The Achievement Junkie

Chapter 341 Using Daruun“s Cres

"Okay, let’s try it out."

That was the item that brought the entire raid to pass. Now, Jack only needed to test it out and see what exactly it could do. And since he also had to prove his identity to Dragov, why not kill two birds with one stone?

Jack walked back out of the vault, ignoring Argyle’s strange look and the beholder feasting on rations outside the vault door. He let Bowzer follow him though, as that was to be expected.

"Dragov!" Jack shouted, looking into the darkness looming over his head.

"Yes..." That ultra-low voice echoed off the walls as the Draconic Centipede descended into view. "Did you find the item that could prove yourself?"

"Yeah, but I’ll need you to touch it with me when I activate it. Otherwise, you won’t know about what happens next," replied Jack.

"Very well."

Though Dragov could touch it with his head, instead, he lowered another portion of his body to reveal dozens of centipede legs along that part of his body. He was so large that this portion of Dragov hung down like a "U", coming from the darkness above and then returning to it. And each of the long legs had a draconic claw at the end of it, jutting out of the exoskeleton.

One of those long claws extended slowly toward Jack’s hand. When both Jack and Dragov were touching it, Jack took a deep breath and poured some mana into the clear crystal.

But nothing was happening.

Glaring back at the crystal, Jack was furious. He did a double-take and noticed that everyone else was still moving and active. No one was frozen in place like the time before.

"Come on..." Jack muttered under his breath, flooding the crystal with more mana.

"Is something wrong?" asked the gigantic centipede.

"No, just give it some time," stated Jack, determined to make something happen.

"Jack..." Dragov watched the hero closely. He wanted nothing more than for his master to have returned and fight powerful foes alongside him. And though Jack didn’t have any physical evidence yet, Dragov felt that Jack wasn’t lying either.

"Give it time! Maybe it needs more mana..." Draining himself of everything he had left, Jack emptied his mana reserves into the tiny, spherical crystal in his hand. "This has to work!"

Sensing the overload of mana, Argyle and Vixus refocused on Jack’s desperate attempts to use the item he had pulled from the vault. Even Mooldrat, who was obsessed over his feast had gained an interest in what Jack was doing or at least attempting to do.

"Come on... Come on!" Shouting and feeling the last bit of magical energy leave his body, Jack shook.

When the last morsel of mana was extracted from his body, Jack collapsed, nearly dropping the crest in his hand.

’Jack!’ Bowzer caught Jack with his body, making it easier for Jack to remain on his feet.

"Jack!" Argyle rushed to the side of the exhausted hero. "What’s wrong?"

"Give me the high elixirs."

"But Jack--"

"I need the high elixirs!" Jack shouted, not acting patient by any means.

"That... okay." A single high potion appeared in Argle’s hand. "Here’s a potion."

Without hesitation, Jack’s shaking hand forcefully took the potion and put it to Jack’s lips. In almost a single gulp, Jack downed the potion without a care in the world.

Next, the hero stood back up as his shaking started to calm down. "More... Give me all of them."

"Jack--"

"Now! I need this, Argyle!" Jack looked back into Argyle’s eyes, looking away from the crystal for a single moment before returning his focus to the task at hand. But in that single moment, Argyle an unquenchable rage and hunger to make something happen.

Believing that Jack wouldn’t do anything suicidal, Argyle passed Jack the remaining nine high elixirs they had bought. "Here..."

A second was already going down Jack’s throat as he took the remaining high elixirs and stored them away.

Then, even more mana poured out of Jack and into that transparent crystal. Yet even though Jack was savagely forcing all of his mana into it, the small crystal showed no reaction. It only soaked up the mana like it was a drop of water hitting the ocean.

"More!"

Two more potions were consumed and Jack repeated the process. When nothing changed, Jack consumed his fifth and sixth high elixir, falling to his knees and barely keeping the crystal in his hands.

This scenario was very different from what Tralon experienced holding the rift open. Tralon had to maintain a steady flow of mana, sufficient for the corresponding size of the spatial rift. But Jack was simply forcing all of his mana into the crystal at the fastest rate possible, and then he would consume a couple of potions to instantly fill him back up again. The constant cycle of instant drain and immediate replenish was extremely taxing on Jack’s body.

But he didn’t care. All Jack cared about was getting this item to work like he had guessed it would. He knew that Daruun was too calculating to not have given Jack such an item for nothing.

"Jack, please st--"

"I’m not done yet!"

Two more potions made their way into Jack’s body, just as quickly as the mana was being forced back out of it.

Jack’s mind was pounding, not letting him hear or think about anything. His body was quivering, lacking the ability to stand or steadily hold Jack’s head up. The hero’s head tilted from side to side as he glared furiously at the little crystal.

"More..." Between his heavy breaths, Jack took out the ninth and tenth high elixirs, the final two.

"Jack, no!"

Unable to here Argyle’s warning, Jack guzzled down the remaining two elixirs before his father-in-law could stop him.

Jack coughed and groaned. His body struggled to accept two more elixirs and their rush of mana. His body was starting to shut down. Yet Jack kept his mouth shut and forced his gullet to accept the final elixirs, letting Jack flood the crystal with one last round of mana while Jack teetered on unconsciousness.

Vixus and Mooldrat were both beside Argyle, who was now on his knees supporting Jack’s head.

With Jack’s body lying down outside of his control, the only thing Jack kept supporting was his arm holding Daruun’s Crest. The hero refused to pass out, focusing only on that crystal in the palm of his hand.

Now, he noticed something. The crystal was glowing faintly, but only enough to light up the hero’s palm.

"But... I need... to bring... Dragov..."

A few words managed to fall out of Jack’s loose mouth as consciousness started fading from Jack’s mind.

Out of instinct, Bowzer placed his paw on the crystal and started to pour his bestial mana into it. When he felt that he was doing hardly anything, the fox looked up pleadingly to the giant Draconic Centipede.

"Jack..."

While Argyle was holding up Jack’s head and Vixus was on standby to offer his support, Dragov looked back to Jack. His giant half-insect, half-draconic gaze was actually, soft. It was difficult to tell, but Dragov was frowning sadly.

Watching Jack’s desperation to activate that crystal and overhearing Jack’s last few words, the Draconic Centipede felt his heart numb slightly.

While Jack spent the last of his energy holding up the crystal, no longer able to fight the exhaustion, that giant centipede claw reached out and touched the crystal once again. But this time, a storm of bestial mana poured into the crystal, allowing its brightness to grow and grow.

Vixus was in shock and had completely forgotten about the giant beast. Now being so close to it and getting a better estimate of its size by the hanging portion of Dragov’s body, he was scared witless.

Mooldrat recognized that this time Dragov had no ill will for the party and only wanted to help.

Argyle watched the creature’s massive leg reach out and touch the crystal oh so carefully. It was amazing to see how tenderly such a weapon of destruction could caress the crystal. That’s when he noticed the glow of the item become blinding.

A flash of brilliant light filled the room, even brighter than when Tralon would teleport. It was startling to everyone present.

Only Jack smiled.