"So? Are you going to get that book?" Peniel asked.
"Of course, I will!" Jack clicked on the projection and selected the Universal Technique book.
*
Universal Technique Book (Super Rare Consumable)
Grant any standard skill or spell from any basic, advanced, or elite class
Can only be used once
*
"What standard skill will you choose?" Paytowin asked.
"Although I said any standard skill, there is also limitations," Peniel informed. "You cannot choose the exclusive skills where one gets when they pass their class trial on the first try, and you also cannot choose level 50 skills."
"Why I can't choose level 50 ones? Is it because I have not yet reached that level?" Jack asked.
"Even if you are level 50, you still can't. Level 50 skills are special because they are the last level an elite class outworlder will get a standard skill."
"Level 50 is the highest for the elite class?" Grace asked.
"You will increase in level past level 50, but level 50 is the limit that your elite class will grant you standard skills. After that, you won't receive any more free skills. You have to either buy the non-standard skills or become special classes."
"You are very knowledgable, little miss," Grace praised.
"I am!" Peniel held her chin high.
"Still, higher-level doesn't always mean the best," Jack said. "For example, Technocraft's Techno Golem. It could be said the best skill for a technocraft."
"You want to get a techno golem skill?" Paytowin asked.
"No, too much work for the parts settings. I already have a skill in mind, but I will use this book later."
"Why?"
"I want to copy it first."
"Copy it?" Both Paytowin and Grace asked.
Jack then told them about Jeanny's divine treasure that could copy things.
"Wow," Paytowin uttered.
"You trust me with such a secret?" Grace asked.
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Uh… I have a good feeling about you…"
Grace didn't continue saying anything. She just gave Jack a stare which made him look away.
Jack stored the technique book. It would be sometime before Jeanny could copy this book. She had exhausted her mana core reserve to copy Jack's Unique-grade technique book, Hundred Shadow Strikes, on their first night here. That unique technique book required a whopping 2,500 mana cores to copy! Jack only learned the skill after that and had Jeanny keep the copy.
She had only very few mana cores left after that. Guild members had been donating mana cores regularly after they put up the requirement, but with so many options for items to be copied, the mana cores were never enough. Not to mention the exp pills and Thousand-Year Wine that Jack had given Jeanny to copy, those things would never be enough if they wanted to let all the core members have access to it.
Jeanny, Jack, and John had agreed that for technique books, they would only copy those with super-rare grades and above. As for equipment, they will only copy unique grades if they ever found one. They won't copy any materials except if it was a legendary grade, one that Jack couldn't fuse into using his Transformation Prism. Potions and other consumables were off-limit unless the three agreed to it, such as the exp pill and Thousand-Year Wine. Otherwise, the mana cores would just vanish as soon as they arrived.
"Want to go in again?" Paytowin asked. Usually, they would end it after two runs. But after finding the secret path to get scores, Paytowin was excited to give it another go.
"Yeah, let's!" Jack agreed. If he could get another Universal technique book, then he didn't need to wait for Jeanny to copy it.
"Don't you have a match tomorrow? You need to rest," Grace told Jack.
"No problem. I can still have a full rest even if we do another round of this ancient battleground."
"Uh… It doesn't want to start," Paytowin said after working on the device.
"Huh? Is it broken?" Jack asked worriedly. It couldn't be that they have broken the device, right? Would the faction here hold them responsible if it did?
"Wait, I read the manual first," Paytowin asked as a book appeared in his hand. He started flipping its pages.
'Shit… There truly is a manual,' Jack thought.
"Um… I think we can't do another run again," Paytowin said.
"Oh? Why?"
"It said here, if the participants inside managed to reach the stage where they receive rewards other than complimentary rewards, there will be a cooldown period of eighteen hours before the ancient battleground can be accessed again."
"What a pity!" Jack uttered. "I guess it's a limiter so people don't take advantage and farm it too much. Let's just do it tomorrow after the matches… Wait! Tomorrow is the final. Will we be sent away after the tournament? If so, we won't be able to enter this ancient battleground again."
"I think you mean you two," Paytowin corrected. "But without you two, I don't think I can survive long enough to get the minimum requirement. The natives here never invited me to join their team for this ancient battleground. So, yeah, the run just now might have been our last run together. I will ask Myson if we can still have another run tomorrow before you two left."
"I would love that," Jack said.
"Me too," Grace added. She then turned to Jack and gave him a fist bump. "Good luck on your final match tomorrow."
Paytowin offered his fist as well. "Yeah, good luck, bro."
"Thanks!" Jack said and bumped their fists.
"You need to work on your team's lousy teamwork, though," Grace said after.
'Ugh… That again,' Jack lamented.
*
The next morning, everyone started departing to head to the roman theatre where the tournament took place. Everyone was excited about these finals. Today, they would find out the champions amongst the experts that had shown their excellence in previous matches.
Jack was standing at the entrance of the buildings they were in. He greeted Prince Alonzo and the rest of the natives when they walked past him. He also just nodded when Jeanny, Domon, David, and Kill Order passed through. When Giant Steve came, Jack asked him to wait.
When Selena and Princess Purple came, Jack let Selena pass but he blocked Princess Purple. "Hold," he said.
"Move aside!" Princess Purple commanded. She was displeased being blocked by Jack. Jack put his body covering the exit. Princess Purple won't be able to pass through if she didn't use force, but no player here had enough strength to force Jack to move. Selena was outside looking at them, unsure of what to do.
"Team meeting. All team members stay first until we sort our shit up," Jack uttered.
Red Death and Yellow Death came over at this time. "What's wrong," Yellow Death asked.
"This prick doesn't allow us to leave," Princess Purple said.
"Team meeting!" Jack announced. "Now, all of us are here. Let's talk first."
"Move!" Yellow Death exclaimed. "Don't force me to make you."
"Give it a try," Jack didn't back down.
"What do you want to talk about?" Red Death asked.
"We almost lose the last time because we all do our own shit," Jack replied. "We can't let the opponents exploit this by taking us out one by one again. We might not be as lucky as the last time."
"So, what do you propose? You want us to listen to you?" Yellow Death laughed.
"I would rather be dead!" Princess Purple hissed.
"You two are truly hopeless," Jack said. "I know you won't listen to me, but we still need a leader to work effectively as a team. So I propose Red Death to be our leader. Everyone has to listen to her commands!"
"Me?" Red Death uttered with surprise.
Giant Steve, Princess Purple, and Yellow Death were taken aback by Jack's words as well.
"Anyone has a problem with this arrangement?" Jack asked. He then added, "The result of this tournament has bigger consequences to this world than you people imagine. We need to win this team match so we can help. I implore you to put aside our differences and work together."
Jack made a slight bow at them. It was just a slight bow, but with how haughty Jack had been to them, they were even more startled by this action compared to when he proposed Red Death to be the team leader.
Silence reigned for a few seconds before Red Death asked Jack, "You will listen to my commands?"
"If it helps us win the match," Jack replied. "Anyone else?"
"I have no problem," Giant Steve said.
Princess Purple didn't say her agreement, but she didn't state any objection as well, so it was safe to assume she was on board.
"No," They heard Yellow Death. Everyone turned to him. "I don't take orders from anyone other than our guild leaders, White Death and Black Death. I do my own things. You guys are free to do what you–ack!"
Yellow Death didn't manage to finish his sentence because Jack's hand had grabbed his throat and slammed him down on the floor. Everyone was again stunned by Jack's sudden violence. This guy had repeatedly done unexpected things within these short few minutes.
While still holding Yellow Death down, Jack said to him, "If you don't mind losing, then you don't mind me killing you and sending you out of this place. Probably they will allow us to select one of the other humans from the individual match as a replacement. Even if it is not, it is still better to fight with four members that work together rather than having one member who mucks everything up. What do you say? Should we go down this path?"
