Chapter 39 - LOT - First Draft (Patreon)

Chapter 39 - LOT - (Next chapter will be out tomorrow)

“And then after that, we absolutely destroyed the Blue Fringed Warwolf! It was incredible!”

“Because, as we all know, JUSTICE IS SWIFT!”

Jack internally groaned as he listed the boisterous cheers of the man sitting in front of him, nodding his head faithfully as he played the part of an attentive listener. His eyes were tinged with exhaustion, constantly scanning to the left and right.

Jack was currently seated on the top of one of the wagons they were transporting, one of the nicest ones on the large caravan, an extravagant gold and red wagon that looked as tough as it did gaudy. The scaled horses didn’t seem to mind the extra weight, rumbling off forward as if it was nothing.

After killing the Void Shocker in the moment, the Rank A ‘Bigshot’ Hunter Jack had saved, Irone Swift, had thanked Jack profusely, and insisted he ride with him. Jack had agreed in the interests of not drawing unusual attention.

Killing the Void Shocker was bound to get him noticed by others, but it wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. He needed to become a Semi-Finalist in the Clan Tournament and Recruitment Drive the Magma Clan was putting on, he would surely be noticed then regardless. At least this way his strength would seem expected and plausible.

Irone Swift was sent here as a representative of the Swift Family, one of the both strongest and richest families on the south side of the Roven Continent. Not only were there several powerful Hunters in the family, but the head of the family was even ranked in the top 100 Hunters in the Hunter Association, symbolizing tremendous strength.

Every major family or Clan in the southern area of the Roven Continent would send a representative to the 5 year tournament held by the Magma Clan. Some would even send younger generation members to participate in the tournament.

Irone, at 26 years old, was still considered a younger generation member, and was sent here in that capacity, accompanied by his own team of Hunters he had personally helped raise.

When the noble learned that Jack was planning to participate, he became even more talkative, sharing all the information he had learned about the tournament freely. Like that Jack gained quite a bit in regards to how the tournament was organized this year.

The layout of the tournament was simple. Two combatants would enter a stage that was filled with obstacles, and have a individual matchup. Several healers from the Light Clan were on standby to treat anyone injured.

Losing required one to either admit defeat, or be forced unable to fight back. Death was also an option, but due to the safeguards of the tournament, as well as the various high level fighters watching, death was a rare occurrence. After all, the Magma Clan didn’t want to kill its new recruits, allies, or members.

To even reach the individual matchup, however, hopeful participants would have to pass a couple of physical tests, and those that passed would go through a round of eliminations. It sounded complex, but it all happened within a single day. The Magma Clan was very well organized after hosting this tournament and drive throughout the years.

The director of the caravan had personally thanked Jack, giving him a pouch containing 10 High Grade Spirit Stones, a very pricey reward. 3 years ago, Jack had been rewarded by the Space Clan with 10,000 High Grade Spirit Stones. However, over the years, he had burned through almost all of them in the process of speeding up his training of Spirit to the absolute maximum.

It was because of that, and his endless determination and willpower, that he, at the age of sixteen, was at the very highest peak of the Second Great Stage, about to step foot into the Third Great Stage.

Spirit Stones were relatively expensive and valuable, used for a variety of things, but for Rank A Hunters, they weren’t rare objects.

The noble Jack was talking to was also a fellow Spirit practitioner that was trying to walk the path of a Swordmaster. His family’s Natural Ability was very suited for swordmanship.

Irone’s sword talent was lacking when compared to his Family Head, or his elder brothers. Thus, he had volunteered to represent the family at the Magma Clan Tournament as a way to train himself.

Irone’s talent when it came to Spirit, however, was among the best. He had achieved the upper level of the Silver Body Stage at the age of 26, a very rare feat.

The Third Great Stage of Spirit, known as the Silver Body Stage, focused on transferring one’s Spirit Pool directly in their own body, making your Spirit become fully one with yourself, and granting yourself enhanced strength, reflexes, and regeneration and greatly reducing one’s need to sleep. It was extremely important to fully harmonize one’s body with one’s Spirit, so that when one attempted to break into the Fourth Stage, Soul Expansion, their body would not reject them.

It was also important to reach the Silver Body Stage because, for many warriors, their Natural Abilities would not fully mature till they reached this stage, pulling out every iota of potential they had in them.

Typical warriors that weren’t born into a noble or wealthy family but still attempted to train Spirit would, if they were lucky, take around 45 years to reach the Silver Body Stage, and even longer to reach the upper levels of the Stage, if they could reach it at all.

For nobles and the wealthy that wholeheartedly trained Spirit, the norm was reaching the Silver Body Stage at around 28 years of age, and reaching the upper levels where one neared completion at 34 or 35.

If Irone was considered a rare talent when it came to Spirit, however, than Jack was a freakish monster.

Achieving the culmination of the Bearing Light Stage at age 13 and reaching the full culmination of the Second Great Stage at the age of 16… Jack had the potential to step into the Silver Body Stage before he was even 17.

In terms of skill and ability to strengthen one’s Spirit, Jack stood among the absolute best in all of existence.

“Oh, hey! Would you look at that, we’re almost here!” Irone’s cheerful voice carried on without waiting for Jack to respond as he pointed forward.

After escorting the caravan for hours more, moving with almost no rest because the caravan head was leery of another attack, they had finally arrived at Idglebar City.

Jack looked out into the distance. He saw an enormous set of looming grey walls, obstructing his vision. Off to the sides of these walls, he could vaguely see what looked like an enormous red sea, with small islands of flames spouting about. The Magma Lake.

Even from this distance, Jack could feel a subtle, oppressive aura emanated from the lake. Such a massive, natural creation held immense power. He shivered, feeling very small suddenly.

“It’s… really something, that lake, huh?” He said, responding to Irone.

“Yeah! Gets yur blood boiling, doesn’t it!” Irone clapped Jack on the back, letting out a boisterous laugh.

“Well, we should probably split now that we’ve almost arrived. You’re welcome to come look for me and our team at the Dayburn Inn if you run into any trouble! Also, don’t forget what I told you about the tourney participants!” Irone leapt off the wagon, his pair of long sabers clanking together as he landed down on the ground, stirring up a small cloud of red ash.

“Especially the leader of the Magma Clan’s younger generation! His Natural Ability has already approached the Formless Stage, an incredible achievement for one so young.”

“That Kenneth Rake is a nasty one I hear.”

A few minutes later, they finally reached the walls he had seen in the distance. The long trailing caravan made its way towards one of a multitude of entrances set along the side of the wall. There were six visible entrances that Jack could see, spread along the side of the wall.

Each entrance was wide, nearly twenty meters across. A large, arching stone doorway with a menacing black grate that was raised. Several guards could be seen standing outside the entrance, talking and interrogating people that moved back and forth through each area. The guards wore simple plain grey armor, with a small red insignia of molten rock emblazoned in it, the symbol of the Magma Clan.

Idglebar City, while a large and popular city in its own right, was heavily controlled by the Magma Clan.

There were a few small lines in each of the entrance paths. The enormous caravan behind Jack gradually began to split up, moving off to each area. The successful mission was officially completed. Jack, and the rest of the Hunters, would be able to go directly to the local Hunter House or Hunter Association headquarters to pick up their completed reward, while the local guards or warriors would need to stick with their respective employees. This convenience for Hunters was yet another reason for the widespread popularity of the profession.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Bale and Evan break off from the caravan, heading towards one of the more southern entrances.

They’d decided that while they were in the city, they would avoid basic contact outside of the Inn they were staying at. He nodded his head as he focused on the city entrance in front of him, urging his horse forward.

For now, he would make his way through the city, to the inn Liren had planned out, and prepare for the preliminary tests tomorrow, as well as eat a warm dinner and take a long nap. The constant alertness, the battle with the Void Shocker, and the excitement and nervousness had taken it’s toll on Jack.

He would begin testing his newfound Time powers in the morning. For now… sleep.

..

Several hours later, darkness swarmed over parts of Idglebar City. In the wake of the upcoming tournament, a strict curfew was being enforced. One could ignore the restraints if they had a certain level of authority, but most could not. Breaking curfew would see one expelled from the city into the brutal wilderness, or imprisoned in the dungeons controlled by the Magma Clan.

A warm, red glow lit the west side of the city, the eternally burning Magma Lake overshining the night. Even the darkness of night could not wipe out the powerful, burning flames that spread across the sea of fire.

In a nondescript room at a random, small inn, a young man was currently covering himself in rolls of black cloth. He tightened each strap as he got dressed, ensuring that every inch of his body was closely covered.

His movements were oddly silent. If one were to look closely at him, one might notice extremely small movements in the air, as if the space around him was quivering ever so slightly, sealing off sound.

Liren looked back towards his bed in the inn he was staying at, rubbing his palms together. Underneath the black mask of cloth he wore, a look of concentration covered his face. Abruptly, a vague, shadowy figure could be seen lying in his bed. He walked over and covered the figure with his blankets, nodding his head sharply. He placed a small letter on top of the shadowy figure, slipping it beneath the blankets.

He then picked out a small map from a Space Sealed Storage Pouch he possessed, glancing it over. The map was aged, and showed a general layout of Idglebar City, the Magma Lake in the nearby vicinity, and a few small sketches of where the Forinth Stronghold was located.

On it, a red circle marked out a volcano that was set behind the large stronghold.

He glanced off to the side, as if he was looking through the wall at a room several spaces over. He gave a small smile, and then folded his hands together, moving them in a specific pattern.

His actions were extremely controlled and delicate, moving precisely and slowly. A full 25 seconds passed with him making small and intricate movements. A light seemed to gleam in his eyes after his hand made the passes, and, without a sound, he vanished, completely disappearing from his room. Leaving behind a vaguely human form under some sheets, and a very small spatial wave that quickly dissipated in the night.

..

“Damnded Lord…” A gritty, deep voice rang out in the depths of a chamber deep within the Forinth Stronghold.

The chamber was large, more of a cavern than anything else, built into the side of one of the mountains that touched the base of the stronghold. It was set high up the side of the mountain, and filled with several stone platforms, intricate tapestries coating the walls. Several large candlesticks were set into the walls, lighting the area up. A long, detailed red carpet stretched along the floor, leading to a doorway.

“Apologies, Lord Lionel. I am merely repeating his orders to you.” A potbellied old man shrugged as he nodded apologetically towards a muscular figure standing on one of the various stone platforms in the cave area.

“Whatever.” The big man grumbled, his red eyes gleaming as he looked out through a carved hole in the cave wall, at the shining Magma Lake in the distance. . He had a strong chin and a large, hooked nose, with weathered features giving him a powerful, masculine appearance.

“Tell him I’ll have some of my subordinates start searching the city.” He waved his hands at Morral, shrugging.

“Apologies again, milord, but he requested that you personally complete this task, with the assistance of some of the Guardsmen.” The potbellied old man gave the towering muscular figure another apologetic smile, raising his hands helplessly.

“Grrr…” The muscular figure gave a guttural growl, a faintly draconic aura sweeping over him. His eyes took on a threatening, powerful demeanor, an aura of strength washing off him.

As Morral saw this, a dangerous light appeared in his eyes, but he remained still, unmoving.

After a tense moment, the draconic aura vanished, and Lionel sighed, rubbing his eyes.

“Fine. Have your Guardsmen coordinate with my two chiefs to begin searching the city. I will personally begin my own search, starting with the Sacred Volcano magma pool.”

“Of course, Lord Lionel.” Morral began, a warm smile still on his face.

“However, I doubt you will find any of the pirates in your favorite bathing spot-”

“SILENCE.” A powerful yell shook the cavern, rage crashing down on the potbellied old man. A rush of air set the cavern fluttering, causing the door in the distance to rattle.

“I will search as I see fit. Unless the Lord had orders on where I should search, I will do as I will.” Lionel glared at the old man.

“Leave now.”

“As you wish, Lord Lionel.” Morral’s gentle smile remained up during the entire interaction, and he nodded as he exited the room. His eyes, however, contained a deepest coldness.

Lionel reached his arms up, stretching as he watched the old man leave, grumbling under his breath.