The Achievement Junkie

"If you've got a week, then reinforcements will never make it in time…"

Unknown to the king, Jack sent a telepathic message to Rydel. 'Hurry! The next wave could come at any minute!'

'What!? Are you serious?' asked Rydel, who was flabbergasted by the sudden message.

'Yes, so hurry as fast as possible! Ask the queen if she can send a message to them instead so they can come ASAP!'

'But, what about their appearance? Anyone would be terrified to see so many goblins come at once,' reasoned Rydel. 'Unless… You want me to talk with Byron and ask them to secure the area.'

'Not just that, I want to ask for the Balt Family's support too. We need as many high-leveled warriors they can muster, immediately!' added Jack.

'Really? Did something else happen? Should I be worried?'

'This cetus situation may involve the Royal Court more than I thought, and we need to prepare for the worst. I've got to go. If you need anything important, let me know.' With that, Jack shook his head in disbelief and ended the conversation. He looked back at the king and noticed an intrigued look on the king's face.

"What were you doing for the last minute? You weren't responding to me, almost like you forgot I was here," asked Leodoro.

"Nothing, but I still have a couple of things to ask you," stated Jack. "I think I've reached the same conclusion as you, that the syndicate used you as a means to stir up trouble with the Adventurers Association, right?"

The king said nothing, he only smiled. Jack continued, "Do you know of any extra powerful people that recently entered the Royal Court, particularly people that you don't know?"

"A few people have entered higherup positions, but I have no clue of their credentials or their past," answered King Leodoro. "Even I can't read their levels though, so I'm certain that they're strong."

"I was afraid of that… What will you be doing in the meantime?"

Leodoro laughed, "I'll be here with you, of course."

"Huh?"

"I've already gotten your chief's permission to stay here, so long as I participate when my strength is needed. I've even brought a few of my most trusted men. Only one of them is over lv. 30, but the other four are as strong as guard captains," explained Leodoro. "I only brought a few to avoid spies. I've already screened them on multiple occasions and they've all formed blood vows with me, guaranteeing their commitment."

"Wow, you're more capable then I thought," commented Jack.

"What do you mean? I'm the king after all. If I weren't capable I never would've kept the crown."

"Coming from the man who's about to lose his kingdom and his life from the man he trusted most."

King Leodoro coughed, trying to overcome Jack's deep-cutting jeer with ignorance. "Is there anything else I can help you with, Jack?"

"You're lv. 35, right? I hope you'll be ready at a moment's notice. Also, what class are you?" asked Jack.

"I'm a sorcerer, like Arnole, but I specialize in lightning type spells," said the king with a wide grin.

"Oh." Jack smiled in return. "That'll definitely come in handy with the cetuses. I'm glad to have your help, Leo."

The two of them bowed their heads with some newfound respect. Leodoro left and Jack assumed the king was on his way to the conference room to speak with Zariff.

Now that he was awake and Bowzer still hadn't returned with Slivia, Jack turned more of his attention to his skill list.

The list wasn't all that different from before, but a new skill caught his eye. 'Dual-wielding…' Jack thought about the new skill. 'This makes things interesting.'

He was also surprised to see some new skill points added to his past total. Thanks to him reaching lv. 20, Slivia's confession to him, and finding the hidden tomb, his fifty-three skill points became one hundred and three skill points. With everything about to happen, Jack understood that he needed to use those points as soon as possible.

After a few minutes of deliberation, Jack no longer hesitated to spend his skill points. It was difficult for him to decide what to do, either spend them on lots of skills or increase a couple of skills even higher.

In the end, three skills were boosted. Knives/daggers became lv. 2, Dual-wielding became lv. 2, and Physical Resistance became lv. 4. Now, both Jack and his inheritors could benefit from all three of them, and he felt mort confident to use his flame body with a sturdier body.

Having spent ninety skill points in one go, he closed his menu and took a deep breath. Jack felt exhausted. With so much happening at once, Jack was overwhelmed with responsibility and worry.

In the back of his head, Jack still felt a chill go down his spine, unable to forget the warm breath of the cetus that had almost ended his life. He had been hurt before and had laid his life on the line, but to be less than a second away from instant death was a feeling he couldn't shake.

"Hello, can I come in?" A gentle knock came from the door and Maura's calm voice caught Jack's attention.

"Is it dinner time already?" joked Jack.

Maura walked in with a slight smile. "I'm glad you're hungry. You'll need your strength to heal properly."

"How have you been?"

Jack's question caused Maura to hesitate when she placed the plate on the side table. "I'm alright, thanks for asking."

"What's wrong? You've been acting strange lately," added Jack.

Maura bowed her head and started to leave. "Really, I'm fine. There's no need to worry about me, just get better, okay?"

Sensing some of Maura's old warmth again, Jack smiled. "Thanks, with your constant deliveries I'll be good in no time."

"Excuse me." Maura quickly fled the room, not wanting Jack to see the touch of red in her cheeks.

With the fragrant aroma of beef stew, Jack took a big whiff and smiled. In a few minutes, the bowl was cleaned and there was no evidence of bread ever being on the plate.

'Now what?' thought Jack.

*****

Back at the pier, three dozen men were stationed and busy rebuilding the docks. The dock house was empty and had no signs of life. Each of the soldiers had long faces as they talked while working.

"Did that really happen to the captain?"

"Of course, why would we lie! You missed the fight but you already know that the adventurers did everything, not the court."

"Yeah, and when the captain upheld the contract with the association, the other captains had him court-martialed."

"Mhm. I heard the captain became a normal soldier, like us. He's probably stationed out of the capital now."

"No, I heard he quit and resigned before his sentence. He's probably still in the city."

"Quit your yapping and keep working!" yelled the newly appointed captain. "That fool isn't here anymore so quit wasting your breath with him. Hurry and finish the docks, or you won't be sleeping till morning."

"Yes, sir!"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

The response wasn't in perfect sync, showing the soldier's reluctance to serve a new captain so suddenly for no good reason.

"Hmph!" The captain grunted and walked toward the dock house, his new home. He pulled out a key and inserted it into the front door. With a simple turn, it unlocked and he entered, grinning from ear-to-ear.

"Finally! I'm finally a captain!" laughed the man, not caring if his new underlings heard him. "Now, I can finally do what I want in the city. Money, luxury, women… they'll all be mine!"

As the soldiers groaned in displeasure at their appalling new captain, they finished a portion of the dock. They moved to the edge and started lining up new support beams with the lower docks.

"CRACK!"

A sudden thunderclap startled the men. They looked out into the distance and their faces paled. Those men who survived last night's attack ran back at full speed.

"What's wrong, what's happening?" asked one of the newly assigned deckhands.

"Get back! As quick as you can, get back!"

Those shouts echoed through the pier and every stationed soldier abandoned their orders and retreated.

"What going on out there!" A shout came from the dock house balcony, but it didn't stop the men from running. "Get back here! Those are orders"

"Crack! Crack! CRAACCKK!!"

More thunderclaps rang through the air as a tempest swept past the pier. In seconds, dark thunderclouds rolled over the pier and waves came crashing into the newly constructed docks. Before long, they were submerged as the water kept rising.

"What's going on?! You, explain what's happening!" ordered the captain, pointing at one of the older deckhands.

"It's… It's happening again!" yelled the man, his entire body trembling.

"What's happening again? Explain!"

"Like yesterday, but worse. It's happening again!" Not daring to stay there a second longer, the man ran into the city, abandoning his post.

More men ran away, not wanting to get caught up in the same slaughter as the night before. Then, there were more of them but they still couldn't do a thing to such strong beasts. And, on top of that, the other captains had used deckhands as sacrifices and cannon fodder. None of them wanted anything to do with the Royal Court at that moment, scrambling to try and keep their lives.

A single deckhand dashed toward the dock house, surprising the new captain. "You, since you're obedient, help me gather them up."

There's was no response from the man, but he drew his sword and slashed through the corral, releasing the horses stationed at the pier.

"What are you doing?! What is the meaning of this?!"

The captain's shouts fell of deaf deaf ears as the man mounted a horse and bolted into the city.

After five minutes of rushed riding and exhausting his horse, the man hopped off the horse. He stood in front of a well-known building, despite the structure's plain looks. His fist pounded on the door and he yelled, "It's happening! It's already happening!"