Arc | Chapter. 34: Acknowledgement (Patreon)

Chapter. 34: Acknowledgement

My homeland, a place of death, a place of suffering. It’s the place that made me. The land of frost. And also, my domain.

Of course, the skill was completely useless in that place, but here, in the world of Arlas.

It was different.

A quarter of my mana had been taken in an instant, a large dome of ice was sprouted, generated as the insides were forcibly shifted to resemble the hellish place, golems of ice were made, the Overlord came to life through the use of my magic. All to attack a single person.

He wanted a challenge, so he was getting it.

I had many skills that were at the peak of S Tier before becoming SS Tier, [Stasis] being the objectively strongest one, then the most offensive and immediate one was [Judgment of the Ice God], then came the most devastating one in terms of area of attack; [Everlasting Glaciation], and then came [Frost Domain].

Unlike the others, this skill was special, for I had complete control about what happened inside.

Still… I turned to look behind me where I saw the ice spear. Where did he get it from?

It was my ice spear, the only reason he had injured me was because the thing broke right through the [Armor of Perma-frost]... A small frown settled in my face, and then before I could destroy it, the spear shone⁠—

“[Armament Recall]!”

It disappeared. I turned with a frown of annoyance and flicked my fingers only to see and feel the spear be unresponsive. Refusing to melt away.

This is…

And dozens of ice golems exploded in the background.

Exciting, but also troublesome…

With a sigh, I decided to wait and see what would happen.

* * * * *

He could do it.

Jake felt it in his veins. He didn’t understand why the Ice Spear was infinitely better than all his other weapons, but it didn’t matter to him as he simply charged. This was everything he wanted and more. Whatever Arc’s class was, it had become a goal to find out, but it was a distant goal.

Right now, his first priority was to survive, and through using the Ice Spear he would do it. He sprinted through the land of ice, stabbing through the S Tier ice golems. Each and every single one was strong, and yet⁠—

[Deadly Blows]!

The spear blurred and impaled hundreds if not thousands of times across his surroundings, dismantling the S Tier threats in a mere instant. It felt like culling the ranks of mere A to B Tier monsters. Jake’s heart thumped in excitement as more and more golems approached. He saw the Overlord in the distance as the grandiose beast readied itself to do something.

But Jake couldn’t pay it too much attention as more golems began to appear, and soon, he was surrounded⁠— and that’s when he felt it, the change in the wind as he screamed.

“[Perfect Parry]!”

A gigantic block of ice hit him, his muscles bulged as he redirected it following his instincts⁠. Deflecting it into tens of golems. His arms ached as he turned, seeing the gigantic beast create another ice block at its hands.

He couldn’t take it easy and dispose of the golems, the Overlord would kill him; it was an existence he couldn’t even comprehend⁠— no. Jake couldn’t comprehend it, this entire place was a byproduct of a skill. A skill used by someone that was as strong as him; as for how the effect was achieved, he had no idea.

But it also meant two things; Arc must’ve been exhausted after doing it, and two. If he overcame this then figuring out her class would be easy.

A grin appeared on his face; this was just another challenge for him to triumph in. And for that, he needed to truly give it his all. Jake took a deep breath as all the ice golems around him began to approach, in the distance more sprouted, and finally as the Overlord charged another attack, he felt like he was ready.

Screaming he lunged forward, chanting skills in his mind.

[Flicker Step⁠]—

And a golem missed as he charged forward, a pillar of ice was shot in his direction as he quickly used yet another skill, flicking the ice spear like a bat⁠— [Energy Absorption]— and the spear hit. And at that moment, the ground around him exploded, the block of ice shattered into thousands of sparkling pieces⁠. Jake felt energy go through his whole body, ready to be used as he gritted his teeth.

It was straining.

[Flash Step]!

But it didn’t matter.

In just an instant, he stood right next to the Overlord, his muscles bulged as he called.

“[Bone Breaker]!”

And he slammed with shaft of the spear into the monster’s leg. The snow, the ice, the air around exploded as the skin of the monster ripped, bones, flesh, blue blood all splattered across the ice land as the Overlord let out a horrific screech. Then, Jake took a deep breath.

He watched as the gigantic monster he wouldn’t be able to beat toppled, and that’s when he knew, he truly believed in the quality of the weapon he was using. It was something that he always wanted, the ultimate weapon, what he always searched for.

He truly was bound to it.

And at that moment, he felt it, he saw it, the intrinsic attack of the weapon. He could feel it, hidden inside the very structure of the spear, and it was the perfect thing to finish off the Overlord. With a wide smile he swung upward⁠—

“[Wrath of the Ice Queen]—!”

And dozens of gigantic spears pierced through the Overlord, instantly killing the monster in the process as blood and gore erupted into the white sky, and then, Jake heard it⁠— a cracking sound. He watched sunlight pour from the sky itself, first there was a line, but then a whole system of webs appeared until everything fell apart.

The ice on the ground started to melt as grass appeared, and that’s when Jake finally realized it. It was… He hadn’t been transported to another world, but rather, he was still in the same grassy plains. Jake stood there surprised for a moment as he felt like the things he had experienced were a fever dream.

But that reminded him.

Arc⁠—

“[Glaciation].” And Jake was frozen all over. He couldn’t turn as he heard Arc talking. “If it weren’t for my spear you’d be dead already, it’s not something you should possess, so I’ll be taking it back.”

He heard her footsteps, as Jake’s mind whirled with more questions than answers. Her spear…? The spear within his hands was hers? It couldn’t be. And even if it was, this was the weapon that was going to bring him to greater heights. This was how he was going to become SS Tier. The first human to do it in millennia!

Jake struggled, the ice around him didn’t bulge, and finally he called out his skills.

[Titanic Strength]— Nothing. He kept on using skills, until finally as the girl loomed, he thought of something. One skill he hardly ever used for one simple reason.

[Borrow Aspect]. Jake suddenly felt cold all over, but also stronger. Much stronger. Normally the skill would weaken him, but now, for some reason he was stronger than ever. Bulging his muscles the ice began to crack. Jake gritted his teeth, and with a final push the ice shattered as he turned.

“If you want to take it then, you’ll have to kill me.”

Arc frowned. “Fine, then. Do your best to survive.”

And at that moment, ice sprouted around Arc engulfing her in an exquisite ice armor. Jake paused as he turned, he was stronger than ever there was no way he would be backing off. With a smile he called⁠.

“Bring it⁠—”

She appeared in front of him holding a long ice mace.

“Fine.”

And Arc swung. Jake felt numerous bones break as his backpack unraveled, dozens of timeless weapons splattered across the ground as he was sent flying into a distant forest. Breaking through dozens of trees in an instant.

* * * * *

A small breath left me, I didn’t know if I wanted to kill the man or what to even make out of things. I could sense presences coming in our direction, all because of the ruckus that had occurred from the battle.

Part of me wanted to have fun, but where was the fun if my opponent’s strength came from me? Why was he using my own spear to defeat me? If anything I found the idea annoying, which is why I couldn’t enjoy things. And that left me with only one choice.

I had to destroy the spear; for whatever reason I was unable to melt it. Perhaps I had been away from it for so long that it lost all my mana, or something else. Point being, the ice of the spear didn’t belong to me any longer. And since it was SS Tier it wouldn’t submit to me either.

It was annoying.

But, in the end, I had no choice. Shaking my head, I vanished with the use of [God Step].

I was going to end this battle quickly.

* * * * *

Jake broke through numerous trees as his body felt slight twinges of pain, even though some ribs were broken from the hit, he knew he could endure it⁠. He was so much stronger after all, and fighting another S Tier, shouldn’t be a problem—

The armored ice woman appeared looming over him, she raised her arm as she called.

“[Judgment of the Ice God]!”

And the smite from the heavens immediately came; the sky split as a fixture of ice slammed down upon his whole existence. Jake’s eyes widened as he cast his skill⁠— [Flash Step]. His stomach was pierced as he landed a couple of dozens of meters away. Part of the forest exploded, trees flew all while Jake panted.

What even was that⁠—

“You should’ve run when you had the chance⁠.”

A voice said from behind, Jake paused and he turned only to be hit in the face⁠— [Perfect Parry]! Jake’s body redirected the hit as he took all momentum and hit Arc with a punch and his fist broke⁠— his fingers deformed as he let out a small grunt. Then, she punched him.

Jake was thrown, his nose bleeding as he rolled through the ground and in spite of everything he held the spear. It was his only chance at victory, but even then, his vision was blurring. He had⁠— he was sure of it, but he had surpassed his limits during the fight all thanks to the spear, and even then he was helpless.

He had to try harder.

Jake gritted his teeth.

He had to be faster.

The world stilled as his muscles bulged.

He had to surpass his limits once more.

Just when he was about to land on the ground, something clicked within him. It was the core of his class⁠— he could feel and draw upon the essence of weapons, bring out their core and use it; that was why he was a Weapon Master. He gripped the spear, and with a single twist he called upon its raw power. Using his mana, it was transformed as ice exploded all around him. Trees were impaled, the grass was shred, everything turned into ice blades⁠—

And finally, Jake had respite as he landed in a clearing. However, he knew he didn’t have much time, not before she attacked once more. He took a deep breath, readying a skill combo that was sure to end things. He could hear the people gathering behind him, they were outside of Rivas already, but he didn’t care.

He just knew he needed one good hit in, one good timing, and then, he would be victorious…

Jake took a deep breath, and readied his skills first he was going to use⁠—

And the woman appeared, swinging her hammer down on him⁠.

[Energy Absorption].

He blocked, the ground caved in as all his bones threatened to break from the pressure, but this was just the beginning. The woman disappeared, Jake took a moment as the wind blew, and he⁠— turned. Only to be met with a sword slash⁠—

[Perfect Parry]!

And he deflected, Arc was completely thrown off balance, though deep down Jake knew she was holding back, they couldn’t afford to destroy the surroundings anymore, at least not without civilian casualties, but even then⁠— he smiled knowing there was a mountain behind her.

[Deadly Impalation]!

The woman barely dodged, part of the armor exploded as some blood splattered, the forest exploded in a line as a hole was perforated in the mountain behind. A necklace fell onto the ground, and finally Jake the Weapon Master saw it.

Her class.

[Heroine of Frost. Tier: SS]

Finally it clicked.

So that’s why he couldn’t win…

The armor fell apart, before his eyes as a woman with an awful frown stared at him. Still, Jake braced himself. Yet she spoke as another spear of ice appeared, and that’s when Jake realized the one within his hands fell apart, breaking into chunks.

“Fine, you win,” she said, annoyed. “I acknowledge you, this is my gift to you but let this get out and I shall kill you.”

Jake blinked, and before he could react, the spear was thrown at him at supersonic speeds.

* * * * *

The Grand Duke, Filmas, accompanied the people to see the chaos that was happening outside of the city. Guards tried to stop the curious ones but to no avail, and all he saw was destruction. He saw shards of ice, an impossible hole in the ground, he saw the forest constantly blowing up with no indication of what was happening.

He hadn’t heard news of Jake the Weapon Master either, and deep down in his heart he felt like this was related to him. Somehow or in some way, Jake was in this battle. The question was…

How?

And at that moment part of the forest exploded, the mountain behind had a hole punctured through. People gasped, others winced, some watched in silence, and then a moment after there was a flash of light.

In a blink, the ground in between the crowd split open as everyone cried in shock. People panicked as even Filmas backed off, and as the cloud of dust cleared everyone paused.

In the middle there was a man, a familiar man impaled by a blue spear, his body half limp as he chuckled to himself.

It was Jake the Weapon Master.

“So I’ll die if I spread it…? Even if you didn’t say it I wouldn’t…”

And with a hollow chuckle, the S Tier adventurer passed out.

---

Sorry for the late chapter, was out with family. What did y'all think?