Chapter 414 Rikko“s Outlandish Request...
Soon after the two gods went their separate ways, Jack heaved a sigh of relief. He kept his map tab open like a mini-map, which let him discover that the two gods had made contact and even traveled together briefly.
During their exchange, Jack had paused his trek toward Rikko. Even with Rikko there to possibly protect Jack, the hero didn't want Pestro to know that he was alone in Drulgen.
So, when the two gods finally separated, Jack changed his course to evade Pestro at all costs. It took the rest of the morning, all of the afternoon, and most of the evening to go the long way around Pestro, but Jack was finally nearing Rikko. That's when Jack noticed something strange happen with Rikko on the mini-map.
Suddenly, Rikko disappeared. It took Jack a moment to find Rikko elsewhere, now running toward the nearby Jack.
Catching Jack off guard, the moment Jack looked away from his mini-map he saw a dark blue goblin leaning against a tree a few meters away. The blue-skinned goblin was staring back at Jack as if trying to size him up.
"What you want?"
That high-pitch voice shocked Jack as he looked back and forth from the map tab and the goblin in front of him. With the goblin's identity confirmed, Jack smiled and bowed. "Uncle Rikko, I finally found you."
"Uncle?" Rikko tilted his head and casually scratched the inside of his long nose. "Who you?"
"I'm Jack, Sterfen's son and the neutral champion," replied Jack. "Also, I was once a big supplier of yours. Do you remember the ancient hero Jack J., the Legend of Trodar?"
"Oh! You Legend?!" Again, Rikko suddenly moved from the tree with incredible speed, suddenly appearing before Jack and taking Jack by the hand. "Rikko remember! You give Rikko lots!"
Yanking his hand away from Rikko, Jack chuckled along with the Goblin God, "It's nice to finally meet you."
As Jack pulled his hand away, Rikko smiled wide, "Why no shake? Come, Nephew Legend!"
Rikko firmly embraced Jack, rubbing and patting the taller hero on the back. Jack tried to pull away, but he was no match for the god's surprising strength.
"Oh! Rikko like this!" Rikko backed away, playing with a new cloak that he was now wearing.
Spotting the cloak and instantly recognizing it, Jack looked down aghast. Jack retrieved a simple shirt and pair of shorts, covering up his naked body. "Uncle Rikko, is that any way to greet your nephew?!"
"Thanks, Nephew Legend!" laughed Rikko. "This good for me. Rikko use all time."
"But I need it!" stated Jack, not conceding at all.
"But had to confirm…" Rikko chuckled, throwing the cloak back to Jack after getting a chance to see through Jack's stats and title. "So… you really nephew… How Sterfen?"
Taking back the cloak, Jack happily put it back on and recomposed himself. "He's doing great. Soon, my mom will be free from her contract."
"Really?! How?!" Rikko rushed Jack again, but this he only invaded Jack's personal space.
"That's a long story. I'll tell you all about it once we get back to Trodar," stated Jack.
"Trodar? Why Trodar?"
"That's where my guild is. Also, that's where the neutral gods are starting to gather again. Eedaj is already moved in and Sterfen will be soon with Lunara," replied Jack. "Daruun said that you would be the next one to join us, so that's why I'm here."
"Oh… Papa sent you?" Rikko backed away, again scratching the inside of his nose while in deep thought. "What he say?"
"That you would be the next god to join me in Trodar."
"But what Papa say? How Rikko go there?"
Jack replied, trying to match Rikko's casual tone, "Gramps said that after Eedaj moved into Trodar, that you'd be the next one."
"But what Papa say? How Rikko go there?" Rikko repeated himself. "How you help Rikko, Nephew Legend?"
"Oh…" Jack sighed, catching onto what Rikko was implying. "Well… Gramps did mention that you might want me to steal something for you, like in the good old days. But you wouldn't ask your nephew to--"
"Goodie!" Jumping for joy, Rikko did a backflip out of excitement. "Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko!"
"Calm down, Uncle Rikko," Jack put his hands up innocently, trying not to make a big deal of the scenario. "I can help you, but it's got to be fast. The sooner we can get back the better."
"Hmm…. Rikko need think…" With passion, Rikko began to forcefully itch the inside of his nose, making sure equally distribute his scratching between both nostrils. "Hmm… How Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko…"
"Whatever it is, just say the word. So long as you're willing to relocate to Trodar, then I'll do anything," added Jack.
The Goblin God suddenly turned to Jack, staring intently at the hero while his finger remained firmly lodged in the goblin's nose. "Anything?"
"Well, maybe not--"
"Nephew Legend no take back words! Said anything! Now you help Uncle Rikko!" Ecstatic to hold Jack to his word, Rikko removed his finger and waved his arms in excitement. After a few seconds, Rikko wiggled his nose-picking finger at Jack. "Come close, Nephew Legend. Uncle Rikko tell what you do…"
Unsure if he was ready for Rikko to ask for something outlandish, Jack sighed and stepped closer to the goblin. He leaned over, letting Rikko whisper into his ear.
But the moment Jack understood what Rikko was after, he jolted back, complaining, "No way! That's impossible!"
"But Nephew is Legend! Nephew Legend do anything!" Hyping Jack up, Rikko suddenly moved and appeared on Jack's back, as if Jack were giving the Goblin God a piggyback ride. "Uncle Rikko help Nephew Legend steal!"
"But that's--"
"If Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko, Uncle Rikko brings all goblins!" added the Goblin God, staying Jack's tongue. "All goblins come with Rikko and Rikko helps Nephew Legend. So… Nephew Legend help Uncle Rikko or no?"
Defying every fiber of his own sanity, Jack glanced up at Rikko on Jack's back. "You'll help me steal it? In that case, what would I need to do?"
Grabbing both of Jack's cheeks, Rikko pulled his head into Jack's, letting the goblin's gnarly breath fall onto Jack's face. "Nephew Legend help?"
Jack squinted in disgust and nodded. "Yes… I'll help you steal it…"
"Goodie, goodie! Go, Nephew Legend! That way!"
Rikko steered Jack around, riding on his back while explaining more of the upcoming situation in his own broken speech.
The sun was now set as the night sky blanketed over the small mountain range. Another settlement of goblins was currently being inspected by Pestro and his pig-like snout. It was the seventh goblin settlement that he had visited and Pestro was furious. Without any leads on the scent from Choron's barracks, how could he not be frustrated?
As he exited the seventh village and began his trek for the following settlement, Pestro's sensitive nose caught a whiff of something new. It didn't match the scent from Choron's barracks but he did instantly pinpoint the species of the creature.
"Human?" Pestro mumbled to himself as he took another sniff. "Human male? What's a human doing in here?"
Following his snout, Pestro wandered away from the next settlement and deeper into the crooked woods. Eventually, Pestro stopped. He cocked his head to the side and glared at the human man not even five meters away from him.
The man remained calm and kept a confident smile on his face, unfazed by Pestro's brutish figure.
"Wow, Pestro, have you grown more boils since the last time I saw you?" asked the man, laughing at his own joke.
Snarling, Pestro started to breathe heavily. "Who are you? And how do you know me?"
The man stopped laughing but kept his smile. He flauntingly waved his arms into a deep bow. "The name's Jack, but your ugliness would better know me as the Legend of Trodar, or as the neutral champion."