No More Pain For This Villain.



[A/N: Next few chapters aren't for light hearted folk....]

In the heat of the moment, I didn't have time to spin the sword again. My fingers instinctively loosened their grip, and the hilt slipped from my hands. With a swift motion, I retracted my palm into a clenched fist and-

*Thad*

The sound of impact resonated as my fist connected with the man's face. His pained cry filled the air, and a small spurt of blood trickled from his eyes, a testament to the force of my blow.

My body was a whirlwind of motion. With one foot still suspended in the air, I gracefully bent backward, arching my body until my left hand found purchase on the ground. My core tightened, and then, with explosive power, I swung my leg with lightning speed, striking the last remaining assailant's knee from an unexpected angle.

"Kugh," he groaned, caught off guard by the vicious attack. The sickening crunch of his knee bending the wrong way was grimly satisfying.

With a fluid motion, I stood upright, facing two injured foes and one lifeless body. I retrieved the fallen sword, its blade gleaming ominously, and-

*Stab*

I thrust it into the unconscious man, a final act to ensure he wouldn't pose a threat again. Turning my attention to the one with the mangled knee, I asked, "Hmm, Nocny Gryf?"

It seemed my question was lost on him, so I chose a more direct approach. Stepping firmly on his uninjured knee, I inquired again, "Nocny Gryf?" This time, he looked into my eyes, confusion and fear etched across his face.

"H-how... who?" His first word told me the story.

*Sling*

With a decisive swing, my blade sliced through the air, severing his vocal cords. His eyes lost their light, and he had only moments left to contemplate the futility of his actions before death claimed him.

"System," I muttered.

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STATUS WINDOW

(Notification muted)

[Ren Chris Hilton]

Age: 16

Race: Purebred Phoenix

[Level 2: Flame Adept]

[4 Star Mage In Human Terms.]

  [Expand Panel: Yes/No]

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I glanced to my sides, shifting my body slightly within the confines of the spacious cage. I stacked the lifeless bodies atop each other and took a seat on them.

"At least respect the dead, dude," Blaze chimed in, still in his feline form, a choice likely made to conserve his energy.

"Unmute the notifications," I requested, eyeing the lackluster sword in my hand. It wasn't the best weapon; it dulled quickly, either from the excessive mana I poured into it or the mana these adversaries used to fortify themselves.

*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*Ting*

"Ugh, I hate this," I grumbled, massaging my temples as a barrage of messages and notifications flooded my mind. This was precisely why I kept notifications off most of the time – I didn't need constant updates on every little thing.

In total, I had earned approximately 1000 experience points and 200 Blood Points.

"Store," I said aloud, opening the virtual marketplace within my mind. I was on the lookout for a better weapon, but then a realization struck me.

"Brought what?" Blaze inquired.

"The Spider eggs, remember we picked up a sack from Nightshade Sanctum... would've been a great help," I muttered regretfully. The thought of those eggs crossed my mind; they could have been a valuable asset, but it was too late now.

Nevertheless, it seemed the store, currently at level one, didn't offer any remarkable combat items, and most of the available options appeared to be one-time use items, making them unsuitable for my current situation.

"Looks like this dull-ass sword is the one," I concluded, opting not to spend any more resources on additional blades. Instead, I picked up a sword from one of these individuals – or should I call them smugglers, perhaps?

I activated my elemental vision, allowing me to survey the chamber. It was vast, making it impossible to spot individuals among the numerous cages. I was about to start searching when I heard a faint voice, almost a whisper.

"Yeah!"

"Yeah, hahaha, Broker! Broker!"

"Do it!"

Confusion swirled within me. What was happening? Just when it seemed like everyone was asleep or at least inactive, I heard continuous cheering coming from the northeast direction. Or was it northeast?

I decided to follow the sound of the enthusiastic voices. With the dull sword in hand, I moved carefully through the labyrinthine rows of cages, my elemental vision helping me navigate in the dimly lit chamber. 

I went a bit deeper into the northeast section, the cheering grew louder. Soon, I came upon a scene that left me both puzzled and intrigued. 

In the midst of this underground prison, a makeshift arena had been formed. Cages had been cleared away, creating an open space where a group of smugglers had gathered. They were surrounding two combatants engaged in a fierce battle. 

One was a man with a rugged appearance, wielding a crudely fashioned weapon made from metal scraps..... it's a axe maybe.

His opponent, on the other hand, was a dwarf individual who moved with surprising agility, dodging blows with ease.

The crowd's fervent cheers and chants filled the air as the fight continued.

Curiosity got the better of me, and I decided to quietly climb up a cage, perching on top of it as I observed the unfolding spectacle below. 

-Blaze's warning echoed in my thoughts, reminding me of the precarious situation we were in, but I couldn't resist the temptation of this unexpected scene.

'what are you doing? They already are more in number's than you,just get out of here.' Blaze advised but nah- this feels like a good entertainment show to freshen up my mood.

I disregarded his cautionary words, thinking that this was a welcome distraction before I jump in between.

"Fuck you! This time I'll go for the round!" the smuggler with the rugged face shouted, his anger evident as he swung his axe. A small current of wind accompanied the weapon's movement, enhancing its force. I couldn't help but wonder what they meant by "the round."

"Nah, I still can't have her," the dwarf responded with a chuckle, mentioning someone they both seemed interested in.... Her? 

The battle between the rugged smuggler and the agile dwarf unfolded with a display of intense elemental prowess.

The dwarf, swift and nimble, sidestepped with remarkable agility. In a fluid motion, he thrust his hand downward, and the very earth answered his command. Stones and dirt surged upward, creating a makeshift shield just in time to intercept the deadly arc of the smuggler's axe.

A resounding clang echoed through the chamber as the axe collided with the improvised barrier. Sparks flew, and fragments of rock scattered in all directions. Seizing this momentary distraction, the dwarf launched his counterattack.

He crouched low and then, with a powerful leap, harnessed the strength of the earth beneath him. The ground trembled as he propelled himself forward, delivering a well-aimed kick to the smuggler's chest. The impact sent the man stumbling backward.

Silence descended upon the chamber as the dust settled.

"Hoho, this marks your third loss, my friend. She won't hold out much longer," the elderly dwarf chuckled, his amusement evident.

The defeated smuggler grumbled as he attempted to rise, but the dwarf extended a hand to help him up.

"I believe I'll wait a bit. You can go... but remember to be gentle. She's on the brink of death, I already had my share tho hehe," the dwarf said, offering a cryptic smile...are they talking about some prostitute?

' Why'd you even think that?' Blaze asked but this chamber,drunken fights and mention of female..... don't think a u decent women would walk in this kind of place so maybe a prostitute?

Anyways, I don't care.

"Really? Thank you, Broker," the man responded with a grin, immediately rising to his feet. 

"Get that toy," Broker's command reverberated through the chamber. With a sense of urgency, one of the spectators from the back dashed toward the cages. He seized one of the smaller, metal cages, its bars clinking as he dragged it with haste towards the center of the impromptu arena.

The crowd's cheers reached a fevered pitch, each shout and clap creating a cacophony of anticipation.

"..."My eyes dilated as I witnessed the unfolding spectacle. The man yanked open the cage, revealing a small figure within. It was a girl, painfully frail, her form fragile like porcelain,maybe around seven or eight years in age?

She appeared to be on the verge of unconsciousness, her eyes fluttering as if struggling to stay awake. Her vulnerability was stark, accentuated by the fact that she was utterly devoid of clothing, leaving her exposed and vulnerable.....they did that to her?

'Ugh-oh,' Blaze's voice echoed in my mind as he retreated into the shadows, his unease 

evident.

My grip on the sword hilt tightened, my knuckles turning white as my my swirled.

[A/N: You know what? I am not going to criticize Ren on whatever he does... I am sure he'll do something because, my heart has stopped working..... I just don't -agh it's hard to explain but....no!]