Chapter 54 - 『Loan Default II』

The monsters of men had shown themselves.

As the first body of a dead man reached the ground, it was like the toll of a gong. The beginning of a fight that would ultimately be one sided, thanks to the foresight and limited preparation.

Jack stepped out into the courtyard, the last man at the door standing, he stared at the thug as they took steps back in an attempt to cautiously join the others. "You're all going to die here. There is no need to retreat. Your fates were sealed the moment you were watching my home like a group of vultures in waiting..."

"What!?" One of them shouted, the one who had been watching them on the streets so many days ago. "Attack him! Don't kill the girl! Find the children! They're collateral for their parents loan!"

"Hmm.." His eyes narrowed on the man who was barking orders. He had been amongst those who had been hiding. Reaching out a hand, the man who was backing away, found himself whisked into the air and his throat trapped in Jack's hand.

Those who were about to charge froze seeing the display. He had called a person to his hand!? Without wards no less! This man, he knew advanced magic. He had to!

"Wary not my friends! There are few people who can reach above the third tier!" The thugs were encouraging one another as they crept forward. "There is no way he can eliminate all of us!"

Jack's eyes narrowed on the mass as they were all beginning to encircle him from the front and flank him on the sides. His eyes shifted to Arche who was standing by his side, holding the staff in both hands. "Don't you pity these sad sods?"

Raising a brow at the question, Arche shared a smirk. He was someone who could make her smile, as she let out a brief laugh through her nose.

"You can say that again," she said quietly which was hardly audible over the shifting of those moving around them. They were closing in and by his side, she felt no fear.

Jack's eyes shifted ahead of them as he crushed the man's throat between his fingers, his head popping off as he was spasming out from the simultaneous crushing of his trachea just prior to death.

As blood gushed over his hands and exploded into the air, Jack dropped the body to the ground.

Like a hand cannon going off to signify the starting of a race, the men charged forward with a war cry. As it got louder, he couldn't help but chuckle. Dropping to one knee in an offensive stance, he slammed his hand on the ground.

A shockwave of wind emitted from around Arche and Jack, moving around them in a swirling motion, sending the men who were about to lay their weapons upon them, flying in every which direction.

There was no mercy as they were thrown into the hard walls of the mansion. Of them them being thrown through a window, another being impaled upon the fountain's dull statue's limb. Multiple bodies were laid out to dry in the courtyard, only a few of them who were still breathing had to courage to pull themselves back up onto their feet.

"You should've stayed down… I would've been a bit more merciful."

"Mercy!?" The one man spat at them as they limped close to one another, their weapons still drawn in their hands. It was clear their bodies had incurred a large amount of damage, but as they took out little blue potions and poured them down their gullets… They were healed partially enough to get at least half of their might back in exchange.

"You think that's going to help you?" Jack uttered with a frown.

『Fire Ball』

『Lightning Bolt』

『Ice Shard』

『Divine Smite』

As the thugs began setting off their spells with loud casting through their voices and pointing their hands at him, Jack could only shake his head.

These attacks dissipated just before they could make any impact on him, their power nullified, as he already surpassed them in his own ability. He was immune to the spells under the seventh tier.

"Child's play..." Jack uttered as they kept going on and on. They were exhausting themselves mentally after thy had already been physically abused.

The people who had gone to the backyard, who ended up being about a little over a dozen people, came around the corners of the homes. "What's going on!?" They eyed all the dead people before looking to their colleagues who were casting low tier magic spells at Jack.

The attacks weren't working, but that didn't seem to deter them.

Jack sucked on his front teeth slightly before clicking his tongue slightly.

The apparent thug leader was grinding his teeth. He was half minded to leave his men to their fate and escape on his own. He turned his head to the side, looking at the front gates which felt so far away.

Jack could see the thoughts in the body-language he was sharing so blatantly.

With Arche standing behind him for safety, Jack would begin to advance towards the small group of mages who were sending multiple bolts of mystical attacks at him. Yet there was nothing they could do.

He didn't even have to spread his wings.

Jack would bring his hand towards his shoulder, as if readying to slap someone. As they were backing away the moment he had gotten within a few steps of them, he grinned and swiped his hand to the side.

Their colleagues who had yet to join them immediately, watched as the four magic casters lost their heads which bounced on the paved courtyard path.

They could only stand there and stare as their blood stained the stones and flowers, even the fountain with dark crimson. Jack hadn't even flinched at the sight. Watching as some of the bodies tried running away before practically tripping over themselves and meeting the ground, face down.

"One of us has to make it!" One of the dozen which were standing there, shouted mutedly amongst the rest. "We'll hold them off," he pointed towards what appeared to be the youngest one there. "Go tell the boss!"

Jack wasn't going to give them the chance to leave. There was no way he was going to let these people come back to try and collect them.

The man who was now giving the orders turned to look to Jack and the girl. Only to find the large frame of Jack obstructing his view. "Wh...What?" He looked up at Jack as he felt his hand around his throat, picking him up from the ground by a couple feet.

Everyone was in shock watching this.

Arche had her staff raised, glaring at the men.

『Magic Arrow』

She send a volley of magic arrows at one of the men who had gathered enough of his conscious to turn and run for the gate. The bolts ripped through his legs, sending him screaming to the ground.

Two of them quickly turned their attention towards her. Aiming their own hands towards the girl before a scream emitted from the man, ultimately distracting the remaining ten men!

『Devour』Was the spell that Jack chose to cast, and it began to crush the man, wrangling his body until there was silence. Now only he was nothing more than a cube of gelatin, sitting in Jack's hand, until Jack freely crushed and absorbed it.

Closing his eyes, for a few seconds as he felt the rush of knowledge go through his mind, he then opened his eyes. The men, now even more afraid began to all run away at once. Screaming for their lives.

Jack simply sighed, "How rude..." He muttered as he would pulled out what appeared to be a magic gun, a pistol in this case. Raising it, a soft 'pew' sound began to whisper from its barrel, bolts of magic ripping through a chest of the fleeing enemies with each shot.

One dropped, two dropped. He had no problem taking them out, they were weak. While it was somewhat of a disappointment, it simply meant that as long as he kept those he wanted to protect close to him, he'd be undeniably incapable of failing to protect.

Arche who was preparing to run after them, strode up beside him now as he had been walking after them. The way he moved, it was so cool and cold. He didn't hesitate to kill humans unaffiliated with the undead cult.

Not that she could blame him.

"Thank you..." She knew he had saved her again, like he had before. "For protecting us." Arche smiled up at him, brighter than she had ever done before in the presence of others.

Jack simply looked down at her, "You're mine, aren't you?" He leaned over and wrapped his arm around her, pulling at her lower back, dipping her back as he went to press his lips against hers.

She pressed a hand on his chest, trying to steady herself as she now stood on her toes. Returning the kiss without hesitation, her other hand wrapped around his neck, the staff horizontally still in her hand.