“Let’s go back!”

Jason turned around after he no longer felt Brood’s presence. He had too much on his mind at the moment. 

“I… Still can’t move.”

Xanders wasn’t the only one who had fallen under the petrifying effect. 

“Sigh! Let’s wait a bit. Carry the ones who are unconscious, and name this mine as the spider mines.”

Jason shook his head when he saw Xanders’s expression, and this old assassin truly looked terrified. 

“Don’t worry too much, Mr Xanders. She can easily kill a Master Wizard. Samson, message me when everyone can move.”

He ignored the sheer surprise he saw on the old man’s face as he walked into the forest. He wanted to find more fruits for Hanna before going back.

“Ye… Yes, Jason! But… But what about the spiders?”

Samson heard the entire conversation between Jason and the massive spider, but his skin crawled when he thought of the smaller spiders that had the body size of a bear. He suddenly understood what it meant to be a genuine leader. Jason calmly faced the creature and even negotiated a deal while everyone else, including Grandmaster Xanders, stood there immobilised.

“They won’t attack as long as we don’t attack. Send people who are not too jumpy to this mine.”

Jason only took a second to answer before walking away.

“What a man….”

Butch whispered as he watched Jason walk into the forest. Jason Hope undeniably had surpassed Grandmaster Xanders in his heart; both in terms of power and ability. He didn’t know how an alien like Jason knew more than Grandmaster Xanders, but it was obvious that Jason knew way better.

The leader of the Crystal Pulse, the future High Wizard, Jason Hope. A man he had no hesitation to follow.

…

“Daddy!”

“Hey!”

Jason took Hanna into his hands when she started struggling when he got close. He felt a warmth in his heart when he saw the two of them waiting for his return at the village gate. He knew Amelia detected him from afar and brought Hanna here, who was impatient to see him, but it was still a sweet gesture to him.

He smiled at her and took several fruits he picked from the forest for her.

“For me…?”

Hanna looked at them with her big eyes as her small face bloomed with an even larger smile. 

“Wash them before feeding them to her. Are you out of your mind?”

“Eh… I washed them on the stream. Why are you upset?”

Jason felt lost when he felt the anger in Amelia’s voice. He washed the fruits, and he wasn’t that stupid. Of course, he never raised a child before, but he lived in a society where everyone learned at least the basics.

“Humph! Who said I am upset? I am going to cook.”

Amelia turned around with a haughty movement and walked back into the village.

“Daddy! Mommy is angry with you….”

Hanna whispered in a low voice as she took a fruit off her daddy’s hands in a sneaky gesture. She didn’t want to make mommy angry, but she couldn’t resist the temptation of fruits, and daddy already made mommy angry.

“Angry…?”

Jason wondered if he did something wrong in the morning.

“Mhm! Mommy called daddy stupid for gambling with life. Eh… What does that mean… Daddy?”

Hanna whispered again, but she cared little about the answer. What she wanted to know was which fruit tasted better. 

“Gambling with life…?”

Jason looked at the enchanting figure walking into the village. Amelia wore simple pants and a shirt as always, but her figure always had those sharp edges and curves in perfect places. He thought she started dressing better from what he saw from her the first day, but he wasn’t sure.

“Mhm… That is what mommy said. Daddy, can I eat this?”

“Huh? No. That is a seed. Your mommy might kill me.”

Jason hurriedly took the seed off Hanna’s hand and gave her another fruit.

‘Gambling with life? Did she know what happened? How? I am sure she would never leave Hanna alone.’

His eyes widened with surprise.

‘Wait! Don’t tell me her perception rage is that large!’

Jason did not know how strong Amelia was, but he was sure that she surpassed a Grandmaster with a margin he couldn’t even imagine. 

‘Where did she come from?’

“Daddy… Aren’t you going to say sorry to mommy?”

“I… Will try….”

Jason didn’t know if Amelia would accept his apology, but he decided to try.

…

“Guys! Tell me… When you are done playing the video. Blergh!”

“Well….”

Scott looked at the door and shook his head. He knew almost everyone was uncomfortable with the video, and most people who took part in the expedition looked shaken to the core. 

Bruce wasn’t the only one who wanted to puke after seeing the massive spiders, and they had to maintain an amicable relationship with these spiders in the future. 

‘Will we have to do it for the rest of our lives? I never thought there were creatures like this.’

He knew they had to deal with the unknown in another world, but creatures like this made him feel terrified. 

‘This creature… It made a Grandmaster look like nothing.’

Since they needed to speak with Grandmaster Xanders, they showed him the recordings they recovered from the players, and he noticed how depressed Grandmaster Xanders looked. 

Scott witnessed how strong Grandmaster Xanders was, and he knew Xanders could take down all of them in a blink of an eye, but he couldn’t do anything against this creature. Also, Xanders seemed to be oblivious to these massive spiders’ existence, and he was caught off guard when Jason called the creature by its name.

‘This kid… He is the real deal.’

No matter how he looked at things, Jason looked more and more impressive over time. Jason looked mature beyond his age and had the tenacity to handle any situation with tranquillity. 

‘But what are we going to do in the future? Can we fight creatures like this?’

He eyed Dane and Amanda, the two others who knew the truth behind The Endless. Amanda looked calm as always, but her breathing looked ragged and messy. On the other hand, Dane looked pale as a piece of paper. 

They initially thought Grandmasters were scary, but then they saw the power of a wizard, and now this creature could petrify a Grandmaster with ease.

“Guys! Is it another quest? Can we publish this online? I don’t want to get cursed, though.”

Bruce again called from the outside. 

“I don’t know if it is a quest, but I guess we have to publish this in the Crystal Pulse. Killing these spiders is forbidden. What do you think, Grandmaster Xanders?”

“Huh?”

Xanders looked as if he came out of a trance.

“If anyone messes with these spiders, the punishment will be death. Make sure you announce it properly. I don’t want that creature to come here.”

“Yes, Grandmaster Xanders.”

Scott nodded his head in understanding. 

“But… Can Master Merlin defeat it?”

He wanted to know this the most.

“Honestly, I am not sure. Most likely not. Jason said it can kill Master Wizards, then there is no chance for old Merlin.”

After Xanders finished his words with a heavy tone, the entire venue fell into complete silence. 

“This is far more severe than you think. If that creature can kill a Master Wizard, it is at least the level similar to one, but I didn’t even know how she immobilised me. We have to live this close to it, and there is nothing we can do. Jason said it is there to guard something dangerous, and we don’t know what it is. Sigh.”

Xanders kept his straight face, trying not to look too worried. There was the Brodice Kingdom on one side and this unknown creature on the other. He felt trapped and lost.

…

“Hey!”

Jason stood at the doorway, with Hanna in his arms. She was still nibbling on fruits, and Jason wiped her mouth from time to time. 

“What?”

“Sorry!”

Jason gave Amelia an apologetic smile, wondering if what he did was wrong. If he died, he would have returned after eighteen hours, and that was it.

“I don’t care.”

“Eh….”

Jason didn’t know how to answer her.

“I am… Going to Forestedge the day after tomorrow.”

“So….”

Amelia looked unbothered, but there was another who heard him.

“Daddy going….”

Hanna picked up Jason’s words in a flash, and her face turned black.

“I have to.”

“No! Hanna wants to come too.”

She immediately wrapped both of her arms around Jason’s neck. 

“Hm… Then why don’t you come with me?”

He smiled and patted her head. He had some matters to attend to with Boris and also had to send some money to Ashley. There was nothing much to do, and he thought of buying something nice for Hanna and Amelia.

“Is mommy also coming?”

Hanna’s next question caught Jason off guard, and he looked at Amelia, who was also staring at him.

“Will you come?”

He knew he had to invite her or it wouldn’t happen. 

“Humph! I will come for Hanna. I have to arrange some method to deliver lunch to old Merlin.”

Amelia rolled her eyes, but she secretly looked satisfied with Jason’s behaviour. He at least knew how to behave.

“Yey! Mommy is coming for me… But… Where are we going?”

Hanna’s confused expression lightened the mood.