Chapter 94: The Last Night
Congratulations! Meteor Punch (I) Meteor Punch (II)
Meteor Punch (II): When meteors fall from space, they cause exponentially more damage than their size would indicate. Your punches can carry the same effect. Overdraw your bodys potential and combine it with your Dao of the Fist to unleash a devastating attack. Shoot out your punch like a meteor.
The skill description hadnt changed much; just a single sentence at the end. However, Jack could now shoot out his punches like meteors. He looked at his fist for a moment, lost in thought.
He didnt feel like fighting from range, actually. As useful as this new ability would be, he would rather save it for when needed, and dive head-first into the action when he could.
He had to experiment, but first
Sorry, Li Xiang, he said, bowing slightly to the old martial artist. I lost control of my strength for a moment.
He expected a fierce rebuttal. After all, Li Xiang valued honor above all. He did not expect the light-hearted laughter that emerged from the old mans throat.
There is no problem. Losing is no dishonor. You are stronger. I cannot complain.
Jack smiled. He reached out a hand, and Li Xiang grabbed it to stand.
Was this the breakthrough you wanted? he asked curiously.
Jack shook his head. No. But it is a breakthrough.
Go on, disciple, Master Shol chimed in. Test it.
Jack smiled, turned, and punched. He poured his Dao into his fist, imbuing it with the purest essence of the Fist he could distill. It was unstoppable, undodgeable, inviolable. Whatever obstacle stood in his way, whatever he turned his fist at, was bound to be eradicated.
The world darkened, uncontested by other Daos. The movement of Jacks hand was imprinted on everyones mind. They only saw a purple meteor shuttling through space in a graceful arc, carrying a purple tail of stars. It was beautiful.
It shot out after a moment, dislodging from Jacks hand and following a straight line. Though the movement looked slow, it was fast like an arrow. It crashed into a wall with a massive explosion that rocked the room.
The wall itself wasnt harmedit was built to withstand E-Grade battlesbut the explosion itself had been deafening in this narrow space. Thankfully, Brock had managed to cup his ears in time. He wouldnt be caught off guard twice.
That is not the same skill my ancestor had, Master Shol said, rubbing his beard. But it is decent.
Did the breakthrough make it stronger, too? Dorman wondered.
Jack nodded.
It was hard to pinpoint the difference between the new version and the old one. It was similar to Drill, but only superficially: where Drill was more of a technical skill, Meteor Punch had evolved with the Dao.
Jack felt that his Dao was deeper, somehow, as if he had uncovered aspects of it that had been previously hidden, and he was now pouring those into the Meteor Punch as well.
He had thought the fist was meant to be merely unstoppable. That he selected a target and punched out, and the target could only get out of his way or be destroyed.
But that was a shallow interpretation. The fist was the carrier of his will. His punches were meant to land, not as a show of force. If he attacked someone but let them dodge, it was the same as being blocked. His fist had lost. And that could not be allowed to happen.
So what if someone ran away? Could something as silly as distance stop Jacks will, mounted on his fist? Was he really so constrained in his power, to only affect the world within two feet of himself?
Of course not!
And as his will to destroy had seeped deeper into his fist, it also exploded harder. Before, the explosion had just been the Dao of the Fist venting angrily. Now, it was purposeful. The difference was spiritual in nature, but so was the Dao. The power of Meteor Punch had increased significantly.
Wait.
You knew this, Jack turned to his master. You said your faction teaches the Dao of the Fist, among others. Theres no way you didnt see this coming. To you, my faults must have been clear as day. Why didnt you tell me earlier? I need every advantage I can get against Rufus.
Because the Dao is a path that must be walked by each person alone, Master Shol replied. If I had guided you too much, I would have influenced your path, and that would risk your future prospects.
Jack felt exploited.
I dont need future prospects, he protested. I need to defeat Rufus Emberheart and save my people.
Both are equally important, Master Shol replied.
Not to me. I would return myself to Level 1 if it meant winning tomorrow.
Hmph! You are young and foolish. I dont need to explain my actions to you.
Were talking about my friends and family here! I wont risk them to increase my future chances, and you have no right to make that decision for me.
I have every right, as well as the responsibility to do it. You dont even see beyond your nose. I cant let you run off a cliff for a lost cause.
Master Shol was quick to anger, as was Jack. The previous celebratory mood had shattered in a moment, leaving high tension between master and disciple.
Jack held a fiery stare. The battle fever still hadnt left him. I have repeatedly told you what I want: to save my people. And you would sacrifice them to cultivate me as a talent for your sect, he accused his master. You dont care about me. You only care about my potential. I know our relationship is one of mutual benefit, but for me, this means everything. I need every help I can get. Im not telling you to risk yourself or your sect; Im asking you to risk me. Teach me everything at once. Let me choose my own path and fuck up if I have to. I am not a child, goddammit! Im desperate!
Everyone held their breaths. Li Xiang shook his head. Master Shol exploded.
Ungrateful disciple! he barked. Do you think Im an unfeeling beast? That you know better than me how to progress faster? You are a desperate man, and I will not give you the tools to destroy yourself for little benefit. I know what I am doing. You, on the other hand, are naive beyond belief. I have already overstepped the boundaries of kindness for you. I have honored my status as your master. Why can you not do the same and show me even the most basic of respect?
Jacks temper flared. His Dao of Indomitable Will shot out, an extension of himself, and brought him back down to the ground. Am I speaking out of turn? he wondered. Is he right?
He wasnt sure. He knew his side, but not the other. That, by itself, was a bad sign.
Master Shol took his silence as admittance. I will forgive you this once because your reaction is natural, he said, more calmly this time. You are still a child, and I do not expect this to make sense for you. However, this is already the second time you disrespect me. There will not be a third. Am I understood?
Jack gritted his teeth. His mind told him he had every right to be angry, but his instinct warned him he was wrong, that things werent quite so simple. He would think on it.
Understood, master, he replied, only half-meaning it.
Good. Then heed my instructions. You cannot make any further breakthroughs tonight. Sit here and meditate until night falls. Then, go find your friends, and let them calm your mind. Sleep for precisely six hours. And tomorrow fight like your life depends on it. Because it does.
***
Jack was relaxed. His entire body felt soft, his mind fleeting. He was deep in the moment, not letting erroneous thoughts pull him away. He was at peace.
Can you believe how lucky we are? Edgar said slowly, savoring the moment. Soft music reached their ears from above, along with the splashing of waves on the platform below. Candles lit their faces.
They were in the same bar Jack and Vivi had gone on a date at. They were more, this time; Edgar was there, too, as were Dorman and the Sage. They were gathered around a small, round table, each with a drink at handexcept for Dorman, who leisurely held a lemon juice.
I used to be a nobody before the Integration, Edgar continued, melancholically staring at his glass. I was nothing. An emotionally incomplete young man stuck in a hamster wheel with no way out. And look at me now. He magicked a bird into existence, directing it to sit on his shoulder. Im a wizard. A real wizard.
Its been a month, Edgar. Jack laughed. How are you still not used to this?
I dont think I ever will be, the wizardling responded, shaking his head. He gestured widely around them. There was a Kovan bartender, a Lycan waiter, and a group of djinns drinking loudly in a nearby table. A month ago, this bar would have made the news in every part of the world. Now, it was almost mundane. This is all somagical.
Many people died, the Sage reminded them with a small smile.
Oh, come on, dont ruin the fun, Vivi scolded him. We pulled through. So did you. And you still havent told us your story, by the way.
It was nothing interesting. He waved the subject away. Lets just say I found my calling.
Dorman chuckled like he got some inside joke. Jack raised a brow at him but didnt comment.
We did reach high, Jack said. I mean, look at us. The scions come from a B-Grade faction. They had every resource they ever wanted at their disposal, immortal masters, a paved road to the Dao, and martial arts to complement it. Moreover, they came to Earth with a leg up on us, ready to form a Dao Root. They had every possible advantageand we are matching them.
Not every advantage, the Sage corrected him. The Integration is an advantage in itself. It is a giant meat grinder that takes a billion people and produces only a handful at our level of strength. It forced us into desperate situations without giving us any tools to survive; whoever made it through got an edge and experience that even a B-Grade faction cannot instill in their disciples.
Really?
Of course. Do you think they can afford to risk their most talented disciples? Of course not. No matter what kind of training they put them through or how closely it resembles life-or-death situations, it just isnt the same. That is our edge over them, and it is a gap they will probably never bridge, because to try means almost certain death.
That doesnt make sense, Edgar said, frowning. The Animal Kingdom constellation has thousands of planets. If they wanted to simulate an Integration, couldnt they just throw monsters at a planet, enforce lawlessness, and wait for a handful of strong people to emerge from a billion corpses?
They can and they do. They have even developed their preferred monsters for this. Where do you think goblins came from? He paused for a moment. But it isnt the same. First of all, their powers are mostly based on bloodlines, so the people of random planets are not as useful to them. Even if they were, the Planetary Frontrunner titles would be unavailable; there would be no dungeons; and finally, an Integration is not random. The System uses a large amount of power to scan the planet and organize everything to maximize the chances of talented people to rise. Even a B-Grade faction cannot achieve that.
Wait a moment, Jack said quickly. Do you mean the dungeon was spawned on me on purpose? I was singled out?
Maybe, maybe not. Who could know?
A sage.
The Sage laughed. I cannot see through the System, Jack. There are people out there who can, but compared to them, I am only a charlatan at the side of the street.
Can we drop the serious stuff? Edgar asked. This is probably our last night of freedom. Starting tomorrow, all of us might be at war. Can we relax? Please?
Everyone looked at him as he spoke. Their spines stiffened, and then, they let go.
To survival, Vivi said, raising her glass.
To lifting the Systems oppression, the Sage replied as enigmatically as always, raising his glass too.
To strength, Dorman added.
To magic, Edgar said, laughing.
To victory, Jack finished, raising his glass and tipping it over. Everyone else followed. He wasnt drinking Dao-infused alcohol, so it wouldnt affect him at all. He had to remain in top shape.
The night flowed lazily. They exchanged stories about their past. Dorman entertained them with stories of his school life, finally peeking out of his shell a little, and Edgar performed a magic light show. The Sage gossiped other people in the barhe hadnt overheard anything, but he knewand told them funny trivia about the galaxy.
Vivi described scenes from her revolutionthe pleasant ones. She told them all about the great banquet theyd hosted to celebrate their victory, about the piss-drunk soldiers playing stupid pranks on each other. She had a sharp edge to her, one that sometimes caught Jack off-guard, but one he didnt dislike.
He didnt speak much that night. He mostly let the others talk, occasionally interceding with witty comments. It was a fun night. They laughed a lot, and his heart, that been tied into a knot, could finally let loose. For a few hours, he forgot the burdens on his shoulders and was simply a guy living his best life.
When midnight struck, Jack stood. I have to go now, he said. You keep having fun; just dont be late tomorrow. Ill need your cheers.
You bet! Edgar replied, smiling.
Ill go too, Vivi said, standing up. She wore a strapless white shirt, one that looked good on her.
They left together, walking towards the participants district.
This isnt the way to your hotel, Jack said with a smile.
I know, she replied. But if this is your last night in this world, I cant let you spend it alone, can I?
He laughed. Theres no way this will be my last night here, he responded.
You never know. She winked at him, and they laughed again.
***
The arena was packed harder than ever. Jack stood in the center of the stage, preparing himself for what was to come. He was at his peak. He was ready. His Dao Roots were both flaring. Whether he won or lost, he knew he would have done his best.
Looking around, it felt like every single person in Integration City had come. Many people were standing, unable to find a seat, and the wandering merchants had disappeared as they couldnt cross the crowd.
As this was the final, even the C-Grade Planetary Overseer was attending. She sat on a solitary throne close to the front of the arena, everyone pushed sixty feet around her. The only ones who were allowed close were Vocrich, the vampire of the Hand of God, and the ghost-like immortals. They all sat three rows below the overseer.
Every immortal who had taken a disciple was still here, even if their disciple had been eliminated from the tournament. They had been allowed to leave the participants district, where they were normally confined, just for this fight.
Jack saw his master watching sternly from a seat under the lioness. He also saw the lizard archmage, the cloud worm, the ascetic, and the five immortals of the Animal Kingdom, one for each scion. The leonine immortal sat proudly next to the Planetary Overseer, only one step below her.
Everybody else was present, too. The Flame River, the Ice Peak, the scions, all of Jacks allies, Karvahul, as well as every important person of Earth. Most of the tournament participants had remained, too, and Jack recognized a few faces hed spanked in the first part of the tournament.
He smiled fondly at the memoryit was a welcome break from the tension that threatened to break him. He hadnt forgotten that every single person on Earth was probably watching. The pressure was insane. Standing there without shivering was so difficult he had to use his Dao Roots to steady himself.
The head judge flew over the arena. She seemed straighter today, more formal.
Honored Planetary Overseer, distinguished immortals, brave merchants, and people of planet Earth-387, she declared officially. Today is the last day of this planets Integration Tournament. 987 fighters emerged from the planets population of eight billion, and of those, only the strongest two remain. The winner of todays final will be the face of the planet, a badge of its honor, and proof of its strength.
The crowd cheered loudly. Of course, she was only saying those things to raise up the Animal Kingdom, since Rufus Emberheart was expected to win, but everyone loved a good show.
Jack didnt mind. He knew the odds were against him, but he was confident that he at least had a chance. He would either win or go down swinging. He was ready. He looked for Rufus in the stands but didnt find him, even though the scion curtain was open.
Then, let the final battle begin! the head judge raised her voice. Rufus Emberheart and the Dao of Supremacy versus Jack Rust and the Dao of the Fist!
The crowd cheered hard.
Jack was already in the arena, and before Rufus could come down, he raised his fist. The people cheered even harder. Almost everyone present wanted him to win. He savored this knowledge.
Then, he settled down, waiting for his opponent to arrive.
And waited. And waited. And half a minute later, Rufus was still nowhere to be seen.
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