Return of the Unrivaled Spear Knight-Chapter 216Side Story

Some of the survivors were beginning to edge away from the portal despite Jacks warnings. If they moved from their positions they would immediately cease to supply their vitality to the dimensional gate.

-What in the world are you doing!? Dont tell me you believe his sugar coated words!

The menace in Jacks voice made the survivors flinch.

B-But the emperor and the empress mother also

-There will be no social classes in our new world to begin with. The prince has chosen a temporary measure out of fear of the nobles because theyre the people in power, but we can start from perfection!

Whats the use of a new world when youre dead? Anna scoffed. She pointed at the piles of corpses, stirring the survivors primal fear of death. Most of the survivors were teenagers who had long lives ahead of them.

I-Im going to go back.

One of them changed his mind, a boy who was around fifteen years old. He was already far away from the gate and escaped the range of the gates magic circle completely in a few steps.

The boy immediately took off running. I dont want to die! If the continent isnt going to fall, I-I want to be with my fa!

He never got to finish. The moment he got ten meters away from the magic circle, the boy vanished in a column of lightninga magic trap.

Ugh. The boy coughed out black smoke.

It turned out that Jack had kept the forests monsters on standby because Jack quickly brought in a black ogre to smash the boys head.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!

The survivors screamed.

How dare you! Cain roared, already bristling with murderous energy.

-Stop! Keep in mind that I can fry the rest of these brats.

Damn you! Cain gritted his teeth.

The survivors went pale.

-Do you get it now? Youll never be free from me! Never!

D-Dont kill me.

Uuuuungh. Hic. Mom

I want to go home! Let me go home!

All of the survivors broke out in tears. Although he was discarding his justification, Jack had no other choice; he was going to lose all of his sacrificial offerings hed gone through so much trouble to gather and now he had to worry about his life.

But the rasp of metal against leather as someone unsheathed their sword made Jacks lips tremble.

-Who is it! You dont care if all these kids die?

Kireua was the one who drew his sword.

You wont be able to kill them, Kireua said as he walked toward the lich.

-You cocky shit! You think I wont do it?

Even though fierce lightning cracked around Jacks hands, Kireuas feet kept moving.

No, you wont be able to kill them, Kireua repeated, shaking his head.

-I can see what youre thinking right now, but my answer is no. Although its true that gathering them was difficult, I can get all the sacrifices I want. Therell be plenty of children who will share my cause!

Then do it, Kireua sharply replied.

Cain stared at Kireua, astonished. The survivors and the nobles and their troops were equally unsettled by Kireuas apparent about-face. Kireua didnt seem to care what was going to happen to the survivorsit wasnt just contradictory, he seemed downright psychotic.

I became certain after seeing how the child died just now. Kireua glanced in the boys direction.

-What?

Jack Steropes, you could have killed the boy earlier if you wanted. Letting him run that far only perturbed the other children more, but you only took him out after hed completely left the range of the magic circle.

Anna clapped in realization. I see whats happening right now!

You do? Cain asked.

The gate leads to an entirely different dimension. No one has tried to buildno, no one has even thought about trying it, so theres no way that the magic circle was easy to make.

Cains eyes widened as he listened. In other words

That damned lich cant move easily either. Any spell he uses in the magic circles range could disrupt the magic circle itself and ruin the gate completely! Anna shouted.

The demonic power around Jack fluctuated wildly, belying his uneaseAnnas analysis was very accurate. It was only through a concerted effort that Jack remained outwardly calm.

Kireua lit his sword with the ebon flames.

The moment you harm any of those children, I will cut that portal in two. Thats the last thing you want, isnt it?

Jack stayed silent for a long time before his manic laughter echoed in the forest.

-Ha. Hahahahahahaha! Hilarious. Absolutely hilarious! You know, Im the one who should be saying that, actually.

Are you now?

-Yeah. Go on. Do it. Im sure you wont believe me even if I explain. Protecting the portal isnt the reason why Im avoiding using magic.

Kireua frowned. It didnt seem like Jack was bluffing, based on his composure.

Kireuas eyes narrowed. What are you on about?

-Its the same with any portal. Can you physically destroy a complete portal?

Kireua didnt believe him because he could see the magic circle. It was similar to the Magic Towers warp gates in major cities, not the portals that mages above Seventh Circle could create.

These warp gates were the Magic Towers masterpieces, made from thousands of mana stones. A simple, low-level mage could transport people freely between citiesbut, of course, that wouldn't be possible without a warp gate.

-Youre an open book. This is the problem with knights. They arent capable of critical thinking.

Kireua cocked an eyebrow at Jack. Of course Im skeptical. If it was finished, thered be no reason for the magic circle to still be visible and you wouldnt need to be so careful around it.

-The magic circle isnt there to maintain or complete the dimensional gate. Its to absorb more vitality and improve the gate even further.

What?

Jack smiled slyly.

-All else aside, Ive gone through a great deal of trouble to bring these people here. Theyll be dissatisfied too if they were to die before being of any use building the gate.

An incredibly cold demonic power poured out of the magic circle.

Arrrrghhhh!

S-Save me! Help!

I cant ugh! I c-cant breathe!

The survivors clutched their necks or pounded on their chests and screamed. Some of them clawed at the ground until their fingers were bloody but they didnt notice it through the suffocating feeling tormenting their bodies.

Kireua sprang forward, unable to watch them suffer any longer. He swung his flaming sword toward the magic circle, but his attack was quickly blocked by a magical barrier that appeared over the magic circle.

His actions had terrible consequences. To his horror, Kireua was forced to watch a boywho was fifteen years old at mostcrumble into dust.

-I warned you, didnt I? Tsk, youve made me waste one of my sacrifices.

You bastard. Kireua gritted his teeth.

-People with trust issues tend to do themselves in before believing what other people tell them. Just watch. The wheel of fate has already passed the point of no return.

Kireua watched the magic circle surge with ever increasing demonic power. The survivors visibly aged with every breath as the portal became more and more vivid.

-This is it!

Jack couldnt contain his excitement any longer. After draining over a thousand peoples vitality, the end was so close!

Kireua changed his plan and attacked Jack instead.

-Mmm.

Jack grunted. Kireua had struck the barrier with his aura, cracking it, but the lich just sneered at him.

-Killing me now wont stop the wheel of fate. The Human Realm will fall, and everyone on the continent will come here to escape. Ill be forever remembered as their savior! Besides you cant kill me anyway. My phylactery is already beyond that gate.

Kireua had to break his silence.

You already sent your phylactery through the gate?

-Yes, that is why Im certain the other dimension exists! My phylactery has passed through the gate, but Im still alive, as you can see!

Kireua had no way of verifying Jacks words, nor was it even important right now. He still had to free the survivors, but he was at a loss as to how to do it.

However, fate conspired to alter the circumstances.

-That looks yummy.

What?! Kireuas eyes flew open in shock. At first, he thought he was mistaken because it had been so long since he had heard Coals voice.

-Can I eat it, Kireua?

Kireua felt like crying. Hed never imagined that he would be so happy to hear Coals voice.

Yes, you can, Kireua was quick to reply. No, please eat it. Im begging you, Coal.

-Okay! But there is a problem.

What problem?

-If I eat it, my tummy will explode too.

Coals words hit Kireua like a bolt of lightning to the face.