Socrates stood as a guard 10 yards away from Mr. Jaggers, his posture straight and rigid, his head held high beneath the dim glow of the night sky while his sharp blue eyes remained wide open, scanning the surroundings with forced vigilance. His fingers were tightly clenched around the grips of his daggers, the metal pressing firmly against his palms as if he were bracing for an enemy that was never present, his stance unwavering like a statue carved for battle.
Although Socrates looked visibly alert, his mind was far from that composed exterior. His thoughts were in disarray, spiraling endlessly, clashing against one another in a storm of doubt and restless imagination that made him seem somewhat lost, even as his body remained still.
'What if we can't get another token before the Double Battle Royale game ends? Aren't we going to be as good as dead then…'
'What if those aspirants were able to gain the token we almost died to claim? What's the essence then…'
'Why does he look so calm?' Socrates threw a side glance at Mr. Jaggers, his brows knitting slightly as frustration brewed within him. Through the reflection of his right blue eye, the middle-aged man could be seen seated in a lotus position behind the broken structure of an abandoned hanger, the cold metallic walls casting faint shadows across his figure. Green energy gathered steadily around him, flowing like a calm stream before concentrating at his forehead, while a thin, luminous line of energy extended outward, connecting directly to an open skill scroll hovering slightly above the ground.
Socrates already recognized what his partner was doing… the middle-aged man was learning the skill from the scroll and needed to cultivate for some time without disturbance in order to fully grasp it, his breathing slow and controlled, completely immersed.
When Socrates had trailed after Mr. Jaggers, he had met him in this exact position behind the hanger. Knowing fully well what was expected of him, the red-haired teenager had silently taken on the role of a guard, planting himself at a distance, watching over him.
But his mind was conflicted.
'What if I didn't follow him here…'
'What if I also went to retrieve the token? Maybe I would've gotten the token by now…'
'After all, he didn't experience the pain of being charred by electricity… the feeling of being at the brink of death…'
Socrates was boiling in anger where he stood, a faint tremor running through his clenched fists as his emotions surged beneath the surface. At this moment, he had already forgotten that his current survival was due to Mr. Jaggers' interference and the selfless act of giving up a treasure as valuable as the energy core.
Socrates was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't notice the snake that had slipped past him, its slender body gliding silently across the cold ground, scales faintly reflecting the dim light as it slithered through the corners of the broken structure, inching closer and closer toward Mr. Jaggers.
[Ding.]
[Announcement! Announcement!]
[We have entered the second phase of the game]
[Participants remaining — 90]
[Tokens obtained —
Bronze token — 13
Silver token — 9
Golden token — 0]
"Golden token 0.." Socrates almost blurted out, his eyes widening in shock as the notification flickered before him.
'What does this mean?' he asked himself, confusion replacing his earlier anger.
'Did Candidate 223 and the rest fail to acquire the golden token?' he questioned again, his thoughts racing.
Then, he tapped on his wristband, the interface lighting up with a soft blue glow against his face as his system panel appeared. Without hesitation, he clicked on the search bar and called out a name.
"Candidate 223."
[Eliminated]
"Candidate 12."
[Eliminated]
Socrates blinked twice, his breath hitching slightly before he called another name—the candidate who had shown interest in his combat suit.
"Candidate 44."
[Eliminated]
'They're dead… They're all dead… They failed to acquire the golden token and also lost their lives. Does it mean…?'
Socrates turned sharply toward Mr. Jaggers, only to see a snake dropping from above, its body coiling midair as it lunged downward with its mouth wide open, fangs glistening faintly.
His body moved on reflex.
The two daggers left his hands at a speed that defied the laws of physics, slicing through the air in a blur before piercing directly through the head and body of the snake. The force behind the throw drove it backward violently, pinning it against the cold metal wall with a dull impact.
The snake twitched once.
Then collapsed.
Its body dissolving into faint particles that scattered into the air without leaving behind any loot.
'That was close… How did that motherfucker slip through my senses?'
Mr. Jaggers' eyes snapped open, glowing faintly with green energy that quickly faded as the energy surrounding him retracted into his body. The connection to the skill scroll severed, causing it to drop softly onto the ground.
He rose to his feet slowly, his gaze lingering on Socrates for a brief moment before shifting toward the daggers embedded in the wall.
"Gratitude."
"Ah. You jest, Senior. I'm only performing my duty as your partner." Socrates replied with a slight bow, a faint smile appearing on his face as though nothing had happened.
That was certainly not the reaction Mr. Jaggers had expected.
He had anticipated resistance… questions… perhaps even resentment.
He had thought the boy might choose the token over him.
But instead—
'The boy is a good boy… He has a cool head and thinks things through… He'll definitely achieve great things.' Mr. Jaggers thought inwardly, a faint approval settling in his mind.
"Skill scrolls are rare… Unlike other items that are expendable, skill scrolls aren't. Once you learn it, you can use it forever. The skill I just learned is known as Earth Cleaving Strike. Surprisingly, it works perfectly for my battle axe."
"You deserve more, Senior… I want to ask if I can also learn a skill without using spiritual energy…"
"Yes… It's achievable. You can learn a skill without spiritual energy, but that requires you to have a physique that can withstand the backlash of using such a skill and the physical force needed to maximize its effect. What I'm saying is, without spiritual energy, you have to train your physical body beyond its limits." Mr. Jaggers explained calmly.
Although Socrates only vaguely understood the explanation, he still nodded and thanked him without hesitation.
"Come… Follow me." Mr. Jaggers beckoned as he suddenly sped away, his figure darting into the darkness while Socrates quickly followed from behind.
After some minutes of movement through uneven terrain and broken structures, they arrived at a scorched battlefield, the ground blackened and cracked, dyed with dried blood while abandoned items lay scattered across the area, some faintly glowing as they spiraled slowly in place without an owner.
Socrates recognized the spot instantly.
It was the exact location where Mr. Jaggers had thrown the golden token.
'What creature could've done this…'
He looked up at Mr. Jaggers and noticed the middle-aged man adjusting his monocle slightly, the faint glint of its lens reflecting the surroundings.
It was then Socrates realized—
Mr. Jaggers had known.
All this while.
With the aid of the monocle, he must have already detected the presence of the deadly creature long before.
'What would've happened to me had it been I did not follow him…'
Socrates scanned the area again, noticing that the bodies of the aspirants had been cleared, leaving behind only traces of destruction and scattered loot.
"It's the Alpha Wolf…" Mr. Jaggers finally said, breaking the silence. "He's with the golden token. If my guess is right, he'll be trying to consume the token right now in secluded places such as the mountain…"
"Now… Pack up the useful loots…"
Socrates' eyes lit up at those words as he immediately moved, bending down and retrieving items rapidly, his hands moving from one object to another, picking up equipment he had never fought for.
'All these items are heaven defying…'
Mr. Jaggers was also picking items, his movements more selective, more calculated, when he suddenly noticed Socrates gathering guns after guns without restraint.
"Had it been guns worked on the Alpha Wolf, all these aspirants wouldn't have been eliminated…"
Socrates paused.
"What do you mean, Mr. Jaggers?"
"Drop the guns… Search for survival, defensive, and offensive items… We are going on a hunt for a wolf."
All the guns Socrates had packed dropped from his hands at once, clattering against the ground as he stared at Mr. Jaggers with his mouth wide open, disbelief written all over his face.
'How exactly does this old man think?'