“You… Don’t you know our guild!?” The Real Man asked with worry. He was afraid that the man before him was someone who was like a frog in a well, who was ignorant about the powerful groups in the gaming community. If so, then his guild’s name would bring no weight. He tried to explain, “our guild is a powerful guild you don’t want to mess with, we have large numbers of members and many highly skilled players who are well-known in…”
Jack was amused by the guy’s effort to try to make him see the greatness of his guild, as if it would affect the situation he was currently in. Jack allowed him to take his time to finish his babbling.
“… So do you see now what a big mistake you have made at the moment?” The Real Man finished his lecture after quite some time.
Jack gave him a playful smile and said, “well, what I see is you are my hostage, and you ask those men of yours to back away from those three, or I cut your throat and let you start over again from scratch.”
“You! Do you not hear what I just said!?” The Real Man felt like his mind was about to go off. He had explained to the man about the implication of his action but why did he still not understand? How could he be so unreasonable?
“I hear you all right,” Jack said. “I just don’t think it was a big deal.”
“No big deal…?” The Real Man could not believe his ears.
“Now stop your nonsense, and ask your people to back off, please,” Jack repeated his demand. “I will not repeat myself again.”
“You…!” The Real Man was still unwilling.
“Everyone, back off!” In the end, it was Goliath that had given the command. He had just drunk a basic healing potion. Unlike his young leader, he was not misguided by their guild’s illusion of grandeur. This assailant had taken out a huge chunk off his HP with a single Power Strike despite his high defense armors, he knew this person was not simple and had not decided to attack them out of ignorance.
The group of Warriors of Solidarity slowly put some distance from Bowler and the others.
Previously when The Real Man was giving a lecture about his guild, Jack had sent a party invite to his three friends. Afterward, he sent them a message in the party chat to flee towards the capital while he held the Warriors of Solidarity back. The Man refused to leave Jack behind, it was an utter cowardly thing to do. But Jack told him not to worry, he would be fine.
When The Man was still hesitant, Flame went on a more direct approach and told him in chat that his weak self would simply be a burden to Jack if he stayed behind. He was furious by the comment but was able to cool down soon, his long years of experience were not just for show after all. He told Jack to make sure to escape safely or else he would not forgive himself. Jack promised him.
After Goliath gave the order, Jack gave them the signal in party chat and the three of them immediately withdrew. The members of Warriors of Solidarity could only watch them bitterly as they left.
“Tell your people guarding outside these woods to not make any funny moves as well,” Jack said. But actually, he did not worry too much about those sentries. They were too spread out, it would take time for them to assemble. Bowler and the others would most likely only meet one or two of their members, the three of them could easily handle such a number.
“Do you think you can escape,” Goliath said. “I admit your damage is very high, I don’t know how you do it, but do you honestly think you can take all of us on? If you let our leader go now, we can still talk about your transgression.”
Jack ignored him and paid attention to his three friends’ progress via the Map system. They had gone out of the woods and en route to the capital. Jack was happy to see that they did not seem to receive any interference.
Goliath was incensed to have been ignored, but he kept his anger in. He did not want to antagonize their assailant, not while the person was still holding their leader hostage. He secretly gave instructions in the party chat for his members to take position around the guy, to make sure he could not escape once he let go of The Real Man.
Jack saw them encircling him, but he didn’t put much thought into their action, he was simply buying time so Bowler and the others could put more distance.
“They are far away already, there is no way we can still get them before they reach the capital,” Goliath finally ran out of patience. “Now let our leader go, or we will show no mercy!”
“You talked as if you will let me go if I comply?” Jack asked him with a playful smile.
“If you think we will let you off for only killing you once, think again!” Goliath said with a grim expression. “We will hunt you continuously and make sure you never get past level 1. We will make so that you can only spend the rest of your life inside the city and will even make sure that your life will be miserable inside the city!”
“That’s right! You better think carefully about your action for your own good!” The Real Man added, Goliath’s words appeared to have given him some courage. His life was still in critical condition, his Natural Body Recovery skill did not activate as he was not yet considered out of combat, due to Jack was still holding him in an aggressive manner.
When he was still shouting to vent his frustration, Jack abruptly released his hold. He turned around and looked at Jack in a suspicious manner.
Jack looked back calmly at him in return and said, “you should also think carefully about your next action.”
The Real Man eyed Jack and thought if he had any trick up his sleeve, he then looked around at his underlings. When his eyes returned to Jack, it contained its previous confidence and savageness. He jumped back towards his men and placed himself in reach of their protection, before yelling in a vicious tone, “Kill him! Chop his limbs to make him suffer before death! Then search for him in the city and make sure he cannot leave the city anymore, make him regret to ever put his hands on me!”
Jack sighed, he kind of expecting The Real Man’s reaction already. He actually would let him go if he decided to just walk away, but he admitted that this was a tall order considering the guy’s arrogance. Jack swung his sword in a leisurely manner, a crescent light shot out. Despite Jack’s leisurely swing, the light traveled at a blindingly fast speed. It hit The Real Man when he was still uttering his last sentence. The little HP he got left was immediately snuffed out, his body fell stiffly with wide eyes, which had not yet understood what had happened.
When the light shot out from Jack’s sword, the members from Warriors of Solidarity were just about to lunge at Jack, but they were stopped short by Jack’s attack. They looked at The Real Man’s still corpse.
“Le… leader?” One of them blurted out. They had yet to registered what had just transpired. What was that light just now, was that a skill?
Goliath could grasp the situation better, despite he was also shocked by Jack’s sudden attack. He quickly gave the others the command to react, “kill him!”
He ran forward holding his heavy mace with two hands, ready to bash it at Jack’s skull. The others were awakened by Goliath’s holler and action, they simultaneously charged at Jack from all directions, giving him no space to flee. They were determined to take down their leader’s killer and made him pay for his crime.
Jack was looking at them with the same leisurely smile. Goliath was puzzled by Jack’s reaction, no way the guy was still expecting to get away from this, was he?
He arrived in front of Jack first. He made a downward swing but not in a reckless manner. He understood his opponent was not simple, his stance was in a position where he could change direction in a moment of notice. But contrary to his expectation, his opponent sheathed his sword instead and waved at him.
His heavy mace came down at his opponent’s head while he was still baffled, and his opponent’s body burst into a puff of smoke.
