After recovering from using Arcane Awakening, Jake didn’t continue his journey right away. Instead, he took a small break inside the miniature forest to prepare some things. During the House of the Architect, he had learned to craft both a better poison and to make acid, but after exiting, he had made neither.
Both of those would honestly have been useful in the last fight, especially the acid. If Jake had a good amount, he could have tossed it on the cube or even put some of it into the Protean Arrow he created to more efficiently destroy the scalekin mage’s defenses. If he would have used the Heartrot Poison or not was a bit more of a toss-up as the Sleeping Night Toxin was still damn effective, though.
Either way, Jake wanted to at least have the option. Besides, he had improved his general crafting skills and wanted to make a new batch of Sleeping Night Toxin to ensure he had the best poison he could make to prepare for what was to come. There was no doubt in his mind this wouldn’t be his only combat encounter with a powerful foe in this Challenge Dungeon.
With regard to the decision Jake had to make regarding where to make his delivery, he didn’t really see it as a real choice. In Jake’s mind, he had been hired to do a job, and he was going to do that job. It wasn’t really about doing what was right or wrong in his head or choosing what was most beneficial to him. Jake just felt like one should stick to an agreement already made, and he wasn’t the kind of person to be bought off by someone else.
That isn’t to say there was nothing that could make Jake change his mind. If he arrived in this mid-sized city and found out that the Infernal Baron was some psycho who liked to roast and eat children or some other fucked up shit like that, he could totally see himself going to this other organization merely out of spite. Not that he thought the organization was much better, considering they had a propensity to kill everyone Jake had seen them working with so far. Not to mention that they also used slaves based on what Jake heard about this Silenced Order, making him less than positive toward them.
When Jake was done crafting all his poison and two full barrels of acid, he continued his journey. Jake also decided that for the rest of the trip, he would keep his stealth skill active. Due to the main cost coming from activating it, he could have it up pretty much indefinitely. Doing so should also help him appear more mysterious, as the organization wouldn’t know how he had gotten to the city in case they had scouts placed on the path. Assuming none of those scouts were high-tier Perception-focused C-grades or B-grades, that is.
The entire encounter with the scalekin mage, projection, and his crafting session had put him back ten or so hours, but Jake believed it would be worth it down the line. He did hope that he wouldn’t have any more interruptions for the rest of the way, and hopefully, the stealth skill would help with that.
Days passed uneventfully as Jake got in some good practice with regards to using his stealth skill while also moving quickly and using both One Step and his wings. The system assistance did most of the job for sure, but in just a few days, Jake did manage to remove some very minor clues as to his presence when using One Step. It was mainly that there were some very minor ripples due to space effectively compressing around him whenever he used the skill, but with some slight tweaks, he also hid those far better. A talented space mage would probably be able to feel them, but the average person definitely wouldn’t. At least they couldn’t, based on how the beasts didn't react at all despite Jake stepping down practically right next to them.
After a bit over three days of total travel, the mid-sized city appeared in the distance as a small blip. It still took him another seven hours to actually reach it – one of the downsides of extremely high Perception and flying high up in the air – meaning he had used a bit less than half of his allotted time when he finally arrived.
This city was a lot bigger than the small-sized Hillspring, and Jake doubted there were only a few million living there. At least not if one counted the thousands of farmsteads and buzzing villages surrounding the large city itself.Checking his compass, Jake saw it was pointing toward the very center of the city. From a distance, Jake could see a castle atop what looked like it had once been a volcano, with buildings constructed up its cliffside. While it was a bit on the nose, it definitely looked like the kind of place someone known as the Infernal Baron would live.
However, Jake didn’t go there immediately. He stopped a bit outside the city and landed close to the gate entrance so as to not fly inside. If this organization had powerful scouts waiting, flying into the city was a lot more suspicious than using the gates, as only influential and powerful figures could fly into the city according to the laws. Well, them, and of course, Couriers.
That didn’t mean Jake would enter officially, though. He kept his stealth skill up as he went through the checkpoint, easily spoofing the magic circle of detection covering the entire city with Shroud of the Primordial. The guards at the gate were all around level 250, which was another decent step up, but none of them looked particularly strong. Jake did sense a far more powerful C-grade inside one of the offices close to the official entrance, though.
When inside the city, Jake considered if he should go to the Infernal Baron immediately or check out the Guild first. Both things seemed risky, though. If the organization had placed people capable of detecting him, it would definitely be at either of those places. Ultimately, he settled on going to the Baron directly.
I need to enter the Baron’s place without raising suspicion… Jake thought to himself as he walked casually through the city streets. Just going there directly would definitely be suspicious. As it was on a mountain, he could easily watch from down on the streets how many took the winding path up to the castle gates, and so far, he had seen no one go. As for those flying to the castle, he also only saw a single beast do it.
Jake was considering for a while what to do until he got an idea. The problem wasn’t anyone knowing he entered the Baron’s castle… it was that they knew it was him entering it. As of this moment, the organization only knew a few things about Jake. They knew how he generally looked, and they knew he was a human, so Jake was thinking… what if he just changed both of those things?
Shroud of the Primordial was a borderline cheat, and with it, he could easily change how he was Identified. As for his looks, while simply wearing a mask would hide any skin, Jake decided that he would be far more suspicious if he tried to fully conceal his identity. So, he had a far better plan.
Finding a building close to the path leading to the Infernal Baron’s castle, Jake made sure he wasn’t followed as he dipped in and got to work. First, he changed his race and level to display him as a level 270 Scalekin. The level was chosen to show off he was pretty strong but probably not strong enough to have been the one to beat the mage.
As a final touch, Jake switched his clothes to something a bit more casual he shamelessly stole from whoever lived where he had broken in. Once he was fully clothed, he activated the final part of his disguise as dark green scales covered his body, courtesy of Scales of the Malefic Viper.
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Granted, Jake still looked pretty human due to his features, but it wasn’t anything egregious. There were many scalekin who just looked like humans with scales covering them, primarily those who were children of a human and a scalekin.
Finding his new looks adequate, Jake exited the building again. Before, he had told himself he wouldn’t just fly to the castle as that would be far too bold if there were scouts looking for him… which was exactly why that was exactly what he would be doing.
Taking to the air, Jake did not summon his wings as he just flew using regular energy manipulation. The instant he went into the air and began to make his way toward the castle, dozens of eyes were upon him. Most disappeared a few seconds later, but a good few remained. Some of them even felt pretty damn powerful, but even so, they didn’t stand a chance at piercing his Shroud.
Luckily, there was no killing intent within any of them either. Soon enough, Jake also felt some attention land on him from within the castle. Jake was ready for someone to fly out and greet him, especially when he entered the range of a large magic circle covering the entire castle.
His prediction of someone flying out turned out to be slightly off as his senses warned him something was coming. The air around Jake began to slowly solidify as space itself froze, and Jake felt the presence of a powerful space mage. Choosing not to fight it, Jake stopped flying as a voice spoke in his head.
“This is the Infernal Baron’s personal residence. State your business or turn around,” the voice spoke in his head. Through the mana and the presence in the voice, Jake felt pretty darn certain he was dealing with a B-grade.
“I come for an audience with the Infernal Baron,” Jake answered, kind of hoping he wouldn’t have to say more. While he doubted that is how it worked, the job explicitly stated Jake had to deliver the Sealed Elemental without others finding out what it was, and this could also include some mage working under the Baron. Well, it was also possible this space mage was a plant from the organization, but Jake wouldn’t really bet on it.
“For what purpose?” the voice answered, making Jake curse internally. Saying he was a Courier could give the gig away, especially if the mage demanded to see the delivery. Ultimately, Jake decided that he would try and stay as professional and tight-lipped as possible.
“A matter concerning only the Baron himself. I cannot say anything more than that, but I can swear that should you not allow me this audience, the Infernal Baron will be greatly inconvenienced,” Jake tried.
This was another place where choosing his level to be 270 could come in handy. The Infernal Baron was in B-grade, and no matter what tricks the space mage believed Jake could have up his sleeve, he simply wouldn’t be able to pose any danger.
A few seconds passed while Jake really hoped he would be allowed through before he finally got an answer. “The Baron has agreed to meet you, with the condition that should you be wasting his time, this will be the last audience you will have with anyone.”
“He will not be disappointed,” Jake quickly answered in the affirmative. A bit childish with the death threat if Jake was just a fanboy trying to waste the man’s time, but alas. He was the client, and as the saying goes, the customer is always right. Unless when the customer is a fucking idiot, in which case they are probably rarely right about anything.
The space around Jake loosened as a portal appeared right in front of him. Jake took the cue and entered, finding himself standing in what looked a bit like the throne room soon after. There was no throne, though, but a cozy-looking set of armchairs with a small table between them. On one of these chairs sat a woman who still gave off some space mana, making him certain she had been the one to summon the portal.
On the other was a human who looked to be in his twenties, a bit younger than Jake expected. He had a thin red beard and deep red hair, and just being in the room as him, Jake felt the temperature increase. Both of them also gave off B-grade auras, and not just early B-grade either.
“So, you wanted an audience?” the man said, leaning back and raising an eyebrow. “I sincerely hope for you this is not a waste of my time.”
Jake looked at the man and woman as he answered. “I believe it would be best if this matter is only discussed with the Baron.”
“Oh?” the Baron smiled and turned to the woman. “Heard that? He wants you gone.”
Before the woman could even respond, Jake sent a telepathic message to the Baron, one the B-grade luckily didn’t reject.
“I am a Courier, and I believe I have something for you.”
His facial expression didn’t change in the slightest as the Baron kept looking at the space mage, who answered with a small scoff. “Quite rude to come in here and begin to make demands.”
“But also ballsy,” the Baron pointed out. “Look, let’s play along, eh? I will be sure to tell you all the funny details later.”
The woman looked at the man a bit perplexed, but eventually nodded. “As you will.”
Standing up, she gave Jake a single more glance before she disappeared from the room in a ripple of space magic. The Baron waved his hand right after as a barrier encased the entire room, hiding their conversation from any curious listeners. At least, that is what the Baron probably believed it would do.
“So, what do you-“
“There is still a third party capable of hearing us,” Jake warned the man telepathically.
The Baron had stopped himself mid-sentence and stared at Jake before asking out loud. “How do you know that?”
At this point, Jake had to assume the man was trying to be unsubtle on purpose, as he just answered normally. “I have my ways.”
Narrowing his eyes, the Baron stared deeply at Jake. “I know who is listening, and it is fine. However, do tell me…”
Without Jake reacting in the slightest, a magic circle appeared below him, as the Baron let out a bit of power and used his presence to try and partly supress Jake. It was just intimidation, really.
“Who exactly are you?”
“A Courier here to make a delivery,” Jake answered in a calm tone.
The Baron scoffed. “Are you daft? I know the information on the Courier I hired. Early-tier C-grade human male. The only one of those things you are is a guy, so do not make me repeat myself a third time… who are you?”
Sighing a bit internally, Jake had to confess he hadn’t expected the man in front of him to be so careful. He had wanted to hide who he was from others, but hiding from the client hadn’t been part of the plan.
“I am exactly the one you hired,” Jake responded as he took out his Courier Medallion. “Look, the job is infused into this Medallion by the Guild itself. Currently, I am just in disguise as I met some… trouble along the way.”
To prove his point, Jake had the scales slowly recede and disappear on his face.
Staring at the Medallion, the Infernal Baron seemed to be capable of telling Jake was at least telling the truth about that.
“Assuming I believe you, do you have the goods?” the Baron questioned.
“Before that, I believe it pertinent to know who this third-party observer is,” Jake answered, not showing the slightest sense of fear despite the magic circle still beneath his feet, ready to erupt in flames that would burn him to a crisp. “The job was very clear on the fact that I was not to allow anyone to know of this delivery besides the Baron.”
Narrowing his eyes, the Baron waved his concerns off. “I already told you it’s fine.”
“The order was clear,” Jake insisted.
“Do not test my patie-“
“Enough,” a voice cut through the room, and Jake had to hide a small smile as the third person finally revealed himself, at least in part.
Between Jake and the Baron, a figure made out of pure flames appeared. He was not there in person but was using some form of projection skill. The moment he showed up, the Baron hurriedly stood up and fell to his knees, not even looking up. Jake naturally remained standing.
The man who had just appeared looked just like the Baron in front of him, except a bit older. His aura was also different, not just in power. Jake felt the man’s innate authority. It stemmed from something Jake hadn’t really cared a lot about or dedicated much attention to… the nobility system. Something pretty rare, considering many who claimed themselves kings or nobles did not have the actual system title to back it up.
“Let us not bother a man simply sticking to unparalleled professional ethics,” the figure of flames said in a playful, scolding tone as he kept his eyes on Jake. Instantly, Jake knew the man in front of him was on a whole other level compared to the Baron.
A-grade… close to S-grade, probably…
“Allow me to introduce myself, Courier. I am known as the Duke of Flames, the father of the one who hired you, and the true client of this job,” the man who revealed himself to be a Duke answered as he flashed a big smile. “And I believe you might just be what we’ve been looking for.”