Pallas dismissed everyone after Callan finished handing the rewards for the bonus match. The Divine Champion told everyone that they were still welcome to linger around for the rest of the day, but they hoped everyone would leave already by the end of the day.
Some decided to leave right that moment, especially the native representatives. It’s not like they had a lot of free time on their hands. Many tasks still awaited them back in their countries.
Prince Alonzo came to Jack and congratulated him again. He asked if Jack would like to go back with them. Jack said he still has something else to do. Jack also asked if the Prince needed any urgent help from him? Because he had some other plans at the moment.
Prince Alonzo understood. Jack had helped him a lot by winning the tournament this time, he could give Jack some free time for a while. Furthermore, with the prestige gained from this tournament, he would be busy making a trip around the kingdom and gathering support. There was also the matter of the Council of Virtus’ blessing. Pallas had informed the prince that he would be their liaison in the Themisphere kingdom. The trainers they sent will train the officers chosen by Prince Alonzo, which meant that his camp would receive the full benefit from this council.
He could do all this without Jack. He told Jack he had no urgent matter at the moment but reminded Jack to go back when he could, to report the completion of the chain faction quest so Jack got his merit points. He also told Jack he would leave a message in Everlasting Heavenly Legends if anything urgent came up.
Jack thanked the prince for it.
Duchess Isabelle came to say a parting word next. When she did, Jack felt something different about her. He used Inspect on her and found out that she was level 80.
“You have fully recovered?” Jack said with a surprise.
“Thanks to you for winning the tournament, divine priest Callan offered a healing prayer to help me recover. He considers it as the first favor for the winning country,” Duchess Isabelle replied.
Gruff came to congratulate Jack and said his farewell next.
“You are not going to pretend to forget your promise now, are you?” Jack asked.
“Of course not! What kind of person do you think I am?” Gruff asked with a hurt expression.
“The kind that purposefully avoids me after playing a trick on me?”
“You can’t judge a person simply because of what he did.”
“The hell kind of reasoning is that? That’s exactly how one should judge a person!”
“Let’s just let bygone be bygone, okay? Relax! Your 3000 glory points will be waiting for you once you come to see me again.”
“And one super rare grade armor!”
“You still don’t have enough good equipment? Fine! And one super rare grade armor.”
“I have a feeling you are swindling me. I bet you are getting way more than 3000 glory points on your part, don’t you?” Jack asked.
<br/>”Haha, you think too much. Okay, be seeing you!” Gruff uttered and then walked away at a quick pace.
‘Very suspicious,’ Jack thought.
After the natives left. It was Four Winds that came by.
“Are you leaving now?” Jack asked.
“Yes, I have many guild matters to attend to back at Verremor,” Four Winds answered.
“Yeah, a leader’s job indeed never ends. I understand your hardship,” Jack said.
Jeanny who was nearby and heard the conversation, said, “No, you do not!”
Jack ignored her. He spoke to Four Winds, “There is one thing I need to ask, I know you shouldn’t have anything to do with this, but I still need to make sure. Do you know that there is an assassination attempt on our team healer a day just before your team’s fight with the vampire team? Do you know anything about it?”
“There is such a happening?” Four Winds uttered. “No, I don’t. Do you suspect either my team or the vampire team is behind that assassination?”
“That is what I suspect at first, but after fighting against you. I’m sure you are not someone who uses such a shallow method to win.”
“I’ve fought against the vampire team. I also don’t think they are the type to use such a method.”
“Hma?| Then this will continue a mystery for me. Well, I guess this is goodbye. If you ever come to Themisphere, contact me, I will give you a tour around the country.”
“I offer you the same if you visit Verremor,” Four Winds replied.
“You two are saying it as if your two countries are friendly to each other,” Peniel commented.
“Well, I never say I’m going to give him a tour into the cities. I can still take him wandering around the wilderness,” Jack said.
Four Winds laughed. “That being said. I might need to give you some information.”
“What information?” Jack asked.
“It might be nothing, but rumors have been circling in Verremor about military activity increasing near the nation’s border with Themisphere.”
“You think a conflict might happen?”
“I’m not sure. Well, if it happens, perhaps we can meet again. At that time, we can probably fight for real, as guilds.”
“Oh? You know that a country will summon guilds’ forces to its war?”
“Not only know, but we have experienced it already. Many of Verremor’s tribes are warring maniacs. Even though they ruled the nation as one body, they also often waged war with one another for no particular reason. Many guilds joined these wars for rewards and merits.”
“Wow, really different custom with Themisphere. Well… If any conflict does happen between our countries, perhaps you can then witness the might of Themisphere’s number one guild.”
“And you can witness the might of Cipher Flight.”
After saying his farewell, Four Winds left with his four followers. Jack looked around trying to find Paytowin, they will be diving back into the ancient battleground one last time.
When he found his friend, Paytowin was walking over with Callan by his side.
“Greetings, champion,” Callan said once he arrived.
“Your Holiness, I’m honored by your presence,” Jack tried to be polite.
“I heard you want to enter the ancient battleground again, don’t you?” Callan asked.
“I doa?| Will that be a problem?” Jack asked worriedly.
“Not a problem at all. In fact, I would like to ask you to gather another seven outworlders aside from you and Paytowin. This ancient battleground is best if you do it with a full team.”
Jack was amazed to hear that. “I can invite others?”
Callan nodded. “Yes, but only seven others. The ancient battleground has an entry limit.”
“Wait, isn’t the entry limit ten persons? Shouldn’t I find another eight then?” Jack asked.
“I have another candidate to join your team aside from Paytowin here,” Callan said. “Once you gather your team, come to the temple. I will be waiting inside the ancient battleground hall. Oh, one other thing, if possible, invite him as well,” Callan motioned to Leavemealone who stood beside Domon not far away. “I saw you two are friends, aren’t you?”
“Okay,” Jack nodded, but then added, “Do Your Holiness mind waiting three hours before we enter the ancient battleground?”
“It’s fine, as long as it is still today,” The divine priest said. When he saw Jack didn’t say anything else, he walked away.
“Why wait three hours? Do you need so long to gather the other seven?” Asked Paytowin who stayed there.
“No, I need the time for something else,” Jack replied. “Do you know who the other candidate Callan was referring to?”
Paytowin replied by shaking his head.
Jack was wondering who he should invite to join him aside from Leavemealone. Grace was obvious, they had planned to do it together originally. After a brief thought, he immediately called the friends that were still there at the roman theater as well as sent messages to the ones that were not.
Most had already left the arena, so they had the place all to themselves. Domon, Jeanny, Giant Steve, and Leavemealone never left the place, so Jack called them and told them about the ancient battleground.
“You have been playing such an exciting game all this time and you didn’t invite us?” Giant Steve complained.
“Don’t blame him, I’m the one who invites him,” Paytowin said. “This council’s facility is reserved for council members only. I pleaded for Jack’s case. It was not an easy permit, that’s why I couldn’t give more spots. This time Divine Priest Callan has permitted more members, I am also surprised by his offer. Perhaps because Jack had become the team champion.”
“Then shouldn’t he have asked for the tournament team? He only asked me,” Jack said. “Hell, he even asked for Haon, and this dude did not even win the tournament.”
“Who’s Haon?” Most asked while at the same time Leavemealone said, “Me?”
“Haon Shaw is his real name,” Jack informed everyone.
“Why would divine priest Callan ask for him?” Paytowin asked.
“Yeah, do you have some kind of shady dealings with the divine priest?” Jack asked Leavemealone.
“I never talk to him. I even only see him during the matches,” Leavemealone answered.
“Well, never mind that then,” Jack said.
“What never mind? You are really taking things too easy,” Jeanny said.
At this time, Grace came.
“This is another member joining us,” Jack introduced. “Everyone had seen her during the team match. She is a good player. She is also a good friend to George,” Jack said while pointing at Paytowin.
Grace gave Jack a brief glare when Jack said that but otherwise didn’t say anything.
“Have you asked that swordmaster?” Jack asked his grandfather.
“He had already left,” Domon answered. “He also said he is not that interested, but I’ve asked another person.”
“Who?” Jack asked.
“Jack boy, do you forget about this uncle of yours? I’m hurt!” Jack heard a voice from his back. He turned and saw Jet approaching.
“Oh, righta?|,” Jack uttered.
“Shit, you truly forgot. Now I’m offended,” Jet said.
“We have eight here now,” Paytowin said. “One person left. Who else do you call?”
Before Jack answered, they saw Red Death coming over.
