Chapter 259 - Unfathomable Pressure

Walking across in silence, Jack looked over the hole they were walking over.

If he took one wrong step, Jack would, without a doubt, die. Even so, he couldn't really go anywhere else and focused instead on the path before him. Although it was floating in mid-air with no structural support, the bridge was a lot better than falling to his death.

The two continued to their destination, with the silent and powerful figure leading the way. With Jack following behind, he got a look at this person's appearance.

It was far from anything special. The white-colored hair was tied up to a ponytail barely long enough to reach the man's shoulders. His back was covered in a pristine white robe, no different than anything Jack had seen before. And, a lone sword hung by his waist.

If Jack hadn't known any better, he would've mistaken the man for a lone ronin. The description fit the man's appearance, after all. Jack could've easily mistaken the man for a lonesome wanderer.

Unfortunately, Jack knew better. Jack even felt like the man's appearance didn't explain who this person really was.

An unfathomable pressure.

That was the best way Jack could describe it. Even if someone forced him to explain what he felt from this guy, there were no other words than that. It was like he was staring into the endless abyss, only feeling overwhelmed as a result.

Who was this fellow? Jack asked the same question again and again in his head. He couldn't begin to comprehend this man, much less understand the person's motives. Jack kept thinking to himself as he kept walking forward.

Until the man stopped, that was.

Jack looked over and stopped as well, wondering where in this dimension they ended up. But, as far as he could tell, they stopped in some nondescript pile of snow. It was no different from the ones scattered around the tundra. So, what point was there in being here?

With that in mind, Jack closed the distance. He got closer, wondering what the guy was trying to do and why did he stop in the middle of nowhere. Jack wanted answers, no matter if he couldn't get some directly from the person in front of him.

"Don't come any closer."

Four words. That was all it took for Jack to stop dead in his tracks as the man drew his sword.

Sword in hand, the man then rightfully stabbed it on the pile of snow in front of him. With a vertical downward strike, the ground beneath his feet shook. It then crumbled and split open like a watermelon, leaving a fissure in its wake.

Jack didn't know what the hell had just happened.

For one thing, it was fast, ridiculously so. The movements were swift and natural. It was as though that the earth bent to the man's blade. Jack had half a mind to run away right now after seeing that. But, at the same time, he was still intrigued.

"Follow."

The man said as he jumped down without even looking back. He descended unto the fissure, leaving Jack utterly confused.

Jack took a few steps forward, hesitantly and unsure. Soon enough, though, Jack got off the ice path and onto the ground. He then walked a few more steps, stopping where the man had once stood.

'He wants me to jump down that?'

Looking down, Jack could see how far he would have to go. The jump was by no means survivable. While Jack could give it a shot, the risk of him surviving that jump was abysmal. Especially considering his fragile state, it was not going to be fun.

That said, there wasn't much else to do here. Jack couldn't leave, not after coming this far. He certainly wouldn't dare walk back. So, after a few minutes of steeling his heart, Jack jumped.

'This is going to suck.'

In mere seconds, Jack reached the bottom of the fissure. He landed softly on the ground, contrary to his expectations, and into a room. Whether that room was there before or not, Jack wasn't sure, but he saw the man standing a few feet from where Jack had landed.

Jack then looked up to the man standing not far away from him. He was standing there, completely still. Was he waiting for something? Jack couldn't really tell.

"Let's go."

As soon as the man said that, he didn't bother waiting for Jack as he went on ahead. Jack, meanwhile, struggled as he pushed himself off the ground. While he couldn't piece together why his landing was so soft, that was the least of his concerns.

Catching up to the guy, Jack took a glimpse of where he was along the way. A part of him felt as though this place was familiar. But he couldn't quite put his finger on why it was so.

The two of them went deeper underground. The path forward was rocky and narrow, but Jack didn't have trouble following the man in front of him. And, as they went on, Jack couldn't help but feel that this place was getting more and more familiar. With each step, Jack couldn't shake that feeling.

'No way.'

At the moment those two words popped inside Jack's head, the man turned around. The reveal was far from anything exciting, but Jack could finally see who he was dealing with — a face to the name.

"You," the man said, his tone the same, if not slightly accusing. "Tell me what you know."

Jack looked directly at the strange and somewhat concise man's face. As the man stared at him all the same, with eyes incomprehensible to any man, Jack thought this guy wasn't one he could cross. Otherwise, he'd be dead.

"About what?" Jack asked, completely careful as to say what he needed to say. Nothing more.

But, the man wasn't having any of Jack's aloof answers. He growled at Jack, slightly causing the latter to flinch in surprise. Even so, Jack didn't give an answer.

"We are standing on the prison of a creature with immense power. Something that should not be unleashed under any circumstance. The creature was locked down here for a reason. Or, at least, it used to."

Nodding, Jack looked around the small, narrow pathway. There was no indication whatsoever of a being capable of mass destruction here. While that might be the case, he could sure guess what the man meant. And, if Jack guessed right, his condition would be a lot worse than he thought.

"What's that got to do with me?"

As incredibly foolish as that answer was, Jack refrained from giving an answer that might risk death. Even if he were pushing the boundaries of the man's patience, Jack knew it was better than being killed on the spot.

"Humans, always so conniving," the man's eyes narrowed after saying that. He then pulled the blade from the scabbard and unleashed an intent to kill. "Cockroaches all the same. Kill one, and another takes its place. No matter. I've killed plenty of your kind enough to know the neverending battle."

Considering the number of stupid things that Jack has done, this was probably the dumbest one.

"Wait. Wait!" Jack pleaded, hoping for mercy and patience. "I'll tell you what I know. Please. I'd rather not die in some underground cavern."

"Mm..."

The man reeled his killing intent back and sheathed his sword. Jack promptly took the chance and explained what he knew.

While he knew it was in his best interest to withhold some information, Jack couldn't do so. The man knew when Jack was lying, growling whenever Jack said something odd. And, by the end of it all, Jack waited for an answer.

Thud!

In a fraction of a second, the man appeared before Jack and kicked his chest, causing Jack to tumble backward. Jack only managed to stop until he hit a wall, pain rocking all over his body.

Jack maintained consciousness, albeit barely. He looked down at where his stab wound was, ensuring his mendings were intact.

If only he were so lucky.

Cracks formed on the ice that was used to mend his wounds. Any more hits after that would open the wound and cause Jack to die almost instantly. He'd bleed out, dying in such a way that would only make the last few moments cruel.

For now, though, Jack was still alive. He didn't know how much longer that would be as he pushed himself out of the wall. When he did, however, a hard grip on his neck pushed him back to the wall, choking him mercilessly.

The man appeared in a flash, squeezing the life out of Jack. While he did so, the look he gave Jack had no emotion to them. Cold-hearted to the very bone.

It was like looking at a mirror, even though Jack wasn't one to admit it. He could only struggle his way out of the man's grip on his next, trying desperately to survive.