Ch. 371..380

Chapter 371

"Right..." sighed Argyle. "And just when I thought that Jack had become too strong too quickly, I found out that he’s still not strong enough..."

"Jack knows that better than anyone, Argyle. Why else would he be so adamant on taking advantage of others when given the opportunity?" chuckled Tralon.

"I just thought he was a jerk."

"Well, he is," Tralon admitted. "But if he wasn’t a jerk, could he have gotten this far so quickly? Doesn’t it make sense for Daruun to choose a jerk as his champion?"

"You’ve got a point there," Argyle agreed as he lifted himself from his lounge chair. "I’ll get my people situated to the north end of the property. That’s where you want us, right?"

"Correct. That way you can still have a storefront with an abundance of foot traffic," replied Tralon.

As Argyle opened the door to leave, he was surprised to find the Leisure Guild’s deputy manager on the other side.

"O-oh, sorry to trouble you Master Argyle. Is the guild leader inside?" Ilgor asked.

"I’m here, come in, Ilgor." As the deputy manager entered the room, Tralon asked, "Should Argyle need to hear about this as well?"

"Um, I just came to tell you that you have guests," stated Ilgor. "Two men dressed as adventurers are asking about joining the guild, but they’re too strong for me to assess. A-also, they asked for you by name, so I thought it would be fitting to--"

"I’ll see them, Ilgor. Such strong members are worth a moment of my time." Tralon smiled as he too stood up. "If you wish, you’re welcome to join me, Argyle."

"No thanks, I’ve got other things that do. I’ll let you know when we’re moved in," replied Argyle, walking away with a wave.

"Ilgor, show me to their waiting room."

The deputy manager nodded and took Tralon to a small room with a simple table and chairs. In the old days, the room was a conference room for adventuring parties but now they were just spare waiting rooms to receive guests.

Tralon knocked on the door before he turned the handle. He walked in while introducing himself, "It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m... Ilgor, you may leave. I’ll handle everything with them personally."

"O-of course, Guild Master." Ilgor bowed and continued down the hall as Tralon locked the door behind him.

Casting silence, the old mage sat down across the two supposed adventurers. "I’m sure you already know who I am, so why don’t you introduce your new friend, Lorwynn?"

"The names Hadurt. We came to meet the neutral champion, so where’s he at?" Hadurt impatiently questioned.

Lorwynn chuckled, "What he means to ask is if we can visit Jack. Is he in right now?"

"No, I’m sorry but he’s off on guild business," answered Tralon. "As for the neutral champion, what exactly fo you mean by that?"

"Exactly that. Isn’t Jack the neutral champion?" Hadurt kept questioning the ancient guild leader. "Or am I wrong to assume that he’s the former Legend of Trodar?"

Tralon was very cautious with his words, trying to understand the situation better and discern what he could and couldn’t say.

"Excuse me." A calm voice slipped through the door as it opened and closed. Smiling warmly, another man walked over and sat beside Tralon.

"And who are you?" asked Hadurt.

"I’m the one you want to speak with. I’m not Jack, but I have been waiting for you two to arrive. How’d the battle in Federal City go, by the way?" Daruun asked.

Lorwynn leaned into the table. "It went smoother than I was expecting, but I did surprise everyone after all."

"And how’s your master doing, Lorwynn? I’m sure he’s tired of putting on a false front for Naparn and the other Holy Gods."

Dropping his smile, Lorwynn stared seriously at the man across from him. "Who are you?"

Daruun chuckled, "Will you admit who you two really are to Tralon or not? He’ll figure it out anyway, so why hide it?"

"That..." Lorwynn kept from saying more, not sure what was the best thing to do.

Hadurt started intently at Daruun, trying to see through him. "What level are you? And how are you hiding it so well?"

"I have no level. There’s no way for the system to get a read on me," replied Daruun. "If you and Lorwynn won’t mention your true identities, then I can assure you that Jack won’t help you become gods."

"But--"

"I’m Hadurt, the chaotic champion chosen by Skaryn before he was sealed away. I’ve long forgotten my family name, along with their faces. All I want is power, and I agreed to come here for that purpose alone," Hadurt immediately opened up. "Now, tell me how I can become a god since you already know what I’m after! Also, explain how you could know that was my motive!"

"Easy enough. By the way, my name is Daruun. It’s a pleasure to meet both of you."

"Wha..." Swallowing what Hadurt assumed would be his reply, Hadurt took a moment to process Daruun’s introduction.

Lorwynn was wide-eyed and speechless as well. His jaw hung open as he tried to fathom finding a main god within the confines of a mortal guild. The image was too strange to him that it was hard to believe.

"You’re joking... right?" asked Hadurt. "You’re really the God of Fate? The god ruling over the Neutral Gods?"

"I wouldn’t call what I do ruling, Hadurt. The way I see it, I’ve simply accepted them under my wing as my sons and daughters. I understand that’s hard for you to grasp, coming from the chaotic gods who constantly bicker and fight for more strength, but that’s the truth," stated Daruun. "In a way, you could even call the Neutral Gods the younger brothers and sisters of Halmut and Skaryn."

"What do you mean?" asked Lorwynn.

Daruun smiled. "Like those you call the Neutral Gods, I also helped Skaryn and Halmut ascend to godhood."

Silence filled the room. Not even a heartbeat could be heard from any of the three men sitting at the table.

"I never claimed to rule over gods or create my own faction. I simply thought helping them in the past was the right thing to do at the time, but I’ve come to see the error of my ways," continued Daruun. "From then on, I made sure to be absolutely sure whenever I made a move. Due to my lack of judgment in the past, I allowed those two to eventually war and divide the world. That’s how you two got dragged into this mess, so allow me to apologize."

"You... helped Skaryn become a god?" a few words managed to escape Hadurt mouth. "Doesn’t that mean--"

"Yes, I’m technically more powerful than both Halmut and Skaryn. That’s why they play by my rules, otherwise, I’ll be allowed to handle things personally," Daruun answered.

"What do you mean by--"

"Lorwynn, don’t ask for unnecessary information and waste our time together. You don’t need to know my rules, as that’s between myself and the two people who claimed you both as champions," stated Daruun. "What you’re after is the ability to become gods, something that your own pantheons have refused to you time and time again. Would you like to know why?"

Both Lorwynn and Hadurt nodded, letting Daruun control the conversation while Tralon sat back and listened closely.

"Tralon, pay attention because this also applies to you," added Daruun. "First, you two need to understand the consequences of your extended life. Like Tralon, you’ve each partaken of some means to extend your mortal lifespan. One of the reasons that your pantheons refuse to help you become gods is because they know it’s a waste. Any mortal that extends their life like you three have done will lose their immortal potential, making it a waste to select you as a demigod."

 

Chapter 372

While both champions were aghast, Daruun continued, "The second reason is that the gods ruling your pantheons have forbidden it. They refuse to allow their subordinate gods to outgrow them."

"Then... If it’s impossible, why did you mention that Jack could help us become gods earlier?" questioned Hadurt. He just recently accepted the chance to become a god and he wasn’t willing to let go of that chance so easily.

Smiling, Daruun replied, "That’s because Jack does have the ability to help you. Allow me to explain.

"Jack has already been claimed as a demigod, as has his new sister and his fox companion. And others will soon be joining those ranks. The issue you three now face doesn’t lie in the inability to find willing gods, it lies in your current lack of immortal potential. So if you lack something, can’t you simply get more of that thing?"

Following Daruun’s logic, Tralon finally spoke up, "Are you saying that there’s a way to regain our immortal potential?"

"No, that potential has been spent." Daruun shook his head but kept smiling. "But you can take someone else’s immortal potential."

"Then--"

"Let me finish, Hadurt. You wouldn’t want to feel depressed after I crush your simple theory," stated Daruun. "In order to steal someone’s immortal potential, that person’s immortal potential must be active and realized. What do you think that means, Hadurt?"

The berserker nervously replied, "That... means we need to kill a god."

"Good for you, one god’s immortal potential is practically limitless compared to mortals. Felling a single god would give all three of you a chance. But that potential would be foreign to you so, at most, you’d be able to keep the energy within you for a week before it completely fades. Within that week, you’ll need to become a demigod and cross lv. 90," explained Daruun.

"And should you reach lv. 89 before you become a demigod, you’ll reach a standstill and EXP will have no effect on you. Should you gain EXP while at lv. 89 without being a demigod, then that EXP will be lost," Daruun added. "So, with that in mind, how do you think Jack will be able to help you?"

Lorwynn answered, "He’ll have to kill a god for us, right?"

Daruun nodded and looked to Tralon

"But that..." Tralon muttered, struggling to speak his mind.

"Tralon, you’ve got less than one year to surpass your former level and become a god should you wish to keep living," Daruun spoke Tralon’s mind for him. "I wouldn’t call that impossible, but it is incredibly difficult. You all will have to work hard for that to happen."

"Wait, Jack’s going to kill a god within a year?!" Lorwynn shouted.

Hadurt gave his former rival a strange look. "What’s the matter? He’s the Legend, isn’t he?"

"Yeah, but his situation is different than other summoned heroes," replied Lorwynn. "Jack was summoned at lv. 1 and he’s been working his way back up from nothing."

"WHAT?! Daruun, you would do that to your champion?!" yelled Hadurt.

"That’s exactly what I did. If I hadn’t, then Jack would only have the potential of his past self. By starting from scratch, I allowed Jack to have a unique subclass that, knowing Jack, he’ll use to flip Kartonia upside down," reasoned Daruun. "For him, starting at lv. 1 was better than bringing his past self."

"But how strong is he now. When I first met him months ago, he had barely reached lv. 20."

"Well, considering that he’s now lv. 49 and almost lv. 50, I’d say he’s on course," replied Daruun, stunning both Lorwynn and Hadurt. "He may be lower in level, but he’s your only hope to become gods and escape the inevitable deaths your roles carry. So, what do you think you should do or offer him?"

"I’ll pledge to him." Hadurt blurted out his reply, startling Lorwynn even further. "For him to kill a god means he’ll most likely already be a god, right? Wouldn’t that me I could pledge to him, the first-ever hero turned god-killer turned immortal? That’s my kind of god!"

Daruun started laughing, meeting Hadaurt eye to eye. "I think he’d like that. Just don’t get too mad at him when he has you doing some crazy schemes. What about you, Lorwynn?"

"I... I’d prefer to pledge to my master, given the chance."

"That’s very reasonable and honorable of you. But how will you help Jack get to the point where he can kill a god?" questioned Daruun. "Hadurt didn’t state it directly, but he’s willing to follow Jack at the chance to become a god and kill Pestro for all the trouble the Demon God has forced him to suffer."

"Hey!"

"Am I wrong, Hadurt?" Daruun chuckled. "So, what are you offering him, Lorwynn?"

Hesitating, Lorwynn looked to Hadurt. "If Hadurt will join as well, I’ll join the Leisure Guild in secret and guard it from the shadows. That way Jack doesn’t have to worry about the guild while he’s away."

"Great idea, but that won’t be worth anything once Jack gets back. Also, Jack might turn you down for that," stated Daruun.

Tralon shrugged, adding, "Yeah, I could see Jack doing that."

"Impossible." Lorwynn shook his head. "What could offer better security than Hadurt and I?"

"A god."

Those two words instantly silenced Lorwynn and brought a smile to Hadurt’s face.

Daruun continued, "Also, if mortals dare attack without the aid of the gods, Jack’s already started to place countermeasures throughout the guild. So that offer wouldn’t be very enticing to Jack. Try to think of what Jack would want someone of your level to do, something that only you two could accomplish."

Stewing in thought, Lorwynn was stumped.

Since he was mentioned as well, Hadurt also put his mind to work. After about a minute, the berserker thought of something. "Unlike Lorwynn, all I know how to do is fight and grind through dungeons. Is that what Jack would want?"

"Right again, Hadurt." Daruun nodded. "How else will Tralon have a chance at reaching lv. 89 so quickly?"

Both champions looked to each other and started laughing.

"That’s it?" asked Lorwynn. "If I offer Jack a year of my time to carry Tralon back to his old strength, then he’ll make me a god?"

"That’s your best bet. Just don’t screw up your relationship or attempt to betray him, otherwise, he’ll make sure you die. Though his mother can’t do anything at the moment, Jack’s father has nothing keeping him from slaying both of you."

"His father?" Hadurt looked back at Daruun, confused.

"Remember how I said the Neutral Gods are my children? Well, when any of them choose a demigod, they adopt them. Currently, I have two grandchildren if you include Jack," answered Daruun.

Lorwynn nervously asked, "Then, who’s his father?"

"Sterfen, the God of Secrecy," Daruun stated, "or as some of the older gods would call him, the Assassin God."

Both champions swallowed the saliva lodged in their throats, realizing that there truly was no going back. It was one thing to imagine taking on the neutral champion like they always had, but the more they learned about the Neutral Gods and their plans, the more terrifying that Jack started to become. And while being on Jack’s good side was stupendous, they quickly realized that being on his bad side would be equally terrifying.

"So, I take it that you two will tell Jack what you told me here?" asked Daruun.

"I will," replied Hadurt.

Lorwynn nodded. "I will."

"Great!" Tralon shouted with a grin from ear to ear. "Welcome to the Leisure Guild. Jack will be back shortly with Eedaj, the Mind God, who will be relocating to live in the Leisure Guild. Allow me to show you around. I’m sure you’d like to meet the beholders and Dragov."

While Lorwynn was caught up in the mention of Eedaj and beholders, Hadurt was curious about the other name Tralon mentioned. The berserker asked, "Who’s Dragov?"

"Just be calm and follow me. And no attacking him, okay?" Tralon added with a chuckle as he led the two newest recruits out of the room.

 

Chapter 373

Five minutes of walking led Jack and his party in a circle back to where they entered the Prehistoric Forest. They quickly came to understand the purpose of the barrier.

"Jack," Eliza spoke up and looked to her husband, "what will you do about the barrier? Are you going to break it?"

Shaking his head, Jack examined the barrier closely. He noted that the barrier wasn’t a dome but a wall that rose high into the clouds, taking flying overhead out of the equation. There were no holes or signs of holes anywhere to be found, so Jack didn’t bother searching for one elsewhere. The barrier was perfectly executed and there was no reason for Jack to believe that a god would make such a careless mistake.

Cupping his hands over his mouth, Jack took a deep breath. Using all his strength, Jack shouted into the forest, "Eedaj! I found more greis elves! Wanna meet them?"

The shout echoed through the hulking trees and plants of the Prehistoric Forest. Not surprised by Jack’s attempt to find a loophole in the situation, Daliea and Eliza smiled at Jack’s calm thinking.

Not even a minute later, a single portion of the barrier peeled back. An entrance fit for one person was left as the barrier seemed to ebb and flow around the opening, like a waterfall cascading around a boulder. A telepathic voice trickled into the party’s minds, ’Come. I’ve been expecting you.’

With a smile on his face, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. Leading the party into the forest, Jack nodded and took the first step.

Without the barrier affecting their judgment, the party easily made their way further and further into the Prehistoric Forest. But they were surprised to find no beasts anywhere within the forest. Even after thirty minutes of trekking, the party found signs of animal life but animals.

That was something that Jack didn’t want to believe was normal and could only chalk up to Eedaj messing with the natural order of things. He was sad though, as Jack wanted to see if any beasts were fitting for him or the party.

’Come in,’ the telepathic voice softly whispered to the party.

Confused, the party continued walking until they found something interesting. Much like the elven chief’s home carved into the roots of the Ancient Life Tree, they found a door and a window in the massive roots of the largest tree they had seen yet. A light was on, showing them that the owner was home, clearly waiting for them despite the late hour.

While the party was in awe of the breathtaking sight of the simple home in such a scenic place, that door creaked open and a short, grey-skinned man poked his head out.

"I thought I told you to come in?" the man chuckled, pushing the door open wide. "Come, you’re my first mortal guests in over a millennium."

The man’s soft voice was startling to Jack.

Jack’s image of the Mind God was that of a tactical master that excelled in mental torture and espionage. Yet now in front of him stood a short, grey-skinned elf with a warm smile and a tender, androgynous voice. Though Jack was sure this was indeed Eedaj, it took a moment for Jack’s brain to redo his mental equation to reimagine Jack’s image of the Mind God.

While Jack was in a stupor and the other party members were waiting for Jack to say or do something, Daliea suddenly fell to her knees. She was overwhelmed with emotion upon seeing Eedaj, one of her people, for the first time in over a century.

"Your name is Daliea, right?" Eedaj gingerly asked as he walked up to her and knelt beside her. Placing a hand atop her head, Eedaj comforted Daliea. "I already know. I’m sorry for being unable to find you and your tribe in time to save you. At least you’re still alive, as are others."

In tears, Daliea wiped her cheeks and tried her best to speak, "Does that mean... our people will be alright?"

Eedaj nodded. "The hard times have only begun, but now we can face them together."

Looking to the other party members, Eedaj helped Daliea get back to her feet and added, "Let’s hurry and get inside. The stew is almost ready, so we’ll talk more easily around the fire."

"Very well," Jack replied, walking in before Eedaj could lead Daliea inside. "But we don’t have much time, Eedaj. I need to get you to Trodar before the end of tomorrow."

"I see. Then I guess I’ll make this fast, but forgive me in advance for peeking into your thoughts to speed things up," Eedaj stated. "However, I’m sure you’re already used to that thanks to your conversations with Daruun, Jack."

Jack nodded. "Go right ahead. That way you can just give me your answer."

Laughing softly and warmly, Eedaj looked back and forth between Jack and Daliea as the party sat down on the handmade leather couches around the cooking fire.

"Jack, I agree to return to Trodar and to open a shrine," admitted Eedaj. "Now, here are my terms which I already know you’ll accept. My people will join your guild with me, becoming honorary members and equals in your society. Also, you will marry my daughter."

"No!" Jack shouted out of reflex.

"Let me finish." Eedaj held up a finger, retaining his warm smile. Then, he stepped toward Daliea to pat her head again. But this time, a burst of energy came from Daliea in a flash of red, black, and faded white. It lasted only a moment but, apart from Phoro, everyone present understood what just happened. Eedaj repeated, "My people will join your guild with me, becoming honorary members and equals in your society. Also, you will marry my daughter. Do you still have any objections?"

Chuckling nervously, Jack turned to Daliea. She was clearly confused by the sudden shift of the situation, but when she looked back at Jack, the happiness in her eyes couldn’t be hidden by her confusion.

"I have no objections," replied Jack. "So, what should I call you now? You’re not my uncle anymore, so..."

"Call me what you wish. Uncle is fine, but I would prefer father-in-law or even father should you be willing," answered Eedaj.

"Then... you’re my palpo now?" Daliea asked, looking back to Eedaj.

Eedaj inhaled a deep breath as Daliea said those words. He didn’t cry but it was easy to see that he was glad to hear such a statement. The god replied with a smile, "Yeah, I’m your palpo now. And you’re my dhendi, so feel free to ask for anything."

As Eedaj handed Daliea a storage ring filled with spellbooks and items, the lid atop the stew pot started to shake.

"Now, let’s eat something before we get going. Considering I’ll be back in the spotlight anyway, I’ll give us a ride back. That way we can enjoy the meal without any rush," Eedaj stated. "Also, Eliza, know that I see you as a daughter-in-law. Feel free to come to me about anything in the future as we’ll both be staying in Gilga."

"Thank you, Father-in-law." Eliza smiled and telepathically whispered to her husband, ’I guess I didn’t have to poke you too much this time.’

’No, I’ve learned my lesson, hon,’ Jack replied while receiving his portion of stew from Eedaj.

The Mind God was so amiable and approachable, unlike anything the party had originally expected. What they assumed might have become an intense discussion turned out to be a split-second decision that left both parties excited for the future.

Much like how Daruun would guide any conversation he was a part of, Eedaj was able to directly address the heart of any question or conversation. But his natural persona was very warm and accepting. This unexpected personality made Jack wonder something. If Eedaj’s usual personality was so warm toward his friends, how cold was Eedaj toward his enemies?

 

Chapter 374

That meal was both hearty and light. Its base was made from the rarer beasts found in the Prehistoric Forest and was paired with the wild vegetables and herbs that could be found there as well. It was a meal unlike any other, which the party felt was worth savoring instead of rushing.

Glad to not be pressed for time thanks to Eedaj’s offer, the party and the god enjoyed the meal while chatting and laughing together. They were able to joke around as Eedaj didn’t need any explanations for what had happened so far thanks to his abilities as the Mind God.

When the meal finally ended, Jack sighed. "You won’t be able to make this once we’re in Trodar, will you?"

"I’ll still be able, Jack," replied Eedaj. "I’ve had nothing to do for the past millennium so I took the time to learn cooking. Also, I’ve stored samples of each plant and a few specimens of each beast. With my mental abilities, I can learn the habits and favorite prey of each beast, making it easier to pair ingredients and discover new flavors."

"Wow... I never expected to the Mind God to like cooking so much," chuckled Jack.

Eedaj laughed along with Jack, "You’d be surprised to know of gods and their hobbies. Some day you should ask Sterfen about his collection. You’ll be even more surprised."

"I’ll remember that!"

"Shouldn’t we be going, Palpo?" asked Daliea. She was so happy to be able to call someone that again.

Nodding, Eedaj stood up and stretched to help the meal settle in his stomach. "Let’s get going. I’ll show you how a god travels in style."

While Eedaj went around his home, storing all the furniture, decorations, and cooking utensils, the party exited the humble home and waited outside. A few minutes later, Eedaj exited the now empty house and shut the door behind him. He rubbed the giant root he long called home one last time before stepping toward the party.

"Now, it’s time I came back into the world."

Eedaj stood there calmly with the party. He said nothing else nor did he move. But a few moments later, everyone heard the rush of wind blow through the treetops.

When the source of the wind came into view and sat on a tree branch high above, the party was speechless. Eedaj, however, spoke up, "Everyone, this is my companion, Konbel. She and her ancestors have been my companions ever since my ascendance. She’ll be the one taking us to Trodar."

"I forgot all about that..." Jack laughed to himself, in awe of the massive beast that bowed its head to greet the party.

Eedaj showed them stairs carved into the giant tree, spiraling up toward the branch with Konbel. The god added, "She’s a Behemoth Crane, by the way, a rare breed that doesn’t need to mate to lay eggs. She’s also the last survivor of her race, so we become great friends over time. When she finally has her child, they’ll become your companion, my dhendi"

Eventually, the party reached the Behemoth Crane and followed Eedaj onto her back.

"Keep your heads down and try not to move too much," instructed Eedaj. "Though she’s no Minokawa, her speed is enough to knock you all back at your current strength."

They heard no order given to Konbel, but she started to flap her wings and take off into the sky high above the giant trees.

’I’d recommend we speak mentally should you wish to converse,’ Eedaj opened a mental link between them all. ’We’ll arrive in Gilga before sunset, so let me explain a few things now.’

The party was struggling to move as blistering winds tried to knock them off the crane’s back. They nodded or said nothing, letting Eedaj calmly speak his mind.

Eedaj continued, ’As my daughter, Daliea, you’ll now gain the ability to use telepathy with anyone and anything, feeling their emotions and thoughts. That includes plant life as well, so always keep that in mind. And since you share the same three magic types of mine, you’ll notice that you now have a new skill for each of those magic types.

’For illusion, you can now read unprotected minds and even alter memories. How much you can alter the memories of your target depends on the amount of mana you’re willing to expend and how unwilling the target is toward your alterations.

’For darkness, you can now create a special, illusory darkness. This darkness can affect anyone with certain attributes or characteristics of your choice, or it can be ineffective to anyone with certain attributes or characteristics of your choice. Either option is viable, but the more precise and larger the darkness, the more mana you’ll expend while it’s active,’ explained Eedaj. ’This dark ability only works because you have illusion magic.

’As for fire, this ability exits only because you have illusion magic as well. You can create flames that are invisible to others, like your darkness. But this ability is far more taxing in mana, so I prefer to use it in battle compared to the widespread use of the dark illusion you can now create.’

’Daliea,’ Jack spoke up, ’I can’t even imagine how powerful you’ll be with these skills. That’s amazing.’

’She’ll be more powerful than ever, but she’ll also have to manage her mana more than ever before,’ stated Eedaj. ’If she can’t manage mana correctly, she’ll run out far too quickly and be left vulnerable. Especially at first, she should use these abilities sparingly.’

Eedaj added, ’Let me put her new skills into perspective. The ability to alter memories is equal to a mythic-tier spell, the ability to create the illusory darkness is equal to a peak-tier spell, and the ability to make her flames illusory is a peak-tier spell on top of whatever spell she uses to create the flames. Don’t think she’s invincible, because she’s not.’

With that clear depiction, everyone in the party better understood the downside to such powerful abilities.

Daliea nodded and asked, ’So I should be extra careful with these skills? Should I worry about people discovering I have these abilities?’

’That’s a great question but don’t worry about that,’ answered Eedaj. ’Since I’m back into the public spotlight, such abilities will be connected back to me. And the other gods will already guess the connection even if you didn’t use those abilities. So don’t worry about it, okay? As my dhendi, I’ll protect you, as will your husband.’

’About that...’ Jack chimed in again. ’When will we hold the wedding?’

’Why not tonight?’

As Eedaj smiled, the rest of the party had mixed reactions. Bowzer and Phoro were proud of Jack while Eliza started to giggle. Both Daliea and Jack were blushing but said nothing to disagree with the god.

The Behemoth Crane rocketed through the sky while maintaining it’s natural grace and beauty. And due to the high altitude the crane maintained, everyone on the ground below saw the magnificent beast as she raced toward Trodar.

When the crane left the Prehistoric Forest the elves were all in awe. It was the most sacred beast to them with an eighth level bloodline, a beast regarded as the carrier of the elven gods. And to see one race away from the Prehistoric Forest was equal to the confirmation of legends. The existence of Eedaj was a revived discussion thanks to the crane’s appearance.

That led to many elves hurrying to the Prehistoric Forest, yet they were baffled further after arriving there.

Their name for the place no longer held any value. The illusory barrier that surrounded the forest had vanished, allowing everyone entry to that prehistoric place.

With a flood of elven explorers, it was easy for them to find the simple home that wasn’t hiding in any way. Once they spotted the tree with stairs carved into it, they then found the unlocked door built into the tree’s roots. But there was nothing to be found in that space clearly made into a home.

Curious and confused, the elves didn’t know what to make of the discovery.

Chapter 375

Flying high in the sky, a large creature flew at incredible speeds. Its speed cut through the clouds and shook all aviary beasts nearby. Yet none of the beasts or common people that the creature had passed knew that it had flown overhead.

That beast was massive and grotesque. It resembled the bone fiends of the magma floor from the Leisure Guild storehouse but was far too large and only had a single eye focused on its destination. Other than a muzzle wrapped around its face to keep it from wailing, there was a gemstone choker around the fiend’s neck with a chain leading back to the man sitting on the giant fiend’s back.

The man sat on a chair that was installed into the giant fiend’s spine, jutting out from the creature’s back. In one hand, the man held the chain of the giant fiend and in the other hand, he held a contact crystal.

"Choron, answer already!" the man shouted again into the crystal, still not getting a response.

The crusty boils around the man’s pig-like nose almost cracked open as his face tightened in anger. His body was broad and sturdy but there was a large amount of fat covering the powerful muscles of his abdomen.

He shouted once more, "Choron! Answer me! How dare you not answer a superior?!"

With nothing left to do, the man grunted and put the crystal away. Since Choron wasn’t going to let him in, the man needed to enter by force.

On the man’s command, the invisible fiend dove down toward the expansive canyon below. It aimed for a spot that seemed to be covered in somewhat fresh rubble. It didn’t stop though, barreling into the ground and finding a passage beneath it.

The giant beast soon landed at the bottom. Dim artificial lighting lined the walls and there was a single passage out of that chamber.

Dismounting the fiend, the hulking man shook the ground as he landed on his feet. He started to walk down the tunnel with a smug look on his face. The art along the walls didn’t interest him as he confidently walked with his gaze fixed forward.

Eventually, the man reached a large chamber filled with beds. Only then did he finally seem interested in something other than the final chamber at the end of the tunnel.

The beds weren’t dusty or unkempt. Everything was clean, tidy, and organized. Some beds had even been moved around. It was nothing like the last time he had visited Choron a couple of centuries ago.

Sniffing the surrounding air, the man’s pig-like nose snorted while trying to figure out the reason behind the sudden change.

"... Goblins?... Or elves?"

The scent was both familiar and unfamiliar to the hulking man. No matter what he tried to imagine, though, he couldn’t pinpoint the exact creature the scent belonged to.

Unhappy to realize that Choron had accepted people into his hidden temple, the man charged ahead at full speed.

Everything shook as the man’s great weight combined with his speed and strength to barrel through the remainder of the passage. Only after he stepped into the vast open chamber and noticed a figure sitting cross-legged in the center of the room did the man halt his charge.

"Choron!" shouted the man. "What’s going on here? What have you done now!?"

Unfazed, the man remained cross-legged and continued his meditation.

"You..." Stomping forward, the giant man marched toward the tranquil ninja. Once he was standing over the ninja, the man shouted directly into the ninja’s ear. "What’s the big idea, huh?!"

"Why so loud?" asked Choron, finally opening his eyes.

"Answer me! Why didn’t you let me in?" questioned the man.

Choron chuckled, "Pestro... can’t you see I’m in the middle of meditation? Now’s not the time to bother me. We can speak later."

"No! We’ll talk here and now!" Grabbing the ninja by the collar of his jacket, Pestro lifted the ninja a full meter until they were eye to eye. "What are you doing, Choron?!"

"I have no idea what you’re talking about, Pestro."

"Nonsense!" Spittle from Pestro’s cries speckled Choron’s face. "Tell me or die!"

"That’s some threat, Pestro, but... can your actions back such a statement?" Choron chuckled.

Showing no hesitation, a halberd appeared in Pestro’s other hand and was thrust into Choron’s chest. "Now speak or die!"

Blood trickled down Choron’s chest and the ninja spit a mouthful of the red liquid as well. But the ninja never stopped smiling or laughing. "I ask again... Can your actions back such a statement?"

Pestro snarled and removed the halberd only to thrust back into another part of Choron’s chest.

As more blood fell from the ninja’s mouth, he chuckled more. "You’re too late..."

Just as Pestro started to gather black demonic energy around his halberd, Choron’s figured evaporated in a puff of smoke. Leaving Pestro alone in the empty chamber of Choron’s hidden temple, Choron’s ninja clone disappeared without a trace.

"Raaaaahhhh!!"

Echoing off the walls and causing rocks to fall from the temple ceiling, Pestro yelled in pure, unadulterated rage. More and more of that demonic black energy gathered around him as the Demon God demonized and thrashed out within the temple.

Everything was laid to waste. The shrine of the main chamber was reduced to rubble. All the beds and furniture in the living quarters were shredded in Pestro’s rampage. Every image along the walls was broken with either Pestro’s shouts, his fists, or his demonic halberd. Nothing was safe from his fury.

After ten minutes of destruction, Pestro returned to his mount while panting heavily. He wasn’t tired, just extremely livid and trying to calm down before he reentered the common world. If he accidentally thrashed out while in the mortal world, Tralbok and the other gods would never forgive him.

Five minutes later, Pestro was calm enough to speak normally. He then mounted the giant fiend and pulled out his contact crystal while the fiend fled from the scene of destruction.

"Tralbok, Choron wasn’t there."

"What?!" replied Tralbok. "But according to crystal, Choron only left that place fifteen minutes ago, after you had already arrived."

"That was a clone, nothing more," replied Pestro, grinding his teeth. "Also, the beds had been used recently but I couldn’t pinpoint what creatures had used them."

Thinking silently, Tralbok twiddled his fingers. "Pestro, do you have any clues or theories about what type of creatures had used the beds? Maybe we can pinpoint Choron’s location from that."

With a sigh, Pestro replied, "I was stuck between goblins or elves."

"Goblins and elves? What a strange combination... Then let’s check the goblin lands of Drulgen."

"But what about--"

"Don’t worry too much about Rikko. Just go there quietly and scope things out. If you happen to run into him, just state that you’re handling business for the faction," reasoned Tralbok. "Don’t bother searching in Korten. That would cause too much trouble at the moment."

"But aren’t we supposed to face the Holy Gods before the Neutral Gods?" asked Pestro.

Tralbok replied, "Well, we’re not facing them. All you’re doing is handling the business of the faction. Don’t act afraid of Rikko, but don’t do anything to hurt him either. If he causes you too much trouble, then call me so I can speak with him."

Nodding, Pestro guided his giant fiend eastward, heading toward the southeast corner of the continent.

"Also, don’t come back till you have a lead on Choron, Pestro," Tralbok added. "With your snout, you should be able to sniff something out or at least eliminate goblins from our search list. Got it?"

"Got it."

With the conversation over, Pestro clenched his fists tightly. He was still enraged about Choron giving him the slip. With so much pent up aggression, Pestro wanted to hurry up and find Choron so that he could use the ninja as a punching bag to vent.

 

Chapter 376

The Behemoth Crane glided through the sky effortlessly, letting the people below admire it and wonder what was going on.

As the crane entered Trodar and was headed for Gilga, rumors were already starting to arise of a mythical bird flying through Trodar. Thanks to contact crystals, such rumors spread like wildfire as everyone was telling their friends and loved ones to go outside and watch the sky. Whenever the rumor was confirmed true, that person would then tell even more people.

That continued until a good portion of the Gilga citizens were awaiting the pass of the magnificent bird. The restaurants with street seating were unexpectedly slammed and the amount of business along the streets started to rival that of a holiday.

This continued for the latter half of the day until that awaited moment finally arrived.

While the sun was still crawling down the sky, a blip appeared in the distant sky. Gradually, that blip turned into a circle. That circle turned into a small bird. Then, that small bird slowly grew into a gigantic silhouette. Once the figure was recognizable as that of a crane, the citizens of Gilga were blown away.

It was a common practice of powerful experts or businesses to have a great flying beast for travel. However, they had never seen such a spectacular beast used for such a purpose.

At first they were in awe, like they would be for a shooting star streaking across the heavens. But they soon realized something. That beautiful crane-like beast was starting to slow down. The closer it got to the city walls, the slower it became. Also, the beast was growing larger and larger, beginning its descent.

That awe soon turned to something else. Some believed it was a powerful foreign dignitary. Others thought it was a wild beast in search of humans as food. Many were too curious to settle on a single outcome, impatiently wanting to learn the truth.

Soon, the giant crane had descended low enough to barely clear the tallest buildings of Gilga but it hadn’t stopped going forward.

The streets of Gilga were flooded with people as the bird cawed and slowly glided over the city to grab the attention of the citizens. Mobs were following after the beast as typical carriage traffic came to a standstill due to the excess of pedestrians. But many of those riding in carriages joined the crowds as they learned what was going on.

Some people even thought they saw human silhouettes on the back of the magnificent bird. Not many believed those rumors but it added to everyone’s curiosity.

Eventually, the massive bird flapped its wings and came to a halt in the air. Reaching it’s long legs down, they carefully landed on the wall of a vast property, the greatest property in all of Gilga.

The crowds eventually caught up to the gigantic beast, trying to understand what was going on. Then, the people noticed figures climbing off of the crane and standing beside the beast atop the walls of the Leisure Guild.

It didn’t take long for the gate beneath the crane to open up and for members of the Leisure Guild to join the crowd. Even Tralon exited the guild, catching the attention of everyone.

The citizens started to think that the legendary guild might be up to something. And since that thought went against the current belief that the guild was on the decline, their immense curiosity managed to grow even more.

"People of Trodar!"

A voice called out from the top of the guild walls. Finally, one of the people from the crane was addressing the anxious crowd.

"My name is Jack," the hero introduced himself. "I’m a summoned hero that was formerly with the Adventurers Association. But I must kindly relinquish my membership so that I can join the Leisure Guild."

Suddenly, an ocean of voices and gossip flooded the entire city of Gilga. Jack was about to continue when he caught wind of some of the things the people were mentioning.

"Does that mean the association is really through?"

"Did the association lose the battle in Federal City?"

"Is Federal City really in ruins?"

The things gossiped by the people were completely foreign to Jack, leaving him perplexed. With that in mind, Jack continued, "My leave from the association is a personal decision that I’ve been longing to make. Before I was summoned to this time, I was a member of this guild during ancient times. And seeing it’s current state, how I could I not give it my all to help the Leisure Guild rise back to the glory it once held?"

The crowd roared in appreciation of Jack’s words. Questions started coming from everywhere. But one question was quickly picked up by the entire crowd to make sure that Jack heard it and its many variations.

"Who are you?"

"What level are you?"

"Do you know the legend?"

Jack opened his mouth to answer but something else happened to steal his spotlight.

The sound of rolling thunder came out of nowhere. Clouds that seemed neither stormy nor calm rushed over the great spectacle. Lightning crackled and thunder rang as the clouds started to part.

Everyone below saw a figure descend in a pillar of light. No one recognized the man but his plain white clothing was eye-catching and untainted.

As the crowd was overwhelmed by the sight, Jack started laughing alongside Eedaj.

The two of them had chatted along the ride to coordinate this grand entrance and speech to mark the return of the gods to Trodar. But after all of that planning, they were upstaged almost instantly by Daruun’s sudden appearance.

Daruun descended and landed between Jack and Eedaj, keeping himself the focal point of the event.

Crowds were getting larger and larger and Trodar’s most important figures were starting to arrive as well. Some of the councilmen had mixed into the crowd, along with some of the greatest businessmen. How could they miss such a momentous occasion?

When those figures noticed Kims and Vixus standing beside Tralon and Argyle, they almost hit the floor. But their attention was also stolen away by Jack and then by Daruun.

"Citizens of Trodar!" Daruun spoke, acting as if Jack hadn’t already spoken. "I know that none of you remember me, but I remember all of you."

With everyone’s attention fully fixed on him, Daruun continued, "For millennia I’ve watched over Kartonia. Long ago, before those other foolish gods began a war that used you as throw-away pawns, I was blessed enough to aid the Leisure Guild rise to the forefront of the continent. And now, since the Holy and Chaotic Gods had long abandoned their duties, I’m back to help the Leisure Guild rise again and bring Trodar back to the pinnacle of the continent."

The people went ballistic! With his divine descent and his heavenly intro, the common people were already convinced of the speaker’s divinity. And to mention that he was a long time supporter of the Leisure Guild struck a chord in their hearts.

"Allow me to reintroduce myself." Opening his arms to the crowd, Daruun spoke gently but his voice somehow filled the entirety of the city. "I am Daruun, one of the long-forgotten gods of Trodar. The few tales that still linger from ancient Trodar know me as the God of Fate."

The crowd started to whisper but it soon grew into a furor. People were thinking back to the ancient tales of Trodar, back to the fairytales about Trodar’s ancient magnificence as the land that formerly housed the most gods. And for those that could remember that much, it was impossible for them to forget the all-knowing god that guided the Legend of Trodar long ago.

"Like before, I’ve come to guide the Leisure Guild again," Daruun continued as the crowd tried to bottle their excitement. "And to do that, I’ve revived the greatest hero to walk on Trodan soil. Standing beside me is the man that carved Trodar into the continent, the man that defied rival gods and all mortal expectations. As the founder of the Leisure Guild, he has achieved too much to place under a single title, earning the all-encompassing name, Legend."

Jack was frozen where he stood, eyeing Daruun carefully. He knew what Daruun was about to do but he also knew that he was about to incur the wrath of the gods. His body was too overwhelmed to function properly at that moment.

Even though Daruun knew that such an announcement was outside of Jack’s plans and it would bring the gods’ wrath upon Jack, he didn’t hesitate at all.

The God of Fate paused and motioned to Jack with his right hand, shaking the crowds’ bottled excitement to the breaking point.

"Behold! I, Daruun, the God of Fate, have brought back your greatest shining light and Trodar’s greatest hope, the Legend of Trodar, Jack!"

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Shouts, screams, yells, shrieks. All manner of cries sounded out as the God of Fate introduced the greatest hero in Trodar’s long history.

The only silent voice was Jack’s. His mind went blank from the pressure of the crowd and of the unannounced consequences that came with his former identity.

 

Chapter 377

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!"

As the crowds’ cheers swelled to the highest yet, Jack struggled to get his mind past the thought of prematurely announcing himself.

’The gods already learned you were active starting today, and bringing Eedaj back into public view would force them to investigate deeper,’ Daruun’s voice crept into Jack’s troubled mind. ’Would you rather have the gods snooping around you to learn your identity or tell them outright?’

Clinging to that fresh seed of confidence that Daruun had just planted in Jack’s mind, Jack raised his arms before the crowd. It took a moment for the crowd’s excitement to still and allow Jack the opportunity to speak.

With everyone’s undivided attention, Jack stood proud atop the wall. "Trodans... It’s good to be back."

The crowd went nuts again, reveling on the stories of old and how they might come to pass yet again. And thanks to yesterday’s incident in Federal City, the entire world was left wondering what could happen next and if any place in the world could be safe. Now, Trodar had an answer to that and they couldn’t be prouder.

"Also, allow me to introduce one more man," Daruun resumed his speaking, pausing to let the crowd’s attention return to him. "As the God of Fate, I have too many responsibilities to dwell here. Though Jack is linked to me and will receive my guidance, I can’t personally offer that to you all. But this man can."

Motioning to his left, Daruun saw everyone’s eye follow the direction of his hands and stated, "This is Eedaj, another long-forgotten god of ancient Trodar. For those of you that remember the fairytales of Trodar, he’s also known as the Mind God."

While the crowd started to whisper and remember the Mind God, Daruun continued, "Also, this man is the leader of a rare breed of elves that was lost a long time ago. However, Jack has discovered the surviving tribe and brought them here to offer even more protection for the city and greater growth of your economy."

On cue, a large group of short, grey-skinned people emerged from within the property of the Leisure Guild. Both the crowds and those from the crane were startled by the appearance of more than two hundred greis elves.

"Now, you may know of Jack’s great achievements from the past, but know this. Before revealing himself to you all, Jack has been busy claiming newer, greater achievements." Daruun shifted the attention from the two gods back to the human, something that only Jack could pull off.

"After his revival, Jack has been busy visiting of forgotten gods of Trodar. Though we were forced to flee during the Godly War of the past, Jack has made sure that such a thing will never happen again!" continued Daruun, acting as the greatest hypeman Jack could wish for. "Not only does Jack have connections with myself and Eedaj, but Jack is also the proud adopted son of another forgotten god, the great God of Secrecy."

"That would be me!"

Out of nowhere, the crowd heard a new voice shout out from atop the wall. Their eyes scrambled to find a new man standing to the right of Jack, which baffled everyone.

Jack was startled to see Sterfen arrive beside him, but he felt glad to have him join such a momentous event.

Sterfen shouted, "Trodans, I’m Sterfen, the ancient God of Secrecy. I’ve personally witnessed Jack’s amazing abilities and have done just as Daruun stated. I’m proud to say that Jack is now my son, and a candidate to one day become a god himself."

Overdosed on excitement, the crowd was jittery and wondering what could possibly top what had already been said.

"I’m also proud to tell you this," added Sterfen. "My son Jack managed to do more than we can describe in words, but I can assure you that the Leisure Guild is once again fully prepared to defend this great city and help it once again become the great megacity that was famed throughout Kartonia.

"To do that, he’s done the impossible. Jack has become best friends with one of the legendary beasts that you fear most, a fox that can climb back from the pits of hell. Everyone, please step back so you can see it with your own eyes."

Clearing a crowd like this was normally impossible, but everyone was already imagining the same fearsome beast and no one wanted to be left near it.

Once a clearing of over two hundred meters was left in front of the gate below, Sterfen smiled to Jack, who nodded to Bowzer.

Understanding that it was his time to shine, the large fox jumped down to the floor below. He attracted everyone’s gaze, some filled with fear and hesitation while others watch with excitement and curiosity.

Howling, Bowzer’s white flame coat reappeared and grew rapidly. The crowd could only watch as a beast straight out of nightmares was proven to exist right before their eyes. Bowzer’s giant size and threatening flames silenced the crowd, leaving them with anxiety.

"Don’t be afraid!" Sterfen shouted. "This fox goes by the name Bowzer and he’s Jack’s mutual companion. Together, they’ve been preparing to reach new heights beyond every other hero to ever want across Kartonia."

As Bowzer’s flaming form started to shrink and rescind back to his normal form, Sterfen added, "Also, to make sure that Eedaj remains in this city as the first returning guardian god, my son will be marrying his daughter later tonight."

With their expectation obliterated yet again, the crowd felt like they were dreaming. Everything felt too good to be true, yet there was also evidence. Why else would such a magnificent crane appear so casually? How could they explain Daruun’s entrance that shook the city momentarily? And what about the Hell-flame Fox that seemed under Jack’s control? There was plenty of doubt, but there was enough evidence to convince the common people.

"Sadly," Sterfen continued, "At this moment in time, I can’t remain in Trodar with all of you. But I will always offer my strength and support when it’s needed. But you will have my son, Jack, the Legend of Trodar as well as Eedaj, the Mind God to take care of you as ambassadors of the Leisure Guild."

"Now go!" Daruun shouted, this time in a booming voice that shook everyone. "We must prepare for this great wedding which will be held within the Leisure Guild. There will be limited seating for the public, but I’ll also allow everyone willing to wait outside of this gate to see it when the wedding begins. Thank you for your time."

Before the crowd could applaud or attempt to ask any of the millions of circulating questions, Daruun clapped his palms and created a flash of light that blinded the entire crowd. When the flash was gone, all of the gods and the people from the crane had disappeared. Even the Behemoth Crane was gone, startling everyone and reinforcing the gods’ claims of being divine.

Tralon, the guild members, and the greis elves were already walking back into the guild.

The guild members were blown away by the announcement. Their guild leader had said that a great occasion was about to take place, something that would mean the absolute rival of the guild. And though the guild members doubted a complete revival, they were corrected thoroughly by the reveal of Jack’s identity, as well as the many other announcements made to the public.

Those greis elves were still in shock. They had long believed themselves to be a race of advanced goblins, but it felt so good to be called elves for some reason. And when they saw Daliea and Eedaj standing atop the wall, their hearts were shaken and overwhelmed with joy. Their doubts about having listened to Jack vanished right then and there. Nothing could’ve felt better or more fulfilling than that new knowledge about their origin and the fact that a member of their race was a god.

Chapter 378

Those that were carried away by Daruun now stood inside of a massive open courtyard. The Behemoth Crane carefully laid on the ground and nestled her head within her feathers while the others started conversing.

"Daruun, was that necessary?" Jack asked.

Smiling, Daruun replied, "I told you that if you arrived on time then I would help you, didn’t I?"

"This is what you meant by help?!"

"Jack, calm down. Thanks to that show, do you think you’ll have any trouble getting elected to the council?" reasoned Daruun. "Just keep a calm mind because step three of your five-step plan is still underway."

Calmer, Jack eyed Daruun. "Then what else remains with step three?"

"Negotiations," Eedaj cut into the conversation. "You’ll have to be present, Jack, but I can handle the negotiations should you wish."

"I’d like you there and you’re welcome to speak freely, but I’d still like to lead them," Jack replied, then looked back to Daruun. "But I’ve already spoken with Lyrun and made arrangements with him. Are you saying that’s going to fall through?"

"Thanks to us announcing that Eedaj will relocate to Trodar, he’ll be forced to renegotiate his side of the terms," stated Daruun. "But what we’ll be after isn’t really their technology or their magic items, Jack. Those can be created by the greis elves with some practice and the aid of Eedaj."

"Then what are we after?" asked Jack.

Daruun chuckled, "Sterfen, would you like to answer him, or should I?"

"I can answer that." Joining the conversation, Sterfen eyed Jack with a proud smile. "What we’re after is friendship."

Curious and confused, Jack asked, "And why’s that?"

Sterfen answered, "Because there will come a time that Korten will need more help then they will admit and they’ll only come to you if you’re on great terms. Also, we can’t involve Lyrun in any of this. The relationship we’re after must be genuine and created between our nations."

"But why can’t we--"

"Because Lyrun is still a member of the Holy Gods," Eedaj cut Jack off. "He can’t make certain moves personally, otherwise, he’ll face the consequences of the other Holy Gods."

Jack sighed. "Then how am I supposed to do that?"

"In a few days, a messenger from Korten should be arriving," stated Daruun. "They’ll try to arrange a meeting between the guild and your pal Gwendon. You must do everything to make sure you can control those negotiations while not dominating it in order to foster this needed relationship."

Taking that in, Jack remembered something else he wanted to ask about. "By the way, I heard something happened in Federal City with the association. What’s that about?"

"Right, you’ve been traveling," Steren sighed. "A large scale fight broke out in the middle of Federal City. The syndicate finally made a move against the association. All the higher-ups were forced to fight and come out of hiding, shocking the world with the amount of secret forces that both organizations had. The champions also duked it out over the city center, destroying it in the process."

"Lorwynn and the other champion fought each other again?" Startled, Jack continued his questioning, "What happened? Who won? And what about the guilds? Also, what about Maura’s family? Did--"

"Everything’s fine, Jack," Daruun spoke and lifted his hand to demand Jack’s attention. "Thanks to Argyle and Tralon hurrying to Federal City, they managed to finish the Fat Goose’s teleportation circle just in time. They managed to escape, alongside with Maura’s family, with no casualties. Thanks to the sword you returned to Argyle and your tradition of self-destructing circles, the Fat Goose was saved and no one managed to follow them here."

Reaching the end of the first loop de loop of that emotional rollercoaster, Jack heaved a sigh of relief.

"As for the other guilds, you’ll be running into Hurmot before the elven messenger arrives," Daruun continued. "What I’m excited to see is how you’ll handle Kaldor. Thanks to those councilmen you’ve captured, he’s been waiting outside of the storehouse all this time and has no clue about what happened. In a few more days, he’ll get impatient and start waiting in Gilga. That’s when he’ll learn about the incident and rush back to find his guild and auction house decimated and robbed of everything."

Jack showed a strange smile. "So, because he was greedy and tried to swindle me of the guild items from the vault, he ended up getting robbed instead? That’s karma at its finest."

"True, but you’ll still have to deal with him in some way," added Daruun. "He’ll blame you for a lot of what happened and want you to recompense him. Also, it won’t be hard for him to figure out that you were the mystery buyer thanks to your revealed identity."

"Right... I forgot about all of the people who are going to hound me for not telling them sooner," stated Jack.

Daruun shrugged. "Why worry about that? They can’t logically blame you for keeping it a secret."

"Wait, you never told me the result of the fight!" Jack looked back to Daruun. "Are you avoiding the question?"

"I just thought you’d like to hear the result from your two newest recruits," chuckled Daruun. The God of Fate waved his had and opened the gate to the courtyard, letting two men enter and lock the gate behind them. "Jack, meet your two newest members."

"I... Lorwynn?! What are you doing here?!" Baffled and left with a jumbled mess in his mind, Jack questioned, "You joined my guild? What happened in Federal City?!"

’Jack, don’t ignore your notifications.’

Hearing Daruun’s statement in his mind, Jack set aside his confusion enough to notice the blaring red notification.

Turning to the man beside Lorwynn, Jack cautiously asked, "I know you’re the other champion, so who are you?"

With a chuckle, the man bowed his head. "I’m Hadurt, the man that Skaryn chose as his champion and the man that Pestro turned into a power-hungry beast."

"Oh, so Pestro was your master... I’m sorry you had to look at his ugly mug for so many centuries," Jack laughed but kept a cautious eye on the chaotic champion.

"Both me and Lorwynn cut our ties to join the guild," added Hadurt, startling Jack further, "but only because you can offer us more than either of the other factions."

While Jack was confused, Sterfen commented, "So you two finally figured out your fate. And instead of facing it yourselves, you want my son to help you out?"

Lorwynn nodded. "Guilty as charged. Who would be better to challenge fate than the champion chosen by the God of Fate, right?"

"I can’t say I disagree there," chuckled Sterfen. "That means you’ve abandoned your blessings and your masters. I’m sure Pestro doesn’t know about this since I’m guessing Lorwynn incited it all. But does Lyrun know about this, that’s what I want to know."

"No, my master doesn’t know about this," replied Lorwynn. "I was unsure how much help my master could give me in his current situation. With that in mind, I felt it was best for him to not know about this, so please keep our secret."

"Can someone please explain what happened?!" shouted Jack.

"Right," Lorwynn sighed, taking a moment to think of the best explanation possible.

But during Lorwynn’s pause, Hadurt shrugged and answered, "It’s simple. We fought each other and Lorwynn almost killed us both while faking our deaths. The fighting stopped after that, according to rumors, but the city was half destroyed already and the strongest guilds and organizations were raided by the syndicate. That’s when we joined the guild and met Daruun, who convinced us by saying you could make us gods, unlike our former benefactors."

"I..." Holding his tongue, Jack looked to Daruun in shock. "I can make them gods?"

 

Chapter 379

"I can make them gods?"

Daruun nodded and then shrugged. "Given time, yes. That will be very possible."

"But I thought--"

"Just know that there is a way for you to make them gods, but to do so, you must first become a god," stated Daruun. "As for how they can become gods, just know that it involves killing a god, which means you should become a god first. If you get hung up on anything else, then you’ll get distracted from what needs to be done now."

"Then that means... I’ll need to become a god within a year?"

"If you’re trying to extend Tralon’s life, then yes. But don’t lose your cool, Jack. I’m not saying it’s impossible to do so, but the probability of that path intersects with a different path involving Sterfen," Daruun added, grabbing the attention of the entire room.

Sterfen and Jack tried to imagine what Daruun was going to say but the God of Fate continued to surprise them. "Jack, from this moment on, there are many routes to take toward your fate. You control that, not me. It’s your decisions that might save the world or allow it to fall. Not every decision could be so consequential, but the decision you’re about to make might lead to that.

"You have the option of Lorwynn partnering with Hadurt to carry Tralon until he levels up enough to potentially become a god before his death. Now, that path carries many complications and intricacies as well that would need to be executed perfectly to keep Tralon alive," reasoned Daruun.

"Another option is one that involves Sterfen and helping your mother leave the Holy Gods sooner rather than later," continued Daruun. "To do this, you would need Lorwynn’s help, which would keep him from power-leveling Tralon with Hadurt."

"Also, by taking that option there’s a chance that you complicate things for Lorwynn or even the rebel Holy Gods. But should he prove entirely successful, there’s also a chance for him to remain hidden from the Holy God’s as well. That path might also aid you in your quest to recruit Choron if executed correctly."

Jack’s mind was throbbing from the pressure behind this decision. His emotions were fighting with his logic.

Heavily pandering Daruun’s words, Sterfen started to imagine what sort of plan would involve helping his wife gain an early escape from the Holy Gods.

"Oh, and Lorwynn, you wouldn’t need to worry too much in either of these scenarios," Daruun added, calming the former holy champion. "Should Jack choose the path to aid Tralon in ascending, you’ll be focusing on dungeon runs. And should he choose the path to rescue Lunara sooner than later and aid Choron, you’ll become Sterfen’s personal aid as you both work toward those goals."

Stewing in deep thought, Jack hated the decision presented to him.

At the side, both Eliza and Daliea could recognize Jack’s internal struggle. But while the elf girl hesitated, Eliza hurried to Jack, embracing him from behind. She whispered, "Whatever you decide, we’ll all agree."

Jack’s lips twitch upward for a second as he placed his hand around hers. He said nothing but he was visibly calmer.

Sighing, Daruun told Jack, "Don’t feel pressured to decide now, Jack. I’m only telling you this much so that you can make a proper decision. You can prolong your decision for six days. If you take too much longer than that, then you’ll have chosen neither path and you’ll be left adjusting to the decisions of others."

Feeling better and worse at the same time, Jack nodded to Daruun and the others.

"Today will be my final day staying here. I’ve got other duties to attend to," stated Daruun. "After the wedding, we’ll have a great feast before I depart. Now, shouldn’t you and Daliea prepare for the ceremony?"

Struggling to reply, Jack was lucky to feel someone grab each of his hands. Both Eliza and Daliea were tugging him along, leading him out of the room.

"Come on, I’m sure the others are already here," stated Eliza. "Let’s hurry up and transfer Appa to me to get your mind off everything else."

"Y-yeah..." Jack meekly replied, finally moving of his own volition.

"Then you’ll need me," Daruun chuckled as he followed them out of the courtyard, along with Bowzer and Phoro. "Your party should be in the courtyard prepared for the wedding."

They took their time to travel through the guild, guided by Daruun. After ten minutes of wandering, they reached that courtyard to find dozens of chairs set up in a half-circle facing a constructed platform. In the seats closest to the platform, the other party members and Maura’s family were waiting.

"Jack!" Seeing her husband being pulled into the courtyard, Maura hurried to hug him. She was quick to see that something was wrong and asked, "Is there something you want to talk about?"

Shaking his head, Jack replied with a soft smile, "No, not today. Let’s talk about it tomorrow."

"Right, today is a celebration for our husband and our new sister," added Eliza, caressing Jack’s arm while smiling at Daliea.

"Daliea, I was wondering if Eliza and I could be your maids of honor?" Maura kindly asked.

Nodding, Daliea giggled. "Of course... Who else could I ask?"

"Then let’s go get you ready." Letting go of Jack, Eliza skipped around him to link arms with Daliea. "We’ll help you pick out a dress and accessories. Maura, where’s the dressing room?"

"Follow me!"

Delighted, the thee women ran back out of the courtyard toward the bride’s designated area. Jack was left behind with only the men.

"Jack, why aren’t you happy?" asked Bowzer. "I thought you liked Daliea?"

With a nervous chuckle, Jack answered, "I do, but that’s not why I’m like this..."

"So you’ll have to make an important decision, what’s the big deal? Is it your first time?" Bowzer questioned Jack, hoping to get his point across.

"I... No, it’s not."

"Then, take some time to think over which one you should do and then follow through on whatever you decide," reasoned Bowzer. "You can always call Daruun when you have a question."

"True, but that doesn’t mean I’ll always answer your questions," stated Daruun.

Stunned slightly, Jack asked, "And why not?"

"Because that’s not how my crest works." Daruun explained, "My crest can contact me and it can summon me. It also represents that you’re my messenger when needed. Which reminds me, feel free to check more of your recent notifications if you’re want to feel better."

"What do--"

"Anyway," continued Daruun, "The crest will have the ability to contact me directly, light a contact crystal. But know that each time you contact me will use the same amount of mana as a peak-tier spell, and that’s for each minute we share. So I’d recommend using it wisely and not for lengthy conversations like we have had in the past, Jack."

"What... Why does it need so much mana?!" complained Jack.

Daruun smiled and looked at Jack like the hero was stupid. "Did you already forget that I’m not staying on the planet? Did you think interstellar communication was so simple?"

"N... Yeah, sorry about that. I’m a little stressed out at the moment." Jack sighed. "It’s hard to get my mind off of this, okay?"

"I’m sure Daliea will help ya with that later tonight," laughed Maynard as he walked up to Jack.

Rydel joined in, throwing his arm around the hero. "Yeah, I’m sure she’ll keep him occupied, at least till morning."

A chuckle escaped Jack’s lips but only for a moment.

"Jack, just relax. Either of those two options would make sense for what you’re planning to do," added Tralon. "So why not enjoy the moment while it’s here? You’re not going to disappoint Daliea after all this, are you?"

"No," stated Jack, finally letting his usual tone of voice come out. "I’ll treat her right. That much I can handle right now."

 

Chapter 380

The empty seats around the platform started to gradually fill with the most important guild members and Jack’s loved ones at the front.

Eventually, some nonmembers of the guild trickled in as well. They were the important or influential figures from Gilga. Some were businessmen, others were councilmen or the assistants of councilmen. To earn a seat at this surprise wedding was practically impossible without already having a certain level of influence.

But there was something strange about the seating.

Guild members were still offered better seating than the councilmen or the wealthiest businessmen. Though they offered to pay for better seats, no one was willing to exchange seats and the ushers deny all sorts of bribes.

"What’s the meaning of this?" one of the councilmen shouted into his contact crystal. "Tralon, I demand an answer!"

"Halmon, settle down. The seating wasn’t arranged by me or the guild. If you have any problems, take it up with the gods who arranged it, not me," replied Tralon, thereby ending the conversation and putting his contact crystal away.

"But this is your guild!" Councilman Halmon refused to give up so easily, despite not hearing back from Tralon.

Tralon sighed, mumbling to himself, "Not for long..."

With Tralon not willing to help them, a group of three councilmen decided to take matters into their own hands.

Those three got up from their given seats and neared the front of the seating area. Once at the front row, they neared Maynard, Rydel, and Zariff, the people they felt were most undeserving of their seats by their common apparel.

Halmon stated, "Here, allow us to purchase those three seats from you. We’ll give you one thousand gold each."

"That’s all?" chuckled Zariff. "This is the greatest wedding Trodar has ever seen and you’re only offering one thousand gold for our front row seats? What a joke!"

Keeping his cool, Halmon replied, "Then what would you deem a fitting price. Be quick about it."

"I won’t even consider moving for anything under fifty thousand gold," stated Zariff. "Why should I give up the seat of a lifetime for anything less than that?"

"That... It’s only a seat to walk the couple share their wedding vows. Surely it can’t cost that much," reasoned Halmon.

"Then get lost!" Zariff answered.

Maynard added, "Ya don’t even know the bride or groom. All ya want is to look important in front of the gods. But if you’re not willing to prove how bad ya want it, then go back to your seats before ya lose those too."

"I’m sure we can find a middle ground that’s--"

"Enough playing around." Another man had entered and immediately gone to the front with the other councilmen, not even glancing at the seat the ushers showed him. "I’ll pay the fifty thousand for each of your seats, including his."

Trax turned his head and sighed, looking back to the man trying to purchase his seat. "Mine’s not for sale."

"Nor mine," stated Rydel, not even sparing the man a look.

That man glared at the men denying his offer, not frowning nor smiling. He scanned the rest of the row and noticed a couple of unexpected faces sitting beside Tralon near the center aisle.

Walking toward his acquaintances, that man kept his calm demeanor while the other three councilmen followed him along. Once he neared those seating by the center aisle, he nodded to them. "Kims, Vixus, how much did you too have to pay for such great seats."

"Not a single gold coin," replied Kims, keeping his eyes forward as to not look at the man.

"I doubt that," chuckled the man. "Since when were you on such great terms with Tralon and the guild? Didn’t you two try and--"

"If that’s all you’re going to talk about, I would hurry back to your seats before they’re given away to someone else," Tralon interjected. "These two are honorary members of the guild, so of course they’ll sit at the very front of the guild seats. Understand?"

That man gave Tralon a strange look, then he shared that look with the other two as well. "I see... Then how might I also gain one of these seats? Might I join the guild for a day?"

"Impossible."

The councilmen were startled by the new voice that interrupted the conversation. They and that man turned to the platform to see Jack looking down on them with an unhappy glare.

"This is my wedding day. If you’re going to act like vultures, then I’ll send you out so you can scalp seats like them," stated Jack.

Not taking Jack’s statement to heart, that man bowed his head. "It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jack. I’m Thyron Tindrell, the council spokesman. As the leading political figure, I’ve come to witness your wonderous wedding ceremony."

"If that’s all you’re here for, then your given seats are enough," stated Jack, not giving an inch. "If you cause any more trouble or try to take any of the reserved seats on the front row, then you’ll be dismissed before the bride arrives."

Finally showing a hint of a frown as Thyron sighed, he replied, "Jack, I’m sure that--"

"Stop trying to act high and mighty because of your position. I created that position, remember?"

Stopping his reply, Thyron bowed his head again to Jack. "Then we’ll return to our seats. I’m sorry for creating such a disturbance."

"But what--"

"No more, Halmon. Let’s return to the seats they graciously offered us. Not ever is allowed entry, after all," stated Thyron, calmly walking back toward the seat the usher had shown him earlier.

Jack was stunned to see how calm and calculating the current spokesman was. He glanced at Kims, who finally showed his frown the moment Thyron left. The tension between those two as councilmen was obvious to everyone, not only those that knew Kims’s secret.

As Jack returned to his place on the platform, it didn’t take long for the awaited moment to arrive.

The artificial lighting at the room was dimmed, leaving the spotlight shining on the platform. Then, Ilgor stepped out from behind the platform. He carried a cushioned stool in one arm and a lute in the other. Gently, he sat on the stool and allowed his fingers to run along the lute’s strings.

Soft music started to caress everyone’s ears. Feelings of warmth were evoked by the chord’s Ilgor played, removing any lingering tension felt within the great room.

With everyone feeling light-hearted and guided by the ambiance of the room, a single ray of light suddenly shown down from the ceiling to reveal the entrance of the bride.

Her grey skin was accented brilliantly by her cobalt blue dress, enrapturing the attention of everyone. It was slim, yet showed that the small elven girl was as much of a beauty as the two human women walking behind her.

At Daliea’s side, she was being escorted by her new father, her palpo. The two smiled at each other as they walked up the center aisle, claiming the spotlight for everyone to see.

They didn’t rush themselves. Taking their time, Daliea, her escort, and her two maids of honor walked up the aisle and up onto the platform.

There, Daliea saw Jack in a new suit, or at least the altered cloak turned into a new suit. It was foreign to anything she had seen before, but it was much more fitting and high class than any suit a tailor could’ve made for him. It was pure black, but he had a bow tie matching Daliea’s dress and a smile on his face.

Behind Jack stood Sterfen, who was also smiling proudly.

Daliea took her place across from Jack, looking up to the hero with nervous yet happy eyes. Behind her, Eedaj mimicked Sterfen to proudly look over his new dhendi as he made her vows.

Both Maura and Eliza were smiling ear to ear, glad to know that the woman they cared for like a sister would never be forgotten or left out from the party. That feeling was especially impactful for Eliza, who remembered the letter she received from Keela.

Standing at the center of the platform and to the couple’s side, Daruun shared a smile with Jack and Daliea before he started the ceremony.

"Jack Dyrshire, as my chosen champion and my adopted grandson through Sterfen, do you take Daliea Bavlyion to be your wife for all your life, to cherish and to care for, no matter the circumstances and no matter how much fame or power you gain in the future?"

Jack took a deep breath and nodded, replying with a smile, "I do."

Turning to Daliea, Daruun asked, "Daliea Bavlyion, as my adopted granddaughter through Eedaj, do you take Jack Dyrshire to be your husband and partner for all your life, to cherish and to care for, no matter the circumstances and no matter how much fame or power you gain in the future?"

"I do," replied Daliea with watery eyes.

"Then, we’ll allow you to share rings," added Daruun.

Another spotlight shone down on the aisle, letting the whole crowd see a young girl skipping down the aisle with a giant smile for everyone to see. In her hands was a velvet cushion holding two magnificent rings.

Little Lina happily walked up the aisle and delivered the rings to the couple before she joined Eliza and Maura at the side.

"As a commitment to each other and to act as a witness of said commitment, you may share your rings," Daruun warmly added.

Not a single word was shared between the couple. They exchanged smiles as they placed a ring on the other’s finger. Then, they locked their fingers and looked into each other’s eyes. Not shying away this time, Jack leaned down to kiss his bride, who kissed him back.

As that moment slowly passed for the couple, everyone else watched them eventually break their kiss.

"Now," Daruun softly broke the silence. "Let us begin the feast!"