Second World

Inside Saints Seatʼs Guild Hall, John was working with the control platform.

”Arenʼt you my fatherʼs personal guard?” John asked the sentinel who was standing not far away.

The sentinel didnʼt answer.

John laughed. ”He asked you to guard me, but I think what he meant is to watch me. Well, the fact that he asked you to stay here meant that he still doesnʼt fully trust me… for a good reason.”

On Johnʼs last word, his magic staff appeared and a spell formation formed very swiftly. The sentinel was startled by Johnʼs act. He brandished his sword and used Charge to approach John.

While the sentinel was still midway, a curtain of water appeared. He was too fast to stop his movement abruptly and the curtain was too wide. Furthermore, the curtain of water seemed alive and was moving at him. His entire body was wrapped by that living water.

The sentinel soon found himself floating inside the water. The water formed a large water bubble with him at the center. He tried moving his limbs to swim out, but he remained at the same position inside the bubble. He tried using his sword to thrust and slash, even using skills, but the water remained unaffected.

John came to beside the bubble and observed. ”Hm… You can still breathe. Does it mean that we donʼt need to breathe underwater in this world? Interesting. Might need to test that out later. Anyway, this spell of mine is something I learned from a technique book. This is the first time I cast it on an actual opponent, to be honest. I never cast it before even though I have learned it quite some time ago because I want to keep it an absolute secret. So my enemies wonʼt know about it and I can use it in a more crucial time, like for now.”

John took out a magic scroll and walked to the Guild Hallʼs entrance while continued talking, ”That spell is called Living Water Prison. A fitting name, I might say. It has no offensive capability, simply a one-target controlling spell. A very good one, though.”

He activated the magic scroll and a wall of ice appeared right in front of the entrance. He then took out another magic scroll and a bone fence was erected behind the wall of ice. Another magic scroll, this time a wall of vines grew behind the bone fence. Afterward, he walked back.

”Iʼm sorry you have to listen to my ramblings. I like to let people know how smart I am and since you are the only person here, you will have to do. I am guessing you have been sending messages to my father, havenʼt you?” John asked.

The sentinel seemed to realize something.

”You havenʼt? Damn! You must be one dense bodyguard,” John criticized. ”Never mind, those three spells should be able to hold anyone long enough. Long enough for what? You might ask? Well, my dense bodyguard, you will find out soon. But first, letʼs turn off this signal blocking tower. You people are quite good to gain a blueprint to construct a structure that jams the enemyʼs messaging capability. It will be quite troublesome for the force attacking this place when they canʼt send messages to one another.”

*

On the battlefield outside of Saints Seat. Jack and Arlcard were still wreaking havoc all over the place, with Jackʼs summons providing backup.

Jack was still in his werewolf form. On the first level, beast form lasted five minutes. While in his max-level, Jackʼs beast form lasted ten minutes. Two out of the three other werewolves he was fighting against had already perished. While the third one was wounded and had run away and should have reverted to his human form by now.

Another beastmaster appeared, which surprisingly had a Bear form. Peniel informed that different beast forms required either special quests or lengthy processes, so it was remarkable for someone to have acquired it at this stage. But Peniel also pointed out that this bear form was not that rare. Bear and cat form were the second most common ones after wolf form.

This werebear was slower but was much stronger. Yet, it proved little challenge to Jack.

Jack continued casting spells as he clawed and bit. It must be weird for people to see spell formations kept on forming one after another by a savage werewolf. Jack bet this was never meant to be when Wilted designed this game world.

While he was still happily mauling his opponents, he suddenly received several ping notifications. He checked and saw several incoming messages from Jeanny and the others.

ʼIs there a problem at Heavenly Citadel?ʼ He thought. When he was about to read them, he received another new message.

Surprisingly, it was from John. The guy must have turned off his Friendʼs message blockage.

”Hey, expert. Are you still having fun out there?” The message read.

”How about you come out? I can skim you by another level. Oh, wait, you need time to buy the Amulet of Rebirth, so you are now cowering inside your headquarters. Donʼt worry, I will come in soon,” Jack replied.

”Hehe, cute. Now, be serious. Invite me back,” John sent his reply.

”Invite you back to where? I will be happy to send you to hell. You will be right at home there.”

”I know it will be hard for you to listen. Wait, I will send a proof soon.”

”What proof?” Jack had no idea what this traitor was talking about, but he soon heard a notification voice. Not only him, everyone from Everlasting Heavenly Legends heard the notification.

”Everlasting Heavenly Legendsʼ guild hostage token had been destroyed. Your guild no longer has to pay resource toll to Saint Edge.”

Jack was so stunned by the notification that he paused. He ended up getting hit from behind. Lots of native soldiers rammed onto him soon, trying to hold him down.

”Hey! Get off me!” Jack shouted.

Itʼs a good thing his Therras Beast was closed by. It rammed a native soldier right beside Jack. It then activated its strongest skill, Imperious Pressure. A spherical field spread out from the Therras Beast. All enemies within this field felt their bodies become extremely heavy.

With such a severe handicap imposed, the enemies were unable to resist Jackʼs overwhelming strength. He shook everyone off and performed Whirlwind Slash with his claws. Many died. Those outside the gravity field didnʼt dare to enter. Only the ranged classes were able to do something by shooting from outside, but their efforts were meager.

Funnily though, those Saint Edgesʼ people outside seem to be panicking about something. Jack saw a lot of them running away from the battlefield back towards their headquarters.

ʼHuh? They canʼt be that scared of me, can they?ʼ Jack thought. But that didnʼt make sense, why were they only terrified now after fighting for so long?

Jack continued to tear those helpless players and soldiers within Therras Beastʼs field while exchanging messages with John, ”Our guild hostage token is gone. Is that your doing?”

”Do you think there is anyone else who could have done that at this time? Now hurry up and invite me back to the guild! I donʼt have much time. They are banging the entrance as we speak. The guild core will also break soon,” John replied.

”Whose guild core?”

”Whose do you think? Now stop asking stupid questions and just tap that invite button…!”

”Uh…” Jack was speechless.

”Do you believe him?” Peniel asked.

After a brief thought, he said. ”Well, our guild hostage token is no more, so there is no need for me to force my way in. If that dude tries anything funny, we can just kick him out.”

Jack opened his guild invite interface and selected John from his friend list.

”Thank you, expert! It wonʼt be long now. You can hurry up and escape. I will meet you back in Heavenly Citadel,” John sent his message.

Jack was still having trouble understanding Johnʼs words. Not long after, he heard another notification. This time informing him that Everlasting Heavenly Legends had destroyed Saint Edgeʼs guild core. Receiving a generous amount of resources from its current stock and acquiring its guild hostage token. From now on, Saint Edge would have to pay a toll every time they gained resources. Additionally, Everlasting Heavenly Legends also received a hefty number of reputation points for a successful invasion.

Jack was again stunned by the notification that he stopped, only to be snapped back by those ranged playersʼ attacks.

”Was that your doing as well? Whose side are you on exactly?” Jack asked John.

”Is there any point asking? Have you escaped?”

”Have you?” Jack asked back.

”Of course. I used a consumable tool that teleports me far away even when I am still in combat status. Iʼm going to use Guild Return Scroll now. You better escape if you havenʼt. They will be very angry now and will throw everything they have at you.”

ʼHave they not already?ʼ Jack said in his mind, but he didnʼt plan to dally any longer. There was no point staying here anymore.

He sent a mental message to Arlcard, before unsummoning the vampire and his Therras Beast. His beast form had ended just now, but he didnʼt need that form to escape. He had an even better move to clean up his escape path.

He lifted his sword high and twenty lightning balls appeared. He didnʼt forget to activate Life Burning Art and his swordʼs Overlimit state to maximize the damage value.

The twenty balls were sent in the direction away from Saints Seat. Jack spread it out in a linear fashion. The carpet bombings created a long path filled with fallen bodies.

Without further ado, Jack ran along this path.. No one was able to match his running speed.

😉