Chapter 173: Reaching the Bubble


    A second arrow pierced space to uratelynd on the tip of the eels nose. Jack sensed the Dao of Lightning leak out. The eel shook its head and chased him with renewed effort. They exchanged strikes. He was on the losing end, but not by much. His punches caved its flesh almost as much as its lightning charred his, but he had the Indomitable Body and Life Drops regenerative properties, and the eel had nothing. Its greatest weapon, the lightnings lingering effects, was countered by Jacks Indomitable Body.


    Jack was losing, but the situation was slowly growing more manageable.


    Additionally, the more he approached Nauja, the denser the arrows came. They pelted the eel like a second meteor shower, not particrly strong but exceptionally urate. Naujas marksmanship was impableas shed revealed, she could adjust the trajectory of her wind arrows mid-flight.


    Many arrows still missed, but a few hit the mark. They distracted the eel, causing a small but considerable amount of damage. It couldnt slide off the piercing arrows like it could Jacks fists. Moreover, since the eel was physically muchrger than Jack, Nauja could hit it without worrying about hitting her ally.


    Her strength may not have been on par with Jacks or the eels, but this was the perfect situation for an archer to excel.


    Jack was charred and injured. Hed been electrocuted a dozen times already. His regeneration worked overtime tobat the lightning, but the eel wasnt much better, either. It didnt regenerate nearly as fast. Its wounds umted until its attacks slowed down.


    Being an Elite, it had a hint of intelligence. It could choose to retreat when things went south.


    Jack was almost at the bubble now. His body was tattered, but hed managed to protect his helmetwhich was highly durable, anywayas well as Brock and Gan Salin, whom he was carrying. Sensing the eel slow down, he hesitated.


    He could keep going and escape inside the bubble.


    Or.


    Or he could try to kill the eel.


    They had to kill an Elite space monster for the Sixth Ring Conqueror title. These monsters were found almost exclusively in the darkness. The eel was already heavily injured. When would he find a better opportunity than this?


    Plus, this was his chance to gain so many levels.


    Jack found himself letting go of Gan Salin and Brock. The bubble was slow, and his current trajectory towards it was urate. There was obviously no monster in between, or Naujas arrows would have been intercepted, and neither of the two released any Dao right now. To the space monsters, they were invisible. Jack was certain they would reach the pce bubble.


    He let go of them both.


    Then, he turned around and started punching. His momentum lessened until it reversed. He was flying <em>at </em>the eel now, not away from it. Behind his back, the arrows kepting.


    The eel hadnt imagined Jack would return. It hesitated, then charged him.


    There was a difference between letting prey go and cowering from a challenge.


    Jack and the eel got entangled into a violent dance of punches and lightning. Teeth snapped. A tail swiped. Arms blurred in the light of sparks. Meteors blossomed on slick skin, each strong enough to demolish a hill.


    Arrows rained from behind, some missing but a few hitting their mark. The eel was leaking Dao from all over its body now. Jack was exhausted but still regenerating. The crippling lightning had little effect on him.


    As the eel opened its jaws to bite down on Jack, he ghost-stepped under it. When its upper jaw met the lower one, pushing it down, Jack smashed up with all his strength. His fist shone purple. The lightning was sucked in, then exploded. A hole was ripped clean through the beasts underjaw, into its mouth, and up from its snout. Dao streamed out like a broken dam.


    The eel shook once, then its lightning began to dim. Jack felt the void get charged as so much Dao escaped. His skin was tingly. He braced himself for another attack, breathing heavily, but none came. The eel went still.


    Finally, the notifications began to stream in.


    <strong>Congrattions! You have reached Level 90.</strong>


    <strong>Congrattions! You have reached Level 91.</strong>


    <strong>Congrattions! You have reached Level 92.</strong>


    <strong>Congrattions! You have reached Level 93.</strong>


    He allowed himself a smile before reorienting on Nauja and rushing over. She wasnt too far away now.


    He let the Life Drop transformation fade away. He also used Brutalizing Aura on the way, just to be sure, but it was unnecessary. Whether because they gave space to the eel or because of blind luck, there were no other monsters nearby.


    Eventually, Jack made out light in the darkness. A torch illuminated the wall of a pce and the side of a courtyard, surrounded by a shimmering, transparent, green bubble. A pale-skinned archer with fur clothing over her privates stood at the very edge of the bubble, bow drawn and poised to shoot, while a young brori held up a torch and anxiously waved it from side to side. Gan Salin was lying unconscious between them.


    The archer lowered her bow as she saw him. A bright smile blossomed on her face.


    Jack wanted to make a hero entrance. He tried to slow down, but he miscalcted. He flew into the courtyard at high speed and smashed into the wall beyond, copsing a small, stone structure that could have been a garden shack.


    He theny among the debris, sprawled out on the floor. Ow, he said. Nauja burst outughing.


    Hit your head there, warrior? she asked.


    A bit. He rubbed the back of his head. His entire body was banged up after the fight. There was lightning in his veins, he had several deep burns all over, as well as deep purple bruises where the eels tail had hit him.


    His mood, however, was through the roof.


    Did you see that? he asked. We beat an Elite monster!


    Yes! she replied, equally excited. If Father knew, he would be so proud.


    Brock cheered, too. He twirled his staff in the air and hopped up and down, performing a brori celebratory dance.


    However, Naujas voice carried a hint of warning, demanding Jacks attention, you used the Dr That thing, right?


    ...Yeah. Could you tell?


    If I could tell? You <em>erupted </em>with the power of life! If I hadnt seen it before, I would have thought you got swapped with an immortal mid-battle.


    Jack grimaced. Was it that bad?


    Lets just say its good you made it back. This area should be teeming with space monsters any second now. You must have drawn everything in a ten-mile radius.


    They all looked outside. Darkness. Nothing could be seenbut that didnt mean space was empty. For all they knew, they could be surrounded by space monsters.


    Well, not yet, but they soon would be.


    Will they stick around? Jack asked. If yes, that could be a problem.


    The bubbles followed a circr trajectory around Space Ring. It wasntpletely set, but Nauja estimated theirs would approach the border of darkness or a light beam within the next few days. Now that they were <em>in </em>the darkness, they could see the light outside just fine, so they would know.


    That n would be severelyplicated by a bunch of space monsters following them around like hungry sharks.


    How am I supposed to know? she asked back. I hope not. We need a way to find them, if theyre close. We cant sense them unless theyre injured, in battle, or producing light like your eel.


    Jack considered it for a moment. Gradually, his eyes hardened. Well consider thatter. Its not like the monsters can enter the bubble. For now He turned around, towards the pce walls behind him. We have a trial to face.


    From up-close, the pce was even more imposing. Tall stone walls rose a hundred feet high, narrowing near the top to end in sharp-tipped domes. The architecture was angr, with even the curvature of the walls presented as a series of small steps. Moreover, moss covered the surface of the stone, partly obscuring the manyrge engravings. Lions, elephants, cows All sorts of animals were depicted on the walls, a colorless series of lines carved in stone.


    How long do you think its been since this ce was built? Jack asked, losing his breath.


    Millennia, Nauja replied, her gaze wandering over the pce. Maybe more.


    Maybe more, Jack agreed. He turned to Brock. What do you say, little bro? Are you ready to get stronger?


    Brock gave a toothy smile. Yes, he said. His grip was tight on the Staff of Stone, and his short fur was raised with excitement.


    Good. The faster youplete the trial, the faster well be able to leave this ce, once the bubble approaches the edge. And, if it doesnt, well make it.


    There was a second way to escape the darkness. Technically, Jack, Nauja, and Gan Salin could push the bubble towards a direction. It would be slow, and it would attract a whole bunch of monsters, which is why this was only n B.


    I agree, Nauja said. Lets find the trial and get you started as soon as possible.


    What about Gan Salin? Jack asked. The canine was still lying on the ground, unconscious. That first space monster, the squid with too many tentacles, had gotten him good.


    Nauja threw him one look and shrugged. Its safe here, she said. Lets just wait for him to get up. He has a healing skill, anyway.


    Leaving Gan Salin to guard their belongingsmostly food and water, both from Vige Ring and the various bubbles theyd visited on the waythe three of them headed deeper into the pce.


    It wasnt big. The bubble only stretched two hundred feet from one side to the other, making it quite simple to locate the spot of the trial. In fact, the entire pce had a single room inside its walls: a spacious, empty courtyard filled with dead nts. A statue stood tall in its midst. A muscr man, intricately carved, raising a staff towards the sky. His features were hard, his gaze stony. He wore a mantle that reached his calves and a set of heavy armor that reminded Jack of ancient Chinese warlords.


    The only oddity on the man was his mouth, which seemed drawn into what could be a yful smile, but might also not be one.


    Hello, Mona Lisa, Jack said, reverently approaching the statue. Nauja threw him a questioning nce, then ignored him. Brock didnt even listen. His eyes were set on the statues staffan exact replica of the Staff of Stone.


    What are the chances? Nauja said. You say you identally found the weapon that corresponds to this exact trial. Are you hiding something, Jack Rust?


    Bro! Brock said, making an offended what are you saying? gesture at Nauja. She was stunned.


    I swear its all true. We found the staff near a corpse in Giant Ring. This is just arge coincidence. Jack tilted his head. Then again, we wouldnt be here if we didnt have the staff, would we? We would have just ignored the pce and chosen another bubble.


    Hmm.


    But what could he say? To the best of his knowledge, it really was a coincidence. Therefore, he endured Naujas suspicious re to approach the statue. He found himself able to inspect it, and after a moments hesitation, did so.


    <strong>Trial Statue</strong>


    <strong><em>A statue serving as the gateway to a Trial Trial. Touch to enter.</em></strong>


    Fewer words next time, asshole, Jack grumbled. He didnt touch the statue, but he did approach enough to make out a small engraving at its bottom:


    <em>Ermedil Asantra. First General of the Low Sky.</em>


    Well, he said, no time like the present. Are you ready, Brock?


    The brori gathered himself and nodded.


    Let me warn you, Jack continued. This will be difficult. The hardest thing youve ever done. You might die in thereand, if you do, I will be extremely sad. But you can survive, too. The trial will adjust to your strength. Try your hardest, and when you return, we will celebrate your triumph. Get stronger to fight by my side. I believe in you, bro.


    Brock paused for a moment. He reached out to shake Jacks hand, then jumped into a hug. Nauja let them, observing from a distance.


    A momentter, Brock let go. He approached the statue, still holding his staff. He turned around to give a thumbs-up.


    See you, bro, he said, revealing two new words at the same time.


    Jack smiled widely. His heart felt about to break. Why was he this nervous? Good luck, bro, he replied. I believe in you.


    Good luck, Brock! Nauja cried out.


    Brock nodded, touched the statue, and disappeared. His Trial had begun.