Ch. 291..300

Chapter 291

"Tralon! Finally, you’ve come to see me... Argyle? When did you arrive in town?"

A well-dressed man in a blazer approached Tralon and Jack as they passed the common area of the guild, falling for Jack’s disguise.

"Quallace... Why are you so far in my guild house? You’re supposed to wait near the reception area unless you have an appointment, which you don’t." Tralon acted indifferently as he reprimanded the man.

"Tralon, that’s enough drivel. I’m a Council Member, and since you were not replying to my calls I came to find you," stated Quallace.

"Well, now you know I’m already busy." Tralon smiled. "I’ll arrange an appointment in the next few days, so if you would please--"

"Tralon, I’m not going anywhere until you sit with me," Quallace demanded.

"Just because you’re lv. 69 doesn’t mean you have the right to act so proudly in front of me. I was once lv. 85 and have fought alongside ancient heroes against the gods. You’re nothing compared to them," Tralon chuckled.

Quallave’s lip twitched. "Tralon, I will be heard out. I demand it! Without our support, you’ll soon lose your seat on the council, and what will happen to your failing guild then? Why not simply donate--"

"If you’re about to claim something as idiotic as donating all of the merchandise I’m planning to acquire, then I’ll force you to listen to me!"

Startled by "Argyle’s" sudden statement, Quallace cleared his throat and looked back to him, acting far more calm and reasonable than he was to Tralon. "Argyle, please, don’t take this the wrong way. The Leisure Guild has been the pride and treasure of Trodar for so long, yet it’s failing. We wish for its power to stay in Trodar, even if the guild has to downsize."

"Still, what you’re doing now in an infringement on my dealings with Tralon. Are you willing to pay the consequences of that personally?"

"I..."

"It’s best you go, Quallace. We both know that Argyle is a reasonable man until he gets angry. Now I have to deal with the results of your actions. Please, leave me till the time I’ll appoint," stated Tralon, hiding his smile.

"Fine, then I’ll be back in three days."

"Make it one week. I’ll be leaving on business with Argyle. Unless you want to take that up with him?"

"No... Then I’ll be back in one week," replied Quallace. "You’d better be here by then."

"I’ll be patiently waiting."

Tralon and Jack watched Quallace storm away, furious to have a false Argyle stand in his way. They both laughed and continued to Jack’s room, casting silence as they entered.

"Here you are, Jack. Also, thank you."

"Nah, don’t mention it. That pestro wanted to mess with my guild, I would act like that even if I wasn’t pretending to be Argyle," Jack laughed, recounting Quallace’s flustered face.

"Then I’ll come to pick you up in the morning."

"Hey, Tralon, should we call Argyle for help?" Jack asked.

"Well... That’s up to you. Why would you suggest something like that?"

"Since no one has regulated the storehouse for over one thousand years, do you think the artificial dungeon could’ve grown more dangerous?"

"That’s possible, but I’m not entirely sure. However, I wouldn’t be against opening a rift for Argyle if you’ll convince him to come."

Jack nodded and pulled out his contact crystal. "Hey, Argyle, you still up?"

"Jack? What do you need?"

"Are you busy at the moment?" Jack asked.

"Well, not at the moment."

"And for the next few days?"

Argyle took a moment to reply, "I have a meeting with Hurmot since he’s been begging me to tell him everything there is to know about you. Why? What do you need from me?"

"Tell Hurmot to reschedule and that I’d be willing to join him for a drink in the near future. But for now, I need your help in Trodar."

"In Trodar? Why should I go help you? Aren’t you busy with your party?"

"Actually, we’ve temporarily split up so that I can run a few errands," Jack explained. "But don’t worry, Eliza and Maura are both very safe with everyone else. I’m alone with Bowzer and Tralon for the time being."

"But if you’re with Tralon, then why do you need me?"

"Because tomorrow we’re storming the Leisure Guild’s storehouse."

"You’re what?!" Hammered with the unexpected truth, Tralon took a moment to cast silence around him before continuing, "You three are going to storm the storehouse?"

"Yes, but we wanted to bring you along as insurance. You see, no one has regulated the storehouse since I left during ancient times. Before, there were only beasts between lv. 50 and lv. 65 if you include our mini-boss. But now, we’re not sure what levels they are."

"What’s in it for me?"

Jack chuckled, "I’ll let you have one thing, be it on my current person or in the storehouse."

"Done. Tell Tralon to open the rift from my office."

In seconds, Argyle was standing before them. But he was startled when he looked back at himself. "Jack, is that you?"

"You guessed it," Jack laughed as he reverted to his true self and let Bowzer back out. "To reduce suspicion I was you for a little while. It came in handy too since an idiot council member came by to try and steal all of our stuff."

"Which member?" Not caring about Jack’s antics, Argyle looked to Tralon for an explanation.

Tralon sighed, "It was Quallace. But he’s not the only one behind this. Nearly half of the council is trying to get their hands on the guild."

"That’s... That’s absurd! You’d sooner sell it to me than donate it to selfish pestros like them!"

Jack laughed even harder, "That’s what I told him! Quallacedonly left quietly cause I shut him up while parading as you."

"Then I’m glad you brought me here. I’d be coming back sooner or later, but I’m glad it’s sooner." Argyle relaxed a bit after laughing with Jack. "After this, I’d like to meet with you about some business, Tralon."

"It would be my pleasure."

"Also, I hope you don’t mind, but I’ll be testing out those mythic weapons you returned to me, Jack," Argyle joked. "Don’t be mad if I break the dungeon you created long ago."

"Naw, you’re fine. I only made it for an achievement anyway, and I thought it would be fun to place it in the storehouse for kicks and giggles," Jack replied. "Now that I’m back, I’m just after what lies behind those doors. And if everything works out as I wanted, then you’ll be seeing some gods make an appearance in Trodar."

"Are you serious?"

"Mhmm," Tralon chimed in. "We spoke with Sterfen and Choron personally today, so we’ve got a few plans to revive the faded Neutral Gods in Trodar."

"The Neutral Gods... I’ve heard about them. Is Sterfen one of them?" In awe, Argyle looked proudly upon his son-in-law. It was the moment Jack proved to Argyle that he really was the best man for his only daughter.

"Yes, but we’re also trying to Lunara and Choron to leave their godly factions and join the Neutral Gods so they can go public again," mentioned Jack.

"Wait, what?! Are all the gods still alive? When’s this happening?"

"We’ll explain everything in the morning. So let’s hurry and get some sleep," Tralon added.

"Right... It’s a good thing I came here sooner than later..." Argyle mumbled as he walked toward one of the beds. "Wait, why are we waiting and not leaving right now?!"

"Well, I wanted to let Tralon rest so he’ll be more prepared for the storehouse," answered Jack.

Argyle shook his head and threw a sparkling blue bottle at Tralon. "There, that should fully replenish his mana with little to no side effects. So let’s go already!"

While Tralon chugged the elixir, Jack laughed, "That works too. Bowzer, you’ll need to wait a bit longer, cause we’re leaving now."

 

Chapter 292

Though he had to go back to the ring, Bowzer wasn’t unhappy. He was excited to explore another dungeon, especially one so much more powerful than them.

With Bowzer hidden, this time Jack decided not to alter his appearance. Since the real Argyle was here, Jack had an excuse to be there, doing business as Argyle’s son-in-law.

"Tralon, do we need to open a rift, or is it safe to travel there on foot?" Jack asked.

"Hmm... I’d prefer to open a rift, but that wouldn’t be ideal for maintaining my mana," replied Tralon. "If we go on foot, then we’ll get there in the middle of the night fully ready to tackle it all. However, we can be certain that the council will take notice of our entry into the storehouse. And I would even guess that there’s a slight chance that some may enter behind us in secret."

"They’re that daring?" Argyle asked in surprise. "And if I kill a Council Member, what will happen then?"

"That’s hard to say... I’d rather not resort to violence."

"But what if I do? Would I be held accountable even though they’re trespassing on guild grounds?" reasoned Argyle. "Can’t we just say that they died in the dungeon if anyone’s curious?"

"Things would get too complicated too quickly. I’d rather we prolong the violence until the guild has revived its foothold in the city. Then, at least we’ll be able to make it out with minimal consequences," stated Tralon.

"I see. So we can’t kill them... But you never mentioned anything about crippling them."

Both Tralon and Argyle looked to Jack, who didn’t bother hiding his sarcastic smile.

"That... isn’t the best solution, but it is a solution."

"Tralon, I think the boy is onto something with that. If they have the gall to enter your guild’s storehouse, then they deserve at least that. If someone tried to enter my storehouse uninvited, instant death would be a merciful punishment," stated Argyle, standing behind Jack’s idea.

"Then, that’s that. If they dare break into our guild’s storehouse, then they’ll be crippled at the very least."

"And what if more than one council member enters? Argyle may be strong against one or two, but what if three, four, or even five enter, Jack?"

Jack chuckled, "Then I’ll have to play dirty. It’s been a while, but I’m more than capable while on home turf."

"Oh? I’d like to see that!" Argyle laughed. "If legends hold true, you were known as benevolent yet shameless. What kind of tricks can someone so low-leveled accomplish?"

"Why should I reveal my hand?" joked Jack. "If I really wanted, I could find us a path that easily takes us through the dungeon and straight to the vault on the final floor. But I need EXP. If I can’t reach lv. 45 soon, then how will I take over the council?"

Tralon joined in on their laughter. "Ah... It’s good to have you back, Jack. I think I’ve gone soft without your sense of reckless adventure to keep my blood pumping."

"Then this is perfect. In fact..." Jack paused for a moment to check something in his system. After seeing what he wanted, Jack laughed all the louder. "In fact, is there a way to guarantee that someone enters the dungeon behind us?"

"You want to set them up?" Argyle smiled. "What do you have in mind?"

"Nothing special. But is that possible, Tralon?"

The pointy-eared man stroked his beard. "How about we go shopping together? Also, together we’ll inform the deputy manager that we’ll be visiting the storehouse. That should get the entire town buzzing about it."

"Good... But would anyone outside the council try and enter the storehouse?"

"It’s possible, but we can kill those mercilessly," stated Argyle without batting an eye.

"True. We only need to worry about the council members." Tralon nodded. "But if more enter then we can handle... What do you plan to do, Jack? I know you’ve got some scheme ticking inside your head. Mind filling us in?"

"That would be pointless." Jack shrugged. "We’re still not sure who’s entering or how many are daring enough to follow us in. As for my plan, why tell you now when it’s probably going to change later?"

"Fine, but fill us when it’s decided. Considering how outlandish your schemes are, I’d prefer to know ahead of time."

"But that’s why you two will be with me. You’re my insurance, after all. Without the two of you, I wouldn’t be able to take things so far..." Jack laughed. "But... Tralon, if a council member happens to ’disappear’ that would be okay, right?"

"I don’t want us killing any of them." Tralon remained firm.

"Who said anything about us killing them? The eleven floors of the storehouse are very confusing at times. If someone’s not careful or knowledgeable, they could very well get lost and disappear. Remember?"

"Oh... Yes, then that would be fine." Tralon’s stern frown lightened up as he smiled. "That’s something we can’t control, so of course it’s understandable."

"Also, Argyle, you’ll need this." Jack threw his father-in-law the old ring. "With that equipped, you’ll be permitted to enter the dungeon. Without it, no one over lv. 69 would be able to enter. I made sure of that when I created the dungeon."

"So not only are there eleven floors, but you managed to create a level cap for the dungeon? If the monsters inside have grown unregulated for as long as you said, this might be one of the most fun dungeons I’ve ever entered," Argyle laughed. "I’ve always dreamed of storming this storehouse, and now I can finally do so without breaking guild rules."

"So, shall we go?"

"After you, Jack." Tralon held the door open, letting Jack and Argyle exit first. "Now, to the deputy manager."

Tralon led the two men toward the reception area, not daring to hide their presence and chatting loudly for all to hear. As more and more people took notice of the three men, they couldn’t help but want to learn what these men were up to.

"Ilgor, My friends and I will be gone for some time. I expect to be gone for at least a week, maybe longer. But don’t worry, we’ll just be busy at the storehouse."

"T-the storehouse?!" Ilgor couldn’t help but shout in surprise. "B-but, sir, I thought it went up to lv. 65? How will you be able to--"

"That’s why I’m going with him," Argyle laughed loudly, making sure everyone heard him.

"Y-you’re going too?! But, sir, I thought that you said the founder--"

"Don’t worry about what the founder said. I’ve come to learn that the founder would be okay with this venture," Tralon chuckled as he glanced at Jack, who couldn’t contain his laughter. "We’re only doing what I should’ve done long ago, cleaning up the place and making sure the monsters inside haven’t grown too large to handle."

"O-oh. Then please forgive my outburst." Ilgor bowed, sincerely sorry for questioning the guild master.

"You’re quite loyal, aren’t you?" Jack spoke up, catching the man by surprise. "Yet you’re only lv. 35... It’s a shame you’re not stronger."

"Y-yes..." Unsure who Jack was and how to respond, Ilgor stammered. "I’ll try harder to level up in my free time."

"Good, that’s some great commitment. Tralon, I really like how you’ve been running the place."

"Of course, Jack. I’ve always made sure to do the founder proud. That way, should he ever return, though we’re only a few members compared to the past when we had thousands, the few men we have are all loyal to the guild," explained Tralon.

"If only we had another leveling dungeon..." Jack mumbled, catching wind of another idea. "Anyways, let’s get going!"

"Right." Tralon looked back to Ilgor. "Please send word to Potion House and Steel Works that we’ll be coming to gather supplies for our adventure."

"Y-yes, sir!"

As the three men walked out into the city, all guild members were in a frenzy. And as Ilgor passed the news onto the stores, it started spreading like wildfire. After one thousand years, the storehouse was finally going to be opened.

 

Chapter 293

"What?! Ilgor, you’re not lying are you?"

"Of course not? I never lie about my master’s intentions. They’ll be there soon, so please prepare for their arrival. Also, he’s with Argyle from the Fat Goose," stated Ilgor.

"Argyle is with him?! But he’s not a guild member!"

"I believe he’s been hired to help the guild master. There’s another man with them, but I’m not sure who he is or what level he is," explained Ilgor. "All I know is that they’ll be at your store soon, so please be ready to receive them."

"Of course! We’ll be more than ready. Thank you for the heads up, Ilgor."

The woman ended her conversation with Ilgor, but she didn’t put her contact crystal away. Instead, she called someone else. "Lord Quallace, I have some important news!"

"Milda, it better be good. I’m not in the mood for bad news," groaned Quallace.

"It’s great news! So great, that I had to inform you immediately. Tralon will be opening the storehouse."

"WHAT?!" Quallace crushed his calming cup of tea in shock. "Say that again, and you’d better not be lying to me!"

"Lord Quallace, Ilgor just called me and informed me that Tralon, along with Argyle and another unknown man, is on his way to gather supplies at your Potion House," Milda informed her boss. "Also, they’ll be visiting Steel Works, so I imagine that Lord Bikkem will also be informed about this."

"So that’s why Argyle’s back in town..." A devilish smile crept onto Quallace’s face. "It makes sense now... I’ll be informing the other council members. Try and stall them for as long as possible while we start making preparations."

"Of course, Lord--"

"Hello! Where’s the attendant?!"

Startled, Milda stated, "They’re here, sir. I’ll stall as long as I can."

"Good, You’re services are greatly appreciated, Milda."

Milda fixed her hair and made sure her dress was properly attended to before she emerged from the back room of the Potion House. "Tralon, thank you for choosing Potion House. I’ve been told you’re going on quite an endeavor. Are you really opening up the storehouse?"

"Of course we are, why else would we have Ilgor spread the word," in place of Tralon, Jack answered. "Now, we’re in a hurry so please gather ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs."

"S-so many high-quality potions? Is the storehouse that dangerous?" Using her shock to her advantage, Milda put on an act in order to stall.

"Yes, now quickly gather the order or we’ll be forced to not choose the Potion House," Jack added with a smile.

Thrown off by Jack’s bluntness, Milda asked, "Tralon, who is--"

"He’s my son-in-law," Argyle answered, "And we’re both in a hurry, so please make haste. Otherwise, we’ll go elsewhere."

"N-no worries. I’ll be right back with your order."

"If you’re not back here in one minute, we walk out," Jack shouted as Milda turned to enter the back room.

"B-but sir--"

"59... 58..." Argyle began to count, thoroughly enjoying Jack’s way of doing things.

"Y-yes, sir!"

Milda dashed into the back room, not daring to act any longer. Such an order was monumental to the Potion House. Even if Quallace was the owner and her boss, the commission Milda would make off such an order would almost be equal to a year’s salary.

"10... 9..." Jack had joined Argyle in counting while Tralon hid his laughter behind a straight face.

"Here you are, sirs!" Milda rushed out of the backroom, not daring to let this sale slip through her fingers. Now at the counter, she waved her hand and placed fifty bottles in front of the three men. "Here are your ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs. Will that be all?"

"Yes, that will be all. Thank you for your great service. Keep the tip!" Jack replaced the fifty potions with a heavy coin purse, making Milda’s eyes shine as the three men exited the potion house.

"Thank you! Come again next time!"

She eagerly started counting, enthusiastic to find that Jack was such a great tipper.

"Milda... Milda!"

"Y-yes, Lord Quallace?" Milda took out her contact crystal, forgetting that she had to report back to the owner.

"Why are they already at Steel Works? We’re you supposed to stall them?!" Quallace shouted.

"B-but, sir, they were about to walk out. I could either fill the order quickly or they would leave without buying the fifty potions."

"F-fifty potions?!" Even Quallace was caught off guard by such a high number. "What did they order?"

"They ordered ten high potions, twenty high health potions, and twenty high elixirs."

"That much?!" Startled, Quallace wasn’t sure how to handle this. "But... That’s practically our entire stock?! How could Tralon afford that?"

"We’ll just make more. We don’t get many orders for high-quality potions that often."

"But, Milda, we’ll need some potions as well!"

"What?! You never told me that!"

"I... Either way, I’ll need the remaining high-quality potions. What’s left?"

Milda sighed, "We’ve got one high potion, three high health potions, and two high elixirs."

"That’s it? That’s all?"

"That’s all we have left till I finish another batch, but that will take a month or so," Milda explained. "And don’t you dare blame me for not having enough! It’s not my fault, and I’ll quit before I take your abuse."

She was more willing to stand up for herself now that she had earned a year’s worth of gold in a single day. Milda was confident that her potion skills would find her another job by the time she needed money again.

"Y-you... Fine... Just start making the next batch, and double it this time."

"Okay, but don’t get mad at me when I come back from buying all the extra ingredients, Lord Quallace." Milda smiled and put her contact crystal away. Her day had taken a turn for the better.

*****

"Wait! Come back! Please, sir, we’ll--"

"I gave you two minutes and you failed miserably!" Jack shouted. "I’m a man of my word, so we’re leaving and that’s that."

"But--"

"But what?" Argyle turned around and stared the clerk in the eye.

Feeling Argyle’s invisible pressure the clerk whimpered, "P-please sir! If you leave now, then--"

"I don’t care what happens to you or the shop," Argyle stated. "I’m always prepared for adventures, so we can make do without you this time. But don’t expect us to come back based on your poor service toward high-paying clients."

"Wait! Sir, please come back! Wait!"

The clerk at Steel Works was groveling at the front steps of the large storefront, watching the biggest order of his life slip through his fingers. And it was all because of the command he had received from the owner, Lord Bikkem.

If Lord Bikkem hadn’t demanded the clerk to take at least five minutes to complete the order, the clerk would’ve become a rich man. It was either he lost his job or he lost the biggest sale he’d ever receive. Either choice was terrible, but the clerk felt he had chosen incorrectly in the end.

"That was quite cold, Jack. Are you sure I should’ve done that?" Argyle whispered.

"Don’t lie. You enjoyed it, didn’t you?"

"Sure, but that doesn’t mean it was the right thing to do. I’ve heard great things about Steel Works."

Jack laughed, "So what? We only did that to grab the attention of the council members. But we did get lucky that the lady finished our order so quickly. I imagine that the council members won’t have that many potions left for themselves."

"But wouldn’t they have some on hand?" asked Argyle.

"No, I doubt they have more than two high health potions on their person, if that," added Tralon. "Unlike you, after they attained their high levels the other council members have been living a lush lifestyle without any practice or training for years."

"Whaaat?! Are they crazy?!"

"I would say yes, but that just shows you why they don’t take the war effort seriously. They’re so focused on making more money or gaining more influence that they ignore Trodar’s flaws and needs."

"We’ll change that soon," Jack stated. "But for now, let’s make our way to the storehouse."

Chapter 294

The party of three men took their time walking through the streets of Gilga. They could rush and get there sooner, but Jack was too caught up in the city sights. Seeing the streets he helped build in-game with his own eyes was a proud moment for him, something he never would’ve imagined could happen in real life.

Them taking so long ended up gathering even more attention. All of Trodar recognized Tralon and his world-renowned reputation as the oldest, most experienced adventurer. As for Argyle, he also had quite a reputation in Gilga since it was his home until he moved to Federal City after his wife was killed.

However, the people of Trodar were still perplexed about the third man in the party. He seemed too young to belong with those two powerhouses, yet he somehow fit right in with them.

From the shadows, back alleys, and rooftops, there were a few people following the small party.

"It seems they’ve taken the bait," Tralon whispered.

"Good, that’s what we wanted," Jack chuckled. "Argyle, we should really create a pact after we enter the storehouse."

"Why? I don’t need your help. You just want to mooch off of your father-in-law."

"So, isn’t that what sons-in-law are supposed to do?" joked Jack. "But the pact will allow you to communicate with me and Tralon telepathically. That will keep things smooth and it’ll be easier to inform you of the plan."

"Hmmm... I’m not entirely against it, but I’m not a fan of things like pacts," argued Argyle.

"Well, everyone in my party has formed a pact with me. That means you’ll be able to communicate with Eliza telepathically too." Noticing that Argyle was paying more attention after the mention of his daughter, Jack added, "Also, it lets us share skills. Your sword skills will get stronger after you make a pact with me and I can possibly learn your skills too. Then I can better defend your daughter."

"... Fine. We’ll form the pact after we enter. But it better not do anything like take EXP as rumors say."

"That was just what all ancient heroes did in the past, I’m guilty as well. But I changed that, so you don’t need to worry about it."

Argyle nodded. "Good. Then I can’t wait to see how strong I get after adding your skills and using my new weapons."

"Me too. I’m excited about the blood bath you’ll make and the EXP I’ll gain."

Tralon looked at the two of them, glad that Argyle had managed to fix the relationship he had forced onto Jack. From the get-go, Tralon knew that Argyle was very much like the old Jack_J he had traveled with, so Tralon knew it was only a matter of time for them to get along and party together. They were both too selfish not to work together and take advantage of the events around them.

"By the way, Jack, did you ever find a cure to Tralon’s curse?" Argyle asked.

"I’ll answer that question after we form the pact. Then we can speak openly without fear of being heard," laughed Jack.

"True... That would be ideal!" Argyle laughed as well. "The next time you raid a powerful dungeon, you’d better call me again. I need more merchandise for the auctions and I get bored lounging around with nothing to do."

"Consider it done."

A short distance away, a few listening ear’s were catching bits and pieces of the party’s conversation.

One thief was crouching from the rooftop directly over the party. "Lord Quallace, the mystery man’s name is Jack and he appears to be Argyle’s son-in-law, but I can’t see through his identity or his level."

"His son-in-law? Argyle has a son-in-law?!"

"Lord Quallace, I’m sure of it. They both admitted it and seem very close," explained the thief.

"But..." Quallace was further enraged by the news, furious that Argyle had constantly turned down the advances of Quallace’s son only to learn that Argyle had accepted another so quickly as his son-in-law. "I’ll look into this. Stay unseen and know that Lords Bikkem and myself aren’t far behind."

"Yes, Lord Quallace."

Curious about this son-in-law, Quallace called a friend of his from Federal City. "Hurmot, are you there?"

It took a moment for an answer to come. "Quallace? How can I help you?"

"Does Argyle have a son-in-law?"

Sensing the loaded question, Hurmot chuckled, "Yes, he married his daughter off near the end of last year, just before the yearly auction."

"What?!"

"Calm down, Quallace. You know how picky Argyle is, especially for his daughter. It’s not your fault your son was never accepted by Argyle nor Eliza."

"Hurmot, who is this son-in-law?"

"I don’t know much about him," replied the old auction house owner. "I know that he’s a summoned hero from Reinolt, yet he somehow joined the Adventurers Association as well."

"He’s with the association and he’s a summoned hero? This son-in-law would have to be the rumored hero with a Hell-flame Fox companion, wouldn’t it?" Quallace questioned, feeling both a bit better and a bit more worried.

"Yes, that’s the one."

Racking his brain for what to do next, Quallace asked, "Hurmot, is there anything else you know about him? I’m willing to pay."

Hurmot suddenly broke into laughter, catching Quallace off guard. The thought of Quallace trying to outbuy Jack was nothing but an outlandish joke. "Quallace, no matter what it is you offer, I still have no more information on the young man. I’m sorry, but that young hero is a bit of an enigma."

"There’s nothing else you know?" Quallace was a bit surprised. "What about his level? His class? Just the basics."

"I’m not sure. I wasn’t able to see through the young man back at his wedding, so I don’t know what more to tell you."

"You, Hurmot of the Celestial Crane, were unable to see through someone? I find that hard to believe."

Hurmot kept chuckling, "Then don’t believe me. I’ve said all I can, so please excuse me."

As the conversation ended, Quallace was both worried and furious. If what he learned was true, then even the Adventurers Association might get involved, which was something that Quallace was entirely against.

For so long, the council had managed to keep the association out of Trodar’s business, even disbanding the local branches temporarily during times of war. The last thing they wanted was to give Lorwynn an excuse to occupy Trodar. They were helpless in the face of the association and were only able to keep them out through politics.

Still wanting more information, he contacted yet another friend from Federal City. "Kaldor, are you there?"

"What is it?! I’m busy!"

"Kaldor, I’ll be quick. What can you tell me about Argyle’s son-in-law?"

"Oh, that brat who married his daughter out of the blue?" Kaldor calmed his voice. "Argyle decided that his daughter would marry a summoned hero in the association overnight. They were married within a day and were gone the next."

"In a day?!"

"Yeah. Lorwynn even showed up for the wedding," added Kaldor.

"Lorwynn attended his..." Quallace’s fear of Jack’s position in the association seemed to be coming true.

"But I talked with one of the association elders. According to them, Jack is just a regular member who shouldn’t even be lv. 30. The only thing special about him is that he’s allowed to go and do whatever he wants. His decisions don’t necessarily have the backing of the association, but he also isn’t be forced to complete any of the association’s missions. It’s a weird relationship, really," explained Kaldor.

"Oh... so he’s with the association but just as a regular member?"

Suddenly, Kaldor asked, "Why do you ask anyway?"

"Nothing special, just that Argyle is here in Gilga with that son-in-law. They’re about to go with Tralon and enter the Leisure Guild’s storehouse," Quallace chuckled.

"WHAT?! That pestro is entering the storehouse?" Thoughts were running wild through Kaldor’s head. He had already been outdone in the past yearly auction and now Argyle was about to get the opportunity of a lifetime. "What’s the Leisure Guild’s policy on entering as a nonmember?"

"That’s hard to say. They’ve been around for years but they’ve never opened it to the public, or at all. This is the first time," answered Quallace.

"The first time... Then it must be filled with treasures!" Kaldor’s shouts grew louder as his fury grew deeper. "Is there any way you can get in there? I’ll pay full price for whatever you can get me. I’m a day and a half away at the soonest, so I probably can’t make it in time."

"I’ll tell you what. I think you should come." Quallace reasoned, "Rumor has it that no one over lv. 69 can enter, but I doubt that since Argyle is entering. And there are eleven floors, so you’ll still make it in time before they reach the end. They’ll clear us a path and we’ll reap the rewards. You’ll have two, maybe even three or four of us council members to join you."

"Deal! I’ll leave immediately!"

As Kaldor ended the conversation, Quallace laughed to himself, "Tralon, Argyle, don’t blame me for whatever happens. It’s just business, and you made the wrong decision to not involve the council in an event as so great as opening the storehouse."

 

Chapter 295

While his spies were carefully watching the three men make their way through the city, Quallace contacted his fellow council member, Lord Bikkem.

"Bikkem, I’ve figured out the third man. We won’t have to worry."

"Oh? Then who is he and why is he among such powerful men?" Bikkem asked.

"Get this. That kid is Argyle’s new son-in-law, but he’s not even lv. 30," Quallace laughed. "But he’s also the rumored hero with a Hell-flame Fox, so we can’t completely forget about him."

"Hmmm... So they’re relying on Argyle for the most part with Tralon taking a supporting role... And the boy is probably there as support with his beast to help keep the mobs in the dungeon from going too wild..." Bikkem began to pick apart the small party’s possible formations.

"And that’s why you’re the man in charge of the war effort."

Bikkem scoffed, "Tell that to Tralon. Sure, he ended up being correct in the end, but he still went around the other council members to investigate international affairs. That’s a direct breach of our code and our trust!"

"Well, now we can personally remind the old bat why he’s supposed to go through us," added Quallace. "Without us, how would Trodar ward off the threat of invasion on three fronts? Just our presence in Trodar scares the surrounding nations."

"How far are we taking this, Quallace?"

"I just spoke with Kaldor from Golden Haven. He’s on his way and will be entering after us to help control Argyle. Then, we’ll be able to overwhelm that old war hero and the pitiful son-in-law," explained Quallace. "And don’t worry about the association. If the kid dies then it’ll only cause a minor issue with the association that we can patch easily."

"Good... Then, shall we get going? Once they enter, we shouldn’t wait too long to follow."

"Right, but let me call the others. Since Kaldor will be joining us, I’m sure they’ll be willing."

As their conversation ended, Quallace started a new one. "Kims, are you ready?"

"My sword is sharpened and ready to clear a dungeon. It’s been too long!" laughed the other council member.

"Calm down, we won’t be doing any fighting unless necessary," Quallace stated, reminding the youngest and newest council member. "We’re letting Argyle and Tralon handle that, but we won’t have to worry about Argyle or that third man anymore. Kaldor’s on his way and the third man is only Argyle’s son-in-law."

"Oh... But I want a battle!" roared Kims. "Every since I became a council member, I’ve been cooped up in the city. Now, I can finally let loose a little and you’re telling me we’re not doing anything?"

"There will be a battle and there will be blood but we’ll be facing Tralon’s party instead. Wouldn’t that prove more fun than some mobs in a dungeon?"

"Maybe..."

"And once it’s all over, I’m sure you’ll be able to pick up a new sword from the storehouse vault. How’s that for motivation?" persuaded Quallace.

"I’m in. I’ll be waiting near the storehouse for you and Bikkem to arrive," Kims agreed.

"It’s not just us. Vixus may tag along as well."

"Oh... interesting. Then I’ll wait for you three at the storehouse."

With two council members convinced to join their crusade, Quallace called one last council member as an extra guarantee. He didn’t want to call too many of them though, as many would flat out reject the idea of entering the storehouse, let alone attacking a fellow council member like Tralon. Also, he didn’t want to spit all of the priceless loot among too many people. Five was already enough.

"Vixus, have you heard the news?"

A sharp, sophisticated voice replied, "Something about Argyle and Tralon paying a visit to the storehouse. I figured that you might get yourself involved. Is Bikkem tagging along?"

"Bikkem and Kims are both joining me. Also, Kaldor from Golden Haven is already on his way to help us control Argyle. All we have to do is aid him and overpower Tralon," stated Quallace. "Argyle’s son-in-law tagged along as support for them, but he’s too low-leveled to cause much worry."

"Hmmm... Then why are you calling me if you’ve already guaranteed your victory?"

"Vixus, with your beasts you’ll be able to help control or maybe even tame some of the wild beasts in the storehouse. With you joining us, then we can kiss that pompous pain of a council member goodbye and we’ll be the first council members to access the treasures of the failing Leisure Guild," reasoned Quallace.

"Well... That doesn’t sound like a bad offer if I’m being honest," stated Vixus. "But you’re sure that we’ll succeed?"

"Vixus, there’s no need--"

"Tralon is the greatest war hero in all of Kartonia and he’ll be working alongside Argyle, the impassioned man who brought the Fat Goose Guild to the forefront of the continent in a matter of a few years," Vixus argued. "And that son-in-law may be weak, but he’s still a member of the association and he’s got a Hell-flame Fox. Taking everything into consideration, it doesn’t sound like so simple a raid."

Quallace sighed, "Vixus, that’s why we want you to join us. If you say no, then we’ll just go on without you but that means you’ll have to accept whatever treasures we leave behind."

"I didn’t say I was against it..." added Vixus. "What I want is the first pick of the vault among the council members. Kaldor will take his share, but I want to be able to choose my winnings before you or the other council members."

"You drive a hard bargain... as usual," Quallace sighed again in annoyance. "Fine. You’ll get first pick among the council members. But you’d better be at the storehouse by the time we enter. We’re not waiting for you."

"I’m already en route."

"Of course you are... Then we’ll be seeing you soon."

With that over with, Quallace called Bikkem one last time. "Bikkem, they’re both joining us, but Kims will be a bit battle hungry and Vixus would only join if I gave him the first pick of the vault."

"That’s fine by me," stated Bikkem. "I’m sure there will be plenty of treasures tucked away inside the vault, so that’s the least of my worries. We’ll have to be on our toes during all this. We must remain close enough to monitor them yet far enough away to not be found by either of those two veteran warriors. It’ll be tricky, but doable."

"I’m glad to hear that. With you coordinating everything alongside Kims on the frontline, I can decimate them from a distance while Vixus and his pets will control the tempo. Then, once Kaldor arrives to join the fray, there will be no stopping us from reclaiming Trodar’s ancient treasures," Quallace chuckled.

"Just keep your head on straight. It will be simple so long as we play our cards right and we aren’t unlucky," added Bikkem. "Don’t forget about the dungeon itself. No one knows what it’s like in there and legend only states that it was unpredictable."

"Then we’ll do as you said. We stay close enough to Tralon that we can find our way, yet far enough to remain hidden. And we’ll leave some kind of marker for Kaldor when he arrives. How’s that?"

Bikkem smiled. "That’s manageable."

"Just remember, Bikkem. After all this, we’ll finally get the two things we’ve wanted. Tralon will be gone and we’ll gain everything inside the storehouse," laughed Quallace.

"Right. High risk, high reward. How many potions did you find in the end?"

With a sigh of disappointment, Quallace replied, "After searching the other shops, I’ve got one high potion, eight high health potions, and six high elixirs."

"That’s it?!"

"Tralon and Argyle bought nearly my entire stock, something I hadn’t considered."

Bikkem clicked his tongue. "Well, if all goes to plan then this should be enough to handle a few hiccups."

 

Chapter 296

The small party of three had been taking their time and were strolling through the city at a leisurely pace as they finally neared the northern city gate.

"It’s too bad we couldn’t go through the southern gate." Jack shrugged.

Tralon chuckled, "You just want to see the giant statue in the southern square."

"So, who wouldn’t?"

Argyle laughed as well, "Yeah, who wouldn’t want to see a giant statue carved in their likeness?"

When the three men reached the gate, Tralon and Argyle both nodded to the guard as reassurance to let them pass.

"U-um, sirs. I’m afraid we need to check that man," one of the guards nervously stated, pointing at Jack.

"And why’s that?" asked Argyle.

"W-we’re just following orders."

The guards all trembled as they pondered the orders given to them by Lord Bikkem, who made sure to try and stall Tralon’s party for as long as possible.

"Sorry, but you’re not allowed to check me. But feel free to ask my father-in-law who I am," Jack stated while motioning toward Argyle.

When they saw this, the guards didn’t know what to say. They could either go against direct orders or face the wrath of the two powerful men before them.

"Actually, I think I have a way to prove my identity... And since I’m not hiding it at the moment, I guess he can come out now..." Jack started to ramble, catching the attention of the guards and giving them some hope. "Here, this should be enough proof, right?"

As Jack activated a ring on his finger, a beast the size of a man appeared, startling the guards.

Excited to get out, Bowzer looked around to find out they were still in the city. ’Jack, what’s happening?’

"W-what kind of beast is this? I-is it registered?" stammered a guard.

Jack smiled while he scratched Bowzer behind the ears. "He’s registered with the association. You would be able to check that, but you’ve closed the local branches. That’s why it’s impossible for you to check me."

"B-but, sir. It’s against regulation to allow someone without proper identification and the proper paperwork to come and go from Gilga," The captain of the guard stepped forward, determined to receive the promotion Lord Bikkem had offered in return for stalling Tralon’s party.

"Oh?" Jack laughed. "I don’t remember Gilga being so strict in the past..."

"We’ve always been this thorough, I can assure you, sir," stated the captain.

Jack continued to laugh, "Sorry, that was just a thought. As for proving myself, this fox here more than enough proof of my identity."

"T-that’s a fox?!"

Each of the nearby guards inspected Bowzer with their eyes, noticing that despite the beast’s size, he did, in fact, appear to be a fox of some kind.

"Either way, we only need to go through with the proper paperwork," the guard captain corrected himself. "Being Argyle’s son-in-law and Lady Eliza’s husband, we can immediately start drawing up the paperwork for you. It’ll be no trouble at all."

"And how long would that take?" Jack asked.

"Given the short notice and that we’re short-staffed at night, we can have it ready for you within twenty-four hours." The captain smiled and bowed his head, happy to use his connections to speed up the week-long process.

"Too slow."

"B-but, sir, that’s already speeding it up drastically--"

"Bowzer’s all the evidence I need. Show them Bowzer," Jack chuckled. ’Make a medium-sized flame body, enough to scare them but not enough to threaten the city.’

’Okay!’ Realizing what Jack was after, Bowzer played along.

Before the guard captain had a chance to reply, he felt a sudden wave of heat wash over his entire body. It felt like a flash fire had just hit him full force but it was still going. Almost immediately, he determined the source of the heat and the captain fell back in fear.

"T-that’s a--"

"Bowzer’s a Hell-flame Fox, but he’s still my best friend and we do everything together," Jack laughed loudly and cut off the captain’s screams. "So, do you know who I am now?"

"Y-you’re the..."

"Sorry, I can’t hear you. Speak up," taunted Jack.

"You’re the new hero of the Adventurers Association?!" shouted the captain.

Jack smiled wide for all to see. "That’s right! So, now that you know who I am and I’ve given you proof, I should be allowed to pass, right?"

"B-b-but, sir... We still have protocol--"

"Well, I guess there is a chance that I’m faking this with an illusion spell," Jack interrupted the captain again. "I guess I’ll have to let Bowzer break a few things to prove that he--"

"T-that won’t be necessary, sir!" More frantic than ever, the guard captain backed away from the party. "You’ve definitely proven who you are. I’ll have the paperwork written up for you so you can just pick it up when you come back."

"Great!" With a clap of Jack’s hands, Bowzer’s intimidating appearance shrunk down to his usual, furry self. "Then I’ll have to thank you in advance."

Jack took the lead as he placed a small coin purse in the captain’s hands. "That should more than cover the costs, I’m guessing."

With a quick peek inside the bag, the guard captain started to nod uncontrollably. "Yes! This is more than enough! Thank you, sir!"

The guard captain led the other guards in a bow as Jack rode off on the back of Bowzer with Argyle and Tralon in tow. Once they were out of sight, the captain pulled out a few coins from the purse and handed them to a nearby guard. "Start his paperwork immediately! Call the association to get his details in order and make sure we have the paperwork ready the moment he returns!"

"S-sir, yes, sir!"

The three men all broke out in laughter, along with Bowzer, as they were no longer in ear-shot of the northern gate.

"Jack... You’re as reckless as I remember. Don’t change. We need someone like you."

"Me, change?" Jack shrugged. "That wasn’t my fault. I’m sure they were paid off by another council member. Otherwise, why would they question me in front of both of you two?"

Argyle nodded. "You do have a point. Tralon, which council member is in charge of the military right now?"

"That would be Bikkem," Tralon’s drooping pointy ears almost bounced as he nodded. "He was placed in charge of all military personnel, as well as the town and city guards. It was him that refused to search deeper about the rumors of the Limneer-Sandros alliance. If I hadn’t taken matters into my own hands, there’s no telling how many innocent lives would’ve been lost thanks to his unconcern."

"He sounds hard-headed, like most generals," joked Argyle. "But he sure thinks quick on his feet. Not only did he try to stall us at the shops, but he also convinced the guard captain to stop us at the gate. He’s both determined and resourceful. I’ll keep that in mind while we’re in the storehouse."

"So he’s a tactician?" asked Jack.

"Yes. He’s the best tactician among the council members," answered Tralon.

"Well, I think my job just got easier," Jack laughed.

Argyle gave him a weird look. "Oh yeah, why’s that?"

"Because the more thorough a tactician is, the more information he’ll gather. The more information he gathers, the more precise his plan becomes. The more precise his plan becomes, the closer he is to victory," Jack whispered, making sure only they could hear him. "But what if his information is wrong?"

As he understood what Jack meant, Argyle burst out in gut-busting laughter. "I can’t wait to get in that storehouse! There’s no telling what we’ll find in there!"

Tralon and Jack laughed along with him. They were anxious to see just how badly they could underestimate Jack and Bowzer, the former Legend of Trodar and a young Hell-flame Fox like those of the legendary tragedies.

Chapter 297

Jack, Bowzer, Tralon, and Argyle soon left the beaten path and started to walk through the thickest, jungle-like forests of Trodar. Any ordinary citizen would steer clear of the area since it was filled with beasts over lv. 20 and sometimes lv. 30. However, these men weren’t ordinary in the slightest.

With the flick of a wrist, both Argyle and Tralon would swat away any beast who dared approach them.

After another twenty minutes of walking and shooing away wild beasts, the party came to a halt. Argyle looked in awe. Tralon was beaming with pride. Jack had nostalgia oozing off of him. They were all looking at the sealed entrance of the Leisure Guild’s storehouse, their private, artificial dungeon.

"This is it... I finally get to crack open its doors..." Argyle couldn’t contain his enthusiasm. "Hey Tralon, did you know that the whole reason I fell in love with raiding dungeons was because of this place?"

"Really?" Jack was surprised by the sincerity of Argyle’s sudden comment.

"Why’s that?" Tralon asked with a smile.

"The first time I came to Trodar I was about Jack’s age. I somehow trekked the deserts of Sandros and found my way here. When I stumbled upon this place on my way to Gilga, I wasn’t sure what to think of it," Argyle explained.

"Growing up poor in Sandros, I heard plenty of stories about Trodar’s past glory and wealth. But only after I get here did I find out how proud the Trodan people were, and they had good reason.

"They were proud to have the oldest guild in Kartonia, despite its loss of power, as well as the oldest, wisest guild master. They were proud of their history because unlike every other country they were founded by ancient heroes, one of which ranked among the greatest in all of history."

Argyle turned to Jack with a smile. "When I snuck my wife away on our first date, we came here. That’s when I learned that not only was it an ancient dungeon, but that it was created by the founder of the Leisure Guild as a means to protect their many treasures. The pride in her eyes was contagious, that’s why we stayed together and this had become a little getaway of ours."

Unsure if they should say anything, Jack and Tralon both looked to each other as Argyle continued.

"After seeing this sealed dungeon filled with ancient treasures so many times, how could I not dream of opening it up and exploring what had remained sealed since Ancient Kartonia? It may have been every adventurer’s dream at one point, but that was the only way I could think of to gain approval from my father-in-law... To become stronger than him and prove that I could provide enough income to reestablish their declining nobility."

"Wow... I didn’t know you had such a soft side," Jack joked.

"Everyone does at some point." Argyle sighed, "It’s just too bad Lizbet couldn’t live long enough to see me steal away some of your treasures, huh Jack?"

"Lizbet?"

"She’s your mother-in-law."

"Oh... Then it is sad. I’m sure I would’ve gotten along with her. She wouldn’t blackmail me like her husband," Jack chuckled.

"Are you still mad about that?"

"... No... Thank you, Argyle."

The swordsman proudly smiled. "I told you so."

"Yeah..."

"Anyway, shall we enter?" Tralon stepped forward.

"I’m guessing you’ve got the key."

"Yes, Jack, I’ve got the key. Till we get out, I’ll have to leave it open. Honestly, that’s the biggest flaw in your design, in my opinion," chuckled Tralon.

"It wouldn’t be any fun if no one else was able to access it," Jack laughed. "Back then, we had more than enough guild members to monitor the place and keep unwanted thieves out."

’We also gave them all false hope, since the vault only opens to people over lv. 70, right Jack?’

Hearing Tralon’s mental message, Jack snickered, ’So you did remember that... Another reason why you were fine with Argyle coming.’

’It’s quite a devilish tactic. You placed a vault at the end of a dungeon that only let’s people in under lv. 70, yet the vault will only open to people lv. 70 or higher. Hence, your creation of that ring, a loophole in your system,’ Tralon kept his thoughts between Jack and himself. He didn’t dare mention this out loud for the spies to hear.

Jack only kept laughing, not responding. The true reason behind the creation of that dungeon was an achievement. Jack only placed it on top of the storehouse, which half acted as Jack’s extended storage, and created the lv. 70 paradox because he was bored.

Argyle eagerly walked behind Tralon, who retrieved a large, ancient key.

The key glistened yet had no sheen. Its material was strange and unknown to almost everyone in Modern Kartonia.

To create the dungeon, Jack went through the trouble of gathering heaping amounts of roxite, an ancient, black mineral denser than iron. It had an unusual texture when carved or crafted with, creating that lustrous yet unpolished sheen on the ancient key.

The giant black doors were covered in undergrowth, completely overrun by vines and tree roots over the past millennia.

As Tralon approached the side of the doors he uncovered the keyhole from the surrounding foliage and carefully placed the key inside. When the key was turned, a brilliant light was released around the edges of the great doors, destroying all fauna and plant life that had overwhelmed them in the past one thousand years.

Now seeing the intricate details of the door and its unrivaled craftsmanship, Argyle couldn’t help but smile. "Finally..."

Tralon then removed the key and walked to the center of the two doors, standing still for thirty seconds.

Suddenly, the doors began to open bit by bit. This happened whenever the doors were unlocked and someone would properly wait for the doors to respond to their presence. They would even close behind the party, ensuring that no beasts or mobs from inside would be able to get out.

"Amazing..."

Argyle felt like he was a kid again. He had raided many tombs before, but none of them were quite like this. Most tombs had a simple entrance and didn’t bother trying to contain what was inside, as well as a straightforward theme.

The storehouse dungeon was obviously man-made. That was clear by the expert carvings in the doors alone. And the level cap was an unusual thing for dungeons too, not to mention the mystery behind the dungeon’s rumored "unpredictable" layout.

But what Argyle was most curious about wasn’t even the loot that was waiting inside the vault. Argyle wanted to know how Jack, a mortal man, had managed to effectively create a dungeon with its own thriving ecosystem so that it wouldn’t need outside management to maintain. The amount of effort it would take to make such a thing... It baffled Argyle.

While Tralon watched the doors open with a smile and Argyle’s mouth was agape in awe, Jack and Bowzer stepped into the doorway. "Are you coming, or not?"

"You don’t have to tell me twice!" Argyle dashed in, making sure he was the first of the party to officially enter the storehouse.

"I’ll make sure not to slow you down," Tralon joked as he walked alongside Jack into the dark cave system before them.

Thirty more seconds passed and the doors began to slowly but steadily close.

Not too far away, a few prying eyes watched the doors reseal themselves. "Lord Quallace, they’ve entered the storehouse and the doors are still unlocked."

"Good... Anything else I should know?" replied Quallace.

"Tralon stood in front of the doors for thirty seconds and then the doors opened up by themselves. After another thirty seconds, they started to close."

"And what about Argyle? Did you enter too? Quallace asked.

"He was the first one to dash in."

Quallace chuckled to himself, "That’s good to hear. Thank you, you may return to your usual duties."

"Yes, Lord Quallace."

Taking out his crystal yet again, Quallace informed his fellow council members that he was about to arrive and that the plan was a go.

 

Chapter 298

"They’re still there," Jack chuckled as his eye glowed and were covered white haze.

Tralon smiled proudly. "So, Jack, you’ve learned God’s Eye. What else have you learned from me?"

"Just Pocket Dimension and Revivification so far. I’m not sure what I want to learn next."

"You learned his spells?" Argyle asked.

"Remember that pact I mentioned? It lets you have access to part of my passive abilities, like my sword skill or my mana skills, and in exchange, I gain the chance to learn your skills or spells."

"That’s... really strong. Perfect for parties. What else?"

"You’ll be connected to myself and everyone who created a pact with me, like a mental network of sorts," answered Jack. "It lets you talk mentally and roughly sense where the others might be."

"Is distance a factor when you’re talking to someone?"

"No."

Argyle nodded. "Then let’s do it."

"Alright, but we’ll have to be quick." After cutting his index finger, Jack quickly yet carefully drew his inheritor pact on Argyle’s forehead, who then activated it with his own blood.

’Testing, testing, one, two, three.’

’I can hear you loud and clear!’ Excited for it to work, Argyle’s previous enthusiasm for entering the dungeon was revived. ’How do I contact others?’

Tralon replied, ’Just imagine their face in your head and call out to them.’

With a nod, Argyle started beaming wider and wider. Jack wasn’t sure why, not until he got a message of his own.

’Jack! How is my dad calling me like this?! Did you just make a pact with him? Aren’t you supposed to be in Churstin?’ Eliza’s questions kept coming and coming.

’Eliza, trust me. I did go to Churstin and I already spoke with Choron, Sterfen, and Daruun,’ explained Jack. ’I needed your father’s help to do something and Tralon is with us too. Once we’re done, then I’ll finish up a few things and come meet you guys in Sunset Valley.’

’Don’t worry, Eliza,’ Argyle chimed in. ’I’ll only call you when I have a reason. I was just excited to test it out.’

Eliza sighed as she left the conversation, a bit irritated that Jack was with her dad but not her. And the fact that Jack was off somewhere doing who knows what was a bit concerning, but Eliza felt better about that when she took into account that Tralon and her father were there.

’Argyle, swing your sword now and tell us if there’s a difference.’

Hearing Tralon’s statement, Argyle did just that. He took out his sword and swung it with intent to kill an imaginary target. To his surprise, the attack felt sharper than usual.

’That’s my passive sword skill taking effect. I haven’t leveled it up that much yet, but you should have plenty of mana now, not to mention your mana regeneration," laughed Jack.

’Hmmm... What the...’ Sensing his newly increased mana capacity, Argyle chuckled giddily. ’Oh, I could get used to this.’

’You should because I’m still not done increasing that either. But these small bonuses you now have should help you stand out against an opponent around your level, right?’

’Oh yeah... I can’t wait to test this! Where’s something to kill?’ Argyle scanned his surroundings, eager to put his new abilities to the test.

’Now that we can talk mentally, let’s do so for the remainder of our time in the storehouse. We wouldn’t want to leak information to our followers, would we?’ Tralon took the lead. ’Now we can tell you a bit more about the storehouse and its unique design. Jack?’

’Argyle, there are eleven floors to the dungeon, but we’re currently on what you could call floor zero. Up ahead, there’s a teleportation platform that will let you officially enter the dungeon,’ Jack explained. ’Every day, the teleportation pads are randomized to an extent. Of course, the ring your wearing can go against that and let you teleport to any floor of your choice, including the eleventh floor.’

Taking a good look at the ring, Argyle’s eyes widened. ’Then why give it to me?’

’Because without it, you wouldn’t be allowed in here nor could we open the vault,’ Jack answered as he started walking again. ’This dungeon has a level cap of lv. 69, but that ring can allow anyone of any level to enter. Also, to mix things up, I thought it would be fun to give the vault two requirements to open. One, the person opening it must possess that ring or one of the other three that I made and two, that person must also be at least lv. 70 or higher.’

’You sneaky pestro,’ Argyle laughed. ’I like the way you think. So that’s how you kept any intruders from walking away with your stuff.’

’Well yeah. Just because a giant vault is placed behind a boss doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to enter it after you beat the boss.’ Jack smiled, remembering all of the hate he got for creating such a dungeon. ’For now, though, we won’t use that ring to go straight to the boss. We need to go in order or our guests will get lost and we won’t be able to lead them to the tenth floor.’

’What’s on the tenth floor?’

’That’s where they’ll go missing and possibly die if they’re really unlucky,’ Jack laughed. ’But if they go missing there, they’ll eventually turn up somewhere else. And that’s where we’ll have a bit more fun.’

The party soon reached the teleportation circle which was still in perfect condition despite how much time had passed.

’I’m not sure where we’ll go first, but this should be fun.’

’What do you mean by that?’ Argyle asked.

’Like I said before, the order of the levels will randomize every day. We’ll have to clear levels one through four in whatever order they come in. After that comes level five, then they get jumbled up again from levels six through nine. Then we’ll reach level ten just before we face the boss and enter the vault on the eleventh floor,’ explained Jack.

’If it changes every day, what happens if we rest in between floors?’ Tralon asked, curious about what seemed like a small flaw.

Jack scratched his head. When he was Jack_J, he was just playing a game and it was very possible to beat the dungeon in a day. But before Jack got depressed about the sudden hike in difficulty, Jack remembered the day/night cycle of "A Hero’s Tale."

’Scratch that,’ Jack corrected himself. ’The levels should reset every nine days, sorry about that.’

’How did you mix up nine days and one day?’ Argyle laughed.

’Nevermind that. We should go or we might run into our guests too soon, or worse, they might get a chance to steal our precious EXP. Argyle, would you like to be the first to step into the circle?’

’Sure, why not.’

’Tralon, after you.’

Once both Tralon and Argyle had stepped on the platform, Jack and Bowzer stepped into the circle. ’Tralon, activate the circle, please.’

A small burst of mana left Tralon and entered the carvings of the magic circle, filling it with power. The circle changed color from faded blue to deep purple as it launched a pulse of spacial energy at the people inside of it.

When the pulse collided with the four figures it caused no damage whatsoever. Instead, the four figures vanished without a trace.

Gradually, the deep purple energy surrounding the previously activated circle dissipated, forcing the teleportation circle to become dormant once again.

A similar pulse of spacial energy was released on a different floor but it had the opposite effect. As if that pulse and the one on the entrance floor were connected. four figures emerged from the source of the second pulse.

Jack quickly noticed the surroundings and deduced their new location. ’Level three... Be careful of the--’

"ROAR!!"

Chapter 299

"ROAR!"

Before Jack was able to warn the party of what to expect, Bowzer’s instinct kicked in. The fox started to circulate the energy of his bloodline, making sure all surrounding beasts could feel it oozing out of him.

They understood that Bowzer was the one who yelled but it still put them on guard. If Bowzer felt threatened so quickly, they knew that the enemy was already on top of them.

While Argyle and Tralon readied themselves for battle, Jack stepped in between them. ’This floor is swarming with jakals, so be ready at all times.’

’Right... Now I remember this floor,’ Tralon sighed. ’It’s one of the few floors that don’t have artificial lighting.’

’Of course not, then what’s the point of filling it with Jakals?’ Jack stated, not paying attention to the annoyed tone in Tralon’s voice. ’Bowzer, light the place up.’

A small layer of white flame began to dance around Bowzer’s fur. The pitch-black darkness of the cavern was being driven away by the bright, white light. Where regular flames would only light up their immediate surroundings, Bowzer’s white flames illuminated everything within fifty meters of the fox, not counting the dim light that went beyond that.

And thanks to that brilliant flame, a band of jakals was spotted heading toward the party.

’Not bad.’ Happy to see things clearly, Argyle retrieved his sword and darted ahead to meet the jakals head-on.

They were lanky, reptilian humanoids with snake-like eyes and bristles in place of hair running from the top of their heads to the tip of their tails. Each of the jakals carried a long spear in their hands and were equipped with a quiver of short spears on their backs.

The three largest jakals charged Argyle with their long spears while the remaining seven kept their distance and retreated to the dim light. Their footsteps were completely undetectable, making them terrifying opponents in the dark.

Tralon retrieved a staff and smiled at the jakals who were about to launch a barrage of short spears.

’Don’t interfere! They’re mine!’ Argyle shouted into Tralon’s mind.

Not paying attention to Argyle’s demands, a few arrows whizzed by and planted themselves in the distant jakals. However, the jakals were entirely fine and completely unperturbed by the arrows now jutting out of them. But more arrows came, one for each of the seven jakals.

’Jack!’

’What? I need EXP and those were just regular arrows with no skills or abilities. The jakals probably didn’t even feel them,’ Jack laughed.

The young hero would’ve shot the other three as well, but Argyle was already finished beheading them, cutting clean through the long spears held up in defense.

While a few rounds of short spears had been launched, Tralon easily defended against them with Earth Wall while Argyle charged the last seven jakals and hacked them into bits.

While Tralon and Argyle didn’t notice any significant increase in EXP Jack was all smiles as he and Bowzer instantly reached the peak of lv. 34. Considering Jack had technically attacked and participated in killing seven jakals from lv. 56-58, it made sense.

’Another round of jakals and we’ll be lv. 35,’ Jack stated proudly.

’Jack, how many jakals did you put in here again?’

’Let me think... the third level is one of the larger levels in terms of space so I would guess around five villages’ worth.’

’That many?’ Stunned, Argyle looked at Jack like he was insane.

’Yeah, but there’s no telling how many there are now. After having one thousand years to repopulate, I wouldn’t be surprised to find the equivalent of a city’s worth,’ Jack added. ’But there shouldn’t be any more than that because they would run out of food. You don’t want to know how hard it was to capture enough of their favorite foods and put them in here.’

’You... I guess that’s why we call you the Legend of Trodar.’

’We should be on our toes then. Otherwise, we’ll quickly get overwhelmed,’ added Tralon.

’Or... we can just wipe them all out.’

’Jack, there’s no reason to wipe them all out. Otherwise, this floor of the dungeon would be useless.’

’Just because it would be empty doesn’t mean it would be useless. If anything, that means we can use it for something else.’ Jack smiled. ’Right now, what I need is as much EXP as possible and that’s all I see when I see the jakals. Sure, maybe we can tame some beasts on different floors, but not jakals. And maybe we can use this space for something else later...’

’Are you sure? Once I’ve killed them all, then all the hard work you put into making this floor will go to waste.’ Argyle’s words were against Jack’s decision, but there was a hypocritical excitement leaking from eyes.

’I’m sure. And it won’t go to waste. I’d like to make at least one floor into a fortress of sorts, so why not the third floor, one of the most spacious floors?’

’That’s... an interesting idea.’ Argyle smiled. ’Jack, you’ll have to join me and Tralon when I bring up business later.’

’Sure, but let’s clear the third floor first.’ Jack turned and showed Tralon a smug smile. ’Also, have you ever seen a legendary spell in action, Argyle?’

More excitement washed over Argyle as he also looked to Tralon with a matching smile. ’No, but I’ve always wanted to see one.’

’He has seen one. My Spatial Rift that got you here is one such spell,’ chuckled Tralon. ’But I guess I can show you another one since you want to witness one in battle. However, I refuse to do so unless both Argyle and I temporarily use your former pact, the one where you do take half of our EXP earned.’

’Yeah, you’ve got a point Tralon. If it’s temporary then I don’t mind,’ added Argyle.

’Well, it would make it easier on you guys I guess. And you would be able to slaughter everything without having to worry about me getting in your way or affecting the party’s pacing,’ Jack agreed with a nod. ’Also, we’ll need to store all of the jakal bodies. We don’t want to scare our guests with the carnage left behind and we can make plenty of things out of the corpses.’

’But we’re splitting them. I want half of everything we take while slaughtering our way through the dungeon,’ Argyle stated his terms.

’Done.’ Jack then put the fallen jakals into his pocket dimension. ’So, let’s get the party started.’

Jack quickly overwrote their pacts with the former, now giving him a sizable chunk of all of their EXP gained in the near future. With that finished, the party of three men and a large fox began their march through the cavern, killing everything in sight until they reached the giant gathering of jakals near the center of the third floor.

The only buildings were huts either carved into the ground or crafted by a basic cement the jakals made from the stone walls and some of the entrails from their various species of prey.

As Bowzer’s light found the edge of the gathering of huts, they realized how many jakals they were up against. It was definitely enough to fill a small city, a terrifying number. Even Argyle, a lv. 71 swordsman, was hesitant to charge in blindly.

While Argyle was slaughtering all jakals that approached the party, Tralon popped his knuckles and showed a spry smile. He didn’t use the staff this time but a copious amount of spacial energy swarmed over Tralon’s hands. Then, when most spells would be cast and hurled towards an opponent, Tralon reached out with his right hand and grabbed the space in front of him. Literally.

Tralon’s left hand did the same, so Tralon stood there with the fabric of all nearby space held tightly in his hands.

"Rendering Space."

Two words left Tralon’s mouth as he crushed the fabric of the nearby space in his hands and ripped it apart.

At the same time, the ground below them began to quake and the roof over there heads shifted. Following Tralon’s action of ripping the fabric of space, the gathering of huts shook before there were entirely shredded and decimated by the invisible space that Tralon had destroyed and let loose.

Argyle paused his killing spree as the jakals around him stiffened in terror at the sight of their entire species being obliterated in one fell swoop. And it was an attack they didn’t understand, increasing their fears dramatically.

But Argyle only hesitated momentarily. He swiftly slew the remaining jakals that hadn’t been eradicated by Tralon’s overwhelming spell.

’That... was something else...’ Argyle struggled to describe what he had just witnessed. Even the rubble that was left was just finely minced jakals and diced boulders, making the ground look like a giant cutting board.

Jack was in awe. He had seen the attack before, but never with his own eyes. However, his over-the-moon excitement still increased significantly when Jack looked at the explosion of EXP that he received.

Chapter 300

Clean up didn’t take very long as Jack and Tralon simply through everything in their pocket dimensions, including the rubble.

While Argyle ran through the outlying areas to make sure the jakals were extinct, he continued his mental conversation with the others. Argyle laughed, ’So, what level are you after all that, Jack?’

’I’d imagine it went well for him because I leveled up as well,’ Tralon added.

’What?! Then what happened to Jack?’

Jack sighed, struggling to contain himself. ’Everyone is going to be so mad at me the next time I see them...’

’Just tell us already!’ Argyle shouted.

’We’re lv. 47...’

’Woooow... Your party is going to be pissed when they see you,’ Argyle burst into laughter. ’I’m lv. 71 and I’m pissed at you for that kind of cheating, so I only imagine how bad they’ll want to beat you after this.’

’Lv. 47? That means you already qualify for the upcoming election.’

’Wait, Jack’s running for the council?’

’Yes, Argyle. He’ll be joining me on the council and will soon supersede me as the guild leader,’ explained Tralon. ’To do what he wants, then he’ll need to be a council member. Things would be too tricky if he wasn’t.’

’I get that but won’t he be tied down to the city as a council member?’ Argyle asked.

’Actually, no he wouldn’t. Remember, the council was created by heroes so it was also created so that heroes and adventurers could hold the position while maintaining the freedom to travel. To make sure things stayed that way, I obtained a congress crystal for the council back in the day.’

’What’s a congress crystal?’

’Right, you wouldn’t know,’ Tralon replied. ’A congress crystal is like a contact crystal but it can call multiple crystals at once and an entire group of people can converse through it instead of one.’

’Oh... So it basically lets the council hold meetings while some members are away. What’s the range?’ Jack asked.

’The entire content, but the congress crystal is so large we had to make it into the new council table,’ answered Tralon.

’I didn’t know you had a congress crystal. I would’ve made you an offer if I did,’ Argyle joked.

’Either way, being a council member doesn’t mean you’re bound to the city. You can retain your position from anywhere on the continent so long as you’ve been elected,’ explained Tralon. ’You might like it too, Argyle. Have you ever thought about running?’

’That would never...’ Argyle paused, thinking a bit more before responding, ’We’ll talk about that later when we discuss business, okay?’

Surprised to not get rejected, Tralon looked to Jack and nodded. ’Very well, I’ll keep that in mind for later.’

Once Argyle returned from his crusading, he dumped the corpses from his storage and let JAck store them away in his infinite pocket dimension.

’So, where to next?’ the swordsman asked with a smile.

’To the next circle and wherever it takes us.’ Jack led the march to the next circle, happy to have saved so much time thanks to a legendary spell. ’We’ll take the next level slower and camp there for the night. Since Tralon’s only lv. 62, he probably doesn’t have much mana left after that.’

’Right,’ Tralon chuckled, stroking his beard.

The party of four trekked to the circle and calmly activated it, releasing a familiar pulse of spacial energy that took them to a new floor.

With feet back on the ground, Jack smiled as he recognized the floor’s layout and it’s artificial lighting. ’Welcome to the fourth floor.’ But as his memories flooded back to him, the smile faded.

’What’s waiting to be killed here?’ asked Argyle.

’On this floor, I’d rather we not kill anything if we can avoid it.’

Argyle was perplexed, as was Tralon who inquired further, ’And why’s that, remind me?’

A chuckle escaped Jack’s mouth as he scratched his head in anger and nervousness. ’To be honest, I completely forgot about the storehouse for the longest time. And when you gave me the ring back at the wedding, I put it away as an afterthought that I’d come back to once I was lv. 50 or lv. 60...’

’And...’ Tralon prodded.

’And I forgot about what I put in here...’

’What do you mean?’ asked Argyle.

’Of all the floors... this will be the one where we’ll most likely find a thriving civilization now that I’m thinking back on it. And I’m an idiot for not remembering this place sooner...’

’Just spit it out, Jack!’

’Tralon, remember that one time we got a special quest to capture shadow goblins?’

’Yeees... It’s hard to forget that one. It wasn’t long after I joined you on your adventures.’

Jack sighed, ’I never told you what I did with them, right?’

’No, you... Oh, that’s why.’

’That’s why what?!’ Livid, Argyle glared at Jack. ’What is it? So you captured some shadow goblins and threw them in a dungeon. What’s the big deal?’

’I captured them near the beginning of my time as a hero. All of my memories from that time are pretty jumbled up, so I forgot all about it. But now that I’m partying with a shadow goblin...’

’Ooohh... She doesn’t know about this, does she? Now I get it.’

Jack thought hard about the past but it was really difficult to remember. He captured those goblins and built the storehouse during his first of ten years playing "A Hero’s Tale," so he couldn’t help but fail to recall it clearly. What he wanted to know was who had given him that quest, but he couldn’t remember for the life of him.

’Either way, I don’t want any more trouble between us and the shadow goblins,’ Jack stated. ’We’ll have to find a way to not only make peace but clear the way so that the council members behind us don’t destroy them.’

’Hmmm... Sounds like you’re stuck in quite the pickle,’ Argyle chuckled.

’Thanks for the advice. What do you think, Tralon?’

’I say we play it by ear, but we’ll make sure that nothing happens to them in the end if at all possible.’

The young hero sighed and climbed onto Bowzer. ’Alright... Let’s head out.’

However, as the party left that corner of the fourth floor, they were soon approached by two short, humanoid figures.

"Who dares enter our floor?"

Jack looked at the speaker in the eyes as a rush of muddled emotions came over him. "We mean the shadow goblins no trouble. In fact, we mean to help them.’

"What do you mean by help?" answered the goblin scout. "We haven’t had any humans enter our territory for one thousand years, yet you show up to help us with the problems you don’t know we have?"

"Please, we mean no harm. We would like to meet with your chief."

"And why should we let you do that?"

"Because if you don’t I may do something we’ll regret," stated Argyle, pressuring the lv. 59 goblin.

"I... Fine, but we still haven’t determined if you’re friends or foes, so don’t expect any hospitality," the leader replied angrily. "Follow us."

After following the passage for ten minutes, they reached the biggest opening on the fourth floor. They noticed a city of sorts built in the center, but it was small and nowhere near as advanced as Jack had expected.

The two groups entered the short city walls, catching the eyes of two dozen shadow goblins. Gossiping had already begun as the two scouts led the small party into a tiny castle-like structure.

Jack hopped off of Bowzer and the party members ducked their heads as they entered, Immediately, they were guided toward the main hall by another dozen shadow goblins.

When they reached the main hall it was the only door tall enough for them to enter normally. The party was hurried through it and forced to kneel upon entry.

"All bow to for Grangor, the shadow goblin chief!"