“Leavemealone! You are also captured?!” Jack uttered while he was being placed on the floor in an upright standing position.
Leavemealone gave Jack a surprised face but otherwise didn’t speak a word.
“Crap! You are still acting so cool under this circumstance,” Jack said.
“And you are still acting so laid back as if you will be fine,” Motherboard said to Jack.
“Who is that?” The Orc old man in the martial artist garb asked.
“The other unworthy person who stole things that shouldn’t be theirs,” Master replied.
Jack turned to Motherboard and said, “You seem like a strong woman. Are you going to just let him talk that way about you?”
“Hmph!” Motherboard harrumphed. She didn’t dignify Jack with a reply.
“A joker. Should we just extract his first?” the old man asked. Jack inspected him. The old man was called Wong, a level 38 Battle Monk.
“No. It will just be a waste to set up the device again,” Master answered. “He will get his turn. Good job, Wong. It was not wrong to recruit you as one of my five heavenly enforcers.”
“You know what I want. I want that ungrateful turncoat. Tell me where he is,” Wong said.
“You will get your revenge when it is time. We still have a war to win here. Once all the countries are in our grasp, it will be easier to locate that ex-student of yours. You should go join the other enforcers to help the prince in securing his throne. We need this country as our first base to move forward.”
Wong grunted but didn’t say anything to protest the decision.
Master turned to Jack and said while pointing to Leavemealone. “That will be your fate tomorrow. Unfortunately, the process took eight hours to complete, then the device required another half a day to recharge. But make no mistake, your time will come.”
“Can’t wait. By the way, if you don’t mind me asking. Why do you need all those divine treasures? Are you going to give them to these enforcers of yours?” Jack asked.
“Did you have a problem with your brain? Didn’t I say to you before that no one is worthy of the divine treasure aside from me?” Master replied.
“But isn’t the divine…” Jack didn’t finish because Peniel interrupted him within his mind. She said, ‘he has two divine treasures inside him. The Wind God Blessing and Earth God Blessing. This rock prison that binds you is from Earth God Blessing.’
‘But didn’t you say…’
‘I know what I said. I also don’t know why. It shouldn’t have been possible to merge with more than one divine treasure.’
“Don’t tell me… do you want to merge with all the divine treasures?” Jack asked Master. “What do you plan with that?”
Master’s mouthless face, had his cheek turned up where the corner of his mouth should be. Although weird, Jack imagined that should be how an ethereal looked like when they sneered.
“How do you describe a man who stands above all others and can do what others can’t?” Master asked.
“A madman?” Jack answered.
“A God!” Master declared.
“So, you are trying to be a God?”
“You might think such a goal is unreal, but I have worked too long and too hard for this. A commoner with a low IQ like you won’t understand the ambition of a truly great person.”
“Let me correct you. I have taken an IQ test and I scored above average. What you deem low should be my EQ. And let me tell you something that you obviously are not aware of, most of the problems that occurred to the world always come from a person with God-complex such as you, who thinks he is above others and that everyone should follow his whim.”
“That is indeed the right of a gifted person such as me and the obligation of commoners such as you.”
“Hm… I think we can spend hours debating about this. How about you let me out of this rock-thingy into a more comfortable position so I can entertain you with this philosophical discussion?”
At this time, the rock cocoon did crumble. Jack was astounded. He didn’t think his trash-talk will get any response. But before he could rejoice, the runic rope that was tied on top of the cocoon tightened and took over in restraining him.
‘That rock prison got a duration,’ Peniel explained. ‘That’s why he had used that binding rope as well.’
Although he was still bound, Jack could at least walk by himself now.
Master gestured to Motherboard. “Take him to his cell. I have heard enough of his ramblings.”
Motherboard gave Master a bow. She then pushed Jack, asking him to walk. Jack didn’t see any other way down except the stairs they came up from. The two of them went down the stairs with Jack walking at the front.
Before the top of the tower went out of view, Jack took one last look at Leavemealone, who was still immobile due to all the strappings on him.
They went down to the open-air balcony where Jack first entered the tower. Motherboard pushed him to go through the guarded door behind the balcony. They continued going down some stairs again, this time indoors. The interior was mostly narrow corridors with stone walls. The atmosphere was bleak with little lightings.
The place was mostly deserted. Either World Maker was just a guild with a small number of players, or most of them were away doing this conquest that Master had mentioned.
“Didn’t I ask you before to immediately run away when you encountered Master?” Jack heard Motherboard say behind him.
Jack turned to her, but was confused, what was she talking about? She said it as if they had met before.
“Where is your high fairy familiar?’ Motherboard asked.
“She… was still in cooldown,” Jack answered. How did she know about him having a high fairy for a familiar?
“Sigh… I was infiltrating this place for different reasons. Turns out two of the people I have warned have still been caught. I don’t know if this is a blessing or a curse. I can probably save one of you, but that will mean blowing my cover and failing my initial objectives.”
Jack thought for a bit before realizing something, “Wilted Tree?”
“I can’t believe it! All those preparations go down the drain just because two a*sholes who thought themselves unbeatable,” Motherboard was still grumbling.
“Lady, I can see that you are upset, but can you at least confirm my assumption first so I know if you are an ally or still an enemy?” Jack said. “Right now I’m not sure what kind of comment I should be making. Should I annoy you further? Or should I encourage you to unfasten me?”
Motherboard gave Jack an irritated stare, before saying, “You are right, I’m Wilted Tree. I have infiltrated this place to take something and do something that could weaken or at least delay Master’s plan in dominating this country. However, rather than have him get another divine treasure, I’m afraid I have to let this opportunity go…”
Motherboard, or Wilted Tree, released the rope binding around Jack.
“You truly are Wilted Tree?” Jack asked again after finding him to be able to move freely again.
“I am using a consumable disguise. I can’t show you my real face as I will not be able to use the disguise again, so you will just have to believe me.”
“You released me from this binding rope, so I believe you. Are you not afraid the real Motherboard will appear and expose you?”
“My comrades are holding her captive,” Wilted Tree informed. “But I can only pretend for so long. If a fight broke out, I can be easily identified.”
“Since you are a Technocraft, not a Bard,” Jack said. “But what if Master or anyone in his guild sends Motherboard a message?”
“My tool also allows me to sabotage her message. As long as she was still in our captive, all the messages coming to her will also be relayed to me. I will be the one replying to all her messages.”
“You can get us out of here?”
“I have a tool that can open a portal gate to a safe place. But that can only be used once. Also, if you are not brought to the prison cell below soon, Master will suspect something is wrong. But no choice, I guess I can only save you.”
“Wait! We have to save Leavemealone as well.”
“Did you not already try fighting Master? Not to mention Wong is up there as well. He is a bonafide martial art grandmaster. His equipment and skills are also top-notch, acquired on behalf of Master’s knowledge. He is not someone most current players can contend against.”
“There has to be a way…” Jack insisted.
“Saving you is already a luxury. We can’t delay this any longer. They will start asking questions if the two of us don’t show up down there.”
“I have a way to buy us time,” Jack said.. “I can make them think you have brought me down to that cell.”
