Chapter 120: Revelation
Space cracked as the Trampling Ram pierced through it, sinking between its folds. Jacks helmet pulled him along. The crocodiles teeth snapped at nothing, and the tentacles of lower-level space monsters flailed ineffectively.
A frustrated roar was the last thing Jack heard before the darkness around them warped into a kaleidoscope, and they were hurtling through space from the outside.
Level up! You have reached Level 52.
Level up! You have reached Level 53.
Level up! You have reached Level 54.
He had killed a low E-Grade monster and a middle E-Grade one, netting him three levels. It was a welcome benefit, though it didnt pacify Jacks worries. He quickly invested the points in Physical and took in his status screen, which always gave him a sense of anchoring.
Name: Jack Rust
Species: Human, Earth-387
Faction: Bare Fist Brotherhood (E)
Grade: E
Class: Fiend of the Iron Fist (Elite)
Level: 54
Strength: 204
Dexterity: 204
Constitution: 204
Mental: 23
Will: 23
Skills: Iron Fiend Body (II), Ghost Step (I)
Dao Skills: Meteor Punch (II), Iron Fist Style (I)
Daos: Perfect Dao Seed of the Fist (early), Dao Root of Indomitable Will
Titles: Planetary Frontrunner (10), Planetary Torchbearer (1)
Jack took a trembling breath.
He was still heavily injured, but he maintained enough clarity to feel terrified. He was warping while outside the starship. That couldnt be good.
Thankfully, Captain Dordok was right next to him. He grabbed Jack under his arm and flew to the Trampling Rams secondary exit, pushing him through first before entering himself.
Jack fell to the floor and had to suppress a scream. His foot was broken, his fists were maimed, and he sported various cracked or dislocated bones. Truly, he was quite shit. At least his enhanced body kept him from losing consciousness.
Captain Dordok appeared next to Jack in a flash and used the power of the Dao to levitate him. They stepped into the main room, which was filled with groans, moans, and the smell of blood. Brock rushed to Jack immediately, making concerned monkey sounds.
A cupboard on the side had been opened to reveal three soft mattresses, which were now unrolled on the floor. Vashter lay on one of them, groaning intermittently. He was worse than Jack thought. One of his arms hung limp at the side, the shoulderblade jutting out of his back and wetting his shirt with blood. One of his legs was blue and bloated at the kneedespite the feshkurs gaunt bodyand his breaths came in short rasps. With every inhale, a low moan escaped his lips, and his chest trembledsomething was broken there.
That he had fought with such injuries was beyond commendable.
Bomn was sprawled on the next bed. His face was covered in frozen blood that stretched out of his nose and mouth. Even his eyes were marred by bloody tears. He was pale and shivering, and he looked so weak that Jack wondered how hed even made it back.
It was thanks to these two that they had managed to survive, if barely. Had the warp been ten seconds late, there was a good chance all of them would be dead.
I am proud of you, Captain Dordok said. All of you. Though he was clearly strained, his injuries were light, same as Achilles. They didnt take a bed and instead stayed standing, attending to the injured. Vlossana was helping too, and so was Count Plomer.
These injuries wont heal themselves, but dont worry. We escaped the horde. When the warp ends, well be less than an hour away from Earth-321 and Amethyst Mountain. We will find you medical assistance immediately.
Vashter made pained noises of gratitude before Vlossana pushed him back down. No talking! she said cheerfully, slapping his good shoulder. Only resting! Ill get you some chocolate later.
Jack had no idea where she would find that, but it was good to know that chocolate was a thing outside Earth. Anything to keep his mind away from the pain.
His broken foot was a pain he could handle. His minor injuries were just blips in the radar. But his hands Oh, that was pain. It felt like they were frozen and electrocuted at the same time. Continuously. He was pretty sure that enhancing his body had given him some pain resistance, because he could sense his nerves close to fraying from the constant, high-volume output.
Not screaming was a struggle. But if Vashter could handle it, so could he.
Achilles approached from the side. Jared, he said, looking Jack in the eye. They hadnt spoken much, but the honesty in his gaze was soothing. Thank you. You saved me back there.
Itwasmyfault, Jack managed to grit out. Achilles shook his head.
It was a battlefield. There was no guarantee the enemies would stick to their targets. I should have been more careful. He glanced at the captain, who nodded in approval. A feshkur never forgets his favors. I owe you my life. One day, I will repay you.
Jack tried to speak, but Captain Dordok beat him to the punch.
Dont deny your bravery, he said. You couldnt even guarantee your own life, but you took a risk to save a friend. In my eye, this is loyaltythe most important quality of a crewmember.
Without warning, Achilles stabbed a needle in Jacks thigh. Jack grunted in surprise. Next thing he knew, the pain was receding. It didnt disappear, but at least he could speak now. Captain Dordoks powers levitated Jack to the third mattress and let him down gently, sending a muted jolt of pain through his body.
I had my doubts about you, Jared, the captain continued. Our crew is tight-knit because we do not accept others easily. We are strong, and we would all die for each other without a second thought. The Trampling Ram is our home and cradle. I only took you in because you showed promise, and you, my boy, proved me right at the very first opportunity you got. You saved Achilles; that means a lot.
His face split into a large grin, uncaring about the grim situation they were in.
From today onward, Jared, you really are a member of the crew. Wherever you go in your life, whatever happens, know that the Trampling Ram will always be a home for you. For anything you need, we will be there. And we hope you feel the same way.
Jack pushed his lips against each other.
I do not deserve such kind words he muttered.
Of course you do! The captain roared in laughter. Take pride in yourself, Jared. You did the right thing!
Every word of the captain was a jab at Jacks heart. These people had been nothing but kind to him. They had accepted him with open arms, respected him, been polite and friendly. They had risked their lives to protect him, and he had done the same.
But he had been lying all along. The guillotine over his head was too massive. Anyone near him was at risk of getting cut, and he had thrown the Trampling Ram and its crew into danger to save himself and his planet.
Perhaps it was the sedative, but the pain in Jacks heart eclipsed that of his hands.
Captain he said in a trembling voice. He decided to open his heart. They deserved to know. I am sorry, Captain I have lied to you.
Captain Dordok stopped in confusion. His celebratory smile faltered. What?
I My name is not Jared. Its Jack. Jack Rust. I am hunted by some people, as you have suspected, but they arent weak. They are I dont know who they are, exactly, but theyre strong. Its the Animal Kingdom. I am hunted down by the Animal Kingdomor at least, there is a good chance I am.
Everyone else had fallen silent. Captain Dordok didnt respond immediately. His one eye narrowed, filled with the glint of fierce intelligence that usually remained hidden.
Tell me everything, he said in the end.
Jack glanced at Brock, who nodded, and started speaking. He told them everything. From the dungeon he spawned in, to Gan Salin in Valville, to the faction he had created, to the Integration Tournament. He spoke about the scions and how they treated the natives. How his conflict with them had started, and how it had escalated. The times he had insulted them.
The conclusion of the tournament, where he defied the C-Grade planetary overseer and took what the Animal Kingdom had prepared for Rufus. How they dropped all pretense to kill him, but he killed them back. He murdered Rufus in front of the entire world, dragging the Animal Kingdoms face through the mud. That even the planetary overseer had acted against him at the very end, but had been blocked.
How he was his planets greatest hope.
His story took some time to tell. Space had stabilized around them, revealing new constellations in the distance, and Achilles had wordlessly gone to direct the ship towards Earth-321.
Nobody interrupted Jack. Brock stayed by his side throughout, listening calmly. The captain kept a sharp stare on him, occasionally nodding or tightening his jaw.
By the end, the captains expression was grim.
Thats all, Jack finished his story, filled with shame. He looked away, not daring to meet the captains eye.
A few moments of silence went by as the captain considered his response. Nobody else spoke up. Eventually, Dordok said, So you plunged us all into danger.
Yes, Jack admitted, not attempting to defend himself.
Do you regret it?
Jack didnt respond immediately. Finally, he said, I knew I was tricking you. I will not make excuses. I came here intending to sacrifice strangers to save my people. That was my choice, and I still believe it was reasonable at the time. But if I could go back now, with what I know about you I would tell you everything before we set off. I would let you make the call.
And I would decline without a second thought, the captain replied.
As you should. But thats fine. Everything is my fault, to begin with. I am the one who exposed my people to danger. I am the reason why they need saving. But despite that, if I am to save them, I simply cannot do it like this. I cannot backstab good people like you. I will walk my path, and I will either succeed or die trying. The people I protect will fall or rise with me. He chuckled darkly, lost in regrets. I put them in danger, but I am ready to sacrifice them a second time in the name of morality. How fucked up is that?
It is not, the captain replied, looking Jack straight in the eyes, though he did not look back. In deciding to accept you as their leader, those people agreed to follow you wherever you go and embrace your decisions, even if those decisions led to their death. They tied themselves to your carriage, accepting that the carriage moves wherever it wants. If you want to antagonize the Animal Kingdom, they are in it with you. If you want to sacrifice some of them, they have already agreed to it.
But I cant do that! Jack protested. I have a responsibility to them!
You have many responsibilities, Dordok retorted, his voice steely. You cannot do everything at the same time. Sometimes, you have to let things go. You respect them and try to help them, but accepting someone as your leader has consequences. These are the consequences. Followers are there to help you and be helped, not to shackle you. You have the responsibility to protect and help them rise, but they have the responsibility to accept your decisions and follow you wherever you go, even into death. If your path is honor or death, they will follow it without a word of protest. And if they didnt know what they were signing up for, or if they werent strong enough to make decisions for themselves, that is their fault.
Thats Jack gritted his teeth. This was just too harsh. How can you think like that, captain?
Because I am a leader, the cyclops said, standing slowly. And when you have been traveling the galaxy for as long as I have, you will see the same truth. The world isnt soft or easy. Hard decisions need to be made all the time. And these hard decisions must often be shouldered by the people who believe in you.
It was like a massive weight had appeared on the captains shoulders. His one eye was hazy, looking off into the distance, and his posture was slightly hunched. For a moment, he did not resemble a strong immortal, but a weary old man.
The feeling disappeared as quickly as it had come, and Dordok was bursting with the steely authority of a captain. Watch me, Jack, he said, then turned around.
Crew of the Trampling Ram, heed my words, he declared in a tone that brooked no disobedience. Jack lied to us, used us, and shoved us into danger. That will not go unpunished. However, he also fought with us, risked his life for us as we did for him, and saved one of us. We accepted him as a member of this crew. We will remember his mistake, and we will punish him for it, but we will not abandon him to the tyrants of the constellation. He never had malice. He simply had no choice. And when he became one of us, he told us everything, putting himself at risk. He betrayed strangers, but he stayed loyal to the crew of the Trampling Ram. We will not be disloyal in return. As the captain, and as the eldest here by far, I say we let him stay.
He swept the crew with his eyes. Bomns trembling voice was the first to answer. He pushed himself to sit up, then said, I trust you, captain.
Achilles threw Jack a complex glance, then said, I trust you, captain.
Vashter hesitated for a moment, gritting his teeth. The captains gaze lingered. Finally, he said, I trust you, captain.
Jack couldnt believe what was happening. He expected to be berated, beaten up, and abandoned at the nearest planet. Maybe even surrendered to the Animal Kingdom. He had accepted that his journey might end here.
He never expected such a good conclusion. He almost couldnt believe thisand the guilt in his heart burned even hotter. Did he deserve this kindness?
Good, Dordok replied, turning to Jack. This time, his eye was angry. You are a member of the crew. We will not abandon you or turn you in to save ourselves. However, know that our protection will be limited. Loyalty is important, but you have brought this upon yourself. If a C-Grade comes here and asks for you, we will not commit suicide. Is that understood?
Jack almost choked. The galaxy was full of dictators, scions, and arrogant, power-driven overlordsbut it also hid people like Captain Dordok or Master Shol. People whose hearts were filled with genuine kindness.
The world hadnt been nice to Jack since the Integration. Sometimes, it seemed like everyone was out to get him, and impossible obstacles filled his path But when it came to people like these, he felt so grateful that he had met them. They were his benefactors. He owed them everything.
The Trampling Ram was a beautiful oasis in a harsh world.
Thank you, he replied from the bottom of his heart. Through his pain, he bowed hos head. I will not drag you down. Even if they torture me, I swear that I will tell them nothing about you.
Good. The captain nodded. Remember the kindness we have shown you. We will discuss this more after we provide medical care to Bomn and Vashteryou dont seem to need any.
Jack blinked in surprise, then looked down. His foot had at some point righted itself, and the twisted bones in his hands were slowly setting themselves right. His chest wasnt in as much pain anymore. He wasnt in fighting condition yet, but he could walk. His regeneration was no joke.
Wow, he said breathlessly.
Thats an impressive skill, the captain commented. If you want to progress fast, it will be invaluablebut enough talk. Earth-321 is right there.
Jack looked to the side, still combing through his emotions. A blue planet shone in the distance, quickly increasing in size. The green strips on its surface unraveled into continents. It looked just like Earthhis Earthbut with even more water. It was rotating slowly, lending a new sense of majesty to the sight.
Jack had seen a planet disappearing in the distance, but it was the first time he saw one approaching.
Slow us down, Captain Dordok told Achilles, who was at the helm. One tenth of relative speed. Amethyst Mountain is at the northern hemisphere, right where those two conti
Whatever he said next was lost. A new voice flooded the starship, echoing in everyones ears with almost the same intensity as the crocodiles roar.
Pilot of the Trampling Ram!
It was a harsh, commanding voice. Jack couldnt tell its gender.
Stop the ship! the captain shouted, and the Trampling Ram stilled. Jack looked out of the window. Three figures appeared, quickly closing the distance from the planet. Each of them was garbed in black, with a cape stretching behind them. Their faces were covered by green, opaque veils that fell from their foreheads.
And all three of them were floating in space.
They came to a stop a hundred feet away from the prow of the Trampling Ram. In the name of the Animal Kingdom, one of them spoke, surrender Jack Rust.
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