Chapter 92
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Jack listened carefully as the spirit described the things he and Rash should look out for on their trip to the volcano and the more he learned the less he wanted to go there.

When she came to the part with a weird explosive flower though, it was too much. Sure, there was mana around now and magic was a thing, but flowers that explode just because you touch them?

He couldn’t help but doubt it. [Are you serious?!]

A slight feeling of annoyance radiated through the weird mana connection they used to communicate. [No, I’m making jokes about your untimely death! Thanks for your vote of confidence, really…]

Okay, calm down! What did she expect would happen if she told him crazy stuff like that?

Then, before giving him a chance to reply, the spirit sighed and cut the connection between them, signaling the end of the conversation. [Anyway, I wish you luck, I have things to do!]

Just like that Jack was left alone in his little shack and it took him a while to come to grips with the situation. He had about 1 and a half weeks to finish his part of a contract, which entailed mining and polishing some rubies, and if he wanted to fulfill what he bargained for he had to get going now, preferably today. Failing the contract was apparently not dangerous, he would just lose some points on a hidden contract ranking that merchants, shopkeepers and other business people had access to. As it turned out however, the location of the ruby deposit had its fair share of dangers besides being located in an active volcano.

So, in the end he had to choose between getting into danger to mine some gemstones and not getting into danger, but losing some points that had no value to most people as well as disappointing the spirit, something that he would rather not do. How would he ever get strong enough to destroy mountains with one puny explosion spell without her?

He needed the advice she gave him or he would be forever stuck with his pathetic flame of a fireball spell and that meant he would have to brave dangers!

It wasn’t like Jack had never seen violence either. He had fought side by side with everyone else to get away from the fanatics after all, though he hadn’t killed a single person. Heavily wounded to the point that they would likely die in the future, yes, but he hadn’t been able to snuff out their lights, especially not those he had lived with for months!

Luckily it had been easier to grab a weapon for him than for others. The idea of having to hurt someone to defend himself had never really seemed alien to him, even though he had lived a normal life like every other teenager. His parents had always told him that his readiness for violence was a weird thing, since he never got himself into trouble though, it didn’t really matter.

Jack let out a sigh, thinking of them and the fact that he would probably never see them again. He didn’t even know if they were still alive or if they died in the aftermath of the mana integration.

Man, such depressing thoughts. He didn’t like to think about it and he was determined to occupy his mind with other things as much as possible, like he had done for more than half a year now.

With the decision made that he would go get the rubies he got up and started to make preparations for his little adventure. Like the good 16 years old he was, that meant he went straight to Ronald and asked for permission.

Much to Jack’s annoyance though, the leader of their group was not fond of the idea. The area he - Ronald had the audacity to call him a child! - would have to go into an area that was unknown to the village and could possibly be dangerous, which it totally was, but Ronald didn’t have to know about that.

When that didn’t change Jack’s willingness to fulfill his contract, Ronald proposed that the whole thing might be a trap and that it wasn’t worth pursuing. Losing another two of their population would be a catastrophe and he couldn’t allow it.

Jack thought the idea of this being a trap of the spirit hilarious. They were living on her land and if she could enchant things in their village without them noticing, she could probably kill them with even less effort. Why in all that is explosive would a being like that bother to lay down a trap for them?

It just didn’t make sense, which meant that Jack, like the good 16 years old that asked something and got telled off, ignored Ronald’s judgment and made his way over to the portal and the little wooden fort.

There he found Jack leaning against the wooden palisade, bored out of his mind and for some reason bare chested.

“Yo Rash! What’s up?”

“Hey there kiddo! Nothing much really, I’m not on scouting duty and guarding this thing here is boring as hell.” He slapped the wood fondly.

Jack, though, had another problem and stomped up to him. “You are what? 21 years old?!”

He straightened his back and raised his chin. “You don’t get to call me kiddo!”

“Oh, is that so?” He said with a big grin on his face and flexed the impressive muscles underneath his scales.

“As long as you can’t beat those beauties I can tell you whatever I want!”

Gah, that dump brick was so damn infuriating!

Jack took a long and controlled breath and calmed himself down again. Arguing with this guy was a waste of time, he had tried.

“Anyways, I came here to ask if you would accompany me on a little adventure. I expe-”

“I’m in!”

Jack blinked in surprise and looked at the guy. “Huh, just like that? But you don’t even know what this is about!”

Rash just waved him away and gestured at their surroundings. “I don’t care. You said it was going to be an adventure and every adventure got to be less boring than this.”

Well, that was a rather rash decision. Jack slapped himself mentally for this thought.

While he was in though Rash walked up to him and slung his arm around his shoulders as if they were the best friends in the world. “So kiddo, where are we going to go and what are we going to do?”

Jack could only sigh and forcefully remove the arm again. “Do you know of the magical contract I accepted?”

Rash shrugged. “If it’s the thing that has to do with us getting pots of massmured than no.”

“Right, I figured as much.” He pushed Rash away from himself.

“Anyway, to put it short, I have to go to the volcano or rather inside of it, mine some rubies and take them back and polish them or let someone else do the polishing.”

Rash nodded along. “You know what raw rubies look like?”

“Yes, is that really the only question you have?”

“Yep! Let’s go kiddo!” He said happily and grabbed Jack’s arm.

Jack really wanted to punch something. “Got fucking dammit.”

Rash started to drag him along towards the volcano in the distance and Jack slapped his biceps. “Stop it, we can’t just leave like that!”

Wasn’t he supposed to be the child in the group?!

He managed to slip out of Rash’s grasp and free himself before he pointed at him accusingly. “Go and tell whoever is in charge of you that you are going to be away for a few days and then pack stuff to survive for a whole week! What the hell were you going to do, just walking away like that?”

Rash stopped for a second and nodded. “That’s a good ide- *cough* I mean, good thinking, you managed to pass my test kiddo! Can’t go with incompetent people into dangerous places afterall.”

Then he turned around and walked towards the gate in the palisade with an awkward laugh.

Jack could only glare at his back. This was going to be an interesting and testing trip, murder flowers and birds or not.

“Let’s meet here in 2 hours again!” He shouted after the idiot and left for the village.

Contrary to some people he wanted to have water, something to cook and some exchange clothes before he went on a trip like this. Then there was the other things he needed to somehow prepare like a pickaxe or a substitute for one to mine the rubies or knives that would make their lives that much easier. How in the world had Rash wanted to do these things with nothing but a spear and short pants?!

Jack threw his hands into the air while he walked. One thing was sure at least, he was unlikely to get enough time to think about his parents and his life before mana in the next few days.

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