relieved to know that their families and loved ones had a new opportunity to survive.


    The king added, "However... If you join me in taking this opportunity of survival, then we¡¯ll be leaving Aazoon behind."


    Everyone¡¯s hearts were rocked at that moment. No one was ready for such a statement. Even King Wilheim struggled to admit the words out of fear that his people would reject him and remain in harm¡¯s way.


    "Our one ally, the same that saved us from the terrifying lv. 80 dragons, has offered us all an opportunity to relocate and form a new nation alongside theirs," Wilheim continued, not letting his people dwell on the depressing thought of fleeing their homes. "We¡¯ve all been offered a chance to escape the certain death of our nation, but remaining here would only lead to our eventual deaths.


    "Yes, we won that battle this morning, but what about the next battle? Why would our generous allies continue to fight our battles when we have nothing to offer them while we remain here? Would you be willing to travel across the continent only to fight for a people too weak to protect themselves, all to receive nothing in the end?" questioned the king, forcing his people to see the true logic behind the situation. "Such a strategy would only drag that nation down and leave them vulnerable. For both them and us to get stronger, then we must join up and gather together!"


    Another moment passed as Wilheim let his words sink into the hearts of the Aazoon citizens. As fewer and fewer voices were speaking out against the thought, Wilheim continued, "Now, allow me to introduce our ally, the strongest organization in all Kartonia, the Leisure Guild!"


    Hearts rattled as Vixus marched to the front of the tform with his own pink crystal in hand. "People of Aazoon, know this first. We ask for nothing in return for our efforts of winning your battle, nor will we ask for anything in the future. However, it¡¯s true that we wouldn¡¯t be able to do that for all of your eventual battles, not if you remain in Aazoon.


    "Your king has discussed many things with us. We¡¯re confident in his ability to lead and his astounding reputation among you all. That¡¯s why we extended the invitation to help you begin your own nation elsewhere. Wilheim will remain your king should you choose to join him in this venture, that¡¯s something that we refuse to change," exined Vixus. "Also, know that Trodar is no longer a single nation like before. It¡¯s a conglomerate of independent territories. Currently, there are five territories flying the Trodan g: Limneer, Prachten, Iscantor, and Gilga. As you ept our offer, the offer created by your king, then we¡¯ll assist you in creating the fifth independent state under the Trodan banner and thereby offer you our protection.


    "Sadly, our guild master is busy elsewhere, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve heard of Jack J., the Legend of Trodar. Whether you know the old fold tales or have heard about his recent rise to fame, you know that Jack will soon be a god as well, paving the path for Trodar and our guild to reach heights that only deities of the ancient past have achieved," Vixus added, taking the crowd¡¯s breath away.


    "I vouch for Jack as well!" The crowd saw two more figures step forward, one after the other. Prince Willim continued, "Jack is a friend of mine and has my trust and respect."


    Erina, standing between her father and brother, also spoke up, "Also, Jack was the one who removed my curse not too long ago!"


    The many rumors and stories about Jack suddenly weighed down on the crowd. Adding Jack¡¯s rtionship with the prince and princess allowed added validity to such wild statements.


    Adding to that, Wilheim mentioned, "Jack is also the one who cleansed the royal family of traitors, those who dared join the syndicate in an attempt to overthrow the kingdom."


    The people¡¯s hearts were unable to bear any more facts about Jack and the Leisure Guild. Knowing Jack¡¯s previously anonymous contributions to Aazoon and learning of the Leisure Guild¡¯s involvement in the battle against dragons was too much...


    "Let me also make this clear!" Wilheim shouted, louder than ever before. "The battle this morning also involved many deities, which were only fended off by the gods that stand within the Leisure Guild!"


    That knowledge bomb decimated all expectations and left the crowd feeling helpless. Knowing that was equivalent to realizing that the nation of Aazoon, which was already helpless, was entirely unable to even put up a fight against the imminent invasion.


    As the people felt their hearts breaking and shifting, two more figures stepped forward, neither of which were holding any sort of crystal.


    "Allow me to reintroduce myself. I¡¯m Lunara, the Water Goddess that has been living secretly within cier Peak," Lunara¡¯s voice echoed but without any need of the announcement crystals of the Leisure Guild.


    All thoughts of disillusion were immediately and utterly shattered. The sudden appearance of the god that filled Aazoon¡¯s history was more than enough to break the crowd¡¯s expectations.


    Motioning toward the shorter, younger copy of herself, Lunara continued, "Now that I¡¯ve been freed from the holy gods, I¡¯ve joined my husband and daughter in Trodar. Should you join your king in migrating, then I too will remain with you and build a temple for you all in your new capital."


    Lina simply smiled and waved at the crowd. While some were focused on Lunara, others were looking at the smiling young girl beside her, the supposed daughter of a goddess.


    "To prove it..."


    Lunara grabbed Lina by the hand and pulled Lina into the air. She threw her daughter into the air, suddenly. But also, her human form expanded aggressively to form the creature of legend that all of Aazoon had feared and respected most. Then, the young girl in the air did the same andnded on her mother¡¯s shoulders.


    "I¡¯ll return to be your protector, but only if you choose to follow your king," Lunara¡¯s calm voice melted the hearts of the people all the more.


    "Please... Come to Trodar. Even if you wish for me to step down as your king, I¡¯ll do so if that means you¡¯ll ept this opportunity to survive--"


    "I¡¯ll follow the king!"

 Chapter 498 Migration of a Capital

    <h4>Chapter 498 Migration of a Capital</h4>


    "I¡¯ll follow the king!"


    A single voice shouted above the volume of the rest of the crowd, proving that whoever shouted was at a decently high level. Then, a hulking Snow Stallion appeared in the town square with a man sitting atop it.


    "I¡¯ll follow the king, along with the rest of the Snow Guild!" that man shouted again, gathering even more attention.


    Many shouts throughout the square agreed with their guild leader. At the same time, many of the citizens were shocked to hear that.


    The man continued, "We¡¯re one of thergest guilds only because of your support, King Wilheim. While the Snow Guild was still insignificant, we only gained the support of the people after you asked for us to connect the many viges of the tundra via stallion routes. You also funded our expansion to offer the citizens a means to travel the tundra more safely. I¡¯m in your debt for helping the guild grow and for assisting in saving my home vige, as are the countless citizens of the tundra viges for your anonymous donation to our Snow Guild."


    "We¡¯ll also follow you, King Wilheim!" Another proud Snow Stallion emerged just outside of the city square. The woman stood atop the stallion mentioned, "You did the same for our Tundra guild."


    "Don¡¯t forget us! How could we dare to abandon you after all you¡¯ve done!"


    A massive Frost wolf appeared in the square, rivaling the Snow Stallions in size. It startled those nearby but they quickly recognized that particr wold with the scar over its eye and the saddle on its back. The bare-chested man sitting on the wolf shouted withughter, "Don¡¯t count the Frost Guild out! Wherever you go, we go!"


    The hearts of the people softened yet again. With all three of Aazoon¡¯srgest independent guilds standing in support of the king and his decision, they had no choice but to seriously consider the king¡¯s decision as well.


    Though most already were, there would always be some people stuck in their ways. But they mostly understood that without those three guilds, travel across the tundra would be a huge danger for them. Also, the disappearance of the three major guilds would destroy Aazoon¡¯s economy and way of life, at least for anyone that stayed behind.


    Some people were also touched by the sudden announcement that those guild leaders made. No one knew that the king had funded the growth of those independent guilds, which had no official affiliation to the royal family. And to know that those key guilds which connectedmon citizens to various cities, towns, or viges for a low fee had been paid for by the king. It let savvy businessmen and citizens understand why the travel costs were always so low,pared to other kingdoms and despite the harsh travel conditions.


    Wilheim was astounded. He had nothing to say. The king watched as more and more people spoke up for the king and his n to abandon the country.


    Five percent of the poption was still missing, which saddened Wilheim but he understood that anyone unwilling to even take the free travel wouldn¡¯t be willing to follow him anyway. Yet... Wilheim had never expected such a turnout. More people hade than he ever anticipated. More and more organizations were standing out in support of the decision. And now themon people were starting to chant along with the members of the many guilds, something the guild leaders had started.


    "For the king! For the king! For the king!"


    Those three words surpassed the echo of Wilheim¡¯s voice and even Lunara¡¯s. More than anyone else, it was King Wilheim¡¯s heart that was softened.


    "Those of you willing to follow King Wilheim to create a new nation, now¡¯s your chance!" Lunara shouted with excitement, still standing in the air overhead. "Those willing to follow, raise your hand now! Those that wish to remain, keep your hands down. Otherwise, you¡¯ll end up in Trodar without a way back."


    The ocean of people ceased chanting, but everyone then rose their hands to the sky. Some struggled and took a moment to decide. However, after seeing so many people willing to abandon everything, they too raised an arm. Also, knowing that dragons and gods were also invading Aazoon was quite convincing to those less affected by the current mob mentality.


    Then, two figures appeared on the tform in a blink of spatial energy. Not many people noticed them, at least not at first. When the entire city and the outlying area was flooded by an ethereal purple energy, the crowd then took notice of the source, a man that was covered in the thickest purple energy around.


    No exnation was given to the crowd. Standing beside Moranti was Eedaj, who was sharing his God¡¯s Perspective with the God of Space.


    "Wow... He got so many people to show up? We¡¯ll have to conquer an entire nation to fit them properly..." Moranti chuckled as he and Eedaj made sure to find everyst one of the nearby citizens.


    Once everyone was ounted for, Moranti smiled and pped his hands.


    The sea of spatial energy blinked with a sh. It didn¡¯t evenst a second. And to everyone inside that energy, nothing had appeared to change once the sh had passed. They still stood within Frostburn City and everyone was exactly where they once stood. However, when they looked up, they couldn¡¯t find Lunara anymore, nor could they find the cloudy, cold sky of Aazoon.


    "Wee to Gilga!" Moranti¡¯s voice billowed withughter.


    After his announcement, some people noticed the ice on the ground starting to melt. Those on the outskirts looked around to spot another city, not even a kilometer away. On the opposite side of the outskirts, people were on the edge of the forest, only it was very unnatural. The line of trees was strange as if it now bent around Frostburn City.


    "Moranti... you didn¡¯t need to bring the city!" Eedaj shouted inughter.


    "What¡¯s wrong with that? Now we don¡¯t need to pay more for so many temporary homes. Remember, we have to keep the guild in mind first, and its budget," replied Moranti, pping the utterly baffled king on the back. "Once we clear out a ce for your kingdom, then I¡¯ll teleport your city wherever you want. Lots of people keep their homes and belongings while you keep the pce!"


    Wilheim said nothing, nor could he if he wanted. He understood that Moranti had control over space and could transport groups of people via teleportation or spatial rift... but teleporting a capital city was too much for his mind to fathom.


    All the while, Moranti kissed his scythe again with a loving smile. Though it still cost the God of Space plenty of mana to teleport the entire city, it was his precious scythe that allowed him to do it for less and keep some mana leftover in case of emergencies.

 Chapter 499 Clear Winner and Grateful Loser

    <h4>Chapter 499 Clear Winner and Grateful Loser</h4>


    The citizens of Gilga were also caught up in a furor, as the sh of purple light caught the city by surprise. It didn¡¯t take long for word to spread and for everyone to notice the city that had now appeared just outside of Gilga¡¯s walls.


    To quell the excitement, Vixus stood atop Gilga¡¯s city walls as the guild members spread the announcement crystals for Gilga to hear.


    "Everyone, Frostburn City has been temporarily relocated. Moranti, the God of Space has ced it outside of Gilga until we im a territory for King Wilheim and the rest of the former citizens of Aazoon. They¡¯ll be joining Trodar as the fifth territory."


    "No, as the sixth territory!" A new voice shouted. Choron rushed to Vixus¡¯s side and continued his shouts, "Choron has agreed to meet with Trodar and discuss terms for allegiance and possible subjugation!"


    d he could finally announce it, Vixus yed along, "Wonderful! Just as Choron, the Ninja God, has stated, we¡¯ve been trying to reach out to Churstin. Now, we¡¯ve finally confirmed their willingness to discuss the matter. With Churstin joining us, Trodar will once again im the entire southeastern corner of Kartonia and be thergest of all nations!"


    Cheers and shouts spread across Gilga! Their recent excitement has been at an all-time high ever since the Leisure Guild too the spotlight, and it¡¯s only grown with each passing week.


    "After Churstin joins Trodar as the fifth territory and we im a sixth territory for the former citizens of Aazoon, the guild will hold a national festival to honor Trodar!" Vixus added, riling up the people to the limits.


    While the crowds spread the news, Vixus returned to his duties. The gods all admired his ability to handle the situation andughed along with Moranti for his decision to bring the city with them.


    *****


    "Almost! Come here, you pesky rats!" Kori howled as he chased after the pack of wererats.


    Lorwynnughed, flying past the hell-me Fox with more incredible speed and finishing off the burning rats with a rain of lightning.


    "Hey! No fair!" shouted Kori.


    "You did it first! I can¡¯t let you beat me so easily!" replied Lorwynn.


    Both men had bonded during their few days of training. Each of them was at the edge of lv. 89 now but Kori still had the lead as he started the expedition at lv. 89 and not the peak of lv. 88. They were constantlypeting and racing to kill each other¡¯s prey. And with Kori only a few kills away, Lorwynn was more focused than ever.


    Kori didn¡¯t say another word, only smile. Instead, Kori darted in a new direction on the second floor. He could sense a breeding ground nearby and didn¡¯t dare admit it aloud.


    Lorwynn followed, of course, letting Kori do the leg work and locate the next batch of foes. There didn¡¯t appear to be anything around them, though.


    After Kori stopped he dove into the ground full-force. The earth copsed and created a giant opening. With his full-size hundred-meter me body, Kori scorched the entire space before Lorwynn understood what was happening. Clicks and cries of various insectoids echoed within the buried hive.


    Up above, Lorwynn spotted a few long, wriggling bodies escape the hell hole that Kori had created. He smiled and shook his head, "Earthen Centipedes... Of course he wouldn¡¯t tell me that..."


    A powerful burst of lightning bolts fell upon the escaping centipedes, not letting any of them escape with their lives.


    "Finally!" Kori¡¯s voice echoed out of the centipede hive.


    At the same time, the ck fire grew a shade darker. The mes grew in size and nearly attempted to attack Lorwynn.


    Speeding back, Lorwynn had no trouble evading the sudden explosion of pitch-ck mes. "So... I lost?"


    However, the mage had no time to feel bad. The raging mes attracted all sorts of life. Many different species of insects swarmed the fire with eagerness. First to arrive were Monarch Moths with wingspans roughly ten meters long, followed by King Beetles with hard bodies that typically measured longer than six meters.


    "Since you¡¯re busy with evolving, I¡¯ll just use you as bait!" Not hesitating, Lorwynn hovered in the air around the ck fire to challenge the iing insects. "Likes see what smells better roasted, moths or beetles!"


    A rush of green energy inundated the area. Out of the ground burst a wall of trees and greenery, forming a perimeter around all of the rushing insects. And now that those insects had no path of retreat, Lorwynn charged through the air with holy swords and lighting bolts.


    The Monarch Moths were the first to attack the mage. They spat acid through the air to stop the mage¡¯s charge but ultimately failed thanks to wind buff that Lorwynn learned from Rikko. However, Lorwynn never gave them a chance to do anything else.


    While the moths evade the hasty lightning bolts, Lorwynn hid the holy swords behind them. While the lightning would streak past, the holy swords nimbly readjusted their course midair to cut holes through the wings of the many moths. This disabled many of them and forced them to skitter slowly across the ground.


    But the King Beetles were tougher to face. Their exoskeletons made them harder to kill.


    While Lorwynn was thundering over the crippled moths, the beetles charged him head-on. Each of their front horns aimed for the mage, some aiming to the sides in order to keep their foe from evading. They didn¡¯t mind charging headfirst as their natural defenses easily outssed the moths which relied on tricks like acid to stun their opponents.


    Lorwynn was ready, though. He maintained his flight while the King Beetles blew past him one-by-one. When on beetle almost drilled into Lorwynn¡¯s chest, Lorwynn was unfazed and used his holy swords in defense to deflect the horn.


    After killing nearly all the moths, Lorwynn shifted his main focus to the relentless beetles. His holy swords shed with the beetle¡¯s horns, winning an advantage bit-by-bit. After a few minutes, Lorwynn managed to create some tiny cracks in the sturdy exoskeletons. As a finishing blow, Lorwynn hurled the holy swords directly into those cracks while lightning coursed over the holy swords.


    More clicks and hissing sounded out as the sturdy beetles died from internal electrocution. They eventually all fell, leaving Lorwynn panting within his cage of greenery and at the very cusp of lv. 90.


    A long howl sounded as well, getting Lorwynn to look back and smile.


    The ck fire was dying down and there were no more cries of dying centipedes, as all had been reduced to cinders. Out of the dying mes arose Kori, smiling and walking confidently on the air.

 Chapter 500 Mini-Boss on Floor 20

    <h4>Chapter 500 Mini-Boss on Floor 20</h4>


    Elsewhere in Eathen Keep, Jack found himself in a small passageway but it wasn¡¯t natural. On earlier floors, Jack had noticed that some creatures had created new burrows and passages to the floors above and below the usual level they were found on. He learned that first hand, nearly walking headfirst into a nest of Earthen Centipedes between the ninth and tenth floors.


    Albeit narrowly, Jack had avoided alerting those centipedes but took that knowledge along with him. It led Jack to wonder if he could do the same thing. And now that he was about to enter the twentieth floor, Jack felt better in attempting such an experiment.


    Jackbined Phoro¡¯s and Dragov¡¯s bloodlines as he tunneled through the ground with unrivaled speed.


    His experiment proved sessful as he broke through to the twentieth floor without any issue. However, the rubble would easily attract the mini-boss on the twentieth floor.


    His invisibility was never lost, not even while he tunneled. Though the sounds of falling rubble warned the upants of the twentieth floor, Jack crept along the ceiling instead of following the rubble to the ground below.


    Silky strands of spider webs filled most of the twentieth floor. Some of the rubble got entangled in the webs, alerting all spiders of the entire floor.


    Careful with each step, the hero calmly avoided the spider webs. He didn¡¯t mind if he took longer than usual as Jack had already saved time by tunneling through the eighteenth and neenth floors entirely.


    If anything followed his tunnel down, Jack didn¡¯t care. His digging speed was ridiculous and he would be long gone before anything could reach him. And if something found the tunnel in the future, it would only let any curious creature get attacked by whatever was on the next level.


    He kept the same mentality going into the twentieth floor, only he was more cautious due to the spiders¡¯ ability to sense him via a single misstep on a strand of web. Also, Jack wanted to see the mini-boss up close and personal.


    The Skulker Tarant was known for lovingplete darkness and its use of smaller spiders to swarm its prey. Of course, anything under five meters tall counted as smallerpared to the ten-meter Skulker Tarant. It was also known for having a terrifying, slow-acting venom, which Jack was determined to get no matter what.


    Since he entered irregrly, it took Jack almost half an hour to creep through thebyrinth of spider webs. After that, he finally found the mini-boss¡¯s burrow.


    A twenty-meter wide crater was dug out of the ground with webbing lining the entirety of the crater and even making a somewhat of a shade over the top of the crater. Jack never would¡¯ve found it or recognized anything in the dark floor if not for Dragov¡¯s bloodline. It was thebination of Dragov¡¯s eyes and Phoro¡¯s that Jack could peer deeper into the darkness and see the silhouette of the Skulker Tarant, only it wasn¡¯t ten meters tall... it was almost fifteen meters tall!


    Keeping his breathing under control, Jack pondered the situation.


    His travels of the twentieth floor revealed the overwhelming amount of spiders, as well as the many carcasses of spiders. This led Jack to assume that the spiders had turned cannibalistic long ago. That would also exin why the lead Skulker Tarant had grown sorge while the nextrgest of the younger Skulker Tarants weren¡¯t even five meters in width, let alone in height.


    Also, there were far more webs than he had ever seen in-game, especially around the mini-boss. But that also gave Jack an idea. After another moment of thought and nning, Jack acted on his impromptu n.


    While overlooking the giant nest that the mini-boss had made itself, Jack exchanged Dragov¡¯s bloodline for Bowzer¡¯s, creating a flying me body. Before the Skulker Tarant could do anything, Jack hurled his ck-white mes into the nest of the tarant, grateful for the level boost he had gained for no effort on his part.


    A low, droning hiss sounded from deep within the crater. That giant silhouette finally moved and rushed to the surface of its nest. However, it found traveling across the webs to be nearly impossible.


    Unlike most videogames, the spider webs didn¡¯t burn well, rather, they caught fire aggressively for a few moments before beginning to melt. That was exactly what Jack was wanting.


    The melting web was entirely unusable and the countless threads of web were fusing together as a makeshift cage around the giant Skulker Tarant. Also, the intense heat of those mes let them keep burning, albeit small in height. This trapped the mini-boss within its own nest and kept it from escaping anywhere. Should it attempt to force its way past the melting, burning webs, the ck-white me was even burning the ground around the crater.


    Jack rushed into the nest of the hissing tarant. His wind des and me body allowed him to carve past the melting web with ease. In seconds, Jack found himself at the side of the tarant¡¯s giant head. While it was hissing and attempting to break free, Jack carved into the tarant¡¯s face, just below it¡¯s lower eyes.


    Hisses filled the vast space while Jack mutted the tarant¡¯s face over and over again. At lv. 87, the Skulker Tarant was quite a foe. But Jack didn¡¯t care for killing it. All he wanted was the venom nd above the base of the tarant¡¯s fangs.


    The moment Jack carved through the face and felt some numbing fluid touch him, Jack momentarily dropped his me body and retrieved arge, empty bottle. In a couple of seconds, Jack had filled the bottle with the oozing venom. He hastily sealed the bottle and resumed his me body while retreating.


    A minuteter, the Skulker Tarant broke free from the trap made of its own burning web. However, it couldn¡¯t find anything apart from burning webs and charred spider bits.


    Jack had already fled for the next floor and the giant tarant would never have any hope of entering the human-sized hole that Jack created amidst a see of burning, melting webs.

 Chapter 501 Jins Curiosity Unsatiated

    <h4>Chapter 501 Jin¡°s Curiosity Unsatiated</h4>


    The following day after the transport of Frostburn City, Gilga was abuzz yet again. Never had anything like that happened before yet now both capital cities along with their markets were able to trade directly without any middlemen. On top of that, both the Fat Goose and Celestial Crane started officially selling elven merchandise within the guild¡¯s public market. A couple of the first elven merchants opened up shop in the guild market as well.


    Thanks to the new connections of the teleportation circles throughout Trodar, people were flooding into Gilga yet again as word spread faster than wildfire.


    As the rest of the world was in awe of the incredible avability of so many diverse goods, the key figures of the Leisure Guild thought nothing of the matter. Vixus and Kims were busy getting all territory matters in order while Kaldor was evaluating Zariff as the uing treasurer, waiting for his chance to enter Earthen Keep with Hadurt.


    The gods lounged at the moment, each in their private courtyards. But a few were stilling in and out of the strategy room, only they too were rxing during that short time of momentary peace.


    "Are you sure about that?"


    "Of course I am!" Jin shouted.


    Sterfen shrugged and smiled. "Don¡¯t get me wrong, it makes sense. I just thought you¡¯re impatient for strength would make you rush off and ascend already."


    "But then I¡¯d lose this chance to grow with Jack¡¯s blessing!" argued Jin, smiling widely. "If anything, I must thank Halmut the next time I see him. I can only imagine what may happen to my strength after Jack helps me ascend."


    "Well, he is my son. It only makes sense for him to be so great," joked Sterfen.


    "By the way, how did you kill Sybin? She wields fire, wind, nature, dark, and holy magic, but you only wield illusion magic. Please, teach me."


    "It was pretty simple. I stabbed her through the neck. Nothing more, nothing less," answered Sterfen.


    "But how did you sneak up on her?!" shouted Jin. "Come on, tell me! After Jack helps me, maybe I¡¯ll finally be able to use magic and cast invisibility like you, so I must learn all I can."


    "Aren¡¯t you a bit too excited?" asked Sterfen, sinking deeper into thefy couch.


    "Oh, and what level are you anyway?!"


    Sterfen sighed, "I think... that¡¯s enough for now."


    "Sterfen, I¡¯m your ally. At least tell me so we can runbination attacks where I draw them in and you go for the kill..." reasoned Jin, standing up from the table and trying his best to get an answer out of the God of Secrets.


    "I don¡¯t need that, though," Sterfen respond, chuckling to himself. Jin was about to say more but Sterfen¡¯s voice whispered into his ear, "See?"


    Turning his head around and almost giving himself whish, Jin felt each individual strand of hair on the back of his neck stand up. He shrank back into the chair and found nothing behind him. But Jin was absolutely certain that Sterfen was indeed behind him, at least for that brief moment.


    "Is something wrong?" Sterfen asked from across the room.


    "N-no..." Jin¡¯s confidence was shattered momentarily. But his drive to train reached another all-time high, as he now understood that his sensory abilities were too weak to evenpare with Sterfen¡¯s.


    "You heard about Reinolt, right?" Sterfen asked, changing the subject.


    "Yeah... Its citizens were spared after Leodoro turned himself in," Jin answered. "I guess that military victory we gave him was enough for them to keep Leodoro alive."


    "After that battle, Leodoro was seen as a hero by his people and that view was magnified after Leodoro epted imprisonment in exchange for the people to not be enved," exined Sterfen. "Somein that we didn¡¯t offer them enough help or the same chance we gave Aazoon. What do you think about that?"


    Jin raised his eyebrow and scratched the side of his face. "In a way they¡¯re right, but could Leodoro have pulled off what Wilheim did? I doubt it... But, in retrospect, people will alwaysin when things don¡¯t go their way."


    "Good, you¡¯re still the wise God of Discipline after all!"


    "Hey! If we were the same level, I bet I could take you one on one!" stated Jin, puffing out his chest.


    Sterfen smiled and poured himself some wine off of the side table. "Who said we¡¯re at different levels?"


    "So you¡¯re lv. 91?!" Jin eximed, jumping back out of his seat.


    "No..."mented Sterfen, sipping his wine.


    "Then what level are--"


    "Jin, that¡¯s enough. There¡¯s a reason I prefer to speak about the secrets of others and not mine," stated Sterfen. "Trust me, it¡¯s better this way."


    "Come on, Sterfen! I¡¯m your ally, your friend!"


    "Jin, not even my wife knows my level. In fact, she doesn¡¯t even know my origin story," Sterfen added. "Feel free to ask her all you want."


    Getting off the couch, Sterfen finished his ss of wine and patted Jin on the back. "Anyways, I promised Lina that I would help her train. If you¡¯re looking for Lunara, you¡¯ll find her on the Ice Floor of the storehouse."


    "But--"


    "Good luck on your hunt for my backstory!" Sterfen shouted as he exited the room and waved at Jin with his back turned.


    Eedaj walked in as Sterfen exited, but they didn¡¯t exchange any words. But Jin came up with a new scheme as soon as Eedaj walked in. "Eedaj! You¡¯re just the man I was looking for!"


    Blinking, Eedaj looked Jin in the eye. Suddenly, Eedaj burst intoughter and sighed, "Sorry... I can¡¯t help butugh."


    "And why¡¯s that?!" Jin shouted, knowing that Eedaj had just read his mind.


    Eedaj replied, "Because what you¡¯re seeking doesn¡¯t exist."


    "What do you mean?! Everyonees from somewhere, so that means there¡¯s a story about Sterfen growing up, right?!"


    "Wrong," answered the Mind God. "As far as I know, anything in Sterfen¡¯s past that urred before he gained attention for pursuing Lunara is as good as nonexistent. There are no records of him or his origin anywhere to be found."


    "Impossible!" Jin argued. "Don¡¯t tell me that when you can just--"


    "No, I can¡¯t read his mind."


    "What..." Jin was dumbstruck by Eedaj¡¯s jarring statement. "But... you can read everyone¡¯s mind, even Halmut¡¯s or Skaryn¡¯s!"


    "True, all except for his," stated Eedaj. "I¡¯m not sure why or how, but my mental capabilities have no ess to anything within his mind. Only on rare asions where he allows me in can I enter his thoughts. But even then I can only ess a portion of his mind. That¡¯s why I suggested he assume the title ¡¯God of Secrets¡¯ back then. Because, to even me, Sterfen holds the most secrets of all."


    "But... he can¡¯t be the only one like that... There¡¯s never been any case like that before?!" Jin shouted his question, not wanting to ept that Sterfen was even more capable than he had assumed.


    "Hmm... After ascending, the only other person that¡¯s been unreadable is Daruun, who¡¯s mental capabilities far outshine my own."


    Jin dragged his hand across his face. "Really... Only Daruun, but that doesn¡¯t count!"


    "Well, that¡¯s the truth. Just deal with it. Who knows? Maybe, if we¡¯re lucky, one day we¡¯ll get to learn more about him. I¡¯m sure Jack will find a way to learn the truth--"


    "Jack! I¡¯ll have Jack look into it once he¡¯s back!" Nodding, Jin agreed with himself, "Yeah... that¡¯s what we¡¯ll do. Jack can always find a way, especially with his upgraded system..."


    While Jin got sidetracked and started to ramble about everything he¡¯ll do after Jack aids Jin¡¯s ascension, Eedaj found the open wine on the side table and casually poured himself a drink using his telekinesis, doing the same to sip the wine bit-by-bit.

 Chapter 502 Above Federal City

    <h4>Chapter 502 Above Federal City</h4>


    Three days passed by casually. Gilga was livelier than ever as rumors of Frostburn City¡¯s appearance spread. Also, stories and rumors about the tworgest of recent wars shocked the continent, in particr, the story of Maldor vs. Aazoon.


    The tale of dragons fighting on the Reinolt border and the imprisonment of King Leodoro was international news but it couldn¡¯tpare to the end result of the Maldor-Aazoon War. Three dragons had been killed, not two. A god was killed and fell from the sky, stunning the soldiers below. And an entire capital city had vanished from the map, along with nearly all of Aazoon¡¯s poption.


    Many felt that though Maldor technically won the war they didn¡¯t win any benefit from it. All they received was a frozen wastnd and a few empty cities. They weren¡¯t able to loot Frostburn City or its royal pce. The entire travel system across the tundra had disappeared along with the popce. It was a very hollow victory, indeed.


    When news of Frostburn City appearing in Trodar reached the rest of the world, connecting the dots was simple. Everyone learned that the rising Trodar had gotten involved and transported an entire city, along with its poption that was thriving with trade beside Gilga.


    Trodar was bing more and more attractive to the rest of the world. In a time where war was starting to break out with unbelievably strong experts revealing themselves, Trodar seemed to offer the most sce for those seeking peace.


    Federal City was once regarded as the safest city as well as the greatest of all cities. The once megacity was only a shell of what it once was, though.


    Many businesses had left elsewhere, most of which had Gilga in mind. Losing the three auction houses and the otherrger businesses to the syndicate raid was a heavy blow to the city¡¯s economy.


    The only saving grace was the presence of the Adventurers Association. They remained loyal to Federal City and even paid for the reconstruction of the city. Buildings had been rebuilt or reced but they couldn¡¯t rebuild the atmosphere Federal City once had. That was long gone, especially after the confirmation of gods living within Trodar.


    Nowadays, most Federal City residents were torn as to what they should do. Should they tough it out and wait for Federal City to regain its international fame? Could theyst that long?


    With most of the residents being local business owners, things were incredibly tough as the amount of foot traffic now was iparable to what it was prior to the attack. The cost of food within the city was also at an all-time high. Most taverns, without any ie from their attached inns, were forced to raise prices to amodate their budgets. And the food shortage only made that worse. Even buying fruit or vegetables in the marketce was overpriced. But that¡¯s what happens when the majority of food for the entire cityes from exports. And when themon farmers are reliant on protection from others, why would they stay in a declining city? Why stay when there¡¯s a thriving nation with elven goods and nature magic, known to increase farm efficiency, that has divine protection, proving capable of killing rival gods, twice?


    Somerger businesses did expand to start farms outside the city, but that would also take time. It wasn¡¯t a way to immediately fix the situation. And if a business went under before their crops finished, it was all over.


    With the remaining residents split on whether they should tough it out or leave for greener pastures, Federal City was gradually growing into an uncertain economy.


    But, while the sun was at its highest, a humongous pir of light fell upon the city. All the city walls were epassed in that holy light. Thissted for half an hour, giving all citizens time toe outside and experience the unusual warmth seep into their bodies and hearts. It wasfortable, the mostfortable feeling they had felt in a long time.


    A voice finally spoke while the holy light remained, "Citizens of Federal City... We¡¯ve finally returned!"


    That proud yet amiable voice echoed across the city streets and within the hearts of the residents. They didn¡¯t understand what was going on, but theforting lightpletely changed the mood and atmosphere of the depressed city.


    Then, everyone made sure to step outside. A figure was spotted descending from the clouds above. A second figure followed. Then a third, and a fourth... One-by-one, figures of the past descended to stand in the air just above the city square.


    While they glided down the sky, all of the citizens rushed to the city center by any means possible. Each of the wiser residents recognized at least one of those figures based on ancient stories and their ability to stand on the air. People flooded the city square while those deities took their sweet time to descend to a height more easily viewable for the citizens.


    The final person descended, still not saying a word. Seven figures stood there in the air, letting the citizens gather and guess about their identities.


    Another hour passed with the gods saying nothing but the entire city was together, shouting at the figures above.


    "I apologize for my absence... It was my fault for being injured during my final battle with Skaryn..."


    Same as before, that ethereal voice echoed across the city and rocked the people¡¯s hearts. But it wasn¡¯ting from any of those seven figures...


    "Allow me to reintroduce myself..." stated the voice, riling the crowd even more.


    A new figure began to descend, only that one was incredibly huge. Even as it passed through the clouds, it almost rivaled the human figures overhead in size. As it got lower and lower, their eyes of shock filled with wonderment and awe. Every person across Kartonia knew exactly who that figure was.


    Cascading in holy light, the figure¡¯s countless golden scales dazzled the world below. His behemoth body proved its strength, believed to be greater than all others. And the calm, amiable voice gave hope to all citizens as they were d they could witness the return of their greatest, most respected god.

 Chapter 503 Halmuts Command Over the People

    <h4>Chapter 503 Halmut¡°s Command Over the People</h4>


    "Halmut!"


    "It¡¯s Halmut!"


    "He¡¯s returned! Finally!"


    Cries of joy filled all of Federal City, echoing out of the city center. The appearance of gods in Trodar was a sight that all the world wanted to witness. Yet now, the citizens of Federal City weren¡¯t envious at all. They were certain that even Trodar would be envious of them, for they were currently witnessing the return of the greatest of all gods.


    Halmut kept his smile, the same which was impossible to discern without reading his mind. "I¡¯m back... Please forgive me for my absence."


    "WE FORGIVE YOU!"


    Shouts of the crowd replied to Halmut, most of which immediately epted the god¡¯s apology.


    "Know this, that Skaryn is no more!"


    All the people below jumped with joy as cheers spread faster than wildfire.


    Halmut continued, "My wound has finally healed and now... now I can properly return to protect my people. Of course, my fellow deities will join me as well. Also, with Skaryn no longer threatening us, I¡¯ve done something else that I must also apologize for..."


    Giving the crowd a dramatic pause, Halmut heard many shouts offer shouts forgiveness before the Sun Dragon could even admit what he had done wrong. Continuing, Halmut stated, "As Skaryn no longer demands his subordinate gods to wreak havoc across the world, I took pity on said subordinate gods. They only followed orders, never acting against the world of their free will. But now, they¡¯re free of Skaryn¡¯s dictatorship. That¡¯s why I extended my hand to them, allowing them to join us Holy Gods, their rightful ce!"


    While the crowd eagerly devoured the false logic that Halmut force-fed them, more figures began their descent over the city. Five more figures appeared, joining the other seven to form a circle around the center of the city with Halmut¡¯s gigantic body above them all.


    "I beg of you, please hold no grudges or ill will against them. They only acted out of necessity, otherwise, Skaryn would¡¯ve ughtered them," stated Halmut, creating a pity case for the gods he forced into submission out of fear.


    Halmut basked in the appreciative and grateful shouts of the people below. He relished this feeling. It was what he missed most from times of old. After bathing inpliments and praise for a few minutes, Halmut spoke again, "However... sadly, there were some gods that hid their treacherous hearts and intentions..."


    The dragon¡¯s sudden shift in tone startled the crowd into silence. They didn¡¯t want to miss a single word from their savior who defeated Skaryn.


    "Among us Holy Gods, there were two who dared betray us. Both Lunara and Kori have abandoned our cause and have joined the treacherous faction of gods that hid themselves from history. Recently, they¡¯ve taken up Trodar as their home but don¡¯t believe their words of peace. Those gods are the same which vanished during the time of the Godly War. Rather than work together with us Holy Gods to save you, they hid away and waited for a moment to strike us down!"


    Halmut¡¯s exnation stirred the people¡¯s hearts, drastically altering their opinion of the rising nation that caught the world by storm.


    "They were the ones who killed Flood Dragons and Magma Dragons, the chosen warriors of us Holy Gods," Halmut exined, bending the truth to his will. "Such beasts were summoned as a means of intimidation. We hoped that both Reinolt and Aazoon would see and respect our beliefs, agreeing to join our cause peacefully. But those from Trodar tempted them to act otherwise...


    "Instead, Aazoon and Reinolt epted Trodar¡¯s help and eliminated some of our draconic forces, even killing one of us holy gods. Of course, I resurrected said god and she¡¯s back to full health, as I hold no grudge against her for her service to Skaryn in the past." Halmut continued, "And though Reinolt saw through Trodar¡¯s lies in the end, surrendering and joining us after the battle, Aazoon did not. They ughtered Maldor¡¯s army entirely, along with three Magma Dragons, all the while using a Hell-me Fox, the most disastrous of beasts and the greatest of cmities mankind can face. Then, they had the gall to deceive the entire nation and transport them to within Trodan borders. And now... now it¡¯s toote for them to reconsider their actions and escape Trodar¡¯s schemes..."


    Sighing, Halmut acted forlorn before the crowd. Many below were touched by Halmut¡¯s words and false feelings, feeling their view of Trodar twist and grow perverse.


    "It¡¯s those gods that im protection within Trodar¡¯s borders that have schemed about the world since before the Godly War," added Halmut. "With Skaryn gone, they finally begin to show their true colors... But fear not, for I shall protect you all! I won¡¯t allow you to be deceived!"


    Fists raised to the air as people shouted with fervor, gratefully epting Halmut¡¯s words.


    "How dumb do you think they are?"


    Out of nowhere, another voice spoke up. The riled-up crowd was taken aback by the statement, unsure how to take it. They easily spotted the origin of the voice, only they werepletely baffled as to how that person got there without them noticing.


    Standing in the very center of that ring of deities stood a single man. He didn¡¯t appear to be anything other than an ordinary man, apart from his ability to stand on the air. His clothing was nice but not something people assumed was worthy of a deity. No weapons or items were in the man¡¯s hands. And despite his humble appearance, the man stood nonchntly in the center of thirteen gods while mocking Halmut directly.


    Such an urrence was beyond everyone¡¯s wildest dreams, but it was happening before their very eyes.


    Halmut¡¯s smile faded. It fell into a disapproving frown as he addressed the man, "Moranti... What is it that your traitorous face has to say? You fled the Chaotic Gods for the devious gods over Trodar and now you wish to correct my manner of speech?"

 Chapter 504 Moranti Crashes the Holy Gods Public Return

    <h4>Chapter 504 Moranti Crashes the Holy Gods¡° Public Return</h4>


    "True, I¡¯m now with the Legendary Gods of Trodar, but that¡¯s not why I¡¯m here," replied the God of Space.


    "Then why have youe?" asked Halmut, letting the crowd notice his apparent disgust.


    "How could I note? You made it really easy for Eedaj to see you, so I thought I¡¯d crash the party," Moranti answered, "As for my question, take it with a grain of salt. I only said that because your ability to twist the truth amazes me every time. Sure, Skaryn¡¯s done some dark things in the past but at least he doesn¡¯t hide his horns, unlike you do. He embraced the image of the devil while you hide your nature and parade around like you¡¯re the single greatest organism to ever exist. Doesn¡¯t your ego get tired after carrying such a fat head for millennia?"


    Everyone below waspletely shocked.


    They understood who Moranti was, the second inmand of Skaryn. Ancient legends asionally mentioned Moranti¡¯s strength as undefined, iming that no one has ever seen him go all out. But legends and history do im that Moranti is the third strongest god of all, only behind Halmut and Skaryn.


    Moranti making such ims that Halmut was the true devil was news for all Kartonia. It was something that none had said before, apart from Skaryn himself in the ancient past.


    "Your words hold no weight, Moranti," Halmut stated for all ears around the city. "You¡¯ve abandoned the Chaotic Gods and even killed them during your rebellion. Why should they believe a traitor?"


    "Say what you want." Moranti shrugged, not taking the opinions of the masses to heart, unlike Halmut. "I don¡¯t care about that or how the Chaotic Gods betrayed Skaryn. But I¡¯d love to hear you repeat what you said earlier. What did you say about Skaryn at the beginning?"


    Eyeing Moranti, Halmut repeated himself confidently, "That Skaryn is no more!"


    "Right...But why say that when Skaryn isn¡¯t dead?"


    Moranti¡¯s questions stung the hearts of the people, calling them to question everything for only a moment.


    "You don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about, Moranti. Tralbok, as a former Chaotic God please inform the people of what happened to Skaryn," Halmut stated.


    Tralbok shouted for all the city to hear, "Just as Halmut said, Skaryn is no longer a threat to the world, nor will he ever be again. Halmut has rendered him powerless against you!"


    "Sure... refute my words and call me a traitor yet you believe Tralbok, the true traitor of the Chaotic Gods?" Moranti asked loudly, not letting the people believe Halmut¡¯s cause so easily. "I¡¯d love to see what you have to say to the world after Skaryn returns..."


    "Enough!" shouted Halmut, growing even deeper. "Is there anything else you¡¯vee to do or will you turn tail and flee like you always have?"


    "Oh, you want to fight?" Moranti smiled and raised an eyebrow. "If you¡¯re not scared stiff, then you¡¯re wee to try me, Halmut."


    "There¡¯s no need!" Naparn shouted, rocketing out from his ce in the circle.


    Naparn wasn¡¯t the only one. Many of the various holy gods darted for Moranti in the center. Torian and Tyres were the fastest, reaching Moranti within the blink of an eye. Naparn and Tralbok were just behind them while Lyrun and Grixor followed to offer their defensive capabilities.


    A total of six gods charged at Moranti, all for the world to witness in awe. But while the crowd was impressed by the action of six gods, they also remembered the ancient rumor about Moranti¡¯s strength. Seeing so many gods face against Moranti alone was a near confirmation of that old legend, and Moranti¡¯s casual chuckle gave the people an uneasy feeling.


    "Finally..." Morantiughed, teleporting a meter away to evade both Torian and Tyres. "I can finally shake off some rust!"


    Tralbok and Naparn followed suit. They barreled forward hurling wind des and cyclones, as well asva plumes and earthen spikes. Torian and Tyres readjusted and attacked also, each embodying lightning and wind to strike with the epitome of speed.


    With a smile fresh on his face, Moranti¡¯s eyes went wide in excitement. He stared happily at Tyres as the Sword God lunged downward, evading the attacks of Tralbok and Naparn. But he didn¡¯t forget about Torian, who had shifted to his hybrid form and lunged forward with two swords and his jagged tail.


    When Moranti evaded the magic attacks and allowed both the sword-wielding gods to near him, heughed again. While both attacking gods plunged their des into him, Morantiughed harder. Blood was spilled yet Moranti was stillughing. Of course, that¡¯s because it wasn¡¯t Moranti that was injured.


    Stepped back, Tyres stared at the torn-up hole in his side. Torian did the same, ncing at the sh across his chest.


    Everyone below was inplete shock. Their eagerness to see the holy gods prevail plummeted as they saw both the two holy gods attack each other through Moranti¡¯s body.


    "What? Have you already forgotten how I fight? Even when it was only days ago?" Moranti questioned Torian, mocking the Thundering God.


    Confused, Torian tried to understand what just happened, along with Tralbok and Lyrun. But Moranti didn¡¯t allow them any more time.


    A glowing, purple scythe appeared in Moranti¡¯s hands as the God of Space took in a deep breath. He was still a target for Tralbok¡¯s and Naparn¡¯s magic attacks yet paid them no mind. Two rifts opened before Moranti to consume the attacks. The exits of said rifts then appeared behind Torian and Tyres,shing them with their allies attacks while they tried to figure out why their attack failed.


    "That¡¯s enough!"


    The entire battlefield stopped after Halmut¡¯s order, all except for Moranti. The God of Space continued and charged grixor with a mad smile. His scythe arched into the Quake Dragon¡¯s hybrid form before Grixor could put up a better defense.


    "I said enough!" Halmut roared, shrinking down into his hybrid form and rushing to intercept Moranti¡¯s onught.


    But the Sun God was toote. He only managed to separate the two of them after Grixor lost an arm.


    Seeing Halmut finally show some true emotion, Moranti chuckled, "Oh, does that mean you want to y?"

 Chapter 505 Halmut vs Moranti

    <h4>Chapter 505 Halmut vs Moranti</h4>


    "Oh, does that mean you want to y?"


    The pir of light caused Halmut¡¯s golden scales to glitter with power and radiance. He confidently stood before Moranti, not underestimating the God of Space but not fearing him either.


    "All of you, stand down... I¡¯ll deal with him," Halmut ordered. "Tralbok, heal Grixor now."


    Following orders, the holy gods all backed off. Lyrun returned Grixor his lost arm while Tralbok used time magic to restore the arm to its past state. Naparn silently stepped aside but his heart was reluctant. The others all retreated to their perimeter willingly.


    Moranti chuckled and showed a sharp smile. "In that case, I¡¯ll finally have to get serious. Though I will admit, they were a great warm-up."


    Moranti¡¯s body grewrger and more agile as his skin was taken over by pale purple scales. ws reced the tips of his fingers, still being thinner than a cicada¡¯s wing. Wings sprouted out Moranti¡¯s back to increase his flight speed. Spatial energy naturally revolved around him without any expenditure, proving that Moranti was able to naturally attract neutral space energy around him, just as Halmut did with holy energy.


    Those that were spectating were on the edge of excitement and suspense. They had never believed that Moranti would be so powerful. To see him face six other gods at once and have an advantage was unfathomable to them, but to see Halmut be so serious also proved that the God of Space was worthy of respect and fear.


    One wielded a simple yet beautiful scythe and the other wielded an ornate scepter with a de protruding from the bottom of the hilt. Both had assumed their strongest forms right off the bat.


    "Want to go first?" asked Moranti, tauntingly waving his scythe.


    Halmut said nothing but charged ahead. Along with that dazzling holy energy, lightning and wind also coated the Sun Dragon¡¯s scales. His speed surpassed both Tyres and Torian withoutparison.


    However, Moranti was also taking the fight seriously. He held nothing back while allowing his physical form the ability to merge with the spatial energy. Matching Halmut¡¯s speed, Moranti took the challenge head-on!


    The two divinebatants met midair and paused as their personal weapons shed. They red at one another, one being serious and emotionless while the other still had a yful look hidden under his serious gaze.


    "Don¡¯t you want to give them a show to remember!" shouted Moranti, flooding the entire sky with spatial energy to match the abundant holy energy that Halmut had created.


    The God of Space suddenly teleported, reappearing behind Halmut. His scythe shed forward while the Sun God was already defending himself. A small rift opened up as the scythe¡¯s de was about to sh with the scepter, but the ded spines of Halmut¡¯s tail blocked the reappearing de instead.


    "So you¡¯re warmed up too? Then we both need to take this up a notch..."


    Moranti backed off while shing yet again. A wave of thick spatial energyshed out toward Halmut, which the Sun God dodged by climbing higher in the sky.


    Halmut wouldn¡¯t allow Moranti to control the battle¡¯s tempo, though. He roared and unleashed a cyclone of fire from his jaws.


    Both high-level gods soared higher and higher as they evaded each other¡¯s attacks. Moranti didn¡¯t mind the separation while forcing Halmut higher and Halmut didn¡¯t want the weaker gods to be within an unavoidable range of Moranti¡¯s attacks.


    While their attacks and exchanges were now further away, it wasn¡¯t any harder to witness them trading blows. More and more energy was getting used as the spatial and holy energies of the surrounding area grew thicker and thicker.


    Also, they were no longer just evading. Sometimes, they would use their own attack to cancel the other¡¯s as the pace of the fight grew faster.


    When Halmut would spew a hurricane of mes from his mouth, Moranti would do the same, only with a blend of spatial and fire energies to eradicate and shred the ming cyclone apart. If Moranti would sh at Halmut with aid of spatial rifts, Halmut would defend with his unbelievably quick reflexes along with both holy and nature energies to strengthen his tremendous ws. Halmut made sure to use his advantage of size and brute strength when colliding with Moranti¡¯s crafty attacks.


    Seeing the two gods nearly standing as equals jarred the crowds below. Their opinions of Halmut were nigh unbreakable but their assumptions about Moranti grew stronger with each exchange of blows. And, for those that were more sensitive to Moranti¡¯s earlier words about Halmut, the God of Space was beginning to appear as a reliable god to worship, despite Halmut¡¯s wishes and words.


    The other gods from below were in awe of the battle taking ce.


    Those former chaotic gods felt a tinge of fear in their hearts. Watching the fight reminded them about Moranti¡¯s sudden rebellion five hundred years ago. It gave their fears validity. This fight was proof that, even back then, they had never seen Moranti give a fight his absolute all.


    As for the gods which had always been holy, they were in shock. They knew that Moranti was to be feared yet always felt that Halmut had shown too much reluctance in facing the chaotic gods after the Godly War. Most had believed that with Skaryn gone, they would steamroll through the remaining chaotic gods. But witnessing such a battle take ce, was proof that their leader had done the right thing.


    Whenever someone pushed to confront the chaotic gods, Halmut would always insist that they take things slowly and secretly until he was finally healed. And that had only changed a couple of days ago when Halmut finally decided to use one of those strange multicolored crystals to heal himself, the same type of crystal Halmut used to revive Sybin to her previous godly strength.


    After years of silently disagreeing with Halmut¡¯s nning, the holy gods had no choice but to support such a decision in retrospect. Moranti¡¯s existence and unique abilities alone was an anomaly that could¡¯ve resulted in the deaths of many.

 Chapter 506 Eye-Catching Clash of Titans

    <h4>Chapter 506 Eye-Catching sh of Titans</h4>


    The two warring gods continued their climb through the sky. Each of their attacks was growing grander by the second.


    "How about we show them something they¡¯ll never forget?!" Moranti shouted, suddenly vanishing from before Halmut. The God of Space reappeared a couple of hundred meters above the Sun God and a mass of spatial energy unlike any prior danced enthusiastically over the scythe¡¯s de. "Remember this?!"


    Along with the hateful shout, Moranti hurled a hundred-meter wide wave of the thickest spatial energy, dousedpletely in roaring purple mes. It had condensed enough that any regr mortal could nearly pick it up, at least for a fraction of a second before the energy would tear them apart on a molecr level.


    Halmut stared at the attack, still unafraid. In response, Halmut had gathered all five of the energies he could control. The Sun God took a deep breath and roared with all his might. Holy, nature, lightning, wind, and fire energies were turbulent within the Sun God¡¯s breath attack.


    A ridiculous explosion filled everyone¡¯s ears and eyes, leaving those that were spectating momentarily blind and deaf.


    But that didn¡¯t stop either Moranti or Halmut. They repeated the attack while closing the gap between each other.


    After a second roaring explosion and the momentary blindness passed, everyone¡¯s eyes were back on the two warring gods. Both of those two were now standing face-to-face with only a dozen meters between them. Also, both showed wound¡¯s on their bodies, leaving the world below speechless.


    There were a few charred scales left on Moranti¡¯s shoulder, but it didn¡¯t seem to be serious. Halmut, however, was left with a gash carved into his chest, albeit not too deep.


    "Ha! I won that one!"


    Halmut showed Moranti a sly smile. "Oh really?" The Sun God¡¯s hand passed over the opening in his chest, letting a plethora of holy energy fill the gash and reseal the wound as if it had never existed.


    "That¡¯s one way to cheat... But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll win!" shouted Moranti, not caring about Halmut¡¯s self-healing abilities. He didn¡¯t bother mentioning the physical resistance skill he had received from Jack, nor the health regeneration skill. After that grandiose exchange of blows, Moranti would use those secret abilities in a battle of attrition.


    "Just give up, Moranti!" Halmut replied, not hiding his confident smile from the spectators. "This will end the same way it did before, only this time Skaryn isn¡¯t here to save you!"


    "That was millennia ago and neither of us was this strong before. Aren¡¯t you curious who would really win between us? Don¡¯t you want to know how I¡¯ll avenge my people with your death?" Moranti spat, mockingly shaking his head.


    "I¡¯ll admit, your strength is worthy of rivaling mine. But you¡¯ll never be able to keep up with me while I just heal time and time again. It will only be a matter of time until your death is the only oue," reasoned Halmut, reigniting the confidence of the holy gods below.


    "I¡¯m just surprised you haven¡¯t used your pawns against me yet."


    "They are no pawns of mine!" stated Halmut, not daring to let such a statement fly.


    Moranti shrugged and sighed, "True... not all of them are pawns. I¡¯d say Lyrun is at least a knight, or perhaps a bishop."


    "Are you going to face me with more words in fear or will you continue to fight a battle befitting of a god?" questioned Halmut.


    "Whatever you say!"


    Moranti dove back at Halmut, letting spatial energy and purple mes coat his entire being. His speed was pushed to the limit while Moranti¡¯s scythe arched toward Halmut¡¯s neck.


    Halmut also used each of his avable energies. The Sun God¡¯s speed was beyond belief while the brute force and viciousness of his ming ws were increased with wind energy. He defended fearlessly. Also, static electricity was used in an attempt to slow Moranti, nature energy aided Halmut¡¯s defenses against magic, and holy energy healed any small wounds that resulted from their many collisions.


    Their battle became nigh iprehensible for the mortals below. And though the spectating gods were able to understand the high-speed fight, they too were inplete awe of the grudge match.


    That terrific pace never ceased as the two draconic gods dueled for the world to remember. Thest battle of a simr magnitude was the one that ended the Godly War. However, unlike that world-shaping duel of the Sun God and the Shadow God, the public was able to witness this battle personally.


    Of course, neither Moranti nor Halmut were using their attacks with the greatest range. Neither of them wanted to kill the people below. Halmut wanted an audience to witness his glorious strength upon his return and Moranti had no desire to kill innocents. Hence, they took to the sky and used powerful yet focused attacks.


    "Are you still not going to cheat? That¡¯s very unlike you!" Morantiughed.


    Halmutughed as well, "Why bother? My victory is further guaranteed with each passing minute."


    "I guess that¡¯s one way of putting it... Does that mean you want to end this here and now?" asked Moranti. "You probably want to finish this in a spectacr attack so they worship you even more."


    "And what¡¯s wrong with that?" retorted Halmut.


    Moranti scoffed, "Nothing, I¡¯m just surprised you¡¯re ying along with me. I thought you¡¯d get more serious by now."


    "Oh? Is that what you want?"


    "If you want to kill me, that¡¯s your only choice, apart from cheating of course. But you don¡¯t want your precious audience to get killed, right? Without them, how could you spread the word about this battle and your victory?"


    Halmut stared curiously at Moranti. "Why are you so eager to die?"


    "Who said I was eager to die? You may have had your chance earlier, but your ignorance has left you clueless to the truth of the situation," stated Moranti in a matter-of-fact manner. "If you don¡¯t believe me, take a look for yourself. And don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t even attack you while you turn away from our little duel. It¡¯s the least I can do since our spectacr battle kept the others from noticing as well."


    Baffled but curious, Halmut turned away for not even a second. But Halmut immediately did a double-take and roared, "Where¡¯s Naparn?!"

 Chapter 507 Sterfen Challenges Naparn

    <h4>Chapter 507 Sterfen Challenges Naparn</h4>


    With the two most powerful dragons dueling in the sky, no one dared to look away. This was especially true when Moranti suddenly reappeared high above Halmut with a newfound level of strength.


    Watching the incredible scythe attack take on Halmut¡¯s most powerful breath attack was beyond belief. Even for the spectating gods, they were blinded momentarily by the ensuing explosion. Then, the two dragons did it again at close range to startle them all the more.


    It was at that moment that Naparn disappeared.


    While watching the battle overhead, Naparn was furious. He knew there was a gap between himself and Moranti but Naparn didn¡¯t want to believe the difference was so vast. And the harsh truth was now in front of the whole world to witness.


    To Naparn, seeing those colliding attacks was enough to wound his heart and pride. It was something that could fuel his training and growth, giving him a definite target to aim for.


    Once the first attack blinded everyone present, the second attack only rocked their senses further. As the second sh of so many warring energies dwindled away, the gods and mortals below were left speechless. And Naparn felt a hand briefly touch his back while a pulse of spatial energy was hidden within the overwhelming aftereffects of the draconic duel above.


    This gave Naparn no time to shout or warn the others about his sudden ambush and hid his teleportation perfectly.


    That hand instantly left Naparn¡¯s back as Naparn, still in his hybrid form, covered his body in magma while showing his rage. The Magma Dragon snarled and red at the man who had teleported him away.


    But before Naparn said anything, that man smiled and waved his arm. A gigantic illusory barrier was created to cover more than a kilometer.


    Naparn took a moment to assess his situation and momentarily quell his anger. Instantly recognizing the endless sea below, Naparn questioned, "Why bring me here, Sterfen? Don¡¯t you need--"


    "Now, no one will see us," stated the God of Secrets, answering Naparn without letting the dragon continue his questioning. "And now, no one will see your demise."


    Tilting his head to the side, Naparn asked, "You think you can kill me alone? In a face-to-face match? When did the Assassin God be so noble as to face me while I¡¯m not sleeping?"


    "Threatening you is one thing, but I¡¯m going to enjoy this too much to kill you so quickly..." sighed Sterfen. "Try all you want. While in this space, no one will hear or see us. Not even Eedaj can find us here. So, if you happen to kill me, no one will know until it¡¯s toote for me."


    "Then let me thank--"


    "And now I can kill you while Halmut and the others have no chance of stopping me," Sterfen continued.


    "Such confidence from a coward too afraid to show his level."


    "Why is that cowardice? Whether you admit it or not, you¡¯re terrified by the fact I hide my level. But since this is where you die, I wouldn¡¯t mind showing you. That is if you¡¯re not too afraid to learn the truth."


    Naparn eyed his opponent, unsure of what to say next.


    The cloak around Sterfen suddenly vanished and a faint illusory energy faded out of his body. "There. You should feel honored as the first person from this world to ever see my stats."


    The Molten God scoffed, not proud at all. But he was a bit surprised to see through Sterfen for once. "Only lv. 96 and you¡¯re so cocky?"


    "Is that all you noticed?" Sterfen chuckled, preparing to put his cloak back on.


    Not saying more, Naparn paid more attention to the rest of the information avable to his eyes. It was an opportunity that would nevere again. And though Naparn grew more confident in facing Sterfen after seeing Sterfen¡¯s level, Naparn wasn¡¯t too confident in his ability to keep Sterfen from running away.


    However, Naparn was soon hung up on something. He was unable to look past Sterfen¡¯sst name.


    "rutya? What kind of name is that?"


    Sterfen chuckled, "A name that doesn¡¯t originate in Kartonia. I¡¯ll tell you that much as a going-away present."


    "What nonsense is that logic?!" shouted Naparn.


    "Shout all you want but now there¡¯s no escape for you, Naparn. Now... I can finally quench this bloodlust!"


    Eyeing Sterfen, Naparn increased the temperature around them. "And how do you n to do that?"


    "Simple. I¡¯ll kill you. That will finally let Luna feel some relief and Jack will gain some of the best EXP he¡¯s ever received because of you," reasoned Sterfen, not hiding his confidence.


    "Thene at me!"


    Smiling coldly, Sterfen sighed, "Since you asked for it... I guess I¡¯ll oblige."


    The Assassin God vanished, as he always did. But Naparn¡¯s response was to flood everywhere with fire energy in order to sense the heat of Sterfen¡¯s body. It took a few seconds, but Naparn finally smiled and hurled magma into the air. "There you are!"


    The stream ofva never connected with Sterfen but he did avoid the attack while reappearing. "Not bad... That¡¯s definitely one of the best strategies yet to deter my invisibility. It can¡¯tpare to Halmut, who can see through it on asion, but it¡¯s dependable in its own right."


    "If you praise it so much, then why hasn¡¯t your confidence changed at all?" asked Naparn, standing confident and undeterred as well.


    "I¡¯ll show you one of the many reasons I love my son. Not only has he done some incredible things but he¡¯s also allowed me and my wife to be closer than ever. Aren¡¯t you curious why I can suddenly wield water magic? I¡¯m sure you haven¡¯t forgotten so soon."


    Naparn¡¯s stare grew more malicious, as if he wanted to burn Sterfen to ashes with a re alone.


    "Well, let me show you..." Sterfen chuckled, smiling as he felt grateful to both Jack and Lunara.


    All of a sudden, water energy burst out of Sterfen¡¯s body with the force of a geyser. The Assassin God proudly stood as his form started to shift. Blue scales spread across his skin and web ws formed from his hands and feet. Sterfen kept himself from growing two new heads but allowed his neck to elongate as a tail grew out from behind him.


    Speechless, Naparn was utterly perplexed by the sight.


    "For Lunara, this is the same as hermon hybrid form. For me, it only appears thanks to a skill that Jack has, a skill that I¡¯ve gained after making a pact with him," exined Sterfen.


    "You formed a pact with a mortal?! Are you insane?!" Naparn berated.


    Sterfenughed again, "You call this form crazy? Now¡¯s the time to finally test its strength, so don¡¯t die too quickly on me."

 Chapter 508 Keeping Halmut Busy

    <h4>Chapter 508 Keeping Halmut Busy</h4>


    "Where¡¯s Naparn?!"


    Halmut¡¯s roar left everyone below astounded. Themon citizens on the ground were blown away by the sudden disappearance of a holy god. As for the other holy gods, they had mixed feelings. Some were terrified and realized that any one of them could¡¯ve been taken away while others were trying to imagine how Naparn had been abducted so silently.


    "What did you do, Moranti?!" Halmut shouted, finally showing some true, unscripted rage.


    Laughing, Moranti replied, "I didn¡¯t do anything. A colleague of mine simply asked if I could bring him here and make a scene. I had a feeling this would happen but he¡¯s the one who acted, not me. Apart from fighting you, I¡¯ve done nothing."


    "Then tell me, where is Naparn?!"


    "How should I know? I wasn¡¯t even the one who transported them away. And knowing him, I¡¯m sure my colleague covered his tracks. He finally found a chance at getting revenge so we can both be sure that interfering won¡¯t be easy," reasoned Moranti. "But even if we knew where they went, that doesn¡¯t change our situation."


    Halmut roared again, "Out of my way Moranti! I must--"


    "You¡¯ll leave all the others here unprotected?" questioned the Spectral Dragon, causing Halmut to pause his fury. "Sure, go ahead. I guess Naparn is worth the lives of some of these weaker gods."


    Without waiting for Halmut¡¯s response, Moranti teleported away. He reappeared a couple of hundred meters above the spectating gods, letting spatial energy and purple mes coat his scythe. A simple swing of the elongated de created a hundred-meter long attack that carved the sky and threatened the lives of the weaker gods below.


    Lyrun had already prepared his defenses but he kept his barrier to himself. The Elven God wouldn¡¯t underestimate Moranti¡¯s attack and attempt to block it entirely. But he was confident in his ability to withstand the portion of energy targeting himself.


    Grixor also defended himself, leaving the others without any aid of the defensive specialists.


    However, Halmut rushed downward and tanked the giant shing attack with the aid of his breath attack. The Sun God healed the minimal damage he took and frowned deeply at God of Space overhead.


    "Moranti! Leave now or die forever!"


    "Oh... That¡¯s quite the threat but can you back it up?" Moranti asked, already preparing another attack. "I¡¯ve yet to meet anyone who could fulfill such a statement. Are you just mad that Skaryn likes me more as apanion than he ever did you?"


    "Moranti..." Numerous energies danced around Halmut¡¯s body as he rushed Moranti. "Hurry up and die!"


    "You¡¯ll have to catch me first!"ughed the God of Space.


    Taking a more defensive tactic, Moranti teleported away from the Sun God. His figure reappeared high in the sky where they were dueling not long ago.


    While Halmut chased after Moranti with mind-boggling speed, some of the other holy gods had other ns. They didn¡¯t like being used as a burden to Halmut and hated to be in a situation where they were clearly threatened.


    Torian was the first to act. The Thundering God doused his body in lightning and wind energies, rocketing away from the scene. He nned to rush on Trodar, where he would either find Naparn or a weakened line of defense. But Torian¡¯s ns were dashed when Moranti suddenly appeared before him with a glowing, burning scythe.


    "Get back!" Halmut ordered, rushing to intercept the attack while pushing his own man back toward the other holy gods. "I gave no order to leave! You¡¯ll all sit and wait for Moranti¡¯s death!"


    "But your excellence--"


    "I said wait!"


    Torian said nothing more toin. He obediently gathered with the other hoy gods, some of which were also returning as they had wanted to flee the scene as well.


    Morantiughed as some more small burns appeared on his scales. "You¡¯ve trained your mutts well, Halmut. Whenever they dare acton their own, you give a holler and they¡¯re back to doing whatever you say."


    "Enough of that! Just flee now or die, Moranti! I¡¯m tired of your existence!" Halmut roared,bining his breath attack with the charge of his ded scepter.


    After slicing through the breath attack, Moranti¡¯s scythe collided with Halmut¡¯s scepter. Both found themselves in a gridlock of attacks.


    "Your scythe is stronger... how so?" asked Halmut.


    Moranti frowned, replying, "That¡¯s because of you..."


    "Oh... You finally used your own kind as fuel for strength?"


    "Wrong... The corpses of my people were used to strengthen me so that I could avenge them properly. Had you not ughtered them, then maybe you¡¯d actually kill me today," stated Moranti, still frowning.


    Halmut nodded, "I see... At least you¡¯ve still got the right mindset. Why side with the worthless neutral gods? Without you, they¡¯re nothing to fear, so why be a ve to their cause?"


    "What I seek isn¡¯t power. I want vengeance first and power second," answered Moranti. "Sadly, I can¡¯t get those two things in that order. But siding with them has put me closer than ever to my goal. Siding with you would be the same as killing myself because you¡¯re too afraid of my ability to surpass you."


    "That¡¯s a fair evaluation, but notpletely true. Would I fear your potential to grow over the potential threat of the rampant neutral gods overall?" Halmut reasoned.


    "Oh? Are you admitting you¡¯re afraid of Sterfen?"


    "No!" shouted Halmut. "As a collective, are they not more of a nuisance than you¡¯ve ever been? If we teamed up, then nothing could stop us, including Skaryn."


    "I thought you took care of Skaryn? That¡¯s what you just announced to the world. So why n something for his sake?" Moranti asked, making sure everyone spectating could hear him.


    Halmut shook his head. "It¡¯s the bestparison I could imagine, but that doesn¡¯t mean he¡¯s a threat anymore."


    "What? Are you implying that someone else will reach that same level?" Moranti asked, still speaking loudly.


    Not answering, Halmut charged his breath attack at point-nk. He didn¡¯t want to offer the God of Space any more fuel to rile up the people, not after failing to sway Moranti yet again.

 Chapter 509 Sterfen vs Naparn

    <h4>Chapter 509 Sterfen vs Naparn</h4>


    "You formed a pact with a mortal?! Are you insane?!" Naparn berated.


    Sterfenughed again, "You call this form crazy? Now¡¯s the time to finally test its strength, so don¡¯t die too quickly on me."


    Neither Naparn nor Sterfen hed back any longer. The Magma Dragon roared as he rushed Sterfen with a death re. The transformed Assassin God roared also, spraying his icy breath with no sense of mercy.


    As Naparn spatva to neutralize the attack, both deities mat in the middle. Lava flowed over Naparn¡¯s body as he collided with Sterfen but it couldn¡¯t quite break the frosty aura around Sterfen¡¯s hybrid form. Their des met also, giving Naparn the edge in raw strength.


    After parrying Naparn¡¯s strike and taking a step back, Sterfen found himself wide open to Naparn¡¯s de.


    Of course, Naparn wasn¡¯t going to leave an exposed opponent alone. He immediately hacked downward into Sterfen¡¯s shoulderde.


    Blood sttered everywhere, either freezing against Sterfen¡¯s body or evaporating against Naparn¡¯s body. However, Naparn wasn¡¯t satisfied at all.


    Suddenly, Naparn covered his neck in an abundance ofva. The Molten God immediately dried the magma to create a hard shell. It was finished as a knick appeared where Naparn¡¯s neck was once exposed. Then, Naparn shed that hardened magma in order to remove any chance of that small knick being Sterfen¡¯s "Mark of the Reaper".


    "Not bad... You¡¯re learning how I fight... You¡¯re the only one to ever survive so many of my killing attempts. Then again, you¡¯re also the one I¡¯ve targeted the most so that may not be saying much," Sterfenmented with a shrug, allowing his true body to appear while the false image of his wounded self faded away.


    "I can tell the difference in your fleshpared to your double¡¯s. It¡¯s not that difficult to figure out," stated Naparn.


    "True, but doesn¡¯t that just take more credit from yourself too?" added Sterfen, still not letting Naparn have thestugh. "If you want me to try harder, all you had to do was say so..."


    Sterfen charged again, unleashing his icy breath to the fullest.


    Naparn didn¡¯t back down, doing the same. The Molten God unleashed a powerful plume ofva from his gullet, shing directly against the icy attack. And while the icy breath was powerful, Naparn¡¯s overwhelmingva made it past the ice without being entirely chilled or destroyed.


    However, Sterfen was unfazed. He simply backed off to avoid taking any damage.


    "See, you¡¯re new strength isn¡¯t much at all," Naparn stated. "If that¡¯s all you¡¯ve got, then you may as well beg for mercy now."


    "Why are all the holy gods such big talkers? You haven¡¯t evennded an attack on me and you already im you can kill me? Over the years I could¡¯ve killed you not once but twice. And the one time I hit you anywhere apart from the neck was when I targeted your arm to steal your sword," reasoned Sterfen. "Sadly, I had to return it for Jin¡¯s corpse, but that doesn¡¯t mean I can¡¯t steal it again. Or worse, threaten your life again."


    "You¡¯ve already given yourself away and you can¡¯t surprise me while I¡¯m aware of you. Without your precious stealth, you have no chance against me, Sterfen. Admit it!"


    "And why not?" Sterfen asked, smiling and covering his ws and knives in water energy.


    Suddenly, the water below them began to shake. As the waves became erratic and unpredictable, some of the water was rising and taking a new form. A serpentine head was formed, followed by a long neck. Frost appeared around its body to create a solid, physical form, allowing the water to be a false cier Wyrm.


    "If you struggled against Lunara before, then you¡¯ve got no chance against me now, Naparn. I¡¯ll admit that time and time again," stated Sterfen, smiling confidently.


    The false cier Wyrm darted at Naparn, not caring whether it survived or was destroyed.


    Naparn was unimpressed, hurlingva into the gaping mouth of the false wyrm. But as the created beast¡¯s head was destroyed from the inside out, two heads sprouted in its ce. When the Molten God repeated his defense, he discovered that the wyrm now had four heads.


    "So you¡¯ve got Lunara¡¯s bloodline and her spells... I see why you im to be so annoying."


    Looking back to the pestered Naparn, Sterfen charged with a smile. "If you think that¡¯s annoying, then you¡¯ll love this!"


    The Assassin God barreled through the air without fear. His icy breath led the way as he allowed the false wyrm turned hydra to nk Naparn.


    Naparn roared as he allowed an abundance ofva to fall from his body. As it fell down the magma took shape and came to life, forming a Magma Wyrm to keep the false hydra at bay. And without such a distraction at his rear, Naparn unleashed his breath once again to counter the charging Assassin God.


    However, Sterfen didn¡¯t back away. Instead, Sterfen allowed the surviving remnants ofva to fall upon his body.


    "I won¡¯t fall for that trick again!" Naparn shouted, turning to slice the invisible Sterfen apart. Smiling, the Molten God grinned from ear to ear as he watched blood spill from Sterfen¡¯s body.


    Then, all of a sudden, Naparn felt both of his arms suddenly feel restricted. He could move them with a struggle, but not quick enough to stop Sterfen. The Molten God tried to cover himself in more magma but a frosty aura covered his arms and torsopletely.


    The Assassin God, not caring about his injury, drove two knives into Naparn¡¯s right arm, one in Naparn¡¯s elbow and one in his shoulder. Twisting and turning the des, Sterfen felt Naparn¡¯s muscles and tendons shredding apart.


    Naparn spewedva from his mouth but Sterfen did the same with his icy breath, both at point-nk and not letting either side gain much of an advantage.


    "I¡¯ll let you see them..." Sterfen mumbled through his heavy breathing.


    Only then did Naparn notice two more hydra-like heads appear, each biting into one of his arms and covering his body in their icy breath.


    Sterfen removed the two daggers from Naparn¡¯s now-broken arm and repeated the process in his other arm. At the same time, Sterfen released the broken arm and used his second head to better counter Naparn¡¯s molten breath attack with two streams of icy breath. Once the second arm was broken, Sterfen held Naparn with one hand while all three of his heads overwhelmed Naparn¡¯s weakened breath three-to-one.


    At the same time, Sterfen lowered himself and Naparn further down toward the rampant waters below.


    Naparn attempted to break free with his tail and legs but Sterfen¡¯s tail acted to counter. Also, Sterfen stabbed Naparn¡¯s pelvis next, forcibly shattering the pivotal bone and weakening the Molten God¡¯s legs.


    Sterfen coldly red at Naparn as they reached the water¡¯s surface. "Now... I¡¯ll teach you the true meaning of despair and torture..."


    Gradually, Sterfen submerged himself and the captive Molten God underwater. He didn¡¯t care about the gaping wound across his chest. All Sterfen cared about was extracting as much pain as physically and mentally possible from the man that had tormented his family for so long.

 Chapter 510 Halmuts Victory

    <h4>Chapter 510 Halmut¡°s ¡°Victory¡°</h4>


    High above Federal City, the two dragons shed again and again. Now, the spectating gods didn¡¯t dare flee or leave their post. No one wanted to face Moranti or go against Halmut¡¯s orders.


    Halmut was absolutely furious. It wasn¡¯t difficult for him to understand that Naparn was as good as dead given the circumstances. Also, deducing the culprit wasn¡¯t hard at all. Who other than Sterfen could act so stealthily and would willingly ce himself within range of Naparn¡¯s powerful attacks?


    And while Halmut was able to figure out that much, he was still unable to do anything about it.


    Moranti showed signs of numerous burns or cuts across his body, all of which had umted from their many colliding attacks. But Halmut was cautious as he knew that previously Moranti would¡¯ve taken much more damage by now.


    "What have you done to grow stronger?" Halmut questioned, frowning deeply at his opponent.


    "Well, after spending five hundred years in forced meditation, I¡¯ve be enlightened!" eximed Moranti.


    "Cut the crap! What¡¯s the source of your sudden growth in power?"


    Moranti smiled, shaking his head. "If I told you that the thought of revenge has fueled my powers to new heights, would you believe me?"


    Roaring and sting Moranti with another breath attack, Halmut charged Moranti. "I asked you a question!"


    "And I gave an answer!" refuted the God of Space, receiving the charge with no fear. Moranti didn¡¯t care about the damage he was taking, making sure to keep Halmut mentally flustered at all costs. "Maybe I¡¯ve always been stronger than you and it¡¯s our level difference that lets you win?"


    No longer paying much attention to the nonsense that Moranti was saying, Halmut put his mind to work. He tried to imagine what sort of ns or thoughts each neutral god had. Thanks to Tralbok and the former chaotic gods, Halmut was well-aware of Moranti¡¯s imprisonment. That could only mean that his growth had urred after joining the neutral gods.


    "Hey, want to know something cool?" Moranti asked. The God of Space then immediately answered himself, "We¡¯re not called the neutral gods anymore."


    "Oh? What other name befits such a ragtag group?" Halmut questioned, mocking them at the same time.


    "Soon, we¡¯ll be regarded as the legendary gods! Such a title easily outweighs your false, self-proimed titles as ¡¯holy gods¡¯," shouted Moranti.


    "Ridiculous!" Halmut wanted nothing more than for such a title to never exist for anyone apart from himself. "Such a title is only befitting of us, especially now that we¡¯ve acquired the remnants of the chaotic gods! From now on, we are the legendary gods! There is no evil or chaotic gods so as the victors we¡¯ve earned such a title!"


    Cheers filled the city below in admiration of Halmut¡¯s new self-dered title. Some of the spectating gods felt a tinge of pride fill their hearts and a couple of them felt irked to have such an arrogant name.


    "No fair! That¡¯s our title!" Moranti argued, hurling more scythe attacks at Halmut.


    The Sun God countered with breath attacks and his scepter, stating, "I don¡¯t care! We¡¯ve earned such a title while the neutral gods acted as cowards during the Godly War. If anything, you all should be called the ¡¯Leisure Gods¡¯, after the name of your guild and your casual attitude to aid the rest of the world!"


    Again, more cheers filled the city below as they began to follow Halmut¡¯s wishes. While cheering for their newly-named Legendary Gods, they took the name Leisure Gods to heart. From that moment on, rumors of the rivaling Legendary Gods and Leisure Gods would spread across the continent.


    "But that¡¯s not what we want!" Moranti pouted, failing to sway the opinions of the people below.


    "Then die! If you die now, then perhaps you¡¯ll be remembered as the most powerful chaotic god and not a coward of the leisure gods," retorted Halmut, not letting Moranti have a free moment to target one of his subordinate gods.


    Annoyed, Moranti unleashed another scythe attack. This one was two-hundred meters wide and was far more destructive than before.


    "Why use such an attack? Do you wish to take out the citizens as well?" halmut shouted, countering the attack with his breath and scepterbined.


    "No, but how else can I kill you? If I don¡¯t start using more powerful attacks, then we¡¯ll only chip away at each other with no victor in sight," Moranti stated. "Don¡¯t you want to put on a show for everyone to remember? Don¡¯t you want to prove that you¡¯re stronger than me? You¡¯re two levels stronger but we¡¯re fighting to a draw. That¡¯s all the proof I need to know I¡¯ll defeat you in the future."


    "Why you..."


    ¡¯Moranti, I¡¯m finished with him.¡¯


    The God of Space paid no attention to the rest of Halmut¡¯s threat, listening to Sterfen¡¯s telepathic call instead. After learning of Sterfen¡¯s sess, Moranti smiled and let out a long sigh, "Well... I guess we¡¯ll have to find a winner another day... For now, let¡¯s call it a draw!"


    Before Halmut could respond and say otherwise, Moranti vanished in a blink of spatial energy.


    Covering his eyes in holy energy, Halmut examined his surroundings. He confirmed that Moranti had fled and took a deep breath while exiting his hybrid form.


    "People of Federal City! Know that the Legendary Gods have repelled the leader of the Leisure Gods and protected you from his cruelty! From now on, the Legendary Gods will offer protection to all the world, to anyone seeking security against the tyranny of the Leisure Gods hiding away in Trodar!"


    Twisting the situation in his favor, Halmut led the crowd in cheers. Also, he didn¡¯t mention the abduction of Naparn at all. Halmut was certain that Moranti only fled after the God of Space had confirmation of Naparn¡¯s death. Nothing else would warrant his stay or leave apart from that.


    The people below didn¡¯t question their god who now championed the remaining eleven gods, now titled as the Legendary Gods. Such a title thrilled the popce and filled them with pride. Also, stories of the event and rumors of the news spread across the continent. Everyone wanted to share how glorious Halmut¡¯s return was, as well as how unexpectedly powerful Moranti was.

 Chapter 511 Return With a Deitys Corpse

    <h4>Chapter 511 Return With a Deity¡°s Corpse</h4>


    As Moranti reappeared within their strategy room, he waved his arm to open a rift. To the surprise of the gods present, Sterfen calmly walked through the rift,pletely drenched. And behind Sterfen was the lifeless husk of the former Molten God.


    They already knew that Sterfen wouldn¡¯t have tagged along with Moranti without good reason, but such a fast oue was more than startling. Witnessing the deep cut across Sterfen¡¯s chest only made them more curious as Sterfen had returned soaked from head to toe, not helping such a serious injury.


    Adding the corpse to the surprise was beyond jarring. Not only was that once the second strongest holy god and the fourth-strongest overall, but Naparn¡¯s body was riddled with cuts, gashes, torn flesh, broken joints, and more.


    While Lunara immediately threw her arms around Sterfen, Dragas and Guuro both started to use holy magic to heal the gaping wound.


    Trying to find the right words, Jin was taken aback. "Sterfen... How did..."


    "I caught him off guard," replied Sterfen, not avoiding an exnation. "Moranti shed with Halmut and created the perfect distraction. During one of their shes of vibrant energies, I used a spell scroll to carry Naparn away. It allowed me to cripple him early on and the rest of the fight was his struggle to survive. Also... I wasn¡¯t about to let the man get off so easily for all the trouble he caused my family."


    Everyone¡¯s hearts felt a bit more at ease but it didn¡¯t change the fact that Sterfen had killed the man currently regarded as the third strongest in the world, only behind Halmut and Moranti. It only added to the mystery that was Sterfen¡¯s strength.


    "You¡¯re as reckless as ever..." Lunara mumbled, rubbing her hand across Sterfen¡¯s newly-healed chest.


    Chuckling, Sterfen leaned in to steal a quick kiss. "For you, this is the least I could do."


    "Save the pillow talk forter," Jinughed. "Sterfen, you¡¯ve got to tell me more! How did you do it? And why are you soaked?"


    "We fought over the remains of Kustram so I felt it would be best for us to fight underwater. That way his strength was greatly depleted," answered Sterfen.


    "So you caught him with a surprise attack and forced him into his most unfavorable environment. Very calcted... Befitting of the man once regarded as the Assassin God," stated Eedaj, praising Sterfen with a smile.


    Choron added, "As expected of my rival!"


    Sterfen sighed and waved everyone¡¯sments away. "It¡¯s only logical that I won. For now, let me rest. It¡¯s not like I escaped unscathed, you know."


    "Then allow me..." Lunara let her husband lean into her as they walked off.


    "I¡¯ve already looted him of his storage, wings, tail, and ws. Can you dispose of the rest, Moranti?"


    Sterfen¡¯s partingment sent shivers down everyone¡¯s spine. It went to show just how calcting and meticulous Sterfen could get both in and out of battle.


    Moranti chuckled. While the others were in awe of Sterfen¡¯s feat, Moranti covered the husk in a thickyer of spatial energy. He sensed something strange about the corpse, something that he hadn¡¯t expected. The God of Space said nothing about his discovery to those present but hurried to eviscerate and decimate Naparn¡¯s broken corpse until there was nothing left. Quite a simple task, given the corpse¡¯s condition.


    "I¡¯ll take my leave next. There¡¯s something I need to do. If you need me, you know how to reach me," Moranti stated, stepping out of the room with a casual wave.


    Everyone else was still rattled. They had just discovered that the holy gods made their public appearance and were curious as to what would happen next. But when Moranti and Sterfen both agreed to crash the party, the others didn¡¯t know what to think apart from letting them go. Since Moranti and Sterfen had both proven themselves to be the most capable of the neutral gods, how could the object?


    "Eedaj, do you think it happened just as Sterfen said?" Jin asked, hoping the Mind God had the chance to sense otherwise.


    Shrugging, Eedaj replied, "I have no clue. But it would make sense. That scenario sounds to be a perfect assassination attempt, which is Sterfen¡¯s specialty. Given that Sterfen never leaves things to chance, it¡¯s hard to imagine that his battle with Naparn happened any other way."


    Unsatisfied with that answer, Jin leaned forward from his seat. Propping his head up with his arm, Jin shared a question with everyone, "How strong do you think Sterfen really is?"


    "I have no clue. Not do I need to know, exactly," stated Eedaj. "Maybe a time wille that we¡¯lle to learn the truth but for now that information is unnecessary for us."


    Dragas nodded, agreeing with Eedaj but still pondering Jin¡¯s question at heart.


    Guuro chimed in, asking, "And what about Halmut? He wouldn¡¯t let us get away with that so easily, would he?"


    Eedaj shook his head. "I doubt that. He maye here to collect the corpse or attempt some sort of revenge in the near future. But I highly doubt he will allow us to kill his strongest subordinate without facing any repercussions. However, it was a good move on Sterfen¡¯s part to take Naparn out. Moranti is a decent deterrent against Halmut at the moment so dealing with Naparn now was a great move.


    "What I wonder is how the corpse was so easily destroyed..." Eedaj added his final thought, catching the others off guard.


    "What do you mean?" Jin asked.


    Guuro answered, "You mean the remnant energy in Naparn¡¯s body, right?"


    Nodding, Eedaj replied, "We already know that after a god is killed there¡¯s a vast amount of remnant energy left behind, so much that it takes a week for it to fade. Damaging a corpse is one thing but to destroy that energy as well is something incredibly difficult. Yet Moranti did it with ease moments ago."


    Shifting their awe from Sterfen to Moranti, the other gods began to wonder just how powerful the lv. 97 dragon could be.

 Chapter 512 Morantis Chat with Sterfen

    <h4>Chapter 512 Moranti¡°s Chat with Sterfen</h4>


    Walking through the halls, Moranti couldn¡¯t hide the small smile on his face. No matter how he imagined the scenario, Moranti struggled to figure out what truly took ce.


    Exiting that building and leaving for a different one within the restricted area, Moranti casually walked. He didn¡¯t bother with teleportation, enjoying the stroll. Finally, Moranti reached his destination and knocked on the door.


    ¡¯Come in.¡¯


    Hearing the telepathic greeting, Moranti moved to open the door. But it was locked. Sighing, Moranti teleported to the other side.


    "Would you like some tea or anything to eat?" Lunara asked, weing their guest with a smile.


    "I love a good meal after a good fight," Moranti replied with a smile.


    The Water Goddess stood up and walked toward the kitchen. "Tonight, I¡¯ll make my specialty. We need to celebrate!"


    Seeing Lunara so energetic and lively, Moranti turned to Sterfen who was casually lounging on a sofa. But before Moranti could say a word, Sterfen spoke telepathically, ¡¯Mind keeping this conversation between us?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure.¡¯


    ¡¯Let me guess, you want to know more about what happened with Naparn?¡¯


    Nodding, Moranti replied, ¡¯And how you sapped his corpse of any energy.¡¯


    ¡¯Fair enough...¡¯ Sterfen sighed. ¡¯Where do you want me to start?¡¯


    ¡¯Mind telling me more about yourself?¡¯


    ¡¯There¡¯s not much to say. I grew up poor and without anything remarkable. Once I was fifteen my dad told me to leave and get stronger. He did give me a few items and teach me a lot though, so it¡¯s not like he wanted me gone. In hindsight, I¡¯m grateful to how my father raised me,¡¯ stated Sterfen. ¡¯After that, it was just a matter of time to gather EXP and level up.¡¯


    ¡¯What country are you from?¡¯ asked Moranti.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure... We were always moving around, never staying in one ce.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... So, how strong are you, exactly? You didn¡¯t mention to the others that Naparn was already in his hybrid form when you teleported him away. To take him down while he¡¯s on guard, wouldn¡¯t that mean you¡¯re legitimately stronger than him?¡¯ Moranti reasoned.


    ¡¯Before I answer that, mind if I ask why you¡¯re so curious?¡¯


    Moranti sighed, ¡¯Well... If you could be him in such a one-sided fight, wouldn¡¯t that mean you could fight me?¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t know about that..." Sterfenughed, taking a moment to stop and smile. ¡¯I still created a favorable situation by fighting him underwater. I may be stronger than most give me credit but that doesn¡¯t mean I can beat Naparn so easily or take you on, Moranti.¡¯


    ¡¯Then exin to me how you left Naparn¡¯s corpse in such a state. Please.¡¯


    ¡¯You mean his energy? I simply took it.¡¯


    Confused, Moranti smiled and eyed Sterfen. ¡¯Took it? How¡¯d you do that?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s not something I like to exin, but since it¡¯s you I¡¯ll make an exception,¡¯ stated Sterfen. ¡¯The easiest way to put it is this. I¡¯m lucky enough to have found a particr item which allows me to stealtent immortal energy.¡¯


    ¡¯Such an item exists?¡¯ Wide-eyed, Moranti struggled to believe such a thing.


    Sterfen continued, ¡¯I won¡¯t show you the item or exin how it came into my possession. But yes, such an item exists. It¡¯s very useful in speeding up the growth process during our time as gods.¡¯


    ¡¯Can that energy work like EXP?¡¯


    ¡¯Mhmm. For immortals, it works like that. But if a mortal tried it, they¡¯d die due to the overload of energy.


    Moranti nodded. ¡¯That makes sense. But does that mean you gained a lot of EXP from killing Naparn?¡¯


    ¡¯Half of the EXP still went to Jack via our pact, but the pact can¡¯t split immortal energy. So yeah, I got plenty of energy, enough to level up again.¡¯


    Curious, Moranti asked, ¡¯Then what level are you now?¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry, that much I won¡¯t say. Anyone with mind magic could figure that out from you if they were given the chance,¡¯ replied Sterfen.


    ¡¯You¡¯ve always liked to y things close to your chest, haven¡¯t you?¡¯


    Smiling, Sterfen nodded. ¡¯I wouldn¡¯t have them any other way.¡¯


    ¡¯Then mind answering onest question?¡¯


    ¡¯Depends on the question.¡¯


    ¡¯Who¡¯s your father?¡¯ questioned Moranti.


    ¡¯Who knows?¡¯ Sterfen shrugged, still smiling. ¡¯All I know is that he was quite caring regardless of his struggle to show it. I only made it this far because I was raised well.¡¯


    "I hope you¡¯re both hungry. There¡¯s more than enough for everyone." Lunara reentered the central area carrying a fewrge pots and tters. Lina walked in behind her mother, also carrying two dishes.


    "Well, how can I say no to that?" Moranti shouted inughter.


    "And there¡¯s still more in the kitchen so don¡¯t be shy," added Lunara.


    Following her mother¡¯s example, Lina set her dishes down and sat on the other side of Sterfen. She proudly looked up to her father, happy to know with certainty that her father was very strong, even among the gods.


    Sterfen rubbed Lina¡¯s head and asked, "So, how close are you to your next evolution?"


    "I¡¯m almost there! I¡¯m lv. 56 now!"


    "That¡¯s amazing! You¡¯re leveling up much faster than I did," admitted Sterfen, making sure to praise his daughter extensively.


    "Really?!"


    "Really... You¡¯re leveling up quicker than both your father and me. But I guess your brother has something to do with that," added Lunara, using her tail to rub Lina¡¯s back.


    "Yup! Oh, is Big Bro back yet?" Lina asked.


    Moranti spoke up this time, answering, "Not yet, Lina. He¡¯s still traveling through the dungeon. But I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be back sooner than expected."


    "Well, considering all of the EXP we¡¯ve given him, he maye back as a god," Sterfen chuckled.


    "No kidding!" Morantiughed as well, taking a moment to fill his te with a variety of meaty dishes. "Kori and Lorwynn said Jack vanished without a problem. As for what he¡¯s done in the lower levels, that¡¯s something we can only ask about when he returns. I have no clue what he¡¯ll try while in there."


    "Whatever it is, I¡¯m sure Jack found a way to rush the dungeon in record time. He isn¡¯t called ¡¯The Legend¡¯ for nothing."

 Chapter 513 Jacks Newfound Speed

    <h4>Chapter 513 Jack¡°s Newfound Speed</h4>


    "It should be around here somewhere..."


    Jack mumbled to himself as he burrowed through the ground, a strategy that had doubled his speed. Currently, Jack was between floors fifty-nine and sixty. He was eagerly looking forward to finding the mini-boss on the sixtieth floor. Its poison was too valuable to pass up.


    After collecting many poisons thus far, Jack was most proud of his sample of the Skulker Tarant but that wouldn¡¯t be for long given his next extraction subject.


    Finally, Jack breached floor sixty. The hero poked his head out to examine and assess the situation.


    The sixtieth floor seemed to be a jungle of sorts. It was swampy but filled with trees and a variety of dull colors. asionally, Jack would see hints of vibrant red or bright yellow. Those were the perfect warnings for Jack to steer clear of that area.


    Like most floors, Jack tried to keep to the ceiling whenever possible to avoid any direct contact with the floor¡¯s usual inhabitants. This helped make things go more smoothly when he wanted to seek out his target.


    Though he was high up, Jack could find moving nts every now and then. On the sixtieth floor, it was the nt life that ruled, not the typical wildlife.


    Lucky for Jack, his target was easy to find. Unlucky for Jack, the target was massive and extremely lively. He kept a close on it while making sure that there weren¡¯t too many wild nts around to aid the mini-boss.


    The Living Nightshade was constantly moving, albeit slowly. Apart from the bright yellow petals of its flowers, the shiny ck berries those petals housed were tempting to the eye. Hidden within therge t leaves of the hulking nt were more green bulbs that acted as mouths to swallow prey whole.


    Jack watched the Living Nightshade tempt and coax a Giant Boar. The beast was chomping down on a different, less-significant nt when it found the behemoth nt showing off its berries.


    A few moments passed as the boar took its time to decide whether it was worth trying. In the end, the Giant Boar couldn¡¯t help itself.


    The beast sauntered up to the nearest bulb of yellow petals and tore therge, ck berry from its nook. A moment of satisfaction and bliss washed over the boar as it savored the berry¡¯s robust vor. It guzzled down the berry and rushed to the next one. But that feeling of bliss faded before the boar could reach the next berry. The boar dropped to the jungle floor, spasming for a moment before growing still.


    As soon as the boar became motionless, the nearest pair of green, bulbous mouths crept toward the beast. Both mouths opened wide,tching onto one of the boars many limbs. Then, they twisted and tore the boar in half, guzzling the beast down its green gullet.


    The sight wasn¡¯t pretty and it wasn¡¯t satisfying to watch. Jack took some deep breaths in order to keep his mind clear and his heart calm.


    Now that the Living Nightshade was distracted, Jack took action.


    For a single moment, Jack activated Bowzer¡¯s and Phoro¡¯s bloodlines to race around the Living Nightshade and create a wall of terrifying mes. Now, no other nts could interfere and the Living Nightshade couldn¡¯t escape so easily.


    Then, Jack kept only Phoro¡¯s bloodline active so that he could fly invisibly.


    Frantic, the Living Nightshade hissed as the encirclement of fire kept it on edge. It could sense that danger was only moments away.


    Jack took advantage of the nt¡¯s frantic movements. He plucked and stored a few of thoserge, ckberries, each asrge as his head. Also, Jack sliced and stored a few of the leaves.


    However, Jack didn¡¯t dare get near those bulbous mouths. All Jack wanted were samples carrying the nt¡¯s toxins, not to face the threatening nt.


    Once he felt he had enough, Jack rocketed away. Being invisiblebined with that transformation¡¯s raw speed and the ring of fire around the Living Nightshade, Jack rushed out of harm¡¯s way and returned to his tunnel strategy to clear the floor.


    While the nt life above was trying its best to deal with the ck and white mes, Jack was ncing at his system and his owns stats. Now, for some unknown reason, Jack was much faster than he had been before entering the sixtieth floor. Though Jack had waited for some time for the best moment to act, that had nothing to do with the sudden increase in speed and strength.


    When Jack opened the system while burrowing, Jack was astounded to find the cause. He had again experienced a sudden jump in levels. It was unexpected but appreciated to the highest degree. Jack was eager to ask about everything that he had missed while he traversed Earthen Keep because, clearly, Jack had missed out on some battles that could only bebeled as godly. Nothing else could offer Jack such boosts of EXP.


    Now at the peak of lv. 88, Jack was more excited than ever to find his tomb and clear the world¡¯srgest dungeon.


    That led to Jack remembering the boss of the dungeon, the only true hundred-man boss in all "A Hero¡¯s Tale". And here he was trying to clear it alone, without the ability to rely on attack patterns to whittle the boss down. To top it all off, the boss would now be lv. 89.


    Just imagining such an encounter made Jack question how it could be possible. The hero didn¡¯t doubt Daruun¡¯s promise but it waspletely clueless as to how such a promise would y out. The only thing that could likely face such a powerful, renowned foe would be a god. Some people across the many servers would even argue that facing Crypt Lord Duorda was more difficult than some of the battles against gods.


    Killing the crypt lord wasn¡¯t the reason for that. It was keeping the crypt lord down for the count that was difficult, as the crypt lord would slowly regenerate his health from all the damage he dealt to his challengers. That was the terrifying ability that made Crypt Lord Duorda the only hundred-man boss and the strongest boss in-game, alongside the gods themselves.

 Chapter 514 Churstin Undecided

    <h4>Chapter 514 Churstin Undecided</h4>


    "I appreciate the hearty meal, but I should get going."


    "You don¡¯t want dessert?" Lunara asked. "I¡¯d offer it now but we had to remake the cakes after Lina overcooked the first batch."


    Moranti put his hands up with a smile. "No thanks, I¡¯ve got onest thing to do before I hit the hay. And thanks for the chat, Sterfen."


    "Anytime."


    Sterfen, Lunara, and Lina walked Moranti to the courtyard door. They waved goodnight before Lunara closed the door and dragged her very willing husband to their bedroom, casting silence before even locking the door. Lina cleaned up after the meal, finishing the few remains and making sure to not burn the cakes her mother helped her bake.


    While they were making themselves busy, Moranti strolled through the night. He took his time enjoying the sight of the moon standing within the clear night sky. Moranti finally let out a sigh and ced his hand over his shoulder.


    Even after hiding it under his cloak, Moranti couldn¡¯t ignore his injuries forever. How he envied Halmut and the Sun Dragons, at the very least for their natural regenerative abilities.


    After taking a moment to ponder and think, Moranti changed his course and gave in. The God of Space then teleported away, not wanting anyone to see where he was headed next.


    In a blink of spatial energy, Moranti reappeared within a secluded courtyard. It was exactly like his own or Sterfen¡¯s but with different decorations. ntlife was everywhere. Different shades of green, yellow, red, and every color of the rainbow could be found in that single space. But Moranti didn¡¯t find who he was looking for. At least not yet.


    As Moranti explored and examined the many types of fauna and flora about the courtyard, it took only a few minutes for the master of the house to appear with a towel over her head.


    "Moranti?"


    "Dragas... Sorry to catch you at a bad time..." Moranti chuckled, turning away slightly from the bare beauty.


    "Oh? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯ve never seen anything like this before?" Dragas joked, fixing the towel on her head while stepping further into the courtyard.


    Still chuckling, Moranti nced back at Dragas with a smile. "Just trying to consider your feelings. Since you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯ll get to the point."


    Moranti reached for his outer robe and stored it away. Then, he took a moment to untie the sash between his shirt and pants that worked as a belt.


    "Just because I¡¯m not hiding anything doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m that easy..." Dragas eyed the God of Space, trying to figure out what was going on. But her tone changed as Moranti¡¯s shirt was removed, leaving his pants on. "That... Is that from Halmut?"


    "Yeah... I¡¯d rather not worry anyone. Sorry for teleporting in uninvited."


    "Lay down..." Dragas pointed to her usual lounging area, letting Moranti make himselffortable. "This will stay between us, but you¡¯ll owe me."


    "Thanks! I¡¯m in your care." Smiling softly, Morantiid across the strange nt turned recliner. Oddly enough, it truly felt like sitting on a soft, warm cloud.


    Dragas retrieved a bathrobe and covered herself before standing over her surprise guest. Her eyes were in shock at the unique burns and scars across Moranti¡¯s shoulders. "What kind of attacks were you two using to cause this?"


    "Halmut would be in even worse shape if he wasn¡¯t a Sun Dragon. It¡¯s so unfair when I deal more damage but he just heals himself after every attack,"ined Moranti, showing some of his more childish side instead of mimicking Dragas¡¯s serious tone.


    "Well, I need to know if you want me to heal it properly..."


    "It¡¯s abo of Halmut¡¯s five elements. He¡¯ll mix them into his breath attack and his weapon."


    "Five elements in one... That¡¯s crazy!" Dragas shouted, casting silence.


    "What¡¯s that for?" Moranti asked.


    Dragas showed an awkward smile. "So no one else will hear your screams..."


    Her hand reached down to feel the strange charr that existed along the edge of each cut. Even the tiniest of scratches were covered in that pained scar tissue.


    "I¡¯m not-- Aaaah..."


    Dragas shook her head. "There¡¯s no need to act tough right now. Your wounds are the worst I¡¯ve ever seen and can¡¯t be healed easily. Something like this will take time and daily treatment, even for me."


    "Then... Does that mean I¡¯m wee back tomorrow?"


    "Yeah, of course."


    His smile returned as Moranti asked, "And do you always bathe at this time of night?"


    "Why do you ask?"


    "Just trying to figure out the best time to arrive. That way my body can get healed along with my heart."


    Dragas burst intoughter. "Sounds to me like you just want to see me naked."


    "Would you believe me if I said otherwise?"


    "No, I wouldn¡¯t. Then, I¡¯ll expect you at the same time every night. And don¡¯t miss a day or your body will regret it," Dragas answered.


    "If it¡¯s like this every night, then so will my heart-- AAAAaahhh..."


    "Shhh... I need to massage holy and nature deep into your wounds. No need to talk."


    "Still, You¡¯re quite-- AAAAAAAHHH!"


    "Shhh..." Dragas smiled, enjoying herself and thepany of her now-frequent guest.


    *****


    "Come in," Vixus stated, ncing up from paperwork to see a few figures enter the room. "Oh! Forgive me, I didn¡¯t know it was--"


    "No need for that, Vixus. We need to discuss the uing conference with Churstin," Choron stated.


    "Yes, let¡¯s. I assume you¡¯ve got a date prepared now?"


    "In four days The king of Churstin will meet us at the border outside of Churstin Canyon. They¡¯re already building us a makeshift meeting hall, one open to the sky and public seats," stated Choron.


    "So they want to keep things public at all costs? This would keep us from taking advantage of them should we want to protect our public image," Eedaj deduced. "Also, it means they don¡¯t mind our conference to be a spectacle. Do you know why that is?"


    "I¡¯m unsure but I have a lead that shared a theory. They may have contacted someone from Federal City to invite the other gods."


    "Then they don¡¯t mind looking into other options... This will be much more difficult than..." Vixus sighed.


    "Halmut wille, but Rikko help too!"


    Eedaj chuckled, "Rikko, you¡¯re not one for public speaking, so I¡¯m not sure how you¡¯ll--"


    "Rikko ready to act and steal. If Rikko get something good, Rikko trade back to keep Halmut away," stated the Goblin God, sure of himself. "Rikko lv. 92 now, so Rikko faster."


    "Just don¡¯t do anything without our okay first. Promise me that, Rikko."


    Looking to Eedaj, Rikko replied with a frown, "Fiiine... Rikko promise."

 Chapter 515 Halmuts Cautiousness

    <h4>Chapter 515 Halmut¡°s Cautiousness</h4>


    While Federal City was experiencing its greatest festival in centuries to celebrate the return of their gods, those gods had returned to Olympic Chateau. There, they sat around their viewing table while Halmut sat at the head. He kept shouting into a contact crystal but never received an answer.


    "Then... there¡¯s only one thing to assume... Naparn has been killed."


    Halmut¡¯s cold tone pierced the hearts of those around him. He continued, "Curse you, Naparn! How dare you be so weak as to die to that assassin while in your hybrid form!"


    "Your excellency... Might I say something?"


    Nodding slowly, Halmut replied, "Of course... you may speak, Lyrun."


    "Thank you." Lyrun stood up from his seat and gathered everyone¡¯s attention. "I don¡¯t think Naparn¡¯s death is so much about Naparn¡¯s failure to defend himself. I think this is at least partially due to Sterfen¡¯s mysteriousness. We know too little about him. Without any proper knowledge of his level, abilities, or origin it¡¯s incredibly difficult to n against him or his possible attacks."


    "Then what do you suggest we do?" asked Halmut.


    "Should we get the chance, we need to learn about Sterfen, that¡¯s should be one of our top priorities. Now that Oosam has joined us, we should be able to learn something if we can capture one of them."


    Putting his hand up, Oosam stated, "I may have some abilities with mind magic but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m as talented as Eedaj. Extracting thoughts from an unwilling god would be tiresome and time-consuming for me."


    Turning to face Oosam, Halmut questioned, "But it would be possible under those two conditions, correct?"


    Before Oosam replied he held his breath and chose his words carefully. "It wouldn¡¯t be impossible. But I can¡¯t guarantee any results, especially not immediately."


    "So we need to capture one of them again, that¡¯s doable," added Halmut, nodding.


    Lyrun continued, "Aside from that, whates next is and grab. Churstin will be meeting with the Leisure Guild in four days to discuss their possible submission to Trodar. But after their intel learned our reappearance, they reached out to their connections here in Federal City. We should ept their invitation and join the conference."


    "I¡¯ll go alone."


    "Your excellency, I think--"


    "I don¡¯t like the thought of anyone else being subject to Moranti¡¯s or Sterfen¡¯s madness. Not yet at least," Halmut stated. "You¡¯ll all remain here for the time being. The only exception will be Kylon, who will return to the depths."


    "Your excellency, can I know the reason for my leave of Olympic Chateau?" asked Kylon. "Wouldn¡¯t this be the safest ce?"


    "This ce is the easiest for me to enter instantly, so, in a sense, it¡¯s the safest ce. However, should Moranti enter this ce along with Sterfen, they could probably manage to kill one of you during my arrival. I¡¯ll be sure to resurrect any who fall for such a ploy but that wouldn¡¯t stop them from stealing the key," Halmut exined. "That¡¯s why you¡¯ll make an immediate return to Kustram.


    "As for the others, I need you all to select the finest warriors we have. Torian, Grixor, you two have my permission to aid in ascension. However, should you attempt to raise your levels beyond lv. 98, then I¡¯ll be forced to activate your contracts."


    "Your excellency, isn¡¯t that quite a radical tactic to use?" Lyrun asked, surprised like the rest of the gods.


    "I¡¯m sure that Kori has already ascended once again. Though he¡¯ll be lv. 90, that¡¯s still another god to their side. And we can forget the high-leveled traitors that should also be gods by now. If we don¡¯t increase our numbers now, we won¡¯t have time to rethink our strategy or make such preparations," Halmut reasoned, again surprising the gods around him. "Lyrun, you¡¯ll also be permitted to aid in ascendance. I want you at lv. 97, is that clear?"


    "Yes... your excellency." The Elf God bowed, epting the order.


    The Sun God looked around at some of the disappointed faces, mentioning, "There are some of you that I would like to be stronger but I don¡¯t yet trust you enough for such a thing. Prove to me how you handle your territories and deal with Trodar¡¯s influence there. If you prove sessful, then we¡¯ll discuss your future growth."


    "Then what about me?"


    "Kylon... I want you to select up to two warriors. At lv. 96 you¡¯ll be able to defend the key properly while you¡¯re deep below the water. Moranti would be restricted underwater, as would Sterfen. Only Lunara canpete with you down there but your magic already surpasses her, and at lv. 96 she wouldn¡¯tpare with you."


    "Very well... Thank you, your excellency."


    "May I?"


    Looking to the side, Halmut smiled, expecting nothing less. "Go ahead, Tralbok."


    Lyrun sat down as Tralbok stood up, asking, "What am Icking in order to prove my allegiance?"


    "Hmm... A good question..." Leaning back in his chair, Halmut took a moment to think.


    Tralbok continued, "I¡¯ve already led my fellow chaotic gods to gather under your banner, your excellency. Also, I¡¯ve proven to be an undeniable asset in healing and countering Sterfen¡¯s abilities. Without me, any of his targets would be unrevivable, even for your excellency. I¡¯ve even killed your traitorous former champion in the past. What is it that I must do now to prove worthy of your trust?"


    "A good question indeed... I¡¯ll allow you to aid a single person in ascendance. Will that suffice? That should prove that even you former chaotic gods will have the opportunity after demonstrating loyalty to me."


    "Thank you very much, your excellency!"


    As Tralbok bowed, the other chaotic gods felt a bit better. Oosam was the only former chaotic god that rolled his eyes, not being a fan of Tralbok¡¯s constant butt-kissing.


    "Then it¡¯s settled," Halmut continued, "Lyrun will be ced in charge of constructing my temples, leaving you to handle your own temples within your territories and the shrine for Federal City. We¡¯ll remember Naparn¡¯s fall as something foolish he brought on himself for constantly meddling where he shouldn¡¯t have.


    "Remember that. I don¡¯t mind you having animosity toward our enemy but you should never act in a way that brings the temptation of doom. Naparn was lucky to not be reprimanded for his handling of Kori¡¯s execution, let alone for not chasing after Sterfen and Lunara during the war. He created a grudge but didn¡¯t act while he had the opportunity to kill off the threat. That¡¯s a lesson to be learned."


    "Yes, your excellency!" all the gods shouted in unison.


    "Then, allow me to rest awhile. Should you need me, make sure it¡¯s urgent. If not, ask Lyrun for his opinion," Halmut added, casually yawning and reverting to his bestial form as he exited the conference room.

 Chapter 516 Churstin Conference Commences

    <h4>Chapter 516 Churstin Conference Commences</h4>


    The following three days passed by easily. Too easily for the likes of the now-termed "Leisure Gods".


    On the second day, they met briefly to discuss why Halmut had yet to act out in regards to Naparn¡¯s death. It didn¡¯tst for long but they all agreed that Halmut was up to something. At the very least, they knew that Halmut would be more cautious than ever after the loss of his strongest subordinate.


    Everything else was simply routine for them. They each handled their own business while the Leisure Guild began constructing several temples across Gilga. But they weren¡¯t the only ones.


    All of Kartonia had heard rumors of Halmut¡¯s return with the former holy gods, epting their new name as the new "Legendary Gods". Along with those rumors were hints of temples beginning construction within Federal City.


    With such news, many nations went out of their way to rebuild or fix the former temples and shrines that once existed to honor those returning gods. Though most of the respective gods hadn¡¯t appeared in their territories yet, each nation was eager to receive their former protectors with great glory.


    Churstin was one of the few that hadn¡¯t fixed their former temple. They understood that doing so would prove allegiance to the leisure gods and outcast them from the more globally-respected legendary gods.


    On the fourth day, the giant, open-aired amphitheater had already been finished. Anyone and everyone that was able to attend locally had either found a seat or were in line to get one.


    The vast stage in the center had a few rows of tables and luxurious chairs. Three distinct sides were noticeable and one was noticeably less luxurious than the other two. Oddly enough, it was Churstin¡¯s table that was the least luxurious as they didn¡¯t wish to offend a god on either of the other sides.


    As the sun rose through the sky, noon soon passed. Now, each seat was taken and the remaining people in line took out nkets or chairs to gather outside the amphitheater.


    But no one came out just yet. Only after the noonday sun began its descent did a loud gong sound out.


    All eyes fell to the stage below. Finally, they witnessed a handful of people step out. That group was dress well yetfortably. They took their time to reach their table, draped in the green and gold Churstin g.


    Everyone began searching for the next group toe out but found no one. Then, some began to shout while pointing to the sky.


    There was a small blip in the distance. However, only seconds after the blip was spotted, it became a fifty-meter purple dragon that took everyone¡¯s breath away. The wind caused by Moranti¡¯s sudden halt almost pushed the crowd out of their seats. His simple entrance was awe-inspiring and heart rattling, especially for the king of Churstin below.


    Moranti then assumed his human form and the three men on Moranti¡¯s back floated down to the ground along with Moranti.


    As the four men assumed their seats, the king of Churstin stood with a friendly smile. "Thank you foring. We¡¯re excited to meet with so many deities. Your presence is a blessing to have here in Churstin."


    They all nodded and smiled. Moranti, Eedaj, and Choron said nothing, allowing Vixus to take the lead. Each of them found their seats easily, looking over the new Trodan g. The design was simple, as if it was created on the spot without much thought. Faint purple with silver trim, the g had the Leisure Guild¡¯s insignia at the center, a silver helmet with an array of diverse weapons spread out in a circle around the helmet. It wasn¡¯t the most eye-catching emblem but it had a great history and was recognizable across the continent.


    No one said anything more. The king and his fellow representatives of Churstin resumed their seats while they all waited for the arrival of the third and final party.


    Almost an hourter, Moranti finally looked up to the sky and rolled his eyes, as did Eedaj.


    A few secondster, a giant pir of light fell upon the amphitheater. The entire audience basked in its light while embracing its unconditional warmth wholeheartedly.


    "Sorry I¡¯mte..." Halmut¡¯s voice echoed as the clouds parted further to reveal his unfathomablyrge draconic form.


    The king of Churstin wanted to graciously ept Halmut¡¯s tardiness but Mornati shouted, "Hurry down you show off! If this was about who¡¯s ego is thergest, I wouldn¡¯t have dared to show up!"


    Halmut didn¡¯t respond to the God of Space, ignoring thement while assuming his human form and descending to greet the mortal king wearing an awkward expression. "Thank you for inviting me and considering our protection over what they have to offer. I¡¯ll be representing all of my fellow legendary gods today."


    "What? They won¡¯t fit in the amphitheater next to your big head?"


    Turning to Moranti, Halmut shook his head and smiled. "Though I¡¯mte, at least I¡¯m not wasting my breath spewing nonsense. Will you let us begin this discussion or are you more childish than I assumed?"


    "Don¡¯t doubt my childishness! If a man can¡¯tugh at himself then he¡¯s not a man at all. He¡¯s just a big-headed egomaniac on the verge of self-destruction," Mornati added with a smile. "But I don¡¯t have to tell you that. You¡¯re the prime example, after all."


    "P-please, let¡¯s get down to business!" the king spoke up, not wanting either side to break out in a fight. "Allow me to properly introduce myself. I¡¯m Brobit Kramul and I have the privilege of being the current king of Churstin. It¡¯s an absolute pleasure to meet with you all here today. First, please allow me to apologize to the Leisure Guild for inviting another party into our discussion. I--"


    "If I were in your shoes then I would¡¯ve done the same thing. It only proves that you want what¡¯s best for your kingdom and are looking into both viable options clearly," Vixus stated, wearing a warm smile. "That¡¯s an ideology that I can appreciate, so know that we hold no grudge over the matter."


    "Thank you, Master Vixus!" King Brobit bowed his head, grateful to know that. "Second, allow me to apologize to you, Halmut. How do you wish that I address your excellency?"


    "That greeting will do fine," Halmut smiled as well, waving the king¡¯s difort away.


    "Just call me Moranti! This is Eedaj and that¡¯s Choron. No need for honorifics with us. Got it, Brobit?"


    "Y-yes, your-- Yes, Moranti." The king was humbled to be on a first-name basis with deities, especially one of Moranti¡¯s caliber.

 Chapter 517 Benefits of Each Side

    <h4>Chapter 517 Benefits of Each Side</h4>


    "Then, allow me to begin the discussion," stated King Brobit. "First, I feel we should discuss the benefits of alignment with either party. Would you agree?"


    Nodding, Moranti replied, "Mhm, sounds logical to me."


    "I also find the topic fitting," added Halmut.


    The king nodded and motioned toward Moranti. "As the party to first inquire about our possible allegiance, would you mind going first?"


    Vixus stood up and spoke with a casual smile, "Of course. Allow me.


    "I¡¯ll be honest. I think both sides will offer great benefits that would allow for Churstin to prosper, for the most part. What truly matters, in my opinion, is howfortable you would feel working with either us or Halmut. It the small things that will make you either appreciate your in time or lead to causing you great regret," reasoned Vixus, letting his eyes wander from the king to the crowd.


    Vixus continued, "If nothing else, I¡¯m confident that you would be mostfortable with joining our cause rather than Halmut¡¯s. We don¡¯t ask for much. What we ask is that Churstin keeps its name and simply falls under the greater banner that is Trodar, a united front currently made up of four territories and independent states. Should a need arise to unite militarily then we¡¯ll ask for your participation in defending your homnd, alongside our added forces.


    "Also, keep in mind that we have a trading pact with the elves. Allying with us would mean receiving elven goods," added Vixus, getting looks of surprise from the crowd. "We would pay for the construction of a Leisure Guildpound, or a few should you desire them. Through thosepounds, you¡¯ll receive elven goods made by either the elves of Korten or the elves living within Gilga. And with thosepoundses the protection of the guild."


    Brobit nodded, asking, "And how would our government¡¯s structure change if we joined Trodar?"


    "Hardly at all. Having a king is fine, but we ask that the king be the head of an elected council where his vote reigns supreme while also can be outvoted should the majority of the other representatives find a policy or n inappropriate," Vixus answered.


    While the crowd was pleased to hear such a thing, the king smiled.


    Seeing the king¡¯s smile, Vixus mentioned, "By having such a structure in ce will allow you and your family to remain in power, for the most part keeping the structure of Churstin intact. But it will also alleviate you of some of the unnecessary stresses of being the sole ruler. Some of your worries will be divided up for others to bear as well."


    "And... What about the many gods within Trodar? Would they..."


    "They prefer to reside--"


    "We don¡¯t mind visiting or staying outside of Gilga for a time, but we like to stick together within the guild¡¯s main property," stated Moranti, answering in Vixus¡¯s ce. "I can teleport us anywhere within the continent, so we can arrive anywhere in Trodar before you can blink. If you get invaded while we¡¯re away, just say the word and we¡¯d be there in a sh."


    The king was about to say more but Moranti was no longer lounging behind the table. At the same time, a handnded on the king¡¯s shoulder, getting him to turn in awe.


    "Would you trust the God of Space to transport us gods wherever we¡¯re needed?"


    Speechless, Brobit sighed and chuckled at the same time. After a second of hesitation, Brobit nodded.


    Moranti nodded as well while teleporting back to his seat. "Besides, I doubt that arrogant fool would agree to house his subordinate gods anywhere far from him. Or am I wrong, Halmut?"


    "You¡¯re wrong, but not by much. I¡¯ll admit that," stated Halmut. "I¡¯m not saying that stationing a god in Churstin is impossible, but it wouldn¡¯t be avable immediately. But our divine forces are superior to those of the leisure gods anyway. In terms of level, Moranti is the only high-leveled god they have. Sterfen would be second after him but after that, they¡¯re all low-leveled and focus on things outside of battle. They can¡¯tpare to the strength we wield."


    "If that¡¯s the case, why not roll over Trodar? What¡¯s stopping you?" Moranti asked.


    "I wouldn¡¯t want to drag down the lives of so many innocents."


    "True, true... After thest godly war you already killed enough innocents to drag you to hell in the afterlife, even as a god..." Moranti added, not letting the past be forgotten.


    King Brobit nodded slightly. As the king of Churstin, he was well versed in the nation¡¯s history. Brobit knew that Churstin was originally a part of Trodar but immediately rose after the Godly War after thend was ravaged by the holy and chaotic armies. There wasn¡¯t even a nation leftover at the time. Brobit¡¯s ancestors had to start everything from scratch to create a new country without help.


    Some in the crowd knew the truth as well. But hearing Halmut¡¯s words directly while feeling the charismatic aura around the Sun God made it difficult for any mortal to disagree with him.


    "The past is behind us and Skaryn is no more, so such a farce won¡¯t happen again. A time wille when we war again, but it will be between the leisure gods and us legendary gods. And even without a god stationed here. I can offer better mortal defenses. I¡¯m sure everyone present knows of the many dragons under mymand..."


    The king stammered, "You... Your excellency, are you saying--"


    "Yes. I¡¯ll station numerous dragons within Churstin so that your borders will be secure. Also, such strength could allow you to invade Trodar while keeping an advantage when the timees," Halmut stated. "Would you rather be protected by us dragons or targeted by us dragons? That¡¯s one of the things that should be taken into ount while you¡¯re deciding. War won¡¯t happen immediately but it wille eventually."


    King Brobit and the other Churstin representatives beside him were left without anything to say. They didn¡¯t want war at all, let alone participate in another godly war.

 Chapter 518 Enter the 99th Floor

    <h4>Chapter 518 Enter the 99th Floor</h4>


    "That sounds more like a threat than an argument." Moranti squinted and shook his head. "Are you that desperate already?"


    Halmut didn¡¯t respond to the God of Space. Instead, Halmut continued speaking to the king, "I¡¯d rather we not be enemies, Brobit. I wish that we can ally together and eventually free the world of the scourge that is the Leisure Gods. During the war of the past, did they do anything to protect Trodar or their followers? No. They abandoned everyone and hid themselves from history until now.


    "If you want to mention track records, I¡¯ve proven myself capable of winning a war among gods. All you have to your name are failing gods that hid among the cowards which refused to save their own people," Halmut reasoned. "Tell me how you¡¯re more qualified to protect them? Go on, I¡¯d love to hear it."


    Vixus kept his calm smile showing, despite his rush to gather an argument. Eedaj scanned over Halmut, searching for the best counterargument. Choron was silent but kept his sharp gaze fixated on the Sun God. And Moranti sighed while shaking his head.


    Everyone else present was too curious. They were on the edge of their seats in anticipation to hear the response of the leisure gods.


    *****


    Sitting in pitch-ck darkness, Jack sat cross-legged. He had already spent ten minutes in thought but struggled toe up with something.


    His dungeoning speed was too fast. Jack¡¯s digging tactic proved too sessful. At first, Jack was able to pass five floors a day with his minokawa form. But by utilizing his centipede form and minokawa form together he had doubled that, passing ten floors a day.


    This was incredibly useful, allowing Jack to reach the ny-eighth floor in a time that would leave speedrunners in a heart attack. However, there was a single downside to that. That gave Jack less time to ponder his strategy for the ny-ninth floor.


    The ny-ninth floor¡¯s design wasn¡¯t anything special but it was still the most intimidating. It was the smallest of all the floors with only a single monster living there. Also, there was a vast staircase carved into the ground of floor ny-eight yet no mobs of that floor dared to go near it.


    Jack was currently sitting on the steps leading to the ny-ninth floor. All that remained was descending and getting past Duorda.


    But doing that wouldn¡¯t be so simple. To find the tomb regrly, Jack would need to use the chant and ritual to let his poorly crafted ring guide him. Such a tactic would get Jack caught by the crypt lord. Sneaking down while invisible was an option as well, but there was no telling how Jack would find the tomb otherwise or allow its entrance to appear.


    The thought of whittling down the crypt lord no longer made sense to Jack. Now that they would be fighting in real life, there was no telling what Duorda would do or if Jack could kill him on the first try. Such a strategy relied on the ability to respawn and try again, something that Jack no longer had.


    Nothing he thought of made sense. Jack couldn¡¯te up with a logical n to guarantee his sess on a single attempt. But the promise Daruun made was clear in his mind.


    "... I can guarantee you that there is a way and it will make itself known, given who you are..."


    With that phrase reying over and over in his head, Jack heaved onest sigh before beginning his descent down the seemingly endless stairs.


    The hero didn¡¯t rush, moving as quickly as possible while remaining silent in his human form. He didn¡¯t dare to underestimate the greatest boss¡¯s ability to sense an iing foe.


    After a few minutes of hurrying down the steps, Jack finally saw the bottom. In total, Jack spent almost fifteen minutes running down the stairs to reach the ny-ninth floor. And when Jack arrived, he was left with a ck jaw and eyes wide open. He couldn¡¯t believe his eyes.


    Items, weapons, scrolls, and more littered the outskirts of the giant open space. Jack could faintly see the other end of the round chamber, proving that it was much smaller than the other dungeon floors. However, such a space for a single monster said a lot about the boss and how monstrous he was.


    Looking further, Jack discovered something strange. Crypt Lord Duorda was nowhere to be found.


    After a moment of wonder, Jack remembered how the encounter would usually go. The crypt lord would appear after an enemy makes itself known and immediately attack. It bothforted Jack and left him unsettled. This left Jack safe for the moment but with little anticipation for what might happen if he was caught.


    Trying toe up with a n, Jack kept his eyes wandering about the chamber. He still was in awe of how many items and treasures were strewn about.


    Jack then noticed that no item present shared an owner. Each and every item originated from a different ancient hero, proving to be the motherload of treasures and loot as well as the ultimate graveyard for adventurers.


    He searched and walked about the room. Sadly, he found nothing along the walls or on any surface hinting at an ancient tomb. Apart from the fairly t ground and the round walls, there was only a single change in the architecture of the floor.


    Opposite the entryway, there were a few steps that led down to two closed doors. That small area was crafted entirely from roxite, making it imprable.


    Still struggling with his mind, Jack failed to think of anything new in terms of strategy.


    With only one option left, Jack decided that he might as well take some treasures while he was left unguarded. Almost everything was lv. 85 with the weakest items at lv. 75, which were a rare find among the other treasures. Jack even spotted some legend-tier weapons. How could Jack leave such a thing behind? It would be too much of a waste to consider.

 Chapter 519 Crypt Lord Duorda

    <h4>Chapter 519 Crypt Lord Duorda</h4>


    Taking his time, Jack spotted the items he was most interested in, narrowing his options of what to grab first.


    There was a hand-crafted, legendary bow made entirely with legendary materials. ording to his system, the bow boosted agility, attack, magic attack, and even the speed of a mount. It¡¯s most outstanding effect was the versatility of magic type. It allowed you to cast spells into the arrows it shot,unching the spells on impact.


    Apart from that, there was a katana with a ck de and a blood-red hilt. It only boosted attack and agility but to the absolute extreme. It carried two magic affinities, dark and fire. Also, it would amplify any dark and fire type mana used in attacks. Like the bow, it was also hand-crafted and made custom by an ancient hero with legendary materials.


    Other legendary items could be found but those two, in particr, were the most eye-catching to Jack. He had just reached lv. 88 and would be able to wield them immediately.


    Taking that into consideration, Jack pondered a strategy, finally. He wondered if this is what Daruun meant about a path showing itself. Jack was now lv.88 and would be able to wield all of the legendary weaponsying around the ny-ninth floor. With so many legendary items, Jack would feel more confident taking on the lv. 89 boss.


    It still wasn¡¯t a guaranteed win but it was better than anything else he thought up.


    Keeping Duorda¡¯s appearance in mind, Jack stood beside the bow. The hero then looked to the not-so-distant katana, followed by another legendary item, and another legendary item. Jack spent the next minute or so locating each legendary item in ordance to his current location.


    Taking a final, calming breath, Jack assumed his minokawa transformation. Following the path he had just created on the spot, Jack rocketed through the air after snatching the bow from the ground.


    The speeding hero grabbed the katana next. One by one Jack rushed by the legendary items and stored them away.


    But as Jack picked up the third legendary item, a voice echoed through the chamber, "Will you show yourself, or shall I find you?"


    ncing to the side, Jack noticed murky, ck energy gather atop the ck steps. Out of that darkness a single, human-sized being stepped out. It wore a white robe that appeared to be worn out from wind and storm. There were no eye-catching rings, no spectacr items, and no luxurious essories. The being was an undead skeleton that looked toe from a human. At first nce, the undead monster appeared to be amon skeleton mage, only utterly insignificant with a uniquely colored robe.


    However, there were two defining features of the undead. Within the empty eye sockets, a bead of blood-red light glowed. The color of the skeleton¡¯s bones was dark grey and nearly ck, heavily contrasting the tattered, pure white robe.


    "Will you show yourself, or shall I find you?" the skeleton repeated. "This is thest time I¡¯ll ask."


    Thanks to his incredible speed, Jack managed to snatch the legendary items as Crypt Lord Duorda waited for a reply. While still invisible, Jack asked, "If I show myself, can we talk before fighting? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve been rather lonely down here, Duorda."


    "I don¡¯t mind chatting first," stated Duorda, catching Jack off guard. "Now show yourself."


    Seeing that Duorda dissipated all of his gathered energy, Jackplied. The hero became visible as he stood only twenty meters from the dungeon boss. There wasn¡¯t a single weapon in his hands nor was there a look of anger on his face.


    Duorda spotted his challenger and asked, "Whye alone? You know of me yet you think I¡¯m so easily defeated?"


    "Mind if I call you Duorda? You can call me Jack if you like."


    "Jack..." The crypt lord tilted his head back and forth while analyzing Jack. "Have we met before, by any chance?"


    "You could say that, but not while I¡¯m in this body. Thest time I fought you was over one thousand years ago," Jack answered.


    "One thousand years ago... But you haven¡¯t fought me since before the wave?"


    "The wave? What¡¯s that?" asked Jack.


    Duorda exined, "I¡¯ve been in istion for thousands of years. I know that gods havee to exist yet have never met them. All I know of the outside world are the few things that I learn from fallen opponents.


    "In the past five hundred years, I¡¯ve had had little to no opponents, something that I attribute to the wave that I mentioned. A wave of ethereal, invisible energy passed through my chambers at that time and since then challengers decreased until they stopped appearing altogether. I¡¯m unsure if others knew of this wave¡¯s existence though, as the challengers at the time seemed to be unaware of it."


    "If it was invisible, then how could you see it?" asked Jack.


    "I answered your question, so now you answer one of mine," Duorda nonchntly insisted. "You imed to have faced me one thousand years ago, or five centuries before the wave. If that¡¯s true, then exin how such a thing is possible. I¡¯m intrigued."


    Smiling, Jack shrugged and put together a fitting answer, "That¡¯s only possible because my soul was summoned to this time in a new body."


    "Your soul was summoned? Who has such power to summon souls into a newly created body? Was it one of those gods?"


    "I answered you already, so I¡¯ll--"


    "Give me aplete answer or we fight now."


    Hearing Duroda¡¯s casual but cold tone, Jack nodded and continued, "My soul was summoned by Daruun, who also created this new body of mine. Do you know who Daruun is?"


    "Daruun... You say Daruun was the one to summon your soul?" Duorda asked rhetorically, looking down to the ground. "Daruun..."


    "I take you at least know who Daruun is, right? In that case, how could you see that invisible wave?" asked Jack.


    "Daruun..." Duorda mumbled once more to himself, ignoring Jack¡¯s question.


    Suddenly, ck, murky energy flooded the entire ny-ninth floor in an instant. Jack could feel it oozing over his skin it was so dense. The hero shouted, "You said we could--"


    "Daruun summoned you?!" Duorda shouted, letting the energy condense even more as the red glow in his eye sockets grew furious.

 Chapter 520 Battle on the 99th Floor

    <h4>Chapter 520 Battle on the 99th Floor</h4>


    "Daruun summoned you?!"


    While the miasma in the air was thick, Jack still felt no effect from it. Apart from the ufortable feeling against Jack¡¯s skin, the hero felt no threat from the murky energy.


    Then, Duorda burst intoughter. His skeletal mouth opened wide as guttural guffaws filled the chamber. "If Daruun summoned you, then I don¡¯t need to hold back!" Duorda grabbed the chainless shackle around his wrist and ripped it off, doing the same to his other arm after the first.


    Jack was startled to see what was happening. Thanks to the scenario and his preconception, Jack had always assumed that Duorda was already lv. 89. Only after seeing Duorda reach for those shackles did Jack notice that Crypt Lord Duorda¡¯s level was still only lv. 85, at least until those shackles were removed. Now at lv. 89, Duorda¡¯s excitement-filledughter left Jack feeling tense.


    "Duorda, why would you were level restricting equipment?" Jack asked, trying to keep the conversation going as long as possible.


    "Survive and I¡¯ll tell you anything!"


    Without another word, Duorda absorbed the surrounding dark energy in a fraction of a second, returning the chamber to its usual, dimly lit setting. But Jack was on edge knowing that Duorda was ready to unleash all hell. And he was right to feel such a way as the crypt lord extended his bony digits to cast his first spell.


    "Permadeath!" shouted Duorda, unleashing a dark, ethereal wave of energy to fill the entire room. It waspletely unavoidable for anyone within the chamber, invisible or not, but dealt no damage whatsoever.


    Having never heard of such a spell, Jack was left guessing about its effects.


    While still chuckling, Duorda loudly announced, "Now, even if you could return to life like heroes of the past, should you die by my hand now then you¡¯ll forevery here to rot and be my summon. To take one of Daruun¡¯s chosen few as a summon would be the greatest of treasures!"


    Understanding the stakes, Jack swallowed some saliva along with any fear. The hero didn¡¯t want to let any thoughts of hesitation keep him from fighting at his best. Jack understood that he would get only one chance now and would have to survive, as Duorda had put it.


    "Then how would I survive?" questioned Jack, retrieving his new bow. "You were hailed as the strongest of all monsters to us heroes, and that was with dozens of heroes fighting together."


    "But my draining ability is also most effective against multiple opponents. The more opponents I face, the more life I can drain. Pay attention. Though you couldn¡¯t feel it, notice now that your health was already being drained by the miasma I generate," stated Duorda, giving Jack a moment to confirm the crypt lord¡¯s words.


    "That... That¡¯s just broken..." Jack sighed, unhappy but unable to alter the situation.


    Duorda continued, "Against you alone, my draining can only heal me so much. You¡¯ll just have to deal more damage than I can heal. But you¡¯ll have to do that before you exhaust your health as well. Do you feel confident in your abilities to do so?"


    "Nope." Shaking his head, Jack answered, "I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going to happen now, but I won¡¯t die here. I can say that much."


    "Then prove it!"


    A ray of the same ck energy shot out of Duorda¡¯s fingertips. It rushed after Jack, who sidestepped and evaded the st.


    "Not bad, but we¡¯re still warming up!" Duorda shouted, doing his best to smile without any skin or facial muscles.


    Jack dodged again and again, backing up to create more space. At the same time, Jack retrieved an arrow and nocked his bow. The first shot went as amon bow would act, without any magic added.


    True to Jack¡¯s aim, the arrow pierced the air with undeniable speed to ricochet off of Duroda¡¯s skull. Not a single scratch was left behind but Jack was satisfied with the bow¡¯s pin-point uracy. With that in mind, Jack released a second arrow covered in fire.


    Duorda wasn¡¯t careless that time. The crypt lord reached out and snatched the arrow from the air like it was child¡¯s y. He chuckled, "That can¡¯t be your only trick, right? Show me more!"


    Not letting up, Jack shot another arrow. It seemed to be ordinary but Duorda still reached to pluck it from the air. But as the skeletal hand wrapped its fingers around the arrow, it vanished in a blink of spatial energy. The arrow reappeared on the opposite side of Duorda to bounce off his face a second time. However, a cut in the bone was left behind.


    "Oh... Show me more!" Duorda shot more sts of ck energy.


    Jack was forced to move around while he shot, making use of his newly elevated bow skill and the legendary bow¡¯s added bonuses. He skillfully evaded the many sts while hurling more and more arrows at Duorda.


    This went on for a few minutes as Jack sessfully avoided having his health drained. But Jack was annoyed to see how little damage he was doing.


    If Jack didn¡¯t strengthen the arrows with spatial energy to teleport them and change their trajectory, then Duorda would constantly grab the arrows or destroy them in midair. But if Jack tried to use more spatial energy, then the arrow would break either in midair or upon releasing the bowstring. Jack had to find a bnce but that bnce wouldn¡¯t deal enough damage to kill Crypt Lord Duorda. The hero was certain that Duorda wasn¡¯t getting serious yet and the tables could turn in an instant given Duorda¡¯s life-draining abilities.


    Unsatisfied with how he faired with the bow, Jack tried a new method of attack. Jack rushed Duorda whileunching more arrows to keep the crypt lord busy. Once Jack was almost fifty meters away, he switched the bow for the legendary katana and activated Sudden Death. Thanks to his newly upgraded speed skill, Jack could use Sudden Death within sixty meters and he wanted to use it to the fullest.

 Chapter 521 Undead Dragons?!

    <h4>Chapter 521 Undead Dragons?!</h4>


    Jack reappeared at Duorda¡¯s side. The ck-ded katana was already in motion, arcing toward Duorda¡¯s elbow. Blood-red energy coated the de as Jack struggled to cleave through the crypt lord¡¯s arm, leaving a wave of powerful sword energy fading against the ceiling.


    "CRACK!"


    After much effort, Jack used the skill again to back away. He still felt ufortable as Duorda onlyughed harder after tanking the attack.


    "Good... It¡¯s been too long since I¡¯ve received true damage," Duordamented, casually picking up his forearm from the ground. Then, the crypt lord reattached it with a wash of ck energy. After that energy faded, the arm was restored to its perfect, undead form while some of Duorda¡¯s health had vanished.


    Startled, Jack asked, "You can fix your broken body at the cost of some health?"


    "A perfect ability since I can just steal health at will, don¡¯t you think?" asked Duorda, unfazed by thest attack. "You¡¯re much better than the past heroes I¡¯ve faced. Few could face me as you have. On one hand, I can count the people who have bested me one-on-one. But with my true strength unleashed, none have bested me in a duel."


    "No one? Well, there¡¯s always a first for everything!"ughed Jack, getting a chuckle out of Duorda. "Are you going to fight me seriously or not? I know you¡¯ve got more skills than that. Where are your summons?"


    "I guess it¡¯s time to take it up a notch..." Duorda shrugged while shaking his newly attached arm.


    Another pulse of dark energy spread throughout the vast room. It did nothing to Jack but the hero was familiar with what came next.


    The ground below shook. As patches of earth split apart, draconic skulls emerged from the ground, still roaring despite not having any lungs or a throat.


    "Undead Dragons?! What happened to the goliaths?!" Jackined.


    Duordaughed, "Zombie Goliaths would only be fodder for your katana. I want to know just how strong you are, so why use such weak summons? Good luck!"


    Three twenty-meter Undead Dragons took flight with their skinless wings. They charged Jack mercilessly with reckless abandon, proving that they were still as unfeeling toward pain as any other undead.


    Jack backed away but kept his katana at the ready. The dragons were already on top of him so he didn¡¯t want to use the long-range bow in closebat, even if it offered more versatility than the katana. Instead, red energy coated the de again as Jack swung his sword. However, the attacks did little to no damage as Jack failed to hit a joint directly.


    With such a result, Jack determined that the low-level sword skills he had gotten from Maynard weren¡¯t enough. With twelve thousand five hundred and sixteen skill points at his disposal, Jack opened the skill menu at the side of his view. While evading the ws and jaws of the Undead Dragons, Jack skipped the mid-level skills and found the high-level skills that Argyle, Kims, and Jin used. The hero selected Argyle¡¯s sword wave skill, wanting the five-hitbo that could be used at almost any range. Also, Jin¡¯s high-level skills were far more expensive and Jack was in a saving mindset at the moment.


    Seven hundred and fifty skill points were spent to unlock the skill, but Jack felt it was a worthy expense.


    Immediately, Jack felt a surge of pure white energy cover his sword. Simr to Jin, Argyle had no natural affinity for magic and was a pure warrior until his pact with Dradich. Hence, Jack felt the pure technique that was Argyle¡¯s skill paired with Jack¡¯s magical prowess could flip the stakes of the battle.


    The pure white energy of the unadulterated mana was tainted red as fire energy was added to the attack. With his new skill ready, Jack rushed to the nearest Undead Dragon without any hesitation.


    Roaring, the beast attempted to tank the attack while covering its w in dark energy to counter.


    Both attacks shed as the beast whined, its w broken apart by the impact of the ming sword. But a second attack followed. Then a third. A fourth came next. And finally, a fifth strike was made against the Undead Dragon. All five of those attacks were made against the crumbling w but their residual sword waves also hit the Undead Dragon¡¯s torso.


    Broken ribs fell to the ground as the right foreleg of the dragon fell apart. But Jack¡¯s follow upbo left the other foreleg in pieces as well. Also, the shoulder of that arm waspletely broken as half the dragon¡¯s chest fell to the ground.


    It roared and whined but Jack showed no signs of backing off. Even as the dragon took to the air in evasion, Jack¡¯s sword waves reached the fleeing beast and shattered one of its wings.


    The second and third Undead Dragons rushed Jack but were met with simr results. One lost a leg while the other had its chest cut apart. Neither took much damage though as Jack kept his focus on the broken dragon. His next twobo attacks destroyed that dragon¡¯s neck and head, letting Jack break the remaining bones with ease.


    It was then that Jack heard Duordaughing again. Jack nced at the crypt lord, ready to defend or evade if necessary. But nothing came at him. The hero only saw the crypt lord staring at him as if Duorda was enjoying the show.


    "What? No attacks?" Jack shouted his questions. "What¡¯s the point of having these here if you won¡¯t attack me while I¡¯m distracted?"


    "We¡¯ve only just begun. Why rush? I haven¡¯t had a good fight in a millennium, so let me savor this while I can," answered Duorda, still not acting against Jack.


    Without Duorda interfering, Jack faced the remaining two Undead Dragons with rtive ease. He had to be cautious and on his toes but Jack managed to deal with them without taking any extra damage. But even though Duorda made no attempts of attack, Jack remained on guard and kept an eye on the crypt lord while finishing the Undead Dragons.

 Chapter 522 Duordas Endless Summons!

    <h4>Chapter 522 Duorda¡°s Endless Summons!</h4>


    As Jack finished the third Undead Dragon, he turned to Duorda and began his walk back to the main fight. But the earth shook again as four more Undead Dragons revealed themselves.


    Duordamented, "You shattered their bones... A good move. That keeps me from resummoning them."


    Jack challenged the dragon¡¯s charge, understanding that Duorda likely had more summons than the hero could imagine. If Duorda was old enough to know of Daruun and his true role in the world, then there¡¯s no telling how many different beasts or people hade to challenge the crypt lord over time. And remembering Duorda¡¯s earlierment in the battle, Jack assumed that these Undead Dragons were once Duorda¡¯s challengers. This was more clear as the newest four Undead Dragons were different from the first three.


    The first three dragons were all twenty meters long and were thinner with arge wingspan. But the cour new dragons had no wings. Instead, they were huge in stature, and their bones were incredibly thick and dense. Jack could assume that the first three were made from Storm Dragons while the newest Undead Dragons were once Quake Dragons.


    Those four dragons ran at top speed into Jack¡¯s de. Their stronger bone structures proved more formidable against Jack¡¯s powerful sword strikes, but not unbreakable.


    It took more swings of the sword, but Jack learned that he could still manage against those four dragons with his current skill set.


    As the lead Undead Dragon attacked Jack yet again, Jack vanished with Sudden Death. The hero reappeared above the dragon¡¯s neck. Purple energy coated his de this time, using Spatial sh in conjunction with the five attackbo. It ate a lot more mana but it proved to be incredibly potent.


    The Undead Dragon roared as its neck was severed and its head dropped to the floor. When the head finally grew quiet, Jack attacked the head with his firebo. It managed to crack the skull and leave the rest of the skeleton lifeless as it copsed to the ground.


    Repeating this tactic, Jack targeted the next Undead Dragon. However, as Jack decapitated that dragon he noticed a ray of ck energy fall upon thest dragon that Jack slew.


    "So long as at least eighty percent of the skeleton remains, I can keep them as soldiers," Duordamented as the other skeleton reformed without a head and whipped its club-like tail a Jack.


    Unhappy to see that, Jack finally covered his entire body in mes. Keeping his me body at Jack¡¯s usual size, Jack wielded the katana with white and ck mes. Combining the sword wave attacks with his hellish fire was devastating to the headless skeleton. It was reduced to cinders, as was the second Undead Dragon that Jack finished off.


    "Oh, so you were still hiding your strength? Wonderful!" Duorda shouted.


    Jack paid the crypt lord less attention as he rushed on the third dragon, only to find both the third and fourth Undead Dragons working together. And as Jack reached them, a ck bolt of lightning shot toward the hero.


    With Sudden Death, Jack managed to evade the ck bolt while also cleaving one dragon¡¯s head in two. Using Sudden Death, the sword technique, and the bloodline skill together allowed Jack to destroy the skeletal remains of the dragons with rtive ease.


    "Then try this!"


    The crypt lordughed as another pulse of ck energy filled the chamber. Everything shook as over a hundred human skeletons rose up from the ground.


    Jack was ready to take them on but was startled by their apparel. It was nothing like the typical horde that Duorda would summon in-game.


    Each skeleton was wearing armor or a magical robe. Then, each skeleton picked up one of the many items littering the chamber floors. But half a dozen skeletons were unarmed, even though there were still plenty of weapons strewn about.


    One skeleton charged at Jack with haste. It had a taught bun of withered hair and wore a tattered kimono in deep need of a wash and restitching, but Jack recognized the legendary getup instantly.


    Not hesitating, Jack tore into the skeleton. His mingbo attacks aimed for the forearms, ankles, and neck, all of which were left unguarded by the kimono. Being outside of the game meant that even legendary items weren¡¯t as effective now that they too had to follow the logic and physics of reality.


    As Jack rendered the skeleton unable to attack, he stole the kimono and shattered the remains. It was obvious that the undead samurai was after the katana that Jack wielded.


    Following that, Jack was swarmed by the skeletons with closebat weapons and barraged by attacks from undead mages, archers, and other long-range fighters.


    "Now you¡¯ll understand what I¡¯ve experienced all these years!" shouted Duorda, cackling to himself. "Show me your everything! If not, your death will onlye quicker!"


    Unflinching, Jack used Sudden Death to reposition himself and avoid the barrage of attacks. While those long-range attacks fell on the warriors that charged Jack, the hero reappeared fifty meters away and still inside the horde.


    But the skeletons became slower while Jack only got faster. Jack cast Spatial Disruption while adding the minokawa form to his me body. His menu was open again as Jack covered the surrounding enemies in ming wind des. This held them off and gave Jack a moment to upgrade a skill, hispanion bloodline skill.


    As the bloodline skill reached lv. 7 for six hundred and forty skill points, Jack noticed a drastic decrease in his mana consumption. He knew it would help him in this long battle but not to such an extreme. However, it made sense when Jack thought about how much mana it would cost for three bloodlines to be active at one time.


    Over a dozen undead warriors were turned to ash as their most powerful items were left among their remains.


    Witnessing that, Duorda chuckled, "Magnificent! Show me your everything! Perhaps I¡¯ll gain the chance to show you mine!"

 Chapter 523 Duordas Purpose?

    <h4>Chapter 523 Duorda¡°s Purpose?</h4>


    Duorda wasughing heartily as Jack tore through the skeleton horde. ming wind des flew everywhere as Jack was seemingly teleporting from one part of the horde to the next. His speed was incredible and overwhelming, leaving many of the less adaptable skeletons to face their demise.


    It was simple for Jack to eliminate the skeletons, even if they had such great equipment. They were far too slow to keep up with him and their levels weren¡¯t enough to withstand a higher-leveled hero with a plethora of powerful passive skills.


    "Amazing..." Duorda sighed, letting loose another pulse of dark energy. However, this didn¡¯t summon anything. Rather, it caused the remaining skeletons to return to their slumber underground.


    Jack dropped his transformation momentarily, staring at Duorda. "What are you up to?"


    "I don¡¯t want you destroying all of my treasures. It¡¯s taken me ages to collect so many and it would be pointless to lose them so easily," stated Duorda. "But their interference has cost you plenty of mana, so their losses aren¡¯t entirely wasted."


    "Does that mean..."


    Stretching both arms out, Duorda showed more of that dark miasma from earlier. "You¡¯ve proven strong enough to face me, but you¡¯ve yet to learn what true power is!"


    Dense ck energy flooded the entire space. It felt harmless but Jack already knew about the life-draining properties of the attack.


    Not wasting time, Jack rushed straight forward. The katana in his hand streaked through the air as Jack retook his hellish minokawa form. He left nothing to chance. Jack didn¡¯t want to spend a single second more in that miasma than necessary, which meant Jack needed to fight as hard and as fast as possible.


    As the miasma parted and Jack rushed forward, Duorda stood firmly with even denser dark energy around his hands. More ck lightning bolts shot out toward the iing attacker.


    Neither backed off. Jack evaded the first few ck bolts while Duorda waited patiently for Jack¡¯s charge. Both finally connected. At such a range, Duorda stood still and tanked Jack¡¯s attackbo while his ck lightning hit Jack directly in the chest.


    The crypt lord wasn¡¯t knocked back at all. Duorda stood firmly without hesitation or flinching in any way. While his arms, chest, and skull had been shed and carved into, the dark-boned skeleton kept his curious gaze on Jack. He was more interested in how Jack was fairing after receiving those ck bolts at point-nk range.


    Coughing, Jack stepped back a couple of meters. The metallic taste of blood filled his mouth as Jack was unable to keep some from dribbling past his lips.


    "You¡¯re good, Jack! Much more amusing than the others,"mented Duorda.


    "Thanks..." Jack spat out some of the blood, wiping his lip clean and staring back at his opponent. He watched as ck energy covered Duorda¡¯s body and restored the crypt lord to tip-top shape. Still searching for what Daruun had hinted at, Jack asked, "Why fight?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "Why should we fight?" Jack repeated his question. "You¡¯re so strong and I don¡¯t understand why you stay here. There were times when I felt facing you was more difficult than fighting a god, so why stay hidden away instead of rising to the heavens like them?"


    "I have a purpose. Until that purpose is fulfilled, then I¡¯m unable to leave," Duorda answered.


    Feeling like he was finally getting somewhere, Jack sighed, "Then... What is that purpose? Is there a way I can help?


    "You¡¯re already helping me," answered Duorda.


    "How can I--"


    "Survive and you¡¯ll fulfill my purpose!"


    The ck energy around Duorda gathered in his palm and extended out from there. It condensed more and more until arge ck sickle made from pitch-ck bones was created.


    "Wait! Aren¡¯t you a mage?!" Jack shouted, utterly floored to see Duorda with such a sickly-looking weapon.


    "Yes. Also, I¡¯m a warrior," Duorda stated as he took some warmup swings.


    "But... you¡¯re a spell de?!"


    "Correct! And you¡¯re one of the few opponents worth going all-out. Be proud, Jack, for your demise is at hand! Struggle to remain in existence!"


    Leaping with terrific strength, Crypt Lord Duorda charged Jack with his double-edged sickle at the ready. Heavy dark energy was pouring out of the sickle as Duorda swung it around with one hand, proving his physical prowess.


    Jack leaned back and avoided the first swing. The hero was confident in his ability to dodge but he was still shocked to see how quick and strong Duorda¡¯s physical body actually was. Also, Jack recognized the aura around the de as a more condensed version of the draining miasma that filled the air. It was a de that Jack didn¡¯t want to block, let alone touch.


    Surprisingly, Duorda¡¯s strikes were extremely precise and viciously quick. The moment Jack evaded the first attack, he could barely keep up with the follow-up strike.


    Crypt Lord Duorda was more excited than ever. His joy was at an all-time high. After failing to even have an opponent for five hundred years, Duorda found himself fighting a man who could keep up without needing to seal his strength. And Duorda was amazed further to see that Jack was still so lively after destroying multiple Undead Dragons as well as dozens of high-level skeletons with magical gear.


    "Good! Great!" Duorda shouted, spinning around along with his swings to continue generating momentum with his huge sickle. "Show me more, Jack!"


    As Duorda swarmed Jack with a frenzy of sickle strikes, Jack evaded in amazement. He understood that Duorda would be lv. 89 but Duorda was the first opponent to act unaffected by fighting within proximity of Jack¡¯s poweful me body. While most undead were naturally weak to fire, it was hard not to be startled by Duorda¡¯s reckless abandon to charge Jack¡¯s ming person.


    Jack didn¡¯t use three bloodlines at once, not yet. He didn¡¯t want to burn through mana unnecessarily when he still had no clue about the limits of Duorda¡¯s strength. Not once, not twice, but three times now had Duorda shocked Jack with abilities that the crypt lord never had in-game. And seeing Duorda¡¯s natural confidence made Jack assume that there was still more toe.

 Chapter 524 Duorda Getting Serious

    <h4>Chapter 524 Duorda Getting Serious</h4>


    With mana conservation as his top priority, Jack prepared for a battle of attrition. He understood that Duorda wouldn¡¯t be so confident under normal circumstances, even after showing off three unknown trump cards.


    This most likely meant one of two things. Either Crypt Lord Duorda was a truly a mad, battle-crazed being or he still had aces hidden up his sleeve. And Jack assumed both to be correct, just in case. He¡¯d rather be overprepared than to get caught off guard and killed. That would be the worst scenario given Duorda¡¯s unique Permadeath spell from earlier.


    The crypt lord chuckled and charged again. His giant sickle was over a meter long, arching to slice Jack¡¯s torso in two. Duorda acted as if the mes erupting from Jack were nonexistent.


    Suddenly, the checkerboarded mes faded out. Jack¡¯s true body was left behind, only it didn¡¯t look like anything he had shown before. Now, his minokawa wings were gone and a pair of faint purple, draconic wings sprouted from his back. The katana in Jack¡¯s hands was gripped tightly by strikingly sharp ws and purple scales took form over Jack¡¯s skin. Finally, Jack¡¯s teeth sharpened and a crown of horns emerged on his brow.


    The hero¡¯s draconic eyes followed Duroda¡¯s quick movements and hesitations but his body wasn¡¯t reacting. Jacks¡¯ torso remained still while Jack swung his katana in a counterattack.


    However, just when Jack was prepared to exchange blows, he was startled to see Duorda take a step back. "What¡¯s wrong? I thought you liked trading attacks with your draining skill?"


    "I don¡¯t know how you can have so many forms..." Duorda mentioned, tapping his foot in thought. "Those mes matched those of a Hell-me Fox and your earlier form mimicked a minokawa. You evenbined those two to blend their absolute speed and power, a fine tactic. But your most fearsome form is definitely this one, utilizing the form of a Spectral Dragon. How are you doing this?"


    "I¡¯ll tell you if we can stop this fight and talk," answered Jack.


    Shaking his head, Duorda sighed, "Oh well... But to think you had another hidden trick, more and more you¡¯re proving to be Daruun¡¯s chosen one."


    "Then--"


    "All the more reason to face you head on!"


    Resuming his charge, Duorda lunged forward. The dense miasma thickened as the ck sickle raced toward Jack.


    This time, Jack blocked the attack. Though he couldn¡¯t remove the draining effect entirely, his Spectral Dragon form had heightened magic defense to aid Jack¡¯s resistance to the effect. At least he could keep from losing too much while also increase the potency of his spatial attacks.


    While blocking with his katana, Jack dove his other w into Duorda¡¯s chest. The dense spatial energy coating the thin ws rivaled the ck miasma as Duorda¡¯s ribs were cut to pieces, like mincemeat.


    But Duorda didn¡¯t do anything to heal at the moment. Instead, Duorda hurled another bolt of ck lightning into Jack at close-range.


    Jack didn¡¯t evade but he smiled all of a sudden. Once again, ck and white mes exploded from his body as his ws turned into a bone blender. Finally, Jack caused the crypt lord to groan in worry as Jack eviscerated half the skeleton¡¯s ribs and a portion of his shoulder.


    Canceling the ck lightning, Duorda jumped back and assessed the damage he had taken.


    "Still want to keep fighting?" Jack asked, dropping his me body again to meet the crypt lord eye-to-eye-socket.


    "Though I¡¯m able to heal, you understand that most skeletal beings have low health points inparison to most beasts. You want to try and eliminate all my health in one go, don¡¯t you?" Duorda reasoned.


    Smiling, Jack shrugged. "Can you me me? If you want to fight so badly, then I don¡¯t have any reason to drag it out and let you drain me for no reason."


    "True, I would attempt a simr strategy if I were you," Duorda agreed. "Too bad it won¡¯t be so easy for you..."


    The ck energy dancing around Duorda¡¯s free hand dispersedpletely. He didn¡¯t heal himself like before, exchanging some HP for his physical body¡¯s reconstruction. To Jack¡¯s surprise, white holy energy began to emit from Duorda¡¯s left hand.


    "What?! You can¡¯t be--"


    "I told you. You¡¯ve proven to be worth going all out. In this fight, I won¡¯t hold back anything. Survive and I¡¯ll answer any question you wish!" Duorda shouted as more holy energy coated his left arm, spreading to his broken shoulder and chest. All the cleanly cut bones began to rapidly regenerate, visibly returning to their usual condition.


    "You¡¯re cheating?!" Jackined.


    Duordaughed, "It¡¯s not cheating. Nothing is cheating during a fight to the death! Come at me with everything, or you might die full of regret!"


    Again, Duorda darted for Jack. Both of his arms swung backward, preparing his ck sickle to strike. The white energy in Duorda¡¯s left hand grew abundantly until another matching sickle appeared, made of pearl white bone and doused in holy energy. The blend of the opposing colored energies around Duorda was simr to Jack¡¯s intimidating me body.


    Instead of tanking the charge, Jack vanished from where he stood. The hero appeared forty meters away, standing amidst a variety of weapons. Jack let loose a sigh as he calmed his nerves and picked up a second, simple-looking katana from the ground. Though it was only a mythic-tier weapon, Jack wanted to keep his des bnced and would be happy with the added weapon¡¯s effects.


    When Jack picked up the new katana, Jack felt his speed increase. And that katana was able to use all energy types. Even if the added boost wasn¡¯t as powerful as the ck and red katana, at least Jack could still use his already boosted spatial attacks with it.


    "Oh, so you dual wield as well? Or are you just getting desperate?" Duordaughed, lunging back to Jack. "Are you ready now?"


    As Duorda reached Jack, the sickles swung toward the katanas and Jack¡¯s katanas swung in challenge of the sickles. But Jack and his katanas suddenly vanished before they made contact.

 Chapter 525 This Isnt Even My Final Form!!

    <h4>Chapter 525 This Isn¡°t Even My Final Form!!</h4>


    Seeing Jack vanish was no surprise to Duorda. His skeletal head turned inhumanly as Duorda looked behind him. "Try harder!"


    Jack¡¯s reappearance and sudden change of attack was of no concern to the crypt lord, whose limbs inhumanly turned around to block Jack¡¯s dual strikes. The holy sickly blocked Jack¡¯s Spatial sh and the deathly sickle blocked Jack¡¯s ming de.


    Frowning slightly, Jack jumped back and vanished again. He didn¡¯t like how his heath would be drained even when Duorda blocked him, and that quick exchange was enough proof that Duorda¡¯s dual-wielding was a massive hurdle that Jack would need to clear in order to win.


    "Where are you? Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re running away after all that!" Duorda shouted, toying with Jack.


    Jack remained invisible this time. He needed toe up with some way to get past Duorda¡¯s defenses, otherwise, there was no hope for victory.


    Hurrying through his menu, Jack opened his skill list. Given his current abilities, the hero had an idea that may allow him to break Duorda¡¯s defenses without needing to buy some insanely powerful and expensive skill.


    A few seconds passed and Duorda was getting a little impatient. "If you¡¯re going to hide, then I¡¯ll just use summons to find you. Since you prefer not to fight directly, then I¡¯m forced to resort to overwhelming tactics."


    "Hey!"


    Hearing Jack¡¯s shout, Duorda turned to the side. He found Jack¡¯s reappearance and immediately put up his defenses. His sickles shed with Jack¡¯s katanas before Jack disappeared again.


    Reappearing on the opposite side, Jack readied his follow-up strikes. But they were again blocked by Duorda.


    This same maneuver repeated again and again. For more than half a dozen attempts, Jack failed to break the crypt lord¡¯s defenses and had a fraction of his health drained each time, albeit a tiny fraction.


    "That it? Have you finally--"


    "Shut up!" Jack came at the crypt lord yet again, repeating his past failed attempts.


    Duorda defended again with both sickles, stopping the katanas in their tracks. The crypt lord sighed, "Come on... What happened to all the excitement? Don¡¯t tell me--"


    "Shut up! Here Ie!" Jack shouted all the louder, reappearing behind the crypt lord.


    Shaking his head, Crypt Lord Duorda repeated his prior actions. He easily mounted a defense and braced for the imminent impact. If he had facial muscles, Duorda would¡¯ve been frowning in disappointment. After all the hype thus far, just when Jack seemed to be able to clear Duorda¡¯s tremendous strength, Jack¡¯s efforts failed to grow stronger.


    As the two collided again, Duorda sighed. But the crypt lord¡¯s more rxed approach to defense was never contested.


    Directly in front of him, Duorda witnessed the image of Jack fade into obscurity the second it came into contact with his defense. At the same time, Duorda felt his spine, chest, and shoulders be bombarded from behind.


    The crypt lord faltered and fell away from the invisible strikes from behind. All disappointment and depression vanished from Duorda¡¯s thoughts as he realized the truth of the situation. "You can remain invisible while attacking? Marvelous!"


    Jack reappeared, showing both katanas doused in either fire or spatial energy. "You left yourself wide open."


    "You never truly moved that time. You made yourself invisible and created an illusion of yourself to attack from behind, tricking me into exposing my back for a wide-open attack. Well done, Jack!" Duorda praised Jack as he healed his bones with an abundance of holy energy. "That spell was at least greater illusion. That means you¡¯re proficient in illusion, fire, spatial, and wind magic... Astounding!"


    "Enough talk, unless you--"


    "Right, enough talk!"


    Duorda rushed Jack, not wanting to lose the hype yet again. He was anxious to see Jack¡¯s true strength unravel. "If you¡¯ve got any more tricks, please use them now! I don¡¯t want to kill you before understanding how spectacr of an opponent you truly are. That way I can understand your abilities after you be my summon."


    "How about you be my summon?" spat Jack, tired of being degraded.


    "Survive and we¡¯ll discuss that optionter!"ughed Duorda, hurling one attack after the other.


    Jack vanished as Duorda carved into the ground where Jack once stood. The excitement he felt was exhrating. When Jack reappeared, the crypt lord swung his holy sickle to create a wave of sword energy and dissipate the illusion. As he felt a sword attack carve into his side, Duorda attacked instead of defending.


    A deathly sword wave swung into the invisible hero, who backed away disillusioned. The exchange of blows wasn¡¯t what Jack was after, albeit better than his prior situation.


    Still invisible, Jack asked, "Are you still holding back or not?"


    "And what if I am?"


    "How about we show off for each other? You¡¯ll finally show your biggest trump card and I¡¯ll reveal my final form?"


    "Ohhh... You¡¯ve still got more forms?!" Duorda questioned in excitement. "Only if you show me while you¡¯re not invisible. I want to see this final form in full glory!"


    "Okay."


    Jack became visible, standing only ten meters directly in front of Duorda. "Since I¡¯m the challenger, would you mind going first?"


    "Alright, but you¡¯d better not disappoint me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to kill you on the spot..." Duorda chuckled, dispersing all energy gathered around his body. "Watch carefully. You¡¯re the fourth person in history to witness this. And should you survive our exchange without fleeing, you¡¯ll be the first being to ever ovee my true abilities."


    Silent, Jack watched as Duorda took a neutral stance. Both sickles remained in the crypt lord¡¯s hands while his arms rested at his sides. Then, Jack witnessed another ability that had never existed within "A Hero¡¯s Tale".


    While no energy was gathered around Duorda, the red glow of his eyes suddenly faded. For a moment, the dark grey skeleton appeared to be standing there lifeless. But only for a moment. Duorda¡¯s skull suddenly turned to the left and to the right at the same time. However, the color of the skull was now different... The rest of Duorda¡¯s body followed suit, turning left and right at the same time also. Then, it took a step to the left while also stepping to the right. Duorda¡¯s body seemingly, and effortlessly, separated into two individual skeletons, one pitch ck and one pure white.

 Chapter 526 Finally Going All Out...

    <h4>Chapter 526 Finally Going All Out...</h4>


    As Duorda¡¯s body seemingly separated into two individual skeletons, Jack was in utter awe. He had nothing to say nor did he have the ability to say anything if his brain was properly functioning at that particr moment.


    The most jarring thing wasn¡¯t even the separation into two skeletons! Jack¡¯s system instantly changed the title that Duorda¡¯s statistics had shown prior. For as long as Jack knew it, Crypt Lord Duorda was the most feared boss, with the exception of rare god-facing events in-game. But that most feared title became all the more unique and startling.


    [Duorda, Yin Yang Death Knight]


    Reading that title left Jackpletely dumbstruck for a moment. He watched as both the white skeleton and the ck skeleton turned and faced Jack, each wielding their respective sickle. Then, rectangr shields appeared in each of the skeleton¡¯s off hands.


    "You¡¯re not a spell de?" Jack asked, finally managing to put together some words.


    "No... I have a unique ss and subss," the ck skeleton answered. The white skeleton then stated, "But given your abilities, I¡¯m sure you¡¯re simr. Now, we can fight in our true forms. It¡¯s your turn."


    "Right..." Jack sighed, shaking his head. "Just give me a moment. I wasn¡¯t expecting to see such a unique and cool skill from you."


    "Take your time. I¡¯ve waited thousands of years for this, so a few minutes of a few days are nothing to me."


    "Before I transform again, let me exin something," Jack stated, trying to be nice to the most overpowered boss beyond his imagination. He was still trying to imagine what Daruun¡¯s advice meant.


    "Go ahead."


    Jack continued, "My transformationse from all the beastpanions that I have. My unique ss and subss allow me to ess their bloodlines. Up till now, I¡¯ve only shown you three of the four bloodlines I have ess to."


    Earth energy erupted from Jack¡¯s body as he assumed his Draconic Centipede form, causing Duorda to fill with even more excitement.


    "You formed a contract with a Draconic Centipede? Amazing..."mented Duorda, admiring the powerful ws and body armor Jack created.


    "You¡¯ve already seen mebine bloodlines, boosting their potency ording to my needs. But you¡¯ve never seen mebine three bloodlines at one time," exined Jack. "Would you like to see it?"


    "YES!" Duorda emphatically shouted.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack also assumed a neutral position. "Very well.. Give me a moment, as you¡¯ll be the first person to see me do this."


    "Even better! Take all the time in the world!"


    Assessing the situation, Jack pondered for a moment about what three bloodlines would be best for the situation. Once Duorda had shown his true form, Jack lost the ability to see-through the boss¡¯s health and mana stats, but Jack was sure both forms were at decent levels of both. And since Duorda proved he was beyondparison to any boss in-game, including himself, Jack felt it was best to assume that both skeletons that were Duorda were stronger than his former form.


    "Do we really have to fight like this? I¡¯d much rather work with you than against you," stated Jack. "I don¡¯t see why we have to--"


    "Jack, I¡¯m not opposed to the thought of being allies," Duorda mentioned, surprising Jack. "However, that¡¯s only if you prove more capable than I. If not, then you¡¯ll fail to fulfill my purpose."


    "And what purpose is that?"


    "Find out after defeating me. Either die now in suspense or seed to learn everything there is to know."


    "Everything there is to know?" Jack scratched his head, trying to understand such a statement.


    Duorda added, "But without proving yourself capable, you¡¯ll remain in the dark. Now show me this final form!"


    "I¡¯ll be honest..." Jack sighed. "I can¡¯t yet use my final form. To do that, I need to upgrade my skill more andbine all four of the bloodlines, then--"


    "That would be beyond spectacr!" shouted Duorda. "The pure ferocity of the Hell-me Fox¡¯s fire... The undeniable speed of the Minokawa... The absolute defense of the Draconic Centipede... The versatility and adaptability of the Spectral Dragon... To have all fourbined to form an indomitable bloodline... I feel giddy just imagining such a form!"


    "But like I said, I can¡¯t do that yet," continued Jack. "For now, I can only merge three bloodlines. If you want to see my final form, your best bet is to work with me until I can max out my bloodline skill."


    "A tempting offer... But I can¡¯t ept until you ovee me," Duorda stated firmly, sidelining his earlier excitement.


    "Too bad... Then I¡¯ll at least show you my penultimate form..."


    Jack clenched his fists tightly. All muscles of his body flexed as he half squatted. "Aaaaaaaahhhhh..."


    He began to yell as ferocious amounts of energy exploded out of his body. Streaks of red, yellow, and purple wildly danced around Jack. The purple wings remained on Jack¡¯s back, however, ayer of exoskeleton armor rushed over the portions of the wing where bone was found. Long protruding ws jutted out of the wings¡¯ tips, thinning to a needle-like point at the end. The white of Jack¡¯s eyes darkened, almost turning ck as the three energy types made themselves present in his Draconic iris¡¯. Fire pulsed in and out of the minute gaps of the exoskeleton, matching Jack¡¯s breathing. The hero kept his hands and sharper-than-razor ws but could feel the heat hiding beneath the exoskeleton trying to escape through the gaps of armor around his fingers.


    "Beyondparison..." Duorda was in awe. He giddily watched as Jack showed the magnificent form. "The destructive fire of the Hell-me Fox, theplete defense of the Draconic Centipede, and the versatile abilities of the Spectral Dragon... Indeed, you¡¯re the most formidable of all opponents that have faced me, even though you¡¯re a whole level below what they were. Absolutely amazing..."


    "Does that--"


    "No, you¡¯ll most definitely fight me," stated Duorda. "But now I¡¯m not so sure what will happen in the end. Perhaps, you truly may fulfill my purpose."


    "But if I kill you, then how can we--"


    "Come at me, Jack!" shouted the white skeleton. The ck skeleton added, "Give my undead life meaning!"

 Chapter 527 Jacks On-The-Fly Strategy

    <h4>Chapter 527 Jack¡°s On-The-Fly Strategy</h4>


    "Give my undead life meaning!"


    Both skeletal knights rushed Jack. They attacked in tandem with perfect synergy, not getting in each other¡¯s way as their strikes ovepped and they defended one another.


    Still wielding both katanas, Jack roared in confusion. He didn¡¯t want to kill Duorda when Duorda agreed to work with Jack after the fight but it didn¡¯t seem like Jack had a choice in the matter. mes erupted and covered Jack¡¯s armored body. His three bloodlines were cohesive yet prominent in all their glory.


    The holy knight attacked first and the deathly knight attacked second, seeking an opportunity to sap some health from Jack as a counter. However, Jack pressured the holy knight in return to avoid a direct collision with the deathly knight¡¯s draining abilities.


    Thick spatial energy sliced through the air as Jack carved through the air as it shed across the holy bone shield. And though Jack¡¯s back was to the deathly knight, his wings hurled ming wind des to keep it at bay while Jack pushed the holy knight further back. Jack didn¡¯t want to face their tag team as they were the embodiment of partners being of one mind, literally. He was determined to at least keep them fromboing him to death.


    While they were gradually pushed apart, Jack made sure to keep the holy knight as his first target.


    Unlike the ck, deathly knight, the holy knight couldn¡¯t passively heal itself. It would need to use spells actively to do so, but those same spells could be used on the deathly knight as support. And the key to any great battle is to remove the supports first! This was especially true when Jack was under time constraints of maintaining his three-bloodlinebo.


    One possible way of remedying this was if Jack upgraded his dual-wielding skill to aid him in facing such a tactful duo alone. But he was impulsive and searched for a better tactic if it was avable.


    "More! Keep it up, Jack!" Duorda cheered for his challenger, excited to see Jack¡¯s determination and wit in action.


    A heavyyer of miasma filled the chamber, proving to Jack that he needed to end this fight as soon as possible. But Jack got an idea, wanting to test an old, in-game phenomenon.


    While hammering away at the defending holy knight, Jack used Sudden Death to nk the deathly knight. The hero willingly shed swords for the first time. It made no sense to Duorda until he saw Jack lean the back of his hand against the ck shield.


    A small wave of white, holy energy pulsed out of Jack¡¯s hand and into the shield, then entering Duorda by default. Jack shed swords once again and was happy with the results.


    Reengaging with the holy knight via Sudden Death, Jack chuckled to himself, "So, that wasn¡¯t just some glitch."


    "You remembered! Magnificent!" Duordaughed as well.


    "How couldn¡¯t I? Everyone knew that resurrection spells would jam your draining ability, even if it¡¯s only for a second. Besides, that glitch was the only way for me to solo you back then," stated Jack, repelling the holy knight further back.


    "You soloed me? You¡¯re Jack_J.! You¡¯re him, right!" More excited than ever, both iterations of Duorda attacked Jack with a new sense of vigor.


    "You remember me? From a thousand years ago?"


    "How could I ever forget?!" Duorda shed against Jack¡¯s wind des to close the gap, attempting to reunite his two halves. "I¡¯m so d Daruun chose you in the end. Now I get to fight you for real! Don¡¯t hold back, Jack. You¡¯re giving me hope still!"


    Jack turned up the DPS as he refused to let the tag-team get back together. Spatial Disruption slowed the knights as Jack leaned into the holy knight¡¯s shield. A bright sh of light filled the room for a moment, leaving the deathly knight behind without Jack or his other half.


    That deathly knight cackled, still mentally connected to the white death knight and seeing everything on the other side. "Jack! A stupendous n, indeed!"


    Without anything to do, the ck death knight took a neutral stance and waited patiently.


    A second bright sh of light emerged else, far from the ny-ninth floor and Earthen Keep. The empty third floor of the Leisure Guild¡¯s storehouse suddenly had life reappear outside the small, abandoned town.


    Jack backed off for a moment and smiled at the holy knight. "Sorry if I don¡¯t have time to exin where we are, but fighting your two halves together would only make it harder for me. No one else is here and the floor has a lining of roxite so we won¡¯t destroy it."


    "Jack! A stupendous n, indeed!" the white death knightughed along with the hero. "Then hurry and finish me off. Be careful or you might be too weak to finish my other half."


    They shed again, only now Jack could divert his full attention to a single foe that couldn¡¯t steal Jack¡¯s health passively.


    Spatial shes flooded the area as Jack held nothing back. Combo attack afterbo attack with mes was paired with it the barrage as well. Simultaneously, Jack was utilizing Sudden Death to attack from a new angle with each barrage of strikes. Everything Jack did was purely to bring about the demise of the holy death knight.


    As Jack chipped away at the holy death knight, Jack noticed cracks and cuts appearing on the skeleton¡¯s body. It was still casting healing spells and focusing on defense, but Duorda¡¯s white half failed to keep up without the aid of his passive life drain ability. Such was the weakness of Duorda¡¯s unique ability. It was terrifying when both halves fought together but weakened when separated.


    Finally, Jack appeared just above the holy death knight and decapitated it after signs of damage were prominent on the head. Once the head was decapitated, the body still moved on its own of course, but Jack kept the disembodied head tucked under his elbow.


    With a big smile on his face, Jack then teleported again, leaving the scrambling body of the holy knight alone on the empty dungeon floor. Once its head was long gone, the skeleton fell to the ground,pletely inactive and motionless.

 Chapter 528 One Down And One To Go

    <h4>Chapter 528 One Down And One To Go</h4>


    Reappearing on the ny-ninth floor, Jackughed and tossed the white skull to the far-off entrance of the vast chamber.


    Seeing the action with his own eye sockets, both Duorda¡¯s ck body and white skull were hysterical as well. "Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!"


    "So, does that mean we can--"


    "Fight me, Jack!" Duorda insisted, not backing down at all. "Though my other half is incapacitated at the moment, to fulfill my purpose, you¡¯ll have to shatter at least one half of mine. Now hurry!


    Shrugging, Jack rushed to keep the initiative. Jack wasn¡¯t certain how long he could maintain his new transformation and he didn¡¯t want to find out the hard way.


    d that he wasn¡¯t bound by game logic, Jack allowed his mind to go through some intense mental acrobatics, pondering the best way to deal with the threat before him in as little time possible. Still defending himself, Jack felt the miasma get thicker as it condensed to cover less of the chamber and followed Jack around instead. He would need to be quick as Jack cast Greater Replenish for the fourth time in that long battle and watched his health get sapped away.


    Waves of powerful sword energy rocked against Jack as the ck death knight didn¡¯t dare to defend. Duorda relied wholly on his draining ability to make up for his purely offensive pursuit of Jack.


    The hero utilized Sudden death as an evasive tactic while pondering how to deal with the remaining half of the Yin-yang Death Knight. And hearing Duorda mention shattering one at least one half made Jack curious what would happen. It was clear to him that Duorda wasn¡¯t put at the bottom of Earthen Keep solely as a boss monster in-game. If Duorda had been on that ny-ninth floor since before gods had ascended, Duorda¡¯s true purpose and existence had to be something key to the world¡¯s design. In that case, Duorda and his true, hidden strength had to be connected to the world¡¯s creator.


    "What is Daruun to you?" Jack asked.


    "You¡¯ll learn after you ovee my existence," answered Duorda.


    Jack kept asking while he evaded all attacks, "But why did he put you down here? Does it have something to do with that door? Us heroes thought it was just decoration since you were the crypt lord yet we couldn¡¯t enter there even after defeating you. If it¡¯s not your crypt, then where does that door lead to?"


    Duorda chuckled as he hurled more sword attacks at the hero. "Defeat me as I am now and you¡¯ll learn all. That is my purpose and the purpose of that door..."


    "So..." Putting his gamer knowledge together with his gained knowledge of Kartonia, Jack inferred, "Does that door lead me to Daruun, perhaps?"


    Saying nothing in response, Duorda onlyughed and continued his charge. After a few more seconds, the false crypt lord stated, "If you only dodge, eventually my miasma will drain your life to nothing. Hurry and fulfill my purpose while I have hope for you. Don¡¯t die so easily!"


    "If you say so..." Jack was smiling, feeling that he had finally figured out one of the great mysteries that Daruun had never exined. He was only a single foe away from iming something he had longed to know of.


    Jack vanished from where he stood, reappearing to nk the ck death knight. However, Duorda felt the first of a few strikes cut into his back.


    The ck death knight ignored the visible image of Jack, letting it fade as it falsely attacked Duorda. With his ck, bone shield, Duorda covered his rear and defended himself from the barrage. As the attacks ceased, another image of Jack appeared but Duorda cut through it with a sword wave attack. He managed to defend the next invisible barrage, failing to block only the first strike.


    Now, two images of Jack appeared at the same time. Both were ready to hammer into the ck death knight mercilessly.


    "Good, but you¡¯ll need to try harder!" Duordaughed, slicing the two false images apart with sword waves.


    When no follow-up attack came, Duorda kept himself on guard. That proved to be a good decision when four thin, earthen walls boxed-in Duorda from all sides, bursting from the ground with great force.


    "Earth magic as well? I should¡¯ve expected as much with the centipede bloodline," still chuckling, Duorda turned in aplete circle to slice the four walls to pieces. Then, he found seven different images of Jack rushing him from all sides as well. "That¡¯s better!"


    The death knight worked as quickly as he could to attack each image. In case Jack had hidden himself among them, Duorda had to be sure they were all false while they were all still in the open.


    However, more walls of earth continued to erupt from the ground and block the many sword wave attacks. When the many images of Jack reached Duorda, he didn¡¯t have enough time to attack them all. Finally, he felt the pressure of being someone¡¯s prey.


    Another ck pulse spread through the room as Duorda shrunk the coverage of his miasma to deal more damage to all those inside. Now, it was patent enough to remove the false copies of Jack.


    As all seven of the images faded, Duorda readied himself to defend.


    He felt a sharp object sh into his back yet again. Eager for more, Duorda spun around to defend but was baffled by his findings.


    A small, sharp earthen pir was jutting out of the ground and stabbing Duorda¡¯s spine. It did little to no damage but it was enough to activate Duorda¡¯s defensive reactions. But it was toote to stop Jack and his onught.


    Holy energy flooded into Duorda¡¯s ck half as Jack cast Revivification on the skeleton. This was followed up by Time Stop, granting Jack time to cast more targeted attacks.


    While Jack had been evading, he had purchased the cheap, high-tier spell Earth Wall for fifty skill points. It was perfect tobo with his many illusions and worked to distract Duorda also. But that wasn¡¯t the only thing that Jack had purchased.

 Chapter 529 Thank You... Jack

    <h4>Chapter 529 Thank You... Jack</h4>


    Jack still had ten thousand nine hundred and seventy-six skill points. He didn¡¯t want to spend too many but Jack understood his situation. Without a powerful skill or spell to work as a finishing blow, Jack was going to fail and die.


    Some basic requirements needed to be filled by the chosen skill, such as: the attack shouldn¡¯t waste all of Jack¡¯s mana in one go, it should pair with one of Jack¡¯s bloodlines to increase its potency, there couldn¡¯t be a drawback or negative effect on the caster, and it needed to be an instantaneous attack that didn¡¯t need time to charge. These conditions helped Jack narrow his search and hasten his decision.


    Rendering Space was extremely powerful and unavoidable but it had to charge first, eliminating it. Jin¡¯s phasing swordy could prove impactful as well but it would take time to master outside of battle. Lina¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s many spells were tempting also but they had no affinity or boost from Jack¡¯s bloodlines. All of those options and more would be amazing to useter. At the moment, however, Jack was fighting an uphill battle to finish off a self-healing foe.


    Considering all of that, Jack spent one thousand and five hundred skill points on an attack that he hadn¡¯t personally witnessed. Hisrades had told him about the attack and its battle ending use during the battle against the syndicate after Jack had passed out.


    During that instance of Time Stop, at point-nk range, Jack¡¯s ming body spat out three balls of white and ck mes. They were much smaller than Jack had expected the fireballs to be muchrger given what he had heard from the others.


    Time Stop ended and Duorda had only a sliver of a second to notice the three fireballs appear out of thin air. They touched down on Duorda¡¯s shoulders and face at the same time though, not giving the death knight any opportunity to avoid what came next.


    Both Jack and Duorda were consumed in the eruption of all three fireballs. The ck miasma was burned away and Jack was d to have his me body active.


    Duorda, on the other hand, had no means of defense against such an outrageous point-nk attack. Heughed loudly, embracing the damage he took with glee. As a skeletal undead, Duorda had no sense of pain but Duorda understood that if he could feel it, that instance would¡¯ve been the most painful he had ever experienced, barely eclipsing one of the past challenger¡¯s attacks.


    Jack didn¡¯t let up though. While the fire expanded and toiled around him and Duorda, Jack was covering Duorda in a barrage of Spatial shes and cast Greater Replenish for the fifth time. His body was aching, nearing copse, but Jack refused to flee or die. After destroying Duorda¡¯s undead body Jack would willingly copse, but not till that moment.


    Three more fireballs were spat out as Jack paired Spatial shes with Sudden Death. His swarm of attacks kept Duorda on the ropes. The death knight wasn¡¯t able to heal via miasma as the fireballs were destroying all nearby miasma and Jack was attacking from a couple of meters so that Duorda¡¯s sword could physically connect with Jack.


    "Good! GOOD!" Duorda cackled, chasing after Jack while his skeletal body was gradually burning away. "You¡¯ve almost done it, Jack! Hit me again!"


    Since Duorda was giving him such advice, Jack did as he was told. While stepping back to avoid losing health to his sword, Jack cast Greater Replenish again to repeat the barrage with four fireballs this time.


    "Yes! Once more, Jack!"


    Cracks riddled Duorda as the living mes were impossible to quench, not without his currently-incapable white half. It was only a matter of time till his body was reduced to ash. He finally felt the threat of death and the satisfaction of fulfilling his purpose.


    "ONE MORE, JACK!" Duorda shouted again, doing everything in his power to harm jack with his sword.


    With sore veins and a weakening gaze, Jack recast Greater Replenish once more. Leaving nothing to chance, Jack spewed six fireballs and reserved all remaining mana to evasion.


    All six fireballs hit their target and all six exploded vigorously. The false crypt lord¡¯s body was covered in char and cracks. Portions of his limbs and parts were falling off as Duorda was now unable to run.


    The ck skeleton lost one foot and fell face-first to the ground,ughing harder than ever as his cries echoed in the vast chamber, "You did it... YOU DID IT!!!"


    Jack was also motionless. Dropping his transformation, Jack kept only the me body active until the miasma was too weak to threaten Jack¡¯s life. Then, Jack also fell to the ground but on to his knees and not his face.


    "Thank you... Jack..." Half of Duorda¡¯s ck skull was missing already and there was no stopping the mes from ruining the rest of him. "I¡¯m d... that Daruun... listened to me..."


    Out of breath and wheezing, Jack grasped at his chest. "What are you..." Jack failed to finish his sentence. His mental exhaustion paired with his physical aching to keep Jack¡¯s body and mind from functioning properly. All Jack could do was squint and watch as Duorda¡¯s body was being cremated at an incredible pace.


    "Take it... Take... the... key..."


    The final words of Duorda¡¯s ck, skeletal body weren¡¯t anything more than a whisper. They barely reached Jack nearby but were enough to grab the hero¡¯s weak mental focus.


    When there was only ash left behind, Jack saw the mes begin to die down. A dark glow, remained when the fire dwindled away, however. It came from under the ash, barely visible under its loose covering.


    Jack wanted to reach out and grab it but Jack didn¡¯t think he had the strength.


    Suddenly, Jack¡¯s aching body felt a rush of energy. The soreness was soothed partially and his body could at least move. By no means was Jack able to fight or act out in any way but at least he was mobile, to the extent of a crippled and hobbling old man.


    Using his swords as walking sticks, Jack got to his feet and slowly neared the ashy remains of the ck death knight. He painfully leaned over to brush away the ash. There Jack found something he had always wanted in-game. A pitch-ck key that matched the keyhole of therge ck door on the ny-ninth floor.

 Chapter 530 New Achievements and System Update?

    <h4>Chapter 530 New Achievements and System Update?</h4>


    Jack clutched the key with all his strength, which was just enough to keep a firm hold of it.


    Notifications were flooding the corner of Jack¡¯s vision, reminding Jack of the meaning behind his victory. Also, this prompted Jack to open the menu and notice something interesting.


    His level had gone up. It had shot up from the peak of lv. 88 to the very tip of lv. 89, giving some exnation for the minor relief that allowed Jack to hobble around. In fact, Jack¡¯s system showed that he still had a surplus of EXP that should¡¯ve propelled Jack directly into lv. 90. But Jack hadn¡¯t.


    After opening his notifications, however, Jack learned why. The first of many notifications caught Jack off guard.


    [Mandatory System Update]


    [Insufficient skill points to perform the process. Required: 30,000 skill points]


    Already weak from the fight, Jack groaned and fell back onto his rear. He knew that something was going to be expensive thanks to Daruun¡¯s advice but Jack didn¡¯t want it to be quite so costly.


    Jack allowed the other notifications to y through as well, letting his new achievements console him.


    [Who¡¯s the boss? I¡¯m the boss!:pleted]


    [New dungeon record!:pleted]


    [First ever victor:pleted]


    Opening them one by one, Jack imed the massive rewards with a tired smile and let their descriptions sink into his mind.


    [Who¡¯s the boss? I¡¯m the boss!: imed]


    [Sessfully take on more than one hundred coordinated experts over lv. 80 ande out on top. Legendary reward: 3,000 skill points.]


    [New dungeon record!: imed]


    [As a solo party, conquer all ny-nine floors of Earthen Keep in record time, even whenpared with hundred-man raids. Legendary reward: 4,000 skill points]


    [First ever victor: imed]


    [Be the first person in history to defeat the temple guardian, im the entrance¡¯s key, and gain the right to enter Daruun¡¯s Temple. Divine reward: 10,000 skill points]


    Twenty-six thousand four hundred and seventy-six skill points... Reading his new total filled Jack with satisfaction, only to remember that he was still short of paying for his system update. And that¡¯s not including how Jack felt knowing that all of his hard-earned points would imminently vanish in a single instance.


    Jack was still taking everything in for a moment, especially the confirmation of that door leading to Daruun¡¯s temple, when a familiar voice called out to him.


    "Hey, Jack! You forgot about me!"


    Looking near the entrance of the ny-ninth floor, Jack spotted the white skullying on the ground. "I thought..."


    "Tell you what," Duorda stated, "you take me to reunite with my body and I¡¯ll heal you up. How¡¯s that sound?"


    "Duorda... You just tried to kill me... And I¡¯m exhausted..." reasoned Jack. "If I tried to do that now... I¡¯d copse and--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯ll make sure you¡¯re able to walk in no time, just get me to my body," Duorda interrupted, unconvinced. "Besides, we¡¯re allies now. You may have used some dirty tricks to get the job done, but that¡¯s just the way the world works. You won fair and square. Now take me to my body and I¡¯ll patch you up before we go see Daruun."


    "We?" Jack sighed, taken aback by Duorda¡¯s bluntness.


    "Mhmm. Now pick me up and take me to my body!"


    "One sec..."


    Taking his time, Jack got up from his knees one leg at a time. Still using his "ded crutches", Jack gradually neared the disembodied skull. Finally, Jack picked the skull up and held it against his side. "How can you heal me like this? My body is a wreck on the inside. Magic can¡¯t--"


    "Magic can¡¯t fix anything, but I can," Duorda confidently responded. "You¡¯ll see. Just get me my body and you¡¯ll be feeling better in no time."


    Jack hesitated to forcefully use thest bit of mana he had. The only time he had felt relief from mana exhaustion was when Daruun had healed him after a sessful summoning. Tying Duorda to Daruun did help the skeleton¡¯s case though, as did the confirmation of Duorda being the guardian of Daruun¡¯s temple.


    "Fine... but you owe me one..."


    Duorda agreed, "Very well, now let¡¯s go!"


    Taking a deep breath, Jack felt thest of his mana squees out of his exhausted body. The pair was transported away and instantly arrived on the empty third floor of the storehouse.


    "Finally!" Duordaughed, spotting his body nearby. His bones came back to life, reassembling and rushing to pick up Duorda¡¯s skull. After reattaching his skull to his neck, Duorda moved around for a few seconds. "That¡¯s much better... You have no idea what it feels like to lose your body like that. Jack?"


    The white skeleton found the silent Jack lying on the ground. Shrugging, Duorda squatted over Jack to get a better look at the unconscious hero.


    "He really did a number on himself. I can¡¯t heal that without time, at least not fully..."


    Holy energy washed over Duorda¡¯s bony hands as the skeleton pressed into Jack¡¯s chest. Rather than pure, shining holy energy, however, the holy energy that Duorda used was murky and cloudy, like the draining miasma from earlier but white.


    A few momentster, Jack sighed and blinked. He was unsure as to how, but Jack was waking up to the sight of the strange holy energy.


    "What... What kind of energy is that?" Jack asked, certain that it wasn¡¯t anything he¡¯d ever seen before.


    "It¡¯s not magic," answered Duorda. "I¡¯m not originally from Kartonia, so my full abilities can¡¯t be exined with your logic. Now stand up. I did my best so I¡¯m sure you can at least run around."


    Taking Duorda¡¯s advice, Jack jumped to his feet. Some soreness lingered across all of Jack¡¯s joints and muscles, even his veins, but Jack could move without any real pain at least.


    "Now, take us back. I gave you some mana and Daruun is waiting for us," stated Duorda, catching Jack¡¯s attention.


    cing a hand on Duorda¡¯s shoulder, Jack used Greater Teleportation to carry the two of them back to the ny-ninth floor.

 Chapter 531 Daruuns... Office?

    <h4>Chapter 531 Daruun¡°s... Office?</h4>


    Back to the vast chamber, Jack was surprised to now feel any added aching from using mana again. But Duorda rushed off without saying another word to Jack.


    The white skeleton hurried to the remains of his other half, chuckling to himself. "Come on, don¡¯t waste any time now!"


    White cloudy energy leaked out of the white skeleton, matched by a ck murky energy oozing out of the ashes. When the two energies intermingled, Jack was left in awe. The conglomerate energy was returning to the ashes and the ashes were condensing to reform pitch-ck bones.


    "What... What are you?!" Jack shouted in question.


    "This is my other half, so how can it be killed so easily?"ughed the skeleton. "Just give me a few moments."


    Jack watched as the bones were being recreated at a visible speed. He didn¡¯t know what to say or think as Duorda¡¯s other half was back to its former self in just over a minute. As the two halves walked back into each other, they reformed the dark-grey skeleton that Jack had always known as Crypt Lord Duorda.


    "That¡¯s much better! Now let¡¯s go!" Duorda grabbed Jack by the hand and began to drag him toward the door.


    "Wait! What about the items and my tomb?!" Jack shouted.


    "Oh, is that why you came down here?" tilting his head, Duorda asked.


    Nodding, Jack replied, "Yeah, I can¡¯t leave without that."


    "Then find you¡¯re tomb after talking to Daruun. Those items belong to my summons, so don¡¯t even think about taking any more of them. You should feel gracious that I¡¯m allowing you to keep what you¡¯ve already stolen from me," reasoned Duorda. "Either way, open the door already! I¡¯ve wanted to visit home since the moment Kartonia came into existence!"


    "You¡¯ve been down here that long?!"


    "Just hurry up! It took long enough to find someone strong enough to beat me. There¡¯s no reason for us to wait any longer!"


    Jack retrieved the key and carefully ced it inside therge keyhole. He admired the workmanship of the small stairway and the tall doorway as Jack turned the key.


    "... Click..."


    When the lock was undone, Duorda pulled Jack¡¯s hand back along with the key. The sound of moving rubble filled the area as the doors gradually started to slide into the sides of the doorway. Their parting revealed a giant rift in space contained within the tall doorway. Spatial energy ebbed and flowed like it did for the spell Spatial Rift, only there were also streaks and shes of bright green constantly mixing with the purple energy.


    "A rift?" Jack turned to Duorda with a question.


    "No, a gate. Now go!"


    Not letting Jack waste another second of his time, Duorda pped Jack¡¯s back harshly, sending the hero into the spatial energy without any choice in the matter. The skeleton followed closely as well and rushed into the spatial gate full of anticipation.


    Once both persons had disappeared from the gate, the tall doors began to reseal themselves. In moments, no one would be able to know where Jack and Duorda had gone, let alone that they had recently been on the ny-ninth floor.


    On the other end, Jack continued his fall andnded t on his face. His travel was instantaneous. There was no pause or moment of euphoria to give Jack time to stop his fall.


    Duorda proudly stepped out of the purple energy, letting a simr pair of doors from the ny-ninth floor close on the gate he just exited. "Stop fooling around, Jack. We shouldn¡¯t keep Daruun waiting, not when I haven¡¯t seen him in so long!"


    A skeletal hand reached down and picked Jack up from the ground. Then, Duorda looked around the corridor of pure-white marble with pride. He admired the translucent crystals that were installed in the ceilings like chandeliers, lighting the entire space to the point that no shadow was present.


    Jack followed the skeleton and was amazed by the craftsmanship and purity of everything around him. "So... this is Daruun¡¯s temple?"


    "ording to Kartonia, yes," answered Duorda, "but we¡¯ve already left Kartonia so I¡¯m not sure we should use its Kartonian name. Just call it what the rest of the district calls it, Daruun¡¯s personal office."


    "WHAT?!"


    "Is that too hard for you? If you don¡¯t call it an office, then what else could it--"


    "We¡¯re not in Kartonia?!" Jack¡¯s shock was apparent as his questions echoed through the corridor. "How are we not in Kartonia?! Isn¡¯t this--"


    ¡¯Shh! Please, Jack, don¡¯t yell so loudly! I¡¯m withpany at the moment so wait with Duorda in the lounge.¡¯


    ¡¯Daruun... How can--¡¯


    ¡¯Wait, Jack. I¡¯m busy right now. Be patient,¡¯ Daruun added, ending the conversation sinctly.


    "Come on, Jack. You heard him," Duorda stated, leading Jack by the arm yet again. "Everything will get exined if you just wait."


    "But we¡¯re not even in Kartonia... I¡¯m sure my friends and family are--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about them, Jack, at least not while you¡¯re here," Duorda interjected. "Obviously, you¡¯ve met Daruun before. During those meetings, don¡¯t you remember how Daruun would pause time while you talked?"


    "Yeah... Are you saying that time is paused right now?!"


    "Not exactly..." Duorda used his bony finger to itch his scalpless skull. "It¡¯s not that Daruun has paused time again, it¡¯s more like we¡¯ve entered an almost timeless bubble. In here, time moves much slower, letting Daruun have as much time as he needs to run the Fate District and keep it running in tip-top shape."


    "So... Time isn¡¯t stopped but we¡¯re currently in a timeless zone?" Jack tried to rephrase it in a way his brain could better process the information.


    "Sure, close enough." shrugging, Duorda took the lead and began walking down the corridor. "Are youing? If you can¡¯t keep up you¡¯ll get lost, then there¡¯s no telling where or when you¡¯ll end up."


    Terrified of that thought, Jack darted to catch up with the proud skeleton while taking in the picture-perfect atmosphere that made up the giant building that Duorda simplybeled as an office.

 Chapter 532 Void?? Cosmicians???

    <h4>Chapter 532 Void?? Cosmicians???</h4>


    It took what Jack assumed was thirty minutes to reach the luxurious yetfortable lounge, at least thirty minutes ording to Kartonia¡¯s clock.


    "Take a seat. If you¡¯re hungry, just ask for something," Duorda stated, falling back cozily on a recliner.


    "What do you--"


    Before Jack could ask what Duorda meant, a small puff of smoke appeared beside the hero. From that puff of smoke emerged an ethereal being wearing attire only fit for a tiny butler. "How may I help you, sir?"


    "Ummm..." Struck dumb, Jack needed a moment to process the situation further.


    "He¡¯ll have the chef¡¯s special," Duorda answered in Jack¡¯s ce, guessing the hero hadn¡¯t eaten a proper meal since entering Earthen Keep. "I¡¯ll have arge cosmix."


    "It will be right out." The small, illusory butler bowed gracefully and puffed away as quickly as he had appeared.


    Still taking things in, Jack sat down and asked, "What was that?"


    "That¡¯s a spirit construct. It¡¯s a being created by proportionatelybining spirits into a single being."


    "That¡¯s possible?!"


    "Of course! If not, I wouldn¡¯t exist!"


    Straining his eyes, Jack stared carefully at Duorda. "You¡¯re... You¡¯re a spirit construct? You¡¯re not just some summoned undead?"


    "No! I¡¯m not such a lowly creature!" spat Duorda. "I¡¯ll let you know that I¡¯m a high-ss construct, made from only the most powerful of spirits. My bones aren¡¯t truly bones. This skeleton I inhabit was created by Daruun long ago to house my hand-crafted soul."


    "Hand... crafted..." Just when Jack thought his mind was overwhelmed, learning Duorda¡¯s true identity was enough to cause an emergency shut down.


    "Come on, Jack. Speak up. If you have more questions, I¡¯ll answer them while Daruun¡¯s busy," continued Duorda. "I promised you that you¡¯d learn all, so ask away."


    "Right..." Jack took a few minutes to quiet his turbulent mind and bring the most ring questions to the front. "So... You¡¯re a construct... and your soul was man-made?"


    "I prefer hand-crafted," corrected Duorda, "as it proves that I was created with the utmost care."


    "Okay... Does that mean you¡¯ve always been serving Daruun?"


    "I¡¯ve been with him all my life. The only period of time where we were apart was after I be the guardian of Kartonia¡¯s spatial gate," answered Duorda. "Apart from that, I¡¯ve lost count of the millennia that I¡¯ve spent in his service."


    "Are all constructs like that?"


    "Like what?"


    "Are all constructs obedient to their master?" Jack rephrased his question.


    "Oh, you want to know if we¡¯re ves to our creators? Some people do that but not Daruun. He knows better than that," Duorda stated.


    Another puff of smoke appeared, revealing the illusory butler and the two tinum-white domes in his hands. "Here you are."


    Therger dome was ced on the side table near Jack and the smaller dome was ced beside Duorda. "Is there anything else you desire?"


    "That¡¯ll be all. Thank you." Duorda waved and smiled while lifting the dome off the tter. He picked up therge cocktail ss and sighed, "If we need anything more... we¡¯ll call for you."


    "Of course. Please do," the butler replied with onest bow and disappeared again.


    To Jack¡¯s surprise, Duorda put the multicolored cocktail to his teeth and slowly poured it. The hero watched as the multicolored drink trickled down Duorda¡¯s bones, perplexed. However, Jack was further astonished as the multicolored liquid seeped into Duorda¡¯s bones before it could reach the seat cushions or stain Duoarda¡¯s tattered robes.


    "What? Got a thing for skeletons?" Duorda asked, catching Jack¡¯s obvious stares. "Sorry, Jack, I don¡¯t swing that way."


    "No!" Jack¡¯s eyes darted away, making sure that such a statement wouldn¡¯t be made again. "I just... What is that drink exactly?"


    "Of all the things you want to know and you¡¯re curious about my cocktail? Did you hit your head during our fight or something?"


    "I¡¯m just curious why it absorbs into your bones," stated Jack, not giving Duorda more time to mock him.


    "Oh... I guess that makes sense. It¡¯s called a ¡¯cosmix¡¯. Across the void, it¡¯s the most famous drink among cosmicians or any being that functions on cosmic energy."


    "Void? And cos... what?"


    "The ¡¯void¡¯ is what we call the vastness that makes up our gxy. We call it the void as it¡¯s still filled with mystery, danger, and new findings or challenges," answered Duorda. "Also, anyone that is able to absorb and utilize cosmic energy is a cosmician. Technically, all the gods of Kartonia would count as cosmicians as well, albeit that almost all of them are clueless of that fact."


    "Wait, does that mean all cosmicians are that powerful?"


    "Compared to Kartonia¡¯s standards, yes," stated Duorda. "Kartonia is a special case, though. It may not have created many cosmicianspared to other worlds but the few cosmicians Kartonia has are all quite powerful in their own right. Compared to most one-stars, Kartonia¡¯s cosmicians would all fair exceedingly well."


    "What¡¯s a ¡¯one-star¡¯?"


    Sighing, Duorda continued after finishing his drink. "The scale for a cosmician¡¯s strength are called stars. Across the void, one-star cosmicians are powerful enough to travel from one world to the next without the aid of technology. But that¡¯s still incredibly slow and dangerous so it¡¯s not rmended by any means.


    "A two-star cosmician can traverse the space between half a dozens without needing to rest. Three-stars can travel to a a few dozens over, and so on," exined Duorda, leaving Jack enraptured.


    "The reason Kartonia is special is because Daruun created it specifically to breed select cosmicians with great potential for growth. Do I need to exin more or are you smart enough to figure out the rest?"


    "Then... The reason Halmut¡¯s racing to pass lv. 99... But why would Daruun want that, and why hasn¡¯t Halmut ascended yet?" Jack rambled and mumbled to himself in thought.


    "Halmut?" Looking back to Jack, Duorda asked, "Halmut¡¯s the one about to leave? I thought Skaryn would¡¯ve beaten him for sure!"


    "What do you mean?" Jack asked, caught off guard again.


    "Halmut was strong but Skaryn was stronger. Along with Moranti, those three were the only others that managed to get me to fight all-out like you did. Sure, they ran away in the end but they still managed to put up a fight, especially Skaryn."

 Chapter 533 Halmut Defeated Skaryn... Impossible?!

    <h4>Chapter 533 Halmut Defeated Skaryn... Impossible?!</h4>


    "Skaryn was stronger?"


    Duorda nodded and continued, "Most definitely. If the duo was allowed to fight me together, they would¡¯ve won without any questions but that¡¯s not allowed when challenging the temple. Halmut fought well but Skaryn was the reason why Halmut escaped with his life. He stepped in to challenge me before I could kill Halmut and im him as a summon, even killing each of my bodies a few times, while Halmut only killed me once or twice."


    "The difference is that wide?" Jack asked rhetorically, trying to grasp that concept.


    "So, tell me, Jack. How has Halmut managed to pass Skaryn after bing cosmicians?"


    Looking back to Duorda, Jack shrugged. "I have no clue. All of my knowledge about Kartoniaes from either well after they each created their own godly factions or after Halmut defeated Skaryn during the godly war."


    "What?! You can¡¯t be serious!" Duorda sat up and faced Jack directly. "They separated? Why would they do that?! Bybining forces they would¡¯ve easily been one of the most formidable one-star duos in the district!"


    "I don¡¯t know anything about that. All I know is that they separated and that Moranti eventually reced Halmut as Skaryn¡¯s beastpanion," Jack answered.


    "Really... Well, I can understand why Moranti would be a good recement, at least. He performed equally as well as Halmut during our duel and didn¡¯t need Skaryn to step in either, all with only two energy types," Duorda acknowledged. "I assume there was some manner of falling out and Skaryn didn¡¯t want to lose the dynamic he had grown ustomed to, choosing the most suitable recement in Moranti. But now I¡¯m too curious about their separation..."


    "Then ask Daruun," stated Jack. "If anyone would know--"


    "It would be Daruun!" Duorda finished Jack¡¯s sentence, agreeing with the hero. "Do you know how their fight went?"


    "Between Halmut and Skaryn? They fought over Kustram and wiped the ind nation off the map. In the end, Skaryn was sealed away and Halmut was forced to go into hiding for five hundred years to heal his wounds."


    Duorda stared back at Jack, struggling to believe such a thing. "Sealed? How could Halmut seal anyone? He was terrible at inscriptions! Skaryn was his superior in that field, I¡¯m certain."


    "How are you--"


    "When Skaryn gets serious, he fights using seals. That¡¯s why I give Skaryn the edge over Halmut. That man almost sealed away my ck form and became the first to conquer my purpose!" Duorda stated in a matter of fact manner. "Skaryn may not like to use such tactics most of the time but he¡¯s plenty capable with seals and inscriptions. I refuse to believe that Halmut sealed away such a man!"


    "Well... that¡¯s what happened. That I can guarantee. I even have proof of the seal."


    "Then show me this proof!"


    Shaking his head, Jack added, "I don¡¯t have it on me. I gave the enchantment key to Daruun for safekeeping."


    "Enchantment key? You¡¯re telling me that Halut not only sealed Skaryn but did so with an enchantment soplex it created a key?"


    "It created five keys," corrected Jack. "I¡¯ve only found one of them, though."


    "Five keys?! That¡¯s absurd! There¡¯s no way Halmut could¡¯ve ever done that!" insisted Duorda. "If Halmut had such capabilities, he never would¡¯ve lost to me. He would¡¯ve defeated me easily and imed the main role in Daruun¡¯s ns long ago."


    "Wait... The main role? What¡¯s that supposed to mean?" asked Jack, changing the subject.


    Sighing to calm himself down, Duorda stated, "We¡¯lle back to the topic of Halmut and Skarynter, as I refuse to leave it there. Now, as for what the main role entails, I only know so much.


    "My purpose was to be the final challenge and the proof of potential for all candidates vying for that role. I¡¯ve lost count of how many millennia I waited, which is why I was so anxious to have you defeat me. Finally, someone has imed that role and you¡¯ll now receive a full briefing from Daruun about what he needs from you, as well as reassign me to something new.


    Trying to piece some form of an idea together, Jack asked, "Does this n involve what you said earlier, about how Kartonia was made to create powerful cosmicians?"


    "Exactly, and you¡¯re the strongest yet, showing the most potential. Not only can you wield so many energy types but you can blend them in impromptu strategies and ovee apletely unknown foe with urate assumptions about my weaknesses or strengths," reasoned Duorda. "If you hadn¡¯t separated my body so unexpectedly, then you would¡¯ve never won at lv. 88."


    "Why are you so sure?" asked Jack, lifting an eyebrow. "Who said I was going--"


    "To resurrect myself is not difficult, Jack," Duorda continued. "I was created with an undying soul and a forever reconstructing body. I can¡¯t be killed, apart from a power vastly above my own shredding apart every microscopic piece of my existence. If you hadn¡¯t separated my bodies, then the remains of my fallen body would¡¯ve self-revived passively while you fought my remaining body. It¡¯s a vicious cycle that Daruun wanted to test people to their limits.


    "Yet you were on another levelpared to them. Sure, Skaryn was close to defeating me but you did it so quickly that I wasn¡¯t sure what was happening until you had already separated my two bodies. Since you had concealed your greatest strength so well, I was caught off guard and defeated far quicker than I had ever imagined."


    Seeing Jack remain in silent thought, Duorda added, "Jack, you¡¯re most definitely the person Master Daruun is looking for."


    "It makes sense... considering Daruun basically made me who I am..." stated Jack.


    Slightly startled, Duorda leaned toward Jack. "Mind borating? I¡¯d love to learn how you became so capable. And if Daruun was the cause of that, then I¡¯m intrigued all the more."


    Jack smiled and let out a long sigh. He blinked a few times to verify that he wasn¡¯t dreaming before returning his full attention to Duorda.

 Chapter 534 A Surreal Meal

    <h4>Chapter 534 A Surreal Meal</h4>


    "You¡¯ll understand better than anyone else from Kartonia, so I¡¯ll keep it simple," stated Jack. "Originally, I¡¯m from a different world under Daruun and he tested me before sending my soul to Kartonia in a new body. My old body was the one that faced you long ago as Jack J., but my new body is very different. I can learn any magic type but not through regr training. Apart from spellbooks, I can only learn magic and skills through my partypanions.


    "By having a variety of party members, friends, and beastpanions, I¡¯ve managed to be what I am today. I used my understanding of the world to restart my journey and level up faster than anyone had expected," continued Jack, still keeping Duorda¡¯s full attention.


    "I¡¯ve been called Daruun¡¯s champion and even carry his crest, marking me as Daruun¡¯s ambassador. It has--"


    "WHAT?!" Duorda shouted all of a sudden. "You carry Daruun¡¯s crest?! You were already his ambassador before you defeated me?! Show me this crest!"


    Obliging, Jack retrieved the small gem-like sphere and held it up for Duorda to see clearly.


    "That... Daruun had already approved of you..." Lost in his own thought, Duorda paused for a moment. "... Please... go on..."


    Jack was surprised by Duorda¡¯s jarring reaction but continued, "After I started taking Daruun¡¯s advice more seriously, I finally started to make a bigger name for myself in Kartonia and reimed my old guild. Now, I¡¯m helping the neutral gods face the holy gods led by Halmut.


    "All I¡¯ve been told so far is that I need to stop Halmut and the other gods from wrecking the entire world. I assumed that passing lv. 99 was involved in that but till now I didn¡¯t know anything else."


    Nodding, Duorda carefully processed everything Jack said. A few secondster, Duorda chuckled, "I guess we both have a lot to learn from Daruun, today... Make sure to eat up beforehand, or you¡¯ll regret missing out on a delicacy."


    The hero had almostpletely forgotten about the white dome at his side. Jack took Duorda¡¯s advice and lifted the dome to be perplexed by what he found.


    "What¡¯s it today?" Duorda asked, curiously watching Jack reveal the contents of the dome. "Oh! You¡¯re in for a treat today!"


    "Really?" Unconvinced, Jack stared at the te before him.


    There was only a single item on the te, a brick of what Jack assumed was in grey gtin. Though there were intricate patterns across the gtin¡¯s surface, that was only due to the mold and not the gtin itself. Nothing about the meal left Jack excited.


    "What do you know?!" spat Duorda. "If my body had the means to process such a delicacy, then I¡¯d be reeling from anticipation. You know nothing of cuisine!"


    "Then tell me, what is this? Why should I get excited over some grey slop from a fancy mold?"


    Rushing to his feet, Duorda looked down on Jack. He stepped forward quickly and pped Jack across the face. "How dare you call an astral terrine slop?!"


    "A what?"


    "An astral terrine! One of the finest, most sought after meals any cosmician would dream to find. The cost alone is astronomical, yet it¡¯s wasted on your inferior tastes and biases. How shameful..."


    Rubbing his cheek with one hand, Jack looked back down at the gtin-like substance. "You¡¯re telling me... that this thing is a delicacy for cosmicians?"


    "It¡¯s the greatest meal ever presented to your insignificant eyes, evident by your failure to appreciate its true significance," stated Duorda. "Before uttering any more shameful words, taste it and discover just how wrong you are!"


    "If you say so..."


    Jack wasn¡¯t opposed to trying it, believing that it had to be something special being served in Daruun¡¯s office, despite the underwhelming appearance of the dish. He took the fork and knife delivered with the dome and casually cut off a piece.


    The terrine jiggled, still mimicking gtin, and appeared to be the same color throughout, unlike any terrine that Jack had ever had or heard of prior. But he didn¡¯t doubt Duorda¡¯s im. Lifting it to his mouth, Jack promptly took a bite.


    Silence. The entire world went quiet.


    Jack¡¯s mind shut down momentarily as his taste buds were assaulted and caressed at the same time. Nothing came to Jack¡¯s mind. The vors were entirely iprehensible and the texture waspletely unexpected. Though it looked like gtin on Jack¡¯s fork, the texture of the terrine melted in Jack¡¯s mouth like a tender steak. But the vors were all over the ce yet bnced at the same time. Euphoria overwhelmed Jack as the vors were changing and seemingly dancing across the surface of Jack¡¯s mouth.


    Unbeknownst to Jack, his eyes were wide open and staring nking at the floor as he savored and chewed on the terrine. Before Jack couldprehend any of one part of the experience, the first bite of food was already gone.


    Jack eagerly took another bite, and another... After hurriedly devouring the entire terrine, Jack only came to his senses after hearing the clink between his fork and the empty te. A moment of sadness passed over Jack briefly as his body instinctually longed for more despite how the simple serving expanded and filled his stomach to the brim.


    "What do you say now?"


    Reminded of reality, Jack blinked and looked to find Duorda lounging where he once was.


    "Do you regret your past statement?" asked Duorda, knowing full well that Jack¡¯s mind waspletely changed. "You should feel lucky to be able to experience such a thing. Never take it for granted again or I¡¯ll truly get mad."


    "Sorry... I... I was wrong..." Jack shook his head, still vividly remembering the experience the terrine offer him. "Sorry for doubting you, Duorda."


    "It seems you two are getting along quite well."


    Both Jack and Duorda recognized that voice, turning to the side with eagerness.


    Daruun motioned to the man standing beside him and added, "Sorry for the wait, but my guest and I had some urgent business to discuss."

 Chapter 535 Shattered Perceptions of the Universe

    <h4>Chapter 535 Shattered Perceptions of the Universe</h4>


    Jack thought nothing of Daruun¡¯s appearance, finding the wait to be expected.


    Duorda, on the other hand, spotted the man beside Daruun and immediately bowed. "Master Daruun, Master Ss, please forgive my ignorance. Had I known that--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." The guest chuckled and waved.


    At the same time, Jack bowed to follow Duorda¡¯s example and got a good look at the mystery man.


    There were a few things that left Jack confused and quite curious, such as the man having only one arm and a scarred face hidden by a vizor covering the man¡¯s eyes. Assuming that the guest had strength in the ballpark of Daruun¡¯s, Jack thought such injuries would get healed properly. Instead, the man made no intention of hiding his missing limb, not wearing a coat and having a custom, single-colored shirt that was fitted around what remained of his left shoulder. The scar, which seemed toe from something acid-rted, covered the majority of the man¡¯s forehead, eyes, and cheeks.


    "So, you¡¯re the one Daruun¡¯s been talking abouttely?" asked the man, turning to Jack with a smile.


    Jack was left feeling even more confused the moment the man¡¯s eyesnded on the hero. While Jack felt absolutely nothing from the man in terms of energy, Jack felt as if his entire being was naked to the man before him. Not even Daruun had given Jack such a feeling, not with a single nce alone.


    "You¡¯re good... I approve."


    "Thank you, Ss," stated Daruun, catching Jack and Duorda off guard. "Then I¡¯ll inform them of their next objectives. And thanks again for stopping by. Your advice is always appreciated."


    "Think nothing of it. I know where to find the gate so I¡¯ll see myself out." Lifting his one arm, Ss waved and smiled as he turned away from the three men. "Best of luck! I hope he lives up to your expectations..."


    Daruun turned his attention to the two remaining people, who were both watching Daruun¡¯s guest leave in awe of different things. "Duorda, calm down. Ss only came for a visit. Nothing is wrong or out of order at the moment."


    "I¡¯m d to hear that... Thank you for reassuring me, Master Daruun." Duorda gave Daruun another quick bow before regathering himself.


    "Jack," Daruun chuckled, "I know you¡¯re curious about Ss and why I admire him so much, but let¡¯s discuss this in my office. Come, follow me."


    Nodding, the silent hero let his eyes linger on the fading silhouette of the man down the opposite hall. Once Jack could no longer see him, Jack finally looked to Daruun in anticipation.


    The three men were silent for the next fifteen minutes as they took their time to reach Daruun¡¯s personal office. Inside, Jack and Duorda sat in front of Daruun, forming a small triangle. Daruun sat at his deck, which made a "U" along three walls. The only side uncovered was where Jack, Duorda, and any other guest would sit. This let Daruun have his workspace while also allowing him to feel more personable with anyone visiting him, not having his desk sit between him and those he spoke with.


    "Alright, Jack, you¡¯ve finally earned the right to ask me anything and everything. Also, I¡¯ll make sure to exin what Duorda meant in calling you the ¡¯main role¡¯ of my future ns," Daruun stated with a casual smile. "I assume you want to hear about Ss before you get caught up in everything else I¡¯m about to say?"


    Jack nodded. "Please, tell me why the man I¡¯ve seen as omnipotent and omniscient wanted another man¡¯s opinion. And, who is Ss exactly? Given that you asked his opinion on things, is he also involved in your ns for me?"


    "Those are all great questions. For now, given your current strength, I won¡¯t exin everything about Ss in too much detail. After you¡¯re stronger, then I¡¯d feel morefortable with that," answered Daruun, getting another nod from Jack. "And no. Ss¡¯s scar and missing limb are real injuries that he experienced in the past, which were irreversible even for a man of his strength.


    "Ss is a man that I¡¯m working closely with and a man that I greatly respect. I wouldn¡¯t say that he¡¯s involved in my original ns for you, Jack, but you might decide to work with Ss as well in the future, after you¡¯ve fulfilled the ns I have."


    "Is he stronger than you?" Jack asked, focused entirely on Daruun and his answer.


    Immediately, as if out of reflex, Daruun nodded. "I can¡¯tpare with him at all, believe it or not. And since we¡¯re on the topics of strength, allow me to educate you more on how strong cosmicians are and how the void is governmentally structured.


    "Master Daruun--"


    "Wait, Duorda, I promise that my ramblings will touch on your questions as well" Daruun added, lifting a hand toward the skeletal construct. "Jack, simr to what you knew from your life on your original, There are manys that make up a system. However, the size of what you called a system and what we call a system are iparable. A system by your previous standards was less than a dozens. A system by true standards is made up of more than one thousands, many of which are life-bearing."


    Shattering Jack¡¯s expectations with just that, Daruun continued to wake up the hero from his drastically false view of the universe, "Also, a system is the smallest level of intergctic government. Remember, not all life-bearings know that they are a part of a system while many do know to an extent. To govern a system, one must be a one-star cosmician."


    "That¡¯s it?! Then... doesn¡¯t--"


    "Yes, all the gods of Kartonia would qualify for such a position," Daruun answered. "But, as I said, that¡¯s the most basic level of governance. It takes at least one thousand systems to make up a precinct. To govern a precinct, one must be a two-star cosmician. Or, just as you¡¯ve assumed, one must be strong enough to break through the artificial barrier that I¡¯ve ced around Kartonia and surpass lv. 99."

 Chapter 536 The Vastness of the Void

    <h4>Chapter 536 The Vastness of the Void</h4>


    "Howe--"


    "Jack, I¡¯ll exin Halmut¡¯s incapability to surpass lv. 99 after I finish speaking about the tiers of governance. For now, pay attention because it¡¯s pivotal that you understand this," Daruun continued, not letting Jack interrupt him.


    "To recap, it takes over one thousands to form a system and at least one thousand systems to form a precinct. The next tier up is a zone, made up of at least five hundred precincts. And as you may have guessed, the one chosen to govern a zone must be at least a three-star cosmician. Are you keeping up?"


    With his expectations and former beliefs utterly annihted, Jack nodded. He let Daruun continue. It was a good thing that Daruun was exining things so simply, otherwise, Jack was sure he would be in over his head.


    "Then, following zones are sectors. A sector is made up of one hundred or so zones and governed by at least a four-star cosmician," Picking up where he left off, Daruun let his exnation rock Jack¡¯s mental limits further. "Finally, afterbining at least a dozen sectors, we have a district."


    "So..."


    "Yes, you remembered correctly. I¡¯m the one in charge of the Fate District, formally known as District 14," added Daruun.


    "District 14... how many districts are there?"


    Smiling, Daruun replied, "Within the void, there are a total of twenty-eight districts. Though a district¡¯s given name, such as the Fate District, can change based on the current ruler, the number assigned to a district is unchangeable.


    "A district¡¯s number is based on its location within the void. The districts on the outskirts of the void are known as the Outlying Districts or the Outliers, ranging from District 28 to District 17. Those are the weakest districts. They may have the most worlds and cover the most space, but the quantity and quality of cosmicians that emerge from there are less than any district with a lower number. This is apparent as most all of them are governed by only a five-star cosmician.


    Daruun exined, "As you get further into the center of the void, you¡¯ll find the districts with a good foundation of strength but not the strongest. Those are the Interval Districts or the Intervals and they range from District 16 to District 7. There are, however, some people that segregate the Intervals into two groups but that¡¯s nothing official, only thoughts of Districts 11 through 7 sometimes having a superiorityplex."


    "Then..." Jack was connecting more dots as he barely kept up with the mental marathon of an exnation. "As the leader of District 14... Are you--"


    "I¡¯m a six-star cosmician. You¡¯ve assumed correctly," Daruun answered, leaving Jack speechless. "Don¡¯t lose me now, Jack. I¡¯m almost finished giving you a mental diagram of the universe as we know it.


    "As a side note, you¡¯ve also guessed correctly about the subsidiary tiers of government within the Intervals. As the Intervals¡¯ district leaders are at least six-stars, one star more than the Outliers¡¯ district leaders, their lower tiers of government sometimes follow that same trend, especially for Districts 11 through 7. So, in a way, their asional superiorityplex has some merit. Are you still with me?"


    "Yeah... just give me... another moment..." admitted Jack.


    Daruun obliged, waiting a couple of minutes until Jack was ready for more. "Now, after the Intervals are the Core Districts or the Core. Those are the remaining districts, ranging from District 6 to District 1, and they are the most powerful. Seven-star cosmicians and above are the only beings qualified to run such a district."


    "How high does--"


    "Seven-stars are already at the very peak of the void," Daruun stated. "As for eight-stars, one hand is enough to count all eight-stars across the void. Nine-stars... are nonexistent and things of legend."


    "It goes that high..." Jack couldn¡¯t help but be humbled. His perception had already changed after entering Kartonia inparison to his original world. After finally surpassing his old self and being on the cusp of immortality, Jack¡¯s self-confidence was at an all-time high. But being at an all-time high only allowed Jack to be humbled all the more, drastically plummeting after realizing how insignificant his strength actually was.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Jack. You¡¯re actually in a better position than the majority of cosmicians experienced, including me," mentioned Daruun. "After you break through Kartonia and enter the void, you¡¯ll understand just how lucky you are. If I¡¯ve be a six-star through my path, then you should be able to do the same in far less time, so long as you keep at it."


    Touched by Daruun¡¯s words, Jack asked, "Compared to other one-stars, how do I stack up?"


    "I¡¯d say you¡¯re quite average, to be honest."


    "But you said--"


    "Jack, you still haven¡¯t ascended," Daruun continued, reminding Jack of the true situation. "You faced Duorda, someone I personally constructed to be one of the most powerful one-stars after he¡¯s permitted to officially ascend. That alone puts you in the upper echelon of all one-stars the moment you ascend.


    "But thanks to the unusual barrier surrounding Kartonia, you¡¯ll enter the void with a leg up. As a two-star, you¡¯ll be more prepared for the initial challenges of the void and have the best odds to survive. Only after your initial experiences within the void will you be challenged to expand your limits again and again.


    "Of course..." sighing, Daruun added, "Should you be satisfied with being a two-star, then I won¡¯t me you. You¡¯re more than wee to do as you see fit. It¡¯s your life to live after all. Should you choose rxation, I won¡¯t interfere in your life further, no matter the situation."


    Jack tried to swallow some saliva but failed to find any in his dry throat. He appreciated the thought of rxing with his family and loved ones. But there also was the thought of what may happen if Jack and his family were confronted by anyone stronger than him. Living under the rules and dominion of another wasn¡¯t something Jack liked by any means, not when he didn¡¯t know that person or that person could act however cruelly as they wished.

 Chapter 537 Daruuns True Intentions

    <h4>Chapter 537 Daruun¡°s True Intentions</h4>


    "Daruun... Is there--"


    "Just because I¡¯m the leader of the entire district doesn¡¯t mean I can alter everyw of the countless systems, precincts, and zones," Daruun answered. "So long as a leader is qualified in terms of strength and produces results worthy of respect from their peers, it¡¯s hard to outright denounce them or force their submission. That¡¯s just how it goes within a free district."


    "A free district?"


    borating, Daruun continued, "Each district¡¯sws vary to an extent. A few intergcticws exist thanks to the District Council, which governs the entirety of the void apart from District 00. Those in charge of--"


    "What¡¯s District 00?" Jack interrupted.


    "District 00 is thergest of all districts, existing within the center of the six Core Districts."


    "Then why--"


    "An enormous ck hole lies at the center of District 00," added Daruun, getting Jack to shut up. "There are life-bearings there, many of which are incredibly powerful, but they have no officially recognized government. The strongest rogues rule there and the District Council has no ability to control that area, at least not efficiently by any means. Since it¡¯s not governed by the council, it was dubbed District 00 as thewless no-man¡¯snd, the most dangerous region of the void. Of course, that¡¯s also the region with the best natural resources and the greatest amount of archaic ruins, but that only merits exploration and not governance."


    While Jack was digesting that, Daruun returned to the topic at hand, "Remember, the district leaders can rule how they wish, whether through dictatorship and totalitarianism or through democracy and election.


    "The Fate District is seen as one of the many free districts, districts that aren¡¯t biased towards intergctic travel between districts and aremonly seen as easier to fit in. However, free districts will inevitably create loopholes for a few leaders to exploit under the right circumstances. We¡¯ll touch on thatter when we discuss our future ns," stated Daruun.


    "Some districts arebeled as harsh districts, where thews are strictly enforced no matter the asion or the identity of the culprit," Daruun continued. "In some cases, the family a district leader has acted against such rules and was put to death under the coldness of harsh district governing style.


    "Also, there are the rare fewbeled as locked districts. Locked districts are those that ban travelers or immigrants. There are means to enter the country but only for those of high enough merit and under precise circumstances. Have I lost you yet?"


    Blinking, Jack nodded slowly. "I... I think I¡¯ve got it..."


    "Good. Then, do you have any questions about anything we¡¯ve mentioned so far?"


    "About Ss... If he¡¯s stronger than you, what position does he hold?" asked Jack.


    Daruun let loose a soft chuckle. "I¡¯m d to see that you¡¯re still Jack, not losing track of your best questions. You see, Ss is a unique man. He¡¯s not a district leader but he garners the same level of respect, if not more.


    "Ss runs something called an enterprise. An enterprise is an organization that exists within multiple districts. There are many enterprises in existence, countless even, but Ss¡¯s Resolute Enterprise ranks among the very strongest," exined Daruun. "In fact, three districts are currently joint members of the Resolute Enterprise."


    "And we¡¯re one of them?"


    Nodding, Daruun replied, "Correct. District 14 works alongside District 11 and District 09 within the Resolute Enterprise, which, believe it or not, is technically an upstart enterprise that Ss proposed to our districts not even a year ago."


    Utilizing Daruun¡¯s pause to think, Jack broke down the meaning of Daruun¡¯sst statement.


    The significance behind having three entire districts under an enterprise was beyond Jack¡¯sprehension, but to think that an organization of such size was created within a year¡¯s time was utterly unfathomable. It was impossible. Making such an organization that powerful off the rip made no sense and followed no logic, at least with Jack¡¯s minute perspective of the void.


    "True, the Resolute Enterprise is still young," Daruun continued, touching on the thoughts stirring up Jack¡¯s mind, "but the fact that all three of our districts agreed upfront should show you how much we respect Ss. All three of us district leaders met him only a few years ago but his influence and charisma know no bounds. That¡¯s why my ns for you, which started two thousand years ago, don¡¯t involve him. But you¡¯d be more than wee to join me in working alongside Ss."


    "Join you? What do you mean by ¡¯join you¡¯?" Jack asked.


    "Jack, there are many underlying reasons for my bringing you into Kartonia, which we¡¯ll begin discussing now. However, you need to understand one thing and never forget it," stated Daruun, staring seriously into Jack¡¯s eyes, demanding the hero¡¯s utmost attention.


    "Will you be my partner?"


    Taken aback and unsure of everything entailed in such an offer, Jack stammered, "W-what?"


    "Will you be my partner?" Daruun repeated. "The most fundamental reason for getting you involved in all this was so that I¡¯d gain a viable and capable partner to help me manage the Fate District."


    While Jack was paralyzed from shock, Daruun continued, "Once you too be a six-star, should you choose that path, we would be joint district leaders, sharing power and responsibility for the entire Fate District. This would allow me to not stress so terribly about keeping the district in order and I would be jubnt to have a capable partner, no matter how the other district leaders may mock me for taking such an approach."


    "You... You¡¯re serious?" Half believing that Daruun was insane, Jack forced himself to put his thoughts into words. "I... You want me to... I¡¯m nothingpared to--"


    "Jack, I¡¯m entirely serious," Daruun restated with determination. "It¡¯s for that selfish reason that I created Kartonia and inevitably brought you to Kartonia with incredibly harsh expectations. That¡¯s why I created the perfect-case scenario for you to rise up thus far. When Halmut and Skaryn both defied my ns, I attempted a new n with my son but he chose to only support me and not join publicly me. That led to you being brought into the equation. You--"


    "Wait..." Jack leaned back in his chair, stuck on a particr fact that Daruun had danced around. "What son?"

 Chapter 538 Joining the Family

    <h4>Chapter 538 Joining the Family</h4>


    "What son?"


    "Right... So he never told, did he?" Daruun¡¯s seriousness was shattered as he broke out inughter. "Sorry... Don¡¯t think of this as disrespect. I¡¯m just surprised that he hid that fact from you of all people."


    "Who hid what from me?" questioned Jack, feeling agitated by the tant sidestepping of the answer and the intermixedughter.


    "Your father. We hide it from the rest but I¡¯m still surprised Sterfen never informed you, of all people, that I¡¯m his biological father and your legitimate grandfather."


    Numb, Jack¡¯s body went limp for a moment as he rag-dolled in his chair.


    "Who¡¯s Sterfen?" Duorda asked.


    "He¡¯s my son who was born on Kartonia while you were fulfilling your duties as temple guardian," answered Daruun. "Since he chose not to be my full-time partner in the inevitable future, I told Sterfen to not challenge you and ruin our little test."


    "Sterfen is... That¡¯s why he¡¯s so... Does that mean--"


    "Yes, Jack. Sterfen¡¯s potential is more than you know. Like me, he was born with an affinity for illusions, mind tricks, and the like, not blessed with affinity for any cosmic energies of raw power," exined Daruun. "However, Sterfen has always been more crafty than anyone gives him credit. And his sudden appearance to the world as a god was because he needed no one to assist his ascension. Also, since you¡¯re curious, the cause of his unhealing attacks is his use of pure cosmic energy, the opposite effect of Duorda¡¯s healing abilities which you experience first-hand."


    Jack nodded but was still on the ropes fighting the thought of epting Sterfen¡¯s identity.


    Daruun added, "Once you ascend, Jack, Sterfen will be lv. 98 and will y a key role in our ns, albeit not the main role. He prefers to be a silent partner and not a public figure, so he¡¯ll be our third hand in governing the Fate District, controlling those in the shadows."


    "That... I mean..."


    "Take your time. This is a lot of information to take in at once, so don¡¯t push yourself too hard," Daruun stated. "Time passes differently here so take all the time in the world."


    The hero slowly nodded as he did just that. Fifteen minutes passed before Jack said another word. "Okay... So, I understand this much...


    "Halmut and Skaryn failed to meet your expectations, for some reason currently unmentioned, so you had a son and offered the role to him instead. When he agreed but to only be a silent partner, you were left with a vacant position and decided to fill it in the most perfect way you could, making sure your chosen champions wouldn¡¯t fail you again. Then, you used the game "A Hero¡¯s Tale" to find candidates that greatlycked physical capability but held the advantage with mental willingness and longing for such an opportunity. The ridiculous achievement list was utilized as a means to find the person most desperate to live in such a setting. Did I get that right?"


    "Spot on, Jack!" pping, Daruun smiled and sighed in relief.


    "You chose me because you were ny-nine percent certain that I would agree to your proposal in the end, and that¡¯s why you always treated me more like family than as a tool."


    "Because you are family, Jack," added Daruun. "I truly acknowledge you as my grandson. Sterfen is my only living child, making you and Lina my only grandchildren. The other gods are also my children, but I¡¯d be lying if I didn¡¯t admit my bias for your father and mother, as well as my bias for you and your family."


    As another pause came to be, Daruun blinked and let his lip quiver only once. "Do you believe me?"


    Witnessing the almighty Daruun show his vulnerability was jaw-droppingly startling, especially after Jack had learned of Daruun¡¯s true station in the universe. Yet here he was, practically begging Jack to ept Daruun as Jack¡¯s grandfather, watery eyes and all.


    "Yeah... I believe you..."


    Those four words brought a wave of relief over Daruun, who finally rxed into the back of his chair. "Then... Do you ept my proposal? To join me and your father in governing the Fate District as a family?"


    "Yeah, I¡¯m in..." Jack sighed, struggling to believe that such a conversation just took ce.


    "We¡¯re the same, Jack. You, me, and your father are the same. No matter what happens, we put our family first. And though our ns will be difficult and strenuous toplete, especially at first, I guarantee to offer protection to your wives and loved ones while you and your father take on your future endeavors."


    Hearing those wordse out of Daruun¡¯s mouth sent a rush of relief throughout Jack¡¯s body.


    "That doesn¡¯t mean you can¡¯t die, Jack," Daruun added. "For you and your father to grow, you¡¯ll be forced to endure life-threatening circumstances, many of which I can¡¯t do anything about. If I dared to interfere, you two would never be able to achieve your fullest potential. Bing a six-star takes death-defying will and fate-defying determination, proven and forged only in dire circumstances. Are you okay with that?"


    Nodding with a sigh, Jack replied, "If you¡¯re protecting my wives and family, then I won¡¯t have anything to worry about."


    "Good, then allow me to make a suggestion." Motioning toward Duorda, Daruun added, "From this point onward, Duorda will be your assistant. He¡¯ll form a pact with you¡¯ll be able to buy his skills. After paying for the system update and ascending, you must buy his Undeath skill. If you do that, the odds of your permanent death could be statistically impossible in most situations. Some scenarios will still threaten your life, regardless of having such a skill, but you¡¯re still better off than I ever was. And considering where I¡¯m at now, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be able to ovee the odds and design your own fate."


    "Undeath? Is that why he passively revives himself? Would I get two bodies, like Duorda?" Jack questioned.


    "No, that¡¯s a separate part of his very being, designed into his construct body. But so long as your soul isn¡¯tpletely snuffed out, you would self-generate your wounded or even your nonexistent body. That¡¯s why both halves are needed for Duorda¡¯s self-generation, because he needs every portion of his soul present for self-generation to ur," exined Daruun.


    "Now that we¡¯re on the same page, let me exin what you¡¯re both currently most curious about. How Halmut and Skaryn failed me, and how their current situations came to pass."

 Chapter 539 Skaryns Origin in Slavery

    <h4>Chapter 539 Skaryn¡°s Origin in very</h4>


    "To begin, since we don¡¯tck time at the moment and more information willter help Jack make a certain decision, I¡¯ll give you some insight about how Skaryn and Halmut were long ago," added Daruun.


    Jack and Duorda nodded but was the hero was left feeling particrly curious. They listened carefully as any mention of a decision by Daruun would always be ringly important.


    Daruun began his exnation, "I¡¯ll start with Skaryn since he¡¯s also a key piece of Halmut¡¯s story.


    "Skaryn is nothing like you know him to be, Jack. I¡¯ll be frank as he was the first person that I ever saw potential in as a future partner. I wouldn¡¯t make such a decision lightly. He was also the one who asked me to include Halmut into my ns, vouching for him with their mutual beast seal as proof.


    With Jack¡¯s eyes opened wide and his ears tilted forward, Daruun smiled and continued, "At that time, Kartonia waspletely different. There was no unifying force apart from the separate nations fighting for supremacy. The world revolved around strength as leadership was constantly in flux due to the cruelty that existed back then. Anyone could do anything, so long as they were stronger, either financially or physically. With both of those things, a man could cause a genocide without any repercussions, which had happened a couple of times already.


    "Skaryn was born into very on the ind nation of Kustram. Just after exiting the womb, rather than be ced in his mother¡¯s arms, he was branded and given a ve curse," stated Daruun, getting a worried look from Jack.


    "Such was themon practice for newborn ves. All male ves were forced to work under brutal conditions with four hours of sleep each night. Female ves were treated as breeding machines for more freebor, while also maintain the estates they served. And all newborns went under that same ordeal, automatically eliminating the chance of having a weak ve since the weaker children wouldn¡¯t be able to recover from such treatment," exined Daruun with a straight yet uneasy face.


    "That..." Jack stammered, not wanting toprehend such a thing.


    Continuing, Daruun shook his head, "Jack, across the void, I can assure you that more despicable things are happening now as we speak. By no means do I condone such acts but I couldn¡¯t interfere in Kartonia. Within the Fate District, I¡¯ve abolished very for all acknowledgeds, meaning that every that knows of the universe beyond their own atmosphere mustply.


    "However, Kartonia isn¡¯t recognized as an acknowledged and my interference would destroy the original purpose of Kartonia. Strength and growth of character are built through tribtions. Without that, gaining a true understanding of the world and the universe is impossible," reasoned Daruun.


    "So you let them go through that knowingly?" asked Jack.


    "Yes... I allowed them to experience such a thing," Daruun admitted. "But I also made sure that Kartonia was unique. Anyone that was tortured or endured such hardships and died on Kartonia will undergo a rebirth process on a separate world within the district. I¡¯m not so heartless to allow injustice without rpense."


    Feeling a bit better, Jack sighed, "Ok... well I guess that¡¯s understandable."


    "As I was saying, Skaryn was born into very and was raised within one of the cruels vers in Kartonia," Daruun continued. "The ver and his managers were very interested in Skaryn, as he was different from the other ves. After countless beating and reprimanding, as well as the deaths of his parents, the infant Skaryn eventually stoppedining altogether. By the time Skaryn was an adolescent, he wore a smile on his face and eagerly looked to outwork all other ves.


    "Also, Skaryn soon became the most physically capable ve the vers had ever found. His strength was unmatched and he would ask for extra whippings each day, asionally asking if he could take the whippings of other ves just for the fun of it."


    Jack shrugged. "So, a ve that became a masochist. What¡¯s so new about that?"


    Shaking his head, Daruun kept going, "Back then, spatial storages were quite rare in Kartonia. This was due to theck of craftsmen sharing their trade secrets with their most capable and skilled workforce, the ves. That led to using carts, wagons, and many cargo vehicles being all the moremon. And since vebor was free for therger ve organizations, they used ves to carry their cargo.


    "Skaryn was quickly made to drive his own cart but showed excellence right off the bat. So the vers would increase the load each trip, making the cargo vehiclerger each time. It got to the point where a teenage Skaryn was pulling fully loaded wagons by himself, all while he wore a smile on his face.


    "Now, everyone called it masochism and Skaryn never argued that either. However, everyone wouldter learn the truth," stated Daruun.


    "It took years but Skaryn¡¯s willingness to serve as a lowly ve had gained him a reputation among the ves and the vers. After showing hispliance, the vers eventually started to decrease the amount of security around Skaryn. It got to the point where only two average guards were left to keep Skaryn in check. This marked the downfall of that ve organization."


    Smiling, Daruun eyed Jack while continuing, "There was a little secret about Skaryn that no one knew of. Each night, Skaryn used at least one of his sleeping hours to attempt mana maniption. He would get a rough, basic feel for his mana affinities. Also, Skaryn would try and examine the ve curse imprinted on him. His other mana practices and naturally high affinity allowed Skaryn to recognize the crude flow of mana over the branded curse on his forehead.


    "It was a simple curse that instantly paralyzed anyone at the vers¡¯mand or if they strayed too far from the ver¡¯s estate. The only exception to that was during caravan travels, where the curse was temporarily linked to the manager in charge of the trip. Skaryn had seen his own father be captured by the curse, fleeing from Skaryn¡¯s side and attempting to escape the caravan after picking the locks of his restraints."

 Chapter 540 Skaryns Rebellion

    <h4>Chapter 540 Skaryn¡°s Rebellion</h4>


    "The next day, Skaryn¡¯s father beaten beyond recovery and brutally murdered after bing a useless, crippled ve. Witnessing his father¡¯s death wasn¡¯t heartbreaking at all for Skaryn, though," added Daruun.


    "Among the ves, the concept of parents wasn¡¯t very present. They had all been separated at birth, only recognizing their parentster due to bearing a simr serial code engraved in their unhidden ve curses. And the parents never cared or searched for their children either. They had been drugged and forced to mate like animals in a tyrannical zoo, not allowed to show love or even understand what love is. That was the environment that shaped Skaryn."


    Seeing Jack pondering in silence and Duorda anxious to hear more, Daruun continued, "After spending years examining the crudely made curse, Skaryn inevitably learned a few tricks to weaken it. That was when he not only took the beatings withoutint but began to seek them out. Skaryn wanted to be as strong as he could, arguing with the managers to get heavier wagons and to increase the weight of each load. He wanted to get stronger.


    "An escape plot had emerged in Skaryn¡¯s mind and he yed it out to a tee. He gained less security after years of unmatched good behavior. All the while, Skaryn chipped away at the curse each night to weaken it more and more. Physically, Skaryn had be a monster, mimicking circus elephants with their incredible strength but an unwillingness to revolt after proper training. Only it was all a ploy.


    "Skaryn had brought the curse to the limit, barely keeping it active at all so that no one would be the wiser. Finally, he was ready to execute his n.


    "After enduring two more trips, it was the third trip after having weakened the curse that Skaryn made his move. Everything went as itmonly would. Skaryn drove his massive wagon with vigor. He led the caravan like he always did.


    "On that particr route, there was a giant uphill portion. During that stretch, the vers would chain other wagons and carts to Skaryn¡¯s. This made sure that the other weaker ves wouldn¡¯t copse from exhaustion and let the precious cargo drop down the hill. They chained up all the cargo and let Skaryn begin the ascent. Nothing was strange or peculiar about it. Not until they were half-way up the hill.


    "Once they were at the half-way point, Skaryn acted. He had already picked the locks of his restraints, mimicking his father¡¯s failed attempt at escape, and was wearing them casually to keep up appearances. With the perfect moment arriving, Skaryn undid his restraints and broke the handle used to pull the cart. Before hisx guards could act, Skaryn had already snuffed out the final portion of the ve curse.


    "Skaryn¡¯s speed alone was enough to outrun anyone present but he also allowed his massive wagon to be the perfect distraction. The wagon fell back and crashed into those behind it, dragging everything to the bottom of the hill like an anchor would fall to the seafloor. No one had the time or ability to chase after Skaryn in such a situation where the lives of ves and the condition of the merchandise was at such a great risk."


    Finally, Daruun paused and waited for Jack to say something.


    Sighing, Jack asked, "Why go into so much detail? I appreciate the storytelling, but--"


    "To understand his character, you need to thoroughly understand his actions," stated Daruun. "I won¡¯t recount you his entire life, but only a couple of key points, one being his upbringing and escape.


    "Now that you understand how crafty, patient, and calcted Skaryn can be, I can exin what he did next with less detail," reasoned Daruun.


    "After escaping, Skaryn made sure he couldn¡¯t be tracked. Using his rudimentary understanding of dark type mana, Skaryn concealed his home in shadows to avoid magic detection. Being the first to crack the curse was also a huge help as the vers were trying to use the curse to paralyze and locate their prized ve.


    "Spending more than a year focusing on survival and step-by-step growth with magic, Skaryn finally felt confident to attempt what he wished," stated Daruun.


    "Skaryn used his shadows to sneak into his old home. He crept through the vers¡¯ property and assassinated the vers in their sleep. Effectively, Skaryn had freed all of the organization¡¯s ves, those in charge of crafting goods, those in charge of raising crops, those in charge of maintaining the ranch of animals for food trade, and more. If there was a viable trade in that economy, there were ves demanded to fulfill that trade¡¯s needs day in and day out, but not anymore.


    "That act led to a revolt across Kustram and a reformation of the Kustram¡¯s government. The more vers Skaryn killed, the more eye-opening it was for the king. When only a few major ve organizations were left, the king made the decision to side with the newly released ves.


    "The king liked the idea of an increasedbor force to boost the economy and remove the ever-growing influence the vers were gaining over his kingdom. And the thought of gaining the favor and appreciation of so many newly recognized citizens would guarantee his long-term rulership. It was a brilliant political move that Skaryn forced into y. Skaryn and the king met before they partnered up to remove the final ve organizations from the Kustram map.


    Nodding, Jack agreed, "So Skaryn changed the nation as a whole, somewhat indirectly."


    "Correct," answered Daruun. "The king was already fed up with the vers but had no means of dealing with vers. After Skaryn proved himself capable against the vers, the king was more than willing to back up and cement his influence into the nation in ce of the vers."


    "What did he do next?" asked Jack.


    "Skaryn was offered the position of Royal Captain of the Guard, but he turned it down. He didn¡¯t want to feel burdened with responsibility, not after he had just freed himself."

 Chapter 541 Skaryn, Creator of the Mutual Seal

    <h4>Chapter 541 Skaryn, Creator of the Mutual Seal</h4>


    "Skaryn went on to be a simple adventurer, in the purest form of the term." Daruun exined, "He did whatever he wished and went wherever he desired. After spending a year or two training professionally and traveling all over the ind, Skaryn inevitably left the ind nation. Though the people wanted their hero to stay, they didn¡¯t stop his departure.


    "First, Skaryn explored what made him most curious. He had discovered that dragons weren¡¯t only legends after seeing Flood Dragons off the Kustram coast. The free-living adventurer explored the depths of the coast, bing quite the diver with help of his affinity for water magic and a water-breathing spell among the many skill acquired via the king. That¡¯s when Skaryn¡¯s fascination for dragons became a part of his nature, as they were the only physical being that could naturallypete with his freakish strength and skills. That¡¯s what would eventually lead him to the maind and create his meeting with Halmut."


    Changing the topic, Daruun asked, "Do you remember Halmut¡¯s dragon form, Jack?"


    "Of course I would, it¡¯s huge! It¡¯s even bigger than Dragov and Lunara¡¯s hydra form," replied the hero.


    "What if I told you that was a false form?"


    "Huh?"


    Daruun continued, "Halmut was born as the runt of the litter, the unwanted child that only existed for the other Sun Dragons to bully and demean. After ascending and gaining more control of his physical form, Halmut always prefers to inte his true size. In reality, he¡¯s only one hundred meters tall and a couple of hundred meters long."


    "Seriously?! That¡¯s it?!" Jack burst intoughter. "You mean the greatest dragon in the history of Kartonia has a heightplex? That¡¯s hrious!"


    Chuckling as well, Daruun continued, "Simr to Skaryn, Halmut was born into an oppressive environment but for different reasons. Beingbeled as naturally weak yet still managing to survive adolescence scarred Halmut¡¯s personality forever. After more than a century of being belittled and ridiculed, the small Sun Dragon was beyond the point of enraged.


    "However, as the runt and weakling, the other Sun Dragons refused to allow the world to see Halmut. Halmut was under lifetime house arrest from the moment he was born, the only one in his entire species. The grandiose reputation of the arrogant Sun Dragons would be tarnished if the world discovered the tiny, frail Sun Dragon that was Halmut, at least that¡¯s what they felt as a species. With only a few dozen Sun Dragons to exist at one time, it made sense for such prideful beasts to maintain their unrivaled image of power.


    "Ohhh... So that¡¯s why Halmut grew to hate his race and eventually kill his own kind," deduced Jack.


    "Correct."


    "What?!" Duorda blurted out in question. "What do you mean by that?!"


    Jack answered with a shrug, "Not only did Halmut wipe out the other Sun Dragons, Halmut had his Sun Dragons war with the Spectral Dragons beforehand. Halmut is responsible for the removal of the Spectral Dragons and the Sun Dragons."


    "That... Is he that mad?" asked Duorda, looking to Daruun.


    Nodding, Daruun stated, "I¡¯ll get to Halmut¡¯s tipping pointter, but first you should know the gist of how Halmut and Skaryn came to meet.


    "Driven by his curiosity, Skaryn couldn¡¯t help himself after learning that Sun Dragons existed at the pinnacle of the dragon food chain. He inevitably journeyed to the believed location of the Sun Dragon nesting grounds.


    "Using his skills with illusions and shadows, Skaryn found it easier than expected to enter the Sun Dragons¡¯ habitat. At first, all he wanted was to witness what they were and possibly collect some loose scales or some memento of his trip. That was until he found a young, weaker-looking dragon sealed in its own separate space. With his interest piqued, Skaryn spent the next week exploring the entire nesting grounds and constantly returning to that sealed dragon. And thanks to witnessing how the other dragons treated the young dragon, Skaryn began to better understand the situation.


    Jack and Duorda listened eagerly as Daruun continued the story, "Skaryn used some shadow maniption to enter the sealed space and visit the young dragon directly. Though the young dragon was caught off guard, Skaryn was sly to offer the young dragon arge portion of various meats.


    "As Halmut carefully turned his back toward the slits in the walls, hiding his meal, Halmut kept a close eye on the visitor. He may have been youngpared to other dragons, but after living for a century or two and with bullying as the only interaction the young dragon had ever experience, Halmut was always on guard.


    "The two became acquaintances in an instant. Halmut was d to sense no poison in his food, amon urrence whenever the other dragons brought Halmut any food apart from scraps. Skaryn was overjoyed to get to know one of the most legendary dragons, even more legendary than the Flood Dragon Skaryn had befriended long ago. They spent a few days together until Skaryn offered to get Halmut out of there, which Halmut agreed to only in exchange for fair treatment.


    "That was when Skaryn offered to create a seal as a mark of their equality. By sharing EXP it was proof that they were equals in every aspect."


    "Wait, you mean--"


    "Yes, Jack. Skaryn is the creator of the mutual seal that you¡¯re still using over ten thousand yearster," Daruun stated, confirming Duorda¡¯s earlier statement about Skaryn¡¯s skills with seals and inscriptions.


    Continuing, Daruun chuckled and shook his head, "After taking a week toe up with the seal and sharing each other¡¯s food, Skaryn performed the mutual seal and then stored Halmut away in his shadow."


    "What?! That¡¯s possible?!" Jack shouted.


    Daruun nodded. "It¡¯s called Shadow Storage, one of Skaryn¡¯s original spells. Skaryn was not only the most powerful human up to that point, Skaryn had be widely regarded as the most genius inscriptionist in all Kartonia. Also, Skaryn was regarded for his wide range of original spells and skills, marking him as the strongest pure mage and the most powerful physical warrior at the same time.


    "Like I said, Skaryn was the first person to impress me and show potential to be my partner. Halmut was only included in my ns upon Skaryn¡¯s insistence."

 Chapter 542 Interference of Jewel Enterprise and Gem Inc

    <h4>Chapter 542 Interference of Jewel Enterprise and Gem Inc</h4>


    "But... what about now? You mentioned that Skaryn and Halmut failed you, yet you still talk so highly of Skaryn. Didn¡¯t you remove Halmut and Skaryn from the family?" asked Jack.


    Duorda added a question as well, "And how did they fail you so quickly?"


    Sighing, Daruun replied, "For one critical reason... that neither they nor I sawing... Jewel found a way to involve themselves."


    "Jewel?!" Duorda almost fell out of his seat.


    "Yes, Jewel has managed to enter the district legally. However, their level of influence is still minor at best," stated Daruun, looking to Jack. "The Jewel Enterprise, moremonly known as Jewel throughout the void, is regarded as the most powerful enterprise throughout the void. It¡¯s hard to gauge their true strength, though, as they¡¯re notorious for keeping their true strength under wraps.


    "Jewel is both feared and respected. It originates from the Core and spreads gradually but unstoppably. On the surface, they¡¯re an enterprise that offers protection and security for any and all who gather under their name. But they also take the time to silently fill all partnered governments with their own agents. Jewel doesn¡¯t take full control of district or government, at least it hasn¡¯t thus far, but Jewel will gain enough influence to typically swing all uing political decisions in their favor."


    Keeping up, Jack summed it up, "So they don¡¯t directly control any districts or governments but they turn them into mouthpieces and use the already existing governments as coverups for their growing influence?"


    "Correct, that¡¯s precisely what they specialize in. Of course, that¡¯s not what they tell the public," agreed Daruun. "This time, Jewel entered the Fate District in a roundabout way, mainly because I turn them down without ever agreeing to meet with them. And now, thanks to Ss, they don¡¯t throw their weight around quite as much. They chose a more silent approach.


    "They created an incorporate within the Fate District, an organization that has influence throughout at least a dozen precincts or at most across an entire district. It¡¯s basically a self-contained enterprise on a much, much smaller scale. Only this time Jewel has again created an incorporate without publicly linking it to themselves as a parent organization," stated Daruun. "The founding of the Gem Incorporate began without my interference but they¡¯ve been secretly receiving private funding that matching a small, upstart enterprise. But I allowed it to grow and can¡¯t directly squash it out without facing public repercussions.


    "And you want me to deal with it?" asked Jack, blinking and wide-eyed.


    Daruun nodded. "I want both you and your father to handle them. They know too well how to manipte the system and managed to gain a decent foothold within the district. Also, it was the Gem Incorporate that snuck contacts into Kartonia and reached out to both Halmut and Skaryn."


    "Jewel got involved in Kartonia... That¡¯s definitely unexpected..." Duorda itched his bare skull. "How strong has Jewel be as of now?"


    "Hmmm... While you¡¯ve been away, Jewel has grown steadily. On paper, Jewel is now officially partnered with six districts, including District 05 where it originates. ording to Ss¡¯s numbers, Jewel is currently infiltrating three other districts, not including the Fate District due to their influence here not yet reaching the zone level and not bearing the ¡¯Jewel¡¯ name," answered Daruun.


    "Does that mean this Gem Incorporate can get snuffed out without facing repercussions from Jewel?" asked Jack.


    "So long as it¡¯s handled correctly, then yes," Daruun replied. "It¡¯s too small for me to squash directly, otherwise, Jewel may intervene on behalf of the ¡¯abused¡¯ party and push an intergctic case to the District Council."


    Jack then continued Daruun¡¯s train of thought, "But if we handle it, then that won¡¯t count as you using your weight unfairly and Gem Inc. isn¡¯trge enough to cause the district problems if they¡¯re taking out under the right guidelines, right?"


    "Correct." Daruun sighed and nodded. "My original ns included having you rise in power through the various tiers of government. That way, you¡¯d gain your own training resources and influence naturally without my intervening. That n hasn¡¯t changed much but the appearance of Gem Inc. has given you an opening to shoot straight into governing a zone, should you sessfully eliminate them."


    "And by eliminating them, you¡¯ll be able to spread your names further by word of mouth. That will greatly increase the speed of your climb through the ranks and gain the respect of the many rulers within the district."


    Daruun then returned to the topic at hand, "Now, back to how Jewel got involved in Kartonia.


    "Without my notice, Jewel snuck a contact person into Kartonia after doing some digging and learning that I was the¡¯s creator. This led to both Halmut and Skaryn receiving offers to join Gem Inc., as well as to them both learning a one-sided perspective of the universe outside of Kartonia.


    "Skaryn was skeptical until the disguised contact offered them a few things that Kartonia can never offer them," continued Daruun. "This is how the current contract system of the Kartonian gods came into existence, as it was Jewel that introduced the concept and taught them how it worked. The worst thing was Jewel¡¯s ¡¯gift¡¯ of courtesy. They gave both Halmut and Skaryn something termed ¡¯faux-ore¡¯, but Jewel has termed it their ¡¯cosmic stimnt¡¯."


    "Faux-ore? Why the two names, and why faux-ore?" asked Jack.


    Frowning, Daruun answered, "ording to the Council, it was officially recorded as faux-ore due to it being a manufactured catalyst to aid cosmicians in training. It works miracles but at a cost. It drastically increases your strength but only by limiting your potential more with every use. For example, with enough faux-ore, a cosmician can possibly be a three-star or even a four-star if they¡¯re lucky, but no higher. Also, intergctic studies are beginning to show that cosmicians reliant entirely on faux-ore experience more health problems despite a cosmician¡¯s naturally powerful vitality. A few rare cases even show that faux-ore can be toxic after overuse."


    Catching on, Jack asked, "And... Both Halmut and Skaryn have used the stuff?"


    Still frowning, Daruun nodded lightly.

 Chapter 543 Halmuts Addiction and Skaryns Misfortune

    <h4>Chapter 543 Halmut¡°s Addiction and Skaryn¡°s Misfortune</h4>


    Daruun sighed and exined, "It was after Halmut and Skaryn epted this deal that they began to change how they perceived the world. Halmut was especially excited to gain more strength and influence, entertaining the thought of leaving Kartonia to rule a system or precinct of his own.


    "However, Skaryn wasn¡¯t all that interested in ruling over anybody. He was interested in strength but his concept of strength had alwayse from hard work and not from shortcuts. Only after Skaryn had made a contract with Moranti did he finally attempt to use the few ¡¯stimnts¡¯ he was gifted, but he didn¡¯t even use them all in the end."


    Finally showing a semnce of a smile, Daruun added, "Luckily, Skaryn contacted me and asked about the stimnts. That was when I immediately cracked down on the situation and began paying more attention to Kartonia than ever before.


    "I ejected any and all outsiders from Kartonia and strengthened the barrier deterring outsiders from entering. Now, only two-stars can exit the world, and only four-stars or higher can enter it," stated Daruun. "Sadly, Halmut had already taken advantage of his stimnts and had received many more already. When Halmut refused to give them up, I was forced to strike his name from the family and dere him a lost cause."


    "And what about Skaryn?" asked Jack.


    "Skaryn¡¯s trained sensitivity to raw cosmic energy kept him from using the stimnt more than a couple of times. But, sadly, those few moments of usage can still debilitate a cosmician¡¯s strength to a degree... Until more studies are done and we better understand how faux-ore affects cosmicians, there¡¯s no way to remove the minor debilities infringed on Skaryn. That¡¯s when I underwent my second n involving the birth of your father, Sterfen."


    Jack was still hung up on something though, which Daruun recognized quickly.


    "And yes, Skaryn is still regarded as my son and your uncle," rified Daruun. "Though he had begun to use contracts despite my dislike for such a system, Skaryn kept the contracts within reason. Each of his contracts had two means of termination, either through achieving a certain feat or by reaching lv. 99.


    "Halmut, on the other hand, has no expiration on his contracts and only agreed to a cancetion use with a handful of gods that were smart enough to argue for it," Daruun added with a disdainful tone.


    "In other words, even if the other holy gods managed to leave Kartonia, they would still have to answer to Halmut?" deduced Jack.


    "Correct..." sighed Daruun. "Skaryn¡¯s contracts are unnecessary in my eyes but were only done in counter to Halmut¡¯s contracts. Also, Skaryn¡¯s contracts never infringed on the purpose behind Kartonia¡¯s creation, to offer me a steady stream of capable leader candidates. Halmut¡¯s contracts directly infringe on that, trying to increase Halmut¡¯s influence within Gem Inc."


    "But if Skaryn is still in the family, then why haven¡¯t you--"


    "I was aiding Skaryn, to an extent," continued Daruun. "After raising your father and teaching him the fundamentals, I was constantly guiding him. And though I raised him, it was Sterfen¡¯s determination and craftiness that made him what he is today. I was never regarded as an assassin, that was his own prerogative.


    "Sterfen works as a unifying leader within the neutral gods of Kartonia and was secretly Skaryn¡¯s informant. He--"


    "But I thought--"


    "I get that you¡¯re anxious to learn more, Jack, but don¡¯t interrupt your grandfather so often. It may hurt my feelings," joked Daruun.


    Jack nervously chuckled as Daruun continued, "It was Sterfen that tipped Jack off about Halmut¡¯s secret raid on Kustram. Also, it was Sterfen that guided Moranti in intercepting Naparn, Torian, and Lyrun from supporting Halmut in battle. The main reason no god¡¯s perished during the godly war was Sterfen¡¯s espionage and Skaryn¡¯s unwillingness to sacrifice his own people, despite some of his underlings doing so anyway."


    Once a pause came up and Daruun waited for Jack¡¯s question, the hero finally asked, "Then, does that mean you still want to support Skaryn?"


    "Yes, I do," answered Daruun. "Though he can no longer y the main role, Skaryn would still be a tremendous support for you and your father. And he has always epted me as the father he never had, so how could I not want to support him? Skaryn, should he work hard enough, should still be able to be a five-star with his tireless determination. If we¡¯re lucky, a breakthrough will be made eventually and allow Skaryn to regain his full potential."


    "I still have a couple of questions," stated Jack. "First, do the faux-ores have anything to do with Halmut¡¯s failure to surpass lv. 99? And second, how did Halmut manage to defeat Skaryn?"


    "Yeah, how did he do it?" asked Duorda, again showing his anxiousness. "I was certain that Skaryn could wipe Halmut out in a fight. It wouldn¡¯t be easy, but I know that Skaryn was more powerful."


    "I¡¯ll answer both of your questions at the same time, as the answers are connected," Daruun stated. "Halmut¡¯s use of faux-ore led to him gaining a surge of strength to help him level the ying field. Though it greatly reduces potential, it¡¯s effects are especially potent among the one-stars and two-stars that depend on it.


    "However, due to Halmut relying on stimnts so much, his body no longer processes the energy filtered through Kartonia. That¡¯s one of the key side effects of faux-ore, making it all the easier to get addicted.


    "It¡¯s also why Halmut now needs more stimnts in order to level up, but his ration of faux-ore is quite low now that he has no direct contact with Gem Inc," added Daruun. "Halmut may still be colluding with Gem Inc. and waiting for the right moment to act. As proof of that belief, Gem Inc sent a kamikaze messenger through the outer barrier to send one final ¡¯care package¡¯ to Halmut, just before I increased the barrier¡¯s strength. I think is Halmut is simply waiting for Gem Inc. to make their move, which is hard to predict with Jewel being the true mastermind.


    "As for their battle..."


    Daruun sighed and smiled lightly. He stood from his seat and pped his hands. A sh of light carried the three men into a vision of sorts, letting them appear high in the sky, overlooking a not-too-distant ind nation.


    "How about I show you, rather than tell you?"

 Chapter 544 Halmut vs Skaryn

    <h4>Chapter 544 Halmut vs Skaryn</h4>


    "How about I show you, rather than tell you?" chuckled Daruun.


    Both Jack and Duorda were taken aback as they recognized Kustram in the distance. Duorda murmured to himself, "So this is where it took ce? I must see this!"


    Jack remained silent, eager to examine the most legendary sh that Kartonia had ever experienced. It was a fight that had Jack¡¯s inner gamer anxiously excited to witness and a battle that had Jack¡¯s newer mindset of leadership curious to understand beyond the false records of Kartonian history.


    "Save all questions for after the fight," added Daruun. "Let¡¯s watch the fight in silence, so you both can take it all in for what it is."


    Just as Jack and Duorda nodded in agreement, a brilliant pir of light fell down upon the ind nation. Itsted only a few seconds but one-fifth of the ind had been erased effortlessly.


    A gigantic golden figure descended from the opening in the clouds, staring down at the scrambling nation. He stared in disdain to see the people screaming and scrambling to understand what just urred.


    Jarred as well, Jack didn¡¯t know what to think. Though the hero knew Halmut had done some outrageous things, Jack didn¡¯t know how far Halmut was willing to go. Killing thousands of innocent lives without a single thought or worry was beyond what Jack had imagined, even for the great Sun God.


    "HALMUT!!!"


    The clouds rolled over as Skaryn plunged downward through them. His eyes were overflowing with rage and Skaryn¡¯s entire body was on edge, ready for action.


    "You¡¯re still so weak, Skaryn?" Halmut chuckled and mocked the newly-arrived god. "They¡¯re only mortals. Their lives are easily receable given a few decades or a century. Why should they hold any true importance to you?"


    "You know very well why!" shouted Skaryn, not afraid of showing his emotions. However, that didn¡¯t mean Skaryn was acting hot-headed. He remained in ce, standing a few dozen meters in front of the giant dragon.


    Halmutughed some more, "Really? I don¡¯t remember having such a weakpanion in the past. Can you jog my memory?"


    Unfazed by Halmut¡¯s taunts, Skaryn asked, "Does Kylon know about this?"


    "She¡¯s busy supporting Lunara against your men. You have no right to speak for her as her greatest enemy!"


    "Does she know about this?!" barked Skaryn.


    Halmut shrugged. "She has no need to know of my actions beforehand. Why should I council with her or the other gods for my every move? I lead the Holy Gods and can therefore act in favor of our goals however I wish!"


    "Answer the question!"


    "No, Kylon knows nothing about this," Halmut sighed, acting disappointed in his formerpanion. "My, my... how you¡¯ve fallen..."


    "Halmut, leave now before I kill you. I¡¯d rather not do that but you¡¯re making any other option more impossible by the day," argued Skaryn.


    "Well, I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally taking notice. I thought I¡¯d have to eliminate all of Kustram to get through to you. I guess I¡¯ll just finish the job after dealing with you."


    "You dare?"


    With a slow, confident chuckle, Halmut shouted, "Join me, Skaryn! Why can¡¯t we be partners, like old times?!"


    "Shut up! I refuse to be another person¡¯s tool... Never again!" Skaryn shouted, shaking the air around them.


    "Ohhh... What a temper... But for no reason!" Halmut argued, "I¡¯m no tool, not anymore. I refuse to be a pawn in Daruun¡¯s schemes. He always showed favoritism towards you, not me. Daruun has never offered me anything without offering it to you first. The man only sees me as a tool that makes you stronger. Skaryn, apart from Gem, you¡¯re the only one that I regard as my equal. Let¡¯s both leave this--"


    "I refuse."


    Shut down before having finished his offer, Halmut added, "Skaryn, don¡¯t make this mistake again. If you don¡¯t choose now, then I¡¯ll be forced to remove you. I¡¯d rather not but I¡¯m more than willing should you choose to be my enemy."


    Staring the dragon in the eye, Skaryn remained on-guard. "I don¡¯t choose to be your enemy. I¡¯ve never done that. It was you that chose to go against us, Halmut. You need to abandon them and give up your addiction to--"


    "I¡¯ve no addiction!" shouted Halmut, not daring to give up his stance. "I¡¯ve been forced into this decision by him, Skaryn. He¡¯s just like them, trying to keep me cooped up and stowed away forever. If you hadn¡¯t intervened, Daruun would¡¯ve sealed me away to rot forever, just like them!"


    "Halmut, Daruun isn¡¯t like that," stated Skaryn. "Daruun sees you as a valuable asset and a powerful potential leader. He has no reason to--"


    "You don¡¯t know anything!" Halmut roared.


    "Halmut, you¡¯re in denial! Those stimnts are nothing more than drugs used to control you and--"


    "Shut up!"


    "Give up the stimnts and stop listening to them, Halmut!" continued Skaryn. "Then, you¡¯ll be able to see things more clearly. Then, we¡¯ll be able to work together again with Daruun--"


    "I SAID SHUT UP!"


    A second enormous pir of light fell down toward the ind, missing Skaryn entirely.


    The crack of thunder filled the air as Skaryn rocketed away, appearing directly in front of the giant pir. In that split second, Skaryn¡¯s eyes turned pitch-ck and a shockwave of dark energy rushed upward to repel and counter the falling pir of light.


    "Halmut! Have you no shame?!"


    "As the leader of the Holy Gods, I¡¯vee to eradicate a nation that defies our presence in support of you and your Chaotic Gods!" reasoned Halmut, shouting it for the entire ind below to hear. "By removing them from existence, I¡¯ll be--"


    "And the Flood Dragons?! What about them?!" barked Skaryn, not interested in the false logic that Halmut was spewing.


    "Those are casualties that will remain on your conscience, Skaryn. It was your influence and defiance that drove me to this necessary course of action. Their demise will be respected as--"


    "Retreat now, or die!" Skaryn ordered, letting dark energy consume the sky and air around them.

 Chapter 545 Skaryns Weakness

    <h4>Chapter 545 Skaryn¡°s Weakness</h4>


    "Retreat now, or die!"


    Halmut sighed, shaking his head as he reverted to his hybrid form not much bigger than Skaryn¡¯s human self. "Skaryn... Why? I deserve to know that much."


    "Your addiction to power has been your weakness all this time, Halmut. I don¡¯t want to kill you. But if you dare remain here another second, I won¡¯t be able to contain my rage any longer," Skaryn stated as his body showed signs of turning demonic.


    The citizens closest to the fight werepletely stunned. They had just witnessed Halmut directly attacking them, something that shouldn¡¯t have happened within the agreed terms of the Godly War, and they saw the Skaryn casually repel the attack. A rollercoaster of emotions torrented their minds as the people wanted to flee but were unable to run before such overwhelming power.


    Many citizens dropped to their knees in prayer or watched the battle with shouts of encouragement for their savior above them. All they could do was hope that Skaryn could deter Halmut and im ultimate victory.


    More than ten thousand years had passed since Skaryn¡¯s forced reform of the ind nation¡¯s politics, so no one knew or remembered that Skaryn was the nation¡¯s savior of the past. However, Skaryn¡¯s legacy as a god was deeply rooted in the people as they had always regarded Skaryn as a savior-like being, despite how many nations depicted him as a devil. Now, the current generations living on Kustram could witness their savior and add validity to their firm beliefs.


    Both humanoid figures stood in the air. Not a word more was said.


    One arrogantly stood with dazzling gold scales adorning his body. His almighty appearance waspleted with ws, a tail, and three horns jutting from his forehead, thergest at the center and two others from the corners of his hairline.


    One was draped and clothed in shadows. His devilish appearance was entuated by a demonic aura and two ck, draconic wings sprouting from his back. Long, pointed ws extended from his fingertips as the man embraced his demonic form, seemingly just as draconic as the hybrid dragon before him.


    Another second passed in silence. Their eyes, however, said more than either could bear to listen. Deep, scathing regret and pure, unadulterated rage were evident in Skaryn¡¯s gaze,pared to the overwhelming disappointment and unfazed determination evident in Halmut¡¯s eyes.


    Finally, they each made their first move.


    Throwing themselves through the air, Halmut and Skaryn let their physical bodies sh directly. Neither used any special attacks or tricks. It seemed uneventful but still created an invisible shockwave as the two attacks collided.


    "Hmm... You¡¯re definitely not as strong as I remember..." scoffed Halmut.


    With cautious eyes, Skaryn asked, "How many stimnts have you taken, Halmut? There¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve--"


    "Die and shut up!"


    Halmut roared and attacked a second time, no longer hiding strength or pulling punches. Holy energy coated Halmut¡¯s ws, turning them into make-shift holy weapons, as a multitude of energies gathered around that holy energy. The Sun Dragon thrust forward with one w as he followed up with a sh of his second w.


    Skaryn shouted a battle cry as the density of his dark, demonic energy increased drastically. He attacked in counter to Halmut, forcing the ws aside anding out of the exchange unscathed. This was due to the many faint streaks of various colors within the demonic energy. Apart from the abundant dark energy, hints of blue, pale yellow, dark yellow, and white were evident all around the Dark God.


    Again, they shed! The two men eagerly shared attack after attack as they tested their opponent, properly searching for a remnant of weakness to exploit.


    "Ha! Not bad!" shouted Halmut, still acting confident and unbeatable. "You shouldn¡¯t havee, Skaryn. Now that you¡¯re here, I have no choice but to kill you!"


    "Just die already!" Skaryn replied with a yell. "Seeing your face is too much, so I¡¯ll have to eradicate it!"


    Neither of the former allies showed any mercy. They wereying into each other with every morsel of strength feasible. Both were darting around and practically teleporting, as seen through the eyes of the spectators below. Their incredible speed and unmatched will to win drove them across the sky in every which way.


    Clouds were dashed away. Oceans were momentarily sliced in two. Tempests ravaged the sky.


    All Kustram citizens able to view the battle were in awe. They understood that there was nowhere on the that any citizen could go to escape death. Their only hope was the man known as the Dark God, or simply named the Devil by others, like Halmut.


    "Give it up!"


    As Skaryn began to elevate his attacks further, Halmut snicked. It took a moment but Skaryn felt the movement of abundant holy energy yet again.


    The Dark God rushed away and sent out a pulse of dark energy to cancel out the newly falling pir of light. It was destroyed to the great pleasure of the watching mortals and the dismay of Skaryn.


    "You shouldn¡¯t havee, Skaryn... On this battlefield, your greatest weakness is easily exposed,"ughed Halmut.


    Not giving in to theughter, Skaryn sent another dark pulse of energy hurtling toward the Sun God.


    But Halmut onlyughed harder as he took the attack head-on with arms open wide. His deepughter filled the air as the dark energy enveloped the Sun Godpletely and continued as the dark energy naturally dispersed. Halmut stood in the same spot, unscathed and unhurt.


    "You... What¡¯ve you done to yourself now?" questioned Skaryn.


    Smiling wide, Halmut responded, "You dark energy is powerless against me, even the draining miasma you¡¯re so proud of!"


    "But--"


    "It¡¯s useless! Whether you know why or not doesn¡¯t matter," argued Halmut. "Either way, you¡¯ll die here. The only question that remains unanswered is whether Kustram or you will vanish first?"


    Another pir of light fell toward a faraway edge of the ind nation, forcing Skaryn to defend yet again.

 Chapter 546 Halmut Unscathed?

    <h4>Chapter 546 Halmut Unscathed?</h4>


    "Come on, Skaryn! You¡¯ll have to be quicker than that!" Halmutughed, dropping one pir of light after another. At the same time, Halmut was rushing Skaryn physically to keep him overwhelmed. "You can defend your homnd or yourself. Make your choice!"


    "You dare harm innocents for--"


    "I don¡¯t care bout Kartonia, Skaryn. I¡¯m destined to rule mores than I can count, far beyond the scope of what Kartonia has to offer me," reasoned Halmut, not letting up at all. "If it meant my entrance to the rest of the universe, then I¡¯d erase all of Kartonia in heartbeat. And though I don¡¯t need to be so forceful with the rest of the world, it¡¯s the best choice when dealing with you."


    "Why seek your own death!" Skaryn shouted, retrieving matching greatswords. The metal used to cast them was pitch-ck but four different colored crystals were embedded within the handguard, designed simrly to brass knuckles.


    "Oh, so we¡¯re finally getting serious, are we?" Halmut chuckled louder and louder. "You¡¯ll only be more disappointed the more you struggle!"


    ck sword waves wereunched in every which way to counter the falling light pirs. Skaryn made sure to use both swords so that one was for defending the distant ind and the other was for keeping Halmut at bay. Also, Skaryn made use of his draconic tale to asionally add pressure to Halmut, utilizing the long, thin point at the end as a life-threatening needle capable of piercing any armor.


    Of all Skaryn¡¯s attacks, Halmut only avoided the needle-like tail. He allowed the sword attack to sh against his body¡¯s natural defenses and ws. Sometimes, his tail would parry the greatsword and leave an opening for Halmut to w into Skaryn¡¯s torso.


    So far, the ind had yet to be hit or damaged further but the same couldn¡¯t be said for Skaryn.


    Just as Halmut had stated earlier, Skaryn found that his draining miasma attacks were somehow ineffective against Halmut. Normally, even if his attacks were blocked, a fraction of the dispersing dark energy would drain some health away from the defendant, a technique that Skaryn developed after facing Duorda. But nothing happened. Each time Halmut tanked the blows or countered them, no health was drained whatsoever.


    "What have you--"


    "I told you, the more you attack me the more you¡¯ll realize your own futility," stated Halmut, keeping up with Skaryn without issues thanks to the disabling of the draining miasma. Some cuts and wounds would appear on his body as well, but Halmut¡¯s healing ability mixed with the natural regeneration of Sun Dragons made those a simple fix. Like Skaryn, Halmut had also furthered his healing abilities to mimic Duorda¡¯s holy energy use as closely as possible.


    "This fight is mine, admit it, Skaryn! Just submit and join me. We¡¯ll be able to--"


    Suddenly, Halmut stopped speaking midsentence and jolted his head back. Holy energy poured out of his eyes as the Sun Dragon searched what was seemingly open air. But Halmut¡¯s tailshed out to the side, forcing an invisible Skaryn to reveal himself and defend.


    "Oh... So you still refuse to give up?" teased Halmmut, letting the false Skaryn in front of the dragon fade away. "You¡¯ll die, Skaryn. If you can¡¯t surrender your pride and choose correctly, then you¡¯ll perish along with--"


    "No more, Halmut! I¡¯m tired of your games!" shouted Skaryn. "If you want to fight to the death, then stop ying around! Don¡¯t get others involved or you won¡¯tst long enough to say goodbye."


    Taking a deep breath, Halmut clicked his tongue. "Very well... But you¡¯ve chosen the path of no return!"


    Holy energy and dark energy rained from the heavens, warring to control the air around the twobatants.


    "So long, Skaryn. I¡¯ll say it now while I have the chance..." Halmut sighed, letting more energy erupt from his being.


    Skaryn was silent, not letting his emotions show during a time of life and death.


    Both men rocketed into each other with unprecedented speed. A shockwave of dueling holy and dark energy washed away the stagnant energy in the air. This repeated over and over again, letting the distant spectators feel their souls shake.


    While both sides boasted simr levels of strength and their own varieties of energy types, onebatant began to stick out as the potential winner. Still, Skaryn was unable to drain any energy and heal himself while Halmut undid all wounds of battle. Such a difference made the oue more obvious by the second.


    "How?"


    "¡¯How¡¯, what?"


    "How are you immune!" Skaryn questioned, furious.


    Sighing, Halmut answered casually, "Oh... that? Simple. My friends in Gem have proven their superiority yet again."


    Understanding the underlying meaning of such a statement, Skaryn asked, "So, they gave you false hope?"


    "No, it¡¯s not false by any means," replied Halmut. "There¡¯s no point in revealing how, but I¡¯ve be immune to dark type energy, your greatest strength. And without it, you¡¯repletely helpless in front of me.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Halmut asked, enjoying the raging re Skaryn showed. "I told you before, fighting back was useless. Now, it¡¯s toote. They wanted me to kill you long ago but I convinced them to let me convince you. Only, you turned me down for thest time...


    "Today was thest day you¡¯ll live... And yet you¡¯re still caught up on saving that ind?!"


    Regardless of his circumstances and his disadvantages, Skaryn was still defending against the asional light pir that Halmut would sneak out of their fight.


    "So, that¡¯s how you can attack me and Kustram at the same time..." reasoned Skaryn, showing no signs of forfeit within his eyes.


    "Face the truth, Skaryn! If you surrender now, there¡¯s still a chance I can--"


    "Shut up and kill me."


    "... What?"


    Skaryn repeated himself,ughing, "Shut up and kill me. If you¡¯re so confident, then why are you hesitating? You made fun of me for not being decisive, yet I¡¯ve been using killing blows this whole time. If you weren¡¯t cheating me, then I¡¯d have already killed you. But you keep offering peace while mocking me. If you¡¯re going to kill me, just do it already!"

 Chapter 547 What Seal?

    <h4>Chapter 547 What Seal?</h4>


    "If you¡¯re going to kill me, just do it already!"


    "Fine..." Halmut sighed, finally frowning in disillusionment. "Don¡¯t hate me for being ungrateful, Skaryn. This was your choice..."


    A draconic roar echoed across the horizon as Halmut unleashed alltent energy within his body. He let his natural instincts run wild against the only man that Halmut had ever truly called his friend. The Sun God finally let go of hisst remaining emotions in the pursuit of power.


    Skaryn was still unfazed. He too forced every morsel of energy to emerge as he put up a defense and offense against the savage dragon.


    The shockwaves grew more ferocious than ever, causing tremors for the distant ind. But apart from the shockwaves, the overwhelming energies at war only proved just how one-sided the match was bing.


    Each time they stepped up their game, Halmut¡¯s advantage grew. And now that Halmut held nothing back, the difference in attack power was far too great to ignore between Halmut and Skaryn. Though some damage was still dealt to Halmut, it was nothingpared to the cuts and burns that Skaryn was receiving.


    Even the people spectating from afar began to see a disparity in strength. Both energies were beyond theirprehension but they could visibly see the dark energy attacks withering away upon impact while the holy energy lingered on Skaryn for a few seconds.


    Halmut was silent now, letting his blind fury take over as he did something he didn¡¯t want to. His attacks carved through Skaryn¡¯s abundant energy with rtive ease, only receiving resistance from the other four magic types Skaryn wielded. Since both wielded lightning, they canceled each other out. Skaryn¡¯s water was matched with Halmut¡¯s fire and Skaryn¡¯s earth was matched with Halmut¡¯s wind. Only Illusion type energy remained, which didn¡¯t offer much resistance in the first ce, though Halmut still had nature energy leftover just in case. Adding that to Halmut¡¯s holy energy easily carving through Skaryn¡¯s dark energy, Halmut was carving into Skaryn with each collision.


    Skaryn remained focused despite being on the losing side for once. This was the one thing that annoyed Halmut. Being formerpanions, Halmut understood that Skaryn hadn¡¯t given up or changed his mind in the slightest. That could only mean that Skaryn still had a n to win.


    Amidst their sh, while receiving numerous wounds, Skaryn closed the meter of distance between them in an instant.


    However, Halmut didn¡¯t like the look in Skaryn¡¯s eyes. He knew all too well what was about to happen. Using one w, Halmut casually struck at Skaryn while using his other w and tail to reach behind and sh at the invisible Skaryn, yet again. His gaze focused on the blood dripping from the fresh wound on the newly-revealed Skaryn¡¯s chest.


    "Come on... You¡¯ll have to try--" Just when Halmut was about to mock Skaryn yet again, a hand reached out and touched Halmut¡¯s chest. At the same time, the bleeding Skaryn behind him faded away. Looking back to his front, Halmut found the real Skaryn with one hand on Halmut¡¯s chest and with one of Halmut¡¯s ws stabbing into his shoulder.


    "Toote..."


    Skaryn¡¯s whisper reached Halmut as he backed away, out of reach from Halmut¡¯s ws and tail.


    "What did you do?" questioned Halmut, certain that Skaryn had done something drastic despite feeling no changes within his body.


    "Tell me how you became immune," ordered Skaryn, drinking a potion to heal his shoulder and recover while he had a moment to do so.


    Eyeing Skaryn angrily, Halmut roared, "What did you do?! Tell me, or I¡¯ll--"


    "If you kill me, then you¡¯ll never get that seal off."


    "What seal?"


    "The seal I just ced on you," Skaryn stated with a confident smile. "Even with your advantage, you may not be able to finish me off. But in the case you¡¯ve got some other means to cheat me, I¡¯ve ced a seal within your body. It¡¯s not my curse. No, It¡¯s much worse than that, at least for you it is."


    "Fool... I can undo your curses, so why..."


    "I told you, it¡¯s a seal, not a curse. Go ahead and search your body. I¡¯ll give you a moment."


    Trusting Skaryn¡¯s personality, Halmut kept his eyes on the Dark God while allowing searching his body with his mana. But nothing felt wrong...


    "You¡¯ll have to look harder than that. I didn¡¯t do anything to you physically, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be devastated after you learn the truth," exined Skaryn,ughing to himself.


    "Then exin it--"


    "How are you immune?" questioned Skaryn, bing serious yet again. "Answer me that and I¡¯ll share the terrifying truth behind my little seal."


    "... You¡¯re bluffing!" Halmut roared in anger. "I feel no difference at all. Even your past seals were felt somewhat, so there¡¯s no way--"


    "But my past seals were used to seal bodies, mana, or limit your strength. What I¡¯ve done to you... Let¡¯s just say that you¡¯ll never consider me a friend for as long as you live. Not after what I¡¯ve just done to you."


    Confused, Halmut shouted, "Then tell me--"


    "Remember, we¡¯re no longer friends. Therefore, we have no reason to share information freely. Fair exchange is all I ask," reasoned Skaryn, not budging as he enjoyed a moment to strategize.


    Taking one long breath, Halmut red heavily at Skaryn. The weight of his stair would cause lower-leveled gods to step back, but not Skaryn. The Dark God was unmoved and unperturbed by the deadly stare.


    "If you don¡¯t answer me within three seconds, then I¡¯ll end this here and now," stated Halmut, puffing out his chest and resuming his powerful aura.


    "Then you¡¯ll just figure it out eventually, but it will be toote for you after I¡¯m gone."


    "3..."


    Skaryn chuckled andughed to himself, enjoying the moment as Halmut got madder with each following number of the count.


    "2..."


    "I¡¯m waiting..." added Skaryn, taunting Halmut to the fullest and showing his unwillingness to bend.


    "... 1..." Halmut tried to stare holes through Skaryn but failed to see any change of expression or leniency on the Dark God¡¯s face.


    "... 0!"

 Chapter 548 Skaryns Final Push

    <h4>Chapter 548 Skaryn¡°s Final Push</h4>


    Both ruling deities charged ahead, shing without fear or worry of loss.


    More than ever, the difference in strength was made clear as Halmut forced his way through Skaryn¡¯s attack. The Sun Dragon was using his Holy Sight as well, making sure he wouldn¡¯t fall for another stunt of invisibility. Neither of the two was pushed back by the collision but Skaryn was looking far worse than the healing Halmut.


    "Stop fighting your demise!" Halmut roared, not letting up.


    Skaryn shifted his focus to defense. With a momentary pause on assaulting the dragon, the Dark God would be able to best defend and adapt to another new tactic.


    But as Skaryn shifted to defense, he sensed another pir of light gathering over Kustram. And this one was more than three times the size of those from earlier.


    "Go ahead," Halmut taunted. "I know you want to save them and I know you¡¯re capable. So why not?"


    A split second was all Skaryn had. The Dark God knew his limits and was sure he could fend off that distant attack. However, defending the ind while Halmut was going all-out would leave the Sun God an opportunity to injure Skaryn yet again.


    Still, Skayrn didn¡¯t hesitate. He had never been an indecisive man, something his actions proved time and time again.


    Shouting at the top of his lungs, an avnche of dark energy burst out of Skaryn with perilous ferocity. Though Halmut was practically immune to the energy, the sheer amount of it forced Halmut back a few steps. At the same time, a majority of the energy rushed toward the city. Darkness now covered the entire ind nation, too thick for spectators or the dueling gods to see through.


    The next moment, the gigantic pir of light fell through the clouds and shed with the darkness.


    That¡¯s when Halmut went wide-eyed and nced at his panting formerpanion. "You would go to such lengths... for them?"


    Shrugging, Skaryn didn¡¯t bother saying anything.


    "Why, Skaryn? Why not submit and join me?!" Halmut shouted in rage. His actions spoke differently, however, as Halmut retrieved his ded scepter and lunged into Skaryn. It was abo attack from his personal weapon and his powerful breath attack, both utilizing all five of Halmut¡¯s magic types.


    In response, Skaryn took a deep breath and darted forward with both of his greatswords, attempting to cleave through Halmut¡¯s attacks.


    The two collided and came to a grinding halt. One tanked a mighty breath attack to the chest and the other was hacked by a heavy greatsword. Neither was unscathed, to the point where Halmut struggled to heal himself on the fly.


    "You still--"


    "You¡¯re finished!"


    Skaryn did something that Halmut hadn¡¯t expected. The pitch-ck sword jabbed into the dragon¡¯s chest began to glow. Etching of somenguage unknown to Halmut appeared on the de and Halmut finally had a sense of fear and dread wash over him.


    The Sun Dragon rushed backward to retreat but Skaryn stored the second greatsword in an attempt to hold tightly to the fleeing dragon.


    They found themselves rushing back toward the ind, only the spectators had no clue what was going on and Skaryn wasn¡¯t worried about them at the moment. All Skaryn wanted to do was to hold tightly andplete his seal.


    "Fool!" Halmut roared, unleashing his breath attack at point-nk.


    But Skaryn didn¡¯t flinch. The Dark God kept his eyes on the greatsword which was glowing bright with each passing second.


    Recognizing Skaryn¡¯s determination, Halmut understood one thing. That even if Skaryn left himself wide open and was willing to die, Skaryn wouldn¡¯t act recklessly without being certain that Halmut was doomed also.


    In a frantic motion, Halmut ceased his breath attack and instead grabbed Skaryn by the shoulder with one arm. Halmut¡¯s other arm remained at his side until a strange item appeared in his hand. It was finely carved and entirely foreign. But Halmut then forced the medallion-like item into Skaryn¡¯s chest.


    Suddenly, pure white light exploded out of the amulet to form rings of raw energy, the same color as Jin¡¯s many raw energy attacks. Those rings circted and surrounded the Dark God.


    Skaryn immediately sensed the threat they posed, recognizing the vast amount of energy contained within each of the five rings. He pulled his greatsword from Halmut¡¯s chest and attempted to break free before he was unable to escape. But Skaryn was already contained. All five of the rings began to slowly close around Skaryn,pletely unaffected by Skaryn¡¯s powerful attacks.


    "What is this?! This isn¡¯t from--"


    "It¡¯s a gift, from Gem to you," stated Halmut, who was staring down at the gaping hole in his chest. "If I hesitated any more then you would¡¯ve sealed my heart, right?"


    "What is--"


    "That¡¯s your eternal prison, Skaryn. To guarantee my victory and future partnership, Gem gave me that seal. I didn¡¯t want to use it, but it¡¯s better that you get sealed instead of me. A fitting end for you, isn¡¯t it?" Halmut chuckled as he attempted to heal his wound.


    "It won¡¯t work..." Skaryn sighed, failing to break free of the shrinking cage again and again.


    Halmut¡¯s cocky chuckle shifted to a frown. The Sun God could sense that his body wasn¡¯t responding as well as it should¡¯ve. "You... You were sealing my mana supply? Skaryn... If only you had epted... Now I must teach you and your followers a lesson."


    While Skaryn was trapped inside the ever-shrinking cage of energy, Halmut momentarily abandoned thoughts of healing himself. Instead, the Sun God lifted both hands high above his head.


    Half a dozen pirs of light took shape above Kustram, getting a serious look from Skaryn.


    Disregarding Skaryn¡¯s shouts and vicious attempts to break free, Halmut threw down his arms along with the half a dozen pirs of light.


    The shroud of heavy darkness held strong but the third pir created a dent in the defenses. Then, the fourth and fifth turned that dent into cracks, allowing the sixth pir of light to break the defenses and scatter the darkness altogether.


    "That was some barrier... If it were any stronger, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to breach it in time for you to see the demise of your people," stated Halmut, staring coldly at the ind beneath them.

 Chapter 549 Kustram Wiped From the Map

    <h4>Chapter 549 Kustram Wiped From the Map</h4>


    Skaryn felt the five rings now pressing into his skin. He was rendered immobile as they continued to press into his body. But despite the pain racking his body, Skaryn spat, "Halmut! You coward! You--"


    "I¡¯ve heard enough from you," Halmut stated with a shrug. "Just watch them die in--"


    "HALMUT!!!"


    Though his words were cut off by Skaryn¡¯s shouts, Halmut¡¯s next six attacks were already falling upon Kustram. They riddled the ind with craters and ruined thergest cities in seconds. The third round of attacks finished the job as the ind was crumbling away. It was the fourth wave of attacks that wiped the ind nation from the Kartonian map.


    "HAAAALMUUUT!!!"


    Ignoring his captured rival, Halmut took onest look as the raging sea rushed to cover up what was once an ind nation.


    "Anyst words? You¡¯ve only got seconds left to--"


    "I¡¯ll kill you!" Veins bulged from Skaryn¡¯s forehead as the rings tightened further. "When Kylon and the others learn about--"


    Cutting Skaryn off, the five rings finally finished their job. They reached their full brightness and ended with a sh. At the same time, all five of the rings dragged Skaryn to the bottom of the sea in a fraction of the second. There, the Dark God vanished upon impact. All that remained was a sealing inscription made up of five rings etched into the seafloor where Skaryn¡¯s homnd once stood.


    "Finally... That fool¡¯s finally gone..."


    Halmut sighed, letting relief ovee him. The Sun God took out a potion but found little to no results when using it to heal his chest. He then took out a contact crystal and sighed into it, sending for aid and revealing Halmut¡¯s interpretation of the final oue.


    "So, what do you think?"


    Jack and Duorda were motionless, still enraptured by the fading scene they just witnessed.


    The skeletal construct was the first to speak, asking, "What item was that?"


    "As you expect, it¡¯s nothing special, at least in terms of function. It¡¯s a sealing item crafted to handle a two-star cosmician or anyone weaker," replied Daruun. "The only thing special about such an item is its origin. As you both know, it doesn¡¯te from Kartonia. What Jack doesn¡¯t know is that such an item must be created by a three-star, if not by a genius two-star inscriptionist."


    "So..." Jack started to put his many thoughts together, "Gem Inc trusts Halmut enough to give him such a powerful item. Or do they simply want to guarantee that your ns are ruined?"


    "I¡¯d guess a bit of both," Daruun answered.


    "Then we can assume that item was part of the suicidal care package you mentioned earlier?" deduced Jack. "Do you think Halmut has more of such items?"


    "I doubt that. Gem and Jewel have no reason to do so. The only one that Halmut has ever acknowledge as a threat is Skaryn. Even against Moranti, he¡¯s yet to ept him while Moranti remains at lv. 98," exined Daruun.


    "And what¡¯s his opinion of my dad?"


    Smiling, Daruun sighed, "I think he fears your dad more than Moranti, though I¡¯dbel them both as threats. If Halmut would ever get the chance to see the true beast that originated Moranti¡¯s bloodline, he would do everything in his power to kill Moranti."


    "You mean... Dominus, right?" Jack asked, trying to remember.


    "Jack knows Dominus?!" Duorda shouted in question.


    Daruun shook his head. "No. I merely mentioned that Moranti and the Spectral Dragons were brought to life in an attempt to recreate Dominus¡¯s bloodline."


    "Ohhh... That¡¯s why they¡¯re so powerful!"


    "How strong is Dominus? You said--"


    "Dominus is also a six-star," answered Daruun. "He rules District 09, the Mirror District. We¡¯re both six-stars but Dominus was bred for battle. Don¡¯t get me wrong, he¡¯s incredibly intelligent but his raw fighting power is hard toe by. Though Districts 08 and 07 rank higher than the Mirror District, Dominus is regarded as the strongest district leader among the Intervals. Some might even argue that Dominus could fight a seven-star if he needed to."


    "He¡¯s that strong... Could he--"


    "No, Dominus can¡¯t beat Ss. Don¡¯t get any crazy ideas like that," Daruun stated. "If Ss wasn¡¯t stronger than Dominus, why would Dominus agree to lower on the enterprise¡¯s hierarchy?"


    "So Ss is a seven-star?" Jack deduced, staring intently at Daruun¡¯s face for a response.


    Pausing, Daruun closed his eyes and nodded slowly. "Jack, you¡¯ll learn plenty about Sster. For now, you need to focus on the matters at hand. You¡¯ve now witnessed thest battle between Halmut and Skaryn, as well as the destruction of Kustram. There are many things tied to that event. And I¡¯m sure you have plenty of questions for me, as well."


    Taking a moment to scratch his head in thought, Jack asked, "Why was Skaryn so adamant to mention Kylon?"


    "You don¡¯t remember?" Daruun chuckled. "During your time ying ¡¯A Hero¡¯s Tale¡¯, where was the best ce to find Flood Dragons?"


    "Easy, they... they nested under Kustram..." Catching on, Jack answered his own question. "So Halmut destroyed Kustram along with the home of the Flood Dragons, all without telling Kylon."


    "Not only was she not informed of Halmut¡¯s actions, but Kylon was also told the opposite," added Daruun.


    "Oh... Then the destruction of Kustram was pinned on Skaryn."


    "Correct. Now, Kylon has the greatest grudge of all against Skaryn. She won¡¯t be easy to convince otherwise, I¡¯ll warn you of that."


    "Convince? Can¡¯t I just defeat her?" asked Jack.


    "I wouldn¡¯t rmend that..." sighed Daruun. "Before you tackle that matter, you¡¯ll need to decide something else first. Do you wish for Skaryn to remain sealed or not?"


    "Why even ask?" Jackughed, shaking his head. "Skaryn isn¡¯t what I thought he was and now that I know he¡¯s still my well-respected uncle, why shouldn¡¯t I help free him?"


    "Even if your system says to do otherwise?"


    "That... I forgot about that..."


    Smiling, Daruun stated, "Remember, the system has a blend of knowledge that I¡¯ve bestowed upon it while also recognizing your feelings and motives. Depending on how loosely you allow your feelings to be, the achievements it creates will be altered. So, where do you think such an achievement came from?"

 Chapter 550 Adaptability of the Achievement System

    <h4>Chapter 550 Adaptability of the Achievement System</h4>


    "So, where do you think such an achievement came from?"


    Taking his many experiences into ount, Jack pondered that question. After a couple of minutes passed, Jack replied, "A blend of both, I think. Thinking back, as I started to reign in my emotions and be more mission-focused, my system hasn¡¯t created many wild achievements, if any. I started focusing more on the achievements that previously existed and not the new ones that it can create.


    "In the case of my Skaryn achievement, I think it recognized how grateful I was to learn that Skaryn wasn¡¯t around to get in the way of my ns. So when the system recognized the enchantment key back then, it most likely created that achievement following my understanding and just how impactful such an event would be." Finished with his exnation, Jack looked back to Daruun and asked, "How wrong am I?"


    "I¡¯d say you¡¯re pretty spot on. I had to make the system unique and adaptable, otherwise, you¡¯d be helpless after leaving Kartonia," stated Daruun.


    "How so?"


    Daruun continued, "Within the void, there are two types of cosmicians, mystic and martial. Consider these the basis of the mage and warrior sses on Kartonia. Mana is the same as raw cosmic energy, so the difference between mystic and martial type cosmicians is also how they utilize cosmic energy.


    "Mystic cosmicians focus on the energy outside of their bodies, exactly as a mage would to cast powerful spells or alter their environment. Martial cosmicians focus on the energy within their bodies, turning the energy into powerful physical attacks or enhancing the strength of their body.


    "Once you leave Kartonia, you¡¯ll be recognized as a binary cosmician skilled in mystic and martial techniques," added Daruun. "It¡¯s something that I¡¯m proud of but also curious to see take ce. Because you leave Kartonia, all of my preprogrammed achievements will practically be obsolete. You¡¯ll need to depend on the system¡¯s ability to autogenerate achievements."


    "Then I need to get a better grasp of how the autogenerate function works, right?" asked Jack, catching on. "If that¡¯s what will help me most, then I don¡¯t have a choice."


    "Since we¡¯re on the topic, why not update your system right now?"


    Looking back to Daruun, Jack tilted his head. "Right now? But I can¡¯t--"


    "Jack, you unlocked an achievement the moment you walked through the spatial gate. Thanks to your initiative of stockpiling skill points, you¡¯ll have enough the moment you im your new achievement." Daruun then added, "But don¡¯t spend any skill points after your ascension. We¡¯ll discuss whates next before you spend anything, okay?"


    "Okay..."


    Excited, Jack opened his menu and found the notification he had long ignored, being too caught up in the moment about Daruun¡¯s office and learning about the universe atrge.


    [One small step for man, a powerful spatial gate for mankind!:pleted]


    [Be the first being in the history of Kartonia to set foot on a foreign and unlock the sole spatial gate connected to Kartonia. Divine reward: 10,000 skill points. Would you like to im the reward?]


    The moment Jack epted the reward, a new pop-up appeared and it was exactly what Jack was looking for.


    [Mandatory System Update]


    [Required: 30,000 skill points. Would you like to begin the update?]


    With a proud nod, Jack epted the update and smiled wide.


    Energies of all sorts appeared within Daruun¡¯s office and began to circte around Jack, circting slowly around Jack at first but gaining speed with each passing second. The colors grew more vibrant and powerful as they picked up speed. Soon, Duorda and Daruun could no longer see Jack within a cyclone of harmless energy gathering around Jack.


    Jack kept staring at his level, waiting for the fateful moment he finally became a god.


    A couple of minutes passed and it was finally time. The bright variety of energies lit the entire room until each spec of energy suddenly froze in ce. In a single instant, all the life-filled energy was absorbed into Jack¡¯s body. Only a small aura leaked out of Jack after the dancing lights seeped into his system.


    At the same time, new achievements appeared while the entire room was smiling.


    [The heavens are mine to climb:pleted]


    [Don of divinity:pleted]


    [Wee to the family:pleted]


    Jack opened each one and immediately imed them before reading their descriptions.


    [The heavens are mine to climb: imed]


    [Be a one-star cosmician with unparalleled speed and instantly rank among the strongest one-stars upon ascension. One-star reward: 10,000 skill points.]


    [Don of divinity: imed]


    [Found and lead a faction of one-star cosmicians, having led them since before the user¡¯s ascension. One-star reward: 10,000 skill points.]


    [Wee to the family: imed]


    [ept the over-arching responsibilities founded by the system creator, bing recognized as the legitimate grandson of the system creator. One-star reward: 15,000 skill points.]


    In awe of histest earnings, Jack was silent. His mind was already trying to imagine how he would spend his new harvest of skill points.


    "Wait, Jack. Like I said, we¡¯ll discuss your system before you spend any of your new points."


    Remembering where he was, Jack nodded. "Okay, then how should I spend all this? I¡¯m sure I can--"


    "First, take this back." A crystal sphere covered in different etchings appeared in Daruun¡¯s hands.


    Recognizing the item, Jack sighed and nodded. Carefully, Jack epted the item and saw a new alert from his system. Upon opening it, Jack discovered something entirely new about the system.


    The former achievement regarding Skaryn¡¯s sealing had changed. Now, it read very differently.


    [Force Skaryn¡¯s Unsealing: in progress]


    [Enact the unsealing of Skaryn, releasing him despite the dying attempts of the contentious gods of Kartonia. Event reward: 50,000 skill points.]


    "Keep in mind that the hierarchy of the gods was very different when the original achievement was made," added Daruun. "Now that the chaotic gods are no more and they¡¯ve absorbed by the holy gods turned legendary gods, their motives have also shifted."

 Chapter 551 What Did I Miss?

    <h4>Chapter 551 What Did I Miss?</h4>


    "Holy gods turned what?" Jack asked.


    "While you were in the dungeon, a lot has taken ce," stated Daruun. "To put everything briefly, I¡¯ll list the events and their significances. First off, two wars broke out that resulted in Reinolt and Aazoon both vanishing from the world map."


    "What?!"


    "Don¡¯t worry, your friends interfered and created much more desirable oues," corrected Daruun. "Both fights urred at the same time, splitting your friends and the gods into two fronts. It was in Reinolt that Jin was overwhelmed by Grixor and captured. But in Aazoon, Sterfen killed Sybin as well. Apart from the killing of two Flood Dragons and three Magma Dragons, Rikko also stole Naparn¡¯s sword with your father¡¯s help.


    "These two battles ended in favor of the Leisure Guild but Moranti and Sterfen both visited Olympic Chateau to trade Sybin¡¯s corpse and Naparn¡¯s sword for Jin. However, knowing that Halmut never liked to be on the losing end of an exchange, Jin took the initiative to kill himself while also attempting to stab Halmut in the heart," Daruun added, shocking Jack and Duorda. "Though Jin failed to do much to Halmut, Jin did manage to keep Halmut from getting Jin¡¯s storage or any EXP from killing the samurai.


    Taking a moment to mentally digest those events, Jack stammered, "That¡¯s..."


    "That was the first event. And it ended in the trade being sessful and Jin¡¯s revival at lv. 89 and Sybin¡¯s revival at lv. 93."


    "Huh? But how can--"


    "The reason a god isn¡¯t revived to their former level is due to theck of pure cosmic energy after their revival. Halmut substituted that cosmic energy using some of the stimnts he had on hand," exined Daruun.


    "But this shouldn¡¯t have been done. Sure, it allows her to be revived to her former level, but it also makes her strength more shallow than ever before. By now, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s felt the difference in her current mana capacity and her mana capacity before her death. Sybin is silent about it but she can tell that her body¡¯s vitality and mana are almost foreign. She doesn¡¯t know this, but that means of resurrection can result in her body bing unrevivable, even to a mortal level."


    "So, there¡¯s no way to revive a god or, better put, a cosmician?" asked Jack, somewhat unsettled to learn that.


    Daruun nodded slightly. "There is, but it either takes a powerful cosmician specialized in resurrection, or some incredibly rare items or rituals. On Kartonia, only Duorda can do that but the ritual isn¡¯t immediate. It can take days to properly revive a cosmician. Now, if Duorda still had his previous strength, that would be a different story."


    Jack blinked as Daruun continued and smiled wide, "Before I assigned Duorda to Kartonia, I had to reduce his strength and then ce a limiter within his body. This wasn¡¯t too difficult as he¡¯s a construct and it allowed me to ce a highly experienced, former cosmician as a gauge for a sessor."


    "How many stars did he have before?" Jack asked, catching on that Duorda should¡¯ve been a one-star. The hero had thought it was weird that,pared to Daruun being a six-star, Duorda had served Daruun while being so weak, at least till now.


    "I was a four-star!" Duorda boomed and puffed out his ribcage. "You should feel honored to have faced me and won, though your tactics weren¡¯t exactly honorable."


    "Hey, all that matters is that I beat you," Jack argued.


    "Calm down, Jack. You won, fair and square. In reality, victory is victory, no matter how you earned it. Some paths to victory may eventuallye with consequences, such as Halmut¡¯s fight against Skaryn, but their victory can¡¯t be discounted either," stated Daruun.


    "By the way, what exactly did Skaryn do to Halmut at the end?"


    "Oh, that? It¡¯s a seal that Skaryn developed but wasn¡¯t allowed to utilize outside of certain circumstances," answered Daruun. "But those circumstances were met during the fight, so I don¡¯t me Skaryn for using such a dirty trick. In fact, I appreciate what he¡¯s done."


    "But--"


    "Jack, you know that Halmut¡¯s body doesn¡¯t process raw cosmic energy as it should, thanks to his use of faux-ore. But does that exin hisck of pressure for five hundred years?" asked Daruun.


    "I thought that had something to do with Halmut¡¯s injury and the threat that Moranti posed," reasoned Jack.


    "True, those two factors yed a part. But neither was the key factor. The most underlying reason for Halmut¡¯s absence was that hidden seal ced over Halmut. It¡¯s something he doesn¡¯t want anyone to know about." Daruun exined, "Think of it this way. It was during the Godly War that it was most likely for other gods to gain EXP, right? But how would Halmut feel if he lost the ability to absorb EXP and cosmic energy altogether?"


    "No... You mean..."


    Nodding, Daruun continued, "Yes, that¡¯s exactly it. Skaryn failed to seal Halmut¡¯s mana and strength but Skaryn seeded in sealing Halmut¡¯s future. Of course, Jewel and Gem Inc have ways to remove the seal but they currently have no one able to physically visit Halmut. To do that, they would need to send a three-star, which would draw far too much unwanted attention within your precinct and zone."


    "Then Halmut has to leave Kartonia to get healed but can¡¯t leave until he bes a two-star, which is impossible given his circumstances. And Halmut was afraid that someone else might pass him should they manage to kill other gods as Halmut had originally nned," deduced Jack.


    "Correct," Daruun agreed. "But that doesn¡¯t mean Halmut has no chance to leave the. There¡¯s a good chance that Gem Inc will make such a move in the future. But to do that, they need to finish dealing with other issues that we¡¯ve forced Gem Inc into. Though I can¡¯t outright remove them, they¡¯re not the only ones that know how to take advantage of the system."


    "So I need to get things done in Kartonia before Gem Inc finally arrives to take Halmut away?"


    "Not only Halmut but all of the Legendary Gods, which is what Halmut is now calling himself and his subordinate gods," added Daruun. "You and the others are now known as the Leisure Gods, a name that Halmut has given you."

 Chapter 552 Duordas Immediate Ascension

    <h4>Chapter 552 Duorda¡°s Immediate Ascension</h4>


    "The Leisure Gods? I like that..." Jack smiled and shrugged, for once feeling appreciative towards Halmut.


    "Oh, and since we¡¯re talking about the other gods, I almost forgot to mention something about your father," Daruun mentioned. "To reach lv. 97, Sterfen had Moranti fight Halmut while he forcibly teleported Naparn away during Halmut¡¯s returning speech to the world. This led to Sterfen secretly overwhelming, torturing, and killing Naparn. Sterfen even used my gift to steal Naparn¡¯stent cosmic energy. That¡¯s how Sterfen now, thanks to your ascension, is lv. 98."


    "Seriously? If he¡¯s that strong, howe he--"


    "Remember, you¡¯re the main role now," stated Daruun. "If he acted out before you got involved in all this, how would there be anything left for you? How would you level up or end up making pacts with cosmicians so early on?"


    "True..." sighed Jack.


    "Also," continued Daruun, "now that Sterfen has killed Naparn, Halmut has been forced into a corner. He¡¯s finally letting those under him assist their followers in ascendance. Which means..."


    "They¡¯ll be gaining levels too? I see..."


    "But that¡¯s just how the world works. Once you¡¯re strong enough to ovee the challenges that always gued you, the void throws more powerful stumbling blocks your way yet again. It¡¯s how the strongest rule the history books and those they defeated are forgotten," reasoned Daruun.


    Taking a moment to think, Jack asked, "And... What was this gift you mentioned earlier?"


    "Oh, that? It¡¯s an item that allows Sterfen to increase his natural absorption of cosmic energy. With it, he can sense all cosmic energy near him and even absorb it so long as it¡¯s not controlled by someone else. But once a cosmician dies, their leftover energy takes time to naturally disperse, something Sterfen took advantage of to level up quicker," exined Daruun.


    "That¡¯s handy. Got any more of them?"


    "Sorry, Jack, but you won¡¯t need one. Not with three demigods ready to ascend."


    "What do you mean?"


    Daruun added, "Form a pact with Duorda, right now. Then, I¡¯ll remove his limiter."


    "You mean--"


    "He¡¯ll barely be a one-star, as that¡¯s Duorda¡¯s base form and strength. I had to give him a handicap to make the test work."


    Jack blinked and turned to the skeleton. "You were created and instantly became a one-star?"


    "How else can my body function from cosmic energy?" reasoned Duorda, getting Jack to nod in agreement. "Don¡¯t assume that Master Daruun is so incapable that he can¡¯t even make a one-star construct. I can assure you that he¡¯s created some two-stars and three-stars as well."


    Before Jack could ask, Daruun exined, "I¡¯ve found that one-star constructs have the greatest potential for growth. Making them weaker resulted in the high possibility that they¡¯ll never be cosmicians and any stronger means they have less time to grow through experience."


    Without waiting for another second, Jack slit his finger and wrote the pact on Duorda¡¯s bony forehead. "Now... without blood, how can he--"


    Duorda then grabbed his own forearm, cracking the bone in his tight grip. He continued to twist the broken bones until a drop of a thick grey substance oozed out. Gathering the drop atop his fingertip, Duorda pressed it into the center of the pact, making it official.


    "Oh... you bleed?"


    "Not exactly," answered Duorda. "But that substance is my equivalent to blood, though my body doesn¡¯t need very much of it."


    "Now, check your skill list, Jack. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be excited to see some skills that surpass anything a one-star can achieve."


    Doing as Daruun said, Jack opened his menu and paused the moment he found Duorda¡¯s skill list. It was long, but not as long as Jack had expected. What caught Jack off guard was the high cost.


    "Seventy-five thousand skill points, for one skill?!"


    "It is Undeath, after all," chuckled Daruun.


    "But... That much for just one skill..." Jack sighed, unable to argue.


    "There¡¯s also Dying Miasma and Living Miasma, the skill which allows Duorda to drain vitality from his opponents as well as share his vitality with others. Those two skills are incredibly rare within the void, so I made sure to create the perfect construct bybining them and giving Duorda Undeath as well.


    "And now that you¡¯ve formed the pact, Jack, I want you to make Duorda a demigod. All you have to do is nt a seed of your energy within Duorda¡¯s body. Normally, Duorda would fight and repel any foreign cosmic energy, but he¡¯ll allow you to ce that seed of energy where you feel his energy stores to be the strongest."


    Following along with Daruun¡¯s exnation, Jack closed his eyes and ced his hand on Duorda¡¯s chest. Jack¡¯s high affinity for mana proved more potent than ever as Jack now felt an abundance of unfamiliar energy gushing out of Duorda¡¯s chest. He took a deep breath and carefully forced a morsel of energy into Duorda¡¯s body, trying to recreate the same feeling that Sterfen had given him long ago.


    As that small bead of energy entered Duorda, he didn¡¯t fight it. Allowing it to sink further into him, Duorda willingly allowed Jack¡¯s foreign energy to dwell deep within his mana stores.


    "Good, that¡¯s enough. Now, Duorda, step forward.


    Following orders, the skeleton gratefully stood before Daruun. Duorda was unwavering as Daruun¡¯s hands became ethereal and reached through Duorda¡¯s ribcage. In a few seconds, Daruun retracted his hand with a small clear gemstone in his hand.


    Jack wasn¡¯t exactly sure what happened, not until he felt another rush of energy wash over him. "I¡¯m... lv. 91?"


    "Duorda just ascended, so of course you would level up as his aid," answered Daruun. "Now with his limiter gone, Duorda will undergo training from scratch as your assistant, Jack. Make sure to take care of him and use his skills wisely."


    "That... Thank you, Daruun!" Jack bowed his head in gratitude.


    "After all this, that¡¯s how you--"


    "Thanks, Gramps!"


    Chuckling, Daruun smiled and sighed, "You¡¯re wee, Grandson."


    All three of the menughed as Duorda was d to finally feel like himself after thousands and thousands of years.

 Chapter 553 Your Will Must Be Undeniable!

    <h4>Chapter 553 Your Will Must Be Undeniable!</h4>


    Theirughter continued for a minute or so until Daruun returned to his exnation, "Now that you¡¯ve chosen to unseal Skaryn and you¡¯ve taken on Duorda as your assistant, there¡¯s something to mention before we finish our discussion.


    "I don¡¯t want you to kill Kylon, not without talking with her first."


    "Huh?" Jack paused in thought, trying to imagine a cause for Daruun¡¯s statement.


    "Just trust me. Unless it¡¯s necessary, you shouldn¡¯t kill her."


    "Then, should I assume she¡¯s willing to rebel?" asked Jack. "If that¡¯s the case, howe you didn¡¯t mention her before?"


    "In terms of rebellion, you still need to help Perchet, so don¡¯t forget that. He¡¯ll be a powerful asset in the future, so don¡¯t let him slip through your fingers. Kylon¡¯s situation, however, is even moreplicated," stated Daruun. "She¡¯s currently the keeper of thest remaining enchantment key, so you¡¯ll have to track her down and meet her without Halmut finding out anything."


    "Why be so secretive?"


    "Because, like I said, her case is very unique. As for creating such circumstances, leave that to me. I¡¯ll create an opportunity to meet her but you¡¯ll still have to convince her of what actually happened and get the key. Will you do that?"


    "I¡¯ll try to--"


    "Jack, will you convince her of the truth and get the key?" Daruun repeated himself for emphasis. "Now that you¡¯ve chosen this path, you¡¯ll need to sharpen your will and make it irrefutable. It¡¯s one thing to choose a smarter, less dangerous path. It¡¯s another thing to alter your goals due to difficult circumstances. If you want to achieve what I¡¯ve achieved, If you want to guarantee the safety of your loved ones, if you want to experience life to the fullest, your will must be more undeniable than fate itself. Understood?"


    Nodding, Jack took a deep breath andmitted that to memory. "... Understood. I¡¯ll convince her and get the key, no matter what."


    "Good. Then all you should do for now is level up those around you to increase your strength all the quicker. After you reach lv. 99, then we¡¯ll discuss what must happen to ascend again. Soon, your chance to meet Kylon will arrive," stated Daruun.


    "Oh, and you should help Moranti and the others as soon as possible, even before you open all the tombs on the ny-ninth floor."


    "What are they doing?" asked Jack.


    "At this very moment, they¡¯re in the middle of a heated discussion with Churstin. Churstin is holding a conference with them and Halmut in order to decide which side they¡¯ll join," Daruun exined. "The Churstin king isn¡¯t saying much and the others are doing well, but Halmut¡¯s influence and hismand over the dragons are hard to ovee. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re intervention will be greatly appreciated."


    "Now that you¡¯ve ascended and even leveled up, I¡¯m sure your body is feeling just fine, right?"


    "Better than ever!" Jack nodded, admiring the drastic difference in power now dwelling in his body and muscles.


    "Just make sure to spend some points before you leave," added Daruun. "You may as well take some time and ponder what skills you¡¯d like to focus on. From here on out, I can offer you tips or pointers but you¡¯ll be creating your own path. That path should reflect who you want to be, not who I think you should be."


    "Got any tips for me now?"


    Daruun smiled. "I think Duorda will agree with me that you¡¯re already stronger than you know. You¡¯ve yet to fight another cosmician head-on, so you¡¯re still uncertain of your strength, but you¡¯re smart enough to not get killed or gravely injured. I believe your own judgments, in this case, will be more than correct."


    "You just don¡¯t want to sit here forever and exin everything, right?" Jack teased.


    "Maybe, but that doesn¡¯t change the fact that you¡¯ve grown and matured. If you don¡¯t make your own decisions now that you¡¯re more experienced, then how else will you mature further?" reasoned Daruun.


    "Fair... But don¡¯t ignore me if I call youter, okay Gramps?"


    Daruunughed and sighed, "You got."


    "Then, if you¡¯ll excuse me, I¡¯ll be heading back to the lounge to try a cosmix." Jack stood up and left with a smile. "Don¡¯t take too long catching up, Duorda. We¡¯ve got to get going soon."


    "Don¡¯t hold back, Jack! Unsealing Skaryn will help towards purchasing Undeath, don¡¯t forget that!" Daruun eximed as Jack closed the office door.


    Leaving his new assistant behind, Jack wandered the halls and eventually returned to the lounge. He immediately ordered a drink and opened his skill list once again. Countless skills were at Jack¡¯s fingertips and he had forty-one thousand four hundred and seventy-six skill points on hand.


    There was one thing Jack was certain of, that he wanted to keep twenty-five thousand skill points to immediately buy Undeath upon Skaryn¡¯s revival. Apart from that, however, Jack mulled over some spending strategies one by one. After a few minutes, three strategies made the most sense to him.


    First, Jack could focus on his many passive skills. With sixteen thousand skill points, Jack could max out a few skills.


    Second, Jack could buy a handful of the more powerful spells and skills that his pacts offered him. His low-level and high-level sword skills weren¡¯t bad, but they wouldn¡¯t be as effective against a god, who boasts mythic, legendary, and personal skills galore.


    Third, Jack could do a bit of both. To max out one or two skills and then purchase some powerful spells topliment Jack¡¯s transformations.


    Crunching the numbers, Jack wanted to know exactly how much it would cost to level up one of his better lv. 6 passive skills to the max, lv. 10. Four thousand eight hundred skill points. That was the cost to go up thosest four levels for a single skill. If Jack wanted to upgrade hispanion bloodline skill to the max, that alone would take eight thousand nine hundred and sixty skill points. It was tempting, but Jack wanted to look at the skills and spells more closely before deciding.

 Chapter 554 A Shocking Realization

    <h4>Chapter 554 A Shocking Realization</h4>


    Almost half an hour had passed as Duorda and Daruun casually chatted. Duorda was nearly caught up on some of the major events of the district when Daruun nced at the door. "No need to knock, juste in."


    The door creaked open as Jack reentered and returned to his seat. A wry smile was stered on Jack¡¯s face, and Daruun¡¯s nonchnt smile was exchanged for a shocked expression with a slightly gaping jaw. Even though Daruun had already read Jack¡¯s mind, the hero still asked, "Daruun, is it possible for me to make a pact with you?"


    Duorda was left stunned and speechless as he never saw such a thinging. But Daruun broke out inughter, unable to control himself for a couple of minutes.


    "Sorry... I¡¯m not mocking you..." Daruun stated as he started to gain control of his chuckles. "This... I didn¡¯t expect you to ask me so soon. Of course my grandson is allowed to make a pact with me. But be warned. If you can manage to purchase a single one of my skills early on and be in a position to use such a skill without overloading your body, then you¡¯ll find yourself flying up the ranks faster than you can imagine. But there is a chance you¡¯ll kill yourself should you use certain skills while you¡¯re body isn¡¯t ready to bear such a burden of energy."


    "All the more reason to make a pact now!"ughed Jack. "So long as I have Undeath, wouldn¡¯t that keep me from dying in those scenarios?"


    "Yes... technically, that would keep you frompletely dying. But that doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll be restored instantly. The more damage caused to your internals and your mana system, the longer it takes to heal and restore your body," stated Daruun.


    "Then I¡¯ll just have--"


    "Duorda¡¯s healing won¡¯t help you in such a case," Daruun continued. "Before, you were a mortal. Now, you¡¯re an immortal and your energy is much more potent, to others and yourself. Don¡¯t assume that you can destroy your body endlessly and simply have Duorda bring you back effortlessly. Though he can heal your battle wounds and can heal using raw cosmic energy, healing damage caused by raw cosmic energy still takes quite a while to heal properly. Don¡¯t forget that, ever."


    "Alright, alright..." Jack sighed, disappointed to have his bubble burst. "But we can still form a pact?"


    Nodding, Daruun motioned for Jack to step forward. Jack did precisely that, standing before Daruun as he excitedly drew the pact upon Daruun¡¯s forehead. Daruun slit the tip of his thumb with one of his fingernails, surprising Jack, and then stamped his thumbprint in blood as a seal of approval to finish the pact.


    Jack eagerly opened his skill list, startled to find Daruun¡¯s name appear but for Daruun¡¯s listed skills to remain unknown. Each of Daruun¡¯s skills or spells were listed with the same name, [???], while the costs were the only thing that varied. As for ssifying the skills, they still were separated into four categories, inly listed as [Three-star], [Four-star], [Five-star], and [Six-star]. There was nothing below three-star listed, letting Jack better understand what Daruun meant by his earlier words.


    "My skills are nameless for the time being due to their origins outside of Kartonia, or not having been entered in the system manually as I did with Duorda¡¯s, and them being far beyond your current level of strength. Also, if you look at the others¡¯ skills, you¡¯ll notice one of the system¡¯s updates," Daruun mentioned. "All skills that werebeled as personal have been changed to one-star, simr to how your divine rewards are now ssified as one-star rewards."


    Jack didn¡¯t bother confirming that statement, believing Daruun¡¯s words. His mind was already fully upied by the costs of all the unknown skills.


    "Sure, it¡¯s a lotpared to what you have now, but you¡¯ll get stronger and earn more eventually," added Daruun. "So long as you take advantage of the autogenerated achievements and continue to search for cheats in the system, then you¡¯ll be fine."


    "But... So... Duorda¡¯s Undeath is a three-star passive skill, yet your few three-star skills cost at least fifteen thousand more skill points!"


    "ording to your system, one-star skills and rewards range from two thousand to fifteen thousand skill points," answered Daruun. "Two-star skills and rewards range from fifteen thousand to fifty thousand skill points. Three-star skills and rewards then range from fifty thousand to one hundred thousand skill points, and so on. Duorda¡¯s skill is rare and powerful, but it¡¯s not unbeatable within the void. Many cosmicians four-star or stronger will try to find simr skills or abilities to better their chances at survival. It¡¯s practically required at that level, however, Duorda is unique in how he has the Living Miasma and Dying Miasma skills as well. But, in your case, getting it early is a huge advantage against one-stars and two-stars, especially when you¡¯re confronting groups of them alone."


    "Then howe--"


    "It¡¯s easier to process the skills of Kartonia due to their dependence on the natural energy of Kartonia. Hence, their reduced costpared to some of Duorda¡¯s one-star skills which originate from pure cosmic energy," stated Daruun.


    "Also, know that the achievement system isn¡¯t as convoluted as you may think, at least in terms of how it functions. It¡¯s directly connected to your body¡¯s incredibly high affinity for cosmic energy, which was more difficult to create than the system itself. By using thetent cosmic energy that your body is storing, it functions ording to the programming etched into your body and needs more cosmic energy for more powerful skills and the like. Otherwise, your body wouldn¡¯t be able to handle anything moreplex than the simpler ¡¯god system¡¯ I created for Karonia."


    "So... The Achievement System is programmed into my body, which you painstakingly created first hand?" Putting some thoughts together, a sudden look of shock overcame Jack. "Am I... a construct?!"


    Smiling wide, Daruun nodded. "By technical definition, yes, your body is that of a construct, though your soul not artificial in any way."


    Jack frowned but Daruun continued, "And I must say, your body is my greatest masterpiece and was far more difficult to create than Duorda¡¯s. Remember, making constructs with lower levels of strength offer them more potential for growth, but making constructs below the one-star mark is typically looked down on as a waste of time and effort. To counter that belief, it took me nearly a millennia to design and craft your body. But it was worth the effort since you¡¯re officially the first construct to ever be a cosmician and start with absolutely no strength what so ever. So, though your body is that of a construct, you¡¯ve proven to have the greatest potential of any living being that I¡¯ve ever heard of in all my life."


    Feeling a bit better about the circumstances, Jack sighed.


    Duorda, on the other hand, was booming withughter, shouting, "No wonder you bested me! In that case, we¡¯re brothers, Jack! I¡¯m proud to know that my younger brother will surpass everything that I¡¯ve done while I help him grow."


    "What¡¯s wrong, Jack? Do you not like the system or the body?" asked Daruun, smiling lightly.


    "No, that¡¯s not it... It¡¯s not a bad thing, it¡¯s just... I had never considered such a thing before so I don¡¯t know how I¡¯m supposed to feel about it," answered Jack.


    A resounding p was heard as Duorda proudly pounded on Jack¡¯s back. "Brother, be proud of your body! With it, along with your unique and matchless skills, you¡¯ll be one of the greatest cosmicians throughout the void!"


    "Thanks... Brother," Jack sighed, finally smiling and chuckling along with the other two. He was d to have not spent any skills points before learning more about how costly his new cosmician skills would be. Now, all that was left was deciding to spend all sixteen thousand extra skill points or not.


    "Remember, don¡¯t hold back, Jack," Daruun added. "For now, just let loose to an extent and then purchase undeath after Skaryn¡¯s revival. After that, then consider what you should be saving up for."


    Nodding, Jack agreed. The hero opened his system and took a final moment to ponder his spending strategy.

 Chapter 555 Jacks Reappearance in Kartonia

    <h4>Chapter 555 Jack¡°s Reappearance in Kartonia</h4>


    "Wow... Your ambition knows no bounds."


    "Thanks." Jack nodded and let out a sigh of relief. "But does that mean--"


    "No, such a strategy isn¡¯t a wrong one. It will, however, force them to act all the quicker. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll leave the others speechless. Considering what you¡¯re nning to do next, you¡¯ll leave the entire world in awe," added Daruun. "Pull this off and you¡¯ll win Churstin nd more."


    "Worst-case scenario, I¡¯d only ept border nations, like Korten or Talrania. Anything not currently attached to Trodar would be at a disadvantage during invasions and we don¡¯t need to spread troops unnecessarily."


    "Are you two going to exin this to me or not?" Duorda red at the other two, getting them to chuckle as he mentioned, "If you don¡¯t want to tell me what you learned, Jack, that¡¯s fine. I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll find out soon."


    "Let¡¯s get going." Jack stood up and bowed to Daruun. "Thanks, Gramps. I can¡¯t wait to see how the rest of the world will react to this."


    "Best of luck. And don¡¯t bite off more than you can chew, at least not all at once," joked Daruun.


    "Until next time, Master Daruun." Duorda bowed as well, going lower and showing his respect more formally.


    As Jack led Duorda through the doorway, Daruun sighed and shook his head. He mumbled to himself, "Of course Jack would try something so radical... At least, it¡¯ll be entertaining."


    *****


    Silence filled the open-aired conference hall. All eyes were on the leisure gods sitting beside Vixus. Everyone wanted to know how they would rebuttal Halmut¡¯s valid argument.


    "Would you mind repeating that? It seems I missed the question."


    A new voice rang out from the heavens, startling everyone present. The king of Churstin and his people looked upward with anticipation for the arrival of another god. Halmut did the same, only he was curious why the voice was unfamiliar to him, yet clearly from a god.


    To the shock of everyone present, Vixus and the leisure gods all arose and took a formal bow. Vixus loudly stated, "Guild Master Jack, we¡¯re d you managed to join us in time for the conference."


    Everyone let loose a sigh, either of relief or disappointment, after learning the truth of who it was. Only, once Jack casually descended from the clouds, he did so without the aid of any transformations or magic. This caught everyone off guard, especially Halmut who was clenching his fists beneath the table.


    "So you¡¯re Jack?" asked Halmut, acting calm and unfazed as he watched Jack¡¯s descent. "I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. It seems you¡¯re not entirely incapable."


    "You¡¯re one to talk!"


    Another voice rang out from the heavens, one that no one could recognize. But they weren¡¯t left in suspense for long as a second figure descended alongside Jack, slightly behind him.


    No one recognized his voice, but Halmut would never forget the skeletal figure¡¯s appearance. While the crowd gasped in shock from seeing a skeleton beside Jack, Halmut couldn¡¯t contain himself as a small moment of shock leaked out of his facial expression before his calm face returned.


    "It seems you recognize my assistant," stated Jack, almost catching Halmut off guard again. "After my ascension to godhood, Duorda here officially became my assistant, something that you never managed to achieve, Halmut."


    "I--"


    "Instead, you had to get saved by Skaryn!" Duorda shouted, jarring the entire conference hall.


    "You--"


    "Don¡¯t act high and mighty to me. I almost killed you once, don¡¯t make me do it again while Skaryn¡¯s unable to save you!"


    Duorda¡¯s taunts left everyone floored, even Moranti who already knew of the story and recognized the skeleton personally as well. He didn¡¯t know that Duorda was so daring, considering how Duorda wasn¡¯t a god when they faced the skeleton so long ago. What was most shocking of all was Jack¡¯s statement about Duorda bing his assistant. Though Moranti didn¡¯t know what woulde after defeating Duorda, Moranti knew that the current set of circumstances meant only one thing. That Jack had challenged and defeated Duorda instead of sneaking past him, something that Moranti hadn¡¯t expected to happen.


    Halmut stood from his seat and red heavily at the two figures now touching down at the center of the stage. "You have no right to mock me! You¡¯re merely lv. 90 while I¡¯m lv. 99. What gives you the right to tarnish my reputation? Give me one reason I shouldn¡¯t kill you where you stand?"


    "I gave him the right," stated Jack, unflinching and confident.


    "You? A newly ascended god?" Halmutughed, "Don¡¯t mock me, boy. Or you might end up dead. If Moranti weren¡¯t here, then I¡¯d have already--"


    "Then I challenge you to a duel."


    That casual sentence floored everyone. Whether they were a god or a mortal, no one expected anyone apart from Moranti to dare attempt such a feat, let alone do it so nonchntly and without reason.


    "I challenge you," repeated Jack. "All you¡¯ll have to do is knock me out or debilitate me. Should I get killed by ident, then it¡¯ll be my fault and Moranti will only recover my corpse for revival."


    Boomingughter echoed across the region as Halmut couldn¡¯t contain himself anymore. "You¡¯re joking! What a sense of humor! Even Moranti wouldn¡¯t im such a--"


    "My victory will be determined by the same conditions," Jack continued, unfazed by theughter. "If I can debilitate you or render you unconscious, then I win. You can even bring Tralbok here so he can resuscitate you."


    Sensing Jack¡¯s unparalleled confidence, Halmut gradually grew more emotionless. "You can¡¯t be serious? There¡¯s no reason for such a farce as I would clearly win and there¡¯s no point should you be allowed to revive afterward. I decline."


    "Then how does Churstin feel now?" Jack asked, looking to the men sitting behind the table with the Churstin g. "Joining Trodar is what I¡¯d rmend. Knowing Halmut, he probably offered protection from dragons or something ridiculous as such. But couldn¡¯t that also be seen as upying Churstin to keep you in line with his ns and false motives? Wouldn¡¯t your allegiance to Halmut eventually turn to his dictatorship over you?"

 Chapter 556 Churstins Decision and Jacks Response

    <h4>Chapter 556 Churstin¡°s Decision and Jack¡°s Response</h4>


    All ears were tuned in to Jack¡¯s speech, stunned to think of how the dragon¡¯s appearance could be seen as a negative. It wasn¡¯t what they had expected but the logic was also hard to dispute outright.


    "I have no reason to use such force," stated Halmut.


    "Really? Then what happened to the Spectral Dragons in the past?" Jack refuted. "And if the Sun Dragons are the mightiest of all beasts, then how was it that your entire race was killed? Would you mind exining that to me, Halmut?"


    Narrowing his gaze, Halmut reevaluated Jack. "That was an ancient incident in the past, where--"


    "Shut up!" shouted Moranti. "As the sole Spectral Dragon you failed to kill in the past, I stand as a witness that what Jack inferred is correct. Halmut was the one responsible for my race¡¯s disappearance, as well as the extinction of his own race, the Sun Dragons."


    "You have no proof, or--"


    Suddenly, a vast illusory screen appeared to cover the sky overhead. Images of destruction and dragon corpses were scattered about. Only one dragon remained alive as it feasted on Sun Dragons and Spectral Dragons alike.


    "Why... WHY HALMUT?!?!"


    Moranti¡¯s weak and broken voice screamed from the heavens, emerging from the illusory screen.


    "You..." Halmut snarled, turning his attention to Eedaj, whose eyes were glowing as he used God¡¯s Perspective to share Moranti¡¯s memories with the world.


    Suddenly, a holy sword was hurled toward Eedaj without warning. Eedaj did drop the illusion but Moranti defended the attack with a sh of spatial energy. Moranti chuckled, "What? Afraid everyone will know you for what you really are?"


    "It¡¯s simply an illusion. Anyone could create a false testimony or story using such means," argued Halmut. "I see no reason why that should be used as proof, nor do I see why you should be allowed to nder me without confidence."


    "Do you see now, King Brobit?" Jack asked, still smiling and focusing on the topic at hand. "Halmut uses force before using words to defend his ideals. That would only lead to you and your people being dragged into war all the quicker. And should you refuse to war with him, he¡¯ll only--"


    "I said that¡¯s enough!" Halmut shouted, increasing the pressure of his aura toward Jack.


    Jack felt it but endured. "ept my challenge. Then I¡¯ll--"


    "Then remove the condition of your immediate revival!"


    "I refuse. I wouldn¡¯t want to leave you and the holy without an excuse for your loss. Then, at least you could im that you didn¡¯t take me seriously."


    Such words left the leisure gods speechless. They were emphatically proud of Jack while also clueless as to why Jack would want such a fight. But they supported him, know that he had always been unpredictable since long ago.


    "Then that only proves that you¡¯re afraid of me and simply won¡¯t admit it before the public," stated Halmut, not giving up the war of words.


    "Are you sure you want to change that condition?" asked Jack, acting surprised.


    Halmut red at the recently ascended hero. "That¡¯s the only way I¡¯ll agree to your worthless challenge. I have no reason to ept otherwise."


    "Okay... But just for the record, you did choose this..." Jack sighed and shrugging, acting as if he had tried to do Halmut a favor. "Shall we at least finish this discussion? I feel it would be best to hold the duel after Churstin makes their decision."


    "And you agree to this, Moranti?" Halmut asked, showing far more respect to the God of Space than he did to Jack.


    Before Moranti could say anything, Jack¡¯s voice rang out in Moranti¡¯s mind and the minds of the others at Trodar¡¯s table, ¡¯Trust me. This is my one chance, so don¡¯t ruin this for me.¡¯


    Trusting the confidence in Jack and the fact that Duorda didn¡¯t seem fazed by Jack¡¯s statement, Moranti nodded and shouted, "I agree with Jack. Are you sure you don¡¯t want Tralbok toe and save you?"


    "Enough of that!" snarled Halmut. He took a deep breath and sat back down. "Then I look forward to your demise. Now, Brobit, make your decision so I may kill this foul-mouthed scourge."


    King Brobit sighed and leaned back in his chair. On the surface, this decision was a matter of who Churstin wished to ally with. But the true question that needed to be answered was different.


    Of both sides, which would make the worst enemy?


    Both sides were formidable, the most of all Kartonia. However, what was more frightening? Was it the recently rising gods of Trodar? Or the most respected gods of old that have already won a war among deities and recruited the losing side? And that wasn¡¯t even mentioning the dragons, which were arguably countered by the many beasts stowed away in the Leisure Guild, the ones reported to have protected the city.


    "Go ahead, we won¡¯t hold it against you."


    The king blinked and looked up. He saw Jack smiling lightly, showing a clear conscience and the utmost confidence.


    Seeing that man standing before Halmut, the strongest of all gods, in such a manner was humbling beyond belief. And to know that Jack took the time to understand the situation and offered to not hold it against Churstin was something else. It showed the king that Jack and the others felt more human and mortal, cementing how arrogant and forceful Halmut was in reality.


    Looking to those around him, King Brobit got nods from the other representatives, getting their acknowledgment to follow his get.


    "From everything we¡¯ve learned here, Churstin... chooses to side with Trodar."


    "WHAT?!" roared Halmut, pounding on the table and splintering it out of reflex.


    Jack smiled and shook his head. "Smart choice..."


    Standing up, Halmut interjected, "Fool! You think they can protect you from my army of--"


    "He¡¯s made his decision, just as you¡¯ve made yours. Now, we duel." Jack stated, casually waving his hand. "Goodbye, Halmut. It was nice meeting you."


    "What are you--"


    At that moment, while Halmut was furious and about to go into a frenzied rage, Halmut felt a hand softly touch his head. It was all happening at once, and Halmut only realized that someone invisible was standing behind him as Jack¡¯s voice whispered behind Halmut, "Cerebral Copse."

 Chapter 557 Mystic Interference?

    <h4>Chapter 557 Mystic Interference?</h4>


    "Cerebral Copse."


    More confident than ever, Jack was thrilled to have pulled off his n. A rush of mana exited Jack¡¯s palm, acting as a magic scalpel aimed to permanently cut-off all of the Sun God¡¯s mobility. However, Jack felt the mana dispersed.


    Now more than ever, Jack was very sensitive to the mana within his body and the man he expelled from his body. This was a natural side-effect of officially ascending to godhood and bing a cosmician. It also allowed Jack to feel what he could only describe as a disturbance to his mana.


    A new red and yellow notification shed into the corner of Jack¡¯s vision, catching him off guard. While Halmut reached around and destroyed the invisible body double, Jack took a moment to read the notification.


    [Mystic Interference Detected]


    Baffled by his findings, Jack didn¡¯t know what to say as he looked back to a ring Sun Dragon entering his hybrid form. "You... How did you counter my Cerebral Copse?"


    While the audience was curious why Halmut had attacked the air behind him, the other gods present were floored to hear Jack¡¯s question. Eedaj, in particr, was startled to hear that Jack had learned and wlessly executed Eedaj¡¯s self-created attack on someone as formidable as Halmut.


    "Now we duel, correct?" roared Halmut. "Let¡¯s take it to the sky, unless you want those here to feel the aftershocks."


    Without waiting for an answer, Halmut rushed upward with the mighty p of his wings. A gust of wind filled the make-shift conference hall and blew away all hats or loose apparel without prejudice.


    Sighing, Jack took note of his system¡¯s warning. Not only was it startling to know that Halmut had some sort of countermeasure to Cerebral Copse, it was surprising that the achievement system was able to create such a notification. Jack nned to ask Daruun about itter and see what other new features the system had created.


    "I guess we¡¯ll have to do this the hard way..."


    All eyes instantly shifted to Jack as a powerful, intimidating aura pulsed from him. It was a blend of multiple types, just as Halmut had shown on previous asions. Wind and fire energy was abundant, as well as earth energy. Adding space energy showed Jack¡¯s uniqueness, grabbing even Halmut¡¯s attention.


    At that moment, Jack activated all four of his bloodlines at once. For the first time, Jack felt a level of strength beyond anything he had experienced. Purple scales covered his body as a flexible exoskeleton armoryered over the top of it. Pitch-ck mes snuck out of the crevices between armor tes whenever possible. Jack now had two sets of draconic purple wings, one pair jutting from his back and the other exiting from Jack¡¯s arms like bat wings. In ce of each hand, Jack had a long singr w, but they were now sharper than razors and were more simr to scythes than ws.


    "Ha, ha... Ha, ha, ha!" Chuckling proudly as overwhelming power coursed through his body, Jack pped both of his wings as a test of speed. In the blink of an eye, Jack was already in the air a couple of dozen meters away from the Sun God.


    But to the mortals spectating, they didn¡¯t even see Jack p his wings. From their perspective, Jack simply teleported and somehow created a gust of wind that rivaled or surpassed Halmut¡¯s.


    While the two gods had a staredown before beginning their duel, the remaining gods stood in the air just above the crowd. They would act as a barrier while also getting a better view of the ensuing battle. Duorda and Moranti were the most excited, practically drooling over Jack¡¯s newest and most powerful form.


    "Rikko?" Eedaj was the first to notice the Goblin God join them in the sky. "I thought you were--"


    "Nephew Legend told Rikko not hide..." Rikko sighed, grumpy to be found so easily.


    "Finally, I get to see it!" Duorda shouted in excitement, getting the attention of Eedaj, Rikko, and Choron. "So that¡¯s what he decided on, his final form! As my new master, I¡¯m proud to see his strength be more than I had anticipated!"


    "New master?!" Moranti finally exited his trance, jarred from that statement. "Is that the reward for beating you?"


    Shaking his head, Duorda kept his eyes on Jack while replying, "Defeating me allows the winner ess to Daruun¡¯s personal office and the spatial gate leading there. Jack will probably take you there eventually. I¡¯m his assistant because Daruun has reassigned me and allowed me to begin training again alongside Jack."


    "So you¡¯re on our side now?" asked Moranti, smiling wide.


    "Of course I am! Even after you all leave this and enter the void, we¡¯ll continue to train and work together."


    "After we leave this..." Moranti mumbled and repeated those words to himself, feeling a rush of enthusiasm overtake him.


    The other three gods were in silent awe of Duorda¡¯s words. They didn¡¯t even know who Duorda really was yet he spoke casually with Moranti and nonchntly mentioned that they would eventually leave the. Such an idea was new and almost revolutionary for their mindset. It wasn¡¯t dreadful news, it was shockingly exciting, something new that they had never bothered to think much about in the past.


    All the while, Jack and Halmut wrapped their staredown with a few words.


    "What skill are you using?" questioned Halmut, acting calm as he became resumed his level-headedness.


    Jack smiled and shrugged. "I don¡¯t know. Maybe I¡¯ll remember after you exin how you canceled my spell mid-cast?"


    "That form... It seems to contain the strength of many ancient bloodlines," deduced Halmut. "In the past, you had the ability to ess the bloodline of your foxpanion. Can you ess the bloodline of any beast you form a seal with, perhaps?"


    "Do you have some one-star or two-star item that can negate spells against your mind?" Jack asked in return.


    "Answer me, and I might spare your life."


    "I can¡¯t say the same for you," replied Jack. "But I can offer you more time to live. Maybe I¡¯ll even let you feel the rush of your stimnts onest time before you die."

 Chapter 558 Jack vs Halmu

    <h4>Chapter 558 Jack vs Halmu</h4>


    Halmut¡¯s concentration sharpened more and more with each word Jack uttered. As Jack proved to know much more than Halmut had ever anticipated, Halmut¡¯s impression of Jack immediately shot up from being an annoying mortal to existing as a serious threat. With more information than Halmut ever wanted someone else to have and such incredible use of life-threatening skills, Jack¡¯s existence had immediately joined Moranti and Sterfen atop Halmut¡¯s list of threats, potentially surpassing even Skaryn since Daruun was the cause of Jack¡¯s rise.


    "Your skills hinge on your rtionships with others." Halmut continued to deduce and infer Jack¡¯s abilities, "You make use of yourpanions¡¯ bloodlines and use the skills of the other gods... I don¡¯t know what Daruun has given you, but if you wish to work alongside me then I can guarantee your--"


    "Not interested," Jack answered bluntly. "I don¡¯t care what you or Gem Inc can offer me. I doubt they could offer me what Daruun has, or even imagine what Daruun has offered me."


    Not taking any chances, Halmut waved his hand and cast silence around them. "So you do know about them... All the more reason to join me! Jack, you don¡¯t know what Gem can offer you. This is only a stepping stone. If you continue, then you¡¯ll only be--"


    "ying into Daruun¡¯s ns?" Jack finished Halmut¡¯s statement. "And what¡¯s wrong with that? Why go against him when he gives me more than I ask for? If anything, why should I trust an organization that drugs up its members to give them momentary strength in exchange for loyalty? Why should I ruin my potential like that?"


    "You know nothing of strength!" Halmut roared, squinting his eyes. "Should you meet them, then you¡¯ll understand."


    "Meet who? Gem Inc or Jewel?"


    Startled, Halmut went wide-eyed. "You... you know about Jewel?"


    "You know about it too? You¡¯re more involved than I gave you credit," chuckled Jack. "So, are you ready to fight now or do you have any more offers for me?"


    "I would prefer to not waste your potential, Jack. It would be better if--"


    "If you would just give up and confess everything to Daruun," admitted Jack. "Then you still might get lucky and avoid death. He¡¯s a lot nicer than you give him credit."


    Halmut sighed and shook his head slowly. "I guess that¡¯s enough talk... You have until I silence you to surrender and join me. I respect your strength and would rather have you as a partner. Under the right circumstances, I may even allow you to form a seal with me. Wouldn¡¯t that be worth your allegiance?"


    "Nah! I prefer Spectral Dragon¡¯s personally. Their bloodline is much deeper than yours, trust me."


    "Then just die!"


    Finally, both draconic figures pped their wings and darted toward each other at full speed. One unleashed his most powerful breath attack, the same attack which left Moranti with slow-healing scars. One threw a plethora of various attacks from different bloodlines to counter. Spatial sh was enhanced by the Spectral Dragon bloodline. Hell re¡¯s potency was increased as ck mespletely encircled Jack¡¯s body. Wind des aligned with Spatial sh to increase synergy on top of its enhancement from the Minokawa bloodline.


    An explosion of warring energies encircled bothbatants as they collided, testing their ws and physical prowess against one another.


    Jack was the first to be thrown out of the explosion, but he showed no signs of serious damage.


    When the explosion subsided along with the shattered silence spell, Halmut was left standing in the air. "You¡¯re good... What level are you?"


    "Tell me how you countered me. Then I¡¯ll tell you more about me," replied Jack, refusing to giveaway free information.


    "You¡¯re not lv. 90, that¡¯s for sure... But how did you advance so quickly upon ascension? What did Daruun do to help you cheat?"


    "More than you could ever know!" Jackughed.


    "Oh... Not only are so sturdy, but you heal also?" Halmut noticed the minor burns on Jack¡¯s exoskeleton vanishing under the ck mes.


    "How can I get burned? Do you see these mes? I know you felt them." Pointing at Halmut¡¯s side, Jack added, "We both heal and we both pack a punch. But what happens when we both go all out?"


    The ck me body condensed onto Jack¡¯s ws. Spatial energy gathered into his jaws. Jack threw a barrage of Hell res while releasing his new Spectral Breath skill for the first time.


    "Fascinating." Halmut was unperturbed but impressed. He used his own breath to counter the attacks, countering and overpowering the attacks. "You¡¯ll have to try harder than that."


    The Sun Dragon rushed Jack again but Jack vanished from where he stood, appearing a few dozen meters away. This repeated a few times as Halmut gained more speed and used lighting and wind to boost his eleration drastically.


    Jack, on the other hand, focused purely on evasion while checking his newest notifications that could change everything.


    After testing his initial attacks against Halmut, Jack¡¯s beliefs were confirmed. Jack was still much too weak to deal with the Sun Dragon in a head-on fight. But the ability tobine skills was a game-changer. With a feature like that, Jack¡¯s opportunities to grow stronger had infinitely grown.


    He didn¡¯t want to spend more money unnecessarily, but the failed attempt to cripple Halmut made it necessary to have another powerful one-star skill. And judging by the cost, Jack assumed that he could possibly create one.


    Jack agreed to the tree thousand skill point price tag and allowed his system to work its magic.


    [Processing time: 1 minute]


    A bit bummed by the dy, Jack refocused on the match. As Halmut got more serious with each of Jack¡¯s many dodges, Jack couldn¡¯t afford to divert any attention elsewhere.

 Chapter 559 Stalling For the New Attack

    <h4>Chapter 559 Stalling For the New Attack</h4>


    "You¡¯re better than I expected for a newly risen god," Halmut praised Jack with augh.


    "And you¡¯re less threatening than I anticipated," stated Jack,ughing back at the Sun God.


    "True, I¡¯m still underestimating you. I¡¯ll continue to do so but I¡¯ll show you another fraction of my power." More energy gathered within Halmut¡¯s jaws, easily surpassing the strength of his previous breath attacks. Hundreds of holy energy swords dotted the air around bothbatants, removing Jack¡¯s ability to efficiently teleport away. "Take this and prove to me that I should fight you seriously!"


    A stream of multicolored me rocketed out of Halmut¡¯s mouth, rushing for Jack.


    Needing time, Jack charged forward in response. As the attack neared him, Jack sidestepped it and darted forward beside the steaming plume of me, unaffected by the burning heat thanks to his pitch-ck me body.


    "See, you merely evade!" Halmut roared, making sure those below heard him clearly. "Like the other false gods of Trodar, you can¡¯t defend. You may be able to save yourself but you¡¯re unfit to head a nation of people that seek your security!"


    "In that case, you¡¯re unfit to rule due to insatiable greed and a bipr attitude!" shouted Jack, shing forward as Halmut evaded without trouble. "The moment people question you¡¯re motives and actions, you simply eliminate them. Is that how someone should lead?"


    "It¡¯s better to stand firm unquestionably than to rule in cowardice!" Halmut roared again, gathering the same multicolored me all over his body. "Prove me wrong!"


    A wave of those colorful mes exploded across their battlefield, leaving the spectators below in awe.


    The other gods understood that Halmut was ying with Jack, treating Jack the same way Halmut would deal with a mid-level god. Moranti understood this the best. Having faced Halmut on multiple asions and traded blows multiple times, Moranti could gauge that Halmut was treating Jack as a lv. 94 threat. Though it was also apliment to Jack as a newly-risen god, it proved the difference in their strength very clearly.


    [Processing time: 35 seconds]


    With the notification at the corner of his vision, Jack kept a close eye on his surroundings. He rushed backward, seemingly trying to outrun the wave of mes. But Jack then vanished in a sh of purple light to reappear beside Halmut with his scythe-like ws aimed at the Sun God¡¯s neck.


    "That¡¯s a different skill?" Halmut asked, tanking Jack¡¯s head-on attack. As the long ws collided with Halmut¡¯s neck, they barely managed to break the topyer of scales, failing to even draw blood. Unfazed, Halmut continued to evaluate Jack openly, "The skill you just used was space-based, but the skill you were using earlier wasn¡¯t? So you can use mage spells along with warrior skills, like Skaryn..."


    Swatting Jack to the side with his tail, Halmut lifted one eye in thought. "But do you have anything that can actually hurt me? Sure, you burned and broke some of my self-repairing scales, but you¡¯ve yet to damage me. Do you have anything apart from tricks?"


    While he stared at Jack, Halmut wondered why Jack allowed himself to get hit so easily after all this time. But that question was answered immediately.


    Again, Halmut felt a hand fall atop his head. The Sun Dragon snarled and turned his head to chomp down on the invisible body double. He tore the double apart to forcibly fade it out of existence. Ayer of holy energy now coated his eyes, allowing him to see through illusions or invisibility.


    "But how..." Jack clicked his tongue and mumbled to himself. Seeing that twenty-seven seconds were left, Jack wanted to buy some more time with conversation. "I guess that option won¡¯t work... Are you sure I should get serious? I¡¯ve already surprised you twice so don¡¯t expect to survive a third time."


    "Do your worst."


    "Well, my strongest attack has a charge time. It takes me a few seconds but I can guarantee that it will blow you away."


    "Really? I find that hard to believe."


    "Then why not test it and find out?" Jack taunted with a smug, disappointed frown stered on his face. "If you¡¯re as strong as you im to be, then it shouldn¡¯t hurt you at all. Then again... I guess you¡¯re just not that confident."


    "Shut up and do you worst already. I can grant you a few extra seconds so long as you prove to entertain me. The warm-up was fun but I¡¯m growing tired of this."


    Hiding his smile under an emotionless face, Jack watched the timer tick down.


    [Processing time: 10...]


    [Processing time: 5...]


    "Aren¡¯t you supposed to be gathering up energy?" questioned Halmut.


    "Trust me, I am. You¡¯ll regret giving me these extra seconds!"


    "I doubt that..." Halmut roared withughter, eager to shatter Jack¡¯s false expectations.


    Though Halmut did see Jack as a threat, it was Jack¡¯s threat as an assassin. The threat of Eedaj¡¯s personal skill being wielded by a virtually untrackable and invisible foe was just as threatening as Sterfen. But such a threat was futile against Halmut personally and wouldn¡¯t transfer to the current duel either.


    As the next five seconds slowly passed by for the spectators below, Jack took a deep breath and put his new skill to the test.


    Suddenly, purple mes began to intermingle with the ck mes around Jack¡¯s body. Within a few seconds, they coexisted equally. Then, those mes pooled inside of Jack¡¯s draconic fangs. Unleashing a resounding roar, Jackunched a thin, stream-lined plume of the ck and purple fire. It appeared to be weaker and more insignificant than Jack¡¯s spectral breath from earlier, at least ording to the eyes of mortals.


    To the gods, that speeding stream of fire contained an absurd amount of condensed spatial and fire energy. Though there were only two energy types, both of those energies were taken to the absolute extreme beforebining them to create a multiplicative effect for the attack.


    Even Halmut felt a tinge of caution as that energy condensed and was hurled his way.

 Chapter 560 Jacks Loss?!

    <h4>Chapter 560 Jack¡°s Loss?!</h4>


    That stream of fire wasn¡¯t even half a meter in width yet the energy it contained was deceivingly potent. It crashed into Halmut¡¯s body without mercy. Upon contact, the small plume of mes created a ck and purple explosion more than a dozen meters wide.


    All spectators were in awe along with Jack, who was startled by the viciousness of the attack. Though it was a system-created skill, Jack didn¡¯t expect it to expand so aggressively.


    "Ha... Ha..." Soft chuckles emerged from the ming explosion, sending chills down the spines of the mortals below. "HA, HA, HA! Congrattions, Jack!"


    As the mes dwindled, Halmut was left standing in the air with arge burn on his proud chest. The Sun Dragon smiled wide and shouted, "You can actually hurt me! That¡¯s quite rare, especially for a low-leveled god. What are you, lv. 91, lv. 92? You couldn¡¯t have reached lv. 93 so soon, right?"


    Since Jack didn¡¯t answer back, Halmut continued chuckling. "You¡¯re only low-level deity to ever damage me! And it was through raw power, not tricks like Jin¡¯s techniques. You¡¯re something special... Join me, Jack! Together, we can definitely--"


    "No more spam!" Jack shouted, catching Halmut off guard. "I¡¯ll turn you down every time. Even if a representative from Jewel personally offered me something, I¡¯d turn them away without even listening to an offer."


    "I wouldn¡¯t say that until they give you an offer. In fact, I can make you an offer on behalf of Gem. I can personally guarantee--"


    "h, h, h! I told you, quit spamming me with offers! You¡¯re worse than online scammers in my email!"


    Unsure how to take that, Halmut replied, "My offer is genuine and can easily be verified. So long as you canmit, I can eventually get you--"


    "Stop it already! You really are worse than scammers!"


    To shut Halmut up, Jack spat another Spectral re his way. It made contact yet again, exploding and amazing the mortals who couldn¡¯t imagine facing such a terrifying attack.


    "Jack..." Halmut sighed, now showing a second burn on his side. "If you won¡¯t listen willingly, maybe you will forcibly!"


    With a roar, Halmut spewed his own multicolored breath toward Jack. It was countered by another Spectral re but the explosion had doubled in size as the mes intermingled and lingered in the air. But the explosion suddenly parted down the middle.


    Rocketing through the center of the explosion, Halmut darted toward Jack with horns leading the way. His speed was on another level now as Halmut¡¯srgest, central horn appeared to be white-hot and dotted with other energy types as well. A crazed look was obvious in Halmut¡¯s gaze, threatening Jack and daring the hero to attempt some form of counter.


    But Jack didn¡¯t take the bait. He had no intention of tanking such an attack from a god with an eight-level advantage.


    Jack vanished from where he stood and watched as Halmut whizzed by.


    "Oh... Was that too much for you?" mocked Halmut. "I¡¯ll admit, the wounds you¡¯ve caused me weren¡¯t too impactful but they¡¯re slow to heal. That¡¯s enough reason to take you more seriously. Sadly, you¡¯re just not ready for this level of fights!"


    Bright, blinding light shed out of Halmut¡¯s body, not giving Jack any warning and stealing his sight momentarily.


    "If you think I¡¯ll die so easily, then it¡¯s only natural you would be so easy to kill!"


    Jack suddenly coughed. He began gasping for breath. As the light faded, the rest of the world was able to see what had urred.


    Blood dripped out of Jack¡¯s mouth. Blood spilled from Jack¡¯s chest, flowing down Halmut¡¯s horn and onto the Dragon¡¯s face.


    "That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got?!" Halmut roared in question. Throwing his head back, Halmut tossed aside Jack¡¯s panting body. As it fell downward, Halmut stated, "No one helps him! If you do, you¡¯ll be acting against the rules of our duel and I¡¯ll treat you as his recement!"


    The other gods were in shock. Moranti was the first to squint his eyes and prepare to act. But then he froze. Unwillingly, Moranti clenched his fists and stood up straight while ring furiously at Halmut.


    "Good... So you¡¯ll finally listen to reason," Halmutughed at Moranti and the others, taking his sweet time to descend and stand over the crashnded Jack.


    "You... What interfered... in our duel?" Jack painfully asked, not conceding with his passionate stare.


    "What do you mean? There was no--"


    "Something interfered... against Cerebral Copse... What was it?" Jack insisted, not budging at all.


    "There was no--"


    Mid-sentence and midugh, an invisible and untraceable handnded on Halmut¡¯s head for the third time. Halmut was unprepared andpletely unguarded, unable to reach around before Cerebral Copse was cast yet again.


    Jack felt his mana enter Halmut¡¯s body, making it further than either of thest two attempts. He even felt the sharpened mana make an ethereal incision for the first time. But, even then, Jack felt his mana suddenly disperse. Only, this time Halmut didn¡¯t reach around to grab his attacker.


    Halmut remained still as the false Jack lying on the ground faded away. Jack¡¯s true body backed away and became visible to the spectators, leaving them breathless.


    "Did you seed?" Eedaj asked, noting that Halmut was now motionless while Jack backed away in caution.


    "I... I don¡¯t know..."


    Jack was baffled. Halmut was acting strange and said nothing yet Jack was certain his spell was destroyed for the third time. The notification was there as well, proving that Jack had technically failed to cast Cerebrally Copse. Yet Halmut said and did nothing in retaliation the third time around.


    Suddenly, an enormous sh of light burst from Halmut¡¯s body, when everyone was least expecting it.


    Jack took to the sky while remaining on guard, as he didn¡¯t want those on the ground to be targeted or feel the aftershocks of their attacks. He wasn¡¯t the most confident anymore but Jack knew that he could at least survive given how he fared thus far.


    But no attack came his way.

 Chapter 561 Its Over???

    <h4>Chapter 561 It¡°s Over???</h4>


    The light faded and Jack remained on guard, as did the other gods present. But they werepletely unready for what had taken ce.


    Halmut was nowhere to be found. The Sun God had vanished from where he stood, not making a single sound. He was simply gone, leaving behind a dwindling pir of light.


    Moranti found such a thing incredibly hard to believe, understanding the depth of Halmut¡¯s pride. He took to the sky and covered the entire area in purple energy to search for the Sun God.


    "He¡¯s gone... He¡¯s really gone..." Jack¡¯s voice calmly resounded for all to hear amidst the silence.


    As he descended to the ground, Jack was perplexed by what he found on his map. ording to his map, Halmut was now inside the Olympic Chateau. It made no sense, but Jack had no reason to not trust his system.


    "There¡¯s no way Halmut--"


    "He¡¯s back in Olympic Chateau," stated Jack, shaking his head in disbelief and standing by his system. "ording to my system, Halmut has fled back home. I¡¯m not sure how but I can guarantee that he¡¯s left. As for why Halmut left, we¡¯re all clueless..."


    "To Jack!"


    All eyes turned toward Choron, who had raised one arm to the sky and smiled to the crowd around them. "Let us cheer for the man who forced Halmut to flee! Something that Moranti nor Skaryn could ever aplish!"


    "JACK! JACK! JACK!"


    Before Jack and the others could say a word, everyone began to chant the name of their new leader, the man they personally witnessed fend off the strongest god. It was a monumental asion that the entire world would want to know about. The many informants that hade to sit in on the conference were already passing the word of Jack¡¯s exchange with Halmut, stirring the world with the tale of his victory over the Sun God.


    "I... But I didn¡¯t even--"


    ¡¯Jack, I¡¯m not wrong,¡¯ stated Choron telepathically. ¡¯Do I know why Halmut left? Absolutely not. But you stated that Halmut has indeed fled after fighting against you. Perhaps you did seed against him with Cerebral Copse after all.¡¯


    ¡¯No,¡¯ Jack argued and shook his head. ¡¯I¡¯m certain that I failed, even my system recognized that. The fact that Halmut was able to flee proves that I failed to cripple him. But I don¡¯t understand why he would leave...¡¯


    ¡¯Either way, we can count this as a victory and use it to rally more support!¡¯ stated Eedaj. ¡¯Who knows? Maybe Korten would agree to join us now. Considering this duel, you¡¯ve proven to offer just as much protection as Halmut and his faction¡¯


    Jack nodded. ¡¯I guess... But--¡¯


    ¡¯For now, don¡¯t worry about Halmut¡¯s retreat. You can talk with Daruun about itter after we get you back to the guild. I¡¯m sure your wives and everyone else would like to see you.¡¯


    Looking back to Eedaj and then the others, Jack sighed and nodded.


    Eedaj then looked to Moranti and added, ¡¯You can stop that now. We know Halmut has fled so there¡¯s no use in wasting your mana.¡¯


    Moranti said nothing as he frowned and gave up his search. He joined them and waited a few seconds to say, ¡¯Tell me when...¡¯


    A hand then proudly patted Jack on the back, reminding Jack of the current situation. King Brobit smiled and extended his hand. "Churstin will proudly rejoin Trodar and fully ept all offered support from the Leisure Guild. I look forward to working alongside respectable and powerful allies!"


    "Right... We¡¯re d to ept your allegiance."


    Jack epted the handshake, showing everyone present that Churstin had officially entered Trodar. Cheers of happiness filled the air as every citizen in attendance was proud to be apart of Trodar. Their opinions had shifted from questioning their king¡¯s decision topletely supporting it, all in a matter of minutes thanks to Jack¡¯s duel with Halmut. Who wouldn¡¯t want to be protected by someone able to repel the strongest god in history?


    "Allow me to handle the rest, Jack." Vixus stepped up, reaching out and shaking the king¡¯s hand also.


    Nodding, Jack agreed, "Vixus will handle your integration into Trodar and help you decide on how many guild branches you want. No matter what you need from us, Vixus will be the man to handle it. If he can¡¯t handle something, then he¡¯ll contact me."


    "Then I look forward to working with you, Vice Guild Master Vixus."


    "The feeling is mutual, King Brobit."


    While the two diplomats exchange greetings and got to know each other, Eedaj asked Jack, "What are you going to do about those?"


    Blinking, Jack sighed, "I should probably get these looked at."


    "I can help you with that," mentioned Moranti, also noticing the burns that littered Jack¡¯s body. "The burns don¡¯t hurt much but they linger and worsen if they aren¡¯t treated properly. You can get them treated along with me."


    "Then we¡¯re leaving, right?" asked Jack, not wanting to forget anything.


    Before anyone else could say a word, Moranti had already opened a rift for the small party. "Hurry up. It¡¯s almost time for our appointment, Jack. We don¡¯t want to miss it."


    As Moranti passed through the rift, Rikkoughed and followed closely. Eedaj and Choron shrugged and waited for Jack to go next. All the gods left amidst the cheering crowd, who only cheered louder as the rift was opened and closed within seconds.


    Jack exited the portal only to almost get pushed back through it. Knocked to the ground, Jack lightly chuckled and patted Lina on the head. "You know, you don¡¯t have to tackle me every time."


    "I know!" Linaughed, helping Jack get back to his feet. "What do you think?"


    Blinking, Jack realized that he had missed more than he anticipated. Lina was no longer the little, adolescent girl he knew. Now, Lina was Maura¡¯s height and looked to be in herte teens or early twenties. She was a spitting image of Lunara,cking Lunara¡¯s mature beauty but making up for it with her youthful charm.


    "Hello? Big Bro?"


    "Oh, sorry!" Jack chuckled and put his hands up innocently. "You look great, Lina! But I don¡¯t think I can call you little anymore."


    "You can always call me Little Lina, Big Bro. Mom and Dad still do, so I don¡¯t mind."


    "I¡¯ll think about it..." Jack sighed, spotting the others in the room who were all staring anxiously at Jack.

 Chapter 562 Jacks Long-Awaited Return

    <h4>Chapter 562 Jack¡°s Long-Awaited Return</h4>


    Before saying anything else, Jack patted Lina on the head as he stepped up to his wives. He threw his arms around them let loose a long sigh of relief. "I¡¯m back..."


    All three of his wives hugged him as well. Eliza embraced him eagerly. Maura happily rested her head on Jack¡¯s shoulder. Daliea hid her blushing face against Jack¡¯s back. They were d to see that Jack managed to get through such a perilous ce without too much trouble.


    "I informed everyone of your return the moment you showed up in Churstin," mentioned Eedaj. "They were just as shocked as we were to learn of your ascension, though I didn¡¯t mention your fight with Halmut. I thought--"


    "You what?!"


    SLAP!


    Jack nervously chuckled, rubbing his cheek as he turned to face Eliza. "I can--"


    "What were you thinking?!" shouted Eliza, instantly fuming mad. "You may be a god now but that doesn¡¯t mean you can fight Halmut! Why are you so stupid sometimes?!"


    Eliza continued shouting as Jack calmly looked her in the eyes. "What would happen if you got killed?! What would happen to us?! What about our child?!"


    Wrapping his arms around Eliza, Jack whispered, "I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t think about that. But I¡¯m okay now, and I--"


    "Don¡¯t do that again!"


    Sighing, Jack replied, "I won¡¯t forget to put my family first. I¡¯m sorry."


    "Okay..." Maura added, hugging Jack¡¯s arm lightly as Daliea grabbed the other arm in silence.


    "I-I¡¯m sorry..." Eliza¡¯s shoulders shrunk as she stammered, "I... Lately, I haven¡¯t been able to control my--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." Jack pulled Eliza in so that he could hug all three of his wives again. "I take it the baby is doing fine?"


    Relieved to be forgiven, Eliza sighed, "Yeah..."


    "Now that you¡¯ve made up, how about you exin your fight with Halmut?" asked Sterfen.


    Jack nodded and looked around the room. Noticing that only Dragas and Guuro were missing among the gods, Jack feltfortable exining everything. "First, let me congratte Kori and Lorwynn for their ascension as well."


    "Nah, don¡¯t mention it," stated Lorwynn. "Compared to you, we don¡¯t deserve such praise."


    "But I did it through the EXP everyone else gave me. I didn¡¯t--"


    "EXP is EXP. You¡¯re the fastest to ever ascend, by andslide. Results are what count and you got to the result in a way better than I could¡¯ve ever imagined," reasoned Lorwynn.


    "Thank you. Wait, where¡¯s--"


    "JACK!"


    A yell came from behind the door. But instead of opening the door, it burst into ck mes as a man darted forward to tackle Jack to the ground. Everyoneughed as the man began to lick Jack¡¯s face, leaving the hero baffled and fighting to push the stranger off of him.


    "Jack, what¡¯s wrong?" asked the man.


    Getting past the shock of having a fully-grown man lick his face, Jack recognized that familiar voice. It was deeper than Jack remembered but there was no mistaking it. "Bowzer?!"


    "YEAH!" Bowzer yelled in glee,thering Jack¡¯s face in another coat of saliva.


    "Okay, okay, that¡¯s enough, Bowzer!" Jack finally managed to get up. "How can you... Did you--"


    "I ascended too!" Proudly chowing his chest, Bowzer smiled.


    "I guess that makes sense..." Shrugging, Jack scratched his head in thought. "Then Phoro should be on the cusp of ascension. What about Karronteel?"


    "What about me?"


    Jack and the gods that attended the conference were all in shock. Not only had they just learned of Bowzer¡¯s ascension, but they now saw a human man walk through the door, answering to the name Karronteel.


    Moranti was the only that didn¡¯t act surprised, though he was overjoyed and hurried to embrace Karronteel upon seeing him. "Finally... I¡¯m not the only one!"


    "It¡¯s all thanks to you!" Karronteel stated, graciously hugging Moranti. "Your skills and spells are how I beat that Flood Dragon. But how did we--"


    "That should be thanks to the death of three gods," Sterfen chimed in. "Apart from Jack, you all know that Sybin was killed and that Jin killed himself. A bulk of EXP came from that, but the final push was probably from Naparn¡¯s death and something Jack did."


    "You killed Naparn? But I wanted to--"


    "Sorry, Bowzer. I know you wanted to avenge your father¡¯s lost arm but I didn¡¯t have the patience to wait that long," exined Sterfen. "I think we¡¯re all curious about what happened inside Earthen Keep, though. Let¡¯s give Jack a chance to exin his trip and his recent scuffle with Halmut."


    "Right! Now we can all go!" howled a half-fox, half-human man, getting Jack¡¯s attention as he walked through the door. "Now you can help me, right? Right?!"


    "And me too!" shouted Jin, pushing aside the tall fox-man.


    Recognizing the voice, Jack nced at Jin with a nod before looking back at the fox-man, asking, "Hadurt?"


    "Yes?" Hadurt responded with a sly smile.


    "You... What did you--"


    Kori spoke up, "I gave him some of my blood and he decided to permanently demonize, same as Pestro. Only Hadurt¡¯s new form is much better thanks to him using Hell-me Fox blood as the catalyst."


    "Then you¡¯ll be a monster... That¡¯s great!" Jack shouted, smiling wide along with Hadurt.


    "Jack? What happened in the keep?" Sterfen asked, lifting an eyebrow with a chuckle. "You can catch up with them during the feast the guild is preparing."


    "Right..." Jack sighed, regathering his thoughts and cing his excitement to the side.


    Jack took his time to give sinct exnations of all the major events that happened during his time in Earthen Keep. He touched on the two new venoms and poisons he had collected, getting Sterfen to perk his ears. Once Jack got to his experience about the ny-ninth floor, he paused and motioned for his new assistant to step forward. "This is Duorda, the most powerful boss monster in Earthen Keep."


    Speaking for himself, Duorda bowed to the cautious and curious looks. "It took plenty of effort, but Jack finally seduced me. I¡¯m excited to--"


    "I did nothing of the sort!" shouted Jack, stopping Duorda while everyone else burst out inughter.

 Chapter 563 Oosams Theory About Lyrun

    <h4>Chapter 563 Oosam¡°s Theory About Lyrun</h4>


    High above the rest of the world, the holy gods turned legendary gods lounged within Olympic Chateau. Apart from Kylon, each god was present, including the many newly ascended draconic gods. Those new gods included three Storm Dragons aided by either Torian or Tralbok, three Quake Dragons aided by Grixor, and four Flood Dragons aided by either Kylon or Lyrun. While those ten new dragon gods were lv. 90, Torian and Grixor happily reached lv. 98, Tralbok and Lyrun were now lv. 97, and Kylon was lv. 96. The overall strength of the legendary gods had increased drastically within a matter of days.


    All the new gods were in their human forms, something that only a few had learned to create before godhood, enjoying the viewing table to watch Halmut¡¯s battle against Jack. Most of the other gods were there also, and they were d to have joined the younger gods. Now they could witness Jack¡¯s unexpected ascension and startling strength and skills.


    Only five gods were missing. Halmut was obviously in Churstin while Kylon was already stationed in her home within the ruins of Kustram. Perchet was rxing within his chamber, as he wasn¡¯t one to talk much and could clearly hear everything the other gods said about the show they were watching.


    Lyrun and Oosam were nowhere to be found, but that didn¡¯t matter so long as they remained within the limits of Olympic Chateau.


    The two gods were lounging in the open-aired pavilion not too far from the others in the conference room. However, an illusory barrier was ced around them, the same style of barrier that Sterfen had used to conceal his battle with Naparn.


    "Considering the barrier, I assume you want to discuss something serious?" Lyrun asked with a chuckle, lying down on afortable futon.


    Oosam nodded and smiled. "I can¡¯t get anything past you, can I?"


    "So, what is it? Are you doing Tralbok¡¯s dirty work again?"


    "In a way, yes..." sighed Oosam. "But I¡¯m tired of ving away for him. Sadly, my responsibilities only increased after joining you holy gods. Now--"


    "Correction, we¡¯re the legendary gods now."


    "Right... Sorry, I wanted to forget such an egotistical title." Oosam corrected himself, "After joining you legendary gods, Tralbok¡¯s influence over us former chaotic gods has only increased. Now, Halmut treats him as a sub-leader over us and expects us to act ording to his wishes within reason."


    "So what has Tralbok asked of you this time and why does it involve me?" asked Lyrun.


    "With Halmut¡¯s permission, Tralbok is ordering me to mentally scan all the gods for signs of treachery. I¡¯ve only three people left to cover."


    "Me, Perchet, and Kylon?"


    "Yeah..." sighed Oosam. "I couldn¡¯t bring myself to confront Perchet, not without finding a more natural situation to greet him."


    "He is quite cold, so I can understand that," added Lyrun. "But I¡¯m sure Perchet wouldn¡¯t be against a mental scan. He may not like how things have be, but deep down he¡¯s quite loyal."


    "And what about the incident of the past?"


    "Oh, that? Perchet and Naparn weren¡¯t exactly on good terms in the first ce, so when Naparn was abusing Kori, Perchet was against it. Perchet was also against forcing Lunara to join the war as he felt it would change how the subordinate gods would be treated in the future," exined Lyrun. "In a way, he was right to worry. Now, we subordinate gods don¡¯t have much say in what we do or don¡¯t do."


    Oosam chuckled and rolled his eyes, "Well, I¡¯m with him there."


    "So, you want to scan my mind, even though I was the first god that Halmut ever assisted in ascending and have been his loyal aid ever since?"


    "Tralbok won¡¯t have it any other way. If I don¡¯t, then Tralbok will turn the me on me and get Halmut to act out. Even if Halmut doesn¡¯t touch you, I can¡¯t say the same thing about me, knowing how Tralbok likes to twist the facts in his favor."


    "Then, if I refuse, you¡¯ll be reprimanded by both Tralbok and Halmut? How harsh... Why not just lie about it?"


    "I could do that I guess... Does that mean you won¡¯t allow me to scan your mind?"


    Shaking his head slowly, Lyrun replied, "Sorry, Oosam, but that¡¯s not something I can agree to. Growing up with Eedaj has always made me hesitant to anything involving mind-reading. Why else would I wear this?"


    Oosam noticed the ring Lyrun showed off, sighing, "I get it... I don¡¯t like doing the dirty work anyway. But can I ask you something personal, since we¡¯re already inside the barrier?"


    "Sure, but don¡¯t expect an answer if I don¡¯t like the question."


    "If you are hiding something or are nning to act against Halmut in the end, can you count me in?"


    Taken aback, Lyrun blinked and broke out inughter. "You do realize what you just admitted to, right?"


    "Yes. I just admitted that I¡¯m willing to betray Halmut, the very thing that Tralbok is asking me to search for. But who said I would out myself."


    "Then why would you--"


    "Apart from Sterfen, you¡¯re the most calctive person I know," stated Oosam. "You¡¯re the type that has always hidden your true feelings in order toplete what was asked of you. It¡¯s how you were raised. You act the same way to Halmut, but I can only imagine you¡¯re also the more infuriated at how Halmut has changed his ways throughout the years."


    Lifting an eyebrow, Lyrun listened carefully to Oosam.


    d to see how Lyrun didn¡¯t stop him, Oosam continued, "If there is anyone within the holy gods that would dare rebel to such an extent, I¡¯m almost certain it would be you. But I also know that you would never do something like that openly. You¡¯ve always preferred working in secret and organizing such efforts from the sidelines so you wouldn¡¯t get caught. It was you that kept Moranti informed, right?"


    Smiling and rubbing his forehead in thought, Lyrun chuckled, "So, that¡¯s how you figured it out."

 Chapter 564 Joining Lyruns Plans

    <h4>Chapter 564 Joining Lyrun¡°s ns</h4>


    "So, that¡¯s how you figured it out."


    Nodding, Oosam exined, "I was the first to learn that Moranti had been colluding with Choron. I also learned about his contact crystal, though I never mentioned that information to Tralbok. That was when I discovered your involvement in Moranti¡¯s and Choron¡¯s ns."


    "In other words, you¡¯ve already got evidence that I¡¯ve betrayed Halmut," stated Lyrun. "And since I¡¯m assuming you never mentioned this to Tralbok, you want to know more about my ns and how they could get you out of your new contract?"


    "You guessed it."


    "And why should I believe you?" asked Lyrun.


    Oosam shrugged, "I don¡¯t technically have any proof. If Eedaj was avable, I¡¯d be more than willing to have him verify everything for you. Only that¡¯s not possible while we¡¯re in Olympic Chateau, where he can¡¯t ess my mind."


    "You want to step out of the chateau?"


    "I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to it, at least for a brief moment," Oosam answered.


    Tapping his forehead, Lyrun sat up and turned his full attention to Oosam. "If I were to include you in my ns, what would you offer me? And no, I¡¯m not interested in contracts."


    "Good, because that¡¯s what I want to escape. Unlike Skaryn, Halmut offers no way out. And since we were once chaotic gods, our contracts were--"


    "They can cripple you as well as remove your godhood," Lyrun finished Oosam¡¯s statement. "It¡¯s something I¡¯m highly against but Tralbok, Naparn, and Halmut were insistent upon enforcing. Yet another thing I dislike about Halmut¡¯s leadership style. Had there been other subordinate gods before me, I would¡¯ve known better and pledged to Daruun along with Eedaj..."


    "Same, though I¡¯m entirely against my contract with Skaryn," admitted Oosam. "He¡¯s more lenient than you would think. We had his protection while our contracts end at lv. 99, and he never used the contracts to threaten us into submission. We weren¡¯t as free as the neutral gods, but at least we could still act as individuals."


    "Well, I can¡¯t promise anything about your contract due to how extreme it is. If it were a regr contract, at least you could potentially escape to Trodar and be left at lv. 89. Now... I¡¯m not entirely sure how to get you out of it."


    "How did Lunara get out of her contract?" asked Oosam.


    Lyrun chuckled, shaking his head. "You have to credit Sterfen for that. He took me and Naparn hostage in order to get Lunara¡¯s and Kori¡¯s contracts. But Kori acted out just before the exchange and was rendered mortal as Sterfen received Lunara¡¯s contract in exchange for Naparn¡¯s life."


    "Seriously?! How did he--"


    "It was when we didn¡¯t know about Lorwynn being alive, so Lorwynn snuck Sterfen into Olympic Chateau and had his way with us," added Lyrun. "Doing that now would be much more difficult though, thanks to Halmut¡¯s increased security and all the gods being on guard."


    "I can¡¯t believe it... Well, now that we know he could kill Naparn, I guess it¡¯s not too hard to believe."


    "But don¡¯t expect such a scenario to happen again," stated Lyrun. "Given that you¡¯re one of the more expendable gods in Halmut¡¯s eyes, I doubt he would agree to give up your contract."


    "That makes sense... Too bad..." Oosam sighed. "Wait, can you still contact Moranti?"


    "Yeah, I can still reach him."


    "Then let me talk with him! If it increases the chances of my freedom, then I don¡¯t care what it will take."


    "Are you sure about that?" asked Lyrun, showing Oosam a slight smile. "Once you¡¯vemitted to it, there¡¯s no way out. And if you¡¯re caught, don¡¯t expect me to stick up for you. Even if you try to frame me for something, you¡¯ll have no evidence strong enough to convince Halmut of my treachery, not after Halmut sees you as a spy."


    "It¡¯s either I try to seek freedom or I remain a divine ve to Halmut," reasoned Oosam. "Will you let me contact them or not?"


    Sighing, Lyrun smiled and shook his head. "No, at least not here and now. We¡¯ll have to n a time to contact them, at the soonest tomorrow."


    "But why can¡¯t we--"


    "One, because Moranti is busy at the conference. Two, because we need to make sure that no one will interrupt us or have a chance to learn about our actions. Even if you went off to do it alone, they¡¯ll trace the contact crystal to me, destroying all of the work I¡¯ve done so far," exined Lyrun."


    "... Fine, we¡¯ll wait till tomorrow," Oosam unwillingly agreed.


    "Good, then I¡¯ll contact Moranti after the conference and make sure he sets aside some time to--"


    Without warning, a powerful pir of light fell over the pavilion. Oosam instantly dropped the barrier as both Oosam and Lyrun were startled by Halmut¡¯s unexpected arrival. But before they could greet Halmut and ask what happened, the Sun God rushed away at his top speed and entered the golden pce.


    This happened within a single second, leaving Oosam and Lyrun speechless.


    "What... Have you--"


    "I¡¯ve never seen Halmut do such a thing," Lyrun admitted. Ayer of holy energy covered Lyrun¡¯s eyes as the Elf God looked about the pce. "He must¡¯ve entered his chambers... The door is locked so we can¡¯t approach him... What happened in Churstin?"


    Just then, both gods heard the shouts and roarsing from the conference room. Without the barrier, they could now hear the unrest that each of the spectating gods felt from their cries alone.


    At the same time, soft footsteps were hearding from the opposite entrance to the pavilion. Oosam and Lyrun were startled to see Perchet approach them with a bow. The Blind God softly spoke, surprising them both further.


    "Count me in. Let¡¯s talk in my chamber."


    "Perchet, what are you--"


    "Lyrun, Oosam¡¯s barrier isn¡¯t as strong as Sterfen¡¯s," stated Perchet, admitting his eavesdropping without admitting it. "I¡¯ll exin Halmut¡¯s retreat and you¡¯ll exin your n. You should¡¯ve told me sooner."


    "You can hear through silence and illusion barriers?" Lyrun asked under his breath.


    With a nod, Perchet smiled. "Don¡¯t underestimate the power of sound. Very few can escape my ears. Now,e."


    Perchet turned around, calmly walking back to his chambers. He was followed by both of the startled gods who were anxious to learn what else Perchet had been hiding from his fellow gods.

 Chapter 565 Sterfen Supports Reviving Skaryn

    <h4>Chapter 565 Sterfen Supports Reviving Skaryn</h4>


    "Revive Skaryn?!"


    Lunara¡¯s shout filled the room, expressing what most of the other gods felt, as well as Jack¡¯s wives.


    "Really?! We¡¯re going to bring him back?!" Moranti asked, excitement oozing from his smile and stare.


    "I agree."


    As Sterfen seconded Jack¡¯s new goal, Lunara was the first to question, "What do you mean by that? Isn¡¯t he--"


    "He¡¯s my older brother, Luna. Skaryn was never kicked out of the family, unlike Halmut, and Skaryn respected the neutral gods more than anyone," stated Sterfen, getting most of those present to nod in agreement. "Sure, Skaryn¡¯s a bit unconventional at times but he¡¯s a good guy."


    "Now you tell me?" Jack asked sarcastically.


    Shrugging, Sterfen continued, "You¡¯ve already talked with Daruun so I¡¯m assuming you agreed to his proposal, right?"


    While everyone else was confused about the question, Jack nodded.


    "In that case, I don¡¯t need to hide my true feelings about Skaryn any longer. Moranti, Choron, would agree that Skaryn¡¯s reappearance would be a good thing right now?"


    Choron answered first, "I don¡¯t see why it wouldn¡¯t be. So long as Skaryn agrees to join our side and stand with us in Trodar, then I don¡¯t see why he would cause chaos."


    "And what if Skaryn joining us causes the world to question our motives?" asked Lunara.


    "Luna, please don¡¯t hold Skaryn ountable for what his subordinate gods have done, at least not fully." Sterfen reached out and cupped his hands around his wife¡¯s face. "He tried to offer as much freedom as possible while using contacts to counter Halmut¡¯s actions. It would lead to some abusing that freedom but it wasn¡¯t his fault that some of the gods seeking freedom would be cold to the world. Unlike Daruun, Skaryn can¡¯t see into the future and instead follows his gut."


    Touched by her husband¡¯s passion for the subject, Lunara calmly asked, "Why do you trust him so much?"


    "Because Skaryn tutored me a lot growing up. He¡¯s the one who taught me how to be an assassin. Without him and his encouragement, there¡¯s a chance that I wouldn¡¯t be with you today."


    All ears were finely tuned to the conversation between the husband and wife. Such information was mind-blowing andpletely unexpected.


    "Wh-what do you mean?" asked Lunara, feeling pained at the thought of not being with her long-time husband.


    Sterfen replied, "Skaryn taught me how to be an assassin and helped me level up in secret so that the other gods wouldn¡¯t bother me. And when I met you, he was the one who assured me that pursuing a hydra for a wife was a great thing. He¡¯s also the one who kept Halmut off my back after killing so many of his demigods."


    "That..."


    Lunara was speechless. She didn¡¯t know what to say. For countless years, she was always forced to see Skaryn as the ultimate enemy. Though she knew Sterfen¡¯s opinion on Skaryn was neutral, she never anticipated that Skaryn and her husband were so close.


    "How did you two meet without me knowing?" Moranti asked with a curious smile.


    ncing back to the others in the room, Sterfen quickly added, "Who said I¡¯d share my life story?"


    "Come on, Sterfen! You can--"


    "Maybe in the future, but for now you only need to know that I fully support Skaryn¡¯s return," insisted Sterfen. "Perhaps if he was revived at an earlier time, things wouldn¡¯t work out well. But now that his faction has been consumed by Halmut, things will be different. Also, I¡¯d love to see how Halmut handles the public bacsh."


    "Oh, I¡¯d love to see his face!"ughed Moranti.


    Lost, Jack asked, "What do you mean? It would make things harder, but why would it--"


    "Halmut has publicly announced that Skaryn will never again be a threat to Kartonia and that he¡¯s dealt with him," exined Sterfen. "Should Skaryn return with his full strength, there¡¯s no telling how the people will react, especially after Skaryn partners with us."


    "Oh... Then now sounds like the best time to me!" Jackughed along with Moranti.


    Seeing some unease on Lunara¡¯s face, Sterfen stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Do you trust me?"


    "Always," Lunara answered immediately.


    "Then trust me now. Skaryn¡¯s unsealing will change everything, cementing Halmut¡¯s demise as imminent and unavoidable."


    At the same time, Sterfen sent Jack a mental message, ¡¯You know about the void, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah.¡¯


    ¡¯Then you know about Halmut¡¯s involvement with Gem Inc and Jewel?¡¯


    ¡¯And how they¡¯re the ones that enabled Halmut to defeat Skaryn?¡¯ added Jack.


    ¡¯You¡¯re taking the lead from now on. I¡¯ll help, but I¡¯m proud to let my son take the reigns and fulfill the purpose of Kartonia¡¯s creation,¡¯ stated Sterfen. ¡¯You should think about whether you want to inform everyone or not. Ask your grandfather for his advice about that too.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll definitely do that. Thanks, Dad.¡¯


    ¡¯Anytime, Son.¡¯


    "Oooohh, I can¡¯t wait to see him! Once he makes a pact with Jack, I can¡¯t wait to see him use my bloodline and snuff out Halmut¡¯s life!"


    Moranti¡¯s excited shouts were the next thing that Jack heard, getting Jack and everyone else to chuckle. There was some more banter from Choron as well and a couple of questions from the others, but Jack was distracted again by a mental message.


    ¡¯We should discuss finding the key tomorrow in private. I know where it is.¡¯


    ncing at Eedaj, Jack replied, ¡¯So do I. With Kylon, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, but we should be careful in how we retrieve that key,¡¯ replied Eedaj. ¡¯I¡¯ll exin everything tomorrow morning.¡¯


    As Jack and Eedaj wrapped up their speedy conversation, Eliza spoke up, "Then what happened with Halmut? Don¡¯t tell me you actually beat him?!"


    "Eedaj, would you mind exining how that went?" Moranti asked, throwing an arm around Jack. "Jack and I need to go get treated before the banquet starts."


    "Sure. That much I can handle."


    The two men left the room as Eedaj began exining his side of the story. Once they were in the hallway and all alone, Moranti cast silence and made sure the sphere following their walking pace. With a started smile, Moranti asked, "Jack, what level are you?"

 Chapter 566 Jack Uncovered

    <h4>Chapter 566 Jack Uncovered</h4>


    "Jack, what level are you?"


    "Aren¡¯t you curious?" joked Jack.


    Moranti smiled and chuckled, "Will you let me see your stats? I¡¯m a good judge for Halmut¡¯s strength and I want to know how strong you arepared to him almost getting serious."


    "But to see my stats?"


    "Please, Jack. We have a pact and I let you see mine all the time," Moranti argued as they entered the restricted area of the guild. "Halmut treated you like a mid-level god, so I want to confirm how much potential you have."


    Sighing, Jack replied, "I¡¯m lv. 91."


    "And what about your titles? Sterfen mentioned a proposal from Daruun. Does that mean you¡¯ve got bigger ns or that he¡¯s given you a new title?"


    "I..." Jack meant to reply but got caught up in thought. It was the first time Jack paid attention to his basic stats apart from quick nces at his level. What he found caught the hero off guard.


    [Fate Champion]


    [Heralded as the rising champion of the Fate District and personally selected by the district leader. Referred to as "The Champion God" on the user¡¯s homeworld of Kartonia.]


    Jack¡¯s footsteps paused as he investigated his new title, which went beyond the scope of Kartonia.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" asked Moranti. "Hello? Jack?"


    "Sorry... I got caught up checking something."


    "Was it your title? Tell me, what title did you im? Show me!"


    "The Champion God," Jack admitted. "That¡¯s the title Daruun has given me."


    "The Champion God... Now that¡¯s a title! It¡¯s very fitting, considering your fight with Halmut."


    "How serious was Halmut during our fight?" Jack changed the subject as they began to walk again.


    Shrugging, Moranti replied, "If I had to guess, then Halmut was using maybe seventy percent of his strength. But that was only at the end when he charged you with his horns."


    "Only that much..." Jack sighed, forced to understand how far the gap was.


    "But your strategy was perfect, though I¡¯m unsure how Halmut countered Cerebral Copse. Eedaj mentioned that reading Halmut¡¯s mind was impossible, but I didn¡¯t think that Cerebral Copse would fail as well... I also feel uneasy about Halmut¡¯s retreat. It doesn¡¯t make sense to me. Are you sure you failed on your final attempt?"


    "I¡¯m sure of it. Even my system recognized my failure. But I did feel that I somehow got closer to sess that final time, though I¡¯m not sure why."


    "Hmmm..." Moranti sighed as they neared their destination. After stopping in front of a courtyard door, Moranti firmly knocked to announce their arrival.


    "I¡¯ve been waiting... You¡¯rete."


    Hearing Dragas¡¯s sultry voice, Jack came up with a theory as he silently followed Moranti into Dragas¡¯s courtyard filled with flora and fauna. Though Dragas was a flirt, she wouldn¡¯ty it on that much unless she was determined to seduce someone.


    The duo passed the small jungle of vegetation to reach the center of the courtyard. There, Jack quickly blinked and averted his eyes.


    "Oh, I wasn¡¯t expecting Jack..."


    Morantiughed, "For now, Jack will be joining me for treatments, so expect it until he¡¯s healed."


    "Then I guess I¡¯ll cover up... I don¡¯t want to seduce my daughter¡¯s man by ident."


    "I don¡¯t mind," stated Moranti, smiling and enjoying the view. "Considering Jack¡¯s injuries and his healing abilities, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be good as new before I can say the same about myself."


    "Obviously... Considering your intense stare," Dragas teased, retrieving her typical gown and swaying her now-covered hips as she approached her new patient. "Now... let me see it. You¡¯ll have to remove the cloak, so--"


    Before she could finish, Jack shifted the cloak into only a pair of pants. "How¡¯s that?"


    "Sorry, Jack," Moranti spoke up. "After fighting Halmut, I¡¯d let her inspect everything. She¡¯ll find even microscopic burns, so be proud of yourself."


    "Halmut? Jack fought Halmut?!" Dragas was stunned, dropping her seductive tone.


    "Sure did, and Jack almost crippled him too," stated Moranti. "Halmut was starting to get more serious when he suddenly left without warning or reason."


    "Jack... Why would you fight Halmut of all people?!" questioned Dragas. "I heard you ascended but that¡¯s no reason to--"


    "Yeah, yeah, I know. But I got Daruun¡¯s permission to try so what¡¯s wrong?" reasoned Jack, startling Dragas and Moranti. "I learned a lot from that fight and even got stronger because of it. I have no regrets."


    "But what if you had died!? What about my--"


    "Daruun wouldn¡¯t have allowed me to try that without reason. Do you think I¡¯m stupid enough to waste my life like that?"


    "You should¡¯ve seen him..." Moranti sighed. "Jack used Cerebral Copse on that pestro, and almost got away with it."


    "You what?!"


    "Can we get on with this?" asked Jack. "They¡¯re preparing a banquet and I need to hurry back to my wives."


    "Fine... but you still need to disrobe," argued Dragas, not giving in.


    Sighing, Jack obliged. Jack removed his cloak and let Dragas see everything, as a medical professional.


    "Please, let me check your status. That way I can properly scan your body for microscopic burns. That¡¯s the worst part of Halmut¡¯s mes. Even a microscopic burn from Halmut¡¯s me will grow with time and be unbearable," stated Dragas, surprising Jack.


    As Jack took a deep breath, Jack allowed himself to be vulnerable for the first time in a long while. Privacy wasn¡¯t worth facing the pain of Halmut¡¯s mes outside of battle.


    "Jack, how did you change your name?"


    Looking to Dragas, Jack replied, "That¡¯s thanks to Daruun."


    "And what sort of title is that?" asked Dragas.


    Moranti spoke up as well, wide-eyed, "I thought you said--"


    "The title ¡¯Fate Champion¡¯ is a title used outside of Kartonia. My Kartonian title is the ¡¯Champion God¡¯," exined Jack.


    "The Champion God... What a title..."


    "Stop fantasizing," shouted Jack. "Hurry up and get this over with."


    "Right, right... I know you¡¯re taken..." Dragas sighed, rolling her eyes.


    "I¡¯m not."


    "Don¡¯t tempt me, Moranti. You wouldn¡¯t--"


    "Never question a Spectral Dragon¡¯s prowess. I can handle all of you with pleasure."


    "I get it. You¡¯re both horny and are desperate for a mate. But how about you talk it over after drinking the night away, not in the middle of my examination!"

 Chapter 567 Medicinal Baths

    <h4>Chapter 567 Medicinal Baths</h4>


    "Right... Sorry, I can get carried away sometimes," Dragas stated. At the same time, a wash of green nature energy spread over Jack¡¯s body. The Dryad Goddess carefully searched for anything she could find out of the ordinary. "There are a few microscopic burns, but your condition can¡¯tpare to Moranti¡¯s when he first asked for help."


    "So... How long should it take to recover?" asked Jack.


    "Given how unnaturally strong your vitality is, I think three days of treatment twice a day should remove all microscopic burns along with the more obvious ones."


    "Then can I--"


    "One moment, and don¡¯t put your clothes on just yet!" Dragas rushed into her jungle of flora, taking a minute to gather more of the ingredients she had gathered prior. "Had Moranti informed me that Jack woulde, I¡¯d have already gathered enough materials. This will take a few minutes."


    "Can¡¯t I just--"


    "Jack, at lv. 91 your body¡¯s vitality matches Moranti at lv. 97, surpassing it even," Dragas mentioned. "Because of that, I¡¯ll be able to give you a more concentrated solution to aid your burns. However, this also means your body will feel even more pain than Moranti experiences during his medicinal baths."


    "Bath?" Jack caught on to the situation, understanding why Dragas and Moranti were starting to hit it off. It was made more obvious as Moranti began to disrobe as well.


    "To keep the potency of the medicinal bath, the ingredients must be blended and incorporated properly into the bath within minutes of taking the bath. The longer the solution sits, the less potent and effective it will be," reasoned Dragas. "I¡¯ll expect you here tomorrow morning after breakfast and tomorrow night before bed. Three days of this and you¡¯ll be as good as new."


    "And there¡¯s no way that you could teach Eliza how to do this?" asked Jack.


    Dragas blinked and chuckled, "She cane with you tomorrow morning. I¡¯ll assess her skills and aptitude for herbology then. I doubt she¡¯ll be able to handle the solution you need, but it¡¯ll be some wonderful bonding time with my daughter."


    Another five minutes passed as Dragas finished stewing a variety of ingredients, which had been chopped, left whole, juiced, or peeled to give the bath the desired effect. The Goddess of Seduction retrieved tworge, external bathing pools and carefully poured her two pots of solution into them. "Ready! Moranti¡¯s is on the left and Jack, yours is on the right."


    Without a word, Moranti stepped forward and immersed himself in the turquoise-colored bathwater. He took in a sharp breath through his teeth before releasing a long sigh of relief.


    Jack followed, stepping into his bath without worry. But the moment he hurried in, Jack felt as if his body was burning from the inside out. It felt as if Jack¡¯s blood started to boil beneath his skin.


    "Rx, Jack. This will only take twenty minutes and the first time is always the worst," added Dragas. "By tomorrow night, you¡¯ll feel much morefortable with this."


    Not saying anything, Jack kept his focus on the task at hand. It was a new kind of pain that Jack hadn¡¯t experienced, unlike anything Jack had imagined.


    Those twenty grueling minutes passed slowly. For a moment, Jack felt that his bath was taking longer than his entire trip through Earthen Keep. Even Moranti felt time slow down, though not to the extent that Jack felt.


    "Here¡¯s your towel."


    Dragas¡¯s voice pulled Jack back into the moment. Jack opened his eyes and spotted Dragas at the side of the lifted bathing pools, a long towel in her hand.


    Eager to escape what felt like bathing in hell, Jack scurried out of the bath and hurriedly dried himself off. The sensation of internally boiling lingered but began to gradually fade. Jack took long and deep breaths as the air seemingly cooled his internal organs.


    "Where¡¯s mine?"


    Only then did Jack realize that Dragas left Moranti in his bath. He didn¡¯t care much about that detail though as Jack was d to be out of that hellish bath.


    "It¡¯s only been ten minutes, so you¡¯ve got another ten to go," stated Dragas.


    "What?! But--"


    "See that?" Dragas pointed at Jack¡¯s bath, getting Moranti and Jack to notice something. "It¡¯s already clear, meaning that Jack¡¯s body processed his more potent solution in half the time it takes you. That¡¯s why he gets to leave early and take his wives to the banquet, which should be starting any minute now."


    Turning to Jack with a smile, Dragas added, "Eedaj told me to head out too, but me and Moranti will follow you shortly. Hurry up and get your wives, or you¡¯ll miss some of the festivities."


    Jack nodded. Despite the burning that was still fading, Jack¡¯s body felt more energetic than ever. "Then I¡¯ll be off!" Bolting for the door, Jack added, "And don¡¯t have too much fun before the banquet!"


    "I¡¯ll keep that in mind..." Dragas sighed as she heard the door close. Finally returning to her attitude deserving of the title Goddes of Seduction, Dragas bit her lip and smiled at Moranti. "So, are you ready for some in-bath therapy?"


    Unaware and not wanting to know what was taking ce after his leave, Jack used his minokawa form to hurry home. The hero rushed through the front door and surprised his wives.


    "Sorry for the wait, but I¡¯m ready now." Looking around, Jack asked, "Where¡¯s Lina?"


    "She already left," answered Maura. "Lina¡¯s going with Erina and Lunara."


    Eliza and Daliea exited the bedroom, happy smiles on their faces. Daliea asked, "Are you okay? Are there any wounds?"


    "There are some but nothing that Dragas can¡¯t fix. I¡¯ll exin more on the way."


    Jack happily gathered his three wives and left for the guild¡¯s main building. During their walk, Jack exined his healing procedure and Eliza eagerly agreed to join Jack to learn herbology. Also, they chatted about Jack¡¯s divine title and how each of their names had changed, gaining Jack¡¯s newst name, rutya.


    It felt good to not only rx but to enjoy the moment. Being in thepany of his wives was different than the thrill of battle or the rush ofpleting a difficult achievement. Jack felt calm while also feeling lively. The feeling was a rare urrence for Jack, but it was one that Jack wanted to treasure the more he experienced it.

 Chapter 568 The Leisure Tavern

    <h4>Chapter 568 The Leisure Tavern</h4>


    Just when Jack was ready to lead his wives toward the main guild building¡¯s banquet hall, they pulled him aside and led him in a different direction.


    "Wait, where are we--"


    "The banquet is in the marketce," Maura exined as they continued past the main building.


    "Then where are we going?" asked Jack.


    Maura answered with a smile. "While you were gone, the guild decided to open its own restaurant. Before opening to the public next week, we¡¯ll all be feasting there and testing the menu. But I know you¡¯re already going to love it."


    "And why is that?"


    All three of the women smiled and chuckled. Eliza and Daliea kept quiet as Maura replied, "You¡¯ll see... Just wait."


    They continued to question Jack about Earthen Keep and his meeting with Daruun, something that Jack hadn¡¯t exined in detail in front of everyone. Eventually, they got Jack to crack. "How about this? After the banquet, all four of us will spend the night together and I¡¯ll exin Daruun¡¯srger ns in detail. I don¡¯t want others to know too much yet."


    "Deal! So long as you include us, then we¡¯ll happy no matter what!" shouted Eliza, getting the approval of Maura and Daliea as well. "Now, what do you think?"


    As Eliza pointed ahead, Jack spotted the restaurant in the distance. He chuckled, reading the sign that said "Leisure Tavern" in giant letters.


    "Just wait till we get inside!" Maura shouted, pushing Jack to go faster.


    Finally, they swung the doors open for Jack to almost drop his jaw on the floor.


    Plenty of people filled the ce, all of which had familiar faces. There were three waitresses. Martha and Marisha were smiling as they served their guests alongside their newest friend.


    "Jezelle?"


    "Oh, Jack!" Jezelle shouted from across the room. She finished setting some food down and hurried to greet them personally. "A table for four, right? Follow me!"


    They were sat in the middle of the giant, open dining room. There were private booths but those were pointless during a banquet. And From the center, Jack was able to better recognize everyone around him.


    "Your first round of food will be right out. I¡¯ll bring you some wine!" With that, Jezelle scurried off to handle her other duties.


    "This..."


    "Nostalgic, right?" Maura nudged Jack with a smile. "Reinolt conceded to Zuran but we helped some of our friends escape before the transition. And Aazoon managed to escape so the king is here too!"


    Jack was speechless, taking in his surroundings as he nodded to Maura, Eliza, and Daliea.


    At one table, Jack spotted Lunara with Lina and Erina. Though Lina had grown after evolving, something Mauramented on, she was still best friends with the younger-looking girl, who wasn¡¯t shy after seeing Lina¡¯s growth.


    Drinking along with Jack¡¯s male party members was Zariff, as well as Tridon, Trevor, and Tomas from Reinolt City. Prince Willim had joined them as well, making himself at home among the other men and showing off his incredible tolerance to alcohol. Of course, King Wilheim sat with Argyle, Hurmot, and Kaldor at the next table over, not letting his son show him up.


    And to Jack¡¯s surprise, Zarris was sat alongside Baral and the other auction house managers, talking up a storm. Also, in the back corner, Jack spotted Tarnel arguing with Flint as the loud, outspoken young man released his Two-headed Wolf and let the wolf pounce onto their shared meal.


    Having so many of his friends and acquaintances from across the continent gathered in a single pub was a surreal experience.


    "Jaaack? At least say something..."


    "Oh... Sorry..." Jack chuckled, scratching his head to shake off his embarrassment. "I just... wasn¡¯t expecting all this."


    "So, I take it you¡¯re d to see everyone?" teased Maura.


    Nodding, Jack sighed, "Yeah... It¡¯s nice to see everyone again. I¡¯m d they¡¯re all doing fine."


    "You know, they¡¯re all here because of you," added Eliza. "You¡¯ve be the biggest celebrity, and news about Halmut¡¯s defeat is only adding to your fame."


    "I didn¡¯t defeat him..."


    "But you held him off and forced his retreat. In battle and war, that¡¯s also a victory," Daliea insisted, downing her first mug of liquid courage. "You should be more proud of your strength. That¡¯s why I married you after all..."


    "Yeah, you should be proud of your achievements," added Eliza, sipping her wine. "The whole world deserves to know your name. Now, you¡¯re even more famous than you were in the past. I¡¯ve never been more proud to be your wife, the wife of the world¡¯s greatest hero..."


    Maura was the third to speak, chugging her drink in one go. She proved her inability to hold her alcohol, losing most inhibitions all at once. "And you¡¯re so kind... You can be naive too but you¡¯re still kind and strong. You should be more forceful at times, like with me..."


    Hearing his wives go around sharing their thoughts, Jack knew that he was in for a long night ahead of him. But he was excited.


    The moment the food arrived, Jack attacked his meal, instantly recognizing Rayard¡¯s cooking. However, Jack didn¡¯t savor it too much as he wanted to hurry up and leave the banquet. While gods began to trickle in and find their own tables, Jack paid more attention to his wives with each passing second. With each sip of wine, Jack took their unfilteredments gratefully,mitting to do better with those things.


    When the four of them finished eating, Jack escorted his wives out of the restaurant, all feeling a little tipsy.


    Outside, Jackughed as he spotted Moranti escorting Dragas to the tavern. "I told you to save it forter."


    "Why not before and after the banquet?" Dragasughed, unafraid of admitting to her and Moranti¡¯s recent actions. "Looking at them, I would suggest teleportation. That way, you¡¯ll have more time and energy to enjoy yourselves."


    "Right... Then, good night!"


    Jack instantly took his wives to their bedroom, vanishing in a sh of purple light.

 Chapter 569 An Apocalyptic Day

    <h4>Chapter 569 An Apocalyptic Day</h4>


    "What¡¯s going on? Mommy, what¡¯s that?"


    "I don¡¯t know sweetie..."


    Grabbing her infant daughter¡¯s hand all the tighter, the woman felt saliva lodge in her throat. She couldn¡¯t believe her eyes.


    Only a few hundred meters away, a dazzling pir of light rained down upon the center square and the majority of Pralis, Kustram¡¯s capital city. It was unlike anything she had ever seen and was so bright that the woman, along with every other citizen witnessing the event, could no longer see the buildings enveloped within the light.


    But only a momentter. The woman clutched her daughter¡¯s tiny hand and covered her gaping mouth. A tear instantly formed, gliding down her cheek and flowing down her wrist.


    Everything was gone. The city hall was no more. The trading pavilion was nonexistent. Nothing was left. All that remained was a hundred-meter deep crater burned by the intense light. It was terrifying beyond the scope of the woman¡¯s nightmares.


    "We¡¯re leaving!"


    "But mommy--"


    "We need to run, Lanee!" The mother rushed to pick up her daughter, dashing away along with the majority of the remaining poption.


    "Look!"


    "Is that..."


    "It can¡¯t be?!"


    Shouts and cries drew the daughter¡¯s attention to the sky above. "Mommy... What¡¯s that?"


    "Don¡¯t worry sweetie, Mommy will--"


    "But Mommy, look at the sky! It¡¯s so big!" the little girl shouted in awe, trying to forcibly move her mother¡¯s head to see the massive, golden figure descending from the clouds.


    Finally, the woman caught a glimpse of the figure. Her entire body quivered, giving up her futile attempts to flee. "It¡¯s... It¡¯s... It¡¯s really happening..."


    "Mommy? What¡¯s happening? Did that monster--"


    "Lanee..." the mother called out her daughter¡¯s name again, dropping to her knees and holding the child tightly against her bosom. "... Mommy loves you."


    Blinking, the daughter hugged her mother back. "And I love Mommy, too."


    "He¡¯s here!"


    "Thank the heavens!"


    A new round of cries filled the area. Hope returned to their voices as their tears of sorrow became tears of gratitude.


    "Skaryn..." Looking up, the mother felt her heart start beating yet again.


    "Skaryn? Is that Skaryn?!" The little girl kept her arms around her mother as her eyes darted around the sky, searching for the second, much smaller figure to descend from the clouds.


    "Yes, sweetie... That¡¯s him. Our protector really came..."


    Together, the mother, the daughter, and all citizens close enough to spectate were enraptured by the standoff in the sky. They could hear echoes of their shouts, most of which was inaudible. But asionally, certain phrases were loud enough for everyone.


    "... Does she know about this..."


    That sentence confused most everyone as it weakly echoed. At first, no one was able to tell which figure said what, only that there were two distinct voices.


    "Answer the question!"


    People started to think that voice was Skaryn¡¯s, as it seemed more human. But they weren¡¯t sure yet.


    "Lanee... Will you pray with Mommy?"


    "Mhmm!" The little girl bobbed her head up and down.


    "Then close your eyes. All you need to do is pray in your heart," exined the mother.


    With a final nod, the infant girl crinkled her face from shutting her eyes too tightly. She mumbled to herself under her breath, "Dear Skaryn... Pretty please..."


    While her daughter was distracted, the mother kept her eyes focused on the sky above. She believed that Skaryn should be able to protect them, but a mother would never be able to stop worrying when their child¡¯s life is in question.


    "Join me, Skaryn!"


    Proving which voice belonged to whom, all spectators froze in fear as Halmut offered Skaryn the chance to work together. Such a thing would only lead to their doom. Unconsciously, the mother gripped her daughter¡¯s sundress even tighter.


    "... I refuse..."


    Relief washed over the Kustram people yet again, at least enough to keep them from having a heart attack. That faint echo kept theirst strands of hope alive.


    "... I have no addiction..."


    Everyone thought they misheard something. No one could believe that the gods were talking about substance abuse, so they all assumed it was a misinterpretation. But their hearts didn¡¯t feel any lighter with such a belief. They only felt more eager to know the full context of the conversation.


    "... and protect Mommy..." Still mumbling to herself, the little girl added to her list of pleas, making sure her mother was repeated frequently in her prayer.


    Touched, the mother pressed her lips against her daughter¡¯s forehead.


    "... you don¡¯t know anything..."


    "... shut up..."


    "I SAID SHUT UP!"


    Halmut¡¯s roar passed over the entire ind, ringing in the ears of those closest. At the same time, someone in the crowd looked to a different portion of the sky, the part directly overhead.


    "T-that..."


    On edge from the shout, the mother and the other spectators looked up in horror.


    The dark clouds seemed to have another sun hiding behind them, but that patch of clouds grew whiter and whiter at a visible speed. Within seconds, a new pir of light rained fell from the sky.


    "Lanee!" The mother instinctively wrapped her arms around her daughter, wanting to someone defy the odds and keep the girl alive, even at the loss of her own life.


    To the relief of the Kustram citizens, they all saw Skaryn in action. As the Dark God repelled the light pir, cheers rang out in jubtion.


    "... have you no shame..."


    "... and the Flood Dragons..."


    The next two statements still weren¡¯t entirely clear, but they were audible enough for those closeby to understand.


    "Mommy," pulling her head out of her mother¡¯s chest, the little girl asked, "does Skaryn protect dragons too?"


    The woman was unsure what her daughter was talking about until she followed her daughter¡¯s finger. That¡¯s when she spotted giant finned tails breaching the water, something that only urred during the Flood Dragon mating season every few years. It was always a national festival and a great tourist attraction, yet it could be seen during such a dire time? It made no sense to the women.


    Now that she was focused on the nearby waters, the woman heard the faint cries reverberating out of the water.


    "They¡¯re crying, Mommy..."


    Amidst the escting situation, the woman managed to smile again for her daughter. "Don¡¯t worry, sweetie. Skaryn will protect them too."

 Chapter 570 Constant Nightmares

    <h4>Chapter 570 Constant Nightmares</h4>


    "Retreat now, or die!"


    Skaryn¡¯s fervent order brought the woman¡¯s attention back to the sky, after ignoring the shouts of Halmut for a few moments. She witnessed Halmut¡¯s change as he shrunk down to Skaryn¡¯s size. Along with all nearby Kustram citizens, the mother and daughter were in awe as Skaryn¡¯s form be demonic and oozed unfathomable power topete with Halmut.


    It was finally happening. The timeless question of who was stronger would finally be answered for them all to see. But that didn¡¯t make them feel any safer.


    "Mommy... I¡¯m scared..."


    "Don¡¯t worry Lanee..." the mother whispered, pulling her daughter in tighter to hide her eyes. "We¡¯ll be safe, okay?"


    "... okay...."


    The wind blew as the two figures shed after a dramatic pause. It startled them all as the attacks showed no signs of energy, just raw, physical strength.


    "Die and shut up!"


    Halmut¡¯s roar filled the area, as did Skaryn¡¯s inaudible battle cry. Their shes spread across the sky as the shockwaves they created grew bigger and bigger.


    "... not bad..."


    "... just die already..."


    Both deities were now traveling too fast for the mortal spectators toprehend. The mother was confused along with the rest of the crowd, but she kept up her smile to keep her daughter from crying. If not, she too would burst into tears of fear.


    Now, the world started to warp around their fight. Clouds were dashed apart and giant ocean waves were split without any effort. Raging whirlwinds were picking up just off the coast due to their incredible speeds.


    "Please... Skaryn..."


    Looking down, the mother wanted to cry as she saw her daughter begin to pray yet again. She ced one hand atop the little girls had and rubbed it calmly. "He¡¯ll protect us... He always has."


    Just then, the public spotted another bright light forming behind the clouds. Their hearts sank as they noticed Skaryn fighting much further away than thest time. But their near-death experience ended when Skaryn hurled his own pulse of ck energy to counter the light pir.


    However, more pirs began to fall despite each being countered. Even to the mother with no battle experience, she could tell that Skaryn had his hands full trying to defend an entire nation while facing Halmut head-on. Her hope was dwindling more by the second.


    "Mommy..."


    Instantly resuming her smile, the mother hugged her daughter tightly again. "Just keep your head here... Everything will be fine." She stroked the girl¡¯s head in the most calming way possible as she kept her daughter¡¯s head pressed into her chest. There was no way that she wanted her daughter to see Skaryn lose. She would much rather make sure her daughter was happy in their final moments.


    "Mommy... they¡¯re still crying..."


    "Don¡¯t worry. Everything will be fine. Trust Mommy. Skaryn will protect us, so just stay here and hug Mommy."


    "Okay..."


    The two of them continued to embrace each other, acting oblivious to the world around them. The mother did her best to keep her daughter from hearing the banter of the gods but it was hard to deny the desperation creeping into Skaryn¡¯s voice. But Skaryn¡¯s next statement was too hard to ignore.


    "If you¡¯re going to kill me, just do it already!"


    At that moment, each and every Kustram citizen copsed. Their hopes were dashed as they either ran away despite knowing it was futile or dropped to the ground where they once stood, giving in to fate.


    "M-Mommy... Did--"


    "Don¡¯t worry, sweetie! Everything will be okay!"


    While most continued spectating and witnessing Skaryn¡¯s disadvantage grow, the mother began to shout with all her might in an attempt to drown out the banter of the two gods. She refused to let her daughter suffer.


    "Stop fighting your demise!"


    The more the gods shouted and roared, the louder the mother got. But that didn¡¯t stop the daughter from realizing the truth of the situation. The little girl was smart enough to tell how the fight was going from the shouts alone.


    "Fool!"


    "Nooooo!"


    "Skaryyyn!"


    Following Halmut¡¯s final roar, the spectating citizens went crazy. They couldn¡¯t hold back their tears as they witnessed their god and protector be trapped in rings of light.


    Giving in, the mother peeked at the battle only to feel her heart shatter.


    "Mommy..."


    Ignoring the appearance of six gigantic pirs of light, the woman was in tears as she looked down at her daughter¡¯s smile.


    "I love you, Mommy..."


    "And I love you, Lanee..."


    "NOOOOO!"


    Jerking upward, Kylon¡¯s eyes shot open wide as tears leaked from her eyes into the water throughout Kylon¡¯s bedroom chamber. The powerful, lv. 96 Flood Dragon was visibly shaking struggling to control her breathing.


    "Mistress!" A shout came from behind the bedroom doors. They were thrown open as a smaller Flood Dragon entered the room in a panic. "Mistress, are you--"


    "I-I¡¯m fine..." replied Kylon, struggling to regain herposure.


    "Was it another nightmare?"


    "Yes... But I¡¯m fine... Okay?"


    "Mistress... This has continued for decades, we should--"


    "I¡¯m fine!"


    Sighing, the younger Flood Dragon bowed her head and stepped back. "Of course... Then I¡¯ll dismiss myself. But if you need me, I¡¯m--"


    "Thank you, that will be all," stated Kylon, waving away her attendant.


    Once the attendant left, Kylon took a few moments to steady her breathing. Again, she was left without any sleep. She mumbled to herself, trying to convince herself of reality.


    "It¡¯s just a dream... Like always... Like always...."


    Despite her best efforts, Kylon was unable to fully separate herself from the nightmare for quite some time. It felt too real to be just a dream as she recollected everything the mother said, witnessed, and felt as if Kylon had, in fact, been that dying mother.


    Finally, after seeming to have regained herposure, Kylon assumed her human form and exited her bedroom chamber. Making her way through her underwater pce, Kylon eventually passed a row of heavily armed guards and entered the room they were carefully guarding, locking the door behind her.


    Staring intently at the ground, Kylon cast silence throughout the room. She didn¡¯t want to contain her emotions any longer. It was impossible to hold back as she fell to her knees atop the five-ring seal imprinted into the seafloor.


    "You still haunt me... Why? Why Skaryn?!" Kylon screamed, not holding back as no one else could hear her. "Why... That can¡¯t be how it happened... That can¡¯t be..."


    She whimpered as she took out a sphere norger than her draconic eyeball with intricate, foreign etching all over it. One hand rested on the sphere and one rested on her abdomen.


    "Why... Skaryn... I don¡¯t know anything anymore..."

 Chapter 571 Researching Kylons Pas

    <h4>Chapter 571 Researching Kylon¡°s Pas</h4>


    As the sun began its morning climb, Jack rustled in bed to find a beautiful view. He rxed and took a moment to admire his three wives.


    Sure, they had grown stronger. Eliza was the weakest at lv. 60 while Maura and Daliea barely passed her at lv. 61. But that wasn¡¯t what Jack was admiring. Seeing them lying there with him,pletely vulnerable yet entirely rxed and wearing subconscious smiles, Jack would never forget that moment.


    Jack carefully crept out of his wives¡¯ clutches and dressed himself. He had something to do before breakfast and taking his medicinal bath.


    Jogging through the restricted area, Jack soon reached his destination. After a light knock on the door, it opened by itself. Jack stepped inside and approached a smiling Eedaj as the door shut and locked itself. "Maybe I should learn telekinesis too?"


    "It has its uses," Eedaj chuckled. "Now... I wanted to speak with you regarding Kylon and her involvement in reviving Skaryn."


    "Go ahead. I¡¯m all ears."


    Eedaj nodded, casted silence, and continued, "First off, what do you know about Kylon?"


    "As the Storm Goddess, she wields water, fire, and electric magics. She¡¯s the strongest of Flood Dragons and hails from the ocean¡¯s depths," stated Jack.


    "That¡¯s all?"


    "Well, I know she¡¯s one of the most skillful gods though she¡¯s not known to be forceful. Kylon will fight tactfully with her incredible power, making her able to fight above her level and hold off much stronger foes when necessary," added Jack. "And I once heard that she and Lunara got along really well but I¡¯m not sure about that considering what¡¯s happened now."


    "Good... then you at least know the basics. But you know nothing of her origins? Or how she ascended?" asked Eedaj.


    Jack shook his head, expecting Eedaj to fill in the gaps.


    "Allow me to share what I learned from browsing her memories." Pausing to mentally run through the story he was about to tell, Eedaj sighed, "First, you should know that I found an anomaly among her memories."


    "What do you mean an anomaly?"


    "I believe a portion of her memories is sealed away."


    Blinking, Jack was startled to hear that. But


    But Eedaj continued, "I did learn a few things, but not as much as I would¡¯ve hoped. I was busy doing so mid-battle and the anomaly made things a little difficult."


    "Howe you--


    "I told her nothing as many forced memory anomalies usually create triggered responses," stated Eedaj. "If I had asked her about it, then she may have grown more furious and fought me more seriously while I was trying to end the battle quickly. Or she would¡¯ve denied it and would¡¯ve denounced her more friendly and calm attitude to our fight.


    "Either way, I wasn¡¯t able to learn too much. But what I did learn was enough to deduce a few things. First, I learned that she held the final enchantment key. Second, I learned that some of her key memories appeared to be synthetic."


    "Synthetic memories? You think she¡¯s had false memories imnted in her mind?" asked Jack


    Eedaj nodded and added, "I do. But many of her recent memories are rooted from the ones I believe are false. This means that she¡¯s made certain actions to more firmly root those memories as true to her subconscious and that she may no longer know who she once was. It would exin why she was so formal with me during our fight yet not as friendly as Oosam, like she once was."


    "But do you have any guess as to who could¡¯ve done this to her?" Jack questioned, still baffled by the core of the problem.


    "Maybe I can fill in some nks..."


    A new voice rang out, putting a smile on both Jack¡¯s and Eedaj¡¯s faces. Eedaj was the first to reply though. "Sterfen... How did you know we were meeting now?"


    "I saw Jack making his way here is all," stated Sterfen with a shrug.


    "It has nothing to do with your secret affinity for mind magic?" asked Eedaj.


    "How could that be a secret? In Kartonia, it¡¯s ssified under illusion magic, my greatest specialty. So how could I not take time to learn mind magic?" reasoned Sterfen.


    Chuckling, Eedaj asked, "Then that¡¯s why you¡¯re able to secure your mind from my browsing? And the browsing of others as well?"


    "Sure, let¡¯s go with that." Returning to the subject, Sterfen sighed, "I¡¯m sure Eedaj remembers a few major events that involved Kylon, but I can offer a deeper perspective.¡¯


    Jack and Eedaj eagerly waited for the God of Secrets to share his wealth of personal, private knowledge on the topic.


    "Jack, you should be able to guess that Kylon possibly came from Kustram, being a Flood Dragon from old times. But I can tell you that she was also the first-ever dragon that Skaryn met. She¡¯s the reason that Skaryn became obsessed with dragons. Were you able to see their first meeting in her memories?"


    "No... I saw nothing like that."


    borating, Sterfen had both listeners on the edge of their seats. "It shouldn¡¯t have been difficult to find, given how it should definitely be a key memory for her. They spent a couple of years as sparring partners, honing their skills together and admiring the other¡¯s strength. This resulted in Skaryn searching out other dragons as training partners and Kylon sharpening her lightning and fire skills to stand out among the Flood Dragons. It¡¯s a foundational memory, so it should¡¯ve been easier to find than any false memory."


    "But..." Jack cut in with a sigh. "Why did Kylon be a holy god?"


    "She had no choice," stated Eedaj, catching Jack off guard.


    Agreeing with Eedaj, Sterfen exined, "The first and only god that was forced to ascend was Kylon. After leaving to travel the world, Skaryn eventually came back after learning of Kylon¡¯s growing fame. He visited her more often than not, even offering her help when it came time to ascend.


    "However, Halmut learned of this and paid Kylon a personal visit as well. As the strongest dragon god, Halmut insisted that Kylon join the other dragon gods despite her unwillingness. That¡¯s when he forced her to form an unnegotiable contract and pressured her into consuming stimnts to force her ascension on the spot."

 Chapter 572 Unforgivable

    <h4>Chapter 572 Unforgivable</h4>


    "What?!"


    "Stimnts?"


    Jack and Eedaj had mixed reactions. One shouted in disbelief while the other wanted to learn more about the unheard-of stimnts.


    "ording to the gods, all they know about is the forced contract. They don¡¯t know about the stimnts that Halmut forced onto her," Sterfen exined. "That was the first time that Daruun intervened in private, forcing Halmut and Skaryn to never force someone into a contract or forcibly feed them stimnts. If anyone dares to try it again, they were threatened with immediate extinction."


    "But what are stimnts?" asked Eedaj.


    "Those are something foreign to Kartonia, something that a foreign power once gave Halmut and Skaryn, though Daruun forced that foreign power off the. Stimnts offer a boost in strength while destroying that person¡¯s potential growth. It¡¯s hard to exin without exining the power structure of the universe outside of Kartonia."


    "But how--"


    "Basically, stimnts are drugs that boost your power for now but will cause you more harm as you get stronger," answered Jack, surprising Eedaj.


    "Oh... So that¡¯s how Kylon ascended before Naparn but was quickly surpassed by the other dragon gods?"


    "Correct..." Sterfen sighed, not smiling nor frowning. "Also, it¡¯s in Kylon¡¯s contract that she can¡¯t mention stimnts to anyone, otherwise, Halmut can exercise the contract."


    "But how can--"


    "Skaryn beat that knowledge out of Halmut. He tried to talk with Kylon but that¡¯s also against the contract. Halmut did everything he could to get keep Skaryn from getting Kylon on his side, for political and personal reasons," stated Sterfen. "With Kylon, it gave the holy gods a foothold in Kustram where Skaryn¡¯s followers dominated. Also, Halmut is the pettiest person I¡¯ve ever met and he¡¯d rather keep Kylon suffering on his side than to allow Skaryn to have her.


    "But I don¡¯t know anything about the anomaly in her memory, but it would exin her shift in attitude. She acts more robotic and thinks less of her own opinion than I remember," Sterfen added with a shake of his head. "I haven¡¯t checked on her since Skaryn¡¯s sealing since I was tending to Lunara at the time, but I can go check on her when I get the chance."


    "Umm..." Eedaj fumbled for words for a moment. "If what you¡¯re saying is true, Sterfen, then I can guarantee that she¡¯s been given false memories."


    "Why do you say..." After ncing through Eedaj¡¯s emerging thoughts, Sterfen froze with his mouth hanging wide open. "Halmut... you¡¯re dead!"


    "What? What happened--"


    "I¡¯m leaving immediately."


    "Before you go, we need to make a game n," Jack stated, trying to keep Sterfen from leaving on the spot. "I¡¯ll be taking my wives to meet Daruun at his officeter today. I can ask for his opinion while I¡¯m there."


    Already standing, Sterfen shook his head. "Jack, there are some things that demand immediate action. As Skaryn¡¯s younger brother and student, there¡¯s something that I must do immediately."


    "But--"


    "I¡¯ll be gone for a while. I think you¡¯ll be fine without me for a while but if you¡¯re desperate, have your grandfather contact me. Then I¡¯ll know it¡¯s serious."


    Jack wanted to say more but there was no denying the intensity of Sterfen¡¯s stare. It wasn¡¯t focused on Jack, but the intensity was enough for Jack to feel like an ant watching an elephant narrowly walk past and avoid death.


    Turning to Eedaj, Jack asked, "What were you going to say?"


    "I..." Eedaj paused before he answered, "Despite everything that Sterfen imed, which I believe to be trueing from him, there¡¯s one recent event in Kylon¡¯s memories that should have nevere to pass without mental tampering... Kylon is now the second goddess to ever be pregnant."


    "What do..." Catching on, Jack instantly realized the depth of the situation.


    "And considering what Sterfen said yesterday, about Skaryn supporting Sterfen¡¯s marriage to Lunara, I can imagine that Skaryn also..."


    Not needing to say more, rage burned inside both men sitting there. But Jack¡¯s rage burned more furiously as he also felt more connected to Skaryn, given how passionate his father was about the matter and how much his grandfather praised Skaryn as Jack¡¯s uncle.


    "I¡¯ll be taking my wives to see Daruunter... I¡¯ll ask his opinion on the matter then..." Jack stood up and asked, "Is there anything else?"


    "No, that¡¯s all for now," Eedaj replied with a firm nod.


    Jack began walking away but paused and asked, "You can broadcast memories through illusions, right?"


    Eedaj nodded, getting Jack to do the same as the hero waved and left the courtyard.


    The walk back home felt dragged out. Jack¡¯s feet felt heavier with each step as Jack thought about everything.


    "Sterfen! Wait!"


    Hearing his mother shout caught Jack¡¯s attention. Jack looked to a nearby courtyard and saw Sterfen and Lunara standing outside an open door. He was amazed to see Lunara clinging onto Sterfen as if she was afraid to lose him.


    "Jack!" Spotting his son, Sterfen ordered, "Exin my leave to your mother. I need to leave and handle this while I still have an opportunity."


    "O-Okay..." Unable to find fault with Sterfen¡¯s decision to leave, Jack walked toward his parents. Taking Lunara¡¯s hand, Jack sighed, "Mom... I¡¯ll exin inside. It won¡¯t take long, so we can talk before Lina gets up."


    "What¡¯s wrong?"


    With terrible timing, all three of them looked inside to see Lina walking out of her room infortable, silk pajamas.


    "Don¡¯t worry, Daddy just has something to take care of," Sterfen stated with a smile, ncing back to Lina as Sterfen attempted to calm his bloodlust momentarily.


    "O-okay..." Lina stepped back into her room, recognizing that something was up and that her father was about to kill someone, probably a god.


    "Promise me you¡¯lle back."


    Turning around, Sterfen leaned down and kissed Lunara softly. "I promise. I alwayse back. Listen to Jack and you¡¯ll understand why this is necessary."


    "Okay... I love you..."


    "And I love you."


    With that said, Sterfen vanished from their sight. He left no trace to track and no scent to follow.


    "Come in, you¡¯re exining this now!" Lunara stated, dragging Jack into the house with a m of the door.

 Chapter 573 Lunara and Kylon

    <h4>Chapter 573 Lunara and Kylon</h4>


    "HALMUUUT!!!"


    Lunara¡¯s roared echoed within the limited space of the silence spell. It forced Jack to cover his ears from being too close.


    "That rotten... no good..." Lunara mumbled as her shouts deescted into furious mumbles and gibberish.


    "Mom... How long did you know about Kylon and Skaryn being together?" Jack asked.


    After many deep breaths, Lunaraposed herself enough to answer but couldn¡¯t help shouting. "I knew before they were a thing! Kylon taught me a lot growing up. I was her apprentice!"


    "What?! You were--"


    "She practically adopted me!" continued Lunara. "Remember, I¡¯m a Nine-headed cial Hydra! Have you ever heard of any other Nine-headed cial Hydras?"


    "... No..."


    "Because there are none! I¡¯m the only one, apart from Little Lina!" Lunara was now standing up, stomping around the couches as she fumingly continued, "Sure, there are cier Wyrms and cial Hydras, but there aren¡¯t any Nine-headed cial Hydras! Do you think I liked being born with extra heads?! I was theughing stock of the species!"


    Jack listened carefully, not wanting to miss this nugget of unknown information.


    "After being treated like a freak for almost a hundred years, I was fed up and ran away... I¡¯ve never gone back since..."


    "Gone back where? I thought you and the cier Wyrms were from Aazoon."


    "The cier Wyrms are from Aazoon, but I believe their species evolved from ours to live onnd," answered Lunara. "cial Hydras originate from cier Reef."


    "cier Reef? What kind of ce is that?!"


    "It predates ancient Kartonia and never get¡¯s visitors. Even Flood Dragons aren¡¯tfortable with the extreme temperature there..." Lunara sighed, thinking back thousands of years on long-forgotten memories. "Head west from the coast of Aazoon and you¡¯ll eventually find it if you¡¯re traveling the seafloor, but you¡¯ll need to survive more than ten thousand meters below the surface."


    "Ten thousand meters?! That¡¯s where youe from?!" Jack shouted, trying topare the depth to anything he had ever heard of in his past life.


    Nodding, Lunara continued, "cial Hydra¡¯smonly have three heads as adults, with some rarely having six. But Six-headed cial Hydras were always seen as weaker, so my mother was the beggar of society. She passed while I was young and left me alone. Then, after growing my third head during adolescence, the mocking and taunting were too much for a kid to bear. So I ran away. I fought my way upward as I tried to reach the surface.


    "Eventually, I was spotted by some passing Flood Dragons. At first, I tried to fight them but I passed out before anything happened..." Sighing, Lunara paused.


    "When I woke up, I found myself in an underwater cave. The water was much warmer than anything I had felt before, so my body was still adjusting. So many Flood Dragons were staring at me, wondering why I wasining. But then... I suddenly felt aforting frost rush over my body. I almost fell asleep it was so weing. Instead, I saw her. It was Kylon, not even lv. 70 at the time."


    "I can still remember her soft words... ¡¯Does that feel better?¡¯... I was instantly attached to her and followed her everywhere. Eventually, as my body limated, she started teaching me new skills that I had never seen in cier Reef. In turn, I shared some of my skills. Now, Kylon is the only non-cial beast that can naturally form a frost body..."


    "So you got to see them interact?" asked Jack.


    "It was rare, but yes. Kylon wouldn¡¯t let me be around Skaryn very much, not until I got morefortable around humans." Lunara added, "The reason Flood Dragons found me in the first ce was due to my fight with some human fishermen. They tried to capture me as a rare species to sell me or something, but I put up a fight and ran. I didn¡¯t realize it but I turned their boat into a cier before I escaped. That caught the Flood Dragons¡¯ attention pretty well."


    "Then... Does Kylon--"


    "Of course she cares for Skaryn!" shouted Lunara, getting Jack to cover his ears again. "Every time he visited, that¡¯s all she would talk about for weeks! That was why she was so intent on gaining a human form as quickly as possible. The moment she reached lv. 80, Kylon stopped focusing on EXP and meditated day in and day out. She¡¯s the reason I gained a human form before I ascended and the reason Sterfen and I met!"


    "Wait... Skaryn and Kylon yed matchmaker with you two?" questioned Jack.


    "Sort of... eventually..." Lunara shrugged. "I soon left on my own journey but I would still visit on asion. However... After Kylon had joined the Holy Gods, she stopped talking about Skaryn entirely. It was strange how she avoided the topic, which I assumed was a result of heartbreak. Yet she always took time topliment Sterfen as a unique rising-star and encouraged me to pursue him.


    "At the time, I was already a demigod and had formed an idiotic contract with Halmut to follow in the footsteps of Kylon, only to learn of Halmut¡¯s trickery against Kylonter. But I had many suitors chasing me while Kylon suggested to look outside of the holy demigods and choose Sterfen, a human with no ties to Halmut...


    "Little did I know that she had me live out her fantasy... After thousands of years, I learned yesterday that Sterfen was Skaryn¡¯s pupil, which means Kylon was vicariously living through mine and Sterfen¡¯s rtionship..." Lunara sighed, showing a slight frown, "But I don¡¯t me her... I¡¯m happy she convinced me to pursue him, so I have no regrets about that."


    Taking that all in, Jack gave Lunara a moment before he tried to summarize everything. "So... now you know why Dad left."


    "But..." Lunara hesitated. "I trust Sterfen, but this something new... He¡¯s never gone after someone as strong or as prepared as Halmut."


    "Trust him, and trust his training. Dad¡¯s more amazing than you know. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll exin why in the next few days."


    "Thanks, Jack..." Lunara pulled Jack in for a hug, d to have a son like him.

 Chapter 574 Visiting Grandpas House

    <h4>Chapter 574 Visiting Grandpa¡°s House</h4>


    After saying goodbye to his mother, Jack made his way back home. Breakfast should be hitting the table any moment so he decided to teleport instead.


    "Where¡¯ve you been?"Eliza immediately asked, noticing the serious look in Jack¡¯s eyes.


    Jack took a seat and looked at Eliza. "Discussing what to do next with Sterfen, Lunara, and Eedaj... Things have gotten moreplicated."


    "How so?" Maura asked as sheid the tters of eggs, bacon, sausage, and hashbrowns on the table.


    "Remember how we said Skaryn was our uncle? Well... while discussing our knowledge about Kylon and how she has the final enchantment key, our collective knowledge led to something we weren¡¯t anticipating..."


    Daliea spoke next, forcing out the truth, "Jack, speak up and spit it out. We¡¯re here to help too."


    "Uncle Skaryn¡¯s woman is pregnant with another man¡¯s child."


    "WHAT?!" collectively, all three girls shouted at the top of their lungs.


    "Yeah... And it¡¯s Halmut that did it while messing with her memory about Skaryn."


    "WHAAAAT?!?!"


    "So yeah... Sterfen left moments ago to--"


    "How are you so calm?!" shouted Eliza. "If I were to--"


    "I¡¯m not calm!" Jack replied, not letting Eliza finish that phrase. "For the past hour, I¡¯ve either been shouting or being shouted at! So... I¡¯m trying to assess the situation calmly now..."


    "Sorry..." Eliza leaned to the side and pecked Jack on the cheek.


    "I get it, don¡¯t worry about it. Thanks for calming down."


    The four of them ate their meal in rtive silence. They didn¡¯t each much though, only enough to get by for now. Their appetites had already vanished with the news.


    "Let¡¯s go, Eliza." Jack stood up from his seat and nced at his wives. "After my medicine, I¡¯m taking you all to Daruun¡¯s office."


    "Really?" Maura asked as all three of them were caught off guard.


    "Yeah. It¡¯ll be good for you three to see the ce and I want to talk to him about all this..."


    Leaving on a better note, Jack and Eliza made their way to Dragas¡¯s courtyard. They were weed to a clothed Dragas¡¯s, which was all Jack could ask for, and then proceeded to prepare the bath.


    Eliza showed more curiosity than Jack had anticipated but wasn¡¯t too surprised. Seeing Dragas and Eliza working together, Jack could tell this wasn¡¯t the first time that Eliza hade to learn about herbology. Eliza picked the ingredients for the solution and helped prepare a couple of them while Dragas did most of the work.


    Once everything was prepared, Jack noticed that his bath was greener than thest time.


    "What¡¯s with the color change?" asked Jack.


    "Remember how you finished your bath earlyst time? Well, now that it¡¯s stronger, you should be able to go for the whole twenty minutes!" Dragas answered with a beaming smile.


    "... Yay..." Jack sighed, climbing into the bath with anxiousness.


    Just as he suspected, the burning was much worse now. "You said the first time was the worst!"


    "But that was before I knew you could handle more. Now, we can make sure you heal faster and better than ever," stated Dragas. "Right, Eliza?"


    "Right! Only the best!"


    Lucky for Jack, his body processed the stronger solution in just fifteen minutes. Unlucky for Jack, that meant he would face an even stronger solutionter that night.


    Once Jack was finished and Eliza cleaned up, they hurried back to pick up Maura and Daliea. Together, the four of them teleported away.


    As they reappeared in a dimly-lit dungeon chamber, the women were stunned to see that giant ck door and the small stairway leading up to it. It was too unnatural to not stand outpared to the barren walls of the chamber, not to mention how eye-catching the door¡¯s strange etchings were.


    Jack calmly stepped forward and inserted the key he earned not too long ago. It clicked and the ck doors began to separate, startling the women as the spatial gate revealed itself.


    "Come on." Jack held out his hands and brought his wives through the gate.


    Their reactions to the ornate, white hallway on the other side of the gate mimicked Jack¡¯s first impression. Jack allowed them to marvel at everything as he led them to the lounge. He knew that Daruun would eventually appear. It was Daruun¡¯s specialty.


    With his mind on other things, Jack rmended the chef¡¯s special for all three of them and stewed in thought for some time. Jack guessed that almost half an hour passed while he was meditating and his wives were in awe of the miraculous meal with an underwhelming appearance. They let Jack meditate as they ordered another round and the ethereal butler brought them each a cosmix to enjoy.


    "I see you made yourselves at home."


    "Why not? You are my grandpa, after all," sighed Jack, chuckling as he got to his feet.


    "Whoa!"


    Jack and Daruunughed as they looked to Maura, who was going gaga over her first sip of the cosmix. Her trained palette was overwhelmed and sent to heaven with the chef¡¯s special and now she felt as if she was surpassing the heavens.


    "Only one cosmix for each of you," mentioned Daruun. "Any more, and your bodies will be having sensory overload for a week."


    "O-okay..." Maura hesitated, having chugged her cosmix in one go without realizing it.


    "How are my granddaughter¡¯s doing?" Daruun asked with a warm smile, hugging them one by one. But when he reached Eliza, Daruun¡¯s smile perked up even more. "Finally! A great-grandson!"


    As Daruun threw his arms around Eliza, she was taken aback. "Great-grandson? You already know?"


    "I¡¯m certain! I tell with just a look. Two months of progression is more than enough to deduce the gender, for me at least."


    "So it¡¯ll be a boy..." Jack¡¯s mind was dragged away from his worrying thoughts and into a temporary escape of paternal thinking. "Then... we can use that name!"


    "Oh?" Daruun blinked. "What name?"


    Eliza smiled as well, feeling some relief. "Tralon. If it¡¯s a boy, then his name will be Tralon."

 Chapter 575 Daruun vs Jewel

    <h4>Chapter 575 Daruun vs Jewel</h4>


    "Tralon rutya... A great name!" Daruun agreed with a nod. He chuckled for a moment until Daruun noticed Jack¡¯s bodynguage revert back to Jack¡¯s earlier state of worry. "So... You¡¯ve all learned of what happened to Kylon?"


    "Yeah... Apart from showing them your office, I want to discuss that among other things," replied Jack.


    "Very well. Let¡¯s talk in my office." Turning to see his granddaughters, Daruun asked, "Would you like toe, or do you want to stay here and enjoy the lounge? There¡¯s also a masseuse if you¡¯d like."


    "I want to hear your conversation," Daliea insisted. Maura and Eliza rallied with Daliea as well, saving the thought of a divine masseuse forter.


    That being said, Daruun led the way and eventually held the door open for his four guests. "Please, take a seat."


    Jack and his wives sat in a semi-circle facing Daruun¡¯s turned-around desk. It was an unusual setup for the wives to see but that didn¡¯t distract Jack as he immediately began the conversation, "If you knew about Kylon, then why didn¡¯t you tell any of us? And howe you haven¡¯t intervened in any of this?"


    "I have intervened, but only to the degree which I¡¯m able," stated Daruun. "Being in the presence of your wives, I¡¯ll repeat the fact that I¡¯m far toorge of a yer to force my hand within Kartonia. Though I¡¯m its creator, I still need to be careful in what I can and can¡¯t do. Since Jewel has gotten involved via creating Gem as a throw-away incorporate, it makes things much more difficult for me. My leverage over Kartonia shrank the moment Gem stepped foot on the.


    "If a six-star were to get involved in a dispute of one-stars, it wouldn¡¯t even be an argument, let alone a fight. And with Gem¡¯s knowledge and link to Kartonia via Halmut, the moment I step in with a heavy hand is the moment they¡¯ll gain evidence against me, albeit extremely weak evidence."


    "Then Jewel is using Gem Inc to gather evidence? Evidence of what?" asked Jack.


    Daruun replied, "As the six-star cosmician that rules one of the twenty-eight districts within the void, my strict involvement in a ¡¯free¡¯ would give Jewel enough reason to convict me of a few minor misdemeanors. But since Jewel is the strongest intergctic enterprise, they would drag out the small of misdemeanors into thergest courts they can ess. That would interrupt my involvement with the Resolute Enterprise and give Jewel the chance to challenge the enterprise indirectly."


    "Oh... So you think Jewel is trying to use you as a bridge to attack the reputation of the Resolute Enterprise?"


    "Correct, Jack."


    "Ummm... what is--"


    "To give you a brief perspective of the void," Daruun nced at Jack¡¯s wives and smiled, "Within the known universe, there are twenty-eight districts, each filled with hundreds of thousands ofs, if not millions. I rule over one of those districts, District 14, otherwise known as the Fate District. I¡¯m a six-star cosmician,pared to the Kartonian gods which would all be ssified as one-star cosmicians. Hence why my involvement in a single world could be skewed as a radical invasion of privacy and security for the world¡¯s inhabitants."


    All three women were at a loss for words. None of them expected to be faced with such a broad perspective in a moment¡¯s given information. And the underlying meaning of that information made it even more difficult to swallow.


    "Well... If you can¡¯t help directly, can¡¯t you help indirectly like Jewel?" asked Jack.


    "No, not to that extent," Daruun admitted with a shake of his head. "My belief is that Gem Incorporate is merely a throwaway incorporate that is being used to gain leverage on me. So long as they regte their information well enough, sacrificing Gem won¡¯t impact Jewel at all. I¡¯m guessing that we won¡¯t even be able to link Gem Inc to Jewel once this all goes down, not to the extent necessary for intergctic court."


    "But can¡¯t you help me so that I can do it?"


    "That¡¯s why I¡¯m letting you handle it, along with your father and the others."


    Sighing, Jack asked, "Then what should we do about Kylon? I get why you didn¡¯t want us to kill her, but can¡¯t we--"


    "You need to prove to her what actually happened between Skaryn and Halmut. She needs confirmation of what happened the day Kustram was removed from the map," insisted Daruun. "Getting her in a situation where you get past her programmed, defiant reactions and show her the truth. This is why I showed you what happened in the past, so that it can be essed through your memory bank."


    "But how can showing her something like that be enough to contradict her twisted memories?"


    "Trust me. If you can force her to sit through that memory, then it will get the job done. As for her child... I think Skaryn should be the one that handles that matter and no one else," added Daruun. "It takes a few decades for a dragon to give birth, so she won¡¯t beying the child for another few years but it¡¯s still something to keep in mind.


    "The other way to restore her memory would be to unseal Skaryn and have the two meet. His presence alone would weaken the imnted memories and his own skills are more than enough to unravel that mess of entangled memories."


    Showing a more serious side, Daruun paused and took a deep breath. "What I¡¯m more worried about is how Halmut managed to do this. Given the final care package he received from Gem, I imagine that it contained items to counter dark energy at a one-star level and give Halmut the ability to manipte the weaker minds of one-star cosmicians. Such items wouldn¡¯t too difficult to find given Jewel¡¯s influence."


    "Then what about Halmut¡¯s mind? Does he have some item to protect it?" asked Jack.


    "That¡¯s what I assumed until your recent fight with Halmut..."

 Chapter 576 Difficulty of Predicting Fate

    <h4>Chapter 576 Difficulty of Predicting Fate</h4>


    Daruun sighed, "Jack... You won that fight. Here¡¯s why.


    "I don¡¯t believe Halmut has an item to protect his mind. I think Jewel has ced a seal on his mind to secure the information that they¡¯ve given him. To convince Halmut to betray me, they must have told him about Jewel, which is an organization that outshines my Fate District. I¡¯m not sure what other information they¡¯ve given him but that seal did get cracked by your repeated use of Cerebral Copse."


    "Wait... I actually scared him off?" asked Jack.


    Nodding, Daruun exined, "You didn¡¯t manage topletely break the seal but you did manage to strike a nerve, literally. So, rather than fight you in that weakened state, Halmut fled immediately while he could leave without looking like the obvious loser. He¡¯s smart enough to ept a questionable defeat in ce of an undeniable loss, which you threatened him with. There¡¯s a chance he still could¡¯ve won and killed you but you proved that he could be killed also.


    "Right now, I imagine he sees you as a threat equal to Sterfen and Moranti, despite your low level. I¡¯m curious to see how Halmut reacts and if Gem is willing to act first. And if Gem acts first, joining the battle for Kartonia, then I¡¯m allowed to step in without question."


    "So my victory... has put Halmut and Gem between a rock and a hard ce?" deduced Jack. "But couldn¡¯t Gem just breach the and escape with Halmut and his subordinate gods?"


    "They could, and it wouldn¡¯t be enough to merit my interference," Daruun answered. "However, the moment they breach the¡¯s barrier is the same moment that I interfere just outside of Kartonia. I¡¯ll possibly be able to apprehend whoever escapes. And even if I can¡¯t imprison them for long, I¡¯ll be able to get everything out of Halmut while I have him detained, where I¡¯ll legally be allowed to remove that seal without interference from Jewel."


    "You said you would ¡¯possibly be able to apprehend¡¯ them? Why not a guarantee?"


    "If whoever is picking Halmut up brings a powerful enough ship, then they¡¯ll flee and leave the district entirely. Given how powerful Jewel is, there¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ve deemed Halmut worthy of such travel, especially if they can get their hands on all of the subordinate gods under him. What would be better? To face your enemy¡¯s privately raised army or to im it as your own?"


    Catching on, Jack sighed, "I see..."


    "But there would be a bright side to Jewel taking Halmut away. They would be forced to directly cut all ties to Gem Inc, giving them no evidence over me or the Fate District," stated Daruun.


    "So Jewel can steal your hand-raised cosmicians or create an opportunity to eventually drag you into an intergctic court? Neither situation is necessarily bad, but wouldn¡¯t they prefer to get you in court?" asked Jack.


    "I agree. But your interference may lead to them choosing to retreat for now."


    "And you can¡¯t just look into the future and see what happens?"


    Chuckling, Daruun replied, "Fate doesn¡¯t quite work like that. It¡¯s constantly changing and updating. The broader you look, the more variance you find. Looking into Kartonia specifically isn¡¯t too difficult for me, but monitoring my entire district to that degree all at once is nigh impossible. That¡¯s why I wasn¡¯t monitoring Kartonia to such a degree until Gem got involved.


    "Including the resources and influence of Jewel, it¡¯s incredibly difficult to pinpoint such minute details on the timeline of fate. I would need to know more about the internals of Jewel, but they¡¯re notorious for keeping a good image that¡¯s a hollow shell. No one fully knows how many districts Jewel has its hand in or how they¡¯ve managed to create and distribute the most popr, barely-legal drug that is faux-ore."


    Jack scratched his head and questioned, "Then what reason do you have to keep them out, apart from the faux-ore?"


    "I hate how they handle their businesses, but Ss is especially against it. He¡¯s never fully exined his passionate loathing for Jewel but he¡¯s thergest public figure fighting Jewel¡¯s spread and has be their leading prosecutor in only a few years¡¯ time," exined Daruun.


    "It was his stance on Jewel and his convincing arguments that led to the creation of the Resolute Enterprise. The external pressure we¡¯ve created has impacted the Jewel Enterprise more than Jewel would like to admit. Also, though I was already against Jewel¡¯s integration into the Fate District, Ss proved to be even more cautious against them. So much so that Ss managed to get Jewel evicted from District 09 on grounds of corporate corruption, helping my friend Dominus be its new, rightful leader."


    "So Ss... the man I met a day ago... Was facing and investigating Jewel by himself... until managing to force an entire district to change leadership and form his own superpower?"


    "Yeah, that¡¯s a very brief summary of some of his recent achievements."


    "Then... Give me a moment..." Jack paused, blinking and breathing slowly to best process the new information and reach a conclusion. "In that case, Ss¡¯s sudden external pressure and my internal pressure could cause Jewel to abandon Gem and runaway with what it can, right?"


    "Exactly that," agreed Daruun.


    "Then how should I go about this? I want to unseal Skaryn but that would likely force Jewel to back out. I want to help the contracted gods that are willing to join us but I don¡¯t want to force you to get involved. What should I do?" asked Jack.


    Daruun took a moment to stroke his chin and click his tongue. "This is where things get tricky. In most cases of fate, something to some degree would need to get sacrificed. If Skaryn reappears in the world, then Halmut will be more cautious than ever and likely flee. But you also have to keep them from fleeing the world naturally by ascension or they¡¯ll reinforce Gem¡¯s attempt to legally take over that zone, which will make your jobs vastly more difficult. And given the five hundred years that Halmut spent trying to break the seal on his EXP, he may soon ascend."

 Chapter 577 Daruuns Next Move???

    <h4>Chapter 577 Daruun¡°s Next Move???</h4>


    "And given the five hundred years that Halmut spent trying to break the seal on his EXP, he may soon ascend."


    "But I thought--"


    "Remember, Halmut is now relying on faux-ore to level up," mentioned Daruun. "So long as he can create a crack in the seal, then Halmut would only need more time and faux-ore to be a two-star."


    "... Are there any scenarios where we can keep them from fleeing while also keeping Halmut from ascending?" Jack asked, scratching his head.


    "There are a few, and there¡¯s one in particr that you¡¯re heading towards now," Daruun stated. "Soon after you leave here, you¡¯ll be contacted by a surprising ally to try and reach such a conclusion. Also... I think you¡¯re already starting toe up with some interesting thoughts that could swing things in your favor. Just make sure to have an antidote as well. You won¡¯t regret it."


    "Oh... really?! Then I¡¯ll get started on that once this is over," replied Jack, a bit startled that his idea from long ago might result in something.


    "I rmend you ask for Dragas¡¯s help. She¡¯ll help speed up the process, which is necessary considering what I¡¯m about to do in Kartonia."


    "Huh? I thought--"


    "What I¡¯m doing will be entirely neutral, showing no favor to either side or faction. There is nothing about my next move that Jewel can do a thing about," rified Daruun. Then, Daruun smiled and began to chuckle. "I like how you think, Jack. Go ahead and try that. It will be more possible with your soon-to-be ally¡¯s help as well."


    Jack hesitated for a moment, trying to think of how to phrase his next question.


    "Don¡¯t worry about your father," stated Daruun, answering Jack¡¯s thoughts directly. "I¡¯m unsure of what the oue of their sh will be, but I do know that Sterfen won¡¯t die. He¡¯s more difficult to kill than Moranti, so don¡¯t worry about him, okay?"


    "Okay... And can I tell the others about all this? I don¡¯t want to overwhelm them or decrease our chances of sess by ident."


    Giving a nod of approval, Daruun smiled. "Go ahead. The reason I never shared this information with most was due to your non-involvement. Now that you¡¯re at the core of it all, it makes sense to share the n with them.


    "But there are some key details to leave out. Don¡¯t mention Sterfen being my birth son and don¡¯t mention how high my rank is within the void. If those two things became public knowledge in Kartonia, Jewel would get up and leave immediately, especially if they knew that Sterfen was my son," reasoned Daruun. "Should they do something to him, then I can act against them directly, which is exactly what they¡¯re avoiding."


    "Anything else?" asked Jack.


    "Don¡¯t mention Gem Inc or Jewel either. That would onlyplicate things further and it¡¯s not worth the effort," replied Daruun.


    "Also, make sure to tell them that I¡¯ll support and aid anyone who can naturally ascend and surpass the level system. They¡¯ll love to know that they won¡¯t be alone after entering the void."


    "And... What about Kylon?"


    "Like I said, you¡¯ll need to create a situation where she¡¯s forced to witness the truth of Skaryn¡¯s and Halmut¡¯sst battle. What I¡¯m about to do will help that incredibly, but you¡¯ll need to take advantage of the setting I¡¯ll put you in and make it happen. And your soon-to-be allies will be contacting you soon to help you with that as well."


    "Oh, and yes, they can," added Daruun.


    "... Thank you..." Jack sighed from relief as his wives were still trying their best to keep up with the conversation.


    Looking at the three women, Daruun bowed his head. "You three, as well as your families, will always be wee to stay here. What Jack will be doing after leaving Kartonia will be perilous but necessary. Also, he¡¯ll have my full guidance to help him ovee all odds of death. But before he agreed to be the key to my ns and eventually be my partner in ruling the Fate District, I promised Jack to keep you safe while he was away."


    "But we can help!" shouted Daliea, refusing to deny the duty she felt to apany her husband.


    "Yeah, we¡¯ll--"


    "You three are Jack¡¯s greatest weakness," Daruun stated, cutting off Eliza and not giving Maura a chance to say anything. "After the matter on Kartonia ends, you¡¯ll live here with me and my wife. Of course, we¡¯ll help you train and show you around different parts of the Fate District, so you won¡¯t be cooped up here for all your lives. But staying and training with me will not only help you in the long run, it will allow Jack to grow and eventually fulfill his role.


    "When that happens, you three will have already be immortals as well. Then, you three will be reunited with Jack indefinitely as he helps me direct the entire Fate District. And given the unpredicted growth of Jack¡¯s system, I imagine that he¡¯ll be finished in a few years or decades. He¡¯ll still be able to visit you and your children, but this way you and your children won¡¯t be faced with the hardships that Jack must endure in the future. Doesn¡¯t that sound best for your family? Or would you like to be put in situations like Kylon?"


    Given the recency of learning that information,paring their possible future struggles to Kylon¡¯s deeply wounded the women¡¯s desire to join Jack on his adventures.


    After a moment of pause, Daruun continued, "Jack will still visit you and share all his stories. He¡¯ll even bring you gifts. He won¡¯t be alone, though. Jack will be with his father and uncle, as well as the many other cosmicians that wille out of Kartonia with them."


    "Then... Sterfen is really your son?" Eliza asked, still hung up on that fact.


    "Yeah, he¡¯s my son. But you can¡¯t tell Lunara or Lina about this." Daruun casually waved his hand, sprinkling lights over the three women. "That particr memory is now sealed and protected, so Eedaj or anyone else below my level won¡¯t be able to see it freely. Just don¡¯t talk about it, okay?"


    While the girls were speechless yet again, Daruun chuckled and added, "Now you can¡¯t say I don¡¯t trust you."

 Chapter 578 Daruun, Spirit Scientis

    <h4>Chapter 578 Daruun, Spirit Scientis</h4>


    "Now, Jack," turning his attention back to Jack, Daruun stated, "There are still some minor things that you need to do and a few immediate goals to focus on."


    "Like?" Jack asked, eager to hear more of Daruun¡¯s opinion.


    "Obtaining new skills should be thest of your priorities. For now, you¡¯ll need to focus on leveling yourself and your guild. You¡¯ve already taken advantage of your system¡¯s sentience to create your first skill, so that should be enough for now."


    "My system¡¯s sentience? What--"


    "For a system asplex as yours, it would be impossible for it to not gain sentience as you grow stronger," reasoned Daruun. "It¡¯s only just begun to gain its own intelligence but it¡¯s still one-hundred percent dependent on you to exist. The system and you are practically one and the same on a technical level, so think of it as your literal conscience graduallying into existence until there¡¯s a literal voice in your head."


    "Still... isn¡¯t that--"


    "Necessary for what you¡¯ll be doing in the near future," Daruun finished Jack¡¯s thought with his own. "Its sentience allows your system to adapt outside of Kartonia and will allow you to do more than you currently know to be possible."


    "Like what?"


    Smiling and chuckling, Daruun replied, "You¡¯ll see shortly. Already, the minor sentience of your system will start opening new doors of opportunity. That¡¯s why you should focus on leveling and the leveling of your guild or party members. They can be a substantial force for you to use while trying to climb the ranks of the district, so long as you allow them to do so."


    "Which reminds me, why don¡¯t the gods juste and clear out Earthen Keep for EXP? I¡¯m sure it would give them a few levels of EXP, right?" Jack asked.


    Daruun shook his head. "Gods are unable to enter Earthen Keep. That¡¯s something that I made sure was impossible."


    "But--"


    "The ny-ninth floor is different. That restriction was ced over the final floor due to the spatial gate. However, should a god have attempted to directly arrive on the ny-ninth and challenged Duorda, I would be summoned to ept the challenge in Duorda¡¯s ce, something that Halmut experienced first hand."


    "Then... what happened to Kori and Lorwynn?"


    "They managed to level up, but once they attempted to enter the next floor, they were transported outside of the keep." Daruun exined, "I fully agree with using Earthen Keep to help the others ascend. But they¡¯ll have to do so without the direct aid of gods and won¡¯t be able to use Earthen Keep as anything more than a doorway to meet me, so long as you open the door for them."


    "Then how have the gods leveled up?" questioned Jack.


    "By the constant challenge of the construct heroes."


    "The what?!"


    "Sorry. Let me rephrase that," stated Daruun. "The gods leveled up through challengers taking them on, either being other gods or clearing out areas of life and threats. But the bulk of their EXP, apart from Skaryn and Halmut, havee from challenges of the ancient heroes."


    "You said ¡¯construct heroes¡¯. What did you mean by that?"


    "Those were the ancient heroes," corrected Daruun. "Remember how I once said that summoned heroes in Modern Kartonia use artificial spirits to inhabit the bodies of ancient heroes, the ones that hadn¡¯t perished or had given up the game before the servers were closed?"


    Jack nodded, preparing his expectations to be obliterated by Daruun¡¯s incredible antics.


    "That¡¯s only possible because each of the ancient heroes was technically a construct, like you and Duorda, only not as sophisticated. They were managed by artificial spirits controlled via yers of the game you know as ¡¯A Hero¡¯s Tale¡¯. I only had to tweak those artificial spirits when the dormant constructs are summoned, created summoned heroes in Modern Kartonia and the ancient heroes of the past."


    "Dormant constructs? What do--"


    "A dormant construct hero is one that logged out and ultimately never killed. They could revive timelessly because they were constructs built with that function, but only while I supplied them all with enough energy to do so. Once I cut off that energy supply, the system functions of the construct became limited and the ancient heroes either logged out forever or died out."


    "Umm... What kind of game was it that you mentioned?" Eliza asked, wondering the same as Maura and Daliea while Jack silently stewed in thought.


    Answering, Daruun looked to the three women, "Think of it like this. You already know how basic constructs work. They can take simple orders from their master, including defend, attack, etc. The ancient heroes were highly advanced constructs that were being controlled by people from a different world, one I selected after screening a few hundreds. There, they had a popr game where they treated Kartonia and its many happenings as challenges toplete and aplish. It gave the gods more EXP opportunities while it allowed me to find Jack. This led to Jack¡¯s spirit being transmigrated and relocated into his current body, the mostplex construct that I¡¯ve ever created. Jack is still human and his own person, but his body is akin to an intergctic treasure in its own right."


    Slowly process that, Daliea was the first to respond, "Then Jack was once the best yer in that game and proved he would be the best yer within your ns?"


    "Correct!" Daruun nodded and acknowledged the elven girl.


    "So a construct... can be human?"


    "Yes, Maura. A construct can most definitely be human, and a human can be a construct as well, though it¡¯s much more difficult going that route," answered Daruun. "My specialty is gathering intelligence and the application of intelligence. Consider me something of a cosmic scientist, or more specifically a spirit scientist, always trying to better understand how life works and how that life can be taken to the highest realms of strength. It¡¯s how I became who I am today."


    "Gramps..." Jack sighed. He then paused again as the other turned their attention back to Jack. After a few seconds of awkward tension, Jack asked, "Wouldn¡¯t mine... be dormant?"

 Chapter 579 Wouldnt Mine... Be Dormant???

    <h4>Chapter 579 Wouldn¡°t Mine... Be Dormant???</h4>


    "Wouldn¡¯t mine... be dormant?"


    "Yes," Daruun stated with an eager smile. "That¡¯s correct."


    Spotting Daruun¡¯s smile, Jack asked, "Then... is there some way to--"


    "I think I¡¯d like to show you, rather than tell you."


    Jack and his wives froze in thought for a moment. They were looking at Daruun directly yet Daruun¡¯s voice clearly came from the right side. It wasn¡¯t telepathy, and Daruun was smiling and kept quiet.


    ncing to the side out of reflex, the four guests were in utter shock at what they found.


    In the entryway of an open door, a second figure identical to Daruun identified himself, "Yes, it¡¯s still me. No need to freak out or lose your lunch."


    "I-I..." Jack always knew that Daruun was powerful beyond belief, but Jack was unable to quickly process the current situation.


    "You¡¯re correct in your thinking, Jack," stated the second Daruun. "I¡¯m no apparition. I¡¯m one hundred percent the real Daruun, just as much as the Daruun you¡¯ve been speaking with all this time."


    "I mentioned earlier that humans can also be constructs..." mentioned the Daruun sitting down. "I learned that through personal experience. Jack is not the only one here that is both human and construct. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to attempt creating Jack¡¯s body or crafting my n if I was able to do this much already."


    "Then... I¡¯ll get a second..."


    "Yes, Jack. You¡¯ll gain a second body," answered the Daruun in the doorway. "Follow me. I came all this way to experience your first spirit replication personally."


    "All this way... you--"


    "Juste on, I don¡¯t have all the time in the world!" That Daruun stepped into the hallway and began his way towards the spatial gate to Kartonia. "Are youing or not?"


    Looking back and forth between the door and the seated Daruun, Jack and his wives slowly stood up. They were waved goodbye as Jack and his wives stepped out of the room.


    With only one Daruun to focus on, Jack managed to ask a question, "How... What is spirit replication?"


    Daruun replied with a smile, "Spirit replication is a rare skill that must have a wide range of requirements met to be functional. It took me countless millennia to develop this skill and create a means for it to be effective. You¡¯ll be benefitting from my research, bing the key to our ns and the most sessful test subject I¡¯ve ever had."


    "So... There will be two Jack¡¯s?"


    Both Jack and Daruun looked back to see his wives in a daze at Eliza¡¯s question.


    "Yes, there will be two Jacks, for now."


    "For now?" asked Eliza.


    "Jack has be a one-star cosmician. This means his spirit is now powerful enough to undergo one round of spirit replication, allowing Jack to nt his replicated spirit in a second body. But once Jack bes a second-star cosmician, then Jack¡¯s spirit will be strong enough to undergo spirit replication twice in total, letting his nt his spirit inside a third," Daruun exined with a pep in his step as he rushed the party through the halls.


    "But don¡¯t worry. This isn¡¯t the first time I¡¯ve done this. As a six-star cosmician, I¡¯ve already experience spirit replication six times."


    "There are seven of you?!"


    Daruun nced at Jack with a proud smile. "And each of me has it¡¯s own construct body, each bing more advanced and powerful than thest. That¡¯s how I eventually came to create your body, the mostplex construct with theplex system. It¡¯s how I¡¯m confident of your potential. I¡¯d rate your potential for growth among the top fifty individuals within the void, much higher my potential ever was."


    "Top fifty... in the entire void?!"


    "That simply means that you can at least be of the fifty strongest individuals across the void. So long as you don¡¯t get yourself killed through stupidity, then reaching my level of strength is all but guaranteed," added Daruun.


    "Two Jacks..." Eliza was mumbling to herself, only getting the attention of her fellow wives while Jack was trying to fathom Daruun¡¯s incredible projection. Turning to Maura and Daliea with a smile, Eliza whispered, "Then... there will be more to go around..."


    Both Maura and Daliea blushed, momentarily not paying attention to Jack¡¯s and Daruun¡¯s crazy ideas and theories.


    As the spatial gate came into sight, Daruun continued, "I¡¯ll let you experience what gaining a second body will do for you, so I won¡¯t say what can and can¡¯t be done with it. Its benefits will immediately be obvious, and its applications are very clear. That¡¯s why I was insistent that I grant my grandson the greatest gift I could offer, the very culmination of all my research!"


    Jack was still on edge after learning of Daruun¡¯s second body and how he would also gain one. But Jack noticed something else as well.


    This was the first time Jack had ever seen Daruun act so passionate toward anything. The most emotional Jack had seen him was during Daruun¡¯s invitation to join the family, but the energy and enthusiasm Daruun showed now was undeniable.


    "You really love doing this, don¡¯t you Gramps?"


    "It¡¯s my life¡¯s passion!" replied Daruun. "It¡¯s one of the key reasons why I want your help, Jack. not only did going through all this revive my old me, but it will also allow me to more fully help Ss in countering Jewel¡¯s growth."


    "Through your research and the creation of constructs?" Jack deduced.


    "Correct!" They all stopped in front of the spatial gate as Daruun bowed and motioned forward with his arm. "After you."


    Jack and his wives nodded as they entered the spatial gate first. They stepped into the empty ny-ninth floor, followed closely by Daruun as the gate closed.


    "To rify, I¡¯m the original body," mentioned Daruun. "Each of my bodies is in charge of something different within the Fate District. I became fully devoted to my research a few millennia before you all became included in my ns. The seventh body, my most powerful in terms of raw strength, is the one in charge of monitoring Kartonia and also handles all matters involving the Resolute Enterprise."

 Chapter 580 Experienceing the Tomb of Jack_J.

    <h4>Chapter 580 Experienceing the Tomb of Jack_J.</h4>


    "Oh... So that¡¯s why I managed to meet Ssst time?" Jack asked with a nod.


    "Correct. In fact, Ss has shown plenty of interest in you as well. He offered to help train you after you be a third-star, something I would beg you to ept," added Daruun.


    "Seriously?!"


    "That¡¯s one reason why I came to witness your first spirit replication and not Dar-seven."


    "Dar... what?"


    "Sorry, that¡¯s a bad habit," admitted Daruun, taking back hisment. "That¡¯s one reason why I came and not my seventh body."


    "Did you just call yourself Dar-seven?!" Jack questioned with augh. "What¡¯s that about?"


    Sighing, Daruun mentioned, "It¡¯s a nickname Gradsdum gave my many bodies... In order to determine which is which, he started calling me Dar-one and the joke only worsened after Ss heard about it..."


    Chuckling without hesitation, Jackmented, "Ooohhh... But who¡¯s--"


    "Either way, hurry up and open your tomb! I¡¯m too anxious to wait any longer!"


    "But--"


    "Gradsdum rules District 11," Daruun quickly stated. "Now open it!"


    Calming himself, Jack pulled out his crappy looking, purple ring. It baffled him to think that such a in item was acting as the key to Jack¡¯s tomb and dormant second body. If Halmut and his subordinate gods knew about this, Jack was certain they would rush to destroy Jack where he stood.


    Thanks to the ring being such a small item, Jack didn¡¯t need to slit his entire forearm. His small cut was more than enough to coat the item and allow Jack¡¯s chant to fully summon the hidden tomb. It appeared beside the spatial gate, also have small steps leading to a mausoleum-style door.


    "Jack_J."


    Reading the marble sign overhead, Jack took a deep breath and stepped inside. Daruun kept the women back for a moment, letting Jack get a good view of all his past memories.


    The tomb itself matched the ny-ninth floor chamber in size but it wasn¡¯t barren by any means. Assorted armors, robes, cloaks, and all manner of clothing lined the walls upon various statues of Jack, mimicking the many restarts and character alterations that Jack had gone through across his in-game journey. Countless chests filled the floor, ranging from being simple and wooden to being made out of tinum and gold. At the very center was a marble sepulcher with calligraphy etched into it, reading, "The Legend of Trodar". In front of the sepulcher was a marble coffin with its lid sealed by an enchantment.


    Jack was caught up in the slew of more emotions than he could remember. It was an overwhelming sensation to see everything that he had ever earned in-game be reality, sitting in front of him to hold in his hands.


    "The enchantment keeps anyone from summoning your construct."


    Daruun¡¯s voice brought Jack back to the present moment. The mighty creator of Kartonia stepped inside with Jack¡¯s wives, letting them also be speechless upon entry.


    "That enchantment can only be undone by one thing, your blood," exined Daruun. "At each of the separate enchantments, you need to wipe your blood across them to release the coffin¡¯s lid."


    Jack understood that but still took a moment to shake his head and gather himself. He felt that all of his past achievements in-game suddenly became tangible and real. Before, Jack knew it was true ording to the history books but hadn¡¯t considered them to be a part of his genuine legacy. But standing amidst the countless treasures, items, and riches that Jack had umted in the past, there was now no way for Jack to deny those in-game achievements as anything but reality.


    Eventually, Jack moved. Jack took his time to carefully approach his own marble coffin. One by one, Jack smeared some of his blood on each of the small enchantments lining the edges of the lid. As the light faded from each enchantment, Jack¡¯s heart pounded a little quicker. After disenchanting the final seal, Jack paused as saliva clogged his throat. A moment of thoughtful hesitation passed before Jack swallowed the saliva and forcefully pushed the lid aside.


    The others gathered around as well, walking fast until they reached an abrupt halt around the open coffin. Daruun was all smiles. The women had their mouths agape. Jack was in a world of his own.


    Laying within the coffin was a perfect replica of Jack. Nothing was different, nothing but the clothes the dormant body wore.


    "I took the liberty to alter your second body in preparation for this," Daruun mentioned, being the only one to make a sound. "I¡¯ve matched your sses and subsses already, so you won¡¯t need to worry about that. All that¡¯s missing now is this..."


    Daruun walked behind Jack and ced his hand on Jack¡¯s back. He didn¡¯t push Jack or do anything, but a sudden rush of white energy entered Jack¡¯s body, startling Jack¡¯s wives.


    Those two pop-ups instantly shed across Jack¡¯s view, not letting him ignore them as Daruun forced the system to recognize a hidden function.


    "Now, let me warn you--"


    Blinding light suddenly erupted out of Jack, filling the room with endless specs of cloudy, white energy to the point of blinding everyone. The specs appeared in the blink of an eye, but they took their time to gradually enter the motionless body lying inside the marble coffin.


    Daruun stopped his sentence, sighing with a chuckle as he and the others witnessed Jack¡¯s first spirit replication.


    As more energy entered the dormant body, Jack began to feel strange. The feeling of a cold stone touched Jack¡¯s back, catching him off guard and sending a shiver down Jack¡¯s spine. But Jack¡¯s standing body didn¡¯t move. It was the body within the coffin that shifted around.


    Another few seconds passed and Jack felt himself open his eyes, regaining a new perspective of the well-lit ceiling adorned in glowing, crystal chandeliers. It took a moment for Jack to blink and regain his view of the coffin in front of him. By then, the final particles of light had seeped into Jack¡¯s dormant body.

 Chapter 581 Growing as a Cosmician?

    <h4>Chapter 581 Growing as a Cosmician?</h4>


    The entombed body took in a deep breath, the first it had taken in a millennium. Its eyes blinked as if it struggled to believe the world around it. Carefully, the second body used its hands to lift itself out of the marble coffin and smile back at Jack.


    While the women were in awe, Jack blinked and smiled back. Jack waved to himself as his second body did the same. They leaned back from side to side, like they were reflections of each other.


    "I think that¡¯s enough ying around, Jack," Daruunughed. "Before you do anything, let me exin a few things."


    "Okay."


    "You got it, Gramps."


    Each of Jack¡¯s bodies replied, proving to himself and everyone else that they were indeed linked.


    Nodding, Daruun exined, "First off, you should notice that your second body is still lv. 85. There¡¯s a way to instantly change that, but don¡¯t do it. Not yet."


    "How? And why shouldn¡¯t I?" asked Jack.


    "As you¡¯re linked spiritually, you can decide whether you share energy or whether each body should have isted energy siphons. If you open the link right now, then the surplus energy of your stronger body will immediately rush into your weaker body until there¡¯s a bnce. Doing it right now would mean you¡¯ll drop to lv. 90 while your other body will reach lv. 90 and ascend instantly."


    "Then--"


    "But trust me, you don¡¯t want to do that, at least not yet," stated Daruun. "You¡¯ll see why in a few days so save that moment forter. Also, you canter close that link and allow one of your bodies to focus on gathering cosmic energy. Then, you can open the link and the stronger body will pass it¡¯s extra EXP to your linked bodies. It¡¯s how I can train while I¡¯m busy governing a district."


    Jack nodded slowly, taking in that fact.


    "Also, there¡¯s something you should know, given how you¡¯ve yet to experience it," Daruun added. "Your bodies are designed to run purely on energy, not oxygen."


    "WHAT?! How can--"


    "It¡¯s something that all cosmicians can learn. Sometimes it takes some minor body alterations or finding a special technique, but it¡¯smon for two-stars and stronger to do so. But since your bodies were handmade or personally altered by me, I made sure to include that ability. It kicks in once you ascend, so you¡¯re immortal self has no need to breathe oxygen. You¡¯ll be able to go underwater without worry, or any other liquid that would impede normal breathing. Also, it means you¡¯ll be able to traverse the void without any extra technology or a ship, an abilitymonly used for battles outside of an atmosphere."


    "And... my other body?"


    "Just as I¡¯ve modified the body to mimic your true appearance and reprogrammed your system into it, I added that feature as well. Once it ascends, your second body will also gain that ability." Daruun mentioned, "And since we¡¯re talking aboutplex leveling and surviving the void, you should know that your mutual seal and your pacts won¡¯t be the same. Both of those were designed to handle the energy of Kartonia. You¡¯ll still keep your mental links and your skill lists but sharing energy between you won¡¯t be a thing, not including your second body."


    "So... apart from what we do on Kartonia, I won¡¯t gain EXP from those outlets anymore?"


    "You won¡¯t gain EXP at all," corrected Daruun. "You¡¯ll begin gathering raw cosmic energy once you enter the void, the rawer the better. So you¡¯ll have to rely on yourself and your extra bodies to grow stronger and surpass two-stars, three-stars, and so on."


    "You¡¯ll also want to check your skill list."


    Hearing the smile in Daruun¡¯s voice, Jack instantly opened his menu. The hero broke out in hystericalughter the moment he opened the list.


    "All the effort you poured into Kartonia as Jack J. hasn¡¯t gone to waste. Wouldn¡¯t you agree?" Daruun asked.


    "Definitely!"


    Jack was overwhelmingly happy! His list of acquired skills had more than doubled in an instant. And by the look of all the new skills, Jack easily figured out how it happened.


    "Since you¡¯ve regained all of your lost skills, don¡¯t focus on buying any new skills. If it bes necessary, create one with your system skill."


    "Hmm? My system skill?" Jack flipped to a new tabbeled [System Skills]. There, Jack found [Spirit Replication] and [Skill Consolidation].


    Continuing, Daruun exined, "In the void, everything is a skill. Spells are mystic skills and martial skills are what you call skills in Kartonia. You can call them abilities and techniques but the mostmon term is skills among mystic and martial cosmicians."


    "Now that the lesson¡¯s over, what are you going to do?" asked Daruun.


    "After my medicine bath, I¡¯ll ask Dragas for help."


    "Are you going to show off your new body?"


    "No... This will remain a secret... That way, even if one of my bodies is destroyed, I¡¯m still alive, right?"


    "Correct..." Daruun nodded. "Also, there¡¯s no better intel than intel you¡¯ll secretly gain for yourself, without any middleman to filter the information. If your second body is a secret, then the possibilities of espionage are amazing to think about."


    "So I¡¯ll talk with Dragas and focus on leveling up everyone in the guild. Including a few demigods will let me level up too." Jack paused for a moment, scratching his head in thought. "If my second body is already a god, would it also--"


    "Yes, so long as your second body is a god, both bodies will level up from aiding a demigod," answered Daruun. "But that boost in level only exists while you¡¯re here in Kartonia. If you select a demigod and they ascend while you¡¯re off-world, then you won¡¯t receive any of the leftover energy."


    "Then I¡¯ll need to take advantage of the level system in Kartonia while I still can," Jack chuckled, making both of his bodies turn and smile to his wives. "I¡¯ll keep my other body hidden at all times, but it may show upter tonight..."

 Chapter 582 Gaining Allies Among Enemy Ranks

    <h4>Chapter 582 Gaining Allies Among Enemy Ranks</h4>


    "Save that for pillow talk, Jack. I¡¯m just d to see that the replication was sessful!" Daruun reached out and hugged both Jacks, sighing, "I can¡¯t wait to see what you do..."


    Jack opened his mouth to reply but a telepathic message stopped him.


    ¡¯Jack, Lyrun wants to talk with you.¡¯


    Replying to Moranti, Jack stated, ¡¯I¡¯ll be there in a minute. Let me finish something really quick.¡¯


    ¡¯No, Lyrun wants to schedule a time to talk,¡¯ added Moranti. ¡¯He wants to know if you¡¯ll be able to speak with him in thirty minutes.¡¯


    ¡¯Sure, that¡¯s easy.¡¯


    ¡¯Great. I can¡¯t wait to see what you twoe up with!¡¯


    "So, are you excited to finally get involved with Lyrun¡¯s ns?" asked Daruun, catching the women off guard.


    "Then Lyrun should be the new ally you talked about?" Jack replied with a question and a smile.


    "I¡¯ll allow you four to get back to business. Don¡¯t worry about visiting me unless you¡¯re desperate for advice or there¡¯s an unforeseen emergency. My seventh body has already entered a meeting with Ss and the other two district leaders of the Resolute Enterprise," added Daruun. "I¡¯ll be heading back home so I won¡¯t be nearby to help you."


    "If anythinges up, then we¡¯ll let you know. I think we already understand enough to make things work for now. Thanks, Gramps!" Jack hugged Daruun again, saying goodbye.


    Daruun hugged each of his granddaughters as well, ted to see them desirous to grow stronger alongside Jack. After finishing his goodbyes, Daruun parted with a final wave as he entered the spatial gate.


    Jack let his wives get a closer look at his second body while they had a few minutes alone. Eliza was the first to feel up the new body, verifying that it was indeed a second Jack in every way. Maura blushed as she felt the new body¡¯s shoulders and arms. Daliea, on the other hand, kept the touching to a minimum but was blushing more than anyone.


    Soon, Jack made his second body became invisible and took his wives back to the guild. Jack was going to need to hold a meeting and exin the concept of the void to the others, excluding Sterfen¡¯s origin for the time being. But that would be after his auditory meeting with Lyrun.


    Maura hurried home to prepare lunch with Daliea and Eliza left to visit Argyle, leaving Jack alone to pay a visit to Moranti in their conference room.


    They patiently waited until the precise moment a half-hour had passed. At that moment, Moranti chuckled and passed the contact crystal to Jack.


    "Hello?"


    "Jack, it¡¯s nice to speak with you again. I hope you¡¯re doing well after your encounter with Halmut."


    Chuckling, Jack replied, "Don¡¯t worry about that. I¡¯m doing fine. Mind telling me why you¡¯re breaking ranks to contact me?"


    "Getting right to the point, huh..." Lyrun casually sighed. "There are three of us legendary gods that seek refuge with the Leisure Guild. I¡¯m reaching out in hope of bing allies private so that we can soon be allies in public."


    "I agree that we should be allies. It¡¯s something that Moranti, Sterfen, and Daruun are very adamant about."


    "Then how can we make it happen?" asked Lyrun. "What would you suggest?"


    Jack answered, "There are a few things that are on our immediate to-do list. One is to get the final enchantment key from Kylon."


    "You know that she has it? Might I ask how?"


    "Daruun. But I¡¯ve also verified it myself," Jack chuckled, proud to have his system.


    "Fair... Are you asking for us to retrieve it for you?"


    "Would that be possible?" asked Jack.


    Sighing, Lyrun stated, "Sorry, Jack, but I doubt we could pull that off without getting caught. And if we get caught, then we¡¯ll lose our contracts and our lives."


    "Who¡¯s we?"


    "Perchet and Oosam are also seeking refuge with the Leisure Guild. But we won¡¯t be able to get you the enchantment key. At least, we can¡¯t get it ourselves. We may be able to help coordinate its retrieval."


    "So you¡¯ll keep us informed about the moves of the Legendary Gods and you¡¯ll look for the best opportunity to steal the key?" Jack questioned.


    "That much is simple to do. Consider it done." Lyrun added, "Just know that Oosam¡¯s contract can kill him. Even if halmut learns of mine and Perchet¡¯s actions, there¡¯s still a chance that Moranti and Sterfen could help us escape with our lives but that¡¯s not true for Oosam. The only way to free him is to destroy the contract."


    "Hmm... I don¡¯t think getting it is impossible but that makes things much more difficult..."


    "Also, I have a request for Trodar," continued Lyrun. "I want you to visit Korten and discuss their integration into Trodar."


    "That--"


    "Please, Jack. If not now, then there¡¯s a chance that they¡¯ll be Halmut¡¯s pawns yet again. I¡¯d much rather see them fight for their freedom than see them fight for the perverted justice that Halmut seeks for himself."


    "Well... It¡¯s easier than getting the contracts," stated Jack.


    "Please, Jack. I¡¯m sure Eedaj would wish the best for them as well. You should bring him with you, the sooner the better."


    "Hmmmmm... Give me a moment to think..." Jack sighed.


    Silence passed for more than five minutes as Lyrun patiently waited for Jack.


    "So... I think I have an idea about how to do this," Jack spoke up. "It will probably be riskier than you¡¯d want, but I think it¡¯s our best shot at getting the key and getting you three freed from your contracts."


    "At the same time?" asked Lyrun.


    "Yup, at the same time."


    The Elf God sat in his silenced, sealed room, tapping his fingers on his staff. "How certain is sess?"


    "I¡¯d say... So long as a few key things happen... more than eighty percent."


    A moment passed as Lyrun mumbled into the contact crystal as if consulting those around him. Finally, Lyrun responded, "We¡¯re in."


    "Then I¡¯ll let me exin. Ask questions the moment you have them."

 Chapter 583 Gwendon vs Elven Elders

    <h4>Chapter 583 Gwendon vs Elven Elders</h4>


    The entire world was now facing the same decision. Which side would they choose? Between Halmut and his legendary gods or Jack and his leisure gods, which side should each nation support?


    Some nations felt the decision was simple and easy, like Maldor and Zuran. Others, like Aazoon, had chosen to swing the other way. All other nations were left to decide for themselves which was best and the recent conference in Churstin only made the decision more difficult. How could the general popce not be startled to hear that a newly ascended god, managed to repel Halmut and force his retreat. And not only that but how could they ignore the fact that Trodar was creating new gods, the leader being arguably being the most well-known ancient hero turned god?!


    There was one nation that everyone knew was bound to bear the banner of the legendary gods. That was... until that nation kept its trade pact with Trodar and still hadn¡¯t announced direct allegiance to either side. One side was the clear favorite with the most respected god leading the way and the other was a reviving guild that had been creating gods and was starting to boast the most booming economy in Kartonia.


    And seeing Korten in limbo only kept the world on edge. For the most devoted nation during the previous Godly War to be on the fence now forced the other nations to take the decision seriously.


    However, the rest of the world didn¡¯t know that a majority of the elven elders were already campaigning to rally under Halmut and the legendary gods. Yet there was one person who stopped them from forcing the entire nation to band together for another war.


    "Gwendon, why are you hesitating?!"


    Sitting ufortably behind his desk, Gwendon slouched backward as he took in a deep breath. Across from him were a few elven elders, each taking a turn to scold him. After days of keeping them out, the elven elders brought their oldest member to convince Gwendon to change his actions.


    Currently, it was the turn of that oldest elder, the most stubborn and most supportive of Halmut and the legendary gods. "Gwendon... Why are you holding us back? Have you any good reason? If so, tell us now so that we can understand. If not, then step aside!"


    "No, Father," Gwendon replied with a sigh. "I¡¯m the chief now, so it¡¯s me that--"


    "But you¡¯re failing at your most simple duty!" barked the eldest elder.


    "If we don¡¯t choose our actions wisely, then we¡¯ll be the ones left extinct..."


    "Gwendon, we must--"


    "We must carefully ponder our situation and deliberate what course of action would keep Korten alive," stated Gwendon, leaning forward into his desk to show confidence. "The previous war was nothingpared to what¡¯sing... And would you rather be treated as a tool to y with or as a powerful ally unified for one cause?"


    The old elder squinted his eyes in thought. He was caught off guard by his son¡¯s deep question.


    Gwendon continued, "What if Jack and Trodar can help us more than Halmut can offer? Then--"


    "Impossible!" barked one of the other elders.


    The lead elder nodded and shouted, "Right, that¡¯s simply impossible! There¡¯s no way a new power could ever match Halmut and his forces. They may have gods, but Halmut, Lyrun, and the other legendary gods are superior."


    "I¡¯m not so sure..." Gwendon mumbled.


    "Don¡¯t doubt them, boy!"


    "Fool! Have you not heard about what happened in Churstin?! Or has your skull grown thicker in your old age?!" Gwendon retorted, startling his father and the other five elders. "Though Halmut is strong, we can¡¯t deny the strength that Trodar possesses. What do you think happened to Naparn, Father?"


    "I¡¯m sure he¡¯s fine."


    "Then why hasn¡¯t Halmut dered that to all thend?" Gwendon questioned. "Halmut always shouts to the heavens about his strength and the strength of his followers. Yet when Naparn was taken away during a duel between Moranti and Halmut, no one ever heard of Naparn again with Sterfen being the likely candidate as the former Assassin God. And Naparn was the strongest, only second to Halmut!


    "So, if Moranti is able to face Halmut and Sterfen is able to assassinate anyone else, then isn¡¯t Trodar just as capable as the legendary gods? Adding Jack¡¯s ascendance to that only increases their strength and potential, especially considering he managed to repel Halmut without any assistance..."


    "What are you saying, Gwendon?"


    Looking up to his father, Gwendon, sighed, "I don¡¯t know... They seem to be equals at least, which means we¡¯ll either survive or die by the end of this. However... If we side with Halmut, even if Halmut won in the end, would our people survive?"


    "Of course we would!" shouted one of the supporting elders. "Like before, we¡¯ll--"


    "You don¡¯t get it!" Gwendon pounded on his desk, splintering the centuries-old piece of furniture. "Thest war won¡¯tpare with what¡¯sing... This time, even gods aren¡¯t safe..."


    "Gwendon, you can¡¯t say that. There are--"


    "Three gods have died within two weeks, Father," stated Gwendon, leaving the elders speechless. "And all three were killed by the leisure gods. Rather than let Halmut kill him, one captured leisure god killed himself while injuring Halmut... The conviction behind this war is far more unsettlingpared to thest war of the gods."


    "But we¡¯lle out on top, we always have!" argued the oldest elder. "Korten has never lost a war and we¡¯ve always sided Halmut. Of course we¡¯ll lose lives, but such is war. We can¡¯t be swayed to--"


    "PEOPLE OF ESTONYA!!!"


    A thundering voice echoed throughout the elven megacity, shaking the buildings and ringing within the ears of the popce. Gwendon and the elders were motionless as they waited for that voice to continue. They halted their argument as they waited to learn if that voice came from a friend or a foe.


    "I, Jack, the Champion God of Trodar, havee to discuss your allegiance with Trodar!"

 Chapter 584 Jacks Surprise Arrival in Estonya

    <h4>Chapter 584 Jack¡°s Surprise Arrival in Estonya</h4>


    Standing above Estonya with a proud grin, Jackughed to himself. After scanning the area briefly, Jack shouted for the entire megacity to hear.


    "PEOPLE OF ESTONYA!!!"


    As the crowds shook within the streets and the elves across the city searched for the origin of that voice, everyone eventually looked up to the sky. They would eventually find a small figure descending from the sky, appearing to be a human male. After a few moments passed for dramatic effect, that voice filled the city again, but not to the extent it shook the buildings and the citizens.


    "I, Jack, the Champion God of Trodar, havee to discuss your allegiance with Trodar!"


    Shouts and mutterings filled the city as each citizen reacted to Jack¡¯s cry. They were in disbelief that a god hade to cordially discuss something like an alliance.


    Gwendon and the elven elders rushed out of Gwendon¡¯s home, staring intently at the sky. The oldest elder was at a loss for words as he spotted Jack looking back at the elders.


    "There you are!" Jack waved with a smile. "Since you¡¯ve yet to join Halmut, then I take it your considering things carefully. Would you mind discussing things more closely?"


    "I refuse!"


    A new voice shook Estonya before Gwendon or the elven elders could respond. Jack casually turned and asked, "And why not? I just want to talk with them."


    "Then why not talk with me first?"


    The hearts of the elven people skipped a beat as they recognized the figure rushing down from the clouds. He was acting aggressive but firm, and his reputation only added to the suspense.


    "Lyrun... How have you been?" Jack asked.


    "I¡¯m doing fine at the moment." Lyrun descended and stood not even six meters from Jack, stating, "Jack, there¡¯s no way for Korten to continue holding true to the trade pact with Trodar. It¡¯s time that Korten reestablishes itself as the superpower it¡¯s meant to be, leading the war effort with pride!"


    A few cheers sounded out from different parts of the city. Not everyone was excited to hear that but some acted out of pride alone.


    "So you want your people to die?"


    That question left the crowd silent, letting Jack continue, "I¡¯m not trying to drag the world into oblivion like Halmut. I see Korten as a powerful ally that would be able to remain free under the banner of Trodar. I¡¯m certain our benefits will surpass anything that you can offer."


    "Ridiculous!" shouted Lyrun.


    "No, Halmut¡¯s ridiculous! How could he treat the elves like army personnel but never offer support of any kind? What about his dragons? What¡¯s the point of ruling over the dragons when they don¡¯t do anything?!"


    "Halmut has never--"


    "Then why were the elves forced to endure battle after battle during the past Godly War? Why didn¡¯t the dragons see a single fight, apart from the asional appearance of a single dragon among an army of thousands of soldiers?" argued Jack. "If Halmut respected the elves, he would have supported them with his other armies instead of leaving them to face the fiercest foes alone and outnumbered!"


    "Shut up, Jack! There¡¯s no reason to listen to you!" barked Lyrun.


    "Then howe they¡¯re thinking about it?" asked Jack, stringing the crowd along toward his cause. "Aren¡¯t you, Gwendon?"


    The elven chief was speechless for a moment. He licked his lips and prepared to speak but another man at his side did first.


    "Never! We have no reason to betray Halmut!"


    "Oh... are you the retired chief?" Jack questioned, noting that the elder appeared to be at the end of his years. "Sorry, but I¡¯m speaking to Gwendon. I appreciate the opinion, but I don¡¯t believe you¡¯re informed well enough to understand the magnitude of this decision."


    "I--"


    "Silence, Father! He¡¯s a deity so show some respect!"


    The old elf was stunned, stepping back and blinking at the sight of his son¡¯s firm footing and confident steps forward.


    "Then can we talk?"


    "I still refuse!"


    ncing from the corner of his eye, Jack smiled at Lyrun. "Then how about a deal? They choose for themselves without either of us getting involved. And if you want to question their decision, then I¡¯ll ept your challenge in their shoes."


    "And if they choose correctly?" asked Lyrun.


    "Then me and you will be fighting. I just said that..."


    "And if they choose our side?" rephrased Lyrun, speaking louder as he stepped closer to Jack, not showing any fear.


    "Oh, if they choose your side then I¡¯ll leave without any trouble."


    Lyrun shook his head and red at Gwendon below. "Choose, now!"


    Gwendon felt no pressure or strength exerted onto him but Gwendon was breaking a sweat all the same. Making such a decision on the spot would be difficult for anyone that cared to consider the pros and cons of both sides.


    "We¡¯ll--"


    "I said ¡¯Silence, Father¡¯..." Gwendon shut up his father, not letting him interfere anymore.


    "I said choose!" ordered Lyrun.


    "I can¡¯t choose so suddenly!" stated Gwendon, shouting for all to hear. "Both sides offer protection but it¡¯s unclear which side will truly care for Korten! Tradition is unimportant to me when the lives of my people are at stake!"


    Those words touched the hearts of the thousands of elves throughout the city. Many felt simrly to the oldest elder but they couldn¡¯t me their chief for trying to help the people. Even if someone didn¡¯t want the elder to consider Jack¡¯s offer, they at least felt better knowing that it was out of concern for the people.


    "Then choose wisely," added Jack, still smiling confidently. "Say the word and I¡¯m gone. There will be no fight from me today, not unless it¡¯s defending you."


    Gwendon felt strange. Thest time he saw Jack, Jack had barely been announced as the ancient hero that began the trade between Korten and the Leisure Guild. But now, Jack stood in the air with the dignity and confidence befitting a god. It made Gwendon envious.


    "If you want to see more elves be gods, then you should choose wisely."

 Chapter 585 Kortens Decision

    <h4>Chapter 585 Korten¡°s Decision</h4>


    "If you want to see more elves be gods, then you should choose wisely."


    Those words were spoken proudly along with a firm re, but only loud enough for the elders and Jack to hear. The elven elders were proud to hear their god use such an argument. However, both Gwendon and the oldest elder were taken aback upon hearing Lyrun¡¯s logic.


    Unlike the elders, the elven chief had contact with Lyrun and was privy to some information that would be startling to others. One such fact was about the ascent of new gods and how elves weren¡¯t allowed to raise any more gods. It was just a rule that the former holy gods always had that applied to all races, including dragons. No matter who it was, no one was allowed to ascend without Halmut specifically allowing it on a case by case basis.


    For Gwendon and his father, the previous elven chief, Lyrun¡¯s words weren¡¯t an argument to remain on Halmut¡¯s side. Such words supported Jack¡¯s side... But why would Lyrun want that, they wondered?


    Lyrun repeated himself, "If you want to see more elves be gods, then you should choose wisely. Otherwise, the elven race maye to an end in the future."


    Some of the elders began to speak up but Lyrun and Jack were oblivious to them. There was only one person they wanted to hear from and he was carefully pondering how to phrase his reply.


    "Say it... Son."


    Gwendon nced at the side, noticing his Father¡¯s fragile smile. He then looked to Jack and Lyrun proudly before bowing formally. "In that case, Korten chooses to represent Trodar and the Leisure Guild!"


    The voice of the elven chief filled the surrounding areas, leaving the entire city speechless.


    "Are you sure about this?" asked Lyrun, staring fiercely at Gwendon.


    "Yes," Gwendon firmly replied.


    "Then, shall we fight?" stepping back into the conversation, Jack raised an eyebrow and asked.


    Lyrun¡¯s lip quivered as he redirected all of his anger toward Jack. "You... How dare you deceive my people?!"


    "me halmut for its bad management, not me!" shouted Jack, defending himself and Kortenb without fear. "What have you done for them in the past five hundred years? The Leisure Gods get med for disappearing but you and your fellow legendary gods did the same thing after the war! You did little to nothing to help your people recoup while you demanded their absolute loyalty, to even ask them to die for your cause. I can offer them trade and a great boost in their economy as well as protection and security. Can you match that offer?"


    "All you do is spout lies!"


    "Then what does Halmut spread apart from glorified rumors and twisted truths?" refuted Jack. "At least I make my true motives known to the people instead of hiding them behind a false smile."


    Getting nowhere with a verbal dispute, Lyrun began to climb the sky once again. "Come. You promised a fair challenge, so ept it now!"


    "At least you care enough to keep the city out of range..." Jack sighed loudly, sharing their banter with the entire city as he rose up to join Lyrun high above the city. "How do you want to do this?"


    "Well, how about..." Suddenly, Lyrun paused his speaking and jolted around. The Elf God held up his staff in defense, finding an invisible attack knocking into his staff. "You¡¯re more impatient than I assumed you would be... Mind showing me a good time?!"


    Pushing back with both hands, Lyrun used his staff to force the second Jack backward and then zapped it with lightning. The image of Jack became visible before it faded back out of everyone¡¯s vision. Then, Lyrun spun around and hurled thundering Javelins to the true Jack not far away.


    "Not bad!" Jackughed, activating all his bloodlines to prove his might to the people watching from a distance. The hero evaded the javelins like child¡¯s y, showing off his evasive abilities.


    "Tell you what..." Lyrun¡¯s voice echoed, making sure that all Estonya citizens could hear him clearly, "We both know that you can¡¯t break through my defenses but I¡¯ve never seen your defenses tested. Defend yourself against my strongest attack without evading and I¡¯ll leave."


    "What? Are you scared to lose?"


    "I scared to see my people involved between a battle of gods."


    "Fair... Then I ept your challenge! If it keeps them safe, then I¡¯ll take your attack head-on!" shouted Jack.


    While the people became more eager than ever to witness this fight and understand their chief¡¯s decision, Jack and Lyrun casually backed away to create a fifty-meter gap between them. Holy light fell upon Lyrun, gathering and intensifying atop his staff. Lightning crackled as it started to wrap around the holy light, intensifying the attack.


    "You won¡¯t let this fall on my people?"


    Jack replied with a proud nod, "They¡¯ve chosen correctly, so how could I dare not uphold my promise of their security and prosperity?!"


    "Then show me how you defend yourself!" Lyrun shouted.


    The intense light around Lyrun¡¯s staff exploded forward and rushed toward Jack without mercy. It instantly enveloped Jack entirely, surrounding Jack in pure, blinding holy light that was filled with absurd amounts of static electricity. The crackle of lighting intermingled with the sound of the air sizzling, as it that concentrated holy light was being tightly focused by the world¡¯srgest magnifying ss.


    Everyone was in awe. Everyone was either in shock of how powerful that attack was or how Jack willingly epted to take the attack head-on.


    Gwendon remained with the elven elders, watching the fight closely and trying to understand what was going on right now. The elven elders had continued trying to convince Gwendon against joining Trodar but the oldest elder was now refusing to say another word. And seeing Jack ept their god¡¯s most powerful attack in search of a peaceful resolution also forced the elders to hold their tongues. It was hard to argue when Jack showed his mettle and determination, and how shockingly easy it was for Lyrun to abandon Korten after all.

 Chapter 586 Jack vs Lyrun

    <h4>Chapter 586 Jack vs Lyrun</h4>


    A few seconds passed but the attack didn¡¯t die down.


    "I¡¯m not done!" shouted Lyrun. "If you want Korten, then take everything I have!"


    The beam of light suddenly doubled in size and the sheer amount of electricity be strong enough to be its own attack. Bolts of lightning swam through the holy light like lightning serpents searching for prey within the light.


    Another few seconds passed while the spectators were stunned by the power of Lyrun¡¯s attack. Finally, it started to die down.


    As the attack cleared, Jack started to be more visible again. He stood proudly with his chest puffed out and his arms by his side. There were a few minor burn marks on his body and his hair stood on end due to static electricity but Jack remained unmoved by the attack.


    "That was good... much better than I was expecting!" Jack shouted in praise.


    "Coming from you, I guess that means something..." sighed Lyrun, forced to admit the potency of Jack¡¯s defense.


    Jack¡¯s smile was proudly shown for all as he shouted, "Thank you, Lyrun! Thanks for notining too much about losing Korten. You can be sure that I¡¯ll take care of your people!"


    Squinting, Lyrun scoffed and pulled out a holy amulet. Within the next second, Lyrun was swallowed up by a descending ray of holy light and carried away. Jack was left alone in the sky for the city to either admire or question. Either way, no one would be able to argue about Jack¡¯s ability to defend the nation.


    After taking a few deep breaths and using a few healing spells, Jack returned to the ground. "So, Gwendon, do you regret it?"


    "... No..." The elven chief sighed, "No... I don¡¯t think I do."


    "Good, then we¡¯re d to have you in Trodar. Remember, Trodar is only a banner so you¡¯ll remain as the independent nation of Korten. All we ask is for you to create a council that will meet with the other national councils of Trodar to help us all rule, govern, and protect our separate states," exined Jack. "And I made sure to bring someone to help clear any questions about your integration into Trodar."


    Jack waved his arm to the side, creating a spatial rift for the first time since he was in-game. "Allow me to introduce Grangor, the chief of the greis elves and someone I would hope is selected to Korten¡¯s new council."


    As the aging, grey-skinned elf stepped through the rift, Gwendon and the elders were floored at the sight. Gwendon asked, "Is he... really a greis elf? We assumed that nearly all had passed... We knew that you had found a few survivors, but you found a tribe of them?"


    Grangor chuckled and introduced himself with a bow of the head, "I may only be lv. 71, but I can assure you that I have plenty of experience leading my people."


    "Our people."


    "Hmm?" Grangor was caught off guard by Gwendon¡¯s sudden statement.


    "Our people... You and your tribe are our people as well. That¡¯s something that Eedaj taught me," stated Gwendon, surprising Jack along with the others. "Should you all wish, we would dly ept you into Estonya or another part of Korten should you not want to remain in the city with us."


    "I¡¯ve heard all about what happened but I find no fault on you," replied Grangor. "Verbal disputes happen among siblings, so how could they not emerge among a long-surviving people? If Estonya will have us, the greis elves will dly relocate and join you to bolster our strengths and reconnect as a people."


    Jack added, "Grangor will answer any questions you have regarding the rules of Trodar but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be fine. I¡¯ll be taking my leave for now but I¡¯ll bring the rest of greis elves in a couple of hours."


    "We¡¯ll make sure some dwellings are prepared for them," Gwendon stated with a reply.


    "I look forward to seeing Korten grow... But this does mean Korten will now be epting visitors from the other nations of Trodar. You¡¯re alright with--"


    "As you said, Trodar will offer protection and economic growth. To receive that growth will help us return to our previous status as a global superpower," reasoned Gwendon. "Isn¡¯t that what you would want, elders?"


    The elven elders were speechless for a moment, but one spoke up with a bow, "We¡¯ll dly ept guests, but not for free."


    "Thank you, Father."


    Jack stated, "There will be no travel or entry fees between the nations of Trodar but of course you can charge for hotels, inns, merchandise, and any othermercial goods or resources. We only seek to have the nations on an equal ying ground. And due to you taking the risk of stepping away from Halmut¡¯s cause, allow the Leisure Guild to throw the entire city a banquet after we build our new guild branch in Estonya, along with its own teleportation circle for guild and Korten business alike."


    Hearing that, Gwendon bowed to Jack, followed by his father and then the other elders present.


    "No need to bow. Take some time and get to know Grangor. You don¡¯t have much time to announce these changes to your people,"ughed Jack, teleporting away in a sh of purple light.


    "So, Grangor, are you ready to meet our people?" Gwendon asked with a chuckle.


    Grangorughed as well, "So long as they don¡¯tugh at me for too long then I¡¯m looking forward to it."


    As Gwendon and Grangor walked away, hurrying toward the city center to make some announcements, the elders turned to their leader. One elder asked, "Chief, are you sure we should--"


    "I¡¯m no chief..." stated the aging elf, chuckling under his breath. "Not anymore... Gwendon will do fine and I¡¯m sure everyone will be able to adjust."


    "But... this is beyond what should--"


    "Times change, I guess..." The old man took in a deep breath and whispered to the heavens, "I guess you finally found a way out... Good luck, Lyrun..."


    The old man then broke out in hystericalughter and shouted, "Let¡¯s join Gwendon for the announcements! With us supporting his decisions, the people will integrate faster and will be d to know that anyone strong enough and able to grow stronger will be allowed to be gods!"


    "WHAT?!" The elders were bbergasted, left behind as the old elf ran to catch up with his son. "Wait! We¡¯reing too!"

 Chapter 587 Conference About the Void

    <h4>Chapter 587 Conference About the Void</h4>


    As purple light dispersed through the room, Jack was left standing in front of arge conference table.


    "It¡¯s about time, Jack! I don¡¯t want to wait any longer!"


    "Calm down, Hadurt. Everyone¡¯s had to wait, so you--"


    "I can finally be a god and you want me to wait?! What¡¯s wrong with you?!" Hadurt howled.


    Jack sighed, "We¡¯ll handle your blessing at the end of this discussion like we will for everyone else. Now... You¡¯re probably wondering why I¡¯ve gathered you all here today."


    "Not really--"


    "Quiet, Hadurt! It¡¯s my turn to speak!" shouted Jack, sad to have the impatient demon ruin the moment. "Either way, it¡¯s been a while since we gathered as guild leaders, gods, and party members, as well as some new additions that have tagged along for the ride."


    Jack paused and took in the view of the room, d to have people from Reinolt to Aazoon to Trodar all gathered for a meeting, for anyone with apetent level and a close rtionship with Jack. Seeing Wilheim with his son standing beside Tridon and the young nobles from Zuran made Jack smile, offering the guild more leadership at a variety of levels.


    "I¡¯ve gathered you all here to tell you about the truth of Kartonia. This knowledge will feel overwhelming so I won¡¯t go into too much detail at the moment. But first, let me announce that Korten has agreed to join Trodar."


    "What?!" Eedaj was the first to shout, followed by most everyone in the room. Eedaj continued, "How?! How could you possibly get them to secede so quickly?!"


    "Thanks to Lyrun¡¯s help, that¡¯s how," replied Jack. "Grangor is already there and Gwendon agreed to allow all greis elves to live in Estonya as well. I¡¯m sure Gwendon would proudly introduce you to the city as well."


    "That..."


    "He¡¯s just excited, that¡¯s all," added Jin, pping Eedaj¡¯s back with a chuckle. "What¡¯s this about Kartonia¡¯s purpose? You make it sound like we¡¯ve all been missing out on something."


    "Well.. you have been missing out..." Jack shrugged, surprising everyone with his bluntness. "First and foremost, you should all know that Kartonia is only a single among thousands and thousands with sentient life. And Daruun is in charge of mores than we can count."


    "Okay, but what does that mean for us?" Jin asked, sensing that Jack was about to get to the good part.


    "To rify for those that don¡¯t know, Daruun, the God of Fate, is the creator of Kartonia. He did so to find and raise powerful experts." While those from Reinolt and Aazoon were floored by that information, Jack continued, "Us gods of Kartonia would be called cosmicians ording to the rules of the void."


    "The... void?" Lunara blinked in thought, as did many.


    "The void is the vast, empty space that exists between the countlesss," exined Jack. "Cosmicians are beings that can wield cosmic energy, the same energy that we begin to use after bing gods. But we¡¯re at the bottom of the ranks, as one-star cosmicians. To earn the rank of a two-star cosmician, we¡¯ll have to surpass lv. 99."


    "Surpass lv. 99?!" Guuro shouted. "But that¡¯s already so difficult and it¡¯s only to be one rank higher?!"


    "Like I said earlier, Daruun rules over countlesss and he created Kartonia as a means to raise aids or possibly a future partner to help him rule." Taking a moment to sigh, Jack added, "I¡¯ve epted the challenge to be Daruun¡¯s official partner. It means that soon, after I pass lv. 99, I¡¯ll be leaving the to travel and grow stronger.


    "I¡¯m telling you all this because I think some of you would also be interested to know that there¡¯s more out there besides Kartonia, and that we can grow far stronger than we believed previously."


    "Can I be an aid?!" Jin immediately stood up and raised his arm with eagerness to tag along.


    "I¡¯m not going to stop you or--"


    "Don¡¯t count out your mother and father!" Lunara shouted.


    Smiling, Jack chuckled, "I could never count you two out. Actually, Dad already knows about this, otherwise, I¡¯d wait for his return to talk about this over. Anyone that wants to tag along and grow stronger is wee, whether they¡¯re already a god or will soon be one. There¡¯s no limit to how many people are allowed to travel and grow beyond Kartonia. And Daruun has offered to help anyone that joins our cause as well if that wasn¡¯t obvious."


    "Jack... How strong is Daruun?"


    Looking back to Jin, Jack smiled and shook his head. "I know but you¡¯re not ready to handle that. After you¡¯re strong enough to leave Kartonia, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll tell you more specifics about everything. For now, just know that he¡¯s far stronger than any two-star or three-star cosmician."


    "Umm... May I speak?"


    "Of course, Wilheim. Go right ahead," responded Jack.


    The king sighed and calmed himself before asking, "Why are you telling us this? We¡¯re new to Trodar and have nothing to offer that these gods can already surpass tenfold. Then--"


    "That doesn¡¯t matter," stated Jack. "If you have the will and determination, then we¡¯ll help anyone worthy to be a god and eventually travel outside of Kartonia should they choose to. I thought that you and the other newer faces shared that will and determination, so I wanted you to know that the opportunity exists. Don¡¯t believe that you can never be a god. Train hard enough and you can surpass everything that we gods can currently fathom."


    "Thank you, Jack!" Wilheim and Willim both bowed as the king¡¯s eyes were slightly watery. He was astounded to learn that his fear of personal limitations could be conquered.


    "Count me in!"


    "Me too."


    Flint shouted and smiled wide while Tarnel tried to keep Flint from going crazy out of excitement. Tridon was silent, but his eager eyes spoke volumes to how excited he truly was.


    Looking to those that had already ascended, Jack found a few with unwilling eyes and sighed.

 Chapter 588 Who Wants to See the Void?

    <h4>Chapter 588 Who Wants to See the Void?</h4>


    "Also, you don¡¯t have to leave and take on that challenge if you don¡¯t want to. You¡¯re wee to remain here and help manage Kartonia instead."


    Guuro shouted, "Good! Then that¡¯s what I¡¯ll do. I¡¯m willing to remain behind and manage things here. It is my specialty, after all."


    "And he¡¯s too chicken to search for a fight and grow stronger," Dragasughed, delivering a verbal jab. At the same time, she grabbed Moranti¡¯s hand from under the table. "I¡¯d be willing to go in a group or with someone else but not alone."


    "I¡¯ll go. I want to meet my greatest ancestor..."


    "Dominus?"


    Smiling, Moranti nodded to Jack. "I¡¯m sure I¡¯ll meet him someday. And if possible, I¡¯d like to work and train under him. Daruun said that Dominus is stronger than him, so I can¡¯t imagine how powerful such a dragon would be..."


    "Knowing you, you might meet him sooner than you expect,"ughed Jack. Looking around the room, Jack added, "You don¡¯t need to decide now. You can decideter or change your mind however you like. But for now, can those that are currently interested raised their hand?"


    A rush of hands shot to the sky, many at high speeds. Jack took a moment to count them all but it was easier to count the hands of those uninterested. Guuro remained firm about staying behind, joined by Lorwynn and Choron. Everyone else showed an emphatic interest in journeying beyond Kartontia.


    "Mind if I ask why you¡¯re staying behind?" asked Jack, ncing at the two other uninterested parties.


    Choron answered first, "I wouldn¡¯t mind, but I¡¯d prefer to consider that after Skaryn returns. Then--"


    "Know that Skaryn will most definitely be journeying through the void. He may be joining me as one of Daruun¡¯s personal aides, even," stated Jack, getting the Ninja God to smile.


    "Then I¡¯m all in!"


    Lorwyn spoke next, "I have a simr request... I¡¯d like to travel with my former master if that¡¯s possible. Earlier, it sounded like you¡¯ve begun to walk with him. Does that mean he¡¯ll be joining us?"


    "I¡¯m not sure exactly when, but Lyrun and a couple of hispanions will eventually be joining us," stated Jack.


    d to hear that, Lorwynn sighed, "Then I¡¯d like to rethink this after asking Lyrun to travel with me."


    "Jack, since you¡¯re bing Daruun¡¯s partner, won¡¯t you need an aide as well?"


    Somewhat expecting such a response, Jack chuckled, "I haven¡¯t thought much about it, but I wouldn¡¯t be opposed to the idea."


    "Would you have me?" asked Hadurt.


    "I thought you hated being bossed around?"


    "I hate being a tool. But I¡¯ve already grown ustomed to following orders, so long as I respect the person calling the shots. For you, I wouldn¡¯t mind at all. I think I¡¯d enjoy it, actually... Following you around and helping you face countless foes to grow stronger... That¡¯s the kind of life I¡¯d enjoy most!" eximed Hadurt, eager to get a yes.


    "I¡¯m fine with that," stated Jack, getting the foxy demon to howl with excitement.


    "Don¡¯t forget us!" shouted Rydel. "How can you ignore your greatest teammates?!"


    "I just figured you¡¯reing either way." Jack shrugged and smiled back to his long-time party members. "My wives will be training with Daruun and I¡¯m sure you¡¯re wee to join them. You can never have a shortage of small, elite teams to get any job done. Of course, you¡¯ll be seeing me pretty often as well."


    "And me? I thought you said you wouldn¡¯t forget your parents?" joked Lunara.


    "You and Lina may want to train with Daruun as well. Dad and I will be busy with a lot of things, some that I¡¯m sure Dad wouldn¡¯t want you facing," Jack reasoned. "Sorry, Mom..."


    "I get it... But don¡¯t forget about us!"


    "Who knows, maybe Daruun can help you two have another child. Then--"


    "REALLY?!" Lunara stood up and rushed to grab Jack by the shoulders. "He can do that?!"


    Jack chuckled nervously, "For you and Sterfen, I¡¯m sure he can make something happen."


    "Jack, can I ask you something?" Kori cut in as Lunara backed away to imagine having another child and raising it herself. The Fox God nced at his son and asked Jack, "Would you mind if Bowzer and I spend some time traveling together? I think--"


    "I couldn¡¯t agree more," stated Jack. "I think it¡¯s best for both of you, but we¡¯ll still keep in touch in case you need help with something."


    "Thank you, Jack!" Kori threw his lone arm around Jack, catching the hero off guard with a tender embrace. "Don¡¯t worry! We¡¯ll be safe and we¡¯ll make sure to return to Daruun and everyone after a while."


    "Don¡¯t mention it! I¡¯m sure Bowzer is looking forward to it, right?"


    "Yeah! I can finally travel with my dad! Thanks, Jack!" the younger fox god smiled and darted toward his long-time partner with his tongue pping out of his mouth.


    "No licking!" Jack stepped back and pushed Kori into Bowzer in defense. "You two can talk that over. I¡¯ll mention this to Phoro and Dragov after this."


    "And what about me?"


    Jack looked to see Karronteel walking to the front of the room, but someone else answered first, "Son, you¡¯ll being with us!"


    "Son..." Karronteel turned around, startled to believe what he heard.


    Most everyone put a pause on their excitement to nce at Moranti and then at Dragas. The Dryad Goddess then continued, "What¡¯s wrong? Am I so repulsive that you refuse to have me as a mother?"


    "N-no... I just--"


    "Well..." Moranti chimed in with a nervous chuckle. "Dragas, we never--"


    "What, am I wrong? I could¡¯ve sworn that you would be ted to marry me... Maybe--"


    "Dragas, it¡¯s not that. It¡¯s the situation... We haven¡¯t rified this or even talked about--"


    "Was I wrong?" Dragas repeated. "You know what I¡¯m after, and it¡¯s not some fling. Even if I seem easy, that¡¯s exclusive to you. Unless you¡¯d rather not continue our--"


    "Dragas, don¡¯t be like that."


    "But I--"


    To shut her up and keep the others from getting any more involved in their personal matters, Moranti pressed his lips to hers until she gave up. He then added, "Karronteel, I am your father and she may be your mother. Would you like to journey with us and search for the man that our blood was created from?"


    "That... Of course!"


    While that small family was still figuring things out, most everyone either returned to their previous excitement or was chuckling in amazement at how Moranti got the boisterous seductress to quiet down. However, Jack stepped out of the room with a contact crystal in hand.

 Chapter 589 Confronting Lyrun

    <h4>Chapter 589 Confronting Lyrun</h4>


    "Hello... Jack?"


    "I¡¯m here!" replied the hero. "Sorry, we were finishing up our conference and I had to step out before responding."


    "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re fine. I¡¯m d we managed to connect our crystals during all of that," Lyrunughed. The Elf God let loose a long sigh as he looked about his room. It was grandiose and luxurious yet it felt more like a prison with each passing day.


    "Thanks for shielding me from your attack. It was much more powerful than I expected," Jack chuckled.


    Lyrun nodded. "Don¡¯t think anything of it. Considering our agreement, it was the best course of action. It was your idea to use a blinding attack which would allow me to shield you without anyone noticing."


    "So, now that the first phase of the n isplete, are you ready for phase two or will you need some more time?"


    "Perchet will be the one to decide when the best time arrives. On his go, we¡¯ll begin the next step," stated Lyrun. "Again, allow me to thank you, Jack, for taking on Korten in the midst of all this."


    "Why wouldn¡¯t I? I¡¯ve wanted that from the start, so--"


    "But you should know that Halmut won¡¯t take this lightly. He¡¯ll act out in some way after losing hisrgest military force," added Lyrun. "He has dragons which can overpower the elven armies, but they can¡¯t outnumber the elves. And the elves were blindly loyal at times, something that the arrogant dragons will never be."


    "I understand, but I wonder how he¡¯ll act out. Let me know as soon as you can."


    "Of course--"


    "LYRUN!!!" Fists pounded on the door and slightly muffled shouts rang out. "Lyrun, let me in now!"


    "I¡¯ll inform you immediately. I¡¯ll be off now."


    Lyrun immediately took in a deep breath, ignoring the rowdy knocks and shouts for a moment. He canceled his silence spell and casually walked to the door, stering a smug frown on his face. The Elf God opened the door a crack and asked, "What is it, Tralbok?"


    "How dare you leave the chateau!" Tralbok shouted, pushing the door open and stepping into the room. "Have you any idea of what could¡¯ve happened? You could¡¯ve--"


    "I had to defend my territory. I would never surrender the fate of my people without a fight."


    "Then at least win the fight! You call you pitiful effort to stop Jack a fight?!" Tralbok let his mockingughter echo throughout the room, shaking his head. "As one of the highest-ranked gods, we expected more from you!"


    "And who gave you permission to chew me out?" asked Lyrun, calmly frowning. "Last time I checked, we¡¯re at the same level. Though I don¡¯t outrank you, my tenure with Halmut is second to none. You have no right to harp on the way I handle my business."


    "Then--"


    "The elves are my people. If they choose to side with Trodar then I won¡¯t force them to reconsider through violence. Given time, they¡¯ll soon learn how critical their mistake was, but that doesn¡¯t mean I want to see them dead."


    "Now, they¡¯re our enemy," stated Tralbok. "If they challenge us and our goals, then what will you do? Will you hold back? Or will you ughter them?"


    Lifting an eyebrow, Lyrun spat, "I have no reason to entertain your aggressive behavior."


    "Then answer the question!" Tralbok barked.


    "I¡¯ll face any enemy that stands against us. Though Korten is my people and they chose to not follow us, I won¡¯t kill them in cold blood. But if and when they act out, then I won¡¯t be against us using force to put them down. Does that satisfy your corrupt sense of justice?"


    Scoffing, Tralbok shook his head, "Just barely... You still should¡¯ve killed Jack while you had the chance."


    "I tried... I have to give him props, at least. I can now understand how Jack managed to face Halmut without dying too quickly... How is Halmut?" Lyrun asked, showing off the concern in his voice.


    "We still have no clue. He¡¯s yet to open his chambers to anyone, but I¡¯ll try again and report your failure. Someone has to..."


    "Then let me thank you, Tralbok." Lyrun bowed his head briefly, entuating his sarcastic tone. "Then I¡¯ll let you go so you can handle your business elsewhere."


    "Sure..."


    Tralbok turned to leave, not looking back at all. He didn¡¯t care about Lyrun or Lyrun¡¯s reputation. To Tralbok, Lyrun was the greatest hurdle to clear in order to be Halmut¡¯s right-hand man.


    "Good, the sourpuss is leaving. For a moment, I thought our drinking session would be ruined!"


    When Tralbok reached the wide-open door, he frowned. "Oosam, don¡¯t be like that."


    "Why not? You¡¯re the greatest brown-noser in all Kartonia and only care about ruining the lives of others for your own gain." Pushing the door open wider, and pointing outside the room, Oosam added, "Here, allow my useless self to hold the door open for the great and powerful God of Time."


    Used to Oosam¡¯s antics, Tralbok ignored him and left with haste.


    While Oosam closed the door behind him, Lyrun shook his head and asked, "Can anyone say such things to him or does he only let you?"


    "It would take a long time but he gets ustomed to it eventually," chuckled Oosam.


    Recasting silence, Lyrun stated, "Well, we may not have that much time left... Either we fail and die or we seed and are free."


    "How exciting!" Oosam threw himself across one of Lyrun¡¯s many seats, selecting to spread across an entire couch. "So you managed to connect your crystals?"


    Lyrun nodded. "And after Halmut¡¯s response to losing Korten, we¡¯ll need to be ready at a moment¡¯s notice. There¡¯s no changing course now, so we¡¯ll have to give it our all."


    "Why worry so much? So long as we do our best with the things in our control, the odds can be in our favor. With some luck, then we¡¯ll manage to escape the contracts with our lives intact. No matter what happens, I¡¯ve resigned myself to the oue and am ready for phase two."


    "Good... I have a feeling it may be more difficult than we anticipated..."

 Chapter 590 Jacks Unique Demigod Blessing

    <h4>Chapter 590 Jack¡°s Unique Demigod Blessing</h4>


    With the brief conversation over, Jack stepped back into the conference room to find everyone either celebrating their future growth or feasting on the food across the table.


    "How¡¯d it go?"


    Jack looked to the side, finding Maura with a smile. "It went well. But we¡¯ll need to be on edge for now. Halmut will respond, probably sooner thanter. For now...


    "Everyone! I have onest thing to say!"


    "You didn¡¯t forget after all!" Hadurt howled, hurrying to Jack without fail. "I¡¯m ready when you are!"


    "We still need to kill a god for you, but..." Jack still had Halmut¡¯s imminent response in mind, so heughed, "that shouldn¡¯t take long. We¡¯ll have you enter godhood in no time. As for everyone else here, we need to redo our pacts so that I¡¯m not stealing all of your EXP."


    One by one, the many gods and others present stepped up to Jack and formed a line.


    First was Hadurt, who couldn¡¯t wait any longer to be Jack¡¯s chosen demigod. Next was Jin, who asked, "you didn¡¯t forget about me, right?"


    "I--"


    "Go for it, Jack," Duorda¡¯s voice came from across the room. While lounging on thefortable cushions, Duorda exined, "After aiding my ascension, you can then help multiple people at once. It¡¯s something that Daruun put in the god system to keep gods from spreading themselves too thin at first. The more people you help, then the less time they have to ascend. But given the circumstances, that¡¯s not an issue right now."


    "Then--"


    "Then help me too!" shouted Jin, not giving Jack a choice. "I¡¯m ready now!"


    Jack sighed and gave in. cing his hand on Jin¡¯s shoulder, Jack nted a morsel of his energy inside of Jin. He could feel how it was slightly weaker than the energy nted in Hadurt. Also, Jack could feel his connection with Hadurt weaker to a minute degree.


    "Finally!"


    "What can we do now?" asked Haldurt, trying his best to search for any new affinities.


    "I... I¡¯m not sure. Duorda, do you know?" asked Jack.


    "Why would I know? You¡¯re the one giving them the blessing?!"


    "But you¡¯ve already experienced it, so haven¡¯t you noticed anything different?"


    Sighing and leaning back into his seat, Duorda replied. "I¡¯ve noticed a few things... For starters, I have way more mana than I should for an early one-star."


    "But that¡¯s from the pact..." argued Jack.


    "Oh... I forgot about that..." the skeleton sighed. "Then I¡¯m not sure what¡¯s from the pact and what¡¯s from the blessing."


    "What other effects do you notice?" asked Jin, joining the investigation.


    Shrugging, Duorda replied, "A lot of my natural skills have gotten much stronger."


    "That¡¯s from the pact!" shouted Hadurt. "What else?"


    "Ummm... Well... Then I¡¯m not sure what Jack¡¯s blessing does..." stated Duorda.


    "Wait..."


    Hearing Jin, both Jack and Hadurt turned their attention to him. Then, the others in the room began to focus on his as well.


    Jin stood there silently, admiring his arms. He carefully inspected the biceps, then the triceps. Taking a moment to feel his own hands, Jin was in awe of how perfect his illusory arms now were. There was no ethereal energy around them and no appearance of them being false, yet they were still able to pass through each other without effort like before.


    "Jin... were your extra arms always like that?" asked Jack.


    Shaking his head, Jin replied, "No... I never had enough mana to do this before..."


    Four more arms took shape, appearing to be just as real and perfect as the rest. It was surreal for many witnessing this but Jin was the most focused of all spectators. He struggled to believe how real they felt, more so than how real they appeared.


    "Mana?" Hearing Jin mention his formerck of mana, Hadurt peaked at his own mana supply. Instantly, Hadurt burst into roaring, maniacalughter! "It was worth the wait! Completely worth it!"


    "What is it?" Jack asked.


    "I have more mana than ever!" shouted Hadurt, struggling to smile any wider.


    Jin added, "And it replenishes faster too... This is incredible!"


    "See, I told you!" berated Duorda, shaking his head and sighing in relief.


    "Really? Then I need to try something!" An explosion of mes poured over Hadurt, startling Jackpletely.


    "He can do it too?!"


    "We helped him, but we¡¯ve never seen his mes be ck..." Kori replied with a smile.


    Just as Hadurt was getting more excited than ever, a plume of freezing water rocketed into him and the surrounding furniture that had caught fire.


    Lunara clicked her tongue and stated, "I get it, you¡¯re excited. But don¡¯t destroy the conference room! Save that for outside!"


    "Sorry..." Hadurt chuckled, not disgraced at all by his antics. He was too excited to feel shame at the moment.


    "Duorda," Jack looked back to his new assistant and asked, "how much much extra mana do you think you have?"


    "Mana is cosmic energy, right? Hmm... I¡¯d guess that it¡¯s been multiplied a few times. I¡¯ve got energy that can rival an average one-star and even though I¡¯m just an early one-star for now. I may even rival a few of the weakerte one-stars."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Each star ss is divided into three to make gauging people easier. Those that ascend recently are early one-stars. After more training and growth early one-stars be an average one-star and eventually ate one-star before ascending to the two-star ss," exined Duorda.


    "So, even though you just ascended, you¡¯ve got enough energy topete with more experienced one-stars?"


    "Yeah... Didn¡¯t Daruun tell you that¡¯s what would happen after you ascended?" Duorda reasoned.


    "Yeah... but I didn¡¯t expect it from them..." Jack looked back to Hadurt and Jin, who were still basking in the glory of their newly gained mana supplies and skills. Following his assumed train of thought, Jack mentioned, "I think my blessing gives you the full strength of my passive skills, not just half of the strength..."


    "So that¡¯s how you beat me!" Duordaughed heartily. "With this much energy, you deserved to win by default!"


    "What about us? Is there no way for us to get that too?"


    Jack turned his attention to the line of people waiting to have their pacts altered. Only now they were eyeing Jack like starving cannibals in search of fresh meat.

 Chapter 591 Poison For Gods?

    <h4>Chapter 591 Poison For Gods?</h4>


    "Don¡¯t look at me like that! The food¡¯s on the table!" shouted Jack.


    "Sorry, it¡¯s not like that Jack... How could we not get excited about having extra mana?" reasoned Moranti, blinking and chuckling.


    "But the only way we could make that happen would be to have you all lose your godly status and ascend again," replied Jack. "We can¡¯t do that with so many things going on right now."


    "What about afterward?" asked Lunara. "I don¡¯t see why we can¡¯t go through that process after this is all over."


    "But would you--"


    "Yes!" Eedaj shouted, "We would all be willing to go through that if our mana supply can be multiple times greater. Compared to your proposal of traveling beyond Kartonia, ascending a second time is nothing."


    "Well... you¡¯re not wrong about that I guess," sighed Jack.


    "It¡¯s a good idea," added Duorda. "I¡¯d take them up on the offer, Jack. It will take some more time to get everyone ready for departure from Kartonia, but it¡¯s worth it."


    "Then... I¡¯ll talk with Daruun about itter. I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll have a way to remove their status as gods, given that he did it to you."


    "He sure will."


    "For now," Jack continued, looking back to the line. "All those that stop looking at me like I¡¯m a fine delicacy will get their pacts redone."


    "Then I refuse," stated Eliza, getting most everyone to break out inughter. Dragas was especially giddy and winked at her daughter.


    "That... Alright."


    Letting that slide, Jack went through the line and altered everyone¡¯s pacts. Now, they could all level up without having their EXP sapped by Jack for no reason. Having finished that, Jack reminded Dragas of the bathes and left to visit his two remaining bestpanions.


    They didn¡¯t waste time, letting Jack bless them and make them demigods. However, both of them, being beasts, were extremely sensitive to their physical abilities and prowess. The moment Jack finished their blessings, each of them was overwhelmed with excitement. Phoro¡¯s ungodly speed had grown beyond ludicrous as he darted around the giant, underground courtyard, which he now shared with the centipede. Dragov could feel his already monstrous body grow more agile and powerful. Both of them were astounded by the amount of mana they could now use as they never had Jack¡¯s pact as hispanions. But now, they would never forget how much Jack had given them in terms of level, care, and now additional strength.


    Finished with them, Jack went home to find two wives sleeping and Eliza waiting to join Jack for the medicinal bath.


    Together, Jack and Eliza casually walked toward Dragas¡¯s courtyard. The door was unlocked yet they failed to find her anywhere. After a quick call, Dragas appeared with Moranti in tow, teleporting into the courtyard.


    As Jack expected, his bath was made stronger than ever and he was forced to endure more internal boiling pain. Now, his bathsted the full twenty minutes like Moranti¡¯s.


    When both were exiting the bath, however, Jack dried off and approached Dragas.


    "What is it? You¡¯ve already lost your chance, Jack, so don¡¯t even--"


    "What do you know about poisons?" Jack asked, catching Dragas and the other listening ears off guard.


    "Poison?" Dragas hesitated to answer, dropping her usual confidence for a moment. "What has you interested in poison?"


    "Well, I was the hero that created the walking death toxin, so..."


    "That was you?!" Fuming, Dragas turned and pped Jack across the face. "Do you realize what you caused?!"


    "It was... I know now. At the time, things were very different. I didn¡¯t exactly see the world the same, like all ancient heroes," answered Jack, not avoiding me. "But I¡¯m also the one who created the antidote, so that has to count for something, right?"


    "I guess... But why are you interested in poisons now?"


    Jack then took a knee as heid a few items across the ground. "Since I¡¯ve already got these, why shouldn¡¯t I be interested in poisons?"


    Eliza watched in curiosity and Moranti was startled to see such things gathered by Jack. Dragas was speechless for a moment as she took in what her eyes depicted. "Death Rattler blood and poison... Skulker Tarant venom... and even Living Nightshade... Where did you--"


    "The Death Rattlers were from Daliea long ago. I was going to use them to cure someone of walking death toxin but I had the association do that instead," stated Jack. "And since I was going through Earthen Keep, I made sure to collect some samples while I was down there. The Skulker Tarant lords over the twentieth floor and the Living Nightshade lives on the sixtieth floor. What do you think?"


    "This..." Dragas ced one hand over her mouth, struggling to put her thoughts together properly.


    "My goal is to make a poison that works on gods and cosmicians. Daruun said you would be able to make that happen much sooner."


    "Why me... and not him..." Dragas mumbled, leaving Jack puzzled. "I... can help you. Since Daruun asked for it, then I¡¯ll help. But I hate poisons! I¡¯ll only help because I want some Living Nightshade petals to grow one here and alter them to be harmless!"


    "Okay, okay," replied Jack, putting his hands up and stepping back. "Then can we start tomorrow morning after the next bath?"


    "... Fine... Hurry up and leave so I can prepare a few things..."


    "Okay... We¡¯ll see you tomorrow, Mother," added Eliza, dragging Jack out of the courtyard. She didn¡¯t know what was going on but she knew that Dragas was hurt by the very thought of making poison. Taking Jack away sooner would give Dragas some time to breathe and vent a little.


    When the couple left the courtyard, Moranti calmly walked to Dragas and threw his arms over her. "What¡¯s wrong? I thought you were great at making poison? Your pheromones are a testament to that."


    "I know..."


    "Is it because of him?"


    "... Yeah..."


    Moranti asked, "Do you really hate poisons? Wouldn¡¯t that mean you learned to make poison to impress him?"


    "..."


    "I get that that it brings back bad memories, but couldn¡¯t fulfilling his dream help you get over the past?" questioned Moranti.


    "... Maybe... It might help..."


    "Then count me in too," Moranti added with a smile and a kiss on the cheek from behind. "I don¡¯t know much but I can travel anywhere to gather ingredients you¡¯re missing. I think he¡¯d be happy to know you made his dreame true."


    "Yeah... he¡¯d like that..." sighing, Dragas blinked and let a few tears streak down her face. She turned her head to kiss Moranti¡¯s lips. "Thank you..."

 Chapter 592 Halmuts Questionable Fury

    <h4>Chapter 592 Halmut¡°s Questionable Fury</h4>


    "Impossible! It¡¯s simply impossible!"


    Roars and shouts echoed through the gargantuan chamber riddled with gold. The room wasrger than Jack¡¯s personal courtyard and adorned with items far more luxurious than anything Lyrun would use.


    "How could he be so powerful so soon?!" Halmut roared, shouting to himself.


    The dragon was currently in his human form. He was stomping around the room and screaming at the top of his lungs. Being in a soundproof chamber allowed him to vent all frustration without the worry of being found out. Halmut¡¯s eyes were red and strained, as if he was constantly stewing in turbulent thoughts. No matter what he imagined and what he wanted to believe, Halmut couldn¡¯t ept Jack¡¯s new strength.


    "IT¡¯S IMPOSSIBLE!!!"


    The Sun Dragon roared, identally reducing another futon to cinders and mming his fist into a splintered table.


    "If he¡¯s able to do this much, then what will he do in the future? Will Jack learn the truth? Does Jack already know the truth?! Aaaahhh!"


    Knock! Knock!


    Someone was at the door trying to get Halmut¡¯s attention but the infuriated dragon was too caught up in his own raging mind to hear the knocks at his door.


    KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!


    The knocking grew louder but it wasn¡¯t enough, not until a voice shouted from the other side of the door.


    "HALMUT! WE LOST KORTEN!"


    "WHAAAAAAT?!?!" Unleashing an evenrger fireball, Halmut left a third of his room doused in mes. He let it burn wildly as he stormed to the door and threw it wide open. "What do you mean we lost Korten?!"


    Bowing immediately and averting his eyes, Tralbok replied, "Your excellency, excuse me for calling you--"


    "Forget that! Exin your statement!"


    "Of course!" Tralbok hurried into the chamber as Halmut mmed the door shut, shaking the room for a moment. "Your excellency, we watched as Jack visited Korten to directly discuss their assimtion into Trodar. Lyrun then broke protocol and rushed to--"


    "So he did rush to protect it. Good!" bellowed Halmut. "What happened next?"


    "They allowed Korten to decide for itself but the elves decided to turn on their gods and sided with Trodar."


    "WHAAAT?!"


    "Then, Lyrun and Jack faced each other briefly. Lyrun kept Jack at a distance, not giving Jack a chance to cheat as Jack did against you," exined Tralbok. "They then decided to test each other. Lyrun gave Jack his best attack but Jack managed to defend himself. With Jack proving capable to defend himself, Lyrun retreated and didn¡¯t push any further. It¡¯s a disgrace that--"


    "Lyrun did well..." Halmut stated, calming himself and acting as he usually would in front of an audience. "It was wise to back out before Jack reverted to his tricks. Being Eedaj¡¯s brother, Lyrun is the most experienced facing mind magic, which kept him from sumbing to it in the beginning. But Jack¡¯s abilities in stealth would inevitably catch Lyrun unguarded. It was a good move to back away, not a disgrace."


    "Right, your excellency..." Tralbok sighed, swallowing his words and thinking up something else. "But to allow Korten to secede was disastrous... Without the elves, what force can we muster that will keep the rest of Kartonia in check?"


    "Hmmm... It is a problem, despite Lyrun¡¯s attempts to sway his people... Perhaps Eedaj and his mind games may be ying a hand in this..." deduced Halmut. "It¡¯s hard to say but we¡¯ll have to face the elves either way now. Just as I don¡¯t hold Lyrun responsible for losing the support of the elves, Lyrun won¡¯t hold me responsible for the elves¡¯ extinction should they be dumb enough to face us.


    "As for military might, we do have a force much more powerful and fearful than the elves... have Lyrun mobilize the dragons. As punishment for losing control of his people, Lyrun will lead the dragons against Korten early tomorrow morning. Leave the Flood Dragons excluded though, as their efforts are needed by Kylon."


    Surprised, Tralbok replied with a bow, "Of course, your excellence. But what about the gods of Trodar? Surely they won¡¯t sit around and let us demolish their newest ally."


    "Have Grixor and Torian join Lyrun in leading all other gods, including those newly ascended. It¡¯s time we make our move and prove to Kartonia how powerful we truly are," stated Halmut.


    "Will they be enough? Will you be joining us, your excellency?" asked Tralbok.


    Halmut squinted and reinspected his destroyed room, something that Tralbok hadn¡¯tmented on but had surely noticed. "I won¡¯t be joining you. However, you¡¯ll take this."


    As Tralbok receive the intricately designed amulet, his eyes widened. "Your excellency, is this--"


    "Should Sterfen make a move, crush it. If he doesn¡¯t appear, then don¡¯t touch it," Halmut ordered, turning his back to Tralbok. "Torian and Grixor should be able to face Moranti now that they out level him. If there¡¯s nothing else, leave me to attend to my personal business."


    "Your excellency, we¡¯ve been worried about you ever since--"


    "I¡¯m fine!" roared Halmut. "As you can see, I¡¯m perfectly fine despite Jack¡¯s best efforts. Now leave, before I reduce you to ash like the futons."


    "Yes, your excellency!"


    After onest bow, Tralbok hurried away and shut the door behind him. The God of Time was terribly startled by the state of the destroyed room but Tralbok would never dare to offend Halmut while Tralbok was unable to guarantee his life.


    "JAAAAACK!!!" Alone again, Halmut roared and scorched the ceiling with his mes. Luckily, the walls and ceiling wouldn¡¯t catch fire, but they would be burned and eventually damaged should Halmut keep up his tantrum.


    "But how could he do this?! What tricks can he use?! His strength shouldn¡¯t be possible!"


    Roars echoed through the great chamber and mes spread everywhere, even burning Halmut¡¯s bed. The Sun Dragon was livid and had no means to unleash his full, unadulterated rage. But Halmut was also truly puzzled. He continued to argue with himself, failing to grasp the source of Jack¡¯s strength and how Halmut could effectively guarantee his own sess.


    "But he can do that... And if we tried to stop him, then we¡¯ll only give him more opportunities to grow and show off for the world! How can he do this?! What can we do?! I..."


    Suddenly, Halmut¡¯s rage and fury paused. The mes spewing from his gullet stopped abruptly and Halmut finally let loose a dragged-out sigh of relief.


    "If you say so... Then I just need to keep using stimnts... That will calm me down..."


    The Sun Dragon kept control of his breathing to calm down. A few small, multicolored crystals appeared in Halmut¡¯s hand as the dragon clenched them tightly. With each deep breath, a portion of multicolored energy seeped into his arm, allowing Halmut to rx more and more with each breath.

 Chapter 593 Lyruns Warning

    <h4>Chapter 593 Lyrun¡°s Warning</h4>


    The moon was already high in the sky, nearing the start of its descent. Most of Trodar was sleeping peacefully. Korten was confused but the crowds were gradually being swayed by their chief and their elders to believe in Trodar. Churstin was in a simr predicament, but there were far fewer who denied Trodar¡¯s ability to protect them after witnessing Halmut¡¯s retreat.


    News was spreading faster than wildfire about Trodar, filling in the rest of the world about Korten¡¯s sudden shift to abandon Halmut and the legendary gods. All intel informants were raking in as much cash as possible while the many nation leaders were baffled to hear such news.


    Of course, Gilga was the most peaceful. They were happy to hear the spreading rumors and awaited the official announcement. It would give them another reason to celebrate and to add to their sense of security, something that people could never get enough of.


    "Jack! Jack!"


    Startled awake, Jack opened his sleepy eyes. The hero blinked as he retrieved his contact crystal. "Lyrun? Is it already happening?"


    "Yes!" replied the Elf God. "Tomorrow, all gods minus Halmut will march on Korten with an army of dragons. That includes more than a dozen new dragon gods. Please, help--"


    "I¡¯ll get everyone ready... And I¡¯ll make sure our response doesn¡¯t rick your discovery."


    "Thank you, Jack."


    "Why not Halmut?" asked Jack, yawning afterward.


    Lyrun quickly stated, "He¡¯ll show up if Sterfen makes a move, so--"


    "Then don¡¯t worry about Halmut. I doubt he¡¯ll try something right now without Halmut appearing."


    "Okay... Then I must go. Again, thank you, Jack."


    With the conversation over, Jack stretched and found his way out of bed. He tried not to wake his wives but it was toote. The moment Daliea woke up and heard Jack¡¯s half of the conversation, she woke up the others.


    Jack quickly mentioned Lyrun¡¯s message, shocking the women briefly. But Jack reassured them not to worry and that he would coordinate a fitting response.


    Having said that, Jack departed and mentally contacted all gods and all higher-ups within the guild for an emergency meeting. Jack gave them no choice but to go, stating that the meeting will begin in 30 minutes. Most didn¡¯t question Jack but his mention of the gods and dragon army was enough to get everyone up and out of bed.


    The moment the final person stepped into the conference room, Jack had already begun the discussion. Jack was intent on creating a n that would buy them time, allow them to kill at least a god or two for the sake of the demigods, and keep Korten safe as a testament to Trodar¡¯s abilities. Eliminating the dragon army was also something they were after, but Jack would also ept crippling and diminishing the army.


    Once everyone was involved, they were astounded with the scheme they had created within the following few hours.


    *****


    Within the Korten wilderness, the greenery and wildlife were lively and vibrant, tenderly awoken by the warmth of the morning sun. The same went for the elves across the country. However, the elves in Estonya were awoken by their own wake-up call.


    "People of Estonya, thank you!"


    The shout of a familiar voice caught the attention of the city. Merchants and bakers that were awake and setting up shop were the first to spot Jack in the central market, along with two unfamiliar faces. One man was chubby and was afraid to show it while the other had grey skin and was smiling brightly as he examined the city.


    "It¡¯s Jack!"


    "Is that Eedaj?!"


    "Who¡¯s the other one?"


    "That¡¯s no god."


    "Yeah, gods aren¡¯t fat."


    As the city woke up to wee their surprise visitors, their rumors and whisperings shifted as all gossip does.


    "I am a god!"


    "Calm down, Guuro. As the only god in your condition, how could they imagine a god to look like you?" chuckled Eedaj.


    "Shut up! Oosam¡¯s not like that either!"


    Jack butted in, "Oosam isn¡¯t muscr but he¡¯s not fat."


    "Well..." Guuro scoffed and clicked his tongue. He refused to speak more about this, not wanting to drag out the topic anymore.


    While Guuro hid his sentiments, a weing party quickly arrived with a bow. Grangor arrived with Gwendon and the oldest elder as Gwendon formally bowed and announced their arrival, "Jack, Eedaj, wee to Estonya. And who might this esteemed guest be?"


    "That¡¯s--"


    "I¡¯m Guuro, the God of Commerce!" Guuro introduced himself loudly. "I¡¯m excited to work with you all and see the elves prosper like never before."


    "As the God of Greed, you can trust Guuro to maximize the profits of Estonya," added Jack, getting Guuro to p Jack across the back.


    Gwendon smiled and nodded. "We¡¯re grateful to have you here, Guuro. Follow me. We¡¯ll meet within the Life Tree."


    "Yes... I¡¯d like that," stated Eedaj, following closely.


    The elven chief and the party of gods sauntered through the town, leaving the citizens speechless. To them, gods were deities rarely seen, if that. Yet the moment they agreed to join Trodar, three gods showed up to casually visit the nation¡¯s capital, walking through the streets like they weremon folk.


    Along the way, elven elders joined the weing party and followed them to the Life Tree. Once there, they passed Gwendon¡¯s home and climbed the hand-carved stairs to reach a vast conference room in the base of the behemoth tree.


    "It¡¯s been so long, yet everything is intact..."


    "I made sure to keep this space clean and orderly at all times," stated Gwendon, receiving a smile of approval from Eedaj. "Each room has been attended to for years, so you can be sure that every room is usable."


    Eedaj put his hands on a seat and sighed, "I¡¯m d to hear that... Then, shall we get started?"


    "Yes, let¡¯s," reaffirmed Jack, sitting in the chair beside Eedaj.


    As everyone took a seat at the long conference table that was carved from the Life Tree and still attached at the table¡¯s base, Gwendon admitted, "I had assumed that Grangor would handle the integration along with the iing greis elves. Jack, is there a reason that you¡¯ve returned and brought these esteemed gods with you?"

 Chapter 594 The Dragon Invasion

    <h4>Chapter 594 The Dragon Invasion</h4>


    "Jack, is there a reason that you¡¯ve returned and brought these esteemed gods with you?"


    "Well, Eedaj hasn¡¯t visited Estonya in thousands of years, so I thought I¡¯d bring him along. And Guuro specializes in both holy and dark magic, which makes him a perfect candidate to receive a shrine here," answered Jack. "Dragas and Lorwynn will being next time, allowing Estonya more pledge options than ever."


    "We appreciate the thought, but isn¡¯t it too early to be building temples and shrines?" asked the oldest elder.


    Jack nodded. "Right, it shouldn¡¯t be our priority. But Guuro will also be able to aid your economy and teach businesses how to maximize profits while providing the best service to their clients. It¡¯s something that has greatly helped Gilga. Also, Guuro was the secret founder of Federal City, where he owned at least a portion of nearly every business within the city. He was the key to making Federal City the greatest trade city in Kartonia."


    While Guuro smiled proudly and arrogantly stuck out his chest and gut, the old elf found it hard to refute receiving such aid.


    "Our goal is not to take over Korten. Trodar is merely a banner of protection and influence," continued Jack. "If we wanted to build temples, then Dragas and Lorwynn would be here with us. Instead, we came to discuss a few key details our Korten¡¯s allegiance with Trodar and to show Eedaj and Guuro the city that they¡¯ll be spending so much time in."


    "Thank you, Jack," added Gwendon. "The people aren¡¯t against joining Trodar but they¡¯re hesitant to ept you so hastily. Luckily, I learned a lot about the current happenings of the world thanks to Grangor. I quickly shared the story of your fight with Halmut, which left the crowds speechless. They also had no way to deny it after I reminded them of your victory over Lyrun.


    "When the people learned of Trodar¡¯s recent achievements, they were more open-minded but I believe they want more proof that they¡¯ll be protected. I also find that reasonable since we¡¯ve effectively rejected the strongest god there--"


    "That¡¯s incorrect."


    Confused by the interruption, Gwendon asked, "What was incorrect?"


    "Halmut is not the strongest god," Jack stated. "There are a few gods that can face Halmut, so I don¡¯t understand why he¡¯s still regarded as the strongest. Halmut only knows how to flee when he¡¯s in danger and to fight when he¡¯s guaranteed victory. Sure, he¡¯d strong but that¡¯s all. There¡¯s a reason that Trodar¡¯s war against Halmut has gone much better than the chaotic gods¡¯ effort of the past. We¡¯re not afraid to risk our lives to earn what we¡¯re after and we¡¯ve far more tactful than anyone could believe."


    Letting out a sigh of relief, Gwendon asked, "So, should a divine threat arise, would you--"


    "It¡¯s time..." Eedaj suddenly stood up, showing a film of white, illusory energy over one of his eyes. "Jack, we¡¯ve gotpany iing."


    "Oh? Then I guess it¡¯s time to prove our capabilities," chuckled Jack, standing up as well.


    Guuro stood up and sighed, eager to get this over with and finish the job.


    "What¡¯s going on? What¡¯s approaching?" asked Gwendon.


    Walking toward the door, Jack responded, "I think we should all step outside. That way you¡¯ll see what we¡¯re capable of."


    "But what--"


    Abruptly, bells started to ring throughout the megacity. One by one, bells across Estonya rang loudly and continuously, putting the recently-awoken city on edge.


    The three gods stepped into the air as Eedaj mentioned aloud, "We¡¯ll handle this but keep all elves calmly waiting within the city walls. Any that step out may lose their lives."


    "That..." Gwendon swallowed his next question, guessing what was about to happen.


    "So they won¡¯t let us off easy... We should¡¯ve known," sighed the oldest elder, pulling his son along. "We need to hurry! If we don¡¯t warn the people now, who will?"


    While the father and son rushed off to address the public, Guuro cast his first spell of the day. A thick barrier with intermingling white and ck energies came into existence around all of Estonya, using the city walls as a guideline. It startled the people but they discovered that it wasn¡¯t a physical barrier when early morning hunters ran into the city in shock. Also, though it was white and ck, the elves inside could still see out of the barrier, albeit blurry.


    Far beyond the barrier dozens of dragons were rocketing through the sky. They hade from all corners of Kartonia to reach Korten. As they crossed the border, elf scouts had begun to alert the towns and cities immediately. This was the cause of the emergency bells but no scouts dared to make themselves known to the invading beasts.


    Just as Estonya was supposed toe into sight, the dragons were baffled by their findings. Instead of a city, all they saw was a strange ck and white barrier. The dragons halted in the air a few hundred kilometers from the barrier, curious to learn what it was. At the same time, the ground began to shake, startling the entire city all the more. Quake Dragon after Quake Dragon began to emerge from the ground, having traveled below the surface where they were fastest. Like the dragons overhead, the Quake Dragons eyed the barrier with caution.


    "It¡¯s nothing!" a voice shouted down from the heavens. "Why fear it without trying to pierce it? Attack!"


    The Storm Dragons were the first to respond to the order. They sprayed the barrier with dozens of lightning bolts, however, they were startled to see no damage upon the barrier. Magma Dragons followed next, belching plumes of magma from their gullets, but their attacks failed as well. Quake Dragons hurled boulders and jagged rocks, which were easily deflected from the barrier. The Quake Dragons were going to attempt a frontal assault with their powerful tails, but they were beaten to the punch.


    Thunder echoed as three gargantuan Storm Dragons dropped out of the clouds in a nosedive. Lighting fell from their bodies, causing the barrier to tremble but nothing more. But the Storm Dragons roared and were determined to breach the barrier. They covered themselves in lighting and wind energy, daring to charge straight through the barrier.


    "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"

 Chapter 595 YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!

    <h4>Chapter 595 YOU SHALL NOT PASS!!!</h4>


    "YOU SHALL NOT PASS!"


    A voice echoed out of the barrier but none saw where it originated specifically. That was until one of the raging Storm Dragons roared and was suddenly frozen in ce. Despite their incredible, divine speed, the dragon taking the lead stopped moving entirely, as well as breathing.


    Both of the other Storm Dragons roared and backed off in worry. They threw more lightning at the breathless dragon. When the silent dragon showed no reaction at all, the Storm Dragons were put further on edge.


    "None shall pass!" the voice repeated itself, letting the Storm Dragons better determine where the voice wasing from.


    A quick glimmer of light appeared around the silent dragon¡¯s neck, revealing a man standing in the air. It was startling enough to find a man hiding right in front of their eyes but the Storm Dragons were more frightened by the purple scales covering the man¡¯s arm and the scythe-like w that was run through the neck of the breathless Storm Dragon.


    "JACK!"


    A shout of anger filled the air as more figures descended from the clouds above, leaving the elves speechless. It immediately became clear to all Esonya that gods hade, leading an army of dragons to wipe out the seceding nation.


    Twenty-one figures in total descended from the clouds. Many were in human form but there were ten in their full dragon forms. Leading them from the center were four men. Torian and Grixor stood as the clear generals of the march with Lyrun standing by. Tralbok was the fourth, trying his best to im some credit and reputation for the event.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Torian?" Jack replied with augh. "This is your fault for letting the young-bloods get antsy. If you hadn¡¯t let your new gods attack blindly, then maybe this one wouldn¡¯t be dead. He could¡¯ve had another few minutes to live."


    Torian shouted back in disgust, "Jack! Back off or die now! We¡¯vee to deal with the traitorous nation, not to fight the war-ending battle."


    "Oh? Then I guess I¡¯m misinformed. Last time I checked, it wouldn¡¯t take more than twenty gods to tten Korten. Or did Lyrun have a hidden army that needs to be subdued?"


    "Back off or die! You dare challenge all of us?!"


    "And you dare use so many against me?" refuted Jack. "The more people you use to face me, the more credit I¡¯ll gain in the end. y your cards wrong and I may be more famous than Halmut in a single battle... Actually, I like the sound of that!"


    Jack casually swung his other arm, decapitating the lv. 90 Storm Dragon and allowing the corpse to fall through the barrier. However, the moment the corpse began its fall, Jack took on his final form. With all four bloodlines raging, Jack bolted through the air toward the two fleeing Storm Dragons.


    "Try me!"


    That joyful shout rushed downward as Grixor charged for Jack. Thanks to the Storm Dragons being closer, Grixor managed to squeeze past them and run into Jack just in time to save their lives.


    The powerful club-like tail hammered into the tip of Jack¡¯s thinner-than-hair ws. A resulting shockwave spread wide as earth energy and space energy collided with reckless abandon. Grixorughed loudly, "Not bad! But nothing like Moranti¡¯s!"


    "Really? Then let¡¯s try this!" Jack chuckled, dousing his arms in spectral me and reappearing at Grixor¡¯s side mid-swing of his ws.


    Grixor continued tough as his agile tail, sprung back and mmed into Jacks¡¯ chest. Blood sprayed out as Jack was knocked backward.


    "See! Nothing like Moranti! Nothing like--"


    "GRIXOR!"


    While the Earthen Godughed at Jack, he was unaware of the second figure of Jack appearing behind him. Both spectral scythes arched downward with more energy than ever, intent on decapitating the Earthen God in a single blow.


    But Torian¡¯s speed was far too much to allow that to happen. The Storm God immediately shouted to hispanion and jumped into action.


    As Grixor turned around, he felt drops of warm liquid dripping onto his scales. Grixor blinked and noticed just how close Jack¡¯s attack was, not even a hand¡¯s length away from Grixor¡¯s neck. A drop of blood onto Grixor¡¯s face, trickling off of Torian¡¯s sword-like tail that was run through Jack¡¯s torso.


    "You chose death, Jack," stated Torian, remaining firm and unwavering.


    But the hero broke out inughter as blood sprayed from his mouth. "You think it¡¯s that easy?"


    Both figures of Jack began to fade and blow away in the light breeze, as did the illusory blood on Torian¡¯s tail and Grixor¡¯s face. At the same time, two roars sound out simultaneously, but only for a moment. When Grixor and Torian turned around, their faces immediately tensed up and twitched.


    Both of the Storm Dragons that had failed to enter Estonya moments ago were now falling to the barrier below, with their severed heads leading the way.


    "I clearly said, ¡¯You shall not pass,¡¯ and they tried to pass. They had iting," Jack shrugged as the blood of the Storm Dragons burned off of his ws.


    "You..."


    "Torian! Grixor!" Lyrun shouted, gathering everyone¡¯s attention. "Why are you focusing on him? Either of you can break that barrier, so hurry up and get this over with!"


    "Not so fast..." A new voice filled the air as two figures rose up from the barrier. Eedaj continued, "If you¡¯vee for Korten, then leave now. If you¡¯vee to fight, then just say so."


    A sudden sh of purple light appeared beside the two gods, leaving Moranti behind as the light faded. Getting a good look at the gods above, Moranti whistled loudly, "Wow... If you¡¯re all so eager to die, then why not just admit it? For you all toe at once, you¡¯ll save us a lot of time."


    "Yeah, we can just do a mass burial," Jack added with augh.


    "Enough!" Torian shouted, rethinking and adjusting to the situation. "You know why we¡¯vee. If you decide to defend Korten, then you¡¯ll be facing us all."


    "Are you sure about that?"

 Chapter 596 A Challenge?

    <h4>Chapter 596 A Challenge?</h4>


    "Are you sure about that?" Jack asked. "The more people you send our way, the more credit you¡¯ll give me. Then what will halmut do, huh? How hurt would he feel to know that he lost his followers without even losing himself?"


    "Shut up!" Torian stated loudly, hurling a lightning bolt at Jack. As Jack vanished and reappeared alongside Moranti, Tornian continued, "If you don¡¯t want us to ughter and overwhelm you, then what would you prefer? I¡¯ll allow you to choose your means of death."


    "How about a challenge? I¡¯m lv. 91 and I¡¯ll take on anyone of you head to head, including you Torian. Do you have the courage to step up or did Halmut already castrate you? How about you, Grixor? Want to pick up where we left off or will you always need a ball-lesspanion to back you up?"


    Both Torian and Grixor let their inner rage fume and begin to heat their blood, in part to their disbelief of Jack only being lv. 91. But Lyrun was the one who responded, "There¡¯s no reason to ept that, not when we have the advantage!"


    "But I can change that," added Moranti. "All I need is a second to open a rift and bring the gods of Trodar over. Would you prefer I do so now or in a few moments?"


    "If you won¡¯t challenge me, then why don¡¯t we test our strongest mortals," stated Jack, stunning the gods above. The boisterous hero continued, "We ce your five strongest mortals against our five strongest. The winner will im Korten for themselves."


    "We refuse!" shouted Lyrun, not hesitating.


    Not only was Lyrun ying the part but he was genuinely against such a plight deep down. With Jack bing a god, Lyrun deeply doubted that Trodar could face the mighty dragons present with mortals alone.


    "Really? Then why should the world fear dragons? What¡¯s the point of being so huge and monstrous if they can¡¯t even win a one on one fight?" Jack ridiculed.


    "How do we decide the victor?" asked Torian, ignoring Lyrun¡¯s previous statement.


    Jack smiled and shrugged. "Death. How else?"


    "And you won¡¯t interfere when your people lose their lives?"


    "Shouldn¡¯t I be asking you the same question?"


    "Torian, there¡¯s no point to this," Lyrun stated, trying to counter Jack¡¯s prodding words. "We should--"


    "We ept the challenge. But the moment you break the deal or argue the end result, then you¡¯ll be overrun by us all," dered Torian. "We¡¯ll allow you to bring any mortals you have through a rift but no other gods are allowed to step through. If another god appears, then we¡¯ll immediately swarm you and the city."


    "Very well. Then you won¡¯tin when you lose the lives of five dragons?" questioned Jack.


    "Such a thing won¡¯t happen," Torian firmly stated. "But should a dragon¡¯s life be lost, then we¡¯ll take it as a grudge that we¡¯ll seek revenge for in the future."


    "Alright, then we have an agreement." Jack turned to Moranti, whose face was clearly puzzled. "Moranti, go and gather the best five. Be back in five minutes, got it?"


    "You got it..." Moranti sighed, trusting Jack¡¯s judgment. Though he wondered why Jack agreed to have no other gods join them in Korten, Moranti did as Jack said and teleported away.


    Looking up to the invading gods, Jack asked, "Where do you want to do this?"


    Torian nced around, finally pointing to thergest clearing he could find. "There."


    Resituating themselves, the many gods gathered around the clearing, letting Jack, Eedaj, and Guuro im a corner for their viewing pleasure. The dozens of dragons thennded and surrounded all edges of the clearing. There was no retreat or way out now, so each of the battles would only end in bloodshed.


    Aftermunicating with Moranti about the battlefield, a giant spatial rift appeared on one side of the clearing. It was dozens of meters wide and even went through the ground.


    Four figures followed Moranti through the rift, causing Torian and the legendary gods to shift in ce. Part of them immediately regretted epting the challenge with so few questions answered prior.


    All eyes focus on two figures, Jin and Hadurt. As a former god, Jin was the most experiencedbatant and would easily be a threat to a lv. 89 dragon. The odds of such a match would at best be fifty-fifty, if not leaning in Jin¡¯s favor. And Hadurt was the former chaotic champion with training from numerous chaotic gods. Now that Hadurt had be a demon with Hell-me Fox blood, it was also impossible to guarantee a victory against him.


    The remaining two figures didn¡¯t get as much attention at first, but they were credible enough to merit a nce.


    Phoro was quickly recognized, though no one was able to see his level. But the Minokawa was now five meters tall and looked more like a dragon with feathers than he did a bird.


    Thest figure was aplete mystery. It looked like a man but he wore a legendary roxite helmet, something that even the gods rarely knew existed. No one was able to see through the helmet, sense the man¡¯s level, or peak at his face. He also wore light, flexible armor and showed no skin whatsoever.


    But there was something wrong.


    "Where¡¯s your fifth challenger?" questioned Torian. "Don¡¯t tell me that--"


    "He¡¯s already here. Just ask Grixor."


    Startled by Jack¡¯s statement, the Storm Dragon nced at the god beside him. "Really?"


    Nodding, Grixor replied, "This will be interesting..."


    "Very well..." Troian sighed, taking half a moment to think. "Let¡¯s have all five matches take ce at the same time. Any victor of a match will then be allowed to aid their party after killing their opponent. Do you object to that?"


    "So you want to make individual fights grow into a party battle? I¡¯m not against it, but remember that you asked for it," replied Jack, shaking his head.


    Torian took a look around the clearly, sizing up the dragons in search of the best matchups.


    "Don¡¯t forget him," added Grixor, pointing to a Quake Dragon. "He¡¯ll face the fifth opponent."


    "Then we¡¯ll have it like this!"


    Once Torian chose the five dragons, including Grixor¡¯s suggestion, they entered the clearing. Allbatants spread out as the dragons approached their predetermined prey ording to Torian¡¯s orders without any objection from Jack.

 Chapter 597 The Challenge For Korten Begins

    <h4>Chapter 597 The Challenge For Korten Begins</h4>


    Each match was ced on a different part of the giant clearing, covering each corner and leaving one match in the center.


    The Quake Dragon assigned to the unseen fifthbatant waited in the center, already taking the battle seriously as the dragon red at the ground beneath him. His battlefield was thergest and he was ready to use it fully.


    Jin was followed by another Quake Dragon, only Jin¡¯s opponent was evenrger. Based on the Quake Dragon¡¯s rugged appearance, it was safe to assume that he was the strongest mortal Quake Dragon.


    Hadurt was followed by the only Magma Dragon in the clearing but the dragon¡¯s confidence wasn¡¯t any less than the Quake Dragon before Jin.


    Phoro would be facing a Storm Dragon. Even if their fight wasn¡¯t the most interesting at face value, Torian and the other gods were curious to see a matchup of the fasted bird and the fastest dragon. It was a match that was never given much validity in the past with dragons keeping Minokawas at lower levels. But now that Jack had brought one to the pinnacle of mortality, the world would finally get the fairest match possible between the aerial speedsters of the world.


    The final match was the strange, unknown man against thergest mortal Storm Dragon present. It was a bit surprising to see the more powerful storm against the human and not the Minokawa, but it was strategic all the same. Proving the intention of Torian to end that fight the fastest and have that Storm Dragon rush to the other battlefields.


    "Give us a moment!" Jack shouted as Guuro and Eedaj both descended to the battlefield.


    The legendary gods watched closely as both Eedaj and Guuronded and retrieved something from their storages. Torian, among the majority of the legendary gods, were shocked by what was taking ce.


    "What¡¯s the meaning of this?!"


    "Calm down, Torian. This doesn¡¯t change anything about the fight," stated Jack. "All they¡¯re doing is using your fallen gods as a catalyst to momentarily revive theirck of divine energy. Now, after they ughter your men, then they¡¯ll be able to gain EXP and eventually ascend given some time. I thought you understood that?"


    Torian shut up, as it was already toote to stop it. Guuro and Eedaj had stored the fallen god¡¯s body parts and were already on their way back to Jack, so Torian¡¯sints would be null and void anyway.


    Riled up, Torian roared, "Let the battle begin!"


    Suddenly, the ground shook as a behemoth beast tore its way out of the ground. The long body of the beast attempted to wrap around the Quake Dragon at the center of the field but narrowly missed. Everyone quickly recognized the Draconic Centipede and Grixor sighed with a frown, disappointed that one of his own quests of old managed to give Jack such a crucial pawn now of all times.


    Both earth-focused beasts billowed in each other¡¯s faces. As Dragov tried to bind the dragon and tear it apart with his many ws, the Quake Dragon created earthen spikes to increase its defenses while throwing countless spikes into the centipede¡¯s natural armor.


    It was yet another spectacle of a dominant dragon race facing a rival, non-draconic race for supremacy. And due to the appearance of Jin and Hadurt, neither the strongest mortal Storm Dragon nor the strongest Quake Dragon could defend their bloodline¡¯s pride. They had to choose opponents tactfully, not in ordance with their arrogance.


    Phoro and his opponent also took off without hesitation. Both streaked to the sky as they raced and chased each other with killing intent. They were waiting for the opportunity to destroy their opponent¡¯s wings, as the first to lose their speed would immediately lose.


    The fight between Hadurt and the Magma Dragon heated up as well, catching the eyes of many. Whileva oozed down the scales of the Magma Dragon, the ck me body around Hadurt was just as terrifying. Though the me body couldn¡¯t grow like Bowzer¡¯s, Kori¡¯s, or Jack¡¯s, Hadurt¡¯s mes were still more than hot enough to rival theva.


    Streams of magma shed with hellish explosions of ck me. When the Magma Dragon attempted to use earth attacks to trap Hadurt or weaken the demon¡¯s stance, Hadurt¡¯s use of wind and lightning magic kept him untouchable.


    Hadurt charged ahead, shouting, "I¡¯m going to win!"


    "No, I¡¯ll win!"


    Startling many, it was Jin that replied from the other corner of the field. The former God of Discipline showed great anticipation as he faced the Quake Dragon head-on.


    As the matches began, Grixor¡¯s eyes were first on Jin and his Quake Dragon opponent. Witnessing such a match was intriguing for the Earthen God considering his match with Grixor in the recent past. Seeing Jin face a Quake Dragon without a level disadvantage was a dight Grixor was eager to see, and he didn¡¯t feel disappointed.


    Grixor wanted to apud both his subordinate dragon and Jin as the dragon instantly took the defensive and Jin wielded twelve katanas, just as Jin had done against Grixor before. The illusory arms seemed just real as thest time the Earthen god witnessed them attributing it to Jin¡¯s training, which should¡¯ve allowed Jin to maintain such a technique despite his massive loss of mana capacity after bing mortal.


    The pummeling blows of Jin¡¯s swords scared the earthen shields that the Quake Dragon created time and time again. But despite that, the Quake Dragon didn¡¯t show a single cut on his body. With a focus on defense, the Quake Dragon wanted to drag out his fight for as long as possible.


    Keeping that same strategy in mind, Grixor finally looked to their ace-in-the-hole. The Earthen God nced at the powerful Storm Dragon on the other side of the field. He was curious about how many injuries the mysterious human had taken so far. But...


    "How..."


    "Who is that?" Torian mumbled between himself and Grixor. "This person has never shown themselves before now... So who is he?"


    Torian turned his head slightly, barely getting a glimpse of the calm smile on Jack¡¯s face.

 Chapter 598 Giving Up the Challenge...

    <h4>Chapter 598 Giving Up the Challenge...</h4>


    "Who is that?"


    "Huh?" Jack chuckled and looked back at Torian.


    The Thundering God repeated himself, "Who is that, the man under the roxite helm?"


    "Why should I tell you?"


    "If not, then how can we guarantee that he--"


    "Do you sense divine energy from him? No. So why would you dare use him of being a god?" replied Jack. "I¡¯ll tell you this much. We¡¯ve recently begun experimenting with summoning ancient heroes. He¡¯s the first lv. 85 hero that we¡¯ve sessfully summoned. As for his identity, I hope you¡¯re memory is good or you¡¯ll never be able to figure it out."


    Torian stopped asking questions as he and Grixor paid close attention to the man in the ck helmet.


    As the mightiest mortal Storm Dragon, the beast boasted unrivaled speed among mortals of the world. The only ones worthy of mention were the two currently interlocked in the aerialbat. That was until now.


    The Storm Dragon chased and lunged for his opponent with precision and pin-point timing, utilizing his agile tail to the fullest. But the mysterious man would faint and evade each strike. The man didn¡¯t seem to be overwhelmingly fast but he seemed to know where each strike was heading each and every time, casually stepping aside to avoid the blows.


    As the Storm Dragon roared in fury and sped up, the man remained silent. Many of the spectators shifted their attention to that battle as the dragon¡¯s cries grew louder. Yet the man continued to evade and had yet to retrieve his weapon.


    Finally, after sidestepping a few blows and getting in close to the Storm Dragon, the mysterious man made his move.


    The Storm Dragon realized that the man was too close and strived to back away but the man kept closing the distance. When the dragon lunged its tail into the man, the man retrieved a rapier and doused it in lightning, wind, and space energies, leaving all watching eyes stunned.


    A single thrust, that¡¯s all the man made. However, the cries of the Storm Dragon instantly ceased after receiving a hole through the dragon¡¯s throat and spine.


    "IMPOSSIBLE?!"


    "Calm down, Torian!" shouted Jack with augh. "Remember, you epted and chose this!"


    The mysterious man stepped onto the Strom Dragon carcass, iming it as his own before storing it away in front of the crowd of furious dragons.


    "There¡¯s no way he¡¯s lv. 85!" Torian argued.


    "Well, he was when we summoned him. So long as he¡¯s not a god, does his level matter right now?" questioned Jack, leaving the Thundering Dragon without an argument.


    As the man flicked his rapier around, which had never received a drop of blood due to the speed of his strike, wind energy gathered around him to carry him through the air. The rapier led the man¡¯s charge for the Storm Dragon in a gridlock with the Minokawa.


    "Watch out!" roared Torian, alerting all dragons on the battlefield of the sudden shift in momentum.


    Not only were the dragons startled but so werebatants from Trodar.


    They were introduced to the man early in the morning and he was already wearing his mysterious getup. All they understood about the man was his supposed status as an ancient hero. Jack had exined the man as an ancient hero which Jack had summoned upon Daruun¡¯s demand and, in Jack¡¯s own words, was a "PVP Champion". No one understood what that meant exactly but now they wouldn¡¯t be able to question the man¡¯s skills in any way.


    That man quickly arrived to tag-team the final Storm Dragon, not allowing the rivalry of the races to continue.


    This added to the Storm Dragon¡¯s anger, especially when his Minokawa opponent dly weed the aid. The Storm Dragon was baffled at how shameless the Minokawa acted during such a fateful duel of their species.


    Phoro, despite his growth in level and maturity in battle, would never turn away help that made his job easier. This led to Phoro not only allowing the man to join the fight but to Phoro coordinating attacks with the mystery man. The brash andzy Minokawa was d to get the match over with as soon as possible.


    The match was already dead even between Phoro and the Storm Dragon, so the additional aid of the man who killed the stronger Storm Dragon led to an obvious oue. While Phoro kept the dragon on the run, the man eventually delivered a single blow to end the Storm Dragon¡¯s life.


    Phoro then rushed to aid Dragov while the man charged toward the Magma Dragon.


    "This one¡¯s mine!" Hadurt howled as he picked up the tempo.


    But that didn¡¯t stop the mystery man¡¯s rushing attacks. Now, the Magma Dragon was counting the seconds remaining of his life.


    "NOW!"


    Torian and Grixor shouted together, refusing to see any more of this. Their cry sent the surrounding dragons into a frenzy as they copsed onto the battlefield.


    The two gods leading the invasion turned to Jack and were about to roar again but they were interrupted by three sudden cries behind them. All gods nced to find three copies of Jack holding the recently ascended Magma Dragons by their heads. Jack¡¯s fingers mped tightly onto each dragon¡¯s skull as their cries died down and their limbs drooped toward the earth like a ragdoll.


    "You chose this, so don¡¯t me me!" Jack shouted, letting his copies vanish as the Magma Dragon gods began their fall to the battle below.


    "THEN DIE!" Torian shouted as he darted into action.


    Each legendary god had readied themself the moment the first Storm Dragon was in. Now, they acted without hesitation.


    Tralbok rushed toward the falling Magma Gods. Seeing such valuable pawns be removed so easily was a blow to their reputation as legendary gods and they could use them now. But a sh of purple light appeared before him, stopping Tralbok in his tracks.


    Space energy danced around Moranti¡¯s hands, creating a spatial rift behind the cluster of legendary gods. And the moment it opened up, the remaining gods of Trodar rushed out with the intent to kill.

 Chapter 599 Chaotic Battle of Mortals and Immortals

    <h4>Chapter 599 Chaotic Battle of Mortals and Immortals</h4>


    Almost simultaneously, another rift opened outside of the dragon¡¯s encirclement, only it was the biggest that they had ever seen. This was created by the young-looking god with pale-purple hair as soon as he crossed Moranti¡¯s rift.


    A massive flood of beasts emerged from the new spatial rift. A swarm of high-level Minokawas was the first to exit the rift, instantly targeting the Storm Dragons above the battlefield. They were followed by Flying Serpents, Golden Condors, and other aviary beasts of the Sky Floor. A horde of fiends from the rocketed out of the rift as well, together with many fiery beasts and roaring Molten Smanders that immediately charged their natural rivals, the Magma Dragons. A group of cier Wyrms also tunneled through the rift, leading packs of Frost Leopard and Sub-zero Bears as they attacked any dragon in sight. And a band of living nts burrowed into the soil as Giant Centipedes, Wind Mantises, and other predators of the Valley Floorshed out against the many dragons present.


    Apart from a few leading beasts, the majority of the beasts wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with the dragons on their own. But with the Flood Dragons not present on the battlefield, the sheer quantity of high-level beasts was enough to threaten the dragons on the battlefield.


    The gods were shocked and forced to be on guard as the leisure gods were immediately on the attack.


    As Tralbok retreated, Grixor hurried to defend the God of Time. Lyrun also arrived to boost Grixor¡¯s defenses and allow him to stand up to Moranti all the better.


    Moranti was unfazed, expecting such a thing to happen. But a sudden rush of energy poured over him as well. Recognizing the energy, Moranti quickly spotted Dragas, who was rushing to join her lover, forming a 2-v-3 situation.


    Two legendary gods surprisingly darted into the confused battlefield below. They pinpointed their targets and dove into them without mercy. Tyres lunged toward Jin as the samurai decapitated his original opponent with ease and Alcahain threw his fist toward the demon munching of Magma Dragon flesh.


    Perchet remained still in the air, as if the rest of the world didn¡¯t exist. He then sighed, shaking his head. "Must we do this?"


    Three men were surrounding the God of Sound, not backing up at all. Choron had his katana at the ready with a handful of ninja stars. Guuro held tightly to his staff, acting more focused than usual. Eedaj wielded his staff with a wary gaze.


    The Mind God replied, "I¡¯m sorry, Perchet. We don¡¯t want you getting interfering with the others. Would you mind joining us higher in the sky? Or must we force you?"


    The lv. 95 God of Sound nodded to those surrounding him. "I don¡¯t mind..."


    Those four started to rise higher and higher until they took to their battlefield above the clouds.


    Oosamughed, smiling at those targeting him. "Lunara, Rikko, and Lorwynn? What an interesting group..."


    "We don¡¯t want any funny business from you, so we¡¯re giving you special treatment," stated Lorwynn, preparing himself for his first true battle as a god.


    "Then follow me. I don¡¯t want anyone else trying to tag along..." Oosam sighed as he soared away, barely staying within sight of the original battlefield. His pursuers continued to chase, eventually surrounding the lv. 95 Illusion God to keep him from interfering with other battles.


    When Sillo and Sybin moved to follow Oosam and quickly end his opponents, they were both stopped by an unfamiliar skeleton. But when they tried to part ways and avoid the skeleton, the strange undead seemingly split in two and stopped each of them in their tracks.


    "I¡¯m Duorda, the former personal assistant to Daruun and current personal assistant to Jack. If you can best me, then I¡¯ll be excited to reward you," introduced the skeleton.


    "Only lv. 90? Please!" Silloughed.


    Sybin, on the other hand, was extremely cautious. After losing her life once, Sybin wouldn¡¯t take anyone easy, especially not someone as peculiar as Duorda. Seeing a lv. 90 skeleton was one thing but seeing it turn into two separate skeletons that were both lv. 90 verified how strange and unusual Duorda was.


    This left Kori and Bowzer to face the three newly ascended Quake Dragons. They kept the new gods from attacking Karronteel and closing the giant rift, letting Kori face a tag-team while Bowzer fought a single opponent.


    Torian had taken off the moment the first rift appeared. The Thundering God wasted no time as he rocketed toward the barrier protecting the nearby city. He hurled his own javelin of electricity, sure he could demolish such a thing.


    However, Just when the powerful bolt of lightning neared the barrier, it was suddenly dispersed and torn apart. As it vanished from sight, Torian snarled and caught a glimpse of Jack in his most powerful form active, supplied by four bloodlines.


    Jack wore a proud smile. He was very appreciative of the lv. 10panion bloodline skill. It allowed Jack to hold his transformations without wasting mana. The initial transformation process still cost some mana but only maintaining the me body would actively cost Jack mana now. He could wield the bloodlines as if they were his own, letting Jack save his mana for spells, skills, and more.


    "None shall pass..."


    "The elves must perish!" Torian roared,unching more and more javelins of condensed lightning as he reverted to his hybrid form.


    Jack roared also, unleashing a couple of Spectral res to diminish the lightning to nothing. "I move for no man!"


    "Don¡¯t think so little of me! I¡¯m the Thundering God, not a weak human!" Torian charged without hesitation, barreling toward Jack with cyclonic winds and lightning bolts dancing around him.


    "All the same to me!" Jackughed, throwing Spectral res ahead as he darted forward to meet Torian without fear.


    An explosion of incredible proportions sounded off as the attacks collided. Everyone, including each elf inside of Estonya, clearly heard the collision of attacks that could rival Halmut¡¯s and Moranti¡¯s duel not long ago.

 Chapter 600 Halmuts Gone Crazy???

    <h4>Chapter 600 Halmut¡°s Gone Crazy???</h4>


    "STERFEN!"


    Roars echoed throughout Olympic Chateau. Halmut¡¯s fury and rage filled the conference room with mes. The Sun God nearly smashed the viewing table in anger.


    "Where are you?! Sterfen?!" Halmut shouted at the table. He had carefully watched as the challenge took ce and an all-out fight between the gods broke out.


    When Perchet and Oosam backed away, Halmut was furious. Acting in such a way wasn¡¯t against their contracts nor was it even bad per se, but it left a bad taste in Halmut¡¯s mouth until he realized that those two were now stalling six gods. That thought made Halmut feel better about their decision and let him focus on other matchups.


    Seeing Moranti against Grixor, Lyrun, and Tralbok, Moranti was confident they would hold out against Moranti, if not im victory. The same went for Sillo and Sybin, though Halmut was curious to see how Duorda would face the Twin Gods three levels higher than him.


    Halmut was ted to see Alcahain and Tyres rush to finish off the strongest mortals below, forcing Jin and Hadurt to die before ascension. He also wanted to see them crush that mystery man in the roxite helmet, but that mystery man had made himself scarce the moment more monsters flooded the battlefield.


    Watching Kori and Bowzer fight the three new Quake Dragon gods was what Halmut liked least. His confidence in Kori¡¯s strength hadn¡¯t vanished, now bing woe as Kori was Halmut¡¯s full-fledged opponent and had once again ascended to lv. 91. Though Karronteel was busy with the massive spatial rift at the moment, soon he would be free to join the fight and would leave Kori to overwhelm a lone Quake Dragon with ease. And there was also no telling how strong Karronteel would be after having evolved for his fourth and final time. If he was anything like Moranti, then Karronteel along would be able to deal with those three Quake Dragons.


    Only one fight seemed like it could go either way. Halmut would pay close attention to Jack in his fight with Torian. Torian was the fastest of all gods, even arguably faster than Halmut now that he was lv. 98. His reflexes and agile body would make it incredibly difficult for Jack to properly execute Cerebral Copse, taking away Jack¡¯s cheat.


    But one thought made itself ringly obvious. Where was Sterfen?


    After realizing that the Leisure Gods were effectively holding their own without Sterfen¡¯s appearance wasn¡¯t a good sign. And that could mean two things. Either Sterfen was waiting for the right moment to strike and assassinate one of the gods or he was busy with something else.


    Being busy didn¡¯t seem probable with such an impactful event taking ce. But that logic felt weaker with each passing second.


    In the past, Sterfen had proven his abilities to fight on the battlefield. His addition to any of these fights could end them immediately. Yet why wasn¡¯t he there fighting? Shouldn¡¯t he have attacked by now? Wouldn¡¯t Sterfen target Tralbok or Grixor to free Moranti and overwhelm the other legendary gods?


    The more Halmut thought about it, the worse he felt. This resulted in Halmut¡¯s explosive anger torching the entire conference room.


    "STERFEN!" Halmut roared again, covering every inch of the conference room in his multicolored mes. The Sun God even took out items to burn throughout the room, making sure that entering and doing anything in that conference room would be impossible for Sterfen without making himself known.


    "Right... I need to calm down..." Abruptly, Halmut stopped breathing fire and took out another handful of mutlicolored crystals. He began absorbing their energies gradually, letting the rushing feeling calm him down and bring him ever closer to ascension. "Almost... I¡¯m almost there... You¡¯re right..."


    The golden dragon slowed his breathing and focused on the many fights at hand. He liked to zoom out across the giant table and watch as many fights as would fit on the screen.


    *****


    Fighting his first real dragon, Bowzer was as emotional as ever. His rage fueled his ck mes to the utmost. The towering me body outgrew the Quake Dragon and bit into the dragon¡¯s hide.


    Roaring in pain and fury, the Quake Dragon bit back and tore into Bowzer¡¯s weakened defenses.


    "Bowzer!"


    Suddenly, the Quake Dragon was kicked and forced aside, freeing it from Bowzer¡¯s jaws and free Bowzer from the Quake Dragon¡¯s attacks. Kori, in his hybrid form, resoundingly pped Bowzer across the face. "Wake up! Victory means nothing if you¡¯re destroyed in the process! Do you want to lose an arm like me?!"


    "No!" shouted Bowzer, shrinking to his hybrid form.


    "Then think! Use your rage and anger properly!" Kori reprimanded his son, leaping back into his fight against the other two Quake Dragons. Rather than seek an immediate end, the father proudly watched his son and hope for Bowzer to im his first victory as a god, ready to protect him should things get worse.


    Bowzer blinked and focused briefly on the pain he felt in his cheek, then on the bleeding bit wound on his shoulder. Taking his father¡¯s words to heart, Bowzer charged into his opponent again. This time he kept his hybrid form and tried to mimic his father¡¯s fighting style, being flexible and agile to evade while punishing his opponent with every open opportunity.


    The Quake Dragon snarled as it reinforced its hide with more earth energy to create armor. Spikes emerged as it tackled toward Bowzer mercilessly, eager to exchange blows with its more powerful defenses.


    Keeping the bitemark in mind, Bowzer sidestepped the charge and wed into the Quake Dragon¡¯s side. It wasn¡¯t as powerful as the bite attack from earlier but Bowzer couldn¡¯t deny it being more efficient. The same exchange happened one more time as the Quake Dragon tested Bowzer¡¯s temperament.


    Noting that Bowzer was fighting calmer than ever, the Quake Dragon took a deep breath and reverted to his own hybrid form. Though its defenses weren¡¯t as perfect as his full dragon form, now the Quake Dragon¡¯s bnce of attack, defense, and speed was to be more feared, forcing the battle to changepletely.

 Chapter 601 Interrupting a Duel of Swordsmen

    <h4>Chapter 601 Interrupting a Duel of Swordsmen</h4>


    On the ground, there was one battlefield that even the dragons didn¡¯t want to be a part of. They simply ignored Tyres¡¯s charge on the multi-armed samurai, giving them space and not wanting to get caught up in their attacks.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Jin?" taunted the Sword God. "Aren¡¯t you d that I¡¯m fighting your fair and square?"


    Jin wasser-focused, not giving up a single moment of opportunity and keeping his defenses tight. He was focused on evasion due to the level gap with asional parries.


    "Is this all you¡¯ve got? By the look of your arms, they seem more solid yet they¡¯re weaker? How pitiful..."


    The taunts came one after another but Jin didn¡¯t sway from his thoughts. Once Tyres showed his first moment of overconfidence, Jinshed out with everything he had. Twin strikes with six arms each arched toward the Sword God as Jin showed no hesitation in his match with a god three levels higher than himself.


    But Tyres¡¯s swords rushed back in defense. His speed was incredible, making use of his superior level to the maximum.


    "Not bad... You¡¯re stronger than I would¡¯ve expected as a mortal..." Tyres stated, genuinely startled to see Jin so powerful. "How are you growing stronger as your level worsens?"


    "Time, effort, and loyalty," replied Jin, stepping back and readying himself for the next round. "Things you¡¯ve always failed to understand..."


    "Don¡¯t question my effort!" Tyres threw two thundering shes at the samurai, which Jin effectively evaded.


    "After stealing my techniques you¡¯ve only grown more impatient. First, you ignore your teachings and master and then you perverted them..." Jin sighed, disgust riddling his face. "You¡¯re the worst pupil anyone could ask for..."


    "Then beat me already!" Tyres shouted with a smile.


    The Sword God lunged forward, wielding both long swords with precision to knock back the former God of Discipline. Both attacked again but Jin pulled back to defend instead.


    "With long swords, I have more reach, more power, and more versatility. What I¡¯ve created is the epitome of sword styles!"


    "Then why am I still alive? How have you failed to kill me time and time again? Answer me that?"


    "I¡¯m also alive, so don¡¯t--"


    "Only due to your allies!" Jin shouted, lunging forward with a loaded, eight-armed strike.


    Both swordsmen carved through the earth they stood on and the air around them. Anything within reach was eventually shed as they shed over and over again. But Jin kept his defensive mindset, proving that he couldn¡¯t currently ovee his former pupil.


    "Then let me kill you here! If you let me, then maybe I¡¯ll call you master one more time!"


    The heavy longswords shed onto Jin¡¯s katanas, defending with six-arms for each strike. Sadly, Jin felt the ground beneath his feet giving way. He was pushed back, receiving some electrical damage as he regained his footing a few meters back.


    "So long, Sensei!"


    Tyres bolted forward with relentless speed and determination. Just as Jin was regaining his footing, Tyres was already in the middle of his next attack. The speed of the Sword God was stupendous and undeniable. He instantly threatened to steal Jin¡¯s life and end their long time feud.


    Yet just before Tyresnded his attack, he changed course and stepped to the side. Jin was baffled for a moment until he too spotted the cause.


    A rapier coated in lightning, wind, and space energies was thrust forward. Had Tyres not evaded the surprise attack, the rapier was on target to cleanly stab through the Sword God¡¯s heart. He may be a god but Tyres wasn¡¯t unkible.


    "You... Who are you? You must be a follower of mine, with such swordsmanship," stated Tyres, backing off slightly. When the mysterious man in the helmet kept quiet, Tyres added, "Why not pledge to me? I¡¯ll teach you the ultimate techniques and will give you--"


    Before Tyres could finish his sentence, he backed up again. The rapier¡¯s lunge grew even closer that time. It was evidence of the swordsman¡¯s temperament and his strength of character.


    "This is my fight!" shouted Jin, unhappy with the unexpected interference. "I¡¯ll defeat him on my--"


    As if responding to Jin with his actions, the mystery man darted forward and continued his attacks against the Sword God. Hepletely ignored Jin¡¯s statements and showed no interest in the samurai. All the man wanted was to attack Tyres with everything he had.


    "Then die with him!" argued Tyres, not liking the idea of two world-ss swordsmen against him like this. Though they were mortals, Tyres still never liked facing more than one person at a time.


    For a moment, Jin quieted down and watched the man¡¯s sword strikes. They seemed predictable yet they were nearly too quick to evade. It was eye-opening for jin to witness such swordsmanship keeping Tyres on his toes.


    While Jin internally praised the newbatant, Tyres despised the man to the same extent. For thousands of years, Tyres had imed to be the Sword God as the fastest sword across Kartonia. Though Jin had his moments, Tryes¡¯s affinity for lightning and wind allowed him to argue that over Jin. Yet here was an unknown ancient hero wielding space magic along with lightning and wind energies. He was no god but his speed was already nearing Tyres and forcing the Sword God to take this seriously.


    Just as Tyres was about to counter the rapier¡¯s thrust, the sword suddenly vanished, leaving Tyres and Jin in a daze. Tyres managed to back up and avoid taking a critical blow but he failed to keep the mystery swordsman from drawing blood.


    A shallow wound was created just over Tyres¡¯s heart. It was startling but it was proof that the swordsman was to be feared, even as a mortal.


    "Too slow..."


    A distorted voice calmly mumbled as the mystery man spoke his first words. Both Jin and Tyres were speechless for a moment as the man¡¯s style waspletely different from theirs. Rather than focus onbos and forcefully creating openings, this man would dash and evade all iing attacks like child¡¯s y until he got close enough to go for killing blows. The man¡¯s fighting style was elegant yet cruel, seeking to im the lives of opponents with merciless, one-hit-kill strikes.

 Chapter 602 Ascension of Two Gods

    <h4>Chapter 602 Ascension of Two Gods</h4>


    While Tyres stepped aside from his usual cockiness and began to take his fights more seriously, there was one other fight that the beasts on the battlefield avoided.


    The sh of Alcahain against his former pupil, Hadurt, had already begun scarring the battlefield itself. Charred earth... Craters of rubble... Whether it was Hadurt or Alcahain, each of them wielded devastating power with each rampaging strike.


    "You¡¯re doing better thanst time,"ughed Alcahain.


    Hadurt shouted with a chuckle, "Thanks! Maybe I¡¯ll manage to beat you yet."


    "In your dreams!"


    As earth energy condensed around Alcahain¡¯s gauntlets, static electricity filled the air. The Brawler God picked up the pace and hurled another barrage of punches toward Hadurt.


    In defense, Hadurt wielded his demonic halberd. As each punch neared him, Hadurt maintained an aura of fire, lightning, and wind all around him. Using wind to increase the ferocity of his mes and lightning to increase his evasiveness, Hadurt was daring Alcahain to fullymit to a knock-out punch.


    At one end of the clearing, the rush of beasts from the spatial rift slowed. However, people were now charging out in ce of the many beasts. Karronteel was relieved to see this, knowing that he¡¯d be able to close the rift in a few moments.


    Humans made up a majority of thest-arrivingbatants but greis elves were also intermingled in the chaos. The Beholders charged alongside the greis elves, their newest friends and caretakers. Together, this calvary of sorts charged in without fear.


    While the Minokawas and the many beasts of the Sky Floor rushed to aid Phoro with the Storm Dragons, Argyle and Dradich led many familiar faces to aid Dragov. Almost the entire battlefield was a chaotic mess of blood, but it was easy to find the behemoth Draconic Centipede and the speeding Minokawa.


    With help arriving, Dragov prepared for the next part of the n.


    ¡¯Hadurt, Jin, can you cover for us?¡¯


    ¡¯What are you talking about Dragov?!¡¯ Hadurt shouted telepathically. ¡¯I¡¯ve got my hands full.¡¯


    ¡¯So will we but we¡¯ll need you two to keep Alcahain and Tyres from getting to us,¡¯ replied Dragov.


    Phoro added, ¡¯We¡¯ll be quick, so thanks!¡¯


    Jin spoke up next, startled, ¡¯You¡¯ve already gathered enough...¡¯


    The Samurai nced to the side and gave up his thought. He sighed andughingly cursed Jack for letting the two beasts ascend first.


    Phoro was zooming through the air with Strom Dragons on his tail. But now that his fellow Minokawas were there with help of dozens of other beasts, Phoro rushed toward Dragov with reckless abandon. Startling many, Phoro crashed into Dragov¡¯s neck without mercy,nding a powerful Wind de attack.


    CRACK!


    The sound of ss shattering caught those nearby off guard. There were some fragments of ss and metal falling from where Phoro had collided with Dragov.


    "RRRRROOOOOOOOOAAAARRR!!!"


    Dragov¡¯s sudden cry billowed and rmed all people within a few kilometers. Earth energy began to seep out of Dragov faster than blood from a lethal wound. The abundance of earth energy being emitted by the centipede was unfathomable to any mortal on the battlefield. But the nearby gods instantly recognized what was happening.


    "Impossible!" Grixor roared, ring at the massive centipede. "He can¡¯t--"


    Moranti¡¯s scythe cut-in, nearly taking off Grixor¡¯s arm for a second time as the Earthen God was shielded by Lyrun¡¯s spell.


    Moranti smiled wide, proving how devilish he could be. "You¡¯re busy with me. I wouldn¡¯t rmend losing focus!"


    Unable to step away, Grixor roared, "Tralbok, find someone to get that centipede!"


    "And the Minokawa."


    "What?!" Grixor nced back to Lyrun and then to the battlefield below. He gritted his teeth as the Minokawa began to release a vast amount of wind energy and entered Dragov¡¯s giant maw for protection.


    Due to Dragov¡¯s size, he was impossible to guardpletely. But Argyle and Dradich worked with Jack¡¯s party, guild leaders, and Jack¡¯s wives to keep the stronger opponents at bay. The leftover earth mana then worked as a natural shield against weaker attacks, letting Dragov begin his ascension in peace while Phoro did the same inside the centipede¡¯s mouth.


    "EXP braces..." Lyrun stated, ncing at Jack. "I didn¡¯t expect to see such itemse in handy after all this time..."


    "So that¡¯s their n," Tralbok sighed. He took out a contact crystal while bing Grixor¡¯s second support. "Tyres, hurry up and kill that thing!"


    "I¡¯m busy..."


    "What did you--"


    "I¡¯m busy down here. Jin and that swordsman have me upied and this swordsman is fast enough to catch me," admitted Tyres. "Now, I must fight."


    As Tyres ended the connection, Tralbok shouted, "Alcahain, you¡¯d better--"


    "I can try but no promises! He¡¯s faster, so that won¡¯t work well..."


    The Brawler God gave Tralbok even less time, ending the conversation quickly and returning his focus to Hadurt.


    "Sillo, Sybin! Take out that centipede!" ordered Tralbok.


    Sybin was the first to respond, "We can¡¯t..."


    "We..."


    "What is it, Sillo?!"


    "Hello? Sorry, but I¡¯ve got your Twin Mage Gods upied. You should search for another volunteer," stated an unfamiliar voice, leaving Tralbok speechless and frustrated as the connection was lost.


    Tralbok red at the Twin Gods and shouted, "Hurry up already!" The God of Time quickly reverted to offense and charged Moranti, gaining a slight advantage together with Grixor.


    Not far from that 2-v-3 of the strongest gods was the 2-v-1 of the Twin Gods and their two-faced opponent. Sillo was furious as Duorda crushed and destroyed his contact crystal


    "Don¡¯t look at me like that! You left yourself open and I showed why you should never get distracted against an unknown opponent," Duorda stated loudly. "If you want it back,e gather the rubble. Prove to me that you deserve acknowledgment!¡¯


    Shouting in anger, Sillo created a slew of magical weapons in the air around him. Icy tridents, lightningnces, earthen spikes, holy swords, and dark sabers took form andunched themselves at the ck, energy-draining skeleton.


    Sybin wasn¡¯t too far away, standing in front of Duorda¡¯s white half brimming with vitality. She was hesitant to make her next move as the white skeleton asked, "Are you okay?"

 Chapter 603 Duorda’s Offer to Sybin and Kori’s Revenge

    <h4>Chapter 603 Duorda¡¯s Offer to Sybin and Kori¡¯s Revenge</h4>


    "Are you okay?"


    "What right do you have to ask me that?" questioned Sybin. She had holy, dark, and nature energies shielding her, as well as wind and fire energies forming fireballs.


    "You¡¯re energy is too erratic and unusual... Were you the one that Halmut revived using faux-ore?" asked Duorda, sensing the woman¡¯s hesitation. When she flinched, he instantly understood the situation. "If you use too much energy, you¡¯re going to die."


    "Why should I--"


    "I¡¯m just being honest with you. Unlike your brother, you¡¯re more calm and calcting. That might be due to your new understanding of death but it shows character. We¡¯re only enemies by circumstance. If you were on our side, then I¡¯d be able to fix your irregr energy flow."


    Sybin opened her mouth but she failed to reply. A moment passed as Duorda casually and slowly stepped toward Sybin.


    "Don¡¯t listen to him! Just kill him!" shouted Sillo.


    Brought back to the moment, Sybin created a ming cyclone filled to the brim with fire and wind energy.


    "I wouldn¡¯t mind helping you out. I think Daruun would greatly appreciate having someone so skilled working with us."


    "Daruun? What¡¯s so great about him?" asked Sybin.


    "So you don¡¯t know?" Daruun sighed. "Daruun is far more powerful and important than you realize. I suppose Halmut and Skaryn never exined that, did they?"


    "If you won¡¯t tell me why I should listen to you, then we¡¯re wasting time!"


    Sybin threw the cyclone at the white skeleton, fully epassing it in mes. She watched as the walking skeleton caught fire and began to burn away. But then the bones began to grow back.


    "This is a great attack, but not enough to reduce me to ash. If you were a Hell-me Fox, then you¡¯d have a chance with enough practice. A Magma Dragon might get close, but they wouldn¡¯t be able to stop my regeneration," admitted Duorda, still casually walking through the mes.


    "I¡¯m willing to help you. Would you want help or would you prefer death? That¡¯s what will happen if you use up all that false energy you¡¯ve been given. Doesn¡¯t it feel foreign to you? Doesn¡¯t it sting to wield?"


    "Shut up!"


    Increase the size of the mes and the force of the winds, Sybin hurled holy swords and dark sabers into the cyclone as well. All the attacks shed against Duorda¡¯s body, chipping away at it bit by bit. But the skeleton kept walking closer and closer, focusing his energy on self-healing in ce of attacks.


    "I¡¯m willing to give your brother a chance as well," added Duorda, now only a few meters away. "You two will be better cherished by Daruun than by Halmut. He¡¯s merely using you till you break, and your half-revival is proof of that."


    "Half-revival..." Sybin mentioned, unable to get Duorda¡¯s words out of her mind.


    Just as the skeleton had guessed, Sybin would now feel pain whenever she wielded magic. It was very faint and easily ignored, at least until she wielded massive amounts of energy or went through a dragged out fight. The more energy she used without rest, the more painful it was. It felt like needles were constantlying in and out of her pores with every spell, like the energy contained inside her wasn¡¯t recognized as her own.


    "You can whisper it..."


    Sybin blinked. Swallowing some saliva, Sybin created a hurricane of mes around them both.


    "Sybin!" Sillo screamed, terrified of losing his only family yet again.


    But whenever he attempted to near Sybin, Sillo was held back by Duorda¡¯s deathly half. No matter what Sillo tried Duorda would simply tank the blow and then steal some life from Sillo to heal himself. It was unlike any other opponent that Sillo had ever faced. And with the other half being trapped inside a ming hurricane with Sybin, Sillo feared the worst yet again.


    "Sorry, but I¡¯m busy..."


    "I¡¯ve got my hands full."


    Both Oosam and Perchet gave one-line replies to Tralbok, infuriating the God of Time.


    "Just go yourself!" shouted Lyrun. "Let Grixor and I take things here. Now go!"


    Agreeing with Lyrun and being inwardly happy to leave the fight with Moranti, Tralbok stormed off. He made sure to keep the amulet Halmut had gifted him tightly in his hands. Tralbok was waiting for Sterfen to make his move.


    "Not so fast!"


    "You¡¯re my opponent!"


    Moranti tried to square off with Tralbok but Grixor charged toward Dragas while Lyrun covered Tralbok in a green barrier. Their n worked without a hitch as Moranti teleported back in defense of Dragas.


    Free and clear, Tralbok zipped through the air without fear of his next opponents. Wind brushed against his body as preemptive wind des were made with each hand.


    Out of nowhere, Tralbok halted and rushed backward a few meters. A sudden explosion of ck me almost engulfed Tralbok entirely but the god evaded it with the help of time magic.


    "Kori... This time, you¡¯re not strong enough--"


    "Defend yourself and die!" howled the Fox God, charging Tralbok with a swarm of ck fireballs.


    "I thought you were protecting your boy? He¡¯s not strong enough to--"


    "Karronteel and he make a devastating team, so I¡¯ll let them have the small fry," stated Kori with ck fire escaping the corners of his eyes. "I want you for myself... I still owe you for attempting to kill my son..."


    "Can¡¯t we just forget such idents? I¡¯m busy right now--"


    "Then die! No need to defend yourself if you want to make this fast!"


    "Then I¡¯ll kill you first, you under-leveled mutt!"


    Tralbok turned around to face Kori head-on. Though the fox¡¯s mes were formidable, having a six-level advantage was enough to give Tralbok confidence.


    A wind de and a ck fireball collided to create a turbulent explosion, proving that Tralbok could ovee the mes with caution. With proof to back up his confidence, Tralbok kept his eyes on the Hell-me Fox and shrouded them in their own personal tornado.


    Both the Fox God and the God of Time were out for blood.

 Chapter 604 Jack vs Torian

    <h4>Chapter 604 Jack vs Torian</h4>


    More explosions of lightning and fire rang out above Estonya. Jack and Torian chased each other around the outside of the barrier as Jack wouldn¡¯t allow a single bolt of lightning to get past him.


    Torian was fuming mad. epting and losing such a challenge as earlier was disgrace enough and now he couldn¡¯t even get past a god that had ascended days ago.


    "What¡¯s on your mind?" asked Jack, teasing the Thundering God. "I¡¯m really lv. 91, I promise."


    "Liar!"


    Torian threw another round of lightning bolts, scattering them across half the city. Yet multiple Jack¡¯s appeared everywhere, throwing spectral res in defense.


    "The best defense is a great offense, at least that¡¯s what I¡¯ve heard," Jackughed. "For that reason, It¡¯s my turn!"


    Jack suddenly appeared before Torian, fearlessly swinging his scythe-like ws toward the Storm Dragon¡¯s neck. But Torian roared and swatted at Jack¡¯s ws with his tail. At the same time, however, Torian felt a few fingers touch the top of his head. The Thundering God immediately retreated at his greatest speed and climbed higher into the sky.


    "Coward!" Jack shouted, pursuing Torian.


    But the moment Torian disappeared through the clouds, lightning bolts showered down upon the barrier. This forced Jack back onto defense as more and more lightning bolts fell from the sky without end.


    This took ce for a few seconds until Torian rushed back down in retreat from another copy of Jack.


    Again, fingers touched the Storm Dragon¡¯s head but he refused to offer Jack a clean opportunity to perform cerebral copse. The constant shift from offense to defense was unusual but necessary in their situation.


    "Want to settle this like men?" questioned Jack.


    "And how would that be?"


    "Ha! You are a man, therefore, you¡¯re not allowed to pass!"


    Six copies of Jack appeared and surround Torian from all sides. The Thundering God emitted a powerful pulse of electricity to eliminate the fakes but was stunned to find them all as fake. Jack was nowhere to be found.


    "You¡¯re the coward!" ndered Torian, covering all surroundings in a vast of electricity.


    Torian then felt another touch on his head but didn¡¯t flee this time. His flexible tail whipped around at full speed to dismember the arm that dared attempt such a trick. Blood spilled as an image of Jack appeared and started to fade out after losing an arm.


    "Hey!"


    Torian looked back to his front, finding an image of Jack ready to unleash a spectral re in Torian¡¯s face. The Storm Dragon roared and readied lightning to counter-attack but was suddenly ovee with a familiar feeling.


    The true Jack, which was hiding behind the fake that lost an arm, plunged his ws into the base of Torian¡¯s tail. Before blood could spill out, Jack teleported them both away from the city and its protective barrier. They reappeared in the sky high above the Prehistoric Forest of Korten.


    "You!"


    Jack instantly retracted his ws in the most painful way possible. His thinner-than-razor ws cut themselves out of the tail as Jack backed away with a snicker. "Now, we can fight!"


    "I¡¯ll disembowel you and cause your wives eternal suffering!" Torian roared, retrieving a potion vial and chomping down on it as if the ss was nothing to his digestive system.


    As the wound on his tail healed, Torian rocketed into Jack as he trapped them both inside a twister filled with lightning javelins. In response, Jack flooded the entire space with dense purple energy. While Jack was evading the countless bolts of lightning, Torian felt as if he was swimming through the thick energy and was greatly slowed.


    For Jack, there was only one thought on his mind.


    The moment Phoro and Dragov finished their ascension, Jack was then be a lv. 93 and could more confidently overwhelm Torian. The hero could keep up and force Torian to struggle but the disparity in level wasn¡¯t so easily conquered. By leveling up, Jack would best guarantee his sess. All he had to do was stall and drag everything out until then, believing in his fellow leisure gods and that they would ask for help if needed.


    "I¡¯m tired of your games!" roared Torian. "This is why we never bothered making Eedaj one of us, or Rikko. All you cowards can do is drag out fights and helplessly struggle against your opponents. If you want to kill me, then prove my disbelief wrong!"


    Thunder pped as obscenelyrge bolts of lightning fell from the sky and covered the entire twister, hitting Torian as well.


    Jack unleashed a plume of spectral res all around him, letting the attacks sh and forcibly cancel each other out. He also made sure to spit a few toward Torian. The Storm Dragon was going to get away with harming Jack for free.


    Both of them finally took substantial damage but there was a clear difference between their levels of endurance. While Torian shrugged and shook the pain of the explosive mes, Jack hid his deep breaths in madughter. Jack smiled wide and allowed Torian to understand the seriousness in Jack¡¯s eyes. The hero then faded as if it were never the true Jack after all.


    "I¡¯m out here if you¡¯re curious!"


    Torian snarled and dispersed the twister to spot Jack standing in the air just outside of the cyclone¡¯s limits.


    What Torian didn¡¯t know was that Jack was putting on a front. Jack was still more than able to fight but he had indeed taken damage from that barrage of lightning. By pretending to have evaded the attack, though, Jack would be able to keep Torian from possibly trying that again or from attacking recklessly. Thest thing that Jack wanted was for Torian to get reckless and abandon defense. It would give Jack a chance to fatally injure the Strom Dragon but it would lead to himself also getting fatally injured. And all Jack wanted was time.


    "Want to make things interesting?" Jack asked,ughing with a raised eyebrow.

 Chapter 605 Twin Mage Gods vs Yin-Yang Death Knigh

    <h4>Chapter 605 Twin Mage Gods vs Yin-Yang Death Knigh</h4>


    Sillo gritted his teeth. He continued to hammer his skeletal opponent with spell after spell.


    "You¡¯re too hot-headed. If you were more cautious like your sister, then you¡¯d be more forbiddable," stated Duorda, carving through holy swords and dark sabers with his long, sickly bone sickle.


    "Shut up!"


    "If I do that, you¡¯ll never learn. You don¡¯t want your sister outgrowing you, right? You don¡¯t want her surpassing you and never needing your help?"


    "SHUT UP!"


    "Listen! I¡¯m trying to help you."


    A web of lightning materialized around them, keeping Sillo at the center and offering Duorda no chance to escape.


    "This again?" Duorda sighed.


    "You can¡¯t--"


    "I told you, this is useless! Your mana control is too sloppy to contain me..."


    Shaking his head, Duorda began to emit specs of white light, fading in and out of existence. Those tinges of white energy weren¡¯t bright but they were easy to spot amidst the ck energy forever shrouding the ck skeleton.


    Whenever the lightning moved to entangle and paralyze the skeleton, it seemingly parted and coursed around Duorda like it momentarily phased out of reality. The electricity was broken down into specs to match the white energy until it passed over Duorda and reconnected on the other side of the skeleton.


    "IMPOSSIBLE!" shouted Sillo, refusing to believe his eyes yet again.


    "Like I said, you¡¯re sloppy..." Duorda sighed, stepping toward Sillo with haste. "Your potential is more than decent yet your trivial perspective of power limits you. How sad..."


    Pouring more energy into the web of lightning, Sillo tensed up and shouted at the top of his lungs. His battle cry filled the area as darkness surrounded the entire web of lightning and left thepatants unable to see the other matches. Sillo took onest nce at the ming cyclone encircling his sister and let himself fade into the shadowy world he created.


    Duorda clicked his tongue. "That¡¯s all you¡¯ve got? Your control is getting worse by the second... A poor habit for any cosmician..."


    "Shut-"


    Effortlessly, Duorda swung his sickle and hurled a wave of energy so ck that it stood out within the darkness. It found it¡¯s target without trouble, keeping Sillo from finishing his yell and forcibly ending the Mage God¡¯s focus.


    As blood trickled from Sillo¡¯s chest, the shadows began to die down and fade as quickly as they had taken shape.


    "Was that all you¡¯ve got?" questioned Duorda.


    "You¡¯ve no right to defeat me!" Sillo¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, refusing to ept the reality of the fight. "You¡¯re lv. 90! Even if you could fight me, there¡¯s no way you¡¯re more powerful than me!"


    "Our mana supplies are nearly identical, can¡¯t you see that?" Duorda tilted his head to the side in disbelief and disappointment. "Can¡¯t you at least do that much?"


    "You couldn¡¯t--"


    "I¡¯ve been telling you this whole time why this is too easy. Your energy control is atrocious and too wild for practical use. Apart from facing a savage, ignorant beast, I see no other applications for your attacks and style of fighting," exined Duorda. "I told you, allow me to teach you true control. Pull that off, and one day you may beat me yet."


    "Enough! I refuse to believe this!"


    All five of Sillo¡¯s energy types gathered around him in the blink of an eye. Sillo¡¯s body was almost contorting out of frustration as his body tensed up over and over. Dark, holy, fire, water, and lightning energy swarmed around him and fought to get closer and closer to their controller¡¯s skin. As the energies condensed, energies would asionally blend together through sheer force.


    "That¡¯s better, but now you¡¯re fullymitted to a savage style of control," Duorda admitted with the shake of his skull. "You¡¯ll only make this easier..."


    "Just die already! DIE!"


    Both of Sillo¡¯s arms extended forward. One arm contained two swirling energies, dark and holy, spewing the raw energy in a streamlined attack of condensed energy. The other twirled fire, water, and lightning as all three were forced into spheres and littered the area around Duorda before exploding.


    The steam explosions were filled with electricity and left little to the imagination as to how much damage they caused. The speedy stream of holy and dark energy carved through the explosions without rest, expending more energy than Sillo bothered to realize while absorbed in rage.


    "Really? That¡¯s all?"


    The smug face of Sillo¡¯s face finally quivered, but not even for a second. He saw the vapor disperse and reveal apletely untouched skeleton, unmoved by any of the attacks or explosions.


    "The concept of your attack is quite good, but your execution is utter garbage," Duorda lectured. "Throw another explosion and I¡¯ll show you properly how to defuse them. Oh, they¡¯re done!"


    Finally, Duorda showed some excitement, turning to the ming cyclone not far away.


    Sillo nced as well, understanding what Duorda meant. And the excitement in Duorda¡¯s voice caused Sillo¡¯s heart to sink.


    The mes began to dwindle. They stopped hiding thebatants within, which nearly sent Sillo into a heart attack. Seeing his sister run through by the long white sickle was startling for him. As the white skeleton carefully removed the sword from Sybin¡¯s chest, the bone shield vanished and Duorda¡¯s white half caught Sybin tenderly. Without a word, the white death knight stored the fresh corpse in his storage and turned to Sillo.


    "You want to always be with your sister, right?"


    Sillo didn¡¯t answer. His jaw was clenched too tightly for Sillo to respond or consider speaking up.


    "I can make that happen now. You have my promise," stated the white skeleton. "Now, will consider listening for once? I¡¯d hate to see your potential wasted under Halmut¡¯s terrible care and training. He¡¯s taught you nothing about the basics..."


    "... You..." Sillo managed to barely open his jaw. "You... killed her... You killed... MY LITTLE SISTER!"


    "Prove to me that you¡¯re worth teaching," the ck skeleton added, holding his sickle forward with therge shield in his other hand. Duorda¡¯s white half began circling to the other side of Sillo. But he didn¡¯t prepare for battle. "One of me is enough for you. Prove to be as capable as your sister and you won¡¯t regret it."

 Chapter 606 Developments of Divine Duels

    <h4>Chapter 606 Developments of Divine Duels</h4>


    "Don¡¯t get distracted, Grixor!"


    The mighty Earthen God turned his nce back to the fight at hand, unable to stop frowning after seeing Sybin killed and Sillo in a futile fight. His aura of earth energy continued to condense and Grixor showed his fangs in a frightening roar.


    "Shut up, Grixor. If you can beat me, then hurry up and make it happen!"ughed Moranti, constantly throwing attack after attack into the defensive god.


    Though Moranti was unable to pierce Grixor¡¯s defenses, cracks were made with each swing of Moranti¡¯s scythe. With one god focused purely on DPS and the other specializing in defense, it was a rare sight to see.


    Suddenly, Moranti frowned and teleported away. "I¡¯ll warn you again, don¡¯t touch her!"


    A twenty-meter wide sh of spatial energy arched toward Lyrun without mercy. The Elf God was forced back as Moranti reappeared at his side and swatted away Lyrun while he sheltered himself in a ball of green energy.


    "I¡¯m just trying to end this sooner," argued Lyrun, shaking his head. "Don¡¯t me me for using viable tactics."


    "The next time you try, you die. You can forget all past friendship if that happens," Moranti stated, leaving nothing to his opponents¡¯ imagination.


    Grixor roared, "Not a bad idea! Let me try!"


    Moranti divided his attention, constantly vanishing and reappearing to face both the lv. 98 Earthen God and the lv. 97 Elf God. Dragas¡¯s many buffs greatly boosted his abilities, but that was partially countered by Lyrun who had removed most of the debuffs that Dragas had created for Grixor and Lyrun. Their grudge match was picking up steam and beginning to get more emotional than anticipated.


    Another match taking ce over the battlefield of mortals was between the Fox God and the God of Time. The lv. 97 mage with mastery over time and wind magics sought the life of the lv. 91 beast of hell-fire, who also wished to im the life of his opponent. Both were tricky opponents in their own right.


    However, onebatant began to stick out quite quickly.


    "Try harder, Kori!" Tralbok chuckled.


    The Fox God snarled and rushed after the mage. Kori spat out a dozen hell res, cutting off Tralbok routes of evasion and trying to force a head-on collision.


    But Tralbok¡¯s wind des would preemptively destroy the hell res and redirect the explosions. His use of time magic allowed Tralbok to make the tiniest moment of an opening into the perfect window of opportunity. All Tralbok need to escape the path of the fireballs was a fraction of a second, something he could make for himself now that Kori¡¯s level had diminished and his own level had increased.


    "Coward!" howled Kori.


    Smiling to himself, Tralbok suddenly flipped around and charged toward the fox. Tralbok¡¯s speed sharply increased and his staff was pointed forward as wind energy gathered to a point around it. Effectively, Tralbok had turned himself into a speeding projectile. But adding time magic to the attack made it nigh unguardable.


    To Kori, the sight was as if Tralbok was was in a movie scene moving frame by frame but had removed half of the frames. Before Kori could properly react, Tralbok flew past him with heartyughter.


    "Try harder, Kori! I wonder how many more seconds you can squeeze out of your life!"


    The Fox God bared his teeth but said nothing. Kori increased the temperature of his mes to the absolute maximum. He didn¡¯t care about energy expenditure or the blood falling from his severed tail in Tralbok¡¯s hand. All Kori wanted was to stop Tralbok from ruining the n. That¡¯s all that mattered.


    *****


    "Want to make things interesting?" Jackughed but no response came. "Why are we holding back? We should just get this over with, right?"


    Not giving Torian any time to think, a figure of Jack appeared with his hands in range of threatening Torian¡¯s skull. When the Storm Dragonshed out in retaliation, the image became ethereal and wasn¡¯t affected by Torian¡¯s lightning covered ws.


    A second image appeared as well. Then a third. Before Torian could blink, there were three copies of Jack rushing to put a hand on him.


    "Enough!" Torain roared, covering himself in shocking amounts of electricity and electrocuting anything that dared get too close. All three images of Jack were vaporized, leaving the distant smiling image of Jack alone.


    CHOMP!


    Just as Torian was about to counterattack, he felt the painful crunch of his scales and hot breath invading into his shoulder and neck. The Thundering God increased the outage he emitted andshed out with his tail. Though Torian managed to run through the chest of that Jack, he was unable to stun the transformed hero and failed to stop Jack¡¯s immediate attack.


    "AAAAAAAAAHHHH!"


    Torian cried and shouted in agony as purple and ck mes entered his body and exploded from within.


    After unleashing a single spectral re, Jack backed off with heavy breathing. The distant image of Jack smiling faded away as blood spilled from Jack¡¯s open gut. "Ow..." The hero grunted and groaned, not hiding the pain he felt. "How about... we call it a draw?"


    "INFIDEL!"


    Torian chomped down on another three potions and rushed toward the retreating Jack with unbridled fury.


    ncing toward Estonya, Jack groaned as he flew off into the sky and headed further north toward the Polt Federation. But that didn¡¯t¡¯ stop Torian, who was hot on Jack¡¯s trail and gradually overtaking him.


    "COWARD! FACE REALITY AND DIE PEACEFULLY!" the roars of the raging Storm Dragon spread for kilometers as Torian refused to hide his anger from the world.


    As the two figures darted northbound and vanished from sight. The true Jack sighed. With great effort, Jack finally got Torian away from the others. Jack then shotgunned two health potions to speed up the healing process, resealing his open gut at a pace that would be visible to the human eye if Jack weren¡¯t invisible.


    Once the bottles were emptied, Jack blinked away in a small sh of purple light.

 Chapter 607 Death Needs But A Moment To Strike

    <h4>Chapter 607 Death Needs But A Moment To Strike</h4>


    A sh of purple light suddenly appeared beside Karronteel. The Spectral Dragon in hybrid form noticed the strange energy but felt no presence appear with the anomaly.


    ¡¯It¡¯s me. Forget I¡¯m here.¡¯


    Jack¡¯s telepathic message calmed Karronteel as he looked back to the tag-team of Quake Dragons before him.


    After using Karronteel¡¯s abundant spatial energy use as a cover for his teleportation, Jack backed away and let Karronteel continue his match up. The hero quickly examined everything taking ce, searching for where his efforts would make the greatest difference. It was likely that Torian would discover the truth and return to the battlefield in a few moments, so Jack had to make the most of the little time he had bought himself.


    Jack speedily evaluated Karronteel and Bowzer¡¯s battles first, finding that they didn¡¯t need Jack¡¯s help. Bowzer was already overwhelming the other inexperienced Quake Dragon god and fighting with a level head while Karronteel kept the other two from interfering. Soon, Bowzer would im his first victory as a god and then tag-team the remaining two Quake Dragons gods with Karronteel.


    Next, Jack scanned over the battlefield on the ground. His nces gave Jack hope as Dragov was nearly finished with his ascent to godhood. Those defending Dragov weren¡¯t exactly winning, but their focus was dying as the moment Dragov and Phoro ascended would be the moment they imed victory. It was also a good thing to see his party and wives working closely with the leaders of the Leisure Guild. It kept them constantly busy but they were able to heal when necessary and keep up a constant defense, inrge part due to their powerful beastpanions, like Dradich and Mooldrat.


    While ncing at the battlefield, Jack smiled when looking over the two gods being held back by the three strongest mortals of the Leisure Guild.


    Tyres was relentlessly frowning as he pushed the two mortal swordsmen to their limits. His faster-than-lightning strikes were the most difficult thing to contain. Jin¡¯s new mana supply helped keep Tyres at bay but hisck of level wouldn¡¯t allow him to keep up with Tyres in a sprint. But the addition of the mysterious, helmed swordsman changed that. The helmed swordsman would utilize his three speed-focused magic types to keep Tyres from breaking free and Jin would attack at each opening that the mystery man created. Despite Jin¡¯s unwillingness to fight as a team, his impromptu teamwork with the mysterious swordsman was impable.


    Alcahain, on the other hand, seemed to be enjoying his match with Hadurt. At lv. 90, Alcahain proved himself to be stronger than the lv. 89 Hadurt, but Hadurt¡¯s use of wind and lightning kept him with the edge in terms of speed. That meant that Alcahain wouldn¡¯t be able to outrun the berserker and reach the ascending beasts. But the genuine smile on the Brawler God¡¯s face showed that he was enjoying himself and his circumstances. He chased after Hadurt as Hadurt danced around the Browler God and wielded his halberd with deadly uracy.


    But Jack couldn¡¯t avoid seeing Kori¡¯s and Tralbok¡¯s fight anymore. Sure, Jack noticed the 2-v-2 of Dragas and Moranti against Grixor and Lyrun. However, they were long-time gods and Moranti¡¯s skills and battle experience were more reliable than anyone else across the battlefield. With that confidence in Moranti, Jack¡¯s gaze honed in on Kori with a grim stare.


    Kori was no longer standing in the air. Instead, Kori was being held by the neck. The Fox God made no cries of pain or weakness. Not only was his tail missing, but so was Kori¡¯s one good arm. Yet Kori confidently red back at Tralbok and spat in Tralbok¡¯s face, not even caring to attempt a final hell re attack or share any final words.


    "JUST DIE, THEN!"


    Tralbok¡¯s burst ofughter filled the area, startling many and alerting the surrounding battles of the hasty finish to their duel.


    "DAD!"


    Bowzer howled and unleashed his unbridled rage yet again. The younger Hell-me Fox charged his opponent, tearing through the Quake Dragon¡¯s defenses at the cost of receiving a powerful blow himself.


    As that Quake Dragon was torn apart and burned to cinders, the blood from Bowzer¡¯s wounds was evaporating and filling the air with a sour scent. This added to the scent of Kori¡¯s wounds and made sure that all nearby gods could sense that pungent aroma.


    But Bowzer couldn¡¯t stop Tralbok.


    A wind de sliced through Kori¡¯s neck, decapitating the Fox God and allowing his body to begin the long fall to the ground.


    Moranti watched it with a shaky gaze. For a moment, he pondered the risk of saving Kori. That moment created an opportunity for Lyrun. The Elf God summoned all his strength tounched his greatest attack of magnified light filled with static electricity. But Moranti wasn¡¯t the target. Lyrun was locked onto Dragas, showing no intention of backing down from his original n.


    Sadly for Lyrun, Moranti only pondered saving Kori for a moment and instantly turned his attention back to the matter at hand.


    Swinging his scythe with his greatest speed and strength, Moranti threw a hundred-meter arc of spatial energy. Grixor was forced back by the swinging scythe and the sh of energy crashed into Lyrun¡¯s powerful stream of light, forcibly destroying the attack. But that wasn¡¯t the end of Moranti¡¯s attack.


    Moranti was still spinning around when he suddenly vanished from before Grixor.


    Coughs sounded out from behind the Earthen God, shocking Grixor and forcing his attention elsewhere.


    "Thank... you..."


    Lyrun stammered his final words, smiling wide as he looked at the scythe jutting out of his chest.


    With the slightest of nods, Moranti finished the job. Rather than pull out the scythe, Moranti ripped the de through the rest of Lyrun¡¯s torso. One of the Elf God¡¯s shoulders was cleanly cut through along with his heart and many internal organs. Moranti made the death quick and painless for his old friend.


    In just a couple of seconds, two well-respected and feared gods were killed in dramatic fashion for all to see. Though Sybin had been killed, witnessing Kori¡¯s and Lyrun¡¯s deaths with their own eyes was far more impactful on the many divinebatants.

 Chapter 608 Jacks Interference

    <h4>Chapter 608 Jack¡°s Interference</h4>


    "Torian!" An anger-filled shout rang within Torian¡¯s mind. "Hurry back, NOW!"


    "But I must--"


    "Lyrun was in! KILL MORANTI NOW!"


    As Halmut ended the connection, Torian immediately turned around and rushed back to the other battlefields. Halmut¡¯s roar was enough to bring him back to his senses, let alone the mention of Lyrun¡¯s death. Such a thing could cause their entire side to lose in a matter of minutes. Without Lyrun¡¯s support and with Moranti feeling less pressured, there was no telling what would happen.


    The Thundering God then realized what Jack¡¯s n was. To stall and separate Torian from the others.


    *****


    There was no time for anyone to think carefully.


    The legendary gods able to see Lyrun¡¯s demise were in shock. Seeing their ally with the strongest magical defenses die so brutally... They felt like a timer began to tick, counting down their demise at Moranti¡¯s hands. Grixor remained hopeful but only in preserving his life. With Moranti gaining boosts from Dragas, he knew that defeating Moranti alone was an impossibility.


    At the same time, the legendary gods were d to see Kori killed and witness Tralbok¡¯s killing descent toward the Draconic Centipede below.


    The leisure gods were also shaken. They didn¡¯t expect to see Lyrun die like that, which gave them hope of victory, but they also didn¡¯t expect to see Kori silently undergo an even more brutal death.


    While Moranti stored the corpse of his now fallen friend, Tralbok allowed the body of his dead foe to plummet to the ground. The God of Time quickly passed the corpse and gathered wind energy en route to kill Dragov.


    But a sudden sh of purple light caused Tralbok to hesitate. As the purple light appeared, the God of Time immediately put up a defense and retrieved an amulet in his free hand. Tralbok clutched the item tightly, ready to activate it at any moment.


    Yet Tralbok¡¯s eyes seemed to deceive him, as did everyone else¡¯s eyes.


    From that sh of purple energy, Jack appeared and spat a spectral re directly into Tralbok¡¯s face. A mental order was shouted into the minds of all the leisure gods. ¡¯Tralbok is mine! Bowzer, Kori will be fine!¡¯


    The Hell-me Fox howled and snarled, struggling to keep himself from charging against Tralbok or rushing after his father¡¯s corpse. Hearing the roar of another Quake Dragon, Bowzer turned to notice that Karronteel strategically let one slip past him, forcing Bowzer to fight as nned.


    Tralbok instantly used time magic to evade the attack. Sidestepping Jack, Tralbok chuckled and threw his prepared wind de without mercy.


    But Jack suddenly appeared in front of Tralbok again, surprising the God of Time. "Too easy..." Jack snarled and used a spectral re to consume the wind de and for Tralbok back.


    "You... have time magic also... I forgot that..." Tralbok red back at Jack, recognizing Jack¡¯s strength and acknowledging his unorthodox strength. "Too bad you couldn¡¯t save him..."


    "Who says I still can¡¯t!"


    Jack was the one who clearly shouted but the Jack standing before Tralbok wasn¡¯t the one to respond. A second image of Jack appeared below, along with a third image of the hero. The third wasing from the battlefield on the ground and holding a severed tail and arm. The second carefully held Kori¡¯s head and the rest of the Fox God¡¯s body.


    "NO!"


    Torian¡¯s sudden roar rmed every from the Leisure Guild and brought relief to the legendary gods, showing everyone that Torian was back and preparing an attack. But the moment Torian came into view, the Thundering God was caught off guard by the abrupt sensation of a cold de stabbing into his scales.


    Looking back, Torian spotted a copy of Jack, the one which he had been chasing. After noticing that Jack had duped him, the Thundering God gave up all attention on the Jack that was following him as it was obviously a weak fake. But that weak fake managed to stab some sort of ornate, ck dagger into Torian before he was rendered nonexistent.


    Thatpse of focus gave Jack the time he needed. Once the second and third copies of him met halfway in the air, bringing together each of Kori¡¯s limbs and severed body parts, a subtle and warm light enveloped the dead body.


    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Jack cast Revivification for the first time and Kori¡¯s next breath entered his lungs. Those two copies of Jack forced the fox to guzzle one of Jack¡¯s personal health potions the moment his body was reconnected and breathing. The ancient potion was more potent than anything that Modern Kartonia could produce, potent enough to fully heal a lv. 85 in one go. Or enough to heal a revived lv. 89 fox to nearly full health.


    "You can revive as well?!" Tralbok shouted, furious to see his efforts instantly wasted.


    "Revivification, a spellmonly used by any ancient hero that¡¯s undergone at least one ss change," Jack stated in a matter of fact way. "From a guy that experienced all the sses, what else can you expect?"


    Before Tralbok had a chance to reply, more images of Jack appeared and surrounded the God of Time. "I can make body doubles, ninja clones, mirrored illusions, and more! Guess what these are!"


    Tralbok emitted a small cyclone, shredding the false Jack¡¯s to pieces.


    "You can¡¯t tell the difference, right?" Jackughed. "You may have been a god for thousands of years, but my experience surpasses even yours, maybe Halmut¡¯s!"


    "You--"


    The moment Tralbok felt something touch his head, he used time magic to remove himself and reappear a couple of meters away.


    "What? Speak up, I can¡¯t hear you!"


    "Why you--"


    Again, something touched Tralbok¡¯s head, as well as his torso. The God of Time wanted to give nothing though and used time magic to avoid the possible spells or attacks iing.


    "If you¡¯re gonna stay quiet, then maybe I¡¯ll teach you a lesson!" Jackughed but his focus was sharper than ever. The hero easily recognized the item in Tralbok¡¯s hand, which kept Jack focused but also hyped him up for what maye. "After I¡¯m done learning you, then I¡¯ll make sure and teach that runt Halmut a few things!"

 Chapter 609 Change of Battles

    <h4>Chapter 609 Change of Battles</h4>


    "After I¡¯m done learning you, then I¡¯ll make sure and teach that runt Halmut a few things!"


    "THAT BRAT!!!"


    Halmut roared and smashed one of the chairs around the viewing table, one of the chairs that Halmut hadn¡¯t already smashed.


    "He¡¯s lucky to be alive!" shouted Halmut, breathing more fire around the room. "When I get my chance, you¡¯ll be left drawn and quartered! Your skull will rest at my desk and your hide will adorn my floor so that you¡¯ll forever be trampled under my feet!"


    As Halmut tried to calm his breathing, mes trickled out of his throat. Only the soothing sensation of absorbing stimnts could calm Halmut¡¯s wild mes.


    But the more Halmut watched, the fierier his temper became.


    *****


    "After I¡¯m done learning you, then I¡¯ll make sure and teach that runt Halmut a few things!"


    That statement rocked the legendary gods to their core. Most didn¡¯t know the truth about Halmut¡¯s stature but every god understood exactly how the arrogant Sun God would take such disrespect. At the same time, the Leisure Gods smiled andughed at such a statement. It would be unfitting for Jack to not say such things, and Duorda was chuckled the hardest of all.


    Torian grimaced at hearing such ament but his mind was elsewhere. He was focused on the dagger that was left in his back.


    The Thundering God pulled out the de and took a sniff. Immediately, Torian¡¯s eyes widened. "Poison..."


    Having a divine constitution made nearly poison useless against him. However, Torian wasn¡¯t one to underestimate his opponents. Torian wouldn¡¯t give Jack so little credit after managing to string Torian along some borate n without the dragon knowing any better. That¡¯s why Torian was sure that such a poison may actually have some effect, and having Dragas on Jack¡¯s side only added to that possibility. It was slight and nearly unnoticeable, but Torian felt that part of his back already starting to grow numb. Torian chomped down on another potion but it had no effect.


    However, Torian had no time to spare. He rushed to the aid of Grixor, leveling the ying field and forcing Moranti to focus more on defense against the fastest god. One moment was all it would take for Dragas to get targeted, but the same could be said for anyone.


    "I¡¯m... alive? Already?" Kori asked with a sigh.


    One of Jack¡¯s copies vanished, leaving one holding the Fox in the air. "Can you help Jin? That other swordsman has something else to do?"


    "Right... I¡¯m on it!"


    Getting his focus back to the moment at hand, Kori leaped to the battlefield below and that image of Jack faded away. Once Kori hit the ground, he entered his full fox form and dashed into action. The fox ughtered anything he could while maintaining his top speed.


    Tyres, keeping a close eye on the surroundings, noticed Kori¡¯s fall and mad dash. It was easy to deduce what was about to happen.


    Suddenly, Tyres forced his body to fight at its absolute peak strength, expending a tremendous amount of energy in a single moment. He had no time left with a thirdbatant arriving to tip the scale of battle. Since Tyres still had a slight edge now, he intended on keeping it.


    Lightning wrapped around Tyres¡¯s body and wind kept Tyres nimble and light-footed. The Sword God rocketed forward, aiming to cleave through Jin¡¯s neck and torso.


    Such speed was too much for the under-leveled Jin to keep up with. The samurai managed to block one sword but failed to defend the second strike. However, something strange happened the moment Tyres made contact.


    CLANG!


    Tyres connected with a shockingly strong shield, held up by the mystery swordsman. Though the swordsman was thrown back by the blow, the shield remained intact with only a few scratches. Jin was also pushed back, nearly tumbling after colliding with the mystery man.


    "A shield?! Where¡¯s your courage?!" Jin shouted, belittling the helmed swordsman. "True swordsmen have no need for such things!"


    The man remained silent and dashed forward with his thick and heavy roxite shield at the forefront. With the heavy shield in one arm and the flexible rapier in the other, the man charged at Tyres from various angles, changing his fighting style in response to Torian¡¯s sudden urge to end it all.


    "Just die! You¡¯re wasting my time!" Tyres shouted, infuriated to learn that the swordsman had actually been holding back the whole time.


    Now, when Tyres tried to rush past, the helmed swordsman man would simply halt each charge or protect Jin when the samurai couldn¡¯t keep up. Against the swordsman with a defensive mindset, Tyres¡¯s efforts and surplus mana turned futile.


    Tyres focused on the shield now, creating a deeper cut in the roxite with each attack. It was still a mortal item, after all, proving unable to fully keep up with divinebat. But just as Tyres cracked the shield and left them defenseless, Kori had arrived.


    "No more help!" Jin shouted, rushing Tyres and not wanting Kori to steal his kill.


    Yet, to Jin¡¯s and Tyres¡¯s surprise, the mystery swordsman teleported away without reappearing with another strike against the Sword God.


    "He¡¯s busy, so now it¡¯s just you and me, Jin!" Kori howled, entering his hybrid form and surrounding their vicinity with roaring ck mes. "I¡¯ll support, so go for the kill."


    "Fine!" Jin agreed as he shed his katanas against Tyres¡¯s long swords. He was d that at least another swordsman wouldn¡¯t kill his prey or outshine him.


    On the other side of the battlefield, Dragov neared ascension. But more and more dragons were ignoring the other beasts and rushing toward the centipede. This led to those protecting Dragov feeling undeniably overwhelmed.


    Jack¡¯s wives and party were seen as some of the weaker defenders, now standing in the high sixties while others like Argyle or Kaldor were entering their eighties. Their teamwork was the reason for their sess thus far, and theck of teamwork between the various species of arrogant dragons. However, being overwhelmed was still a viable strategy for the dragons.

 Chapter 610 Opening the Sky

    <h4>Chapter 610 Opening the Sky</h4>


    While Mooldrat was already upied, a lv. 81 Storm Dragon rushed toward Daliea without fear. She noticed it and tried to put up a defense but failed to respond in time. The dragon¡¯s sharp tail shot out while covered in lightning, attempting an insta-kill.


    But the tail was suddenly parried and Dailea was left speechless, as were the others around her.


    The unknown swordsman casually swatted the tail aside and ran his rapier through the unsuspecting Storm Dragon¡¯s skull. It all happened in an instant, leaving the others startled to know that the swordsman was free enough toe and help them.


    As the Storm Dragon corpse fell to the ground, a voice yed in the minds of Daliea, Maura, and Eliza, ¡¯Sorry I took so long. I¡¯ll take it from here.¡¯


    ¡¯Save some EXP for us too,¡¯ teased Maura, smiling as the helmed swordsman dashed into a nearby Magma Dragon.


    Eliza giggled and doubled down on the buffs she had ced on Maura, Daliea, and the other party members.


    Daliea was silent but she showed a small grin. Not wanting to be outdone, she sought another opponent while staying close to the party.


    The other party members were relieved to have the swordsman appear to take the brunt of the dragon horde, leaving some high-level dragons for Argyle, Kaldor, Hurmot, Dradich, and the others, also letting the weaker party members not get swarmed.


    Rydel yed his part well, sniping anything that dared rush them with pinpoint uracy. The hunter would target the eyes and wings, either hindering their speed and ability to fly or creating blindspots for hispanions to attack the beasts. This allowed Trax and Maynard to quickly find targets and race to see who could gather more kills.


    To an extent, it somewhat felt like Jack¡¯s wives were up against the men in a game to kill the most dragons.


    Lina stayed close to the party but she proved just as deadly as the dragons. Her naturally mana supply was arguably thergest of all mortals,peting with Jack¡¯s second body. Having Daruun¡¯s bloodline mixed with that of a Nine-headed cial Hydra on top of having Jack¡¯s pact made her a terrifyingly powerful being in her own right.


    All of their beastpanions were out in their full glory, proving capable and enjoying the bloodbath alongside their humanpanions.


    The only person legitimately soloing the dragons was the mysterious swordsman. His rapier imed life after life, iming each victim¡¯s final breath with a single strike. He ravaged his prey like he was on a mission, not caring about the corpses at all and only searching out stronger and stronger prey.


    *****


    "Give us the corpse!" roared Torian. "Then I¡¯ll kill you painlessly!"


    "Can you kill me at all? I doubt that!" Moranti mocked.


    The Thundering God was the one controlling the fight¡¯s tempo now, leaving Grixor to charge heavy blows and attacks against the God of Space.


    "Come on, Grixor! Give me more! I need more batting practice!"


    As Grixor hurled hundreds of earthen spikes and rocks condensed from massive boulders, Moranti would send outrge shes of spatial energy. A few would squeak past the God of Space each time, but the number of misses went down each time.


    But despite Moranti¡¯s confident banter, he understood that he was at a disadvantage. With his speed and control over space, Moratni could protect Dragas and deal some damage but Torian was more slippery than ever after gaining two levels. And if Moranti paid Torian too much attention, then Grixor would overwhelm him or attack Dragas.


    At the current pace, both sides were taking damage but Moranti¡¯s would ultimately lose.


    A beacon of hope then appeared on the horizon. Three figures came into view, lifting Moranti¡¯s and Dragas¡¯s spirits while forcing Torian and Grixor to frown deeply.


    "Hurry! We need to..."


    Moranti called for Lunara, Lorwynn, and Rikko but suddenly stopped talking. Two more figures hade into view, causing the gods to have opposite reactions.


    Guuro had fallen from the clouds, bleeding from his nose, eyes, and ears. Choron fell secondster, showing those same signs of death.


    "Help Eedaj!" Dragas shouted. "He needs your help with Perchet!"


    The three returning gods nodded and rushed into the clouds, leaving the 2-v-2 to continue without change.


    "Dragas, go get them."


    "But--"


    "They won¡¯t touch you, right?" Moranti backed off and held his scythe at the side, eyeing his two opponents carefully. "Nows your chance to fight me 2-v-1. If you dare to chase her, I¡¯ll ughter you, your descendants, and even your ancestors."


    Torian blinked and smiled. Grixor nodded and chuckled. For the two lv. 98 gods to have a shot at Moranti while he was alone, it was all they could wish for now that they out-leveled him.


    ¡¯Go!¡¯


    Telepathically, Moranti shouted and rushed Grixor first, bringing Torian further from Dragas.


    ¡¯But--"


    ¡¯If I die, just bring me back. You¡¯re good at that, right?¡¯ Moranti chuckled.


    Dragas shook her head as she bolted toward the falling corpses of her fellow leisure gods. She was determined to get them back on their feet and return as quickly as possible.


    "Is that all you can do?"


    Jack¡¯sughter mocked the God of Time as the hero chased after Tralbok, "If all you can do is run, why not use your amulet and flee? It¡¯ll keep you alive and save me some time."


    Tralbok was red-eyed and ring angrily at Jack. It was the first time that someone could keep up with him using his own specialty, time magic. Whenever Tralbok would alter time in his favor, Jack did the same and left the God of Time without an advantage. Adding Jack¡¯s other powerful skills, Tralbok hastily gauged Jack as a threat he couldn¡¯t handle. It now made sense to him how Jack repelled Halmut and duped Torian.


    The God of Time took a deep breath and focused on the ridges and etchings of the amulet in his hands.


    Suddenly, the clouds overhead parted immediately. Everyone gained a view of Perchet, who had Eedaj on the ropes as help arrived. But that was only the beginning as the clouds continued to part, spanning dozens of kilometers. The sunlight became overwhelming, leaving all beneath the sky blind for a moment.

 Chapter 611 Announcement to the World

    <h4>Chapter 611 Announcement to the World</h4>


    CLAP!


    A single p was heard amidst the blinding light. It was quiet and calm yet everyone in Estonya heard it clearly as if they themselves had pped. The manybatants, both on the ground and in the air, were able to hear it perfectly as well despite the chaotic battle that they were currently apart of.


    The lightsted only a couple of seconds yet everyone had the sensation that itsted for an hour. It was unexinable.


    When the light faded, everyone finally noticed something. They were no longer able to move. The dozens of dragons, beasts, and experts on the ground were frozen in ce, even standing in the air mid-jump. Even the gods were locked in ce. It felt as if their bodies werepletely rxed and nonresponsive, no longer allowing them to move in any way or control any energy whatsoever. All mouths had closed during the sh of light and were also nonresponsive.


    Only people¡¯s eyes were functioning, staring intently at the parted heavens with doubt, shock, and awe.


    A single figure stood there. It was a man. His pure white clothes put the clouds to shame and his kind smile was warmer than the morning sun in all its glory without the cloud cover.


    The city of Estonya was clueless about the man¡¯s identity but their curiosity was stolen without reprieve. While the dragons were also confused about the man, many of those from the Leisure Guild remembered the man, some more vividly than others. The gods were especially shaken, unaware of what was going on and far more shocked than the mortals. The legendary gods were dumbfounded and left wanting to know more as the leisure gods were both relieved and utterly perplexed as to what was taking ce.


    Jack was amongst the most confused, with his personal knowledge only leaving him more vulnerable to bafflement. He looked and wanted to sigh. Close enough to breathe on Tralbok¡¯s neck, Jack was less than a moment away from iming the God of Time¡¯s life, possibly removing one of the most troublesome pawns in Halmut¡¯s control.


    But Jack took that prolonged moment of silence to look around, noticing how even the battle was.


    Dragas was about to catch Choron and Guuro, imminently reviving them back at lv. 89. Eedaj was being strangled by Perchet, already bleeding from his nose and one eye as Eedaj¡¯s reinforcements were about to act. Moranti was halfway through a trading blow with both Grixor and Torian, giving them a 2-for-1 trade in their favor. Sillo was about to be run through by Duorda¡¯s ck half. Tyres was gaining an advantage in his match against Jin and Kori, leaving the bleeding Hadurt on the ropes as he mounted his best defense against Alcahain. The two newly risen Quake Dragons were also about to lose their lives.


    Though both sides were taking considerable damage, Jack couldn¡¯t help but feel that his strategy was going to work out in the end. But now this?


    "Sorry to interrupt... It¡¯s finally time that I announce something to all of Kartonia, and to the gods of Kartonia specifically. As such, I¡¯ll allow you to speak so long as you save your questions for an appropriate moment."


    At that moment, all the gods regained control of their rxed lips. One god instantlyshed out verbally, demanding, "DARUUN?! WHAT IS THE--"


    "I said to wait for an appropriate moment, Tralbok." Daruun shook his head as Tralbok¡¯s lips resealed themselves and left the God of Time unable to attempt speaking for the duration.


    As his calm voice passed over everyone¡¯s ears without being loud, Daruun continued to address the city of Estonya and the gods present, "Where was I? Oh, yes. I¡¯m more d than you can fathom to announce the unsealing of cier Keep!"


    The words "cier Keep" echoed and reverberated through the air, keeping everyone¡¯s focus and curiosity hostage.


    Jack blinked, unsure of how to take the information. All other gods were baffled also. Only one god present was left without curiosity for the named location, Lunara, who¡¯s mind went nk imagining the ce.


    "COME BACK, NOW!!!"


    "Don¡¯t worry, Halmut," Daruun added, shocking the legendary gods further. "Once my announcement is over, they¡¯ll regain the ability to act for themselves and follow your orders. For now, I ask you not to distract them. I¡¯d hate for you to interfere and force my visit to Olympic Chateau."


    "..."


    "Now that he¡¯s being more cooperative, allow me to resume my exnation."


    The unknowing leisure gods weren¡¯t too surprised by Daruun¡¯s ability to threaten Halmut, but witnessing that was more than they expected. As for the legendary gods, they didn¡¯t know what to believe. Seeing Daruun listen in on Halmut¡¯s order via contact crystal was enough to send them into shock. Adding their current status of uselessness to that made things beyond conceivable but understanding that the powerful and arrogant Halmut had shut up with a few words was even more so.


    "One week. That is when cier Keep will be unsealed. Since there are people within both factions of gods that already know of cier Keep¡¯s location, I¡¯ve no reason to publicly share that with the world. But I will warn everyone of one thing. Only gods will find themselves capable of entering cier Keep."


    Everyone¡¯s heart skipped a beat. As Daruun paused again, the many deities took a moment to digest the meaning of that statement.


    Throughout Kartonia, there were high-level dungeons for solo adventurers, small groups, orrge-scale raids. But there had never been a ce designated for only gods. Such a ce would be a god¡¯s paradise, in terms of EXP, the very thing that they had beencking for millennia.


    Jack was also racked with thought. He had never heard of cier Keep. But with Daruun announcing it, Jack assumed that it was yet another ce created by Daruun, like Earthen Keep. Which led Jack to wonder...


    "A dungeon for gods?" The hero mumbled to himself.


    "Speak up, Jack," Daruun stated, getting everyone¡¯s attention to turn to the young god.


    Blinking, Jack asked loudly, "Is cier Keep a dungeon for gods?"

 Chapter 612 A Dungeon For Gods?

    <h4>Chapter 612 A Dungeon For Gods?</h4>


    "Is cier Keep a dungeon for gods?"


    "That¡¯s precisely what cier Keep is," Daruun answered with a smile. The man recognized as the God of Fate paused for a moment to let that sentence properly settle in the minds of the many gods listening. But Daruun quickly resumed his exnation, "The mysteries within cier Keep will remain as mysteries until you travel and uncover them. However, allow me to exin a few key details about the keep.


    "First, know that cier Keep can amodate dozens of gods. So don¡¯t feel that there won¡¯t be enough room for you all to participate in its opening. But I do have a suggestion. Though you all can enter cier Keep, it won¡¯t be together. You must enter in groups norger than four. There is no limit to the amount of groups that can enter but you¡¯ve been warned."


    As another pause hung in the air, Daruun chuckled, "Go ahead, Perchet. You¡¯ve assumed correctly that I¡¯m giving you a moment to think for yourselves and ask questions."


    Nodding, Perchet spoke up in a fashion simr to Daruun, speaking for all to hear yet keeping his voice soft and gentle, "What would happen should we enter with more than four at a time?"


    "That¡¯s something I wouldn¡¯t rmend at all, but anyone will be wee to try it should they wish."


    "Howrge is cier Keep?" asked Perchet, moving on. "For example, we know that Earthen Keep is ny-nine floors deep and each floor is quite expansive in its own right."


    "Hmm... I don¡¯t think Earthen Keep is a fairparison, at least not in terms ofyout," Daruun mentioned.


    "Then how would you describe the generalyout, even if you can¡¯t give us a detailed description of the dungeon design."


    "Such great questions! You¡¯re quite wise, Perchet. I regret that I failed to meet you before Halmut swayed you to sign his contract..." Daruun sighed, letting his casualness keep some of the legendary gods on the edge of their nerves. "I won¡¯t give you any details of the countless rooms, puzzles, mazes, foes, and more within cier Keep. But I will warn you, this will be unlike anything that any of you have experienced prior to now. Be fully on guard and do your best to avoid death, as those who make it through will find themselves with more experience and treasures than you thought possible."


    "Yes, Torian?" Blinking, Daruun smiled and gave the Thundering God a moment.


    "Daruun... How are you doing all of this?"


    "You mean leaving you all stationary? This is merely a protocol for giving an announcement mid-battle. I¡¯m simply making sure that everyone is avable to listen and ask their questions. I¡¯m sure none of you want to give your current opponents a chance to attack, so this just makes things easier and removes that stress momentarily."


    "But how are you doing this?" questioned Torian, raising his voice but keeping a calm, perplexed stare on his face.


    "It¡¯s simply because I can. To exin how would take too long and would distract from my announcement, so forgive me for not fulfilling your curiosity at the moment," stated Daruun. "But please feel free to ask your other question, for everyone else to hear also. Many are wondering the same thing."


    Torian nodded and immediately asked, "Who are you, Daruun?"


    "That depends." Daruun shrugged. "ording to most of Kartonia¡¯s history, I¡¯m simply the God of Fate and the man who aided in the creation of the neutral faction of gods. But you and most gods weren¡¯t born until my former reputation had already disappeared, which Halmut and Skaryn have told you nothing about. The only others who remember from that time would be Moranti, Lyrun, and Eedaj, although Lyrun has since passed. Would either of you two care to share my former reputation?"


    "You¡¯re the progenitor of the gods!"


    All legendary gods instantly felt tension at the edges of their eyes. Instinctively, their eyelids ran out of space to contract and failed to open any wider.


    Getting a nod from Daruun, Moranti continued, "You were the man who aided in Skaryn¡¯s ascension, also aiding Halmut at the Skaryn¡¯s request. Prior to aiding them, we have no history or record of your existence on Kartonia, which left the world to wonder if youe from Kartonia at all."


    "That..." Torian flinched.


    Hearing that was thest thing that the Thundering God didn¡¯t know he wished to never learn. The other legendary gods felt simrly. None of them liked the thought of Daruun being more powerful than Halmut, which had already been hinted at by Halmut¡¯s willingness to shut up. But now... Hearing that Daruun was a mysterious deity before Halmut or Skaryn had ascended was more than they wanted to believe.


    Tralbok was especially furious. His inner rage was stockpiling but his lips failed to respond to any of his thoughts. And his inner desire to grow stronger at any cost immediately filled the God of Time with regret.


    "What are you to this--"


    "SHUT UP!!!"


    "Halmut... I¡¯ve warned you once and now a second time. A third interruption will result in the suspension of my announcement and my immediate visit to your precious hideout," Daruun stated, dropping his casual tone for the first time.


    No energy leaked from Daruun and there were no hints of strength being shown by him. But all people listening to Daruun¡¯s somewhat cold threat felt their spines tingle and straighten in response.


    "Now then... Continue your question, Sillo. Have no fear of his barking."


    Ignoring Daruun¡¯s casual disrespect to Halmut, Sillo took a second to gather his breath and bolster some courage. "If you¡¯re stronger than Halmut, then where do youe from and why haven¡¯t you told us other gods of your true strength? I¡¯m sure we all would¡¯ve agreed to join you if we had known what you¡¯re capable of."


    "Oh, you have no idea of what I¡¯m capable of. Nor does Halmut, though he¡¯s slightly more aware than he lets on."

 Chapter 613 Daruuns Warm Wishes To All

    <h4>Chapter 613 Daruun¡°s Warm Wishes To All</h4>


    Daruun ignored the startlement on the faces of the legendary gods and continued, "My manner of recruitment is different than that of Skaryn and Halmut. Frankly, some of you here now would¡¯ve likely never been chosen by me."


    Each of the legendary gods listening in was somewhat taken aback by that statement, unsure how to take it.


    "What matters to me is not necessarily power or cunningness or even potential. If I was after pure power, I would¡¯ve helped Halmut without Skaryn¡¯s plea. If I were after cunningness, I would¡¯ve hand-picked Tralbok to my side with his unique abilities."


    The God of Time strained to sigh through his numb lips as that verbal dagger cut him deeply.


    "And if I sought potential, would I have chosen Jin or Tyres?" reasoned Daruun, giving everyone a hint of his character. "As for my origin, just know that I¡¯m not from Kartonia, nor do I reside here. I merely visit and pop in from time to time."


    Returning to the topic at hand and leaving the legendary gods in suspense, Daruun asked, "Wasn¡¯t there something else you wanted to ask? I believe there are a few others with that thought on their minds as well."


    Nodding slowly, Sillo took another deep breath and paused his curiosity about Daruun¡¯s past. "If you came before Halmut and Skaryn and have more power than them, why do you let them run rampant here?"


    "Well, I can be considered an outsider here. Though I¡¯m not from Kartonia, the title given to me by Kartonians is quite apt," exined Daruun. "The God of Fate. A title fitting of a man that seems to understand the world atrge and keeps the broadest of views throughout Kartonia¡¯s history, yet refuses to directly meddle in the affairs and fate of Kartonia¡¯s inhabitants. Fitting, right?"


    Sillo nodded but Daruun added, "Ask your true question already."


    Caught off guard, Sillo swallowed some saliva. He nervously nced at Duorda, who was still lunging forward with his ck, bony de but frozen in the air.


    "Go ahead. Master Daruun should be able to answer any questions you might have," stated the skeleton, surprising Sillo and the other legendary gods within earshot.


    "Are you able to heal my sister properly?!"


    d to see Sillo gathering to courage to ask that question, Daruun nodded. "Yes, I have the means to properly revive your sister and heal the pain that was forced onto her. Thank you for having the courage to ask your question while Halmut is listening in. Though Halmut is too afraid to speak up now, I understand how he might react upon hearing your question against his leadership.


    "As for what you¡¯re thinking right now, you don¡¯t need to speak up. I was just curious if you had the courage to speak up despite your situation," added Daruun with a warm smile and a chuckle.


    Sillo nodded, keeping his thoughts to himself from that moment forward.


    "We¡¯re already helping your sister." Duorda¡¯s whispering voice tickled Sillo¡¯s ears and left him a bit startled, "Trust me and my former master."


    At the same time, Daruun looked around. "Are there any more questions before I depart?"


    "How strong are you, exactly?!"


    Grixor¡¯s shout refocused everyone¡¯s wandering thoughts, even the leisure gods¡¯ who didn¡¯t fully understand the depth of Daruun¡¯s strength.


    Smiling and shaking his head, Daruun replied, "Stronger than you and everyone herebined. But Halmut already knows that, so it¡¯s no secret. Anything else?"


    Silence fell over the legendary gods as they were racked with regret.


    "Why are you telling us all about this cier Keep?" Perchet¡¯s calm question filled everyone¡¯s minds with new doubt and curiosity. "Why not keep this information for only those that have pledged to your cause?"


    "Because cier Keep was built for all gods of Kartonia, not only for those that have openly sided with me," replied Daruun. "Are you saying you don¡¯t wish for a ce to train and grow stronger as a god?"


    "No, the opposite actually," Perchet responded with the shake of his head. "Forgive me for questioning your intentions."


    "There¡¯s no need for forgiveness. If one never questioned the intentions of others, such a person would be forever doomed to be a pawn and a tool in the hands of others all their life." Looking across all gazing eyes again, Daruun sighed, "For the record, I hold no contempt for any of you. I only hold contempt for those that willingly try to undermine my ns or intentions, right Halmut?"


    That simple statement spoke volumes to the crowd of gods. The legendary gods present would¡¯ve fallen from the sky in shock had they not been propped up by Daruun¡¯s strange abilities.


    "Anyway, what I¡¯m trying to say is that I hold none of you responsible for the actions that you¡¯ve done unwillingly or for any actions that you¡¯vemitted due to yourck of knowledge but wouldn¡¯t havemitted had you known better," reasoned Daruun. "I wish you all the best of luck, especially as you venture the depths to reach cier Keep and face the challenges that cier Keep offers you.


    "Oh! And one more thing..." Daruun showed a toothy grin and startedughing loudly. "I look forward to seeing who ims the treasures of cier Keep. Whoever can enter that chamber will be astounded by their discovery and reward!"


    As that final sentence echoed through the air and left everyone unsettled or anxious to see cier Keep for themselves, another sh of light filled the entire horizon.


    CLAP!


    "COME BACK!!!"


    Daruun¡¯s reverberating, nonchnt p was paired with Halmut¡¯s furious orders via contact crystal.


    By the time the light faded, all gods felt themselves regain control of their bodies. But they also discovered that half of the gods had already vanished amidst the bright light.


    The leisure gods were left behind as the legendary gods utilized the light as a time of escape with their teleporting amulets linked to Olympic Chateau. The only forces left behind by the legendary gods were the dragons below that began to flee the moment they were able to move.

 Chapter 614 Fleeing the Scene

    <h4>Chapter 614 Fleeing the Scene</h4>


    However, apart from the dragons, there was one other person that wasted no time to jump back into action. The helmed swordsman sped up yet again. He vanished over and over, dealing critical death blows without a care for sharing EXP or leaving behind carcasses that were precious materials. All that mattered was that his precious preys were trying to flee.


    The others below stepped into action as well, but they couldn¡¯t keep up and were left with the slower, weaker dragons while Dragov and Phoro finally continued their paused ascension.


    Targeting the speedy Storm Dragons first, the swordsman teleported to them and killed the strongest survivor. As the Storm Dragons split up, the swordsman ignored any dragon under lv. 75 and showed preference to the remaining dragons around lv. 80, though most had been killed already.


    When the strongest surviving Storm Dragons were killed and stored away, the swordsman vanished again to target the magma dragons. He repeated his strategy, ying a couple of dragons around lv. 80, cing their corpses in his storage, and then disappearing again for a time.


    After another minute had passed, the swordsman reappeared on the original battlefield without his sword in hand.


    Those that hadn¡¯t stormed off to y fleeing dragons were rushing to the aid of the many wounded on the ground below. Sure, the Leisure Guild managed to hold back the dragons and protect the ascending beasts, but it wasn¡¯t without a cost.


    But the helmed swordsman arrived just in time to witness history.


    For the first time since the creation of Kartonia, beasts of earth and wind affinity evolved for a third time, apart from dragons. This was monumental news. It officially cemented the future bloodlines of those new gods as equivalent to the draconic races, just as Hell-me Foxes and Nine-headed cier Hydra¡¯s had down before.


    Dragov unleashed a ground-shaking roar as his body and innate energy finished their transformations from mortal to divine. His already unfathomablyrge body had grown in length and width, gaining more legs and what seemed like a secondyer of natural armor atop his earlier exoskeleton. Rather than shedding his old hide, Dragov¡¯s body created a secondyer of exoskeleton to cover the new gaps of his natural armor and offer twice the protection in vital at the same time. His rows and rows of teeth made Dragov the nightmare of any horror movie, turning his maw and throat into the most devastating meat grinder on the.


    At the same time, Phoro rocketed out of Dragov¡¯s mouth with glee. But no one saw the Minokawa exit the centipede¡¯s mouth. People only noticed Phoro due to his roars and cries of excitement high in the sky. His speed had evolved again, letting him exit Dragov¡¯s mouth and travel hundreds of meters without anyone on the ground being able to see him mid-flight. Phoro had grown again, bing nearly ten meters tall with an evenrger wingspan. The scales beneath his down had grown tougher and his talons were now sharp enough to rival Karronteel¡¯s or Moranti¡¯s. With even better eye-sight and more nimble agility, the stunts that Phoro could perform now far outssed any wild flying he could imagine as a mortal.


    But Phoro¡¯s excitement suddenly stopped.


    "Mom!"


    The first-ever Minokawa God rushed to the ground below before anyone could think of blinking. All happiness and excitement had washed away from Phoro¡¯s face. All that was left was grief. "Mom! What-- Who did this?!"


    "Phoro..."


    Gathered around the beaten and bloodied corpse of their Minokawa sovereign, the other surviving Minokawas were left speechless in Phoro¡¯s presence. Apart from Phoro¡¯s new intimidating form, they felt the natural strength of his fully evolved bloodline, which immediately dwarfed theirs as Phoro made not attempt to hide his bloodline strength during his pained shouts.


    "Jack!" Phoro shouted, staring intently at the sky. "Help my Mom, please!"


    All the Leisure Gods were gradually descending. None of them bothered chasing after the mortal dragons, keeping to their morals against the fighting mortals. Also, they knew that those below like Jin, Hadurt, Kori, and the swordsman wouldn¡¯t allow the strongest mortal dragons to flee from death.


    Jack, as well as the other gods, were focused on one thing, the strange timing of Daruun¡¯s announcement and the content of Daruun¡¯s announcement. But Phoro¡¯s cry was more than enough to get Jack¡¯s attention. After all, it was the first time that anyone had ever seen Phoro act so stressed and overwhelmed with emotion.


    The gods rushed down the battlefield with some sorrow in their hearts, following Jack toward the center of it all.


    "Jack, you¡¯ve got to help! I know you can!" Phoro pled, not hiding the tears leaking from his powerful eyes.


    One look was all it took. Jack could instantly answer Phoro. But everyone else also knew the answer, given the obvious state of the corpse.


    Phara, the proud Minokawa Sovereign, rested in pieces against Phoro¡¯s feathers. Her new armor was either punctured, torn apart, or missing. One of her wings was gone and nowhere to be found, most likely eaten by a dragon. The other wing was shredded andcked all feathers and many chunks of flesh. Both legs were shattered and crippled while half of her talons were missing and the other half were broken. Her chest was gashed open in many locations, showing that she had been injured not only by the Storm Dragons in the sky but also the dragons down below that were trying to eat her already dead body. Half of Phara¡¯s face was missing, having been gnawed off. If it weren¡¯t for the golden tips of her feathers and herrger size, not even Phoro would¡¯ve recognized her corpse.


    "Phoro... I don¡¯t think we can do anything..." Jack sighed.


    "Try! Please..."


    Dragas ced the bodies of Guuro and Choron on the ground before speaking up, "Phoro... As a master of holy and nature magics, I have to agree with Jack. She¡¯s too far gone. We have no means of reviving her"


    "No! NO!" cried Phoro, visibly shaking. "No... no..."

 Chapter 615 Casualties of All-Out War

    <h4>Chapter 615 Casualties of All-Out War</h4>


    Cheers suddenly sounded out from the distance, catching everyone¡¯s attention. It was hard to understand what was being said but everyone could sense the joy and happiness in the cries of Estonya. The dome of protection had vanished moments before Daruun¡¯s appearance due to Guuro¡¯s passing, allowing everyone a view of the battle¡¯s finale and the retreat of the Legendary gods¡¯ forces.


    Momentarily ignoring the cheers of the people, Jack and everyone took in the severe casualties of the battle. A new sense of appreciation came over Jack. His previous feelings against Daruun¡¯s timing subsided as he realized how hectic things were for the many beasts they had brought to join the fight. Those protecting Dragov and Phoro only managed to do so because the many beasts from the storehouse kept the majority of dragons busy.


    "I can revive her."


    "REALLY?!" Phoro¡¯s neck almost snapped as he looked toward Duorda. "Please, I¡¯ll do anything!"


    Duorda sighed as everyone¡¯s attention shifted to him, "I can revive her, but that¡¯s all. I can¡¯t help her regrow her wing or her missing face. And given the cruelty of her broken legs and final wing, she¡¯ll be crippled all her life. Is that how you want your mother to live?"


    "Pl... No..."


    "Then, maybe it¡¯s best to hold a proper ceremony for her," suggested Duorda. "She fought valiantly and deserves the highest respect as a warrior. Right?"


    "Yes..." Thest surviving Minokawa elder struggled to speak. Blood had stained his silver and purple feathers, but so did the Minokawa¡¯s tears. "She¡¯s the reason I¡¯m alive... And my weakness is the reason she¡¯s not..."


    "Father..." Phoro sniffled.


    "Phara was the best of us and she deserves the utmost care upon her death," continued the elder. "The title of sovereign will be carried on by you, Phoro... That¡¯s what she always wanted."


    "But... But I..." Phoro shook his head, not wanting to face reality but understanding what needed to be done. "I¡¯m a cker! I¡¯m nothing like her or you... I don¡¯t deserve--"


    "You¡¯re our god! Phoro, you¡¯ve achieved what our ancestors have desired since the birth of our race!" shouted the father. "Phara raised you well and taught you since birth. Your natural nimbleness surpasses my own and your fighting strength passed hers long ago. You are the only one fit to ept her now-vacant title as Minokawa Sovereign, whether you agree or not."


    "I... I know..." Shaking his head, Phoro sighed, "It¡¯s just... epting that is the same as admitting she¡¯s gone..."


    "She is gone, Phoro. But her legacy will continue in you. Had you been born a female, you would¡¯ve shared names, even," reasoned the father. "I may have been against your leave in the past, but I don¡¯t regret anything now, including your mother¡¯s passing. Her sacrifice, along with the other elders¡¯, kept the majority of our people alive at the cost of their own. Don¡¯t disgrace that legacy now with indecision."


    "Right... Thanks, Dad... I¡¯m d that at least you¡¯re still here..."


    As Phoro carefullyid his mother¡¯s remains down and embraced his father, the other Minokawas were gathering their dead around their sovereign¡¯s corpse. The other races did the same, bringing together all their dead in their own gatherings.


    At the same time, Moranti and Karonteel were gathering the dragon corpses and separating them by race. They did so respectfully instead of piecing the carcasses apart for materials on the spot.


    While the city was in jubilee, everyone on the battlefield was working together to care for the dead and wounded. Once Dragas revived Guuro and Choron, she, Guuro, and Eliza did all they could to help the medics and clerics of the Leisure Guild attend to the wounded or revive those that were able. Solemnity and respect were given through silence as everyone epted the battle as a victory by default, which garnered more reflection than outright, overwhelming victory.


    Three hours passed as the noon-day sun shown down on the cleaned-up battlefield. The blood remained stted across the turned up dirt and patches of surviving grass but all corpses were neatly gathered and lined up, including those of the dragons. Then, each race performed their own rituals to respect the fallen. Some corpses were burned, some were pieced apart and eaten by their race¡¯s survivors, and some were disposed of ording to the abilities of their race.


    What surprised Jack was Moranti¡¯s and Karronteel¡¯s respect for the fallen dragons. They had even asked for all stored dragon corpses to beid out. It was a tall task to ask but they promised to return all corpses after the ceremony.


    Unlike the other beasts that adjusted to the time of ancient heroes piging corpses for loot, leading to their varied burial ceremonies that disposed of the dead bodies, the Spectral Dragon died when they were at the pinnacle of power. None had dared such a thing, not until Halmut used the Sun Dragons to wipe them out and then proceed to massacre the weakened Sun Dragons as well.


    Instead of destroying the bodies, Moranti and Karronteel took to their draconic forms, each reaching fifty meters in height. Then, they turned their ws ethereal and carefully reached into the dragon corpses one-by-one. After a couple of seconds with each body, both they pulled the heart of each dragon andid it beside their respective corpse. This continued until the dozens of draconic corpses each had their hearts cleanly and surgically removed. The duo of Spectral Dragons gave a final bow to the bodies, not saying a word.


    When they stood back up, Moranti turned to Jack and stated, "Now you can have them and do what you wish. Please allow us to keep and prepare a proper burial of their heartster. We¡¯d prefer to share that moment with their respective races after this war blows over."


    "Of course." Jack nodded, touched at howpassionate Moranti was to their enemies¡¯ dead bodies.


    "They may be our foes, but they aren¡¯t Halmut¡¯s allies either," stated Moranti. "No one is Halmut¡¯s ally, not even his own race. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he ate his own child in order to strengthen his own bloodline strength."

 Chapter 616 Halmut Finally Comes Ou

    <h4>Chapter 616 Halmut Finally Comes Ou</h4>


    "Halmut!"


    KNOCK! KNOCK!


    "HALMUT!"


    Grixor pounded on the door while Torian shouted, having long lost his patience with calling the Sun God by his preferred title.


    "HALMUT! You owe us all answers!"


    "Perhaps we should ask tomorrow. It seems that--"


    "If Halmut had the gall to hide the truth of Daruun¡¯s power from us, then he¡¯d better give me a reason for his actions!" Torian roared. "If not, then I may consider my chances with Daruun and Jack. Clearly, they wouldn¡¯t mind helping me start over from lv. 90."


    "That¡¯s--"


    "If you go, Torian, then I go too."


    "Are you--"


    "Thank you, Grixor, but that should be your own decision," stated Torian. "I simply want an exnation. I don¡¯t believe Halmut is stupid enough to get on Daruun¡¯s bad side without reason. Before I do anything, I want to know that reason."


    Nodding, Grixor replied, "But even if we left, would they wee us that easily? After everything, I doubt we¡¯d be able to join the others without unfavorable conditions... I want to know Halmut¡¯s reasoning too."


    With more fervor, Grixor pounded on the door, having now left a small imprint of his closed fist from hours of pounding. "Halmut! Share your reasoning with us! We aren¡¯t going to let them monopolize the only divine dungeon, are we?"


    To the surprise of the three gods at the door, a heavy knock came from the other side of the door.


    "Gather everyone... I want Kylon and her Flood Dragons present as well..."


    "Yes, your excellency!" Tralbok replied first with an instinctual bow, despite Halmut being unable to see him.


    "We¡¯ll make sure everyone¡¯s there within five minutes. Don¡¯t keep us waiting, Halmut."


    "Torian... I told you long ago to address me as--"


    "If you want to activate the contract, go ahead," stated the Thundering God. "Sure, I¡¯ll lose my godhood and be expelled from the chateau, but I¡¯m fast enough to get help before you kill me. And you need me and all of your strongest pawns."


    A moment passed. The door finally cracked open and a giant draconic eye peered through the crack. "State the reason for your sudden growth of a spine."


    "With me and Grixor at lv. 98, we¡¯re your greatest assets. Do you want us contemting switching sides?" asked Torian, raising an eyebrow in confidence. "We know you don¡¯t. So why not let us be more than pawns. But that means you¡¯d better inform us about the reality of our situation, including your true rtionship with Daruun and his background."


    "... Very well... That¡¯s understandable, but show me the respect I deserve as the man that made you the god you are today," Halmut reasoned. "I¡¯ll be in the conference room in five minutes. I begin my exnation then, whether everyone is present or not."


    The door closed and resealed itself, leaving Torian and Grixor with smiles on their faces.


    Tralbok, on the other hand, was internally furious. He had underestimated Halmut¡¯s rtionship with Grixor and Torian, believing that Lyrun was the only one that was well-trusted by Halmut. Also, Tralbok wasn¡¯t a dragon, already putting himself at a disadvantagepared to the Thundering and Earthen Gods. Tralbok was the first to rush off and spread the word as he didn¡¯t like seeing the smiles on Torian¡¯s and Grixor¡¯s faces.


    When word spread that Halmut finally answered the door and had ordered a meeting, all gods within Olympic Chateau hurried to the conference room. Three minutes passed when Kylon and four other Flood Dragons arrived at the open-air pavilion via amulets. But they weren¡¯t thest to arrive. At precisely the same moment that Halmut stepped into the conference room, Perchet entered from the opposite entrance and casually found his seat, one of the few that remained undamaged. The Nocturnal Dragon sighed and brushed his hand across the broken seat beside his, which was now empty.


    Halmut wasted no time and was more serious than ever. "Before I exin some things, know that I¡¯m entirely disappointed in you!"


    Some knew this scolding wasing but soon all the new additions to the legendary gods felt Halmut¡¯s wrathful, verbalshings.


    "To think that we, the legendary gods, wouldn¡¯t be able to at least hold our own... I can¡¯t believe this!" roared Halmut. "You had more deities on your side! You had higher-leveled deities on your side! You fought mortals! Yet you still failed to get anything done besides weaken our forces drastically and get outmaneuvered by a low-level, upstart god!


    "Apart from Perchet, did any of you sessfully kill one person?!"


    "I did, your excellency--"


    "OF COURSE YOU DID!!!" A hint of mes leaked out of Halmut¡¯s raging breath. "Let¡¯s all congratte Tralbok on his victory! It¡¯s not every day that a lv. 97 mage is able to kill a lv. 91 beast!"


    CLAP! CLAP! CLAP!


    The Sun God pped three times, letting the echoes shake the table he leaned on due to hisck of having a seat.


    "Did you kill anyone within at least three levels of you? Did you?!"


    "No, your--"


    "THEN SHUT UP!!"


    Tralbok instantly sealed his mouth, struggling to meet Halmut¡¯s raging gaze.


    Snarling, Halmut continued, "Lyrun and Oosam both passed but at the very least they had a reason for it... Oosam took on more than he could chew in order to buy everyone else time and Lyrun was up against the most offensively gifted god. Grixor failed to defend and save Lyrun, but the worst performers were definitely Torian and Tralbok!


    "I--"


    "Torian, there is no arguing this!" shouted Halmut. "You were tricked and led away from the other battles. You even let Jack sneak away and join the battle while you chased a cheap imitation of him!


    "And Tralbok... YOU WERE THE WORST!" Spittled flew out of Halmut¡¯s mouth but evaporated from his heated breath in mid-air. "Not only are you too proud of sessfully killing a god six levels weaker than you, but you¡¯ve failed to realize how long you took! Then, after taking your time with Kori, Jack arrived and kept you from simply throwing an attack at the ascending mortals beneath you... JUST THROW AN ATTACK!!!"

 Chapter 617 Halmut Being Questioned

    <h4>Chapter 617 Halmut Being Questioned</h4>


    "JUST THROW AN ATTACK!!!"


    "Your excellency--"


    "NO EXCUSES!" Halmut roared. "Jack may be skilled, but that gives you no reason to flee from his presence!"


    "Yet Jack managed to repel you."


    Quieting his roar and sharpening his gaze, Halmut questioned, "What¡¯s the meaning of your statement?"


    Perchet continued, "I believe that¡¯s what Tralbok is currently thinking. I¡¯d bet money that Tralbok had such a thought in his head while facing Jack, deciding to y things defensively instead of going for a killing blow. Right, Tralbok?"


    "Either way, that changes nothing..." Halmut replied with a shake of the head. "I was caught off guard because it was Jack¡¯s first time revealing his true strength. He used that surprise to his advantage and I backed off to ponder and reconsider the level of threat he presented. But you¡¯ve all been warned and already know what he¡¯s capable of, so the one valid excuse for failure is nonexistent in Tralbok¡¯s case!"


    "True!" Nodding, Perchet added, "I¡¯m not agreeing with such a thought, I¡¯m merely presenting the thought due to Tralbok¡¯sck of spine."


    "Fair... But no morements without proper reasoning!" ordered Halmut, getting a nod from Perchet and many of the gods present. "Any other objections?!"


    A hand went up, not surprising Halmut or the long-time subordinates under the Sun God.


    "Go ahead, Torian. Though I know what you¡¯ll ask."


    Standing and folding his arms, Torian stated his thoughts, "I think there¡¯s one key piece of information that has led to all of this, yet you¡¯ve side-stepped this topic for thousands of years and acted like this wasn¡¯t a problem at all. Halmut, why haven¡¯t you told us the truth about Daruun and your ascension?"


    Halmut squinted and nonchntly used his hand to pop his neck. "It was never necessary until now. But since the need has arrived, then I¡¯ll share some long-forgotten memories."


    "Excuse me, your excellency, but what are you all implying?"


    "While you were guarding the key in your temple, our charge was abruptly stopped by Daruun," Torian answered calmly.


    "By Daruun? You mean, Daruun stepped in to help the leisure gods?" asked Kylon.


    "No. Daruun was the one that stopped everyone, including the leisure gods and the mortals battling beneath us," answered Torian, causing Kylon to blink in disbelief. "We¡¯ve never experienced something quite like that... I think it¡¯s fair to say that Daruun is more powerful than everyone in this roombined."


    "Surely--"


    "No, that¡¯s including Halmut," argued Torian.


    Perchet seconded the statement, "Torian is right. Daruun made us feel like toy dolls, nothing more than ythings that were forced to do his will the moment he arrived."


    "He¡¯s... that strong?" Kylon blinked, struggling to digest that thought. But as each god across the room wore the same dejected face, Kylon was stunned and forced to consider Torian¡¯s statement as truth.


    "I won¡¯t get too far into the details," Halmut stated to reaffirm his position in the conversation, "so listen carefully. I may or may not answer your questions so choose your words wisely."


    Getting a nod from Torian, Perchet, and the others, Halmut began his exnation, "I met Halmut when Skaryn and I were oncepanions. Daruun appeared from out of nowhere and offered us the opportunity to ascend beyond the strength of mortality, so we took it. Very rarely does Daruun do anything here, though, so that¡¯s why Skaryn and I yed nice when Daruun visited Kartonia."


    "So he¡¯s not from here?" asked Perchet.


    Torian also asked, "Where does Daruune from?"


    "Daruun is not from Kartonia and I don¡¯t know where exactly hees from. But I do know that Daruun holds a position of responsibility over a vast region ofs, with Kartonia being one of them," answered Halmut. "And yes, there are others with sentient life like ours. I¡¯ve yet to leave here but I n to leave and grow my influence beyond Kartonia after leveling up once more."


    "How did you get on Daruun¡¯s bad side? And why would you willingly do so with such a powerful individual?" questioned Torian.


    "Because I¡¯ve met people even more powerful than Daruun. Is that enough reason?"


    "Yes... I suppose that is." Shrugging, Torian then asked, "Then what were you nning with all of us after you leave? I assume that our binding contracts wouldn¡¯t disappear after you leave, right?"


    "Correct..." Halmut sighed, taking a second to phrase his words carefully. "What I want is to take you all with me. Given the friends that I¡¯ve met from outside of Kartonia, that should be possible given the right circumstances. Do you have a problem with that?"


    Torian and Grixor both shook their heads, taking the answer easily. Most of the gods followed their example and nodded to appease the silent anger in Halmut¡¯s eyes.


    "Then you now know all that you need."


    "What about Skaryn?"


    Everyone was caught off guard by the unexpected question. Like everyone else, Halmut turned to Kylon and blinked.


    "What was Skaryn¡¯s rtionship with Daruun?" asked the Storm Goddess.


    "Oh... He was closer to Daruun in the end but he also strayed from the ns that Daruun wanted," exined Halmut, subconsciously heaving a sigh of relief. "Daruun merely wants to have pawns that y along with his ns in the end but both Skaryn and I stepped away from that. I think it was thest thing that we had both agreed on, though Daruun had always shown Skaryn favoritism. It¡¯s not so much that I¡¯m on Daruun¡¯s bad side, but that he preferred to be with Skaryn, a fellow human.


    "Either way, that¡¯s all you need to know about him. Now... let¡¯s talk about the announcement that Daruun made." Looking back to Kylon, Halmut asked, "You know about cier Reef, right?"


    Zoned out for a moment, Kylon blinked and speedily shook her head before responding, "Yes... I remember it."


    "Do you remember how to get there?"


    "I can find it given a day or two. Why do you ask?"


    "Because I must have all of the treasures!"

 Chapter 618 Strengthening the Legendary Gods

    <h4>Chapter 618 Strengthening the Legendary Gods</h4>


    "Because I must have all the treasures!" Halmut shouted. "I¡¯ve already told you that we n to leave Kartonia and rule elsewhere. Taking the treasures of cier Keep will make that far more possible, being our final venture as gods of Kartonia."


    "And what about our followers?" asked Kylon.


    "What about them? They¡¯ll stay here as we move on to better lives. Given how terribly you handled that battle, we¡¯ll lose at least half of our supporters before we can enter cier Keep," reasoned Halmut. "And the rulers of our subordinate nations will likely investigate leaving our side as well, believing that we¡¯re incapable of facing the leisure gods."


    "Your excellency..." Perchet sighed, giving everyone a moment to redirect their focus to him. The God of Sound never turned his head or looked around, only appearing to stare nkly at the table with his blindfold on tight. "By the sound of it, you seem to know more about cier Keep than you¡¯re letting on. Would you mind filling us in on why you¡¯re so adamant about receiving the treasures of cier Keep?"


    "I only know of its location. No need to--"


    "By the sound of your voice, I sense that you¡¯re possibly excited for one treasure in particr. And since you seem to have already known about the existence of cier Keep, perhaps you know of what lies inside?"


    "Perchet, that¡¯s enough," Halmut replied. "I know of cier Keep due to Lunara. Her species originates from cier Reef, the area that surrounds the sealed cier Keep. As for treasures, I have no clue what¡¯s inside."


    "But you--"


    "Kylon, there¡¯s no need to say more."


    "... Yes, your excellency."


    Continuing, Halmut mentioned, "As for what we¡¯ll do to enter cier Keep, we¡¯ve got one week to bolster our strength. How many divine candidates do we have left?"


    "None of ours survived the battle," Torian admitted. "They were targeted heavily by that mysterious swordsman, leaving us with no one over lv. 80."


    Grixor added, "The same goes for us Quake Dragons. My apprentices were also ughtered by that swordsman."


    "Hmmm... And the same goes for the Magma Dragons?" asked Halmut.


    "Correct."


    Looking around the table, Halmut squinted in thought as he tapped his fingers on the table. "Kylon, how many candidates do you have?"


    "Given a week to grind and permission to clear out dungeons without regtion, we can six candidates at most," answered Kylon.


    "Six? That many?" Halmut was surprised, as was everyone else.


    "Yes, six. Since we Flood Dragons have been given the past few centuries to recuperate our losses after Skaryn¡¯s ughter... we¡¯ve managed to focus on leveling at the sacrifice of some of the countless sea life species," Kylon exined, subconsciously pausing and blinking for a half a second after mentioning Skaryn. "And since it was the strongest Flood Dragons that were away with me during the incident, it was our numbers that were hurt and not our overall strength at that time."


    "Perfect!" Halmut smiled and looked to Perchet again. "How many candidates are there among the Nocturnal Dragons?"


    "Your excellency, you promised not to--"


    "How many, Perchet? Right now, we need all the strength we can get. The more candidates we have, the stronger you all can be and the more gods we can send into cier Keep," stated Halmut. "Now, how many candidates have you raised?"


    Sighing, Perchet shook his head, "Zero."


    "Zero?! That¡¯s impossible!"


    "There are zero candidates," Perchet repeated. "We never focused on leveling. Everyone here understands that Nocturnal Dragons have always preferred to live in peace and we don¡¯t seek violence. That should be obvious, given the terms of my joining the holy gods long ago when you promised not to get my people involved in any wars."


    "Perchet, we can¡¯t ept such terms during a crisis such as the one we¡¯re in now," stated Tralbok, attempting to regain some face in front of Halmut.


    "Those were the terms and I wish to stand by them. I only joined to keep us from waring with the other draconic species," argued Perchet.


    "Perchet..." Halmut sighed, intensifying his stare. "Right now, I must admit that Tralbok is right. We¡¯re facing a crisis we never expected and we must--"


    "So are you going back on your word or not?" the God of Sound questioned outright. "You know that I can¡¯t deny your orders given the deceptive contract that I once naively signed. If you¡¯re going to change the terms we previously agreed on, then state it outright."


    "Perchet, right now we must band all dragons together!" roared Halmut. "You saw what happened! They ughtered and slew everyst--"


    "No, I saw nothing," refuted Perchet. "Halmut, I won¡¯t deny your orders, but no that I¡¯m fulfilling them unwillingly. A true leader should honor his word and pride more than anything, not... well... That¡¯s enough rambling for me. I¡¯ll visit home and search for people. With a week¡¯s time, we may be able to create three candidates. But we¡¯ll also need permission to wipe out entire dungeons if you want that."


    "Of course!"ughed Halmut. "We¡¯ll soon be leaving anyway, so there¡¯s no need to worry about the dungeons. If anything, I like the thought of leaving the leisure gods with fewer ces to harvest EXP."


    "Very well..." Perchet sighed, rolling his eyebrows and swallowing his own pride.


    "This is how we should do this. You¡¯ll take your nine candidates to various dungeons, including the ones we¡¯ve saved for asions such as this, like the catbs in Zuran. Wipeout everything you can and make sure that all nine ascend," ordered Halmut. "Tralbok, you¡¯ll be allowed to reach lv. 98, but you mustn¡¯t disappoint me again. If that happens, I¡¯ll personally wipe out your existence."


    "Yes, your excellency," Tralbok agreed with the bow of his head.


    "Kylon, you¡¯ll also be lv. 98. Perchet, you¡¯ll be lv. 97. And because of your low-levels, we¡¯ll allow Tyres and Alcahain to both gain two levels. That¡¯s how we¡¯ll spread the nine divine candidates, alright?"


    While most everyone nodded in some form, one person raised their hand.

 Chapter 619 Halmuts Offered Reward

    <h4>Chapter 619 Halmut¡°s Offered Reward</h4>


    "Sillo, what is it?"


    "Your excellency, can I also gain a level, at least one? I don¡¯t want to disgrace you anymore with being so weak."


    "I appreciate your concern, but I don¡¯t think we¡¯ll have to worry about that anymore." Halmut reasoned, "With so many high-level gods, we¡¯ll out power and outnumber the leisure gods. Even if they revive their fallen, they¡¯ll only be lv. 90. And we¡¯ll only need to worry about Jack, Moranti, and Sterfen, which will be more than possible now. They¡¯ll have a few key members but the rest of the gods will grow weak and outnumbered."


    "I must say," Torian spoke up, "their low-leveled gods are still formidable and not to be underestimated."


    Halmut grinned and stated, "That¡¯s why we¡¯ll be sending in five groups into cier Keep, each being led by a high-level god. The Leisure Gods won¡¯t be able to do such a thing with their limited amount of high-level gods, giving us the edge inside cier Keep. Then, you can kill anyone without hesitation."


    "Five groups? Are you not entering yourself?"


    Everyone at the table was startled by Perchet¡¯s question, realizing the reality of Halmut¡¯s orders.


    "That would be best," reasoned Halmut. "So long as I remain here, then leisure gods won¡¯t be able to send all of their strongest members into the keep. Also, didn¡¯t you notice that a single, highly-influential god on their side was missing from your battle?"


    "Sterfen... What do you mean?" asked Torian.


    Halmut replied with a shrug and a smug smile. "I imagine that he was waiting for me to make an appearance. After sessfully assassinating Naparn, I think Sterfen has grown more confident and is now targeting me. So my staying here would be best for everyone. Unless you¡¯d like Sterfen to join you all in the unknown temple, where he¡¯d be at an advantage with his stealth skills..."


    "I think we¡¯ll manage," Torian nodded, not afraid to admit his fear. "Jack has already proven to be a handful and he¡¯ll gain more levels as he helps the revived gods ascend. Limiting their high-level gods to Jack and Moranti would be best, as adding Sterfen to the list would possibly be too much for us with those three alone."


    "I second that." Grixor nodded and sighed. "Of all opponents, at least Moranti fights head-on. Jack does too, for the most part, so he¡¯s a better opponent than Sterfen who constantly hides in the shadows."


    "Then it¡¯s settled! We¡¯ll gain another nine gods and bolster our strength and numbers at the same time!" boomed Halmut. "Kylon, you¡¯ll leave three of your soon-to-be subordinate Flood Dragon gods to protect the seal while you and the rest join the expedition to cier Keep. You¡¯ll add your blood to some teleportation scrolls before gathering the candidates and venturing early to find cier Reef. As it unseals, tell us and the rest will teleport to your location. Understood?"


    "Yes, your excellency."


    "And be careful. If you¡¯re in trouble, immediately call us and we¡¯ll send reinforcements early should they be necessary."


    "Of course, your excellency," Kylon agreed with a formal nod.


    "Actually... I want you to leave two of the new gods at the seal and have one remain outside of cier Keep after it¡¯s been opened. Then we¡¯ll be more prepared if the leisure gods surprise us."


    "Your excellency, I don¡¯t think we need to sacrifice--"


    "Kylon, that¡¯s an order."


    "... Yes, your excellency..." Kylon shook her head and sighed, answering robotically.


    "Now, as an incentive for finding and gathering more treasures, I¡¯ll reward everyone ording to the amount of treasures you bring back," added Halmut. "You all know about these, correct?"


    A small mound of multicolored crystals suddenly appeared on the table before Halmut. All eyes were on them, curious as to what exactly they were.


    "These are energy stimnts, given to me by my friends from beyond Kartonia. These are the reason I was able to defeat Skaryn and the reason you¡¯ll be able to grow much stronger after leaving Kartonia. I¡¯ll give you all a share after raiding cier Keep, but for now, I¡¯ll let you each take one and see for yourselves how potent they are."


    Halmut tossed a crystal to each of the gods present, even the newly ascended Quake Dragon gods that survived the recent battle. But Kylon didn¡¯t receive one as Halmut mentioned, "For now, you shouldn¡¯t have one. Not until your condition passes."


    The briefment was quiet and overlooked by many as they began to roll the crystals in their hands. They were all too curious as to why Halmut was so dependent and confident in such a strange item.


    "Calm your breathing and focus on the energy sitting within the crystals. As you clear your mind and focus fully on the energy in the crystals, you¡¯ll find that the energy will begin to leak out and will begin to seep into your body," exined Halmut, taking one his hand as well to demonstrate.


    One by one, the legendary gods each attempted to feel the energy within the crystals. Tralbok was the first to feel the energy rushing into his arm and Torian was barely behind him, showing their talent and sensitivity to energy. Grixor struggled for a moment but soon was able to feel the rush of the powerful energy. Alcahain and Tyres did the same, liking the sense of power that it gave them, as did the newly ascended Flood and Quake Dragons.


    While those gods were getting a glimpse of an energy high, a couple of others clutched tightly to the crystal but weren¡¯t able to absorb any energy. Or better said, they didn¡¯t want to attempt it quite yet.


    Sillo¡¯s mind kept going back to Duorda¡¯sments mid-battle.


    "You¡¯re sloppy... Your control is getting worse by the second... Yet your trivial perspective of power limits you. How sad..."


    The lone Twin Mage God had begun to view things differently. He wondered what his opponent had meant by control, curious to know if that was how the lv. 90 skeleton was able to easily overwhelm two lv. 93¡¯s and casuallyment about the battle while doing so.

 Chapter 620 Torian Was Poisoned?

    <h4>Chapter 620 Torian Was Poisoned?</h4>


    Also, Sillo wondered one thing, something that Duorda made clear the moment they encountered each other. Duorda had introduced himself as the current assistant to Jack and the former assistant to Daruun. Being Jack¡¯s assistant was interesting but being Daruun¡¯s former assistant meant more than Sillo could fathom after learning that Daruun was from another world.


    Didn¡¯t that mean that Duorda also came from outside of Kartonia? Wouldn¡¯t that mean that Duorda may have been right about all of his mid-battlements?


    Such thoughts kept Sillo from immediately epting the multicolored crystal as an easy way to gain power. Sillo¡¯s perspective of power waspletely flipped after that fight. If such control was how a newly ascended godpletely overwhelmed a tag-team of gods that were three levels stronger, wouldn¡¯t it be best to seek higher levels of mana control and not raw power?


    It also proved the drastically different approaches to training that Skaryn and Halmut used. The stimnts proved that Halmut sought raw power to the fullest. But that didn¡¯t line up with how Halmut defeated Skaryn after all, as they all knew that Skaryn was somehow sealed away without anyone fully knowing how.


    At the same time, Sillo was able to think back to when Skaryn would rarely tutor him and his sister. Skaryn was always patient and wanted to perfect his techniques before trying to increase the power he put into them, always talking about how there were no shortcuts to true strength.


    In the end, Sillo merely kept the crystal in his hand but didn¡¯tmit to absorbing any of its energy.


    One god caught the crystal but promptly ced it on the table without a second thought. While nearly everyone was beginning to smile at the rush they felt, Perchet kept his calm and cool demeanor, unaffected by the positivity that everyone showed to the stimnts.


    Perchet cared not for substantial power. He had always remained true to his strength and sought natural means to grow and protect his people. With motives of protective and not dominance, Perchet¡¯s view of strength was quite different than most dragons in general. But Perchet¡¯s abilities were also incredibly unique among the dragons, even within his own people. It was his rise that managed to cement them as a draconic race that shouldn¡¯t be messed with and was hard to predict in battle. And raw strength had nothing to do with it, as Perchet relied on tactics and difficult-to-counter abilities to win his battles.


    Halmut paid little mind to those two, sure that they would eventually give in and try the stimnts. With the other gods instantly epting them as a good thing, neither Perchet nor Sillo would be able to ignore the effect of stimnts for long.


    "Seriously?!" Alcahain shouted with joy, getting everyone¡¯s attention.


    "Congrattions on leveling up!" beamed Halmut, anxious to show off the strength of the stimnts.


    "This... I now understand why you constantly absorb these," Torian added with a smile.


    "I like it!" Grixor pounded his chest, staring eagerly at the untouched pile of stimnts.


    "Bring me treasure and I trade stimnts for them. The more valuable the treasure, the more stimnts you¡¯ll receive. Even if I need to ask for more, that will be easy after we leave Kartonia," exined Halmut, getting smiles from nearly everyone. "With that settled, are there any more questions?"


    "I have one, but it¡¯s more of ament," Torian stated, losing a portion of his smile. "I want your help removing poison from my body?"


    "Poison? How can you get poisoned?" questioned Halmut, wide-eyed.


    "To distract me upon returning to the battlefield, one of Jack¡¯s copies stabbed me with a poison dagger." Retrieving the dagger, Torian slid it across the table for Halmut to examine. "The feeling is minuscule and I¡¯m still more than capable of fighting with my full strength, but my body does feel asional numbness which I can ignore."


    "Numbness, huh?" Halmut picked up the dagger and gave it a sniff, immediately pulling back his nose. "Has it gotten worse, even a little?"


    "In retrospect, I believe the numbness has ever so slightly been getting worse each time it acts up."


    "Walking death toxin... It¡¯s been a long time but it makes sense for Jack to have it, given his history..." Halmut mumbled loudly, shaking his head. "It¡¯s not something that¡¯s of immediate concern but we should remember that Jack is the one who created walking death toxin in the first ce, so him having such a concentrated amount is more than possible."


    "Jack created that?" Perchet asked, sharing the surprise with many of the gods present.


    Halmut continued, "Yes, that I¡¯m certain. That was the first time I recognized the Legend of Trodar as a stand-out hero. He was the first to fulfill my quest among thousands of heroes. Though I gave hints and suggestions as to how such a toxin should be made, Jack was still the first to make it. Because of him, we gained a chemical advantage over Skaryn for a short while."


    "Only because you had Skaryn¡¯s potential Poison God killed..."


    "Enough, Perchet. No need to mention such a useless story and worthless divine candidate," Halmut stated. "Either way, we need to be aware that Jack likely has a lot more of this walking death toxin on him. There¡¯s a chance that he¡¯ll equip each of the gods with some in order to offer them another edge in battle in an attempt to make up for their low levels. Don¡¯t forget that."


    At the same time, Halmut retrieved several vials and tossed them around the table. "These are the antibodies to fight walking death toxin, which Jack also created and turned in for the quest. We have plenty but that doesn¡¯t mean they¡¯ll instantly negate the immediate numbness. This will keep the toxin from progressing in your body and gradually kill the toxin in a day or two. Keep your wits about you when the leisure gods wield any unfamiliar weapon."


    "Now, is there anything else?" Halmut asked. "No? Then let¡¯s end this and get to work creating new gods!"

 Chapter 621 Perchets Chat With Kylon

    <h4>Chapter 621 Perchet¡°s Chat With Kylon</h4>


    Halmut immediately gathered his stimnts and fled the conference room in a hurry. The remaining gods each stood up and either left alone or began chatting within their own social circles.


    "Kylon..."


    As The Storm Goddess was about to leave alongside her divine attendants, she turned around to bow her head. "Perchet, what can I do for you?"


    "Would you mind if I joined you?" asked the Nocturnal Dragon. "Given our shared circumstances, I wondered if we could gather our candidates together? It would offer anotheryer of protection for us and give us a person to chat with. Would you mind?"


    "That¡¯s fine. I would enjoy the rarepany," replied Kylon, motioning for Perchet to step beside her.


    The two gods left the conference room and began walking through a vast hallway. Kylon¡¯s attendant Flood Dragon gods kept close behind them but so close as to impose on their master¡¯s conversation.


    Once out of direct earshot of the others, Perchet asked, "Kylon... Are you okay?"


    "Of course I am. There¡¯s no need to ask that," Kylon confidently and calmly replied.


    "But your eyes tell a different story," stated Perchet. "I understand that you don¡¯t need much sleep, but the exhaustion on your face leads me to believe something else."


    "Oh... And what¡¯s that?"


    "You don¡¯t seem physically tired but you seem... mentally exhausted. Perhaps you¡¯re trying to sleep but are failing to sleep well?"


    "Perchet, there¡¯s no need to--"


    "I understand that this is personal, but that¡¯s why I ask. Sometimes, no matter how proud we are, it helps to have a listening ear. And listening happens to be my specialty."


    "Was that a joke?" Kylon chuckled. "Since when have you had a sense of humor?"


    Smiling, Perchet responded, "I see no reason for me to entertain Halmut¡¯s wicked thoughts so there¡¯s no reason to smile while handling business. Right now, we¡¯re just chatting, something I believe is rare for the both of us, since the Godly War at least."


    "Right..." Kylon¡¯s chuckles fell into sighs. "I guess chatting isn¡¯t too bad."


    "Feel better afterughing a little? Talking this over will help even more," reasoned Perchet. "Let¡¯s head to my room first for some tea. Afterward, we¡¯ll use my teleportation circle to reach Fulken and select three divine candidates. Then we¡¯ll bring them back here and repeat the cycle in the depths of Kustram."


    "I... think I¡¯d like that." Kylon nodded. "It¡¯s been some time since I¡¯ve chatted with another reputable god."


    "Nearly five hundred years."


    "What?" asked Kylon.


    Perchet repeated himself, "Nearly five hundred years. That¡¯s how long it¡¯s been since you¡¯ve had a casual conversation with a god."


    "That¡¯s not--"


    "It was then that Lunara hid away in her temple to never return to the chateau and that¡¯s also when you grew much colder to everyone else," mentioned Perchet. "Yet you suddenly grew warmer to Halmut, something none of us expected."


    "Perchet, I haven¡¯t changed. Sure, I may see things a bit differently after what happened to Kustram, but I¡¯m still the same person as before," stated Kylon in a somewhat teasing voice.


    "There it is!" Perchet smiled and pointed to her. "I haven¡¯t heard you talk like that for all this time, so chatting must be helping you. But, Kylon, I do find it somewhat hard to believe..."


    When Perchet paused, Kylon couldn¡¯t help but ask, "Find what hard to believe?"


    "That you¡¯re the same person as before... Actually, I highly doubt it..." Perchet sighed and shrugged, leaving Kylon unsure of how to respond. "Kylon... what do you think of Skaryn?"


    "He killed my people!" Kylon firmly stated. "Skaryn ughtered an ind of his own believers and obliterated my people in the process."


    "But what do you remember before that?"


    "What do you mean?"


    "What do you remember from your conversations with Skaryn?" Perchet rephrased.


    "I... I never talked with Skaryn, so--"


    "Impossible." Shaking his head, Perchet slowed his steps as they neared the door to his room. "You really don¡¯t remember?"


    Kylon acted more stern, stating, "Perchet, I never--"


    "Then what about your nightmares?"


    "My what?!" Kylon shouted without realizing it. "How did... I mean..."


    "Believe it or not, I¡¯ve heard you mention it a couple of times during your visits to the chateau."


    "You... That¡¯s not possible."


    "Then did your attendants seem surprised by my statement without question?"


    The Storm Goddess nearly bit her tongue in search of something to say. She nced at her attendants who avoided eye contact and followed her mistress into the room.


    Perchet closed the door and mentioned, "Don¡¯t worry, our conversation has been unheard of by the others. I soundproofed the air around us the moment we entered the hallway. And now that we¡¯re here, we can rx and share our true thoughts without fear of the others. No one, not even Halmut, can listen into this room."


    Seeing that Kylon was hesitant to respond, Perchet sighed and ced a tea kettle over a t, ck stone. Upon doing so, an inscription lit up over the stone and the matching kettle. In seconds, the inscription vanished and left the water at a perfect temperature. As Perchet poured numerous sses for all his guests, Kylon and her attendants took a seat.


    When Perchet brought the tray of teacups to the lounging area, he set it down and took a sip from his cup. "Kylon... I want out of legendary gods."


    "What?!" Kylon immediately leaned forward and nearly spilled her tea, as did her attendants.


    "I want out of the legendary gods," repeated Perchet, taking another quick sip. "I¡¯ve wanted out for quite some time, for many centuries in fact. But I only thought it possible recently, so I haven¡¯t acted on that thought until now."


    "What do you mean?!" questioned Kylon, rushing to her feet. Her attendants did the same as they were clueless about what woulde next.


    "Kylon..." Perchet took onest sip before returning his cup to the small table in front of them. "Do you love Skaryn?"

 Chapter 622 Why Dont I Know...

    <h4>Chapter 622 Why Don¡°t I Know...</h4>


    "Do you love Skaryn?"


    "I-I... Why...."


    As if her brain malfunctioned, Kylon found herself unable to say a thing. She was certain at first, ready to denounce such a ridiculous im without a second thought. Yet she couldn¡¯t. Kylon couldn¡¯t bring herself to admit a thing. In that single moment, Kylon fell back onto the couch and slunk against the backrest. Her eyes twitched, on the verge of inexplicable tears.


    When Kylon¡¯s attendants were about to step forward and shout in ce of their mistress, Perchet nced at them and slowly waved his finger side to side. "Kylon... I¡¯m beingpletely open with you. Do you believe me when I say that?... Kylon?"


    "I... I believe you..." she struggled to speak, but she was unsure why.


    "Then, can you be open with me? I want to help you."


    "I... I-I..."


    "Take a moment and breath. Just rx..." Perchet slowed his speech, trying to bring her tumultuous mind to a standstill. "What¡¯s on your mind? You can be open with me... Nothing you can tell me would be more disastrous of a secret than what I¡¯ve shared with you. Right?"


    "... R-right..." Nodding, Kylon did her best to realize why water was streaming down her face.


    "I... I don¡¯t know anymore..."


    "You don¡¯t know what?"


    "... Anything..." mumbled Kylon. "Halmut... Skaryn... I don¡¯t know what to believe..."


    "Is it because of your nightmares?" asked Perchet.


    She began to nod but then shook her head. "Yes... No... I don¡¯t know..."


    "How about we talk about it? The more you can verbalize, the more concrete some thoughts might be. Or it might have the opposite effect, letting you weed out what may be false," reasoned Perchet with a smile.


    "Who was Skaryn to you?" Kylon asked, blinking and momentarily halting her tears.


    "Skaryn was a man that few understood," Perchet stated. "He was far smarter than Halmut will ever admit, and his strength always troubled Halmut until Skaryn was mysteriously sealed away."


    "Mysteriously?" Caught off guard by his phrasing, Kylon asked, "Why would it be mysterious?"


    "Kylon, when has Halmut ever used a seal apart from that fight?"


    "He..."


    "Can you think of just one other time? I can¡¯t."


    "Halmut... Didn¡¯t he... There was the time when..."


    "There was no other time. Right?"


    Kylon opened her mouth but again failed to respond. Her brain had shortcircuited yet again.


    "Tell me about your nightmares," Perchet insisted, seeing that Kylon waspletely unable to exin some of her thoughts.


    "Yes... The nightmares..." Taking a deep breath, Kylon regathered herself. "Almost every night for the past century I¡¯ve been... someone else..."


    "How¡¯s that? You¡¯ve been someone else in your dreams?"


    The Storm Goddess nodded. "Yeah... But I¡¯ve really been them, reliving the same day every night from a cruel, new perspective..."


    "Now, I don¡¯t want to force you to speak about this, Kylon," Perchet added. "I understand that this is hard for you to admit, but don¡¯t you think it will feel better to get it off your chest?"


    Taking another deep breath with her eyes closed, Kylon then opened her mouth and paused. "I..."


    "Go on."


    "I... Each night I relive the massacre of Kustram. But every time, those memories are lying to me. But they feel too real to be a lie... But they have to be a lie, or else..."


    "Kylon... Kylon..." Perchet gently whispered and rubbed the woman¡¯s shrinking back, making her gasp at first and then slightly rx. "It¡¯s okay. Let it out."


    The attendants in the room didn¡¯t know what to say. They had always wanted their mistress toe clean but they had never managed to get her to admit anything beyond them being nightmares about Kustram. Never had they seen their mistress so fragile... so torn with herself.


    As Kylon was balling up on top of the couch, she sniffled. Still, she struggled to get words to properly form in her mind. No matter what she tried, Kylon felt like her mind was failing her, adding to the stress she already felt burdened with.


    "So... Your nightmares contrast your memory?"


    Kylon nodded robotically.


    "Well... Then, what do you remember? You¡¯ve met Skaryn and you¡¯ve had private conversations with him, so what do you remember about him?" asked Perchet.


    "I... I never spoke with him alone," admitted Kylon. "At least... I don¡¯t remember anything. I remember avoiding him."


    "Then how did you avoid him?"


    "I..."


    Suddenly, the look on Kylon¡¯s face turned from torn to grim. It was the moment she understood that something was drastically wrong with her. And she had no clue what, making it worse.


    "I... I don¡¯t know... But I always avoided him, because Skaryn was abusive and toxic to everyone..."


    "Everyone?" Perchet tilted his head to the side. "Maybe you should ask Sillo for his opinion of Skaryn some time. I remember hearing that he and his sister have been tutored by Skaryn for a long time."


    "Really? But... Skaryn is abusive and..."


    "Then how is Skaryn abusive? Can you name an instance where he abused someone?" questioned Perchet.


    Kylon nodded slowly but wasn¡¯t able to remember a single incident. She deeply felt that Skaryn was such a man yet Kylon was unable to imagine why or how she had reached that conclusion.


    "So, tell me about the nightmares. Was Skaryn abusive to you there?"


    "N... No..." admitted Kylon. "Skaryn had sav... He help..."


    Again, the expression on Kylon¡¯s face grew grimmer as her mouth and mind failed to produce the thoughts she wanted. The more she dug around the top of Skaryn and the loss of Kustram, the more pained and tortured her mind felt. Just mentioning what took ce in her mind was seemingly triggering her mind to shut down. But nothing was making sense!


    "He what?"


    "He... Skaryn... I don¡¯t know... I don¡¯t know!" Kylon shouted, feeling lost in her own mind, not recognizing if her memories were reality or fantasy or even her own. "I don¡¯t know! WHY DON¡¯T I KNOW, PERCHET?!"


    Whimpering, Kylon stopped her shouting and let her tears fall willingly. "Why don¡¯t I know... Why don¡¯t I remember anything..."

 Chapter 623 Trodars Announcement to the World

    <h4>Chapter 623 Trodar¡°s Announcement to the World</h4>


    "Kylon..." Perchet softly asked, "Are you having trouble remembering things?"


    The Storm Goddess nodded slowly, gradually shaking less and less as she realized how pitiful she was in front of her fellow god.


    "Do you want help?"


    "I..."


    "Kylon, do you want help?" repeated Perchet. "If you don¡¯t, then I¡¯ll forget this ever happened. I won¡¯t expect you to do the same, but I will ask that you give me some time to flee as a courtesy to our long time as friendly acquaintances... So, do you want help?"


    "But... How can I get help?" Kylon asked. "I... This problem is mine, it¡¯s not like--"


    "You do realize that there¡¯s a god specialized in the mind, right?"


    "You mean... No! Perchet, I can¡¯t--"


    "Do you want help or not?" insisted Perchet. "If you want help, Eedaj and the leisure gods are your best bet, correct? You tried to tell Halmut but you were ultimately ignored. Why not ask Eedaj? You respect him as much as I do. He may even agree to evaluate your situation in secret, without the other leisure gods knowing."


    "If..."


    Kylon bit her lip, stopping herself from admitting to her desire for help. For as long as she had lived, that was the one thing she hated most, feeling weak and unable to solve her own problems. That was why she hesitated in contacting Skaryn, which allowed Halmut to force her into the worst contract possible.


    "Kylon... It¡¯s not that you¡¯re weak," stated Perchet, stealing her attention again. "Everyone has problems that need help sometimes. For example, how do you think all of us legendary gods will reach cier Keep without you? We need to rely on your ability to locate and enter cier Reef so that we can teleport to your side.


    "That¡¯s the same reason why getting Eedaj¡¯s help now would be best. He¡¯s the most knowledgeable and capable when ites to the mind, making him your only chance at discovering the problems with your memory." Perchet added, "Who knows, maybe he¡¯ll be able to help you with your nightmares as well."


    Little by little, Kylon¡¯s ears were perking up. Mentioning the nightmares was like the straw that broke the camel¡¯s back."


    "I... want help..."


    Perchet immediately retrieved a contact crystal andmented. "I¡¯ll ask him to meet us in Fulken. That way, it will be fast and unknown to all. Okay?"


    "... Okay..." Hesitantly nodding, Kylon took a deep breath. "But I¡¯m not rebelling, like you. I still might give you up if pushes to shove."


    "Go right ahead. I just want you to get the help you need." As the crystal connected and dimly glowed, Perchet stated, "We need to speak, now."


    *****


    "No one is Halmut¡¯s ally, not even his own race. It wouldn¡¯t surprise me if he ate his own child in order to strengthen his own bloodline strength."


    "What do you mean?!"


    The volume of Jack¡¯s voice abruptly increased, catching Moranti off guard. The God of Space continued to speak, feeling that Jack¡¯s reply was a bit more passion-filled than expected, "That... is an ancient way to increase the potency of a dragon¡¯s bloodline. Many experiments have been done to test draconic bloodlines but a dragon consuming their unborn child is the most effective. Our children share our blood, which is the mostpatible with ours. If a parent consumed their child¡¯s bloodline, something we Spectral Dragons banned long before the race was wiped out, then there¡¯s a chance that parent would experience a mild transformation of their bloodline strength.


    "It¡¯s a minor event but for Halmut it might mean a breakthrough, maybe. He¡¯s been at lv. 99 for so long now... I don¡¯t know why, but it feels like breaking through lv. 99 takes more than just leveling up."


    Jack clenched his fists, taking in a sharp breath as he tried to calm his mind. "Thank you for telling me this... It¡¯s more important than you know."


    "What do you mean?"


    "I¡¯ll exin itter. For now, we need to let Estonya and Trodar celebrate," Jack stated as he turned to face the lively city in the distance. "After we publicly announce victory and let them spread the news with a celebration, we¡¯ll meet up and discuss what¡¯s next."


    "Okay... Then I¡¯ll gather the others."


    Moranti could sense that something was off, especially after his remark about Halmut¡¯s insatiable greed. But he understood that Jack would tell them soon or when the time was best. After spending five hundred years chained up, Moranti had be more patient than he would admit.


    Jack took his time to walk toward the Estonya city walls. The surviving military forces of the Leisure Guild trickled in behind him with the gods taking the lead.


    As the army capable of ttening the entire capital neared the city, the guards began to cheer. After a few moments, however, their cheers slowed and died down. They too could sense the somber mood of the army and recognize that the victory was still a great loss of life.


    Once there, Jack and the other gods walked through the air to step atop the city wall.


    "PEOPLE OF ESTONYA!!!"


    That booming voice stilled the hearts of the elves within the city. They had experienced a rollercoaster of emotions and opinions and were still on an emotional high. Within twenty-four hours, the people of Estonya had their chief abandon their old gods, were then threatened by those same gods, and defended by the newly epted gods despite theck of public support the elves showed to Trodar. Right now, they were quite sensitive to Jack¡¯s words and showed him theirplete attention.


    A few seconds passed as the city¡¯s cheers stopped and all-eyes found Jack on the city wall.


    "From now on, you¡¯re one of us!" Jack shouted, lifting one arm to the sky. "No matter your thoughts or ideals against us or other species, Korten will remain under Trodar¡¯s banner of protection! Today, Trodar has resoundingly defeated Halmut¡¯s gods of old, who only seek obedience through oppression! From now on, YOU¡¯RE FREE! As a part of Trodar, every person, no matter their species, is free from the oppression of Halmut and his tyranny!"

 Chapter 624 News Spreads of Trodars Victory

    <h4>Chapter 624 News Spreads of Trodar¡°s Victory</h4>


    Estonya erupted into cheers! Sure, the elves were brand new to Trodar and knew little to nothing of its current ce in the world, but so far Trodar had only made a good impression on the elves.


    Recently, more products than ever before were flooding the marketces of the elven cities. This was attributed to the trade pact with Trodar. More and more elf merchants were starting to leave Estonya to be mobile merchants as well, gaining far more wealth than what was possible within Estonya thanks to their unique products against the markets of the outside world. And after witnessing the gods and military of the Leisure Guild fend off dragons and the legendary gods, how could the elves question the capabilities of Trodar¡¯s military might? Even without asking for help from Estonya or the other nations under Trodar¡¯s banner, the Leisure Guild alone managed to repel the draconic threat.


    Hearing that Korten wasn¡¯t being overrun by Trodar but under their protection meant a lot after witnessing that battle. The very mention of retaining their freedom added to their boosted quality of life after the trade pact, cementing Trodar¡¯s influence in their hearts and nt a seed of loyalty. It wasn¡¯t too difficult after seeing Lyrun and the other formerly-named holy gods attempt to eradicate Estonya. Plus, Trodar proved it could also wipe out Korten or oppress the elves, yet they opted for free enterprise and rule to keep Estonya and Korten in peace.


    "THANK YOU, MASTER JACK!!!"


    One elf took to the sky and shouted with all his might. The elven chief spoke loudly, proud to have followed his gut and witness his people begin their own change of hearts. "Thank you!"


    "It¡¯s to be expected!" stated Jack, keeping his fist up. "Under Trodar, you¡¯re still the Korten of ancient legend and heritage. Only now you can share that legend and heritage with the world without fear of war or discrimination. Only prosperity awaits you under Trodar¡¯s protection, not radical change or war! Now is a time to celebrate! Let all of Kartonia know of the peace that¡¯s possible under Trodar!"


    After Jack finished his words, he dropped his arm to the side and hopped off of the city wall.


    As Jack¡¯s silhouette vanished along with the other gods, Gwendon led his people in a chant, "TRODAR! TRODAR! TRODAR!"


    "ESTONYA!" Gwendon shouted, regathering the people¡¯s attention after the crowd mentality had spread throughout the entire city. "Let¡¯smemorate this day, the day Estonya was both threatened with extinction and returned to the global stage as a rising star of Trodar!"


    Shouts and cries of joy filled the capital¡¯s streets as elves admired the chance of a new holiday. It didn¡¯t take long for the restaurants and dispensaries to distribute their food and drink at an all-time high. The quick action of the stores and restaurants added to the excitement and pulled in the crowds to incite more enthusiasm.


    While Estonya was celebrating, the elven merchants in the city updated their counterparts spread throughout Trodar. Those traveling elves were ted to hear the public announcement and understand the true prospect of joining Trodar.


    The same traveling merchants were too excited not to share the news with theirtest customers and begin the spread of information through Trodar. This started the domino of rumors about the event, as well as excite the people and merchants of Trodar. Not only had the Leisure Guild won a decisive battle, now Korten, the long-time ally of Halmut and his subordinate gods, would be open for Trodan visitors and merchants.


    Of course, aside from the people of Trodar getting excited about the matter, the informants of the other nations soon heard about the results. They wasted no time contacting their home countries and fully exined the reappearance of dragons along with Trodar¡¯s unexpected victory.


    Adding the deration of freedom under Trodar, a life without overbearing pressure of the gods, the kings and rulers of Kartonia felt all the more tempted to rethink their alliances. Not only had their gods lost, but Trodar was also offering a much fairer style of governance. Their nations were allowed to rule as they always had with minor changes, proven by how the Leisure Guild had paid for their newly made branches without any extortion of the new nations¡¯ people.


    Those that were on the fence had little to think about. Combining a key show of strength and a much less oppressive form of ruling, the neutral nations immediately began drafting letters to Trodar for conferences and discussions regarding the requirements to join.


    The meteoric rise of Trodar had officially be unstoppable. Not even the opposing gods could stop them. It was an irrefutable fact now.


    All the while, the gods and military of the Leisure Guild traveled back home via a spatial rift. They came home to a city that had already begun its own celebration, but many of the returningbatants didn¡¯t join in the festivities.


    The gods and key figures of the guild were among those that didn¡¯t celebrate. Instead, they hurried to the strategy room to discuss the announcement that Daruun had made to stop the fight.


    Jack sat at the head of the table but was slouching back into the seat without a word, twiddling his fingers around the contact crystal that Eedaj had just returned to him.


    "Jack, what do you think about all of this?" asked Moranti, wanting the discussion to get started.


    Sighing, the hero replied, "Well... I¡¯ve never heard of cier Keep, so I don¡¯t even know where to start. But since someone should know about it... Mom, do you know where that is?"


    Lunara nodded. "I do... It¡¯s been so long but I can¡¯t forget my original home."


    Caught off guard, many of the other gods present looked at the Water Goddess in surprise. She continued, "It should be off the west coast of Aazoon¡¯s small shoreline. But it will take some time to find the definite location."


    "Is it that hard to reach?" Dragas asked.


    "Yes. After all, it¡¯s more than ten thousand meters below sea level."

 Chapter 625 Discussing Strategies for Glacier Keep

    <h4>Chapter 625 Discussing Strategies for cier Keep</h4>


    "It¡¯s that deep?!" shouted Jin.


    Rikko stammered, "Rikko no swim! How Rikko go so deep?!"


    Each of the gods added their stupified reply as Lunara waited to continue her exnation. Eventually, Lunara added, "Also, Kylon should be able to find it better than me. She found me, which led to her discovering my old home, cier Reef. But she didn¡¯t stay or visit, ording to my knowledge."


    "Then both sides have a way to find the keep within the week..." mumbled Jack, putting his mind to work. "What do you know about cier Keep?"


    "cier Keep is a sacred ground for the cier Hydras. It¡¯s a ce sealed in ice a bit deeper than the city. No hydra has ever been able to enter but every hydra has visited cier Keep at least once for a rite of passage," exined Lunara. "Well... not every hydra..."


    "But you¡¯ll still be able to find it?" Jack asked with a slight smile, understanding what she meant.


    Nodding, Lunara replied, "I can definitely find it, so don¡¯t worry about that. What I want to know is how we¡¯ll get everyone down below for the dungeon run."


    "I¡¯m so excited!" Hadurt rubbed his hands together with enthusiasm.


    "Actually... I don¡¯t think you¡¯ll be joining us."


    "JACK! Come on!"


    "Let me exin." Taking a deep breath and pausing to gather attention, Jack stated, "Daruun said that only groups of four can enter, stating that anyrger groups would regret sendingrger parties. Why would that be?


    "With that question in mind, I would prefer to have our most powerful people in a single group rather than separate them among several groups."


    "But then we¡¯ll be dead for sure!" argued Lorwynn, taken aback by the proposal.


    "And that¡¯s why I think sending one group would be best," Jack rified, leaving many bbergasted.


    "Jack, you can¡¯t--"


    "Do you think Halmut won¡¯t create more gods?" questioned Jack, getting everyone to think for a moment. "If more gods are created, what else would that mean?"


    "That more high-level gods will be created as well..." Moranti answered, sharing the thoughts of everyone.


    "Then, due to Halmut¡¯s greed, don¡¯t you think he¡¯ll want to create as many bnced teams as possible? Then he¡¯ll best guarantee their sess in iming the treasures of the keep. Also... Daruun hinted at a special chamber before he left," added Jack. "Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s a chance that Halmut knows something about cier Keep, given his past rtionship with Skaryn and Daruun? I think he knows far more than he¡¯s letting on."


    "But even then... what about everyone that doesn¡¯t go?!"


    "Calm down, Jin." Lunara sighed, "I understand what you mean, but Jack¡¯s idea makes sense."


    Moranti nodded, adding his thoughts, "If we split up into multiple groups, we would still be outnumbered. And if we¡¯re encouraged to travel in small parties, then there may be a chance of separation within cier Keep. Should our groups get separated, the odds of running into an opposing team would be more so than finding an ally party. And ourck of high-level gods will be exploited in such a scenario, especially if we¡¯re split up to create lopsided teams."


    Jack was d to see that Moranti was so insightful. But Jack also believed that Moranti only said so much because Moranti was certain to join the single party due to his strength.


    "Then how would you separate us?" Eedaj asked Jack.


    Jack scratched his head for a moment, finally answering, "We¡¯ll have a single team of four. Sadly, Sterfen is busy and I don¡¯t want to disturb his current objective. But him not joining us will be a plus."


    "How so?" asked Hadurt.


    "Halmut scared of Sterfen?" Rikko spoke loudly, asking the question to the table atrge as well as himself. "If Halmut scared of Sterfen, Halmut hide in chateau. If Halmut hide, Halmut no go to cier Keep!"


    "Exactly!" Jack gave Rikko a light gold p before expanding on the idea, "Excluding Sterfen, I think we all agree that Moranti and I should be two of the four entering cier Keep. Are there any objections?"


    Dragas spoke up, ncing at her lover, "What if they attack us here?"


    "I doubt they will. If Halmut makes a move, then you can bet that Sterfen will do the same. And in the worst-case scenario, both Moranti and I can teleport back to help. And do you believe Halmut¡¯s greed wouldn¡¯t make him send everyone into the keep?"


    "Alright..." Dragas bit her lip and nudged Moranti beside her. "But what if one of you dies or gets injured? I should join you as the--"


    "Sorry, Dragas, but no."


    Turning to face Moratni directly, Dragas blurted out, "And why not?!"


    "Because what we need isn¡¯t support, it¡¯s all-out firepower," reasoned Moranti. "With us sending one group, we¡¯ll be susceptible to ambushes of greater numbers. In those scenarios, though your support would greatly help us, you would also be the party¡¯s weakness."


    "I agree. That¡¯s why I want Lunara joining us."


    "ME?!" Lunara was stunned, as were others. "But I¡¯m only lv. 94! I¡¯ll find the ce, but then you can teleport to my location and--"


    "Mom, calm down." Jack paused, not wanting Lunara to talk herself out of the situation. "You¡¯re more powerful than nearly anyone at your level. That was obvious when you fought Naparn to a draw, even with Dragas¡¯s help. So long as you gain some more levels, then you¡¯d be a nearly unstoppable force."


    "But... how can I--"


    "Don¡¯t we have plenty of demigod candidates at the moment?" added Moranti, ying off of Jack¡¯s thoughts. "We could have you level up in time to enter the keep as a high-level god."


    "Not just a high-level god, as the highest leveled gods."


    Jack¡¯s statement stole everyone¡¯s attention, immediately forcing their heads to turn back to the hero-turned-god.


    "The other reason only one team is going is simple. I want everyone that¡¯s not going to help those that are to level up. That includes you, Moranti."

 Chapter 626 Plan for Leveling Up

    <h4>Chapter 626 n for Leveling Up</h4>


    "Me?!" Moranti¡¯s face instantly became more lively as an enormous smile painted itself from ear to ear. "You mean--"


    "Yes, I want both you and Lunara to reach lv. 99. Then, our disadvantage of having a single party would be our advantage," reasoned Jack, leaving everyone in awe. "As a lv. 91, I was able to keep up with Torian and overwhelm Tralbok. I¡¯m lv. 93 now thanks to them."


    Jack motioned to the opposite end of the table, pointing to the four newest gods.


    One had burning red hair and a tight, cut physique. He seemed agile and flexible yet unusually strong with his well-cut cheekbones, matching his father¡¯s. Beside him was a man with pale purple hair, who was slimmer yet his deep purple eyes showed off his incredible strength.


    However, the two in the spotlight stood at the very end of the table, in the most junior seats a god could hold.


    With silver hair that contained streaks of gold, the slimmest of the four men chuckled. He leaned back into his chair while craning his neck forward, showing off the most flexibility of all. But his golden draconic eyes were sharper than ever, proving he was more than meets the eye.


    Thest man sat up straight, unchanged by Jack¡¯s motion, apart from showing a smile. Though he was sitting, the man¡¯s head towered over the others at the table and matched or surpassed the height of the mortals standing at the side. His shoulders were so wide that the only person capable of sharing the table¡¯s end with him was the slimmest of all gods, who also happened to be at the bottom of the godly hierarchy out of luck. The well-built man¡¯s eyes weren¡¯t as demonic as the slim man¡¯s, but those dark brown eyes still contained a hint of bestial strength and the man¡¯s rows of sharp, smiling teeth proved that he was no ordinary human.


    "With Phoro and Dragov ascending, I should be able to face any god in a one on one fight, including Halmut. And after Jin and Hadurt ascend, then I should be able to overwhelm Halmut and not just fight him evenly," continued Jack. "I know that everyone else wants me to assist your ascendance, but we can redo thatter if needed, right? Since you¡¯ll all be lv. 90, what¡¯s wrong with dropping a single level again once this is over and we¡¯re able to act without Halmut interfering?"


    "But what if that¡¯s not an option?" Lorwynn asked.


    "Given Halmut¡¯s situation, I think our troubles with him will be ending sooner rather thanter," stated Jack. "After cier Keep, I think someone will be passing lv. 99. That¡¯s what we¡¯re racing for now. The first side to get that will automatically win."


    "Then why not use this time to do that yourself?" Rydel spoke up from the side.


    Jack shook his head, thinking back to his many conversations with Daruun. "It¡¯s not that simple... I understand why Halmut hasn¡¯t passed lv. 99, but I don¡¯t think that same reason applies to Skaryn, at least not to the same extent. There has to be a reason why passing lv. 99 isn¡¯t as easy as the other levels. And I think that secret might be what¡¯s hidden inside cier Keep, considering Daruun built the ce to train gods."


    "So you¡¯d rather give that chance to Lunara and Moranti, as you may be able to reach lv. 99 with easeter while also rounding out the team?" questioned Rydel, sharing his thoughts aloud. "But how will you get Lunara to lv. 99?"


    "I want to ask if the other gods are willing to die."


    "Wha--"


    "So that we can immediately revive you. If I ¡¯killed¡¯ you, then I¡¯d gain EXP and give Lunara and Moranti the chance to level up as well after they make you their demigods," reasoned Jack, not letting anyone interrupt him before finishing his thought. "I¡¯ll level up once or twice, as will the fourth member of the party."


    "I knew you wouldn¡¯t leave me out!" shout Hadurt, sticking out his chest.


    "The helmed hero will be the fourth party member."


    Jack¡¯s statement left everyone startled, including Moranti and Lunara. But they were momentarily speechless and Jack was quick to share his reasoning.


    "He can act as both a support and a lead attacker with his incredible speed. We could even argue that he has the greatest short-distance speed among the gods while he¡¯s still a mortal. Am I wrong?" Jack nced to the side, getting everyone to find the helmed swordsman leaning against the wall, who silently nodded.


    "His teleporting attacksbined with lightning and wind magic make him to hard to hit while making him the perfect ally to nk a busy enemy. That would give us three teleporting gods who could switch between enemies at will, keeping the opposing gods on guard at all times while offering little to no opportunities to strike us. Are there any objections to that strategy? It should match what Moranti was exining earlier to perfection."


    Sighing and shaking his head, Moranti chuckled, "You¡¯re right... Such a team would be devastating. I¡¯d prefer if he was higher-leveled, but after executing your idea to level up, he wouldn¡¯t be any weaker than the others are right now."


    "I agree," reaffirmed Lunara. "My superior health will let me y the role of tank while the rest of you can pick them apart with pure offense. It¡¯s not how I usually fight, but I believe it could work if I can really reach lv. 99."


    "If Dragas, Eedaj, and Rikko agree to the n, we¡¯ll be able to gain six demigods that will plow through Earthen Keep, giving you and Moranti abined six levels. One for Moranti and five for you, Mom," Jack exined.


    "I¡¯ll agree, but only on one condition!" Dragas immediately objected. "I want to form a pact mutual seal!"


    "Dragas, there¡¯s no point in--"


    "You¡¯ll make my seal with Moranti as proof of our marriage!" shouted Dragas, leaving everyone floored.

 Chapter 627 Proposal?!

    <h4>Chapter 627 Proposal?!</h4>


    "Honey, that--"


    "We¡¯ll form a pact and then I¡¯ll be the one to pledge to you, making you lv. 99 and free of your contract," Dragas stated firmly. "You didn¡¯t deny our rtionshipst time, only putting it off."


    "But we can¡¯t go so fast--"


    "Why not?!" argued Dragas, not caring who was present to witness the bickering couple. "We¡¯ve been patient our whole lives, waiting thousands of years for somethings. But why should we wait on this? If anything, our years of wisdom should make the decision all the easier."


    Moranti swallowed some stagnant saliva. He paused to think before replying, "Dragas... I¡¯m fine with getting married. But--"


    "Then why not now? Give me one good reason!"


    "I... I promised her to have a child first." Taking out his scythe, Moranti sighed. "The remains of my wife and my people will always be with me in this scythe. Her dying wish was for me to have a child and revive my people. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve wanted for Jack to search for more sealed dragons..."


    "That¡¯s it?!" Dragas gave Moranti a resounding p, befuddling everyone. "I told you, never doubt the fertility of a dryad!"


    "W-what do you mean?"


    "Dryads can bear children with any living organism, at least any that have attempted. Why can¡¯t I bear your child?!" pouted Dragas, retrieving a set of cheap wedding rings. "I made a promise too, and you fit the bill! I¡¯m not allowed to marry anyone that¡¯s weaker than him, so who else can I ask?!"


    "Dragas..." Moranti¡¯s breath paused as he saw Dragas¡¯s shouts turn to cries. He lowered the scythe to the side and embraced her with his free arm.


    Everyone else was speechless. No one dared interrupt the moment, either out ofpassion or fear. At least, for a minute or two. Then, Jack spoke up, "I agree with Dragas."


    "Jack..." Moranti sighed.


    "See, I¡¯m not the only one!" Dragas admitted, ncing back at Jack. "If he agrees, then why not?!"


    "I want to know what will happen if you two form a mutual seal while you both have my bloodline skill," added Jack, changing everyone¡¯s thoughts immediately. "If that were to happen, wouldn¡¯t Moranti¡¯s magic types match up against Halmut¡¯s?"


    Seeing the situation in a new light, Moranti¡¯s mind went nk for a moment. He blinked. Moranti then chuckled once. Then twice.


    "See?" Dragas turned Moranti¡¯s head to look her in the eyes. "Why can¡¯t we make it official? And since I¡¯ll be starting over as a god anyway, I won¡¯t be battle much and can focus on raising a child..."


    Overwhelmed, Moranti didn¡¯t know what to say. He wanted to impulsively dy it again but Moranti also wanted to know if Dragas could possibly bear his seed. Then, thinking of what their mutual seal would do for his fighting strength, Moranti was unable to stop imagining such a drastic increase in his abilities.


    "You know... if we form a seal, then I may be able to make a hybrid form. Wouldn¡¯t that guarantee fertility?"


    Dragas¡¯s soft whisper was the final push Moranti needed.


    "I... I¡¯m okay with that."


    "Then say it... Don¡¯t make your women wait..."


    Sighing and chuckling, Moranti kissed Dragas and embraced her. Leaning his head against hers, Moranti asked, "Dragas, will you marry me?"


    "Yes!"


    The couple kissed yet again as Dragas was unafraid to slip her man the tongue in public. It took a moment for Lunara and Jack¡¯s wives to start pping, followed by Lina and then everyone else. It was thest thing everyone was expecting to happen during their meeting.


    Jack brought the conversation back to the main topic, asking, "Then, are we all in favor of that n? I¡¯m sorry if it¡¯s not your preferred way of doing things."


    "I don¡¯t mind at all," stated Eedaj. "Death is nothing to be afraid of in this instance, so why should I waver."


    "Rikko okay too. Maybe Rikko swim with Lunara¡¯s blessing!"


    The entire room broke out inughter as Rikko began to daggy paddle the air.


    "We need to speak, now."


    Jack halted hisughter and changed his expression to a sly smile. He whispered, "What is it?"


    "Go to Shadow Gorge, alone. An escort will bring you to us. Kylon needs your help, no questions asked."


    "Okay... I¡¯m on the way."


    The conversation was brief and to the point, but it was all Jack needed to feel much better about what came next.


    "So, shall we prepare for the ceremony?" Jack joked, adding to theughter around the room.


    "YES!" Dragas immediately agreed. "We can do it here and now since this is everyone we need! Let¡¯s clear the tables and rearrange the seats!"


    "Honey, that¡¯s--"


    "We can only get married once, so you owe me this much at least! Now let¡¯s hurry, or we won¡¯t have time to level up and get you your levels!" argued Dragas, storing the giant conference table in her storage, no questions asked.


    Everyone instantly yed along, doing as Dragas asked. Many seats were stored and the women rushed to take down all decorations within the room. Dragas and Eedaj then began to set up their fauna and nt life decorations, ording to Dragas¡¯s tastes and every whim, of course. Dragas even had thezy Phoro rushing to store every small knick-knack on the many small tables throughout the room, as well as the tables. She needed everything perfect.


    Though Jack was unable to escape the setup, one person had vanished under everyone¡¯s watch without anyone the wiser.


    A small sh of purple light appeared on the Maldor-Fulken border. When the light rescinded, the helmed swordsman found himself alone on a rocky, desert path. Taking in a breath of the warm air, the man¡¯s helmet was stored, as was his unusual make-shift armor. Smiling wide, Jack was happy to be using one of his many anonymous disguises from his in-game past. The thrill of deceiving others, even allies, was still a rush for him.


    Changing into Sterfen¡¯s cloak, one of the spares that he had picked up from his tomb, Jack assumed themon garb of adventurers and took out a broom, if it still qualified as a broom. Red racing mes existed where bristles usually were and the shaft of the broom was made of unusually thick steel with strange contours. It even had handlebars and arge leather seat. The item looked more like a levitating motorcycle than a broom, but it had always beenbeled as the "Harley mount" under the broom category.


    Hopping onto the lottery item that had cost Jack a summer bonus, the hero rocketed through the air at incredible speed.

 Chapter 628 Freefall into Shadow Gorge

    <h4>Chapter 628 Freefall into Shadow Gorge</h4>


    Thirty minutes flew by. Jack then descended and stored his prized mount. Now that he was near his destination and not traveling over random forests and wildernesses, he didn¡¯t want to draw any unneeded attention to himself. Although he did feel temporarily depressed after putting away the exciting mount, which had fulfilled many nostalgic, nerdy fantasies.


    But the decision paid off.


    With his minimap out, Jack passed the final treeline. All that was left was a breath-taking view.


    Shadow Gorge was aptly named. Two sharp cliffs stood on opposite sides of each other with a river and some lushnd far below separating them. Large trees would sporadically sit at the cliff¡¯s edges. They couldn¡¯tpete with the Life Tree in Estonya but they could match plenty of the trees within the Prehistoric Forest. Those same trees had roots burrowing out of one cliff and into the other, making natural bridges overtop the gorge with thousands of vines connecting roots or falling to the deep gorge below. The amount of sunlightnding within the gorge was minimal at best due to the sheer amount of shade those trees, roots, and vines produced. But there also seemed to be a dark fog that dwelled within the gorge and slowly followed the flow of the river below. The river was virtually unnoticeable from where Jack was standing but he knew it was there.


    There was one other thing that startled Jack, though it took a minute for Jack to realize it. Jack couldn¡¯t hear a thing.


    There was no noise from the powerful raging river below. The hero couldn¡¯t hear any wildlife from within the gorge. It sounded as if no wind was following the walls of the cliffs. But it was obvious that all three of those things existed, either from the little that Jack could see at the moment or his in-game visits to Shadow Gorge. Obviously, there was a river as it was what naturally created the gorge in the first ce despite the silence. Birds or other wildlife could be seen traversing the vines and roots or even dwelling inside them, but no sound was heard. And the dark mist was moving, proving that wind was indeed present within the gorge.


    Yet Jack couldn¡¯t hear a thing. He felt like he had identally muted the game, only it was no longer a game.


    It took Jack a few minutes to better grasp the situation and disregard the strange phenomenon. Finally, Jack took a deep breath and leaped off the cliff.


    Wind spattered against Jack¡¯s unguarded face as he used no magic to shield himself. The hero reached out his arm and grabbed one of the thinner vines to swing off and redirect his course. He did this a few times, eventually finding himself at the center of both cliffs. Then, Jack simply let himself fall through the thickest part of the ck mist.


    Jack¡¯s cheeks were pping his face over and over as he plummeted through the mist. Soon, his eyes started to find dots of light to his left and right. Knowing he was on course, Jack took a deep breath and did his best to smile in the face of the insane wind pressure.


    The moment Jack exited the mist, he was still a hundred meters above the ground, or water in Jack¡¯s case.


    An almost ck river of water was flowing steadily beneath the hero. On each riverbed was a plethora of wildlife, most of which could create light via bioluminescence. Those lights are what confirmed Jack¡¯s trajectory and allowed Jack to target his freefall with uracy.


    Closing his eyes and pointing his arms and hands downward, Jack took a deep breath.


    SPLASH!


    Jack careened downward through the water as it dissipated his momentum. Even with his high-level physique, Jack felt some numbness on his fingers, arms, and face from the dive, but not enough to stop him or take away from the adrenaline rush he felt.


    Once his momentum was gone, Jack swam for the surface. The Dim River wasn¡¯t known for rapids or high waters but it¡¯s strange wildlife, so Jack found it quite easy to reach the shore.


    Taking in one deep breath after another, Jack was calming his excited body while smiling at his menu screen.


    [Adrenaline Junkie:pleted]


    [Leap from the top of Shadow Gorge to the depths of Dim River without the use of spells or skills. Unique reward: 300 skill points. Would you like to im this reward?]


    It wasn¡¯t much but Jack wasn¡¯t going toin about the freebie skill points, especially after feeling the true rush of the achievement without aputer monitor dulling his senses. Jack imed the three hundred skill points and nced around the gorge.


    To his surprise, now he could hear the rushing water and the asional humming of insects.


    But just when Jack was reinspecting his surroundings, he heard the powerful p of wings in the distance. The hero turned his attention to the southeast and could roughly make out arge figureing toward him. Now inside, Jack fully understood why the ce was called Shadow Gorge. Because anything without bioluminescence appeared to be a different shade of a shadow.


    As the figure got closer and grewrger, Jack remained still and admired the grace of the now-gliding beast. He was astounded by the sudden speed the beast had gained when it started gliding, bing far faster than when it was pping its wings.


    The dragon pped its wings once more, halting his flight as easily as it had gained tremendous speed. Itnded on the soft riverbed with soft footsteps and retracted its wings. Without any eyes or eye sockets, the dragon turned to face the hero. "Are you Jack?"


    "I am."


    "Come with me, please." The Nocturnal Dragon extended one of its wings to the ground, acting as a ramp for the human before him. "I¡¯ll take you where you need to go, on Perchet¡¯s orders. Please remain silent and say nothing until we reach Perchet¡¯s home."

 Chapter 629 Where Are We Going?

    <h4>Chapter 629 Where Are We Going?</h4>


    "Alright, then don¡¯t mind if I do."


    Jack calmly walked up the dragon¡¯s winged arm and sat himself on the dragon¡¯s back. He was amazed at how weing the Nocturnal Dragon was, especially when considering his personal knowledge of the species.


    ording to "A Hero¡¯s Tale", Nocturnal Dragons were the most isted dragon species of all. They numbered fewer than all others and were reluctant to fight. It was incredibly rare for an event to include a Nocturnal Dragon. And even then it was usually a matter of allying with the beast and not fighting one. They were well known throughout Kartonia yet mysterious in their own ways.


    Curious to see what came next, Jack kept his eyes peeled as the dragon turned and prepared for taking off.


    "Hold on tight."


    The moment those three words left the dragon¡¯s mouth, Jack¡¯s head was thrown back by the startling force of the dragon¡¯s takeoff speed. He was fine but it was greatly unexpected. But Jack wasn¡¯t too surprised after considering the dragon¡¯s strength at lv. 89. It was simple logic to realize that this Nocturnal Dragon was an aide or assistant to Perchet. With the smallest poption among dragon species, a lv. 89 Nocturnal Dragon wouldn¡¯t be anything less than that.


    It took a matter of seconds for the Nocturnal Dragon to p its wings again and halt its gliding.


    This gave Jack a moment to see his new surroundings. He noticed various caves carved into the cliffsides and a handful of Nocturnal Dragonsing and going from those caves.


    But no matter how fascinating Jack found it, he had no more time to freely look around him.


    "Hold your breath."


    Another three-word warning was all Jack got, but this one made no sense to Jack. However, the Nocturnal Dragon didn¡¯t give Jack another moment. Instead, the dragon tipped its nose downward and rocketed into the water below.


    Jack was d to have his updated system and body where he wouldn¡¯t need oxygen but he still gasped for breath out of reflex. After realizing he was fine, Jack was astounded to see the Nocturnal Dragon zipping through the deep, dark river almost as quickly as the dragon zoomed through the air.


    It was utterly perplexing though. It was one thing to swim but the streamlined dragon was seemingly flying through the water. That wasn¡¯t swimming and wasn¡¯t supposed to be possible ording to his knowledge.


    They passed many well-lit fishes and water-dwelling beasts in the blink of an eye. In a second of two, they entered pitch-ck depths without a sign of life.


    This was rming to Jack but he was too curious to care about his own human instincts. They were now far deeper than Jack was able to go in-game and were traveling far faster as well. His divine body could feel the water pressure against his skin. Though it didn¡¯t affect Jack much, it proved how difficult traversing those depths would be without his current circumstances.


    Jack clung tightly to the dragon¡¯s back, bracing his chest against the dragon¡¯s scales to reduce the resistance against his face. The hero had no means to see the world around him as it was pitch-ck and too dark for his eyes to see a thing. But that didn¡¯t stop the Nocturnal Dragon.


    Abruptly, the dragon began to twist and turn, leaving Jackpletely disoriented. This continued for a few seconds as the pressure on Jack grew more and more. It grew ufortable, mainly due to the speed they were traveling through the different pressure levels. Yet Jack didn¡¯t give up. He held on tight and waited to learn where they were going.


    As Jack thought about what mysterious depths lied at the bottom of Dim River, he was baffled once again.


    The dragon breached the water¡¯s surface all of a sudden, from the depths of the river.


    When Jack heard the ssh of their exit and felt the air against his face, he was left clueless and confused. His body regained some orientation, recognizing that the dragon was now traveling upward. But Jack¡¯s eyes were still unable to see a thing.


    "Where is--"


    "No noise, please," the Nocturnal Dragon reminded, getting Jack to keep his mouth shut.


    Jack activated his many sets of bestial eyes, searching for some means of sight. Phoro¡¯s sharp eyesight was useless in the dark depths of the underground with no sunlight, as were Karronteel¡¯s. He had some luck with Dragov¡¯s bloodline but Draconic Centipedes weren¡¯t exactly known for their eyesight. They sensed the tremors and vibrations of the earth, relying on that to travel and find prey.


    Defeated, Jack could only wait as the dragon began to descend yet again while flying in an uneven corkscrew maneuver. There was no telling how deep they were and Jack was shocked to know that such a ce existed without him having explored it previously.


    When the dragon suddenly pped his wings and came to a jarring halt, the unprepared Jack felt his insides press deeper into his guts.


    As Jack was taking some deep breaths to rx his body, the Nocturnal Dragonnded softly and dropped his winged arm to the ground like a ramp. "Here it is. Step off my wing and take three steps forward. You¡¯ll find a doorknob in reach of your right hand. Turn it and enter the small passage. Take five more steps and you¡¯ll find another door. Open that door and you¡¯ll find yourself able to see again."


    "I... Understood," Jack sighed, carefully dismounting the dragon. Once his feetnded on the ground, he used his mastery of the centipede bloodline to sense the area around him.


    All at once, Jack was overwhelmed with his discovery. He had taken one step but stopped without a word.


    "Two more steps. Then you¡¯ll find the first door," stated the Nocturnal Dragon, waiting patiently and offering more instructions for the human he assumed waspletely blind so far underground.


    After another few seconds, Jack gulped down the saliva lodged in his throat. He slowly asked, "This ce... What... Who made all this?"

 Chapter 630 Dusk Dragon Mausoleum?!

    <h4>Chapter 630 Dusk Dragon Mausoleum?!</h4>


    "This ce... What... Who made all this?"


    The dragon turned its head to Jack, surprised by such a question. "You can see down here?"


    "Not exactly..." replied Jack. "But I can sense the ruins through the ground. You used sound waves to find your way, right? I can do something simr through the ground, but I can¡¯t get a clear picture like you can."


    "Come in. We¡¯ve been expecting you."


    A calm voice caught Jack off guard. The dragon that had guided Jack then nodded and said, "Enter that passage and the following room. If anyone can exin things, it will be Perchet, should you be worthy."


    Jack felt the rush of wind from the dragon¡¯s takeoff, leaving him with zero answers and countless questions. He blinked and did his best to sense the cast open chamber he was in but it was toorge for Jack to sense without transforming. And since Perchet¡¯s was clearly inside the building a few steps away, Jack felt that was his best chance of getting answers and not randomly exploring the ruins. At least not without skiing first.


    There was one thing that Jack could instantly spot with his eyes, however. In the corner of his menu, Jack spotted a new notification. Jack opened it only to be dumbstruck yet again.


    [Ace of discovery:pleted]


    [Discover Kartonia¡¯s most ancient burial grounds and catbs, the Dusk Dragon Mausoleum. Legendary reward: 2,000 skill points. Would you like to im this reward?]


    "Come on. We have other things to do," added Perchet.


    Quickly iming his skill points, Jack exited the menu with one question answered and dozens more added to his mental list. Taking two more steps, Jack gripped the doorknob and opened the heavy door with rtive ease. Closing it behind him, Jack found the next door and opened it slowly as he was blinded by the light unleashed upon its opening.


    Jack groaned, blinked, and squinted as he entered the well-lit room.


    "JACK?!"


    Hearing a women¡¯s voice, Jack regained his senses a bit quicker. "Yes?"


    "Perchet, what is Jack doing here?!" Kylon questioned. "You said--"


    "Please forgive me, both of you. I was vague with each of you which has caused confusion," stated Perchet. "Give me a moment to exin, Kylon. Jack doesn¡¯t know any better about this. I¡¯m the one who fooled you."


    "Then you¡¯re only after killing--"


    "No!" Jack shouted, catching Kylon off guard. The hero rubbed one eye as he added, "Auntie Kylon, I just came to help you."


    "A-auntie?"


    "Well, I don¡¯t want to call you grandma, even though Lunara is my mom. I think auntie is better given your rtionship with Skaryn, after all."


    "A-auntie... Skaryn... W-what do you mean?!"


    "Calm down, Kylon. As I said, I¡¯m the one to me here. Let me exin some things, such as why we¡¯re down here to have our chat."


    As Kylon closed her mouth and did her best to calm down, Jack was silently regaining his vision. They both listened carefully as Perchet exined himself, "We¡¯re down here because it¡¯s the most isted ce in Kartonia, where Halmut has no means of hearing, seeing, or sensing us. He knows nothing about this ce or its existence, and I want it to stay that way.


    "Now, addressing the matter at hand... Kylon, we can all speak openly and freely with each other here. No matter what, Halmut and the others will never know about what we say here unless you tell them. So there¡¯s no need to dull the pain you feel or hide from help. Do you not trust Jack as Lunara¡¯s son?"


    "I... didn¡¯t realize he was rted to her... But still!" Kylon replied, arguing with Perchet and herself.


    "Auntie Kylon, there¡¯s no need--"


    "Stop calling me that..."


    Sighing, Jack replied, "Why not?"


    "... Skaryn and I were never--"


    "Do you still believe that?" Perchet questioned, not letting Kylon enter denial so easily. "If you trust me, then allow me to vouch for Jack along with Lunara and Sterfen, who adopted him as a demigod."


    "But... You¡¯re falling out with us... Why should I believe every word you say without question?" reasoned Kylon.


    Perchet nodded. "True. I never said you weren¡¯t allowed to question me. Feel free. Maybe if I exin the reasoning behind my desire to leave Halmut¡¯s side, then you¡¯ll better trust me.


    "My people and I hail from a draconic bloodline that Halmut knows nothing about. But the moment he learns of it, he¡¯ll wipe my entire race from existence, simply for existing."


    "... What bloodline?" Kylon asked.


    "Dusk Dragons?"


    "Jack is correct," answered Perchet. "Long before Halmut, my ancestors were as noble as the Sun Dragons and Spectral Dragons. They too would evolve four times and wield many magic types, as Halmut does now. However, they were a peaceful people that sought calm lives. They¡¯re the ones who created this underground space and made Shadow Gorge above what it is today, making it the only location in Kartonia that naturally repels people from watching or listening or spying from afar."


    Pausing, Perchet added, "Now, I don¡¯t me the Sun Dragons or the Spectral Dragons for what happened in the past and eliminated them. Such is the way of the world."


    "Wait, they teamed up to face you?"Jack asked.


    "Not me, my ancestors," corrected Perchet. "In that time of peace, the Dusk Dragon poption had grown substantially, almost outnumbering the Sun Dragons and Spectral Dragonsbined. That was the reason behind their attack, fear of my ancestors as some younger, naive Dusk Dragons began to throw their weight around the world. If I had been a Sun Dragon or Spectral Dragon at the time, I most likely would¡¯ve attacked as well.


    "However..." Perchet¡¯s tone shifted, bing more serious. "Something like that won¡¯t be overlooked by Halmut. The moment he realizes that we¡¯ve been lying to him about our poption or he learns that we wield more than sound magic and asionally dark magic, then we¡¯ll be wiped out."


    "So you do wield water magic!" Jack shouted, getting a nod from Perchet and a look of disbelief from Kylon.

 Chapter 631 Do You Want to Know the Truth?

    <h4>Chapter 631 Do You Want to Know the Truth?</h4>


    "So you do wield water magic!"


    "WHAT?!" Kylon shouted again, aiming her shock toward Perchet. "What is he talking about?! What magic types can you wield?"


    Answering calmly, Perchet smiled, "Apart from dark and sound magic types, I can also wield water and earth magic types. I¡¯m the one Nocturnal Dragon with four affinities but many of my people can wield three magic types at least."


    "Four types... That¡¯s only second to Halmut..." sighed Kylon.


    "No. You¡¯re forgetting Skaryn and the young man standing before us, who can outshine both Halmut and Skaryn in terms of magical affinity," stated Perchet, causing Kylon to lift her eyebrows in wonder. "Also, Kylon, know that I fully trust Skaryn, far more than I trust Halmut."


    "Then why did you join us?" questioned the Storm Goddess.


    "At the time, I also trusted Halmut. War hadn¡¯t yet broken out between the factions and as a draconic race my people wished to side with the other dragons, so we did. But as decades, centuries, and millennia passed, it¡¯s be clear that Halmut is no longer trustworthy. Though he was in the past, he can no longerpare to the respect that Skaryn has earned from me."


    "And why¡¯s that?" Jack asked. "Why do you respect Skaryn so much if he¡¯s been your enemy?"


    Perchet shook his head. "I¡¯ve never seen Skaryn as an enemy, nor has he seen me in such a way. I¡¯m merely acting ording to the restrictions of my contract and in fear of my people being harmed. I greatly regret not forcing my people to join Skaryn¡¯s side... But it took them a few thousand more years to look past Skaryn¡¯s past offense."


    "Offense? I thought you said Skaryn never abused anyone?" Kylon eyed Perchet, wanting a clear answer.


    "Apart from you two, only one other person has managed to find this hidden mausoleum and that would be Skaryn..." Sighing, Perchet continued, "As you both know, Skaryn was obsessed with dragons and always saw them as the greatest of all beasts. We knew this but we never would¡¯ve expected what Skaryn attempted.


    "Skaryn managed to reach this ce via the underwater route with extreme precision and speed. He then robbed one of the mausoleum¡¯s dragon corpses and fled without a word. None of my people were fast enough to stop him, let alone fight him, as this was just before Skaryn and Halmut had ascended when I was still a few hundred years old."


    "Then Skaryn--"


    "What Skaryn wanted was a means to demonize himself," continued Perchet, not letting Kylon interrupt. "This was something he apologized for immediately after his ascension, gifting me and my people a great deal of wealth and items, another thing that Halmut knows nothing of. Skaryn was the one who, by transforming into a hybrid Dusk Dragon form, taught us to recreate and reinforce the obscure ck mist that protects Shadow Gorge from espionage."


    "Then why didn¡¯t he simply ask for your blood and not the remains of your ancestors?" Kylon questioned, searching for something to grasp to.


    But Jack answered instead while scratching his head, "Because Skaryn was morepatible with Dusk Dragons than he was Nocturnal Dragons... Right?"


    "Correct..." Perchet nodded. "Dusk Dragons rarely wielded sound magic, as it was a mutation more prominent in our surviving descendant bloodline. They wielded dark, earth, water, lightning, and illusion magic types."


    "The same as Skaryn..."


    "Correct, Jack. And that¡¯s why Skaryn was set on taking a single corpse, though he gave my people more means to protect myself than Halmut ever has. Only after Skaryn was defeated and Halmut showed more of his true self did my people begin to see Skaryn in a new light," added Perchet. "Now, they understand that Skaryn¡¯s desire for the Dusk Dragon abilities wasn¡¯t only for its power but also because Skaryn greatly respected the legacy of the Dusk Dragons. In a way, my people long for Skaryn¡¯s return as they rte more to Skaryn¡¯s bloodline than Halmut¡¯s, something they took too long to notice..."


    "So that¡¯s what that was..." mumbled Jack. He couldn¡¯t help but remember the intimidating, draconic form that Skaryn had taken against Halmut.


    "Though I think Skaryn could¡¯ve handled the matter better, I also believe that he was facing a time crunch for something and was forced to retrieve the corpse by force," Perchet mentioned. "So, Kylon, now that you understand the threat that my people are facing at all moments and my history with Skaryn, can you see why I wish to leave the legendary gods?"


    "I..." Kylon struggled to reply by she did nod hesitantly.


    "That is the only time I remember hearing anything bad about Skaryn, and he made sure to pay us back many times over for his selfishness."


    "Oh, is that what Auntie is wondering?" Jack asked, catching onto a piece of Perchet¡¯s intentions.


    "I said don¡¯t call me that."


    "Is that what you¡¯re wondering? Whether Skaryn was a bad person?"


    "..." She opened her mouth but failed to respond immediately. It took Kylon a moment to say, "Maybe... That¡¯s part of it..."


    "Is it because your memory is all messed up?" Jack asked, knowing that he hit the nail on the head. "If you want, I can tell you what really happened that day between Halmut and Skaryn. In fact, I can show you what happened that day. Would you like that?"


    "You can do that?" asked Kylon, startled to hear such a thing. "But you weren¡¯t there..."


    "Daruun was. Daruun saw everything and he showed me too, Auntie. If you want, I can show you the entire battle, from the moment that Halmut attacked the ind to anger Skaryn to the moment where Halmut cheated to trap Skaryn while pirs of light eradicated all of Kustram."


    "You¡¯re lying!"


    "I¡¯m not," Jack shrugged. "Do you want me to show you or not?"


    "YOU¡¯RE LYING!!"


    "That¡¯s what happened?" Perchet stared at Jack in startlement.


    Nodding, Jack asked again, "Auntie Kylon, I can show you the truth. I can help unravel your tangled thoughts and make things clear again, like they were before Halmut forced you into your contract."


    "HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!" Kylon shouted, dropping to her knees. Having Jack pinpoint her exact feelings alongside such restricted information made it hard for her to deny anything, though her warped mind tried its best.


    "What..." Perchet¡¯s blindfolded gaze softened and fell onto Kylon. "That¡¯s what happened?"


    "N... I..."


    "Auntie Kylon..." Jack dropped to one knee and hugged the crying, mentally confused woman. Though Perchet would still hear it, Jack softly whispered, "Would you rather your child be raised by Skaryn or eaten by Halmut?"


    Both Perchet¡¯s and Kylon¡¯s faces instantly paled. Perchet clenched his fists tightly but refrained from saying anything more. Kylon¡¯s lip and stare quivered as Jack looked directly into her eyes.


    "Do you want to know the truth?"

 Chapter 632 WHAT HAPPENED?!?!

    <h4>Chapter 632 WHAT HAPPENED?!?!</h4>


    "What did you say?!"


    Rolling his eyes, Alcahain lowered his fists. "Jin¡¯s better at sparring! There, was that loud enough for you to hear?!"


    Lightning crackled around Tyres as he increased his outage and streaked toward Alcahain for another attack. Few could match his raw speed, namely Torian and Rikko as the helmed swordsman had yet to ascend. And being belittled juxtaposed to Jin was the ultimate dishonor to the swordsman.


    As the swords struck forward, Alcahain readied his gauntlets once more. In a foot race, he wouldn¡¯t be able to keep up with Tyres. But in closebat, Jin was the only one that could edge him out. Alcahain stood at the bottom of the legendary god¡¯s hierarchy but many regarded as the most technically skilled as the old sparring partner of Jin and long-time friend of the samurai. This was evident as his reflexes allowed Alcahain to match each strike of Tyres¡¯s des with a countering punch, neutralizing the attacks.


    "Wow... You bit off Jin more than you could chew, didn¡¯t you?"


    "SHUT UP!!"


    Tyres surrounded his entire being with electricity and wind, holding nothing back against the god two levels weaker.


    "Come on, then! Prove me wrong!"ughed Alcahain, pounding his fists together. "Your technique is sloppy at best and you¡¯re too focused on sheer power. Without finesse, your strikes are easy to neutralize."


    "I SAID SHUT UP!!!"


    Bolting toward the Brawler God, Tyres zipped across the open-aired pavilion. Killing intent dripped from his eyes.


    cahain continued hisughter while charging also. Earth energy covered his body as lightning heightened his reflexes to the max. He wanted more than everyone to collide and knock the arrogant swordsman down a peg.


    "THAT¡¯S ENOUGH!!!"


    Two small cyclones appeared out of thin air, ripping the two rushingbatants away from their imminent collision. Both were thrown back without mercy, crashing and sliding across the pavilion floor.


    "HE--"


    "WHO STARTED A FIGHT WITHOUT ME!!!"


    Tyres shut his mouth without another moment to waste as the pavilion floor shook. Barreling through the conference room entrance came Grixor with heavy feet and a monstrous grin. "Who wants some?! Share the fun, won¡¯t you?!"


    "That¡¯s enough ying around..." Torian¡¯s hand pped the back of Grixor¡¯s head as the Thundering God sighed and joined the quarrel outside. "Sparring is one thing, destroying the property is another. Tyres, calm down or fight us. Got it?"


    The Sword God rolled his eyes and nodded, but the temperature of Torian¡¯s tone dropped as he repeated, "Got it?"


    "Yes... I understand." Tyres finally stored his swords and red back at Alcahain in despise.


    The Brawler God was still lying on the ground, chuckling lightly. "Tralbok... Why¡¯d you have to go and do that?"


    "You let him get out of hand," replied Tralbok. "It¡¯s your fault it, not mine. That¡¯s enough for today."


    Just when the situation was de-escted, a pir of light fell upon the pavilion. As a figure appeared within the light, everyone immediately took notice. Then, Torian and Grixor rushed to their aid.


    As the light faded, Kylon fell to the ground, barely holding up her chest with one arm. Blood dripped from her left ear and left nostril. She was panting and shaking heavily. Her vision was beginning to fail her as she blinked in search of sight. Ultimately, Kylon passed out the moment after she fit the ground. All she could mumble before that were three words.


    "Perchet... betrayed us..."


    "KYLON! What happened?!" Torian managed to get his hand under her falling head as herst words were uttered.


    Grixor and Alcahain were the next to reach her. The Earthen God quickly felt her pulse and heaved a sigh of relief. "She¡¯s stable..."


    "MOVE!!!"


    Tralbok pushed his way past Grixor and Alcahain, immediately grabbing Kylon¡¯s hand. cing his hand over her bracelet, Tralbok finally heaved his own sigh of relief. "The key is fine..."


    Suddenly, Tralbok was sent flying, nearly throwing him off the pavilion¡¯s edge. The God of Time groaned and ced a hand over his right cheek. "What was that for?!"


    Grixor spoke slowly and filled each word with threatening venom, "Because I felt like it..."


    No one else said a thing to Tralbok, not caring about him at the moment. Torian immediately stood up with Kylon carefully supported in his arms. "We need to get her to Halmut right away."


    Both Grixor and Alcahain followed Torian, wanting to make sure their fellow god was alright, unlike Tyres who wasn¡¯t bothered by the situation and Tralbok who was left caressing his swelling face.


    *****


    "Please, make the vow of blood."


    Jack lifted the brush from Dragas¡¯s forehead, letting Moranti press his hand into her forehead.


    The seals on Dragas¡¯s forehead and Moranti¡¯s hand lit up as they began to sink into their skin. Since Moranti was already under a mutual seal, he was given the parent half of the seal to not infringe on his child half of Skaryn¡¯s seal. It was a workaround that Jack thought up since there had never been such a situation before, but Dragas was more than willing to ept the more painful child seal to make it official. And since the sharing-EXP effect would be null and void beyond Kartonia, Moranti would get shortchanged of all his future training and grinding.


    Once the seals rescinded and faded, Jack smiled. "You may--"


    Without waiting, Moranti leaned in and nted a kiss on Dragas¡¯s lips, pulling her in close and lifting her in the air.


    "Beat me to it..."


    Jack chuckled lightly as the room broke out in cheers and apuse. Corks flew as bottles of wine were opened for all to share. Due to the ceremony being impromptu theycked a feast, but wine was all Dragas and Moranti would want anyway.


    The couple eventually broke their kiss and strolled toward the only refreshment avable, arge, pre-made cake that was ordered at the guild bakery.


    As they cut the cake and promptly shoved cake into each other¡¯s faces, Jack turned toward the closed door on the far side of the room. It then opened and two figures walked in, one wearing a roxite helmet and the other wearing a ck blindfold.

 Chapter 633 Immediate Reaction and Preparation

    <h4>Chapter 633 Immediate Reaction and Preparation</h4>


    The moment Perchet entered the room, all shouts or celebration ceased. The entire room stared at the unexpected duo. Then Jack spoke, throwing everyone further out the loop.


    "How did it go?"


    The helmed swordsman shook his head as Perchet sighed, "We failed..."


    "Why is Perchet here?" Eedaj asked,pletely baffled for a moment. But before an answer came, his eyes widened even further beyond what he thought possible. The Mind God then closed his mouth and said nothing more as his strong mental fortitude was on the brink of copsing.


    "What is it?!" shouted Dragas, covered in cake. "It had better be good!"


    Perchet spoke up, "We failed to help Kylon and were forced to change ns... I¡¯ve now officially defected from the legendary gods."


    "Seriously... Then--"


    "I must humbly ask for your help to temporarily relocate my people," stated Perchet, finishing Moranti¡¯s immediate thought. "I¡¯m sorry for ruining the festivities. We had no other choice."


    "Is that true?" Jack turned to the swordsman, who nodded regretfully. "Then... Mother, would you mind if we--"


    "Of course we can postpone drinking for this?!" Dragas made an immediate one-eighty in terms of attitude. "Karronteel will help too. Bring back as many flora and fauna samples as you can and I¡¯ll do my best to create a temporary home for you all."


    "We greatly appreciate this." Perchet showed the couple a full bow. "Make sure there¡¯s enough room for two hundred and thirty-four Nocturnal Dragons, please."


    "THAT MANY?!" Moranti shouted in amazement.


    Nodding, Perchet replied, "Yes, that many. Despitemon belief and what we¡¯ve shown the world, my people have always been quite proliferous, just like our ancestors."


    "What¡¯s this about Kylon?" asked Lunara, not forgetting about the woman who raised her.


    Perchet took a deep breath before admitting, "We failed to correct her synthetic memories. It resulted in a sh where she fled and I received this."


    The God of Sound opened the left side p of his ck robe, revealing his bare chest. Everyone was further shocked to see an electrically charged icicle jabbed to the side of Perchet¡¯s heart. "I¡¯ve yet to remove it as that would cause scaring without proper healing. Dragas, would you mind?"


    "You should¡¯ve led with that! Are you insane?" Dragas hurried forward and immediately started examining the wound.


    "Eedaj, would you mind sharing the location of my people with Moranti and, it was Karronteel, correct?"


    As the young god nodded, Eedaj dropped his bewilderment and shared Perchet¡¯s thoughts with the two Spectral Dragon gods. Moranti then asked Jack, "Mind if we use the storehouse?"


    "Go ahead... Use the third floor. It¡¯s low-lit and should be great for them as a temporary home..." Jack answered but was still focused on something else. Turning back to Perchet, Jack asked, "So... Do you think we can try something else?"


    "Not that I can imagine, sadly," Perchet answered. "But I¡¯m not the creative type, so I¡¯ll leave the distorting of possibility to the specialist."


    Jack chuckled and sighed at the same time. "Everyone... We still can¡¯t kill Kylon, but we may have to fight her. If at all possible, knock her out or force her surrender."


    "Thank you, Son."


    "Of course, Mom," Jack smiled back to Lunara, trying to imagine what to do next. "For now... Let¡¯s continue the rest of the n. We¡¯ll make everyone demigods and prepare for Earthen Keep immediately. Mother... You¡¯ll head out the day after tomorrow. You¡¯ll be able to heal Perchet and help us finish our medicine baths before you go."


    Dragas nodded in response, fully focused on the serious wound in Perchet¡¯s chest.


    "Go ahead. I¡¯ll handle the resurrection."


    On Jack¡¯s order, Eedaj and Rikko both stepped forward. The fun-loving atmosphere was washed away and drowned out without fail. Both took a turn to step and stood unguarded before the swordsman, letting him swiftly run their hearts through for a quick, clean death. While Jack instantly revived them both, roaring energies of all colors exploded out of the swordsman to shock the entire room.


    For the next couple of minutes, everyone watched as every color of the rainbow was absorbed into the mysterious swordsman. It was so distracting that Lunara had forgotten to make the others her demigods in the meantime.


    Once the light show subsided, Jack reminded Lunara and five lv. 89 men stood before her.


    Then, mid-operation, Perchet finally began to groan through his teeth. The Nocturnal Dragon clenched his convulsing muscles tightly as a bright mass of holy light exited Perchet¡¯s body. After the light left, Perchet was left with steady, slow breathing and a much lower level.


    "You¡¯ll help him too, Mom."


    "But--"


    "Just because you can¡¯t immediately jump past lv. 99 doesn¡¯t mean helping more people would be a bad thing," reasoned Jack. "Plus, I¡¯m curious what will happen. I wonder if it will put you closer to passing lv. 99 or if it does nothing at all. Either way, someone has to help him for now."


    "Jack... What about--"


    "Don¡¯t worry, Perchet. After all of this is over, I¡¯ll redo everyone¡¯s pledge. Okay?"


    "Okay..." The former God of Sound sighed, letting his head drop and his eyes close.


    One by one, Lunara made Kori, Choron, Guuro, Rikko, and Eedaj into demigods. Thanks to Kori¡¯sst ascension, Lunara was able to create more than one demigod without worry. Then, Lunara crouched beside Perchet and nted a morsel of divine energy in him as well. While Lunara helped thaw the wound and remove the icicle from Perchet¡¯s chest, Eedaj took out the remnants of a Storm Dragon god corpse for everyone¡¯s use. Even Perchet reached out and touched the dragon¡¯s tail to siphon some of thetent energy. Their week-long timer had officially begun.


    "Dragov," Jack spoke up again. "Go to the third floor of the storehouse and help them create a gorge across the floor. Lunara will be there soon to create the river and waterfall."


    "Of course!" The towering Centipede God took off and exited without looking back. He understood his duty and that this was the best thing he could offer at the moment.


    Jack, on the other hand, was left with a lot to think about and a hand dragging down across his face.

 Chapter 634 Cheering Up Zariff

    <h4>Chapter 634 Cheering Up Zariff</h4>


    "Come on, Jack. Tell us more!" begged Eliza, hugging him from behind.


    "I can¡¯t Eliza... It¡¯s for the best of everyone. Trust me..." Jack sighed, a lot on his mind.


    "Hmmm..." Maura set down a tter of ribs and a heaping bowl of mashed potatoes. "You¡¯re acting unusual..."


    "Can you me me?"


    "No... But you¡¯re not acting that shocked either. I guess your double already knew so it wasn¡¯t a surprise, but I sense that you¡¯re up to something," reasoned Maura, sitting down beside Jack.


    Eliza moved and sat on the other side as Daliea entered the courtyard and sat across from Jack.


    "Daliea, don¡¯t do it. You could ruin everything."


    Sighing, Daliea teetered her head back and forth. "I know... Palpo already warned me and forbid it..."


    "Ah,e on! How else can we get it out of him?" Eliza jokingly whined.


    Jack began to fill his te with haste, beating his wives to the best cuts of meat. Between bits, Jack mentioned, "I¡¯ll need to visit your dad, Eliza... I want to know about weaponsmithing..."


    "Oh? Want me to show you a thing or two?"


    "Eliza... really?" Jack paused for a moment, struggling to believe whether she waspletely joking or entirely serious.


    "Nah! You¡¯re not ready for my level of work. Come beg for lessons after talking to Dad," teased Eliza, stealing a plump piece of rib from Jack¡¯s te.


    Maura mentioned, "Try the tavern. That¡¯s where they always meet up in the evenings."


    "Thanks, Maura." Jack hurriedly scarfed down the rest and stood up. "And Daliea, I know you just want to help, but trust me this one time. Soon, I¡¯ll have to share my ideas but not before they¡¯re ready. Okay?"


    "Okay... Then I look forward to then."


    "I¡¯ll be back soon!"


    With a wave of his hand, Jack blinked away in a sh of purple light. He reappeared just outside of the Leisure Tavern and took in a breath of fresh air. Confidently, Jack waltzed through the front doors and up to the bar. "Where¡¯s the oaf and his buddies at?"


    "Booth forty-six," giggled Marisha. "Just knock on the door and tell them you¡¯ve got this."


    Without a second thought, Marisha reached below the counter and ced a barrel on the bar. The intricatebel branded into the aromatic wood proved just how costly the keg of liquor was.


    "This? Since when were you giving this stuff away?" asked Jack.


    "It¡¯s to help Zariff. He¡¯s been depressed ever since Maura passed him in level and it¡¯s only been getting worse."


    "And he won¡¯t admit it, right?" Jack sighed, shaking his head.


    At the same time, the helmed swordsman walked in and joined Jack at the car without a word.


    "Anything to drink?" asked Marisha.


    "Don¡¯t mind him. I asked him toe so we¡¯ll be joining everyone in booth forty-six," Jack answered, picking up the barrel. "I¡¯m sure we can cheer him up with this!"


    Marisha smiled and attended to the next guest, letting Jack and the swordsman make their way toward the private booths. With one whistling and the other practically marching, they made an unusual pair. No one would ever believe they were the same person under the helmet.


    Spotting the sign "46", Jack pounded on the door. "Open up, or the brundy¡¯s mine!"


    Faster than Jack could startughing, the door opened wide and Zariff pulled Jack into the room. Only when Zariff rushed to close the door did he notice the helmed swordsman stick his foot in the way. "Oh? Get inside already!"


    Once the helmed man stepped in, the door was mmed shut and the barrel of brundy was christened with a round for the room. Argyle, Kaldor, Hurmot, Vixus, Tridon, and Tomas all held out their mugs for a fill. Of course, Zariff didn¡¯t fail to pass a mug to the mysterious man. "Come on! Don¡¯t be a pestro!"


    To everyone¡¯s shock, the man began tough heartily, letting them all hear his voice for the first time. It was deeper than they had expected. But they also noticed a hint of faint white energy pass over the man.


    "No illusions here!" barked Zariff, feeling his buzz after more than an hour of drinking.


    "Sorry, it¡¯s either this or I leave," remarked the man. Defending his use of illusion magic, the man gripped his helmet and stored it away. Everyone was a bit surprised but their excitement fizzled out due to it being an illusion.


    The man had dark brown skin and matching eyes. All sides of his head were shaved but the top of his head had tight, ck dreads that ended in a decently long ponytail. At least the false voice matched the face.


    "I only take it off when I drink because I can let loose!"ughed the man.


    "And do you always use that face?" joked Zariff, unafraid of the deity while hammered.


    "Naaah... I thought about using yours, but then I might break the ss when I look at it!"


    The entire room burst into ragingughter, especially Zariff. They quickly ignored the illusory energy that constantly poured out of the man, which only made Jackugh harder. When Zariff yed around with the new guest and tried to put him in a headlock, the well-built, former branch head was amazed to find the roles reversed. Though the mystery man was well-sized in stature, his agility left everyone startled andughing harder. After giving Zariff an electrified noogie, the man released Zariff with a roaringugh.


    "The name¡¯s Rynheart, but any drinking buddy can call me Ryn!"


    "Then the next round¡¯s on you, Ryn!" chuckled Zariff, searching for a way to beat the man.


    "Alright, then will this do?" Whileughing as well, Ryn took out another barrel but the branding was in apletely foreignnguage that baffled the drunks in the room. "This is from my time as an ancient hero. I wonder if that counts as aging?"


    "Only one way to find out!" Zariff helped himself, making sure to give his approval before passing it to the rest. When his eyes glittered in surprise, he almost spat out the liquor it was so good. "WHAT IS THIS!!!"


    Ryn smiled while Jack took a whiff of the drink andughed again. "It¡¯s a rare, custom vor popr among ancient heroes. It¡¯s called, ¡¯cda¡¯."


    "COLADA FOR EVERYONE!!!"


    Zariff¡¯s roar kicked off the next round of drinks, which was mainly Zariff matching everyone¡¯s drink with his own.

 Chapter 635 New Weaponsmith?

    <h4>Chapter 635 New Weaponsmith?</h4>


    While everyone else was cheering, Jack made his way around the room and sat between Argyle and Kaldor. "Hey, can I ask you something?"


    "Ask away!" Kaldor beamed, finishing off his first round of cda in bliss.


    "You two know how to make weapons, right?"


    "Yeah, but what¡¯s that to you?" Argyle teased his son-inw.


    Jack shrugged, mentioning, "Well, I recently opened my old tomb and recovered countless items and treasures, including some weapon schematics..." Pausing to somewhat sober up the two men from interest, Jack slyly smiled. "I wanted to upgrade Ryn¡¯s weapons and make my own, so--"


    "If Golden Haven were still here, we¡¯d make whatever you wished!" shouted Kaldor, proudly pounding his fist against his chest.


    Nodding, Argyle sighed, "Yeah... Kaldor¡¯s got me beat this time."


    "Then Golden Haven had the best weaponsmiths?" asked Jack.


    Kaldor wagged his finger and replied, "We had the best weaponsmith contracts. We partnered with weaponsmiths and paid top dor for their services. Rather than incorporate better than average weaponsmiths into our fold, like some people here, we frequently worked had in hand with the best smiths in Kartonia!"


    "Then... they¡¯re still around and able to help?"


    "Even better! Some are already here!"


    "Seriously?! Why haven¡¯t I heard of this?" Jack questioned loudly, making sure the nearby Vixus could hear him as well.


    But Kaldor threw his arm around Jack¡¯s shoulders and answered, "Because you¡¯re off ying god! Visit the boarding district and ask for Gasnon."


    "You convinced Gasnon?!" Argyleughed in surprise. "How¡¯d you swing that?"


    "Because we offered guaranteed work, pay, and the greatest protection!" Kaldor stated with a thumbs up.


    "Then don¡¯t mind my leave..."


    As Jack stood up and said his goodbyes to the room, Zariff shouted, "Come on, brat! Live a little!"


    "I am. I need to finish business so me and your daughter can live a little..." Jack chuckled, making the drunk furious while the rest of the room enjoyed theugh.


    Zariff wanted to punch Jack square in the face but a hand reached out to pull Zariff to his seat. Ryn then sighed in satisfaction and waved goodbye to Jack. With Zariff sitting beside him, Ryn shouted, "Why waste breath on him? Enjoy yourself like there¡¯s no tomorrow! Our victory across Kartonia is inevitable, so just let loose!"


    The room lifted mugs for a cheer and took another swig. At the same time, Ryn sighed and whispered for only Zariff to hear, "Don¡¯t worry. Jack told me about your curse. Alongside Jack, I promise that you¡¯ll be fine from now on. Our victory is inevitable, right?"


    "Right... then I¡¯ll try my best!" Zariff replied, chugging his mug and preparing for a long night of drinking.


    Outside of the tavern, Jack blinked away to instantly arrive outside of the boarding district of the Leisure Guild property. It was essible to all guild members and was a ce that offered cheaper housing for proven members of the guild. From above, it would look like a medieval suburb with nothing but simr-looking homes lined up for efficiency¡¯s sake.


    Jack entered the area and found the boarding office. There, Jack found some handling paperwork behind the reception desk.


    "Excuse me, I need to find someone."


    "Name... Oh, Guild Master?!" The young man was in awe to find Jack at his desk, of all people. "What can I do for you, Guild Master, sir?"


    "Where will I find Gasnon?"


    "Oh! He¡¯s in the upper lots! Number 23!"


    "Thank you..."


    As Jack turned and left with a friendly wave, the young manmitted that short exchange to his memory. Never would he have imagined having met the most popr man in Trodar thanks to his new, lowly job as an overnight receptionist. It was a story for his family to remember.


    Completely forgetting the young man¡¯s face, Jack hurried through the narrow paths of the boarding district. Without a need for wagons, vehicles, or anythingrge, the streets were more like glorified sidewalks that followed a grid system to maximize housing space. This made it easy for Jack to find the upper lots at the northernmost end of the boarding district.


    When Jack found himself among homes with their own small courtyards and gates, he started searching for the property numbers.


    "21... 22... 23!"


    Spotting his destination, Jack neared the gate and cordially used the gate knocker to announce his presence. But when no one came to greet him, Jack scoffed. Jack gripped the metal ring of the gate knocker and pounded it into the hallow, concaved back of the gate knocker, letting all neighboring lots hear him.


    "ENOUGH!" an old voice hollered. "Come in! I ain¡¯t got time to waste!"


    Letting go of the gate knocker, Jack promptly hopped over the locked gate and entered the open courtyard. The front door was unlocked so Jack let himself in without another word.


    "What is it you want?!" That voice was now louder as an aging man hobbled through the hallway.


    "Sorry to interrupt you..." Jack sighed.


    "You¡¯d better be?! I¡¯m busy! Now, what do you need so badly?!" spat the elderly man.


    Jack blinked, examining the man¡¯s bald spot and poorly crafted sses, along with his thick and tattered leather apron. "Kaldor told me--"


    "That pestro!" barked the old man. "You can¡¯t trust children anymore!"


    "I¡¯m Jack, the Guild Master here."


    "WHAT?!" In the blink of an eye, the old man dropped to one knee and bowed. "Guild Master Jack... Please excuse my choice of words."


    "You¡¯re fine. Kaldor sent me to learn about weaponsmithing."


    "Then you¡¯vee to the right ce! That brat failed to learn a thing, but I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be a master given your experience!" the old manughed and flexed one bicep while cing his other hand over it. "The name¡¯s Gasnon, the man unlucky enough to call that brat Kaldor his son. If you want to learn about weapons, I¡¯m your man!"


    "So that¡¯s where he gets it from..." Jack mumbled and chuckled. "Can you show me your workshop? There are plenty of questions I have for you."

 Chapter 636 Upgrading a Legendary Weapon?

    <h4>Chapter 636 Upgrading a Legendary Weapon?</h4>


    "Right this way!" Gasnon shouted, leading Jack toward the back of the property. "I¡¯m still not fully setup, but I¡¯ve got most everything up and running. What do you think?"


    The strong old man pushed open a giant door, leading to an enclosed courtyard turned into a workshop. Arge forge was built into one wall with coals and different levels of mes throughout the space. Near that was a workbench and anvil, alongside an array of hammers, tongs, and various tools to intricately carve or etch things into materials. There was a small above-ground font of water ready to instantly cool anything when needed and many different racks or hangers along the other walls, as well as more tables littered with diagrams, small tools, and half-made trinkets. There were other tools and things littered across the room as well.


    "It ain¡¯t much to look at, but she¡¯s just what I like!"


    Spotting a half-heated block of metal on the anvil, Jack pointed. "What¡¯s that?"


    "Oh! Mind if I work and chat all at once?" The smith wasted no time scurrying back and cing the block back into the mes. It was reheated and ready within seconds, letting Gasnon bring it back to the anvil. As he picked up the hammer beside the anvil, Gasnon asked, "So, what do you need?"


    Ignoring the nging of heated metal, Jack replied, "I need to upgrade some things and create some others."


    "Upgrade, huh? That can be harder than making something from scratch... You sure about that?"


    "Mhmm. Wouldn¡¯t that save time?" reasoned Jack.


    "Only if you¡¯re sessful!" Gasnonughed as he finished pounding the block. He ced it back into the forge, readying it for folding and shaping.


    "True... But I don¡¯t want to do anything too crazy. I just want to increase the general strength of the weapon and add another elemental affinity."


    "Nothing crazy?! If that¡¯s not crazy, then call me Halmut!"


    Jackughed loudly, sitting on an old stool in front of some hand-drawn blueprints. "Then tell me, would that be faster than making a new weapon?"


    "Depends on the weapon, I guess... You got it on you?" asked Gasnon.


    With a nod, Jack ced a sleek rapier on the table. "This is it."


    No time was needed for Gasnon to recognize the incredible craftsmanship of the weapon. "This... lv. 85?! With three affinities for speed?!"


    "I need to add dark energy to it for increased stealth and I¡¯ll be upgrading it to lv. 90," stated Jack, leaving Gasnon with a gaping mouth. "I know you can¡¯t do it with your level, but I wanted to revisit the fundamentals of crafting after not entering a smithy for a thousand years."


    "Well... I guess if anyone could do it, it would be you..." Gasnon shook his head with a smile. "Only the legend..."


    "Then, if you were capable and had a high enough level, how would you tackle such a job?"


    "Hmm..."


    Gasnon didn¡¯t immediately reply. He stepped forward and picked up the sword to get a feel for it and experience the weapon first-hand, finding its bnce point and wanting to understand how it was meant to be wielded. Twirling around and eyeing the design carefully, Gasnon eventually ced the weapon back on the table and resumed to extract his current work from the forge.


    While staring at the heated sheet of metal and pounding it tter, Gasnon clicked his tongue. "I don¡¯t know what I¡¯d do... It¡¯s a fine sword and would be hard to get anything else out of it. It¡¯s already a legendary weapon with its current design, so why not focus on upgrading its general strength instead of adding more and breaking the weapon?"


    "Because I want it to be better than a legendary weapon."


    "Better... Like a god¡¯s personal weapon?!" Gasnon was floored to imagine attempting such a thing. "You want to upgrade a legendary weapon... into a personal weapon?"


    "Why not?"


    "It ain¡¯t possible!"


    "Since when!"


    "Since--"


    "It¡¯s never been done because it¡¯s never been attempted!" stated Jack, leaving the cksmith without a rebuttal. "If you want to be the Smith God then you¡¯ll have to think bigger!"


    "THE WHAT?!"


    "The Smith God! You seem like the kind of person that would like that sort of thing, would you?" questioned Jack, swaying the old man.


    "I... I¡¯m not against the thought..."


    "Then make it happen. At lv. 76, you¡¯re not far behind your son, who will soon start grinding to ascend to godhood. Wouldn¡¯t you love to beat him to it?"


    "That¡¯s possible?!"


    "Of course! You¡¯re in Trodar now, where we can make anything possible," reasoned Jack. "And that includes upgrading a legendary weapon to a personal weapon. So, what¡¯s the best way to make it happen?"


    "... Normally I¡¯d add an alloy to bond with the des and increase structural integrity..." Gasnon replied. "Being a rapier... you may be able to imnt something new into the de¡¯s base. There¡¯s not much to work with but if you could add something to the guard for dark energy affinity... But the de..."


    What if I could hallow it out and fill it with a stronger material?" asked Jack.


    "Hallow out a rapier?! And how will you do that?" Gasnon burst intoughter, almost ruining the chest te he was making.


    "Then what would you do?"


    "Make a new one!" shouted Gasnon, unafraid to share his opinion.


    "But it needs to happen! I¡¯ve got no other choice!" Jack calmed himself for a moment and asked, "I wouldn¡¯t be able to drill out a small hole through the de¡¯s center?"


    "And why would you do that?"


    "To run hardened roxite through it till it made up the very most tip."


    "ROXITE!!! You have spare roxite?!"


    "Sure, why wouldn¡¯t I?" asked Jack.


    "I need some!"


    After you be a god, you can have all the roxite you want. I¡¯ll even put you in charge of handling the orders of the other new gods," Jack stated. "But would my idea work or not?"


    "Maybe... But only if you could make a custom tool for such a thing. Then, you¡¯d have to get it hotter than humanly possible."


    "But it would work?"

 Chapter 637 Halmuts Change of Plans

    <h4>Chapter 637 Halmut¡°s Change of ns</h4>


    "But it would work?"


    Gasnon nodded and sighed, "Yeah... but the moment the rapier blocks or parries an attack, it will have a better chance of breaking."


    "That¡¯s fine..." Jack also sighed, relieved to hear that. "Mind if I try?"


    "Try what?"


    Stepping forward, Jack held out his hand and eyed the heated metal te. "I just want to take one swing. That¡¯s it."


    "Just one? What do you--"


    "Please, just one swing?"


    "I... guess... but lightly..." Not fully understanding what Jack was intending, he flipped the hammer around and let Jack take hold of it. The smith pointed carefully at one end of the te. "Right there, nice and light. But if you ruin this, I¡¯ll kill you."


    "If I ruin it, then I¡¯ll pay for it a hundred times over."


    "Then go ahead, with all the force you¡¯ve got!"


    Jack rolled his eyes and smiled. Timidly, Jack lightly tapped the piece of metal sighed, "There... perfect!"


    "What do you mean perfect? You didn¡¯t do nothing!"ined Gasnon, feeling let down. "At least break something so I can charge you..."


    "I¡¯ll pay for your watchful eye, how about that?" Jack asked, surprising the smith. "I¡¯lle here tomorrow to upgrade the rapier. Then, I¡¯ll start working on some new gear. I¡¯d like your help in making sure I don¡¯t miss any steps of the process."


    "If you¡¯re good enough to upgrade that thing, then what do you need me for?!"


    "I thought you wanted to get paid? All I need is you reminding me of the steps before I do them. I¡¯ll handle everything and make sure it¡¯s given enough energy to reach lv. 90. The roxite should help with that."


    "... And how much is the pay?"


    "I¡¯ll give you this in advance and another one after three days of work. I¡¯ll need to finish all this in three days anyway..."


    A heavy-duty leather bag dropped onto the table, making Gasnon¡¯s eyes twinkle with greed. "tinum?"


    "What else would it be?"


    "I¡¯m in!" Gasnon shouted heartily. "We¡¯ll work here if that¡¯s okay."


    "Then I¡¯ll see you then." Jack lifted his hand and started for the door.


    "Thanks for your patronage!"


    Exiting the plot, Jack could still hear Gasnon¡¯sughter beyond the gate. Once outside, Jack let loose a sigh of relief and teleported away.


    *****


    "That sted Perchet!"


    "Your excellency, please calm down," Alcahain stated. "We need to reevaluate our n and begin preparations for entering cier Keep. With Perchet out, we¡¯ll need to rethink our teams."


    "Silence!" roared Halmut, getting Alcahain and the others to stop trying to sway his temper.


    Halmut briefly turned his gaze to the unconscious Kylon lying on a futon. Then, he focused on the enchantment key sitting on the side table. Seeing it safe had a calming effect on the Sun Dragon, making it easier to think clearly.


    "Given the new circumstances, we¡¯ll need to change some things... We¡¯ll only have six new gods with the Flood Dragons, so order the immediate recruitment of the candidates."


    "But--"


    "Tralbok, you do it. Get Sillo to help you bring them here if necessary!" Halmut ordered, finding the mostpliant person in the room.


    "Of course, your excellency!" Tralbok bowed and left with a smile on his still-swollen face.


    Torian sighed and asked, "Your excellency, what will we do about Kylon?"


    "I¡¯ve already healed her but healing damage from sound magic is tricky. All she needs now is a bit of rest. In a day or two, she¡¯ll wake up, im some demigods, and leave for cier Keep," exined Halmut. "We¡¯ll send five teams, with one containing three people. You¡¯ll lead that team, Torian, guiding Tyres and Alcahain as the fast striking team. You¡¯ll decide to either attack or run, both being viable options with such a team. As for dividing the demigods, Kylon will take two, Tralbok one, Alcahain two, and Tyres one. Understood?"


    "And the key?"


    "I¡¯ll hold onto it. Given the situation, I think it¡¯s best with me and not inside cier Keep."


    "Understood..." Torian nodded in agreement, thinking the same thing. But noticing the Halmut was still pondering something, Torian asked, "What else?"


    "Oh... Nothing. You¡¯re all dismissed. I¡¯ll watch after her till she awakes."


    Torian bowed and led Grixor and Alcahain out of the room. The moment it shut closed, an echoing roar spread through Halmut¡¯s soundproof room.


    "I should skin you all as my trophies! You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m leaving you all alive!"


    Halmut took out more stimnts and immediately began to absorb their sweet energy. The rush of power entering his body was ecstasy and the sight of the pristine enchantment key could put Halmut over the edge.


    With his anger momentarily quelled, Halmut sighed, "Too bad he never agreed... We could¡¯ve done so much had he not been so foolish..."


    Thinking aloud, the dragon began to feel more and more confident with himself and his ns. Eventually, Halmut looked back to Kylon and licked his lips.


    "Soon... Not tonight, but soon... You¡¯re definitelying with me. One may not be enough, after all," Halmut chuckled, reaching out and running his finger along Kylon¡¯s slim belly. "It¡¯s still early... Soon..."


    Changing his focus, Halmut sauntered to a table and took a seat with the enchantment key. The great Sun God had reced his furniture a few times already, just taking out more from his vast collection in storage. Such was the wealth of the god that had always received the most donations until modern history.


    "You chose not to join me... Instead, you chose to destroy me??? Now, I¡¯ve taken your people... I¡¯ve taken your subordinates... And I¡¯ve proudly taken your women... You brought this on yourself!"


    Halmut carefully ran his fingers along the enchantment key, taunting and mocking the item. The passionate hatred in his eyes was proof of Halmut¡¯s repressed hatred for Skaryn, or better put, his envy for Skaryn. Whether he would admit it or not, Halmut was extremely envious of the Dark God, far more than anyone would ever think possible.

 Chapter 638 Is the Poison Ready?

    <h4>Chapter 638 Is the Poison Ready?</h4>


    That night was an interesting one. Of all people, Halmut slept the best, having newfound confidence in his ns. Next, would be Zariff, who drank the entire night away with his pals and his new drinking buddy with incredible drinks. Jack slept fine as well, feeling calm alongside his wives.


    But most others felt nervous in one way or another. The worst was Eedaj, whose mind was too turbulent to even attempt sleeping.


    When the sun began to rise, Jack and Eliza were already knocking on Dragas¡¯s door. They quickly entered to find the couple sharing Moranti¡¯s small tub. Dragas sighed and climbed out while adorning herself in a new robe. "You¡¯re early..."


    "Because we have stuff to talk about," Jack replied with an awkward smile.


    "Then let¡¯s get the bath over with first. You wanted to see the new nts, right?"


    Jack nodded and began disrobing. Dragas and Eliza were faster than ever together, having already prepared the bath a few times and knowing exactly where to find each ingredient within the jungle of flora and fauna. As usual, Jack took all twenty minutes to absorb the minerals within the bath thanks to the increased dosage but Jack felt much more soothed after his fifth time experiencing it.


    While he and Moranti were getting dressed, Jack asked out loud, "So, where are they?"


    "Follow us," Dragas answered, showing her daughter toward one of the outer corners of the giant courtyard. Moranti and Jack found them as Dragas held up her hand. "You all need to stay back. Get too close and you may die."


    "That¡¯s reassuring..." Jack joked, watching Dragas carefully.


    The Dryad Goddess continued going forward, approaching half a dozen new nts that Jack and Eliza had never seen before. Those six nts were a variety of colors but were quite simr in appearance. Each was a different shade of green, some lighter and some darker. They had a few flowers beginning to bloom but each nt¡¯s flower was very vibrant in color, spanning the entire rainbow. Hanging from those blooming flowers were slightly opened seed pods, all of which contained ck seeds.


    "They¡¯ve already grown this much?"


    "Jack, never question your mother¡¯s ability as a caretaker," Dragas stated. "Each nt, when shown the optimal care and given the right amount of energy, can flourish beyond your imagination. These are still saplings, though, so don¡¯t think they¡¯ve matured so soon."


    "Saplings... I guess that makes sense..." Jack sighed, scratching his head. "Which one shows the most promise?"


    "All will survive but three of them won¡¯t develop any poison at all."


    "None?!"


    Shaking her head, Dragas exined, "There are many ways to create new poisons, but his way is the most practical. Creating poison via bio-gic cultivation is the only way to create what you want."


    Raising an eyebrow, Eliza asked, "But would that also create a species of nt that can kill a god?"


    "And what¡¯s wrong with that? Wouldn¡¯t that be a perfect deterrent against Halmut?" reasoned Dragas. "Then we¡¯ll guarantee victory much sooner."


    "So, what about the other three?" asked Jack.


    "All have developed a new type of poison that I¡¯ve never seen before. One is starting to stand out but all three may end up creating a toxin strong enough for our objectives."


    "Good... then how long until they¡¯re ready?"


    "One week."


    "That long? But I thought your care was too good to doubt?"ined Jack.


    "That¡¯s just how nature works," refuted Dragas. "Would you rather try your luck without me? It would take you months to a year to do what I¡¯m doing."


    "I... I¡¯m very grateful for your help, Mother."


    "Thank you, Son!" Dragas finished petting her newest creations and walked back to the others. "Is there anything else you need?"


    "Yes... Moranti, can you help me with making personal weapons?" Jack smiled to the God of Space.


    "You want to do that now? Will you have time?" questioned Moranti.


    "I¡¯ve already hired the best mortal cksmith as my assistant and now I just need someone to help me with how to properly add divine energy to the weapon," Jack exined. "I thought you¡¯d be the perfect person to ask, considering your scythe."


    "Ohhh... but what about the design process? That alone can take months or years."


    Jack nodded, taking out a small stack of papers. "First, I¡¯m upgrading a legendary weapon into a pseudo-personal weapon. After that, I¡¯ll just update these schematics from legendary to divine. That should be possible, right?"


    "But--"


    "My newest skill should make up for some time and help make things go smoothly, too."


    Moranti and the others blinked. The God of Space showed a slight smile and asked, "What skill?"


    "Weaponsmithing."


    "You mean--"


    "Last night I paid a visit to Kaldor¡¯s father, Gasnon. He¡¯s a world-renowned weaponsmith among mortals. He let me try smithing and I gained the new skill. After upgrading it, I think everyone with a pact or pledge should be more than capable of making their own weapons," stated Jack, surprising them all.


    Squinting and smiling at the same time, Moranti asked, "How good is the skill?"


    "Out of ten levels, it¡¯s already lv. 8," Jack proudly announced. "So I¡¯m sure I¡¯m good enough to at least make something as good as yours, right?"


    Laughing, Moranti agreed, "So long as you¡¯ve got the materials and a blueprint, I think you might actually pull it off!"


    Dragas added, "Most of us are average at best with making our weapons. We rely on howpatible they are to us and how they amplify our strengths by design. But your skill is practically cheating. Then again, what else is new?"


    As everyone chuckled, Jack looked back to Moranti. "Mind tagging along? That¡¯s where I¡¯m heading now."


    "Sure. Dragas will be busy teaching Eliza anyway, so I¡¯ve got nothing more to do."


    The two men vanished in a flurry of spatial energy, leaving Dragas and Eliza to continue Eliza¡¯s herbology education.


    When both Jack and Moranti reappeared inside Gasnon¡¯s personal smithy, the weaponsmith almost had a heart attack and dropped a hammer on his foot. Gasnon growled, "If you can do that, then warn me next time!"


    "Sorry, just had to bring some more help," replied Jack. "With him, I¡¯ll be able to properly make the weapons."

 Chapter 639 First Day of Smithing

    <h4>Chapter 639 First Day of Smithing</h4>


    "Okay... Then I hope he¡¯s got some worthy credentials!" barked Gasnon, eyeing Moranti.


    The God of Space smiled and took out his scythe. "Is this good enough?"


    "THAT?!" The weaponsmith almost lost his eyes as they nearly popped out of their sockets. "This... You made this?! What level?!"


    "Lv. 95... It¡¯s the only weapon I¡¯ll ever use, no matter how hard it bes to upgrade."


    "Why would you need anything stronger?!" questioned Gasnon.


    Leaving that question unanswered, Jack chimed in again, "Moranti is here to help me during the powering process. He understands making a personal weapon, so I thought his insight might help."


    "MORANTI?!" Gasnon immediately bowed and altered his tone of voice to show more respect. "Please forgive me for questioning your credentials."


    "Think nothing of it, now let¡¯s get started."


    While those two were talking, Jack was already at the only cleared table in the room. Guessing that Gasnon had cleared it for Jack¡¯s use, the hero retrieved the rapier andid it across the table. This caught their attention again but Jack ignored them as he found some scratch paper to scribble on. Spotting some leather rulers, Jack grabbed one and measured the rapier from end to end.


    "Jack... are you really going to hallow that out?" asked Gasnon.


    "Of course... How else will I get it to upgrade?"


    After noting down the appropriate length and width, Jack retrieved a long, thin rod of lustrous, ck steel.


    "That... What is that?!"


    "Refined roxite... I thought you would¡¯ve known that much," joked Jack. The hero then eyed the rod carefully as it wasn¡¯t going to be the easiest thing to work with. "Moranti, how confident are you in cutting this to size?"


    "If I can cut through Halmut¡¯s defenses, then I can cut your little stick," Moranti chuckled.


    Showing him the paper with scribbles on it, Jack handed the rod to Moranti. "I don¡¯t want it a millimeter off, so get it right the first time. Any smaller orrger and it won¡¯t fit after annealing."


    "Simple enough."


    Gasnon was in awe as the God of Space lobbed the rod straight into the air, throwing it perfectly so that it wouldn¡¯t teeter or spin around. Gracefully, Moranti swung his scythe twice. Then, Moranti teleported to stand ny degrees to the left of where he was, letting him cut twice more to have the rod cleanly cut on all four sides.


    Moranti caught the long piece of metal and smiled. "How¡¯s that?"


    Jack immediately measured the piece of roxite. "It¡¯s perfect. Nothing less from the best..." After returning the thin strip of roxite to the table, Jack sighed and took out a stack of schematics. Once he found what he wanted, Jack sighed, "Now... to anneal it... Gasnon, mind if I make a sandpit?"


    "I¡¯ve already got one," replied the weaponsmith, pointing to the corner of the room where sand reced the concrete ground.


    "That sand may notst against the heat... I¡¯ll use just use this." Jack took out an out-of-ground tub and plopped it down in the nearby corner. Then, the tub began to fill with sand that asionally glittered like jewels.


    "You¡¯ve got sand from the Desert Labyrinth?" Moranti asked in surprise.


    "To be more specific, it¡¯s from thebyrinth¡¯s throne room. It¡¯s a staple item for any hero making weapons over lv. 80. Without it, using refined roxite is impossible." Acting like it was no big deal, Jack finished filling the tub and went back to the table. "Now the fire..."


    Picking up the rod and stepping away from anything mmable, Jack doused the rod in a thinyer of ck and white mes. He made sure to not let pure ck mes out in case it harmed the room or identally overheated the rod before Jack could stop the heating process. With the me being mostly white, Jack felt quitefortable controlling it, despite Gasnon fear after spotting the unique me.


    ncing back to the schematic of choice, Jack rescinded the fire and buried the heated rod into the precious sand bath.


    The annealing process was a gradual but necessary process of slowed cooling, something that would likely take all day. With that in mind, Jack thumbed through his schematics and found the other items he was intent on creating.


    Moranti looked over Jack¡¯s shoulder and immediately dropped his jaw to the floor. "Jack, what are you--"


    "Calm down, I know exactly what I¡¯m doing and what I¡¯ll be getting into," Jack stated, already knowing exactly why Moranti was worried. "Do you trust me?"


    "Yeah, but that¡¯s just--"


    "If you trust me, then you won¡¯t tell anyone else about what I¡¯m making. This is a surprise and will only be used on special asions. Is my secret safe with you?"


    "But this... If the others knew you were--"


    "That¡¯s why we won¡¯t tell them. Now, can I trust you or not?"


    "... Fine... But I don¡¯t get why you want to make that. I thought you wanted to make a personal weapon?" questioned Moranti.


    "What¡¯s wrong with making personal armor first?" argued Jack. "If my armor is better, then I¡¯ll be able tost longer in fights."


    "But that armor is--"


    "Unique and happens to be my favorite. And now, I¡¯ve got a way to use it properly. I¡¯ll be making the entire thing out of refined roxite and not just in portions. That should allow it to store enough energy to make it at least lv. 90, right?"


    "Yeah... That¡¯s one way to do it... It¡¯s either roxite or the bones of a high-level beast..." mentioned Moranti.


    "But bones will take too long. I¡¯ve got three days to make this armor and finish the rapier. So we¡¯ll have to cut some corners..." Jack started to chuckle ominously.


    When Jack retrieved a mound of refined roxite ingots, Gasnon fell in love. He picked one up and caressed it, feeling it¡¯s weight and admiring its natural sheen after refinement, a stark contrast to the dull matte surface of regr roxite. But Jack snatched the ingot from Gasnon¡¯s hands and heated it in the same fashion he did the roxite rod. At the same time, Jack retrieved and ced a roxite anvil with a tform in front of him. He was practically a traveling forge.


    With haste, Jack retrieved a diamond-crusted roxite hammer and went to town on the hot ingot. However, Gasnon¡¯s delight was instantly shredded as Jack smashed away with little to no care for the ingot.


    "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"


    Pausing, Jack blinked and smiled, "What¡¯s it look like? I¡¯m smithing!"

 Chapter 640 Break for Dinner

    <h4>Chapter 640 Break for Dinner</h4>


    "What¡¯s it look like? I¡¯m smithing!"


    "That¡¯s not craftsmanship, it¡¯s a hack job!" shouted Gasnor, reaching out to grab the priceless hammer from Jack¡¯s hand.


    "Uh, uh, uh..." Jack nudged therge man aside with ease, not letting him dare to get close. "Don¡¯t interrupt my work. I¡¯ve got a lot of pieces to make so I need to hurry."


    "But what¡¯s the point of the schematic if you¡¯re not following it?" asked Moranti.


    Jack replied, "It shows me how to joint them together and where to put the inscriptions for the empowering stage. Appearance doesn¡¯t matter if I can¡¯t have it ready in time."


    "But... but... what about mobility?! If you aren¡¯t careful, you¡¯ll find yourself unable to wield a weapon while wearing such... crude, mistreated armor?!" Gasnon refuted.


    "Why does that matter?" Jack asked, flooring the weaponsmith again. "So long as the armor¡¯s main functions work, that¡¯s all that matters to me."


    "But--"


    "No butts!" shouted Jack. "This will be the backte but my butt will remain exposed. I thought you were reading the schematic?"


    "You... That..."


    Gasnon was under the pressure of turbulent emotions. His awe and respect for Jack¡¯s unbelievable resources were beyond anything he had ever felt as a weaponsmith. Yet that was paired with Jack¡¯splete disregard for the integrity and beauty of those same resources. And all Gasnor could do was watch as Jack unevenly pounded away at what now looked like scrap metal, not a priceless and legendary ingot of refined roxite. The material of Gasnon¡¯s dreams was being cruelly punished by Jack¡¯s uncaring hands instead of being lovingly molded into a global treasure, the greatest of pains that Gasnor could feel.


    "Done! On to the chestte!" Jack walked toward the table and ced the slightly rounded, uneven backte down. He grabbed another ingot and was immediately heating it up.


    "That¡¯s what you call done?" Moranti picked up the scrap and blinked in bafflement. "This won¡¯t protect you at all!"


    "So? What¡¯s your point?"


    "Jack, what¡¯s the point of armor if it can¡¯t protect you?"


    "Do I really need to answer that after you¡¯ve already read the schematic? Remember, this armor is our secret. And what better way to hide the armor¡¯s special functions than making it look like trash!"


    "But--"


    "And it saves me time too! This is the perfect n!" Jack then cut off the mes and began pounding away at the ingot, crudely shaping it to match the backte but not caring enough to make both sides symmetrical.


    This continued all day long. It was the perfect storm of Gasnor¡¯s wildest dreams and darkest nightmares. Moranti spent most of his time consoling Gasnon or cutting the various tes of roxite to somewhat fit together. Jack kept a smile ster on his face the entire time, jubnt to get closer and closer to having his own personal armor.


    They worked through breakfast and took a small break for lunch but as dinner neared, Jack received a telepathic message, ¡¯Jack, hurry back for dinner.¡¯


    ¡¯But right now I--¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, our mom and sister are here to join us and I think you¡¯re the best one tofort her right now.¡¯


    Sighing, Jack ced his hammer down on the roxite anvil, ¡¯Alright... But I¡¯ming back the moment we¡¯re down eating and talking. I¡¯ve almost finished making my armor tes.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Love you, Maura.¡¯


    Finished with his mental conversation, Jack turned to the crying Gasnon. "I¡¯ll be leaving for dinner. We¡¯ve got guests that I can¡¯t say no to. While I¡¯m gone, you¡¯re allowed to use my roxite setup, but no roxite ingots and no tampering with my masterpiece. Got it?"


    "... Got it," sniffled Gasnon. The weaponsmith immediately picked up the hammer and began to feel better.


    Waving to Moranti, Jack asked, "Keep an eye on things, will you? I¡¯ll bring you back some food."


    "Will do." Moranti gave Jack a thumbs up and walked towards the now giddy Gasnon.


    Jack teleported and instantly found himself in his courtyard. He spotted two familiar faces at the nearby table but was quickly tackled to the ground before he could greet them. "Lina... Aren¡¯t you a little too big to act like a child?"


    "But you¡¯re my Big Bro. Now, you¡¯re the only person I can treat like this..." pouted Lina, showing her baby hydra eyes.


    "Fine... But keep it under control. Don¡¯t be tackling me when we¡¯re out in public, okay?"


    "Okay!" Lina helped Jack up and they sat on opposite sides of Lunara. "Cheer up, Mom! Dad will be fine."


    Lunara sighed and showed a weak smile, "I know... It¡¯s just... It¡¯s been a while and I thought he had the perfect chance to strike during that battle..."


    "ording to Perchet, Halmut had torched all of Olympic Chateau during our giant battle,"mented Jack. "I guess Halmut had caught on to Dad¡¯s n to target him and wanted to protect himself."


    "Then--"


    "But don¡¯t worry, Mom," Jack continued. "Dad knows exactly what he¡¯s doing. Trust me. If you don¡¯t trust my word for it, then trust Daruun¡¯s. He said that Sterfen will be fine and that in the worst-case scenario Sterfen would just escape."


    "I guess you¡¯re right..." Lunara remarked, showing a slightly brighter smile.


    "Good, we can eat now." Maura¡¯s voice caught the attention of the table, getting them to see all three of Jack¡¯s wives carrying several tters of food. Maura led the way, adding, "Since we knew you wereing, we made sure to have plenty of portions. There are even more in the fridge, so don¡¯t worry about going home hungry!"


    "Finally!" Lina shouted, already stabbing a pork roast and pulling it toward her mouth.


    "Lina! You have to--"


    "Mom, it¡¯s fine. Let¡¯s all just dig in!" Jack replied as the three women found their seats and started filling their tes.


    All manner of foods were present on the table, from pork to beef, from chicken to duck, from Giant Spider to Briar Wolf, and more. A tower of tes had been set down in front of Lina and Lunara, making sure they wouldn¡¯t need to go to the kitchen anytime soon.

 Chapter 641 Discussing the Journey to Glacier Reef

    <h4>Chapter 641 Discussing the Journey to cier Reef</h4>


    A knock sounded from the door and it then opened up. A tired, grey-skinned man walked in and closed the door behind him.


    "Palpo, you¡¯rete."


    "Sorry... I¡¯ve just been busy is all..." Eedaj took his time crossing the courtyard to find his seat beside Daliea. He took a moment to breathe before grabbing a few small portions for his te.


    "Palpo, what¡¯s wrong?"


    "Nothing... don¡¯t mind me."


    "What¡¯s ¡¯palpo¡¯ mean again?" Lina asked.


    Daliea looked across the table and answered, "It means father. And when he calls me ¡¯dhendi¡¯, that means daughter."


    "So I¡¯m a dhendi too?" Lina nced at her mom, who was eating slowly and too distracted to hear the current conversation.


    "Yes, yes you are, Lina," Eliza stated. "Too bad my parents can¡¯t make it..."


    "Yeah, and mine are busy drinking or running their tavern," added Maura. "Where¡¯s--"


    Another knock sounded at the door, getting Eliza to shout, "Hurry up, Mother!"


    "Sorry, I¡¯mte..." Dragas giggled, closing the door behind her. "I was attending to the new nts and got carried away. They¡¯re developing quite nicely."


    "Does that mean--"


    "No, Jack, they won¡¯t be ready by the time you leave."


    As Jack sighed and stuffed his face, two people remained unlively and weren¡¯t able to go unnoticed. After gulping down his current mouthful, Jack telepathically asked, ¡¯Eedaj, what¡¯s on your mind? Is it still that?¡¯


    When Eedaj nodded and sighed, Jack stated, ¡¯Don¡¯t worry yourself. I¡¯ve got a n. Just wait and see.¡¯


    ¡¯... I trust you, Jack. It¡¯s just... Maybe consult us all next time?¡¯ suggested the Mind God.


    ¡¯I couldn¡¯t, not this time. I should¡¯ve warned you not read Perchet¡¯s mind, then you wouldn¡¯t have be so stressed out.¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack... Do you understand what you¡¯ve done?¡¯


    ¡¯I do, and I don¡¯t want to talk about it. What¡¯s done is done, there¡¯s no going back now. So please, don¡¯t mention anything to the others. It¡¯s better that way.¡¯


    "Jaaack?"


    "Yes, Eliza?" Jack ended his mental conversation and verbally replied to his calling wife. "Need me to pass the spider soup?"


    "No... I just want to know what you¡¯re talking about with Eedaj," stated Eliza.


    "We--"


    "Jack, we know that face. And your nces to Eedaj give you away," exined Eliza. "If you don¡¯t want to talk about it, that¡¯s fine. Then save that kind of talk for when it¡¯s just you two, or we¡¯ll feel left out."


    "Sorry..." Cleaning his te and readying for a second helping, Jack looked to the other awkwardly silent person. "Mom, are you okay?"


    "I¡¯m fine..."


    "Then why are you letting Lina eat your food?"


    "Huh?" Lunara blinked, only now noticing that Lina¡¯s tail was swiping food from her tes. But she didn¡¯t rebuke her daughter. "Sorry... I guess I¡¯m just distracted..."


    "Is it about Dad? Or... are you nervous about the trip?" asked Jack, getting everyone to listen in.


    Sighing, Lunara gave a weakugh. "I guess both... but mostly the trip..."


    "Are you nervous about seeing the other hydras? Is that it?"


    "I¡¯d rather not show them my true form," replied Lunara.


    Lina suddenly shouted, "I want to go to! Can Ie, Mom?"


    "No, sweetie... I don¡¯t know what will happen to you after we go into cier Keep..."


    "But if Moranti and the swordsman are teleporting there after the keep opens, can¡¯t Moranti send me back home too?"


    "That--"


    "Please, Mom! I want to see more hydras..."


    Facing her weakness, Lunara looked into Lina¡¯s baby hydra eyes and replied, "No... not this time..."


    "But why... At least tell me why," asked Lina, not giving up.


    "Jack, you convince her..."


    Scratching his head, Jack shared his opinion, "Actually, I think it would be fine for her to go..."


    "What?!"


    "Mom, I¡¯m going too, remember? And I doubt Halmut wants the other gods to start a fight outside of the keep. He knows that with Moranti we¡¯ll be able to transport any number of gods whenever we want. And he also knows that we can escape via teleportation, so ambushes wouldn¡¯t work too well either," reasoned Jack. "And, if you¡¯d prefer, I can teleport us all directly into cier Reef with Eedaj¡¯s help. That is, if you¡¯re willing to share your past memories with me."


    "That won¡¯t be needed," stated Lunara. "You¡¯ll teleport us to the Aazoon shore and I¡¯ll carry us there. We should find it in a day or two, giving us a day to rx and prepare to enter the keep."


    "Then I get toe--"


    "No!"


    "Mom??? why are you against Lina going? Is it because of the other gods... or is it because of the other hydras?" questioned Jack.


    Lunara opened her mouth but paused her tongue. A momentter, she sighed, "Thetter..."


    "But don¡¯t you think it would be best for Lina to at least see where her bloodlinees from? Couldn¡¯t visiting that environment be a good thing for her, letting her fully feel how powerful her body is to endure such water pressure and cold?"


    "Yeah..." Lunara admitted. "I guess... it wouldn¡¯t be the worst thing..."


    "Yay! Thank you, Mom!" Lina got up and gave Lunara a big hug, getting the Water Goddess to feel a bit better.


    "... Will you really be fine that far down, Jack?" Lunara questioned, sharing the same concern of half the table.


    "Don¡¯t worry about that. Thanks to Daruun, my body can function with breathing. So traveling underwater won¡¯t be of any worry, thanks to my water magic and my professional guide," answered Jack.


    "Will you have your weapons done by then?" Eedaj asked.


    Nodding, Jack replied, "Unlike the poison, I can speed up the weapons¡¯ production. Making the deadline won¡¯t be a problem at all. With that in mind, I should get going..."


    Jack stuffed the second serving of food into his mouth and stood up. After forcing it down his throat with a satisfied smile, Jack waved to everyone. "I need to finish hammering and shaping everything. That way, tomorrow I¡¯ll be able to inscribe the correct enchantments and begin hardening and tempering everything. Then, all that¡¯s left is empowering them with my own energy and polishing them to look good."


    Having said that, Jack was carried away in a sh of purple light.

 Chapter 642 The Rubbish Masterpiece!

    <h4>Chapter 642 The Rubbish Masterpiece!</h4>


    "... Hmmm..."


    Kylon sighed, turning in her sleep. She groaned and yawned as she instinctively stretched her body. Blinking, Kylon realized she was in her human form, a rare urrence while she slept.


    "You¡¯re awake..."


    That voice startled Kylon, causing her to immediately sit up. Only then did she realize where she was. "Halmut... what¡¯s going on?"


    "You¡¯re wee," stated the Sun Dragon in human form. He was pacing back in force, walking through the ash-covered room.


    "What... What do you mean? And what¡¯s happened in here?"


    "Perchet attacked you, remember? Tell me more about it," ordered Halmut, finally sparing her a nce.


    "I..." Kylon wanted to answer the question, but she genuinely didn¡¯t know what to say. "Halmut... I don¡¯t remember anything..."


    Showing a bit more concern, Halmut turned to fully face her. "Kylon, you teleported back here bleeding from your nose and ear, proving that Perchet was the one that attacked you. But what happened to cause this? Tell me."


    "I... I... Umm... I really can¡¯t remember..." Kylon blinked, forcing her brain into overtime. "I don¡¯t remember fighting Perchet... Was that really what happened?"


    Getting nowhere fast, Halmut looked away and red at the wall. "Remain here and get some rest. In two days, you¡¯ll leave for cier Reef with seven other Flood Dragons. I¡¯ll summon the two Flood Dragons here for you to make demigods in the meantime."


    "But... What about--"


    "Just rest for now... Don¡¯t worry. The child is alive and well."


    Kylon began to feel less pressured but felt her heart suddenly skip a beat. She had caught Halmut licking his lips at the mention of their child. And for some reason, what seemed like a forgotten memory shed through her mind. It was but a single statement yet it caused her whole body to shiver.


    "Would you rather your child be raised by Skaryn or eaten by Halmut?"


    The thought alone was terrifying. Kylon kept that thought to herself and tried to bury it in the back of her mind. Sheid down and rolled over, letting her still-tired body go back to rest.


    Halmut, on the other hand, eventually turned back with a frown. The Sun Dragon growled, keeping his anger from roaring and waking Kylon, "What have they done to you... Perchet, how dare you..."


    He feared this would happen. Halmut had chosen Perchet due to Perchet¡¯s ability to gain and protect knowledge. The Nocturnal Dragon was proficient at acquiring information from around the world but few understood how intricately Perchet was able to control sound. Halmut was one of the few that did. When he healed Kylon, Halmut had found the area that Perchet had targeted specifically. Her mind. That was the deadliness of soundwaves, and how Perchet had most likely overridden Kylon¡¯s short-term memory.


    "I¡¯ll get him... I¡¯ll get them all... After leaving this forsaken world, I¡¯ll soon trample over everything they believe in and hold dear..." Halmut stole another nce at Kylon, slowly licking his lips. "Soon... Soon, we¡¯ll be taking you and everyone from here... In Jewel, you¡¯ll be more useful..."


    *****


    The next two days passed with little time to spare. All demigods had now entered Earthen Keep, including Dragas who was finally made a demigod by Moranti. Some had already ascended even, mainly Hadurt and Jin who were racing to godhood only to lose to Perchet.


    Back in the Leisure Guild, the morning sun was cresting over the distant mountains. But that morning light was unable to reach Jack, how was hobbled over a worktable.


    "Finally! It¡¯s perfect!"


    "YOU CALL THAT RUBBISH PERFECTION?!?!"


    "Come on... be honest. It looks great, doesn¡¯t it?" Jack began to adorn his new equipment that loosely fit under the description of armor.


    "That¡¯s absolute garbage! How dare you waste such beautiful materials!" argued Gasnon, practically in tears. "Look! The world-renowned sheen of the refined roxite has been tarnished by your terrible handiwork! How could you do such a thing?!"


    Jack ignored Gasnon¡¯sments. He was too busy admiring his shoddy workmanship. There were seven pieces to the armor in total: one helmet, one chestte, one backte, two bracers over the forearms and elbows, and two grieves over the shins and knees. Together, they looked like dark, scrap metal armor made by goblins, only human-sized. And Jack sauntered around the forge with pride.


    "At least you made this properly..."


    Gasnon stroked the rapier, trying to make himself feel better. After finishing the hammering and shaping of everything on the first day, Jack fitted the roxite rode into the rapier after melting a thin hole through the center with concentrated fire. Then, before cing the rapier¡¯s roxite core where it belonged, Jack etched an enchantment into the metal to allow for dark magic affinity and flooded it with his energy beyond a capacity that Gasnon had thought possible. It was the one thing that Gasnon and Moranti were proud of.


    As for the scrap armor that Jack was parading through the room, it also contained powerful enchantments. Apart from hardening and tempering, the enchanting and empowering stages were the only things that Jack had done well. Everything else, the shaping, jointing, personalizing, was of the worst quality that Gasnon had ever seen.


    No matter how Gasnon looked at it, he wanted to reject the notion that those two items were made by the same person. For a man to lift a legendary sword into the realm of gods was the dream of the greatest weaponsmiths, yet the same man created the worst atrocity a smith could possibly conceive, let alone be proud of.


    Jack didn¡¯t care, though. As he paraded his new armor through the room, he was fixated on his newest achievements.


    [Create a pseudo-one-star weapon: imed]


    [Create a weapon that can rival a one-star cosmician¡¯s strength but can be wielded by a mortal being. One-star reward: 7,500 skill points]


    [Insufficient yet passable: imed]


    [Create a full set of armor with no practical benefits, magical benefits, or any sort of boosts whatsoever, yet it still contains enough energy to qualify as one-star level equipment. One-star reward: 10,000 skill points]


    [Laughingstock of the battalion: imed]


    [Have the worst looking armor among all your peers while proudly unting it like a peacock, despite the armor¡¯splete and utterck of attention to detail. Unique reward: 200 skill points]


    It was strange, yet Jack was enjoying the smallest of his rewards the most. He was curious when he¡¯d get a chance to prove the potency of his new masterpiece.

 Chapter 643 Dive! Dive! Dive!

    <h4>Chapter 643 Dive! Dive! Dive!</h4>


    Jack quickly gathered his things and left Gasnon¡¯s home with only a goodbye. He stored what he called beautiful armor and left, leaving long after Moranti and just before the sun began to rise.


    As Jack blinked into his courtyard, He was d to see food on the table. All of his wives were waiting for him at the table thanks to his earliermunication and warning of his need for a fast breakfast. They didn¡¯t say much or do anything special but they all enjoyed the pdash breakfast that Maura had thrown together with toast, sausages, and a morning fruit sd.


    Once Jack plowed through a couple of tes, he let loose a long sigh and gave each of the women a hug and kiss goodbye. After reassuring them of his imminent return, Jack teleported away.


    Reappearing elsewhere in the restricted area of the Leisure Guild, Jack smiled and knocked on the door before him. Immediately, Jack¡¯s hand was grabbed and the hero was dragged inside.


    "Big Bro, are you ready now? Did you finish your armor?"


    "Of course I did!"


    "Then let me see it! Why aren¡¯t you wearing it?" asked Lina.


    Jack replied, "Because it¡¯s special armor for special asions. Until a necessary moment arrives, I don¡¯t want any foes knowing of its existence. A surprise would be best for me." That¡¯s when Jack spotted Lunara sitting at the table, calm yet unexcited. "Is something the matter, Mom?"


    Sighing, Lunara put down her morning tea and asked, "Jack... How far down have you gone?"


    "You mean underwater?" assumed Jack. The hero took a moment to think, stating, "A few hundred meters, I think. How deep is Coral Crypt?"


    "An ancient dungeon like Coral Crypt has nothing on the depths that we¡¯ll be traversing..." answered Lunara. "Coral Crypt is only seven hundred meters below the surface. Where we¡¯re going, it¡¯s more than ten times that depth. After two hundred meters, the sunlight begins to weaken. At one thousand meters, all natural lighting will have vanished. This is why even the gods have rarely explored the depths of the ocean..."


    "What about Kylon? I thought she was known for that?" asked Jack.


    "That¡¯s why her people found me when I was young and on the run. That led them to discover the trench that leads to cier Reef, but Kylon and the Flood Dragons have never dared to enter that ce."


    "Then, how are you going to find it?"


    "It will take time, but I¡¯ll be able to sense my way back." Lunara exined, "Coming from there, I¡¯ll be able to sense the currents and search ordingly. We¡¯ll find it in time for the opening of cier Keep."


    "And I¡¯ll get to see more hydras too!"


    "Calm down, Lina. That¡¯s not a priority, though I do think it will do you good to join us. You¡¯ve never experienced the wild of the ocean floor. That makes you the only hydra to not know of its dangers and cruelty, something you need to learn," stated Lunara.


    "But I still get to go," Lina added. "Then I¡¯ll make some more friends like me."


    "I wouldn¡¯t count on that..." Lunara sighed and finished thest sip of her tea. "I wasn¡¯t epted long ago and neither was my birth mother... I¡¯m not sure how the other hydras would react to learn of our existences, Lina."


    "Well, we¡¯ll find out real soon!"ughed Lina, not backing down from her excitement.


    "What if I make a light beyond a thousand meters?" asked Jack, returning to the original topic.


    Lunara shrugged and stood up. "We¡¯ll be fine, but it will attract unnecessary attention at first. For me, I¡¯ll be able to make do without it but I¡¯m also fine with it if you want to be able to see the underwater world for yourself. Just expect a few attacks or a swarm of sea life to be attracted the moment you light it."


    "Anything we can¡¯t handle?" Jack asked sarcastically. Yet when Lunara seriously considered the question, Jack was astounded.


    "We¡¯ll be fine, but Lina won¡¯t be allowed to use her hydra form."


    "WHAT?! Then why--"


    "That¡¯s that! Unless you don¡¯t want to join us," argued Lunara. "I was beyond lucky to survive when I left there, and that¡¯s because I was fleeing toward the surface. Now, we¡¯ll be doing the opposite and at lv. 71 you¡¯re still not strong enough to face everything down there. Having two full-sized hydras will attract more attention and I don¡¯t want that. Understood?"


    "Fine... But I¡¯ll be asking again after we dive!" stated Lina, sticking her tongue out.


    Jackughed, "Then, we¡¯re ready to go, right?"


    "Yes... we¡¯re both ready," answered Lunara, stepping closer to Jack. At the same time, Lina threw her arms around both Jack and her mother, anticipating Jack¡¯s next move.


    The three figures vanished from the courtyard and reappeared far to the east of Kartonia, on the edge of the map. They felt the cold wind brushing over the chilled sand of the Aazoon shore.


    "WHOA!!!"


    It was Lina¡¯s first time seeing the ocean, proving just how out of depth her understanding was. Despite being one of the most powerful and well-known species among water-dwelling beasts, Lina had less experience underwater than Jack.


    Without hesitation, Lunara shifted into her behemoth Nine-headed cier Hydra form. "Climb on and hold on tight. I don¡¯t want to waste any time."


    Jackplied and Lina took a few more moments to pull her eyes away from the oceanic view. She admired the view all the better from high up on her mother¡¯s back, left speechless as her instincts filled her with anticipation.


    "Now, we dive."


    A three-word warning was all Jack and Lina got as Lunara dove into the waters heads-first at a breakneck pace. They clung to Lunara¡¯s scales, finding the ridges on her back to have the best grip and hiding behind some of therger scales that acted like hundreds of "small" dorsal fins. This gave Jack and Lina a ce to sit and allow the water to pass without much resistance. The small, family party was on its way to the deepest parts of the world.

 Chapter 644 Hungry on the Ocean Floor

    <h4>Chapter 644 Hungry on the Ocean Floor</h4>


    With Lunara¡¯s size and power, they passed through the first oceanic zone in seconds. The powerful sunlight began to dim as they passed the two hundred meter mark and it was vanishing fast.


    Jack and Lina were in awe of the underwater world around them. All sorts of wildlife could be found, many of which were unfamiliar to Jack entirely unfamiliar to Lina, who was drooling at the sight of almost every new creature. But Lunara¡¯s precaution of keeping Lina on her back immediately paid off as Jack was certain Lina¡¯s curiosity would¡¯ve dragged out the trip through this portion of the ocean, let alone everything deeper.


    Before long, they reached the dead zone where sunlight dwindled away and left the world in permanent shade.


    Lunara made no stops though and continued her descent through that ce. Both Jack and Lina could feel the water pressure growing substantially but they both managed to shrug it off. Jack¡¯s divine physique was put to good use and Lina being a cial Hydra, a species dwelling more than ten thousand meters below the ocean¡¯s surface, made the shifting water pressure slightly ufortable at best.


    A bright beam of light burst out of Jack¡¯s hand as they entered this area. Like a spotlight, Jack peered into the briny depths of the ocean.


    At the same time, a swarm ofrge, ck eels rushed towards the light¡¯s source. They were almost ten meters in length and half a meter in width as they barreled through the water toward Jack.


    While Lina licked her lips and Jack was about to act, Lunara was the first to make her move. Ayer of frost exploded out of her body and killed the lv. 50 eels on impact. However, Lunara didn¡¯t stop, causing Lina to frown as they passed up on what she thought would be a snack.


    ¡¯This is where it gets harder...¡¯ Lunara telepathically stated, getting the attention of the other two. ¡¯Pay close attention, Lina. Down here, without me and Jack, you would still be at risk.¡¯


    ¡¯I can handle myself, Mom,¡¯ sighed Lina, disappointed to hear that.


    ¡¯No, you can¡¯t. Not where we¡¯re going,¡¯ Lunara corrected. ¡¯Stay on my back and speak only telepathically. We don¡¯t want to attract unnecessary attention and waste time or destroy ecosystems without a need.¡¯


    ¡¯Okay...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, making a light is fine but don¡¯t keep it shining on any one creature for too long. It will spook them or draw them to us,¡¯ added Lunara.


    Agreeing, Jack lessened the mana used to cast Beacon of Light and dimmed the spotlight. It wouldn¡¯t let Jack see much at once but it was enough to look around.


    To Jack¡¯s surprise, Lunara was growling time and time again. It wasn¡¯t very loud but Jack could guess what was happening.


    ¡¯Can you see with sound waves?¡¯ Jack asked.


    ¡¯Not quite... But I¡¯m able to roughly tell how far we are from the ocean floor, and if there¡¯s a nearby drop-off. We¡¯re not deep enough though, so don¡¯t expect to reach cier Reef tonight.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? Is it that hard for you to find?¡¯


    ¡¯I never bothered searching for it and was focused on fleeing when I left, so I didn¡¯t mind forgetting the way back then,¡¯ responded Lunara.


    ¡¯Can¡¯t I swim next to you, Mom?¡¯


    ¡¯No, Lina. I don¡¯t want to attract attention and that means we can¡¯t interact with anything, which is what you want to do.¡¯


    ¡¯But... please?¡¯ begged Lina.


    Lunara begrudgingly answered, ¡¯No... not this time. In the future, after we know the way, we can explore the depths together. Okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay...¡¯


    Amazed at Lunara¡¯s streamlined charge through the ocean¡¯s depths, Jack did his best to find and remember any noticeablendmarks on the way. It woulde in handy in the case he wanted to visitter as well, but it also filled Jack¡¯s mind with more wonder than ever. To have such a wondrous, unexplored world so nearby was astonishing for him.


    This pace continued for a while. Lunara only slowed down after she finally reached the bottom of the ocean floor at around six thousand meters deep. They had encountered a few fish and sea life that tried to attack them and Jack¡¯s light but nothing that could withstand Lunara¡¯s frost body. The strongest creatures wouldn¡¯t be found until now and even those may not attack should they sense a threat from Lunara¡¯s gigantic presence.


    ¡¯Now... We search every crevice for signs of cier Reef...¡¯ Lunara sighed, getting Jack and Lina to do the same out of habit.


    Lunara¡¯s speed was lessened as she inspected the nearest drop off carefully. Rather than dive into the depths of each crevice and trench, Lunara tried to sense the currents and gauge the deeper water temperatures. It took some time but would be faster than exploring every inch of every crack.


    Wildlife became harder to find. But when Jack and Lina spotted something, it was either gigantic, minuscule, or traveling inrge groups.


    The day passed slowlypared to their meteoric descent. And the slower it got, the more impatient Lina was. They had passed on every snack she spotted on the entire trip and were inspecting their fifteenth drop off, crevice, or trench. After a long day of doing nothing, Lina struggled to ignore her hunger.


    At the top of the trench, Lunara was slowly scanning their surroundings. Jack kept a dim light searching through the pitch-ck depths with only specs of bioluminescent light as a guide. Their focus was elsewhere and not on Lina.


    The young, lv. 71 hydra was starving and was unable to deny her instincts. She could sense some movements in the water nearby and Jack¡¯s light gave her a glimpse of a meal. The light revealed a giant school of small, transparent fish clustered together. Jack wasn¡¯t too interested in the fish, having seen simr fish in the other crevices, but Lina was eager to eat.


    As soon as Jack moved the light elsewhere, Lina kept her focus on the traveling school of fish. After a moment passed and her babysitters weren¡¯t paying attention, Lina darted forward at full speed.


    "Lina!"

 Chapter 645 Saving Lina

    <h4>Chapter 645 Saving Lina</h4>


    "Lina!"


    While the Lina raced across a couple of hundred meters of water in silence, Lunara roared at her daughter.


    Instantly, Jack turned the spotlight back to the school of fish and Lina closing in on them. But the school of fish instantly separated and swam away, alerted by Lunara¡¯s verbal shout. Yet Lina didn¡¯t stop!


    "Lina! Get back!" Lunara continued to yell verbally and not telepathically.


    ¡¯But I¡¯m--¡¯


    "NOW!!!"


    Not caring for her daughter¡¯s response telepathically, Lunara roared for all nearby wild life to hear. Finally, Lina stopped in her tracks. Her eyes turned to the trench wall now a hundred meters away and her frown fell from her face in shock.


    "I said get back!" argued Lunara, rushing toward the young woman.


    ¡¯A human?¡¯


    A subtle, deep voice sent chills down Lina¡¯s spine and startled Jackpletely, who increased the strength of his spell to better find the source of that voice. It wasn¡¯t too difficult thanks to matching Lina¡¯s and Lunara¡¯s gaze, leaving Jack with his jaw agape.


    Motionless on the trench wall, Jack spotted two massive unblinking eyes. Then, he was able to make out what seemed like a massive triangr head that was as course and colorful as the trench walls, barely moving as Lunara appeared at Lina¡¯s side. When that head twitched, Jack still struggled to find the creature¡¯s body. That was until Jack realized that most of the visible trench wall was the creature¡¯s body.


    ¡¯A hydra... and a human... together?¡¯


    "Lina, get back now!" ordered Lunara, using one of her heads to shield the small, insignificant girl. When Lina finally moved and went back to Jack¡¯s side, Lunara turned her attention to the two eyes and used her telepathy, ¡¯I¡¯m sorry for my daughter¡¯s actions. If I rece your prey with my own food, will that suffice?¡¯


    ¡¯Your daughter... And nine heads? I¡¯ve never heard of such a hydra... nor of such arge hydra... Are you here to challenge me?? like the others?¡¯ The head and eyes twitched again, wary of Lunara¡¯s every move.


    Lunara replied, ¡¯We¡¯re searching for cier Reef, where the hydrase from. I¡¯m from there but left thousands of years ago. Now, we¡¯re trying to find it again and my impatient daughter chased away your meal by ident. I¡¯m truly sorry.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm... And what of the other human? Can you spare him as my meal?¡¯ the creature asked calmly, staring at Jack with intrigue.


    ¡¯I won¡¯t try that. He¡¯s stronger than me.¡¯


    The triangr head twitched again and the third side opened up to show its pincer-like teeth. ¡¯Is that so... Then I¡¯ll ept the food you mentioned earlier...¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you.¡¯ Lunara bowed her heads gracefully as a Giant Spider corpse appeared in the water. ¡¯Thises from the world above the surface. I hope you enjoy it.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you...¡¯


    ¡¯Excuse me, but are you a Mantis Levianthon?¡¯


    Turning his attention back to Jack the giant head nodded slightly. ¡¯I am... How would you know that?¡¯


    ¡¯Would you mind if I made my light bigger?¡¯ Jack asked, using his message skill as telepathy. ¡¯I want to see your full size¡¯


    ¡¯And why should I allow that?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll give you more food.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... Then go ahead.¡¯


    With permission, Jack increased the size of his beacon of light and covered the entire side of that trench wall. Finally, the hero broke out inughter after realizing just how monstrous this beast was and why Lunara offered it respect.


    From the top of the head to the tip of its tail, the beast was iparably long. Jack could only think of one beast whose length could pass that of the Mantis Leviathan, Dragov before ascension. Most of its body was thebination of a centipede and a lobster, clinging to the trench walls and blending in to hide from prey. What made it a mantis leviathan, however, was the upper body portion of the beast, which was basically a giant praying mantis with three pairs of long, barb-covered limbs. That portion wasn¡¯t as long as the beast¡¯s tail end but it was far more threatening.


    Before saying anything else, Jack took out a Storm Dragon tail and let it begin drifting down the water.


    Upon seeing the corpse, the mantis was impatient. Unlike before, when the mantis let the spider corpse drift to the ground, the leviathanshed out with two of his powerful limbs. The barbs on the beast¡¯s forearms gripped the dead flesh and tore it open as the Mantis Leviathan instantly bit into his meal. After a few seconds of ripping the tail apart and feasting on its meat, the Mantis Leviathan cleaned its pincer-like teeth and looked back to Jack.


    ¡¯This... What is it?¡¯


    ¡¯Something from the outside world. Right now, we¡¯ve got somewhere to be but I wouldn¡¯t mind bringing you more rare foods after we¡¯re done,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯We may be able to talk about you passing lv. 89.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... so it¡¯s possible?¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ve already done it, that¡¯s why she warned you about me.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯d like to talk then... But after you find the hydras?¡¯ Taking a moment to think, the Mantis Leviathan turned his head and reached out with one of his free arms. ¡¯That way... about a thousand lengths of my body... You¡¯ll find the trench you want... But don¡¯t send more my way...¡¯


    ¡¯And what can we call you?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯I have no name...¡¯


    Tilting his head to the side, Jack smiled. ¡¯Can I call you... Jinbe?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... That is an eptable name...¡¯


    ¡¯Then, Jinbe, would you mind if we made a promise? It will prove that I¡¯ll be back to see you. How does that sound?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, you wouldn¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s called a mutual seal,¡¯ Jack continued, letting Lunara sigh in relief. ¡¯It will link us so we can find each other easier. Then you¡¯ll be able to roam and hunt and I¡¯ll be able to find you with ease. Then, if we can reach an agreement, I¡¯ll help you pass lv. 89 and make you a god. How about it?¡¯

 Chapter 646 Mantis Leviathan, a Primordial Bloodline

    <h4>Chapter 646 Mantis Leviathan, a Primordial Bloodline</h4>


    ¡¯It¡¯s eptable... There are no downsides?¡¯


    ¡¯Nope, not at our levels,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯Is that a yes?¡¯


    The giant, rock-like head nodded. ¡¯Go ahead...¡¯


    Teleporting off Lunara¡¯s back, Jack was ecstatic to feel the dense armor atop Jinbe¡¯s head. It surprised the Mantis Leviathan but he did nothing to stop Jack.


    "Is it possible for you to bleed? Or to secrete biogic fluid? For this, you¡¯ll need a drop of that fluid.¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s possible... form your seal first and I¡¯llply... To grow stronger, anything...¡¯ stated Jinbe, surprising Lunara.


    ¡¯Then don¡¯t mind if I do.¡¯


    Jack suddenly kicked up a cyclone of wind around him, creating a small bubble of air around him and the spot where he began writing. The seal was finished easily without the interference of the surrounding water, surprising Lunara further.


    ¡¯It¡¯s ready.¡¯


    Jinbe tilted his head sideways, almost ruining the seal as Jack was forced to move the air pocket as well. ¡¯Prod my joint... A small cut from you won¡¯t affect me at all."


    Complying, Jack swam to the side and took out the rapier he had upgraded earlier. It was still only lv. 85 but was more than enough to make a small poke in the beast¡¯s joint. Then, Jack used a medical needle to extract some blood from the small wound, which the leviathan hadn¡¯t felt at all.


    Back at the seal, Jack dripped the blood onto the seal and tapped the rapier¡¯s tip with his finger, letting a drop of his own blood fall on the seal as well. The seal was now finished and faded into Jack and Jinbe, but the behemoth of the deep still felt nothing.


    ¡¯There... we¡¯re linked now. We canmunicate from afar now and locate each other,¡¯ Jack stated, trying his best to contain his joy.


    ¡¯Then go... I await your return...¡¯ The Mantis Leviathan nodded to the party, again pointing toward their desired trench.


    ¡¯Wouldn¡¯t you rather tag along?¡¯


    ¡¯No... My presence there wouldplicate things... But if you need my assistance again, contact me...¡¯


    ¡¯Then contact me if you need assistance too,¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯Soon, others will be searching for cier Reef also. It would be best to avoid them and join us.¡¯


    ¡¯Others... Then I¡¯ll remain hidden... Thank you for the warning, Jack..." Having said that, the Mantis Leviathan nodded and released himself from the wall. The ground shook as itnded and picked up the Giant Spider Corpse. Then, faster than Lunara¡¯s top speed, the Mantis Levianhon bolted down into the depths of that trench.


    Jack, Lunara, and Lina took off again as Lunara no longer needed to waste time searching with proper directions. She remarked, ¡¯Lina, I told you to remain on my back.¡¯


    ¡¯But... I was...¡¯ Lina pouted but wasn¡¯t in the mood to argue.


    ¡¯You realize what would have happened, don¡¯t you? Lina, you were almost eaten by that thing.¡¯


    ¡¯That thing is named Jinbe and he¡¯s my newestpanion!¡¯ Jack stated, not letting the others forget it.


    ¡¯But why would you make a seal with that beast?¡¯ asked Lunara


    Jack replied with a question, ¡¯Do you know what that beast is, exactly? You seemed to have been quite respectful.¡¯


    Lunara sighed, ¡¯I¡¯ve heard stories of them but never seen one. The hunters would sometimes fight over prey with such a beast, but I had long forgotten the stories until I saw it clearly.¡¯


    ¡¯It fights with cial Hydras? But you¡¯ve never seen one? Doesn¡¯t that mean it never lost against your people?¡¯ reasoned Jack, startling Lina.


    Nodding, Lunara answered, ¡¯Never had they sessfully killed such a beast but they¡¯ve chased them away. They¡¯re too fast for us to catch and their armor is greater than ours. But their attacks are primal at best, nothing more than physical prowess with no long-range attacks, ording to what I¡¯ve heard.¡¯


    Jack felt all the giddier. This only added to his excitement while reading his newest achievement.


    [Form a seal with a primordial species: imed]


    [Discover and create a linking seal with a Mantis Leviathan, a primordial beast that predates dragons, hydras, and the like. One-star reward: 3,000 skill points.]


    At first, Jack had no clue that the Mantis Leviathan was even there. His system only recognized it after getting a clear picture of the beast¡¯s head,beling it "Mantis Leviathan, Primordial Bloodline". Such a bloodline was more ancient than anything that Jack had seen prior, so how could Jack not want such a bloodline for himself?


    ¡¯Jack? Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh, sorry. What is it, Mom?¡¯


    Lunara repeated herself, no longer lecturing Lina, ¡¯Why would you make a seal with such a dangerous beast?¡¯


    ¡¯You mean, ¡¯why wouldn¡¯t I?¡¯, right?¡¯ replied Jack. ¡¯ording to my system, Jinbe might predate your whole species. For him to remain alive this whole time, his bloodline must be insane! I need that kind of strength!¡¯


    ¡¯But I thought you could only have four beastpanions?¡¯ argued Lunara.


    ¡¯The worst part of that was the sharing of EXP with so many beasts. But that¡¯s not an issue for me now, since I¡¯ve ascended and the seal can¡¯t pass cosmic energy. After leaving Kartonia, EXP won¡¯t be a thing and we¡¯ll get pure cosmic energy without the help of the world,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯And if Jinbe¡¯s bloodline predates event he dragons, then I want him with us more than anything right now.


    ¡¯Also, what if Kylon and the Flood Dragons find him? Wouldn¡¯t they bully him and kill him for EXP? They may be gods, but I imagine the amount of EXP a beast like Jinbe offers would be enormous, even worth the time of newly risen gods.¡¯


    ¡¯You want to protect that thing?!¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah! Someone has to!¡¯


    Lunara telepathically shouted, ¡¯But it has killed so many of my people?!¡¯


    ¡¯I thought you never got along with your people?¡¯ refuted Jack. ¡¯You¡¯re too afraid to show your true self to them yet you¡¯re mad at a beast for sharing the same prey and fighting a few times?¡¯


    ¡¯That...¡¯ Lunara sighed, searching for some grounds for an argument.


    Jack added, ¡¯If Jinbe needs it, I¡¯m going to teleport and help him. No ifs, ands, or buts!¡¯

 Chapter 647 Stopped by Glacial Hydras

    <h4>Chapter 647 Stopped by cial Hydras</h4>


    As Lunara had no way to argue further about the Mantis Leviathan, the party rushed through the water. Jinbe¡¯s guidance was key as they spotted two more potential crevices or trenches along the way. But they soon arrived at a trench directly in front of them and Lunara came to a gradual halt.


    The Hydra Goddess sniffed and let the water pass calmly through her gills. Faint smiles appeared on her many heads. ¡¯This is the one... It¡¯s faint, but I can smell the difference...¡¯


    ¡¯Then what about your hydra form?¡¯ asked Jack.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll change that after passing another thousand meters. The influence of the hydras isn¡¯t thatrge.¡¯


    ¡¯Even after so long?¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯HALT!¡¯


    Telepathic shouts caught Lunara off guard. She had only gone a couple of hundred meters into the trench yet she was already spotted by something. Immediately, Lunara frowned and red into the abyss.


    When Jack expanded the reach of his light, they got a clear picture. Two cial Hydras were nearing them, both with only a single head and at lv. 84.


    ¡¯What is this?!¡¯ shouted one of the hydra¡¯s momentarily blinded y the light.


    ¡¯Sorry..." Jack dulled the light while keeping it steady through the area. This allowed the party to see the two hydras and the two hydras to better see the party.


    ¡¯What...¡¯ The leading hydra blinked, believing his eyes were deceiving him after the moment of blindness. ¡¯You¡¯re... a hydra?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯vee to see cier Keep. I have no desire to interfere with cier Reef or the life of my fellow hydras,¡¯ replied Lunara, making her purpose clear from the get-go.


    ¡¯cier Keep?!¡¯ the second hydra shouted again, baring his fangs.


    But the one in the lead was more subtle in his judgments, showing a solemn but stern re. ¡¯What reason do you have for visiting cier Keep? And how did you find this ce?¡¯


    Lunara nodded respectfully and answered, ¡¯Long ago, after being born in cier Reef, I fled for the upper world as a child. Now, I¡¯vee back to see cier Keep once more, and that¡¯s all.¡¯


    ¡¯And why should we allow you to pass?¡¯ asked the second hydra, to which the first hydra did nothing to retract.


    ¡¯It¡¯s imperative that we visit cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Why? Exin yourselves,¡¯ demanded the lead hydra.


    Both of the hydra guards were unable to see the levels of Lunara and the two figures on her back. However, that wasn¡¯t entirely umon for creatures dwelling so deep in the ocean. Sure, Lunara wasrger than both of the guard hydras but that didn¡¯t stop their pride.


    ¡¯For a hydra with so many heads, you demand a lot with little information,¡¯ argued the second hydra.


    ¡¯If you prefer, I can count your heads after I let them roll...¡¯ Jack¡¯s casual tone stunned the two guard hydras, increasing their uncooperativeness.


    ¡¯I demand an audience with the Hydra Head.¡¯


    ¡¯WHAT?!¡¯ shouted the second hydra. ¡¯How dare you demand such a thing!¡¯


    Lunara continued, still showing only a soft gaze at the hydras. ¡¯I have no ill will towards my own people. I seek an audience with the Hydra Head since we¡¯ll need his permission to visit cier Keep, and exining everything to you right now would only waste our time. I¡¯ll exin everything to the Hydra Head and the elders.¡¯


    ¡¯Or would you prefer us forcibly entering?¡¯ asked Jack, ying the role of bad cop.


    While the second hydra was entirely against it, the lead hydra guard clicked his tongue and turned around. ¡¯We¡¯ll escort you to cier Reef. It will be up to the elders if you¡¯re allowed to stand before the head.¡¯


    ¡¯But we--¡¯


    ¡¯Enough!¡¯ The lead hydra shut up hisrade. ¡¯This is how it goes... You know this.¡¯


    Begrudgingly, both hydras turned and began to lead the way down the trench. Lunara followed them from a respectable distance, not too close yet not too far. She wanted to maintain a showing of respect for her people.


    ¡¯So much for hiding your true self,¡¯ Jack joked via their mental link.


    Lunara sighed, ¡¯I hadn¡¯t considered the expansion of the hydras...¡¯


    ¡¯Too distracted and nervous to consider it?¡¯


    ¡¯... Yes...¡¯ admitted Lunara.


    ¡¯Mom, why do they only have one head?¡¯ Lina asked


    ¡¯That¡¯s how our people were at first...¡¯ Lunara replied, choosing her words and tone carefully. ¡¯It¡¯s quitemon for hydras to have one head and it¡¯s rare for our people to have three heads.¡¯


    ¡¯Then, what about us? We have nine heads... Are there any more like us?¡¯


    ¡¯No, sweetie... there aren¡¯t...¡¯ sighed Lunara.


    ¡¯Oh... But the others are still like us, though, right? They¡¯re still cial Hydras?¡¯


    Jack replied emphatically, ¡¯Correct. Without a doubt, those two hydras leading the way are cial Hydras just like you, Lina.¡¯


    Lina had never felt lonely when thinking of her species, but this was the first time meeting anyone other hydras apart from her mother. It was an eye-opening experience and gave Lina the feeling that she was part of somethingrger than herself, amon feeling amongrge tribes. Pride for her species. It was a new feeling that had existed in her mother¡¯s shadow but was truly growing after realizing that an entire civilization of her people existed in the world.


    But Jack continued to question Lunara in private conversation, ¡¯Who¡¯s the Hydra Head?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s the hydra chosen to lead the people. The hydra head is our chief, of sorts.¡¯


    ¡¯And why can you demand such a meeting upon arrival? Those two hydras only became cooperative after mentioning that request.¡¯


    Lunara answered, ¡¯Any hydra returning from beyond the trench has the opportunity to meet with the elders or Hydra Head in case they have urgent news to ry. That¡¯s how the protocol works.¡¯


    ¡¯And how would you know that?¡¯


    ¡¯My mother was forced to use it a few times...¡¯ stated Lunara.


    Sensing the unwillingness in her voice, Jack stopped himself from asking more about the matter. He thought it would be better to ask about such a sensitive topic when the situation was more fitting.

 Chapter 648 Glacier Reef, the Most Beautiful Place in the World

    <h4>Chapter 648 cier Reef, the Most Beautiful ce in the World</h4>


    As they dove deeper, the two guard hydras were joined by others. A small handful of hydras passed them to assume the now-empty patrol positions near the trench¡¯s entrance while four more one-headed hydras created a perimeter around Lunara. With two at the front, one on each side, and two at the back, the hydras made sure to show their strength in numbers and force Lunara¡¯s cooperation.


    ¡¯Why so many?¡¯ Jack asked Lunara.


    Lunara sighed, ¡¯Because someone threatened to make heads roll...¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... I guess that¡¯s a fitting reason...¡¯ Jack scratched his head and went silent.


    They rushed through the cold, dark water and no one stopped Jack from emitting his dim light. Rather, Jack had stopped casting the spell of his own ord.


    After passing what Jack assumed was another few hundred meters, bioluminescent flora and fauna became more prominent. The deeper they went, the more diversity there was in the nt life, which baffled Jack and filled Lina with awe. Such a beautiful sight was something they hadn¡¯t found in the other trenches, instantly proving that the trench leading to cier Reef waspletely unique.


    ¡¯They¡¯ve nted more...¡¯ Lunara quietly stated, for herself and the other two to hear. ¡¯Before, these nts existed another thousand meters down... They¡¯re growing a lot...¡¯


    The party passed more and more hydras along the way as the lighting was no longer an issue. It was still dim lightpared to the surface but it was more than enough to guide the way so deep in the ocean. Also, they started to see a return of wild life living in the hydra-made ecosystem. Both luminescent and non-luminescent creatures added to the surrounding beauty.


    ¡¯Wait, Lina. After we meet with the Hydra Head, I¡¯ll give you all the food you could want.¡¯ Lunara already knew what her daughter was thinking, spotting the diverse amount of fish and feeling hungry herself.


    ¡¯Okay...¡¯ Lina replied, not wanting to go against her mother on the matter. She still vividly remembered spotting those giant eyes of the Mantis Leviathan and feeling like she had be the prey of another. It was an experience that Lina would never forget.


    They never stopped. Their escorts instead increased the pace, forcing Lunara to barrel downward to match their top speeds. It was sudden and easily noticeable but the party didn¡¯t question the abrupt change. Likely, there were some telepathic orders given to increase the pace for some reason.


    After crossing at least a couple thousand meters, the sr of the water began to change. The harsh darkness was growing softer bit by bit.


    ¡¯There¡¯s light so deep?¡¯ Jack asked.


    Lunara exined to Jack and Lina, ¡¯That¡¯s from cier Reef. It¡¯s a reef made of glowing ice and it lights up the entire trench floor.¡¯


    ¡¯Such a thing exists?!¡¯


    ¡¯Pretty...¡¯ Lina was entranced by the surroundings as the water grew colder and colder. For some reason, her body was feeling more at home the deeper they went. And the nt life was also changing the closer they got to the bottom, pulling Lina¡¯s curiosity further into a trance.


    The water was now as bright as it was a few hundred meters below the surface, but the color was different. It was slightly green yet still blue. As they got closer and the trench walls began to expand further apart, Jack was also left in awe. The view was far beyond anything he had imagined.


    Finally, they could make out the bottom of the trench, at least what looked like the bottom of the trench. But the trench floor was now wider than all of Federal City and Gilgabined, without question. And covering a majority of the trench floor was a vast stretch of soft, neon blue ice with no hard edges whatsoever. An astounding array of different natural structures and nt life spread across that glowing ice, which made the area nearly as bright as the surface. That light was also cast against the base of the trench walls as the ice structure was lifted just above the trench floor and the glowing underbelly of cier Reef was what created the most ambient lighting by far.


    There was no wee for the party. No verbal greeting or exnation by the escorts. Yet, the party felt as if nature itself was weing them to the most beautiful ce in all Kartonia.


    As they reached one hundred meters above cier Reef, the escorts changed course and swam directly over therge reef. This allowed the party to realize another fact about the beautiful scenery. cier Reef was far longer than it was wide. It went longer than their eyes could see.


    They passed many different biomes existing on cier Reef alone, including what looked like a forest of giant, turquoise kelp, a tundra covered in swaying coral tubes and sponges farrger than any human, anemone-like creatures that were many timesrger than the average cial Hydra, and more.


    Another thing that startled the party was the number of cial Hydras in the area. There weren¡¯t dozens. They had already spotted a few hundred as they entered the area. Some hydra heads poked out of that kelp forest and even more were seen living inside of the countless Giant Anemones, which exited in various patches of cier Reef with each patch varying in different color and size. Such anemones grewrger as they got closer to the center of cier Reef.


    They began to near what had looked like tiny structures of ice from the distance. Only now Jack and Lina understood their true size, which matched the skyscrapers of Jack¡¯s old world or even surpassed them.


    It was as they eventually neared the structures that the escorts began to slow their pace. They reached a casual swimming speed as they entered what Jack assumed was what the hydras¡¯ more "industrialized" area. Countless buildings of different shapes and sizes dotted the vast central area with grid-like swimming paths carved into the semi-translucent, glowing ice. Experiencing the city with their own eyes was absolutely breathtaking.

 Chapter 649 Biased Audience with a Hydra Elder

    <h4>Chapter 649 Biased Audience with a Hydra Elder</h4>


    Countless eyes spotted the party, namely Lunara, as they swam overhead for the city popce to see. The few faces that they could make out from afar were filled with shock and disbelief, but some also showed a demeaning re.


    Lina was silent but the serene beauty of the city was dulled somewhat by the stares she felt from her own species. Everything was beyond her expectations. The stunning reef defied description and imagination, yet the stares of the hydras grew less friendly the closer they got to the center of the reef. Lina didn¡¯t know what to feel at the moment.


    Finally, they halted their charge outside one of the most central and grand buildings. It looked like a giant manor constructed from ice, sized for the giant hydras with many courtyards and smaller buildings connected to the main manor.


    One of the hydras at Lunara¡¯s side, the highest leveled one at lv. 88, came forward and telepathically shouted, ¡¯Elder Hindrad, we¡¯ve brought a returning hydra who seeks an immediate audience!¡¯


    ¡¯Proceed!¡¯


    The six escorts moved again, leading Lunara to enter the giant manor. Theynded in a courtyard and walked the rest of the way, taking their time and remaining silent with asional res back at Lunara and the two smaller figures on her back. Lunara ducked her heads at the entrance and followed without a word.


    They traveled through a few hallways of ice with ceilings adorned in bioluminescent purple moss to give the manor a regal glow. The intricate of the manor¡¯s walls showed how carefully the building was made, also showing Jack how stuck up the owner was.


    When they reached a giant archway, the two escorts at the front moved aside. The same hydra that spoke outside the manor ordered, ¡¯Enter. Make haste and don¡¯t waste any more time of the elder.¡¯


    Jack wanted to say something but he remained silent as Lunara obliged immediately and descended a flight of stairs into what looked like an icy courtroom.


    The escorts moved to the side and joined a few rows of fellow hydra guards. While Lunara stood at the lowest and centermost position of the room, hydras lined both sides of them at the same height as the usual ground. Before Lunara was a raised tform where three hydras lounged and red at her, one being the focus with thergest and most vibrant cushion as well a band of glowing ice around his head.


    ¡¯State your case and cause for my audience,¡¯ snarled that lead hydra, getting right to business.


    Cordially, Lunara bowed her nine heads and stated, ¡¯I seek an audience with the Hydra Head, as we¡¯vee to visit cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Preposterous!¡¯ the hydra elder eximed with a chuckle. ¡¯Such an ugly hydra seeks to visit cier Keep? Is that the only reason you invoked your right to an audience with me?¡¯


    ¡¯This is of utmost importance, Elder, that I can assure you.¡¯


    ¡¯Begone! And don¡¯t bother wasting any more of our time!¡¯


    ¡¯Elder, I¡¯m sorry but we can¡¯t take no for an answer. I must speak with the Hydra Head.¡¯


    ¡¯Impossible! I should run you back out of the trench, but that would only offer you another attempt at an audience!¡¯ughed the elder. ¡¯Good luck finding a home in the slums.¡¯


    ¡¯Elder, you--¡¯


    ¡¯However, those two creatures on your back must either be in or removed from the trench,¡¯ continued the elder. ¡¯Shall I have them escorted or executed? Take your pick.¡¯


    ¡¯I OBJECT!¡¯


    Jack¡¯s resounding telepathic shout startled the entire crowd and gained the disdain of the elder. ¡¯You have no right! I¡¯ve decided, you¡¯ll be in!¡¯


    A couple of hydra guards rushed downward, ready to attack. At the same time, Jack smiled and sighed. But Lunara immediately shouted, ¡¯WAIT!¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm? What? Do you defy an elder?¡¯ asked the old hydra from thefort of his cushion. He had lifted one of his webbed ws, getting the guards to stop their charge just out of reach of the nine-headed hydra and those on her back. ¡¯Do you understand the offense that you¡¯vemitted?¡¯


    ¡¯I implore you, Elder. We must see the Hydra Head immediately. If not--¡¯


    ¡¯Speaking back against an elder¡¯s official ruling is punishable with exile,¡¯ the hydra elder stated without a care in the world. ¡¯As such, you¡¯ll be forced beyond the trench and will forever lose the right to enter. Should you attempt it, the guards will y you on the spot.¡¯


    ¡¯Elder, we must--¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s final. Now, kill those two pests and escort her to where she belongs!¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry, Mom...¡¯


    Unable to stop Jack any longer, Lunara epted Jack¡¯s apology and hoped for the best.


    ¡¯WHAT¡¯S THE MEANING OF THIS?!?!¡¯


    The elder¡¯s sudden shouts perplexed the entire room, at least until they noticed a small figure holding a weapon to the elder¡¯s throat. Those that were charged with ying the creature were the most startled of all, as they only saw a strange sh of purple light before the creature was gone.


    ¡¯You¡¯re no hydra...¡¯ Jack mocked the elder with augh. ¡¯You¡¯re merely a frog lurking at the bottom of the deepest well... Do I need to broaden your horizons, or will you allow us to meet the Hydra Head?¡¯


    ¡¯Empty threats! Such a worthless, disgusting--¡¯


    The elder¡¯s words ended with a sharp humming sound, followed by the plop of somethingrge hitting the icy floor.


    All hydras present were shocked speechless. They all felt they were no longer in reality.


    To shut up the elder, Jack had simply lowered his rapier and cast spatial sh, instantly beheading the lv. 89 hydra elder. It was an immediate wake-up call for all hydras present.


    ¡¯Jack... Please?¡¯ Lunara sighed and begged Jack as the only one unsurprised apart from Lina.


    ¡¯Fiiine...¡¯


    As if he waspletely the most difficult of chores, Jack teleported to the lowered ground and picked up the hydra head before teleporting back to the elder¡¯s seat. Jack carelessly ced the head back onto the motionless corpse and flooded the dead body with holy energy, resealing the severed neck.

 Chapter 650 Killing a Hydra Elder, Again and Again...

    <h4>Chapter 650 Killing a Hydra Elder, Again and Again...</h4>


    The great hydra elder felt a rush of breath enter his lungs and lifee back to him. He was seen panting heavily before the further shocked crowd, and rage filled his eyes.


    ¡¯How dare you--¡¯


    Without batting an eye, Jack cast spatial sh yet again to behead the hydra anew. But Jack caught the head and immediately ced it back while casting revivification simultaneously.


    When the elder experienced death and revival for the second time within the span of a minute, he was all the more furious. "This--"


    Again, Jack beheaded the hydra and instantly revived him. And Jack did it so casually, still acting like it was a chore. This time, Jack began speaking the moment the elder was revived, stating, ¡¯You do realize you died, right? As in, you lost your life and are only alive now because of her?¡¯ Pointing to Lunara, Jack continued, ¡¯If not for her, I wouldn¡¯t mind leaving you headless and feeding your corpse to others as a delicacy. She¡¯s requesting an audience with the Hydra Head, but I¡¯m ordering you to grant us an audience. Get the picture?¡¯


    ¡¯Why would--¡¯


    Jack mercilessly severed the hydra¡¯s neck again and mercifully revived the elder in the following seconds. ¡¯I¡¯m ordering you to grant us an audience with the Hydra Head. Or will I need to take your head as coteral for such a meeting?¡¯


    The hydra elder kept quiet. He made no moves, neither with his head or the rest of his body. With every fiber of his being, the hydra elder wanted to deny Jack the privilege of immediately meeting their ruler and banish such disrespectful filth. Yet he now understood how incapable he was in the face of Jack, something that defied all logic of the cial Hydras.


    ¡¯Shall I give you another lesson?¡¯ asked Jack. ¡¯I wonder how many times we can do this before I¡¯m out of mana...¡¯


    ¡¯Your audience is granted!¡¯ a shout came from the audience, surprising many.


    The hero looked down at the room¡¯s entrance and sighed, meeting the gaze of another hydra wearing a simr headband to the speechless elder. ¡¯How soon?¡¯


    ¡¯They¡¯ve already begun to prepare the meeting ce and I¡¯m sure the head will be d to wee you. Please, follow me,¡¯ the elder replied with a bow, d that he had arrived when he did.


    ¡¯Very well...¡¯


    Jack teleported back to Lunara¡¯s back and sat beside Lina, who was feeling mixed emotions. Witnessing Jack killing her people so casually was harder than she expected but she was also shocked to see the amount of loathing that her mother was receiving.


    When the six guards from earlier tried to follow as well, that hydra elder shook his head. ¡¯I believe there¡¯s no point in your presence. Would you disagree?¡¯


    ¡¯We--¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Elder,¡¯ the lv. 88 hydra from earlier spoke out, silencing the other unwilling guards who were furious at Jack¡¯s outburst.


    d to have a level headed captain, the elder ordered, ¡¯Return to your usual duties. I¡¯ll handle things from here.¡¯


    As the six guards were left behind, Jack confirmed some of his prior beliefs. Each hydra had some means of showing its status. The elders wore headbands made of the ice from cier Reef with an asional gemstone embedded at the center, like the arrogant hydra elder that Jack toyed with. The hydra guards had armbands made from ice but in different colors, mostly being blue yet the lv. 88 wore a greener ice band.


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry for causing you such trouble,¡¯ the guiding elder stated. ¡¯You may call me, Artrat. Please, don¡¯t assume that Elder Hindrad and his beliefs are shared by all hydras.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?¡¯


    ncing at the third formerly silent figure, Artrat chuckled, ¡¯The purpose of you being brought to Hindrad was clear. At the moment, the issue of discrimination is atrge. One side holds fast to old beliefs and traditions while the faction wanting equality is growing beyond their control. And the newest head leans in our favor on these matters, though he¡¯s been waiting for the best time to act against widespread segregation of the hydras.¡¯


    ¡¯And that involves us because she has nine heads?¡¯ deduced Jack.


    ¡¯That¡¯s right. The arrival of a nine-headed hydra is unheard of and will shock the hydra people.¡¯


    ¡¯You mean... there are more hydras with multiple heads than before?¡¯ Lunara questioned.


    Artrat nodded and led the small party toward another evenrger building at the very center of the cial city. ¡¯That means you¡¯ve lived since long ago? I heard you once lived here but I recall no nine-headed hydras in my time. And you definitely don¡¯t look older than me.¡¯


    ¡¯She has a husband, by the way.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯


    Laughing, Artrat stated, ¡¯I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Anyway, for millennia, there¡¯s been a shift in the amount of heads hydras are born with. Now, the majority of hydras are born with three heads and some three-headed hydras have managed to be elders a well.¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously... That¡¯s wonderful!¡¯


    ¡¯But that only encourages those holding to tradition to grow more radical,¡¯ added Artrat. ¡¯Hindrad is the perfect example of that. Now, you¡¯ll have your first meeting with the head, but don¡¯t expect it to be thest. I¡¯m sure the elders will be making moves involving your return here. However--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not returning,¡¯ stated Lunara. ¡¯We¡¯ve onlye to visit cier Keep. That¡¯s all.¡¯


    ¡¯Well... That will be hard for us elders to swallow, as both sides will seek to do something about your arrival. And this is the first time any other powerful creatures have entered the reef, so I¡¯m still unclear on how that will be handled,¡¯ replied Artrat. ¡¯But I assure you, we¡¯ll do our best to treat you fairly while these two guests are in the reef.¡¯


    ¡¯If anyone tries anything against her, I¡¯ll kill them. And I may not be in the mood to revive them afterward, even if she asks me to.¡¯ Jack presented his thoughts clearly, for both Artrat and Lunara to understand. ¡¯As for the issue about cier Keep, the hydras are unable to stop what¡¯sing.¡¯

 Chapter 651 Enter the Hydra Head

    <h4>Chapter 651 Enter the Hydra Head</h4>


    ¡¯As for the issue about cier Keep, the hydras are unable to stop what¡¯sing.¡¯


    Unsure how to take such a remark, Artrat squinted and asked, ¡¯What do you mean by that?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get a chance to exinter,¡¯ replied Jack, ¡¯when the Hydra Head can hear us out.¡¯


    ¡¯Interesting...¡¯ Artrat pondered what to ask next in hope of prying out at least a morsel of information on the topic.


    Lunara then asked, ¡¯Who¡¯s the head now?¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... That would be Head Raztol.¡¯


    ¡¯Raztol... He wasn¡¯t even a consul when I was herest...¡¯ sighed Lunara, trying to imagine how their next hearing would go.


    Artur was taken aback. ¡¯Really? Then you¡¯re undoubtedly older than I am, which only shows how poorly I¡¯ve aged...¡¯


    ¡¯You said that the current head dislikes the discrimination... But--¡¯


    ¡¯Head Raztol is a changed man,¡¯ stated Artrat. ¡¯Around the time he became a consul, Raztol began to have a shift in his ideology. It was his minor reforms and efforts that led to my faction being created and supported by the masses.¡¯


    ¡¯Really... I find that hard to believe,¡¯ sighed Lunara.


    As the party entered the building and was led through a series of grand hallways that put thest manor to shame, they grew quieter. Artrat also showed more reverence inside the cial Pce as he guided them toward a massive chamber. The room was beyond huge, fitted for dozens of hydras to lounge at the center with three raised cushions at the head and an evenrger space sized for an audience of hydras. It was a governing chamber beyond the scale of anything that Jack or the humans had ever considered constructing.


    ¡¯Please, make yourselvesfortable there. Also, I¡¯d like to ask the two guests to stand by your side, Lunara, and not on your back.¡¯


    Nodding, Lunara descended to the slightly lowered area and found a gigantic cushion at the center,rger enough for half a dozen one-headed hydras. That¡¯s where Lina and Jack hopped off.


    ¡¯Please, take a seat. I¡¯ll handle our exnation and any negotiations.¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, are you sure you don¡¯t want my help?¡¯ questioned Jack. ¡¯Just say the word and I¡¯ll step in to help you.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Son.¡¯ Lunara sighed in relief, d to have Jack¡¯s cooperation.


    Jack was d to see Lunara more rxed and was also curious about how things would world, considering the divided factions that Artrat had mentioned. He kept his eyes peeled on the audience and the surrounding cushions as hydras began to trickle into the audience seats. Noting where Artrat sat, Jack assumed the hierarchy.


    Artrat wasn¡¯t the only elder arriving. More than a dozen entered the room from a back entrance the moment after Jack¡¯s party took their seat. They scattered themselves across the floor and Artrat sat near the front, just below the three raised cushions. Also, dozens of more hydras entered from the same ce Jack¡¯s party had, only they wore non-glowing headbands and sat near the back of the cushioned area.


    ¡¯What¡¯s their rank?¡¯ Jack asked Lunara.


    ¡¯I¡¯m not sure... The cier Pce wasn¡¯t thisrge ording to my memories...¡¯ answered Lunara, stumping Jack further.


    Lina asked, ¡¯Mom... what if they don¡¯t want us here?¡¯


    Smiling softly as only a loving mother can, one of Lunara¡¯s heads tenderly smiled and rubbed against Lina. ¡¯Don¡¯t worry. We¡¯ll be fine. And no matter what, we¡¯ll make sure that to get entry into cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Even if that means we force our way in?¡¯


    Chuckling nervously, Lunara added, ¡¯No matter what... Even if they were against us, wouldn¡¯t it be best for us to force our way in then to have the hydras punished by Halmut¡¯s orders?¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯


    ¡¯The moment Halmut learns of how prosperous the hydras are, he¡¯ll do everything to either eliminate them or bring them under his influence. There¡¯s no middle ground for him...¡¯


    Jack shrugged. ¡¯True... That¡¯s exactly what Halmut would do...¡¯


    The five dozen cushions to toward the back were already filled as those near the front were filling up slowly. Finally, one of the raised cushions was taken as well, causing the party to sigh.


    As soon as Hindrad entered the room, he red death upon the party and assumed his seat, one of the two raised tforms around the highest cushion.


    ¡¯He¡¯s a consul...¡¯ Lunara exined. ¡¯There are two consuls who act as the head¡¯s direct aides. Theirbined influence can rival the head.¡¯


    ¡¯So I pissed off one of the most influential figures in cier Reef... Greaaat...¡¯ Jack chuckled and scratched his head nervously. ¡¯Well, can¡¯t take back the past. We can only try to move forward.¡¯


    When thest of the elders entered the room, the party stared at thest remaining cushion like everyone else. Now, the hydra head made his appearance.


    A bitrger than most one-headed hydras, the lv. 89 hydra head gracefully entered the room and assumed his position without any aura of arrogance. Head Raztol had softer eyes than Jack had expected and looked nothing like Lunara was expecting. Though he wasrger, Head Raztol was noticeably older by appearance due to the looseness of his skin below the scales. But his muscle was still there, proving that he hadn¡¯t yet deteriorated from old age.


    This was a stark contrast to the consuls below him. Apart from the crown of glowing ice on Raztol¡¯s head, their physiques were vastly different. Hindrad was more portly and obviously well-fed while the other consul had the usual physique of a one-headed hydra with loose skin in a couple of patches.


    The audience was still growing, housing more than a couple of hundred hydras but Head Raztol wasn¡¯t going to wait any further.


    ¡¯Let us begin the hearing!¡¯


    All hydras surrendered their attention without fail as they turned to face their leader. It stunned Jack for a moment as he recognized the amount of respect that Head Raztol received.


    ¡¯We¡¯ve gathered as the Body Council to meet and congratte our long-lost sister on her return to us!¡¯

 Chapter 652 Lunaras Announcement and Warning

    <h4>Chapter 652 Lunara¡°s Announcement and Warning</h4>


    ¡¯We¡¯ve gathered as the Body Council to meet and congratte our long-lost sister on her return to us!¡¯


    The entire crowd roared in cheers and praise of the remark, as did many of the hydras across the dozens of cushions. In particr, Jack noticed that the three-headed hydras present cheered the loudest, especially the few three-headed hydra elders.


    Then, the hydra head raised a w, getting the crowd to grow silent once more. ¡¯Please, share with us your name and story, young one.¡¯


    Jack got a chuckle out of thatment but Lunara felt nothing wrong with it. She was certain that Head Raztol was older than her, and possibly by a few millennia. His holding of the head position was proof of that also.


    ¡¯My name is Lunara. Long ago, I fled from cier Reef to pursue a life beyond the trench. I¡¯m d toe back and visit my people. I¡¯m also overjoyed to notice how much our society has progressed since then.¡¯


    ¡¯How long ago did you part from the trench, Lunara?¡¯ asked Raztol with a kind smile.


    Sighing, Lunara replied, ¡¯When I was still young and you, Head Raztol, were only an elder.¡¯


    Whispers and murmurings flooded the audience and council floor. Only a handful of elders had lived that long yet this returning hydra proimed to be so old? And she appeared to be alive for only a couple of millennia?


    ¡¯Is this true?¡¯ Raztol was startled to hear that andughing softly. ¡¯Would you mind describing what you remember of our old society? This should confirm any doubts about your im and best help me to exin our development since your leave.¡¯


    In awe of Raztol¡¯s personality which drastically contrasted her former beliefs, Lunara nodded. ¡¯At the time, tri-heads made up thirty percent of the poption and the cier Pce had been recently built.¡¯


    ¡¯And your parents?¡¯


    ¡¯I don¡¯t remember them well... I never met my father and my mother passed when I was but a child. That was what led to my leave.¡¯


    ¡¯I see...¡¯ Sighing, Raztol leaned his head against one of his arms. ¡¯I think I know where to start, given your terminology...


    ¡¯The derogatory term ¡¯tri-heads¡¯ was banned and removed from society soon after I became a consul, so that confirms your story.¡¯


    At the mention of the word, the party paid more attention to the ufortable res from the many three-headed hydras present. It was a stark contrast to the congratting roars from before.


    ¡¯I hold nothing against you for using such a term. At the time of your leave, such was the custom for everyone. I¡¯m also guilty for ndering our people as such in the past...¡¯ The hydra head blinked, showing a touch of vulnerability that the party would never have expected.


    ¡¯Since the time I became a consul, our society began to make radical changes. We¡¯ve since perfected the art of farming and shifted to a more nt-based diet to amodate the growing poption. But we¡¯ve also begun to raise our own prey, which still gives us plenty of meat. This created a boom in fertility and expansion, forcing us to span the entirety of cier Reef and we¡¯re even considering expansion into the trench walls for future growth.


    ¡¯Also, that growing poption has created more equality among the people. Now, seventy-five percent of newborns will have three heads when they reach maturity and more than half of the overall poption is made up of our three-headed brethren.¡¯


    ¡¯That...¡¯ Hearing those statistics left Lunara speechless, d to know that her people were on their way to more equality.


    ¡¯However, there¡¯s another neww that may not be in your favor,¡¯ added Raztol, garnering more of the party¡¯s attention. ¡¯I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯re interested in visiting cier Keep. Back then, all hydras were allowed to visit cier Keep when they mature and evolve for the first time, and asional visits were allowed with proper nning.


    ¡¯Now, that¡¯s changed. Only the elders are allowed to visit cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯And why is that?¡¯ asked Lunara.


    Head Raztol sighed and nced about the room. ¡¯It was voted for and put into motion soon after I became a consul. The majority passed the motion and restricted cier Keep¡¯s uses to only the elders, their families, and loyal aides... It was dered when the poption began to grow emphatically as a means to, and I quote, ¡¯preserve the sanctity of cier Keep from the overuse of the overwhelming popce¡¯. That was the verdict and description that was reached ages past.¡¯


    ¡¯Want me to speak?¡¯


    Lunara shook a head at Jack and stated for all to hear, ¡¯Head Raztol, please understand that what I¡¯m about to say is by no means to disrespect the hydra people.¡¯


    ¡¯Very well. Then, please, proceed.¡¯


    Letting out a long sigh, Lunara admitted, ¡¯Head Raztol, Body Council, in three days¡¯ time, cier Keep will be unsealed.¡¯


    Immediately, the entire room filled with more murmurings and no more whispers. But Head Raztol silenced the crowd with a single raised w, staring more attentively at Lunara. Unlike the consuls and many elders with questioning stares, the hydra head seemed genuinely curious. ¡¯Proceed...¡¯


    Lunara nodded and continued, ¡¯cier Keep will unseal no matter what the hydra people do. But that¡¯s not the most worrying thing. What the hydra people need to understand is that many people will be arriving for the sake of entering cier Keep as well.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmph!¡¯ grunted Hindrad, not saying anything but making his stance clear already.


    ¡¯And why is that? Have you spread news of us?¡¯ asked Raztol, sharing the concern of many elders.


    Shaking her head, Lunara exined, ¡¯The creator of this world is the one opening cier Keep. But I¡¯m not done with my warning. I must also make myself clear that no cial Hydra should dare enter cier Keep after it¡¯s unsealed.¡¯


    ¡¯Preposterous!¡¯ shouted an elder on the floor. This led to many changing their opinions of the newly-arrived hydra and startled voices filling the area.


    ¡¯SILENCE!¡¯


    Hearing their leader¡¯s call, all audience members and council members ceased speaking. Head Raztel then squinted at Lunara and her party. ¡¯Then what gives you the right to enter?¡¯

 Chapter 653 Consuls Questioning

    <h4>Chapter 653 Consul¡°s Questioning</h4>


    ¡¯Then what gives you the right to enter?¡¯


    Anxious to hear the hydra woman¡¯s reply, everyone was at the edge of their seats. Hindrad and the other consul showed wry grins as they eagerly wanted to find a means to counter the uing argument.


    While Lunara paused for a moment of thought, Jack reminded her, ¡¯Just say the word.¡¯


    She didn¡¯t reply to Jack but resumed her exnation, ¡¯Head Raztol, you¡¯ll have to trust my word that the inside of cier Keep is far more dangerous than any of hydras present today can handle, apart from myself.¡¯


    ¡¯And you have no evidence?¡¯


    ¡¯The evidence we have would mean nothing to you or the hydra people, as they have no knowledge of the world beyond the trench.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ve made a few ventures beyond the trench, Lunara,¡¯ added Raztol, surprising the goddess. ¡¯I know enough to understand that the two people beside you are humans. Also, ording to what I¡¯ve heard, that man, in particr, is far stronger than any hydra would imagine. Is he the reason why you would be safe within cier Keep?¡¯


    Feeling some relief, Lunara nodded. ¡¯That is correct. His name is Jack and he¡¯s the greatest reason for why I would be safe inside cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... And what of these other visitors? Do you know anything?¡¯


    Jack suddenly mentioned to Lunara, ¡¯ording to my map, Kylon and seven Flood Dragon gods are already searching for this trench. Most likely, they¡¯ll find it tomorrow night, maybe sooner.¡¯


    Grateful for such precise insight, Lunara stated, ¡¯Head Raztol, a party of eight others is searching for this trench already. We can assume they¡¯ll find it sometime tomorrow.¡¯


    ¡¯May I?¡¯


    Raztol nced down at his right and nodded lightly.


    That consul puffed out his chest and stated, ¡¯You may not remember me. Address me as Wingreig. I must ask, how is it that you know so much about these other visitors yet you im to have not informed them of anything?¡¯


    ¡¯Wee from the outside world, beyond the reaches of the ocean. Our base of operations has already located the others and I wanted to make sure we arrived before any others to warn my people,¡¯ answered Lunara.


    Gradually tilting his head from side to side, Wingreig questioned, ¡¯And why should we allow visitors at all? We¡¯ve never had any unannounced beasts enter cier Reef, yet you¡¯ve brought the first two. And one of which is responsible for tormenting my fellow consul, Elder Hindrad. Based on the actions of that creature beside you, isn¡¯t it safe to assume that he¡¯s not our ally nor a proper guest?¡¯


    All of a sudden,ughter telepathicughter filled the vast chamber. The source was instantly spotted as Jack calmed himself with a cough and a raised hand to pardon himself.


    Lunara then stated, ¡¯Jack is no enemy of the hydra people. That I can assure you.¡¯


    ¡¯Yet you can provide no evidence?¡¯ reasoned Wingreig. ¡¯Without proper evidence, then there¡¯s no reason to consider your entry into cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Elder Wingreig, know that if you don¡¯t allow us to enter there, the hydra people will be in danger.¡¯


    ¡¯Is that a threat?¡¯ Wingreig frowned, ring back at Lunara.


    ¡¯No... that¡¯s a fact...¡¯ Lunara sighed, shaking her heads and trying to think of what to say next.


    Wingreig spoke next, however, ¡¯I don¡¯t think there¡¯s any reason to discuss this further.¡¯


    ¡¯You may be wrong, Wingreig,¡¯ stated head Raztol, startling every listening hydra. ¡¯I think this is worth discussing further. I don¡¯t believe she would decide to return without a cause...¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s cause enough to seek the prosperity of cier Reef,¡¯ replied Wingreig. ¡¯I believe it would be best to discuss her assignment among thebor force, not some trivial and meaningless debacle about her entering cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯Let me make one more thing clear. I too am only a guest,¡¯ admitted Lunara. ¡¯I have no ns of dwelling in cier Keep and will only be staying until we enter the keep in three days. After that, we¡¯ll be returning to the outside world.¡¯


    More murmurs inundated the council chamber, leaving distasteful looks on the faces of every elder for one reason or another.


    ¡¯Lunara,¡¯ Elder Wingreig stated loudly, ¡¯Your arrival is a great thing for us hydras! With your healing abilities and physical prowess, you¡¯ll be more capable than any other hydra within theborforce! Such an addition to society will be forever treasured. We¡¯ll--¡¯


    ¡¯I made myself clear, Elder Wingreig. I will not be living here. I¡¯m but a guest.¡¯


    ¡¯Well... We have no policy for guests, nor--¡¯


    ¡¯Have we seen a need for one,¡¯ Raztol interrupted Wingreig¡¯s reasoning. ¡¯Normally, it would take a week to reach a decision, but I believe we¡¯ll manage to create a visiting policy by the end of the night given the iing visitors.¡¯


    ¡¯Head Raztol, please--¡¯


    ¡¯Save your reasoning and discussion for the uing session, Wingreig.¡¯ Turning his attention back to Lunara, Raztol added, ¡¯For now, consider yourselves as honored guests of the cial Hydras. We would highly wish for you to remain with us Lunara, but I won¡¯t force you. After we¡¯ve finished this meeting, the Body Council will take a recess and them resume to discuss a policy on foreign visitors.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Head Raztol.¡¯ Lunara bowed her head, along with Lina. She was relieved to hear that as Lunara understood Jack¡¯s manner of handling things and what switches could make him go off.


    ¡¯Now, can you tell us more about these iing visitors? Perhaps some insight would help us determine a proper policy for foreign guests.¡¯


    ¡¯Head Raztol, do you know of Flood Dragons?¡¯


    The entire room was unfazed by Lunara¡¯s question. Head Raztol, on the other hand, took in a sharp breath was left in a momentary daze.


    ¡¯I take it you know of them?¡¯ Lunara asked again, noticing the change in Raztol¡¯s behavior.


    ¡¯... Are Flood Dragons those iing guests?¡¯ questioned Raztol, appearing more serious than any other moment of the meeting.


    ¡¯Yes. There are eight of them iing, and they¡¯re all strong enough to wipe out the hydras.¡¯

 Chapter 654 Head Raztols Command of the Crowd

    <h4>Chapter 654 Head Raztol¡°s Command of the Crowd</h4>


    ¡¯Impossible!¡¯ Hindrad roared, inciting the anger of the crowd and the elders of his faction. ¡¯Simply impossible!¡¯


    Wingreig added, ¡¯How dare you state such a thing?!¡¯


    ¡¯SILENCE!!!¡¯ Raztol roared, letting loose some wild energy to disperse the chaos. ¡¯We must listen carefully! I understand the threat of Flood Dragons personally!¡¯


    As everyone was forced to give up their contending thoughts, Raztol lifted his tail for all to see. There were a few patches of scales that were discolored, even looking more brittle and fragile. ¡¯This is evidence of the Flood Dragon threat!¡¯


    While the crowd¡¯s woes were beginning to subside and shift to subtle fear, Lunara understood the meaning of those scars. She questioned, ¡¯How long ago did you contend with Flood Dragons?¡¯


    ¡¯It was just before I became a consul. That was the time when I took a leave of absence to explore the nearby regions. Facing a duo of Flood Dragons was one of the many experiences that I¡¯ll never forget. It was due to my loss that I wanted to explore and learn more of the world...¡¯ exined Raztol. ¡¯To put it in terms that every hydra will understand, the only foe more perilous would be the Ancient Crustacean.¡¯


    Such an announcement startled even the consuls, who didn¡¯t want to believe such a thing.


    ¡¯But how can we trust them?!¡¯ argued Hindrad. ¡¯That human threatened me with death, yet we¡¯re allowing him to freely stay as an honored guest?! Such an act would never be done among allies!¡¯


    ¡¯I stand by my words. Flood Dragons are our equals in strength. Of that, I¡¯m certain,¡¯ imed Raztol. ¡¯As for the man and his allegiances, he¡¯s kept all thoughts to himself across this meeting. Apart from the moment ofughter, which wasn¡¯t as disrespectful as your sudden interruption with permission, Hindrad, the man has shown control. Also, I find it hard to believe that he¡¯s against hydras given his alliance with Lunara.¡¯


    ¡¯But, Head Raztol, can we even trust Lunara?¡¯ questioned Wingreig. ¡¯For all we know, Lunara may be working alongside the Flood Dragons given her unwillingness to live among us in cier Reef. Does she have any proof otherwise?¡¯


    ¡¯A good question... Lunara, do you have any proof to support your allegiance to your people?¡¯ asked Raztol with a soft yet solemn face.


    The goddess shook her head. ¡¯You¡¯ll have to trust me. I¡¯m familiar with them, however, and I believe they won¡¯t cause harm to the people so long as they too are allowed passage to cier Keep, and both Jack and I are present here.¡¯


    ¡¯But how can we trust you so easily?¡¯ reasoned Wingreig. ¡¯Without proof or even a willingness to join us, how can our people trust the word of a deserter?¡¯


    ¡¯I...¡¯


    ¡¯If you have nothing else to say, I think this meeting is over. I agree that a policy for foreign visitors may be necessary, but I see no reason to allow guests until then. For now, those two creatures should wait beyond the trench.¡¯


    ¡¯Elder Wingreig, that--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t interrupt an elder! That¡¯s a rule that existed even when you were herest, no?¡¯ Wingreif imed harshly. ¡¯Elder Hindrad, do you second that motion?¡¯


    ¡¯I do.¡¯


    ¡¯And I overrule it,¡¯ stated Raztol. ¡¯Until we create a policy, they¡¯ll be allowed stay within the reef. Consider it motivation toe to a conclusion sooner rather thanter.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine...¡¯ Elder Wingreig frustratedly sighed. ¡¯Then let¡¯s vote on how Lunara shall be treated from now on. Unless she agrees to join thebor force, I see no reason to allow her back into the reef. Also, I see no reason for a deserter to be considered a guest.¡¯


    ¡¯I second that motion.¡¯


    ¡¯And I will overrule it.¡¯


    It became clear to Jack, Lunara, and Lina just how contentious those three were under the surface, giving Artrat¡¯s earlier words some validity.


    Raztol sighed, ¡¯For the time being, consider these three as my personal guests. Until a policy on visitors is passed, that will not change!¡¯


    Disregarding the mumbling of some elders and crowd members, Head Raztol continued, ¡¯Though Lunara has no evidence to prove her allegiance to our people, there is also no evidence of her being a foe of our people. I see no reason to blindly use her as such. Unless you have some evidence against that?¡¯


    ¡¯May I?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, since you asked this time.¡¯


    Hindrad red and bared his fangs toward the party. ¡¯I was bombarded and threatened by them from the moment they met me minutes ago. And--¡¯


    ¡¯You also tried to forcefully expel them from the trench without a proper hearing.¡¯


    ¡¯Shut up, Artrat!¡¯


    Shrugging, Artrat stated his case, ¡¯Head Raztol, had I not interfered, then Elder Hindrad would¡¯ve been abused and ughtered by the man beside Lunara. However, that is only because Elder Hindrad wished to turn away Lunara and deny this very meeting, as well as remove both of those humans without hearing them out. This was the reason that the man acted out, taking matters into his own hands. Do we not respect strength anymore? Or have we allowed some to get too fat andfortable to understand strength clearly?¡¯


    ¡¯Artrat, you--¡¯


    ¡¯If I were in such circumstances, I too would act out against you, Hindrad,¡¯ stated Raztol, stunning the audience. ¡¯I understand the animosity you hold but I see that it was brought upon you by your own actions. To my understanding, this man has a grievance against you personally and not our people as a whole. Am I right to assume so?¡¯


    Happy for a chance to speak, Jack stepped forward and took a bow. ¡¯You¡¯re absolutely correct, Head Raztol. My name is Jack, feel free to call me by name.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack... It is an interesting name... I believe it¡¯s only fair that we question you and not Lunara given the development of the meeting. Would you mind?¡¯ Raztol asked kindly.


    ¡¯I¡¯m more than willing to cooperate. As Lunara said before, I¡¯m here to help protect not only her but the hydra race as a whole. Also, I must say that your development of cier Reef is astounding and beyond anything that we humans on the surface could¡¯ve imagined.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you.¡¯ epting thepliment with a chuckle and a nod, Raztol continued, ¡¯Then, please exin your exact purpose here and how that led to our consul being bullied by a small human.¡¯

 Chapter 655 Revealing Jacks Level as Evidence

    <h4>Chapter 655 Revealing Jack¡°s Level as Evidence</h4>


    With a devilish smile, Jack exined, ¡¯You see, our small party of three is merely a scouting party. As Lunara stated, the true creator of this entire world has announced the unsealing of Galcier Keep. And if Elders Hindrad and Wingreig were curious as to why no one here received such an announcement, it¡¯s because you¡¯re all too low-leveled.¡¯


    When Hindrad scoffed and Wingreig shook his head in response, Jack added, ¡¯You¡¯re all lv. 89, correct? None of you have managed to reach lv. 90, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Clearly! Such a thing--¡¯


    ¡¯Isn¡¯t impossible,¡¯ Jack stated, finishing Wingreig¡¯s sentence. ¡¯Take a look.¡¯


    As Jack removed his cloak and allowed his level to be seen, the sarcastic nces of the two consuls immediately morphed into stares of unbelief.


    ¡¯As you three, as well as all the elders present, can see, I¡¯m at lv. 94.¡¯


    That statement was the equivalent to a tsunami rocking the foundation of spectating hydras¡¯ beliefs, and theck of an argument from the elders created more coteral damage to their shattered expectations. Both consuls were silent, struggling to imagine what to say next to keep the audience on their side. Raztol, on the other hand, was smiling wider than he had in centuries and chuckled softly.


    ¡¯To enter cier Keep, one must be lv. 90 or stronger, preferably stronger,¡¯ continued Jack, further destroying the minds of those listening in. ¡¯I¡¯ve taken charge over Lunara, who I believe could face the head and the consuls by herself ande out without a scratch. Despite the level of respect she¡¯s showing you, she¡¯s far stronger than you threebined.¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯Would you like to test that theory?¡¯ asked Jack, smiling back at Hindrad and ncing at Wingreig. ¡¯If not, please allow me to continue. Soon, you¡¯ll have eight Flood Dragons arrive in your precious trench, all of which are at least lv. 90. Both the party of Flood Dragons and ours are merely scouts, as well, so that we can teleport the rest of our allies here without the need to traverse the deep sea.


    ¡¯And if you don¡¯t believe we have such a capability...¡¯ Suddenly, Jack vanished in a dull sh of purple light and reappeared sitting casually on Raztol¡¯s back, ¡¯then how about now?¡¯


    ¡¯T-that--¡¯


    ¡¯Splendid!¡¯ roared Raztol, happily eyeing Jack lounging on his back.


    ¡¯Head Raztol... I want to know why you¡¯re so excited to hear such terrible news,¡¯ stated Wingreig, phrasing his sentence carefully to seem domineering and caring at the same time for the audience¡¯s sake.


    Stillughing but more loudly, Raztol shouted, ¡¯If this is true, then it¡¯s a thing of celebration! Don¡¯t you get it? This is a miracle freely offered to us, so why should we dare offend it?! With Jack¡¯s abilities, would that not mean that our people can connect with the outside world without the need to traverse the distance from their shore?¡¯


    Such a progressive thought left many speechless and unsure of how to react. Some spectating hydras struggled to imagine anything of the sort yet some hydras began to desire such a thing, particrly those that had been fed Ralzok¡¯s stories of the life beyond the trench.


    ¡¯Also, if Lunara will be entering there and has such capabilities, wouldn¡¯t that mean that she is also over lv. 90?¡¯


    That question shot itself directly into the hearts of the people. Many present were too overwhelmed by it topletely digest the thought within the span of a moment. As those speaking paused for another moment of reflection, the crowd and listening elders began to realize the impact of Head Raztol¡¯s theory.


    If there was, in fact, a cial Hydra with strength beyond the supposed limit of lv. 89, would that not be a thing of celebration? Wouldn¡¯t that mean such a hydra would be the immediate candidate to rule as the hydra head? Wouldn¡¯t having the sole nine-headed hydra be a politically progressive move beyond anything the hydra civilization had ever conceived? Wouldn¡¯t that shift the entire chain ofmand and social structure in one fell swoop?


    ¡¯Head Raztol, please don¡¯t make such preposterous suggestions!¡¯ Wingreig shouted, not wanting to give the people any more time to think. ¡¯Unless she can prove such a thing, how could we ever believe that such a docile woman would be so powerful.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ve known a few women far less docile than you, Wingreig,¡¯mented Raztol. ¡¯I stand by my theory. If the rest of their words are true, then that¡¯s the only conclusion we can reach.¡¯


    ¡¯ANYWAY...¡¯ Jack spoke loudly, regathering attention as he teleported back to where he once stood. ¡¯I¡¯m merely proving that many creatures of all species have surpassed lv. 89 and that most of which will be entering Galcier Keep whether the elders like it or not. Some may be peaceful, like Lunara, some may ride the line of allegiance ording to your response, like me, and some would threaten the entire existence of cier reef upon denial, like the disgusting manmanding those Flood Dragons. I suggest you allow us and all iing guests to ess cier Keep, at the very least for the time being. Otherwise, I don¡¯t know how much time I¡¯ll be able to devote to protecting your civilization while I too am fighting to enter the keep.¡¯


    Taking those words to heart, Raztol gradually nodded his head. ¡¯Jack... To summarize what you¡¯re saying for the crowd to better understand, cier Reef will possibly face extinction should we fail to properly wee our iing guests as well as yourselves?¡¯


    ¡¯Correct, that¡¯s one way to put it.¡¯


    ¡¯He admits it!¡¯ Hindrad roared. ¡¯We should--¡¯


    ¡¯What, Hindrad? What should we do?¡¯ Raztol sarcastically questioned with a shaking head. ¡¯Would you like to chase him out of town? Go ahead, I¡¯ll allow you to do so should you be able.¡¯


    ¡¯I-I...¡¯


    ¡¯Then don¡¯t ask of our people what you wouldn¡¯t dare attempt yourself!¡¯ roared Raztol, pulling the crowd further to his side and impressing Jack and Lunara further. ¡¯As I said, they are currently my guests! Let us now hold a recess so that I can host a banquet for them and we may all eat before a long council meeting over the new policy of foreign visitors is drafted and upheld. Unless there¡¯s anything else you would like to add, Jack.¡¯

 Chapter 656 End of the Meeting

    <h4>Chapter 656 End of the Meeting</h4>


    ¡¯Unless there¡¯s anything else you would like to add, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Only a question meant for Elder Wingreig.¡¯ Jack smiled to the consul, using cold eyes and a friendly smile to ask, ¡¯Why are you so adamant to have Lunara on thebor force, specifically? Would you care to exin your desire?¡¯


    Nodding slowly and not backing down, Wingreig stated, ¡¯It¡¯s where the few six-head hydras work, as well as the majority of three-headed hydras. They¡¯re the backbone of our development.¡¯


    ¡¯And why not one-headed hydras, like yourself?¡¯


    Scoffing at the thought, Wingreig mentioned, ¡¯Over the years we¡¯ve discovered the incredible healing factor that multi-headed hydras have, as well as their superior physical strength. For that reason, they make up the hunters, gathers, and any other task necessary for physicalbor. It¡¯s something that we one-headed hydras are unable to offer so easily.¡¯


    ¡¯Then why do you lord over everyone as a one-headed hydra? Surely, there must be a reason for the clear bias within the council, right?¡¯


    Wingreig shook his head without hesitation. ¡¯No! We¡¯ve merely taken up the role that best fits us. While multi-headed hydras are physicallyrger and stronger, we one-headed hydras having proven superiority in capabilities of mana and intellect.¡¯


    ¡¯So multi-headed hydras are dumb? I¡¯m not sure I would suggest such a thing in front of Lunara...¡¯


    Someughter trickled out of the crowd from those unable to contain themselves. However, one man let his lighter go unabated and fill the entire council chamber.


    ¡¯He has a point!¡¯ughed Raztol, admiring Jack¡¯s tenacity and bluntness.


    ¡¯How is it that you test your theory, Wingreig?¡¯ Jack asked, turning everyone back to the true topic at hand.


    Shaking off the mocking, Wingreig replied confidently, ¡¯It has always been so. Since the emergence of our race, that has always been fact!¡¯


    Tilting up a corner of his mouth, Jack questioned, ¡¯So you¡¯ve never tested it? Would you like to?¡¯


    Finally, the consul¡¯s immediate responses came to an end. It took Wingreig a moment to ask, ¡¯And how would you suggest that?¡¯


    ¡¯We could have you go up against Lunara in aparison of your ability to manipte mana. Wouldn¡¯t that suffice?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmm... I refuse.¡¯


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong? Afraid you¡¯ll lose?¡¯ taunted Jack. ¡¯Or are you thinking beyond the scope of the average person? You believe that if you lose I¡¯ll use that to prove your inferiority and you¡¯ll only be able to use her divinity as an excuse, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Divinity... What¡¯s that?¡¯ Raztol asked.


    ¡¯When someone surpasses lv. 89 in Kartonia, they ascend to godhood. The level of power wielded by a god is iparable to mortals, even if there was only a one-level difference,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯And that would be the perfect excuse for Elder Wingreig to prove that he wasn¡¯t incapable despite losing.¡¯


    ¡¯Thus forcing the elders to either admit that multi-headed hydras aren¡¯t at a disadvantage in terms of mana or that she has, in fact, achieved a level beyond anything we thought possible...¡¯ concluded Raztol, letting the spectators understand the deeper thoughts of those debating on the council floor. ¡¯I¡¯m not against such a test, though I doubt Wingreig will ept as both of those conclusions would go against his best wishes.¡¯


    ¡¯There¡¯s no need to belittle me,¡¯ stated Wingreig, defending himself. ¡¯I see no reason for such a farce.¡¯


    ¡¯Then how about we test you both with items?¡¯ Jack suggested, getting Raztol to smile deeper and both consuls to do the same with their frowns.


    ¡¯I see no need to waste my time.¡¯


    ¡¯Elder Wingreig, how about I pick a lv. 89 three-headed hydra from the audience and we¡¯llpare their mana supply to yours with the aid of items. You¡¯ll both use the same item, in fact, how about you choose a three-headed hydra from the audience?¡¯


    Shaking his head, Elder Wingreig refused, ¡¯There¡¯s no need.¡¯


    ¡¯Than it seems to me that you¡¯re afraid of reality.¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯re afraid that your long-outdated beliefs and traditions are utter nonsense, destroying the life you currently live,¡¯ stated Jack, refusing to let the consul interrupt his thought. ¡¯Deep down, you know that they¡¯re not intellectually inferior, nor are they inferior by capabilities of mana. You just don¡¯t want to rescind the power that you and your countless ancestors have built for yourselves. Am I--¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s enough!¡¯ Jack and Wingreig were both startled as Raztol stopped the debacle. ¡¯That¡¯s not the matter at hand. With nothing else to say, we¡¯ll begin the recess now. Thank you for your time and attendance, and I look forward to seeing you within two hours for the vote and discussion of a foreign visitor policy!¡¯


    Immediately, Raztol turned and left through the corridor behind the raised tforms. Both Wingreig and Hindrad did the same, stealing heated nces at Jack and his party.


    ¡¯Spectacr! Simply spectacr!¡¯ Artrat was the first to rush to the party¡¯s side. ¡¯Thank you, Jack, for speaking on such things so openly! And you, Lunara, we¡¯re so excited to--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m merely a guest, so don¡¯t uphold me as some public figure,¡¯ stated Lunara, not wanting to be rude to her people nor acquiesce to their immediate desires.


    ¡¯But--¡¯


    ¡¯Lunara! Jack!¡¯ A voice suddenly spoke out from the room¡¯s vast entrance, gathering everyone¡¯s attention along with the party¡¯s. ¡¯I¡¯vee to escort you to the head¡¯s manor for the private feast in your honor.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you!¡¯ Lunara scooped up Lina and Jack, swimming directly for the three-headed hydra calling out to them. ¡¯I¡¯ll follow you, so please lead the way.¡¯


    The servant hydra led the party out of the room with great haste, leaving many elders and council members with sour tastes in their mouths. Those that were unable to rally under Lunara were disappointed and sought a moment to sway her to their cause. Those that supported the supposed inequality schemed otherwise, now unable to meet with Lunara personally and offer gifts or banquets to possibly sway her to their cause. Either way, those on both sides of the inequality debate were left without a chance to change a thing and only their imagination as to how they could tweak the newest hydra to favor their side.

 Chapter 657 Raztols Humble Abode

    <h4>Chapter 657 Raztol¡°s Humble Abode</h4>


    Unaware of the scheming elders, Jack¡¯s party followed their guide in silence. They admired the view of the city as they exited the grand manor and were led towards the outskirts of the city.


    ¡¯Um... Madam Lunara...¡¯


    ¡¯Yes?¡¯


    ¡¯Are you truly stronger than Head Raztol?¡¯ the guide asked, turning two of his three heads toward her with pride flowing from his eyes.


    Not wanting to admit it yet unable to deny it thanks to Jack¡¯s earlyments, Lunara nodded without a word.


    ¡¯That... Madam, you don¡¯t know what this means to some of us...¡¯


    Touched by the softness of the hydra¡¯s words, the small party listened to his words as they neared a fenced area far smaller than any of the manors at the city center.


    ¡¯If that¡¯s true... Can¡¯t you help us?¡¯


    ¡¯I...¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯re from here, right? From long ago? Wasn¡¯t it worse back then?¡¯


    ¡¯Is this the ce?¡¯ Lunara questioned, changing the subject as they descended into the decent-sized yet humble manor with no sculptures or intricate workmanship.


    ¡¯Y-yes... This is the ce... Please, follow me...¡¯ sighing, the three-headed hydra guide entered the building and led took them through a small corridor leading to giant double doors. The hydra opened the way and the party was immediately speechless at the sight within the room, and drooling in Lina¡¯s case.


    ¡¯Please, there¡¯s no need for decorum!¡¯ Raztol chuckled, sitting at the head of the table and motioning toward the two cushions on either side of him. ¡¯I hope that Jack and the little miss won¡¯t mind sharing a seat as I have nothing their size.¡¯


    ¡¯Not at all,¡¯ughed Jack. He and Lina shared a seat yet were still far from sitting close together due to the cushion¡¯s great size.


    Following Raztol¡¯s suggestion without batting an eye, Lina attacked the food on her te. Lunara and Jack followed suit but Lina made no effort to hide her hunger.


    ¡¯It must¡¯ve been quite the journey to reach us down here,¡¯mented Raztol. ¡¯Eat all you like! There are plenty more dishes waiting to be brought out of the kitchen.¡¯


    Getting a nod from her mother, Lina dly picked up the pace to Raztol¡¯s surprise and Jack¡¯sughter.


    ¡¯For a human, you eat quite a lot. Is that how you all are?¡¯


    ¡¯No,¡¯ Jack answered, letting Lina have her fill without a need to speak. ¡¯Lina is a special case. A human¡¯s diet normally can¡¯tpare with a hydra¡¯s.¡¯


    ¡¯Lina... What a beautiful name...¡¯ Raztol sighed, momentarily revealing grief in his aged eyes.


    ¡¯Thank you!¡¯ Lina stated, pausing her next bite into what she thought was a type of meat. However, her expectations were proven wrong as she hastened appetite was confused.


    Noticing the look on her face, Raztol chuckled, ¡¯That¡¯s our newest crop, saltrop. It¡¯s purely vegetarian yet has an appearance to fish meat and the texture is simr as well. The vor is unique and different than what you expect, but it will grow on you.¡¯


    Nodding despite her slight dissatisfaction, Lina continued eating at her usual pace.


    ¡¯So you¡¯re eating less meat now? And that¡¯s the cause for your booming poption?¡¯mented Jack.


    ¡¯In a way. With controlled crops, we can better supply our people with food and guarantee survival when our previous food sources were dwindling,¡¯ Raztol mentioned. ¡¯I imagine things were different for you, Lunara?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes...¡¯ Lunara replied between bites, not showing much care for the conversation and where it was leading.


    ¡¯If you left at the time I believe you did, our food supply was heavily reliant on our ability to hunt. Also... Three-headed hydras weren¡¯tmonly offered shares of the meat our hunters gathered... A sad fact of our history...¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯ asked Jack. ¡¯Care to exin? I¡¯ve heard little to nothing about how things are here in cier Reef, let alone how things were so long ago.¡¯


    Nodding, Raztol scarfed down his current portion of saltrop and exined, ¡¯The political stances on inequality here are heavily skewed beyond the favor of my multi-headed brethren, especially in the past.¡¯


    ¡¯I thought nowadays the popce was mostly multi-headed?¡¯


    ¡¯It is... But that doesn¡¯t mean the council properly represents them,¡¯ sighed Raztol. ¡¯Entering the council is done through votes, as is bing an elder to gain more responsibility and influence. However, elected elders hold the position for life and our long lifespans have led to a divide of interests...¡¯


    ¡¯Basically, your elders no longer represent themon people nor do they wish to represent themon people?


    With self-mocking chuckles, Raztol nodded at Jack¡¯s deduction. ¡¯What¡¯s your opinion of Artrat?¡¯


    ¡¯He¡¯s a politician through and through. He reacts perfectly to any political situation he¡¯s ced in. Hence, myck of trust for the man.¡¯


    ¡¯Good... I¡¯m d you can look far enough ahead to understand this...¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean? I thought he was quite nice...¡¯ Linamented as she swam out of her seat to gather more food from the giant table.


    Raztol stated, ¡¯Just as any politician prefers, Artrat also has his own goals. I assume that he¡¯s after a consul seat, something he believes will be essible should he sessfully change how the council views multi-headed hydras.¡¯


    ¡¯Isn¡¯t that a good thing?¡¯ questioned Lina.


    Lunara sighed in response, ¡¯Not necessarily...¡¯


    ¡¯Precisely. Just because Artrat acknowledges that multi-headed hydras need better representation doesn¡¯t necessarily mean he¡¯s offering it,¡¯ suggested Raztol. ¡¯It merely provided Artrat a means to rise in poprity and absorb the followers of less popr radicals who better supported the inequality beyond the scope of words. His ns would bring us closer to true equality but it may also lead to one-headed hydras gaining a tighter grip on society¡¯s leadership positions.¡¯


    ¡¯No matter what someone may say, it¡¯s their actions that prove their cause, not their words...¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s right!¡¯ d to hear Lunara¡¯s thoughts on the matter, Raztol asked, ¡¯Lunara, why are you against living among us again yet so cordial toward the council despite your ability to overpower us? Be honest, please. I have no desire to even attempt forcing you to stay, nor would I have the capability.¡¯

 Chapter 658 Why Lunara Ran Away

    <h4>Chapter 658 Why Lunara Ran Away</h4>


    ¡¯Go ahead, Lunara,¡¯ Jack verbally prodded as well. ¡¯No matter what you tell him, Raztol can¡¯t stop you. Might as well be honest, right?¡¯


    Opening her mouths, Lunara paused and failed to get a word out. She looked down at her half-emptied te but showed no desire to eat and no attention to the food on the table. Lunara was taking a few silent moments to reflect on the ancient memories that she had long forgotten and was struggling to ignore throughout the trip.


    ¡¯I... It...¡¯ mumbled Lunara, taking even longer to get her mouth going. But once Lunara managed to speak properly, there was no stopping her emotions and memories any further.


    ¡¯I want to keep living with my husband and family.¡¯


    ¡¯Family?! You¡¯ve found more hydras beyond the trench?¡¯ questioned Raztol. ¡¯In my few years of travel, I never heard of anything involving other hydras... no matter where I looked...¡¯ A grim expression shed over the aged hydra¡¯s face by was quickly reced with a soft smile.


    Lunara and Lina hadn¡¯t noticed, but Jack was unusually aware around the hydra head and was all the more intrigued by the old hydra¡¯s moments of peculiar emotions or reactions.


    ¡¯No... My husband is a human,¡¯ admitted Lunara. ¡¯That¡¯s the reason I don¡¯t wish to stay away from the rest of the world...¡¯


    Recognizing the shifty nature in Lunara¡¯s gaze, Raztol asked, ¡¯Alright... Then tell me, what drove you to run away?¡¯


    ¡¯That...¡¯


    ¡¯Come on,¡¯ Jack added his voice to the mix again, wanting to learn more about the past that his mother had hidden from them. ¡¯Please, Lunara?¡¯


    Sighing and already feeling her old, bottled-up emotions emerging, Lunara couldn¡¯t stop her tongue. ¡¯That... I ran away after my mother passed... What else would an orphaned hydra do?¡¯


    ¡¯Well, I¡¯m sure we could¡¯ve found you a home,¡¯ mentioned Raztol.


    ¡¯N-no... I don¡¯t believe that would¡¯ve been possible... Not for me...¡¯


    Dropping his smile and showing tender eyes, Raztol asked, ¡¯Lunara... What sort of discrimination did you face? If that¡¯s too harsh a thing to ask, then forgive me. But understanding your story may better help me understand my people... our people.¡¯


    Lunara nodded slowly and stopped fighting herself. ¡¯I was... I was only lv. 34 at the time... nothing but a young woman unknowing of the world around me. I never got out much though, as my mother made sure to bring me everything that I could ever need. It was rare that she took me into the young city that was back then...¡¯


    ¡¯Where did you live?¡¯


    ¡¯In Kelp de...¡¯ sighed Lunara. ¡¯That¡¯s where I was raised, where I was taught to fight, where my mother cared for me...¡¯


    ¡¯In Kelp de...¡¯ Raztol was astonished by the fact, something that Jack couldn¡¯t fully understand.


    Lunara noticed Jack¡¯s confused nce and exined, ¡¯We passed over Kelp de on the way here, but it was very different at that time... There were no Giant Anemones nearby and no neighboring ces filled with residents... That¡¯s where those unable to care for themselves would struggle to live...¡¯


    ¡¯It was practically exile,¡¯ mentioned Raztol, startling both Lunara and Jack. ¡¯In fact... There were some hydras exiled there, which only made things worse...¡¯


    ¡¯I... I didn¡¯t know that...¡¯ Lunara took a deep breath and continued, ¡¯I never left the area that my mother had imed. It was rare that anyone tried to confront her, so it was more peaceful for us than it was for most...¡¯ With a quivering lip, Lunara added, ¡¯Mother always told me to be grateful... That a kind heart would win against harsh words...¡¯


    ¡¯That... saying...¡¯ Raztol was shaken also, reliving his own memories for a brief moment. ¡¯That saying was quite popr at the time... I eventually used it to gain momentum among the elders, bing a consul with the support of the people.¡¯


    Continuing, Lunara was focused on her vivid memories, ¡¯One day my mother left to hunt since we had run out of food and I hadn¡¯t eaten in days... I remember her nuzzling against my heads andforting me, reminding me not to leave and that she¡¯ll bring home all the food we need...¡¯


    ¡¯And she never came back?¡¯ asked Raztol, enveloped in the story by both Lunara¡¯s and his own emotions of the past.


    She shook her head. ¡¯She came back... Mother came back with a tattered and torn portion of a Giant Squid. It was already missing half the head and most of its tentacles... And she was injured, badly injured...¡¯


    ¡¯Well...¡¯ Raztol swallowed some saliva and tried to console Lunara. ¡¯Giant Squids have always been regarded as a delicacy, even to the Ancient Crustacean and other creatures of the deep.¡¯


    But Lunara shook her head again, her eyes devoid of light and dulled. ¡¯Those wounds... weren¡¯t from another creature of the deep...¡¯


    ¡¯Then...¡¯ Realizing what Lunara was implying, Raztol didn¡¯t dare say another word.


    ¡¯... Mother was riddled with bite marks... just like the tattered squid carcass... Other hydras had attacked her for the squid and she defended what she could with her life... I don¡¯t know how many there were, but to overpower Mother, there had to be a lot... As proud Six-headed cial Hydra, Mother wasn¡¯t afraid of anything...¡¯


    ¡¯W-what happened then? Where did you go for help?¡¯


    Lunara didn¡¯t look back to Raztol, still staring nkly at her te. ¡¯I... I tried to find help... I asked the people I knew in Kelp de... But they only nced at her and took the squid... She tried to stop me from leaving again, saying she would be alright... But I knew better...


    ¡¯I swam to the city as fast as I can... but no one cared to listen to a young girl that had already grown a third head by lv. 30... No one offered help, only cruel nders at me and the mother that birthed me... I even tried an elder... but that ended in me getting swatted away... I... Had no one... to help me...¡¯

 Chapter 659 Tender Family Momen

    <h4>Chapter 659 Tender Family Momen</h4>


    Raztol was furious! Raztol was sad... Raztol was torn and speechless. What could he say now, thousands of years after the incident to a fully grown hydra who experienced this?


    ¡¯I... I...¡¯


    ¡¯Mom...¡¯


    Everyone was caught off guard when they spotted Lina now at Lunara¡¯s side, wrapping her arms around one of Lunara¡¯s heads.


    ¡¯Thank you... Lin...¡¯ Lunara mumbled through her struggling throat.


    Hearing that, Lina took the opportunity to enter her full hydra form and better embrace her trembling mom. She hated to see her mother like this and felt even worse learning what had happened to the grandma that she had never met.


    While Lina and Lunara wrapped theirbined eighteen heads together infort, Raztol was further forced into shock. His lip quivered. ¡¯She... She¡¯s also... Lin...¡¯ From that moment on, Raztol refused to say another word. Not to the loving mother and daughter nor in response or interruption of the story.


    Jack was also taken aback. He had recently learned that Lunara¡¯s early years were difficult, but he had no clue about any specifics. But this... He never would¡¯ve anticipated such a story.


    Eventually, Lunara regathered her breath andposure with Lina¡¯s help. She continued, ¡¯When I finally returned home... I did my best to nurse her. I stole some herbs from a nearby garden and managed to escape my pursuers. But I failed to help her... It was already toote... All I did was drag out her misery...


    ¡¯But Mother never frowned. She never cursed her fellow hydras. Not even in herst words... ¡¯He¡¯ll make things better¡¯... ¡¯He¡¯ll make things better¡¯... All she could talk about was the father I never had... For some reason, she had always clung to some belief in him... saying, ¡¯He¡¯ll make things better¡¯... Those were her final words... I couldn¡¯t do anything for her and she did everything for me, yet she held to her belief in my terrible father till she passed...¡¯


    Lunara was trembling once again but not as bad as before thanks to Lina. Jack had also crossed the table and leaned against his mother.


    No one said another word. They all held their ces in wait for the moment to pass on its own.


    After quite some time, it was Jack the eventually broke the silence. Given that Lina had already shown her true self, Jack didn¡¯t hold back calling Lunara properly. ¡¯Mom... I¡¯m sorry for making you relive that...¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s okay... Son... I think... it was good for me. I feel much lighter... like a heavy burden was lifted from my heart...¡¯ remarked Lunara, d to have Jack and Lunara holding her close. ¡¯Regardless of what urred in the past, I¡¯m proud of what I have now. You two and your father are everything to me. I cut all ties to my people ages ago, and now... I can confidently admit that without regret.¡¯


    ¡¯T-that... I... T-thank you... Lunara...¡¯


    ¡¯Head Raztol, there¡¯s no need to cry so much...¡¯ sighed Lunara. ¡¯I¡¯m proud of who I am now and the children I have. I wouldn¡¯t have my family now if that had never happened. I would never wish such a miserable fate on my mother... but I will never forsake my family now. So regardless of my origins here in cier Reef, know that I don¡¯t n to stay here any longer than necessary.¡¯


    ¡¯I see... And I fully understand now...¡¯ Raztol shook his head, releasing a long breath in the meantime. ¡¯No matter what it takes... I¡¯ll make sure you aren¡¯t bothered by anyone anymore. You have my promise as the hydra head.¡¯


    ¡¯And you have mine as your son, though you can easily handle yourself now,¡¯ chuckled Jack, trying to lessen the tension in the room.


    Lunara smiled and chuckled, ¡¯Yeah... I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Then... If Jack is your Son... is he...¡¯


    ¡¯No, I¡¯m not a hydra,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Sorry to disappoint you, Raztol. There are no more hydra gods you can beg to take your ce.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack!¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s fine, Lunara...¡¯ Raztol chuckled also, but grievance still weighed down his voice. ¡¯So... I take it that you¡¯re all gods?¡¯


    ¡¯Not yet. Lina¡¯s still too young, but she insisted on seeing cier Reef and cier Keep,¡¯ answered Jack. ¡¯We only agreed because we can teleport her back whenever.¡¯


    ¡¯And... What about the others?¡¯


    ¡¯Like we mentioned earlier, I doubt they¡¯ll immediately cause the reef any trouble. So long as you don¡¯t pester or annoy them, I think Mom and I can convince them to peacefully enter Galcier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯I see...¡¯ The hydra head¡¯s voice was still strained. Clearly, he was struggling to get the story out of his mind. ¡¯Lunara... I don¡¯t want to bring back any more harsh feelings... but do you remember the name of that elder, the one that hit you?¡¯


    Frowning, Lunara shook her head. ¡¯Sorry... I just remember seeing the headband and begging for help.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... okay... I wanted to seek him out if possible...¡¯


    ¡¯He may not even be alive anymore,¡¯ argued Lunara, trying to change the subject to something more lighthearted. ¡¯Are you sure you¡¯ll be able to convince the others to cooperate?¡¯


    ¡¯I can... Whether it¡¯s through words or force, that I can¡¯t promise just yet...¡¯ utter Ratzol, admitting to the difficulty of the task. ¡¯But rest assured that everything will be fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Quick question, Raztol. You said you had fought Flood Dragons outside of the trench and decided to explore the world. But why were you so far beyond the trench in the first ce?¡¯ asked Jack.


    Shaking his head and trying his best to smile, Raztol stated, ¡¯I was the elder in charge of the hunting grounds. It was my responsibility to find new prey before there was a shortage. Because of that, I spent most of my time outside of the trenches anyway, making me into the strongest one-headed hydra without question and convincing me to explore the reaches of the sea... That¡¯s all.¡¯


    Before Jack could nod with another question, Raztol stood up and sighed, ¡¯Thank you for... sharing something so personal. Allow me to take my leave first. I must begin preparations for the new policy, otherwise, the Body Council may force unneeded tension onto my people.¡¯


    As the old hydra went to exit, the same three-headed hydra from earlier opened the door and followed alongside Raztol.


    ¡¯Jakeek...¡¯ Halfway down the hall, Raztol muttered, ¡¯I¡¯ve forgotten something in my chamber... Go ahead to the study, I¡¯ll be there soon.¡¯


    ¡¯Please, Head Raztol, allow me--¡¯


    ¡¯No. I must go get it alone. But thank you for the offer.¡¯


    Without another word, Raztol turned and left at a strange pace. It wasn¡¯t fast enough to be a jog nor slow enough to be a walk. The hydra¡¯s steps were as jostled as his mind was. Upon entry to his chamber, Raztol immediately closed the door and fell to his knees in solitude.


    ¡¯Lin... Lin... I¡¯m so sorry...¡¯

 Chapter 660 Deciding on the Policy

    <h4>Chapter 660 Deciding on the Policy</h4>


    ¡¯Mom... do suspect him of anything?¡¯


    ¡¯No, Son, why?¡¯


    ncing at Lunara, Jack sighed, ¡¯Well... I don¡¯t know. I feel that¡¯s he¡¯s too genuine to be deceitful but I get the feeling that something¡¯s off with him.¡¯


    ¡¯You just met him and you think you¡¯ll understand him so easily?¡¯ Lunara joked. ¡¯He¡¯s older than most gods, Jack. It makes sense if he¡¯s hard to read during our first meeting.¡¯


    ¡¯I guess... At least he¡¯s smart enough to handle this ce properly,¡¯ mentioned Jack. ¡¯He sees right through Artrat¡¯s political persona and tries to understand how his citizens truly feel. That¡¯s a rare trait for a ruler as old as him...¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry for showing myself...¡¯ Lina blinked and looked away from her mother¡¯s eyes.


    ¡¯Lina... I¡¯m d you came with us. Thank you!¡¯


    As Lunara¡¯s many heads kissed Lina¡¯s foreheads and cheeks, Jack looked around the room in search of information.


    A few grand sofas lined the walls, offering each party member a ce to lie down and rx till the uing meeting. Though they wouldn¡¯t directly participate in it, they would make sure to watch as audience members.


    Jack was the first to sit down, getting a pleasant surprise the moment hended on the soft sofa. It was then that Jack discovered the thousands or millions of the tiniest tentacles swaying back and forth. The hero closed his eyes and let out a satisfied sigh, letting the tentacles gradually massage his skin and lull him to a soft sleep.


    Seeing Jack¡¯s immediatey to rest, both Lina and Lunara made their way to separate couches. They immediately understood the luxurious tranquility that Jack was experiencing. It quelled their many emotions and rxed their bodies, bringing them to rest as well...


    ¡¯Jack, Lunara, Lin, it¡¯s time.¡¯


    Yawns crept out of all three of their mouths. Each party member took a moment to stretch their bodies, grateful for the short rest after their fast yet stressful journey. Then, they got up and neared the three-headed hydra from earlier.


    ¡¯Please, call me Jakeek and forgive me for the improper greeting earlier.¡¯ The aide bowed his three heads in respect. ¡¯I rmend that Lin resume her human form unless she wishes for all the hydras to wee her as they did Lunara.¡¯


    That being said, Lina immediately reverted to her human form and joined Jack on Lunara¡¯s back. Together, they all swam behind Jakeek with eagerness to know what would be of the new policy and how Raztol would handle the situation.


    Like before, Jakeek remained silent for the most part, guiding them out of the hydra head¡¯s manor and back into the city. Based on their surroundings, Jack realized that there was no morning or night, only constant light outside of the buildings. It wasn¡¯t much to talk about but it was interesting to note as they reentered the most grand of all the frozen manors yet again.


    Jakeek immediately found them seats at the front of the audience area, getting some patient hydras to step aside with only a nce. Then, he joined the three and watched the elders and councilmen trickle into their seats below.


    After a few minutes, nearly all seats were filled and those that weren¡¯t were about to be imed. Three figures emerged from the tunnel behind the raised tform, revealing the two consuls and the hydra head.


    But Raztol¡¯s gaze was different. Earlier, it was soft, tender, and genuine. Now, it was harsh, demeaning, and determined. Not only could the party recognize this, but also the elders. It was a rare urrence for them to see Head Raztol in such a state. It was such a rare sight that not even the consuls dared greet him or meet his gaze, for fear of getting chewed out before the policy meeting had even begun.


    ¡¯Now, let us draft our policy on foreign visitors!¡¯ Raztol¡¯s toned shocked the audience, which was even more unaware about this stern side of their ruler. ¡¯Any opinions on the draft, speak now!¡¯


    Coughing to garner his own morsel of attention, Artrat lifted his head to speak. ¡¯Head Raztol, may I.¡¯


    ¡¯You may!¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you...¡¯ Artrat took a deep breath suddenly, feeling a little uneasy with Raztol¡¯s unexined shift in attitude. ¡¯I believe that invited and approved guests should be allowed entry within cier Reef for a minimum of three days. Such would allow us the opportunity to grow through sharing knowledge, experience, or possibly technology.¡¯


    ¡¯Any more opinions?!¡¯ shouted Raztol.


    Wingreig raised his head, taking a moment before speaking to quell the tension of Raztol¡¯s shout. ¡¯I agree that a foreign visitor should be permitted upon being cleared by a hearing with a hydra elder and that they should stay no longer than three days, no more!¡¯


    ¡¯Any other thoughts?!¡¯ Raztol roared, seeing no other wanting attention under his berating shouts. ¡¯Then I agree that permitted guests cleared by the elders may have an entry for up to three days. Should they want an extension, then they¡¯ll make such an appeal to at least three representatives of the Body Council. All in favor?!¡¯


    A sea of heads lifted into the air.


    ¡¯THEN IT¡¯S UNANIMOUS!¡¯ roared Raztol, getting his voice to echo out of the building. ¡¯Now, onto the next piece of the policy! What opinions do we have on visitors gaining ess to cier Keep? Speak now!¡¯


    Again, Wingreig raised his head to immediately respond. ¡¯I believe that entry to cier Keep should not be granted! Given the rich heritage and ancestry of our people, how could we dare allowplete strangers to tarnish the legacy of our people?!¡¯


    ¡¯Any more opinions?!¡¯


    Again, it was Artrat that responded, ¡¯As for entry into cier Keep, I believe that entry may be permitted under certain conditions. First, I believe that all foreign visitors who wish to enter cier Keep must receive approval from the Body Council as a whole. Second, any foreign visitor that is permitted entry mustter surrender all findings within cier Keep to us, the cial Hydras, the keepers of cier Keep. Third--¡¯


    Jack chuckled wryly and shook his head at the developing discussion. Based on the back and forth, Jack was under the assumption that the elders had already rehearsed the debate during the recess, proving again that Artrat and the elders were more conniving than they let on.


    But then, a familiar yet strange voice casually popped into his head. ¡¯Jack... May I ask for your assistance?¡¯

 Chapter 661 Jinbe vs Flood Dragon Gods

    <h4>Chapter 661 Jinbe vs Flood Dragon Gods</h4>


    Far below the ocean¡¯s surface, one of many Flood Dragons wasbing through a deep-sea trench in search of cier Reef or signs leading to it. The divine beast made scanned the cold waters without overlooking a thing. The Flood Dragon meticulously scanned the trench for anything out of the ordinary.


    Flood Dragons weren¡¯t used to the deep-sea waters but they were able to endure the conditions and find their way due to water and fire affinities. This also allowed them to sense heat while underwater, the key to their many searches.


    This was already the second day of their search and they had failed to find anything concerning cier Reef thus far. But they weren¡¯t impatient. They remained focused, understanding that they still had time to spare and that cier Reef would inevitably be discovered.


    However, that Flood Dragon momentarily paused its search. After gradually descending that trench and leaving no stone unchecked, the dragon had found something unusual.


    While the Flood Dragons had asionally found underwater vents of incredible heat in some trenches, hardly anything else that deep gave off heat. But by contrasting the cold ocean waters, a few small organisms would asionally pop up in their view. That wasn¡¯t the case this time. The Flood Dragons had never stopped searching in case of finding wild life of the region. Not till now.


    The dragon had stumbled upon what looked like another rock outcrop. However, its heat signature was slightly higherpared to the other parts of thendscape. It wasn¡¯t as hotpared to the other smaller organisms that littered the deep sea, but the contrastingly freezing waters made the strange outcrop of rocks peculiar. Such a phenomenon warranted a proper inspection from the curious Flood Dragon.


    As the dragon neared the rocky outcrop, it was startled by what urred next.


    Before the dragon was able to properly respond, that rock outcrop suddenly moved andshed out at the Flood Dragon. At lv. 90, the Flood Dragon was confident in a fight against anyone that wasn¡¯t a god, especially underwater. Yet that confidence was shaken as the dragon narrowly avoided the swiping ws of this unknown creature.


    The dragon was baffled to see such a beast in the deep, realizing that it was at the peak of mortality at lv. 89. But what startled the dragon, even more, was how the beast had immediately thrown something into its mouth after finishing its attack.


    ¡¯You... are a dragon?¡¯mented the strange beast in a rocky shell. ¡¯You... taste simr to the other one...¡¯


    ¡¯Other dragon? What other dragon?!¡¯ roared the Flood Dragon god, pping its wings in anger to only then fully realize what had happened.


    The dragon felt less water resistance against its left wing, getting it to notice the new tear made near the edge. ¡¯You dare eat my flesh?!¡¯


    ¡¯Such is life here...¡¯ the creature mentioned, darting forward to strike again before the dragon could take the initiative.


    In response, the Flood Dragon god roared wildly as a call for those nearby. While a few more roared echoed back from dragons in nearby trenches, a rocketing plume of steam burst out of the Flood Dragon¡¯s mouth and into the strange beast.


    Yet the Flood Dragon suddenly felt a tremendous force crashing into its throat. A spine forearm was extending out of the steam, connecting with the Flood Dragon without fail. And a second spiny forearm was already in pursuit of a second attack. When the second spiny, club-like appendage crashed barreled into the Flood Dragon¡¯s upper chest, the dragon was pushed back and forced to cease its breath attack.


    But the strange beast wasn¡¯t done.


    The Flood Dragon struggled to recover but was startled by the giant beast¡¯s terrifying speed. Another two strikes were already about to connect when the dragon unleashed its full-power steam attack without prejudice against mortals.


    Finally, the strange beast was slowed, but only that. One of the two strikes still hit the edge of the Flood Dragon¡¯s snout and filled the nearby water with blood.


    As the mantis-like head of the beast sucked in the blood, its six arms prepared for a good fight. Now, the beast had recognized the Flood Dragon as a proper opponent. Despite seeing that the dragon was somehow lv. 90, the beast was in no way willing to give up its hunting grounds for only a single level difference without a fight.


    When a second Flood Dragon was roaring and rushing toward them, however, the beast immediately changed its mind. It recognized the dragons as the proper threat that Jack had warned of not long ago.


    Without a word, the beast turned and fled the scene of battle.


    ¡¯Come back here!¡¯ roared the injured Flood Dragon. It led the chased against the strange creature but struggled to keep up with a clipped wing. Luckily, a third and fourth Flood Dragon charged in from the opposite direction and moved to cut off the massive beast.


    But the beast was craftier than expected. It suddenly picked up more speed and threw itself into the trench wall. All six of its arms pistoned through the rock, letting the beast tunnel through the trench wall and charge toward the open sea above the trench.


    However, the beast stopped its charge after breaking through to the open sea. There, thergest of the Flood Dragons was waiting for it and that dragon¡¯s level was no longer clear to the lv. 89 beast.


    Understanding its situation perfectly, the beast made a tactical move without moving another muscle.


    ¡¯Jack... May I ask for your assistance?¡¯


    While the beast telepathically contacted his most recent and only ally, the Flood Dragon spoke with a neutral tone, ¡¯What are you?¡¯


    Blinking hisrge eyes protruding from his triangr head, the beast calmly replied, ¡¯I¡¯m Jinbe...¡¯


    ¡¯Jinbe... that¡¯s not your species? How is it that you¡¯re nearly undetectable?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ve lived long... I¡¯ve adapted over time... How else can you expect me to grow?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm...¡¯ the massive Flood Dragon sighed, letting the other Flood Dragons surround the beast upon arrival.

 Chapter 662 Jack Intercepts Kylon

    <h4>Chapter 662 Jack Intercepts Kylon</h4>


    All Flood Dragons were eyeing Jinbe with caution and anger, especially the dragon with a torn wing. But they were unable to add their opinion to Kylon¡¯s as they awaited the next order.


    Suddenly, a small sh of purple energy startled the Flood Dragons. It came and went as a new figure appeared atop the strange beast¡¯s head. Then bright light momentarily blinded everyone until it quickly dimmed to offer everyone a better view of the area and the beast.


    ¡¯Sorry for the trouble Jinbe caused. I take full responsibility for it and will kindly heal the damage he¡¯s done.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯ Kylon sighed, half surprised and half disappointed. The only reason she hadn¡¯t made a move to kill the creature was it¡¯s incredible potential as a future deity. Only now, Kylon wished she had struck while she could.


    Holy energy fell onto the most angered Flood Dragon, who was unwillingly healed by Jack. At the same time, Jack marveled at the wound and felt even more proud to have made Jinbe hispanion. ¡¯There, now we can part ways without any issues, right?¡¯


    ¡¯I take it you¡¯ve already found cier Reef?¡¯ questioned Kylon, forgetting what Jinbe had done.


    ¡¯Maybe... maybe not... What¡¯s it matter to you, Auntie Kylon?¡¯


    ¡¯I told you, don¡¯t regard me as such...¡¯ growled Kylon. ¡¯Now, tell me where to find cier Reef.¡¯


    ¡¯Why should I? After you corner my newestpanion, you expect me to go along with whatever you say, auntie? I may be your nephew but the least you can do is ask nicely. And don¡¯t think you¡¯re high and mighty at lv. 98,¡¯ Jackmented with a chuckle. ¡¯Also, I didn¡¯t expect your underlings to be so angsty...¡¯


    A forcibly silenced roar was heard and all eyes were now on the recently healed Flood Dragon, the same that was trying to stare holes into Jack¡¯s head. That was until Jack held tightly onto the front side of the dragon¡¯s throat with a cruel smile.


    ¡¯How shall I deal with such a threatening re, auntie? It was obvious that he was about tosh out,¡¯ chuckled Jack, startling the lv. 90 Flood Dragons. ¡¯Are they always this ignorant or is it because they¡¯ve never seen me fight before? Perhaps I should show them what I¡¯m capable of... What do you think, auntie?¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t call me that...¡¯ sighed Kylon, unable to change the situation without forcing Jack into an all-out fight. But she knew Jack had to be up to something. ¡¯What is it you¡¯re after?¡¯


    ¡¯A ceasefire.¡¯ Thatment startled the recently ascended gods, but not Kylon. Jack added, ¡¯I assume you¡¯re under orders to harm the hydra civilization before entering cier Keep, right? Halmut¡¯s not the kind of guy to lets go of grudges when there are ripe opportunities for revenge.¡¯


    Nodding, Kylon responded, ¡¯How long?¡¯


    ¡¯Until we enter cier Keep. Till then, you and your underlings aren¡¯t allowed to harm anything or anyone. Should they attempt an attack, I¡¯ll ughter them all,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯But I¡¯ll also take you to cier Reef personally. Consider it a favor from your favorite nephew.¡¯


    Shaking her head, Kylon responded, ¡¯Stop regarding me as your aunt and you have a deal.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine... then follow us. Jinbe, lead the way!¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack...¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll contact Lunara so they can prepare for our arrival. Just take your time or we may end up arriving before they get the orders to clear a path.¡¯


    Jinbe nodded. ¡¯Very well... And thank you for your assistance.¡¯


    ¡¯Hey, don¡¯t thank me. It¡¯s the least I could do for my fellowpanion. Besides, this means you¡¯ll be traveling with me from now on, right?¡¯ questioned Jack.


    Regretfully, Jinbe replied, ¡¯I suppose... But be warned, I know nothing of life beyond survival.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll make sure to help you adjust and adapt.¡¯ Jack rubbed Jinbe¡¯s head as the Mantis Leviathon led the school of Flood Dragons at a casual pace. At the same time, Jack contacted Lunara, ¡¯Mom, they agreed to a ceasefire and I¡¯m leading them to the trench as we speak.¡¯


    Back in the Body Council chamber, Lunara was almost speechless from hearing Jack¡¯s sudden remark. Only a moment ago Jack had teleported away without a word of warning and now he was personally guiding the Flood Dragons to cier Reef. A ridiculous thought.


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯


    ¡¯Also, Jinbe ising to, so warn Raztol and the elders to permit our entry. I¡¯m not sure what will happen if they don¡¯t clear a path, but we¡¯re going slow so you¡¯ve got about half an hour.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, I can¡¯t just--¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, we both know that you¡¯ve got plenty of weight to throw around with the hydras. Stop worrying about disrupting their system and make it happen. Clearly, their system isn¡¯t working too well given the segregation of powers, so why bother disrupting it?¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack... I don¡¯t want them to--¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ve already stated that you¡¯re a god. Sure, many elders may take that for granted or don¡¯t truly believe you, but all you need to do is prove it and they¡¯ll have no choice but to submit. Isn¡¯t that have the way of the wild works? The strongest is the one calling the shots?¡¯ reasoned Jack, riddling Lunara¡¯s argument with logic. ¡¯Can I trust you to clear a path or should I just open a rift for them all right now?¡¯


    ¡¯No!¡¯ Lunara stated, certain that would be far worse.


    ¡¯Well, if you don¡¯t act now and force them to clear a path, then a rift directly into cier Reef is the safest option despite the chaos it might cause. Otherwise, I¡¯m not sure how many guards might be at risk against angered Flood Dragon gods.¡¯


    ¡¯... Fine...¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Mom! Love you!¡¯


    With the conversation over, Lunara let loose an extra-long sigh. Lina noticed this and asked, ¡¯Mom, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    ¡¯Lina... Don¡¯t say anything and don¡¯t act out. If someone makes a move on you, tell me and Jack right away,¡¯ replied Lunara. ¡¯Right now... let your mom take care of some business.¡¯


    ¡¯Are you finally going to do it?¡¯


    ¡¯Lina...¡¯


    ¡¯What? You know you can¡¯t get them to listen. So what took you so long?¡¯


    Sighing and chuckling at the same time, Lunara rubbed a head tenderly against Lina. ¡¯You¡¯re right, sweetie... Now watch Mommy and see how it¡¯s done.¡¯

 Chapter 663 Lunaras Stance Against the Elders

    <h4>Chapter 663 Lunara¡°s Stance Against the Elders</h4>


    ¡¯No, I believe they should be permitted entry so long as they agree to surrender their findings,¡¯ argued Artrat. ¡¯Would you prefer to attempt to block our powerful guests? One has already proven capable of killing a consul with ease, though I would argue that the same consul may now be far more sluggish than what¡¯s expected of his position. Shall we offer up the lives of other hydras as well?¡¯


    ¡¯I believe we¡¯ll be able to stand our ground,¡¯ replied Wingreig. ¡¯With our popce, we should be able to handle an invasion despite them somehow being lv. 90 as the human had implied earlier.¡¯


    ROOOOOOAAAARRR!!!


    Sound waves flooded the vast chamber as all eyes turned to Lunara in the audience balcony. She stood with her heads held high and a new look of determination in her eyes. The pushover that had shown respect to the elders previously was now gone.


    The Nine-headed cial Hydra swam out of the audience and ced herself above the Body Council, looking down on them from even higher than the consuls and hydra head. Lunara roared again, stating, ¡¯Enough arguing! I¡¯ve been told the Flood Dragons are already on their way here!¡¯


    ¡¯See! She is working alongside them!¡¯ shouted Wingreig.


    ¡¯Jack has intercepted them and agreed to a ceasefire,¡¯ continued Lunara, disregarding the consul¡¯sment. ¡¯If you don¡¯t agree to their peaceful passage within the next few minutes, then it¡¯s uncertain what will happen to the guards at the trench¡¯s entrance.¡¯


    ¡¯You dare threaten your people--¡¯


    ¡¯I dare to protect the hydras!¡¯ Lunara roared, silencing Wingreig as her divine energy spread through the chamber for all to feel and experience. She held back but made sure all hydras present understood that her strength was greater than anything they had felt before. ¡¯Up to this point, I¡¯ve tried to respect the order of things. But the development of circumstances along with your needless, arrogant arguing has forced me to act ordingly!¡¯


    Turning back, Wingreig took a deep breath and questioned, ¡¯Head Raztol, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Your guest is--¡¯


    ¡¯Shut up, Wingreig!¡¯ shouted Raztol, not even sparing the consul a nce. The hydra head looked to Lunara and asked, ¡¯What is it your asking of us?¡¯


    ¡¯Warn the patrolling hydras of Jack¡¯s arrival with the Flood Dragons. Should anyone dare touch any of them, both they and I will refuse responsibility for the loss of life among the hydras,¡¯ stated Lunara. ¡¯I¡¯m not threatening anyone. I¡¯m stating the facts and forcing you to realize just how far out of depth you all are.¡¯


    ¡¯Lunara, that is why--¡¯


    ¡¯No, Artrat. We won¡¯t ept the terms you¡¯ve proposed.¡¯


    ¡¯But we--¡¯


    ¡¯cier Keep has no connection to the hydras. It¡¯s merely an energy-rich ce that is great for training and meditation. Its connections are to the world¡¯s creator, which makes Jack far more deserving of entering than anyone else,¡¯ reasoned Lunara. ¡¯And if you believe that you¡¯ll be able to convince the gods of such a thing, you¡¯ll only bring destruction to the reef and the hydra people.¡¯


    ¡¯Then what is it you believe we should do?¡¯ asked Raztol, dropping his harsh attitude faster than any elder couldprehend the situation.


    Looking to the hydra in charge, Lunara was d to see him act calmly and willingly discuss things. ¡¯Head Raztol, I propose that deities should be allowed entry into cier Keep without any interruption or questioning, nor should they be asked to share the treasures they find inside.¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯Artrat!¡¯ Raztol shouted, forcing the elder to shut up. ¡¯I¡¯ll second that motion. Are there any objections? Make your vote known before sharing your reasoning.¡¯


    A majority of the elders lifted their heads, standing against the motion.


    ¡¯Wingreig, you¡¯re permitted to share your opinion with Lunara.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Head Raztol...¡¯ Wingreig clicked his tongue, unhappy with the hydra head¡¯s stance and actions. But he turned back to Lunara and stated, ¡¯I see no reason why we can¡¯t stand our ground to people threatening the lives of our society. Give me one good reason why--¡¯


    ¡¯Ask the people!¡¯ argued, Lunara. ¡¯I¡¯m sure they would rather allow beings with power beyond theirprehension to enter peacefully instead of giving up countless lives in futile attempts to halt such deities. Are the lives of yourmon hydras so cheap and receable that you can make such an argument?¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯If you believe that a deity is capable of being stopped, then allow me to prove you wrong, consul.¡¯ Lunara used her many heads to scour over through the elders that had voted against her motion. ¡¯I challenge all willing elders to a test of strength.¡¯


    Unhappy with Lunara trying to sway the people¡¯s opinion, Wingreig stated, ¡¯We have no reason to ept such a challenge.¡¯


    ¡¯I understand that you¡¯re afraid of me. That¡¯s why I challenge all willing elders. It will be all of you against only me.¡¯


    Lunara¡¯s challenge silenced the entire chamber. No one dread respond immediately out of fear of her overwhelming energy. Instead, they took a moment to ponder.


    ¡¯What¡¯s wrong?¡¯ Lunara questioned. ¡¯If you¡¯re willing to sacrifice the lives of your people, consul, then you should be willing to step forward as well. Or have the elders grown corrupt beyond the point of no return?¡¯


    The audience was in awe. Not only had Lunara mentioned them and was supposedly trying to keep them from losing lives, but they also weren¡¯t happy when the elders hesitated to challenge her. After openly admitting that the hydra poption was the solution to oveing powerful invaders, it became clear to the spectators that the elders hadn¡¯t included themselves when speaking about the general poption.


    ¡¯I ept!¡¯ Hindrad was the first to speak out.


    Wingreig followed up with a rallying cry, ¡¯I¡¯ll also stand against you! To speak so arrogantly, how could us elders not stand against such treason!¡¯


    Plenty of other elders began to lift their heads in response as well, joining the consuls¡¯ cause. Twenty-one of the thirty elders managed to stand against Lunara. But that momentum came to a grinding halt with one more announcement.


    ¡¯I will be taking no part.¡¯

 Chapter 664 Lunara vs the Hydra Elders

    <h4>Chapter 664 Lunara vs the Hydra Elders</h4>


    ¡¯I will be taking no part.¡¯


    The remaining nine elders nodded in agreement with the hydra head, d to see that they weren¡¯t alone.


    ¡¯Head Raztol, this challenge is--¡¯


    ¡¯I said, ¡¯I will be taking no part¡¯, Wingreig,¡¯ repeated Raztol.


    The hydra head took the opportunity to memorize who stood against Lunara and who hadn¡¯t, remembering the nine elders that were truly looking out for the people. Also, it was the first time that Raztol was able to find out who exactly was true to the causes they had been manifesting as elders. Of the nine elders refusing to face Lunara, three had always remained neutral among equality debate, four had favored the multi-headed people, and two had favored the current system of inequality. Despite their difference of views, however, those nine proved to be the most loyal toward the hydra race.


    Many more were found among the twenty-one against Lunara, including the consuls that supported the current system and Artrat who led the cause of altering the system. It was a moment that proved just how simr the supposedly-warring elders were in actuality.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s not do it here!¡¯ roared Lunara, not wanting to waste any more time debating. ¡¯We¡¯ll go outside, above the city. There, the people will be our witnesses and will learn that only a deity can stand against a deity!¡¯


    Having said that, Lunara bolted out of the chamber. Some elders hesitated but as the consuls and Artrat rushed after Lunara, the rallying elders did the same. The audience did the same, letting the elders pass first before they piled through the halls of the cial Pce.


    ¡¯What¡¯s your name?¡¯


    Lina felt someone nudge her back amidst the crowd. She noticed a couple of elders and even more council members lining up behind her.


    ¡¯Leave her alone!¡¯ Raztol¡¯s voice startled the hydras trying to greet Lina. ¡¯Don¡¯t mind them. Come, I¡¯ll get us the best view.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Head Raztol.¡¯ Lina bowed and climbed onto the old hydra¡¯s back, d to not have so many people bothering her.


    ¡¯Their intentions aren¡¯t bad,¡¯mented Raztol. ¡¯They merely want to curry favor with you and ask about Lunara.¡¯


    Lina nodded. ¡¯That makes sense.¡¯


    ¡¯By the way... Will she really be okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Mom?¡¯ Lina blinked as Raztol forced his way to stand in front of everyone high above the city.


    ¡¯Yeah... Will Lunara be alright against so many hydras? I would never--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about her,¡¯ giggled Lina, happy to have such a great view. ¡¯I¡¯m more worried for your elders.¡¯


    ¡¯That... Then I¡¯m d she¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    Curious, Lina asked, ¡¯Why are you more worried for her? Aren¡¯t the elders your friends?¡¯


    Raztol sighed and shook his head. ¡¯Just because we work together doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯re close. I haven¡¯t had anyone worthy of being my friend for longer than I want to remember...¡¯


    ¡¯Well, can I be your friend?¡¯


    ¡¯W-what?!¡¯ Raztol stammered, caught off guard.


    ¡¯You helped me and made sure I wasn¡¯t hounded by the other elders. Since you¡¯re being friendly to me, can¡¯t we be friends?¡¯ reasoned Lina.


    ¡¯I-I... I don¡¯t see why not...¡¯


    ¡¯Good! I think Mom will be happy that you¡¯re our friend!¡¯ Lina chuckled. ¡¯Oh, it¡¯s starting!¡¯


    Raztol kept quiet, not wanting to distract Lina from the imminent battle or identally say more than he should.


    Basking in the light of cier Reef, Lunara looked down upon the twenty-one elders and the distant crowd that grewrger by the second as word spread.


    Without warning, Lunara unleashed her energy without holding back. Her massive body began to grow evenrger, taking on the true, towering size she had be after her ascension. Boundless divine energy poured out of her and onto the hydra elders and spectators below, astounding them all.


    Some elders were already questioning themselves, doubting if their involvement was actually worth the risk. However, the more confident elders stood firm and unleashed their own energies, which were all at the very peak of what mortality could offer them.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll allow you one minute!¡¯ roared Lunara, startling the elders and spectators further. ¡¯If you can harm me within that minute, then I¡¯ll concede. If you cannot, then I¡¯ll execute a single attack to annihte all who defy my proposal. Do you dare ept?¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯re too arrogant!¡¯


    Wingreig shouted as he and Hindrad made the first move. They didn¡¯t want to appear weaker before Lunara but they wouldn¡¯t turn down her offer either. With a minute of openings, all the elders felt much more confident in facing Lunara.


    Both consuls hurled javelins of ice, cold enough to freeze magma on contact. Following that were simr attacks by their fellow elders.


    But the only crashed into Lunara¡¯s unmoving body and snapped like fragile twigs.


    Taking her more seriously than ever, the many elders teamed up into pairs or small groups. Each hydra elder summoned their frost body to heighten their strength to the absolute limit. This stunned the spectators as they knew there was no more holding back in the impromptu, unannounced battle that all hydras wanted to see.


    Those hydras then did something that even Lunara found surprising. The frost bodies of the hydras supposedly crashed together, only they merged into a single being and instead of damaging one another on impact. The frost bodies had grownrger and shared many heads now, each head representing one of the conjoined elders.


    Next came another round of icicle spears but they weren¡¯tparable to the previous volley. Now, they whizzed through the water and could most definitely threaten a god. But not Lunara.


    Thanks to the demigods grinding in Earthen Keep, Lunara had already reached lv. 97 and would likely be lv. 99 within the next twenty-four hours. To her, those attacks may be felt but showed no true threat.


    With a mighty roar, Lunara covered herself in her own frost body, growingrger and proving just how intimidating a high-level god was to the hydra people below. She openly epted all attacks, letting her own frost body cancel out the spears of ice. Since they came from water and ice, her own affinity and specialty, Lunara swatted at the ice with her powerful tail. Unmoved and untouched, Lunara roared again in preparation for their next and final volley of attacks.

 Chapter 665 Leaving No Doub

    <h4>Chapter 665 Leaving No Doub</h4>


    Witnessing their second failure, the consuls roared all the louder. Their fury in battle was unfazed, unlike the majority of the elders.


    All of the elders joined the consuls, however, literally. The many conjoined frost bodies glided into each other once to create one terrifyinglyrge frost body with twenty-one heads. It matched Lunara¡¯s grandiose size and gave all spectators the sense that the elders were far stronger than they had anticipated, that the elders were going to pull off a victory.


    This left out the seven multi-headed hydra elders and a couple of single-headed hydra elders that had never fully shared how progressive their intentions were to the mostly conservative council. Lunara was astounded by this. She waspletely unaware that such a tactic was possible among her own species. Had the unwilling hydra elders joined in, Lunara wasn¡¯t sure what the oue may have been. But as ice gathered around the massive, amalgamated hydra frost body, Lunara roared with matching fury to prove her confidence to the viewers below.


    ¡¯This...¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    Sighing and ncing at the young woman on his back, Raztol quietly asked, ¡¯How are you so sure?¡¯


    Lina smiled with the utmost confidence. ¡¯Because she¡¯s my mom. I¡¯ve seen her fight gods much stronger than herself, so a bunch of old hydras that don¡¯t know any better won¡¯t stand a chance.¡¯


    Everyone¡¯s eyes were wide open and unblinking at the battle above. They were in awe of the sheer amount of ice the elders were generating, not to mention the dropping temperature they were causing. A sheet of icy javelins took shape and spread wide beside the elders¡¯bined frost body. It nearly covered Lunara¡¯s view of the city. With a final roar, the elders unleashed this ultimate attack upon the Hydra Goddess.


    As the vastly spread-out attack targeted Lunara with incredible uracy and funneled toward her, all she did was roar. But as she roared her frost body grewrger andrger until it surpassed the size of the elders¡¯ joint frost body.


    This seemingly changed nothing, only giving the icy javelins arger target. The javelins swarmed her and came from all directions. In the end, no one was able to see Lunara as her entire body was engulfed in javelins of ice. When her roars died down, the elders finally sighed with some relief and Raztol frowned with heavy eyes.


    ROOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!!


    Lunara suddenly unleashed the most thundering roar that any hydra had ever heard, matching the intimidating and threatening cries that Halmut used before his battles. To the shock of everyone watching, the countless javelins of ice around Lunara began to move backward and then turn around. She was once again revealed to all below without even a scratch.


    Unleashing another roar, more javelins of ice took shape behind Lunara, adding to the icy javelins that she had forcibly taken control of before they could damage her. Then, her own icy energy gathered further around the already existing javelins to make themrger and sharper.


    ¡¯You¡¯ve gained power through amazing tactics, that I¡¯ll admit. But you¡¯ve lost the ability to properly wield and control your power in doing so!¡¯ shouted Lunara. ¡¯Now, move aside and forfeit, or receive my attack and die with pride!¡¯


    Upon stating that, Luanra gave the elders a single moment of pause to decide.


    Many of the frost body¡¯s heads began to shrink down as elders deserted the cause. But two heads roared mightily, swaying a few others to stay. The eight elders whomonly followed the general opinion of the council had managed to escape the battle, but the remaining thirteen elders stood firm in the water with both consuls roaring in encouragement.


    ¡¯So be it!¡¯


    Finally, Lunara unleashed an attack worthy of the icy depths of hell. The slew of icicles came in all shapes and sizes but each icicle came with a razor-thin tip, proving just how meticulously Lunara was controlling both her own attack and the attack that she had taken control over.


    ¡¯Please, stop!¡¯


    Upon hearing that cry, Lunara sighed in relief. Abruptly, just before the storm of ice fell upon the conjoined frost body, all of the icy javelins shattered and fell onto the world below as tiny, glistening ice crystals that melted before reaching the ground. It was both beautiful and unexpected.


    Yet the moment the attack was diverted, the elders¡¯ frost body made their next move. They created a single icy spear, making sure that all thirteen of the remaining elders focused on it to not lose control like what had happened with theirst attack.


    But the moment the attack was thrown, another roar sounded out. ¡¯ENOUGH!¡¯


    That attack was stopped in its tracks but not by the elders. Everyone was stunned to see someone else enter the fray but no one was surprised by who it was.


    Raztol stood between Lunara and the obstinate elders. His frost body was enormous, clearly the strongest single frost body apart from Lunara¡¯s. In his ws was the giant icicle spear the elders had thrown and in his shoulder was the very tip of that spear.


    ¡¯Head Raztol, why--¡¯


    ¡¯I said enough!¡¯ roared Raztol, shattering the icicle with brute strength. ¡¯Wingreig, Hindrad, you¡¯ve lost! Had I not intervened, you could¡¯ve lost your lives. Yet Lunara has proven to be kind and generous, sparing you upon my request. How dare we assume she¡¯s our enemy when she¡¯s proven herself as strong enough to wipe out all of our strongestbatantsbined!?¡¯


    ¡¯But, Head Raztol, if you had--¡¯


    ¡¯IT¡¯S OVER!!! Anyone else who wishes to fight will fight me!¡¯


    The energy of the elders¡¯ frost body immediately began to dwindle. In seconds, the thirteen elders were separated without any signs of wanting to battle. They were still breathing heavily, tired after going through so much energy so quickly against a single opponent. Those thirteen elders all looked to Lunara without a word, secretly admiring her absolute power.


    At the same time, Lunara dropped her frost body and reverted to the size she had shown from the beginning. She was also stumped by Raztol¡¯s interference, mostly by his action to block the petty attack which she could¡¯ve swatted away without a hitch. Mostly, Lunara assumed that it was to prove his ce before the public eye, but she was also impressed that Raztol was able to stop the attack without a grave injury. It proved to Lunara, the elders, and all hydras why he was the hydra head.

 Chapter 666 Settling the Matter

    <h4>Chapter 666 Settling the Matter</h4>


    ¡¯I propose that, for the time being, all guests over lv. 90 are allowed passage and stay within cier Reef, as well as entrance into cier Keep without any enforced conditions by we the cial Hydras. All in favor, make it known!¡¯


    Raztol wasted no time. Since he had earned the spotlight at the moment, he made full use of it to show the public how the Body Council would stand against such overwhelmingly powerful visitors. This got Lunara and Wingreig to smile softly, proving to them what Raztol¡¯s true reason was for stepping in.


    Almost the entire Body Council raised their heads in unison, stretching them to the utmost inplete agreement with the head¡¯s proposal. Only two did not. Hindrad and Artrat. Wingreig was thest to raise his head but he did so with dignity and respect for the Nine-headed cial Hydra sho could no longer deny.


    ¡¯THEN IT¡¯S SETTLED!¡¯ Turning to face Lunara with a smile, Raztol asked, ¡¯How can we prepare for Jack¡¯s arrival with the Flood Dragons?¡¯


    Chuckling to herself, Lunara replied, ¡¯Make sure that no hydra dares attack anyone in that group. Instead, order them to clear a path and escort the group to the reef. Also, know that Jack has tamed the Ancient Crustacean to be one of his manypanions.¡¯


    ¡¯He what?!¡¯ Raztol questioned in shock. ¡¯Well... If he¡¯s as strong as you, I can picture such a possibility.¡¯


    ¡¯Please, allow me to make the arrangements.¡¯


    Both Lunara and Raztol were surprised to see Wingreig approaching them. ¡¯It¡¯s the least I can do after standing in the way of such a powerful being. Allow me to apologize for not believing in your might.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m not offended, so don¡¯t worry about me,¡¯ replied Lunara, astounded to see the change in Wingreig¡¯s attitude.


    Raztol, however, quickly epted Wingreig¡¯s offer. ¡¯Then I¡¯ll leave the matter to you.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll leave right away. There¡¯s no better way to assure their peaceful entrance than to do so myself.¡¯ Wingreig chuckled softly, ¡¯And I¡¯d love to see that arrogant beast tamed as a pet.¡¯


    As Wingreig rushed upward toward the faraway trench entrance, Hindrad also moved toward Lunara and Raztol. But Raztol gave the other consul no chance to speak, ¡¯Your services won¡¯t be needed, Hindrad. Wingreig is more than capable of handling the situation.¡¯


    ¡¯But Head Raztol--¡¯


    ¡¯I said you¡¯re unnecessary, Hindrad. Be d that we don¡¯t have you punished for nearly swaying Lunara¡¯s and Jack¡¯s opinions of our civilization for the worse,¡¯ stated Raztol. ¡¯Now, clear the crowd and have ten rooms prepared within cial Pce for our visitors.¡¯


    ¡¯In cial Pce?! But--¡¯


    ¡¯The fact that you¡¯ve questioned such a trivial thing is proof that your services would only hinder Wingreig should you join him. Now move!¡¯


    Hesitating, Hindrad snarled and rushed back into the cial Pce to offer the bare minimum of what was asked of him.


    Lina was the next to near them but she was all smiles. ¡¯Nice job, Mom!¡¯ The young woman threw her arms around Lunara, happy to see her mother proudly handle the situation.


    ¡¯Are you sure...¡¯ Halfway through his question, Raztol lost his confidence.


    ¡¯Of what?¡¯ asked Lunara.


    Shaking his head, Raztol started tough, ¡¯Nevermind... For now, allow me to show you where you¡¯ll be staying. Knowing Hindrad, I assume he¡¯s getting the rooms ready with precision and haste so that he will no longer be a part of all this.¡¯


    ¡¯And what about Wingreig? You trust him?¡¯


    Raztol nodded. ¡¯Fully. Wingreig may be hard-headed and obstinate, but he¡¯ll do everything he¡¯s promised with the utmost respect and to the fullest of his ability. He¡¯s hard to convince or sway, but once he¡¯s made up his mind then nothing can stop him from doing what he¡¯smitted to.¡¯


    ¡¯Interesting... But doesn¡¯t that also mean he still might bemitted to keeping me here?¡¯ questioned Lunara.


    ¡¯I doubt that, not after losing so profoundly. If anything, I think he now sees you as someone more noteworthy than myself. Convincing him of that would be hard butpletely understandable after the show you put on. And thank you for showing mercy.¡¯


    Smiling rubbing a head into Lina lovingly, Lunara sighed, ¡¯Well... If the hydras lost so many elders, it would be too troublesome. I¡¯d rather get this all over with and be on my way.¡¯


    ¡¯You do realize that countless hydras will now see you as their idol?¡¯ added Raztol. ¡¯After that show, I would be shocked if you had less than one hundred people vying to meet you before dinner. And should you leave us after all this, I¡¯m not sure how everyone would feel...¡¯


    ¡¯You know, we can help others be gods as well...¡¯


    That small statement got Raztol to sharpen his gaze and jumpstarted his mind with amazing thoughts. ¡¯How so?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s actually quite simple... I¡¯d help you right now but I have no need. You¡¯ll have to ask Jack about it once he gets here. Given what¡¯s happened and how you¡¯ve acted during all this, I¡¯m sure Jack would be willing to help you,¡¯ stated Lunara.


    ¡¯And... Do you think he would help Wingreig?¡¯


    ¡¯How are you so sure about him?¡¯ Lunara asked, staring curiously at the hydra head.


    ¡¯Because we¡¯ve been friends since your birth...¡¯ sighed Raztol.


    Unsure how to take that, Lunara asked, ¡¯What do you--¡¯


    ¡¯What I meant to say is that we¡¯ve been friends since before we were elders,¡¯ rephrased Raztol. ¡¯It was through helping each other that we both eventually became consuls, though our views of society began to change after that... But he¡¯s devoted to the people and truly wants what¡¯s best for all hydras. He¡¯s just stubborn and needs a lot of tough love to correct his faults, something you¡¯ve sessfully done today.¡¯


    ¡¯Well... I don¡¯t think it would be impossible to help Wingreig, but I¡¯m unsure if Jack would do it anytime soon,¡¯ answered Lunara.


    ¡¯Anyway, let me show you to the living area within the cial Pce.¡¯ Raztol bowed his head and led the mother and daughter down and through the crowd. His leadership kept the hydras from swarming Lunara in admiration and allowed them to enter cial Pce without fail.

 Chapter 667 Arrival of the Flood Dragons

    <h4>Chapter 667 Arrival of the Flood Dragons</h4>


    ¡¯How much further?¡¯


    ¡¯Calm down, auntie! I¡¯m a man of my word.¡¯


    ¡¯Then stop calling me that!¡¯


    Jackughed as he casually sat atop Jinbe¡¯s head. At first, they were traveling slow until Lunara confirmed that everything was ready. Then, Jinbe proved just how phenomenal his swimming speed was. He was forced to slow down as only Kylon was able to keep up with them.


    ¡¯Here... Are you sure I¡¯ll be fine?¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, Jinbe. Lunara¡¯s has already convinced them to let us in and that included you. As mypanion, you¡¯ll be allowed to go anywhere in the world or even beyond the world!¡¯ughed the hero.


    ¡¯Beyond... What do you mean?¡¯ Jinbe asked.


    Shaking his head, Jack replied, ¡¯I¡¯ll exin thatter. Just know that you¡¯ll be fine going anywhere from now on. And after you ascend, we¡¯ll help you learn to breathe outside of water.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... possible? I¡¯m quite curious...¡¯ Though they had just met, Jinbe already trusted Jack. With Jack¡¯s solo appearance proving to be enough deterrent against so many Flood Dragons, how could Jinbe not trust Jack¡¯s ims?


    Like Jinbe had stated, the group finally reached the correct trench. And to Jack¡¯s surprise, they were greeted by a familiar and strangely friendly face.


    ¡¯Wee.¡¯ Wingreig bowed his head to Jack and the many Flood Dragons epassed in Jack¡¯s soft light. ¡¯As Jack already knows, my name is Wingreig. Allow me to lead the way from here. And you... It would seem that you¡¯re not almighty after all, are you?¡¯


    ¡¯Hmmm... Just lead the way...¡¯ groaned Jinbe, annoyed at the hydra¡¯s words.


    As they entered the trench, Kylon and the Flood Dragons soon started to notice the difference between this trench and the others. They were speeding through the trench but they had enough time to see the incredible nt life and sense the dropping temperature. Jinbe was even more astounded by the sight, startled by how the hydras had changed the trench¡¯s entire ecosystem to work for them.


    There were no more questions, not until the reef finally came into view. Then, all Flood Dragons and Jinbe were in awe. They were speechless and unable to share their questions without momentarily fumbling their thoughts.


    Kylon was the first to speak while shaking her head. She softly stated, ¡¯Such beauty... incredible.¡¯


    ¡¯And you wanted to destroy this ce...¡¯ mentioned Jack, catching the attention of all the flood dragons. ¡¯If you think about it, didn¡¯t you Flood Dragons do something simr to the underwater caves of Kustram?¡¯


    Again, the dragons remained silent. All of those present were among the few that had been away on assignments when Kustram was destroyed. Sure, they had rebuilt a new underwater society but it wasn¡¯t like it was before. Experiencing the beauty and diversity of cier Reef with their own eyes, it was impossible for them to not feel at least a morsel of rtability to the cial Hydras.


    Once they reached the well-lit, open waters over cier Reef, the group was then weed by more hydras with Raztol at the lead and Lunara behind him with Lina on her back.


    ¡¯We wee the Flood Dragons to our humble home,¡¯ stated Raztol with a bow. ¡¯I¡¯m Head Raztol, the hydra chosen to lead my people. Which of you is Kylon?¡¯


    ¡¯That would be me...¡¯ The Storm Goddess came forward, now beside Jack and Jinbe.


    A few elders came forward also, extending mouthfuls of various floras and faunas. Raztol mentioned, ¡¯Lunara informed us of what happened to your home. Please, ept these as an offering. We wish that you and the Flood Dragons will manage to create an even more lively and beautiful home than ever before.¡¯


    ¡¯Th-thank you...¡¯ Touched, Kylon was caught off guard by the offer. She inspected the various bioluminescent nts, noticing the great variety among them. As Kylon stored all the offerings to the shock of the hydras that knew nothing of storages, Kylon tenderly nced at Lunara and bowed her head. ¡¯Thank you... Lunara.¡¯


    ¡¯Kylon, this is nothingpared to what you¡¯ve done for me. You¡¯re wee to take as many nts as you need. There are more than enough to go around,¡¯ insisted Lunara.


    ¡¯That... Thank you...¡¯


    The other Flood Dragons all bowed their heads as well, sure that their mistress would ask them to do so. But they too were touched and short of words, epting the gift in the manner they were most ustomed. ¡¯Thank you, Mistress Lunara...¡¯


    Laughing, Lunara looked around at the other dragons. ¡¯You still dare call me that? Are you saying that because you mean it or only because Halmut can¡¯t spy on you down here?¡¯


    ¡¯Lunara... really... Thank you.¡¯ Kylon slowly moved forward, as did Lunara, until they met in the middle and leaned onto one another in a makeshift embrace. ¡¯This... This means a lot to us...¡¯


    ¡¯I know. That¡¯s why you should take all that you need without worry,¡¯ chuckled the Hydra Goddess.


    Raztol spoke up again, reaffirming Lunara¡¯s offer, ¡¯Take all that you need! Even if it cuts into our supply more than expected, we have more than enough already and can make do with a controlled shortage without worry.¡¯


    ¡¯Head Raztol is correct,¡¯ reaffirmed Wingreig, who moved to Raztol¡¯s side. ¡¯Take what you need. To have you as powerful allies, it would be a wonderful thing for our people and yours, I believe.¡¯


    ¡¯So, now that you¡¯ve had your reunion, shall we check out our rooms?¡¯ asked Jack, pushing the conversation along.


    But Kylon then shook her head and sighed. She backed up from Lunara and looked at Raztol with a neutral face. ¡¯Where¡¯s cier Keep?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s below the reef,¡¯ answered Head Raztol. ¡¯After some rest, we¡¯ll escort you there personally. Please, allow us to share a feast with--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry to return your kindness with rudeness, but may we please see cier Keep first? We¡¯ll stay at its entrance, so there¡¯s no need to have rooms prepared for us,¡¯ reasoned Kylon.


    Sensing the unusual tone in her voice, Lunara began to understand the situation a bit more. ¡¯Then how about we all go see it?¡¯

 Chapter 668 True Purpose of Protecting Glacier Keep

    <h4>Chapter 668 True Purpose of Protecting cier Keep</h4>


    ¡¯Then how about we all go see it?¡¯


    Jack sighed, ¡¯I guess that works... But I still want a room for myself and so will Lunara. Raztol, would you mind?¡¯


    Shaking his head, Raztol smiled and nced at Wingreig. ¡¯I think it¡¯ll be fine.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll lead the way.¡¯ Wingreig took the lead and the group parted from the other hydra elders.


    Eight Flood Dragons, one Mantis Leviathan, one Nine-headed cial Hydra, and two humans followed the hydra head and hydra consul as they moved toward the cial Pce. However, they didn¡¯t enter the building. They wrapped around to the side opposite the building¡¯s entrance until they reached a well-guarded opening in the reef itself.


    With Wingreig and Raztol leading the way, the guards didn¡¯t dare say a word as they moved aside for the group to freely pass.


    The entrance wasrge enough for three hydras to enter at once but the passage quickly opened up and allowed for everyone to travel without congestion. There were little to no twists or turns as the tunnel led them down through the core of cier Reef. Soon, they noticed the passage narrow and return to the size of its entrance.


    ¡¯Here it is!¡¯ Wingreig proudly shouted.


    The tunnel made a ny-degree turn and allowed the group to see an opening covered in illusory energy. As everyone swam through the opening, they were in awe of what they found. To the utter shock of everyone, they found themselves in a vast opening that acted as an oasis nearly eleven thousand meters below the surface in a bubble of air.


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯


    Immediately, Jinbe crashed onto the ground as he found himself unable to breathe. In response, Jack hopped off Jinbe¡¯s back and gave him a forceful shove with energy coated hands. The massive Mantis Leviathan was pushed back toward the entrance and exit, sessfully getting half of his body into the water. Jinbe then backed up and kept his entire body submerged in the passageway while leaving his head poking through the illusory energy.


    Everyone else was perfectly fine in the air-filled space, though they were all in awe that such an oasis existed in the world¡¯s most remote location.


    Jack, now calmed down over Jinbe¡¯s breathing problem, scanned over the area to take in the spectacr scenery.


    It was an enormous open area,rger than the entirety of the cial Pce. Wooded areas were scattered around a giantke of crystal clear water with a sandy shore all around. There, Jack spotted the entrance that all the gods were vying to enter.


    ¡¯This is cier Keep,¡¯ announced Raztol. ¡¯We hydras see it as the most sacred ce. Though you may question the elder¡¯s monopoly of the ce, you¡¯re able to see it in such a state due to the care we provide. What do you think, Lunara? Compared to your sole visit as a youth long ago, how does is it today?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s... It¡¯s greener and the water is even more clear...¡¯ sighed Lunara, at a loss for words.


    Wingreig spoke up and continued where Raztol left off, ¡¯It¡¯s through our hold of cier Keep that it¡¯s been able to grow so beautiful. Though we¡¯ve never been able to enter that iced over door beneath theke, the abundant mana alone is enough for us to treat this as our holy ground.¡¯


    Turning to Kylon and then to Jack, Wingreig bowed formally and begged, ¡¯Please, bring no harm to the bnced beauty of this ce. I have no capability to stop you, something I forcibly learned from Lunara, but I implore you to treat this ce with sacred respect.¡¯


    ¡¯You have my word,¡¯ stated Jack. ¡¯Kylon?¡¯


    Nodding, Kylon responded, ¡¯Yes... We too will treat this ce with care. Do you mind if we partake of the fruit here?¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, but please be courteous and only take a fair share. There¡¯s plenty to feed dozens of hydras or any creature for a few nights, but I selfishly ask that you only take what you¡¯ll eat while here and nothing more,¡¯ begged Raztol, also bowing. ¡¯Lunara can testify of this. Any fruit picked here will spoil within hours, no matter what methods are used for preservation.¡¯


    ¡¯Really? Then, what effect does this fruit have on those that eat it?¡¯ asked Jack, asking the question on everyone¡¯s mind.


    Wingreig lifted his head and sighed before answering, ¡¯We¡¯ve noticed that it aids in the purifying of one¡¯s energies. Partaking of these fruits allows us to condense and strengthen the energy we wield.¡¯


    ¡¯And that¡¯s why you¡¯rebined attack was so fearsome...¡¯ Lunara shook her head, thinking back to her duel with the hydra elders, catching Kylon off guard.


    ¡¯Yes, that¡¯s why us elders have managed to be much strongerpared to other lv. 89 hydras,¡¯ stated Wingreig. ¡¯But this effect isn¡¯t infinite. It¡¯s best to consume the fruits over a period of time in smaller doses for the greatest effect. The most streamlined schedule we¡¯ve discovered to be effective is to consume fifteen fruits a day for a full month. Three-headed hydras would need to consume twenty a day for the same effect. After that, consuming any more fruit would only be for the sake of vor and nothing more. Hence the restrictions ced on even elders, only allowing them enough fruit for purification and nothing more.¡¯


    ¡¯And this is the real reason you were against using to cier Keep?¡¯


    Nodding to Jack, Wingreig replied, ¡¯That¡¯s correct. I understand that cier Keep should hold a trove of wealth and treasure beyond myprehension. But I also understand that such treasures are deserved by those able to extract them.


    ¡¯My greatest worry is what would happen to these trees... Should they be spoiled, ruined, or tarnished then I¡¯m not sure what we elders can do to replenish them.¡¯


    ¡¯We¡¯ll care for them as they should be,¡¯ Lunara proudly stated. ¡¯Thank you for trusting us with their care while we¡¯re here.¡¯


    ¡¯We have no other choice,¡¯ stated Wingreig, sighing and shrugging.

 Chapter 669 Sacred Fruits

    <h4>Chapter 669 Sacred Fruits</h4>


    ¡¯So... you¡¯ve never managed to break through that ice?¡¯ asked Jack, staring curiously at the iced-over, ck roxite door at the bottom of the crystal clearke.


    Both Raztol and Wingreig shook their heads. The hydra head stated, ¡¯Even when all elders, including myself,bined our strength to assault the icy barrier we failed to make a scratch.¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s... incredible...¡¯ Lunara sighed, imagining the amount of force the hydras could¡¯ve created.


    Noticing the wonder in Lunara¡¯s eyes, Kylon asked, ¡¯What do you mean bybined strength?¡¯


    ¡¯I guess a demonstration wouldn¡¯t hurt...¡¯ chuckled Raztol, ncing at Wingreig. ¡¯Would you mind?¡¯


    ¡¯Of course not.¡¯


    Frosty energy instantly gathered around the two veteran hydras and they dashed into each other. They stunned most everyone as they merged into arger, two-headed hydra body. Lunara was also taken aback by their frost body¡¯s size, assuming it was muchrger than expected due to Raztol being a factor and not just Wingreig.


    The frost body then dove into theke and rushed the ice over the door. With all their might, they turned themself into a herculean javelin of ice intent on destroying the world.


    As the attack was repelled without causing a single scratch on the barrier, all present were in awe of the attack itself. All deities present understood one thing. Thatbined attack would be able to match that of a low-level deity despite theck of divine energy. However, the energy the hydra veterans emitted was the purest and condensed energy they had ever felt from a mortal, only a step away from being divine.


    Both hydras then jumped out of the water and separated with a heartyugh.


    ¡¯It¡¯s been a while...¡¯


    ¡¯Wingreig, you¡¯ve still got it.¡¯


    ¡¯And you... You¡¯re stronger than ever you old coot.¡¯


    ¡¯Excuse me, but can I ask onest thing?¡¯ Jack interrupted the banter of the old men. ¡¯Do you understand the energies that fill this ce?¡¯


    Raztol sighed and shook his head. ¡¯Not fully. We understand that water energy is the densest herepared to anywhere within the deep sea but we know that there are other energies present despite being unable to identify them clearly.¡¯


    ¡¯Ok... I should also warn you that gods visiting this ce will likely be amon urrence, especially given the effect of those fruits.¡¯


    ¡¯We know...¡¯ answered Wingreig. ¡¯But since you¡¯ve alreadye and learned of their existence, we hope that you¡¯re willing to share with us as we care for the trees and this sacred ground. Given your temperament, if we didn¡¯t simply allow your entry, wouldn¡¯t you just seize this ce by force?¡¯


    ¡¯Better to share and maintain a piece of the treasure than to lose it all... a fair mindset to have,¡¯ admitted Jack. ¡¯In that case, I think I¡¯ll take my first share of the fruits before heading back to the pce.¡¯


    Jack was the first to pluck one of the fruits off of the trees. It was pure white in color and had a fuzzy peal like a peach yet it had a shape and size reminiscent of an orange. Taking the first bite, Jack found himself unable to fully chew the fruit as his entire body was overwhelmed with numbing overstimtion.


    The others followed Jack¡¯s example and partook of the fruit, finding themselves experiencing the same thing.


    Eventually, Jack¡¯s body began to slowly chew through instinct and finish the bite. It gave Jack better control of his body but he could also feel an immediate effect taking ce inside his body. ¡¯I¡¯m... more receptive to energy as well?¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s correct.¡¯ Wingreig and Raztol watched the others taste the fruit as the hydra consul exined, ¡¯The most prominent effects we¡¯ve seen from the fruit is a purification of our energies and then an increase in our abilities to gather new energy. Aside from that, it¡¯s merely a delectable fruit.¡¯


    ¡¯And it has no more effect on you?¡¯


    Wingreig shook his head. ¡¯No. All current elders are no longer allowed to consume the fruit as it no longer has any effects on us.¡¯


    ¡¯Interesting...¡¯ Jack put his mind to work, grinding away in silence as he tried to understand the true purpose of the fruit and why Daruun cultivated them outside of cier Keep of all ces.


    Soon, Jack resumed eating his share of the fruits as everyone else did the same. He was thest to finish thanks to his moment of pause and thought but that didn¡¯t matter to him in the slightest.


    ¡¯Very well... Then let¡¯s head back to our rooms.¡¯ After picking another twenty off the tree, Jack neared the exit and smiled at Jinbe. ¡¯Open wide!¡¯


    The Mantis Leviathan greedily opened his mouth as Jack hurled the twenty fruits directly into the beast¡¯s maw. Jinbe then experienced the epitome of bliss as he ate his share in a single moment and not over the span of a few minutes.


    As Jack hopped onto Jinbe¡¯s head he asked, ¡¯Do these fruits have a name?¡¯


    ¡¯No. We¡¯ve only regarded them as the sacred fruits,¡¯ answered Raztol.


    ¡¯Okay... sacred fruits... Auntie Kylon, can we trust you--¡¯


    ¡¯Of course!¡¯ Kylon shouted. ¡¯We respect such treasures of nature, understanding what it¡¯s like to lose such things. And don¡¯t call me that!¡¯


    ¡¯Then we¡¯ll see you tomorrow!¡¯


    Jack and Jinbe were the first to leave while Lunara and Lina began to trot toward the exit along with Raztol and Wingreig. ¡¯Thank you for understanding, Kylon. It means a lot to me.¡¯


    ¡¯Of course... Lunara...¡¯


    All hydras then left, leaving the eight Flood Dragons alone outside of cier Keep. At this moment, most of the dragons no longer hid their conflicted feelings from one another.


    ¡¯Give me some space...¡¯ Kylon sighed, walking slowly to the opposite shore of theke.


    Once there, a nervous, sorrowful frown crept onto Kylon¡¯s face. She cast silence and took out a contact crystal. After a few minutes, Kylon forced herself to speak, "Halmut... Are you--"


    "Finally!" roared the Sun Dragon. "Have you reached cier Reef? How many hydras are there and how many managed to get away?"

 Chapter 670 Kylons Misleading Repor

    <h4>Chapter 670 Kylon¡°s Misleading Repor</h4>


    "Halmut..." Kylon sighed, trying to think of how to best handle the situation. "We¡¯ve located cier Reef but only with Jack¡¯s help."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Jack located us and guided us into cier Reef. He and Lunara found this ce first. They used the life of one of our own to push for a ceasefire."


    Halmut paused and then asked, "How many do they have?"


    "... I¡¯ve only seen Jack and Lunara," answered Kylon.


    "Then we¡¯ll--"


    "Halmut, I¡¯ve agreed to a ceasefire already. I don¡¯t go back on my word!"


    "Kylon, this is--"


    "Halmut!" Kylon shouted as her body tensed up in passion. "This ce is beyond beautiful, even iparable to other parts of the world. Violence to the degree of godly warfare will destroy such a delicate ce. The ceasefire is only for a single day, so--"


    "But you should¡¯ve contacted me before agreeing! A single god can be revived, Kylon. You know that!" reasoned Halmut.


    "Either way, we¡¯ve already made the agreement and the hydras have allowed us to stay outside of cier Keep without any struggle."


    "You¡¯re there now?"


    "... Yes... We¡¯re close enough to see the sealed entrance of cier Keep and will be camping out here till it opens," replied Kylon.


    "Good... Good job, Kylon," Halmut sighed, calming his voice. "So, tell me about the hydra civilization. How many hydras are there, roughly?"


    "At least a hundred... possibly two hundred."


    "That many?!" Halmut shouted in surprise. "Then we must--"


    "Halmut, the hydra civilization is included in the ceasefire. If we dare attack them, then--"


    "Then the leisure gods will attack in defense and break the ceasefire themselves. What¡¯s wrong with that?" questioned Halmut.


    Kylon sighed, "I¡¯ve already formed the agreement... I¡¯m not going back on my word, Halmut. You know that!"


    "I get it, I get it... You don¡¯t want to hurt Lunara¡¯s people."


    "Halmut, I--"


    "Just wait there till the keep opens."


    The conversation was immediately cut off, leaving Kylon with a terrible taste in her mouth.


    *****


    "Torian, Grixor, Tralbok, get here now!"


    Halmut¡¯s roar filled Olympic Chateau. He sat back in his chair overlooking the giant viewing table. The unrest on his face was obvious to everyone, hence everyone leaving Halmut alone in the conference room unless called.


    The three gods entered the room from different sides and found Halmut staring at the pitch-ck viewing table. Tralbokmented, "So, it¡¯s too far away?"


    Nodding, Halmut turned his attention to the three men. "Gather all the gods. You¡¯ll be leaving immediately."


    "All the gods?" asked Torian.


    "Yes, including the guards at Kylon¡¯s Pce. Without them, having five teams enter the keep will be impossible," stated Halmut. "Kylon¡¯s feelings havepromised her role as a leader during this endeavor. You¡¯re to take over and begin the strike against the hydras. Attack hard and fast before the leisure gods can intercept you. Once they arrive, retreat to the keep and wait till it¡¯s unsealed."


    Sensing the coldness in Halmut¡¯s tone, Torian questioned, "And what about Kylon? I assume she would be against this, which would influence the other Flood Dragons as well."


    "Grixor will hold her down. As for the other Flood Dragons... I guess I¡¯ll contact them individually so that they¡¯ll understand where their true allegiances lie."


    "Very well." Tralbok bowed and left first, hurrying to find Alcahain and Sillo.


    When Torian and Grixor left, Halmut was left with a smug frown. He felt capable yet incapable. His mind was more tumultuous than ever before while he felt so closer than ever to his goal. Halmut mumbled, "It¡¯s almost time... soon, after cier Keep... We¡¯ll leave... We¡¯ll finally leave..."


    *****


    Time passed rtively slowly for Jack.


    After returning to cial Pce, Jack made use of his room¡¯s dedicated bathhouse. It was small but only by the standards of cial Hydras. For Jack, the "small", private bathhouse was more than enough space to lounge and rx. By heating the bath himself, Jack let his mind drift and calm itself down over time.


    Soon, a knock was heard at his door, followed by a telepathic message. ¡¯Can wee in?¡¯


    ¡¯Let me get dressed...¡¯ Jack sighed, stretching as he emerged from the tranquil bathwater. The hero dried himself off and turned his cloak into a cozy bathrobe. ¡¯Alright,e on in.¡¯


    Lunara used her control of ice to unlock the door, making a loud clicking sound for the entire room to hear. She and Lina then entered to find Jack lounging on afortable couch that resembled the one in Raztol¡¯s banquet room.


    As Lina jumped on to the sofa beside Jack, Lunara reverted to human form and locked the door behind her. She then sat on the other side of Jack with a worried face.


    Jack smiled and sighed, ¡¯So... what¡¯s got you so down?¡¯


    ¡¯I think...¡¯


    ¡¯You think Halmut will still mount an attack against the hydras?¡¯


    Lunara nodded. ¡¯Yes... I doubt he would let them off despite a promise that Kylon made without his concession.¡¯


    ¡¯I know. I¡¯m thinking the same thing,¡¯ Jack stated with a chuckle.


    ¡¯See, Mom! Jack¡¯s got a n!¡¯ stated Lina, who had been trying to cheer up Lunara for quite a while now.


    d to see that Jack was aware of the threat Lunara asked, ¡¯Then, what are we going to do about it?¡¯


    ¡¯For now? Nothing.¡¯


    ¡¯But Jack--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already got eyes and ears on Kylon and cier Keep. The moment the door opens or they try something, we can act then. For now, why not rx for once?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯


    A knock suddenly came from the door and Jack happily shouted, ¡¯Bring it in!¡¯


    The door was then unlocked with that same clicking sound to rm the room of the door being unlocked. A giant, trolly of food was pushed into the room as the servant bowed and left, locking the door again.


    ¡¯Why so much?¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, I thought you mighte and visit. Better to be prepared than to go hungry, right?¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯Let¡¯s enjoy!¡¯


    Both Jack and Lina pounced on the food trolly, filling their tters with an array of different underwater dishes. Their actions finally convinced Lunara to rx a little and join in the meal.

 Chapter 671 Jack Got Caught...

    <h4>Chapter 671 Jack Got Caught...</h4>


    After some time passed and Lunara was finally letting go of more stress, another knock came from the door but Jack didn¡¯t immediately let them in.


    ¡¯Who is it?¡¯ Jack sent out a general telepathic message, like sending a chat for the world to see.


    ¡¯May Ie in?¡¯


    Recognizing the voice, Jack chuckled, ¡¯Hurry up while there¡¯s still food!¡¯


    Raztol then entered the private abode and bowed before saying a word. ¡¯Please, let me thank you for protecting my people.¡¯


    ¡¯There¡¯s no need to--¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, I must do this,¡¯ insisted Raztol, keeping his head and torso bowed. ¡¯With humility, please ept my gratitude as the hydra head for the security and peace you¡¯ve allowed my people to maintain during the visit of deities. It is something that we could never aplish while so many deities have arrived to possibly threaten our existence.¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, did you get him worried too?¡¯ Jack asked.


    Raztol continued, ¡¯No, I¡¯m doing this of my own ord. If there is anything that I can offer you in return for your aid, please make it known. No matter the cost, I must thank you for keeping my people safe.¡¯


    ¡¯Hurry up and grab a tter!¡¯ shouted Jack. ¡¯If you don¡¯t join us for some food, then I¡¯ll kick you out.¡¯


    ¡¯... Very well...¡¯ Sighing, Raztol sat on the opposite couch as the only one in hydra form. Despite his size, he began to carefully select small portions of a few dishes.


    ¡¯That¡¯s it?¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯I¡¯m a human and I eat more than that. Come on! Fill up! If you¡¯re so happy about peace at the moment, then be happy and enjoy the moment!¡¯


    Taking that to heart, Raztol chuckled and allowed himself to indulge in his hunger.


    ¡¯Hey Mom, did you know we¡¯re friends now, me and Raztol?¡¯


    Looking at her daughter, Lunara was surprised. ¡¯Really? And why¡¯s that?¡¯


    ¡¯When you challenged the elders, Raztol kept everyone from trying to bother me and crowd around me,¡¯ replied Lina. ¡¯He may be old but he¡¯s a good guy.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Raztol. I appreciate you helping Lina like that.¡¯


    ¡¯N-no, Lunara, there¡¯s no need to thank me for that,¡¯ Raztol nearly stammered. ¡¯Why wouldn¡¯t I care for her as such?¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯


    Realizing what he had said, Raztol backtracked, ¡¯Well... as the hydra head how could I allow Lina to be mistreated? She may be hiding it, but she¡¯s still a hydra, after all.¡¯


    Sensing the strange tension of the room, Jack wanted to know more. While Lina was distracted with food and Lunara was busy either chewing or conversing with Raztol, he saw an opportunity.


    Silently, white illusory energy zed over Jack¡¯s eyes. He inspected Raztol closely for only a moment but nearly dropped his jaw on the floor as a result. Forgetting to disband the energy in his eyes, Jack was motionless as he stared and blinked at Raztol.


    ¡¯Jack? What are you doing?¡¯


    Immediately releasing the spell, Jack coughed and stuffed his mouth with some fish meat. ¡¯Hmm? What do you mean, Mom?¡¯


    ¡¯Jack...¡¯ Lunara lifted one eyebrow and tilted her head. Staring at Jack like any mother would to a guilty toddler, Lunara asked, ¡¯That energy in your eyes... Was that Eedaj¡¯s spell?¡¯


    ¡¯Umm... maybe.¡¯


    ¡¯Since when did you have that? With that, you wouldn¡¯t need to wait for me to share my memories. So why use it now?¡¯


    ¡¯Excuse me, what¡¯s going on?¡¯ Raztol asked, trying to understand the sudden development.


    Caught redhanded, Jack shrugged. ¡¯It¡¯s nothing, really. I recently learned a skill that lets me read people¡¯s minds, that¡¯s all.¡¯


    The hydra head¡¯s smile vanished into thin air. ¡¯Read... minds?¡¯


    ¡¯Yup... Sorry, but I couldn¡¯t help myself,¡¯ Jack nervously chuckled and scratched his head. ¡¯I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d get caught, so I thought it wouldn¡¯t cause any harm if no one knew better.¡¯


    ¡¯At least ask beforehand, Jack. You know that...¡¯ scolded Lunara. ¡¯Can¡¯t you at least apologize properly?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes, Mom...¡¯ Standing up, Jack bowed to the nervous hydra head. ¡¯I¡¯m sorry for reading your mind, Head Raztol.¡¯


    ¡¯I get it... But please keep my thoughts to yourself, Jack... Please...¡¯


    ¡¯That¡¯s fine. But maybe we can talk sometimeter when we¡¯re alone. Is that alright?¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, of course... Anyway, I should get going. There¡¯s still something I must do before I retire for some rest,¡¯ stated Raztol, getting off the couch. ¡¯After I finish with my errand, I¡¯ll return to--¡¯


    ¡¯Wait... We should head to cier Keep first.¡¯ Jack rushed to the door and unlocked it. Holding it open for everyone, Jack waved his arm to get the others moving. ¡¯Come on! They¡¯re finally making a move!¡¯


    *****


    The Flood Dragons were curled up and resting their heads on their tails. Kylon was the only one fully alert of their surroundings as her mind was a jumbled, restless mess. Having a nightmare now of all times would only make her shaky mental state worse, so Kylon decided not to rest until after exploring cier Keep. Otherwise, her conflicting feelings and orders would leave Kylon unable to lead her fellow Flood Dragons and gods.


    Suddenly, Kylon¡¯s head jolted from side to side. Bright shes of purple light dotted the area as one figure after another teleported into the entrance of cier Keep.


    Disappointed and worried, Kylon shouted, "What¡¯s going on--"


    A hand reached out and covered Kylon¡¯s mouth. The same person pulled Kylon¡¯s arms and locked them behind her back while forcing her chest into the ground. Kylon¡¯s legs were then pinned by a strong, heavy tail.


    Biting the hand, Kylon shouted, "Grixor! What are you doing?!"


    "I¡¯m sorry Kylon, but he¡¯s just following orders," Troian spoke loudly, turning to the agitated Flood Dragons. "Don¡¯t worry, Kylon won¡¯t be harmed. We¡¯re only making sure she won¡¯t get in the way of our orders. Look, your fellow Flood Dragons are also cooperating."


    Those irritated dragons then noticed the three Flood Dragon¡¯s usually assigned to guard Kylon¡¯s Pce. Seeing those three Flood Dragons nod and look away from Kylon in silence, those that had been waiting at the keep were speechless and confused.

 Chapter 672 Are you sure you want to do that?

    <h4>Chapter 672 Are you sure you want to do that?</h4>


    "They¡¯re following orders. Remember, we¡¯re under Halmut, not the lead dragon of our race," Torian stated with a straight face and empty eyes. "Trust me, it will be best that you follow orders like them and then rejoin Kylon after the fact."


    "Torian... What are your orders?" questioned Kylon, perplexed as to how Halmut managed to sway the three Flood Gods to not side with her.


    "... We¡¯re to continue the attack, just as we had nned."


    "But--"


    "That¡¯s why you won¡¯t join the fight, Kylon," reasoned Tralbok. "So long as you and those seven don¡¯t join the fray, then you¡¯re not breaking your word. Just stay here with Grixor and his two underlings while we take care of business."


    Torn, Kylon opened her mouth to shout, "This--"


    "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    A strange voice suddenly emerged from out of thin air, putting everyone on edge. All gods present armed themselves and prepared to strike but they saw no signs of another life form nearby.


    "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    The same voice repeated itself, now echoing slowly for them all to hear and getting the newer gods to tense up.


    "Show yourself, coward!" Tralbok shouted with wind des at the ready.


    Next, the voiceughed, "Coming from Halmut¡¯s voluntaryp dog, that means nothing..."


    "You!"


    "Now, are you sure you want to do that?"


    That voice was strangely familiar yet unfamiliar. The legendary gods all thought the same thing, that the voice was being altered with magic.


    "Are you sure you want to do that?" This time, the voice came from a clear direction. Everyone looked toward the exit covered in energy, spotting an illusory figure bing visible. The sight startled some and riled up others even further.


    "You dare threaten us!" Tyres shouted, leaping into action without hesitation. Lightning and wind poured over him as the Sword God charged one of the men he most despised due to recent events.


    The man in a roxite helmet showed no emotion as he retrieved his rapier in silence. At that moment, the cooler-headed gods noticed that something was different. Tyres also noticed as he was a swordsman and could recognize the change in the wretched rapier he hated.


    But then, the man vanished. Spatial energy covered him and seemingly shrunk him down until he was nonexistent. He then reappeared and was only caught by the muffled cry of a Quake Dragon God skewered through the throat. As the helmed swordsman retracted the de, that was when the gods all recognized the strange feeling they had felt.


    They originally thought it was merely the swordsman¡¯s new divine energy and weapon that was somehow, inexplicably upgraded. But seeing darkness oozing out of the Quake Dragon¡¯s fatal wound sent chills down their spines.


    "Remember, as an ancient hero he has ess to the same spells that many of us wield," Torian shouted, trying to calm everyone¡¯s mind before they hesitated or flinched. "It makes sense for him to wield four magic types if Jack can wield them all."


    "Right..." Tralbok sighed, regaining full control of his mind.


    Tyres said nothing, sharpening his gaze while focusing his fury to the point of being calm yet ultimately aware. Alcahain and the others present did the same.


    The swordsman blinked away to reappear in front of the entrance again, a dozen meters away from the halted Sword God. Holding his rapier forward with no emotion, the man asked, "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    Not another word was said. Even Kylon, still braced against the ground, was speechless at the sight with conflicting emotions turbulent inside her.


    Gradually swaying his head from one side to the other, the swordsman repeated, "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    After a couple more seconds of thought and nning, Torian roared, "Get--"


    The moment sound left Torian¡¯s windpipe, the swordsman made his nest move. However, it didn¡¯t involve spatial energy, or wind and lightning energies for that matter.


    An eruption of darkness burst out of the helmed swordsman. Before Torian could finish his first word, everyone there was already being engulfed inplete darkness and the swordsman was nowhere to be found.


    "Sillo!"


    Upon hearing Torian¡¯s shout, the lone Mage God shrouded his surroundings in holy light. Now, a bubble of holy light grew and enveloped all of the legendary gods. But Sillo was dumbfounded to see that his holy light was unable to erase any more darkness. They could now see each other but a pitch-ck quilt of darkness was still surrounding his abundant holy light.


    Seeing the startlement in Sillo¡¯s face, Torian crept closer to the Mage God. "What¡¯s wrong?"


    "This..." Sillo paused and swallowed the saliva lodged in his throat. As everyone got closer to him as the light source, Sillo stated, "This is Universe of Shadows..."


    "Impossible!?" Tralbok barked.


    "You know better, Tralbok! You know I¡¯m right!"


    "Calm down!" ordered Torian, ring angrily at the jumpy God of Time. "Like I said, as an ancient hero, he has ess to ancient spells like us. It makes sense for him to have something like this. All we need to do is overwhelm it, which is easy with all of us."


    "Are you sure you want to do that?" the swordsman asked again, still out of sight.


    "Would you rather release us? I¡¯m sure Halmut could--"


    "Nopdog is allowed to speak to me."


    "You--"


    "Aaaahhhhhhh..."


    As Grixor groaned, everyone was startled again.


    "I¡¯m fine, don¡¯t worry about me," stated Grixor, cing a hand over his bleeding shoulder. "He barely pierced me, so it¡¯s just a scratch."


    "Grixor..." Torian was startled, not hiding the amazement on his face. The Thundering God nced and noticed that Grixor was pushed back and Kylon was now free but still in shock. "Grixor... With a rapier, if he can puncture you, that means he can run you through..."


    The thought left the gods trembling with chills. Grixor was speechless, struggling to think of a counter-argument to no avail.


    "Let¡¯s hurry up and break through the spell!" shouted Tralbok, gathering wind energy like there was no tomorrow.


    "Are you sure you want to do that?"

 Chapter 673 Trying to Reach an Agreemen

    <h4>Chapter 673 Trying to Reach an Agreemen</h4>


    "Are you sure you want to do that?"


    Just when the legendary gods began to gather energy to shatter the dark, illusory spell they were trapped in, the darkness began to hastily dissipate.


    "No, no! You¡¯re supposed to say, ¡¯Are you sure about that¡¯!?" shouted a new yet familiar voice without any distortion.


    "Right... Sorry for ruining that," chuckled the warped voice.


    The legendary gods found themselves back where they once were, just outside of cier Keep¡¯s entrance. However, there were now two more people standing beside the rapier-wielding swordsman.


    Assuming a portion of control over the situation, Jack sighed, "Oh well... No use in crying over spilled milk or wasted memes... I assume you all have had your fun?"


    Sensing the yful yet condescending tone, Torian squinted at Jack. "So you¡¯ve made him a god, big deal. What¡¯s stopping us from--"


    "Us four."


    "... Four?"


    Right on cue, another figure appeared in a subtle blink of spatial energy. All at once, a majority of the legendary gods let loose sighs of difort.


    "Did I miss the fun?" Moranti jovially asked, wearing an enchanted wetsuit under the new legendary cloak Jack had gifted him.


    Jack chuckled, "Of course not, but we did have to stop our friend from scaring them too badly. If not, who knows how many of them would be left for us to y with."


    "Great!"


    Lunara sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Men... Can¡¯t we just get this over with?"


    "Sorry, Mom, I got carried away." Showing a more serious face, Jack met Torian¡¯s gaze. "So, we¡¯ve got about a day till the keep opens yet everyone was in such a rush to get here. I¡¯m sorry to break it to you, but we don¡¯t have enough rooms prepared for you all with such short notice. But I think there¡¯s plenty of room at the stables where they keep--"


    "Enough nonsense!" Tralbok shouted. "Tell me, why shouldn¡¯t we take our time enjoying your demise here and now?"


    "Someone¡¯s getting excited prematurely... I¡¯d ask if that¡¯s how you always were but you don¡¯t have a woman to confirm the truth."


    "You--"


    "Jack, state your purpose before we spill blood," Torian interjected.


    Shrugging and looking away from Tralbok, Jack replied, "Why don¡¯t we have a ceasefire like Kylon promised? That way, we aren¡¯t bothered by you and you remain alive to enter cier Keep. Sounds logical, doesn¡¯t it?"


    "And why should we ept that logic when we outnumber you, even after you call upon those hiding back in Trodar?"


    Moranti answered with a wide grin, "Do you think your faction was the only one that got stronger these past few days? Or do you need another deserter to leave you for that to sink in?"


    "I believe a ceasefire would be best."


    "And I second that..."


    Torian had opened his mouth but stopped himself from speaking after Grixor supported Kylon¡¯s im, caught off guard. Sensing his old friend¡¯s mood, Torian clicked his tongue and began to rethink things.


    "We¡¯re out of range of the viewing table, right? So what are you so worried about?" asked Jack.


    Of all the legendary gods, those that were most tense were the three Flood Dragon gods that had arrived alongside thest batch of gods. They were almost shaking but didn¡¯t appear to be fearful of Jack¡¯s party. If anything, their faces seemed riddled with emotions of sadness or loneliness by the look of them. Kylon and Lunara were the first to recognize this but they were uncertain as to why.


    "Can we reach a ceasefire or not?" Jack asked again, lowering the temperature of his tone little by little. "It¡¯s not every day that you can negotiate for your lives without much consequence..."


    "... I¡¯ll also agree to a ceasefire."


    "Torian?! How dare you?!" Tralbok turned and grabbed the Thundering God by the cor of his robe. "You dare go against our orders?! You¡¯re no leader!"


    But Torian remained silent. He shared no reasoning. What swayed him wasn¡¯t logic but the words Grixor had shared and the meaning hidden behind those words. It was rare that the tankiest of the gods showed genuine caution toward someone, and Grixor¡¯s tone said it all as the Earthen Gods eyes stole nces at the helmed swordsman.


    "In that case, feel free to stay here," stated Jack. "Don¡¯t start anything you can¡¯t handle, not while he¡¯s here to keep watch."


    Jack turned around toward the exit, patting the helmed swordsman on the shoulders. He then shouted, "You cane out now!"


    A few silent seconds passed before two people entered the sacred grounds, a hydra and a human. But as that hydra carried the human woman into the entrance of cier Keep something happened.


    Out of nowhere, a cruelly frowning individual appeared above the two people. His long-prepared wind des were unleashed upon those two without question or hesitation.


    ¡¯LINALA!¡¯ Raztol roared and rolled onto his side as energy rushed out of his frost body. He forcibly used himself as a shield and pushed Lina off of his back while trying his best to protect her. Yet no attack reached the heroic hydra head.


    Instead, three figures disappeared and reappeared in shes of purple energy. One had retrieved a scythe and ced himself in front of the attack to counter the wind des. Another had his rapier¡¯s tip barely pressing into Tralbok¡¯s neck, drawing a single bead of blood. The third had his hand gripping the top of Tralbok¡¯s head without an ounce of mercy or hesitation.


    "Tralbok!"


    "Torian, will you act ording to orders or not!" the God of Time shouted, trying his best to peer through the helmet of the anonymous swordsman to no avail. "Let it be known that I followed our orders, not you!"


    "You..." Jack groaned through gritted teeth. "I hope you survive the keep... at least till I can see you perish with my own eyes..."


    "Why not right now?" asked Tralbok, ready to cast time magic when needed.


    "Who wants to call Halmut for me?" Jack questioned loudly, surprising the legendary gods. "It¡¯s either someone contact him right now or we find out what¡¯s faster, my friend¡¯s rapier or Tralbok¡¯s time magic. I¡¯m curious who will win in the end..."

 Chapter 674 Ceasefire and Temporary Hostage

    <h4>Chapter 674 Ceasefire and Temporary Hostage</h4>


    "Halmut?"


    To the surprise of the other legendary gods, it wasn¡¯t Kylon who caved but Grixor. The bulky god had calmly taken out his contact crystal and immediately acquiesced to Jack¡¯s demands.


    "What is it?" A reply came almost immediately.


    "There¡¯s someone who wants to talk to you." Grixor then lobbed the crystal to Jack, who caught it with his free hand.


    ncing down, Jack found exactly what he had anticipated. Again, Tralbok was clenching a special amulet that was both simr and differentpared to the travel amulets used by the legendary gods. Returning his attention to the situation, Jack spoke loudly into the contact crystal, "Hey runt, either there¡¯s a ceasefire or we turn Tralbok into a living scarecrow to ward off pipsqueak Sun Dragons like yourself!"


    "HOW DARE YOU?!?!"


    "Take your pick," continued Jack. "The moment we all enter cier Keep, consider the ceasefire rescinded. Either you agree to the terms or we ughter your precious subordinates. And thanks to this weasel, I¡¯m not in the mood for disagreements."


    "Never have I ever given into such treatment! And never will I!" Halmut roared.


    "When you threaten my family, I don¡¯t make small talk. Now answer me. Are you postponing the fight till we¡¯re inside cier Keep or am I ughtering them here and now?" questioned Jack. "Or maybe you¡¯d prefer Ie to Olympic Chateau and we can talk things out in person. But you¡¯re not the type to show yourself until after you¡¯ve lost subordinates, right?"


    "Halmut, please consider the ceasefire," Torian added his thoughts, using his contact crystal to reach Halmut.


    "Torian, How dare you--"


    "We can discuss my reasoning after Jack leaves the area, but for now a ceasefire would be best," reasoned Torian.


    Jack scoffed, adding, "Since you¡¯re taking too long to decide, we¡¯ll be holding Tralbok hostage until the keep opens. Whether you agree to the ceasefire or not determines what we do to his life and belongings."


    Sensing the below-freezing coldness to Jack¡¯s tone and theck of jokes, Halmut tried his best to not let his temper fly while he wasn¡¯t there to control the situation personally. Torian¡¯s voice helped Halmut in this case, though Halmut would only use Torian as an excuse and hold him ountable for everythingter.


    "... The ceasefire would end after entering the keep?"


    "That¡¯s what I said, isn¡¯t it?" Jack snarkily restated.


    "I¡¯ll only agree on my own terms. If you take Tralbok hostage, his storage is to be handed to Torian before he¡¯s taken into your custody. Also, no scarring, crippling, or weakening is allowed to take ce or I¡¯ll personally reduce Gilga to ash!"


    "I doubt your abilities to do so but I¡¯m fine with those terms."


    Halmut added, "And your gods must enter the keep at the same time as ours when the timees. No waiting on the sidelines this time."


    "Agreed, so long as the hydras will remain unharmed during the ceasefire as well. Anything else?"


    "... Who of your gods are entering?"


    "Why should I share that information?" asked Jack.


    "If we¡¯re discussing terms of war, it¡¯s only logical to ask," reasoned Halmut. "I¡¯ll also reveal who will be entering."


    "If you¡¯re desperate to know our ns, then how about we meet in person? I¡¯ve got time to pop by and--"


    "No, that won¡¯t be necessary since we¡¯re already plenty capable ofmunicating as we are now."


    "... Then what else can you offer in exchange for my information? I¡¯m uninterested in who of your subordinates enters the keep as it won¡¯t change the end result." Then, Jack¡¯s tone turned devilish and he finally exchanged his raging frown for a cruel grin. "But I can think of one thing that may change my mind..."


    In front of everyone, Jack cast silence to cover only his head, thereby giving Halmut exclusive im to Jack¡¯s voice for the moment.


    "Tell Kylon and your subordinates the truth of Kustram and you¡¯ve got a deal."


    "You--"


    "Then again, we can¡¯t forget to mention how you¡¯ve twisted and contorted Kylon¡¯s mind," continued Jack. "Tell me how you managed that right now and I¡¯ll willingly tell you everything about my n to conquer cier Keep without asking about your own n. Go on, I¡¯m all ears."


    "..." No words were said in immediate reply but Jack could hear Halmut¡¯s heavy breathing which was basically a series of grunts at that point. "... Consider the ceasefire official..."


    That was all Halmut said before cutting off the conversation, leaving Jack hanging without another chance to verbally abuse or use the Sun Dragon.


    Dropping the small barrier of silence, Jack tossed the contact crystal back to Grixor and sighed in disappointment, "The ceasefire is official... Moranti, you¡¯re in charge of keeping Tralbok contained till the keep opens."


    "Oh... With pleasure..." Moranti chuckled, retrieving a pair of shackles that Tralbok was quite familiar with. "I¡¯ve wanted this for centuries..."


    "No scarring, crippling, or weakening allowed," Jack announced the terms of the ceasefire. "Tralbok will be returned in the same condition he¡¯s in now and fully able to enter cier Keep when the timees. Until the keep opens, there will be no fighting between gods or mortals of either side, so no mistreating or targeting the hydras either. When it finally opens, both sides must enter at the same time and leave no one sidelined to enter afterward. If you don¡¯t believe me, confirm that with Halmut.


    ncing at Tralbok, Jack spat, "Hurry up and pass your storages to Torian for safekeeping. That way you guarantee that we don¡¯t steal your stuff."


    Cautiously, Tralbok removed his storage ring and disgruntedly lobbed it to Torian. "Coward..."


    "Enough talk!" Moranti shouted, eager to cuff the arrogant God of Time. As he ced the repaired shackles onto Tralbok, Moranti noticed something. "Are you supposed to give Torian your items?"


    "I was told to give up my storage, not all of my items."


    "He can keep that..." Jack added, clicking his tongue as Tralbok gripped the amulet tightly with one hand and a contact crystal in the other. "Knowing Halmut, he¡¯s probably already given Tralbok orders to report anything new he learns, so make sure to teach Tralbok all about Trodan hospitality."


    "Oh, I¡¯ll happily agree to that,"ughed Moranti, leading Tralbok along via the chained shackles.

 Chapter 675 Fruit Delivery?

    <h4>Chapter 675 Fruit Delivery?</h4>


    "We¡¯ll leave you with some privacy," added Jack, turning his back to the legendary gods. "Well... most of us will."


    Jack took off into the water passage toward the reef above, followed by everyone else on his side, apart from the helmed man. That man turned his attention to the not-too-distant trees and sauntered over without a care in the world.


    The gods left at cier Keep were momentarily speechless, taken aback at what had just urred.


    "Torian!" A furious roar filled the god¡¯s mind, not hiding any rage whatsoever. "How dare you fail to act!"


    "Halmut, I--"


    "Shut up and listen for once!" shouted Halmut. "Tralbok just told me of your failure to act and now you deny it? Would he have been ced in that situation if you weren¡¯t such a coward?! Be d that Tralbok can handle himself and keep calm under pressure!"


    epting the verbal abuse, Torian kept his lips tightly sealed. Talking back right now would only make the tantrum worse, no matter how true or untrue some of the statements were.


    "Since you fail to attack when ordered, you have a new assignment. Gather all the fruits on those trees and send them to me via an escort of four Flood Dragons. Can you handle that much responsibility?"


    "... Sure thing, Halmut."


    "What did you call me?!"


    "Of course... your excellency."


    "Good... Also, Tralbok will be ced in charge upon entering cier Keep. You¡¯ll only focus on your small three-man team."


    The conversation ended there as Halmut disconnected without offering Torian a chance to rebuttal the order.


    Taking a deep breath and shaking his head, Torian looked to the three Flood Dragons that had arrived alongside him. "Sillo, heal that one. You three, take another Flood Dragon with you to collect all the fruit here and deliver it to Halmut, immediately."


    "I object!"


    Blinking and sighing, Torian asked, "Why, Kylon? I¡¯ve already bent orders for you, so--"


    "They can take fifteen fruits and that¡¯s it!" shouted the goddess. "No more!"


    "Kylon... Then why is he taking more than that?"


    As Torian pointed out, all eyes shifted to the helmed man carefully picking fruit from the trees. He showed the utmost care and only selected those that were perfectly round with the perfect touch of firmness. In the end, the helmed man had taken thirty fruits and casually walked back to sit against the wall near the entrance.


    "That--"


    "How about we send him thirty fruits, as many as he took?" asked Torian, not wanting more arguments yet understanding that Halmut would be angry with him whether he delivered all the fruit or a portion of the fruit. "What¡¯s so special about it anyway, Kylon?"


    "... That..." She hesitated to speak up.


    "Kylon? Well, if you won¡¯t exin why..." Torian walked to the nearest tree and picked the first fruit within reach. After a single bite, Torian instantly understood Halmut¡¯s desire for them all.


    "These fruits spoil too quickly and can¡¯t be preserved," stated Kylon, unable to hide much from anyone that tasted the fruit themselves. "If you take all of them, then nearly all of it will be wasted. And the best results are over long periods of time, not one day. Fifteen to twenty a day will be enough for each of us."


    "Well... Thirty will go to Halmut. That proves he¡¯ll get more than us and we¡¯ll save some fruit. Okay?"


    As Torian signaled, the three Flood Dragons began picking fruits as those that came with Kylon discussed who would go with the other three. Quickly, four Flood Dragons left the area as the one that had traveled with Kylon led the way.


    The mystery man made no moves to stop the Flood Dragons nor did he acknowledge them. Surprisingly, while the others began to eat their fill of the new fruits, the helmed man kept his share of fruit stored away and didn¡¯t bother tasting them.


    But the other gods were indulging to the fullest. They were in unexpected bliss with every bite.


    At the same time, Sillo poured holy energy into the corpse of the Quake Dragon god. In his fingers was a small, multi-colored crystal that was given to him for use in emergencies. However, Sillo¡¯s growing distrust in the crystal and its effects was reced with disbelief. "No way..."


    "What¡¯s wrong, Sillo?" Alcahain asked, pausing his next bite after seeing the bewilderment in Sillo¡¯s eyes.


    "He... He can¡¯t be revived..."


    "What?!" Torian almost choked on his current bite, along with everyone else caught up in enjoying their meal. "What do you mean?"


    "Exactly that... There¡¯s no way that I nor Halmut can revive him," answered Sillo. "Remember that ck energy that oozed out of the wound? It dispersed a while ago but the amount of dark energy that had embedded into his body was absurd. Not only had it traveled through his corpse like a lightning-fast parasite, it rotted his veins and mana supply..."


    "That... But that¡¯s--"


    "Want to see my sword?"


    When Alcahain¡¯s shout was interrupted, each of the legendary gods looked to find the swordsman approaching them. "Want to see my sword?" repeated the man.


    The mystery man stopped in front of Sillo and retrieved his rapier. Then, he flipped it around and held it by the de, extending it to the Mage God. "I¡¯ll give you one minute. Return it by then or die."


    Sensing the ridiculous confidence in the man¡¯s voice, Sillo nodded. He was too curious to turn down the unusual offer.


    As Sillo took the sword, he carefully inspected it.


    "Mind if I--"


    "I¡¯ll give you one minute. After he¡¯s done, you¡¯ll be the second and final witness," stated the swordsman.


    Alcahain nodded and stood by Sillo, patiently waiting his turn to confirm his doubts and thoughts.


    "This... is definitely the cause..." Sillo sighed, but not out of worry. There was a sense of relief radiating from Sillo¡¯s face as he admitted that and passed the weapon to Alcahain. "Look at the base of the hilt. You¡¯ll find the added inscription neatly written there."

 Chapter 676 Getting to the Poin

    <h4>Chapter 676 Getting to the Poin</h4>


    "You¡¯re right..." Alcahain agreed, also showing some signs of relief. Handing the weapon back to the swordsman, the Brawler God asked, "What side did you serve back then?"


    "Skaryn. I like his simple leadership style and hands-off approach to let his followers do as they wished," answered the man. "Hence my adaptation of his skills, such as Universe of Shadows and the creation of this sword."


    "Right..." Alcahain nervously chuckled, turning his attention back to the fruits.


    The Brawler God, as well as all the other gods, felt both relief and caution upon learning about their newest foe. Considering thest person they saw use such attacks was Skaryn himself, it was a little jarring at first to see the swordsman go all out. And knowing that the swordsman had hidden his strength during thest great battle, they felt the necessity to be even more cautious around him.


    But their nerves were gradually rxed with help of the scrumptious fruits they continued to devour. Very quickly, they discovered that Kylon¡¯s words were true.


    Torian noticed that his seventeenth fruit left him with a much weaker sensation of bliss than all before it. And the eighteenth fruit was only worse. Siding with Kylon¡¯s earlier opinion, Torian decided not to partake in a neenth or twentieth fruit as he didn¡¯t think they would offer him anything but a possible withdrawal whenpared to what he felt moments earlier.


    The others wound up doing the same, stopping after noticing the drastic change of consuming one too many fruits. After that, each god imed their own space and either meditated in silence or chatted quietly in small groups, oblivious to the virtually invisible man by the passageway.


    *****


    Once they exited the passageway and reached the reef on the outside, Jack stopped and telepathically shared his thoughts and orders, ¡¯Lina, I think it¡¯s about time you returned home. Moranti will take you back.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, shouldn¡¯t we let Moranti have a share of fruit before leaving?¡¯ asked Lunara.


    ¡¯Right... sorry, I almost forgot that...¡¯ Shaking his head, Jack continued, ¡¯Moranti, you¡¯ll go with Raztol to their storehouse and procure one sample of each nt they have. I¡¯m sure your wife will be excited about that.


    ¡¯Afterward, Moranti and Lina will go pick thirty fruits since his bloodline should be able to handle it. Then, Moranti will take Lina and the hostage to Trodar and Raztol wille see me so that we can talk like we mentioned earlier. Is that alright?¡¯


    ¡¯Of course, Jack. It¡¯s the least I can do in return for protecting my people,¡¯ replied Raztol.


    ¡¯And thank you for protecting me!¡¯ Lina leaned against the hydra head¡¯s neck and hugged him tightly.


    ¡¯I didn¡¯t. If Jack and they hadn¡¯t--¡¯


    ¡¯Either way, thank you for the effort,¡¯ Lunara added. ¡¯I¡¯m very proud to know that our people are in your caring and capable hands, Raztol.¡¯


    ¡¯I... Thank you... Lunara...¡¯


    ¡¯When we¡¯re done talking, I assume Raztoll will want to speak with Lunara and ask her opinion on how to handle segregation more properly among the hydras. Right?¡¯ Jack pushed the conversation along.


    ¡¯YES! I would very much appreciate that!¡¯ stated Raztol, regaining his usual demeanor.


    ¡¯Then it¡¯s settled. I look forward to tomorrow so don¡¯t have too much fun, Moranti.¡¯


    With that, Jack hurried away toward cial Pce along with Lunara. Moranti joined Lina on Raztol¡¯s back as they left for the hydra storehouse filled with underwater flora and fauna of all kinds. They were all excited for what woulde next.


    *****


    ¡¯Hmm... With both illusory and spatial energy surrounding it, I doubt entering via teleportation would work... But summoning should still be fine...¡¯


    Behind locked doors and within a barrier of silence, Jack paced around the room while thinking out loud via telepathy. He was trying to go over his n and look for necessary adjustments while there was no one there to judge his means of meditation.


    ¡¯God¡¯s Eye didn¡¯t work from the outside, but will it work inside... That can make everything more difficult...¡¯ Jack sighed, picking up a mug of fresh, hot coffee, avable thanks to his reimed, in-game inventory. Taking a seat for the dozenth time, Jack leaned forward with elbows on knees and chin on fists.


    KNOCK! KNOCK!


    Dispersing the silence spell, Jack shouted, ¡¯Come in!¡¯


    After the usual clicking sounds, Raztol made his way into the room and sat across from Jack. ¡¯Is something the matter? You appear to be stressed?¡¯


    Chuckling, Jack replied, ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about me. I just overthink things sometimes and can use a moment alone to help me put things into perspective. Now, onto business... Why haven¡¯t you told Mom that you¡¯re my grandfather?¡¯


    ¡¯Umm...¡¯ Raztol was caught off guard by Jack¡¯s unusual wording, stunned at being called a grandfather right off the bat.


    ¡¯You should tell her.¡¯


    ¡¯I know...¡¯


    ¡¯Like, tonight.¡¯


    ¡¯But that--¡¯


    Jack shook his head and insisted, ¡¯Look, we both know that she¡¯s not exactly attached to this ce, and for good reason. However, I¡¯m sure she¡¯s matured a lot over the years and I think now would be the best opportunity for you. If you wait too long, you¡¯ll lose your chance.¡¯


    ¡¯What do you mean?¡¯ asked Raztol, sensing a strange urgency in Jack¡¯s words. ¡¯Why now and not after your time in cier Keep?¡¯


    ¡¯That wouldn¡¯t be the worst time to do it, I guess... But sooner is better in this case. You don¡¯t know this but there¡¯s a whole universe beyond cier Reef, beyond thend above, and beyond this entire. I¡¯ll be taking the entire family through that universe very soon, and that includes Mom,¡¯ exined Jack. ¡¯So, if you even want a chance to be a part of the family tree, then you need to make sure to tell her ASAP.¡¯


    ¡¯What¡¯s... ASAP?¡¯


    ¡¯Just tell her as soon as possible, okay? You already know that Lina would love it, so why hide it?¡¯


    Sighing, Raztol teetered his head back and forth, ¡¯It¡¯s just... I know you¡¯re right. But I feel terrible confronting this before finally solving the issue of discrimination among our people.¡¯


    ¡¯Then why not start by asking her opinion on the matter?¡¯ suggested Jack. ¡¯Now go on, go find her while you have the chance!¡¯


    ¡¯B-but--¡¯


    ¡¯Go! Before I kick you out for real!¡¯ughed Jack.


    Rising to his feet, Raztol bowed his head. ¡¯Thank you, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Anytime, Grandpa. Now let me think in peace.¡¯


    The hydra head left is a quickened pace, locked the door behind him and letting Jack cast silence to resume his paced thinking.


    But before Jack could continue where he left off, a sh of purple light appeared in the room. The moment Jack noticed Moranti and the straggling, red-faced hostage he dropped the silence barrier.


    ¡¯What¡¯s--¡¯


    Moranti immediately shouted via telepathy, ¡¯WHO IS RYN?!¡¯

 Chapter 677 Zariffs Big, Drunk Mouth

    <h4>Chapter 677 Zariff¡°s Big, Drunk Mouth</h4>


    After collecting samples from the hydra storehouse, Moranti said his momentary goodbye to Raztol. Lina gave the hydra head onest hug before she and Moranti were teleported back to the entrance of cier Keep to pick fruits and then to the guild property they knew so well, along with their chain-led hostage who received no fruit.


    Reappearing inside the guild strategy room, the few gods that were lounging there immediately noticed something they hadn¡¯t expected. Seeing Linae back was anticipated but seeing Tralbok dragged behind Moranti in the very chains that Tralbok had used to contain Moranti was priceless.


    "What are you doing?!" shouted Hadurt.


    "I would normally tell you to calm down, but tonight is going to be wild!" Morantiughed, yanking Tralbok¡¯s chain forward. "Aside from injuring, scarring, and killing him, tonight we can do anything we want to the pestro we all despise!"


    "Well... I¡¯m excited to take you up on that offer!" howled Kori, eyeing Tralbok with fangs bared.


    The news of Tralbok¡¯s momentary hostage situation was virtually announced to the entire guild. While Lina left the room to go tell Maura, Eliza, and Daliea all about cier Reef, all gods hurried into the strategy room for a night-long party.


    At the same time as the telepathic invitation reached all the gods, one entered the room and smiled at the sight he found. "Tralbok... Finally getting the treatment you deserve?"


    Still clutching tightly to his contact crystal and the unique amulet, Tralbok didn¡¯t spare a word, only a nce.


    "Perchet, tonight we--"


    "I heard your shout and hurried here as fast as I could," replied the God of Sound, back at lv. 90 now. "I¡¯ve got something I need to attend toter so I won¡¯t join the festivities, but I thought I¡¯d take out some stress on my old acquaintance before leaving..."


    Before anyone else said another word, Perchet soundly reached out and pped Tralbok across the face. The God of Time was about to be thrown through the air from the impact but Perchet¡¯s backhand stopped that and forced Tralbok to fly in the opposite direction. And before Tralbok could get far, he reached the end of his chain and forcefully crashed into the floor unable to go further.


    "Ahhh... That¡¯s better!" chuckled Perchet. "Take care in cier Keep, Moranti!"


    As Perchet made his exit, Dragas rushed into the room and embraced her husband. "Where are they?!"


    "Calm down, honey..." Moranti sighed, holding out a storage ring. "Here they are."


    nting a kiss on Moranti, Dragas eagerly snatched the ring from his hand. And on her way out, Dragas gave the ground Tralbok a kick to the crotch.


    "AAAaaahhhhh..." Tralbok groaned, unable to keep his pain from leaking past his lips.


    Laughing along with Kori and Hadurt, Guuro waved his hand and spread holy energy over the groaning, chained-up god. "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯ll be fine by tomorrow morning."


    Forced to ept the situation, Tralbok scoffed and looked away from the four gods. He understood what would happen shortly and he was determined to pay close attention and try to learn something from his time in Trodar. Just a tidbit of information could be useful and informationmonly flowed freely during joyful events, such as shaming amon enemy. This was the assignment and order that Halmut had given him, with a promise that Tralbok would be the next person to reach lv. 99.


    The night progressed as expected. Gods of Trodar were the first to gather and belittle Tralbok physically and verbally. Then, the leaders and most powerful mortals of the guild were called in to enjoy the event as well. This continued until even those that were low-leveled but familiar with the gods were involved. By then, the event had relocated and dragged Tralbok to an open courtyard for the entire guild to demean and curse.


    That was when the first unexpected moment of the night took ce for Moranti.


    "Ryn would love this!"


    That short phrase caught Moranti¡¯s ear and didn¡¯t let go. The God of Space turned away from his divine drinking buddies and looked to the group currently surrounding the suspended Tralbok at the center of the open courtyard.


    Laughing and enjoying his buzz, Zariff poked fun at the dangling deity along with his friends from Reinolt. Tridon and Tomas were there, along with Trevor and Sd who were dragged along by Tridon, their superior officer in the Beast Corps. But Moranti was focused on Zariff, the drunkest and most boisterous of the bunch.


    Zariff kept shouting, "Where¡¯s Ryn when you need him?! With his godly strength, we could p him across the world!"


    Ignoring the questions and stares from the gods he stood with, Moranti immediately marched toward the drunk guild treasurer. The others around Zariff spotted Moranti and his crazed look but Zariff was enjoying the moment. Until he was spun around and stared face to face into Moranti¡¯s eyes.


    "Who are you talking about?" Moranti firmly questioned, being both serious yet hushed. "What god named Ryn?"


    "You know!" Zariff shouted, acting like Moranti was either stupid or ill-informed. "He¡¯s the one with the helmet! He¡¯s a coward to hide his face but the man¡¯s got great taste in drinks!"


    At the mention of drinks, Moranti sniffed Zariff more closely and looked sternly at the empty mug in Zariff¡¯s hand. "What did you drink?"


    "Oh, that¡¯s a secret... I don¡¯t have enough for everyone, so--"


    "What did you drink?!" repeated Moranti, shouting some sense into Zariff.


    "Fine... I can spare some for someone like you. How about a toast?!" Zariff pulled out a small wooden keg from his storage and was about to pour himself another ss. However, before that, Zariff was teleported away from the party. "Hey! What--"


    Casting silence around them, Moranti tightened his grip on Zariff¡¯s shoulders. "Zariff... Where did you get that?"


    "From Ryn, who else! He¡¯s got the best--"


    "Who is Ryn?!" roared Moranti, not letting the drunk evade answering.


    Still able to see the party in the distance, Zariff sighed and groaned, "Fiiine... but you can¡¯t tell anyone! It¡¯s a secret..."

 Chapter 678 Who is Ryn?!

    <h4>Chapter 678 Who is Ryn?!</h4>


    ¡¯WHO IS RYN?!¡¯


    Moranti¡¯s telepathic shout rang through Jack¡¯s mind, not letting Jack enough room for thought.


    ¡¯Jack, who is Ryn?!¡¯ Moranti repeated, ring angrily at Jack. ¡¯Tell me!¡¯


    Sighing, Jack fell back onto the couch. ¡¯Why did you bring him here? Leave him in Trodar till tomorrow. We don¡¯t need him--¡¯


    ¡¯Tell me, Jack. Just tell me!¡¯


    ¡¯... How about we both go back to Trodar?¡¯ Jack insisted, ¡¯We¡¯ll talk there.¡¯


    ¡¯Fine!¡¯


    Moranti teleported the three back to Trodar without wasting another second. They appeared just beyond the gathering that was dying down. But the moment Moranti threw Tralbok back into the open courtyard, cheers filled the air as Rikko hurriedly hung the hostage god back up for everyone to hit like a pi?ata.


    "Now talk!" roared Moranti while casting silence around the two, showing his uncharacteristically short temper and seriousness.


    Jack scratched his head and asked, "Who told you? Zariff?"


    "That doesn¡¯t matter, now talk!"


    "Calm down and let me exin," reasoned Jack, waiting for Moranti to visibly start rxing. It took a few moments but Moranti¡¯s breathing was almost back to normal and Jack assumed that¡¯s the best Moranti could manage without knowing more. "First off, he¡¯s not who you think he is. He¡¯s--"


    "Is he Skaryn or not?!"


    "No..." Jack sighed, seeing a lot of Moratni¡¯s pent-up restlessness subside. "Ryn isn¡¯t even his real name."


    "Then why--"


    "Because the best way to hide someone¡¯s identity is by assuming the identity of another," reasoned Jack. "Ryn is an alias and nothing more. Should he get caught, it would be better that he falsify his identity from the get-go, that way his true self can remain hidden at all cost."


    "Then... who is he really? I want to see his real face."


    "Now?"


    "Yes, now."


    Understanding Moratni¡¯s stubbornness, Jack teleported the two of them into his office for more privacy. "One second. Let me switch ces."


    Not understanding what Jack meant, Moratni was confused when Jack altered his robe to mimic the helmed swordsman¡¯s armor. When Jack next equipped an identical helmet, Moranti was puzzled further but said nothing to stop Jack.


    A sh a purple light appeared as Jack vanished yet a figure in identical clothing was left standing in front of Moranti, only a bit taller and broader.


    Before Moranti could say anything, the man¡¯s helmet was removed and revealed a dark-skinned face covered in illusory energy.


    "Sk-Skaryn?" mumbled Morantipletely puzzled.


    "Nope..." Shaking his head, that illusory energy poured over the man¡¯s entire body and changed the man¡¯s appearance to an equally familiar person. "Sorry you found out this way... I just need to hide the fact I have a second body and I felt doing this was the best way to scare the other gods in the case they destroy the helmet in battle."


    "I-I... It makes sense, I guess..." Moranti sighed, fumbling his words and thoughts. "I never sensed it via the seal... So it makes sense why you¡¯re not... him."


    "But you¡¯ve got to admit, seeing that would terrify any of the other gods the moment they discover who I ¡¯really am¡¯, right?"


    "Yeah..." Moranti weaklyughed, trying to let his pounding heart calm down. "How did you know about his obsession with cda?"


    "Moranti, there was an entire brand called ¡¯Skaryn¡¯s¡¯ back in the day. It wasn¡¯t hard to learn for any ancient hero dedicated to learning Kartonian history and lore," stated Jack, ignoring the fact that it was merely the vor text of that cda brand¡¯s many drinks.


    "Right... I guess you have a point... And you¡¯ve seen Skaryn personally... But you really pay attention to detail!" shouted Moranti, shaking his head to try and grasp the situation throughughter. "You even got the scar hidden in his eyebrow!"


    "Who wouldn¡¯t?"ughed Jack. "Anyway... Would you mind ying along or acting like you never learned my ¡¯name¡¯?"


    "Sure... I can call you that... But tell me... How did you know?"


    "Know what?" asked Jack.


    "How did you know about hisst name? Or his nickname? He never shared that with anyone he wasn¡¯t extremely close to... Not even the other Chaotic gods know about those..."


    "Like I said, never doubt the information gathering ability of an ancient hero dedicated to learning EVERYTHING about Kartonia, past, present, and future," Jack stated with a sly smile and a wink. "Don¡¯t tell me you don¡¯t believe me? If anything, your mutual seal is the best indicator of that... not to mention my skill with space magic, something Skaryn doesn¡¯t have..."


    "You¡¯re right... Sorry, I just wasn¡¯t expecting a situation like this..." mumbled Moranti, getting quieter and quieter as his mind tried harder to return to reality.


    "Don¡¯t worry about it." Smiling, Jack took out a fewrge kegs of the best Cda he had. "Here, take this as my apology. I recovered my ancient stash after raiding my own tomb in Earthen Keep."


    "Thanks!" Immediately epting the ancient liquor, Moranti tried harder to sway his mind back to what was logical. "I guess... we can get back to the party..."


    "Go ahead. I¡¯ve got a couple of things to handle before I head back to cier Reef."


    "Okay... thanks for the drink!" As Moranti teleported away, he waved with a sad smile and disappointed eyes.


    Now alone in the office, Jack¡¯s second body released a long sigh while scanning the room. Then, he took out the thirty sacred fruits he had picked earlier. The first bite brought a raging smile to his face. "So this is what we were missing..."


    Quickly, all of the fruits were consumed and Jack¡¯s second body blinked back into his room at the cial Pce. After reequipping his roxite helmet and readjusting his body to Skaryn¡¯s proportions, another sh of spatial energy took ce as the two body¡¯s swapped ces.


    Now back in his room without anyone else to interrupt him, Jack cast silence through the room and started thinking aloud to continue his brainstorming.


    ¡¯What are those fruits, exactly? They should be from beyond Kartonia and they help our second ascension, right?¡¯

 Chapter 679 Halmuts Descent into Insanity

    <h4>Chapter 679 Halmut¡°s Descent into Insanity</h4>


    "Grixor..." After a long period of silence among the gods at cier Keep, Torian finally got up and approached his long-time friend. "What¡¯s the matter? Still got that on your mind?"


    "Yeah... I can¡¯t forget about it..." Grixor mumbled.


    "Well, you don¡¯t need to forget it but you shouldn¡¯t get hung up on it."


    Nodding, Grixor sighed and finally looked away from the mystery man, "I know... It¡¯s just... How was it so easy for him?"


    "Well, given his many affinities thatpliment each other to create a single powerful thrust, it would make sense that he can deal a lot of damage. But he¡¯s also one of those ss-cannon heroes," argued Torian, trying to cheer up his pal. "Sure, they can deal a lot of damage but they break with a single hit. That¡¯s all you have to remember. If he attacks you, wouldn¡¯t a trading blow be best in your case?"


    "Not a bad strategy..." Grixor took a deep breath as he felt a bit better. "I¡¯ll remember that forter."


    Out of nowhere, a small purple sh caught everyone off guard. All the legendary gods turned to watch the mystery man stand up and be engulfed in spatial energy as if he were teleporting casually. But the moment the sh ended, they spotted no difference as he sat back down to lounge against the wall.


    "Torian... any idea on what just happened?"


    "No..."


    Both Grixor and Torian were constantly going back and forth on what to believe and not to believe. After learning of Daruun¡¯s true level of dominance, they had be the embodiment of controlled fury. Then, after learning more about Halmut¡¯s connections and trying the stimnts they both felt a bit better about their current trajectory.


    But that didn¡¯t mean they hated how mysterious the other faction of gods was bing. They had only seen four gods after entering the deep sea and none of them revealed anything about their level. Considering that they had definitely grown stronger somehow, the mystery of their true strength left Torian and Grixor feeling slightly hesitant and less confident. And the addition of the helmed swordsman as a god only made that worse, given that they had no clue what level he was and they felt assuming his level wouldn¡¯t be urate either after seeing the man injure Grixor casually.


    The strange scene of spatial energy justplicated things more. They were silent again as everyone tried to keep cool and attempt to understand what the helmed man was up to. Only a few minutester, the incident happened again with the same scene repeating itself.


    "Torian! I ordered for all fruits to be delivered!"


    As Halmut¡¯s imminent roar finally arrived, Torian nodded to Grixor as they both took out contact crystals. Torian stated, "Hal-- Your excellency, know that the fruits would all spoil before their eaten and go to waste if we did that. Also, after so many--"


    "I ordered you to bring them all! What else matters?!"


    "You know what...tely you¡¯ve been acting like a lunatic, Halmut," replied Torian, not in the mood to stroke the Sun God¡¯s ego. "If I didn¡¯t know any better, I¡¯d say you¡¯ve gone--"


    "I¡¯M NOT CRAZY!!!"


    "Halmut, just calm down and we can talk. After eating so many fruits, their effect wears off until at least a day passes, ording to Kylon. This way, we can maximize their effect and--"


    "I made an order and you failed to deliver yet again!" shouted Halmut, disregarding Torian¡¯s logic.


    "If you would calm down and properly assess our situation, then we can--"


    "I expect you to obey without issues from now on! If you want any more stimnts, then you¡¯d best behave!"


    "I... yes, Halmut..." Surprising himself, Torian was shocked he had agreed the moment the stimnts were mentioned. For some reason, the thought of having more stimnts made his pores tingle, as if his pores were drooling and anticipating a marvelous meal.


    Grixor spoke up as well, "Halmut, what about those four Flood Dragons? Will they--"


    "Don¡¯t worry about them. Focus on the keep and nothing else now! You¡¯ve already failed me again and again so just focus on one thing for now. Getting me the treasure of cier Keep!" Halmut roared. "Then... and only then... will you get another batch of stimnts."


    "Y-yes... Halmut..."


    "Good... then don¡¯t bother me until you¡¯ve entered the keep!"


    Pounding his contact crystal into the ck-screened viewing table, Halmut snarled, "Why do they always fail me?! Are they that ipetent? Was I that terrible at choosing worthy subordinates?!"


    Roars echoed through the destroyed interior of Olympic Chateau. Every time Halmut was left alone the destruction would only get worse and worse.


    "Such a simple task... Yet they still fail! We¡¯re so close... Why fail me now?!" Clutching his fists, Halmut extracted energy from more stimnts as fast as his body could process it. The Sun Dragon was doing everything he could to get his next high yet he only trembled worse as took in more stimnt energy. "I NEED MORE! MORE!!"


    Finally, Halmut ripped his fist through the air and down into the viewing table. As it shattered and shards of crystal spread through the room, Halmut¡¯s lip quivered. "Just... HURRY UP ALREADY! It¡¯s almost time... FINALLY!"


    "Rest?"


    Halmut abruptly stopped shaking, but for only a moment. "I should rest? Yes... I... I haven¡¯t rested... I need rest for tomorrow..."


    As a high-level god on the very brink of ascending to a two-star cosmician, Halmut was able to go for long stretches of time without rest or sleep and feel little to no effect. However, that didn¡¯t help his mental state. Being under constant threat and feeling forced further into a corner each day would gradually chip away at Halmut, and the faux-ore was ultimately unhelpful like any overused drug would be.


    Alone with no one to witness his descent to insanity, how could Halmut not feel tempted to sleep? How could he not want to pause everything and rest for once in such a long time?


    Such a temptation was too hard for Halmut to ovee when he knew deep down that he needed energy and mental rity for the next day. Otherwise, his n would fall apart.


    Such an opportunity was also exactly what Sterfen had been waiting for.

 Chapter 680 Sterfens Opportunity to Strike

    <h4>Chapter 680 Sterfen¡°s Opportunity to Strike</h4>


    Sterfen was a first-hand witness to Halmut¡¯s mental decline. He personally saw Halmut torch his entire conference room in paranoia, albeit Halmut nearly caught Sterfen off guard with such an act. The Assassin God was astounded to see the great Sun God constantly on edge and do every little thing to guarantee his safety. Halmut¡¯s cautiousness went far beyond extreme when there were supposedly no eyes to witness his acts, not to mention the unusual and sporadic conversations Halmut had with himself when alone.


    Patient as ever, Sterfen was sure that such a decline would eventually prove useful for him and offer an opportunity. Now, Sterfen¡¯s patience paid off.


    But Sterfen wasn¡¯t going to take Halmut¡¯s sudden change of attitude lightly. As the best assassin would, Sterfen made sure that all his ducks were in a row before stabbing them all through the throat with a single strike. That¡¯s how he worked and how he was trained.


    Sterfen silently and invisibly followed Halmut through the chateau corridors. Whenever Halmut would pause and hesitate to ept rest, Sterfen patiently reassessed the situation. And when Halmut would turn and continue toward his bed, Sterfen would calmly follow.


    Immediately after the legendary gods were sent to cier Keep, Sterfenbed through Olympic Chateau to verify Halmut as alone. Now that he wasn¡¯t hiding his strength anymore, given the circumstances around Kylon, Sterfen didn¡¯t care if Halmut learned of his abilities to enter the chateau freely like Moranti. Clearly, Halmut had already assumed that. If not, what else would be the purpose of Halmut¡¯s paranoia?


    After some time, Halmut found his room and gradually crept toward the only remaining piece of furniture in the entirety of Olympic Chateau, his bed. Not even bothering to assume his dragon form, Halmut tiptoed forward as if he wasn¡¯t wee in the chateau and didn¡¯t want to get caught.


    It was surreal to watch as Halmut cautiously scurried into his bed, hiding from his own shadow. This second side of Halmut, the forever-nervous, self-preserving side of Halmut that he had always hidden from the public eye, left Sterfen almost feeling sad for the dragon. But only almost.


    The moment Halmutid down and began to finally calm down his troubled mind via his long-awaited and very-much-needed rest was the moment Sterfen thoroughly inspected the bedroom. Searching for traps ortent sensory spells came first. After dispelling three stand-by rm spells around the room, Sterfen got a little closer. He then took the ultimate level of caution. A thinyer of silence formed over Sterfen¡¯s entire body, removing all possible chances to be heard naturally despite his incredible stealth skills.


    Sterfen paused at Halmut¡¯s bedside. Ayer of illusory energy zed over Sterfen¡¯s pupils as he inspected the clothing and apparel that Halmut was wearing. He discovered some enchantments on his robe and even an earring to wake Halmut the moment someone came within a meter of the dragon¡¯s body. But Sterfen didn¡¯t fear such precautions.


    Carefully, Sterfen retrieved one of his personal throwing knives. It was small and light in his hand but suddenly gained a life of its own as he lobbed it lightly into the air.


    Once the knife began to float and move ording to Sterfen¡¯s will, he sent it specific orders and controlled it with surgical precision. A faintyer of energy appeared on the knife¡¯s tip as it first neared the earring. Gently, the knife¡¯s tip neared the small looped earring but didn¡¯te in contact with it. Instead, the energy around the knife¡¯s tip effortlessly scratched through the enchantment carved into the gold ring. This process was repeated as the knife strategically sliced through specific spots on Halmut¡¯s robe to silently destroy all of the repeated enchantments across Halmut¡¯s outfit.


    Finding no more enchantments barring him from making his move, Sterfen recalled his knife and stored it away. It was finally time.


    Again, Sterfen scanned the room to double and triple-check that he was in the clear as he would never get another chance to do this. Also, Sterfen preferred attacking now before Jack and everyone was about to enter cier Keep as he too wanted to join them inside. But he wouldn¡¯t leave until his target was gone and Kylon was freed from her maniptor.


    The Assassin God then retrieved a second knife, one perfectly sized to puncture and disconnect a human spinal column from the front of the throat. With slow, controlled steps, Sterfen stepped into the air and hovered over Halmut¡¯s resting soon-to-be corpse.


    Holding the de and positioning his strike, Sterfen quelled all emotion trying to overtake his mind. Though it was a rush to see such filth of a man meet his end, Sterfen¡¯s professionalism and discipline to protocol kept him level-headed. His attention to detail was beyond anything that Halmut¡¯s paranoia could prepare for.


    Sterfen took in a single long breath and blinked three times, his small, preparatory routine before any assassination. Ready, Sterfen struck.


    "W-wha..."


    The de stopped. Not even a finger¡¯s length away from its target, the lunging knife came to aplete halt.


    Sterfen tried to move but felt his armpletely locked up. Trying the same with his other arm also proved futile. To his utter disbelief, Sterfen found himself ultimately incapable of moving a single muscle apart from his face.


    He didn¡¯t understand anything but his tenacity to kill wasn¡¯t stopped at all. A throwing knife appeared from his storage and was hurled at the side of Halmut¡¯s neck via energy maniption. But that too came to a halt.


    "Wake up, Halmut. Take a look."


    Scrunching up his face, Halmut blinked rapidly. "Wha... STERFEN?!"


    The Sun Dragon instantly stiffened his spine, pushing his neck as far from the de as Halmut¡¯s head sunk further into the mattress.


    Sterfen, however, was frozen stiff, not only physically but mentally. To his dismay, Sterfen recognized that his invisibility had somehow been dispelled, as was his silence spell. He had lostplete control of his hand-crafted throwing knife as if it wasn¡¯t in existence to begin with. And the calm, casual tone of thatpletely foreign voice left Sterfen unable to understand anything.

 Chapter 681 - 12-13

    <h4>Chapter 681 - 12-13</h4>


    "Why did you let him get so close?!" Halmut roared, backing away from Sterfen.


    "I deserve to have some fun, given how long you¡¯ve taken..." the voice replied jokingly.


    "WHAT¡¯S GOING ON?!?!"


    "Calm down, Sterfen. There¡¯s no need to shout. We¡¯re in the same room."


    Only a few meters from Sterfen and Halmut, a shadow suddenly appeared in the form of a standing silhouette. Gradually, the darkness swirling around the figure lessened and a human man was left standing there. However, the swirling darkness still covered the man¡¯s entire face.


    "See, I¡¯m right here. No need to shout,"ughed the man.


    "You... Who are you?! How dare you interfere with Kartonia--"


    Clicking his tongue and wagging shaking his head, the man interjected, "Uh, uh... You have no right to belittle me. Please, address me properly or not at all. I don¡¯t mince words."


    "Halmut..." Sterfen red at the Sun God, who was sighing in relief while rubbing his nearly-punctured neck. "What have you done?"


    "I¡¯ve done nothing oundish. Given my circ.u.mstances, I merely did what was necessary," stated Halmut.


    "The high and mighty Sun God needs help from outsiders? Proof of how incapable you truly are..."


    "That--"


    "He¡¯s not exactly wrong." The man shrugged. "I like you Sterfen. We¡¯re more simr than we are different. Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re mad about being outdone at your own game? I thought you would be excited to learn that there¡¯s someone capable of teaching you more..."


    While the anonymous man rambled for a bit, Sterfen contacted Jack and Daruun immediately, or at least he tried.


    "By the look on your face, you¡¯ve realized the truth of your situation." From the man¡¯s tone alone his smile was apparent. "Call me 12-13. It¡¯s a pleasure to finally speak with Kartonia¡¯s expert on intel gathering and secrecy. I very much admire your work and tenacity. Personally, I believe that we can get along quite well. So, why not tell me how your mind is so well guarded for a man of your caliber?"


    "You... 12-13, how are you blocking my telepathy?" questioned Sterfen, now ignoring Halmut¡¯s existence.


    "No asking questions!" Halmut roared, gathering energy for a breath attack. A plume of the dragon¡¯s various coagted energies erupted from his mouth only a couple of meters from Sterfen, intent on reducing the unguarded assassin to cinders.


    The mes engulfed Sterfen along with Halmut¡¯s bed. Both burned for a few seconds until the mes around Sterfen died down to reveal a thin barrier of darkness surrounding the assassin.


    "No, Halmut. I want him alive..." 12-13 stated with a smile, snapping his fingers and dispersing his defensive darkness. "The block on his mind is far more intricate than I expected. For him to have such restrictions protecting him... it makes me ever so curious about what we can learn from him. Why not willingly share your story and mind, Sterfen? Then we can work together and I¡¯ll even take you under my wing."


    Sterfen remained silent. He cautiously stared at the mysterious man, trying to understand him better. "Why 12-13?"


    "Why not?" chuckled the man. "Why Sterfen? How about we both open up and share our stories. You first."


    Not getting anywhere, Sterfen said nothing more. He could assume what wasing. Both he and his father had underestimated Halmut¡¯s importance to Jewel and now he was going to pay for that mistake via mental torture. But Sterfen also had the utmost confidence in his father¡¯s mental barriers, knowing that only a select few across the void could sessfully crack them. All he had to do was survive and that didn¡¯t take any words.


    "No? What if I reaffirmed your beliefs, that I¡¯m from a ce far from Kartonia and far more powerful than you can imagine?" 12-13 chuckled. "Still nothing? Then I suppose you¡¯ll be fun after all..."


    Acting calmer than Sterfen had ever seen him, Halmut retrieved a sofa from his storage and lounged back with a long sigh. "Finally..."


    "Your job isn¡¯t over yet." 12-13 turned his head to face Halmut. "We still need you to get that from cier Keep."


    "Right, right..." Halmut casually responded and nodded.


    The Sun Dragon then took out one of the sacred fruits that had recently been delivered. Lobbing in the air, Halmut opened his mouth in anticipation to enjoy his sweet reward.


    "That¡¯s mine!" A tentacle of darkness reached out and snatched the fruit from the air, fetching the sacred fruit for the shadowy man. "We had a deal. Don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. After we get those fruits and that item, then I¡¯ll take you and your surviving subordinates away for a brighter future."


    "Fine... But can you at least exin why you want those fruits so badly?" Halmut asked while tossing a storage ring filled with the other sacred fruits. "Those were never part of the deal until--"


    "Because I never expected Daruun to hide such a rarity on this backwoods of his. Had we known that, we might¡¯ve taken a different approach to all this. But now that cier Keep will already be opened, the least we can do is take them along with us. You¡¯ll receive special treatment for this find, that much is certain."


    "Then I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re taken away after the challenge begins," replied Halmut, ncing at Sterfen frozen in the air. "Once Jack and his people enter the keep, who will stop my Flood Dragons from raiding the rest of the fruits?"


    "Just be d that Tralbok still has that amulet,"mented 12-13. "Now, you¡¯ll be able to enter without needing to confront Daruun. And the moment you¡¯re victorious, use the other amulet to return here and we¡¯ll leave immediately. Wouldn¡¯t you like to join us, Sterfen?"


    "..."


    "No?" Clicking his tongue, 12-13 sighed, "Well... If you don¡¯t want toe along, then that¡¯s fine... I¡¯ll take my time extracting everything from your mind but I should finish in time to leave. I¡¯ve got to make sure to fully extract your memory and leave nothing behind with nothing tracing back to me. But you already understand that since we¡¯re both in the same line of work. So, tell me. Who was it that restricted your mind? Was it Eedaj? Or Jack? Or did you do it yourself?"

 Chapter 682 - Trapped and Tortured

    <h4>Chapter 682 - Trapped and Tortured</h4>


    "Himself?" Halmut blinked, startled by that question.


    12-13 nodded. "Despite your intel, Halmut, Sterfen¡¯s energy shows traces of illusion, water, and mental skills."


    "WHAT?! And you never told me--"


    "I¡¯m not your aid nor your security guard," 12-13 coldly stated, ncing at Halmut through the dark mist surrounding his face. "I have no need to tell you everything I learn or to help you perfect your ns. So long as you¡¯re on course to fulfill what I need, then that suffices me. Helping you with Kylon was already beyond my station."


    "But that helped you too!" argued Halmut. "Without that--"


    "Enough."


    The calm yet cold statement wasn¡¯t shouted or roared yet Halmut immediately stopped speaking. 12-13¡¯s influence and control over Halmut was evidence of his strength, again proving to Sterfen that he had made a grave mistake.


    "Sterfen, don¡¯t be so sad," chuckled 12-13. "You were right to believe that Halmut was going crazy. I even tweaked his mind to make it more believable, allowing you to gradually lower your guard the longer you waited to strike. And though you knew it would be risky, you understood that tonight should¡¯ve been the best opportunity to attack, an admirable quality in an assassin. You had the will to strike during an appropriate risk, even confident that you could fight Halmut by yourself in a fair fight. Though that may be possible, I can¡¯t have that happening.


    "Why not work with me? We can also use such a marvelous talent like yourself!"


    But Sterfen remained quiet, unnerved and unswayed.


    "Always the hard way... But that makes you even more desirable, Sterfen." Shaking his head with a chuckle, 12-13 stated, "Give it time. You¡¯ll be working with me, guaranteed."


    "Would you mind making your presences scarce? I need to rest for tomorrow and I don¡¯t want either of you two being seen by the Flood Dragons before I leave."


    "Sure thing, Halmut. I need you in tip-top shape tomorrow," agreed 12-13, making both he and Sterfen invisible. Then, he brought Sterfen to the side of the room and ced his hands on the Assassin God¡¯s head. "This will hurt. A lot. But don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll keep your mouth from moving so shouting won¡¯t be a problem."


    Suddenly, Sterfen¡¯s entire body tensed up and the pain of a thousand needles puncturing his brain overwhelmed him. He wanted to pass out but found himself unable.


    12-13, on the other hand, was smiling under his cover of darkness and invisibility. The man sneaky man made sure that Sterfen was unable to be unconscious, forcing his mind to endure everything while wide awake. It was amon tactic to help exhaust and weaken the mind while extracting information. Also, 12-13 was quite curious how long Sterfen¡¯s mental fortitude wouldstpared to others he had tortured in the past.


    *****


    YAAAWWNN


    Jack stretched his body, making sure to get up and get his blood pumping after a good night¡¯s sleep. He was weed to find a cold breakfast of various sushi tes, mostly vegetarian via the hydra farms, and all were delicious in their own right.


    After finishing his morning meal, Jack was more rxed than ever. Finally, his n was about to go into effect. No n was ever perfect but Jack was confident he could make it work.


    Jack left his room and made sure to leave nothing behind. He wasn¡¯t nning toe back, at least not until after he conquered cier Keep. The hero didn¡¯t go far though, finding his way to Jinbe¡¯s master suite. After knocking, Jack unlocked the door and made his way into the grand room built for the hydra head, the room that Raztol had always refused to use. Since it was the one best sized for the behemoth Mantis Leviathan, Raztol offered it in order to keep Jinbe from constantly being eyed by hydras in public.


    ¡¯Jack... You¡¯re entering cier Keep today, right? What will happen to me?¡¯ Jinbe asked, struggling to rx on his giant sofa.


    Smiling, Jack replied, ¡¯You¡¯ll wait here. I¡¯m sure the hydras will be happy to have you here very soon.¡¯


    ¡¯Why?¡¯


    ¡¯Did you hear about the four Flood Dragons that leftst night? Apparently, they made a fruit delivery but never came back. In the case that theye back after I enter cier Keep, I¡¯m sure you¡¯d be wee to help fend them off,¡¯ reasoned Jack.


    ¡¯But Jack... I can¡¯t--¡¯


    cing his hand on Jinbe, Jack passed over a tidbit of energy. It surprised Jinbe but Jack exined, ¡¯Now you¡¯ll be able to reach lv. 90 and beyond. You already managed to fight a god one-on-one, I saw the injured wing. So why worry? You¡¯ll have the elders fighting as well and I¡¯ve made sure that you won¡¯t get overwhelmed.¡¯


    ¡¯Really... How?¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about that. Just trust me. Everything is going ording to n after some minor adjustments. You¡¯ll be fine, and this will prove to the hydras that you¡¯re better as an ally, not a foe.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright... Thank you, Jack.¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t thank me yet. At some point, I¡¯ll have to help you breathe out of water so you¡¯ll be able to travel with us beyond this,¡¯ added Jack.


    ¡¯That... That¡¯s hard for me to fathom...¡¯ Jinbe sighed.


    Chuckling, Jack encouraged Jinbe, ¡¯Don¡¯t worry about it. You¡¯ve been struggling to survive and adapt your entire life. Have you ever had a friend or ally?¡¯


    ¡¯Long ago... I don¡¯t remember how long ago...¡¯ replied Jinbe. ¡¯I¡¯ve been alone for a while...¡¯


    ¡¯Well, not anymore. Want to see something cool?¡¯


    Without warning, Jack¡¯s human form suddenly began to change. Before Jinbe¡¯s eyes, he was astounded to see Jack assume a form simr to his own, only much smaller and with four arms instead of six.


    ¡¯From now on, thanks to our seal, I can share your bloodline. That should prove that you¡¯re an importantpanion to me and I can be important to you too. So, can you trust me? For real?¡¯


    Jinbe was silent for a moment, touched to see Jack catching his true thoughts. ¡¯I... It¡¯s hard to trust others so suddenly... but I trust you more than others since you¡¯ve proven worthy of trust so far...¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll take that as a yes,"ughed Jack, hopping off the sofa. ¡¯I¡¯ve got somewhere to be, so I¡¯ll see you after going through cier Keep. If the necessity arises, you can trust Raztol and fight alongside him.

 Chapter 683 - Daruun Opens Glacier Keep

    <h4>Chapter 683 - Daruun Opens cier Keep</h4>


    Seeing himself off, Jack left cial Pce and made a quick visit to Raztol¡¯s humble abode. After making him a demigod as well and momentarily turning down the petition to make Wingreig one as well, Jack returned to cial Pce to meet Lunara. Together, they left for cier Keep.


    They took the long passage through cier Reef and reunited with the helmed swordsman on the other side. Their entrance alerted all the other gods.


    "And Tralbok?" asked Torian.


    Jack smiled and nodded. He contacted Moranti then and there, leading to two figures appearing in a sh of purple energy.


    The moment the chains were unlocked, Morantiughed, "Here, you can have this as a bonus!" Moranti shoved Tralbok toward the legendary gods while lobbing a potion.


    Torian snatched the potion and Grixor caught the red-faced Tralbok. They quickly administered the potion and healed the minor injuries that littered Tralbok¡¯s body.


    "That ungrateful, sted imbecile!" shouted Tralbok, attempting to stare a hole into Moranti¡¯s skull.


    "Want to fight? I¡¯m down!"


    The God of Time started taking deep breaths as he walked towards the trees. Wanting what everyone else had yesterday, Tralbok didn¡¯t want to waste energy or time before entering the unknown dungeon that was cier Keep.


    Now, all they could do was wait.


    Time passed at a decent pace. Everyone was either meditating, snacking on their second batch of fruit, or chatting within separate bubbles of silence.


    "Shouldn¡¯t we include him?" asked Lunara.


    "Nah, don¡¯t worry about him," replied Jack. "He¡¯ll be fine."


    "Well... what should I even call him?"


    "Rynheart," Moranti answered, catching Lunara off guard. "Though he doesn¡¯t say much so don¡¯t expect a conversation. Best to let him be vignt as always and inform him when necessary."


    "Okay..." Nodding, Lunara reassessed Rynheart and took note forter.


    Jack added, "He¡¯s also a lot stronger than you¡¯d expect, so don¡¯t worry about him much. If anything, we can count on him to be a unique part of the team that can attack with a lot of power without even a moment¡¯s notice. And now that we¡¯ve added dark affinity to his rapier, he¡¯ll only be more menacing."


    Hours continued to pass and everyone¡¯s anxiousness was growing, welling up inside them as they were got closer and closer to entering cier Keep. Jack was more excited than usual, not only because of his n but due to the chance to explore a brand new dungeon. That was a rare event in-game and even rarer aftering to Kartonia. Everyone else felt the same as they hadn¡¯t seen a new dungeon in thousands of years. For them, this was nostalgic.


    But while everyone was gradually bing more fixated on the sealed doors under the crystal clearke, a familiarugh appeared from above. "Sorry to keep you waiting for so long."


    Everyone looked upward with both godly factions feeling differently.


    "Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ve already told you that I hold no grudges for what you¡¯ve done due tock of withheld information and unfavorable coincidence," reminded Daruun. "I look forward to seeing you all join the challenge of cier Keep. Remember, though you¡¯ve all forged your own path thus far, you¡¯ve also been favored by fate on many asions. Now, it¡¯s time to put that to the test."


    <i>CLAP!</i>


    As Daruun¡¯s soft yet thunderous p filled the chamber, the ground shook momentarily. The icy seal covering the doors shattered as the roxite doors began to move. To everyone¡¯s shock, the full view of the roxite doors became clear. Once the icy cover was gone everyone could see that the doors spanned the majority of theke floor. An ethereal energy still coated the doors though but didn¡¯t interfere as those doors opened, proving them to be almost ten meters thick.


    Beyond the surreal energy and the now-open doors was a gigantic spatial rift of swirling purple energy.


    "I wish you all the best. Now go, before I close the door."


    All the gods nodded in unison as if entranced by the swirling vortex below theke.


    "Let¡¯s go!" Torian led the charge as the legendary gods took off into the deepke. They were all equipped with water-breathing chokers thanks to Kylon but they now felt the chokers may not be necessary given the spatial rift.


    "Thanks, Daruun!" Jack shouted, being the first from his party to dive into the water.


    Moranti bowed and entered next, followed by Lunara. Thest person was Rynheart who stood at theke¡¯s edge for a moment before looking upward.


    "Go on," Daruun insisted with a warm smile and some water in his eyes. "We can catch up afterward. You should hurry."


    "Thanks, Dad..." Having said that, Rynheart dove into the water and passed through the giant, short-range spatial gate.


    "Jack and his ns... I¡¯ve got to give me more credit for his creativity..." Daruun chuckled, waving his hand and shutting the bulky roxite doors. He then vanished, leaving only the thin film of illusory energy covering the doors and not imprable ice.


    Coming out the other side, Jack was a bit relieved to be breathing air and not be underwater. He turned around to see Moranti and Lunara pass through with Rynhearting up the rear.


    Jack, his party, and the legendary gods all saw the spatial rift close behind them and looked around the giant chamber of roxite hundreds of meters wide. It was an octagonal room with one of the eight sides raised by a dozen or so steps. There, they all fixated on the human man sitting on the top step wearing clothes that reminded Jack of his homeworld.


    "So, we finally have some Kartonians joining us!"ughed the man. "It¡¯s about time."


    Everyone was on edge, especially the legendary gods. Of course, Grixor was the first to ask, "Sir, do you mind if we ask for your name and an exnation?"


    "Oh, did Daruun not tell you anything?" The man hopped to his feet and nonchntly walked down the steps. "You¡¯re here to challenge cier Keep, right?"


    "Yes..." Torian responded. "But what is all this? We¡¯ve never seen a dungeon like this, nor have we had someone such as yourself greet us upon entering a dungeon."


    Sighing and nodding slowly, the man pounded a fist to his chest and beamed. "The name¡¯s Oli."

 Chapter 684 - Meet Oli

    <h4>Chapter 684 - Meet Oli</h4>


    "The name¡¯s Oli," the man introduced himself with a proud grin. He scanned over the gods and continued, "Daruun allowed you all toe early as residents of the home, so you¡¯ll have to wait another half hour before I exin everything in depth."


    Jack¡¯s mind was going insane for many reasons. First off, Jack¡¯s system had no luck in identifying anything about the man before them. Even after stating his name, Jack¡¯s system didn¡¯t load the name into its database. Second, the mention of this being the "home" gave Jack many different ideas and changed all of his assumptions of cier Keep.


    Raising his hand, Jack also introduced himself, "My name¡¯s Jack. When said we¡¯re residents of the home, does that mean cier Keep is a dungeon for multiple systems?"


    "Hey, at least you know about systems," Oli chuckled. "It¡¯s nice to meet you, Jack."


    "So that¡¯s a yes?"


    Oli nodded, "Yup, you¡¯re right about that. Since you¡¯re here early and it¡¯s your first time, I¡¯ll answer what I assume are your biggest questions and concerns, apart from what happens inside cier Keep. I¡¯ll exin that when everyone else gets here.


    "cier Keep is a challenge that Daruun frequently puts on for different zones. Normally, there¡¯s one every month."


    "That often..." Jack sighed and shook his head.


    "This month it¡¯ll be your own zone, surprisingly. But I doubt that¡¯s by surprise given Daruun¡¯s track record," added Oli.


    "And how strong are you?" Torian asked, sharing the same thought as everyone else.


    "Stronger than all of you, but that doesn¡¯t matter right now. Let me exin something very important that Daruun wants you to know before the others arrive." Oli exined, "Your thrives on a power system based on levels, something very rare in the void. Every other participating in this month¡¯s challenge will havee from different power systems and may even speak a differentnguage. Lucky for you, Daruun made sure your¡¯s naturalnguage was Umon."


    "What do you mean?" Tralbok asked with a questionable stare.


    "Umon, thenguage that every traveling cosmician is encouraged to learn. Though the majority of the void doesn¡¯t speak it, the majority of cosmicians do, hence the name Umon," stated Oli. "But don¡¯t expect to understand the strength of others without a special skill or extreme sensitivity to energy. Though, by the look of it, a couple of you may be able to after all."


    Oli¡¯s eyes lingered on Jack but mostly focused on Rynheart, trying to see through his helmet. But there was one other person that continued to catch Oli¡¯s eye. Walking closer to Jack¡¯s party, Oli extended his hand. "What¡¯s your name?"


    "Moranti. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet someone so powerful." dly, Moranti firmly shook Oli¡¯s hand and nodded his head in respect.


    "You¡¯re the one I¡¯ve heard about..."


    "Hmm?"


    Oli smiled and pped Moranti on the back. "Dominus will be proud to see you..."


    "DOMINUS! You know Dominus?!" Moranti shouted, catching Jack¡¯s party off guard and puzzling the others further.


    With a nod, Oli answered, "I know him pretty well, even better than I know Daruun, as a matter of fact."


    "Then... are you from the Fate District or the Mirror District?"


    Oli started blinking, startled to hear Jack¡¯s question. "You know about Mirror District? Who are you exactly? I thought Kartonia has been closed off?"


    "I guess you could say that I¡¯m the one Daruun has been nning for since a few millennia back."


    "OH! That¡¯s you?!" Looking over Jack¡¯s party once again, Oli began nodding andughing hysterically. "Oh... you guys are going to be fun to watch..."


    "Excuse me, but what is this ce exactly?" asked Torian, getting back to the topic at hand.


    "Right... This is the waiting chamber for cier Keep," answered Oli, stepping toward the legendary gods. "Here is where all challengers will congregate to learn of this month¡¯s challenge. After that, I¡¯ll open the entrance rift and you¡¯ll be on your way."


    "And... what are the zones you were talking about earlier?"


    Sighing, Oli looked disappointedly at the legendary gods. "So, none of you know about the void, do you?"


    When they either shook their heads or looked away in arrogance, Oli exined, "basically, the void governing system goes like this. At least one thousand nts make up a system, one thousand systems make up a precinct, and five hundred precincts make up a zone. Today, you¡¯ll be facing people from your own zone, but Daruun mentioned that you¡¯ll be allowed to participate in each month¡¯s challenge from here on out."


    "... How manys? That¡¯s... five hundred millions?!" Torian shouted, putting it into perspective and shriveling up everyone¡¯s understanding of the universe beyond Kartonia, apart from Jack.


    "Yeah, that¡¯s the basics. So don¡¯t expect yourpetition to be pushovers. You¡¯ll be facing the best of the best from the Emerald Zone today. Give it your all or you¡¯ll leave without anything to show for it," continued Oli.


    "The best of the best... So we¡¯re a part of the Emerald Zone?"


    Surprised by Jack¡¯s question, Oli asked, "Why would you know about Mirror District but now know about your home zone? I find that a little hard to believe..."


    "Excuse me... I have a question." Tralbok then asked, "Does teleportation work to get here?"


    Oli shook his head. "No, teleportation won¡¯t work for anyone as weak as you guys. But since it¡¯s your homeworld, you should be able to leave via teleportation."


    "Why¡¯s that?" Jack questioned.


    "Because sensing this ce via spatial energy is impossible. The only hope of getting someone here, apart from spatial gates like the one you all took, would be via summoning with a powerful item as the guide. That¡¯s your only hope of getting someone else here, but that would only work for you guys since I assume you would summon someone from this world."


    "So... we¡¯re still in Kartonia?" asked Jack. He tried to find himself on the map but it was hopeless.


    "Yup, but you¡¯re far below the world you know. Daruun made sure it was impossible to find from the outside and only found via signals from the inside."


    Without warning, a brilliant, holy light flooded the chamber. Oli was the only one to look directly at the source unfazed. "Oh... So you wanted to bring another challenger?"


    As the light faded, everyone else spotted the newly-arrived figure in human form standing beside Tralbok.


    Like many others, Jack mumbled under his breath, "Halmut..."

 Chapter 685 - No Fighting in the Waiting Area

    <h4>Chapter 685 - No Fighting in the Waiting Area</h4>


    "Halmut..."


    As Jack and the others were all caught off guard, including all legendary gods apart from Tralbok who was given the order to summon him, Halmut smiled confidently. "So... This cier Keep? Why are we all waiting here?"


    "Hmm... not bad,"mented Oli, amused to see another arrival. "So Kartonia managed to bring five full teams on their first time, well done!"


    "Sir, why are we all waiting here? Hasn¡¯t the challenge begun?" Halmut turned and asked the unusually dressed man.


    "Sorry, but Kartonians were sent early so that I could exin a couple of things. From the sound of it, I don¡¯t need to repeat myself if you already know this is a challenge and not a dungeon."


    "Then can you exin the--"


    "The terms and conditions of cier Keep will be exined when everyone gets here. Wait patiently like everyone else, big boy," chuckled Oli.


    "You mean little boy."


    Everyone immediately turned toward the helmed man, the only one using illusory energy to distort his voice. Halmut followed the gazes of the gods and stared cruelly at the helmed man. "What... did you say?"


    "Do you prefer the term runt? I guess that would be more fitting..."


    "YOU!"


    "Waaait..." Oli¡¯s calm tone cut through the tension as Halmut gathered energy in his mouth. "There¡¯s no fighting allowed in the waiting chamber. Save your fury for the challenge, got it?"


    "Lucky you,"ughed the helmed man. "You get to live a little longer..."


    Without a word, Halmut stormed ahead with lightning and wind energy. His ws tore through the air as he effortlessly reached for the man¡¯s covered head.


    Lunara was about to step forward. She was also off-put by Halmut¡¯s appearance and beyond furious with him after learning what Kylon was going through. And now that she was also lv. 99 with a bloodline of equal strength, Lunara had no fear of taking Halmut on head-to-head. However, Moranti extended his arm to block her while Jack grabbed her wrist. They didn¡¯t allow Lunara to intervene.


    Halmut¡¯s hands shifted into hybrid form ws, but just his arms. He didn¡¯t want to make the weak, newly-ascended god feel that important. Those powerful ws arched downward with no sess at hitting their target. Instead, the helmed man had teleported and lunged his rapier forward from behind without hesitation or fear.


    This wouldn¡¯t faze Halmut, though. Hisbat experience was among the highest of all gods. He turned to match the rapier¡¯s strike with heated breath.


    "I said no fighting..." sighed Oli, snapping his fingers.


    THUD!


    Both Halmut and the helmed man suddenly crashed to the floor. Their entire body was prostrated and ttened against the roxite floor, even struggling to let air into their lungs.


    Everyone was astounded further, utterly perplexed at Oli¡¯s casual tone of annoyance as the strangely dressed man sauntered toward the two grounded men. Oli squatted down low and cupped a hand over his ear directly over the two men. "What was it I said, again?"


    "No... figh... ting..." the helmed man groaned after losing the ability to hide his voice. His roxite helmet began to crack under the oppressive force pinning him down. "He... star... ted it..."


    "True, true... I suppose you¡¯re right about that." Snapping his finger, Oli released the helmed man. "I think you¡¯ve learned your lesson."


    Wheezing, the helmed man shook as he took in deep breaths, resuming the act of hiding his voice. He was frantic to regain his breath and mobility.


    Sighing, Oli nced at Halmut who had remained silent. "You know, you may be some hotshot on Kartonia among the strongest on the, but don¡¯t get ahead of yourself. You¡¯re but a single grain of sand at the bottom of the ocean, among endless cosmicians feeling the boundless pressure of greater forces throughout the void. Got that."


    Halmut had already lost thest of his breath and the force only got worse the longer Oli took to speak. When given the chance to reply again, Halmut stammered, "Yeah... Got... it..."


    "Close enough..." <i>SNAP!</i>


    The mighty Sun God felt sweet release as his body was able to rx once again. moring to his knees and then his feet, Halmut stared at the nonchnt man with wavering eyes.


    "What?" Oli asked, "You think I¡¯m afraid of you? Or afraid of who you might know? Please... I¡¯ve known Daruun longer than you have and have even more powerful friends if necessary, so I wee the challenge."


    "Sorry..." Halmut pulled his gaze away, no longer daring to cause trouble or go against that man¡¯s orders. Even if he was a part of Jewel, that didn¡¯t mean he was invincible in this particr circ.u.mstance.


    "Sorry about that... Let me fix that for you." Oli nced at the cracked helmet and lobbed some yellow, earthen energy to envelop it. Suddenly, the helmet began to repair itself and return to its usual form. "Fixing such a weak item is easy, so forgive my brutal warning. I¡¯m sure you understand my reasoning and won¡¯t hold it against me. Or else..."


    "I¡¯m sorry." Bowing, the helmed man immediately showed his respect. "It¡¯s my fault for inciting Halmut and I should¡¯ve saved that anger for the challenge."


    Oli smiled and raised an eyebrow. "Good... I like you. Make sure to leave a corpse behind if you die in the keep. I¡¯d hate to see your life wasted so easily."


    While everyone else was trying to understand the meaning of Oli¡¯s warning, Jack was busy with something else. No matter what he did or how many times he tried, Jack was unable to contact Sterfen. Whether it was via the pact, via the message skill, or anything else Jack found no way to reach his father.


    ¡¯Jack... I can¡¯t reach him...¡¯ Lunara telepathically mumbled with worried eyes.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Mom... I¡¯ll contact Daruun right now and get to the bottom of it...¡¯


    Blinking in a fit of shock, Jack was d to have made a pact with Daruun for easymunication. Though he knew Daruun was busy, Jack had to make the call.

 Chapter 686 - Enter More Cosmicians

    <h4>Chapter 686 - Enter More Cosmicians</h4>


    ¡¯Gramps, something happened...¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, what¡¯s wrong?¡¯


    Getting an immediate response, Jack was a bit surprised. ¡¯I thought you were busy?¡¯


    ¡¯I am, but to have you contact me when I wasn¡¯t expecting it, I can only assume that something drastically wrong has urred. Now speak, Jack, don¡¯t waste time,¡¯ stated Daruun.


    ¡¯I can¡¯t contact Father...¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯ There was a moment of unannounced pause but Jack didn¡¯t question Daruun. ¡¯Jack... I can¡¯t reach him either...¡¯


    ¡¯Then--¡¯


    ¡¯I can only assume that something has urred that was beyond my predictions... Perhaps Halmut was more important to Jewel than I had anticipated...¡¯


    ¡¯What should I do?¡¯ Jack asked.


    ¡¯For now... nothing.¡¯ Before Jack could interject, Daruun continued, ¡¯If your father is truly in trouble, then you won¡¯t be able to do anything against his oppressor. I¡¯m certain that he¡¯s still alive and within Olympic Chateau, but I can¡¯t inspect that ce without entering it due to a mental barrier that Halmut created with Jewel¡¯s help long ago.


    ¡¯Wait until one of my bodies can safeguard the. Once I¡¯m positioned to block anyone trying to enter or exit the, enter Olympic Chateau and gather intel. If you find someone oppressing your father, don¡¯t bother acting, as that would only result in your capture as well. Do you understand?¡¯


    ¡¯Yes... I can do that.¡¯


    ¡¯I can safely assume you have your own means of entering Olympic Chateau, given your n, correct?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah... I¡¯ll get in easily... I¡¯ll just have to alter my ns ordingly.¡¯


    ¡¯Good...¡¯ Daruun nervously sighed. ¡¯Wait for my signal. The moment I¡¯m ready to defend Kartonia and make a move against a possible invader, gather the intel and inform me immediately.¡¯


    ¡¯How long will it take?¡¯ Jack asked.


    ¡¯Maybe an hour or two... Sorry I can¡¯t act immediately, Jack. I¡¯m sure you also know that your father is still alive which is the important thing,¡¯ Daruun reaffirmed. ¡¯For now, focus on cier Keep.¡¯


    ¡¯And enter that room you mentioned before?¡¯


    ¡¯Right... of course you wouldn¡¯t forget,¡¯ Daruunughed lightly, trying to lighten the tense conversation. ¡¯Good luck.¡¯


    Shaken, Jack nodded and tried to act normal. ¡¯Mom, don¡¯t draw too much attention. Daruun will be intervening soon, so there¡¯s no need to worry about Dad right now, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Okay... I¡¯ll do my best,¡¯ sighed Lunara, trying to refocus herself.


    Changing the conversation, Jack approached Oli and sat beside him on the steps toward the raised tform. "Mind telling me where you got such a great fit?"


    "Oh? You mean my hoodie and sweats?"


    "What else would I mean? Howe you have those but they¡¯re better than my best armor?" asked Jack, confusing the gods overhearing the unhidden conversation.


    "You transmigrated too, right?" Oli replied with a question.


    "I¡¯m not the only one?" A bit startled, Jack started tough. "So, that theory of alternate worlds is real?"


    "To an extent..." Oli chuckled as well. "You¡¯ll find that simr words exist across the void. Typically, such worlds are developed as experiments or trials of powerful cosmicians. It¡¯s rare for a cosmician to make a world as intricate as Kartonia because it¡¯s easier to nt some human predecessor species and watch the natural evolution of man and technology. Some cosmicians do it in search of inspiration or original ideas for inventions or training while some justcked entertainment or had nothing better to do."


    "Then... is that why I can assume humanity is the dominant race in the void?" Jack deduced.


    Nodding, Oli answered, "For the most part, but not among cosmicians. Humanity makes up the bulk of the general popce but cosmicianse in all shapes, sizes, and colors. Technically speaking, I¡¯m not human either."


    "What?! But you--"


    "My soul was born human, but during rebirth and transmigration that changed,"ughed Oli, startling everyone in the room and confusing most. "I¡¯m just one example of the many strange cosmicians throughout the void. Never assume you know a cosmician you just met. There¡¯s no telling what they¡¯re capable of, who they really are, and the level of threat they pose. A critical rule of cosmicianbat is to understand your opponent. If you can learn who your opponent is, then you¡¯ll be best suited to face them. But if they learn who you are first, then the opposite is true."


    "So... Doesn¡¯t that make it harder on well-known cosmicians?"


    Giving Jack a finger gun, Oli smiled. "That¡¯s exactly it. Fame in the void is a double-edged sword. For the most part, it keeps the majority of people from threatening you, but those that will threaten you will do so in secret and usually mount a single all-out attack to overthrow someone before they know better. And if you¡¯re best tricks and skills are well known, can you even call them a trick?"


    "Makes sense..."


    "Anyway, the others should be arriving in three, two, one..." As Oli finished counting, the wall opposite the raised tform suddenly became a giant spatial rift like before. "Time to get started..."


    People began to walk through the deep purple rift with streaks of green energy, simr to the spatial gate in Earthen Keep that led to Daruun¡¯s private office. The legendary gods backed away to one side with Halmut while those with Jack stepped to the opposite side. Dozens of humanoid figures began to enter the space and stand between the divided gods. Most were human but some had different colored skin, size, or key features that proved them to not be, such as bestial noses, ears, eyes, scales, tails, and any manner of physical feature imaginable.


    "Wee!" Oli stood back up and threw his arms open wide. "Finally, we get to begin the challenge!"


    "Are these the Kartonians?"


    At the front of the emerging cosmicians, there were two young simr-looking, blonde-haired men looking to be in their twenties by mortal standards. It was one of them that spoke first. The same man scanned over the people on both sides of him and asked again, "Are these them?"


    "Yes, that¡¯s us," Jack answered, proving his confidence as a leading figure. "My name¡¯s Jack and I¡¯m with them."


    Following Jack¡¯s finger, the two men looked at Moranti, Lunara, and the helmed man. Scoffing, the man who spoke earlier remarked, "That¡¯s it? What about them? What are you, the minority of your?"

 Chapter 687 - Woltin and Wollice Sicabor

    <h4>Chapter 687 - Woltin and Wollice Sicabor</h4>


    Just when Jack was feeling irked and about to reply slyly, the second man gripped the first man¡¯s head. Then, the second man bowed while forcing his counterpart to do the same. "Please, forgive my brother¡¯s attitude. He only gets like this when he¡¯s nervous."


    "Hey! That¡¯s--"


    "My name is Woltin Sicabor, and this is my twin brother Wollice Sicabor," introduced the second man, who was slightly taller than the first. "We¡¯re the sons of Whallen Sicabor, the zone leader of the Emerald Zone."


    "Oh..." Jack and those from his party immediately bowed as well. "Of course, there was no offense taken."


    Some of the legendary gods bowed as well, but only some. At the same time, Jack lifted his head along with the twins and asked, "We¡¯re d to finally face cier Keep alongside the rest of our zone."


    "No, the pleasure is ours, right Wollice?"


    "Y-yes," admitted the humbled young man. "Sorry for the disrespect."


    "None taken." Jack waved his hands innocently while stepping toward the others in his party. "Allow me to introduce them. This is Lunara, my mother. This is Moranti, a powerfulpanion of mine, and he... Well, he prefers to remain anonymous to keep them from assuming his abilities."


    Sensing the tension between those of Kartonia, the twin brother immediately understood. Woltin asked, "Then is there a ceholder name that we can call him for the time being?"


    "Rynheart..." quietly stated the helmed man, still altering his voice.


    "Well, Rynheart, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, as well as Lunara and Moranti." Woltin nodded in respect while shaking each of their hands.


    Wollice did the same, following his brother¡¯s example. "Would you mind me asking what races you all are? Most of you don¡¯t appear to be human or at least carry a bestial energy."


    "Sorry," Jack interjected with an answer, "But it would be best to reveal that in battle. Might as well use our unknown status to some kind of advantage."


    "Then we¡¯ll do the same," Wollice chuckled, warming up to Jack a bit more. "Then, do you mind exining why the strongest of you Kartonias are bunched up here against the others? Or should we assume that this is a ssic example of the strong minority challenged by the weaker majority?"


    "Excuse me," Halmut spoke loudly to grab everyone¡¯s attention, "but I feel you¡¯re assuming incorrectly."


    "Are they now..." Jack shrugged and ignored Halmut. He threw both arms around the twins¡¯ shoulders. "So, you¡¯re from the capital of the zone, right?"


    "Of course. Would you like to visit us sometime?" Woltin replied. "It would be an honor to receive the first Kartonians."


    "Really? Has the rest of the zone heard about us?" Jack asked.


    "It¡¯s only been in thest thousand or so years but Kartonia grabbed everyone¡¯s interest the moment the zone learned of it. To keep people from searching into Kartonia further or asking too many questions, District Leader Daruun opened cier Keep as a challenge for all zones to participate one at a time. As our district leader¡¯s hand-crafted world, how could Kartonia not get the attention of the masses?" reasoned Wollice. "And to be the first people to meet Kartonians is an honor for us, so long as you stand up to our expectations."


    "And I¡¯m sure you will," added Woltin, nudging his brother¡¯s side. "From there energy alone, we¡¯ll need to keep an eye on you and your people, Jack."


    "I take that as apliment."


    Amid their conversation, Jack was letting his system create a new passive function. Upon the arrival of the other cosmicians, the system had given him a new notification.


    [Failure to assume and evaluate the levels of strength among those present. Would the user like the system to adapt and assume local levels of strength?]


    Jack selected it immediately, happy to see that there was no price tag involved. But then he got a warning.


    [WARNING: Levels will be self-generated by the assumption of power and energy levels emitted by local cosmicians. Data may be incorrect and misleading without the retrieval of proper information or a skill gathering deeper levels of information of local cosmicians.]


    [Proceed anyway?]


    Inwardly sighing, Jack allowed his system to begin the function. Now that it had finished updating, Jack noticed the strange and varied results. The levels varied among the hundred or so cosmicians in the chamber but the twin brothers were a perfect example of unexpected results.


    [Woltin Sicabor, lv. 83, Mage]


    [Wollice Sicabor, lv. 79, Swordsman]


    Already, Jack understood that his system waspletely wrong in its evaluations. Jack guessed that the system had assumed the ss based on the apparel and equipment that the twins wore, something Jack could do in his sleep. But the levels were horribly wrong. It was clear to everyone that all people in the chamber were cosmicians, yet his system ssified them at such a low level... It was baffling.


    While finished the conversation and let the brothers greet Halmut and his people, Jack tried a different tactic. Jack searched for the energy that the brothers were showing and then understood his system¡¯s evaluation.


    Jack then warned his party via telepathy, ¡¯Everyone, many of them are concealing their energy. Don¡¯t take them lightly and assume that everyone you face is just as strong as you. Understood?¡¯


    ¡¯Got it,¡¯ replied Moranti, taking mental notes for the near future.


    Lunara agreed, ¡¯Thank you, Son.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll do the same.¡¯


    Both Lunara and Moranti were surprised when they looked back at their mysterious counterpart. Already, their equipment made their levels invisible and somewhat blurred their apparent levels of energy. Now, however, they were both startled to see Rynheart¡¯s energy levelspletely vanish. Jack then did simrly, doing his best to reduce his energy to match the twins.


    They had only just met foreign cosmicians and they already discovered a key difference between them.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t depend on your system too much,¡¯ Jack added. ¡¯Now that we¡¯ll be facing people from outside of Kartonia, it only makes sense to not judge them by Kartonia¡¯s standards and means of measurement.¡¯


    While the others nodded in agreement, Jack thought to himself about what he could do. His system was everything to him, far more so than to the others in Kartonia. Jack was certain that he would need to find a skill to help him better evaluate and read opponents by the standards of the void and not Kartonia. With that in mind, Jack reopened his skill list and searched through Daruun¡¯s skills to no avail.

 Chapter 688 - Cards and Keys

    <h4>Chapter 688 - Cards and Keys</h4>


    "Now that you¡¯re here and have met one another, let¡¯s get things started," Oli spoke casually but his voice resonated through the chamber with great force. "And now that I¡¯ve got your attention, allow me to exin some things..."


    Jack eventually found a skill that was absolutely perfect, but there was one problem. It was a six-star skill... Giving up his search at the moment, Jack listened in to Oli¡¯s exnation along with everyone else.


    Oli waved his arm and a table appeared at his side. On top of the table were hundreds of thin, rectangr items. From Jack¡¯s perspective, they looked like an all-ck credit card without any writing or imagery anywhere.


    "These are what you¡¯ll be using inside of cier Keep," exined Oli, retrieving a card from his storage and not the table. "Everyone will get one card and that¡¯s it. Also..." A stack of matching ck armbands appeared beside the cards. "These will mark whose team you are on. You may not be able to tell the difference, but cier Keep will. Everyone will need them upon entry, so don¡¯t store them away. Now, line up as teams and get your items."


    Jack¡¯s team took the lead, followed by the Sicabor twins and then Halmut. After everyone was handed a card and band, they returned to their previous spots.


    "Now, I¡¯ll exin how the cards work. Watch this."


    Everyone watched Oli carefully as he retrieved a small, spherical ore of some sort. It was glowing gently until Oli crushed it and the energy passed through the air and into the card in Oli¡¯s other hand.


    "Each of these ores can be considered a key. Your card will absorb the keys and keep track of how many you have. Take a look." Holding the card for all to see, Oli showed the red "1" now appearing on the face of the card. "To proceed through cier Keep, you¡¯ll need more and more keys. You¡¯ll gain these keys through various means, defeating constructs,pleting puzzles, winning challenges, defeating other challengers, etc. What matters is how many keys you have. Is that understood?"


    "Yes!" the twins and a majority of cosmicians shouted.


    "Now, check this out. I want you all to ce a drop of your blood on the card. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to activate them. Go on."


    They all followed orders, pricking or nibbling their fingers to give up a drop of precious blood.


    "Now pour your energy into the card to help it process your blood." Once everyone did that, Oliu began to descend the steps and walked toward Jack. "Do you mind if I use you for an example?"


    "Go right ahead," Jack chuckled, curious to see what would happen.


    Continuing, Oli ced one of those ores in Jack¡¯s hand. "Now crush it and show everyone that it worked."


    Jackplied and happily saw his card gain a key before anyone else in thepetition.


    "Don¡¯t get too excited. This is where the example is needed,"ughed Oli.


    Then, Oli reached out and flicked Jack¡¯s card, obliterating it with ease. It crumbled and evaporated but a strange ethereal energy seeped out of the disintegrating card and gradually enveloped Jack.


    "Three, two, one..."


    Oli counted as Jack suddenly vanished from where he stood in the same fashion that the card had dematerialized. Jack then rematerialzed at the raised tform where Oli was standing before. Everyone was amazed to see what was going on and curious to understand the example.


    "These cards are now linked to you and are your lifeline. Some of you will die today but that¡¯s okay. The moment your card is broken, you¡¯ll be transported back here in three seconds and the same goes for if you die. If you die, the card will recognize that its host has perished and it will activate the same teleportation protocol so that we can revive the fallen corpses."


    Spotting a raised arm, Oli asked, "What¡¯s your question?"


    Woltin nodded and dropped his arm. "Does that mean you have the material to revive us to our full strength?"


    "Yes, we do," answered Oli, surprising most presently listening, especially those from Kartonia. "Reviving a one-star cosmician isn¡¯t much of an expense for the district, so consider yourselves lucky to have a chance at life and deathbat without fear of permanently passing.


    Oli returned to his spot on the tform, spotting Jack reaching for the table. With a chuckle, Oli snapped and stopped Jack¡¯s hand. "Sorry, but only I can hand out cards. No extras for you."


    Receiving a handout from Oli and feeling a release of the strange pressure, Jack nervouslyughed and walked toward his party.


    "Also, take a look at my card now." Oli continued his exnation as everyone realized the greater importance of the cards. "I now have two keys because I stole Jack¡¯s. So the cards act as a totem to help us keep the challenge rtively safe, it also bes your means of forfeit and retreat should you choose to surrender your points to others. And don¡¯t bother cing them in your storage items or they won¡¯t be able to gather your keys. The key energy will always go to the nearest receptacle, so if your card is in storage it may go to a teammate or a foe depending on your circ.u.mstances. Understood?"


    "Yes!" shouted everyone, more unified than thest time.


    "Good..." Oli sighed and sat back down on the top step. "Before I open the keep and we begin sending people in, let me say this. Though you¡¯ve all forged your own path thus far, you¡¯ve also been favored by fate on many asions. Now, it¡¯s time to put that to the test!"


    A swirling vortex of purple energy then opened up behind Oli. "Go for it! Charge in and don¡¯t worry about your teammates just yet. The challenge will only begin once all forty-one teams enter the keep. So go!"


    Halmut was the first to act. During the wait, he had already reimagined the teams made up of legendary gods. Together with Tralbok and two Flood Dragon gods, Halmut rocketed into the massive spatial gate with terrifying speed.


    The Sicabor twins weren¡¯t any different. They were smiling in excitement as they led their team and others charging in to the spatial vortex.


    Jack¡¯s team waited till the end, not in any hurry.


    "Wasn¡¯t expecting you to be so casual," remarked Oli.


    "I could say the same," Jack replied with a chuckle.


    Smiling, Oli titled his head back toward the spatial gate. "You¡¯re thest ones. Stop wasting my time and get in there. And good luck."


    With that, Jack¡¯s party stormed into the spatial gate just before it closed on itself. Now alone, Oli stretch and fell back onto the ground. The roxite roof suddenly lit up as a vast number of illusory screens appeared for Oli to spectate on the many challengers within the keep.


    "Now, don¡¯t make this too boring..." sighed Oli, smiling in hope of a better show than usual.

 Chapter 689 - Glacier Keep

    <h4>Chapter 689 - cier Keep</h4>


    As the spatial energy faded, Jack and his party found themselves in an empty room. The walls and floor were made of the same roxite from the previous room while the ceiling was covered in the same glowing ice that made up cier Reef. There was only one way out of the room but there was a thin, metallic barrier blocking the hallway.


    ¡¯I guess it¡¯s time to get serious,¡¯ Moranti chuckled telepathically.


    Jack was busy checking something else. He immediately opened his system menu to verify what worked and what didn¡¯t. The hero sighed and drooped his head upon learning that his map was useless, as was his god¡¯s eye mini-map cheat. There was an update to hisnguage function, which now had tabs created per thanks to his system overhearing conversations of the zone¡¯s cosmicians. Kartonia¡¯s mainnguage was also changed, no longer beingbeled as [Humanian] but as [Umon].


    But that didn¡¯t ease the disappointment that Jack felt. Jack mentally mumbled, ¡¯I guess we do this the hard way...¡¯


    ¡¯I guess the armbands kept us together,¡¯mented Moranti, getting the others¡¯ attention. ¡¯I can sense a shared spatial signature in our armbands, so the keep must¡¯ve kept us together during the shuffling rift.¡¯


    ¡¯And that¡¯s why Daruun warned us of groups of four...¡¯ Lunara agreed and nodded.


    Jack mentioned, ¡¯My map skill is useless down here so we¡¯ll be handling things like everyone else, without any cheats.¡¯


    A distorted chuckling voice was heard in their heads. ¡¯Leave it to a yer to keep looking for cheats...¡¯


    Laughing, Jack looked back to Rynheart. ¡¯Yeah, yeah... you know you¡¯d do the same.¡¯


    ¡¯True, if we were able.¡¯


    While Jack and joked with the helmed man, Moranti stepped toward the barrier in the hallway. After knocking on it, he was astounded by its flexible yet resilient structure. ¡¯I don¡¯t know what this is but we won¡¯t be breaking it, that¡¯s for sure.¡¯


    ¡¯Before we get ahead of ourselves, let¡¯s test a few things.¡¯ Jack then blinked away in a sh of purple light, reappearing a few meters ahead beside Moranti. ¡¯Okay... so local teleportation is still a thing. I think we¡¯ll be able to teleport to each other within the keep, so splitting up may not be a terrible option.¡¯


    Oli¡¯s voice then resonated through the room, "Before I let you all loose, let me state something that should¡¯ve been obvious. For the privileged few trying to get a leg on thepetition through unfair means, I rmend you put away your two-star items now before I disqualify your entire team."


    Those in Jack¡¯s party shrugged as they were clearly not part of that group, but they were d to hear that Oli kept people from using such weapons. It also let them understand that they weren¡¯t the most privileged or prominent of the challengers. Though they were technically endorsed by Daruun, Daruun was also well known for letting his people grow naturally with little to no interference. Or as Jack would joking put it, Daruun was a cheapskate that struggled to believe in taking shortcuts.


    "I¡¯ll repeat myself once more. Put your two-star equipment away now or I¡¯ll remove your team and you¡¯ll face the consequences of tarnishing cier Keep¡¯s reputation. Three, two... Good. Thank you for your inconsiderate cooperation, Halmut. I look forward to seeing how everyone else will punish you for nearly disrupting the challenge. Good luck, everyone!"


    Just like that, the metallic barrier suddenly faded out of existence like Jack¡¯s card had during the earlier demonstration.


    But Jack¡¯s party was focused on something else. They were hung up on the person Oli had called out.


    ¡¯Everyone...¡¯ Jack took a deep breath and shook his head. ¡¯I think I should remind you that Halmut has been in contact with an organization outside of Kartonia. That was how he managed to seal Skaryn in the first ce and I assume he¡¯s been keeping some of his best items hidden this whole time. Keep that in mind and be careful of him. If any of us confront him, tell everyone immediately so we can act ordingly. Got it?¡¯


    Once everyone nodded, steeling themselves and forcing out all fears of Halmut, the party moved forward.


    The passage was well-lit thanks to the luminescent ice lining the keep¡¯s ceilings. It also made seeing the next room very clear. As soon as the room came into view and the party noticed what was waiting for them, the four mannequin-like constructs came to life.


    ¡¯Can everyone see their levels?¡¯ Jack asked, getting a unified reply. ¡¯Good... we¡¯ll need to secure and share as much intel as possible. Now let¡¯s break them.¡¯


    All four gods leaped into action, each attacking a lv. 93 mannequin in their own way. The victory was earned immediately and each mannequin dropped a core that was dark grey with a slight shine. They smashed their respective cores and found themselves with their first keys.


    Curious, Jack turned to the helmed man and held out his hand. ¡¯Do you mind?¡¯


    Rynheart handed his card over and allowed Jack to test a few things. Jack didn¡¯t bother breaking attacking the card. Instead, he wanted to see if there was a means of transferring points without breaking cards. A few secondster Jack found his answer.


    ¡¯Look...¡¯


    The party watched as Jack ced his card beneath Rynhearts. Nothing happened at first but after three seconds the disy on Rynheart¡¯s card changed from "1" to "2". Looking back to Jack¡¯s card there was only a "0" disyed.


    ¡¯So transferring keys is possible without breaking cards... But why didn¡¯t Oli mention that before?¡¯ Jack asked in thought.


    Rynheart was the one to answer first, ¡¯Perhaps it¡¯s only possible with teammates. We¡¯ll have to try it with someone else to verify, but it may be safe to assume as such considering some of the key parts of the cards¡¯ inscriptions are also on the armband.¡¯


    ¡¯Really?¡¯ Jack and the others then removed their armbands and looked on the side that faced their arm. ¡¯I hadn¡¯t noticed... Nice catch.¡¯


    Moranti chuckled, enjoying the little show that Jack was putting on for Lunara and him. ¡¯Now that you two agree on something, shouldn¡¯t we get moving?¡¯

 Chapter 690 - Adapting to Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 690 - Adapting to Challenge</h4>


    ¡¯Onest thing. Moranti, can you go back to the other room and try teleporting back to us?¡¯ Jack asked.


    Nodding, the God of Space left in a hurry to test their theory. Confirming that would allow them their strategies to be quite adaptable, giving them an advantage on anyone that couldn¡¯t move so freely.


    ¡¯Mind if I take a different approach?¡¯ Rynheart asked the party telepathically. ¡¯Jack, can I keep that extra key? I¡¯d like to scout out the keep and check through everyone¡¯s room. Perhaps your map would work better after I rush through as many rooms as possible?¡¯


    Jack smiled and agreed, ¡¯I like that idea, but stay invisible and only kill constructs if you need more keys. Let us try and hoard as many keys as possible. Forter use. That okay with you?¡¯


    ¡¯Sure. I¡¯m not after treasures anyway...¡¯ The helmed swordsman shrugged and took his card. As Moranti teleported back to them, Rynheart extended his card to both Moranti and Lunara. ¡¯Do you mind passing me your keys? It¡¯ll help me sneak through more rooms and give us more intel.¡¯


    Moranti held out his card without a word, cing it under Rynheart¡¯s for three seconds to pass his only key to the swordsman. Lunara did the same, d that they have some sort of strategy.


    The moment Rynheart had all four keys, a sheet of illusory energy dr.a.p.ed over him. Now invisible, Rynheart approached the next barrier which had a "1" disyed across its metallic surface. It quickly faded away like the previous barrier and the swordsman was on his way.


    Jack then opened his map and checked to see if it was working. Casting god¡¯s perspective briefly, Jack saw through Rynheart¡¯s eyes and mind. To his joy, Jack returned to his own sight and menu to see that Rynheart¡¯s exploration could indeed help Jack form a map of sorts. And there was something new as well. Each of the enemies that Rynheart had spotted remained on the map, although they weren¡¯t unless Rynheart was actively watching them. Realizing that they marked where enemies were at the time that Rynheart passed them, Jack found the party far more capable of nning.


    ¡¯The next room only has one construct,¡¯ Jackmented with a smile. ¡¯Rynheart left it alone for us and it¡¯s lv. 97. Who wants it?¡¯


    ¡¯May I?¡¯ Lunara asked, stepping toward the open passage. ¡¯I haven¡¯t had a chance to fight seriously since bing a high-level god. This should help me a bit.¡¯


    ¡¯After you.¡¯ Moranti bowed and motioned to the next room like a gentleman.


    Following Lunara, the party entered the next room. They found the barrier already gone and therger mannequin constructing to life. Lunara stepped forward and retrieved her spear. She wanted to know how strong her human form was, giving herself a trackable benchmark of her strength.


    To her surprise, she found the construct to be an easy foe despite herck of transformation. Lunara¡¯s frost spear stabbed through the construct and shattered it like a block of ice.


    What no one was expecting was the different colored core. It was silver and glowed brighter than the previous cores. Lunara picked it up and got a nod from her teammates before crushing it and taking the keys inside.


    ¡¯5 keys... So stronger opponents offer more keys, a ssic concept,¡¯ Jack concluded. The hero used god¡¯s perspective yet again, finding the Rynheart three rooms further ahead. ¡¯The next room has two lv. 95 mannequins.¡¯


    ¡¯My turn!¡¯ Moranti chuckled, charging ahead.


    Both Lunara and Jackughed as they followed along. Their strategy was definitely making the trip easier and removing some of cier Keep¡¯s mystery, at least so far.


    *****


    Hydra guards carefully stood watch at the trench¡¯s entrance but they were unaware of the four Flood Dragons nearly a kilometer away. Those Flood Dragons waited there, hesitant and nervous. Their faces were riddled with worry and regret.


    "Make your move now!"


    "But... your excellency--"


    "NOW!" roared Halmut. "Otherwise, consider your people as a useless and unnecessary existence that will be wiped out the moment I¡¯m back!"


    "Y-yes!"


    Putting away the contact crystal, the Flood Dragon in charge looked to her threerades and shook her head. Using general telepathy, she ryed the orders, ¡¯It¡¯s time... Remember, either we try or they die...¡¯


    The others nodded but were too saddened to reply. Together, all four Flood Dragons sighed and rushed toward the trench.


    As the Flood Dragons reached the hydra guards, some guards shouted, ¡¯Have youe back to--¡¯


    ¡¯Evade or die!¡¯ shouted the lead Flood Dragon, unleashing a torrent of boiling water from her mouth. The spray fell onto one of the three-headed guards, killing one of its heads. When the guards tried to step up against the dragons the lead Flood Dragon shouted again, ¡¯Evade or die! There¡¯s no other choice!¡¯


    Four Flood Dragons tore through the barricading hydras, acting against their will and either killing or brutally wounding all who dared stop them.


    Deeper down, word of invaders was already being passed through the chain ofmand and the hydra elders were quickly alerted of the iing dragons.


    ¡¯This...¡¯ Raztol was already rushing toward the open space over cier Reef, followed by the elders doing the same. As Wingrieg and Hindrad arrived on the scene, Raztol sighed, ¡¯This is what we feared...¡¯


    Hindrad scowled and argued, ¡¯And where this protection that they offered us?! How dare they--¡¯


    ¡¯Here¡¯s a part of that protection.¡¯ All the elders turned to spot Jinbe swimming over, each with a different expression on their face.


    ¡¯How dare you?! We have no way of trusting you after countless years of being our foe!¡¯ stated Hindrad. ¡¯I was against feeding you but only because we were promised that you would be leaving the deep sea after they returned from cier Keep. You have no--¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Jinbe,¡¯ Raztol interrupted the consul and bowed his head to the mighty leviathan.


    The angered consul was about to say more but Wingreig spoke next and smiled, ¡¯Given your size and abilities, can we count on you to take one of the dragons?¡¯

 Chapter 691 - Siege on Glacier Reef

    <h4>Chapter 691 - Siege on cier Reef</h4>


    ¡¯Yes... How many are there?¡¯ Jinbe asked.


    Raztol replied, ¡¯Wingreig and I will take one as well. Hindrad and Artrat will work with the remaining elders to ward off the final two. They¡¯ll be here soon, so there¡¯s no time to waste.¡¯


    ¡¯MY FELLOW HYDRAS!!!¡¯ Raztol¡¯s telepathic shouts passed over the reef and somewhat calmed the rising tension of the hydras below. ¡¯Hurry to cier Keep and the tunnels below. That¡¯s the only way to remain safe!¡¯


    The panic wasn¡¯t gone but it had be somewhat orderly as hundreds of hydras rushed into the tunnels of cier Reef to hide. Those at the reef¡¯s center hurried toward cier Keep, the safest of all ces.


    Turning to the elders, Raztolmented, ¡¯Any who are too afraid to face deities such a Lunara, retreat now and guard the tunnels. This is your only chance.¡¯


    It took a moment but the first two elders to concede swam off toward the keep¡¯s entrance, standing guard. More followed and took guarding positions along the many tunnels.


    ¡¯Then allow me to guard the keep!¡¯ Hindered shouted as he and some of his followers rushed off. They roared and forced the hydras in the way to clear a path as Hindrad charged toward cier Keep¡¯s entrance.


    Sighing, Wingreig looked to those that remained with a faint sense of hope. ¡¯Thank you for remaining...¡¯


    ¡¯Artrat, either stay and fight till your dying breath or join the guards below,¡¯ Raztol dered loudly. ¡¯Any who are weak-hearted will only hold back those that they are joint with. Is that understood?¡¯


    ¡¯... Understood...¡¯


    Artrat and a few others left as well, taking guarding positions at tunnel entrances.


    ¡¯Won¡¯t we need them?¡¯ asked one of the remaining elders.


    Wingreig shook his head. ¡¯No... The head is right. When we merge together, their cowardly thoughts will only hinder us.¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s okay to be scared. I¡¯m terrified right now...¡¯ admitted Raztol, startling the younger elders that had stayed with them. ¡¯But bravery is the act of rebelling against your worst fears! All who have remained and don¡¯t desert from this point on will receive a new title as high elders! Your strength won¡¯t go unnoticed, nor will your courage to stand in the face of our greatest foe yet!¡¯


    <i>ROOOOOOAAAAAARRRRR!</i>


    <i>RRRROOOOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRRR!!!</i>


    Raztol¡¯s rallying roar was met with the roars of Wingrieg and the remaining 12 hydra elders, which contained all seven of elders that had refused to fight Lunara before. This call echoed through the reef and filled the hiding hydras with another sense of hope and pride.


    ¡¯Here theye...¡¯


    As the Flood Dragons wereing into view, Raztol and Wingreig merged to form a giant two-headed frost body. The other twelve elders formed two groups of six, each preparing to face one of the lv. 90 Flood Dragons. And Jinbe¡¯s resolve remained firm, even rushing forward to meet the dragons head-on.


    ¡¯Evade or die!¡¯ the leading Flood Dragon cried over and over. Tears would have been streaming down her cheeks had the water surrounding them allowed it. ¡¯Just evade or die!¡¯


    Jinbe reached the dragons first, evading the iing plume of boiling water and lunging at the lead dragon. His club-like forearm crashed into the dragon¡¯s jaw, forcing her aside. But another dragone forward and challenged Jinbe.


    Raztol and Wingreig attempted to reach the lead dragon as well but they were also routed aside by a different foe.


    The remaining hydras roared as they too tried to attack the dragon in the lead. They all hoped that doing removing her would result in a ceasefire or a degree of confusion. However, they were annoyed to find themselves warded off by the third Flood Dragon and not the leader. That gave the lead Flood Dragon the chance to continue her charge while the twelve hydra elders punished the guarding dragon.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t let her through!¡¯ Raztol and Wingreig roared together but were stopped by their opponent.


    One of the elder groups darted toward her and hurled an attack but the Flood Dragon spat out a torrent of boiling water to extinguish the spray of frozennces.


    Below, Artrat stood shakily. Like many of the hydra elders, he had rarely experiencedbat and had always enjoyed a cushy lifestyle, which was very much unlike the elders who had dared stand and fight above. But now, a dragon managed to slip past and was swimming directly toward him and cier Keep. Frozen in fear and hesitation, Artrat opened his mouth but said nothing to his fellow elders guarding the tunnel nor to the approaching dragon.


    ¡¯Allow me...¡¯


    Strangely, a soft voice passed over the entire reef. None of the hydras knew where that voice came from, nor did the dueling Flood Dragons.


    Only the leading Flood Dragon recognized that voice. She tried to look back but was suddenly broadsided and thrown into the walls of cial Pce, crashingnding through at least a dozen rooms.


    ¡¯Sorry, but I can¡¯t let you take the fruits nor harm the hydras.¡¯


    With a shaky gaze, the lead Flood Dragon was relieved. ¡¯Perchet... how--¡¯


    ¡¯I never said I didn¡¯t have water magic,¡¯ stated the God of Sound, now only at lv. 90. ¡¯Don¡¯t think I¡¯m incapable after switching sides and starting from scratch. Now, more than ever, I¡¯m fearsome beyond yourprehension.¡¯


    ¡¯B-but... How are you--¡¯


    A sharp scratching sound suddenly rang through the ears of all Flood Dragon¡¯s forcing them to lower their guards and receive the attacks of their opponents. The lead Flood Dragon trembled as the sound momentarily vanished.


    ¡¯Did you know that sound travels better underwater? I¡¯m sure you do. But did you know it only makes me all the more lethal?¡¯mented Perchet, filling the Flood Dragon with undeniable fear. ¡¯Please exin yourself. As Kylon¡¯s personal attendant and Lunara¡¯s former guard, I know you well enough. Why do you dare attack Lunara¡¯s home?¡¯


    ¡¯P-please...¡¯ the Flood Dragon struggled to speak her mind. ¡¯Please... kill us, Perchet.¡¯


    Startled to hear such a thing, Perchet asked again, ¡¯Tell me, why do you--¡¯


    ¡¯Kill us... Please...¡¯ begged the Flood Dragon.

 Chapter 692 - Turning Point for the Hydra Civilization

    <h4>Chapter 692 - Turning Point for the Hydra Civilization</h4>


    ¡¯Kill us... Please...¡¯


    Perchet eyed the Flood Dragon carefully. As a former subordinate god under Halmut, Perchet recognized the despair behind her eyes and the meaning behind her earlier cries of warning.


    "STOP FIGHTING!!!"


    Perchet roared without any telepathy, letting all of cier Reef shake from the sound of his voice. His control of sound made speaking normally underwater easier than a d.o.g.g.y paddle through a stream.


    Everyone fighting overhead suddenly felt that same ringing from earlier, forcibly halting their fights. Perchet, in hybrid form, then hurled the frying Flood Dragon back toward herrades. The God of Sound then appeared there and caught his own thrown effortlessly. He eased the ringing now that he had everyone¡¯s attention.


    ¡¯The Flood Dragons will now die, but at their hands.¡¯ Everyone was startled to see Perchet pointing at Jinbe and the giant two-headed frost body. ¡¯As Jack¡¯s newest demigods, you¡¯ll be the ones to kill them and gain their EXP.¡¯


    ¡¯We--¡¯


    One of the Flood Dragons wanted to say something but the ringing picked up again, far worse than before. Blood seeped out of one ear as that Flood Dragon twisted and rolled in the water.


    ¡¯Jinbe, you first.¡¯


    ¡¯You know me?¡¯


    Perchet nodded. ¡¯I¡¯m also with Jack. He sent me here in case this happened and your ryed information let me act soon enough to stop them. For that, you¡¯ll be the next to ascend before Raztol.¡¯


    ¡¯... Alright...¡¯


    All eyes were on the contorting Flood Dragon with a high-pitched grinding mentally crippling their mind. The other Flood Dragons watched, experiencing a lesser tone of the same stifling sound attack. But they weren¡¯t sad. In fact, a couple of them were smiling.


    Jinbe lunged into the twisting dragon andtched his fangs into the dragon¡¯s neck while his many arms tore the dragon¡¯s wings apart. Finally, one arm snapped the weakened neck, rendering the dragon lifeless.


    Suddenly, energy began to swirl around Jinbe¡¯s body. It was both blue and yellow, proving that he did have water and earth affinity even if hecked any skills using them.


    ¡¯You¡¯re next, Raztol.¡¯


    Another Flood Dragon started to writhe in pain as the hydra head and consul separated into their individual bodies. Raztol asked, ¡¯Can¡¯t you help Wingreig as well? He--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m sure Jack will help himter. Better Jack than me, I would say,¡¯ replied Perchet. ¡¯Now don¡¯t waste time.¡¯


    ¡¯Right...¡¯ Sighing, Raztol was in awe at how the tables had turned in their favor.


    Raztol had no clue how many people Jack had on his side but the appearance of someone like Perchet proved to all hydra elders just how easily Jack could¡¯ve stormed through cier Keep. With someone controlling sound waves to that incredible extent, Jack could freely kill any hydra without giving them a chance to fight back or plea for mercy.


    Forming a frosty spear of condensed, pure water energy, Raztol skewered the Flood Dragon clean through the next along with its wings.


    Now, blue energy began to swell up from within Raztol for all to see.


    But Perchet wasn¡¯t done. While Jinbe and Raztol began their ascension to awe the hydras able to spectate, Perchet looked to the remaining two dragons. ¡¯Anyst words?¡¯


    One shook its head as Perchet sent a pulse of sound to fry its brain, giving an instant, painless death. But the lead Flood Dragon nodded slightly. ¡¯Thank you... I¡¯m d you stopped us in time...¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m sorry it had to be like this...¡¯


    With a sigh, Perchet gave her a painless death as well. He still held her but her limbs hung loosely at her sides, motionless.


    Perchet then stored her body, as well as her fellow Flood Dragon corpses. Luckily, Jinbe was busy ascending and wasn¡¯t able to eat his kill.


    ¡¯Is it safe now?¡¯


    Perchet turned and smiled at Wingreig. ¡¯Yes. They cane out now.¡¯


    ¡¯COME!¡¯ Wingreig shouted. ¡¯Come and see our head ascend to godhood!¡¯


    The atmosphere suddenly shifted from tense and on-edge to celebratory and excited. Hydras poured out of the tunnels and darted toward the cial Pce. The swirling energy was quite the sight to see with cier Reef¡¯s beauty in the background.


    Those hydra elders were the first to arrive, however, admiring the growth of the hydra head and the sess against the invaders.


    ¡¯Wonderful!¡¯ Hindrad shouted as he and the straggling elders reached Wingreig. ¡¯With a god of our own, we can protect cier Keep and ward off--¡¯


    ¡¯Shut up, Hindrad.¡¯


    ring at his fellow consul, Hindrad scoffed, ¡¯How dare you--¡¯


    ¡¯You know nothing about victory in battle, nor about any sort of battling. You¡¯ve grown fat over time and only fought for experience, getting lucky to advance quickly through the use of sacred fruits. Among the elders, you¡¯ve worked the least to gain your status,¡¯ stated Wingreig, not caring who around them overheard his words. ¡¯I¡¯ll be speaking with Raztolter about your removal as an elder, let alone as consul. Enjoy it while you can...¡¯


    Finished with his rant, Wingreig turned and ignored Hindrad¡¯s replies. Also, Wingreig passed Artrat and the older elders that had turned tail. He stopped only in front of the younger, able-bodied elders that had dared face divine might.


    ¡¯As the head promised, you¡¯ll soon receive your new standings as high elders among the Body Council. After his ascension, we¡¯ll deliberate the details but I must thank you for your courageous assistance. You have our gratitude." Wingreig bowed formally to the dozen elders, leaving those that had been ignored in silence and confusion.


    Those youngest elders were touched by Wingreig¡¯s actions but so was the hydra popce. To them, it was easy to see a difference among the elders. While those that had retreated were untouched, Wingreig and the elders he bowed to were covered in burns and w-marks. Without any trouble, the hydras were able to tell who had fought for them and who hadn¡¯t. What stunned them further was that their long-time enemy, the Ancient Crustacean, was more willing to fight than the majority of their elders.


    Perchet breathed easy, happy to see that his help went ording to n. ¡¯Jack, everything is taken care of here. Expect a surge in levels, shortly.¡¯

 Chapter 693 - 12-13s Objective

    <h4>Chapter 693 - 12-13''s Objective</h4>


    "Hmm... He lost them that quickly?" 12-13 began to chuckle and shake his head. "My he¡¯s grown careless..."


    The man with a cked-out face was casually lounging on a cushy, ck thrown taken from 12-13¡¯s storage. Rxing, he clicked his tongue and looked at Sterfen through the corner of his eye.


    Sterfen¡¯s face was pale and tensed to the absolute extreme. Beads of sweat dripped from every pore of Sterfen¡¯s body. The assassin¡¯s eyes had almost rolled back in pain. His body remained still in the air as his mind was racked beyond anything Sterfen had imagined.


    "If you would just ept it, the pain will subside..." 12-13 sighed with a humorous grin. "But then again, your strong will is a rare, admirable quality. Snapping such determination is a rare urrence, one that I¡¯ll savor to the fullest... It also proves that you¡¯re worth keeping."


    Oblivious to 12-13, Sterfen was too focused in his torment to understand his torturer¡¯s ramblings, let alone realize what the man was doing.


    "Too bad you can¡¯t hear me, Sterfen. Right now, I¡¯m an open book!"ughed the man, relishing the moment. "You would be delighted to know that Halmut¡¯s futile attempts to get more fruit have failed, as expected. The man is too wrapped up in paranoia to question my ridiculous orders. Oh, and we can¡¯t forget how he truly believes his hysteria is suddenly cured when I did hardly anything in the first ce. All it took was a tiny push and he fell into madness all on his own! Sure, that may hinder him slightly but it makes him all the easier to lead on. If I want the ¡¯mighty¡¯ Halmut has a personal pack mule all I need to do is hop on his back and dangle a stimnt in his face!"


    12-13¡¯sughter filled the entirety of the chateau, echoing through the halls and halting at the barrier constructed around the area.


    "And you¡¯re no better!" 12-13 continued tough, "To think you thought yourself capable of entering my controlled space without me noticing... You only made it here because I wanted you to, not because you were capable, Sterfen. Though you¡¯re much smarter than Halmut, you¡¯re an even better toy to y with."


    Sterfen suddenly began to groan louder and convulse harder. His spasms only made 12-13¡¯sughter louder.


    Then, 12-13 stood up and sighed. At the same time, Sterfen¡¯s pain eased and he began panting profusely. The shadowy man neared the floating assassin and tenderly asked, "There, there... Why keep up your front? Why stand your ground against endless torture? There¡¯s no end in sight for you, so why fight at all? Tell me, Sterfen... Why fight it?"


    With shaky breathing, Sterfen didn¡¯t reply.


    "Sterfen... I need an answer..."


    "W-why..."


    "Yes, why?" repeated 12-13.


    "W-why... listen... to a man... so ugly... he permanently hides... AAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"


    "Uh, uh, uh... That¡¯s not the correct answer." wagging his finger back and forth, 12-13 sighed as he began to torment Sterfen anew.


    As the assassin was again preupied with pain, 12-13 clicked his tongue again. "You really are a rarity, Sterfen... Breaking and reforming you may be difficult, but it¡¯s worth gaining such a loyal, powerful pawn.


    "Now, if only you knew what I know, Sterfen. You wouldn¡¯t havee here to confront Halmut, nor would you have allowed Jack to enter cier Keep without a proper warning... Want to know my little secret?"


    The man clothed in darkness leaned in to whisper into Sterfen¡¯s ear, knowing full well that the assassin was unable to hear or interpret his voice under the mental torture. "I know Jack¡¯s n... I know about his double... I know his deal with Kylon... And I know she¡¯s just waiting for the right moment to rebel...


    "How, you might ask? A good question... Because I¡¯m the one in control of her mind. I¡¯m the one who warped her mental state and has repressed all former memories of her beloved Skaryn, swaying her to do the unthinkable with Halmut... I enabled it and made her my mental ve. The moment she tries to act against Halmut is the moment that she¡¯ll turn on Jack, just like how she¡¯s turned on Skaryn in the end. What do you think of that? Noment?"


    The man chuckled, enjoying the pain writhing Sterfen¡¯s face and Sterfen¡¯sck ofprehension to anything he was told at the moment.


    "Come on... I¡¯mmitting the gravest error any great viin could conceive, freely sharing my ns and abilities with you. Why not take advantage of that?"


    Having had his fun, 12-13 returned to his throne while Sterfen continued to endure. A part of the dark man was legitimately impressed by Sterfen but it was the only part of him that didn¡¯t want to speak vocally.


    12-13 was also curious as to why Sterfen¡¯s mind was protected to such an incredible degree. To crack it, 12-13 would either need a long time or for Sterfen¡¯s will to break. Time wasn¡¯t much of an issue but 12-13 felt the long process would be best handled outside of Kartonia where he can better hide his antics. And given that he¡¯ll soon be taking Halmut away with one of his two objectivesplete, 12-13 was willing to call his Kartonia deployment a sess. Adding the capture of Sterfen was enough for 12-13 to leave without fulfilling his second, less-attractive objective. Such a well-guarded mind had to know something regarding Daruun, the only person on Kartonia capable of creating such a mental barrier.


    Out of habit, the man took out one of the sacred fruits. Strangely, there was some sort of ss now contorted and shaped around the fruit¡¯s soft skin. He tossed it in the air and caught it in his hand, repeating this over and over as he pondered more about his situation. 12-13 would never ept being caught or outsmarted, not if he could help it.


    "I¡¯ve already got a few samples, so I can leave if necessary... But let¡¯s see if Halmut can get me that as well, or if I leave him behind..." Then, a small pitch-ck bead appeared in 12-13¡¯s other hand. Dark energy poured into it as 12-13 tuned in to the bead¡¯s two counterparts, letting him look through one of his victims¡¯ eyes. "She¡¯s made it to the first door... Now the fun begins..."

 Chapter 694 - The Third of Two Paths

    <h4>Chapter 694 - The Third of Two Paths</h4>


    ¡¯Jack, everything is taken care of here. Expect a surge in levels, shortly.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Perchet.¡¯


    Relieved to have the skirmish in Galcier Reef end well, Jack finished off the five constructs ranging from lv. 92 to lv. 94. It was quite easy as he engulfed them in a spectral re, annihting them long with their cores.


    This was the fourth room the party had entered thus far, excluding the empty room in the beginning. In that short period of time, they had learned some of the basics about key drops. They had each earned one key from killing lv. 93 constructs, then passing those four keys to Rynheart. Lunara had earned five keys from destroying a lv. 97 construct, followed by Moranti earning four keys from defeating two lv. 95 constructs or two apiece. And Jack also gained two keys for the lone lv. 94 he had destroyed but only one key for each of the two lv. 93s and the two lv. 92s. Together, the Jack, Lunara, and Moranti now had abined total of fifteen keys.


    Going back to his map, Jack noticed something weird. Originally, the next room had two lv. 94s and one lv. 93 inside while Rynheart had passed to the next room. But now those three constructs were gone and the map still hadn¡¯t progressed.


    Jack was about to contact Rynheart when the helmed swordsman appeared before the party. Immediately, Rynheart held out his card. ¡¯I need your keys.¡¯


    ¡¯Seriously?¡¯ Jack asked. ¡¯How much does thest barrier cost?¡¯


    ¡¯The one I choose costs twenty keys.¡¯


    ¡¯Twenty?! When all of these barriers have cost one?¡¯ Jack questioned, sharing the concerns of Lunara and Moranti.


    Nodding, Rynheart turned toward the next corridor. ¡¯Come. I¡¯ll show you, but don¡¯t touch anything.¡¯


    The four traveled through the corridor and passed through the now-empty fifth room as the barrier was already gone. As they entered the sixth room, the three following Rynheart were astounded. Though Jack could¡¯ve seen it through Rynheart¡¯s eyes via god¡¯s perspective, he had only shed the spell briefly to unlock the map and not inspect Rynhearts thoughts. But now, Jack was all the more curious about cier Keep.


    The sixth room was empty but there were now two barriers of different colors. Instead of being dark-silver in color, one barrier was tinted green and the other was tinted blue. Both barriers had "1" disyed and had intricate yet faded etchings along the barriers¡¯ surfaces. Also, behind both barriers lied a small mound of silver cores, the same that gave five keys apiece.


    Before Jack or Rynheart shared their thoughts with the other two, Jack looked at the words engraved above each passage.


    Above the green door, it read, "For those that have chosen fate..."


    Above the blue door, it read, "For those that fate has chosen..."


    ¡¯Where¡¯s the door you chose?¡¯ Jack asked Rynheart, surprised at the situation.


    Moranti asked, ¡¯Why not take both of these paths? That way--¡¯


    ¡¯No,¡¯ Rynheart interjected with that shake of his head. ¡¯If we take either of these two paths, the other path will remain inessible.¡¯


    ¡¯And that¡¯s the one that costs twenty keys?¡¯ Jack deduced.


    Jack¡¯s gamer senses were tingling all over. Part of him loved the idea of free keys but it felt too easy. It was the opposite feeling that Jack had pursued as the "achievement junkie" in-game, the feeling of unearned aplishment. Sure, Jack would always take a freebie but not if it kept him from a better, more difficult path that typically offered the best rewards in the end.


    Doing some mental math, Jack was able to deduce that constructs lv. 93 and lower gave one key, lv. 94 and lv. 95 constructs gave three keys, while lv. 97 and likely lv. 96 constructs gave five keys. Knowing that, Jack could figure out that a total of 25 keys were essible thus far. That would give them the exact amount for the first five doors and a supposed twenty-key door. That sounded much more intriguing to Jack and much more like Daruun¡¯s way of handling things.


    Also, Jack couldn¡¯t help but remember both Daruun¡¯s and Oli¡¯s words before entering the keep. They had made the exact same statement, reminding them that everyone was both forging their own fate while being favored by fate. If that was true, then why would there be two doors within the keep forcing you to choose one or the other?


    Jack covered his eyes in holy energy, mimicking Halmut¡¯s divine sight with a lesser spell. But he found nothing.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t use a spell or skill,¡¯ Rynheartmented, walking toward the wall between both passages. ¡¯You need to use pure energy and sense the room. It¡¯s tricky, but if you¡¯re sensitive enough, then you¡¯ll that something¡¯s off...¡¯


    Everyone did as Rynheart said, expanding their senses to the best they were able. It took a minute or two, but Jack eventually blinked as the only one to find it. ¡¯Right here? That¡¯s an illusion?¡¯


    ¡¯It¡¯s more than an illusion... It¡¯s an illusion made into reality,¡¯mented Rynheart, stumping the others. ¡¯If you have intricate mental or illusory abilities, then you can not only find but enter this space. Watch...¡¯


    A flood of illusory energy burst out of Rynheart but the surging energy was immediately calmed and condensed around his body. The energy no longer looked illusory, bing pure white from denseness alone. Then, the helmed swordsman ran his fingers along the wall. He found a certain groove pressed through it. Before everyone¡¯s eyes, Rynheart¡¯s hand faded into the wall.


    ¡¯Now this is the hard part...¡¯ sighed Ryheart, twisting his wrist around to maneuver his non-visible hand. ¡¯There...¡¯


    Suddenly, the wall faded and revealed a smaller third passage. Rynheart stepped inside and pointed along the edges of the third entrance. Unlike the other passages, there was no ice overhead to light the way, adding to the mystery.


    ¡¯Look... This illusion is made real by this inscription, denying anyone weaker than a peak one-star cosmician the ability to tweak. Then, you find the gap in the enchantment and force it to short circuit with a burst of your own energy. In a minute or so it will be up and running again, so let¡¯s move forward.¡¯


    Astounded by the informative lesson, Jack was the first and most excited to follow Rynheart into the dark tunnel, creating a small fireball in his palm for light. Lunara and Moranti hurried along as well, wanting to see what those two would uncover.


    ¡¯There... We¡¯ll need tobine our remaining keys to pass.¡¯

 Chapter 695 - Key to Glacier Keep?

    <h4>Chapter 695 - Key to cier Keep?</h4>


    ¡¯There... We¡¯ll need tobine our remaining keys to pass.¡¯


    Jack nodded, happy to go along with the idea. But Moranti asked, ¡¯Howe we can¡¯t im all three barriers? If we go back, then we¡¯ll get all of those cores and can easily afford this one.¡¯


    ¡¯Each of these barriers is a separate enchantment.¡¯ Rynheart exined, ¡¯When they deteriorate it¡¯s obvious that they always deteriorate following the same pattern. It¡¯s through understanding enchantments and inscriptions that I questioned thest room because both of the off-colored barriers shared simr yet opposing enchantments.¡¯


    Lunara blinked and questioned, ¡¯Meaning?¡¯


    ¡¯They seemed to be mirror opposites of each other yet shared key pieces of writing. They felt like both were parts of onerger inscription, with the third and final part being the hidden passage,¡¯ answered Rynheart. ¡¯I¡¯ve only recently gained enough knowledge to understand that, so I don¡¯t anticipate many others will figure out the true inscription, let alone realize that there¡¯s a third passage at all.¡¯


    ¡¯Recently? What do you--¡¯


    ¡¯No more questions, Moranti. We need to hurry or we may lose this advantage!¡¯ Jack interrupted, holding his card out and cing it below Rynheart¡¯s.


    Lunara was next while Moranti sighed at Jack not wanting to exin things at the moment. ¡¯Fine, but you¡¯d better exin everything afterward.¡¯


    ¡¯Of course.¡¯ Rynheart nodded, epting everyone¡¯s keys and continuing ahead. When they reached the barrier, the party was surprised to see that it was purple and shared simr etching to the other two. ¡¯Actually... Jack should do it.¡¯


    Stepping forward, Jack received the stockpile of keys and smiled at the purple barrier. The hero ced his card against the "20" on disy. They watched as both the card and the barrier disys began to rapidly count down to zero, eventually letting the barrier fade and reveal their prize on the other side.


    Jack¡¯s light could now pass to the rest of the tunnel and everyone was a bit disappointed by the lone dark-grey core ced on the ground. However, they noticed a dim, purple glow as Jack crushed it. But the strangeness wasn¡¯t over. The disy on Jack¡¯s card still at zero while the card itself had gained a hint of purple hue and was no longer pitch-ck.


    ¡¯Interesting... May I see it?¡¯ Rynheart was passed Jack¡¯s card and immediately began evaluating the phenomenon. ¡¯The purple now on your card reveals a hint of a second inscription, an inscription beneath the one connected to our armbands that counts keys... But I don¡¯t know what it¡¯s for or how it should work.¡¯


    Jack was all smiles, excited to find something so peculiar. Also, a new achievement had appeared on his system, proving that they were on the right track.


    [Build the key: in progress]


    [Find the two other missing pieces to form the key to cier Keep. Event reward: 25,000 skill points.]


    ¡¯There should be two more of these,¡¯ Jackmented, startling the others. ¡¯Oli was right that this card collects keys, but he didn¡¯t say which key actually matters... This card is the real key after getting the right cores.¡¯


    Smiling under his helmet, Rynheart chuckled with his distorted voice, ¡¯Good! Then we have the real objective! We¡¯ll collect the other cores too but be keen to remember what we¡¯re truly after.¡¯


    Pumped up, the party wanted to continue ahead but found themselves at a dead end. No matter what they tried no further passage was found and they eventually decided to head back. Upon entering the previous room, the party was startled to see that both of the other passages were now clear of any barriers and cores.


    ¡¯Ohhh...¡¯ Moranti sighed. ¡¯I guess the dungeon isn¡¯t as generous as we thought...¡¯


    The others chuckled as they chose to take the left path first. Soon, they reached a staircase that turned ever so slightly to the right. Their suspicions were then confirmed as the stairway connected with one on the right and formed a straight shot upward. Moranti then blinked back to the previous room and hurried through the passage on the right to find himself rejoining the party.


    ¡¯It all connects... Interesting...¡¯ Rynheart sighed and made himself invisible. ¡¯I¡¯ll continue scouting.¡¯


    Just like that, the party was down to three as they continued up the stairs.


    Soon they entered another vast chamber like the waiting room, but it was a hexagon and not an octagon. Five sides were staircases, one of which being the path their party had taken, and the sixth side was a wall covered in glyphs and peculiar writing.


    ¡¯I¡¯ll inspect the other passages.¡¯


    Keeping Rynheart¡¯s whereabouts in mind, Jack led the other two toward the small gathering of people in front of the puzzling sixth wall. Three other teams were already there, inspecting the writing from at least ten meters back.


    Testing the waters, Jack smiled and waved. "Woltin! Wollice! Fancy meeting you here."


    "Oh, Jack!" Woltinughed. "So you¡¯re in our batch, huh? How unlucky for you."


    "What do you mean? You know more about the keep and won¡¯t bother sharing that info with an old friend?"


    Laughing harder, Woltin replied, "Is that so? I thought you would know plenty since this is your home."


    "Nope, we don¡¯t know anything apart from the demonstration Oli gave. Mind filling us in on why the teams are acting so peaceful?"


    "That much I can say," answered Woltin. "This is only the first third of the keep. Fighting doesn¡¯t usually break out until this wall is cleared. After that, everything changes."


    "And why¡¯s that? It looks kind of like a puzzle..."


    Wollice shouted, "Of course it is! Anyone can see that."


    "Then why don¡¯t you crack it already?" Jack asked. "Because whoever cracks it will get more keys?"


    Woltin nodded. "You guessed it. That¡¯s why fighting doesn¡¯t start till the door opens and we enter the maze."


    "Maze?"


    "Woltin!" Wollice aggressively smacked the back of his brother¡¯s head, silencing him immediately. "Either way, whoever opens that puzzle will get attacked by everyone else. The more keys, the better your rewards in the end."


    "By the way," Woltin interjected and asked Jack, "What room did you pick?"

 Chapter 696 - Intel and Scheming

    <h4>Chapter 696 - Intel and Scheming</h4>


    "What room did you pick?"


    "Woltin!"


    "Calm down, Wollice," Woltin nudged his brother aside. "It¡¯s not like he can change his mind now. Plus we¡¯ll be able to n for him if we know."


    "What do you mean?" Jack asked with a curious smile.


    Woltin answered, "In thest room, you had to choose a path. The path you chose determines which of the treasuries you¡¯ll gain ess to. So, depending on which path you chose, we may be fighting each other for the same treasures."


    "Oh... Is that how it works?"


    "So what path did you pick? The green one or the blue one?"


    Scratching his head and feigning innocence, Jack sighed, "Um... Maybe I¡¯ll tell you if you tell me more about the keep?"


    "See, Woltin. He¡¯s not a pushover like the others," stated Wollice. "You¡¯ve already said enough. Sorry, Jack, but thepetition is about to get serious, and don¡¯t expect us to be going easy on you since it¡¯s your first time."


    "So you¡¯ve been here before?" questioned Jack.


    Wollice stammered while Woltinughed again, "Now I¡¯m not the only one to say too much. Thanks for the chat Jack, and no hard feelings for whates next. Don¡¯t expect any more help after the puzzle is solved."


    The twins turned to leave as Jack walked back to Lunara and Moranti. Jack also inspected his map, waiting for Rynheart¡¯s imminent report. In the meantime, Jack looked over the writing on the sixth wall and received a new alert from his system.


    [Foreign writing detected. Analyze?]


    Jack selected the notification with a smile but frowned as the next one appeared.


    [Cost of attempted analysis: 10,000 skill points]


    [WARNING: Resulting trantion may not be entirely urate and mayck necessary context due tock of information supplied by the user, but the system will analyze and decipher whatnguage the writing originates from based upon data stored by the system creator.]


    Changing his ns, Jack left his menu with a hard sigh. Heughed to himself as the other teams were all eyeing the wall. For Jack topete with the puzzle, it seemed that Jack would need to first pay to analyze the writing and then likely pay to learn thenguage, which could cost upwards of twenty thousand skill points altogether. That was an expense Jack was not yetfortable to make, not until he had purchased enough skills to satisfy his need to grow stronger.


    ¡¯Jack, can youe here?¡¯


    Nodding, Jack looked to Lunara and Moranti with a smile. They made sure to use telepathy and not let the other teams overhear their conversations. ¡¯Be right back.¡¯


    Teleporting away, Jack reappeared beside his fully-visible teammate in a familiar-looking room with two paths leading to stairways. Rynheart¡¯s rapier was drawn and blood dripped from the de but no bodies were to be found. Nonchnt, Rynheart lifted his card toward Jack. ¡¯Take these.¡¯


    As they passed the stolen keys to Jack¡¯s card, Jack asked, ¡¯Any luck with the passage?¡¯


    ¡¯No. I couldn¡¯t breach the barriers from this side so I had to wait where both paths connect. It seems that each of the five passages is the same, which meant that the moment this team chose a barrier, the hidden passage was closed off,¡¯ exined Rynheart.


    ¡¯One hundred keys... So each barrier was guarding eighty keys?¡¯ Jack deduced. ¡¯Couldn¡¯t you have stolen those from this side?¡¯


    ¡¯No. There was a second barrier keeping me from doing that. But the smarter teams most likely earned even more.¡¯


    ¡¯You mean if they unlocked both barriers at the same time? Not a bad idea... I bet Woltin and Wollice did that...¡¯ Jack hopped on Rynheart¡¯s train of thought. ¡¯So they might have one hundred and eighty keys... That¡¯s something to keep an eye on.¡¯


    ¡¯Either way, we need to get past the puzzle in the next room to continue.¡¯ Rynheart asked, ¡¯Should we wait for someone else to do it, or should I?¡¯


    ¡¯You can do that?¡¯ questioned Jack with a raised eyebrow.


    ¡¯Sure can.¡¯


    ¡¯Then I¡¯ll handle protecting you from the other three teams.¡¯ Jack shed a devilish smile and chuckled, ¡¯Got it... You won¡¯t have to worry about the others, just leave half of the new keys for some new teammates.¡¯


    ¡¯New teammates? Oh... got it.¡¯


    Purple energy shed and carried them to the steps just outside of the hexagonal chamber. Emerging from the same chamber his party had traversed earlier, Jack walked back toward the group while Rynheart resumed his invisibility. No one paid Jack much attention as everyone was waiting for the final group to arrive and for the first battle to ensue uponpleting the puzzle, a battle for the puzzle¡¯s keys and the keys of the fallen teams.


    Jack casually sauntered past the Sicabor twins and barely whispered, "Want a hundred points?"


    The twins nced at each other and then at Jack, noticing him walking back to his team¡¯s old path. Since he was alone, the twins were confident enough to follow him as a duo while they remained on guard.


    That was when everyone felt that something was up, not because of Jack but the veteran twins. Even Jack¡¯s teammates were confused when they saw Jack leading the two men for a private chat. By the time people turned to see what was happening, however, the twins were already on their way back with smug faces. Jack reappeared momentster with a dribble of blood on his lip and a humbled attitude.


    To everyone else in the chamber, things seemed easy to understand. To Jack¡¯s party, though, they knew that Jack was definitely up to something.


    Jack wiped the blood from his lips and smiled at his patient teammates. ¡¯Rynheart¡¯s going to activate the puzzle. Don¡¯t take any of the keys it drops, just hold back the crowd until Rynheart escapes. Then, we¡¯ll teleport and regroup in the passage, where they least expect us.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack--¡¯


    ¡¯Don¡¯t worry, Mom, I¡¯ll grab you and teleport you over, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯Alright...¡¯ Lunara sighed and showed a sore smile. ¡¯I¡¯m guessing you¡¯ve gotten those two involved now?¡¯


    ¡¯Why not?¡¯ Jackughed, leading his party of three to the front of the crowd. At the same time, the glyph in the upper right corner began to light up. With that, Jack calmed hisughter. ¡¯It¡¯s showtime...¡¯

 Chapter 697 - Enter the Maze

    <h4>Chapter 697 - Enter the Maze</h4>


    The rest of the crowd had already begun to assume that the fifth and final team of their block wasn¡¯t going to be joining them. This belief was unofficially reaffirmed when Jack c.o.c.kily got the attention of the twins, though that discussion supposedly didn¡¯t end well for Jack based on his bloodied lip. But everyone was now focused on the puzzle and baffled by a single question. Who waspleting the puzzle?


    Of the four teams present, the three other than Jack¡¯s all activated some sort of eye technique with various energy types seeping from their sockets. But most were still too left unaware of who had begun the puzzle.


    New writing appeared on the wall, connecting the separated pieces of the inscription. Other parts of the puzzle were shockingly erased and rewritten, startling even the twins. Such prowess with inscriptions was incredibly rare among two-stars, let alone one-stars. The puzzle was beingpleted far faster than anyone had been anticipating, forcing some to be on edge as they had little time to n their attack on the invisible person about to gain a plethora of keys.


    From right to left and top to bottom, the puzzling inscription began to light up on its own, marking itspletion.


    As thest hole of writing was filled in, everyone readied themselves to strike and the few able to see through Rynheart¡¯s invisibilty were locked on. Suddenly, the puzzle shed a bright light and an explosion filled the room. But that didn¡¯t stop an of the cosmicians from lunging toward the downpour of cores falling to the ground.


    Now, Jack¡¯s team acted. Jack cast world of shadows at the entrance, though it was quickly dispersed by the iing cosmicians. However, most of the charging crowd fell for the ploy.


    In the center of that darkness, Moranti had created arge spatial rift that carried people all the back to where Jack¡¯s party had entered cier Keep. Also, Lunara had erected a wall of ice on the other side to stall any attacks that had been thrown at Rynheart. And surprisingly, there were also living vines entangling the few that had stopped before entering the spatial rift,ing from Woltin Sicabor. His brother was gone, but Woltin was smiling happily to see him missing.


    "I guess that went better than nned..." Jack sighed, a little disappointed to see it end like that. "Your vines can paralyze people?"


    Shrugging, Woltin replied, "Maybe... Maybe not... Either way, consider the dealplete. Don¡¯t expect any more friendliness from now on."


    Before Jack could reply, those same vines began to strangle their targets till they turned blue and passed out. Woltin stepped forward and imed all of their points as they were disqualified from the challenge, vanishing from the chamber.


    Jack sighed, scratching his head and Woltin waved goodbye and left first toward the next part of the keep. "Good thing we¡¯re not after keys this time... I¡¯m not sure how it would go facing them..."


    Secondster, Rynheart reappeared beside the party when the coast was clear. ¡¯Here, Jack. You might need these.¡¯


    ¡¯Only a hundred keys?¡¯ Jack jokinglyined.


    ¡¯It should be more than enough for just you,¡¯ stated Rynheart, holding to reason. ¡¯We have other goals to achieve, not just iming unknown treasures.¡¯


    Moranti and Lunara were caught off-guard by the statement but Moranti shook that off when he remembered who Rynheart was. Then again, he was curious to know how Jack managed toplete that puzzle when it was anguage that had never existed in Kartonia.


    ¡¯Let¡¯s hurry before the stragglers return to seek vengeance,¡¯mented Rynheart. ¡¯The next section is very interesting.¡¯


    Moving on the party realized why Rynheart was surprised by what followed. There were three ways to go, a blue spatial rift, a green spatial rift, and a passageway with purple walls at the entrance.


    ¡¯I think it¡¯s obvious where we¡¯re going,¡¯ Jackughed. ¡¯If this is the maze, then we should split up. I¡¯ll link up with everyone so we can put together our own map and find what we¡¯re looking for. Just focus on exploration, not battling or stealing keys. If you need help for some reason, make it known and help wille.¡¯


    With no disagreements, the party entered the purple passageway and quickly found themselves at a fork. Jack and Lunara went one way while Moarnti and Rynheart went the other. When the next fork was found, they divided themselves again while rushing through the area at top speed.


    Very soon, Jack was the first to encounter a row of constructs more menacing than thest. They weren¡¯t mannequins but construct beasts. Metallic wolves howled as they charged Jack with no fear or hesitation. With a dozen lv. 96 constructs being lead by a lv. 97, it would spell doom for most lone one-stars.


    Jack immediately entered his hybrid form to try out his newest bloodline from Jinbe while mixing it with Phoro¡¯s wings and speed. With one set of wings recing his arms and a second set of arms growing to be barbed, mantis-like forearms, Jack charged into the wolf constructs.


    As he punched into the first wolf construct, Jack was surprised at how sturdy they were. It tanked the blow of his clublike arm and managed to get back up for more.


    But Jack had something else going for him. Finally, his level was boosted as Raztol and Jinbepleted their ascension. Jack had been lv. 94 afterbining the EXP pools of his two bodies, dropping from lv. 95 to boost the second, newly-ascended body. Now, both of Jack¡¯s bodies were lv. 96 and wiping fellow lv. 96s, like the wolf constructs, was an easy task.


    Jack added Bowzer¡¯s and Karronteel¡¯s bloodlines to the mix, curious to see if he could do something. Upon seeding, Jack couldn¡¯t stopughing.


    Though it ate up more energy than the usual ck me body, Jack had sessfully blended some spectral mes into the ck me body. It was hard to control but the constructs of the maze were perfect for Jack to be a little reckless and try new things.


    With those four bloodlines active and testing a spectral me body, Jack mowed down the wolf constructs, collected their cores, and continued on.

 Chapter 698 - Unexpected Encounters

    <h4>Chapter 698 - Unexpected Encounters</h4>


    Everyone was no either running into constructs or other teams. Moranti had his scythe at the ready, carving through wolf constructs and a few giant bear constructs as well. Lunara¡¯s frost body and spear allowed her to trap and shatter all constructs like fragile dolls, unable to retaliate against her onught. Rynheart faced simr circ.u.mstances, strategically one-shotting anything that dared share his path. Rynheart was also the first of the party to notice something about absorbing keys.


    Every time he absorbed keys, Rynheart could sense a morsel of that energy entering himself as well, not just the card. And the energy was so pure that put everything else to shame. The energy gathered from the overworld of Kartonia couldn¡¯tpare at all. Mumbling to himself, Rynheart sighed, "If only I had entered this ce sooner..."


    Dropping his thoughts aside, Rynheart shared his findings. ¡¯Even if keys don¡¯t matter, kill as many constructs as you can. Their pure energy is better than anything Kartonia has to aid a second ascension. Thanks to those sacred fruits, anyone on the bring of passing lv. 99 should manage to ascend.¡¯


    ¡¯REALLY?!¡¯ Moranti shouted.


    They had all noticed that the constructs were offering them unofficial EXP, or what their bodies tranted as EXP. The leftover energy of the constructs offered abundant energy that they had absorbed as EXP and hadn¡¯t realized was as pure as Rynheart implied.


    ¡¯Then I can--¡¯


    ¡¯You still need to reach the very top of lv. 99, but anyone should ascend after that so long as theye through cier Keep. That is if the entire keep is like this,¡¯ added Rynheart.


    Jack agreed, ¡¯Then Lunara should ascend today, right?¡¯


    ¡¯I... I will?¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, didn¡¯t thatst demigod put you at the top of lv. 99?¡¯ Jack mentioned, forcing her to realize it. ¡¯You might be the first-ever Kartonian to be a two-star cosmician, Mom. That¡¯s awesome!¡¯


    ¡¯That... wow...¡¯ She was taken aback by that realization, having never thought such a thing was even possible or imaginable.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve found a team,¡¯ Rynheart shifted the conversation elsewhere, ¡¯and they weren¡¯t with the crowd from earlier. I¡¯ll scout them and move on.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks for the... I found one too, and they don¡¯t look friendly...¡¯ Moranti added with a nervous chuckle. ¡¯I¡¯ll see if I can force my way through.¡¯


    ¡¯Keep in touch,¡¯ Jack stated while connecting to everyone briefly via god¡¯s perspective and updating the map. ¡¯Moranti, your group should be at least mid-level gods if not near your level. Don¡¯t be afraid to attack but flee the moment they prove too much. Rynheart, I think your group is a bit more difficult, but these are only assumptions.¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll keep that in mind. Thank you.¡¯ Rynheart replied, keeping his invisibility before deciding whether to attack or not.


    ¡¯If you need help, Mom, just say it. We need to make sure youst long enough to ascend.¡¯


    ¡¯Thanks, Jack... I¡¯ll tell you right away.¡¯


    While Moratni confronted the four-man team in his way and Rynheart analyzed how quickly he could remove the team impeding him, Jack found his first team-encounter as well. Jack was invisible but he dropped that the moment he saw the other team.


    "Wollice, how did you like the keys?"


    Laughing, the twin showed Jack a curious smile. "Pretty good, but that¡¯s not enough. How many do you got on you?"


    "Enough, just barely enough..." sighed Jack, shrugging.


    "Then hand them over." Wollice drew hismon-looking sword and raised one eyebrow to his newest foe. "Or do you dare protect them?"


    "But where¡¯s Woltin?" Jack asked.


    "Good question, too bad I don¡¯t know."


    "So it¡¯s just you and one teammate yet you¡¯re confident enough to challenge me?" Jack joked. "You¡¯re something else, you know that?"


    "I can say the same to you, but I¡¯m stronger so too bad."


    White and bright yellow energy gathered around Wollice¡¯s de as he seemingly vanished from Jack¡¯s sight. To the hero¡¯s startlement, Wollice was directly in front of him with his sword lunging toward Jack¡¯s chest. The attack was faster than anything that Jack was expecting, forcing him to teleport away.


    "That... You¡¯re too fast, Wollice..." Taking a deep breath, Jack reappeared a few meters away and put a hand over his chest. A small stream of blood spread over Jack¡¯s fingers as he healed himself.


    "Space skills? You¡¯re a rare one, indeed,"ughed Wollice. "Too bad you can¡¯t keep up... Will you pass the points over or not?"


    "Um... how can he do that?"


    Both Jack and Wollice looked to Wollice¡¯s teammate, chuckling. Then, Jack raised his hands in innocence with his card visible to all. "Tell you what. I¡¯ll pay you half of my keys and let you go free. I think that¡¯s pretty generous, don¡¯t you?"


    Wollice rubbed his forward as he sighed andughed at the same time. "That... You¡¯re something special, Jack. I see why Woltin liked you. I¡¯ll ept that."


    The two frenemies took their cards and walked casually toward each other. But as they got close, they heard more people iing. Another team had found them before the exchange could begin.


    "Do you mind, Halmut, we¡¯re a bit busy?" Jack shouted, acting as if the appearing team was no big deal.


    "Hand over your card. Be lucky that I can¡¯t kill you for good in here, so I¡¯ll allow you to disgracefully withdraw," stated Halmut, morphing into his hybrid form without wasting time.


    "Can I--"


    "Wollice, I¡¯ll give you all my keys if you leave right now."


    Confused, Wollice looked to Jack with jaw agape. "... What?"


    "I¡¯ll give you all of my keys if you move on and leave Halmut¡¯s team alone," Jack repeated. "I don¡¯t want that runt to lose here. It would be more humiliating for me to torment and torture him throughout the keep."


    Taking off his armband, Jack put in on Wollice but never let go of it. His other hand slid Jack¡¯s card under Wollice¡¯s beginning the transfer immediately.


    "How dare you--"


    "Can¡¯t you see we¡¯re busy, Halmut? Go y with someone else your own size. Wait... Rikko didn¡¯te with us this time..."

 Chapter 699 - Finding the Legendary Gods

    <h4>Chapter 699 - Finding the Legendary Gods</h4>


    "YOU!!!"


    With an echoing roar, Halmut rocketed forward with reckless abandon. Halmut showed no hesitation as he spat out his multicolored mes, readied his ded scepter.


    "Done..." Jack quickly vanished from where he stood the moment the transfer wasplete, taking back his armband and card. "Now, please leave us, Wollice. I¡¯ve got some discipline to dish out."


    Nodding, Wollice led his teammate forward as Jack threw spectral res at Halmut and his party members. However, all were either canceled out or evaded as Halmut charged for Jack yet again and Tralbok warded off the spectral res with time-reversal magic. Allowing Halmut to take the lead role in attacking meant that Tralbok could y support, adding to Halmut¡¯s speed with wind buffs and giving Halmut more openings to attack with aid of time magic.


    "Too bad Tralbok is so spineless..." Jack sighed, evading Halmut yet again with teleportation. "If not, he¡¯d actually be worth offering my help and support..."


    "Shut up and die!" Halmut began to chase Jack around the corridor, nearly catching Jack each time.


    The hero was amazed at Halmut¡¯s newfound speed, finding it too much of a coincidence. There was no way Halmut was pulling that off naturally or he would¡¯ve been using that speed in encounters against Moranti in the past. That was when Jack noticed something new on Halmut¡¯s usual garb. Halmut wasn¡¯t ying around, wearing hisplete set of holy armor with something new attached. One of the shoulder tes was mismatched and off-colored, the only piece of Halmut¡¯s armor that Jack had never seen before.


    "Wow... To rely on such equipment... You¡¯ve really embraced yourck of size, haven¡¯t you?"


    "HOW DARE YOU?!?! YOU--"


    "Who needs armor? A true man can fight without false strength!" Jack boasted, storing away everything on his person. "Do you dare face me like a man--"


    Halmut¡¯s attitude was unaltered and unswayed as he continued to chase after Jack, getting closer and closer tonding a blow on the now-n.a.k.e.d hero.


    Without even clothes to cover himself, Jackughed as he evaded again and again. The two Flood Dragons were unable to keep up with either Jack or Halmut while they watched in shock at Jack¡¯s antics. Tralbok shuttered as he poured more mana into his buffs around Halmut.


    "GOTCHA!!!" Halmut roared, finally snatching Jack out of the air with his jaws. The dragon mumbled through his teeth as he mped down on Jack¡¯s body, "Ho dah you!"


    But Jack¡¯s body quickly vanished, letting his illusory double vanish within Halmut¡¯s teeth.


    "How long do you want to keep ying?" Jack asked with augh. "I¡¯m enjoying this a lot more than I should. To think that the Sun God would need to use items from beyond Kartonia to deal with a n.a.k.e.d and unarmed man levels below you... How you¡¯ve fallen, Halmut..."


    "SHUT UP!!!"


    "Sorry, but I¡¯ve got something to do... Maybe next time..."


    <i>ROOOOOOOOOAAAAAARRRR!!</i>


    Fuming, Halmut pounded his ws into the roxite walls, not even leaving a scratch.


    "Your excellency..." Tralbok sighed, trying to think of what could possibly calm Halmut down. "Aren¡¯t we getting close?"


    Taking deep breaths, Halmut nodded and red at Tralbok. "Not a word... remember?"


    "Yes... Sorry, your excellency."


    Halmut nced at where Wollice had fled but soon turned a different direction. He said nothing as he dropped his surrounding energy but retained his hybrid form. The Sun Dragon angrily charged ahead as the Flood Dragons struggled to keep up.


    Curious, Jack decided to follow Halmut. Given how Halmut was the one Oli nearly disqualified for using a two-star item, Jack was sure Halmut was up to something and he had more resources than Jack or Daruun had ever assumed.


    ¡¯I¡¯m following Halmut¡¯s team now.¡¯


    ¡¯You found him?¡¯ Rynheart asked, surprised. ¡¯Shall we--¡¯


    ¡¯Patience, Rynheart. You know we need her for this, unless you want to ruin everything.¡¯


    ¡¯Sorry... I suppose I can wait a bit longer...¡¯


    ¡¯I need help.¡¯


    Lunara¡¯s call surprised the party and interrupted Jack¡¯s and Rynheart¡¯s conversation, but they didn¡¯t mind at all.


    ¡¯I¡¯ve found Torian, he¡¯s with Alcahain, Tyres, and Kylon.¡¯


    ¡¯Rynheart, can you--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m there now.¡¯


    Without the need for Jack¡¯s insistence, Rynheart locked onto Lunara¡¯s location and teleported away, abandoning his open prey from earlier. He appeared at Lunara¡¯s backside, finding her surrounded.


    ¡¯They formed a speed group... smart,¡¯mented Rynheart, recognizing the four people surrounding Kylon. "Torian, this team was your idea?"


    "No... Apart from Kylon¡¯s addition, Halmut ced us together," replied the Thundering God, amused that the anonymous swordsman was so talkative. "Otherwise, there are a rare few that I prefer not to work with."


    "I thought you and were on good terms?" Rynheart added, baffling the legendary gods slightly. In that moment of questioning, Rynheart teleported and charged at both Torian and Tyres on one side. "How about I help you? Amon enemy may give you two something to share after all..."


    Tyres shouted and parried the helmed swordsman¡¯s attacks. "Don¡¯t think you can--"


    Before Tyres could finish that statement, he was stupefied as the rapier suddenly changed directions and no longer followed the attack pattern of theirst fight. It was as if the first strike was an illusion all along and the true attack was about to pierce Tyres¡¯s neck.


    But a lightning-fast tail appeared and swatted the rapier aside. "Don¡¯t get c.o.c.ky! It only makes you weaker!"


    The Thundering God in hybrid formshed out against the swordsman, who surprisingly didn¡¯t teleport away. Instead, the helmed man either parried the many tail and w attacks or precisely matched them with his upgraded rapier, all the while dancing through Tyres sword strikes.


    Rynheart was putting on a show as he stalled and stayed the two fastest legendary gods, leaving Lunara to the slower of the speedy team, Alcahain and Kylon.


    "Kylon... You know I treat you like family, like a mother..." Lunara stated, entering her full hydra form. "I won¡¯t take it easy on you but know that I will never forget that, no matter what."


    "Thank you, Luna. The feeling is mutual..." sighed Kylon, shifting into her hybrid form.


    Once both women were ready and had said their encouraging words, Alcahain was the first to strike. "Don¡¯t forget about me!"

 Chapter 700 - Running into Trouble

    <h4>Chapter 700 - Running into Trouble</h4>


    "Don¡¯t forget about me!"


    Lunara readied her defenses and activated her frost body. Her natural defenses were among the best of all gods, arguably making her a better tank than Grixor thanks to her stronger vitality and superior health. While Grixor specialized in physical defenses, Lunara was a master of general defense with a health reserve that could rival Halmut¡¯s. At lv. 99, even without a dragon bloodline, her bloodline strengthened by her nine-headed vitality was just as powerful as a four-time evolved beast, she believed. Now was her time to prove it.


    Tanking Lunara¡¯s electrified, steam beath attack, Lunara shed with Alcahain first. She wanted to remove the weakest foe first.


    But Alcahain proved tricky as he nimbly evaded a few of Lunara¡¯s icy breath attacks and closed the distance between them. His strongest punch was thrown into one of her unguarded necks. A loud crack was heard as that neck was snapped and the head began to droop. With a jab of sharpened lightning and earth energy, Alcahain turned his follow-up fist of the on-twobo into a beheading de.


    Sessful, Alcahain was proud to have decapitated one of Lunara¡¯s proud heads.


    "WAIT!"


    Kylon¡¯s warning came toote. Alcahain had fallen for Lunara¡¯s ploy. As the severed head fell, three more encircled Alcahain. Though Alcahain was nimble, he failed to fully evade all of Lunara¡¯s point-nk icy breath attacks.


    cahain escaped the trap but one of his legs waspletely coated in ice, already turning pale before the Brawler God smashed the ice apart. He felt it was a fair exchange, at least until he looked back at Lunara. "Really... That easily?"


    Before their eyes, Lunara¡¯s head was already regrowing and in mint condition, unlike Alcahain¡¯s numb, frostbitten leg.


    "Would you mind retreating, Alcahain?" Lunara calmly asked. "You¡¯re no longer fast enough to fight against those at a higher level, so would you please step out? You¡¯re honorable enough for me to ask but only once."


    Sighing, Alcahain shook his leg and tried to get ustomed to the numbness. "Sorry... but I¡¯m not like that."


    "Then next time I strike to kill, not cripple."


    Having used her first trick, Lunara shifted to her hybrid form while hurling a rain of icy spears onto the lv. 93 Brawler God. But Kylon¡¯s steam explosion gave Alcahain cover and the chance to heal with a potion.


    "Unlike you, I heal naturally. Potions only prolong my win, so why bother?"


    "You¡¯re not getting out of this fight, Luna, no matter how much you want to!" Kylon stepped into action as her mind suddenly disregarded her old emotions.


    Lunara turned defensive as Kylon took the lead with Alcahain either acting as a decoy or stealing free hits while Lunara focused on Kylon. Their speed was Lunara¡¯s greatest weakness, making it hard for Lunara to take them both out at the same time.


    ¡¯Switch.¡¯


    ¡¯What?!¡¯ Kylon was astounded by Rynheart¡¯s message. ¡¯Are you okay--¡¯


    ¡¯Now.¡¯


    Suddenly, while Lunara countered Kylon¡¯s steam explosions with her icy breath attacks, Alcahain attacked Lunara¡¯s underbelly. However, his punch was stopped short and his flexed arm immediately drooped downward.


    "You--"


    As if he hadn¡¯t skipped a beat, Rynheart stole Alcahain¡¯s life and points before teleporting back to Tyres. It only took one strike to catch Alcahain off-guard and kill the Brawler God.


    ¡¯Don¡¯t kill her...¡¯


    ¡¯I--¡¯


    ¡¯Or she¡¯ll lose the child...¡¯ Rynheart finished, stopping Lunara¡¯s reply. ¡¯Just stall here until I finish them or they flee.¡¯


    ¡¯Alright...¡¯ Lunara agreed as Rynheart assumed full control of the situation.


    Torian remained slightly defensive, not daring to allow the swordsman with ungodly speed to find an opening. He also began to wonder how on earth the man had be so strong so fast. With that in mind, Torian forcefully grabbed Tyres by the neck and rushed toward Lunara. When the swordsman reappeared in defense of the hydra, Torian only rushed to Kylon¡¯s side.


    "We¡¯re backing off. Do you dare follow?" Torian stated, getting Tyres to frown but not argue.


    "No... be on your way..." replied the helmed swordsman.


    Just like that, the encounter was forcefully ended and Torian led his team away.


    ¡¯Thank you, Rynheart...¡¯ Lunara sighed, ncing at her disembodied head.


    ¡¯How many times can you regenerate?¡¯


    ¡¯... Nine times a day, once for each head.¡¯


    Nodding, Rynheart stepped forward and extracted some blood from the lifeless head. ¡¯Do you mind?¡¯


    ¡¯No... I trust you.¡¯


    ¡¯Keep going... I¡¯ll follow them.¡¯


    ¡¯But--¡¯


    Rynheart added, ¡¯I¡¯m following Jack¡¯s n, so don¡¯t worry. Keep going.¡¯ Turning invisible, Rynheart disappeared and silently dashed after the fleeing legendary gods.


    Lunara stored her lost head, sighed, and reported, ¡¯We¡¯re fine. Alcahain has been removed but the others got away. Rynheart¡¯s following them now.¡¯


    ¡¯Good, then keep going,¡¯ Jack replied. ¡¯Moranti, how--¡¯


    ¡¯Can I get some help here?!¡¯


    ¡¯Are you--¡¯


    ¡¯Lunara, hop through the rift!¡¯


    Suddenly, a rift opened for the Water Goddess and she didn¡¯t question it. Lunara leaped through and found herself running beside Moranti from a group of six people.


    ¡¯Well--¡¯


    "Now we should be fine!" shouted Moranti, turning around and hurling a scathing, ming spatial sh toward their pursuers. However, that attack began to dwindle away and dissipate before ever reaching its target. But unlike Lunara, Moranti wasn¡¯t surprised. "Try it again!"


    Moranti unleashed spatial sh after spatial sh, keeping the leader of the group upied. "Lunara, don¡¯t just stand there!"


    The goddess, still in her hybrid form, sent out a pulse of cial energy to freeze anything and anyone that dared step up to them. The roxite floor froze over and three of their six pursuers were momentarily immobilized. Two were slowed as well but the leader also dissipated the frost wave as it neared him.


    "You¡¯re with Jack, right?" Woltinughed, holding his staff without a worry in the world. "We were right to fear you, too bad you split up."


    "And what about your brother?" questioned Moranti, showing no fear.


    Smiling, Woltin replied, "We¡¯re going separate ways so traveling together would only slow us both. Will you give up your points or not?"


    "Nah, not until I¡¯m done testing your strength!" Moranti gave a roaringugh, entering his full dragon form.

 Chapter 701 - Olis Convincing Interrogation

    <h4>Chapter 701 - Oli''s Convincing Interrogation</h4>


    "Finally!"


    Oliughed as he gazed at the screens overhead. Watching the many encounters was fun but now Oli could finally watch Moranti, curious to see if he¡¯s anything like Dominus.


    ¡¯There will be a change in protocol.¡¯


    Surprised, Oli replied telepathically, ¡¯What¡¯s wrong, Daruun? Has something happened?¡¯


    ¡¯No one will be allowed to leave cier Keep via spatial gate,¡¯ continued Daruun.


    ¡¯So no one¡¯s allowed to leave?¡¯


    ¡¯Not via spatial gate.¡¯


    ¡¯Then... you want to only allow Jack¡¯s team to leave?¡¯ Oli deduced, knowing that only Jack¡¯s team was the only one capable of returning home without the gates.


    ¡¯No,¡¯ Daruun answered. ¡¯Anyone can leave but not through the spatial gates of cier Keep. They can wait till the order changes, but for now, no one is allowed off of the.¡¯


    ¡¯Oh... So they can enter Kartonia? Are you sure you want to let them?¡¯ asked Oli.


    ¡¯Knowing Jack and his ever-growing schemes, I may have little choice in the matter...¡¯ Daruun sighed. ¡¯My fifth body is en route to patrol the area surrounding Kartonia. After I perform an initial scan, Jack¡¯s second body will probe for possible intruders on the. Once we¡¯ve determined what¡¯s going on and who might be behind it, then I may call on you for further aid.¡¯


    ¡¯You¡¯reing here?¡¯ Oli was nearly speechless. ¡¯It¡¯s... that serious? Are you sure you don¡¯t want me to--¡¯


    ¡¯Not until Jack confirms there¡¯s indeed an intruder. I don¡¯t want to give Jewel any free excuses unless I had no choice,¡¯ replied Daruun, stoic and emotionless.


    ¡¯You¡¯re tone¡¯s different,¡¯ stated Oli. ¡¯Did something happen to Sterfen?¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m... not sure yet... He¡¯s alive but I can¡¯t confirm anything until Jack inspects the area. Then, my fifth body may act and there¡¯s a slight chance you may be called for assistance,¡¯ exined Daruun.


    ¡¯Why not just send Skaryn?¡¯ asked Oli.


    ¡¯He¡¯s already involved in Jack¡¯s ns in the keep,¡¯ Daruun stated. ¡¯You know how passionate he is about her. Now that he¡¯s back, how could he not do everything to end their suffering and get revenge? Wouldn¡¯t you do the same?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah... You¡¯re right about that,¡¯ Oliughed. ¡¯Then I guess I¡¯ll get some good entertainment while you¡¯re busy with possible intruders. Just call me and I¡¯ll make a move.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Oli.¡¯


    As Daruun ended the conversation, Oli sighed and shifted his attention to the growing crowd of failed challengers. In particr, Oli focused on a group of seven people. He hopped to his feet and casually approached them with a smile. "You¡¯re with Halmut, right?"


    The group of one human, four Flood Dragons, and two Quake Dragons met Oli¡¯s gaze but were silent.


    "You know, I¡¯d rmend we talk freely," added Oli. "Considering the situation we might be in, my patience might run dry and that¡¯s something that none of you would want."


    "Yes... we¡¯re subordinate¡¯s of Halmut," a Flood Dragon god replied.


    "Do any of you know what Halmut is up to? Or how he got items that were never on Kartonia in the first ce?" questioned Oli.


    They all shook their heads as the same dragon replied, "No... We only know that Halmut has connections with someone or some group outside of Kartonia. They should be the ones that gave him those items but we don¡¯t know how."


    "Hmmm... do you mind?" While pondering the situation, Oli hopped onto the Flood Dragon¡¯s back and sat down cross-legged, only asking for permission afterward.


    "N-no... go right ahead."


    "You know, we have more inmon than you might think," Oli chuckled and nced at the two defeated Flood Dragons. "I could give you some pointers on controlling your earth energy or offer some beginner techniques... But only if you¡¯re willing to speak up."


    While both Quake Dragons were perplexed by the offer, two scrolls appeared in Oli¡¯s hands. Oli added, "Thesee from my homeworld. They should be perfect techniques to help you condense and hone your energy as entry-level one-stars. So, will you speak up for treasures beyond your station or will you stay quiet?"


    Nodding to each other, the Quake Dragon¡¯s quickly epted Oli¡¯s offer. One spoke up, "We don¡¯t know much. All we know is that Halmut¡¯s been given items by an outside group and his favorite of those items are energy stimnts that calm him down and help circte his energy."


    "Stimnts?" Oli¡¯s gaze shifted, caught off guard slightly. "Has he shared those with you and the others?"


    "Yeah, he¡¯s given us all some."


    A sense of seriousness washed over Oli¡¯s calm face. He clicked his tongue, scoffing, "Halmut... I should have taught you a tougher lesson while I had the chance... Do you have any of these stimnts?"


    "No..."


    "We do." A small pile of stimnts appeared amid the Flood Dragons. The lead dragon mentioned, "We were ordered to consume them but none of us wanted to do so when our mistress wasn¡¯t allowed to do the same..."


    Looking back to the Flood Dragons, Oli smiled. "Mind handing them over? Those might feel good but they¡¯re nothing more than drugs to make weak cosmicians feel stronger. They¡¯re actually believed to be toxic to cosmicians."


    "What?!" All of the dragons were astounded by the reveal, and the Flood Dragons shook as they took out the few stimnts they were given in the first ce. "Th-then..."


    Oli hopped off the Flood Dragon¡¯s back and picked up one of the stimnts. "Did you know what these are officially called, as was dered across the void by the District Council? Faux-ore. That¡¯s because they¡¯re crude imitations, mimicking one of the most precious items in existence, cosmic ore. But since cosmic ore is so rare, the development of faux-ore has been a booming business with hidden consequences..."


    Everyone in the waiting chamber was now listening in on Oli¡¯s rant, startled to hear that Kartonian¡¯s had faux-ore.


    Tossing the two scrolls to the Quake Dragons, Oli looked to the foreign cosmicians and stated, "For Halmut to have this, I think that all but confirms who Halmut¡¯s partnered with, right? Mind letting them know?"


    "Who is it?" Alcahain finally spoke up, feeling betrayed to the utmost. He never had the most respect for Halmut in the first ce, but all thoughts of the Sun Dragon being worth considering as a leader was immediately and irrevocably tarnished.


    The first cosmician to speak summed it all up in a single word. "Gem?"

 Chapter 702 - Explosion in the Waiting Chamber?!

    <h4>Chapter 702 - Explosion in the Waiting Chamber?!</h4>


    "Gem?"


    "Bingo..." Oli sighed with a nod. "This would give those Sicabor twins a field day. I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll be happy to have evidence of Gem¡¯s illegal activity."


    "What activity? Then Halmut will be punished?" Alcahain asked, being swayed further and further from siding with the Sun God.


    With a slight smile, Oli replied, "Maybe... That depends if he can escape punishment. Once the Sicabor twins learn about faux-ore being on Kartonia, I¡¯m sure their father will start his long-awaited investigation. The moment evidence is found to incriminate Gem, Halmut and those that aided him will have no chance but to flee the entire district."


    "It¡¯s that bad... What¡¯s a district?"


    Laughing, Oli sinctly exined, "Think of it like this. Youe from Kartonia, one among hundreds of thousands within the Emerald Zone. But the Emerald Zone is only one of more than a hundred zones inside the Fate District, which is managed by none other than Daruun."


    "WHAT?!?!" Alcahain¡¯s mind nearly broke taking in that wide perspective, along with the dragons beside him. "Then, this whole time--"


    "Did Halmut never tell you that?" asked Oli, stifling the brawler¡¯s mental momentum. "I know for a fact that both Halmut and Skaryn knew about this, not to mention Sterfen and Jack who work directly under him."


    "WHAT?!?!" a new voice suddenly shouted from among the crowd of failures. "Jack works for Daruun directly?!"


    Oli chuckled, "Perhaps... considering that Daruun created Kartonia, wouldn¡¯t it make sense that he select some of its inhabitants as subordinates to raise personally?"


    "Th-that makes sense... But Jack?! The same person in the challenge right now!" another cosmician shouted.


    The few dozen failures so-far were in awe to know that Jack¡¯s team was hand-selected by their almighty district leader. On the other hand, those that disgracefully called themselves the legendary gods were shocked to learn the truth behind Halmut¡¯s secret source of power.


    "District Leader Daruun is personallying to inspect Kartonia, so, for the time being, no spatial gate will be opened even if the challengees to an end. Everyone will need to stay on Kartonia until he finished his evaluation."


    Suddenly, a spatial rift was opened up near the back of the crowd a group of four people in ck robes were darting to escape without waiting any longer.


    <i>SNAP!</i>


    But before any of those four could fully enter the rift, all four of them crashed to the ground with an echoing thud.


    "Oh? We have some who dared infiltrate the keep¡¯s challenge but they¡¯re not willing to y nicely and wait for the results?" Oli spoke casually but he was popping his knuckles and neck as he walked. Approaching the four figures smashed into the ground, Oli watched their scroll fade away and the spatial rift close. "I wonder..."


    Oli squatted down to take the rings and storage items on the four but something was wrong.


    "Everyone, back up!" Oli shouted as he sent out a pulse of silvery energy, effectively repelling all cosmicians around him and the pinned cosmicians.


    Everyone was tense as they skid across the roxite floors and saw a vicious burst of raw cosmic energy erupt from the team of cosmicians. Those four were vaporized as their raw energy was eaten to produce the terrifying explosion that epassed Oli and rushed towards the others in the waiting chamber.


    But just as the energy was about to reach the trembling crowd, a barrier of dense earth energy appeared to contain the explosion. The roxite floor moved as well, crawling up the earth energy barrier with incredible speed to form a containment wall with a ceiling of earthen energy. Though the earth energy at the top shook, it didn¡¯t give way to the violent explosion of raw energy.


    A few seconds passed as the explosion dissipated, failing to break free of its containment.


    "CRAX!"


    All of the foreign cosmicians were forced out of their entrancing fear, distracted by Oli¡¯s cursing.


    <i>STOMP! </i>


    As Oli mmed his foot on the ground, the roxite walls crumbled. They were already brittle from taking the brunt of the explosion and Oli¡¯s rage was now unstoppable. For the first time, everyone got a good look at why Oli hadn¡¯t called himself a human.


    The man had taken up his true form to better face the explosion in his face, allowing Oli to better manipte energy in the process to best contain the explosion and protect the otherpetitors. Now standing at three meters tall, Oli leaned back and furiously pounded on his chest. On his back was a metal te embedded in his skin, reminiscent of the roxite floor everyone stood on. Pitch-ck fur covered Oli¡¯s brawny body, as did dark purple, draconic scales beneath the fur. A set of wings darker than the night sky expanded as Oli cried loudly in anger. While his giant hands pounded his chest, Oli¡¯s opposable toes tore through the roxite floor and gripped it in frustration.


    "How dare they interfere?! What a load of crax!" Oli howled, scaring the contestants even more than the explosion moments ago. They all felt a tinge of that silvery energy from earlier lingering in the air, making them all feel heavier. Any mortal would have been crushed to death under such pressure, let alone the one-star cosmicians that struggled to stand up.


    "DARUUN!" Oli shouted verbally while sharing his out-spoken thoughts telepathically. "They¡¯ve infiltrated the challenge and dared use a sacrificial explosion when their team failed to escape!"


    "WHAT?!?!"


    Daruun¡¯s telepathic reply was so powerful that everyone in the chamber could hear it and felt an additional pressure shake the room.


    "Inspect every contestant carefully. The moment you see them try something contrasting the keep¡¯s rules, eliminate them without warning! I¡¯ll send him to probe right now. My fifth body is practically in position. Thank you, Oli!"


    Everyone was shaking as both Daruun¡¯s leftover pressure and Oli¡¯s dissipated. They all fell to the ground with trembling knees. ncing at the sight of the explosion, everyone was both terrified and relieved. Relief came from knowing that Oli had managed to protect them from something that would¡¯ve killed them all. Terror came from realizing that Oli had just tanked four self-destructing, one-star explosions without a scratch while having the energy to curse at the failed kamikaze cosmicians.

 Chapter 703 - Moranti and Lunara vs Woltins Six-man Team

    <h4>Chapter 703 - Moranti and Lunara vs Woltin''s Six-man Team</h4>


    "Crax..." 12-13 spat as he was informed of the situation inside the waiting chamber. He nced at Sterfen¡¯s shaking, sweating body. "I suppose Halmut¡¯s n had more kinks than anticipated. He was even stupid enough to believe they¡¯d allow him to use such items... Howe Skaryn hadn¡¯t agreed? That would¡¯ve made everything much easier..."


    Comining to the senseless assassin, 12-13 sighed, "We may have to abandon things a bit early... I¡¯d rather not give up Halmut, though. It¡¯s rare to get such a specimen with so much potential and such loyalty..."


    The shadowy man went back and forth between Halmut¡¯s vision and Kylon¡¯s, wanting to know everything that was going on inside the keep. Once failure became imminent, 12-13 was ready to abandon Halmut and ept a half-fulfilled mission. Such results were already more than enough for 12-13 to retain his position and possibly earn him some extra influence among his peers.


    *****


    Those still inside the keep were clueless about the threat made on the failed challengers¡¯ lives. No announcement was made either.


    Oli determined that stating such a thing would counter anything they wanted to happen. He deduced that announcing such interference to the challengers would give any Gem members in the keep a reason to self-implode, whether it was done so willingly or unwillingly by their far-off superiors with illegal seals. That way, anyone who dared act knowledgable about the incident in the waiting room would be questionably dismissed from thepetition on grounds of illegal tampering and incitement of terrorism.


    Though he still wanted to enjoy Moranti¡¯s fight, Oli¡¯s mindset was already altered and only the removal of infiltrators would calm him.


    Moranti was happily confronting Woltin as the two men were facing each other directly. In his full dragon form, Moranti yed the role of the aggressor while Lunara was his support in her hybrid form. One attacked with merciless abandon and the other used skills to control the tempo of battle to keep their side from facing a disadvantage with less able bodies.


    "Kartonians are amazing!" Woltinughed, watching as Moratni charged into his six-man team with no fear. What had him in awe was Moranti¡¯s ethereal abilities, phasing through his team¡¯s physical and abstract attacks. "Too bad you¡¯re not all like this!"


    "Oh? Did you run into the others?" Moranti chuckled yfully. "Please tell me you sent them packing!"


    "Oh, you can be sure of that. You two are much more fun though! I wonder what would happen if your two teammates were here?"


    "Then you wouldn¡¯t be,"ughed Moranti. "If they joined in, your side would already have perished. Maybe you wouldn¡¯t be out, but everyone else would be goners."


    "Tough talk, but prove it!" one of Woltin¡¯s teammates cried, getting the others riled up.


    ¡¯Now!¡¯


    On Lunara¡¯smand, Moranti barreled into the six-man team but crashed into the center of them instead of fleeing for a second follow-up strike. A pulse of spatial energy poured out, forcing the six to increase their energy defenses to resist any unwanted, forced teleportation. However, a second type of energy then poured out over them all, catching everyone off guard.


    Amid the avnche of spatial energy, Moratni blinked out and swapped ces with Lunara, who cast her most powerful personal spell with everything she had, sheer frost.


    An incredible shockwave of cial energy rocked the six-man team, freezing over two of them in a cier and half trapping two more. The woman who had shouted moments ago remained uncaptured but chilled to the bone and slowed greatly. Woltin was the only one unaffected by the attack, smiling wider than ever.


    Then, a slew of massive spatial shes was aimed at therge team from all around as Moranti wasted no time to attack the affected team members and Woltin alike.


    At the same time, Woltin mmed his staff on the ground and sent out his own pulse of illusory white energy that was practically transparent. It washed over his teammates and Lunara without causing any harm, even spreading out towards the iing spatial attack. Upon colliding with Moranti¡¯s attacks, the spatial shes dissipated into nothingness, as did the ice surrounding Woltin¡¯s team.


    Moranti then switched with Lunara again and charged out of the team¡¯s encirclement with a big grin. "You can nullify other energies?!"


    "Yes, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m invincible,"mented Woltin.


    "Because you might identally nullify your teammates¡¯ attacks as well?"


    "That¡¯s right..." Woltin sighed, knowing he couldn¡¯t hide his weakness any longer.


    Before Luanra or Moranti could say anything else, they received a message from Jack. ¡¯Offer them half your points and leave. We have no more time to waste.¡¯


    Lunara nodded in agreement with Jack, immediately stating, "How about we offer you half our points and we walk away as acquaintances? I believe that¡¯s more than generous."


    "I¡¯ll take that deal," Woltin agreed, surprising most of his teammates. "Jeniff, are you against that?"


    Sighing in disappointment, the woman stored her sword and stepped back toward Woltin. "No... It¡¯s a fair deal."


    "Then let¡¯s do it." Happy that she also understood how close they were to a party wipe, Woltin stepped forward with his card at the ready.


    Both Lunara and Moratni held up their cards, showing near-identical numbers. Lunara stated, "I¡¯ll pass you all of mine."


    "Works for me."


    Tension was still in the air as Woltin¡¯s team watched Woltin and Lunara both hold her armband, allowing the transfer to take ce. Only when the transfer waspleted did they feel at ease.


    "Thanks for being so understanding," Woltin chuckled, bowing his head slightly.


    Morantiughed, "Next time, I want to face you alone. I¡¯d love to see how that would end."


    "Maybe... I¡¯m not sure how confident I would be against you by myself. It would be interesting for sure."


    Having made the exchange, the two groups parted with a friendly bow and went their separate ways.


    ¡¯Jack, howe--¡¯


    ¡¯There¡¯s no time. Just hurry and scour the maze for any signs of a purple barrier or something that may lead you to one. Don¡¯t fight anyone or anything, cause we need to hurry!¡¯ Jack shouted his reasoning, not giving Moranti time to argue or question.


    ¡¯Got it... Then I¡¯ll just do that, though it¡¯s no fun...¡¯ Moranti sighed in response. ¡¯Lunara, hop on my back.¡¯


    The goddess retained her hybrid form and climbed on Moranti, already anticipating what woulde next. Suddenly, ethereal energy bathed over Moranti and Lunara, making them both ethereal as they rocketed through the air to explore the maze at top speed.

 Chapter 704 - Mysterious Figure Scouts Olympic Chateau

    <h4>Chapter 704 - Mysterious Figure Scouts Olympic Chateau</h4>


    ¡¯Jack, it¡¯s time. I need you to inspect Olympic Chateau immediately!¡¯


    Daruun¡¯s voice yed through Jack¡¯s mind, catching the hero off guard by the shocked tone. ¡¯Gramps, did something--¡¯


    ¡¯Gem has infiltrators among the challengers apart from Halmut. Exercise extreme caution during your challenge. The infiltrators found in the waiting chamber self-destructed in an attempt to eliminate all evidence and anyone that could possibly investigate.¡¯


    ¡¯That--¡¯


    ¡¯Oli handled the situation there but you¡¯re still inside the keep,¡¯ Daruun continued. ¡¯It¡¯s best to retreat should more threats like that appear in the keep. Such explosions may even be unwillingly done by Jewel through illegal seals, using the souls of their cosmicians as fuel to eradicate anything in the area. Any normal one-star would be eliminated for good with no chance of resurrection, so don¡¯t let the others fight anyone! Is that understood, Jack?¡¯


    ¡¯Understood...¡¯ It was rare for Daruun to be so forceful with his speech, only making Jack less hesitant to alter his n. ¡¯I¡¯ll scout the chateau immediately and inform you of what happens.¡¯


    ¡¯Thank you, Jack.¡¯


    The conversation ended there and Jack immediately made the necessary changes to their n. He was still following Halmut¡¯s team and wasn¡¯t too worried about Rynheart, but Jack wasted no time using god¡¯s perspective to see through Luanra¡¯s and Moratni¡¯s eyes. Immediately, he telepathically ordered, ¡¯Offer them half your points and leave. We have no more time to waste.¡¯


    A few moments passed as the two made their deal with Woltiin and Moranti spoke up, ¡¯Jack, howe--¡¯


    But Jack cut off Moranti, showing the same seriousness that Daruun had, ¡¯There¡¯s no time. Just hurry and scour the maze for any signs of a purple barrier or something that may lead you to one. Don¡¯t fight anyone or anything, cause we need to hurry!¡¯


    ¡¯Got it... Then I¡¯ll just do that, though it¡¯s no fun...¡¯


    With Moranti agreeing, the God of Space and the Water Goddess turned into one of the best exploration parties possible. Moranti became the fast vehicle able to pass through battlefields untouched while Lunara¡¯s three heads and icy control skills kept them aware of everything around them while offering boosted protection of the rare moments that a foe was strong enough to slow Moranti.


    Jack kept close to Halmut, more cautious than ever of the Sun Dragon. He tried to use god¡¯s perspective on the dragon but Halmut¡¯s mind still felt off-limits to him. With that, all he could do was watch as Halmut¡¯s jumpy nature was gone and reced with an overly cautious and aware nature. The way Halmut acted was as if he knew where he was going, as if he didn¡¯t question any step he took and that he was getting closer and closer to his goal.


    While Jack followed Halmut, Rynheart followed Torian and Kylon, and Moranti carried Lunara in exploration, a sh of purple energy appeared near the summit of Kartonia¡¯s tallest mountain. A figure emerged within that small wooded area, wearing a shadowy hood that used illusions to conceal the wearer¡¯s identity and face.


    That figure took in a deep breath as he walked carefully toward his target, Olympic Chateau. He then retrieved an item from his storage and clutched it carefully. It was a holy amulet, the same type used by the legendary gods to teleport themselves into the chateau.


    With the amulet in hand, the figure made himself invisible and entered Olympic Chateau. He effortlessly passed through the holy barrier but felt that something was off, as if there was more than one barrier. However, the man passed through and entered the chateau without fail. He then stored the amulet and began exploring the ce ording to his old memories of theyout.


    The moment he entered, he was startled by the amount of destruction that filled the chateau. It seemed apocalyptic inparison to what he had seen so many times before, something incredibly hard to believe.


    But he kept quiet and continued searching the area.


    ¡¯Nothing yet... Hello?¡¯


    Upon trying to contact Daruun, the figure was startled to feel disconnected and unable to reach anyone telepathically. After a moment of trying multiple times, the man gave up. He understood that it was useless and likely due to the additional barrier that he had never felt before.


    "Would you prefer to die anonymously, or reveal yourself and beg for mercy?"


    Before the man knew it, a nearly invisible pulse of illusory energy filled the room and removed his invisibility. He immediately tensed up, finding himself immobile and only able to move his eyes. That was when things made more sense, when he noticed the now-visible man shrouded in darkness pping his hands casually.


    "To think you made it this far... Jack¡¯s n was brilliant, after all, so this much is to be expected. Too bad his reliance on Kylon resulted in his downfall..." chuckled the man. "I like your style. It¡¯s very much like mine, but I¡¯d prefer that we don¡¯t match. Mind removing your hood?"


    The trapped man found himself able to move again but still unable to summon or control energy. He was effectively caught and trapped. But he only shook his head, distorting his voice in reply, "You first..."


    "Oh... It¡¯s amusing to see how innocent you are to the void... Allow me to introduce myself as 12-13. But if you won¡¯t tell me your name, then how about I guess to make it more amusing? Are you Rikko?"


    "Nope..." replied the man, still unshaken by the situation.


    "Hmmm... Eedaj, perhaps?" chuckled 12-13.


    "Wrong again..."


    "True... There¡¯s only one person you could be, given Jack¡¯s n and how many people are in on it. I¡¯m sure you understand that I¡¯ve understood your true abilities since the moment you and Jack spoke with Kylon underground. Right, Perchet?"


    But the man shook his head again, chuckling even, "Are you always this bad at guessing games? If you¡¯re skilled enough to block my telepathy, then can¡¯t you just read my mind?"


    "There¡¯s no fun in that... I don¡¯t simply read minds, I prefer to break them!" 12-13 vanished from where he stood and reappeared beside the intruder. Swiftly, 12-13 removed the man¡¯s cloak and was left baffled.


    While the man was tensed and immobile, the very sight of his roxite helmet and strange, patchy armor shattered 12-13¡¯s expectations. 12-13 immediatelyshed out and broke the helmet with the swipe of his hand. But that only threw him further into confusion and rage.

 Chapter 705 - Kylon Learned the Truth...

    <h4>Chapter 705 - Kylon Learned the Truth...</h4>


    "Auntie Kylon..." Jack dropped to one knee and hugged the crying, mentally confused woman. Though Perchet would still hear it, Jack softly whispered, "Would you rather your child be raised by Skaryn or eaten by Halmut?"


    Both Perchet¡¯s and Kylon¡¯s faces instantly paled. Perchet clenched his fists tightly but refrained from saying anything more. Kylon¡¯s lip and stare quivered as Jack looked directly into her eyes.


    "Do you want to know the truth?"


    "... Y-y..." Kylon tried to speak but found herself unable. All she could do was force a slight nod to Jack¡¯s humbling question.


    "Then let me share what really happened." Jack let go of Kylon but remained on his knees. He opened his menu and purchased two skills. "Just watch... Don¡¯t say anything until the end."


    Illusory energy filled Jack¡¯s eyes as he looked to both Perchet and Kylon. Both dragon gods suddenly felt themselves dragged into a new mind space, a crystal clear memory that neither of them had experienced. They were standing in the air looking over the long-lost Kustram, which was in perfect order. asionally, they noticed that the person in memory would look to the side and spot either Daruun or a skeleton they recognized from their earlier battle, Jack¡¯s new assistant.


    But a gigantic pir of light abruptly fell from the sky, crashing down onto Kustram¡¯s capital and wiping it off the map.


    Perchet was speechless, unsure how he should be reacting. Kylon was already in tears, immediately linking this memory to her countless nightmares of the people¡¯s perspective. Both understood what had begun the moment Halmut¡¯s unwarned attack fell onto the ind nation.


    They watched as Skaryn arrived without dy, trying to sway Halmut from fighting. And Skaryn¡¯s most impactful line was unexpected yet mind-opening.


    <i>"Does Kylon know about this?"</i>


    That line was repeated by Skaryn and echoed through their minds as they both understood the care behind them. Such wordsing from their supposed enemy of old proved just how falsely Halmut had changed history and just how far he was willing to go to keep his influence. Adding that to how Halmut had forced himself onto Kylon, neither could deny how character-defining this reveal was for Halmut, though Halmut had done everything possible to conceal the truth.


    "Stop Halmut!" Kylon cried out of reflex as more and more pirs of light fell onto her home country, reducing it to rubble and eliminating the Flood Dragon civilization beneath the ind. She couldn¡¯t help herself. Watching Skaryn fight for her people¡¯s survival while her false leader and forced lover obliterated her home... it left Kylon feeling broken. Her mind could no longer hide the many truths within her mind and it hurt more than anything she could anticipate.


    Jack allowed the memory to close as Halmut was finishing his dark deed and threw his arms around Kylon yet again. "Auntie... It¡¯s okay. It will be okay... Skaryn is still alive though he¡¯s currently trapped."


    "Then we¡¯ll free him!" shouted Kylon, unable to control her emotionally free mind from the downpour of recollection. "We¡¯ll free him and--"


    "Auntie, calm down... It¡¯s not that simple," Jack stated, pulling his head back to look her in the eyes. "The moment Halmut learns that Skaryn is freed is the moment he¡¯ll use you as a hostage like he always did against Skaryn."


    "I... I was a hostage? You mean... Skaryn..."


    "If Skaryn was always stronger than Halmut, why do you think Skaryn would allow Halmut to remain in the spotlight for so long while Skaryn isbeled as the viin? Their friendship ended long ago and I¡¯m certain that having your life on the line is why Skaryn was reactionary to everything that AHlmut did and not visa versa," reasoned Jack. "But it¡¯s not your fault. It¡¯s Halmut¡¯s. He¡¯s the one who¡¯s been scheming and nning all this. That¡¯s why I need your help taking him down."


    "... I..." Kylon was torn but not on what she should do. She was torn in her heart, fully knowing now that everything she had done for Skaryn, especially after the destruction of her home, was all ying into Halmut¡¯s ns and not what she had wanted. It left her empty and hollow, as if she had be the opposite of everything she had wanted to be. "What... would I need to do?"


    "Would you mind if I took a look at Skaryn¡¯s seal?" Jack asked, surprising both Kylon and Perchet. "I want to check if there¡¯s a way to unseal him without the use of enchantment keys."


    "Jack, that¡¯s--"


    "Please, Auntie. This would be best for us all. I can even teleport us there."


    "I... Yes... I can let you take a look. But--"


    "I¡¯ll need to do it alone with no one else in the room, not even you, Auntie," Jack added.


    After learning the truth, the feeling of being called "Auntie" had changed drastically. Now, it felt endearing, which was a feeling that Kylon struggled to remember from anything beyond her past with Lunara.


    "O-okay..."


    "Then let¡¯s go and not waste time."


    All of a sudden, spatial energy enveloped the three of them. They were carried deep into the sea as they appeared in Kylon¡¯s personal chambers. Both the dragons were fine and Jack quickly cast a water breathing spell he¡¯d gained from long ago in-game.


    "Sorry, but reading your mind was the fastest way to find the ce."


    "That¡¯s fine... At least you read my mind and didn¡¯t try to manipte it..." Kylon sighed, still embracing her newly revealed reality.


    Jack¡¯s appearance suddenly changed to that of Sillo, allowing him to remain hidden from the other Flood Dragons attending to Kylon¡¯s underwater pce. "Lead the way, Auntie. Just tell them all that Halmut ordered for Sillo to inspect the seal and that it requires absolute privacy."


    "Alright... Follow me."


    "Jack, would you mind if I--"


    "Sorry, Perchet, but you can¡¯te inside. It¡¯s better that way," Jack stated. "After inspecting the seal, we¡¯ll discuss whates next. Kylon¡¯s mind is still blurry to me and somewhat closed, so something is still trying to manipte her thoughts. With that in mind, I think we should be careful about what information is shared between us."

 Chapter 706 - Kylon Joined Jacks Plan

    <h4>Chapter 706 - Kylon Joined Jack''s n</h4>


    "Wait! I still--"


    "Calm down, Auntie. We¡¯ll get through this together," Jack added, calmly grabbing Kylon by her shoulders. "The control of your mind will be much more difficult now that you know the truth of your situation, but we can¡¯t rule out that Halmut can simply learn what you¡¯ve experienced recently. I¡¯ve got a n for that, but I¡¯ll exin after I¡¯m done inspecting the seal. That¡¯s when I¡¯ll know for certain what we¡¯ll do next."


    "... Okay... Then... follow me."


    Kylon opened her bedroom doors, startling the attendants passing through the hallway. "Perchet and Sillo havee to inspect the seal. Something may be wrong with it, but they¡¯ll fix it should there be any problems. No questions shall be asked."


    "Understood, Mistress." The passing servants bowed to the two guests and went about their chores.


    The party of three made their way through the pce halls and soon reached an isted corridor lined with guards. Immediately, Kylon ordered, "You¡¯re dismissed. We have important matters involving the repair of the seal. Remain on standby until we¡¯ve finished."


    Nodding, the Flood Dragon guards left the corridor before Kylon closed therge doors.


    Now alone, Jack assumed his true appeared and sighed, "So... the seal is there?"


    "Yes..."


    "Then I¡¯ll get to work. This may take a while and don¡¯t mind any shes of energy. It¡¯s necessary that I scan it in various ways unknown to you," exined Jack, turning to open the closed door.


    "Take your time..." Kylon shakily replied, watching Jack close the door behind him.


    Perchet noticed the tension behind Kylon¡¯s gaze. He rxed his stance and smiled at her. "You know, at least there¡¯s a way to make things better again. We now know that Daruun is way stronger than we imagined and I¡¯m sure Jack¡¯s got something up his sleeve since he works so closely with Daruun."


    "Maybe..."


    "Wasn¡¯t Skaryn somewhat close to Daruun as well?" asked Perchet.


    "I... I don¡¯t remember... I think he might¡¯ve been... I know he¡¯s close to Sterfen, who¡¯s always been on Daruun¡¯s side."


    "Really? I didn¡¯t know that," Perchet chuckled, amused to learn something new.


    Without warning, a brilliant sh of light passed through the tiniest of cracks between the doors of the seal¡¯s room. It caught them both off guard and brought Kylon to want to open the door. However, Perchet grabbed Kylon¡¯s wrist and stopped her. "No entering, not unless Jack allows it."


    "Right..." Kylon agreed, unsure why she had suddenly made a move for the door. It didn¡¯t feel like a reflex or a thought of her own, yet she was unable to deny that she momentarily wanted nothing more than to hurry into the room.


    That light faded in seconds, allowing the corridor to return to normal. It left Kylon and Perchet with a strange feeling. They felt they were missing out and that something grandiose had happened yet Jack made no attempt to reach out to them or invite them inside, adding to the mystery.


    A few minutes passed in silence as both gods were enraptured in thoughts about what Jack may be doing inside. But Jack soon opened the door, letting them both enter. "Sorry I took so long..."


    When they entered and saw that nothing had changed in the room, Kylon and Perchet felt a tinge of disappointment. But Kylon was surprised when Jack hugged her again.


    "I¡¯m sorry, Auntie... I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to do anything without using the key."


    "Then--"


    "Right now, we can¡¯t do that. But after cier Keep, we¡¯ll release Skaryn, so you won¡¯t need to wait very long. And should Halmut somehow perish, we¡¯ll immediately release him, okay?"


    "O-Okay..."


    "I¡¯ll be focused on somehow getting Halmut to give up your contract. With my dad¡¯s help, I¡¯m sure we can make it happen. After all, he managed to free my mom and nearly freed Kori as well," reasoned Jack, slightly alleviating the new burden on Kylon¡¯s heart. "You can trust us, Auntie. Mom and Dad both want to help you too. The moment we learned what Halmut had done was the first time I¡¯ve ever seen my dad so serious about killing someone."


    "... Thank you... Nephew..."


    "See! Doesn¡¯t that feel better to say?" Jack chuckled, finishing their hug. "Sadly, things are going to getplicated now... Perchet, how precisely can you control sound?"


    "What do you mean?" Perchet scoffed, acting slightly offended.


    "I want to know if you can attack Kylon¡¯s short term memory." Both legendary gods were stunned as Jack exined, "This is where you¡¯ll finally leave the legendary gods, Perchet. By attacking Kylon before she teleports back to Olympic Chateau, you¡¯ll be branded as a traitor and forced to be a mortal again but you¡¯ll already be with me in Trodar. And if you target her mind, Kylon will have a legitimate excuse as to why she¡¯s unable to properly answer about what happened after Halmut heals her."


    "Then... What am I supposed to do? Be his puppet again?" Kylon questioned with a pained look painted on her face.


    "No, Auntie, you¡¯ll just wait for my signal in cier Keep," Jack added. "Trust me, I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll know what to do when the timees. Once I give you the signal, you will no longer have to worry about your contract or Halmut trying to control your mind. I¡¯ll have already prepared everything to keep you free, so just unleash hell when the timees, exactly how you feel right now. Can you do that for me, Auntie?"


    "... Yes... I can do that..."


    "Also, you may want to act mad when I call you that, at least while you¡¯re waiting to rebel," Jack insisted. "I¡¯ll still act like I¡¯m trying to sway you but you¡¯ll need to appear loyal and ready to act as you always have. So long as you appear to be the same there¡¯s a chance you won¡¯t be forced to do anything involving more mental maniption."


    When Kylon nodded, Jack smiled and turned to Perchet. "Give her your amulet."

 Chapter 707 - All According to Plan?

    <h4>Chapter 707 - All ording to n?</h4>


    "Give her your amulet."


    "What? We would--"


    "Because she¡¯s going to give me hers," mentioned Jack, holding out his hand to Kylon. "That way she¡¯ll get back to the chateau and then I¡¯ll have a way into the chateau after your amulet is disconnected."


    "Okay." Kylon handed it over without question, feeling relieved to no longer carry the thing that represented her loyalty to Halmut.


    Sighing, Jack gave Kylon onest, brief hug. "Then that¡¯s settled... Don¡¯t worry, Auntie. Everything will work out in the end."


    As soon as Jack let her go, Perchet tapped on Kylon¡¯s skull. A pulse of sound passed through her head and targeted her hippocampus, barely damaging the brain. At the same time, Percent buffeted her brain and caused the left side of her head to ring until Kylon was on the verge of passing out.


    Immediately, Kylon activated the amulet she was given and vanished from sight.


    *****


    "Hmmm..." 12-13 was doubtful of his situation, curious as to why the man before him wasn¡¯t who he had expected. "Looking back, I don¡¯t recall you iming to abandon Kylon as part of your n. So howe you¡¯ve abandoned your challenge of cier Keep toe here? Are you as maniptive as me, but with a false heart on disy?"


    "Maybe I just got bored and felt I wanted to visit my dad?" chuckled Jack, unable to move or act freely.


    12-13ughed as well, cing his hand over his face and sighing in disappointment. "I thought you would be a challenge, Jack? I thought you were going to force me to abandon Halmut in the end? Why would you give up your lead when you were so close?"


    As Jack remained speechless with a cheeky grin, 12-13 added, "I already know about your second body, Jack. There¡¯s no use in hiding that from me."


    "Oh... Mind sharing how you figured it out?"


    "Would that get you to cooperate?" asked 12-13. "You¡¯re father¡¯s been quite uncooperative. I normally like that in a victim but I¡¯m losing my patience as the necessity of my retreat bes more and more likely. I know for a fact that you work with Daruun and have learned more than enough about the void. How about youe with me? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be treated fairly and kindly, should you be cooperative."


    "And what would that entail?" asked Jack, ying along. "What kind of pay does Jewel offer?"


    "Good question... how about you tag along and find out." Shrugging, 12-13 stepped closer to Jack and looked the hero squarely in the eyes. "But if you can tell me about the nexus, then I wouldn¡¯t mind sharing the terms of your fair treatment right now..."


    "Nexus? What¡¯s that?" Jack asked with a smile.


    12-13 sighed, "Come on... I¡¯m sure you know by now... How could Daruun send you into cier Keep without telling you about that? Stop ying dumb, Jack."


    "If you¡¯re so sure I know about it, then why not just read my mind," Jack questioned. "Or is the mighty 12-13 unable to ready the mind of a weak one-star like me?"


    Scoffing, 12-13 tightened Jack¡¯s body to the point the hero couldn¡¯t even move his lips. "Don¡¯t assume what I can and can¡¯t do... That¡¯s the worst thing a captive can do to their captor. But I suppose you want to learn that the had way..."


    Jack was carried through the air as 12-13 forced the immobile hero into Halmut¡¯s bedroom chamber. There, Jack was horrified to see the stress and pain riddling his father¡¯s face.


    "That¡¯s what happens when you¡¯re uncooperative... Are you sure--"


    "That I¡¯m a coward?" stated Jack, barely able to speak. "Why should I fear a man whose own parents hated him so much they couldn¡¯t bother naming you properly?"


    "Enough..." Dropping the causal tone, 12-13 turned toward Jack and allowed the young cosmician to experience hell for the first time.


    As Jack¡¯s body tensed up and his mind was constantly probed and pounded with mental attacks, 12-13 sighed, "To think that someone was even more disrespectful than Sterfen... I won¡¯t bother asking you any longer. I¡¯ll simply enjoy cracking your mind and selling away Daruun¡¯s greatest secrets, including the secrets behind your construct body."


    *****


    ¡¯Jack, we¡¯ve found a green spatial rift.¡¯


    ¡¯Good. Just keep looking. You should be close to the next area,¡¯ Jack replied, assuming that the rifts at the maze¡¯s entrance were designed to help those seeking certain rooms pass the maze more quickly.


    Still invisible, Jack followed Halmut closely as his patience was finally paying off.


    The Sun God began to smile as a purple barrier came into view. Halmut was speechless as he gathered holy energy around his eyes to scan the area around him with great caution.


    Recognizing that now was his best chance to do something, Jack rushed toward the barrier and shed his card against the barrier. It took one hundred keys to open, practically everything that Jack had left from defeating constructs within the maze and taking the keys from the puzzle challenge. But it was worth it as Jack was one step in front of Halmut.


    "YOU?!?!" Halmut roared as the barrier began to fade. Multicolored mes were already spilling out of Halmut¡¯s mouth as Jack darted into the enclosed space, snatching the purple core for himself. "HOW DARE YOU?!?!"


    Though Jack managed to grab the core, Jack was now trapped in an enclosed space. The powerful mes rocked Jack¡¯s body as he guarded his card carefully. A wed hand reached into the fire and gripped Jack tightly as the hero stored his card away.


    "What¡¯s wrong, Halmut?" Jack stated with painful breaths, being gripped by his neck.


    "You... YOU!!"


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Laughing, Jack ignored how hard it was to breathe and how painful it was for Halmut to run his other hand through the hero¡¯s abdomen. "That all you got... Considering how easily you found this... Were you given--"


    "Shut up and die!"


    Roaring, Halmut unleashed another breath attack directly into Jack¡¯s open wound, forcing Jack to wince in pain.

 Chapter 708 - More and More Surprises

    <h4>Chapter 708 - More and More Surprises</h4>


    While Jack struggled to keep his proud face, Halmut clutched Jack¡¯s hand and tore off the hero¡¯s storage rings while breaking his hand in the process. "How dare you hide your card?! COWARD!!"


    But Halmut¡¯s face suddenly shifted as well. From seething rage, Halmut¡¯s frown became deeper and now showed fury of disbelief. "WHERE IS IT?!?!"


    "What?" Jackughed again, enduring the pain as he limply and willingly lifted his other arm to the dragon. "Go ahead... Check my other hand... I don¡¯t mind..."


    Halmut did just that. He savagely broke Jack¡¯s other hand as he ripped the rings from Jack¡¯s fingers, again stumped and infuriated.


    "Can¡¯t find what you¡¯re looking for?" Jack chuckled again.


    Burying his w back into Jack¡¯s torso, Halmut twisted his ws around, tearing away at Jack¡¯s internals. "WHERE IS IT?!?!"


    "I should ask... the same... about your... map?" Jack managed to utter his sarcastic question.


    "HOW--"


    "Then I must be right..." Jackughed more as Halmut tortured his physical body. But Jack¡¯sughing suddenly ended as his mind was racked with pain from his double¡¯s torture. To Halmut, it appeared his attacks were finally working but Jack soon disconnected his mind from his second body and smiled again. "If you¡¯re angry at that... then you have to have one... There it is..."


    "THERE¡¯S WHAT?!" Halmut shouted, covering Jack in more mes.


    However, Jack¡¯s me body made ofbined spectral mes and hellfire burned Halmut¡¯s w while negating the brunt of Halmut¡¯s attack.


    "Thank you..."


    That was thest thing Jack said before he teleported away.


    "JAAAAAAAAACK!!!"


    Halmut scanned over Jack¡¯s rings again and again but failed to find anything inside of them, not even a single gold coin. Also, Halmut refused to believe that Jack still had the energy to use his attacks and teleport after what should¡¯ve killed most gods.


    ¡¯FOOL!¡¯ a voice shouted within Halmut¡¯s mind, instantly forcing Halmut to stop his tantrum. ¡¯Check your map!¡¯


    The next second Halmut went from quietly obedient to passionately fuming. "HOW DARE HE?!?!?!"


    The apanying Flood Dragons were terrified as they backed away from the raging Sun Dragon. Tralbok was hesitant to say something but soon realized what had just taken ce. "Your excellency, we must hurry!"


    "I KNOW!!"


    Without giving any order, Halmut rocketed away while covered in lightning and wind energy. He showed no care for those in his party, letting them straggle along behind him as he raced toward the end of the maze.


    *****


    ¡¯Jack, we¡¯ve found--¡¯


    Before Lunara could report their find, an unexpected sh of spatial energy let Jack plop onto Moranti¡¯s back. And before Lunara finished her report, she immediately pulled out her most powerful potion. "JACK?!"


    "I¡¯m... fine..." Jack tried to tell his mom not to worry but she was already forcing the potion down his throat. The hole in Jack¡¯s torso and most of his burns were already healing, but now they were speedily repairing themselves at a speed visible to the n.a.k.e.d eye. "Thanks, Mom..."


    "What in Kartonia were you doing?!" Lunara shouted, looking over Jack as if he was just revived from a corpse. "With injuries like that, how are you even alive and in thepetition, let alone--"


    "I just needed to confirm something..." Jack interjected, not wanting her to freak out too much. "It paid off..."


    "And your storage rings?! What about those?!"


    "Don¡¯t need them... right, Moranti?" As the Spectral Dragonughed, catching onto Jack¡¯s hint, A tightly wrapped scroll appeared in Jack¡¯s hand.


    Lunara was puzzled. "B-but... How--"


    ¡¯Ever heard of the skill ¡¯Pocket Dimension¡¯?¡¯ Jack joked, continuing the conversation telepathically. ¡¯All that matters... Is that we have a map now...¡¯


    ¡¯A what?!¡¯ Both Lunara and Moratni questioned, failing to grasp what Jack meant.


    Before saying another word, Jack unfurled the scroll and allowed his system to scan it. The next moment, Jack stored it away again and chuckled. ¡¯Moranti, make two lefts, a right, and then go straight... We¡¯ll reach the treasure chamber.¡¯


    ¡¯Jack, who did this?!¡¯ Lunara demanded an answer to her worries. ¡¯How could you let this happen?! If you can teleport and escape, why would you allow yourself to get captured?!¡¯


    ¡¯For Rikko¡¯s theft skill to work properly and steal the right item... I need to be in physical contact with Halmut for quite a while...¡¯


    ¡¯YOU LET HALMUT DO THIS TO YOU?!¡¯ shouted Lunara, sharing Moranti¡¯s shock. ¡¯You could¡¯ve died?! How would we have ever--¡¯


    ¡¯Calm down, Mom. I¡¯m not so easy to kill...¡¯ Jack sighed, forcing his body to sit up so he could put his hands on Lunara¡¯s shoulders. ¡¯Right now, Halmut and no other one-star cosmician should be able to kill me. Sure, I¡¯ll still feel the pain... But they won¡¯t be able to kill me. Trust me, okay?¡¯


    ¡¯I--¡¯


    ¡¯Mom, please trust me,¡¯ Jack insisted. ¡¯I may choose some tactics that greatly harm my body, but I¡¯ll only do so if I believe the risk is worth it.¡¯


    ¡¯We can trust him, Lunara,¡¯ Moranti added, catching the goddess off guard.


    ¡¯What do you mean?! Have you two--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯ll exin everything after we finish the challenge, Mom. But for now, you¡¯ll have to trust me.¡¯


    With Lunara forcibly talked down and Moranti nearing the next section of the keep, Jack hurriedly contacted Daruun. ¡¯Gramps, we¡¯ve got a major problem! I got caught the moment I entered the chateau by a shadowy man named 12-13.¡¯


    ¡¯WHAT?!¡¯ Daruun shouted in distress, the first time Jack had ever heard such a thing from the all-knowing Daruun. ¡¯Are you sure that¡¯s what he goes by?!¡¯


    ¡¯Yes. He made a barrier restricting telepathy passing to the outside of the chateau and asked about a nexus. Also, Halmut now has two-star items that Oli banned and a map of the keep.¡¯


    ¡¯WHAAAT?!?!¡¯ Daruun¡¯s shouts grew even louder. ¡¯I¡¯ll handle it from here! Go ahead with your n, but don¡¯t make a move on Olympic Chateau. Leave that to me!¡¯


    A sigh of relief left Jack¡¯s mouth as Daruun finally agreed to take control. Knowing that alone was the greatest relief, giving the strongest of everyone the ability to finally act without any holds barred.


    *****


    Back in the waiting room, everyone had been horrified of Halmut¡¯s treatment of the captured Jack, but they were also curious what that purple core was supposed to be. Yet they were all puzzled when Jack proved able to escape all along.


    While most cosmicians were in awe of both Halmut and Jack, the legendary gods who had already been sidelined were amazed to see that Jack was still breathing and alive while in Halmut¡¯s clutches. They were further convinced that facing Jack and the other gods was bing more and more futile, on top of what they had learned from Oli about their so-called stimnts.


    ¡¯OLI!¡¯


    Alerted by Daruun¡¯s anxious tone, Oli hopped to his feet and smiled. ¡¯Does this mean--¡¯


    ¡¯I¡¯m still too far out. You¡¯re up against who I believe is an ISA agent who goes by 12-13. A recement is already inbound to host the challenge and send you to deal with the problem,¡¯ stated Daruun, being sinct yet extremely detailed. ¡¯He has my son, so I expect no mercy.¡¯


    Still in his draconic, gori-like form, Oli pounded his chest in excitement. ¡¯Consider it done!¡¯

 Chapter 709 - Divided in the Treasure Chamber

    <h4>Chapter 709 - Divided in the Treasure Chamber</h4>


    Apart from his boosted regeneration abilities and the powerful potion that Lunara had given him, Jack also used a mythic-tier healing spell to speed up his recovery. It was still the first time to have used such items and spells that day so he wanted to heal quickly while he was able.


    Given directions, Moranti reached the next and final section of cier Keep in record time.


    As they exited the maze, the party was in awe of what they found. They had entered an enormous room that spanned multiple floors that no one knew had existed. In the center was a tower of sorts, going from floor to ceiling with hundreds of payable barriers guarding troves of treasure. Dozens of teams were spotted all around the tower, each fighting either another team or moremonly facing a horde constructs guarding the treasures within their troves.


    Jack¡¯s party came out of the second floor and they were lined up to see a familiar team at work.


    "Jack!" Woltinughed as he spotted the Moranti with two figures on his back. "So you chose green, how unlucky!"


    But Jack made no reply. Instead, Jack and his party shot upward toward the distant ceiling.


    "JACK HAS A MAP!!!"


    A sudden roar filled the treasure chamber, getting Woltin¡¯s six-man team and all others to look back to Jack with greed. Jack groaned in displeasure as Halmut exited entered from the center floor and followed Moranti closely. The Sun Dragon was the first of many challengers to charge on Jack.


    ¡¯I can--¡¯


    ¡¯Let him chase us,¡¯ Jack mentioned to Moranti. ¡¯We have no need to fear him or hold back. Just don¡¯t get hurt as we get circled.¡¯


    Moranti nodded as he swerved and evaded the first string of attacks made against them. The first person to reach him was surprisingly Torian, followed by his party. But Moranti evaded the attack without issue. However, as Moranti tried to teleport away from the next barrage of attacks he was thrown into the outside walls of the chamber.


    Shaking off the blow, Moranti smiled back to his attack while he was being surrounded. Lunara and Jack stayed on Moranti¡¯s back, not giving up their charge.


    "Woltin, you can nullify skills?" Jack asked.


    "Maybe... Maybe not..." Wollice chuckled, still facing thergest of construct hordes at the massive, emerald green treasure trove.


    Wollice, however, was standing in front of the surrounding mob. The swordsman wielded his greatsword with pride and pointed it toward Jack. "Just hand over the map and half your keys. You can have the scrap treasures as we--"


    Before Wollice could finish his threat, a tightly wound scroll was lobbed toward Wollice. At the same time, Moranti teleported to just beyond the crowd and continued pushing forward.


    While Wollice and the majority of challengers were satisfied with the surrendered map, that didn¡¯t stop the legendary gods who had now caught up. Not only had Torian¡¯s team with Tyres and Kylon reached them but so did Halmut as Tralbok was close behind.


    "HOW DARE YOU, JACK?!" Halmut berated, already preparing his breath, w, and tail attacks with abundant energy.


    ¡¯Calm down, Moranti. Your job is to handle Torian¡¯s team,¡¯ Jack ordered, getting his party ready for the final event of his ns. ¡¯Mom, the moment Grixor arrives, he¡¯s all--¡¯


    Lunara suddenly hopped off of Moranti and descended rapidly. She was already locked on to the Earthen God emerging from the fourth-floor maze.


    ¡¯--yours... Thanks, Mom,¡¯ chuckled Jack.


    Halmut stopped Tralbok and Torian from stopping Lunara. He preferred having Jack¡¯s party fight separately. That way Lunara or Jack wouldn¡¯t be able to y support and buff their team or try to control the battle¡¯s tempo. And with greater numbers on his side, Halmut liked the odds of having multiple battles at once.


    "Torian, shall we?" Moranti entered his hybrid form and bowed his head to the Thundering God.


    When Halmut nodded, Torian backed off to create an opening for the God of Space. Halmut then roared at the slower Flood Dragons entering from the second floor, "Support Grixor while Sillo supports Torian!"


    The Flood Dragons felt reserved facing their long-time ally and friend but had no choice but to ept it. Sillo rushed past Lunara while Grixor confronted the Water Goddess with a proud, excited grin. The stage was being set and Jack made no objection to letting Halmut stack the deck in his favor.


    "Kylon, you¡¯re with us. Support Tralbok and I as we eliminate Jack with great pleasure..." A wicked smile spread across Halmut¡¯s face as his final order was given.


    Now, while the Sicabor twins and other challengers rushed back to challenge various treasure troves, they got front row views of three separate battles taking shape. Between the fourth and fifth floors was the matchup of the graceful Lunara against the brawny Grixor, along with two Flood Dragons to support the man. At the seventh floor was the matchup of the speed demons, the devastating Moranti against the electrifying Torian with Tyres and Sillo aiding in battle. And the sixth floor boasted the most interesting battle. There, Jack stood off against three of Kartonia¡¯s most energy abundant challengers which made an incredibly well-rounded team. With Kylon and Tralbok together, they could switch from support to attack indefinitely while Halmut could face Jack head-on alone if he wanted.


    Woltin and Wollice were the most intrigued by the scene. Everyone understood that there was animosity among those from Kartonia but seeing this felt too unfair, which made it all the more entertaining. But the twins were also the ones to hurriedly challenge their respective treasure troves, the tworgest openings that were either emerald green on the second floor and sapphire blue on the sixth floor. They needed to hurry up if they wanted to have time to put the map to use.


    "So... should we wait for anyone else?" Jack asked, eyeing Halmut with a smile. "Or does the runt feelfortable enough to y now?"

 Chapter 710 - Legendary vs Leisure

    <h4>Chapter 710 - Legendary vs Leisure</h4>


    Halmut trembled and clutched his ws tightly but said nothing in direct response to Jack. He red at Jack, gradually turning his fuming rage into an even more twisted grin. "I¡¯m done with you, Jack... I don¡¯t want to wait any longer..."


    The Sun Godunched the first attack of the match-ups. The divided battles had finally been set off and there was no going back now.


    Halmut¡¯s breath attack wasunched as the Sun Dragon threw a slew of light pirs at the hero. When Jack threw his first spectral res, they were soon canceled by Tralbok. Kylon said nothing, wearing a nk stare as she spat out steam explosions left and right around Jack.


    Jack appeared just outside of the attacks but Halmut was already on top of him with incredible speed, putting his upgraded armor to full use. And Jack also felt himself get slowed, finding himself caught again in Tralbok¡¯s interference. But Jack cast time stop to counter Tralbok and shifted into a four-bloodline transformation to take Halmut on.


    As Jack¡¯s arms extended and be wings, a second set of arms grew out of Jack¡¯s torso. Those became club-like forearms with incredible punching and grabbing abilities while covered in barbs to tear apart enemies. A tail sprouted from the small of Jack¡¯s back and ck-purple mes danced over Jack¡¯s entire body.


    That transformation left everyone in the treasure chamber speechless for a moment. The challengers had all been amazed at some of Kartonia¡¯s unique people, but Jack¡¯s shifting abilities were beyond anything they could¡¯ve expected. Both twins were shocked to see that side of Jack as they now understood why Jack gave them a feeling of trouble as a possible foe.


    Halmut wasn¡¯t sure how Jack had managed to grow a second set of arms nor what creature it was that Jack found to gain such a skill, but understood that the Jack before him now was the strongest any of the legendary gods had ever seen. He wouldn¡¯t admit it out loud but Halmut was d to have the powerful support duo of Kylon and Tralbok aiding him with the unpredictable Jack.


    Moranti and Lunara, however, weren¡¯t distracted at all by Jack¡¯s transformation. They were too busy taking the initiative in their own battles.


    Moranti unleashed his scythe right from the get-go, hurling hundred-meter spatial shes with precision and relentless fury. The God of Space had Torian on his toes. While the speeding duo of Sillo and Tryes yed second fiddle and kept Moratni from all-out pursuing Torian, the Thundering God fully understood that this wasn¡¯t the same Moranti that they had faced time and time again in the past. Torian was sure that Moranti had leveled up, making him on par with Halmut and a threat that his team of three may not be able to handle.


    With that in mind, Torian immediately changed his strategy without verbally announcing it. Torian focused on stalling and keeping Moranti at bay along with Sillo and Tyres. He was afraid of what would happen should Moranti suddenly join Jack and take on Halmut, let alone what would happen should he get caught unguarded.


    Lunara took a different approach, as did Grixor. Both of them understood each other and knew what was going to happen. It was the battle to see who was the ultimate tank. For that reason, Lunara, Grixor, and the Flood Dragons fought in their full-sized bestial forms.


    On one side, there was the Quake Dragon boasting the greatest physical defense of all Kartonians. His physical brawn would only be rivaled by Dragov in the future after some serious leveling, but that wouldn¡¯t change any time soon. Also, Grixor was one of the strongest physically, making him a legitimate threat to anyone without a strategy to break through his defenses.


    On the other side, there was the behemoth Nine-headed cial Hydra that stunned all spectating challengers from her size alone, making the powerful Quake Dragon less threatening by default. And though Lunara¡¯s physical defense wasn¡¯t as strong as Grixor¡¯s, even with her frost body, her defense against spells and energy attacks was only matched by Moranti. Yet her health was on par with Halmut¡¯s, making her a terrifying opponent in a battle of attrition.


    The Flood Dragons assisting Grixor would be helpful, but they were only lv. 90 and wielded water along with fire, the two magic types that Lunara was best at resisting. Halmut¡¯s reasoning for having them support Grixor, however, was due to Lunara¡¯spassion for the Flood Dragons. If they were going to be useful at all, it would likely be against Lunara.


    Those watching the battles didn¡¯t know what to believe. To them, such a battle made little to no sense.


    By having such a massive battle ur now, it would probably lead to no one in Kartonia getting any treasures at all. All the best treasure troves would be raided before the battles would end, so even victory would mean hardly anything. But they enjoyed the show anyway, d to see that such powerful contenders weren¡¯t a threat to them or the troves they were trying to raid.


    There was, however, one legendary god more on edge than ever.


    Torian hadn¡¯t forgotten about the sly and crafty swordsman from before. While the others hadn¡¯t exactly forgotten about the newer leisure god, Torian was humble enough to admit that the new god was able to keep up with him while also existing as a threat on par with Moranti. And should that swordsman be lying in wait to join the fray, one of the three battlegrounds would be immediately devastated.


    "WATCH OUT FOR THE HELMED SWORDSMAN!!"


    That warning alerted the legendary gods, making it easy for them to understand how serious of a threat the swordsman would be based on Torian¡¯s tone alone.


    Moranti chuckled, failing to silence Torian as the Thundering God focused on evasion. Mumbling for only himself and Torian to hear, Moranti added, "Oh... You have no idea..."


    But Torian had no time to rx. He was fully ready to dodge and weave past Moranti¡¯s many scythe attacks while letting Sillo and Tyres try to keep Moranti from leaving the battle.

 Chapter 711 - Jacks Signal for Revolt

    <h4>Chapter 711 - Jack''s Signal for Revolt</h4>


    Frost covered Luanra¡¯s massive frame as she roared and protected herself from the steam explosions. She didn¡¯t feel much from the Flood Dragon attacks but she also didn¡¯t bother swatting the dragons away. Lunara kept her eyes on Grixor, whose mighty ws and jagged tail were real threats.


    As Lunara sted Grixor with stream after stream of icy breath, Grixor¡¯s ws tore through the ice to collide with Lunara¡¯s frost body. That alone was enough for Grixor to confirm the truth, like Torian had with Moranti.


    It was obvious that Lunara had surpassed him in level, putting her at lv. 99 like Halmut and Skaryn. That didn¡¯t guarantee that Grixor would lose but he did understand that he was facing an uphill battle this time. There was no telling how much health Lunara had now, and her regenerative abilities were possibly on par with Halmut¡¯s after leveling up so much. This forced Grixor to treat Lunara differently as he changed his mindset. He decided it was best to treat Lunara as more powerful in every category apart from speed, as it was better to overestimate Lunara¡¯s defenses and attacks than to underestimate them and face the consequences.


    But the most eye-catching battle was the battle of Jack and Halmut. All sorts of colors scattered through the air as their differing mes collided time and time again. Jack¡¯s teleporting abilities were tamed by Tralbok¡¯s time maniption while Kylon would focus on giving Halmut opportunities to back off and reset for the next charge. It was a slow strategy but it should eventually get the job done.


    Suddenly, Tralbok backed off and failed to stall Jack¡¯s next attack. While Jack managed to drill his barbed, club-like arm into Halmut¡¯s torso, Tralbok dispersed attacked an illusion of Jack that had grabbed his forehead.


    "TRALBOK! STAY FOCUSED!" roared Halmut, unhappy to see his most loyal supporter giving Jack an opening. "Don¡¯t stop moving!"


    Both Tralbok and Kylon took that advice, swarming around Jack and Halmut as the two collided over and over across the sixth floor of the open chamber. Sometimes they would feel someone touch their heads but they were already in motion and found it easier to evade the chance of tanking a cerebral copse.


    Yet, Kylon suddenly stopped moving and flinched.


    "Kyl, wear this and finally let loose..."


    The Storm Goddess trembled the moment that deep voice crept into her ear. At the same time, she felt something different touch her head while her mind suddenly felt less muddled. Kylon reached to touch her head and was surprised to be wearing a metal helmet that covered her ears, protected the back of her neck, and had a slit of metal falling down her face to protect her nose.


    She wasn¡¯t entirely sure what helmet she was wearing and her memory was a bit fuzzy as to why she was fighting Jack at the moment, but Kylon was sure of what this was.


    While Tralbok reversed Jack¡¯s spectral res, he suddenly tensed up and retreated from where he stood. But he was unable to fully evade the steam explosion that burst in front of him. Tralbok healed with time magic and shouted, "KYLON?! What are you--"


    But before Tralbok couldin any further, Kylon was charging head-first at the God of Time. Lightning covered her as she spat electrifying, steaming explosions at her new foe. Kylon showed no mercy. In fact, Kylon wore a face of pure frustration and anger, letting go millennia of pain and silent suffering. She said nothing to anyone, only attacking without stating her reason.


    Outraged, Halmut gave her a moment of his attention and anger. "KYLON?! HOW DARE YOU--"


    Jack suddenly struck Halmut across the jaw, shutting up the Sun God and forcing the dragon¡¯s anger back onto him. At the same time, Jack shouted inughter, "ANY GOD WILLING TO SIDE WITH US, MAKE YOUR DECISION NOW AS I KILL HALMUT!!!"


    By now, the spectators and those fighting in the other two battles were well-aware of Kylon¡¯s surprising treason.


    Without hesitation, the two Flood Dragons facing Lunara changed targets. They threw a multitude of attacks at Grixor without warning.


    "Help your mistress!" Lunara suddenly ordered, catching the Flood Dragons off guard. "I can handle him, but she may fall for Tralbok¡¯s tricks without you!"


    Neither of the lv. 90 Flood Dragons flinched as they followed Lunara¡¯s orders, just as they had in times of old when Lunara was their second-inmand after Kylon. They were finally allowed to fully trust their gut feeling and help their mistress alleviate the pain that she had kept bottled up for century after century.


    "YOU--"


    "Sillo, what about you?!" Jack interrupted Halmut¡¯s roar with a question of his own, infuriating the Sun Dragon even further. "Don¡¯t worry about the consequences! We¡¯re helping your sister, so why can¡¯t we help you?"


    "Don¡¯t--"


    Before Halmut could order the Mage God to cooperate, Sillo had already turned his lightning web onto Tyres. Sure, it wasn¡¯t the most effective, but it gave Sillo a moment to redirect his efforts to a foe at his level and alleviate Moranti of pestering from lower-leveled gods.


    The entirendscape of the battle had changed. The three battles had be five. The overwhelming advantage of having three legendary gods against a single leisure god was flipped. The support and control necessary to give Torian, Grixor, and Halmut an advantage was gone. Now, there was a revolt among the legendary gods and a heavy advantage held by the leisure gods.


    <i>ROOOOOOOOOOAAAAAAAARRRRR!!!</i>


    "Halmut," Jackmented with a loudugh, "You¡¯ve been threatening everyone for thousands of years with your cruel contracts. Now¡¯s the time to use them, right?"


    "YOU! YOU DID THIS!"


    "So what? Are you the proud Sun Dragon that will hold to your threat or the pitiful runt that¡¯s afraid to lose too many of your pawns at once?" Jack continued, making sure that everyone could hear him loud and clear. "If you want a chance at winning, a runt like you will need all the support you can get!"

 Chapter 712 - Hell Unleashed

    <h4>Chapter 712 - Hell Unleashed</h4>


    "If you want a chance at winning, a runt like you will need all the support you can get!"


    "SHUT UUUP!!" Halmut roared, unleashing more and more energy into each of his attacks.


    "Wow... you¡¯re more unstable than I ever gave you credit," joked Jack. "I¡¯ll make sure to never forget the moment when the mighty Halmut lost his mind!"


    Jack changed tactics, no longer attacking physically. Now, he only needed to evade while verbally attacking Halmut¡¯s greatest weakness, his fragile pride. "If you hurry up and use the contracts, then you may still beat me, but that¡¯s still a slim chance..."


    Halmut continued to roar and rage while watching his own people turn on him. He was proud to see that Torian and Grixor remained on his side, but that only lightened the blow that Kylon¡¯s revolt dealt to Halmut¡¯s ego. For the subordinate wrapped most tightly around his finger to rebel so willingly was a shock to his mentality. But that¡¯s when he recognized the item now adorned on her head with a gaze.


    "Eedaj¡¯s Helm of Protection?!"


    That shout left the looting spectators curious while it confused the legendary gods. But Halmut roared again in anger at Jack, "How could you have such a thing?! That vanished long ago!"


    Laughing all the harder, Jack replied with a shake of his head. "Did you forget who I am, Halmut? Am I so easily forgotten?"


    "You..." Finally, Halmut¡¯s rage reached a point where shouting wasn¡¯t sufficient. His throat trembled as if it was about to explode.


    "As the Legend of Trodar, why would I have turned away Skaryn¡¯s request to snatch such a legendary item?" reasoned Jack.


    "But what¡¯s the difference?!" Tralbok shouted, furiously shing through steam explosions left and right. "Halmut! Why would--"


    "Because Halmut¡¯s been messing with her mind..." Jack mentioned aloud. "What? He didn¡¯t tell you about his mental maniption?"


    The gods of Kartonia quivered for a moment, both leisure and legendary. It didn¡¯t stop the fighting but it offered them all a change in perspective.


    But Jack continued,ughing, "I guess there¡¯s no more hiding it, Halmut! You might as well alter your strategy and go all-in with your only loyal subordinates! Or are is the great Sun Dragon just a chicken afraid to act!"


    "YOU..."


    Finally, Halmut was done. The moment Eedaj¡¯s Helm of Protectionnded on Kylon¡¯s head, his greatest scheme was over. And with Jack prodding again and again, the Sun Dragon made a move before he fully lost his mind. But his rage momentarily subsided. Unparalleled confusion and a hint of fear washed over Halmut¡¯s face. "W-what..."


    "Looking for these?"


    Those three words stopped all five battles with ease. While spectating challengers were stealing casual nces while finishing off their chosen treasure troves, the gods of Kartonia, including Lunara and Moranti, were utterly speechless.


    In Jack¡¯s hand was a stack of thick, old parchments with archaic writing covering thempletely. There was also a simple diagram and seal drawn in dried up blood on each page.


    "You... HOW COULD YOU..." Halmut shook as his mind started to tip off the scale. He wanted nothing more than for this to be a nightmare that he could wake up from.


    "What? Without your contracts, you¡¯re powerless?" Jackughed, tossing them freely into the air.


    Halmut made a mad dash for them, but he stopped in his tracks. He didn¡¯t dare take a single step forward, not with what was taking ce.


    A slice of dark energy tore through all of the contracts without regard for whose contract was whose. All eyes fell onto the man now standing amidst the crumbling tears of parchment, which were evaporating as darkness consumed them. They all recognized the helmed figure, as well as his weapon, but they had never seen or affiliated that sword with the helmed swordsman. He wasn¡¯t wielding his reaper from before, but a pitch-ck greatsword with a crude design and infamous reputation for consuming foes in darkness.


    "Th-th-th..." Halmut trembled,pletely unsure of what was truly happening.


    All gods were speechless, especially those once known as the chaotic gods, like Moranti, Tralbok, or Sillo. They were incredibly familiar with that de, as well as the second, matching greatsword that appeared in the man¡¯s second hand.


    Wasting no time, the helmed man bolted into the shaking Halmut who felt like he was staring at a ghost. But the des indeed carved into his chest as Halmut was forced into a crashnding. Together, Halmut and the anonymous swordsman fell from the sixth floor into the firm, immovable roxite floor of the open chamber. They fell upon a few stragglers exiting a treasure trove, forcing some challengers to exit upon taking the impact.


    Halmut wasn¡¯t fearful of the injury in his chest. He showed no concern for it nor did he worry about asting injury with his healing abilities. But his mind was rocked to the point of no return as dark energy erupted from the swordsman.


    Before everyone¡¯s eyes, the helmet and patchy armor were torn apart by vicious darkness, recing it all with ck, skeletal armor without a hat, mask, or helmet. The fierce look in the man¡¯s revealed eyes was unfathomably merciless and boundlessly confident as darkness inundated the vast chamber.


    The Sun Dragon¡¯s instincts kicked in as he swatted at the man atop him, forcing his new opponent to back away and remove the swords from Halmut¡¯s chest. Halmut¡¯s undeniable anger came back, overwhelming his confusion and forcing Halmut¡¯s mind to act first and ask questionster.


    "Sk--"


    "HAAAAAAAALLLLLLLMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT!!!!!"


    Shaking the entire chamber and stealing everyone¡¯s attention from their new treasures, the man roared louder than the dragon before him. No fear or hesitation existed in the man¡¯s mind or countenance as he clutched the hilt of his greatswords and tore through Halmut¡¯s crazed thoughts with a stare alone. Finally, after countless years of waiting and suffering, he could finally unleash the hellish fury that he¡¯d been containing for longer than he wanted to remember.


    "Skaryn, you--"


    "DEATH IS TOO MERCIFUL!!!"

 Chapter 713 - Jacks Final Challenge

    <h4>Chapter 713 - Jack''s Final Challenge</h4>


    In the waiting area, while everyone was on edge at Skaryn¡¯s dramatic show of strength, there was an unannounced figure that appeared in a sh of purple energy. He seemed to be an ordinary man but was immediately approached by Oli.


    ¡¯Hurry!¡¯ Oli telepathically shouted in excitement.


    Without another word, a purple, spatial rift was opened and Oli jumped through. The in-looking man then assumed Oli¡¯s position atop the tform and smiled at the show on the illusory screens above.


    As Skaryn revealed himself for all to see, a wide variety of emotions was shared among those watching. The challengers from outside of Kartonia were astounded to see the masked man be so powerful, beyond anything they were anticipating. A majority would argue that his presence was enough to eclipse either of the twins present for the challenge.


    Those from Kartonia were rocked to their absolute core. Each of the legendary gods had either began to doubt their sess against Jack and the leisure gods or they had already epted defeat in their hearts. Now, none of them were able to question their defeat.


    Alcahain, still in the waiting area, was silently proud to see his long-time boss back in action to destroy Halmut¡¯s contracts. Sillo felt relief that he had chosen correctly in rebelling while Jack fended off Halmut moments ago and nostalgia to see how protective Skaryn had always been of his people. Both Moranti and Tralbok showed extreme reactions but on opposite ends of the scale. While Moranti shouted and roared in glee, Tralbok immediately destroyed his own card to surrender thepetition while Kylon wasn¡¯t attacking him.


    Kylon was too busy staring at her man. Finally, after witnessing what had truly happened to Kustram and realizing the truth of her rtionship with the Dark God, Kylon¡¯s mind felt clearer than ever before. The helmet guarded her mind against further tampering and cut off any attacks currently altering her mental state. Now, she could effectively put the pieces together to firmly remember who Skaryn was to her.


    "Skaryn..." The Storm Goddess trembled and smiled as tears fell from her eyes.


    Those formerly known as the holy gods were shaking their heads with a smile. Skaryn¡¯s appearance didn¡¯t mean the end for them, just the end of their allegiance to Halmut and his dying off faction of deities. Grixorughed and Torian smiled, both epting imminent defeat with pride and dignity.


    What no one had noticed was that Jack was nowhere to be found.


    While all eyes were now on Skaryn¡¯s massive demonstration of power, the hero had vanished from the spotlight. It was the perfect chance for him to rush toward the final room.


    Still invisible, Jack rushed to the tenth and final floor of the treasure room and blinked. The room that he was looking for had already been breached. But Jack stayed calm as he entered and inspected the empty space. He sighed in relief to find the next piece of the grand puzzle still untouched.


    Walking to the back wall, Jack found a smooth cut made in the roxite. There was a purple outline around the perfectly sized hole, matching the tint and exact dimensions of Jack¡¯s card.


    Jack slid his card into the hole and nothing happened. But as Jack pulled the card out, the wall trembled. Suddenly, the small back wall began to part and expose a pitch-ck space behind it. Without a second thought, Jack nced behind him to find no one and hurriedly stepped past the opening door. The hero felt lucky to see the door begin closing the moment Jack was on the other side.


    Once the door closed, the entire space lit up around Jack, causing Jack to whistle in surprise.


    He had entered a vast chamber in the shape of a funnel. Jack stood on the widest end of the room and the space narrowed to a point on the other side. However, there seemed to be more than two hundred constructs standing between Jack and the small purple barrier on the other end.


    Jack wanted to take another moment to let his system examine the many different constructs, both bestial and humanoid, but energy entered the eyes of each construct as they came to life. In seconds, Jack was targeted by all of them. He only had enough time for his system to give him estimates.


    [Total amount of constructs: 250]


    [Range of levels: lv. 95 to lv. 99]


    Immediately, Jack transformed tobine Bowzer¡¯s, Phoro¡¯s, Karronteel¡¯s, and Jinbe¡¯s bloodlines. With powerful wings, barb-covered arms, hellish mes, and the sharpest ws, Jack met the constructs head-on.


    However, Jack had only destroyed three constructs when he nced back at the entrance. He then teleported to the far corner of the room as a wave of sword energy crashed into the crowd of constructs.


    "I thought you two were smart enough..." Jack sighed, shaking his head.


    Laughter filled the air as two twin figures became visible. Woltin chuckled, "I guess you¡¯d beat in apetition of illusions..."


    "Would you mind not getting involved?" asked Jack, still battle-ready. "I¡¯d prefer to fight friends fairly during our first skirmish."


    "Friends? If we¡¯re friends, then you should just give up and let us handle this," Wollice replied.


    Jack shook his head and spat a few spectral res to slow the charging constructs. "Fine... then I¡¯ll just have to fight by your rules..."


    While both Jack and the Sicabor twinsunched stalling attacks at the hundreds of constructs, a small emblem appeared in Jack¡¯s hand. Though the twins were clueless as to what it was, Jack smiled while ncing at the Leisure Guild¡¯s emblem. The hero then flooded the emblem with some energy until it shattered in a small burst of spatial energy.


    Neither Woltin nor Wollice understood what was going on but their eyes widened as they were thrown for a loop. Woltin halfughed and half-shouted, "That¡¯s against the rules! You can¡¯t--"


    "You can¡¯t someone anyone else while inside the challenge," Jack corrected, "but there¡¯s no rule against summoning yourself..."

 Chapter 714 - Skaryn vs Halmut, the Rematch

    <h4>Chapter 714 - Skaryn vs Halmut, the Rematch</h4>


    "DEATH IS TOO MERCIFUL!!!"


    Skaryn rushed forward again, ignoring the nearby crowd of challengers surrounding them on the ground floor. He led with both of his greatswords and held back nothing. The Dark God was fully intent on ying Halmut in the most brutal way imaginable.


    "FOOL!" Halmut roared back, retrieving his scepter and Naparn¡¯s old ming saber.


    Both top-tier gods collided, forcing each other back a few meters. Halmutughed, "You still forgot?! Your darkness is--"


    But the Dark God only replied with a follow-up attack. Skaryn didn¡¯t want to mince words, he wanted to mince meat. He then demonized to match Halmut¡¯s hybrid form. Growing a pair of bony, ck wings and dark ws, Skaryn showed how mighty a human could be. The transformation continued as he grew a tail and ck, skeletal spikes emerged along Skaryn¡¯s spine to the tip of his tail.


    Dark energy overwhelmed everything as Skaryn lunged back toward halmut, who lowered his scepter and tanked the attack with a greedy grin. However, that grin was wiped away as a look of panic came over Halmut¡¯s face.


    "What?! But I--"


    A massive amount of loose energy was now leaking from Halmut¡¯s body, uncontrolled and unexined. Yet Skaryn suddenly stored one of his greatswords and thrust his hand into Halmut¡¯s unguarded chest. The Dark God gripped Halmut¡¯s scales as if trying to break them with his fingers alone and carefully poured a sliver of his own energy into the unprotected Sun Dragon.


    The great dragon was then pped across the face by the blunt side of Halmut¡¯s greatsword. He was too shocked to put up a defense and was thrown into a nearby wall, ricocheting brutally off of the unforgiving walls of refined roxite.


    But Halmut began to smile andugh. "Wha-what just happened..."


    "I¡¯ve given you another few moments to live,"mented Skaryn, walking toward the fallen dragon as he dragged his greatsword across the floor behind him. "I told you, death is too merciful... I don¡¯t want Jewel interfering in my revenge and ruining the sweet taste of your spilled blood..."


    "Y-you... No! That--"


    "You¡¯re the fool for trusting such a shady organization, Halmut. I can¡¯t believe you fell so low and embraced the cruelty you hated... You¡¯re even worse than your father--"


    "I AM NOT!!"


    Skaryn lunged forward with a powerful step, attacking while Halmut was still emotionallypromised. Fighting fair didn¡¯t matter to the Dark God, not now of all times against the man who always stacked the deck in his favor.


    "AHHHH!!!" Roaring in pain, Halmut came to his senses a little toote. ncing down at his hand, Halmut was horrified to find it lying on the ground. "Y-YOU! HOW--"


    Exining by demonstration, Skaryn swung his greatsword again but failed to evade the aware Sun Dragon.


    Halmut was shaken. His arm was already beginning to heal but regrowing limbs wasn¡¯t his specialty, that was Lunara¡¯s. The Sun Dragons were able to heal faster than multi-headed hydras like Lunara but recing a missing limb was different than resealing and repairing an open wound. Though Halmut was regrowing his missing hand, it was too slow to let him recover from the new disadvantage.


    Also, Halmut was startled by something he had only just realized.


    "You... have spatial energy?"


    Not replying with a nod nor a word, Skaryn swung his greatsword again. A hundred-meter arc of spatial energy was thrown at the evading dragon, mimicking Moranti¡¯s scythe attacks to a tee.


    Though it failed to touch Halmut and injure him, the attack was more than powerful enough to revoke the dragon¡¯s confidence.


    "I KNEW IT!" a shout sounded out from high up in the air. "How dare you lie to me?!"


    "Sorry, Moranti, but Jack and I had to handle things carefully. Otherwise, I would¡¯ve never gotten rid of those sted contracts..." Skaryn stated, sharing his reply with every challenger present. "And Kylon... Just wait a bit longer. I¡¯ll make sure he suffers enough for the both of us..."


    No one else spoke to Skaryn but both Moranti and Kylon nodded, one with tears streaming down her eyes.


    "I give." Torian immediately threw his card to Moranti, epting defeat with confidence. "Grixor, I think--"


    "Yeah, I know..." Grixor groaned, snapping his own card in two.


    Lunara was a bit surprised to see Grixor give up, the man who never backed down from a challenge. But her doubts were put aside when Grixor smiled back at her and added, "We¡¯ll continue this after we¡¯re allies... I won¡¯t be bested that easily!"


    Grixor was the first to vanish after Tralbok¡¯s retreat, followed by Torian who was expelled as Moratni imed the Thundering God¡¯s keys.


    Tyres was left with mixed feelings. He had no clue what was in store for him. While most gods would be weed by the leisure gods, how could he? After everything he had done to denounce and kill Jin, what would the leisure gods offer him?


    The Sword God eventually retreated like Torian and Grixor, fleeing to the waiting area to at least avoid the cruelty that Skaryn had in store for Halmut.


    As Halmut roared and tried to show that he wasn¡¯t scared, Skaryn didn¡¯t flinch or hesitate to pick up the dragon¡¯s lost hand. He then carefully plucked the storage rings from the severed hand¡¯s fingers. The Dark God only smiled after finding what he was looking for. "Jack guessed right... Good thing I didn¡¯t cut off your left hand..."


    Everyone was startled to see Skaryn then retrieve Halmut¡¯s card, which had been carefully stored away during Halmut¡¯s earlier sh with Jack. But Skaryn immediately ced Halmut¡¯s card in his own storage.


    "Now you can¡¯t run away, like the cowardly runt you are..." scowled Skaryn, stepping forward slowly as he gathered a blend of dark and spatial energy around him. The bullying demon brandished a smile that could terrorize the devil as he cackled, "If you thought facing the power of a Dusk Dragon was hard, how about I show you what a Spectral Dusk Dragon can do..."

 Chapter 715 - 12-13 On the Run

    <h4>Chapter 715 - 12-13 On the Run</h4>


    "SKARYN... What have you done, Jack?"


    12-13 mumbled to himself, startled to see his assumptions shattered by the ns of a lowly one-star cosmician. The shadowy man sighed, ncing at his wincing captive, "Why can¡¯t you just side with us? Howe the best ones won¡¯t be swayed? First Skaryn and Sterfen, but you too?"


    Jack¡¯s second body was unable to hear anything at the moment. The connection between Jack¡¯s shared minds was currently closed off to keep his other self from feeling the repercussions of mental torture. And that same mental torture kept Jack from thinking about anything apart from his own survival. It felt as if his mental existence was trying to be exterminated as if his mind could be wiped the moment he surrendered to the pain. He could either suffer more and more with each passing second or ept blissful relief in the extinguishing of his own consciousness.


    But that didn¡¯t stop 12-13 to yfully converse with his twitching captives. "I guess my retreat is necessary after all, which is fine. With bloom fruits, your minds, and Jack¡¯s precious construct body, I¡¯ve more than earned my safety. Now, to clear a few loose ends... Crax! Howe Halmut didn¡¯t warn me that such a helmet existed!"


    Staring coldly at Jack, 12-13 clicked his tongue. "I suppose I¡¯ll clear the area the hard way..."


    Taking out a contract scroll, 12-13 poured his energy into it. The parchment began to burn away and disintegrate in dark energy as a slight chuckle left his lips. But that chuckle turned to a groan immediately.


    "CRAX! How dare Skaryn--"


    12-13 was livid, watching his precise calctions falling apart before Halmut¡¯s eyes. He could still see through Halmut¡¯s vision thanks to the dark bead imnted in the dragon¡¯s mind but 12-13 was unable to forcibly detonate Halmut like a living bomb. Just as 12-13 wanted to curse for Skaryn stalling the imminent explosion, the shadowy man was caught off guard by something that took ce before his own eyes.


    Jack¡¯s body was suddenly surrounded and consumed by spatial energy, forcefully ripping Jack out of 12-13¡¯s grasp and relocating him elsewhere.


    "WHAT?! Jack..."


    Calming himself, 12-13 wasted no more time ying around. He dropped the mental torture encroaching on Sterfen¡¯s mind but kept the assassinpletely unable to move or talk with his ethereal pressure. Adding a veil of mental energy around Sterfen, 12-13 made sure that his captive wouldn¡¯t be able to telepathicallymunicate upon leaving the barrier around Olympic Chateau.


    Ready to retreat immediately, 12-13 took a single deep breath before fleeing the at a drastic pace.


    "Congrats!"


    Instantly, 12-13 went from entirely rxed to on-edge as he sent out a deadly pulse of dark energy. Without fail, the entire chateau was reduced to rubble as the energy forcefully exploded past the walls. He wanted to make sure any uninvited and unannounced guests were immediately disposed of.


    "Not bad..."


    Chuckles rang out, angering 12-13 further as he thoroughly scanned the area. "There... Who and what are you? Be brief, or I¡¯ll y you on the spot as I don¡¯t have time to waste."


    "You¡¯re a four-star, right?"ughed that deep, unfazed voice. A figure then emerged from the darkness lingering in the air precisely where 12-13 was staring. "Congrats on recently ascending!"


    "Zok you!" 12-13 shouted, unleashing another dark pulse but directly targeted and streamlined at the intruder.


    However, the intruder practically ignored the dark energy and instead turned around. The manughed as he gripped the air itself with both hands. "No... Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re a four-star? And with such a potty mouth..."


    The man then clutched tighter, sending a snapping sound through the air as 12-13¡¯s pained voice filled the now open space. The illusory figure beside Sterfen then began to fade as new 12-13 came into view with broken wrists and dangling hands in the man¡¯s tight grip.


    But 12-13 wasn¡¯t going to give up like that. An explosion of dark energy burst from 12-13¡¯s body before it vanished with the dispersing darkness.


    "Not so fast..." The intruder then jumped forward and gripped the air a second time, but only with one hand. His other hand rocketed forward as a fist into 12-13¡¯s invisible body.


    Unable to keep up his shroud of invisibility, 12-13 wanted to cough up blood but caught it in his mouth. But that didn¡¯t stop the man from being propelled through the floor and out of the mountain¡¯s backside.


    It took a moment for 12-13 to regain hisposure in mid-air, but he immediately changed strategies. Forgetting Sterfen and his failure to clean his mess, 12-13 turned to flee. Facing the powerful unknown man wasn¡¯t worth his time, even if he felt confident in beating him. What good was defeating the unknown man if that gave Daruun enough time to arrive.


    Putting all of his energy in escaping, 12-13 tore through the air as he took off for the atmosphere. But then, 12-13 felt a sinking feeling in his stomach, exactly where the man had drilled him. That sinking feeling spread like wildfire all over 12-13¡¯s body, coating him in confusion and a strange energy. 12-13 then immediately understood how rare that energy type was, only toote.


    12-13 suddenly plummeted from the sky. Before he could break through the atmosphere, his body had be too heavy for him to bear as 12-13 fell from the sky.


    While 12-13 fell, he was then met by a driving knee to the back. 12-13 had only just realized who he was up against as his spine was shattered. He groaned and mumbled, barely able to groan under the immense gravity suppressing his body. "You... Oli..."


    "Bingo!" Oliughed as he grasped at 12-13¡¯s neck, letting the man¡¯s broken limbs dangle toward the ground far beneath them. "Wait... You¡¯re ate-four-star?! How terrible was your training?!"


    No answer came.


    While 12-13 was losing his shadowy covering, his energy turned rampant and uncontroble. He wasn¡¯t going to waste such a rare chance to eliminate someone as valuable as Oli.

 Chapter 716 - Olis Secret Skill vs 12-13s Self-destruction

    <h4>Chapter 716 - Oli''s Secret Skill vs 12-13''s Self-destruction</h4>


    "Of course you¡¯d go kamikaze..." Oli sighed, realizing what his defeated opponent was up to. "You must be ISA. They¡¯re always cowards..."


    While 12-13¡¯s energy swirled and prepared to explode without mercy, 12-13 smiled. He remained silent but showed that he proudly epted the loss as an opportunity to die without failure. At the very least, he wasn¡¯t going to give up information via capture and a key figure in Ss¡¯s camp would be brought down at the same time. It was a proud loss in 12-13¡¯s eyes.


    But Oli¡¯s gaze also showed no signs of regret or hesitation. In fact, Oli¡¯s smiling face turned serious for the first time as sweat began to bead down his forehead and cheeks. One hand held 12-13 by the neck while the other sat at Oli¡¯s side.


    12-13 had no clue what Oli was up to until it was toote. His self-destruction was already imminent and irreversible by the time he felt the familiar pull of gravity, only it was toward Oli¡¯s free hand. In shock and horror, 12-13 realized what was about to happen but wasn¡¯t able to believe the reality his eyes were witnessing.


    In the palm of Oli¡¯s hand was a tiny ck sphere of raw energy. His hand quivered while trying his best to control the rampant increase of force that ck sphere had created out of thin air.


    Once that orb was steady and Oli¡¯s body stopped shaking, he thrust his arm forward and drove the sphere into 12-13¡¯s chest. Before the shadowy man was able to detonate himself as a living bomb of cosmic energy, 12-13¡¯s body and energy started contorting and twisting around Oli¡¯s hand.


    "AaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAAAAAAaahhhhhhh..."


    12-13 finally shouted in fear and pain as his body snapped like a twig. There was no way he could withstand the drastic pressure of the tiny ck hole in Oli¡¯s palm.


    Both 12-13¡¯s energy and body gave in. They were forcibly dragged into the ck sphere while the energy exploded but failed to escape the pull of gravity. In seconds, 12-13 had gone from realizing who his opponent was, to proudly attempting suicide at the chance of eliminating that opponent, to feeling the ultimate pain and regret as his existence was torn apart at the cellr level while failing to even scratch his foe.


    The moment 12-13¡¯s body and warring energy was disposed of, Oli heaved a sigh of relief. He didn¡¯t bother maintaining his energy to stand in the air, letting himself begin the long fall to the ground.


    Olinded with a heavy thud and a small crater but he was smiling. Sweat still covered his body as Oli began to rx, as if the harshnding hadn¡¯t affected Oli whatsoever.


    ¡¯Daruun... He¡¯s been eliminated... Sorry, but there¡¯s no chance to probe his brain...¡¯


    ¡¯Let me guess, he chose self-destruction?¡¯ Daruunmented with a sigh. ¡¯I suppose we were right to assume him as an ISA agent and not Jewel... It exins a lot... Thank you, Oli.¡¯


    ¡¯Hey... I¡¯m expecting a bonus for this job... Making me use that move has to count for a pay raise...¡¯ joked Oli.


    ¡¯In that case, consider it done. You kept it under control, right?¡¯


    ¡¯Yeah... But I¡¯ll just rest here for now... If you need me for more, let me know...¡¯mented Oli. ¡¯If not, just let me rest a little bit...¡¯


    Oli closed his eyes, letting his body focus entirely on replenishing his emptied energy reserves. This was to be expected after the stunt he just pulled, considering that such a move shouldn¡¯t be possible for any regr three-star cosmician, evente three-star cosmicians like Oli.


    *****


    "If you thought facing the power of a Dusk Dragon was hard, how about I show you what a Spectral Dusk Dragon can do?"


    That sentence sent shivers down the spines of every Kartonian god able to witness Skaryn¡¯s return. Whether they were in the waiting area or still inside the enormous treasure chamber, they were floored by the very thought of such a bloodline.


    Without dy, the energy around Skaryn¡¯s body shifted and transformed. The boundless dark energy began to intermingle with abundant spatial energy. Skaryn¡¯s skeletal, draconic appearance shifted as well. His ws and skeletal spine turned from dark ck to deep violet as they became sharper and longer. The Dark God¡¯s entire body became more streamlined as a dark purple sheen overtook his body. Now, a crown of deep violet horns sprouted from Skaryn¡¯s skull, turning the man into the most dominating draconic god from appearance alone.


    "Your advantage of offensive energies is gone now, Halmut..." Skaryn chuckled, forcing the Sun Dragon to rethink his strategy. "Now, I don¡¯t need dark energy to finish you off!"


    Skaryn charged again, but Halmut failed to evade the faster, more agile Skaryn. Adding space to his lightning affinity along with his streamlined body gave the demon an undeniable speed advantage.


    Halmut shrouded himself in holy energy as he took on the Spectral Dusk Demon. Fire, wind, lightning, holy, and nature energies were abundant as Halmut did everything in his power to counter Skaryn¡¯s new form and attacks. But it proved near futile.


    While Halmut was still able to repel a majority of dark energy attacks thanks to the ck bead that 12-13 had imnted in him, that couldn¡¯t stop the other energies. Now Skaryn wielded dark, water, earth, lightning, illusion energies along with fire and space energies. Skaryn effectively countered Halmut¡¯s fire with his own while adding the ruthless power of space to each of his strikes. That was a reality that Halmut was forced to ept.


    As Halmut guarded himself, he already felt a deep wound form in his side. Halmut breathed his multi-colored me but the invisible Skaryn had already retreated. Now the Sun Dragon would need to guess which of the visible and invisible Skaryn¡¯s was real while Skaryn was the most experienced at facing Halmut¡¯s all-seeing eyes. This was proven as Halmut struggled to identify where the true attacks woulde from next. His wild breath and powerful w attacks created waves and pulses of energy going every which wave in attempts to create space.

 Chapter 717 - Halmuts Desperate Escape

    <h4>Chapter 717 - Halmut''s Desperate Escape</h4>


    The crowd of cosmicians was in awe of the rare battle they were able to witness. Everyone got excited, wondering who woulde out on top and when the Sicabor twins would step in to steal the visitor¡¯s rewards.


    But the Sicabor twins were nowhere to be found. This led most to believe they were secretly plotting to strike at the right moment, possibly to take on both draconicbatants to gain the most rewards possible. However, those thoughts would need to wait as the crowd grew more invested in the grand battle taking ce before their eyes.


    Skaryn¡¯s onught of attacks was horrifying for the many one-stars to watch. They trembled to imagine such attacksnding on themselves. Halmut¡¯s resilience and natural healing astounded them just as much, proving that Halmut could still fight against Skaryn though he struggled to hit Skaryn with his increased speed.


    That was until Halmut roared in pain, nearly losing his eyes as they almost popped out of his skull in shock.


    "AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHhhhh..." Halmut didn¡¯t look behind him, no longer willing to look away from the copy of Skaryn he believed was the real deal. He didn¡¯t need to look behind him to confirm the loss of his tail. The fact that his body was hurriedly trying to heal and repair his missing limb was enough to put him on edge.


    "What¡¯s wrong?" Skaryn chuckled. "Afraid to attack first?"


    As Halmut focused harder and refused toment, Skarynughed harder, "Shall I keep ying with you, like you¡¯ve done to me and the others? I think you¡¯ll make a great toy..."


    A sh of dark, spatial, lightning, and fire energies rushed forward from Skaryn¡¯s greatsword, followed by a second sh with dark, spatial, earth, and water energies. He skillfully swapped between energies with each strike, forcing Halmut to pay the utmost attention to each attack and counter everything properly or face the consequences.


    The Sun Dragon managed to counter both strikes but failed to anticipate the hand that gripped his head.


    "Cerebral Copse!"


    Halmut twitched and darted away while spewing his hottest mes.


    "Hmm... So that still doesn¡¯t work against you..." Skaryn clicked his tongue in disappointment. "What¡¯s in your head to stop that? I thought you refused to be someone else¡¯s tool, not to give up your mind and body just to defeat me? You¡¯ve fallen that far?"


    "You--"


    Halmut didn¡¯t finish his shout, turning to attack the sneak attacking copy of Skaryn. He didn¡¯t dare let Skaryn get any closer without a proper fight.


    Those around them were still either trembling from excitement of the spectacle or shock that Skaryn was able to use not only Moranti¡¯s but Eedaj¡¯s personal skills. They had greatly underestimated the power of the Dark God, forcing all Kartonian gods to wonder how Halmut ever managed to defeat Skaryn in the first ce.


    "Try again!" cackled Skaryn, sending more copies of himself at Halmut.


    As Halmut guarded his mind more fervently than anything, Skaryn began to understand something. Based on what Jack had hinted from his past match against Skaryn and the desperation that Halmut showed now, Skaryn deduced that attacking Halmut mentally would be the most effective and entertaining strategy. Seeing Halmut, the man that was formerly Skaryn¡¯s greatest ally and now his most despised enemy, show gazes of true fear convinced Skaryn of that more than anything.


    "Cerebral Copse!" Skaryn shouted as one of his false selves grabbed Halmut in a ploy to scare him. The test confirmed just how jittery Halmut was under his tough facade.


    But as Halmut be more and more anxious while Skaryn changed tactics, something came into view in Skaryn¡¯s peripherals. At the same time, Skaryn extreme sensitivity to energy was setting off rms in his mind.


    A sudden explosion of raw cosmic energy spread across their battlefield, epassing Skaryn at point-nk along with his many copies.


    While the vast chamber refused to tremble under the shockwave, Moranti, Lunara, and Kylon refused to standby inactive. They charged toward the dissipating energy, more specifically aiming for the retreating Halmut who was being carried by unknown cosmicians.


    No one understood what was happening now. The crowd was stunned to see a cosmician charge into the battle and suddenly suicide as a means to stop the battle while other unknown cosmicians pulled Halmut aside. Nothing was making sense and everyone was anxious to see what Halmut was really up to.


    "STAY OUT OF THIS!!!"


    Skaryn¡¯s resounding voice stopped the charging gods of Kartonia, proving to them that Skaryn was still fine and shocking the spectators further.


    But the moment Skaryn spoke was the same moment that another cosmician rushed forward to self-destruct. That explosion floored the other cosmicians further. Everyone knew, without question, that something suspicious was going on.


    "I SAID STAY OUT OF THIS!" Skaryn shouted again, not letting anyone on his side join the battle.


    "But--"


    "Kyl, trust me! Let me handle this!"


    From the midst of the explosion, Skaryn rocketed towards the fleeing Halmut. He scanned over the four-man team dragging Halmut away, searching for a means to identify them. But he was confronted with another cosmician going kamikaze.


    As Skaryn blinked away in a sh of purple energy, everyone saw Skaryn appear in front of Halmut. "YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO FLEE!"


    One of the four guarding Halmut charred forward but suddenly stopped moving. He then dropped to the ground, motionless and only able to breathe.


    "How--"


    Before Halmut could curse against Skaryn, he saw the heads of his two closest bodyguards rolling down through the air. A scythe thennded at his neck, threatening to decapitate the Sun Dragon without hesitation.


    "I said--"


    Before Skaryn could shout back at Moranti, another crowd member charged at the God of Space intending to self-destruct. As Moranti nced back in preparation to defend himself, a spatial rift suddenly opened up directly in front of the suicidal cosmician. The cosmician was unready for such a tactic and fell into the rift. Coming out the other side while about to blow, that cosmician frowned heavily as he found himself far away from everyone and unable to take back his suicidal n.

 Chapter 718 - Forced Two-star Ascension?!

    <h4>Chapter 718 - Forced Two-star Ascension?!</h4>


    Moranti was focused on detaining Halmut but failed to directly evade the Sun God¡¯s heated, multi-colored breath at point-nk. Halmut showed no care for the people self-destructing for his safety, solely focused on his survival at any cost.


    The Sun Dragon forced Skaryn to back off while evading the Skaryn¡¯s swiping scythe, thanks to Skaryn¡¯s hesitation to dy the kamikaze cosmician. But Halmut was unable to escape Skaryn¡¯s death-defying charge, which showed no regard for the next wave of self-destructing cosmicians.


    "HE¡¯S MINE, MORANTI!" Skaryn only showed anger at his old friend, who dared step into the lopsided fight. "TRUST ME!"


    Sighing, Moranti teleported away and gave in to Skaryn¡¯s demands. Considering how Skaryn was alive and well despite the many people overwhelming him, Moranti didn¡¯t bother arguing further. He understood the other reason why Skaryn hated having help.


    While Lunara and Moranti watched curiously and Kylon watched in anxiousness, Skaryn dared to charge into an encirclement of exploding cosmicians. But the explosions never came...


    All eyes were on Skaryn as multiple copies of the man appeared behind the four cosmicians preparing to blow. Suddenly, two rings of energy encircled each of the cosmicians, cutting off their rampant energy and sealing them into crystal orbs covered in archaic writing. Each copy of Skaryn then lobbed their orbs to the real Skaryn before fading out of existence.


    Halmut began to tremble more than ever before. Losing his protection was enough to leave him horrified but the manner in which Skaryn removed those cosmicians left Halmut further shaken. "Y-you..."


    "You gave me five hundred years to do nothing but study the seal containing me, so what else would you expect? Did you forget who I am?" Skaryn scoffed at Halmut, charging back at the Sun Dragon. "Today I end everything, no matter what it is you throw at me!"


    With nothing left to lose, Halmut roared with all his might. He entered his hybrid form and forcefully grewrger andrger. Halmut crushed an abundance of stimnts as he forcefully took in their energy. Now, Halmut¡¯s energy levels exploded to new limits as his spare energy was bursting at the seems and practically burning away outside of Halmut¡¯s body.


    "NOOOOOO!!" Halmut roared. "I REFUSE!!"


    "He¡¯s... ascending?!" shouted a cosmician in the crowd, the first of many to shout in a mix of confusion and excitement.


    Skaryn finally paused his charge and took a moment to better analyze Halmut¡¯s new transformation. Yet Skaryn¡¯s determination remained clear in his gaze.


    "No..." Kylon trembled slightly, terrified to imagine what was happening. She and the others from Kartonia were the first to confirm their fear. Halmut was no longer at lv. 99, but lv. 100.


    However, unlike the crowd or those watching from the waiting room, Skaryn didn¡¯t even frown. The Dark God only sighed disappointingly. "Halmut... you consider that a proper ascension?"


    "IT¡¯S MORE THAN ENOUGH TO DEAL WITH YOU!" Halmut¡¯s roar echoed through the chamber, stealing the attention of the few people who still hadn¡¯t shifted their eyes toward the battle.


    As Halmut trembled, growing more and more powerful, Skaryn nced about the chamber in surprise. Finally, after a few moments of silence from the crowd and nothing but roaringughter from Halmut, Skaryn shouted out a question, "I thought no two-stars could take part in thepetition?"


    "Correct, but challenger Halmut entered as a one-star. Ascension is allowed during the challenge of cier Keep but the restriction on two-star items remains."


    It wasn¡¯t Oli¡¯s voice that responded but the confident answer was enough for all challengers to understand how Halmut¡¯s ascension was to be handled.


    "SEE!" Laughing, Halmut mocked his long-feared foe, "Now, you are NOTHING to me!"


    "So... ascending to two-star is allowed? Why wasn¡¯t that exined earlier?!"


    To Halmut¡¯s utter shock, Skaryn only showed excitement while witnessing Halmut¡¯s ascension. And Skaryn¡¯s follow-upint left the ascending two-star with a sense of uneasiness.


    Just as Halmut had been cloaked in energy moments ago, a shroud of multicolored energies fell over Skaryn. But, unlike Halmut¡¯s burning energy that dissipated as it oozed out of him, Skaryn¡¯s energy was dense and flooded the space around them. As Skaryn¡¯s energy poured out, the dark purple energy filled with streaks of other colors pooled at the feet of everyone on the ground.


    "Y... You can¡¯t--"


    "Your forced ascension is trivial, Halmut," Skaryn taunted, unafraid of the growing, hybrid Sun Dragon. "We¡¯re both unstable mid-ascension, but I can already tell how much weaker your energy is."


    "I--"


    "You fail to understand what true strength is!" shouted Skaryn. "Stimnts and shortcuts will get you nowhere fast, so allow me to escort you to your life of uselessness!"


    Before Halmut was able to react, he felt a set of ws tearing into the back of his throat. The attack was simultaneous with the sh of spatial energy, not even giving Halmut the time to move or defend himself.


    Forced to retaliate, Halmut swung his newly-grown tail at Skaryn, along with his ws.


    "AAAAAAAHHHHH!!!"


    Halmut¡¯s tail and forearms were immediately severed. The Sun Dragon was unable to believe what was happening. He wanted to retrieve more stimnts from thest of his storages but that was impossible now. All Halmut could do was shake and cower as Skaryn shed off his legs.


    "There..." Skaryn sighed, watching Halmut fall to the ground. The Dark God took a moment to enjoy the absolute fear in Halmut¡¯s eyes.


    "H-how... Howe..."


    "Howe you can¡¯t heal?" Skaryn chuckled, sharing Halmut¡¯s horrified thoughts aloud. "Take a look at your nubs... Your fake energy isn¡¯t enough to overwhelm my new strength."


    With trembling eyes, Halmut painfully looked down at his missing limbs. Darkness coated his wounds, dispersing any morsel of energy that dared attempt to heal Halmut. "Y-you... You can¡¯t--"


    "Oh, I can do anything to you..." Skaryn scoffed, brandishing a devilish grin. "You dared threaten me with Kylon¡¯s life... You crippled my interference in your ns with her contract as coteral... Then you dared me me when you defied our deal and warped her mind, forcing yourself on her...


    "You dared do whatever you want... So I¡¯ll do the same, runt..."

 Chapter 719 - Halmuts Torture and Jacks Suspicion

    <h4>Chapter 719 - Halmut''s Torture and Jack''s Suspicion</h4>


    "You dared do whatever you want... So I¡¯ll do the same, runt..."


    With a grin to match his satisfied gaze, Skaryn stood over the crippled dragon. He swiftly drove the tip of his greatsword into Halmut¡¯s throat, retracting it secondster as Halmut tried to cough up blood. Skaryn enjoyed the sight of the wound healing.


    "I¡¯m d you¡¯re healing abilities are so powerful!"ughed the Dark God, giving the spectating cosmicians chills. "So long as I allow you, I can wound you, slice you, break you, and more yet you¡¯ll gradually return to your lively but helpless state... Survive a few millennia of this and I might consider your debt paid, finally worthy of a painless death..."


    His greatsword plummeted into Halmut¡¯s chest, twisting around inside his ribcage. The mighty cosmician that failed to ascend to two-star writhed and whined as his heart and internals were being shredded. But like Skaryn had stated, Halmut¡¯s natural regeneration now yed to the Dark God¡¯s advantage, allowing him to torture the Sun Dragon to limits far beyond that of any other creature with less vitality.


    Everyone was fixated on the pleasure that the menacing, ascending cosmician caused the amputeepetitor. At the same time, they were entirely unaware of why the Sicabor twins hadn¡¯t taken advantage of the situation to attack the ascending cosmician while his energy is more unstable than usual. The spectators understood that Skaryn was unnaturally strong but they wouldn¡¯t doubt the twins fighting him together would fail, not while he¡¯s in the middle of ascension. It was better that an ascending cosmician flee to not stunt his growth rather than take a chance at winning apetition.


    But they had no clue that the twins were after arger prize. Most wouldn¡¯t know about the true meaning of cier Keep¡¯s challenge. Now that the twins had discovered where to find the hidden chamber and that Jack would clear the way for them, how could they not go after the bigger fish?


    *****


    "That¡¯s against the rules! You can¡¯t--"


    "You can¡¯t summon anyone else while inside the challenge, but there¡¯s no rule against summoning yourself..." Jack joked.


    As spatial energy dispersed, a new figure appeared inside the closed area. That man immediately downed a powerful potion and loosed a sigh of relief. "Much better..."


    "Jack?!" Wollice shouted in question.


    The other twin groaned with a sarcastic chuckle, "Jack... your twin won¡¯t count as--"


    "Who said anything about twins?" Both Jack¡¯s replied in perfect unison, smiling cheekily at Wollice and Woltin. "Now it¡¯s a fair fight!"


    Jack tossed a ring to his double, who dly took it and cackled, "So, Skaryn doesn¡¯t need it anymore... Then I¡¯ll make due!" A rapier with a ckened tip then appeared in the double¡¯s hand. He immediately charged at Wollice while brandishing a curious smile. "Show me what you got!"


    While Jack¡¯s double shifted into his Spectral Minokawa form to enhance his speed to the max, Jack flooded his immediate surroundings with spectral res. The charging constructs were kept at bay for a moment and Woltin gave Jack a front-row view of his abilities. "You can nullify skills?"


    "Sure... But it¡¯s not as rare as you might believe," chuckled Woltin. "I think you¡¯re much more interesting, having two bodies and more energy affinities than I can count. Who are you?"


    "If I tell you, will you agree to just leave?" Jackughed, teleporting to face Woltin directly, lunging forward at top speed to grip the mage.


    However, living vines sprouted from Woltin¡¯s energy and rushed to grab Jack first. A frown spread around Jack as he teleported away to narrowly evade the barbs of the powerful vines.


    Sighing, Jack stated, "Nature, poison, and nullification... You¡¯re an annoying foe... Why bother with you?!"


    Suddenly, Jack teleported above the crowd of constructs. Thick spatial energy began to gather around Jack¡¯s hands as he eyed the constructs jumping at him. Jack readied himself to grip the fabric of space but he suddenly felt his own energy fizzle out. He was forced to teleport away and avoid the dozen or so constructs about to leap onto him.


    "Come on... At least let me--"


    "We need those to open the barrier,"mented Woltin, who used his thorny vines to keep some distance from the nearby constructs. "If I let you take them out, I think it¡¯s obvious that you¡¯d just grab the core instead of fighting us 2-v-2."


    "What gave you that idea?" Jack asked, tilting his head innocently. Jack also punch through a few bestial construct skulls as he clicked his tongue in disappointment.


    "Wollice, hurry up and--"


    "Want to switch?" the sword-wielding twinughed as he evaded the swift jabs of a teleporting rapier. "Come tag me out if you like..."


    "Seems he needs help. Why not--"


    Before Jack could finish his taunting joke, a javelin of holy energy shed past his head. The hero whistled after dodging the attack. "Someone¡¯s more fl.u.s.tered than their letting on... Don¡¯t me me for whates next..."


    Suddenly, Woltin felt a hand grabbing the top of his head. "What--"


    "Cerebral Copse!" Jackughed as he cut the battle short. Or, at least while he tried to. "What?!"


    Woltin thenshed out at Jack¡¯s ninja clone, easily crushing the false copy of Jack. "If you want me to believe that¡¯s really you, then you¡¯ll need to better distribute your energy."


    "Right..." Jack sighed, taking note of thatment but also paying close attention to how Woltin was situated. "You made an anti-energy barrier? Is that why you attacked my copy instead of your nearby vines?"


    "That--"


    "You¡¯ve never attacked anyone personally, not with your own hands. Then again, I¡¯ve yet to see someone get that close to you. But it would exin why you¡¯re so calm and cool against all of my attacks..." Jack deduced, convinced that he was onto something. "You¡¯re a mythic cosmician and your brother is a martial cosmician, right? That¡¯s why he nullifies skills with his sword, making my double a difficult opponent, while you can sit back and be the greatest support. Sound about right?"

 Chapter 720 - Testing the Limits of Nullification

    <h4>Chapter 720 - Testing the Limits of Nullification</h4>


    Not wanting to give away anything more, Woltin smiled and sighed, "You¡¯re a worthy opponent... Want to work with us from now on?"


    "Huh?" Jack was somewhat thrown for a loop. He and Woltin both continued with AOE attacks against the construct as they conversed for a moment. "Is that a job offer I¡¯m hearing?"


    "Why not? We can--"


    "I¡¯ll stop you right there..." Jack sighed and wagged his finger. "Sorry, but you can¡¯t tempt me. I¡¯m aiming for much higher than working within a zone..."


    "Then I suppose we were right to assume you all are connected to Daruun?" asked Woltin, trying to take control of the conversation. "Can you--"


    "Sorry, I can¡¯t hear you over my next attack!" Jack shouted, spreading spectral res every which way. The ensuing mes even targeted Jack¡¯s double and Wollice, along with the entire room.


    A sudden shockwave of white energy then passed over the room. That energy forcibly rendered the spectral res useless. But Jack wasn¡¯t disappointed at all.


    "You... separated my fire and spatial energies?" Jack guessed, following his gut feeling after experiencing the energy nullification on such arge scale.


    "I have no need to exin my skill to an opponent!"ughed Woltin, who was regrowing a new set of poisonous vines.


    "But if you can theoretically prove that it impossible for me to win, then I¡¯ll probably just give up..." Jack shrugged, now acting disappointed in his failure of an attack. "What¡¯s the use of wasting a good friendship by demoralizing each other? Howe we can¡¯t just talk it out? I¡¯ve already shown you my trump card but you¡¯ve only given me a taste of yours. Please? Maybe I¡¯ll consider an internship under you guys to learn new skills..."


    "For some reason, I want to doubt everything your saying," chuckled Woltin.


    "Same!" Wollice grunted, parrying the rapier as Jack¡¯s double teleported to evade a powerful wave of sword energy. "Surrender, and then we¡¯ll talk!"


    "Really? You¡¯ll give up your secrets if I just give up?" Jack asked, smiling excitedly. "Why didn¡¯t you just say so?! Information is always the greatest treasure!"


    The next moment, both Jacks suddenly vanished and reappeared at the wall furthest from the purple barrier and the attacking constructs. Both Jacks spoke together, giving the twins a thumbs up, "They¡¯re all yours!"


    But a slew of sword attacks targeted both Jacks, forcing them to teleport back near their earlier positions. While Jack¡¯s double continued to attack Wollice, Jack frowned andined, "What¡¯s wrong? We¡¯re letting you--"


    "Jack, give up your card already!" Woltinughed, sending more and more vines toward Jack while hurling beams of light at Jack as well.


    "That¡¯s no fun though..." ying along, Jack focused on evasion. He kept close to the vines so that the constructs were partially obstructed and used more brainpower to evaluate the situation further.


    That earlier pulse of nullifying energy had wiped out all of Jack¡¯s attacks but it had also torn apart Woltin¡¯s own spell. With that in mind, it was easy to assume that nullification magic was a double-edged sword. Jack also took into consideration how his energy felt upon being nullified. It wasn¡¯t that it was now out of Jack¡¯s control, but more so that the bonded energies were forcibly separated and then reduced to raw energy without any affinity. Not wanting to share his thoughts aloud and alert the twins that he was onto something, Jack reached a few key questions in his mind.


    Can they precisely control what they nullify? Jack already knew the answer to that was no as the nullification skill couldn¡¯t discriminate between Jack¡¯s and Woltin¡¯s attacks, so Jack moved on to the next question. Does nullification overwrite Jack¡¯s control of his own energy? The answer to that was both yes and no since Jack wasn¡¯t able to stop or impede the nullification but the nullification would necessarily usurp control of his energy either. That brought Jack to his final thought. Would nullification work on raw energy? That¡¯s was what Jack still need to find out if he wanted to win this fight.


    Jack couldn¡¯t think of any skill fitting for his test, but he came up with a simple test that might work.


    The hero turned himself invisible and repositioned himself.


    "Not bad!" Woltinughed. "You¡¯re dispersing your energy among invisible clones, you¡¯re learning!"


    "Well, you¡¯re acting as a great teacher. Now, let me test a theory, professor!"


    Woltin blinked as he suddenly felt a rush of energy appearing at his left nk. He wasn¡¯t too worried at first but suddenly became more rmed and turned to face the threat directly. "Nice try!"


    The man¡¯s staff was thrust forward, piercing the raw cosmic energy and forcibly repelling it to Woltin¡¯s sides. Effectively, Woltin split the energy in two but failed to disperse itpletely.


    "Ohhh... So that¡¯s how nullification skills work!" Jack cackled,ing back into view. He stood a few meters away from Woltin as proof that he was the one who had caused the attack. Sweating a little, Jack added, "So nullifying skill don¡¯t nullify energy, it strips energy of their affinities and forcibly turns energy into raw energy, which is already incredibly hard to control. It¡¯s quite a powerful strategy, I must say..."


    "If you already understand it, then why keep fighting?" Woltin asked, noticing the strain Jack felt from making thest attack. "Sure, you could technically defeat us with raw energy. But you would need far more energy than you could ever control, let alone produce without relying on your affinities. So why not--"


    "I give up."


    Both twins were taken aback by Jack¡¯s sudden statement, as well as the retreat of Jack¡¯s double. Jack¡¯s double appeared at his side while he stated, "I give up. There¡¯s no point in fighting your two if I can¡¯t win."


    "Then--"


    "You should give up too," Jack added, startling the twins further. "It would be best for us to go separate ways and for you to just let me handle things here. Tell you what, I¡¯ll teleport you two back into the main treasure chamber so you--"


    "NO DEAL!" Woltin and Wollice shouted in unison.


    "Fine..." Jack sighed, nodding to himself before his double teleported out of the room. "Then I guess we¡¯ll surrender together..."

 Chapter 721 - Jacks Forceful Surrender

    <h4>Chapter 721 - Jack''s Forceful Surrender</h4>


    "Huh?!" Wolliceughed, dashing forward to take Jack head-on. "What kind of half-baked nonsense are you spitting now?"


    Woltin led his vines forward as well, bing the perfect support to his twin brother. Together, the twins tore through the few constructs standing between them and Jack.


    Jack, on the other hand, was unfazed by the twins and their actions. He teleported toward the back of the room where more than a hundred untouched constructs waited their turn to attack. But those constructs suddenly began to fall through the floor, which had been reced by a giant spatial rift.


    To the twin¡¯s surprise, those hundred or so constructs were now falling on top of them through a rift that had opened overhead. Now, they were effectively surrounded by all of the room¡¯s constructs.


    "A bit more than two hundred left..." Jack mumbled to himself as he looked over the surrounding horde of constructs. A childish grin then appeared on Jack¡¯s face. "I wonder what I¡¯ll get for this..."


    Teleporting again, Jack appeared directly into the center of the swarm. He now stood in between the twins, only a few meters away from each of them.


    "Are you--"


    "Yes, I¡¯ve been called insane all my life," Jackughed as the twins momentarily focused on getting situated at the horde¡¯s center. "And I¡¯ll be called crazy for however long I live!"


    While Jackughed and cackled gleefully, the twins noticed something strange about him.


    Jack had dropped his transformation and reverted to his human form. Also, Jack¡¯s apparel waspletely different. His dark, mysterious cloak was gone, as was Jack¡¯s typical garb. Apart from a in shirt and pants, all Jack was wearing now was a set of crudely crafted tes of metal affixed to his torso and limbs. Neither Woltin nor Wollice would ever call such an atrocity of metal armor, but Jack wore it proudly as if all of his worries were now gone.


    "What--" Both twins shouted at Jack, now able to attack him after creating a bit of wiggle room inside the construct horde. However, Jack¡¯s sudden, nonsensical shout drowned out their voices.


    "LEEEEEEEEERRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYY JEEEEEEEENNNNKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNSSSSS!!!!!"


    The atrocious armor on Jack¡¯s body instantly turned pale white and dposed into pure energy. That energy seemed irritable and about to burst outward, yet it first sank into Jack¡¯s body. Only then did that energy explode with violent passion, along with the entirety of Jack¡¯s energy reserves and thetent energy within Jack¡¯s entire being. All within a fraction of a split-second.


    A pure white explosion forced its way through the room with no person and no construct able to react or put up a proper defense. The wild, raw cosmic energy consumed everything and shook the walls that tried their best to contain it. Being in an enclosed space only made it worse, causing some of the shockwave to reverberate back through the room.


    Nothing was left. No remains were found anywhere, only hundreds of silver cores lying on the ground and signs of energy corrosion along the roxite walls.


    At the same time, two figures suddenly appeared inside the waiting chamber. The appearance of those two, in particr, set off an rming conversation among the dozens of cosmicians who had failed to at least remain in the keep, regardless of how many treasures they had imed.


    Before one of those two men could speak due to their own confusion, the in-looking man standing on the tform spoke for everyone to hear, "You two have lost the challenge."


    "WHAT?!" Wollice shouted. "But why were we--"


    "Calm down..." stated the man, patiently waiting for the Sicabor son to silence himself. "Are you listening now? You two were pulled from thepetition due to necessity. Given your circ.u.mstances, your loss was undeniable and your revival would be entirely uncertain. There¡¯s a great chance that we could¡¯ve never revived you, which would have made you two the first permanent casualties of cier Keep. And we refuse to tarnish our reputation. Do you have a dispute with my logic?"


    "N... No..." Wollice sighed.


    cing a hand on his brother¡¯s back, Woltin chuckled in disbelief, "Jack really did that... He really killed himself..."


    "Not exactly,"mented the man, startling the crowd and the twins especially. "All will be exinedter."


    Everyone in the waiting chamber began to recount thest time they saw Jack and the twins on the illusory screens. Both werest seen in that small treasure room, the one that the twins had raided and where Jack had opened a passage no one knew about. But there had never been a screen for that hidden room, leaving everyone in the dark as to what the twins and Jack had just experienced.


    The Sicabor twins were hounded with questions, many from their closest aides that had joined them for the challenge. But the twins refused to answer any of them. They were anxious to ask their own questions to Jack, the man who had supposed defeated them while giving up his life yet wasn¡¯t anywhere to be found in the waiting chamber or counted as a permanent casualty of cier Keep. Their interest in Jack had reach levels they had never imagined, making them all the more proud to have participated in this round of cier Keep¡¯s challenge.


    That in-looking man walked to the back of the tform, acting aloof and solemn so that no one dared approach him without a good reason. He was busy holding a ck crystal, the same crystal that allowed him to see all of cier Keep and monitor even that hidden room.


    Despite his appearance, the man was utterly astonished but what he had just witnessed. More so than when Halmut forced a pitifully unstable ascension through faux-ore. More so than when Skaryn finally chose to stop forcefully-dying his ascension. More so than learning about Oli¡¯s creating a small ck hole to neutralize a four-star self-destruction.


    Jack¡¯s self-destruction defied logic. It was nothing like ate one-star self-destruction should have been and it hade from a man that Daruun had raised personally.


    All that man knew about Jack was his rtionship with Daruun, and his knowledge of Kartonia as a whole was even more limited. He knew nothing about Jack¡¯s abundant energy reserves, the same energy reserves that more than ny percent of one-stars could never imagine having before ascending to the next star. The man was clueless about Jack¡¯s armor and that such a suicidal thing existed outside of forced torture tactics. He could sense that Jack¡¯s armor had acted like a catalyst to amplify the explosion as aplete set, but he hadn¡¯t anticipated the ensuing explosion to almost rival a median two-star self-destruction.


    But what stumped the man mot of all was what came the moment the explosion subsided. When he could sense Jack¡¯s energy starting to regather at the origin of the explosion.

 Chapter 722 - Winner of Glacier Keep

    <h4>Chapter 722 - Winner of cier Keep</h4>


    While the hidden room was eerily quiet, a sh of purple energy appeared. Another man had returned to the scene of his own crime, smiling at what was left of the ce.


    Jack¡¯s double chuckled and retrieved the key card from their shared pocket dimension. He sighed at the unchanged number on the disy but shrugged and moved on. Not getting any keys from the twins was inevitable in order to protect the card from the incredible explosion.


    Now, an ethereal, humanoid was beginning to take shape not-to-far from Jack¡¯s double. That quickly started to gain a physical body once again, proving to be the man of the hour and Jack¡¯s other half.


    Jack¡¯s double immediately stepped forward to cast revivification. The speed at which Jack¡¯s body began to reform sped up slightly. Sadly, that increased speed didn¡¯tst for even a second, proof that using such a tactic recklessly would likely cause terrible consequences.


    Putting the aside, Jack¡¯s double scanned over the hundreds of silvery cores lying on the ground. He took his time walking across the room while flicking small spectral res. The cores were all destroyed in the mes, letting Jack watch his key count skyrocket. Soon, he reached the purple barrier at the end of the room, smiling in satisfaction.


    Five hundred keys were necessary to open that slim, purple barrier. And thanks to the annihtion of more than two hundred high-level constructs, Jack had just enough to im his prize.


    But he waited. With a shared mind, Jack¡¯s double walked back to his other half to at least be able to walk. Considering the visible speed of his recovery, Jack assumed it wouldn¡¯t take too long. After fifteen minutes of silent thought and reflection, Jack¡¯s double approached his newly-formed self with a half-smile.


    Though Jack¡¯s body had finished reforming, there was no way it was going to be moving on its own any time soon.


    Remembering how revivification did so little, Jack tried something different. His double cast mana share, divvying up his remaining energy between his two bodies. What Jack didn¡¯t expect was how much mana was wasted in that effort. Jack¡¯s second body still had about two-thirds of his mana left due to only teleporting and keeping Wollice on his toes. But using mana share robbed his second body of nearly all energy, leaving him on the brink of mana depletion. That was also how much energy Jack¡¯s revived body now had, apparently dumping the rest of that unused mana into Jack¡¯s dormant body.


    Taking a deep breath, Jack¡¯s revived body was now able to move with only some soreness. But there was no way that the revived body would be joining any battles for a time period that was likely much longer than Jack would like.


    Able to stand, Jack took back his card and his two bodies walked to the purple barrier. Anxiously, Jack dumped nearly all of his newly gained keys to open the final barrier standing between him and his newest, event-based achievement. But Jack was sad to see that his expected achievement hadn¡¯t been earned.


    Jack then gripped the final purple core and noticed something new about it. There was a faint white light at the center. When Jack turned the core in his fingers, the light would never diminish or change, staying constant and firm.


    As the core was crushed, Jack watched his card change color as well. It had be purely purple and there were no longer any numbers disyed.


    While Jack received a notification from his system, a verbal announcement yed throughout the room.


    "Congrattions!"


    Suddenly, spatial energy enveloped both Jack and his double. They were forcibly pulled out of cier Keep and into the waiting area. To their surprise, they weren¡¯t the only ones forced out of the challenge.


    CLAP!


    Everyone¡¯s attention shifted to the man standing on the tform, who immediately spotted Jack among the crowd. "This challenge is over! Thank you for--"


    "HEY!!"


    In the middle of the man¡¯s announcement, a familiar voice shouted as a raging wind de was snuffed out. Jack¡¯s double had immediately equipped a basic roxite helmet but both he and his double found Skaryn from his angry shout.


    The Dark God had shed through a plethora of wind des while he stood atop the amputee Halmut, which left Jack stunned with a single nce. But he was startled again as Tralbok appeared at Halmut¡¯s side with the aide of time magic. Tralbok then used his amulet to teleport away, narrowly avoiding Skaryn¡¯s counterattack and carrying Halmut to somewhere that should be safer for them.


    "GET BACK HERE!" Moranti shouted, cing a hand on Skaryn¡¯s shoulder. Both then teleported away, following after their runaway foes.


    "Don¡¯t mind them,"mented the in-looking man, demanding everyone¡¯s attention. "I¡¯m sure they¡¯ll handle their disputes, but we must first congratte the first-ever winner of cier Keep. Jack rutya!"


    Jack was taken aback at how casual the man handled the sudden attack in the waiting area while also realizing that Oli was no longer in the room. Had Oli been there, Jack was sure that Tralbok would never have managed to escape. Then again, Jack didn¡¯t doubt the dynamic duo of Skaryn and Moranti who would never allow Tralbok and Halmut to escape, even if Halmut had all of his limbs.


    But Jack then realized that something else more surprising had urred. As the in-looking man pointed at Jack in the crowd, everyone around Jack was speechless while they locked their gazes on Jack like he was a rare, endangered species that might vanish without a trace. It only made sense when someone finally shouted out everyone¡¯s shared thoughts.


    "No wonder!" Woltin was the first to rush to Jack, holding out his hand with pride.


    Wollice wasn¡¯t far behind, grabbing Jack¡¯s other hand. "You¡¯re rted to the district leader?! Of course, you¡¯re not interested in working for us!"


    "Yeah... I¡¯m not exactly trying to--"


    "It was an honor to lose to you, given how spectacr our fight was!" Woltin added, jumping to Jack¡¯s side and throwing an arm around him. He then whispered, "Don¡¯t worry, you¡¯re secret¡¯s safe with us."


    Sighing, Jack threw an arm around each twin andughed, "So, I take we can be friends?"

 Chapter 723 - Futile and Hopeless Escape

    <h4>Chapter 723 - Futile and Hopeless Escape</h4>


    A holy beam of light fell from the sky. Two figuresnded atop a tall mountain in shock at what they found.


    "I... I¡¯m abandoned..." Halmut¡¯s lip quivered. His worst fear had be reality, something he came to realize during the physical and mental torture that Skaryn gave him in cier Keep.


    "Halmut, where¡¯s 12-13--"


    "COWARDS!"


    Moranti¡¯s voice didn¡¯t catch Tralbok off guard, who was sure that they would be followed. What he didn¡¯t expect was to find Olympic Chateau in ruin and for 12-13 to be nowhere in sight.


    "HALMUT!" Tralbok shouted in desperation, "WHERE-- waaahh, wah..."


    Before Tralbok could shout and try to bring the broken Halmut back to his senses, Tralbok felt his body be lifted in the air. His feet dangled as a choking pressure covered his throat.


    "I¡¯d surrender peacefully... I¡¯m not in the mood to negotiate..."


    "Staaffaaaan..." Tralbok mumbled as the Assassin Gode into view, standing before Tralbok and gripping Tralbok by the throat.


    The God of Time immediately prepared a wind de at point-nk with one hand and retrieved his staff with the other. Tralbok¡¯s immediate action got Moranti to move but Skaryn stopped Moranti with a curious grin.


    Sterfen¡¯s skin was covered in dry sweat and his clothes were still damp. Given how his past twenty-four hours had been, Sterfen was in the worst mood he had ever been. It was a rare moment where Sterfen didn¡¯t care about being cautious or ying out the scenario to his best possible advantage. All Sterfen cared about was ending Tralbok¡¯s life as quickly and as painfully as possible.


    As Tralbok was about to throw the wind de into Sterfen¡¯s chest, arge dagger appeared in Sterfen¡¯s left hand.


    "AAAAAAAaaaaaaaaAAAAAAAHHHHHhhhh!!!!"


    In less than a second and in one swift motion, Sterfen had countered Tralbokpletely. Thatrge dagger was plunged into Tralbok¡¯s forearm, ced precisely between his ulna and radius bones. For not even a moment, Sterfen loosened his grip on the knife and switched to an underhanded grip of the knife¡¯s hilt. Then, Sterfen turned his hand back to how it was prior, jerking Tralbok¡¯s in a one-eighty and nearly dislocating Tralbok¡¯s shoulder. But before Sterfen ended the counterattack, Sterfen jerked his wrist and tore the dagger ny degrees through Tralbok¡¯s flesh, snapping both bones in Tralbok¡¯s forearm with ease.


    "Oooohh..." Moranti groaned in encouragement, happily imagining the pain that Tralbok was experiencing.


    Skaryn was silent but smiling from ear-to-ear. Nothin made him more proud than seeing his brother and pupil overachieving.


    "Behind you!" Halmut shouted, with fear filling his eyes.


    But Tralbok had no chance to react properly. Tralbok¡¯s other hand wielding the staff had already gathered a follow-up wind de that ripped into Sterfen. However, that image of Sterfen faded out of existence along with the wind de.


    The God of Time had begun to fall forward as he felt a tight grasp around the top of his forehead. Not only was he knocked off bnce, but Tralbok was being brutally pushed into the hard ground by a foot on his back. And as Tralbok shifted his focus to readying time magic around his body, he neared the ground while a knee was driven into the back of Tralbok¡¯s neck.


    <i>CRAAACK!</i>


    Tralbok¡¯s head was pulled upward as Sterfen¡¯s knee forced Tralbok¡¯s into the broken floor of Olympic Chateau. A tiny crater was formed from the impact, cruelly snapping Tralbok¡¯s upper vertebrae.


    Both Moranti and Skaryn winced from the sound alone, let alone the sight of Tralbok¡¯s limp body. Blood trickled out of Tralbok¡¯s open mouth, Pain was stained into Tralbok¡¯s motionless, bloodshot eyes, and Tralbok¡¯s vertebrae were jutting out of his skin where Sterfen lifted his knee.


    But Sterfen kept Tralbok pinned as reviving energy surrounded Tralbok¡¯s body, healing his spine but failing to stop his internal bleedingpletely.


    "You know..." Sterfen sighed in satisfaction as he pressed his knee back against Tralbok¡¯s neck. "I have a theory... After a hundred or so deaths, will you then ept it peacefully?"


    Tralbok said nothing, still shaken as he revived only to be put back under immediate threat.


    "Mind if I handle the first fifty?" Skaryn added with a chuckle. "I¡¯m sure Tralbok has plenty to repay me..."


    "S-Skaryn... Please... You should under--"


    Shutting him up, Skaryn lunged forward and smashed Tralbok¡¯s face into the rubble beneath him. "Mind saying that again? I didn¡¯t hear you properly?"


    Quivering, Tralbok kept his tongue tied. There was no longer anything or anyone that he could sway to save him.


    "What happened to 12-13!" Halmut roared, showing his frightened fury. "Once he returns, you¡¯ll all--"


    "He¡¯s dead!"


    That shouted immediately shut up Halmut and forced Tralbok into a deeper mental pit of despair. They both recognized that voice despite how recently they were introduced to it.


    The group looked to the side and found a man slowly walking towards them. His steps didn¡¯t seem too firm and the man gave off no intimidating energy, but his presence alone was enough for everyone to give him their attention.


    Laughing, Oli stated, "Consider 12-13 a casualty of the war he started. Anyone that dares was with the Resolute Enterprise could consider a simr death their luckiest oue..."


    "Who¡¯s--"


    "I¡¯ll exinter..." Sterfen sighed, keeping Moranti from asking questions.


    "Nah, I¡¯m sure Daruun and I will exin more once he arrives,"mented Oli, sending Halmut into an endless depression. "Now that Jewel¡¯s influence on Kartonia is gone, Daruun can finally change things. He¡¯ll have plenty to exin, so just wait."


    "Alright... What happened in the keep?" Sterfen changed the subject ncing back and forth between Halmut and Skaryn. "Since when did Halmut be a ything and why are you back already?"


    "Thank your son for that one! He even got that runt¡¯s poor excuses for contract destroyed, letting me have my way with him..." Skaryn replied, approaching Halmut with loud, obvious steps. "Come to think of it... This runt still owes me a few more millennia¡¯s worth of torture... I¡¯m sure Dad won¡¯t mind me breaking him some more before the runt¡¯s mind is scoured for any useful information."


    As Skaryn imagined what next he could do to Halmut, Sterfen lined the entirety of Tralbok¡¯s neck with more than a dozen marks of the reaper. With both captives inplete control, Oli enjoyed the show as he and the others waited for Daruun¡¯s imminent arrival.

 Chapter 724 - All for One, None for All

    <h4>Chapter 724 - All for One, None for All</h4>


    In the waiting chamber, plenty of cosmicians wanted to meet and properly greet Jack but were turned away. The Sicabor twins worked as a social buffer, keeping those with lower social status from imposing their conversation with Jack which took ce in a barrier of silence.


    Jack was very interested in speaking with the twins and their offer to visit their homeworld, but Jack was too invested in his system¡¯s newest notifications. He assumed he could nce through them and clear them away but suddenly gasped in shock.


    [Combining of significant achievementspleted in unison:pleted]


    [Combining of significant achievements with event achievement in unison:pleted]


    [All for one, none for all:pleted]


    Momentarily ignoring the questioning gazes of the twins, Jack selected his newly updated achievement and lost control of his jaw. It limply fell as his eyelids lost the ability to blink.


    [All for one, none for all:pleted]


    [Defeat and obliterate more than two hundredte one-star foes by using yourself as bait and sacrifice, then self-reviving to im everything as your own along with the key to cier Keep¡¯s nexus. Event reward: 25,000 skill points. Two-star reward: 50,000 skill points. Would you like to im this reward?]


    "Hello? Jack? What¡¯s wrong?!" Woltin chuckled as he shook Jack¡¯s motionless body.


    "Uh, umm..." Jack shook his head,ing back to reality. "Sorry... I just got caught up in thought, is all..."


    While Jack immediately imed his greatest reward to date, Wollice repeated his question, "So... what was the true treasure?"


    "I¡¯m... I¡¯m not sure. You didn¡¯t miss much. After the explosion, I imed the keys and opened the barrier for the third purple core. Now my card is like this." Holding up his card, Jack added, "Apart from that, I¡¯m not even sure what this is for."


    *****


    Beyond the Kartonian atmosphere, the vastness of space hid none of its beauty or splendor. However, that natural scenery was abruptly interrupted by a shockwave of green energy. Arge spacecraft had finally arrived at its destination.


    That ship was almost two kilometers long and at least one hundred meters wide. The pitch-ck metal allowed it to blend in well with the surrounding space and faint glowing lights would asionally glimmer around the ship¡¯s exterior. There were two open balconies, one on each side, and three open decks at the front, center, and rear of the vessel. With dozens of floors streamlined windows on every floor, the ship gargantuan and powerful yet aloof and agile. Flexible engines at the front and back allowed for the ship to travel at speeds unfathomable to most cosmicians and stop without a second thought, with no need to coast or drift in space.


    The moment the ship stopped, a man hurriedly walked onto the front deck. In his pure white robe, the man stroked his small beard while gazing over Kartonia. Hopping off the deck to float above the atmosphere, hemented, "It seems things are under control now... I¡¯ll have to increase Oli¡¯s pay for this..."


    "Thanks for the show, Daruun. It somewhat relieved my boredom..."


    Without hesitation, white energy gathered around Daruun and dozens more of him came to life. More than one hundred Daruuns now surrounded what appeared to be empty space, but from that empty space came a calmugh.


    Daruun remained on edge as the potential invader gave away his position after giving away his presence already. A veil of darkness was lifted as a ck figure came into view. He wore all ck with few ents of white lining the pockets of his coat, shirt, and pants. It looked like a man but didn¡¯t appear entirely human. His head was humanoid butcked hair over his scalp, as well as ears, eye sockets, nose, or mouth. Darkness forever swirled over what could be described as chilled skin stretched over the entirety of the man¡¯s body, with no hair, fingernails, toenails, or any descriptive feature. Apart from his ck and white attire, had only his unusualplexion for the world to recognize him.


    "Why are you here?!" Daruun shouted in question, ready to attack the moment the man made a move.


    "Rx, Daruun... I was only enjoying the show. I¡¯ve got to give you credit, I like what you¡¯ve done with Jack... I¡¯ll most definitely remember him..."


    "You--"


    "Want to fight, Daruun?" As Daruun immediately stopped speaking, the manughed harder. "Though I wouldn¡¯t call your trivial interference of my show a fight, I suppose it would be more exciting than watching their happy ending..."


    "What if I get involved?"


    "Oh... That might change things..." the shadowy man chuckled, turning his head toward the front deck of the ship. "To think that a prominent district leader would openly hire such a menacing rogue... Daruun, how cautious can you be?"


    Standing on the front deck, a man leaned over the edge with a mischievous smile. Compared to mortals, he appeared to be in his early thirties though his hairless face had been well known for millennia. His hair cker than the spatial scenery had streaks of silver throughout, but not by way of aging. And his eyes had no iris, at least they didn¡¯t appear to have irises due to their pitch-ck color.


    "Who said I was under contract?" snickered the man. "Sadly, I¡¯m at a disadvantage. You know me better than most yet I know so little about you... How about we get to know each other a bit better?"


    "As fun as that would be, I don¡¯t think I have the time to deal with you, Darlok..." the dark man sighed in disappointment. "Besides... If I have my way with you two, Ss would only seek retribution all the faster. Though I¡¯d love to y with him again, I can¡¯t fit him into my schedule at the moment. Perhaps I¡¯lle back when I¡¯ve got more time on my hands..."


    Darkness engulfed the man yet again, but this time his body seemingly dwindled away along with the dispersing darkness. Momentster, Daruun¡¯s many copies heaved sighs of relief in unison before they faded away.

 Chapter 725 - Daruun Congratulates Jack

    <h4>Chapter 725 - Daruun Congrattes Jack</h4>


    "Thank you, Garlok..." Daruun sighed, looking back to the man on the ship.


    Already turned around and waving goodbye, Garlok chuckled, "Thank Ss. Otherwise, I would be under contract and you¡¯d be coughing up blood from my price alone..."


    The moment the man reentered the ship, the thrusters at the ship¡¯s front turned slightly. After a moment of adjusting trajectory, the night-ck ship rocketed away as quickly as it had arrived.


    Daruun was left alone above his mand-crafted world. A sense of fulfillment and satisfaction washed over him. Finally, after millennia of patiently sticking to his ns and readjusting everything time and time again, Daruun had managed to aplish his greatest, most-recent goal. The district leader smiled as he rushed through the turbulent energy surrounding the, which couldn¡¯t even tickle his six-star body.


    "Dad!"


    Although Oli was the first to notice the iing cosmician, Skaryn was the first to shout to the man. "It¡¯s about time! We¡¯ve already done all the hard work, so you can rest easy."


    Chuckling, Daruun showed a tender smile at his long-lost son. Seeing Skaryn and Sterfen together again brought back many pleasant memories while seeing Tralbok and Halmut in their current conditions created new pleasant memories. Daruun stepped up and hugged Skaryn, getting a hug in return. "I¡¯m d you¡¯re finally back..."


    "This means we can finally open Kartonia, right?" Skaryn asked, grinning like an overly-excited child.


    With a nod, Daruun replied, "Yes... but I¡¯ll talk with Jack about that first. Unlike you, he managed to beat Duorda first-try."


    "But he wouldn¡¯t have gotten past Halmut so easily in cier Keep without me..." argued Skaryn.


    "And who unsealed you and set you up to ambush Halmut in the first ce?" reasoned Daruun, getting a half-hearted chuckle from Skaryn andughter from the others. "Without Jack, you would still be trapped in that seal, though your n to escape it would¡¯ve eventually worked. But it would¡¯ve been far toote to stop Halmut and Gem, let alone save Kylon."


    "Fair... I¡¯ll admit to that. I¡¯m not sure I can thank Jack enough for that..." Skaryn humbly sighed, admitting to his greatest weakness.


    Daruun smiled and shook his head. "Don¡¯t be mad. I¡¯m d you¡¯ve retained yourpassion after all this time. That¡¯s something many cosmicians loose throughout their long lives. And congrattions are in order! You¡¯re the first Kartonian to reach two-star!"


    "I¡¯m still unstable, so don¡¯t hold me to it just yet. But I¡¯ll admit, it was fun watching Halmut ruin himself with those stimnts. In a way, I have to thank him. Had he trained properly, he wouldn¡¯t have destroyed his potential and might¡¯ve beaten me to the punch. So, thank you, Halmut!" Stomping on Halmut, Skaryn chuckled some more.


    "Hmm... No wonder he always hid when I visited... But this makes sense now that the ISA¡¯s involvement is confirmed," Daruun sighed, overlooking the amputee dragon.


    Oliughed and added, "He had to be ISA, likely from the intelligence division. As ate four-star, killing him would¡¯ve been much harder if he was from any other division."


    "Late four-star, huh... Then you must be a median four-star, right?" Skaryn asked with a raised eyebrow. "Or were you good enough to take him out as an initial four-star?"


    "Who said I¡¯m a four-star?" Oliughed some more, walking weakly and slowly toward Daruun. "Mind sending me back? I¡¯ve got to--"


    "We¡¯ll all go back," stated Daruun, surprising everyone. "I want to thank Jack personally, and I might as well meet the others. If we¡¯re opening Kartonia, Jack may want to celebrate with everyone back in Gilga. That would be a good moment to exin everything... And Oli, there¡¯s no need to tease them. They¡¯ll likely be working with you in the future."


    As Oliughed and Skaryn tried to pry more information out of him, Daruun telepathically contacted the man overseeing cier Keep. One secondter, a spatial rift opened up for them all to see.


    Showing no hesitation, Skaryn threw back his leg tounch Halmut through the rift with a painful kick. Sterfen, on the other hand, simply dragged his captive as Tralbok had no means of countering the countless deaths they could force upon him.


    On the other side of the rift, everyone inside the waiting chamber was baffled at what was happening. The moment Oli followed the four contestants who had fled, they realized that something beyond any expectation was urring. When Daruun walked through the rift, all of the cosmicians lost control of themselves.


    "Th-that..." Wollice mumbled, unprepared to meet such a figure.


    "Gramps!" Jack shouted, dashing toward Daruun. Everyone was further startled at the sight as Jack approached Daruun with a wide grin. "I need to talk with you! What is--"


    "Congrattions, Jack!" Daruun yelled for all to hear. "You¡¯re the first true victor of cier Keep, something to be extremely proud of!"


    "Yeah, but--"


    "Why not celebrate?!" Daruun added, getting everyone to subconsciously cheer on the idea.


    "Gramps, can¡¯t we--"


    "Just talk?" Daruun chuckled, interrupting Jack yet again.


    "YES!"


    Only then did Jack realize that there was no more sound from the crowd. Looking around, Jack noticed that nearly everyone was frozen in ce.


    "Follow me." Daruun grinned and motioned as he led the way.


    Jack moved to follow but was suddenly grabbed from behind. He didn¡¯t know what to think but soon let out a sigh of relief.


    "You did it, Son!" Sterfen shouted, proudly embracing Jack. "You actually did it..."


    Skaryn and Oli walked past the two of them, surprising Jack all the more. But Jack quickly adjusted and walked together with Sterfen to catch up with his second body at the rear. They now stood at the top of the raised tform and stared at the wall.


    "Jack, go ahead and use your card. I¡¯ve got something that you all will wish to see."


    Doing as Daruun said, Jack came forward and took out his card. He walked toward the wall until a certain portion of the wall turned illusory. It was near the corner and only created a small opening, perfectly sized for Jack¡¯s card.

 Chapter 726 - The Nexus

    <h4>Chapter 726 - The Nexus</h4>


    Jack inserted the card and nothing happened, for a moment. Then, the roxite walls trembled slightly. A giant archway suddenly emerged from the wall, instinctively getting Jack to step back. Spatial energy flickered inside the arch until a steady stream of energy to form a giant spatial gate.


    "Go ahead, Jack. You can go first,"mented Daruun, nudging Jack along.


    With a mix of excitement and anxiousness, Jack took his next step. The sensation of traversing a spatial rift and a spatial gate wasn¡¯t unknown to Jack, nor was it unusual. Yet Jack suddenly felt overwhelmed and burdened the moment he stepped through this particr gate.


    Coming through to the other side, Jack almost dropped to his knees. His body was already exhausted from his regrowth after self-destruction, so the tremendous pressure of this new space was practically unbearable. But ayer of energy soon enveloped Jack and the others emerging through the gate, thanks to Daruun.


    Now rxed, Jack took in his surroundings and was left speechless.


    The chamber wasrger than all of Gilga by a wide margin. Jack wanted to assume that he could fit mountains and more inside as well, but the open area was so vast that it was hard to fullyprehend. It was entirely open with only a balcony extending out of the wall with no railing, which wrapped around the entire circr space. And what dibobted everyone the most was the unfathomably enormous sphere of rampant energy floating in the center of the chamber.


    "This is my nexus," Daruun stated, not using a barrier to protect himself. Beside him was Oli, who alsocked a barrier but was unable to hide the strain he felt when moving. Daruun then chuckled, adding, "Or shall I say, this is Jack¡¯s nexus?"


    "WHAT?!" Oli shouted, being the only one able toprehend the meaning of that statement.


    Daruun ignored Oli for a moment, exining, "This is a nexus, or better put, an ancient structure built long before any recorded history of the void. It¡¯s this that allowed me to create a world asplex and powerful as Kartonia, and it was with this that I managed to make a breakthrough, bing a six-star cosmician and eventual district leader.


    "But I¡¯ve already learned most of what I can from it, though it still contains more mysteries than I can deduce... Put simply, nexuses attract cosmic energy like a ma attracts certain types of metals. They¡¯ve always been sought after as one of the greatest training resources throughout the void. However, Kartonia was the first-ever to be built using a nexus as its core. This allows Kartonia to produce two-star cosmicians naturally and gives me the ability to manipte the world, like I am now to meet with you while the others are stilled at the present moment."


    "Are... they always this big?" Jack asked.


    "No... If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is thergest nexus on record, or should I say off record..." Chuckling Daruun mentioned, "This nexus was purchased and delivered without the knowledge and consent of the former district leader, as well as the district council. Many of the district leaders have likely realized that there¡¯s a nexus in Kartonia¡¯s core, but they likely don¡¯t know howrge."


    "But... How?" questioned Jack. "How could you get this thing here without everyone--"


    "Dominus." Catching the others off guard, Oli answered for Daruun. "Long ago, they made a deal where Dominus personally delivered this thing in order to keep it a secret. As for where this came from... I still don¡¯t know that..."


    "Let¡¯s just say that my old business in making soul constructs was quite profitable..." Daruun shrugged. "As the leading soul scientist, I was getting orders from across the void, including the core districts. After more millennia than I wanted to count, I had enough to purchase this before it ever reached an auction house."


    "Then, you bought in on the ck market?"


    Smiling back at Jack, Daruun stated, "Sometimes, you¡¯ve just got to do what¡¯s necessary, right? If I hadn¡¯t gotten this, none of you would exist and my seventh body wouldn¡¯t be possible to create, along with both of Jack¡¯s bodies.


    "Either way, this nexus is how I ascended to who I am today. And given that I¡¯ve felt too restricted to ascend further for quite some time, I decided to put it to better use. Now, Jack will eventually be able to use it and im ownership of Kartonia."


    "No fair! You promised to--"


    "Oli, calm down. I¡¯m sure Jack would be willing to work out a deal with you, one that¡¯s mutually beneficial."


    Turning to Jack, Oli put both of his hands on Jack¡¯s shoulders. The friendly ferocity in his eyes almost frightened Jack. "I can use this, right? Thanks! I¡¯ll--"


    "Wait!" Daruun stopped Oli, who nearly jumped off of the edge in excitement. "Just give Jack a moment. I know he¡¯s got something in mind."


    "Uhhh..." Oli groaned, impatient with the nexus finally in front of his eyes.


    "I¡¯m... already the owner?" Jack asked, turning the purple card around in his fingers. "Then... Oli, you said you weren¡¯t a human earlier. Does that mean you¡¯re a beast, perhaps?"


    "What if I am?"


    "Well... Would you mind if we formed something called a mutual seal? It wouldn¡¯t do anything other than connect us mentally."


    "If that¡¯s all it does, then why would you consider that equivalent to letting me use the nexus for training?" questioned Oli, not falling for any tricks or misunderstandings.


    "On Kartonia, it shares our earned energy. But since you¡¯re not from here and we won¡¯t be doing anything on Kartonia, that¡¯s really all it would do," exined Jack.


    "Then why the seal? Does that seal have something to do with your different transformations?"


    "Yeah... It does..."


    "I don¡¯t mind, but I doubt you¡¯ll get what you want,"ughed Oli, cutting to the chase.


    "What do you mean?" Jack blinked, looking at Oli who was now pointing back to Daruun.


    Sighing, Daruun mentioned, "Well, I never managed to reproduce Oli¡¯s bloodline... His gravity affinity was too rare andplex for anything I managed to create. Like Dominus, I never managed to replicate the mutation in Oli¡¯s bloodline that made him unique. I managed to seed in recreating the Spectral Dragon race but I failed to replicate Oli¡¯s rather unique bloodline. And since his original race isn¡¯t wiped out, I saw no reason to replicate it on Kartonia."


    There was only one part of that exnation that stuck with Jack. "Oli... has gravity affinity?!"

 Chapter 727 - Jack and Oli Strike a Deal

    <h4>Chapter 727 - Jack and Oli Strike a Deal</h4>


    "Oli... has gravity affinity?!"


    "Yeah, so what? Want to see what it feels like? Why not ask Skaryn?" Oli added, smiling proudly.


    "But... Why can¡¯t--"


    "Jack," Daruun interjected, "your body has already been enhanced with more affinities than a cosmician could ask for, so many that training normally would be nigh impossible. Adding something gravity affinity to your body would never work."


    "Come on, Gramps?! Don¡¯t tell me you gave up! You¡¯re the greatest--"


    "Jack, I may sometimes be considered a miracle worker but that doesn¡¯t mean I can bend all energies to my whim. If I could do that, howe I haven¡¯t given myself all energy types like yourself?" reasoned Daruun.


    "But... But..."


    "ept it, Jack. There will be attacks and energies that you won¡¯t be able to gain for yourself.. I could possibly add gravity affinity to your--"


    "Then why haven¡¯t you?!"


    "For the same reason that you can¡¯t wield sound magic..." Daruun exined, "Once you make Perchet a demigod, you¡¯ll see for yourself. I was only able to give you a singleplex energy type, which was space. Space cosmicians are already incredibly rare and extremely versatile. With that--"


    "But that¡¯s not gravity!" Jack groaned in disappointment. "If you were sending me here, why not give me a survey first? I would¡¯ve chosen gravity every time!"


    "Jack... Had I given you gravity, you¡¯d only get one more affinity." Having sessfully stunned Jack into shutting up, Daruun continued, "Gravity is arguably one of the rarest energy types and the mostplex. Also, there¡¯s a limit to any construct I could build with gravity affinity. They would eventually break themselves under their self-generated pressure. Right now, I¡¯d be lucky to build a construct that survives past five or six-star, and that¡¯s being generous."


    "... How do you know?" Forced to give up, Jack sought out some form of proof.


    "Because I¡¯ve made one already, and I¡¯ve had to fix him far too often. He¡¯s only a four-star right now, but he¡¯s nearly killed himself more than a dozen times. The burden of gravity energy is more than a construct can bear at the higher realms of power..." sighed Daruun. "And that¡¯s using priceless materials equivalent to your current body, Jack, so don¡¯t think I wasn¡¯t testing properly. Testing a construct with gravity affinity any other way would result in their self-destruction as a one-star.


    "But there¡¯s no reason to feel down on yourself!" Daruun added.


    Stillughing, Oli threw an arm around Jack. "Jack, as you are now, you¡¯ve already got a leg up an more than ny percent fo cosmicians. Did you really think you could just leave Kartonia and conquer the void without facing stiffpetition? I may only have three affinities, but I¡¯m sure I¡¯d beat you while we¡¯re at the same realm."


    "How do you know that?" Jack teasingly sighed.


    Suddenly, Jack felt his entire body shaking. A new force came over him that left him in awe. It felt like gravity but it wasn¡¯t pulling him toward the floor. Jack felt his entire body being tugged toward Oli¡¯s open hand, where a minuscule ck orb was starting to take form. But that ck orb never fully took shape and faded as Jack¡¯s body almost dropped to the ground in relief.


    "The void is a treacherous ce. Never assume you¡¯re the strongest or most capable. That¡¯s how you¡¯ll get ughtered, if you¡¯re lucky."


    "Enough scaring, Oli. Let Jack breathe a little," Daruun spoke up, convincing Oli to let go of Jack. "But I am serious about you two cutting a deal. I think you¡¯ll get along great and might even be partners in the far future."


    "Really?" Eyeing Daruun, Oli sighed. "I don¡¯t mind making a deal, but it¡¯ll have to mutual. Your seal is too lopsided for my tastes, giving you ess to my strength while I¡¯m left with nothing. Try again, Jack."


    "Well... What about a pact? That would share our skills. You¡¯d get half the potency of all my passive skills, like energy regeneration and such, while I¡¯d gain the ability to eventually learn your skills that aren¡¯t gravity-based..." reasoned Jack. "Sound fair, considering you¡¯d also be allowed to used the nexus whenever you¡¯d like?"


    "Deal!"


    They immediately shook on it but Jack still felt a tinge of disillusionment from hisck of gravity affinity.


    "Then, let me say onest thing," Daruun continued. "Jack, as the new owner of Kartonia you have the decision to open the world to the rest of the void. Eventually, once you¡¯re strong enough, we¡¯ll reset the nexus with you as the owner. But for now, you¡¯re still able to decide policies."


    "Oh? And what about Gem or Jewel?"


    "Don¡¯t worry much about them," Oli spoke up. "The reason Halmut was able to get so far was thanks to the ISA¡¯s partnership with Jewel, but that won¡¯t be a problem now."


    "What¡¯s--"


    "I¡¯ll exin the ISA when you¡¯re strong enough to confront them and it¡¯s necessary. For now, just know that you¡¯re able to focus on growing your influence and strength within the Fate District without worry," Daruun stated. "It¡¯s likely that Jewel has already backed out of Gem, leaving its husk behind to take the fall for what¡¯s happened here."


    "Fine..." Jack sighed, trying to take in so much new information all at once.


    "Then let¡¯s go congratte the otherpetitors. If you¡¯d like, you¡¯re now allowed to invite them to the guild and celebrate. Such a celebration would surprise the entire district, putting you in the spotlight for the first time."


    Nodding, Jack shrugged. "I guess a party¡¯s not a bad ce to start... But you¡¯ll be hosting, right Gramps?"


    "Sure, why not. We¡¯ll secretly consider it myst event as the owner of Kartonia," replied Daruun. "Also, I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll get some influential visitors that are eager to meet you and the others from Kartonia... Now move along, it¡¯s time we told the others of the good news. They¡¯ll be honored to be Kartonia¡¯s first-ever, honorary guests."


    As they were all shuffled back through the spatial gate, Oli sighed and nced at the nexus with a giant grin. He was thest person that Daruun had to force through the gate, dispersing the spatial energy the next moment.

 Chapter 728 - Kartonias First-ever Foreign Guests

    <h4>Chapter 728 - Kartonia''s First-ever Foreign Guests</h4>


    Back in the waiting chamber, a loud p from Daruun shined light throughout the room. Those that had visited the nexus were now back where they once stood as everyone watched Daruun give a round of apuse. "As a token of appreciation and congrattions, I believe it¡¯s time we do something that¡¯s yet to be done. Jack, would you mind?"


    Sighing and looking back over the unsuspecting crowd of challengers, Jack nodded. "Yeah... why not? Let¡¯s head back to Gilga and party properly!"


    "Umm... Where¡¯s Gilga?" asked Woltin, assuming Jack¡¯s response with excitement.


    "EVERYONE!" Jack shouted, getting Daruun to ce his hand on Jack¡¯s shoulder. "Would you like to celebrate with us at Kartonia¡¯s capital?"


    Wollice smiled and immediately responded, "As honorary guests? It would be an honor!"


    Both twins bowed respectfully to Jack and Daruun, now recognizing Jack as the challenge winner and as a member of their district leader¡¯s family. An invitationing from a man of that status was more than they could wish for. It offered them a chance to mingle with someone with a district-level of fame, not just someone from one of the twelve hundred or so zones. That was an opportunity they could never purchase or acquire through normal means.


    "Then I¡¯ll give you a moment to contact your homes and warn them it¡¯ll be another day," added Jack. "After that, we¡¯ll head to the capital and begin preparations for a feast and festivities!"


    Cheering and shouts filled the room as everyone took out some sort ofmunication item. Many used crystals simr to Kartonia¡¯s contact crystals, only they were a blend of deep purple and bright green. Some used items that were simr to the phones of Jack¡¯s homie world but without a keyboard and only the ability to make calls.


    While everyone reached out to their homeworlds, Jack contacted his wives, party members, and the guild leaders. They immediately began making preparations and readied thergest banquet hall to be a lounging area while the food and festivities were being finished.


    Once all calls were made, Moranti opened a giant rift.


    The moment all the former challengers of cier Keep stepped through, they were weed with an array of butlers and waitresses at their sides. More than five hundred foreign cosmicians had officially stepped foot on Kartonian soil as the first-ever guests of the closed-off world. Unofficially, each of those cosmicians understood the meaning of such a banquet, that Kartonia would no longer be closed to the rest of the void.


    There was nearly one waiter or waitress for every cosmician. They showed them the wide variety of seats, ranging from couches to bean-bag chairs and rustic recliners to soft floor mats.


    Everyone was seated as the first round of food was brought out. It was an appetizer, a flower carved from half a potato and fried, served with both a tangy tomato sauce or a creamy white sauce. Vixus came out as well, introducing himself as the vice guild leader under Jack and as the man managing the festivities.


    Jack was dly sitting at the center as the focus of the room. But many of his party members were nowhere to be found. They had stepped out momentarily while Jack began to drink and chat with Woltin, Wollice, and a few of their party members that were descendants of prominent figures within the Emerald Zone. Daruun was also with Jack, drinking with them but only offering a few words when given an appropriate opportunity to speak. He made no moves tomandeer Jack¡¯s party as his own.


    While the rest of Kartonia hadn¡¯t learned of the incredible party inside the Leisure Guild, all guild members were anxiously engaged in some sort ofbor to make the celebration move along smoothly. Most were working in the kitchen, epted the temporary job as waiters, or were preparing some form of entertainment for the crowd of people mighty enough to be gods. Doing anything to join the celebration was worth the effort, no matter how they were somehow taking part.


    But the gods of Kartonia were nowhere to be found, neither were the most prominent guild members. They were all gathered in the former strategy room turned conference room undergoing a surprise celebration of their own.


    "Skaryn!" Alcahain wasn¡¯t the first to greet the long-gone god, but he was the first to greet the Dark God with a fistful of earth and lightning energy.


    Effortlessly, Skaryn chuckled and repositioned himself. Using Alcahain¡¯s momentum, Skaryn turned and threw Alcahain into one of the cushions at the side of the room. "Not now, Alcahain. We¡¯ve got stuff to talk about and things to discuss... Hadurt? Is that you? With the Hell-me Fox bloodline?!"


    As Skaryn dropped the pretense of his long absence and shared some small talk with everybody, the door soon opened and Jack walked in with his wives at his side. Being thest to enter Jack got their discussion started. "So, are we ready to discuss everything?"


    Everyone present either shouted in excitement, nodded in anticipation, or sighed in anxiousness.


    "First off, I think I should make something clear for the soon-to-be members of the leisure gods. We understand that you¡¯ve been our enemies but that doesn¡¯t mean we hate each of you or that you won¡¯t be treated fairly upon joining us. As the only remaining godly faction, why should we turn you all away?"


    "But what about Skaryn?" asked Sillo, raising his hand to speak. "He¡¯s back and able to head his faction again."


    "No... I see no point in keeping factions," admitted Skaryn, shocking some and not surprising others. "I think staying one faction is best considering how some of us will be leaving shortly."


    "What do you mean?"


    "Let me exin." Jack waited a moment for all eyes to turn to him. "The reason behind maintaining different godly factions was to control Halmut and the people who Halmut was controlling. Isn¡¯t that right, runt?"


    Jack gave a smug smile to the back of the room. There, two figures were either chained up or left abandoned in a corner, gagged and muzzled.

 Chapter 729 - What Happens to Us Gods?

    <h4>Chapter 729 - What Happens to Us Gods?</h4>


    Tralbok didn¡¯t dare speak since he had already given up after receiving falling under Sterfen¡¯s control. Halmut would grunt and fail to utter anything as two fresh nubs on his back tried to instinctively p, which came after Skaryn forcibly amputated the Sun Dragon¡¯s wings for safe measure. Both were left in the corner, helpless to do anything or deny any harsh treatment offered to them.


    "May I ask something?"


    A bit surprised, Jack nodded and let Tyres speak. The Sword God nervously bowed to Jack, asking, "May I officially join you as a leisure god? I understand that I¡¯ve been brutal towards you and others, but... I¡¯m willing to change."


    "In other words, you¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll end up like those two by the end of tonight and are offering yourself in hopes of avoiding that?" Jack assumed, questioning Tyres. "And be honest or I might not consider your offer."


    "I... Yes... Compared to those beside me now, my former actions were more in line with what those two wished to aplish and I admit that."


    "Then allow me to decline."


    "Jack, please--"


    "But," Jack continued, "though I won¡¯t allow you to work under me, I believe there is a god here willing to take you under his wing, as he did in the past."


    "Really?!" It wasn¡¯t Tyres but Jin who shouted,ughing as he looked back to his former apprentice.


    Tyres sighed, "Jack... Please--"


    "It¡¯s either you ept him as your master or we may include you in our ns for those two. Which would you prefer? I¡¯m being honest with you since you were honest with me."


    "I..."


    "Agree to abandon your false title and train properly under my instruction, then I¡¯ll ept my long-defiant pupil once again!" Jin stated proudly, dering his terms out the gate. "Or has your will and desire be so shaky that you¡¯ve forgotten who I am? Are you the first of my student who tried to kill me in an attempt to im fame beyond your station? No! So stop whining and moping!"


    "Jin... We¡¯ve been--"


    "We¡¯ll hold a proper match, just the two of us. If you win, I¡¯ll side with you and help convince Jack that you¡¯re worthy of working under him. But when I im victory, I¡¯ll kill you and your sins so that you can be resurrected as my next pupil. Only now, you¡¯ve got a rival that may surpass you if yourziness isn¡¯t reced with diligence," exined Jin, motioning toward his demigod pupil among Jack¡¯s long-time party members. "That should help clear your heart of regret and make it easier to ept your new position, right?"


    "Th-that can¡¯t--"


    "I agree with Jin¡¯s proposal," Jack added. "If you beat him, then I¡¯ll help you ascend. But when you lose, it will be up to Jin if you remain dead ore back. It¡¯s only fair."


    "... Jin... We¡¯ve been trying to kill each other for millennia now and we¡¯ve been equals for--"


    "You¡¯ve never been my equal!" Jin barked, refusing to let Tyres continue uttering nonsense. "Never have you bested me in a proper duel, apart from our match after your ascension while I was still a mortal. But even then you failed to kill me, proving yourck of discipline! Either ept my terms or I kill you now without the promise of resurrection!"


    Two swords appeared in Jin¡¯s hands, ready to attack. The fiery passion in the samurai¡¯s eyes proved his unabashed willingness to fight on the spot, despite the atmosphere and setting.


    "Jin, I--"


    "Three! Two!"


    "Alright!" Tyres shouted, turning to Jin and bowing his head. He hid his eyes as Tyres mumbled, "Jin... I¡¯ll ept you... as my master..."


    "Save it for after your defeat," scoffed Jin, putting his katanas away. "Then you¡¯ll be offered mercy and a second chance."


    "But I think we can all agree that Tyres will need a temporary ve seal," Skaryn spoke up, putting a frown on Tyres¡¯s already disappointed face. "I cane up with one that¡¯s removable upon Jin¡¯smand. Considering Jin is the only reason we having in Tyres by now, I think that¡¯s fair."


    "What?" Tyres questioned, looking up at Skaryn and Jack.


    Jack sighed, stating, "Tyres, I¡¯ll be honest. I don¡¯t care if you live or die. Looking back at recent history, I see no reason to keep you alive when there are already so many others willing to work alongside us without question or notorious background. Jin¡¯s the only reason I haven¡¯t decapitated you for EXP. I promised him that he decides your fate, whether you live or die. So be lucky you¡¯re offered this much unless you¡¯d like to join our guests of honor at the back of the room..."


    "Then... I agree to the terms..." Tyres reluctantly sighed, forced to ept the fate of past actions.


    "Then you two will be the main event of the party," Jack chuckled. "Your duel will happen after the food has been served for all the cosmicians to witness. That should also let them better understand how things word on Kartonia and help them feel more weed here."


    "Finally!" Jin clenched his fists as his eyes widened in excitement.


    "But back to other matters... Daruun said--"


    ¡¯Make room.¡¯ Daruun¡¯s voice yed through the minds of those linked via Jack¡¯s pact, startling them all.


    "You heard him. Make room." Jack motioned for one corner of the room to be cleared.


    Everyone did as Jack said, assuming that Daruun was about to make another appearance and exin more of his identity. What they weren¡¯t expecting was a spatial rift to suddenly appear, one made of both dark purple and neon green energy. The density of the energy was incredible, startling everyone able to recognize how incapable they were inparison.


    Through that rift stepped a man unfamiliar to those of Kartonia, but one man lounging at the back of the room with a drink in his hand wasn¡¯t from Kartonia. Oli put his drink down and leaped toward the portal. "Dominus!"

 Chapter 730 - Figure Heads of the Resolute Enterprise

    <h4>Chapter 730 - Figure Heads of the Resolute Enterprise</h4>


    "Dominus!"


    As Oli greeted his old friend, the gods of Kartonia were left speechless. Many had no clue who that was while the original leisure gods all tuned into Moranti¡¯s reaction. Moranti dropped his jaw and didn¡¯t bother picking it up, dumbstruck at the man in front of him who seemed not a day older than the Kartonian gods.


    With a head of medium-length, wlessly white hair, the new arrival greeted Oli with a smiling nod. His eyes also white, with only the outer edge of Dominus¡¯s irises and his pupil helping everyone understand where Dominus was looking. Adorned in white robes with gold embroideries, Dominus then looked back at the man he was most eager to meet.


    But Dominus said nothing yet, allowing another person to cross the rift and steal most everyone¡¯s attention.


    That man seemed to be less noble by default as he positioned himself one step behind Dominus on his right-hand side. His cloak looked to be stitched together from shadows and covered his entire body. Only his face was uncovered and that was because his hood was currently down.


    While that man shared a bow with Oli, another figure entered the room via the rift. He was wearing a cerulean jacket adorned with silver buttons and ents. His button-down shirt was white with an open cor and his long, loose-fitting pants were a shade darker than his sky-blue jacket. The man was half-smiling as he looked over the crowd of people and stood on the side opposite Dominus, showing off the two dangling silver earrings in his left ear, the light brown hair on his head, and the man¡¯s cerulean eyes.


    Finally, two men walked through the rift before it closed.


    One was recognizable to everyone in his all-white apparel. He was greeted first by everyone as they were all familiar with Daruun to some extent.


    Thest man, however, was only recognizable by two of the Kartonian gods. Duorda was bowing nonstop to each of the entering figures but the reverence he showed thest man was all the more clear. Of course, Jack was the only other god who had once met the vizor-wearing, one-armed man now standing beside Daruun in a casual shirt and pants.


    "Allow me to introduce my friends and coworkers," Daruun stated, silencing everyone without question. "This is Dominus, leader of the Mirror District, and his long-time assistant Eeole. This is Gradsdum, leader of the Azure District. And this is Ss, the man who brought us district leaders together under a cause worth fighting for... You may speak now."


    Each of the gods struggled to think of something to say. Most of them still had a less-than-rudimentary knowledge of what a district was, let alone the significance of meeting such influential figures face-to-face.


    Taking the lead, Dominus spoke first and smiled back toward the man still staring at him. "You¡¯re Moranti, right?"


    "Yes... And you¡¯re..." Moranti paused, bowing properly to the white-haired man. "It¡¯s an honor to meet my most powerful ancestor!"


    Karronteel gasped and immediately bowed as well. "It¡¯s an honor!"


    "Oh... there are two of you? Daruun, why didn¡¯t you mention the other one? Were you trying to keep one from yourself?" joked Dominus. "Moranti, and... What is your name?"


    "K-Karronteel!"


    "Moranti and Karronteel... From now on, you will be under my wing and receive training from me personally!" Dominus proudly announced, stepping forward and embracing them both by surprise. "To see others of my race again... It¡¯s a wonderful thing that I¡¯ve been patient to see. You won¡¯t go back on our deal, right Daruun?"


    "Of course not." Chuckling, Daruun waved a hand innocently. "As agreed, they¡¯ll train under you and the first seven of your race will be under yourmand while the next three will work for me while keeping ties with you."


    "Then now we only need to find you two--"


    "Excuse me..."


    "Yes?" Dominus blinked, surprised to see another god step forward. "Go ahead, you may speak."


    Nodding, Dragas grabbed Moranti¡¯s hand and bowed as he had earlier. "My name is Dragas and I¡¯m his wife."


    "His wife? But you two may not--"


    "Actually, Dominus, she¡¯s known as the Dryad Goddess of Kartonia. Her race is known for control of nature and other support skills, as well as their unnaturally high fertility," added Daruun, helping Dragas in her moment of need.


    "Really? In that case, I¡¯m d to hear that Moranti has found himself such a wonderful mate." Nodding politely, Dominus asked, "How many of you are there?"


    "Umm..."


    "The race was nearly wiped from existence by him," Jack spoke up, pointing to the crippled Sun Dragon in the far corner of the room. "But Moranti was already too strong for him to kill at the time and I believe there may be more Spectral Dragons or even Sun Dragons sealed away in ancient items hidden across Kartonia. We¡¯ll make sure to scour the entire and not miss a single one."


    "Thank you, Jack." Dominus bowed his head formally, showing his genuine appreciation before ring intensely at the far corner. "But that¡¯s the man responsible... Mind if I--"


    "Sorry, Dominus, but I can¡¯t let you have him," Daruun chimed in. "I¡¯ll need to do my best to extract the mind bead inside his head before examining his memories for intel. And though it¡¯s likely we¡¯ll lose most of those memories, extracting his mind bead will help me verify the proper protocol to remove hers."


    "Thanks, Dad..." Skaryn bowed his head and embraced Kylon again. "See, you¡¯ll be fine."


    "So this is the assistant you¡¯ve been thering about? Mind if I try him out?"


    "Gradsdum, you¡¯re not allowed to break him or beat him. Just because you¡¯re the only onecking an assistant doesn¡¯t give you the right to bully ours."


    "Rx, Dar-seven. I¡¯ll be careful to--"


    "Sorry, Gradsdum, but no can do."


    "But Ss--"


    Shaking his head, Ss mentioned, "I¡¯ve taken a liking to Jack. From what I¡¯ve heard about his challenge on cier Keep and everything Daruun¡¯s exined to me, I¡¯m sure Jack¡¯s got the potential to work for the enterprise."

 Chapter 731 - Jack Joins the Enterprise

    <h4>Chapter 731 - Jack Joins the Enterprise</h4>


    "That¡¯s what I was thinking!"


    "Oh, you too, Oli?" Ss chuckled.


    Nodding, Oli asked, "Yeah, I do. That¡¯s why I¡¯d like to ask you about my next assignment. Would you mind if I spend it guarding Jack?"


    "Is this to strengthen the enterprise or to give you a chance to use the nexus?"ughed Ss. "Jack would need to--"


    "Jack already agreed to let me use it."


    "But we still need to form the pact," Jack mentioned. "Without that--"


    Oli spoke up again, ncing at Ss, "Well, I can¡¯t fulfill my end of that promise unless Ss agrees to reassign me. Also, it would strengthen the enterprise while I gained ess to the nexus, allowing Jack a guaranteed chance at early survival while letting me be a four-star. That¡¯s a win-win!"


    "Fine... I can find someone else for your former assignment," Ss gave in with a nod. "But only if Jack is alright with joining the enterprise."


    "Hmm... I¡¯m not sure--"


    "Jack," Daruun cut in with a grin, "If you want to join the enterprise, you could eventually take my current role. You would be District 14¡¯s ambassador of the Resolute Enterprise and would oversee the security of the district while also gathering intel for the enterprise. Given time, I believe you and your hand-selected party members would be more than capable of that with the addition of a few others, like Perchet, Eedaj, and Oosam for example."


    "Then... I¡¯d be in charge of espionage and information gathering?" Jack asked Ss.


    "I¡¯d agree with Daruun. You¡¯d be a great fit for the job while helping Daruun shoulder the burden of leading his district when the situation permits," Ss exined. "But once youmit to the enterprise, you¡¯ll never be allowed to back down. We charge at any challenge after calcting and nning for any risks involved, something right up your alley. Unless you¡¯re willing to ept such risks without hesitation, don¡¯t bothermitting. The same goes for your teammates and anyone you would want to bring in with you. Point out who you way and I¡¯ll say whether I agree or not."


    "Right now?"


    "Right now." Ss showed a half-smile, always intent on proving merit through confident action in ce of promising words.


    "Well... My wives would--"


    "After Daruun¡¯s training, I¡¯m sure your wives will be capable enough to handle plenty of missions. I ept."


    Sighing, Jack blinked and looked around the room. He didn¡¯t bother mentioning Sterfen or Skaryn as they were more involved in Daruun¡¯s ns and had their own ns to aplish. With that in mind, the hero took a few moments to think over everything.


    "Would my team always be given the same assignment?"


    "If you¡¯re asking about splitting the team to handle two separate assignments based on which teammates were best fitted for each assignment, then yes, you¡¯d be allowed to divide your team when appropriate," answered Ss.


    "Then... I need to have Rydel, Maynard, Trax, and Zariff. Those three could even work as a smaller, subterfuge team to infiltrate enemy lines or any other situation where needed. They¡¯re a small bunch but would be able to aplish plenty on their own."


    "Hmm... I¡¯ll allow that once they¡¯re capable."


    Jack continued, "Also, I¡¯d like Bowzer to join me."


    "Jack... Can I..." The young fox god spoke up, hesitating to speak his mind.


    "Bowzer, if you want to travel with your Dad, then go for it. You can alwayse back and work with us if you¡¯d like. The same goes for my otherpanions," Jack stated, looking around the room at Phoro, Dragov, Karronteel, and even Jinbe who hade with Perchet and Raztol via Karronteel¡¯s spatial rift.


    "If Domnius wouldn¡¯t mind, I¡¯d want Karronteel to work with me alongside Phoro, Dragov, Jinbe, and eventually Bowzer as another sub-team able to deploy at a moments notice to hit hard when needed."


    "I¡¯m alright with that, but only once Karronteel finished his proper training," agreed Dominus.


    "Then I want to ask a few others but I¡¯m sorry we haven¡¯t discussed this before now..." Jack sighed, turning to the gods. "I agree that Eedaj, Perchet, and Oosam would be amazing additions, but I also want to ask Sillo if he¡¯d like to join because his plethora of energy types allows for a lot of versatility."


    "I..." Taken aback, Sillo needed a second to respond. "I¡¯m honored by the thought but--"


    "Take out the corpses," mentioned Daruun with a smile. "We¡¯ll revive them now and let them decide for themselves what they wish to do."


    Jack added, "And Duorda would be included along with Sybin, should she be willing to join."


    As the corpses of the fallen legendary gods were retrieved and ced at the center of the room, Sillo opened his mouth but failed to say something. Everyone then watched Duorda step forward and use his living miasma to pour life back into the many corpses. One-by-one, the fallen opened their eyes and sat up. Relief washed over them as they noticed the strange grouping of gods around them and theck of in-fighting.


    "Sybin!" Sillo leaped forward to embrace his sister, who struggled to believe the reality she was feeling.


    "It¡¯s better now, right?" Duorda asked in a matter of fact way.


    Sybin nodded. "Yeah... it is."


    "I know you¡¯ve all just been revived, but I have a proposition for some of you," Jack continued. "Oosam, Sillo, would you two be willing to join Perchet, Eedaj, and Sybin to work for me indefinitely? It would involve getting stronger than your wildest imagination and working for one of the strongest organizations in the entire known universe."


    "Sure! So long as no contract is involved!"ughed Oosam, getting everyone to break out inughter.


    "Same... I¡¯m willing if I can learn more," Sybin stated, showing a serious face but a startled gaze.


    "What about us?"


    Jack looked to the side, watching Lyrun rise to his feet and stand with Torian and Grixor. The hero smiled and sighed but followed his gut, ncing at Sterfen in search of a response.

 Chapter 732 - Future Roles of the Kartonian Gods

    <h4>Chapter 732 - Future Roles of the Kartonian Gods</h4>


    But it was Sterfen who replied to the Elf God, "Actually, I¡¯d like to join forces with you three if that¡¯s alright. There are some things I can¡¯t exin right now but I¡¯ll be needing a task force as well. Choron agreed long ago, as did Guuro and Kori."


    "And I want you two!" Both Lorwynn and Hadurt were caught off guard by Skaryn¡¯s sudden statement. "And, Alcahain, don¡¯t forget I haven¡¯t forgotten about you and Jin. You¡¯reing with me whether you like it or not, as will Tyres when Jin is done with him."


    "What about Rikko!" shouted the Goblin God, feeling left out.


    "I¡¯ve got a special role for you, Uncle Rikko," Jack added. "Your skills in thievery wille in handy, I¡¯m sure."


    "Rikko knew Nephew Legend great!"


    "So long as Daruun is alright with your team, then I¡¯ll ept it," stated Ss.


    Daruun nodded and smiled. "I¡¯m fine with that. With this, Kartonia has already fulfilled the purpose of my creating it. From now on, Jack can use it as a supply of cosmicians while I asionally select a few here and there for my own use."


    "Then it¡¯s settled. Jack, wee to the Resolute Enterprise." Ss weed Jack with a word of warning, "Like the name suggests, never back down and stand by in the face of anything that dares threaten the life you choose to live. Fail to do that, and you¡¯ll fail the enterprise."


    "Wait, just like that I¡¯m in?"


    "Yup, but only as a rookie. Don¡¯t expect any assignments until you¡¯re a three-star, hence Oli¡¯s assignment to guard you against threats beyond your capacity. He won¡¯t interfere unless it¡¯s necessary, which should be a given."


    "Right... That alright with all of you?"


    "Yes!" Many of his aforementioned teammates replied in unison, including the mage twins.


    "Then that¡¯s that," sighed Jack. "Time to make the pact."


    Oli stepped forward with a big grin, eager to hop into the nexus the moment he¡¯s able. The pact was painless for his tough skin and he was d to sense the effects of the pact already taking effect.


    "If there¡¯s nothing else, then we¡¯ll separate for the night. You¡¯re all wee to join the party in the banquet hall but I¡¯m sure some of you couples have a lot of catching up to do," chuckled Daruun. "Tomorrow, I¡¯lle back and discuss the ces for you all to train and how Jack, Skaryn, and Sterfen will eliminate the remnant branches of Gem Incorporate abandoned by Jewel, just as Halmut was abandoned.


    "We¡¯ll be taking those two with us. I¡¯ll begin splicing Halmut¡¯s brain tomorrow and I would hate to waste Tralbok¡¯s rare time skills, so I¡¯ll attempt making him a construct."


    "Wait," Jack spoke up with a raised eyebrow, "if time is rare, then howe--"


    "Time affinity is considered to beplex but its utility isn¡¯t as wondrous as you¡¯d believe," exined Daruun. "In certain moments or situations, time energy is the most practical energy without question. However, in most scenarios time is merely a beneficial energy type and not a dominant energy type.


    "If you used time skills over and over in battle, you can still be predictable. But if you save a time skill for the right moment after gaining an understanding of your opponent, then you¡¯ll create a killing opportunity. And sometimes time skills are the greatest healing skills, offeringplete recovery of somemonly-irreversible injuries. However, don¡¯t believe that something like time travel exists. Even if it did, it would more than likely create another unexpected scenario."


    Daruun gave an example, "If a man lost his wife to a cruel enemy, most would give up anything to reverse such a fate. But if such a man would gain the ability to traverse the timeline to the past or future to save their lost wife, how would he feel upon returning to his own time? He would gain none of the memories that he and his wife would have created from that previous point onward and be missing any knowledge that would have resulted from such a change. And what if saving his wife eventually led to his son being targeted instead, would that be a suitable and eptable exchange of fate? Either way, such a scenario would only cause more chaos and suffering if such a skill were even possible."


    "Oh... I guess you¡¯re right..." Depressed again, Jack¡¯s head drooped slightly.


    "Jack, you¡¯re plenty powerful. Don¡¯t get lost on your path searching for skills that neither exist nor are feasibly possible, let alone how they could negatively impact your life for the worse," mentioned Daruun. "But I¡¯m sure your wives can take you out of your little depression, so enjoy yourselves."


    Another dense spatial rift opened up behind the district leaders. Daruun waved his fingers and picked up the two men in the corner with histent energy, throwing them through the rift.


    "I look forward to your ascension!" Ss remarked, waving goodbye as he entered the rift.


    "Don¡¯t kill yourself, kid. Daruun would get pissed if he lost you too quickly," joked Gradsdum,ughing as he left.


    Dominus smiled, looking to his fellow Spectral Dragons. "Take the night off, enjoy yourselves. Maybe you¡¯ll get lucky and bear a child. The sooner the better!"


    Finally, Daruun waved as he and Dominus left along with Dominus¡¯s silent assistant, Eeole.


    The moment the rift closed, everyone heard the sound of shattering ss. They noticed Dragas begin to breathe heavily as she stood beside a broken vial. She had grown too excited with Dominus¡¯s mention of a child along with their final victory over the legendary gods. With her mind overtaken, Dragas grabbed Moranti by the back of his head and kissed him deeply. She m.o.a.ned, "Take me..."


    "With pleasure."


    Moranti immediately teleported him and his wife to their bedroom, wasting no time at all.


    "How about we take you to an empty courtyard?" Sterfen smiled at Skaryn and Kylon while he grabbed Lunara¡¯s hand and rubbed his thumb along her palm.

 Chapter 733 - Jacks Thoughts of the Future

    <h4>Chapter 733 - Jack''s Thoughts of the Future</h4>


    "We can better exin our rtionship along the way. They deserve to know that much, given how they¡¯re our wife and fiance."


    "W-what?!" Kylon stumbled her question. However, she felt Skaryn grab her hand tenderly and slide a ring on her finger. "Skaryn--"


    "Kylon, will you say no?"


    "I-I... But--"


    Skaryn then leaned in for a kiss silencing the dragon goddess. "You¡¯re always so confident and headstrong, but you¡¯re always so cute when you¡¯re confronted romantically..."


    "I¡¯m--"


    "You¡¯re beautiful," Skaryn continued, softly cing his hand on her belly, "and I¡¯m sure our child will be too. I look forward to raising all of our children together."


    "Y-yeah..." Kylon finally smiled, resting her hand atop Skaryn¡¯s on her belly. "I¡¯d like that..."


    Skaryn then cast silence around the two couples as they left the room. They could finally reveal Sterfen¡¯s identity but only to those closest to them in an effort to keep Sterfen¡¯s involvement in the Fate District as secret as possible.


    The next to rush out of the room was Jin, who dragged Tyres and Alcahain to the banquet hall for their duel and to drink the night away. Everyone dispersed, most seeking out the expensive booze at the party and some wanting to form connections with the foreign cosmicians and learn more about the void.


    Since Jack¡¯s second body was already enjoying the party along with one of Daruun¡¯s fifth body and the Sicabor twins, Jack offered himself to his wives. He promised them the rest of the week and gave them the ability to deny all others ess to him while Jack¡¯s second body would handle business. They dly stole him away and cleared their schedules, nning to never leave the courtyard and rarely the bedroom.


    *****


    Upon returning to Daruun¡¯s private office, the district leaders had handed off Halmut and Tralbok to some constructs for safekeeping. They still had a couple of things to discuss.


    "Ss, what should we assume?" Daruun asked, seeking guidance from his senior.


    Staring at the floor in thought, Ss replied, "Assume that he¡¯s still not ready... I¡¯d feel the same in his shoes."


    "But he could¡¯ve--"


    "Daruun, calm down. Your district will be fine. If anything, him leaving peacefully should mark Jewel¡¯s momentary retreat from the Fate District, not the district¡¯s imminent copse."


    Sighing, Daruun tried to calm his mind. "Ss... Thank you for convincing Garlok to escort me. Had Ie alone, I surely would¡¯ve lost my fifth body, or worse, Kartonia..."


    "Nah... He¡¯s not stupid, he only enves stupid through means of addiction," reasoned Ss. "He knows what we¡¯re capable of so he won¡¯t dare act so openly, not until his victory is guaranteed. Even if they outnumber us, there¡¯s still a slight chance we could win in the end or at least destroy each other as the end result."


    "How¡¯d you convince Garlok?" Gradsdum asked with a curious grin. "No matter how much we offer, he never agrees to anything."


    "I have my connections... Don¡¯t worry about it."


    "I¡¯m not worried, I¡¯m excited! Does that mean they¡¯re--"


    "No, Garlok and the Venators aren¡¯t secret allies nor should we expect them to join our battles for stocks or anypensation," stated Ss. "All I did was call in a favor, a one-time thing."


    "Riiight... A one-time thing..."


    "Either way, that favor saved me from recing one of my bodies while keeping Jack and Oli from being wiped out. That¡¯s a significant event that shouldn¡¯t be nced over. If there¡¯s something extra I can offer to you, Ss, then let me know. Also, please extend the same offer to Garlok."


    "Will do. For now, just don¡¯t sweat it and move on. If Garlok needs something from us, I¡¯ll be the first to hear about it. We¡¯ve got plenty of things to work on right now, so don¡¯t get distracted. Any news from your sixth body?"


    "No, there¡¯s nothing new to report,"mented Daruun. "I¡¯ll continue surveince and inform you the moment I discover which district they¡¯re targeting next."


    "Good, we¡¯ll need to act fast if we want to add that district to our side before Jewel takes it hostage."


    *****


    As the night went on, so did the party.


    Most everyone was still enjoying drinks and thepany of their new acquaintances. Daruun¡¯s fifth body had left long ago, returning to his necessary business, but that didn¡¯t stop the Sicabor twins from trying to get closer to Jack. Jack obliged them for a while and eventually took a break for some fresh air.


    Sitting on the rooftop of the guild¡¯s tallest building, Jack took in the view of the surrounding city. It was breathtaking. Yet Jack had begun to feel desensitized to the view, no longer finding it as awe-inspiring as it had been previously.


    "Coin for your thoughts?"


    Blinking, Jack looked to his side. He chuckled, "Can you always sneak up on people, or is it just because I¡¯m weak?"


    "Both,"ughed Oli, plopping down beside Jack. "What¡¯s on your mind? You seem disappointed."


    "A little... You know, I was the one who originally created this city, even the country. It started from nothing and looking at how it¡¯s grown up till now has always left me feeling aplished..."


    "Okay, so you can no longer stroke your ego with the view, big deal..."


    Shaking his head and chuckling, Jack continued, "That all started when I was on another. You said our worlds should¡¯ve been simr, so did you haveputers and videogames?"


    "Yeah."


    "Well, that¡¯s where I first came to know this world, through a screen. I only arrived here a thousand years after my in-game character built this ce... That¡¯s why it was always unbelievable to see this city with my own eyes."


    "Ohhh, that makes sense... So you¡¯re only slightly egotistical."


    "Nah, I¡¯m always egotistical,"ughed Jack. "I earned my ticket toe here by being egotistical, so I thought that was just the way to go."


    "At least you can admit it!"


    "... What about you? How did you get to a new world?"


    "I died."


    "You died? Like, you died and god--"


    "No, no, nothing like that," Oli corrected with augh.


    "Then it wasn¡¯t truck-kun?"


    "That... Anyway, in my first life, I was trying toplete an already expired dream, working day to day for no real reason... One thing led to another and I died young, but for some reason my soul drifted through the void. Eventually, I wound up being reborn on a new as a baby gori..."


    "A gori?!"


    Giving Jack a swift punch to the head, Oli chuckled, "Yes, a gori! But I love my family, so don¡¯t you dare joke about them."


    "Sorry, sorry..." Jack rubbed his head while containing hisughter.


    "Actually, maybe you should meet my sister," mentioned Oli. "Her bloodline¡¯s just as strong as mine and should be morepatible."


    "Really?! That would--"


    "Of course, that means you¡¯ll be taking her as a wife. That way--"


    "WHOA! Don¡¯t even mention that. I¡¯ve already got my hands full!"


    "What¡¯s wrong? Afraid to man up? Daruun has a wife for each of his bodies, something you could manage just fine," reasoned Oli, stillughing. "And you¡¯re one of the few people I¡¯d trust with her. You should be thanking me for being so generous!"


    "That¡¯s up to my wives, not me. I¡¯ve already promised them that..." sighed Oli, trying to change the topic.


    "Oh, that¡¯s it? I¡¯ll make sure to speak with them--"


    "Hey!"


    Jack never bothered to return to the party. He and Oli spent the rest of the night joking around and recounting each other¡¯s stories. It was rare to meet someoneing from simr isekai circ.u.mstances, let alone get to know each other as future partners of the Resolute Enterprise and be a future duo that would rock the void to the Core.

 Chapter 734 Bonus Quest: Infiltration

    Chapter 734 Bonus Quest: Infiltration


    "Anything unusual?"


    "Nah¡­ nothing on this side," a man replied, turning around. Spotting a man in simr gray and ck garb, he heaved a sigh of relief. "Time to switch?"


    But the neer shook his head and adjusted his ck coat. "Not yet. I came early to let you in on something. Guess what¡­"


    "Come on, you know I don''t like gossip¡­"


    "This isn''t gossip. They brought someone in on the north side," admitted the second man. "ording to the report, a man was found stark naked and on the brink of passing out from exhaustion."


    "What kind of crazy story is that?!"


    "It''s true! Here''s a copy of the report!"ughed the man, retrieving a folder from his storage ring. "It''s all there, so see for yourself!"


    "Give me that¡­ Seriously?!" The first man joined the second''sughter, flipping through the pages with more and more intrigue. "What kind of lunatic woulde to a vacant naked? How did they even make the journey?"


    "That''s why he''ll go through questioning," answered the second man. "They''ve got him hooked up to a drip until he regains consciousness, secured and bound of course. I just saw him myself!"


    "Well, I know what I''m doing during my break!" Chuckling, the first man scanned back over the file. "So he''s a two-star? Yet he arrived here naked? I get why they''re eager to question him."


    "What are you two doing?!"


    Both men abruptly straightened their backs and turned their attention to the open space in front of them, overlooking the vast, desertndscape from the security of their watchtower.


    "I asked, ''What are you two doing?!'' Are you going to answer, or should I file for insubordination?"


    "We were doing nothing, sir!" the men shouted in unison, not even daring to take their focus off of their outpost.


    "Good! Since #1402 showed up early, then #1398 can join the security detail in istion!" ordered a broad-shouldered man at the bottom of the tower. "Make haste! The prisoner is waking up and you''re needed immediately!"


    "Sir, yes, sir!" After a nod to his recement, the first man leaped down from the ten-meter tower andnded on the ground with a light thud. "I''m on my way!"


    The man had wanted to visit the new prisoner but not like this. Now, there was no break in sight for the rest of the day. Already, he began to hold a grudge against the naked, anonymous arrival.


    Jogging through the open area, the man rushed past the onlyke on the small, barren, which had been secured long ago. Then, the guard ran past the half dozen outlying buildings to enter the mainpound. The man weaved through the hall traffic effortlessly, going through the motions to locate the istion chambers. Soon, he reached the only active chamber, finding a fellow guard standing outside the door.


    "What took you so long, #1398?" asked the female guard, wearing a leaner, more feminine ck coat around her gray, form-fitting suit. "Hurry up and catch your breath before themanding officer shows up."


    "Thanks, #1256. I''m d someone''s happy to see me," joked the man, readjusting his coat and making sure his suit was in ordance with protocol.


    Secondster, the main door to the istion division opened wide. In walked a man with a silver suit and a ck coat with gold emblems on the shoulders.


    "Master Burja?!" the male guard blurted before immediately bowing with his fellow guard. "I didn''t know this matter was of such importance!"


    "Either way, it''s a good thing you two have arrived on time," replied Burja. "I expect you to be alert and at the ready in case things get hectic. Should it prove necessary, I''ll intervene. But otherwise, handle this with extreme care."


    "Of course, sir!" both guards shouted with pride.


    "Good. Then let''s wake up our guest." Burja chuckled, showing his sly grin.


    Burja wasn''t the strongest-looking man. He was of average height at best and his muscles couldn''t be described as defined. However, the energy and vitality behind the man''s eyes said more than enough to put him above the two-star guards. Despite hisck of hair, Burja''s confidence wasn''tcking at all as he took out the istion chamber''s key.


    After unlocking the istion chamber, both guards filed in with Burja enteringst. Burja then shut and locked the door behind him. Finally, he turned his full attention to the shabby cot in the corner, where a snoring manid, restrained in his birthday suit.


    Without warning, Burja covered his palm in cosmic energy and pped the slumbering man across the face. When that did nothing, Burja proceeded to backhand the man. "Wakey, wakey¡­ We''ve been great caretakers thus far, so why not take a moment to thank us?"


    "Uhhh¡­ But I didn''t order a wake-up call¡­" groaned the man, shaking his jaw and neck. He blinked, adjusting his eyes to the new setting and lighting. Taking a moment the man noticed the metal mps around his wrists, ankles, knees, elbows, waist, and torso. "And I''m naked¡­ Sorry, but I don''t swing that way."


    SLAP!


    "I see, a wise guy?" Burja chuckled.


    "Sorry, but I''m not a masochist either," the fully-revealed manughed in retort.


    "Then tell me, what are you?"


    "Me? I''m a human male that would prefer that you don''t perv on me while I''m restrained. Everyone''s got their thing but I believe in consent."


    SLAP!


    "I already told you, I''m not into that. If you''re trying to be weing, maybe some clothes would be useful," remarked the man.


    "Hmmm¡­ Does that not hurt? Am I supposed to hit harder?" Burja joked, adding static electricity to his open hand. SLAP! "Is that better? Perhaps you''ll be more cooperative now?"


    "How am I uncooperative? You''ve asked me one question and I''ve answered it!" shouted the man, ncing at the two guards on either side of him. "Really? Were the restraints not enough? A guy crashnds on a barren only to be rescued by a bald, pompous sadist who can afford bodyguards?"


    SLAP, SLAP!


    "Again with the pping¡­" sighed the man, moving his jaw as if he had an itch. "At least introduce yourself before asking me the same? Isn''t thatmon courtesy?"

 Chapter 735 Bonus Quest: Gather Intel

    Chapter 735 Bonus Quest: Gather Intel


    "Well, I''m sorry you haven''t realized it but you''re not being treated fairly at the moment. Unless we can confirm your identity and purpose for being here, we have no choice but to keep you restrained," responded Burja, showing his sly smile yet again. "Capeesh?"


    "Ohhh¡­ So I''m somewhere that''s not supposed to exist? Great¡­" sighed the captive man, rolling his eyes in disappointment.


    "At least you''re smart, though I''m not sure whether that will work to your benefit or your detriment."


    "Meaning?"


    Chuckling, Burja squinted his beady eyes, "If you''re smart enough to understand how unlucky you are, then you should understand what I meant."


    "Well¡­ I suppose you''re not looking for new recruits?"


    "That would depend on how cooperative you are during questioning."


    "Five square meals a day!" blurted the naked man, lifting his hand with all five fingers stretched out while his wrist didn''t budge against the restraints. "And a better bed! Something like this tin cot shouldn''t even exist."


    Burja, along with the two guards, broke out in furtherughter, "Is there anything else you''d like to demand?"


    "Well, since you''ve asked," replied the man, continuing, "I''ll need a map to know where I ended up and how I might be able to get back home after serving my time here."


    "And where is home, exactly?"


    "Home is where I''m from, duh," the man sighed, shaking his head like he was talking to an idiot. The man then looked at the male guard and asked, "Is there anyone else I can talk to, preferably someone that doesn''t need me to exin the basics?"


    SLAP, SLAP!


    "Then I''ll rephrase my question¡­" Burja snickered, "Where is it that youe from, this ce that you call home?"


    "Not from here, that''s for sure."


    SLAP, SLAP, SLAP!!


    "Perhaps I should ask you for a more cooperative captive," jested Burja, shaking his head at the naked man. "Or maybe I should have your precious bed taken away due to improper behavior?"


    "I have a bed?"


    SLAP!


    "What, you mean this b of metal?!" questioned the man, giving Burha a crazy stare. "You''re kidding, right? I''d sooner get a good night''s sleep hanging from the ceiling than byying on this cold hunk of steel. Go ahead, take it."


    The inquisitor stared at the prisoner, and the prisoner was unafraid to stare back. Seconds passed. Neither moved nor said a word as they examined the other''s determination.


    "You won''t talk?"


    "You won''t give me food?"


    "If you talk, then food can be arranged."


    "If you give me food, the talking can be arranged."


    "What''s your goal with these roundabout answers? From tone alone, I feel you''re merely dying what you imagine might be inevitable," stated Burja. "Am I wrong?"


    "That depends¡­ What''s inevitable?"


    "You tell me."


    Nodding slowly, the naked man turned his head from side to side with caution. He scanned over the guards before motioning with his head for Burja to get in close.


    "You wish to whisper?"


    Nodding emphatically, the man waved his hand up and down to draw Burja in closer.


    "Fine¡­" sighing, Burja nodded to both guards, who remained attentive, and leaned in closer. "So, what do you believe will inevitably happen now that you''ve arrived somewhere that shouldn''t exist?"


    "..." Blinking and hesitating, the naked man stared emotionlessly at the floor for a moment. But finally, he took a calming breath before putting a hand around his mouth to emphasize the secrecy. "... Do you offer vacation time for new hires?"


    SLAP, SIZZLE! SLAP, SIZZLE! SLAP, SIZZLE!!!


    "WHAT?! That''s a valid question!" argued the man, failing to rub his steaming cheeks while shackled.


    "Stop wasting time!" shouted Burja, readying another p with even more electricity. "Will you talk or simply spout nonsense?"


    The sound of sizzling human flesh continued. It was more than loud enough for the room''s security cameras to pick up, making it easy for those watching the footage to follow the conversation.


    "Wow. Burja''s having more trouble than expected."


    "Sir, I''m sure Burja is more than capable for this. Just give it some time and Burja will have the man chirping like a pitiful, cornered hatchling."


    Nodding, a man in a dark, dark purple jacket leaned forward toward the security monitors. He stroked the blonde, trimmed facial hair lining his jaw as he looked to the others in the room, letting his eyesnd on the man who spoke in return. "Be sure that''s what happens. I''ll be prepping for my daily training, so I would hope you can handle this without wasting my time."


    "Of course, sir," the man replied, saluting with one arm while he squarely put his other arm behind his back.


    "Good, see to it, Commander Jirah¡­"


    As the man in the dark purple jacket left the monitoring room, Commander Jirah turned and faced the men looking away from their monitors. He dropped the salute and proudly puffed out his chest, showing off the golden emblems on the shoulders of his ck jacket. "Men, inform the mess hall to line the prisoner''s food with mild poison. And be sure to give note to Burja of the matter upon delivery."


    "Sir, yes, sir!" shouted the half dozen guards. A female guard saluted and hastily left the room to fulfill themand.


    "Good. Master Nearon shouldn''t need to worry about this matter, even if it is peculiar¡­" sighed Jirah, turning his attention back to the monitors disying the electrifying interrogation.


    At the same time, someone watched from the shadows of the room. He was silent, undiscovered and undisturbed. His eyes were on the monitors disying the entire facility and its outlying buildings.


    ''Jack is handling things fine. There''s no need to worry.''


    ''Good, then where are we going next?''


    ncing at the map on the wall, the hidden man telepathically replied, ''Skaryn, continue to the third floor. But Nearon will be there soon, so be quick.''


    ''Will do, Perchet.''


    ''And me?''


    ''Sterfen, check the second floor. That''s where theboratory and archives are held.''


    ''Thanks.''


    Hiding among the shadows of the working men, Perchet continued to scan the monitors. His caution and poise were evident as he never missed a thing, whether it was visually through the monitors or audibly through his mastery of sound. Perchet alone was the perfect means of counter-surveince, silent and undetected while taking the enemy''s information for his own.

 Chapter 736 Bonus Quest: Devastation

    Chapter 736 Bonus Quest: Devastation


    Both invisible men sped through the open corridors. Sterfen was the first to arrive at his destination, rushing into theb floor without any trouble. Not a moment was wasted while Sterfen scanned over the various machines to find his target.


    After passing through a room will with microscopes and test tubes, Sterfen stopped at the whiteboards filled with chicken-scratch notes.


    ''... Nothing new¡­'' sighed Sterfen.


    Perchet quickly responded, ''Alright. Skaryn?''


    ''Just a moment¡­'' replied Skayrn.


    Despite his speed, he failed to fully inspect Nearon''s quarters before the master of the base had returned. Skaryn spied from the side as Nearon casually entered and passed him by.


    But Skaryn waspletely calm. His breathing hadn''t changed. He merely shifted his attention to the master of the base and what seemed most important to Nearon. At first, it was as expected with Nearon removing his coat and preparing a meditation cushion. Yet that gave Skaryn an idea.


    ''Perchet, how much longer should Jack be able to stall?'' Skaryn asked.


    ''I''d guess a few minutes. Eventually, he''ll be forced to act.''


    Nodding, Skaryn grinned slightly. ''Let me know if something changes.''


    Nearon only took a few moments to secure the door, change into more rxing clothes, and take a seat on his cushion. By the time a minute had passed, Nearon was already beginning his breathing exercises to clear his mind.


    Skaryn didn''t wait any longer, slowly approaching the silent man. He gently but swiftly squatted at Nearon''s side to test the man''s awareness. Another few seconds passed and Skaryn decided to try his n.


    The moment Nearon seemed rxed enough, Skaryn gingerly reached out for the man''s hand. His fingers halted and hovered over Nearon''s ring for a split second but soon touched down on the metal band. Smiling wider with each passing second, Skaryn finally showed an expression of excitement on his face.


    ''I''ve got everything we can possibly find.''


    ''Good, now get out.'' Perchet needed no response from either spy before informing their inside man. ''Jack, you''re ready to go.''


    "OKAY!!!"


    Staying his hand, Burja chuckled menacingly, "Oh? So you''re finally willing to talk? Is that all the willpower you have?"


    "Yes¡­" sighed Jack, disappointedly shaking his head. "I can''t¡­ take any more of this¡­"


    "Hmm¡­ And I was hoping to have some fun with you. But I suppose all of you lively ones are only bark and no bite." Shrugging, Burja leaned in close while keeping the electricity around his palms. "Now speak! Over I''ll consider ripping off a limb."


    "Fine, fine! But give me a moment to breathe¡­"


    The interrogator snickered but allowed his captive a moment to regather himself. His eyes sparkled with enthusiasm and child-like excitement to extract every bit of knowledge from his new ything. Burja was in no rush to break the man, not without savoring the captive''s despair first.


    Jack took in one long breath, one obviously longer than necessary. But Burja waited eagerly and asked nothing of the guards either. At least, not until he saw Jack''s pained expression be a jeering grin.


    "LEEEEEERRRRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOYYYY JEEEEEEENNNNKKKIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNSSS!!!"


    There was one other thing Burja noticed as Jack shouted. Suddenly, faint spatial energy washed over Jack, fading fast. But as the energy vanished, a set of metal, battle te armor surrounded Jack''s restrained body, covered in toxic green runes. With no time left, Burja couldn''t even blink in shock at theck of storage items on the captive. Before his eyelid could wipe across Burja''s eye, that unknown armor exploded along with Jack''s body.


    The ensuing shockwave pulverized the guards on standby. It decimated the cell and hallowed out the massive building. Burja survived the shockwave, but only barely. And that wasn''t even the worst part of the explosion. It was the following wave of raw, cosmic energy that burned everything that survived the shockwave, reducing the entire main facility to half-evaporated, molten g.


    "REPOOOOORRRRT!!!"


    A single shout followed after the violent explosion, immediately crossing the entire base. "ALL SURVIVORS! RETREAT TO THE WALLS!"


    Finally taking a deep breath to help refocus himself, Commander Jirah rxed his clenched, outstretched arms and dropped his energy barrier. He sighed and grimaced at the demolished building. The fast-actingmander didn''t listen to his own advice as he dashed toward the center of the explosion.


    Those at the outskirts of the building mostly survived, though with injuries galore. All guards rushed away from the explosion site. They let their superiors worry about the danger, epting the chance to best guarantee their safety.


    Jirah wasn''t the onlymander rushing to the source of the explosion. Half a dozenmanders had ventured into the remains.


    "FOOLS!!!" Another familiar voice echoed, stopping allmanders in their tracks. "GET BACK! DON''T BREATHE IN THE SMOKE!!!"


    It was Master Nearon''s exmation that helped themanders shake off thest of their shocked feelings. They instantly felt the pain of hundreds of needles piercing the inside of their nasal cavities. Everyone capable among the remains immediately retreated from the green smoke.


    "COMMANDERS! Search the facility for anyone you don''t recognize and kill them on the spot! MEN! Bring gas masks and search for survivors!"


    "Wow. You''re a lot calmer than I expected."


    "... Thanks¡­ I guess¡­" Nearon felt his saliva catch in his throat, forcing him to blink and turn his attention away from the chaos. "So, this isn''t just a bombing?"


    "Nope."


    With a quick scan of his surrounding area, Nearon sought out the man he was talking to. "Another raid? Like the others?"


    "Yup."


    "... Alright. Then I''ll make sure to respect my enemy properly," whispered Nearon. Breathing in through his nostrils, Nearon showed no concern for the poison stagnating the air. "Can I ask for my opponent''s name?"


    "Ha, ha! Look up!" That void shouted and alerted the entire facility, causing all heads to turn.


    Suddenly, something streaked through the sky and fell into the expanding, poisonous mists. It was ck and purple. It was at least five meters tall. It had both fur and draconic wings. But no one was able to get a good look. Nearon only recognized the intruder after they had crashed into the ground, forming a craterrge enough to fight in.


    "... You''re¡­ Oli? ¡­"


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