Second World-Novel

Chapter 1561 1561. Captives

The first thing Jack tried to do was to take out his magic staff and cast teleport, but nothing came out of his storage bag. He was unable to use any skill or access his inventory.

Jack then noticed the true Janus who just come into the room simply watched him with a flat expression.

Jack turned to the other true Janus in captivity. "Which one of you is the real one?" He asked.

The Janus in captivity answered, "… We both are."

"What the hell does that mean?" Jack asked.

The Janus in captivity didn't answer anymore. He instead turned to his other self, "Let him go. He has nothing to do with this."

"He does now," the other Janus responded. "It's his fault to be a busybody."

"Are you going to kill him?"

"I'm still considering… No, I think I have a better use for him. That geezer imparted his legacy to a foreign outworlder instead of his formal disciple. I am going to rectify that. Once I become an eternal grade, I am going to look for a way to extract that Time Sage out of him. So… You both will remain here until my work is done."

"What do you mean?" Jack asked. "Are you the one behind the assassination of the league factions' leaders?"

The Janus outside didn't answer Jack's question. He instead asked, "Why do you think it is me?"

"… Someone ambushed the team I sent to Palgrost to investigate the assault on Blacksmith Circle's leader," Jack answered.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Outside of my people and the Blacksmith Circle, only one other person knew about this investigative team and where they were heading. You. I told your younger self when he asked about it."

"… You decided I am the one responsible based on that?" Janus asked.

"No, but it gives me a reason to suspect you," Jack answered.

"Hmph… I had a nagging feeling that something was wrong. So, that trap in Hydrurond was a set-up for me… It's a good thing I didn't bite. I didn't expect you to also sneak into my sanctum, though. Setting a trap for me while at the same time luring me out so you can break in here. I understand now why our teacher chose you for his legacy."

"Since you understand… Can I take it that you will no longer look for a way to take the Time Sage out of me?"

Janus simply chuckled at hearing Jack's question. He had been working on the rune diagram controlling the prison force field while talking. He undid everything Jack had done and returned the rune diagram to its perfect condition.

Jack asked Janus again if he was indeed the one responsible for the assassination but Janus seemed to be no longer interested in further conversation. Jack turned and asked the other Janus in captivity, but that one also didn't give him any answer.

He used his Inspect on both Januses. The one in captivity was a level 80 rare elite grade. The one outside was a level 90 mythical+ grade.

"What the hell does that plus sign mean?" Jack asked Peniel. She replied that she also didn't understand.

The last time Jack saw the true Janus, he was a level 90 mythical grade. This should mean the one outside was the real one. The one in captivity was a clone, or was it?

He was very puzzled by the situation and the two a*sholes were not sharing any enlightenment.

The Janus outside finally stopped working. He looked around the room to make sure nothing was out of place. After a short glance at Jack and the Janus in captivity, he left the room without a word.

Once he was out, the Janus in captivity said, "I'm sorry. You shouldn't have gotten mixed up in this."

"Can you finally tell me what the hell is going on here?" Jack asked. "Are you… Or, is he the one responsible for the death of the leaders of other league factions?"

Janus sighed. "… He is, but… It's a long story," he said again.

"Do you see me going anywhere?" Jack said in annoyance.

Janus sighed again. "It all started after we got the Eye of Illios from you."

"Hey, man. Are you going to pin the fault on me?" Jack asked.

"That's not what I meant," Janus replied.

"Are you already in captivity then? When I bring the Eye of Illios here?"

"Are you going to let me tell the story or are you going to keep on asking questions?" Janus asked with a peeved tone.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Please, proceed," Jack apologized.

"Well. As I said, it all started after we got the Eye of Illios," Janus resumed. "The initial reason we want that eye was as we had mentioned. It was to look for where Majus hid his Time Sage legacy. But after learning that the legacy had been passed on to you, we were using the eye for another purpose."

Jack nodded while his one hand pressed tightly against his mouth to prevent himself from interrupting.

"This other purpose was to look for a way to elevate ourselves into the eternal grade," Majus said.

Jack was very itchy to ask what did this have to do with the assassination of the league factions' leaders, but he kept his mouth shut.

"After spending some time using the eye to look for something that can upgrade ourselves, we finally concluded," Janus said. "There was no such thing."

'Okay…,' Jack said in his mind.

"But we continue to use that eye to observe things, including the war in Hydrurond. That's when we stumbled upon the truth of this world."

When Jack gave him a questioning expression, Janus said, "The conversation between the Gods. The conversation that the Gods had with you outworlders before God of Hope died. We heard them all… To be honest, we should have known. There are signs everywhere, especially after the outworlders started appearing… We took it rather hard. But after embracing the truth, we saw this world in a different light."