An hour later, the call went out for a meeting of group leaders. Ash, though still visibly recovering from her recent ordeal made sure she would be present, having fiercely argued with John and practically forced him to let her attend after waking up. Her pale face and determined set of her jaw were testament to her unwavering spirit, even as lingering weakness clung to her. During the meeting, John had formally released Ray, making matters clear to her and ensuring she knew it was only thanks to the old man she would be given this chance before presenting her with a new, meticulously drafted contract from Kay in hopes of giving her a chance well making full use of her abilities. He brought her up to speed on all the radical changes that had swept through their domain, outlining the strategic plans that Choi had diligently put together for optimal group deployment and her new role as leader of the ranger group.
It was remarkable how seamlessly their varied groups had adapted to the new order. A quiet hum of purpose now resonated through their town. The kitchens were already staffed and a comforting aroma of simmering food beginning to waft about. In the creature area, those with skills in beast handling moved with practiced ease after Angel and Aria gave the beasts some orders to listen to the handlers' commands, said handlers were tending to the various beasts and harvesting vital resources with expert care. Teams formed soon after being guided into their groups had spent a portion of the night reinforced existing structures before continuing on from early in the morning after a small rest. Their hammers echoing a steady rhythm while others, fueled by curiosity had delved into experiments within the science lab and test area. A fragile harmony had settled over them unbelievably fast along with a sense of shared purpose that despite every single person carrying at least one visible weapon, felt almost peaceful.
That peace, however, was shattered in an instant.
A sudden, omniscient voice devoid of warmth and laced with a cruel amusement, boomed through the air. vibrating in their bones like a physical tremor. It wasn't just audible; it felt like a system message seared directly into their minds just like last time well also illuminating every surface with a flickering, ethereal glow.
"
The announcement hung in the air for a full minute before fading away as the timer rapidly counted down, a chilling pronouncement that turned the fragile peace into a cold hard knot of dread. John's jaw tightened. "Weakling," "Forever Second", the terms were clearly aimed at him, not even an attempt to hide their displeasure. It was a direct challenge from the administration in regards to his own. The blatant disparity in rewards, the immense bounty on his head also underscored the scale of the threat and added far more proof that he had succeeded in pissing them off. The room fell silent, the previous hum of productivity replaced by a tense, breathless quiet. Every team leader's face, a moment ago reflecting quiet determination, now contorted with a mixture of anger and mild alarm that quickly hardened into a determined resolve upon seeing the stern look and anger on his face.
"You really don't do things in parts do you? I had high expectations but never expected this from you, human."
A cold, slightly distorted hoarse voice slithered from behind John, cutting through the stunned silence. Instantly, every head whipped around with a chorus of metallic clicks filling the air as weapons were drawn and pointed at the owner of the voice. There, slumped against a wall, was the Jester yet he was barely recognizable now, his form was tattered and disheveled, his once vibrant and chaotic garments now stained with dark, congealed blood and other fluids. His right arm was a gruesome stump of meat crudely cauterized. Bits of flesh were visibly missing from his legs as if something monstrous had taken bites out of him. His signature mask was broken with a jagged fracture that revealed a portion of a rugged, handsome and surprisingly humanlike face beneath the ceramic shards. Pain was etched into every line of his visible features, yet his eyes, even from behind the broken mask, held a fierce but weary intelligence.
"Everyone stand down." John commanded, his own sword remaining firmly in his grasp though in a silent promise of readiness.
"But he's—" Saya began, her voice sharp with alarm and her blade unwavering but John cut her off with a firm tone. "Someone who isn't a threat anymore. And if he was, I believe we all would be able to handle him in his current state." He turned to the Jester, his eyes assessing the depth of his injuries. Without a word, he pulled over a sturdy wooden chair and placed it before the wounded administrator, offering a silent invitation to sit.
A raspy, almost grateful chuckle escaped the Jester's throat. "Glad you have some manners. And just so the rest of you know he's quite right," He said well nodding weakly towards John. "Maybe before I would have killed you all quickly and it would honestly be rather easy. But whatever you did to this place limits me greatly. Even so, I have no doubt I could have easily destroyed it and those around here using my own set of skills that don't rely on the administrations systems. I was one of the few taken on under the oldest administrators after all and thus have a few tools of my own that would get around restrictions such as this. But there's no point in doing so after I've lost my place and position with those bastards." His voice grew fainter towards the end, punctuated by a harsh, wet cough that brought a spray of blood to his lips.
Saya's grip on her sword tightened, her eyes narrowed with suspicion. "And we're supposed to just believe you? John, this is clearly a trap after we captured that clown. It's to coincidental. What if others are secretly trying to destroy the shield or the device while he keeps us busy here?" She lunged forward slightly well drawing her blade closer, the tip now pointing menacingly at the Jester.
The Jester merely offered a cynical smirk and moved ever so slightly before wincing from his injuries. "Believe what you want but killing me will change nothing. They won't bat an eye or give a damn should you kill me. And I'm only in this state because of your dear leader over there." His gaze, filled with a complex blend of resentment and a strange sort of admiration settled on John.
John frowned, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "Because we raided your office and took all sorts of stuff from you? Are they truly that petty?"
The Jester responded with another coughing laugh, a raw and painful sound. "Petty? Oh, they are far more than just petty, human. When I met you, I helped you with a dagger and some coin. It turns out we were being watched. Normally, that wouldn't be enough for anything substantial, maybe seen as favoritism but could easily be played off as trying to increase entertainment or explained away to increase excitement. But then one filed a complaint about its fragment being stolen from him. Then another reported something wrong about you when its avatar was killed in a rather violent manner. And then when I stepped in to stop that imp from killing you and took you to my office? Many looked at my interference as being a step too far when all I wished was to keep the balance of the game and keep things progressing as they should. I had to fight to keep my position and place not just with words but also with actions. I slowed time there and explained it away as a means to weaken you and throw you off upon your return as a form of extra entertainment, how you would be weaker than the established forces but even then I still had to keep fighting for my own survival, unfortunately it proved to not be enough for any of them as I was dragged away and replaced by a young clown, barely a teen in our years who was considered there 'rising star'. Tsk and then I was demoted again!"
He paused, a fit of coughing wracking his body. Seeing his deteriorating state, John gestured for Grace, along with what he assumed to be her chosen second for the medic team to move forward and help the Jester. They carefully approached and began to assess and stabilize him. The Jester continued talking, his voice gaining a bitter edge as Grace's gentle touch brought a modicum of relief. "Then you showed up with a group of irregulars and got that kill on the raid boss. From there things spiraled further beyond my control as many more began to take interest in you and your world. I was brought before the bosses and had even more accusations layered upon me when they knew full well the impossibility of it. Supposedly, I had increased your strength, meddled with your class, which they knew was not something one of my station both before and after my demotion could accomplish and then more complaints came in from even more gods. It led me to being locked up and sealed away, to be torn apart bit by bit daily as punishment for my supposed crimes. They needed a scapegoat and I was it. I only managed to slip away due to the commotion from whatever it is you did earlier. It caused a lot of havoc. I remember first they were laughing and enjoying the increasing interest in the lowest level and I knew it was from you due to them having the feed play loudly and I could hear your voice along with the clown buffoon. Then suddenly everyone was in a real state. There was screaming and panic which gave me an opportunity to slip away and escape, I had to kill a few though to do so but after what they did to me I don't really care." His stump and other grievous wounds, though no longer bleeding thanks to Grace and the healer's efforts, still throbbed with immense, visible pain.
Once more, Saya's sword flew up, this time the sharpened point pressing gently into the Jester's throat, drawing a thin bead of dark blood. "And what? You suddenly just escaped at the exact time all this was going on and instead of going to a safe place you come here to tell us all this? You expect us to believe that!" she growled, her eyes narrow slits of suspicion.
"No, I do not, only an absolute moron would take my words at face value." The Jester rasped, his eyes locking with John's, ignoring Saya's blade as it lightly cut into his throat. "And I admit that well I did use the chaos to escape I didn't manage it on my own. Someone freed me from outside my cell. All I could tell regarding them was the faint, rhythmic music of a drum beating that slowly faded away as I fled. Other than that, I know nothing else that would be of help to explain my escape. As soon as I was free, I went and took what little I could before escaping." He shifted his head slightly, the sword's point cutting his skin a fraction more, but his focus remained on John. "Someone once said, 'return kindness tenfold and enmity a hundred.' If he still feels that way, I hope he will be returning the kindness I showed him now when I need it most."
John met his gaze, a quiet understanding passing between them. "Saya, put the sword away," He instructed gently well reaching out to take her blade and, with extreme care moved it away from the Jester's throat. He then gave her a small, reassuring kiss on the top of her head making freeze up for a moment before letting out a huff as a slight blush crept onto her cheeks from the random show of unexpected affection before reluctantly sheathing her weapon. "How can you just trust him like that?" she grumbled, still unconvinced.
"I don't," John replied, his gaze returning to the Jester. "But I will have him sign a contract if he's to stay with us and under our protection, he will also pull his weight and be treated the same as everyone else here. That would be acceptable, wouldn't it?" he concluded, addressing the last part to the Jester.
The Jester's eyes gleamed with a raw intensity. "I would strip naked and dance on a table if that's what it took. So long as I can get a measure of revenge, I don't care what I have to do. Over 1500 years I worked for them. I started as a damn imp and not only worked my way to becoming an administrator but helped improve their damn systems till it became as efficient. Then some others suddenly show up, my mentors vanish and I start getting pushed out steadily, from Level 3 down to Level 4. Then they claimed issues there and I was placed in charge of the new Level 5 which was here. And now all this? If they wanted me gone, they should have seen to it that I was either killed outright or dismissed to a quiet place, not all the subterfuge and shuffling around before imprisonment and torture." He growled, his voice thick with ancient indignation. "If you have a contract, I will sign it this instant."
Kay, ever prepared, reached into a pouch and produced a fresh sheet of parchment and a pen. "Always have at least one ready, basic rule for a merchant like me." she stated simply. "Just write out the terms and have him sign it."
Nodding, John took the pen. He kept the terms simple and direct, knowing the more detailed it was the more potential loopholes and work arounds could exist. The contract merely stated that the Jester – a name he had claimed as his own long ago – would be under John's protection to a certain degree and would work to help him to the best of his ability along with following any orders given by John and would not knowingly hamper or harm him in any way. It was a straightforward agreement, yet the weight of it hung heavy in the air.
Instead of merely signing it with the pen, the Jester took the implement and, with a guttural grunt of pain, stabbed the pen directly into the raw flesh of his stump. He then used the blood welling from the wound to scrawl his signature onto the parchment. Not content with that, he then pressed his bloodied thumb onto the contract as well, binding it with a sudden and potent red glow that pulsed once before fading away, sealing the pact in a way far more ancient and absolute than mere ink. The entire room watched it happen, each person silently wondering what unholy alliance had just been forged in blood but at the same time the various squad leaders couldn't help but respect their new leader even more for not only not backing down but instead doing something no one else they had met holding his position would have done, he listened and even gave a chance to someone who, if Saya's reaction was any indication was a former enemy, not only turning him to their side but binding him to them.