[Haradi, Marshal's Dojo]
As the sun began its ascent, painting the world with its golden hue, the grounds of Marshal's dojo were bathed in its radiant light. It was at this moment that Garnal made his entrance. With a purpose in his stride, he headed toward the rendezvous with Jacob, arms laden with precious plastic boxes. Each one contained a feast, meticulously crafted by the talented chefs of the village. Enticing aromas wafted from the containers, filling the air with inviting notes that beckoned any passerby to yield to the temptation of the delicacies.
"I hope he likes it..."
Ever since the tragic disappearance of Marshal, Jacob had withdrawn from village life. His prolonged absence was likely due to his unyielding commitment to preserving the memory of his beloved master. As the days passed, a growing unease settled among the villagers. There had been no news from Jacob, and all desperate attempts at reaching out met with either deafening silence or an imperious shout ordering the ill-fated visitor away, leaving the village in suspense about his fate.
As he walked, enjoying the melody of the birds, Garnal finally reached the dojo's door. He hesitated, fearing a rebuke might greet him from the other side. Despite his trepidation, he knocked, albeit gently.
"Garnal, what are you doing here?!" Jacob's voice boomed.
Taken aback, Garnal swiftly turned to locate the source of this sudden outburst. But the sight left him stunned. There stood Jacob, but not as he remembered him. The young man had undergone a striking transformation. His once lean body now showcased impressive musculature, perfectly proportioned. His arm, clutching a katana, exhibited breathtaking muscular strength, veins seemingly ready to burst from his formidable grip.
Yet, what truly alarmed Garnal was Jacob's face. The once-warm smile was gone, replaced by a depth of solemnity.
"Jacob?! Is that really you? What happened to you?"
"Isn't it obvious? I continued my training and strengthened my body."
"I can see that. But your face... it's different."
"Did you expect me to smile when my mentor has passed?"
What has happened to him? Why has he become so cold?
"No, not that... I just thought you'd be happy to see me, that's all."
Suddenly, Jacob placed his other hand on Garnal's shoulder, this time with his familiar comforting smile.
"Of course I'm glad to see you, my friend."
That small gesture was all it took to lift Garnal's spirits.
There he is, the Jacob I once knew!
"So, why did you come?"
Garnal handed over the plastic boxes filled with meals from the village chefs.
"To bring you food! You need to keep up your strength, right?"
"Yes, you're right. Thank you, Garnal."
*
From within the dojo, Jacob and Garnal sat down for a meal, discussing various subjects. Garnal gave him insights about the other members of the Lost Ones, revealing he had just found out that Rogue was staying with the Cleared on a protection mission. Meanwhile, Jacob spoke about his training experiences. Recently, he had unlocked a new dimension of his personal power: the ability to enter himself in his video games.
This power allowed him to bypass certain in-game rules, leading him to prefer training at Adaken over playing. However, one day he yielded to the temptation to boot up Deity Battle to challenge some bosses and see how it felt. The results exceeded all his expectations. By playing directly inside the video game, he could earn XP to manually level up. Moreover, he acquired weapons and abilities based on the bosses and dungeons he fought.
Ever since, Jacob alternated between Adaken training and Deity Battle sessions, explaining his supernatural physical transformation.
"Wow, so that's why you're so strong now!"
"You could say that... But I couldn't have done it without Marshal and Igdifir."
"Igdifir... that's your summon, if I remember correctly?"
"Yes, that's right."
But Garnal noticed something odd about Jacob. No matter how much he repressed it, he still mourned the loss of the person who meant the most to him, perhaps even more than his own parents.
"Jacob... Even though you seem more mature now, don't bottle up your sadness..."
"Oh, not you too..." Jacob sighed.
Deep down, Garnal knew. Jacob was devastated by the absence of Marshal and the Lost Ones. For weeks, he had lived a solitary life of training and discipline, neglecting his social life.
"Jacob... Talk to me. Tell me what's bothering you."
"There's nothing to say! Marshal is dead, that's it. What else do you want me to say?"
"But grieving needs to be talked about! You don't have to carry the weight of the world. Death is—"
Suddenly, Jacob stood up and angrily threw the plastic containers.
"SHUT UP! YOU KNOW NOTHING! IF YOU CAME HERE TO PLAY THE GOOD SAMARITAN, YOU CAN LEAVE NOW! I DON'T WANT TO TALK TO ANYONE, GOT IT?!"
"Jacob... you're scaring me, stop..."
"Ha... How can you be scared, knowing you were resurrected? Huh?"
"What?! What are you talking about?!"
"Quit playing dumb... You should be dead, Garnal! YOU SHOULD BE IN A GRAVE!"
"But it wasn't my fault..."
Suddenly, an intense aura from Jacob filled the air, paralyzing Garnal with fear.
"EVERYONE IS DEAD! THE WHOLE OF HARADI SHOULD BE BURIED IN RUBBLE! BUT NO! SOME ENTITY FROM NOWHERE FIXED EVERYTHING, LITERALLY, BY MAGIC!"
"Stop..."
"It's so unfair... Marshal should have been brought back too..."
After a moment's calm, Jacob relaxed, overwhelmed by his emotions.
"Sometimes I think of killing... I mean, why should insignificant lives matter more than an angelic human's?"
"Are you serious?! You actually think that?!"
"Maybe... I don't know..."
"You're insane! We should've never summoned you into our world! I never want to see you again!"
"Do as you wish. I don't care about you now... to me, you're a dead person."
"You're nothing like Marshal! He would've never acted like this!"
Terrified by the death threats, Garnal hurriedly left the dojo. Jacob stood there, staring at the ground, torn by the sad truth.
"In reality, I'm mad at everyone... Not just you, Garnal..."
As he moved away, Jacob summoned Igdifir with a snap of his fingers.
Igdifir's evolution was evident, mostly in his physical metamorphosis. Initially, he had a demonic appearance, but now he showcased more human-like elegance. Yet, some features like curved horns and four shimmering orbs, each representing a natural life element, floated around him, emphasizing his status as a summon.
"You might've been a bit too harsh on him, master."
"I don't care... He's just a walking corpse now, not the friend I once knew."
"And now, what's our next move?"
"We continue with Deity Battle, right where we left off."
"You mean the Cosmic Sanctuary?"
"Exactly..."
Igdifir gracefully motioned with his hand, and a dark portal opened, holding the secrets within.
"Alright, let's go," declared Jacob.