_—_

NAME: Jack N Rosemary

LEVEL: 86

TITLES:

Worlds Gift

Bloody Jack

Legendary Bandit

ABILITIES:

[Double Trouble] !Error Unknown Skill!

ACTIVE EFFECTS:

None

PASSIVES:

[Injury Unhinderance] physical pain no longer gets in your way.

[Tough as Nails] Physical damage cannot confuse, daze, flinch nor render you unconscious.

[Sword Mastery Max]

[Poison Resistance 7]

[Dodge Max]

[Danger Sense]

[Slight of Hand Max]

SKILLS:

[Illusion: Flash] Creates a blindingly bright flash of light.

[Blood Siphon] Harvest a victim's blood to heal your injuries.

[Flash Step] Move at the speed of light for a short distance.

–__–

"There it is…" Alonzo, Jack's right hand man, mutters and Jack closes his stat menu. A lone merchant wagon rolled into view around a bend.

Jack and the other 10 of his men hid in the bushes on both sides of the dirt road. They had been waiting here for the past 8 hours since after Alonzo came back from town, telling them a merchant stacked with ale kegs was going to leave.

So here they were, crouched behind some bushes on a cold day.

As the merchant got closer he saw there were no mercs guarding the wagon. This was going to be their easiest haul!

Once the wagon was getting close he and his merry bandit men walked out of their hiding and stood to block the path.

The wagon came to a stop in front of them and he could see the merchant sitting in the driver's seat.

He was an old fellow. Not young and new like Jack had expected from a traveling wagon without any guards. Something felt off about this.

[Danger Sense] was lightly going off but wasn't blaring any real warnings. Odd…

"Can i help you boys out?" The old man croaked out.

This made Jack frown. The man didn't even sound surprised to see them like he was used to hearing. He did sound worried though.

"You sure can, old man. Why don't you let go of the reins and step off the wagon?" Jack half expected the elder to send the wagon full speed at them. Its happened before, usually the older ones would do it.

Without any argument he releases the reins and steps off the wagon. Dirt crunches under his boots.

Jack approaches and the his men follow behind him before splitting up, they've done this many times before and know what their positions were.

One stands next to the horse pulling the wagon. One sits in the driver's seat with the reins. Two climbs into the cart to take stock and the rest stand guard around the wagon.

Jack stops in front of the old merchant and grips the handle of his sword. "Empty your pockets, old man."

"I know who you are, Jack. No need for the threats." The old man tells him and does as told. A small coin purse was all he had.

"Oh? We've robbed you before?" He takes the purse from him and pockets it.

"No but your wanted poster is all over the town. Bloody Jack, wanted dead, 1,500,000 gold."

Jack quirks an eyebrow at the old man. "So you decided to pull your wagon out of town without any hired guard?"

The merchant shrugs. "Hired help costs have gone up and it's hard keeping business like that here when a legendary bandit is nearby. Its either move to another town to work or stay here and die on the job if they run into you."

"Jack! The ales all here! Nothing else back here!" Jack glances over as his men yell as they hop out of the back of the wagon.

As he breaks eye contact with the merchant the old man reaches into the sleeve of his coat.

In a flash Jack's sword is held off to the side and the man's head falls to the ground. Blood sprays from the stump of the neck before the body slumps to the floor.

*Clink!*

A metal flask hits the dirt at the body's feet.

"Damn. Sorry about that. Twitchy sword arm." Jack says to the bloody corpse as he crouches down and picks up the flask. It looked well made and might be worth something. Shaking it next to his ear he could hear it was half full.

Pocketing the flask he cleans his sword on the man's pants leg. Standing up he sheaths it and catches sight of Alonzo.

His right hand man's fists were clenched white with a scowl on his face and looking at the dead body. Just as he saw it Alonzo looks away as if nothing happened and returns to keeping watch.

What was that? Usually Alonzo doesn't care about the people they rob. Did he know the merchant? Jack shakes his head. Doesn't matter. The man was dead, the best he can do is apologize to Alonzo later. The old man shouldn't have reached into his sleeve as his attention was elsewhere anyways.

Damn he had a few more questions for the old man too…

"Alright, James. Start leading the wagon home. Got some celebrating to do!" Jack tells the bandit on the driver's seat who grins ear to ear.

"Yes sir!"

A few of his men hopped into the back of the wagon as it started moving and the rest followed it on foot.

Jack's [Danger Sense] was still lightly nagging him, keeping him on edge even though nothing seemed wrong. He scanned the forest around them for any danger and listened for anything abnormal. But nothing was off. Nothing in the trees and the sound of nature. What was making it act this way?

The wagon soon turns into the woods and around trees on its way to their hideout.

The body they left behind had been moved off the road by one of his men.

About an hour into their trip back, Jack goes to walk next to Alonzo.

"Did you know him?" Alonzo looked unbothered by the question and uninterested.

"Wasn't anybody i know nor care about. Don't worry about it, old friend."

That's not what it looked like when he killed him. But if Alonzo didn't want to talk about it then he wasn't going to push it.

Jack nods and the two walk in silence.

-

Back at their hideout, a cave in the middle of the woods, they unloaded the wagon of the ale kegs. A few of his men that were left to watch the hideout came out to help. The sun had begun to set by now.

Barrel after barrel were carried in. Some were too big and had to be rolled in.

They left the empty cart and horse outside.

Tonight was going to be the best night of their banditing careers!

The kegs were stacked in the corner of the cave, torches were lit, tables were set and mugs were passed around.

Jack had one of his men who happened to have poison detection inspect the kegs and barrels. Finding them all clear mugs were filled.

Jack raises up his mug of ale after everyone had theirs.

"To the life of a bandit! No laws can stop us from living free and may we line our pockets with endless stolen riches!" Jack declared and they all lifted their mugs with a cheer before downing their contents. The first drink of many tonight.

One of the newest members of their merry band, a teenager, spluttered and spit his ale out in disgust at the taste. A few others laughed merrily at this and another patted the boy's back.

Good men. Aint afraid to kill and steal but see each other as family. Each and every one of them have different reasons for joining but their pasts didn't matter. Family took care of the family.

For the next few hours they cheered and joked and laughed and drank. A few of the light drinkers were carried off to their cots. A group started a small drunken fight. Ale was spilt by the tipsy. And Alonzo was…

Jacks eyes searched the faces of his men again.

Not here…

He should have been here celebrating with them. Maybe he stepped out to piss?

Jack stood up and he had to catch himself as his world tilted. Finding his feet again he stepped out of the cave.

He could barely feel the cold night air through the ale heating his blood. The moon was high and crickets chirped as he looked around.

His right hand man wasn't outside the cave entrance either. Maybe he could just be behind a tree or bush?

"Alonzo?"

…

No answer.

His [Danger Sense] is starting to build up. That light alarm is getting a little louder.

Something felt wrong about tonight. Maybe he should have listened to his Passive and not drank.

He had to find Alonzo.

He tried to sober up as he followed a hidden trail that would lead to a nearby stream.

It wasn't long until he heard voices up ahead in the dark along with the sound of flowing water. One of them he recognized as the man he was looking for.

"-of the deal!"

"I don't make deals with criminals."

Stumbling out of a bush he saw the stream and Alonzo standing with a man in full plate armor with a big sword on his back. A bounty hunter.

The two had stopped talking and looked at him.

"Ah shit, Jack…" Alonzo look pained at seeing him. Why?

"Wh- whats going on here?" Jack reaches for the grip of his sword but misses a few times before finding it.

The bounty hunter takes a step towards Jack.

"Bloody Jack! Tonight is your last night alive! Even now your men are being slaughtered!" His voice is deep and gravely. He grips his big greatsword and wields it, taking a fighting stance.

The pieces came together for Jack.

The easy robbing of the merchant. There was only ale in the wagon and no other items. Alonzo's reaction when he killed the man. This bounty hunter Alonzo wasn't fighting.

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It was a plan that hasn't gone quite right.

A drunk target was an easy target.

He heard a distant explosion and the faint cheers of his men turned to shouts and screams.

Jacks heart pained to hear it. He wish he could go save them but he wasn't in the situation to do so. All he could hope was that they could hold out long enough for him.

A sigh leaves him. That was wishful thinking. They were all drunk and low leveled. They were screwed. The situation didn't even look good for himself either. Jack might be highly leveled but he is drunk and the guy looked pretty strong.

"Before i die, Bounty hunter. Might i ask you a question?" Jack asks as his grip on his sheathed sword tightened. He knew what he would see when he died. But he wanted to know if it had anything to do with this.

The bounty hunter gave a small nod after a second of thought. "Only one."

"Does 7 heads mean anything to you?"

The bounty hunter visibly flinches at his question.

Jack grimaces. "Damn, I was hoping for a no."

"How do you know of it!? You've seen it t-!?" The heavily armored man shoots back several feet when Jack flashes his blade out towards his armored neck. A deep cut is left in the metal of the neck guard. He had some decent quality armor.

Jack stumbles to catch his own balance as the world spins.

"Sorry but I don't plan on meeting World again, you wouldn't mind telling me what you chose for your gift would you?" Jack says as he rights himself. It was just his luck that he had to fight the new gifted. His chances of survival just dropped.

Alonzo had run off at some point. Coward.

Jack would have done the same if he could.

"No, but im guessing your gift is speed related?" Metal man growled out.

"Damn, you figured me out." Speed wasn't his gift, it isn't even a passive, but keeping him guessing might keep him hesitant to fight. Hopefully.

The two stared each other down. Waiting for the other to make a move. His poison resistance doesn't really count alcohol as poison but it was still doing something. It was sure as hell taking its time though. Every moment that passes the more sober he became, they were both aware of that.

Jack could tell that it would take too long for the alcohol to pass through him before he would die.

So he took a risk.

With his sword he cut his wrist. Blood flowed out fast.

"What the hell are you doing? Are you trying to kill yourself faster?"

"The alcohol in my blood is what's keeping me drunk. So bleeding means less in my body."

"And less blood in your body. Is that even how it works?" The bounty hunter shakes his head. "At least this will make my job easier. I'd like to get more answers out of you but I'd rather not face you sober."

Jack could already feel himself becoming sober at a faster rate now. But he was losing blood even faster. He would have to end this fight before his blood ran out.

Quickly coming up with a plan he went for it.

The bounty hunter lifts his blade ready as Jack rushes at him.

Swinging his blade it cuts into Jacks side. Up close now Jack's hand presses against the eye holes of the bounty hunters helmet.

Casting [Illusion: Flash] a blinding light came from his hand and into the helmet.

"Aaaahhh!!!" The bounty hunter roared in pain as he is blinded by the light and his greatsword is dropped.

Jack then activated his gift, [Double Trouble]. Cutting his health and mana in half.

Suddenly strong metal plate covered arms wrap around his body with crushing force, filling him with dread.

"W-wait we can talk about this! Ill tell you everything i know!" Jack pleaded as he struggled to escape. But he had all his points in dexterity instead of strength.

"All out of questions now, asshole!"

The arms began to squeeze the life out of him. Jack tried to punch the bounty hunters head with his free arm but his fist just glances. His spine pops and bones crackle under the force. Blood dripped from his mouth.

Then every bone broke with a series of crunches and his organs punctured. The bounty hunters vision began to return just in time to see the life leave Jacks eyes.

Letting go of the body it falls lifeless to the ground.

Then before his very eyes the body faded away. Leaving nothing behind but the blood on his armor and the ground.

"So thats his gift?! Dammit the stories of his signature move made it sound like he was just really fast!!"

He looks around for any signs of Bloody Jack.

_

Jack ran through the forest, leaving his body double behind to distract the bounty hunter.

He is mostly sober now and can clearly think but he felt so weak from losing a lot of blood.

He spots Alonzo leaning against a tree up ahead. He slows to a walk.

The traitor notices his approach and looks surprised. Tears stained his cheeks and his eyes were red. Had he been crying? Grieving? Had he expected to see the bounty hunter holding his severed head?

"J-Jack! Your ali/!"

Half his face is cut off like his sentence when his sword flashes out from its sheath like with the old merchant. The body of his brother falls to the ground.

Dropping his sword to the ground he practically leaped onto the body. His teeth tore a chunk from Alonzo's neck. Spitting the chunk of bloody meat out his lips wrap around the bleeding neck wound.

[Blood Siphon]

The blood flowing into his mouth is absorbed into his body. His bleeding wrist and cut side slowly closes themselves and the missing half of his health begins to regenerate.

His own brother betrayed him. Not a brother like the bandits he calls family. Alonzo had been his older brother. He had been there from the very start. Been through all the things he had gone through.

Alonzo wasn't a brother now. He betrayed him. He betrayed the crew, their family.

Heavy metal steps approach from behind.

Jack lets go of the body and stands up wiping the blood from his lips. Picking up his sword he faces the bounty hunter.

"Sorry about that. Where were we?" Jack casually asks, brushing his long brown hair from his face. He felt better now. No longer being held back. "Actually, i don't think i got your name."

"Brayrd. And I wasn't informed you were a vampire."

"Nice to meet you, Brayrd. And no, I'm not a vampire. But that was a trick I learned from one."

Several more sets of footsteps come from the direction of the cave. And four more bounty hunters entered the clearing. Jack glances back to see a ranger, rogue, paladin and a white mage.

"Sir! Our side of the job is finished!" A female ranger shouted to brayrd as Jack stood between them.

His heart dropped at her words. "I guess that means I'm the last one of my crew?"

"He's sober now!" Brayrd could tell by the way he was acting. Or the criminal just has a really good poker face. One of his teammates cursed and they looked nervous. Sure this was a 5 vs 1 but he could still kill them all if they weren't careful. Brayrd didn't like their chances.

Jack wipes the blood of his sword off on the body of his brother at his feet. Sheathing his sword a cold night breeze passes through the clearing. He smiled to himself. One night. All it took was one mistake for every member of his men to die. His gray eyes looked to Brayrd.

"Normally id let an attempt on my life slide. But you killed my men. My Family." His grip on his sheathed sword tightens. "Forgiveness isn't an option anymore."

[Double Trouble]

Once more his health and mana is halved. His mind splits and he sees the world and feels it as two people. A second Jack casually walks out of him and stands in the same way as him.

"This is my gift if you are still wondering, Brayrd."

Instead of having to face one Bloody Jack they had to face two.

Nobody moved. Nobody wanted to fight him.

"Too bad. Cuz' I wanna kill all of y'all."

Jack rushed at Brayrd and his double did the same towards his other party members. Weapons were raised in fear. What had been an easy slaughter for then now was a fight for survival.

Their healer was the slowest one and so was the first to die.

Brayrd was put on the defensive as Jack's blade rapidly flashed, scoring deep cuts in his armor and greatsword.

Brayrd drives his greatsword forwards to skewer him but Jack just leans moves around it.

Jack steps closer and his sword tip finds a hole in his armor. Grunting in pain, Brayrd swung again at Jack who is already just out of his reach.

"This would be faster if you weren't wearing all that armor. It looks very nice. Where'd you get it?" Jack asked him to which the bounty hunter swung his greatsword at him a few more times. Each one missing.

"Thought you would have noticed by now." Brayrd growled as his attacks miss.

"Noticed what by now? What does that have to do with what i asked?" Jack left several more deep cuts in his armor.

"Look at my armor closer."

"Like i'm getting close to you again. Wasn't pleasant what happened last time." Jack looked over Brayrd's armor again. Perfect, clean and nothing was wrong with its perfection.

Wait…

Nothing was wrong with it. Not even a single cut marked its crafted surface.

"Your armor is repairing itself. Where the hell did you get the money to buy that armor?"

"Does 7 heads mean anything to you?"

"You chose a self-repairing suit of armor over literally anything else!?"

"I was 6."

"I was 6 when I chose mine!"

Brayrd saw the ranger of his team aiming at his Jack while the others were distracting theirs. Swinging his sword at Jack forces him to dodge back. As he does this the arrow is loosed.

*Thunk!*

Jack stumbles forward as an arrow sticks itself into his back grazing his spin. Brayrd's blade comes again but Jack ducks under it. His legs lock up for a second against his will but he gets control back in time to dodge again.

"Fuck."

The other Jack had been busy. The rogue and healer were dead. Leaving the ranger and paladin left.

He had kept brayrd distracted since he was the hardest one to kill here dust to the gifted armor.

He might have been fast but the paladin had kept him distracted too. Giving the ranger a chance to fire an arrow at his other self. His [Danger Sense] had warned him but he was already dodging an attack and had to take the hit.

He had then killed the ranger, cutting her head in four pieces. Leaving it to be just him and the paladin now.

The paladin had a look of pure fury on his face. Behind jack he could hear brayrd's grunt and this otherselfs quick footwork.

"Any last words, Paladin? Your friends didnt last as long as i tho-." Jacks words were cut off.

"Quiet, heathen! Your next move shall be your last! My life is not for you to take!" He lifts his weapon and holds his shield in front of himself. A large circle of blue fire appears around him, trapping Jack in. "I've been preparing this as you killed my friends."

He then shouts out to Brayrd. "Brayrd! I'm sorry but the rest is up to you! We did what we could do!"

"Michael! No! Don't!!" Brayrd shouts back from past the flames.

Jack flashed forwards to stop him. He stops behind the paladin and runs his sword through his heart.

"Grrhhkk!!" After a few seconds a low chuckles the paladin. "You think killing me can stop this, demon? Your fate is sealed."

The blue fire rises and the circle starts shrinking. He pulls his sword from the paladin who falls dead.

Jack scowls at the predicament this puts him in. He had hoped that he would take care of them all and double team Brayrd. But looks like that wasn't going to happen.

This Jack is fine but doomed the other Jack has an arrow scratching his spine, possibly doomed too.

Nothing ever goes right for him.

This Jack's body fades away.

The other Jack dodges another swing of the greatsword.

"Th-their all dead! Those were my friends! My only family!" Brayrd is enraged now. His greatsword came faster and thanks to the arrow in his back he is having difficulty dodging, earning himself a few nicks from the tip of the blade.

"Hurts, doesn't it?"

"I can see why it wants you dead. It gave you its gift and instead of using it for good you use it for your own selfishness!"

"You have no idea why I refuse to follow its orders."

"It doesn't matter what your reason is. What matters is you have killed innocent people, you are nothing but a heartless killer who needs to be put down."

Releasing on one of his hands from the grip of his sword Brayrd reaches behind himself and into the backpack at his back. Then he pulls out a second greatsword. A twin of the first one.

"I should have used my gift at its fullest from the start. My friends might still be alive if I had." Wielding two greatswords with ease he stands ready. "You better hope World is merciful, Jack."

Jack cursed under his breath. Neither he nor Brayrd were going to run until the other was dead. He's staying here to avenge his family and so is Brayrd.

Jack silently hoped that World would show him mercy too.

He couldn't just pull the arrow out. With where it is pulling it out would make his locking up issue worse.

Brayrd came at him heavily. Big greatswords swinging hard enough to create wind that flapped his clothes.

One crashed into the ground when he dodged and the other came next, almost getting him.

Jumping back a sword missed. He goes to dodge again but his legs lock up before he fully evade.

The incoming greatsword severs his arm at the shoulder. The arm hits the ground limply and Jack stumbles the other way from the imbalance. It hurts like hell but his head is still clean.

The next sword is coming down, aiming for his skull. He could see it coming a mile away. Could easily dodge it.

But his legs lock up again.

The blade comes down and his vision turns in two different angles.

-

Jack found himself in a place he hadn't seen in a long time.

A black void of nothing.

Alone in this place with the thing.

The World.

A colossal monster lay before him.

Twisted body parts of flesh melded together.

Fourteen arms.

Fourteen legs.

Seven heads.

He recognised each of those faces. They used to be the 7 different gods of this world. As in they used to be 7 SEPARATE beings. Jack has no ideas how or why they become like this.

"Jack…"

All 7 heads spoke his name at once.

One of the lengthy thin arms moved and gently gripped him around the neck. Its strength is otherworldly yet gentle. It lifts him up high up till it is eye level with them. 7 heads stare at him with wonder.

"A gift that refuses to become ripe is a failed gift."