āBIG BRO!ā a brorilla shouted, shooting into space.
āBrock!ā Jack exclaimed. Part of his suppressed feelings erupted. Warmth appeared in his heart. With his brother by his side, the world was not as dark anymore.
The two men met in the vacuum and hugged tightly. Jack could feel Brockās disbelief, his shock, his excitement. Heād thought Jack deadāhow could he not be relieved?
āBrock!ā Jack exclaimed again, with pleasant surprise. āYouāve grown!ā
A year ago, Brock had been almost at Jackās height. Heād now grown to seven feet tall, with bulging muscles and dark fur. Heād resembled a gymonkey in childhood, but heād now become an almost fully grown brorilla.
āHow!?ā Brock asked in a deep, emotional voice. āHow are you alive? They said they killed you. I felt the connection severed!ā
āIāll tell you all about it, bro. In short, they forced me into the Animal Abyss, which turned out to be another world entirely. Thatās why the connection was severed. But I meditated, repaired my Dao, and now Iām back.ā
Brock looked up with bright eyes. āYou are alive!ā he repeated, unable to believe this. āWait. What do you mean you repaired your Dao?ā
Jackās eyes suddenly darkened. Of course. Using his son as a hostage was a shameful actānobody would publicize it, and Brock hadnāt been there to watch it happen.
āItās a long story,ā he said. āIāll tell you everything later.ā
Brock sensed the darkness in Jackās heart. He was confused. This was the same darkness he also contained, but his came from the desire to get revenge over his fallen big brother. What reason could Jack have to feel the same?
He did not speak anymore. He led Jack into the Trampling Ram, filled with familiar faces, both old and new.
āYou guysā¦ā Jack said, his voice dripping with emotion. āYou are all here. Salin, Nauja, Bomn, Vashterā¦ What is this, a reunion?ā
āHehe.ā Salin chuckled. āWe couldnāt sit still after they said you were dead. We had to give them a piece of our mind!ā
āThe Trampling Ram answered the call,ā Bomn said, bringing a fist in front of his heart. āYou are part of this crew. Avenging you was our duty.ā
āYou didnāt have to worry us so muchā¦ā Nauja added, her eyes smiling with relief.
Jack smiled back. Even after everyone thought he was dead, they still remembered him. They genuinely cared. What a unique feeling.
āThank you,ā he said. āItās good to be back.ā
āWe missed you,ā Brock said. His voice was careful. āWe are safe here. We are together. Tell us what happened.ā
Jack shook his head. āHow about you go first?ā
Brock nodded, then took a deep breath. āAfter you were gone, Iā¦ I was lost for a while. My heart was cracked. You are important to me. I lost my way, but I found it again after meditating on brohood. For us warriors, death is a natural eventāthe best we can do is keep moving forward, carrying the torch of our fallen brothers.ā
Jack listened quietly. He noticed that Brockās speech had reached fluencyāeven better than most humans he knew. At the same time, he was sad. āI put you through a lot, brotherā¦ Iām sorry.ā
āDonāt worry. Itās enough that you returned,ā Brock replied. āAfter I recovered from the shock, I decided to take on your mantle. I vowed to destroy the Animal Kingdom and protect Earth. Fate led us to the Trampling Ram, and the five of us embarked on revenge. In the past year, we have decimated the Animal Kingdom operations and outposts, even killing two C-Grade Enforcers. I know itās not much, but the Hand of God is also after us so weāre forced to move carefully. Iām growing stronger. Soon, I will be able to face their B-Grades.ā
Jack blinked. He took another look at Brock. He hadnāt noticed it at first, but the aura rising from his body had evolved. In the span of a single year, Brock had developed two additional Dao Fruits, reaching the seven-fruit boundary. He was now a late C-Gradeāgiven his power, dealing with any peak C-Grade of the Animal Kingdom should be a piece of cake.
āYouāve surpassed me!ā Jack exclaimed with pride. āIām only at five fruits myself!ā
āCultivation is only the foundation.ā Brock chuckled. āYou are stronger than me still.ā
Jack smiled. āSo you guys turned into terrorists?ā
āGuerilla warfare,ā Nauja said. āLike the time you were in Hell. We strike quickly and decisively, then teleport away. The losses weāve caused to the Kingdom are steeper than Brock impliedāand we couldnāt have done it without the crew of the Trampling Ram.ā
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
āIām proud of you guys,ā Jack said, looking around. This had been a year of progress for everyone. Brock had reached the late C-Grade, Salin and Nauja were at the very peak of the D-Grade, and Bomn had also reached the middle D-Grade. Even Vashter, the weakest member of the team, had broken into the D-Grade.
This was a manifestation of the principle that oneās environment affected the person. When Jack first met Vashter, that mace-wielding feshkur, heād been a middle E-Grade with little hope for the future. However, in later years, Vashter had been dragged through one disaster after the other, adventuring with people whose vision reached beyond the Milky Way galaxy.
Now, that once-mediocre feshkur had become an immortalāthe same Grade as Captain Dordok.
Vashter caught Jackās gaze and grinned. āThis is all because of you,ā he said. āBack in the day, I used to despise you after you lied to us and caused Achillesās death and Captain Dordokās capture. Now, I have to admitā¦my vision was too narrow. You are such a great man that your passage naturally leaves waves for the rest of us to weather. If we can, we emerge greater than before. If we canāt, we perishā¦but I understand now that it is not your fault.ā
Jack blinked. Vashter had turned into a bit of a fanboy, excusing some of Jackās past failures, but that was okay. Everyone could use a role model.
āI guess I have to tell you my side of the story as well,ā he said, sighing. His mood dropped like a stone in a well. āAh, but before we start, check this out, Brock. I got you a gift.ā
He reached into his space ring and grabbed a simple-looking staff. It looked to be made of wood, yet it shimmered slightly as if inlaid with gold. The moment Brockās eyes fell on the staff, he couldnāt pull them off.
āThis is the Goldenwood Staff,ā Jack explained, raising the staff so everyone could take a good look. āIt used to be the weapon of an ancient A-Grade. Now, itās yours. Youāve needed one since Baron Longform broke the Staff of Stone, right?ā
Only now did Brock manage to speak. āGood staff,ā he said. His hand wrapped around the body of the staff as if by itself, twirling the weapon around and getting a feel for it. He nodded again. āGood staff,ā he repeated. āThanks, bro. This means a lot. But where did you find it?ā
Jack smiled sadly. āYouāll see. Letās take a seat first. This will not be pleasant.ā
The others exchanged worried glances but did as he said. Only Brock, who had sensed Jackās darkness, suspected the nature of what was to come.
Jack told them everything. From the moment they separated near Hell, he spoke about his chase through space until he reached the Animal Abyss. He told them how he broke through again and again, using all sorts of methods to eventually hide inside, hoping for a miracle.
This next part wasnāt easy for him, so he narrated it quickly. How Artus Emberheart had revealed Jackās son, forcing him to surrender, then killed Eric regardless. How Jack had gone mad and overdrawn himself to escape. How his Dao had cracked.
By this point, the starship had gone deathly silent. Everyone listened with disbelief. Even Brock was surprisedāhe knew something bad had happened, but he never expected it to be this tragic.
Nauja had covered her mouth with her hands, shivering. The moment Jackās words stopped ringing, she jumped up and rushed to hug him. āOh my God, Jack, Iām so sorry! I have no words. Iām so, so sorryā¦ā
Jack wanted to protest. Yet, the moment another personās warmth reached him, he almost cracked. He hadnāt realized how badly he needed a hug for the past year. Silently, he hugged back, and Nauja stayed there until he relaxed his embrace. Only then did she slowly back away.
āHow are you?ā Brock asked.
Jack sighed. āAs you can imagine. Terriblyā¦but I have recovered a bit. I can think again. As soon as I have my revenge, I will be fine.ā
A complex look emerged on Brockās face, but he didnāt reply.
āIām sorry, man,ā Salin said, placing a hand on Jackās shoulder. āNobody should have to experience that. Stay strong. Donāt lose yourself.ā
Jack chuckled with surprise. āThatās pretty sane for you to say.ā
āOf course. Iām insane, not an asshole.ā
āThe death of a child is something I have experienced as well,ā Bomn added with his sonorous voice. āIt was the worst period of my life. I was deeply scarred, and even now, I have not fully recoveredā¦ I cannot imagine what youāre going through. I just hope you eventually find your way out of the darkness. Donāt be hard on yourself.ā
Jack smiled. āThank you for your kind words. Iām fine.ā
Nobody responded further, so Jack continued. He spoke about how he entered the black hole as a last resort, partially expectingāand maybe hopingāto die, then unexpectedly emerged in a new world. He described the Black Hole World and its people, their plight and unique perspective on life.
He skimmed over the year he spent there, focusing more on the world than his personal journey of recovery. Finally, he repaired his Dao, furthered his understandings in all his Daos, left the Black Hole World and pocketed it, then killed the middle B-Grade Ancestor before coming over to meet them.
āYou killed a middle B-Grade?!ā Salin exclaimed. āMan, can you be any more awesome? Youāre like a fairy tale hero at this point!ā
āIām just a man trying his best,ā Jack replied. āWell, that was everything that happened to me. I know it was a lot to take in, butā¦ It happened. Letās try to move on.ā
āI donāt even know where to start,ā Nauja said, shaking her head. āThe Black Hole World, your powerā¦youā¦ Itās all so unexpected. Itās justā¦ Jackā¦ I know you have a grip on things, but I just hopeā¦ Donāt fall into the darkness. Please.ā
āIām fine,ā Jack repeated, a little more solidly this time. Talking about this issue made him uncomfortable. Even thinking about it was difficult, let alone discussing it. āI did not mention all those so we had something to talk about, but so we can be on the same page. I will handle myself. I got this. The way I need you to support me is by helping me get revenge. Are you with me?ā
Brockās stare remained steady, not betraying his inner thoughts. The other four exchanged glances. āOf course we are,ā Salin replied. āTill death do us part. Weāre all bros here, right?ā
āEven me?ā Nauja asked, raising a brow.
āEspecially you.ā
āWe have been pursuing revenge already,ā Bomn said. āBe it for us, for you, or for the world, the tyranny of the Animal Kingdom must come to an end. We will not stop until we succeed or die.ā
āI will never abandon you,ā Brock said. He had a unique way of speaking candidly without seeming vulnerable. āYou are in good hands, big bro. I am here for you. We all are. Letās win this battle.ā
āThatās what I like to hear!ā Jack exclaimed. His lips were smiling, but his eyes were dark. āLetās go. We have a Kingdom to destroy.āšršš²š ebšošÆel.com