Chapter 261 - Open-Ended

Hearing his heart pound against his chest, Jack could only wait for the man's response.

Jack stood still, of course, but not because he wanted to. At this point, Jack had to listen to what the guy had to say, lest he gets screwed over. And, with each second of the suffocating pressure, his heart pounding against his chest started to hurt.

Was this really how he was going to die? The killing intent the man was exuding felt like Jack could die at any second. Jack had never hung on every word before now.

"My past is none of your concern."

That was all the guy said before glaring at Jack with a deathly stare. Jack swallowed a gulp of dry saliva as he stayed completely still as if any sudden movements would set off a series of explosions.

But Jack knew he had struck a nerve. And, consequently, it made Jack's obscure theory somewhat true. While Jack thought it was a long shot that this person before him was a god, he would have been glad that he was right. Well, if not for the fact that Jack could die at any moment.

That said, the situation proceeded accordingly.

The presumed god turned back around once more. He left Jack to his own devices. The god thought Jack wasn't foolish enough to annoy him even further.

It was, for the most part, the case. Jack wasn't in the condition to try anything right now. He already pushed most of his luck. Anything more would really kill him. If it hadn't happened before, then it certainly would happen now.

Now, with that in mind, Jack quietly followed. He walked behind the man at a pace matching the latter, opting to get out of the cave the same way they came.

While the journey through the dark tunnels wasn't anything enjoyable, Jack managed to steady his breathing. He gradually got used to his condition, but it was still uncomfortable being that way. Unfortunately, he has to bear with it.

The man, on the other hand, didn't even bother looking back. He knew Jack was right behind him but ultimately didn't care. Even he had his own things to worry about, and a dead cockroach wouldn't be able to do anything to disturb that. Jack could die on the spot for all he cared.

As they continued walking in silence, they soon reached the room where they had first arrived. And, almost instantaneously, the man left with a simple leap.

Leaving Jack in the room all by his lonesome, Jack could only sigh as he looked up from below.

In his injured state, Jack couldn't do so much as swat a fly, much less climb up the fissure. And, without being able to use Mana, Jack couldn't get out.

"Damn it."

Jack looked around the room with a defeated look on his face. He couldn't get out of the fissure that they had gone down in as it was easier to go down than it was to go up.

While he could try to climb the thing, Jack knew it wasn't a good idea. With sharp edges and jagged rocks, Jack had the feeling that he wouldn't make it very far. There was, really, only one way for him to escape. A tricky and undoubtedly stupid idea Jack had no choice but to pursue.

Pulling the teleportation stone from his Inventory, Jack became glad that he didn't use it on the worm-like creature that he had fought before. Looking back on the battle, he couldn't help but doubt what he tried to do back then.

Nevertheless, Jack refocused on what he was trying to do. He then raised the stone high, opting to smash it by throwing it to the ground.

"Suicide? Is that what you are trying to do instead of climbing up?"

As the sound echoed towards the room below, the man looked down from above. Jack, in response, looked above, wondering what the man was thinking. He was a god, as far as Jack could tell, and for whatever reason, he was enticing Jack to come up.

Jack wanted to say something back but hesitated to let out any words. He flinched and recoiled his own tongue back in his mouth, careful not to piss him off. Although, Jack did return the teleportation stone.

Even so, Jack wasn't sure what he should do. Climb up? That seemed like a terrible idea that would almost guarantee his death. But then again, there didn't seem to be much else he could do.

Fortunately, like some miracle, Jack's surroundings started to rumble.

Then, out of nowhere, a sizable chunk of ice emerged from the ground, taking Jack along for the ride. As the earth shattered to make room for the ice, Jack held on for dear life. The ice platform Jack stood on made its way through every jagged and sharp rock as it ascended.

Along the way, Jack held on for dear life while simultaneously protecting the mending on his chest. While he could enjoy the relatively smooth ride, he wouldn't do so with his condition. Jack clutched his chest desperately as the bumpy ride soon came to an end.

"Did you do that?!"

Jack yelled out in frustration as his blood pressure nearly went through the roof. The pounding against his chest caused him pain, making the experience much more uncomfortable than it should've been.

"Follow me."

"What?" Jack couldn't believe what he was hearing, "Why would I do that? You nearly killed me at least three times since I've met you. Why would you want me to follow you now?!"

The man placed his hand on the handle of his sword then fully unleashed his killing intent against Jack. Thus, causing Jack to shrink back and recant his earlier statement.

As Jack had become docile, the man turned around and walked towards an open field of snow.

"Fucking hell..."

Jack murmured to himself as he watched the man walk away from him. He was speechless and baffled, not entirely sure of what to make of what had just happened. The quick turn of events flipped whatever impression Jack had of the man.

"Crazy bipolar bastard," Jack sighed as he got off the chunk of ice he was on and followed after the man. "They were right. Gods are insane," muttering as Jack ran after him.

Not a few minutes later, Jack caught up to the man and stopped a few feet away. He stood in silence and watched as the man stood there, unmoving.

At this point, the only thing Jack could think of was how ridiculous this guy was. He kept doing things mysteriously, and the ridiculous personality switching was more than Jack could handle. Jack became annoyed more than any amicable reason.

"It's nothing but snow here!" Jack called out, his patience nearing its limit. "Aren't you tired of this? Just kill me so that we can get over it already!"

Jack took a step forward, frustratedly trying to get some answers out of the man. But, instead of a typical vocal response, a massive white-colored magic array appeared beneath his feet. It covered about 20 yards from where Jack was standing, stretching to every corner.

"Good," the man said as he turned around to face Jack, "Some quiet."

Stumped, Jack could look at the man as he became frozen in place. The whole magic array sealed his movements, even to the very tip of his fingers.

'This is a bit excessive, don't you think?' Jack thought to himself as he knew he was in a much worse off situation than before.

"Humans. Nothing more than pawns to a higher power," the man spoke, his tone as indifferent as always. "I have cut down millions, broke billions, and buried even more than the two combined. And, yet, your species has done nothing but survive, persevere."

Jack had no idea where he was going with this. But, with his experience of power-drunk tyrannical leaders, Jack knew it was nothing good.

"Tell me," the man continued, staring directly at Jack's distraught face, "What drives humans."

The question, which felt more like an order, was open-ended. There was no right or wrong answer here. Jack could say that humans look forward to a cheeseburger at the end of the day, and that would still be valid.

But nothing he could come up with that would guarantee his survival.

Jack had fought against monsters, both human and magical alike. But, none of that could ever hold a candle against the guy standing not too far away from him.

The man was powerful beyond any creature Jack had encountered before. And, his personality matched the very ideology of any human with a god complex. The only thing that separated this man from the others Jack had met before was that he had the power to back it up.

His heart raced, chest pounded. Jack looked the man dead in the eye as his mind raced for an answer.