So, Jack repeated the boring routines every day. Mason asked for two full rehearsals daily, which lasted from late morning until almost the entire afternoon. He gave reviews on each rehearsal to let everyone know what they were lacking. Sometimes he stopped a rehearsal mid-way because of a glaring mistake and asked everyone to redo the rehearsal. The one that made such a mistake would receive glares from everyone. On two occasions, Jack was the subject of those glares.
Jack spent his free time doing training caves inside the guild as well as doing runs on the Ancient Battleground legacy dungeon and Ice Throne legacy dungeon. The remaining time he spent inside the Time Chamber perfecting his sword art and training mana manipulation.
There was no possibility for him to join John nor Leavemealone’s adventures, but he was still slightly hoping he could join the battle between the Wicked Witches and World Ruler. If the battle started at night, he might still be able to join once he completed the rehearsals on that day.
He kept in contact with Jeanny to keep tabs on the situation. Unfortunately, the spies in Death Associates informed them of that guild’s big movement in the morning one day before the coronation. Mason had stressed to Jack that the last day of rehearsals was the most important. Emris, Meryl, and the others would arrive at noon that day, so they should be able to join the second rehearsal. Mason warned Jack to not miss the rehearsal that day and to not be late.
Jack was so dejected that he would be spending another day in boredom and missing out on the excitement of joining the battle in Wicked Witches’ headquarters. Little would he expect that boredom was the last thing he would be worrying about on that day.
—————
After arriving in Verremor Nation, Abasi didn’t follow the main army back to the capital. He brought his force back to his tribe. The raretooth tribe was one of the main tribes and thus controlled one of the main cities in that country.
The city his tribe was based in was named Mjibu Maba. This city was also one of the cities the players who were given the orc race were teleported to after they completed their tutorial period.
Mjibu Maba was one of the cities that was closest to the nation’s border with the Fulgur region. Hence, it didn’t take long for Abasi to arrive in his home city while the main army continued on their way back to the capital of Verremor, Magna Masat.
Abasi had in fact been ordered to return to the capital as well to submit a report to the grand chief about the invasion, but he was not in the mood to follow that order. He returned to Mjiku Maba and intended to carry out the burial ceremony for his father before dealing with other matters. He hadn’t even gone to the Church of Creation to request treatment for his missing arm.
Upon arriving, he ordered everyone to prepare the ceremony while he waited in the grand hall with Abdu’s body.
A servant came in and informed him that he had a guest. Abasi told the servant to chase that guest away. He was not in the mood for dispensing hospitality.
“It’s… It’s chief Woga Braidedbeard, young master,” The servant informed, but he quickly corrected his words, “I mean, chief!”
With Abdu gone, Abasi was now the head of the tribe.
Abasi grunted with displeasure, but he said, “Let him in.”
The servant left before coming back not long after with another orc. Woga was an elderly orc, yet his body was still fit and vibrant. The servant left after showing the way. The old orc knelt beside Abasi and uttered a prayer to pay respect to Abdu’s still body in front of them.
After he was done, he said to Abasi, “I’m sorry for your loss.”
Abasi simply grunted for a response.
“You should have gone to the capital first as ordered,” Woga said. “But then again, even if you did, it won’t change what will be happening.”
“What do you mean?” Abasi asked.
“You should have expected a repercussion after this failed invasion. I believe your father march into Themisphere with the full awareness that the invasion was a gamble. A gamble on whether the Raretooth tribe could rise to the top of the ten tribes, and gave him the qualification to be the next grand chief of this nation. Or, to fail and fall.”
When Abasi didn’t give any response, Woga continued, “I am among those who had shown support for Abdu’s proposal for an invasion. Now that it failed, all the other tribes who had voiced their support are now looking for a scapegoat to avoid getting ousted themselves.”
“Ousted?” Abasi asked.
“The council is now discussing the matter. But honestly, I think it’s a done deal. The Raretooth tribe will soon be declared as no longer one of the Council of Ten.”
Abasi scowled. “So, you are saying that the tribes that supported us before are now agreeing to this decision of expelling us from the council to save themselves? Is that including you?”
“I’m here to tell you in person because I still have respect for you, your late father, and your tribe. But you should know that I have to put the interest of my tribe before everything else. My feeling and desire are unimportant. I’m sure if your father is still alive, he will understand.”
“But he is not…!” Abasi bellowed and slammed his one remaining fist onto the floor. “He died for this nation and what does he get in return? Being blamed for its failure? To have its tribe thrown out to be fed to the wolves? He considered you as a brother who will be there for him no matter what!”
Woga sighed. “Such is the game of power. You win and you get everything. You lose and you lose everything. You can blame the politics, you can blame me, you can blame everyone, but it won’t change the way the game is played. If you need my help, I will do everything I can for you, young chief. But there is nothing I can do to sway the decision of the council.”
Woga uttered another prayer and paid his respect to Abdu one more time before he stood up. “Goodbye, young chief, and good luck.”
Woga walked out as Abasi stayed kneeling in silence. His fist clenched tightly and his body was shaking as he tried to keep the rage within him bottled.
“Hehe… That was a miserable scene to watch,” A voice was heard.
Abasi spun around, the giant axe slung behind his back was in his grip in a heartbeat. He faced the direction the voice came from, wondering at the same time how an intruder entered this place without being detected. From the direction he was facing, a draconian in a battle monk garb emerged from the shadow.
“You!” Abasi exclaimed, recognizing the intruder. “You are the outworlder who coaxed my father into proposing the invasion!” He had seen this draconian with his father before, but he wasn’t involved directly in their conversation. He just knew a little detail and that this draconian’s name was Long.
“Heh, don’t say it as if you and your father are victims. Both you and your father have wanted to attack the human country for a long time already. I simply provided the information that allow your father to convince the council to finally agree to the invasion.”
“Hmph? Information?! Just like the information when you asked us to be ready in front of Themisphylae fort? That a disruption will occur in that fort that will give us a chance to break in?”
“Well, I do admit we ourselves are greatly disappointed by that. It seems that our agents inside that fort are more incompetent than we hope.”
“Don’t try to make excuses! If my father hadn’t trusted you, we wouldn’t have lost so miserably. My father wouldn’t have died!”
“Young Lord Chief, I know you are still in grief. But the failure of your invasion has nothing to do with me. Don’t blame me for your own incompetence.”
“What did you say?!” Abasi couldn’t accept this stranger making fun of him. His giant axe went ablaze with flame as he lunged forward.
Long didn’t appear surprised by Abasi’s sudden aggression. He just stood there with a smile as Abasi’s flaming axe came swinging. Long’s skin turned golden. His feet shifted when Abasi’s axe arrived. The axe missed him by a hairbreadth.
The flame accompanying Abasi’s axe still burn Long and caused damage, but the damage was very little. It had been soaked by Long’s protective skill, Golden Body, which was an evolved version of Battle Monk’s skill, Steel Body. This evolved version granted the skill extra defenses as well as elemental resistances.
Abasi was surprised that his attack missed, but he didn’t stop. His axe was brought back again with incredible speed. Yet, this following slash also missed. Abasi’s one arm continued slashing, but each slash only managed to hit the air.
Frustrated, Abasi used a skill. Numerous flaming axes followed his latest swing, advancing on the draconian from multiple angles, cutting his escape paths.
Long’s body suddenly swayed at high speed. He appeared as if split into several images. Abasi’s multiple flaming axes cut through these swaying images, but no damage number appeared, indicating none of the axes hit the target.
In his consternation, Abasi’s movement paused. Long, on the other hand, never stopped moving. Long’s hand moved forward. An image of an oriental dragon suddenly appeared and followed the hand’s movement. A dragon’s roar was even heard as the dragon’s image snaked around Abasi’s axe and struck Abasi’s chest. At the same time the dragon hit Abasi, Abasi saw Long’s palm on his chest.
*PANG!*
A very loud sound was heard. Abasi was thrown back from the force. His feet skidded on the floor a decent distance before stopping. He also received large damage from that hit.
Abasi looked at Long in a different light. He no longer underestimated this draconian outworlder.
