CORE

Chapter 23 - Ransom

"Ha! Unfortunately for you, in Area 5, even if any of the performers are uncomfortable, that doesn't mean we'll stop, not even to let them breathe comfortably!" The Jester jeered as they clapped their hands slowly.

"Plus... Who cares what the performers feel? They only live to entertain, nothing more, nothing else,"

Hero continued to stay silent, taking consecutive deep breathes regardless of the crowd's laughter from outside, as he attempted to calm himself down, there was no point in getting too angry in a situation like this now, and plus, he would receive his get back, no matter what.

"Next..." Hero responded, much to The Jester's surprise, he had been silent for a while after all.

"...Or are you perhaps already finished? Is this really the best hell you can put me through?" Hero stared back at The Jester from above, clearly challenging them as he put up a forced smile, he had no reason to, but if it was to mock, to infuriate the way he did to him, then that alone is enough reason.

"...Heh, you trying to die today? Unfortunately, you've angered me enough, so you won't get that quick death," The Jester responded, looking back at Hero with a forced smile, veins appearing on their white face as their eyes glowed red, they snapped their fingers, and simultaneously with the clicking sound the bars of magic turned back into their original, thin form.

"Game #2!" The Jester shouted out, their voice echoing within The Carnival as he shrunk to a lower size, his limbs still long enough to completely cover the cage, the magic bars moved closer to the center, stopping in place shortly after.

"Can you-?" The Jester spoke out loud, however, stopped in the middle of his sentence as he began to hear loud knocking and rumbling on one of the sides of The Carnival, catching his attention as he turned to look at the source.

In that moment, he accidentally and unknowingly touched his hand on one of his magic bars, causing for Hero to take note of this, and smirk for a short moment.

"About time," Hero said as he snapped his fingers, hearing this, The Jester looked back, puzzled, but then it noticed his hand had started to freeze rapidly, and not only that, stuck to the magic iron bar too, the ice slowly froze The Jester's entire left arm along with the magic bar that Held hero captive.

"Cheap trick for a cheater! What do ya get out of this?!" The Jester spoke as he tried to pull out his hand from the ice, close to even ripping it into a bloody mess if he had to, The Jester then used his magic to command, and will the crowd to help him, specifically, the individuals behind him began to crawl up the stage, drawing themselves closer to The Jester's arm to set them free.

"No need to strain yourself..." Hero said as he took a step back.

"I can help you out just fine," He then ran full speed into the frozen magic bar, and The Jester's arm, jumping up slightly as he got into a dropkick position, before shattering and kicking through not only the magic bar but The Jester's entire arm too, causing for them to be pushed back along with their 'puppets'.

"So much for that anger you need to quell, eh?" Hero taunted back, grinning as The Jester stared back at him, his left arm regenerating, taking up a quarter of his magic pool as he continued to look at Hero with red glowing eyes.

"Thanks for being careless," Hero said, before jumping away with a burst of magic, The Jester attempted to grab them by extending his arm, but it was too late, Hero slid speedily on a floating icy path above the crowd of masked civilians, which slowly got larger as he then quickly shifted his magic into a different direction, pouring it all in his legs, and blasting off deeper into the city as he swiftly hid in an alleyway.