It was a possibility Jake hadn’t really considered before. The human factions were often at the forefront of the mind when thinking or talking about the most powerful on Earth, but one had to remember that humanity only existed on a small part of the entire planet.
Long ago, Jake had felt the presence of what he believed to be C-grades deep within the forest Haven was placed in the outskirts of, and even during his trip to Skyggen, he felt powerful presences. The large mountain he dodged, as an example, gave off a powerful aura of what could potentially be a C-grade.
The implication? Monsters on Earth were far more powerful than humanity many times over. Yet they were also inherently very territorial, and while Jake had heard of human cities being attacked and monsters wanting Pylons, the more powerful ones had yet to leave their areas. He didn’t know what kept them there, but he was happy they stayed.
Because Jake was pretty damn sure that if a single C-grade decided to go on a rampage, no one could stop it. Not him or the Sword Saint or anyone else. Maybe the Holy Church would have some massive ritual where they sacrificed a million people or some shit, but Jake doubted it.
There was just one question…
“Why would monsters work with that little twerp?”
“That I don’t know,” Caleb answered. “May have to do with his karmic powers, or it may have to do with some deal they made. Perhaps it is as simple as Eversmile blessing some of them and ordering them to work together. Either way, they must get something out of it.”
“It can’t be a coincidence he finds a beast or other type of monsters with powerful space magic allowing him to leave our universe, and to make those formations, you need specific training and guidance from outside forces,” Jake commented.
“Indeed,” Caleb agreed.
They both sat in silence for a while before Caleb added. “When we go and see the others, please don’t mention William at all, and if they ask about him, do keep it neutral, please. I think I have shrugged off the effects, but the mental magic may still influence them a bit, making them have an unnaturally favorable view of him. So if you speak about killing him or anything like that, you may get a very negative reaction. Just know they have a skewed view, and it isn’t their fault.”Jake frowned. “I fucking hate mental magic like that…”
“The worst part is that it isn’t really the normal kind of mental magic, so healers can’t do much about it. At least it is wearing off, and the more they think about what happened, the odder and more ‘wrong’ it will begin to feel in their minds. That is the good thing about karmic magic at least… without constant exposure, the effect lessens or disappears entirely far faster than other kinds of mental fuckery.”
“Noted,” Jake agreed. “I won’t bring up curb-stomping the little fucker into the ground repeatedly until he is dead for good. Again.”
He let out a bit of his anger as his aura flared, and Caleb shook his head as he muttered: “Well, at least I can get why the guy is scared.”
Jake just shrugged. “His fault for being a damn psycho.”
“Pretty sure that ain’t how that works…”
“Who are you to say? Neither of us are doctors, so who can truly tell.”
The two of them kept bantering a while longer before they left for Caleb’s home.
On the way, a feeling welled up Jake had not expected. He had been looking forward to seeing them, so there was much anticipation, but that anticipation was soon joined by a strong sense of nervousness. He hadn’t met his parents or Maja for half a year or so, and he had changed a lot during that time.
There was also the whole baby-angle he had to consider. A part of him felt shitty for not visiting earlier knowing Maja had given birth, and now he was afraid she would be angry at him. He did have excuses, but were they good enough?
Caleb seemed to pick up on his nervousness as he smiled and patted Jake on the back. “Relax, they’ve all been looking forward to seeing you again. Things may have changed for all of us, but the fact that we’re family hasn’t.”
“Is there anything I need to know?” Jake asked.
“His name is Adam.”
Jake nodded as he smiled, Caleb having already mentioned it before, but it was a bit hectic back then. “After Maja’s grandfather?”
“Yeah, and it also seemed oddly fitting considering the circumstances,” Caleb answered.
“Has everything been fine with Maja and Adam? Anything to mind with the system and all?” Jake asked, still feeling nervous.
“Babies are a damn lot easier than before, that’s for sure,” Caleb laughed. “Besides that, the growth seems pretty normal, besides him being stronger than a baby has any right to. It isn’t really a problem as everything around him is also more durable, but it is something to watch out for when a baby can crawl across a room in seconds.”
“I can imagine,” Jake smiled, remembering Sylphie when she was a newborn chick. Wait, if Sylphie was his niece and Adam his nephew, did that make them cousins of sorts?
Before long, they found themselves at a large residence, far larger than any around. It was several stories tall and was more a small compound with several buildings of varying sizes. The entire thing was walled off with enchantments and a barrier protecting it all.
“Fancy,” Jake commented. “A lot bigger than my lodge.”
Or at least it was until his massive underground lab and facility were finished. Before he left, he had briefly seen the progress, and it was looking good.
“Gotta keep up appearances,” Caleb chuckled, slightly embarrassing. “Also, it allows mom and dad to practically live next door, which is just convenient.”
“Oh, you just like flexing on the plebians,” Jake chuckled along, trying to suppress his own nervousness.
“Now who is the judgemental one?” Caleb shook his head as he took out a token making the double-sided front gate open. They both went into a small yard with the largest building in front of them and two smaller ones to the side.
The courtyard itself was filled with several plants, and he even saw a few plant boxes placed next to one of the houses. He instantly knew that was where his parents had to live, as mom had always loved gardening. Well, and he saw them inside with his sphere.
They went up the stairs to the central one. Jake couldn’t hold himself back as he observed all of his family in his sphere and smiled. His parents were both sitting in what looked like a shared office of sorts. Once they entered, Jake heard Maja come out of a side room, Adam sleeping within.
“You’re back early today, did something else hap-“
She turned a corner as she saw Jake stand there. He had already made his mask invisible before he had even entered the office with Caleb earlier that day.
“Hi Maja, long time no see,” Jake greeted as he raised his arm to wave.
He barely had time to raise it before she rushed over and pulled him into a hug. He didn’t resist but just returned it, Caleb standing to the side with a big smile.
“You finally made it!” Maja exclaimed as she pulled back, looking him over. “Did you just arrive? You look worn down, and look at those boots; they look like they haven’t been fixed up for decades…”
“It’s how they came,” he shrugged as he also looked at her. “Good to see you again.”
He had never been the one for many words, and Maja didn’t hold it against him as she kept smiling, as she turned to Caleb. “Why are you still standing there? Go get mom and dad!”
“Aye aye,” Caleb agreed as he made a joking salute, Jake shaking his head.
“Now come inside, let me make something to drink. Do you want coffee or tea? Juice? Or something else?” Maja asked as she ushered Jake into another room.
“Juice sounds nice,” Jake agreed as he lifted up the bags of pastries. “I brought cake.”
“Oh, from Jerry’s? That’s great! Can you help set the table? Everything is in the cabinet over there,” she said as she pointed to one on the left wall.
“Sure thing,”
Jake didn’t even think much as he summoned several mana strings and manipulated them over to open the cabinet and bring out plates, cups, and glasses as he telekinetically set the table – as one does in a post-system world.
“Show-off,” Maja commented from the small tea kitchen where she was making some coffee.
“Telekinesis would have revolutionized the entire hospitality industry for sure,” Jake joked back. It was funny; he didn’t really think much about how he would set the table… he just jumped straight to using magic. It was the same when he did alchemy. Why use your hands when a mana string is both faster and more versatile?
“How did you get here, by the way?” she asked. “I heard they were working on a teleportation circle, and Caleb said you would probably come when that was finished, but I don’t think it was quite done yet?”
“I ran,” Jake answered. “And flew a bit too. But it was mainly running, and it was quite the trek too.”
Maja just shook her head. “You don’t mean to tell me you spent the last four days since that Treasure Hunt just running?”
“And flying,” Jake corrected with a smile.
They kept talking for a bit longer until they heard his parents’ voices, and once he did, the feeling of nervousness from before returned in full. It was the longest period in his life Jake had ever gone without seeing, much less speaking to his parents. He had managed to keep himself busy, and knowing Caleb was with them had put his mind at ease… but he would be lying to himself if he said he hadn’t missed them.
“What surprise are you talking about? Did you-“
Jake heard his mom’s voice as she opened the door to the dining room and stopped the moment she did and saw him.
“Jake?” she said with disbelief, standing there frozen as she stared at him.
“Hi, mom,” Jake said a bit awkwardly as he pointed towards the table. “I brought cake.”
His mom didn’t really react to the cake but hurried over and gave him a big hug, Jake reciprocating without hesitation. They held each other for a while as Jake made eye contact with his dad, who stood in the doorway, smiling.
“What happened to your eyes?” his dad asked first thing, making Jake chuckle a bit internally. Upon hearing the question, his mom pulled back from him and looked at his face discerningly, both of them waiting for an answer.
“Just a skill I got,” Jake answered. “How about you two? You’re looking better than ever. Can’t even spot any of those gray hairs, dad.”
And he truly had. Both his parents looked younger and healthier than ever before, no doubt due to the advent of stats and their evolutions. Maja was the same. None of them were close to D-grade, but Jake hadn’t expected them to be either.
“You’ve gotten cheekier,” his dad said as he walked over and gave Jake a light hug. Neither of them had ever been the types for much physical affection, so that suited Jake just fine.
“It comes with the territory,” Jake answered. “Though I still can’t measure up to the leader of a massive, literally shadowy, assassin organization.”
“Says you, with your-” Caleb began, attempting to throw a jab.
“Not now,” his mom interrupted as Caleb promptly shut up. “Come, take a seat!”
Jake’s mother ushered him over to the table and sat down. Maja had gotten done with making drinks and brought it over as everyone took a seat.
A lot had happened since the last time they all sat around a table and ate breakfast. The world had been turned upside down and made practically the size of the sun, and they had all gotten superpowers and been through tutorials and experienced death at close hand.
Jake had gone from an office worker to one of the most prominent people on Earth; Caleb became the leader of the Court of Shadows, making them both leaders of the new world in some capacity. In addition, Maja and Caleb had become parents, Robert and Debra grandparents, and Jake arguably an uncle twice.
Yet despite them all not being the same they were the last time they sat down to eat, there was no tension. Instead, Jake felt like it was just like before. The biggest difference was his mother’s worried questions of how he was doing, shifting from his job performance and how he got along with his coworkers to how he was doing fighting ancient vampires and old men who liked to talk about spring inside crumbling worlds.
His dad was the silent type as always but was very interested to hear about Haven and how things were going there. Jake was a bit more sparse with details there but could talk more extensively about the underground complex being made beneath his lodge.
Sadly, he didn’t get to meet his nephew right away as he was sleeping. Small children were apparently still prone to that sort of thing after the system, which was probably a blessing for the parents.
Also… damn, the cakes were good. Jake really had to eat more food. Also just for the bonuses, as it increased regeneration out of combat quite a lot, which could be useful while crafting. Besides that, it was just tasty, so why not? Jake was pretty sure he didn’t have to watch his weight anymore, and he got plenty of exercises when killing stuff.
After nearly an hour of pleasantries and sharing stories, the question came that Jake had been waiting for.
“So… I heard something about some alchemist Order?” his mom asked. “I don’t know much about it, but I don’t want you getting involved in anything bad.”
Jake saw Caleb snicker across the table with schadenfreude as he suppressed his desire to go smack his little brother on the head.
“I’m not a member or anything; I just know some people from there,” Jake defended himself. “It’s more that I’m good friends with the leader of the Order, so it isn’t really anything to worry about.”
“I just also heard and read some bad things about this friend of yours…” she said, looking even more concerned than before.
Jake glared daggers at him, but Caleb quickly raised his hands in defense: “Hey, don’t look at me, I didn’t say anything. We just have a public library, and the exploits of the Viper aren’t secrets.”
“Your mom is right,” his dad also chimed in as he looked serious. “There is a power dynamic far more prominent than any we knew before this system, and not just one based on social constructs and hieratical structures. I don’t think it’s healthy, and you really need to be careful about such things. If not, it could end badly, and not for the one on top of the pyramid. Just be careful, okay?”
“Mom, Dad, I got it handled,” Jake said, shaking his head. “My relationship with the Viper is mine to deal with, alright? Putting down a healthy boundary here, so just relax. I got this.”
“You’re sure?” Mom asked again.
“Yes,” Jake shut it down.
“As long as you’re aware and thinking about it,” Dad nodded as he returned to nurturing his cup of coffee.
Nodding, Jake confirmed again, trying to put their minds at ease.
He understood their concerns, as quite frankly, his and Villy’s relationship was bizarre. Jake had been put into bad situations at prior stages of his life by being too trusting or not skeptical enough of how others treated him – his university days were a great example of this. However, he would say he had gotten better at it in recent months, no doubt also helped by his intuition allowing him to judge people better. Also, just by limiting who he trusted and let in.
Believing the storm was over, Jake began to relax as his mother uttered an even more perilous question:
“So, is there anyone special we should know about? A girlfriend, perhaps?”