Second World

”We need to talk,” Gridhacker said.

”Wait outside until I finish,” the short man replied curtly.

Gridhacker gave the man a sharp stare, he said, ”Do know your place. If it wasnʼt for us. You will just be a nobody here. Do you want us to take away the enchantment in this room which can prevent the dead player from reviving in the safe zone?”

The short person looked back at Gridhacker with anger, but he didnʼt retort.

”Come out,” Gridhacker said again.

The short person gave one more glance at the cowering girl before he stepped out. He locked the door to the room.

”What do you want?” He asked Gridhacker.

”We need you to track down an individual in Themisphere. We know the place where he used to hang out, but he likes to move around. It is difficult to determine his position, but I believe it should be no problem for you. We also need you to make sure to bring him alive to us. You should have much experience in this considering your… hobby.”

”Why do I have to be the one who gets busy because of your incompetence? Send your people for that!”

”We donʼt have many people active in Themisphere and we canʼt spare what we have to chase him down. Thatʼs why we need you to do it.”

The short person showed a defying expression.

Gridhacker continued, ”Master sees a value in your tracking ability and also the ability to capture a prey alive, as long as you prove yourself useful. We will leave you to your sick hobby. But if we find your value no longer necessary, it is very easy for us to take away this facility. Not to mention sending you back to level 1. At that time, you will be at the same power as your victim, we will see if you can still easily overpower your victim and enjoy your pastime.”

”Donʼt make threats at me,” The short person growled.

”Donʼt take that tone at me,” Gridhacker shot back. ”Donʼt forget our relationship is based on mutual benefit. If you donʼt prove your worth, then there is no need to support you anymore. Letʼs see how you fend for yourself in this world once we spread to other players what kind of a person you are.”

The short person was silent for a long while. Gridhacker stood there and let him brood. Finally, the short person said, ”give me his data.”

Gridhacker took out a device. A hologram with the picture of Jack appeared. Some texts describing his class and abilities were accompanying the picture.

”Two classes?”

Gridhacker nodded. ”Donʼt underestimate him.”

”Fine. I will head out three days from now,” the short person said.

”You will head out tomorrow!” Gridhacker said.

The short person gave Gridhacker a hard stare but didnʼt say anything.

”Another thing,” Gridhacker said. ”Take this thing.”

Gridhacker gave him something that looked like a small metal plate with a rectangle shape.

”What is this?” The short person asked.

”A safety charm,” Gridhacker answered.

”To hell with it! I donʼt believe in that mumbo jumbo thing. Keep your charm to yourself.”

”Itʼs Masterʼs order. You only need to keep it in your inventory bag. Or do you want Master to come here and tell you himself?”

The short person grunted before he snatched the plate from Gridhackerʼs hand rudely. He turned around and kicked the wall. He went into the room with the girl again and locked the door. Gridhacker soon heard the girlʼs scream.

”Degenerate lowlife,” Gridhacker mumbled. He dared not object to the Masterʼs order for working with this psycho, but the Master had also promised that the midget would be disposed of once he outlived his usefulness.

---------------

Inside the teleportation chamber of Heavenly Citadel, Jack appeared. He had used the Guild Return scroll.

He went to the Guild Hall. There were five people inside, Jeanny, John, Bowler, Domon, and The Man. They were not that surprised to see Jack enter.

”Having a meeting?” Jack asked.

”I canʼt believe you truly pull it off,” John said.

”Oh? You know already?”

”Those with the rank of officers and above heard the notification,” Jeanny said. ”How did you pull it off? I thought you only use that Disaster Item to destroy or at least cripple their headquarters.”

”Hehe, I copy the trick they used to infiltrate our headquarters last time.”

”But you are still unbelievably fast, that coordinates Silverwing gave are more than a week travel from here,” John said.

”Arenʼt you underestimating my steed too much?”

”Is it that black horse you rode during our guild defense battle?” Bowler asked.

”I suggest you donʼt call her a horse when she was out. Do you remember there was one guy who suddenly knelt and screamed his lungs out during the battle?”

”Of course, he was beside me that time. I asked him and he still doesnʼt understand why he became so scared that time.”

”He called my steed a horse, thatʼs why.”

Bowler gave a face as if saying Jack was joking. When Jack maintained his serious face, he contemplated and told himself to watch his mouth if he was ever nearby Jack when he summoned his steed.

Jack went over to where the Guild Core was. There was a new small pedestal beside the core. When Jack touched it, a text description floated out and said that it was Corporate Unitedʼs Guild Hostage Token. He could even see some basic information on the Guild. How many members they currently had and what structures were built in their headquarter.

The name of their Guild Headquarters was Corporate Tower. They had given it the same name as their real office building in real life. They currently have 946 members. Sadly, no detailed info on these members. At the moment when Jack was reading, one of the structures listed there suddenly blacked out.

”It has gotten destroyed,” Peniel explained.

Jack then remembered that the battle at Corporate Tower was still ongoing.

”That was a cool gift you sent us,” John commented.

Jeanny agreed, ”We also received a large number of resources. Corporate Unitedʼs gold reserve was truly eye-opening. We have already allocated it to help train more Squires and Bandit Archers for our next defense.”

”I doubt they will attack anytime soon,” Jack said as he threw something to John, who caught it and found that it was a recording stone. John immediately played it for everyone to see.

The 3D image appeared above, starting from when Jack had a duel with Manager Straightpole. Or more accurately speaking, executing Manager Straightpole.

”See? Thatʼs what happened when you call my steed a horse,” Jack told Bowler.

Bowler took a gulp. He again reminded himself to watch his mouth if that Nightmare was present.

The scene proceeded to when Jack summoned the Demon Weed disaster and wreaked havoc on the Corporate Unitedʼs defensive formation. After a while, the scene jumped directly to when Jack was in the Guild Hall with General Manager Ironfist. Jack had paused the recording and resumed it again after reaching the hall.

”That is Ironfist!” Jeanny exclaimed. ”You crossed swords with him?”

”He can detect you while you are invisible,” John said.

”Yes, he can sense mana,” then to Jeanny, Jack asked, ”I do think I have heard of him before, but still, is he that famous?”

”He is one of the top brass of Corporate United guild,” Jeanny explained. ”He used to be a top player of the last generation. He was amongst those that had helped bring the guild to its current height. He is a martial art top expert. He was once a runner-up of the national championship around forty years ago.”

Hearing that, Jack turned to his grandfather. ”Well, in that case, shouldnʼt you recognize him?”

”Why so?” Jeanny asked, hearing Jackʼs question to Domon.

”Because my grandfather here was the winner of the national championship ten years straight around that time.”

”You are?!” Everyone asked with surprise.

”The fact that you all are so surprised is kind of insulting, I guess Iʼm still too soft on you during the training,” Domon said, and to Jack, he said, ”and arenʼt you leaving out the details too much. It was not only ten years straight winner of the national championship. It was also ten years straight winner of the world championship. I never lose once ever since I participate in those championships.”

Although they knew Domon was not any normal martial art expert, Jeanny and the others saw him in a different light now. Their eyes showed more respect.

”Esteemed Sir, pray tell then who had finally dethroned you from the top place on your eleventh year?” The Man asked.

”Dethroned? You are being ridiculous. I only win ten times in a row because I stopped competing in the eleventh year. I found it boring to keep on winning, so I just stop participating altogether.”

The others except Jack were speechless by his answer.

”So, do you recognize him? Considering you beat his ass and deny him the championship,” Jack asked again.

”You are also being ridiculous. I beat so many runner-ups in my lifetime, how can I afford to remember everyone?”

It was Jack who was speechless this time.

😉