The Achievement Junkie

"If you want a chance at winning, a runt like you will need all the support you can get!"

"SHUT UUUP!!" Halmut roared, unleashing more and more energy into each of his attacks.

"Wow… you're more unstable than I ever gave you credit," joked Jack. "I'll make sure to never forget the moment when the mighty Halmut lost his mind!"

Jack changed tactics, no longer attacking physically. Now, he only needed to evade while verbally attacking Halmut's greatest weakness, his fragile pride. "If you hurry up and use the contracts, then you may still beat me, but that's still a slim chance…"

Halmut continued to roar and rage while watching his own people turn on him. He was proud to see that Torian and Grixor remained on his side, but that only lightened the blow that Kylon's revolt dealt to Halmut's ego. For the subordinate wrapped most tightly around his finger to rebel so willingly was a shock to his mentality. But that's when he recognized the item now adorned on her head with a gaze.

"Eedaj's Helm of Protection?!"

That shout left the looting spectators curious while it confused the legendary gods. But Halmut roared again in anger at Jack, "How could you have such a thing?! That vanished long ago!"

Laughing all the harder, Jack replied with a shake of his head. "Did you forget who I am, Halmut? Am I so easily forgotten?"

"You…" Finally, Halmut's rage reached a point where shouting wasn't sufficient. His throat trembled as if it was about to explode.

"As the Legend of Trodar, why would I have turned away Skaryn's request to snatch such a legendary item?" reasoned Jack.

"But what's the difference?!" Tralbok shouted, furiously slashing through steam explosions left and right. "Halmut! Why would--"

"Because Halmut's been messing with her mind…" Jack mentioned aloud. "What? He didn't tell you about his mental manipulation?"

The gods of Kartonia quivered for a moment, both leisure and legendary. It didn't stop the fighting but it offered them all a change in perspective.

But Jack continued, laughing, "I guess there's no more hiding it, Halmut! You might as well alter your strategy and go all-in with your only loyal subordinates! Or are is the great Sun Dragon just a chicken afraid to act!"

"YOU…"

Finally, Halmut was done. The moment Eedaj's Helm of Protection landed on Kylon's head, his greatest scheme was over. And with Jack prodding again and again, the Sun Dragon made a move before he fully lost his mind. But his rage momentarily subsided. Unparalleled confusion and a hint of fear washed over Halmut's face. "W-what…"

"Looking for these?"

Those three words stopped all five battles with ease. While spectating challengers were stealing casual glances while finishing off their chosen treasure troves, the gods of Kartonia, including Lunara and Moranti, were utterly speechless.

In Jack's hand was a stack of thick, old parchments with archaic writing covering them completely. There was also a simple diagram and seal drawn in dried up blood on each page.

"You… HOW COULD YOU…" Halmut shook as his mind started to tip off the scale. He wanted nothing more than for this to be a nightmare that he could wake up from.

"What? Without your contracts, you're powerless?" Jack laughed, tossing them freely into the air.

Halmut made a mad dash for them, but he stopped in his tracks. He didn't dare take a single step forward, not with what was taking place.

A slice of dark energy tore through all of the contracts without regard for whose contract was whose. All eyes fell onto the man now standing amidst the crumbling tears of parchment, which were evaporating as darkness consumed them. They all recognized the helmed figure, as well as his weapon, but they had never seen or affiliated that sword with the helmed swordsman. He wasn't wielding his reaper from before, but a pitch-black greatsword with a crude design and infamous reputation for consuming foes in darkness.

"Th-th-th…" Halmut trembled, completely unsure of what was truly happening.

All gods were speechless, especially those once known as the chaotic gods, like Moranti, Tralbok, or Sillo. They were incredibly familiar with that blade, as well as the second, matching greatsword that appeared in the man's second hand.

Wasting no time, the helmed man bolted into the shaking Halmut who felt like he was staring at a ghost. But the blades indeed carved into his chest as Halmut was forced into a crash landing. Together, Halmut and the anonymous swordsman fell from the sixth floor into the firm, immovable roxite floor of the open chamber. They fell upon a few stragglers exiting a treasure trove, forcing some challengers to exit upon taking the impact.

Halmut wasn't fearful of the injury in his chest. He showed no concern for it nor did he worry about a lasting injury with his healing abilities. But his mind was rocked to the point of no return as dark energy erupted from the swordsman.

Before everyone's eyes, the helmet and patchy armor were torn apart by vicious darkness, replacing it all with black, skeletal armor without a hat, mask, or helmet. The fierce look in the man's revealed eyes was unfathomably merciless and boundlessly confident as darkness inundated the vast chamber.

The Sun Dragon's instincts kicked in as he swatted at the man atop him, forcing his new opponent to back away and remove the swords from Halmut's chest. Halmut's undeniable anger came back, overwhelming his confusion and forcing Halmut's mind to act first and ask questions later.

"Sk--"

"HAAAAAAAALLLLLLLMUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUTTTTT!!!!!"

Shaking the entire chamber and stealing everyone's attention from their new treasures, the man roared louder than the dragon before him. No fear or hesitation existed in the man's mind or countenance as he clutched the hilt of his greatswords and tore through Halmut's crazed thoughts with a stare alone. Finally, after countless years of waiting and suffering, he could finally unleash the hellish fury that he'd been containing for longer than he wanted to remember.

"Skaryn, you--"

"DEATH IS TOO MERCIFUL!!!"