Chapter 280: Return of the Sage
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Chapter 280: Return of the Sage
Jack couldnt believe his eyes. Before him stood a man as eccentric as he was eye-catchinga worn-out jacket, crooked yellow teeth, wild hair, a mad glint in his gaze. He didnt smell, at least, but he seemed completely out of place surrounded by flying, robed cultivators.
Human (Earth-387), Level 170
Faction: -
Sage!? Jack asked. What the
Whos that guy? Dordok shouted, panting as he rushed into battle again. Is he with us?
Shol barely had time for a glance, making him furrow his brows. Immortals had excellent memory. Is that
Introductions can wait, the Sage said with a confident, if yellow, grin. Im here to rescue you.
Someone came to save my saviors! Dordok laughed. Isnt that a treat?
Quite.
Sage, what the hell, Jack said again. Arent you supposed to
An intense aura interrupted him. Maximus Lonihor erupted with power, releasing a supreme wind that blew both Dordok and Shol back. No one is rescuing anyone under my watch, he growled. The grin remained on his lips, but it had grown tighter, more thoughtful. Clearly, even he hadnt expected the Sage to arrive.
He rushed ahead, then abruptly disappeared.
The Sage was already dodging. He smoothly glided backward, avoiding one claw swipe, then leaned down to dodge a kick. Three more strikes came, each more vicious than the last, and each was masterfully dodged.
Jack was close to the epicenter of this clash, so he got a good look at the Sages moves. They were almost magical. He wasnt fast, but he predicted the leonines attacks before they came. His dodges looked almost choreographed.
Maximus paused. His eyes grew serious. You people are starting to piss me off.
Good kitties should go to sleep, the Sage said, pointing a finger at the leonine. Jack sensed nothing, but Maximuss eyes turned hazy. He recovered just a fraction of a second later, but in a high-level battle, even an instant was too long.
Shols foot smashed into the leonines cheek. Jack saw his face warp almost in slow motion before their opponent was catapulted to the side, crashing through several miles of air and into the ground like a cannonball.nôvel binz was the first platform to present this chapter.
Quick, the Sage said, tossing up an object that resembled a dark sphere. Everyone, to me!
They obeyedwhat choice did they have?and the Sages sphere quickly enlarged to engulf them. Inside it, Jack saw the space under space, a place where everything was real yet not, where distance was an illusion. Staying here extensively threatened to tear the soul out of his body, but the sphere somehow protected him, adding a hint of stability to the chaos.
In the distance, Maximus Lonihor shot up from the jungle, roaring as he drove a golden punch at them. The Sage clappedand instantly, space sucked them in. They were no longer in a jungle, but over an ocean with no hint of land in the horizon.
The dark sphere shrunk to its regular size and flew into the Sages hands. Well, thats one thing taken care of, he said. He pocketed the sphere, then fished out what looked like a groceries list from inside his robes and crossed out one line. He put it away again before Jack could read anything.
Jack struggled to speak. His mouth moved up and down a couple of times before he made sound. It was that simple? was all he said. We escaped?
For now, the Sage replied.
You can reuse that thing? Shol asked, eyeing the pocket where the sphere had gone.
Oh, yes. The Black Hole Church has all kinds of trinkets.
Everyone fell quiet at the abrupt revelation. Jack remembered that hed never told Shol about that. The silence was only broken by Dordok, who suddenly laughed uproariously. System bless you, Jack. I dont even need to knowIm loving this!
The Black Hole Church Shol said. Thats a potent statement.
The Sage shrugged. It is what it is. Didnt Jack tell you hes one of us?
Shol had never looked at Jack with such accusation.
Im not, he hurried to explain. It was offered, but Im still considering it.
Sure
If I can interrupt this tender questioning, the Sage said, were still not safe. The Warden could be flying over the planet as we speak to scout us out. Follow me.
Without another word, he flew down, diving into the blue sea with a splash.
Youre contradicting yourself. How can I answer your question without saying the answer?
What?
What?
Shol took a moment to parse through this. Are you saying youre only here for Jack?
Thats what I would say, if you hadnt told me not to say it.
Jack could see the monks temperature rising, so he quickly butted in to say, Dont test his patience, Sage. He has the fuse of a fuseless candle.
Right. I apologize, the Sage said, laughing lightly. Jack is a very promising prospect. He is worth the risk of me coming here. Plus, I can divine that things will probably be okay.
Shol narrowed his eyes. Say I believe you. How did you find us?
Because I am a sage.
Hmph. Im not like the idiots youre used to dealing with. Ive lived for centuries and dealt with all sorts of prophets. Even the Barren High cannot divine things like that.
I know they cant, but I can.
You are testing my limits.
A hint of Shols aura leaked out, soaking the cave in faint sunlight. Jack raised his hands. Can we all calm down, please?
This is important, Jack, Shol said. If this man has a way to track our location, I would like to know.
He saved our lives. Give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Besides, if he has a way to track anyones location, thats meor the captain, actually.
How did you all find me, anyway? Dordok asked.
I assaulted a late immortal, stole his prisoner scanner, tracked down every prisoner and confirmed your identity from a distance, then followed your dot on my scanner, Shol explained, but thats not important right now.
Right, the Sage said. You know what is? Coming up with a plan.
We dont need one, Shol shot him down. Jack, do you guarantee for this guy?
Jack considered it. The truth was, he knew almost nothing about the Sage. He shouldnt guarantee for him, but the man had helped him on so many occasions that he deserved at least this little bit of trust. Yes, he replied.
Good. Then, Sage, I should let you know we only followed you here to learn about your identity and goalswhich we didnt, but Jacks guarantee is good enough for me. Heres the plan: we go back outside, board Jacks starship, and teleport to a nearby planet, where an accomplice of ours is waiting to take us away.
Thats an excellent plan, the Sage said, except your accomplice has already been apprehended by the enemy.
Shols eyes narrowed. Impossible. I contacted them only a few minutes ago.
Theyre blackmailed to reply normally, but I assure you, theyre under enemy custody.
Oh yeah? And how would you know? Because youre a Sage?
That, too, but also because one of our members works as an undercover guard. Your accomplish is Vegna, right? The feshkur merchant captain?
Shol was visibly surprised. How could she have been caught? he asked. She knew the Kingdoms patrol patterns inside out.
It wasnt the Kingdom. The Hand of God tracked you down to the Eternal Gate, then performed a background check on every person on the planet when they lost your trail. You and Vegna have worked together beforeshe was one of the first they interrogated, and nobody can lie to the Inquisitors.
Wait. Why would the Hand of God be after us?
Not after you, the Sage corrected him. After Jack.
Shol turned an increasingly furious glare at Jack. And why, pray tell, he said slowly, would the Hand of God be after my honest little brother?
Jack, in turn, glared at the Sage. He hadnt told them about the Life Drop before, so naturally, he also hadnt mentioned anything about the Hand of God chasing him. Shol had no idea.
Start talking, Jack, Shol said heavily, and this time, you damn better stop hiding things or Ill whoop your ass so hard youll shit yourself.
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Chapter 280: Return of the Sage
Jack couldnt believe his eyes. Before him stood a man as eccentric as he was eye-catchinga worn-out jacket, crooked yellow teeth, wild hair, a mad glint in his gaze. He didnt smell, at least, but he seemed completely out of place surrounded by flying, robed cultivators.
Human (Earth-387), Level 170
Faction: -
Sage!? Jack asked. What the
Whos that guy? Dordok shouted, panting as he rushed into battle again. Is he with us?
Shol barely had time for a glance, making him furrow his brows. Immortals had excellent memory. Is that
Introductions can wait, the Sage said with a confident, if yellow, grin. Im here to rescue you.
Someone came to save my saviors! Dordok laughed. Isnt that a treat?
Quite.
Sage, what the hell, Jack said again. Arent you supposed to
An intense aura interrupted him. Maximus Lonihor erupted with power, releasing a supreme wind that blew both Dordok and Shol back. No one is rescuing anyone under my watch, he growled. The grin remained on his lips, but it had grown tighter, more thoughtful. Clearly, even he hadnt expected the Sage to arrive.
He rushed ahead, then abruptly disappeared.
The Sage was already dodging. He smoothly glided backward, avoiding one claw swipe, then leaned down to dodge a kick. Three more strikes came, each more vicious than the last, and each was masterfully dodged.
Jack was close to the epicenter of this clash, so he got a good look at the Sages moves. They were almost magical. He wasnt fast, but he predicted the leonines attacks before they came. His dodges looked almost choreographed.
Maximus paused. His eyes grew serious. You people are starting to piss me off.
Good kitties should go to sleep, the Sage said, pointing a finger at the leonine. Jack sensed nothing, but Maximuss eyes turned hazy. He recovered just a fraction of a second later, but in a high-level battle, even an instant was too long.
Shols foot smashed into the leonines cheek. Jack saw his face warp almost in slow motion before their opponent was catapulted to the side, crashing through several miles of air and into the ground like a cannonball.nôvel binz was the first platform to present this chapter.
Quick, the Sage said, tossing up an object that resembled a dark sphere. Everyone, to me!
They obeyedwhat choice did they have?and the Sages sphere quickly enlarged to engulf them. Inside it, Jack saw the space under space, a place where everything was real yet not, where distance was an illusion. Staying here extensively threatened to tear the soul out of his body, but the sphere somehow protected him, adding a hint of stability to the chaos.
In the distance, Maximus Lonihor shot up from the jungle, roaring as he drove a golden punch at them. The Sage clappedand instantly, space sucked them in. They were no longer in a jungle, but over an ocean with no hint of land in the horizon.
The dark sphere shrunk to its regular size and flew into the Sages hands. Well, thats one thing taken care of, he said. He pocketed the sphere, then fished out what looked like a groceries list from inside his robes and crossed out one line. He put it away again before Jack could read anything.
Jack struggled to speak. His mouth moved up and down a couple of times before he made sound. It was that simple? was all he said. We escaped?
For now, the Sage replied.
You can reuse that thing? Shol asked, eyeing the pocket where the sphere had gone.
Oh, yes. The Black Hole Church has all kinds of trinkets.
Everyone fell quiet at the abrupt revelation. Jack remembered that hed never told Shol about that. The silence was only broken by Dordok, who suddenly laughed uproariously. System bless you, Jack. I dont even need to knowIm loving this!
The Black Hole Church Shol said. Thats a potent statement.
The Sage shrugged. It is what it is. Didnt Jack tell you hes one of us?
Shol had never looked at Jack with such accusation.
Im not, he hurried to explain. It was offered, but Im still considering it.
Sure
If I can interrupt this tender questioning, the Sage said, were still not safe. The Warden could be flying over the planet as we speak to scout us out. Follow me.
Without another word, he flew down, diving into the blue sea with a splash.
Youre contradicting yourself. How can I answer your question without saying the answer?
What?
What?
Shol took a moment to parse through this. Are you saying youre only here for Jack?
Thats what I would say, if you hadnt told me not to say it.
Jack could see the monks temperature rising, so he quickly butted in to say, Dont test his patience, Sage. He has the fuse of a fuseless candle.
Right. I apologize, the Sage said, laughing lightly. Jack is a very promising prospect. He is worth the risk of me coming here. Plus, I can divine that things will probably be okay.
Shol narrowed his eyes. Say I believe you. How did you find us?
Because I am a sage.
Hmph. Im not like the idiots youre used to dealing with. Ive lived for centuries and dealt with all sorts of prophets. Even the Barren High cannot divine things like that.
I know they cant, but I can.
You are testing my limits.
A hint of Shols aura leaked out, soaking the cave in faint sunlight. Jack raised his hands. Can we all calm down, please?
This is important, Jack, Shol said. If this man has a way to track our location, I would like to know.
He saved our lives. Give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Besides, if he has a way to track anyones location, thats meor the captain, actually.
How did you all find me, anyway? Dordok asked.
I assaulted a late immortal, stole his prisoner scanner, tracked down every prisoner and confirmed your identity from a distance, then followed your dot on my scanner, Shol explained, but thats not important right now.
Right, the Sage said. You know what is? Coming up with a plan.
We dont need one, Shol shot him down. Jack, do you guarantee for this guy?
Jack considered it. The truth was, he knew almost nothing about the Sage. He shouldnt guarantee for him, but the man had helped him on so many occasions that he deserved at least this little bit of trust. Yes, he replied.
Good. Then, Sage, I should let you know we only followed you here to learn about your identity and goalswhich we didnt, but Jacks guarantee is good enough for me. Heres the plan: we go back outside, board Jacks starship, and teleport to a nearby planet, where an accomplice of ours is waiting to take us away.
Thats an excellent plan, the Sage said, except your accomplice has already been apprehended by the enemy.
Shols eyes narrowed. Impossible. I contacted them only a few minutes ago.
Theyre blackmailed to reply normally, but I assure you, theyre under enemy custody.
Oh yeah? And how would you know? Because youre a Sage?
That, too, but also because one of our members works as an undercover guard. Your accomplish is Vegna, right? The feshkur merchant captain?
Shol was visibly surprised. How could she have been caught? he asked. She knew the Kingdoms patrol patterns inside out.
It wasnt the Kingdom. The Hand of God tracked you down to the Eternal Gate, then performed a background check on every person on the planet when they lost your trail. You and Vegna have worked together beforeshe was one of the first they interrogated, and nobody can lie to the Inquisitors.
Wait. Why would the Hand of God be after us?
Not after you, the Sage corrected him. After Jack.
Shol turned an increasingly furious glare at Jack. And why, pray tell, he said slowly, would the Hand of God be after my honest little brother?
Jack, in turn, glared at the Sage. He hadnt told them about the Life Drop before, so naturally, he also hadnt mentioned anything about the Hand of God chasing him. Shol had no idea.
Start talking, Jack, Shol said heavily, and this time, you damn better stop hiding things or Ill whoop your ass so hard youll shit yourself.
Chapter 280: Return of the SageJack couldnt believe his eyes. Before him stood a man as eccentric as he was eye-catchinga worn-out jacket, crooked yellow teeth, wild hair, a mad glint in his gaze. He didnt smell, at least, but he seemed completely out of place surrounded by flying, robed cultivators.Human Earth-387, Level 170Faction: -Sage!? Jack asked. What theWhos that guy? Dordok shouted, panting as he rushed into battle again. Is he with us?Shol barely had time for a glance, making him furrow his brows. Immortals had excellent memory. Is thatIntroductions can wait, the Sage said with a confident, if yellow, grin. Im here to rescue you.Someone came to save my saviors! Dordok laughed. Isnt that a treat?Quite.Sage, what the hell, Jack said again. Arent you supposed toAn intense aura interrupted him. Maximus Lonihor erupted with power, releasing a supreme wind that blew both Dordok and Shol back. No one is rescuing anyone under my watch, he growled. The grin remained on his lips, but it had grown tighter, more thoughtful. Clearly, even he hadnt expected the Sage to arrive.He rushed ahead, then abruptly disappeared.The Sage was already dodging. He smoothly glided backward, avoiding one claw swipe, then leaned down to dodge a kick. Three more strikes came, each more vicious than the last, and each was masterfully dodged.Jack was close to the epicenter of this clash, so he got a good look at the Sages moves. They were almost magical. He wasnt fast, but he predicted the leonines attacks before they came. His dodges looked almost choreographed.Maximus paused. His eyes grew serious. You people are starting to piss me off.Good kitties should go to sleep, the Sage said, pointing a finger at the leonine. Jack sensed nothing, but Maximuss eyes turned hazy. He recovered just a fraction of a second later, but in a high-level battle, even an instant was too long.Shols foot smashed into the leonines cheek. Jack saw his face warp almost in slow motion before their opponent was catapulted to the side, crashing through several miles of air and into the ground like a cannonball.novel binz was the first platform to present this chapter.Quick, the Sage said, tossing up an object that resembled a dark sphere. Everyone, to me!They obeyedwhat choice did they have?and the Sages sphere quickly enlarged to engulf them. Inside it, Jack saw the space under space, a place where everything was real yet not, where distance was an illusion. Staying here extensively threatened to tear the soul out of his body, but the sphere somehow protected him, adding a hint of stability to the chaos.In the distance, Maximus Lonihor shot up from the jungle, roaring as he drove a golden punch at them. The Sage clappedand instantly, space sucked them in. They were no longer in a jungle, but over an ocean with no hint of land in the horizon.The dark sphere shrunk to its regular size and flew into the Sages hands. Well, thats one thing taken care of, he said. He pocketed the sphere, then fished out what looked like a groceries list from inside his robes and crossed out one line. He put it away again before Jack could read anything.Jack struggled to speak. His mouth moved up and down a couple of times before he made sound. It was that simple? was all he said. We escaped?For now, the Sage replied.You can reuse that thing? Shol asked, eyeing the pocket where the sphere had gone.Oh, yes. The Black Hole Church has all kinds of trinkets.Everyone fell quiet at the abrupt revelation. Jack remembered that hed never told Shol about that. The silence was only broken by Dordok, who suddenly laughed uproariously. System bless you, Jack. I dont even need to knowIm loving this!The Black Hole Church Shol said. Thats a potent statement.The Sage shrugged. It is what it is. Didnt Jack tell you hes one of us?Shol had never looked at Jack with such accusation.Im not, he hurried to explain. It was offered, but Im still considering it.SureIf I can interrupt this tender questioning, the Sage said, were still not safe. The Warden could be flying over the planet as we speak to scout us out. Follow me.Without another word, he flew down, diving into the blue sea with a splash.Youre contradicting yourself. How can I answer your question without saying the answer?What?What?Shol took a moment to parse through this. Are you saying youre only here for Jack?Thats what I would say, if you hadnt told me not to say it.Jack could see the monks temperature rising, so he quickly butted in to say, Dont test his patience, Sage. He has the fuse of a fuseless candle.Right. I apologize, the Sage said, laughing lightly. Jack is a very promising prospect. He is worth the risk of me coming here. Plus, I can divine that things will probably be okay.Shol narrowed his eyes. Say I believe you. How did you find us?Because I am a sage.Hmph. Im not like the idiots youre used to dealing with. Ive lived for centuries and dealt with all sorts of prophets. Even the Barren High cannot divine things like that.I know they cant, but I can.You are testing my limits.A hint of Shols aura leaked out, soaking the cave in faint sunlight. Jack raised his hands. Can we all calm down, please?This is important, Jack, Shol said. If this man has a way to track our location, I would like to know.He saved our lives. Give him the benefit of the doubt for now. Besides, if he has a way to track anyones location, thats meor the captain, actually.How did you all find me, anyway? Dordok asked.I assaulted a late immortal, stole his prisoner scanner, tracked down every prisoner and confirmed your identity from a distance, then followed your dot on my scanner, Shol explained, but thats not important right now.Right, the Sage said. You know what is? Coming up with a plan.We dont need one, Shol shot him down. Jack, do you guarantee for this guy?Jack considered it. The truth was, he knew almost nothing about the Sage. He shouldnt guarantee for him, but the man had helped him on so many occasions that he deserved at least this little bit of trust. Yes, he replied.Good. Then, Sage, I should let you know we only followed you here to learn about your identity and goalswhich we didnt, but Jacks guarantee is good enough for me. Heres the plan: we go back outside, board Jacks starship, and teleport to a nearby planet, where an accomplice of ours is waiting to take us away.Thats an excellent plan, the Sage said, except your accomplice has already been apprehended by the enemy.Shols eyes narrowed. Impossible. I contacted them only a few minutes ago.Theyre blackmailed to reply normally, but I assure you, theyre under enemy custody.Oh yeah? And how would you know? Because youre a Sage?That, too, but also because one of our members works as an undercover guard. Your accomplish is Vegna, right? The feshkur merchant captain?Shol was visibly surprised. How could she have been caught? he asked. She knew the Kingdoms patrol patterns inside out.It wasnt the Kingdom. The Hand of God tracked you down to the Eternal Gate, then performed a background check on every person on the planet when they lost your trail. You and Vegna have worked together beforeshe was one of the first they interrogated, and nobody can lie to the Inquisitors.Wait. Why would the Hand of God be after us?Not after you, the Sage corrected him. After Jack.Shol turned an increasingly furious glare at Jack. And why, pray tell, he said slowly, would the Hand of God be after my honest little brother?Jack, in turn, glared at the Sage. He hadnt told them about the Life Drop before, so naturally, he also hadnt mentioned anything about the Hand of God chasing him. Shol had no idea.Start talking, Jack, Shol said heavily, and this time, you damn better stop hiding things or Ill whoop your ass so hard youll shit yourself.
