Ch. 111..120

Chapter 111

"Hurry up. Enter."

Daliea grabbed Jack’s arm and dragged him into her room. She quickly locked the door and dropped the illusion, revealing her true self. "What brings you here? Are you ready to give me your child?"

"HMMPH!" A spastic cough erupted from Jack, who wasn’t expecting such a welcome.

"Are you alright? Do you need something to drink?" asked Daliea.

"No, I’m fine. You just... you caught me off guard, that’s all." Jack straightened his and grew more serious-looking. "I’m here to ask for your help."

"My help? Or the help of my people?"

"Well, both actually. We know that more cetuses will be coming and possibly a cetus pride lord as well. With such a threat, we want to ask for your support. It will prove that you’re willing to be peaceable with Reinolt and can work together with them," explained Jack.

"So, that’s all?" asked Daliea, still maintaining her emotionless stare. "And if I refuse?"

"Why would you refuse?"

"Because you still haven’t agreed to help me, even when I’m offering you everything I own," rebutted the goblin queen. "You only delay and push off my advances. Don’t think I’m stupid, I understand your intentions."

"But--"

"But what? Am I not beautiful enough? Am I disgusting to you?" Some emotion was finally seen in her eyes, disappointment. She’s was mocking herself. "Without you, I can’t fulfill my promise to my people... my promise to my parents."

Jack tensed up. He was at a loss for words and didn’t dare trap himself with empty promises.

"You’re speechless? So I was right..."

"Queen--"

"Daliea! My name is Daliea." The shine in her eyes began to dull as she noticed Jack’s continued resistance to her advances. "Why not? I don’t understand..."

"Daliea... It’s not you, it’s me," said Jack.

"Really? And why’s that?" retorted Daliea with a note of anger in her voice.

"I’m already in a relationship, with Slivia."

"The prison girl?" Daliea blinked, looking less disappointed. "Really? That’s the only reason why?"

"Yes, that’s why," clarified Jack as he took a deep breath. "You’re actually very beautiful, especially for a goblin."

Daliea’s grey cheeks flushed red, showing that she wasn’t expecting Jack to speak so sweetly to her. "You... you really mean that?"

"Of course, you’re very beautiful. I’m just lucky to already be with Slivia," repeated Jack. He had to admit that even though Daliea was a goblin, she really was very attractive, and her tenderness toward him only added to the allure.

"So, will you help us?"

"Fine... We’ll help you and your association," answered Daliea. "But I’m not giving up on you. I’m determined to get your help. You’re the only one good enough for my children."

Jack buried his face in his palm, hiding the slight blush on his cheeks as he turned to the door. "Well, I’ve got to go. With everything going on, I’m needed elsewhere."

"One last question!"

Glancing back at her Jack asked, "What?"

"Why not have more than one woman?"

That question was like an atomic bomb in his mind. Unable to answer or get a word out, Jack coughed and fled the room.

As he exited, Daliea had a slight smile. "I do have a chance."

*****

Time passed slowly for everyone in the association building as everyone was waiting for the autopsy results to find possible weaknesses. The rumor was that more cetuses may come; that was the only way to explain the chief’s efforts.

Jack informed Zariff about Daliea’s cooperation and they decided to send Rydel with Daliea to gather goblin reinforcements. After that, he went back to the infirmary to lay down and rest.

As evening came there was a light knock at the door. Jack smiled, expecting Slivia to come back with Bowzer. "Come in!"

"Excuse me."

That solemn voice shocked Jack because he immediately recognized it, but it wasn’t anyone who should’ve been inside the association building.

"Are you surprised to see me, Jack? Am I not welcome?"

"Leo... I’m very surprised to see you," answered Jack. "What brings you here, and why did they let you in?"

The king smiled and took a seat. "Zariff is an old friend, believe it or not."

"Seems like I’m meeting a lot of his old friends lately."

"Are you talking about old Tomas? He’s a great asset and I’m glad he decided to side with you," said Leodoro. "As far as my reasons to be here, it was to learn the truth of what happened last night. Mind filling me in?"

"You’re telling me that no one has told you anything?" asked Jack sarcastically.

"Well, I already know that you all slaughtered over a dozen cetuses and got in a dispute with the court about who would keep the corpses. I’ve also learned that Tridon is now involved and I haven’t seen him so motivated in a long time."

"Then why are you here with me when you’ve already learned everything?"

Leodoro smiled and replied, "I’ve learned what happened the other night, but I’ve yet to learn about what we should be doing to prevent what comes next."

Jack squinted for a moment but quickly returned to normal.

Catching Jack’s small change in expression was enough to confirm his guess. "What do you think will happen next? Also, don’t tell me that nothing is coming when the entire building is rushing to prepare for something. I came to you because I think you’re the key to all of this."

Jack laughed, "Really? You think I’m the one pulling the strings? I haven’t been in this world for very long and you think I’ve got enough influence to affect the entire association."

"Yes."

The simple answer kept Jack from immediately replying. Jack thought for a moment and said, "What makes you think that I’m so important? If I am, you should’ve tried better to keep me earlier."

"I already told you, Jack, I had my reasons for not bringing you into the Royal Court. If those issues didn’t exist, I would’ve fought to keep you. But you should at least admit that you’re way too stubborn at times, though that doesn’t mean much coming from me."

"And why should I believe you?" asked Jack.

King Leodoro shook his head. "I can’t say, you already know that."

"Then have a nice day," said Jack as he motioned for the door.

The king didn’t move. He sat there in silence for a minute before he sighed and raised his hand. Golden energy spread throughout the room and disappeared within moments.

Recognizing the Silence spell, Jack was confused.

"What I’m about to say is for your ears only, not even the branch chief may know of this," stated the king. His glare was ice-cold, startling Jack. "Understood?"

Jack took a deep breath and nodded, letting the king keep speaking.

"Have you ever lived your life day-to-day knowing that each moment could be your last?"

"Umm..." Jack had no response. He could only imagine such a thing as horrible.

"That’s how I’ve been living for the past few months. Every since I investigated the death of my eldest son, I’ve uncovered far more than I ever should have. I know that my days are numbered if nothing changes and, according to my contacts, that number is far lower than I’d expected. I’m convinced that Arnole will make his move within the month and try to silence me forever. That way he’d have my son as a puppet who’s far easier to control," explained Leodoro.

"And what does that have to do with me?" asked Jack.

"Let me finish," King Leodoro added politely. "I’m coming to you as a desperate man trying to save his life and his people. If you don’t help me, I’m afraid for everyone living in the Reinolt Kingdom."

Jack flinched, blown away by how serious the king was with him. "That bad? The entire kingdom?"

"Yeah, that bad..."

"And you still won’t tell me who’s behind Arnole?" asked Jack. "I know you’re not afraid of him, but his backer, right?"

A nod from the king confirmed Jack’s suspicions, but the young hero continued to wait for the king to speak. Seeing Jack’s insistence, King Leodoro sighed, "How much do you know about the Chaos Syndicate?"

Jack froze. He wasn’t expecting such a powerful, secretive organization to appear within the king’s court. The most shocking thing was that the king had already lost his own influence over the kingdom; what a scary thought.

"You mean... he’s with the syndicate?" Another silent nod came from the king before Jack continued, "No wonder you’re desperate, and no wonder you won’t tell anyone... And you pushed me away from the Royal Court in order to keep me away from Arnole and the syndicate, right?"

"Right."

"That would explain a lot..." Jack’s mind was working overtime. He connected the dots between the original crown prince losing his life, Zariff’s fight with Yellow Jacket, and the Royal Court’s support of the goblins and trolls. Everything started to make sense. "How certain are you that he’s a member of the syndicate?"

"100% because he admitted it to me himself," stated Leodoro.

"That’s some confidence... How long do you think you have, Leo?"

"I’ve got a week left at most."

"A week!" Jack laughed, unable to process such an answer easily. He couldn’t help but connect the dots again, assuming that the syndicate had something to do with the cetus infestation. "If you’ve got a week, then reinforcements will never make it in time..."

 

Chapter 112

"If you’ve got a week, then reinforcements will never make it in time..."

Unknown to the king, Jack sent a telepathic message to Rydel. ’Hurry! The next wave could come at any minute!’

’What!? Are you serious?’ asked Rydel, who was flabbergasted by the sudden message.

’Yes, so hurry as fast as possible! Ask the queen if she can send a message to them instead so they can come ASAP!’

’But, what about their appearance? Anyone would be terrified to see so many goblins come at once,’ reasoned Rydel. ’Unless... You want me to talk with Byron and ask them to secure the area.’

’Not just that, I want to ask for the Balt Family’s support too. We need as many high-leveled warriors they can muster, immediately!’ added Jack.

’Really? Did something else happen? Should I be worried?’

’This cetus situation may involve the Royal Court more than I thought, and we need to prepare for the worst. I’ve got to go. If you need anything important, let me know.’ With that, Jack shook his head in disbelief and ended the conversation. He looked back at the king and noticed an intrigued look on the king’s face.

"What were you doing for the last minute? You weren’t responding to me, almost like you forgot I was here," asked Leodoro.

"Nothing, but I still have a couple of things to ask you," stated Jack. "I think I’ve reached the same conclusion as you, that the syndicate used you as a means to stir up trouble with the Adventurers Association, right?"

The king said nothing, he only smiled. Jack continued, "Do you know of any extra powerful people that recently entered the Royal Court, particularly people that you don’t know?"

"A few people have entered higherup positions, but I have no clue of their credentials or their past," answered King Leodoro. "Even I can’t read their levels though, so I’m certain that they’re strong."

"I was afraid of that... What will you be doing in the meantime?"

Leodoro laughed, "I’ll be here with you, of course."

"Huh?"

"I’ve already gotten your chief’s permission to stay here, so long as I participate when my strength is needed. I’ve even brought a few of my most trusted men. Only one of them is over lv. 30, but the other four are as strong as guard captains," explained Leodoro. "I only brought a few to avoid spies. I’ve already screened them on multiple occasions and they’ve all formed blood vows with me, guaranteeing their commitment."

"Wow, you’re more capable then I thought," commented Jack.

"What do you mean? I’m the king after all. If I weren’t capable I never would’ve kept the crown."

"Coming from the man who’s about to lose his kingdom and his life from the man he trusted most."

King Leodoro coughed, trying to overcome Jack’s deep-cutting jeer with ignorance. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Jack?"

"You’re lv. 35, right? I hope you’ll be ready at a moment’s notice. Also, what class are you?" asked Jack.

"I’m a sorcerer, like Arnole, but I specialize in lightning type spells," said the king with a wide grin.

"Oh." Jack smiled in return. "That’ll definitely come in handy with the cetuses. I’m glad to have your help, Leo."

The two of them bowed their heads with some newfound respect. Leodoro left and Jack assumed the king was on his way to the conference room to speak with Zariff.

Now that he was awake and Bowzer still hadn’t returned with Slivia, Jack turned more of his attention to his skill list.

The list wasn’t all that different from before, but a new skill caught his eye. ’Dual-wielding...’ Jack thought about the new skill. ’This makes things interesting.’

He was also surprised to see some new skill points added to his past total. Thanks to him reaching lv. 20, Slivia’s confession to him, and finding the hidden tomb, his fifty-three skill points became one hundred and three skill points. With everything about to happen, Jack understood that he needed to use those points as soon as possible.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Jack no longer hesitated to spend his skill points. It was difficult for him to decide what to do, either spend them on lots of skills or increase a couple of skills even higher.

In the end, three skills were boosted. Knives/daggers became lv. 2, Dual-wielding became lv. 2, and Physical Resistance became lv. 4. Now, both Jack and his inheritors could benefit from all three of them, and he felt mort confident to use his flame body with a sturdier body.

Having spent ninety skill points in one go, he closed his menu and took a deep breath. Jack felt exhausted. With so much happening at once, Jack was overwhelmed with responsibility and worry.

In the back of his head, Jack still felt a chill go down his spine, unable to forget the warm breath of the cetus that had almost ended his life. He had been hurt before and had laid his life on the line, but to be less than a second away from instant death was a feeling he couldn’t shake.

"Hello, can I come in?" A gentle knock came from the door and Maura’s calm voice caught Jack’s attention.

"Is it dinner time already?" joked Jack.

Maura walked in with a slight smile. "I’m glad you’re hungry. You’ll need your strength to heal properly."

"How have you been?"

Jack’s question caused Maura to hesitate when she placed the plate on the side table. "I’m alright, thanks for asking."

"What’s wrong? You’ve been acting strange lately," added Jack.

Maura bowed her head and started to leave. "Really, I’m fine. There’s no need to worry about me, just get better, okay?"

Sensing some of Maura’s old warmth again, Jack smiled. "Thanks, with your constant deliveries I’ll be good in no time."

"Excuse me." Maura quickly fled the room, not wanting Jack to see the touch of red in her cheeks.

With the fragrant aroma of beef stew, Jack took a big whiff and smiled. In a few minutes, the bowl was cleaned and there was no evidence of bread ever being on the plate.

’Now what?’ thought Jack.

*****

Back at the pier, three dozen men were stationed and busy rebuilding the docks. The dock house was empty and had no signs of life. Each of the soldiers had long faces as they talked while working.

"Did that really happen to the captain?"

"Of course, why would we lie! You missed the fight but you already know that the adventurers did everything, not the court."

"Yeah, and when the captain upheld the contract with the association, the other captains had him court-martialed."

"Mhm. I heard the captain became a normal soldier, like us. He’s probably stationed out of the capital now."

"No, I heard he quit and resigned before his sentence. He’s probably still in the city."

"Quit your yapping and keep working!" yelled the newly appointed captain. "That fool isn’t here anymore so quit wasting your breath with him. Hurry and finish the docks, or you won’t be sleeping till morning."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

The response wasn’t in perfect sync, showing the soldier’s reluctance to serve a new captain so suddenly for no good reason.

"Hmph!" The captain grunted and walked toward the dock house, his new home. He pulled out a key and inserted it into the front door. With a simple turn, it unlocked and he entered, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Finally! I’m finally a captain!" laughed the man, not caring if his new underlings heard him. "Now, I can finally do what I want in the city. Money, luxury, women... they’ll all be mine!"

As the soldiers groaned in displeasure at their appalling new captain, they finished a portion of the dock. They moved to the edge and started lining up new support beams with the lower docks.

"CRACK!"

A sudden thunderclap startled the men. They looked out into the distance and their faces paled. Those men who survived last night’s attack ran back at full speed.

"What’s wrong, what’s happening?" asked one of the newly assigned deckhands.

"Get back! As quick as you can, get back!"

Those shouts echoed through the pier and every stationed soldier abandoned their orders and retreated.

"What going on out there!" A shout came from the dock house balcony, but it didn’t stop the men from running. "Get back here! Those are orders"

"Crack! Crack! CRAACCKK!!"

More thunderclaps rang through the air as a tempest swept past the pier. In seconds, dark thunderclouds rolled over the pier and waves came crashing into the newly constructed docks. Before long, they were submerged as the water kept rising.

"What’s going on?! You, explain what’s happening!" ordered the captain, pointing at one of the older deckhands.

"It’s... It’s happening again!" yelled the man, his entire body trembling.

"What’s happening again? Explain!"

"Like yesterday, but worse. It’s happening again!" Not daring to stay there a second longer, the man ran into the city, abandoning his post.

More men ran away, not wanting to get caught up in the same slaughter as the night before. Then, there were more of them but they still couldn’t do a thing to such strong beasts. And, on top of that, the other captains had used deckhands as sacrifices and cannon fodder. None of them wanted anything to do with the Royal Court at that moment, scrambling to try and keep their lives.

A single deckhand dashed toward the dock house, surprising the new captain. "You, since you’re obedient, help me gather them up."

There’s was no response from the man, but he drew his sword and slashed through the corral, releasing the horses stationed at the pier.

"What are you doing?! What is the meaning of this?!"

The captain’s shouts fell of deaf deaf ears as the man mounted a horse and bolted into the city.

After five minutes of rushed riding and exhausting his horse, the man hopped off the horse. He stood in front of a well-known building, despite the structure’s plain looks. His fist pounded on the door and he yelled, "It’s happening! It’s already happening!"

 

Chapter 113

"It’s already happening!"

That phrase surprised everyone on the streets. No one had a clue what the man was talking about, yet he was so serious and acted like the news was urgent.

The front door to the Adventurers Association swung open. In a flash, the man was already inside and narrowly missed the first few drops of rain that rolled over the city at frightening speeds.

"Everyone, get ready!" Zariff yelled from the reception area, making sure that every single person in the building could hear him. The hulking man ran upstairs and entered the conference room. "Anything new?"

Around the large table sat a few lv. 30 adventurers who hadn’t gone far from the capital, as well as Jack, Maynard, and King Leodoro. A town map was laying across the table for everyone to see; there were a few portions highlighted and drawn on, showing some kind of half-baked plan or strategy.

"No, he hasn’t finished the autopsy quite yet. It’s taking him longer than he thought," answered Jack.

"So... Plan B?" asked Zariff.

Jack shook his head. "No, plan C. I’m not sure if the king should fight just yet. We can all guess that he’d be targeted. We have two objectives during this crisis: one is to save as many citizens as possible and two is to make sure the king survives by the end of it all."

"I’m surprised to see ya wanting to help the king so badly. Did something happen between ya?" Maynard spoke up, saying what most others were thinking.

There was no way Jack could mention the Chaos Syndicate just yet. According to what he’d heard from the king, Rydel, Maynard, Zariff, and everyone else, the Chaos Syndicate was a shadow organization that never acted publicly and never left a trace.

Once, a syndicate scheme was found and announced publicly in another country. The syndicate members managed to escape somehow and that nation’s capital was engulfed in flames and burned to the ground within three days.

Since then, the public hasn’t heard anything about the Chaos Syndicate, just the leaders who somehow get targeted or wrapped up in the syndicate’s schemes.

Though Jack didn’t want to directly face the Chaos Syndicate or force it to act rashly, he loved the thought of ruining the syndicate’s plans.

"Nothing, just trust me." Jack met Zariff’s gaze, showing his unwavering confidence.

The branch chief shrugged. "So be it. Just know that there will a lot of citizen casualties."

Jack opened his mouth but no words came out. He looked conflicted and unsure of himself after all.

"I’ll bear that weight and responsibility, so long as I’m living of course," added the king. "It’s all my fault anyway since I’m the one who let that monster of a man in my Royal Court."

The room was silent for a moment. Everyone stared at the young hero. Though they were all more experienced than him, Zariff has made this an official association assignment and chose Jack as the man in charge, with the king personally taking the role of co-leader as the man who ordered the assignment. So, whether they liked it or not, every other adventurer had to obey Jack’s orders.

"Leo, are you sure you want to do this?" Zariff asked the king, searching for any kind of hesitation.

"Yes, it has to be like this. I accept the blame for letting Arnole taint my Royal Court, but his reputation will suffer just as much, if not more than mine. As the strongest member of the Royal Court, he’s our champion. If the champion doesn’t act to save the people, then why would the people declare him the champion?" reasoned Leodoro.

"Then, until this blows over, we’ll have to tolerate each other a little longer," added Jack with a smile.

From the outside in, it didn’t look like the Adventurers Association was doing anything.

However, the north side of Reinolt City had begun to experience terror as it had never seen before. The pier was razed soon after the messenger had arrived at the association branch office.

Dozens of soldiers were rushing to the pier, but they were too late. They arrived to see a destroyed dock house and some tattered waterfront homes. The storm was still getting worse. The rain felt like small, icy pellets against the skin and thunder strikes covered the sky.

Over two dozen cetuses were running rampant through the north end of the city. Some were smaller than those of the first wave, which surprised the soldiers. There were ten that were the same as those from the first wave but there was one cetus that was larger and its scales were a deeper blue. No one had any clue how strong it was. It didn’t attack much, but it stood in the center like a general watching over his army.

"Men! Send word to the Adventurers Association immediately requesting full support!"

At the back of over two hundred soldiers, Captain Fronks comfortably yelled his orders. A horseman quickly left toward the association building, but no request was made for the magic guard.

Like before, Captain Fronks used the weakest men as cannon fodder to stall for time, not daring to get his own hands dirty or ask any of the other two captains at his side. One was Captain Prat and the other was the newly appointed captain from the dock house. He had run away under the cover of his men, showing them his cowardice.

"Captain Fronks, do you think they’ll come this time?" asked Captain Prat.

"Of course, they have a reputation to uphold. And that chief of theirs may act tough, but he’s too soft-hearted to not aid those civilians in trouble." Fronks spoke plainly, confident that the association would arrive soon.

Unbeknownst to him, King Leodoro had snuck out of the castle with a few men and he was one of the men call the shots for their current operation. Had Fronks known that the cold king was helping the association, he would never have come to the pier personally.

Another fifteen minutes passed, and two-thirds of the army had almost perished. The cetuses had turned their attention to the soldiers, leaving the houses alone for the time being.

"Where’s that bloody messenger! The association should be here by now!" yelled Fronks. He noticed that cetuses were trying to circle the remaining troops to keep any from fleeing. "Captains! Break the encirclement! Men, make an opening facing the city center!"

Silence. There was no response from any soldiers and no response from either of the other captains.

"That’s an order! Make way!"

Suddenly, the sound of hooves was heard in the distance. All the troops looked that way in search of hope. They know their captain had sent for the association, so they had some hope left after all.

As everyone was feeling the better and the morale was rising, the sight of a lone messenger riding his horse caused the mood to lower again.

The rider didn’t dare get too close to the circle of cetuses. Instead, he yelled to fulfill his duties as a messenger. "Captain Fronks! Until you bring an official work order contract, Branch Chief Zariff and the Adventurers Association will not act in tandem with the Royal Court!"

"HUH?!"

Everyone’s heartbeat skyrocketed as those words reach their ears. Captain Fronks was fuming mad, his face was redder than the ripest of tomatoes. Captain Prat’s lowered his head in disappointment and the newly appointed captain was terrified.

Fronks shouted at the top of his lungs, "What do you mean! How insolent! What were that coward’s exact words?"

Under his coat, the messenger held tightly to a small bag of gold. That gold was given to him as compensation for delivering a message to Fronks verbatim. The messenger took a deep breath and replied, ’In the chief’s words, "If the powerful Royal Court is so much stronger than the Adventurers Association, then why do you need us? Till I see a contract, that pestro can manure for all I care!’"

Every troop had given up at that point. Most of them couldn’t last a single strike against any of the cetuses, and now their only hope of survival was ruined by their captain’s relationship with the association.

They all knew what happened last time the cetuses arrived and Captain Datmut’s court-martial wasn’t kept secret either. It was obvious that Captain Fronks disliked and mistreated the Adventurers Association, and he wasn’t the only commanding officer to do so before. It was said that Arnole, the court chief officer, had done the same in times past.

Now, thanks to what they thought was only an unhealthy rivalry, those soldiers were enraged. They were disappointed in the association, but they were even angrier at the Royal Court for causing such tensions in the first place.

Fronks meant to yell back more orders, but the messenger hurried away before Fronks or any cetuses had much time to act. By the look of it, the messenger was headed for the king’s castle.

Captain Prat sighed, "This... This is a tragedy for the Royal Court."

 

Chapter 114

Screams filled the north side of the city. After over two hundred soldiers lost their lives to the cetuses, the beasts ravaged the nearby homes.

People began to flee south, spreading the word and searching for guards to protect them. The entire city was on alert within half an hour of the cetuses’ second appearance.

In the palace, a drenched soldier was following some of the castle guards further into the castle. They soon entered a room and closed the doors behind them. The messenger was surprised by what he saw.

Everyone in that room was wearing a purple robe or a cape, signifying their entrance in the Royal Court’s Magic Corps, their smallest and most powerful branch of the military.

"Speak."

Looking at the center of the room, the messenger instantly recognized Arnole. "Chief Officer Arnole, I’ve come to deliver some tragic news. Captains Fronks, Prat, and Tailor have perished along with three hundred men, including those that were already stationed at the docks."

Anole’s emotionless face didn’t change. It was clear to the messenger didn’t care about the captains’ lives.

"And what of the Adventurers Association? They didn’t join the fight?" asked Arnole.

"No, sir. They said that without an official work order contract they wouldn’t be participating in anything involving the Royal Court for the time being. At the moment, they’re busy with other assignments."

"Fine. Return to the association building and bring them this." Anole passed a paper along until it reached the messenger.

At first, the messenger was skeptical and unwilling to do so, but after seeing that a work order contract was already written up he had no right to refuse the order.

"Now hurry. The longer you take, the more lives are lost," stated Arnole.

"Yes, sir!"

The messenger ran off back to a fresh horse and left at top speed.

"Arnole, you really think it’ll be that easy?" asked a purple hooded man.

"Of course not, but this will stir things up for sure."

"Remember, not everything is so easy to predict," stated the man. "The fact that you called me here to help you is already suspicious. Are you not able to fulfill your assignment on your own?"

"You know I can, this just speeds up the whole process while helping to eliminate a thorn in my side. I’m sure you can understand that. I’m very grateful for your help and will make sure to pay you handsomely for the aid you provide, so don’t worry too much," explained Arnole.

"I hope you’re right." With the conversation over, the man calmly left the room.

Anole looked around at the others. "Everyone, there’s a change of plans. Get ready for battle, you’ll soon become the heroes who saved Reinolt City."

"Aye, aye, sir!"

The dozen or so men called back in unison before they all made their exit. They left to change from robes to armor, but they didn’t appear to be in a hurry.

At the association building, a knock was heard at the door. No response came so the messenger knocked again. After the third knock, the door was opened by the brawny branch chief.

"What now?"

Without delay, the messenger held up the official work order. "Here, I have brought by the official work order contract, signed by the chief officer himself, requesting the association’s aid during Reinolt City’s time of need."

"Sorry, no can do." Zariff’s response floored the messenger, but the messenger quickly saw Zariff hold up a different paper that was eerily similar to the one the messenger was holding. "We’re already under contract with the Royal Court, on a mission sanctioned by King Leodoro himself. Due to the secrecy and urgency of this assignment, we’re unable to accept further assignments for the time being."

"B-But--"

The door was promptly closed in the messenger’s shocked face. He was unsure of what to do next. Taking a moment to think, the messenger got back on his horse and hurried to the castle.

"Already under contract?" Arnole was surprised, but only for a moment. "This changes things slightly. You can go now, join the rest of the castle guards on their way to the north end of the city."

The messenger swallowed some saliva. "Y-yes, sir."

When the messenger was gone, Anole frowned. Magic Corps members were trickling back into the room, taking their sweet time to ready themselves.

"Hurry up! We’ve got to get moving!" ordered Arnole, surprising the corps members. They rushed themselves and returned to hear further orders. "It would seem that the king doesn’t wish for the association to join the protect the city, so it’s in our hands now."

Many corps members were shocked by that statement. The chief officer was speaking against both the king and the Adventurers Association?

"The castle guards are ready to leave and we’ll lead them into battle. Mount your horses, and save the city!"

"Aye, aye, sir!"

The men left immediately. Only Arnole and the purple hooded man was left behind. The hooded man laughed, "Interesting... Again, they act outside of your predictions."

Arnole scoffed, "It was within my predictions, I just had prepared that far in advance. It would seem that the king is forcing my hand. We’ll have to act sooner than I thought."

"Acting sooner is fine, what worries me is how you’ve been duped again. First, you let that king keep you from getting your hand on that summoned hero. It may not have seemed like much, but now that kid’s got a Hell-flame Fox with the association backing him. Also, the kid could be considered as your enemy."

Silent, Arnole listened to the man as he continued thinking out loud. "Second, you let him figure out your with the syndicate before you had complete control of the Royal Court. And now, when you decide to rush your plans to eliminate him, he’s forced you to change your plans even more and make an enemy of the association so soon. How do you plan to explain this to the others?"

"Shut up! With you here, we’re guaranteed to succeed, it would be impossible for them to defeat us!" retorted Arnole.

"And what about ’him?’"

Hesitant to reply, Arnole stated, "To be honest, I don’t think we should worry about "him." The last time the king ever spoke to "him" was long before I was assigned to Reinolt. According to the king, he never even saw the man’s face. What’s to say that he’s even in the country?"

"So, in other words, you have no clue who he is or where to find him?"

"Nonsense! We’ve planned it all and he’s as real as a fairytale in the Reinolt Kingdom. There have been many battles and wars since then, and he’s never shown his face since. Why would I waste time planning and chasing something that doesn’t exist anymore?" reasoned Arnole.

"Whatever, it’s your plan and your fault if you fail. Don’t come crying to me for protection if it all goes south, got it?" The man’s chilling gaze pierced Arnole’s confidence.

"Just be on standby. You’re the secret weapon, so be patient." Arnole, no longer wanting to continue the conversation, left and found his own horse. Soon, he left the kingdom, ready to receive more heroic accolades.

The cetuses had destroyed nearly 10% of the city by the time the castle guards and Magic Corps arrived on the scene. The castle guards were on the frontlines, corraling the beasts. From behind them, the strong sorcerers of the Magic Corps split up to pick off the cetuses one-by-one.

When they neared the stronger cetuses, the stronger members of the corps were forced to act. Most corps members were as strong as captains, but four of them were over lv. 30 and those men teamed up to pick off the stronger, larger cetuses.

At first, the largest cetus did nothing. It only watched the fights and analyzed the Magic Corps members. After most of the cetuses had been killed, the largest cetus finally moved.

Almost like it was on cue, Arnole was riding in on his horse and caught a glimpse of the large, deep-blue cetus.

"Men, don’t let a single cetus escape! Anyone who deals a killing blow to a cetus will be rewarded heavily. Oh, and leave that one to me," ordered Arnole, boosting the morale of his men.

He hopped off his horse and approached the large cetus. Recognizing a strong opponent, the cetus growled and began stepping toward Anole, sizing up its prey.

Seeing the cetus’ seriousness, Arnole activated his first spell. The wind blew around him and Arole felt lighter than air. His movements were swift and sharp, appearing to cut the air itself.

Without a word, the two attacked each other. The cetus’ brutal nature was apparent, always trying to tear Arnole’s body apart. However, Arnole was too quick and held the advantage throughout the fight, slowing chipping away the cetus’ health with his wind blades.

When the beast let out its last breath, the soldiers cheered. The weather started calming, slowly reverting back to normal. In moments, all civilians in the vicinity had run over to cheer for Arnole’s victory and the victory of the Royal Court. They were the heroes and the entire city was in an uproar to have such a strong champion.

 

Chapter 115

My the time the sun rose the next day, the people of Reinolt City heard all about their heroes and sang praises about the Magic Corps.

What surprised many was the rumor going around about the Adventurers Association. It was being said that the association refused to face the cetuses and allowed them to go rampant in the city. When the Royal Court asked for their assistance, the Adventurers Association denied their request.

Eventually, the Magic Corps were forced to act and save the city. Had it not been for them, the city would still be in peril. Or, had it not been for the Adventurers Association’s unwillingness to act, many lives would’ve been saved.

At midday, there was a gathering taking place in the town square. Hundreds of citizens were there, waiting to hear an announcement from the Royal Court regarding the cetus situation.

They didn’t have to wait too long to see rows of soldiers on horseback guiding a luxurious carriage, the same used by the king himself.

"Look, the king himself will make a statement!"

"It’s been a while since the king addressed us. It must be incredibly important."

"Shhh! Quiet down, I don’t want to wait any longer.

As the carriage came to a halt at the side of town square’s center platform, all eyes were on the man exiting it. He was young and had an air of supreme arrogance. A small crown was around his head. Behind him was another man, tall and slim with a majestic purple robe.

"The crown prince? And the chief officer?"

"Wait, where’s the king, that’s his carriage?"

While most everyone starting chatting anew, the crown prince and Arnole walked to center stage and stood before everyone. After a minute or so, the crowd finally quieted down and let them speak.

Arnole was the first to step forward and speak. "Citizens of Reinolt, we’ve gathered you all to inform you that Reinolt City is in a desperate state. If only the matters at hand weren’t so disastrous, it would’ve been a pleasure to speak to you all."

The crowd murmured, shocked to hear that they were in dire straits. This grabbed their attention even more, preparing them for some terrible news.

"You all know about the two incidents that have happened recently involving the cetus attacks. Sadly, we believe that it’s not yet over. There could be yet another attack any day now," explained Arnole. "Our only hope for survival is to all work together and gather the strongest of Reinolt City to fight the incoming cetus invasions. However, one of the strongest organizations in the city was refused to cooperate, even when presented an official work order contract."

Holding the contract up high for all to see, the crowd quickly realized that Arnole was talking about the Adventurers Association. But everyone was baffled by the sorcerer’s statement. The association refused to help when offered a contract?

"That’s not all," continued Arnole. "I’m certain you’re all wondering why we arrived in the king’s personal carriage, right? The truth of the matter is that the association is working in tandem with the king himself. Yesterday, when the second cetus attack was reported, the king ran off with a handful of bodyguards and holed himself up within the local branch of the Adventurers Association. They had refused to help you, the people of Reinolt City, due to the king’s selfish order to protect himself. How does that make you feel?"

That question incited anger in the hearts of many people. Some were confused and struggled to believe such a story.

"Is that the way a king should act? Is that how the proud Adventurers Association acts when people need their help? Can we trust such people with our lives?"

With every question Arnole added, the more fury the people felt in their hearts.

"Are you the people going to stand for this? I don’t think you should," reasoned Arnole, swaying the public opinion in his favor. "Here, we have the abandoned crown prince. When his father fled, the crown prince came to me, begging for the Magic Corps to step in and handle the situation. We struggled to believe that the reputable Adventurers Association would stoop so low, but the damage done to the city speaks for itself. Had the association acted when it was asked, countless lives would’ve been saved."

"Prince Leo, do you have something to say?" asked Arnole as he stepped back and gave the floor to his pupil.

The prince put on a frowning face, wracked with disappointment. "It’s sad but true. My father, King Leodoro, has fled from the castle and sought refuge from the storm in the Adventurers Association building. He also prevented the adventurers from saving you, and they agreed to his outrageous orders without question. You were all put at risk due to my father’s appalling behavior. For that, I’m deeply sorry and I hope you can forgive the Royal Court for my father’s faults."

Hearing the prince’s concerned, gentle tone softened the hearts of the people. They began to pity the prince, who was left behind by the cowardly king.

"From this point on, the Royal Court will increase the number of guards and soldiers we have on hand. We won’t dare to be ill-prepared when disaster strikes next. All those wanting to join us are welcome, given they can meet the minimum requirements and are willing to help better Reinolt."

"Also, I would like you all to know that for some time now I have been receiving instruction from our dedicate chief officer, Arnole himself. In the future, it’s our hope that I can surpass my master and better protect the Reinolt Kingdom."

"Thirdly, we shall be heading to the Adventurers Association after this. We will discuss the king’s morals and how my father should bear the responsibility of the tragedy that happened yesterday," stated the crown prince. "We sincerely hope that the Adventurers Association will cooperate with us and join us in our efforts to protect you. If not, however, we will be forced to discuss the dissolution of their Reinolt branch."

Gasps of shock spread throughout the crowd. The dissolution of the local branch of the Adventurers Association was a major event not only for the city but for the entire country. With the Adventurers Association no longer involved in the nation, the Reinolt Kingdom would need to drastically increase its military power to make up for its lost strength. It would even affect how the people of Reinolt hired out for different jobs because they would no longer be able to rely on the association.

"But don’t worry, that’s only the worst-case scenario," reasoned the crown prince. "We would hope that if such a thing were to happen, that we could convince many of the local members to join our military ranks. All rations, wages, and benefits of joining the Royal Court will be increased drastically! It’s our only way of guaranteeing your total safety."

Finishing his speech, Prince Leo stepped back with a bow to the crowd. Most everyone wanted to spread the news to those not attending the announcements, but Arnole stepped up once again.

"People of Reinolt, I have a suggestion I want to present to you all!"

Arnole gave everyone a moment to calm and better listen before he continued, "I’ve been working alongside the king for many years now, and it has been an absolute pleasure. However, as time passed, the king became more self-centered and less warm to his subjects. When was the last time he addressed you as a public? When was the last time he stepped forward to protect his people? Unlike the past, King Leodoro has grown greedy and seeks everything for himself, no longer keeping the people in his heart. I’ve witnessed this change for years and it’s broken my heart many times. I suggest we do what’s best for you, and that would be to pass the crown to Prince Leo."

Silence washed over the crowd. They were all too shocked to comprehend the significance of Arnole’s statement.

"With his noble heart and my teachings in sorcery, Prince Leo will lead us into a golden era! You won’t fear for your lives if a beast tide attacks the city. You won’t worry over the border wars with the Zuran Empire. You won’t face troubled times alone. He is the key to Reinolt’s future, and I believe that we should soon push to have him take the throne, regardless of what the selfish king says. What say you?" asked Arnole.

Again, the crowd was silent. The felt moved, but such a drastic change felt overwhelming.

"Yeah! No more fearing for our lives!"

A random yell sounded out. It wasn’t long, but it was the spark needed to ignite the crowd’s passion.

"We deserve more protection! Too many lives were lost already. Something has to change!"

"No running away! We serve the king to be protected, not to be sacrificed!"

As the crowd was growing more and more restless, Arnole and Prince Leo entered their carriage and started for the Adventurers Association.

 

Chapter 116

In the carriage, Prince Leo showed an evil smile. "That was too easy! People will believe anything, they’re so gullible!"

"A few paid voices is all it takes to incite a mob," added Arnole, keeping a now emotionless face. "You’ll stay in the carriage for now. Don’t come out no matter what, understood?"

"But master--"

"Understood!"

"Yes, master," sighed the crown prince, afraid to anger Arnole.

"Soon we’ll be at the association building. This will be the trickier part. If you join the discussion, there’s no telling what trouble you’ll cause after some simple taunting," said Arnole. "I’ll handle it all from here. You’ve just got to maintain your image, got it?"

"I will, master. I won’t let you down," answered Prince Leo.

The carriage stopped, putting a smile on Arnole’s face. "Now, it’s time..."

The sorcerer stepped out and approached the association building’s entrance. Finding it locked, he knocked gently first and then loudly after there was no reply.

"This is Arnole, the chief officer of the Royal Court! I’ve come in search of an audience with King Leodoro!"

A series of locks was unbolted and the front door opened, revealing a large, muscular man with a bald head and a black beard. "What do you want, Arnole?"

"Branch Chief Zariff, I’m seeking an audience with King Leodoro and yourself. May I come in?"

Zariff eyed the carriage and the guards around it. "You can come alone. Follow me."

Arnole was allowed entry before the door was shut and locked again. The two high-leveled men took the stairs to the conference room. No one was in there at the moment and all signs of their plans were no longer in the room. "Wait here, I’ll be back with Leo."

After a few minutes passed, Zariff walked back into the room. Behind him was King Leodoro and one other person, Jack.

"I don’t believe Jack’s presence is needed. He can be dismissed," stated Arnole.

"If you want to talk to me, then you’ll have to permit him joining the conversation," replied King Leodoro, making his stance clear.

"So be it," Arnole chuckled as the others took their seats. "How’re you liking your stay, your majesty?"

"Cut the crap Arnole, we already know about the announcements you’ve made," stated the king. "Why are you here? We don’t want to waste your valuable time."

"I came to escort the king back to his castle, do I need any other reason?"

"I’ve no duties at the moment waiting for me at the castle, therefore I’ll stay here a while longer," replied the king.

"Actually, you’re needed urgently. After everything that’s happened, you’re needed to help prepare your son, the crown prince, for the thrown. Also, I’m sure the people want to hear your reasoning for abandoning them during their hour of need yesterday."

"The Magic Corps was just as capable to act quickly, but you didn’t do so. I don’t see why the Adventurers Association has to bear the full blame," interjected Jack. "In my eyes, you’re just a hypocrite with a higher level that thinks he can walk all over anyone with a lower level than you. Am I wrong?"

Arnole’s smile widened until he began to laugh. Soon his laughter was uncontrollable and sporadic. It took a minute for him to calm down and reply. "Fine, since you want to talk that way."

The sorcerer raised his arm and cast silence over the room, keeping out nosey ears and erasing any means of recording their conversation.

"I’m guessing he’s informed you of how he’s lost control of his precious Royal Court. Having said that, you probably know that we also helped those goblins and trolls. That doesn’t matter and is too hard to convince the public, especially after what happened yesterday," explained Arnole. "I want the Reinolt branch of the Adventurers Association to dissolve and I need the king to return to the castle to soon pass on the crown to his son. Is that clear enough for you to understand?"

"Hmph!" Zariff grunted, showing an ugly face.

"Loud and clear," said Jack. "In other words, you want us to succumb to your demands without any resistance and hand the city over to your puppet dictator?"

Arnole chuckled, "That’s one way to put it, I guess. So, how about it?"

"No!" All three answered together.

"Think about it. Zariff will benefit from not being cooped up with paperwork and can get back to doing what he truly enjoys, the thrill of battle and adventure. King Leodoro will have a chance to retire from the throne if he agrees willingly, then he can enjoy the rest of his life however he pleases," reasoned Arnole. "And you, Jack, your future is boundless. If you joined us then you’d become the hero of a nation. I could help you grow at speeds you wouldn’t believe, and I can guarantee that you’d soon become the most powerful man in the region. What’s so bad about the offer?"

"The most powerful in the region, you say?" Jack scratched his head, appearing to think about it heavily. "If you can guarantee that, then how come you’re still stuck below lv. 40? That kind of power is too good to be true and probably has too many drawbacks. If not, you’d have already done it, am I right?"

"How very astute..." said Arnole. "Still, I think it’s more than the association has offered you. Besides, don’t you want the best benefits? That’s why you turned down that fool’s first offer."

Jack nodded. "You’re right, I chase benefits while I’m busy trying to grind and level up. Such is the way of the world. However, I’ve already received benefits that you or anyone else could ever offer me."

"I can guarantee that whatever the association offers, I can double, triple, or quadruple. With me, you’ll become a shining star in all of Kartonia."

With a shake of the head, Jack repeated his answer. "Thanks, but no thanks. I sincerely doubt that you can compete with what I’ve already got. Unless you’re willing to explain how you can provide such an outrageous guarantee?"

Arnole sighed, "You’re really turning me down? You’re turning down a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

"Yup."

"Are you sure?"

"Is there anything else you’d like to say, or shall the chief escort you back to the carriage?" asked Jack, no longer interested in the conversation.

"Tell you what, I’ll give you all three days. We’ll come back and talk things over once again," stated Arnole as he stood up from his seat. "And don’t go anywhere far. So long as you stay in the city, we’ll be able to talk peaceably in three days’ time. See you then!"

Having left the option open, Arnole left the room and the carriage quickly departed for the castle.

A few minutes passed and more people entered the conference room. Tridon and all adventurers over lv. 30, minus Rydel who left with the goblin queen, joined the three who had finished speaking with Arnole.

"So, what do ya think we should do, chief?" asked Maynard.

"Hmm... That’s a good question." Zariff stroked his beard. A moment of silence filled the room.

"Open the door, I’ve got your lunch!" A feminine voice came from the opposite of the door.

Maynard let Marisha in, who was carrying two large platters of meat and mashed potatoes, as well as a stack of plates. "I hope you didn’t start without me. Now that you can eat your fill, we can get down to business."

"Marisha, you don’t have to--"

"I’m lv. 31, so I’m more than qualified to join your discussion. Besides, maybe a woman’s opinion can help you in this case," said Marisha, sitting herself down beside her husband.

"Fine... Leo, give them an update!" groaned Zariff as his wife twisted sharply on his love handles.

"Very well. I’ll make it simple," stated the king. "Arnole and the Royal Court want the Reinolt branch of the Adventurers Association to be dissolved. He also probably hopes to rope in as many of you high-leveled adventurers as possible. He wants me to return to the castle immediately in order to quickly pass the throne to my idiot of a son. Also, he wishes for Jack to join him and offers promises that Halmut himself may not be able to fulfill."

As the king paused, Tridon leaned forward over the table. "And?"

"Obviously, we rejected everything. However, Arnole was determined for us to agree and has given us three days to think about it before he returns. Till then, we can’t leave the city without causing trouble with the Royal Court."

"So, in other words, he doesn’t think we have a backbone? And ya didn’t just throw the man out?" added Maynard while chopping down on some meat.

Jack sighed and stood up. "Just stick to the plan. So far, they haven’t done anything we haven’t planned for, so no need to change anything. I’ll contact Rydel and make sure he handles his part of the plan. We need to be ready in three days when they come back because we all know that Arnole won’t be alone next time."

 

Chapter 117

News spread like wildfire. The entire city soon knew that King Leodoro refused to return to the castle and the Adventurers Association wasn’t helpful by any means. In three days’ time, the city would get front row seats to a possible confrontation between the two strongest factions in Reinolt.

Those in the association didn’t act too worried. For them, the worst-case scenario was if they were forced to leave the city. They were only waiting for orders and never bothered to worry about the politics of Reinolt.

Jack was busier than most adventurers at the moment. His arm was no longer in a sling and his shoulder would be fully healed before the three days were up.

He decided to go for a walk. Many easily recognized him thanks to the young fox that accompanied him, but no one bothered him thanks to the tense situation within the capital.

His aimless wandering soon brought him to the center marketplace. The hero continued to meander past dozens of stalls, not giving them any attention besides an occasional glance.

Out of habit, Jack found himself outside of Zarris’ stand. There, he finally stopped. The stand was empty and the tent set up behind it was gone. All that was left as a small sign with some words scribbled on it.

"Gone for business."

Chuckling to himself, Jack stared at the empty stand. "Just when I was looking for some special items..."

Zariff had already acquired the ingredients to make seven boost potions with Zarris’ help. Zarris even took the liberty of crafting them himself in order to keep it a secret.

Jack was more astonished by Zarris every time they met up. The man always had the best items and even had peak-tier items and weapons. He always acted like a humble, old merchant that sold decent quality items for a decent price to the public. Few knew Zarris like Jack and Zariff now did.

With everything happening, Jack wanted Zarris’ incite on the situation and possibly ask for his help. Jack had guessed that he was quite powerful, at least over lv. 35. If he wasn’t at least that strong, it would’ve been impossible for Zarris to have found those soul-piercings.

A long sigh left Jack’s mouth. How unlucky, one of his only other powerful allies had taken a surprising leave.

The young hero started wandering again. Soon, he came to the north end of the city. A good portion of the north side was left in rubble and most people avoided the area. Some didn’t want to remember the recent tragedy or the frightening beasts that caused it. Also, a lot of families that called that place home were no longer living.

An ache filled Jack’s heart. It was difficult for him to shake the feeling that he was the cause of it all. He understood that the Magic Corps cared even less, hence their delay actions happening only after the Adventurers Association had denied helping, twice! But that still didn’t help.

"I’m sorry..." mumbled Jack, trying to clear his conscience. "This... This isn’t how a city should be run..."

Spacing out, Jack spent over half an hour pacing the streets of the north end. Losing track of time was easy during his trance of sorrow.

’Jack! Look!’

Bowzer’s cry shook Jack from the trance momentarily. His eyes looked forward. This place was easy for him to recognize.

Jack had reached the now nonexistent Reinolt Pier. Bloodstains were still dried and stuck within the crevices of the stone road. Marks of battle covered the area and reminded him of the hundreds of men who lost their lives, many of which had been sacrificed by Captain Fronks before Captain Fronks met his end by the cetuses.

What stood out, even more, was a lone figure. The man was very young, barely older than Jack. He was rummaging through the rubble of the dock house at the moment, treating each piece of rubble like a precious treasure as he cleared his path.

"Isn’t that..." Jack recognized the man.

Both of them stayed there for a time, neither speaking aloud to the other. Soon, the other man left the dock house and approached Jack, bowing before the young adventurer.

"Thank you! You saved my men before and I was unable to thank or repay you."

"No need to thank me, I was just doing the right thing," replied Jack. "Thanks for standing up for us that night and honoring the contract. It wasn’t much, but it at least proved that not all Royal Court captains are pestros. What’s your name?"

"Trevor. And your Jack, right?"

Jack pointed at Bowzer. "Yeah, kind of obvious, huh."

"If there’s anything I can do to help, please, don’t hesitate to ask me," said Trevor. "I’m a lv. 26 swordsman, trained by my old man," said Trevor as he patted his hand against the cutlass at his side.

"A cutlass... Like the one Tomas uses," commented Jack.

Trevor stared at Jack urgently at the mention of Tomas’ name. "Huh? You know my father? Do you know where I can find him?"

"Sure I do, he joined the association not long ago," explained Jack. "You didn’t know that? Where have you been the past couple of days?"

"Solitary confinement. I was court-martialed for acting against the wishes of a superior officer. After the trial and spending twenty-four hours in a cell, I was let loose. I only came out to find everything in an even worse state... To think that the Royal Court would turn against the Adventurers Association." Trevor began thinking out loud. "I refuse to believe that the Adventurers Association is at fault, especially considering the corruption within the Royal Court."

"Well, we could always use another strong set of hands. What do you say, want to join us like your old man?" asked Jack.

Trevor thought for a moment, heavily considering the weight of such a decision during the tense situation between the Royal Court and the Adventurers Association. "Let’s do it. Take me to the association building."

"Alright, let’s go." Leading the way, Jack pet Bowzer’s soft fur and looked back to Trevor, who kept his distance. "Are you afraid of him too? He won’t bite you, not unless I tell him to."

The joke lightened Trevor’s mood. Trevor stepped closer and looked more closely at Bowzer. "Can I... pet him?"

"Sure."

Bowzer nimbly leaped off of Jack and landed in Trevor’s arms, startling him. The friendly fox’s soft fur almost instantly melted Trevor’s coldness. As Bowzer rubbed his tail across Trevor’s neck, the former captain finally showed a small smile.

"If only you had more powerful beasts, like your Hell-flame Fox. Then, no one would bother you or the association," commented Trevor.

"Yeah, wouldn’t that be great," agreed Jack. Suddenly, a thought flashed through Jack’s head and hit him hard like a bolt of lightning. "If only we had more powerful beasts... Trevor, you’re a genius!"

"Uhh... What are you talking about?"

"Beasts! We need more powerful beasts! That the answer!" Jack grabbed Trevor’s shoulders, shouting in excitement. "If we had more powerful beasts then it would help tremendously!"

As if Jack had gone insane, he sprinted back to the association building, forcing Trevor to do the same in order to keep up. When they entered the building, Jack yelled, "Tridon! Where are you!"

"Huh! What’s the matter, boy?" A yell came from the bar. "What’s gotten into you?"

"Tridon, take me to your stables! And where’s Maynard and Zariff, they need to come too?"

"Fine, but let me finish my food first," said Tridon.

"No time!" Jack yanked on his arm, dragging Tridon away from the bar.

"Hey! Boy, stop your yapping!"

"Did you want to learn more about Bowzer or not? I can also answer any questions you have about ancient beasts," stated Jack, who wasn’t even looking at Tridon. He was too focused on finding Maynard and Zariff.

"Finally!" Tridon stood tall as newfound energy coursed through him. "Those two are in the conference room. Hurry and grab them, boy, then we’ll leave."

"Right! You go and prepare the covered wagon, we’ll need it!"

"What do you mean, boy?" asked the confused Tridon, but Jack was half-way across the room.

Then Jack saw Trevor again and remembered something. "Maura, he’s joining us. He’s Ol’ Tomas’ son. Please, give him a hand while I take your father elsewhere. Come on Bowzer!"

The fox hopped onto the reception desk and passed the startled Maura before reaching Jack on the other side. The two of them ran up the stairs as Trevor started the application process with Maura.

Jack bolted into the conference room. "Maynard! Old fart! Come, we’re going to Salendar Manor now!"

Both Maynard and Zariff wanted to ask Jack some questions, but he was gone faster than he arrived. The two adventurers shrugged and followed Jack, assuming it was urgent from the way Jack was acting.

Before they knew it, the four men were traveling with the covered wagon and on their way to the Salendar Manor as Jack finally explained his crazy idea.

 

Chapter 118

The tense atmosphere in Reinolt City only grew as time passed. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion for the citizens. They were too anxious to see an imminent confrontation between the Royal Court and the Adventurers Association.

Eventually, the three days’ time passed and little to nothing had happened around the association building. The only thing known to the public was the departure of a covered wagon from the association building, but it didn’t leave the city. Instead, it went deeper into the city center and entered the Salendar Manor. After spending a day there the covered wagon returned to the association building.

Everyone wondered what happened and what the wagon was hiding. When the Royal Court spies tried to inspect the wagon with magic, they were unable to learn anything. Clearly, the wagon was protected and no one was allowed to know what it contained.

As the sun passed noon on the third day, a crowd had surrounded the association building. It was waiting for the main event to begin.

However, the crowd had to wait even longer for anything to happen. It was near sunset and nothing had happened. People were losing patience. Some started to think that the Royal Court feared the association after all, and no one could blame them.

Then, the ground started to rumble. The sounds of horses trotting and armor clanging grew louder by the second. A large force of armored men was marching toward the crowd, which opened up and allowed them through.

"They’re here!"

"Look, they brought the remaining troops!"

"And there are all the new recruits!"

During the last few days, though the association was silent, the Royal Court was actively recruiting new blood for their forces, more than making up for their recent losses thanks to some bold promises made to the public.

"Behind them are the captains!"

"Are those the Magic Corps? How noble!"

The crowd was in awe of the military presence before them. They felt so proud! It was rare to see a military parade, let alone such a show of strength. Everyone understood that the Royal Court was showing off, hoping to stifle the association’s local branch with show alone.

Another ten minutes passed while the many rows of soldiers organized themselves around the association building. Arnole and the crown prince were riding on their stallions, trotting up the association’s front door.

"Your majesty! Zariff! It’s time to decide!" yelled Arnole. "Come, this doesn’t have to be a terrible thing. I can’t see why we should be enemies. Let’s work together to build up Reinolt as it should be."

No response came.

"I’ll give you till the count of ten to come out. One! Two! Three!"

Everyone’s breath was getting heavier with each number from Arnole’s mouth.

"Four!"

"Five!"

"Six!"

"Huh?" The front door slowly opened, startling the crowd and many soldiers. They expected to see King Leodoro or possibly Zariff, the Association Branch Chief. The young man in front of them surprised everyone. "What’s all the ruckus about? You want something?"

"Jack." Arnole showed a smile that wasn’t a smile. "So, are you ready to join us? We’re ecstatic to have such a promising new member. Though you’re under-leveled, we’ve prepared a captain’s position for you."

Shock spread through the crowd. A captain’s position? Was the Royal Court really able to snatch the Adventurers Association’s rising star?

"What are you talking about? I was eating dinner when I hear a dog barking outside, so I came to shoo him away. Here, take a steak for your trouble," stated Jack. A large, raw steak appeared in his hands as Jack threw toward Arnole. "Go on, get going."

"HUH?!"

All the people watching were dumbstruck. He called the chief officer a barking dog, he even threw him some meat? What’s going on?

Arnole laughed at the sudden development. "Come on, Jack. You know we only want to help you. What’s so bad about the Royal Court that you stand against us?"

"Nothing really, just you," quipped Jack without hesitation. "I hate that you hide behind the scenes and put on a face for everyone to see, yet you never reveal how cruel you really are. How would the public act if they knew the real Arnole, if that’s your real name?"

Almost everyone was confused by Jack’s words. Only a handful of people seemed to be unaffected. The crown prince just scoffed, finding Jack amusing. The man in a purple hood snickered with an evil smile as if he wanted Jack to keep talking.

Arnole was straight-faced, like always, but underneath he was cautious, very cautious. Jack’s last sentence meant far more than anyone would’ve guessed. The chief officer started to wonder if Jack knew about his background, the Choas Syndicate. If he did, things were going to be messier than he wanted.

"Jack, what are you talking about? I’m a public servant and the champion of the Royal Court. I only exist to serve the people and protect them," reasoned Arnole, trying to keep the public on his side.

"Really? Then let me just say one thing." A wry smile appeared on Jack’s face. "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower’s birth!"

Out of nowhere, dark clouds formed over the association building, but there was no lightning. They grew darker and darker, looking more fearsome than thunderclouds.

Jack continued chanting, oblivious to the changes taking place around him. "As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let--"

"SILENCE!" Arnole’s face stiffened and was fuming red. A powerful wind blade flew from his hands, pressuring Jack and trying to silence him for good.

"Clang!"

The wind blade was torn apart by a blood-red katana. A samurai in a white and red kimono appeared beside Jack. At the same time, the clouds dispersed as quickly as they appeared.

"What’s wrong? I wasn’t done with what I had to say?" asked Jack as if he had done nothing wrong.

"DEMON!" shouted Arnole, sending fear into the crowd. "You’re no hero! You’re a demon who was summoned from the underworld, not a hero summoned from the heavens! You’ve fooled us for long enough, but no more. Men, destroy the demon!"

Though they were confused, the soldiers stepped forward. Seeing the sudden dark clouds appear during Jack’s chant was enough to convince them since the words came from their chief officer.

"Fools!" Sudden cracks of thunder sounded out and another figure appeared beside Jack with tiny bolts of lightning passing over his body.

"It’s the king!" The crowd was more surprised with every line spoken. Arnole’s sudden attack was startling enough, but seeing the king appear in such a domineering fashion was even more shocking.

King Leodoro rarely appeared in the public eye and the few times he did was for ceremonial reasons. The people of Reinolt had nearly forgotten that their king was also a powerful sorcerer with terrifying lightning powers.

"Arnole, why are you attacking him without reason? He’s the summoned hero of Reinolt and he’s soon to be a beacon to the world. He’s the pride of the kingdom, so, why are you trying to kill him so suddenly?" asked the king.

His words began swaying the fickle hearts of the people. They already knew that Jack had a Hell-flame Fox and had caught it in order to protect the capital. He had never been a threat to anyone before. Also, why did it seem like Arnole, the powerful chief officer of the Royal Court, was afraid of the young hero?

"He’s a demon; you heard his demonic chant and saw the terrifying storm clouds. If you let him keep living, then it’s only a matter of time till he proves it," reasoned Arnole.

"So, let me get this straight," said Jack, scratching his head. "You want to convict me of a crime worth death, assuming that I’ll commit the said crime in the near future? That’s like saying I’m strong so at some point in my life I’ll bully someone, whether they deserve it or not. So, since you’re the most powerful person in the kingdom, shouldn’t we kill you because someday you’ll threaten the crown and become a traitor?"

Arnole was silent, he didn’t dare reply or continue that conversation.

"Oh, so now that you can’t think of a better reason you keep quiet? Just shut up and let me finish what I need to say," laughed Jack. "By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon--"

Another three blades of wind were launched at Jack, but none of them reached him thanks to Maynard and Leodoro.

"What? Why are you attacking me, spit it out!"

"Shut up, demon!" yelled Arnole. "Men, work together and kill him! Slaughter anyone who dares protect him without mercy!"

"Why so flustered Arny?"

Just when the soldiers were about to take another step, a booming voice spread through the crowd and the ground trembled. A third figure had somehow landed heavily in front of Jack. His muscular physique was well-known across Reinolt and he was the only man known to dare call the chief officer, "Arny."

"It’s him! He finally showed up, it’s Zariff!"

"The strongest warrior and the strongest sorcerer... What will happen?" The crowd couldn’t help but wonder.

 

Chapter 119

"Why so flustered, Arny?" joked Zariff. "Let him do what he needs to do."

"I won’t let him summon more demonic energy!" yelled Arnole. "Men, attack now! Magic Corps, step forward!"

"Everyone, stand your ground! We haven’t done anything and we are no threat. Why are you forcing things, Arnole? Do you think the people are stupid and can’t understand how desperate you’re acting?" stated King Leodoro.

Arnole didn’t say anything else. He jumped into action as the wind to go crazy around him. Blades of wind fell continuously to Jack.

Not waiting, Zariff and King Leodoro both stepped forward. As a tag team, they proved more than capable to hold off the enraged Arnole.

As the first wave of soldiers dashed for Jack, Maynard remained in front of the hero. He shouted to the incoming enemies, "Step forward and ya will die. My sword is for killing, not mercy."

Some people hesitated and halted their advance. Most, however, disregarded those words as an empty threat. They thought too much about their advantage in numbers.

"Bloody Massacre." A soft whisper left Maynard’s mouth, but all the surrounding soldiers still heard it clearly. Just then, a red light streaked through soldiers’ charge, quicker than lightning. Before they could grasp what happened, each of the soldiers that kept attacking fell to the ground. First, their chests fell and then their legs, due to the red light cutting them all in half.

"A warned ya. I don’t enjoy killing, but if ya force my blade, that’s all it knows."

Chills ran down each of the regular soldiers’ backs as they broke out in a cold sweat. Such confident words were bone-chilling. None of the regular soldiers dared to approach Maynard.

"Fools! Magic Corps, handle the lv. 30’s and kill the demon where he stands!" ordered Arnole. At the moment, he wanted nothing more than to kill Jack where he stood. Jack had warned him that he knew the truth, and when Arnole pushed further, Jack proved capable of ruining everything he had done. Arnole wondered how Jack could ever know that incantation!

The soldiers stepped back for a moment as the Magic Corps bombarded Maynard with all kinds of sorcery.

But as the Magic Corps entered the battle, more adventurers charged in as well. Some people in the crowd recognized some faces, two, in particular, stood out in the new group.

"Wait, that’s the old Captain Darmut! The Champion of the sea!"

"If that’s the old champion, then that has to be his son, Trevor Darmut, the youngest captain in the city!"

"But why are they with the association and not the Royal Court?"

"Didn’t you know? The young captain stood up for the association and was court-martialed. I guess he and his father prefer the association to the current Royal Court."

The crowd’s banter meant nothing to those on the battlefield. For the time being, the fight appeared to be even. Neither side held the advantage and the adventurers focused on defense as if they were stalling.

"By the fire in hell and the chaos in the earth, I call upon thy power to show me thy follower’s birth!"

Some familiar words started to ring in people’s ears and the frightening black clouds reappeared. Arnole showed signs of panic. The hooded man’s smile just grew wider with each word.

Jack was now sitting cross-legged in front of the association building. He paid no attention to the battlefield and focused solely on the ritual he was performing, showing complete trust in his allies.

"As turmoil and blood wash the world over, let my blood guide thy signs as they crossover!"

"Slash!" To the shock of the crowd, they saw Jack cut himself, starting from his palm to the bottom of his forearm. Blood was falling down his right arm in a frenzy.

Just when everyone thought Jack had gone insane, Jack started drawing a circle with his blood.

"STOP HIM!!" Arnole pushed himself as hard as he could, but the tag-team of Zariff rock-hard bodily defenses and Leodoro’s electrifying offense was not easy to overcome.

Finally, a handful of soldiers rushed to Jack. When the adventurers pushed to block one, the man vanished and reappeared behind the adventurer. He had an opening to kill the adventurer, but he didn’t take and kept running to Jack.

The same thing happened with three other soldiers, startling the adventurers. No one was able to stop them. It seemed like it was only a matter of time until they would reach Jack.

Maynard activated his Sudden Death skill and reappeared elsewhere, successfully blocking two of the four assailants. Sadly, no one else was able to stop the remaining two.

Unaffected by the battle, Jack had finished drawing his blood circle and was writing some strange, archaic symbols within it.

The first of the two men to reach Jack lunged with full force. Just when he was a meter away, a glowing cutlass pierced forward, nearly killing the man in a single strike. Pushed back and unable to reach Jack, the soldier started facing Tomas head-on.

The final man was attacked by Trevor, but he decided to receive the attack in order to reach Jack as soon as possible. Had it been Tomas or Maynard, he wouldn’t dare take the blow, but he was lucky that only Trevor attacked him. That was his last thought before he fell dead.

"Thud!"

Of the four soldiers that broke through the adventurers’ defenses, the only one who was killed, let alone injured, was the one facing the lv. 26 swordsman.

The other three were shaken. While defending themselves, they sneaked a glance at there fallen comrade. When they saw only a superficial sword wound they were confused, at least until they noticed the arrow lodged in his head.

Arnole was stunned. How could they fail, they were so close?! Looking for the source of the arrow, soldiers weren’t able to find a culprit. Only after they looked beyond the soldiers’ encirclement and into the crowd did they see a man holding a bow, and another arrow was nocked and ready.

"Rydel!" Arnole and the captains instantly recognized the hunter in the crowd.

"Go!"

Suddenly, nine other figures rushed out of the crowd. Four brandished knives and blades as they carved their way into the soldier’s encirclement. Three pulled out swords as they hacked any soldier who dared stop them. One brandished a pair of brass knuckles as he pummeled his way toward the adventurers.

The last one stood just outside of the crowd, like Rydel. They wore a hood over their head, but it wasn’t able to cover the glow in their eyes. Both arms rose as fire formed around their palms before it blasted into the soldiers.

"Aaaahhh!!"

Cries of pain and agony filled the air. Suddenly, just when the soldiers had appeared to turn the tide of battle, the adventurers’ hidden forces started a slaughter.

Jack continued to draw with his blood. His face was pale and he was visibly trembling from blood loss, but his determination was immovable.

Soon the final symbol was drawn and Jack let out a huge sigh. Pure, healing energy encompassed Jack. That was when everyone noticed the cleric through the window of the association building.

"Skaryn, reveal thy intent and let the world behold thy servant’s work!"

"Crack! CRACK!"

Thunderclaps finally appeared in the air as the blood circle began to glow for all to see. It took a moment for the crowd to look away from the blood glow but their attention was quickly grabbed by the lightning in the sky.

"What... What is that?!"

Everyone froze where they stood, including most of the soldiers. They were in a trance as pitch-black lightning started to crawl and coil in the dark clouds. The air was tinted black as the black static energy filled the area.

"STOP HIIIM!!!" belted Arnole. He was fed up and veins were bulging on his neck. No matter what he did, he couldn’t break free from his opponents.

Seeing that Jack was finally about to succeed, Arnole desperately launched himself toward Jack.

Leodoro and Zariff saw his fiendish expression and immediately tried to stop him. Zariff swung his crude war axe at full strength, but he was amazed to see Arnole take the attack without a single block.

The king also launched an overwhelming attack, trying to fry Arnole alive. Like Zariff, Leodoro was astonished to see Arnole let the lightning strike his body directly as the crazed sorcerer found an opening to attack Jack.

"DIE!"

A gigantic blade of wind was created and thrown at Jack. No one was able to stop that attack, not even Zariff or Leodoro.

"Thy deeds shan’t remain hidden..." Jack tried to quickly finish the incantation and activate the ritual, but the sharp wind was already crashing against his body.

"And they hands..."

Pained groans were leaving Jack’s mouth as he forced the words out of his collapsing lungs.

Some adventurers hurried to Jack, trying to take the attack in his place. But how could they be as fast as one of Arnole’s most powerful killing spells? They couldn’t even keep up with their eyes.

Jack shut his eyes, making sure to finish the chant with his dying breath. Before he knew it, the tip of the wind blade had entered his chest as he yelled the final words.

"Shan’t go berserk!"

 

Chapter 120

"Shan’t go berserk!"

The final words of the incantation rang through the air as loud as thunderclaps. Everyone covered their ears and stopped fighting.

"Shan’t go berserk... Shan’t go berserk... CRACK!!!"

As the echo continued it was quickly replaced by lightning and thunder. The extremely chaotic lightning sent shivers down everyone’s spines. They were are enthralled by the lightning’s explosiveness and unruliness.

Without warning, a strand of black lightning descended on to the battlefield. Before anyone had a chance to escape the lightning’s wrath, another five bolts of black lightning rained down one-by-one.

Normal lightning would be terrifying of any of the soldiers wearing armor or the packed battlefield, wounding or killing many people with each bolt. The black lightning felt far more terrifying! Yet, the stray black lightning caused them no damage whatsoever. In fact, it surprised the soldiers and the adventurers alike to see six people targeted by those strands of lightning.

"What’s happening?!"

The crowd was in awe. They all assumed that Jack was trying to summon a powerful being or cast a strong lightning spell that none of them had heard of. Seeing everything unfold so strangely, the crowd could only watch and wait to understand what was really going on.

Once the first person was struck and the lightning kept pouring down on the same people, everyone knew that something was off. That person wasn’t yelling in pain or agony, he just looked enraged and humiliated.

It was shockingly one of the four soldiers that had broken through the adventurers’ defenses. Then, everyone noticed that all four of those strong, unknown soldiers were bathing in the black lightning, and all of them were furious.

The fifth target’s identity was obviously Arnole, but the crowd was stunned seeing the man they always adored bathing in black lightning, looking particularly angry at everyone around him.

Target number six was the man in a purple hood, who had only remained on the sidelines of the battle thus far. However, there was no anger or madness on his face, only a toothy grin.

"How dare you?!" yelled Arnole, trying his best to grab people’s attention from the situation, but it was too late.

As the black lightning danced over its targets’ bodies, their appearances started changing. When the crowd noticed that Arnole, the proud chief officer of the Royal Court, now showed his true pale white skin and sunken eyes, they trembled.

"How evil..."

"Is that... Is that really the chief officer?"

"No way... Wha-what’s going on?!"

Citizens and soldiers alike were shaking in fear at the sight before them. All of those six people had their true appearances revealed and it was clear to everyone that they all were evil by some means. A single look into their eyes could reveal their true natures; cruel, unforgiving, merciless, evil.

"So that’s the real Arny..." Zariff was watching Arnole closely. He was warned by Jack that this would happen, so it’s not too shocking, but Arnole’s natural evilness was shocking enough on its own.

"Finally, they will know that truth." King Leodoro’s shoulders felt a thousand times lighter. He no longer had to keep quiet about his biggest, most threatening secret. Now the world would know the truth, and he could feel at ease for the moment.

"The man you see before you is the real Arnole!" shouted the king. His words engraved themselves into people’s minds with the aid of Arnole’s shocking transformation. "He and the secret men he’s planted have always been working for someone else, someone so frightening that even I, your king, was unable to do anything alone without fearing for my life. Now you all know that your former chief officer was actually a member of the Chaos Syndicate, sent here to bring ruin and destruction to you all!"

"Chaos Syndicate..."

That name rang in everyone’s ears over and over again. Everyone watching was breathing heavy. Such a reveal was unbelievable and too much to take in. Had it not been for the lightning and the men’s evil transformation, then no one would ever believe the king. But now they had no choice.

"SHUT UP!"

Arnole’s shout was grating on the ear. It was cold and the bloodlust in his voice was obvious to everyone.

"You weaklings! I’m amazed that you were able to do this much, but that just proved how stupid you are, Leo! You knew and you still dared reveal everything, publicly even! Now, you’ve shared your demise with the entire city, great job!"

"HA! HA! HA!"

Hideous laughter rang out, stupifying everyone, including Arnole. The ex-chief officer looked back at the hood man. "What’s so funny?"

"You are," answered the man, slowly calming his laugh. "After everything you’ve done and you’ve prepared, you still only amounted to this much. I thought you would at least kill the brat hero before this point, but even a kid has outsmarted you and destroyed your plans."

Arnole’s cruel smile faded and fear crept onto his face.

The hooded man continued. "You begged for my help and now, you won’t even be able to repay me like you had promised."

"I’ll definitely repay you, we only need to destroy them first. After that, then I can--"

"Then you can what? Beg for another high up job? I’ve got clear orders on what to do with you when you were to fail," chuckled the man. "You are right about destroying the city, but who said you were needed to make that happen?"

"No..." Arnole activated the wind around him, effectively boosting his speed to the max. He flew, rushing away to escape the man’s power.

"How can you run from what’s inside you?"

"No... No... NO!!"

Just when Arnole was about to leave everyone’s vision and escape, his body became black and exploded into a puff of smoke and ash.

All eyes were on that black cloud, freezing some people’s bones by the sight alone. Arnole, the strongest in Reinolt... died... that easily? If he was so easy for that man to kill, then what would he do to the rest of them and the city?"

The hooded man laughed, "I’ve been waiting too long to see that man perish, and it felt so much better since I was the one who caused it."

Those other four men hurried back to the hooded man’s side, unfazed by Arnole’s death. They kept their cold faces, which appeared even more even than Arnole’s.

"Stall as many adventurers as you can, in particular, that brat hero, the chief, and the king," stated the hooded man. "I’ll handle the rest."

A black staff appeared in the man’s hands. It looked like a wilting branch from a strong tree. It then glowed black-bluish color.

Suddenly, storm clouds dashed across the skies and hovered over the city. Sheets of rain came pouring down together with lightning throughout the entire city.

"ROOOOOAAAAARRR!!!"

A deafening roar spread through the city and caused everyone’s brains to rattle inside their heads.

"The pride lord..." All of the adventurers had only one thing in mind after they heard that roar.

"Men! The hour of judgment may have arrived," yelled Zariff. "How about we show them how wrong they are and show the heavens that we can’t be killed so easily!"

"YEAH!!"

A resounding battle cry came from the adventurers. Some soldiers also joined in, naturally wanting to stay true to their position and defend the city at all costs, even their lives.

King Leodoro also addressed his men, "Soldiers! None of this is your fault, and none of you will feel the repercussions of the decisions of your superiors. However, now is the time to fight! Everyone over lv. 20, rush to the north and stall the incoming cetuses!"

"Cetuses?" The crowd had no clue what was happening or how the cetus attacks were a part of all this.

"Anyone over lv. 25 will be in charge of the stronger cetuses. Men, let’s move out!" A bolt of lightning rained down on King Leodoro, but instead of damaging him he let the energy dance around him and stimulate his strength. In a flash, he dashed into the sky, heading straight for the pier.

The few men he brought and the soldiers followed his example and left at full speed to stop toward the north end.

"They must want to die quickly," joked the hooded man. "Let them go and face the beasts. In time they’ll be overrun and we can kill them after finishing here. Attack!"

"Careful! All four of them are either lv. 34 or lv. 36, and the boss’s true power is lv. 42!" Rydel’s shout warned them all, letting the weaker adventurers step back to avoid unnecessary casualties.

Understanding the meaning behind Rydel’s words, Zariff, Maynard, and Tomas all retrieved a sparkling blue potion from their storages and drank them like a shot of their favorite brundy.

"AAAAGGGHH!"

All three of them yelled as their veins bulged and their strength rocketed, immediately letting them gain five levels worth of strength.

The hooded man’s smile disappeared. He then realized that they had even prepared for him and possibly the cetuses as well. Immediately, the man knew he had again underestimated the association and the knowledge they had.

The other four members of the Chaos Syndicate lunged into the crowd of adventurers. It was obvious to everyone that they wanted to quickly kill the men their leader had mentioned, starting with the weakest, Jack.

"Jack, hurry and get out of here!" Zariff looked back at Jack, but he froze the moment he laid eyes on him.

Jack appeared to be oblivious to everything that had just happened. He knelt on the ground, ignorant of the bloody gash in his chest. The young hero was too distracted to feel the pain.

Laying in his arms was a beautiful girl with blonde hair and a hole through her torso, making Jack’s injury look like a scratch.