"Cat folks?!" Jack blurted out loud.
"Cat folks?" Nova and the others who heard Jack also become interested.
"I've got to see them! It's not every day you meet this world's exotic race," Jack said.
"Didn't you see Mohmed before?" John asked. Mohmed was Domon's cat-folk companion.
"I still have to see what the others look like. Additionally, my gramps never let me talk with Mohmed," Jack replied. "And since I'm not involved in this battle against World Ruler, I guess I am not needed here."
Jack stood up and said to the Wicked Witches members, "It is always a pleasure talking to you, beautiful women, but I'm afraid I will have to excuse myself now."
Jack ran out of the room. But not long after, his head popped back from beside the entrance. "Um, Trap. Which room do Domon and Leavemealone use?"
"Uh… Room four," Trap answered.
Jack's head disappeared afterward. The ones left in the room needed a few seconds before they returned to their discussion.
Room four was just a few rooms away, so Jack arrived soon. He opened the door and inside he saw Domon, Leavemealone, and two humanoid cat creatures that looked similar to Mohmed. One of them looked old, the other was young. The young one was a woman if judging from her body.
"Greetings! Let me intro…"
"Have I ever taught you to enter without knocking?! Go back out there and knock…!" Domon's stern scolding cut Jack's words.
Jack jolted back and the door was closed. Not long after, knockings were heard.
"Enter!" Domon called.
The door opened again and Jack popped back in. He looked at Domon and saw that the old man was no longer angry. So, he went in and gave the two cat folks his brightest smile. "Greetings! Visitors from faraway places. Let me introduce myself. I am Storm Wind, the leader of this guild."
The two cat folks looked back and forth between Jack and Domon. Their faces as if asking, 'Leader? Really?'
Domon introduced the two to Jack, "This is Wehi, the head warrior of the Popoki Village. This is Ihhi, the daughter of the current headman of Popoki Village."
"Village?" Jack asked.
It was Peniel who answered him, "They might call it a village, but the size of Popoki Village was actually not any smaller than the seven main race's capital city."
"So, to what do we owe this pleasant visit from the two of you?" Jack asked.
"This has nothing to do with you, why do you come here?" Leavemealone uttered
"Dude, foreign dignitaries came here. As one of the leaders of this place, I of course have to be present."
"You are just curious about the cat folks, aren't you?" Domon said.
"There is that as well."
Domon said to the two cat folks, "You can ignore him. Continue what you are saying."
"Yes, yes, ignore me. Please continue," Jack said.
Wehi and Ihhi again looked back and forth between the three of them. 'Leader? Really?' They thought again.
"Very well," Wehi finally said. When he spoke, there was a slight purring following his voice. "As I was saying. Since the two of you left Popoki Village, Mount Tigra had been acting unusually."
"Mount Tigra?" Jack asked.
"Popoki Village is located at the foot of Mount Tigra," Peniel informed.
"I got my White Tiger Emperor form from that mountain," Leavemealone added.
"Are you going to ask every time they mentioned something new?" Domon asked Jack.
Jack made a silent motion of zipping his mouth. Domon gestured for Wehi to continue.
Wehi nodded. "As we have mentioned before, Mount Tigra had long been a dormant mountain. But after you carry out the white tiger ritual and gain the white tiger emperor form, we have heard occasional rumblings from the mountain. And it got more frequent as time passed. Our head shaman had performed rituals to communicate with the mountain spirits. She said the spirits told her that an ancient spirit below the mountain is becoming restless and is waking up. If it does, Mount Tigra would erupt and the ensuing eruption could wipe out Popoki Village. We need to appease this ancient spirit and put it back to slumber."
"And what does this have to do with us?" Domon asked.
"We need the white tiger emperor spirit to aid us in carrying out the ritual to put it back to slumber," Wehi replied.
"This is all your fault!" Ihhi uttered while pointing to Leavemealone. "The white tiger emperor has always been the cat folks' revered spirit. It should always stay with the cat folks. This problem only happens after you take the spirit away. You are the one who has caused this ancient spirit below Mount Tigra to become restless."
"Ihhi, stop!" Wehi chided. "The Tiger God has his judgment. If He gave Leavemealone the white tiger emperor spirit, then it is not our right to say otherwise."
'Tiger God?' Jack asked Peniel in his mind. He knew he would be criticized again if he asked openly, so he turned to his psychic companion. 'I thought there are only six good Gods and three bad Gods in this world? What is this Tiger God classified as?'
'The Tiger God is not considered a real God per se, but his power is not lower than one,' Peniel answered. 'He is more like a lingering spirit that is tied to a place. So, unlike the other Gods, he can't move around as he wishes. But he holds extreme control over his dominion. Even if one of those nine Gods comes to the Tiger God's dominion, they won't be able to do as they like.'
'There are other such beings in this world?'
'Yes. Every minor race had a spirit god who watched over them. That's how they can continue to exist without being conquered by the seven larger main countries.'
While Jack was conversing with Peniel, the others continued to discuss their matters.
"But…," Ihhi was unconvinced by Wehi's statement about Leavemealone.
"Don't worry, I don't believe the Tiger God would have chosen someone who will ignore our race's plea when we need help. I believe you will come and help, won't you?" Wehi asked Leavemealone.
"I will. let's go," Leavemealone said.
"Are you not going to ask first what the ritual is?" Jack asked Leavemealone. "What if it is dangerous?"
"Of course, it will be dangerous. Will it?" Leavemealone asked Wehi.
"I ain't going to lie to you. Yes. Will you still come?"
"Absolutely," Leavemealone replied. Jack gave him a thumbs-up.
Leavemealone added, "You, cat folks, had helped me greatly when I was there. If there is anything I can do to repay the favor, I will."
"I know the Tiger God won't select an ungrateful coward," Wehi clapped Leavemealone's shoulder. "Let's leave now. The sooner we finish this matter, the better. I'm worried that Mount Tigra is getting worse as we are away."
"I have to ask. Your village is protected by the Tiger God, right? Why didn't he do anything to protect it against this ancient spirit below the mountain?" Jack asked.
"What do you know? It is because the Tiger God is still holding the ancient spirit back that it still not completely waking up from its slumber!" Ihhi replied.
"The ancient spirit below the mountain is very powerful, the Tiger God can't fully put it back to slumber without the ritual," Wehi explained.
Leavemealone turned to Domon. "Master, this is my problem. I can't ask you to come."
"What are you saying? These cat folks are also my friends. Mohmed lives there as well, remember? I can't just close my eyes when one of my disciples is in trouble."
"We are very grateful, Master Domon. If you join, the ritual will have more chances of success. Leavemealone is allowed to bring one outworlder helper in this ritual."
"Oh, I hear that news lady's voice again," Domon said.
"The system notification?" Jack asked. The news lady was what Domon called for the system notification.
"Yeah, it says I got this quest, Appease Mount Tigra's Ancient Spirit."
"I got the same notification earlier," Leavemealone said.
"Do you need to prepare? Or can we leave now?" Wehi asked.
"We can leave now," Leavemealone said.
"Do you want to come too?" Domon asked Jack.
Jack very much wanted to answer yes, but he knew he couldn't. Domon and Leavemealone left soon. Jack sent Jeanny a message informing her of the situation. She lost another two top combatants for the coming battle against World Ruler. Jeanny understood the situation. It couldn't be helped. Those cat folks seemed to be in dire need of Leavemealone's help.
She said this might be a good opportunity to build a good relationship with one of the minor races of this world. She had requested the Popoki Village's coordinates from Domon. If their quest over there went smoothly, their guild could be considered friends with the cat folks, their members should be able to go there freely to look for opportunities. Peniel had mentioned that minor races were unlike the main race, they were not normally friendly and open to outsiders. Leavemealone and Domon had been lucky to be able to make friends with them.
The discussion between Jeanny and Wicked Witches also ended not long after. They didn't know yet exactly when World Ruler would carry out their assault, but Jeanny would organize and prepare their members to gather in Aurebor near Wicked Witches' headquarters tomorrow. That way, they could be ready to mobilize at a moment's notice.
John left later that day after reorganizing the members to provide Jeanny with sufficient battle power. They were going to the sole coastal city in Themisphere, the one he had mentioned to Jack when they were on the way to raid Verremor's supply route.
In the end, everyone went away on their exciting adventures, leaving Jack alone to attend a boring ceremony. He never felt so miserable since arriving in this game world.
