“Jack boy, since my team is no longer proceeding, I want to advise you about that orc team, just in case you meet them in the final,” Jet said to Jack. “They are all martial experts. Do you know the formation they used in their match?”
“I have a feeling that you are about to tell me,” Jack said.
“Smartass. The martial formation they used during the group fight is called Interdependent Poles Formation, this formation can be performed using four to six people. While the move that their leader used is called Starlight Field.”
“Any tips against them?”
“Nope.”
“You only tell me the names without any hints to defeat them, that’s not really advice now, is it? That is just info.”
Jet shrugged. “Your grandfather like to say one has to find their own way to beat an enemy. Oh, yes, here’s some advice. You better do something about that team of yours. They are all easy pickings with how they are now.”
“Yeah, like how you pick on them,” Jack said.
Jet chuckled. “Well, good luck with the final, Jack boy. I will be rooting for you.”
Prince Alonzo came by with Duchess Isabelle and Gruff when Jet left. He said, “Congratulations, Mister Storm Wind. You have again brought great glory to our kingdom.”
“My pleasure, Your Highness,” Jack replied politely.
“You have an interesting pet there,” Duchess Isabelle said. “Do you know that pet of yours is considered a sacred beast in Themisphere? No one had found a single Therras Beast since the founder of Themisphere Kingdom passed away. It is surprising that you have one.”
“That’s right,” Prince Alonzo said. “With your match being broadcasted everywhere. All the nobilities in Themisphere had seen you and your pet, and since they know you support me, this will justify my position even further.”
“I’m just lucky to find one,” Jack replied. “I didn’t know it’s such a big deal. Otherwise, I might have shown it sooner.”
“It’s just symbolic, but it is still a big deal nevertheless,” Duchess Isabelle said. “Showing it in this match is probably the better outcome since it was broadcasted to the whole world. Once we get back, we will work on spreading rumors that the appearance of this beast under Prince Alonzo’s banner is a clear sign that the third prince is supported by the founder himself.”
“Uh, okay,” Jack commented. He never thought this graceful Duchess to be so crafty.
“We will leave you then. Thank you again for your effort,” Prince Alonzo said. After he and Duchess Isabelle left, Gruff bellowed, “Lad, you almost gave me a heart attack! I thought you are going to lose for a moment there.”
“Same here,” Jack answered truthfully.
“You should deal with that team problem of yours. Now that everyone knows how to deal with you. Whoever wins between the Orc and the Vampire teams, they will use the same tactic in the final again if you lots still don’t work out your shit.”
Jack looked over. Most of everyone had dispersed already. He only saw Giant Steve, his other three troublesome teammates were nowhere to be seen.
“I will talk to them…,” Jack said.
“Deal with it! I won’t be happy if you lose,” Gruff said.
“Yes, yes. I know you are worried about your damn bet! Just remember my share,” Jack said.
“Naturally,” Gruff replied and went away.
“What’s that about share?” This time it was Paytowin who came.
“We made a bet that if I win the tournament, both he and I will get lots of faction points,” Jack answered.
“Well, then you better do something about that messy team of yours.”
“So everyone keeps on saying. Now, let’s go to the ancient battleground again.”
“Come.”
As the two headed to the Temple of Courage, they didn’t notice Grace who was staring at them.
*
At the garden where Domon and Leavemealone were training, Jet came by and watched the two. When Domon noticed his martial brother, he asked, “How is your match?”
“I lost. Your grandson’s team won,” Jet answered.
“I see. I am sorry for your loss.”
“But you are happy for Jack’s win.”
“I am.”
“Heh. Too bad. I thought I can win that match. It would have been good for Jack as well, losing. He is too cocky sometimes.”
“There is no need for that. He already knows what losing is like. He might seem reckless at times, but that is mostly to unnerve his opponents. He still knows when to take a step back if needed. One thing I know about him is that he won’t feel down or give up just because of a loss.”
“You are really confident in him, aren’t you?”
“Naturally,” Domon said. “Are you here just to chat or do you want to help me train this one by being his sparring partner?”
“I don’t mind helping,” Jet said as he flexed his arms. “But I am here to tell you something about Jack in case you haven’t aware.”
“What about Jack?”
“Do you remember what our master said about chi sensing? About a story that he had heard from his master and the master before him, a story about the state of enlightenment where one’s sense becomes so acute, one can send his consciousness to view things some distances away? Sort of an out-of-body experience?”
“The incorporeal state? That is just a tale. Why are you talking about this?”
“There is a possibility that Jack had achieved that state.”
Domon’s eyes turned wide when he heard. “Really?”
“If what that boy tells me is the truth, but I don’t see a reason for him to lie to me,” Jet replied.
Domon was silent for a while before bursting into a laugh, “hahaha. If that is true, then this is truly surprising news. Perhaps he will truly reach better height than us, old-timers.”
“Glad to see you happy again. You have always been brooding since that thing with your disciple. Hm… I see this new disciple of yours is not bad as well.”
“So, are you going to lend a hand or what?” Domon asked.
“Sure thing. Hey, kid! Care to play a few rounds with me?” Jet exclaimed as he walked towards Leavemealone.
*
Inside the ancient battleground, Jack did his mana manipulation training as yesterday, fighting using bare fists. He was getting more used to the feeling. His control over mana was improving. Most of the time, four out of five hits were successful.
He didn’t let himself be satisfied, though. This meant he still had a twenty percent chance of failing. That would be fatal in a real fight. He needed to make sure that all his attacks had a one hundred percent certainty of being accompanied by mana manipulation before he could incorporate this technique in a real fight.
Although Jack was most proficient in using swords to fight due to his gaming experience, he knew about fist fighting as well, courtesy of his childhood training with his grandfather. It was like what people said about riding a bicycle, it’s all coming back to him.
His punches and kicks alternated fluently as he dealt with any attackers that came.
“Damn! I never know you are such a good martial artist. You should teach me those moves,” Paytowin said.
“Come to our guild, my grandfather will teach you. He is an excellent teacher when it comes to martial arts,” Jack replied, his punches never stopped.
“You know I can’t leave this place as I like.”
“Take a vacation.”
“What do you think I am doing here? A corporate job?”
“It isn’t?”
“Well… I guess in some way you can say that.”
The two failed to reach the one-thousand kill marks again in this run, and the next run. It was not surprising considering that Jack fought without a weapon. The kill counts were mostly gained from Paytowin, Brave King, and Therras’ efforts.
Near the end of the second run, Jack only failed in dealing unarmed damages one out of ten times. He took his swords out for the last few minutes, trying to practice using mana manipulation with weapons. He copied how he had seen the golden knight’s leader move his mana around his weapon. The act of guiding the mana and transferring them into his swords took more effort.
He tried slashing while using mana manipulation, all resulted in failures. Only standard damage was produced. Until at the last moment, when almost everyone around him was down. When he was about to be swarmed. He cleared his mind and focused on imagining his sword as an extension of his arms. He guided the mana to his sword as he had done with his bare hand, then he slashed.
Double damage appeared. He was not sure if that was due to mana manipulation or due to a lucky critical hit. He was swarmed soon after.
He came back out into the hall. “Guess that’s it for today,” Jack said. Although the exp points gained from this ancient battleground were low, it still helped one of his classes to level up after this last run. His Archmage class was now level 42.
“Is the ancient battleground truly that good to learn mana manipulation?” Paytowin asked.
“Yeah. The mana inside is truly dense. It is easier for me to get used to controlling mana in that environment. Once my body and mind learned the gists, I can do it easier outside here. Probably the whole point of this ancient battleground is for people to learn mana manipulation. The rewards are too shitty and too impossible to get.”
“I don’t think so. We might be unable to get it, but I’ve heard from Myson that the elite squads of this faction use this ancient battleground to get their best equipment or items to strengthen themselves.”
“Really? How many members of this elite squad are entering to get good rewards? One thousand?” Jack asked.
“This ancient battleground can only allow a team of ten people to enter at a time,” Paytowin answered. If there is more than ten, the excess will be sent to a different battleground.”
“Only ten people and they can get good rewards? How can ten people do anything in that battle? They will still get swarmed once the army inside is losing. Those elite squad’s members must have a very high level then.”
“There is a level restriction, remember? If you are higher than level 50, you will be sent to a different version of ancient battleground that has a higher difficulty.”
“Hm…? So, how did they perform better?” Jack asked in puzzlement.
Paytowin shrugged. “I don’t know. I have tried asking Myson. He only replied that I have to find my own way inside.”
“Sounds like what my grandfather will say,” Jack commented.
