"Do you have any of those keys?” Miranda asked Jake first thing after she had also read the message. It appeared she had gotten the quest too.
“Nope, but I got two fragments, so I think I can get one more quite easily,” Jake answered. “But hey, we got the vote we wanted. Well, kind of wanted.”
“It is indeed one of the better options, though, to be fair, most would be good options,” Miranda nodded approvingly.
“Speaking of options,” Jake said as he removed the isolation around their booth to hear all the discussion going around in the hall.
“This is a blatant attempt at forced integration!” someone yelled.
“It says Unusual Unions, not Forced Integrations. A union takes at least two willing parties to function,” another guy yelled.
“Mere semantics. Unions can be forced as much as they can be voluntary, and for a union to function, the parties need some level of equality!” the first guy repeated.
“Then work on getting good enough to be recognized as at least worth looking at and stop being shit?” Carmen suddenly joined the discussion.
Jake couldn’t help but smirk at the bickering going on. People unsatisfied with the vote appeared to be aplenty, but that only made sense considering the low percentage that the winning choice had. He didn’t really bother listening in much, as he noted there was an hour till the Second World Congress would end.
Ten or so minutes more passed with senseless bickering and useless complaining until, finally, the conversation switched a bit towards the quest. It was a quest that it appeared far from everyone had gotten. In fact, it looked like the vast majority of cities had several, if not all members, not receiving the quest based on their confused responses.
As they talked, Jake and a few others made eye contact as they gathered. They had an hour, and the quest contained things that pertained to them all collectively. They decided to gather on the platform of Sanctdomo, and Jake saw that even the Fallen King decided to float down from his mighty booth and join the lower rungs of nobility.
Jake, Jacob, together with Bertram, Fallen King, Carmen, Sword Saint, Casper, and even Eron came together to discuss it. It was the group that had also faced the Monarch of Blood, plus Jacob. Eron looked a bit out of place, too, as he stood as far from the Fallen King as he possibly could, something they all noticed.
“Relax, human, I do not seek to end your life despite your past transgression of overstepping your boundaries,” the Fallen King said to Eron, the man freezing up a little. That is when Jake understood why Eron was afraid of the Fallen King. It was the same reason the man didn’t want to mess with Sultan… they countered him. The King more than anyone else.
The Fallen King could kill him. Permanently. Jake had theorized Eron more or less had an infinite health pool, but even an infinite health pool wouldn’t matter if you had your soul crushed. It was the difference between someone slowly draining the water from a jug and someone just smashing the jug altogether. The King could attack the container of health while everyone else only attacked the inside.
“I apologize for past misunderstandings,” Eron said as he bowed. “I misread the situation and allowed curiosity to get the better of me, and for that, I seek your forgiveness.”
Jake felt like the apology was a bit out of character. Like it was practiced somehow. However, it appeared the King truly didn’t care as he waved his ivory claw dismissively.
“An action done cannot be retracted, only acknowledged as misguided or wrong. I accept your apology and wish not to dwell on it further than is necessary,” the King dismissed him outright as the group could finally move on to the real topic at hand.
“So, let’s do a tally. How many keys or fragments do you all have?” Carmen asked the group. “I got two fragments.”
said. “Others in Sanctdomo or the Church may have
Eron said with a tone making
others in the clan may
embarrassed answering after the Sword Saint flexed on
key, zero fragments,” the King said, making Jake feel even worse. The damn Unique Liveform had gathered more than Jake had in
said, making him a little happy his little brother hadn’t
to attend this event,” the Sword Saint said with a smile. “Assuming
said primarily towards Jake for some reason despite
“how many people will each key give access to? Only one seems unrealistic, and an entire city would
five? Like a
nodded. “However, even that would be low unless this event is truly aimed at the elite and the elite only. Additionally, these creatures with Prima in
still needed to find them. Meanwhile, he had a living cheat in front of him when it came to
locating these Primas and ensure that we can get as many keys as possible in the
assume you are doing this out of the kindness of your
does not come cheap for me. I
those damn soothsayers on the streets
Jacob answered. “We can discuss potential partnerships for any who
like a good idea; let me just enter a city that literally burns me to be within,” Casper
Jake learned Risen got burned by entering a holy city.
sound an idiotic thing to touch,” Casper said with a deadpan
said as she turned to the Fallen King. “Besides maybe you, as I am still not sure if you are some evil entity who plans
such would be meaningless, and I would face all those gathered here, something which I have no interest in doing nor believe is a wise choice. Not that more than the hunter is needed,” the King answered,
Jake answered as he gave a thumbs up. “His weakness is
“Overwhelming power?” Casper asked.
would work,”
relaxed as Carmen left with the former King of the Forest disappearing soon after. Eron left hastily, too, as he still seemed uncomfortable after spending time around the King. Caleb and the Sword Saint also bailed as they had some stuff to attend to,
is when Jacob did something Jake had
Holy Church is going to advocate for the expulsion of the Risen from Earth and not allow them into any kind of unions. It may result in an outright attack with the
said,
Malefic Viper, someone with a Divine Blessing given by Stormild, another by Aeon, and of course a Transcendent… now also a Unique Lifeform.
lot of things he had not expected to come out of
Casper
need to say it here where we can speak truly freely. You need to be
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
The Novel will be updated daily. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!