Arc Of Embodiment (Hiatus) - Chapter 67

Three weeks. That’s how long Jaune and the others have been in the dungeon. And the results…are excellent! The first person to achieve SSS on a stat was Yang in the second week. Jaune was surprised as he thought that if anyone were to gain an SSS on a strength stat first, it would be Nora.

For achieving the first SSS on a stat for Level 1, Yang asked Jaune to help her complete the Rokushiki training. Jaune didn’t have any issues with that, and he gladly helped her. The training was hard for her as she would struggle with Geppo, that’s why even after another week, she still hasn’t completed the movement, but Jaune ȧssured her that she was getting better and better by the day, and that was no lie.

For the past three weeks, Jaune wasn’t just watching over the groups. No, he was also going around the dungeon looking for the Xenos. He wanted them to be the first citizen of the Garden City of Hanging Babylon, Jaune’s version of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. The difference is that the Hanging Gardens was a floating Fortress, while the Garden City of Hanging Babylon was a floating City the size of Vale.

When Jaune found the Xenos village, they weren’t very welcoming to Jaune, and they were afraid that he would capture, torture and then sell them just like the other adventurers that have come before him. Jaune tried to convince them that he wasn’t here to do such despicable action, but Gros acted aggressively.

Gros didn’t trust Jaune. He was the hardest Xenos for Jaune to convince that he wasn’t there to harm them as Gros wasn’t very trusting of surface dwellers. It took Lyd and Ray to keep him from attacking Jaune.

When Gros was finally willing to listen to Jaune, Jaune told them why he was looking for the Xenos. He said to them that he was there to offer them a safe place to live without the danger of being attacked by adventurers that would do them harm. Jaune then explained that it may not happen now, but soon, they will walk on the surface.

None of the three leaders believed what Jaune said. They think that he may be using their dėsɨrė to be on the surface to trick them, and then when they finally trust him, he would capture them. Jaune sighed at this since he knew that they had a hard life and that many people they have met had probably done what they thought he was doing.

Jaune didn’t get angry at their presumptions; instead, he opened a portal through the Gate of Babylon directly on the Garden City of Hanging Babylon. He then told them that if they don’t believe him, one of them can go through the portal with him, and if there is any issue, they will know as the one that entered with Jaune would not return.

The problem with this plan is that the Xenos aren’t willing to head to their death, but this was the only way that Jaune can show them that he wasn’t lying about giving them safety from the adventurers. Just when Jaune was about to give up, Lyd told Jaune that he was willing to head into the portal to see if he was telling the truth.

Lyd’s prepared to die before he entered the portal. He steeled his heart, for he doesn’t know what would happen on the other side of the portal. But what he saw as he entered mesmerized him. The place itself looked beautiful, buildings made of glass, a lush green forest, smooth roads and unique sculptures. What he was looking at was the Garden City of Hanging Babylon.

“What is this place?” Lyd asked.

“This is the Garden City of Hanging Babylon, a city that I created. It is a floating City. What do you think of it?” Jaune said.

“It’s magnificent… I’ve lived for the past twenty years in the Dungeon; I would never have thought that this magnificent place is the first thing I would see when I leave the dungeon,” Lyd said.

“But why us? Why choose us to live in this place?” Lyd said.

“That’s because I know just how much hardship your people have. I thought that if anyone were deserving of a better life, it would be your people. Please make no mistake, the Xenos may become the first citizen of this city, but they aren’t the last. I am hoping to use this city to give those without a safe place to live a chance at a better life,” Jaune said.

Just as Jaune said those words, Ddraig came flying by. When Lyd saw Ddraig, his instinct told him to run, but Jaune put a hand on his shoulder to stop him and explain that they are in any danger as Ddraig watches over the floating city.

“That dragon, it’s not from the dungeon, is it?” Lyd asked.

“No. I doubt the dungeon is capable of producing a being on Ddraig’s level, for you see, he can kill the Gods of this world with ease,” Jaune said.

Lyd had no word to what Jaune just said as he didn’t know how powerful the Gods were, but from the feeling he got from Ddraig, he wasn’t going to doubt Jaune, for that was just foolish when you come face to face with something that made your instinct run amok.

When Jaune and Lyd exited the GoB, Lyd told everyone what he saw inside the portal. They couldn’t believe what they were hearing, a city that is so beautiful that it was able to mesmerize Lyd, this time, Ray and Gros wanted to see the inside of the portal, and Jaune allowed them. When they saw the city, they decided to let the Xenos live there, on one condition.

They were willing to live in the floating city, but two of the three leaders will stay behind to look for other Xenos groups and invite them as well. If Jaune’s willing to invite other Xenos, they would agree to be its first citizen.

The condition of the three Xenos works for Jaune, as he didn’t have much info on the whereabouts of other Xenos groups, but Lyd, Gros, and Ray do, such as the group of Rayne. Jaune then agreed as he said the more Xenos, the better.

All the Xenos went inside the GoB, barring Lyd and Ray, Jaune made plans with the two leaders to meet in this place in a week, where Jaune will bring the Xenos that are willing to live in the Floating City inside the GoB. As for Gros, he went inside the GoB to make sure that his people were safe.

After the deal with the Xenos, Jaune headed back to camp, where the others were resting for the day as they’ve been fighting since morning.

You may ask how Jaune was able to tell when it was morning or night. That’s because he takes Yamato and opens a portal on the outside to buy food for everyone to eat.

This action confused Bell and Ais, for they don’t know how Jaune could get back to their location very quickly when they are on the middle floors.. After everything that happened, Jaune just relaxed and ate food along with everyone.