Second World

"Then shouldn't we attack them now before they rebuild their troops?" Jack asked.

"No," John answered. "I said Master had roughly the same number of troops as us, didn't I? The defenders will have a better advantage in this case. Additionally, he didn't have to spend as many resources as we do if we are the ones invading. Also, don't forget his Necronomicon. In protracted warfare, that artifact will make it seem as if his troops never diminish. While ours will keep on shrinking bit by bit. Unless we have an ace in the hole, it is unwise to attack."

"So, all we can do is wait?"

"Not wait. Build," John uttered. "Although Master has extensive knowledge about this world, it has been proven he doesn't have the same advantage when it comes to the monarch system. This is one weakness we can exploit. We have Peniel and I who now know all there is about this monarch system. Our advancement will be faster than he who has to learn through trial and error. Due to this Monarch System, the situation has been reversed. Or more correctly, balanced. I believe as time passes, we will build a stronger force than he can."

"I hope so," Jack said.

"Hope is on our side! We are its sanctification!" John exclaimed.

"Yeah! You are right!" Jack joined the enthusiasm. "I will leave everything to you. Call me in case of an emergency."

"Are you leaving tomorrow?" John asked.

"The day after tomorrow," Jack answered. "I will spend tomorrow doing my league faction's trials. I think I can get to the next rank now."

"All right. If you can, go visit Queen Aldryth before you leave for the Council of Charites. They should be arriving at Fort Aldryth the day after tomorrow… Can't you give the fort a proper name? You are unbelievable."

*

The next day, Jack first made his round around Thereath's shops to buy equipment and blacksmith materials for fusing using his transformation prism. He also stocked up on potions and other necessities. He then went and collected the coins from Ellie Restaurant and Amy Bakery.

The profit minus the expense of his shopping was 105 gold coins. With this addition, he had 990 gold coins saved up in his inventory.

After brief conversations with Ellie and Samantha, Jack headed to the League of Champions' building. He went directly to the challenge arena and entered stage 80. Inside that stage, thirty-five werewolves consisted of one level 65 mythical, ten level 70 rare elites, and twenty-four level 75 special elites were waiting for him.

He activated his Storm Breaker's Overlimit and all his standard buff skills before unleashing the Lightning God Barrage and Judgement of Past Kings. The two attacks decimated all the special elites and wounded the rare elites. At his current level, his damage output easily overwhelmed those special elites.

The werewolf pack's coordination bonus was greatly diminished with the reduction of their number. Jack then activated the Strength of Hope for the first time. A pillar of light fell on Jack as he did, bathing his body with holy light. This light stayed on Jack even after the pillar of light was gone. The light enveloped Jack as if an extra layer of skin.

Jack felt an overwhelming sense of hope and optimism in his heart. He felt as if he could do anything!

The Strength of Hope gave him a boost that was similar to the Divine Might Potion. That potion allowed him to fight at an almost equal ground against level 80 mythical like Arther Pendrake. The level 65 mythical werewolf here was not his opponent under this condition.

Still, the werewolves were speedy creatures, so he took care of the ten rare elites before focusing his attention on the mythical werewolf.

When he came out from the stage, he was awarded 80 glory points and greeted by a notification that congratulated him on becoming a Praefectrus. His rank was now officially higher than Gruff's.

However, by now he understood that an outworlder's rank in a faction was more like a decoration or a badge of honor. Getting into this rank didn't mean that he could now boss everyone in this faction. He would need to go through a proper administration process if he wanted to become an official officer within this faction like Gruff.

Jack was already viable to become an executive of the faction once he passed stage 75. Gruff once offered him such a position but Jack declined. With that position came responsibilities. He would have to spend lots of time in the faction. He already had enough responsibility as a sovereign of a nation. For this faction, he was only here for the items on the exchange list.

Additionally, since he was already the top person in the country faction, he was never going to be able to become the top person in the other factions. Even if he beat stage 100 of this faction, he would never get the rank of Legatus. Peniel mentioned before that once one reached the highest rank in a faction, the position in the other factions would be locked out from him. If Jack insisted on becoming a Legatus, he would have to forfeit his King title. By doing so, he would earn the ire of Themisphere.

Peniel also reminded him that since he was both a member of the League of Champions and the Order of Magi, he needed to take care when he challenged stage 90. Once he passed that stage. He would get the second-best rank in the faction. He already had the top rank in the country faction, so for the second-top rank in the other factions, he would need to choose between the League of Champions or the Order of Magi. He could only either become a Laticlavian of the League of Champions or a Minister in the Order of Magi, not both.

He also got a reward after beating stage 80, something that Gruff had mentioned before. Aside from informing him that he became a Praefectrus, the notification also granted him a reward of 10,000 glory points.