บท 4: Harsh Reality Of Slaves
Regie, Visgard, and Cornio huddled together, watching as slaves shuffled into a narrow passage leading to their grim worksite.
Below the sprawling maze of grimy cells lies the Grave Dominion's Cave—a massive, shadowy underworld where labor and suffering are the norm. The entrance, a jagged tear in the rock, opens into a vast chamber dimly lit by flickering torches, casting weak light through the heavy, stale air.
The walls, streaked with veins of azure and gold, shimmering faintly, hinting at the precious minerals buried deep within. Narrow, twisting passages snake through the rock, leading into wide chambers where the relentless clang of pickaxes against stone echoes loudly.
Rubble and mineral shards cover the ground, and makeshift wooden supports creak under the weight of the labyrinth above. Slaves work tirelessly, some in tattered rags, others barely clothed. Their exhaustion and despair are evident as they labor under the stern gaze of the Grave Dominion Guards.
Cornio noticed Visgard's worried expression. The boy's frail frame seemed barely able to endure the oppressive conditions.
"Don't worry, Visgard. Put this on," Cornio said, handing him a mask.
Visgard examined it. "Is this an Oxy-Mask?"
"Yes. It'll help you breathe easier. Let's go," Cornio said with a reassuring smile.
Regie watched with a smirk as the three headed into the cave, their backs were observed with hostility by Arnold and his henchmen.
Inside, Visgard, now wearing the Oxy-Mask, saw the harsh reality of the cave. Slaves worked under the stern gaze of guards stationed in wooden towers every twenty meters.
"Visgard, you're new, so follow those kids over there," Cornio said, pointing to a group of young slaves heading deeper into the cave.
"Thanks for the Oxy-Mask," Visgard said, quickly catching up to the group of young workers.
Cornio watched Visgard disappear into the cave's depths, his expression turning serious as shadows moved behind him.
As Visgard moved deeper, he noticed several young beastmen among the group. Unlike the adult beastmen he knew, these ones weren't arrogant. The Heroic Sage began analyzing them, providing Visgard with details. One beastman stood out with significant potential.
[Sage: The targeted individual will soon awaken when conditions are met.]
"Is he special?" Visgard asked mentally.
[Sage: Yes. His large mana pool exceeds average limits, and his desire is linked with his mana. He will likely awaken soon.]
Visgard realized this boy might become significant in the future.
Suddenly, a blaring bell echoed through the cave, making everyone wince in pain.
"What's that bell?" Visgard shouted, covering his ears.
[Sage: Pain has been induced. Activating countermeasures…]
"What is up with this bell? Where is it coming from?" Visgard asked, his face twisted in agony.
[Sage: Confirmation is required. Would you like to use Extra Skill: Devour? Yes or No?]
The bell rang again, and several kids collapsed, overwhelmed by the pain.
"Yes!" Visgard shouted, struggling to stay conscious as the pain worsened.
At that moment, the Extra Skill: Devour was activated. As Visgard's agony reached its peak, a powerful Defense Barrier materialized around him, absorbing and nullifying the pain. The bell's echoes gradually faded, and the intense suffering subsided.
"What happened?" Visgard asked, completely bewildered.
[Sage: Extra Skill: Devour absorbed the pain. Extra Skill: Defense Barrier has been created and activated.]
Visgard was astonished. "A skill created another skill?"
[Sage: Yes. The Extra Skill: Devour has been integrated into Heroic Sage's sub-skill Combination, creating the Defense Barrier.]
"Oh, right. Your sub-skills. This is incredible," Visgard said, relief flooding over him as the pain disappeared.
As the bell's torment continued for the others, Visgard noticed an additional problem: invisible magical strings began wrapping around his body, binding him tightly and preventing movement.
[Sage: Abnormality detected: Puppet Bind. Invisible strings are currently restricting Master's movements.]
"What's happening to me, Sage? I can't move!" Visgard asked, panic rising in his voice.
[Sage: Analysis complete. Extra Skill: Puppet Bind has been cast on Master, immobilizing him with invisible strings.]
Visgard struggled against the unseen bonds, but they held him firmly in place.
[Sage: Beginning countermeasures...]
The bonds that held him slowly lost its grip as Sage used devour to decrease the strings efficiency.
Visgard still struggled and as he pushed through his frustration, Visgard from a distance, saw the guard cruelly tormenting the young slaves, ringing the bell relentlessly.
Fueled by anger and desperation, Visgard forced himself to act despite the magical restraints. He charged at the guard, shoving him with all his strength. The guard stumbled and fell to the ground, making him momentarily stunned.
The slaves, now freed from the bell's torment, looked up in surprise.
The guard, recovering his balance, scrambled to his feet. "How dare you push me, you filthy slave! And how are you able to move from my restraints?" he roared, drawing his sword.
The Guard knew that several slaves were coming and released his skill to prevent them from entering deep within.
[Sage: Hostility level critical. Recommend using Devour.]
Visgard was immobilized once more, unable to move due to the guard increasing the skill's restraining prowess.
[Abnormality detected: Puppet Bind on Master's body.]
The guard grinned menacingly as he advanced on the immobilized Visgard. "This is your end!"
Just as the guard prepared to strike, a powerful force struck him from behind, hurling him against the cave wall with a thunderous crash.
*Boom!*
The guard that got stuck on a wall, completely dazed and battered, struggling to recover his footing, was surprised about what had happened.
"Who did that?" he shouted, his voice filled with fear.
A young beastman with spiked brown hair and fierce red eyes stood in front of Visgard. The beastman's imposing presence, combined with the other slaves that came alongside him, helping the injured, created a stark contrast to the chaos.
"Thanks for the help," the beastman said, slicing through the invisible bindings that had held Visgard.
Visgard was stunned. The beastman he had noticed for his potential was now a skilled user.
"You filthy beastman of a monster! How dare you hit me!" the guard shouted angrily as he shivered in pain.
The beastman glared at the trembling guard. "How dare you torment these children? You're the real monster here."
Without a moment's hesitation, the beastman charged at the guard, his intent was clear. Wanting to take down the guard.
Enraged, the guard cast a spell, sending a flurry of strings toward the charging beastman. But the beastman slashed through them effortlessly, closing in on the shocked guard.
"How?" the guard stammered, awfully bewildered.
As they collided, a cloud of dust enveloped the scene, and a tremor shook the cave briefly.
Visgard and the other slaves watched in stunned silence as the explosion reverberated through the area.
The force of it left them momentarily disoriented, their anticipation hanging in the air as they waited for the swirling mist to clear.
As the haze gradually lifted, the sight that emerged was nothing short of astonishing.
A young beastman, still on the cusp of puberty, was locked in an intense battle with a guard who had been a symbol of their oppression for years.
The guard, who had once seemed invincible due to his skill in restraining and dominating their movements, was now facing a challenge from a youth he had once dismissed.
This young beastman, whom they had always regarded as weak, was now fighting with a ferocity that completely defied their expectations.
"Was Tora really this strong?" a young slave whispered in disbelief, his eyes widened as he watched the young fighter's impressive prowess.
Tora, who was the same age as Visgard, had always appeared fragile compared to the burly guard. Yet now, his skill in combat was remarkable.
His sharp claws moved with precision, expertly deflecting the guard's sword strikes. Each movement was a testament to Tora's growth and newfound strength.
"How dare you raise your claws against your superior!" the guard bellowed, his voice brimming with anger and indignation.
He tried to reassert his dominance, his oppressive authority a stark contrast to Tora's determined defiance. But the young beastman remained resolute, his focus unbroken.
The clash between them was fierce, the guard's confidence faltering as he realized that the child he had tormented was now more than capable of fighting back.
The guard's earlier arrogance was replaced by a palpable sense of dread.
Visgard, captivated by the unfolding battle, turned inward to consult his Sage.
"What's this skill, Sage?" he asked mentally, eager to understand the source of Tora's newfound strength.
[Analyzing Individual...]
[Sage: Analysis Complete.]
[Sage: He has acquired the Greater Skill: Judgement of the Beast King.]
[Greater Skill: Judgement of the Beast King - A skill that bestows its user with the ability to evaluate and nullify an opponent's abilities, enhancing their own power to ensure they emerge victorious.]
"Wow... A Greater Skill, and an incredibly potent one at that!" Visgard mentally reacted, astonished by the revelation. The fact that such a powerful skill had manifested in someone so young was both thrilling and awe-inspiring.
[Sage: This skill revises the conditions of combat, adjusting outcomes to favor the user, thereby significantly boosting their chances of triumph.]
The implications of this were electrifying for Visgard.
The notion that Tora could shift the balance of any fight to his advantage was exhilarating.
This realization triggered a flood of memories previously glimpsed by Visgard, overwhelming him with a surge of intense, almost unbearable pain as these memories integrated into his consciousness.
Meanwhile, Tora and the guard's battle reached a critical juncture.
The guard, visibly weary and struggling to maintain his footing, was clearly nearing his limit. Tora seized the opportunity with tactical precision.
In a decisive moment, Tora managed to disarm the guard, sending the sword crashing to the ground.
With his opponent now vulnerable, Tora prepared to deliver the final blow.
"You're finished, you monster!" Tora shouted, his voice filled with unwavering determination as he aimed to end the reign of terror inflicted by the guard.
The guard, immobilized by fear and unable to evade or counterattack, faced his inevitable defeat at the hands of the young beastman empowered by his extraordinary skill.
As the battle reached its dramatic conclusion, the exchange finally ended on an overwhelming difference of triumphant resolution, marking the fall of the guard and signaling a significant victory for Tora.
Chapter End.
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