The Achievement Junkie

Chapter 335 Skipping the Valley Floor

In a matter of minutes, eleven more gigantic Glacier Wyrms popped up through the snow. Such an intimidating sight made even Argyle nervous as Jack walked back into Dradich’s mouth.

’Tralon, go ahead. We’ll make it as quick as possible.’

On Jack’s order, Tralon took a deep breath and gathered spatial energy around him to force open a rift between two spaces, one in front of the mage and the other at the top of Glacier Peak.

"Come on, Dradich! Let’s see what’s on the other side."

Though he didn’t show it, Dradich was also nervous. He and the other wyrms only knew stories about the outside world and their Great Ancestor. For there to be a chance that he’ll see both of those things made the massive beast nervous.

"Hurry up! We can’t hold that rift open all day!" shouted Jack. "Don’t tell me your scared, are you?"

Without any more hesitation, Dradich grunted, blowing Jack over within his mouth. Then, the giant wyrm stuck his head through the rift large enough for a single wyrm to enter.

Pain never came as Dradich lunged his large head through the rift, almost startling him as badly as what he found on the other side.

There was a great view of the clouds and the frozen world below. Dradich understood that he was truly in a separate location.

"Ah! There’s the rift!"

Dradich then looked up to see a woman, followed by a man, jump down from the tip-top of the mountain the wyrm was now on. But before Dradich could say another word, the woman’s form shifted and expanded at an outrageous rate. In seconds, the woman gained nine serpentine heads and a body larger than Dradich’s.

’G-Great Ancestor!’ Dradich immediately bowed, forgetting that he was giving Jack a rough time in his mouth.

"Lift your head," ordered Lunara. "What is your name?"

’Dradich, your Holiness."

"Why don’t you speak with your mouth, Dradich?"

’Oh...’ Dradich quickly opened his lips, letting Jack tumble out.

"Jack! So that’s where you were," Lunara laughed. "I’m glad to see my son doing so well for himself. What level are you now?"

"I’m... lv. 49. I’ll be in the fifties real soon." Jack shook the snow off him and climbed up to his feet with a smile. "Dradich is the leader of the other fourteen wyrms, but he’ll be helping me personally and won’t be staying here."

"Fine by me. I hope that Dradich will perform according to my son’s expectations. What do you say, Dradich?"

’Yes! Of course, your Holiness!’ Bowing yet again, Dradich removed all doubt from his mind about what Jack had said before.

"Did you never learn human speech? Allow me." One of Lunara’s many heads extended and touched foreheads with Dradich. Then, a bright light grew between the heads and gradually faded away. "That should make things easier."

Dradich then opened his mouth, revealing his naturally low, booming voice. "Thank you, your Holiness. I’ll make sure to do all that Jack says."

"Then let’s get the other wyrms across before Jack’s companion tires. It was a pleasure to meet you, Dradich. I’m excited to hear of your accomplishments from Jack."

The giant wyrm nodded and rescinded his head back through the portal.

"And Jack, be careful," Lunara added as the hero neared the rift. "Your father and I are depending on you."

"Of course." Jack nodded and prepared to step through the rift. But he did a double-take. "Do you prefer being called Mom or Mother?"

"...Mom"

"Okay, then I’ll see you later, Mom."

Jack stepped through the portal with his goodbye, putting a tender smile in Lunara’s heart, which was hard to see fully with her current nine-headed form that shook King Wilheim to his core.

The wyrms began to hurry through the rift with great speed. Though they could only enter one at a time, they were much faster than the shadow goblins. Tralon only needed three high elixirs this time, allowing the mage to rest while conscious so long as he did nothing for a day or two.

Dradich was the only wyrm left behind. He proudly turned to Jack and bowed his head with an open mouth. "Jack, I’m sorry for doubting you. Please forgive me."

"Forget about it! Just make sure to work well with Tralon. He’s my father-in-law, so don’t give him any trouble."

"For your family, I’ll make sure to be respectful, Jack." Dradich then looked to Argyle, showing a giant grin. "I’m very arrogant, but please allow me to join you on your adventures."

"Of course!" Staring at the lv. 70 Glacier Wyrm, Argyle was filled to the brim with excitement. "Jack, hurry up and form that seal!"

"Fine. Dradich, lower your head for a moment."

The wyrm followed Jack’s request and allowed Jack to perform the mutual seal between Dradich and Argyle.

With a gargantuan lv. 70 beast companion with a seventh level bloodline, Argyle was over the moon. "Hey, Jack. What do you think would happen if I just traveled on his back instead of flying like everyone else?"

"Well, in terms of speed, he’s probably just as fast as those condors. Just be careful to not run over a village or destroy a forest wherever you go," laughed Jack.

"I guess you have a point... I’ll figure something out! Is there enough room for him at the Leisure Guild, Tralon?"

"We’ll have to combine a few courtyards... but it’s definitely doable," replied the mage, who was lying down to rest and ignoring the cold temperature of the snow.

"Dradich, take us to the magic circle west of here."

"Climb on," the wyrm replied, beaming with pride to be serving his Great Ancestor and to have her protecting his fellow wyrms.

The party hurried onto the giant wyrm’s back, including the aviary beasts. Once everyone was accounted for, Dradich rocketed over the snowy landscape. In less than five minutes, the wyrm stopped and swiped his tail to reveal the magic circle that had been buried by years and years of snowfall. He then laid over the top of the circle, waiting for what he assumed would happen next. "This leaves the space, correct?"

"Right, but are you sure you don’t want to be stored away before we enter the next floor?" asked Jack.

"No."

"What if we enter a space filled with fire and magma?"

"Then I’ll make due. So long as we make haste, I’ll be fine. If it’s too hot, then I’ll simply activate my frost body and bear it," answered Dradich, confident in his constitution as a wyrm.

"Alright... Vixus, activate the circle."

This time it wasn’t a bath of purple energy, more like a lake of purple energy that covered the giant wyrm and transported the entire party.

They then found themselves in a lush green valley, with mountain walls surrounding them.

"Dradich, this space is filled with greenery and should be a bit more peaceful. Just head northeast. You’ll find the circle there in front of a giant tree."

"Right!"

Barreling through the trees and greenery with ease, the Glacier Wyrm made his way toward the next circle. Argyle would’ve complained that he would miss a beast, but he was too overjoyed with what he got to complain about the party acting so rushed.

No beasts dared approach the giant wyrm as its power clearly rivaled the strongest beasts across the valley floor and didn’t seem to be looking for a fight.

It left plenty of green carnage wherever it went, leaving trees toppled and crushed without hesitation. However, thanks to the giant tree, the party didn’t have to spend much time on the valley floor and it was easy to find the teleportation circle.

Dradich was careful not to destroy the ancient tree and instead coiled around it as he laid over the teleportation circle.

A few roars of beasts sounded out, showing that a few of the stronger beasts on the valley floor would soon be making an appearance. However, Vixus had already ignited the teleportation circle and the party was gone before those beasts could show themselves or discover where that massive wyrm had come from.