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In a palace under the sea, an empress' delicate brows were raised.
The crystal table before her was supposed to be unnecessarily large and lavish, just like the rest of the palace, but now it was entirely filled with message shells!
Pretty much all of them were complaints from the "noble-blood" faction who simply couldn't stand her new human infiltration plan. Transform into a human? Disgraceful!— or so they thought.
But amidst the pile of junk mail, a few arranged neatly by the side stood out. All concerned a specific man, one that had come out of nowhere.
"A human, is it?" How interesting!" She uttered with a playful grin.
Seeing that smile of hers, the nearest palace guards shivered, resolving to stay far away from this newcomer! It didn't help that he was still nowhere to be seen a few minutes later.
"Where is he? Have they gotten lost on the way?" The Empress inquired.
"Gulp. H-he's still lecturing, your Majesty. He said to…w-wait…" A pale-faced errand boy answered, stuttering.
"Is that so? Call the Thousand-Hands General. Tell him I may need his…talents." The Empress nonchalantly ordered, the bystanders shaking like leaves in the wind at the man's mention.
The poor bastard hadn't even met the Empress, yet was already doomed! It seemed there would be an execution soon…
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Jack followed his new frog guide alone, having left the shivering eel and the way too curious wolf behind to mingle with the residents.
The closer they got to the center of the City and the more magnificent the place became. By now, the houses had pretty much disappeared, replaced by few-stories lavish mansions.
Along with the increase in property value came a rise in arrogance. This was especially true for the mermaids, many glancing at him with disdain after merely looking at his appearance.
They all unconsciously expected him to falter, for him to bend toward them, but he replied to every disdainful smile with a smile and a wave.
Arrogant bastards? Respectfully treat them as equals! Somehow this irked them even more than being ignored. They'd always reply with scorn and "poisonous" words.
"Such a disgusting appearance!"
"How unbecoming. You should be ashamed!"
"What a lowborn! You ought to be relegated to manure duty!"
Pfft— Were those supposed to be insults?! He couldn't help but chuckle. Those fish people seriously hadn't seen much of the world!
But under the frog's hurried lead, they soon reached their destination: a palace that seemed more brilliant than a 12k car headlight! Then there were the guards. They were everywhere!
The place was obviously one colossal fortress. Heck, it looked so sturdy that the entire city could have been destroyed many times before the palace fell!
The interior wasn't any worse. It made any building he had seen in Infinite so far feel like a country bumpkin's house. Still, wasn't it a bit too exaggerated? Even the doors were crystal!
At first, many guards showed curiosity toward him and reverence toward the frog. But as they proceeded, the guide was summarily greeted while guards looked at Jack as if a leper.
They obviously knew something! Then they finally reached the gigantic crystal doors of the throne room, the guards glancing at him as if a dead man.
He couldn't help but give a wry smile: good thing he had come alone; the others would have cracked under pressure! But even then, he remained as calm as still water, even chuckling.
"So grim! You guys should smile a little, hehe."
The guards silently opened the way.
— CREAK! —
A world of mist was revealed.
There was nothing else to be seen, mist, mist, mist everywhere.
Oh, but the fog wasn't just any random fog. It was one filled with magic. One specifically designed to restrain one's magical power and senses. Entering it was akin to suicide. It was—
"Wow, so refreshing! It's like being inside a spring sauna!" Jack unhesitatingly entered, his pleased voice echoing.
The guards couldn't help but jump in shock as they glanced at one another. Refreshing?! What kind of crazy was this guy?! Did he not realize what was happening there?!
Jack actually understood way more than they did. The mist wasn't only there to make him unconformable, but a multi-purpose test.
1. It would remove most disguises
2. It would make one blind, testing their courage
3. It would act as a test of magical mastery, the exit hidden away.
Now he had quite an issue.
He had remained in human form, which meant he was either extremely skilled or just an average regular human.
He could find his way out, but it would take him time, given that he was lower level than the whole trap. After all, this place was a Big Boss location that wasn't usually accessible.
Thus solving the maze too slowly would instantly reveal that he was in fact 100% human, the Empress he was about to meet no doubt waiting for him to slip up.
This appeared like an impossible problem to solve…and it bloody was! Still, this didn't mean that he was out of tricks.
Jack happily lay on the white floor without caring about where he was, closing his eyes in satisfaction. "Ah, this is perfect!"
The guards and the Empress alike were shellshocked. Was this dumbass actually taking a goddamn nap right in the middle of the throne room?!
The Empress was especially peeved. A second ago, she had been snickering, waiting to see his performance….but now what was there to see?! This was supposed to be a bloody test!
Was she supposed to simply watch him sleep for ages?! She had no time for such idiocy, her time especially precious now that war was coming!
Jack was just resting when an angelic voice resounded.
"You seem so very comfortable…." The voice was tinged with fury and had threatening undertones. The Empress's meaning was obvious: 'get going, or I'll deal with you!'
The guards almost shat their pants, shivering. She was obviously pissed! This reminded them of when her Majesty had destroyed an entire clan of rebel Koi-People!
But then what followed almost made them cough blood.
"Yes, so very comfortable. You should give it a try too." Jack lazily replied, yawning. But that wasn't all: he gently patted the stone beside him.
Had he just suggested the Empress lie on the cold floor like a commoner?! How outrageous! This guy sure knew how to freaking court death!
"Oh…is that so? How about I send you some company? I'm sure the Thousand-Arms General would love to accompany you." The empress' voice was now calm, but her words were terrifying.
The guards somehow managed to turn even paler. After all, the general was a renowned sadist that would use all his arms to torture his victims. Heck, even the noble-blood feared him!
Have "fun" with the general? There was no way that anyone sane would ever—
"Oh? Sure! The more, the merrier!" Jack happily replied.
WTF?! Could anyone really be that idiotic?! Was his brain filled with water?! This had to be the case, right?!
The Empress's eyes turned icy. She knew that no one from the lake would ever show such bravado. There was only one explanation: this guy indeed was human.
"Someone fetch the general…." The Empress's voice couldn't be chillier.
But as everyone was trembling, Jack actually adorned a small grin. He had successfully changed the nature of the test...
