The Achievement Junkie

But it was Sterfen who replied to the Elf God, "Actually, I'd like to join forces with you three if that's alright. There are some things I can't explain right now but I'll be needing a task force as well. Choron agreed long ago, as did Guuro and Kori."

"And I want you two!" Both Lorwynn and Hadurt were caught off guard by Skaryn's sudden statement. "And, Alcahain, don't forget I haven't forgotten about you and Jin. You're coming with me whether you like it or not, as will Tyres when Jin is done with him."

"What about Rikko!" shouted the Goblin God, feeling left out.

"I've got a special role for you, Uncle Rikko," Jack added. "Your skills in thievery will come in handy, I'm sure."

"Rikko knew Nephew Legend great!"

"So long as Daruun is alright with your team, then I'll accept it," stated Silas.

Daruun nodded and smiled. "I'm fine with that. With this, Kartonia has already fulfilled the purpose of my creating it. From now on, Jack can use it as a supply of cosmicians while I occasionally select a few here and there for my own use."

"Then it's settled. Jack, welcome to the Resolute Enterprise." Silas welcomed Jack with a word of warning, "Like the name suggests, never back down and stand by in the face of anything that dares threaten the life you choose to live. Fail to do that, and you'll fail the enterprise."

"Wait, just like that I'm in?"

"Yup, but only as a rookie. Don't expect any assignments until you're a three-star, hence Oli's assignment to guard you against threats beyond your capacity. He won't interfere unless it's necessary, which should be a given."

"Right… That alright with all of you?"

"Yes!" Many of his aforementioned teammates replied in unison, including the mage twins.

"Then that's that," sighed Jack. "Time to make the pact."

Oli stepped forward with a big grin, eager to hop into the nexus the moment he's able. The pact was painless for his tough skin and he was glad to sense the effects of the pact already taking effect.

"If there's nothing else, then we'll separate for the night. You're all welcome to join the party in the banquet hall but I'm sure some of you couples have a lot of catching up to do," chuckled Daruun. "Tomorrow, I'll come back and discuss the places for you all to train and how Jack, Skaryn, and Sterfen will eliminate the remnant branches of Gem Incorporate abandoned by Jewel, just as Halmut was abandoned.

"We'll be taking those two with us. I'll begin splicing Halmut's brain tomorrow and I would hate to waste Tralbok's rare time skills, so I'll attempt making him a construct."

"Wait," Jack spoke up with a raised eyebrow, "if time is rare, then how come--"

"Time affinity is considered to be complex but its utility isn't as wondrous as you'd believe," explained Daruun. "In certain moments or situations, time energy is the most practical energy without question. However, in most scenarios time is merely a beneficial energy type and not a dominant energy type.

"If you used time skills over and over in battle, you can still become predictable. But if you save a time skill for the right moment after gaining an understanding of your opponent, then you'll create a killing opportunity. And sometimes time skills are the greatest healing skills, offering complete recovery of some commonly-irreversible injuries. However, don't believe that something like time travel exists. Even if it did, it would more than likely create another unexpected scenario."

Daruun gave an example, "If a man lost his wife to a cruel enemy, most would give up anything to reverse such a fate. But if such a man would gain the ability to traverse the timeline to the past or future to save their lost wife, how would he feel upon returning to his own time? He would gain none of the memories that he and his wife would have created from that previous point onward and be missing any knowledge that would have resulted from such a change. And what if saving his wife eventually led to his son being targeted instead, would that be a suitable and acceptable exchange of fate? Either way, such a scenario would only cause more chaos and suffering if such a skill were even possible."

"Oh… I guess you're right…" Depressed again, Jack's head drooped slightly.

"Jack, you're plenty powerful. Don't get lost on your path searching for skills that neither exist nor are feasibly possible, let alone how they could negatively impact your life for the worse," mentioned Daruun. "But I'm sure your wives can take you out of your little depression, so enjoy yourselves."

Another dense spatial rift opened up behind the district leaders. Daruun waved his fingers and picked up the two men in the corner with his latent energy, throwing them through the rift.

"I look forward to your ascension!" Silas remarked, waving goodbye as he entered the rift.

"Don't kill yourself, kid. Daruun would get pissed if he lost you too quickly," joked Gradsdum, laughing as he left.

Dominus smiled, looking to his fellow Spectral Dragons. "Take the night off, enjoy yourselves. Maybe you'll get lucky and bear a child. The sooner the better!"

Finally, Daruun waved as he and Dominus left along with Dominus's silent assistant, Eeole.

The moment the rift closed, everyone heard the sound of shattering glass. They noticed Dragas begin to breathe heavily as she stood beside a broken vial. She had grown too excited with Dominus's mention of a child along with their final victory over the legendary gods. With her mind overtaken, Dragas grabbed Moranti by the back of his head and kissed him deeply. She m.o.a.ned, "Take me…"

"With pleasure."

Moranti immediately teleported him and his wife to their bedroom, wasting no time at all.

"How about we take you to an empty courtyard?" Sterfen smiled at Skaryn and Kylon while he grabbed Lunara's hand and rubbed his thumb along her palm.