Ch. 391..400

Chapter 391

Jack sighed. "That’s only because Lina’s powerful bloodline overwhelmed the bloodline of Maura’s cetus companion. Your companions are completely different so you’ll have to recognize which bloodline is which before trying to activate the skill. Try it with your dryad first, okay?"

"Okay..." Calming her breathing, Eliza refocused herself. It took a few minutes but Eliza managed to differentiate the two bloodlines. Focusing on the energy of her dryad companion, the aurora around Eliza began to change.

The ground beneath Eliza’s feet started to grow tufts of grass, surprising everyone present. Her physical appearance didn’t change at all, but her eyes had become entirely green with no pupil or iris. Both eyes looked like leaves when held up in direct sunlight, slightly transparent and filled with accents of soft orange and streaks of warm yellow.

"Well... How do I look?" Eliza examined herself and then did a turn around for everyone to see. "Did anything change?"

"Look in a mirror..." For a moment, Jack was bewitched by Eliza’s eyes, unable to look away from her. After Eliza took out a mirror and looked away, Jack broke eye contact and explained more, "Dryads are naturally charming, able to coerce plant life to their will and cast powerful enchantments."

"Oh, is that why you can’t look away from me?" teased Eliza. "Maybe I’ll have to try this out later tonight..."

"Since you’ve all tested your new skills, let’s get going!" Clapping his hands, Jack changed the subject. "Phoro, Bowzer, I gotta put you away for a second, okay? Daliea, store Mooldrat as well."

The beasts were quickly stored away as Jack looked to Lina. "If you want to come with us, then you’ll have to go back to your human form. Otherwise, I can leave you here to play with Dragov."

"Umm... Is it going to be fun where we’re going?" Lina asked, tempted to stay and play with the massive centipede.

"Not exactly," replied Jack. "We’ll be back before nightfall, so we can come back to pick you up later, okay?"

"Okay!" Lina shouted and barreled toward the centipede. "Dragov! I want to slide on your back!"

The others got a laugh out of Lina’s antics as Jack wrapped his arms around each of his wives. "As beautiful as you all are in those forms, you should change back to save mana and not scare anyone we might run into. And a change of clothes would be good too"

Once the women were back to normal and changed out of their torn clothes, Jack activated his new skill Greater Teleportation. Jack and his wives were suddenly transported in a flash of light, like Tralon and Daruun had done so many times before. When the light faded, the party looked around to find themselves in a rocky landscape with a row of jagged mountains not too far away.

Jack released Phoro and Bowzer, then turned to see his surprised wives. "We’re just outside the Fissured Mountains, that’s where we’ll find this hidden tomb. Eliza, would you please bring out Appa?"

"Sure thing."

With the Giant Condor, the party was off for the mountains, excited to adventure together again.

Not even an hour later the party was overlooking the mountainside. There, Jack retrieved the sword that acted as their guide. After apologizing to Appa and Eliza for the mess he was about to make, Jack slit his hand carefully, allowing gravity to cover the downward-pointing blade in blood.

They were then led to one of the mountain peaks, jutting out between the mountainside and the large, bottomless fissure that ran down the center of the mountain range.

"That peak..." Jack directed Appa toward the mountain, making sure to keep an eye out for nearby beasts. There were a few, but nothing that the lv. 49 Bowzer and the lv. 47 Phoro couldn’t handle.

Those two dispatched the nearby beasts with ease while Jack searched the cliffside for the tomb’s entrance.

On the side of a perfectly vertical drop, Jack finally managed to find the entrance thanks to Appa, who was carrying the party over the fissure. Soon, they were glad to find the rockface parting to form a smooth entrance to a small cave. And it was just in time, as Jack heard a distant growl from deep inside the fissure.

’Bowzer! Phoro! Get back now,’ ordered Jack, not daring to find out what was below without first entering the ancient tomb.

Both beasts hurried back and were stored before Jack jumped into the newly-opened cave.

"Jump! I’ll catch you!"

Eliza didn’t hesitate and leaped toward Jack, forcing him to catch her like she were a princess. "Thanks, Darling."

"Anytime." Jack chuckled and helped her stand up. "Come on you two."

Maura was next, followed by Daliea. After both of them were caught by Jack and carefully placed inside the cave, Eliza stored Appa as the growling started to grow louder.

The cave wasn’t very deep but that made it easy to find an archway with a name etched into the stone overhead. Reading the sign, "T1golBidd13s", Jack reached up and ran his hand over the lettering as he stepped inside.

There they found a few dozen chests and rows of armor on display around the sepulcher.

"Go ahead and check the chests. If there’s anything you want, just let me know."

Happy to hear that, Eliza was the first to place her hands on a chest. But Maura wasn’t far behind as she rummaged through the chests to find items of varying uses and levels. Daliea carefully inspected the armors and cloaks on display, focusing on some of the magic staffs beside the cloaks.

Jack focused on the sepulcher and claimed his reward, earning himself fifty-five skill points.

Without a second thought, Jack checked the T1golBidd13s’s activity log.

"Jack, can I keep this?" Maura pulled a sword out from one of the chests. It shined like an emerald and as thin as a cicada’s wing, which also happened to be the name of the sword. But she failed to get a response, so Maura called again, "Jack? Jaaack?"

"Huh... Oh, that’s a great sword. It’s lv. 45 and mythic tier, definitely keep that one."

Not directly replying to Jack’s robotic answer, Maura eyed Jack for a moment and then asked, "Jack, is something wrong? You’re really focused for some reason..."

Trying to laugh it off, Jack didn’t manage to reply. He quickly checked his map and started laughing again. "Okay, let’s hurry up and gather everything. We can sort through it all back at the guild."

"Jack, what’s wrong?" Maura asked again, more sternly this time.

Putting his hands up, Jack walked to her and pushed the emerald-green sword up to her chest. "Nothing’s wrong. I’m just trying to hurry back before Lina drives Dragov crazy."

Giving Jack a serious glare, Maura asked one more time, "Jack, what’s wrong?"

"Like I said, nothing is--"

"Rrraaaaaahhh..."

Surprised to hear that low growl again, all the women stiffened in startlement. Somehow the growl had gotten even louder then it was while they were outside.

"Jack, what’s--"

"Store everything and grab hold of me, Now!" Jack shouted as he frantically began to place chest after chest into his storage.

Daliea didn’t ask any questions and began to do the same with the various armors. Catching on, Eliza did the same, leaving Maura to worry enough for them all.

"Rrrrrrrrrraaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh..."

"Alright, grab hold of me!"

Each of the three women grabbed Jack in some way. At the same time, the room began to shake and the four of them felt the mountain moving beneath their feet.

But before anything else could happen, Jack and his wives were again taken away in a flash of light, leaving the empty tomb behind.

"Rrraaaaahhh!"

Suddenly, the wall of the mountain burst open. The small, smooth opening in the mountain was now a dust-covered hole four meters wide. A two-meter tall, mountain of a man now stood in that small cave, staring at the ancient tomb’s entrance. Though he was much too broad to fit normally, the man walked through the rock surrounding that entrance like it was paper, shaking the mountainside.

Now inside the tomb, the man growled again, but even louder this time, "RRRRRAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!"

The man’s eyes glared at the sepulcher, overflowing with rage. In a fit of anger, the man kicked the sepulcher, reducing it to rubble and dust instantly.

"WHERE IS IT?!"

 

Chapter 392

Inside that blinding light, Jack and his wives were carried far away. When the light faded, they found themselves on solid, non-moving ground and sighed. Excited to have escaped before facing whatever that beast was, the three women hugged each other, making sure Jack was a part of the group hug.

"Isn’t that the Legend?"

"That’s him! And that’s his wife!"

"Who are the others?"

"Mommy, I want to meet him!"

That air of celebration was quickly met with a uproar of voices praising and greeting Jack from all around. The party was too excited about their escape to realize where exactly they had ended up.

Completely surrounded by people, the party was being hounded with questions and greetings aimed to get Jack’s attention.

"Out of the way!" Jack shouted, getting the crowd to grow silent. "I’m on official guild business and must hurry back. I’ll make another public appearance soon, but for now we have to leave immediately!"

Not wanting to anger their hero, the crowd slowly created an opening for the four people trapped inside.

"Thank you. Your cooperation is the same as aiding the Leisure Guild," Jack added while pulling his wives away from the crowd.

Looking to the three women, Jack explained things telepathically. ’We’re back in Gilga, so don’t worry anymore. I rushed the teleportation, so I only pictured Gilga and not a specific part of the city. We’re safe now but we’ll have to hurry back to the guild to sort the rest of the items."

’Jack, what happened back there?’ Maura was still hung up on what took place back in the ancient tomb. It was obvious that Jack had discovered something and anticipated that creature’s approach, but she couldn’t imagine what that creature was nor how Jack had gained some premonition of it’s attack.

Jack sighed and answered, ’I’ll explain that after we reach the guild. That way we can include Eedaj in the conversation.’

’Why do we need him?’ Daliea asked. ’At least tell us what creature that was. Considering how unwilling you were to meet it, that beast should be quite fearsome.’

’That... That was Grixor, the Earthen God...’ Jack answered, trying not to scare his wives too much.

’What?’ Startled, Eliza almost fell over as Jack pulled her through the street. ’Jack... You can’t be serious, right? Why would you take us to Grixor’s temple?’

’I didn’t, but his temple must be at the bottom of the Fissured Mountains,’ replied Jack. ’I hadn’t taken Grixor or the other gods into consideration since we were only going after a tomb.’

’Well... hurry up and teleport us to the guild, then,’ Eliza stated.

’Sorry, but I’ve already used up most of my mana. Greater Teleportation is a mythic-tier spell, after all,’ Jack chuckled, trying to act more confident and lighthearted since they were now out of harm’s way.

Having appeared near the city’s center, it took the party almost half an hour to reach the Leisure Guild property which occupied the southwestern limits of the city. Once inside, Jack hurried his wives to the restricted area and entered one of the centermost courtyards, which were the largest courtyards excluding Dragov’s underground space.

"Eedaj! We ned to talk!" Jack shouted, finally able to stop and breath.

Coming out of a connected room at the back, Eedaj emerged and stared a Jack for a moment before shock spread all over his body. "Jack, what did you do?!"

"I didn’t do anything... I don’t think," Jack replied. "All we did was raid an ancient tomb in the Fissured Mountians, it’s not like we entered Grixor’s temple or anything. However..."

Jack looked to his wives and then back to Eedaj before he continued, "I found out how that ancient hero died, that’s why I wanted to leave as soon as possible. Luckly, I teleported us out before Grixor learned who it was that opened the ancient tomb."

"And how did that ancient hero die, Jack?" Eedaj asked.

"He was killed by Grixor."

Everyone paused for a moment to take in that statement, including Jack. It was a shock for a god to just up and kill an ancient hero, not without a reason at least. And considering how Grixor had attacked the tomb immediately after it was opened, there must’ve been a special cause for Grixor to act out.

Eedaj questioned, "Do you know why Grixor attacked that hero? Or how Grixor killed him?"

Nodding, Jack replied, "I know that Grixor hurled boulders at the hero and killed him while the hero was exiting the fissure hiding Grixor’s temple. I’m pretty sure that hero tried to raid Grixor’s temple but ultimately failed. As for why Grixor attacked the tomb... That I’m unsure of."

"What did you recover from the tomb? Show me everything."

Retrieving everything, the party took out every chest and all of the displays from the tomb.

Eedaj scanned the displays first but shook his head. Then, he opened up the chests one-by-one to carefully inspect the contents of each chest. The Mind God was meticulous, holding up each item for everyone to see while carefully examining it. After the first chest, Eedaj moved on to the second chest. And then the third chest... And then the fourth...

Though it was taking quite a while to inspect everything, the party was enraptured in Eedaj’s careful examinations. They couldn’t take their eyes off due to their anticipation.

Jack was also inspecting each item, putting his system to good use. The sheer amount of mid-level mythic-tier items was unexpected. With those, Jack could either strengthen his party or the guild.

On the twenty-sixth chest, Eedaj couldn’t put down one of the items. Staring intently at it, Eedaj did his best to ascertain the items origin. Finally looking back to the party, Eedaj explained, "So far, the only item that may have incited Grixor to attack that tomb would be this. It’s an enchantment key, or an item that works as a key to unlock or undo a specific enchantment. And since the detailing of the enchantment on this key is extraordinary, it must unlock a powerful enchantment."

The women were all focused on that item in Eedaj’s hands. It looked like a pearl the size of their palm, only it was covered in etchings filled with mana.

"Jack, what do you think?" Eedaj asked for the hero’s opinion, noticing that Jack’s jaw had gone slack while staring at the enchantment key.

"N-no way..."

"Jack, please share your thoughts with us all. Or would you prefer I read your mind?"

Surprising everyone, Jack nodded slowly instead of replying.

Taken aback, Eedaj followed up by reading Jack’s mind instead of asking anything else. But not even a second after reading Jack’s mind, Eedaj’s body tightened up as Eedaj reexamined the orb in his hands. A few words slipped out of the god’s mouth, "It... can’t be..."

"Hey, don’t leave us out of the loop!" complained Eliza. "We want to know too!"

"Please, Jack, tell us," Maura asked, also pouting.

Sensing the atmosphere, Daliea put her new abilities to use and also read Jack’s mind. And like Eedaj she also refocused on the orb with fear in her eyes, only she placed a hand over her mouth to keep any words from escaping her lips.

"Daliea! You’re supposed to be on our side!" Eliza added, startled to see that even Daliea refused to say a word.

It took a few more seconds but Jack finally mustered up a few words for his other two wives. "Eliza... Maura... I’d rather you not know what that is... I think that would be best for us all."

"But Jack, we shouldn’t have any--"

"This isn’t a secret, Eliza. This is a terrifying thing to know exists, let only find... I wish Daliea hadn’t found out, but it’s too late for that," continued Jack, soft spoken but firm. "Eedaj... Can you hold onto that for me? I wish I could give it to Daruun, but he’s already gone."

"Yeah... I’ll hold onto it," Eedaj answered, storing the orb in his own storage. "Should you find another... just bring it to me immediately, okay?"

"Of course." Jack bowed and regained some of his composure as he turned to his wives. "Let’s go... I’m sure Eedaj has plenty to do since the guild is almost done building his new shrine."

Jack then exited, followed by Daliea and then the other two. And no matter what Maura or Eliza said, Jack said nothing in response. He was too busy trying to calm down to even listen to their questions or statements about his unfairness as a husband.

 

Chapter 393

It was already afternoon and the sun had begun its descent over Gilga. Jack was still caught up on the discovery of the enchantment key, as well as Daliea, and struggled to relax at all. Eliza and Maura had long stopped asking about the item, having spent five minutes trailing the slow walking Jack with no results.

They entered the back most courtyard and descended the steps, although Eliza remained at the rear and refused to move from behind Jack.

Maura hurried to Lina, who was using Dragov like a giant slip and slide with her powers over water.

When Jack finally reached the bottom steps, he sat down there. He released Bowzer and Phoro to let them play or do whatever they wanted. Jack said nothing to either of them, even if Bowzer had begun to grill Jack anew like Eliza had done before.

Eliza decided to sit beside Jack, making sure to have Bowzer lay down beside her and with the fox’s head on her lap. This was comfortable for Bowzer but especially so for Eliza, who struggled to even look up while inside Dragov’s dedicated space.

Daliea eventually brought out Mooldrat, distracting herself with learning about him and his abilities. And since Dragov allowed Mooldrat to attack him however the beholder wished, it allowed Mooldrat and Daliea to explore Mooldrat’s attacks as well as Daliea’s new abilities.

Still lost in turbulent thought, Jack scratched his head. Then he scratched his neck. When his neck started to feel raw, Jack scratched his head with both hands. Soon, Jack was vigorously scratching his shoulders.

No matter what positives he tried to imagine, Jack, for the most part, hated that new item they discovered.

"Jack..." Eliza placed a hand over Jack’s, stopping him from attempting to scratch a hole through his cloak. "I’m not mad you’re keeping a secret from me, I just don’t know how to help you or comfort you without knowing."

"This... is probably something that can’t be comforted," stated Jack, still softspoken and spooked. "Knowing those things exist changes everything, Eliza. That much I can say."

Leaning her head on Jack’s shoulder, Eliza asked, "Then... how many of those things are there?"

"There should be five of them... but I’m not sure."

"What do you mean?"

Finally glancing at Eliza through the corner of his eye, Jack stated, "All I know is that there were originally five of those keys. What I don’t know is how many still exist."

Taking a moment to think, Eliza drew a blank. "Does that mean you can break them? If you’re so worried about that item, then why not break it like the--"

"No!" Jack suddenly jolted, turning his torso to face Eliza, who lost her headrest and saw pure fear in Jack’s eyes. "We must never break that key. I wish those never existed but... all we can do is protect it or hide it."

Feeling Jack’s uncommon seriousness, Eliza nodded. "Okay, Jack. Then we’ll never break that key. Can you tell me why?"

Jack took a moment to think of a fitting answer, finally stating, "Enchantment keys are like a double-edged sword. They can make a powerful enchantment more secure but it can also lead to that enchantment’s undoing. Basically, a particular portion of the source enchantment is engraved into an enchantment key, making that enchantment impossible to break without the key. But should someone get the key, then it can be undone easily."

"And what if someone breaks a key?" asked Eliza.

"Then that portion of the source enchantment is removed, making the enchantment fragile and easily breakable," explained Jack. "And no matter what, we must never break that key. We can’t even let it’s source enchantment weaken, let alone get undone."

"I see..." Eliza nodded, following Jack’s logic. "Does that mean we’ll now be searching for more keys?"

"No," Jack answered immediately. "Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad to have that key. It’s just... I wish that key and the other four never existed. Their existence is what’s terrifying..."

"Well, should you ever want to tell us, I’m sure Maura and I will be happy to hear all about it," replied Eliza. "Thanks for teaching me about enchantment keys."

Jack sighed, finally letting a slight smile creep up at the ends of his lips. "Thanks for listening... It helps, at least a little."

Pecking Jack on the cheek, Eliza was beaming. "Anytime, Darling."

They sat there for a while. Eliza returned her head to Jack’s shoulder as they both watched Lina riding what Jack considered a rollercoaster made up of Dragov’s body. Maura was on Lina’s back, enjoying the moment with their little sister and making yet another happy memory for them all.

It was good for them to laugh and enjoy that moment.

The rest of the day passed without a hitch. With Jack low on mana, they could only wait till the next day to leave for Dragas.

Originally, Jack wanted to visit the other three ancient tombs in Churstin, however, his mood for tomb raiding was soured at the moment. And since it wasn’t an urgent matter, Jack decided to save those for later.

Jack was also startled to find his room altered. The bed was now much larger, and he discovered that Eliza wasn’t joking about the four of them sleeping together. But he was also happy to see his wives sleeping together like long-lost sisters sharing a bed. It was a pleasant sight and helped his restless mind finally get some much-needed sleep.

In the morning, Jack groaned as he stirred awake. He groaned again, feeling something immensely heavy on top of him. There was no way it was one of his wives. Jack’s mind was still starting up as he blinked and eventually recognized what was laid on top of him and his wives.

A massive, fifteen-meter long hydra had laid all three of her heads across the bed. Her snoring was jarring, making Jack wonder how he hadn’t been awoken from that alone.

"Lina... Liiina..." Jack patted one of the heads, trying his best to wake her gently but failing miserably. "Lina... Lina! Liiina!"

Eliza, Maura, and Daliea all groaned as they were woken up by Jack’s shouts. But their momentary anger fizzled out when they realized their situation.

"Lina! It’s time to wake up!" Jack kept shouting, now rocking one of the hydra heads furiously.

"Huuuh..." That rocking hydra head yawned loudly, startling the four people directly underneath. "Huh? Oh... Good morning, Big Bro..."

"Lina, why are you in here?" asked Jack. "And why are you in that form?"

"Hmm? Oh! Sorry!" Not realizing her mistake, Lina giggled as she reverted to her human form. Now, the teenage girl laid across all four of them and rolled to the side.

Finally able to get up, all four of them stretched and felt a rush of relief spread through their bodies.

Maura was the first to look back at Lina at the side of the bed, asking, "Lina, why are you in here?"

"Ummm... I had a bad dream..." mumbled the teenage girl, still acting like she was barely eight years old. "I thought it would be better to sleep here and it was."

"Well..." Eliza sighed, rubbing Lina’s bedhead. "That’s fine, but you should let us know when you come it next time, okay?"

"Okay!" Glad to not get scolded, Lina hugged Eliza tightly.

Jack then added, "But no hydra form, not when you’re sleeping with us."

"But... I was scared... And I’m stronger like that, so..." Feeling nervous again, Lina looked up at Jack from her hug.

"I get that..." Jack sighed. "But you shouldn’t trap us like that. Tell us beforehand and then, maybe, just maybe, you can place one of your heads on the bed with us."

"Okay!" Jumping at Jack with a hug that tackled him back into the bed, Lina giggled again. "Thanks, Big Bro!"

 

Chapter 394

Eventually, Jack managed to exit his room, ready for the day. All the women followed him out as well, some being excited to visit another new place and some being excited to visit another god.

Jack asked Rydel, Trax, and Maynard if they wanted to tag along but he was rejected by all of them. Each of them wanted to stay and train since the mission had nothing to do with leveling. Also, they didn’t mind missing out on the initial trip to visit the Goddess of Love.

After grabbing some food from the courtyard turned mess hall, aptly named the food court since ancient times, Jack, his beast companions, and the women left together on Appa.

While the women chatted or answered some of Lina’s spontaneous questions, Jack sat cross-legged with his eyes closed.

What seemed like meditation to the others was actually Jack sitting nervously in front of his achievement list. There was a new achievement listed, one that had come to exist the moment Jack laid eyes on that enchantment key. The day before, Jack had refused to check it as the title alone sent shivers down his spine. And again, Jack found himself just staring at the title, unable to do anything else.

It took Jack thirty minutes of sitting nervously and, eventually, breaking a sweat to finally muster the courage to select the achievement and read its description. That was when the previously ignored mountain of fear fell back on top of Jack with full-force.

[Prevent Skaryn’s Unsealing: in progress]

[Keep the gods from releasing Skaryn or destroying all five essential enchantment keys to his seal. Event reward: 50,000 skill points]

Jack didn’t realize it, but he was trembling terribly. He was shaken to his very core. The fear he felt prior was nothing compared to the tumult and terror that Jack was now wracked with.

"Jack..."

"Jack..."

"Jack!"

Hearing a rush of voices ringing in his ears, Jack finally closed the menu and opened his eyes.

Finding himself surrounded, Jack attempted to chuckle but his body wouldn’t let him.

"Jack, what’s wrong?" Maura straightforwardly asked. "Don’t deny it, just please tell us."

"It... It’s just something related to that enchantment key we found. Don’t worry about it... And please don’t read my mind right now, Daliea," Jack added. "I don’t want you burdened to know this."

"But... Okay, Jack. I won’t," smiling sorrowfully, Daliea replied.

Maura was irritated to not learn anything else but Eliza sat down beside Jack and rested her head on his shoulder. Hoping to help like the day before, Eliza asked, "Is there anything you can talk about? Maybe we could at least help you feel better..."

"I... I don’t think so... Not with this, sadly..." stated Jack, struggling to talk about the subject without giving anything away. "Just know that we must protect that enchantment key with everything we have. I’m glad Eedaj has it, at least."

"Should we not have found it?" asked Eliza.

"No, it was a great thing to find, something that could be crucial in the future," answered Jack, trying to somehow ease the tension between him and those staring at him. "It’s a wonderfully powerful item that I’m glad we have. It’s just that... You know what, it’s nothing. I shouldn’t be worrying about something that may not even happen."

Changing the subject, Jack asked, "Maura, what do you think of your cetus?"

"He’s strong and fast. He’s a great mount for battle," replied Maura, at least glad that Jack wasn’t ignoring them anymore. "Why do you ask?"

"Because at some point you’ll gain the ability to merge two bloodlines, but that won’t work with your cetus and Lina." Jack explained, "Lina’s bloodline is extraordinary, obviously, and it overpowers the cetus’s bloodline since they’re so similar. If you want to use the bloodline skill to the utmost, then you’ll probably want to choose a new companion."

"Really?" Showing some resistance, Maura asked, "Do I have to?"

"Well... It’s not like you have to, but from a logical standpoint you should choose a different companion."

Thinking hard, Maura raised the question, "What if I just get a third companion and only use two bloodlines?"

"That... Hmmm..."

Jack started to mull over that plan. Considering Lina wouldn’t exactly be Maura’s mount that meant that the cetus would always be present and fighting alongside Maura, so it wouldn’t just become a leech of her EXP. And it would work well together with Maura’s water abilities, able to compliment her fighting style and even maneuver in water.

"If you want to, then that’s fine. But that means your cetus will always have to fight by your side, even when you have a third companion. I don’t want him turning into a handicap for your leveling," reasoned Jack.

Nodding, Maura smiled. "Of course!"

"What about me?" asked Eliza. "Does that mean I can already mix my companions’ bloodlines?"

"No," answered Jack. "I need to upgrade the skill even more for that. I tried it before leveling the skill and I almost fainted from the pain."

"Oh... Then I’ll wait too," added Eliza, satisfied with her current bloodline abilities to either enhance her nature spells or to grow wings for arms. But until she gained some magic clothing like Jack or Lina, Eliza refused to use her ability with Appa’s bloodline under normal circumstances. Eliza didn’t like the thought of destroying all of her nice clothes to casually grow wings.

The conversation grew to be more lighthearted as Jack buried his fear and worry so that the others wouldn’t see it for the time being.

It took the party almost the full day to reach their destination, finally arriving at sunset. Crossing the Limneer-Trodar border was tricky so they instead went over the Prachten-Trodar border and entered Limneer from there.

Appa landed in a massive flower field in the southern tip of Limneer, one of the least populated areas of the nation and away from prying eyes. There were some people visiting the field, however, as it was a rare place where flowers could grow and bloom year-round.

Jack looked to Eliza. "Can you bring out your dryad? She’ll be able to search for any anomalies about this place."

Eliza did just that, letting her dryad companion explore the many types of flowers the filled the area.

Ten minutes had passed when Eliza stated, "She found something."

The party followed Eliza toward her Dryad, who was at the eastern edge of the field staring curiously at a small, unique flower. The flower was tiny and had no leaves. Its petals were a soft magenta and resembled a rose, but sky blue filaments jutted out of the flower’s center.

"She’s never seen that kind of flower before," stated Eliza, surprising Jack. "She doesn’t know what it is, why it’s there, or what it’s for."

Curious, Jack activated God’s Eye. After another minute, Jack smiled.

Jack crouched down and placed his face directly in front of the flower. His smile was warm and inviting when he suddenly shouted into the flower, "Dragas! I saw you, so don’t deny it! I’m with Daruun, so let us in!"

No one knew what Jack was up to, but they were used to him trying strange things. They remained quiet and let Jack shout however loud he wished.

Soon, everyone’s eyes were back on that flower. It was now growing with unbelievable speed. In a few seconds, petals had grown as large as Jack’s head, not stopping there. Eventually, they became as large as Jack and then as large as the party. The petals unfurled from their bundle and then closed over the entire party, including Appa.

Next, the party started to tumble around inside the flower, as if the flower was moving with great speed.

Finally, the rumbling stopped. The flower petals unfurled themselves again to uncover the party.

Glad to no longer be thrown every which way, the party examined their new surroundings, an underground room that was vast and filled with exotic flowers of every size and sort. They also noticed that giant flower shrink back to normal and remain tucked away inside this jungle of flowers.

 

Chapter 395

The setting filled with petals and thorns was spectacular. So many eye-catching colors filled the party’s view, showing from vibrant green to neon yellow and from ruby red to sapphire blue. And with the flowers recreating the vines and undergrowth of a jungle, the party was amazed to find such a hidden oasis of beauty.

"So, you’re with Daruun?" A full and mature feminine voice caressed each party member’s ears.

Everyone looked around to eventually find a woman only a few meters away, leaning against one of the larger flowers. Her seductive attire was fitting her curvacious figure perfectly. Though her dress was simple, the classic slit down the side of the leg showed just enough skin to make a man’s heart pound. And the hint of her cleavage being revealed could attract any man’s eye. But her face was the most distracting of the woman’s features. It was round, yet cut to perfection, as if her skull was hand crafted and her skin was a masterpiece of the gods, which in a way was true.

Seeing Dragas in real life was entirely different than meeting the goddess in person. The air about her felt different and Jack couldn’t help but stare into her soft brown eyes. Also, Jack wasn’t the only one lost in her gaze.

Lina, being the youngest and most pure, was the first to say something. "Wow... You’re really pretty..."

Dragas lifted a hand to her mouth, giggling. She stood up straight and carefully walked toward the party, stating, "Are you supposed to be Daruun’s champion? I must say, you’re quite handsome compared to most men. Have you come to pledge to me?"

"N-no..." Jack stammered, regaining his composure. "I’ve come so that my wife can pledge to you."

"Oh... that’s interesting." Dragas smiled, intrigued. "Which of these lovely ladies is youre wife? Or are you so lucky to have all three of these beauties for yourself?"

"I’m that lucky," Jack replied with a nervous chuckle. "But one is already pledged to Lunara and the other is already Eedaj’s daughter."

"Oh... Oh?! Really?"

Noticing Dragas’s surprise, Jack was glad to gain an edge in the conversation and not be led along by the Goddess of Seduction. He stated, "Eedaj has relocated to Trodar already, being the first of the Neutral Gods to do so. Soon, Sterfen and Lunara will be joining him. Also, Daruun made an appearance to the public, stating that the Leisure Guild will be standing up against the other godly factions."

"I missed that much?" Dragas tilted her head teasingly, looking away from the party in thought. "Then, where do you fall into play? What’s your name?"

"I’m Jack, but everyone knows me as the Legend of Trodar."

"Oh! It’s you!" Stepping even closer to Jack, Dragas entered his personal space with passionate eyes. "I finally get to meet you!"

"Hey!" As Dragas tried to lean further toward Jack and grab his hand, Eliza stepped in and stood between the goddess and her husband. "Excuse me, but that’s my man you’re trying to seduce."

"Well... It’s not like you’re unwilling to share..." teased Dragas, startling the party. "I’ve always wanted to meet him more than any other hero. Has he told you about all the times he stole my lingerie or my--"

"No need for that!" Jack interjected. "That was always for a mission, not for myself. There’s no need to mention that now."

Dragas frowned slightly, pouting, "No fair! Out of every hero, you’ve stolen from me the most. Doesn’t that mean you love me more than even my own followers? You’re just too afraid to admit it to your wives, aren’t you?"

"Nope! I’m a devout follower of Daruun and I’m also the son of Sterfen and Lunara, so I’m already your nephew," retorted Jack, not daring to look Dragas in the eye.

"Oh... I see... Lunara again..."

Noticing some tension in the goddess’s voice, Maura asked, "Please, excuse our impoliteness as your guests, but is there possibly something between you and Lunara?"

"Of course there is," Dragas answered in a very matter-of-fact way. "When two women pursue the same man, there’s bound to be some hostility left behind after the clash of our intentions."

Looking to Jack, Dragas smiled seductively. "But as Lunara’s son, I think that gives me all the more reason to make you mine, Jack. Is that so wrong of me to ask? It’s not like you don’t already have your own harem, so what’s wrong with adding one more wife to that list?"

"I’m sorry, Dragas, but I’ve already promised them that--"

"Why would they reject me? I wouldn’t mind getting to know each of them personally, as well," added Dragas, staring tenderly at Jack’s wives. "However, who is she? I’d imagine she’s too young to be your wife, unless you--"

"She’s my sister!" Jack shouted, not letting Dragas assume anything else for even a second.

"Sister..." The seductress’s gaze shifted, focusing on Lina’s smile and the girl’s crystal clear blue eyes. "I see... So they succeeded after all, did they?"

With Dragas’s eyes no longer trying to seduce the entire party, Jack turned to her and stated, "After being summoned to this time, I managed to come across Lina’s egg. When I returned it to my mom and dad, they officially made me there son. So, yes, Lina is the first ever natural born demigod."

"Jack..." Dragas’s gaze slowly tilted back towards Jack. "Please, let me bear your children."

"I can’t--"

"Excuse me," again, Eliza cut into the conversation, carefully eyeing Dragas. "If you want his child, then answer me this. Why do you love Jack?"

"Because he the most stunning hero to ever live, even more so then Sterfen was before his ascendance," answered Dragas. "What else is there to say?"

"Would you lay down your life for Jack?" questioned Eliza.

Amazed to see Eliza remain calm yet speak so passionately, Dragas smiled at her. "Maybe... Then again, maybe not... That would depend on the situation."

"I’ll always been willing to give up my life for Jack’s, that’s why he’s still here today."

"Then why are you still here?" asked Dragas.

Eliza sighed. "That’s... only because someone else laid down their life for me."

"Oh..." Seeing through Eliza’s softened gaze, Dragas reasoned, "So you had a secret admirer and he saved your life."

"You have no right to talk about Keela like that," stated Eliza.

Dragas’s smile widened. "A woman? Maybe I don’t have the right... But I’m sure you must understand how it feels to compete with another women for the man you love. Given your situation, you might feel that everyday, at least a little. Don’t deny it. I’m sure you understand why I don’t want to lose to Lunara and long to also have a child of my own."

Since Eliza kept quiet, Dragas continued, "The greatest hero of my time has already married and had a child with a different beauty instead of me. Who else can I turn to for that?"

Unable to answer, Eliza kept her mouth closed. She didn’t want Jack to just give into this goddess but she could also relate to Dragas, apart from the goddess having endured that feeling for countless years.

"If you’re not going to argue with me, then why not share him with just one more person? Is that so hard?" asked Dragas.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t do that," Jack stated, startling the goddess and his wives. "I’ve already promised them that I won’t have any more wives."

"Then make me your concubine," Dragas replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

Scratching his head and trying not to meet Dragas’s tempting gaze, Jack added, "That won’t work either. But..."

"But what, Jack?" Dragas asked, keping her seductive eyes on him in case he glances back at her.

Jack took a deep breath and looked to Eliza. He struggled to reply, "I... do think we can fulfill that great desire of yours."

"Oh? But how, since you must think of me as ugly given your unwilllingness."

"You’re extravagant beauty is why I’m not looking you in the eyes. I’ve made my promise as a man and I don’t want to be tempted to break that promise," reasoned Jack, making sure to compliment the goddess. "But... what if you could... raise a child without that?"

"Impossible," stated Dragas. "How could I raise my own child without your help?"

Swallowing some of his nerves, Jack took a moment before finally stating, "I... I can help you raise a granddaughter, can’t I?"

 

Chapter 396

"I... I can help you raise a granddaughter, can’t I?"

All the women, including Lina, stared back at Jack. That statement shook all of their hearts.

Dragas stared at Jack with neither a smile nor a frown, curious. "What do you mean by that?"

Swallowing more of his nerves, Jack managed to reply while motioning to Eliza, "Well... If you make Eliza your daughter... Then you can help raise your granddaughter."

"Jack, that’s very different, though," replied Dragas. "It wouldn’t be the same as bearing my own child. And isn’t Eliza in your party, meaning she’ll be busy adventuring and isn’t prepared to raise a child?"

"That’s where you come in..." Jack replied, still too uncomfortable to easily mention such an idea. "After labor... Eliza could resume her travels with us and leave the child-raising to you... That’s something that even Lunara doesn’t get to do."

Touching on Dragas’s competitive side as a woman, Jack noticed the goddess begin to soften her stance and stare.

Still between the two of them, Eliza stood there silent with a face that got redder and redder by the second. Maura and Daliea were also blushing, staring at Eliza with both nervousness and a tinge of jealousy.

"You’re saying that I would get to raise the child?" asked Dragas.

Jack nodded. "Y-you would have to join the Leisure Guild and relocate to Trodar, but yes."

"And what about Lunara? Wouldn’t it also be her grandchild? If she’ll eventually be moving to Gilga as well, wouldn’t she want to help raise it?" reasoned Dragas.

"Knowing her, I’m sure she would want to help raise it," Jack replied with a sigh.

Dragas shook her head lightly, disappointed. "Then that wouldn’t do."

"Why not? It would still be your grandchild and you could hold her every day. Is that not what you wanted?" asked Jack.

"That..." Dragas tried to respond but couldn’t think of a reply off the top of her head.

Shrugging, Jack looked back to his wives. "If you’re not able to accept that, then maybe we’ll have Eliza go pledge to some other god. What magic types does Guuro have again?"

"Don’t you dare let such a beautiful women pledge to that disgusting man!" Dragas shouted, stepping up to the blushing Eliza.

The goddess carefully examined Eliza’s face and figure, nodding and admiring it. Finally, the goddess sighed. "You’re quite beautiful, Eliza. In that regard, you’re definitely worthy of being my daughter. And of all his wives, you seem like the temptress of the three, a quality that we share. Tell me, why should I consider letting you bear my grandchild?"

The wording that Dragas used made Eliza’s head turn tomato red. Words couldn’t be formed in her mind as she was completely overwhelmed by the situation and the topic at hand. Having never discussed such a topic with Jack prior only made things much, much worse for her.

"Eliza," Jack spoke softly to his wife, "you don’t have to agree to this. I’m sure we can find you another blessing that’s just as good as Dragas’s. What I said before was hypothetical and for the future, so don’t--"

"I wouldn’t dare consider it unless she agrees to get pregnant as soon as possible," Dragas added, not letting Jack’s comforting words have much footing.

Jack took a deep breath. "Eliza... Really, you don’t have to--"

"Jack..." Eliza finally formed a word, stopping Jack from saying anything more. "I... I wouldn’t mind... if you wouldn’t..."

At that moment, Eliza turned to face Jack. Her eyes were wet and her stare was the softest Jack had ever felt. Never had Jack seen Eliza look so fragile yet so heart-warming. It gave him an overwhelming desire to protect her and that beautiful fragility she showed.

"If you want to..." Jack paused, startled to be admitting such a thing. "If you want to, then I’m willing."

Embracing Jack, Eliza had practically forgotten about Dragas, who was standing in front of the couple.

The goddess watched the display in front of her. She sighed, touched by the feelings that Jack and Eliza shared. It reminded her of Eliza’s earlier words, "Why do you love Jack? ... Would you lay down your life for Jack?"

"If you two are serious," Dragas spoke up, regathering everyone’s attention, "then I’m willing to make Eliza my daughter. But I won’t leave here until the baby is almost born. Do you agree to those terms, Eliza?"

Wiping her eyes with her hand, Eliza nodded slowly.

Amazed that she was agreeing to this as a goddess, Dragas shook her head and laughed. Another second later, Dragas recomposed herself. She stepped forward and pulled Eliza in for a tender hug. Lights bloomed out of Eliza, marking her as the next demigod.

Jack was startled. He was feeling emotional and was extremely attentive to what was going on. So, when three different colors of light bloomed as ethereal flowers around Eliza before fading away, Jack was again at a loss for words.

When Dragas stepped back, she noticed Jack’s confusion and smiled. "You didn’t know I wield three magic types, did you?"

Jack, as well as the others, nodded at the goddess. The beasts were especially surprised as they had sensed what those three magic types were.

"That’s probably because you ancient heroes always classified us Neutral Gods by our blessings and not our capabilities," Dragas stated. "I may not be the greatest fighter, but I’m the strongest enchantress of all the gods, including the other two factions. Can you believe that?"

"Then..." Thinking about the different colored lights that came from Eliza a moment ago, Jack concluded, "Then, you wield nature, holy, and dark magic?"

"Yup!" Dragas replied with a proud smile. "Aren’t you glad to have a mother as powerful as me?"

"D-Dragas, I--"

"Eliza is my daughter, making me your mother, Jack," Dragas stated, not letting Jack deny her. "If you refuse to call me that, then you can forget my relocation to the Leisure Guild. That goes for you and all of your wives."

"Y-yes, Mother," Jack replied with a smile.

"Good, now, where was I?" Dragas looked back to Eliza, smiling proudly at her new daughter. "I’m guessing you must wield at least one of my magic types and play a support role in the party since Jack willingly brought you here. So, tell me more about yourself, my dear."

"Right..." Eliza hesitated, not used to having a mother of her own and still filled with emotions from earlier. "I’m also an enchantress. I have nature magic but no other magic types."

"Nature magic? Good! That’s my favorite kind," added Dragas. "As my beautiful daughter, you’ll be able to use all sorts of pheromones to charm anyone and anything if used correctly. Also, you’ll feel a great boost to all your nature spells, so I’m sure your party will be glad to have you."

"Y-yes..."

Dragas tilted her head and gingerly asked, "What’s wrong? Do you not like to call me mother?"

"No, it’s just that... I’ve never really had a mother," replied Eliza. "My mom passed away when I was young so I don’t remember her well."

"Oh, then let me fill in that void in your heart." Dragas reached out and embraced Eliza again, more tenderly and caringly than the first time. The goddess spoke quietly, barely letting Eliza hear Dragas’s whisper, "It must’ve been hard growing up, to become such a woman without a motherly figure to help you. From now on, you can count on me for that. Your father must’ve been a great man to have raised you so well."

This time, Eliza hugged Dragas back. She could sense the genuine warmth of the goddess’s heart.

Happy to feel her daughter returning her embrace, Dragas added, "Should you need me, for anything, just let me know."

Dragas didn’t want to admit it but she felt so elated to have a daughter. It wasn’t the same as Dragas bearing her own child and she understood that. However, how could Dragas not feel relieved to finally have a daughter of any kind after dreaming about it for more than a millennium?

 

Chapter 397

While Eliza and Dragas were hugging each other, Jack let loose a sigh of relief.

Outside of that conversation, both Maura and Daliea were at a loss of words. The idea of Eliza having a child was jarring to them, but not in a bad way. It was startling because it evoked a similar spark of desire inside of them. They didn’t want to mention it at that moment, but they both understood the jealousy that overtook them as fellow wives.

A few moments later, the now mother-daughter couple released each other. Both of them felt glad to have either a mother or a daughter figure in their lives, something that they both had wanted for a long time.

"So, Dragas, I was wondering--"

"Son, speak clearly," stated Dragas, implying something.

Jack clicked his tongue and restated, "So, Mother, I was wondering something. My view of the Neutral Gods as a hero during Ancient Kartonia was very different from what I’ve been learning lately. Can I ask you a few things about the Neutral Gods?"

"Of course, Sweetie," replied Dragas.

"Then, why did the Neutral Gods never face either of the other godly factions?" asked Jack. "Us ancient heroes saw the Neutral Gods as misfits that couldn’t fit into either the holy or the chaotic pantheons, but I’m starting to think otherwise."

Smiling, Dragas answered, "Well, you’re not wrong, first off. None of us would ever fit into the other panthons, that’s a fact. We’re too free-spirited for their rules and needless structure. Unlike the other pantheons, each of us Neutral Gods have their own desires and passions to pursue and act upon. Taking orders isn’t what we do. We’re completely independent and can do whatever we wish. That’s what it means to be a Neutral God."

"But why did all the Neutral Gods decide to fade from history before the Godly War?"

"Well, none of us care for war or needless bloodshed, so why should we have joined the Godly War?" argued Dragas. "Though we’re more than capable, that doesn’t mean we have to act according to the standards and expectations of the other pantheons. Besides, do you think a lot of the other gods were so willing to partake in the Godly War? I’ve heard a few things and know of a few different gods that were punished for their lack of participation.

"Take Lunara and Kori, for example." Dragas continued, "One only joined the fray at last minute due to her egg being stolen and one refused to join the war entirely. Now, both are being isolated and aren’t allowed to leave their temples without facing grave consequences."

Thinking back to the contracts that Daruun mentioned before, Jack sympathized with Dragas’s words.

Bowzer, on the other hand, started to feel some anger begin to swell inside him. Hearing that his father was punished for refusing to enter that bloody war of old was fuel for his inner rage. The fox spoke up, asking, "What kind of consequences do they face if they leave their temples?"

"Hmm... I believe it was the loss of a limb on the first offense," answered Dragas. "And after that, it was either losing godhood or their life. Something like that, I believe."

Suddenly, a heat wave burst over the area. Everyone felt a rush of heat emanating from Bowzer even though his flame body wasn’t activated.

"Calm down, little fox," Dragas stated, startled to see the fox’s temper. "Who are you exactly?"

Bowzer hesitated, trying to not activate his flame body by accident. He spoke through gritted teeth, "I’m Bowzer... Kori’s son..."

"Oh... I see..."

Dragas was amazed to learn that Jack had not only gathered aid from the gods so far, but that Jack had also found such a powerful ally outside of the influence of the Neutral Gods.

Eliza, Maura, and Daliea were astounded by that fact as well. It had never been mentioned by Jack or Bowzer, so that news was mind-blowing to discover.

"Calm down, Bowzer," Jack approached Bowzer and started to run his hands through Bowzer’s hot fur. "Calm down, for now. I’m sure he’s alright and we’ll see him again. Don’t worry about him. He’s a god so I’m sure he can handle himself."

Gradually, the temperature of the room began to lower and return to normal. But Bowzer’s cold glare didn’t change.

"Dragas," Jack continued his questioning, "are the other factions afraid of the Neutral Gods?"

The goddess chuckled, "Of course not! Why should they be? Both of those factions have more gods then we do and they were chosen mostly for their strength. Skaryn ended up making a more well-rounded pantheon, but that’s only because he had Moranti to back him up. In terms of raw battle strength, the Holy Gods have the edge but, in terms of battling in a group dynamic, the Chaotic Gods have the edge. That’s why neither side won the Godly War.

"By comparison, us Neutral Gods are very different. Though we are powerful in battle, we each specialize in an aspect outside of battle as well. We’re the most versatile and adaptable pantheon, and our information system is better than the other two pantheons’ combined," reasoned Dragas. "That’s why they’re not afraid of us, but I would say that they’re more cautious of us than they are of each other."

Glad to hear Dragas’s perspective, Jack then asked, "Can you tell me more about the specialties of the Neutral Gods, Mother?"

"Sure thing, Son." Dragas giggled and answered, "I think you understand what I specialize in now, seduction and support. Your father, Sterfen, is the master of stealth and secrecy but he was also the most feared assassin to ever roam Kartonia."

Hearing that, Jack was both taken aback and emboldened. He was proud to learn that about his dad.

"Eedaj can read minds and see almost everywhere within Kartonia with his personal spell God’s Perspective, but he’s also the most torturous manipulator of the mind. He’s the only god to successfully torture and extract information out of another god. Also, he’s one of the few gods that has killed another god," added Dragas, giving everyone goosebumps.

"You already know about Daruun, so I’ll skip him," Dragas continued, not letting anyone ask more about Eedaj. "Guuro is an amazing cleric but he’s also the shrewdest businessman to ever live, and he’s the man behind the creation of Federal City. He’s got a habit of disguising himself and becoming a ghost investor in mortal businesses.

"Jin is a man among men who diligently wields his katanas with a precision that even Tyres, the Sword God, can’t match. He’s also a master of calligraphy and map making, though no one would be able to guess that from meeting him."

"Seriously?!" Jack shouted in shock.

"Oh, so you’ve already met him," laughed Dragas. "Anyway, the final Neutral God is Rikko, who shouldn’t be underestimated. He’s very simple-minded but he’s a master tactician. His personal strength isn’t anything special among the gods, but his quick wits and natural battle instincts can make up for that. And since even playing chess against him is absurd, I can only imagine that warring against him wouldn’t be any fun either."

"No way?! The Goblin God is a master tactician?!" That was something that Jack couldn’t process easily.

"Don’t be fooled by his simple speech, he’s too tactical and is almost always underestimated. Why else would he be so good at sleight of hand? His simple speech will get you to drop your guard, allowing him to pillfer from even gods if they’re not careful," reasoned Dragas.

"That... Wow, I never would’ve guessed all that." With a new perspective on the Neutral Gods, Jack tried to picture how they might fight as a unit.

If the Holy Gods were camparative to a powerful, uniform army, then the Chaotic Gods were like guerrilas that fought smarter and not harder. And then there would be the Neutral Gods, a special operations team that would always be three steps ahead and ready to snipe or assassinate any single foe.

Clearly, in a straight forward war, the Neutral Gods would have the biggest disadvantage with Jin being the only front-liner of the six active Neutral Gods and with their fewer members. However, Jack wasn’t yet counting himself or the other godly candidates they had, which could flip that scenario in their favor if they were given time.

 

Chapter 398

But before Jack could let his mind drift too far about the Neutral Gods’ line up, he asked Dragas another question, "You mentioned Eedaj being one of the only gods to ever kill another god. Can you go into more detail about that?"

Dragas saw everyone’s eyes refocus on her. She sighed. "Jack... I thought Eedaj would’ve already told you about that. You didn’t ask him about what happened to his people?"

"I... Well, we asked but it wasn’t a good time to talk about that at the moment," replied Jack. "I’ll have to ask him when we get back. But can you explain how he’s one of the only gods to kill another god? Wouldn’t other gods have fallen by now or gotten killed in the Godly War?"

"Jack, I honestly wouldn’t even call that war as ’godly’ since most of the fighting was done entirely by their followers. If anything, it was one of the bloodiest periods of history that Kartonia has ever seen. But not a single god was killed." Dragas explained, "You see, Halmut and Skaryn were playing chess with their followers as the sacrificial pawns. They tried to outmaneuver the other with their stronger pieces, their subordinate gods, but neither side could break the balance. Would you like to guess why?"

"Because some gods avoiding fighting?" reasoned Jack.

"Because few gods were truly willing to risk their life," stated Dragas. "The stronger gods wanted to pair up with a weaker god to face another god of the rival faction. That way the stronger god would survive no matter what happened in the battle.

"I’m not saying they wanted the weaker gods to commit suicide," Dragas clarified, "it’s just that their hierarchy is purely based on strength. So when Kori flat out refused to join the war, a key piece of the Halmut’s went missing. And Perchet wasn’t truly fighting either, he just held back whichever god came his way. He chose certain survival over possible victory. As for Lunara, she was almost killed in that war... If Sterfen hadn’t stolen her injured body away, then she would’ve become the first casualty of the ’Godly War’."

Shaken up a bit, Jack then asked, "But what about the Chaotic Gods? I imagine they faced similar issues, right?"

Dragas nodded. "Their problems were different from the Holy Gods’, mainly because the Holy Gods focused on overwhelming, brute strength to win. The problems of the Chaotic Gods led to them being in an extremely unfavorable position. Choron was tipped off by his long-time friend, Sterfen, and managed to avoid his death. But that angered the stronger Chaotic Gods as they planned to use Choron as bait to finally kill Naparn.

"Also, like Perchet, Moranti wasn’t even fighting by the end of the war," continued Dragas. "His strength could rival Skaryn or Halmut, but he was bound by a contract to Skaryn and forced to do his bidding. But once Skaryn was sealed and Halmut was gravely injured, the other gods rushed to the scene of the fight, either trying to finish off Halmut or protect Halmut. But something weird happened...

"The Chaotic Gods never arrived at the battlefield. None of them. It’s something that still baffles the Holy Gods and has them on the defense. Since Moranti was still a major threat, they haven’t been able to rest. With his abilities to travel wherever he wishes, Moranti could easily enter Olympic Chateau and kill Halmut while he rests."

"Olympic Chateau... What’s that?" Daliea was the one who asked, sharing the same question that was on the rest of the party’s mind.

"Wouldn’t you know?" Dragas asked Jack.

Shaking his head, Jack replied, "Technically, yes, but I don’t know remember the name of the new country it’s in."

"Riiight, you’re used to Ancient Kartonia..." Dragas nodded and answered, "You’ll find Olympic Chateau atop the tallest mountain in the world, Mt. Jupitor. But knowing where it is doesn’t mean you can just walk in. The barrier protecting it was made by Halmut, guaranteeing its security. Not even Sterfen can enter there.

"Anyway, about Moranti..." Dragas smiled and resumed her previous explanation, "Moranti is the only person who can enter that place without breaking a sweat. And his strength is a real threat to Halmut. But still, he’s never gone up there since the war. Do you already understand why, Jack?"

Jack nodded. "He’s the reason why the Chaotic Gods never made it to Skaryn’s and Halmut’s battlefield, isn’t he?"

"Exactly!" Dragas answered. "The Holy Gods have been so busy fearing Moranti’s potential threat that they’ve acted very carefully since the war. But the Chaotic Gods faced a mutiny by Moranti. It took the next four strongest Chaotic Gods under Moranti just to restrain him, two of which were killed in the process.

"And that’s my long answer. Most gods have lived and not successfully killed another god because they don’t want to die or risk dying."

Mulling that over for a moment, Jack asked, "Then which gods have successfully killed someone?"

"How come your grilling me and not your father?" argued Dragas, pouting playfully.

"Because he’s on his way to the Olympic Chateau to steal Lunara’s contract," answered Jack, effectively striking Dragas dumb momentarily. "And since I’m guessing he’s your source for this information, you’re the next best thing. Uncle Jin never bothered to learn anything about that war and Eedaj will get questioned about something else, so that leaves you, my lovely mother."

"Fine... I guess I’ll spill some more information," Dragas sighed. "Let’s see... There’s Eedaj, Moranti..." She paused, unable to hide the sudden uncomfortable look in her eyes. But she giggled again, returning to normal in an instant, "And finally, there’s Halmut and Skaryn. That’s all of them."

"That’s it? My dad hasn’t killed any? Wasn’t he an assassin?" questioned Jack.

Dragas laughed again, "Well, he never killed a god, but Sterfen did kill five godly candidates just before they ascended. And that was before Sterfen was a demigod. Ahhh... those were the good old’ days..."

"That’s better..." Jack sighed, glad that his father had a proven track record behind his name. It made him feel a bit better about Sterfen’s visit to Olympic Chateau.

"Is there anything else you’d like your mother to explain for you?" Dragas looked around to all the party.

"Where’s my dad?"

Everyone turned to Bowzer, who was still staring coldly at the ground.

Dragas was about to answer when Jack spoke up, "Bowzer, I already know where your dad is, so don’t worry. Once we’re strong enough, then we’ll help him too."

"Okay..." The fox’s glare softened, more at ease after having Jack’s promise.

"Since that’s everything, then allow us to say goodbye, for now, Mother," Jack bowed to Dragas with a smile. "We need to get back to the guild."

"Don’t keep me waiting long, young man. I don’t want to wait any longer than I must to hold my granddaughter," replied Dragas, eyeing Jack while motioning to Eliza. Then, Dragas put her arm around Eliza and walked her away from the party. "Give us a moment to chat. You know... about mother-daughter stuff."

Once they had some privacy, Dragas took out a vial of translucent green liquid. Dragas handed it to Eliza and whispered something into Eliza’s ear.

The next moment, Dragas and Eliza returned to the party, the latter blushing brightly. They hugged one last time before Dragas waved to everyone else. "I’m so glad to have a family again... I can hardly wait for the next time we’ll be together."

Everyone waved back to the goddess as they gathered around Jack. Once everyone was connected to Jack in some way, he activated Greater Teleportation.

The great flash of light blinded Dragas, leaving her alone yet again.

Taking a deep breath, Dragas sauntered over to a flower with a long flat stem for Dragas to lounge on. She closed her eyes and released that long breath, letting a single tear glide down her cheek. Her hand opened to reveal two ordinary rings, a golden band and a simple engagement ring with the tiniest gemstone.

"Brok... I have to tell you all about our new daughter... You would love her..."

 

Chapter 399

A great flash filled Dragov’s chamber as the party returned to the Leisure Guild.

Jack turned to his party members and asked, "Do any of you want to come with me to see Eedaj?"

"I will."

"I already knew that, Daliea," Jack chuckled. "Anyone else?"

"I’m going to stay here and train with Dragov." Bowzer hurried over to the massive centipede and shouted, "Dragov! Can I attack you with everything I’ve got?"

"Go ahead, Bowzer. I’m always willing to help a friend." Dragov bowed his head, respecting the fierce look in Bowzer’s eyes.

While Bowzer started to activate his flame body, the party started to ascend the stairs. Everyone wanted to tag along with Jack, excluding Phoro who immediately returned to his nest along with Appa, who had also made himself a nest.

Soon, the party was in front of Eedaj’s personal courtyard and knocked on the door.

"Come in."

The party entered the main chamber and found Eedajwaiting for them. Lina enjoyed the comfy leather couches that Eedaj had brought from Korten as the rest of the party paid close attention to Jack and their host.

"I’m guessing you’ll be asking about my people and the turmoil they faced long ago..." Eedaj looked to Jack, who nodded. "Very well... I’ll try to not ramble but still give you the information that you’re seeking, Jack."

Eedaj pulled a pot from cooking fire between the couches and poured himself some tea. He took a sip. Then, he placed the pot back over the fire. Finally, Eedaj sighed and looked back to Jack.

"It was long ago, before a majority of the gods were even deities. Your father, Sterfen, was only a demigod when this took place." Eedaj hesitated before continuing, "After Halmut and Skaryn came Moranti. After them came Lyrun and finally myself."

Blinking, Jack asked with a smile, "You were the fifth god?"

"If you’re not counting your grandfather," added Eedaj. "The sixth god was the first of a large batch of demigods to arise at the time. He was regarded as the most powerful genius of that generation, a generation far after my own. And since he had just joined the Holy Gods, he was quite cocky and boasted about his powerful bloodline, stating it was second only to Halmut’s"

"What bloodline did he have?" asked Jack.

"He was a Magma Dragon."

"The same as Naparn?"

Eedaj nodded. "In fact, it was Naparn’s elder brother. But that’s beside the point... That sixth god, as idiotic as he was, decided to push the limits of stupidity. I had called him out a few times for acting without reason, only for Lyrun to shelter the immature god.

"Soon after... that idiot dragon had the audacity to attempt what he stated as ’teaching me a lesson’." Pausing, Eedaj took a long sip of tea before continuing, "While I was away visiting Lyrun at Olympic Chateau... that foolish god laid waste to the city my people had built to rival Estonya. We were a stange race, one that started with me from a mutation I was born with. Rather than wield holy magic like other elves, I wielded dark magic. That wasn’t something the other elves took kindly to... Even my elder brother...

"For that reason, we had built a city in another country, where Stladen stands now. But that emerging nation never had a chance to rise... At the time I was preoccupied by Lyrun, who was trying to sway me to join the Holy Gods. I had no clue that he was merely distracting me while the foolish dragon dared attack my people... By the time I came home, the place was in ruin and not a single building stood..."

Dark energy began to swirl around Eedaj, leaking out from rage. The god took another deep breath and a sip of tea, calming that energy.

Eedaj continued, "It was then that I could no longer forgive my brother nor the Holy Gods for backing that dragon’s efforts. I used my personal spell God’s Perspective to track down that fool... And then... I developed my second personal spell specifically to torture and extract every morsel of information out of him..."

With Eedaj pausing so often, Jack found a moment to ask, "And what skill is that?"

"Cerebral Collapse..." answered Eedaj. "It renders the brain malfunctional, leaving behind memories but also leaving it unable to activate any motor skills or even speak. All the victim can do is move their eyes, that way they can watch me inspect their minds thoroughly, ripping their consciousness apart bit by bit... And thus was the fate of the sixth god, and the fall of my people..."

Jack swallowed some saliva and asked, "Do you think Lyrun had a hand in--"

"Yes," Eedaj answered before Jack could finish his question. "Don’t fall for his ploy. I’ve heard what Sterfen had to say about Lyrun acting as a rebel in secret, but I refuse to believe it."

"Why?"

The fury in Eedaj’s eyes returned. "Because that’s who he is. I may be branded as the great manipulator of the mind, but he’s the greatest manipulator I’ve ever known. And should someone he knows, especially a mutant younger brother, show more potential than him, he’d rather plot in secret than let the world know his true colors. He’s more loyal to Halmut than anyone, I’ve witnessed that with my own eyes before any other Neutral God had even became a godly candidate."

"I see... Then, you never managed to find your people after that?"

"Eventually, I did," stated Eedaj. "But they had already taken to new customs and called themselves something else. Most had forgotten that they once had their own proper language, let alone how to speak it... And the few tribes I had found that retained our language and most of our culture weren’t being targeted by anyone. So... I decided that it might be best for them if I didn’t get involved again, keeping a target off their backs."

"But..." Daliea spoke up with a shaky voice, "You said you were the first... Doesn’t that mean they’re your family?"

Looking Daliea in the eye, Eedaj sighed as a shiver ran down his body. "I lost my family to that foolish beast... And considering the spite that already existed between us and the other elves, I felt it was best that they don’t bear the added resentment. But I also didn’t know that you would get hunted again... I’m sorry for not protecting you as I should have."

"It’s okay, Palpo." Daliea got up and sat beside Eedaj. "Even though we were scattered, we’re back now. That’s all that matters, that’s what you said."

"Dhendi..." Eedaj wrapped an arm around Daliea and leaned his forehead into hers. "Thank you..."

"I’m sorry, Father-in-law," Jack bowed his head to Eedaj. "I’m the reason you remembered all those old feelings, forgive me."

"You’re not to blame, Jack. I would be curious too, it’s only natural," Eedaj replied, lifting his head. "If anything, now you understand that I will never again trust Lyrun, and I don’t think you should either, no matter what anyone else says."

"Then... what do we do about Lorwynn? He’s Lyrun’s disciple."

Eedaj shook his head with a frown. "I tried to warn him, but that young mage refused to believe me, ignoring all of my warnings. He had finally escaped Lyrun’s control, so I can only hope that he remains outside of it from now on."

"Well, it’s getting late, so we should get going. Thanks for sharing." Jack again bowed his head. He then looked to everyone else, adding, "I think it’s time we get some rest."

Everyone stood and bowed to Eedaj. However, Eedaj kept his arm around Daliea. The god asked, "Dhendi... would you mind staying here tonight? I have a spare room ready and I can prepare you some classic Greis dishes."

"I’d like that." Daliea smiled and looked to Jack, stating, "I’ll be staying here tonight if you need me."

"Sure thing. But next time, I’d like to try the food too," Jack laughed, waving goodbye as he led everyone else out of the room, leaving the father and daughter to share some ancient traditions and tales.

 

Chapter 400

Jack, Eliza, Maura, and Lina were the final members of the party walking around the guild. They remained in the restricted area, quickly reaching their own large courtyard not too far from Eedaj’s.

Once they entered, Maura turned to Lina and asked, "Do you want me to sleep with you tonight? Just in case you have another bad dream?"

"Yeah! I’d like that!" Lina grabbed Maura by the hand and led her away toward the private bathhouse. "Can you help scrub my back too?"

Maura laughed, acquiescing to whatever Lina asked. But before Maura disappeared with Lina, she winked to Eliza.

Red streaked across Eliza’s face again. Then, when she remembered what Dragas whispered to her, and became as red as a tomato. She looked to Jack carefully though, not wanting to hide her embarrassment from him.

Having noticed the wink, Jack sighed. He took Eliza by the hand and did his best to calm his beating heart.

Together, they entered their bedroom, just the two of them.

Jack sat on the bed beside his wife, trying to come up with what to say. And since Eliza was in the same boat, it took them a minute to do anything apart from blush.

"Eliza..." Jack finally mustered the courage to speak up, caringly stroking Eliza’s cheek with his hand.

’Jack, are you back?’

Just as Jack was feeling more confident, Tralon’s urgent voice popped into his head.

Jack turned his head as he coughed to regain his composure in front of his blushing wife. "Just a moment, Eliza... Tralon’s calling me and it seems important."

"O-of course!" Eliza chuckled nervously. "Then... I’ll be waiting here..."

"Right." Jack turned to face a wall, still sitting on the bed. That’s when he felt the need to look back to Eliza, who used her head to motion towards the door. Finally catching the hint, Jack rushed to his feet. "R-right..."

Jack nervously chuckled and left the room, letting Eliza breathe and take in the situation a bit better.

’What’s up, Tralon?’ Jack asked.

Glad to hear Jack’s response, Tralon replied, ’So you’re back? I found Bowzer in Dragov’s chamber so I assumed so.’

’Yeah, I’m back. Is something the matter?’

’Come to your office,’ answered Tralon. ’Hurmot arrived this morning and has been waiting all day for your return. He refuses to leave until he meets with you personally.’

’I see... Then I’ll meet you in my office. Give me a few minutes," Jack stated, exiting the restricted area.

That’s when Jack noticed the uncommon amount of foot traffic within the guild. Though it was well past sunset, people were still coming in and out of the guild like it was day time. Assuming it was due to the recent increase in the guild’s popularity, Jack shrugged and hurried to his office.

Jack knocked and entered the door, closing it behind him before looking to Hurmot sat on the side. Tralon sat on the opposite side of Hurmot, glad to have Jack back.

Assuming his comfortable seat behind his desk, Jack smiled at Hurmot. "So, Hurmot, it’s been a while. How have you been?"

"Jack... Why didn’t you tell me you were the Legend of Trodar?!" Hurmot blurted out his questions, acting out of character. "I would’ve let you into the restricted storage and more should you have told me. So why didn’t you tell me?!"

"Well... I didn’t plan to reveal myself so soon, otherwise, I might’ve considered telling you during our last conversation," admitted Jack. "But, there’s no changing the past. Now, what can I do for you?"

"Jack..." Hurmot took a moment to regather himself and return to his usual calm behavior. "Jack, I want to make the Celestial Crane a subordinate guild under the Leisure Guild."

"Whoa, that escalated quickly. Where did that come from all of a sudden?" asked Jack.

"Well, that’s what you wanted isn’t it?" reasoned Hurmot. "That way, we can help each other. My guild gains your protection and you’ll have me enter the campaign for a council seat. Is that such a terrible exchange?"

"No, that’s a great thing. I just didn’t expect to reach that conclusion so quickly," Jack laughed briefly. "Then I take it you were surprised by what happened in Federal City?"

"Who wouldn’t be?" Hurmot asked that rhetorical question only to see Jack smiling back at him. "That, of course, doesn’t include you, the most accomplished hero of Ancient Kartonia. But either way, it was an eye-opening experience. It taught me many things."

"Like what? Please, elaborate," asked Jack.

Hurmot nodded. "Well, mostly, it was a great lesson in humility. If I hadn’t ordered a retreat so hastily, then my guild would’ve likely fallen alongside Golden Haven. I didn’t know that the syndicate was so powerful. Nor did I know that the association was hiding its true strength from the world."

When Jack waved his hand for Hurmot to continue, Hurmot added, "With my strength, there’s no way for my guild to prosper as it has up till today. We all believed that we stood at the top. And, yes, we did understand that the association could overtake us should they desire, but we didn’t think they were strong enough to overtake all three auction guilds combined. That’s why I desire your protection, even at the cost of me dabbling politics."

"Seems like you were definitely humbled," Jack chuckled. "Is there anything else you learned? Or maybe any conditions you have for me before swearing fealty to the guild?"

"I now understand that there’s much more happening in this world behind the scenes than I had ever considered. And should I interpret your great reveal correctly, it’s the gods that are truly pulling the strings and not the syndicate nor the association," stated Hurmot.

"As for conditions... Can we also have storefront space like the Fat Goose?" Hurmot asked.

"Hmm... Do you want to be on the same street or a different one?"

"The same street would be fine," answered Hurmot. "That way we can attempt to create an auction district in the future."

Smiling, Jack replied, "I like the way you think. But I have a condition for you. I want to form a pact with you. That way you’re linked telepathically to me and many others, like Tralon or Argyle. Also, you’ll become stronger by gaining access to my passive skills, like boosted mana capacity or increased mana regeneration."

A brightness emerged in Hurmot’s eyes as he smiled and asked, "Would that include your beast skill?"

"What do you mean?"

"I’ve heard all about how you’ve grown a flame body like your fox," answered Hurmot. "Would that skill be included?"

"The skill would be, but not the flame body itself. That particular skill allows me to access the bloodline of any beast companions with a mutual seal," explained Jack. "I can also grow wings like my Minokawa now."

"And the Celestial Cranes, do you still have them?" questioned Hurmot, getting more and more excited. "Can I make one of them my companion, so I can do the same?"

"Sure, but there’s a catch," Jack added. "This pact will send me fifty percent of the EXP you gain from now on."

"Deal!" shouted Hurmot. Seeing some shock in Jack’s face, Hurmot explained, "I’m an old man and I don’t need to spend all my days trying to level up. To give up the EXP from the few fights I get into nowadays, that’s a pittance compared to that beast skill."

"Then we have a deal."

They performed the pact on the spot, sealing their standing as subordinate and leader. And because of Hurmot’s impatience, Jack telepathically called Cerdot to the office. Once the cranes arrived, Hurmot was over the moon and begged Jack to perform the mutual seal on the spot, which Jack did.

However, Jack kept his pact with Cerdot. Even if he never had to use it, it offered Jack some powerful skills that he wanted for his transformations.

Jack allowed Tralon to handle the rest, taking his time to return to Eliza at the courtyard, ignoring the traffic which Jack now understood as the survivors of the Celestial Crane Guild moving in.

Once he entered his courtyard and stood in front of his bedroom door, Jack hesitated.

Instead of entering, Jack shakingly lifted his hand lightly knocked on the door. He then softly added, "It’s me..."

"... Come in."

There was a pause before Jack entered the room, giving Jack a moment to prepare himself. When Jack entered, he was surprised to find it so dimly lit.

"I’m waiting..."

Hearing Eliza from the bed, Jack took one last deep breath. With the initial nerves gone after the couple’s earlier interruption and no need to say anything more, Jack locked the door and made his way to Eliza on the bed.

He sat down, finding her in lingerie.

Eliza was lying down on her side, looking away from Jack. She then pointed to the side table where two glasses sat, one empty and one full. "I’ve already had mine... You took so long..."

Feeling bad, Jack downed the full glass in one gulp.

Suddenly, Jack’s entire body felt warmer. He felt himself become entranced by Eliza, unable to look away.

"What... What was that?"

Eliza finally turned to Jack, letting him notice the red in her cheeks and the few beads of sweat on her body. "M-My mother gave it to me... It’s to help..."

Neither of them could wait any longer.