Arc | Chapter. 33: Jake, the Weapon Master (Patreon)

Chapter. 33: Jake, the Weapon Master

I held the staff sword as I looked towards the man that had just tried to kill Ceylon’s father. I was annoyed. A simple annoyance that spiked as the man didn’t even flinch simply looking at me.

“A D Tier Ice Mage, interesting.”

My eyes went wide with surprise hearing him, and taking a quick look I understood why.

[Weapon Master. Tier: S]

An S Tier individual… I knew that for humans it was even harder for them to be S Tier in comparison to monsters, and the man had [Appraisal] too. With a frown, I swiped the blade away from him as he took it back.

“You are interesting, Arc,” he said, sheathing the weapon on his back. “Never would I think a D Tier individual would be able to stop that barehanded, especially not a Frost Mage. Or any kind of Mage.”

I frowned, knowing where this was going⁠— the fact that I had typed Ice instead of Frost had been quite the mistake, and now due to it the S Tier person in front of me was smiling widely as he gripped another weapon from his back.

“I wonder what Tier you really are…” He took a mace as my frown worsened.

I could see his muscles bulge and his face turn to one of excitement.

“And I want to find out⁠— [Master Blow]!” And he swung.

I blocked with my arm and the weapon hit. A gust of wind and ice exploded around us. The man’s eyes widened, and before he could even react I kicked. Ceylon squealed, his father yelped, the man went flying and broke through the wall of bricks.

And then with a frown, I turned to deal with other things first.

* * * * *

Jake flew, his body barely ached, but his mind was blaring. No B Tier individual, no A Tier individual could block his attack that easily, let alone just throw him like that. He watched the flaming factory as he fell down the air and all he could think of was.

He had to know where this new S Tier individual came from, and just how strong she was. He lived for these challenges, and it's what he aspired for, to find someone stronger than him and beat them. Yet so far, no one had been insurmountable to him.

But that didn’t mean he should stop hoping to find a worthy opponent.

He had trained, honed himself and upgraded his weapons throughout his journey. Now he held numerous legendary weapons, incredibly strong skills and could even touch the realm of SS Tier, now he just had to fully cross it. And for that, he needed to fight.

Jake landed on the ground looking up at the flaming factory as he prepared himself. He wanted to know her class, he wanted to know more about her, and the only way he would find out all of that and if she was worthy was through fighting her.

And more than anything he wanted to know just how strong she was⁠— and at that moment, an explosion of ice occurred from inside the factory. Jake watched as all the flames suddenly snuffed and then, she jumped out. The white haired mysterious girl he was eager to fight.

He readied himself as she landed, and she just stared at him with a frown.

“Why did you want to kill Thomas?”

Jake paused for a moment. “Are you not going to fight me?”

Her frown worsened. “Answer the question first.”

“I was looking for you. Arc, the Medal of Bravery holder, she who beat the Grand Duke up. I have been hired to kill you, but now I don’t care about that.” Jake shook his head. “I only care to⁠ fight you—”

And he rushed, grabbing the Mace of Malice once more, it was an S Tier weapon that he had acquired through exploring Ancient Ruins in Malkazar, and now, he was going to put it to use⁠— numerous skills went through his mind, flashing as the mana whirled around him, the mace itself took his energy to activate its own intrinsic perk.

Malice ⁠— once a target is hit their stats will be weakened by twenty percent.

Arc stood her ground, and at that moment, Jake smiled, whispering under his breath.

“[Flash Step].”

In a single blink, he appeared behind, already bringing the spiked weapon of hatred down, Arc raised her arm as a sword appeared and at that moment, the mace hit. Jake expected an explosion of ice but instead⁠— the ground exploded, Arc’s feet dug into the pavement as the sword withstood the heavy weight.

Then Jake noticed the Mace of Malice slowly freezing, and just as he was about to disengage Arc deflected. He was thrown off balance, and without hesitation the white haired girl held his arm back, and with her free hand she grabbed his head and pushed⁠— Jake’s eyes went wide as he was slammed into the ground.

He could feel it, her icy touch, her immense strength, and at that moment Jake realized, she too was at the peak of S Tier. Except, what kind of class could use ice and have such immense strength?!

People’s abilities were enhanced by their skills⁠—

And at that moment, he heard her voice.

“Submit.”

Jake gritted his teeth. “As if! [Otherworldly Strength]!”

His muscles bulged, Jake felt an overwhelming power engulf him and in just a single moment, he grabbed Arc by the arm and slammed her. The ground cracked, ice mist exploded around him, and the white-haired woman simply frowned as Jake regripped the Mace of Malice.

“If this continue the city will⁠—”

“[Titan’s Swing]!”

And he slammed down using all of his strength. Ice exploded around him, the ground shattered, the whole city shook. But he couldn’t let down his guard, for she too was an S Tier individual⁠—

The scenery changed. Jake blinked as he found himself standing in grassy planes, the city of Rivas was all the way in the distance, and beneath him there was⁠— nothing. Standing a few meters away, stood Arc, her arms slightly dirtied as she spat on the ground.

“You really wanted to fight me, huh?”

Jake blinked, aside from her dirtied arms she was completely fine, yet he could’ve sworn he had hit her. Any other S Tier individual would be quite hurt from that unless they had some sort of deflect skill, which just begged the question, the same incessant question that he constantly had in his mind.

What the fuck was her class?

He was Jake the Weapon Master, as his class name implied, he was the master of weapons. Any kind of weapon including his body he could use to its full potential. He however, could not for example use magic of any kind, call upon the spirits, or use curses or other type of system skills that didn’t exist in the vein of weapons.

It was a class he acquired when he became A Tier, and only after an incredibly bloodied battle was it offered to him. And ever since then, he became a Weapon Master, but ignoring that. No class in his mental library could do what this woman was doing.

But he also wanted to know.

He recovered his poise and smiled.

“Of course⁠—”

And she appeared in front of him, her fist already coming towards him. “Good.”

Jake’s eyes went wide⁠— and he was punched. He was thrown through the air and rolling into the grass as his heart beat in excitement. He was hesitant, hesitant to go all out, but now he understood that he could do it. That this person, Arc, wouldn’t be dying.

As for why she hid her real Tier, or why her identity was that of a C Tier adventurer, he didn’t care anymore.

He just wanted to fight.

Jake came to a rolling stop as he dug out a pair of twin-swords. Anara’s fang and Salas’ tooth, both disfigured swords that belonged to primordial beasts long dead. They had an intrinsic wind and gravity  attribute; something that would unleash utter destruction upon the land, and now; he didn’t care.

He hastily stood on his spot, and at that moment the white-haired woman appeared swinging an ice sword on him. Jake blocked with both swords as she stared at him, and then he smiled as his mana whirling within the two weapons.

Arc drew back and shook her head. “You really aren’t as fun as the Dragon of Flames.”

He paused. The Dragon of Flames… Jake had heard of what happened and now he understood, he understood the culprit. The Dragon of Flames was an S Tier being just like him, possibly around level 147, and yet Arc had fought him. There was no doubt in his mind that it had happened, and yet she was saying he wasn’t as fun.

He’d show her.

“Then I’ll make it fun⁠— [Release Potential].”

At that moment the wind around sped up, the dirt on the ground trembled letting out a deep rumble. The earth itself stirred awake as Jake planted the two weapons on the ground.

“The two primordial beasts were said to be partners, undefeated until their timeless existence came to an end for unknown reasons.” He smiled. “And now, it’s time to resurrect their powers once more.”

His mana poured into the two weapons, and soon enough they were going to be ready.

He clapped his hands. “Now it’s time for some fun⁠—”

And a pillar of ice erupted, hitting him in the stomach and launching him away.

“And what makes you think I’d let you do that?”

But he just smiled, calling out for the attack for the first time in years.

“[Storm of Forgotten Time].”

It was ancient. It was primordial. It was a Tier above. It was… his strongest⁠ attack…

* * * * *

Filmas paced around the room in nervousness. The news that his target had been annihilated should’ve already reached his ears. Not for nothing did he pay an exorbitant amount to hire an S Tier adventurer. And yet, there was nothing.

He heard of the factory burning, and he thought that was it, but no casualties upon the Arlow family were confirmed, let alone the person that beat him up.

“How stupid.” Filmas stomped as he looked out of the window. “How hard could it be to kill a single C Tier adventurer⁠—”

And the air in the distance, outside the city, distorted. Filmas blinked, thinking he was seeing things as blotches of darkness appeared, and before he could react.

They exploded.

* * * * *

The vicinity exploded. The wind turned sharp, cutting through the earth, the ground sunk as a massive abyss of darkness was formed, the air distorted as pieces of the earth flew around, and the S Tier girl was caught in the middle of it.

Jake landed, laughing as reality itself seemed to break, massive boulders fell apart disintegrating into dust as the abyss seemed to swallow everything whole, and everything outside was slashed and destroyed.

This was his masterpiece, this was his ultimate attack, and he loved every second of it⁠—

“I guess you really were serious about killing me.” A familiar voice said nearby.

Jake paused as he turned only to see the familiar white woman, a single cut running through her cheek. Her crimson blood flowing confirmed she was human.

“But that isn’t enough to kill me.” She shook her head. “You’re boring, killing you wouldn’t even give me levels. I’m leaving.”

And with those words, she turned. Jake paused, her clothes were somewhat dirty, her hair was messy, but otherwise she seemed unaffected. He didn’t understand it, he couldn’t understand it. It was… humiliating.

“Why?”

He asked, trembling in anger. He grabbed his newest acquisition, an S Tier ice spear with no intrinsic qualities, the worst S Tier weapon he owned. But it didn’t matter how. The white haired girl continued to walk away as he gritted his teeth.

“Why won’t you even try to kill me!”

Jake screamed, throwing the spear along with numerous skills. At that moment the girl paused and tilted her head, the spear zoomed past her shoulder as blood splattered just from grazing it.

He… injured her…?

“So you want me to try to kill you?” Arc asked, coldly turning to him as she pointed her finger towards him. “Sure, try to survive this⁠.”

Seeing her cold gaze, Jake froze, feeling a gripping chill cover his body. He shivered as she spoke her skill.

“[Frost Domain].”

And the world changed, it became an icy land with a rampaging blizzard and in the distance there was a deformed being that was staring at him through the storm. Two red dots for eyes, glowing, boring into his soul, and then golems of ice sprouted in the vicinity, each and every single one S Tier. An army of them. And for the first time Jake the Weapon Master, felt fear as he realized.

There is no class in this world that can do that…

Then, the Overlord attacked.

-

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