บท 9: Chapter 7 ─ The Power of Yourself

When Russell was a boy, he along with other boys infiltrated the coliseum in the capital of the Avrora empire.

A huge place that holds over 100,000 people.

This place was originally a men's club, where secret and obscure acts of the high nobility took place.

But one day the emperor of that time opened it to the public.

They were running out of money, and opening the doors to a butcher's shop-like spectacle would generate real economic income without raising taxes or creating riots.

In the beginning there were several activities that would have, many of them were eliminated as they were repulsive, involving sexual acts.

But the activity that remained was the one that united the whole nation before the imperial reformation.

Gladiators.

Brave and virile men who fought to the death to win their right to freedom.

They were all slaves, from criminals to people who sold themselves to give their family that money.

For these men it was normal to accumulate sexual desire, so they brought prostitutes to satiate their desires.

One of those prostitutes gave birth to a child there, who as he was homeless was made to become a gladiator.

That story was known to everyone.

Russell wanted to see it as rumor had it that it would be his last day before retirement.

There, in that huge arena filled with sand with the smell of metal impregnated with blood.

He watched as an old man cracked skulls, fractured backs, lower legs, elbows and even collarbones with his bare hands.

He knew from rumors about the martial art taught in the empire, the [Imperial Fist] which was practiced there.

To Russell, that form of fighting was both beautiful and deadly.

He wept as he watched that old man being cheered by all while a trail of blood and guts adorned his surroundings.

And right now that man is standing in front of him.

◇◇◇

"What are you doing here?"

Russell asked Cedric.

The butler didn't answer him, only pulled down his shirt collar to show him a slave mark.

"After my last day in the coliseum, the emperor sold me, he said I was too old."

"I was bought by the viscount and thanks to him, so as not to arouse suspicion, I received a job and a surname."

"Cedric Zora Valkenheim is the name I was given in this country."

"To show him the humane treatment with which I was received, I will finish you off."

Russell was angry to see how the man he respected was bought off.

"That's bullshit! You're working under a criminal who kidnaps innocent girls!"

"I know, but what do you want me to do?"

"This world is cruel. If you want to look out for someone else's safety, you'll end up dead. What do you think one can do for those girls?"

"No one felt sorry for me as a child, thanks to the coliseum boss I had education and principles, but now I'm still someone's property... this talk went on too long, let's end this quickly."

Cedric lunged at Russell from his left side.

Russell drew his sword to take the swing and have Cedric's hands cut off.

But Cedric was an expert in the imperial fist style.

The imperial fist has five martial arts ranks to define its power.

But there are rarities that have gone as high as seven ranks, proving to break the established norm.

That sixth rank is held by Cedric, who is considered by martial artists to be a [Fist King].

Therefore, his fists were imbued with water magic, to facilitate the deflection of sharp weapon attacks.

The moment he touched the sword, Cedric's hands pushed the katana aside, Russell could feel his weapon slipping out of his hands.

The katana went flying from one side to the other.

He pulled a sword from the room attached to the broken wall.

As he pulled it out he received a wave of blows from Cedric.

Perhaps it was age, but the butler's blows were less lethal than before.

But they were so deadly that if it wasn't for Russell holding his sword as if his life depended on it, he would be dead by now.

"You really are trouble."

The old butler's punches and kicks were so fast that, if it weren't for the dangerous training in his childhood, he would be dead by now.

(An opening!)

Russell thought as he watched Cedric take a moment to breathe, stopping his attack to take in oxygen was normal for any warrior, and when you add in the fact that he was an 80-year-old man, all the more reason for him to stop.

At that instant, Russell swung his sword to slash Cedric's belly, but....

"Too predictable!"

Using his elbow and knee, he stopped the sword.

"No way!"

The sword despite weighing as much as a small child's body, didn't move or even tremble as it wanted to come out.

Cedric broke it with the force of his muscles, causing Russell to fall to the ground.

The butler slowly approached as he readied his fist to finish this.

"Even though it lasted only a short time, it was a wonderful duel.

"Normally my opponents lasted a maximum of three hits, one hit was enough to kill them. But you lasted long enough, for that you deserve my appreciation."

Russell stood up and placed his hand behind his back.

Cedric advised him not to do so.

"It is useless. Drawing a dagger or a hand sword is useless against me."

"I fought many enemies and even if you try to darken the place it's absurd as well."

"You cannot win, only accept your death!"

Cedric moved at great speed to crush Russell's head.

He smiled.

"You're right, that's why I never thought to use this."

He threw something at Cedric who saw it was a leather bag, he sent it against the wall thinking it was some kind of weapon or sleeping pill.

The moment it hit the wall, the bag shattered and a red powder scattered on the spot, landing on Russell's nose.

"But what the *achoo*."

"Is this *achoo*."

"It really burns my nose *achoo*!"

Russell smiled a bitter smile.

(I can't believe it worked.)

Before he went inside, Regulus handed him something, it was the same stinging powder he used on him.

"Here. This is my good luck charm, you never know if it'll come in handy."

(I can't believe it would actually come in handy!)

Watching Cedric wipe his watery eyes and run mucus from his nose, Russell grabbed his weapon and went straight for his enemy.

"Killing you would be an option, but..."

He gave him a hard blow to the head which caused him to pass out.

"In respect for my childhood self I will let you live. But this will be the first and last time I do so."

"Well, let's go save some girls."

◇◇◇

*Shaking*

Suddenly, the ground began to shake.

"Kyah!"

It was a powerful quake.

"Is this tremor really weird? It doesn't feel like it's coming from below... but from above?"

◇◇◇

"─Zeus."

After completing that name of saying it.

He delicately waved downwards the sword.

After reaching the ground, Saren threw herself to the side.

Everything in that direction, regardless of whether there were houses or not.

It was obliterated by a mysterious black light that devoured everything.

The black light was so intense that even on a night with a hidden moon.

The light from the darkness was so bright that everyone could see it heading into the forest of darkness.

Moments later, the light disappeared.

Having made this strange attack.

Regulus regained his composure.

"Huh? What happened?"

He wasn't aware of what he did.

"Uwahh! What the hell happened here?"

He commented as he looked at the large hole he made in the mansion.

"Help me!"

"Huh?"

In the distance he could see how the viscount's office was smashed and he was about to fall into the newly created cliff.

"Ah! That's the fucking viscount!"

"Wait there!"

Ignoring Saren, he went to catch the viscount.

She trembled like a dog at the sound of fireworks.

"That's scary... I'm scared..."

"That... was not a human thing..."

After catching the viscount and freeing the girls, this busy day ended.

________________

Before moving on to the fanservice, I want to say that this chapter had to be very long, but it gave me depression as I saw how hembrism makes men's genitals smaller and shorter, then they ask me why I want a certain bear to make a certain union and some certain eagle apologies to him and give him an economic remuneration for playing the victim.

Sorry, I had to get it out of my system, let's go with the fanservice.

Saren had to give a super fight, but it gave me an emo status and I couldn't complete it, sorry. But don't worry we'll see more crazy fights soon.

She's a recurring character by the way.

https://chan.sankakucomplex.com/es/post/show/32062444