Second World

”No, seriously, how do you do it?” Scarface asked again with a steely expression.

Jack hesitated a bit, but decided to come clean after thinking about his attempt to gain Scarfaceʼs trust. ”How long does it take for your top team to complete one full trip of ten hunter quests?”

”Two of our top team takes one full day, the others needed another half a day extra,” Scarface said.

”Well, Warpath, can you tell our boss here, how many trips of ten hunter quests weʼve completed yesterday?” Jack said.

Warpath rolled his eyes. Why did you involve me? But he still answered, ”three.”

”Three? Do you think we are five years old?” Bigarm blurted out.

”You be quiet!” Scarface glared at him. ”What he said actually made sense. If this amount is 40%, the full amount is roughly three times our top teamʼs one day-trip, so the numbers matched.”

”But… how can that be? With their levels…,” Bigarm was still unwilling to believe.

”Do you see people as the same as your standard? Look at you! You are already level 16, but still fail to become an advanced class,” Scarface scolded him.

”Yeah, why donʼt you step aside and let us big boys talk?” Jack added insult to injury.

Bigarm looked like he was ready to charge at Jack at any second, but Scarfaceʼs voice shot him down further, ”he is right, go take care of the other matters, will you?”

Bigarm was enraged, but he dared not defy Scarface, so he bitterly walked away.

After Bigarm left, Scarface said, ”now, will you share your secret with me? I do agree with him that it was not due to your teamʼs prowess.”

”Itʼs not a secret really, I simply know an efficient route,” Jack replied.

”A route?”

Jack then told him about the ten hunting quests he had taken, and then the route he had taken. Since he had given them the tip, might as well go all the way, so he told them about the monstersʼ characteristics and the best way to deal with them. Scarface listened to the explanation intently. His expression was indifferent, but the glint in his eyes betrayed the excitement in them.

After listening to the explanation, he immediately called Red Death over and a few other people. He let them know about Jackʼs information and had them started arranging the other advanced class teams to undergo the same route. Jack himself went away and organize his own team members to prepare for another hunting expedition.

Jack didnʼt think it would be a big deal to share this efficient route, he could still use the same route. The area was big enough to accommodate more than a hundred teams grinding around them, not to mention only five teams from Death Associates.

The thing he pitied was he gave this guild a chance for fast improvement with this info. Since it was so, he thought it would be better if he even up the competition. He sent a message describing the route info and hunting quests to Silverwing. Though he was Unrivalled Arcaner at the moment, he could choose to send a message as his original Storm Wind alias.

Silverwing soon replied with thanks, but Jack warned him that Death Associates also knew of the route, so they would most likely encounter each other there. Silverwing noted it and said that he would take the necessary precautions.

Silverwing sent him a message wondering how he knew about Death Associatesʼ movements. Jack simply said that he had a friend who happened to find out about this info.

When Jack was ready to depart, Scarface stopped him. ”Wait, brother Unrivalled! I will assign you a new team,” he said.

Oh, so itʼs brother now? Jack smiled. ”Whatʼs wrong with this team?” He asked.

”Whatʼs wrong…?” Scarface was dazed. ”Well, I thought you would prefer to have a higher-level team?”

”Nope! This bunch is just fine. We have a good synergy. Donʼt you say so, team?”

They were touched by Jackʼs words. They were always cast aside in the guild. If the guild had reached the member-count limit, they were sure that they would be the first ones to be kicked out to allow stronger players to join.

Except for Suckit, who lifted his hand and blurted out, ”actually, I would prefer to be replaced...”

Jack kicked the fatso on his butt. ”You want out? I will send you out from your life then. You still want out?”

Suckit immediately clammed his mouth shut.

During their banter, Red Death came over. ”This the guy?” He said.

Jack looked back at her, and said provocatively, ”and you are?”

”You have some guts to strut around like that in front of big sis here!” A young man who was behind Red Death uttered after hearing Jackʼs impolite words.

”Little boy shouldnʼt join in adultsʼ conversations. Now go. Shoo away!” Jack didnʼt spare him any mercy with his words.

”You…!” The young manʼs face was red with anger.

”He really is as arrogant as you said,” Red Death commented to Scarface. She then turned to Jack, ”I was told your attributes were way higher than a normal player. I have an enemy that was similar. I very much wished to spar with you to gauge if I can take him on already or not.”

”Who is this person? How about you point me in his direction and I will take it out for you?” Jack replied.

Red Death laughed out loud. ”You really are interesting. Iʼm serious about that spar.”

”The people who hate me and want to fight me is as long as my arm, if I entertain every each one of them, I would not be able to do anything anymore. If you want to spar with me, at least you need to give me something as compensation.”

”What the hell are you saying? Sparring with big sis is a big honor!” The young man interfered again.

”Do you believe I dare not blast you away with my spell?” Jack said as he lifted his staff in a threatening manner.

”Stop, we are all one guild. No fighting,” Scarface mediated. ”Red, we still need more coins for the guild. Your desire for combat must wait. Go prepare your team to move out as soon as possible.”

Red Death smiled. ”We will talk another time then, guildmate,” she said to Jack.

”Happy to, but please donʼt bring your boy escort next time,” Jack replied. The young manʼs body was trembling as he held back his anger.

After Red Death went away, Scarface said to Jack, ”you are a difficult one to talk to, brother.”

Jack shrugged. ”Canʼt help it,” he said.

”But you are indeed capable,” Scarface continued. ”Our guild will be holding an important event three days from now. I would like you to be among the people that secure the safety of this event.”

Jackʼs heart leaped when he heard Scarfaceʼs words, but he maintained his calm expression. He asked with fake confusion, ”secure? Whatʼs to secure? This city is already a safe zone.”

”We will be holding the event outside the city,” Scarface informed.

”Huh? What for?”

”You no need to know about the detail. This event is an important meeting with other guilds. Several of my colleagues disagree with me inviting you to join, but I see you as an important asset. Are you interested or do you prefer your freedom and not to involve in it?”

”I value my freedom, but I donʼt mind contributing to the guild once in a while. All right, I will join and help to secure it.”

Scarface nodded, ”okay. We will gather here before we left.”

”Is it exactly three days from now?”

”It is. Why? Do you have other plans?”

”No, three days from now is okay. On the other hand, I will not be available tomorrow and half of today. I will make one run of the hunting trip and then I will probably be unavailable till the day of the meeting.”

Since he had already acquired his objective, there was no need to hang around with the guild. He preferred to do the hunting quests by himself if he could help it. Why share the spoils with the guild when he was capable to complete them all by himself?

Scarface nodded, he didnʼt seem to be bothered by Jackʼs request to do his own things. Jack had mentioned when he joined that he would often do his own things and only aided the guild when he was free.

”All right, remember to gather here early morning three days from now,” he reminded Jack.

”No problem.”

😉