Yeah, my palace is definitely bigger. They don’t even have an indoor pool! Jake thought proudly to himself as he inspected the large compound assigned to the Sword Saint during his stay with the Pantheon of Life.
Although the place was still excessively large for housing just one man, it wasn’t as extravagant as Jake’s palace. Sylphie also stayed with the old man, and Jake suspected that Minaga and Dina frequently visited. He was quite sure Dina temporarily stayed there as well.
Speaking of Dina, the plan had originally been for Jake to meet up with the Sword Saint and Sylphie shortly after their arrival to reunite with the dryad healer from their Nevermore party. However, Jake got caught up in his own activities, delaying his reunion by a week.
Jake admitted that he hadn’t reached out entirely due to his own realization. He and Artemis had spent the last week together, primarily discussing various everyday concepts and topics while also engaging in their own activities. Jake spent his time reading the tome left by the First Sage.
After about a week, Artemis had to leave to attend to a matter that one of her avatars couldn’t handle alone. Within an hour of her departure, Jake reached out to meet up with his old party members as he had an opening in his schedule.
It was hard to say if he and Artemis had made any progress in their relationship since the gift exchange, but Jake felt things were developing positively. He felt comfortable with her presence, and she had lightened up more over the days, making things even more casual. Things were slow, but that was totally okay. As Artemis had said, no one was in a rush.
When Jake reached out to see the Sword Saint, Dina, and Sylphie, he was asked if he wanted an escort or simply the coordinates to teleport directly from his residence to the Sword Saint’s. Jake questioned the practice of effectively giving out house keys to others’ homes but accepted it as he went through the gateway, which was reminiscent of those used by the Order of the Malefic Viper.
He guessed that they were a standard design refined throughout the eras, making them look similar. Alternatively, someone might have an excellent gateway business running somewhere that Jake would be glad to invest in.
Upon arrival, Jake learned that perhaps he shouldn’t have been in such a rush as there was no one present. He found more wooden puppets, similar to those at his own palace, and learned from them that the masters of the house were currently not there.
Jake already knew Sylphie wasn’t there, as he could feel her approximate location very far away, courtesy of the Union Oath. On Great Planets like these, distances often got so vast that flying around as a C-grade wasn’t feasible. Jake could likely fly straight for a hundred years or two without ever feeling like he was getting closer to wherever she and the others were.It wouldn’t take long for them to return using teleportation, so Jake decided to wait and chill while internally bragging about how much better his palace was than the mansion compound provided to the Sword Saint.
Approximately an hour later, the three of them finally returned, walking out of the gateway wall at the entrance to the compound. Sylphie was the first one out, quickly locating Jake and expertly landing on top of his head. Jake had been sitting in the courtyard waiting and smiled when the hawk snuggly sat down.
“You look like you’ve had fun,” Jake commented, feeling that Sylphie had recently been in a bit of a tussle. She had spent some energy, and remnants of mana still lingered around her body, giving off traces of the wind magic she had been using.
“Ree!” Sylphie screeched happily, confirming that she had indeed been beating up young prospects of the Pantheon of Life.
“You also look like you’ve been having a good time,” the Sword Saint smiled as he walked over. “Such a good time that you entirely forgot our promise to reunite.”
“I didn’t forget it; I just delayed it slightly,” Jake shot back, stopping himself from shaking his head to avoid disturbing the bird sitting up there. Turning slightly to Dina, he smiled. “It’s good to see you again, and from your aura, I can tell you haven’t been slacking off.”
“Neither have you,” Dina nodded in greeting. “My achievements since we last met are insignificant compared to yours, and I want to congratulate you for finally slaying that Ell’Hakan guy. I know you really didn’t like him, and it must have been cathartic to finally remove his Bloodline from the multiverse.”
“It sure was,” Jake agreed with a nod, making Sylphie a little annoyed.
“I’m also glad that the Malefic One finally had an opportunity to prove his prowess. Many of the newer gods had put a lot of hope in Yip of Yore as a sign that the old guard was no longer the only ones worthy of standing at the apex, but that also gained him a lot of enemies. His power made him worthy of being considered a supreme genius, perhaps surpassing all before him, but it also made him arrogant to the point of foolishness. According to the Mother Tree, ignorance was the main cause of his downfall, and if he had merely chosen to strengthen himself for a few eras, he would have one day stood alongside the Primordials.”
“At least such great talent didn’t go to waste,” Jake said with a chuckle, getting a confused look from Dina. That reminded him that others didn’t know the Malefic Viper had transformed Yip of Yore into a succulent meal of Records, making him quickly make up an excuse.
“I mean that he will at least be remembered as someone who dared to face a Primordial, even if he died, and I also benefitted from the entire situation, so it isn’t all bad,” Jake said, sprinkling enough truth in there for Dina to nod in understanding.
“It’s certainly good that matter was handled,” the Sword Saint nodded. “Ell’Hakan was a threat we could do without, and with him gone, the galaxy is stable now. Well, as stable as one can expect a galaxy to be right after a war.”
“Luckily for us, we don’t have to deal with the post-war issues,” Jake grinned.
“True, we did run off to the first universe, leaving everything in the hands of our subordinates,” the Sword Saint nodded with a smile. “Do you predict we’ll have to return when the universe begins to open up and allow lower-level C-grade visitors from the rest of the multiverse?”
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
“I guess we’ll find out,” Jake shrugged. “If Miranda and the others need help, they can just contact us then. With the veil around our universe weakening, it will also be easier for us to teleport back and forth, so even if bad actors try to stop us from returning, I seriously doubt they’re capable.”
“Good point,” the Sword Saint agreed. “Which is preferable, as I hope to stay here for a while. Dina already told me about some of the hunting grounds controlled by the Pantheon of Life, and it seems like we have quite a set of options. The three of us discussed going together, but I have the feeling you won’t join us?”
Sylphie stared hopefully down at Jake, and Dina also looked like she would like him to come, but Jake sighed and shook his head. “Maybe at some point for a small adventure, but not here in the beginning. I’m strongest when I’m alone, and my Path revolves around sneak attacks and facing down powerful foes on my lonesome.”
Jake stood out in that none of the others relied on stealth in any way. The three were combatants who directly confronted their opponents, with the Sword Saint often announcing his presence on purpose to give his foe time to prepare for a duel. In Nevermore, things had worked out well, but Jake had only gotten better at running solo since then.
Lone Hunter and the upgrade to his stealth skill were the two primary reasons for this. Both were best when he was alone, with Lone Hunter not working at all while fighting with a party. In summary, it was simply best he fought alone, and that was the sole reason why—
“He just wants to spend time with Artemis,” the Sword Saint joked, shaking his head.
Dina looked a bit panicked when he said that, and Jake looked at the old man with an inquisitive gaze. “What do you think you know?”
“More than I did just a few moments ago,” the Sword Saint smiled. “Don’t get me wrong, I realize whatever you have going on isn’t truly my business, but do excuse this old man for being curious... and supportive, if you would prefer that.”
Jake was about to say something but stopped himself. Denying anything would just look weird, but he also didn’t want to disclose anything personal, so he chose to say nothing at all. As for the comment about being supportive, Jake knew that in the multiverse, the Sword Saint was perhaps one of the only people who genuinely wouldn’t find the situation where a mortal and a god got close as odd. Jake especially didn’t think he would after witnessing the scene with a certain vampire goddess shortly before they went to the Pantheon of Life.
“Ree?” Sylphie asked, and Jake couldn’t help but reply to her.
“No, I haven’t decided on where I want to go hunting yet,” Jake shook his head.
“He’s waiting for Artemis to propose a spot,” the Sword Saint just had to butt in again.
“Ree?”
“No, I won’t go hunting with her,” Jake shook his head, and he wasn’t even being fallacious with that one. If Jake went hunting, he didn’t want Artemis anywhere nearby or even observing him.
Villy had made it clear to Jake many times that the loss in Records from fighting while under the protection of a more powerful being was extreme, to the level of severely hampering growth. Artemis naturally already knew this and wouldn’t even propose sticking around when Jake went off to level.
Now, if they were talking about strategic breaks to reassess and for him to get feedback and stuff, that was naturally entirely different and definitely wouldn’t count as going hunting together.
Dina, who’d been watching them banter, smiled as she let out a small sigh. “I did miss this... during Nevermore, I admit I found the constant bantering a bit annoying at times, but afterward, it felt weird when it was gone.”
“That’s why we’re having a reunion!” Jake said jokingly. “To bring us back to the days which really weren’t that long ago.”
“We are missing someone, though,” Dina let out a louder sigh. “I heard what happened with the Fallen King... and I really hope a solution can be found. I understood there was still hope.”
“Actually, I did want to talk about that,” Jake said, making the others look a lot more attentive than before. “When I met with Yggdrasil and Nature’s Attendant inside the Primordial’s Divine Realm, I asked Nature’s Attendant to help me find a solution to hopefully heal the Fallen King.”
“Did you use the favor he owed you from taking me with you to Nevermore?” Dina asked.
“Feels a bit weird that you know your grandfather tried to bribe me into bringing you, and for the records, I would have said yes even if he hadn’t said he’d owe me one. Oh, and yes, I did try to cash in that favor, but he and Yggdrasil both rejected it,” Jake shook his head.
“I’m fine with what my grandfather did, and I’m happy you at least tried to use the favor to help the Fallen King,” Dina said with a sad look. “If even Grandpa and Yggdrasil rejected using the favor to help him... I don’t know what else—”
“No, no, you got it backward,” Jake quickly tried to clear up the misunderstanding. “They said it was too easy for it to count as a real favor.”
“Jake, sometimes your lack of communication skills really shines through, as that definitely wasn’t on purpose,” the Sword Saint shook his head.
Scratching his head, a bit embarrassed, Jake tried to elaborate. “When Carmen killed the Desolate Child of Loss, a fragment of the Fallen King appeared, and inside my mask, the Truesoul of the Fallen King still lingers, along with something else apparently. A copy of the Fallen King’s memories or something like that... not entirely sure.”
“Ree, ree?” Sylphie asked with a lot of hope in her voice. Jake knew she was one of the people who had taken the Fallen King’s seeming demise the hardest as the two of them had faced the Desolate Child of Loss together.
“The Fallen King knew what he was doing,” Jake answered. “You should all know that arrogant asshole wouldn’t make some noble sacrifice without at least leaving himself a hope for survival. Before he went off, he infused the mask with some unknown energy and even the fragment the Desolate Child had bound its existence to housed energies of the King. He laid all the groundwork for his eventual return, and with Yggdrasil and Nature’s Attendant on the case now... I have confidence this will eventually become a true reunion.”
Dina smiled and nodded at his explanation with Sylphie also letting out a happy screech. The Sword Saint didn’t look that surprised at Jake’s revelation as he simply nodded in acknowledgment before asking:
“Do you have any clue as to a timeline?” the old man asked.
“None. Yggdrasil said that she will contact me once she needs my presence,” Jake explained with a sigh. “With gods, you never know how long something takes, and I’m just happy some progress is at least being made in that department.”
“If anyone can help bring someone back from the brink, it’s the Mother Tree,” Dina said with confidence. “Have you considered what else you will ask of my grandfather since he didn’t accept helping the Fallen King as a real favor?”
“Honestly? Not really,” Jake confessed. “I could always just ask some alchemy stuff, but I have the feeling he won’t accept that as a real favor, either. Genuinely, I don’t know what I even could need from him.”
Dina looked to be thinking for a while as she also considered the matter. After a bit, she suddenly turned incredibly nervous and began to talk in a low voice. “I... do have one idea, but I’m not sure if I should say it. It may come off sounding a bit... I don’t know... blasphemous.”
Jake was so ready for even Dina to begin to tease him about something Artemis-related, but what she said instead was definitely something he hadn’t expected.
“Sylphie mentioned how your bow was broken, and my Grandpa is really good at creating living weapons from wood, and as it’s a bow, I think he could help you. The weapons he makes can evolve alongside you, growing on their own,” Dina proposed, and Jake definitely liked the sound of that.
He had considered getting a new bow as the one he’d gotten from Maria was just a temporary one, but seeing as he felt semi-close to B-grade, he didn’t want to “waste” a favor from Nature’s Attendant on one.
Jake didn’t quite understand why Dina would find that suggestion blasphemous in any way, though... at least not until he heard the final part of her idea:
“When he makes a weapon like that, he needs a base to grow it from... and you said the Mother Tree also wanted to offer some help... so... maybe you could get one of her branches?”
Hearing that suggestion, Jake really didn’t have to think long.
What kind of self-respecting hunter would say no to the idea of having a bow made from the World Tree itself? That was peak fantasy right there.