Parallel world Manga Artist-Chapter 203: Choice

"It’s starting, no more chatting!"

As soon as someone said this in the fan group, the chat went completely silent.

Erina curled her lip, set her phone aside, and turned her gaze to the television.

It was still that electrifying, epic English song, Enemy.

As an ordinary office worker, Erina could confidently say that anime was her biggest hobby, and the core of that hobby was following, watching, and discussing Shirogane’s works every single week.

She couldn’t help it. She adored every one of Shirogane’s creations. So far, not a single work of his had ever disappointed her, not even once.

Taking a deep breath, Erina fixed her eyes on the screen.

The story continued from last week.

Jayce had personally used the tool he created, originally meant to be promoted to the public for mining, to kill a group of children from Zaun.

Only then did he finally understand why his teacher, Heimerdinger, had tried so desperately to stop him from placing this technology into the hands of ordinary people.

Mining? Cutting? Welding? 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Heh... these weren’t civilian tools.

They were civilian weapons.

And the Hextech crystals Jayce had researched, meant to bring happiness to the masses, were, in truth, ultimate weapons that allowed even ordinary people to wield the power of rune magic.

Once this power spread, the entire continent would descend into a war-torn hell.

"Let’s stop here," Jayce said quietly to Vi.

Faced with Vi’s proposal to directly attack Silco’s hideout, Jayce glanced at the corpses on the ground and refused outright.

"The next time parents realize their child isn’t coming home," he said, tears welling in his eyes as he pointed at the bodies, "I won’t know how to face them..."

"If you don’t kill Silco, thousands more children will die," Vi replied.

"The operation is canceled," Jayce repeated solemnly, his resolve carried powerfully through the voice actor’s performance.

"Vi isn’t wrong, but..." Erina exhaled deeply.

"Jayce is the one who’s right. Children who might die in the future versus children who will definitely die if the operation continues, who can truly weigh which is heavier? Vi is blinded by hatred, yet she insists on wrapping her selfish desire in righteous words. If Silco hadn’t killed her foster father, and if Jinx weren’t under Silco’s control, would she even care about these problems?"

"Take off my gauntlets."

Jayce clenched his fists as he stared at the mining gauntlets he had designed, now worn by Vi and dripping with blood.

"Come and take them," Vi replied.

But in the end...

Jayce hesitated for a long time before turning away with the Enforcers. He no longer wanted to kill anyone.

"You can’t do this alone..."

The scene shifted back to Viktor in Piltover.

The Hextech runes he had researched spiraled out of control, consuming the assistant who loved him, and even beginning to erode Viktor himself. Yet because of this transformation, his crippled leg regained vitality, and he cast aside his crutches, walking freely once more.

Elsewhere, Jayce’s lover Mel argued with her mother, Ambessa, a powerful general from the Noxian Empire, over Jayce’s safety and control of Hextech.

"We need weapons, Mel," Ambessa said coldly. "War... let it come."

The narrative began rapidly cutting between the season’s key figures.

Silco prepared for war.

Ambessa schemed to seize Piltover and Zaun through Hextech.

Viktor’s runes pulsed like living things, reshaping his body even as they claimed lives.

The story then moved to the bridge connecting the Upper City and the Lanes.

Under the setting sun, Jayce, representing Piltover, stood opposite Silco, representing Zaun.

"Our two regions once stood united against foreign enemies," Jayce said.

"People in this city have short memories," Silco replied coolly, pulling a sheet of paper from his coat and handing it over.

The terms Piltover would have to accept for peace.

Despite their outrageous nature, Jayce ultimately agreed to every condition.

"There is only one thing I want," Jayce said firmly. "Jinx must be punished for her crimes."

Erina’s heart tightened.

Silco was the most complex character in the entire story.

Was he using Jinx?

Or did he truly love her as a father?

Would he abandon her in exchange for Zaun’s independence, autonomy, and access to the Hexgates?

"Those were not her crimes," Silco said quietly. "I gave the orders."

"I’m making a deal with a viper," Jayce replied coldly. "And you don’t spare vipers. Hand over Jinx, and I’ll agree to your terms."

With that, Jayce turned and walked away.

Erina let out a long breath.

It was over.

The story had come full circle.

Vander faced this very choice back in the first episode.

Hand over Jinx, and Piltover would grant Zaun peace.

Now, in the ninth episode, Silco, the man who killed Vander and once mocked him as a fool, stood before the exact same decision.

By handing over Jinx, he could finally obtain the fairness, independence, and freedom for Zaun that he had pursued his entire life.

Back then, Vander chose to pay for Jinx’s crimes with his own life.

And Silco...

He sat alone, drinking in silence, speaking to the statue of his former brother. He poured out everything he had buried in his heart—his hatred, his resentment, his ideals, his doubts.

And then, every word was overheard by Jinx, hiding quietly in the shadows.

From that point on, the episode descended into pure madness.

In the Upper City council chamber, Jayce negotiated alongside Viktor.

His condition was simple and brutal: he would surrender his council seat and relinquish all control and profits tied to Hextech, in exchange for the Council accepting Silco’s terms of peace.

Meanwhile, in Zaun.

After learning that her sister had grown close to Caitlyn, and that her adoptive father Silco was torn between power and her life, Jinx finally snapped.

She lured Vi, Caitlyn, and Silco into a trap.

When they awoke, they found themselves tied to chairs around a circular table.

Jinx stood before them, smiling wildly.

’It was Vi’s choices that created Jinx’s madness.’

Erina sighed as she watched Jinx ask Vi a single, heartbreaking question:

Were they still sisters?

If only Vi had been more decisive, just once. If she had firmly chosen Jinx without hesitation, perhaps Jinx would not have fallen into this fractured, half-mad state.

The trial began.

Silco had once lied to Jinx, telling her that Vi had abandoned her and died while escaping alone.

But now, bound to the chair, Silco looked at Jinx and said:

"You’re not that little girl anymore. Your sister will see your true nature after spending a single day with you. Then she’ll leave you."

You want to rebuild your bond with Vi?

She is still Vi, but are you still the innocent Powder she once protected?

Erina immediately understood what Silco meant.

If there was anyone in this world who would never betray Jinx, it was Silco, the one person who understood her completely and still chose to love her as his daughter.

"I didn’t lie to you, Jinx," Vi said urgently.

"The Upper City agreed to everything I asked for, but they want you in exchange. Let them all die instead!" Silco shouted.

At that moment, Erina couldn’t tell what was real anymore.

Were these words spoken to save their lives?

Or were they the genuine feelings of Vi and Silco?

As Jinx focused on Silco, Caitlyn quietly noticed a shard of glass on the table and prepared to fight back.

"Everyone will betray us," Silco said softly, staring into Jinx’s eyes. "Vander... and Vi. They’ll never understand."

Tears welled up in Jinx’s eyes.

Erina felt her nose sting.

Then Silco, the demon of the Undercity, spoke with absolute certainty:

"We only have each other. You are my daughter. I will never abandon you."

At that instant, Caitlyn broke free and raised her gun at Jinx.

Vi screamed for her to stop.

But Jinx struck first, knocking Caitlyn unconscious and reclaiming the weapon.

Her mind finally shattered.

Silco urged her to kill them.

Vi begged her to wake up.

Torn between her sister and her father, Jinx froze, unable to tell whose voice to trust.

Then, in the chaos, Silco broke free and grabbed the gun, aiming it at Vi.

In that single heartbeat, instinct took over.

Jinx’s eyes flashed with killing intent.

She turned the gun on Silco.

The trigger was pulled.

Gunfire erupted.

Erina stopped breathing.

Silco slumped in his chair, blood pooling on the floor. Dozens of bullets had torn through him, his life fading rapidly.

At that moment, the little girl once called Powder was truly gone.

Killed by her own hand.

Jinx snapped back to reality.

She stared at her father’s dying body in disbelief, dropped the gun, and collapsed into his arms, trembling as she begged him for forgiveness.

Erina understood then.

Jinx truly loved Silco as her father.

But when forced to choose, she chose her sister.

That was Jinx’s true heart.

"Don’t cry," Silco whispered weakly. "I never planned to give you to them. I would never trade you for anything."

There was no resentment in his eyes, only love.

Erina’s vision blurred with tears.

Silco was a villain.

But he was also a devoted father.

"You’re perfect... don’t cry."

Those were Silco’s final words.

His head fell forward, and his life slipped away.

Erina finally broke down.

Even knowing he was the story’s greatest antagonist, she couldn’t stop the sadness from flooding her chest.

’It’s the final episode of the first season...’

’Teacher Shirogane, did you really have to hurt us like this?’