Chapter 4: Prologue - Part 4
Jujutsu Pros HQ:
Jesse is sitting all alone in one of the rooms when Maki barges in.
Jesse: Maki!
Maki: What are you doing here?
Jesse: I was getting bored so I was just roaming around. Chose this room to sit. No one is here today so it feels so empty.
Maki: Yes. They are all gone to fight Alex and her mobs.
Jesse: Why didn't you go? Even Panda and Inumaki went. Why didn't you?
Maki: It's the Zenin group.
Jesse: Huh?
Maki: Ours isn't the only group of pro players that operate on this server. There is a group called Zenin. They are a bunch of obnoxious, jerks who think they are better than everyone. I used to be a member of the Zenin before I joined Jujutsu Pros.
Jesse: Oh?
Maki: Yes but they thought I was weak because I couldn't use Cheats. In Zenin mostly everyone can use cheats. And those who can't are always looked down upon. So me and my sister left the group. Steve let us in here. But the zenins are still influential and are allies with Jujutsu Pros so they call some shots up here. So because of them, I was ordered to stay out of this mission.
Jesse: That's unfair.
Maki: Yes. They are just a bunch of sexist jerks who think they are superior to everyone and that only strong players have the right to play in this server and I hate them and I plan to kill them all one day.
Jesse: Kill them all? Kill players.
Maki: Yes. You have a problem?
Jesse: No. I believe everyone has the right to play this game however they want. And those who restrict the players are wrong. When you decide to kill the zenins, I'll help you.
Maki is glad to hear this.
Suddenly they hear explosions. Maki rushes outside and sees Alex walking into the HQ, having killed the players guarding the place.
Beacon Town is also suddenly infested with mobs as several mobs just spawn out of nowhere in the city.
Ino: Looks like she already set spawn eggs here.
Nanami: Yeah. But how did they slip our notice?
All the players start killing the mobs.
Masamichi: There is a chance not all the villagers have been evacuated. Find them and help them escape. Others focus on killing the mobs and single out players and defeat them. Defeating players is our priority as we can not fight an endless stream of mobs forever. Find Alex.
On top of a building, 2 players are watching.
Miguel: I see that default skin player. That is Steve. Tell everyone to stick to the plan. And remember, we are just stalling them. Buy as much time as possible. Alex will take care of the rest.
Alex: So you are here?
Maki is standing in front of Alex with her sword drawn.
Maki: Is it a problem if I am?
Alex: No. It's just a noob like you might not make any difference.
Maki: Who are you calling noob?
Alex: I killed all the pros that were here. You're the only one left. Any guesses?
Maki rushes toward her and tries to strike her with her sword. Alex dodges her attacks and jumps behind. She spawns 3 blazes.
Alex: I'm sorry but I'm in a hurry so we'll end this quickly.
Steve is overseeing the situation at his side when he notices Miguel on top of the building staring at him. He notices that Alex is nowhere to be found and her followers aren't directly attacking any players, just distracting them and getting away from them.
Steve: It looks like they are stalling for something. Is Alex about to show up with something? A trump card? What would be the point of it? These mobs are hardly feeling like a threat at this point. So what seems to be their objective? Unless…
He grabs Inumaki and Panda.
Steve: I need both of you to go to the HQ right now.
Panda: What? What about here?
Steve: If my guess is right then Alex is at the HQ currently. Maki and Jesse might be in danger. I need you both to go there and protect them.
Inumaki: What? But why would she be…
Inumaki and Panda: Jean.
Steve: Yes. Try to hold her off for as long as you can. I'll deal with some of them here before joining you. Good luck.
Panda: Leave her to us.
Steve teleports both of them to the HQ.
Alex: That was easy. It seems like the Zenin were right. You are weak.
Alex moves towards the main building while Maki is lying on the floor, at half heart. Suddenly Panda and Inumaki teleport behind her and attack her. She dodges their attacks. As Panda gets distracted from seeing Maki lying on the floor, Alex kicks him, then punches him away.
Panda: She fights too?
As Panda fights Alex he is able to overpower her. Alex spawns slimes to attack Panda. Panda gets overpowered by them but suddenly changes his fighting style, and kills them easily.
Alex: Oh. Is that the case?
Panda attacks Alex with greater speed than before, overpowering her. She spawns many slimes to distract him, then strikes him with her sword.
Panda: Inumaki now!
Suddenly Alex notices all its mobs stopped moving. Inumaki then attacks her who dodges his attacks and spawns more slimes who also freeze as soon as they spawn.
Alex: So you can freeze their ticks?
Inumaki continues to attack her and Panda joins as well. Alex keeps summoning different mobs but they all keep freezing. Suddenly they start moving.
Alex: Reached your limit have you?
Panda: Inumaki?
Inumaki: I crossed my limit. I can't use it again.
They realize that all the mobs that they froze start moving again and start attacking them. They get overpowered and take a lot of damage. Alex calls them all back, leaving the both of them at a single heart.
Alex: This is so beautiful. Players fighting to protect other Players. It's how it should be. This game should be for players to enjoy and no NPCs should ruin their experience.
As Jesse comes outside and sees his friends all lying on the floor, near death, he looks at Alex in anger preparing to attack her.
Alex: You know, I really wanted you to live Jesse. But I need Jean to create the world I want. And for that, you have to die. I hope you understand.
Jesse: You did all this for Jean?
Alex: Yes. I heard about Jean when you didn't even join the server. I sent men to retrieve her egg but the man bringing it to me got killed by mobs. That's when you found it and accidentally it spawned right in front of you, thinking you to be its parent. It was supposed to be me. But it doesn't matter now. Once I kill you I'll get Jean and all the mobs that I wasted in Beacon Town wouldn't matter. I'll be able to achieve my dream.
Jesse: I understand it now. You want Jean right? Here she is.
He takes out her egg and spawns her.
Jesse: Jean! Come Out!
Jean spawns out of the egg and appears behind Jesse.
Alex spawns a large number of slimes, zombies, and skeletons to attack Jesse and Jean. Jesse easily kills them all along with Jean. He also carries Inumaki, Maki, and Panda and brings them inside a building. He heals them using potions he acquired using commands.
Jesse: You guys will be alright. Don't worry.
He gets back outside with Jean, more composed than before.
Alex spawns a large number of spiders and has them surround the 2.
Jesse: Let's try this one.
As the spiders are about to attack them, they all suddenly stop.
Alex: Freeze tick? He can do that too?
Jesse: Inumaki is amazing. He can do it more than once.
Before the spiders could move, Jean and Jesse kill them all.
Alex: Such coordination. Magnificent display of power. I want her even more now.
Meanwhile, in Beacon Town, Players continuously fight mobs. Ijichi notices 2 players being killed by 2 of Alex's followers. They then notice him too.
Mimiko: Hey Nanako doesn't this guy piss you off. He's been doing nothing while his fellow players are fighting.
Ijichi: Why do you think they are fighting? It's because you guys attacked this place. Don't you guys know right from wrong?
Nanako: You guys who make friends quickly and can play with each other, none of you know how players are treated by villagers. How they accuse you of things you didn't do. How they blame you and treat you unjustly just cus we can do more than those NPCs. Only Ms. Alex believed in us. And we believe in her and her dream. Right from wrong? Right and wrong doesn't exist. What we can do is right and what we can't is wrong.
Suddenly they are interrupted by an explosion sound from behind. They all look behind to see Steve fighting Miguel.
Miguel: You live up to your reputation. You're quite strong. I'll enjoy our fight.
Steve: Well I don't care. I just want it to get over.
Miguel attacks Steve with his sword multiple times but Steve dodges them all. He then attacks Miguel and is able to land several hits. He gets attacked from several directions by mobs, but he easily kills them all while hitting Miguel as well.
Miguel: I just need to buy time. I don't have to die fighting him. He is obviously way out of my league. I just have to stall him.
While everyone is fighting, the injured players are being brought to Shoko and other Healers to heal.
Shoko: Damn you, Alex. You've cooked a lot of trouble for us.
Alex: Looks like mobs won't be enough to kill you. I'll have to fight you myself.
She takes out her sword and prepares to fight them.
Jesse: Follow my lead, Jean.
They engage Alex as she dodges their attacks and hits them. She is able to land several hits on Jean, but she heals from them immediately.
Alex: Amazing!
They continue to fight with swords, each parrying the other's strikes. Alex spawns skeletons from behind to attack Jesse from his blind spot. Jean destroys them all, but they distract Jesse long enough for Alex to land a hit on Jesse.
Alex: It pisses me off. These NPCs think we owe them and it's our responsibility to protect them. When there is so much we can do. And it should be them who should be grateful to us for protecting them. Instead, they treat us like monsters. We should be like gods to them. They should pray to us.
She rushes to strike Jesse but Jean grabs him and takes him away.
Jesse: It's alright. You don't have to grab me every time I get hit. I am used to it by now.
Jesse rushes toward Alex and swings his sword at her. She deflects all the strikes.
Alex: He got faster.
Jesse signals Jean to attack from behind. Alex immediately prepared her sword to block but Jean didn't attack. Suddenly she is hit by Jesse's sword from behind. Jesse landed a critical hit on Alex, knocking her back far away.
Jesse: I don't get it. I don't know many players aside from Jujutsu Pros and I haven't interacted with villagers on my own so I don't know whether you're right or wrong. But I know I like playing this game and I enjoy playing with my friends and that it's right for me to play. I enjoy playing with Jean the most. So to do that I want to live. And for that. I will kill you.
Alex: I appreciate it. A player should value their gaming experience more than anything. Now that you've shown me your resolve, I won't hold back either.
Alex takes out a large black spawn egg.
Alex: This is Uzumaki. I possess 4461 mobs. By combining all of them into a single spawn egg, I can have them unleash all of their combined attacks as a single explosion. This is my ultimate move. I will now unleash it upon you.
Jesse: Jean. I met you on my first day of this game. And we've been friends ever since. I enjoy playing with you the most. But after joining Jujutsu Pros, I found more friends. More people I enjoy playing with. And I want to protect them. There is nothing I want more now. I know I have used you for my benefit till now. I haven't really cared for what you wanted. You're a dragon. You're supposed to be free. You're one of the strongest creatures in this world and you shouldn't be held up inside an egg, being commanded by a man. Help me this one last time. Help me kill her. Attack her with your full power and you'll be free. Can you do that?
Jean cries as she hears this and instantly starts glowing purple. She prepares to attack Alex.
Alex: Is that so? Let's go then.
Alex launches Uzumaki at Jesse as Jean fires a purple beam at Alex. It creates a bright black and purple explosion that destroys everything in a 100-block radius.
Alex survived the explosion and is only at half heart. She tries to get away having exhausted all her mobs.
Alex: Wonderful. Wonderful power. If I had obtained Jean, I wouldn't need to sneak around obtaining mobs. I could truly change the world with her. Next time…next time I'll definitely get her.
She then notices someone approach her. She stops and sits down beside a wall.
Alex: You're late, Steve. To think you'll be the one to kill me. Are my friends safe?
Steve: They all escaped.
Alex: I'm glad.
Steve: You care about them?
Alex: Unlike you, I'm actually a kind person. You sent 2 inexperienced players to fight me knowing I'll defeat them, to anger Jesse right?
Steve: I trusted you to not kill them. You're not someone who would kill players without any meaning.
Alex: Trust huh? I didn't think I had any left.
Alex remembers her past when she used to be a member of the Jujutsu Pros and was Steve's friend.
Alex: Return this for me will you?
Alex throws an ID.
Steve: Jesse's ID. Were you behind the creeper attack too?
Alex: That's right.
Steve: Can't believe you. Never thought you would become this. Any last word?
Alex: No matter what anyone says, I hate those NPCs. But I never hated any player in Jujutsu Pros. I just couldn't continue on acting like I didn't care.
Steve: Alex. Thanks for playing with me.
Alex: Heh. Yeah, same here.
Having shared their final words, Steve takes out his sword.
Meanwhile, Jesse runs toward his friends and realizes they are all right.
Panda: Jesse are you alright?
Jesse: Yes I'm fine. What about you all?
Maki: We're fine thanks to you.
Inumaki: Yes, thanks for saving us.
Jesse notices Jean behind him and sees that she is at 10% HP, while he himself is unharmed.
Jesse gets up and starts moving towards her.
Maki: What happened?
Jesse: Uhm, actually I promised I would release her if she fought for me with her full strength. I plan to go with her.
Panda: What? You can't do that?
Jesse: I'm sorry guys.
He tries to release Jean from her egg but Jean refuses to go.
Jesse: Huh? Don't you want to be free?
Steve: You idiot. You didn't realize it till now?
Maki: Huh? Steve?
Steve: Yes it's everyone's favorite, Steve.
Jesse: But I don't understand.
Steve: You think Jean feels restricted with you? All this time and you didn't realize, Jean enjoys playing with you as much as you like to play with her. She doesn't want to be free because she wants to be with you.
Jean licks Jesse's face.
Jesse: Is that so?
Maki: Do mobs have feelings?
Steve: We still don't know a lot about Mob's behavior, however, there is one hypothesis I have for this. You see how Jean doesn't need an end crystal to heal. That's cus she has one with her all the time. It's Jesse. He is her End Crystal.
Jesse: What?
Steve: I know, it's stupid. That's why I said it's a personal theory. But I think Jean can heal herself for as long as she is with Jesse and for as long as Jesse is alive.
Inumaki: Then how is it that Jesse doesn't lose health when that happens?
Steve: Does the end crystal exhaust itself when the dragon takes too much health from it? No. The crystal is able to sustain the dragon without exhausting itself. I think Jesse acts similar to that for Jean. The connection they have is enough for Jean to sustain herself. Again it's a stupid theory. It just doesn't make any sense but, she isn't a normal dragon anyways, is she?
Jesse: So that means…
Steve: You both can continue to play with us for as long as you want.
Maki: That's great.
Panda: Let's goo.
Jesse: I'm…I'm glad. All I want is to play this game with you guys.
They all celebrate their victory as the Jujutsu Pros players kill the last of the mobs in Beacon Town.
Some time later Steve sends off Jesse for another mission in a different biome.
Steve: Don't worry. You can handle yourself now. You know that much at least.
Jesse: Yeah, but it still makes me nervous.
Steve: Don't worry. Oh yeah, here.
Steve hands over Jesse's ID to him.
Jesse: Oh you found my ID?
Steve: Not me…My best friend. The only one I had.