Second World

Jack thought about the situation. Apparently, his opponent knew him enough to plan this setting. They knew he would not abandon his friends. And they were arrogant enough to not asking him to come alone. Itʼs like saying that he was free to ask for help. His opponents were a coalition of guilds, any other party would be a fool to try to take them on. He was unsure if Silverwing would mobilize his guild to help him even if he asked for help.

He opened his friend list, if there is one person who can figure a way out, it had to be this guy. Considering his dispute with the coalition, he might be able to help him. He then sent a message to said person.

Jack was at Ravenʼs Den, the tavern which he normally frequented by Bowler and The Man. It took four hours by running for a normal level 20 Warrior to reach the Crestfall Plain that was marked, three for Jack. In other words, he had another three hours to prepare. It was almost an hour before the person he had sent a message to, appeared before him.

”Itʼs unusual for you to actively seek me,” John said as he took the seat opposite Jack. ”I assume something is wrong?”

John proceeded to order an ale before they begin their discussion. When the maid brought his ale over, John pointed at Jack and said, ”tabs on him.”

Under normal circumstances, Jack would have complained, but his concern at the moment was not on his coin expenditure. John caught his mood, he put on a serious face and asked, ”whatʼs wrong?”

Jack told him about the situation.

John was silent as he digested Jackʼs information.

”Whatʼs your thought?” Jack asked.

”Itʼs easy. Just leave them be, itʼs not like they will really die. They can just level up again after,” John said with ease.

Jack frowned, he was not in the mood for jokes.

”Damn it, you really are a nice person,” John said. ”Iʼm being serious about it. You can just take your revenge on them afterward in a guerilla manner. You will have no problem taking out their members one by one, but if you go there now, you will be facing their full force. I donʼt think even with your special condition, you will be able to face them all.”

”… I still have to go,” Jack said. There was one reason Jack was willing to take the risk. It was because of his Immortal Soul inherent skill. Even if he died in the coming battle, he would not lose everything. Of course, he was not going to tell John about this secret of his.

John sighed. ”Well, itʼs your funeral.”

The two of them went quiet for a while, before John finally broke the silence. ”I might be able to cook something up that will put them in a bind, but it will take some time. You are required to arrive there at what? Four hours from now?”

”Five,” Jack said.

”I donʼt think itʼs possible for me to arrange something and go there within five hours,” John said.

”How much more time do you need?”

”Maybe another two more hours… or an hour at least.”

Jack stood up and said, ”okay, I will try to survive until then.”

”You really are serious, arenʼt you?” John said. ”Well, not like I dislike that attitude of yours. It will be troublesome as a friend when you are in need, but reliable if I am the one in need. Say, if I am the one being held captive, will you come to save me as well?”

”Of course,” Jack told him.

”You are not just saying that because you need my help at the moment now, are you?”

”Of course not,” Jack said, then added, ”maybe.”

”Heh, fine, but Iʼm not doing this for free. I will expect compensation!” He declared.

”Bro, you still owe me the coins you got from selling those recording stones.”

”Ugh, you really drive a hard bargain. Fine, I will take your share of those selling as payment. So we are square now, ok?”

”Okay,” Jack said.

”One other thing,” John said to him before he left. ”If you really are serious about going through this, you have better stop concealing that special condition of yours.”

”What special condition?” Jack asked.

”Your ability to use magic.”

”What are you talking about?”

”Heh, look at you, suddenly become smart. Usually, you will just ask me how do I know about it. Guess you are not falling for it anymore.”

”I still have no idea what you are saying,” Jack insisted. In his mind though, he did ask how the heck did this guy know.

”Well, I know you are still wondering how I know. I will still tell you then. I already have my suspicion since the first time we work together. There was this mysterious magician who cast spells from behind me, but there was no one behind me at the time except for you. At first, I thought there is an unknown magician hiding somewhere in the cave, yet there was no such person. Then I was sure when I find out that an asshole has taken the technique book Body Double which I have set my sight on.”

Uh-oh, Jack thought in his mind.

”And guess what? At that time, it was still too early for someone to become a silver adventurer, and you need to be a silver adventurer to have enough points to get that book. So I asked the counter who was the first person that has become one. Guess whose name pops out?”

”Well…, I could just be getting the book for a magician friend of mine,” Jack tried to make an excuse.

”Are you taking me for a retard?” John said. ”Well, whatever your reason. I know concealing your trump card is wise, but an unused trump card will not be functioning as a card at all. You should use your trump card at the emergency moment, and this, my friend, is that emergency moment, is just what Iʼm saying. You decide it yourself, just try to stay alive until I arrive. If they are already gone by the time I arrive with reinforcements, I will just be making a fool of myself.”

Jack nodded, ”I will try my best. Oh, before I forget, if your plan involves the White Scrafs as well, you should know that Death Associates has a spy within their core members.”

”Oh? This is interesting. I donʼt suppose you will tell me how you come to this piece of information?”

Jack shrugged.

”And do you know who this spy is?”

Jack shrugged again.

”I suppose not. All right, I will be off to make the arrangements,” John said as he walked outside.

In the end, he left first, Jack thought. He looked at the time, there was still around two hours, or one hour at least before he had to leave. He decided to make preparation first.

Luckily, he had leveled up all his weapons and armors four days ago. If not, he would not have enough time to do all that. He opened up his status window. He still had some saved up free attributes points and free skill points. No sense to save them any longer, as John had said, this was an emergency moment. He needed all the advantage he could secure.

He threw all 4 free attribute points into Reflex, an attribute he had been neglecting all this time. He would be fighting against numerous enemies, he would need quick reaction time for that. His reflex went up to 74, there was also a total of 16 points boost from his equipment, lifting his reflex to 90 points.

He had 4 free skill points for Warrior class, and 8 free skill points for Mage class. He put the 4 free warrior skill points into his two new advanced skills, 2 for Shredding Fang and 2 for Flash Step. The 8 free mage skill points he also divided equally for Barrier and Ice Ring. He took a look at his improved skills and spells.

Flash Step, level: 3/20 (Active skill, movement)

Instantly moves in a direction to a maximum distance of 2.5 meters. Create an afterimage in the original position.

Cooldown: 10 seconds

Stamina consumed: 10

Shredding Fang, level: 3/20 (Active skill, range, required melee weapon)

Creates three giant energy fangs that traveled in three directions in a fan shape. Each fang deals 210% physical damage, 25% chance to cause Bleed.

Range: 6 meters

Cooldown: 2 minutes

Stamina consumed: 50

Barrier, level: 7/20 (Active skill, defensive, required magic weapon)

Create a barrier around caster that can withstand damage of 68% from casterʼs maximum HP. Barrier will vanish once damage threshold is reached or duration had passed.

Duration: 30 seconds

Cooldown: 3 minutes

Mana: 50

Ice Ring, level: 7/20 (Active Skill, range, required magic weapon)

Deal 240% ice damage to a radius 6 meters area around caster.

All enemies within the area are slowed for 10 seconds, 10% chance of enemies struck to get frozen for 2 seconds.

Cooldown: 2 minutes

Mana: 50

Now that the attribute and skill parts were done, time to gather external tools, Jack thought in his mind as he left the tavern.

😉