Chapter 260 - Dead Cockroach

As he felt the oxygen leaving his body, Jack desperately clawed at the man's forearm.

Jack couldn't get himself out of the grip on his neck. Even if he had dug his nails into the man's skin, the man was indifferent. The same coldhearted gaze landed on Jack as the man squeezed his grip on Jack's neck even tighter.

Time was running out. Jack wouldn't last a second longer if he didn't do anything drastic to alleviate the situation. While his consciousness was fading, Jack had to do something before he would pass out and die.

So, in a sheer act of desperation, Jack willed his Mana into life. He tried to cast some spells, but that ultimately backfired not a second later.

The curse on his body activated as soon as the Mana left his Mana Core, damaging him internally. It ate away at Jack's life force, making his injured state a more injured one. An indescribable pain shot out through his entire body. Doing so had only made Jack closer to death.

But then, like a miracle, the man released his grip on Jack's neck, prompting him to fall on his butt.

Jack roughly coughed and gasped for air. He caught his breath after several seconds and, while doing so, wondered why he was still alive. Jack could've been killed off just like that. And, from the look of things, the man was more than sure that he'd see it done.

However, Jack was still alive. And, for whatever reason, the man released his grip. While Jack tried to wrap his head and recover from nearly dying, the man turned around and stepped away from Jack.

It appeared as though the man was confused. Well, not that Jack could really tell. But, from where Jack was recovering, he thought that the man was rethinking his earlier actions. Whether that was true or not was far from what Jack could actually guess.

Nonetheless, Jack soon got up and tried to talk to the man. Even though Jack's chest was hurting, he still needed some answers.

So, Jack muttered a single syllable, only to be interrupted by the man.

"You weren't lying."

Jack swung his head back in surprise as he didn't know what to make of that statement. Was it some ploy made to confuse him?

"I wasn't," Jack confirmed, unsure of what else to say.

"Hm..."

After the brief two words that Jack responded with, silence ensued. The atmosphere between the two of them turned awkward. There was no clear path for either of them to proceed on from here.

"Weird weather we're having, huh?" Jack joked as he tried to defuse the strange air in the room. "Is it always this cold here?"

The man promptly turned around, staring at Jack with the same cold yet unfathomable gaze. He eyed Jack warily, and his eyes briefly paused at Jack's chest. He could see the cracks that had formed on the ice on Jack's chest. It was close to breaking, so much so that a light tap would shatter it.

"Tell me," the man ordered once more, his tone ever unchanging. "Was it you who freed the creature laying prisoner here?"

"As I said before," Jack responded with a somewhat upbeat attitude, "I didn't know there was a creature here. All I saw was a stone statue with bright beady eyes staring at me as I moved around the cavern. It was creepy and, before I knew it, my own sword stabbed me."

"The statue was the creature, mortal. The temple you found it in had inhibited most of its power. I made sure of it. And, yet, you have managed to set it free and now resides within the realms of your Mana Core."

"When sharp pain ran through my body the moment I used Mana, I kinda figured," Jack answered, somewhat mockingly. To which, the man glared at Jack and signaled him to stop.

While Jack was trying to make light of the situation, he knew the reality was much worse. At this point, he wasn't being ignorant, unlike how he acted. No, Jack was trying desperately to get on the obscure man's good side. Whichever that side may be.

"I will be going now."

Jack's eyes instantly widened in surprise as the man started walking away from Jack, unbothered by what he had found out.

He wasn't going to cleanse Jack of the curse or do anything helpful. The guy just straight up left.

"Hold up, hold up," Jack caught up to him in a heartbeat, "Aren't you going to help me out here? The creature you're looking for is inside me, right? Can't you get it out?"

"There is no reason for me to," the man responded indifferently and moved past Jack.

Once again, Jack caught up to him and put his entire body into blocking off the man's path. It wouldn't work as Jack was essentially blocking a metric ton worth of force in a person. But, it was an effort nonetheless.

"Explain," Jack said in a rather forceful tone. Fortunately, he caught himself speaking like that and softened his voice before proceeding. "Please. I need to know what's it doing to me."

"Mm..."

The man, reluctant to say anything, only growled at Jack. But Jack didn't dare go back on his word after blocking the guy's way a second time. A third would definitely be pushing it.

"You are peskier than the typical cockroach, are you not?" the man snarked at Jack, unappreciative of his perseverance. "Fortunately, even for a cockroach, you aren't so much a threat."

"While I appreciate the kind words, I'd like to know a bit more," Jack responded, holding himself back from saying anything sarcastic. "Please. It would help a lot."

"No."

The man answered with a single word and walked past Jack once more. This time around, though, the man did so in a way where Jack couldn't see. It had happened in a blink of an eye. Jack could only turn around and watch as the guy walked away from him.

"You wanted to kill me, right?!" Jack yelled out in frustration, showing a rather pathetic expression. "Why didn't you kill me? Right then and there! You have a reason. I need to know."

Jack was, under any circumstances, composed. While he wouldn't yell and have bouts of rage, Jack wasn't immune to emotion. He was, by definition, human. And, confronting his mortality and future as a Magic User sparked some aggression.

"You are as good as dead," the man answered, stopping at where he was. "There is no point in killing you when you are of danger to anyone else. From the moment you have come into contact with the creature laying here, you have sealed your fate."

A part of Jack knew all of this and didn't want to accept it. While he thought that he could still fight, he was going to be crippled until he got the curse out of his body. There was no other way.

"Then, why not kill me? You know. Put me out of my misery?"

"I would much rather not stain my blade with a pathetic fool's blood," the man answered, no sympathy in his voice whatsoever. "There is no need for me to put effort into ending your life when you are already a dead man walking."

That said, Jack scoffed. While he knew he was in trouble, he didn't know by how much. And, now that there was a better, more defined picture laid out in front of him, Jack had only one thing to say.

"You're a god, aren't you?"

Jack had been watching this guy for some time now. And, now that there was no point in killing him, Jack could arbitrarily say whatever he wanted. Which included a half-baked, concocted theory as to who this person before him really was. Baseless or not, Jack had to, at least, say something.

"You know, that's the only explanation that I can actually make sense of in my head, " Jack explained, with no regard to his safety whatsoever. "Destroying a creature like that giant worm thing. Moving past the speed of sound. Having the strength to slice a mountain open. The story adds up."

The man turned around and faced Jack. In doing so, Jack knew that he caught the guy's attention.

"Based on how my friends described the gods, I'd say you fit the bill," Jack continued, "Arrogant. Selfish. Acting mysteriously to make us believe you're omnipotent. Which, don't get me wrong, I think you guys are. Although, I don't understand why you came all the way to this dimension."

"Enough."

One word and immeasurable killing intent filled the small tunnel they were both standing in. Jack couldn't breathe as the pressure filled up every open space in the cavern. It was like a blade directed towards Jack. A blade that would get him killed if he said anything else.

Jack nervously gulped as he stood in fear.