Since Amy's Bakery was still in the renovation process, Jack stayed the night in Heavenly Citadel. He had also promised to talk with Jeanny about the World Tournament and the Selection Tournament.
Jeanny said she would take care of selecting the thirteen remaining participants since she and Jack planned to join.
"You don't want to join?" Jack asked John who was there with them as well. "I won't ask this in the past, but after our last fight, I think you will stand a chance even if you are fighting by yourself."
"Of course, I stand a chance!" John uttered. "But such childish tournament is not my cup. I prefer a non-conditioned confrontation where I can use any deception and ploy as I wish."
"I see. Well, I'm sure many such confrontations will come to a villain like you sooner or later," Jack said before turning to Domon who was there as well. "What about you?" He asked.
"Hm… It has been some time since I join any tournament. To be frank, I always thought I am too old for this kind of thing. But in this world, perhaps it will be interesting."
"Yes, it will. Just think of the number of people whose ass we are going to whoop!" Jack encouraged.
"Haha. When you say it like that. Okay! I will join," Domon said.
"Great! Then we already have one individual battle and one team battle secured in that world tournament!" Jack announced.
"Isn't that being too confident? The world is wide, we don't know what manner of opponents we might meet in that tournament," Jeanny warned. "Also, how can you be sure Domon will join the individual and not in the team with you?"
"He is not suitable for team battle. He is best when he goes one-on-one in a duel," Jack replied. "Also, if I am in the team, there is no need for any other experts. We better used the best ones for individual battles."
"As I said, you are being too confident," Jeanny complained.
"Let him. If he fails because of that confidence, we will have a good laugh," John said.
"Say someone who has blind confidence on his ploys," Jack countered.
"That is not confidence, that's simple facts!" John replied.
"So, will you be helping us with the Ice throne Legacy dungeon?" Jeanny asked Jack, ignoring the two's bickering.
"Maybe late tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. I still have something to do in Thereath," Jack answered.
"Let me know when you are available, I will assemble the people for the dungeon raid," Jeanny said.
*
Jack spent the night there. The next morning, he teleported back to Thereath. He went to the League of Champions. Currently inside his League of Champions Badge were 678 challenge points, while his Order of Magi badge contained 629 challenge points.
When Jack entered the League of Champions' building, he planned to go directly to the colosseum-like hall where he took the challenges, but the sight of someone took his attention.
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That someone also coincidentally glanced at him when Jack looked over. Their eyes met. There was a brief pause as they stared at each other before the person Jack was looking at turned away and headed towards one of the doors reserved for high-ranking staff.
"Oh, no, you don't!" Jack uttered before executing Shooting Dash, covering a great distance in an instant. His sudden execution of movement skills startled the others who were there.
The person he was chasing continued walking towards the door as if not aware of the commotion.
"Don't you try to leave!" Jack yelled as he used Charge after his Shooting Dash ended. His charge brought him to the sidewall close to the door the person was heading to. Instead of crashing on the wall, Jack jumped towards the wall. With his feet planted on the wall, he started running sideways towards the person.
"What the…!" The person was dumbfounded seeing Jack was already next to him with acrobatic moves.
Jack used the momentum and sent his clenched fist at the man's jaw.
*WHAM*
"Ow!"
Instead of the man who had his jaw sucker-punched by Jack, it was Jack who uttered the pained voice.
"What the f*ck! Are your jaws made of steel?" Jack said to the man.
The man, who was Gruff, was massaging his jaw that had just been punched. "The hell are you doing, kid? I can catch you for recklessly using skills in a public space and for assaulting a senior member of this faction, you know?"
"Well, that's for tricking me with that quest you gave me!" Jack was not backing off. "And don't think you are off just from that one punch… Considering it is me who is hurt from the punch instead of you."
"Not really, kid. I also felt the punch. What is your level now?"
"Forty-one," Jack answered.
"Damn, that is fast! You outworlders are crazy. You probably will catch up to me in a short time. But then again, the others were mostly level 42 and 44, why are you slower than them?"
"Hey, don't change the subject! How do you plan to compensate me? Considering you have tricked me," Jack said.
"All right, how about I give you another quest so you can get more challenge points?"
"Buzz off! You already tricked me with the last quest. I will be a fool if I accept any quest from you again!"
"Okay, okay. I will give you complimentary challenge points and we call it even. How about that?"
"How many points will you give me?" Jack asked.
"Ten," Gruff answered.
"How about you let me hit you one more time? But this time instead of using my fist, I use my sword?"
"You are truly a tough sell. Fine! I will give you one hundred points. How about it?"
Jack made some calculations. He then said, "Two hundred points!"
"Kid. I'm already being generous for giving you a hundred points free. Don't push it!" Gruff said.
"Then give me a hundred free and another hundred as credit. I will pay you back when I get enough points. How about that?" Jack asked.
"Oh? Why are you so eager to get an extra two hundred points now?" Gruff asked.
"If I get another two hundred points, I should be able to become a Centurion," Jack answered.
"You want to beat stage fifty?" Gruff asked with astonishment. He then burst into a laugh. "Tell you what, kid? If you do pass stage 50, you don't need to pay me back. Take your badge out."
Jack brought his badge out. Gruff also took out his and brought it near to Jack. Some stream of light started flowing from Gruff's badge to Jack.
After a while, the stream stopped. Jack checked his badge and there were 878 challenge points inside.
"You go ahead and do your challenges first. I will be there soon," Gruff said.
"Oh? Why do you want to be there?" Jack asked.
"To make sure you truly pass stage 50, of course!" Gruff uttered.
Jack was confused. Why did he passing stage 50 had anything to do with Gruff? Well, maybe this old warrior was passionate about his improvements. Maybe that's why Gruff gave him these challenge points as well. Thinking this, he thought this old warrior was not bad, after all.
Jack thanked the old man and went to the colosseum-like hall. There were even slightly more players than the last time he was here. But it didn't matter. It's not like they had to queue to take the challenge. They would be sent to different dimensions even if they challenge the same stage.
Jack headed for stage 29 and used the challenge points in his badge to activate the challenge.
With his current three class' attributes, these early stages were nothing, even if he could only use Blade Dancer skills. Jack completed one stage after another. Starting stage 41, things required a bit more effort, but it was still easy. In this stage, he fought against five level 35 special elite monsters, ten level 38 elites, and ten level 40 basics.
After completing stage 43, he saw Gruff in the hall. Interestingly, several other natives who looked like important personnel of the league were with him. Jack even saw the grumpy Dormu amongst them.
Jack came and greeted Gruff.
"Are you having difficulty already?" Gruff asked.
"No," Jack answered.
"Then what are you waiting for? Hurry up and finish stage 50!" He urged.
Jack was confused. Why did it look like that guy was more eager than him to have him pass stage 50? Jack didn't think too much about it. His goal was indeed stage 50. With encouragement or not, he definitely would make it today. He walked back to the wall and enter stage 44.
He continued non-stop. By the time he came out of stage 49. It was not only Gruff's team that was watching. Many of the other players were also watching. Apparently, until now, the highest stage a player managed to get to was stage 46. Hence, his act had also drawn other players' attention.
Jack was slightly awkward seeing the attention.
"Go on now. One more stage to go. You can do it!" Gruff encouraged.
Jack nodded at him. He stood before stage 50 and looked at his badge. There were only 59 challenge points left on his badge. He spent 50 challenge points and was transported into the challenge space.
In front of him were thirty Werewolves. There was no basic grade anymore. Twenty of them were level 45 elites, nine were level 42 special elites, while the last one was a level 40 rare elite.
