Ch. 381..390

Chapter 381

Ilgor’s playing started to pick up more as the lighting returned to normal.

Volunteer guild members stepped into the great room, dressed as servers. They carried a large platter of food in one hand while keeping their other hand free. That free hand was used to retrieve pre-decroated tables to set the food on top of.

More musicians followed the servers into the great room, lining up along the walls. They replaced Ilgor and allowed everyone to feel the upbeat shift in the atmosphere.

Jack, Daliea, and everyone atop the platform descended so that more volunteer guild members could put the platform away and ready their grand table.

The main table was long and oval-shaped, allowing each person sitting there to be seen by all others at the table. Jack and Daliea took the center seats of one of the long sides, followed by Maura and Eliza as his other wives. But Lina managed to snag the chair between Jack and Maura, making sure she could sit next to the man of the hour and better celebrate with her big bro.

Across from Jack, Daruun sat at the other seat of honor with Eedaj and Sterfen beside him. Both of the other gods made sure to sit on the side of their son or daughter, following tradition.

To fill in the rest of the seats, the other members of the party joined them. Maura’s family was overwhelmed to share a table with the gods, but they gladly accepted the seats at one end of the oval despite their nerves. Argyle and the managers of the Fat Goose sat at the other end of the oval. And, of course, Tralon, Vixus, Kims, and even Ilgor and now Dirk found a seat at the table of honor.

The councilmen were also given a grand table of their own, as well as the important businessmen.

Halmon and most of the other councilmen were lightly frowning, not wanting to ruin the mood but still dissatisfied with their treatment. At least they wanted to be introduced to the three gods, but no one bothered to mention them or give them special attention apart from the large table.

Thyron, on the other hand, noticed the others at the table of honor, committing their faces to his memory. He kept a soft smile on his face as he enjoyed the food and drink offered at the banquet. For him, an aging man who had been to countless banquets, this ceremony stood at the top in extravagance. Of the councilmen, Thyron was the first to recognize what made up the meals they were eating.

"Halmon, stop complaining and enjoy yourself. You’d be surprised how great this meal is, should you let yourself enjoy it," Thyron commented, who was trying a bit of everything, even the food offered by the wandering servers.

Surprised to see Thyron enjoying himself, Halmon and the others agreed to try and make the most of it. They followed the example of their spokesman and were startled to realize how good the food was.

"No expense was too small for such an occasion," stated Thyron, admiring a morsel of meat on his fork. "Each dish was made with rare beasts and even the herbs are quite exotic. I, myself, am unsure what creature this meat came from, nor am I familiar with the spices used to season it, but this is one of the most delicious things I’ve ever put in my mouth, if not the most delicious."

Unable to argue with Thyron, the other councilmen were subdued by the food. Their negative comments vanished, though their sour attitudes remained in the back of their minds.

"A toast!" Abruptly, a voice rang out and stole everyone’s attention.

Hadurt was proudly standing while holding a large tankard filled to the brim with the luxurious wine. He again shouted, "A toast to the bride and groom! May your love always be passionate!"

Laughing, Jack and Daliea each lifted their half-emptied glasses, shouting in unison, "Thank you!"

Shouts filled the room as everyone else drank along with the couple and Hadurt returned to his seat beside the disguised Lorwynn, who was rubbing his forehead and eyeing the ignorant but also disguised Hadurt.

Amidst the music and the buffet, one servant hurried to Tralon at the table. He whispered something into Tralon’s ear, startling Tralon and causing his to pause his feast.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, that’s what I was told."

Looking to Jack, Tralon telepathically passed the news, ’Jack, another god has arrived to see you.’

’Let him enter,’ Daruun replied telepathically, interjecting himself into their conversation. ’It’s best to welcome him.’

Jack nodded and sighed, letting Tralon send off the servant to allow the new guest inside while ordering others to prepare an extra seat beside the gods at Jack’s table.

"Hey!"

A shout reverberated through the great room, stealing attention from the food and music.

It came from a man standing waltzing into the room, leaving his guide behind. He was chubby and appeared to be quite happy-go-lucky. The man wore a golden, open robe with matching pants, not hiding his round belly at all and letting it hang out for everyone to spot. As eyes gathered on the man, he smiled with pride, relishing in the attention.

"Sterfen, why didn’t you invite me sooner?" the man continued to shout as he sauntered toward the grand table. "I didn’t have time to prepare a gift, it was so last minute."

"Guuro, hurry and get over here before I rob you blind for disturbing my son’s reception banquet," Sterfen laughed loudly, stunning the many people watching the conversation play out. "At least greet your niece and nephew, why don’t you?"

Before taking his newly prepared seat beside Sterfen, Guuro bowed to Jack with the graceful wave of his arms. "I’m proud to meet you, my nephew. I’m glad to finally see our champion with my own eyes and I congratulate you on your third marriage."

"Thanks, Uncle Guuro, it means a lot coming from you," chuckled Jack, noticing the relationship between Guuro and Sterfen.

Sterfen slapped Guuro on the back as the God of Greed took his seat. "Eat all you want! I gathered the ingredients and Eedaj had a hand in preparing them. I’m sure you’ve had plenty of fun during your many hidden travels this past millennium, but this will be the best meal since my own wedding. I guarantee it."

"Then don’t mind if I do just that!"

With near blinding speed, the full boar that was placed between Jack the gods and the couple became a husk and a pile of bones. Guuro had even sucked the cartilage clean off the bone, leaving not even a scrap for Bowzer and Phoro at the side of the table.

Guuro licked his lips and sucked the grease from his fingers. He then asked, "Now, where’s the appetizer?"

"There’s plenty more," added Daruun. "We knew you would make an appearance so we were forced to prepare heartily beforehand."

"Leave it to Pops to know me so well," chuckled Guuro. "Then I’ll be busy feasting, for the time being, so we’ll chit chat after I’ve had my fill."

Jack wanted to talk with the God of Greed and ask the man a few questions, but it was clear that nothing would be able to interrupt Guuro’s feasting. It was clear that Guuro was the actual embodiment of greed, in all terms of wealth and luxury.

The others attending the feast gradually resumed their prior conversations, only occasionally stealing glances at the new arrival they could’ve labeled as the God of Gluttony.

As the feast continued into the night, everyone at the grand table was conversing besides the gluttonous god who was still enjoying his fill of the food. And soon came the time for the banquet to toast to the departure of the bride and groom.

Jack and Daliea left the room while waving to the many guests cheering for them. They left Eliza, Maura, and the others back at the table as the couple left for their prepared bedroom.

 

Chapter 382

When the sun rose the following morning, the entire city still had a buzz. Even though no common citizens managed to personally attend the grand wedding, they were able to watch it take place, thanks to a projection created by Daruun. It was the talk of the city, somehow making its way into every conversation across Gilga.

That morning Jack woke up to a pleasant sight. The smaller elf woman was in his arms, having fallen asleep in his chest.

Carefully, Jack ran his fingers through her hair as he took in the situation.

A lot had happened since his arrival in Kartonia. His entire world had changed, literally. Now, he was regarded as a hero by many and had three beautiful wives, which he had finally grown accustomed to living and traveling with. Also, he had made some amazing friends, unlike anything he ever had before in his lonely life. With his friends, he finally felt a sense of companionship that no online party ever had given Jack in the past.

Maybe it was because everything was real now, but Jack was glad to finally have a party of his own. In the past, he had made fun of such groups yet now he was happier than ever to be a part of one.

Sure, he had some rough patches so far. Jack had also experienced death in a way that was rare in his past world, losing two party members on two different occasions due to their self-sacrifice. If it hadn’t been for either of those two, Jack understood that he would’ve died a long time ago.

His head was clear and sharper than ever. But there were still plenty of things that Jack still needed to confront or decide.

"What’s on your mind?" Daliea’s soft voice caught Jack’s attention.

Smiling tenderly, Jack answered, "A lot... but also not a lot... I’m just trying to take it all in, I guess."

"Well, is there any way I can help my husband?"

"No, I wouldn’t want to worry my wife so soon after the wedding. I’m sure you’ll be plenty worried later when I get some crazy idea or try something stupid again," chuckled Jack.

Daliea leaned her head into Jack’s chest. "It sounds like you’re finally back."

"What do you mean?"

"Back to the Jack I met before we left Reinolt."

"Oh... I didn’t realize I was gone for so long," sighed Jack.

"I’m sure Maura will be glad to have you back too," added Daliea. "I think she missed that confident, playful Jack more than any of us."

"Really? I guess I’ll have to make it up to here, then." Jack gave Daliea a quick peck on the forehead, before letting her go. He got up and started getting dressed. "Come on, we still have to speak with Daruun before he leaves."

"Okay..." Daliea playfully sighed.

They both readied themselves for the day and then hurried to Jack’s office. There, everyone was waiting for them with smiles and curious looks.

"Sorry to take so long." Jack walked up to Maura and Eliza, giving each of them a quick kiss on the cheek. "Did you miss me?"

Maura blushed a little, replying, "A little..."

"Next time, let’s all sleep together. That way you won’t miss me either," replied Eliza, getting Maura to blush more, as well as Daliea.

"Now that we’re all here, I can finally say my goodbyes," stated Daruun, grabbing the attention of the four of them and everyone else. "Jack, I don’t think we need to say goodbye, but know that I’m proud to have you as a grandson as well as my sole representative on Kartonia."

Turning to the three gods near him, Daruun added, "It was also a pleasure to see my sons again, and I’m so glad to see them getting along."

"Of course, Pops," Guuro chuckled. "Why should we bicker like the other gods? If we argued too much, then I’d end up ugly. How else has Pestro become the icon of hideousness other than his foul temper?"

Sterfen laughed heartily and threw his arm around Guuro. "And should any god act out of line, I’ll take care of them. If not, then how will Guuro be able to sleep so soundly?"

"Great!" Daruun chuckled as well, now turning to Eedaj. "Take care of Trodar. Soon, you’ll have others to help you with that, but for now, it’s on you."

"Consider it done, Father." Eedaj bowed his head, all smiles.

"Then, I’ll be off. Take care, everyone!"

A brilliant flash of light filled the room like it always did when Daruun made an entrance or an exit. But Daruun was still standing there as it ended.

Jack didn’t understand what was going on, so he asked, "Why are you still here?"

"You haven’t noticed yet, have you?" Daruun replied with a question.

Looking around, Jack caught on to the situation. Everyone else in the room was completely still and there was no sound apart from Jack’s and Daruun’s voices.

"I see," chuckled Jack. "So you did want to talk about something after all."

"I thought it was fitting for us to speak freely before I left. You’ll be glad to know that Appa is now the mutual companion of Eliza, leaving you with the ability to pick up one more companion."

"That’s good, but that’s not why you did all this, right?"

"Doing this, I wanted to help you not feel overly burdened with your big decision," stated Daruun. "Have you decided yet which path to take?"

"Before I answer that, I have a few questions," Jack replied. "You said a while back that I should visit Rikko after I’m elected to the council. Is that after the election ends or after I’ve guaranteed my seat?"

Proudly smiling at his grandson, Daruun nodded. "I’m glad your starting to think like you again. The best time would be after the election ends, but earlier is still doable."

"Then, if after the election is best, that would take up another few months of me physically running the campaign. And that would also interfere with the plan to help Tralon become a god while there’s time..." reasoned Jack. "Also, I’d need to be carried alongside Tralon to reach that level as well, thus slowing Tralon’s leveling and making the situation more difficult. I could level on my own with my beast companions though, so that could word instead..."

"It seems you’re considering everything for this decision. But you’re forgetting one important factor."

Perplexed, Jack blinked and scratched his head. "What’s that?"

Daruun replied, "Have you asked Tralon his opinion on this?"

Taken aback, Jack asked, "Can’t you just tell me his opinion?"

"I can, but it would be better received from his own mouth," reasoned Daruun. "The pace of your journey will hinge on this decision, Jack. Should you push to become a god as quickly as possible, that means you’ll be forced to fight the gods sooner. And even if you manage to do so, what might happen to those you care about?

"If the Leisure Guild was invaded by a single lv. 80 expert and that expert managed to kill your wives, what would you do to that expert and the organization he’s connected with?"

"I’d destroy them... That’s what I’d like to say," replied Jack. "Does that mean you’d prefer I take the other path, the one to help Lunara sooner rather than later?"

"The decision is yours, Jack. But I want to make sure you understand the consequences of both options." Daruun explained, "Either way, you’ll eventually be confronted by both factions, but one path is rushed and rushing is the most common factor that creates mistakes in the plans of life. Wouldn’t you agree?"

"Well, I can’t disagree..." mumbled Jack, still letting his brain run with both ideas. "And there’s no other way to keep him alive?"

"Jack, ask Tralon his opinion on the situation and then call me if you disagree," replied Daruun. "If not, then it sounds like you’ve already made up your mind, right?"

"... Right."

 

Chapter 383

"That’s enough about your decision." Daruun sighed. "You still haven’t checked to find your new completed achievement, Jack. Were you too distracted by Daliea yesterday?"

Ignoring that last comment, Jack checked his achievements, startled to see such an achievement existed.

[The gods are my messengers: completed]

"I told you I would help, and here’s a big reason why. Consider it a parting gift," Daruun added as Jack was dumbstruck by his discovery. "Since we won’t be meeting face to face for some time, I thought I’d leave my grandson with a gift. You’d better be grateful."

"Thank you, Grandpa!" Jack shouted back to Daruun even though his eyes were still glued to the newly claimed achievement.

[The gods are my messengers: claimed]

[Only the gods are worthy of declaring your identity and goal to all the world, inciting the jealously and attention of the warring godly factions. Legendary reward: 2000 skill points.]

"Want any tips on spending?"

Finally coming out of his trance, Jack excitedly chuckled. "I can just throw it into my bloodline skill, right?"

"And what about Tralon’s legendary spells?" argued Daruun. "Or his mythic spells? Remember, you’re lv. 49 now, soon to be lv. 50. You’ve got far more mana and can start to use mythic spells sparingly."

"In that case... Give me a few minutes."

Jack started to reexamine the different abilities and spells he had to choose from. As tempting as it was to level up his abilities, Jack was eyeing Tralon’s spells. With his heart set, Jack started to devise a plan on how to maximize his spending.

"Daruun, let me ask you a few things." Finishing his long trip on that train of thought, Jack asked, "Greater Teleportation allows me to personally teleport anywhere that I’ve been before. Couldn’t I technically store my party in a bestial storage and use that to travel?"

Laughing, Daruun replied, "And this is exactly why I chose you as my champion, Jack. Of course, that can work given the circumstances you just mentioned. Just be careful of putting something inside your storage that will fight back. A small amount of resistance could result in your bestial storage shattering and releasing everything inside."

"I’ll keep that in mind," continued Jack. "And even though I have plenty of mana thanks to my skills, I could technically use Greater Replenish indefinitely to keep my mana consumption regulated, right?"

"That would work better than taking potions in a similar manner. But after enough uses, your body will still feel the pain and fatigue of your mana constantly draining and instantly refilling. You can still remember how that felt from summoning me, so I’m sure you wouldn’t like to repeat that any time soon," explained Daruun.

Jack scratched his head and sighed. "So it’s not indefinite... But it’s more than worth the hundred skill points, so I’ll get that too."

"And Jack," Daruun added, "since you haven’t yet used your portion of the spells Sterfen gave you, why not strengthen your party with those? You’ll still have access to the spells via your system and the party will get a boost unlike anything else you can offer them."

"Since you’re thinking the same thing, I’ll do that after this," replied Jack. "But should I buy more of their skills or buy Tralon’s three space type peak-tier spells?"

"For now, those peak-tier spells should work just fine. Plus, they’ll give you versatility in combat and other situations, which you like more than anything."

"You know me well, Gramps."

Chuckling to hear that nickname, Daruun asked, "Do you have any more questions for me?"

"Is there really no other way to keep Tralon alive?"

"No, there’s no other option for him, even if you’re involved, Jack."

Sighing, Jack then asked, "How can Lorwynn and Sterfen free Lunara sooner?"

"Well, it’s a simple concept. Unlike how Sterfen and the other Neutral Gods do things, the other factions have formed actual contracts with each god entering their pantheon. It uses a blood seal similar to your pact that takes EXP, but instead, it can incur a curse that’s similar to Skaryn’s Vengeance, only tailored for gods. Should the curse written on the contract be activated, they will be stripped of all EXP gained after godhood."

"Then they would no longer become gods?!" Catching onto what Daruun was entailing, Jack asked, "Are there conditions that need to be met for them to enact that curse?"

"Correct, they can’t just activate it whenever they wish. So long as the gods don’t act against the will of their faction, those curses can’t be activated. But should they betray their faction or ally with other gods, then the curse is allowed to be activated," explained Daruun. "That’s why Lunara is on a short leash. After her marriage to Sterfen, she almost lost her godhood. Kori has a bit more leeway but only enough to falsify your kidnapping, as you experienced in Maltor. And Choron is currently on the run, but he hasn’t done anything to prove his betrayal as of yet."

"Choron is on the run?!"

"Right, you weren’t informed of that," Daruun added with a smile. "That’s why the greis elves were transported before you arrived, because the Chaotic Gods wanted him to start running surveillance on the other factions. Instead, he disappeared without an explanation.

"Also, keep in mind that Lyrun’s situation is much more fragile than any other. He’s been acting against the Holy Gods in secret for some time now but has yet to get caught. However, should that happen, he’ll immediately be stripped of his godhood and killed."

Stirred to hear that, Jack asked, "And what about Perchet, or Moranti?"

"Perchet is powerful enough to keep the other Holy Gods from messing with him, but they’ll be searching for him soon so he can run surveillance on the other factions, like Choron and the Chaotic Gods," answered Daruun. "As you can guess, both Skaryn and Halmut rewarded strength more than everything. So when they gave favor to the strongest and at times ignored the more strategic gods, like Choron or Perchet, some antagonism started to foster.

"Moranti, though, is a special case. He’s a man that has endured more than most gods combined. After Skaryn and Halmut, he was the next god to rise. And with his powers over space, he could arguably rival either Skaryn or Halmut. It was mostly coincidence that he happened to choose Skaryn as his benefactor long before Moranti better understood the ways of the world," explained Daruun.

"He eventually became the first god to rebel, even doing it openly among those of his faction. The Chaotic Gods are hesitant to enact the contract, though, as his presence has kept the Holy Gods from attacking. Their only hope of defeating Moranti without great sacrifice is Halmut, but Halmut’s still recovering and doesn’t dare to upset the delicate balance. That’s why the Chaotic Gods captured and imprisoned Moranti instead of killing him. And should they activate his contract, they’ll not only deal with the Holy Gods but face Moranti’s wrath even further. Even if he became a mortal, Moranti’s power could rival gods, so the Chaotic Faction is stuck between a rock and a hard place thanks to him."

"Wow... There’s a lot going on... What plans does Lyrun have?" asked Jack.

Shaking his head, Daruun answered, "You shouldn’t look into those plans, Jack. They’ll only deter you from doing what you must. You’ve already entered the sight of the gods, so you’re meddling would both ruin your own plans and get Lyrun caught in the act."

"Got it."

"Since I’ve already mentioned Skaryn’s Vengeance, I’ll remind you about how to undo it," added Daruun. "You’ll need either Skaryn, Halmut, or three Chaotic Gods that know the curse to undo it. Luckily, there are two rebel Chaotic Gods so you’ll only need to figure out which other god you will sway."

Surprised to catch what Daruun insinuated, Jack asked, "Any suggestions as to who that third Chaotic God should be?"

"Time will tell, Jack. Before thinking about that, you should free Choron and Moranti. As for the third, you might decide to get creative. It’s not that you need a third Chaotic God to rebel, you just need a third god who understands the intricacies of the curse to willing help remove said curse." With that thought finished, Daruun then asked, "Is there anything else?"

Jack scratched his head for a moment, finally replying, "Can I give you a hug, Gramps?"

"Of course!" Daruun laughed and stepped forward with open arms, embracing Jack with a smile. "We’re family now, Jack. Don’t forget that, okay?"

"Alright."

Both men let go and nodded to each other. Then, Daruun waved goodbye as another flash of light was created by his departure, leaving Jack in the room with everyone else.

 

Chapter 384

While Jack readjusted to the other people in the room, his wives were startled to see Jack suddenly disappear from their side. Though he was only a meter or two away, it was still jarring.

"Sorry about that," Jack walked back to his wives while explaining himself to the room. "Me and Daruun had one last chat before he left. Which reminds me..."

Taking out the ring Sterfen had given him long ago, Jack looked to Maura and Daliea. "You two, hold out your hands with your storage rings."

As they did so, they soon found a vast amount of spellbooks being poured into their storages.

"Jack, you don’t have to--"

"Daliea, calm down. Consider this your duty as my wife," Jack stated. "I’ll always try to protect you, but we’ll be facing gods. There’s no telling what might come our way, so the least I can do is offer you these. This is one way that I can help protect you, okay?"

"... Okay." Daliea wasn’t well accustomed to receiving such a plethora of gifts or so much help from other people. It was a new experience but she felt good about it, albeit a little awkward to respond to.

"That goes for you too, Maura. Learn all these spells, even the legendary ones," added Jack. "You’ll have to be very careful managing your mana, but it’s better to have them just in case. Since your lv. 40 now, you should be fine to use a mythic-tier spell if the need arises."

"And what about me?" Eliza asked, smiling at Jack.

Jack sighed. "Sadly, I don’t have much at the moment, but I can get you a legendary blessing and a couple of mythic spells from the storehouse. Will that be enough for now?"

"That’s more than enough," Eliza replied. She held her hand out as well, but she pulled Jack in for a quick kiss before he could transfer a couple of mythic spells. When she broke the kiss, Eliza added, "Just don’t forget any of us. I get traveling when necessary, but you have to promise to treat us all equally. And no more wives, either!"

Laughing, Jack held up his arm to the square. "I promise, no more wives. You three are already too much for me to handle, so having more is out of the question."

Taking the two mythic-tier spells and a handful of peak-tier spells, Eliza then asked, "So, what do we do now?"

"Well..." Jack sighed, looking around the room with a slight tinge of pink in his cheeks. "I’ll be leaving to raid a few ancient tombs and then I’ll go visit Dragas with Eliza, but I want to talk with Tralon in private first. Then, I’ll talk with everyone about what the guild will be planning next."

"We’ll be waiting outside," Hadurt commented, throwing his arm around Lorwynn and dragging Lorwynn out the door.

The others did the same, leaving Jack and Tralon inside to talk alone. And with the special bookcases that auto-cast Silence, they never had to worry if someone outside could listen in on the conversation.

"Yes, Jack? What did you want to talk about?" Tralon asked with his usual smile.

Jack hesitated to reply at first, but Jack answered Tralon with a question. "Did Daruun tell you about the two major paths we could focus on?"

"No, I’m not sure what those two paths are."

"Then... let me explain them. I want your honest opinion on these two paths and your personal feelings as well. Okay?"

Tralon nodded. "Of course."

"Alright..." Again, Jack sighed, this time taking a seat and motioning for Tralon to do the same. Once Tralon sat beside him, Jack began his explanation, "There are two main focuses that the guild can choose from. But due to the sensitivity of time, by choosing one path we’ll have to abandon the other completely.

"One option is to focus on the removal of Lunara, Sterfen’s wife and my mom, from the Holy Gods. This would involve Lorwynn and Sterfen working together to handle the task while the rest of the guild can focus elsewhere..." Jack stated before he paused.

"That sounds like a wonderful thing," Tralon replied. "It would give us something to aim for as well as offer the rest of the guild some leeway for our actions."

"Exactly, it would allow me to focus on the election and other things while we get the guild ready to receive both Sterfen and Lunara. That would be a huge help to the guild," added Jack. "But..."

"Go ahead, Jack. Say it." Sensing Jack’s unwillingness, Tralon pushed the hero to admit the guild’s second option.

"But going that route would leave us unable to save you."

"I don’t need to be saved, Jack," stated Tralon, shattering Jack’s expectations. "Have I ever asked you for such a thing? You allowed me to become the adventurer of my dreams, Jack. My greatest wishes have already been fulfilled. And ever since I took that elixir of youth, I knew that I had no hope of living any longer than those thousand years. It’s only logical."

"But Tralon, so long as we’re careful, there’s a chance--"

"There’s a chance for everything, Jack. No matter how our lives are at any given moment, there’s always a chance things could turn for the worse or for the better. If anything, knowing exactly how long I had to live encouraged me to give it my all," reasoned Tralon. "Since I knew you were coming back and I was promised to meet you again, I made sure that this guild remained. I didn’t let anything be taken nor did I sell a single thing of value. My final wish was to make sure you had everything you needed to continue your adventure. That way you could help others achieve their dreams, like how you helped me."

"Tralon..." Speechless, Jack tried to reply but his tongue was glued to the bottom of his mouth. He couldn’t make a sound.

Continuing, Tralon smiled and placed both of his hands on Jack’s shoulders. "Jack, you gave my life a purpose. Never in my wildest imagination would I have thought my life could’ve been so adventurous and grand. Thanks to you, I’ve gone toe-to-toe with gods and have grown more powerful than most mortal men could comprehend. As your adventuring companion, I became powerful enough to face ancient heroes on my own. You allowed me to surpass even heroes, Jack, that’s something I couldn’t have asked for."

"But Tralon... We can do that again, so why not--"

"I’ve long accepted my death," Tralon admitted, "and I refuse to compromise the lives of my fellow guild members and especially not yours. I don’t doubt your abilities, Jack. I’m certain you would succeed in becoming a god before my life comes to an end, but that would complicate everything else you hold dear.

"Since I’ve already accepted and awaited my passing, why should I force others onto a path where they would face death unwillingly?" reasoned Tralon, still smiling.

In the back of Jack’s mind, he was unable to form words or sentences. All the adventures and achievements that Tralon spoke of were gained while Jack was playing a game. That’s it. There was nothing special beyond it just being a fun game to play and giving Jack a sense of achievement he lacked in his normal life.

It hurt Jack to hear how amazing and spectacular Tralon made it sound when all Jack knew was the amalgamation of pixels on a computer screen. The sense of achievement Jack felt from his escapades in "A Hero’s Tale" was dwarfed by Tralon’s statement, even though both Jack’s and Tralon’s achievements were one and the same.

"Jack," Tralon continued sharing his thoughts in excitement, "I can never thank you enough for all that you did for me. The times we fought together, the times you saved my life, and the countless adventures we experienced. All of my proudest moments in life were with you, Jack. So thank you. Don’t worry about me, you’ve got new companions to live and adventure with. Allow me to do what I can while I’m here, though, so don’t get disheartened when I do finally pass. Okay?"

 

Chapter 385

"Don’t get disheartened when I do finally pass. Okay?"

Jack opened his mouth but, still, no words managed to come out.

After gaining more strength, rising in level, and unlocking new abilities, Jack felt more confident than ever in his ability to protect his party. Add the arrival of gods to the Leisure Guild and it amounted to Jack believing himself able to never lose a party member again, so long as he followed Daruun’s advice.

Then this decision came to exist.

It was only made worse by the false sense of achievement that he felt while Tralon spoke so highly about his and Jack’s greatest moments together. That only made Jack more desirous of creating those moments again, to share those moments while he was physically with Tralon and not present through a computer screen, while he could truly consider Tralon a friend and companion instead of a mass of pixels doing whatever Jack ordered.

But even Tralon was against that. Jack understood that logically it would endanger everyone far more than the other option. However, there was no way to choose the other option without hesitating.

"Jack, I can see that you’re unwilling," Tralon added, "but you shouldn’t risk the life of an already-dying member of your family at the risk of the entire family being hunted in the end. Don’t you agree, Jack?"

Swallowing his half-baked responses, Jack answered, "Yeah..."

"Then it’s settled. We’ll focus on aiding Lunara in successfully parting from the Holy Gods," stated Tralon. "And I’ll focus on building up the guild. I’ll make sure we remain organized while taking in all the recruits we’ve already started to receive. Also, I’ll make sure that the guild is safe while you’re away. Then you’ll have no need to worry about things and can focus on your goals."

"... But what about after your passing?" Jack squeaked out a question.

Tralon again patted his hands on Jack’s shoulders. "That’s simple. By then, I’ll have taught the managers everything they need to know. And since you’ve been reinstated as the guild leader as of last night, that won’t be an issue either."

"What?! You’ve already--"

"After you left the banquet with Daliea, I made the official announcement. Though I’m now the senior vice guild leader, I’ll still handle everything with Vixus’s help. Once I’m gone, Vixus will be able to run the guild with his business experience and the managers will be more than capable to keep things in order," reasoned Tralon, not giving Jack the chance to turn down the position. "Now, you’re practically guaranteed a council seat. You might even be elected as the next spokesman."

"I guess... But you should’ve at least told me beforehand," argued Jack.

Tralon chuckled, "If I had told you beforehand, you would’ve done something to keep me from making the announcement. Now, you have no choice but to accept the responsibility and position that was made for you. Now, the guild will follow your example and prosper like times of old."

"But... I guess you’re right..."

Jack could see the sincerity in Tralon’s eyes and sense the confident demeanor he had. Even while talking about his own death, Tralon’s smile never wavered. If anything, Jack could sense a feeling of relief buried in Tralon’s words.

"Then no more arguing about my passing, Jack. It’s inevitable and only natural. Let this old man finally get some rest," added Tralon, putting the final nail in the coffin to end that discussion for good.

"Okay... But don’t you dare try to end it sooner," stated Jack. "And if some way comes up for you to keep living, will you take it?"

"Jack, there won’t be--"

"Will you take it?" Jack repeated.

Sighing with a soft smile, Tralon nodded. "Should another option arise to prolong my life, I’m willing to accept it. But should you force yourself to act contrary to your true mission, I’ll end my life myself. I refuse to be the cause for compromising your mission as Daruun’s champion."

Jack’s smile faded slightly. "I understand."

"Then let’s get everyone else back in here," Tralon added, walking toward the door with his smile still present. "Remember, don’t worry about me."

Jack nodded, watching the others reenter the room while Tralon held the door open. When everyone was accounted for, including Bowzer and Phoro who had slept in earlier, the discussion began.

"Our current focus as a guild will be the removal of Lunara from the Holy Gods," Jack stated loudly, putting a smile on Tralon’s and Sterfen’s faces. "That means Lorwynn will be assisting Sterfen. Should you two need anything, don’t hesitate to ask me or anyone else, okay?"

"Of course, Jack. I wouldn’t have it any other way," responded Sterfen. The god then approached Lorwynn with a smile. "Since you have no blessing, I’ll be giving you my mythic level blessing for the time being. That should give you passive invisibility at no cost to your mana. However, while you can wield a weapon, you won’t remain invisible while attacking."

"Alright... But is it such a good idea to try this right after I faked my death?" asked Lorwynn.

"Do you think Daruun would be wrong about it?" Jack replied with a question. "I’ve been stupid enough to not listen to Daruun before and that resulted in the death of a party member. Would you like to try it for yourself?"

Lorwynn promptly shook his head, no longer denying Jack’s order.

"With that covered, then let’s talk about what the rest of us are doing," continued Jack. "Me, Tralon, Vixus, Kims, and Argyle will be joining the election for council seats. To do that, we’ll be making use of our two captives. Are there any objections?"

No one raised a hand or replied, so Jack continued, "Once we’ve guaranteed my seat, then me and the party will be leaving for Drulgen."

"Why’s that?" asked Eliza.

"Because that’s where we’ll find Rikko, the God of Trickery and Sleight of Hand," answered Jack. "With him, we’ll have the support of two gods, offering better protection of Gilga and the guild at large. Also, this will increase our influence again and help us recruit even more people thanks to their offered blessings.

Hadurt then raised his hand but spoke without waiting, "Then what am I going to do? I thought me and Lorwynn would be running dungeons?"

"Hadurt, I’m hoping that me and you will become fast friends because we’ll occasionally be doing dungeon runs," answered Jack. "But in the meantime, I’m not quite sure what else you can do besides chill in the guild as a last line of defense."

"But that’s boring... There’s gotta be something I can do? Can I go with Lorwynn and Sterfen?" Hadurt asked with a longing smile.

Shaking his head, Sterfen replied, "Sorry, but no can do. I would love to do this on my own, personally, but Lorwynn is my ticket in and out of the Holy Gods’ stronghold. Most of that mission will be me on my own while Lorwynn waits patiently for who knows how long. Once I’m inside, I still have to wait for a proper moment to steal Lunara’s contract. If I rush things, then it would only make things worse."

Frowning, Hadurt sighed, "I get it. I’ll just make things worse cause I’m impatient. Then can’t I do some other important thing?"

Scratching his head, Jack tried to come up with something. "I still want you to tell us more about the syndicate. You can discuss that with Tralon and come up with a game plan to keep us safe, then maybe you can play around with Dragov. How does that sound?"

Hadurt showed everyone a curious look and shrugged, "That’s not a bad start I guess. But you’d better give me more to do once I get bored with that. You’ll have plenty of time to figure something out by then."

"You got it, Hadurt." Glad to have Hadurt’s and Lorwynn’s support, Jack looked to everyone else. "As for those staying in the guild, focus on expansion. Argyle will also be focusing on cementing the Fat Goose in Gilga. And since Hurmot of the Celestial Crane should be arriving any day now, then we’ll be able to build up the market of Gilga as well. Any objections or extra thoughts?"

With everyone agreeing, Jack bowed his head to everyone. "Then let me thank you all for your support. Without you, neither the guild nor me could handle what needs to be done. Thank you."

 

Chapter 386

Jack lifted his head to find everyone smiling back at him. With a sigh and a smile, Jack ended the meeting and dismissed everyone.

While Jack was opening his skill list to spend his newly earned two thousand skill points, there was a knock at the open door. Jack replied with a glance, "Yes?"

"Master Tralon... I-I mean Master Jack, there’s someone here to see you," Ilgor stated, correcting his old habit.

"Who is it? I’m a bit busy."

"Master Jack, it’s Kaldor from Golden Haven, sir," Ilgor replied with his head half bowed.

Jack chuckled lightly, finally giving Ilgor his full attention and pausing his focus on the skill list. "Then you can send him here to my office. Also, you don’t have to be so formal, Ilgor."

Swallowing some of his nerves, Ilgor stammered, "Thank you, Mas... Th-thank you, Jack."

As Ilgor left to retrieve the impatient guest, Jack took a seat behind his desk. The only people that remained in the room were his party members that had long been separated. And since Jack was about to receive someone, they sat to the side while Jack waited for Kaldor.

At the same time, Jack spent all two thousand skill points in one go. Like he had discussed with Daruun Jack bought one mythic spell, Greater Teleportation, and four peak spells, Greater Replenish, Lesser Teleportation, Spatial Disruption, and Spatial Slash. With two thousand skill points coming and going, Jack felt a rush of excitement to search for more hidden achievements and to earn more legendary rewards.

But that calm excitement was blown over by the Kaldor’s shouts as the man neared Jack’s office.

"P-please, sir. Don’t make a ruckus for the guild master," Ilgor stated, trying to calm Kaldor’s nerves.

"Quiet!" shouted Kaldor, finally reaching the open door waiting for him. "I’ll close the door, so leave us be!"

Shutting the door behind him with some minor aggression, Kaldor stepped into Jack’s office while taking a deep breath, unsure of what was going on or how he should address the situation. "So... you’re actually the Legend of Trodar?"

"That’s right," replied Jack. "What can I do for you, Kaldor?"

"Were you the one who bought everything at the auction?" questioned Kaldor. "It had to be, so don’t deny it. It would make sense for Argyle to know as your father-in-law. Why else would he sell you such expensive items?"

Jack nodded. "I’ll say, you’re smarter than I gave you credit, but that’s my fault since you’ve proven able to successfully run a large scale guild. Is that all you wanted to talk about?"

"You already know about my deal with Quallace and Bikkem, right? What are you going to do about that?"

"To you, nothing. You may have come, but who wouldn’t for what they promised. Those two will be made into examples soon, but there’s no reason for me to do anything to you," answered Jack. "Also, I’m sure you’ve heard about Federal City by now, right?"

"... I’ve heard rumors..." Kaldor stated with a grim expression.

"If you want, I can call in Argyle to explain what he experienced," Jack added.

Eyeing Jack carefully and trying not to speak too loudly, Kaldor asked, "What exactly are your plans? From what I’ve seen, the Fat Goose has already started building a guild house here. It’s as if the entire guild managed to escape Federal City. Was that your doing?"

"Not exactly... I helped them indirectly, but it was the guild that aided the Fat Goose’s escape from Federal City," stated Jack. "They managed to not only escape but retain all of their wealth and treasures as well. Soon, auctions will begin here in Gilga like they did in Federal City."

"Then do you know what happened to my guild?" asked Kaldor. "Be straight with me."

Jack nodded but dropped his smile. "Kaldor, I’m afraid that Golden Haven fell alongside many other guilds in that battle."

"So it’s true..." Clenching his fist, Kaldor’s face tightened in rage. "Since you managed to see it coming, do you know who caused it?"

"I didn’t see it coming so soon, Kaldor, we had only prepared for it just in case," admitted Jack. "As for the identity of the culprits, I’m sure you could figure that out by giving it some thought. Who other than the Chaos Syndicate could make such a move?"

"Do you know what they were after?"

"I do," replied Jack, "but that information is on a need-to-know basis."

"I must know--"

"You want to know the who and why so you can try to seek out revenge, right?" reasoned Jack, hitting the nail on the head. "Kaldor, the reason that’s on a need-to-know basis is because once you get entangled in this mess, you’ll be unable to get out of it. And by yourself, you’ll only get killed without bringing a single man with you. I’m sorry but--"

"By the sound of it, you’re against them too," Kaldor interjected. "If you’re against them, then that would mean I can be considered an ally."

Jack shook his head. "Right now, a single lv. 72 brawler wouldn’t be able to offer me much. I’ve got people that could kill you with the flick of a finger. In terms of strength, I don’t see you as anything worth taking a chance on."

Hearing that, Kaldor grimaced for a moment before shaking his head.

"Let me be straight with you," Jack continued. "I’m surprised you’re acting so mature. I thought you would be rampaging and shouting louder than ever about what happened."

"It’s one thing to be livid for losing during an auction, it’s entirely different when you lose your guild. I’m far too angry to let it loose. If I did that, I’d destroy a city block without thinking twice," Kaldor stated with a straight face.

"That makes sense." Jack nodded and looked Kaldor in the eye. "Since you’re able to remain collected while we chat, then I’ll make you an offer. If you become the Treasurer of the Leisure Guild, then I’ll let you in on everything, like I did for Argyle. But once you’re in, there’s no turning--"

"I’m in. Now tell me."

"But I didn’t even finish my warning?" Jack chuckled. "You don’t care that you’ll be working under someone else? What about your pride as a guild leader?"

"It’s because of that pride that I must avenge everyone who dared stand for me and my guild. Rather than retreat with the little they could take away, most remained to guard what they had no hope of retreating with... That loyalty must be repaid before I dare imagine opening another guild," Kaldor stated.

"And considering they overwhelmed my guild so easily and forced both Argyle and Hurmot to flee, I’d imagine the attackers came from an organization that even they couldn’t measure up to. Then why shouldn’t I ally with a stronger power? I don’t think you’d mind me opening a subordinate guild under the Leisure Guild, would you?"

Jack shrugged. "Well... It would probably be fine so long as you train another treasurer to take your place."

"Then the deal is done." Kaldor bowed to Jack before asking, "Now, what was the true reason they attacked? If you could predict such an attack, then there must be some motive you discovered that led you to such a conclusion."

"I’ll keep it brief." Jack explained, "The Chaos Syndicate is more than just a shady organization. The syndicate is a puppet organization under the control of the Chaotic Gods and has always been so. They attacked Federal City because that’s the base of the Adventurers Association, which is the puppet organization under the Holy Gods. Does that make sense?"

"You mean that after the gods disappeared, they’ve been waring in secret all along through those two organizations?" Kaldor connected the dots.

 

Chapter 387

Nodding, Jack continued, "And it goes deeper than that. Soon, the Chaotic and the Holy Gods will be reappearing, partially because of me. Since I’m bringing the forgotten Neutral Gods back into the limelight of Trodar, it’ll be pressuring the other godly factions to do the same. I’m just making sure to stay ahead of the curve."

"I heard about that... Are there really gods in Trodar?" Kaldor asked hesitantly.

"Would you like to meet one? My father should be busy preparing to leave but I can call in my father-in-law or my uncle if you’d like," replied Jack.

"That... Maybe not right now," stated Kaldor. "That means you’re truly the Legend of Trodar... Wow..."

"Does that bother you?" asked Jack.

Kaldor chuckled and shook his head. "Not in the slightest. I would only be willing to work under someone as great as the Legend."

"Then, since you’re working with me from now on, know that the guild’s ultimate aim is to topple both the Chaotic Gods and the Holy Gods," Jack stated, not holding back. "It’s too late for you to escape your new duties, but I wanted you to understand that. Rather than wait for another war to break out among the gods, the goal of the guild and the Neutral Gods is to eliminate the other factions altogether. Whether that’s by bringing the gods to our side or wiping them out, that doesn’t matter so long as the factions are gone in the end."

"Then... where would I fit in all this?" questioned Kaldor, trying to come to grips with such an outstanding goal.

"That’s up to you," answered Jack with a shrug. "So long as you handle your duties of treasurer, I’ll be happy. But should you want revenge, that means you’ll be at war with the Chaotic Gods who made the attack and possibly the Holy Gods who attracted the syndicate to Federal City. That much depends on your sense of justice."

Seeing that Kaldor wasn’t responding, Jack added, "Is your need for vengeance deterred simply because your target turned out to be the gods?"

"No... That just means I’ll have to work a lot harder..." Kaldor took a deep breath and looked back at Jack. "Is there a way for me to fight a god?"

Jack abruptly burst into laughter. "Sorry, I’m not laughing at your determination. It’s just that you’re finally sounding like the man Argyle told me about... It’s not impossible for you to fight a god, but you’d first have to become one. As for killing the higher-ups of the syndicate that razed your guild to the ground, you would only need to reach at least lv. 85 to attempt revenge on them."

"Then... If I commit to killing those of the syndicate, can you promise me that you’ll kill the gods responsible, Jack?"

Taking a moment to respond, Jack noticed something startling. Kaldor’s eyes were filled with water, on the verge of letting a tear escape through his eyelashes.

"I... I can guarantee that will happen," promised Jack. "In the end, it’ll be their lives or mine, so I’ll make sure to kill any and all gods who get in our way, including those who dared attack your guild."

"Thank you..." Wiping his eyes, Kaldor started to return to his usual confident self. "Then I’ll have to train hard. I’ll train a treasurer in no time, that way I can focus on leveling up."

"You know... I may have a way for you to power level and grind, Kaldor," added Jack, stealing the man’s attention again. "But you may not like it."

"If it gets me stronger, I don’t care if I hate it. All I need is to get stronger. After avenging my brothers, then I can feel at ease," replied Kaldor, not backing down at all.

Jack sighed. "Don’t say I didn’t warn you. Rydel, can you go get Kims and Hadurt for me?"

The party members in the room were slightly surprised by Jack’s request, but they felt it was a fitting decision and now understood Jack’s prior statement to Kaldor. Without a word, Rydel left the room only to return in less than a minute with two men in tow.

As Rydel returned to his seat, Hadurt asked, "What’s up? He mentioned that I get to run dungeons now, is that true?"

"Yes and no," replied Jack, looking to both Kims and Hadurt. "This is Kaldor, the founder of the former Golden Haven Guild from Federal City. He’s agreed to become our treasurer and train a replacement. Once his replacement is trained, you three will then start running dungeons together."

"How long will it take you to train someone?" Hadurt turned to Kaldor with a smile, hoping it would be sooner rather than later.

Kaldor replied, "Maybe a month, but with the right candidate I can do it in a week. After that, the new guy can just call me or speak with Argyle if he finds himself with any unusual circumstances."

"Great! Then I won’t be bored for long!" laughed Hadurt.

Kims looked to Jack and asked, "What if we’re needed for security purposes?"

"Tralon’s here too, so he can always open a rift if needed be," answered Jack. "You can also take one of our teleportation scrolls. Just make sure you’re either touching all party members or they wait inside a bestial storage while you use the scroll. That way we don’t waste the few scrolls that we have left."

"Makes sense. Then I’ll get one from Tralon." Kims smiled, clearly excited to start leveling up.

"Now for the introductions..." Jack sighed. "Kaldor, you already know Kims but let me tell you about Hadurt. But remember, I warned you that you might not like this."

"I’ll handle anything so long as it makes me strong enough," stated Kaldor, confident as ever.

"Then allow me to introduce Hadurt, the retired champion of the Chaos Syndicate and the man that led the charge on Federal City not too long ago."

"What?!" Instantly infuriated, Kaldor’s rage came to life as energy gathered around his fists. Two clawed gauntlets appeared on his arms, ready to strike without mercy.

"Enough!"

Jack shouted, but Kaldor still launched a fist to Hadurt, who wasn’t fazed in the slightest.

Kaldor’s fist struck its target directly on the chin, unleashing his unfiltered anger. But Hadurt didn’t even budge. The former champion’s chin remained still while taking the attack head-on.

With a chuckle, Hadurt smiled at the confused and enraged Kaldor. "I get that you’re angry, but Jack was wrong. I didn’t lead that attack. I just showed up to take on Lorwynn, so the attack on your guild had nothing to do with me. And as of now, I’m no longer a puppet for the gods to play with. If you want to kill the god responsible for your guild’s fall, then I’m your man."

"What are you talking about?!" Turning to Jack, Kaldor furiously questioned, "Jack, what’s the meaning of this?!"

"Kaldor, we recently recruited both Lorwynn and Hadurt, the former champions of the Chaotic and Holy Gods. They’re two of our secret weapons against those factions, so who better to train you than the man who knows the syndicate inside and out?" reasoned Jack, calming Kaldor slightly.

"I get that you want to kill me and I don’t mind the competition, but should you get too serious then so will I," added Hadurt. "And I’m sure Jack would rather have me kill you than to have you kill me. I bring a lot more to the table and way more firepower while agreeing everything he’s said, all to get revenge on the gods who toyed with my life. Get the picture?"

"He’s not wrong, Kaldor."

With Jack verifying Hadurt’s reasoning, Kaldor retracted his fist from Hadurt’s face. The former auction house owner glared at the former champion, barking, "State your cause for revenge!"

"I was promised the opportunity to join the gods in exchange for half a millennium of service. But as that time started to near an end, I came to find out that they never would’ve allowed my ascendance to godhood," explained Hadurt, also leaking energy from his self-contained fury. "They planned to let me get killed and ruined my potential to become a god. For that, I will kill them, especially the god that deceived me from the start."

Sensing Hadurt’s passionate rage, Kaldor grunted and folded his arms. "And when I kill all the members of the syndicate, what will you do?"

"I’d kill them all now if I didn’t have to hide my identity," Hadurt replied with a laugh. "But I can tell you who to watch out for and just how strong they all are. As you are now, you’ll have to work much harder to catch up."

"... Then I’m willing to put up with you," replied Kaldor.

Still laughing, Hadurt continued, "You won’t have to put up with me. If you’re really after killing them, then find a replacement and join me in a dungeon. Survive my training, then you’ll be able to kill almost anyone in the syndicate without worry.

"Deal."

No more words were said and there was no shaking of hands. However, both men became more driven than ever to dive back into training, as well as Kims who was feeding off of their energy.

 

Chapter 388

Sighing loudly, Jack added, "I forgot to mention, I’ve already got a man in mind to be the replacement treasurer. However, since he’s low-leveled, he’ll be considered the assistant treasurer and will handle everything while you’re away, Kaldor."

"Who did you have in mind?" asked Kaldor.

"Rydel, can you go get--"

"I’m on it, Jack. No need to mention his name, I already know who you’re talking about." Rydel hurried away, chuckling as he left the room a second time. Five minutes later, he returned with a broad, muscular man standing behind him. Then, Rydel nodded to Jack and returned to his seat, leaving the man nervously standing in the center of the room among the other three powerful men.

"Papa, it’s okay, why are you nervous?" Marua asked, giggling at her father’s unusual nervousness.

"Zariff, there’s no need to worry. I understand that your level is still decreasing and I’m already working on a way to remove that curse," Jack stated, calming Zariff. "I want to know if you’re willing to join the Leisure Guild officially and take up a position. Are you?"

"Yeah, I can do that much no problem," replied Zariff, a little startled to be asked such a thing among the powerful men he was beside.

Jack smiled. "Good, then I’d like you to meet the man who will train you. This is Kaldor, our new treasurer. You’ll be the assistant treasurer and handle his duties while he’s power leveling."

Recognizing Kaldor as the former leader of Golden Haven, Zariff swallowed some of his nerves and bowed to the man. "Then I’ll be in your care. Though I’m not as accomplished as you, I once managed a branch of the association."

"Oh... Then you’ll be a fine candidate, I guess," replied Kaldor, nodding in approval. "I’ll show you the ropes and remind you what to do this week. After that, I’ll be leaving with these two to a dungeon, but you contact me or speak with Argyle if you have any problems."

"Sure, I can handle that." Zariff proudly looked to Jack, glad that he could somehow contribute to Jack’s cause and return the favor of saving his family’s lives. And he was especially proud to know that he was contributing to such a legendary figure, who happened to also be his son-in-law.

"With that settled, do any of you four have other questions for me?" Jack asked.

Hadurt replied with a question, "What dungeon do you have in mind?"

"Hmmm... Though the storehouse could work, I’d rather keep that place intact, so it’ll have to be elsewhere," reasoned Jack. "Do you know of a dungeon called Earthen Keep, Hadurt?"

"No, I’ve never heard of it."

"Then I’ll have to run it by Lorwynn. If he doesn’t know about it, then that’s where we’ll send you guys," stated Jack.

"It was a dungeon for people trying to reach lv. 85 back in the day, though you’ll be staying on the first three floors till Kims and Kaldor are both at least lv. 80. That may not seem like much to you Hadurt, but Earthen Keep is one of the largest dungeons to ever exist. Those three levels, to clear the floors entirely, should get them to around lv. 80. And by then, they should be able to handle floors four and maybe five with your help, so long as you’re careful. After that, play it by ear and follow your gut, Hadurt. I’m sure you’ve got plenty of experience grinding for EXP."

"Want me to get Lorwynn in here?" Hadurt asked, excited to hear that such a treacherous place existed.

"Well... Actually, yeah, that’d be perfect. There’s something I need to do before he leaves with Sterfen."

Before Jack finished his reply, Hadurt bolted out of the room, returning shortly with Lorwynn dragging behind him.

"Before you get mad at him, I’ve got something to ask you, Lorwynn," Jack stated, keeping Hadurt from some of the blame. "Do you know about a dungeon called Earthen Keep?"

"Hmmm... I’ve heard of it, but we don’t dare train there," answered Lorwynn. "According to our scouts long ago, it was overrun with creatures, making it a terrifying place for anyone to train safely."

"Even better!" Hadurt shouted, not hiding his smile.

Catching on to the meaning behind the question, Lorwynn shook his head and added, "I wouldn’t recommend going there."

"Even with Hadurt protecting these two?" Jack asked. "If worst comes to worst, I can send Dragov in to get them out and you would join them once you’re able."

"That... That does make it seem like a plausible plan," Lorwynn admitted.

Jack added, "Also, they’ll be staying on the first three floors till these two are lv. 80, so it’s not like they’ll be running wild inside."

"Exactly how big is this dungeon, Jack?" Hadurt couldn’t help but ask.

Scratching his head, Jack answered, "I’d say each floor is at least the size of the Leisure Guild’s property. It’s also ninety-nine floors deep, so don’t get lost in there."

"Ninety-nine floors..." The smile on Hadurt’s face had almost become a fresh tattoo, permanent and free of wrinkles or fading. "Are we able to--"

"No!" Jack outright rejected what Hadurt was about to propose. "That dungeon was notoriously known to be used for hundred man raids. There was only one person stupid enough to run it alone, so don’t even think of trying to clear the place, not yet."

Curious, Hadurt asked, "And who was stupid enough to run it solo?"

"That would be me!" Jack shouted proudly. "But back then heroes wouldn’t outright die. Instead, we would get resurrected at a nearby town or temple. That’s how I eventually managed to sneak my way through to the boss floor and chip away at the boss until the crypt lord finally died. Nowadays, what I did wouldn’t even be considered clearing the dungeon."

"But--"

"Hadurt, I promise you that we’ll clear the place eventually. How else will I be able to become stronger? And if it took one hundred ancient heroes, I imagine that a single party with the help of a god could..."

Jack paused. With that thought in mind, Jack started to question everything. A single question could change everything he had planned thus far.

What if a god carried me through Earthen Keep?

"Jack, are you thinking what I’m thinking?"

Looking back to Hadurt’s ever-growing smile, Jack nodded. "We’ll discuss that later. Stick to what we discussed for now while I handle some matters of the guild and prepare to visit Rikko."

Looking at Jack curiously, Lorwynn asked, "But weren’t you going to visit Rikko after the election? Why the sudden change of mind?"

"There’s something that’s come up so I’ll be leaving sooner," replied Jack. "I’ll still launch my campaign before I go, but I’ll leave after guaranteeing my seat. There’s something I must urgently discuss with Rikko. Sadly, Jin left before I could even offer him a contact crystal... otherwise, I’d discuss that matter with him."

"Then if there’s nothing else, allow me to--"

"There’s one last thing," Jack added, getting up from his chair. He walked toward Lorwynn and smiled. "I want to form a pact with you."

"Huh? Why should I--"

"This pact links us telepathically and allows us both to share skills. And though I don’t have any active skills to share, I have plenty of passive skills that would interest you," stated Jack.

"... Keep talking."

Jack smiled wider. "Basically, it will give you half of my passive skills, including increased mana capacity, mana regeneration, and my beast companion bloodline skill that lets me use my mutual companion’s bloodline, as well as many other skills. How else could I make a flame body like Bowzer’s?"

"WHAT?!" Pushing Lorwynn out of the way, Hadurt eagerly stepped in front of Jack. "Make a pact with me! Come on, why waste it on him?"

"I’ll make one with both of you," Jack laughed, putting his hands up in attempt to calm Hadurt’s eagerness. "I just need to make sure I form one with Lorwynn before Sterfen takes him away. Alright?"

"Okay... but I’m next!"

With Hadurt getting out of Lorwynn’s way, the mage sighed. "I’m willing to make the pact, just make sure there are no negative side effects."

"That’s the last thing I need to mention," added Jack. "There’s one single downside to this pact, but it won’t mean much to either of you thanks to your strange circumstances."

"And that is...?" Lorwynn wanted to learn why the pact was too good to be true.

Jack sighed and continued, "This pact will take half of all the EXP that either of you will gain from now on. Know that there is a version of the pact with that condition removed, so when it comes time for you to ascend we can alter the pact and remove that condition."

Visibly uncomfortable, Lorwynn shook his head. "That’s quite a condition, Jack. I’m not sure--"

"That’s it?! No problem!" Hadurt shouted, gladly agreeing and looking at the startled Lorwynn. "What? We’ll waste all EXP after reaching lv. 89 anyway, so why not help him become a god sooner?"

"That..." Lorwynn struggled to find a counterargument to Hadurt’s reasoning. "But how could you give up so easily?"

"I’m not giving up!" Hadurt yelled in retort. "With him becoming a god sooner, I’ll become a god sooner! Then, we can charge through Earthen Keep together! This is a great solution!"

The former holy champion didn’t want to accept such a blatantly negative thing as positive, but their strange situation did make sense of it. With nothing else to say, Lorwynn sighed. "Fine... I’ll agree to the pact."

Since there was no more arguing, both Lorwynn and Hadurt knelt down, letting Jack perform the pact. Once each of them had finished, Lorwynn departed with Sterfen and Hadurt rushed to Dragov to test his increased strength.

Kims followed Hadurt around, always trying to find a moment to learn from the former chaotic champion.

Kaldor and Zariff also left, soon finding Ilgor to guide them around the guild and show them where they would be working.

Only Jack’s party was left in the office, that was until Rydel and Trax left to go train together. Though they couldn’t level up through basic combat training, they could sharpen each other’s skills. Maynard did similar, seeking out a small courtyard to diligently train his new abilities gifted from Jin.

The women all waited for Jack to say what came next, especially Eliza who wanted to ask about their upcoming trip to visit Dragas. And Lina was already playing with Bowzer and Phoro, enjoying their soft fur and feathers.

 

Chapter 389

Sighing, Jack turned to his wives and asked, "We’ve got two options for today, do you want to go shopping together like I promised or do you want to come with me to raid an ancient tomb?"

"Wasn’t the promise to go shopping in Estonya?" Eliza added with a smile.

Jack chuckled, "We can still do that, but it’ll have to wait a few days till an official agreement is made between the guild and Korten."

Smiling, Eliza replied enthusiastically, "Then let’s check out that tomb! But can we get there and back in a day?"

"We’ll be fine thanks to my new skills," Jack proudly answered. "But since we won’t be shopping, let’s test out some of your new skills in a special room. Also, I want to introduce Daliea to her new beast companion."

"Then let’s take Lina with us. That should be fine, right?" asked Maura.

Jack nodded as Lina perked up at the sound of her name. "Where are we going? Are we going shopping?"

"No..." Jack reached out and rubbed her head, repeating himself, "We’re going to raid an ancient tomb, but first we’re going somewhere to test new skills and meet Daliea’s new beast companion. Also... You haven’t met Dragov yet, have you?"

"Who’s Dragov?" asked Lina, speaking for both herself and Jack’s wives.

"Just follow me." Jack held the door open for the women. As Bowzer and Phoro were the last to exit, Jack closed the door and added, "Just know that he’s harmless, okay. Don’t freak out when you see him."

They toured the Leisure Guild while Jack avoided explaining himself. Eventually, Jack reached a restricted part of the guild, not even accessible to the managers. Jack showed his new guild emblem, that of the guild master, allowing himself and the party to enter through the enchanted gate.

Once they passed those enchanted walls, which blocked the view of everything inside the restricted space, the women were surprised to find so many courtyards in a space that appeared much smaller from the outside. Jack waited for them to catch up, moving at a decent pace toward the courtyard at the very back.

"Okay..." Jack sighed, grabbing the handle to the door but pausing before opening it to his wives and Lina. "Again, don’t be scared of what’s inside. Dragov is my third beast companion and a former companion I had back in Ancient Kartonia. So remain calm."

"Jack, what is he? Why is he so scary?" asked Eliza.

Maura added, "You’ve already told us, so just open the door."

"I’m sure we’ll be fine, Jack," stated Daliea, grabbing the handle of the second door.

Not waiting any longer, Jack opened the doors together with Daliea, startling Jack’s wives. Maura hesitated to take more than a single step inside while Daliea shook the nerves away and trusted Jack’s words of warning. Eliza immediately jumped behind Jack, peeking over his shoulder in terror.

"Whoa... He’s as big as Mom!" Lina was amazed, staring at Dragov’s huge body with her mouth wide open.

Jack chuckled, "Yeah, he’s a great addition to the defenses of the guild. Should something happen, Dragov can break out through the back wall and emerge outside of the city."

"J-Jack... W-what is that?"

Looking back to Eliza, Jack was amazed to see genuine fear in her eyes. "Eliza, come inside and we’ll talk while we go meet him."

Eliza finally entered the room, but she remained behind Jack’s back every step of the way.

"Dragov is a Draconic Centipede," stated Jack. "He’s already lv. 81 and will be the guardian beast of the guild for the time being. Once we’ve got other strong beasts and experts, then he’ll be joining us on the battlefield."

"Th-that will be joining us?! B-b-but..."

"I guess Eliza is afraid of something after all," giggled Maura.

"Don’t worry, Big Sis. He looks friendly!" Lina shouted as she ran down the steps reaching the bottom at a breakneck pace. Once there, Lina changed to her hydra form, which was now fifteen meters long and four meters tall. She roared, "Hi! I’m Lina, what’s your name?"

Dragov had long noticed them but was surprised to see Lina turn out to be a hydra. He replied with a bow of his massive head, "Hello, I’m Dragov, Jack’s beast companion. I didn’t know he was traveling with a Nine-headed Glacial Hydra..."

"That’s my little sister, Lina," Jack shouted as he tried to hurry Eliza down the stairs, who was fighting him for every step until he picked her up. "Remember, I’m now the son of Lunara and Sterfen, so it only makes sense to help raise my little sister."

"I’ll remember that." Committing that to memory, Dragov then asked, "What brings you here, Jack? Do you need my help with something?"

"At the moment, no, but I wanted to introduce you to my wives and I thought this would be a good place to test their upgraded bloodline skill," answered Jack, surprising the women around him. He then added, "Also, I’ll be bringing Mooldrat here as well. He’ll be traveling with us from now on."

"Go ahead and use this space as you wish Jack. If you want, they can go ahead and attack me. It’s better than attacking the walls," Dragov politely stated.

Surprised to see that the colossal centipede was so kind, Maura and Daliea followed Lina to feel Dragov’s impregnable exoskeleton. Sensing that the beast showed them no hostility and only hospitality, they both bowed their heads and introduced themselves, even though Maura was still hesitant.

"Eliza, you should go too."

"Jack... I- can’t..."

Sighing, Jack pulled her in front of him. The hero nudged her closer and closer toward Dragov, not letting Eliza avoid that much-needed introduction. "Go on, Eliza. You’re confident enough to speak in front of thousands but you won’t greet my beast companion?"

"Th-that doesn’t count! Those aren’t the same, not at all!" Her voice lashed out at Jack as she was only a few meters away from the biggest insect she’d ever seen, larger than the ones from her nightmares. "J-Jack... Please..."

"Just put out your hand and introduce yourself," stated Jack. "If you don’t hurry and say it now, I’ll leave you alone while I go get--"

"No!" One of Eliza’s hand’s firmly gripped Jack’s arm as she tried to swallow as much of her fear as possible, burying her head in his chest. "H-hi... I’m Eliza... J-Jack’s wife..."

"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Eliza," Dragov replied with another bow of his head. "I’ll make sure to always protect you and help you whenever I’m able. As Jack’s wife, I’m willing to die in exchange for your life if necessary."

"Th-thank you..."

Since Eliza’s other hand was held out but wasn’t coming any closer to Dragov, Jack telepathically told Dragov to move closer. The moment Dragov’s hard shell-like exoskeleton touched Eliza’s hand, she shivered and instantly retracted her arm to grab Jack even tighter.

"Well, I guess Rome wasn’t built in a day..."

Eliza was distracted by Jack’s strange phrase and didn’t notice that Phoro had flown away and the shutting door above startled her all the more.

Before the women could get Jack to explain where Phoro had left, the door was opening again. Phoro led the way but a massive black beast was floating in with him. Eliza, who was already afraid of the behemoth insect her, again tried to hide herself behind Jack, failing miserably now that there was a beast on each side of her.

"Everyone, I’d like for you to meet Mooldrat, a Dark Beholder who, like Dragov, has been alive since Ancient Kartonia," Jack introduced the beholder, who bowed his floating head to the women and grinned with his gnarly yellow teeth. "From today onwards, he’ll be your companion, Daliea. He’s lv. 78, so now I’ll be sure my wives are safe while they’re traveling with me."

The nerves that each of the women felt melted a little, causing Eliza to stop shaking for just a second. It was a touching thought for them to know that Jack was that worried about them.

 

Chapter 390

"It’s a pleasure to meet you all." Mooldrat finally lifted his head, trying his best to make his smile amiable. "As Jack stated, I’ll proudly be accompanying the daughter of Eedaj. Should you need, I’ll give up my life."

Daliea was taken aback, feeling both nervous and touched to receive such a companion. She stepped toward Mooldrat and asked, "Can I call you Mool for short?"

"Of course you may." Mooldrat’s big eye blinked, startling the spooked Eliza but not Daliea.

"Can I feel your tentacles?" asked Daliea, reaching out her hand.

"Sure, but be careful of the barbs. I don’t want you hurting yourself by accident," replied Mooldrat. "I hate to be the cause of your pain, Daughter of Eedaj."

"You can call me Daliea, Mool. I’d prefer that since we’ll be partners from now on."

"Thank you, it’s an honor, Daliea."

One of Mooldrat’s ten tentacles lowered into Daliea’s hands, feeling both heavy and light at the same time due to the beholder’s levitation. She examined the matte skin, noticing a cluster of black barbs begin to emerge from the end of the tentacle. Each barb measured as long as Daliea’s hand, proving that the dozen or so barbs of each cluster could easily latch onto prey or shred something to pieces.

When Daliea finished examining the tentacle, the barbs retracted and Mooldrat nodded to her. "Don’t worry, I’ll make sure to never bring you harm, Daliea. As your companion, I’ll support you in every way I’m able."

"Now, onto the main event," Jack interrupted the conversation, grabbing everyone’s attention and sitting Eliza down on Bowzer’s soft fur. "I want you all to try to activate the bloodlines of your companions. Before you could activate a portion of their skills or abilities, but now you should be able to do more, like how I can make a flame body."

"Really? Why’s that?" asked Maura, intrigued at the possibility of using the hydra’s bloodline.

Jack smiled, continuing his explanation, "Since I’ve leveled up the skill so much, you should all be able to use it like I always could. Now, I can activate up to two bloodlines at once so you should be able to activate one too. Let’s get the seal out of the way now..."

He wasted no time, performing the mutual seal between Mooldrat and Daliea. Relieved to have such a strong beast keep his wives safe, Jack resumed his explanation. "Okay, now each of you should be able to use the skill. Clear your mind and imagine your companion, then you’ll be able to feel some sort of resonance. Once you feel that, try to envelop yourself in it that resonance and let it loose."

As Jack explained the process, Daliea followed along step-by-step. With her mind cleared, she easily noticed a new strength surging out of her core. Letting that power envelop her, Daliea took a deep breath as her body started to shift and alter itself.

Six black tentacles started to emerge from Daliea’s back, either finding a way out of her shirt or forcing their way out through a newly-ripped hole. Each tentacle was a bit longer than Daliea was tall, similar to how Mooldrats tentacles compared to his four-meter tall body. When Daliea finally opened her eyes, both were yellow with a piercing red pupil.

"That’s it!" Jack shouted, reminded how talented Daliea has always been. "With those tentacles, you should be able to control the barbs and use the many eye abilities that Dark Beholders wield."

"What kind of abilities?" Daliea looked to Mooldrat and asked.

Proud to see her transformation, Mooldrat replied, "Naturally you have True Sight, letting you see through illusions, invisibility, darkness, and all manners of haze. There are five different rays that you now possess. You should be able to use a telekinetic ray, a fear ray, a paralyzing ray, a disintegration ray, and a petrification ray."

"Petrification?!" Startled, Maura stepped a bit closer to Jack and Bowzer.

"That’s right, but the petrification is very slow and is only permanent should you manage to petrify the entire target of the ray," explained Mooldrat. "It’s fearsome but very difficult to use as a finishing blow in a battle. It’s better for imprisoning an already defeated foe or to store food for later."

"For food? You can eat stone?" Daliea asked, not afraid but excited to learn more.

"Sure, but it tastes better fresh," continued Mooldrat. "As for the paralyzing ray, it’s very self-explanatory, as well as the telekinetic ray. Personally, I prefer to use the fear ray on anything that needs to use concentration for spells or abilities. The fear ray, in those cases, is a battle-winning ability. The disintegration ray is faster than the petrification ray but will only affect wherever it touches. Blasting a creature with the disintegration ray is best for dealing damage, scarring them, or removing limbs should you be able to concentrate the ray long enough."

"Oh!" Remembering something, Mooldrat added, "And know that you can only use one ray at any given time and it takes anywhere from a second to a minute to recharge for the next ray. That depends on how long the previous ray was active, especially the petrification ray which is more taxing."

"Also, try levitating, Daliea. I’m guessing it’s got something to do with your telekinesis," chuckled Jack.

Focusing her mind, Daliea felt an ethereal force outside of her body. To her, is seemed tangible and solid, able to form around anything she wished. She allowed a portion of that force to wrap around her, lifting herself off the ground.

"Amazing!" Lina, who had been so amazed she was speechless, finally got some words out. "Big Bro, what can I do?!"

Laughing, Jack shrugged. "Sorry, Lina, but you don’t have any beast companions. And you’re already a beast so--"

"But I still want to transform!" shouted Lina, not wanting to be left out. "I want a beast companion!"

"That’s... I like the way you think, Lina!" Jack suddenly got excited, imagining Lina becoming a beast that could terrify even the gods. "Right now... I can’t think of any beasts that would work well with you. But we’ll double-check after we get back from the ancient tomb, okay?"

"Okay! Thanks, Big Bro!"

"Maura, Eliza, aren’t you going to try it?" Jack asked while staring caringly at them.

"Alright, I’ll give it a try!" Maura relaxed and let her breathing calm her body. Doing as Jack mentioned earlier, she found the energy gathering from her core and let it envelop her.

Maura didn’t grow in size, but her skin and features began to change. Her hands became webbed with sharp claws at the end. With glacier blue skin, Maura felt a comforting coldness fill her body. And Maura’s teeth became identical to Lina’s Jaws. She also gained Lina’s dragon-like eyes that were better than an eagle’s, even underwater.

"I’d talk to Lina about your new abilities, but I imagine that all your water spells and abilities should be much stronger in that form," stated Jack.

"Not just my spells..." Maura giggled, feeling light as a feather, only just realizing that she had grown a long, powerful tail to match Lina’s.

"Wow! Big Sis is like me!" Still in her hydra form, Lina walked over to Maura in excitement. "You’re water should be much stronger now. Oh! Try and eat something!"

"Oh yeah! Test and see if you have Lina’s devour skill!" Also excited, Jack eagerly watched as a small vortex of energy started to gather around Maura’s enlarged mouth. "That’s it! No fair... I can’t get that ability from my pact..."

"Was Bowzer’s flame body not enough?"

Everyone then looked to the teasing Eliza, who was no longer shaking in fear. With everything going on at once, Eliza managed to put Dragov’s existence to the back of her mind so long as he was behind her and out of sight.

"Jack, how come I can’t do it?" questioned the more impatient of Jack’s three wives.

"That’s probably because you have two beast companions," answered Jack.

Confused, Eliza then asked, "But Maura has two companions, so why could she do it so easily?"