Ch. 561..570

Chapter 561

The light faded and Jack remained on guard, as did the other gods present. But they were completely unready for what had taken place.

Halmut was nowhere to be found. The Sun God had vanished from where he stood, not making a single sound. He was simply gone, leaving behind a dwindling pillar of light.

Moranti found such a thing incredibly hard to believe, understanding the depth of Halmut’s pride. He took to the sky and covered the entire area in purple energy to search for the Sun God.

"He’s gone... He’s really gone..." Jack’s voice calmly resounded for all to hear amidst the silence.

As he descended to the ground, Jack was perplexed by what he found on his map. According to his map, Halmut was now inside the Olympic Chateau. It made no sense, but Jack had no reason to not trust his system.

"There’s no way Halmut--"

"He’s back in Olympic Chateau," stated Jack, shaking his head in disbelief and standing by his system. "According to my system, Halmut has fled back home. I’m not sure how but I can guarantee that he’s left. As for why Halmut left, we’re all clueless..."

"To Jack!"

All eyes turned toward Choron, who had raised one arm to the sky and smiled to the crowd around them. "Let us cheer for the man who forced Halmut to flee! Something that Moranti nor Skaryn could ever accomplish!"

"JACK! JACK! JACK!"

Before Jack and the others could say a word, everyone began to chant the name of their new leader, the man they personally witnessed fend off the strongest god. It was a monumental occasion that the entire world would want to know about. The many informants that had come to sit in on the conference were already passing the word of Jack’s exchange with Halmut, stirring the world with the tale of his victory over the Sun God.

"I... But I didn’t even--"

’Jack, I’m not wrong,’ stated Choron telepathically. ’Do I know why Halmut left? Absolutely not. But you stated that Halmut has indeed fled after fighting against you. Perhaps you did succeed against him with Cerebral Collapse after all.’

’No,’ Jack argued and shook his head. ’I’m certain that I failed, even my system recognized that. The fact that Halmut was able to flee proves that I failed to cripple him. But I don’t understand why he would leave...’

’Either way, we can count this as a victory and use it to rally more support!’ stated Eedaj. ’Who knows? Maybe Korten would agree to join us now. Considering this duel, you’ve proven to offer just as much protection as Halmut and his faction’

Jack nodded. ’I guess... But--’

’For now, don’t worry about Halmut’s retreat. You can talk with Daruun about it later after we get you back to the guild. I’m sure your wives and everyone else would like to see you.’

Looking back to Eedaj and then the others, Jack sighed and nodded.

Eedaj then looked to Moranti and added, ’You can stop that now. We know Halmut has fled so there’s no use in wasting your mana.’

Moranti said nothing as he frowned and gave up his search. He joined them and waited a few seconds to say, ’Tell me when...’

A hand then proudly patted Jack on the back, reminding Jack of the current situation. King Brobit smiled and extended his hand. "Churstin will proudly rejoin Trodar and fully accept all offered support from the Leisure Guild. I look forward to working alongside respectable and powerful allies!"

"Right... We’re glad to accept your allegiance."

Jack accepted the handshake, showing everyone present that Churstin had officially entered Trodar. Cheers of happiness filled the air as every citizen in attendance was proud to be apart of Trodar. Their opinions had shifted from questioning their king’s decision to completely supporting it, all in a matter of minutes thanks to Jack’s duel with Halmut. Who wouldn’t want to be protected by someone able to repel the strongest god in history?

"Allow me to handle the rest, Jack." Vixus stepped up, reaching out and shaking the king’s hand also.

Nodding, Jack agreed, "Vixus will handle your integration into Trodar and help you decide on how many guild branches you want. No matter what you need from us, Vixus will be the man to handle it. If he can’t handle something, then he’ll contact me."

"Then I look forward to working with you, Vice Guild Master Vixus."

"The feeling is mutual, King Brobit."

While the two diplomats exchange greetings and got to know each other, Eedaj asked Jack, "What are you going to do about those?"

Blinking, Jack sighed, "I should probably get these looked at."

"I can help you with that," mentioned Moranti, also noticing the burns that littered Jack’s body. "The burns don’t hurt much but they linger and worsen if they aren’t treated properly. You can get them treated along with me."

"Then we’re leaving, right?" asked Jack, not wanting to forget anything.

Before anyone else could say a word, Moranti had already opened a rift for the small party. "Hurry up. It’s almost time for our appointment, Jack. We don’t want to miss it."

As Moranti passed through the rift, Rikko laughed and followed closely. Eedaj and Choron shrugged and waited for Jack to go next. All the gods left amidst the cheering crowd, who only cheered louder as the rift was opened and closed within seconds.

Jack exited the portal only to almost get pushed back through it. Knocked to the ground, Jack lightly chuckled and patted Lina on the head. "You know, you don’t have to tackle me every time."

"I know!" Lina laughed, helping Jack get back to his feet. "What do you think?"

Blinking, Jack realized that he had missed more than he anticipated. Lina was no longer the little, adolescent girl he knew. Now, Lina was Maura’s height and looked to be in her late teens or early twenties. She was a spitting image of Lunara, lacking Lunara’s mature beauty but making up for it with her youthful charm.

"Hello? Big Bro?"

"Oh, sorry!" Jack chuckled and put his hands up innocently. "You look great, Lina! But I don’t think I can call you little anymore."

"You can always call me Little Lina, Big Bro. Mom and Dad still do, so I don’t mind."

"I’ll think about it..." Jack sighed, spotting the others in the room who were all staring anxiously at Jack.

 

Chapter 562

Before saying anything else, Jack patted Lina on the head as he stepped up to his wives. He threw his arms around them let loose a long sigh of relief. "I’m back..."

All three of his wives hugged him as well. Eliza embraced him eagerly. Maura happily rested her head on Jack’s shoulder. Daliea hid her blushing face against Jack’s back. They were glad to see that Jack managed to get through such a perilous place without too much trouble.

"I informed everyone of your return the moment you showed up in Churstin," mentioned Eedaj. "They were just as shocked as we were to learn of your ascension, though I didn’t mention your fight with Halmut. I thought--"

"You what?!"

SLAP!

Jack nervously chuckled, rubbing his cheek as he turned to face Eliza. "I can--"

"What were you thinking?!" shouted Eliza, instantly fuming mad. "You may be a god now but that doesn’t mean you can fight Halmut! Why are you so stupid sometimes?!"

Eliza continued shouting as Jack calmly looked her in the eyes. "What would happen if you got killed?! What would happen to us?! What about our child?!"

Wrapping his arms around Eliza, Jack whispered, "I’m sorry. I didn’t think about that. But I’m okay now, and I--"

"Don’t do that again!"

Sighing, Jack replied, "I won’t forget to put my family first. I’m sorry."

"Okay..." Maura added, hugging Jack’s arm lightly as Daliea grabbed the other arm in silence.

"I-I’m sorry..." Eliza’s shoulders shrunk as she stammered, "I... Lately, I haven’t been able to control my--"

"Don’t worry about it." Jack pulled Eliza in so that he could hug all three of his wives again. "I take it the baby is doing fine?"

Relieved to be forgiven, Eliza sighed, "Yeah..."

"Now that you’ve made up, how about you explain your fight with Halmut?" asked Sterfen.

Jack nodded and looked around the room. Noticing that only Dragas and Guuro were missing among the gods, Jack felt comfortable explaining everything. "First, let me congratulate Kori and Lorwynn for their ascension as well."

"Nah, don’t mention it," stated Lorwynn. "Compared to you, we don’t deserve such praise."

"But I did it through the EXP everyone else gave me. I didn’t--"

"EXP is EXP. You’re the fastest to ever ascend, by a landslide. Results are what count and you got to the result in a way better than I could’ve ever imagined," reasoned Lorwynn.

"Thank you. Wait, where’s--"

"JACK!"

A yell came from behind the door. But instead of opening the door, it burst into black flames as a man darted forward to tackle Jack to the ground. Everyone laughed as the man began to lick Jack’s face, leaving the hero baffled and fighting to push the stranger off of him.

"Jack, what’s wrong?" asked the man.

Getting past the shock of having a fully-grown man lick his face, Jack recognized that familiar voice. It was deeper than Jack remembered but there was no mistaking it. "Bowzer?!"

"YEAH!" Bowzer yelled in glee, lathering Jack’s face in another coat of saliva.

"Okay, okay, that’s enough, Bowzer!" Jack finally managed to get up. "How can you... Did you--"

"I ascended too!" Proudly chowing his chest, Bowzer smiled.

"I guess that makes sense..." Shrugging, Jack scratched his head in thought. "Then Phoro should be on the cusp of ascension. What about Karronteel?"

"What about me?"

Jack and the gods that attended the conference were all in shock. Not only had they just learned of Bowzer’s ascension, but they now saw a human man walk through the door, answering to the name Karronteel.

Moranti was the only that didn’t act surprised, though he was overjoyed and hurried to embrace Karronteel upon seeing him. "Finally... I’m not the only one!"

"It’s all thanks to you!" Karronteel stated, graciously hugging Moranti. "Your skills and spells are how I beat that Flood Dragon. But how did we--"

"That should be thanks to the death of three gods," Sterfen chimed in. "Apart from Jack, you all know that Sybin was killed and that Jin killed himself. A bulk of EXP came from that, but the final push was probably from Naparn’s death and something Jack did."

"You killed Naparn? But I wanted to--"

"Sorry, Bowzer. I know you wanted to avenge your father’s lost arm but I didn’t have the patience to wait that long," explained Sterfen. "I think we’re all curious about what happened inside Earthen Keep, though. Let’s give Jack a chance to explain his trip and his recent scuffle with Halmut."

"Right! Now we can all go!" howled a half-fox, half-human man, getting Jack’s attention as he walked through the door. "Now you can help me, right? Right?!"

"And me too!" shouted Jin, pushing aside the tall fox-man.

Recognizing the voice, Jack glanced at Jin with a nod before looking back at the fox-man, asking, "Hadurt?"

"Yes?" Hadurt responded with a sly smile.

"You... What did you--"

Kori spoke up, "I gave him some of my blood and he decided to permanently demonize, same as Pestro. Only Hadurt’s new form is much better thanks to him using Hell-flame Fox blood as the catalyst."

"Then you’ll be a monster... That’s great!" Jack shouted, smiling wide along with Hadurt.

"Jack? What happened in the keep?" Sterfen asked, lifting an eyebrow with a chuckle. "You can catch up with them during the feast the guild is preparing."

"Right..." Jack sighed, regathering his thoughts and placing his excitement to the side.

Jack took his time to give succinct explanations of all the major events that happened during his time in Earthen Keep. He touched on the two new venoms and poisons he had collected, getting Sterfen to perk his ears. Once Jack got to his experience about the ninety-ninth floor, he paused and motioned for his new assistant to step forward. "This is Duorda, the most powerful boss monster in Earthen Keep."

Speaking for himself, Duorda bowed to the cautious and curious looks. "It took plenty of effort, but Jack finally seduced me. I’m excited to--"

"I did nothing of the sort!" shouted Jack, stopping Duorda while everyone else burst out in laughter.

Chapter 563

High above the rest of the world, the holy gods turned legendary gods lounged within Olympic Chateau. Apart from Kylon, each god was present, including the many newly ascended draconic gods. Those new gods included three Storm Dragons aided by either Torian or Tralbok, three Quake Dragons aided by Grixor, and four Flood Dragons aided by either Kylon or Lyrun. While those ten new dragon gods were lv. 90, Torian and Grixor happily reached lv. 98, Tralbok and Lyrun were now lv. 97, and Kylon was lv. 96. The overall strength of the legendary gods had increased drastically within a matter of days.

All the new gods were in their human forms, something that only a few had learned to create before godhood, enjoying the viewing table to watch Halmut’s battle against Jack. Most of the other gods were there also, and they were glad to have joined the younger gods. Now they could witness Jack’s unexpected ascension and startling strength and skills.

Only five gods were missing. Halmut was obviously in Churstin while Kylon was already stationed in her home within the ruins of Kustram. Perchet was relaxing within his chamber, as he wasn’t one to talk much and could clearly hear everything the other gods said about the show they were watching.

Lyrun and Oosam were nowhere to be found, but that didn’t matter so long as they remained within the limits of Olympic Chateau.

The two gods were lounging in the open-aired pavilion not too far from the others in the conference room. However, an illusory barrier was placed around them, the same style of barrier that Sterfen had used to conceal his battle with Naparn.

"Considering the barrier, I assume you want to discuss something serious?" Lyrun asked with a chuckle, lying down on a comfortable futon.

Oosam nodded and smiled. "I can’t get anything past you, can I?"

"So, what is it? Are you doing Tralbok’s dirty work again?"

"In a way, yes..." sighed Oosam. "But I’m tired of slaving away for him. Sadly, my responsibilities only increased after joining you holy gods. Now--"

"Correction, we’re the legendary gods now."

"Right... Sorry, I wanted to forget such an egotistical title." Oosam corrected himself, "After joining you legendary gods, Tralbok’s influence over us former chaotic gods has only increased. Now, Halmut treats him as a sub-leader over us and expects us to act according to his wishes within reason."

"So what has Tralbok asked of you this time and why does it involve me?" asked Lyrun.

"With Halmut’s permission, Tralbok is ordering me to mentally scan all the gods for signs of treachery. I’ve only three people left to cover."

"Me, Perchet, and Kylon?"

"Yeah..." sighed Oosam. "I couldn’t bring myself to confront Perchet, not without finding a more natural situation to greet him."

"He is quite cold, so I can understand that," added Lyrun. "But I’m sure Perchet wouldn’t be against a mental scan. He may not like how things have become, but deep down he’s quite loyal."

"And what about the incident of the past?"

"Oh, that? Perchet and Naparn weren’t exactly on good terms in the first place, so when Naparn was abusing Kori, Perchet was against it. Perchet was also against forcing Lunara to join the war as he felt it would change how the subordinate gods would be treated in the future," explained Lyrun. "In a way, he was right to worry. Now, we subordinate gods don’t have much say in what we do or don’t do."

Oosam chuckled and rolled his eyes, "Well, I’m with him there."

"So, you want to scan my mind, even though I was the first god that Halmut ever assisted in ascending and have been his loyal aid ever since?"

"Tralbok won’t have it any other way. If I don’t, then Tralbok will turn the blame on me and get Halmut to act out. Even if Halmut doesn’t touch you, I can’t say the same thing about me, knowing how Tralbok likes to twist the facts in his favor."

"Then, if I refuse, you’ll be reprimanded by both Tralbok and Halmut? How harsh... Why not just lie about it?"

"I could do that I guess... Does that mean you won’t allow me to scan your mind?"

Shaking his head slowly, Lyrun replied, "Sorry, Oosam, but that’s not something I can agree to. Growing up with Eedaj has always made me hesitant to anything involving mind-reading. Why else would I wear this?"

Oosam noticed the ring Lyrun showed off, sighing, "I get it... I don’t like doing the dirty work anyway. But can I ask you something personal, since we’re already inside the barrier?"

"Sure, but don’t expect an answer if I don’t like the question."

"If you are hiding something or are planning to act against Halmut in the end, can you count me in?"

Taken aback, Lyrun blinked and broke out in laughter. "You do realize what you just admitted to, right?"

"Yes. I just admitted that I’m willing to betray Halmut, the very thing that Tralbok is asking me to search for. But who said I would out myself."

"Then why would you--"

"Apart from Sterfen, you’re the most calculative person I know," stated Oosam. "You’re the type that has always hidden your true feelings in order to complete what was asked of you. It’s how you were raised. You act the same way to Halmut, but I can only imagine you’re also the more infuriated at how Halmut has changed his ways throughout the years."

Lifting an eyebrow, Lyrun listened carefully to Oosam.

Glad to see how Lyrun didn’t stop him, Oosam continued, "If there is anyone within the holy gods that would dare rebel to such an extent, I’m almost certain it would be you. But I also know that you would never do something like that openly. You’ve always preferred working in secret and organizing such efforts from the sidelines so you wouldn’t get caught. It was you that kept Moranti informed, right?"

Smiling and rubbing his forehead in thought, Lyrun chuckled, "So, that’s how you figured it out."

Chapter 564

"So, that’s how you figured it out."

Nodding, Oosam explained, "I was the first to learn that Moranti had been colluding with Choron. I also learned about his contact crystal, though I never mentioned that information to Tralbok. That was when I discovered your involvement in Moranti’s and Choron’s plans."

"In other words, you’ve already got evidence that I’ve betrayed Halmut," stated Lyrun. "And since I’m assuming you never mentioned this to Tralbok, you want to know more about my plans and how they could get you out of your new contract?"

"You guessed it."

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

Oosam shrugged, "I don’t technically have any proof. If Eedaj was available, I’d be more than willing to have him verify everything for you. Only that’s not possible while we’re in Olympic Chateau, where he can’t access my mind."

"You want to step out of the chateau?"

"I wouldn’t be opposed to it, at least for a brief moment," Oosam answered.

Tapping his forehead, Lyrun sat up and turned his full attention to Oosam. "If I were to include you in my plans, what would you offer me? And no, I’m not interested in contracts."

"Good, because that’s what I want to escape. Unlike Skaryn, Halmut offers no way out. And since we were once chaotic gods, our contracts were--"

"They can cripple you as well as remove your godhood," Lyrun finished Oosam’s statement. "It’s something I’m highly against but Tralbok, Naparn, and Halmut were insistent upon enforcing. Yet another thing I dislike about Halmut’s leadership style. Had there been other subordinate gods before me, I would’ve known better and pledged to Daruun along with Eedaj..."

"Same, though I’m entirely against my contract with Skaryn," admitted Oosam. "He’s more lenient than you would think. We had his protection while our contracts end at lv. 99, and he never used the contracts to threaten us into submission. We weren’t as free as the neutral gods, but at least we could still act as individuals."

"Well, I can’t promise anything about your contract due to how extreme it is. If it were a regular contract, at least you could potentially escape to Trodar and be left at lv. 89. Now... I’m not entirely sure how to get you out of it."

"How did Lunara get out of her contract?" asked Oosam.

Lyrun chuckled, shaking his head. "You have to credit Sterfen for that. He took me and Naparn hostage in order to get Lunara’s and Kori’s contracts. But Kori acted out just before the exchange and was rendered mortal as Sterfen received Lunara’s contract in exchange for Naparn’s life."

"Seriously?! How did he--"

"It was when we didn’t know about Lorwynn being alive, so Lorwynn snuck Sterfen into Olympic Chateau and had his way with us," added Lyrun. "Doing that now would be much more difficult though, thanks to Halmut’s increased security and all the gods being on guard."

"I can’t believe it... Well, now that we know he could kill Naparn, I guess it’s not too hard to believe."

"But don’t expect such a scenario to happen again," stated Lyrun. "Given that you’re one of the more expendable gods in Halmut’s eyes, I doubt he would agree to give up your contract."

"That makes sense... Too bad..." Oosam sighed. "Wait, can you still contact Moranti?"

"Yeah, I can still reach him."

"Then let me talk with him! If it increases the chances of my freedom, then I don’t care what it will take."

"Are you sure about that?" asked Lyrun, showing Oosam a slight smile. "Once you’ve committed to it, there’s no way out. And if you’re caught, don’t expect me to stick up for you. Even if you try to frame me for something, you’ll have no evidence strong enough to convince Halmut of my treachery, not after Halmut sees you as a spy."

"It’s either I try to seek freedom or I remain a divine slave to Halmut," reasoned Oosam. "Will you let me contact them or not?"

Sighing, Lyrun smiled and shook his head. "No, at least not here and now. We’ll have to plan a time to contact them, at the soonest tomorrow."

"But why can’t we--"

"One, because Moranti is busy at the conference. Two, because we need to make sure that no one will interrupt us or have a chance to learn about our actions. Even if you went off to do it alone, they’ll trace the contact crystal to me, destroying all of the work I’ve done so far," explained Lyrun."

"... Fine, we’ll wait till tomorrow," Oosam unwillingly agreed.

"Good, then I’ll contact Moranti after the conference and make sure he sets aside some time to--"

Without warning, a powerful pillar of light fell over the pavilion. Oosam instantly dropped the barrier as both Oosam and Lyrun were startled by Halmut’s unexpected arrival. But before they could greet Halmut and ask what happened, the Sun God rushed away at his top speed and entered the golden palace.

This happened within a single second, leaving Oosam and Lyrun speechless.

"What... Have you--"

"I’ve never seen Halmut do such a thing," Lyrun admitted. A layer of holy energy covered Lyrun’s eyes as the Elf God looked about the palace. "He must’ve entered his chambers... The door is locked so we can’t approach him... What happened in Churstin?"

Just then, both gods heard the shouts and roars coming from the conference room. Without the barrier, they could now hear the unrest that each of the spectating gods felt from their cries alone.

At the same time, soft footsteps were heard coming from the opposite entrance to the pavilion. Oosam and Lyrun were startled to see Perchet approach them with a bow. The Blind God softly spoke, surprising them both further.

"Count me in. Let’s talk in my chamber."

"Perchet, what are you--"

"Lyrun, Oosam’s barrier isn’t as strong as Sterfen’s," stated Perchet, admitting his eavesdropping without admitting it. "I’ll explain Halmut’s retreat and you’ll explain your plan. You should’ve told me sooner."

"You can hear through silence and illusion barriers?" Lyrun asked under his breath.

With a nod, Perchet smiled. "Don’t underestimate the power of sound. Very few can escape my ears. Now, come."

Perchet turned around, calmly walking back to his chambers. He was followed by both of the startled gods who were anxious to learn what else Perchet had been hiding from his fellow gods

 

Chapter 565

"Revive Skaryn?!"

Lunara’s shout filled the room, expressing what most of the other gods felt, as well as Jack’s wives.

"Really?! We’re going to bring him back?!" Moranti asked, excitement oozing from his smile and stare.

"I agree."

As Sterfen seconded Jack’s new goal, Lunara was the first to question, "What do you mean by that? Isn’t he--"

"He’s my older brother, Luna. Skaryn was never kicked out of the family, unlike Halmut, and Skaryn respected the neutral gods more than anyone," stated Sterfen, getting most of those present to nod in agreement. "Sure, Skaryn’s a bit unconventional at times but he’s a good guy."

"Now you tell me?" Jack asked sarcastically.

Shrugging, Sterfen continued, "You’ve already talked with Daruun so I’m assuming you agreed to his proposal, right?"

While everyone else was confused about the question, Jack nodded.

"In that case, I don’t need to hide my true feelings about Skaryn any longer. Moranti, Choron, would agree that Skaryn’s reappearance would be a good thing right now?"

Choron answered first, "I don’t see why it wouldn’t be. So long as Skaryn agrees to join our side and stand with us in Trodar, then I don’t see why he would cause chaos."

"And what if Skaryn joining us causes the world to question our motives?" asked Lunara.

"Luna, please don’t hold Skaryn accountable for what his subordinate gods have done, at least not fully." Sterfen reached out and cupped his hands around his wife’s face. "He tried to offer as much freedom as possible while using contacts to counter Halmut’s actions. It would lead to some abusing that freedom but it wasn’t his fault that some of the gods seeking freedom would be cold to the world. Unlike Daruun, Skaryn can’t see into the future and instead follows his gut."

Touched by her husband’s passion for the subject, Lunara calmly asked, "Why do you trust him so much?"

"Because Skaryn tutored me a lot growing up. He’s the one who taught me how to become an assassin. Without him and his encouragement, there’s a chance that I wouldn’t be with you today."

All ears were finely tuned to the conversation between the husband and wife. Such information was mind-blowing and completely unexpected.

"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Lunara, feeling pained at the thought of not being with her long-time husband.

Sterfen replied, "Skaryn taught me how to be an assassin and helped me level up in secret so that the other gods wouldn’t bother me. And when I met you, he was the one who assured me that pursuing a hydra for a wife was a great thing. He’s also the one who kept Halmut off my back after killing so many of his demigods."

"That..."

Lunara was speechless. She didn’t know what to say. For countless years, she was always forced to see Skaryn as the ultimate enemy. Though she knew Sterfen’s opinion on Skaryn was neutral, she never anticipated that Skaryn and her husband were so close.

"How did you two meet without me knowing?" Moranti asked with a curious smile.

Glancing back to the others in the room, Sterfen quickly added, "Who said I’d share my life story?"

"Come on, Sterfen! You can--"

"Maybe in the future, but for now you only need to know that I fully support Skaryn’s return," insisted Sterfen. "Perhaps if he was revived at an earlier time, things wouldn’t work out well. But now that his faction has been consumed by Halmut, things will be different. Also, I’d love to see how Halmut handles the public backlash."

"Oh, I’d love to see his face!" laughed Moranti.

Lost, Jack asked, "What do you mean? It would make things harder, but why would it--"

"Halmut has publicly announced that Skaryn will never again be a threat to Kartonia and that he’s dealt with him," explained Sterfen. "Should Skaryn return with his full strength, there’s no telling how the people will react, especially after Skaryn partners with us."

"Oh... Then now sounds like the best time to me!" Jack laughed along with Moranti.

Seeing some unease on Lunara’s face, Sterfen stroked her cheek and kissed her forehead. "Do you trust me?"

"Always," Lunara answered immediately.

"Then trust me now. Skaryn’s unsealing will change everything, cementing Halmut’s demise as imminent and unavoidable."

At the same time, Sterfen sent Jack a mental message, ’You know about the void, right?’

’Yeah.’

’Then you know about Halmut’s involvement with Gem Inc and Jewel?’

’And how they’re the ones that enabled Halmut to defeat Skaryn?’ added Jack.

’You’re taking the lead from now on. I’ll help, but I’m proud to let my son take the reigns and fulfill the purpose of Kartonia’s creation,’ stated Sterfen. ’You should think about whether you want to inform everyone or not. Ask your grandfather for his advice about that too.’

’I’ll definitely do that. Thanks, Dad.’

’Anytime, Son.’

"Oooohh, I can’t wait to see him! Once he makes a pact with Jack, I can’t wait to see him use my bloodline and snuff out Halmut’s life!"

Moranti’s excited shouts were the next thing that Jack heard, getting Jack and everyone else to chuckle. There was some more banter from Choron as well and a couple of questions from the others, but Jack was distracted again by a mental message.

’We should discuss finding the key tomorrow in private. I know where it is.’

Glancing at Eedaj, Jack replied, ’So do I. With Kylon, right?’

’Yes, but we should be careful in how we retrieve that key,’ replied Eedaj. ’I’ll explain everything tomorrow morning.’

As Jack and Eedaj wrapped up their speedy conversation, Eliza spoke up, "Then what happened with Halmut? Don’t tell me you actually beat him?!"

"Eedaj, would you mind explaining how that went?" Moranti asked, throwing an arm around Jack. "Jack and I need to go get treated before the banquet starts."

"Sure. That much I can handle."

The two men left the room as Eedaj began explaining his side of the story. Once they were in the hallway and all alone, Moranti cast silence and made sure the sphere following their walking pace. With a started smile, Moranti asked, "Jack, what level are you?"

Chapter 566

"Jack, what level are you?"

"Aren’t you curious?" joked Jack.

Moranti smiled and chuckled, "Will you let me see your stats? I’m a good judge for Halmut’s strength and I want to know how strong you are compared to him almost getting serious."

"But to see my stats?"

"Please, Jack. We have a pact and I let you see mine all the time," Moranti argued as they entered the restricted area of the guild. "Halmut treated you like a mid-level god, so I want to confirm how much potential you have."

Sighing, Jack replied, "I’m lv. 91."

"And what about your titles? Sterfen mentioned a proposal from Daruun. Does that mean you’ve got bigger plans or that he’s given you a new title?"

"I..." Jack meant to reply but got caught up in thought. It was the first time Jack paid attention to his basic stats apart from quick glances at his level. What he found caught the hero off guard.

[Fate Champion]

[Heralded as the rising champion of the Fate District and personally selected by the district leader. Referred to as "The Champion God" on the user’s homeworld of Kartonia.]

Jack’s footsteps paused as he investigated his new title, which went beyond the scope of Kartonia.

"What’s wrong?" asked Moranti. "Hello? Jack?"

"Sorry... I got caught up checking something."

"Was it your title? Tell me, what title did you claim? Show me!"

"The Champion God," Jack admitted. "That’s the title Daruun has given me."

"The Champion God... Now that’s a title! It’s very fitting, considering your fight with Halmut."

"How serious was Halmut during our fight?" Jack changed the subject as they began to walk again.

Shrugging, Moranti replied, "If I had to guess, then Halmut was using maybe seventy percent of his strength. But that was only at the end when he charged you with his horns."

"Only that much..." Jack sighed, forced to understand how far the gap was.

"But your strategy was perfect, though I’m unsure how Halmut countered Cerebral Collapse. Eedaj mentioned that reading Halmut’s mind was impossible, but I didn’t think that Cerebral Collapse would fail as well... I also feel uneasy about Halmut’s retreat. It doesn’t make sense to me. Are you sure you failed on your final attempt?"

"I’m sure of it. Even my system recognized my failure. But I did feel that I somehow got closer to success that final time, though I’m not sure why."

"Hmmm..." Moranti sighed as they neared their destination. After stopping in front of a courtyard door, Moranti firmly knocked to announce their arrival.

"I’ve been waiting... You’re late."

Hearing Dragas’s sultry voice, Jack came up with a theory as he silently followed Moranti into Dragas’s courtyard filled with flora and fauna. Though Dragas was a flirt, she wouldn’t lay it on that much unless she was determined to seduce someone.

The duo passed the small jungle of vegetation to reach the center of the courtyard. There, Jack quickly blinked and averted his eyes.

"Oh, I wasn’t expecting Jack..."

Moranti laughed, "For now, Jack will be joining me for treatments, so expect it until he’s healed."

"Then I guess I’ll cover up... I don’t want to seduce my daughter’s man by accident."

"I don’t mind," stated Moranti, smiling and enjoying the view. "Considering Jack’s injuries and his healing abilities, I’m sure he’ll be good as new before I can say the same about myself."

"Obviously... Considering your intense stare," Dragas teased, retrieving her typical gown and swaying her now-covered hips as she approached her new patient. "Now... let me see it. You’ll have to remove the cloak, so--"

Before she could finish, Jack shifted the cloak into only a pair of pants. "How’s that?"

"Sorry, Jack," Moranti spoke up. "After fighting Halmut, I’d let her inspect everything. She’ll find even microscopic burns, so be proud of yourself."

"Halmut? Jack fought Halmut?!" Dragas was stunned, dropping her seductive tone.

"Sure did, and Jack almost crippled him too," stated Moranti. "Halmut was starting to get more serious when he suddenly left without warning or reason."

"Jack... Why would you fight Halmut of all people?!" questioned Dragas. "I heard you ascended but that’s no reason to--"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. But I got Daruun’s permission to try so what’s wrong?" reasoned Jack, startling Dragas and Moranti. "I learned a lot from that fight and even got stronger because of it. I have no regrets."

"But what if you had died!? What about my--"

"Daruun wouldn’t have allowed me to try that without reason. Do you think I’m stupid enough to waste my life like that?"

"You should’ve seen him..." Moranti sighed. "Jack used Cerebral Collapse on that pestro, and almost got away with it."

"You what?!"

"Can we get on with this?" asked Jack. "They’re preparing a banquet and I need to hurry back to my wives."

"Fine... but you still need to disrobe," argued Dragas, not giving in.

Sighing, Jack obliged. Jack removed his cloak and let Dragas see everything, as a medical professional.

"Please, let me check your status. That way I can properly scan your body for microscopic burns. That’s the worst part of Halmut’s flames. Even a microscopic burn from Halmut’s flame will grow with time and become unbearable," stated Dragas, surprising Jack.

As Jack took a deep breath, Jack allowed himself to be vulnerable for the first time in a long while. Privacy wasn’t worth facing the pain of Halmut’s flames outside of battle.

"Jack, how did you change your name?"

Looking to Dragas, Jack replied, "That’s thanks to Daruun."

"And what sort of title is that?" asked Dragas.

Moranti spoke up as well, wide-eyed, "I thought you said--"

"The title ’Fate Champion’ is a title used outside of Kartonia. My Kartonian title is the ’Champion God’," explained Jack.

"The Champion God... What a title..."

"Stop fantasizing," shouted Jack. "Hurry up and get this over with."

"Right, right... I know you’re taken..." Dragas sighed, rolling her eyes.

"I’m not."

"Don’t tempt me, Moranti. You wouldn’t--"

"Never question a Spectral Dragon’s prowess. I can handle all of you with pleasure."

"I get it. You’re both horny and are desperate for a mate. But how about you talk it over after drinking the night away, not in the middle of my examination!"

 

Chapter 567

"Right... Sorry, I can get carried away sometimes," Dragas stated. At the same time, a wash of green nature energy spread over Jack’s body. The Dryad Goddess carefully searched for anything she could find out of the ordinary. "There are a few microscopic burns, but your condition can’t compare to Moranti’s when he first asked for help."

"So... How long should it take to recover?" asked Jack.

"Given how unnaturally strong your vitality is, I think three days of treatment twice a day should remove all microscopic burns along with the more obvious ones."

"Then can I--"

"One moment, and don’t put your clothes on just yet!" Dragas rushed into her jungle of flora, taking a minute to gather more of the ingredients she had gathered prior. "Had Moranti informed me that Jack would come, I’d have already gathered enough materials. This will take a few minutes."

"Can’t I just--"

"Jack, at lv. 91 your body’s vitality matches Moranti at lv. 97, surpassing it even," Dragas mentioned. "Because of that, I’ll be able to give you a more concentrated solution to aid your burns. However, this also means your body will feel even more pain than Moranti experiences during his medicinal baths."

"Bath?" Jack caught on to the situation, understanding why Dragas and Moranti were starting to hit it off. It was made more obvious as Moranti began to disrobe as well.

"To keep the potency of the medicinal bath, the ingredients must be blended and incorporated properly into the bath within minutes of taking the bath. The longer the solution sits, the less potent and effective it will be," reasoned Dragas. "I’ll expect you here tomorrow morning after breakfast and tomorrow night before bed. Three days of this and you’ll be as good as new."

"And there’s no way that you could teach Eliza how to do this?" asked Jack.

Dragas blinked and chuckled, "She can come with you tomorrow morning. I’ll assess her skills and aptitude for herbology then. I doubt she’ll be able to handle the solution you need, but it’ll be some wonderful bonding time with my daughter."

Another five minutes passed as Dragas finished stewing a variety of ingredients, which had been chopped, left whole, juiced, or peeled to give the bath the desired effect. The Goddess of Seduction retrieved two large, external bathing pools and carefully poured her two pots of solution into them. "Ready! Moranti’s is on the left and Jack, yours is on the right."

Without a word, Moranti stepped forward and immersed himself in the turquoise-colored bathwater. He took in a sharp breath through his teeth before releasing a long sigh of relief.

Jack followed, stepping into his bath without worry. But the moment he hurried in, Jack felt as if his body was burning from the inside out. It felt as if Jack’s blood started to boil beneath his skin.

"Relax, Jack. This will only take twenty minutes and the first time is always the worst," added Dragas. "By tomorrow night, you’ll feel much more comfortable with this."

Not saying anything, Jack kept his focus on the task at hand. It was a new kind of pain that Jack hadn’t experienced, unlike anything Jack had imagined.

Those twenty grueling minutes passed slowly. For a moment, Jack felt that his bath was taking longer than his entire trip through Earthen Keep. Even Moranti felt time slow down, though not to the extent that Jack felt.

"Here’s your towel."

Dragas’s voice pulled Jack back into the moment. Jack opened his eyes and spotted Dragas at the side of the lifted bathing pools, a long towel in her hand.

Eager to escape what felt like bathing in hell, Jack scurried out of the bath and hurriedly dried himself off. The sensation of internally boiling lingered but began to gradually fade. Jack took long and deep breaths as the air seemingly cooled his internal organs.

"Where’s mine?"

Only then did Jack realize that Dragas left Moranti in his bath. He didn’t care much about that detail though as Jack was glad to be out of that hellish bath.

"It’s only been ten minutes, so you’ve got another ten to go," stated Dragas.

"What?! But--"

"See that?" Dragas pointed at Jack’s bath, getting Moranti and Jack to notice something. "It’s already clear, meaning that Jack’s body processed his more potent solution in half the time it takes you. That’s why he gets to leave early and take his wives to the banquet, which should be starting any minute now."

Turning to Jack with a smile, Dragas added, "Eedaj told me to head out too, but me and Moranti will follow you shortly. Hurry up and get your wives, or you’ll miss some of the festivities."

Jack nodded. Despite the burning that was still fading, Jack’s body felt more energetic than ever. "Then I’ll be off!" Bolting for the door, Jack added, "And don’t have too much fun before the banquet!"

"I’ll keep that in mind..." Dragas sighed as she heard the door close. Finally returning to her attitude deserving of the title Goddes of Seduction, Dragas bit her lip and smiled at Moranti. "So, are you ready for some in-bath therapy?"

Unaware and not wanting to know what was taking place after his leave, Jack used his minokawa form to hurry home. The hero rushed through the front door and surprised his wives.

"Sorry for the wait, but I’m ready now." Looking around, Jack asked, "Where’s Lina?"

"She already left," answered Maura. "Lina’s going with Erina and Lunara."

Eliza and Daliea exited the bedroom, happy smiles on their faces. Daliea asked, "Are you okay? Are there any wounds?"

"There are some but nothing that Dragas can’t fix. I’ll explain more on the way."

Jack happily gathered his three wives and left for the guild’s main building. During their walk, Jack explained his healing procedure and Eliza eagerly agreed to join Jack to learn herbology. Also, they chatted about Jack’s divine title and how each of their names had changed, gaining Jack’s new last name, Accrutya.

It felt good to not only relax but to enjoy the moment. Being in the company of his wives was different than the thrill of battle or the rush of completing a difficult achievement. Jack felt calm while also feeling lively. The feeling was a rare occurrence for Jack, but it was one that Jack wanted to treasure the more he experienced it.

Chapter 568

Just when Jack was ready to lead his wives toward the main guild building’s banquet hall, they pulled him aside and led him in a different direction.

"Wait, where are we--"

"The banquet is in the marketplace," Maura explained as they continued past the main building.

"Then where are we going?" asked Jack.

Maura answered with a smile. "While you were gone, the guild decided to open its own restaurant. Before opening to the public next week, we’ll all be feasting there and testing the menu. But I know you’re already going to love it."

"And why is that?"

All three of the women smiled and chuckled. Eliza and Daliea kept quiet as Maura replied, "You’ll see... Just wait."

They continued to question Jack about Earthen Keep and his meeting with Daruun, something that Jack hadn’t explained in detail in front of everyone. Eventually, they got Jack to crack. "How about this? After the banquet, all four of us will spend the night together and I’ll explain Daruun’s larger plans in detail. I don’t want others to know too much yet."

"Deal! So long as you include us, then we’ll happy no matter what!" shouted Eliza, getting the approval of Maura and Daliea as well. "Now, what do you think?"

As Eliza pointed ahead, Jack spotted the restaurant in the distance. He chuckled, reading the sign that said "Leisure Tavern" in giant letters.

"Just wait till we get inside!" Maura shouted, pushing Jack to go faster.

Finally, they swung the doors open for Jack to almost drop his jaw on the floor.

Plenty of people filled the place, all of which had familiar faces. There were three waitresses. Martha and Marisha were smiling as they served their guests alongside their newest friend.

"Jezelle?"

"Oh, Jack!" Jezelle shouted from across the room. She finished setting some food down and hurried to greet them personally. "A table for four, right? Follow me!"

They were sat in the middle of the giant, open dining room. There were private booths but those were pointless during a banquet. And From the center, Jack was able to better recognize everyone around him.

"Your first round of food will be right out. I’ll bring you some wine!" With that, Jezelle scurried off to handle her other duties.

"This..."

"Nostalgic, right?" Maura nudged Jack with a smile. "Reinolt conceded to Zuran but we helped some of our friends escape before the transition. And Aazoon managed to escape so the king is here too!"

Jack was speechless, taking in his surroundings as he nodded to Maura, Eliza, and Daliea.

At one table, Jack spotted Lunara with Lina and Erina. Though Lina had grown after evolving, something Maura commented on, she was still best friends with the younger-looking girl, who wasn’t shy after seeing Lina’s growth.

Drinking along with Jack’s male party members was Zariff, as well as Tridon, Trevor, and Tomas from Reinolt City. Prince Willim had joined them as well, making himself at home among the other men and showing off his incredible tolerance to alcohol. Of course, King Wilheim sat with Argyle, Hurmot, and Kaldor at the next table over, not letting his son show him up.

And to Jack’s surprise, Zarris was sat alongside Baral and the other auction house managers, talking up a storm. Also, in the back corner, Jack spotted Tarnel arguing with Flint as the loud, outspoken young man released his Two-headed Wolf and let the wolf pounce onto their shared meal.

Having so many of his friends and acquaintances from across the continent gathered in a single pub was a surreal experience.

"Jaaack? At least say something..."

"Oh... Sorry..." Jack chuckled, scratching his head to shake off his embarrassment. "I just... wasn’t expecting all this."

"So, I take it you’re glad to see everyone?" teased Maura.

Nodding, Jack sighed, "Yeah... It’s nice to see everyone again. I’m glad they’re all doing fine."

"You know, they’re all here because of you," added Eliza. "You’ve become the biggest celebrity, and news about Halmut’s defeat is only adding to your fame."

"I didn’t defeat him..."

"But you held him off and forced his retreat. In battle and war, that’s also a victory," Daliea insisted, downing her first mug of liquid courage. "You should be more proud of your strength. That’s why I married you after all..."

"Yeah, you should be proud of your achievements," added Eliza, sipping her wine. "The whole world deserves to know your name. Now, you’re even more famous than you were in the past. I’ve never been more proud to be your wife, the wife of the world’s greatest hero..."

Maura was the third to speak, chugging her drink in one go. She proved her inability to hold her alcohol, losing most inhibitions all at once. "And you’re so kind... You can be naive too but you’re still kind and strong. You should be more forceful at times, like with me..."

Hearing his wives go around sharing their thoughts, Jack knew that he was in for a long night ahead of him. But he was excited.

The moment the food arrived, Jack attacked his meal, instantly recognizing Rayard’s cooking. However, Jack didn’t savor it too much as he wanted to hurry up and leave the banquet. While gods began to trickle in and find their own tables, Jack paid more attention to his wives with each passing second. With each sip of wine, Jack took their unfiltered comments gratefully, committing to do better with those things.

When the four of them finished eating, Jack escorted his wives out of the restaurant, all feeling a little tipsy.

Outside, Jack laughed as he spotted Moranti escorting Dragas to the tavern. "I told you to save it for later."

"Why not before and after the banquet?" Dragas laughed, unafraid of admitting to her and Moranti’s recent actions. "Looking at them, I would suggest teleportation. That way, you’ll have more time and energy to enjoy yourselves."

"Right... Then, good night!"

Jack instantly took his wives to their bedroom, vanishing in a flash of purple light.

 

Chapter 569

"What’s going on? Mommy, what’s that?"

"I don’t know sweetie..."

Grabbing her infant daughter’s hand all the tighter, the woman felt saliva lodge in her throat. She couldn’t believe her eyes.

Only a few hundred meters away, a dazzling pillar of light rained down upon the center square and the majority of Pralis, Kustram’s capital city. It was unlike anything she had ever seen and was so bright that the woman, along with every other citizen witnessing the event, could no longer see the buildings enveloped within the light.

But only a moment later. The woman clutched her daughter’s tiny hand and covered her gaping mouth. A tear instantly formed, gliding down her cheek and flowing down her wrist.

Everything was gone. The city hall was no more. The trading pavilion was nonexistent. Nothing was left. All that remained was a hundred-meter deep crater burned by the intense light. It was terrifying beyond the scope of the woman’s nightmares.

"We’re leaving!"

"But mommy--"

"We need to run, Lanee!" The mother rushed to pick up her daughter, dashing away along with the majority of the remaining population.

"Look!"

"Is that..."

"It can’t be?!"

Shouts and cries drew the daughter’s attention to the sky above. "Mommy... What’s that?"

"Don’t worry sweetie, Mommy will--"

"But Mommy, look at the sky! It’s so big!" the little girl shouted in awe, trying to forcibly move her mother’s head to see the massive, golden figure descending from the clouds.

Finally, the woman caught a glimpse of the figure. Her entire body quivered, giving up her futile attempts to flee. "It’s... It’s... It’s really happening..."

"Mommy? What’s happening? Did that monster--"

"Lanee..." the mother called out her daughter’s name again, dropping to her knees and holding the child tightly against her bosom. "... Mommy loves you."

Blinking, the daughter hugged her mother back. "And I love Mommy, too."

"He’s here!"

"Thank the heavens!"

A new round of cries filled the area. Hope returned to their voices as their tears of sorrow became tears of gratitude.

"Skaryn..." Looking up, the mother felt her heart start beating yet again.

"Skaryn? Is that Skaryn?!" The little girl kept her arms around her mother as her eyes darted around the sky, searching for the second, much smaller figure to descend from the clouds.

"Yes, sweetie... That’s him. Our protector really came..."

Together, the mother, the daughter, and all citizens close enough to spectate were enraptured by the standoff in the sky. They could hear echoes of their shouts, most of which was inaudible. But occasionally, certain phrases were loud enough for everyone.

"... Does she know about this..."

That sentence confused most everyone as it weakly echoed. At first, no one was able to tell which figure said what, only that there were two distinct voices.

"Answer the question!"

People started to think that voice was Skaryn’s, as it seemed more human. But they weren’t sure yet.

"Lanee... Will you pray with Mommy?"

"Mhmm!" The little girl bobbed her head up and down.

"Then close your eyes. All you need to do is pray in your heart," explained the mother.

With a final nod, the infant girl crinkled her face from shutting her eyes too tightly. She mumbled to herself under her breath, "Dear Skaryn... Pretty please..."

While her daughter was distracted, the mother kept her eyes focused on the sky above. She believed that Skaryn should be able to protect them, but a mother would never be able to stop worrying when their child’s life is in question.

"Join me, Skaryn!"

Proving which voice belonged to whom, all spectators froze in fear as Halmut offered Skaryn the chance to work together. Such a thing would only lead to their doom. Unconsciously, the mother gripped her daughter’s sundress even tighter.

"... I refuse..."

Relief washed over the Kustram people yet again, at least enough to keep them from having a heart attack. That faint echo kept their last strands of hope alive.

"... I have no addiction..."

Everyone thought they misheard something. No one could believe that the gods were talking about substance abuse, so they all assumed it was a misinterpretation. But their hearts didn’t feel any lighter with such a belief. They only felt more eager to know the full context of the conversation.

"... and protect Mommy..." Still mumbling to herself, the little girl added to her list of pleas, making sure her mother was repeated frequently in her prayer.

Touched, the mother pressed her lips against her daughter’s forehead.

"... you don’t know anything..."

"... shut up..."

"I SAID SHUT UP!"

Halmut’s roar passed over the entire island, ringing in the ears of those closest. At the same time, someone in the crowd looked to a different portion of the sky, the part directly overhead.

"T-that..."

On edge from the shout, the mother and the other spectators looked up in horror.

The dark clouds seemed to have another sun hiding behind them, but that patch of clouds grew whiter and whiter at a visible speed. Within seconds, a new pillar of light rained fell from the sky.

"Lanee!" The mother instinctively wrapped her arms around her daughter, wanting to someone defy the odds and keep the girl alive, even at the loss of her own life.

To the relief of the Kustram citizens, they all saw Skaryn in action. As the Dark God repelled the light pillar, cheers rang out in jubilation.

"... have you no shame..."

"... and the Flood Dragons..."

The next two statements still weren’t entirely clear, but they were audible enough for those closeby to understand.

"Mommy," pulling her head out of her mother’s chest, the little girl asked, "does Skaryn protect dragons too?"

The woman was unsure what her daughter was talking about until she followed her daughter’s finger. That’s when she spotted giant finned tails breaching the water, something that only occurred during the Flood Dragon mating season every few years. It was always a national festival and a great tourist attraction, yet it could be seen during such a dire time? It made no sense to the women.

Now that she was focused on the nearby waters, the woman heard the faint cries reverberating out of the water.

"They’re crying, Mommy..."

Amidst the escalating situation, the woman managed to smile again for her daughter. "Don’t worry, sweetie. Skaryn will protect them too."

 

Chapter 570

"Retreat now, or die!"

Skaryn’s fervent order brought the woman’s attention back to the sky, after ignoring the shouts of Halmut for a few moments. She witnessed Halmut’s change as he shrunk down to Skaryn’s size. Along with all nearby Kustram citizens, the mother and daughter were in awe as Skaryn’s form become demonic and oozed unfathomable power to compete with Halmut.

It was finally happening. The timeless question of who was stronger would finally be answered for them all to see. But that didn’t make them feel any safer.

"Mommy... I’m scared..."

"Don’t worry Lanee..." the mother whispered, pulling her daughter in tighter to hide her eyes. "We’ll be safe, okay?"

"... okay...."

The wind blew as the two figures clashed after a dramatic pause. It startled them all as the attacks showed no signs of energy, just raw, physical strength.

"Die and shut up!"

Halmut’s roar filled the area, as did Skaryn’s inaudible battle cry. Their clashes spread across the sky as the shockwaves they created grew bigger and bigger.

"... not bad..."

"... just die already..."

Both deities were now traveling too fast for the mortal spectators to comprehend. The mother was confused along with the rest of the crowd, but she kept up her smile to keep her daughter from crying. If not, she too would burst into tears of fear.

Now, the world started to warp around their fight. Clouds were dashed apart and giant ocean waves were split without any effort. Raging whirlwinds were picking up just off the coast due to their incredible speeds.

"Please... Skaryn..."

Looking down, the mother wanted to cry as she saw her daughter begin to pray yet again. She placed one hand atop the little girls had and rubbed it calmly. "He’ll protect us... He always has."

Just then, the public spotted another bright light forming behind the clouds. Their hearts sank as they noticed Skaryn fighting much further away than the last time. But their near-death experience ended when Skaryn hurled his own pulse of black energy to counter the light pillar.

However, more pillars began to fall despite each being countered. Even to the mother with no battle experience, she could tell that Skaryn had his hands full trying to defend an entire nation while facing Halmut head-on. Her hope was dwindling more by the second.

"Mommy..."

Instantly resuming her smile, the mother hugged her daughter tightly again. "Just keep your head here... Everything will be fine." She stroked the girl’s head in the most calming way possible as she kept her daughter’s head pressed into her chest. There was no way that she wanted her daughter to see Skaryn lose. She would much rather make sure her daughter was happy in their final moments.

"Mommy... they’re still crying..."

"Don’t worry. Everything will be fine. Trust Mommy. Skaryn will protect us, so just stay here and hug Mommy."

"Okay..."

The two of them continued to embrace each other, acting oblivious to the world around them. The mother did her best to keep her daughter from hearing the banter of the gods but it was hard to deny the desperation creeping into Skaryn’s voice. But Skaryn’s next statement was too hard to ignore.

"If you’re going to kill me, just do it already!"

At that moment, each and every Kustram citizen collapsed. Their hopes were dashed as they either ran away despite knowing it was futile or dropped to the ground where they once stood, giving in to fate.

"M-Mommy... Did--"

"Don’t worry, sweetie! Everything will be okay!"

While most continued spectating and witnessing Skaryn’s disadvantage grow, the mother began to shout with all her might in an attempt to drown out the banter of the two gods. She refused to let her daughter suffer.

"Stop fighting your demise!"

The more the gods shouted and roared, the louder the mother got. But that didn’t stop the daughter from realizing the truth of the situation. The little girl was smart enough to tell how the fight was going from the shouts alone.

"Fool!"

"Nooooo!"

"Skaryyyn!"

Following Halmut’s final roar, the spectating citizens went crazy. They couldn’t hold back their tears as they witnessed their god and protector be trapped in rings of light.

Giving in, the mother peeked at the battle only to feel her heart shatter.

"Mommy..."

Ignoring the appearance of six gigantic pillars of light, the woman was in tears as she looked down at her daughter’s smile.

"I love you, Mommy..."

"And I love you, Lanee..."

"NOOOOO!"

Jerking upward, Kylon’s eyes shot open wide as tears leaked from her eyes into the water throughout Kylon’s bedroom chamber. The powerful, lv. 96 Flood Dragon was visibly shaking struggling to control her breathing.

"Mistress!" A shout came from behind the bedroom doors. They were thrown open as a smaller Flood Dragon entered the room in a panic. "Mistress, are you--"

"I-I’m fine..." replied Kylon, struggling to regain her composure.

"Was it another nightmare?"

"Yes... But I’m fine... Okay?"

"Mistress... This has continued for decades, we should--"

"I’m fine!"

Sighing, the younger Flood Dragon bowed her head and stepped back. "Of course... Then I’ll dismiss myself. But if you need me, I’m--"

"Thank you, that will be all," stated Kylon, waving away her attendant.

Once the attendant left, Kylon took a few moments to steady her breathing. Again, she was left without any sleep. She mumbled to herself, trying to convince herself of reality.

"It’s just a dream... Like always... Like always...."

Despite her best efforts, Kylon was unable to fully separate herself from the nightmare for quite some time. It felt too real to be just a dream as she recollected everything the mother said, witnessed, and felt as if Kylon had, in fact, been that dying mother.

Finally, after seeming to have regained her composure, Kylon assumed her human form and exited her bedroom chamber. Making her way through her underwater palace, Kylon eventually passed a row of heavily armed guards and entered the room they were carefully guarding, locking the door behind her.

Staring intently at the ground, Kylon cast silence throughout the room. She didn’t want to contain her emotions any longer. It was impossible to hold back as she fell to her knees atop the five-ring seal imprinted into the seafloor.

"You still haunt me... Why? Why Skaryn?!" Kylon screamed, not holding back as no one else could hear her. "Why... That can’t be how it happened... That can’t be..."

She whimpered as she took out a sphere no larger than her draconic eyeball with intricate, foreign etching all over it. One hand rested on the sphere and one rested on her abdomen.

"Why... Skaryn... I don’t know anything anymore..."