The Achievement Junkie

Slivia didn't hold herself back, flooding Zariff's chest with tears. "I know… I know."

"Let's get you and the others settled in. Don't worry, with everyone's recommendation, you've already been accepted into the guild," said Zariff. "You'll stay with my daughter, Maura. She'll help you with anything you need."

The watery-eyed cleric said nothing, only nodding and walking beside Zariff with his arm around her.

Taking the reigns of the wagon, the goblin queen took over Slivia's position as the party finally entered the city gates under the clear night sky.

As they passed through the street many people noticed some of the more famous heroes, like Chief Zariff or Brunar, the young hero on the rise. Each passerby scanned over the party and was surprised that Jack was nowhere to be found.

Jack had already become famous in the city, thanks to Zariff spreading the news of a summoned hero defecting from the Royal Court to the Adventurers Association. Considering the publicity that happened when the Royal Court convinced association members to join them, this was huge news within the city.

Curious to see if the rumors were true, citizens from all around crowded the streets as Rydel's party passed but they were all disappointed to not find the young hero. However, due to the wagon's guards wearing clothes similar to the Balt Guild and the beautiful women driving it, many people shouted and asked about the wagon.

Not daring to answer the crowd's questions at the risk of revealing the unconscious Jack, the party was mostly silent as they passed through the unusually packed streets under the night sky. They would wave occasionally or point out someone they knew personally, but other than Brunar, no one wanted to attract any attention.

Under Brunar's limelight, Troni quietly left on his own. He had already told his master that he would need to hurry home for some urgent business.

Maynard was never a fan of the Salendar family or their business, but he respected Troni and allowed his student to do as he saw fit. All he could do was sigh as the young samurai vanished into the crowd.

The party eventually reached the association building late into the night. They took the wagon through an alley at the side of the branch headquarters, which led to an open area with stables and places to park wagons or handcarts.

Now hidden behind the association building, they unloaded Jack and took him to a cozy bed in the infirmary.

Commotion came and went within the branch office as the adventurers saw the unconscious hero being carried in. Most of them showed worry on their faces, but Zariff and Rydel put them at ease, telling them he'd be fine after a few days of rest.

Zariff offered to prepare the mission reward despite the late hour but Rydel refused, knowing that Zariff would've convinced them to pay for a round of brundies in celebration.

The party quickly disbanded and either collapsed in their cots or, like Brunar and Maynard, went out with the chief for a drink.

Within the quiet, dimly lit infirmary laid Jack, motionless and almost lifeless. On his chest laid Bowzer, patiently waiting for Jack to wake up.

Hours passed as dusk became dawn and dawn became early morning.

While most people in the capital were still enjoying their beauty sleep, Bowzer flinched and looked back to Jack's face. He was happy to see Jack's lip and nose quivering.

A soft groan left Jack's mouth as he turned his head to the side. One arm slowly lifted itself and landed on Bowzer's back, putting a smile on Bowzer's face. A few more seconds passed before Jack turned his head again and blinked his eyes before cracking them open for the first time in days.

'Jack! Jack okay!' Bowzer's mind yelled as loud as it could.

'Huh?' Jack opened his eyes a little wider and replied, 'Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?'

'Jack sleep too long. You fought troll, worry us,' said Bowzer, nuzzling up to Jack's face. 'Jack really okay?'

'Yes, I'm fine.' Jack moved his arms to push himself up, but he failed to do so. He could move his arms but whenever he moved his torso, an abrupt pain shot through his upper chest and neck that caused him to shout in pain.

'Jack no move. Wait in bed,' said Bowzer. 'Jack need rest.'

'What? What do you mean?'

'Jack hurt bad from Troll. Need time to heal,' explained Bowzer. 'Jack remember fight with Troll?'

The hero thought back to the fight and was shocked that he didn't remember hardly anything. Jack could only remember what happened up until he activated his bloodline skill. From then on, he could only remember bits and pieces of him being angry and rampaging. After trying his hardest, he remembered being punched in the throat and thrown before his memory cut off.

'I fought the troll but I think he knocked me unconscious,' said Jack, trying to piece it all together.

'Yup, Jack fought and Byron killed.' The fox bobbed its head up and down. 'Byron said troll hurt Jack, and Jack sleep long time.'

'But why does my neck and chest hurt so much? Wouldn't they heal me or take me to a medic?' reasoned Jack. 'Why does it hurt worse than anything I've ever felt before?'

'Jack hurt during fire right?' asked Bowzer.

'Umm… You mean while I was on fire?' clarified Jack, getting a nod from Bowzer. 'Yeah, how else could I fight a troll captain?'

'That why.'

Those two words from Bowzer echoed in Jack's head, baffling him. 'What do you mean, 'That why?''

'That why Jack hurt bad,' rephrased Bowzer. 'During fire, bodies no defend well. Very strong, but no defend well.'

'You mean that whenever I fight on fire, every hit I take will hurt even more?' asked Jack with wide eyes.

'Yup. Remember, Bowzer sleep after fight too.'

'Yeah, but you slept for a day and you were fine as soon as you woke up. How long have I been out?'

'Five days.'

'Five days!?' Jack was startled and didn't know what to think. 'Then why am I still hurt? You rested for one and you were fine?'

'Jack no fox, that why,' explained Bowzer. 'Jack no fox, so fire weak. Bowzer can feel inside Jack. Too weak.'

Jack laughed uncontrollably, not sure how to take it all in. 'So, because my fox bloodline is too weak, I'm extra hurt? If it were stronger like yours, I'd do okay, right?'

'Yup.'

With a sigh, Jack tried to shake his head but groaned as pain shot through him again. 'Looks like I shouldn't use that bloodline skill so soon after all. I'll have to wait till it's stronger. But how come they couldn't heal me? They tried to heal me, right?'

'Yup, but no heal if hurt on fire. Same for all foxes,' answered Bowzer. 'All foxes weak after fire, extra weak if hurt on fire.'

Suddenly, a thought came into Jack's mind. Jack looked up to the fox on his chest and stared into Bowzer's eyes. 'When I first met you, was your mom weak from fire?'

Bowzer's eyes widen as the fox looked away and froze for a moment. A couple of seconds passed before he looked back at Jack. 'Y—'

"Jack!"

A shout from the other side of the infirmary door interrupted their conversation. The door swung open, almost tearing it off the hinges. In rushed Slivia, followed by Zariff, Rydel, and Maura in the back.

"Jack, you're awake! Are you okay? Say something," shouted Slivia as she sat at Jack's bedside.

"Calm down Slivia, I'm okay. No need to wake up the whole building. By the way, where am I exactly?" asked Jack with a laugh, lightening the mood and hiding the irritation he felt from them interrupting an important conversation with Bowzer.

Slivia sighed in relief, "Thank Halmut. You scared me to death when you fought that troll. What were you thinking?"

"Well, I had to do something, otherwise who knows what he would've done to you?" replied Jack. "As long as you and the others are fine, then it was worth it."

"Idiot…" mumbled Slivia, struggling to hold back the water building up in her eyes.

"Still, that was pretty stupid, even for you, don't you think?" asked Rydel, who was still in his pajamas.

"True, but what else could I do to stop a troll captain? Ask nicely?" answered Jack.

Zariff, still buzzed, laughed loudly, "Not bad brat, not bad at all. Maybe one day, you won't be a brat anymore. How are you feeling after your long beauty sleep?"

"Umm… about that…" sighed Jack. "According to Bowzer, whenever I activate that bloodline skill, I'm extra vulnerable to attacks and I can only heal naturally."

"That explains why the medics and the others couldn't do anything," said Rydel. "How are you now? Can you get out of bed?"

"I can move, but my chest and neck try to tell me otherwise with shooting pain every time I try," answered Jack. "From the looks of it, I'll have to wait a couple more days and see how I'm doing. Got any medicine that might speed things up?"

"They're not as good as potions, but these are good enough to help a brat with a boo-boo," chuckled Zariff, tossing him a watertight pouch with a think liquid inside.

"Are you really okay, Jack?"

Jack was surprised to hear Maura ask so sincerely as she poked her head out from behind her dad. "Yeah, I'll be fine with some more rest. Thanks for asking."

"Good," said Maura, returning to her usual rough-around-the-edges composure. "Come on Dad, it's bedtime."

"Okay, okay. Bye brat, I'll check in on your boo-boo tomorrow." Zariff waved as Maura pushed him out of the room, with Rydel following behind her.

Slivia and Jack watched as everyone left, unsure of how to treat the current situation.