The Achievement Junkie - 579 Wouldn't Mine... Be Dormant???

Spotting Daruun’s smile, Jack asked, “Then… is there some way to–”

“I think I’d like to show you, rather than tell you.”

Jack and his wives froze in thought for a moment. They were looking at Daruun directly yet Daruun’s voice clearly came from the right side. It wasn’t telepathy, and Daruun was smiling and kept quiet.

Glancing to the side out of reflex, the four guests were in utter shock at what they found.

In the entryway of an open door, a second figure identical to Daruun identified himself, “Yes, it’s still me. No need to freak out or lose your lunch.”

“I-I…” Jack always knew that Daruun was powerful beyond belief, but Jack was unable to quickly process the current situation.

“You’re correct in your thinking, Jack,” stated the second Daruun. “I’m no apparition. I’m one hundred percent the real Daruun, just as much as the Daruun you’ve been speaking with all this time.”

“I mentioned earlier that humans can also be constructs…” mentioned the Daruun sitting down. “I learned that through personal experience. Jack is not the only one here that is both human and construct. I wouldn’t have been able to attempt creating Jack’s body or crafting my plan if I was able to do this much already.”

“Then… I’ll get a second…”

“Yes, Jack. You’ll gain a second body,” answered the Daruun in the doorway. “Follow me. I came all this way to experience your first spirit replication personally.”

“All this way… you–”

“Just come on, I don’t have all the time in the world!” That Daruun stepped into the hallway and began his way towards the spatial gate to Kartonia. “Are you coming or not?”

Looking back and forth between the door and the seated Daruun, Jack and his wives slowly stood up. They were waved goodbye as Jack and his wives stepped out of the room.

With only one Daruun to focus on, Jack managed to ask a question, “How… What is spirit replication?”

Daruun replied with a smile, “Spirit replication is a rare skill that must have a wide range of requirements met to be functional. It took me countless millennia to develop this skill and create a means for it to be effective. You’ll be benefitting from my research, becoming the key to our plans and the most successful test subject I’ve ever had.”

“So… There will be two Jack’s?”

Both Jack and Daruun looked back to see his wives in a daze at Eliza’s question.

“Yes, there will be two Jacks, for now.”

“For now?” asked Eliza.

“But don’t worry. This isn’t the first time I’ve done this. As a six-star cosmician, I’ve already experience spirit replication six times.”

“There are seven of you?!”

Daruun glanced at Jack with a proud smile. “And each of me has it’s own construct body, each becoming more advanced and powerful than the last. That’s how I eventually came to create your body, the most complex construct with the complex system. It’s how I’m confident of your potential. I’d rate your potential for growth among the top fifty individuals within the void, much higher my potential ever was.”

“Top fifty… in the entire void?!”

“That simply means that you can at least become of the fifty strongest individuals across the void. So long as you don’t get yourself killed through stupidity, then reaching my level of strength is all but guaranteed,” added Daruun.

“Two Jacks…” Eliza was mumbling to herself, only getting the attention of her fellow wives while Jack was trying to fathom Daruun’s incredible projection. Turning to Maura and Daliea with a smile, Eliza whispered, “Then… there will be more to go around…”

Both Maura and Daliea blushed, momentarily not paying attention to Jack’s and Daruun’s crazy ideas and theories.

As the spatial gate came into sight, Daruun continued, “I’ll let you experience what gaining a second body will do for you, so I won’t say what can and can’t be done with it. Its benefits will immediately become obvious, and its applications are very clear. That’s why I was insistent that I grant my grandson the greatest gift I could offer, the very culmination of all my research!”

Jack was still on edge after learning of Daruun’s second body and how he would also gain one. But Jack noticed something else as well.

This was the first time Jack had ever seen Daruun act so passionate toward anything. The most emotional Jack had seen him was during Daruun’s invitation to join the family, but the energy and enthusiasm Daruun showed now was undeniable.

“You really love doing this, don’t you Gramps?”

“It’s my life’s passion!” replied Daruun. “It’s one of the key reasons why I want your help, Jack. not only did going through all this revive my old flame, but it will also allow me to more fully help Silas in countering Jewel’s growth.”

“Through your research and the creation of constructs?” Jack deduced.

“Correct!” They all stopped in front of the spatial gate as Daruun bowed and motioned forward with his arm. “After you.”

Jack and his wives nodded as they entered the spatial gate first. They stepped into the empty ninety-ninth floor, followed closely by Daruun as the gate closed.

“To clarify, I’m the original body,” mentioned Daruun. “Each of my bodies is in charge of something different within the Fate District. I became fully devoted to my research a few millennia before you all became included in my plans. The seventh body, my most powerful in terms of raw strength, is the one in charge of monitoring Kartonia and also handles all matters involving the Resolute Enterprise.”