"Tch! Fine! I won't take that thing from you either!" King retorted coldly, finally lowering his hand. He clicked his tongue in frustration, crossed his arms over his chest, and seethed inwardly, "Damn it! I acted impulsively again. Now it'll be even harder to gain this guy's trust. How infuriating."
"Haha, a sudden change of heart, huh? That's quite unlikely," Jax chuckled in response. With a faint smile, he shook his head slowly and added, "Don't worry, I can bring one creature from this Forbidden Land with me when I leave."
"What... Really?!" King's composure shattered once more as he nearly jumped up in surprise. He grasped Jax's shoulders, shaking him back and forth, his excitement boiling over as he exclaimed, "Then what are you waiting for? Let's get out of this wretched place now!"
"Ugh..." Jax's face contorted, and he began foaming at the mouth. That guy was really... "WAIT!"
Jax forcibly removed King's hands from his shoulders as he added, "Stop pushing me!" It took him considerable effort, but he finally managed to break free. Then, he thundered, "Don't get ahead of yourself! I still need to study the Scroll further!"
"Ah... Sorr..." King was just about to apologize, but his words trailed off as he realized it had been a long time since anyone had dared to speak to him in such a tone. Anger flared up within him once more, his eyebrows twitching violently as a dark impulse coursed through his veins, tempting him to obliterate the insolent brat.
And also, why would he apologize? He never did that to anyone before!
But prioritizing his goals over his wounded pride, King let out a cold harrumph, crossed his arms once more, and bit out a terse, "Fine!"
But Jax, right now, wasn't paying attention to him anymore. Instead, his focus was fully absorbed by the Scroll as he devoured the newly revealed information, his eyes scanning the text with rapt interest and excitement.
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[Reminder!!!]
By completing the Lord's Quest, you'll be allowed to leave the Fish Mystic Land using the FL Special Return Scroll. However, choosing to continue the quest can yield even greater rewards.
(Note: Once the time limit expires, you'll be required to use any kind of Return Scroll from your Inventory to depart. Failure to do so will result in permanent residency in the Fish Mystic Land.)
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"Hmm..." Jax nodded slowly, lost in thought. If collecting over a hundred souls at once yielded such a generous reward, he wondered what even greater spoils awaited him if he continued to grind for several days.
A wide, enthusiastic smile spread across Jax's face as the prospect of greater rewards and possibilities excited him.
"I'm not done here yet," Jax muttered to himself, a look of determination settling on his face. He turned to King, his smile transforming into a wide, mischievous grin that stretched from ear to ear.
''Wha... What are you looking at kid?!'' King retorted as he suddenly felt a chill running down his spine. That creepy look... This brat must be up to something.
"We're not done yet. We can't leave this place yet," Jax replied, his voice matter-of-fact. As he spoke, his grin dissipated, replaced by a sigh and a slow, deliberate shake of his head.
"Huh? And why is that?" King growled, his irritation evident. His screaming instincts only confirmed that this guy was plotting something, and he was getting increasingly agitated.
"We need to collect more souls before we leave this place," Jax replied, letting out another sigh.
"What? Again with that? Don't think I don't see right through you!" King snorted, his voice icy cold. With just a single glance, he knew exactly what the brat was up to — using him for his own gain.
''Sigh, that's too bad.'' Jax sighed in response, shaking his head slowly and closing his eyes in regret. ''It seems like I'll have to leave on my own.''
After he said that, Jax raised the Return Scroll with a deliberate flourish, holding it poised as if prepared to activate it at any given moment.
"Wha... WAIT!!! Don't leave yet, you bastard! Or else, I'll kill you!" King's usual composure shattered, his voice icy with agitation as he snarled the threat. Desperation had gotten the better of him, and his usual calm demeanor had given way to raw, unchecked emotion.
"You just need to collect souls, right?" King spat out, his eyes glinting with a malevolent light. A cold, calculating smile spread across his face as he added, "I've got it. I'll give you so many souls that you'll be begging me to stop."
That was also a good thing. He might as well vent his anger at all the pests here.
"Haha, that's good then. I'm starting to like you, bro," Jax chuckled, his eyes gleaming with amusement as he gave King a friendly triple tap on the shoulder.
King's scowl deepened, his irritation boiling over at the casual familiarity. That impudent little brat was treating him like an equal, and it only fueled King's growing desire to obliterate him.
But since he couldn't do anything to harm him, King restrained himself from acting up as he instead replied, ''I don't like you at all...''
To King's frustration, his retort was cut short as he realized Jax had already tuned him out, his attention fixated on the Return Scroll once more. A goofy grin spread across Jax's face, making him look like a lunatic, and King's frustration simmered over.
It was the first time he felt so annoyed, yet couldn't do anything.
Meanwhile...
Jax gazed at the Scroll with unbridled enthusiasm, his eyes shining with excitement and his hands trembled with anticipation
"I really... Scroll, you're the best!" Throwing his arms wide, Jax let out a triumphant yell.
Right now...
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[Vengeful Soul]
Description: Unleash the power of retribution. You can manipulate your own soul and bend the souls of others to your will. Unlock devastating potential, doubling the effectiveness of every skill you unlocked against those who have earned your vengeance.
• Phase 1 (Novice): Soul Form
Description: Separate your soul from your physical body and enter a realm beyond mortal constraints. In Soul Form, you become intangible, invisible to the naked eye, and free to move about with unparalleled ease. You can traverse space unhindered.
• Phase 2 (Novice): Soul Steal
Description: Establish physical contact to extract the soul from the living and draw it out of their mortal coil. The weight of the soul is directly tied to the target's strength. The more powerful the individual, the heavier their soul, while the weaker ones possess lighter, more fragile essences.
• Phase 3 (novice): (Vessel of Countless Souls)
Description: Unlock the power to collect and harness the essence of countless souls. You can collect souls and utilize one skill or ability from each, expanding your arsenal. This ability grants you access to three soul slots, each capable of holding up to nine souls of the same creature. By collecting and stacking souls, you can amplify the strength of their skills and abilities, allowing you to wield the chosen skill or ability from each soul with increasing potency.
• Phase 4: ??? (Locked)
Unlock Requirements (Locked): To see the unlock requirements, achieve Beginner-level proficiency in at least two of your skills and Intermediate-level proficiency in one of your skills.
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As expected, the Phase 3 of his ability was now accessible and had granted him access to a brand-new skill.
"A skill that lets me absorb souls and wield their skills and abilities..." Jax's mind racing with excitement as he thought to himself, "This is insane! If I use King to take down ridiculously powerful monsters here, and then absorb their souls, I'll become an unstoppable force in no time!"
"Ke ke ke ke ke..." Jax's face stretched into a wide, ear-to-ear grin, and he laughed with wicked intent, his eyes gleaming with a hint of malevolence.
As King watched Jax from the side, a sudden shiver ran down his spine. Had he made the right decision? Gazing at Jax now, he was no longer sure. The little devil seemed shrouded in mystery with intentions unreadable, leaving King with a growing sense of unease.
"Right, if this little brat is concocting some funny scheme to deceive me..." A sinister thought slithered into King's mind, and a wide, chilling smile spread across his lips. He whispered to himself, his voice dripping with malice, "I'll kill him slowly, making him beg for death as a mercy..."
At that moment, within the depths of the Forbidden Lands, a fragile pact was forged between two young men. A tenuous agreement, vulnerable to the slightest strain, one that could shatter without even the whisper of a storm.
One would use the other to escape the confines of that place, while the other one would use the other to acquire formidable strength. Both harbored selfish goals. And both had a scheme that wouldn't tell the other.
Little did they know that this ordinary, seemingly insignificant encounter would drastically alter the course of their twisted destinies. Whether their paths would converge in friendship or diverge in hostility, only fate held the answer.