Capítulo 71: Head-on Collision
Ignoring the hysterical prisoner, Chraat focused on finding his invisible opponent. "Show yourself! You'll regret your useless hiding!"
Jack crept back out of Byron's cell, evaluating the situation and formulating his next move. Seeing that the neurotoxin has started to take effect, he wasn't in a rush.
Chraat, on the other hand, felt the opposite. He could tell that whatever toxin was now in his bloodstream was quite potent. His high level helped him prolong the effects, but Chraat could feel that it was only a matter of time until the toxin affected more than just a leg.
Forcing himself to act, Chraat struggled to his feet. "Fine, hide all you want. Let's see what you do when I have my way with her."
Slivia's fingers dug into the wooden slats when she saw the troll limping towards her, sniffing in every direction while he did so. She understood that she was the bait to draw Jack out of hiding.
A mix of emotions washed over Jack. There was rage from Chraat's threat on Slivia, lack of confidence from rushing an overpowering enemy, depression from the thought of what might happen to Slivia, and more that clouded Jack's mind further.
"Just wait till I'm out of here! I'll teach you to not threaten a Balt!" Byron threatened after finishing the first potion.
Unfazed by Byron's meaningless threats, Chraat continued towards Slivia with full focus on his surroundings. Any change in his immediate surroundings would be noticeable to him, cutting off the chances of another easy sneak attack.
Slivia hurried to the back of her cell as the troll captain neared the cell door.
Chraat could open the door and reach in, but why waste time crawling when he could easily smash the bars and reach in to grab her? Before, he only crawled to get a good look at Byron, like he was staring at a toy before playing with it for the first time.
With a possible threat at every step, however, Chraat was cautious and careful despite his arrogance. He proved that when he simple grabbed at Slivia's cell door and yanked it off its hinges instead of giving another show of strength.
Jack had no more time to think. Lunging forward at the same moment Chraat yanked the door off its hinges, Jack swung his sword at the troll's other calf. It cut skin but not as deeply as the previous attack. Also, the neurotoxin was practically gone from the first attack.
A large hand swung around and reached for the now-visible Jack. Instead of dodging, Jack managed to shove the vial that previously held the neurotoxin into the troll's cut calf, shattering it inside the troll's flesh.
"I've got you!" yelled the troll in fury as he felt something splinter inside his calf. Ignoring the pain and the poison, Chraat pulled Jack in close to his face. "So, you're actually a weakling afraid to fight me? How disappointing, but I'll give you credit for making it this far undetected. With your potential, you would've been a powerful foe in the future. "
"Why wait so long? Why not be a threat now?" taunted Jack, giving his best effort to not show fear and stall for time. He tried to wriggle himself free, but both of his arms were held within the clutches of Chraat's hand.
"You're a strange one, boy. Your name's Jack wasn't it?" commented Chraat as he glanced at the trembling Slivia. "Maybe I should torture you in front of her, breaking you bone by bone until you're nothing but a pile of flesh?"
"No…" mumbled Slivia from inside her cell.
"Or maybe I should eat you instead? I'd treat myself to your arms first, followed by your legs."
"No!" Slivia yelled as she tensed up from the thought of seeing Jack in such a state.
"Oh? Then what do you propose I do with him?" Chraat smiled devilishly at Slivia, waiting for a reply.
Slivia mustered up all her courage and said, "Let him go!"
"Why would I do that? There's nothing in it for me? You'll have to try harder to convince me," said Chraat, implying that Slivia needed to try something else to persuade him.
"Let him go," replied Slivia as she dropped the coat to the floor, revealing herself willingly. "Let him go and I'll… I'll do whatever you want."
"Now that's more like it!" laughed Chraat.
Hating himself for letting Slivia act this way for his sake, Jack retrieved a small knife from his storage. Jack quickly jabbed it into the troll's wrist and attempted to twist it in Chraat's meaty flesh.
Chraat looked back to Jack and chuckled, "That tickles. Don't you know when you're beaten? Your former party member has even offered herself to me in your place, you should just be grateful and accept this."
Just then, Chraat felt something familiar. His wrist grew limp and numb as Jack fell from his grasp and disappeared as he fell to the floor.
"You cowardly rat!" Chraat went into a rage as he threw both of his arms about in a hissy fit.
Jack had already rolled away and was doing his best to keep his breath silent. He went over the few options left in his head.
There was the option of activating his companion bloodline skill, but it would probably only prolong his defeat and he would instantly pass out afterward. He could try and contact the others, but they were busy based on the messages he had heard.
Deciding that it was best to stall for time, Jack hurried to the end of the hall, near the stairway. He didn't bother stepping lightly, so the troll captain was easily able to hear footsteps retreating.
Jack then appeared with a sword in hand and yelled, "Here I am! Come and get me!"
Chraat smiled and replied, "Nah, you'll just go invisible by the time I reach you. I'd rather enjoy this offering in front of me." The troll began to reach into the open cell with a perverse smile.
Not waiting for another second, Jack switched his sword for a bow and launched an arrow into the troll's palm. "I'll say it again. I'm over here, so come and get me. Or was Byron right about Chraat being the most cowardly troll?'
Angered by the arrow sticking out of his hand and the further slandering of his name, Chraat grabbed one of the heavy cross beams like a club. "Since you wish to forfeit your life despite her offer, I'll be happy to oblige!"
Chraat rushed forward, being extremely agile for his size and forcibly working his muscles through the neurotoxin. His large body moved like a wall wanting to fall upon Jack and smash his flesh into paste.
Jack launched as many arrows as he possibly could, trying his best to slow and wound the unstoppable troll. When the arrows were mostly blocked by Chraat wielding the wooden beam, Jack stored his bow before his body began to glow red.
A heatwave swept over the dungeon, waking up every prisoner that was still alive and startling Byron and Chraat. In an instant, Jack's form physically changed from flesh and bone into a living flame the same size as the charging troll. A rapier appeared in Jack's hand, with a hilt designed to look intricately like a feather.
Instinct took over as the Jack met Chraat full force, stabbing forward with his red-hot rapier.
Chraat stutter-stepped as he parried with his club. He heard the wood sizzle on contact as if Jack's sword was a bladed branding iron. With some caution, Chraat recovered the initiative to attack with brute force.
Slivia was astounded by Jack's strength since the last time she asked he was only lv. 9. She understood that Chraat was weakened by what she assumed was the neurotoxin and had a basic weapon, however, Slivia still had to recognize that Jack had surpassed her.
Wanting to do something to help, she stepped out of the open cell and began to cast mana restoring spells on Jack.
If Jack was completely aware of his surroundings, he would thank her. Yet, he only recognized the threat in front of him and wildly attacked the handicapped troll captain.
Startled at the obvious growth in Jack's strength and his sudden production of a flame body, Chraat was furious that he had underestimated Jack.
He was confident in his strength and never really treated Jack like a threat after feeling how weak Jack struggled in his large hands. But the Jack in front of him now was like the fire elementals in legends that would attack anything in the vicinity.
Wanting to take Jack seriously, Chraat's necklace activated as he cocked back and retrieved a sword with a deep green blade from his storage space. "Just die already!"
As Chraat tried to swing the blade forward to slaughter his fiery opponent, he felt something holding it back. The troll glanced back in shock.
Blocking the green blade was a katana with a blood-red hilt. Holding that katana firmly in place was Byron. He quickly deflected the attack and slit Chraat's unguarded wrist, the same that was previously stabbed by Jack.
With the tendons severed, the wrist went limp and released the sword, which Byron excitedly grabbed.
"I'll be taking this back!"
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES 
TheSilverQuill
TheSilverQuill Thanks for reading and voting! Sorry for the inconsistencies recently, I'll fix that.
Also, the winner of the poll is........ a Cetus invasion!
Capítulo 72: A Wild Jack
Chraat stared at Byron, dumbfounded by his sudden interference. Also, He could feel that Byron's strength had returned to him. "What are you doing!? How did you escape?"
"You'll have to thank my new friend," laughed Byron while he pointed and the still rampaging fiery fiend.
"But-but that's impossible!" yelled Chraat as he forcibly pushed Jack back. The troll captain was on edge, no longer confident he could win.
If he were at full strength, he wouldn't be too worried, but Jack's tactics and attacks were too strange for him to anticipate and he underestimated him. Now that he knew Jack was stalling the whole fight, Chraat cursed himself for his own arrogance.
"Brat, I've toyed with you long enough!" Chraat charged toward Jack as he dropped his improvised club and retrieved his true club mid-swing.
Jack in his wild state tried to meet the troll blow for blow, despite the level gap. His temporary lv. 21 strength proved resilient but matching Chraat's blows with a true lv. 30 weapon wasn't something Jack could shrug off.
The red-hot lv. 20 rapier bent upon impact, unable to match the force of the lv. 30 club. In his crazed state of mind, Jack had forgotten it was a featherweight rapier he was wielding and not a heavy blade that could take hits.
Flung back into the staircase, Jack was momentarily airborne, yet his gaze remained fixed on the troll.
The troll captain attempted to charge Jack again but was quickly cut off by Byron wielding the green saber. "Where are you going? I haven't shown you what I learned from all those lessons you taught me down here. Now, I can finally share some of my insights, so try and keep up with me."
Chraat flinched when Byron parried his club's full power swing. This proved to Chraat that the poison was taking effect and fighting like this would only speed it up. He knew that this fight needed to end quickly.
"What's wrong? Scared speechless? I may only be lv. 31, but you're nowhere near your peak lv. 36 condition. I wonder who will walk away from this?" taunted Byron.
Before Chraat could respond, Byron disappeared. His heightened senses quickly caught wind of an attack coming from his right, the same side which could no longer wield a weapon. "Coward! Only fighting me when I'm weakened. You don't deserve to be called a warrior."
Byron paid Chraat's comments no mind as his saber swung towards the troll's arm with incredible speed.
This saber was very unique and was an heirloom of the Balt family. It was always gifted to the heir of the clan after they reached lv. 30, as a testament to their strength and potential.
The reason it was valuable was partially from the material it was made from. No one in the clan knew what material it was, they only knew it was most likely from ancient times.
It was specially crafted and designed as well, carrying a weighted tip at the curved end. This made it a little awkward to wield, but if it was mastered then the wielder would be able to easily decapitate a man or sever limbs.
This was why Chraat claimed it for himself and why Byron was ecstatic to get it back thanks to Jack's distraction and aid.
Unable to grab anything to defend himself, Chraat clenched his face muscles in anticipation of the impact and readied his counterattack.
Just when Chraat was ready to receive the blow, a flash of heat washed over him, setting off a mental alarm.
The troll had no way to dodge the incoming flame body as one of his arms was braced for impact and the other was mid-swing towards Byron.
Jack tackled Chraat, pushing him into the dungeon floor with a crash.
Byron was more aware of the situation then Chraat, so he held back from striking in hopes to instead attack the downed troll. Instead, as Byron turned to swing at Chraat stretched across the floor, his side was smashed by a fiery arm that pushed him onto the floor as well.
In Jack's current state of mind, he wasn't paying attention to the fight between Byron and Chraat, not differentiating between friend and foe. All Jack saw was someone who harmed him previously and someone that appeared to be getting in his way.
Both the troll captain and the Balt Guild heir were puzzled by Jack's actions. It was one thing to intervene and try to face Chraat, it was another to act indiscriminately.
"Jack, what are you doing!?" yelled Byron.
The flame body faced Byron and pounced towards him. Eager to kill his prey and claim victory, the Hell-flame Fox instincts had taken over.
Byron got to his feet and vanished with no time to spare, narrowly dodging the flame body's tackle.
Still without clothes or armor, Byron was fighting while stark nude so the skin at his side was singed and burned by the intense hell-like flames that made up Jack's body.
Chraat wasn't faring any better. Thanks to Jack's tackle the troll captain had lost a lot of skin and was covered in burns across his left arm and torso.
While Chraat struggled to push himself up with his numb muscles and handicapped right hand, Byron appeared in front of the troll. His green saber was already in mid-swing, aiming for the left elbow as Chraat was propped up on his one good arm.
Fear filled Chraat as he realized what was happening. Forced to retaliate, Chraat propped himself up with his crippled right arm and lifted his club to block.
The block was successful, but the mix of Chraat's heavy bodyweight and the weight of Byron's attack was too much. A splintering sound echoed through the dungeon, followed by Chraat's pained groans and shouts.
Byron attacked again, this time disappearing and reappearing on Chraat's right side.
When he noticed the bones protruding from Chraat's crippled wrist, Byron smiled. Byron's saber aimed at Chraat's right shoulder as the troll was toppling over his weakened arm.
Just as the blade approached the troll, Byron felt a familiar flash of heat.
Not wanting to harm Jack, Byron vanished again. After happening twice Byron was certain that Jack had no clue who was a friend and who was a foe.
Chraat, who was wincing in pain and was still struggling to get up, failed to notice the raging Jack until Byron disappeared.
As Jack dove and missed Byron, he made a direct hit against Chraat's right side. With that Chraat's entire upper body was covered in burns.
The worst part was that the searing flames that Jack was producing made contact with Chraat's exposed bone and flesh. Pain shot through the troll's right arm like it was struck by lightning. "AAAAGGGHHH!"
Jack grabbed hold of Chraat, forcing them both into a death roll. The insane heat of the flame body was roasting Chraat alive while Jack's mouth was ripping at Chraat's shoulders and chest.
Byron remained completely still in hopes to keep Jack from attacking him further. Plus, he wouldn't dare to attack the two while they were in a flaming death roll. The difficulty of only hitting the troll was beyond what he felt comfortable trying.
"You… You!" Chraat was losing his sanity to the unimaginable pain he felt. He released his club and grabbed Jack by the throat. "Die! Just die!"
Jack's instincts kicked in once again, recognizing that the troll was easily superior in terms of strength. So, in retaliation to hand around his neck, Jack released the troll's shoulder and latched onto Chraat's neck instead.
An extremely furious grunt escaped Chraat's mouth. He wanted to physically rip Jack from his flesh, sacrificing his right shoulder in exchange for Jack's life.
However, Jack's hold on the troll's neck made it impossible for Chraat to do so without suffering a possible mortal injury.
Switching strategies, Chraat let go of Jack's neck and clenched his fist. He punched the fox with everything he had, desperate to get this flaming demon off him.
Jack's strength wasn't enough to threaten Chraat's life, and the troll understood that. But he also understood that Jack's flame body alone was causing him crippling damage that couldn't be recovered without serious medical attention and a ridiculous amount of time to recover. Especially because every wound Jack created was instantly cauterized and scarred Chraat's body.
If it weren't for the difference in raw strength, Chraat learned that he would have lost his life to the low-level Jack.
The troll's punch landed on Jack's throat forcing him to release his Jaw.
Immediately taking advantage of this, Chraat grabbed Jack's neck again and threw the fiery threat as far away as he possibly could.
Jack slammed into a nearby empty cell, crashing through the wooden bars and setting them on fire.
A painful whine came from the rubble. Byron and Chraat stared intently at the flaming pile of debris, waiting for Jack to spring out full force.
They were both glad to see the flaming Jack crawl out weakly, give another pained whine, and pass out.
PENSAMENTOS DOS CRIADORES
TheSilverQuill
TheSilverQuill
A heads up, we go premium on September 2. Thanks for all of your support and feedback! I wouldn't be able to make this story without you and I look forward to your continued support and help. Let's make this story amazing!
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